Last Sunday I ran a “half” marathon. It’s easy for one to hear half marathon and discount the effort because it’s not the full blown ass kicking marathon. Truth is it’s not. The distance is half - but the effort will never be. Similar, some think a 5K is easy. Really? From the sound of the gun you push yourself quickly into the pain zone and those 3.1 miles are hard….they hurt….they test you. My point is simple, shorter does not mean easier. It simply means different. Whew, feels good to get that off my chest.
I should also say that I have respect for every distance and those who compete in them. I saw friends finish the marathon Sunday. Gus who I just met had a remarkable race and an incredible time. Rochelle was the first woman to cross the finish line! Dan with calves that cramped up at mile 25 never stopped moving forward. I believe he was at 3:05 or so at mile 25 and finished around 3:30. Loose math says 25 minutes for 1.1 miles. I can’t imagine 50 feet with cramping calves much less a mile plus. Inspired? Yeah, I think so.
We had a gaggle of half marathoners. Sharon was there to pace Christy. Sue signed up the day before and joined us, running with Jen. Jen who has such a special routine for this race that she wouldn’t carpool with us! She parks in the same stall every year! Freaky yes but we all have “those things” that we do come race day. And then there was Monica who in every photo looked like she was happy to be there! And we can never forget those that came to support. We saw Albert whom we’ve missed, Jim came out (I must note that he was looking dapper - blue shirt and shades), and Ken, who drove up all the way from Redmond – wow! Thank you guys!
My plan was to follow the plan. Sharon has long preached running the first half slower than the second, increasing speed at the halfway point and slicing down (meaning running faster every mile even though you have run further and are beginning to feel life ooze from your pores). I know, I remember thinking the same thing – she is one step away from a straight jacket! Crazy or not the deal is it works. I arrived thinking I’d pace out around 9:20 due to limited distance training, swollen glands in my neck, a bit of fatigue, and oh yes, seems I can be a pussy sometimes. I was feeling pretty good and finished the first half averaging 8:51. My mind quickly went to my PR and as I ran I was working the math and by mile 8 I had determined that it was possible to PR. Crap, so much for taking it easy, I now had time to make up if I was to hit my new goal.
I was doing fairly well but tiring. It was a flat course but honestly flat can punish your legs more than a having a hill. Did I mention the day was warm….and getting warmer. Anyway, I ended up next to a guy around mile 9 who mentioned he was on pace for a 1:56. I told him that would be a PR for me and I’d like to run with him. He gave me a “you bet” and we ran side by side. We had passed mile 11 when he said “you got it, I’ve been averaging an 8:40 pace”. I looked at him and shared that I hadn’t as I ran the first half around 8:51. He said “Then you have to run faster, get going, get out of here”. It was almost like an order. I nodded and took off. I admit those last miles felt like shit but my pace dropped to 8:04 and then 7:56. Coming in I heard the cheers that came at the right moment and pushed forward. No extra speed as there wasn’t any left, just a constant stride to the finish line. Yes, I waited for my new friend to come in and shook his hand as I thanked him for helping me hit my new goal.
Everyone had a good race….we all lived. Sharon took home 3rd in her age group which was funny. Funny because she did this while pacing Christy and running back and forth. Safe to say she ran much further than those who came in ahead of her! I was spent but happy. We all have something that feels out of sorts after a race but after a few days we all seem to get back to normal – with this group (myself included) I won’t even attempt to define what normal is. Fact is we don’t care. It works for us and at the end of the day we justify our crazy world by saying “it’s ok, we’re athletes”. That’s our happy place. Next stop for me is Portland – my hometown and my first 13.1 there. I can’t wait….
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Finish Strong
Yesterday the BertolliSport team competed in the Monroe Finish Strong Triathlon. This is the target Tri the team trains for when we start the season. We had lots of participants and friends cheering us on - it was so cool to have so many participating. Those who came to cheer us on did so with gusto - a spirited hoot, holler, "looking good" goes a long way when you're pushing every fiber of your being just to maintain forward movement.
The weather was perfect. As we drove into the valley at the wonderful hour of 5:30am a gentle fog was settling in and the silhouette of the mountains was beautiful. We might have pulled over just to take it in had we not a previous commitment. Nervous chatter settled in - nothing new but it's always interesting. I was feeling quite relaxed knowing that I only had to knock out a 5k - though I was determined to push myself hard. It wasn't until Iain rode off for his bike leg that the butterflies paid a visit - thank you nearby Honey Bucket.
The team quickly went about their business setting up in the transition area, each a little different yet all with the same goal - organization. The better organized the faster your transition will be. Unless of course you get stuck in your wetsuit, have trouble locating your bike, put your shoe on the wrong foot, etc. Sometimes simple things can be overwhelming when you're attempting to do them at the speed of light. I had little to do because once again I opted for the relay and as you may have guessed I signed up for the running leg. Our team consisted of Lani (swim), Iain (bike), and me (run).
Bam - next thing I knew swimmers were in the water and the race was on. I hustled back to the transition area so I could snap photos of the team coming in and support Iain who was ready to go as soon as Lani came in from the swim. Oh my, special thanks to Lani for swimming. I'm not saying that Iain and I could not have managed the swim - well yes, I am actually saying that - without Lani we'd have been sunk, in more ways than one. She kicked the swim and was running through the sand on her way for the hand off. Some of the team had already been in and were out on the bike leg. Their transitions were smooth and calculated....well nearly. Sharon came in and saw that her bike had been moved - let me say that no one is ever supposed to touch a competitors bike - yet someone did. Holy moley when she saw it the "special" words flew faster than bullets from a Gatling gun. I saw a preacher run for his bible believing he had a soul to save. Steve and I dived for cover afraid to speak. Not to be derailed she grabbed her bike whispered a 'sorry' to the volunteers and was off.
Lani reached Iain and the transfer was complete - Iain was off. A man on a mission. He had ridden the course as part of his training and I knew he'd rock it - he's been working hard to increase his speed and to do well today. I had about 45 minutes until my run would begin so I began my prep, putting on my race bib, warming up, mentally getting ready to push myself. This was not going to be fun - I wanted to run hard and finish knowing I gave it my best. Those runs while fantastic at the end are simply painful during. Bikers were coming in and our team was looking strong. They were in and out of transition in a flash and after the 3.1 miles, would be running across the finish line.
I saw Iain a few blocks out, coming in strong with a huge smile on his face. He rolled in and and I was off. The run was uneventful. My first mile was 7:09 and I finished averaging 7:18. A half mile to go and I saw Jamie - another relay team! My focus became easy - catch her, pass her. She was moving at a pretty good clip however. About a quarter mile to go I was a yard behind her. I thought about passing her but decided against it. I was worried that this young runner would have more in the tank than I and would then pass me prior to the finish - couldn't have that. So I set my sights on the upcoming sidewalk, that would be my push. Hitting it I gave what I had left, passing her and going hard to the finish. I managed to keep my lead but could swear I heard her footsteps right behind me. Teammates who had finished and friends were cheering as we came in and honestly, it filled me with such happiness the pain of the run disappeared. I love those guys.
Our relay team "Triple Threat" took first place in the relay category - but only by 2.4 seconds - Paula and Jamie earned the right to stand up with us side by side. Maybe we'll all take our victory glasses and toast a race well ran. During the awards ceremony someone from BetrolliSport seemed to always be walking up for an award - the team really rocked it. That of course is a testament to the program. Training plans, group workouts, motivating each other, and maybe most important of all, cementing friendships and creating new ones that will last well beyond this season were key ingredients. I admit that this year seemed different than last. There was more responsibility on each individual to own their plan, their workouts. This worked well for some and others found it more difficult. All I can say is that the people and the program continue to change me. I saw victories at events as well as in personal lives. Fear was beaten down and lives enriched. The character of these people is never in question and I would stand up for each and every one of them. We were many yet we were one. You are never alone - maybe it's because whenever you need a hand there is always one outstretched just waiting to help. For those who say there's no magic left in the world, come join BetrolliSport....
The weather was perfect. As we drove into the valley at the wonderful hour of 5:30am a gentle fog was settling in and the silhouette of the mountains was beautiful. We might have pulled over just to take it in had we not a previous commitment. Nervous chatter settled in - nothing new but it's always interesting. I was feeling quite relaxed knowing that I only had to knock out a 5k - though I was determined to push myself hard. It wasn't until Iain rode off for his bike leg that the butterflies paid a visit - thank you nearby Honey Bucket.
The team quickly went about their business setting up in the transition area, each a little different yet all with the same goal - organization. The better organized the faster your transition will be. Unless of course you get stuck in your wetsuit, have trouble locating your bike, put your shoe on the wrong foot, etc. Sometimes simple things can be overwhelming when you're attempting to do them at the speed of light. I had little to do because once again I opted for the relay and as you may have guessed I signed up for the running leg. Our team consisted of Lani (swim), Iain (bike), and me (run).
Bam - next thing I knew swimmers were in the water and the race was on. I hustled back to the transition area so I could snap photos of the team coming in and support Iain who was ready to go as soon as Lani came in from the swim. Oh my, special thanks to Lani for swimming. I'm not saying that Iain and I could not have managed the swim - well yes, I am actually saying that - without Lani we'd have been sunk, in more ways than one. She kicked the swim and was running through the sand on her way for the hand off. Some of the team had already been in and were out on the bike leg. Their transitions were smooth and calculated....well nearly. Sharon came in and saw that her bike had been moved - let me say that no one is ever supposed to touch a competitors bike - yet someone did. Holy moley when she saw it the "special" words flew faster than bullets from a Gatling gun. I saw a preacher run for his bible believing he had a soul to save. Steve and I dived for cover afraid to speak. Not to be derailed she grabbed her bike whispered a 'sorry' to the volunteers and was off.
Lani reached Iain and the transfer was complete - Iain was off. A man on a mission. He had ridden the course as part of his training and I knew he'd rock it - he's been working hard to increase his speed and to do well today. I had about 45 minutes until my run would begin so I began my prep, putting on my race bib, warming up, mentally getting ready to push myself. This was not going to be fun - I wanted to run hard and finish knowing I gave it my best. Those runs while fantastic at the end are simply painful during. Bikers were coming in and our team was looking strong. They were in and out of transition in a flash and after the 3.1 miles, would be running across the finish line.
I saw Iain a few blocks out, coming in strong with a huge smile on his face. He rolled in and and I was off. The run was uneventful. My first mile was 7:09 and I finished averaging 7:18. A half mile to go and I saw Jamie - another relay team! My focus became easy - catch her, pass her. She was moving at a pretty good clip however. About a quarter mile to go I was a yard behind her. I thought about passing her but decided against it. I was worried that this young runner would have more in the tank than I and would then pass me prior to the finish - couldn't have that. So I set my sights on the upcoming sidewalk, that would be my push. Hitting it I gave what I had left, passing her and going hard to the finish. I managed to keep my lead but could swear I heard her footsteps right behind me. Teammates who had finished and friends were cheering as we came in and honestly, it filled me with such happiness the pain of the run disappeared. I love those guys.
Our relay team "Triple Threat" took first place in the relay category - but only by 2.4 seconds - Paula and Jamie earned the right to stand up with us side by side. Maybe we'll all take our victory glasses and toast a race well ran. During the awards ceremony someone from BetrolliSport seemed to always be walking up for an award - the team really rocked it. That of course is a testament to the program. Training plans, group workouts, motivating each other, and maybe most important of all, cementing friendships and creating new ones that will last well beyond this season were key ingredients. I admit that this year seemed different than last. There was more responsibility on each individual to own their plan, their workouts. This worked well for some and others found it more difficult. All I can say is that the people and the program continue to change me. I saw victories at events as well as in personal lives. Fear was beaten down and lives enriched. The character of these people is never in question and I would stand up for each and every one of them. We were many yet we were one. You are never alone - maybe it's because whenever you need a hand there is always one outstretched just waiting to help. For those who say there's no magic left in the world, come join BetrolliSport....
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Balls
Balls. That's right you know exactly what I mean. If you're confused let me help. I don't mean a basketball, tennis ball, golf ball, or even those little red rubber balls - though, well....never mind. I mean "balls" as in courage or bravery. I've seen it a lot lately, particularly with my Tri and Multisports teammates. As I think about it, examples flood my mind racing in and out, leaving short snapshots that are almost overwhelming. My dad getting cancer and fighting it head on with spirit and humor. It took him from us and I can still see myself watching him slip away that day. He was a strong man and I'm sure he had days where he felt like giving up. Maybe he cried. I never saw it. He worked, took his treatment and never bitched to us about it. He taught me a lot and I still miss him today.
My youngest son Taylor when he found out he had a brain tumor. He looked at me without fear or tears and simply wondered how soon they could take it out. Through a zillion tests and MRI's he stood tall. I cried like a baby, not sure if he would live though it. He was the rock. He lost all peripheral vision and we would walk together after the surgery and talk about it, wondering if it would come back - the doctors had said it was likely but nothing was promised. He took it in stride and came through it all. I am still amazed at the courage he displayed through it all.
I hate water. Hate may be a strong word. No, it's the right word. I have learned to swim in the pool with the help of my friends and my heart rate no longer puts a hummingbird to shame. Balls? Maybe. My friend Mike feels the same way about water as I do yet today I saw him once again swimming in open water. Open Water! He doesn't like it but he's doing it, pushing himself through a place he'd rather not go. Balls. F yeah. Courage - a shitload.
Does it take balls to run your first 5K? Half marathon? Marathon? To do your first triathlon? To move from a Sprint to an Olympic? It does. It takes nerve, guts, courage. Often the courage falls in with what it takes to prepare for the event. The hours of training, time away from family, sessions that can beat you down if you let them. Pushing yourself past the place of comfort. I've seen my teammates push through the barrier time and time again. We nod heads and say good job but in reality we should celebrate - the accomplishment deserves it. How about training for an Ironman 70.3? 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a half marathon to finish it off. I've watched Sharon train for this and heard stories about her 60 mile bike sessions with 17 miles of hills with Dan and others (I forget names), her latest 3 hour run at the Watershed and it goes on and on. I'd have to visit one of those Hollywood doctors to hope to come out with the balls to do something like that.
Let's be clear, I'm no pussy. I've accomplished a tremendous amount in my mind and given enough time I could speak to nearly some of them. None of which would have ever happened had I not told myself they had. Clear? Take some time this week to look around and see the examples of bravery and courage that are all around you. Stop in front of the mirror and say thank you to the person you see for the courage and bravery they display - for the big things and the small. That person does more than they think and carries more on their shoulders than they may realize - have the balls to tell them so, you just may get a smile in return.
My youngest son Taylor when he found out he had a brain tumor. He looked at me without fear or tears and simply wondered how soon they could take it out. Through a zillion tests and MRI's he stood tall. I cried like a baby, not sure if he would live though it. He was the rock. He lost all peripheral vision and we would walk together after the surgery and talk about it, wondering if it would come back - the doctors had said it was likely but nothing was promised. He took it in stride and came through it all. I am still amazed at the courage he displayed through it all.
I hate water. Hate may be a strong word. No, it's the right word. I have learned to swim in the pool with the help of my friends and my heart rate no longer puts a hummingbird to shame. Balls? Maybe. My friend Mike feels the same way about water as I do yet today I saw him once again swimming in open water. Open Water! He doesn't like it but he's doing it, pushing himself through a place he'd rather not go. Balls. F yeah. Courage - a shitload.
Does it take balls to run your first 5K? Half marathon? Marathon? To do your first triathlon? To move from a Sprint to an Olympic? It does. It takes nerve, guts, courage. Often the courage falls in with what it takes to prepare for the event. The hours of training, time away from family, sessions that can beat you down if you let them. Pushing yourself past the place of comfort. I've seen my teammates push through the barrier time and time again. We nod heads and say good job but in reality we should celebrate - the accomplishment deserves it. How about training for an Ironman 70.3? 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a half marathon to finish it off. I've watched Sharon train for this and heard stories about her 60 mile bike sessions with 17 miles of hills with Dan and others (I forget names), her latest 3 hour run at the Watershed and it goes on and on. I'd have to visit one of those Hollywood doctors to hope to come out with the balls to do something like that.
Let's be clear, I'm no pussy. I've accomplished a tremendous amount in my mind and given enough time I could speak to nearly some of them. None of which would have ever happened had I not told myself they had. Clear? Take some time this week to look around and see the examples of bravery and courage that are all around you. Stop in front of the mirror and say thank you to the person you see for the courage and bravery they display - for the big things and the small. That person does more than they think and carries more on their shoulders than they may realize - have the balls to tell them so, you just may get a smile in return.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Possibilities
Monday I ran faster than I have in 18 months. Why was this 5K different? After all I am older so in theory my speed should be decreasing – that’s what the experts say. They also say that as men turn 50 they begin to lose speed, they start to focus on endurance. Probably because once the lightning leaves your feet you feel like to have to hang on, grab on to something to prove “it’s not over”. Running longer and slower keeps you out there, out there with the runners, the athletes, the vibe. Sometimes it’s hard to line up for a race and in front of you is a sea of well tuned young runners with so much pent up energy that they are bouncing up and down just waiting to get out of the gate. Meanwhile I’m telling myself it’s only a race, remember to breathe, start out slow, have fun. Deep inside however I want to run hard, run fast, faster than them, I want to win. I know I won’t. They will break the tape well before me.
So what made Monday so different? Have I been holding back? Maybe. Why? Fear? Maybe. Confidence? Probably. It’s not easy to push yourself to that place where your body tells you to stop it. Your legs and lungs tell your brain that you are being stupid, you should slow down before something bad happens. The next thing you know, you’re slowing and justifying in your mind that it’s the right thing to do. You become comfortable, safe. Once there, you’re screwed. You’ve lost. Lost not only this race but those you have yet to run. I admire the fearless runner – you know who you are. You hear the same voice but your push it away, you turn a deaf ear to it and you run, run harder, push harder. I admire you for that. I’m trying to learn from the strength you display.
I did learn something about myself at the Rock n Roll Half Marathon. Maybe not so much in the first few miles but certainly as the race went on. I’ve been holding back. Holding back - afraid to cross that threshold that puts you in a very dangerous place. Dangerous because once there, no one can help you. Dangerous because you hear so many voices and only one of them urges you to keep going, the rest are anchors ready to stop you in your tracks. Dangerous because it can define you – one way of another.
I heard the voices Monday. They started a half mile in when my pace was sub seven. They told me to slow the hell down because I could never keep that pace up. That voice was right. I slowed between a 7:00 and 7:19. Still fast, in fact faster than I have managed in a long time. A mile in the voices urged me again to slow down. “You should be running an 8 minute pace right now, what are you doing?” I decided to let them talk but I wouldn’t listen. Ok, I was listening a little but doing my best to ignore them. Finishing mile two my legs began to feel like rubber. My pace was 7:18. Voices spoke louder and my brain said slow down. I thought about previous races, failures, the Rock n Roll and decided at that moment that I wasn’t going to slow. I would push through and if the good Lord wanted to take me than what the hell, my next 5K would be with wings and harp music. Amazingly my lungs felt fine. Air was flowing and that gave me a renewed since of confidence. Damn cross training. Frickin pool…bike…core…and the various cardio machines that taunt me. Thanks Sharon – I used to give you crap about it and here I am, running stronger because of it.
That last mile was hard but I’m still here. Crossing the finish line at 22:29 felt amazing. Part of that feeling was the time clock but most of it was the mental victory which meant more to me than the time. The time simply serves as a checkpoint, a stake in the ground that said I did it. I guess it’s not over for this guy – I still have some ass to kick - granted it’ll be older ass…Maybe all my races won’t be good, but some will. I’ll take the good with the bad as long as I know I did the best I could that day. Running is now full of possibilities for me again. We all have possibilities. Some point us in a new direction, be it a scary direction some times. You may have voices in your head telling you to slow down, to stop, to settle. I don’t think you should. You deserve more than that. Possibilities – they are yours for the taking – take them.
So what made Monday so different? Have I been holding back? Maybe. Why? Fear? Maybe. Confidence? Probably. It’s not easy to push yourself to that place where your body tells you to stop it. Your legs and lungs tell your brain that you are being stupid, you should slow down before something bad happens. The next thing you know, you’re slowing and justifying in your mind that it’s the right thing to do. You become comfortable, safe. Once there, you’re screwed. You’ve lost. Lost not only this race but those you have yet to run. I admire the fearless runner – you know who you are. You hear the same voice but your push it away, you turn a deaf ear to it and you run, run harder, push harder. I admire you for that. I’m trying to learn from the strength you display.
I did learn something about myself at the Rock n Roll Half Marathon. Maybe not so much in the first few miles but certainly as the race went on. I’ve been holding back. Holding back - afraid to cross that threshold that puts you in a very dangerous place. Dangerous because once there, no one can help you. Dangerous because you hear so many voices and only one of them urges you to keep going, the rest are anchors ready to stop you in your tracks. Dangerous because it can define you – one way of another.
I heard the voices Monday. They started a half mile in when my pace was sub seven. They told me to slow the hell down because I could never keep that pace up. That voice was right. I slowed between a 7:00 and 7:19. Still fast, in fact faster than I have managed in a long time. A mile in the voices urged me again to slow down. “You should be running an 8 minute pace right now, what are you doing?” I decided to let them talk but I wouldn’t listen. Ok, I was listening a little but doing my best to ignore them. Finishing mile two my legs began to feel like rubber. My pace was 7:18. Voices spoke louder and my brain said slow down. I thought about previous races, failures, the Rock n Roll and decided at that moment that I wasn’t going to slow. I would push through and if the good Lord wanted to take me than what the hell, my next 5K would be with wings and harp music. Amazingly my lungs felt fine. Air was flowing and that gave me a renewed since of confidence. Damn cross training. Frickin pool…bike…core…and the various cardio machines that taunt me. Thanks Sharon – I used to give you crap about it and here I am, running stronger because of it.
That last mile was hard but I’m still here. Crossing the finish line at 22:29 felt amazing. Part of that feeling was the time clock but most of it was the mental victory which meant more to me than the time. The time simply serves as a checkpoint, a stake in the ground that said I did it. I guess it’s not over for this guy – I still have some ass to kick - granted it’ll be older ass…Maybe all my races won’t be good, but some will. I’ll take the good with the bad as long as I know I did the best I could that day. Running is now full of possibilities for me again. We all have possibilities. Some point us in a new direction, be it a scary direction some times. You may have voices in your head telling you to slow down, to stop, to settle. I don’t think you should. You deserve more than that. Possibilities – they are yours for the taking – take them.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Spur of the moment
You know me, I'm not a spur of the moment kind of guy. I'm a planner. It once took me 14 months to buy a car. I put money away every month for Christmas so I can pay cash for presents. My grocery list follows the order of the aisles in the store. I buy extra socks and underwear that I don't wear so I always have spares. I find an event, train for it, then on race day I pound it out. On June 24th I decided to do the Seattle Rock n Roll Half Marathon. On June 25th I ran it. Crazy!
The story is this - my friend David had signed up for the Half and ended up hurting his ankle so he couldn't run. At the last minute Sharon decides to take his place. She calls me and says that I should come with. "Come with" turns into "run it with me". But how could I? After all it was tomorrow and what was she thinking??? Who has the wild eyes now? Not me baby. I pondered it and figured I could jog it and tackle the 13.1 miles (though I had not covered that distance since last year). One more thing, I would bandit the race. Not pay for it. No race number. No timing chip. Of course I printed the rules out and it clearly stated that without a race number you would not be allowed on the shuttle bus. I told Sharon this and she replied "It's no big deal, they won't check". I argued of course because it was after all a rule. I became a little pissy but in the end we concluded that she would pick me up at 5:00am the next morning.
As we arrived at the shuttle point we were shocked to see thousands of people already in line. We walked around the Westin hotel looking for the end of the line which we finally found after walking around the entire building. I don't know how many days were were in line. Ok, minutes but it was nearly 45. We finally were loaded on a bus and the thought of sitting down for the 20 minute ride was heaven. Oh know, we're on the bus and it's full. We have to stand (Sharon ended up sitting on the floor). I'm already tired and we haven't started the run yet. Bus drops us off to a sea of people. I think over 25,000 people ran plus volunteers, cops, etc. A crap load of people. Of course we needed to use the port a potty in order to lose a few precious pre-race pounds. The lines were huge! In fact all 25,000+ people were in line in front of us - or so it seemed.
Business taken care of, we proceeded to our corral. Lucky number three it was. On the way I turned my Garmin on only to find that my pace wasn't working. I had monkeyed around with it to get it set up for biking and clearly screwed the pooch. No time to try and figure out how to set it up properly. Yes, I used some colorful words that I won't repeat here. How could I run a half without my Garmin to help guide my pace? It was what it was. We moved on. We were late. Corral three had already left. By the time we walked past folks to get to the front, we were in corral 27. F! This meant thousands of slower runners in front of us and we were smack in a pack of 11-13 minute milers. So what you might think. Wrong. Slower runners mean that you have to dodge, run around, and more or less always be looking 5 yards ahead to find your spot to run through. We did this the entire race. I ran back and forth, on sidewalks and grass, and ended up running 14+ miles.
At mile 7 I yelled out a thank you to the band and commented to the girls running near me that I could use all the energy I could get. One responded that it was mile 7 and I looked like I had only just started the race and I didn't need any more energy. As I left them in the dust it occurred to me that I wasn't tired. I was actually having fun, smiling, and felt pretty good. What the heck was going on with me? By mile 8 I was hot and took off my shirt (easy now girls) and tied it on my head. The air on my sweaty chest cooled me off and felt good. That read like something from a romance novel. "Slowly Michael pulled his shirt up and over his well tanned broad shoulders....". I hit mile 11 and my phone buzzed. Yes, I was running with phone in hand. It was Sharon and she had just finished - dang, two miles ahead of me. She is stronger and faster I won't deny that. I made a weak attempt to run and text back "mile 11" to give her an idea of where I was - ever text while running and passing people? I'm sure some folks weren't happy with me. Mile 12 had hundreds of people cheering and I loved it. However that mile seemed to go on forever. Finally the home stretch was in sight and holy heck, I felt good. Sprinted a bit for a good show at the finish :)
We grabbed our finishers medals, water, and were off. We had a 2-3 mile walk to the car ahead of us. We joked and laughed about the run. Sharon killed it but doesn't like me to post her metrics so I will leave it with this - she's frickin impressive. I thanked her for asking me to run the half, for pushing me out of my comfort zone. I learned that I am capable of doing more than I have. My time was probably just under two hours and I hadn't trained for this, didn't push myself at all during the race. My body may not be 100%, but it can handle more than I've been pushing it's way. Without a doubt or a moment of hesitation, I'm all in - let's see what this baby can do.
The story is this - my friend David had signed up for the Half and ended up hurting his ankle so he couldn't run. At the last minute Sharon decides to take his place. She calls me and says that I should come with. "Come with" turns into "run it with me". But how could I? After all it was tomorrow and what was she thinking??? Who has the wild eyes now? Not me baby. I pondered it and figured I could jog it and tackle the 13.1 miles (though I had not covered that distance since last year). One more thing, I would bandit the race. Not pay for it. No race number. No timing chip. Of course I printed the rules out and it clearly stated that without a race number you would not be allowed on the shuttle bus. I told Sharon this and she replied "It's no big deal, they won't check". I argued of course because it was after all a rule. I became a little pissy but in the end we concluded that she would pick me up at 5:00am the next morning.
As we arrived at the shuttle point we were shocked to see thousands of people already in line. We walked around the Westin hotel looking for the end of the line which we finally found after walking around the entire building. I don't know how many days were were in line. Ok, minutes but it was nearly 45. We finally were loaded on a bus and the thought of sitting down for the 20 minute ride was heaven. Oh know, we're on the bus and it's full. We have to stand (Sharon ended up sitting on the floor). I'm already tired and we haven't started the run yet. Bus drops us off to a sea of people. I think over 25,000 people ran plus volunteers, cops, etc. A crap load of people. Of course we needed to use the port a potty in order to lose a few precious pre-race pounds. The lines were huge! In fact all 25,000+ people were in line in front of us - or so it seemed.
Business taken care of, we proceeded to our corral. Lucky number three it was. On the way I turned my Garmin on only to find that my pace wasn't working. I had monkeyed around with it to get it set up for biking and clearly screwed the pooch. No time to try and figure out how to set it up properly. Yes, I used some colorful words that I won't repeat here. How could I run a half without my Garmin to help guide my pace? It was what it was. We moved on. We were late. Corral three had already left. By the time we walked past folks to get to the front, we were in corral 27. F! This meant thousands of slower runners in front of us and we were smack in a pack of 11-13 minute milers. So what you might think. Wrong. Slower runners mean that you have to dodge, run around, and more or less always be looking 5 yards ahead to find your spot to run through. We did this the entire race. I ran back and forth, on sidewalks and grass, and ended up running 14+ miles.
At mile 7 I yelled out a thank you to the band and commented to the girls running near me that I could use all the energy I could get. One responded that it was mile 7 and I looked like I had only just started the race and I didn't need any more energy. As I left them in the dust it occurred to me that I wasn't tired. I was actually having fun, smiling, and felt pretty good. What the heck was going on with me? By mile 8 I was hot and took off my shirt (easy now girls) and tied it on my head. The air on my sweaty chest cooled me off and felt good. That read like something from a romance novel. "Slowly Michael pulled his shirt up and over his well tanned broad shoulders....". I hit mile 11 and my phone buzzed. Yes, I was running with phone in hand. It was Sharon and she had just finished - dang, two miles ahead of me. She is stronger and faster I won't deny that. I made a weak attempt to run and text back "mile 11" to give her an idea of where I was - ever text while running and passing people? I'm sure some folks weren't happy with me. Mile 12 had hundreds of people cheering and I loved it. However that mile seemed to go on forever. Finally the home stretch was in sight and holy heck, I felt good. Sprinted a bit for a good show at the finish :)
We grabbed our finishers medals, water, and were off. We had a 2-3 mile walk to the car ahead of us. We joked and laughed about the run. Sharon killed it but doesn't like me to post her metrics so I will leave it with this - she's frickin impressive. I thanked her for asking me to run the half, for pushing me out of my comfort zone. I learned that I am capable of doing more than I have. My time was probably just under two hours and I hadn't trained for this, didn't push myself at all during the race. My body may not be 100%, but it can handle more than I've been pushing it's way. Without a doubt or a moment of hesitation, I'm all in - let's see what this baby can do.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
One step closer
I competed in another Triathlon relay yesterday. The first time I did a relay I ran, ran because it has been what I do, what I am comfortable with. This time I did the bike and run - in fact I did it twice. All I need to do is master the swim and a full on Tri will be mine! Master the swim. Reality is it's more like master the mind and the swim will come. Working on that but the mind is not cooperating.
Knowing that I'd be biking in addition to running made me a little nervous. The fact that I would do it twice had my stomach gurgling. When Paula, my partner in crime suggested the Elite relay it sounded good. Truth be told I had consumed a couple beers by the time she asked me and possibly wasn't thinking through what it meant. Darn beer goggles. They can impair your judgement. Girls look skinnier...girls look prettier...you seem funnier...you wake in the morning and finally understand the last thing you heard from your best friend the night before - only it's too late and you just hope the name and number you gave was not your own....time for the escape pod...."Let me run out and get us some breakfast Barbara...I mean Betty...oh yeah, Beth...sorry."
The other reason I was nervous was the only other time I biked and ran was during a training session last year. After finishing the run my quads cramped up so bad my friends had to walk me in and rub them out. I recall swinging my arms around in pain and accidentally smacking Sharon on the side of the face as she was trying to help me. Sorry. I had a little fear that I would cramp up again. Maybe more than a little...The upside to this race was that I had invested in a new bike, a bike that would hopefully level the playing field, allowing me to push myself and fly.
Paula is a great swimmer and an incredible person - I was lucky to be on her team - Team Knotty Bits. I knew that even if I sucked, she wouldn't care. The weather was crap. Cold and rainy - in fact at times during the ride the rain was coming down sideways. There I was, in shorts and a tank top. No gloves...no running pants. Boom, next thing I knew Paula was in the water and the event was in play. She finished the swim in just over seven minutes and was heading to transition. I was ready. Bike shoes on, helmet on, nervous gas rolling around in my stomach. She handed me the timing chip and I was off. Two laps and I'd be back to complete the running leg. My goal was to average 15 mph which I thought would be safe since I had to run (without cramping) and then repeat the entire process. I averaged 18.6 mph and feel pretty good about that. Came in for transition and could not get one of my biking shoes off. The release was stuck. Finally yanked the shoe off put on the runners and took forever to tie them. My hands were so cold I actually had to have someone unhook my helmet.
I was off. Couldn't feel my feet and felt like lead. I was moving forward however! My shoes kept feeling like they were falling off and I'd look down and everything was as it should be. My target was an 8:00 pace and I managed a 7:16 - I think they made a mistake because it didn't feel like I was moving at all. Finished and slid into transition and there was Paula ready to take the chip and jump back in the water for swim number two. She was off in seconds. While she was gone I managed to fix my shoe and prep for the next ride. Holy hell, she was back in eight minutes. She rocks! I found myself back on the bike and out on the course. My legs had less juice and lap one was tough. I managed 17.7 mph for the bike but it was hard. More mental that anything else - I was worried about the run.
I came in with the bike and was a bit light headed. Paula knew something was up and took the bike from me. Some guy took my helmet off and I managed to get my shoes on. I got up to run, staggered a few steps and fell - my wrist does not like me today. My shoe became untied three times which meant I needed to take more time and do it right the first time. Quarter mile in my calves started to cramp. I kept moving and thank goodness they worked themselves out. I managed a slow 8:10 pace and glory be when I saw the finish I was happy. The Bertollisport team was cheering and that energy was all I needed to finish. I was a little shaky but once again, the team as they always do, helped me. Special folks always looking out for each other - love em!
Speaking of them, Bertollisport kicked major ass - which speaks volumes for the program, the leadership, and the dedication of the athletes. Forgive me if I miss any of the top finishers. Sharon took first in her age division (8th overall), Loni and Mike won the relay, Paula and I won the Elite relay, Sue, Sonia, Robin Jim, Doug, and Mike all finished top 5 or better in their age divisions!! The rest of the gang? Oh my, they rocked it and we had many doing their first ever Tri! All that can be another blog in of itself! We had a support crew cheering and taking pictures. Did I say I love this group of crazies? I do.
Special thanks to Paula however for without even knowing it, set me up to prove something to myself, to overcome a hurdle. The race was not easy and there were mental hurdles I had to overcome. I did. I know I can improve my performance. I know I can push myself harder. My body has argued with me much of this year and unfortunately is better than I at debate. I am still recovering and look forward to being 100%. Cross training helped me today. My friends helped me today. Whether or not a Tri is in my future, today I became one step closer....
Knowing that I'd be biking in addition to running made me a little nervous. The fact that I would do it twice had my stomach gurgling. When Paula, my partner in crime suggested the Elite relay it sounded good. Truth be told I had consumed a couple beers by the time she asked me and possibly wasn't thinking through what it meant. Darn beer goggles. They can impair your judgement. Girls look skinnier...girls look prettier...you seem funnier...you wake in the morning and finally understand the last thing you heard from your best friend the night before - only it's too late and you just hope the name and number you gave was not your own....time for the escape pod...."Let me run out and get us some breakfast Barbara...I mean Betty...oh yeah, Beth...sorry."
The other reason I was nervous was the only other time I biked and ran was during a training session last year. After finishing the run my quads cramped up so bad my friends had to walk me in and rub them out. I recall swinging my arms around in pain and accidentally smacking Sharon on the side of the face as she was trying to help me. Sorry. I had a little fear that I would cramp up again. Maybe more than a little...The upside to this race was that I had invested in a new bike, a bike that would hopefully level the playing field, allowing me to push myself and fly.
Paula is a great swimmer and an incredible person - I was lucky to be on her team - Team Knotty Bits. I knew that even if I sucked, she wouldn't care. The weather was crap. Cold and rainy - in fact at times during the ride the rain was coming down sideways. There I was, in shorts and a tank top. No gloves...no running pants. Boom, next thing I knew Paula was in the water and the event was in play. She finished the swim in just over seven minutes and was heading to transition. I was ready. Bike shoes on, helmet on, nervous gas rolling around in my stomach. She handed me the timing chip and I was off. Two laps and I'd be back to complete the running leg. My goal was to average 15 mph which I thought would be safe since I had to run (without cramping) and then repeat the entire process. I averaged 18.6 mph and feel pretty good about that. Came in for transition and could not get one of my biking shoes off. The release was stuck. Finally yanked the shoe off put on the runners and took forever to tie them. My hands were so cold I actually had to have someone unhook my helmet.
I was off. Couldn't feel my feet and felt like lead. I was moving forward however! My shoes kept feeling like they were falling off and I'd look down and everything was as it should be. My target was an 8:00 pace and I managed a 7:16 - I think they made a mistake because it didn't feel like I was moving at all. Finished and slid into transition and there was Paula ready to take the chip and jump back in the water for swim number two. She was off in seconds. While she was gone I managed to fix my shoe and prep for the next ride. Holy hell, she was back in eight minutes. She rocks! I found myself back on the bike and out on the course. My legs had less juice and lap one was tough. I managed 17.7 mph for the bike but it was hard. More mental that anything else - I was worried about the run.
I came in with the bike and was a bit light headed. Paula knew something was up and took the bike from me. Some guy took my helmet off and I managed to get my shoes on. I got up to run, staggered a few steps and fell - my wrist does not like me today. My shoe became untied three times which meant I needed to take more time and do it right the first time. Quarter mile in my calves started to cramp. I kept moving and thank goodness they worked themselves out. I managed a slow 8:10 pace and glory be when I saw the finish I was happy. The Bertollisport team was cheering and that energy was all I needed to finish. I was a little shaky but once again, the team as they always do, helped me. Special folks always looking out for each other - love em!
Speaking of them, Bertollisport kicked major ass - which speaks volumes for the program, the leadership, and the dedication of the athletes. Forgive me if I miss any of the top finishers. Sharon took first in her age division (8th overall), Loni and Mike won the relay, Paula and I won the Elite relay, Sue, Sonia, Robin Jim, Doug, and Mike all finished top 5 or better in their age divisions!! The rest of the gang? Oh my, they rocked it and we had many doing their first ever Tri! All that can be another blog in of itself! We had a support crew cheering and taking pictures. Did I say I love this group of crazies? I do.
Special thanks to Paula however for without even knowing it, set me up to prove something to myself, to overcome a hurdle. The race was not easy and there were mental hurdles I had to overcome. I did. I know I can improve my performance. I know I can push myself harder. My body has argued with me much of this year and unfortunately is better than I at debate. I am still recovering and look forward to being 100%. Cross training helped me today. My friends helped me today. Whether or not a Tri is in my future, today I became one step closer....
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Lord Hill Revisited
Conquer your fears! Get back on the horse! If at first you don't succeed....ok you get the drift. I admit my first experience with Lord Hill wasn't anything to write home about - blog maybe and since mom reads my blogs maybe it's a wash. She does read them and I am sure often would like to edit some of the language :). My mom is very supportive. While on a good day I could run a 5K in a tad over 22 minutes, my mom would be proud of me even if it took me all day. I love that! Of course an all day 5K would mean I suck eggs but at least I'd know my mom would be there cheering me on. Thanks mom....
Today we headed back to the scene of the crime - Lord Hill. I wasn't worried or the least bit nervous - I always shake like that so leave me be. We were late arriving due to the remarkable navigation skills of my co-pilot. I won't mention names because she meant well and wasn't feeling 100%. Get well soon Sharon. Oops. Iain got us back on track and we arrived in one piece and the rest of the gang was there waiting for us. No one was running more than an hour so we grabbed a buddy or two and took off. I was messing with my iPod and before I knew it, Stacy, Mikki, Iain, and myself were alone and working our way down the trail. It was Mikki's first trail run (turned out to be a great run for her) and she ran with Iain.
Stacy and I peeled off to the right, taking the pipeline trail. Yes - I had a buddy. The team may have drawn straws before I arrived to see who would run with the guy who got lost last time. Stacy either got stuck with me or was lucky - I'll go with lucky. I'll also call her Hollywood. She wore these sunglasses and appeared to have her hair done one day last week for our run. It cracked me up. Then it rained on her and she NEVER runs in the rain - oh my, I think I could write an entire blog on that!
Anyway, I had priorities today. The most important was not to get lost. Next was to enjoy the run and get a good workout. I decided to stay on the pipeline trail as it appeared to be long and straight and we only needed that layout to remain for 30 minutes - at 30 we'd turn and run back. The trail only forced us to take a turn once and we managed to remember where that was! Holy crap the trail was hard - hilly and rocky! Our pace allowed us to chat some which I enjoyed. Stacy is great and I enjoyed getting to know her better. Heck at one point she shared her water with me. The circumstance was Michael running with his mouth open as wide as the Grand Canyon and straight into a swarm of gnats. Not sure how many I ate but seven or eight struggled to get all the way down my throat - water was key at that point.
On the way back we found that the dramatic declines we struggled not to trip down had turned into the most incredible mountains to climb, or run. Sweet mother of pearl they were killers. I managed to slowly run up but my lungs were screaming and both quads burned. That was only hill number one. Stacy and I ran the second one together and somehow we managed to crest the top and found level ground as a reward. On the trail we found many a mud puddle and I of course ran right through them while Stacy always went around, commenting on not getting dirty. Ha ha! Again, she cracks me up. By the by, she's one crazy great bike rider and I look forward to eating her dust on the road.
We made it back to the entrance and met up with the gang. My Garmin showed 59:58:58. Just shy of 60 minutes which was the goal. I didn't even turn it back on and run a couple seconds just to hit 60. I'm getting better aren't I? We packed in the cars and made our way to Starbucks for our post run fuel/reward. Today Lord Hill didn't suck as much as it did last time. It still sucked but I can see myself coming back and running it again. Not right away, always with a buddy, and maybe with my mouth closed. Tomorrow we swim in open water for the first time this year followed by a bike ride. Open water....I know, be careful. I will. There are swim angels to help me should I manage to make it from the grass to the sand and finally to the water. How bad could it be? After all, I survived Lord Hill with a little help from my friends.
Today we headed back to the scene of the crime - Lord Hill. I wasn't worried or the least bit nervous - I always shake like that so leave me be. We were late arriving due to the remarkable navigation skills of my co-pilot. I won't mention names because she meant well and wasn't feeling 100%. Get well soon Sharon. Oops. Iain got us back on track and we arrived in one piece and the rest of the gang was there waiting for us. No one was running more than an hour so we grabbed a buddy or two and took off. I was messing with my iPod and before I knew it, Stacy, Mikki, Iain, and myself were alone and working our way down the trail. It was Mikki's first trail run (turned out to be a great run for her) and she ran with Iain.
Stacy and I peeled off to the right, taking the pipeline trail. Yes - I had a buddy. The team may have drawn straws before I arrived to see who would run with the guy who got lost last time. Stacy either got stuck with me or was lucky - I'll go with lucky. I'll also call her Hollywood. She wore these sunglasses and appeared to have her hair done one day last week for our run. It cracked me up. Then it rained on her and she NEVER runs in the rain - oh my, I think I could write an entire blog on that!
Anyway, I had priorities today. The most important was not to get lost. Next was to enjoy the run and get a good workout. I decided to stay on the pipeline trail as it appeared to be long and straight and we only needed that layout to remain for 30 minutes - at 30 we'd turn and run back. The trail only forced us to take a turn once and we managed to remember where that was! Holy crap the trail was hard - hilly and rocky! Our pace allowed us to chat some which I enjoyed. Stacy is great and I enjoyed getting to know her better. Heck at one point she shared her water with me. The circumstance was Michael running with his mouth open as wide as the Grand Canyon and straight into a swarm of gnats. Not sure how many I ate but seven or eight struggled to get all the way down my throat - water was key at that point.
On the way back we found that the dramatic declines we struggled not to trip down had turned into the most incredible mountains to climb, or run. Sweet mother of pearl they were killers. I managed to slowly run up but my lungs were screaming and both quads burned. That was only hill number one. Stacy and I ran the second one together and somehow we managed to crest the top and found level ground as a reward. On the trail we found many a mud puddle and I of course ran right through them while Stacy always went around, commenting on not getting dirty. Ha ha! Again, she cracks me up. By the by, she's one crazy great bike rider and I look forward to eating her dust on the road.
We made it back to the entrance and met up with the gang. My Garmin showed 59:58:58. Just shy of 60 minutes which was the goal. I didn't even turn it back on and run a couple seconds just to hit 60. I'm getting better aren't I? We packed in the cars and made our way to Starbucks for our post run fuel/reward. Today Lord Hill didn't suck as much as it did last time. It still sucked but I can see myself coming back and running it again. Not right away, always with a buddy, and maybe with my mouth closed. Tomorrow we swim in open water for the first time this year followed by a bike ride. Open water....I know, be careful. I will. There are swim angels to help me should I manage to make it from the grass to the sand and finally to the water. How bad could it be? After all, I survived Lord Hill with a little help from my friends.
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