This weekend was my last long weekend of racing before the 100 miler.  I still have the Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa on with my friends Marcy and Haley on November 24 and I'm really looking forward to that, but it's a little scary to know that I have no more high mileage weekends before now and December 7.  Taper time. 

I'm definitely ready for a break, but that weekend is daunting and still more than I can wrap my brain around, so I'm kind of trying not to think about it.  What's done is done. I've put a lot of miles in my proverbial bank and will have to just let that day unfold however it does. In the meantime, here's what I was up to this weekend:

Rockledge Rumble 50k- November 9, 2013

This was my first time to race Rockledge Rumble, but I have heard many good things about this race.   It is put on by the North Texas Trail Runners and they offer a 50k, 30k and a 15k run. The race starts at Rockledge Park in Grapevine, TX.

The race did not disappoint. It was a beautiful day. It was a little cool in the morning, but warmed up with a slight cloud cover. My goal for this race was to take it slow and steady, practice my pacing and eating for the upcoming 100miler and not maim myself by tripping or twisting an ankle. 

The initial group that took off started quickly and although I started somewhere in the middle, I moved out of the way as much as I could and let them pass.  I did not want to get caught up in an early push. 

I had to keep reminding myself that I still had 26 more miles to go the next day, so it would do me no good to push my legs, just because I could.  I ran with several groups of very nice people along the way. 
   

Heading up a hill w/Tyler

I ran into my fair share of roots that were deceptively hiding under the newly fallen leaves and as usual, I took the downhills like a turtle as I just don't trust my legs to be able to catch up if I was to catch my foot on something.

After some back and forth, I ended up running the majority of the last part of the race with a young man named Tyler. I can say 'young' because I'm 10 years his senior. It was his first 50k and I think it's awesome that he found distance/trail running so early. He had run the 15k at Rockledge the year before and was determined to come back and finish the 50k. We talked a lot about running, inspiration, future goals, life and lots of other things.   

He had a great support team out there and I snagged these pictures from one of his friends (so Brant, thank you, if you're reading this!)  We finished strong and I let Tyler go ahead of me and I held back some so that I wouldn't be in his race pictures!  It was his first and I wanted him to have that moment to shine! :)  After we finished, we enjoyed some time off our feet and some great quesadillas that they were serving.

Overall, I really enjoyed this race. The course had a little bit of everything a trail should be mixed into it. Some technicality, some hills and some pretty views. The aid stations were fabulous and very helpful and friendly. Total mileage is 31.6 for this race, so we get a little over a half mile bonus beyond the 50k. My legs hurt a little more than I would have liked, but I had a pair of compression socks waiting for me at home that would take care of that.  The race report supported the Wounded Warrior Foundation and they gave out Patagonia long sleeve jackets and the finisher's medal looked like a dog-tag. 


Fort Worth Marathon- November 10, 2013

I am so buying this picture!

The alarm clock went off again at 5am. It was easier than I expected to get up. My legs were sore, but not unbearable. Running legs are different than walking legs, so I was hoping I'd be able to get the running ones moving. I missed packed pick up on Saturday, so I was thankful they had race day pick up.  I arrived early and had parking within 300 feet of the start/finish line!  Score! 

I picked up my packet and then headed back to my car to stay warm.  I stayed there almost until the gun went off.  Ha! Literally walked up, waiting less than a minute and we started. So much for warming up my legs.  The first 8 miles felt good.  I quickly realized that my plan of walking the hills and running the flats was going to have to go out the window.  There were NO hills!  Normally, I'd be super happy with this, but I was looking forward to a little bit of a break and so I kept running. 

Between miles 10 and 13, I felt like I was going to pass out.  I was super hungry and felt depleted of energy. I walked a lot between these three miles. Mostly because I didn't feel connected to my legs enough to trust them to run on them. Thankfully at mile 13, I picked up my friend Marcy, who stayed with me until the finish.  Her amazing mom and husband were out there to cheer us both on.  Steve was a saint and bought me a Coke, a Rice Krispie treat and later on down the road a muffin that Marcy and I both nibbled on.  The Coke, though, was the saving grace.  It perked me up and I picked up my pace steadily for the rest of the race.  After a few sips, I literally felt like I came back to life.

I ended up finishing almost 30 minutes faster than my anticipated goal time.  My husband was at the

Marcy & me post-race

finish with our daughter and she ran me in. That is one of the best feelings as a mom.  She accepted my medal and then all six of us went to breakfast at the Ol' Southern Pancake House in Fort Worth.  It was fabulous. I ate enough food for a couple people and the owner's mom, who happened to be sitting in a booth near us, actually sent us over a "German Pancake" for us to try. It was amazing!  It looked like a crepe, that they pour lemon juice on... seriously.  Yum!  I'm still thinking about it! 

The race t-shirt was a plain, white unisex tech tee with a black imprint (sigh) but the medal made up for it. It was actually a bronze belt buckle on a very nice ribbon. My daughter approved. ;)

As always, I can't thank my sponsor, Aquaphor enough. It is such a great product!  57.8 miles of running and I didn't chafe or get one blister.  Love, love, love it!

It's been a long time since I've blogged.  Not because I haven't thought about it, but because this blog was started mostly as a 'triathlon' blog.  In July 2009, just about a year after having my daughter, the sport of triathlon changed my life.  Having run a handful of marathons here and there since 2000, mostly just to prove to myself that I still could run one, triathlons presented me an exciting new challenge.

I didn't know how to swim beyond pool lounging and the last bike I had ridden likely had a banana seat and streamers coming off the handlebars.  It consumed me and challenged me like I hadn't been since competing years ago in gymnastics.  It was fun and after moving to a new state where I knew close to no one, I met so many awesome people who were also excited about the triathlon lifestyle.

Last year was no exception.  I completed 17 races, including 3 Half Ironman's and REV 3 Cedar

Point 140.6 in Ohio.  I was excited about REV3 (it was on my birthday!) and I ended up with about a 25 minute PR, but felt the whole race that it was "business as usual."  When I finished Ironman Austin 70.3 at the end of October, I felt flat and my passion was missing.

I struggled with this.  A lot. What happened?  How could a sport that brought me so much, not be fun anymore?

So, I did what any lost athlete soul would do. I signed up for a 50-mile ultramarathon.

And, then in an instant... my passion was back, just not for triathlons.  I was hungry for a new challenge.

Sadistically enough, I guess I'm looking for how far my body will go. Where is that absolute limit?

My original intent for signing up for the 50-miler was to figure out if I could hack it at a Double Ironman.  It turned into a much more fun adventure than I could ever imagine.  I discovered trail running. This, from someone who gets lost easily and generally isn't a huge fan of nature-y things like snakes and bugs and dirt and such.

I ran the Prairie Spirit 50 Mile trail run in March with my friend Haley. What was supposed to be a nice, gentle introduction to trail running on a flat course, became this:

A full-out blizzard with sleet pelting our eyes. It was miserable, but awesome all the same.

After surviving that, I realized I was tougher than I thought.  So, once Haley mentioned that she was considering a 100-mile run in December in Louisiana, I blindly signed up - even before she did. I guess I tend to jump and look to see what's below after the fact when it comes to races.

I'll admit, I honestly knew nothing about trail running at the beginning of this year. But, I learned to swim by watching YouTube videos and I've finished two Ironman's, so I'm good at embracing my ignorance.  I've never had a coach. I never will.  But, I do ask advice. I listen and I read everything I can get my hands on.  Books. Articles. Blogs.

Which is kind of why I decided to start blogging again. Blogs and race reports are so unbelievably useful. I have learned so much from them and I feel guilty reading race reports of others and not contributing my own.

So, here we go... again.  I'll try to catch up on some of my past races.  I just finished my first 100k run two weeks ago.  It's funny though, although I've completed several ultras now, I don't feel like an 'ultrarunner' like I ever did when I felt like I was when I finished an 'Ironman.'

Perhaps because the finish lines don't have hundreds of screaming people cheering you on letting you know you're almost there. You cross the finish line at an ultra to a smiling face or two that say, 'Good Job."  There's no fanfare and no finale of a ceremony.  You just finish and start planning your next one.  Which, I'll admit has been a big change and also a welcomed one. I really enjoy the laid back atmosphere at the trail runs and I assure you they have the most amazing aid station volunteers you will ever meet.

Speaking of which, I've met a lot of very nice people out on the trails and have met some great new friends, but it's funny how I feel like some go out of their way to make you feel like you don't belong to their 'exclusive, tight-knit group.' Maybe that was true for Ironman-finishers too, but I guess I never noticed it- which brings me back to the the title of my post - 'Defying Labels.'

Despite my blog being named, IronTexasMommy, I don't label myself a triathlete or an ultrarunner. I'm just a mom, who is enjoying the heck out of doing things that I never thought possible - and I'm not afraid to fail along the way.

Whoot!  So excited to announce that I was selected to be a Brand Ambassador for Team Aquaphor for my third consecutive year!  The team is comprised of 200 amateur athletes from across the nation and is supported by Active.com. The team is extremely supportive and I really enjoy getting to represent such an awesome product!

I have used Aquaphor since I was a kid. My mom worked for a dermatologist, so if we had minor cuts, scratches, burns, dry skin, chafed anything.... we hollered for the Aquaphor. As a mom, I have continued to use it with my daughter since she was a baby and as an athlete, I practically bathe in it before a race. For my ultramarathons, I coat my feet with it (never had a blister!!) and for triathlons I'll put it just about anywhere that my chafe! I also love their lip repair which is a new sample that we get to hand out this year!

So, if you see me at a race this year come find me for a sample!  I'll have plenty on hand and I'm happy to share! Have a great season!

Third-  The spectators are even more crazy than the runners!


I was so lucky to have two of my close friends, Lesley and Karen running with me. Lesley is a 50k veteran, but it was her first time at El Scorcho. Karen was a 50k first-timer, but did the El Scorcho 25k last year.  As for me, it was my first time for both. So, I was lucky to have them because they at least knew what the heck they were doing.

As always, my wonderful mom came out to support me. I am the luckiest. Seriously. I made sure that she was set-up with the comfiest, reclining camping chair we had, a little side table and about all of the treats you could imagine. I even bought her a couple of trash magazines so she could catch me up on the latest on Tom & Katie and what's really going on behind the scenes of the Bachelor. Emily is trying to hook up with Roberto? What?

Ok. Enough of that. Back to the race. I handed out my Aquaphor samples to a lot of very happy people. Holy moly! Ultra runners love Aquaphor!  And there's a good reason.  With the distance, the heat and humidity, we were all using it in just about every place imaginable.  Feet, arms, thighs, around the sports bra, here.. there.. everywhere.  I even met up with Danielle from Team Marathon Bars- one of my Active Ambassadors teammates.

So, now that everyone is properly lubed up, the countdown begins and we are off. The weather was perfect. Mid 70's with a slight breeze. The humidity was high, but I really was expecting worse conditions. I couldn't have asked for better.  I tried to take a picture of the very scenic Downtown Fort Worth skyline that we passed by 10x, but this was the best that I could get.

The aid stations and the volunteers were incredible! Seriously! They were so enthusiastic, El Scorcho must have provided them with Red Bulls. They were having so much fun and were so supportive the entire night, I tried to smile the entire race! I thanked them, thanked them again and then thanked them even more. I felt bad if I wasn't smiling, because they were just so great.

The course is pretty flat with one small hill.  No problem on the first couple laps, but when you realize you're going to hit it 10x, then it starts not being a "small" hill anymore.  There are parts of the course that are pretty dark. Most likely because it was a New Moon out.. and no, it wasn't Twilight, although a little Team Edward/ Jacob interaction would have been a big bonus. Speaking of hallucinations, let me bring you up to speed on the title of this blog.

Best. Sign. Ever.

Chupacabra's-  Ms. Karen. Cracked me up the entire run. Any time there was an animal, any kind of movement in the distance... or heck, even a runner up ahead with no light on the back of him/her.. she would yell out Chupacabra! How I didn't pee my pants laughing, I don't know. Maybe I did and just passed it off as excessive sweat. It was pretty funny. At one point there was a little kitten running by and I told her we better run for our lives!

Ho's-  So, we're on our second lap and going through a grassy section and this girl yells out "Watch out for the Ho".. which in fact she said "Hole", but it was too late and I already stumbled into it before realizing what she said. Then Karen started laughing and said, I though she said "Ho" and I busted up saying I did too... so the rest of the night we would yell out warnings of "Ho's up ahead". Funny now? Maybe not so much, but when you're delirious at 3am in the morning, running.. it's freakin' hysterical.

Escaped Convict- On our last loop, after Loop 8, Karen and I mutually agreed it was time for music. Not that we didn't enjoy talking to eachother, but it was time for some Eminem to tell me to never give up and keep trying and all that motivational stuff to pound out the pain that I was feeling in my quads and my feet.  So, last loop.. we have just come out of the dark woods part, when we pass a guy in an orange prison jumpsuit.  No joke. Karen does this slow turnaround with a big "WTF" look on her face and I just motion for her to keep running. I catch up to her and we start contemplating what we should do. Mind you at this point, neither of us could do simple math or even say the word, 'contemplating', but there wasn't much we could do.  I definitely wasn't going to stop and ask if he needed directions back to the jail.

All done!

Ultramarathoners!!

Turns out he was one of the spectators who was dressing up in costumes and had one too many Jello-O shots (See! I told you that the spectators were the freakin' best!) Apparently he went to find a bathroom, passed out on a picnic table and then got lost!  It was the big mystery on the El Scorcho Facebook page. Crazy!

So, overall, it was a good race and a great experience for my first 50k. Other than my quads and my feet being sore, I felt fine. The second to last loop was probably my worst lap in terms of how I was feeling and there is definitely room for future improvement. Oh yes, as much as I wasn't ready to admit that after we finished the race... there will be more. Just like I said I was "one and done" with Ironman.  Bwhahahah.. whatever. I can't even believe myself. This endurance lifestyle is just too addictive.

One thing I do have to work on is fueling. Despite having every snack imaginable at my mom's "aid station" I had a total of 2 Gu's, 34oz of Gatorade and about 2x that in water. That's it. And, I wasn't even hungry after the race.  I just can't eat while racing anymore and it's going to be a problem at some point. I mean, there are people that have 20 Gu's strapped to them for a 5k.  Okay, that's probably overkill, but I'm sure my body would appreciate a little more subsistence while running that far. Then again, I only had 1 Gu for the entire marathon portion of  Ironman Texas. Honestly, I should weigh 30lbs less- so not fair.

Dirty!!

Before, I finish... I have to commend the race directors! They did such an amazing job at organizing this race- keeping everyone safe and it was such a fun environment. Thank you! 

Now back to Ironman training for me! 53 more days until REV3 Cedar Point!      

I put this together when I started triathlons. I finished my first sprint and I had dreams. Big dreams. Many of which I thought were crazy dreams. There are still ones on there that I shake my head and don't know if I'll be able to accomplish them, but they're there. Reminding me to think beyond my limits.

I don't have dates of when I'll attempt each one, but I keep adding to this list. When the time is right to go after that goal, I'll know.  I keep it taped up in my office. I was able to update it today after finishing my first 50k on Sunday.  I promise to get a Race Report up soon. It was entertaining to say the least.

Anyway,  the dates below the event are the first time I accomplished that distance. Number in parenthesis= how many times. Non-highlighted are on my To-do list! ;)

Now go make your own list and go after those dreams!

I'm excited to share event videos from two of the Try the Tri Series races that I am the Assistant Race Director for in Decatur, Texas. 

The Try the Tri Series races are geared towards beginner triathletes looking to get started in the sport. Our sprint-distance races are limited to 100 participants per race, so that athletes don’t feel lost in the crowd and are staffed with race volunteers to help you figure out where to go and what to do.

We welcome athletes of every body type, age, and fitness level, so no matter where you are at in your fitness level – everyone fits in!

Whether your goals are to just finish the race, set a new personal record or win your age group – we’re here to cheer you on and support you!

RACE REPORT:  Here's a Race Report on the Texas Girl Tri from fellow blogger, ThatPinkGirl.

2012 Hooty's Kids Triathlon




2012 Texas Girl Sprint Triathlon





Here's the video for the 2011 Try the Tri Event

This year's event is almost SOLD OUT! So, if you're interested in participating, sign up here!

Thank you to everyone who commented, blogged and tweeted about this giveaway! Your excitement no doubt showed Chrissie Wellington how excited we all are to read her new book. 

Thank you again to Center Street Publishing for this opportunity. It is much appreciated!


Using the Random Number Generator on Random.org...

And the 18th comment was..... Jen Small from Miles, Muscles & Mommyhood!  Congratulations Jen!!  :)

The awesome web publicist at Center Street has graciously offered me the opportunity to give away a free copy of Chrissie Wellington's new book, A Life Without Limits: A World Champion's Journey. 

Here's how you can enter to win.  (Required Entry must be completed before any additional entries can be made.)

• Follow this blog (or tell me you're already a follower)
• Tweet about this promotion to your followers
• Link to this promotion on your blog 

You can read my book review, here.  

This giveaway is open to all US residents and will end May 11 at midnight CST.  The winner will be asked to provide their mailing address and that will be provided to the web publicist. 

Ummm.. Chrissie Wellington read my blog. (Insert giddy school girl dance)  That is all...  ;)









P.S.  You're very welcome, Ms. Wellington!

There are a plethora of books out there for endurance athletes that provide data and science behind training plans and how they will make you a better athlete.

Chrissie Wellington's autobiography, A Life Without Limits, A World Champion's Journey, is not one of them.

This book is much more than that.

It chronicles a woman that is so full of adventure, carefree living and the audacity to follow her heart rather than mainstream life, that the outcome ultimately developed her into one of the greatest athletes that the sport of triathlon has ever known.  

The story is open and honest to the point where a reader could get lost in that you feel you are being told the story first-hand, instead of reading the pages. It was a quick read as there was hardly a place that I wanted to stop. I read the majority of my copy on the bike trainer as I found it hard to read a story about such an accomplished athlete while lounging with my feet propped up on the couch. 

Throughout the book, Ms. Wellington details her fears, struggles, passions and the motives that drive her. She never shied away from difficult issues, such as her struggle with bulimia, her tumultuous relationship with her coach, finding her place in the sport of triathlon and her insatiable appetite to be the very best athlete that she could become.

Endurance athletes, in particular, will be able to identify with her tenacity and hopefully appreciate the valuable lesson that success is not dependent on having the most advanced equipment or gathering heaps of data, but rather the hard work that you put into yourself and inner strength will prove to be the determining factor on race day.

What Ms. Wellington has been able to achieve in this sport is truly amazing. This book is inspiring, not just to athletes, but to anyone who has ever desired to live a more adventurous life. I dove into this book eager to learn more about what life was like as an Ironman champion and I finished it realizing that the best for her is yet to come.

There are few people in this world that I would consider a role model.

Ms. Wellington is one of them.

She has been a fierce, but cordial competitor, has graciously given back to many charities and has been an overall outstanding ambassador for the sport of triathlon- which makes me proud to be part of it.









Disclaimer:  The book, A Life Without Limits, was provided to me free of charge by the publicist at Center Street.  Being chosen to receive the book was an unsolicited (you can read how I was selected, here) and I was not paid for this review. The review made here is my personal opinion and I am by no means a professional book reviewer.

 So, for giggles, I did a little looking into the Race Results.

More than 16% (or 239 athletes) didn't even bother starting the race!  239 ... that's crazy.  I know there was a lot of talk on the forums that some were cancelling because of the bad weather, but that's a pretty high number that decided not to even make the trip.

2012 IMNOLA Finisher's Medal

Of those that did start, only 2% (33 athletes) didn't finish.  Which, I'm going to assume several of them were from bike crashes due to the extremely high wind.  Glad to see a report that they were all minor and everyone was ok.

And, so while I may be not-so-happy about my performance,  at least I finished and received this awesome medal to add to my collection! :)

Keeping my DNF count to:  0


Although, I can definitely relate to some of the quotes below:

Former world champ Terenzo Bozzone unable to finish Ochsner Ironman 70.3 New Orleans

One name conspicuously absent from the results board after Sunday’s Ochsner Ironman 70.3 New Orleans was former world champion Terenzo Bozzone. After finishing the bike ride portion just outside the top 10, Bozzone said that he felt his “body was dead.” It was only the second “Did Not Finish” of Bozzone’s career, with the other being last September when an injury to his Achilles forced him out of the European 70.3 championships in Germany.

He said once he dismounted the bike he felt his legs start to cramp, and he made the decision at Mile 4 of the run to end his day early.

“I’m really disappointed to pull out,” Bozzone said. “It was real hard to make that decision. Putting one foot in front of the other was hard work. I kept pushing through to Mile 4 on the run, but I just had nothing in the tank today.”

Sunday’s event was Bozzone’s second race since having surgery on his Achilles last fall. He finished seventh in his first race back last month at the Ironman 70.3 New Zealand. He said his Achilles was feeling pretty good overall, but that it could have been other issues from training that led to the problem Sunday.

“Maybe there could have been a lack of high-end conditioning since coming back, but that will come back in the next couple of races,” Bozzone said.

It was another setback for an athlete that has had much success at a relatively young age in the sport of triathlon. In Sunday’s race, 18 of the top 20 finishers in the men’s and women’s competition were 30 or older. Bozzone, who turned 27 last month, already has 11 victories at the 70.3 distance and won the 2008 70.3 World Championships.

“My girlfriend is telling me to keep strong and stay tough, and mentally that’s what this game is,” Bozzone said. “I just have to keep tough mentally and know that I do have what it takes to get back on top. These hard times are what builds character and makes you stick in the sport for the right reasons, which for me is the love of it.”

Source:  http://www.nola.com/running/index.ssf/2012/04/former_world_champ_terenzo_boz.html#incart_mce

Overall:

This wasn't the race that I had hoped for.  Overall I was not happy with my performance, but it was a good learning experience. I am not going to bash this race. I was hesitant coming in with some of the unknowns, but despite many of the other comments that are out there, I thought the race was well-organized.

Yes, it was changed to a duathlon format the day before and the bike course was shortened by 4 miles due to debris from the storm, but disorganized? I don't think so. The course was clearly marked, there were volunteers where volunteers needed to be (even if not precisely at the mark they said they were going to be) and there were medical and police officers in abundance. 

Overall, I did think that the race lost the charm of what the race promised to include and that is the scenery and culture of New Orleans. Finishing in the French Quarter had to have been a pretty cool way to end a race- which was originally the main draw for me to sign up. So, I was disappointed when that was moved.  There was one aid station, that on one run loop was playing traditional New Orleans jazz music and I thought that was a lot of fun while it lasted.. but it was back to Eminem and Black Eyed Peas and pretty much what you'd find at any generic tri for the rest of the race. Sigh...


Race Conditions:

If there was any question as to why they cancelled the swim, you can see my video that I took while in transition the day before the race, here:



Race management did the right thing. And, while, yes.. it was disappointing, they kept the athletes safe and that should always be their priority.


Race Morning:

I'll preface with saying that there were a lot of unknowns for me leading up to leaving for the race that proved to be very stressful.  And between the TX weather (tornadoes, rain, etc.) and dealing with being sick, things weren't really working in my favor. I'm not making excuses but, I've been thinking a lot about my state of mind and performance and have a lot to work on for my upcoming races.

My mom and daughter had traveled with me to the race and they hung out in the car watching a Disney movie while I set up transition.  I met up with my Twitter friend, @DoriSpaulding in transition, headed back to the car to get my Good Luck hugs and kisses and then met back up with Dori and her friend, Ann and ended up spending the rest of the morning with them... hanging out in bathroom lines... checking out the funky race outfits the Europeans were wearing and chatting until our 30-39 age group left two by two out on our 2 mile run to start the race. Love them both! So sweet! :)

Run #1:  2 miles

Sporting the @EpixGear Tri Kit

This was my first duathlon!!  I honestly had no idea what to do in terms of pacing.  Run hard? Take it easy? I pretty much chose somewhere in the middle.  I dropped the girl I started with about 200 yards in and I wasn't sprinting... all I could think of was, "Am I doing this wrong?"

The run was uneventful.  Up and over an overpass to really wake up your legs, turnaround and do it again and head back to transition. The run went quickly. I had realized at the starting line that I forgotten to add water to my aerobottle. I had planned on waiting until the last minute because I was afraid that if it was too windy, it would dump out. Rookie mistake. Dug through my backpack, found the extra water bottle, dumped it in, helmet, changed to my bike shoes and was out.

One thing that was nice about the duathlon format was there was no wetsuit to strip and I already had on my sunglasses, arm warmers, race belt and Sock Guy socks ... a few less things to worry about in transition!

Bike:  52 miles

To say it was windy on the bike would be an understatement. Although forecasts said 15mph, I ride in that pretty much all the time at Texas Motor Speedway and the gusts that we had were way in excess of that.  With the headwind came a super fantastic tailwind, but if you were met with the strong gust of a crosswind and were coming down an overpass in the 30mph+ range, it didn't fare well for a lot of people. There were a lot of wrecks on the course. One gal was being loaded into an ambulance with a neck brace, several others being attended to by EMS and lots of road rash. There was a guy who passed me in the same Epix Gear tri top and he had significant bloody road rash down the side of his arm. (Major props to him, though)

Death grip on my aerobars!

At about Mile 5, as I was heading up an overpass, my right aerobar pretty much fell off.  Seriously.  If I let go, it just hung on the bar. I was climbing, getting hit by crosswinds and almost ate it because I had to try to balance on my left and steer without losing control.  Got to the top of the overpass, pulled out my multitool and had to screw both connectors back in.  Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my entire age group pass by.  Grumble.

I couldn't get my saddle bag to close properly, so I did a half-assed job and stopped messing with it. Not so smart.  At about Mile 30, I hit a bump and the saddle bag was left hanging by a strap.  I stopped again and for the life of me couldn't get it back on. I wanted to chuck it at that point, but I still had 20+ miles to go and with the luck I was having, figured I would flat and need it. I tried tying the straps in a knot.  Finally got it on after about a hundred more people passed me.  At this point I think mentally my wheels fell off. The wind was beating me up and I was in a bad mood from my bad luck. It didn't help either that I did not want to eat- at all.  I choked down one package of Clif Shot Blocks over the entire ride and drank some Gatorade and water.

(Side Note: To the guy who was wearing the banana hammock on the bike... I don't care how fast you are. An extra half yard of spandex will not slow you down. Your hairy posterior is something I could live with never seeing again and the mental image will likely haunt my future dreams.)

Run:  13.1 miles

My right calf had a twitch in it coming out of transition, so I stopped to stretch it out for about 10-20 seconds and then continued on.  By mile 3, I was checking out the grass thinking there were some pretty comfortable places to lay down and take a nap.  Seriously.  All I wanted to do was sleep. Bonk much?

But, I wanted to be done and not finishing was not an option.  In typical fashion, I actually felt better between miles 7-10. I'm pretty sure I saw Dori a couple of times on the course and Ann was just a bit behind me and was closing in fast.  She skipped herself to the finish line- both her and Dori had total rockstar finishes.  Me... not so much. I ran about 15 minutes slower than my last half ironman.  Sure, I was in the final stages of training for a full at that point, but I know I am capable of running faster. 

Finish

I finally got to see my mom and daughter as I rounded the corner to the finish and it was a much needed boost and made me smile- unfortunately they had missed me out on the course on both loops of the run.  They were the reason I was ready to be done. As I crossed the finish line, I looked at my watch and hung my head.  Totally disappointed in myself. There was a guy who grabbed me at the end who asked me very seriously if I was okay. Guess I wasn't as gleefully happy as others to finish.  I passed on the red beans and rice being served and went for the oranges and strawberries.  Checked my bike out of transition and then we got the heck out of the city.

I know things could have been worse. I am thankful I didn't crash. I'm thankful I finished. I am thankful for being healthy enough to compete in a sport that I am passionate about and that I have a full schedule of racing ahead of me for this summer.  It just wasn't the race I had hoped for.

But, we headed for Orange Beach, AL which was about 3 1/2 hours away... and well... life was better.

Thanks for reading! :)

I typically would describe myself as a pretty positive person.  I'll find the glass half full and will make lemonade out of lemons (and will most likely make it look fancy, too) but the upcoming Ironman New Orleans 70.3 this weekend is turning into a post-apocalyptic nightmare.

#1:  Be Afraid

Directly from the Race Director's Athlete e-mail:

"We do not recommend you leaving your bike on your car bike rack or in your vehicle for any reason while you are in New Orleans for the race."

 Ok.  I know this is common sense, but I highly doubt this bit of information is included at races in St. George, or Boulder or Branson...

#2:  Weather Nightmare

I was kind of banking on the "lightning doesn't strike the same place twice"- in terms of cancelling the swim a second year in a row. But, with high winds and potential storm coming in, it's not looking promising. And, there's a possibility of the bike course being altered, too.  What bothers me is that the Race Director is talking to the local paper, but not communicating any of this to his athletes. 

"Strong winds and heavy rains have affected the Lakefront course for Sunday’s Ochsner Ironman New Orleans 70.3, and with additional foul weather expected to move through the area this weekend, race organizers are working to develop a modified course.

The course for this year's race could be altered because of the weather.
“There’s a strong possibility of an altered course,” race director Bill Burke said Wednesday. “A front is coming through at the right time to interfere with setting up the course — getting the buoys set. It’s just bad luck.”
The Ironman 70.3 consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1-mile run. The swim in Lake Pontchartrain is in jeopardy. Burke said it would be unsafe to swim with winds exceeding 15 mph Sunday, and he is investigating the feasibility of relocating to an area where conditions will not endanger the swimmers.
“The safety of the competitors is first and foremost,” he said. “We are looking at every possible option to do some sort of abbreviated swim-bike-run, but I don’t know if that is possible. If not, I would probably do a run-bike-run.”
Recent heavy rains have caused flooding on segments of the bike course on Lakeshore Drive, and with the probability of more rain Saturday, it is likely that the bike course also will be altered, according to Burke.
Burke said he is working with city officials and intends to notify competitors of any changes as soon as possible"

#3: Floating Bodies


New Orleans police say a body was found Monday morning in Lake Pontchartrain near where Bilder Lopez, 17, went missing Saturday afternoon.  Yep, Lake Pontchartrain is where we are supposed to do the swim...  and while my thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the teenager who was lost - it doesn't leave a positive mental image to think that there was a dead body floating around where you're swimming- or wondering if there are others.


http://www.nola.com/traffic/index.ssf/2012/04/body_found_in_lake_pontchartra.html#incart_hbx


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Sooooo.... that's how my weekend is shaping up.  It's my first race of the season, so I'm going to just suck it up and carry on.  We'll do our best to stay safe, will bring rain jackets and maybe put some anti-bacterial wipes in my Bento Box in case we do swim. 


I love this sport, I really do.   (Might have to repeat that to myself a few times)

Train hard and have a good day!  :)

The other day, I ran across an Athlete Resume for a professional triathlete and I thought it looked pretty cool, so I thought I'd have some fun with Photoshop and put together my own. 

 A .PDF version can be downloaded, here.

Marcy & Haley Running Strong!

I've had a busy, but fun last month or so.

AUSTIN MARATHON

On Feb. 19, I went down to the Austin Marathon to cheer on my good friend Marcy, her husband Steve, and their friends Haley and her husband Kurt.  Marcy did IMTX with me, but this would be her first "Stand Alone" Marathon.

Marcy and Haley ran together.  Kurt, who is a brain cancer survivor, blew through it in 3 hrs and some change and Steve completed his first Half Marathon after having back surgery.  So, there was a lot of great stuff going on and wanted to be there.

I woke up at 4:30am on race morning and drove 5 hours and met them starting at Mile 5 and three more around the course. 

Mmm... Oreos

I was stocked with their favorites:

- Oreos
- Swedish Fish
- Cool Ranch Doritos
- Licorice Nibs

And, I even had a 6-pack of Shiner Beer for Tricia, but unfortunately I missed her!

Marcy, Steve, Kurt & Haley at the Finish

I had my funny race signs and a cowbell and I cheered my tail off for everyone running by!  I had a blast and was so proud of all of my runners! :)

Haley, Me & Marcy

After the marathon, we dropped Kurt & Haley off, went to FreeBirds! for lunch (Oh My Gosh- that place is delicious!) and then I drove back home another 5 hours.

I have so much respect for spectators!  It's almost a sport in itself trying to figure out paces and find your way around road blocks and traffic to get there on time.

A special thank you to a good friend who helped me out a lot for that!! I think that was almost as hard as running the 26.2,  but it was an awesome day!

Me, Lesley, Steve & Marcy w/ some Freaky Eyes

COWTOWN 1/2 MARATHON

Then on February 26, I ran the Cowtown Half Marathon with Lesley from RacingItOff.   Marcy and Steve were back on the run course again doing the half marathon as well, but were taking it easy after their running the weekend before.

Lesley & Me Pre-Race

Lesley had a PR on her mind and I was ready to pace her to that goal.  And, while the race didn't go quite as she wanted it to... she has a much more in-depth Race Report, here...  (and an insight to what a mean drill sergeant I am)

BUT, she came away with a 3:14 PR and was still able to bust out our signature Sprinkler dance moves that we perfected at the New Years Double Marathon while going up a hill!  Bring it!

Checking in on Lesley

The weather was perfect, with a little bit of wind, but after being sick for most of January and February my legs couldn't wait to run. I felt like a racehorse waiting to get out of the gate.

And believe it or not, Lesley and I did not coordinate our purple for this race. But, we look cute together, don't we?

 Now, our matching outfits for the El Scorcho 50k??  That's a different story.  The word, "Rad" comes to mind. Let's just say that there will be Neon Pink Zebra print involved.  :)

I'm yelling "C'mon Lesley! Sprinkler Time"

Whoot! Bust A Move!

This guy was the "Race Chick Magnet"