So my body is on board, my mind is prepping to live in the moment, my coach is unbelievably awesome. The last piece? The spirit. And with this, I will close Ironmother week; look for a short race report-ish post on Tuesday (and some longer ones once I get settled at home again). Thanks for sticking with me.
One of my favorite kid books is the Hello, Goodbye Window, a simple story of a young kid staying overnight at her grandparents’ house.
In the morning, the grandpa wakes up and yells out the Window, “Hello, World! Whatcha got for us today?”
I think I will open my window at the Days Inn on at 4:30 a.m. on Sunday morning and ask that very same question. Regardless of what the response is—rain, wind, nerves, aches, cramps, exhaustion, elation, triumph—I will be up for it because Sunday is my day.
So when I get to Lake Coeur d’Alene and throw up in my mouth because I’m so nervous; and the rubber smell coming off my WetZoot just adds to the nausea; and I can’t even begin to comprehend how long the day will be, lest I actually barf, I’ll realize: this is how my day is supposed to start. This is in the plans.
When I get flustered in the swim because somebody thrashed my nose or I went off course or the waves were too much to handle or I swallow a mouthful or thirteen of water, I slow down and remind myself, this is my day.
And when I get out of the lake (currently a balmy 62 degrees: that’s honestly warm for this race) and I can’t feel my feet or my hands, I’ll know that on this, my day, my digits were supposed to start cold because things are going to heat up later.
When I see Lyle, my bike, for the first time on Sunday, I will smile like a crocodile. Because we get to spend some quality time together: how could we not on today, my day?
When the temptation is to fly away on Lyle for the first 56-mile loop, I will reign my legs in. This is our day, Lyle, so we need to keep things calm and collected for the first half.
When I get to see my best cheerleader Grant and my coach Bri and all the other familiar faces in the crowd after the first loop, I will wish I could get off Lyle and hug them and give them a mid-race recap. But that’ll have to wait because this is my day.
If a flat tire comes, I will be even more calm and collected, and I will change it as efficiently as I can. If it takes me 15 minutes, that’s how I was supposed to spend those 15 minutes. Because that’s what my day had in store for me.
When my lower back goes numb by mile 70 of the bike and I wonder how the run will feel, I will push those thoughts away for three reasons:
1. I am not being here now.
2. My back backfires on nearly every long ride, and I’ve lived to tell the tale so far. Why would it be any different this time?
3.This is my day.
When I think I can relax a bit on eating and drinking, I’m going to tell that voice to politely shut its piehole. On my day, I eat and drink like an Ironmother—or I may not become one.
When somebody around me is having a tough time, I am going to chat with them, cheer them on, and remind them, this is our day.
When I get to the run, I am going to mentally cross a finish line, as my wise Ironmother pal Kara Thom suggested. “Don’t think I’m running a marathon after biking 112 miles and swimming 2.4 miles. Just think about running.” Yep, I swim, cross a line. Bike, cross a line. Run, cross THE line on my day.
And when I’m running, and my legs feel like cement and my four-minute run intervals feel like they’re four hours, I’m going to remind myself that they intervals are just 240 seconds and that 240 seconds, when held up to 8 months of training and 140.6 miles of racing, is just a blip. My day, come day’s end, is just a bunch of blips on repeat.
When I pass cheering spectators and every volunteer, I am going to say thank you. Gratitude is certainly a part of my day.
And when I open a card from an Ironmother pal in my special needs bag in my run, I will get teary. “You’ll feel pretty alone at that point,” she admitted, “And a friend gave me a card. It made a huge difference.” I will remember that on this day, my day, I am so far from alone. I’ve got an army of mother runners huffing and puffing me down the course. (And my gratefulness to all of you is beyond huge.)
And when my badass crosses the finish line, whether it’s just past 12 hours into my day or if the race clock reads 16:59, and I hear, “Dimity Davis*, you are an Ironman!” I will smile, I will cry, and I will thank my day for turning out just the way I thought it would.
*If you’re not sick of Ironmother Week by now, you can track me a couple ways. I am number 663. (Under Dimity Davis: I thought I’d go alias with my married name because, you know, I—with the weird name short hair, and tall bod—am so unrecognizable otherwise.)
Here’s the official Ironman website. Bri, my coach, will be tweeting from @TheMotherRunner and Sarah will post periodic updates on our Facebook page.
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Another post that brought tears to my eyes. You are so ready and Sunday will be your day!
“Go Dimity,Go!” You are so ready and Sunday IS your day!
Go Dimity!!!
Enjoy your day – your tribe of mothers will be cheering you on!
Go Dimity! You are so inspiring! It WILL be your day!
THIS IS YOUR DAY DIMITY!!! Enjoy the ups and downs! Your tribe cheers on!!!
I’ll be following you and rooting you on YOUR day!
I was crying as I read this Dimity! It IS your day, and you are so right, whatever happens is how that day was meant to be. I have a hard time with remembering that, but I printed this out and will save and reread before my next race! You have trained hard and you ARE ready, thank you for sharing this journey with us, I will be rooting for you and all the other Ironmothers out there! May Sunday be one of the best days of your life!
Go get it, girl!
Kick some irona$$. And get your cheering squad out on the course. I flew to Idaho to cheer a friend on to her first Ironman several years ago. Another friend and I managed to see her over 20 times in that race. She loved it and we loved it. Hardly anyone was out on the bike course so it really wasn’t bad to navigate. We picked one hill in particular, planted ourselves on it with NICE LEGS signs, a portable boom box blasting ACDC You Shook Me All Night Long (among other tunes), and some cowbells. You can visualize us in that same location, along with many others, cheering you on when no one else is in sight. I wanted to write an Ironfan guide after that day. I felt like I had completed a huge race after our 11+ hours of cheering were done. We even made the local paper standing on the side of the bike course. So tell your people to get out of transition and on to the course – you will love them even more when they can tell you to keep moving, politely, of course.
Go Dimity!!
We will all be cheering you on! You will rock it! Enjoy YOUR day!!
It’s your time to shine!!! Awesome blog today!!! You are SO ready to become an IRONWOMAN!!! Giddy up!!!
You are soooooo inspirational. I’m all teary from reading your words. You’re ready for this and will be amazing! Good luck and kick some butt!!!!
Great Post! Brought tears to my eyes as this is the messge I try to instill in others who are tackling new challenges/distances. Staying in the moment and expressing gratitude are fundamental to having a good day. You are ready for this, you’ve done all the hard work, now is your time to shine and enjoy the party. No matter how long the race takes, it will be over before you know it. Savor the moments and enjoy. You will have an amazing day because you’ve decided it will be and attitude is everything. Have fun!! Can’t wait for the post race blog and the updates throughout the day. ROCK ON IRONMOTHER!
This is something I will never do BUt I’ve gotten excited for YOU as the months have flown by. Good Luck!
Second time this week you’ve had me in tears! Go get it- this IS your day!
Dimity you are an inspiration! I can barely wrap my brain around all of the training you have completed to this point to get yourself ready – but you ARE ready. It reminds me of one of my new favorite inspirational messages: I can’t do this, but I’m doing it anyway!
What a gorgeous post, Dimity. Your strength and determination will shine on Sunday. So many people are sending you good thoughts and waving virtual pom poms for you. Thanks for letting us tag along throughout your amazing months of training and on race day. Go get that day that’s waiting for you!
This post gave me chills and tears. I will definitely look at hard runs/races differently after reading this. Best of luck to you Dimity as you accomplish your goal. Hope YOUR DAY goes smoothly.
Awesome mindset. You got this. Can’t wait to stalk you on YOUR DAY via the Ironman website and Twitter.
You are going to rock this course! This will be your day! I’m so amazed, inspired and thrilled for you! Can’t wait to hear all the details of your day.
Go, Dimity, go! Can’t wait to track you and get the final race report! Good luck and enjoy the day! :)
Go go go go go go Dimity! Cheering from you (& keeping up!) all the way from Oklahoma! I’ve really enjoyed these IronMother posts-they brought tears to my eyes, a smile to my face and strength to my heart; thank you for doing what not everyone can and reminding us no goal is ever too far! Go go go go go Dimity go!
I can’t wait to stalk… er, keep up with you on race day :) Enjoy YOUR day!!
Good luck, and enjoy your day, because it is yours! You’ve got this in more ways than one!
What a great post, yet again! Dimity, you are such an inspiration to me. I found your podcast through the Manic Mommies, and you and SBS are the running equivalent of Erin and Kristin: you.keep.it.real. You are going to ROCK this IronMother, and I will be thinking of you and sending prayers your way all day Sunday!
Another GREAT post! I cannot wait to track you on Sunday and to hear your recap. What an awesome endeavor!!!!
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your training posts and I’m really looking forward to hearing all about your race. You are so inspiring! Good luck to you!!
Made me cry! You are going to badass this thing to the ground!
Thank you, Dimity! We visited briefly at the Twin Cities Marathon Expo last October and I shared with you that I am also taking on my first full Ironman in September in Wisconsin. Your posts have hit so close to home. Somedays I have laughed out loud….after reading today’s post, I am crying. I will be using your words when I race in September…always looking for a new mantra! Thank you again for sharing your journey~ I will be tracking you tomorrow and sending all my positive energy your way. Enjoy YOUR day!
This is such a great post. You are a very gifted writer (in addition to being a very badass ironmother). All the best to you, Dimity.
Oh my – every one of these posts about the IM leaves me in a puddle of tears! Dimity, we are with you — go get it, girl!!
Beautiful! Just beautiful. You’ve worked so hard and you totally deserve to enjoy “your day”. I’m going to wear my AMR tank and my SBM visor on my long run Sun and follow the two of you during the race. Thank you for the great reminder to enjoy every second of my races. I will keep this and read it before my next one. GO DIMITY!
You’ve Got This!!!
Good Luck Dimity!! I’ll be cheering you on from OH!
I am SOOOO excited for you! Proud of you! Sunday WILL be YOUR day!!! Thank you for sharing it with all of us!
Good luck Dimity!!! Will be thinking of you on YOUR DAY and sending strong, powerful, badass vibes your way.
Drink it all in! Those eight months of training have gotten you to the starting line of what will Change you forever. Your heart will carry you the rest of the way! In motherhood, they always say it takes a village . Thouhg, now your village no longer applies to raising kids, your village is your fellow mother runners cheering you to the finish! We are all rooting for you, thinking of you and are inspired by you.
May you have a strong, fearless and awesome race!
This is so awesome!!! Sunday is your day, you’ve earned it, own it!!! So excited to follow you on this journey.
You are an inspiration! Bold. Fierce. True. Your day will be your day forever. Wishing you individual triumph & the glory of SO much accomplishment. Cheers to you and all of your hard work!
Yes! Me too! I can just feel her emotion and it gets me going and then. . .KLEENEX! Dimity, so proud of you!
Welcome to my beautiful home town! I can’t wait to cheer for you on your day!
Enjoy your day, Dimity. Your journey to this day has been amazing and no matter what happens, it is that “just gimme what you got, world” attitude that is so inspirational. Your tribe is behind your every stroke, pedal, and footstep. You ARE an Ironmother and we are all so proud of you.
I am bawling just reading this. I can’t imagine what’s going to happen on sunday as I cheer you on from wisconsin!
Go get it, Dimity. You sure as hell have earned it!
Cheering for you and celebrating you and your journey to the ironmather. Everything from this point forward is just gravy. You have already won!
I am so excited for you!!! It’s gonna be awesome!!! You inspire me in so many ways!!! I can’t wait to see it all unfold on Sunday! Lots of cheers from south Louisiana heading your way!
This post is AWESOME. You are awesome. Got get ’em!!
You SO got this… can’t wait to read about YOUR DAY!!
Cheering you on from Rhode Island! You got this and I can’t wait to read all about it!
You got this girl! Kick some ass!
Do this girl! Do it like you trained to do it and how we alllll know your capable! You have an army behind you. YOUR day is going to be spectacular! Hear our chants of go mother runner when you have moments where you feel weak! Get to the end! We will all be waiting for you and your words! Loved iron mother week by the way!
D, go conquer your day, for yourself and for all of us out here who dream of, but will never be, ironwoman. Rock on, mother runner!
Thanks for a great post once again. I am also about to start this race, and dang if our race numbers are not 2 apart! If I see you out there, I will be looking for a high-five. (Well, on the run course anyway. Not so much on the bike.) Have an amazing day! #661
Dimity:
Simply, enjoy. :)
Thanks for making me cry:-)
Go Dimity Go! I have been thinking of you all week! We are going to be camping this weekend and I was honestly beside myself when I realized that I wouldn’t have cell service on Sunday so I could read the updates.
You are an inspiration! I am so excited for you. Thank you for all that you do!
Can wait to read all about it!
Go you badass IronMother swimmer/biker/runner! You’ll have so much badass energy collectively from all of us following your journey that you are going to fly!
Believe in your training!!! These are the words of my coach before CDA and it was my mantra. It will be an amazing day. And, take your time coming down the chute to the finish. Slap hands, look at the faces and soak it all in. It’s your moment and your day. Enjoy it!
Stay strong, TRUST YOUR TRAINING!!! You can do this, It’s your day!!!
I’d say good luck, but you don’t need it. I’d say best wishes, but you already have them. Instead I’ll just say to enjoy your experience. As you so beautifully articulated, the experience is unique to you, and no one will ever be able to take that away from you!
You are such a role model!
So, so, so excited for you!!! I can’t wait to see you cross the line on YOUR day! :)
I am so inspired and so excited for you!! You will be an Ironman tomorrow!! Way to go, I hope to join you one of these days in the rankings of Ironmother!! I will be watching!! Tomorrow is Your Day!!
Dimity, As I was thinking about you and praying for you this morning, this song came on my playlist. It’s almost like your anthem. In case the link doesn’t come through, it’s “Now” by Fireflight. Some of the lyrics are, “Pain is real but it’s not going to own you…. This is your time now!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hm1WWoXc58 Another quote came to mind for you that I’ve modified for you in parenthesis from Runner’s World’s Big Book of Marathon and 1/2 Training, ” Remember that (ironman training) involves running more than (insert all your training here)…. The race day- covering just (140.6 miles) – is a victory lap. ” Rock on!
I have been thinking about you all weekend and your big day tomorrow…you are going to rock this Ironwoman!
Your dedication and ability to overcome any setbacks you encountered is such an inspiration to me. Best of luck and enjoy every minute of your day tomorrow!
You are such an inspiration! You have so got this, enjoy YOUR DAY!
My sister and I are preparing to run the Chicago women’s half marathon tomorrow, and we will be thinking of you! You have so much support behind you-good luck!
LOVE your spirit and attitude! Tomorrow is definitely your day. Go make it great!