Made it!

Today was the 3 hr run and I made it - thank God! Had a great run too. Weather was perfect - cool, sunny, dry, and no wind. Marshall came to my house at 7:20 and we left promptly at 7:29. We ran to WOW and met Kevin, Jenny, Lynne, and Brenda - then headed out on Brenda's famous 12 mile loop (not sure if it's 12 miles but that's what we call it!).

It was a wonderful route - out to 95th Avenue, north on a country road to some dirt road that swings past the Poudre Learning Center. Then to the Poudre bike trail and back up by Winograd school, around by Fun Plex, and back to WOW. Everyone but Marshall and I stopped there - we continued on to Marshall's house, with a finish time of 3:01 - perfect!

Although my legs were tired and I was very ready to stop, I was feeling better than when I ran 2:45 a few weeks ago. I managed to finish without feeling like I was going to die. It was nice running with Marshall and I'm so glad we are training together!

During the run, when I got behind and I was trying to catch up, I thought about how much I appreciate all my running/tri friends. They truly are like family to me. I couldn't do this kind of training without them.

Today is the 3rd anniversary of my father's death. I thought about him during the run and how much I wish that he was still here. I know he'd think I was crazy for doing an Ironman but I think he would've been proud of me. I wonder if he and my mom would've driven up from Clearwater to watch me finish. That would've been nice - I had always wanted them to see me finish a marathon. But I'm also glad he lived to be 79 and that he didn't suffer in the end. Like everything else, you gotta take the good with the bad.

Tomorrow is the 5.5 hr ride. I hope I can keep up with the group, esp the guy leading the ride (someone Marshall knows). We're going on a new route, from Loveland to Boulder and back, then Marshall and I will need to ride back to Greeley. Right now that doesn't sound very appealing (the route and the company does but the distance doesn't!), but that's because I'm tired and sore right now.

Off to mow the lawn...