Posts from — November 2007

Congrats Kathleen and Sharon for running your first 5k road race.  You guys did amazing.  I’m so proud of you both!

Kathleen, don’t forget you’re on a new plan this month

Both of you, now that you have a base line time, we need to pick your spring 5k to see if you can beat it

OK, I don’t know about the rest of you guys, but I am feeling AWFUL after pigging out so much on sweets and other Thanksgiving fare.  It’s time to get back on track for me.    But, how does one do this when the month of Dec is filled with cookie baking parties, holiday parties, and then Christmas festivities.  My solution will be to be REALLY healthy between these events.  We’ll see how it goes!  I lost 10lbs, now I’m up 3 lbs from the holidays….time to CUT IT OUT and be good !!!

Well,  I did it!  I just registered for IM Florida 2008.  All paid for, signed sealed and delivered.  The only problem is that they spelled my name wrong-figures!  I just hope the fix it in time for the race so I don’t have to hear “Diane sLokes, you are an IronMan” WHEN I cross the finish line!  I’m sooooooooo excited.

I went to IM Florida to cheer on my friend Duncan, to volunteer body-marking and “parking bikes”, and to see how an IronMan differs from other races. What an amazing experience. I can’t even explain how electric the environment is at an IronMan race. During the body-marking, some of the athletes were so nervous, they were shaking. It was great to be able to give them words of encouragement.

The swim start was amazing too. 2000+ athletes all lined up on the beach to begin. I was so nervous, and I wasn’t even doing the race! The water was very calm that day, so a lot of the athletes had a great swim. I will upload the photos when I get a chance.

Running the bikes in T2 was a lot of fun-and great exercise. The athletes were so thankful that we were there to help them when they got off of their bikes. This, to me, is one of the great things about the IM. You don’t have to get or re-rack your bike!

Then finally, the day after the race, I waited in line with a thousand of my “new best friends” to register for IM Florida 2008. The IM race director instituted a new program that gave volunteers their own line to register for the race next year! I was 2nd in the volunteer line. When the opened the doors for registration, I was literally shaking. I can not believe I just signed up to do the race next year!

This will be my first IM, and I am so looking forward to the journey. Thanks to Mike, Barbara, Duffy and Chris for making the waiting in line so much fun. I’m so glad to have met people that I can share this experience with over the next year.