It's been a really long time!

Elliot and Mom after the Mesa Tri

Wow, it's been so long since any of us Ironmoms have been on the blog to update about our races and training.  I guess that this year has been more about being moms and less about being Iron.  :)  I was at IMAZ 2013 this weekend and I couldn't believe that a year ago I was out there racing.  I volunteered to help--mostly because I know how much those volunteers mean to the racers on that long day.  Also, I had some friends racing and I wanted to be sure to support them.  I can't say I missed racing.  It was great to be around the energy and excitement without the stress and the long hours of training that go along with racing.  I saw fellow Ironmom Kristin while volunteering.  She had baby Eden with her and looked awesome.

Women's Half Marathon

Meanwhile, I have done tons of races!!  So many, that I can hardly remember all of them.  Since the last update--SW Valley tri, Marquee tri, Espirit de She tri, Tempe International Tri, MedCity Marathon Relay, Minneapolis Marathon, Timberman tri, Waseca tri, Skirt Chaser 5k, Cheese Fest 5k, Peoria tri, Mesa tri, Nathan's/Lifetime tri, the Women's Half Marathon, the Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge, and even a virtual marathon.  I think that's all of them.

Truth be told, I think I am a little burnt out on racing.  Completing the Ironman gave me sort of a bad attitude about training.  I tend to have the "I finished an Ironman, so how hard can this ____ race be?" mentality about everything.  As a result, I haven't really been enjoying the races nearly as much (because I have not been training for them).  The ones that I have enjoyed have been the ones I've gotten to do with friends (which are always the best ones anyway!!).

Jessie and I at the Timberman Tri

I only have a few races scheduled in the coming months.  Elliot and I are going to do a Thanksgiving tri, I am doing the Hot Chocolate 5k again, the Rock 'n' Roll Arizona 1/2 Marathon, the Awesome 80's run and the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon.  And, that's all I have planned for now.  I am going to focus on having more fun with races and doing races in more interesting locales (I've had about all I can take of the area around Tempe Town Lake for now!).  

Katie, Jen, and I at the SkirtChaser

At the Mesa tri a few weeks ago, a woman asked me if I was an Ironmom from the blog.  She was really sweet and encouraging.  I am glad people are still interested in the blog and I will be better about updating about races and training.  I hope my other Ironmoms will join me.  :)

As for training, I have really started to mix things up since IMAZ last year.  I found a dance studio where I could take tap classes (which I did when I lived in MN and have missed since moving to AZ).  It's been so fun.  Also, I have been trying out different classes at the gym to make up for the significant decrease in running, biking, and swimming I have had since IMAZ.  

Happy training everyone!

Tap!!!

Tempe International, Medcity 1/2 Marathon, Run Streak!

It has been so long since I posted--I really owed a blog entry to catch up on all the races I've done since the last post.

My running helpers at the Tempe International Tri

So, last month, I completed the Tempe International Tri.  I entered the sprint race in the Athena category.  I was worried about the heat and I really wasn't excited about anything longer than a sprint tri, so this worked out well.  The weather at the start of the race was pretty cool and things were looking good.  The setup of the race was a bit odd--transition was under the freeway overpass on Mill Avenue.  The swim started on the north side of Tempe Town Lake and we had to run about a 1/4 mile up a hill to get to transition.  We also had to climb up and down stairs at various points during the run, which is always a bit dicey when your legs are tired.

At any rate, racing in the sprint was the right choice for me.  I finished while the weather was still cool and in time for my Mother's Day brunch.  :)  I even had two little helpers finish the race with me.  And, to top it off, I won the Athena category!  It was a pretty great start to Mother's Day.

Medcity 1/2 Marathon--stylin'

Last weekend, I ran the Medcity 1/2 Marathon in Rochester, MN.  I had entered this race planning to run the full marathon, but I decided to switch down to the 1/2 for several reasons.  First, the weather forecast for the day was not looking great--chance of thunderstorms, high humidity, and temperatures in the 90's.  I had wanted to run this race because of the cooler weather, so I was a little disappointed about that.  Second, I wasn't really trained like I should have been for a full marathon.  Finally, I was really not looking forward to being sore and uncomfortable for the remainder of the visit with my family and friends.

In the end, switching races was the right decision.  The weather was cool at the start, but by the end of the 1/2 it was plenty warm.  Also, I wore a pair of old shoes that I had left in MN to run in--instead of packing my usual running shoes (I wanted to save room in my luggage).  I ended up with blistered feet because they were no longer used to the old sneakers.  I was plenty sore after the 1/2 so I was quite glad I didn't run the full.  I am still planning on running a full marathon at some point this summer, so hopefully, I will be better trained by then.

Last, I decided to join the Runner's World Run Streak.  The run streak runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  The streak requires you to commit to running everyday.  To complete the streak, you must run at least one mile each day (no substitutions).  I started 2 days late, so I will actually run everyday until 2 days after Labor Day.  I have never been a daily runner, so this is a big change for me.  I figured that if I ran more frequently I might start to like it (and get better and faster).  One of the things that makes it doable is that you only need to run a mile each day.  I typically only run 3 days in a week--so I'm treating all my typical non-run days as warm-up runs.  So far, I've run everyday--even when it meant going out at 9:00 at night so that a big supper could digest a bit before running!  #RWrunstreak

Mount San Jacinto State Park

It's been a little hard to keep up with training the last few weeks--I've been home with Lyla because pre-k finished at the beginning of May.  While I could go to the gym (they have free child care), it was hard to get out for a ride or a run.  Additionally, I was traveling (first to MN and then to CA).  Unfortunately, the trip to CA was to Palm Springs--where it's just as hot as in AZ, so I only took short runs (some were just the minimal mile to qualify for the streak).  I did take a really nice hike in the Mount San Jacinto State Park though. 

That's where I'm at!  I don't have much on the race calendar for the summer.  I am looking forward to getting into my training plan in earnest for the next few months. 

April!

I can hardly believe it's April!! I have a few big races on the calendar that I feel undertrained for...the story of my race life! I am signed up for the Marquee 1/2 iron distance tri next (yikes!) weekend, the Tour d' Fire 139 mile bike ride at the beginning of May and the Medcity marathon at the end of May.
I am hoping for cool weather for these races--with that I am certain I will make it.
Also, April marks the "official" start to Ironman training. I am looking at ways to get in 2 workouts a day. I am also committing to drinking a green smoothie to start out each day! This is probably my biggest challenge as I am not a morning person and we're usually scrambling to get out the door as it is.
Here's to iron training!!