October 1st Half Lessons

October will be interesting.  I've changed my goals which adds great intensity this month to prepare for November's new goals.  I only have one half run in October and a fun run 10k in costome for Halloween.  However, I've decided the 10miler is now the new 5miler.  I have raised my base run again.  I will be increasing my mileage in October to prepare for November's 6 halfs in 16 days.  Achieving this goal allows me to attain Earth status  (6 moons. 10 moons is the top level) in my Half Fanatics club. My bigger goal is always feel like I could run another half marathon right after I finish one.

I definitely have a hiccup in my personality. When I achieve something, then I have to make a new goal that is harder than the last goal... this has been leading to my family believing I am approaching a new level of insanity.  What's really happening is that part of me is just happy to be in control of something positive in my life.  The unemployement situation is so negative, so depressing that I've been using Swim/Bike/Run as my therapy.  Sure thing interviews have continually fallen apart at the last minute.  However, the more I exercise, the better I get and it makes me happy.  I'm also 5 lbs thinner which I thought would never happen.  So of course now I have a new goal weight too.  The cycling magazines suggest 2 lbs per inch so I should weigh 128.  I have weighed 135 for years. Today, I'm 2 lbs away from my goal weight.  I have certainly exchanged fat for muscle over the last year but the net has been the same number.  Now I'm finally seeing the fat # drop as I get stronger.  Which leads me to another goal dilemma...

Do I continue 15 hrs a week raising it to 20 hours a week and race to fulfill my goal of being an IRONMAN while I am unemployed, since I have the extra day time hours?   To give my all to Ironman training, and still have a life with Marcus, I feel I need to workout mosly during the day.  I am at a good point in training to step up further, we are financially secure without my income since my kids will be independent by the summer 2013, and I will be 50 years old by race day.  So I am not getting any younger and that's a pretty awesome way to celebrate my half century BD - of course with an M-dot tatoo as my BD gift. (This is nearly a requirement for every Ironman Finisher).  So I have taken the first step towards Ironman 2013 and that's volunteering at Ironman 2012.  I will watch the 2500+ mass swim start; I will check out the weather, the head winds, the terrain of the bike route; I will volunteer 3-7pm at the Dry Clothes Pickup near the finishline; I will watch those Ironmen throw themselves over the finishline after hours 12 - 17.  I know 11pm- midnight when the most exhausted racers arrive, will be the moment I will know if that WILL be me next year.  I have to KNOW I will make it through 1 yr of training and 140.6 miles in 17 hours or less.  If the answer is yes, I will stand in line Monday morning and buy my $600 race entry for 2013.

I will know my answer on Nov 18, 2012

October 7:  Long Beach Half Marathon - 2nd leg of the Beach Cities Challenge Triple Run.

 

I'm pretty sure this will be my most favorite half in the series.  I'm definitely considering running the full marathon next year.  It was absolutely gorgeous.  We were near water almost the entire run and we were rarely running just boring straight. We stayed within walking distance of the start line so we didn't fight in traffic with the other 20,000.  They even had a Bike Tour with 1000s cycling 26.2 miles.. ahhh how cute... cycling a marathon distance! hahaha! Anyway they had a race for every level of athlete and age. I loved the shirt, the medal, the volunteers, the cheers every mile, the course, the weather, and downtown Long Beach is just gorgeous.  Although warmer than SF Half, I definitely vote this as tied for 1st place of my favorite halfs run in 2012.  The water works show and running over the bridge with beautiful views and the Queen Mary were just awesome!



 

I have loads of training runs, miles of swimming with Dory , and have added a stationary cycling class for 90 minutes  for bike strengthening skills in additon to the 100+ miles I bike every week. 

 

Therefore, I will have plenty of thinking time to figure out my dilemma.

 



September 2nd Half Lessons

Now for the 2nd Half of my September Challenges:

I have 3 weeks before the 2.4 mile Tikiswim in Oceanside and I have still only swam 2 miles. However, I've decided to try again Sep 14 but first from LJ Cove towards Scripps Pier which is 1.5 miles away.  At least I have a big thing to sight and I can turn around at 1.2 miles.  there should also be virtually no waves to push through. I will  attempt this swim fresh with every expectation to complete the distance.

Sep 14: We hit some record heat temperatures today.  We left our house at 111 degrees and headed to the ocean... yea it was only 106!  But La Jolla Cove water was about 70 degrees and it was a perfect day to succeed at our 2.4 mile swim!  SUCCESS with 37 extra minutes to spare!!! I now know I can swim the distance within the 2:20 cut off!

Sep 16: Giro di San Diego 66 mile route was changed to 72 miles due to construction detours. Sadly I am riding without my Reynolds Wheelset which are still on order. We will see just how much "better" Zip 101s are... I guess we were lucky with some cloud cover at the start. My first 45 miles alone went pretty good.  Two friends turned back due to illness and I couldn't find the other at the start.  Many started earlier to get going before the heat picked up and boy did it ever... I wore my Cool Towel around my neck and I think it helped my core temp stay under control a lot.  I also wore arm coolers so my arms didn't fry in 5 hours of sun but they weren't pulled evenly so now I have one bright red wrist! hahaha! 

Anyway, SAG 3 felt good as it was past the mid point but 200 yards later I got a flat :( so I walked back to the SAG because I have huge difficulty rolling the last bit of tire over the rim and sure enough I couldn't do it so it was worth the walk.  Then a couple miles later. THUMP... I pulled over swearing at another flat but nope... luckily I noticed the bulging tire though where the tire wasn't fully in the wheel.  Maybe too much Co2?  I don't know but I released some and it popped back in the tire... so off I went... dragging my wedge on the back tire so pulled over again to reattach to seatpost.. and Darryl MacKenzie passed by!  yea finally someone I know since Marcus went to SF game and my other friends didn't make it....We chatted a few miles and pop.. now my front tire is flat...OMG... but Darryl is a professional and he fixed it really quick so we were off again for the most excruciating hills of my life in blistering heat... WOW I hurt everywhere.  Twin Peaks hill AGAIN? I swore I would never do it again but here I am so I just told my legs to shut up and just get through it.  I was so drained though that I finally gave in and stopped near the top for a break.  I kept thinking This Too Shall End... and one more SAG stop.

 I hated the new return route since it became and out and back route due to construction. This meant loads of left turns crossing over traffic which is dangerous at times. Finally I recognize where I am... but didn't realize that we went down 3 hills at the start SOOO that means 3 up hills at the end... I seriously wanted to be road kill at that point. What a relief to be draped in the medal, drink free Naked juice and get a customized tshirt too!  Then they fed us a nice pasta lunch.... HEY what happened to the free smoothies??? Screw it-- 72 miles/5000 ft of climbing to hell and back ... I earned the McD Frappe Chocolate Chip drink today!

Sep 22: USA Women's Half was cancelled for permit problems and poor planning on their part...luckily I can attend our club TCSD spirnt triathlon today instead!  It's my last tri race of my 48th year and my age group! After 3 rides on the ZIP 101s and the tire popping out of the wheel, I exchanged for ZIP 404s until the Reynolds arrive. These should be great!   I'm so happy I finally broke my average bike mph above 20 for the entire ride (12.5mi)!  I swam my fastest ever and I felt super comfortable at 1.8 mph (.44 mi) and I stayed under 10min avg for 4 miles.  what a great way to end my year!! I just love club races!  Felt so good to have aero bars and my aero water system.... really missed those.

 

Sep 23:  It was an awesome swim at Oceanside with about 20 others and Brian Long (RD of the Tikiswim) who also shares my birthday! We shared cupcakes after the gorgeous swim! Brian brought me an amazing maple cream filled donut which Brian and Marcus both devoured! hahaha!



 

Sep 28:  I'm so happy to finally say MY bike is complete!  I took her for a 24 mile spin today and all seems pretty good.  My wheels look awesome!  Tonight is my last 2 mile swim before the tikiswim 2.4 on Sunday.  We will celebrate our training with the monthly TCSD potluck buffett tonight!

 

 Sep 30: Yea!  it's TIKI SWIM day!!! Oceanside Pier...( silent prayer: Dear Lord please don't let there be waves so I can live to swim another day)

 

ok, fine....waves... BRING IT ON!!  After breaking through 5 of these monsters... I was pretty proud of myself and "just kept swimmimg" with my virtual Dory imprinted on my brain.

 

 

well, since I've practiced many times, I knew the 1st buoy should be at about at mile .3 but I didn't get to it until .67!  I knew I was in trouble already... the current was wicked and continually kept pushing me off course.. buoys on my right shoulder??? rarely... I couldn't keep a straight line so they were usually on my left... I checked my watch a few times while swimming but never stopped for GU nutrition because I was so concerned about time.  Eventually I was happy to see 2.4 miles in 1:29.  Wow what an improvement from 1:43!  oh but wait.. I'm not even close to the finishline!!!  First I was pissed off. I wanted to be finished. Then Dory said... just keep swimming... and I calmed down and said thankyou for helping me reach another new milestone... little did I know it would be 25 minutes later and almost 3 miles!

 

 

My biggest lesson learned was my success in breaking through the waves... as the wave approaches, go under it.  then pop up on the other side and side stroke to the next wave which makes my breathing match my cadence... nice and slow.. and I can still see the next wave coming in time to dive under and start the process again... 5 waves later.. I was out of the turmoil and returned to Freestyle without any panic attack or hyperventilation.  Thankfully I also tightened my goggle straps a lot so they couldn't be flipped off without a lot of force! 

 

 

 

Wow it has been an AWESOME Month!!!  October will be filled with lots more running!

 

SEPTEMBER TRAINING MILES

SWIM: 32,349 yards (18.7 miles)

BIKE: 385 MILES

RUN: 84.14 MILES

TOTAL HOURS 61:14

WEEKLY AVG 15 HRS

September 1st half Lessons

September is my favorite month of the year. I love the weather and the activities in San Diego are boundless. 5 races this month so I'll split up the blog. I also celebrate my 49th birthday and the end of my race group 45-49s!

I must digress to honor my Wilson's death on Aug 27 at the Oceanside Pier.  I was attempting my first 2.4 mile swim.  Alas I changed my routine and put my neo cap on first, then latex. I always put my Garmin 310xt (named Wilson) under my neo chin strap cap for security.  It's in my cap not wrist so I never lose GPS on my swim.  I changed my alert to vibrate every .20 mi so I could count 6 and turn around.  I did not know I also needed to change the lap trigger which was still set at .25.  This caused irregular alerts to go to off so I was very confused about my distance.  I was anxious to return to land to check my Garmin distance.  TOO anxious. I failed my own strict advice: NEVER remove anything until ON the beach.  The tide was pulling hard.  I didn't make it to dry land before I flicked off my latex cap and forgot Wilson was there, not under the neo cap.  He flew off into the ocean as I screamed hysterically for my training partner to surface.  I cried and cried franctically grabbing at the water...not only has he been with me my entire tri journey but he was $300 new.  I had to face the fact to replace the watch for $150 -$200 or buy the upgraded 910xt which has amazing swim tracking improvements including lap swims but $400.  I researched through tears for hours untill I finally went to Road Runner for the 910xt.  I cried when I bought the upgrade even... it got me additional discounts though because the clerk felt so bad for me... saved $116.  Out the door was $308.  Now I have to learn all about my new partner before the disney race Sunday. But this quick video is absolutely how I felt:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ig2z_cast-away-lost-wilson-the-movie_shortfilms


Sep 2:  I wanted to run Disney Half last year but it sells out so quick that I had to set my calendar in January, 2012 to signup!!! I believe every race should have a goal and this one is to take lots of fun pictures at every mile marker and enjoy it with Marcus, Ryan and Aliyah! 

Sunday morning will mark the 7th running of the Disneyland Half Marathon with a field of over 17,000 runners from 14 to 78, representing all 50 states and 19 countries. Getting up before dawn to go for the gold…Disneyland gold...

I must admit that was the fastest - slowest- most enjoyable half marathon EVER!  Cheering everywhere on the course. Loads of costumes. Running through the Angels Stadium was so much fun!  My new Garmin 910xt worked fine... I think... although my mileage said 13.5 miles and Marcus was 12.97... odd

However, I seem to be on a roll of tri drama.... during dinner the night before the race, my bike shop called...they had a burglary and my bike was stolen.  I have a race this coming weekend and I have to rebuild a new bike all over again.  I guess it is great I will get all new stuff, but not great that I have to start all over with a million questions of what should I upgrade now that I have the chance? And do I want to spend the money on upgrades while I am unemployed?  Does everything in my life have to be a double-edged sword ?

Sept 8:  SD Classic Olympic Triathlon (ironically sponsored by Moment Bike Shop where my bike was stolen)
Started with setting the alarm incorrectly and awaking when we were supposed to leave!  However, we were out the door in 20 minutes and had a few minutes to spare before transition closed although I was in Wave 2.  It appeared we would start swimming in the dark and I had black goggles...really need a yellow pair!  My race rack was packed as expected so I moved over to wave 3's rack with the guys who are much more accepting of a girl squeezing in. However, it didn't give me a chance to think about my swim focus.

Swim: I guess I watched the girl next to me because I started far too fast and started hyperventilating very quickly...I couldn't relax my breathing for at least 3 minutes while I side stroked beating myself up mentally about what a loser I was pouring in the swim practice and producing such a pathetic result. I finally started swimming and then the sea of male piranahs started swimming over me. It was hell. I got hit in the goggles twice.  I had to fight not to just quit.  Eventually I found my rhythm and got through it. My final swim time showed me I could have had a PR result minus the first .2 mile as I ended 1.6 mph finishing in 37 minutes with an extra 100M since I sighted to wrong buoy!

As I expected my bike was not completely ready.  Loaner wheels were disappointing and no aero bars or water system but the worst was the handlebars that were too wide and the seat was too low.  I was super uncomfortable on the bike. I loved the new Ultegra shifting upgrade.  Felt like butter and I passed many. Because I didn't have my aero bar water system, I had to carry a bottle in the cage which I promptly dropped on the first gulp resulting in no nutrition on this ride.  Luckily there were 2 water stations.  Oh well, dropped the first bottle of free water too. I couldn't get my hands dry.  By the 2nd bottle, I drank all 8 oz at one time! I saw a major pile up crash and went on the wrong side of the road to avoid it.  Saw many with flats and chain issues too and some walked up McClellan hill. Very glad to have ridden up the hill 4x previously. So happy to have not experienced mechanical hell on race day. I was happy with 17.8mph with the hills finishing 1:23.  I was nervous I had not eaten and needed to run.  So, T2 took a bit longer because I had a bottle of water to chug with a Roctane GU and grabbed another for the route. Had 2 more GUs on the run with water so I felt fine.

Run was pretty steady which is normal for me as I'm not a sprinter...however a girl did a faceplant right behind me trying to do too much at one time... take an extra 5 seconds and walk to drink...she tripped right over a ledge.  Happily the 2 hills were not too steep but I had to stop for a few seconds to fix my footpad in my sock...I figured do it now or run an hour in agony!  It was worth it!

Still finished 47% of my age group and it's likely my last race in the 45-49 group.  finished 3:16. Still bummed about my swim... I must get revenge and do this race again next year! I learned I did just fine without food on the 25 mile bike, and I need to always swim my cadence.  Giving myself kudos for not stopping on the swim.  I also still miss Wilson 310xt.  my 910xt does track swim distance better but the alarms are very faint in the water so I cannot tell how far I have swam without looking at the watch. that totally sucks.

2012 Ironman Oceanside 70.3

I should have documented my experiece at Oceanside 70.3 immediately, but I was in shock like a double edged sword into my heart.  March 30, 2012, I lost my most favorite job of my career -  a massive restructuring at LG Electronics where I had been employed for 5 1/2 years.  My job was sent to Korea. I was unemployed the day before attempting my biggest goal of my lifetime on March 31 - an ocean swim 1.2 miles, 56 miles of hills through Camp Pendleton , and 13.1 run - all within 8.5 hours.  I was hurting mentally before I even started on race day.... so 5 months later, I will try to put the pieces together so I can reflect before March 30, 2013 when I race my revenge.  Here's a quick preview of what it is like to race 70.3 miles in about 5 minutes (video from 2009) :

http://youtu.be/BOIQ9H_fniU

ARRIVAL TO THE RACE

My mom lives in Oceanside so we stayed the night so we were in close proximity, and you must arrive there about 4:30am. Coaches always say that it is always better to have more time than you need, than need more time than you have to minimize stress. The extra time allows for long lines at restrooms, traffic, body-marking, chatting nervously with others, and setting up your transition spot. This year, Oceanside had 2 transition spots.  I set my T2 spot up the night before so I went directly to T1. My race in Palm Springs really helped me understand how to race in the cold. The weather was overcast and misty so I knew it was unlikely to dryout on the bike after the 55 degree swim which can cause hypothermia. So, I added sticky hand warmers to the hoods of my bike and covered with a towel.  I added regular hand warmers inside my bike shoes, added toe covers and kept them under my transition towel to keep the heat in.  I wore arm coolers and calf compressions under my wetsuit so I could have this layer for the swim and the bike.  I transferred the heaters from my shoes to my back pockets of my trishirt for the bikeride.  I also wore 3 caps: thin latex to help keep hair dry, neoprene cap for warmth, and then the race cap. I loved my ProMotion 2mm booties which gave me superior warmth for my feet. These preparations absolutely made my swim/bike event the best it could be to beat Mother Nature.

WARMUP

I did all my swim practice at Bonita Cove because the beach entry to the first buoy is the same from the Harbor ramp to the first buoy at the race and this is the only warmup you get (about 200 yards) because you are not allowed to get into the water until just before the start . They will have all the athletes corralled by wave groups near the start and you can expect to stand there for at least 20 to 30 minutes. You won’t even get to touch the water with your toes until minutes before your wave starts! So I carried a small disposable water bottle with me right up to the ramp.  I ate a GU with a swig of water, since I hadn't eaten in a couple hours, and then a minute or so before entry, I poured all remaining cold water inside my wetsuit.  This loosened me up and eliminated the ocean ice water shock because the thin layer was already heating up against my skin before my entry.  It worked perfectly.  I had no hyperventilation due to cold water shock! I had a great casual swim to the start buoy and took a lot of deep breaths too! However, I could still hear my heart beating in my ears while I waited for the gun start.

SWIM

BOOM went the horn!!! More deep breathing required NOW!  I tried to just remain calm and start slow amongst the frenzy. However, women tend to really like their own bubble so I didn't feel any kicks to the body or pushing during the swim. The course turns are on the left, except the final turn of the swim, where you will turn right and go up the boat ramp you came down at the beginning of the swim. I breathe on my left side, so I saw the markings on the buoys about every 100M. I felt great until the turnaround at the mouth of the harbor toward the ocean.  It's like swimming inside a washing machine here.  I really tried to not stop the entire swim but I suddenly felt very nauseous and popped my head up. I felt like I was swimming in a different world!  No... it was just super choppy and I just had to fight the current and water in my mouth to get around the corner for  maybe a 1/8 mile with more kicking.  Then it was straight back to the boat ramp in much smoother water.  My goal was under an hour and was pleased with 53 minutes although that's quite slow for most swimmers. T1 Transition was about a 1/4 mile run to my bike but it was carpeted so it wasn't a problem.  It was exciting to see and hear all the cheering!  It made me so happy and proud that leg 1 was complete!

up the swim ramp, stripping during the transition run

BIKE

I prepped for this leg the most I think.  I finished 3 courses of stationery bike classes over 6 months with loads of intense strengthening bike drills during the week (90 mins 2x week) which was great since the days are so short during the winter months.  I rode long miles on the weekend too and completed a Century 100mile ride in February. I also took one Computrainer class which mimicked the bike course route for the race so I would know where the difficult hills would be on Camp P since no one can preview ride the course.  This was the most difficult training I completed.  You had 4 hours to complete the TV course.  You are trapped on your bike, locked into a trainer with electric nodes attached to match hill intensity by automtically changing your gears, and you are inside a sweat box nearly suffocating from body heat by you and all the others in class reeking of sweat.  You must pedal the entire course. There's no wind in your face downhill or coasting when you are tired.  It's just full-on intense riding for 56 miles with all your will and might.  It took all my strength to complete in 3:57.  I was scheduled to run immediately afterwards.  Instead I slumped into the shower, made it home nearly in a coma, and slept the next 3 hours.  I awoke in horror that I would never complete Oceanside because the bike portion was too hard.  I was told the computrainer was 20% more difficult and that I would be fine...still it totally blew away my confidence. I was crushed. I read blogs, listen to veteran racers, and I set up my plan to conquer the route. Fear WILLNOT paralyze me!

I was told the biggest test of the bike is not the distance or nutrition, but rather pacing skills. Because the first 26 miles are mostly flat, I just needed to save something for the back 24 miles, which will be rolling hills, with three challenging climbs. I also decided to slip on padded bike shorts over my tri shorts in T1 for the 56 miles for added comfort.  I'm really glad I did because I never did dry out on the course.  The extra layer was nice. I felt there was only danger on one downhill where in 2000, a rider was actually killed by riding at too high of a speed and losing control. This descent was marked with warning signs:  “Do Not Pass” zone. The speed limit on this hill is 25 mph. They had officials checking, so just make sure you control your speed.

 

 

I ate and drank a lot the first 25 miles. On the bike, the first aid station was at about 13 miles. The second aid station was at about 26 miles (right before the hills), and the final aid station was at about 45 miles after the last big hill. As I grabbed some nutrition on the flat, to the right I saw the first large, corkscrew looking climb, and my heart nearly stopped.  You need a strong mantra for this hill!  It's only about 1/2 mile but I think it's like climbing the ladder to reach God.  Midway, I knew I hadn't practiced sharp steep hills enough.  I tried Pacifica in La Jolla and fell because the slope was too much for me so my confidence was weak already.  My technique just wasn't there and my confidence disappeared up 1/4 mile, so I unclipped.  Yep, I walked uphill the remaining 1/4 mile of the hill, but not with my head down as I saw others riding up the hill.  I gave  myself permission to breathe now and pour it on for the rest of the bike ride.  I promised I would give 110% after I reached the top and that I did.  I clipped in at the top, vowed to practice hills like that a lot and get my revenge in 2013, and pedaled as hard as I could.  I beat my computrainer time by almost 30 minutes finishing at 3:31.  When I checked my time, I had a HUGE smile on my face. I DID IT!!!!  and I also realized I had given myself extra time on the run which I knew I would need.  My left foot/bunion/hammer toe was screaming mad and so the final discipline was going to be painful, but if  I can give birth twice without drugs, then I can run 13 miles with a little foot pain right?

Camp P 56 mile elevation chart. Enjoy the first 25. Survive the next 25 of hills.  Push through final 6 miles of headwinds.

Immediate sharp short hill out of T1

As you near the end of the bike, you arrive near the pier with a quick downhill The volunteers are great at getting people to slow down on this little strip of strand, BUT don't clip out because you have a sharp left UP hill ride to T2!  I just stood up in my pedals and rode up and over to get to the top. I had a great landmark to find my rack at T2.  I threw my bike in the rack and jammed all my bike gear into my bag, grabbed my garmin and took off for the run.  Thankfully the portapotty was directly in front of me because I was about to burst...wow I had drank a lot on the bike... that's good though right???  Suddenly while in the portapotty  I see I HAVE PADDED BIKE SHORTS ON!!! I practically fell out of the portapotty trying to get them off!  I started screaming at a volunteer who came running... I threw my shorts at him, screamed my race number and luckily - he put them in my bag for me as I took off running! I can't imagine running 13 miles in padded bike shorts like a huge diaper between my legs! Thank YOU Mr. Volunteer!!

RUN

Ok, I hate running. I hate my feet.  I hate bike/run bricks even more.  It's all just painful.  However, I switched to Newtons.  No, not on race day of course.  I had run a 10 miler in them and felt great on fresh legs and fresh feet.  UMMM I wasn't fresh. I poured myself into the bike.  My feet were pissed off and I paid dearly... not to mention... I had to pee... and peee... and peeeeee.  OMG 3x in 13 miles was a record for me.  I had run 26 miles and never peed once! and then the nausea came... I immediately stopped electrolytes and food to try to keep my bike nutrition within me.  My feet throbbed like I was landing on a bed of nails with every cadence.  I knew I just had to get to mile 8 by 3:08 pm for the cutoff and then I could walk the last 5 miles if necessary.   I was in agony. I walked/jogged constantly and swung my arms hoping to stretch my gait.  I looked forward and tried to get to little landmarks deliriously... see that light post... just run to that...see that 70 year old lady in front of you... just pass her...OMG another ramp?  My hips screamed, my gluts cramped, I had a helicopter in my stomach and for the first time in my life the thought of sugar made me sick....JUST LEAN FORWARD was my mantra.  Eventually I started taking in plain water and pieces of banana and felt better, well a little more alive...I walked through every aid station at every mile.  About mile 7 I think, I heard MOM!!!... I looked up like I was seeing a mirage!  It was my son Ryan who had been volunteering at the Kids Station and he had found me which of course made me just start bawling!!!  I said: I have to get to mile 8 for the cut off and he screamed it's right around the corner - LOVE YOU!!!  I'M PROUD OF YOU!!! I yelled at him:  I AM WALKING THE LAST 5 MILES !!! - as if this was all his fault!! He replied: NO PROBLEM!! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!   then,  I couldn't see through the tears...or maybe the pain in my feet...until finally the mile 8 sign came into focus!  I yelled at Gina the race director!!! I made it!  I'm going to finish!!! AND THEN THE WALKING DEATH MARCH BEGAN...

I'm told the key to this run is very simple, RHYTHM! If you can maintain rhythm by being relaxed, but quick, you will do very well on this run course. If you run with poor mechanics, with your head down and pounding your feet loudly on the pavement, it will be a long day for you out there.  Those final 5 miles were like walking through wet sand while stepping on nails barefoot.  My technique was crap and my Newtons reminded me every single step! I want my Saucony's back.... I swore I was going to run A LOT more next time in my training.  Clearly my run base was too low to get me through 13 miles AFTER 4 hours of exercise.



Running the Oceanside Pier ramps in pain - faking a smile!

The most painful mental part of the run was seeing people finish the run while I still had the 2nd loop to go.  However, I got through it, in a death march with others along the way, leaning forward until I headed into the finish line on the strand and was greeted to sidelines full of cheering people.  Once I approached my Triclub Tent, my flood gates opened... I was near blackout pain in my feet, my breathing was super short and yet I was barely running.  I ran toward the noise because I couldn't see the light through my tears!  BUT I DID IT!!!  So, I'm now an unemployed half-ironman finisher. It's bittersweet but I will be back, better than ever, lessons learned, and hopefully employed by March 30 2013!



Sharon Chaix - my catcher at the finishline, draping me in my medal, and holding me up while we looked for a chair!

So happy to see my husband!

leaning into the Finishline banner

so proud of my Finisher's Medal

I gave it my all in 7:45 but I will return for revenge in 2013 with many lessons learned!

August Lessons

I started August off with a new swim attitude thanks to watching Finding Nemo.  "When life gets you down, ya know whatcha gotta do? Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming..."

http://www.youtube.com/embed/CmyUkm2qlhA

So Dory and I have joined forces and up'ed our swimming mileage and finally signed up for the Tikiswiim 2.4 miles on Sept 30.  It's now or never... and I hired Rachel Willis to help me improve my stroke and teach me the other 3 strokes since now the Olympics are so motivating with all the racing and slow watch videos underwater!  I took 1 hr lesson on each stroke.  I fell in love with breaststroke and received compliments from complete strangers.  Rachel said she was amazed at how fast I took to the stroke and I didn't even know how good I was already.  My confidence soared.  I practiced it for 2.5 hrs straight.... I walked like I had been on a horse for a couple days though not realizing the breast kick used the inside thigh muscle A LOT!!!

Aug 10:  I tried a women's clinic at the SD Velodrome race track.  It was super scary as a I felt like Peewee Herman in the middle of a racecar track !  It was exhilerating and included a race entry for the following Friday, however, I was too tired and was concerned about the exhaustion prior to the Chula Vista Challenge Olympic triathlon.

Aug 19: Chula Vista Challenge Olympic Triathlon - Anniversary of my 1st Olympic level tri. Goal: finish faster than 3:30 overall.  It was awesome running up the steps toward the lit Olympic torch which happened to also be the last day of the Summer Olympics - 2012!

My anniversary Olympic tri event changed from October to August so it's actually a 10 month anniversary. Wow what a weather difference though!  October is dark at 6am and cool.  August is hot before we start the swim and the water is 75 degrees! How hot was it??  Like swimming in a jacuzzi if you were in a wetsuit, riding into a blow dryer, running inside a volcano!!!! The swim was a bit choppy and impossible to see the buoys facing the sun.  I sighted other swimmers hoping they were not as blind as I was and eventually I saw the buoy myself.  I was disappointed that my swim was slower than last year because I felt stronger so maybe the current? maybe that I was in a sleeveless suit? I just don't know except last year my swim time was adjusted by the race timing officials online so maybe it was wrong last year?  no clue :(   I had previewed the ride route again to refresh my legs of the hills on this route.  I definitely felt stronger and I decided to take advantage of the water station on the bike ride so only brought 30oz on the ride to save weight.  Well, it was hotter than hell and the water station had been eliminated!  Luckily a guy gave me his spare bottle when I complained at the La Media uturn with drymouth!  Marcus nearly turned into a raisin however!  I guess always bring extra water but I've never raced without water stations on a bike route at a  tri.  My speed/cadence went crazy on my bike so I could not tell which mile I was on for 25 miles so I had no  time on my Garmin for the bike leg and sadly Gemini timing decided to randomly add the bike leg with the T1 time so I can't separate them for comparison.  I just know it was faster because I had a stripper for my wetsuit and a helper handing me stuff for the bike so that saved time too.  The run route was a little shorter but it was oven air hot and hilly as expected but beautiful around the Olympic Training Center.  I was so happy to carry my little handbottle of water that I could sip the entire run and grab ice water at the stations to dump on my steaming head.  In the end I got 7th place of 7 in my age group.  I was sad but then I realized the other 6 were in the top 20 of 60 females!  I had a really tough group of women that were faster than the younger age group! I was 35th of 60 females so 58%  and 3:18 is not so bad and overall I improved 12 minutes over last year so that is good even with a slower swim! I'm still waiting for a freestyle lesson with Rachel who has had strep all last week.  Hopefully she can help me make a difference soon.  We earned etched drinking glasses instead of medals which was pretty cool.

Aug 29: America's Finest City Half Marathon AND Finisher of the Triple Crown award! (Carlsbad, LaJolla, AFC in 2012) and I advance to Uranus moon level with my Half Fanatics running club for completing 6 halfs in 6 consecutive months!  It will take me until November to advance to the next moon level but I will achieve both Saturn and Jupiter levels at the same time!

Half Fanatics Criteria

To become a member of the Half Fanatics you need to complete one of the following. Depending upon which streak you have completed will determine your Moon level.

http://www.halffanatics.com/criteria.html

Love the AFC shirt design and especially the Triple Crown finisher medal!  The key to this half is the lean forward for the first half of the race as it is all downhill to mile 5, then  try to hold on to the momentum through the flats to mile 11 using the harbor beauty as distractions, because then it is a painful straight up for mile 12, then it's a beautiful flat run across the Prado Bridge into Balboa Park.

The downhill wasn't as drastic as I expected but I did take "Sport Legs" pills just in case my thighs would be thrashed.  What I didn't realize was that over half of the race is facing the sun.  Even though it still wasn't too hot, the sun was beating down on us hard!  And it was especially disgusting as we ran through downtown as the heat provided us with potent urine and fish gut smell...which didn't help at mile 10.5 where some "volunteers?" were passing out 1/4 pieces of cheesburger patties to the runners...seriously I expected to see vomit any minute and got out of that area as fast as I could!  I saw a lot of runner friends but it was especially nice when I saw a lot of first timers completing the 1/2 marathon for the first time.  I saw an 80 year old that had fallen and broken his nose but crossed the finishline bloody with the help of two others and a lady limping in tears and still crossing the finishline...I just love seeing the will to finish, the determination to reach a goal.  The human spirit to push to the very end, through whatever it takes, is so beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes for them!  It was my special moment to achieve the Triple Crown and also advance to Uranus in my Half Fanatics Running club.  I felt good on the run and only stopped to fill my bottles quickly and to let the damn train pass!  Thankfully it was a short train! My training of running at least 6 miles every run day is working well for me.  I'm very comfortable with half marathons now, even with the foot pain. I think my run plan will really pay off for Oceanside 2013.  I finished 2:21 with the stops placing me at 38% of my age group so I'm always happy with above the average finish times!

 

My total August Workouts:

SWIM 13 miles

BIKE 347 miles

RUN 72 miles

HOURS 52

WKLY AVG 13 hours

 

July Lessons

I rode in the Scripps Ranch Old Pros 50miler on July 4.  There were about 11 hills per my Garmin. I was pleased that I felt physically good since I have been in PT 8 times now working on my neck and shoulder strength.  I also added one more day of weight training to compliment the 2x a week PT.  I want to get in the habit of going 3x a week.  I finished the 50 miles avg speed 15.6 which is good for me.  I always want to stay above 15mph avg because I need that minimum pace at Oceanside's 56 miler to finish in 3:30.

My next July event was on the 29th running the 1st half Marathon in San Francisco.  I was quite worried about the hills in SF but my excitement to run across the Golden Gate Bridge twice was greater!  We stayed .9 mi from the start so we decided to jog to the start line and that was a perfect warmup since it was 58 degrees and misty.  I trained hard to mimic the hills at grade elevations by combining treadmill runs for the 3 biggest hills/grade and outside hill runs for long and gradual false flats.  It worked perfectly.  The hills were exactly as I expected except at mile 11. After pounding downhill mile 10 we then ran gradual rollers up to the near end. That was exhausting and I kept pleading for them to stop. The finale was awesome as we were wrapped in aluminum foil blankets and handed irish coffee and wonderful baked treats, greek yogurt, fresh fruit, etc.  The shuttle line was hell to return to the start since we only ran half and we unfortunately put our bags in the marathon truck instead of 1/2 marathon so we didn't have our stuff until after the shuttle. Lesson learned when we return next year for 2nd half Marathon (and Father's Day 6/16/13) and earn our Half It All medal.  We wore our Half Fanatics shirts proudly and the arm warmers were perfect for SF weather!

 

JULY MONTHLY TOTALS

SWIM 13 MILES

BIKE 366 MILES

RUN 66 MILES

TOTAL 53 HOURS

AVERAGE 13.5 WEEKLY