Last season I was focused on two things - going long and not getting injured. As Ironman got closer on the calendar I chose to forgo speed work and anything else that I felt may increase the chance of injury.
They (who is they, by the way?) say, if you always run long and slow, you will get good at running long and slow. And guess what else? On race day, you will be slow. You can't expect to be a speed demon on race day if you are always training slow.
I was focused on getting to the Ironman starting line healthy and having the endurance training so that I could cross the finish line. My training made me pretty darn good at going long at a moderate pace, whether swimming, biking or running. Moderate, of course, is relative to ones own strengths and weaknesses, and compared to others, I am sure I could be considered slow.
This season, with a decent endurance base supporting me, I am working on getting faster. I have started adding weekly tempo runs to my routine and while I don't necessarily look forward to these runs, I know that they are both physically and mentally rewarding. Physically, I am confident that running faster will make me faster (and you can substitute swimming and biking for running too). Mentally, running faster in my workouts is showing me both what I am capable of speed wise and giving me confidence that I can handle the discomfort that comes with pushing myself hard. I know that this confidence will come in handy on race day.
On a separate note, this weekend was the Rocky Raccoon 50 mile / 100 mile endurance race. Since I abandoned my training partner for the race, I volunteered to crew for him instead. So, Saturday morning I woke up at 4:30 and drove to his house so that we could make the 1 hour trek to Huntsville for the 7:00 am race start. Rocky allows packet pick-up race morning, so we retrieved his packet and got him to the starting line. The 100 milers started at 6:00 am, so the starting line wasn't too hectic for the 50 mile start.
This race is very casual and family friendly. It was frustrating to be there and not be racing and that feeling only got worse as the day wore on and I was itching to run.
After seeing Mark off, I went back to the car to nap, knowing that I would not see Mark again for about 3 hours. It was pretty chilly out, otherwise, I would have been happy to nap in the shade. Just after 10 am, I saw Mark again, looking great after his first 16.7 mile loop. After a short stop, he was off again. Meanwhile, I was coordinating with our families who were on their way to the race site. I got to spend about an hour with them before Mark re-appeared and I was off to run my pacing loop with him.
I have not done much true trail running so I was not sure what to expect. My "trail" running has been on crushed granite on a flat, circular loop, so I had a steep learning curve on the pine needle, root covered trail. After tripping, but thankfully not falling, a couple of times, my footing got better and the running got easier. I had also forgotten that running on trails also slows down your pace. On the positive side, the trails around the lake were beautiful and the miles passed quickly. I was struck by how friendly and encouraging every single person on the trail was. If I was ever unsure as to whether I wanted to commit to an ultra, all of my doubts were set aside on Saturday. I have to do one now -- and I would seriously consider doing a 100 miler too (after tackling a 50, of course!).
Mark had a great race and it was awesome to run the last lap with him. With several miles to go he started to pick up the pace and with 2 miles to go he was running sub-9 minute miles. I could hardly keep up with him for the last mile and I had only run one-third of the miles that he had! I felt like a total failure but I kept pushing knowing that I could manage through the discomfort. He later told me, quoting Born to Run, that when you feel like running fast, you run fast, and when you feel like running slow, you run slow -- and at that point he felt like running fast. I was glad to be able to give him company on the last lap and to support him as he has been a rock for me through some tough training cycles as well as pacing me to a sub-4 hour finish at the Houston marathon last year.
Sunday Report
Mileage for Week Ending 2/07/2010
Swim: 6400 yards in 300
Bike: 83 miles in 5:15
Run: 32 miles in 6:04
Strength Training/Core: 0:30 (high heart rate)
Total: 14:49
Stretching: 0:00 -- I have been feeling great (knock on wood), so I have been bad about stretching. I can commit to 5 minutes each night this week.
Have a great week!
Monday, February 8, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
January - Month in Review
I can't believe the first month of the year is behind us already! I am making good progress towards some goals and well, not much progress at all towards others. That is the beauty of these monthly reflections -- they keep me honest and help me redirect as needed in the months to come.
January In Numbers
Bike: 7h 55m - 126.6 Mi
Run: 8h 25m - 55 Mi
Swim: 4h 00m - 8,900 Yd
Other/Strength: 10h 10m
Total Active Time - 30h 30m
Stretching: 3:45
Goal Tracking
1. Reading the Bible cover to cover -- I am a couple of weeks behind schedule. My goal for February is to not fall any more behind schedule and to hopefully catch up a day or two.
2. Photography -- unfortunately, my camera was in the repair shop most of the month after salt water got in the lens after a trip to Sea World. I am looking forward to taking Tyler's 3 year old photos in February.
3. Weekly stretching -- on track, minus this last week
4. Nutrition -- I am still living in a state of dehydration, so if I do nothing else toward my goals in February, my goal is to stay hydrated! I haven't needed a recovery drink yet, but am looking forward to trying it out soon.
5. Strength Training -- great progress here too. I had my first meeting with the personal trainer and the first workout was not ab specific enough for me, although it kicked my arse. I have heard good things about the P90x ab workout, so I may look into that too.
6. Swim Technique -- stay tuned, I was not swimming much in Jan, but am planning a serious come back this month.
7. Fun goals -- I deferred the Ultra, but all other goals are still in place.
January In Numbers
Bike: 7h 55m - 126.6 Mi
Run: 8h 25m - 55 Mi
Swim: 4h 00m - 8,900 Yd
Other/Strength: 10h 10m
Total Active Time - 30h 30m
Stretching: 3:45
Goal Tracking
1. Reading the Bible cover to cover -- I am a couple of weeks behind schedule. My goal for February is to not fall any more behind schedule and to hopefully catch up a day or two.
2. Photography -- unfortunately, my camera was in the repair shop most of the month after salt water got in the lens after a trip to Sea World. I am looking forward to taking Tyler's 3 year old photos in February.
3. Weekly stretching -- on track, minus this last week
4. Nutrition -- I am still living in a state of dehydration, so if I do nothing else toward my goals in February, my goal is to stay hydrated! I haven't needed a recovery drink yet, but am looking forward to trying it out soon.
5. Strength Training -- great progress here too. I had my first meeting with the personal trainer and the first workout was not ab specific enough for me, although it kicked my arse. I have heard good things about the P90x ab workout, so I may look into that too.
6. Swim Technique -- stay tuned, I was not swimming much in Jan, but am planning a serious come back this month.
7. Fun goals -- I deferred the Ultra, but all other goals are still in place.
Farewell Off Season
Well, it is official. I have logged the last of my off season workouts and it is time to get back on the wagon. My first race is 10 weeks away and my first A race of the season is a mere 12 weeks away. It is time to get serious!
I am both nervous and excited to be entering a new season. I am excited because I love having a goal, but nervous because I know the hours and tired afternoons from early morning workouts that are just around the corner.
I have definitely learned a thing or two about respecting the off season and the importance of down time and I will go into my next off season with a sense of purpose instead of flying by the seat of my pants.
Sunday Reports
Mileage for Week Ending 1/31/2010
Swim: 2500 yards in 1:00
Bike: 12 miles in 0:45
Run: 16 miles in 2:22
Strength Training/Core: 1:30 (high heart rate)
Total: 5:37
Stretching: 0:05
Mileage for Week Ending 1/24/2010
Swim: 2200 yards in 0:50
Bike: 44.6 miles in 2:45
Run: 18 miles in 2:45
Strength Training/Core: 0:50 (high heart rate)
Total: 7:10
Stretching: 0:35
I am both nervous and excited to be entering a new season. I am excited because I love having a goal, but nervous because I know the hours and tired afternoons from early morning workouts that are just around the corner.
I have definitely learned a thing or two about respecting the off season and the importance of down time and I will go into my next off season with a sense of purpose instead of flying by the seat of my pants.
Sunday Reports
Mileage for Week Ending 1/31/2010
Swim: 2500 yards in 1:00
Bike: 12 miles in 0:45
Run: 16 miles in 2:22
Strength Training/Core: 1:30 (high heart rate)
Total: 5:37
Stretching: 0:05
Mileage for Week Ending 1/24/2010
Swim: 2200 yards in 0:50
Bike: 44.6 miles in 2:45
Run: 18 miles in 2:45
Strength Training/Core: 0:50 (high heart rate)
Total: 7:10
Stretching: 0:35
Friday, January 22, 2010
Music is a Time Machine
Music is a time machine for me.
When I hear Alanis Morissette's hit, "Isn't It Ironic," I am 16 years old again, driving around in my 1989 Toyota Camry, braces on my teeth, with not a worry in the world. Ok, lots of worries, none of which were really important!
When I hear ABBA's "Dancing Queen," I am taken back to my wedding reception, spinning around in circles in my wedding dress. I have never had so much fun dancing as I did on my wedding day. Twirling in that dress was amazing.
How is this triathlon related?
I mentioned in my Ironman FL Run Race Report that I heard Katy Perry's "Waking Up In Vegas" with about a mile to go on the run playing over speakers in a cheering section on the course. I couldn't help but start to sing along. It made me smile and gave me chills because I had a burst of adrenaline and I knew that I was so close to achieving my dream.
Fast forward to today's run at lunch. 70 degree, sun shining, makes you happy to be alive weather. A mile or so into my run, "Waking Up in Vegas" came across my iPod speakers and I was transported back to Panama City Beach. Chills went down my spine and I could hear the crowd cheering me on. I smiled for the rest of my run.
I love how music can capture a moment in time that way. What songs rev up your time machine?
When I hear Alanis Morissette's hit, "Isn't It Ironic," I am 16 years old again, driving around in my 1989 Toyota Camry, braces on my teeth, with not a worry in the world. Ok, lots of worries, none of which were really important!
When I hear ABBA's "Dancing Queen," I am taken back to my wedding reception, spinning around in circles in my wedding dress. I have never had so much fun dancing as I did on my wedding day. Twirling in that dress was amazing.
How is this triathlon related?
I mentioned in my Ironman FL Run Race Report that I heard Katy Perry's "Waking Up In Vegas" with about a mile to go on the run playing over speakers in a cheering section on the course. I couldn't help but start to sing along. It made me smile and gave me chills because I had a burst of adrenaline and I knew that I was so close to achieving my dream.
Fast forward to today's run at lunch. 70 degree, sun shining, makes you happy to be alive weather. A mile or so into my run, "Waking Up in Vegas" came across my iPod speakers and I was transported back to Panama City Beach. Chills went down my spine and I could hear the crowd cheering me on. I smiled for the rest of my run.
I love how music can capture a moment in time that way. What songs rev up your time machine?
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Out of Shape
As promised, I am attempting to diversify my workouts during what is left of my "off season" in hopes that I will find time to incorporate some of these other workouts (strength / stability) during the non-peak weeks of the regular season as well.
Monday I took a 50 minute class at my office gym that is dubbed a "conditioning class" -- think lots of walking lunges, squats, core, exercise ball, push-ups, arms, etc. I felt the burn during the class, but overall I was happy with my showing. The only move I really struggled with was the ab move where you come up to a "V" position and pass the exercise ball from your feet to your hands, go down flat, back up again and pass the ball back. That totally kicks my ... core!
I definitely felt like I got a good workout, although I would have been even happier with more core work and less leg work, because legs are my strength (or so I thought) and my abs, well, they could use some work, but I digress ...
I should also note that besides the physical therapy, elliptical during my no-running weeks, one hot yoga class, and the recently added push-ups and stretching, I have done nothing but swim, bike and run since April of 2008.
Ok, so back on topic. I woke up this morning for a 7 mile run to test my Piriformis Syndrome and immediately felt stiff from Monday's class, but I still managed a decent run. I didn't feel any pain specific to my PS, which was good. I listened to Born to Run and was happy to be listening to a portion that described run technique so I was able to play with my stride a bit.
After my run, I took my shower, got dressed for work and drove my boys to school. I wore flip flops because I have found driving in heels aggravates the tendinitis in my left foot. When I got to work I put on my super cute BCBG black peep toe patent leather pumps ... and after taking one step I nearly fell over.
I hobbled and found my stride and as usual, took the door to the parking garage stairs to take the 3 flights down to the ground level and after the first step, I almost fell over again! I literally had to use the hand rail to make it down the stairs. Later in the day, I was crossing my legs at my desk and had to pick up my leg in order to do so. I am still stiff walking, although thankfully walking is much easier in flip flops than in 3 inch heels!
I can't remember the last time I felt this sore ... definitely not after Ironman or any other race in the last 2 years. It just goes to show that you can be in shape in one aspect of your health (endurance) but entirely out of shape in another (everything else!).
The good news is that all of those leg exercises should be strengthening the area around my Piriformis. I have no idea how my run today effected my PS because my legs were so sore from my workout, so I will be anxious to see how it feels after Thursday's run.
Two things are for certain -- one) I am going to feel like a brick tomorrow during my swim (hmmm...maybe I will postpone my swim until Friday??) and two) I better keep this up so I don't feel this sore next time!
Monday I took a 50 minute class at my office gym that is dubbed a "conditioning class" -- think lots of walking lunges, squats, core, exercise ball, push-ups, arms, etc. I felt the burn during the class, but overall I was happy with my showing. The only move I really struggled with was the ab move where you come up to a "V" position and pass the exercise ball from your feet to your hands, go down flat, back up again and pass the ball back. That totally kicks my ... core!
I definitely felt like I got a good workout, although I would have been even happier with more core work and less leg work, because legs are my strength (or so I thought) and my abs, well, they could use some work, but I digress ...
I should also note that besides the physical therapy, elliptical during my no-running weeks, one hot yoga class, and the recently added push-ups and stretching, I have done nothing but swim, bike and run since April of 2008.
Ok, so back on topic. I woke up this morning for a 7 mile run to test my Piriformis Syndrome and immediately felt stiff from Monday's class, but I still managed a decent run. I didn't feel any pain specific to my PS, which was good. I listened to Born to Run and was happy to be listening to a portion that described run technique so I was able to play with my stride a bit.
After my run, I took my shower, got dressed for work and drove my boys to school. I wore flip flops because I have found driving in heels aggravates the tendinitis in my left foot. When I got to work I put on my super cute BCBG black peep toe patent leather pumps ... and after taking one step I nearly fell over.
I hobbled and found my stride and as usual, took the door to the parking garage stairs to take the 3 flights down to the ground level and after the first step, I almost fell over again! I literally had to use the hand rail to make it down the stairs. Later in the day, I was crossing my legs at my desk and had to pick up my leg in order to do so. I am still stiff walking, although thankfully walking is much easier in flip flops than in 3 inch heels!
I can't remember the last time I felt this sore ... definitely not after Ironman or any other race in the last 2 years. It just goes to show that you can be in shape in one aspect of your health (endurance) but entirely out of shape in another (everything else!).
The good news is that all of those leg exercises should be strengthening the area around my Piriformis. I have no idea how my run today effected my PS because my legs were so sore from my workout, so I will be anxious to see how it feels after Thursday's run.
Two things are for certain -- one) I am going to feel like a brick tomorrow during my swim (hmmm...maybe I will postpone my swim until Friday??) and two) I better keep this up so I don't feel this sore next time!
10 Things That Make Me Happy
I was tagged, so here are some personal tidbits about what makes me happy...
1. Tickle fights with my boys and getting greeted at the door with hugs and kisses after a long day’s work or a tough workout
Tyler's Tickle Monsters
2. Cuddling on the couch with Douglas (and Indy, our chocolate lab) watching How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory -- if you don't watch these shows, you are missing out!
8. Capturing great photos of my family – the age of innocence is fleeting and those smiles are so precious!
9. Margaritas with girlfriends – I definitely don’t get to enjoy this one often enough!
10. Blog comments. The encouragement is fantastic, the feedback is helpful and it gives me a sense of community. I am pretty good about leaving comments on people’s blogs who leave comments on mine, wink wink!
Now, I am supposed to tag 10 fellow bloggers - all of these blogs are definitely worth a read, including the blogs of Mark (TriDadofFive) and Kelly (TriMommyLife) who both tagged me!
1. Iron Trish
2. Joel - TriMadness
3. Kristin - The Lazy Marathoner
4. Big Daddy Diesel
5. Jessi Thompson - a super FAST trimommy!
6. Sonja - Go Sonja! - Endurance athlete extraordinare
7. Sally Aston
8. Kathleen
9. Mike Russell
10. Rockstar Tri
1. Tickle fights with my boys and getting greeted at the door with hugs and kisses after a long day’s work or a tough workout
Tyler's Tickle Monsters
2. Cuddling on the couch with Douglas (and Indy, our chocolate lab) watching How I Met Your Mother and Big Bang Theory -- if you don't watch these shows, you are missing out!
3. Finishing the “toughest” workout of the week, usually my long brick and crossing the finish line at a race (elation!)
4. A good meal, particularly (in no specific order) pancakes, spaghetti, sandwiches on fresh bread, ok, really any good meal. I love to eat.
5. My weekly catch up calls with Allie (she lives in CA and I only get to see her once a year or so, but it is so nice to decompress with a girlfriend!) and family fun dates with the Browns, Englands and McGowans
6. A good bargain – I love finding *things I need / want* on sale!
7. Listening to a good audio book on a long run – it is a multi-tasker’s dream come true!
8. Capturing great photos of my family – the age of innocence is fleeting and those smiles are so precious!
9. Margaritas with girlfriends – I definitely don’t get to enjoy this one often enough!
10. Blog comments. The encouragement is fantastic, the feedback is helpful and it gives me a sense of community. I am pretty good about leaving comments on people’s blogs who leave comments on mine, wink wink!Now, I am supposed to tag 10 fellow bloggers - all of these blogs are definitely worth a read, including the blogs of Mark (TriDadofFive) and Kelly (TriMommyLife) who both tagged me!
1. Iron Trish
2. Joel - TriMadness
3. Kristin - The Lazy Marathoner
4. Big Daddy Diesel
5. Jessi Thompson - a super FAST trimommy!
6. Sonja - Go Sonja! - Endurance athlete extraordinare
7. Sally Aston
8. Kathleen
9. Mike Russell
10. Rockstar Tri
Monday, January 18, 2010
Orthotics
As expected, the podiatrist I saw today recommended custom orthotics. I have heard great things about him and his orthotics, as he goes to great lengths to create a well fitting, functional orthotic (thanks, Kathleen!). The way it was described to me is that the orthotic would engage my foot in a way that would lessen the use (and thus impact) to the tendons / muscles that are currently inappropriately overworking and it will further engage the muscles that are currently inappropriately not fully engaged.
I am waiting to hear how much my insurance will cover and in the mean time, how my runs feel this week without orthotics. I am somewhat torn on how to proceed – my feet are a mess and always have been thanks to bunions, so I think the orthotic could be helpful, but there also seems to be a lot of science saying that less is more. I am leaning towards giving them a shot to see if they help. You have to cross one bridge at a time, right? If you wear orthotics, I am definitely interested in hearing about your experiences.
Thank you all for your recommendations last week. I am definitely going to keep asking questions. I did have the PT check my SI joint (again) and he said that I was generally in-line. He also had me do several exercises to see if they caused pain that would be typical of the SI joint and I did not experience any pain, so for now I am still focused on piriformis syndrome. I was happy to hear (and to read) that spending time in flip flops and barefoot is good for strengthening your foot because I live in flip flops 9 months of the year here (except at work, unfortunately) and I am always barefoot at home.
Here is the weekly wrap up – I am really looking forward to running again this week (and listening to Born to Run!)!
Mileage for Week Ending 1/17/2010
Swim: 2000 yards in 1:00
Bike: 50 miles in 3:10
Run: 17 miles in 2:41
Total: 6:51
Stretching / Foam Roller / Push Ups / Core: 1:50
I am waiting to hear how much my insurance will cover and in the mean time, how my runs feel this week without orthotics. I am somewhat torn on how to proceed – my feet are a mess and always have been thanks to bunions, so I think the orthotic could be helpful, but there also seems to be a lot of science saying that less is more. I am leaning towards giving them a shot to see if they help. You have to cross one bridge at a time, right? If you wear orthotics, I am definitely interested in hearing about your experiences.
Thank you all for your recommendations last week. I am definitely going to keep asking questions. I did have the PT check my SI joint (again) and he said that I was generally in-line. He also had me do several exercises to see if they caused pain that would be typical of the SI joint and I did not experience any pain, so for now I am still focused on piriformis syndrome. I was happy to hear (and to read) that spending time in flip flops and barefoot is good for strengthening your foot because I live in flip flops 9 months of the year here (except at work, unfortunately) and I am always barefoot at home.
Here is the weekly wrap up – I am really looking forward to running again this week (and listening to Born to Run!)!
Mileage for Week Ending 1/17/2010
Swim: 2000 yards in 1:00
Bike: 50 miles in 3:10
Run: 17 miles in 2:41
Total: 6:51
Stretching / Foam Roller / Push Ups / Core: 1:50
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Born to Run
I am currently listening to Born to Run on audio and I am really enjoying the stories of these ultra runners. Like others, it has reminded me how much I love to run. I think now more than ever, after a forced hiatus from running, I realize how much I enjoy running.
Like the author of Born to Run, I am frustrated by an injury and even more frustrated by the conflicting advice that is currently saturating the running community. Newtons and the Barefoot phenomenon vs more supportive shoes is just one example.
I have not finished the book but my husband and others have, so I know generally how the author feels about stretching, cushioned running shoes, podiatrist, orthotics, etc -- and spoiler alert -- he thinks they are crap.
I am currently running in a light weight fairly neutral shoe. I have been wearing this exact shoe and style for over a year, but in that time, I have gone through 3 pairs and until mid-November I was totally injury free. In fact, I have run for exercise for as long as I can remember and have never had a running injury.
I know a lot of people who swear by stretching and orthotics and others who think they cause more harm than good.
So what gives? Is there a right answer? My guess is that it depends on the person, so I need to figure out what I need. Has something changed in how I run and what is the best way to be entirely injury free again? I am working on getting these questions answered.
After 3 weeks of rest from running and 6 weeks of PT, I have had three runs back. My first run, a 4 miler, went off without a hitch and I had no pain during or after. My PT encouraged me to increase my distance to see how I felt, so on Tuesday I ran 7 miles with no pain during the run, but I felt the Piriformis Syndrome for the rest of the day. It is not extremely painful, but, it is literally, a pain in the butt! It also makes my leg tingle. I had no pain on Wednesday though, so I tried again this morning and I will see how I feel the rest of the day. I had no acute pain during today's run.
I have an appointment on Monday with a new podiatrist that treats a lot of local triathletes and runners. I will be interested in what he has to say. I still have some pain in my left foot in the anterior tibial tendon, so I will ask him about that too.
So, the bottom line for me is that neither of my injuries bothered me while I was not running, but came back, at least to some degree, when I started running again. I know there is a formula to get back to the point where I could run forever without any pain, during or after, and I just need to figure out what it is.
The good news is that the fire pain I felt in my calves on my two runs immediately before I took my 3 week break has not returned. That was the main driver on taking the time off. At the time the PT thought I may have been overcompensating from the Piriformis Syndrome, but I think it likely had more to do with the hills and speed work I did the weekend prior. The PS in my right hip and the tendonitis in my left foot don't hurt (much) while I am running, so I am confident that I can simultaneously work on correcting these issues while keeping my April races on track. A bike focused program is usually beneficial to triathletes, right?
So, for now, I am gathering opinions on the best course forward. My last PT appointment is tomorrow so I will see what they have to say. Then there is the podiatrist appointment, and I am also looking for someone to look at my running form. I would love to hear what you all think.
Do I hang up my running shoes for a while longer? Note: I don't think this is the answer :)
Do I try custom orthotics?
Do I work on my running form?
Do I do nothing and see if I leave it alone - no PT to aggravate it, whether it gets better on its own?
Recommendations on who to visit for a second / third / fourth opinion?
Something else?
I do agree with the author on one thing for certain -- we are born to run and running should be generally pain free. I WILL find a way to get there again!
Like the author of Born to Run, I am frustrated by an injury and even more frustrated by the conflicting advice that is currently saturating the running community. Newtons and the Barefoot phenomenon vs more supportive shoes is just one example.
I have not finished the book but my husband and others have, so I know generally how the author feels about stretching, cushioned running shoes, podiatrist, orthotics, etc -- and spoiler alert -- he thinks they are crap.
I am currently running in a light weight fairly neutral shoe. I have been wearing this exact shoe and style for over a year, but in that time, I have gone through 3 pairs and until mid-November I was totally injury free. In fact, I have run for exercise for as long as I can remember and have never had a running injury.
I know a lot of people who swear by stretching and orthotics and others who think they cause more harm than good.
So what gives? Is there a right answer? My guess is that it depends on the person, so I need to figure out what I need. Has something changed in how I run and what is the best way to be entirely injury free again? I am working on getting these questions answered.
After 3 weeks of rest from running and 6 weeks of PT, I have had three runs back. My first run, a 4 miler, went off without a hitch and I had no pain during or after. My PT encouraged me to increase my distance to see how I felt, so on Tuesday I ran 7 miles with no pain during the run, but I felt the Piriformis Syndrome for the rest of the day. It is not extremely painful, but, it is literally, a pain in the butt! It also makes my leg tingle. I had no pain on Wednesday though, so I tried again this morning and I will see how I feel the rest of the day. I had no acute pain during today's run.
I have an appointment on Monday with a new podiatrist that treats a lot of local triathletes and runners. I will be interested in what he has to say. I still have some pain in my left foot in the anterior tibial tendon, so I will ask him about that too.
So, the bottom line for me is that neither of my injuries bothered me while I was not running, but came back, at least to some degree, when I started running again. I know there is a formula to get back to the point where I could run forever without any pain, during or after, and I just need to figure out what it is.
The good news is that the fire pain I felt in my calves on my two runs immediately before I took my 3 week break has not returned. That was the main driver on taking the time off. At the time the PT thought I may have been overcompensating from the Piriformis Syndrome, but I think it likely had more to do with the hills and speed work I did the weekend prior. The PS in my right hip and the tendonitis in my left foot don't hurt (much) while I am running, so I am confident that I can simultaneously work on correcting these issues while keeping my April races on track. A bike focused program is usually beneficial to triathletes, right?
So, for now, I am gathering opinions on the best course forward. My last PT appointment is tomorrow so I will see what they have to say. Then there is the podiatrist appointment, and I am also looking for someone to look at my running form. I would love to hear what you all think.
Do I hang up my running shoes for a while longer? Note: I don't think this is the answer :)
Do I try custom orthotics?
Do I work on my running form?
Do I do nothing and see if I leave it alone - no PT to aggravate it, whether it gets better on its own?
Recommendations on who to visit for a second / third / fourth opinion?
Something else?
I do agree with the author on one thing for certain -- we are born to run and running should be generally pain free. I WILL find a way to get there again!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Decisions
You know, the thing about decisions for me is that they can be hard to make, but once they are made I feel so much better. I try not to question the decision, but stick with the plan that was made as a result of the decision.
After some soul searching and a heart to heart with my super supportive hubby, I decided not to run the Rocky Raccoon 50 miler. First, I had to ask myself why this race was so important to me.
I just needed to be honest with myself to realize the reason the race was really important to me was that my training partner and I had discussed doing this together and I did not want to let him down.
Do I want to do an ultra one day? Yes. Do I want to do an ultra less than 1 month from now after coming off an injury and 3 weeks of no running? Ummm, no.
Rocky was never an A race, it was a space filler, something to train for during the off season. So why risk aggravating an injury that could jeapordize my entire tri season? I want to train for an ultra and be able to treat it as an A race.
I felt like a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders when I told my buddy that I was not going to run. I volunteered to go out and support him on the course and even volunteer at the race, if he chooses to run it.
With that, there is no looking back. I am finishing up PT, enjoying the rest of my off season (with a new reduced schedule!), and looking at a couple of shorter road races to add some fun in to the schedule in February.
I have two races in April that I am targeting, a new Oly distance race put on by the race directors that do Escape from Alcatraz, called Gateway to the Bay (April 11) and the Lonestar 70.3 (April 24), two weeks later.
My training is going to have to start in earnest in abut two weeks, so I am going to try to have as much fun as I can over the next two weeks - mixing up my workouts and not worrying about mileage.
Oh, and very exciting news ... I was cleared for a test run! I ran 4 miles on Saturday with NO PAIN! I will be s-l-o-w-l-y building my mileage back up over the next month, provided the PT is happy with my progress on Monday.
Mileage for Week Ending 1/10/2010
Swim: 2200 yards in 1:00
Bike: 20 miles in 1:15
Run: 4 miles in 0:37
Elliptical: 2:45
Rowing: 0:15
Total Active Time: 5:52
Stretching / Foam Roller / Push Ups / Core: 1:05
Happy training!
After some soul searching and a heart to heart with my super supportive hubby, I decided not to run the Rocky Raccoon 50 miler. First, I had to ask myself why this race was so important to me.
I just needed to be honest with myself to realize the reason the race was really important to me was that my training partner and I had discussed doing this together and I did not want to let him down.
Do I want to do an ultra one day? Yes. Do I want to do an ultra less than 1 month from now after coming off an injury and 3 weeks of no running? Ummm, no.
Rocky was never an A race, it was a space filler, something to train for during the off season. So why risk aggravating an injury that could jeapordize my entire tri season? I want to train for an ultra and be able to treat it as an A race.
I felt like a huge burden had been lifted off my shoulders when I told my buddy that I was not going to run. I volunteered to go out and support him on the course and even volunteer at the race, if he chooses to run it.
With that, there is no looking back. I am finishing up PT, enjoying the rest of my off season (with a new reduced schedule!), and looking at a couple of shorter road races to add some fun in to the schedule in February.
I have two races in April that I am targeting, a new Oly distance race put on by the race directors that do Escape from Alcatraz, called Gateway to the Bay (April 11) and the Lonestar 70.3 (April 24), two weeks later.
My training is going to have to start in earnest in abut two weeks, so I am going to try to have as much fun as I can over the next two weeks - mixing up my workouts and not worrying about mileage.
Oh, and very exciting news ... I was cleared for a test run! I ran 4 miles on Saturday with NO PAIN! I will be s-l-o-w-l-y building my mileage back up over the next month, provided the PT is happy with my progress on Monday.
Mileage for Week Ending 1/10/2010
Swim: 2200 yards in 1:00
Bike: 20 miles in 1:15
Run: 4 miles in 0:37
Elliptical: 2:45
Rowing: 0:15
Total Active Time: 5:52
Stretching / Foam Roller / Push Ups / Core: 1:05
Happy training!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Sunday Report
I am starting to have a love / hate relationship with the elliptical machine. In an effort to keep up my "mileage", now that I have been cleared to do everything but run, I have been spending a lot of quality time on the elliptical to simulate running.
I am headed to the PT tomorrow morning for another session and I am hopeful that he sees improvement in my leg ... but the real test will come when I get to go for my first test run, hopefully Saturday.
In the mean time, I will be spending a lot more quality time on the elliptical machine. Fun, fun, fun! I will never complain about a long run again ...
Mileage for Week Ending 1/3/2010(!)
Swim: 2200 yards in 1:00 -- toughest, slowest swim I have had in a long time! Serves me right for skipping the pool for 3 weeks.
Bike: 12 miles in 0:45
Run: 0 miles in 0:00
Elliptical: 5:00
Total Active Time: 6:45
Stretching / Foam Roller / Push Ups / Core: 0:50
I am headed to the PT tomorrow morning for another session and I am hopeful that he sees improvement in my leg ... but the real test will come when I get to go for my first test run, hopefully Saturday.
In the mean time, I will be spending a lot more quality time on the elliptical machine. Fun, fun, fun! I will never complain about a long run again ...
Mileage for Week Ending 1/3/2010(!)
Swim: 2200 yards in 1:00 -- toughest, slowest swim I have had in a long time! Serves me right for skipping the pool for 3 weeks.
Bike: 12 miles in 0:45
Run: 0 miles in 0:00
Elliptical: 5:00
Total Active Time: 6:45
Stretching / Foam Roller / Push Ups / Core: 0:50
Friday, January 1, 2010
Goals for 2010
Happy New Year!
The birth of a new decade brings with it new goals and new challenges.
I try to keep things simple, so I usually have one goal a year and everything I do is in working towards that goal.
My goals for the last several years have been:
2006 - pass the CPA exam
2007 - Tyler was born, nurse for 1 year
2008 - Get back in shape for me, tackle a HIM
2009 - Ironman Florida
Don't get me wrong, there are always other, smaller goals that I may be working on at any given time, but there are only so many hours in a day, so those goals sometimes get squeezed as I work on my main goal for the year (for example, my photography has taken a major backseat to triathlon training) while trying to also be the best mommy, wife, friend, daughter, and worker bee that I can be.
So, what is in store for 2010?
I have a personal, non-triathlon specific goal that will be easy to quantify at the end of the year (e.g. did I do it or not!), and that is ...
To read the Bible from cover to cover. I found a great One Year Bible, which is broken into 365 daily readings (15 minutes or less a day!). This has been on my list for a while, so I am excited to have found a tool to help me achieve this goal.
I also want to spend more time on photography, but I know that until I make it a priority (like take classes, buy lenses), I will live in a state of mediocrity! I am going to make an effort to add more photos to my blogs this year to kill two birds with one stone and I will also look for a photography project each month to keep me focused.
Jan - Get organized!; Feb - Tyler's 3rd Bday Portraits; Mar - Spring Break; Apr - Bluebonnets; May -Mommy&Me (tripod fun); Jun - Father's Day - Daddy Photos; Jul - Andrew's 6th(!) Bday Portraits; Aug - Summer Fun; Sept - Road Trip; Oct - Halloween Portraits; Nov - A Day in Photos; Dec - Night Photography
The endurance training front is trickier for me for 2010. I do have specific goals but I don't have a big, fat hairy goal like I have had the last 2 years. It is almost harder because I am trying to fine tune my training (and results!) so rather than a singular goal, I have a theme I want to focus on in 2010. I am hopeful that if I write down my plan I will be more likely to hold myself accountable each month on the topics below.
Theme: Respect my body.
It has worked hard for me for 2 years and I need to return the favor by giving it what it needs. No more excuses that I don't have time. I need to train smarter not harder, and I am going to do that by:
1. Weekly stretching and foam rollering. Massages as necessary. Tackle minor injuries before they turn into big problems.
Quantifiable goal: 30 mins per week of stretching and/or foam rollering. That is less than 5 minutes per day! I can do that ...
2. Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. Every day, pre-race and race day. I did a good job with race day nutrition in 2009, but I could have done a lot more in terms of daily hydration (I live in a constant state of dehydration), recovery nutrition (directly after a long, hard workout or after a race), and of course, my daily diet (hello vegetables, nice to meet you, my name is Anne ...).
Quantifiable Goal: drink at least 64 ounces of water a day (more when needed) and begin using First Endurance Ultragen for recovery after all hard efforts and races. My diet? I need a goal I can achieve, so my goal is to learn to make 2 new healthy, well balanced meals that we can add to our repertoire.
3. Core / stability / strength training sessions 2x per week
Quantifiable Goal: I want abs. No more mommy belly. In January I will work with a personal trainer to develop a program that I can follow 1) at the gym (30-45 minutes) and 2) at home (15 minutes or less). I may not ever have a 6 pack, but I can be fit and strong!
4. Focus on swimming technique
Quantifiable Goal: Get videoed (again!) and work on weak areas. Do more intervals to work on speed. Utilize Tri swim coach DVD. To swim fast you have to swim fast!
5. Fun Goals to Chase
Quantifiable Goals:
-Do a Sprint just for fun and leave it all on the course
-PR HIM (time to beat: 5:52:58)
-Complete Cedar Point Iron Distance Triathlon -- if I can maintain my swim and run and better my bike, I should be able to break 13:00 and then some ...
-Complete an Ultra (may defer this goal depending on recovery of existing injuries)
To keep myself honest, I will check-in on these goals when I do my month in numbers blog posts. Here is to a productive year!
The birth of a new decade brings with it new goals and new challenges.
I try to keep things simple, so I usually have one goal a year and everything I do is in working towards that goal.
My goals for the last several years have been:
2006 - pass the CPA exam
2007 - Tyler was born, nurse for 1 year
2008 - Get back in shape for me, tackle a HIM
2009 - Ironman Florida
Don't get me wrong, there are always other, smaller goals that I may be working on at any given time, but there are only so many hours in a day, so those goals sometimes get squeezed as I work on my main goal for the year (for example, my photography has taken a major backseat to triathlon training) while trying to also be the best mommy, wife, friend, daughter, and worker bee that I can be.
So, what is in store for 2010?
I have a personal, non-triathlon specific goal that will be easy to quantify at the end of the year (e.g. did I do it or not!), and that is ...
To read the Bible from cover to cover. I found a great One Year Bible, which is broken into 365 daily readings (15 minutes or less a day!). This has been on my list for a while, so I am excited to have found a tool to help me achieve this goal.
I also want to spend more time on photography, but I know that until I make it a priority (like take classes, buy lenses), I will live in a state of mediocrity! I am going to make an effort to add more photos to my blogs this year to kill two birds with one stone and I will also look for a photography project each month to keep me focused.
Jan - Get organized!; Feb - Tyler's 3rd Bday Portraits; Mar - Spring Break; Apr - Bluebonnets; May -Mommy&Me (tripod fun); Jun - Father's Day - Daddy Photos; Jul - Andrew's 6th(!) Bday Portraits; Aug - Summer Fun; Sept - Road Trip; Oct - Halloween Portraits; Nov - A Day in Photos; Dec - Night Photography
The endurance training front is trickier for me for 2010. I do have specific goals but I don't have a big, fat hairy goal like I have had the last 2 years. It is almost harder because I am trying to fine tune my training (and results!) so rather than a singular goal, I have a theme I want to focus on in 2010. I am hopeful that if I write down my plan I will be more likely to hold myself accountable each month on the topics below.
Theme: Respect my body.
It has worked hard for me for 2 years and I need to return the favor by giving it what it needs. No more excuses that I don't have time. I need to train smarter not harder, and I am going to do that by:
1. Weekly stretching and foam rollering. Massages as necessary. Tackle minor injuries before they turn into big problems.
Quantifiable goal: 30 mins per week of stretching and/or foam rollering. That is less than 5 minutes per day! I can do that ...
2. Nutrition, nutrition, nutrition. Every day, pre-race and race day. I did a good job with race day nutrition in 2009, but I could have done a lot more in terms of daily hydration (I live in a constant state of dehydration), recovery nutrition (directly after a long, hard workout or after a race), and of course, my daily diet (hello vegetables, nice to meet you, my name is Anne ...).
Quantifiable Goal: drink at least 64 ounces of water a day (more when needed) and begin using First Endurance Ultragen for recovery after all hard efforts and races. My diet? I need a goal I can achieve, so my goal is to learn to make 2 new healthy, well balanced meals that we can add to our repertoire.
3. Core / stability / strength training sessions 2x per week
Quantifiable Goal: I want abs. No more mommy belly. In January I will work with a personal trainer to develop a program that I can follow 1) at the gym (30-45 minutes) and 2) at home (15 minutes or less). I may not ever have a 6 pack, but I can be fit and strong!
4. Focus on swimming technique
Quantifiable Goal: Get videoed (again!) and work on weak areas. Do more intervals to work on speed. Utilize Tri swim coach DVD. To swim fast you have to swim fast!
5. Fun Goals to Chase
Quantifiable Goals:
-Do a Sprint just for fun and leave it all on the course
-PR HIM (time to beat: 5:52:58)
-Complete Cedar Point Iron Distance Triathlon -- if I can maintain my swim and run and better my bike, I should be able to break 13:00 and then some ...
-Complete an Ultra (may defer this goal depending on recovery of existing injuries)
To keep myself honest, I will check-in on these goals when I do my month in numbers blog posts. Here is to a productive year!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Year In Review
2009 was an incredible year for me personally. I turned 30 and accomplished two big goals - a sub 4 hour marathon and an Ironman finish. It is easy to lose perspective when you are living this lifestyle -- at least for me -- and I sometimes have to take a step back and remind myself of the awesomeness of the feats I tackled this year.
The good thing about perspective is that is keeps me humble (I hope!), reminds me not to rest on my laurels and in the grand scheme of things, reminds me that these endurance sports I enjoy so much are hobbies. I know that I am not curing cancer or inventing something that is going to change the lives of millions ... but I am changing my life and hopefully setting a good example for my boys.
So, as this year draws to a close, we will be celebrating the end of a memorable year and toasting to even better things to come. The best to you and yours for 2010!
Mileage for 2009
Swim: 286,862 yards or 163 miles in 116:09:00 -- approximately the distance from Houston to Austin. 3x the volume of 2008!
Bike: 4058 miles in 240:14:00 -- approximately the distance from Houston to Lake Tahoe and back! 3x the volume of 2008!
Run: 1451 miles in 219:38:00 -- approximately the distance from Houston to Baltimore (I could have run to see Trishie!). A 60% increase from 2008!
Total Time: 577:33:00
The good thing about perspective is that is keeps me humble (I hope!), reminds me not to rest on my laurels and in the grand scheme of things, reminds me that these endurance sports I enjoy so much are hobbies. I know that I am not curing cancer or inventing something that is going to change the lives of millions ... but I am changing my life and hopefully setting a good example for my boys.
So, as this year draws to a close, we will be celebrating the end of a memorable year and toasting to even better things to come. The best to you and yours for 2010!
Mileage for 2009
Swim: 286,862 yards or 163 miles in 116:09:00 -- approximately the distance from Houston to Austin. 3x the volume of 2008!
Bike: 4058 miles in 240:14:00 -- approximately the distance from Houston to Lake Tahoe and back! 3x the volume of 2008!
Run: 1451 miles in 219:38:00 -- approximately the distance from Houston to Baltimore (I could have run to see Trishie!). A 60% increase from 2008!
Total Time: 577:33:00
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Off the Bench and Other Musings
Good news: I was partially released from the PT to do everything ...
Bad news: ... but running. I am out of my running shoes until January 9. In the mean time, I think I am going to have to start a love affair with the Elliptical machine.
With my new freedom and my PT's blessing, I hit the pool this morning. It was my first time in several weeks to swim and as such I thought I would feel phenomenal, gliding through the water after coming off a week's rest.
Umm, no.
The good news was that I had not forgotten how to swim, but I definitely didn't feel like a fish. It was a good reminder to me on why I don't take time away from the pool. I have decided I need one of these to keep me motivated in the pool.
I did hit the deck and do 5 sets of 10 push-ups immediately after my swim ... the pool was empty, otherwise, I probably would have been too intimitated, but I was really happy with myself afterwards.
With my second season of triathlon behind me, I want my focus this upcoming year to be on getting stronger (hence the push-ups) and ultimately working smarter, not necessarily harder. Goals/resolutions for 2010 coming soon ...
Mileage for Week Ending 12/27/09
Swim: 0 yards in 0:00
Bike: 16 miles in 1:00
Run: 16.4 miles in 2:30[2 workouts]
Total Time: 3:30
And for your reading pleasure, How to Train for Triathon without Getting a Divorce ...
Bad news: ... but running. I am out of my running shoes until January 9. In the mean time, I think I am going to have to start a love affair with the Elliptical machine.
With my new freedom and my PT's blessing, I hit the pool this morning. It was my first time in several weeks to swim and as such I thought I would feel phenomenal, gliding through the water after coming off a week's rest.
Umm, no.
The good news was that I had not forgotten how to swim, but I definitely didn't feel like a fish. It was a good reminder to me on why I don't take time away from the pool. I have decided I need one of these to keep me motivated in the pool.
I did hit the deck and do 5 sets of 10 push-ups immediately after my swim ... the pool was empty, otherwise, I probably would have been too intimitated, but I was really happy with myself afterwards.
With my second season of triathlon behind me, I want my focus this upcoming year to be on getting stronger (hence the push-ups) and ultimately working smarter, not necessarily harder. Goals/resolutions for 2010 coming soon ...
Mileage for Week Ending 12/27/09
Swim: 0 yards in 0:00
Bike: 16 miles in 1:00
Run: 16.4 miles in 2:30[2 workouts]
Total Time: 3:30
And for your reading pleasure, How to Train for Triathon without Getting a Divorce ...
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
On the Bench
Despite some improvements, my PT put me on the bench Wednesday. To his credit, we tried active recovery. I am just not improving enough and as I overcompensate, I am feeling pulls and strains in other places, like my calves (really, the soleus muscle). The last thing I want to do is get a season ending injury before the season starts!
I have been ordered to take a week off of EVERYTHING. No swimming, no biking and definitely no running! They really don't want me to do anything that engages my legs. They almost begged me to just take the entire week off (no yoga, no pilates, etc) and to just do the excercises they gave me.
Rather than being frustrated, I am going to enjoy the time off a la Steve in a Speedo and spend the quality time with my family. I will do the strengthening exercises and stretches and maybe some core work and push ups, but that is it. I am confident that if I am good for this week that when I go in for my evaluation Tuesday morning I will be cleared to at least swim and bike again. I have a feeling that they are going to suggest additional time out of my running shoes though ... (let's face it, I am really only doing 5 days of nothing as it stands since I biked Wednesday at lunch before PT).
So, how do I feel about all this and what does it mean for the Rocky Raccoon 50?
I have mixed feelings, to be honest. I worked extremely hard for nearly 2 years straight to get to Ironman. I got there injury free and had an amazing race. I can see the big picture and I am not going to be selfish. Being an athlete means respecting my body, and as the PT reminded me, this is not my source of income.
I still really want to do the Rocky 50, but I will not be broken hearted if I have to miss it ... definitely not like I would have been to miss Ironman. It is all going to depend on how much time I have to take off and the improvements I make in that period. There will be other opportunities to do an Ultra and the practical person in me is happy because I haven't actually registered for the race yet (I was waiting to see how my recovery progressed).
Gluttony, here I come! Good thing New Year's resolutions are around the corner ...
I have been ordered to take a week off of EVERYTHING. No swimming, no biking and definitely no running! They really don't want me to do anything that engages my legs. They almost begged me to just take the entire week off (no yoga, no pilates, etc) and to just do the excercises they gave me.
Rather than being frustrated, I am going to enjoy the time off a la Steve in a Speedo and spend the quality time with my family. I will do the strengthening exercises and stretches and maybe some core work and push ups, but that is it. I am confident that if I am good for this week that when I go in for my evaluation Tuesday morning I will be cleared to at least swim and bike again. I have a feeling that they are going to suggest additional time out of my running shoes though ... (let's face it, I am really only doing 5 days of nothing as it stands since I biked Wednesday at lunch before PT).
So, how do I feel about all this and what does it mean for the Rocky Raccoon 50?
I have mixed feelings, to be honest. I worked extremely hard for nearly 2 years straight to get to Ironman. I got there injury free and had an amazing race. I can see the big picture and I am not going to be selfish. Being an athlete means respecting my body, and as the PT reminded me, this is not my source of income.
I still really want to do the Rocky 50, but I will not be broken hearted if I have to miss it ... definitely not like I would have been to miss Ironman. It is all going to depend on how much time I have to take off and the improvements I make in that period. There will be other opportunities to do an Ultra and the practical person in me is happy because I haven't actually registered for the race yet (I was waiting to see how my recovery progressed).
Gluttony, here I come! Good thing New Year's resolutions are around the corner ...
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Recovery Week
Ahhh ... recovery week. I would have loved to do some swimming or biking this week, but I just couldn't find the time and I didn't want to break my no doubles rule this month. I find it funny that I couldn't find the time, when in reality, that really means, it just wasn't as important to me this week as was sleeping in, the demands of my job and Christmas shopping! I really am trying to take this off season stuff seriously!
I am looking forward to having some time off from work in the upcoming weeks so my big running weeks won't feel so demanding. I have also not been as respectful to my body as I should be -- no stretching, foam rollering or PT this week. I am working on my resolutions for 2010 and this will definitely by one of them. You have to take care of the body that works so hard to deliver the results you demand from it. My training resolutions for 2010 will definitely center around that theme.
Mileage for Week Ending 12/20/09
Swim: 0 yards in 0:00
Bike: 0 miles in 0:00
Run: 38 miles in 5:45 [4 workouts]
Total Time: 5:45
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
And the verdict is ...
Tendinitis of the anterior tibial tendon in my left foot.
What does that mean? It is likely an overuse injury, but the podiatrist was not overly concerned. A prescription for an anti-inflammatory and directions to heat, rub, and ice [repeat] later, I was out of the office within 10 minutes. Note, he was specific that I could continue running. He said that while it might hurt, I was not going to cause any long term damage by continuing to run. He said I should be mostly better in 3 weeks ... the count starts now.
I am also battling a case of what may be piriformis syndrome (per my PT). Again, likely from overuse, but the right combo of stretches and massage seem to be doing the trick.
Note for the record - I am committing now to seriously cut back on my running after this ultra (which will put me in the range of normal for most triathletes!). I think that will make a big difference in how I feel as I start the tri season.
Keep moving forward ...
What does that mean? It is likely an overuse injury, but the podiatrist was not overly concerned. A prescription for an anti-inflammatory and directions to heat, rub, and ice [repeat] later, I was out of the office within 10 minutes. Note, he was specific that I could continue running. He said that while it might hurt, I was not going to cause any long term damage by continuing to run. He said I should be mostly better in 3 weeks ... the count starts now.
I am also battling a case of what may be piriformis syndrome (per my PT). Again, likely from overuse, but the right combo of stretches and massage seem to be doing the trick.
Note for the record - I am committing now to seriously cut back on my running after this ultra (which will put me in the range of normal for most triathletes!). I think that will make a big difference in how I feel as I start the tri season.
Keep moving forward ...
Monday, December 14, 2009
Hypochondriac
Am I the only one?
I am the antithesis of the person who ignores symptoms for weeks or months on end and finally ends up at a doctor because things have gotten so bad they can hardly walk. I feel a pain once and I immediately make a mental note. If I notice it for more than a couple of days or a week (depending on the level of pain), I am seeing a doctor – period.
Doctors love to hate people like me. They love me because, well let’s face it, they make money off of people like me. They hate me because I am high maintenance, especially if they tell me something I don’t want to hear, not that anyone has yet. Hey, that is what second opinions are for. Okay, I am joking about that part. Sort of.
Good news – I am back up to full running mileage this week (according to my ultra plan) and my long run of 24 miles this week was not too painful. My average pace was 9:12, faster than I needed to be running, mainly because I was running with a group I don’t normally run with because my training partner was out of town. I did have moments of pain, but nothing consistent and the stretches and manual manipulation that the PT is doing seem to be working. Side note – my hubby thinks it is funny that every time I talk about what the PT does with his hands that the conversation is full of double entendres. See above sentence as an example. It makes me giggle.
So, why the post title? Well, first I am currently seeing a PT. That in and of itself should be enough said. However, a new pain has snuck up on me as well. It is on the top of my left foot where my ankle/leg hit my foot. Interestingly enough it doesn’t really hurt while I am running, but afterwards and in regular shoes. The pain is not intense either, but annoying enough that I notice it, so I scheduled an appointment with a podiatrist this afternoon to get some answers. I have a feeling he is going to laugh at me, but better safe than sorry! Side note 2 - I told my hubby I scheduled an appointment with a podiatrist this afternoon, and he replied, “why?” My answer: “Because my foot hurts, why else would one go to a podiatrist?” He laughed.
For the record, my training partner thinks I am crazy for going to the doctor all of the time – what do you guys think?
As you can see from my weekly numbers, I am taking the off season seriously and actually skipped the pool altogether this week – for the first time in 1.5 years!
Mileage for Week Ending 12/13/09
Swim: 0 yards in 0:00
Bike: 12 miles in 0:45 [1 trainer ride]
Run: 56.5 miles in 8:45 [5 workouts]
PT: 2:00
Total Time: 9:30
I am the antithesis of the person who ignores symptoms for weeks or months on end and finally ends up at a doctor because things have gotten so bad they can hardly walk. I feel a pain once and I immediately make a mental note. If I notice it for more than a couple of days or a week (depending on the level of pain), I am seeing a doctor – period.
Doctors love to hate people like me. They love me because, well let’s face it, they make money off of people like me. They hate me because I am high maintenance, especially if they tell me something I don’t want to hear, not that anyone has yet. Hey, that is what second opinions are for. Okay, I am joking about that part. Sort of.
Good news – I am back up to full running mileage this week (according to my ultra plan) and my long run of 24 miles this week was not too painful. My average pace was 9:12, faster than I needed to be running, mainly because I was running with a group I don’t normally run with because my training partner was out of town. I did have moments of pain, but nothing consistent and the stretches and manual manipulation that the PT is doing seem to be working. Side note – my hubby thinks it is funny that every time I talk about what the PT does with his hands that the conversation is full of double entendres. See above sentence as an example. It makes me giggle.
So, why the post title? Well, first I am currently seeing a PT. That in and of itself should be enough said. However, a new pain has snuck up on me as well. It is on the top of my left foot where my ankle/leg hit my foot. Interestingly enough it doesn’t really hurt while I am running, but afterwards and in regular shoes. The pain is not intense either, but annoying enough that I notice it, so I scheduled an appointment with a podiatrist this afternoon to get some answers. I have a feeling he is going to laugh at me, but better safe than sorry! Side note 2 - I told my hubby I scheduled an appointment with a podiatrist this afternoon, and he replied, “why?” My answer: “Because my foot hurts, why else would one go to a podiatrist?” He laughed.
For the record, my training partner thinks I am crazy for going to the doctor all of the time – what do you guys think?
As you can see from my weekly numbers, I am taking the off season seriously and actually skipped the pool altogether this week – for the first time in 1.5 years!
Mileage for Week Ending 12/13/09
Swim: 0 yards in 0:00
Bike: 12 miles in 0:45 [1 trainer ride]
Run: 56.5 miles in 8:45 [5 workouts]
PT: 2:00
Total Time: 9:30
Friday, December 11, 2009
Rev3 Codes Are Now Available!
Come on, I know you want to try out a Rev3 race!
These races are put on BY triathletes FOR triathletes. They pick the best, family friendly and spectator friendly venues around, plus offer great schwag to boot! They are passionate about offering a phenomenal race experience, you will not be disappointed!
If you have been debating pulling the trigger on signing up for one of these races (any of the distances), now I am giving you an extra incentive. $10 off! Who doesn’t love a bargain?
Use code Trakkers102 when registering on Active.com to get your discount.
Here is the Rev3 Race Schedule:
Knoxville – May 8 & 9: Choose from OlympicRev or HalfRev
Quassy – June 5 & 6: Choose from OlympicRev or HalfRev
Cedar Point – September 12: Choose from HalfRev or FullRev
They are also working on LittleRev races for the kids -- this company really is super family friendly!
These races are put on BY triathletes FOR triathletes. They pick the best, family friendly and spectator friendly venues around, plus offer great schwag to boot! They are passionate about offering a phenomenal race experience, you will not be disappointed!
If you have been debating pulling the trigger on signing up for one of these races (any of the distances), now I am giving you an extra incentive. $10 off! Who doesn’t love a bargain?
Use code Trakkers102 when registering on Active.com to get your discount.
Here is the Rev3 Race Schedule:
Knoxville – May 8 & 9: Choose from OlympicRev or HalfRev
Quassy – June 5 & 6: Choose from OlympicRev or HalfRev
Cedar Point – September 12: Choose from HalfRev or FullRev
They are also working on LittleRev races for the kids -- this company really is super family friendly!
Monday, December 7, 2009
One month post Ironman and the Sunday Report
I can't believe it has been a month since Ironman! I guess that is one thing you can always count on - time passing.
My post-Ironman glow has not yet faded and I am happy to report that my fortune (see the acutal fortune in my blog header) still rings true for me. "In dreams and in life, nothing is impossible." It is such a great reminder when things get tough, especially after a long run that felt harder than it should have, for example. I don't think I could even think about attempting an Ultra if I didn't believe it to be true though ...
The weeks post-Ironman have been spent in recovery and slowly ramping up my running mileage, along with visits to the PT office.
Sunday Report[s] -- I really missed riding this week!
Mileage for Week Ending 12/06/09
Swim: 2000 yards in 0:55 [1 workout]
Bike: 0 miles in 0:00
Run: 48.5 miles in 7:35 [4 workouts]
Foam Roller and PT: 1:00
Total Time: 9:30
Mileage for Week Ending 11/29/09
Swim: 2500 yards in 0:55 [1 workout]
Bike: 40 miles in 2:30[5 workout]
Run: 34 miles in 5:20 [4 workouts]
Other: Hot Yoga in 1:30 [1 workout]
Total Time: 10:15
My post-Ironman glow has not yet faded and I am happy to report that my fortune (see the acutal fortune in my blog header) still rings true for me. "In dreams and in life, nothing is impossible." It is such a great reminder when things get tough, especially after a long run that felt harder than it should have, for example. I don't think I could even think about attempting an Ultra if I didn't believe it to be true though ...
The weeks post-Ironman have been spent in recovery and slowly ramping up my running mileage, along with visits to the PT office.
Sunday Report[s] -- I really missed riding this week!
Mileage for Week Ending 12/06/09
Swim: 2000 yards in 0:55 [1 workout]
Bike: 0 miles in 0:00
Run: 48.5 miles in 7:35 [4 workouts]
Foam Roller and PT: 1:00
Total Time: 9:30
Mileage for Week Ending 11/29/09
Swim: 2500 yards in 0:55 [1 workout]
Bike: 40 miles in 2:30[5 workout]
Run: 34 miles in 5:20 [4 workouts]
Other: Hot Yoga in 1:30 [1 workout]
Total Time: 10:15
November Totals
Like most things post-Ironman, I am playing catch-up.
Here is the month in review:
November's Totals:
Bike: 16h 31m - 275.5 Mi
Run: 15h 30m - 97.5 Mi
Swim: 5h 37m - 15,336 Yd
Total Time - 37h 38m
My goal for December -- no two-a-days! There will be plenty of time for that once tri season starts in the Spring.
Here is the month in review:
November's Totals:
Bike: 16h 31m - 275.5 Mi
Run: 15h 30m - 97.5 Mi
Swim: 5h 37m - 15,336 Yd
Total Time - 37h 38m
My goal for December -- no two-a-days! There will be plenty of time for that once tri season starts in the Spring.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Say It Ain't Snow!
I can hardly believe it -- but it snowing right now in Houston, TX and it is supposed to snow all day!
Those of you in the Northeast, Midwest and Great White North will get a kick out of this ... schools were released before Noon, my doctor called to cancel my afternoon PT appointment and even my office is closing at 12:30 due to inclement weather!
We are going to play in the snow this afternoon!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
The #1 Question
Can you guess what the #1 and #2 questions that I get asked post Ironman Florida are?
.
.
.
Have you guessed yet?
.
.
.
Drum roll … the #1 question that I get asked now that Ironman Florida is behind me is, “What’s next?” This is usually followed closely be the #2 question (often before I have answered the #1 question), “Will you do another Ironman?”
I will start with the short answer. Yes, I plan on doing another Iron Distance race. I have caught the fever, love the lifestyle, enjoy the training (most days at least) and am looking forward to watching my endurance base grow with time.
My “A” race for 2010 will be the Rev3 Iron Distance Race at Cedar Point on September 12. This is a Trakkers sponsored race and I am really excited to meet the rest of the 2010 team, meet some of the new incredible sponsors including First Endurance and Tri Swim and of course, race with a Trakkers device!
Rev3 prides themselves in putting on family and spectator friendly events, something that is important to me, and because the races are put on by amazing world champion triathletes, you know it will be top notch!
Ok, so back to the #1 question, “What’s next?”
I should be focusing on my weakness, the swim, but the thought of spending endless hours in the pool this winter is, well, to put it nicely, m i s e r a b l e. I actually do enjoy swimming, but I have to drive to the pool and I can run from my front door and bike at the gym at lunch at work, so swimming takes more effort. I will definitely swim during the off season, but I will spend the majority of my time doing what I love – running. My training partner and I are 85% sure that we are going to do the 50 mile Rocky Raccoon trail run on February 6. This will be my first Ultra.
I am currently ramping back up my mileage while also trying to respect the recovery process. I have been visiting with a Physical Therapist for some deep rooted dull aching in my Piriformis that I experience while running and twinges of knee pain I experience while cycling – both started after Ironman. My current diagnosis is nothing serious … simply that I am super tight and have a slight muscle imbalance on my right side
So provided I continue to heal, recover from IMFL and ramp up my miles, I will do the 50 mile trail run. With Rocky Raccoon and Cedar Point as the anchor dates on my calendar, I am working to fill in the blanks between the two events and for the Fall after Cedar Point. I am not used to my last A race of the season being so early in the year!
.
.
.
Have you guessed yet?
.
.
.
Drum roll … the #1 question that I get asked now that Ironman Florida is behind me is, “What’s next?” This is usually followed closely be the #2 question (often before I have answered the #1 question), “Will you do another Ironman?”
I will start with the short answer. Yes, I plan on doing another Iron Distance race. I have caught the fever, love the lifestyle, enjoy the training (most days at least) and am looking forward to watching my endurance base grow with time.
My “A” race for 2010 will be the Rev3 Iron Distance Race at Cedar Point on September 12. This is a Trakkers sponsored race and I am really excited to meet the rest of the 2010 team, meet some of the new incredible sponsors including First Endurance and Tri Swim and of course, race with a Trakkers device!
Rev3 prides themselves in putting on family and spectator friendly events, something that is important to me, and because the races are put on by amazing world champion triathletes, you know it will be top notch!
Ok, so back to the #1 question, “What’s next?”
I should be focusing on my weakness, the swim, but the thought of spending endless hours in the pool this winter is, well, to put it nicely, m i s e r a b l e. I actually do enjoy swimming, but I have to drive to the pool and I can run from my front door and bike at the gym at lunch at work, so swimming takes more effort. I will definitely swim during the off season, but I will spend the majority of my time doing what I love – running. My training partner and I are 85% sure that we are going to do the 50 mile Rocky Raccoon trail run on February 6. This will be my first Ultra.
I am currently ramping back up my mileage while also trying to respect the recovery process. I have been visiting with a Physical Therapist for some deep rooted dull aching in my Piriformis that I experience while running and twinges of knee pain I experience while cycling – both started after Ironman. My current diagnosis is nothing serious … simply that I am super tight and have a slight muscle imbalance on my right side
So provided I continue to heal, recover from IMFL and ramp up my miles, I will do the 50 mile trail run. With Rocky Raccoon and Cedar Point as the anchor dates on my calendar, I am working to fill in the blanks between the two events and for the Fall after Cedar Point. I am not used to my last A race of the season being so early in the year!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
IMFL - The Run
As I crossed the timing mat at the Run Exit I couldn’t help but smile. I knew without a question that I would become an Ironman tonight. I felt great and was confident that I could run the entire marathon, but also knew that I had enough time to walk if I needed to, so there was no pressure!
The run was a two loop course, 13.1 mile loops (6.55 miles out and 6.55 miles back).
The start of the run included a short jaunt along condo row before turning to start the run towards Andrew’s State Park. At the turn, I saw Douglas holding a “Run Forrest Run” sign and got a quick kiss and a fist bump before heading out to really start the run.
My legs felt phenomenal and it took a lot of discipline to make myself slow down to run 10:00 minute miles. My goal for the run was to keep it over 10:00 minute miles at the beginning and under 10:30 minute miles at the end. I am used to running fast off the bike, so the beginning felt s-l-o-w. Discipline.
My first loop of the run was congested with runners on their SECOND lap! I felt strong and a handful of fasties on their second loop passed me, but for the most part I was passing a lot of runners. At this point into the run I didn’t see many walkers or folks doing the IM shuffle. I was hopeful I would be running this same pace on my second lap.
My nutrition strategy was to take a Clif block every other mile, starting at mile 1 and to take water at the aid stations, until something else “called” to me. I have never trained with coke or chicken broth, but many athletes told me to listen to my body and if something sounded good, not to be afraid to try it (starting in small doses, of course).
Around 4 or 5 miles into the run I met someone who was also on his first lap and running close to my pace. I wish I could remember his name so I could look up his finishing time. Anyhow, we chatted for a bit (well, mostly I chatted) and we ended up running together for several miles.
The state park was the quietest part of the course, but thankfully, having run the course at the Gulf Coast Tri in May, I knew what to expect. The Ford Motivational Center was set up in the middle of the park and when I ran over the timing mat, two things happened. First, I was excited to know that my supporters watching online were getting their first update on my marathon progress and second, a message from my family came up on the screen saying “Go, Mommy go!” This was a great motivator and pick me up in the middle of the desolate park.
As we exited the park on the first lap, chatting away, we passed a couple of athletes hitting the 20 mile mark on their second loop. They jokingly asked what I was drinking because they wanted some since I was in such a good mood. I replied that “this is supposed to be fun, right?”, and that I hoped I was still in such a good mood on my second lap. I made myself take a mental snapshot of how I felt at that moment because I wanted to recall those feelings when I hit this same spot on lap 2.
Somewhere around mile 8 or 9 I lost my running buddy when he walked through an aid station and I ran through it. It was also starting to get dark at this point, so I picked up a glow necklace as I made my way towards the end of the first loop. The first/last mile of the loop is where the crowds begin to form again and this section is the easiest to run through because the music, clapping, high-fives and encouragement almost carry you. There were women dressed in leather with whips, men dressed in bikinis, little kids holding their hands out for high-fives and what seemed like thousands of spectators lining the streets.
As I approached the turn around, several spectators said things like “bring it on home” assuming I was on my second lap. I didn’t let it get me down though because I knew I would get my turn. After the timing mat at the turnaround, I stopped at Special Needs to pick up the awesome light saber that Kathleen gave me before the race. I was so thankful to have it because it was so much darker on the course than I expected.
I looked for Douglas too, but did not see him and that stressed me out. I hated the idea that he might be out there waiting for me and worrying, since he missed seeing me. I had to keep on going though, so I pushed the idea out of my head and reminded myself that Douglas would figure out what happened. All said and done, Douglas wasn’t even at the turnaround. He thought the run course was a one loop out and back (13.1 miles each way) and because of that he was worried about trying to see me at the halfway point and making it back to the finish line. I should have known that he was tracking me on Ironman.com on his phone, so he knew when to expect me at the finish line.
Next time we plan to coordinate specifically where he will be and when so that there is no confusion. We’ve never had a problem finding each other before, but there were so many spectators and it was so loud and dark, that is was difficult to find people in the crowd.
The first mile of the second loop flew by, as expected because of the crowds. I was giddy to be starting my second loop, knowing I was less than 13 miles from becoming an Ironman. I saw a couple of people I knew on the first lap and I was excited to see them again and cheer for them. There is something about seeing a familiar face that really puts an extra spring in my step. Around the 15 mile marker I made the last potty stop of the race and I was particularly grateful to have the light saber because the porta potty was pitch black. Ewww.
By this time in the run, there were a lot of walkers and I was passing more and more people. The volunteers and aid stations were fantastic and created excitement in the darkness in areas where there otherwise were not a lot of spectators. I was feeling strong, although I was starting to feel the miles. My pace for my perceived effort was decreasing and I made a concerted effort to pick up the pace within my pre-established guidelines. My goal was to make it to the 20 mile marker and then see if I could pick it up (however little!).
My training partner and I run a 2 mile loop around my neighborhood. We have run up to 18 miles on this loop and we regularly run 10 miles twice a week. When I hit the 16 mile marker, I thought to myself, “This is just a regular Tuesday morning, 10 mile run. I run those in the dark too. Piece of cake!"
Around this same time I decided I would try some flat coke instead of water at the aid stations. It sat just fine in my stomach and I decided to stick with it. I am not sure if it helped anything, but it certainly didn’t hurt.
I also decided that thinking about being tired was not going to help anything, so I started repeating (out loud), “Just keep running. Keep moving forward” over and over and over again to myself. I seriously repeated these two phrases for 8 to 10 miles. I knew my body could hold the pace and if my mind was otherwise occupied, it would have no choice but to go along with the program. The first part of the mantra is borrowed from Dory from Finding Nemo, just replace swimming with running. The second part of the mantra is borrowed from Meet the Robinsons, and I only thought of it because of the sign that Douglas made me earlier in the day.
I also repeated on occasion something I read on Beginner Triathlete – “It only hurts if you care”. One of my goals for Ironman was to run the entire marathon, so repeating this mantra kept me focused on that goal. I did, surprise, surprise, try to say hello and/or good job to anyone I passed and anyone who passed me. I got several looks for talking to myself, but I was still running, so I didn’t care!
Amazingly, before I knew it, I was entering the park again. This time it was dark. Seriously dark. Dark as the inside of a cow, dark. I was shocked by how dark it was and ultimately, how dangerous it was for the athletes. I was extremely grateful for my light saber as it definitely helped guide the way. Next time I will probably also keep a head lamp in my special needs bag.
I passed the timing mat and the Ford Motivational sign again just before hitting the 20 mile marker. I recalled how I felt just over 2 hours before and was pretty excited that my mood was equally as positive. With just over 6 miles to go, running a 10:xx something minute pace, I knew I had just over an house before crossing the finish line. I remember thinking to myself, I can do anything for an hour …
I thanked God when I exited the park and the darkness and put my light saber back on my belt. I was nervous about tripping while running in the darkness of the park, so I was happy to be running again in just the regular dark of night, with illumination provided by random street lights, car head lights, homes, etc.
The next miles were more of the same. Coke at every aid station. I was sticky from having it spill on me as I was running through the aid stations. Coke falvored Clif blocks every other mile. Mantra on repeat: Just Keep Running, Keep Moving Forward. Every once in a while, I would groan from a random pain in my legs and I would remind myself that “it only hurts if you care.”
I can’t accurately describe the excitement and adrenaline that kicked in when I hit the 24 mile marker. 2 miles to go. One loop in my neighborhood, or what we like to call the “Victory lap”. This mile marker was also around the time on the course that we were starting to get a few more spectators. Having people cheer for you and tell you look strong, makes you feel strong too.
I hit the 25 mile marker and ran into a woman who was running about my pace, if not a bit faster than me. I had picked up the pace a bit at the 24 mile marker and decided I didn’t care how fast I was going (I knew it was sub 10:00s at this point) because I knew I had enough juice left to get me to the finish line. I ran for about half a mile with this woman and we chatted a bit, but mostly kept to ourselves and focused on the finish line.
We were passing lots of spectators now who were cheering for us and we started to pass music too. We passed a stereo playing Katy Perry’s Waking Up in Vegas and we both started singing along at about the same time. It really made me smile and I picked up my pace even more.
After the brief singing break, I started repeating my mantra again. We had about a half mile to go and my pace was picking up even more. The girl that I had been running with wished me well and I wished her the same and I took off for the final stretches. I moved my light saber to the back of my tri shorts , threw my glow necklace to some spectators, and took my sunglasses from the top of my hat and put them in the pocket in the back of my tri shorts because I didn’t want those items in my finisher photo.
Somewhere shortly after, I heard something fall, presumably my sunglasses, but it was really dark and I turned around briefly and couldn’t see them, so I kept going. They were inexpensive sunglasses that were scratched up anyway, so they were not worth the search time. I guess I could have gotten a penalty for abandoning equipment, but then again, it was too dark to see them!
When I made the final turn on to the main road before the finisher chute the streets were lined with spectators. It was surreal – there were so many spectators on both sides of the road, it was wall to wall cheering people. I had no idea where Doug, Kate and the boys were going to be, so I was on alert for them.
I reached the turnaround point and crossed over a timing mat before entering the finisher’s chute for the last 100 yards of the race. It was so wonderful to turn right to the finish instead of having to start another lap. I definitely felt compassion for those near me who were about to start their second loop in the dark.
This is the 100 yards I dreamed about for 9 + months of training. 3, 4 and 5 am wake-up calls, six days a week to swim, bike and run. Endless hours of riding. 18, 19 and 20 hour training weeks. This was the moment that I always visualized … except it was louder and far more crowded!
I was overwhelmed by the lights after running in the dark for three hours and the spectators were so loud, I had no idea where to look for my family. I tried to take it all in, but it was passing too quickly, and I still hadn’t found Douglas. I heard Mike Reilly say, “From Houston, Texas, you are an Ironman!”, but I didn’t hear my name. It almost felt like a dream … and that was it. I crossed the line and I stopped running. I meant to raise my hands and smile for the finish line photo, but I was still in search mode when I ran out of real estate to look for Douglas and crossed the line, so I forgot to raise my arms.
A guy named Mike was my finish line catcher and the only reason that I remember his name is because he was wearing a name tag. He immediately congratulated me and asked how I was doing. I responded that I was fine as he walked with me to get my medal , finisher shirt and hat. When we reached the photos, he asked again how I was doing and whether I needed to go to the medical tent. I confirmed that I was ok and he held my stuff while I took my official finisher photo – I was smiling from ear to ear.
Mike gave me back my stuff and congratulated me again and he asked me if I needed anything. Hmmm … I had one major question for him, probably the most telling of how one feels after an Ironman, “What do I do now?”. Mike pointed me to the food and massage areas, gave me hug and he went back to help another finisher. Thanks, Mike!
While I still felt sort of dazed and a bit overwhelmed because of the crowd, I was on a mission to find my family. It took about 10 minutes of searching and borrowing multiple cell phones to no avail before Doug spotted me. I was so freakin happy to see him! He confirmed that everyone saw me finish and that they were screaming for me like crazy, but they were sitting higher up in the bleachers, which is probably why I didn’t see or hear them. He also confirmed that Mike Reilly did say my name, even though I didn’t hear it.
After our reunion, I went for the massage, which felt heavenly, and then I was reunited with the rest of my family. After hugs and kisses all around, we made the nearly 1 mile walk back to the condo … so, it was really 141.6 miles! After leftover pizza and a handful of cookies, I had the best night sleep of my life!
Run: 4:30:14 -- 10:19 pace
The run was a two loop course, 13.1 mile loops (6.55 miles out and 6.55 miles back).The start of the run included a short jaunt along condo row before turning to start the run towards Andrew’s State Park. At the turn, I saw Douglas holding a “Run Forrest Run” sign and got a quick kiss and a fist bump before heading out to really start the run.
My legs felt phenomenal and it took a lot of discipline to make myself slow down to run 10:00 minute miles. My goal for the run was to keep it over 10:00 minute miles at the beginning and under 10:30 minute miles at the end. I am used to running fast off the bike, so the beginning felt s-l-o-w. Discipline.
My first loop of the run was congested with runners on their SECOND lap! I felt strong and a handful of fasties on their second loop passed me, but for the most part I was passing a lot of runners. At this point into the run I didn’t see many walkers or folks doing the IM shuffle. I was hopeful I would be running this same pace on my second lap.My nutrition strategy was to take a Clif block every other mile, starting at mile 1 and to take water at the aid stations, until something else “called” to me. I have never trained with coke or chicken broth, but many athletes told me to listen to my body and if something sounded good, not to be afraid to try it (starting in small doses, of course).
Around 4 or 5 miles into the run I met someone who was also on his first lap and running close to my pace. I wish I could remember his name so I could look up his finishing time. Anyhow, we chatted for a bit (well, mostly I chatted) and we ended up running together for several miles.
The state park was the quietest part of the course, but thankfully, having run the course at the Gulf Coast Tri in May, I knew what to expect. The Ford Motivational Center was set up in the middle of the park and when I ran over the timing mat, two things happened. First, I was excited to know that my supporters watching online were getting their first update on my marathon progress and second, a message from my family came up on the screen saying “Go, Mommy go!” This was a great motivator and pick me up in the middle of the desolate park.
As we exited the park on the first lap, chatting away, we passed a couple of athletes hitting the 20 mile mark on their second loop. They jokingly asked what I was drinking because they wanted some since I was in such a good mood. I replied that “this is supposed to be fun, right?”, and that I hoped I was still in such a good mood on my second lap. I made myself take a mental snapshot of how I felt at that moment because I wanted to recall those feelings when I hit this same spot on lap 2.
Somewhere around mile 8 or 9 I lost my running buddy when he walked through an aid station and I ran through it. It was also starting to get dark at this point, so I picked up a glow necklace as I made my way towards the end of the first loop. The first/last mile of the loop is where the crowds begin to form again and this section is the easiest to run through because the music, clapping, high-fives and encouragement almost carry you. There were women dressed in leather with whips, men dressed in bikinis, little kids holding their hands out for high-fives and what seemed like thousands of spectators lining the streets.As I approached the turn around, several spectators said things like “bring it on home” assuming I was on my second lap. I didn’t let it get me down though because I knew I would get my turn. After the timing mat at the turnaround, I stopped at Special Needs to pick up the awesome light saber that Kathleen gave me before the race. I was so thankful to have it because it was so much darker on the course than I expected.
I looked for Douglas too, but did not see him and that stressed me out. I hated the idea that he might be out there waiting for me and worrying, since he missed seeing me. I had to keep on going though, so I pushed the idea out of my head and reminded myself that Douglas would figure out what happened. All said and done, Douglas wasn’t even at the turnaround. He thought the run course was a one loop out and back (13.1 miles each way) and because of that he was worried about trying to see me at the halfway point and making it back to the finish line. I should have known that he was tracking me on Ironman.com on his phone, so he knew when to expect me at the finish line.
Next time we plan to coordinate specifically where he will be and when so that there is no confusion. We’ve never had a problem finding each other before, but there were so many spectators and it was so loud and dark, that is was difficult to find people in the crowd.
The first mile of the second loop flew by, as expected because of the crowds. I was giddy to be starting my second loop, knowing I was less than 13 miles from becoming an Ironman. I saw a couple of people I knew on the first lap and I was excited to see them again and cheer for them. There is something about seeing a familiar face that really puts an extra spring in my step. Around the 15 mile marker I made the last potty stop of the race and I was particularly grateful to have the light saber because the porta potty was pitch black. Ewww.
By this time in the run, there were a lot of walkers and I was passing more and more people. The volunteers and aid stations were fantastic and created excitement in the darkness in areas where there otherwise were not a lot of spectators. I was feeling strong, although I was starting to feel the miles. My pace for my perceived effort was decreasing and I made a concerted effort to pick up the pace within my pre-established guidelines. My goal was to make it to the 20 mile marker and then see if I could pick it up (however little!).
My training partner and I run a 2 mile loop around my neighborhood. We have run up to 18 miles on this loop and we regularly run 10 miles twice a week. When I hit the 16 mile marker, I thought to myself, “This is just a regular Tuesday morning, 10 mile run. I run those in the dark too. Piece of cake!"
Around this same time I decided I would try some flat coke instead of water at the aid stations. It sat just fine in my stomach and I decided to stick with it. I am not sure if it helped anything, but it certainly didn’t hurt.
I also decided that thinking about being tired was not going to help anything, so I started repeating (out loud), “Just keep running. Keep moving forward” over and over and over again to myself. I seriously repeated these two phrases for 8 to 10 miles. I knew my body could hold the pace and if my mind was otherwise occupied, it would have no choice but to go along with the program. The first part of the mantra is borrowed from Dory from Finding Nemo, just replace swimming with running. The second part of the mantra is borrowed from Meet the Robinsons, and I only thought of it because of the sign that Douglas made me earlier in the day.
I also repeated on occasion something I read on Beginner Triathlete – “It only hurts if you care”. One of my goals for Ironman was to run the entire marathon, so repeating this mantra kept me focused on that goal. I did, surprise, surprise, try to say hello and/or good job to anyone I passed and anyone who passed me. I got several looks for talking to myself, but I was still running, so I didn’t care!
Amazingly, before I knew it, I was entering the park again. This time it was dark. Seriously dark. Dark as the inside of a cow, dark. I was shocked by how dark it was and ultimately, how dangerous it was for the athletes. I was extremely grateful for my light saber as it definitely helped guide the way. Next time I will probably also keep a head lamp in my special needs bag.
I passed the timing mat and the Ford Motivational sign again just before hitting the 20 mile marker. I recalled how I felt just over 2 hours before and was pretty excited that my mood was equally as positive. With just over 6 miles to go, running a 10:xx something minute pace, I knew I had just over an house before crossing the finish line. I remember thinking to myself, I can do anything for an hour …
I thanked God when I exited the park and the darkness and put my light saber back on my belt. I was nervous about tripping while running in the darkness of the park, so I was happy to be running again in just the regular dark of night, with illumination provided by random street lights, car head lights, homes, etc.
The next miles were more of the same. Coke at every aid station. I was sticky from having it spill on me as I was running through the aid stations. Coke falvored Clif blocks every other mile. Mantra on repeat: Just Keep Running, Keep Moving Forward. Every once in a while, I would groan from a random pain in my legs and I would remind myself that “it only hurts if you care.”
I can’t accurately describe the excitement and adrenaline that kicked in when I hit the 24 mile marker. 2 miles to go. One loop in my neighborhood, or what we like to call the “Victory lap”. This mile marker was also around the time on the course that we were starting to get a few more spectators. Having people cheer for you and tell you look strong, makes you feel strong too.
I hit the 25 mile marker and ran into a woman who was running about my pace, if not a bit faster than me. I had picked up the pace a bit at the 24 mile marker and decided I didn’t care how fast I was going (I knew it was sub 10:00s at this point) because I knew I had enough juice left to get me to the finish line. I ran for about half a mile with this woman and we chatted a bit, but mostly kept to ourselves and focused on the finish line.
We were passing lots of spectators now who were cheering for us and we started to pass music too. We passed a stereo playing Katy Perry’s Waking Up in Vegas and we both started singing along at about the same time. It really made me smile and I picked up my pace even more.
After the brief singing break, I started repeating my mantra again. We had about a half mile to go and my pace was picking up even more. The girl that I had been running with wished me well and I wished her the same and I took off for the final stretches. I moved my light saber to the back of my tri shorts , threw my glow necklace to some spectators, and took my sunglasses from the top of my hat and put them in the pocket in the back of my tri shorts because I didn’t want those items in my finisher photo.
Somewhere shortly after, I heard something fall, presumably my sunglasses, but it was really dark and I turned around briefly and couldn’t see them, so I kept going. They were inexpensive sunglasses that were scratched up anyway, so they were not worth the search time. I guess I could have gotten a penalty for abandoning equipment, but then again, it was too dark to see them!
When I made the final turn on to the main road before the finisher chute the streets were lined with spectators. It was surreal – there were so many spectators on both sides of the road, it was wall to wall cheering people. I had no idea where Doug, Kate and the boys were going to be, so I was on alert for them.
I reached the turnaround point and crossed over a timing mat before entering the finisher’s chute for the last 100 yards of the race. It was so wonderful to turn right to the finish instead of having to start another lap. I definitely felt compassion for those near me who were about to start their second loop in the dark.
This is the 100 yards I dreamed about for 9 + months of training. 3, 4 and 5 am wake-up calls, six days a week to swim, bike and run. Endless hours of riding. 18, 19 and 20 hour training weeks. This was the moment that I always visualized … except it was louder and far more crowded!
I was overwhelmed by the lights after running in the dark for three hours and the spectators were so loud, I had no idea where to look for my family. I tried to take it all in, but it was passing too quickly, and I still hadn’t found Douglas. I heard Mike Reilly say, “From Houston, Texas, you are an Ironman!”, but I didn’t hear my name. It almost felt like a dream … and that was it. I crossed the line and I stopped running. I meant to raise my hands and smile for the finish line photo, but I was still in search mode when I ran out of real estate to look for Douglas and crossed the line, so I forgot to raise my arms.
A guy named Mike was my finish line catcher and the only reason that I remember his name is because he was wearing a name tag. He immediately congratulated me and asked how I was doing. I responded that I was fine as he walked with me to get my medal , finisher shirt and hat. When we reached the photos, he asked again how I was doing and whether I needed to go to the medical tent. I confirmed that I was ok and he held my stuff while I took my official finisher photo – I was smiling from ear to ear.
Mike gave me back my stuff and congratulated me again and he asked me if I needed anything. Hmmm … I had one major question for him, probably the most telling of how one feels after an Ironman, “What do I do now?”. Mike pointed me to the food and massage areas, gave me hug and he went back to help another finisher. Thanks, Mike!While I still felt sort of dazed and a bit overwhelmed because of the crowd, I was on a mission to find my family. It took about 10 minutes of searching and borrowing multiple cell phones to no avail before Doug spotted me. I was so freakin happy to see him! He confirmed that everyone saw me finish and that they were screaming for me like crazy, but they were sitting higher up in the bleachers, which is probably why I didn’t see or hear them. He also confirmed that Mike Reilly did say my name, even though I didn’t hear it.
After our reunion, I went for the massage, which felt heavenly, and then I was reunited with the rest of my family. After hugs and kisses all around, we made the nearly 1 mile walk back to the condo … so, it was really 141.6 miles! After leftover pizza and a handful of cookies, I had the best night sleep of my life!
Run: 4:30:14 -- 10:19 pace
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Giving Thanks
Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving full of love, laughter, family, friends and everything else you are thankful for!
This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for ...
My incredible family who love and support me unconditionally, no matter what crazy idea I may come up with next. My boys (all 3 of them), what can I say, they complete me. My friends who can always make me laugh. My chocolate lab, Indy, the best cuddler ever. My health and fitness, that made a dream come true this year. My job. My church community. My sponsor, Trakkers, who has some incredible things in store for 2010. The triathlon community, including Beginner Triathlete and all of you in blogland.
Happy Thanksgiving!
This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for ...
My incredible family who love and support me unconditionally, no matter what crazy idea I may come up with next. My boys (all 3 of them), what can I say, they complete me. My friends who can always make me laugh. My chocolate lab, Indy, the best cuddler ever. My health and fitness, that made a dream come true this year. My job. My church community. My sponsor, Trakkers, who has some incredible things in store for 2010. The triathlon community, including Beginner Triathlete and all of you in blogland.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
IM Celebration Party
The last installment of my IMFL race report will be posted soon, but I want to take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to acknowledge a couple of fellow triathletes and do the weekly rewind.
Going Iron
First, Brittany kicked serious butt at IM Arizona today by finishing in just over 11 hours! She was 9th in her Age Group! She is one hell of a triathlete and an Officer in the Army as well. I had the opportunity to meet her at Redman and she is as nice as she is fast. Brittany was supposed to race IMFL but one of her soldiers was killed in the line of duty. I am so proud to have women like Brittany serving our nation. Thank you for your service and congrats on a fantastic race!
Second, Trishie is racing IM Cozumel this weekend and she is going to totally rock it! I absolutely love her blog and know that we would be fast friends if we lived in the same state. She is one of the few people I "know" that is more organized and even more of a planner than I am, and she is funny to boot! Good luck this weekend, Trishie!
Weekly Rewind
I am struggling to reconcile my need and desire for recovery, the guilt I feel when I skip a workout and my desire to do a trail race this winter. Plus, I love to eat, so I need to do something not to gain 5 pounds!
This weekend Doug threw me a purposefully belated 30th Birthday and Ironman celebration party. It was so much fun to celebrate with friends and indulge in margaritas and Mexican food. Check out this awesome cake Douglas made me too!
My Iron Sherpa
Birthday / MDot Cake
Mileage for Week Ending 11/22/09
Swim: 2500 yards in 1:00 [1 workouts]
Bike: 28 miles in 1:30 [2 workouts]
Run: 22 miles in 3:15 [3 workouts]
Total Time: 5:45
Stretching / Foam Roller: 1:00
With the weekend festivities behind me, it is time to end the bender!
Going Iron
First, Brittany kicked serious butt at IM Arizona today by finishing in just over 11 hours! She was 9th in her Age Group! She is one hell of a triathlete and an Officer in the Army as well. I had the opportunity to meet her at Redman and she is as nice as she is fast. Brittany was supposed to race IMFL but one of her soldiers was killed in the line of duty. I am so proud to have women like Brittany serving our nation. Thank you for your service and congrats on a fantastic race!
Second, Trishie is racing IM Cozumel this weekend and she is going to totally rock it! I absolutely love her blog and know that we would be fast friends if we lived in the same state. She is one of the few people I "know" that is more organized and even more of a planner than I am, and she is funny to boot! Good luck this weekend, Trishie!
Weekly Rewind
I am struggling to reconcile my need and desire for recovery, the guilt I feel when I skip a workout and my desire to do a trail race this winter. Plus, I love to eat, so I need to do something not to gain 5 pounds!
This weekend Doug threw me a purposefully belated 30th Birthday and Ironman celebration party. It was so much fun to celebrate with friends and indulge in margaritas and Mexican food. Check out this awesome cake Douglas made me too!
My Iron Sherpa
Birthday / MDot Cake
Mileage for Week Ending 11/22/09Swim: 2500 yards in 1:00 [1 workouts]
Bike: 28 miles in 1:30 [2 workouts]
Run: 22 miles in 3:15 [3 workouts]
Total Time: 5:45
Stretching / Foam Roller: 1:00
With the weekend festivities behind me, it is time to end the bender!
Friday, November 20, 2009
IMFL – The Bike
What a beautiful day for a bike ride! The sun was shining, the birds were singing and the wind was blowing (so I don’t really know if the birds were singing, because I couldn’t hear them because of the wind!) …
The bike exit was surrounded by cheering spectators – I felt like I was starting a leg of the Tour De France. Of course, Douglas was there holding a sign based on my fortune cookie, “In Dreams and In Life, Nothing is Impossible”. It was a good reminder as I was setting off for what turned out to be nearly a 7 hour bike ride!
Starting my 112 mile tour
The first half mile or so is on S. Thomas Drive where many condos are and the main staging area for the race, before turning onto Front Beach Road to start the first real stretch of the ride. I knew that the rest of my family would be waiting for me at the Shores of Panama so I took this short section nice and slow so that I could wave to my boys and to my mother-in-law, Kate. It was great to see them as they were sleeping when I left in the morning and I didn’t know if I would see them again before the finish line.
When I turned on to Front Beach Road, I attempted to settle into my bike and get mentally organized for the ride. I didn’t feel quite right on the bike, but I couldn’t put my finger on what the issue was. I felt like my power was slightly off, but I was holding a good pace at the right effort, so I stayed positive and kept pedaling.
About 15 miles into the ride I got worried because my right leg was starting to feel like it does when my sciatic nerve acts up. It hasn’t done it since the Gulf Coast Tri, ironically enough, on the same course. I remember thinking to myself, what is it about this course?!?! Thankfully though, I shifted my aero position a bit and after another 10 miles or so, the feeling was gone, never to return. I was also thankful that despite swallowing a bit more salt water on the second loop of the swim, my stomach felt fine. My power still felt just slightly off, but nothing to get worked up about.
I took my first porta potty stop at the second rest stop and also used the time waiting in line to stretch a bit, which I think helped my right leg pain. I hated that I had to stop and wait in line, but this girl just can’t go on the bike.
By this time, the head wind was really rearing its ugly head and my average mph was dropping considerably. I was pretty disappointed by this at first, but I reminded myself that it was a beautiful day and that I was fulfilling a dream, whether I was riding at 16 mph or 18 mph (or sometimes into the wind, well below that …). I was also getting hungry, something that I was not expecting, so I ate 3 Clif blocks to help stave off the hunger. The Clif blocks and the Infinit worked like a charm.
Special Needs snuck up on me around the 50 mile marker (conveniently around 3 hours into the ride) and I debated about whether to stop. However, by this time in the race, it was obvious that I was going to be going longer than 6 hours, so I pulled off to grab the extra Infinit powder I put in my Special Needs (“just in case”) and dumped it into the concentrated bottle that I had just finished. I also dropped off my arm warmers. Just as I was about to dump the bag back into the pile, I felt a piece of paper.
I didn’t remember putting anything in the bag, so I pulled it out to see a sign from Douglas and the boys that read, “Keep Moving Forward.” It was exactly what I needed at that moment! The quote is from the Disney Movie, Meet the Robinsons and it is about overcoming adversity. I cried the first time I saw the movie and I love the quote – I didn’t realize at the time that the quote would play an integral part during the marathon that was yet to come.
I assumed that the course would mark the halfway point with a timing mat and I was getting really nervous when it felt like I had been riding forever without seeing a sign or a timing mat. I ride with my computer on time, not distance, so I was relieved when I hit mile 60! I also had my first emotional experience of the day because for the first time since the bike exit, handfuls of cheering spectators were on the course. It was so neat to watch their excitement, especially as their athletes were approaching. Shortly after this, I stopped for the third time (2nd potty stop) and had 3 more Clif blocks to help keep the hunger at bay.
At mile 65, on a slight downhill portion of the course, I was surprised to see my family waiting for me! I was not expecting them out on the bike course, so it was a major pick-me-up. I actually had to turn around and ride back to them because I had passed them by the time I realized who it was! Had Douglas not called me back, I probably would have kept going, mostly because mentally my brain was locked in the “Keep moving forward” mode. It was great to gets hugs and kisses all around and to tell Douglas about the wind. They decorated the Suburban as Lightning McQueen, which I am sure was fun for the other riders as well! So creative! After one more kiss from all of my boys, Douglas told me where to expect the out and back and I was off.
Lightning Suburban (Tyler is crying)
Turning around to greet my #1 fans
And I'm off ... again!
Douglas later apologized for holding me up, thinking if I had not stopped I may have broken the elusive 13 hour mark, but as I told him then, this race was not about a couple of minutes and I was happy to have my cheering section on the bike course.
I rode on in a just-saw-my-family high until I turned into the wind on to the worst stretch of road of the entire course. There were cracks/bumps every 3 feet that jolted me for miles. I rode on the edge of the road on the white line (there was no shoulder) in an attempt to get away from the shocks. The wind was really just adding insult to injury at this point. When I saw the turn around and the timing mat (finally!) I was beyond thrilled. The road conditions on the ride back out were just as awful, but with the wind at my back it just didn’t feel as bad.
At this point, I was starting the countdown to get back to transition. I was still in a good mood , despite my readiness to get off the bike, and I chatted with people I passed and with the many people who passed me . When we got back to the Intercoastal Bridge (the only real hill on the course), I was thrilled to see the 100 mile marker. 12 miles to my running shoes! In training I did a lot of 45 minute spins / 15 minute runs at work on the spinner and treadmill at lunch. I always marked these workouts as 12 miles on the bike (to be conservative), even though there is not a distance computer on the bike, so I was confident that in a mere 45 minutes I would be handing my bike to a volunteer!
The last stretch back on Front Beach Road was physically tough with the wind and my feet were killing me (not something I had experienced in training either) but it was also very exciting. The anticipation of starting the LAST leg of the race was nearly electric. 
Side note: It wasn’t until much later that evening that a possible reason for my lower than expected MPH came to light. Douglas picked up my bike from transition and rode it back to the condo and promptly informed me that I had been riding with a slight brake rub. Rookie mistake. It was an ever so slight rub, just enough for me to feel off but now I possibly know why. Did it affect my bike split? Who knows, and I am not going to dwell on it because I still enjoyed every minute of that windy ride! For the record, I did check the brake in transition, but it was only after braking that it shifted too much to one side and created the rub.
I got off my bike, handed it to a waiting volunteer, trotted over to the T2 bags, called out my number and received my bag from yet another volunteer. Then it was off the changing tent where another extremely helpful volunteer opened my bag and handed me everything that I needed. I did a quick change of my socks and shoes, changed out my helmet for my visor, picked up my Garmin and grabbed my nutrition before exiting the changing tent. I made a pit stop at the porta pottys in transition because there were no lines and I didn’t know what I would find along the course … and then I was off to run a marathon!
T2: 5:37
The bike exit was surrounded by cheering spectators – I felt like I was starting a leg of the Tour De France. Of course, Douglas was there holding a sign based on my fortune cookie, “In Dreams and In Life, Nothing is Impossible”. It was a good reminder as I was setting off for what turned out to be nearly a 7 hour bike ride!
Starting my 112 mile tour
The first half mile or so is on S. Thomas Drive where many condos are and the main staging area for the race, before turning onto Front Beach Road to start the first real stretch of the ride. I knew that the rest of my family would be waiting for me at the Shores of Panama so I took this short section nice and slow so that I could wave to my boys and to my mother-in-law, Kate. It was great to see them as they were sleeping when I left in the morning and I didn’t know if I would see them again before the finish line.
When I turned on to Front Beach Road, I attempted to settle into my bike and get mentally organized for the ride. I didn’t feel quite right on the bike, but I couldn’t put my finger on what the issue was. I felt like my power was slightly off, but I was holding a good pace at the right effort, so I stayed positive and kept pedaling.
About 15 miles into the ride I got worried because my right leg was starting to feel like it does when my sciatic nerve acts up. It hasn’t done it since the Gulf Coast Tri, ironically enough, on the same course. I remember thinking to myself, what is it about this course?!?! Thankfully though, I shifted my aero position a bit and after another 10 miles or so, the feeling was gone, never to return. I was also thankful that despite swallowing a bit more salt water on the second loop of the swim, my stomach felt fine. My power still felt just slightly off, but nothing to get worked up about.I took my first porta potty stop at the second rest stop and also used the time waiting in line to stretch a bit, which I think helped my right leg pain. I hated that I had to stop and wait in line, but this girl just can’t go on the bike.
By this time, the head wind was really rearing its ugly head and my average mph was dropping considerably. I was pretty disappointed by this at first, but I reminded myself that it was a beautiful day and that I was fulfilling a dream, whether I was riding at 16 mph or 18 mph (or sometimes into the wind, well below that …). I was also getting hungry, something that I was not expecting, so I ate 3 Clif blocks to help stave off the hunger. The Clif blocks and the Infinit worked like a charm.
Special Needs snuck up on me around the 50 mile marker (conveniently around 3 hours into the ride) and I debated about whether to stop. However, by this time in the race, it was obvious that I was going to be going longer than 6 hours, so I pulled off to grab the extra Infinit powder I put in my Special Needs (“just in case”) and dumped it into the concentrated bottle that I had just finished. I also dropped off my arm warmers. Just as I was about to dump the bag back into the pile, I felt a piece of paper.
I didn’t remember putting anything in the bag, so I pulled it out to see a sign from Douglas and the boys that read, “Keep Moving Forward.” It was exactly what I needed at that moment! The quote is from the Disney Movie, Meet the Robinsons and it is about overcoming adversity. I cried the first time I saw the movie and I love the quote – I didn’t realize at the time that the quote would play an integral part during the marathon that was yet to come.
I assumed that the course would mark the halfway point with a timing mat and I was getting really nervous when it felt like I had been riding forever without seeing a sign or a timing mat. I ride with my computer on time, not distance, so I was relieved when I hit mile 60! I also had my first emotional experience of the day because for the first time since the bike exit, handfuls of cheering spectators were on the course. It was so neat to watch their excitement, especially as their athletes were approaching. Shortly after this, I stopped for the third time (2nd potty stop) and had 3 more Clif blocks to help keep the hunger at bay.
At mile 65, on a slight downhill portion of the course, I was surprised to see my family waiting for me! I was not expecting them out on the bike course, so it was a major pick-me-up. I actually had to turn around and ride back to them because I had passed them by the time I realized who it was! Had Douglas not called me back, I probably would have kept going, mostly because mentally my brain was locked in the “Keep moving forward” mode. It was great to gets hugs and kisses all around and to tell Douglas about the wind. They decorated the Suburban as Lightning McQueen, which I am sure was fun for the other riders as well! So creative! After one more kiss from all of my boys, Douglas told me where to expect the out and back and I was off.
Lightning Suburban (Tyler is crying)
Turning around to greet my #1 fans
And I'm off ... again!
Douglas later apologized for holding me up, thinking if I had not stopped I may have broken the elusive 13 hour mark, but as I told him then, this race was not about a couple of minutes and I was happy to have my cheering section on the bike course.
I rode on in a just-saw-my-family high until I turned into the wind on to the worst stretch of road of the entire course. There were cracks/bumps every 3 feet that jolted me for miles. I rode on the edge of the road on the white line (there was no shoulder) in an attempt to get away from the shocks. The wind was really just adding insult to injury at this point. When I saw the turn around and the timing mat (finally!) I was beyond thrilled. The road conditions on the ride back out were just as awful, but with the wind at my back it just didn’t feel as bad.
At this point, I was starting the countdown to get back to transition. I was still in a good mood , despite my readiness to get off the bike, and I chatted with people I passed and with the many people who passed me . When we got back to the Intercoastal Bridge (the only real hill on the course), I was thrilled to see the 100 mile marker. 12 miles to my running shoes! In training I did a lot of 45 minute spins / 15 minute runs at work on the spinner and treadmill at lunch. I always marked these workouts as 12 miles on the bike (to be conservative), even though there is not a distance computer on the bike, so I was confident that in a mere 45 minutes I would be handing my bike to a volunteer!
The last stretch back on Front Beach Road was physically tough with the wind and my feet were killing me (not something I had experienced in training either) but it was also very exciting. The anticipation of starting the LAST leg of the race was nearly electric. I had worried for months about experiencing some sort of mechanical failure on the bike that would take me out of the race, so to be so close to the bike finish without having experienced any bike issues at all was a major relief. I definitely thanked God for looking after me and keeping me safe on the bike course. I later heard about an incident where a car hit a cyclist and several crashes – there was nothing like that near me, thankfully!
When I made the turn back onto S. Thomas we were again surrounded by throngs of cheering spectators. I had the biggest smile on my face as I searched the crowd for Douglas. He was waiting right near the bike dismount with a sign that listed each leg of the race with the respective distances, with the swim and the bike legs crossed out. The bike ride had taken longer than I thought it would, but it was done and I was ready to run!
Bike split: 6:52:08
16.3 mph
So happy to see the bike finish!
When I made the turn back onto S. Thomas we were again surrounded by throngs of cheering spectators. I had the biggest smile on my face as I searched the crowd for Douglas. He was waiting right near the bike dismount with a sign that listed each leg of the race with the respective distances, with the swim and the bike legs crossed out. The bike ride had taken longer than I thought it would, but it was done and I was ready to run!
Bike split: 6:52:08
16.3 mph
So happy to see the bike finish!
Side note: It wasn’t until much later that evening that a possible reason for my lower than expected MPH came to light. Douglas picked up my bike from transition and rode it back to the condo and promptly informed me that I had been riding with a slight brake rub. Rookie mistake. It was an ever so slight rub, just enough for me to feel off but now I possibly know why. Did it affect my bike split? Who knows, and I am not going to dwell on it because I still enjoyed every minute of that windy ride! For the record, I did check the brake in transition, but it was only after braking that it shifted too much to one side and created the rub.I got off my bike, handed it to a waiting volunteer, trotted over to the T2 bags, called out my number and received my bag from yet another volunteer. Then it was off the changing tent where another extremely helpful volunteer opened my bag and handed me everything that I needed. I did a quick change of my socks and shoes, changed out my helmet for my visor, picked up my Garmin and grabbed my nutrition before exiting the changing tent. I made a pit stop at the porta pottys in transition because there were no lines and I didn’t know what I would find along the course … and then I was off to run a marathon!
T2: 5:37
Monday, November 16, 2009
IMFL – The Swim
I got a great night’s sleep the night before the race and woke up feeling rested and ready to race. I started the day with 2 packets of maple flavored Quaker instant oatmeal with cinnamon sugar and managed to eat two-thirds of it. Then it was off to body marking, dropping of my bike nutrition and my Special Needs bags before heading down to the beach for the swim start. I even volunteered to take someone else’s Special Needs bags (he was waiting in the long porta potty line) to the drop off area – nothing like starting the day off with some good karma!
At Body Marking
At Body Marking
I ran into several people race morning, including IronBob, Raymund, Kimberly and Augie. It was great to see familiar faces and share in the pre-race excitement.
After getting everything situated, I put on my Body Glide and sunscreen before putting on my wetsuit. It was giving me a hard time, but I finally got comfortable with a little help from Douglas. Then it was down to the beach to prepare for the swim start. I was surprised at how calm I was as we took a couple of photos and as I made my way to the athlete corral. There was a lot of nervous energy on the beach and I kept waiting for it to hit me, but as I stood there all I felt was ready.
In Athlete Area
Waiting for the Swim Start
We listened to the National Anthem, I ate 3 cola flavored Clif Blocks and I got one more good luck kiss from Douglas before the cannon fired and the race clock started. I lined up on the far right of the beach and swam diagonally towards the last buoy. This definitely added to my swim time, but I was happy to not be fighting with other racers for space in the water. It was also nice that there were still enough other people who also took this path that I never felt alone (imagine that with 2500 other athletes in the water!).
National Anthem
Pro Swim Start
Age Group Swim Start
I'm on the far right
This is what 2500 people swimming in the Gulf looks like
The first lap of the swim felt awesome! I kept thinking to myself, “You are doing an Ironman today!” … and it was not in an oh crap! voice but in a giddy school girl, excited voice. I was shocked when I reached the first turn buoy and managed to avoid the cluster that invariably occurs there. Before I knew it I had made the turn to head back to the beach. I felt like a rock star in the water!
It is no secret that I am not the best swimmer out there and I was apprehensive about swimming in the Gulf, but I was actually really enjoying myself! The water was beautiful and clear and I even saw a school of fish before I hit the last sand bar. When I hit the beach I saw Douglas screaming for me and holding a sign that said, “Just Keep Swimming”, which of course made me smile from ear to ear. Unfortunately, the end of the first loop also marked the end of the feeling good in the water sensation.
Exiting the water after the 1st loop
Everything the first lap was, the second lap was NOT. It seemed to take forever to move down the beach to get back into the water to start the second lap and start swimming again. I was happy for the opportunity to have some water in between laps, but I had not swallowed much salt water at that point, so it was really just to rinse out my mouth. The racers in front of me seemed to be taking their sweet time to move along the beach and I felt like a sardine in a school of fish, stuck and not able to break away. I was frustrated because I felt like I was losing precious minutes. I took a more direct line along the buoys for the second loop, hoping that the fasties would be gone and that there would be fewer people in the water to wrestle with. There was more contact on the second loop, but nothing traumatic.
The big issue on the second loop was the surf and chop that had come in and I felt like I was swimming in a choppy Endless Pool. So, not only was I starting to swallow more salt water but I felt like I was making zero forward progress towards the buoys. I kept my spirits up though and tackled the buoys one at a time because it was very important to me to enjoy every moment of my day.
Sure enough, I slowly but surely passed each buoy and before I knew it I was on the beach. I started removing my wetsuit and running up the ramp to the transition area. The ramp was crowded with people on both sides and I was almost overwhelmed by the mass of people and the noise … so much so, that I nearly missed the wetsuit strippers. Thankfully, they found me and had me lie down to remove my suit. It was definitely organized chaos. They had my suit off in no time and I was off to T1.
Swim Lap 1: 42:19
Swim Lap 2: 44:51
Total Swim Time: 1:27:09
Our transition bags were laid out by number and I was told to scream my number out as I approached, but there were so many racers that the volunteers were too busy to help everyone. I finally made eye contact with a volunteer in the right area and got my bag. Then it was off to the super packed changing tents.
Volunteers searching for T1 Bags
The tents were standing room only and had it not been for a volunteer who saw my overwhelmed look as I was searching for a place to sit and asked what she could do to help, I probably would have gotten frustrated. Thankfully, Kathy from BT (although I didn’t know it at the time), helped me into my arm warmers and handed me the rest of my gear while also packing up my swim gear. I was so thankful for her help!
My T1 time was pretty long for me, considering I did not change clothes, but I am not sure what I could have done differently, given the crowding and the long run from the beach into transition.
After leaving the changing tents, I had to run all the way to the back of the transition area, only to turn around again, grab my bike from the waiting volunteer (that part was super cool!) before heading to the bike out exit.
My bike rack with volunteer at the ready ...
T1: 8:46
And just like that, the swim was done and I was off for a little bike ride …
After getting everything situated, I put on my Body Glide and sunscreen before putting on my wetsuit. It was giving me a hard time, but I finally got comfortable with a little help from Douglas. Then it was down to the beach to prepare for the swim start. I was surprised at how calm I was as we took a couple of photos and as I made my way to the athlete corral. There was a lot of nervous energy on the beach and I kept waiting for it to hit me, but as I stood there all I felt was ready.
In Athlete Area
Waiting for the Swim Start
We listened to the National Anthem, I ate 3 cola flavored Clif Blocks and I got one more good luck kiss from Douglas before the cannon fired and the race clock started. I lined up on the far right of the beach and swam diagonally towards the last buoy. This definitely added to my swim time, but I was happy to not be fighting with other racers for space in the water. It was also nice that there were still enough other people who also took this path that I never felt alone (imagine that with 2500 other athletes in the water!).National Anthem
Pro Swim Start
Age Group Swim Start
I'm on the far right
This is what 2500 people swimming in the Gulf looks like
The first lap of the swim felt awesome! I kept thinking to myself, “You are doing an Ironman today!” … and it was not in an oh crap! voice but in a giddy school girl, excited voice. I was shocked when I reached the first turn buoy and managed to avoid the cluster that invariably occurs there. Before I knew it I had made the turn to head back to the beach. I felt like a rock star in the water!It is no secret that I am not the best swimmer out there and I was apprehensive about swimming in the Gulf, but I was actually really enjoying myself! The water was beautiful and clear and I even saw a school of fish before I hit the last sand bar. When I hit the beach I saw Douglas screaming for me and holding a sign that said, “Just Keep Swimming”, which of course made me smile from ear to ear. Unfortunately, the end of the first loop also marked the end of the feeling good in the water sensation.
Exiting the water after the 1st loop
Everything the first lap was, the second lap was NOT. It seemed to take forever to move down the beach to get back into the water to start the second lap and start swimming again. I was happy for the opportunity to have some water in between laps, but I had not swallowed much salt water at that point, so it was really just to rinse out my mouth. The racers in front of me seemed to be taking their sweet time to move along the beach and I felt like a sardine in a school of fish, stuck and not able to break away. I was frustrated because I felt like I was losing precious minutes. I took a more direct line along the buoys for the second loop, hoping that the fasties would be gone and that there would be fewer people in the water to wrestle with. There was more contact on the second loop, but nothing traumatic.The big issue on the second loop was the surf and chop that had come in and I felt like I was swimming in a choppy Endless Pool. So, not only was I starting to swallow more salt water but I felt like I was making zero forward progress towards the buoys. I kept my spirits up though and tackled the buoys one at a time because it was very important to me to enjoy every moment of my day.
Sure enough, I slowly but surely passed each buoy and before I knew it I was on the beach. I started removing my wetsuit and running up the ramp to the transition area. The ramp was crowded with people on both sides and I was almost overwhelmed by the mass of people and the noise … so much so, that I nearly missed the wetsuit strippers. Thankfully, they found me and had me lie down to remove my suit. It was definitely organized chaos. They had my suit off in no time and I was off to T1.
Swim Lap 1: 42:19
Swim Lap 2: 44:51
Total Swim Time: 1:27:09
Our transition bags were laid out by number and I was told to scream my number out as I approached, but there were so many racers that the volunteers were too busy to help everyone. I finally made eye contact with a volunteer in the right area and got my bag. Then it was off to the super packed changing tents.
Volunteers searching for T1 Bags
The tents were standing room only and had it not been for a volunteer who saw my overwhelmed look as I was searching for a place to sit and asked what she could do to help, I probably would have gotten frustrated. Thankfully, Kathy from BT (although I didn’t know it at the time), helped me into my arm warmers and handed me the rest of my gear while also packing up my swim gear. I was so thankful for her help!My T1 time was pretty long for me, considering I did not change clothes, but I am not sure what I could have done differently, given the crowding and the long run from the beach into transition.
After leaving the changing tents, I had to run all the way to the back of the transition area, only to turn around again, grab my bike from the waiting volunteer (that part was super cool!) before heading to the bike out exit.
My bike rack with volunteer at the ready ...
T1: 8:46And just like that, the swim was done and I was off for a little bike ride …
Sunday, November 15, 2009
One Week Post Ironman Musings ...
... and yes, I promise a full race report will be up this week!
In the mean time, I thought I would share some of my thoughts on Ironman, a week later.
I think that one of the reasons that I have delayed writing my race report is that I don't want the Ironman journey to be over. The entire experience has been surreal and I feel like the whole thing has been a dream and I am going to wake up and have to do the race again. I am actually a bit sad that it is over and I may even actually have a taste of what is commonly referred to as Post Ironman Blues.
To be completely honest, crossing the finish line was almost anti-climatic, in part because the race was not as hard as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, it was extremely challenging, but it was not the impossible feat that I once that it would be.
It took about 12 hours before I came to the realization that it is because of this amazing journey that I was able to cross that line. In April 2008 when I started down this path, Ironman was a dream, a seemingly impossible dream.
Somewhere along the way I lost perspective about how far I have come. Somewhere in the process of Ironman training, 15+ hour training weeks became the norm and I forgot that just a year and a half ago I couldn't swim 25 yards. Perspective is exactly what I needed to appreciate the magnitude of what I have accomplished.
I now believe, like many others, that the training is harder than the race itself. In my experience, the consistent training, focus on race day nutrition and pacing my race to my ability level allowed me to execute what, for me, was nearly a perfect race.
I was probably the happiest athlete on the IMFL course on Saturday and more than one person commented on my constant smiles. What I have learned from Ironman is that the journey is the reward. So, yes I am a bit sad that this leg of the journey is over, but Ironman Florida is just the first leg of what I hope is long and fun journey in triathlon and endurance sports.
The other big surprise for me has been how great I feel and how easy the recovery has been. I think I expected to feel like I was hit by a train, but after the initial tightness directly after the race, my body has bounced back like a pro! I woke up Sunday morning feeling like a new woman and was even chasing my kids on the beach by sun down.
I also feel very fortunate ... I am not sure if you all were following the weather, but Hurricane Ida brought some serious surf into Panama City Beach on Sunday and they even closed the beaches. By Monday, it was windy and rainy, a far cry from the clear, sunny skies we had on race day!
Finally, this post would not be complete without the Sunday report:
Mileage for Week Ending 11/08/09 -- Race Week!
Swim: 8836 yards in 3:12 [3 workouts]
Bike: 146.5 miles in 9:01 [4 workouts, 2 bricks]
Run: 37 miles in 6:10 [4 workouts, 2 bricks]
Total Time: 18:23
Mileage for Week Ending 11/15/09 -- Recovery Week
Swim: 1500 yards in 0:30 [1 workout]
Bike: 61 miles in 3:30 [2 workouts]
Run: 4.5 miles in 0:45 [2 workouts]
Total Time: 4:45
Stay tuned for detailed a race report and photos this week, plus an update on Team Trakkers 2010!
In the mean time, I thought I would share some of my thoughts on Ironman, a week later.
I think that one of the reasons that I have delayed writing my race report is that I don't want the Ironman journey to be over. The entire experience has been surreal and I feel like the whole thing has been a dream and I am going to wake up and have to do the race again. I am actually a bit sad that it is over and I may even actually have a taste of what is commonly referred to as Post Ironman Blues.
To be completely honest, crossing the finish line was almost anti-climatic, in part because the race was not as hard as I thought it would be. Don't get me wrong, it was extremely challenging, but it was not the impossible feat that I once that it would be.
It took about 12 hours before I came to the realization that it is because of this amazing journey that I was able to cross that line. In April 2008 when I started down this path, Ironman was a dream, a seemingly impossible dream.
Somewhere along the way I lost perspective about how far I have come. Somewhere in the process of Ironman training, 15+ hour training weeks became the norm and I forgot that just a year and a half ago I couldn't swim 25 yards. Perspective is exactly what I needed to appreciate the magnitude of what I have accomplished.
I now believe, like many others, that the training is harder than the race itself. In my experience, the consistent training, focus on race day nutrition and pacing my race to my ability level allowed me to execute what, for me, was nearly a perfect race.
I was probably the happiest athlete on the IMFL course on Saturday and more than one person commented on my constant smiles. What I have learned from Ironman is that the journey is the reward. So, yes I am a bit sad that this leg of the journey is over, but Ironman Florida is just the first leg of what I hope is long and fun journey in triathlon and endurance sports.
The other big surprise for me has been how great I feel and how easy the recovery has been. I think I expected to feel like I was hit by a train, but after the initial tightness directly after the race, my body has bounced back like a pro! I woke up Sunday morning feeling like a new woman and was even chasing my kids on the beach by sun down.
I also feel very fortunate ... I am not sure if you all were following the weather, but Hurricane Ida brought some serious surf into Panama City Beach on Sunday and they even closed the beaches. By Monday, it was windy and rainy, a far cry from the clear, sunny skies we had on race day!
Finally, this post would not be complete without the Sunday report:
Mileage for Week Ending 11/08/09 -- Race Week!
Swim: 8836 yards in 3:12 [3 workouts]
Bike: 146.5 miles in 9:01 [4 workouts, 2 bricks]
Run: 37 miles in 6:10 [4 workouts, 2 bricks]
Total Time: 18:23
Mileage for Week Ending 11/15/09 -- Recovery Week
Swim: 1500 yards in 0:30 [1 workout]
Bike: 61 miles in 3:30 [2 workouts]
Run: 4.5 miles in 0:45 [2 workouts]
Total Time: 4:45
Stay tuned for detailed a race report and photos this week, plus an update on Team Trakkers 2010!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
IMFL by the numbers
$550 - race registration fee
2423 – number of triathletes that started the race
1239 – number of first timers that started the race
18 – DQs (most like penalty was drafting)
41 - DNFs (did not finish)
5 - bathroom stops (3 on bike, 1 in T2, 1 on run)
24 - Cliff Blocks (3 before swim, 6 on bike, 12 on run)
1,494 – calories consumed of Infinit on the bike
2 - chafing spots (wrist from Ironman wristband on the swim, armpit)
8 – number of family sightings
11 – number of personalized signs
-- Just Keep Swimming (Swim Loop 1)
-- Anne Moore – 2316 – Go Mommy Go! (Bike Start) - Tyler
-- Anne Moore – 2316 – Ride Hard IronMommy! (Bike Start) - Andrew
-- In dreams and in life, nothing is impossible (Bike Start) - Douglas
-- Keep Moving Forward (Bike Special Needs)
-- I’m so ‘cited Mommy! (Bike – Mile 65)
-- Lightning McMommy (with eyeball posters on the Suburban) and racer # 2316 (Bike – M. 65) -- 2.4 Mile Swim, 112 Mile Bike, 26.2 Mile Run = MDot! (Bike Finish)
-- Run Forrest Run (Run Start)
-- We love you! See you at the finish line. (Run Special Needs)
-- Next time we see you, you’ll be an Ironman! (Run half-way)
3 - pairs of socks (1 went unused)
15 (give or take) – number of Ziploc bags I used on race day
2 – number of times I was hit in the face on the swim
5 (give or take) - swallows of salt water
1 - lost item (sunglasses on the run)
3 - hours running in the dark
Countless - Number of times I repeated, “Just keep running, keep moving forward” on the second loop of the run
22 - hours in the car to/from FL (1600 miles on the GPS)
$240.07 - amount spent at the Ironman store
13 - numbers of items I now own that say IMFL (4 gifts, 2 finisher shirts, 1 finisher hat, water bottle, pint glass, stickers, socks)
10 -Number of MDot purchased (2 hats, trailer hitch cover, race belt, 3 magnets, 2 tattoos, and 1 decal)
Receiving an Ironman Finisher Medal .... Priceless!
2423 – number of triathletes that started the race
1239 – number of first timers that started the race
18 – DQs (most like penalty was drafting)
41 - DNFs (did not finish)
5 - bathroom stops (3 on bike, 1 in T2, 1 on run)
24 - Cliff Blocks (3 before swim, 6 on bike, 12 on run)
1,494 – calories consumed of Infinit on the bike
2 - chafing spots (wrist from Ironman wristband on the swim, armpit)
8 – number of family sightings
11 – number of personalized signs
-- Just Keep Swimming (Swim Loop 1)
-- Anne Moore – 2316 – Go Mommy Go! (Bike Start) - Tyler
-- Anne Moore – 2316 – Ride Hard IronMommy! (Bike Start) - Andrew
-- In dreams and in life, nothing is impossible (Bike Start) - Douglas
-- Keep Moving Forward (Bike Special Needs)
-- I’m so ‘cited Mommy! (Bike – Mile 65)
-- Lightning McMommy (with eyeball posters on the Suburban) and racer # 2316 (Bike – M. 65) -- 2.4 Mile Swim, 112 Mile Bike, 26.2 Mile Run = MDot! (Bike Finish)
-- Run Forrest Run (Run Start)
-- We love you! See you at the finish line. (Run Special Needs)
-- Next time we see you, you’ll be an Ironman! (Run half-way)
3 - pairs of socks (1 went unused)
15 (give or take) – number of Ziploc bags I used on race day
2 – number of times I was hit in the face on the swim
5 (give or take) - swallows of salt water
1 - lost item (sunglasses on the run)
3 - hours running in the dark
Countless - Number of times I repeated, “Just keep running, keep moving forward” on the second loop of the run
22 - hours in the car to/from FL (1600 miles on the GPS)
$240.07 - amount spent at the Ironman store
13 - numbers of items I now own that say IMFL (4 gifts, 2 finisher shirts, 1 finisher hat, water bottle, pint glass, stickers, socks)
10 -Number of MDot purchased (2 hats, trailer hitch cover, race belt, 3 magnets, 2 tattoos, and 1 decal)
Receiving an Ironman Finisher Medal .... Priceless!
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Ironman Florida – Quick Race Report
13:03:52
- Running the entire marathon … and doing it in 4:30!
- The headwind on the bike and my pace. I know I am a stronger biker than my bike split and the only thing that makes me feel better (or worse) is that I realized after the race my brake was slightly rubbing. Not much, but enough to make a small difference. Maybe.
Overall...
Goal 1 – Finish: Did it!
Goal 2 – Run the entire marathon: Did it!
Goal 3 – Sub 13: Next time!
I was planning to post something the evening of the race, but when I got online to login I was so blown away by the sweet note from Douglas that I decided I wanted to keep it as the top post for a couple of days.
I got emotional several times during the day, but I never cried … but I was overcome in reading my husband’s sweet note. His unending love and support made this journey possible.
A full race report is forthcoming, but I want to spend some time on the report so that I can really capture how I felt on each leg of the race. Stay tuned for all of the gory details …
In the mean time, I am in a surreal bubble right now … I can’t believe that the race is over and that I am officially an Ironman! IMFL was the perfect first Ironman and nearly a perfect race.
The highs:
- The first loop of the swim -- no mosh pit, just clear water and what felt like a great stroke (starting down the beach made all the difference)
In the mean time, I am in a surreal bubble right now … I can’t believe that the race is over and that I am officially an Ironman! IMFL was the perfect first Ironman and nearly a perfect race.
The highs:
- The first loop of the swim -- no mosh pit, just clear water and what felt like a great stroke (starting down the beach made all the difference)
- Getting a surprise note in my bike special needs bag from my family, “Keep moving forward.” This is a quote from the Disney movie Meet the Robinsons that I love and it was exactly what I needed. Seeing my family on the bike course about 20 miles later was a great treat too!
- Running the entire marathon … and doing it in 4:30!
The lows:
- The second loop of the swim – the chop started and it was not nearly as “easy” as the first loop. My splits were almost even though, considering the run along the beach required to start the second loop.
- The second loop of the swim – the chop started and it was not nearly as “easy” as the first loop. My splits were almost even though, considering the run along the beach required to start the second loop.
- The headwind on the bike and my pace. I know I am a stronger biker than my bike split and the only thing that makes me feel better (or worse) is that I realized after the race my brake was slightly rubbing. Not much, but enough to make a small difference. Maybe.
What I wish I had done differently:
- There are lots of places in my day that I could find 3 minutes and 53 seconds to break 13 hours … skipping a potty stop, not putting on arm warmers, trying to adjust the brake, etc. I am NOT going to pick apart my race though.
- Slow down near the grand stands, walk if needed, to find my family. I looked but was overwhelmed by the number of people and the noise. We didn’t coordinate ahead of time where they were going to be and I couldn’t hear them screaming for me over the crowd. I didn’t hear Mike Reilly say my name, but I heard him say, “from Houston, Texas” and Douglas told me that he did say it. I am looking forward to video so that I can hear it myself.
- Raise my hands and smile when crossing the finish line. I was thrilled but I had a deer in the headlights look.
- Coordinate with Douglas where to meet afterwards. Athletes get shuttled off in an athletes only area and the crowd made it difficult for Douglas to quickly get to me. There were so many people and I spent 10 + minutes looking for him and not knowing if he even saw me cross the finish line. It was a major bummer at the time.
Overall...
I am cloud 9. I hit 2 of my 3 goals, and got very close to the third in my first Ironman.
Goal 1 – Finish: Did it!
Goal 2 – Run the entire marathon: Did it!
Goal 3 – Sub 13: Next time!
I was planning to post something the evening of the race, but when I got online to login I was so blown away by the sweet note from Douglas that I decided I wanted to keep it as the top post for a couple of days.
I got emotional several times during the day, but I never cried … but I was overcome in reading my husband’s sweet note. His unending love and support made this journey possible.
Race Stats
Overall Place: 1423/2423
Overall Time: 13:03:52
Division Place: 49/95
Swim Overall Place: 1755
Swim Division Place: 65
Swim Lap 1: 42:19
Swim Lap 2: 44:51
Pace per 100M: 2:18
Total Swim Time: 1:27:09
T1: 8:46
Bike Division Place: 68
Bike Overall Place: 2026
Bike Pace: 16.3 mph
Bike Time: 6:52:08
T2: 5:37
Run Division Place: 33
Run Overall Place: 807
Run Pace: 10:19
Run Time: 4:30:14
Saturday, November 7, 2009
The Gushing Pride of a Husband.....
Anne Moore, you are an Ironman!!!!! Let me say that again, ANNE MOORE, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!!!! I can’t really say that I am surprised; you told me years ago that you would like to try this some day. What I heard when you said that was; I WILL do that one day. I never had a doubt in my mind that you could or would do it; it was just a matter of time.
Baby, I can’t tell you how proud of you I am. You are the most driven person I have ever known. When you set your mind to something, you have this magical way of making it happen. It didn’t matter how many 4 and yes 3 o’clock mornings, rain or shine, you got your training hours in. I know I have complained some about the hours and tried to guilt trip you once or twice (wink, wink) but I will always be your biggest fan, bar none. I love that you make things happen, it is the one thing I admire most about you.
I think the most amazing thing about this whole endeavor is that neither I nor the boys have felt neglected the whole time. You have juggled your work, training, and home responsibilities flawlessly. And I have been bragging on you to anyone who will listen for the entire time.
So anyway, congratulations! You will never know how proud I am of you. You are the best at everything you do and I still can’t believe how lucky I am that you picked me. I love you so much, My Ironman.
--Douglas
Baby, I can’t tell you how proud of you I am. You are the most driven person I have ever known. When you set your mind to something, you have this magical way of making it happen. It didn’t matter how many 4 and yes 3 o’clock mornings, rain or shine, you got your training hours in. I know I have complained some about the hours and tried to guilt trip you once or twice (wink, wink) but I will always be your biggest fan, bar none. I love that you make things happen, it is the one thing I admire most about you.
I think the most amazing thing about this whole endeavor is that neither I nor the boys have felt neglected the whole time. You have juggled your work, training, and home responsibilities flawlessly. And I have been bragging on you to anyone who will listen for the entire time.
So anyway, congratulations! You will never know how proud I am of you. You are the best at everything you do and I still can’t believe how lucky I am that you picked me. I love you so much, My Ironman.
--Douglas
Friday, November 6, 2009
Follow Me On Race Day!
If you want to track my progress on race day, go to www.ironman.com and look for the live event coverage for IMFL and go to the Athlete Tracker. You can search by name (Anne Moore) or bib # 2316.
Bike is in transition. Transition bags have been dropped off. Pre-race pizza dinner is done. Clothes have been laid out. Special needs bags are packed. Morning bag is ready. Infinit is cooling in the refrigerator. Timing chip is on my ankle. Sunscreen is ready to be applied. Practiced changing two tires. The only thing left to do is get a good night's sleep ...
Tomorrow is going to be a long day, but I am committed to enjoying every moment of my 140.6 miles! There are 1239 first timers on the course tomorrow, so I will be in good company.
Ironman is as much about the journey as it is about the race itself. I have logged the hours and I am ready to finish this challenge!
Good night, everyone!
Bike is in transition. Transition bags have been dropped off. Pre-race pizza dinner is done. Clothes have been laid out. Special needs bags are packed. Morning bag is ready. Infinit is cooling in the refrigerator. Timing chip is on my ankle. Sunscreen is ready to be applied. Practiced changing two tires. The only thing left to do is get a good night's sleep ...
Tomorrow is going to be a long day, but I am committed to enjoying every moment of my 140.6 miles! There are 1239 first timers on the course tomorrow, so I will be in good company.
Ironman is as much about the journey as it is about the race itself. I have logged the hours and I am ready to finish this challenge!
Good night, everyone!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Strange Sense of Calm
It was a beautiful day in PCB today. The seas were mostly flat and I had a great 1.2 mile swim on the course. The surf report shows there may be more swells on Saturday.
While I was hoping for calm seas, I know I can swim in the chop and that was one of the reasons that I did the Gulf Coast Tri in May here ... I wanted to compete in rougher conditions to be mentally prepared if those conditions presented themselves on race day.
Other than choppy seas, the weather forecast is perfect! I am looking forward to biking 112 miles under patchy skies in 70 some-odd degree weather and then running as the sun is setting and as the air cools off.
I picked up my packet today and saw the finish line and my heart skipped a beat, knowing that the next time I will be there I will be an Ironman. There was only excitement, no nerves as I got my race number and transition bags. I have a strange sense of calm for the time being.
I went to the race meeting this evening and had a raging headache, which made me feel a little nauseous, especially when I saw the size of the crowd and imagined the swim start. With the headache thankfully gone now, I have reminded myself that I can control my surroundings by starting down the beach and waiting a minute before entering the water.
Tomorrow morning I will do my last short ride and run before Ironman and packing my transition bags. I plan to get up early to get that out of the way so that I can spend the day relaxing with my boys, trying not to think about Saturday.
Be present. Live the moment.
Thank you for the good luck wishes, I will race strong knowing that I have so many people rooting me on, near and far!
Crowded Athlete Meeting (and that is the people you can see, there were a ton more to the left and right of the frame and in the hall with me)
I'm Official
This Morning ...
Andrew, playing on the beach
Tyler was running around like a mad man ...
While I was hoping for calm seas, I know I can swim in the chop and that was one of the reasons that I did the Gulf Coast Tri in May here ... I wanted to compete in rougher conditions to be mentally prepared if those conditions presented themselves on race day.
Other than choppy seas, the weather forecast is perfect! I am looking forward to biking 112 miles under patchy skies in 70 some-odd degree weather and then running as the sun is setting and as the air cools off.
I picked up my packet today and saw the finish line and my heart skipped a beat, knowing that the next time I will be there I will be an Ironman. There was only excitement, no nerves as I got my race number and transition bags. I have a strange sense of calm for the time being.
I went to the race meeting this evening and had a raging headache, which made me feel a little nauseous, especially when I saw the size of the crowd and imagined the swim start. With the headache thankfully gone now, I have reminded myself that I can control my surroundings by starting down the beach and waiting a minute before entering the water.
Tomorrow morning I will do my last short ride and run before Ironman and packing my transition bags. I plan to get up early to get that out of the way so that I can spend the day relaxing with my boys, trying not to think about Saturday.
Be present. Live the moment.
Thank you for the good luck wishes, I will race strong knowing that I have so many people rooting me on, near and far!
Crowded Athlete Meeting (and that is the people you can see, there were a ton more to the left and right of the frame and in the hall with me)
I'm Official
This Morning ...
Andrew, playing on the beach
Tyler was running around like a mad man ...
I'm Here!
I've arrived!
10.5 hours in the car and 3 stops later, we arrived in PCB yesterday around 4 pm. Got into the room as the sun was setting over a FLAT gulf! The weather was warm but not hot and it cooled down with the sunset, but it was not cold.
We went to Iron Bob's for dinner and I got to meet a couple of fellow bloggers, Kendra and Melissa. It was neat to meet in person people I have been following online. Then it was to Walmart to stock the condo -- it had been decimated by the Ironman community.
The forecast this week is the same every day, so here is to hoping that race day is as beautiful as it is this morning. I am headed out shortly for a swim where I hope to meet a large Beginner Triathlete crew and then I will hit Ironman village to pick up my packet and check out the expo.
I am looking forward to an afternoon on the beach with my boys!
View from our condo:
10.5 hours in the car and 3 stops later, we arrived in PCB yesterday around 4 pm. Got into the room as the sun was setting over a FLAT gulf! The weather was warm but not hot and it cooled down with the sunset, but it was not cold.
We went to Iron Bob's for dinner and I got to meet a couple of fellow bloggers, Kendra and Melissa. It was neat to meet in person people I have been following online. Then it was to Walmart to stock the condo -- it had been decimated by the Ironman community.
The forecast this week is the same every day, so here is to hoping that race day is as beautiful as it is this morning. I am headed out shortly for a swim where I hope to meet a large Beginner Triathlete crew and then I will hit Ironman village to pick up my packet and check out the expo.
I am looking forward to an afternoon on the beach with my boys!
View from our condo:
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