Ten For Texas

Had a nice day running at Ten for Texas on October 11th.  I won't say I "raced" it, because, well, let's be real, you need to train to race and I have not been very successful with any real training most of the summer.  

Still, I had a great run in the never- to-be-out-done warm and humid mid-October Saturday morning, aka Ten for Texas day.  No PRs, but a respectable time of 1:31:xx.  

Initially, this was to be my barometer race to see if I was in shape to give a go at a BQ in February.  Even though I wasn't where I wanted to be, I  ended up better than I expected I would so I have committed to a training plan for The Woodlands Marathon.

(In an effort to get my blogging back in gear, I have taken the #microblogmonday challenge.  You can jump back into blogging too!)

Ironman Texas 2013

Pre Race
Mark and I were up at 4:15 and out the door by 5:10 to get to transition by 5:30.  I found it strange that transition opened so late and while I was double checking the bike and placing my bottles, the announcer kept repeating that they would close transition at 6:15.  I suppose when everything has to be checked in the day before, people do not need much time to get into transition on race morning.

It was quite a walk from transition, Town Green Park, to Northshore Park, where the swim start was staged.  After spending about 40 mins in line for the bathroom, it was time to take a few quick pictures with Mark and Lem.

  I also had the pleasure of meeting up with Erica, Debra, and Dinh!

Next it was time to get into the water and await the shot of the cannon.  As I entered to the right of the dock, I noticed the cannon on the shore line.  I had a good laugh as the thing was maybe a foot long.  It looked like a toy!  But it did it's job, and did it well.    There was lots of nervous energy surrounding me in the water.  I placed myself into a quiet place, said some prayers, got a bit teary-eyed, and then, decided it was time to have fun.

I will list projected times and actual times for each discipline, however, I want to mention that I did not wear a watch to monitor my pace for any of this race.  I did wear a heart rate monitor and made every effort to stay in high zone 2. 

The Swim :  Projected Time:  1:45 - 1:50.  Actual Time:  1:46:36  Avg HR 158; mid zone 2.

I had a difficult time trying to make up my mind about the swim, to wear a wet suit or not?  Finally, on Friday evening, I made the decision to trust completely in my ability to swim this distance, something I have done many times over the last few months, albeit, in a pool, but I knew I could swim this race without the wetsuit.  With that decision made, the only thing left to do was stay calm and try not to allow the typical open water swim panic set in.  I have a great fear of getting hit, breaking a toe or hand, or being swum over.
Fortunately, all of these fears were avoided, mostly.  A few bumps and swipes, but nothing very bad. I stayed on the far right until I reached the canal where I chose to stay in the middle, avoiding the sides where people were walking.
I was very comfortable swimming, not experiencing any feelings of anxiety or panic.  I kept my strokes slow and controlled, my breathing consistent and on the 3 count.  I used the breast stroke when I found I was bumping into people, sought out a place of comfort, and then continued on.  My sighting was easy enough as the buoys were not difficult to see and truthfully, I just kept following the bright caps in front of me.
About half way through the distance, the wet suit wave caught up to us.  I was surprised at how even with a ten minute delay, they were quickly able to reach us.  I continued to the canal and then felt the "washing machine" effect of the water moving side to side as we pressed forward.  As I turned to breathe, I saw many swimmers actually standing up to walk.  As tempting as that seemed, my pride got the best of me and I did not walk, as I did not want any pictures of me showing up "walking" my swim.
I actually sighted Mark and Lem on the side of the water way and George and Trudy!  It was so nice to see them!  I waved and gave them a thumbs up.

Seeing the final red buoy and the stairs to climb out, I was elated to finish this swim.  I think that this was the best I have ever felt after a swim of this length.

"I did NOT drown!!"

T1 Time:  Projected Time: 10:00; Actual Time:  9:42

Took the time to apply enough sunscreen, dry my feet well and take in some calories.  This was all a blur, but I do know that the volunteers were so helpful, kind, and eager to do whatever was necessary to help us get onto the bike.

The Bike:  Projected Time:  7 - 7.5 hours; Actual Time:  7:30:24

This was the part of the race I was probably most concerned about.  I am not a strong cyclist and I have had some difficult training rides, especially on the back part of the course, miles 60-90.  Before starting the race, I made up my mind that know matter what, I would not drop from this race on my own volition.  If I was pulled for medical or failing to meet a cut off, then so be it, but I would not drop.
That decision made, I put myself in a good place mentally.  I focused a great amount of mental energy on staying in my HR zone and I was diligent in my hydration and nutrition.  The first 30 miles of the course, my HR was 20-25 beats into zone 3, usually not an issue on the bike for me, but I determined the heat coupled with the race endorphins were the culprit.  I kept the cadence high and the gears low and had a great ride.
I knew it was hot, but I never asked anyone what the temps were.  I did not want a number in my head to play games with my mind.  I stopped at every aid station long enough to squeeze a full bottle of water into my bike bottle.  It didn't take longer than a minute, but this was an important detail.  I was thankful I had done this by mile 95 as the aid station prior to 95 was 15 miles earlier rather than 10.
I saw MANY guys down on the road.  Heat was getting them.  I passed along some of my s caps and advil to people who needed it and stayed consistent with my own hydration and nutrition.
My nutrition consisted of Tailwind, 265 calories + 24 ounces (at least) of water, and 2 Clif blox per hour.  This magic number was my key to this race, as was the Tailwind Nutrition.  I can't say enough about this product.  It does exactly what it says it will do, and as someone who has suffered several bouts of heat stroke, dehydration, and had to take more than a few dnf's for these conditions, I feel safe in saying, Tailwind saved my race.
I saw Stacy at mile 60, then again at mile 80.  It was so uplifting to see her.  I also was able to speak with The Twinings at the aid station at mile 80.  A true blessing to have them come out to see me and I loved giving them big sweaty hugs!
There was also someone cheering me on on mile 70, but I don't know who it was as I passed by before my eyes could see who they were.  Whomever it was, THANK YOU, for being out there!
Mark and the entire family were at mile 90, and then I saw more friends at mile 110.  I can't say enough how much having support on the course helps.

The only real issue I had on the bike was my feet.  They began to feel as though they were on fire at about mile 70 and by mile 95, I thought I might have to lose the shoes and pedal barefoot.  An aid station volunteer asked me how I was, I mentioned the feet, and she said she was a cyclist and told me to loosen my shoes and start pulling up more.  What an angel.  Elaine Mims, I don't know who you are, but you were spot on!  I did what you suggested and the burning sensation went away almost immediately.
Again, the volunteers working out on the course were amazing.  I pulled into one aid station and saw my friend Ruth who did not know I was doing the race.  When she asked what I needed, I told her a hug, and she obliged!  Thank you Ruth!

T2 Projected Time 10:00 mins; Actual Time 24:00 mins.

I came into T2 with the end of the bike being more of a blur.  I felt great, but knew I needed to cool down before heading out on the run.  I made the decision to take longer in transition under the canopy to cool the core, change clothes, hydrate and apply more sunscreen.  I can't say enough about the ladies working in the changing tents.  They saw nasty stuff and helped remove disgusting clothes.  They applied sunscreen and took excellent care of us.  These folks are not just volunteers, they are saints!
Apparently, people were worried about me being in T2 so long, I never gave it a second thought because I knew exactly what I was doing there.  I didn't know how hot it really was, but I knew it was hot and heading back out without being properly cooled could have had detrimental effects on my run.
Later, when uploading the bike computer info, I was not surprised to see that the temps on the course were 104 degrees.  With little to no shade, with the exception of a few miles in the National Forest, the radiating heat coming off the road is surely what took many of the cyclists down.

The Run:  Projected Time:  4.5 - 5 hours; Actual Time:  5:36:21

The run was a 3 loop course which, in my opinion was perfect for both the athletes and the spectators.  Aid stations were every mile and I never saw a lack of enthusiasm from the volunteers, nor supplies such as ice, water, cola, etc.  Anything I needed, they had.  In the late stages of the run, I needed vaseline and they had plenty of it.
Each loop I planned to run as slow as needed to stay cool and hydrated.  I iced myself often, used the sponges and the water hoses whenever they were offered.  I utilized the 8/2 run/walk pattern as needed.
At one point on loop two, I was trying to do the math for the cut off, and asked Erica about it, thank God for her!  She told me I was on target and to keep doing what I was doing and I would be fine.  That was the only moment of doubt I had and with her reassurance, I let go of my concern and continued enjoying the run.
The kids had all made signs for me and I saw them on each loop.  I saw many friends along the route and made new ones that ran the race with me.

The run wasn't pretty as far as pace goes, but it was amazing as far as experiences go.  Seeing my family and friends at many locations through out the course was incredible.  People I didn't know doing things just to cheer the runners on whether it was dressing as male dancers( I took time to dance with them!) or playing loud music, or cheering as loud as they possibly could just to keep our spirits high!  And seeing friends that I did know working at aid stations, making sure I got a special touch of love, a hug, a smile, anything they could to encourage me.

I swear I must have had one of the largest cheering sections of all the athletes!  They are absolutely the best friends and family anyone could ever ask for, and I am humbled by the amount of sacrifice that they made in order for me to participate in this event.  For all the hours of my absence they endured while I trained, planned, rested, and trained some more, for the financial expense that a race of this nature incurs.  For the important events I missed while training and even while racing.  Foo's prom was the same night as the race and I was not there for him.  I know he understands, but if I have any regret, it is that I missed his day.  He did tell me that he saw me cross the finish line!  His prom was at the same hotel that the race was stationed out of and by some miracle, he came outside just as I crossed the finish line.  Coincidence?  I think not.

Speaking of the finish line, it was above and beyond the most amazing finish I have ever had.  Literally thousands of people lining the street, screaming and cheering, high-fiving, and fist pumping us all the way through the chute!  I think this picture taken by Mel really captures the moment so well.  It was all a blur, yet at the same time, I was stuck in time.

 I felt like a rock star and while this normally would make me very uncomfortable, I gladly accepted the vibes sent my way so as to honor my friends and family who have done so much for me.  This was not about me.  This was about us.  A group effort, led by our Father, fed by the Holy Spirit, and completed through Christ. 
Ironman's motto is "Anything is possible."  I believe this in my heart of hearts, but I think more accurately, it should be stated, "Anything is possible, through Christ who gives me strength."  

Upon crossing the finish line, I was caught by some wonderful friends, George and Trudy.  They took excellent care of me!  George made sure I hit all the appropriate stops along the way of the finishers alley.  Received my medal, my shirt, my hat, and took a picture.  He then walked me to my wonderful family.  Before long, I was encircled by many friends and family that had come to support me.  I felt completely loved as I turned around looking at all of the faces smiling at me.  I was awestruck.  To say I feel blessed does not even begin to describe it.  What I felt was the love that is known as Agape love.  A love beyond human love. 

I am going to place a few pictures here from the run and the finish.

Erica, Debra, and Might E! Helping me stay the course!

 

No words.

Finish Line is in Sight!

All Glory Be To God!

I would be greatly remiss if I did not give great thanks to Richard.  Not only did he overcome his obstacles far greater than my own to complete his 3rd Ironman to date, he held my hand through the last year of training, answering any and all questions I had, silly or not.  He encouraged me and believed in me when I could not believe that this was possible.  We spent many hours together training and talking and I have no doubt that without his help, I would not have completed this milestone.  Thank you is so inadequate in this situation, but it is all I have.  Thank you and I will pay it forward to someone else.
Also, to Angie and Amber, two wonderful new friends that I pray I will always be able to train with.  You girls are amazing and I love you!  This journey was complete because you were with me.

Of course, Mark, more than anyone, deserves the IM medal more than I.  No one else could put up with what I put him through.  For everything, for every single thing, thank you, and I love you.  Forever.

To my children and grandchildren, I love you more than life itself.  I know I have been a challenge to live with the last few months.  I appreciate your selfless giving of countless hours of babysitting, praying, coffee making, cooking and cleaning.  You guys are the best!

To my extended family, I love you more than ever before.  We have come through some real challenges as a family over the years and to be able to share this celebration of life with you is a gift.  I thank God every day for you and for all that you give of yourselves to me and to my children.

To my wonderful friends.  I would love to name you all, but I know I would leave someone out and I just can't bear that.  Know that I love each and everyone of you and that your prayers carried me through IMTX.  I felt every single one as I smiled through the entire course.  There is only one reason that this experience was as joyful as it was and it is purely due to your prayers, your cheers, your encouragement, your love.  Forever, I am grateful to you.  Each and every one. 

Cactus Rose DNF

This is the post I have not wanted to write and have put off writing until now.  How does one say "I failed...again"?

I did.  I DNF'd the Cactus Rose once again, and for now, I have to be okay with that.  This DNF makes for my 6th DNF.  Not a number I am proud of.  Not a number I want to share.  But it is what it is.

Saturday morning came early, 3:30 AM, and getting to the start line was non-problematic.  At 5:00 AM the GO was given and into the dark and hilly adventure we ran.

The temps were perfect.  44 at the start, high of about 65 for the day.  I ran a nice pace, comfortable for the long haul, and visited with many faces I have seen at other races.  At one point, I took a small fall on a straight and clear dirt path, quickly got up and kept on going, somewhat embarrassed that I tripped over nothing.

Just past mile 15, I had a nice tumble down one of the hills after slipping on some of the rolling rock.  I took a quick assessment of myself and did not note any injuries.  So I kept on.  I felt pretty good, the hills were becoming more steep and as expected at Cactus Rose, more treacherous.  The pace began to slow as I navigated the rolling declines and straight up inclines.  As I reached the summit of one of the hills, I noticed I had a significant amount of back pain and as I continued down the hill, my legs seemed to have pain radiating down the hamstrings and into the quads.  I took a few advil, but after several hours, I could no longer keep the pain under control.  Music didn't help.  Walking didn't help.  Sitting down and resting didn't help.  I felt dizzy and the pain was causing me to feel very nauseous.  I tried to throw up a few times, but I couldn't get anything to come up.

As I approached mile 30, I knew I was looking at the prospect of a 16 or 17 hour 50 miler.  I thought that I could live with that.  I continued to tell myself all of the reasons I needed to keep going and that I was through the worst of the climbing, so coming into Equestrian, mile 35.5, I decided to sit for a bit, get my head together, and then continue on.  I made it over to my drop bag and attempted to bend over open it.  I could barely move.  Sharp pain shot through my legs and brought me to tears.  I looked at my pace for the past 2 miles.  I was averaging 27:00/miles.  At that pace, or probably slower, the last 14 miles would take me about 6 1/2 hours to finish.  Common sense told me that continuing would be a very unwise choice.  I sat for a bit and had a chat with myself.  Could I be happy walking away from this race yet again?  Would I regret it?  Would I wake up the next day and wish I had suffered through the last 14 miles?  I decided I would be happy with what I had and though I was disappointed to not have a medal or a finish, I knew that I had given all that I could into my training and into this race and it was time to call it.  I could live with that.

As you can imagine, Sunday morning came and everything looked different.  It's always easy to second-guess ourselves after the fact.  The reality is, I could not safely continue that race.  My mind and heart wanted to, but it would have been irresponsible to do so.  Regardless, I wish I had.

I have battled many emotions this week.  Aside from the physical recovery, which coupled with the illness I had going into the race, has been more difficult than I expected.  My back seems fine, but my legs took a beating.  Today is the first day that I felt almost myself.  My legs are still sore, but I can navigate stairs again and don't mind walking to the mailbox.

Hearing the typical "you went much further than I ever could"  from others doesn't seem to make it any easier.  Probably because I trained so hard, so long, and it wasn't enough.  I know of others who say they didn't train as much as they should have, and seemed to have a great race.  While I know I had the unfortunate experience of falling, I still feel like with the training I put in, I should have been able to gut this one out.

Am I a true trail runner?  I can finish races at Huntsville, but elsewhere, my odds are not that good. 

I am taking some time off to heal.  Physically.  Mentally.  I need the break.  I am looking at what it is exactly I am trying to do out there anymore.  Do I want to put myself through this challenge again?  Do I want to race again?  Do I want to run just for the joy of it without a goal of a distance or time?

Running soothes my soul, racing is killing my love of running.  And each DNF steals a bit more of my confidence.  

I don't know where the journey will lead next.  I do know that my family has given up a lot of time with me for me to do this stuff and this stuff does not seem to be serving me well of late.  I will focus the next few weeks getting things back to normal around the home and learning to run for the love of the run once more. 

Cactus Rose Prep

Race week is finally here and taper madness has set in!  We have enjoyed some distraction with the help of our Rosie, but when I found myself vacuuming the walls in the family room, I could no longer deny the taper vortex I am currently being sucked into.

Since Saturday, I have really tried to take stock of where I am in relation to this race.  What are the positives and where do the challenges lie?

Positives:

My training has been spot on, having only missed a few runs, and none of my long runs.  I did cut one of the long runs short by about 2 miles, but the heat that day more than made up for the lost miles.  

500+ running miles have been invested into this race.  I have run as many "hill" workouts as I had intended to and utilized spin classes to further prepare my legs for the climbs and descents that I can't get living in the flatlands.  

Biking, swimming, yoga, weight-training, were all added in this year and I believe have made me stronger and better conditioned as an athlete.  I didn't set out to just trash my legs this training cycle.   

I am better trained physically for Cactus Rose than any other race I have ever run. I am not injured.  My weight is right where it needs to be, and my energy levels seem good.  

I have experience on this course, even though I DNF'd in 2010, I have a good idea of what to expect out there.  If I can make the first loop a fun experience, focused on enjoying the scenery, taking in the proper nutrition, and not let the brick in my head take over my race, I will get to the second loop and turn on the endurance machine.  

I know what I need to get through this race, I know how to prepare my drop bags and I know that if I put one foot in front of the other, I may not meet my time goal, but I WILL finish the race barring an unforseeable injury. 

Challenges:     

The terrain.  The terrain.  The terrain.  No amount of hill training I can do on a treadmill can fully prepare me for the inclines in Bandera.  What's more, the rolling rock can't be duplicated on the flats I live on. 


I will be alone for this race.  I will know people out there, but I will be alone.  No crew, no family coming to encourage me, no friends that I am planning to run with.  I don't have a good track record with these circumstances, but this does not mean that record needs to continue.

My nutrition plan has not come together as well as I had hoped.  I began using EFS a few weeks ago and it looked promising, but thanks to my high maintenance stomach, I can't use the product anymore.  So water and S caps are the standard for the day.   I do know that I need about 200-250 calories per hour and I should be drinking about 20 ounces per hour, especially in the heat.  Looking at the forecast, race day will be the coolest weather I have run in this season, possibly requiring gloves and a long sleeve to start.   I will need to be very aware of my hydration level as becoming dehydrated has ended a few races for me.  

I woke up with a cold today.  I have been so healthy, so strong, and have really tried to steer clear of illness and injury.  Today, the cold that has hit several friends and family members has tried to make it's way into my body.  I'm taking everything I can to combat this thing.   The last thing I want to do is DNS because I have a cold...

Goals:

My goals for this race are simple.  I need to finish.  I need to win the mental battle of this bad boy and finish this thing.  For Hans.  For Monika.  For Kelly.   For a dear friend who was suddenly sidelined from his racing schedule during one of his most successful racing seasons ever.  
I'd love to finish this race in 12 hours.  I'd be happy with 13.  What I don't want to do is set a time goal that will cause me to drop from the race if I don't think I can finish in that time frame.  

This race will serve as a mental preparation for Ironman.  Self-supported, no crews, no help other than a bare minimum aid station.  If I can get through Cactus, I feel I will be one step closer to finishing IMTX in May.

Taper Time

My training cycle is complete and though I have had a few bumps in the road, it has been a very consistent 20+ weeks of training, probably my most consistent of any I have ever done.
I believe the cross-training from the triathlons has been the best thing I ever could have placed into the training plan.
As the mileage has picked up greatly the past month, some of that cross-training has had to drop off and I truly miss it.  As I head into the next two weeks of taper, I am looking forward to having the time again to swim more, get a few more yoga sessions in, and maybe even an extra spin session or two.

My biggest challenge will be the mental/emotional hurdle of Cactus Rose.  I am already heading into the race 0/1, which most people would feel they should take the attitude of "I'm going to kill this race", but I have a reluctant sort of revenge.  I want to kill this race, and perhaps I will, but this race is no joke.  This is not a race that I could walk if needed.  It's terrain is the most challenging I have ever been on, and as a flatlander, the most challenging to figure out how to train. I respect this trail and this race as well as this distance.

I have three goal plans for this race, the first goal of course is to finish.  The others, I may reveal beforehand, however, I hesitate to do this because I typically mess up badly when I do that.

For now, I am sticking to the taper plan, catching up on duties that have been neglected around the house, and mentally preparing for a jaunt through the hills.

CASA 5K 2012

I headed back to this race with the tongue in cheek mind set of "defending my title", which was really just a joke because I know I have not done any type of speed work and as well, I assumed this race would have many more runners than it did last year.

Richard and I registered about the same time.  I am not sure who egged who on more.  But all in good fun, we registered and knew that above all else, this great local race is all about one thing...the kids.
A great organization and a great group of folks putting on a fun race, what's not to love!

Last year, I believe the attendance was low because there were two other local races of the same distance going on.  Also, this race is a trail race which does deter some folks from coming out. If they only knew what they were missing.

This year, the race was much larger.  About 300 for the 5K and 100 for the 1K.  Yours truly was picked by Gary Van Kuiken along with three others to help demonstrate the moves for the YMCA song.  Sorry world...someone had to do it.

The kids race was first and are they ever the cutest things!  I just love watching kids run!  It makes my heart happy!  They have no care as to time, pace, place, etc.  They just run for the pure joy of it.

The 5k was next up.  Richard and I had done a small warm up on the course prior to the race start and found a large puddle but nothing too risky.  Richard had a "plan" and I figured I would tag along for the ride for as long as I could.  I didn't expect I would stay with him too long as I really had not been feeling that great.

The race began and the first mile was done in 7:36.  A bit too fast for me.  I slowly let Richard creep ahead of me and by 1.5 miles, I was well behind him.  I tried to get my HR down as I really didn't feel very good.  I kept running, but at mile 2, I began to feel as though I was going to throw up.  Not from running, from sickness.

I actually took a short walk break to get my stomach to calm down.  I can't believe I had to walk in a 5k, but I did.   I came upon a young girl from our homeschooling group, Clare, and she was holding her own!  Great little runner and someone to keep your eyes on in the future.  She took first in her age group.

I picked the running back up and stuck to nose breathing the rest of the race.  I figured any chance of winning anything went down the tubes with the walk and that was ok by me.  There turned out to be several very slick muddy areas on the course and I was expecting to see a lot of falls from those who were not accustomed to trail running.  I didn't see anyone fall though, which is a good thing. 

After crossing the finish line and catching my breath, we checked our times and I was first in my age group again, with a time of 25:26.  8:10/mile.  Richard took first in his age group with a 23:06!  Nice and speedy!

We were enjoying visiting with friends and watching the different activities that the race had going on.  Richard went back to check results and found that I had been awarded the Female Masters Award.  I was not expecting this in the least!

We snapped some more pictures and received our awards.  I have a nice gift card to buy my next pair of Flows with!  That is how I came to buy my first pair of Pure Projects last year!

Thanks for a fun day, CASA!  What you do is amazing stuff!  Thank you for letting me a small part of it all!

Decision!

Since Clear Lake Tri, I have been faced with beginning the focused running training that will hopefully prepare me for Cactus Rose 50.

Truth be told, I have really struggled with whether or not I honestly want to do this race.  I have not felt in my heart that I wanted to for a while and I was hesitant to even mention it to anyone.

I did tell a few people close to me and they all confirmed for me that it made no sense to show up to start a race that my heart wasn't in.  Cactus Rose is not the kind of race that one can traverse without their mind and heart focused on the finish line.

I made the decision to train for a solid few weeks and then make my decision.  Admittedly, I was a bit nervous about the distance of this race.  Others have a hard time to believe this when I tell them that the 50 mile distance is challenging me emotionally, but it has been.  Yes, I have run several 50 milers, however, I DNFd CR50 in 2010 and to go down that road again is not on my list of things to do this fall.

Thinking that getting through some higher mileage cycles and seeing how my body adjusted to the increasing running mileage, I could better discern my fitness level for CR, I set about setting a date to make a decision.  During these higher mileage cycles, I have not let up the intensity or frequency of the swims and spins/cycling as well as weight-training that I had taken on.  It has been a challenge to get all of these workouts in, but the payoff has been worth the effort.

Tomorrow is that day.  But my decision is made.  I am in.  My heart is in.  My head is in.  My fitness is better than it has ever been.  I will run Cactus Rose 50.  And God-willing, I will finish Cactus Rose. 

Another decision that I have had on my mind is whether or not to run the "training run" in Bandera on Sept 22.  At this point, I still can't commit one way or the other.  I will think on this a bit more before making a final decision.  The two reasons I would not do it are the time it takes away from the family and the risk of injury on the CR course which could take me out of the race altogether.

As ridiculous as this sounds, if I should end up with an injury at CR, I would prefer it be while running a race rather than a training run.   There are obvious benefits to running the trail before race day, but I am not convinced that those benefits are worth the risk.

I am entirely convinced that my current level of fitness and endurance is the direct result of the cross-training taken on while participating in the sport of Triathlon this year.  I have trained harder than I ever did while "just running" and yet, I feel stronger, fitter, healthier, and have more endurance than I believe I ever had before.  Therefore, I will continue with the current training regime, only letting up the last week or so before CR.  I can not duplicate that difficult course in my hometown, but I can run on trashed legs and ride that fine line between fatigue and injury.  It will require me to be completely in tune with my physical state and not ignore any type of pain, ache, etc.  It will also require me to be diligent in my daily nutrition to prevent my body from breaking down.  This is a challenge for me, as I often forget to eat, but one benefit of tri training has been the increased appetite it has afforded me.  I wake up hungry! 

Here's to that little race in Bandera!  Happy training all!

Clear Lake Triathlon 2012

Pre Race

The week before this race we were on vacation and I enjoyed a very light week of training, (19 miles/4 hours total training time) which followed several weeks of heavy training in preparation for Cactus Rose.  I upped the training time a bit this week, heading into Clear Lake with approximately 55 miles on my body and finding myself having to practice extreme self-discipline by not going all out during the workouts.  

Wednesday, the boys, Richard, and I headed into town for packet pick up.  I really try to not give negative feed back about races, but honestly, packet pick up is a huge pet peeve of mine.  In a world that is trying to become more "green" how much sense does it make to ask 900 people to make the drive twice to the same event?  Surely, most of this could be done on race day morning, since we all have to stop and be body marked as well.  And how does packet pick up really prevent anyone from not giving their bib to someone else?   Every running race I have participated in has allowed for race morning pick up.  Why triathlon can't do this is beyond me.  Rant over.

My last real training day was Thursday and I felt amazingly well.  Friday I did a short yoga session and at the end of it, I felt an unusual "pop" in my right low back.  By the evening, my back felt quite sore and I had pain radiating into my leg.   I also had been having some neck spasms that I attributed to sleeping in a different bed and using a pillow that was not my own on vacation.  I took some Advil and figured all would be well in the morning.

Race Day

At 3:40, the alarm sounded and we were up and ready to get out the door by 4:15.  Back pain was still with me.  I tried to ignore it as I ate my breakfast and slammed down some coffee.  I took a few Advil which seemed to take the edge off.

We arrived at the race site and were pleased to see that we were being placed into a covered parking garage.  A very nice accommodation indeed!  Transition set up went smoothly and I went through my mock T1/T2 simulation, noting all the in/outs and landmarks to help me find my bike.

Mark and I walked the docks to find the swim start.  The water was lit up by the lights and was a very creepy neon green color.  The first thing I saw in that neon green water was an alligator gar.  I tried to push that out of my head and not get overly concerned with what exactly I would be swimming in.  

The Swim:  1500 meters/40:21

I was in the 5th and final wave of the Olympic distance.  It was a large group incorporating all women 39 and over, AND the relay swimmers.  I was a bit nervous about having to tread water for a few minutes before our official start, but kept it under control focusing on any thing I could other than where I was.  

The start was sounded and I began my swim from the pack.  I spent the first half of this swim climbing over people, getting hit, etc, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not seem to get away from the group.  I noticed that I was the only one who really cared enough to stop swimming, look around and try to find a clear path.  Once I realized that I needed to act like Dory and "just keep swimming", I kept my swim going and didn't stop as much.  I did try to avoid the guys as a hit from some of those big guys could take me out of the race.  I felt stronger with every stroke and in the last few yards I recall thinking that I could certainly have continued swimming longer.  

The finish was up a ladder.  It was quite the stretch to get my leg upon the first rung and set both my calves into cramps that I was able to quickly stop as I stomped my feet onto the running surface.

40:21  10th AG

T1:  3:30   

I have no idea why this transition is so long.  Obviously I took a nap, got a massage, and had a pedicure... or maybe I just need some tweaking and practice.

The Bike:  46K/1:41:05

My plan was to take the first loop at a slower pace than the second loop in an effort to adequately recover from the swim, gain course knowledge, and then prepare for the run.  The first loop went well, other than getting passed by everyone.  But I am not really competing against anyone just yet.  I am still new to the bike, new to triathlon, new to how to do nutrition on the bike, etc.  I took the time I needed to feel comfortable handling the food while pedaling.  I did pretty well taking S caps, honey stingers, and even Clif shot blocks while keeping a 17 mph pace.  

Kemah Bridge

The course was a very nice route winding through the NASA area, (on the day that Mr. Neil Armstrong passed away, rest in peace good sir), through some local marinas, and across the Kemah Bridge.  I braced myself for the climb as I finally saw it about a half mile from the actual bridge.  It took my breath away and then I remembered this.

Thank you, Fish!

Fish had written this out for me as he headed to bed on Friday night.  If you know Fish, you know  he is not a "mushy" sort so this was very precious to me.  He remembered my favorite scripture verse, Phil 4:13, and he loved me enough to give this to me.  I tucked it into my spibelt and had it with me for the entire bike and run.  

I recalled this immediately upon seeing the bridge and instantly, my eyes filled with tears.  I am so blessed.  I get to do THIS for fun!  I thought of Bean who was heading back to school probably at that very moment to finish up her last year of college.  I thought of my beautiful grandbabies and all of my children, my family, and was overwhelmed by gratitude.  Ride the bike, Karen.  Ride the bike.

I kept my head down so as not to see the actual climb, (this is something I do while running hills also.  I think it tricks my brain...probably not, but I am going with it.)  Before reaching the very top of the bridge, I noted my speed was 8 mph.  I could have walked faster, but that wasn't even in my mind.  A guy passed me and encouraged me and then reminded me to use "the other gears".  Oh.  Yeah.  I forgot about those.  Honestly though, as little experience I have on the bike, I have even less on using those "other gears".  Where is Youtube when you need it!?!

I managed to make it to the top and fly down the other side at 25.7 mph!  Very fast for me!  I know this is nothing to other cyclists out there, but to me, it was huge.  

This is when I noticed my back was in rough shape again.  No worries, just focus on the race.

I was determined to take loop 2 faster, but Mother Nature had other plans.  It so has it that as I left out on loop 2, I could see a magnificent thunderstorm rolling in from the bay. It was HUGE.  It became windy and suddenly, the flat roads were all hills.  I thought of the recent spin classes I have been attending and tried to focus on my pedal stroke, consistent stroke count, hearing my metronome in my head.  This seemed to work until the bridge showed up again.  I tried to figure out "the other gears" well before the bridge, but my confidence in not losing my chain was minimal.  As I hit the base of the bridge, I saw that every other rider was off their bike and walking it.  I didn't know we could do this.  Seriously.  I figured they knew something I didn't so I followed suit.  I got off the bike and started walking.  I with the gears a bit to see if I could figure out how to get to the others rings, when another woman passed me asking if we were told to get off the bike.  I told her no, and assured her that I was just a wimp.  

Then I realized I needed to ride that bridge.  I hopped back on and somehow managed to crank up that dang bridge, "using the other gears", passing the other walkers, and then made up some good time on the flip side.  

Looking back, of course, I wish I had not ever dismounted the bike on that bridge, but it is what it is, and I probably was only off for about 2 minutes.  

I finished the second loop with my last two miles at a 21 mph pace.  Felt very strong coming into transition.

1:41:55/16.8 mph/14th AG

T2: 2:15

Obviously, had the manicure this time around. 

The Run:  10 K /55:14

My strength.  My comfort zone.  My happy place.  The run.  I wasn't excited by the idea of three 2 mile loops, however, it wasn't as horrible as I anticipated it to be.  I rather enjoyed seeing the same volunteers 3 times, encouraging runners on the out and back, and seeing Mark at the transition area twice.  First loop, I took it easy, about a 9:30 pace, I suspect.  Second loop a tad faster, Mark was smiling saying, "You are going for a sub-9, aren't you?!"   Told him I was just running on feel, which I was.  Garmin wasn't cooperating, (seriously, don't know why I wear the thing anymore!)  

The third loop I kicked it up a bit and crossed the finish feeling stronger than when I started the run.  

55:14/ 8:55/mile/7th AG

The most interesting thing I discovered this race was that each discipline, I felt stronger at the end than at the beginning.  I suppose this confirms my place in the endurance/ultra world.  This is where my strength lies.  I am not that fast, but I can go for a very long time.  

I won't lie, I would like to become faster, but I always try to keep in mind that I would rather never be fast to have the ability to do this stuff for a very long time!

My back is still not feeling very well, which is not good as I am heading into full on CR training.  The mileage is going to pick up for running and those work outs will become my primary source of mileage for the next few months.  I will continue with the swimming and biking because I feel that they are helping me to become a stronger all around runner.  Oh, and I have a little race in May that I registered for.  

The best part about today was Richard's performance!   I will let him tell you about it!  Congratulations, friend!!

Bridgeland Tri

Heading into Bridgeland, I didn't consider tapering much as I am attempting to keep my endurance building looking forward to Cactus Rose in October.  My average training mileage for the 5 weeks leading up to Bridgeland was about 75 miles per week, and 9-10 hours per week.  I have been feeling good at this level which was another "goal" I had for a reason that I will speak to later in this post.

Bridgeland was by far, one of the best run events I have ever participated in.  Organized, clean, pleasant in every way.  Whatever these race directors are doing, I pray they keep doing it.  I can't believe this race is only 4 years old.  It had the taste and flair of a highly seasoned race.  In a  pool of 1650 participants, I never felt crowded, overwhelmed, lost, etc.  I found several people I knew and met many I had only known by name until race day.

Packet pick up was a breeze, save for the horrible traffic to get to the site.  249-290 was under construction and this made for a slow drive time.

One aspect of triathlon I do not enjoy is the stress of getting to the packet pick up on time.  I imagine this is true for most people.  Trying to carve the time out of the day to get to some of these locations the day before the race is difficult at best.  But it is what it is and aside from this issue, everything else seems to move along quickly on race day morning, which I am sure is the whole reason behind packet pick up.

Race morning is always an early rise time.  This day, I was up by 3:45 and Mark and I headed out the door pretty soon after that.  The drive to Cypress was much quicker than the day before alleviating the pre-race "am I going to be late?!" anxiety I typically feel.

Body marking went well and I headed into transition to set everything up.  I was close to both the bike out and the run out which was great!  I walked around to get a feel of what it would be like coming out of the water and to get a general acclimation to the layout of the transition area.  

As Mark and I headed to the swim area, I started feeling quite a lot of anxiety regarding the swim.  I have no idea why the nerves jumped up, but a little pep talk from Richard, and I felt a bit better.  I walked towards the swim start and just tried to keep myself calm.  550 meters is nothing compared to what I normally swim, but for some reason, I was really spiraling into a puddle of self-doubt.  Perhaps it was related to my experience at the Y Freedom Tri, or perhaps it just was what it was.  I decided to throw out any expectation to time for the swim and focus on feeling comfortable while having a good experience in the water.  

I was in one of the very last waves, making my wait time about an hour to get into the water.  When it was  finally my turn, I got in the water, waited for the go, and started swimming.  Instantly, the anxiety left, I felt calm, and I focused on slow, steady form.  Kind of a funny thing to focus on when one can't see through the water.  I hope to one day swim in clear open water.  That would be amazing!

I finished the swim in 13:16 and was pleased at how well I felt during the swim.  I only used the breast stroke briefly while trying to site around the last buoy.  

T1 was a bit slower as I wanted to be sure to hydrate well and eat a bit.  3:19 was most definitely a bit too long and I will work on that for next time.

This race was the first race for the new bike and she did fantastic!  I felt very comfortable the entire ride and again, settled on the idea of not pushing myself too much, saving a bit more for a very hot run.  The first 4 miles on the bike felt great.  For some reason, miles 4-8 or so felt like much more work and my quads weren't real excited to push through.  I chalk this up to my inexperience on the bike and hope that more training on the bike will result in a better average mph.  The last 5 miles went well when the quads turned back on.  Total bike time was 44:17 (avg 17.6 mph).  T2 time was 2:36.  Again, another area to cut some time.

Philomena and I after her first race.

Heading out on the run, I again made the decision to hold back and not go all out.  I really wanted to savor this experience on this day.  It was very hot, and I didn't know how my body would respond to the heat and full sun.  I felt great the entire run, feeling stronger with each stride.  I tried to encourage the other runners along the way and made sure to hit every sprinkler that was set up to keep us cool. I crossed the finish line with a run time of 25:59 (8:23/mile).  Total race time  1:29:29.  17th in AG.  

I would highly recommend this race to anyone interested in a good sprint tri.  I enjoyed my time very much and will probably register for next year as soon as it opens.

Coming off the race, I have not let up on the training at all.  I am increasing the amount of cycling and running that I am doing.  Follow me on Dailymile (right side bar) if you are so inclined.  I am registered for one more tri this month, Clear Lake.  I will be taking on much more of a challenge as I am registered for the Olympic distance.  Then full on Cactus Rose training will be here.  

My reasoning for the heavy training over the last 6 weeks has been simply to prove to myself that I can handle the training load that will come from Ironman training beginning in January. (yes, I registered).   I am at about 3/4s of the time that I will be putting in weekly and feel tired, but good and stronger than 3 months ago.

At times, I feel like I am cheating on my trails by enjoying the tri training so much.   This evaporates rather quickly after noting the increased endurance and overall strength that I feel I have gained.  

Once I cross the finish line at CR, I will take some time to ease up and recover and then head into full time IMTX training.  I can't believe I am at this point in my "career" but I am embracing it all realizing that each moment is truly a gift! 

Y Freedom Tri 2012

Going into this race, I didn't have much in mind other than to have fun, finish, and learn some things along the way, especially with regards to nutrition on a race of this distance.  I didn't have time goals for this race because I am not very cognizant of my ability in the area of the swim or bike.  I had hoped for 25 - 26 mins on the run.  Richard gave me a time suggestion and he hit it very close! (He predicted 1:15.)

The week leading up to the race, I have noticed pain in both feet.  I didn't have any problems with this during the race, but they are aching tonight.

Woke up at 4 am and out the door by 4:35.  Arrived in plenty of time to pick up the race packet and get settled into the transition area. 

I had concerns that I would not remember certain things today, such as using my inhaler, eating, taking the gels, etc., so I wrote the plan directly onto my arm.  This was very helpful and I will probably do this again.

I left the handheld and Garmin at home and focused on relaxing as much as I could while also pushing myself, drinking on the bike and at the aid stations instead of carrying my bottle.

The Swim:

I had seeded myself with an 8:00 minute swim.  The pool was a 50 meter pool, which I had somehow overlooked.  The swim was a 300 meter swim, shorter than the CB & I tri.   I think I waited about 15-20 mins to actually hit the water.  Swimmers were sent off in 10 second increments and this was very well organized.

As I started in my swim, my chest started closing up and I began to feel my asthma take hold.  I knew I had to get a grip on this or I would be done.  My head immediately started thinking of quitting, of drowning, of having an all out attack in the water and have to be rescued.  I slowed my stroke down and even did some breast stroke to gain my control of my breathing again.  After about 30 meters or so, I felt better and fell into a comfortable stroke.  In the last 50 of the swim, I noticed several people walking in the water.  I had not noticed that the pool was shallow the entire length!  I could have put my feet down at any time, and never realized it!  I'm glad I didn't know this during my panic attack else this swim could have gone a totally different direction.    I finished the swim in 7:34.

Walked/jogged into transition and promptly ate a Cliff gel and an S cap.  This is the first time I have used a gel in over 2 years.  I knew I had to try something as eating trail mix while on a bike is a bit tricky.

The Bike:

Headed out onto the bike course which was very, very well organized and officiated.  I felt completely safe on the roads and even at the intersections.  The traffic officers and volunteers did a wonderful job keeping us in one piece.  I felt pretty good on the ride, pushing at points and backing off at others.  I kept reminding myself to conserve for the run.  I found that I actually picked up speed towards the end of the bike, which may be related to the wind that blew a nice rain in just as I ended my ride.  Bike time - 37:07

I hopped off the bike, not so gracefully, but I didn't fall, so that's always a plus!  T2 went more quickly than T1 as the shoes were easier to get on and I didn't have to mess with socks this time around.  Took another S Cap and headed out on the run as the skies opened up cooling us off and making for a fun muddy run for about 3/4 of a mile!

The Run:

The run went very well.  I felt stronger with every stride and am quite certain I had negative splits.  I passed many of the faster-than-me swimmers and cyclists that had passed me just a little while beforehand.  I tried to keep the mood fun and encouraging.  Most people were happy to be out there, but there were a few that weren't big fans of my happy mood!  I've had days like that, so I understand that mindset.

I finished the run in 25:27.   Total race time:  1:14:37.  Finished 7th in AG and 146 out of 500 participants.  

Participating in this race was fun for many reasons, but probably most importantly is because this is where the seed was planted by my great friend, Richard.  Last year, he invited me to run this with him as a relay and I can recall standing outside the pool fence looking on at the swimmers thinking that maybe, just maybe, I could try this one day.  Two months later, I was starting in my Master's swim class and today, I was on the other side of that fence!  

 I was able to select a military person to honor for this race, and it was on my heart to run for Luke Finney, USN.  He is an amazing young man who has already done great things in his young life.  I am blessed to know him and his family and while I know my effort in this race can not compare to what he has done, is doing, and will do, physically, I pray that this small showing of support is an encouragement to him as he continues on his path with Navy.

This race was an inspiring one to be a part of as it was meant to honor our military men and women.  There were many DAVs out on the course, serving us yet again as they cheered us on, handed out water, and directed racers to stay on the course.  I found myself thanking as many as I possibly could and being moved to tears to see so many of our older service people supporting this race and this cause.  Seeing the military representatives carry their respective branch's flag across the finish line all together was very moving.  A true moment of pride for any American!

CB and I Race Report

Heading into this race, my first tri, was not as nerve-wracking as I expected it would be.  I have been quite busy with things around the house with kids and school, church, and work.  The distractions were very helpful in helping me to not "worry" too much about things to do with the race.

I will admit, I most probably asked 2000 questions of Richard about tris, training, rules, etc.  It is good to have a friend and role model that not only answers all of these questions, but does so happily! He was always encouraging, uplifting, and positive, even when I wasn't.  His outlook on challenges is always in the very best light possible, and this method of thinking has helped me to look at how I see things in all of my life, not just training.  I owe Richard a great deal of gratitude of which I can never repay.  Thank you, my friend!  

 I packed bags the night before the race.  I laughed after the race as to how much I actually packed.  You'd think I was heading to a 50 miler!  I didn't have "loop bags", but I could have.  What's even funnier is that it wasn't until after the race that I realized that I would have been fine to treat this whole race as a long run of about 90 minutes.  I wouldn't typically take in much in the way of nutrition outside of water and S caps.  Why I felt like I had to pack three honey stinger packets, wet wipes, and 3 bottles of water, I will never know.  But one thing is for sure, I know now what I really need and what I do not need.

Richard met me at Northshore to drop off the bike on Friday before the race.  The level of organization associated with this race was close to that of The Woodlands Marathon.  Very well managed, excellent communication, and no questions left unanswered.   The bike check in went off without a hitch and after a few encouraging words from Richard, I went home to ready myself for the morning.

I was surprised at the fact that I was tired and ready for bed by 9 pm.  That is very untypical for me.  I usually can't sleep and worry about every little detail the night before a race.  I felt calm, and fell asleep shortly after 9.  I woke at 4 without my alarm and was out the door by 5:15 am.

Body marking did not take very long and then I headed into the transition area.  It wasn't too difficult to set up my shoes, helmet, and bottles, but I fiddled around with things as if that would make me feel better about the fact that I had no idea what I was doing.  All of my transition lessons have come from watching Fish in his transitions at the Kid's triathlons.  I figure it can't be that much different for adults.

As I came out of transition set up, I ran into a good friend and his son, who happens to be very good friends with Foo.  They have been friends since they were 3 years old.  His dad was kind enough to take a picture with this wonderful young man who is fairly new to triathlons.  He had a great day taking 3rd place in his AG and 12th overall.

I remember this guy in diapers!!

My wave started 37 minutes after the gun went off.  We all waded into the water and awaited our signal to go.  The water was 84 degrees and felt good to me.  As I began to swim, I repeated the mantra, calm, calm, slow, calm.   I never felt anxious in the water at all.  I didn't feel fast either, but this was not about speed for me.  It was about doing.

The sun was rising as I waited to enter the water.

 I did use my breast stroke a few times during the swim.  It saved me from becoming exhausted, provided me an opportunity to get my bearings on where I was, and afforded me a slight respite from being clobbered by other swimmers at different points in the swim. 

My cheering squad!

As I rounded the last buoy, I was feeling stronger and more confident to the next aspect of the race.  I should have swam a few more strokes in before trying to stand up and I ended up trying to muscle my legs out of deep water.  TJ Fry mentioned this in the practice swim the weekend before.  He was correct!  Water is heavy!

Glad to be through my biggest hurdle of the day!

My swim time was much slower than I expected.  The course was measured in meters instead of yards and I have heard that there are some questions as to whether or not the waves started later than were supposed to.  Swim time was 13:49 for 500 meters.

Transition 1 went fine.  I didn't feel as though I rushed.  Planned to eat a few honey stingers, but didn't seem to think I needed them at this point.  Time:  1:53.

The bike went fine.  I felt like I could not pedal fast enough.

 I just didn't have the energy to propel the bike.  I felt better on the back side of the bike, but the avg speed was 16.6 mph.  Time was 54:15.

The run began just as the cloud cover disappeared.  My legs felt so out of whack coming off the bike.  I could barely manage a fast walk heading into transition.  Rather than push the legs, I gave them that time to adjust to being off the bike.  I racked the bike, readied myself for the run, waved a quick hello to the family, and then headed out to tackle the part of the race which I was hoping to be my strongest.

The run was tough.  I ran well, but not as well as I could have.  Fatigue had definitely set in and now the heat was cranking up quickly with the sun blazing down.  I escaped into the sound of my shoes tapping out a catchy beat.  It was on the run that I realized, ultras and Triathlons can never be placed into the same category.  Just because someone can do one, does not necessarily mean that the same person could do both.   Ultras require a totally different method of training and mentality.  Start slow, pace yourself, walk the hills, etc.  Sprint triathlons put the athlete in the mind "sprint" mindset.  Redline each event within the race  Swim hard, Bike swiftly, Run as fast as you can!  I found that I did reserve a bit on the run trying hard not to blow up the last half mile.  My splits look good for the run portion of the race, and yet I know I could have run a better race.  I am happy with my 25:45 time, 8:18 pace.  Not a pr pace for me, but a starting point after almost 2 years of ultra training which was primarily a run/walk method.    Works great for ultras, not so great for sprint distances.

Heading into the finish!

 Of course none of what I do could ever be possible without my wonderful husband.  He supports me from the ground up.  He is the voice of reason when I discern which races and distances I want to tackle.  He builds me up and holds me up.  He is the reason I am able to do any of these things. 

Next up, summer trail runs!