Chicago Rock n Roll 1/2 Marathon

It wasn't pretty, but it got done!  It's been a long time since we've had any activity on this blog.  The other Ironmoms and I have been a bit out of touch with the racing scene (I think I can safely say that for all of us!).

I had a long winter--some injuries and other things got in the way of training and racing.  And, general dislike for training kept me from getting up and getting things done in terms of racing.  As a result, I was less than prepared for the Chicago Rock 'n' Roll 1/2 Marathon.

The day prior to the race I was in Minneapolis where I ran/walked the Bacon Chase 5k with friends (it was a fun race--I recommend it!).  Then, I hopped a plane and arrived in Chicago.  After surviving the chaos that is a Rock 'n' Roll race expo, I had my packet and set out for a lovely evening hanging out with a friend in Chicago.  All the while, I had this dread hanging over my head--I knew this race was going to be painful.
 
If I am being 100% honest, the last time I really ran was back in November for the Women's 1/2 Marathon.  I had done some short distances since then, but nothing consistent or really much more than 3-5 miles at a time.  Once the hot weather hit in Phoenix, I did ZERO running (or biking for that matter).  I decided that I would use a walk-run interval to survive the Chicago race and held to it for the first half...then my walk intervals got longer...then my run intervals got shorter.  Finally, for miles 11 & 12, I think (I know) I walked more than I ran.

I finished and could feel my lack of training in just about every part of my body.  I vowed to start training for my October/November half marathons (4 half marathons in 6 weeks).  Here it is, August, and the training has not really started...yet.  So, here I am back on the blog and committing to getting trained for those races!!

If you're curious about how I handled the incredible muscle soreness following the race, check out my other blog (Oil Have What She's Having) where I talked about that.  oilhabit.com/2014/07/sore-muscles-aroma-siez/

Happy racing (and training!!) everyone!

A New Year, a New Outlook on Racing

It's hard to believe it's already 2014! I had a somewhat lackluster 2013 in terms of racing, but I was happy to receive 2nd in the Athena category for the tri-family race series. I was even more excited that my daughter took 3rd in her age group for the series!!

This year I am focusing on quality rather than quantity of races. I would like to focus on getting faster and fitter. Most of all, I want to have fun! Rather than racing in the longest distant race--I'd rather be racing somewhere fun, with fun people, and enjoying it. I did a bunch of sprint tris in 2013 and it felt good to get out there and race, but be finished with plenty of time to enjoy my day.  I've also had my fill of Tempe Town Lake!! I don't have any desire to swim in it or run around it any time in the neat future. 

I'd also like to focus on training--both on my own and with my daughters. I only have a few races on the calendar so far for 2014, so we'll see what comes up and sounds like fun. :) What are your race goals for the new year?

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!!!

Phoenix Marathon 2013 - Kristin

Aww, the Phoenix marathon.  I had been looking forward to this one for a while.  After all, without sticking to my training plans for my past few marathons, I had beat my time each consecutive marathon, and since my last (not counting Ironman) was 4:00:15, I was sure to FINALLY be under that 4:00 mark!  And especially coming off of Ironman?  I was sure it was in the bag.

Then I got lazy.

I started getting serious about long runs with the help of my friend Marie (picture below on the left).  This was to be her first marathon, and she was also hoping to come in under 4:00, so I begged her to let me tag along for her long runs.

But my mid week runs were pathetic.  It was so hard to get out of bed, and I was just feeling slow and heavy.  I figured it was due to a busy semester, and the stress of moving.

Come to find out...

I'M PREGNANT!!!

Well come hell or high water, I was going to run this marathon.

 I was so excited to run this.  A marathon in MY town, where I'd run by MY (old) house, and MY highschool, with lots of MY friends.  

 To avoid the super early wake up call, and having to sit on a bus, I had a friend drop Marie and I off at the start.  Sure the race directions said this was not allowed, but we risked it, and it paid off!

We were dropped right at the start just 15 minutes before the gun went off.  Just in time to use the porta potty and take some quick pics.  Perfect.

It started off great!  It was cool, but not cold.  Perfect running weather.

The start of the race is down hill and fast.  I loved it!  

We were maintaining our pace, and I felt great!  

At the half way mark, we were at 1:55, and I felt like I had tons left to give.  But Marie's quads were hurting from the down hill start, and so we split at the half.  

At 19, I was starting to feel the tired feeling I usually feel around 22.  :(

But I was still with the 3:45 pace group, and I felt like I could hold it.

But then at 21 I had the burps that turned into the pukes.  

I stopped and puked, and caught my breath as I watched the 3:45 group move on.

I walked for a while.  Then when the 3:50 group came, I started running again.

Puke, walk, repeat.

I tried so hard to stay with the 4:00 group.  Because then I could just pour it on that last little bit and beat 4:00 right?

No.  They left me in the dust too.

I was just about resigned to walking the rest of the way when my friend Mark (my first boyfriend, ha!) was walking back along the course.  He did the half in 1:30, and had been running people in.  So he started running and talking with me.  I was too embarrassed to tell him I really wanted to walk, so I dug deep and ran the last mile in at a great pace!  I was surprised I could pull it off!

There I am, running in to the finish, after high fiving just about everyone in the crowd.  I was so happy to be finished, and I usually see that as taking more time than just sprinting in to the finish, but my time goal was gone, so I didn't care.  It was fun!

4:08:44

So what's next?

Ironman St. George 70.3

I need to get back on the bike, and pray my wet suit will fit!

No time goals, I just want to finish.

Tri for the Cure

Tri for the Cure!

This was a fun and quick race!!  The only complaint I had was that I was #406 so that meant I didn't start until nearly 9:00 a.m.  I had gotten to the race at 5:30 because I missed packet pick up the day before due to the fact that I was in Colorado for work.  I would have liked to have gotten a couple extra hours of sleep...but oh well!  Also, I wish that I had eaten a bigger breakfast.  I was super hungry by the time the race started.  I didn't bring many snacks since the race was so short, so I was pretty low on energy by the end of the run.  The race went well.  I finished 4th in the Athenas--I had hoped to run a bit faster, but the swim and bike went well.  Overall, it's a fun race.  Things always seem a bit less hectic when it's just ladies racing. :)  Oh, and it was awesome to see the elite athletes at the start of the race--one of the swimmers was insanely fast!

Upcoming races:  SW Valley YMCA race through tri family in April and Marquee Sprint, Espirit de She and Tempe International Tri in May, MedCity Marathon Relay over Memorial Day weekend, Minneapolis Marathon in June, Timberman Tri in July (I hope!!).  

Race Results

Phoenix Marathon and Peoria Tri

Phoenix 1/2 Marathon

Last weekend was a busy race weekend! First, I ran the Phoenix 1/2 marathon on Saturday morning. The course was different this year so we didn't enjoy a three mile decline to start out the race. The course was still quite flat and the weather was perfect. The race organization was a bit of a disaster. The finish was moved, but the race organizers still had runners bussed to their respective starts.

The race traffic was completely backed up getting onto the highway and then off to the exit. As a result, many of us sat on the highway for close to an hour. Then, we took the buses (also somewhat chaotic) to the start. I got off the bus and into the port a potty line...where I waited 25 minutes, which left me two minutes to bring my stuff to gear check and get to the start. I walked up to the starting line area just as the gun went off!!

Kids' 1K

The run was fairly uneventful. It was a bit crowded at the start and about 9 miles in I started catching some of the 10k walkers, which would have been less frustrating had the running lane been wider. Overall, I ended with an alright time, but not the PR I had on the course last year.
The finish area was chaotic--but there were lots of fun activities and vendors just like last year (cotton candy is always a win in my book!).

After my race, the girls ran a 1k on the course. It was a little warm for the kids' race. Lyla got a little warm and didn't really love the run. Elliot had a better time.

Silver Medal!

Sunday morning was Elliot's big race day. We headed up to Peoria for a tri just for her! She did great. This was in the regular order--swim, bike, run. Her swim went well, transition was still a little confusing, the bike felt long, and she had a GREAT run. She ended up 2nd in her age group and she was so excited!! A lot of the older kids had been ahead of her so she didn't think she did that well. It was pretty great watching her collect her silver medal. :)

2nd Place!

Now why don't she write????

Hey all!! It's been a looooooooong time since I've posted here. It's also been awhile since I've really done any training. : / I decided I was going to enjoy the holidays and family time. Well that was a few months ago now. I can't say I haven't done ANY training at all.

Kate and I got our bike crew together for a first ride up Usery Pass about a month ago. Should've listened to the signs. Kate had a minor spill in the parking lot, quickly followed by me doing pretty much the same thing - not getting foot unclipped fast enough to step down. Once we got going everything seemed to be going well, and I was even keeping up with the pack without any trouble. We started cruising along Bush Highway, and I was feeling pretty good to be back on the road, peddling along, chilly wind in the face. After a little bit of a hill, the other three went ahead, and I was getting up to speed and had just settled into my aerobars when BAM! My left side aerobar just dropped out from under me. This caused me to fall to the right, into the gravel shoulder. I could feel the front of my helmet, sunglasses and cheek skid along the ground. When I came to a stop, looking up at the sky, I screamed as loud and as long as I could hoping the rest of the group would hear.

Nothing.

So I screamed just as loud and as long as I could again. Still nothing.

I checked my face fully expecting my hand to be covered in blood. Nope...good sign. I didn't feel like anything was broken. I sat up and looked around, I could see the other three waaaaaaay up ahead on the road, and I tried calling to them again, but they were too far. Dang, I thought I had a pretty strong voice when I was a cheerleader. Oh yeah, that was decades ago....DUH!

By this time at least a couple cars had passed by without one even slowing down. Turds! My elbow was bleeding pretty good to the point where it was dripping onto my leg. I stood up and texted Kate that I wrecked. I also tried calling but to nada. A couple more cars pass by. Doo-doo heads.

Just then my knight in a shiny black Chevy Avalanche is coming towards me. Hooray MCSO to the rescue! I raise my hand to wave him down, and was shocked when he just waved and passed by!!!! OH HELL TO THE NO!!!!!!! I think my look of shock made him realize I actually needed help. So after a U-turn he comes back, administers some first aid and gives me a ride back to the cars. Kate finally got my texts and message and tells me to wait at the car.



Well to make a long story short - turns out that the bolts holding the aerobars onto the handlebars were too short and there was barely any thread holding them on. I'm actually grateful I wrecked where I did because I can only imagine how much damage there would have been had I been going down the other side of Usery Pass easily going well into the 30mph, if not 40mph range. The other big lesson is that this is the second time I've had difficulty riding on the Bush Highway. Oprah talks about listening to the message the Universe sends you - first it starts as a whisper, that gut feeling you have. Then the messages get louder and louder until you finally learn the lesson, or get the message. I got the message.....no more Bush Highway for Enzo.

I still need to get a new helmet and get my sunglasses fixed, but my body is healed (hopefully the road rash on my elbow will leave a cool scar), and Enzo is fixed. I'm definitely ready to get back on the road!!!!!