Frosty's Frozen Five Miler Race Report and Chia Winners

This morning Cory and I headed down to Littleton CO for a five mile race.

Last year Cory and I signed up for the Winter Distance Series as well. Todays race was the second of the three races you can read about previous races here Rudolf's Revenge 5k 2010, Frostey's Frozen Five Mile 2011, Snowman Stampede 2011. We ran Rudolf's Revenge 5k in December but I don't think I wrote a race report on it (fail!)

I HATE racing shorter distances so I always question why I sign up for them but I had a really good time today. It was not too cold in the low 40s and it was a small race with about 600 people participating in the 5 mile portion.

I was a little sad because in December my parents were with us and mom ran the 5k, she is still working her way up to 5 miles and signed up for the 5 mile portion of the Boulder Spring Half but wasn't ready yet today.

So it was just Cory and I, fun but definitely not as fun as when more family is there. Given that we were both racing we didn't bring a camera along.

These pictures are from last year when Cory ran and I cheered because I had the flu. The course was the same just a little less snow this year.

Both cory and I got PR's today Cory ran it in 34:03 and I finished in 43:07. My splits were pretty even, even the two miles that I couldn't get my lap button to work!

My average pace was actually faster than last months 5k and I was rocking a cold this week. I hope this means that all the speed work is finally doing something for me.

Earlier today I used Random.org to choose the Chia winners:

First up was #17 Ashley!

and #11 Kate

Congrats ladies, please email me your address to bethcn at gmail dot com and I will send you your Chia Seeds!

Thanksgiving 2011 and Turkey Day 10K Race Report

I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving! I had the best time, I love, love, love having my family in town.

Our turkey day started off just the way I like it with a fun family race. My mom ran the 5k (she is recovering amazingly from plantar fasciitis)

You can tell where I get my smile from

Cory and I ran the 10k, we didn't treat it as a race since our legs were pretty beat up from everything else this week so we treated it like a fun run and had a great time. It was a beautiful day, last year it was seven degrees this year it was in the mid fifties.

It was such a beautiful day, I wish we could have gone for a bike ride too but there was no time, there was lots of cooking to do.

Cory and I made the pies and mash potatoes for thanksgiving, it is so nice to cook in my parents huge kitchen.

Pie!

It was such a fun holiday, full if my favorite things: family, food, fun and fitness!

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you, I am glad you are in my life too.

Denver Gorilla Run Race Report

The Denver Gorilla Run was so much fun! Over a thousand people showed up in costume to support Mountain Gorilla Conservation. As Cory and I got ready our dogs didn’t know what to do about the giant apes in their house.

It’s almost a requirement to dress up your gorilla and people were very creative. There was the full cast of the Wizard of Oz

And some very hairy beer wenches.

Although not caught on camera there were MANY people in tighty whities.

I have to admit that running in a gorilla suit was pretty miserable, next year I will either walk or seriously modify the gorilla suit.

On Sunday Cory and I road 50 miles from my parents house out to Boulder and back, it was nice and not too windy. We finished off the day with a swim at my parents club. The pool is SO nice and makes me dread having to go to 24 hour fitness.


This week will be a little off because we are flying out to Portland and driving my grandmas car to Colorado for her. That means no time for big workouts this weekend, Boo!

Monday: 45 min of PT exercises and abs

Tuesday: am 60 min swim workout (2700 meters) pm 6 mile run and PT exercises

Wednesday: 90 min spin and 45 min of PT exercises and abs

Thursday: 60 min swim workout, 2 mile recovery run with Pug and PT

Friday: 5 mile tempo run and 45 min of PT exercises and abs

Saturday: nothing =(
Sunday: Hopefully a two mile walk when we get home to stretch our legs.

Total: approximately 9 hours

What are your plans for the week?

Happy Halloween!

Running with the Buffalos Race Report - and my first age group win!

It was not the best weather for a race, but it reminded me of running back home in Oregon. It was cold in the low 40's and raining hard. We got up at 5:30 am so we would have plenty of time to drink coffee (most important), eat and gather our things.

So weird to race in cold weather clothing after being hot for so long! This was a very small race so we showed up 30 minutes before the race start, grabbed our numbers, shirts and chips. We warmed up quickly and lined up. I knew I could have used a better warm up but my legs felt heavy and lungs full of crap so I wasn't really feeling it. We lined up heard some updates and took off. I tried to pay attention to where the other women were ahead of me but also run my own race. The course was nice mostly along a fine gravel trail with rolling hills. The rain lightened up to a drizzle for the race which was really nice. It was really nice to see familiar friendly faces racing and volunteering around the course. I love that we are really getting invested in the running/triathlon community, it makes it that much more fun.

I didn't feel very fast while running and was focused on controlling my breath so I didn't have an asthma attack. I did pretty well and finished feeling crappy. Yup I hate 5k's they hurt and suck. Don't let anyone tell you "it's just a 5k" they are HARD!

Cory was at the finish cheering me on as he had finished a few minutes before. I asked how he did and he came in 4th overall, I was so happy and proud!

We milled around talked to fellow athletes, Randi from RMTC was there (she is doing Ironman CDA too). We headed to the awards ceremony with hopes that Cory would win one of the coveted buffalo trophies, he didn't think he would get one as only the overall winners and first place age groupers get one. He was already making plans on how he could earn one next year when his name was called as the winner for males 30-39 I was SO excited that we would be taking home a trophy and that Cory had won his age group. I was talking to Randi (who took second overall, GO Randi!) about how great it was that Cory won that I almost missed that they had called MY name....wait, what? I won for women 30-39??? REALLY?!?! I walked up front to get my trophy, and Charley jumped in to say that Cory and I were married so we would be taking home a matching set.

There was a collective ahhhhhhh from the crowd, and we had our picture taken together. I have to admit that winning with Cory was pretty sweet, we both won our age groups and took 4th overall for our genders. Overall, a great way to start the weekend. The rest of the day will be spent doing errands and watching live feed from Kona, we were excited to catch the age group start and the pros go into T1.

Daisy is cheering for all the Colorado athletes out there today!

Oktoberfest Race Report

On Sunday Cory and I raced our only sprint triathlon of the year. I really like this distance as I don't have time to get bored. The one issue is that I try to go "fast"and end up having an asthma attack. I really do need to work with my doctor on that. But on to the race.

We woke up at 4am drank some coffee, ate oatmeal and hit the road for Longmont Colorado where the race was being held. It was a beautiful morning, I wasn't really in the mood to race after being up late working the night before but as soon as we got to Union reservoir, and saw the sun rise I was more into it.

I have to admit it was a bit annoying that it takes almost as much preparation for a sprint triathlon as it does for longer races.

After setting up and squeezing into my wetsuit we headed down to the water to warm up a bit. The water was cold but not too bad and soon I felt comfortable. We were called up to the beach for the pre race meeting, at first I thought they were saying that the start would be a beach (run in) start and I got really nervous. I have never done or practiced a beach start and they terrify me for some reason. Lucky for me it was an in water start. I was in wave 4 so I had some time to say hi to my parents who came to cheer us on before wishing Cory lucky and seeing him off in wave 2.

The swim: 17:36

This was the best swim of the season, we didn't swim into the sun and my goggles didn't fog so I spotted well and didn't swim off course (yay for progress). I could feel that my asthma was acting up during the swim so I pushed as hard as I could without having a full on attack. Overall I am happy with my swim.

T1: 2:21

I exited the water waived at my parents and kept moving into transition. T1 was normal for me, I still have cycling shoes not tri shoes so that takes me longer than I would like.

Bike: 36:13 (20.5 mph)

I am very happy with my bike. As soon as I got on my bike I couldn't catch my breath but I can push pretty hard on my bike without having an attack so knowing this was a print I tried to keep my heart rate high. The course was three loops, I didn't like how many corners we had but it was rolly and flat and I knew what to expect so overall I really like loops (good thing since CDA has loops). I had a great time on the bike, thanked volunteers, and ran into transition feeling good.

T2: 1:29

T2 nothing special..

Run: 31:03 ugh.....

As soon as I ran out of T2 I knew I was in trouble, I couldn't breath and had to slow way down, but I refused to walk. I saw cory heading into the finish (it was an out and back course). I told him I needed my inhaler at the finish line and kept going. It was hard to watch so many people pass me on the run after feeling so good on the bike, at least 4 girls in my age group passed me on the run, I knew my legs could go faster but my lungs just wouldn't let them. It is such a frusterating way to end a race. Cory was super nice adn ran my inhaler out to me and caught me at about mile 2 I took my inhaler but it didn't help much. I headed into the finish not super excited about my time. But I was happy with my overall results.

Overall: 1:28:40 for a PR! 16/46 in my age group.

If I had ran at a pace closer to what I know I can run I would have placed more liek 6th or 7th in my AG. Frusterating but it's something I will work on and try to improve. Overall this was a nice way to end the season (can't be too mad with a PR) and officialy move into off season.

Now it's time to start planning next years races, heal, build strength and enjoy free time while I have it!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Pacific Crest Half Ironman Race Report

Pacific Crest was the best supported race I have ever participated in. The volunteers were great and the course was the most beautiful I have ever seen. I had the best time, I would do it again this weekend if I could. Not everything went perfect but that's to be expected, now I can focus on getting faster.

Sunriver really welcomes Pac Crest athletes. On Friday Cory and I headed down to athletes village to pick up our race packets.

Before heading up to T1 to drop off our bikes and swim in Wickiup reservoir. The water was a bit chilly but not to cold.

This race required a lot of prep because the bike is a point to point course so there are two transition zones. Also to cut down on traffic you have to take your bike to T1 the day before.

We then headed down to T2 to claim our transition spot. We waited until Saturday morning to set up the rest of our stuff.

With all the set up done we headed back to my parents house to pack the rest of our stuff in bags and eat a delicious carb heavy dinner compliments of my mom.

Saturday morning wake up call was fairly late compared to other races but we were up at 5 am drinking coffee, eating steel cut oats and hydrating. I packed a cliff bar to eat closer to start time. I ended up not eating it and wished that I had.

Mom and dad drove us to T2 so we could set out our running shoes, race belts, etc. before jumping on a nice tour bus to head up to Wickiup. About 25 minutes into the ride another participant came to the front of the bus to let the driver know that we were going the wrong way! I am so glad someone was paying attention, we finally got the driver headed the correct direction but a 40 minute bus ride took over an hour. Thank god there was a bathroom on the bus! We got to T1 later than I would have liked but I still had plenty of time to finish setting up my bike getting my wetsuit on and going for a very short warm up swim.

My wave started 1 minute after the elite athletes. I was grouped with all men and women 30-35, I was a little intimidated to start with the men so immediately after the elite athletes started I moved to the back inside of my group. They were serious about our 9:01 start time and I barely had time to get my face wet to make sure my goggles were still sealed before the horn sounded and we were off. I made sure to start off slow and steady, I am so glad that I did because I didn't have any breathing problems and felt great. It was a little hard to spot for the first two sections because we were looking into the sun but after the second turn it was easier. I was constantly surrounded by lots of people and it was sometimes hard to keep a smooth rhythm. I never drafted off anyone, I think that is something I want to work on. I came out of the water at 46:34, slower than I would have liked and HUNGRY, I really should have eaten again before the race started. T1 was also slow, you have to bag up all your stuff so they can transport it back to Sunriver for you and I also took the time to put sunscreen on before leaving. T1 time was 3:44.

The bike portion is very difficult but beautiful. I would like to say that I enjoyed the scenery but I was in fairly intense pain from mile 4 to mile 58. My left knee had stabbing pain in it was well as a burning sensation in my IT band. I have never had pain like that on the bike, I have no idea why it happened, I thought about quitting many times and ended riding way slower than I know I could have. We also hit a huge head wind on the last 15 miles. I could barley walk my bike into transition my knee was hurting so bad. Bike time was 4:04:46, I had almost decided that I was going to quit at T2 and just move on knowing it wasn't my day. I racked my bike and slowly put on my running shoes and downed 4 advil. At this point I decided I would at least get to my parents who were waiting for me at about mile 2.5 of the run, otherwise I don't know how I would have let them know to come get me. T2 was 5:27 (yikes, you can tell I wasn't thinking abut racing at this point).

I took off on the run and it hurt and my mood was super low. But with every step I took it hurt a little less, I don't know if it was the advil or just different motion but by mile 1 I didn't have any more pain and was feeling great. By the time I got to my parents at mile 2.5 I was sure that I could finish. I think this half marathon was my best ever, it may be the slowest one I have ever ran but I had the best time. I walked at every aid station and took fluids but ran the rest of the way. I talked to the other competitors and thanked every volunteer, in my head I was having party and everyone was invited. Around mile 9 I started getting the chills, I definitely wasn't cold I think my body was just having a hard time regulating it's temperature. Run time was 2:30, yes it was slow but I am happy with that time.

We saw my parents at mile 6 and then again at mile 13. When I turned the corner to run down the finish shoot I was emotional and overcome that I was actually finishing. I was proud and happy and floating on a runners high. Over all time was 7:30:33.

Thoughts after completing my first half ironman are that I loved it and can't wait to do it again in September. I am going to spend more time in the saddle and work on speed, my goal is to finish in less than 7 hours next time.