Back in the swing of things and back to the starting line

Saturday I resumed my usual long runs except this one really wasn't very long. It wasn't very easy either. My knee was still a bit sore from my fall and everything else was sore from a trip to the chiropractor the evening before. It was a slow 6 miler but despite that slower pace I struggled the last two miles. I felt as though I hadn't been running 10-12 miles every week for months. I understand that if you don't use it, you lose it but damn! That was quick! From the way I was feeling, I had serious doubts that I would ever get my mileage back up. I know I will but I don't like that it feels like I'm starting over. Hopefully, progress won't take me very long this time around.

Run: 6 miles @ 9:33

1 - 9:32

2 - 9:20

3- 9:17

4 -9:33

5 -9:50

6 -10:12

um yeah, those last two miles were ugly.

Post-race funk

Okay, I am just shy of two weeks post-70.3 and the high has officially worn off. Now I can't seem to muster the smallest inkling of motivation. It doesn't help that my shoulder is bothering me or that my hip hurts because I haven't had my shoe inserts. I should also mention the digger I took in the lobby at work the other day. Yes, that's right... I can swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles and run 13.1 miles but I can't manage to walk from carpet to tile and remain upright. My hands were full so all my weight landed on my left knee which is now swollen and bruised. All I have to say about that is THANK GOODNESS it did not happen before the 70.3. Can you imagine?! Ugh.

This morning I went for blood work (again) to see if the new thyroid medicine is working or if I am just destined to be a lard ass. Thanks to a sub par phlebotomist, I now have a huge, swollen and painful bruise on my arm and I can't fully extend it. Awesome. In all seriousness, this weight issue is really bothering me. Two years I have been carrying around an extra 20+ pounds and I'm over it. I work way too hard to look like I just got off the coach, dusted off the the cookie crumbs and showed up at the swim start. I know I'm being a whiner but sometimes I just need to vent. So there. I've had my little tantrum and now it's time to wrap up the pity party.

In an attempt to get back on track, I signed up for the Dunedin Sprint Triathlon on June 6th. Needless to say, my training needs to get ramped up and quick. I really need a plan to get me back to my normal schedule. I can feel myself slipping into that vicious cycle of not feeling well because I'm not training and not training because I'm not feeling well. It's time to get ahead of it before too much time lapses. I have an appt with the chiro tonight so that should resolve my hip issues and I will get a new insert so I can run again. Saturday's run is questionable but if my knee feels better I am hoping for at least 5 or 6 miles. In the meantime, I need to work on a training plan...

I LOVE MOTHER'S DAY 5K RACE REPORT

Finally! I can't believe how long it's taken me to post this report, sheesh! I love, love, love this event. It's a small (although participation doubled this year), family friendly race and it holds a special place in my heart. This was the first race my family participated in and it really became a turning point for our family as a whole. From this point on, races became a family affair and I think it was the first time everyone really understood this part of my life.

For the last 2 years, I ran the 5K with my oldest son, Leland. It was his first 5K and he came in at 45:18 in 2008, 30:39 in 2009 and pretty much left me in the dust after that. Last year he consistently swept his age group with 24 minute 5Ks. This year he ran it alone and despite very little training came in at 26:03. Ah, to be young again.

This was the year for my younger son, Caden, to move up from the fun runs and tackle his first 5k. He did a wonderful job and kept a positive attitude for the whole run. I was very impressed with his efforts and I look forward to running it again with him next year. Official time: 37:39!

Little Miss Avery was ready for the 1/2 mile fun run. She was even sporting a new running outfit from Target. Seriously, the athletic clothes they have for little girls is to die for!

Doing what I love the most with the people I love the most was the perfect Mother's Day gift.

MAD DOG MADEIRA BEACH TRIATHLON RACE REPORT

Last year I relayed this race (swim) and really wanted to participate individually this year. Since it fell the weekend after the 70.3, I waited to see how I would feel post-race before dropping the $80 (!) to sign up. By Friday, I was certain I could do this race with no issues so I snagged one of the last open spots. I wasn't sure what to expect for registering so late but I ended up with a sweet rack in transition! It was way better than the elites LOL

General Overview:

-Put on by the Mad Dogs Triathlon club for 25 years so it's established, organized and run like a well-oiled machine.

-Longest sprint distance in the area: 1/2 mile swim, 15 mile bike, 5K run

-Great bike course

- The waters off of Madeira Beach are gorgeous.

-There's also a great post-race party but that's not really my thing so I can't say first hand

(I'm the sasquatch in the florescent "procrastinator cap")

Swim: 1/2 mile

Time: 18:11

My swim wave was females 39 and under which ended up being close to 120 women. The crowds don't bother me but I think larger wave groups are better suited for out and back swims or deep U-shaped swims. This was out 30 feet (at best) and then a right turn at the first buoy with the majority of the swim along the beach. It was a crowded mess. I couldn't even doggy paddle there were so many bodies and to be honest, I'm not one to swim over people. I feel like it's bad race karma and really just not necessary. Yes, of course it's gets rough but I'm not going to intentionally interfere with another person's race just to save a few seconds. Needless to say, it was a very slow swim, over 3 minutes slower than my swim time last year.

T1: 1:25

Bike: 15 miles

Time: 42:06 (21.4 avg. speed!)

Okay, this is where I got fired up. I was ready to put all those Spinervals DVDs to the test and really see how much I've improved over last year. It. Was. Awesome. I felt so strong on the bike and I was having a great time. Last year, my average speed for sprints was barely 18 mph so I am super stoked that I averaged 21.4 mph! Whoot! *happy dance*

For the majority of the bike, everyone was in great spirits, courteous, and following all the USAT rules like good little triathletes. Then came the last few miles and things took an ugly turn. There was a group of 5 or six women who were riding 3 deep and refused to accelerate to pass/be overtaken or just get the eff out of the way. There was another female, a gentlemen and myself who could not get around these idiots. So there we are, about 8 or 9 bikes in less than the width of a car lane packed in like sardines trying to avoid manholes and cones. It was very dangerous and I was furious that these women were putting so many people in danger. There were some words exchanged and we finally got around them only to have them come up and do it again about 200 yards from dismount! I just backed down at that point to get as far away from them as possible.

On a cheerier note, there was a young girl who was only 15, competing in a bathing suit on a road bike and keeping up with the big girls! She was incredible but I was even more impressed that when I passed her, she told me "good job!" Then when she passed me on the run, she had more encouraging words to share. I ran a little while with her, told her how impressed I was and wished her good luck as she sped off. She really made my day and exemplified the sportsmanship that many athletes twice her age lack.

T2: 1:01

Run: 3.1 miles

Time: 30:43 (ugh!)

Clearly, this sucked. I wasn't quite as recovered as I thought after the 70.3. The second half of the race was on the sandy beach which is no bueno. Fortunately, I encountered a lot of funny and friendly folks that kept me smiling. Just like usual though, 3 or 4 fellow age groupers passed right on by. I always lose a ton of time on the run but one of these days I'll be fast, too! :)

Team Tri-A-Licious!

Results: 1:33:25

12/40 Age Group

390/1000 Overall

Overall, I'm glad I did. I was able to be there with Christy for her second tri ever and first ocean swim... which she crushed by the way. She's always my biggest cheerleader when it comes to running so it was nice to return the favor.

I did have this nagging "blah" feeling though and it took me a few days to figure it out. I think I was trying to relive the magic of the 70.3 in a some way. That race was absolutely my greatest athletic achievement and I wasn't ready to let it go. Obviously, I didn't find what I was looking for and I realize now that I can't. At least not until NOLA. So for now, I am just going to enjoy the sprints for what they are and have fun along the way.

IRONMAN FLORIDA 70.3 RACE REPORT

Wow! Absolutely the most miserable and amazing day of my life! I don't even know where to begin!

Hubs surprised me with this super sweet video of the race. My brother-in-law, Chris, also did the race and the joke of the day was figuring out which of the three look alike TriGators he was, hence the comments in the video.

General Overview:

This was my first IronMan event and I could not be happier with the experience.

Organized

Well staffed

Fantastic volunteers

Great entertainment

Awesome course (well, mostly)

Plenty of aid stations throughout

The only down side was no finisher's swag :( I really wanted a finisher's hat or shirt like they gave out last year. That's purely fluff though, when it came to the important athlete amenities, they hit it out of the park!

Pre-Race:

The morning of the race, I was a wreck. My hands were shaking and I could barely eat or drink anything. I got up at my usual 4 a.m. and was out the door by 4:45. Having that as my normal schedule for the last few months really made it easier on race morning. Chris and I made the nearly 1 mile walk from the hotel to transition where we set up and got body marked without any waiting. Seriously, no waiting at all. We had a little over an hour to just hang out before my wave started. I did my best to choke down a banana and then sipped a Gatorade Prime 01 pre-race drink. It was the perfect pre-race fuel for me since I couldn't eat anything. Then before I knew it, I was lining up at the water's edge.

Swim: 1.2 miles

Time: 47:09

Okay, so I've read in numerous articles that the swim is supposed to be this "zen-like" experience and frankly, I always thought those authors were full of it. But low and behold, it happened to me! Who knew they were right?! As soon as my face hit the water, I was calm as could be. I followed my plan to hang back and to the outside of my group and it worked beautifully. I had plenty of room and swam slow and easy until the first buoy. It was about that time that I realized how badly I had to pee. Sorry if this is TMI, but it's a very important part of my race experience. I guess I was too nervous before the start to even notice so here I am, halfway through the swim and it feels like someone is stabbing my bladder. I slow down and try to "go" and swim - no luck. I breaststroke and try to "go" - no luck. I freakin stop and tread water and try to "go" - no luck. I saw the swim finish and literally did not want to get out yet! I really didn't want to have to make a pit stop on the bike course but that's exactly what happened.

Other than the bladder issue, the swim was awesome. It was actually EASY! I even felt great when I got out, not exhausted at all. Granted, I took my sweet time and probably swam too easy but I could have easily swam the loop twice! I had plenty of pep to run all the way to T1 and was on the bike in no time. Transitions are usually very fast for me since it's the easiest way to make up time for being a slow runner. For this race, though, I was in no rush. I figured it was better to take an extra 30 - 60 seconds and make sure I had/did everything and was ready for the 3 hours that were to follow.

T1 - 3:50

Next time I need to apply sunscreen.

Bike: 56 miles

Bike Time: 2:55:34 @ 19.1 (including a 7 minute potty stop)

This was fun and fast! I felt amazing on the ride and really enjoyed the "rolling hills." I was easily holding 23 mph on the straight-aways and passed my way up the climbs. It was crazy how easily I was getting up the hills. At mile 17 (I think) we hit the first aid station so I finally got my potty break. Unfortunately, it took me forever to get my one piece tri suit off/on and I lost a lot of time. Once back on the bike, the next 20 miles flew by. The bike portion of the race was so much better than I expected it to be.

The last 15 miles got a little tough but that is where my lack of longer training rides comes in. At mile 40, we hit a headwind. The wind wasn't terrible but it was bad timing considering I was starting to feel achy at that point. My hips were sore and my neck was tight from the aero position. There was also a portion of the course that went through a neighborhood that got a little slow - lots of cars and turns. Overall, the bike course was awesome. It flew by and never felt like a 3 hour ride.

T2: 2:26

Again, I took my time in transition to fully prepare for the next 2+ hours of running ahead of me.

Run: 13.1 miles

Run time: 2:34:50 @ 11:49

I knew going into this race that the run is hot, dirty, long and miserable but it was worse than I expected. I have lived in Florida for almost 20 years and can honestly say that I have never experienced anything that hot before. Running on the asphalt was a relief from the heat of the long stretch of grassy dirt trail. I don't know what the hell made it so much hotter but you could literally feel the heat radiating off the ground and sucking the oxygen from your body. It was dangerously hot and I give huge credit to the event staff for offering water, ice, Gatorade, power bars, cookies, pretzels, cool sponges and bananas at every single mile. Not only that, but the drinks were cold and there was plenty of ice even by my third run loop. Outstanding! The saving grace was the kiddie pool filled with ice and water at each mile. I am a serious germ freak but I had no problem sharing that ice cold water with thousands of my closest, sweatiest, and snottiest friends. I would be shocked if I didn't get sick from sharing so many bodily fluids but hey, desperate times! I took my time through every aid station - stopped to poor ice water on my head, replenish my sponges, sip some Gatorade and drink a cup of water. This half marathon was not about a PR, it was about surviving the heat.

My legs felt great off the bike but the first lap was definitely the hardest. I think that was largely in part to not knowing the course yet and being surprised by the severity of the elements. Lap two gave me a big boost as I passed the 8 mile marker. I had accidentally stopped G-Unit for a few miles of the first lap so I really wasn't sure of my mileage. It then became about tackling the the three loops rather than the 13 miles. The mile markers on the course were sporadic at best and I was in no mood to try and figure out the math. At first glance of the mile 8 marker, I was thinking that it didn't apply to me until the next loop. It took me almost a mile to convince myself that I was really that far into the run. It was cake after that! Before I knew it, I was heading down the finisher's chute! It was just as amazing as I had hoped it would be! I would literally do it all over again next weekend if I could.

If Miami wasn't sold out, I would be there in October. So instead, I signed up for the IronMan 70.3 New Orleans in April 2011! Maybe, I'll even do NOLA and Florida back to back!

Results:

6:23:50

40/85 AG 30-34

Other than the potty break, I am very pleased with the results of my first HIM. It never ceases to amaze me what we can do when we put our minds to it. More importantly than time, I raced smart - my fuel and hydration were right on point. Nutrition is usually a problem for me because of two reasons. First, I'm not that knowledgeable on the subject. All my research materials are either too specific and become confusing or too general. Thankfully, I surround myself with poeple who are much smarter than me. Secondly, I don't like to eat or drink all that much during swim and bike training. I knew that getting this right was crucial to prepare for the heat so I planned accordingly and actually followed my plan. Here's how it played out...

Pre race

Banana

Gatorade P01 drink

Bike

2 Endurolytes (10 mile mark)

4 fig newton bars throughout

Jet Blackberry Gu (30 mile mark)

Gatorade

3 refills of water

2 Endurolytes (40 mile mark)

Run

Water and Gatorade at every mile

Jet Blackberry Gu (mile 3, 7)

TriBerry Gu (mile 11)

Post Race

Gatorade Recover 03

I hate pizza but that was all they offered so I forced myself to eat a piece. On the drive back home, we stopped at Chili's and I had a cup of chicken tortilla soup, half a chicken wrap, lots of water and a glass of orange juice. I figured OJ was a good immune system boost to combat the germfest that was surely taking place inside my body :)

My cup runneth over

I feel like a terrible blogger and an even worse blog follower. Still super busy but I WILL make time to catch up on every one's blogs next week. I'm not going to bother with a training post, there is too much I want to get out of my head before the big race. I just need to organize all these random thoughts to clear the chaos and find my focus.

First, I want to express my deepest gratitude for the tremendous amount of support I have received during my journey to the Florida 70.3. I am truly blessed to have so many wonderful, thoughtful and genuinely kind people in my life. It’s not easy to find a balance between working, family, and training. I clumsily maneuvered my way through it and the Hubs and kiddos have been very patient with me. I could never have gotten through this without their support. My friends, whether near or far, athlete or not, have touched my heart with their encouragement. I have received priceless advice that will make all the difference on race day, the most incredibly thoughtful gifts and a general enthusiasm that has kept me inspired and motivated throughout my training. My heart is full and I will forever be grateful. Thank you all!

Next, I need to talk about the race. We're here on property and it's all become very real. As we drove in, I saw the barricades for the bike route and my hands immediately started sweating! LOL After we got Leland all settled in for the IronKids race tomorrow, I made my way to the expo. It's just under a mile from the hotel to the transition/expo area so I opted to make a short run out of it. I wanted to feel what it was like to run in the heat... it's not very fun. I picked up my packet and some cool swag then walked back to the hotel. That long quiet walk through the trees gave me the perfect opportunity to find my focus.

What I've done:
1. I've packed everything I thought I could possibly need... and doubled the quantity. Every scenario I can control has been accounted for.

2. Nails are clipped down to nubs. I've heard one too many horror stories of nails being kicked off during the swim. No thanks.

3. The training is done. Did I train enough? Maybe. Did I do my best? Yes. Would I do things differently? Yes. I should have scheduled more bike to run workouts. I'm finishing the run regardless but it will be a little more difficult.

4. Nutrition and hydration have been good all week.

5. Taper was much more of a taper than I had hoped for but what's done is done.

Race day plan:

Since this is my first time at this event and my first time at this distance, I have no specific time goals. I know what I don't know. Make sense? That being said, however, I also know my personality - it's all or nothing with me. I need to have a goal to keep me "on task" so here's what I've come up with:

Goal 1: After taking into account my average training times, the oppressive heat and actually doing all three events in one day, I would be very happy to come in under 6:30:00.

Goal 2: Cross the finish line upright and before the event closes. First or last, I'm still a finisher.

Swim -
I am going to start at the back and take my time. Once around the first buoy, I should feel warmed up and ready to pick up the pace a bit.

Bike -
Eat, drink, pedal, repeat.

Run -
Just keep running. It is going to be hot, miserable, dirty and long so I just want to keep moving. Every step gets me that much closer to the finish line that I have been fantasizing about for the last 6 months.

Overall, I just want to stay in the moment and enjoy what I am doing exactly when I am doing it. I do this for fun and I need to remember that.

Good luck to everyone racing this weekend! I am looking forward to some exciting race reports next week!

Week #14 Review

Swim: ~2000
Bike: 1 hour
Run: 19 miles

This is my last full training week before the taper next week and I can't get through these workouts fast enough. Well, it hasn't actually been a "full" training week since it will be a one swim week. I missed Tuesday's swim class to attend a school function for one of the kiddos. Come to think of it, I did cut my interval run short this week, too. Okay, maybe it's not a "full" training week" but it's also not a taper week either. I'm almost there though. Today is a not-so-fun tempo, tomorrow will be a bike/run brick workout and then Saturday begins my official taper with a short 8 mile run.

Update:
After that entry, things got crazeeee at work. I missed my Wednesday and Friday workouts which killed my bike training. It was such a whirlwind, I'm not sure if I even remember all the training details but here goes...

Tuesday
Interval run: 5 miles

Wednesday
off

Thursday
Tempo run: 7 miles
1 mile easy
2 miles @
1mile easy
2 miles @
1 mile easy

Swim: 2000

Friday
off

Saturday
Run: 8 miles @ 8:50
Whew, this run kicked my butt! I guess I thought it was only 8 miles so it would be no big deal. I thought wrong. It was hot and humid but it was actually cooler to keep running. We stopped for 5 water breaks and each time it felt like the humidity was swallowing me. Our water stops were a little longer than usual but since our pace was a little quicker than usual, I welcomed the break.

Sunday
I Love Mother's Day 5k - race report coming soon...

Panicking!

Holy hell I am turning into a complete nut with this race just 11 days away. Normally, I am not one to focus on all the bad things that can happen in life because it serves no purpose. With this race closing in, all the time, sacrifice and effort I have put into it are making me panic about something stupid happening and making all my work for nothing. I have seen three really bad car accidents in the last 4 days and I'm terrified someone is going to crush me in my little Prius. I've always driven super sized SUVs and never worried about my safety but now I have this little go kart of a vehicle making me feel vulnerable. It doesn't help that I spend two hours of my day in rush hour traffic. I'm also worried that someone is going to rear end our car on the way to the race thus totalling my bike that is transported on the back of the car. It doesn't stop there though. My daughter had a headache and I practically quarantined her. Luckily, it turns out it was just a side effect from her Kindergarten shots. Then today, as I was running on the mill, the lady on the mill next to me fell. It was a scream, some thuds and lots of flailing. So there I am, witness to her seemingly painful fall, running at an interval pace well out of my comfort zone and praying that I don't end up the next one down. By the way, to her credit she got right back up and kept running. It was pretty admirable until she almost fell again 20 minutes later while she was messing with her phone. Guess she's one of those people who likes to learn the hard way.

Anyway, I'm losing my mind. Is this normal? I don't recall ever being this frantic before any other race. It's ridiculous and quite frankly, exhausting! I just really want this race to get here. Well, I say that now but the day before I'll probably be second guessing myself and wishing I had another 2 weeks :)

Here's my not so super run this morning.

Run: 5 miles (.5 walking RIs)
2 mile warm up
3 x 1K @ 7:53, 400 RI
1 mile cool down

I was supposed to do 5 x 1K so boo on me. I also tried to run the RIs but the 7:53 pace killed me. Oh well, miles are miles.

Week #13 Review

Swim: 1850
Bike: 3 hours
Run: 30.5 miles (biggest mileage week evuh!)

Thursday
Thursday's swim was supposed to be just an easy swim - not too long and not too fast. Unfortunately, the class was packed again so it was another night of circle swimming. I'm really over the crowds. I'm not willing to move my swims to the early morning hours though, so I guess I just have to deal with it.

The swim wasn't too bad but I cut out the last set of sprints. My right shoulder gets a little achy after sprints and I really want to avoid any unnecessary aches this close to the race. Losing that last set of 500 left me with a little less distance than I would have liked, though.

Swim: 1850

Friday
REST! I was really ready for a rest day :)

Saturday
Hello Summer! Ugh, this was a hot, sweaty run. The pace was okay but I was having major issues with thirst. I started taking a new medication and I think that may have been the culprit. I felt like I had eaten cotton balls! There was also another snake sighting. Thank goodness it was just a sighting and nothing more eventful but I still had nightmares later that night. I'm such a wimp when it comes to reptiles.

Run: 12 obscenely sweaty miles @ 9:26

Sunday
It ended up being another rest day. We just hung out at the pool as a fam.