Thursday Thirteen on a Tuesday

This use to be so much easier – I just don’t know what my problem is these days. I started writing this two weeks ago so I figured I’d just post it today….

1. Weight Goal – It’s time - I have to slim down for Ironman and to feel a little better about myself. I’ve said it before I obsess about my weight. I know I’m not fat, but my knees and feet will thank me if I could shed some pounds. On the plus side (no pun intended), I look better now then I did in my previous life at the same weight - more solid. Guess you could say this endurance training base has its perks. Without further ado –

Current = 150
Goal (by Nov) = 140
For Reference:
Air Force days (91-97) = 130 – 140
Marriage (96-06) = topped out at 178
Officially Divorced (07) = 160
First marathon (Feb 09) = 141
Ironman (Jul 09) = 147
Fall 2010 = 154

2. Exercise Goal – I’m back on the "paying myself" $5 for each workout and I’m sadly already behind the power curve. I hate the bike trainer, I hate 5 am swim practice, and I hate that it gets dark so early. On the plus side, it’s staying light a little longer and soon outdoor cycling will start. Penny will be excited to come off the wall for the first time since November. And as for 5 am swim practice, I just need to suck it up and get it done!

3. Money Goal – Big things happening this year (keep your pants on, I’ll spill the beans in a sec) so the goal this year is to SAVE MONEY! That means no crazy Ironman spending (I cringe when I look at what I spent for Ironman Switzerland), postponing my Girl’s Weekend to celebrate my 40th birthday (gulp) until next year, and watching my pennies every chance I get. That includes limiting my 7-11 coffee to days I swim and Fridays (because I’m still buying my lottery tickets).

4. Eating Goal – As part of the weight/money goals there will be changes in my eating/drinking habits. The big one is no beer until after Ironman (caveat - one beer the night before each big race is tradition). As far as eating, far less eating out! I'm a darn good cook it's time to do it more often.

5. 2012 Goal – One of my personal goals is to be a tad less Type-A in 2012. Less obsessing, More Moderation. I want this to be a “c’est la vie” year and just enjoy living without the indecision, second guessing, worrying that I usually go through. Wish me luck – this is soooo not me!

6. Red Nose Race #1 Recap – This was a 14 mile Team Z “race against the clock” race. I was not officially timed because watches were not allowed and I wore mine. In my head I predicted 2:45 and I finished in 2:43. I ran the first 10 miles with Dennis and Sally at about a 11:30 pace then Dennis and I ran the last five and somehow managed a 11:18 average pace. Felt good and I really liked the trail we were running on.

7. Freezin’ For A Reason “Race” Recap – This is an easy recap… After being sick for a month I thought it best to NOT jump in a freezing lake on an already cold and wet day. I did donate my registration money since it is a FABULOUS cause. Next year!

8. October 70.3 Race Pick – Set-Up Events introduced a new race series and quite conveniently they have The Waterman 70.3 in Maryland on 8 Oct. This means that aside from Musselman and IMAZ all of my races are within two hours of home so I’ll be able to cut a lot of the travel costs from my Ironman Prep budget (See #3).

9. “Run Faster” or “Damn you Iron-Jason” – I met Iron-Jason for dinner last Wed and we discussed training strategy. His advice – “Just run faster” - as if it’s that easy. Sunday was Red Nose #2 Race and I planned on running 14 miles. I got there late so I started 11 minutes behind everyone else. About ½ mile in there was an ice patch that seemed to last F-O-R-E-V-E-R so I quickly decided I was just going to do 5 miles then leave and go run on the W&OD. Just past the 2 mile mark Dennis was heading back so I turned around and ran back with him. Overall, I’m guessing I did just over 4 miles at around 11:30 pace. I went to the Vienna W&OD and started heeding Jason’s advice. The first 5 miles (miles 5-9) were ~ 11:00 pace. Mile 6-8.5 (or miles 10-12.5) = 9:30 (!!) pace, next mile at just under 10 min and the last was just over 10 min pace. I did it, I “Just Ran Faster” but OMG I could barely move on Monday. Damn You Iron-Jason!

10. T.E.A.M. Steel Wheels – I’m falling behind on raising money. I need to do my email letter writing sooner then later. I also need to send Thank You’s to those who have donated money. Want to know how you can help? Go here and make a donation! As a team we raised $750 dollars in 24 hours Superbowl weekend. $500 was automatically contributed when we sold all the squares then Coach Ed and Becky Fulkerson also donated their winnings to Team Steel Wheels. How cool was that?!?!

11. Change to Race Schedule – To continue to save money, my race schedule is changing. I’m only doing the big races. Wilderness ride and the Super Double Top Secret Olympic Distance are not going to happen. That still leaves me with a marathon, three 70.3’s, one 100+ mile ride, (possibly) two fun rides (depends on #12), and of course, Ironman.

12. Oh, and Dude and I are buying a House – A year and two months after the big announcement that we were going to move in together we are REALLY doing it. We accidently went house hunting a couple weeks ago – the sign for a Model Home reeled us in – and two weeks later, we have an agreed upon offer on THIS Richmond American Home. In addition to moving in with Dude, getting a brand new house (and my gourmet kitchen), there's a WEGMAN's less than a ½ mile from my house!!! How freakin’ awesome is that!
Here's a pic of the property (you can see Lake Manassas between the trees.



13. Hold Me Accountable – OK, so the goals have been stated so now I ask that YOU hold me accountable!

2011 Race Calendar

Conveniently, I have 13 races/events in my schedule for 2011 so this doubles as my Thursday Thirteen.

1. Jan/Feb - Red Nose Run Series – there are actually three races, 30 Jan, 13 Feb, and 19 Feb co-sponsored by Team Z. The distance varies based on what you are suppose to run for the week so mine will be 14, 16, 18 mile races. The catch is you are racing against your predicted time so watches are not allowed. Well, sorry folks, I’m cheating. These are very important training runs for me and I need heart rate data. To off-set my cheating I will submit an 8-minute mile pace for my prediction so there is no chance that I’ll win.

2. Feb - Freezin’ For A Reason – Not a race, but a fun-event to raise money for Camp Sunshine. And an excuse to bring out the FEXX costume, jump in a frozen lake, then party like a rockstar.

3. Mar - National Marathon – This was supposed to be an “A” race but the plague that hit me in December moved this to a “C” race. I hope to finish and really hope to break the 5-hour mark.

4. Apr - Face Of America – This is my charity event for the year. It’s a 2-day ~100 mile ride from D.C. to Gettysberg, PA in support of disabled service men and women. The injured soldiers ride on hand bikes and other modified bikes so “we” are there to help them on the hills. Check out World T.E.A.M. Sports for info. Please make a donation here. Or join our team, T.E.A.M Steel Wheels. (Sadly I will miss RumpASS in The BumpASS this year)

5. May - Kinetic Half – I wasn’t planning on this race but it showed up on the Team Z race calendar. And I have a beef with this race after my injury in 2009. It’s early season so I’m not expecting much besides shaking the cobwebs out.

6. May - Wilderness Ride – Again not something in my original plans but another Team Z Race/Event. It’s not a race, just a hilly ride. Not sure what distance I will do yet.

7. Jun - Super Double Top Secret Olympic Distance (Relay) – There’s a new race series starting but we don’t know the details yet but this showed up on the Team Calendar. If relays are allowed I’ll do the run. And for the record, the wetsuit and bike will be left at home. NO CHANCE of doing the whole dang thing.

8. Jul - Micro-Mussel – I just have to beat Cheater! Oh, and I need to find a new tricycle or preferably a Big Wheel!

9. Jul – Musselman Half – This is my “A-“ race. My goal is to beat last year’s time, PR a half, and still make a homemade ravioli dinner for my housemates.

10. Aug – Lancaster County Covered Bridge Metric Century – This is a very well organized metric century that Dude and I missed out on in 2010 because it sold out. Hopefully we will make it this year.

11. Early October Half Ironman – This is TBD but it will either be the weekend of 1-2 Oct or 8-9 October. And it will be somewhere relatively close-by. Goal is to reel in my Ironman Plan.

12. Oct – Great Pumpkin Metric Century – This is one of my annual rides that I’ve only missed once in the five years that I’ve lived here. Truth be told, I do it for “all-things pumpkin” at the rest stops (soup, cake, pie, cookies, etc.)!

13. Nov – IRONMAN ARIZONA – Holy cow, I’m doing another Ironman! My only published goal is “to beat my IM-Switzerland time”. By how much…well, that’s my secret.

Beach 2 Battleship 140.6 Race Report

Alternate Title 1 – What happens when a relay turns into an Ironman (screw you WTC, I’m using the term Ironman, it’s easier to type then Iron-Distance or Ultra-Triathlon)
Alternate Title 2 – Hey Rocky, Watch me pull an Ironman out of my hat!
Alternate Title 3 – Seriously, don’t try this!

Package Pick-up/Back Story
Many months ago I signed up to ride the 112 miles in an Iron-distance race. Well, I had a feeling that my swimmer was not going to show since I hadn’t heard from her since June and she never replied to any email that CH or I sent. So I packed my wetsuit, just in case. While at packet pick-up I finally heard from her, and sure enough, she wasn’t going to show.

OK – I’ll swim (I mean, the swim profile says it’s with current, how bad can 2.4 miles be??), bike, and CH will run.

CH and I start texting and I notice signs that she doesn’t want to run. She has been plagued with injuries so after some back and forth I tell her it’s OK if she doesn’t want to come down.

OK – I’ll swim, bike, and call it a day.

I went to the pre-brief and started thinking, I wonder if I could do the whole thing. I called Iron-Jason to see if he thought I could pull an Ironman out of my A$$ and he said go for it, what’s the worst that can happen.

I go back and forth in my brain and decide WTF, I’ll be a ROCKSTAR for trying, and a ROCKSTAR SUPERHERO if I finish.

I went and picked up the run portion of the packet, changed from relay to individual, and bought all kinds of gear and nutrition required for the race.

I got a decent night sleep, at least until 3 A.M, then the nerves kicked in. Alarm went off around 4 A.M., ate something and headed to the start.

Pre:
Got all situated and found the Team Z-er’s that were going to swim. We put on our wetsuits and got on the bus to the start. It seemed like a very long drive for a 2.4 mile swim, then we got to stand in the cold waiting for the start. As we walked to the water (and the nerves were in high gear) I realized not only was I going to attempt an Ironman, I was about to get the crap beat out of me for about 15 minutes with the swim start. AWESOME! They corralled us up and blew an air horn, and the fun begins!

Swim 2.4 Miles – 1:30 in water, official time: 1:32:46 (includes run to timer)
Once again, I had an “easy” Ironman experience. I wasn’t hit, punched, swam over, nothing. I found my space and just tried to get comfortable. At first my goggles were leaking and they were driving me nuts. I finally got them situated and got into a groove. I did stop (way too often) to find the next buoy, but I still managed to stay in the groove. 2.4 miles is a very long way but I was never in pain (surprising since I only swam about 10 times, once being on Tuesday). The current wasn’t as strong as I was hoping and the water was very choppy but I’m pretty darn happy with my time.

T1 – 12:03
My first experience with a changing tent. Got out of my wetsuit and into my bike gear (it’s just as hard to get spandex on in a tent as out in the open). But I did take some time to really dry off, get some lube on, and to make sure I had everything. Grabbed Penny and headed out.

Bike 112M – Bike computer ride time 6:36 - Official Time (includes stops) 6:47:58 -
Mind-numbingly boring! Me no-likey 112 mile loops. Including the volunteers (who were awesome and I thanked whenever I remembered) there were less than 100 people out there cheering. Add the F-ING headwind for the first 80 miles and I was not a happy camper. Hydration was not an issue - I stopped at every porta-potty except at special needs (but stopped 10 minutes up the road at a mini-mart) and at the last stop.
For the first 30 miles I was convinced I would finish the race.
Miles ~31-60 I thought I’ll just stop at the half-way point on the run.
Miles ~61-75 – F-This, I’m stopping after the bike and drinking beer (I got screwed up on my nutrition for a bit and this was my bonking/crying in the porta-potty phase).
Got back on my nutrition track and started doing math, and for the rest of the ride I thought “Wow, at this pace I have plenty of time to finish this race”.

Oh, and notice the PR on the bike?! BOO-YA! (OK, it's 100% due to the lack of hills (mountains) compared to Switzerland).

T2 – 10:42
Absolutely thrilled to get off of Penny and I may have asked bike catcher to “throw that b!tch away”. Got changed, asked the volunteer to talk me out of heading out. She told me I was awesome for even trying so I headed out to the run. Another stop at a porta-potty (stupid hydration) and off I went.

Run 26.2 (or Not)- Time: ~3:00 (obviously not)
I s-l-o-w-l-y jogged out of transition and down the road until I rounded the corner to get on the overpass. I stepped on something that was jabbing into my foot so I took a moment to figure out what it was. Hmm, a nail, good thing I checked! I basically walked any incline and “ran” the rest. I had to stop at every other porta-potty, so maybe I’ll wear a diaper for my next Ironman. The crowd support was great through downtown Wilmington, but aside from that there was barely anyone out cheering. The sun set around mile 7 and it started getting chilly. By now, it felt like I was getting stabbed in my lower back with each step (car accident in the beginning of October) so between the pain, cold, and lack of crowd (oh, and the fact that I was only partially trained for the bike portion) I decided I was calling it a day at the ½ marathon point.

Overall: DNF I circled the cone at the turn around to ensure I did the whole ½ marathon and headed to the side of the finish area to turn in my chip and immediately burst into tears. I’ve only DNF’d one race (and I ended up in the hospital with pneumonia, bronchitis, and strep throat). I stopped and tried to talk myself into finishing at least 10 times before I got to where I could hand someone my chip. I gave my chip to a volunteer and said take this before I hurt myself. Went to the team tent, grabbed a steak and ate it caveman style. I soon realized I was exhausted so I caught a ride with Marie back to the hotel.

The following days
Quite honestly, I’ve been beating myself up. I still had 5 hours until the cut-off – I could have finished. Two days later there was no pain, which in my head means I should have pushed myself and finished.

But I’m putting this behind me and getting back on marathon training this weekend.

Oh, and signing up for Ironman Arizona on Monday – this one I will train for!

At long last...Musselman 70.3 Race Report

I am officially the worst blogger in the universe. And just so you know I’m only writing this race report so I can get to the cool picture at the end. Without further ado…

Package Pick-up Since nothing is popping to mind, I’m assuming it was uneventful.

Pre: Per the usual, Team Z rocks, pancakes with Nutella! We were also set up along the start/finish line so it was nice to be able to just hang out with the team before getting in the water.

Swim 1.2 Miles – 40:34 You could walk to the first buoy and that was my plan until I heard a guy talking about his brother’s best-friend’s cousin’s babysitter (or some strange relationship) that walked last year and fell and broke his ankle. DOH! So I swam. And I swear the course was lllooonnnggg. It felt like I was in there for an eternity and at one point I said if that next buoy is not the finish line I’m stopping. And I did, until someone ran into me and made me swim again. That swim SUCKED!

T1 – 3:10 So I put on the skirt to change and was shocked at how easy the bike shorts went on. I continued to get ready for the ride and when I went to put sunscreen on my legs I realized I still had my tri shorts that I wore during the swim on under my bike shorts. Clock was ticking so I decided to ride with both tri shorts and bike shorts. Would I pay for that later???

Bike 56.2M – 3:28 The answer is NO!!! It was actually quite comfortable. The bike ride ROCKED! I was cruising along thinking this course has NOTHIN’ on Mooseman, this is EZ-Peazy! Then I turned a corner and saw a steep wall disguised as a hill. The hills continued but overall it was a great ride and the scenery was GORGEOUS.

T2 – 4:53 This time I really did take off BOTH pairs of shorts and donned the compression shorts. No extra layers this time.

Run 13.1M – 2:31 My calves/ankle hurt at the beginning so I did the 10/2 run/walk. There was a lady that kept passing me and would chirp “you’re doing good” which got VERY annoying so I eventually passed her and never saw her again. The course was hilly and there was a soul-crushing gravel hill that lasted about a mile around mile 7. After that I ran everything except a couple of hills. The locals who were out cooling us off with their hoses are my new BFF’s – true saviors! Overall, I’m happy with my time but I do need to figure out what the heck is wrong with my calves/ankles though!

Overall 6:48 I thought I was going to PR this race and I was SOOOOOO close – two minutes to be exact! Dang-it!

SWAG Best ice-cream in the world, really good juice, a metal thermos, and a cool finisher medal made out a bike cassette (that I would later use as the outer ring of my tattoo).

Yep, you read correctly, I now have my Ironman tattoo. Instead of the MDOT I went conceptual to represent the sport instead of one race.



And now you know why I finally wrote this damn race report!

MicroMussel Race Report

Finally - My A Race.

An overview of the race: 100m (that's meter, not miles) swim, .6 mile trike (yeah, I mean tricycle), and .2 mile run.

And without further ado...Heeerrreeee'ssss my Radio Flyer (I'm ashamed to say I never named my trike):



Oh yeah, the IronWoman costume came out!

Anyhow...

Pre: Winery stop on the way to the Lake. Quick veggie burrito at the Team Z tent. Chugged two beers in the rain and headed to the "real" race start.

Kevin (in his aero-helmet, Iron-Es, and Iron-Cat (CHEATER)

Swim: Cancelled due to thunderstorm. I wore my goggles for the race since I forgot my mask, and it WAS raining! Instead of the swim, we ran a traffic circle.

T1: Water was ankle deep at the beginning of transition and sloped up to mere puddles. I didn't know how the puddle situation would be like come race time, so I racked RF up on the rack.



Bike: Who'd-a-thunk a .6 mile ride would be so hard! I swear, the "hill" (slight slope) at the far end of the ride felt like IM-Swiss' Heartbreak Hill! The "Rulz" were your butt had to be on the trike the whole time. You had the option of pushing with your feet or pedaling. I chose pedaling! (Other then the behemoth thigh, I love this picture)!



Right at the end of the ride, Cat (forever more known as CHEATER), passed me. She chose to push with her feet and I later learned her butt was NOT on the seat the whole time.

T2: RF back on the rack and off on the run (I suppose I should mention, everyone wore their helmets for the whole race. SMART!

Run: I was a little back from CHEATER so I sprinted to catch up. Finally, close to the turn around I caught up to her and instead of racing fair, she threw an elbow and stuck her arms out so I couldn't pass. I was laughing so hard, I decided that if she needed to CHEAT, I'd let her have the race. OK, maybe not "have the race", she is a faster runner but she did CHEAT!!!

Final: 11:04, 7th out of ~14. Post race I disqualified CHEATER for not keeping her butt on the seat and declared myself 6th place finisher.

Loads of fun, but I felt every inch of that .6 mile ride in my hip flexers and abs for the rest of the weekend. I imagine next year will have far more then 14 racers, there's a $500 prize - the winner did it in 8 minutes.

You Know What Thursday Means...

1. It's the start of my second 4-day weekend in a row! Boo-ya!

2. I'm now registered to relay the Beach 2 Battleship Iron-Distance race in November. I'm biking, a new Team Z'er is running, and Charlotte is running.

3. It's two weeks after Marine Corp Marathon...hope my legs will be ready for it!

4. Here's a surprise, I actually had fun "camping" last weekend. It helps that there was a cabin. And that everyone knew how I felt about camping so we got the room with the bed. So slept in a bed + incredible bug spray = fun camping.

5. Dude heard that I liked it so he's booked two more trips. Hope there's cabins wherever he's booked!

6. This weekend is Musselman!!!! Finally, a 70.3 that I'm somewhat, a little bit, trained for.

7. So, it's "OFFICIAL", I'm racing IRONMAN Arizona next year. Official is in quotes because I can't register until November.

8. I'm doing a Girl's Week in Grand Cayman for a week in September. There's extra room in the condo, anyone interested???

9. Someone is coming to look at my townhouse tonight. GULP, what if she wants to rent it?! Guess Dude and I are REALLY going to live together!

10. Lots of work to do on the house before someone moves in...plumbing, electric, yard work, wood floors, maybe ceramic in bathrooms.... All tax write-offs and increase value when it's time to sell.

11. Work is crazy busy but it's all good. Still looking for a replacement for myself!

12. Dude and I are going to Colorado next month. Woohoo - time with friends, time in the mountains. Oh, and we will be in a hotel!!

13. Marathon training is going well so far. Had a fantabulous run on Friday. Since then I've gotten some rides in but it's too flipping hot to run!

~~~~That's all, Folks!~~~

13 Training related blurbs...

1. I've been training!!!! Seriously, I only miss about one swim and one bike ride a week.

2. ...You should remember that I don't do strength training......Or the optional Sunday swim...So those don't count!...

3. And this particular week has been bad - work, getting ready for weekend trip, excuses, excuses...

4. ...But this past weekend I did it all.

5. This coming weekend...well, if I can convince myself that I AM ON VACATION I will run 10 miles tomorrow morning (otherwise I'll work). Then Monday, I'm hoping to get some friends to ride 60 miles.

6. In between I'm camping.

7. Go ahead, ask me how much I'm looking forward to sleeping on the ground and getting eaten by bugs. Go ahead, ask me! I F-ing dare you)

8. I should mention that Musselman 1/2 Ironman is next weekend.

9. I'm more trained for this then IM 1/2 FL (which isn't saying much)!

10. My pal Timra got us some SWEET Tricycles for the Friday Night's Micro Mussel.

11. What's a MicroMussel??
Swim (100 yards) (or so) - Take a flying leap off the dock and start churning. A few seconds later, if all goes well, you'll come ashore at the boat launch.

Bike (0.6 miles) (roughly) - This is where the tricycle comes in - you could do it on a normal bike, but F that, you can also choose a tricycle or BigWheel.

Run (0.2 miles) (give or take) - This is where I might improvise and moonwalk for .2 miles. Or at least across the finish line!

12. Costumes are optional. Betcha I'll be in costumes.

13. Good times and limited memories on the horizon!

Half Ironman in Hell…or Ironman FL 70.3 Race Report

I’ve been looking forward to this race...only because it was in Orlando so I would be seeing my family and maybe see some friends. Beyond that, it’s really hard to be looking forward to a Half when you’ve barely trained for a Sprint!

Package Pick Up/Registration – In true Ironman WTC fashion this was very well organized. My only issues were they did not say that the shirts were “women” sized so the large that I ordered (I like baggy t-shirts) is obscenely tight and will probably be given to Dude’s son (and it will probably be tight on him and he’s skinny)! The other issue was the Expo. I’m used to TRIATHLON Expos. You know, Expos with nutrition, bike stuff, and misc. gear that is often forgotten. Nope, there was one shoe place, a granola booth, then a bunch of advertisement type places for future races, training, peanut butter, grocery stores, etc. I didn’t pack Enduralytes or Chamois Cream because, well, these items are usually available at the Expo. Especially Enduralytes when you are racing in a hot climate! The remainder of my Saturday was spent looking for these items, failing to find them, and coming up with substitutes.

Pre: Woke up in plenty of time and made my way to Disney. The bussing system was well organized and timely. There early, all set-up and spent most of my time hanging on the beach calming my nerves.

Swim 1.2 Miles – 44:02 Slowest I’ve ever done 1.2 miles. I’m blaming that on it not being wetsuit legal. It had nothing to do with the fact I’ve only swam, oh, what, 12 times since December. It was the lack of wetsuit!!!!

T1 – 7:33 Apparently I stopped and wrote an epic novel. Seriously, over 7 1/2 minutes!! It was about a ¼ mile run on mulch to my transition area. For this race I was testing a new changing system. I put on a little skirt so I could strip down without violating the “No Nudity” rule and put on my bike shorts. This worked quite well at home, but putting bike shorts on a wet body caused some issues that bit into my time. Add that I had an end spot so I had an audience for this wrestling match and of course Mom’s taking pictures! Nice! Then the nose piece on my glasses kept falling off and instead of grabbing my spare shades I kept trying to fix them. Finally gave up, grabbed the other pair, and did the 10th of a mile run to the bike out.

Bike 56.2M – 3:18 Holy cow – look at that PR! Gotta love flat, fast courses. The only issue I had was the guy who shipped my bike put the tire on backwards so until the first rest stop I didn’t have mileage/speed/etc. There was A LOT of drafting going on. Seriously, why would you cheat yourself. Whatever! Nutrition was good, it wasn’t too hot, no mechanical issues. I loved that bike ride!

T2 - 6:43 Apparently I stopped and proof-read my epic novel. Seriously, almost 7 minutes!! Another 10th of a mile run to my transition area. I incorporated the changing skirt again to get into my compression shorts. Again, this worked at home, not so much with a sweaty body. I also debated with shin sleeves but since it was so hot, I decided against them. Thank Goodness! Sunscreen, fuel belt, devil horns on and I’m off!

Run 13.1M – An Eternity, or 3:00 The devil horns came in handy because this was truly triathlon HELL. It was 1,000 degrees, no joke. In each of the three (F-ING) loops, there was about 3 miles of “access rode” running which means tall grass, ruts in the roads, swamp on one side, trees on the other. NO SHADE, NO BREEZE. Did I mention it was 1,000 degrees? It turned into a Death March. People that looked in seriously better shape then me were wandering with a dazed look on their face. During my first loop, three people were getting carted off by ambulance for heat exhaustion. My mom said it looked like the finish line was getting hit with sniper fire – people would cross the line and collapse. When I finished there was a line of people on stretchers waiting for ambulances. At each rest stop I’d stuff ice in my hat, down my shirt, in the back and front of my shorts, and on each thigh. I’d then pour buckets of ice water on my head and within a half mile I’d be boiling hot again. It was a mental test to run for more then five minutes. The second loop I was able to “run” to each mile marker then walk for 3 minutes (or 4). Lap three I did that until mile 10. Heading into mile 11 I saw the back of a mile marker and begged to all things holy that it did not say 11 (I knew just how far I still had to go to get to the turn-around and back to that sign). Sure enough…11. I yelled (screamed would the better word) F***!!!!! The girl just ahead of me said "EXACTLY – this is F-ING ridiculous"! From then on I walked. Oh, I’d try to run 2:1 intervals but those were turning into 1:4. Mile 13, only one mile to go and my brain just said no. So I walked until I got to the crowd (adoring fans) and I ran. I definitely had a final sprint at the end since I barely ran anything. I have never been so happy to end a race, and boy howdy, did I smell bad!

Overall 7:17 – I remember getting off the bike thinking that I was going to PR. Silly me! Never, ever, ever, ever underestimate heat. I’d so much prefer to race in the cold! You can always put on more layers but you can only get so naked before they put you in jail.

I was expecting more swag since this was an Ironman sponsored event but for $275 I got a participant shirt (that doesn’t fit), hat, bag, a medal, and a poster. Mooseman cost less last year and in addition to all that (minus poster) we also got a finisher shirt and an awesome thermos…not to mention the margaritas. I never found the athlete’s area after the race (apparently it was quite a walk) so I didn’t get my pizza.

I also want to give a shout out to Tri Sport Express – the company I used to ship my bike down there. Professional, inexpensive, and absolutely stress free. Use them. Seriously, use them, not that other company!!! You’ll save $$$!!!

Six weeks till Mussel Man! I swear I’m going to start training...right after my 12 hours work days and my attempt to maintain a “normal” life!

Lots going on

and no time to blog.

First - I finally got my promotion. Woo Hoo and double WOOT!!! But now you know why the "no time to blog".

Second - Ironman FL 70.3 is on Sunday (Bib 1681, Wave 15, 7:03 start). Yep, Sunday, as in 3 days and a wake-up. And if you think my training has picked up from the pure laziness since October the answer would be a resounding NO. And the weather...upper 80's and sunny. This is going to be a SUFFER FEST!

I did run 2 1/2 - 3 hours two weeks ago - the run was fine but it was unseasonal HOT and HUMID. My body tends to shut down in those conditions (like I said, SUFFER FEST). Then on Sunday I rode 40 plus miles. The first 25 miles my eyes were swollen shut from the pollen. I took a Benadryl at the rest stop and was in a coma for the final 15. Literally, I put my elbows on my aero pads and closed my eyes whenever the road was straight. Just a little dangerous!

This past weekend Penny was in the shop. Instead of running I went on a hike with Dude. If you want to know the truth, I was kind of hoping that I would get injured so I wouldn't have to race this Sunday. No such luck - still healthy, still racing.

Racing, now that's a funny word.

I will compete. I will do my best. But I have no goals except -
Don't stop swimming, pedaling, or putting one foot in front of the other for 70.3 miles!

RITB Sprint Relay Race Report / Thursday 13

Day two of triathlon began once again with a pancake with Nutella (Me after eating that pure yumminess).


I was jealous of Jason (1st pic) and Robin’s (2nd pic) MDot tattoos so I made my own (3rd pic - I couldn't see what I was drawing and apparently didn't finish coloring it in):




Bibianna was our swimmer and said she’d be the last one out of the water – she was wrong – she had a good swim.

I took off for the mount line and realized for the second day in a row I was in the wrong gear. Then I couldn’t clip in.

So I cussed a lot and really loud. (Sorry to all the parents who had their kids at the mount line)

I ran my bike to the top of the hill and started from there.

Decent ride, almost the same pace as Saturday but I could definitely feel the burning in my legs

Made it back and Rachel took off on the run.

I got in line for a massage but then headed to the finish to see Rachel finish – Big Smile on her face.

Then back in line for a massage.

It was cold and windy and I was having issues with all of the pollen in the air so I decided to skip the massage and headed home.

Overall Team Z Diva’s came in 14th out of 24. 21st on the swim, 5th for T1, 9th for bike, 15th for T2, and 11th for the run.

All in all a great Tri-Weekend with Team Z!

Rumpass in the Bumpass Oly Race Report = Brain Fart

First tri of the season and I found that I have forgotten more about triathlons in the past 7 months then I care to admit!


Pre: Team Z Rulz! It was fun to see the nervous newbies, catch up with the veterans, and found a new love for a pancake with Nutella as a pre-race snack. Thanks Lindsay! Couple brain fart moments – I couldn’t remember where/how to attach the bike number, didn’t bring scissors/tape, and forgot sunscreen (I paid for this later).

Swim 1,500 M – 34:42 Over 1 minute faster then Nation’s Tri – probably had more to do with swimming a straight line then anything else. This was by far the choppiest water I’ve ever swum in and got flipped on my back a few times. Brain fart moment – I had taken my goggles off for pictures and started to swim out to the start line with my goggles on top of my head. DOH!

T1 – 2:34 Almost a minute faster then Nation’s. It was a long way from my bike to the mount line and running in bike shoes bites!

Bike 40K – 1:26 Five minutes slower then Nation’s. Had fun on the ride and considering this was only my second time on Penny since October. Per the usual, I need to work on hills…and have a talk with Mother Nature about winds on race day. Brain fart moment - I forgot to check what gear I would need to be in coming out of transition. Bottom of a hill, big gear = FAIL! Then I couldn’t clip in. Rookie mistakes!

T2 - 2:24 One minute faster then Nation’s. First race since Kinetic (May last year) that my knee was not hurting! WOOT! Brain fart moment – I forgot to put my speed laces on my new shoes and this was the first time I had to tie my shoes in a very long time. I did take the extra minute to put my devil horns on though.

Run 10K – 1:14 Twelve (yep, twelve) minutes slower then Nation’s. I’ve been having a problem running lately. For the first 2-3 miles, I have no motion in my right ankle so I flat-foot plod along…very, very, very slowly. About the time I’m ready to call it a day the motion returns and I can run again. So, I’d say my first 3 miles were at a run/walk pace of 13+ minute miles. Eventually, I may have gotten to an 11 minute pace, but I did walk the hills and the portion through the woods where roots were bigger then what I could lift my legs at this point. No final sprint – I was DONE!

Overall 3:20 – 14 minutes slower then Nation’s. Not real happy with the results but considering the sheer lack of training it is better then I deserved! Also, due to lack of base strength, this was the first time I left everything on the course. Like I said, no final sprint because I just couldn’t. I took off my shoes to get in the lake for an ice bath and found that the front of my right ankle down to the arch was grossly swollen and it hurt to walk. I should probably get that looked at but FL ½ Ironman in less then a month.

Rumpus in the Bumpass = great way to start the tri-season!

Stay tuned for the Rumpus in the Bumpass Sprint Relay Race Report.

ShamROCK Half Marathon

If you’ve been following my blog, you may have noticed winter training has been few and far between. A couple weeks ago I forced myself to run 14 miles to prove to myself that I could do it. Needless to say, I had little aspirations for this race. My unofficial goals were: ultra stretchy goal of 2:17 (about 10:30 min mile) to expected 2:23 (11 min miles).

This was also my 1st Half Marathon only so regardless it would be a PR.

Day Before – Saturday I drove to Virginia Beach and by recklessly speeding I was able to catch up with Ken and Brian. We followed each other in and went straight to the expo. I proceeded to do some shopping and bought these:


And this cute little necklace (it's on a black rubber "chain"):


Oh, and some gel (never ate) and ANOTHER race belt. Had an incredible dinner then back to the hotel for some much needed rest.

Lori and I agreed to run with each other. We ended up in the wrong corral – a little too slow so we were passing people left and right. We got to the first mile marker, checked the watch: 10:15. YIKES! SLOW DOWN!

Miles 2-10 – We slowed down to 11 min mile and I was feeling great. I told Lori that if I still felt this good at the half way point I’d speed up a bit. Well that didn’t happen. The aches started around mile 7 so our plan changed to speed up for the final 5K. We got to the 10 mile mark and I started to speed up as I heard Lori yell I’ll see you at the finish.

Mile 11 – ~ 10:45 pace – Felt good, keep going.

Mile 12 – ~ 10:30 pace - Still good, not that much further to go.

Mile 13 – Under 10 minutes. Yeah Baby!! One mishap – I was trying to pass someone as I was going around a cone. My foot caught the cone and thankfully I was able to stumble and did not face-plant. What a klutz!

13.1: Rounded the corner to get on the boardwalk and I could see the King Neptune statue and started sprinting. Quickly realized I started sprinting a bit too soon so let off a bit. Once I could see the word FINISH I went back into sprint mode. Saw two Team Z’ers up ahead and tried with all my might to catch them but to no avail.

Got across the line and felt GREAT! Got my medal, and hat, and shirt, and water, and banana. They had some other stuff to give out but my hands were full.

My time? 2:20:24!!! And I celebrated with some Yuengling Light then went to watch the marathon finishers.

Two days later – I’m feeling great, very little residual pain. But I have this nagging question in my head…

How well could I have done if I had actually trained.

Thursday Thirteen Random Thoughts

1. So far I’m doing so-so on my Non-Catholic Lent. No brussel sprouts, shoveling snow, watching professional sports, or time on the trainer. Still have to commute everyday though.

2. I’ve also only had one Barq’s Root Beer and not a single Disaronno’s! See, so I have sacrificed something I like!

3 weeks to Shamrock ½ Marathon

4. I have stayed true to my New Year’s promise to myself. I made myself the deal that I could only get my 7-11 coffee on mornings I go to swim practice and Friday’s. So far, I haven’t made swim practice and I’ve only stopped on Friday mornings.

5. I have to change lanes so it makes it difficult to get to the 7-11 to resist the temptation. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

6 weeks to VEGAS BABY! Girl’s Weekend in Vegas – we’re going to go to the spa, see Le Reve and take a Stripper 101 class (hey – I hear it’s a great workout and who couldn’t gain from learning how to shake that boot-ay!)

7 weeks to first Tri (RumpASS in the BumpASS Oly and Sprint Relay)

8. This weekend’s goals are install a garage door opener, chop down a tree, fix a light fixture, stage my house, run 10-12 miles, and work on my new blog.

9. Yep, I’m going to abandon this blog and move to another. More details to follow – but it will be about training, racing, life, and cooking – just more Type-A organized then this one.

10. My house goes on the market next week. For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent? For Sell? For Rent?

11 weeks to first 70.3 of the year (Ironman Florida 70.3)!

12. There are big changes coming at work and I’m one of the few that knows about them. I don’t like being “in the know”!

13. I registered for the WARRIOR DASH for 9 October. It’s a 3.1 mile run, but there’s obstacles, like mud pits, a wall, and rappelling. Oh, did I mention you get to run through fire. "Fire, Fire, He He"! {Beavis & Butthead reference} They also give away warrior hats – furry warrior hats with horns. How could I NOT sign up!

1-4 of 13

1. Work – BUSY, BUSY, BUSY! Well obviously I’ve been busy since I haven’t blogged in, oh, about forever. I owe 2 weeks of Thursday 13 and I have no time to think about it much less write. So for this week, I’ll build up to the full 13 by Thursday then maybe I’ll get back into some sort of rhythm. Any-who – back to the work thing, in addition to my day to day job (and increasingly frustrating dealings with one of my divisions) I am trying to launch a Program, Planning, and Control Organization at my company. This is something near and dear to my heart and something I was very involved with at my last company. So far, people seem interested but I’m not quite feeling the love. Trying to get it kicked off by 1 April…yikes!

2. Race Schedule Thoughts – 1st of all, I already missed the first race of the season – didn’t feel like driving in to DC. Instead, I ran 8 miles around my neighborhood to include hills, trail, ice, traffic dodging, and an overwhelming desire to stop at Starbucks. Minor changes to the schedule: see #4 for Feb and I changed my mind (saved some money) by just signing up for the micro-Mussel and the Musselman in July (no Sprint). The big change – after looking at the schedule, I realized that if I did Marine Corp Marathon and tried to relay the swim and bike at B2B I would basically be training for a fall Ironman – it would just be in a different order and I’d have a REALLY long transition between run and swim. I don’t want to train for an Ironman this year (said in a whining voice) so I’ll just relay B2B either just the swim or just the bike.

3. Procrastination – You may have noticed I haven’t mentioned the whole living arrangements for awhile. Truth be told, I’m procrastinating. First off, it’s scary thinking about selling my house to live with someone (even though it is Dude). But mainly it’s because I don’t want to live at his current townhouse for too long. I’ve been waiting for him to show some initiative about getting his place ready to sell before listing mine and guess what…just this weekend he did just that. Looks like it’s really going to happen!

4. Freezin’ for a Reason – this is my February thing. Not really a race. Well maybe a race to see who can get out the fastest! This is a charity event raising money for Camp Sunshine. Camp Sunshine is pretty cool, in that it is a camp for terminally ill children AND their entire family. Imagine, the terminally ill child has some fun, the siblings who may have been put on the back burner for a bit get to have some fun, and the parents get a bit of a respite from the stress of caring for an ill child. Pretty cool! Now, for those of you NOT in VA, take a look at their website – they are all over the North East (and one in Seattle). If you don’t care to take the plunge, you could donate (my site). And for those of you in the Northern VA area that aren’t going to plunge, again, you could donate. Or come on out and watch.

Stay tuned for number 5-8 tomorrow…

2010 - Bring It!

Here it is – the much anticipated race schedule (subject to change whenever I feel like it)

Jan 16 – DC Road Runner Club’s JFK 5K – no goal. OK, I want to break 30 minutes (shut up speed demons!). A couple years ago – before Ironman training - I did a 5K in 23 minutes. My, my, my how times change!

Feb – Nothing yet – possibly the GW Birthday Classic

Mar 21 – Virginia Beach Half Marathon – Hopefully my runner cousin will be joining me on this trip (she’ll do the full marathon). Goal = 2:20

Apr 17-18 – Rumpass in the Bumpass Triathlon Weekend – This year I’m thinking of racing both the Olympic and the Sprint. If not both, race the Oly and relay the sprint (bike leg). Goals: Olympic under 3:10/Sprint under 1:20

May 16 – Ironman FL 70.3 – this is going to be fun. Family and high school friends are going to be lined up to cheer me on (and possibly provide a beer stop on the run). Goal = 6:40

Jun – Nothing – recovery and rebuild for…

Jul 9-11 – Musselman – Team Z event. I’m thinking all three events:
Friday - micro-Mussel (100 yd/.6 m tricycle or bigwheel/.2 m) - Goal – HAVE FUN!
Saturday - mini-Mussel (750m/16.1 mile/3.2 mile) - Goal – HAVE FUN!
Sunday - Musselman Half Iron(1.2 mile/56 mile/13.1 mile). Goal – HAVE FUN!

Aug – Nothing – Recovery and begin Marine Corp Marathon training in the dreaded heat wave that IS Northern Virginia!

Sep – MCM Training

Oct 31 – Marine Corp Marathon – deferred from 2009 – this is a race I have always wanted to do. At the very least it will be inspirational! Goal: 4:59:59

Nov 13 – Beach To Battleship Iron Distance RELAY – I’m looking for someone willing to run a marathon because I want to try the swim and bike. This is a potential Iron-Distance race in my future. Goal – HAVE FUN!

Dec - Nothing but relaxation!

Thursday Thirteen - Summary by Number

***DISCLAIMER - this was finished yesterday I just never got on a computer last night***


1. It's the best time of the year - fall - I want to build a bonfire, drink apple cider, make recipes with pumpkin in it, and wear orange. Not necessarily at the same time.

2. But I'm going to miss wearing shorts and sleeveless shirts.

3. A co-worker who does Iron-Distance races just came by for the first time since July and I got to re-live the day I became an IRONMAN!

4. I have been planning on doing something huge in a couple months. By huge I mean GI-NORMOUS. I was so EXCITED about being a part of it but as I look at my finances I don't think I can swing it right now. I'm very disappointed and am cursing this F-ing economy. Seriously, I'm down about a 1/3 of what I had when I got divorced and it's not like I've stopped investing. F-ing Economy!

5. My first race in 2010 will be the Shamrock Half Marathon. I debated between the half and the full but awhile back I said only one marathon next year. I'd like to try to get into the one in Bordeaux. If not, there's always Marine Corp.

6. Follow up to the YOU did an Ironman story. I was at that same store over the weekend putting groceries in the back of my SUV. Guy walking by says "Did your husband do an Ironman"? After he recovered from me knocking his ass out (not really) I said NO-I DID. At least he was smart enough to respond with a "wow, that's really cool".

7. Speaking of husbands - lately I've been bombarded with the "when are you and Dude going to get married" from family, friends, co-workers, ex-coworkers and even the lady that waxes my brows. BELIEVE ME when I say I am PERFECTLY HAPPY with the way things are!!! No need for the sympathetic look!!! Seriously, why can't people accept that marriage is not a requirement in every relationship?! I'm living proof that the paperwork doesn't guarantee diddly!

8. Every time I think about #4 I get depressed (and pissed)! F-ing Economy!

9. Dilemma, dilemma. I really want to do an IRONMAN sanctioned 70.3 event next year so I was planning on the Orlando race (opportunity to see Mom and Friends) which is in mid-May. But now Mooseman (I love this venue) is a MDOT event and it's the 1st weekend in June so it's one or the other.

10. If I was still training for Marine Corp this weekend would be my 20 mile weekend. Instead I might run for an hour or so on Saturday then Dude and I are going hiking on Sunday. I love the off-season!

11. I had a dream last night that Dude was a jerk in. I woke up mad (really, really mad) at him and gave him the cold shoulder in the morning (I don't think he noticed in his sleepy haze). It has me thinking - does anyone else do this? Take their dreams out on the person (people) in the dream?

12. I mentioned I'm not talking to one of my sisters right now but she's the one I use to talk to when I was stuck in traffic so I'm kind of punishing myself. She called me last night and I ignored her call...

and now I feel guilty.

13. I can't believe that with this post I have over 100 posts. Can't believe I've stuck with and and can't believe others actually read it!

Still Alive, Just Blah

Well, I'll be brief since there's not much to report.

Last time I checked in it was all about the 10K. And that ends the exercise report.

My groove has been missing since I deferred the marathon. I am still finalizing my 2010 schedule. Currently I'm looking at The Shamrock Marathon or 1/2 Marathon in March, something in April, Florida HALF-Ironman in May, at least one race in the summer, and the Marathon Du Medoc in Bordeaux, France in Sep (there's wine at the rest stops - almost a guaranteed Personal Worst but also guaranteed to be a blast). If I can't get into the French race, I'll do another Half in Sep and Marine Corp in October.

Other catching up - while home I got to visit with my high school buds. I had a blast and it gave me opportunity to once again be thankful for all the good in my life. I have friends taking care of their elderly parents, going through divorce/separations/break-ups, lingering illness, surgeries, job loss, deployments to Iraq, etc. The silver lining is they are all taking it in stride. Seems the common theme is "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Then add vodka."

On the family front, there's some old drama that I have just become privy to and it's really pissed me off. I'm very angry with my sister but she doesn't know it (because I'm passive-aggressive). We'll see how long until she notices that I haven't called.

Other then that, still uber-happy with Dude. Still looking for motivation to exercise. Still trying to lose weight (haven't exercised since the 10K and dropped 1 pound but I'm still above Ironman weight). Still working my way through 101 in 1001.

All in all, life is good, just uneventful.

If only I won Fool's giveaway!

Nation's Tri Race Report

I’m going to stay positive here, so all I have to say is this whole race could have been better if they limited the number of people participating. Pre-racking, mandatory safety briefing, parking nightmare, etc. would have been eliminated. Round trip on Saturday was 4 hours – that’s longer then the race. I will not be doing this race next year.

Pre: It was great to see a bunch of Team Z folks that I haven’t seen in awhile. And since we all had over an hour to wait, there was plenty of time to catch up.



Swim 1,500 M – 35:56 – Most physical swim I’ve ever been in. I didn’t help my time by swimming half way to the other shore after the turn around.
Note to self: 1,500M is quite the distance when you haven’t swum in 2 months - I definitely felt it the next day!

T1 – 3:27 – Long way to the bike and its been awhile since I wrestled a wetsuit.

Bike 40K – 1:21:37 – I was pretty happy with my time. I did notice that when I skipped a nutrition round it seemed like within minutes my speed would rapidly decrease. I’d take a gulp of PowerBar Endurance and I’d be back up to speed. Apparently that nutrition thing is important. When I got back to transition I didn’t realize the bike was over. I actually laughed because all I was thinking was “that’s it – I don’t have to ride for another 87 miles”?!

T2 - 3:28 – My rack seemed much further in then I remembered. And my knee was hurting so I did a slow walk while I debated DNF-ing. The race didn't provide adult beverages and the Team Z supply wasn't there so I soldiered on.

Run 10K – 1:02:30 – The first mile was gawd awful. Had I continued at that pace, my time would have been around 1:20. I decided to do the run/walk method but 1-minute into the walk I decided to test my legs again. Other then one aid station I never walked again and I was able to pick up the pace a bit with each mile. Once I saw the finish line it was a Zone 5B “sprint” (my definition of sprint may differ from most other peoples). It hurt, I thought I was going to hurl, but I was able to finish strong and smiling.

Overall 3:06:57 – 95/252 Age Group – Going in, with the lack of training since IMS, I was thinking 3:20 so needless to say I am quite happy with my time. It is a PR since this is the first “true” Oly that I’ve done. Mooseman 2008 shortened the swim due to fog and Patriot 2008 turned into a Duo due to a hurricane.



Thanks to all the Z-ers out there racing, cheering, volunteering, and giving shout outs throughout the course.

Other thing to note: My heart rate was averaging about 165 (Zone 4) and OMG I felt it the next day. In comparison, my heart rate rarely got above 150 in Ironman and I felt great the next day. Apparently Coach Ed knows his stuff!

Since I deferred Marine Corp Marathon my 2009 race calendar is complete. I'm all happy-happy-joy-joy right now but I know I’m going to miss it!

2010 Already

No, I haven't figured out time travel. I'm starting to think about my 2010 Race Schedule.

Things I know for sure - NO IRONMAN! No long-distance travel. And that's all I know for sure.

Things I'm considering:
Marathon (Just one):
Either ING Marathon (Atlanta) or Shamrock Marathon (Virginia Beach and Yuengling after) the weekend of 20 March.

Half Options (Thinking two):
Kinetic Half - After this years failure I kind of feel like I have to try again.
Mooseman Half - I just love this race venue.
I also really like Endurfun (folks that put the race on) so I'd consider Timberman or Longhorn.
An Ironman Half - either FL (get to visit mom), Vineman (wine country), Amica (Rhode Island - kind of close)

Olys -
Rumpass (if they do it again)
Nation's (in my backyard)
Mooseman (if I don't do the Half)

I'd also like to do some more distance cycling, maybe an adventure race, rock climbing class, cooking class, housework, etc., etc., etc.

CRAP - looks like next year's weekends are filling up!

I Ran...And I Liked It

Saturday was my first “distance” run since IMS - 16 miles. I had not been looking forward to it at all. Since IMS every step after 5 miles hurt…really bad. Shins, Thighs, Hips, Back…just hurt.

But then Saturday happened.

Team run started at the Caboose in Vienna to run the W&OD trail. It’s not my favorite place to run but it does give you a mix of hills, false flats, flats, and the occasional jump out of the way as cyclist go flying by without announcing themselves. Unfortunately I showed up ½ hour late so I was in for a lonely run, just me and my iPod. I did get to see many team members and that’s always a treat.

I did my normal 10/2 walk/run mix. I also split the run to 4 miles to the west and back (more hills), refuel, then 4 miles to the east and back (less shade).

It was BOILING hot. Sometimes after swim I sit in the sauna – it was hotter outside. And muggy. And humid. I was DRENCHED. And I’m not exaggerating! Despite this, I felt great the entire run. Note to self, don't lick arm for salt after applying sunscreen!

My pace for the first 8 miles were 11 min – and that included the 2 min walk. I did slow down a bit for the 2nd 8 miles and ranged between 11:00 – 11:45. Not too shabby (ok, slow as shit, but right on my marathon pace).

Did I mention I felt GREAT?!?!

And recovery, who needs recovery? Never felt pain or stiffness. Awesome! (Sang in a high pitched tone).

Oh, and Sunday, we went for a 5 mile hike, with climbing/hills and it wasn’t so bad. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m loving it!

In other news – I’m thinking of backing out of the Nation’s Tri. It’s the weekend I’m supposed to run 18 miles. Marine Corp is more important then this Oly. I need to see if I can get any money back though (I am a cheap ass so if I can’t, I’ll do the race). If that’s the case, I’m not sure how I’ll get those additional miles in. Finish the Oly, then run an additional 12?! Now that’s HARDCORE!