Life Style

Per my entry below, I was talking about making triathlons a life style, and not just hobby. This made me think. Granted, I am getting older and not a big fan of drinking overpriced drinks and crowded bars, but my weekends are pretty boring. For example - last weekend the boyfriend and I didn't do much Friday night, but at least I was not by myself. Saturday night I usually go to bed pretty early due to our 6:30am 50 mile group bike and 5-10 mile run brick on Sundays.

Anyway, last Saturday I found myself drinking chocolate soy milk, ironing, and watching Ghostbusters II on Bravo. And it was 8:30pm. My sister gets home with some friends, they get dressed up for a Halloween party, and head out for a fun and drunken night. For a minute I felt like a total loser. Here I am, 28 years old, doing the most boring thing ever on a Saturday night. Usually this does not phase me at all, but for some reason last weekend it did.

At about 6:45 the next morning, riding with the group watching the sun come up, I realized why I enjoy getting up so early on a Sunday morning (even though it's the only day that I can sleep in!). I don't mind giving up those crazy drunken nights and awful, hungover mornings to watch a beautiful sunrise, seeing the gulf first thing in the morning, and getting a face full of fresh air. I love the friends that I have made and the levels of fitness I have achieved by living the triathlon lifestyle that I now lead.

There is nothing wrong with going out and letting your hair down, and I will do that every now and then. But right now this is what is right for me. :)

Ironman Florida!

Ironman Florida is this weekend over in Panama City Beach, FL. A few people that I train with are racing - which is very exciting. Being the good friend that I am, I decided to head to the beach this morning to throw out some moral support. The first open water swim with the buoys out started at 7am. And after I met up with Lisa P, there I am. Standing on the beach in a ski jacket and my uggs boots. It was a blistering 49 outside! But at least the sun was out and the water was still around 70 for the swimmers. Everyone had on wet suits and eyeing my warm attire :)

But it was a great morning and everyone felt good about their swim. Some of the people that I've been training with, the swimming is their weakest part. This puts a huge mental strain on them. Specially with it being an open water swim, a mass start, and not knowing how the conditions will be on the day of the race. For those of you who have not done open water swims, it's totally different from being in the pool. I have 20 years of competitive swimming under my belt - and my first open water swim was a huge eye opener!! But at this point for my friends who are competing, you just have to be positive and let them know how pumped and proud you are for them to even do the race!


Looks fun right?


After their hours and hours of training for the past months these athletes have everything that the need to check this huge accomplishment off of their list. For most of these athletes, this is a whole lifestyle, not just a causal hobby you pick up. An Ironman is not only one of the most physical challenging task an athlete can do, but also a huge mental task as well. I can not wait until the day that I'm able to say that I am an Ironman!

I'll post a report after the race on Saturday. I'll be spending most of the bike portion on the back of a motorcycle being a bike marshal. Attempting to keep the bike section free of drafting!

Good luck to everyone who is racing! We'll be cheering you on from the sidelines!

Rock-N-Roll Marathon

So - just got word that we are going to be running the Rock-N-Roll Marathon in San Antoino on 11/16/08. I guess sponsors threw a few more open slots out there and Lisa totally made calls to get me and Missy in. I'm going to need to kick up the mileage :)

**UPDATE** Well - we mapquested how long it would take us to get to Texas, and it ends up being almost 13 hours!! So, we decided not to do it. I don't think I could ride in a car that long after a marathon :) So I'll be heading to Atlanta for the Zooma 1/2 :) Much closer!!

Finally a race report

Well, I forgot my Garmin again. So no splits. But here is the low-down on the race we ran last weekend. It was a 1/2 marathon in Panama City Beach put on by The Girls Incoporated of Bay County . A bunch of people that I train with decided to do it mostly for a training run. A few of our runners are doing Ironman Florida on Nov 1st and the rest of us just wanted to get it under 2 hours. Anyway, I'm gonig to have to give the people who put on the race a high five for having not only a 1/2 marathon but also a 5K and a one mile fun run - and this is the first race this organization put on!!

At first I was a bit nervous because the run was scheduled to start at 8am which is pretty late for a run in Florida this time of the year. But we have a cold front pushing through making it pretty chilly at the start of the race. There where only about 300 people who signed up for the race, so it was farily small. We where all huddled together at the start. Some people where making fun of me for sporting my sports bra with shorts, but come on now, you're going to wish you didn't have that jacket on when you hit mile 2! And I was right - the race started and we took off. The sun came out and the weather felt great. We could not ask for a better day. Myself, Kent, and Kim all ran together for most of the race. Weaving in and out of neightborhoods along Front Beach Road (if you didn't know, Front Beach Road goes right along the beach). They had water and gatorade about every 1.5 to 2 miles which is a plus, but there where some intersections (being 4 lanes) where there where no police to stop traffic. Thankfully the drivers where patient with us!

We where rocking out between an 8:30 to 9:00 mile pace most of the race and just chatted away about who knows what. Around mile 11.5 it hit me. My body shut down. Kim took off (she took a GU) and Kent was a bit in front of me. The last 1.5 miles where right along the beach which was pretty and all, but the wind 'tunnel' caused by all of the condos made running a bit difficult. It felt like I was running in place. Plus I didn't take a GU. I could have shot myself after the race! Training I'm pretty consistant in staying fueled on long runs and bikes. But I how no clue why I didn't that day. Oh well. Live and learn!

About the last 1/2 mile there was a guy that passed me. As he ran by he said "Thanks for being my Rabbit". Whoa. Wrong thing to say. So I shot back "Well, I'll bet you at the end". And sure enough I did. :) I crossed finishing at (according to the Garmin) 1:58:11 Goal reached!! And even though I didn't feel to hot - I always have to cheese it up for the camera:


I ended up placing 3rd in my age group - which I just found out. Since this was their first race, results took a bit of time to get out :) They will be sending out personalized medals.

**Not race related - but check out this site - http://www.medals4mettle.org/index.htm - It's a great organization that takes donated metals to to people who might not be able to race, but are in their own race with life. Physicians will present your donated metal to people dealing with disease, handicaps or any similar challenge.**

But I would like to throw out a HUGE Congrats to Kim for running such an amazing race. She didn't want to do it in the first place and did not think she could break the 2 hour goal we had!!

Girls Incorporated is a great program that is nation wide. It helps girls by giving them a balanced program of supplemental education that empowers girls to live and succeed in an inequitable world.

Race report...

coming soon. I keep on forgetting to bring my Garmin to work so I can post my splits. Internet down at the house :)...but I did get under two hours!

Girls Incorporated Half Marathon

Tomorrow - 1/2 marathon in Panama City Beach. A cold front is going to be pushing through so the weather will be AWESOME! We have a large group of people that I train with who are racing. Very excited. I'm pushing for under 2 hours - so we'll see!

This is the first race that the organizers are putting together, so hopefully they will have:
1) Water stations!
2) Port-a-potties
3) Beer after!!
I'm sure everything will move smoothly!

Something to think about

I just found out today that a friend's mom is very ill. Cancer is a very scary thing and can suddenly change your life. When my grandfather passed 2 months ago of aggressive cancer - a friend of mine told me "Grief is the price we all pay for love"

Don't take anything for granted :)

Crab Trap 2008

On Saturday I raced the Crab Trap Triathlon. It was a pretty fast race - 400 meter swim in the gulf, 10 mile bike, 3 mile run. The weather was perfect (except for the head wind most of the bike) but it was not hot, humid and sticky like the past few races! Mom came to the race as well and brough Lilly (the dog). It was exciting for her to see what I've been spending most of my time doing the past few months! Anyway - here is the break down of my race:

Distance Short
Clock Time 1:05:03
Overall Place 130 / 377
Gender Place 17 / 131
Division Place 9 / 28
Sextotal 120
Divtotal 28
Swimplace 51
Swimtime 7:29
Bikeplace 149
Biketime 32:50
Runplace 108
Runtime 24:45



So overall I got 9th in my age group out of 28 BUT 17th out of 131 women who competed. The compitition in my age group was pretty stiff!! And FINALLY the race shirt was decent. The past races I've done, the shirt have automatically turned into dust rags!

Anyway - after the race, we went out to Navarre and I checked out a bike I was thinking of purchasing. It fit perfectly - so I'm now a proud owner of my first Tri Bike. And Ultralight with a butterfly saddle (VERY comfortable for those 40+ miles biek rides!) and a ton of other extras the past owner threw in! Yeah!!!

Also, my Grandmother and mom are in town. Yesterday my Grandmother celebrated her
80th - YES 80TH!!! birthday!

The Spirit of the Marathon

Let me see if I can post this..



Hopefully it will work. This is such a great movie that came out on DVD this week. Does not matter if you run or not, but it's totally inspirational. Plus I love a good documentry. Enjoy!

Since I figured out how to finally post videos - I'm going to put this one up to. It's just too funny.

Guests

My mother and Grandmother are heading down to Floida this weekend to spend some time with my sister and I. Originally, it was just going to be mom, but Grandmother wanted to come down as well. The more the merrier! But that means we'll have to seriously deep clean the condo before they get down here. Good times.

Training wise - a friend of mine lent me her sweet tri bike until I get my own. It's a Fuji and I love it. It has clips and thankfully I have yet to crash and burn with my feet still attached to the pedals! We've been having a group ride every Sunday morning which is usually around 45-50 miles and then jump off the bikes and run 5 miles or so. It sucked real bad at first - but not it's not nearly as bad. Gotta love training.

I have a sprint triathlon this weekend which my mom is going to go to with me. It's her first one - so I'm pretty pumped that she'll get to see it!

Oh yeah - now I'm 28. Ugh.

Recap of my 27th year:
Still living in Florida
Still working the same job
Jumped into Triathlons and love it - or addicted to it (and my abs look great!)
Got rid of the sports car and now have a 4 door Jetta
Some how made it into a huge fishing magazine with a sweet speckled trout I caught
SIGNED UP FOR 70.3 NEW ORLEANS!

Hmm...kind of a non-eventful year. Well, at least for me. But my best friend Gina got married and is now a Jolly! Kim and Joe are walking down the isle soon and so are so many other friends. Congrats to them!!