DFL vs DNF

2019 Lake Whatcom Triathlon was not as I had hoped.
- Morning jitters
-Pre race stomach issues
-Skipped allergy med and low on inhaler
-Race start
-Choppy grey waters
-0.90 miles with 5 buoys
-Didn't make it fine to first buoy
-Can't breath
-I have a swim angel on a kayak
-Ten seconds of doubt but I did not give up
-Ten freestyle strokes at a time  between the breast, back and side stroke I did, my angel swim angel encouraged, but not sure if me or the other two who I was competing for last.
-Finish swim flags and I don't even want to run to my bike where mine is one of four left
-My bike, funner than the first half and I met a new friend
-Bike finish, run shoes and IRLAG hat straight on and to finish line left vs right.
-Race announcer made it sound like I was FAST. No I'm just last!

That was my race. Dead F...n Last.
I was somewhat depressed on the drive home and the next morning. My bike ride with a friend perked me up  abit. But it still stings. I'm really trying to learn from this and use it to be better in the future and move on. That was a scary swim though. I wish I had done the one visualization thing that I usually do for open water swim nervousness and I didn't do it. But I did make it through that tough swim. I knew God had my back and I did not quit.
This was not from lack of swimming. I just did a swim just fine a couple weeks ago. (This is what I tell myself)
My first DFL and you know what? I feel good about it. I actually feel like it's an honor. Humbled I am. Third place out of three in my Age Group, and I get a medal anyway.

I also questioned out there in the water if this is what I should be doing. I hate swimming, but I do love triathlon. 

70.3 Ironman World Championship St. George 2021! or bust. 

Re-Start

Hi all! Thanks for reading my blog! I haven't been posting often so I will get better at doing so.

This is an update on my business, Trillium Fitness. The past week has been so busy with meetings and classes. I also took two days off work and drove down to Portland for the Iron + Mortar Summit. It's a two day event with business classes from some of the best owners in the industry. It is put on for CrossFit affiliate owners and coaches as well as potential future owners. I decided months ago that I wanted to go and learn as much as I can about running a business. I was not disappointed!

I met several fantastic business leaders, owners and consultants. Most of these people are Crossfit superstars and athletes. I was super starstruck! Photos below. :)  There were also vendors who gave great presentations/speakings. Everyone was helpful for me. The most influential as well as beneficial speaker was Jay Williams from Two-Brain Business. https://twobrainbusiness.com/tag/jay-williams/
He's helping me get organized with my daily life and my future.

I have been advised to work on one thing as a final goal, instead of messing around undecided about my future and doing too much with a scattered brain. I want to do it all but in order to be productive I choose one. I cancelled college. I was getting my accounting certificate as well as working on my ACE Personal Trainer. I need to work on what will make me happy and still be able to help people.

I brought my bike to Portland hoping to ride along the river. Ha! I had in on top of my car when I pulled up to the hotel downtown. Had to go around the blocks to figure out where to pull over and put into my car so go could go in the underground garage. After that I went down valet parking and beginning with the valet attendant to front desk clerk and restaurant staff, the hotel was great! I would go there again in the future. Kimpton Hotel Monaco Portland https://www.monaco-portland.com/

I'll post later updating the photos and labels.




























I know my blog is titled My way to Kona, I will get there eventually.

2018 Spartan World Championship Lake Tahoe!

I never thought about actually doing a Spartan race till I chatted with a Spartan Trainer at a race expo last year. I told him(Arnie) that I was apprehensive in doing a Spartan race, or any kind of obstacle/mud run type race, for fear of getting hurt and not being able to race triathlons. He said to me that I will get hurt with thinking like that and I should do one. The more I think about getting hurt the more I will get hurt. So, I signed up!
I went into my first Spartan race not knowing to much of what I was doing. It was a Super Spartan race which is usually 8+ miles of running on trails and 20+ obstacles to get over, under, through and lift/carry. It was so much fun. I felt like a scrappy fairy running and jumping and climbing! I went home happy and muddy. Days later I got the email. With my placement in the Spartan race I just did I qualified for the North America Championships! It was to be in Virginia. Hmm. Not too exciting. Then I get right away an email saying the I qualified for World Championship in Lake Tahoe!! I had went home after the race not thinking I could rank let alone qualify for anything. I got third in my age group, 50+!
My husband and I were way past due for a vacation so I registered for the race, found a couples cottage and left Washington for a week to go to Tahoe City, Ca on Lake Tahoe and Squaw Valley Ski Resort! The championship race I was doing was called a Beast. A Beast Spartan race is 12+ miles with up to 35 obstacles. Tahoe ended up being 13.5 miles with 5000 feet in elevation gain. Took me 5:27:19 hours to complete! (There are various distanced for Spartan. Sprint 3+ miles, Super 8+ miles, Beast 12+ miles and Ultra 30+ miles. Each location for a race will have different final miles and obstacle placement or different or new obstacles. I love the variation.)
The Spartan World Championship race was on Saturday September 30th. My start time was 8:30. Alfredo was volunteering and the volunteer director placed him, with a chair, at the start in the water fill station. Best place for him to see all action at the start of the race and to chat with people. I knew this would keep him busy and entertained all day while I was racing.
The Tahoe Spartan Beast was 13.5 miles running on trails, up and down a mountain, with 34 obstacles. (See map below. Sorry a little blurry)