Below are things we need to do to get prepared and trained:
· Purchase a road bike & cycling supplies
· Purchase a wetsuit
· Find a training program & learn the terminology
· Stop using snooze
· Get back in the pool. Of course, open water swims during the summer regardless of potential diseases from the bacteria-infested Lake Michigan.
· Take long bike rides (to date our current longest is 25 miles - only done 5 times)
· Learn how to fuel our bodies
· Do more cross-training
· Lessen (not eliminate) our 3 a.m. party nights. We’ll adopt our dad’s belief that “nothing good comes after 11 p.m.” And yes, we know that we will be too tired and not in the mood for late-night socializing.
What kind of impact will our crazy decision have during the next year?
· Decreased wealth (registration, road bike, cycling supplies, running shoes, swimsuits, wetsuit, training classes, training races...)
· Decreased time (sleeping, relaxing, socializing….)
· Decreased flexibility in eating
· BUT, Increased health and fitness
So, why did we sign up for Ironman Wisconsin 2008?
· Marathons lost its allure! For some odd reason, we’re okay with the “hidden” marathon in the Ironman.
· We want a new challenge. Good thing we decided to go with one of the most, if not “the” most, difficult challenge.
· Madison needs a chance to redeem itself in endurance events. The 2006 Mad City Marathon should have closed prior to the race because of hot weather as opposed to 5 hours into it. Unfortunately, we had already pained ourselves through it.
· An IRONMAN BODY…enough said!
· Bragging rights for a lifetime
· Who doesn’t want to hear...”(insert name), you are an Ironman!”
· A potentially 17-hour workout lets us of the hook from exercising for 7 weeks (assuming 30-minute workouts, 5 times a week…we rounded up)
· We love Madison & have a lot of memories here. It is the home of our grandparents, aunt and uncle as well as UW-Madison (Kirstin’s alma mater). Since Chicago doesn’t host an Ironman, we couldn’t think of a better place.
Ways you can support us?
· Recommendations on brands, gear, training, nutrition…ANYTHING. Any advice, suggestions, or words of wisdom would be much appreciated.
· Be part of our cheering squad - “Team 140.6isters!” Keep in mind, this is not specific to the actual event, we anticipate needing help throughout our training season. We’ll give you ideas!
Saturday, November 17, 2007
MEET brItt & kIrstIn:
In 2006 and 2007, we traveled to Madison to watch the amazing athletes who participate in the IRONMAN. Even as spectators, we were emotionally moved and inspired. 140.6 miles…how could you not? This past year we walked away completely exhausted, and we were just spectators! Granted we had woken up early to see the swim take off as well as stayed up late to watch the last official finisher cross the line. Maybe we got caught up in all of the emotions or maybe we were delusional from a long day of cheering, but we ended up doing something completely insane. We woke up the next morning Monday, September 10th at 4:30am and headed to Minona Terrace to reserve our spots in Ironman Wisconsin 2008. Are we excited? Absolutely. Are we nervous? Even more so.
We are experienced marathoners and grew up swimming competitively. However, our triathlon experience is limited (2 International-distance, 2 Sprint-distance, and 1 International-distance team…all done on mountain bikes). But we have a history of jumping into things unprepared and uninformed!
Such as:
· Marathons: which we began running only after signing up for our first marathon. Prior to that, we had never participated in a race.
· Summitting Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania, Africa): reached Kili’s summit of 19,340 meters with a limited hiking background. Our previous hiking experience consisted of a 3-hour day hike on Mt. Rainier, a 90-minute climb up Grouse Mountain, a drive around Mount St. Helens, and weekly runs up Cricket Hill (Chicago).
· Brikham Yoga (this is yoga in a 105ยบ room): our first yoga class. For the first session, we weren’t hydrated and we showed up without a towel or mat. And, after going over a dozen times, we still look like first-timers.
While our decision to sign up for the Ironman was somewhat brash, we are determined to get as prepared as possible. We want to finish within the 17-hour mark! But if we can do it faster, all the better. But more importantly, we want to ENJOY the journey.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
140.6 TIDBITS about us
1. we're sisters
2. roommates
3. training partners
4. there's a 3 year - 3 month -11 day age difference
5. Britt's full initials match our dad's
6. Kirstin's initials match our mom's
7. in high school, we drove a wooden panel station wagon with our parent's (& our) initials on the license plate
8. due to Britt's driving, the side mirror got chopped off, the fender was smashed in on one side, and the car door had dents (all of which she tried to fix with superglue and a plunger - it didn't work)
9. Kirstin killed the car after she ran over a mailbox which punctured the gas tank
10. our mom cried when they towed the 12-year old car away
11. we have two other siblings who's initials don't match anyone's in the family
12. we're both stuck in the middle and have middle child syndrome
13. our siblings are naturally tall & lean
14. our body-type resembles our dads
15. we are Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German, and French Canadian
16. we were both born in Cleveland, Ohio
17. we have lived in 4 US states and 2 European countries
18. we've been Chicago residents for over 6 years
19. our 3rd roommate is a dog, a shepherd-husky mix named McKinley
20. Kirstin claims that makes her a designer dog- a "shusky" -or maybe it's just her personality
21. McKinley WASN'T named after the president but WAS named after the mountain (which was named after the president)
22. Britt's a teacher
23. and wants to be a nurse
24. Kirstin's a media supervisor
25. who dreams about being a FBI agent
26. in high school, we both were lifeguards, swim instructors, and babysitters
27. in college, we were both waitresses
28. Britt was also a personal assistant
29. while Kirstin was a business intern
30. Britt's worse job was being a telemarketer (a 3 week stint)
31. Kirstin was a check processor at a bank & hated it
32. Britt drives to work
33. Kirstin takes CTA, primarily the 'L'
34. Britt has run 9 marathons
35. Kirstin has run 8 marathons
36. two marathons were cancelled due to weather (heat & humidity)
37. unfortunately, we finished both prior to the race directors notification
38. Britt has lost 4 toenails from running
39. Kirstin has only lost 1 toenail
40. we've stair climbed a Chicago skyscraper - Hustle Up the Hancock
41. we've competed in 5 triathlons (2 olympic, 2 sprints, 1 team)
42. all on mountain bikes
43. once we forgot to pack our bike helmets & bought $14 helmets from the local Wal-Mart
44. we've completed an urbanathlon
45. during which Billy catapulted Britt over 6 foot marine hurdles
46. and Kirstin appreciates Bill Rancic ("The Apprentice" winner) for helping her scale a wall
47. then, she hired him
48. other celebrity sightings include Anderson Cooper in Florence, Italy on a secret assignment ("The Mole")
49. Vince Vaughn at Schubas in Chicago acknowledged us with "Hey Girls"
50. we grew up swimming competitively
51. long-distance was our specialty - endurance of course!
52. we ditched one swim practice growing up and got busted by our mom and coaches
53. we never ditched a practice again
54. Britt also played softball
55. Kirstin played soccer and water polo
56. we enjoy camping, hiking, cross-country skiing, and reading
57. we are trying to get into yoga and pilates
58. both we find very difficult especially since we are not very flexible
59. we also love to travel, especially internationally
60. we make it affordable by staying in hostels, taking public transportation, and not always eating out
61. we backpacked throughout Europe and Ireland
62. we went on a safari in Africa and climbed to Kilimanjaro's summit
63. we didn't shower once in the seven days we were on the mountain
64. trips in Canada and Mexico are a given (like most USA residents have)
65. Britt volunteered in Russia
66. Kirstin volunteered in Guatemala as well as interned in Argentina
67. our next adventures include Peru and Southeast Asian countries
68. we also enjoy visiting cities, states, and regions throughout the US
69. we've explored New York, Boston, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, Nashville, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, California, and the Pacific Northwest
70. we save money by clipping coupons, not using air conditioning (even in 90+ weather), winterizing our windows with plastic covering, avoiding cabs & walking or taking public transportation, monthly Walgreen's rebates
71. however we throw our money (tons of money) at traveling, race fees, and going out
72. our favorite spots to hang out are "dive" spots and brew pubs
73. the color orange makes Britt happy
74. Kirstin's likes any shade of green
75. Britt can handle hot weather
76. Kirstin prefers being cold
77. we both love mild temperatures (think jeans and sweatshirts)
78. Britt drinks her coffee black
79. Kirstin takes hers with skim milk and sweetener
80. we both think sushi is awesome
81. and love Mediterranean
82. believe it or not Costco has good hummus
83. but bad sushi
84. items that is always on the shelves of our cabinets/refrigerator are coffee, Smuckers all natural peanut butter, almonds, skim milk, eggs, tofu dogs, mustard, hummus, homemade split pea soup, flax seed bread, and pickles
85. our favorite candies are Swedish fish, Starburst jelly beans, candy corn, and Brach's cherry hearts
86. Britt also likes Heath bars, York peppermint patties, and Take Five Bars
87. while Kirstin likes Almond Joys, Tootsie Rolls, and Bit-O-Honey's
88. we also love "2-for-1" ice cream specials
89. and yes, we know this is a marketing scheme, and we don't care
90. for salty treats, we enjoy salt and vinegar chips, pretzels, popcorn, and cheese
91. Britt would shower once a week if she could
92. Kirstin showers twice a day
93. Britt has never had a manicure or pedicure
94. Kirstin has had 1 professional manicure and 3 professional pedicures
95. Kirstin regularly paints her toenails
96. we don't wear make-up to work
97. when going out for the night, Britt loves lipstick that POPS (the redder the better)
98. Kirstin prefers Carmex and lip gloss for a fancier occasion
99. Britt's bad habit is picking the skin around her nails
100. and ending sentences with the word 'so'
101. Kirstin doesn't pick her nails
102. and overuses 'absolutely'
103. Britt's earring philosophy is the bigger the better
104. Kirstin prefers diamond studs or simple hoops
105. we don't have any tattoos
106. we have met someone who has tattoos on his teeth (we don't know it was possible either)
107. Britt always wears comfortable shoes and favors her 'Jesus cruisers'
108. Kirstin plays with heels
109. our favorite shoes are Chacos, Keens, Birkenstocks, Danskos, running shoes, and Piper sandals
110. Kirstin wants a pair of Campers
111. other apparel brands we like include Smartwool, REI, The North Face, Patagonia-really any outdoors brand
112. Britt has brown eyes and perfect eyesight
113. Kirstin has green eyes and worn contacts/glasses since she was a kid
114. Britt is passive aggressive
115. Kirstin is problem solver
116. Britt's tends to be last minute
117. and applies the mantra "fly by the seat of your pants"
118. Kirstin prefers being organized and scheduled
119. and creates lots of to-do lists and itineraries
120. Britt doesn't care if her stuff gets lost, ruined, or stained
121. Kirstin takes good care of her things and gets frustrated when something is lost or destroyed
122. Britt winged school
123. Kirstin was a serious student
124. Britt procrastinates
125. Kirstin pulled all-nighters throughout school in hopes of increasing her grade (from mid-nineties to high-nineties)
126. Britt has a masters in special education
127. Kirstin has her MBA
128. Britt has 2 baby teeth
129. Kirstin had a baby tooth and is in the process of getting an expensive implant
130. Britt has never seriously injured herself
131. Kirstin has had stitches and dislocated her wrist
132. neither of us have broken any bones
133. we rarely missed school due to sickness
134. even if we were throwing up at 3 a.m.
135. Kirstin did miss a few weeks in 3rd grade due to Mono
136. and no, she wasn't kissing boys at that age
137. we value new experiences and challenges
138. and that is why we signed up for Ironman Wisconsin '08
139. this will be our biggest, longest, and most difficult event yet
140. our emotional status regarding this journey changes daily - excited, scared, nervous, freaked out, tend to be the majority of our feelings
140.6 after completing the IRONMAN our next plan is - (0.6 is missing - STAY TUNED)
2. roommates
3. training partners
4. there's a 3 year - 3 month -11 day age difference
5. Britt's full initials match our dad's
6. Kirstin's initials match our mom's
7. in high school, we drove a wooden panel station wagon with our parent's (& our) initials on the license plate
8. due to Britt's driving, the side mirror got chopped off, the fender was smashed in on one side, and the car door had dents (all of which she tried to fix with superglue and a plunger - it didn't work)
9. Kirstin killed the car after she ran over a mailbox which punctured the gas tank
10. our mom cried when they towed the 12-year old car away
11. we have two other siblings who's initials don't match anyone's in the family
12. we're both stuck in the middle and have middle child syndrome
13. our siblings are naturally tall & lean
14. our body-type resembles our dads
15. we are Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, German, and French Canadian
16. we were both born in Cleveland, Ohio
17. we have lived in 4 US states and 2 European countries
18. we've been Chicago residents for over 6 years
19. our 3rd roommate is a dog, a shepherd-husky mix named McKinley
20. Kirstin claims that makes her a designer dog- a "shusky" -or maybe it's just her personality
21. McKinley WASN'T named after the president but WAS named after the mountain (which was named after the president)
22. Britt's a teacher
23. and wants to be a nurse
24. Kirstin's a media supervisor
25. who dreams about being a FBI agent
26. in high school, we both were lifeguards, swim instructors, and babysitters
27. in college, we were both waitresses
28. Britt was also a personal assistant
29. while Kirstin was a business intern
30. Britt's worse job was being a telemarketer (a 3 week stint)
31. Kirstin was a check processor at a bank & hated it
32. Britt drives to work
33. Kirstin takes CTA, primarily the 'L'
34. Britt has run 9 marathons
35. Kirstin has run 8 marathons
36. two marathons were cancelled due to weather (heat & humidity)
37. unfortunately, we finished both prior to the race directors notification
38. Britt has lost 4 toenails from running
39. Kirstin has only lost 1 toenail
40. we've stair climbed a Chicago skyscraper - Hustle Up the Hancock
41. we've competed in 5 triathlons (2 olympic, 2 sprints, 1 team)
42. all on mountain bikes
43. once we forgot to pack our bike helmets & bought $14 helmets from the local Wal-Mart
44. we've completed an urbanathlon
45. during which Billy catapulted Britt over 6 foot marine hurdles
46. and Kirstin appreciates Bill Rancic ("The Apprentice" winner) for helping her scale a wall
47. then, she hired him
48. other celebrity sightings include Anderson Cooper in Florence, Italy on a secret assignment ("The Mole")
49. Vince Vaughn at Schubas in Chicago acknowledged us with "Hey Girls"
50. we grew up swimming competitively
51. long-distance was our specialty - endurance of course!
52. we ditched one swim practice growing up and got busted by our mom and coaches
53. we never ditched a practice again
54. Britt also played softball
55. Kirstin played soccer and water polo
56. we enjoy camping, hiking, cross-country skiing, and reading
57. we are trying to get into yoga and pilates
58. both we find very difficult especially since we are not very flexible
59. we also love to travel, especially internationally
60. we make it affordable by staying in hostels, taking public transportation, and not always eating out
61. we backpacked throughout Europe and Ireland
62. we went on a safari in Africa and climbed to Kilimanjaro's summit
63. we didn't shower once in the seven days we were on the mountain
64. trips in Canada and Mexico are a given (like most USA residents have)
65. Britt volunteered in Russia
66. Kirstin volunteered in Guatemala as well as interned in Argentina
67. our next adventures include Peru and Southeast Asian countries
68. we also enjoy visiting cities, states, and regions throughout the US
69. we've explored New York, Boston, Albuquerque, Minneapolis, Nashville, Wisconsin, Michigan, Florida, Kentucky, Maine, California, and the Pacific Northwest
70. we save money by clipping coupons, not using air conditioning (even in 90+ weather), winterizing our windows with plastic covering, avoiding cabs & walking or taking public transportation, monthly Walgreen's rebates
71. however we throw our money (tons of money) at traveling, race fees, and going out
72. our favorite spots to hang out are "dive" spots and brew pubs
73. the color orange makes Britt happy
74. Kirstin's likes any shade of green
75. Britt can handle hot weather
76. Kirstin prefers being cold
77. we both love mild temperatures (think jeans and sweatshirts)
78. Britt drinks her coffee black
79. Kirstin takes hers with skim milk and sweetener
80. we both think sushi is awesome
81. and love Mediterranean
82. believe it or not Costco has good hummus
83. but bad sushi
84. items that is always on the shelves of our cabinets/refrigerator are coffee, Smuckers all natural peanut butter, almonds, skim milk, eggs, tofu dogs, mustard, hummus, homemade split pea soup, flax seed bread, and pickles
85. our favorite candies are Swedish fish, Starburst jelly beans, candy corn, and Brach's cherry hearts
86. Britt also likes Heath bars, York peppermint patties, and Take Five Bars
87. while Kirstin likes Almond Joys, Tootsie Rolls, and Bit-O-Honey's
88. we also love "2-for-1" ice cream specials
89. and yes, we know this is a marketing scheme, and we don't care
90. for salty treats, we enjoy salt and vinegar chips, pretzels, popcorn, and cheese
91. Britt would shower once a week if she could
92. Kirstin showers twice a day
93. Britt has never had a manicure or pedicure
94. Kirstin has had 1 professional manicure and 3 professional pedicures
95. Kirstin regularly paints her toenails
96. we don't wear make-up to work
97. when going out for the night, Britt loves lipstick that POPS (the redder the better)
98. Kirstin prefers Carmex and lip gloss for a fancier occasion
99. Britt's bad habit is picking the skin around her nails
100. and ending sentences with the word 'so'
101. Kirstin doesn't pick her nails
102. and overuses 'absolutely'
103. Britt's earring philosophy is the bigger the better
104. Kirstin prefers diamond studs or simple hoops
105. we don't have any tattoos
106. we have met someone who has tattoos on his teeth (we don't know it was possible either)
107. Britt always wears comfortable shoes and favors her 'Jesus cruisers'
108. Kirstin plays with heels
109. our favorite shoes are Chacos, Keens, Birkenstocks, Danskos, running shoes, and Piper sandals
110. Kirstin wants a pair of Campers
111. other apparel brands we like include Smartwool, REI, The North Face, Patagonia-really any outdoors brand
112. Britt has brown eyes and perfect eyesight
113. Kirstin has green eyes and worn contacts/glasses since she was a kid
114. Britt is passive aggressive
115. Kirstin is problem solver
116. Britt's tends to be last minute
117. and applies the mantra "fly by the seat of your pants"
118. Kirstin prefers being organized and scheduled
119. and creates lots of to-do lists and itineraries
120. Britt doesn't care if her stuff gets lost, ruined, or stained
121. Kirstin takes good care of her things and gets frustrated when something is lost or destroyed
122. Britt winged school
123. Kirstin was a serious student
124. Britt procrastinates
125. Kirstin pulled all-nighters throughout school in hopes of increasing her grade (from mid-nineties to high-nineties)
126. Britt has a masters in special education
127. Kirstin has her MBA
128. Britt has 2 baby teeth
129. Kirstin had a baby tooth and is in the process of getting an expensive implant
130. Britt has never seriously injured herself
131. Kirstin has had stitches and dislocated her wrist
132. neither of us have broken any bones
133. we rarely missed school due to sickness
134. even if we were throwing up at 3 a.m.
135. Kirstin did miss a few weeks in 3rd grade due to Mono
136. and no, she wasn't kissing boys at that age
137. we value new experiences and challenges
138. and that is why we signed up for Ironman Wisconsin '08
139. this will be our biggest, longest, and most difficult event yet
140. our emotional status regarding this journey changes daily - excited, scared, nervous, freaked out, tend to be the majority of our feelings
140.6 after completing the IRONMAN our next plan is - (0.6 is missing - STAY TUNED)
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