Tri Training and the Tri Clinic

At my marathon last year, I ran a few miles with a fella and we talked about our dream races. I brought up that I had a five year goal of participating in a half-Ironman (70.3 miles), and he let out that he had just finished his first half-Ironman the previous spring. Talking about his experiences made me want to swim/bike/run one even more. At the time, I hadn't ridden a bike since I was about 8 and the only swimming I had done was doggy paddling with the kids. I did do an indoor triathlon in early 2012, but I did no real training for it and felt like I "winged it" rather than aced it. His advice to me was to stop thinking about it too much and just go for it. He said to sign up for a half-Ironman and the pressure of signing up for it would push me to train for it. I was not quite as ambitious as that, but I did look up triathlon races around Dallas later that day as I lay recovering from my first 26.2 run.

I raced in the McKinney Salty Dog Triathlon in June 2013, with very little training. I had swam a handful of times, and the longest bike ride I had done prior to the race was a 10 mile ride with friends the Monday before the Sunday race (and the longest before that had been about 5 miles....eek!). I was woefully undertrained, but still finished with a time of 2 hours, 12 minutes. My goal had been to finish in under 2.5 hours. And did I mention that I did the bike portion on a mountain bike?? And that there were "rollers" (which felt like freaking mountains on my mountain bike!).

Immediately following the triathlon, my running group ladies (who had cheered me on at the race) and I went out to breakfast at Spoons. It was there, eating a pimento cheese sandwich with bacon and jalepenos (seriously, it's delicious!!), that a group of us ladies decided to do our next triathlon. Seriously, I have a problem with signing up for races immediately following other races! So, on September 14 I will be competing in the Cooper Institute Fall Sprint Tri.

With September being only a few short months away, I decided to up my game a little with the tri training. One of my friends found a bike group that meets on Sundays for 18-25 mile rides. They let me borrow a bike so that I can test ride bikes and find one that suits my needs and I have been enjoying the comfort of a road bike. I'm seriously praying that by some miracle, I can afford one before race day. Doing another tri on a mountain bike will not be fun. It's seriously a lot harder! My other friend has offered to teach me swimming technique, and we've been able to get one lesson in so far. I've done a little training on my own, but still not as much as I'd like. This is all going on, of course, while I am at the beginning of my marathon training. Because that's how I roll :)

My friend Shannon discovered a triathlon training group called Tri Daily (the DFW Tri Club). Yesterday they had a triathlon clinic with workshops on running, biking, and swimming. All of which were free of charge and included childcare (which is awesome because Derek had to work). We went to the biking and running portion, and they totally worked us over!

The biking portion took place in the LA Fitness spin classroom. They talked about drills that you could do on the bike (one legged biking is the only one I can remember) and techniques for riding efficiently (feet parallel to the ground) and how to climb/come out of the saddle. I have a hard time with coming out of the saddle because I have very weak core muscles. I've been doing the 30 Day Shred DVD again two - three times a week, but I still feel pretty wimpy - especially trying to come out of the saddle on a road bike that weebly wobbly from my lack of being able to control it while I'm out of the saddle.

The run clinic focused on getting you to run on the ball of your feet rather than your heel. I know that I am a heel striker in running and walking. I have tried to correct this problem by trying to remind myself of correct form and aiming for more fore-foot strikes, but retraining yourself to run correctly is a hard task. And it hurts! By landing on your fore-foot rather than your heel, and pushing off more efficiently, you use a different set of muscles. Those muscles are often undertrained due to your continued improper form, and it can be a little painful/irritating at first while you relearn to run with the correct technique. The drills to help you accomplish a fore-foot strike, though, made all of us in attendance feel a little silly. The way that they had us running almost looked a little prance-y. Okay, we all kind of looked like tinkerbells :) Or at least felt like it! But after the drills, they had us run a few laps around the parking lot, and really I could tell a difference when I focused on the way my foot was hitting the ground.

Overall, the Tri Daily Tri Clinic was really enlightening. And it opened my eyes to the wide variety of people participating in triathlons. At the McKinney Salty Dog, it seemed like everyone there was a hard body and had perfect muscles, had completed a half or full Ironman with the tattoos to prove it, and looked like they had done hundreds of tri's before. My friend and I who competed both felt a little out of our league and were intimidated by the type of people we found at the race. However, at the tri clinic, there were people of all ages, shapes, sizes, and abilities. It was awesome! A lot of the people that were there were already members of the Tri Daily group, which is kind of like my running group, but focuses on multi-sport training rather than just running. And it's lead by trained coaches with focused workouts helping to create triathletes from the ground up. I'm really thinking about joining Tri Daily. At the Tri Clinic, they had a little expo, and they also had another group there - Triple Threat Tough. That group seemed to have a lot of workouts in The Colony (vs Tri Daily which was Grapevine, Dallas proper, Plano - and maybe someday soon even Allen and McKinney), though, which is a bit of a drive for me. I do admit, though, I liked the jerseys/trisuits of Triple Threat Tough better than Tri Daily (what? You don't pick your tri club based on the shirt design?? Oh, me neither).

I learned a lot yesterday, and feel ready to take on my triathlon in just a few short months. Right now, my biggest hurdle is tackling tri training while also marathon training. It's a tough combination and it's hard to know how far to run each week and still be able to cross-train in the other tri disciplines. I know I'll finish both races, and that is what really counts. It would be nice to go into them confident as well.

Big D 5k Race Recap

The Big D race takes place each year in April and is put on by Mellew Productions, a local race organization company. I had originally planned on doing the marathon, but after my December 31 marathon at the New Years Double and the 5k race the next day, I ended up with painful tendinitis and a bad attitude towards running. I actually disliked running for a few weeks. I had forgotten about how joyful and exhilirating running can be, and all I could focus on was how uncomfortable it was and how much pain I was in. It took almost a full month before my tendinitis subsided, and then took another couple of weeks to get back into the rhythm of running again. By February, I was thinking of running again, and started upping my mileage. I think the highest I got was 15 or 16 miles before it came time to do a taper for the Texas Independence Relay (someday, I'll get around to posting about that race haha). After the Texas Independence Relay, I really was just sore. My knees hurt. I was achy. I felt like a big baby. A big running baby. So I sucked it up and decided to run the 5k.

After deciding to run the 5k, I decided that I was going to run it fast. So I started really focusing on getting speed and tempo runs in. By the time the Big D came around, I felt prepared, but increasingly nervous. I had set a time goal of running a 5k in under 30 minutes and I was terrified that I wouldn't be able to make it. I was a nervous wreck. I know a 5k in under 30 minutes seems pretty "easy" to some runners, this would be a big deal for me - a self-described "slow" runner. Getting to a sub-30 5k was like a rite of passage to me. Proof that I was officially a runner.And really, it's funny because I consider anyone who runs - at ANY speed - a runner. But, I have always had trouble identifying myself as a runner. That will be a discussion for another day though. I guess that point that I want to get across was that I was nervous. Very nervous.

I got to the race and used the bathroom. It was a very long line since there was a marathon, half marathon, and a 5k all in the same day, with start times separating the full/half and the 5k by about 30 minutes. After a bathroom break in the ultra stinky, toilet paperless port o potty, I decided to do a quick warm up lap. I ended up running about a mile as a warm up. This was the first time that I had ever run a warm up lap. It felt great and helped me bypass those pre-race jitters. I got lined up towards the front (but not *too* close to the front to be in the way of faster runners), and got ready to start. The horn beeped, I hit start on my garmin, and off I went.

I had already decided that I was going to run my 5k for my family. My first mile, I dedicated to my husband. He is cautious by nature and researchers products/items/actions extensively before making a major decision. Like him, I had read, reread, and analyzed blogs and running articles about the pitfalls of "going out too fast." So I was conservative with my first mile. I slowed down - even though I felt like I could sprint ahead. I conserved my energy and waited. This was probably a good thing because the first mile of a 5k race is when all the people that lined up ahead of you - and are actually slower runners or run/walkers - decide that they are going to either A) stop running with no warning directly in front of you (this happened to me and I almost collided with the person! I sometimes want to yell out, "Runners on the LEFT walkers on the RIGHT!" at races because people just don't seem to follow this rule and end up slowing others up or causing accidents), B) slow down and walk, or C) figure out that they went out too fast and are now huffing and puffing while you motor past them. This particular course zig-zagged through Fair Park in Dallas and the corners on some of the turns in the first mile were pretty sharp. I saw it causing a few accidents of runners colliding and I also saw people with jogging strollers getting held up because they couldn't make the tight turn. My watch dinged and I was off to mile 2.

Mile 2 I ran for my sweet daughter (who happened to be 2!). I ran for her during this mile because mile 2 of a 5k is always a little hard for me, and my sweet girl is always trying to run fast to keep up with her older brother. She has to use her energy and kick her legs to keep up and she is a determined little girl with a lot of spirit, and there is NO WAY she would let him run off without her trailing behind. I, too, wanted to kick it into overdrive and run with ambition and determination during mile 2 - to catch up to those that were ahead of me. I picked out female runners ahead of me and focused on passing them. I call this chasing ponytails because usually I'm just looking for a ponytail peaking out of someone's baseball cap to distinguish who I am "chasing." I chased ponytails and passed a few people. It felt good!

My watch beeped and I was at mile 3 and I was feeling great still. I dedicated mile 3 to my son, who runs with reckless abandon. Who loves to run and runs with joy and passion and absolute love. It's beautiful to watch him run because he is so happy and natural (and has GREAT natural form too). I picked up my pace at mile 3 because that's what Danny would've done. I picked a ponytail way in the distance and chased her. I chased her down hard too. We ran together, panting heavily for a good quarter mile, if not further. Finally, I broke free and ran ahead of her. It felt amazing to pass her - mainly because she put on such a great race. It felt like we were athletes and seriously competing with each other. Soon after I passed her, my watch beeped and I had only .1 miles left to go.

The last .1 miles, I dedicated to myself. I poured in all my hardwork, all of my training, my desire to win, and I just RAN for it. I sprinted. I used every glycogen store my body had left. And I finished in less than 30 minutes. I was so happy I wanted to hug everyone around me. The girl I had raced toward the end finished and I went over and chatted her up for a few minutes. We had a great conversation. She was a newer runner and had been running less than a year and had improved her 5k time by almost 8 minutes. Very impressive!

My final time? A PR of 27:40 and I was 4th in my age group!! I actually camped out in the results tent because I was pretty sure I had a chance at placing 3rd based on the previous year's results. However, I was almost a minute and a half slower than the 3rd place winner. I have already decided that this will be a race I do again next year for the 5k - with a goal of coming in 3rd or better. I do have to say, though, had I not been so close to "winning" this year, I would probably not be doing this race next year. Mellew Productions does quite a few races in Dallas, and I've attended a few of them now. My overall impression is that they are not very well organized and let details slip through the cracks. For instance, my friend ran the Big D Marathon, and the lead pace car ended up going an extra mile and a half or so...which made the marathoners run over 27 miles instead of 26.2. For those of you who have never attempted a marathon, even a step over the 26.2 mile marker feels horrendous. You are tired, hungry, and just ready for the race to be over. It is brutal. I can't imagine having to run the extra mile and a half with planning to only do a marathon! Mentally, that had to be horrendous. Mellew didn't really issue much in the way of an apology and really seemed to put the blame on the pace car and the runners. That doesn't settle well for me, personally (especially since this race was a Boston Qualifier and people were trying desperately to get their BQ). I, however, was happy with my PR and will forever hold this race special in my heart because of it.

The Week I gained 5 Pounds and Was Still Proud

Usually, when I gain five pounds, I feel miserable. My self talk is horrible and my sister has to listen to hour after hour of me whining about how easy it is to put on weight and how difficult it is to take it off. But this past Monday when I weighed in and saw that the scale had creeped up, I felt relieved and proud. The relief was mostly because I had a friend in town and we had eaten out pretty much every meal. And then followed up the meal with a beer. Or two. Or three. Okay, who's counting anyway?? After all of that, I only gained 5 pounds. Trust me, I felt the beer bloat and the sodium retention and had the Texas BBQ goodness on my lips, and I was extremely relieved that I had only gained 5 pounds and not the 8-10 I felt like I had gained.

But proud? I don't think most people would be proud about gaining 5 pounds. Especially someone who wants to lose 25+ pounds. And really, I don't know if I'm honestly proud to have gained 5 pounds; more like I'm just okay with it. I'm zen. But why, you ask? (Which, of course, I know you are DYING to know!)

Because I made good decisions most of the time and I exercised. I will admit that my awesome husband (who turned the big 3-1 while our friend was in town) helped remind me of my good eating intentions. Like when we went out for supper at Spoons on a kid-free night, he encouraged me to share my pimento cheese and jalapeno sandwich and (super huge, incredibly large, didn't know it was going to be 6 layers) piece of strawberry cake with strawberry frosting. This helped me get to celebrate and enjoy the yummy treats, but not completely overindulge. It felt good! Like I always tell my kids, sharing is caring!

As for exercise, I got up and did tempo runs, early morning runs through my neighborhood, and also my weekly running group run. I'm actually quite proud of that running group run. Because I ran 13.2 miles as a training (!!!!) run. By the time I finished (in just under 3 hours), it was 86* with a million percent humidity and I was literally baking in the sun. I wore a hat at least, so I don't think my face got too sunburned.

The downside of running 13.2 miles, though, is that this week my mystery leg pain started up again. I talked with some running friends, and they recommended I get new shoes. You are supposed to replace your running shoes every 200 - 300 miles (more often if you have a little more junk in your trunk - or muffin top in my case - I wish I had even a little junk in my trunk!!). I thought that there was NO WAY I had ran 200-300 miles since I got my running shoes in April. And then I looked at my marathon training schedule. In the past 4.5 weeks, I've run 87 miles. And that's not counting the indoor triathlon, 2 5k's, and half marathon and the training I've done from April to now. So I'm probably actually due for a pair. And maybe that's why my calves have started having pain again. Guess it's time for new shoes!

a sick SAHM

I started feeling a little crummy on Wednesday night: sore throat, headache, stuffed up nose. Danny and Derek both had this a few weeks ago, so I guess it should be no surprise that it is my turn now.

Being a stay at him mom (SAHM) is a hard job on a regular day; being a SAHM while you are sick is just extremely difficult. I think my darling children somehow know mommy is sick and lacking in patience and have been going hog wild the past few days. Piper has been refusing to nap, eat her lunch, and has just been a little defiant - well, a little more than her usual sassy self. Danny has been running, screaming, making fake fart noises (yes, we have entered that sacred part of boyhood where farts and burps - both of the real and fake variety - are hilarious), and causing general chaos. I find myself looking forward to bedtime. I'm just SO tired!

It's just exhausting taking care of two kids when you are sick. Hoping this sickness passes quickly so I can get back to my normal self. I miss being able to call in sick!!

Vineyard 5k Recap

Yesterday was the Vineyard 5k out in Grapevine, TX. I carpooled with some friends and after a few twists and turns through the construction on 121, we made our way to Delaney Vineyards where the race was held. The Delaney Vineyards was pretty interesting because it was a small little vineyard right in town. It was neat to see the bustling suburbs juxtaposed with the casual atmosphere of the vineyard. It was a peaceful little get-away from everyday life!

The cool thing bout this race is that post-race, you get to sample various wines produced from the vineyard. Running and wine: a fantastic combination! The race itself was a pretty hilly race. And I was not expecting that! It was pretty brutal! I have been working more and more hill workouts in, but this course took my breath away. At the Big D 5k I participated in a few weeks ago, I was able to get my time down to 27:40. I was so happy with that time because my goal had been to break 30 minutes. I went into this (unknowingly) hilly run with the hope of getting my time down to 27:00. I knew it was a lofty goal, especially after the first hill!! My friends and I had been told that the last mile or so had decent downhills. So as the mile markers ticked off, I kept telling myself that a big downhill was coming. Just over the next hill, it was all downhill the rest of the way. I must have passed three hills telling myself this. And after that, my legs and lungs were just toast. I had started out fast (rookie mistake, I know) and I think my lungs were struggling to regulate my breath after that first mile. I did do a 9 minute mile for my first mile, and then I think I had like a 9:40, 9:30, and a pretty quick .1 mile (there was wine beckoning!). Overall, I finished in 29:21 and ranked 20th in my age group. Even though it was not a PR, I was still happy to have a sub-30 5k on such a hilly course.

The wine afterwards was pretty tasty. Although, I wish it would have been a half cup of wine rather than a third of a Dixie cups worth. Or that they would have poured a few tasters at once for each person rather than having to jump back in the line afterwards to get another. I had a muscat that was delicious and a blush that was so-so.

The company that puts on the race was having some technical difficulties and we didn't get the results until late today. That meant that no awards were given at the race. I obviously didn't qualify for an ae group award, but two of my friends won first place for their age groups. Would've been nice to be able to clap and cheer for them.

Overall, this race was okay. Will I do it next year? Probably not. Did I have fun with my friends? Absolutely! And that is what counts!!

Hello 2013

So, it's been quite a few months since I last posted (okay, okay, half a year. Whatevs.). I ran my marathon on 12/31/2012 in 5 hours, 46 minutes. It was cold, rainy, and kind of miserable, but I did it!  And the next day I walked a 5k and started to eat clean. I've kept up with the clean eating (for the most part!) and have kept up my running. I ran a 27:40 in a 5k last month (the Big D 5k). That was a huge PR or me. My goal for this year has been to become a little faster and to run more days per week. I've already registered for my next marathon: the San Antonio Rock n Roll in November. I don't start my actual training plan until July, so I have until then to ramp up my speed.

Here are some 2012 running/fitness goals:

1. Run at least 3 days per week and one long run on the weekend. 
2. Get my 5k down to below 30 minutes. (Which, I totally crushed this one!!)
3. Get my half-marathon time to 2:15 or below.
4. Get my marathon time down to at least 5:30. 
5. Do at least one triathlon (scheduled for 6/23/2013).
6. Start lifting some weights. (I've been slacking on this one!!)
7. Continue to lose weight. (Since starting weight watchers back in October, I've lost 25 pounds).

10 pounds and a Funk

I had my seventh week at weight watchers today, and I was down 10 pounds! It feels like this has been a long time coming. I mean, really, I've been trying to lose weight since we moved here - and tomorrow will mark our one year Texa-versary! While 10 pounds a year is not my goal, I am pleased that I have at least lost that much. Moving is so stressful and making friends even more stressful. I really thought I would gain weight over the past year. Instead, though, I just kind of maintained until I joined weight watchers and committed to losing the weight. Those meetings do make a difference!

My weight loss helped make my week a little better. I've been in a bit of a funk. I think it's a mix of lack of sleep (my adorable two year has decided to wake up multiple times a night), feeling like my house is a mess, and feeling a little insecure in my running, my friendships, etc, etc. A friend of mine and I were talking a few weeks ago and we both voiced that we want friends to like us because of who we are, and not out of obligation. And I think that's what I've been feeling this week: just hoping that I'm not a friend by obligation (read: forced hanging out through play dates and meetup groups). Does that make sense? I think my problem is that I want close friends and I want to feel like part of the crew. And I simply haven't been here long enough for that to truly happen. True friendships, I guess, take time to make. I'm getting there, just not as fast as I sometimes would like. Anyway, before I get all emo and funkalicious on ya'll, I would like to report that I'm feeling better about all that :)

Today I also had a migraine which made me feel *awesome*. I had a play date scheduled that I was hosting, so I really didn't have time to be sick. I went ahead and hosted the play date, but my migraine  meds left me tired and a little weak. It's going to be an early to bed kind of night at our house! When I picked Danny up from school, his teachers let me know that thy had to send multiple kids home today with fevers and hacking coughs. Tis the season! ;) I'm really Hoping to avoid all of that. At least until after my marathon!! Anyway, time to snuggle up with my cuddle bugs and watch The Lorax. I know I'll have the songs stuck  in my head for a week, but I love that movie (and the cuddles!), so it's worth it!