Organized Randomness

1. Living Arrangements:
I was filling out some paperwork and had to list my address and whether I Own, Rent, or Other (Explain). So I checked Other and I have to come up with an explanation. Living in Sin? Freeloading wench? Live-In Cook/Lover?

2. New House:
At last look, my neighbors should be moving in any day now. That may be an exaggeration but last week they were putting shingles on and they have windows.

3. New House:
I still have dirt. But the footers are allegedly being put in today so the “real” construction should start soon.

4. Triathlon:
The other day I was asked what is my favorite part of triathlon. I use to quickly say running (ok, I use to say transitions which is still true), but the favorite sport was running. Not so much anymore. My calf is pretty much heeled but it still flares up and my back just hurts... All. The. Time.

5. Triathlon:
That said, it’s official, my favorite part is cycling. (And even as I type that I said ICK!)

6. Food:
I’m going to try a new nutritionist next week. Her name is Shelby and she works primarily with athletes. Her website is shelbykfitness.com – check it out.

7. Food:
I’m getting wishy-washy on the veggie delivery. It’s great in that I try new things and we are eating healthier but it’s darn expensive! I can't wait until I live next to Wegman's!

8. Life:
I’m going to see Mamma Mia at Wolf Trap tonight and I’ve had the song Dancing Queen in my head all day.

9. Life:
You are the dancing queen, young and sweet, only seventeen
Dancing queen, feel the beat from the tambourine
You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life
See that girl, watch that scene, dig in the dancing queen.

10. Life:
Just try to get that song out of your head now!!!

11. Work:
3.5 day weekend couldn’t come soon enough!!!!

12. Work:
I rarely mention work here (or anywhere electronically) so I’ll say a lot by saying a little:

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH!

13. Work:
If you choose to add expletives in there, that’s your choice.

General Smallwood Olympic Relay Race Report

Back Story This was a complete last minute, “sure, I’ll ride the bike in a relay”. Found out my pal Becky would be my relay partner – cool! To make sure I did not get roped into doing the full race (it’s been known to happen) I did not bring running shoes, goggles, or a wetsuit. Just me and Penny!

Pre: The race was less than an hour away so I got up at 4 and headed out. Pop Tart breakfast with a bottle of water plus I had time to have a pancake at Team Z Central. This was a very small race venue and by appearances, Team Z made up a good 80% of the field.

Swim (Becky) – ~29:25 minutes Becky has been having issues with nausea when swimming and with (stupid) Cozumel coming up, she’s testing new things and trying to get more time in the water. She had no issues during the swim. YEAH!

T1 – 2:50 There was a 1/4 mile run from the swim finish to transition. I was waiting in transition and had a “she looks familiar, doh, that’s Becky, it’s time to go!” moment.

Bike 25M – Ride Time 1:23
First I will say there was absolutely NO DRAMA during this ride. I ate, drank, and stayed upright through the whole thing!!!! I wanted to do the ride at this race because it is the same venue for Waterman in October and I have to say I really like the course. Only two “I F-ING hate hills” at the beginning and the rest were rollers. I rarely came out of aero and only shifted to the small ring twice.

T2 – :32 Now THAT is what a transition time should look like!

Run 6.2M (Becky) – Run Time 1:11
Becky was grousing about being such a slow runner but I think she did a FINE job especially since it seemed like the first half of the run was uphill!

Final –3:07
In typical “Es Relay Fashion” I missed seeing the finish (unless I was the runner, I have never seen my team finish). All in all a fun time, beautiful day, great relay partner, fabulous Team Z burger (with hand-cut shoestring fries), and a single serve box of wine (due to the whole “no beer” resolution).

Oh, wait, there is one small detail I forgot to mention.


Yep, Team “10 Less” (there’s a story behind the name, but I don’t want to type it out) came in 3rd place. BOOYA!

5+ months until 11/20/11 – IM Arizona – It’s gonna be IM-AZing!

Kinetic 2011 70.3 Race Report

Alternate Title 1 – So…Nutrition IS Important
Alternate Title 2 – Kinetic Curse
Alternate Title 3 – I’d like a do-over please!

Back Story: I did Kinetic in 2009 in prep for Ironman Switzerland and pulled the tendons in my hamstring. If you recall from that race report I dragged my bum leg behind me for 13.1 miles but by golly I finished. This year, the race was my kick in the pants to start training for Arizona, and my opportunity to overcome the Kinetic Curse.

Pre: We were expecting rain so I had all my gear stowed in big Ziploc bags and under a giant garbage bag. I also got Rock Star parking right next to transition so I could put my gear bag away after setting up transition versus lugging it over to Team Z Central. That caused me to linger in transition longer then norm so I didn’t get my secondary breakfast at the tent (pancake or bagel) so the bowl of oatmeal was going to have to hold me (Mistake #1). Got into my wetsuit (otherwise known as sausage stuffing) and was all ready to go. No fear since I didn’t have lofty goals for this race.

Swim 1.2 Miles – 43:18 (includes run to timer): 5m 28s slower than last time here, but not a PW either. “Easy” swim, no contact and relatively straight line. I think the swim to the first buoy caused the slow time because I couldn’t find a rhythm and was just flailing arms. Or it could be that I haven’t been to swim practice in over a month. Whatever.

T1 – 6:40: What the…?? Last time I did this race my T1 time was 3:07! I do remember telling the woman next to me that at this point my swim was only slightly slower then transition time.

Bike 56M – Ride Time 3:28:18:
A PR at this race but it was a different course then last time so it probably doesn’t count. So I’m riding along, drinking my Gatoraid/water every 10 minutes like normal. When I was on the bike an hour I ate my first Hammer Gel. Almost immediately I started having vision problems. It was raining so I wiped my glasses off and noticed that I had tunnel vision and my head was feeling kind of loopy. I stopped and was standing over my bike when I realized I was about to pass out. I just got off the bike and was laying Penny down when I blacked out. No idea how long I was out but came to and immediately panicked. I seriously thought I had a stroke because it was exactly the way my Mother described hers. I kept trying to stand up and kept falling over so I assumed I lost function of my legs. So I did what any normal person would do – I laid on the side of the road crying like a pansy-ass sissy girl, thinking OMG I had a stroke, OMG I had a stroke, OMG I had a stroke.

After a bit of blubbering I was able to stand, I drank some Gatoraid and soon was able to ride again. My plan was to get to the point where you start the second loop and head to the end instead. Instead, by the time I got there I was feeling better so I decided to keep on going (Mistake #2).

Around mile 40 I started feeling nauseous. Around mile 45 I got sick (lesson learned – stop the bike, there’s no place to get sick while riding without getting it on you or your bike). And again some 20 minutes later and THAT is when I knew my day was done.

So What The F Happened: I’m calling this a nutrition FAIL. I had a small bowl of oatmeal around 4:30 AM. I didn’t eat again until almost 9AM and that was after “pre-race nerves”, swimming, and biking for an hour. My blood sugar had to been bottomed out. The episode happened almost immediately after eating gel which is almost all sugar so I think it shocked my system (causing the blackout). All my food on the bike was sugar based so I think the getting sick was a result of too much sugar on an empty stomach and a bit from drinking nuclear lake water.

So my lessons learned are eat sooner on the bike and be prepared (like I have been in the past) with salty food, sweet food, and some miscellaneous food just in case.

Still plenty of time to TRAIN, practice, and get it together before 11/20/11 – IM Arizona – It’s gonna be IM-AZing!

I would like to say Thank You to all of my Team Z family for checking up on me, both Saturday afternoon and on Sunday. If my Mom only knew how much people watch out for and take of each other she wouldn’t worry about me so much!

2010 - Year in Review

Or Better Late Then Never...

2010 will not go down in any record books for me. Truth be told, I'm just glad that it's over. This is also delayed because the year ended with me sick...sick almost consistently from 7 December until YESTERDAY (I did have a 5-day break in there, but still) a MONTH of sinus infections, ear infections, walking pneumonia, and bronchitis. Apparently my immune system went on holiday.

Rather then go month by month, here's a summary:

- I did my first Polar Plunge, and will be repeating it in 2011.
- I ran my first half-marathon, guess you could call that a PR!
- I participated in one Relay (should have been two but more on that in a bit) and did one Oly - did NOT PR in either.
- I did two 70.3's. One in Hell (Florida) and one at a fantastic venue (Musselman - Lake Seneca, New York) that I'll be returning to in 2011. Did NOT PR in either.
- I got robbed in the MicroMussell and will redeem myself in 2011.
- I did not do Marine Corp Marathon (but if you look at my results you'll see that "I" finished in 4:08 - that was actually my ROCKSTAR cousin who came down here with 3 days notice and still finished in 4:08. BTW, she's also skinnier and prettier then me...BIATCH).
- I ran the Marine Corp 10K against Doctor's orders. Did NOT PR.
- I travelled to North Carolina to do an Ironman Relay and ended up attempting the whole dang thing. I got to the halfway point in the marathon and called it a day (and I am STILL kicking myself for not finishing)!!!!

If you remember my Motivation Plan, I was to "give myself" $5 for every workout I did. Well, I "made" $605 - that is sadly 2.32 workouts a week which is almost exactly what IM AZ costs. Convenient!

In total...
I swam 52,365 meters, or 12.4 Iron-Distance swims,
I biked 1,217 miles, or 10.85 Iron-Distance bike rides, and
I ran 445 miles, or 16.97 marathons.

Compared to 2009 (which I quit tracking in Sep 2009):
I swam 100,312 meters, or 23.75 Iron-Distance swims,
I biked 1,518 miles, or 13.53 Iron-Distance bike rides, and
I ran 512 miles, or 19.52 marathons.

Aside from racing/training, I had a blast in Vegas with some great friends, I got promoted at work (which includes my very own parking spot), I got a bad-ass tattoo, I went on a non-race related vacation in Grand Cayman and I'm still head over heels, madly in love with Dude.

All in all, LIFE IS GOOD!

BRING IT 2011 - it's time to KICK AZ!!!!

2011 Race Schedule and goals coming soon!

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.

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!

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!

Year in Review (Thursday 13)

January – Ran my first 20 mile. Also had a wonderful trip to Colorado with Dude (pic) to do some skiing and snowshoeing.




February – First marathon and Jason and I ran every step (pic). We did miss the 5-hour goal by 3 minutes but c'est la vie. Most important though, there was a new addition to my family. Penny arrived on 7 Feb at just over 18 pounds (pic).

March – Big training month and finally back to riding outdoors (pic). Unfortunately the weather never agreed so the riding was miserable (you can't tell in the pic but it was cold). I also started getting a sport massages every other week and bought a bunch of gear during March!

April – Race season has begun - Cherry Blossom 10 miler (pic) and Rumpass in the Bumpass (still the best named triathlon) – had a blast on the Olympic relay, serious fail with the sprint. This was not the best training month in terms of performance but I got it done.

May – First 70.3…and I got injured (pic). YIKES! Took some down time, then eased back into training. In other news – I planned and arranged our post Ironman vacation to Lake Como, Italy.

June – Second 70.3 and it was Awesome! (Sang in a high pitched voice) (pic). Then came the final long days of training and the expected angst leading up to race day. That angst turned into an odd calm as THE day got closer.


July – I AM AN IRONMAN!
Oh, and I had a fabulous vacation to Lake Como (pic).




August - Basked in the glow of being an IRONMAN. Also did some local exploring and found some incredible places. Due to those finds, I cooked a lot this month (pic). Dude and I also went to Pennsylvania for a Metric Century and I even managed to get some marathon training in.

September – Two firsts this month – my first Olympic distance tri (other two I participated in either cut the swim or turned into Duo) and my first 10K run. Decided not to do Marine Corp marathon. Highlight of the month was going home and hangin' with my highschool friends (pic).



October – PID set in…BAD! Barely trained, hell, I barely exercised. I also cut out a lot of socializing. I injured my jaw and I think I spent most of the month in pain and depressed.

November – PID still there - Depression sucks!! Managing to do some exercising on my own and a little bit of socializing. On the positive side, Dude and I have decided to buy a house together – but it will be awhile until we are living in sin - must sell two places before buying one.


December – Typical in that there were a lot of parties (pic), socializing, eating and not a lot of exercising. Developed my New Plan. Had a massive snowstorm on my birthday weekend. Celebrated Christmas with Dude and his family. And am planning a quiet evening to bring in the New Year.



Plans for 2010 are in the works. Continuing with “The Plan”, increase training with Team Z, a couple races, selling/buying a house, try to squeeze a vacation in, work on 101 in 1001, and enjoying the happiness I’ve found with Dude.

I wish everyone a safe and Happy New Year!

Bring it 2010!

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!

Mooseman 70.3 Race Report

Updated with pictures.
Note 1 – You will learn nothing from this race report but it's filled with exclamation points! (See)
Note 2 – I’ve mentioned before, I cuss a lot during races. Truth be told, I cuss a lot. Where you see F-xxx I actually said the real word…probably very loud.

When I signed up for this race my goal was to “…perfect my plans and to beat my Kinetic time.” But then I got injured. My new goals were to go easy until it hurt, bow out and drink margaritas. OK, that’s what I was told to do. Truth be told, I went in with the same goals as Kinetic: ultra-stretchy goal was 6:30, real goal 7:00, and worst case 8:00:01 (after cut-off).

Friday: Drove, and drove, and drove. 15 F-ing hours - in the rain! Dude and I stopped talking after 12 hours (we’re over “it” now (whatever "it" was, neither of us remember). But I did love the texts that I was getting from my housemates. F-ers!

Saturday: Went and watched part of the Oly then headed out to do a brick. All went well, no pain. We went to grab a beer and appetizers and at some point Jason asked me if I had thoughts about next year. I said I’m never doing F-ing Ironman again. I wasn’t having fun anymore! I use to love training/racing and it just sucked now and I may never race again, etc., etc., etc. Then they all laughed at me. F-ers!

Dude and I went to drive the course (apparently 15 hours in the car the day before wasn’t enough) and that’s when I really started getting worried. It is a F-ing Hilly Course. I haven’t rode hills since Kinetic. How the F was I suppose to finish this race. I was in a panic. Back to the house, dinner, bed time and I actually cried myself to sleep worrying about the race and ultimately Ironman.

Race Day: Woke up early had a bagel and PB and headed to the course. Set up transition, hung out, then headed for the water to “warm up”. At my wave start they started playing my favorite running songs “Stronger” by Kanye West. "That, that, that, that that don't kill me can only make me stronger".

Swim: 38:53
One minute slower then Kinetic. I blame it on this being one of my crookedest swims in a long time, I couldn’t find any clear spots and in the final 500 meters or so, someone grabbed my right calf and my whole leg cramped up. I tried to kick to get rid of the cramp and my left leg cramped. Not a good feeling even for someone who doesn’t kick during the swim. Out of the water, out of the wetsuit (never thought I’d utter these words “strippers rock”!), and into transition.

T1: 4:23
Stripped down and got in my cycling outfit then helped the lady next to me get into her tri top. I use to be speedy in transitions, now my goal in 5 minutes or less.

Bike: 3:33:38
AWESOME
F-ING
RIDE!
Yes the course is hilly, and I have no idea how/what I did, but I had a great ride(by my standards)! Stayed in Zone 2 except when I passed the Team Z cheering sections, then it shot up to Zone 4. I did drop my chain…3 F-ing times…and sailors would have blushed had they heard me. All in all, I felt great, ate/drank every 15 minutes as planned (going to change this to drink every 10 min, eat every 20), and had a max speed of 38.3. At some point in the last loop I realized I was going to be close to the 3:30 time and I was ecstatic! Needless to say, I came into transition with the biggest smile on my face! Dare I say it…I, yes I, had fun on the bike!

T2: 4:29
Again, full change from bike shorts to compression shorts. This was the first tri that I put on the calf sleeves so that took a bit of time. I also had to put on my tiara but I don’t think that took more then a second!


Run: 2:25:34
And I’m off! Ran out of transition, up past the roar of cheers from the Team Z crowd. Coach Ed yells at me “are you ok?” I yell back, “I’m not OK, I’m F-ing AWESOME”!

Then my shins seized up. I walked for 2 minutes and started running again. Ahh, much better. Ran for 10 minutes and implemented the 2 minute walk break. During this I decided I felt GREAT. F-it, I’m running the rest of this race!
And I did!
Including the hills!
And I negative split!
And I never felt a niggling of pain in my tendon!
Awesome! (Sang in a high pitched voice)

Finish: 6:46:57
I came down the hill, across the beach (SUCKED), stopped and hugged “Boobs”, and entered the chute. I saw Dude taking pictures, gave a thumbs up, and just Could. Not. Stop. Smiling. Got past the announcer, turned around, and moonwalked over the finish line. Not quite the striptease that Mary did but I did my best.

Dude found me, gave me a big hug and I told him I’m having fun again! Then proceeded to smile for the next 7 hours.

THIS WAS EXACTLY THE RACE I NEEDED!!!!! For the first time, I’m excited and looking forward to Ironman!