Be The Mountain Goat!!!

I'm doing my best to stay in the present. I focus on my breathing. I meditate. If my mind starts to wonder into the future, I say that one powerful word, 'Focus.' However, it would now appear that I'm just over two weeks away from my 'A' race - Ironman Coeur d'Alene. If you want to be totally accurate, it's 15 sleeps away. Gulp. So I do have to think about the future a wee bit.

Therefore, as the race is getting nearer, I've begun my visualization process. This year it's a little hard to do because I'm not sure what the course looks like. I have seen glimpses of the course thanks to Runningman and IronGregs photos, but it's not the same as driving or riding it. So in it's place I've just pictured how I want to feel as I swim, bike and run.

The swim. It's all about long and strong baby! I don't give a shite how cold that damn water is going to be I'm going to swim like the Pisces I am!

The bike. Ah yes, the bike. The bike is what I wanted to work on a lot this year and it's what I feel I've most improved upon. My mantra 'I'm strong, I'm powerful' has got me up many a vertical. It's one mantra that I know I'll be using in Coeur d'Alene as I ride up and down 180 km worth of hills.

However, in recent days, Runningman has given me inspiration and another mantra. My inspiration is the ever adorable Mountain Goat, also known as Oreamnos Americanus. (Thank you for the cartoon RM!) Therefore, my second bike mantra is such, 'Be the Mountain Goat!!' Runningman even went a step further to do a little research on our friend the Mountain Goat. As it turns out, I share some qualities with the might Mountain Goat.

I was informed that Mountain Goats have two hooves on their feet that move independently. Huh. Well...there is a good size space between my big toe and second toe and I can move my toes independently! In fact the space between my toes is so big I was teased about it when I was a little girl living in Japan. Apparantly Japanese don't have a space there?! I dunno, I was little, perhaps I'm wrong. I just remember being teased. Still, my toes suit wearing flip flops, which I love. So there. It works for me. But I digress...

Mountain Goats are great at climbing steep slopes. I'm not sure if I would say I'm great at climbing steep slopes, but I sure as heck know a steep slope won't scare me off. Nope. I see, I climb, I conqeur! In fact I think it is now safe to say that I seek them out and thrive off of them!

I can sprout horns when need be - just refer to Jenna's photographs from our big hill weekend.

Apparantly female Mountain Goats are pretty feisty. Need I say more?

Look out IMCDA bike course because I AM the Mountain Goat. (Sans beard and a furry body though, tee hee.)

The run. I think I mentioned recently I plan on running - unlike last year. That about covers my run. Mountain Goats run too don't they? Well if not, they sure will be at IMCDA! I must say though, I'm certainly glad I'm not as furry, cause damn that would be hot!!

Oh, speaking of heat. I have a request. I need a universal effort to make this happen. You know how we've been having a lot of rain lately? Well, I really don't want that on race day. Problem is, everyone keeps thinking rain - so we continue to get rain. It's how the Universe works. This is not good though. So from this moment on I request that you say the following at least once a day "On June 22, 2008 it will be 23 degrees Celcius and sunny in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho." Feel free to say that several times a day...

Peace out my friends. Or as my fellow Mountain Goat, Runningman, would say.... Baaaaaaa aaaaaaaa.