US Army

Sunday was the West Point Triathlon - I wanted to do it but never got around to registering and then as it approached I knew I had not trained enough to swim a full 800 meters.  The week before I convinced Kevin to do a relay with me - he could swim/bike and I could "run".  The last time I ran one single step was July 19th with Team Lipstick and it was for 1.4 miles when I couldn't really breath at the end of that 1.4 miles.  It wasn't pretty to say the least.  Going into yesterday's race I was nervous about even being able to complete the 5k but had finally made peace with the fact that I would just have fun and be happy with a 14:00/mile.  I figured the absolute worst case scenario was that it would take me 45 minutes and I'd have to be able to live with that pace - if you can even call that a pace!

We left for the race early - it should have taken less than an hour from our house but clearly I didn't read the Athlete Guide in its entirety bc I followed the map to "The Post".  For those not in the know, like me, that means where the actual Army is - at least that's what I think it means.  I really have no clue.  All I know is a large man, holding a large rifle told me they didn't hold triathlons "On Post".  So off we went to find the actual race.  Walking from the parking lot to transition is quite a hike and those that got there after us had to hike even further and the hills are nothing to sneeze at!  Note to self: get there early next year, do packet pick up on Saturday and go to the actual race location the first time!

Once we made it packet pick up it went smoothly.  There were a ton of great volunteers moving things along and there were a lot of racers making a great morning buzz.  The greatest part of this day was the weather - it's not often that it's "chilly" on race morning but Sunday was the most beautiful day ever - I think it was my very first race without sunblock!  The weather stayed cool for the entire race, there was the perfect amount of cloud cover with perfect temps!  The only "issue" was this:

I put issue in quotes bc I wasn't swimming anyway so wetsuit or no wetsuit made no difference to me!  Kevin is an amazingly fast, competent swimmer and he's happy either way.  It worked in my favor bc that makes his T1 a bit faster (although something we REALLY need to work on - his speed on the bike makes up for the amount of time it takes him to put on socks).

He was out of the swim when I expected him to be there.  Then out on the bike we had discussed him taking 50 minutes.  I was waiting in the runners holding pen with my new "friends" - who knew that's where all the fun was?!  We had a grand old time trying to figure out who was racing in the co-ed relay category to see who we needed to run past on the course.  Kevin was back in :37 - lightning fast!  Gave me a great lead.  I was all pumped out on my run and within the first 6 minutes I saw 2 other relay runners sprint past me - damn speedy runners.  I didn't let it bother me at all as I knew there was no way I'd ever beat them but it was fun for the first 6 minutes to imagine myself on the podium!  The run ended up being quite great for me - it was the least flat course I've ever been on.  It was either going up steep or coming down steep - never a flat surface, never.  Since this race was held at West Point there were a lot of military racers and many of them were racing while holding a very large American flag.  I had trouble holding the Dixie cup of water let alone a giant flag on an even larger pole so I figured I really couldn't complain or at least not out loud!  I also knew that 95% of the people running had done the first 2 legs of this race where I was just running - they were way more tired than I.  I only walked twice for less than 10 seconds each time to get some water but ran the entire race which is a huge accomplishment for me especially after not running for so long.  Crossed the finish line in :31:42 which puts me at a 10:12/pace - lightning fast for me!  I was so excited - over the moon and put me in the right frame of mind for my next tri on Sunday - SheRox NJ.  Now I just need to get some swim training in this week and I'll feel much better.  Thankfully SheRox is only a .25 mile swim which I'm hoping I can complete without being DFL (yes, that actually means Dead Fu**ing Last).

My beloved coach, Justin, always says, "you can do any race at any distance.  It's just a matter of how you recover".  Well I learned that lesson AGAIN the hard way today.  I was feeling all kinds of invincible yesterday thinking I could run a solid 10:00/mile without really training and then I woke up this morning.  My legs are KILLING me as if I ran a marathon or at the very least a 10k.  Running a 5k should not cause me this amount of pain.  As much as it hurts to say, here it goes: JUSTIN, YOU ARE RIGHT.  YOU ARE ALWAYS RIGHT.  EVERY ATHLETE MUST TRAIN FOR EVERY DISTANCE IN ORDER TO PROPERLY RECOVER.  Blah, blah, blah.  This is what I wore to my son's appointment this morning under my jeans desperate for any help.

Overall, West Point is a GREAT race!  I truly enjoyed the venue, the people, the after food (ice pops might be the greatest post race treat EVER!).  There was some issues with wetsuits vs. non-wetsuits results/awards but since we came in 10th out of 23 that wasn't an issue we had to deal with so I wasn't paying all that much attention to that particular detail.  There is just nothing better than perfect weather, low expectations followed by great results to top of a great day of racing!  Another race we will certainly register for again next year.

Six short days to SheRox NJ!  I love an all-women's race =)

U.R. MY I.M.

Since I first entered into the multisport world I've always vowed to never, ever do a local race.  I never want people I know watching me race.  When I tell people that I do triathlon they are always impressed so I try to keep that mirage going.  Because if they actually saw me racing, they'd know I wasn't all that impressive. The no-local-race rule was broken this weekend at the extremely local Wyckoff Triathlon.  Everyone talks about this race all year but I've always been able to avoid it altogether.  The opportunity came up just last week to get into the race so I jumped at the chance, oddly enough.

I've been working hard to let go of my extremely high expectations.  I'm always disappointed when I don't come in first - let's be real here, I'm pretty much never going to come in first place unless I train hard all day everyday.  That means no bagels, no Starbucks, no lunch, no naps, no parent/teacher conferences, no fun, no life - coming in 1st is not worth giving those things up and I need to remember to just have fun (not to mention I'm pretty sure I don't have the DNA make up to be a world champ)!  This was my first race of just trying to have fun and it went well.  I had a really good time, I watched everyone that I know from my town fly past me and wasn't ready to quit.  My time is my time, my race is my race and I need to just enjoy the race, enjoy being active and continue to improve.  This race had a 5 mile run - not a freaking 5k which is what is should be - and I was really worried about the run but really tried to let go of that fear. 

A few days before the race, Kevin left me this note and at the bottom it said, "you are my ironman" and I wrote that on my wrist the morning of the race.  I used that to get me through the run - I never gave up, I hardly walked and averaged an 11:11/mile which is about a minute faster than I was expecting (and for those following this blog that is pretty impressive for me!).

Along with just enjoying the race, I made a few rookie mistakes.  Many triathletes will find a small, local race to do at the beginning of the season to work out all of the kinks.  This was my THIRD race of the season yet still mistakes were made - you know "People plan, God laughs":
-got out of the water and realized I had no socks so I rode without sock (I left them in the car).  Not a terribly big deal but only bc Kevin was there and I knew he could get me socks for the run (of course they were in transition when I got back to run!);
-went to put on my helmet and my hair tie snapped - snapped right in my hands so I had nothing to do with my hair (which if you know me is a  NIGHTMARE!).  I am never without at least 4 hair ties around my wrist at any given time, except this one time;
-then my helmet didn't fit, wouldn't stay on and was all over the place - I have no idea what happened as I had just wore the damn helmet a few days before for 6 freaking hours!  Had I fallen on the bike - I'd be brain dead as this helmet was serving me no purpose - take a look (notice the hair and helmet - a hot mess!):

This race ended up being so much fun!

• I got to race with Jenni;
• My sweet first born son got up at 4am to watch me race;
• Kevin wasn't racing which means he gets to be my full-time sherpa (which is awesome!);
• I did better than expected and had fun on all 3 legs of the race;
• And most importantly, I wasn't disappointed at the end - I was happy!

The only real downside was the finishers medal - very, very lame.

I am going to put myself in the lottery next year to get into this race again - I think this will be a good staple race to do every year to see if I can keep improving with each passing year. 

Bring on I Love The Tavern Tri coming this Sunday...

Rain, Hill, Family & a Great time!

Dianne & I were Team Kennedy!

Rev3 Quassy has come and gone - my new favorite thing about triathlon just might be the relay and/or the AquaBike.  What an amazing concept - skipping the part that sucks and hurts the most!  But since this IS the Year of the Run I'm not giving up on running altogether, at least not yet.  Saturday's race was a one time event in order to race with Dianne.  Out of the kindness of my heart, I "allowed" her to do my run portion so she could be a part of the day (that's my story and I'm sticking to it!) because I'm a really kind sister-in-law.

Stephen, Kathy, Dianne & Deihdra

We arrived on Friday for packet pick up and bike drop off - it hadn't started raining quite yet but the skies opened up over night.  The drive to the race Saturday morning was something out of a movie - it was raining so hard you almost couldn't believe it.  I was fairly certain they'd call off the swim bc there was no way lifeguards could see any swimmers in the water, it was that kind of torrential rain.  But no such luck - we got to the race and the rain slowed a bit, safe enough to swim.  While the swim was safe, it was not easy at all.  The crazy hard rain and wind made a usually calm and lovely lake into one with quite a strong current.  Said current was not going in the direction I wanted it to go!  My predicted swim time was 40 minutes.  It was hard and long but I got to the 2nd turn around buoy in 20 minutes and I was psyched that I was going to crush my PR time.  Then the current set in and it took me a full 20 minutes to go the last 1/3 of the swim.  Twice I looked up and was facing the wrong way - a few other times I looked up and didn't have a clue which way I was facing!  It was a big confusing and the turn around buoys just weren't big or bright enough to see very well.  I was excited that the rain had stopped - funny thing is that while swimming I guess you think it's no longer raining...not so.  I would have quit the swim and DNF'd but there is no way out of a lake other than to swim out so I kept on going.  There were many times that I could swear I was not moving one inch in any direction but eventually I did make it to the shore.  I finished in 41 minutes - piss me off.  Once out of the water I saw my sister Kathy 2 steps in front of me - she was also pissed at the strong currents and difficulty of the swim.  We both said that we had leg cramps from kicking so hard to try to just finish.  I pretty much never kick in the swim (no coaches comments here - I just don't kick I need all the legs I can get for the rest of the race) but this swim I had no choice but to kick as hard as I could.  I also knew I was not running in this race.

Even the pros have to deal with the rain!  Matty Reed

Once out of the water I realized it was still freaking raining but on to the bike I went.  I have ridden in the rain a few times and while not ideal, it doesn't scare me.  My coach constantly says, "Americans don't train in the rain that's why they aren't the best" or something like that.  I could just hear his accent in my head.  I rode this course a mere 2 weeks ago and it really didn't seem all that hard then.  I finished the preview ride in 1:50 - that ride was without police stopping traffic so I was hoping for a 1:40 finish.  Again, the rain makes the race an entirely different ball of wax.  This bike course is all hills - you are either going up or down.  You can never get into a rhythm, you are constantly changing gears and either climbing or descending.  Climbing in climbing no matter how you slice it but descending in blinding rain is not that much fun.  Going fast down hill is my favorite thing to do - makes the climbing all worthwhile but in this race it was nearly impossible.  I finally took off my glasses bc I couldn't see through them but then the rain was pelting me so hard I couldn't see anyway.  You had to sort of close your eyes and hope for the best.  Since I was in the very last swim wave I was alone on the bike course.  I passed about 5 people but other than that I was completely alone so that took out the scariest part of descending while with other people.  My max speed on the day was 38.8 which in hindsight is probably a bit too fast in those conditions!  I was able to finish the bike in 2:01 but I need to take about 3 minutes off bc some jackass guy asked for my CO2 shooter and it took him forever to use it and he made me wait to give it back to me - I should have either said NO I didn't have one or just thrown it at him while I was still moving.  Lesson learned.  The first 15 miles were awesome - I was alone on a closed road having a grand ole time but then I realized I had another 10 miles to go and it was hard, hard, hard.  Plus I was starving and couldn't even drink bc I couldn't' really take my hands off the handle bars to drink.  And the damn rain kept getting harder and heavier and hurting my body more.  If I had planned to run I'm fairly certain I would have DNF'd this race.  Kevin volunteered in transition for this race and there were at least 2 girls that came off the bike with hypothermia and had to quit right there.  I wasn't as cold as others but I did have nothing left in me to go on.




By the time I got back to T2 I had already mentally decided to tell Dianne she didn't have to run (I did say it out loud but she ignored me).  I felt so bad for her that I took so long and she'd have to be out there at the very end of the race all alone and soaking wet and freezing.  But I pulled it and she was excited to get going!  She finished in 1:03 a great 10k pace and was so excited!  We ran through the finish shoot together, got our medals and got what was the best post race food I've ever had!  I've said it before and I'll say it again - if you haven't done a Rev3 race you need to get to one ASAP!  It's the best organization out there - medals, tshirts, by far the most amazing transition!  But most of all they had the BEST volunteers ever!  I was at least moving on my bike - those volunteers stood out there in the pouring freezing rain for hours for nothing more than a free tshirt.  They were the best!


Another race...another medal...another victory!


As always I need to praise the best sherpa in Triathlon - sweet Kevin.  He saw many people come off the bike freezing so as soon as I came off the bike he took me to the car.  He had the heat blasted, dry towels and my dry clothes all waiting so I could heat up quickly.  I'm happy to let you hire him for your next race.... there is no one better in the Race Sherpa biz!


Next race - June 23rd - AquaBike National Championship...who's in??

Mojo...is that you?

It could be a passing feeling but I do think, perhaps, that I got my MOJO back this past weekend.  Ever since Rev3 Knoxville, I've been on a downward triathlon spiral - it  hasn't been pretty.  My Training Peaks is empty, empty, empty.  I think over the past 2 weeks I've been on my bike twice, not one run, not once in the pool - pathetic.  The only reason I have not officially quit triathlon is bc I've already paid for Rev3 Quassy and am doing that race as a relay - that means someone else is counting on me (and mostly bc I already paid for the race and hotel room so I HAVE to go now!).

Sunday was the Quassy Preview ride - we all met in Quassy and rode the race course.  It was a beautiful day, bright sunshine with a great course.  Unlike Knoxville, these massive uphill climbs had many downhills as well which were awesome to fly down and make up some speed.  It's that sort of speed on a downhill to bring back all joy in sport.  Of course that day I did not swim before or have a run after but it was still a great ride and got my excited for my upcoming race.

That was written last week and now we are a mere 3 days from my next race - again it's a relay, AMEN!  This week also opened the town pool which is outside and 50 meters - a joy to train in.  No more smelly indoor pools for the next 3 months.  Much less turning around and a better way to swim train as you get to actually stroke for a much longer time before turning around.

I'm hoping my excitement is here to stay and I will have an amazing race season this summer - bring on Rev3 Quassy!

This photo is from Knoxville and I was beyond miserable in this picture - usually I look for the photographer so I can look all sporty spice in my photos but I missed this guy as I was hoping heat stroke would finally take over.  This weekend it will be 68 degrees and raining which is almost perfect racing weather!

1 bad race + 1 long trip = 2 years

Tuesday was the 2nd anniversary of my very first blog post. I reread it. It was extremely uplifting and happy while Monday was filled with self doubt and the strong desire to quit.  I always imagined getting better and better as each new season begins but reality punched me hard in the face this weekend.  Sunday was my first race of the season - Rev3 Knoxville Olympic - it was a rough race for me.  Last year this race was my first OLY distance race and I was so nervous the whole drive down (all 12 hours) but this year I just knew I'd crush last year's time.  Not only was the race a billion times harder but I finished 6 minutes slower than last year.  I came in 2nd to last in my age group - to say this race was a monster failure would be an understatement.

I've now spent the past 2 days wallowing in my own self pity and trying to figure out how much I can get when I sell my bike.  I have more triathlon gear than Chris McCormack and was hopeful I could make some money on the deal.  But now that 2 days has gone by I'm starting to see how this race was not a metaphor for my life - or at least I'm trying really hard.

Today I went over the exact times comparing this year to last years race and it seems perhaps it wasn't as bad as I originally thought.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Finished the swim 3:00 faster than last year;
• Transition was 4:25 slower this year;
• however, BIG however here, they moved T1 much farther away than last year;
• 5:01 slower on the bike;
• :38 slower on the run;
• 20 degrees hotter than last year
• Overall - it comes down to Transition!  I added 5:14 to this year's race and 4:25 of that was transition.

And just like that, I found those 5:14 minutes and it wasn't so bad.  The water felt like ice cubes and the run felt like being on the face of the sun.  I think those are just excuses that people make for a poor performance.  When all is said and done - you get out what you put in.  I did not put enough in - didn't train enough, long enough, hard enough.  I deserved every one of those extra minutes plus some.  As the saying goes "Train Fast, Race Fast" but since I train slow and not very seriously then that's how my races will always end up unless I change my ways.  Last week I tried to teach Maddox a lesson that he was not allowed to quit baseball just bc he struck out 3 times.  He needed to practice and work hard - quitting bc you aren't good is not an option.  Don't you just hate eating your own words??

On a high note, my sweet NLLP took 1st place (of course he trains so hard everyday - lesson learned).

24 days left until the next race but thankfully I will not be running in the next one - bring on the RELAY!

Bubonic Plague

Perhaps bronchitis + a sinus infection is not the bubonic plague but it certainly feels that way.  There are 6 days until the NYC Half Marathon - for those not paying attention it has been all consuming in my life.  It has been an enormously large goal that I signed up for - my very first 13.1.  One that makes me extremely uncomfortable to the point that I've been working so hard to prepare.  But as the saying goes, "People plan, God laughs".  Well then I guess I'm the punch line.  I've been so sick for the past 5 days and everyday I think it's going to get better but then it seems to get worse.  Today I decided it was time for a visit to a professional.  At my doctor's appointment I failed the breathing test, had to get a breathing treatment, a shot of steroids in my rear, a week's worth of steroids to take at home and a prescription for Zithromax.  And still I'm having trouble taking a really deep breath and my headache is unbearable.

Then the question of the hour: "Can I run my half marathon on Sunday?" to which he responded, "Will you lose your job if you don't run it?".  Well that answered that one - he said it was crazy to consider it even if I were feeling better by then bc I wouldn't be completely recovered and would cause further damage.

I could actually cry thinking about not doing it - I've been so excited about this race from the day I registered.  I've not wavered in my excitement or training and now this.  This is completely out of my control, nothing I can do, no distance I can run, nothing my beloved coach can do to fix this - just me and Mother Nature not getting along.  This has never happened to me before - I've never had to back out of a race for anything and this sucks.  Perhaps I'll be completely cured by tomorrow  - let's hope!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

More like when your long run turns out to suck so bad you wonder why on earth you continue on?  Monday was supposed to be my first 10 mile run ever.  Of course 2 out of 3 kids were home sick but I wrangled a babysitter so I could still make this happen.  It was a terrible run - I felt like crap, my times were beyond slow even for me, sitter called at mile 8 so I had to head home.  But while out on the run I stopped to take some photos - it really is a great feeling to run in the quiet of nature, no music, no other people, just me (and my iphone camera when something pretty popped up!).  The pictures don't do it justice but New Jersey really is beautiful.  Fresh air and quiet make it all seem worth while.

One week left until I get to run through the opposite of quiet: TIMES SQUARE with 5,000 of my closet friends!

Mayor

My son had a school assignment recently about what would he do if he were Mayor of Glen Rock.  He came up with a few things that I don't really remember right now but I know what I'd like to do if I were Mayor: I'd put timing mats every mile in town with water stations filled with cheerleaders.  It seems I can only excel in running while wearing a timing chip. 


Let me explain:  Each week I run anywhere from 2-4 times and every time out I average around a 12:00/mile (it's closer to 13:00/mile but who's really counting!).  My legs always hurt, lungs huffing - it's always a struggle.  I have an enormously difficult time going anywhere over 5 miles - last week I did 6 and walked 4.5 of those miles.  It wasn't pretty but when I go to an organized race - I seem to be able to hold my own.  


Last weekend I ran in the NYRR GridIron 4 Miler in Central Park and this was my race:

1 10:35.5 1.00 10:36 2 10:06.0 1.00 10:06 3 10:57.8 1.00 10:58 4 9:37.9 1.00 9:38

Avg Moving Pace: 10:15 min/mi

Throughout the entire race I felt great!  Kept pushing and pushing myself yet in training, on the street, everyday that doesn't seem to happen.  Soooo perhaps if everyday was race day I'd be able to keep a great run pace....think that's possible??

   

It seems longer than 13.1....

The new course map was recently posted for the NYC Half Marathon - I realize all half marathons are 13.1 miles but this course map seems WAY longer than that!  Take a look here: course map.  The issue I'm having is that if you wanted to get from Central Park to Wall Street on any given day it would take you forever - either by subway or a cab which might cost you $40 to go "that far".  But when you break it down - the island of Manhattan is just not that big (as my sister keeps pointing out).  I just go back to the days when I had an actual job and had to commute all day long on the subway - I worked in the World Trade Center and to get anywhere took at least 45 minutes by subway.  It seems impossible that it is really only about 6 miles to get to the southern most tip of Manhattan from the outside of Central Park.  But this is just all clutter in my head to keep me from the real issue: Shit, now I actually have to run 13.1 miles at one time???????  Why on earth did I sign up for such a thing?  Well just one more thing to be terrified of for the year and then I can get back on track for triathlon training and put this big, huge, frightening event behind me - one more medal to hang in the training room!!!


51 days and counting until I can say, "I'm a half-marathoner". Not that I'm counting.


And just in case you wanted to donate to The Fresh Air Fund - I'm soooo close to the goal!

DONATE - FRESH AIR FUND

Two Men & a triathlete

My beloved (left) - Coach Extraordinaire (right)

They say It Takes A Village To Raise A Child - well it also takes a small village to make a non-athletic stay-at-home-mom into a triathlete and there are the two men that make it happen for me.  Meet my one and only, sweet as can be NonLesbianLifePartner, Kevin, and my world-class, amazing coach, Justin.  Without them I'm not sure where I'd be in life let alone in the crazy world of triathlon.

Kevin has been making my life more amazing for almost 5 years.  He brings light and joy to everyone that knows and meets him.  I always tell people he is an amazing human being - I think that sums him up. The greatest part of Kevin is that he makes you believe you can do anything.  He just sees the good in everyone and has made me realize things are possible for me.  Things I would have never once even considered let alone tried.  I used to be a firm, firm believer in "I'd rather quit than fail" philosophy in life.  He has made me see that even when you fail it's really a win.  Since meeting him I try many things I am terrified to do but I always give it my best try and so far they've all been amazing experiences.  I could go on and on and on about how great Kevin is but if you know him, you already know that and if you don't know him - you should.

Justin - well he writes my programs and all that coaching stuff that just about anyone could do that. It's the cheerleading/mental health part where he shines.  It's Justin's fun filled job to talk me off the ledge at least twice a week.  I usually call him with the intention of quitting. Yet, somehow, at the end every call I'm working on a race of a  longer distance than I originally started with!  Or I call him bc so-and-so told me that I needed to start running a 5:00/mile for 400 miles each week to train. I put myself in a panic and call him to "fix" my training plan.  He then once again, talks me off the ledge, calms me down and makes me see how all things are possible for me - all I need to do is believe that he knows what he's doing and most importantly BELIEVE IN MYSELF.

Every person needs these 2 egoless men to support them in their lives.  I hope you are all as lucky as me.  If not, you can at least hire Justin - sweet Kevin is not for sale, sorry.

Only ONCE...I promise!

As of December 31, 2011,  running was my least favorite thing to do but since I publicly announced that 2012 was the Year of the Run - I've had to rethink that feeling.  Now running is no longer my least favorite thing to do - at least that's what I keep telling myself over and over as I keep on running.  But to really prove to myself that I was committed to the Year of the Run, I registered for the NYC 13.1. As many of you know, it's nearly impossible to get into this damn race the "regular" way so I had to go an alternative route: charity entry.  That means I'm once again asking you for some cash - I know times are tough and you do not need to donate or even make an excuse.  I hate asking for money and I hate even more when people ask me for money but what can a girl-trying-to-be-a-runner do?

So here it is - my one and only time to ask you for a donation (unless you get this blog in a few different spots) - not only for my run but for my all-time, favorite charity on the planet:  The Fresh Air Fund.  My ghetto fabulous self went to sleep away camp for 3 weeks for the summer after 5th grade with just this amazing organization.  I'm sure you all know how great the Fresh Air Fund is so I won't go on and on but please click the link below to send some other lovely, underprivileged kids to camp AND help me on my journey to be a RUNNER!!

Won't you help send a girl (YES, that is me and I AM A GIRL!) to camp!!

DONATE HERE!!!

70.3 done...well, almost.

Who knew a Virtual Race would light a fire under my rear end.  Last night when I looked at my spreadsheet, I realized I had to swim 1200 yards and bike 16 miles today in order to finish before the deadline.  It took quite a bit of juggling kids, the damn aquacize class (don't get me started on the amount of time and room the aquacize class takes up) but I did it!  I finished a 70.3 race....ok, well not really since I did it over the course of 11 days.  The good news is that since this is the Year of the Run - I went over in the run miles but 8.43 MILES!!!  I was completely shocked that on the last day I needed to swim and bike and I was thinking I'd have to run 12.1 miles on the last day.  Go me =)

I want to send out a huge birthday wish to Karen and an even bigger Thank You for pushing me to commit and complete something I said I would.  I was determined to make this happen and I am also determined to work my ass off this year to make my racing goals a reality.

      FINAL DISTANCES:

SWIM 2200yards

BIKE 56.00miles

RUN 21.53miles

Jenni bought me this hat and I vowed to never wear this hat until I completed a 70.3 race...do you think I can wear it now??

NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10k

Wendy, my beloved sister in her NYC Marathon shirt!, at the start.

Today marked my very first 10K race ever and more importantly, the first 10k in the Year of the Run.  I've completed 2 other 10K distances but both were part of a triathlon and both were Ugly (with a capital U) -thank goodness for a new year.  I was beyond nervous about this race today - I hate running with people I know bc I'm just so slow.  I find it condescending when the people you started with are waiting for you at the finish line or God forbid, they come BACK to run with you.  I realize this is something I need to work on in therapy and that no one is judging me - just me judging me but that's a few years and many therapy sessions away from today.  Today was supposed to be a run with my sister (who did run), Pamela and Jenni but the last 2 had family obligations and had to back out at the last minute.  It went from a Girls Party 10k to just Wendy and me which took quite a bit of pressure off of me - albeit, self induced pressure.  I thought I would finish in 1:28 and was hoping beyond hope for a 1:15 finish.


We got to the park and I felt as ready as I could feel to run but still nervous.  I decided not to set my watch - I was originally going to run 6:00/walk 2:00.  Figured might as well just go and see what happens.  The first mile was way slow and mostly bc of the amount of people and not me.  The race was packed and it takes while to thin out to be able to actually move so I was pretty happy to go slow and walk up some of the first hills.  But then I got into my groove and sort of never got out of it.  That has NEVER happened to me.  My only complaint was that I forgot my gloves and while it was unseasonable warm in NYC today, it was still chilly enough that my hands were freezing the entire race.  On a sidenote: I own ONE, yes just one, shirt without thumbholes and I just happened to have picked that shirt to wear today.  Just my luck.  The course inside of Central Park is quite hilly but I didn't really notice.  I had no iPod and was alone the entire race.  I was able to listen to the gossip of those around me which might be one of my all time favorite things to do - got some tips on the course, heard about this one girls night out and a few other random things.  I walked very infrequently - mostly at the water stations and even when I walked it was never for that long.  I was never in any real pain and sort of felt like I could keep on going.  At the 4.5 mile mark, I saw Kevin and he jumped in to run with me for a mile.  It was so great to see him but for the first time ever in any race, I didn't need him or anyone.  I am normally desperately looking for someone I know to help get me to the finish line or say something inspirational - anything to help but today I was so fine on my own.  It's always great to see him but I didn't need it which was an amazing feeling!!!  Just kept trucking along on my run - he dropped off at mile 5.5 and then I kicked it up a notch.  I wanted to leave it all out there and give it every single thing I had left so I did except I made that decision a smidge too early!  Got to the 6 mile marker and thought I might not make the remaining .2 miles but just kept on going.  

Yours truly at the finish line!

I crossed the finish line and immediately stopped my watch - it said 1:08!  ONE HOUR & EIGHT MINUTES!  If I died right there I'd have died a happy person - I never thought I could run that "fast" - my Garmin put me at a 10:58/mile pace (the NYRR website has a slower pace so I'm going with my Garmin bc I can!).  What a great race, beautiful weather and a simply amazing way to kick off The Year of the Run - perhaps I could actually complete a 13.1....but for today I'm just going to bask in the glow of my speed =)

PS - please notice the negative splits - another HUGE first!

First World Problems

Sweet Kevin, Matty Reed & yours truly @ Rev3 Knoxville 2011 - my 1st Olympic Distance Triathlon

Recently, I found this website about First World Problems and the more I read it, the more I realize how ridiculous my "problems" really are in the grand scheme of life.  My most recent drama, is that I can't "afford" to go to San Juan to do the 70.3.  The thing no one tells you about triathlon when you first start is that it's EXPENSIVE, very, very EXPENSIVE.  Now that I own all the gear, I was hoping the expense would start getting less but then comes the price of travel to the race and more importantly: the race entry fee!  (Still having trouble believing that I pay someone that much money to be in a triathlon but that's a whole other ball of wax).  Aside from 2012 being the Year of the Run - it's now also the Year of the Local Race - or at least a race we can drive to and mooch of friends while there.  At first, I was pretty bummed by this revelation that going to the race would really be a financial strain and then when I realized that this is really my biggest problem in life.  I really am pretty lucky - that also means I get more time to train for Rev3 Knoxville in May and hopefully a warm winter will allow lots of running outside to prep for it.  I wish everyone in the world had my "problems".

1st Day 5K

Started off 2012 wearing my new favorite shirt!  Jenni (pictured below), her daughter Kate, my homegirl Pamela and of course my beloved, Sweet Kev (there is a whole entry being dedicated just to him but not today) went out to run the 1st Day 5K this morning.  This morning was my fastest 5K ever - a great way to start off The Year of the Run!  Six more days until my first 10k - yikes, that's horrifying.

2012...The Year of the Run

Happy New Year! This is it - this will be the year of the RUN.  I will be a runner. I even have Newton's to prove my runnerness. I don't promise to like it, enjoy it or even be fast but I will be able to run a full 10k without stopping and at the very least, a 10:00/mile pace.  Running 6.2 miles with an average pace of 10:00/mile is almost as difficult, for me, as walking on the moon.  With a small exception that running, any distance at any pace, is free and requires nothing but my very own lazy ass to run often.

One week from today is my first 10k (I've only done them in a triathlon but never alone).  Next Saturday will serve as my 10k benchmark of the year and I will only get faster from then on.

Happy New Year - Welcome to the Year of the Run.

Virtual Races

Today I signed up for 2 virtual races - I thought they meant I didn't have to actually do anything but much to my dismay, that's not what they meant.  The concept is pretty interesting - some people don't always have an actual race to get to so you can sign up for these and follow along with other athletes online.  I'm hoping that it keeps me motivated to continue training in these very dark, very cold days...want to join me?

First one is the New Years Virtual 5K

New Years Virtual 5k

Next one is a Virtural 70.3 over the course of 11 days:

Virtual 70.3

97 days until THE race

Can I do it?  Can I earn this tri top?

http://www.ironmansanjuan.com/

There are exactly 97 days before this race in San Juan, Puerto Rico and it is a total of 70.3 miles.  The longest race, by a lot, I'll even attempt to complete.  It's a huge goal - something I'm not sure I can even complete but my NLLP and my coach seems to think I can do it.  All you need in life is someone to believe in you when you don't have enough belief in yourself.  So I'm going to give it a try.  On top of being a very difficult race, extremely hard to train for through a miserable North East winter - it's very expensive (feel free to donate here - just kidding!).  That means I need to overcome my craziness in all aspects of my life: belief in myself to complete the entire race in under 8 hours, the drive to train for the next 97 days and the will to save enough money to pay for the whole trip.  This will be big for me and an enormous accomplishment if I can make it happen.  The only problem is that, I'm the only one that can truly make it happen.  I much prefer asking someone else to do my hard work and/or blaming them when things don't work out...any volunteers?

Team Kennedy podiums!

The season was supposed to end last month at Danskin-Sandy Hook but Kevin and I wanted to do one last relay together before the racing season officially ended. Down to Bassman we went in Tuckerton, NJ in Bass River State Park. It's great to do a relay and if anyone out there thinks a full triathlon is too overwhelming you should give a relay a try. It was so fun to race with my sweet beloved Kevin but the truth is he's a speed demon on the bike so I knew we'd finish quickly with him in the middle leg of the race. The swim was far - I could swear they moved the bouys further than the stated .6 miles, either that or I don't train enough which is more likely the case. The air was so cold but the water was a lovely 70 degrees and while the sunrise is always a beautiful sight to see - it's not that pretty swimming directly into it. I couldn't see one single thing - not a bouy, not a swimmer, lifeguard, flag, sand, nothing. I just kept going in hopes to find the shore. I did eventually find a lifeguard and turned out I was going in the right direction. Since I wasn't cycling I figured I could run fast out of the water bc I'd have plenty of time to rest after - handed off the timing chip to Kevin and out he went. The hour break in between was so nice since it was sooo damn cold I was able to change into very dry clothes, comb my hair, stretch, chat with the other relay peeps and take a breath. Kevin came back very quickly and I had to go out on the run - I have tendinitis in my foot and it was hurting before I even started the run but it's the last race of the season it was time to move. My pace was slower than the last race but still not bad at 10:45/mile for 4.2 miles. We came in 2nd place for the relay teams! You'd have thought I won the Olympics - any podium spot (no matter how many in that group) is a huge victory and I'll take it everytime! It was awesome. Then our other teammate, Miss Jenni came in 3rd in her age group so the 2 hour drive home was great since we had THREE trophies in the car - one for each of us. Such a rockstar, ass-kicking, triathlon minivan zooming up the GSP!!! It was also my first race as a Kennedy - we got bibs with our names on them and I opted to wear Kevin's. I'm considering a legal name change so I can always race for Team Kennedy since it's an awesome name and he's the most awesome person on earth.

Now THIS was officially my last triathlon of the 2011 season (for real this time) but that doesn't mean it's rest time. Now is time to pull my act together, work really hard for 2012 season. Get my run faster and faster, get stronger and stronger and just keep getting better. My next race is March 2012 if the winter goes as well as I'd like it to go...it will be a lot of hard work to prepare for such a long race in 6 months time. Anyone want to sign up with me to race in San Juan in March?? Or if you want to join us in PR and just do the 13.1 run for Kevin that would be great too!

Lady in Green

CROSSING THE FINISH LINE IS THE BEST & MOST ADDICTING FEELING IN THE WORLD!

Last Sunday was my last race of the season (for now). And because it was my last race, I pushed as hard as I could for the entire race and ended up having my best time of the season! On race morning while leaving my car, my Garmin strap broke and I had no watch which turned out to be pretty awesome (I highly recommend racing without any timing device!). It was great to not look at it, not wonder if I could go faster or be angry at myself for being so slow. I had no choice but to just race so I did it and vowed to have a great time doing it. Danskin is an all women's race which is AWESOME - no men, everyone is polite, kind and encouraging. The weather was perfect, not too hot, not too cold just a slight rain. The water was calm and turned out to be such a great swim. The bike was very, very windy as the entire course ran along the ocean. However, at the turn around the wind was less intense. The whole bike course was flat and so beautiful to see the ocean for the entire ride. Once on the run, I found a woman in front of me - The Lady in the Green Shirt. I never saw her bib #, never got her name, never even saw her face but she saved me. I've often heard people talk about having someone to pace them but I've never been able to find someone that runs as slow as I do. Once I saw her running, I vowed to stay with her for the whole 5K and I did just that. I told her that I was going to follow her and she said, "I don't run fast but I will not walk". It's the most I've ever run at one time, I walked once to grab some water but otherwise ran the entire 5K. I wish so much I had seen her number or at least asked her name so I could properly thank her for all she did for me. My run pace was 10:32 and for me that is simply phenomenal and I could not be more proud! On top of having a great and most important, FUN, race - all 3 of my kids were there for the first time. They've never seen me race and I was so excited that they got to see this race (and not The NYC Tri when I couldn't see anything but black spots at the end!). I made the boys come on to the run course with me to cross the finish line but some crabby race employee made them get off. Thankfully my personal photographer, Nate, captured some shots before they were tossed of the course!

I crossed the finish line with a huge smile (as seen above) and great pride. The 2011 season has had ups and downs but ended on an amazing note. If anyone from the Danskin race is reading this and knows who the Lady in Green is (she was also wearing a white LBI 13.1 hat) - please send her my email so I can personally thank her!

My precious Charlotte cheering on her mom wearing my very own GOTribal visor! I love that she gets to watch women reach for the stars!

WARNING: This might piss you off

Yes this post may piss you off, be against what you believe and you may not like me anymore but since it's my blog there is no editor and no one to tell me I can't write what I want. So here it goes: I HATE 9/11. Not in the way everyone hates it - I really hate it, I hate the news coverage, I hate the saying of the names, the service at each site, the moments of silence, the bumper stickers tell me "Never Forget" (how the hell can I forget bc you keep reminding me). I hate that People magazine has a whole feature on it - aren't they supposed to keep me up to date on Kim & Khloe (on a side note - who the hell are those 2 and why are they even in People Magazine?)? I personally - again this is my blog so I get to say what I want - want to move on, keep going, celebrate life and stop crying. Last year I had the greatest idea, I left the country. Kevin and I went to Paris & Dublin for the first 2 weeks of September. It was awesome! No TVs, well no TV we could understand, we were knee deep in Cafe au Lait and croissants to worry about the news. No one was talking about it, again we didn't understand so we didn't know if they were. It was a beautiful, lovely day just another day on vacation in Paris.

This year I've decided to race on the 2nd Sunday in September. I have no tears left, I can no longer be devastatedly sad. Eric, Kenny and all 3000 others would never want anyone to sit around crying about them for 10 years. Everyone has their own story but my story is about a group of young people that were full of life and excitement and would want me to continue to also be full of life and excitement - so I am doing just that. I'll be in Sandy Hook, NJ next Sunday racing a race like any other race. I'm also racing to help young adults that LIVE with Cancer. I need to focus on the living and the good in the world. I will race in honor of my very dear friends that have survived cancer and are still here to enjoy life: Jennifer Falkenstern, Dianne Kennedy & Andy Rapuano. I'm sure the anniversary of 9/11 will be brought up everywhere - ribbons, bibs, the National Athem will be fancy I'm sure. But I'm going to race and keep Eric & Kenny in my thoughts the whole time - thoughts of them mocking me for not running faster or looking better in my kit and both laughing their asses off the entire time. I am done crying. I want to think of them and smile and laugh - that's all they would ever want. That's what I would want.

Feel free to help out:
http://www.teamfight.org/donate/?kwoAdvocateId=423N9I8