Adjusted Reality

Welcome to Part 2.  Part 1 is here.  This is where it gets crazy.  Keep in mind I did SIX races in THREE months, the last THREE in a span of 11 days.

Race #6 – Sweet and Twisted Tri

August 21 – Spicewood, TX – 500m swim, 12 mile bike, 5k run – 1:51:36

After the gladiator games PR, my heel felt worse than ever – so I rested it a bit, got new shoes, and things took a turn for the better.  I built my way from being kind of exhausted just biking 12 miles OR swimming 500 meters to being able to do the full distance (and more) by this time.  I picked this race because it seemed like a good race for a newbie and it was.  I was literally shaking I was so nervous at the start of this race but the small starting waves made me feel pretty comfortable swimming.  Everyone encouraged me on my heavy ass schwinn getting up the hills (as they passed).  They handed out cold towels halfway through the run, and mimosas after.  It was a great experience – I’m not sure I’ll be doing this race again next year, but it’s only because Zliten and I are going to do a tri together – and this one is girls only.

Race #7 – Casa Superhero 5k

September 21 – Austin, TX – 5k run – 27:51

This was a race that was sponsored by work – which is the only reason I decided to do it.  A free 5k?  Of course I’m there.  However, at this point of my training, I was in no condition to PR.  Or even get close.  In fact, I had thought I was going to just jog it with some of the people at work, especially because I had done a particularly hard workout the day before, but when I heard the race starting, I went for it.  I came in with my worst 5k time ever, but hey, I ran in costume!  And work donated money for kids!  One of our coworkers came in top 10 overall, one I didn’t even know ran beat me (but just barely), and Zliten ran with someone who was doing their first race and they came in around 40 minutes.  I’d consider doing this again next year – it was 3 miles from the house!

Race #8 – TX Tri

October 3 – Canyon Lake, TX – 1500m swim, 26.2 mile ride, 5.9 mile run – 4:04:36

Well, this was the one for all the marbles.  Since I decided to ditch my marathon goal for the year, I wanted to find something worthy of taking that place.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I was super proud of completing my first sprint tri, but it didn’t feel like that big of a challenge.  I had more in me.  So I endured the crazy long workouts (biking 25 miles and running 10k? that’s just what I do before I get on a plane on Saturday, heh) and got to the starting line of this feeling fairly confident (at least, once they lifted the 10:30 am curfew for being off the bike course).  I rocked the swim (just that week I finally figured out freestyle).  I struggled through the hellish bike hills, even had to get off and walk a few times (I wasn’t the only one), redeemed myself on the run (minus a few walk breaks – the bike just about killed me) but completed the HARD course only 4 minutes slower than my goal.  And, being that there was only 3 athenas registered… I got a sweet 3rd place medal!  I may not do this one again, but I think there will definitely be another olympic tri in my future next year.  After a LOT more bike training.

Race #9 –Rock and Roll San Antonio Half Marathon

November 14 – San Antonio, TX – 13.1 mile run – 2:08:08

After wanting revenge on the half I completed 10 months (to the day) before this, I decided I would try again in the fall.  I figured, even though I had 6 weeks in between the tri and the half, I would have enough endurance that I wouldn’t need a full 12 weeks.  However, I totally forgot that I would be totally wasted the week after the tri and need 2 weeks to taper, so I was left with 3 weeks to train.  Also, I was just BEAT mentally and really regretted signing up.   I just wanted to rest.  I powered through, and finally by the last week, I made the transition from just endurance slogging through miles to endurance with some “get up and go”.  I’m really glad I did it because it was a great experience, and a significant PR.  I ran strong the first 10 miles, and though I slowed the last 5k, it seems reasonable to learn how to train myself through that (rather than the last two, where I fell apart the last HALF of the race).  I would consider doing this race again.  It wasn’t the prettiest course, but it was fast, fairly flat, full of supporters and aide, and face it, San Antonio is close.

Race #10 – Warrior Dash (2)

November 20 – Cedar Creek, TX – 3.2 mile adventure/mud run – 45:51

The warrior dash was so popular outside Dallas, they decided to have one near Austin.  We had so much fun at the first one, we decided to do this one as well.  It was 6 days after my half so I had no expectations.  Zliten and I were in various throes of sickness (he getting over it, me just getting it), so we took it super slow.  We walked whenever we felt like, ran when we could, took it easy over the obstacles, and just enjoyed the race.  Just like before, after we got our medals, we got some beer and cheered people on at the finish line.  Grand fun.  Zliten said we will for sure be doing one of these next year, and believe me, not complaining!

Race #11 – Thundercloud Turkey Trot

November 25 – Austin, TX – 4.54 mile run – 42:55

I was full on sick from the time I woke up Sunday after the WD until I woke up this Thursday morning, but thankfully my nose had unstuffed, my throat was blessedly no longer sore, and had no chest component to this cold, so I felt GREAT.  It was like 75 and humid that morning, so I didn’t have to worry about catching a chill.  However – I definitely felt that my lungs were the limiting factor, not my legs like normal.  I ran mile 1 and 2 hard, but had to slow down in the middle to what felt like about 10 min/miles (I let Zliten have custody of zee Garmin for that race).  I was STOKED when I crossed the finish with what looked like a HUGE PR, but then later I found out the race course was short.  Like almost half a mile short.  The police had directed us the wrong way!  I ran a respectable time for my third race in 11 days and getting over a cold with 9:27 min/mile pace, but I was really hoping to come in under 9 minute miles.  Oh well.  Next year.  Zliten thinks that we’ll make this one a tradition.  He finished this as his longest race ever with a time of 53:57!  Woohoo!

It was a heck of a year.  Right about the time I finished the first race in February, I got my (unofficial, then official a few months later) promotion.  I worked more, and work took a lot more out of me mentally and physically, so it was definitely more of a challenge to put what I did into training this year, but I don’t regret a minute of it.  I got faster, and also got much more comfortable with distance running/endurance events.  I tried a lot of new things (adventure races, duathlon, triathlons) that maybe I wasn’t immediately amazing at (read: sucked at), but I had a hell of a lot of fun training for and completing.  I feel much more comfortable identifying myself as a runner, an athlete, and not want to giggle or say just kidding or sorta after.  Athletes do 11 races in a year.  Athletes do 2 triathlons and a half marathon in 3 months.  Just because I don’t have 10% body fat or run 6 minute miles doesn’t mean anything!

And now I sit in the afterglow.  I’m already exploring my options for things to do next year.  I want to do a 15k or 10 miler since I’ve never raced that distance.  I definitely want to do a sprint tri (with Zliten!!!) and an olympic tri.  I want to do a destination race (Hawaii? San Diego?  Seattle?) somewhere.  I want to find a great, fast, flat 5k and 10k I can open up and burn rubber.  Exploring what sort of bike races are out there.  Maybe even my epic feat next year is that back to back half marathon Saturday/camp overnight/duathalon Sunday.

In the short term though?  December is for rest and recovery.  Sane workouts.  Lots of short, HIIT (high intensity interval training) cardio sessions.  The return of yoga.  Showing Zliten the ropes of (and getting back into) strength training and weights.  No serious race training until spring.  Getting outside to run and bike on nice days because it sounds like fun.

This week started the next chapter of my adventure, which I will discuss at length, to your dismay I’m sure, in my next post.  Stay tuned.

It’s been a hell of a year.  Now that I’ve had 24 hours to recover after my last race of the year, it’s time to look back over what I’ve accomplished in 2010 – and thinking about it is overwhelming.  Did I really do all this in the last 10 months?  No wonder I’m ready for a break.

Race #1 – Austin Half Marathon

Febrauary 14th – Austin TX – 13.1 miles – 2:19:36

The year didn’t start out that great.  I trained my little heart out for this race, and ended up getting really sick that week.  I was able to get through it, but it was 19 minutes longer than I was hoping for – it wasn’t even a PR.  However, I’m pretty proud of the fact that I was able to finish the race, and really push myself through the sickness and the incredibly hilly course even though the result of pushing myself wasn’t what I would have liked.  At first, I told myself I did great considering, but after, I started feeling a little bitter about it and wanted revenge.  While I didn’t get back to training for anything for a while, I did return to running much quicker than the last half, which made me happy.  I’m not sure I’d do this again.  The course was seriously brutal, it was expensive, and the finish line was a cluster, and this is one of my really vulnerable to sickness times of year.  But it is… close.  No traveling.  So I’d never say never.

Race #2 – Urban Dare

March 6th – Austin, TX – Scavenger Hunt – 3:59

This was just a lot of fun.  For my birthday I decided I wanted to do something different, and signed us up for a scavenger hunt all around downtown Austin.  We walked the whole thing (minus the last bit since we were afraid we’d get DQ’d because we took too long), but it was an awesome afternoon trying to solve riddles and trekking over 9 miles around the city.  I would definitely do this one again (or something like it).  They have one by bike that sounds like a blast too!

Race #3 – Du Loop

April 3 – Flatonia, TX – 5k run, 8 mile bike, 1 mile run – 1:18:45

This race was actually at a friend of our neighbor’s property.  There were only about 30 people, it was totally unofficial, I only had a WEEK to train, but it was my first race with a bike.  I was hooked.  I loved the training, I loved the challenge of two disciplines, and it was both awesome and humbling to get SPANKED by almost everyone there.  Including people over twice my age.  And then sitting around a campfire toasting marshmallows and listening to stories of ultra marathons.

Race #4 – Warrior Dash

May 2 – Forney, TX – 3.5 mile mud/obstacle run – 43:35

Was it the craziest frickin’ day of my life like the race advertised?  Maybe not, but it was a HELL of a lot of fun.  We ran the course together, through each wall climb, mud slide, muddy creek run, and of course, the leap over the fire.  Did we go fast?  Nah.  But we had a blast.  Then, we set up camp all afternoon with some beer and watched people go over the fire.  It was my first race experience where I didn’t just want to die after and really enjoyed the festivities and enjoyed being a spectator.  I would (and did) do this race again.

Race #5 – Gladiator Games 5k

May 21 – Austin, TX – 5k – 25:10

I had no hopes for this one – but I ended up being very glad I did.  I hadn’t been running that much lately because my heels were hurting, but it was a free 5k so we decided to come out and give it a go, even though we were debating not doing it even as early as that morning.  I still will never know if it was a short course, but I do know I ran it hard, and anything’s possible.  Zliten also ran it hard (he had been training) and got his best time ever – 32:16.  I went directly from this race, cooled down a bit, and then got in line for the obstacle course.  I was doing great until the monkey bars…damn my lack of grip strength!  I still am pretty amazed at my time – and will feel much better one day when I duplicate this (and hopefully smash the time) at an official type race.

This wraps up the first half of the year.  What happened in the second half?  Stay tuned for the next post…

Since it’s a short week, gonna count it as the “Wednesday” of my week so I can get the clever alliteration.  These bad boys are from the Warrior Dash this weekend.  Roar!

More soon.  I still am collecting my thoughts about what’s next and collecting a righteous festivus worthy airing of grievances… but for now, I’ll be thanking turkeys with family and friends all weekend.  Have a happy t-day!

So here’s the long version, Part 1.

Pre-race:

The expo was really, really well handled.  It could have been a cluster, but I got my packet, shirt, and goodie bag within 15 mins.  Finding my way OUT of the expo?  That was harder but I managed.

Then, we did a whirlwind check in to the hotel and then drove up to an Italian restaurant to meet up with Tricia, and some other new friends (Dawn, Crystal, and Adam, who I am looking forward to checking out their blogs).  Pic stolen from Tricia.

The food was pretty good, and most importantly COMPLETELY non-offensive to my tummy, and the company was good.  I mean, I felt sorta outclassed at first (being that I was the ONLY half-marathoner in a group of marathon mamas), but I got a nice boost when we started talking about the game I work on and we are asked for pictures by their kids?  Yeah, felt better, hehe.  It was really great meeting everyone!  By the time we left, there was a HUGE line.  I never would have thought about making reservations, and also about eating so early, but it worked out SO WELL.  Thanks again to Tricia for getting us all together!  After, we went back to the hotel and set out everything for tomorrow, watched TV, drank my “go to sleep” mellow drink thing, and settled in…

…for the WORST NIGHT OF SLEEP EVER.  Seriously.  The bed wasn’t horrible but it wasn’t great, the hotel walls were paper thin and we faced the street so we heard EVERY CAR passing, and all the people outside partying.  Bleh.  I slept MAYBE 4 hours total.

Race Day:

Considering I wasn’t really asleep, 5:30am wasn’t that big of a deal.  I ate my protein bar and tried to get everything outta me that didn’t need to be there, but my intestines were not having it.  I got dressed, ended up being warm enough just to don the light jacket, and not need the gloves, headband, or fleece I brought, nommed a bit of cereal from the continental breakfast, and headed over.

It was GREAT staying about 1 mile from the start line.  The walk was a great warm up and it was refreshing not to have to deal with the driving/parking/shuttle situation which sounded craaaaazy.  We got to the corral 30 mins before race start and I thought about trying to use the bathroom (my tummy was even a little grumbly), but the HUGE LONG LINES made me just suck it up and get ready for the race instead.  I downed my half a redbull shot and then started to dance and jump around with nervous/excited energy.

The race start was actually really well done – lots of good peppy music, and the wave start made it so not everyone was running at the start all at once.  I even started to feel a little emotional – not sure why.  Maybe it was so many people around being all excited to race, maybe it was the whole reality of getting to race day healthy, injury free, rested, and with an actual chance to PR this time, maybe it was just close to TOM – but I just felt so… good.  And ready.  And freaking PUMPED (just in time, right?).

The Race:

It’s all sort of a jumble from here.  My mind sort of shut off and got into a rhythm.  I obsessively garmin-watched the first half mile just to make sure my pace was right on, but then I resolved to only look a few times each mile.  While the other long runs, I was having trouble keeping my pace faster than 10 min miles – for this one I occasionally caught myself in the 8s and forced myself to slow down.  This was even fighting some major traffic as I was going way faster than my pace group.

The course had some up and downs but nothing major, and the miles flew by.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5… I know I passed the alamo somewhere but I don’t remember it.   At 5 miles I grabbed my caffeine beans and ate them over the next miles on downhill stretches.   Around mile 6 I realize how WELL I was doing (I think I was at about a 56 minute 10k) and how well I was FEELING and got very excited, but knew that the toughest part of the race for me was ahead.  But I didn’t hit any snags.  7 and 8 were just as easy.  I was right around a 9:10 pace – which is what I needed to run a sub-2 hour half.  Sure, I had a few aches and pains here and there, but nothing was really registering.

Somewhere in mile 8 I realized that if I ran the 5 miler of my life, I could have a really good shot at coming close to that sub-2 hour race.  I figured I took the first half a little *too* easy to actually 1:59 anything, but 2:02 or 2:03 wasn’t looking out of the question.  So I dug in, turned my focus from the cheering crowd to a spot about 3 feet in front of me to really get in the zone and try to stick around 8:30-9 min miles, and it worked.  For a while.

It was just a little too fast for me, so after about a mile of that I slipped back to 9-9:30.  Then we had a hill around mile 10 and it was closer to 9:30-10 in patches, but who’s to complain – that’s still WAY ahead of my goal pace.  I had ran the 10 miler of my LIFE, at an average of around 9:30 miles.  I just couldn’t keep it up the last 5k.  Then mile 11 hit.

I just couldn’t keep it up.  Mile 11 sucked.  I haven’t analyzed the garmin results yet, but I’m thinking 10:30 pace, best case.  I never stopped running, but it was not the mile 11 I wanted.  I lost a little bit of the jovial attitude and that mile was definitely the longest one of the race.  In my head, I just wanted it to be mile 12.  Mile 12 would be better.  Mile 12 was the last full mile.  It would all be alright if the GORRAM FUCKING GARMIN would just tick over to 12.

And finally it did.  I decided to play the music game.  I was going to run as freaking hard as I could, screw the pace, and check my garmin ONLY after each song.  Basically, the treadmill game for intervals and tempos.  It worked, I would be surprised if I was much over 10 min pace for that mile, if not still under.  Then, the first BIG HILL of the race.  At about mile 12.8, right to the finish.  Yeah, I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry either.

I knew the finish was around the corner so I powered up it, and sprinted as fast as I could across the finish line, and had another one of those “shuffle shuffle shuffle” finishes (though it was much less of a cluster than the Austin one – only took a few minutes).  I got my medal, then got a recovery drink, and then grabbed some random food and found the family meetup area – and no Zliten yet.  Sat down, stretched out, and waited a bit.  The exhaustion and owie started to fade and I started to get really jazzed about my time.

He finally found me, apparently he hadn’t been able to catch me ONCE besides the start and it took him 20 mins to get through to the reunion center.  One downside to big races – much different than us even being able to chat through each transition on the last tri with 300 people.  I ate some fruit, and got up and we pushed our way back through the cluster which was the exit.  We walked the mile or so back to the hotel, which was awesome to have to do because it’s really bad to just STOP after a race, but it is ALL YOU WANT TO DO WITH EVERY FIBER OF YOUR BEING.

We showered, packed up, ate a post race meal of Fuddruckers (what can I say, it was what I was craving) and then came home to drink champagne!  And apparently got really tipsy and spend 300 bucks on flying lessons, but that’s another post for another day.

All in all – THRILLED.  Great race.  PR by more than 8 minutes on 3 weeks of training post tri/pre taper?  I’ll take it!

Part 2 will include an early festivus airing of my race grievances, and I’ll post my “what’s next” thoughts.  Coming soon.

The first half was too hot.  And my first.  And almost a trail race, which I wasn’t ready for and really sorta hurt myself.  I started to slow after the 10k.  My porridge was 2:16:18

The second half was too cold.  And I was sick.  And OMFG the hills.  I started to slow after mile 7 and even had to walk a few times.  My porridge was 2:19:36

The third half was just right.  I was healthy and rested.  Couldn’t have asked for more perfect weather.  Comparably flat (mostly).  I made it through mile 10 without any issue, slowed for mile 11, and picked it back up for the last mile.  My porrige was a kick ass PR of 2:08:08.

Those bears got nothin’ on me.

More later, I have champagne to enjoy.

p.s. Love my Zliten for being my most awesome athletic supporter (hehe).