Another weekend, another race!
Local races are the best because there are always a lot of friends there. People you know and run with during the week. It is more like a group run and that nervous feeling I get in the pit of my stomach is gone.
This weekend I ran the 15k in Midway. I was a little surprised that someone put hills in the course at the end. Where did they come from? I really enjoyed the course, though. I loved running up memorial hill. It was not too steep and it felt good to put some effort into the run at that point. However, I was wasted by mile 7. I had no fuel on the entire course, and I just got back to running this week after the Ironman.
As I came to mile 7 I realized it was at the end of a 30 mile week and I had ran a 5k on Friday with my kids. My time dropped drastically and I began to struggle.
Overall, I was happy with the run. I did it for "tempo training" and enjoyed the day.
For someone looking for a good race, and reasonably priced, this one comes at a perfect time in the early-season. And they give awesome prizes, too!
My husband took hundreds of pictures of everyone at different parts of the course. If you would like a high-res. copy, send me an email at goinmom@yahoo.com!
Here is the link for the pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25530859@N02/sets/72157626713519991/
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Monday, May 30, 2011
Friday, May 13, 2011
I am an Ironman. I know this because Mike Riley said I was. I had a lot of time Saturday to reflect on why this announcement was so important to me. I had more time to think about it than I had hoped, but for some reason, finishing became an extraordinary goal that matter so much to me on that one day.
Ironman is Extraodinary. Maybe it's because of the incredible race organizers that think of the smallest details. It could be because of the spectators, the awesome volunteers, or the family and friends that cheer. It is extraordinary that people that survive cold, heat, wind, rain, cramps,
dehydration, and miles and miles. Sometimes they survive illness, injuries and accidents on that one day just to be declared an Ironman.
But the reason we endure the difficulties on that day is a culmination of ordinary events we endured for months. Becoming an Ironman is mostly about the commitment to get up at 5:00 for swim workouts in the dark and snow. It is about convincing yourself that sleeping in for a 6:00 run on Saturday morning will matter. Ironman is the everyday commitment to bike when you're sore, tired, or hungry. It is riding your bike on the Computrainer for 6 hours because the roads are too icy to go outside. It is wet shoes from running in the snow. It is icing your legs after mile repeats. It is crashing on your bike, stitches and shin splints. It is friends that meet you on windy days so you won't have to run alone. It affects not only where and when you take a vacation, but what you do when you get there. (I always travel with my wet suit in case I can get in an open-water workout).
Ironman is a commitment that affects when you sleep and what you eat. It plays into what extra-curricular activities you do and when. It affects your Friday nights with your "significant other". When training for Ironman, you wonder what it would feel like to sleep in like the rest of the world, when you start out on a long run on the lonely, dark roads. Ironman is about the people in your life that creep around the house because once again you feel asleep spontaneously while watching a movie.
Ironman is an extraordinary accomplishment. But it is small, little, seemingly insignificant choices throughout every day, month after month, that makes it incredible.
The videos don't show it. The movies don't explain it. But we Ironman know, as we laugh, cry, jump, or collapse across the finish line, that we are an Ironman because of small, ordinary choices we made, long before that extraordinary day began.
Thank you, to my family and friends. You made it possible.
Ironman is Extraodinary. Maybe it's because of the incredible race organizers that think of the smallest details. It could be because of the spectators, the awesome volunteers, or the family and friends that cheer. It is extraordinary that people that survive cold, heat, wind, rain, cramps,
dehydration, and miles and miles. Sometimes they survive illness, injuries and accidents on that one day just to be declared an Ironman.
But the reason we endure the difficulties on that day is a culmination of ordinary events we endured for months. Becoming an Ironman is mostly about the commitment to get up at 5:00 for swim workouts in the dark and snow. It is about convincing yourself that sleeping in for a 6:00 run on Saturday morning will matter. Ironman is the everyday commitment to bike when you're sore, tired, or hungry. It is riding your bike on the Computrainer for 6 hours because the roads are too icy to go outside. It is wet shoes from running in the snow. It is icing your legs after mile repeats. It is crashing on your bike, stitches and shin splints. It is friends that meet you on windy days so you won't have to run alone. It affects not only where and when you take a vacation, but what you do when you get there. (I always travel with my wet suit in case I can get in an open-water workout).Ironman is a commitment that affects when you sleep and what you eat. It plays into what extra-curricular activities you do and when. It affects your Friday nights with your "significant other". When training for Ironman, you wonder what it would feel like to sleep in like the rest of the world, when you start out on a long run on the lonely, dark roads. Ironman is about the people in your life that creep around the house because once again you feel asleep spontaneously while watching a movie.
Ironman is an extraordinary accomplishment. But it is small, little, seemingly insignificant choices throughout every day, month after month, that makes it incredible.
The videos don't show it. The movies don't explain it. But we Ironman know, as we laugh, cry, jump, or collapse across the finish line, that we are an Ironman because of small, ordinary choices we made, long before that extraordinary day began.
Thank you, to my family and friends. You made it possible.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
As Ironman day approaches, more and more people ask me why I do Ironman. I've put a lot of thought into that question, due to my lack of training this season and my recent bike crash.
Why AM I doing this? What purpose could the desire to test the ends of my limits possibly accomplish? Well, I've come up with three reason I insist on participating in the insanity. But I should warn you that my personal reasons are not as noble as you might hope.
First, Ironman training gives me a great excuse to sleep in the middle of the day.
Second, Ironman gives me an excuse to buy equipment. Shoes, tri clothes, new bikes and all the gear that goes with it. It's like Christmas in May.
Last, and most importantly: Ironman gives me an excuse to eat. I love to eat. I love food. I realized how much this week as my thoughts went to what I will eat when the race is over. I dream about this every marathon, and every Ironman I train for. Where will I go out to eat? What will I order? I think about it like the great reward it is. When things get tough on the race course, I remind myself what I've decided I'll eat when I'm done, and it helps me through those moments.
A few weeks ago, I realized that I judge a race by the post-race meal. Without realizing it, I have been doing that for years. Boise 70.3 is one of my favorite races. When people ask why, I don't talk about the volunteers, the course, or anything except the food. One year we got steak tacos. Another year, athletes received sliders. You just can't beat warm food after a rainy, windy, evening finish of a long race. I have doubts about doing Oceanside 70.3 again because they served cold pizza! The course and weather were perfect, but I guess I'm just in it for the food!
Training articles say you shouldn't hope to lose weight by restricting calories during Ironman training. I take this advise to heart. This gives me every excuse to compete with Michael Phelps on a daily basis. When my husband takes me out to dinner, I order two entrees. The look on a waitress' face... Last year my husband's boss took the employees and their wives out to a Brazilian BBQ. As I came back from the All-you-can-eat salad bar for my last time, I realized they were actually laughing at me because of the amount of food I was able to eat. Just one of my most embarrassing moments.
A good friend told me that Ironman Cozumel and Brazil have great race food. Apparently it begins early with awesome dried bananas on the bike course. As we ran our 6 miles that day, she told me of the available smorgasbord at these events. I think I'll add these to a long list of races I'd like to do one day. After all, for me, it's about the food!
And now, I need to turn my thoughts to final preparations for Ironman St. George. Where and what will I be eating late on Saturday night?
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| Picture of my knee before rock removal, stitches and swelling! |
First, Ironman training gives me a great excuse to sleep in the middle of the day.
Second, Ironman gives me an excuse to buy equipment. Shoes, tri clothes, new bikes and all the gear that goes with it. It's like Christmas in May.
Last, and most importantly: Ironman gives me an excuse to eat. I love to eat. I love food. I realized how much this week as my thoughts went to what I will eat when the race is over. I dream about this every marathon, and every Ironman I train for. Where will I go out to eat? What will I order? I think about it like the great reward it is. When things get tough on the race course, I remind myself what I've decided I'll eat when I'm done, and it helps me through those moments.
A few weeks ago, I realized that I judge a race by the post-race meal. Without realizing it, I have been doing that for years. Boise 70.3 is one of my favorite races. When people ask why, I don't talk about the volunteers, the course, or anything except the food. One year we got steak tacos. Another year, athletes received sliders. You just can't beat warm food after a rainy, windy, evening finish of a long race. I have doubts about doing Oceanside 70.3 again because they served cold pizza! The course and weather were perfect, but I guess I'm just in it for the food!
Training articles say you shouldn't hope to lose weight by restricting calories during Ironman training. I take this advise to heart. This gives me every excuse to compete with Michael Phelps on a daily basis. When my husband takes me out to dinner, I order two entrees. The look on a waitress' face... Last year my husband's boss took the employees and their wives out to a Brazilian BBQ. As I came back from the All-you-can-eat salad bar for my last time, I realized they were actually laughing at me because of the amount of food I was able to eat. Just one of my most embarrassing moments.
A good friend told me that Ironman Cozumel and Brazil have great race food. Apparently it begins early with awesome dried bananas on the bike course. As we ran our 6 miles that day, she told me of the available smorgasbord at these events. I think I'll add these to a long list of races I'd like to do one day. After all, for me, it's about the food!
And now, I need to turn my thoughts to final preparations for Ironman St. George. Where and what will I be eating late on Saturday night?
Sunday, April 24, 2011
.
So, I've decided to start blogging again! Why? Because yesterday's race was so FUN!
It has been years since I've done a Women's Only event and WOW! was it different. I'm used to people crowding the start line. At yesterday's Pink Series 5K in Alpine, Utah, I learned that sometimes people might race just for fun. Go figure!
As we "lined up" to start, I looked around. The crowd hadn't moved forward. No one was elbowing anyone to get to the front of the pack. Women were holding back as if to say, "Hey, I don't care if I get an awesome prize at the end, YOU go ahead and go for it..." Crazy ladies! They had awesome Miche bags and gift cards!
The last race I was in was in California for an ocean triathlon. When the race started, a bunch of women just about pushed me to the bottom of the harbor! So when the horn blew at the Rodeo Grounds in Alpine to start the Pink Series 5K, my natural survival tendencies rose to the surface, and I took off. When I looked ahead, I couldn't believe I was actually at the beginning of the pack. (That rarely happens.)
It seems everyone was just running with friends and family, enjoying the course and the camaraderie. I was there with my future daughter-in-law and it was my idea we do this race together. It was her first ever 5k and my umpteenth, but I've never "raced" just to finish. With the great down-hill course, I toed the start line hoping for a PR. But at mile 2, I began to wonder if I should have toned it down just a bit. Oh, well, it was too late for camaraderie now!
As I rounded the park for the finish, to be welcomed by firemen in pink ties, I was ecstatic to see that I had PR'd. (I no longer count my high school times...)
My daughter-in-law finished shortly afterward and my son reassures me that she did have fun. This race might be one I can even talk my teenage daughter into doing with me; running a 5k is something she has sworn she will NEVER do.
This 5K taught me that there are races you can run just for fun. Maybe I'll adopt that philosophy sometime this year for another race.
I hear the Pink Series is doing a 10K in Logan and hosting their second Half marathon in Park City in October. This race is now one of my top-picks for local races. Not just because it has cute swag bags, was well-organized, started on time, or even because of the prizes at the end. But because it supports Cancer research and also because of the attitude of those around me. I was reminded of why I run and how grateful I am to be able to do what I love so much.
If you want to see who was there and how much fun it we had, go here . If you see yourself in a picture and want a full-sized copy, send me an email at goinmom@yahoo.com
Over-all Race Grade: 33/35
Swag Bag: 5
Organized: 5
Started on time: 5
Post-race Goodies: 4
Fun Little Extras: 5
Course: 4
Prizes: 5
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