I am an Ironman!

I am an Ironman!  Vineman was incredible.

A longer post is coming.  I'm sure you're waiting on pins and needles ;)  But, I'll tell you this now, it was amazing.  Probably the best day of my life.  For now, here is a picture of me at the start line with my mom (I wasn't expecting to see her before the race, and I was so happy she was there!)

And here's one of me at the finish, after 15:44:00.  Still smiling.  Actually, I smiled the whole day.

Actual recap coming soon.  Thank you all for your support over the last nine months (I have a million people to thank, that'll have to wait for a longer post, I promise I haven't forgotten any of you).  This has been an incredible journey.  I can't wait to do it all over again!

PS - Did you hear? I'm an IRONMAN!!! (Don't call me Iron woman.  I am an IRONMAN.)

Chess. Not Checkers

My mom sent me an email a few weeks ago that was incredible to read.  I hope she doesn't mind, but I'm going to have to quote her here, because, well it's kind of awesome.  "You are truly at a moment in your life that can only be described as standing at the edge of personal greatness.  It has nothing to do with winning or losing or any of that.  It has to do with summoning the courage and strength to get there and you are closing in on that moment."

Vineman is just days away.  DAYS (Saturday, to be specific).  I leave for the race weekend tomorrow morning!  The last nine months have been building up to this moment.  Scratch that.  The last 33 years have been building to this moment.  I just didn't know it til sometime in the last nine months.

Our coaches like to say, "This shit is chess, not checkers."  Good thing too, cause I suck at checkers.  And, I won the very first game of chess I ever played (I'm pretty sure she didn't let me win either).  Chess is my game. Checkers, not so much (checkers I lose all the time).

So, for a day like this, you need a strategy, a plan, just like chess.  I spent a few days completely stressing about my race plan.  What should my goal times  be for each part of the race?  What is realistic?  What am I capable of?  And about a million more questions swirled through my head.  I was busy giving myself a headache.  So, I walked away.  Over the weekend I chatted about 12 times with Coach Brad (sorry for being probably super annoying, Brad), and finally started to feel calm and relaxed about it yesterday.

I know what I can do and I know what I need to do.  I have A, B and C goals.  It really doesn't matter what the times on them are to anyone.  I only have them so I can stay on track and not let the day get away from me.  Basically A is if everything is going perfectly all day long (its still not fast, at all, I have no misconception that I'll be winning).  C is if the shit hits the fan and something goes haywire.  B is somewhere in the middle.  Truthfully, I'll be happy with any time.  All I really want to do is cross that finish line and have fun.  Maybe one day in the future I'll want to do another full ironman and I'll have some goal time to shoot for and really push for and train for, but for this, my first time at this distance, and considering where I started, finishing, no matter what time I finish in is my goal.  The time doesn't matter.  That's not why I started this.

I have my race plan/strategy.  I have my nutrition together.  I'm good.  I'm excited. Yes, I'm a little nervous.  I can't wait to get up there.  I'm hoping by getting to the race site some of the taper crazy will go away.  Cause damn, my body is grumpy and my moods are a little wonky.  Taper tantrum (this is WAY worse then any marathon taper tantrum).  Race day is what I'm thinking of.  Having a hard time focusing on anything else.

The rest of this week is all about focus and doing what I'm told.  I'm excited for race day.  I know its going to be, BY FAR, the hardest day of my life, and I can't wait.

I have been inspired by so many people along the way and I will be thinking about you all and exactly how lucky I am to be able to tackle 140.6 miles.  Yes, I said lucky.  I am so grateful to be able to be on this journey.  And I will make sure to be in the moment and enjoy the day (even when every single cell in my body hurts - which it will).  Also, if you're on the course cheering, and you hear someone cock-a-doodle-dooing - look for me, I'm probably pretty close (seriously), I won't be making that noise, but it will mean I'm near, and hopefully picking up the pace and laughing.

Now, time to focus.  I won't be posting anything again until after race day (not that I post that often anyway).  And, I will not be very active on Twitter or Facebook, busy preparing.  So, please forgive my absence.  If you want to track my progress you can "like" the TNT Ironteam Los Angeles page.  They'll update throughout the day on all of us when they can.  I will likely be referred to as EWS.  Also, my mom will log in to my Facebook and/or Twitter on Saturday, when she can (and when she remembers) and update you all on my progress throughout the day.  I will not have my phone on me.  So, I will be incommunicado from 8:00 pm on Friday til probably sometime on Sunday (and please do NOT text me after about 8pm on Friday night - I need rest and sleep and if you text me and wake me up, well, I know you mean well, but it would be just plain mean, let me rest, please!).  I promise, sometime after I finish someone will post that I'm done (probably my mom).

Much love... See you all in a week or so...

Dear Ironteam

An open letter to the Los Angeles Ironteam.


Dear Ironteam,

I'm struggling with what exactly I want to say.  So, I'll start with how I wound up on the Ironteam, seems the most logical place to begin.  Eleven months ago I was sitting at work (at my old job) and an item popped in to Facebook feed that I thought was a bad joke.  I quickly realized it wasn't.  An old friend (and former roommate) had died, quite suddenly and unexpectedly.  I managed (barely) to hold it together for the rest of the day, got in my car and sobbed on the way home.  I spent a few days not fully believing what had happened.   

A few days after this I found out what events Ironteam would be doing for 2012.  When I heard about Hawaii 70.3 I thought I might be in.  I had been thinking about maybe doing a triathlon for quite a while, but had never really been motivated to go for it (I had been with the Team in Training marathon team for a couple of years and was looking to try something new).  I went to my friend's wake that week and wound up staying up all night.  I went to an info session the next morning (on zero sleep and a crazy amount of caffeine) in Santa Monica.  I mentioned my interest in Hawaii and then I started talking to Marvin (who I had been following on twitter throughout his ironteam season, and reading his blog posts sporadically about training).  Then Johnny came in to the conversation.  Then Coach Brad.  It was a tag team, and slightly unfair considering my state of mind and lack of sleep the night before.  They saw an opening and went for it.  They quickly all had me thinking I should do Vineman.  Wait, what?!? I still thought a full ironman sounded terrifying.  I thought a half sounded scary enough, but a full?  But, they basically had me convinced that I should not do Hawaii and I should do Vineman.  They told me the training would be the same up through the beginning of May, why not just keep going?  My exhuasted, caffeine addled brain was basically convinced.  

I got home and Marvin sent me links to his and Johnny's Vineman race reports.  I thought about it, talked to a friend who has done a couple of Ironman events (who adamantly insisted I should do Hawaii and not a full), and then talked to my mom.  She said Vineman.  Without hesitation.  I was shocked.  I expected to hear her say Hawaii and that a full was crazy talk.  But, no, she said Vineman.  I thought a little more and realized that now is the time.  I have to do this.  The death of my friend made me realize that you need to seize the moment and truly live life, he certainly lived his life to the fullest, I needed to embrace that attitude and go for the things I wanted.  What's the point in waiting?  You never know what's around the next corner.

So, when Marvin tweeted me and asked if I was in I said yes, I'm in.  (I think he may have asked me more than once before I finally replied.)  And so, in early October, when registration for the team was available, I signed up for Vineman.  I actually told a few people I had signed up for Hawaii because I thought they would try to talk me out of it or say I was nuts, and I just wanted to think positively (obviously I eventually told them, or they figured it out).

So, that's how I wound up on the ironteam in the first place.  

And now, here we are.  Less than two weeks away from race day.  I can hardly believe how soon it is and how far I've come, how far we've all come.  I started this season intimidated and nervous.  Nervous for obvious reasons (hello, full ironman with zero triathlon experience??).  Intimidated by the challenge I was undertaking and even by a number of my teammates.  I had a lot of moments where I questioned what I was doing, especially in the beginning.  It seemed like everyone had so much experience in triathlon or a combination of the disciplines.  Most everyone seemed to be rockstars on the bike and I could barely stay upright.  I really felt lost and alone at times.  Thankfully I wasn't.  You all supported me and encouraged me (even when I probably seemed like a lost cause).  I couldn't have gotten this far without the help of all of you, teammates and coaches.


You have all helped me in more ways than you can know.  You've wiped away my tears when I've fallen to pieces, or just fallen.  You've given me more hugs than I deserve.  You've encouraged me every step of the way.  You've offered to ride with me when I was terrified of being on my bike.  You've offered to run with me on long runs so I won't be alone.  You've commiserated with me over long practices, being tired and sore and starving all the time.  You've laughed with me and celebrated victories.  You've pushed me to my limits and beyond.  You've supported me every step of the way.  You've mentored me, coached me, guided me, been my friend, held my hand and gotten me through nine crazy months of training with my sanity still intact (although at times, just barely).  You've done more for me than I can even begin to list.


I could thank you each individually for different things you've done for me.  But, that would turn this in to a novel (and its long enough already).  Just know that I am so grateful for each and every one of you.  Having you in my life is more special than you can imagine.  No matter what happens on race day, I know that I have my Ironteam family supporting me along the way.  Know that even when this season is over, whether we train for another event together again or not, you are all family to me now.  You have made me a better person and for that I will be forever in your debt.


You always hear that people can't change.  I challenge that statement with my evidence being myself.  I am completely different than I was nine months ago, and yet in many ways exactly the same.  Ironteam has changed me.  Thank you Ironteam for everything you've done for me.  You all amaze me and inspire me beyond what I thought was possible.


I may not know a lot, but what I do know is that you are the most inspiring, wonderful, determined, fantastic, incredible (I could go on and on) group of people I have ever had the privilege of getting to know and call friends.  Thank you for making the hardest, most demanding, insane nine months of my life also the most incredible, rewarding and amazing.

From my facebook feed today: "Prove you are alive. Remind the world why you are still here." Thank you Amanda, I don't know where you got it, but it may just be my new mantra.  Ironteam and this training helps me prove I am alive and is a reminder to the world every single day why I'm still here.

Joining Ironteam was the best decision I've ever made - thanks to you wonderful people.  I love you all.

2 Weeks

Vineman is 2 weeks from tomorrow.  TWO weeks, 14 days, SOON.  So, ya, I'm actually not really nervous (not right now at least), I'm feeling ready and excited.  We have our last build weekend this weekend - tomorrow is a 4 hour ride, 30 minute run and Sunday a 2 mile ocean swim (we all know how I feel about ocean swimming - yay!) and a 10 mile run.  Easy peasy, especially compared with our last couple of build weekends (seriously, who am I that a 4 hour ride/30 minute run and 2 mile ocean swim/10 mile run are easy? So crazy!).  I really can not believe how soon it is.  There were times when the last nine months felt like the longest time in my life and now it seems like it's just FLOWN by.  Seriously.  Its been an amazing nine months.  I have so many thoughts swirling through my head right now about this whole experience, I don't even know where to start.  More on what this all has meant to me in a future post.

For now though, I need your help.  I'm trying to get a $250 donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) from Operation Jack (also a fantastic cause).  But, I need the most votes by Sunday to win.  If you could click this link (its via Facebook, so you'll have to log in) and vote for me (I'm the bottom one - Elisabeth Waller-Scott) that would be amazing.  You don't have to like the page (although you totally should, because it is a fantastic cause) or make a donation yourself.  This is seriously the easiest way to get a donation made to LLS, and it only takes about 15 seconds, seriously.  Click this link and just vote for me:

https://www.facebook.com/questions/10150926718055869/

Thank you all SO much for your support over the past nine months.  This has truly been an incredible, life-changing journey.  But, like I said, more on that in a future post.

Thank you again!!

I love Ocean Swimming!

I love open water swimming.  I love swimming in the ocean. It makes me happy.  This is no secret to the Ironteam.  I go to every ocean swim that I can.  I love it.  But, that wasn't always the case.  And, I know lots of people who don't love it, and avoid it like the plague.  When we had our first open water swim of the season - way back in February, before Desert Tri.  I was excited for it.  I liked the swim, but I didn't like how cold the ocean felt (especially on my face) or how dizzy/sea sick I felt from the waves (which were very small).  After that swim it was a while before I went back to open water swim (partly because we didn't have a lot of them and partly because it was cold and hard and not my favorite thing to do).  I don't think I did another ocean swim again until early May - after Wildflower.

very first OWS (i'm in there, toward the right side of the pic, green gap, looking down)

One of my first swims back in the ocean I got some one on one coaching time as everyone else was pretty experienced in the open water and I was pretty nervous.  I liked the swim, but it was still intimidating and I wanted someone to be swimming by me the whole time.  One Friday morning, about a week or two later, I needed help getting past the break because the waves were pretty big (thank you Coach Holly for helping me). I think that was the day that I decided that this could actually be fun.  After I got past those waves I realized that I would be okay.  I went back that same day for afternoon open water swim and the waves were non-existent and I had a great swim.  I got over my fears and hesitations by going back, again and again, and close together.  Not going for weeks at a time makes it worse.

From that first Friday that I double dipped, its been smooth sailing (or swimming).  I pretty much always love open water swim.  I will say that one day, there were big waves in Manhattan Beach, bigger than I had swam in before, and there were a lot of surfers out there, and I got a little nervous coming in, thankfully my teammate Madeline was coming in at the same time as me and we helped each other out.  I went out that day, reluctantly, for a second loop, and Coach Brad helped me get back in, even though the waves were still big and there were still plenty of surfers.  I was nervous, but, I conquered that too.  Why? Because I had to.

And now, I love it.  I go to every open water swim that I can. Ocean swims have become my favorite workout of the week.  Even if there are bigger waves, I'm one of the first people running in to the water.  If I can swing both Friday morning and afternoon, I do it.  A few weeks ago at Friday morning swim I was going to be basically alone in the middle of the group and Coach Brad asked if I was okay with that.  I said of course and jumped right in.  Just a few weeks before there was no way I would be okay with that.  I no longer get that dizzy/sea sick feeling I got the first time, and the water doesn't feel all that cold (granted, it is warmer, but I am wearing a sleeveless wetsuit now).  The ocean is not a scary place anymore.  Yes, its still polluted and yes, there are still creatures in there.  But, I also know that the more dangerous part of the day is the drive to and from the beach, not the swim in the ocean.

I have found, that out in the ocean, it is very peaceful.  Okay, not always, sometimes its choppy, but even when its choppy I find it calming and peaceful.  Now that I've switched to a sleeveless wetsuit I like it even more, as I find it easier to swim in.  Sometimes I'll just stop for a moment and look around at where I am.  It's pretty incredible.  The ocean is so vast and mysterious and yes, there are creatures down there, but I'm pretty sure they are not all that interested in me.  I'm just not scared of the ocean.  I respect her, but I don't fear her.

Being in the ocean makes me realize just how small I really am, but I know that I am still making an impact on the world with what I do.  It keeps me humble and happy.

  

All photos by Paiwei Wei.

The (cookie) Monster in the Closet

Last weekend we had one of our biggest workouts of the season, one we've been hearing about for a while - our 5/3 brick (5 hour ride and 3 hour run).  Along with the time minimums we had mileage minimums we had to hit as well (70 miles on the bike and 16 miles on the run).  This is a workout that has been referred to as the Monster Brick or the Monster in the Closet.  The practice was out in Westlake Village - a notoriously warm area in LA.  We were warned that if we didn't hydrate properly this workout would be like the monster in the closet, but if we were prepared it would be like the Cookie Monster in the closet.


I spent the days before making sure I was properly hydrated.  I drank water and Gatorade and ate properly and got lots of sleep.  I tend to have issues with overheating and I knew that I needed to do everything I could in advance to help keep myself from falling apart on Saturday.  I was never nervous about this workout, I was prepared.  I knew this was going to be a difficult day no matter what, so I needed to do everything I could to make it easier for myself.


The ride actually went pretty well for me, I stuck with the front of the pack for quite a while.  I didn't kill myself at the end to get more than the mileage minimum as it was getting warm and the harder part of the day (running in the afternoon sun) was still in front of me.  I stayed properly hydrated the whole time, going through a bottle of electrolytes an hour, plus water.  And I seemed to get my nutrition spot on.  I also tried some caffeinated shot blocks at about the 4:30 mark.  I wanted to see how my body would react to caffeine on the bike so that I can have something with caffeine on race day to get over the wall that I ran smack in to during training weekend. The caffeine worked.  (I'm going to try a little bit more this weekend to see how I feel and help figure out exactly what to take on race day).  The ride was good and I kept a fairly solid pace the whole time.  I finished 70.46 miles in 5 hours and 5 minutes.  Sweet.  A few months ago that would not have been possible, it probably would have taken me more like 6+ hours.  I seriously can't believe how far I've come.


After I got off the bike I started on my 3 hour 16 mile run.  On a regular day I could definitely finish 16 miles in 3 hours, easy.  But, this was no regular day.  After 70 miles on the bike and in the early afternoon sun, 16 miles was no easy feat.  I started the first loop in my new Kinvara 3's (which I LOVE).  I was doing a good job of staying hydrated and keeping cool.  I drank both of my bottles of Gatorade and when I got to the first SAG stop I filled my sports bra with ice and refilled my bottles (one with water to cool myself with the other with Gatorade).  I continued this process at each SAG stop.  (A HUGE thank you to all of our teammates who manned the SAG stations for us, you are all so incredible and it was great seeing you out there.) 

new shoe love...

Every time I started to feel really hot I would ignore my intervals and just walk until I cooled off.  The process seemed to work for me.  At the end of the first loop I changed my shoes in to my Kinvara 2's (since the 3's are still so new I wasn't prepared to run the full 16 in them, still breaking them in).  I headed out on my second loop and continued with the Gatorade in one bottle, water in the other and ice down the bra.  I was successfully staying cool.  As I was nearing our first SAG stop all of a sudden Coach Brad appeared next to me and scared the hell out of me.  He seriously came out of nowhere, he's like a ninja.  I ran with him for a bit (and ran WAY too fast).  It was nice to not be alone, but seriously, I do not run 8:45s on a regular 16 mile run, let alone in the blazing afternoon sun after a 5 hour bike ride.  Note to self - run at your own pace, ALWAYS.


As I got toward the end of the second loop I had an out and back to complete the mileage.  I was close to the three hour mark and knew I would be over, so instead of heading in at basecamp I just continued on so I would get it done.  As I was on the out and back I had a moment where I just wanted to stop.  All I could think was, this is stupid, why am I doing this? Especially since it's unlikely that more than one loop on race day will be in the heat, cause it'll be sunset and darkness most likely for my second two loops.  Then I realized that I needed to push through, because race day is going to be way more difficult, even if it isn't in the heat.  I made it through and finished 16.01 miles in 3 hours 22 minutes, averaging about a 12.5 minute mile.  Not exactly a blistering pace, but it was HOT and I had just ridden my bike for 5 hours and I'm totally good with it.


When I got done I was sent to Zoe - the inflatable zebra kiddie pool - filled with ice.  I did not want to get in, AT ALL.  I don't enjoy ice baths and there was nothing about it that sounded appealing to me in that moment.  But, i did it, all the while whining and complaining.  Andie had to push my legs down to get me totally in.  It actually helped a lot, but man, I did not want to do that.

I look like I'm laughing, I wasn't, I was screaming.

I learned a lot during this brick workout.  While it was extraordinarily difficult, I succeeded.  I worked my ass off and had a pretty stellar day.  I'm proud of how this day went.  I figured out my nutrition and the caffeine situation worked out well for me.  Plus I figured out how to stay hydrated and cool under the blazing sun.  A win all the way around.  And, this was no Monster in the Closet for me.  This was definitely the Cookie Monster in the Closet.  I slept very well on Saturday night.

I got home on Saturday and this is where I found the dog.
On my pillows.  Its hard to be mad when he's so cute.

On Sunday we had a 2 mile ocean swim followed by a run (Vineman participants had to cover 23 miles over the weekend, so 23 minus whatever we did on Saturday, 16 = 7 for me).  The swim felt good and the ocean was glassy and flat.  Not choppy at all.  It was a perfect swim day.  The run was tough at first, but once I got through the initial rough part it was good.  I wore my new orange Pro Compression socks and looked like a traffic cone and loved it.  So fun. It was a tough weekend but good all the way around.

Holly, me, Kelly and Elyse - post swim fun

Bright orange compression socks + new blue Kinvaras for the win

And this is where the dog was on Sunday.  Bad dog, not
supposed to be on the couch.  But he's so darn cute.

We are in our last build week before race day.  Then next week is recovery, then taper then race day.  Only 18 days to go.  I'm ready.  I'm still fundraising and can use your support.  Please consider making a donation and helping me kick cancer's butt AND finish my ironman!  Click the link and hit donate now.  It only takes a minute.

http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/vinefirn13/ewallersco

"Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looke back...play for her."  - Mia Hamm.


If triathlon is a "game," I was never a little girl who fell in love with it.  But, as a little girl I did love playing outside, I loved swimming, biking and running around.  Things to remember.  When I tell my neighbor's 8 year old daughter what I did over the weekend, every weekend, her eyes light up and she says, "Oh! FUN!"  It's important to remember, that while this is hard work, its fun too. And I feel incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to do this.  I couldn't do it without the support of my family, friends and Ironteam family.  You all make this possible.

Thank you!!