Introducing: Racing with Babes

The best part about the Rev3 summit was getting to know my teammates.  It was such a great opportunity for serious team bonding without the distraction of actually racing!  My roomie for the summit was Tonia (Toe-Knee-Ahh) from Racing with Babes.  She is new to Team Rev3 this year and I am so excited that she has joined the team!  We hit it off right away and it turns out we have quite a bit in common - young moms with young families, but even more than that she is just a very cool chick!  She is training for her first 140.6 this year at Rev3 Cedar Point, be sure to go over to her blog and say hello! 

Welcome to the team, Tonia!

Rev3 Team Summit

I am sitting on the plane in Denver waiting to head back to Houston after an incredible weekend with my Rev3 teammates at the Team Summit in Boulder. What an incredible weekend full of laughter, new friendships and awesome sponsors!

I think this is going to be the best Rev3 year yet! I am really looking forward to seeing everyone in Knoxville ... What Rev3 races are on your calendar this year?

More fun things to share on the Rev3 front soon, including highlighting some of my incredible new (and old) teammates!

Virtual Run Across America

Starting at midnight tonight, Rev3 will start its Run Across America to raise $100,000 for the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

I am not able to take three weeks off of work to complete the entire run, but I still want to be a big part of the experience. I am going to do that in three big ways ...

1 - I have a goal to raise $1000 towards the $100,000 goal
2 - I am going to join the crew for two days of running in Tennessee
3 - I will run 315 miles in 21 days (roughly what I would personally run if I was able to run with them from CA to DC)

Have you been touched by cancer? For most of us, there is usually not more than 2 degrees of separation to cancer ... and cancer in young adults is especially heart breaking. Running an average of 15 miles a day over 3 weeks will hurt, but it is nothing compared to those that are fighting for their lives. Please consider making a donation to support this cause. Every dollar raised helps YOUNG PEOPLE with cancer and every single dollar counts.

I have done a lot of training and racing over the last five years but this is the first time I am asking for help in raising money for what I think is a very worthy cause. Will you consider making a small donation, even $1? If so, please follow this link and when you finalize the donation on the second page, please select my name as the Rev3 team member.

Thank you for your consideration!

Filling in the Blanks

As I mentioned in my last post, I am without a major goal this year. I have been having a hard time deciding what races I want to do this year and I think I have discovered why. Normally, I would pick an "A" race and then just fill in the blanks. Without an anchor race to provide structure (e.g., doing a HIM on the way to your IM distance race) the blanks are truly that - blank.

So, what have I decided for 2012/2013?

First and foremost, I am beyond excited that Rev3 is bringing a new race to Florida October 27 -28! As a Texas girl, this new race is within driving distance for me and I love, love, love Florida. It will have always have a special place in my heart for triathlon because I did my first 140.6 there. So that is one blank I am very excited to have filled in. The good news / bad news is that a late season race means that I have lots of time before I have to get serious about training for what I am calling my "A" triathlon race of the year.

On the running front, I have signed up for Texas Marathon in Kingwood, TX on January 1, 2013. It is a small race, capped at 650 runners that it is known for having the largest finisher's medal. It sells out early every year, so I have already paid my fees. It is a BQ race, but given the races I am going to describe below, I am not sure I will be in qualifying shape come January 1.

Other marathons I am considering ...

The Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco October 14, 2012. Firemen in tuxes handing out Tiffany boxes. Yes please. It has a lottery entrance so we will see. Based on the hilly nature of the course, I would not plan on attempting to BQ this course. In all actuality, I have a girlfriend in California that I really want to visit and this would be a great race to just "do" and not stress about.

The same crew that puts on the Texas Marathon on New Year's day is staging two races in December on back to back days. The End of the World Marathon on December 21, 2012 (to coincide with the date the Mayans believe will be the end of the world) and the Day After the End of the World Marathon on December 22, 2012 (for those who believe that the world will see 2013). Of course, I think it would be fun to do both. This is not a BQ race and if I run these (which I likely will) then the Texas Marathon a mere 10 days later will not likely to be a BQ attempt either.

So where does that leave me?

I am searching for a summer marathon that I can properly train for to attempt a BQ time. Even if I miss BQing, I would like to see where I am compared to my last stand alone marathon in 2009 (3:57 at Houston).

I definitely plan to race local this year with my local tri team, Team Bicycle World and Fitness. I have spent the last two seasons doing more training than racing and I am looking forward to some short, fast races and getting to know more local triathletes. First up, Du the Polar Bear Duathlon next weekend. Hmm ... maybe I should air up my bike tires???

Finally, I am going to be doing my absolute best to make it to another one or two Rev3 races. I am a firm believer that if we as triathletes want to see better races, we need to support the new brands like Rev3 that are trying to give us a better race experience.

So, things are starting to fall into place. Clearly the last quarter of the year is set, so I will just slowly continue to fill in the blanks. Deep breath, I am starting to feel better. :)

The Kitchen Sink

I often will have random thoughts pop up and I will think, “I should post that in the blog”, but I either forget about it by the time I have a chance to sit down and blog or the singular thought itself doesn’t seem to warrant its own post, so I am starting a “Kitchen Sink” post, where I will share my random, disjointed thoughts about triathlon, and well, just about anything, except maybe the kitchen sink!

-Did you watch any Kona coverage this weekend? One word – inspiring! I can’t wait to see it on TV. I get that it is a long day, but damn, it is frustrating not to get to watch it live! I have decided that I have to do this race once. Since taking 2 hours off my 140.6 PR is unlikely given my full time job, full time wife and mother status, I think I will be playing the lottery.

-I have to admit, I was torn on whether I wanted Chrissie or Rinny to win (after Dibens was out) … who were you rooting for? I annoyed my husband for at least an hour trying to follow the race on my phone at an outdoor, very low-key wedding reception.

-After reading interviews from the pros, it is clear that I do not let myself get into the pain locker. I must work on this - test the water, a toe at a time?

-Rev3 is going to Florida in 2012 – and it is a great weekend for us to boot, October 27 – 28, 2012. I am so excited about this race. For my fellow Texans, I am still suggesting a Texas race. Good things come to those who wait!

-I ran 22 miles in the rain on Sunday and it felt awesome. I am feeling ready for this 50K, although I am seriously lacking on actual trail miles. The great thing about a new race distance, especially one off road, is that I am not worried about my time. I am just enjoying being outdoors in this beautiful weather and celebrating the fact that I can run!

-Yesterday, 11 miles into my 22 miler, my amazing hubby took the boys to a birthday party. He drove through the neighborhood to find me to tell me he was leaving and didn’t even look at my funny, while I was drenched, running in the rain. I am so lucky to have him – he just gets me!

-I am seriously considering going back on my previous commitment to not race long in 2012 … I really want to race IMTX again. Something about missing a race in my backyard just kills me, plus I really like the idea of an early season full. My family supports it, now I just need to make a decision. More to come on this topic soon …

-Tyler, my 4 year old, was wearing his “Ironmanne” shirt - the support shirt that my family wore for IMTX this year. I asked him if he picked it or if Daddy did. He said he picked it (and he is a bit picky on what shirts he wears). So, I asked him if he remembered what that shirt was for. Andrew, my 7 year old, replied, that is the Ironman shirt. So, I asked, do you know what Ironman is? Without hesitation – yea, where everyone runs and gets a medal. This just made me smile.

-I have not ridden my bike in months. I miss her. I have even given up on spin class and indoor cycling since I am now running about 8 hours a week.

-Did you see the new Garmin 910 xt? This is at the top of my Christmas list from a triathlon perspective. What is on yours? The new Garmin power pedals look pretty sweet too – but at $1500, someone needs to give me a sales job on why I need these.

-Speaking of Christmas lists, I decided not to wait and bought two super cute running skirts from Lululemon. I wore one in the rain yesterday and it was so light despite the rain. Perfect! Now, I just need to find 2 or 3 more fun colored running tanks with built-in bras and pockets in the back. Suggestions?

-One month post LASIK eye appointment was today. I love it! Sign me up, I will do a commercial. I love, love, love, love, love not having to mess with contacts anymore!

-I ran 10 for Texas this weekend in the Woodlands – what a fun 10 miler! I love the Woodlands – too bad it is so far away from work or I would consider moving there. So athlete friendly. Race report to follow soon.

Have a great training week!

Rev3 Cedar Point - The Bike

As I headed out to start the longest part of my day, I was immediately thankful that I took the time to put on my bolero arm warmers. September in Ohio was cool, with air temps at the start of the bike in the low 60s. It was perfect riding weather, but this Texas girl, especially after training in 100+ degree temps in the weeks leading up to the race, was a bit chilled.

A kiss for Douglas

It always takes me a while to settle in on the bike and find my legs. I have to make a conscience effort not to “eat the paste” while the slower swimmers who are strong bikers fly by in the early miles on the bike. Coach Carole gave me good guidance to take the first miles easy to settle in, so I did just that.

The bike can be mind numbing so I try to split up the miles, if only for a mental break. This bike course was easy to split into 4 sections – the bike start to the start of the first loop, loop 1, loop 2, and the final leg. Douglas and I drove the bike course the day before the race so I was very familiar with the route and my surroundings, which helped tremendously. The best part was that we had so much fun on the bike route tour, just chatting and laughing together in the car, that I couldn’t help but smile as I passed various landmarks and recalled those conversations.

Doug and I had discussed a good spot for him to spectate on the bike course – a place where he could easily see me three times on the bike course without having to drive around like a mad man. I was excited about 20 miles into the race as I approached our designated spot because seeing Douglas is a huge pick-me-up … except, he wasn’t there. No big deal, I told myself. The first 20 miles ended up being pretty fast for me and I figured that Doug must have gotten stuck in traffic. I was wearing a Trakkers device so I knew that Doug would know exactly where I was in the course, so he wouldn’t worry about me. The designated spot was also the demarcation of the end of the first segment and the beginning of the first loop of the course. I did a mental check to mark the first portion as complete and told myself I would see Doug in a couple of hours.

Shortly after the 20 mile marker, we turned to do a short out and back and it was on this stretch that I was surprised to see Douglas – and our rental car completely decorated with colored duct tape as a huge sign for me!

We exchanged a couple of yells back and forth and a virtual fist bump and I was on my way. Douglas later told me that this little town was easier to get to while the race was underway, so he made a game time decision to change spots. Spectating is hard work – hours of waiting and worrying, just to see me for less than 30 seconds! At least with the Trakkers device he could see where I was on the course and my speed, which took away a lot of the worrying (mechanicals, crashes).

We love mom, A+T (Andrew & Tyler)


I got a big boost from seeing Douglas and did some mental math and figured I would see him again a little over 2 hours. I refocused and settled into “section 2” of the ride. Just as was settling in, I noticed a motorcycle behind me. At first I thought it was a race official, but they were not passing me – and then I saw the blur of the lead male cyclist coming up behind me! It was so cool to see the race leader. That is one of the best parts of racing a triathlon – you get to race WITH the pros.

The wind on the course was mostly in our favor or a cross wind for the first leg of the race and I was slightly anxious about when we were going to turn into the headwind. The first half of section 2 (the loop) had a great tail wind, so I did my best to take advantage of the favorable wind. When I turned I was expecting to take a beating, and while my speeds slowed down considerably, I never felt miserable.

At this point, I was approaching special needs, but since I carried all of my nutrition on my bike and was feeling comfortable with what I was wearing I did not stop. Rev3 did a great job of having someone a half mile ahead of the special needs stop radioing in our numbers so our bags were waiting for us as we rode by. Special needs also marked nearly the end of the first loop, which meant I was on my way to Doug (yeah!) and that killer tail wind!

With the first loop behind me, it was time for a self assessment. My nutrition felt spot on and my legs felt good. The best part about starting the second loop was knowing what to expect at each turn. Which roads were rough or uphill, when to expect the aid stations, the tail wind and downhills. Mentally, this is a big thing for me.

Shortly after starting the second loop, I saw Douglas again and got another mental boost. I figured I would see him again at the bike finish and settled in to the third section of the ride (loop 2). This loop was slower overall as the wind changed against us. I still had a nice tail wind, but it was not quite as good and the sections with the head wind were tough.

All of my solo riding in preparation for the race paid off though, and I was focused and not at all frustrated or bored. Each turn was a mental checkmark getting me that much closer to the marathon. As I approached the end of the second loop (mental section 3), I was getting a bit down. The wind had slowed me down and I was starting to get ancy to get off my bike.

It was as if Douglas knew I was going to need the boost of seeing him because just as I was having my short lived pity party, I saw Douglas in the original spectating spot we had scoped out. It was so good to see him and it was just what I needed at that moment. At this point with only one mental section left to ride, I was feeling good about my overall pace and my time.

I have always been a second half rider and my body has a bit of a horse to stables mentality so I kicked it up for the last 20 miles, just like Coach Carole wanted. My last hour was one of my strongest. I kept expecting awful wind on the last leg, but it never materialized. I passed quite a few people in those last few miles. I felt so good and I was not pushing the effort, just anxious to hit T2.

Once I was within a mile or two of the finish, I decided to check my mileage on my bike computer to see exactly how much further I had to ride --- and my computer showed 120ish miles. Hmm, that is not right. I knew I reset my computer, so I immediately realized that when we changed out my battery, Doug’s programming must not have worked so my computer thought I was riding on 700c wheels instead of 600c wheels. That explained why my mph was higher than expected throughout the ride. Good thing I was not paying attention to speed much at all -- it was all exertion level and time.

As I made the turn back into the Cedar Point parking lot I said a prayer of thanks for my safety and no mechanical issues (remember, my 3 flat tires the day before?) and was thrilled to be getting off my bike. I was happy to see Doug waiting for me at the bike dismount line. 2 of 3 sports down – 1 to go!

Bike Time: 6:12:39, 18.03 mph
5 /14 Division
26/67 Overall Women (including pros)

T2
As I entered T2 a volunteer grabbed my bike and I started running to the peg boards. I took one step and decided to take my shoes off on the spot. My feet hurt and I couldn’t wait another 20 seconds to take my bike shoes off.

As I turned the corner to reach my T2 bag, Doug was worried and asked me if I was ok. I told him I was great and he asked me if I had had a flat or anything and I said no. He was relieved and told me that my Trakkers device must have run of batteries at the 92 mile mark because that was the last live data he received on my progress and he had been worried about me. He was about to go look for me in the car! I reassured him that I was ok and ran into the tent to get ready for the run.

The tent was empty and I had 2 volunteers waiting on me hand and foot. One took my gear and the other was basically helping me get ready (putting my race number on, turning on my Garmin, helping me with my hat, etc. It was amazing to have such great volunteer support. With that I was off like a prom dress, ready (or so I thought) to conquer the marathon.

T2 Time– 3:56

Starting the marathon, I was 48 minutes ahead of my IMFL time and looking at my watch (cumulative race time was 7:45:37, I could taste a sub 12 hour race.

IM Recovery, Inspiration & Team Trakkers 2011

Recovery

Rev3 Cedar Point was nearly 3 weeks ago … so, how am I feeling now?

Recovery, like after IMFL, has been fairly quick. I always expect to feel like I was hit by a ton of bricks, but I find that even the day after the race I am able to get around just fine – walking, taking stairs, but just a bit slower than usual and with less pep in my step.

True recovery though, takes longer. After stressing my body for 7+ months straight, I am being very cautious this go round to respect the recovery period to avoid injuries and give my body what it needs – rest and diversity in workouts (pilates anyone?). The superficial recovery may be complete but the deep rooted recovery takes a bit longer.

I have done two very short runs since Cedar Point, the first 1.5 weeks after the race and the second 2.5 weeks post race. The first run sucked, plain and simple. The second run was infinitely better, but I feel that I have an exponential way to go. I am going to try running again next week to gauge my recovery.

In the mean time, I am still riding my bike, trying to make it to the pool once a week and doing things I have never made time for, like pilates and Parisi speed school.

I love running and I really miss the simplicity of it, but what I learned last year was that my body needs a break from running and I can either do it now or get injured and then do it. My hamstrings and IT bands are still fairly tight, despite a phenomenal massage, which included stripping my IT bands (yowza!). Next week will be the first week post race I have not had to travel, so I am committing right now to spend time each day for the next week on my foam roller to work on my tight muscles.

Also starting next week I am aiming to start a maintenance program. I feel lost without a plan to follow, so I will aim for 6 to 7 hours a week of whatever I feel like doing for the week. A good mix of cardio and strength/flexibility training with a little S,B,R mixed in for good measure.

What do you do during the off season?

Finally, looking ahead to next season (with IM Texas looming on the calendar!), I want to share a bit of inspiration and the incredible opportunity to join Team Trakkers!

"At 29, she [Mirinda Carafrae] has yet to reach her pinnacle as a female endurance athlete, which usually comes in the mid 30s. The full depth of her talent, she believes, has yet to be explored ... Carfrae believes that she has plenty of time to catch and beat Wellington, who, at 33, is entering her prime" -- LAVA Magazine

As a 31 year old female athlete, it was nice to read that the best is yet to come. Maybe I will be able to break 12 hours one day...

Team Trakkers

We are a group of multisport athletes of every shape, size, and ability who love to train, race and have fun. The Green Machine is looking for a new athletes to join in 2011. If you are interested in being a part of this phenomenal group, then click here and fill out the application. Good luck!

If you have any questions about the team, leave them in the comments and I will be happy to respond.

Want to know a bit more about what you get for being a part of the team …

“In addition to the privilege of wearing the awesome green Trakkers kit, we are in process of bringing on some additional companies who are interested in the exposure that a grassroots team would bring. They are in the works, but it will consist of a variety of triathlon related products. Nutrition, clothing and shoes are a couple of the categories that we are close to filling. We will be holding a camp for the team this year and athletes on the team will have their lodging at camp paid for. Also included in team membership is free entry to all of the rev3 races next year.”

Speaking of Rev3 races ... All of the Rev3 races are open for registration for 2011 -- including Cedar Point, and at $425, it is a bargain compared to IM branded races, for arguably, a better experience. Check it out!