Rx: Ironman

Support Crew

Ironman is not a task you take on alone. Although it can sometimes seem very lonely out there on long swims/bike rides/runs, I couldn't be here right now if it weren't for a whole lot of people.

I first have to mention Steve. I can't even believe how supportive he's been through all of this training. Heck, he even came on a 100 mile ride with me on hills! I think he tells more people than I do that I'll be on the Ironman course Sept. 10. The best part is, I can tell how proud he is when he tells them.

I next have to thank my families. Steve and I haven't made as many trips home this summer as usual, and I know that it has been a little hard for both of our parents (especially the moms). My weekends have just been too full to fit in the weekend jaunts. My sister Steph has had to put up with my constant IM banter for the past few months, and now that she's living with us, that has been amplified ten times over. She and my brother Matt are probably coming out this weekend, and I can't even tell you how much that means to me. My sister Anne has also been very supportive. I know she would come out to watch if she could. She has been there to cheer at so many of my other races. My dad is the most surprising to me. He's usually the strong silent type, but every time we see each other or talk on the phone lately, he asks how my training is going. I know that's his way of saying he's proud of me.

My pharmacy school friends have been so patient. They've put up with seeing me a whole lot less lately, and they've even scheduled some of our get-togethers around my workout schedule so I could still get to see them.

My undergrad friends have been the best. They are the ones who encouraged me to sign up for this race when I told them I was thinking about it. A couple of them are even coming out to watch me. They are taking off work and paying for a hotel just to watch me. When I was talking with my friend Maddy a couple of weeks ago, I told her that I was a little nervous. What if they come all the way out to watch, and for some reason I don't finish? I would feel terrible. She gave me the best response. She told me that they wanted to come out to cheer me on, that they were excited to be out there, and that if I don't finish, I'll need my friends more than ever. These are the same friends that have come to newly all of my marathons and have even run a couple with me. They're just plain amazing people.

My job has been really great, too. Although it hasn't been easy to try and balance work and training, my preceptors have been really understanding that my job is not the only thing on my mind lately.

Finally, I want to thank everybody I've met out in the blogosphere. This journey has been so much more rewarding because of all of the people I've met out here. Whether you are a fellow IM in training, fellow athlete, or just someone who stops by to read my blog now and then, you have helped me to get through so many workouts this year.