May Totals

May was a transition month.  I finished off my recovery from Boston but then started into more cross training with increased swimming and biking.  I raced a 5K for the first time in two years and pulled off my very first win.  The miles will amp up again as training has begun for my fall races.

Swim = 17,600 meters (that equates to 11 miles of swimming!!!)
Bike = 58.33 miles
Run = 55.05 miles
Other = 1/2 hour

And on a totally non-related note, I figured out how to make my pictures HUGE and AWESOME in Blogger.

A Little Off

I would love to tell you all about my adventurous evening, but I can't, so I'm going to tell you about my run today.

The miles are creeping up again as I've begun training for my next big race.  So today I had a 9 mile run with some up-tempo stuff thrown in.  I have been running on the same trails for years and it's always been a great place to run because it's off the streets, it's flat, it's mostly safe, and it's got every mile and half mile marked.  Last year while running with Andrea on a 17 mile run on this same trail, what we had added up as 17 miles by the markers was only 16 miles by the Garmin.  Hmmm...

Today during my up-tempo work, I discovered just how off the mile markers were.  Coach wanted me to run 8 min/miles which I've kinda forgotten what it feels like based on the fact I've been training some really fast stuff.  I went out too fast turning my first mile in 7:12.  Then I didn't slow down and even increased my heart rate and only had the second mile at 7:54.  Hmmm....I think something was off.

It was a great run though--felt comfortable and fast.

Bring on the Races!!

I am so excited it is summer and time for racing.  Good luck to everyone racing this weekend including Ironman Hawaii 70.3 and the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon.  I'm looking forward to reading the fabulous race reports next week.

Thursday Thoughts

I was having a conversation today and during that conversation the gentleman I was speaking with touched me on my elbow and moved his hand down to my wrist.  Now I know people tend to touch other people when they talk, but his gesture made me uncomfortable.  I have to admit, I'm not high on the touchy-feely stuff.  I'd go into it, but I'll owe my therapist thousands some day to fix me.  :)

So, what makes you uncomfortable?

My Boobs Are Tiny

As you may remember, a while ago I was searching for a new swimsuit.  I caved and bought a two piece competitive suit.  Today the swimsuit took it's maiden voyage.  

Our gym has an outdoor pool that just opened this weekend.  The weather was beautiful today with warm air and slight cloud cover.  I figured it was a good day to swim outside.  So, I put on my new two pieces and started my workout.

As soon as I pushed off the wall I realized the drawstring works wonderfully on the bottoms, but top is pretty insecure.  I think it's because my boobs are so tiny.  :)  Each time I pushed off the wall I thought for sure I was flashing my entire boob!!  Luckily, I guess, I had to go to the bathroom and while I was in there I tightened the top.  After trying again, it was a little better.  It certainly still felt loose but at least I wasn't losing it completely.  I'm not sure how much more I can tighten it as it will just make the back go up further and not really pulling it any tighter.  Maybe it will just turn into a bathing suit instead of a swimming suit.

Either way, it was still a good workout.  Although, it felt like I was going nowhere while doing my sprints.  I guess you have to take into account the wind effect while swimming outside.  At least I got a good start on tanning my hide.  

SUGOI Brand Champion

Today I got word that I had been named a SUGOI Brand Champion.  SUGOI gives me discount on their products and in exchange, I wear them to train and race in them.  In exchange of that, they promote me as a runner and endurance athlete.  It's a win-win for all.  

This will be the second time I've been on a brand-awareness team.  Last time I'm not sure I put in the effort to make it worth while.  I was pretty burnt-out on running by the end of it and didn't really care.  This time I'm hyped on running and really hoping to get a lot out of it.  

So, stay tuned, to see more sponsorship action.

Happy Memorial Day

Memorial Day has always been a fun holiday for me.  In college I would throw a party every Memorial Day.  I don't know why?  It just seemed like a holiday that required a party.  As an adult I now understand it a little better and with my best friend from high school having spent two rounds in Iraq and with a new friend now who is stationed in Kuwait, I truly appreciate the armed forces even more.

But today was a fantastic Memorial Day full of no workouts, getting things done, and dinner with the family.  The evening was topped off when my sister's younger two kids began puking at the same time.  Awesome!

Happy Memorial Day!  

(Not So) Lazy Sunday

First of all, IronMatron....every time I try to comment on your blog, it bounces.  What up?  Can you fix that?

Ever since I started my business and Dave started training for Ironman our house has just fallen into ruin.  It looks absolutely horrible!  This includes the landscaping which we did not touch once last year.  Now that there's a million houses for sale in our neighborhood, including our next door neighbor's, we decided it was time to work on the landscaping.  And since Dave had an "off" weekend from training we tackled it with full force today.  

We have a back paver patio which we did ourselves 3 years ago and had landscaped it when we put it in.  Last year we let the grass grow all around it again including around all the landscaping we had put in.  So we started early, early this morning by digging up the sod again.  We then put in edging so the grass wouldn't grow up it again.  Next we put in new top soil and covered the soil with the mesh stuff that keeps the weeds away.  Did I mention we had dandelions the size of small children out there?  And they had teeth like little kiddos too!!  Finally we finished it off with new mulch.  We got half of the landscaping done.  Tomorrow we hope to do the second half of it.

On top of all that, we watched some car racing, tennis, and baseball.  And, oh, I rode my bike to spin out the legs.  Yeah, it's been a busy but productive day.  

Now if we could only tackle the inside of the house with as much veracity as the outside, this place would be immaculate.  

Buffalo Trails 5K 2009

Dave's Ironman is a mere 4 weeks away.  He has been training like a beast, but nothing prepares you better for a big race like Ironman than a tune-up race.  Since we live in the midwest, finding a tune-up race this early in the spring/summer is difficult.  Dave did some research and found a sprint triathlon in Maysville, Kentucky that would allow him to practice some things he's learned before his race.

And since I'd be tagging along anyway, I decided to sign up for the 5K and do a test for new heart rate zones.  After looking at the results for the last couple of years, I knew it was a small race, and there was a very real possibility I could win the race.  I shared this goal with Coach and that's when she told me to "run like hell!"

Dave's swim was cancelled due to poor water quality and was replaced with a half mile run followed by the rest of the triathlon.  He started his race about 20 minutes before mine.  I got my warm-up done, put on my racing shoes, stripped down to my sports bra (it IS the summer of the sports bra run), and actually lined up in the front of the line.  I eyed my competition: a 13 year old girl (you never know with those young ones) and an older woman who looked like a runner.  The gun went off (actually the race director yelling BANG!) and I took off like a crazy woman.  Within a half mile I was leading the race.  There were no official mile markers, but there was one scribbled on the road that said "about 1 mile".  I should mention I was doing a heart rate test and did not want to see how high my heart rate was going.  So, I put a sticker over my watch so I couldn't see and wouldn't panic.  But, I could still see the split and saw that the approximate first mile was 5:54.  Holy sh!t!!!  I have never run a mile that fast!  Coach had told me to ease into the first half mile and I did not.  I'm glad I did not, however, because the run got harder.  About a mile and a half in you turn left and head up a flight of stairs.  I was taking them two at a time but got cut off by a 16 year old who was taking them one at a time and was sorta kinda walking up them and was hogging the whole staircase.  At the top of the stairs you turn left and run on top of the flood wall which was grass.  When I reached the top I looked back and saw no women at all.

I eased back a little and made sure to control my own race.  The flood wall ended and you had to go down a dirt embankment and the run on the grass some more between the flood wall and the Ohio River.  Well, the embankment was steep.  I took one step and then fell flat on my butt.  I was ultra embarrassed but did not hurt myself.  I got right back up and kept running.  There was another uphill and then you were back on the trail and the finish was in sight.  One of the officials let me know I was the lead woman.  I cruised under the bridge and into the finish line.

My time was 21:47 which is a new PR.  I am REALLY excited about that as (a) I didn't train specifically for this race, (b) it was a difficult course and (c) I ran all alone with no one to push me.  I won the female division and finished 8th overall.  My award was a HUGE trophy!  And I got announced on the local radio station that was covering the race.  

Since Dave was running the triathlon, I didn't have my usual paparazzi to follow me around.  So, I only have two pictures.  The first is the bridge I had to run over and go over to and from Ohio.  Thank goodness I didn't have to run over it.  I might have died!

The second picture was taken when we got home.  It's me and my GIGANTIC trophy.  What am I supposed to do with a trophy that size?

This was my first 5K in two years.  I still hated it, but I'm ecstatic with the results.  My first win ever!!!

Coach would be so proud

Tomorrow I am racing a 5k. And I emphasize racing. Because this is a super small race Dave and I drove the course so I knew what I would be doing. I have never, EVER seen a course before I raced it.

This one starts out super flat for about a mile and a half. Then it turns left and goes up a flight of stairs. You turn left again and run on top of the flood wall, in the grass, for about half mile, maybe. This is where we couldn't figure it out and the people that worked at registration didn't know a whole lot more than us. It seems you go back down the stairs on the other side of the wall and run a dirt trail until it connects with a paved trail. The final part is rolling along the river and finished under a giagantic bridge. A freakin' bridge!!!

The best part, the race shirt is pink, all of them. That means Dave's race shirt is pink. He he he!

Race report tomorrow.

Thursday Thoughts

On Saturday I will be running a 5K.  There's a very good probability that I could do VERY well in this race.  Coach provided my race plan that says, "run like hell!"  That doesn't sound like fun?!  

Needless to say, the 5K is NOT a race I enjoy.  It hurts, it's too fast, and I really suck at it.  The longer the distance, the better I do.

Today's question....

What is your least favorite race distance and what is your favorite race distance?

SPF 30+

I denote this, "Summer of the Sports Bra Run."

Day number 1 was Saturday when the temperature wasn't too hot, but the humidity was through the roof.  Ah, midwest living!  I actually started out in a shirt, but half way through took it off.

Day number 2 was today when it was over 80 degrees and without the wind, I thought I was running in a volcano field.  

Why am I running in a sports bra?  Maybe to get a tan?  Maybe because I have a rockin' new body thanks to coach?  Maybe I don't want to do a lot of laundry this summer?  Or, maybe because as a 31 year old I should start feeling comfortable in my own skin and be pushing myself beyond my limits maybe I can achieve that?  

I don't notice if I get a whole bunch of stares when I run but I definitely noticed today.  Probably because I wasn't exactly feeling comfortable with showing my belly.  Lots of dudes giving me the thumbs up, but my favorite was when this women gave me a dirty look.  I'm guessing she was probably a little jealous of my physique or maybe it was the glare off my incredibly white belly that was causing one eye to squint.  :)

My favorite part of the run today has nothing to do with my uncomfortableness.  (Is that a word?)  Since I stopped running with partners I have taken a liking to running with my iPod, but to rid the bad tan lines, I haven't been running with it for the last week or so.  So today it was just me and my thoughts on an interval run.  Not a good combination.  I kept hearing this chinging, like a dog running with me with a chain around it's neck.  I heard it for miles.  And then I figured it out.  My running shorts I was wearing are weird and have the key pocket in the back, you know, against my butt.  I was carrying our extra key which has a safety pin attached to it.  Yes I thought I was being followed by a dog when really my butt was chinging.  Nice!

This was my last hard workout of the week.  There's a race to be run this weekend!

Ask and You Shall Receive

Yesterday I was asked if I swam or ran in college.  The answer is no to both of those, but yes, I was a college athlete.  I entered college right after the 1996 Olympics and a bet was made between a girl I worked with and myself about trying out for the crew team in college.  Then once I got to school I met a girl the first week, (who funny enough, I'm still friends with) who asked me if I wanted to try out for the crew team with her.  I thought, why not?  So the next week I showed up for the tryouts, told a joke, and somehow made it through the first cut.  Then I had to get out on the water and see if I could steer the boat.  Turns out I was pretty good at it and made the novice team.  I was #3 on the team in terms of coxswains until winter break.  We spent our winter break in Cocoa Beach, FL and somehow I wound up taking on my coxswain coach in a dual on the water.  Funny enough, I won.  That solidified my spot in a boat.  Finally, after crashing several boats in a week, our team was assigned an hour long Indian run.  By the end, I was the only coxswain that survived.  And that, my friends, is how I made it into the novice A boat without having any experience in rowing whatsoever.

I raced the whole year in the novice A boat and even made the Eastern Nationals.  I, unfortunately, didn't get to compete in that race as I had a robot competition the same day (don't judge me).  I did come back to the team in the fall and stayed on for a few months until my advisor told me rowing or engineering and I chose engineering.  

Hindsight, I wish I had stayed on the team as I would have received my varsity letter and I would have gotten to compete in the Big Tens.  But, I did go to college to study and study I did!  

By the way, I was not a coxswain for the men's team, which was a club sport.  I was on the women's team which was a varsity sport.  Novice is the fancy term for JV, but in team competition novice points count toward the final score.  My highlight was beating Michigan in a dual and getting thrown in the water (tradition for a winning coxswain).  I got my picture in the Columbus Dispatch and even got interviewed.  I have that sports page framed and hanging on my wall.

Thanks for asking the question.

Full Day of Workouts and Awesomeness

This morning started with a short swim.  I got to the pool around 9:15 and all the lanes were full.  I was content to wait my turn, but others decided I should share a lane.  So, I jumped in with an older dude and hugged the line for half of my workout.  Then a lane opened up and I scurried on over there.  Before even pushing off the wall, someone else decided they wanted to share my lane and I was stuck right next to the wall.  With 8 laps left, I finally switched to my 3rd lane and was all by myself for the cool down.  My favorite part of the workout was afterwards when the lifeguard asked me if I swam in college.  Gosh!  How fast am I getting?  :)

Then this evening Dave and I went downtown to meet COTT so that Dave could practice open water swimming.  While there I had a conversation with a VERY good triathlete who had raced Memphis in May the day before.  We were talking about running and sponsorship and then he asked me if I had run in college.  Twice in one day?!  Seriously, what is going on?!

Last night I went to the prom.  Not as a date, but as a vendor.  And, I loved it!

I have to admit, I have been hyper-critical of the current generation.  Or as I like to call it: the princess generation.  But last night I was proved wrong.  We worked at two local proms and we have nothing but high praises.  The kids were appropriate and polite, friendly and appreciative. When I worked at the high school as a coach I absolutely loved the kids and thought they were well behaved and mature, but I thought maybe it was because they were athletes who were disciplined and wanted to be there, etc.  But, maybe it's more than just athletes.  Maybe I've been too critical and my fear/thoughts about the next generation were wrong.  Thank you, kiddos, for helping me change my mind.

Check out all the fun we had this week on my other blog.  The posts will be up in the next couple of days.

What a Party!

I'm at prom right now and having a blast. More tomorrow.

My Lady Bits Are Just Fine

If you've noticed on my sidebar, I've amped up the biking miles in the last week.  Let's just say, more biking miles in the past week than in the last 5 months.  Even more than that!!!  More miles than July when I hung up my bike after the Muncie Endurathon and said triathlon was for the birds.

Then I got a jolt of confidence when Coach said I had a strong swim and run and really should be a triathlete.  Well, I'm not ready to jump on the bandwagon yet, but I have signed up for one (and only one) triathlon this summer.  

To say the least, I think Coach was uber-excited about the prospect of me doing a triathlon and immediately went into training mode.  Uh, Coach, did you forget about the 5K I'm doing next week?  So, I got on my bike again this week and rode.  And you know what?  It didn't completely suck.  Yes, you read that right.  I'm not going to go so far as to say I enjoyed it.  Although, it was nice to see my husband....get it?  He's training for Ironman and if I want to see him, I better be training with him.  Never mind.  

I can definitely tell I'm in better aerobic shape and that my quads are much more developed than last year.  Don't tell anyone, but I'm kinda excited about my triathlon now.  Shhh!!!!

Thursday Thoughts

Invention Convention!!!

This summer I'm calling it the summer of the sports bra run.  Yep that's right.  I'm going to get over my fears of my belly and bare it to the sun.  Here's my problem though.  I'm one of those people who worshipped the sun as a child and now is worried about skin cancer.  I put sunscreen on ALL. THE. TIME.  This summer I'll be doing my workouts during the daytime since I won't be working.  Here's where I need your help...

Get out those thinking caps and thinking of some really creative way to get sunscreen on your back without assistance and without missing any spots.  

FanaTATstic Part 2

So I got my first tattoo last fall. It was to celebrate running my 10th marathon. It is a 26.2 with 10 hash marks underneath it. I'll post another picture when I'm not blogging from my phone. Anyway, I'm thinking of getting another one. I'd like it to say marathon but I want it to be spelled in Greek since the first marathon was in Greece. Dave wants me to make sure it's spelled correctly before I get it. Problem is, I don't anyone who's Greek. So, if you're Greek please leave me a message on how to spell it. Or send me an email with the letting. Someone at gymnastics told me I should get it in capital letters because it will look more Greek. Plus it needs to be the noun.

Can you help me out?

Motivation

You may have noticed from my sidebar, but in the last couple of weeks I have joined the Twitter revolution.  I still haven't quite figured out what it's all supposed to mean, but I have enjoyed finding other runners, triathletes, swimmers, and reading new blogs.  What I have found in new blogs is that there is a lot of chicks out there who are faster than me.  And that, frankly, makes me mad.  The competitor in me thinks this is a good thing.  The mother in my ear says, move on Meredith.

I know a lot of people think I'm too competitive, but I like to look at my competitiveness as motivation.  I don't think I would be as good of a runner or a business owner or engineer if I wasn't competitive. 

Today I did my run with new purpose.  I even got on my bike and did the workout I missed (skipped) last week.  So thank you, fast chicks, for motivating me to become a better runner.

PS-  I'm not doing this to go out and beat people, by the way.  I feel motivated to make myself the best runner I can be.  Just wanted to clarify.  :)

I'm on Speed

I happened to mention to Coach last week that I was planning on doing one triathlon this summer.  It's a super-short women's only race that includes 400m of swimming, 12 miles of biking, and 2 miles of running.  I didn't figure I would need a whole lot of training for that.  Coach, of course, thought differently.

I've noticed the training in the next couple weeks includes speed, speed, and more SPEED!  This morning it was swimming speed.  2300 meters of nothing but sprints.  First I had to do fast 50s on the 1:00, which I completed around 47-48 seconds.  Then it was fast 100s on the 2:00, which I did around 1:40s.  Finally I had to do 50s at max on the 1:15.  I crushed those around 45 seconds.  And, I swim meters, not yards!  

Hopefully, all this swimming will also be converted into some running speed too.  

I never imagined how my life would change when I started my own business.  I knew I would be working a lot and I also knew that there would be no one else to pick up the slack but myself.  But I didn't anticipate the people I would meet and the opportunities that would present themselves.  

A few months ago, The Columbus Crew called us to do some pre-season fan events.  The Crew is the reigning MLS Cup Champions with some serious big name stars.  And you know what I have found out by doing four events for them?  They are an amazing club!  They do so much for their fans and give back fully.  Today they put on a Spring Soccer Festival for their season ticket holders where the team gave autographs and there were games and arts, etc.  We had the photo booth there and were surprised to find out we'd have a team member in the booth to take pictures with and get autographs from.  Midfielder Adam Moffat spent two hours in our booth, laughing it up, making silly faces, and talking our ears off.  He is a great guy as is all the players.  Oh yeah, he's from Scotland and has a super-sexy voice.  He he he!

We have been really impressed with The Columbus Crew.  We are super-excited they have been working with us and we're really looking forward to working with them again.  And as soon as I pull out the pictures, I'll have to add the great ones Amy and I took with Adam.

Thanks again, Crew, for being amazing!

Back in the Saddle

Things have gotten back to normal this week, training-wise.  I have gotten to run, swim, do some strength, and tomorrow there will be a bike.  There seems to be no harm done from the marathon and I feel like I'm still super-strong and fast.  The runs have been easy but productive.  The swims are getting longer but also productive.  And the bike...well, the bike is the bike.  I'm not sure I will ever enjoy biking.  I'm just happy to be back to full strength and working toward my summer-time goals.

Rollerskating and Photoboothing

I mentioned previously that we were going to be at the Sunbury Skate Club with the photo booth for my sister's fundraising efforts. I haven't been skating in a LONG time but it was still awesome and luckily, I didn't fall. My whole family was there and enjoyed the booth along with us.

Dave and I kicking it old school...

That's my nephew in the green shirt. He found skating to be difficult...

Fish faces with my mom, my sister, and my nephew...

More fish in the photo booth. Me and the gang....

We're all just a bunch of hams...

And finally, my parents and youngest nephew trying to convey that he's two...

This weekend we have THREE photo booth events, plus a photo shoot. Make sure to check out my other blog next week for all the fantastic images.

Thursday Thoughts

After Boston I bought myself a t-shirt from Niketown that said, "Training is the opposite of hoping."  I love it!  I usually reward myself after a good performance and especially after a PR.  Do you reward yourself after some kind of achievement?  And if yes, how do you usually reward yourself?

Meredith's Miscellany

• Dave is the king of finding all things on discount, including dinner.  Tonight was a free meal from KFC that we waited in line for 45 minutes for.  Worth it, though.
• I swam the longest swim today that I have since I started working with Liz.  Secretly I think she's trying to make me into a triathlon.  Honestly I don't mind the swimming.  Although, today my neck is sore from swimming.
• I went to the high school track meet last night and realize I don't miss coaching AT ALL.  
• I am such a sap for shows ending.  Even though ABC claims to be bringing back Scrubs, it will not be the same without Zac Braff.  Yes, I cried like a baby tonight when the episode ended.  
• I am highly motivated and excited about my summer of running and racing.  If I didn't have such high expectations for myself, I would probably share my excitement with you guys.  :)  I just don't want to set myself up to fail.
• I swear my blog posts will get better, someday.  

5th of May

Happy Cinco de Mayo! I'm celebrating with multiples of margaritas. Regular posting will continue tomorrow.

Sponge Bob Square Mer

I made an awful mistake today.  While waiting on Dave to get off work, we shared a ride today, I went to Macy's and shopped for swimsuits.  Duh, duh, duh!!!  I found this cute yellow polka dotted bikini (seriously) and tried it on.  And this began the downward spiral to hell.  It looked hideous.  I have never liked myself in a bikini.  I think I look square and today I looked square and pale.

Then I went over to Victoria Secret and OH MY GAWD it was a traumatic experience.  I thought, maybe a sexy one piece?  A sexy one piece that covers NOTHING!  Then I went to Nordstrom.  Nothing.  Then I went to J. Crew.  Nothing.  Then I went to Old Navy.  Nothing.  Then I went to Target.  Nothing.  Then I went online.  NOTHING!!!

Why is this a big deal?  I'm in a wedding this summer and the wedding is on the beach in Laguna.  And among the chicks in the wedding party, I'm kinda the ugly duckling.  Okay maybe not the ugly duckling, but the most athletic duckling and I have a feeling that this destination wedding will include a lot of time on the beach.  And these chicks can pull off a bikini and I can't.  I was just going to get a competitive 2-piece swimsuit, but then I will ALWAYS be the athletic one and I just wanted to break that mold, but....

I look terrible in a bikini, all the one pieces I find are matronly or cover too much up (or maybe not enough, Victoria's Secret!), and I can't find a tankini that only comes to my lower ribs instead of all the way to the bottoms.  Here's the thing, I like my butt and think it looks pretty good in tiny bikini bottoms (he he he!), but everything between my hip bones and my neck I'm not such a fan of.  I need shopping help.  Please internet, I need some suggestions!!!

Back in the Saddle

Literally and figuratively.

Literally, I'm back in the saddle as I'm doing a super-short triathlon in June and the biking will ensue again.  Honestly, I'm not very happy about it.  You see, I'm pretty much allergic to anything and get contact dermatitis from everything.  These allergies include my bike shorts and biking means dealing with rashes, rashes, rashes.  Thank goodness I work from home and can scratch away without anyone saying anything about my inappropriateness.

Figuratively, I'm back in the saddle as I can finally go back to running this week.  Yay!!!  I love to run.  I have a 5K on the schedule in a few weeks and I think it's going to be fast!

I'm glad recovery time is over and it's time to get training again.

Lace Up Your Skates

Tonight (Saturday 5/2), come to the Sunbury Skate Club from 6-8pm and skate, skate, skate for a good cause.  My sister and her friend Jennifer are fundraising for their 3-day walk.  Admission is $5, with $1 skate rental.  Plus, the photo booth will be there!

See you there!

April Totals

You would think with tapering and recovery after the marathon that my miles wouldn't be very high, but this is the most miles I've had in a month all year.  Maybe that's because there was an 18 miler in there too in addition to a full marathon.

Swim = 9,500 meters

Bike = 10.44 miles

Run = 92.3 miles

Other = 15 minutes

There's a few more races on the schedule this year.  I think I'm going to keep those a secret for now.  :)