Pallas Athena

Shad Ireland has posted his upcoming tour across America and is looking for people to support and ride with him. His web site will be up and running December 11 th . The tour starts in May. Shad was the first dialysis patient to ever compete in and complete an Ironman . I heard him speak last year at our NKF conference. I was very inspired by him and his story. He has written books, and details his history of dysfunctional family dynamics and inability to accept his renal failure as a child. Twice he failed transplantation, mostly because his body will not tolerate the anti rejection regimen required to keep the transplanted organs. His story is powerful and really hits home to the renal failure population. The message is simple. Take charge of your own health to the best of your ability, and any activity that you can do is better than doing nothing. He wants people to feel the best they can, no matter what sort of health problems they have going on. After completing the ...

I don't do well with down time. Have been reading up on this whole recovery subject and seen a wide spectrum of recommendations. One sourse says 2-6 months of recovery (absurd, unless you broke your leg). One says 2-8 weeks. I'm thinking more along the lines of 4 weeks. Mike was talking about a reverse taper, and that sounds exactly like what would work out for me. I feel run down right now, can tell I need to build back up. Building up plan: make sure to take vitamins and make healthy food choices. I was ravaged by the Ironman. I will eat and nap when I can for the next week. My metabolism is cranked right at the moment, I'm a walking furnace. I cleaned in a sports bra and shorts and turned the furnace down to 60 yesterday. Proof that my body is not back to normal. By next week, I will have to cut back on total calories because exercise will still be reduced. Swimming will start back in on Friday. Easy, no records here. The point is to get my blood moving...

Yesterday was the Gatorade Practice Swim #1. The wind was pretty wild at Tempe Lake and lots of chop. Surprisingly, the wind managed to kick up some current as well. Water was chilly as well, but not a long-johns swim like the SORT this past summer. I was out there for about 20 minutes, freaking out as usual in those conditions. The water was rougher under the bridges, which was a surprise to me. Swimming back to the shore, the water was in your face or over your head. Pick which way to turn your head, it sucks either way. Wind-induced current pulls you back towards the start. Gatorade has bleacher style steps out of the water but you cannot see the first steps. It is a grab the rail and pull yourself out situation. Mike taped my swim-technique was poor; arm entry position looked a bit flat. Last night was the Banquet. Some guy who has had 2 heart attacks and is only 38 years old got an award for community challenge. Some guy lost 88 pounds training for Ironman. They gave...

We arrived without any real glitches at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport at 2:30 this afternoon. We shuttled in on the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel courtesy van. By 4:00, we were too late to pick up my ironman packet, but not to late to get my bike from tri-bike transport. It was pretty shook up. The sidewall of one of my tires was rubbed to the threads. It has acquired a new sqeak in the crank as well, that comes out only when you stand on it. The back tire was soft again. Ongoing problem of the stem of the tube tapping on the inside of the extender and letting the air out. It didn't want to hold air either, because the stem wasn't sealing it off quickley enough. I rode around on it until the brakes were fine, but the tire/intertube situation needed solving. Inside Out sports offers their usual supplies/support. The first mechanic I dealt with immediately blamed the brake and started turning here and there, completely loosening the adjustment on the brake, adjusting the cable. Nope...

Today Braden Isaac arrived via c-section. My niece Amber (the mom) was quite relieved, because her first baby was over 10 lbs and late. The OB Gyn was letting her get past her due date again, and all she could think of was the two weeks spent in the nicu last time. I am so greatful for them that this time all is well. My mom called to let us know. Braden's middle name (Isaac) was the name of our son, whom we lost at 10 months of age due to heart problems. I was 18 finishing my senior year of highschool; Mike was 21 dropping college and welding for a living. You can imagine when two kids who have the world ahead of them end up with a baby with serious health issues. There wasn't a lot of help from either of our parents. The irony in that was it drove us closer together and made us grow up fast. Isaac had an easy disposition and smiled easily when he felt up to it, and lit up the room. His eyes were blue like Mike's, but he had light yellow hair that stood up like su...

Wow, 17 days till we fly out to Tempe. The last several days have been about formulating a plan to complete the distance. Mentally, I have been b reaking it down into the details of the event. The overriding scare is that I could be left without that vital item that I just cannot do without. Yesterday, I watched IM Arizona a couple of times, trying to pick out all those things you need for the big show. The swim is a trip, jump in and tread water till the start. Don't look at me to jump in early. Really, I would rather swim from the outside to the buoys than be next to one treading water for 30 minutes. Just stay alive and kick back when kicked. Bike gear on under the wetsuit. Water temp around 70 degrees, avg. Bathwater compared to Racine!!! Pop some endurolytes and jump in. Get out in 2:20. Strip the suit and hit the tents. God, I hope the goggles don't leak. That is SO irritating. Go eazy, long day ahead and this is just the warm up. Transitions are outsi...