The clock keeps ticking....

We are in the final week before the 70.3 triathlon. I cannot believe we've been at this for 19 weeks. It seemed so far away and now here it is - right in front of us!

Trevor hurt his back last week. "Got a weak back, a week back" as my friend Todd would say. He's been seeing our chiropractor and physical therapist for that and seems to be almost back to normal.

We didn't do an open water swim last week and went last night to get in the water on last time before Sunday. I am starting to feel anxious about Sunday and so I wanted to swim in the lake for 3 laps, which is about 45 minutes. First of all, it was pouring rain and there was no one at the pond. As we were walking in the rain, Trevor said "we don't need to swim three laps, we are ready for Sunday. This is just a final equipment check". I realized he was right - we swam a fast loop and headed for home.

I keep reminding myself to trust my training. I've done what I needed to do, there isn't much more I could have done. Now its time to just coast to the weekend and enjoy every minute.

I have gotten some great advice and motivation from people. Here is some of the best:

- Fight for your position in the water. If you get hit, laugh it off. This is all part of the experience we brag about.
- Trust your training.
- Relax and enjoy it, you only get to do it for the first time once.
- It's a privilege that we can do things like this, that many can only dream of.
- Don't look at your watch when you cross the finish line - it will ruin your picture (I love that!)
- own it. take hold of it.
- You really have no choice but to do the Olympic (when I was trying to talk myself out of doing the longer triathlon in July)
- "I'm proud of you sister"

I have gotten most of my advice and motivation from our friend Doug. He is a coach at Vancouver Fit and the nicest man I have ever met. He is so kind. Every week since our marathon training began, he has been providing a "tip of the week". These tips have included changing a tire, setting up transition, working our watch efficiently. He's given logistical advice for that day of the event. And he always, always reminds us to have fun. We are so blessed to know him.

The training hasn't always been fun. There were certainly weeks when I was just exhausted. Even so, I never felt like I wanted to stop. I never thought it wasn't worth it and I really did enjoy it all. It felt like I was breaking myself down, only to build myself back up. I have found that I am so much stronger than I ever knew. I have so much more power than I realized.

I get SO nervous before these events. It is almost funny. I have had heartburn for a few days now, my stomach is in constant knots. The morning of the event I'll probably be sick to my stomach and wonder what the hell I am thinking - why I ever thought this was a good idea. Then, I'll get in the water, the horn will sound and I'll have 6 or 7 hours to bask in the glory of it all.