The Journey Is Just The Beginning

My journey to Ironman 140.6 was a two-year journey. It started in 2014 while training for Ironman Chattanooga, where I would DNF at 140 miles. That race is 144.6 (longer than a normal IM) and they take 30 minutes away from you right off the bat. I never give up, so I returned home to lick my wounds, and sign up for Ironman Maryland 2016. On October 1, 2016 I finished the race and became an Ironman. I talk about my race IM Maryland below, but what came after crossing that finish line was something I felt I needed to share.

What makes an Ironman? Well, I can tell you that one becomes an Ironman when they start their journey in training. Race day is when you put it all together, and you cross that coveted finish line to hear that simple phrase:

Meredith Rosser….. You. Are. An.  IRONMAN! 

Today, I realized over a cup of coffee, is that my journey to Ironman was not over, instead it’s only the beginning. To realize that my long time dream has come to pass, brings much emotion. But to also realize that whatever “it” is that I put my heart into next, I know without a shadow of a doubt that IT CAN BE DONE! The dream continues, as my accomplishment of crossing that finish line is truly just the beginning! So when someone says to me “I could never do…….” then I say to them:

YES YOU CAN!

This is jus the beginning.

To sum up my journey to Ironman in just a few simple words would be useless because the journey itself is no where near short. For me it has been a 2 year journey. The training that one puts time in for, endless miles, long hours, a lot of sacrifices is mind-boggling. I wanted this more than anything else and was willing to do whatever it took. My journey to Ironman began long before the start line of the race. October 1st was the day I would celebrate by putting it all together, at exactly 3:00 am when my alarm would go off.

The morning was cold, windy and very foggy. With my wetsuit on and lined up at the swim start at 6:30 am I was ready! I was excited about the swim, as I had perfected it and had my time down to a fine science, and being wetsuit legal I knew I would fly! 6:50 am we are told the swim was being cancelled as there was a small craft advisory. Looking out at the Choptank River and seeing the rough waters white capping I knew it was the right call. The waters looked very treacherous, but I will admit, I was devastated. (I even teared up sharing my thoughts with Hot Hubs)

The next stage was a time trial start. We were going to be called out by our race bib number and we had to be ready to go in 30 to 45 min. That was the longest wait of my life! I was shivering cold, the wind was blowing hard off the river, and it was a cloudy overcast morning. No sun to warm us up, only the clothes I packed in my bike changing bag. Luckily I packed arm warmers (who knew a FL chick would need these) but I would ultimately be cycling with a sleeveless triathlon top. Not much protection from the wind, rain, and the cold elements. Days leading up to the race it had rained on and off, therefore much of the race course had been flooded and was impassable. The course I rode on in a training camp, was now changed to allow us to ride. Mentally the elements, and the change of course was messing with my head. My time came, and off I went!

The first half of the bike leg was great! I think I grew wings and was flying! My average speed was 16 mph and change which was huge for me, and with the roads being slick from the rain and navigating around people, this was good, not to mention through the cold, windy elements. Staying hydrated and nibbling on food was key, but when you’re not “hot” you often forget to do this. Then, the second half of the first loop happened. HEAD WIND! I felt like I hit a brick wall, and the only thing to do is get down in aero position and grind through it! To add to this crazy wind,  came the rain. I was cruising into the “special needs” area where I can get my bag I had carefully packed with all the things I could possibly need, including dry socks, which obviously I would not need! Why change wet socks for dry ones when it was raining? Ha! I felt like crying. I was cold, shivering, my hands were virtually numb, there was no sun to warm my cold wet skin, I was feeling nauseous, and at this moment I had to decide if I was tough enough to keep going. I wanted so badly to finish what I had started but quite honestly at this point I wanted to be dry and warm again. Oh and I forgot on major detail in all of this. My “monthly friend” came to visit me the night before! For a woman, this is a huge hurdle to overcome when trying to race! In the end, I got what I needed, and gave the volunteer my bag. I had one more loop to do and knew I had to dig deep. The second loop seemed longer than the first, but coming into town, and passing my BFF Sherpa Cheryl Collison along with my boys, gave me a huge boost! What came next was absolutely unexpected! Bikers stayed to the right and runners were on the left, and there was a vast body of water, shin and calf deep! I managed to navigate through the cold waters, and make my way to rack my bike, and get my bag to prepare for the run.

With one of my fastest transitions yet, including the women’s changing tent, (that’s a whole other story) I was ready to tackle 26.2 miles. Still no sun, lots of cold wind, and my clothes are all wet, except my new socks and running shoes. Little did I know, I would be running through vast bodies of water that reached all the way up my calves and shins, not once, not twice, but 4 times! Oh, and then, between the bodies of water was a grassy trail turned thick muddy trail. I’m not talking a little dirt, I mean thick, shoe getting stuck in kind of mud! The run was 2 1/2 loops, so it was in and out of these conditions I went. The second loop was the hardest as I knew what was coming. Getting hydration, and food, gels, coke, ice, sponges, salt, etc at every run stop was crucial. I was cruising well and keeping an average pace the first loop but all seem to fall apart on the second loop and the 1/2 loop. My shoes felt like lead weights strapped to my feet, I was chaffing in areas I didn’t know I could chafe, and I was barely able to run. Walking seemed nearly impossible but I just kept moving forward. Some of the chalk drawings and choice of words along the way paved a way for a good chuckle, and the one guy sitting in a lounge chair, in the middle of the road IN the freezing cold water no less, shouting to all the athletes “Welcome to the swim!” gave us all a good laugh and encouragement. But it was passing Hot Hubs along the way, seeing Sherpa Cheryl, hearing my boys yelling at me to keep pushing on, never give up, keep moving forward, you got this, and reflecting on what Luke and Chris Clark do on a daily basis managing their diabetes is what fueled me. The words from a great friend “Suck it up buttercup” and this from another amazing athlete “IOTB” (I Own This Bitch) is what kept me going til the bitter end. I had to finish this. I had to do this for myself. Long ago I was told “You’re not an athlete, you’re not a runner.” None of this has ever been easy for me. I have had a lot to overcome. Plantars Fasciitis, a weak knee, asthma, and yes, my monthly friend to boot! I had to prove to myself and show my children that when you set out to accomplish something, you never give up. If you don’t succeed, you get back up and keep going until you do!

Running through the water and willing my legs to climb the small hill one more time was possible because I was ready to settle the score, and prove to everyone that ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE!

The time had come, it had been a long journey, and running down that hill never felt so good. I could hear the finish line crowd, I could see the bright lights, and the song that was playing was LMFAO’s “Party Rock Anthem” (how fitting for me). I ran with such emotion, I almost couldn’t run. My arms were going every which way, tears were streaming down my face, and the moment I had waited so long for had finally arrived. I ran into the arms of a volunteer as I heard the words called out over the sound system “Meredith Rosser…. YOU. ARE. AN. Ironman!”

Most amazing feeling ever! I cannot describe in words how it felt. To my utter excitement, after it all had sunk in, I ran some numbers. With my swim time from Chattanooga 2015, and doubling my transition times, added to Maryland 2016, I can say I finished the Ironman in just over 16 1/2 hours and change. WHAT????? This was the cherry on top for me. So some may ask or say  “Your swim was cancelled, your course was cut short, you’re really not an Ironman since you didn’t do it all in one day” to which I will reply you are wrong.

The journey to Ironman 140.6 did no take place on race day, but leading up to the race. I have done the distances, some twice and one (IM Choo in 2015) was even 4 miles LONGER & our times were cut by 30 min. So YES, I am owning this race and this victory and then some! After all, the conditions to which we raced were like no other. Who gets to race an Ironman, and say they pushed through all what we pushed through?!

Cold, wet, foggy, rainy, windy, muddy and deep waters of “swim” bike run. It was epic and the stories of this day will be told for years to come. I wear my hat, my shirts, and my medal with pride. I am an Ironman!

The Final Countdown

The final countdown has begun. I am a ball of nerves. One minute I’m bursting with excitement and the next minute I’m in my bed crying. The journey to an Ironman 140.6 is no joke! I keep hearing the voice of my coach saying, “If it were easy, everyone would be doing it.” It has been one long year of brutal training, but there have been two people who have kept me moving forward, with my sights on the finish line. While there are many people whom I find inspiration from, there are two that have played a major role in all of this. If it were not for these two amazing individuals, I might have given up long ago.

Meet Linda Baker.

She lives with a disease called Pulmonary Fibrosis, which there is no cure for. Pulmonary Fibrosis is a disease marked by scarring in the lungs. Tissue deep in the lungs becomes thick, stiff and scarred. The scarring is called fibrosis. As the lung tissue becomes scarred, it interferes with a person’s ability to breathe. Linda’s companion that goes everywhere with here is a portable oxygen tank. To simply breath, and live, she must be on oxygen at all times. If I was going to set out to do the race of my life, I felt I should not only have Linda as my race partner, but also raise money for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.  Thus TEAM Linda  was formed. Throughout my training and expanding my lungs along with my high level of activity, I truly believed Linda would find healing. I believed her symptoms would lessen and the disease would not progress but come to a stand still. Not only has Linda’s disease stopped progressing but she has lost 30 plus pounds and is a candidate for a complete lung transplant!

Let me now introduce you to my 13-year-old son Luke, who was recently diagnosed with Juvenile Type 1 Diabetes.

He inspires me everyday. He is an amazing triathlete and elite swimmer who has beaten many odds this year, since the T1D diagnosis. There have been many times where I doubted my abilities to keep moving forward, but then I am reminded of what it means to persevere, via my son. He said he was not going to let his diagnosis stop him from achieving his dreams and goals. He reminds me all the time that we should never allow ourselves to be defined by our circumstances, but to push beyond them and keep moving forward. He is wise beyond his years. Luke went from the PICU unit of a three-day hospital stay to making the podium at all of his triathlon races and taking 8th in the nation at USAT Youth Nationals Championship Triathlon in Ohio. He inspires me to be a better person and better athlete. Seeing him balance life with Type 1 Diabetes and still race like there is no tomorrow, absolutely inspires me!

In just 11 days, I will be embarking on an adventure I never thought I would sign up to do, willingly I might add. I will fight to the end to finish strong as both Linda and Luke show this kind of determination on a daily basis.

My one request and reason for this blog entry is simply this.

Live!

Live your life today like there is no tomorrow. Push aside your fears of failure and do hard things!

When someone says you “can’t” do something, than set out to prove them wrong and say “watch me”!

Life is too short to live with the thoughts “I wish… I should have….”

Type 1 Diabetic Hero: No Limits

I don’t remember volunteering to get on this roller coaster ride, but somehow I found myself here a few months ago. Just as the roller coaster took off, we found ourselves twisting and turning in all directions but with no real direction at all. The future for my newly diagnosed Type One Diabetic 12-year-old son was uncertain. Luke is an elite triathlete and swims on a competitive swim team. How was our life going to be the same ever again?  I knew this ride  was sure to be long and frightening, however somewhere along the way an angel, by the name of Chris Clark, entered our life. It was fate, that click of the mouse on the computer that led to the turn of events. It was as simple as liking a friends post on Facebook about a triathlete that was going to make history in an upcoming race. This sparked my attention because this man, Chris Clark, who has Juvenile Type One Diabetes, was coming to Orlando to compete in the UltraMan Florida Triathlon.

For those of you who don’t know what kind of race that is, here’s the low down. It’s a triathlon race that’s divided into three stages over three days. The athletes first swim 6.2 miles, followed by a 90 mile cross-country bike ride. Stage two takes place the following day and is a 171.4 mile bike ride. Stage three is the final stage and is a 52.4 mile double marathon run. Each stage must be completed in 12 hours or less with the exception of the swim stage as it must be completed in 5.5 hours or less.

It was fate! I immediately posted on Chris Clark’s Facebook page that we were mesmerized by his drive to attempt to be the first Type One Diabetic athlete to ever finish an UlltraMan Triathlon. I also shared with him that my son Luke is a 12-year-old triathlete and was recently diagnosed with Juvenile Type One Diabetes. I expressed to him and his coach that we may come out and watch Chris swim for the first stage of this big race. What happened next was riveting.

Luke and I arrived at the race venue just prior to the start of the swim. We met Chris’s coach, and some of his support crew. They were so kind to us from the very start and promptly told Chris that Luke was here. Chris was in a changing tent getting ready to embark on the swim of his life, and was testing his blood glucose when he summoned to have Luke brought back to meet him. The connection between the two, Chris and Luke, was immediate. Chris was so kind, and opened his heart to share part of his journey with him, at this moment. We took several pictures of them together as I wanted to freeze time. You see it had only been a few weeks since Luke’s diagnosis, and he had fallen into a pit of despair. Luke has been competing his entire life, and when he was told he had Juvenile Type One Diabetes, he thought all his dreams and aspirations were over. Chris’s kindness in just a few short moments before the start of the race gave Luke and myself hope. Something to hold on to.

Chris was second out of the water, and heading out for the 90 mile bike ride. Just as he left, he gave Luke the thumbs up and off he went. You might as well have handed Luke a million dollars! On the drive home, Luke said to me “Mom, we HAVE to come back on Saturday and Sunday to watch Chris finish each stage of the race.” So what’s a mom to say to that?

Chris finished day two in amazing standings, all the while stopping during the day off and on to check his blood sugar levels, and of course treat with insulin when needed. Oh, and forgot to mention one tiny little detail. Chris does NOT have an insulin pump, nor a Dexcom, (which monitors his blood glucose levels). So manual finger pricks, blood sugar tests and administering insulin when needed, the old-fashioned way, was how he managed his diabetes the entire race.

Sunday arrived and Chris had made it through two stages of this grueling race, so all that was left was to run a double marathon to the finish line. Sounds easy right? Even though it was February, the Florida heat set in and the hot sun was bearing down on everyone as the day progressed. The afternoon slowly creeped by and when we got word that Chris and his support crew were getting closer to town where the finish line was staged, everyone erupted into overdrive of excitement! Waiting for him was his entire family, many friends including Luke and our family. This was it, the moment we all had been waiting for. Luke turned to me and said  “Mom, you know, Chris is making history” and as I smiled through the tears I said “Yes son, he sure is.”  What happened next left me speechless.

The race director approached me and said “Chris is about a mile out from the finish line, and he is requesting that Luke comes out on the course to run the last one mile of the race with him and cross the finish line together.” I had no words, but I turned to Luke and saw through my tears the biggest smile I’d seen on him in a long time. Luke was ushered by a volunteer a mile down the road to meet Chris and be apart of making history. As long as I live, I will never forget witnessing this epic finish.

Chris not only made history in being the first Type One Diabetic to complete an UltraMan Triathlon, but he came in 6th place in a field of 30 athletes who entered this race. Simply amazing!

This man gave Luke hope. He showed Luke that nothing is impossible. He met Luke on Friday and by Saturday he was treating Luke like he was family.He restored my faith in humanity. He is our HERO! You must know that the days after Luke’s diagnosis were grim from Luke’s perspective, and after meeting Chris, he realized that nothing is impossible. There are no limits with diabetes, you just have to want to push through the barriers. Where there is a will, there is a way.

Florida State University did a study on how the body responds to the endurance competition known as Ultraman. Watch the inspiring video below: