February 2013 Lessons Learned

February brought us football history!  Har-Bowl? Bro-Bowl? Blackout-Bowl? Beyonce-Bowl? Anyway, Ryan, Aliyah and I had a blast running Surf City in our 49er gear to earn our Beach Cities Challenge medals...Yes, Marcus chose the Superbowl over the Half Marathon, but we managed to carry his bib and timing chip along with us so he could be in two places at the same time!  He chose last year's Challenge Medal and I chose this year's Medal.  Afterall, we paid for it all so might as well add it to the 2013 Bling!

I ran this race solo so gave it my all.  It's an easy route but I earned my fastest official race time of 2:10 (training run 13.1 was 2:07).  I am seriously considering returning next year for the full marathon. My only complaint was that I never saw food on the route.  I planned ahead though and had 2 GU with me.  Lesson previously learned: Never run a race without backup food and electroytes!

So back in 2005, I embarked on 2 goals... running and tennis. I gave 110% to both and I almost killed myself at both! My farthest run was 7 miles but I was convinced to run the 37th San Dieguito Half instead of 5k. I had no idea that this is probably the most difficult half in San Diego County! I cried often and it rained the entire race but I finished in 2:35. I had no idea how to prepare for hills or nutrition. Soon afterwards, I injured my achilles and knee and quit running until 2011. After rehab, I stayed with tennis for 4 years...well I almost killed myself at this sport also but that's another story. Lessons learned... set reasonable goals, run your own race, have fun.  After Oceanside 70.3 in March 2012, I learned I needed to significantly raise my run base because if a half is painful by itself, you will want to die during the half run after 1.2mi swim/56mi bike!





Feb 10, 2013 is the 45th San Dieguito Half and I am back for revenge! This is also my 20th half marathon! This is also week 14/20 for Oside training so this is a great test of my ability to run/not walk and endure pain. Well the big day arrived, cold and crisp but thankfully dry!  Marcus and I decided to run our own race so I could see my improvement.  Biking the course twice really helped me mentally.  I knew when to push myself and when to get ready for a little pain. I was shocked halfway through the race when I was holding a 10 minute pace. My goal was 10:40 since there were 5 hills.  Alas hill #4 was a killer as expected but I kept the intensity.  I took hill #5 like a billygoat and super focused on stride all the way to the top.  To my surprise as the pain started to grip my glutes, Ironwoman Tracy decided to pace me at the corner to the finishline at an 8 min pace!  I was in agony chasing her down for .14 mile but she was relentless and it was AWESOME!! It was my strongest finish EVER! 23 minute improvement from 2005 race vs 2013 race! and there was NO CRYING!

I was so happy when I crossed the finishline crushing my fear of running hills!

 

 

 

The rest of February was focused on the peak of Oceanside 70.3 training.  Time to get back in openwater and check my time improvement and revisit any hyperventilation issues while swimming in 58 degree water.  wanted to work on bike/run workouts that were really challenging too.  Additionally this is the last month of the NCC challenge.  My first goal was to stay in the top 10 because I recognized a podium finish was for the full crazies...Full Ironwomen! Besides I was nearly the oldest in my age group so I just gave it my best.  I am very happy with my 8th place of 178 in the AG 45-49!  My stretch goal was to achieve 3000 points but reached 2947 - damn the short month of February ending on a Thursday cuz I have a hellof a weekend planned!

I have tested myself a few times in Bonita Cove between 58 and 60 degree water for 1.2 miles and I have hovered between 40-43 minutes.  this is over a 10 minute improvement in my Oceanside race time! I have been swimming about 4 miles a week and the endurance distance and focus on technique is very apparent.  I have been pushing myself to ride more hills and work on hard short distances as well as long.  I have been persistent in bike/run bricks because I knew this was a weakness last year.  So far my longest brick has been 56/10 and I am happy that the regular brick training has paid off and to-date I have not walked one foot during a run (bathroom breaks don't count!).  On the last day of February I decided to challenge another fear and that is riding up Talbot.  I looked at a map that said it was 14% to 18% grade.  During the first attempt last year, I unclipped half way with fear that I would fall into traffic because I couldn't turn over my legs.   My latter attempts were successful but only with Marcus screaming support the entire route. It has been months since I rode Talbot so I created a route with multiple challenging hills to check improvements.  McClellan was first and felt better than last time. Next was Talbot and I started getting anxious as we approached, just like in Oceanside's hill #1, but I just went with it, never standing, keeping a steady cadence, and to my surprise it was over far quicker than I expected.  I literally could not believe it when we reached the top and I didn't need Marcus screaming at me to keep going!  WOW! what a boost of confidence...I became excited to ride up Cabrillo and then see what I had left for Tidepool hill.  Again, Up we went and yet I stayed seated and felt great all the way up.  I kept thinking about my first Talbot, my first Tidepool hill and had a huge smile at the top because I had just proven to myself that I've worked hard and now it SHOWS!  I'm starting to believe in myself!

My lesson here is that today I proved to myself that my brain can really derail my confidence and when I see a hill, my innervoice tells me I can't do it so therefore I really make it much harder than necessary.  My superstar Ironwoman friend at Moment Cycles - Rachel - told me after the ride that Pacifica is WAY harder than the 1st Oceanside hill.  After today, I think I actually believe her. I've proven to myself that the hills I thought were too hard were actually doable now. No Doubt -  Pacifica is HARD but I can ride up it without stopping although it takes all I have to give.  Now I think I have built up the hill at Oceanside into something it just isn't.  Today, I know I will do my best and I will tackle that Oceanside 1st hill like any other hill and I will not stop because I now believe I have trained well and I know I will be happily surprised at the outcome.  I'm finally looking forward to the backside of Camp P during Oceanside!

10 mile run around Mission Bay/Sail Bay in the winter!

we are BOTH dead tired!

February mileage:
Total Swim Miles 27,637 YDs = 15.7 miles ; AVG Wk 6432 yds = 3.7 miles
Total Bike Miles 352.7 ; AVG wk 91.67 mi
Total Run Miles 114.5 ; AVG wk 25.5 mi

Avg Weekly Hours 14.43 hours
Total Duration 58:29 hours
Total Distance 483 miles

January 2013 Lessons Learned

Hello 2013! I hope this is a great year! I have some super big goals to reach along with foot surgery!

We started the new year with putting our rental property on the market Jan 4 and hoping for the best since interest rates are low as are home inventory levels and over the weekend we received 4 offers! They bid against each other and the final winner was 6k over list and paid cash!  Our escrow closed in 13 days and we are finally no longer slumlords!  Lesson learned...buy rental property in a neighborhood that you would also live in or you will have neighborhood problems that you cannot control.  By the way, the eviction process finally closed on Jan 9 so it took over two months so we were fortunate the tenant signed a transfer of possession Dec 5 or we would not have been able to repair the home all through December.  I'm so glad that nightmare is over. It was a huge distraction!


So on to a happier note... RUBY!!!! oh my how the little boston terrier has stolen our hearts! She is a firecracker with lightning speed and precious eyes that melt our souls.  She is our little bat girl with perfect ears! It took Caramello 2 weeks to stop pouting while Ruby relentlessly demanded her attention. They are playing better together and Ruby doubled in size by 11 weeks. Recently Birdie, the skinny cat, has also accepted her.  They are a sweet trio usually, however, Ruby has some very sharp teeth and gets slapped and pinned regularly!

We started our race season with the inaugural New Year's Race in Los Angeles.  This was our first night race which began at 9pm.  I wondered how LA allowed road closure in downtown LA without a major traffic problem but it was soon apparent. We ran 4 miles mostly in the closed dark fashion district to Dodgers Stadium and then ran 5 miles in circles and switchbacks in the stadium parking lot and then returned the same 4 miles back to the start!  It was horrible and monotonous ... AND HILLY in the parking lot!  I had to continually remind myself about the gorgeous bling and hoody sweatshirt to keep my spirits up. Definitely not a race to repeat.

Next race is Disneyland's Tinkerbell Half in costume on Jan 20!  We decided to use our theme park tickets another time in 2013 because the 49er game was on Saturday.  We were actually grateful the run started at 5am!  This horribly early start time allowed us to drive home before kickoff!

There were many Tinkerbells but only a few Peter Pans so Marcus was a superstar during the run!  As usual for Disney races, we took loads of pictures and just enjoyed the scenery without pushing for time. I have such respect for all the BQ runners where speed is #1 but I love that we have different goals for each run. It makes it fun with wonderful memories. I don't like that we ran for 2 hours in the dark but I understand the park still opens on time and the start and finish are in the park. It's just the pictures are not always that great in the dark.

We saw many 49er Fans along the way making the hype for the afternoon game even better!

The finishline was fun and the medals and long-sleeved shirts were beautiful as expected!  Love that Tinkerbell spins in the middle of the wings! If life allows us, we plan to attend Walt Disney World in November for the Wine and Dine Half at night with a super adult finishline party.  We would also earn our Coast to Coast Challenge medal as well! I hope to earn my favorite shirt that said: Castle to Castle 2462 miles!

So after a quick breakfast after the finish, we drove to San Diego to pray for the 49er win. It was so stressful to watch the first half of annihilation but as we all know, the 49ers are a 2nd half team!  Marcus was invited to attend the superbowl in New Orleans before ever thinking his team would be there too!  When the 49ers pulled ahead...the boys screamed like they were on fire! Guess I will be running Surf City on Feb 3 without Marcus!  That's ok... it's a dream come true for him! I look forward to running at Huntington Beach with about 15,000 other 49er fans and Ryan and Aliyah! I will be earning my Beach Cities Challenge medal for completing the 3 consectutive Beach Half marathons. The medal is gorgeous and weighs 1/2 pound!!! So unfortunate that Marcus misses out. :(

The USAT National Club Challenge continues through February and has helped keep me motiviated to work hard for my Oceanside Half Ironman. I think my goal to improve by 45 minutes is possible now.  I continue to stay in the top 10 of 175 in my age group! Since I am not a full Ironman, I'm happy to stay in the top 10 since I'm generally slower than others. The weather is finally improving now so February, I will return to outdoor swimming although still very cold at 55 to 58 degrees!

January mileage:
Total Swim Miles 29,325 YDs = 16.7 miles ; AVG Wk 6305 yds = 3.9 miles
Total Bike Miles 481.5 ; AVG wk 98.30 mi
Total Run Miles 105 ; AVG wk 21 mi

Avg Weekly Hours 13.19 hours
Total Duration 64:36 hours
Total Distance 601.41 miles

December Lessons

December's goal was straight training...no tapers... no races... JUST DO IT.  USAT's National Challenge Competition NCC really motivated me because "time" was eliminated in this competition.  I definitely put in the miles so I thought I really had a chance to kick some ass, even if slowly ! hahaha just so happens that Women's 45-49 AG is fiercely competitive and it is taking all my strength to stay in the top 10 but I am hanging in there, so that's my goal instead of a podium finish at the end of February! All month I worked on cadence and steady pace and thinking about technique.  I'm starting to see an improvement in my time now at the end of December.  For example, I swam in 58 degree water for 1.2 miles to mimic Oceanside conditions and finished in 40:23 which is 13 minutes faster than last year! I almost doubled my monthly mileage compared to November by breaking over 700 miles total distance! Although I really love the motivation initiated by NCC, I'm really looking forward to my next race January 5!

Total Swim Miles 40267 YDs = 22.88 miles ; AVG Wk 9235 yds = 5.25 miles
Total Bike Miles 581.67 ; AVG wk 124.40 mi
Total Run Miles 102.42 ; AVG wk 21.06 mi
Avg Weekly Hours 16.34 hours
Total Duration 75:30 hours
Total Distance 706.96 miles

I did have a major interruption this month so I'm glad I didn't have any races.  I had to learn to juggle constant interruptions around my training. We survived an eviction process at our rental property.  It was the worst experience ever in the 12 yrs we have owned the property. We learned the SD courts could care less about the landlord and the tenants have all the rights to live in your home for as long as possible.  It is absurd how paperwork can take weeks and get screwed up.  We were very lucky in that while the wife was in jail overnight, the husband helped me move them out of the house into portable storage units.  It took me all night until 4:30am and Marcus was out of state but it worked, because he signed a transfer of possession and I changed the locks immediately in the morning.  I've spent the 2nd half of December working with contractors to repair the property and finally as of today, it is ready for sale and looks amazing...Let's hope we have a little luck and it sells fast.  It will go on the market Jan 4 and I hope this chapter closes very soon!

My second interruption although quite a different experience is our new red/white Boston Terrier, Ruby. We have 2 cats and 1 dog who are not very happy with the 5 lb bundle of energy.  Ruby arrived Dec 24 and has stolen all our hearts immediately.  The adult kids are home so the entire family is raising and training this little new born pup.  She is very smart, already fetching and returning balls, and is very attentive and self-entertaining.  She terrorizes Caramello who is 8 yrs old but we hope in time they will become friends and soon Caramello will return to an active lifestyle rather than just a furry rug since his brother passed away almost 2 yrs ago. Hopefully Ruby will become my running partner but for now, walking with Caramello is the current work-in-progress!



Big Dogs Don't BONK! Lovin' the Hammergel package!

I like being a furry rug! WHY ME???

Seriously... leave me alone Squirt!

OMG now we have to WALK together too??

Ruby Red is our little gem!

So, I trained hard in December and hope 2013 will show it as I jump into a new age group division 50-54s on Jan 1, 2013! YIPEEEE! Those 45+ women are amazing, competititive, and exhausting to keep up with!

November 2nd Half Lessons Learned

My journey to Earth moon status in the Half Fanatics running club continued in November.  After completing 3 halfs in 8 days in Santa Barbara, Malibu and Fountain Valley, I had a short week to recover and fit in tri training per my 70.3 schedule for week 2.

I was able to squeeze in 42 out of the required 50 easy bike miles over 3 days but not a swim.  I decided I usually swim double the distance required on a weekly basis so taking a week off wasn't going to matter much and I could make it up next week for recovery. I decided not to run at all after Fountain Valley until the triple halfs.  It worked well because I could tell my legs were fresh as soon as I started to run on Turkey Day 1.  I took my usual Sport Legs dosage to help manage lactic acid during each race and prepared my post race Recoverite drink for immediate protein for muscle repair. I wore my CW-X compression tights every day and wore calf compressions otherwise.

The Run Turkey Run triple event was in Carmichael, CA near Sacramento along the American River.  I had no idea how beautiful this area was and the colors were just gorgeous!  I ate pasta instead of turkey on Thanksgiving and Day 1 was a super success without any GI issues!  My legs felt fresh and loved my CW-X compression tights.  I took an icebath soon after the run to prepare for the next day. Race #4 was a complete success! Running 13.5 miles didn't bother me at all. I stayed with the 10 minute run/ 1 minute walk rhythm sporatically because I kept missing the alarm to walk and I felt really good too.

On Day 2, race #5, we ran the opposite direction along the American River.  It was a little more hilly but not as colorfully scenic.  I soon felt a lot of tightness in my lower back about midway through the run.  I usually use the jacuzzi before bed but our hotel didn't have one. I didn't realize how much this helped me relax.  I learned about leg drains after a long run to freshen the blood flow and it helped my back to lay flat on the ground immediately after the run.  However, I was thankful the race director gave me her room key to use her hotel's jacuzzi after Day 2.  I used a heating pad throughout the night to continue relaxing my back muscles as well.  Never again will I assume the hotel has a jacuzzi! So glad I brought all my "after run" gadgets for "just in case" scenarios.

 

 



leg drain for fresh blood flow!

Day 3, race #6, went much better than I expected.  My back had loosened up and Marcus joined me on my last half marathon. I stayed with the 10 minute run, 1 minute walk plan pretty close this time because I was definitely feeling extra weight in my legs. I recognized that I really enjoy running in cool weather because I can focus on the journey and the environment.  Overheating really takes the joy out of running for me and I don't see much of the journey when I'm cranky or pushing for speed so honestly I can't see myself racing in the Vineman series with the 90 degree heat during the run portion. My son joined our run with about 3 miles remaining and we arrived at the finishline to see 7 of Marcus's family members there to greet us! It was a great way to finish my journey to Earth status! On the way home, we were excited to see wild Turkey crossing the street! 

In total, I ran 40.37 miles in three days and 39.91 in the previous 8 days for a total of  80.28 miles during 6 halfs in 16 days.  I am happy that my brain has accepted that I really could run a full marathon again and survive without too much pain.  I just had such a bad experience running my first full marathon in 2011 that I needed something special to get me through that barrier and running 3 halfs in 3 days cured me! I also think finding the Galloway run/walk pattern that fits you best can really help recovery.

 

 

I think I've crossed over the 26.2 barrier now... thinking a full marathon is in the near future again.



Santa Barbara, Malibu, Fishbowl, RunTurkeyRun day 1, day 2, day 3

November Lessons Learned First Half

November is all about running for me.  It's about pushing my mental and physical limits and fighting for something that seems possible and yet not all that common. I have great respect for marathon runners and the ultra marathoners are more like aliens to me but it's all relative. I read a quote that made a lot of sense: " you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with"...so triathletes train for 4-5 different levels. Runners train for 4-5 levels.  It's that 5th level that seems so extreme to the outsider but yet so common to those that have completed the 4th level so often.  I think we athletes seek the next level of challenge to be "not so average".  My challenge is to run 6 halfs in 16 days - one double, one single, one triple half marathon race. This will get me to Earth, my 6th moon level, with the Half Fanatics.  There are 3000+ in the club and once past the 5th level, 6-10th gets to be pretty tough to achieve.  When I do achieve my goal, and others look at me like I'm nuts, of course I will just say... but what about those at level 7-10? what about the Marathon Maniacs that can run 6 FULL marathons in 16 days?  What about the Ultra Marathon runners 50+ miles per race?  There's always another level of achievement, but for me, I think this goal is about all my left foot can endure until surgery.  I will have to be careful not to injure myself and not push too hard because this is about the preparation, the journey, the finish, and not the PR. 

I look forward to wearing 6 medals + an extra for completing the triple. I am dedicating my goal/achievement to Sharon Chaix who is the strongest woman I know, and has been training by my side with breast cancer. I will wear a pink ribbon with her name so she will be with me every step of the way. When I feel weak, Sharon will be close to my heart pulling me forward as usual. I hope we both get to the end of this "race" with a clean bill of health and a big smile on our face! But first, I will start the month off with the last TCSD triclub race for 2012.

Nov 3: Fiesta Island Club Sprint Triathlon
All I can say is WOW thank you for the gorgeous weather!  and so sorry for the East coast : (  I PR.'d on all 3 legs of the race so my training was very apparent today.  I pushed as hard as I could especially on the bike but just couldn't hold 21mph for 12.5 miles.  I did hold it for at least 5 though so my average ended at 20.6.  My swim was 5 minutes faster than in October.  My run was steady 9:35 pace for 4 miles and I generally hover around 10 min/pace.  The temps were just amazing. My Sprint PR 1:32 (.42 mi swim/12.5 mi bike/4 mile run). Maybe I can break 1:30 next time!

In preparation for Oceanside 70.3, I have scheduled one monthly brick(bike/run) challenge on the actual course.  Today was the 2nd brick with a 40mi bike & 6.5 mi run.  My goal is to increase the bike 5 miles and the run 1 mile each month up to March where the final brick will be 60/10. I will do my very best to run the entire run distance after the bike, even if it's a slow jog.  the brick portion of the race was definitely a weakness in my training last year so this is most important. Bricks are exhausting, time consuming, and they tend to hurt near the end so I've thrown in an extra hill to run up at the very end. Today was a complete success even though the legs were definitely showing resistance after the Sprint event the day before. 

 

Now looking forward to my 6 halfs with light runs, no bricks, and rest in between Nov 10 - 25. 

 

Nov 10 Santa Barbara Half  #1/6

The best part of the race was the emphasis on Veteran's Day.  All military wore special red shirts and the were two flyovers during the run and the final mile was lined in American Flags.  Volunteers passed out handheld small flags to all the runners to carry along the final mile.  It was a beautiful run with lots of spectators and energy. The one hill was barely a blip to me and I also decided to practice Galloway's run/walk method to help quicken my recovery.  I decided to run 10 minutes and walk 1 minute right from the start.  It worked well and I took an ice bath to prepare my legs for the next day's run.

 

Nov 11 Malibu Half #2/6

This race was a bit unorganized. The expo was out of the way and just a bib pickup.  Our shuttle from the hotel to the starting line got us to the race late but they all waited for us. The half was much hillier than I expected.  I knew there were 3 significant hills but didn't count on the many rollers down the Pacific Coast Hwy.  I ran this race 6 minutes slower than SB but my thighs were trashed.  I loved that we received a Malibu beach towel instead of a tshirt at the finishline. This race is all coastline and very scenic.  The beautiful distractions really helped the pain I was feeling.  Took another icebath after this race but it took a few days to recover anyway with some minor shin splints so luckily the remaining 4 halfs are relatively flat.

 

Nov 17 Fishbowl Half - Fountain Valley #3/6

This was a very small race for Caring SHOS charity supporting homeless and low income kids trying to live and stay in school.  I loved the cause and happily donated extra funds to support their mission.  We ran in Mile Square Regional Park.  It was 3 loops that passed quickly.  The park was well groomed with ponds and ducks and beautiful greens. My run was actually 13.5 miles and I felt pretty good.  At least the shin splints were gone so the pain was minimal but we still kept the 10/1 cadence.

 

Nov 18 - Volunteer for IronMan Arizona

We drove from Fountain Valley about 2 hours after the Fishbowl Half to Tempe Town Lake, AZ which took 6 hours.  It's tough sitting after running 13 miles but we arrived at a gorgeous Marriott Resort and went straight to the jacuzzi!  My IT bands were pretty tight after the drive and this really helped a lot. I had a few goals for IMAZ which were to view each leg personally and visualize myself in this race next year.  Volunteering for a shift during IMAZ gets you an advanced opportunity to buy a $675 entry for the following year.  It's about the only way to gain entry since it sells out to the general public in less than 10 minutes. 

 

We awoke early to watch the racers prepare for their 2.4 mile swim in Tempe Town Lake. I can't even describe the energy in the area but it was raw and exciting! there are two bridges the swimmers passed under twice so it gave a perfect view of the 2500 in the mass start. I did believe it wasn't as scary as I had thought.  Yes 2500 swimmers at once is scary but I did see space and some start near the back and others on the sideline.  I am so thankful for my experience with TikiSwim which has now helped me become a confident long distance swimmer.  Before September, I wasn't sure, but now I know I can handle this swim.  It also averages 64 degrees and my experience in Palm Springs and Oceanside with water at 55-58 degrees makes Tempe seems like bath water. I recognized at this moment just how important experience in similar situations can really help your brain "believe" anything is possible.  I could definitely visualize myself among this "mass" in my future.

 

 

 As daylight arose with a beautiful sunrise, it was amazing to see the organization of the transition area with color coded bags for gear to support each leg of the race all in numerical order and bikes perfectly aligned awaiting the swimmers.  The racers prepare 6 months to a year just as the ironman directors, coordinators and volunteers to support this massive and complicated event.  The magnitude of effort was so inspiring. 

Although the elite pros arrive about 48 minutes later, the best part is after 2 hours when you see the determination of the weakest give their last drop of energy to arrive before the cut off at 2:20. I will never forget those that ended their day as they arrived too late or those that shook violently from hypothermia and needed a blanket or wheelchair to get to the med tent.  The first late swimmer arrived at 2:20:12 and she fell to the floor in a fetal position when the race director said her day had ended with those extra 12 seconds.  She stared at the timer in shock and cried violently that her efforts were short.  It hurt me enough to know that I never wanted to experience the cut off.  I must BELIEVE in all 3 legs of the race before I signup for IMAZ.

I really couldn't get a good feeling about the bike route.  I knew it was relatively flat but still 112 miles is a long way.  We brought our bikes in case we had enough time on Monday to ride one of the three loops before we left but again the best part was cheering in the last stragglers trying to make the 8:10 course time limit or 10:30 total time swim+bike. I imagined myself in a headwind struggling against mother nature and although today's weather was exceptional, it was the desert and in other years, the weather had been hell on the bike. I watched the clock and yelled for the cyclists to hurry to beat the clock.  I just can't imagine after 2.4 miles of swimming and 112 miles of cycling to arrive seconds after 10:30 to have my timing chip taken from me and be told my day was over...it would crush me... I walked away sad for this cyclist and decided I had some doubt on surviving without considerable pain like my previous 116 mile bike ride.  He was 17 seconds late.

 

I have incredible pain in my neck and shoulders during long bike rides and I'm very insecure in my physical ability to endure the pain AND run a marathon.  OMG "light bulb on" I have only run one marathon and never ran more than 13 miles after just 56 miles of cycling.  I have NO experience with longer distances so how do I know if I can get through it? I could be on a bike for 7 hours and then face a marathon?...wow.

 

So now it's time to watch the runners make 3 loops of 8+ miles each as far as possible in the daylight hours until darkness arrives by 6pm. Darkness means it gets much colder and the crowds thin out.  So I now know that getting through the bike as quickly as possible means there will be more time to run with the crowd's energy and this is magic fuel ... fuel...do I know how to manage nutrition for a 15 - 17 hour day?  wow no way... I have barely dialed it in for my ONE 70.3 race.  I have a lot to learn about nutrition to help me through the longest athletic day of my life.  I recognized quickly the importance of spectators as I screamed a name that I saw on the racer's bib. This personal cheering fed these runners like magic.  They looked like zombies until they heard their name called out in encouragement.  They gently smiled or gave a thumb's up in appreciation and I knew that it was important to be in a large race with a lot of spectators for a full ironman.  I would likely crumble if I didn't have spectator support.  I realized 3 loops might be a little boring but it makes it easier and exciting for spectators so they stay longer.  This is critical for the racer.

 



 

So my head is filled with IMAZ reflections at this point and eventually the day winds down to the 15th hour. This will likely be MY hour in the race or atleast I hope I don't need all 17 hours!  I can't imagine completing it any faster.  So I watch my triclub friends similar to my fitness level nearly throw themselves down the finisher's chute. Most are full of smiles and some are teary-eyed while others are visibly stiff and limping as the crowd goes wild for their amazing accomplishment. There are no words to describe when Mike Reilly announces YOU ARE AN IRONMAN and a family of strangers cheer for you like you are their best friend.  I want that feeling; I want to hear my name too.