Wendy's Triathlon 2009

I looked at my schedule for Sunday earlier this week and it had a bike at race pace and a run at race pace. Knowing that there was a triathlon for Sunday I asked Coach if I could do the triathlon as a workout. She agreed, gave me a race plan, and thus, I signed up for the Wendy's Triathlon. I arrived this morning feeling pretty calm. I had no expectations. I was just going to follow the plan and see what happened. I set up my transition and headed down to the water to get in some practice swimming. Things were clicking right away and I got excited.

I lined up pretty close to the front for the swim. After attending an open water swim clinic this past Monday, the instructor said don't be afraid to line up in the front. People are going to swim over you regardless. And within a few strokes I was in open water. I did have one guy who kept going back and forth in front of me. When it was possible I would hang onto his feet, but in the end, I dropped him and focused on my own swim. When I got out of the water Dave said I was 5th woman in my age group. According to the results, I was 4th. Not bad!

Onto the bike....let's just say, I'm not the strongest biker. I've done this race three times and each time it has been a different bike course (and run course). This time it was kind of an out and back. I tried to ride comfortably yet faster that what I was used to. I took my gel. I drank my water. I got passed by many people but I still passed people too. I think I might have been passed by 4-6 women in my age group. I averaged over 17 mph which is good for me, but WAY slow compared to everyone else. According to Dave, if I had averaged 2 mph more I would have won my age group. Dang it!

The run felt very comfortable. I LOVED the new course. We ran through a crushed path up to the dam and then halfway across the dam and back. And I ROCKED it! Not only did I pass 4-5 women in my age group, but I had the fastest run split in my age group! I averaged 7:32s for the 5K and it made the difference because...

I finished 3rd in my age group!!! I have never placed EVER in a triathlon!

Dave followed me around with a camera all day and took a ton of great pictures. Enjoy a slideshow of all of them...

Okay, I officially hate how small the video is. If you all leave me nice comments below, I'll upload the photos separately so you can see them all. :)

Three Days!!!

Foto Friday

I'm stealing ideas from the Chic Runner today as I'm going all Foto Friday. Actually, I'm doing it because I can't think of anything to blog about.

This week I shut down my photography business. Things have been so crazy with the photo booth business that I just haven't had time to be the photographer I need to be. I still hope to do photography some day, but for now I want to take pictures for me and take pictures that I want to take. One type of photography that really interest me is "Street Photography." So this week I carried around my big honkin' camera and took pictures of people being people. Here are two of my favorites...





What I need from you, Internet, is a caption for each of these pictures. I'm terrible at naming my art pieces. What would you call these pictures?

Thursday Thoughts

I looked at my training schedule for this weekend and it had a brick on it...bike at race pace, run at race pace. Well, shoot, there's a triathlon this weekend. Why not throw a swim in the mix too? So today I signed up for the Wendy's Triathlon.

Not exactly the most spontaneous thing I've ever done, but I want to know today, what's the most spontaneous thing you've ever done?

I Had a (Crazy) Dream

I just woke up from an afternoon nap while in the middle of a crazy dream. My friends Jason and Lindsay along with my sister and I were somehow playing baseball for the Cincinnati Reds. That's weird to start, no? I remember Lindsay and I getting the opportunity to hit and had successful at bats. Then Jason got up and hit a grand slam home run. Finally my sister got up to bad and that's when things got weird. She was a last minute substitute and was playing illegally. When she hit the ball all of the people on base had to get on a big giant airplane and fly across the Ohio River in Cincinnati. The problem? My sister doesn't know how to fly an airplane let along a commercial jet. Amy gets the plane off the ground and barely gets it across the river only to crash it on the other side. Fear that we'll get in trouble for putting Amy in the game, Jason, Lindsay, and I don hazmat suits to go help in the rescue mission. On our way out the door we receive news that Amy and the rest are okay, and that Amy has admitted to authorities that she wasn't really on the team and that she didn't know how to fly an airplane. The three of us, in our hazmat suits, somehow get put into this holding pin, sort of like a giant cup holder, and this is how we are to fly across the river to get to the crash site. We found it very odd that we would go to investigate a crash site while being totally careless with our own lives--no seat belts, overweight compartment, etc.

And this is when I woke up. What the hell was that all about?

I Didn't Eat Crow

Back a few years when I was unemployed I used to go to yoga twice a week. I found an instructor I really liked who didn't do traditional yoga. I felt that it helped with my core strength and my flexibility. Now that I'm on summer break I've decided to go back to yoga. The same class is still going on with the same instructor. I was interested to see where my abilities lie now that I've certainly got better strength and better flexibility from all the gymnastics.

What I found out was that I'm a little more flexible, although I struggled some poses like child pose because of the bruise on my knee. Remember? I fell off my bicycle yesterday. But, I still have some serious strength and balance. Yeah, I'm a regular yogi. :) Today I mastered the crow pose and could even do it with my feet crossed. See that picture on the left? That's crow pose. That's not me, however. I borrowed that picture from somebody else. There are several variations of this pose that I'd love to try. For now, I'll call day 1 of yoga a success and I'm looking forward to going back on Thursday, hopefully a little less bruised.

He Took Me to the Clinic

The day started off with a short recovery bike ride down into town and back. It started off a little rusty, however, when I crashed in the driveway bruising my knee, my wrist, and my ego. To add insult to injury, on my return trip home it rained, HARD!

My second workout of the day involved open water swimming at Alum Creek State Park with COTT. Coach had given me a workout (see picture on the right). This workout took us back and forth and back and forth along the beach, finally finishing in about 2400 meters. The members of COTT kept mentioning a swim clinic after our swim practice, but Dave and I didn't know what they were talking about. So after our swim we stuck around to find out what everyone meant. Dude, this clinic was hard. We learned about beach starts, dolphin dives, sighting, drafting, sharp buoy turns, swim exits, and even how to strip down our wetsuits. And all of it we had to practice as a group and HARD! My heart rate was quite elevated and I was certainly gasping for breath. Overall I think I got in over 3000 meters and boy are my arms tired! That's a lot of swimming for that one 400m in the one triathlon I'm doing this summer.

Tomorrow starts anew with a run and some yoga. I love summertime. :)

Running from the Devil--A Book Review

I was in the middle of "Breaking Dawn" when I was contacted by a publisher to read and review a book. I agreed and was sent "Running from the Devil" by Jamie Freveletti. I must admit, I was a bit hesitant about reading a new book by a new author especially after reading all the Twilight books at once and being really immersed in them. But, I absolutely LOVED this book!!!

The main character is Emma Caldridge, a biochemist and ultra-runner, who discovers something she is not supposed to. She is en route to Bogota, Columbia when her plane is hijacked and brought down by anti-government guerillas who take the surviving passengers hostage. Emma eludes the hijackers and escapes the wreckage. She begins to pursue the hostages, the guerillas are pursuing her, the American government gets involved, and all of it comes to a head when her secret is exposed.

What makes this book exciting is there is action, a hint at sexual tension, and this overall secret that suspends the reader not knowing if Emma is a good guy or bad guy.

I've recently begun communicating with Jamie Freveletti via Twitter and she's one cool chick. :) Not only is she an awesome writer, she is herself an ultra runner and a SUGOI Brand Champion. Check her and her book out!

Saturdays are so Busy

My mom called me tonight to let me know some information I had asked about. Half way through the sentence she goes, "You're at a wedding, aren't you?" Yep, that's pretty much every Saturday for us now.

The day started with a run with the husband. Ten miles at an easy pace. It was nice to run with Dave on his last long run before the big day. After some ice baths and some lunch, we packed up the photo booth and headed to our next wedding. And what a wedding it was! Let's just say there was a nacho bar, a group song and dance, and someone called me Rainman. This wedding was awesome! Look on our brand new VIP Photo Booths blog tomorrow for a taste of the fun.

Thankfully, this evening is ending before midnight and there will be good sleep in our future. Tomorrow Dave has a four hour bike ride. And he's meeting someone EARLY in the morning to do the ride. That means, I get to see Dave for most of the day. Yippee!!!

I feel the need, the need for speed

Did I say it was the summer of the sports bra run? Yes, well, it's also the summer of the track workout. Today was workout #2 of the week on the track. Included was some form running, some sprints, and some regular ol' running. Of course I did the run right smack in the middle of the afternoon when the sun was beaming off the black track. Working on my tan, yes, but felt absolutely sluggish and dehydrated. I was looking ahead to next week's workouts and there are lots of speed workouts. Think Coach is trying to tell me something? I know it's going to work, though, and that helps me be willing to suffer. I can't wait to see the results.

Thursday Thoughts

One of my favorite home makeover shows is called "Dress My Nest" on Style. To help design the room, Thom Filicia has the individual wanting the room makeover choose three style items and three personal items. He then uses those items as design ideas like a dress with a cool design into a rug with a similar design.

Today's Thursday Thoughts involves your three style or personal items. What are the three things you MUST have for running, triathlon, swimming, exercising?

My list...
1. Nike Boston 06 hat
2. Balega socks
3. Timex watch/HRM

A Test and a Tank

The word for the summer is speed and I kicked it off today with a track test. After a good warm-up the plan was for 6 minutes AS HARD AS I CAN GO!!! I was really nervous about this. No one to push me; around and around a track; expectations knowing I should be able to go a full mile. And did I mention it was raining?

I put on my racing flats, took a swig of water, toed the line, and started out FAST! I kept my knees up. I pushed off my toes. I tried to count my steps instead of worrying about my heaving breathing. The time was going fast and so was I. As I passed the 1600 (1 mile) I checked my watch, 5:43. Five freakin' forty three!!! Holy crap! I was flying. At the end of 6 minutes, I was just shy of 1700 meters. Nice!

This was more than a track test. I was testing out my new tank from SUGOI. This is the Fizz Tank specifically designed for Brand Champions. This is an amazing tank top! This is the first tank top with a shelf bra that I've been able to wear without another sports bra underneath. It's tight, but not clingy. It did not ride up while I ran. The entire back and sides of the tank is mesh and completely breathable. There is a pocket in the bank that held my key but would definitely hold a lot of gels and/or iPod. My run was pretty short, but the tank did not rub anywhere either. My only "complaint" I have is with the mesh shelf bra. It made me itch, but maybe that's just because it's summer and I itch everywhere. We'll give that one some time to see if that's really a problem. I'm looking forward to getting my shorts later this week and see if they're as magnificent.

Oh yeah, there was also a bike ride after the run today, followed by an ice bath. Then there was a nap. A very full and fantastic day!

8 Things

I know there has been some 8 Things lists going around all these blogs. And since I'm a blog lurker and not a commenter, I haven't been tagged, but that's not going to stop me from making up my own list. I don't know what the correct 8 Things lists are, so I'm making mine up.

8 Beaches I've Visited
1. Myrtle Beach
2. Cocoa Beach
3. Laguna Beach
4. Venice Beach (Florida)
5. Wikiki Beach
6. Virginia Beach
7. Cannon Beach
8. Hampton Beach

8 States Where I've Run a Race
1. Ohio
2. Massachusetts
3. New Hampshire
4. North Carolina
5. Kentucky
6. Indiana
7. Illinois
8. California (okay not yet, but I will)

8 Competitive Sports I've Done
1. Gymnastics
2. Tennis
3. Track
4. Rowing
5. Distance Running
6. Triathlon
7. Softball
8. Basketball

8 Television Shows I Love
1. Ed
2. The Wonder Years
3. ER
4. The Big Bang Theory
5. Greek
6. Gilmore Girls
7. Friends
8. The Amazing Race

8 Concerts I've Been To
1. Peter, Paul, and Mary (my first concert)
2. Aerosmith
3. Cranberries
4. Garth Brooks
5. Earth, Wind, and Fire
6. Kenny Chesney
7. The Backstreet Boys (yeah, that's right)
8. Sarah McLaughlin

8 Blogs I Like to Read
Disclaimer: I read a lot more than this, but these are the ones that popped into my head first
1. E.L.F
2. Bree Wee
3. Bobbi and Mike
4. Jasmine Star
5. Tri to be Funny
6. Twenty Six Point Two
7. Notes and Lines
8. Jessica Claire

8 Movies That I Love
1. You've Got Mail
2. Sleepless in Seattle
3. Joe vs. the Volcano (see a pattern here?)
4. While You Were Sleeping
5. Memphis Belle
6. My Best Friend's Wedding
7. Rent
8. Shag

8 Places I've Worked
1. Westerville Academy of Dance and Gymnastics
2. The Medallion Club
3. The Ohio State University
4. DSW
5. Nationwide
6. The Limited
7. Wendy's Gymnastics and Fitness for Children
8. VIP Photo Booths, Inc. :)

I Did Not Drown

I looked at my schedule at the beginning of the week and today's workout said open water swim. Say what?! Oh crap! I picked Dave up from work with our wetsuits loaded in the trunk and headed down to the quarry at the Runaway Bay apartments. We were banking on traffic but alas there was none and we made it down there nearly 45 minutes before the group swim. We waited until 6:00 and then decided no one was coming so we made our way in, just the two of us.





The water felt very cold at first. I had a hard time controlling my heart rate as I felt the sliminess on the rocks and the green of the water got darker and darker. I wanted to turn back but Dave encouraged me to keep going. When we reached the other side of the quarry my heart was pounding out of my chest. Then we decided to take a long swim over to the giant rock sticking up out of the middle of the water. It was then that I was able to settle down and feel good about my stroke. Dave was on my right side which helped since I only breathe to my right. As long as he was in my sights, I felt comfortable.

Once we reached the rock we rested a while sitting on it. I got back into the water to make the return trip and slammed the top of my foot into a rock while trying to stay afloat. Ouch! That hurt. The return trip was again comfortable and the whole swimming experience took us about 27 minutes. We probably went about a mile.

Here we are looking so pretty after our swim. I especially like how my mascara is smeared all over my eyelids.



The next open water swim will be next Monday at a different location. I hope it goes just as well.

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.  :)

Thursday Thoughts

I haven't had a subscription to Runner's World in two years and I didn't realize how much I miss reading it until I picked my dad's up this evening.  I always enjoy reading the professional runners and their favorite workouts.  So today's question, what is your favorite workout and why?

Bob the Builder and Handy Manny

AKA-Dave and Mer.

Wedding season is quickly approaching.  We started with an event last weekend, have another low-profile one this weekend, and there we're off being double-booked for the rest of May.  For the last several weeks we've been hard at work building our second photo booth and it's turning out to be totally awesome.  Only problem is, besides one part we broke on it, we somehow seem to really be pushing our deadline.

We're doing a skating party for my sister this Saturday to help her fundraise for her 3 day walk.  We wanted to debut the brand new booth there to work out any kinks we may have before next weekend's wedding where we NEED the booth.  I've been sewing like it's my job and Dave's been pounding in the basement starting early in the morning and ending late at night.  Our house looks like a construction zone.  And to top it all off, I threw out my back tonight while picking up trash off the floor.  

But, it's going to be totally awesome and I can't wait for the season to start.  Photo booths are awesome!!!

Featured

Check it out!  I'm May's Featured Athlete at Multisport Mastery.

And if you'd like to see our photo booth featured on a blog, check this out!

Bad Boys, Bad Boys (or should I say Bad Girl!)

I had just left the grocery store this evening and had put the bags in my car.  I was sitting in the driver's seat adjusting everything when I saw a homely woman walking very fast out of the store, with something obviously stuffed under her shirt and she was pointing at a car and pointing behind her.  Then I saw a grocery store employee fly through the parking lot stopping in front of the car.  He came around to the side of the car and the car went tearing off.  Then he pointed to another employee and started rattling off the license plate number.  He was running back inside the store, I assume, to call the cops.  And I saw all of it from inside my car.  Who knew I lived in the sketchy part of town?!

Walk Like An Egyptian

My workout today said 45 minutes of cross training.  Yes, I'm still in recovery mode and have another week of it before I will get back to the running.  Sometimes I wonder what's worst--taper or recovery?  As I mentioned in a previous post, my sister is training for her 60 mile walk in July so I thought I would tag along today with her and her friend Jennifer.

The 45 minute walk turned into an hour and a half walk as I went the entire 6 miles with her.  Seriously, mad props to the walkers!  I made it through the marathon unscathed, but after a 6 mile walk today I have blisters on both of my heels.  I think the next time I help her with her training it will be on my bike or my in-line skates providing support.  

I'm still counting the miles towards my running for this month, though.  :)

Food for Thought

I'm at a fundraising event with the photobooth right now at a private school. When a priavte school is not a faith-based school, how does the curriculum differ from higher quality public school? I just wondered.

King Pin

Dave is really good at finding local things to do when we're traveling.  The day after the marathon it was raining in Boston and since we had to check out of our hotel by noon, we had to find something to do that wouldn't involve us getting wet.

So we decided to do a New England favorite: candlepin bowling.

What is candlepin bowling?  Here's the Wikipedia page for it, but it's basically bowling with tiny pins and tiny balls.  You get three balls per frame and the pins are not cleared after each ball, only after the last ball of the frame.  The scoring is very similar, although you can only pick up a spare on the second ball.  If you wipe out all the pins on the third ball, the score is only 10. 

It's not that easy.  I would say Dave and I are pretty good bowlers, but we were not very good candlepin bowlers.  Maybe it had to do with the fact I could not bend my legs after the marathon.  :)

And as you can see, Dave is not any better.

Official Marathon Photos

I got the official marathon photos today.  And....I don't look like crap in all of them.  Yay!  

This is from the Athlete's Village in Hopkinton.  I think we would title this "Doug and his Angels."  Or at least that's what we were calling ourselves.  :)

And several from the race...


Look at that woman's gigantic boobs. That's got to hurt!

Boston Marathon--Expose

For my birthday last week, Dave got me a Creative Vado HD video camera.  It's one of those small ones like the Flip Video and it's awesome.  We took it to Boston with us and Dave recorded every moment.  There's a lot more I'm not going to show you including my not-so-nice-swear-word-ridden moment in the airport, but this is pretty much my world from the day before until after the race.

So, we'll start the evening before the marathon where I'm chilling out and staying off my feet.

Next is about 5:30am on race day when Dave interviews me about how I'm feeling about the race.

Because Boston is a point-to-point race, Dave only stands in one place during the marathon: about mile 25-1/2.  I spotted him first before he found me.  The funny part is we said exactly the same thing.

Finally, here's my interview post race on my thoughts about the race.

Boston Marathon 2009

Congratulations to Michelle for being the closest to my finishing time.  I would have gotten her something Boston Marathon related, but Michelle and her husband Brian just had their third baby on Sunday, so I have decided to get something for their little bundle of joy.

Now on to the marathon...........

Some marathons you run to run and others you toe the line to race.  Monday I was ready to race.  I have never felt as mentally prepared for a race than I was for Boston this year.  I was nervous about my training as there weren't that many miles, but I was ready to handle the course and the spectators and the challenges that lay ahead.  And when the weather forecast came in saying it was going to be in the 40s, I knew the stars were going to align.

We hopped the bus to Hopkinton around 6:30am and got to the Athlete Village in good time.  We port-a-johned twice (yes it's a verb) and did a little eating and hydrating.  9:15 rolled around and it was time to drop our stuff at the buses and take the long walk to the starting corrals.  I was in corral 12, the second to last one of the first wave.  There was a fighter jet fly-over, the National Anthem was sung, and the starting gun sounded.  Being as far back as I was, I made it to the start line probably about 10 minutes after the race actually started.  I started my watch and I was off.

The very first mile of the race is so steep downhill that they don't even let the wheelchair racers start at the regular start line.  I tried to run conservatively, in control, yet making sure not to pound my quads.  It would be a long day.  My first mile was conservative; one of my slowest of the race.  Then I got into my groove and pushed the pace comfortably.  The only times I pulled back was more emotionally than physically as I needed to control my breathing, yet my turnover continued at a fast clip.

The miles ticked by and before I knew it, I had entered my favorite part of the race: Wellesley.  There was a gentleman running beside me who was wearing headsets.  He turned to me and said, "what's that sound?"  I said, that's Wellesley.  Take off your headset and listen.  He said, "we're like minor rock stars."  I said no, we're major rock stars.  I cruised through Welsley, pushing my fastest mile of the race.  

I kept pushing my pace comfortably fast and I saw the sign that said we had entered Newton.  Four hills and then we were back in Boston.  Coach had told me to be hungry on the hills and I thought of that as I took it one step at a time powering up the hills.  The heart rate didn't get out of control, but I certainly made it a point to push the hills, even if it really only was baby steps.  In between the hills were stretches of flat and some sharp downhills.  Mile 19 was a long downhill and I could really start to feel the day taking it's toll on my legs.  This was the first time I had worn my racing flats for a marathon and my knees were getting achy.  Every mile I made sure to change my stride--do a butt kick or pick my knees up--just to keep my legs feeling fresh.  After three hills, I knew which one was left: Heartbreak.  The thing that makes Heartbreak so bad is where it is.  It's mile 21, it's long, it's the fourth of four hills, and it's after 14 miles of downhill.  I knew it was the last one so I took it one step at a time, putting one foot in front of the other, and made sure not to walk up the hill.  There would be time to relax after the hill was over.  And the hill was over quickly.  I had made it through the hills in Newton and now it was time to cruise home.

My body was really feeling fatigued and now it was a mental battle to keep moving forward, picking up my knees, and not to give up.  I was so close to executing a great race.  I took my last gel and salt cap at mile 23 and I choked really bad in the process.  It was the only time I had to really slow down, yet I didn't walk.  In fact, I didn't walk the whole race.  Finally I looked up at mile 24 and could see the Citgo sign.  That Citgo sign is where there is one mile to go.  I kept my eye on the sign and pulled myself into the city.  Dave would be at 25-1/2, two turns and I was done.  I found Dave before he had found me.  I pointed to my watch saying I had made great time and started to pick up the pace going up Hereford.  I turned on Boylston and ran as hard as my little legs would take me.  I put my hands up in the air and crossed the finish line in a new PR-3:29:28.  I was overjoyed!  I'm still overjoyed!

A year ago I had decided after Boston that I was done with the marathon and it was time to move on.  But really I needed to refocus.  And I'm so glad I did.  Since I started working with Elizabeth and focused my running solely on myself and my own goals, my running has excelled.  I am ecstatic about the last three races I've run and I'm looking forward to the races that are yet to come.  Thanks everyone for coming along on this journey with me.

By the way, I am WAY sore!

Mile Splits:

Mile 1-8:20

Mile 2-7:59

Mile 3-7:54

Mile 4-7:50

Mile 5-8:02

Mile 6-7:46

Mile 7-7:46

Mile 8-7:49

Mile 9-7:44

Mile 10-7:50

Mile 11-7:46

Mile 12-7:38

Mile 13-7:44

Mile 14-7:40

Mile 15-7:47

Mile 16-7:46

Mile 17-8:01

Mile 18-8:04

Mile 19-7:54

Mile 20-8:14

Mile 21-8:38

Mile 22-8:01

Mile 23-8:19

Mile 24-8:27

Mile 25-8:24

Mile 26.2-9:59 (I never saw the sign for mile 26)

Official Time - 3:29:28

Come back tomorrow for pictures and videos from the weekend.

Boston Marathon- Small Recap

I had a great day today and a new PR-3:29:28. There will be a full race recap coming tomorrow.

Last chance!

Head on over to the previous atgursday Thoughts and predict my time for tomorrow's marathon. You have until 8:00am EST Monday morning is the cut off. The closest time will win a prize! And there haven't been a whole lot of entries so the odds are in your favor.

We've arrived!

We have arrived in Boston! And despite getting text messages from my friends, I have yet to see anyone I know. That is so weird! There's usually people you recognize and I would have expected it in our tiny airport in Columbus but no, I've not seen anyone.

We got here too late to do the expo today but we did enjoy a nice Italian dinner in the North End, just the two of us. Then I resisted the temptation of Mike's Pastry while Dave did get some gelato.

We are now back at the hotel and I'm feeling water logged. Running a marathon is fun but everything that goes into it is not. Today the hydrating has left me feeling bloated and in constant need of a bathroom.

Some awesome stuff from today:
During our layover in NY, the woman walking in front of us tripped and didn't catch herself or land on her knees, she totally face-planted. And then promptly blamed it on her shoes. :). Then when I was resisting temptation of pastries we saw a woman who had spaghetti all over her. While Dave was waiting in line for his gelato two ambulances and a fire truck came down the road (I always wondered how they manuvered in those tight streets) and it stopped right in front of us. They took the spaghetti woman and placed her on the stretcher and placed her in the ambulance. Awesome!

That's all from day 1 in Boston. I'm taking a lot of pictures and videos but I'm without wifi so I don't know if those will be posted before we get home. For now I'm updating from my phone.

See ya tomorrow.

Follow Me

I leave tomorrow for Boston.  I hope to be able to post from there but no promises because of course I'm staying at the most expensive hotel in Boston and they make you PAY for WiFi.  Good grief.

Anyway, if you want to follow along on Monday, my start time is 10:00am and my number is 12351.  And to all my homies, see you in Boston.

Thursday Thoughts

Welcome to the Boston Marathon edition of Thursday Thoughts. Do a little research, my friends, sharpen your pencils and pull out your calculators. This Thursday Thought is going to take some thought.

On Monday, the Boston Marathon will be my 12th marathon and my 4th Boston overall. You can read about my other Boston experiences here, here, and here. You've also seen my HUGE improvements since I started working with Liz in July--I dropped 5 minutes in the marathon and 3 minutes in the half marathon.

So today's question, what is your time prediction for me in the Boston Marathon?

What's in it for you? A PRIZE! The person closest to the correct answer will receive a Boston Marathon-related prize. The winner will be announced next week after the marathon.

The fine print. Dave and Liz are not eligible. :) All entries must be submitted by 8:00am Monday April 20th.

The Breast Cancer 3 Day

When I decided to do my first marathon, I was no stranger to the sport.  My dad had done several marathons including Boston and my mom had taken on the ultimate challenge and walked the Rock and Roll Marathon in San Diego (my dad did the training with her and said it was way harder than running).

I have a younger sister who has like a million children (or 4) and we've always thought she would walk a marathon like my mom.  Well, she's gone bolder than just a marathon: she's walking The Breast Cancer 3 Day, which is 60 miles in three days.  She's begun her training and has even asked for my help and advice.  If you know anything about the relationship between my sister and I, this is a MAJOR step.

So why did Amy choose this event instead of doing a marathon?  Because breast cancer has been a major part of our lives.  Our grandmother died from breast cancer and Amy and I both have friends who have or are currently battling the disease.

Amy needs to raise $2300 to participate.  This is where I need your help, Internet.  You guys have always been good to me and others.  Won't you help her?  Even a small donation goes a long way.  Please check out her donation site and please consider donating.

I'll be posting a link on the sidebar too.  Thanks, in advance, friends. 

The Final Countdown

A week before the marathon Coach likes me to check in with my thoughts and race plan.  With one week until Boston here are some of my thoughts.

Positives:

• I've done this race three times before and know what to expect emotionally and physically.
  
• I've had a great race at Boston before and know how to do it.
• The weather is looking good.
• I've run some super-fast times whenever Coach lets me kick up the pace.
• A very positive marathon in the fall and an excellent half marathon just a few months ago.

Negatives:

• Longest run was 18 miles; most miles in a week was 38; most miles in a month was less than 80.
• Haven't stayed healthy enough to stay on track and complete most weeks of training.
• All the training has been in the winter and you never know how that's going to translate in the fall.

Thoughts:

• I'd like to find a consistently fast pace that will not go over 9:00/mile even when attacking the hills.
• I'd like to not walk any of the course.
• I'd like to, at least, have a Boston PR.

I sent this information onto Coach and she told me if I walk any of the course Dave is allowed to throw things at me while running.

U-G-L-Y You ain't got no alibi

I was reading the 26.2 girls last week (Hi Amy and April! Love your blog!) and laughed my buns off with the post about the ugly running shirts. So as I was spring cleaning this weekend, I decided to pull out the ugly of the ugly and do a post for myself. No need to adjust your screen--these suckers are this ugly.

Last year I did the Muncie Endurathon and instead of receiving a medal or certificate, we got finisher's hats. Usually I wouldn't mind as I like to wear hats when I run, but this will never get any wear from me.


It seems that a lot of the triathlons I've done, which really isn't that many, had the ugliest shirts. The following are both from the Wendy's Triathlon. The first may be the greenest green there is. Funny enough, I have a shirt from a running race that is that same color. I don't wear that one either. I especially love the pictures of people on the shirt.


Also from Wendy's....it has a better design but the ringer T is extreme.


Dave and I took a vacation to NYC and ran a half marathon while we were there. The shirt doesn't haven't have a terrible design, but the funny part is that it is cotton and it is a tank top. A cotton tank top. He he he!


Every year for Thanksgiving my mother sends us out of the house to run a race. We used to run the Turkey Trot every year and ALWAYS their shirts were ugly. Here's an example of one:


And finally, I ran the Towpath Marathon in 2005. This shirt tops the ugliest shirt of all time. Seriously, that's a shoe with a face and a tongue and it's sweating (although I think it looks like it's crying).

To Blog or Not to Blog

This is my 123rd day in a row I've blogged and I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it and why I'm doing it in the first place? I don't want to blog about my running specifically because I pay someone to come up with my workouts and I'm not going to undermine her by posting them here. Plus posts that only talk about workouts are boring. But, I'm pretty boring. I spend most days at home doing nothing. And nothing is boring to blog about. I have really been struggling the last couple of weeks to come up with interesting blog posts and between next Monday when Boston is and next October, I have absolutely no races on my schedule.

So I guess I need to know, should I keep blogging every day? Leave me a note or become one of my followers on the side and let me know if you'd like to continue to see the daily blog updates.

Chicken Egg Run

The weekend before a marathon, our running group gets together for one last run and then we cool breakfast for each other over a charcoal grill. And since today is the last weekend before Boston, the tradition continued.

It was a large group this morning, probably about 20 people, and we all ran between 6-9 miles. Myself, it was the first time I had run all week since I got this flu. I had 6 X 20 second intervals that went really well, although now I've got a nagging pain in my hip that it's bugging me. Otherwise, I'm feeling like the workouts and the tapering is working.

Anyway, afterwards we all put on some warm clothes (it was like 40 degrees outside), set the charcoal on fire, and started making eggs, pancakes, bacon, sausage, potatoes, and other assortments. It was almost too cold to enjoy the food. We all huddled around the grill trying to keep warm and almost in a trance by the smells of the food. So much so, that the potatoes and the bacon got burnt to a crisp. People ate quickly and then headed out to get warm.

I don't get to run with the group often and ever since Andrea moved away I feel no purpose in running with the group unless I'm going to run with my dad, but I do enjoy seeing them and enjoy their support. Andrea, we miss you, but we found out today we're losing two more members of the group to Denver--Niels and Asia. Guess you'll have a few more people to run with.

Hope the Easter Bunny pays you a visit tonight.

Until tomorrow.....

Friday's Fun Foto

What do you think the caption to this picture should be?

Thursday Thoughts

What's your favorite job you've ever had and why?

You Give Me Fever

Isn't there some scientific research that says married people get sick less often than single people? And isn't there also research that says athletes get sick less often than those who aren't actively involved in sport?

Well that's just a bunch of crap!

Dave and I have been battling a war of germs for months and we're definitely losing the war. I'm sure it has more to do with the fact I spend all day with kids and we're around A LOT of people with the photo booth, but COME ON, some time this has got to end. Last week Dave was sick. Tuesday morning I woke up at 3:00am thinking I was going to be sick to my stomach. I hurt everywhere. I felt like there was poison running through my veins. I had an intense headache. I took two Advil and went back to bed. I called the gym when I woke up again and told them there was no way I could teach. Throughout the day I battled fevers and aches and pains and unbelievable headaches. After waking up from an evening nap, I could no longer see straight. That's when things got intense. The headache had worsened and now I was seeing double. I called my sister who called her husband (he works in the ER) and they got the paperwork started on me. I took another Advil and waited a little bit. That's when my fever broke, I started sweating, and I could see straight again. I didn't go to the ER.

Today I feel almost back to normal. I'm hungry and I have only a little headache.

I'm so sick of being sick. I have been nothing but sick since September. I like my job as a gymnastics instructor but I care about my health a little more. And I have been washing my hands like a crazy person and eating well and getting plenty of sleep. I'm just apt to sick. And I'm sick of sick.

Guest Post

And now for something completely different.  Hi!  I'm Dave, the husband.

Meredith is currently down for the count.  She's in bed with the flu that I had last week.  So, she asked me to guest blog.  Sadly, if she gets this as badly as I had it, she may be out of training for a few days.  The fever currently stands at 101.  :(

So I'll just leave you with a little entertainment.  It may not be the usual quality post by the proprietor, but she's been sent to bed, and I won't take any arguing.  At least unless I'm paid for it.