The day in pictures and a few thoughts to go with them...

 Here are a few shots from the Lake Placid  through the eyes of my husband. More to come....
I can't stop reliving that day so bear with me through a few more posts on Lake Placid. The transition to Kona training is underway.....

Tommy's awesome sign. I have great kids. (these are out of order..)



The scene all along the roads of Lake Placid



My Neice Audrey wrote this. Her Mom found it in her room the night after the Ironman race.



our kitchen---note the cool pink poster on the door. It was a "surprise" from my 'big kid' that said,"Get out there and KICK BUTT! from Cam" 



Ange and Mary--the drop off on race morning. No turning back now. Thanks for the early morning ride hun.



Left-Right: Cameron, neice Audrey, Nick, twin nephews Jack & Griffin, and Tommy (wake up Tommy!! :) ) The BEST crew of IronKids ever!! thanks for all the cheers guys! 




The hug 'goodbye'. My husband rocks as Iron spectator. He really really does.  100% all day long for me. Ok, there were many days before that too. And after.




gives you an idea of the masses




The two separate entrances: one for wetsuit wearing racers and one for non-wetsuit racers




My boys





Isn't this the best sign!!!  Thanks Small Family!!! xoxo

T

making my way through town -loop1 I'm sure. I'm still looking like I know how to run.  Not sure what loop 2 Looked like but I know how I felt. 



Nick's read: Your Gunnu win this thing! love Nick GOGOGO! I just love the way they held them over the fence for us to read on our way by. 



Post-race with great friend Bob Turner who had a fantastic day himself.




On the podium- 40-44 yr age group   1st place. Mary two over in 5th place





post-race with coach Kurt Perham. Thanks soooo much Kurt!!!!



Ange and Mark- love you!



The dust is settling on this race. The soreness has dissipated. (does that work Mike? heheee-inside joke-nevermind) The bags are slowly but surely getting unpacked. My bike is washed. The excitement is, ok, that's not gone. I remain overly thrilled with how my Ironman turned out. I'm actually in a bit of shock over it too.  Did I really do that? I think I sort of transform when I get out on the race course. My body responds and does what I ask it to do and my mind goes to a place that is reserved only for racing. I become aggressive nothing is going to stop me ange. I finish my race, I go back to my home with my family, and I wonder what just happened. I feel somewhat like one of the many movie characters that have two personas. You know, the ones that only have a foggy memory of how they became that crazy person who did thisthatandtheotherhing in their spare time.
Yeah, I kind of feel likek that. Who was that person? Was that really me? Because,right now, I sure dont' feel like I did or could run another 10:19 Ironman.

And yet, in 9 weeks, or is it 8 1/2 now, I will be toeing the line again. This time I'll be half a world away. I'll be in the water with 1800 other athletes that did what I did to get there. The World Championships.
Yowza.
Time to get ready!!!
Except, I need to recover too. 
This is a hard place to be. I'm hearing about all my friends from around the U.S. who are in midst of crazy Ironman training! They're riding 120 miles. They're running for hours and logging miles and miles each week. 
I ran 30 min the other day! And it felt Bad! I did swim twice this week though!! That's ok!! 
Alright... don't worry. I DO know that this is absolutely critical and if I have half a chance of channelling that other side of me on 10/8 I must must must fully recover. I get that. I don't question it and I'm not really stressed about it. 
It's just a strange place to be right now. Two Ironmans in 10 weeks. I'm still fllying off the last one. I'm still in semi-I can eat whatever I want, stay up late, relax and forget about hard training for a while mode until I look at the calendar and realize, uh uh, not so fast girl. You must Train!!!  You must get your head back into focused-mode and do this Right!!!
I did start my day off with about the nicest compliment however. At the pool today a lady whom I met yesterday said, "So, how old are you anyway?"
A bit odd to ask but whatever. "I'm 41."
"No you are NOT! No! Are you kidding? "
"(laugh...) yes, I'm really 41."
"We thought you were 23 or 24!!" 
She went on and on. She heard I had 3 children and got even more incredulous. Made my day.
Guess I'll channel my 24 year old self for some spark and energy and try to ride this Lake Placid high all the way across the Pacific so it can carry me up that steamy Queen K highway.