My Kona Journey

4 days to go!!

loriearmstrong — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 04:18:25 +0000

Well today is about 85 degrees with just as much humity. weather feels great but your dripping wet all the time. I love it!! I regestered this morning and met some girls. they were very nice but very nervous. I feel fine at this point but have not been sleeping very well.??? After regestering Jen and I did a swim …. I love the sea. Then we took the long drive on the queen K out to Hawi, which is the turn around. We stoped about 20 miles out and jen threw me out bike and all. I rode up to Hawi with Jen stoping to cheer me on every few miles. She is being so great!! I made it up to Hawi, in the long run it was not too bad. Just slow and steady!! That will be my moto on Saturday!! We had ice cream and started our 56 mile journey back. wow seemed so long and so.. daunting. But I believe I can conquer this course. May not be fast but I will get through it!! Aloha for now!

Here we are!!

loriearmstrong — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:00:58 +0000

Here we are Jen Green and I. Its been a great day. We got up and went to the swim start. We swam a 2,000 very choppy water but wonderful. I love swimming in the ocean as I am origionally from California and grew up in the ocean. I love the sea!! We met a girl Lolly Pop there who is a 6 time Kona ironman. She is 65 and looks great! She is not doing it this year as the bike was very hard for her. But she is volenteering. She invited us to a master breakfast on thurday so I think we will go. Lots of inspiring people I am sure.

Then we did errands. Coscto, grocerys blah blah. But we have food. Yum Yum!! I am very relaxed today No jitters. Hopefully I will be able to stay this way all this week and go right into the big dance on saturday, relaxed and ready to have fun. I am so looking forward to it. Today is good.

ON my way!!

loriearmstrong — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 12:05:31 +0000

Well here is the travel day. All my bags are pack I am ready to go. ( Think this is a song) Anyway my Journey begins today. My trainning is done, now for the week of fun in Kona and being with all the would class athlete from all over the world. How humbling. I will try to stay in the monent,enjoy, not get nervous, and have the time of my life!!
I believe in myself and all those who have been in my corner these past few months. Without you and your prayers I would not be as well prepaired and able to do this. Thank you to all these people, who are to many to say, but you know who you are. I will try to post each day I am there. But you know the chances of that so keep me in your thought and prayers on the 10th. You can check on my progress on race day on www.ironmanlive.com put in my name and my splits should show up.
Till next time, Aloha!

Last Big Long Hot Weekend!!

loriearmstrong — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 02:05:44 +0000

Well here is how it started. On Saturday I rode my bike at 4:30am far far away from my home 60 miles out. Met some friends out there and rode with them for a bit (my angels) then turned around and headed for home. I rode my bike a total of 120 miles. Off the bike I ran 2 miles then walked the remainder of the time which totaled 1 hour. I was very happy when it was over, I did get it done.
This morning I woke up really doubting this run ahead. I had a 3 hour run. I was just not into it, but eventually out the door I went and walked to my starting point and off I went. I need to tell you that your mind is amazing!! I completed the run in 3 hours and 20 minutes and ran a total of 17 1/2 miles.
I have been cooked all day. But I do know that this is my last longest toughest weekend before Kona. And that I am greatful for. I leave one week from today Sunday the 4th. The race is a week from Saturday the 10th.
One question. Are you ready Lorie? Physically yes mentally not sure. Need to work on my mental!! I have tomorrow off from training and let me tell you I am very happy about that!!! Hopefully with some rest I will feel mentally ready for my big Journey!! Thanks for checking in on my journey!!

Gotta have heart

loriearmstrong — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:43:28 +0000

This is the toughtest training for any event I have done. I cannot believe how fatigued I am, and how much I want to …. well I won’t say it as I want to stay positive. I have done these Ironmans before and I will do Kona. But the set backs, I have experienced, the weather,illness have been unbarrable. I will do this I know I will. Thank you for all the suport along the way. Must go run now, swim and lift. Then send my friend off to the world championship for duathlons.She will rock. Keep up the prayers I can feel them . Lorie

Great Day Today!!

loriearmstrong — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 02:55:58 +0000

Today I woke up with a new attitude and feeling so much better. I finally felt like I might be able to get through today!! I met my friends at lifetime and we headed out on our bikes, them for an 85 miler,, mine for 100 miler at 430 am. With lots of worry about threatening storms coming we were eager to get our workout done before it hit. The weather was holding and it was beautiful. I said goodbye to my biking buddies at mile 42 and I continued up 9 mile hill. The wind was at my back as I was heading up. I met a lady we got to talking, as I was reporting a bit about my big event and how I was feeling, she told me that it is not the finnish line but the journey. wow! an angel in my mist. I needed that statement. It started to rain, rather hail and pour I needed to stop and put my phone into a plastic bag and off she went. This is the beauty of long bike rides you meet the nicest people for just short periods of time and then they’re gone. I call them angels. I love it when I find them and thank God for each incounter. I hit 51 miles and turned around. wow what a change. I was now going into the wind and rain now, wow. The rain finally let up and I took a picture of the black skys ahead, which I was heading into. I will post if I can figure it out. The ride was great most of the way back. I hit the beeline and it started to rain again. I beat feet and went as fast as I could all the way down the beeline with rain and lightening all around with thunder so close it made the hair on my arms and back of neck stand on end! too close,Very scary! I was told once from my wonderful favorite hubsand ( During a lighting and thunder storm in the same situation same place different time) to keep peddeling and to not put my feet downon the ground because of the metal clets on my shoes as that would then ground me, I was safe or so he told me as long as my tires ( Which are rubber) were the only thing on the ground, so I just dug deep and kept going. I felt great all the way back with the weather staying cool.

I made the 100 miles with ease. I cannot believe it. I felt great the whole way and put my running shoes on and went out for a 6 mile run. As I was running my son and daughter in law pulled up beside me and said hi. I stoped and visited with them for a few minutes and off I went again. I ran the 6 miles in 106 minutes. I am so happy about that. Best run, best day, and boy I sure needed it. thank you for all your prayers and support through my journey!! I now have a renewed sense of determination about my race. it is not about the finish line but the journey(Thanks to my angel) and boy has it ever been a journey.

Sick!

loriearmstrong — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 15:24:46 +0000

I got a new job as a nanny for 3 beautiful girls. Ages 6, 3 1/2 and 6 months. the first day the young girl was sick and then the 6 month old was sick, green bubbles coming out of her noise was my first clue. I washed my hands 100 times that day as well as every day after but, I must admit now I feel just like she was behaving, I sit in bed, sick. Arrgh! Sore throat sneezing chills just plain miserable.

I rode my bike for my first 100 miler yesterday( not the smartest thing to do) and could not do my brick as I felt just horrible. I had to stop about 75 miles into the ride and get some ricola for my throat which did make it feel better. But the temps were high and I was very sick.

So I had a hour and 10 minutes brick (run after bike) and a hour and 10 minutes run today which there is no way I can make. also another hour tomorrow. My goodness I am so far from my goal running. Hopefully I will feel better tomorrow. Need to run. Must run.

It is not now, how I train but just getting the training done. Need to go long and be efficient at it. Need to keep attitude strong through my dips and challenges. Need to know I can do it through it all. I hold onto that.

Now to get well!! Thanks for the prayers and suport.

Where have you (I) been?

loriearmstrong — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:28:41 +0000

Well this ( MY BLOG) has certainly taken a back seat to my training. I am sorry if you have been following this to keep in touch with my training I just have been so busy and so much has happened that now I just don’t know where to start.

On my birthday I did a race up in Flagstaff called the Mountain Man. It wasw my first race since the surgery and I must tell you I felt really good but my run was very slow. Had a good swim and bike but the run was slow. I did however get 2nd in age group! Good news my knee did not hurt!! so at that point I was very confident that I am going to be ready for Kona!!

Last week the kids, Brad and I, my 2 sisters and Hetties (One sisters) family went on a houseboat trip up to Lake Powell. We spent a wonderful week up there. It was beautiful and of course I had to train. So I brought a trainer( thank you Karl ) and road my bike on top of the house boat 2 mornings. I took an aqua jogger( Thank you Wendy) and ran 3 mornings and swam 3 times long with a PFDroped to me. What a riot. I would have swam more but the wind on 2 days was very strong 45 miles an hour with stronger gusts and the water was very dangerous. So I chose to read a book. Tough call I know.

We came home from our trip and I went into work and was laid off. Which I might add was a blessing . I have now been training all week. resting and just plain having fun. I feel very relaxed now and more motivated that ever to get the job ( KONA) done.

It is getting very close now I think about 2 months or less. so training is very strigic now. I will have ( I Hope) more time to visit with you and report on how this whole thing is playing out.

I am running this morning to swim about one and a half miles, swimming meeting Erin at swim and running home with her. I must report here that I am now running the slowest I have ever run. It feels as if I am starting over. Just feel out of shape. Hard to believe but its a very really feeling. I know each time I run I feel stronger so i know I will be ready.

My training in general is going well.

Thanks for checking in on me. I will post again soon.

Kona Bound, Lorie

P.S. I have an interview this morning please keep me in your prayers.

Happy 4th of July

loriearmstrong — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:27:31 +0000

Happy Independence day!! I am looking at a 25 minute run today and thinking how far I must go in such a short time. No not today but to the Kona Ironman. My friend Jen told me yesterday that I am looking at less than 100 days till October 10th, that is a sobering thought. Today I run 25 minutes. maybe I go well 2.5 miles? maybe I will push it out to 3miles just to feel sorta like a rebel and sorta like I might be able to make a 5K on my birthday. As on July 19 ( My Birthday I will be doing mountain man in flagstaff) my comeback from surgery race. It is a sprint but they are fast well suppose to be fast I will do the swim and bike fast then the run??? Well I will get to the finnish! It beautiful in Flagstaff and cool, those plus others are the benefits of going there.

Today we are going to our friends Toru and donna’s home for a BBQ this sould be fun. We have our grandpuppy this weekend as well and we are taking him there to swim. he does not like the water but will have fun with Toru’s dogs.

Hope you have a wonderful and safe 4th of July. I will keep you posted on my run.

I DID IT!!!!

loriearmstrong — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 16:01:16 +0000

WOO HOO I ran 3.15 miles in 34 minutes PAIN FREE. I am so excited and happy!! I know what you are thinking… didn’t her Dr. tell her to run 15-20 minutes? Yes he did. My coach told me he would write my run workout if I could run 30 minutes pain free!! Sooo I ran 10 minutes pain free. I ran 10 minutes more pain free and thought if I could get to 3 miles or 30 minutes pain free I am in!! So I continued on. And I did it. Pain free. I can only thank the people who have been praying for me and encouraging me this whole way that I would be able to run again, Its hard when you are in it to see out. But now I know Ican. I can Make Kona and run the whole marathon!! WOOHOO Thank you everyone!