Another whack at it

Last Sunday was my final triathlon of the season.  My half iron race.  The 70.3 mile race.  The race I have trained 6 months for.

It’s four days later and the only reason I am writing this down is so I can remember that it takes four days for the stiffness and soreness to release its grip.   If you are reading this next year Mary, know that once Thursday hits you’ll feel fine and YES you were stiff after the race this year, it’s not because you’re not in good enough shape…it’s just a long ass race!

So enough of that, let’s get to it, where were we?  Oh yeah…the race.

Jen picked me up around 5:15 am so we could drive out together.  She was doing the sprint race, along with Nathan and a few other friends and was kind enough to hang around until my sorry ass crossed the finish line.  Needless to say, we thought we were leaving early enough but once we got there, the clock started ticking.  We had to park a ways away, then we needed to get body marked, then we needed to get our timing chip and THEN we could go set up our transition areas.

This is all fine and dandy if you have an hour, but when the lines are a hundred people deep and moving slowly, the 40 minutes that we left ourselves quickly turned into 15 once all was said and done.  There was no time to check or double check, I placed things in their correct location, put on sun screen, swallowed my electrolyte pills, ate my last bit of Cliff Bar, grabbed my wet suit and headed toward the port-o-potty.

My nerves started kicking up at the start line.  Looking down the sea of orange buoys…it looked so so so  far away, but the gun went off and off we went.  The swim went well.  About three quarters of the way through I started to get a cramp in my calf, which I found odd because I had not had any problems with cramping in training all season.

Out of the water and onto the beach I hear Erika screaming her brains out and see her on the side of the beach with her littles and her camera in hand.  Up the hill to my first transition, I couldn’t get the zipper down but once I got to my bike down it came, off went the suit and onto the bike I went.  I decided this time to put my shoes on my bike instead of putting my biking shoes on inside the transition area.  I ended up saving myself 2 minutes on that one transition alone…thanks for the idea Courtney!

The bike course had changed since last year.  The killer hill was replaced by several smaller rolling hills that caught up with you around mile 40.  Which is close to the time I decided I should try peeing on my bike.  Stop judging me…I know…it’s gross, but I had to go and it’s not like I pooped myself.

So trying to pee while you are biking 20 miles an hour is difficult.  It’s not natural.  You SHOULD be sitting in a small quiet room relaxing, reading or in some sort of deep thought.  It’s that relaxing part that wasn’t happening.  I would look around to make sure no one was behind me, then I would try to relax and try to will myself to pee.  I was trying so hard to get it to come out, but it was stubborn and didn’t want to.

Then I remembered an email Courtney sent me the day before on peeing during races.  You could simply pee in your transiton area while you are changing into your running shoes or you could pee on your bike standing up.

So yet again I looked back, stood up and willed the pee to come.  It came, so I sat down and it immediately stopped.  So I stood up again, it started again and I sat down…stopped.  I came to the realization I had to stay standing up to get this job done.  Still no one behind me, I let it all go.

Where does it go you ask?  I was afraid it was going to go on my water bottle, no, it drips down your leg and then pools in your bike shoes that are filled with Gold Bond powder to soak up the moisture, creating a lovely paste between your toes.  But thank GOD I at least didn’t have to go to the bathroom anymore.

With 5 miles left in my ride, my legs started to cramp up.  Thoughts of last years cramping entered my mind.  I simply told myself it was going to be alright, just stay calm, just stay calm.  I couldn’t tell if it was due to the fact that I had run out of water (in the whirl of the morning I forgot to add a second water bottle to my bike) or was it my new nutrition plan or was it the electrolyte pills…too many…too few?

Then my quads started cramping.  I again stood up, trying this time to stretch every part of my legs before I got off to run.  I undid my bike shoes, scooted my feet out and ran my bike back up to it’s home, again, so much faster leaving those bike shoes attached to your bike.  I heard my kids, Adam and my parents yelling as I went by.

On with the shoes, hat and race belt and off I went.  My quads were still cramping but they weren’t seizing up.  I just kept telling myself to keep running…slow and steady wins the race, slow and steady wins the race.  I know, what a stupid thing to say, but all I wanted to do was make forward progress at a steady pace.  I wanted 9 minute miles, which would be a major improvement over last year.

I knew I would see my family and friends at the turn around point and there they were.  As always, cheering and yelling.  They looked hot, the kids were a little wilted. I made the turn around and Jen ran with me for a little bit, I got to tell her all about my peeing experience and all the other things I had been thinking about for the last four hours by myself.

Around mile 8 I started day dreaming about being done, the massage I was going to get, the food I was going to eat, I could actually feel my pace slow down in enjoyment of the finish line.  So I shook those thoughts off and ran on.  Then down the road on his bike came Fast Matt.  We talked for a bit, I told him about my legs and he offered up some supplies, encouragement, mile marker information and then asked me when I was going to empty the tank.

EMPTY THE TANK?  That was a complicated question.  How far did I have, how far could I push and how fast could I push it until I just fell over in a pile of body parts never to move again.  I realized during this season that “emptying the tank” really scares me.  I don’t have the knowledge, trust or confidence in myself that allows me to put it so far out there that my body is on the brink yet pushing as hard as it can.  So, I play it safe.  So I waited.

And waited.  I waited until I had 1 1/2 miles left in the run and then I pushed it (and yes, I could have started earlier).

I finished strong.  I felt good.  It was…a great race.

My goal was to finish in 5 hours and 30 minutes, I smashed it and finished in 5 hours and 14 minutes.  Taking a whopping 30 minutes off my time from last year.  I placed 5th in my age group and 21st overall the ladies.

Thanks to all of you for your support, love, encouragement and tolerance of my obsession.

Here it is

Tomorrow’s Half Iron race inspiration.

A story for the ages…

So I go to pick up my race packet at the convention center today, all nervous and a dither, AND…they can’t find my name.  They send me to the Trouble Table, they can’t find my name ANYWHERE!  They look through all their computers and then call the bat phone and they look on their special computers and there is nothing.  No trail.  No nothing.

First the nice lady behind the table says, oh please don’t cry and then she says, if you can find your confirmation or can show us a bill from a credit card statement you can bring it in but otherwise the race is full and there is nothing we can do for you, I’m so sorry.

I go home, hoping against hope that I can find a record or statement or something, but there is nothing.  I have nothing, no confirmation, no email, no billing trail. NOTHING!

I somehow, between all the other races, did not sign up for THIS fucking race.

Oh my god.  OH MY GOD!

Curses…nashing of teeth…stomping of feet…clenching of fists…how could I possibly be so stupid?

I guess my goals will have to wait till next year.
And as my good friend Jen put it, after listening to me weep and cry and blubber for a while, “You’re certainly fast enough to win, but just too stupid to sign up.”

Thanks Jen, that’s why I love you.

Putting it out there

I typically don’t write about my race goals…until after the fact.  That way, it’s safe.  No one can call me on it.  No one can call me a failure.  Which is really where I am going with this. My fear of failure is great.  So great in fact I would rather keep my inner goals quiet so no one knows, so no one knows that I did not really meet my own expectations.

After reading last years post about the race I’ve decided to change direction. I’ve decided to lay it all out.  So here we go:

This Saturday is the Life Time Fitness Triathlon (Oh God I’m nervous).

This Saturday, I would like nothing more than to kick some serious ass (I’m warming up, can you tell?).

This Saturday I would like to finish the race in 2 hours and 35 minutes (That’s 4 minuets and 48 seconds off last year. Is there anyway I can even make that without a wet suit? What about the transitions I SHOULD have been working on? Have I trained hard enough? Who knows who will show up that day?  What if I have a flat?).

This Saturday (drum roll please) I would like to place 3rd in my division!!!

Pheewwww.  Now you all know the good and the bad (I feel a little tingly).

Now that you know, if you could please send me some good vibes, thoughts, power, prayer, anything you got…I’ll take.

This year’s motto…LEAVE IT ALL ON THE COURSE!

Marathon…check

Wow, all I have to say is…that was one fun marathon.

The night before the race our little running group went to Duluth to pick up our race packets.  We found the perfect shirts for the kids as they lined up on the streets of Duluth to cheer us on.  They read, “My mom is faster than your mom.”

We had dinner at Hell’s Kitchen.  Todd could not decide, so went with waffles AND spaghetti.  That should just about do it.

Rise and shine, 5:00 am.  All this early morning training paid off, we got up on time.

A quick shot before we catch the bus to the start line.  Can you see the nerves starting to surface?

Almost as quick as it started, it was over.  The day could not have been more beautiful.  The best part was sharing it with friends.

To Miss Erika, thanks to you for allowing me to run my trap for 4 hours and 37 minutes by your side, I am so happy we could share this experience.  Congratulations!

To Todd, way to go.  The first one is hard…you only get a better handle on it from here.

To Laura, welcome back!  Nice work on the marathon come back after three kids, I can’t wait to see what next year has in store.

To Jen, we missed you.

To Adam and my kids, thank you for always supporting me in my insane endeavors.  To see your faces on the race course is what sustains me…I love you.

Lists of lists

I’m leaving tomorrow at 1:00 in the afternoon for the marathon on Saturday.

We (our running group, with husbands and kids) will be staying the weekend at Laura’s cabin after the race.

I am not remotely ready to go.

Here are the lists of things I have yet to do (it is now 10:00 pm):

• gather and pack race items: food, drink, clothing, accessories
• make scones, raspberry butter and quiches for the weekend
• prep the rest of the food that goes with the rest of the food that will be made while at the cabin (I so do this shit to myself – I could have just bought something from the store)
• cooking utensils for the food items listed above
• kids clothes, sleeping stuff, misc. (like scar reducer medication)
• hamster and fish drop off, instructions and food baggies
• I know there is something else…I just can’t think of it, but I will be sure to put it on the list after I do it just so I can mark it off.

I think I’ll have a glass of wine and think about it all tomorrow.

I know my kids will cooperate while I get all that done, right?

26.2, again

And so this weekend, my running group (sans Jen) and I will embark on our marathon adventure up in Duluth. We each have different reasons for wanting to run the marathon, we all have different goals. I vowed never to do another, one was enough. How easily I am swayed by friends.

My goal for this race is to run with friends, that is the only way I would do another…with friends, starting and finishing with friends. Time doesn’t really matter this go around, finishing with a friend at your side does and Erika is nice enough to let me be by her side.

I am amazed at how I feel by taking the pressure off myself, the pressure of time or place. NO, seriously amazed. It is allowing me the freedom to actually enjoy the race, the process of the race and everything else it has to offer.

We as a group have trained hard and we have trained well. I can’t wait, I’m giddy with excitement…for all of us.

I’ll let you know how it goes.

First Race

Triathlon season got kicked off this past Sunday in Buffalo. After the wicked storm passed on Saturday afternoon, the sun shone brightly and made for an amazing day.

This is my fourth year doing triathlons and this race was by far the best, not due to my race times (4th in my age group) or my efforts but because I got to share the day with friends. Some of those friends were doing triathlons for their first time and other experienced pros were gunning for whatever their bodies had in store for them that very day.

Here they are:

This is Courtney. I love Courtney, she plays so coy and then just busts it out of the park. She is an amazing marathon runner (Boston bound mind you), 1/2 iron competitor, friend and mother.

Say Hi to Nathan. This was Nathan’s first tri with two more cued up for the summer. Considering he hadn’t been in the lake for more than a total of 10 minutes the day before the race and he had some seriously locked up calf muscles he made his way through the race and finished strong with a smile on his face. Way to go Nate!

Meet Todd. He’s one of the girl’s in my running group but funny enough he won’t wear a skirt. He too was embarking on his virgin tri tour this past weekend and now he’s bit. His deck is stacked this summer with a marathon and olympic distance race and a 1/2 iron race while on vacation (yes, while on vacation). Excellent job T.

This is jMatt (or Fast Matt as I call him). I had to take a picture of him while he was standing still and suiting up becasue he is so unbelievably fast that my camera can’t ever catch a clear image of him. He is on his way to “take” many races this season as well as marching his way to Ironman Wisconsin in September. Catch him if you can. Nice work jMatt and good luck this season.

Thanks to all of you for making this day so great!

Job well done.

Training mind games

I’ve hit the point in my training where speed and endurance collide.

It is this week where the speed workout, or “intensive” workouts as my training plan calls them, gain distance beyond a little 60 second clip. You ask your body to continue in full throddle the entire prescribed time, to then only allow it a few precious moments rest until you start it all over again 4 or 5 or 6 times.

It is during the past two days, while biking and while swimming, I have hit “something” during the third round in each of these intensive trainings. This “something” is a complete falling apart of everything I have, physically and mentally. It’s the point in time where my body is telling me to STOP and stop now, give up, sleep, cry anything but continue on. It’s at this point where everything breaks down, my body, my breathing, my consentration.

It’s right THERE, there is where you must bitch slap yourself into regaining control. THERE is the precise moment, if you continue, you get stronger.

I hate that moment.

And on some really sick and sadistic level…I love it too…but only when it’s over.

What a weekend…

Friday:

Ears

Birthday dinner out with jewels from Erika.

Saturday:
First Communion #1

The Spring Sheering

First Communion #2

Sunday:

Half Marathon

PJ’s 6th Birthday Party

And then…and then I slept really well.  Only to be woken up by PJ’s new hamster in the middle of the night running and running and running on it’s little squeaky wheel FOR HOURS.

The story of the hamster to come later.