Time's Passing...

Time's been passing by... I haven't felt like talking, really.

The marathon wasn't the day I wanted. Shocking, I know. *rolleyes*
This time, though, I feel differently about the experience. I'm frustrated, rather than dejected, which is a better place to be. Legs cramped bad -- especially my left quad and my right calf. I'm blaming the day on my pacing, though I'm not sure if that necessarily would produce such cramping. Whatev. I don't want to analyze it anymore -- I just want to get out there and run another one better...

I've been swamped with school work this year. Too many kids in my classes. Ugh.

I'm also working on renovating some stuff in my house. Floors, kitchen cabinets and countertops, window treatments, and a few other things. What I really want is the contractor on Property Brothers -- an HGTV show I'm addicted to -- to come do my house. If anyone out there has contacts with HGTV, let me know what I need to do to get on one of their house renovation shows, please!

So all that, plus working at the running store and now getting ready for Christmas, means I've been busy. And time's been passing by. Nothing too exciting, nothing terrible.

I Love Kinesio Tape

Three weeks ago, my right groin/interior thigh area started hurting. Pretty aggravating -- made me question if I'd be able to do the 21 miler I had scheduled that weekend.

I got through that run, and although the leg was bothering me, I ran well.

But I decided to take two recovery days after it to get the leg pain under control. I didn't run at all on Sunday, and Monday I biked. Then, Monday night, I thought, remember how the Kinesio tape (sort of)helped my calf last year?

Maybe it'll help my groin/thigh. So, I googled the video that shows how to tape that, and I did it. By Tuesday afternoon, I noticed a significant improvement. I kept the leg taped through that week, and by the next weekend, there was nothing to note about that right leg. All was well.

The following weekend (last weekend), I ran a similar route to that 21 miler I'd done, and at around mile 14 of 24 I noticed a tightening of my left lower calf/upper achilles area. My mind started freaking out. I still have 10 miles to go! This isn't just a little twinge, this is hurting! WTF!!! I stopped, massaged it a bit, then sucked it up and continued -- but ran the rest of those miles constantly thinking about whether the left leg was going to give out on me or hold up.

It held up, and I was pleased with the overall run, but it was definitely a tougher run than the 21 was -- and that was purely because of the mental mind play. Stay conservative -- the race is in two weeks, don't push the leg, run easy, etc., etc., etc.

I got home and taped up the leg. Wore the tape for the next 4 days, and took two days off again. Nothing the next day, biked the second. By Tuesday, when I ran an easy 6, the left leg wasn't really bothering me anymore.

Whew.

This is the most radical and crammed training I've ever done for a marathon, and I have to keep reminding myself just to run comfortably. So far, that's happening -- thanks, in part, to the Kinesio tape keeping my legs working!

That really happened.

You really did drink a few beers and barely eat dinner and then ran 21 miles the next morning.

You really did make it through all 21 miles with a right groin/adductor muscle pain that made you worry the previous 4 days whether you would be able to run at all.

You really did run at an easy pace for the first 10 miles, then speeded up so that the last 8 were fast. FAST.

You really did run better and more comfortably in those faster miles, with the groin pain fading significantly as you ran more.

You really did have the thought that if you just added 5.2 more miles, which didn't seem like it would be a problem, you would have PR'd your 26.2 time.

You really did exercise restraint, being smart and stopping at 21.

You really did fuel and hydrate well. Remember what you did.
You really did run strong and run well. Remember what you did.
You really did blow that run out of the water. That really happened.

40

This is what it looks like.

My sister and I celebrated our birthday with a fun night out with great friends. Despite my feet being WORKED by the super high heels I wore, I peeled myself out of bed this morning for a cool, crisp, sunny 10 mile run and then worked at the running store.

A good swim Friday, a 15 miler and lunch with my family yesterday, and then an awesome night with friends and a solid run today. Finished my 30's on a good note and got my 40's started pretty well.

No, that doesn't mean I'm going to stop telling people I'm 34.

20 miles of burn

I ran 20 miles on Sunday.  2 miles were easy on my way to the start line of the LBI 18 Mile Run.  The temps were ok (mid 60's), but the sun was warm at the 10:30am start.  My plan for this race, rather than trying to better my PR,  was to just log the 20 miles for the day.  2 before, then run easy for the first half and pick up the pace for the second half.  Total of 20 miles -- the longest I've run since May of 2010. 

My sister and I ran the first 13 miles of the race together.  We kept the pace easy and comfortable.  At the 13 mile mark/water stop, though, I felt a weird stabby pain in my left lower front side.  A cramp?  Maybe -- but it didn't feel like a normal cramp.  Whatever it was, it stayed with me for the duration of the race.  WTH!? I tried taking in fluids and then fuel.  I tried stretching it out.  I had to stop and walk just to catch my breath each time the pain returned.  I might fade momentarily, but it kept hanging in there and taking my breath away.  SO FRUSTRATING!!  The sun was hot, but I was feeling ok otherwise.  I had just run 18 miles solidly two weeks ago, and here I was having trouble with the last 5 miles of this race.  AGH!

Maybe because I wasn't trying to run a certain time, or maybe because I knew I was already 15 miles into my run at that 13 mile mark, or maybe because I kept thinking it would go away, I never got dejected about this speedbump.  Frustrated, yes, but not dejected.  Pissed, confused, frustrated, but not down and out.  The last five miles of the race, which were really miles 15-20 of the complete run, were slow and tough, but I finished strong and felt good about getting that 20 miles done. 

And when I got home, I jumped right in the ocean with my running clothes still on.  My nephew watched from the beach and asked why I was just standing there.  I told him this was my ice bath and I wanted my legs to take in the cold water.  He decided not to join me, so I dunked my head under the waves and then headed home. When I stripped off my top, my sister noticed my sunburn.

I had put SPF on before the race, and yet I still got sunburned. Huh. Shocker. I had another race day with warm temps and full sunshine.

Ideal temperature

50-55* 

That's it -- and I'd say closer to that 50* mark. 

I've run a lot of miles this week.  My legs should feel workd.  As the weekend approached, the temps dropped.  I ran 15 yesterday morning, and followed that with 10 miles today.  Both runs felt great.  Low temps, solid running. 

It's amazing just how drastically warmer temps and humidity kill my running, and how much better I feel in temps in the low 50's. 

I read somewhere that 55* is the ideal temp for cold therapy after physical activity.  In other words, directly applying ice can be too cold -- it stops the blood flow to the area, which is why you limit it to 20 minutes.  You then take anti-inflamatories to prevent swelling when the blood flow returns.  On the flip side, we don't use heat therapy to help recover from activity.  Apparently, 55* is the ideal temp -- it's cool enough to decrease the blood flow to the area while still allowing the flow of the capillaries -- thereby reducing the possibility of swelling. 

Scientific, yes.  How accurate is that?  I'm not sure.  But what I do know is that my muscles, my legs, my body run better in cool temps -- and that 50* mark seems like the best one for me.  Yesterday and today were strong arguments for that. 

Now if I could just get an ideal temperature day for my goal, distance races!

Back to the Long Run

I got up early this morning, drove across to the city, and parked at the Art Museum loop.  By 7:10am, I started my run.  I kept the first loop (8.5mi) easy, and as I started the second loop, I picked up the pace.  5 miles into the second loop, I turned around and ran those 5 back. 

18 miles done.  It felt great to get back to the longer running. 

I definitely have lost some of my longer endurance at a faster pace, but the run was solid.  I may not be ready to go after a marathon time I was chasing in my last 26.2, but the HIM training was worth it.  I haven't decided on any goals for this race yet.  It's too soon.  I have a bunch more long runs to go, and I'm looking forward to all of them :) 


************************************************************************************************************************
Cindi (and Mindi!) - I registered for the Philly Marathon well before I committed to the half iron distance tri this summer.  As of now, I'm training to run it, but I'm not sure I'll have the solid training in (it's 8 weeks away) to go after a time I've chased in the past...  My sister and I should have a guaranteed entry to the NYC marathon for next November. 

Unbalanced

I tried to be really patient and smart about letting the legs/body recoup from the 70.3, but now I've gotten into the marathon training swing pretty solidly this past week.  After a good long run last weekend, I got 4 days of strong running done Monday thru today.  While I definitely don't have an optimal base of miles at this point in the training calendar, I do feel happy that the running is feeling good.

Problem is, I'm sorting of missing the biking and, even more, the swimming.  Now that I'm back to work, it's tough to get 2 workouts done in a day like I was able to do all summer.  I want to feel strong going into the 26.2, so I know that the running needs to be my focus, but...

I'm feeling unbalanced. 

Who would've thought I'd actually miss the tri training?! 

Shoreman 70.3 triathlon (part 2)

The first 30 minutes on the bike were uneventful. I had a pretty good idea of the course, because my friend M and I had ridden it (the original one) three weeks ago. Even at the one hour mark, things were still just rolling along, but I noticed the new course wasn't as friendly as the original. 

I loved that it was cloudy and cool for most of the bike, but I just wasn't getting comfortable.  I did know that I was riding slightly faster than I thought I might, but I was SLOW compared to everyone else out there.  While I've improved my swimming this year, I recognize that my biking speed and skills are lacking.  I've avoided getting a coach to help me simply because I feel like doing that means I'm now taking the tri's seriously.  If I do that, I may lose the "It's for fun" mindset, and I don't want to do that. 

Anyway, back out on the course, I was fighting to get comfortable but finally made it to the turnaround for the second loop.  I stopped for about 30 seconds, refilled my perpetuem and water bottles (actually, the cute volunteer did) and off I went.  I felt better for about the first 10 miles of that second loop, but then hit the back stretch of the course where the discomfort and hard work of the legs set in again.  I wasn't hating the bike leg, and I kept my positive attitude about the day, but I was ready to get off the bike.

As I came into transition, I joked with the volunteers -- as I'd been doing, as well as thanking each of them, all day -- and I waved and yelled to my mom. 

I wasn't slow in my transitions, but I did take my time to make sure I had and did what I needed so I was comfortable on the next leg.  When I got off the bike, I realized it was a lot hotter than I'd felt it was on the bike, and the sun was now shining.  Solarpowered though I am, the heat/full sun/humidity KILLS my running.  I scooped a bunch of ice I'd brought into my bra, zipped up my top to keep it in, and headed out on the run. 

Within the first two miles, though I kept my pace slow and easy, I knew the heat was doing me in.  Knowing the forecast for the day, I'd planned on walking through the water stops so that I could finish feeling good, and now, out on the course, I knew that's what I'd have to do.  That was frustrating, because I'm a better runner than that -- but I couldn't lose sight of my two important goals.  Keep smiling and having fun, and finish under 7 hours.  I drank, I walked through the stops, but I kept moving forward.  I took in some fuel, and as I made the turn to head back to the transition area to start the second loop, I passed my friend R (he was on his second loop).  He side-fived me and told me to keep it up, and that gave me a boost.  When I passed my parents at the transition area, I told them this would be my slowest half marathon ever.  They said "SO WHAT?!" and I agreed.  So what!  This race was a new challenge for me.  A new distance.  I wanted to look back on the day and be happy about it.  That's something I don't have with the marathon, and I wanted this race to be different. 

I passed the volunteers at the run out and asked, "Are you having as much fun as I am?" and they all looked at me, smiled, and cheered, "Yep!"  I thanked all the boy scouts at the water stops, the volunteers on the run course, and cheered on most of the other competitors I passed by.  One volunteer said, "You're looking great, Ironwoman!" and I laughed and replied, "Half Ironwoman!  But thanks, this is my first one!"  She smiled and said, "GO Girl!" 

It was hot, I wasn't happy with my run, but as I made my way up the last half mile stretch of road to the finish, I was smiling.  I knew my time overall was better than I thought I'd do, and I was about to finish a 70.3 (ok, yes, more like 72) mile triathlon.  Something I never thought I'd do.  I waved to my parents, made the turn to the finish (it was downhill!  Yeah!) and then I was done. 

I did it!  A 70.3 triathlon!  Me!  Whoa!

I talked with my parents and some friends a bit, got tons of water and some fruit, and then I made my way to transition to gather my stuff.  Before I headed to the finish to wait for M to come in,  I took off my running shoes and threw on my new socks.

Badass. 

In the grand scheme of things, I know my performance at this tri was not Badass.  The official results list me as 112/210ish. My swim was 34:47 (34th fastest swim!), bike was 3:23:29 (ugh!), and the run was a ridiculous 2:16:10 (though I'm not sure how this is; my garmin showed a mid 2:15xx.  Whatev.).  The winners do it in 4+ hours, and I was a half hour slower than the 5th person in my AG.  

But, my 6:21:35 is mine. And on that day, I sort of felt like a Badass for completing it.   Just like I never imagined I'd run a marathon, I really never thought I'd do a tri longer than a sprint.  But I did.  And I was standing, and I can look back on the day and feel good about my race. 

I might even do another one next year. 

Shoreman 70.3 triathlon (part 1)

Finish with a smile on my face, have fun on the day, and come in under 7 hours.  Those were my goals for this half-iron distance race -- one I didn't ever think I'd actually attempt.  I fake the tri thing -- I couldn't even imagine swimming 1.2 miles, then riding 56, then running 13.1.  Too much! 

But last fall, when my calf was jacked up, and I was swimming and biking more and more, I figured if I'm ever going to attempt one of these things, this is the year to do it.  I didn't really tell anyone or advertise the fact that I was training for this race -- I was doing it for me, and when people know, they ask how you're feeling and how your training is going and all that stuff.  That makes me nervous.  I do tri's for fun -- no pressure -- and wanted to keep it that way.  This was MY challenge, and one that I didn't even really admit to committing to until the beginning of August.  (It was a local event, and it was the inaugural one -- 2 reasons to do this 70.3!) I made up my own training plan based on some I found online, and I had no idea if it was going to be adequate.  I enlisted Maggs' help a little (thank you SO much!), and I started to feel like maybe I could actually do this. Fast forward to race day:

My mom decided she was going to go to the race with me, and though I told her she didn't have to do that, it was great to have her there.  We arrived at the race site by 5:30am and I got my transition spot set up in the dark. It was quiet and peaceful, but I was a little unsettled until it got light out.  My friend M found me in transition and set her spot next to mine, and another friend, R, was nearby.  It was calming to have friends around me.  Soon enough we were getting wetsuits on and heading to the water. 

M and I talked about our swim strategy, and after a few delayed minutes, we were the 3rd and final wave to start -- all the women together.  I'll admit to nerves as we stood on that beach.  I refused to look at how long the swim was, and I just kept telling myself, "This is just 4 loops of the lagoon."  I knew I could cover the distance -- I've done LOTS of open water swimming this summer -- and so I just needed to stay calm around all those swimmers.  I positioned myself in the front, but off to the right.

(Tough to see, but I'm the 2nd white cap from the left at the top of the pic)

Within the first 100 yards -- a straight shot to our first left turn before we swam a long straight to the turn around -- I started to feel comfortable. I stayed a little wide, kept my breathing in control, and only had a few instances of people running into me. Halfway to the turn around, I was almost giggling in my head about how smooth I felt and strong I was swimming. Big victory. The swim has always been the weak link for me, but this summer I've turned that around. As I swam to the bridge, and around that bubble, I knew I'd come out of the swim feeling accomplished already. I had one blip of getting squeezed between two people around that buoy, and that was the only time in the whole swim that I had to break stroke for a second, move aside, and then continue on my way. As I got closer to the point to turn to the beach, I couldn't see the small buoys -- so I ended up swimming out of my way a little. Not much, and once I could see that turn, I was headed to the beach. I knew I passed a lot of people, but it wasn't until I was running up the beach and past my mom that I realized how strong my swim was.

"35 minutes!" she yelled. Cool!

(As an aside, why does ALL triathlon stuff make me look huge?  I look big in that wetsuit, the tri shorts make my legs look big, etc.  ugh!)

I headed to my transition spot, got out of my wetsuit and got my bike ready to go. With a yell to my mom, I set off for the 57+ mile ride. So far, so good!

The bike, though, would prove to be a challenge for me.  For some reason, I could not get comfortable.  My butt wasn't comfortable, it felt like my legs weren't strong, and I felt like I couldn't get my bike to go as fast as everyone else.  Frustrating.  I had killed the swim, and now I was getting crushed on the bike.  It was going to be a long few hours...

What am I thinking???!!!

Right now*, at 7:06am, I am entering the water for a 1.2 mile swim.

I'm going to then ride my bike for over 57** miles,

and follow that with a 13.1 mile run. 

WHAT AM I THINKING???

I guess I should stop saying I fake the triathlon thing.  I've done some solid training this summer.  Who knows if I trained well.  Or did the right stuff to be prepared.  But I know I can cover the distances.  The big variable will be the heat and humidity.  It's supposed to be bad.  Full sun, 82* and 100-90% humidity during race hours. 

But this is just for fun.  I can't take the tri stuff too seriously -- I won't.  I'm not strong enough to place, and this is a new distance for me -- so I can't be nervous.  Nerves not allowed.  I'm ready.  I can do this.  I can finish, and I will.  My goal is to do just that with a smile on my face.  Dive in. 


* I scheduled this post to go online just at the time my wave was set to start...
**Because of the hurricane damage to two bridges on the original course, the bike route was changed to a 2 loop course, which ends up being just over 57 miles.  No 70.3 for me -- more like ~72mi. 

Cannonball!

I ended my summer vacation with some late afternoon pool time with my nephews and sister.  Since it was the last day to swim here, we left in style -- after a series of cannonballs. 

Today, I jumped right into my new school year.  LOTS of changes -- tough ones -- to deal with, and challenges started right away.  But I made it through the day, and so far the kids/classes seem ok (with a couple of nudges already showing their colors).  Back into it tomorrow!

I'm in taper mode this week, so while I'm itching to get sweaty, today is a rest day on the schedule.  Works out well, actually, because it's pouring out, my feet are worked from an onmyfeetallday day, and I'm pretty exhausted.  Yep, I'll rest today. 

Gotta get ready to throw myself into a big race this Saturday.  A new challenge.  Cannonball!

Hurricane Irene

By Saturday morning, Irene started showing her strength on our beach.  

 We've lived through storms like this before, so we knew to board up the windows and secure the loose/lighter stuff in the yard. 

While mandatory evacuations were in place, we weren't sure we'd leave.  However, eventually we decided it would be smarter to be safe -- so we headed to my house outside of Philly. 

Clearly, other people didn't like the idea of Irene messing up the last weekend of summer before Labor Day weekend, either. 

We listened to the strong winds and rain from my house, and hoped we wouldn't lose power.  We were anxious to hear what was happening on the island, and by late morning we were ready to head back. 

Although the skies were clear by Sunday afternoon, the west winds were fierce.  There had been lots of flooding, and some people lost power, but for Irene to make landfall in the inlet off our south end, the island survived relatively unscathed. 

The bay, normally flat and calm, was whipping in the west wind.

But the beach was beautiful.  Big waves, and rough surf, and lots of erosion, but it was there.

LBI, again, survived a hurricane. 

And so did we. 

Summer Good Stuff

Fun rides on new routes with friends

New goggles so I can see on my long swims

New shoes for all my running

And snuggly recovery time with the pup

It's supposed to be FUN!

I've gotten more serious -- sort of -- with my triathlon training this summer.  Gotten better with my swimming, grown up on my biking a bit, and done more of the tri training this summer than ever before.  Today, I set out for a long workout.  Long.  And while I hoped I'd have company with my friend DS who's here on vacation, the timing wasn't going to work for him.  Instead, he left me motivational messages on the road by the street where he's staying. 

I loved it. 

Yesterday, while getting my workout planned and set, I had a sort of flash of a thought go through my mind.  This is supposed to be fun.  I do tri's for fun.  I should get that mindset back for running races, too -- but that's for another post.  With all the greater focus on improving my triathlon work, I realized I started taking it a little too seriously.  I don't want to do that.  I want to enjoy these races, and when I take them too seriously I end up getting too stressed and full of anxiety.  This is supposed to be fun! 

So when I set out early this morning, that's the thought I kept in my mind.  Have fun.  And I did.  Yes, at a certain point, the hard work sets in, but I reminded myself through the whole workout to have fun.  And DS's messages helped me do that.  Thanks, D! 

The rest of the Napa trip!

Gah!  I haven't had any time to sit and write out the rest of the Napa trip report.  It was a fantastic trip, and I wish I could get all the fun details in, but here's an overview:

We started Friday with bubbly!  Muum Napa had some delicious sparkling wines, but the Santana (yep, as in Carlos) was my favorite.  It was a beautiful winery setting (actually most of them were!) and it was a solid start to the day. 

From Muum, we traveled to BV, which was fine -- nothing too extraordinary there, and then grabbed lunch at some run-down mini mart.  That was not so fine.  We were tight on time, so we had to grab something on the go to make it to the next winery on time.  The mart had a kitchen where they made Mexican dishes -- now, I have nothing against Mexican food, but it often doesn't like me.  I settled on a basic rice and beans burrito, and hoped the rest of the trip would allow for better wine pairings :)

The rush was well worth it when, after climbing and twisting our way up the mountain, we arrived at Chappellet.  By far, this was the best winery we visited.  The grounds were gorgeous, the hostess was fabulous, the wines were delicious.  We got to taste the wines while seated at a grand table right alongside the wine barrels.  It was chilled in there, so they provided us with comfy coats to keep warm, then invited us to tour the grounds with our wine.

 We even got to taste the grapes!  They weren't ready -- they were sour.  :(

After Chappellet, we made our last stop at Clos Du Val.  This winery had beautiful gardens, but the hostess left a lot to be desired.  We eventually made our way back to the resort, freshened up and enjoyed the view from our deck for a bit, and then headed to the riverfront area of downtown Napa.  We didn't realize everything would be closed by 6, though, so we did some window shopping and ended up (shocking for this group!) at a tavern.

 I wished the running store was open -- it would've been fun to see how theirs was set up!

After dinner at the Greystone Culinary Institute, which was good but the atmosphere seemed better out on the porch than inside, we called it a night. 

Saturday was a day off -- which was great for me.  I got a solid run in in the morning, then took a yoga class at the fitness center, then got a long swim done in the outdoor lap pool, and then lunch and some lounging time with my friends at the regular pool.  Got my nails done at the spa, then we were off to dinner.  Saturday's dinner was at Mustard's, and it was another good meal. I have to say, I really wasn't blown away by any of the meals I had -- but they were all good restaurants. 

Saturday night was hilarious -- a few of us ended up back at the resort's main bar where there were a whole bunch of men on a business trip golf weekend partying at the end of the day.  It was a shark tank, for sure -- but no harm done. 

Sunday was another day of wineries, but this time in Sonoma -- and we enjoyed mimosas on the bus on the way there!  We went to Chateau St. Jean, Coppola, and then Ferrari-Carano.  Ferrari was my favorite there.  By the end of the day we were silly and happy and having fun playing around.  This picture sort of sums up the trip in all its wine and silliness and fun:

That's my friend A on the ground.  She took her part of the picture seriously. 

Sunday night was our last night in Napa.  We had dinner at Bistro Don Giovanni, seated at a great table on the terrace.  I had one of the best dishes here -- a beet and asparagus salad -- and we all enjoyed our last night together.  Until a spider fell out of the rafter onto our table.  Then we were ready to wrap up the desserts and hit the road.  But it was a great night and a couple of us stayed up late, the music playing and our non-stop laughing at the events of the weekend. 

Monday morning I got an easy run done, with a short stop at the fitness center in the middle of it for a half hour on the stationary bike.  We all showered, grabbed coffee and hit the road.  We tried to stop at Muir Woods (whoa!  Lots of twists and turns -- not good for our hungover people!) but the parking was impossible, so off to the wharf we went.  We had a fun lunch on pier 38 (39?) and then walked around a bit. 

A few hours later, a couple of my friends and I were on red-eye flights home.  What a trip.  I did get a little sleep on the flight, but it would take me a few days to get caught up from the time difference and all the energy, excitement and fun of the long weekend.  That was a trip I'll long remember with a great group of people. 

Napa Trip Day 1 - Let's get it started!

This trip was a birthday celebration for my friend J, who turns 40 this month.  11 of us, all coming from the east coast, flew to San Francisco Thursday morning.  Once we all arrived and met at the car rental center, we hit the ground running.  We had two cars and a plan.  Head across the Golden Gate

and stop at IN-n-Out

Hess was a great way to start our wine tasting because Larry was very informative.  We listened, we asked some questions, and we finally got to taste.

We then made our way to check-in at the Silverado Resort.  It was great.  We had two condos, close to each other, and the resort had lots of options for fitness stuff for me and lounging stuff for my friends. 

Dinner Thursday nite was at the Grill right at the resort, which worked very well for us to be able to have a few drinks and not have to drive anywhere, and since it was a long travel day, we called it an early night to get ready for the first big day of wineries.

A Cool Morning Run

I spent last Thursday through Monday in Napa and San Francisco.  It was a fantastic weekend with friends, and there's a lot to tell.  But one of the best things was the run I took my first morning there.  Coming from NJ, where the temps were hovering around 100*, I was in heaven waking up to 58*.  I set out to explore the area around our Napa resort, and though I didn't get to run on this road, I passed several vineyards that looked just as inviting as this one.  It was an amazing way to get the weekend started.

Back on My Feet 20in24 Relay Challenge 2011

Running through the night in Philadelphia is a crazy idea.  Yet there I was, at 8:15pm, waiting for my first leg of the 6pm Silver Relay.  My team of 5 ladies had to run two 8.5 mile loops each, and we'd be running through the night around the Art Museum Loop.  Run a leg, wait for the next 4 runners to go, run again.  We could have chosen to run the 10am relay start, but for several reasons we chose the overnight run.  This would prove to be a crazy but smart choice...

We met several times over drinks (!) to decide our team name, team uniform, order of run, etc.  We decided on the name LEGS and got singlets printed and cool Phillies socks to bring the outfit together.  We were the only team to go all out, and we definitely got noticed! 

Ready to run! 

We got a cool campsite set up right across from the start/finish area where we were able to chill out while we waited for our turns to run and still be able to watch the race unfold. 

We checked in just before the 6pm start, did some searching for our friends running the 24 hour ultra race (they started at 10am and ran solo loops until 10am the next morning), and calmed any pre-race jitters. We had talked about the possibility of winning our relay, but decided to just be safe and run fun. We'd let the race play out, and be happy with how we did as long as everyone finished safely.

At 6pm we all headed to the start and cheered our first runner off!  We figured she'd take about 63 minutes, so the next runner got ready, we chilled for a bit, and then soon it was ready for her.  I would run third.  I was excited but ready!  I knew it would be getting dark mid-way through my run, and I was nervous about certain parts of the route being dark and secluded.  I carried my little flashlight and wore my reflective belt and waited for my teammate.  We got the announcement that our runner was 2 miles out and soon I was off! 

That first run was solid -- the weather was great -- and I held a pretty consistent and steady 8 minute pace the whole way.  I felt like I could go a little quicker, but I knew I'd have another 8.5 miles to race in just 4ish short hours.  I stayed fast but somewhat comfortable.  I took water on the go at two stops, and I giggled at everyone who commented on  my socks.  I wished the runners well, and I took note of the darkening path.  As I came through the checkpoint two miles out where they noted your team number to call ahead for your next runner, I felt good about finishing this leg strong. 

I came into the finish, passed off to my next teammate, and then went into recovery mode.  Drank well, changed into dry clothes, put on my compression socks, and stretched out and rolled on the foam roller.  I took a migraine pill to ward off the as-of-late-inevitable headaches I've been getting after hard/long runs, ate a soft pretzel, and I relaxed at camp.  Every so often we'd see some Lone Ranger friends come thru (that's the ultra race) and chat with them as they checked in for that lap.  So far, so good!

For each teammate, we'd make our way over to the start/finish, cheer each other on, and then wait.  Too much adrenaline to get any naps in between legs!  I realized pretty quickly there'd be no sleep tonight.  The later runs became more to think about.  It was DARK on the backside of the loop, and to be honest, I was a little nervous.  There definitely was not enough light on this loop, but I hoped the volunteers on bikes would be out in full force to keep an eye on things.

By 1:30am, I was getting ready for my next leg.  Put my singlet and fun socks back on, got my light and reflector stuff and put my phone in my spibelt.  Walking to the start, I was nervous about running through the city park in the middle of the night, but I pushed that aside.  I was noticing my legs feeling a little worked, but felt I'd be ok.  In came my teammate, and off I went. 

This run would be a bit more interesting than the first.  Within the first mile, I noticed someone off my back right shoulder.  He was running about 2-3 steps behind me, and staying there.  I tried to speed up, he stayed.  I tried to slow down, he slowed.  I couldn't shake him.  I knew he wasn't an ultra runner because they weren't running a 7:40 pace like I was this long into their run.  I wondered if I should be nervous as I headed to the darker, back side of the loop.  I peeked back a couple times to let him know I could feel him off my shoulder, and I ran fast.  By mile 2 I decided to say something.  I wanted to know if I should worry about this the whole way, or if I could find comfort in a fellow racer to run with at 2:15am.  I looked back and asked what relay he was doing. 

"The platinum," he answered.  "Sorry for trailing you." 

Ok, while I wasn't totally comforted, I at least felt like I didn't need to be consumed with anxiety that he was going to jump me in one of the dark, desolate areas.  When I came into the first aid station, I slowed, took a cup, and let him pass by.  He did, and I let some space come between us.  By now I was aware that I'd started this leg fast and wondered how long I could hold this sub-8 pace.  My desire to get done this mid-night run was the catalyst for me to run as fast as my legs would allow, for as long as I could.  While I was enjoying the fun and thrill of this relay race, and the oddity of running through Philly in the middle of the night, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't freaked.  I definitely was uncomfortable about it.  There just weren't enough volunteers and lighting to make this safe and comfortable for the racers.  I told the officials about this later. 

But back to the run...  I made it up and over Falls Bridge (about the halfway mark of the leg) and headed back up the river to the finish.  I was glad my legs were strong enough to run fast and keep a solid pace, and I looked forward to that 2-miles-out checkpoint.  There weren't a lot of people on the course at this point in the race -- even the aid stations were unmanned at times -- and I knew I'd see a friendly face there.  I yelled out my team number and was excited to know I had less than 2 to go.  By now, my legs were tightening up and I was hoping to keep my pace to the finish.  I knew our first two racers had slowed in their second legs and I was psyched to think I'd actually have a faster run for mine!  I willed my hamstrings -- mainly my left one -- to hold up, and I smiled as I approached boathouse row.  Less than half a mile to go! 

As I came into the start/finish and my teammate took off, I noted my time:  40 seconds faster on this leg than my first!  WooHoo!  I grabbed a cold towel, water, and a pretzel, and headed back to camp.  Changed into dry clothes and woke my teammate that was to run the last, our next, leg.  The drama began.  She had been vomiting since her first run.  Wha???  From what?  It wasn't that hot, she was a good runner, and her pace was solid, but nothing extreme.  Whatever the cause, her body shut down.  I took her to the med tent and found out our 4th runner, the one out on the course now, would be running two loops to cover for the sick teammate.  Uh, oh.  17 miles straight after an 8.5 miler just a few hours before?  None of us were prepared for that.  But since we were in the lead, we didn't want to quit and we didn't want to be disqualified.  We worked it out. 

Since I had just run (fast!) and CM was with one of our ultra-runner friends, I'd stay with C in the med tent while L and A did the last loop.  I felt bad about not doing that last loop with the other girls, but we didn't want to leave C alone.  Eventually, her boyfriend came to accompany her to the hospital (she'd eventually be ok -- dehydration?) and CM and I started packing up the campsite.  As the sun came up, we planted ourselves at the finish and bubbled about the fun experience and the fact that we'd actually win this thing! 

When L and A arrived, we knew we'd done it.  We hadn't slept, we'd had some drama, but all of us were (relatively) safe and that's what mattered.  We'd raised money for a great cause and we'd fostered new friendships.  Awesome. 

I drove home, took about a 45 minute power nap, showered and picked up CM, and headed to the awards ceremony.  C was still not well, so she missed the post-race picture and celebration as we were awarded our prize. 

 

We had cool race outfits, a fun attitude, and went home with aluminum batons marked with our relay win info and a sweet $1500 cash prize. 

I'm not sure I'd do this event again unless they got better lighting and security on the loop overnight, but it really was a blast being part of this relay team.  Another fun running experience, and the win made it that much sweeter!

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The stats:  Our overall time was something around 11:52, though I'm still waiting for the official results to be posted.  Here are my times:

First leg:  started at 8:13pm  8.52 miles.  1:08:11  8:00 pace
Second leg:  started at 1:53am  8.52 miles.  1:07:30  7:56 pace

Legs today feel WORKED!  But it's a good hurt :) 

*************************************************************************************************
I did some light fundraising for this event, and I want to send HUGE thanks to my sponsors:
Kevin
Lori
Maria
Joe
Amy

You guys put some extra special oomph into my participation in this event, and I can't thank you enough! 

Running Through the Night

Tomorrow night, I will join 4 friends for a relay race around the Art Museum loop in Philadelphia.  We will each run 2 loops (8.4 mi each leg), and our race starts at 6pm.  It's all a part of the Back on My Feet 20in24 race.

I will run my first leg sometime around 8:15pm, and then my second leg sometime between 2 and 3am. 

No sleep, lots of fun.  We've got cool uniforms and a great team name:  LEGS!  Pix and reports to follow!

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Lots of luck to Charisa at Vineman!  I know she's gonna kick some booty! 

And on the 66th day, she rested.

I haven't taken a full rest day since the week after the Broad Street Run.  May 4th was the last day I didn't swim, bike, run, do yoga, or anything else exercise-oriented. Since then, not a day has passed without some sort of workout.  Many days have been doubles.  I've been good about taking legs-rest days (when I'll just swim and/or take a yoga class), and I've been good about paying attention to when my legs need a running-free day (when I'll just bike and/or swim, etc.). 

But today, for the first time since May 4th, I did no exercise.  I didn't choose this, and it really frustrated me, but I couldn't help it.  I went to bed Thursday night with my stomach not feeling right and awoke Friday with the start of a two day bout with some sort of bug.  Ugh.

I made it through a 5 mile run with my sister and then a 1 mile run with my nephew, but the whole way I just kept hoping I wouldn't need the bathroom.  I didn't, but when we were done, I felt done.  I somehow got a bowl of cereal in me, but by mid-day, I was down for the count.  Couldn't eat anything.  I forced some watered-down Gatorade and a couple pieces of toast in me, and even some chicken soup broth throughout the day/night.  But that was it.  I went to bed at 8pm.  I was worn out from so many trips to the bathroom and my body having no fuel in it.  Eww, I know.  Sorry. 

I woke up this morning (after a fitful night) and was hoping I was better.  I wasn't.  The sun was shining, the temps were cool, and I couldn't enjoy it.  There was no way I'd be able to run, and even biking would require more energy than my depleted body would handle.  Again I kept trying to get something in me -- chicken broth, Gatorade, dry toast -- but I didn't feel any better.  I thought, maybe I'll feel better by the evening and I'll be able to get a short ride in then. 

By 2pm, I was out of my mind.  I was wasting an entire day curled up on the sofa.  I was antsy, but I couldn't do anything.  That's when I looked at my workout calendar. 

May 4th. Wednesday.  It was a rainy, raw day, and my knee was bothering me.  I was heading to the Phillies game after work, and I had just raced on Sunday and only taken Monday off.  I decided to take the day off.  Knew it was probably smart after the race, anyway.  So that was a rest day.  The last one until today. 

I was finally able to get a small amount of bland gnocchi into my system tonight, but a run or ride was not going to happen.  I will do something easy in the morning.  I know I can -- in my first year of real running, I had been violently ill for a 24 hour period between Friday and Saturday and somehow made it through a 17 mile run that Sunday.  I'm just more in-tune to my body now, and I realize how weak I am tonight.  But I can't take another full day off. 

Rest is good -- I know that.   But another full day off is something I don't want right now.  :)  I want to get out there and enjoy the beautiful weather. 

Long rides, stormy skies, beach time

In the past week and a half since my last post, I rode my first 50 mile bike ride and then worked a lot at the running store.  And finally, this week, I got some lazy summer days at the beach. 

Last Monday I set out for my weekly long bike ride, intending to do a 40 miler.  I was at the shore, so it was easy to figure the route -- head north on the island from my parents' house, turn around at the end, then back past the house and head to the south end, then back.  Add some extra loops in there and an easy 40 is done.  But then I got back to the house and realized I was actually at 41 miles, and decided that was a stupid number to end on so I headed back out for 9 more miles.  According to my bike computer I finished with 50, according to my Garmin it was more like 51.5 miles.  Something's off with my bike computer I guess, but as long as it's short, I'm fine with that. 

On that ride, and often recently, I've begun to wonder how the heck to bike faster.  It's like my legs suck or my bike sucks or they both suck.  I get passed by people in races and just riding in general who fly by me while I'm riding at about 18mph and I wonder how the heck they do it!  My race paces aren't terrible, but they aren't fast.  I can't seem to make riding easier for me.  I've been riding more, but I don't think I'm getting any faster.  I do some interval stuff, a bunch of easy stuff, and more miles than ever.  I suppose I'll get there, but it sort of boggles my mind. 

So, a 50 miler done, the rest of that week was a bit easier on the legs.  A little step-back week in the running and biking, but a solid swim on Thursday.

At the open water swim, I elected to swim without my wetsuit and had a plan to swim a warm-up lap and then a mile without stopping.  Well, as I finished that first lap, I felt smooth and solid, so I just kept going.  Lap after lap, in a groove and feeling good, I just kept going.  At the end of 1.2 miles, I stopped.  I was covered in gross, brown slime from the lake, but I felt accomplished.  1.2 miles without stopping, and I felt solid.  I kept the pace at a place where my breathing was good and working, but not wearing me out.  I looked at my watch -- which I hadn't stopped right away -- and figured it took me about 38 or 39 minutes to swim that.  That's pretty good for me! 

After working a bunch at the store, I headed to the beach on Saturday for a handful of work-free days.  A storm rolled in while I was at happy hour with some friends:

But the skies quickly cleared:

And allowed for a great day on the beach the next day.  Fun swimming time with my nephews in the powerful ocean, and even a little time fishing with Poppie:

This lazy beach day was MUCH needed after a long, hot brick workout that morning.  More on that in the next post... 

Queen of the Hill Sprint Triathlon

There is a local women's triathlon club just south of me that started a couple (I think?) years ago.  The club is the Mullica Hill Women's Triathlon Club. 

The club is several hundred strong, and is made up of a mix of newbies to seasoned triathletes.  I'm not a member of the club, but working in the running store I've become aware of all sorts of cool activities that this club has hosted for their members.  This year, they decided to put on their very own women's-only sprint triathlon. 

Named the Queen of the Hill, the RD's put lots and lots of thought into the female-driven details of this race.  It was a great event, on a beautiful summer day, and to top it off, I raced pretty well!

I had two goals for this race:  to have a stronger T1 than the Hammonton race, and to feel successful/not  fall on the bike with my new pedals.  I met up with a couple friends race morning and as we set up our transition spots, we giggled at the full-length mirror outside the line of porta-potties and the pink accents everywhere.  There was certainly a female focus here.  At one point, I giggled because it was so over-the-top, but I simmered that because I could tell how many of these women were doing this for the first time and how excited/nervous/full of wonder they were, and that was kinda cool. 

I got there early enough to get a great transition spot -- right next to the bike in/bike out.  I was happy to have a longer run from the swim to the bike, a short run with the bike out and then in, and then a bit more of a run through transition to the run out.  Perfect spot.  Then I got body marked. 

I walked over to the young girls who were weilding the markers, and told them my race number.  That went on both arms.  Then they asked how old I'll be on December 31st. 

Um, what?

How old will you be as of December 31st?  the cute, mid-teenage, perky girl asked. 

Um, what?  I looked around.  I'm 39. 

And that's how old you'll be at the end of this year?

Oh, God.  I forgot that's how the USAT rules are for age-grouping.  They messed up at Hammonton!  (not that it would've mattered in the standings)

Um, I'll be 40, I said quietly.  I wasn't prepared to be there yet, I confided to the girl.  The mid-50's woman next to me told me to shut it.  Sort of -- she said it nicer than that, but that's what she was saying.  The perky high-schooler, oblivious to the fact that I'll remember this moment forever, directed me to turn around and there it was:  a big, black, 40 on the back of my left calf. 

ugh. 

Ok, here I go.  First race in a new age-group.  Let's see how it goes. 

With my age weighing me down a bit, we got set, got our wetsuits (they weren't necessary at all -- warm water, 1/4 mile swim -- but I'm wearing mine any time I can since this is my first racing season with one and I need the practice with it!), and headed over for the pre-race meeting and the national anthem.  The RD kept asking us to "stay standing" for another minute; there was "something special" that was going to happen.  We laughed at every time she said that -- um, we're all standing.  Where would would we sit?  But then, she announced the military fly-over. 

I knew it was coming -- we'd heard about it at the store and thought it was a bit hokey for a small sprint tri -- but standing there, as the race was about to start, it was pretty cool. 

We had just a few minutes to get a warm-up swim done in the lake, and the race began.  I was in the 3rd (of 4) waves, and I positioned myself off to the side, away from the rest of the wave.  They all lined up in the deeper water and had to tread for a couple minutes before we were off.  I stayed in the shallower water, and as the wave began, I had a straight line to the first buoy.  I swam hard.  I wanted to get out in front -- fewer people to deal with until I caught up to the stragglers from the first wave -- and I did.  There was one other woman right near me until about a third of the way through the swim, but we never got in each other's way.  I kept swimming.  I swam hard.  And I passed women from the wave in front of me.  And then, although I kept repeating pace yourself, I was swimming hard -- and all of a sudden I couldn't breathe.  I had just made the last turn past the buoy that put us on the straightaway to the swim exit, and I couldn't breathe.  Keep calm! I repeated.  But I couldn't help it -- I eventually had to turn onto my back and catch my breath for a few seconds.  I did, and then I swam to the exit.  I wasn't happy about that, but I thought I had swam hard and probably had a good time anyway. 

The water got shallow well before the exit, and though it would've been faster to keep swimming, I couldn't.  There were about 10 woment stopped and walking through the knee-deep water with about 10 yards to go.  I had no choice, I had to do the same.  As I ran out up the steps and across the mat, I worked to get my breathing in control and my wetsuit off.  I got to my bike, got out of the suit, threw on my helmet and my sunglasses, and grabbed my bike.  I knew I accomplished goal #1 -- that T1 time would definitely be faster than 4:06!

My bike shoes were already clipped onto my pedals, so I ran out in my barefeet, got my right foot into the shoe and started to ride.  Got the left foot in, and off I went.  So far, so good for goal #2!

The bike leg was 10 miles of rolling hills.  Nothing too exciting on the bike -- I started to look for women in my age group and see how strong I could ride.  I got passed by a few, then passed a few, and overall felt like my bike was decent. 

Until the last 2 miles.  I knew I had a run coming up, and I knew I had the first race dismount with these pedals coming up, and I started to prepare mentally.  Then 2 women in my age group flew by me.  AGH!  How are they going so fast???!!!  I tried to keep up, but they dropped my quickly.  I was a bit distracted now as I safely dismounted at the base of a hill and then had a long run into the parking lot and into transition for the run leg.  (They had, at the last minute, decided it would be better to have everyone dismount at the hill, rather than turning into the lot.  Really? Safer to have everyone stop at the base of the hill and get off their bikes?  okay....) For me, it was fine.  Goal #2 accomplished!

Into T2, I racked my bike, dropped my helmet, and quickly cleaned off my feet, threw socks on, tied my shoes, grabbed my visor, and off I went for the 5k run.  Legs weren't bad!  But huh -- there's a hill right there to start the run.  Ok, let's go!  My friend J (who sponsors the OWS) was there, and as I ran out he yelled -- this is your strength, Lora!  You've got at least 15 people you can pick off!

I gave him the thumbs up and started to count. 

I passed more than 15.  I settled into a decent pace that I felt I could hold, and went to work.  I saw the eventual winner coming back, and I counted.  I counted how far back I was from her, and I counted how many women I passed.  We all passed "Good job!"'s onto each other, shouted words of encouragement, and I counted.  

As I made my way to the finish, I felt pretty good about my run.  I knew the time was solid, and I felt good about doing what J told me I should do out there.  As I crossed the line, I was happy with the day, even though I didn't feel great about what happened in the swim. 

After meeting up with my friends, cheering on other racers, and going for a cool-down jog, the results were posted. 

22 OA/185 finishers

4/46 AG (agh!  4th!)

1:10:33

swim: 7:25  (8th fastest swim on the day!)

T1: 1:45!

bike: nothing impressive 35:06

T2:  1:58

run: 24:20

For my first race in a new age-group, it was a pretty decent showing.  A well-run race, a solid effort, and two goals accomplished.  I should note that if I were in the 35-39 AG, I would've been 6th... 

Still tons to improve on, but I'll take it!