Two Weeks and Counting...

I have two weeks until Ironman - AGHHHH!!!  (Breathing heavily into a paper bag)

Two weeks.

Two weeks?

Oh my gosh, TWO WEEKS!!!

Okay, let me stop focusing on that for a second and let me focus a little bit on what the last 16 weeks have been like.  AMAZING, to say the least.  HARD, hardest thing I've ever voluntarily put myself through.  EMOTIONAL, hey I'm a girl...it's almost all emotional.  A SACRIFICE, A JOY, AN EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME, A GIFT, A MOMENT IN MY LIFE I WILL NEVER FORGET!!!  And that's just the training....

I can only hope May 19 can live up to half of what the training has made me out to be.

More than a certifiable Ironman, I hope, this training has made me so much stronger physically and mentally.  It has made me more passionate than ever to do what it takes to change ovarian cancer. The training has made me disciplined and helped me figure out some things about myself I really needed to face.  Yes I got all that from 16 weeks, 7 days a week (well, most of the time) of swimming, biking, and/or running.  Let me tell you, the training for this event is NO JOKE either!

19 weeks of training has also given me the opportunity to see how lucky I am to have the people that I do in my life.  This journey has shown me so many blessings, especially in the form of my friends, family, their friends and family, and even some complete strangers who I feel privelaged to join me in some special way on this trip.

This trip has also brought some amazing people into my life that I cannot thank God enough for.  I have to say thank you to my coach, Karen, for just getting me through these weeks without the need for a straight jacket and a loony bin (which I thought I might need at some point). 

Thank you God, for one of the most inspiring people I've ever met, Carol - an ovarian cancer survivor, 62 year old triathlete (who looks maybe 50!), and one of the most positive, upbeat, and encouraging people I have ever had the privelage to know.

Thank you God also for the random good lucks, congratulations, and words of encouragement along the way.  The friends I've made, the bike shop who keeps me believing that my bike really is okay, the running store stocked with my favorite shoes and socks, the nutrition store who keeps my 'needs' in stock.  Thank you God for towels...I never thought I'd need so many in my life!

Thank you God, too for my husband because without him this would not be possible.  You gave me the most amazing supportive man in the world and I can't talk enough about how lucky I feel to have him on my side; or in the car bringing me new tires 30 miles in to a bike ride; or at home cooking dinner because I'm too tired to get off the floor; or standing by me as I decide to buy another article of clothing, compression socks, bike tires, water bottle, sports drink, or electronic monitoring device that you don't understand, but you know it will make me happy.  I just love you, Kyle Mazeikas!

So with two weeks left, I'll leave you with a note from my coach:

"Like I’ve said before, you only get one “first” Ironman. It is a life changing experience indeed. Out on the course you may learn things about yourself that you never knew! You may come to grips with something from your past, figure out your future, you will overcome fears, and will discover the true joy of completing 140.6 miles all by yourself, but most important, you will become and IRONMAN!"

Cheers to that!!!