Monday, Feb 23rd
Time: 4:30pm
Workout: Just run
Where: Town Lake Trail
People: Me :) with viewing of Dionn
Comments: Attempted to run... but the legs weren't feeling it. After the first mile, I realized it was my first run since the marathon. I guess the legs weren't fully recovered. Only made it three miles.
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Lost Creek
Workout: Swim
People: SABRINA! and other T3'ers.
Comments: I made it through my first full workout without being threatened by the dreaded tarp!! Woo hoo!! 2700 meters, whoopie!! I also broke 2:00 minutes for a 100 meter swim. Double whoopie!! I actually jumped up and down in the water!! 1:58. Chrissy was awesome and critiqued me more. Just when I think I've got it, she switches something up and tells me to work on something else. I love it, it's making me faster!
Tuesday, Feb 24th
I had a CE class in Round Rock, so didn't make it to core/spin, so I skipped out. OFF Day!!
Wednesday, Feb 25th
Time: 5:00pm
Workout: Run
Location: Town Lake Trail
People: Me, with viewing of Shawnda, Maggie, and Rhejeanne :)
Weather: for the first time, HOT! :) But good hot!
Comments: I need to quit looking at my Garmin. I think I've become obsessed with staring at it and my pace. I started running, and after the first mile, I realized I was running slower than what I'd like. I'd like to keep my pace around 9:00 to 9:30 and I was doing 10's. BUT, I felt good. Legs were moving and calves were feeling much better. So I decided to just run based on feeling vs. what my pace was. I think I need to do this more often. One of the reasons why the Austin marathon went so well for me was it was the first marathon I didn't wear a pace band and I had no clue what I was running. I need to remember that, just run to run. I did the 7 mile loop and finished strong. Good run.
I skipped the swim class I normally attend because I have my VO2 testing in the morning to see if I can qualify for the cycle study. I'm excited, although the bike is my weakest sport so a little intimdated at pushing on my weakest sport. Through Facebook, I've noticed some FAST T3 women qualifying and just not sure if I'm up to their fitness on the bike. Who knows... we shall see tomorrow at 8am :)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Last Official Marathoner
I'm stealing this from Amber :)
Pretty inspirational...
Last place marathoner shares story
By Pamela LeBlanc Monday, February 23, 2009, 10:41 AM
Lara Newcomer wasn’t the first across the finish line of the Austin Marathon last weekend. She wasn’t the 100th or the 1,000th or even the 4,000th.
She was the last person to officially cross the finish line, and she did it with the help of her husband, other people in the race and a whole lot of folks who saw her go by and reached out to offer encouragement. It took her 7 hours and 20 minutes.
Here is her story. Thanks for sharing, Lara. And congratulations!
“Last Sunday’s marathon wasn’t my first, but it was certainly my hardest. About a month ago I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, which makes walking very painful at times. I stopped training and started treatments to try to let things heal up a little, but was still struggling with it. Then a week before the marathon I came down with the flu. I spent Monday and Tuesday in bed coughing and wheezing, with my fever hovering between 100 and 103.
My parents tried to talk me out of doing the marathon. But, I’ve been doing the Distance Challenge, a series of six races that started in October and totals almost 100 miles. The Austin Marathon was the last race in the challenge and if I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t get any credit for the Distance Challenge at all. So, I decided to give the marathon my best shot.
I knew when I got up Sunday morning that I wasn’t 100%, but I thought I had enough in me to do the marathon. I met up with my training partner, Shae, and two of her friends at the starting line. It all started pretty well —- I thought it was a good omen that there was a guy playing the cowbell on the Congress Avenue Bridge. It only took about three miles before I realized that my body was not going to let me keep up with the pace Shae and her friends were setting. Shae realized this and sent her friends on ahead. We slowed down a little, but I could tell that the pace was still just too fast for my poor recovering body.
By mile 8, I had decided to send Shae on ahead. I really thought I was done. I had texted Adam, my husband, that my body just couldn’t keep the pace and that I was going to quit. Shae said she’d stay with me until mile 10 because that’s where our husbands were. At mile 10, she went on ahead, but I decided that I had nothing to lose. So, I told Adam that I was just going to keep walking until I couldn’t walk anymore.
A lovely woman named Marissa had overheard me talking to Shae and to Adam and she was walking about my pace (very slow) and decided to walk with me — we decided that we would help and encourage each other. I don’t know her last name or where she’s from, but she walked with me from mile 10 until mile 23 and was a great encouragement.
By mile 13 my feet were killing me. Each step was painful and my knees were beginning to hurt because of the way I was compensating for the pain in my feet. A woman I don’t even know looked at me and told me she could tell by my face that I was dehydrated. And then my dear friend Edgar rode up on his bike. He just happened to be riding first aid and gave me a bottle of water with electrolytes and some of his wife’s “magic” pierogies. Thank God for Edgar and the water and pierogies! It was like someone flipped a switch and I suddenly had more energy and I was pretty confident that I was going to make it.
By mile 17 I wasn’t so confident anymore….the police car and official race vehicles had been right behind us since mile 15…..I knew I was the very end of the line. Everything below my hips was hurting and I really thought that something was going to seize up and I just wouldn’t be able to walk anymore. But, Edgar showed up again at mile 17 with more water and pierogies and my switch flipped again and I kept on walking.
At mile 20, I thought— heck, 6 more miles?! That’s just a 10K — I can do that in my sleep! My pace picked up a little and I really felt confident. Marissa was starting to slow down and I did all I could to encourage her.
Mile 23 nearly did me in. At that point a motorcycle policeman rode up next to us and told us that we needed to pick up the pace and catch up with the ladies in front of us or we’d have to move out of the street and on to the sidewalk and would probably not get credit for the race. Well, I nearly quit right then —- I knew my body didn’t have enough left to catch up to those women. Marissa tried to encourage me, and she found some sort of inner reserve and powered right past those women in front of us. I picked up my pace, but I couldn’t breathe and my body felt so weak. I just wanted to sit down on the curb and give up.
Adam had met me at several different spots on the course to encourage me and see how I was doing and if I needed anything. He showed up again just past mile 23. I was ready to quit, but he hopped out of the truck and started walking with me. He just wouldn’t let me stop.
Then Edgar showed up on his bike again. And there we went —- Edgar on my left, and Adam on my right (in his blue jeans and work boots). Every time I wanted to quit (which was pretty often), they talked me out of it. Edgar coached me through the hills and helped me catch a breath when I was having trouble. Every time Adam saw spectators he shouted, “You know what we have here? A marathon finisher!!! We’ve got a finisher here!!” or “You know what I see? I see a woman who looked inside for some quit but couldn’t find any!!”
There was a police woman at 23rd and Guadalupe who reminded me that pain is just weakness leaving the body. And another police woman at 20th and Guadalupe who shooed pedestrians out of the crosswalk so I didn’t have to break my stride (slow as it was). The motorcycle officers on MLK began cheering with Adam as I made my way down the hill. And then I had less than a mile to go. My body wanted to quit so badly, but I was so close.
When there were 200 meters left, a race official with a walkie talkie approached me — I was sure he was going to tell me that I was too late, they’d already closed the race. But, he held out his hand and said, “Lara, I’m the race organizer and it’s my honor to escort you across the finish line.” I burst into tears — and Adam did, too.
I turned the corner on to Congress Avenue and Adam shouted again, “Do you know what I see? I see a woman who looked inside for some quit and couldn’t find any!” And the DPS trooper standing there looked at me and said, “That’s the kind of determination we need. You should be on the force!” Adam clapped his hands, looked at me and said, “I am more proud of you than I have been in the 18 years I’ve known you. I’ve seen you do some remarkable things, but I have never seen anyone with such determination, will power and grit. You made a conscious decision all day long to keep at this and you never gave up.”
I cried, he cried … and stepped away from me, for the first time since mile 23 … so that I could have the finish line to myself. I felt like a celebrity — there were photographers and race officials and people cheering. Once I crossed the finish line, the race organizer put the medal around my neck and we had a photo op (guess there are some advantages to being last) and the workers started tearing down the finish line.
I want to thank the police officers who spent all day sitting at intersections to keep my slow butt safe. And a special thank you to those who were so encouraging to me. I also want to thank the families who stayed out in their front yards for hours to cheer on even the slowest marathoners (especially those at Rutgers Avenue and those on Avenue H). Fellow marathoners Marissa and Walt were incredible inspirations to me — I wish I knew how to contact them and thank them. And I just can’t thank Edgar and Adam enough — without them, I’m fairly certain that I’d have just sat down on the curb at 24th and Guadalupe and given up.
It took me 7 hours and 20 minutes to complete the marathon. I was the last “official” finisher. But, I did it — I conquered my weakness and my doubt and I accomplished my goal. It was an epic journey — and one I’m glad is over — but I will never forget the feeling of confidence from finishing what I set out to do.”
Pretty inspirational...
Last place marathoner shares story
By Pamela LeBlanc Monday, February 23, 2009, 10:41 AM
Lara Newcomer wasn’t the first across the finish line of the Austin Marathon last weekend. She wasn’t the 100th or the 1,000th or even the 4,000th.
She was the last person to officially cross the finish line, and she did it with the help of her husband, other people in the race and a whole lot of folks who saw her go by and reached out to offer encouragement. It took her 7 hours and 20 minutes.
Here is her story. Thanks for sharing, Lara. And congratulations!
“Last Sunday’s marathon wasn’t my first, but it was certainly my hardest. About a month ago I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis, which makes walking very painful at times. I stopped training and started treatments to try to let things heal up a little, but was still struggling with it. Then a week before the marathon I came down with the flu. I spent Monday and Tuesday in bed coughing and wheezing, with my fever hovering between 100 and 103.
My parents tried to talk me out of doing the marathon. But, I’ve been doing the Distance Challenge, a series of six races that started in October and totals almost 100 miles. The Austin Marathon was the last race in the challenge and if I didn’t do it, I wouldn’t get any credit for the Distance Challenge at all. So, I decided to give the marathon my best shot.
I knew when I got up Sunday morning that I wasn’t 100%, but I thought I had enough in me to do the marathon. I met up with my training partner, Shae, and two of her friends at the starting line. It all started pretty well —- I thought it was a good omen that there was a guy playing the cowbell on the Congress Avenue Bridge. It only took about three miles before I realized that my body was not going to let me keep up with the pace Shae and her friends were setting. Shae realized this and sent her friends on ahead. We slowed down a little, but I could tell that the pace was still just too fast for my poor recovering body.
By mile 8, I had decided to send Shae on ahead. I really thought I was done. I had texted Adam, my husband, that my body just couldn’t keep the pace and that I was going to quit. Shae said she’d stay with me until mile 10 because that’s where our husbands were. At mile 10, she went on ahead, but I decided that I had nothing to lose. So, I told Adam that I was just going to keep walking until I couldn’t walk anymore.
A lovely woman named Marissa had overheard me talking to Shae and to Adam and she was walking about my pace (very slow) and decided to walk with me — we decided that we would help and encourage each other. I don’t know her last name or where she’s from, but she walked with me from mile 10 until mile 23 and was a great encouragement.
By mile 13 my feet were killing me. Each step was painful and my knees were beginning to hurt because of the way I was compensating for the pain in my feet. A woman I don’t even know looked at me and told me she could tell by my face that I was dehydrated. And then my dear friend Edgar rode up on his bike. He just happened to be riding first aid and gave me a bottle of water with electrolytes and some of his wife’s “magic” pierogies. Thank God for Edgar and the water and pierogies! It was like someone flipped a switch and I suddenly had more energy and I was pretty confident that I was going to make it.
By mile 17 I wasn’t so confident anymore….the police car and official race vehicles had been right behind us since mile 15…..I knew I was the very end of the line. Everything below my hips was hurting and I really thought that something was going to seize up and I just wouldn’t be able to walk anymore. But, Edgar showed up again at mile 17 with more water and pierogies and my switch flipped again and I kept on walking.
At mile 20, I thought— heck, 6 more miles?! That’s just a 10K — I can do that in my sleep! My pace picked up a little and I really felt confident. Marissa was starting to slow down and I did all I could to encourage her.
Mile 23 nearly did me in. At that point a motorcycle policeman rode up next to us and told us that we needed to pick up the pace and catch up with the ladies in front of us or we’d have to move out of the street and on to the sidewalk and would probably not get credit for the race. Well, I nearly quit right then —- I knew my body didn’t have enough left to catch up to those women. Marissa tried to encourage me, and she found some sort of inner reserve and powered right past those women in front of us. I picked up my pace, but I couldn’t breathe and my body felt so weak. I just wanted to sit down on the curb and give up.
Adam had met me at several different spots on the course to encourage me and see how I was doing and if I needed anything. He showed up again just past mile 23. I was ready to quit, but he hopped out of the truck and started walking with me. He just wouldn’t let me stop.
Then Edgar showed up on his bike again. And there we went —- Edgar on my left, and Adam on my right (in his blue jeans and work boots). Every time I wanted to quit (which was pretty often), they talked me out of it. Edgar coached me through the hills and helped me catch a breath when I was having trouble. Every time Adam saw spectators he shouted, “You know what we have here? A marathon finisher!!! We’ve got a finisher here!!” or “You know what I see? I see a woman who looked inside for some quit but couldn’t find any!!”
There was a police woman at 23rd and Guadalupe who reminded me that pain is just weakness leaving the body. And another police woman at 20th and Guadalupe who shooed pedestrians out of the crosswalk so I didn’t have to break my stride (slow as it was). The motorcycle officers on MLK began cheering with Adam as I made my way down the hill. And then I had less than a mile to go. My body wanted to quit so badly, but I was so close.
When there were 200 meters left, a race official with a walkie talkie approached me — I was sure he was going to tell me that I was too late, they’d already closed the race. But, he held out his hand and said, “Lara, I’m the race organizer and it’s my honor to escort you across the finish line.” I burst into tears — and Adam did, too.
I turned the corner on to Congress Avenue and Adam shouted again, “Do you know what I see? I see a woman who looked inside for some quit and couldn’t find any!” And the DPS trooper standing there looked at me and said, “That’s the kind of determination we need. You should be on the force!” Adam clapped his hands, looked at me and said, “I am more proud of you than I have been in the 18 years I’ve known you. I’ve seen you do some remarkable things, but I have never seen anyone with such determination, will power and grit. You made a conscious decision all day long to keep at this and you never gave up.”
I cried, he cried … and stepped away from me, for the first time since mile 23 … so that I could have the finish line to myself. I felt like a celebrity — there were photographers and race officials and people cheering. Once I crossed the finish line, the race organizer put the medal around my neck and we had a photo op (guess there are some advantages to being last) and the workers started tearing down the finish line.
I want to thank the police officers who spent all day sitting at intersections to keep my slow butt safe. And a special thank you to those who were so encouraging to me. I also want to thank the families who stayed out in their front yards for hours to cheer on even the slowest marathoners (especially those at Rutgers Avenue and those on Avenue H). Fellow marathoners Marissa and Walt were incredible inspirations to me — I wish I knew how to contact them and thank them. And I just can’t thank Edgar and Adam enough — without them, I’m fairly certain that I’d have just sat down on the curb at 24th and Guadalupe and given up.
It took me 7 hours and 20 minutes to complete the marathon. I was the last “official” finisher. But, I did it — I conquered my weakness and my doubt and I accomplished my goal. It was an epic journey — and one I’m glad is over — but I will never forget the feeling of confidence from finishing what I set out to do.”
Weekly Update
Yikes, between blogging, Facebook, Myspace, work, training, and personal life... blogging unfortunately took the back seat this week.
Quick Recap:
Feb 15th - Sunday - Austin Marathon
Monday - Off day, I was off from work and did NOTHING exercise related. I think Adrian and I walked the dogs, but that was it.
Tuesday - Off day, I used the marathon as an excuse to not do anything for two days in a row :)
Wednesday - finally went to swim. I only swam 2200 meters vs the 2700 planned workout, due to slowness. I've still only completed one workout so far. I'm just not that fast in the pool yet. When I see the blue tarps, it's game over, unfortunately.
Thursday - core and spin
Friday - Off, birthday dinner with friends.
Saturday - 56 miles on the bike. Windy. Rainy. Cold. Miserable. I really wanted to complete the 71 planned ride, but gave in to bailing out :( Next week, no excuses, full mileage no matter what. I did run 2 miles off the bike also.
Sunday - Laziest Sunday EVER! Adrian and I didn't get out of bed until 4:30pm. Yes, 4:30pm. We only got up to get food and use the restroom. We napped on and off ALL day long. Then when we got up at 4:30, we moved the party to the living room. Entire day of laziness.
Now it's time to get back on track with my exercising and my nutrition!!!
Birthday is OVER!
Quick Recap:
Feb 15th - Sunday - Austin Marathon
Monday - Off day, I was off from work and did NOTHING exercise related. I think Adrian and I walked the dogs, but that was it.
Tuesday - Off day, I used the marathon as an excuse to not do anything for two days in a row :)
Wednesday - finally went to swim. I only swam 2200 meters vs the 2700 planned workout, due to slowness. I've still only completed one workout so far. I'm just not that fast in the pool yet. When I see the blue tarps, it's game over, unfortunately.
Thursday - core and spin
Friday - Off, birthday dinner with friends.
Saturday - 56 miles on the bike. Windy. Rainy. Cold. Miserable. I really wanted to complete the 71 planned ride, but gave in to bailing out :( Next week, no excuses, full mileage no matter what. I did run 2 miles off the bike also.
Sunday - Laziest Sunday EVER! Adrian and I didn't get out of bed until 4:30pm. Yes, 4:30pm. We only got up to get food and use the restroom. We napped on and off ALL day long. Then when we got up at 4:30, we moved the party to the living room. Entire day of laziness.
Now it's time to get back on track with my exercising and my nutrition!!!
Birthday is OVER!
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Riley Update 2/17/09
Oh, Mr. Riley :) Adrian and I found out this past Friday that Riley has severe heartworms. Adrian thankfully, has a great relationship with his vet, so we're thankful. From start to finish, the bills are probably going to run $1500, which just a week after having him, we've both fallen in love. Of course, the first thing I asked was, "Are we going to fall in love with him and he's not going to make it??" The vet said there's a 2% chance that he won't survive, so I think we're in the clear.
The heartworm treatment started on Friday. He's got plugs in his ears for both earaches. His eyes are a ton better, and the bad news is that while he's on the heartworm treatment, he's not allowed to go out :( No walks, no dog park, no trails. We need to keep him as calm as possible. Adrian felt awful when the vet told him this, because the day before he had taken the three boys to the park and made him run. He didn't know, but with the way the treatment goes, the more active and riled up he gets, the more of a chance he has of the dead worms filtering into his lungs, and this could be fatal. So, as much as it breaks our hearts, he's had to stay home while the other boys do their daily walk. It's just a month, and we're almost a week into it.
He's adorable and we love him so much already. Adrian gave him his first haircut. Yes, a mohawk. Will post those pics later :) Oh, and at the vet, he weighed in at a whopping 104! Holy moly. We can't wait to get him active. He's only 4, and not the assumed 7-8, so he's got lots of puppy to go. Maybe he can be my trail dog :) The Pomeranian can keep up with fast dad, and I can take the big boys since I'm slower. Finally, a benefit to being the slower athlete in the family!!
Chubby vs. Less Chubby :)
Chubby
Zilker Relays, August 2008
Less ChubbyAustin Marathon, February 2009
I can't wait to post my Not Chubby, in about 5-6 more pounds!!
Thanks Meredith!!!
Austin 2009, Race Report
Pictures brought to you by Josh :) Thanks!
Saturday was a great day. The weather was crappy and cold, but I had a great time on the bike ride. That evening, Adrian and I were talking about the marathon on Sunday. I was clueless on what pace I should run. I wasn't training for a marathon, I hadn't tapered or done anything different. I just wanted to run the marathon to finish my 7th, complete the BioPhysical study, and experience what running on tired legs from riding 60 hilly miles the day before. Adrian said to race it. So I agreed to meet up with Dee and run for her as long as I could and just play it by ear.
Race Morning
I woke up at 5am, ate my breakfast, got my stuff together and was out the door. It was amazing to not have to find a ponytail holder :) Just wake up, get dressed and run :) Met up with Dee at the Rogue tent, and we were off. We made a potty stop in between some cars, and we were soooo giggly and excited to be running together. We lined up behind the 4:00 hour group. We saw Ruth as we were crossing the start line, but she didn't see us. We got to see Trista aka Lotto Ho, Monika, and some others.
Start
Why in the world did they not close down all four lanes of Congress?? It was congested the entire way up there. No way to find your groove when you're stuck behind slower people, trying not to bump or trip over people as you sift through the masses. And then they seemed to hurd us like cattle through the alley. No worries on starting out too fast, cause it was impossible. We didn't thin out and get our space until we were on our way back on 1st street. Dee and I had found our groove and were on pace. Every mile, I just kept thinking, "Wow, I'm running and it feels great." I kept waiting for my legs to blow up. I know it's negative, but I started the race with the intention of only running a few miles with Dee. Every extra mile was just icing on the cake to be running with her. I just kept reminding myself, I just need to get her to the halfway point so Steve can take over.
While running down 1st, we saw Andrea, it was great seeing her. She was looking strong. A woman came up passing us and screamed out to Dee that we must be triathletes because we had some nice calves. That was hilarious. We later ended up passing the "Calf Lover". The miles clicked away. I tried to do most of the talking, but we both got carried away. It's been forever since we've run together, it was awesome to be with my Dee again :) Lake Austin came and went. The hills, we ran nice and relaxed and they flew by. Before you knew it, we were at the halfway point.
Where the F is Steve?? We kept running, and kept panning the crowds. Then all you could hear was, "Woooooooooooooooooo!!! There's my honey!!!" It was Adrian on the right, yelling his head off. Steve was on the left. They moved in and started running. It was awesome. Adrian had a bag of bubble gum, Gu's, Powerbars, and some Cliff Blocks. He fed Dee some CliffBlocks, then proceeded to feed some other woman, right there in front of me!! hahaha. I gave him crap jokingly and he was off. He took our long sleeves, arm warmers, bottle, etc.. It was Steve, Dee, and I.
Great Northern was awful. I was looking forward to the flat, but it's just such a LONG road! I tried to pump up Dee with stories of spraypainting, hiding and giggling behind signs, car chases in Lori's mom's car. We rounded the corner and there was her AJ. "You're looking great mom, I love you, keep going!" So sweet. And his cute honey was there cheering her on too. Dee picked up the pace for a few minutes, then got nauseous. We slowed it down, and then I became clueless. I kept thinking we should see Lori soon and she can run with us. I thought about California and how if I had seen Dee not feeling well, I'd probably have stopped her from running. I think I panicked a bit. Steve was there, which was reassuring. We kept plugging along. Around 18, I figured the best thing was for her to chase me, so I ran just a few feet in front.
Before I knew it, I couldn't see her and Adrian was screaming at me again. I told him we needed to wait, but we decided she was ok cause her Steve was there. We proceeded onward. OMG, my legs were on fire. In a good way. I felt FINE! We were plugging along. He kept telling me how
proud I was and I just kept telling him how shocked I was that I was running so good. I told him how much I missed running. How greatful I was to have the health to be running, the legs to be running, and the awesome boyfriend by my side. We just kept plugging away. 20, 21, 22, 23. Then I got nervous. My legs started tiring. The mental game started. I knew the hills were coming and I was freaking out. Adrian was awesome. He was watching my pace, speeding me up when I was slowing down, making me take advantage of the downhills, weaving me through the crowd, it was great. I got grumpy on him and told him to shut up several times, but he kept me going. I really enjoyed having him there for me when it got tough. I never walked, I kept up on the hills and before I knew it, we were on Congress. I full on sprinted and got fished by a couple of people, but was SOOO incredibly happy with my time. 4:11:21. Who in the world would have thought I could have run that after the 60 mile bike ride the day before.
I'm 100% completely happy with it. Running with no pressure is sooo much better than stressing with pace bands (I wore none) worrying about being ahead or behind, and all the other stresses that come with racing your A race. For the first time, I'm actually giddy about the Ironman. I'm gonna whoop up on that marathon!! I can't wait to get off the bike!!
Race Morning
I woke up at 5am, ate my breakfast, got my stuff together and was out the door. It was amazing to not have to find a ponytail holder :) Just wake up, get dressed and run :) Met up with Dee at the Rogue tent, and we were off. We made a potty stop in between some cars, and we were soooo giggly and excited to be running together. We lined up behind the 4:00 hour group. We saw Ruth as we were crossing the start line, but she didn't see us. We got to see Trista aka Lotto Ho, Monika, and some others.
Start
Why in the world did they not close down all four lanes of Congress?? It was congested the entire way up there. No way to find your groove when you're stuck behind slower people, trying not to bump or trip over people as you sift through the masses. And then they seemed to hurd us like cattle through the alley. No worries on starting out too fast, cause it was impossible. We didn't thin out and get our space until we were on our way back on 1st street. Dee and I had found our groove and were on pace. Every mile, I just kept thinking, "Wow, I'm running and it feels great." I kept waiting for my legs to blow up. I know it's negative, but I started the race with the intention of only running a few miles with Dee. Every extra mile was just icing on the cake to be running with her. I just kept reminding myself, I just need to get her to the halfway point so Steve can take over.
While running down 1st, we saw Andrea, it was great seeing her. She was looking strong. A woman came up passing us and screamed out to Dee that we must be triathletes because we had some nice calves. That was hilarious. We later ended up passing the "Calf Lover". The miles clicked away. I tried to do most of the talking, but we both got carried away. It's been forever since we've run together, it was awesome to be with my Dee again :) Lake Austin came and went. The hills, we ran nice and relaxed and they flew by. Before you knew it, we were at the halfway point.
Where the F is Steve?? We kept running, and kept panning the crowds. Then all you could hear was, "Woooooooooooooooooo!!! There's my honey!!!" It was Adrian on the right, yelling his head off. Steve was on the left. They moved in and started running. It was awesome. Adrian had a bag of bubble gum, Gu's, Powerbars, and some Cliff Blocks. He fed Dee some CliffBlocks, then proceeded to feed some other woman, right there in front of me!! hahaha. I gave him crap jokingly and he was off. He took our long sleeves, arm warmers, bottle, etc.. It was Steve, Dee, and I.
Great Northern was awful. I was looking forward to the flat, but it's just such a LONG road! I tried to pump up Dee with stories of spraypainting, hiding and giggling behind signs, car chases in Lori's mom's car. We rounded the corner and there was her AJ. "You're looking great mom, I love you, keep going!" So sweet. And his cute honey was there cheering her on too. Dee picked up the pace for a few minutes, then got nauseous. We slowed it down, and then I became clueless. I kept thinking we should see Lori soon and she can run with us. I thought about California and how if I had seen Dee not feeling well, I'd probably have stopped her from running. I think I panicked a bit. Steve was there, which was reassuring. We kept plugging along. Around 18, I figured the best thing was for her to chase me, so I ran just a few feet in front.
Before I knew it, I couldn't see her and Adrian was screaming at me again. I told him we needed to wait, but we decided she was ok cause her Steve was there. We proceeded onward. OMG, my legs were on fire. In a good way. I felt FINE! We were plugging along. He kept telling me how
proud I was and I just kept telling him how shocked I was that I was running so good. I told him how much I missed running. How greatful I was to have the health to be running, the legs to be running, and the awesome boyfriend by my side. We just kept plugging away. 20, 21, 22, 23. Then I got nervous. My legs started tiring. The mental game started. I knew the hills were coming and I was freaking out. Adrian was awesome. He was watching my pace, speeding me up when I was slowing down, making me take advantage of the downhills, weaving me through the crowd, it was great. I got grumpy on him and told him to shut up several times, but he kept me going. I really enjoyed having him there for me when it got tough. I never walked, I kept up on the hills and before I knew it, we were on Congress. I full on sprinted and got fished by a couple of people, but was SOOO incredibly happy with my time. 4:11:21. Who in the world would have thought I could have run that after the 60 mile bike ride the day before.I'm 100% completely happy with it. Running with no pressure is sooo much better than stressing with pace bands (I wore none) worrying about being ahead or behind, and all the other stresses that come with racing your A race. For the first time, I'm actually giddy about the Ironman. I'm gonna whoop up on that marathon!! I can't wait to get off the bike!!
Splits:
- 949
- 934
- 925
- 913
- 851
- 907
- 908
- 937
- 938
- 939
- 953
- 1004
- 941
- 940
- 953
- 944
- 936
- 1001
- 933
- 906
- 918
- 855
- 903
- 924
- 949
- 959
- 819 for the .2
Saturday, February 14, 2009
New training, New Year, New Hair!!
I'd like to first thank Steve, Dee's Steve for having the courage to tell me in California that my hair was FUNKY! And then Adrian for backing up his comment when I asked his opinion. December 2008, I told them, pick out a haircut, and I'll do it.
The added training schedule helped me push forward with the decision. The multiple washing of the hair was a pain. The hair in my face during spin class, the hair during runs was getting bothersome.
I made an appointment at Luxe Apothetique in the Domain. My cousin's father cuts hair there. I've never had a "real" haircut. I've always been that girl that paid $20 for a trim and never ventured for anything stylish. OMG, what an awesome experience. If anyone needs a haircut, go there and ask for Alonzo!! He spent TWO HOURS on my big ole fro! Used 10 million different scissors, shavers, trimmers, and thinners. Washed my hair twice, conditioned once. Dried it, cut it again. Styled it. And the whole time explaining everything. Super cool.
End result is my head feels like it weighs two ounces. The bike ride this morning was awesome. No worries about rubber bands. No headaches from the ponytail digging in my head for 5 hours on the ride.. no need to massage my head after the helmet was removed. I can't wait to swim, and definitely can't wait to run tomorrow with the new do!!
Thanks for all the compliments!!
I'm a badazz!!!
Last night Adrian and I watched the weather and saw 60 degrees, Saturday. So this morning, when we woke up to do the ride, I only wore my bike shorts, socks, and T3 jersey. I stepped outside, and thought it was chilly, but blew it off. When I reached the school, I noticed that EVERYONE was wearing tights, arm warmers, headbands, gloves.. the whole 9 yards!!
I freaked and called Adrian, but he was already on his way. Yes, we take two different cars because of my slowness and his fastness. I don't expect him to wait an additional two hours, which is how long it takes me to finish my ride.
Despite being freezing, only the first 45 minutes was awful. I warmed up, and just dealt with the cold. I was late and missed the slowest group that takes off at 8:10. I rode by myself, but had a blast. I was playing with my gears, watching my cadence on my new monitor, my speed. I was having a good ole time. It was hilly, but they don't bother me anymore. It's more of a game with me now. Curious about how long I can keep up a cadence without having to switch gears, seeing how long I can stay in a bigger gear, etc. I almost made it to the end of the 30 mile route where I was to turn around and Adrian and Maurice caught me. I was told to turn around when I saw the big group on their way back, so I wouldn't be out there alone. I never saw the big group, but did see Adrian and Mo on their way back and I got two big "turnaround" glares and finger movements.
I turned around, but was irritated, cause I only had 1 mile to go. I was at mile 29. Argh. I turned around. The ride back was awesome. I turned on my Pandora on my iPhone and was singing along. Everyone slowly but surely passed me and I was the last one out there, but I was having fun. Legs felt great, my nutrition was great and I was having fun. Fun on my bike, wtf?? I never thought I'd say that.
58 miles, in cold, windy weather, practically nekkid. Good day... I feel like a bad ass, and blame it on my haircut. :)
I freaked and called Adrian, but he was already on his way. Yes, we take two different cars because of my slowness and his fastness. I don't expect him to wait an additional two hours, which is how long it takes me to finish my ride.
Despite being freezing, only the first 45 minutes was awful. I warmed up, and just dealt with the cold. I was late and missed the slowest group that takes off at 8:10. I rode by myself, but had a blast. I was playing with my gears, watching my cadence on my new monitor, my speed. I was having a good ole time. It was hilly, but they don't bother me anymore. It's more of a game with me now. Curious about how long I can keep up a cadence without having to switch gears, seeing how long I can stay in a bigger gear, etc. I almost made it to the end of the 30 mile route where I was to turn around and Adrian and Maurice caught me. I was told to turn around when I saw the big group on their way back, so I wouldn't be out there alone. I never saw the big group, but did see Adrian and Mo on their way back and I got two big "turnaround" glares and finger movements.
I turned around, but was irritated, cause I only had 1 mile to go. I was at mile 29. Argh. I turned around. The ride back was awesome. I turned on my Pandora on my iPhone and was singing along. Everyone slowly but surely passed me and I was the last one out there, but I was having fun. Legs felt great, my nutrition was great and I was having fun. Fun on my bike, wtf?? I never thought I'd say that.
58 miles, in cold, windy weather, practically nekkid. Good day... I feel like a bad ass, and blame it on my haircut. :)
Friday, February 13, 2009
Riley Update and the wasting of the rest of my lunch hour...
So Mr. Riley is at the vet as I type this. Adrian said the bill was only $300, and we were expecting much much more. I think the vet is helping us out and giving Adrian some credits for having such a big heart.
The funny thing about this is that Adrian has had probably 6-7 people willing to come pick him up, but he keeps denying them. One lady has a son, and they just lost their lab. He found out they live in a travel trailer with no fenced yard. He denied them. Another one worked too much and Adrian said that wouldn't cut it. Another lived in an apartment, negative. Another admitted that they wouldn't be home for 4 days out of the week, but her 7 cats would keep him company. Denied.
I told Adrian to just quit wasting peoples time. He is an awesome dog and I want to keep him now, so he just needs to suck it up and call him his own :) After coming home from the vet, he had three calls and when Adrian said he invested $370 in vet bills, they said, "Oh.. uh.." Adrian immediately hung up on them! He cracks me up.
Adrian and I finished our conversation with him saying, "Noone can take better care of him than I can." and my response was, "FOOL, we're keeping him." and he replied, "Yeah, I know :)"
We now have 2 - 20lb cats, 2 - 100lb labradors, and yip yappy trail running 10lb Pomeranian. We have 250 pounds of furry loving animals. This makes my heart happy.
Happy Early Valentines to us!!
Oh - and I wonder what kind of hair cut Adrian will give him. Abare (the black one in the pic above) has a mohawk :)
Riley
We've given him the name Riley. He just looks like a Riley. We thought we found him a home, but it fell through. The more time Adrian spends with him, the more he wants to keep him. Adrian just keeps telling me, "He's just such a cool dog!"
Adrian's going to take him to the vet and get a final workup on him. He's got really bad allergies, and we need to get all of his tests, shots, and whatever else done. Adrian took him on his walk at BullCreek last night without a leash and he's really coming into his own. He comes when you call, and I do feel bad that we don't know his name. So we're going to have to get him used to his new one :) He played with dogs at the park, enjoys dinner time with his brothers, and sleeps right on the side of the bed on his doggie bed. He's adorable. He snores just like Abare, so not only do I have TWO snoring men in my bed, I now have three, sheesh! I can sleep through anything, so no worries for me.
Adrian's going to make the final decision about adopting him out or keeping him forever today.
I'd like to preempt it and say, "Welcome home, Riley!!"
Spin/Core - Thursday
I did spin and I did core :)
Done.
Note to self: Something funky going on in my knee... hmmm.
Done.
Note to self: Something funky going on in my knee... hmmm.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Found a stray :(
Adrian takes our dogs to the dog park religiously everyday and the past few days, he’s noticed a stray. It’s a 12-13 year old white/yellow Labrador. He must have been abandoned, which breaks our hearts. He took him to the vet, paid to have his fleas taken care of and food for a full belly, but doesn’t know what to do next. There was no chip and no tags. He’s been neutered, and is just an old dog that wants to lay around.
There’s a Lab Rescue here in town, but they don’t accept strays. We could take him to the Town Lake Shelter, but they euthanize within 2 weeks because of overcrowding.
Does anyone have any ideas of where we could go to find a good home or an alternative to the pound??
There’s a Lab Rescue here in town, but they don’t accept strays. We could take him to the Town Lake Shelter, but they euthanize within 2 weeks because of overcrowding.
Does anyone have any ideas of where we could go to find a good home or an alternative to the pound??
Adrian is willing to pay $200 towards any shots or updates that need to be done at the vet if someone could take him in. We have two cats and two dogs already and a 5th animal would just be too much for us to handle.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Priscilla
Post a comment and I'll reply!!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Sweating like a pig
Anyone who runs with me knows I'm not a big sweater. During the spin class today, it was HOT! I think it was the humidity, but I could not stop sweating. I thought maybe because I had soup from the deli downstairs instead of my normal turkey sandwich caused it. Maybe I retained too much fluid from that and that was the cause of me pouring sweat. It was gross. And of course I forgot a towel, so I was dripping everywhere.
After the workout, the entire T3 floor was covered in dew/sweat. It looked pretty gross. Another reason why I don't do Wednesday core yet :)
Adrian got me a Garmin cadence monitor for my Garmin. He took the old one off my bike and switched the new one to the back wheel so I can use it for spin classes. OMG, what a difference. Instead of timing myself, I can now just look down at my Garmin, see my speed, distance, and cadence count. It's awesome. I can't wait to play with it on the ride this weekend.
After the workout, the entire T3 floor was covered in dew/sweat. It looked pretty gross. Another reason why I don't do Wednesday core yet :)
Adrian got me a Garmin cadence monitor for my Garmin. He took the old one off my bike and switched the new one to the back wheel so I can use it for spin classes. OMG, what a difference. Instead of timing myself, I can now just look down at my Garmin, see my speed, distance, and cadence count. It's awesome. I can't wait to play with it on the ride this weekend.
Monday, Lots of Funzies :)
Today was my 3rd meeting with Meredith. I signed up for her 6 session program to lose weight and it's been an incredibly wonderful experience. I'm not going to lie and say I've been doing EVERYTHING I've been told, but in retrospect, my eating habits have changed full tilt. I've learned soooo many valuable lessons with my nutrition and I'm super excited to see what the next 6 weeks has to offer. So far... I've lost 5 pounds so far and can tell a huge difference in my workouts and how I feel about my body. If you're not using anyone and you're ready to take your nutrition to the next level, I highly recommend her :)
After the meeting, Lori and I decided to do a run together. OMG, what fun. I miss my Cookies dearly and having chances to run with them is definitely a treat.
Time: 6:45ish
Location: HEB Far West
Workout: Just run 8-10 miles
Completed Workout: 10 miles around a 9:55 pace
Weather: Cool, but perfect
Comments: We did the 3.25 mile loop and we did it three times. The hill on North Hills felt like a piece of cake the first time, but gradually got harder with each loop. I felt like Lori was really pushing the pace, and the pace felt awesome, but everytime we'd stop and I'd ask the pace, it was always below what I thought we were running. No biggie. I'm still struggling with getting my mindset out of "running only" mentality and into full triathlon running mode. It was a great run. Lori saw this HUGHMONGOUS Mastiff on the route. Then later in the run, I saw something that stopped me in my tracks. I couldn't run and laugh at the same time. That was an awesome feeling. While I'm enjoying T3 and making friends, I still miss these moments. The overwhelming giggle factor. It was hilarious. I saw something that made my lungs sieze up in sheer joy. CRACK! Who doesn't like to see crack?? It's just like someone falling down or farting.. you just HAVE to laugh. It's not the first time I've seen this crack, nor the last, but this was definitely the best crack I've seen at the right moment in my training. I needed that laugh.
Thanks Lori... for the crack and the laughs ;)
Splits:
10:54
9:48
9:28
10:28
9:50
9:35
10:01
9:54
9:28
9:38
After the meeting, Lori and I decided to do a run together. OMG, what fun. I miss my Cookies dearly and having chances to run with them is definitely a treat.
Time: 6:45ish
Location: HEB Far West
Workout: Just run 8-10 miles
Completed Workout: 10 miles around a 9:55 pace
Weather: Cool, but perfect
Comments: We did the 3.25 mile loop and we did it three times. The hill on North Hills felt like a piece of cake the first time, but gradually got harder with each loop. I felt like Lori was really pushing the pace, and the pace felt awesome, but everytime we'd stop and I'd ask the pace, it was always below what I thought we were running. No biggie. I'm still struggling with getting my mindset out of "running only" mentality and into full triathlon running mode. It was a great run. Lori saw this HUGHMONGOUS Mastiff on the route. Then later in the run, I saw something that stopped me in my tracks. I couldn't run and laugh at the same time. That was an awesome feeling. While I'm enjoying T3 and making friends, I still miss these moments. The overwhelming giggle factor. It was hilarious. I saw something that made my lungs sieze up in sheer joy. CRACK! Who doesn't like to see crack?? It's just like someone falling down or farting.. you just HAVE to laugh. It's not the first time I've seen this crack, nor the last, but this was definitely the best crack I've seen at the right moment in my training. I needed that laugh.
Thanks Lori... for the crack and the laughs ;)
Splits:
10:54
9:48
9:28
10:28
9:50
9:35
10:01
9:54
9:28
9:38
Monday, February 9, 2009
Saturday, Feb 7, 2009 - Adrian's 12 Hour MTB race
What a day!! Adrian has been looking forward to this race for quite some time. My love is running and his is mountain bike racing.
We got to Warda around 4:30, set up the motorhome and took the boys for a walk. We randomly talked about the race, figured out our plan for nutrition, and made some final tweaks in his plan. Last year, when he competed in the 24 hour race, I'm not going to lie, my "support" wasn't very good. I took naps, checked in here and there and depended on him coming to the motorhome and telling me what he wanted. This time around I wanted to make sure I was REAL support and wanted to be there every step of the way. I think he can describe his race better so I'm posting his race report below in red.
Warda 12 Hour MTB Race
2/9/09
Distance: 8 mile loop/12 hours
Time: 11:59
Laps: 17 (135 Miles)
Finish: 1st Solo Male Sport Category
Temp: Mid 70’s, overcast
Wind: 22-28 mph.
This is the fifth time I have done this race so I was more mentally prepared this time around. The first change in game plan this year was to sprint the La Mons start run to the bike as opposed to jog. This paid off big later in the day in that I was well into my 2nd lap while several other Solo racers were mid way through their first, also I was able to more easily get into my groove and desired pace by avoiding slower traffic congestion. Second change in plan was to simply take hand ups from support for the first 6 hours and just not get off the bike. This was my Gf’s idea.
I need to interject now that there is absolutely no way that I would have done so well let alone win my division w/out my GF’s support. Priscilla (my GF) got little to no rest the whole day. The first 6 hours we were pushing our lap times pretty strong (all well under 40 min.) She would meet me at the top of a long easy climb w/ new bottle, Gu, gum, what ever. I never had to stop, she would just run along side me and give me what I needed or just shove what I needed in my mouth. She would show up at other locations on the course as well. Oh yea, she made me feel like a “Rock Star”! I can’t emphasize the importance of competent support in an event like this. Mixing bottles just right, changing flavors, adjusting ratios of protein/carbs/etc., keeping track of were you are in the race and then figuring out who your competition is and then were they are in a race is Not easy. Eventually she got so dialed in that she had our position down to how many minutes up we were on the Sport field and how far behind the Expert field we were, but I am getting ahead of my self. Point is she was outstanding, could not have done it w/out her.
So we pushed pretty hard the first 3 hours. I wanted to kinda feel the field out and see where we stood. I know it may seem early and not a good game plan, but I was comfortable with my fitness level. What I was not happy w/ was the 20 something guy from Volkswagen w/ the same game plan for the day, (Winning). I think we were w/ in minutes of each other for atleast 4 laps during the middle hours. At one point we had identical laps and time. But this was good I wanted to push or be pushed for the entire race.
After 8 ½ hours we were slowly but surely putting some time on the primary competition. 10 hours in we had locked in the win for Solo Sport Male. This is/was monumental for me. I have wanted this win for some time now, but no time to savor the glory. Priscilla seamlessly shifted my focus from “Wholy Crap Honey, I am really gonna win this!” to “Yea, good job….you are about 12 minutes behind the Expert Solo male w/ the same lap count”. Yes, this constitutes Stellar Support. Now I am not so naïve and realize that I am not competing w/ this person nor does he even care or even know my time or lap count. He is in the coveted category of Expert Racer. However, the race goal Priscilla and I had set had been met and we still had around 2 hours left. Priscilla was right, time to train. Train the mind any way. If I had been racing Expert class (which I will from this point forward) I would need to make up that 12 minutes and finish the race with equal laps in a faster time or log one more lap for a win in Expert Class. This gave my mind now something to focus on and not the aches and pains.
I would like to say that I knuckled down and ripped out a couple of fast laps, not so much, but for the first time ever in a race I started to take control my mind and that allowed me to control my race. Instead of thinking about aches and pains and fretting about having to do that climb one more time I took control of my mind and the ill effects of unsupportive random thoughts. I am not saying I went to my happy place I am just saying that for me this was the first time I truly had control of my mind and thoughts and my focus had never been more spot on or clear. I have heard of marathon’ers and iron man practicing this (in no specific way) and I would like to think that I have maybe entered into a new level of race/training. “Control the mind control the race”
Last lap, I stood on the pedals most of the way riding in an interval type fashion pedaling big gears. Pedal, pedal, pedal…….coast, repeat. During a long, flat, open field section of the course just before the last big climb I came up on four other riders staggered out over 50 yards or so. Creeping by each of them I noticed they all latched on one at a time, we had created a small pace line if you will. All of us feeding off one another’s withering energy. The chatter behind me was uplifting….”Thank god this is the last lap”, “I am so freakin tired”, “I am never doing this again” I heard. Then I heard, “Hey Cannondale guy, (I ride a Cannondale) are you that Solo guy with like 17 Laps?” Sure he could have been talking about the Expert winner, but I was on my 17th lap so I quietly answered “Yes”. A few of them started in with their own ooo’s and ahhhs. That was awesome and more than gratifying. Admiration and support from other racers is priceless (fuel for the brain). I made the last big climb one the bike w/ one other guy on my wheel, we both relished in that last feet and congratulated one another for the next three minutes. On the last short climb just 3 minutes from the finish I passed what I later found out was the Expert Class winner. I crossed the line with a minute to spare at 11:59.
Again, this was a monumental day for me in so many ways. I truly took so much from this race that will benefit for races to come.
Nutrition Consumption:
Fluid Total: 2 gallons water, 1 gallon Gatorade G
14 Scoops of Perpetuam
14 Scoops Power Bar Endurance blend
17 Salt Tabs
1 ½ power bar
8 goo’s (I think)
½ PBJ sandwich
1 ½ bags of gummy coke bottles
Calories Burned: 8325 (so says Garmin)
Baboon Butt…..Priceless!
Supporting him was a TON of fun, and it was hard work. We originally had planned on me meeting him just once every lap, but after the first one, I noticed there were two other spots I could see him across the field. He would start his lap and 15-20 minutes later I would see him on a long gradual uphill. This is where I did most of the handups to him. 15 minutes later, he would be on the other side of the field. This is where if he needed anything, I had 5 minutes to run to the motorhome and get it to him at the next spot. And then the last spot was 5 minutes later and then repeat. I quickly realized that I was not going to get to lounge around like I had in the past. Making sure the dogs got out to roam around could only be done in the 20 minute break, and I made them run with me several times to make sure we didn't miss Adrian at any of the stops.
I learned alot about support and from Adrian. He's stubborn and after 6 hours of riding and his continuous denial of having any real food, I learned that just bringing him options was the key. If it were in front of him, he would more than likely take it!! The race was awesome, and I cheered for everyone. All sizes were out there. I respected all the women that did the race. Some looked strong, and others reminded me of myself on the bike. Very slow, but having fun and just getting through it, one lap at a time.
Adrian worked hard for this and he deserved every minute of it. I'm soooo uber proud of him. Who knew that years ago when he got trampled by a horse and had bones sticking out of his knee and was bound to a wheelchair for over 6 months that he had this kind of greatness just waiting to seep out?? He's my motivation to become a better athlete. I love him dearly and can't wait to be there for more wins :) Next stop, to win in the Expert category. Way to go, honey. I'm proud to be your girlfriend and I truly appreciate being part of your wonderful moment.
We got to Warda around 4:30, set up the motorhome and took the boys for a walk. We randomly talked about the race, figured out our plan for nutrition, and made some final tweaks in his plan. Last year, when he competed in the 24 hour race, I'm not going to lie, my "support" wasn't very good. I took naps, checked in here and there and depended on him coming to the motorhome and telling me what he wanted. This time around I wanted to make sure I was REAL support and wanted to be there every step of the way. I think he can describe his race better so I'm posting his race report below in red.
Warda 12 Hour MTB Race
2/9/09
Distance: 8 mile loop/12 hours
Time: 11:59
Laps: 17 (135 Miles)
Finish: 1st Solo Male Sport Category
Temp: Mid 70’s, overcast
Wind: 22-28 mph.
This is the fifth time I have done this race so I was more mentally prepared this time around. The first change in game plan this year was to sprint the La Mons start run to the bike as opposed to jog. This paid off big later in the day in that I was well into my 2nd lap while several other Solo racers were mid way through their first, also I was able to more easily get into my groove and desired pace by avoiding slower traffic congestion. Second change in plan was to simply take hand ups from support for the first 6 hours and just not get off the bike. This was my Gf’s idea.
I need to interject now that there is absolutely no way that I would have done so well let alone win my division w/out my GF’s support. Priscilla (my GF) got little to no rest the whole day. The first 6 hours we were pushing our lap times pretty strong (all well under 40 min.) She would meet me at the top of a long easy climb w/ new bottle, Gu, gum, what ever. I never had to stop, she would just run along side me and give me what I needed or just shove what I needed in my mouth. She would show up at other locations on the course as well. Oh yea, she made me feel like a “Rock Star”! I can’t emphasize the importance of competent support in an event like this. Mixing bottles just right, changing flavors, adjusting ratios of protein/carbs/etc., keeping track of were you are in the race and then figuring out who your competition is and then were they are in a race is Not easy. Eventually she got so dialed in that she had our position down to how many minutes up we were on the Sport field and how far behind the Expert field we were, but I am getting ahead of my self. Point is she was outstanding, could not have done it w/out her.
So we pushed pretty hard the first 3 hours. I wanted to kinda feel the field out and see where we stood. I know it may seem early and not a good game plan, but I was comfortable with my fitness level. What I was not happy w/ was the 20 something guy from Volkswagen w/ the same game plan for the day, (Winning). I think we were w/ in minutes of each other for atleast 4 laps during the middle hours. At one point we had identical laps and time. But this was good I wanted to push or be pushed for the entire race.
After 8 ½ hours we were slowly but surely putting some time on the primary competition. 10 hours in we had locked in the win for Solo Sport Male. This is/was monumental for me. I have wanted this win for some time now, but no time to savor the glory. Priscilla seamlessly shifted my focus from “Wholy Crap Honey, I am really gonna win this!” to “Yea, good job….you are about 12 minutes behind the Expert Solo male w/ the same lap count”. Yes, this constitutes Stellar Support. Now I am not so naïve and realize that I am not competing w/ this person nor does he even care or even know my time or lap count. He is in the coveted category of Expert Racer. However, the race goal Priscilla and I had set had been met and we still had around 2 hours left. Priscilla was right, time to train. Train the mind any way. If I had been racing Expert class (which I will from this point forward) I would need to make up that 12 minutes and finish the race with equal laps in a faster time or log one more lap for a win in Expert Class. This gave my mind now something to focus on and not the aches and pains.
I would like to say that I knuckled down and ripped out a couple of fast laps, not so much, but for the first time ever in a race I started to take control my mind and that allowed me to control my race. Instead of thinking about aches and pains and fretting about having to do that climb one more time I took control of my mind and the ill effects of unsupportive random thoughts. I am not saying I went to my happy place I am just saying that for me this was the first time I truly had control of my mind and thoughts and my focus had never been more spot on or clear. I have heard of marathon’ers and iron man practicing this (in no specific way) and I would like to think that I have maybe entered into a new level of race/training. “Control the mind control the race”
Last lap, I stood on the pedals most of the way riding in an interval type fashion pedaling big gears. Pedal, pedal, pedal…….coast, repeat. During a long, flat, open field section of the course just before the last big climb I came up on four other riders staggered out over 50 yards or so. Creeping by each of them I noticed they all latched on one at a time, we had created a small pace line if you will. All of us feeding off one another’s withering energy. The chatter behind me was uplifting….”Thank god this is the last lap”, “I am so freakin tired”, “I am never doing this again” I heard. Then I heard, “Hey Cannondale guy, (I ride a Cannondale) are you that Solo guy with like 17 Laps?” Sure he could have been talking about the Expert winner, but I was on my 17th lap so I quietly answered “Yes”. A few of them started in with their own ooo’s and ahhhs. That was awesome and more than gratifying. Admiration and support from other racers is priceless (fuel for the brain). I made the last big climb one the bike w/ one other guy on my wheel, we both relished in that last feet and congratulated one another for the next three minutes. On the last short climb just 3 minutes from the finish I passed what I later found out was the Expert Class winner. I crossed the line with a minute to spare at 11:59.
Again, this was a monumental day for me in so many ways. I truly took so much from this race that will benefit for races to come.
Nutrition Consumption:
Fluid Total: 2 gallons water, 1 gallon Gatorade G
14 Scoops of Perpetuam
14 Scoops Power Bar Endurance blend
17 Salt Tabs
1 ½ power bar
8 goo’s (I think)
½ PBJ sandwich
1 ½ bags of gummy coke bottles
Calories Burned: 8325 (so says Garmin)
Baboon Butt…..Priceless!
Supporting him was a TON of fun, and it was hard work. We originally had planned on me meeting him just once every lap, but after the first one, I noticed there were two other spots I could see him across the field. He would start his lap and 15-20 minutes later I would see him on a long gradual uphill. This is where I did most of the handups to him. 15 minutes later, he would be on the other side of the field. This is where if he needed anything, I had 5 minutes to run to the motorhome and get it to him at the next spot. And then the last spot was 5 minutes later and then repeat. I quickly realized that I was not going to get to lounge around like I had in the past. Making sure the dogs got out to roam around could only be done in the 20 minute break, and I made them run with me several times to make sure we didn't miss Adrian at any of the stops.
I learned alot about support and from Adrian. He's stubborn and after 6 hours of riding and his continuous denial of having any real food, I learned that just bringing him options was the key. If it were in front of him, he would more than likely take it!! The race was awesome, and I cheered for everyone. All sizes were out there. I respected all the women that did the race. Some looked strong, and others reminded me of myself on the bike. Very slow, but having fun and just getting through it, one lap at a time.
Adrian worked hard for this and he deserved every minute of it. I'm soooo uber proud of him. Who knew that years ago when he got trampled by a horse and had bones sticking out of his knee and was bound to a wheelchair for over 6 months that he had this kind of greatness just waiting to seep out?? He's my motivation to become a better athlete. I love him dearly and can't wait to be there for more wins :) Next stop, to win in the Expert category. Way to go, honey. I'm proud to be your girlfriend and I truly appreciate being part of your wonderful moment.
Friday and Sunday - Saturday to be posted separately :)
Friday - I took off work at noon and attempted to get in as many miles as I could before we were to leave out of town for Adrian's race. I got in 28 miles. I wish I could have done more, but was riding on a whim with no real map. I left Adrian's house at 12:45pm, rode down 360 to Las Cimas, then back up to Great Hills. Decided to take Great Hills to Jollyville and go down and back for a total of 28 miles. I don't know the area that well, and not comfortable going down the big hill on Spicewood Springs, otherwise I would have tried to get to Great Northern. Oh well. It was windy and I was excited to get on the road to start Adrian's weekend.
Sunday - Woke up and ran the 8 mile loop that Adrian had raced on all day on Saturday. I miss trail running. No iPod, just random thoughts going through your head. I missed running in the "woods" and feeling like you were the only soul out there. Good stuff. I think my running has improved from last years trail running. I'm excited to get back to it after the Ironman in June :)
Sunday - Woke up and ran the 8 mile loop that Adrian had raced on all day on Saturday. I miss trail running. No iPod, just random thoughts going through your head. I missed running in the "woods" and feeling like you were the only soul out there. Good stuff. I think my running has improved from last years trail running. I'm excited to get back to it after the Ironman in June :)
Friday, February 6, 2009
OFF days, woo hoo!!
Wednesday, I thought I was coming down with a cold. I woke up with a sore throat and just felt exhausted. No energy. I made it through work fine, but just didn't think running, then swimming would be a good idea. It would be a blow to me mentally to have bad workouts with the little progress I've made, so I decided to take an OFF day. I think I finally wore my body down with the new routine and it was asking for some rest.
Thursday, I felt better, but not 100% so I decided to take another day. I went to bed at 8pm. I even skipped watching Grey's. Woke up at 5am, and decided to clean around the house, pack for the weekend instead of going to swim class. I get off work at noon today, so I'm planning to get my 40 mile ride in this afternoon and then if I'm feeling good, I plan to get a run in afterwards :)
Thursday, I felt better, but not 100% so I decided to take another day. I went to bed at 8pm. I even skipped watching Grey's. Woke up at 5am, and decided to clean around the house, pack for the weekend instead of going to swim class. I get off work at noon today, so I'm planning to get my 40 mile ride in this afternoon and then if I'm feeling good, I plan to get a run in afterwards :)
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Tuesday - Core/Spin
Time: 5:30pm
Location: T3
People: T3ers
Comments: 30 minutes of core... done :)
Time: 6:15pm
Location: T3
People: T3ers
Comments: Charles was the spin coach which was new for me. Class wasn't as hard as Chrissie's and Mo's normally are. I was able to do 99% of the class, except for the stand up portions. I'm getting better, but still need to build strength in my legs for that.
I woke up with a sore throat this morning, made an appt with doctor. I needed to pick a new doctor anyways because mine moved to Cedar Park and I'm not driving to BFE, so I switched to one south on Brodie, so it's close to work. I feel tired again and it's only Wednesday. I need to run and swim tonight and I'm pooped. I'm thinking I might just take the workouts easy tonight in case I'm starting to come down with something. We'll see...
Location: T3
People: T3ers
Comments: 30 minutes of core... done :)
Time: 6:15pm
Location: T3
People: T3ers
Comments: Charles was the spin coach which was new for me. Class wasn't as hard as Chrissie's and Mo's normally are. I was able to do 99% of the class, except for the stand up portions. I'm getting better, but still need to build strength in my legs for that.
I woke up with a sore throat this morning, made an appt with doctor. I needed to pick a new doctor anyways because mine moved to Cedar Park and I'm not driving to BFE, so I switched to one south on Brodie, so it's close to work. I feel tired again and it's only Wednesday. I need to run and swim tonight and I'm pooped. I'm thinking I might just take the workouts easy tonight in case I'm starting to come down with something. We'll see...
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Monday - Run/Swim
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Town Lake Trail
People: Blondie :)
Workout: 30 minutes easy
Comments: I was exhausted all of yesterday. At work, I found myself yawning and just wanting to lay my head back on my chair to get a few minutes of shut eye. I thought about cancelling on Blondie, but decided maybe the short run would do some good. We met at the Mopac bridge, and just ran 30 minutes and called it a day. Good run, good conversation, great friend :)
Time: 7:10pm
Location: Lost Creek
People: T3 - Steve, Don (my lane partner), Vegas, Noah, Yvonne. I'm learning more names!!
Workout: 2800 meters of drills
Comments: I only made it 2600 and called it quits. The workout was good, and we did a ton of paddle/buoy drills which accentuates my weakling arms. I just need to get faster so I can finish the workouts. I'm still pretty slow and doing the entire workout is still hard to get accomplished because of time. The tarp was getting pulled on us last night, so we skipped the last 200 meters. Good workout, it's nice to get to know Don in my lane :)
Location: Town Lake Trail
People: Blondie :)
Workout: 30 minutes easy
Comments: I was exhausted all of yesterday. At work, I found myself yawning and just wanting to lay my head back on my chair to get a few minutes of shut eye. I thought about cancelling on Blondie, but decided maybe the short run would do some good. We met at the Mopac bridge, and just ran 30 minutes and called it a day. Good run, good conversation, great friend :)
Time: 7:10pm
Location: Lost Creek
People: T3 - Steve, Don (my lane partner), Vegas, Noah, Yvonne. I'm learning more names!!
Workout: 2800 meters of drills
Comments: I only made it 2600 and called it quits. The workout was good, and we did a ton of paddle/buoy drills which accentuates my weakling arms. I just need to get faster so I can finish the workouts. I'm still pretty slow and doing the entire workout is still hard to get accomplished because of time. The tarp was getting pulled on us last night, so we skipped the last 200 meters. Good workout, it's nice to get to know Don in my lane :)
Monday, February 2, 2009
Week 3 Totals
This was the first week I've stuck to my workout schedule to a T :)
Running - 4 hours, 40 minutes
Cycling - 7 hours
Swimming - 3 hours
Core - 1 hour
Total: 15 hours and 40 minutes... no wonder I'm tired.
Running - 4 hours, 40 minutes
Cycling - 7 hours
Swimming - 3 hours
Core - 1 hour
Total: 15 hours and 40 minutes... no wonder I'm tired.
Sunday's Long Run
Time: 7:15am
Workout: 18 miles easy
Workout Completed: 15.5 faster than normal
People: Chris, then fast Mr. Billy Goat Steve
Weather: perfect for running
Comments: I'll keep this short. I spent my entire run chasing Steve. We averaged 9:20's which is slow for him and fast for me for a long run. We did an out and back for the last 6 miles on the marathon course, then added some mileage on the trail. Good day, but extremely exhausted from Saturday's workout, then this one. Thanks Steve for pushing me!
Workout: 18 miles easy
Workout Completed: 15.5 faster than normal
People: Chris, then fast Mr. Billy Goat Steve
Weather: perfect for running
Comments: I'll keep this short. I spent my entire run chasing Steve. We averaged 9:20's which is slow for him and fast for me for a long run. We did an out and back for the last 6 miles on the marathon course, then added some mileage on the trail. Good day, but extremely exhausted from Saturday's workout, then this one. Thanks Steve for pushing me!
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