Will it happen?

After some thought.......ok, so a lot of thought, I am one of those people who over thinks EVERYTHING, I am now absolutely sure I want to try to get into Ironman Florida for 2013. As I have been saying for months, I want to tackle Ironman Louisville for a second time, to get revenge on that course. I still want to do that, one day. Really I want to see just how quickly I can finish 140.6. Ironman Florida has almost identical terrain and weather to where I live, and what I train in everyday. I was disappointed in my 14:17 at Ironman Louisville and feel I can do much better, especially if I am on similar terrain to what I train on.

To try to make this happen, Joel and I signed up to be volunteers at this year's Ironman Florida in Panama City Beach. Volunteers get priority registration the day after the race, and since this race may sell out in less than 10 minutes when it goes online, this is my best chance of getting in. This will be my first time volunteering at a race and I am excited about it. Volunteers at Ironman events are always incredible and it will be neat to be a part of that. Joel and I will be working at bike check-out from 5-8 p.m. We booked 2 nights in a hotel 7 miles from the race site. It will be nice to have a weekend with Joel. Our shift is only 3 hours in the evening, so that will allow us to watch the start of the race, as well as the midnight finish.

That being said, we have a delicate balance of being able to get me in. I mean that in a financial way. We are an enlisted Army family. We live frugal in order to have a nice home. Our mortgage costs more than our housing allowance, but we always manage. We have a plan that will save us just enough to make this trip to Panama City Beach, so I am seriously keeping my fingers cross that nothing happens between now and November that will prevent me from being able to register. Joel keeps assuring me that nothing will happen and I will be able to get in. After seeing how much I struggled on the hills in Louisville, he wants to see me do Ironman Florida. I can't begin to tell you how blessed I am to have a husband who believes in me wants me to achieve all my goals and do whatever he can to make it happen for me.

That trip is still months away so I will get back to the here and now. The first ever Tybee Sprint is this Sunday. The swim is in the ocean, and long-ish for a sprint, 750 meters, after that its a 12 mile bike and 3.1 mile run. I have been building up for Muncie 70.3, and I am really starting to feel the fatigue, so with Tybee on Sunday I have made this a low volume week to give the body a bit of a break.

I am reading Chrissie Wellington's "A Life Without Limits". I am in the middle of the book and so far it is great. My opinion is biased since I am a huge Chrissie Wellington fan. I will write a book review once I finish in, but keep in mind my biased opinion.

Another review coming, my Cobb Plus saddle will be here today according to FedEx. My current saddle has been causing saddle sores ever since I got the P2. I know saddles are highly individual, and a saddle doesn't always work for 2 different people, but I will still do a review.

Sunday during my long ride I crashed. Nothing serious........the bike is fine, just some scratches on the basebar and I will need new bar tape. It was silly how I fell. I was doing a u-turn and at the very end of my turn there was a patch of dirt. My bike slide out from under me so fast I didn't realize I was falling until I was already on the ground. I fell on my right side so my right knee and right palm is scraped up. I was doing a 60 mile ride, and I crashed right at the halfway point at 30 miles. It really wasn't too bad, I was able to brush myself off and finish the ride. Lesson learned, I will now watch for dirt patches.