Can Princesses Really Finish an Ironman?

     It is Christmas Eve. 10:15 pm. and I have started a blog for my 2013 Ironman venture. As I sit here I have a huge "cankle" that is black and blue as well as a swollen knee that is also very colorful. I fell running a few days ago for no reason. Yup just fell and laid there spread eagle with an audience. Anyway, as of now, I'm not really sure what a blog is. I just feel that I need a place to document my quest to hear, "You Are An Ironman." My quest consists of wanting to finish before they are putting the chairs away for the night. I have picked Ironman Florida which is late in the season, November. I have my coach, although he is laughing at me right now. He witnessed my fall from grace while running.

     I picked the name "IronPrincess" because my sister thinks I'm a Princess. The questions I ask are not always ones on the top of other Ironmen (women) (why is it called "Ironman?")  "wannabe's", list. Please don't correct my grammar, as a Princess, I can use run on sentences if I want!! Questions asked by a true IronPrincess, where do I buy a good DD running bra? Note to self: don't buy the ones with the velcro in the front. They are cute but velcro comes lose in the water. Do I really have to pee on the bike? EW!!  A porta potty is pushing it for any real Princess but that I will put up with. Peeing on my bike as of now is NOT an option. Check back with me in a while. EW  Did you hear that FL. Ironman people? Please bring in some more port potties for the bike course, a Princess will be arriving:-) Do I look fat in these bike shorts? Yup, just these questions alone would make me an IronPrincess but let me go on. When I started triathlons five years ago, athletes would keep asking me if I wanted to get in on a workout. I think the wanted me to join them because it made them feel fast:-) I was VERY excited about that because I had a lot to learn. "Ok, meet us in the Y parking lot at 4:50 for a quick warm up ride before we swim." I was so so excited until I realized they meant 4:50 AM!!!   What is up with that?  No really, WHAT IS UP WITH THAT? Does the pool disappear at 8:00AM? Are the roads closed at 9:00 AM? Fine , I know the answers to some of these questions, but that was NOT happening. I have kids to get off to school and 4:50 is NOT the morning. It is the middle of the night!!!

     Now all kidding aside, here is a serious question I am asking myself. Have I missed the IronPrincess boat? I am 52 which would kind of make me more of a IronQueen but don't go there. No one around me is allowed to use the "O" word, OLD. One of my Drs. even wrote it in his chart. Do not use the "O" word around Lani Martin!!! This brings up another question. Why are there so many people in there 40's, 50's and 60's doing triathlons and pushing the Ironman button? Are we testing our mortality? Are we just trying to stay in shape? I don't think you need to swim 2.2, bike 112 and follow it up with a marathon to stay in shape. In fact, I'm not convinced it's even healthy. What is the reason then? For me the reason is that I need a new challenge. I have covered other distances, finished and lived to talk about them. I need a new challenge. I don't know how much longer I could even consider an iron distance so I think that is the reason I am in. I also want to show my kids what hard work does. Even if I don't finish, I will have gone as far as my body and mind will take me. My idol is "The Iron Nun." She started in her 40's with an old pair of running shoes and is still going strong in her 80's!!! She is the oldest woman to complete an Ironman.  Look her up, she is incredible!!! I would love to hear why other age groupers do it.

     I started training a little early because my coach told me that I am too dangerous to be left alone anymore. He was right!! I get a little over zealous! OCD thing. Some days I think, I've got this!!! Other days I wake up and think, really? What the hell am I thinking!! My biggest problem right now is not mental although I am sure that will come. I have not put that pressure on myself. My problem is keeping my body healthy enough to get through the workouts. The last thing my coach said to me after my latest fall was, "I think we should work on some injury prevention when your ankle is healed. Now get in the water without a floatation device and aqua run!" What he was really saying was, "how the hell am I going to get you to the starting line in over a year without you killing yourself and others:-)" Did I mention that I cow tip a lot on the bike? For those of you who don't understand that statement, watch a cow fall over sometime!! Not very Princessy of me! I was never clumsy while dancing. I am a professional actress with a lot of musicals under my belt. What happened?

     One more thing I need to say today. Let's clear up one thing now!! I am a swimmer!!!!!!! I am an above average swimmer!!!  I would rather swim the marathon than run it!! As far as running and biking go, I love to run but it hurts in a lot of places right now and I am not fast. I am thinking maybe the Galloway method. Walk 8 minutes, run 1 minute. Just kidding!!   Biking for me is just there right now. I know Iron People, it's the most important and longest. I'm working on it. I have a great bike, a cevelo so I can't use that excuse. My coach is even going to pimp my ride for the event.  I have an awesome wetsuit. In fact on some days when I'm tired, I tell my wetsuit to start without me and I will catch up. Hence the name, IronPrincess. I have great running shoes, all the latest gadgets and fashion attire thanks to my Prince Charming husband. Hey, it just dawned on me. If he really is Prince Charming, which he is trust me, then I am a real Princess:-)