Sunday, December 30, 2007

Goodbye 2007

Christmas time has been very busy balancing work, training and family. I've been pretty stressed out lately, and I'm not too proud of it.
They closed the Y for a week and it threw off my whole training schedule. This means I haven't been biking or swimming much, since my usual is to bike to the Y and swim, then run. However, it's probably good they did that and forced me to concentrate on my running for the marathon.
Christmas day Brian and I went on a Christmas light night run and it was awesome. We ran through some neighborhoods and down Chandler Blvd through the festival of lights. Last weekend we did the Tribe group bike ride and ran 15 miles down and back on Pecos Rd. It felt pretty easy.
Yesterday I took my new Felt bike out on the group ride for the first time. It was so easy to stay with the lead group, except for the hills! I love my new bike and am so happy I got it.
This morning we ran to Kiwanis Park to run on the canals with the Gage training group. We were going to run there, run 10 miles on the canal and run home, but we ended up running 14 on the canals totaling 17 miles for today. This was probably not smart considering the marathon is two weeks away, but it is so nice to run with a group and have people to talk to and make the time go by much faster. I haven't felt too good for the past couple days so today and tomorrow I am going to relax and get healthy. Running sick does not feel good, let me tell you!
I am so excited for my parents to come to Arizona on the 10th to see us race the marathon. It will be a different experience for them as they have never been to one. I also just can't wait to spend time with them since I haven't seen them since the Great Illini half Ironman in September.

Well, today ended my training for 2007 and I am proud of my accomplishments in racing this year. In June I qualified for the Boston Marathon and in July I did my first triathlon. Since then have completed two half Ironman's with a 5:37 PR in 100 degree weather. I can't wait to see what 2008 has in store for me! My goal for 2008... to become an Ironman November 23rd!
Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Weekend Warriors

Saturday was the coldest bike ride I have ever done. I had tights, shorts, two shirts, arm warmers, socks and gloves on, but I was still freezing. We left the house at 7 a.m. and after only 5 or 6 minutes I couldn't feel my hands or feet. Only at about 10 a.m. did it warm up enough so I could feel my hands, but my feet were numb the entire ride. Everyone was going slower than normal, so I could keep up with the lead group for the majority of the ride. My legs did not want to move for the entire 70 miles, but we got through it somehow! Afterwards we went to see the Nutcracker Ballet downtown. I haven't biked that far in a while, so my legs were a little tight the rest of the day.
Today we ran 15 miles and it felt great. My hamstrings finally have healed so they weren't in pain the entire run for the first time since Tucson half marathon. AWESOME. Again.. I can't wait until January 13!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Stranded at the Y

Yesterday Brian saved my life.
I biked to the Y and just as I was getting there it began to rain. The clouds were sparatic, so I figured the rain wouldn't last too long. I decided to run my 10 miles on the treadmill in order to avoid being cold and wet. However, after I finished my run, which didn't go to well because I've been feeling groggy the past couple days, it was still raining pretty hard. I ran to the locker room to grab my cell phone to call Brian and ask him if he could pick me up, but after some searching I realized I forgot my cell phone at home! Because of the world's obsession with cell phones, the only phone numbers I have memorized are the numbers I've known since the stone age - my mom, dad and sister. Too bad they all live accross the country! I tried to call what I thought was Brian's phone number from the Y's phone, but some woman answered and I hung up on her right away.
Everyone working at the Y was feeling bad for me because I was the only one stupid enough to bike there that day. I sat staring out the window as the rain came down. Just a few minutes after I situated myself on a stationary bike - I covinced myself I would bike until the storm passed - Brian came walking through the front door. I have never been happier in my life, especially since I had a meeting to get to at 6.
So Brian saved the day yesterday. He is my hero. :)

Sunday, December 9, 2007

New Bike :)

Saturday morning we got up and ran 20 miles. Then we drove to Tucson to pick up my new bike from TriSports! My 2007 Felt B2 is AWESOME! From the moment the bike manager fit me to it I was more comfortable on a bike than I have ever been. Sunday morning we biked to the Y and met Patrick, Jorge, Adam and Emma for a group ride. My bike felt like a spin bike on the road. Because of the carbon, I can hardly feel any bumps. The only problem is the seat is a mens seat and after 40 miles it hurt so bad I was in tears.
I've been doing more swimming than normal this past week because our tri group is participating in the USAT club challenge. The first group to 500 miles swimming in December wins, biking in January and running in February. I hate swimming, but this challenge is forcing me to swim more, which, in the end, is a good thing. I ran 50 miles this week and hope to keep that up for two more weeks. I am feeling great for the marathon!

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Tucson Half Marathon

In one word Tucson half marathon was SWEET! I ran a 1:29 and got 6th female out of 761.
Brian and I woke up at 4 a.m. and drove to Oro Valley from our cheap hotel room that was scary! We drove to Ventana Medical Center where we parked our car and got on a bus to the start line. It was freezing. I wore running tights and two jackets. We got on the second bus and somehow ended up the first people to the start line. It was pitch dark when we got there and the bus dropped us off a mile away. We had to run to the start down a dark desert road. Then when we got there the port-a-potties were zip-tied shut! It was a nightmare. Then we waited an hour and a half in the freezing cold until 7 a.m. When the race started I was not in race mode at all... I sort of just started running! Before the race Brian told me to look at my watch at mile 1 and if I felt good, just keep up that pace. So thats what I did - only I never saw a mile 1 marker. When I got to mile 2 my watch said 12 minutes. My goal pace was 7:40s and I was running 6 minute miles! I felt awesome so I just kept running that pace. I was passing person after person for the first six miles, then my hamstrings started hurting and I had to slow it down. A 16 year old came up next to me and ran next to me for about 4 miles. I tried to hold her pace but ended up just hurting more so I stayed where I felt comfortable, at around 6:50s. A few more people passed me, but I was still running stronger and feeling stronger than I've ever felt during a race. The last three miles seemed all up hill and when I crossed the finish line under 1:30 I was so happy!
Overall it was a fun weekend. Brian ran a 1:20 and he was proud of my 1:29 which made me feel really good.