The Ups and Downs that Come with Being a Working Mother of 3, Training for 70.3 Worlds.

Me and Chris van de Water, winners of the Niagara Sprint
Triathlon with our winning, giant, glass of Erdinger
Alcohol-free beer.

The last 2 months since Ironman 70.3 Raleigh has been full of ups and downs; a true test of my will to fight through workouts.  What has kept me going is my desire to compete , the spot I earned at 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championships, my team, and the dream of qualifying for Kona next year.

So what's been going on you may ask?

It is a bit of a long story,  however I will do my best to keep it short and sweet, like a picture book.

Here's the Top 5 list.

1. My first Olympic Distance Triathlon, Guelph Lake I, was a success!  I wasn't sure how I would do in this venue. But with the swim being longer in proportion to other triathlons, it helped me a lot!  I won the women's event outright, and had a big laugh when I went to collect my award as the announcer said, "and our overall Women's champion is Sheila Treleaven, 41 years young!"  Yes, It's true.  I actually turned 41 this past weekend.  

2. As my body adapts from being a swimmer into a triathlete it is going through some growing pains. Literally, pain.  My lower back locked up on me to the point that I was frightened to try  bending over to pick something off the floor for fear of the shooting pain that would run through my back and down my leg. Getting through workouts was tough.  All three sports caused a twinge, or weakness in my back that would cause that stabbing pain to wreck havoc on my body.  I wasn't sure how I was going to make it through the Niagara Triathlon, however my Chiropractor worked his magic, over a few appointments, and I forced myself through stretching exercises everyday. I pulled it together to win the overall women's title.  Everyday, now, I go through a series of exercises to help strengthen my back and keep it stretch out.

Infected and swollen - bike injuries
of the clumsy girl

After the smash up on the 1st dismount.  I managed to make it
through the rest of workout. It took everything I had not
to cry and to keep pushing.

3.  Riding the bike is a newer skill for me.  I have a lot of fear of falling.  Yes, I know, most of it is in my head, but it's still there and I'm working to overcome it.   My coach would like me to learn a flying dismount.  I have done it a couple times in workout, however I'm not comfortable and it's far from pretty.  I decided to practise on my own while the team was away competing at 70.3 Muskoka. Needless to say, I did it, however I sliced and banged up my leg pretty badly.  Four days later, I practised the dismount again, and again sliced my leg up pretty good.  The best part was the infection that pursued in the bottom cut.  A good strong course of antibiotics were prescribed and my leg is almost good as new.  Just a little scarred.

Not moving, again, on the QEW Toronto.

Caught at the Lift Bridge X3!

4.  New Role at Work! Yes! No! Right Now?!  It's not the ideal time, as I'm focusing on 70.3 World's in Austria, but how do you turn that down?  I was offered a short term special project role at work.   It's a promotion, a different type of customer, and a whole lot of driving Toronto bound.  For anyone unaware of what it's like driving to Toronto let me explain.  A drive that would normally take 20 minutes in Niagara, takes 60 plus minutes on the way towards Toronto.  It's a traffic filled day, every day I go out there and back.  To avoid the traffic I often try to take the service road home, unfortunately I've been caught by the lift bridge 3 times this past week.  It's a long day, and tiring on the road.  Sometimes I just want to go home and lay down.  But that's not an option when World Championships is around the corner, so I muster up whatever energy I have left and zip off to workout.

Pneumonia.  Hospital visit
Number One.

5.  Pneumonia.  No, not me.  It's the kids and my husband.  My two youngest girls and my husband have pneumonia.  None of them are flowing with energy.  Medicine is required on a timely basis, and of course for kids you never get a once daily formulation. My youngest starts coughing in the night and at 1:00 am is snuggled up, coughing, beside me in bed.  Sometimes makes that 4:00am wake up call, for workout, a real struggle.

This last two months I have felt very tired.  Between injuries, illness, and a new job, maintaining motivation to get to workouts  has been difficult to say the least.  

Spending some summer time with
my girls.

Having a goal to shoot for, a supportive family, and an amazing team has truly helped me to keep moving forward.  It is possible to have a full time job, kids, oh yes and a small business as well, and train for triathlon.  It requires a great deal of organization, and some help from friends and family, but it is possible.  Not easy, but definitely possible. 

The Tri-Hart Men

The Tri-Hart Ladies having a fun night eating Candy!