Hey everyone. This is Jess a.k.a. Her. I finally found the time to create a gmail account so now, like Kelvin, I can share my training stories, discoveries, and adventures with you.
So far the running is going well. There are good days and bad days, but overall I feel good about my training so far. It is definitely whipping me into shape! As mentioned by Kel the goal is the Calgary Marathon in May of this year followed by Ironman Canada in August of 2012. Apart from the Kids of Steel triathlon, which I completed at age 10, I have not attempted any other swimming, biking, or running races of any sort, large or small. After reading this most of you are probably thinking I am crazy for even thinking to attempt a full marathon yet alone one of the most grueling triathlons in the world...IRONMAN! (Believe me...some days I think I am crazy too!) My philosophy though...if you set your heart to a task, no matter how daunting, it is always achievable!!! That being said I have a decent background in swimming, biking, and running and do not take either of these races for granted. They are tough/grueling races and are not to be taken lightly. Training will be demanding and a rigorous training schedule will be necessary in order for Kel and I to be successful in our endeavours. I recognize that I will need to put in the time and effort to succeed and that the training process will not be an easy one. In my opinion though the journey will be well worth the reward.
Being the daughter of an Ironman triathlete inspires me even more so as I embark on this journey. I have wanted to complete Ironman Canada since the day I watched my mom cross that finish line and become an Ironman in 2000. Her journey and race was such an inspiration for me and I will always be in awe of her accomplishment. Since then I have returned to Penticton four times to watch other friends take part in this amazing triathlon and cheer them on to reach their goals. Each and every time I am further inspired and driven to take part in the race. There is something truly awe inspiring about this triathlon. It's a high that you can't really explain until you have experienced the race in person. Unfortunately the age restriction of 18 and the demands of life seemed to always get in the way of my hopes to participate. Training for Ironman requires copious amounts of time, of which to date I have never seemed to have. As such, my goal of taking part in this event was always pushed aside as something that would be accomplished down the road when time allowed. Last summer, I attended my fifth Ironman Canada triathlon to cheer on my friend Sylvia. I had originally planned to train and complete this race with her, but once again life got in the way. Unfortunately, Sylvia's race day did not go as well as she had hoped and she was unable to complete the race after failing to make the swim cut off by less than a minute. Most people in Sylvia's position would have given up right there and then but she was determined to not give up on her goal. The very next morning she signed up for Ironman Canada 2011. Sylvia's amazing drive and heart almost pushed me to sign up with her right then and there. I even volunteered that day so I would have the chance to sign up with her the following morning. Needless to say that didn't happen, but this time I wasn't letting life get in the way...I simply wanted an extra year to train. So it was decided. I was heading back to Penticton to cheer on Sylvia and volunteer at Ironman Canada 2011 and the following year I was coming back to race in Ironman Canada 2012.
Upon discussing these plans with my friend Kelvin I convinced him to do the race with me. The deal was I would be doing the Calgary Marathon with him in 2011. What the heck...it's good training plus I now have a partner in crime! So there you have it. We might be crazy, but hey...we have a goal and there is no stopping us now!!!
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