Am I Really Doing This?
So here's the thing about being a 42-year-old mom of 2-year-old twins who also happens to love endurance sports—life gets beautifully, chaotically full. Really quickly.
I've been trying to prioritize my fitness this year, and for the most part I'm pretty happy about how it's gone. I've had some really good streaks—like June when I didn't miss a single workout. And then I've had some really really bad streaks—like this past month when two illnesses ripped through our house and I ended up with a sinus infection that knocked me out completely. Welcome to life with toddlers, right?
My Endurance Sports Resume
If you've known me for a while, you know I've been doing this endurance sports thing for a long time. Here's a rough idea of where I've been:
2011 - Houston Marathon
2012 - Texas 70.3
2013 - DNF at IMTX
2014 - Ironman Boulder
2015 - IMFL
2016 - Ironman Boulder (again—long story behind this one)
2019 - Houston Marathon, IMTX, IMWC
2021 - Colfax Marathon
2022 - Houston Marathon, Rocky Raccoon 50 miler
And somewhere in all of that there’s whole slew of 70.3s and other triathlons scattered throughout the years. I've done the triathlon thing pretty seriously.
But here's the thing that's been nagging at me: I really, really want to do another full Ironman. I'm gun shy, though—legitimately gun shy. There's a big fat DNS sitting next to the last three full Ironmans I've registered for. Three. That's enough to make anyone hesitate before clicking "submit" on that registration page.
Everything Changed Last July
I started working with a new coach in July, and honestly? It's been revolutionary. Katie Tyler and I have been friends for years—way back to when I was swimming Masters at Lifetime Cypress—and I'd been watching her posts about run/walk intervals and walking workouts for building time on feet. Something about her approach really spoke to me, especially since I've struggled with injuries every time I've tried to ramp up mileage in the past.
I decided to try it. And y'all, I have nothing but good things to say. Training this way has been a game-changer. I can cover 10 miles on what feels like not a ton of fitness during the summer and still feel solid afterward. No complete wrecking of my body. It's amazing. I'm genuinely excited to see how this approach translates into marathon training.
What's on My Calendar Right Now
I have a half marathon in a little over two weeks. (Seriously, TWO WEEKS. Send help and/or coffee.)
Tim and I both registered for the Houston Marathon in January—that's 11 weeks out from now. We decided to do this together, which is either the best or worst decision we've made. Jury's still out.
And then there's the Ironman question.
The 2019 Playbook
I had a really great season in 2019 when I started with a marathon. I was able to finish strong and immediately transition into Ironman training with a solid run base underneath me. Since running is historically my weakest of the three sports, having that fitness in the bank meant I could lean on it during training and put my focus into building a stronger bike.
I've already had an initial conversation with Katie about how we could get creative with training load—keeping things realistic with two toddlers at home, making sure Tim still has time to run and get to the gym, not losing my mind in the process. We've got a plan. It could work.
I have the registration page open on my computer right now. It's been sitting there for a week. Every time I look at my open tabs, it's there. Taunting me. Whispering "what if you actually did this?"
So I guess the real question is: should I just do it?
Part of me thinks this is the perfect setup. The training method that finally feels sustainable. A coach I trust completely. A husband who's willing to be part of the journey. A proven game plan from a season that went really well.
The other part of me keeps staring at those three DNSs and wondering if I'm setting myself up for a broken heart wallet again.
But maybe that's the whole point, right? Maybe trying again is exactly what needs to happen. Stay tuned.
