Because it’s so long, I’ve just posted here the links to where it is on my blog, so as to not take up insane amounts of space. To catch people up, at least those who aren’t among the tens of avid readers of my blog, I’m adding just a little prologue here, kind of a Cliff Notes version of getting to IronSpud.

A note: this is definitely a BOP version of Ironman. There is no Kona slot, no Age Group win, hell, not even a PR. But if you want to read about an awesome day for a race in a beautiful location, then here you go.

Another note: this week, starting with July 4th, happens to be my Cancerversary, back to last year when I found out within the span of a week that I had cancer. And before I knew anything, when I had just found this lump, I posted here, freaking out, looking for reassurance. Which I got in spades - even after it turned out to be cancer. I honestly don't know how to thank all of you for being so kind and generous, so giving of your time and energy and thoughts and prayers, but, I do thank you all, from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea how much every single thought or encouragement or message meant to me.

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I believe I was just 4 when the trauma of busting my lip open and needing stitches hardened in me the resolve to someday be an Ironman. Overcoming something like that at such a young age.........nah, just kidding, folks. No lengthy back story here. Let’s just back things up to last June, when I rather randomly decided that hey, Ironman CDA, looks like fun! Based on total strangers’ race reports on different message boards, of course (mostly on ST!). They noted that it was a beautiful venue, a great course, that the people out there were amazingly supportive and really came out in full force for this race – and since I had never been to the PNW, I thought, what the hell, why not? Plus I had visions of training my ass off, to prove that not only could I do an Ironman, but that I could actually do one well, rather than be happy just to finish.

So that was June. To make a long story short, in July I found out I had breast cancer. Yeah, me. Total shock, no risk factors, no family history, blah blah blah. I was signed up to do IMWI again, and was torn as to whether or not I should still do it, what with the stress of seeing doctors, seeing more doctors for a 2nd opinion, trying to figure out a treatment plan, etc. But I figured I’d keep training until I figured out when I’d have surgery, what the course of treatment would be, etc.

So that was July. In August, I was doing the 200K Dairyland Dare, when I somehow crashed my bike on a deserted country road going downhill at 40 mph, and broke my collarbone and sustained a brain injury. Oops. So much for IMMOO. But on the bright side, they were able to schedule my cancer surgery and collarbone repair for the same day, one right after the other, so that worked out well.

Surgeries. 6 weeks of radiation treatment. Physical therapy. By the time January came around, I was done with treatment, kind of, other than being on medication (drugs that I call FatSurly, though most people for some reason refer to it as Tamoxifen) for the duration. Other than PT, I hadn’t done anything resembling working out for months. I signed up for VQ classes, but slept through most of them. That turned out to be my big problem, or at least one of them – extreme fatigue. I looked for some points of reference to see if this was me being lazy and sluggish, or a typical aftereffect from treatment, and I only found 2 things: 1) a very nice triathlete pro (that I was given contact info for by dear Francois here on ST - thanks Francois!) who had had radiation treatment for prostate cancer – but he had no words of wisdom, as he had just a couple of treatments, minor outpatient surgery, and was done. But I truly appreciate that he tried to be helpful. And 2) Mario Lemieux, my new hero, who had 6 weeks of radiation, like me, went on to play in the Stanley Cup finals, and then wound up taking the whole next year off, mostly due to fatigue. Aha! Well, and then my oncologist did tell me (only after I specifically asked!) that the fatigue was perfectly normal after radiation treatment, and that it could last up to a year. Oh. Great. That was unfortunate, but it did tell me one thing: to suck it up and start training.....and drink a hell of a lot of coffee.

Needless to say, the training was tough. Beyond tough. All I wanted to do was nap, certainly not go for 6 hour rides or 2 hour runs, and I was starting from essentially zero fitness. Less than zero, since radiation and the surgeries had done weird things to the muscles in my arm and shoulder. To top it off, of course since I chose to do an early-season Ironman, the weather in Chicago was the worst it’s been ever. Coldest spring in 60 years, rainiest spring ever, and by the time I finally made myself get into Lake Michigan for some open water swimming, the water temp was still just 48 degrees. In JUNE. And no matter how much I trained – and yes, it was a LOT, albeit crammed into 2.5-3 months – I never felt like I was making progress or gaining much fitness. Oh, the crazy 600-calorie/day diet (seriously) that I was on for months surely didn’t help – that was due to the frustration of having treatment put on weight, and then the drugs I was on making it impossible to lose it. So yeah, I wouldn’t really recommend that.

But regardless, a month before IronSpud, I decided....fuck it, I’m doing this race. Even if I don’t finish, I’ll give it what I have, cancer and everything else be damned.......

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Which brings us to my trip to IMCDA, via the blog, starting with my road trip out there (yes, I drove - another sign that I'm completely insane). You can thank me later for NOT posting it all on here, and thereby not crashing the ST server......

http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...6/ode-to-sparta.html

http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...e-trip-its-been.html

http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...le-in-heartland.html

http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...save-me-im-lost.html

http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...-i-ask-too-much.html

http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...who-i-really-am.html

http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...ese-small-hours.html

http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...l-float-on-okay.html

(For those who for some reason don't want to read about my adventures at the Corn Palace in South Dakota, the actual race report starts here: http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com/...-i-ask-too-much.html )

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http://thethighmasterroutetokona.blogspot.com