Toe Deep~

I should be one week into my triathlon training (toe deep in tri training lol). I didn't swim at all this week. In fact I started to work a coupe weeks ago, it is very sporadic but it is exhausting when I do work! I have been substituting at my kids school!

SWIM:

Two weeks ago I wanted to see my swim time improve so I timed a 300 meter/yard swim. This is the distance for the sprint tri I am doing. It was 10 minutes. LOTS of room to improve. I plan to time myself every couple weeks to make sure I am in fact becoming faster!

BIKE:

The new year has brought the challenges of trying to work and trying to still get up at 5:30 am to work out. Some days I will say I am gonna go hit the later class and end up subbing so honestly I need to pull myself out of bed to get to the class, I have been successful 2 out of 4 weeks. I will keep getting stronger and am working up my mind to get back outside on the street once it warms up! I even have a couple rides planned!

RUN:

So ever since the fall I have had one painful run after another. This morning I joined a girl's running group at a local running store and ran 7 miles, about 5 of which were painful. As I thought back to why I might be having these pains I realized the culprit is probably my shoes!! I got new shoes back then and the heal had a 2mm drop. that has got to be it!! It is really frustrating because it has completely slowed me down! I have GOT to get new shoes asap!!

A New Year, A New Challenge!

I am excited to report I have started to put together a race calendar and a training schedule! WOO!!! In 16 days I can sign up for my first Triathlon! I can't believe I am ready for this!!!! Isn't it exciting?? Now I just need to kick this cold, my training was supposed to start this week but my chest is heavy and tight and my nose is stuffy. I am not signing up for much this year. What I am signing up for is events I really want to do!! This year will be awesome for me!!

so should I or shouldn't I? Marathon..... Do I want to??? I suppose if I am questioning I shouldn't?? I really don't know. I would love to do Salt Lake but my window is closing quickly! I need to get training if I am doing it.

umm I forgot to mention...

I ran the Haunted Half, I was a pacer. I love pacing however I have really only paced a few people in. Hopefully this next year I can pace more people in. It feels so rewarding to do that!! I got to about mile 4 and my knee started hurting (this was two weeks after STG). I ended up bailing on LV Ragnar-which was really hard.

Since then I have started running a little bit. I am finding the joy in it again. I am getting really excited for next year and my goals!

last thing I finally did it!!

I'm a Marathon Maniac! # 6194

Goal for the New Year

My decided goal in the summer was to get over the funk I have been in and go for it! I was planning on doing the Buffalo Run, a 50 miler across the beautiful Antelope Island. Where the buffalo, antelope and all the cute furry animals call home. After St George I decided there is no way I can do it. I just don't know if I could get back to it in time to train for 50 miles in March. I still dreamed deep down of doing it. It is now sold out. Perhaps I won't over do it and get in to run it in 2014.
As the Ogden Marathon lottery process started it was hard not to put in for it. But my bigger goal took hold of me and I was able to survive the whole thing. I have done Ogden for the past two years and really would love to do it again. I have decided 2013 is my Tri year. I am planning on doing the Woman of Steel Triathlon on the same day that they run Ogden. If it goes well and I am feeling ambitious I will then sign up for the Bear Lake Brawl (which is also a triathlon).
I had decided to not plan on a marathon this year but Salt Lake is taunting me. I am trying to win an entry but I think deep down I will end up just paying the big bucks for it. I really want to do it. I am also signed up for the Wicked Witch. the bike ride I relayed in a few months ago. so yes I need to make Charlotte Sometimes (my bike) my best friend this coming spring and summer.
Once the new year comes upon us I will step it up. I feel so much better when I am eating good and exercising. I am still active at the gym, but swimming has slacked. they added a full hour of spin and I sure enjoy it! They also added a Yoga class which is just marvelous!
Life may get in the way but my biggest goal for 2013 is the Triathlon. I am so scared and excited so I know it is the thing to do!

St George Marathon

okay last year my cousin JaNae did STG and loved it soo much she wanted me to do so I hesitantly signed up for the runners series, I went to St George in January and did the St George half then in March we went down and did the Lake to Lake relay. got my guaranteed entry into the hard sought after St George marathon. Still not really wanting to do it, and waiting till the VERY last day I finally signed up. finished of all my spring runs and went into a runners hibernation state. mid July I tried to start my training with no avail. I decided to sign up for a couple of halfs to hopefully kick start my training. It didn't work, I went into STG with a couple halfs run and no more than that since June.
I wasn't nervous just worried since I knew I hadn't trained. Don and I made it to st george just in time to meet up with some friends for dinner, not thinking there was room for us at the table we slipped outside and sat in the fresh air. We ended up speaking with an older couple about running and cycling and triathlons. It was a nice dinner even though we missed our friends.
headed to the expo got my bib, shirt, ect, and saw Tom and JaNae. Made quick arrangements and headed back to the hotel to sleep.
We got up at 3:15 to leave. Melissa drove and Kimberly joined us. We got on the 2nd bus heading up. it was windy and cool at the start, we found an unlit fire and sat around it and someone came and started it. we talked and waited. Finally the start. My hope was to finish-then to finish in under 5 hours. I started with a friend Christine, she was doing a 5 minute walk and a 1 minute run. It was a little faster pace than I wanted so once we hit the hill-Veyo. I dropped back to my own pace.
I was feeling sore, knowing it was because I was so under trained, at mile 14ish my ankle started to hurt a little and it promptly started to bother the back of my knee, mile 16-17 it wrapped around to the front of my knee. I would tell myself to run through the song I was listening to on my ipod, then I could walk. I did that for a while but then I just couldn't any more. it was too much pain. I saw many a sag wagon pass, I even saw a couple people get in. :( That was NOT gonna be me. I had put too much into this race and even though I didn't want to be there I was NOT giving up. I cried for a bit, wished Don was there. it took so long to get to the mile markers. I thought I would be out there all day. I talked to a couple people but they always started running and I could never keep up. The pain came up to my hip. It was really bad and I was actually a little worried I wouldn't make it at this point. And it hurt to run down hill and that was mostly what was left. long sloping hills that you can really pick up pace and get done quick, I had to walk down. I saw a sign that said Liberty blvd. it seemed like eternity until I finally made it to that street!!! There was a bike trail a long side of the road we were on and I kept hoping Don was gonna come but he didn't I texted him letting him know my condition. I hoped to finish in under 5:30 at this point.
We were finally into town, as I turned into town there was a sprinkler thing to run through it felt good, I walked over to the water station and they had candy . I figured I had 3 miles left, I was gonna eat some candy, I got a red vine and a kit kat and ate them up had some water and was on my way. wondering how I was gonna do this. by now I could run for maybe 20 seconds before I was in too much pain. The pain was no longer in my hip. I ran/walked as far as I could. Not long after the candy station Don did come by on his bike and helped me finish, probably a little stronger than I would of if he hadn't. The finish line couldn't get to me quick enough. I was determined to run through it. I walked quickly through the finishers area, grabbed ice cream, chocolate milk, a piece of bread and a plate of food. found Don and we sat on the grass for a while then he went and got my drop bag and we left. Yes I finished. I was pretty miserable, but I have never been so happy to be done!! That was soo long! My watch gives me a moving time of 5:37. :(

happy things-
I found another pair of my FAVORITE shorts at the Nordictrack booth at the expo!! I haven't seen them at their booths since I first got them and this time they were in the clearance bin (only one pair though).
I got to spend time in St George and see God's beautiful creations-Snow Canyon, We gotta bring the kids here!!! I remember being there as a kid!
All along the course I was reminded, by signs, I am pacing The Haunted Half in two weeks and it is gonna be a blast cuz I have a friend running it with me!
my phone is being replaced for free (see sad things),
I finished marathon #5.

sad things-
my knee still is sore and I have a really bad sunburn!
I ran with my phone in my bra and my sweat shorted out my battery charging area so I can't post my pictures.



so that's it. I'm gonna take it easy on the running. I hope I haven't completely burned myself out, I really had planned to do the buffalo run in March-50 miler but I think I'm gonna have to wait. I am gonna spend some time in the pool and on my bike. I really hope I am gonna be ok to run in 2 weeks, and at ragnar LV in a month.

pre race jitters

I don't know why, even after 4 marathons I still feel so unprepared. It drives me batty!! I feel so dumb when I step outside of myself and look in. I know I will be ok. I know I can do it yet it gets to me. that little voice tells me I'm no good and I can't do it. Well guess what I CAN do it! I WILL do it!! This little person inside of me is wrong!!!


oh and ALWAYS before my Sciatic nerve hurts :( I have 6 weeks and it is already acting up! boo

where has the time gone!

I guess an update is in order.
Utah Valley did not go as planned! Don and I stuck together but at about 12 Don's IT band acted up. HE barely made it across the finish. About mile 23 I had had enough of him and him of me so I went off and finished. The course was nice but I didn't like running on the highway 80% of the race.

Ragnar-WB I was totally burned out. I should have skipped it all together! Ragnar was the week after UVM. I had 21 miles. might as well been another marathon. Our team name was Harold's Angels. I think that in itself needs a post of it's own. so look for that soon. The next week we had a fun little 5k with all the kids. and then we fast forward to now... August 2nd. I pretty much took July off. I ran a few times but I was totally burned out and as for the marathonn maniac? I have been completely broke so it sits in my email waiting for me to get a little extra $$ I really want a tank too so I am waiting.
Friday, as in tomorrow, I am running a half marathon. The moonlight half. I won't have a watch. I am a lot slower than before so I have no idea when to start. I have tried over the past two weeks to get my butt moving. I am up to running 2-3 times a week instead of once every 10 days lol.
Anna is flying in tonight to do the half with me. I think she will like it!