Race Report: The Niantic Bay Triathlon, August 3, 2014

I finished triathlon number two! The Nianic Bay Triathlon put on by the Hartford Marathon Foundation.   Have I said how much I love their races?  I love their races!  This was an awesome sprint triathlon with an ocean swim.

The week before the race I attended a group preview ride of the bike course.  It was nice to know exactly what the course was going in.  If I can always find a way to preview the bike course I think it will go a long way towards calming my nerves.

The night before the race, Michy, the kids, and I stayed with her parents on their boat in Mystic, CT.  That way we would only be about 30 minutes from the race, instead of the hour and fifteen or so it would be from our house.  It meant more sleep! Hooray.  We had a lovely night walking around Mystic and had a wonderful dinner before heading to bed as early as possible.  It was a bit difficult to fall asleep with both kiddo in bed with me, but I did manage to get some rest.  I wasn't quite as nervous as I was before the IronGirl, so I think I slept a bit better.

We got up at about 5am and were on the road by 5:30.  I had some coffee, coconut water, a banana and a almond flour muffin to get some fuel.   We arrived in Niantic around 6am.

Pre-Race:  Parking was at a nearby church, just a short walk from transition.  I got the bike out of the car and pumped up the tires before we headed down.  Packet Pickup went smoothly and I got my snazzy pink swim cap.  I would be in the third of five waves.

I left the kiddos with Michy (luckily there was a nice playground to keep the Munchkin occupied), and headed towards body marking and then found my transition spot.  The rack for my number was right next to where you came in from the swim and from the bike, so I had a great easy to see spot.  Once my area was set-up I headed back to the playground and had about a half hour to kill.  It was a pretty chilly morning, so I tried my best to keep warm.  I was definitely wishing I had a wetsuit.  The water temp was 71, which was fine but not exactly pleasant.

Ian and Micah met up with us to cheer me on and help entertain the kiddos.  Soon it was time to head down to the beach.

Swim:  1/2 mile: 16:58
The first two waves were the men, my wave was women under 44, the fourth wave was women over 44, and I think the last wave was relays and first timers.  The waves were 4 minutes apart.

At Irongirl I stayed towards the back of the group for the swim start, which was a mistake.  This time I went towards the front but off to the side.  I didn't feel nearly as trapped.  I was, however,  a bit shocked by the cold.  I'm used to swimming at either the 82 degree pool, or the local state park lake which is pretty warm.  This felt so cold.   It took me a couple minutes to catch my breath.  I was able to swim without feeling like I was kicking or bumping into someone, so that was good. I did quite a bit breast-stroking until I warmed up, but then I was able to get into a good freestyle groove. The first 100-200 yards was full of seaweed. yuck! It felt kinda gross, but at least there were no jelly fish.

I felt pretty good about the swim.  I caught and passed a few guys from the wave before me.   Ian was there at the end of the swim taking my picture and let me know I was around the top half of my wave.

T1-1:57

The transition area was closer to the beach in this race that it was at the IronGirl so that helped my time.  I just moved as quickly as I could. headband on, helmet on, wipe down feet, body glide feet and slip on my cycling shoes and I was off!

Bike: 12 Miles 43:48

Going to the preview ride was a great idea, because I knew the course started with a pretty steep hill.  So I had my bike in a nice easy gear, while it was obvious some people were struggling with harder gears. I even passed people.

It was a bit chilly and a little drizzly.  I don't have much (ok any!) experience with riding in the rain, so I held back a bit because I was worried about slipping and wiping out.

It was a pretty enjoyable bike course, really beautiful area, and only two really significant hills.  On the second big hill there were some locals who were watching from their yard- cheering everyone on and blasting "Eye of the Tiger."  That definitely gave me good motivation for that hill.  There were some fun downhills and I hit about 30 mph a couple times.  Wheeee!  I was also getting completely blown away by some people on super fancy tri bikes.

Sooner than I realized we were turning back towards the beach. 

T2: 1:24

I did pretty good moving quickly here.  Shoes off, vibrams on, helmet off, race bib on, and off!

Run: 3.2 Miles 29:09

My legs felt pretty tired on the run but I kept up a good (for me) pace.   The course was mostly flat through a residential neighborhood by the beach.  We got some nice views of the ocean.  There were two water stops, that had both Gatorade and water.  I opted for water since I had coconut water on the bike.  The first water stop you ran by twice, the other one was at a turn around point.  So there was lots of support on the course.

I got passed quite a bit on the run.  I'm happy with my time, because my goal for the summer was to get my 5k under 30 minutes.  I want to continue working on my 5k speed over this next winter.

The final push of the run was on the beach, which was challenging but also really fun!  I loved hearing my name called as I crossed the finish line.

Post Race:

I met back up with my crew and grabbed a couple bananas.  The munchkin charmed his way into granola bars and a Popsicle. We hung around near the beach waiting for the results to be posted.

I headed back into transition to grab my sweatshirt while the guys stalked the results tent.

Total Time: 1:33:13  3rd place Athena!

So we stuck around for the award ceremony and I collected my prize.   The medals and division awards were really cool- made from bamboo and recycled bike chain.

After we left the race we met up with some friends who live locally for a celebratory lunch, stopped back in Mystic to grab the rest of our stuff and headed home.   Fun day of adventure.

Great race, beautiful location.  I can't wait to do this one again.

Now that I've got two triathlons under my belt, its time to start really gearing up for my September half marathon.

Race Report: Hartford Riverfront Scramble 2, July 31, 2014

Last Thursday was the 2nd in a series of three races, called the Riverfront Scrambles, put on by the Hartford Marathon Foundation.  These races are always fun.   The course isn't posted pre-race, they tell you where to go when you get there.  Sometimes it is over bridges, sometimes it is through the woods.  Its not a race to expect to PR since they are always fairly challenging.   Micah, Michy, Laurel, and I signed up for the entire series of races at the beginning of the summer.  If you complete all three you get a fun medal.  I love the bling!

My cheeseball likes coming to races because he always charms his way into snacks!

Pre-Race:  I was very conscious of drinking plenty of water during the day.  I didn't want to feel dehydrated and I have a tendency to forget to drink enough as I run around my day.  Michelle, Micah, and I took the kiddos and met up with Ian at Laurel's house and headed to the race together.   Packet Pickup was quick and easy, we gathered up our bibs and tshirts and looked around for the start and finish lines.  The start was up on a bridge- so this course was going to be running over the CT river twice. That meant stairs, and some rocky bits.  We hit the porta-potties and headed to the start line.

Race:  I hung out towards the back of the pack chatting.  I didn't hear them make any pre-race announcements, all of a sudden we we off!  Eeek! I had meant to get a little closer to the front.  So I darted off, trying to get ahead as much as I could in the crowd.  After the bridge is a narrow ramp back down into the park, and it was quite a bottle-neck.  I was forced to walk due to the crowd.  I kept trying my best to run around people but it wasn't until probably a half mile in that I was really able to just run comfortably at my own pace.  I was stuck behind people or sprinting around them.  The atmosphere was laid back and fun though.  There was a long stretch on a nicely paved park path and I was able to get into a nice groove.  At about the halfway point we came up to another bridge- which meant 5 or 6 flights of stairs.  I started out jogging up each step, but they were awkwardly short so I ended up walking up them two at a time which was actually quicker.  Then it was a windy run across the bridge to the set of stairs down.  I took the down steps one at a time.  Once the stairs were done it was just a run back to Riverfront Plaza.  Part of this meant running under an overpass which was hilly and full of rocks- not the most comfortable with my five-fingers on!

I saw the finish line and picked up the pace.  I crossed the line at 30:01!  Just barely over 30 mins, but with those stairs, I was quite happy with that time!

Post Race: I met up with Ian and the kiddos at the finish and drank a bottle of water.  Then I checked out the results tent.  30:01 and 2nd place Athena! Woot!

I then backtracked my way along the course to cheer Michy on until she reached the finish line.  She was nervous before the race started but she did great.

Group shot!

After we had all finished we got our Harpoon beer and Moe's burritos!  The post race party here is always fun, good fun and yummy beer.  We stuck around for the awards and I collected my 2nd place division award (an insulated water bottle).

Harpoon IPA, nom nom nom

2nd place Athena!

Hooray for another great HMF race!  Up next: The Niantic Bay Triathlon.

Race Report: Warrior Dash New York, July 26, 2014

Saturday morning we packed up the van and the kids and ventured out to Gilboa, NY, a tiny town in the Catskills, for the Warrior Dash.

 

It was about a 2:30 minute drive from our home, so we made a whole day of it.  Laurel joined us the night before and we went to Tanglewood for a picnic and beautiful music.  

We were signed up for the 12:30 wave, so wanted to be on site about an hour ahead of time (thinking that would give us plenty of time for packet pickup, pictures, and potties).  We had done a Warrior Dash two years ago in Connecticut, so thought we knew what we were getting into. 

We made it out the door by 9am.  Go us!  A quick trip through Dunkin Donuts (because we are good New Englanders like that!) and we were on our way.  The ride was fairly uneventful.  A few potty breaks and opportunities for the kiddos to get out of the car.  Once we were in NY and off the highway, the drive was really beautiful... long windy roads and plenty of green. 

Pre-Race:

We got to the parking area ($10 fee) which was basically a huge field on a goat farm.  Parking was a bit confusing since it was really crowded.  We made our way from the parking to the campground where the race was being held.  The path to the race was already very muddy.  I'm glad we had the Bob double jogging stroller because there is no way a regular stroller would have made it down there.  It was muddy with deep grooves that made walking treacherous, nevermind pushing a stroller.  The walk gave us an opportunity to see some of the race and the obstacles.   The race was well underway when we got there, we saw plenty of wet muddy people walk past us back to the parking lot.  

We got to the main field where the bulk of the event was set up and were a bit overwhelmed by the crowd.  It was full of crazy, manic energy.

Packet Pickup:

When we first got on site it was unclear where we were supposed to go, and it wasn't particularly well marked.  It was so crowded it was hard to tell what was going on.  There was a giant line snaking its way through the field, which we soon realized was the packet pickup line.  Yikes! So we got in line, it was about 11:30am.  Ian and Michelle took the kids to find some shade.  The line was so long.  Luckily, Laurel and I were able to strike up a fun conversation with a group of women in line behind us and it helped make the time go by.  It was also really sunny and completely out in the open so it got quite hot.   It felt like we were in line forever.  Everyone in line around us was worrying that they wouldn't get to their wave in time.  It was somewhere around 12:15 when we got near the front of the line, which was chaotic.  We just kept pushing our way forward until we made it up to the table.  We got our bibs, tshirts, and fuzzy helmets. 

No timing chips!

I was really disappointed that the race was no longer timed.  I wanted to be able to compare my times to other obstacle races and to my age group. I feel like with the comparatively high cost of this race it really should be timed. 

By the time we got our packet we had about 5 minutes before our wave, but since it wasn't timed it didn't actually matter.  I took some time to feed the bean, and use the potty.  Then we headed to the either the 12:45 or 1:00pm wave- I don't know because I didn't see a clock anywhere near the start.

 

The Race:

The energy before the wave started was pretty fun.  We saw our line buddies again.   Pretty soon we were off and running.  We began with a pretty long amount of just running on nice wide trails and into the woods.  It seemed to take quite some time before we hit an obstacle.  I don't remember the exact order of obstacles but I will try my best.   There was a steep downhill in the woods with wooden steps and ropes to go down and then I think there were trenches to crawl through.  Pretty easy.  The beginning of the race was a lot of just running, but it was through a gorgeous campground.  There were also lots of people staying at the campground out cheering people on.  There was another crawl under things type obstacle and a series of walls to climb over.  Nothing too challenging.  I do have a height and leg length advantage.   There was another wall climb with a pretty big drop to the ground on the other side, quite a few people froze on top and quit this one.  Then there was a bit of uphill running in the woods.  It was pretty crowded and we did find ourselves stuck a few times, either on narrow trails behind people who were walking, or waiting in line for an obstacle.  Before we knew it we hit a sign that said two miles!  It didn't seem like we had done much yet, so we figured that the obstacles were going to be pretty stacked towards the end.  There was a long uphill, then we turned the corner and we were at the last series of obstacles.  First there was a wooden dome like structure to climb over.  I didn't find it difficult except for the fact that the woman in front of me was a bit scared of the height and kind of froze at the top- so I again felt stuck.  

The next obstacle was the one I wish I had just skipped.  There was a big wall of mud that dropped off into a mud pit that was about waist deep with another big wall of mud to climb out of on the other side.  It was gross and so churned up by the thousands of people who had already gone through.  The mud was goupy and thick up to your knees- it didn't feel solid anywhere. I was worried for my ankles.  Then there was muddy water up to my chest.   The number of people who had already gone through had worn the sides of the pit so smooth that there was nothing to grab onto or stick your feet on.  I stopped having fun and started panicking about how the f**k I was going to get out.  I also didn't notice a race official or a volunteer near this, which made me feel uneasy.  Finally a nice guy offered to boost me up with his hands and some people who had already gotten out gave me their hands to grab and I was able to pull myself out.   Laurel was still stuck in the pit.  She was awesome, helping to boost people out.  I was there as a hand to grab for many people... men and women.  Eventually Laurel was able to get a boost from below and grab my hands and she broke free from the hellish mud pit. ugh.   

We collected ourselves and headed to the next obstacle, which was an A-frame climb.  There was a line to get on it, which was good because it gave me a chance for my hands to dry and to get some of the mud out of my shoes.  This was the obstacle I couldn't do last time so I was feeling nervous, but I knew I was in much better shape than the last time I tried.  I watched quite a few people struggle as I waited in line. Finally it was my turn.  It was tough, but I made it up without too much trouble.  I sat on the top and waited for Laurel to see if I could help her get over.  She made a great effort, but couldn't quite get it,  Again, this is a place where I have an advantage simply due to my height.   

The next obstacle was a pretty wimpy leap over some fire.  I remember it being a much bigger deal last time... this was just one jump.  I think last time we did it there were three lines of fire in a row.  Meh.  It looks cool but was no big deal. 

The next to last obstacle was a new one that was actually pretty cool.  It was called the Goliath.  It was a cargo net climb,  followed by a balance beam about 10-15 feet above a pit of water, followed by a ladder to a platform with a slide into a deep pit of muddy water.  It wasn't hard, but it looked cool and was really fun.  

 

Once we were out of the muddy water pit (which was fun, but also cold and kinda gross), the final obstacle was the muddy crawl under barbed wire and cargo nets to the finish.  Not hard, just long and kinda gross.  I was actually pretty disappointed with the finish line.  It felt anti-climatic.   The layout of the course wasn't conductive to cheering spectators so I didn't get that super pumped up excited feeling.  When we did it in CT the end felt like a bigger deal.   The medals were pretty cool.  They have a built in bottle opener.

Post Race: 

We met up with Ian who had been taking pictures, and found Michelle and the kids, who were definitely ready to go.   There was not enough stuff to do besides drink beer.  There was music but the festival atmosphere was mostly just drinking, so not the best for kids.  I was disappointed, I felt like there was more to do when we did it in CT.  There was definitely more shade, more places to sit, and more opportunity to watch the actual race at the last Warrior Dash we did.   Laurel and I made our way to the wash-off area, where we were greeted with yet another long line.   Again we were able to strike up a good conversation with the people behind us.   The wash-off station was a couple of tank trucks and a couple guys with hoses.  There were also two guys (who were reasonably clean so I don't think they raced) with their phones out taking pictures and recording people as they got rinsed off.  It felt super sleazy and uncomfortable.  I rinsed off as best as I could under the circumstances. 

We grabbed our IDs and got our free beer.  Shock-Top, which was an improvement over the Miller lite we got last time.  We headed out as we finished our beer.

 

Once back to the car we changed out of our muddy wet clothes and climbed back into the van for the long drive home.  We used Find Me Gluten Free to discover an awesome BBQ place, American Glory, for dinner in Hudson NY.   Everything was delicious. 

Once home, my shower felt so good. 

Overall Impression: Meh. 

I did have a good time, but I will have to think hard before doing another Warrior Dash.  I had such a blast at the first one and I think they have gone downhill rather than improving.  The whole event felt really cash-grabby.  The reg fee was high for an event of this type and then once you got onsite you still had to pay for everything but your one free beer.   No post race snacks that I could find- just overpriced fake turkey legs.  

There was not enough for spectators to do, and especially not enough for kids to do.

The lines were way too long and chaotic. It should not take an hour to go through packet-pickup. 

The obstacles were not spread out well.  The first two miles had barely any obstacles, everything was backloaded, which meant lines at the obstacles. 

No timing chips was a major disappointment.  I thought about maybe signing up for the "competitive wave" if I did another, but a quick google search told me even that wave didn't have timing chips.   If I'm spending $60 a race, I expect it to be timed.  I think the lack of timing also meant that people didn't care about how fast they were going.  I want to race- to challenge myself and got a little frustrated with how often I was stuck behind people walking really slowly or got stuck waiting to get on an obstacle.

I didn't see many race officials or volunteers on the course.   I'm sure they were around, but I would have liked to see a bigger presence at some of the obstacles- especially that stupid mudpit.  Just in case.  

However, the other participants were friendly, supportive, and everyone seemed to be having fun.  Most people were more than willing to help you out.  The community feel is great. 

All in all though, I think the Merrill Down and Dirty race we did last month was a much better example of an obstacle course race, and I will probably choose that over the Warrior Dash in the future. 

But it is hard to resist the fuzzy helmet ;)

`

Race Report: Run the Rent, Rentschler Airfield 5k, July 24, 2014

Last night was the Hartford Marathon Foundation: Rentschler Airfield 5k.  It is advertised as flat and fast.  It certainly was for me because I got another PR! 28:37!  I also placed 3rd in the Athena Division.  I have never won a division award before, so I was super excited.  I received a jar of salsa.

I did the race with Laurel, who also had a PR.  Nice course and good weather make for a great race.

Pre-Race:
My legs were a bit sore from a hard 8k run the night before.  So I knew I was really going to have to stretch and warm up before this race.  I used the foam roller a bit in the morning to work out some of the tightness in my hamstrings and calves.   We showed up at the race with about a half hour to spare.  Check in was a breeze.  HMF events are always really well organized.  They are probably my favorite races to do because everyone is friendly and everything always runs so smoothly!
We collected our bibs and t-shirts and used the restroom before heading towards the start line.  I jogged around a bit and stretched around the 15 min to go mark.   The race was on an old airfield, so wide long roads.  This let everyone (about 300) start very close to the line, it was that wide.   At a 5k a few weeks ago, I made the mistake of seeding myself to far back and got stuck behind people with no way to get around them.  This race had plenty of room.

Run:
The national anthem and then we were off! I went out pretty fast.  The race started with a very long straightaway (I'm guessing it was a half mile.  The nice wide course meant I could get into a good groove right away.  There was a turn and then another long straight away until a turnaround point at a mile in.  The clock at a mile said 8:20! Yikes! I really don't run that fast and knew I couldn't sustain it for another two miles so I backed off a little and settled into a much more comfortable pace.  We ran back past the start line and then onto a smaller path.  It stayed pretty flat for most of the race.  I think I may actually prefer a few rolling hills.  No ups mean no downs, so no real chance to get a break. At two miles I had slowed down to a more realistic pace and hit that mile marker around 18:30.  I knew I could get a PR if I just kept up the pace.  When I hit 3 miles I could see the finish line and the clock.  I then sprinted the last .1 and it felt awesome!  I grabbed a bottle of water from the wonderful volunteers and met up with Ian who was there as our moral support and personal photographer!  Laurel came in a little over 33 minutes, which was also a PR for her! Go us!

 

Post-Race:
Once Laurel crossed the finish line we headed over to the results tent.  HMF has instant results by computer.  You type in your bib number and get your result.  It is great, much better than waiting around for the printout to come.  I put in my number and saw my official time: 28:37 and that I had come in 3rd in the Athenas! Huzzah!  We had to stick around for the awards.

Post race refreshments were donuts from Faddy's donuts and ice cream, Elk burgers from Cabela's, and Beer from Olde Burnside Brewing.  Wonderful post-race grub.

We stood around enjoying the post-race excitement until the awards were announced.  The division awards were jars of salsa from Fox Meadow Farm in Vermont.  Both the mens and the womens overall winner set course records- crazy fast speeds, the male winner was like 16 minutes and the female was 17.  She was done before I even made it to mile 2!

It was a great race and I am really looking forward to the next race I do with them- the Niantic Bay Triathlon next weekend!  But first laurel and I tackle the Warrior Dash tomorrow!

Race Report: IronGirl Webster MA July 20, 2014

I did it!!!

My first triathlon was a huge success! I did better than I imagined, but still have room for improvement.  I was pretty nervous but I had an amazing time.  Everyone there was friendly and supportive, and the race was so remarkably organized.

Packet Pickup:
Packets had to be picked up before the race.  There was no race-day pickup.  I found this a little annoying because I live an hour away from Webster, but not unheard of (The Hartford Marathon does the same thing- but that is a much shorter drive and larger expo).  Saturday pick-up was at the Expo and it was in the gym of the local high school.  Michy and I took the bean, while the guys stayed home.  Pickup itself was really smooth and not too crowded.  You went to the first table to show your id and get your number, then headed to the back of the room where you got your packet and tshirt.  The Expo itself was pretty small, we did a little browsing then headed out.  I picked up a spibelt since I had been looking at them online.  After leaving the expo we drove the bike course.  I wanted to see it again, so I wasn't surprised by anything. 

We got home and I went for an easy bike ride to calm my nerves.  It helped a lot.  Then we went out for a yummy dinner.  Once home, I packed my bag, checking and double checking that I had everything.  I over-packed- I didn't actually need any of the larabars.  The coconut water was plenty.  Once the bag was packed I got everything into the van so we could just wake up and leave.  I headed to bed early, but had a very hard time falling asleep.

 

Transition opened at 5:00AM so my alarm rang at 3:30. So early! I ate a banana, a larabar, and made a green smoothie to sip in the car. We waited until the last possible moment to get the kids into the car.  The bean stayed asleep, but the munchkin woke and was very confused.  "But its still nighttime and I don't have on shoes!"  He fell back asleep once we got going.  Dunkin Donuts for coffee and off to Webster!

We got to the Lake around 5:30.  I went through body marking and found the rack for my bib number.  It wasn't very crowded yet, so I had plenty of space to setup.  Setting up my spot didn't take very long so I had plenty of time to wander around and be nervous.  I must have used the porta-potty 5 times before my wave took off!

It was pretty chilly, but the water temp was 78.  The water was warmer than the air.  I only dipped my feet in.   I didn't want to have to stand around wet and cold before my wave started.  I jogged around a bit and did some stretching.   I was happy to have the kiddos there to cheer me on!

 

Soon enough they were playing the national anthem and the first wave was taking off!  My wave wasn't until 7:30, so I had a little time to wait. 

Swim: 11:46 

I stood sort of near the back of the swim wave, not really knowing what to expect and not having a good idea of how I would compare to the other swimmers.  When the horn blasted I held back a moment and walked a bit before taking off.  I felt trapped in bodies and had a hard time figuring out where I could swim.  I did some breaststroke so I could see where I was going but couldn't really kick because I didn't want to kick anyone.  I felt pretty trapped until the first turn, going back and forth between freestyle and breaststroke so I could see who was around me. After the first turn I started to get into a better groove.  I caught up to some of the previous wave and by the final turn it was crowded again.  I accidentally kicked someone in the chest and felt pretty bad about it.   Next time I'll start closer to the front.   I never really felt like I got in a good groove. 

T1: 3:59

There was a little run up the beach to the transition area.  It was a bit rocky, so I had stashed some flipflops near the swim exit.  I almost forgot them and had to double back a bit.  I think next year I'll skip it and take my chances with the rocks.  I had a water bottle and a small towel to wash the sand off my feet.  I decided to skip socks and just coat my feet in bodyglide and slide them into my cycling shoes.  I put on a headband, sunglasses, helmet, grabbed the bike and then I was off! I just need more practice to shave off some time.

Bike: 49:23

Biking is the sport I have the least experience with.  I have always liked to swim and I've been running for years.  Until this summer I had only really biked for fun, not for exercise.  I still have alot of learning to do, especially technique for when to shift gears.  I found a few times I was spinning along at 13 or 14 mph and would shift and pop up to 17 or 18 mpg instantly.  This course had a couple really tough hills.  I didn't have to get off the bike (which was good because I was scared of getting clipped out without falling over) but I did have to really work at it and stand up out of the saddle.  But big hills up meant big hills down... which was really fun.  I felt like I was flying.  I got passed a lot on the bike, but passed some people as well. I think for the bike I just need more practice.  I also need to do a better job of putting on my helmet.  In a lot of pictures it looks like it is just perched on my head.  Oops.

T2: 2:11

I felt really awkward getting off the bike.  I need to make my dismount smoother.  It is also really awkward to run in cycling shoes.  I may try keeping the shoes clipped to the bike and slipping my feet out, but I don't know if I am that coordinated.  I run in vibram five fingers (love my Seeyas!) so it took my a moment to wiggle my wet feet into all the toes evenly.  I grabbed a quick drink of water and was off.


Run: 28:42

I took off on the run course which ran across some grass, back out to the main road, looped around a cute little neighborhood, headed back on the main road, and finished back at the lake.  I wasn't wearing a watch or anything to give me a sense of time or pace.  I walked the water stops because I'm not coordinated enough to drink and run at the same time.  Other than that I just tried to keep moving. I really thought I was doing a slow jog, maybe 11 or 12 minute miles.  I was shocked to find out I did a 28:42! That is a 9:34 pace.  I never run that fast.  I still felt like I had some energy in the tank so I probably can push it even more. 

Coming into the finish line was awesome.  The announcer was calling out names as people crossed the finish line.  I waved as I heard my name.  I got my medal and met back up with the guys and the kids.  They told me it was only about 9 o'clock so I knew I had done better than I thought!  I made my way to the breakfast tent, but with doing Whole 30 there wasn't much I could eat (it was mostly Luna bars yogurts and bread stuff) The munchkin was able to charm his way into a few treats though.  We waited near the results area and enjoyed the festivities until they opened transition back up.  I grabbed my stuff and we headed home.  What an awesome morning!

Total: 1:36:01

Summer!

It is starting to feel hot hot hot.   Took the kiddos to pick strawberries this afternoon and I was dripping in sweat.  I'm getting excited about summer plans.  Race day is fast approaching and I already have two other tris in my mind for the summer.

Last weekend I wanted to practice transitions and open water swimming, so I headed to a nearby lake.  I think I did pretty well.  I got in a 20 minute swim without getting too freaked out by the lack of lines and walls.  Then I rode 7 miles and ran for about 10 minutes.  I just wanted to get a feel for doing all three things at once. 

 

Tuesday I did a nice brick workout where I took a spinning class and then immediately went for a three mile run. My legs felt like lead for the first 5 minutes of the run, but then I got into a nice groove.    I did a spinning class this morning and I'm looking forward to Aqua Zumba tonight.  It is hot, I want to get in that pool.

Two weekends ago I did a delightfully fun muddy obstacle course race, the Merrill Down and Dirty Obstacle Race with my friend laurel.  We had a blast, and unlike the Warrior Dash we did together a couple year ago, we were able to complete all the obstacles, no problem!  I can't wait for our Warrior Dash in July. 

I made the skirts, cause I'm crafty like that!

mud! lots and lots of mud.

Spandex Eek!

I purchased a TYR trisuit a few weeks ago in anticipation of my race in July.  When it arrived in the mail I was so excited to try it on.  I got it out of the package and then found that it wouldn't go over my hips! Major kick to my ego.  I decided rather than send it back I would put it aside for a couple weeks and keep training and eating mostly according to Whole 30 guidelines. 

I'm down a few more pounds so I decided to try it on again this morning... and it fit! Snug but not uncomfortable.  It leaves nothing to the imagination... well not exactly true, with the compression fit and a sports bra I have absolutely no chest.  I'm not big to begin with and this suit makes me almost pancake flat! 

I also decided to try on a cute little running dress I had from the pre-Bean days that was way too snug a couple months ago.  It is now too big.  I love these non-scale victories.

Tonight is my first 5k of the season.  The Hartford Marathon Foundation's Riverfront Scramble.  I'm really looking forward to it, HMF always puts on a great race.

This weekend I'm doing the Down and Dirty Obstacle Run.  Hooray for mud!

I'm in a really bouncy, I love summer, kind of mood today.

31 days until the race! 

Training contnues and Whole 30 ends.

I'm not the best at updating blogs. I always start out with the best of intentions and then life quickly gets in the way.  I really want to write about this journey though, because I want to remember the ups and downs.  I like being able to review how I felt on the good and the bad days.  It motivates me to keep going. 

I've been doing pretty good at consistently training for the IronGirl.  I cobbled myself together a plan that incorporates a beginner triathlon plan while starting to increase my running mileage in anticipation of the Hartford Marathon Foundation Surf-town Half Marathon on September 14.  The only cheat I've been making is occasionally trading a run for an extra spinning class because I've been having so much fun at spinning I want to go more often.  I know I need to get my running miles in though, I'm a pretty pokey BOP runner.

I'm really excited about this summer and all the events on my calendar.  So far I'm signed up for four 5ks, the Irongirl Tri, a Warrior Dash, and the Half Marathon.  I'll probably add the Hartford Marathon Foundation's Women's Triathlon to that list.

This weekend was spent on Cape Cod.  But I didn't let the getaway stop me from getting my activity in.  I spent a ton of time in the pool with the munchkin, so not really a swim workout but plenty of pool time.  We also did a lot of walking; All afternoon in Provincetown on Friday and a glorious hike through the Cape Cod National Seashore on Sunday.  I also ran 3 miles on Sunday morning, finishing on the beach by our hotel.  It was beautiful. 

Today it was back to the pool for a 45 min swim workout.  Tomorrow is spinning and maybe a run. 

Friday was also the last day of my Whole 30.  I feel pretty great and plan to mostly continue eating this way.  I dropped about 10 pounds and am easily back into my pre-Bean jeans.  I am below the weight I was when I got pregnant with the Bean and closing in on the weight I was before the Munchkin.  But aside from the weight benefits, I just feel better.  My joints aren't achy, I dont feel constantly bloated, and (much to my surprise) my spring seasonal allergies are milder than they have ever been. 

I indulged a little while on the Cape, some fried clams and french fries, and some ice cream.  The stomachache I had about 20 minutes after the ice cream was enough to remind me that dairy and I are not friends. yuck.  I don't feel guilty about the treats, but it was a good reminder that my body much prefers when I avoid the grains and dairy and focus on plants.

48 days until the race!

Feeling Good

Good weather really helps my mood.  We had quite a miserable winter, not super snowy but just so damn cold and grey.  By March (and even into April) I was feeling pretty down.  I was a slug. No activity and just feeling kinda miserable.  Hooray for spring.  Getting outside and getting exercise has done wonders for my mental health. 

Got up early this morning and took a cycling class while Grandma watched the kiddos.  I'm really starting to love my Tuesday morning class.  The instructor is really motivating.  By the end of the class I was drenched in sweat and my legs were threatening to give out.  I'll take that as a good thing.  I spent a few hours at the office until the siren call of this beautiful day lured me home to the kiddos (I really enjoy being my own boss).  I got the kiddos into the stroller and walked over to the park and playground where I let the munchkin loose.  He needs plenty of exercise too.  After maybe 20 mins he slipped on a ladder to the slides and landed a bit hard so he wanted to leave.  We headed to the farmer's market, also in the park, to pick up some lettuce to plant in the garden and the first of the local strawberries. yum.

The kiddos are napping so I did a quick yoga video (DDP Energy), my legs desperately needed to stretch out.   Tonight is the kiddos swimming lessons, I'm in the pool with the bean while the munchkin is in the big kid class- so more activity to come.  Tomorrow I rest!

61 days until the race!

Everything is Awesome.

My long run didn't happen yesterday, too much family stuff got in the way.  Took the kiddos to a town festival, then spent two hours cooking a delicious (and Whole30 compliant) birthday dinner for Grandma.  Took a nice walk after dinner so I was at least a little active.

So I got up and did my long run this morning.  Dropped the kiddos off with Grandma and set out for a run outside in the most beautiful weather.  It was so nice that I didn't really pay enough attention to where I was and when I needed to turn around.  I ran into the next town over which has gorgeous wide streets and lots of beautiful trees.  So when I hit my 4 miles I was still 1.5 miles from home.  oops. So I ended up with a 5.5 mile run (though to be fair most of the last 1.5 miles was walking.) It felt awesome. The sun, the breeze, the trees! By the time I got home I was feeling very Hooray for Everything!  Tonight I have a 30 min swim on the schedule and I would like to squeeze in a quick yoga video (DDP energy) because my legs are feeling pretty tight.  

I learned on this run that I can maintain a faster pace outside than I can on the treadmill.  While I was running I was consistently around a 10:30 mile pace.  That speed feels like torture on the treadmill and I usually stay closer to 12:00.  Interesting.  I think I get caught up in the excitement of being outside, whereas on the treadmill I get stuck staring at the screen.

62 Days until the race!

Continued Progress

Its been about three weeks since I started training and I am happy to say it is going pretty well.  I'm not perfectly consistent with my plan, but with two kids rigid consistency is never going to be something I strive for.  What I do strive for is making sure I get in the right number of workout, even if they are not exactly when I planned to do them.   The trick is not to let one missed workout stop me from not going out again the next day. I am modifying but I keep going.  For example, thursday I had planned on getting up and heading for a morning spinning class, but the munchkin crawled into bed with me and was deep asleep- on my chest, about 15 minute before I needed to leave.  I didn't have the heart to wake him up and bring him to grandma.  He'd be upset and grouchy and it really wasn't worth the potential grumpy start to the day.  So instead when he finally work up about a half hour later the kiddos went to grandma and I went to the basement for a 7 mile cycle and 3 mile run.  It wasn't  what I planned but it was still good.

Food-wise I'm feeling really proud.  I've stuck with the Whole30 for the last 17 days.  I did have a couple not quite on plan bites but nothing that completely derailed me.  I forgot to tell a restaurant to leave pesto off an omelet, so I ate maybe a tablespoon of that, and I didn't ask another restaurant if their bacon had added sugar.  I'm not going to lose sleep over it.  Other than that I have been compliant and feel awesome.  There is definitely a change to my taste buds.  I'm not craving super sweet foods.  I am totally satisfied with a piece of fruit. Apples taste amazing!

It is a lazy sunday morning, the bean is asleep on me and the munchkin is watching Curious George.   It is beautiful out so pretty soon we will need to get outside!  I'm hoping for a 4 mile run today.

63 Days until the race!

Whole30- Day 1

As part of my get healthy goal, I decided that I would do the Whole30 for the month of May.  It's essential paleo without "cheating"or as they would say "sex with your pants on" meaning no paleo-ified desserts, breads, muffins, etc.  It is meant to challenge and break your normal eating habits to encourage a better relationship with food.  I don't think I eat terribly on a regular basis- but I am significantly overweight- especially after having two kids.  Baked goods are my nemesis.  I love sweets.  We do eat mostly organic produce, organic grass-fed meats, local pastured eggs, etc but I do have some not so healthy habits I'd like to break.  I know if I want to complete a triathlon I'm going to have to give my body the best fuel possible. 

May is the perfect time to start a program like this that relies so heavily on fresh produce.  Next week is the start of the local farmer's market.  Delicious tasty and local veggies will start appearing at the co-op.  Hooray for Spring.  Oh yeah... Happy Beltane!

Todays food:
Breakfast: Scrambled "green" eggs- eggs blended with spinach and kale, topped with red peppers and avocado
Snack: A handful of hazelnuts, almonds, and cashews.  Peach and some pineapple chunks. Black Coffee
Lunch: A large salad with avocado, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Snack: Plum
Dinner: A grassfed local burger over lettuce with avocado and onions sauteed in ghee. Coconut Water.

I know that was a lot of avocado- we had a couple that were threatening to go bad so I ate them. 

Training:  Today I ran 3 miles on the treadmill.  Then took a mile walk while wearing the bean and pushing the munchkin.  I also took an Aqua Zumba class- which is just a blast.  Good, silly, fun.  I'm pretty beat after that much activity.  Tomorrow was supposed to be my rest day, but I'm switching things around because I am just too busy Saturday to do what I had planned.  Tomorrow I am getting up at o'dark thirty for a cycling class again- this time armed with padded bike shorts and cycling shoes!

Enough Excuses

I've had this crazy dream of doing a triathlon for years.  I think I saw a documentary on the Ironman over a decade ago and the thought has been rattling around in my head since. There has always been an excuse.  Too busy with school, then work, then a baby. Bikes are expensive.  I don't have access to a pool. etc, etc, etc.

I'm done making excuses.  Is this the best time for me to attempt a tri?  Probably not.  I am the mom of a three year old (the munchkin) and a six month old (the bean).  I'm a solo-practicing lawyer.  I'm at least 40 pounds overweight. 

Is it ever going to be the right time?  No.  So here I go!

The munchkin will be ready for preschool in the fall, so we enrolled him at the local JCC.  Which meant becoming members... and therefore access to an awesome swimming pool.  This weekend I bought a speedo bathing suit, cycling shorts, and a cycling shirt.   I found a race- The IronGirl sprint in Webster MA on July 20.  That gives me just about 3 months. 

I'm not a complete stranger to endurance  events.  I've run 3 half marathons.  I'm also an avid hiker and county highpointer.  The thought of physical exertion for 2+ hours doesn't scare me.  I know with proper training I can do it.

This is my first week of training.   I had intended on a 20 min swim and 3 mile run on monday, but when I got home from the office the munchkin had been throwing up- so comforting a sick kiddo derailed my plans.  Instead I got up and went for a swim before I went to the office yesterday.  I ended up swimming for a half hour, but had to take frequent breaks.  I can do two laps of the 25 yard pool and then need to catch my breath.  My skills are a bit rusty.  I am much more comfortable with breaststroke than I am with freestyle.  I know I should do freestyle in the race since it is more efficient and takes up less space so I hopefully won't kick anyone.  So I know I need to work on it.   In the evening I did 3 miles on the treadmill.  It was slow with many walk breaks- but I did it.  Gotta start somewhere.

This morning I got up a o'dark thirty to make it to a spinning class at the JCC.  This was my first attempt at spinning in like 4 years, and even back then I think I went to maybe 3 classes.   Wow that was hard! But lots of fun.  I learned two things-  First- I have got to get cycling shoes.  I'm a big fan of minimalist running footwear- I'm a vibram five-finger runner.  I have five fingers and SoftStar RunAmocs and no other athletic shoes.  Minimalist shoes don't really work well on the bikes.  I was slipping a lot and could feel the ridges in the pedals, which got pretty uncomfortable by the end of class.  Second- I need a gel pad for the seat. oww!

The goal for tomorrow is a 3 mile run. Then Aqua Zumba, just because it is fun.

81 days until the race!