Calgary 70.3~ My First Half Ironman

I crossed yet another race off my "race bucket list" last weekend.
A Half Ironman which I started and finished...
all 70.3 miles of it!

Out of all the race events I have ever done...this has been the farthest, longest, and most fun.
Maybe it was because I feel I trained forever and I was glad to finally put it to use.
Maybe it was because after crossing the finish line I felt I could do it all over again.
Or maybe...I was just glad to accomplish something I was determined to do. And I actually smiled almost the entire way through it!
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Ironman Calgary 70.3....
was a Point to Point race....meaning a very long Saturday of sitting in on the race meeting, package pickup, packing up transition and dry bags, and then making my way out to Ghost Lake to drop off T1 bag and my bike.
All of it was so new to me, my longest triathlon being an Olympic distance...and being an Ironman sanctioned event didn't help calm my nerves any.
As long as the day was...and for how nervous I felt, it was calming to know I was doing this race with 2 good friends ...and the scenery which surrounded this event was absolutely amazing.

I actually was able to sleep a bit before my alarm went off at 3:45am, and except for a bit of panic when I realized what I was about to do in a few hours, I felt okay...and was able to choke down half a bagel with peanut butter and a bit of banana with some coffee. Body marking and bus pickup was across the city, so by 4:50 I was driving..in the dark...wondering what was to come of the day.
Riding out to the lake with a bus load of athletes who all looked fitter than I, caused me a bit of panic as well....but I tried to focus on where we were driving and where the bike route would be.

Once we arrived at the lake, it seemed there was hardly enough time to fill my bottles on my bike, stock it with my nutrition, pump the tires, stand in line for the washroom, don my wet suit, and get into the lake for the in-water Start. I felt extremely panicked thinking they would blow the horn before I finished all I had to do, but looking back- I'm thrilled I didn't have time to think!
I was in the water maybe a minute before Start time...and before I knew it there I was, beginning my first Half Ironman event in the middle of over 200 other women in my age group. I can happily say my fear of getting kicked or swam over never occurred.

The swim segment is always unnerving to me.
I know I can swim.
I love to swim.
But the unknown takes over my brain and I let my thoughts win out.
Every time.
So for the first 600m my main goal seemed to be just to stay above water and calm my beating heart.
I talked to myself more in that few minutes than I ever have before.
My head was yelling to just go!! while my body wanted to stop and yell HELP!
All negative thoughts crowded out the excitement and for that short bit of time I called myself stupid for even thinking I could do this.
But....I conquered the monster called irrational fear...and within  minutes I found my rhythm and started to breathe like a normal person.
At one point I do remember wondering where my cheer squad was, and actually stopped to look up along the bridge before I swam under it just to see if my kiddos were there. Of course when I saw them I had to make sure they knew just which one of these swimmers in the pink swim caps I was.
So unlike me it was to stop and wave- but I had to. For some reason I needed the comfort of knowing they knew that  I knew -they were there.
(Besides that...my goggles needed to be cleared;)

GHOST LAKE- WATER TEMP. 15+ Celsius

Molly-girl took a picture of me as I swam under the bridge.

I'm glad I stopped to wave;)

After I found my swim legs and arms...I just went. And I actually enjoyed the swim.

There was one point at about the halfway mark when I heard a lady choking beside me and stopped to make sure she was okay.

I remember thinking that if she couldn't catch her breath...how in the world would I manage to call a kayaker over in time for help?!

When she quit sputtering and found her voice, I carried on and came out of the swim:

1.2 mile swim  in 43:40

~~~~

Wet suit stripping.

I had heard of it, but had never seen it occur.

I have always wondered why one would need help taking a wet suit off.

Now I know.

I felt a tad dizzy from the lake swim, legs felt like jello, and I was trying to catch my breath.

Before I knew it I was sitting down on a mat looking up at 2 people who grabbed arms, legs, and peeled that thing right off of me in seconds. 

My only thought as I looked up at them was how the heck I was going to get up.

But they even did that for me;) 

(Yes. I DID feel as stunned as I look here;))

I took off to my  bag for my bike gear, ate half a banana, got on my bike, 

and started the 94km cycle into Calgary.  

Transition took a little too long, but under 5 minutes was fine with me for a first time.

(I am planning to knock off a few next time around.)

The bike was amazing. 

I felt invincible...as long as I didn't think of the potential of a flat tire. Or 2.

And the scenery was absolutely incredible.

At times I almost forgot I was supposed to be racing. 

Almost.

My greatest worry- aside from a flat tire- was taking in enough nutrition to get through the bike, and then have it carry over into the 21km run.

I have played with nutrition before while training, and even the weekend before during my 175km bike tour. 

But nothing has ever seemed to work for me. 

I always end up drained before the bike is even over .

This time...whether it was adrenaline or just luck, I managed to do it right.

Over the  3 hours I was out on the bike route I consumed something every half hour. 

Nutrition included:

granola bars,

gels,

and fruit snacks.

I also consumed an entire bottle of water, and a bottle of Perform.

My average speed was 29.54km/hr, and for a 94km distance which included some very "sweet" inclines, I was happy with this.

94 km in 3:10:56

 ...and I smiled the entire time:D

(TRANSITION TIME (bike to run):  2:50 min)

~~~~

Getting off the bike- I felt amazing.

I didn't even feel like I had "brick legs", and I'm crediting that to my fruit gummy snacks on the bike:)

If anything, it was more of a mental struggle to think that I now I had to run a Half Marathon...but I pushed it out of my head and pretended I hadn't just swam or biked.

This was merely me taking off for my Sunday long run!

It was encouraging to see my greatest fans along the run course. All 4 of my kiddos were there, and it seemed every time I turned a corner at the start and end of the run route, they were there cheering me on.

It was warm. Really warm.

No, it was hot.

And here is where I have to pull out an 

Amazing Gigantic 

THANK YOU 

to all the volunteers!

There was a total of 8 aid stations along the route, and it's at each one where I was blessed with volunteers handing me water, coke, ice, and cold sponges.

And best of all, they all encouraged us on by name.

I came up with a routine after the first 3 aid stations..

Grab 2 waters, dump one over my head,

drink one,

grab and drink the cola,

grab and dump ice into the front of my tri top,

and 2 sponges got stuffed into the front and back of my top.

I was a running water barrel!

And I felt amazing.

I still think it is due to the calories I continued to take in on the bike route.

Along with the water and coke during the run, I consumed a gel every 40 minutes.

By the end, 

I vowed to never consume another gel 

Ever 

Again.

The last kilometer was the longest kilometer in all my days of running.

I remember halfway through it, a spectator yelled out...

"If you give'er...you'll finish with a sub 6:30!"

That was enough to make me forget that my legs were cramping and I was already feeling thirsty enough to grab ice out of the front of my top!

I "sprinted" as hard as my wooden legs would sprint, and finished the run:

21.1km in 2:26:56

~~~

My goal, which I didn't share with anyone less I miss it by any amount of time,

 was to complete these 70.3 miles in 6 hours and 30 minutes.

My final time:

6:29:02

WOOT!

~~~~~~~~~

This race was amazing. 

From start to finish it was a beautiful course,

I never quit smiling (once I got past the first part of the swim!),

I got to run it with 2 amazing friends,

and I already want to try my swim/bike/running at another one.

A full Ironman is on my race bucket list after all...

~My inspirational race buddies~

~My AMAZING Cheer Squad~

Thanks guys!

The Best Laid Plans....

A week ago I finalized my race schedule for Year 2011.
There were 8 races on that list....2 of which I've completed this past month.
Others on the list:  a marathon, a 185km bike tour, a marathon mountain run, a Half Ironman, and even an Ultra....something I never dreamed I would THINK of attempting.

It seems ironic that my last post was on feet...and being grateful for them, because as I sit here typing- it's with my left foot up on 2 pillows wrapped in an ice pack.
I have had one physio appointment already and another tomorrow...and a bone scan booked for next week. There's been talk of just bruising...or something to do with tendons in my foot.....even a possible stress fracture.

Who would have thought?
The best laid plans..huh?

Funny (but not so funny) part is,
I was to begin a "job" as a running instructor just yesterday.
(The call to cancel my "instructorship" was most difficult.)

And my first ever marathon is only 60 days away.
(I have had offers already for my bib number...disheartening.)

I'm not ruling out my scheduled races. (Or trying not to.)
And I have a few people being optimistic for me and saying it will right itself before long.
My fingers...(and toes if they could move)...are crossed for a speedy recovery of whatever it is.

But whatever comes of it....I TRULY am trying to grasp a positive outlook on it all.
And TRYING HARD  not to mourn the loss of a run whenever I pass a running route of mine.

If nothing else...I'm going to be a improved long distance swimmer, as that is about the only sport I can participate in without having my foot swell up the size of an ugly baseball. This week I've already swam 11kilometers....of back and forth and back and forth ...and back and forth.
Insanity.

Whatever happens.....I promise to try to remain positive, realize things could be worse, and continue to gaze longingly at my running roads as I pass by them on a daily basis. From my vehicle.

Here's to ice packs
and
sweet Physio workers
and
a "positive" bone scan result.

And no missed races if possible.

The Best Laid Plans can still happen....even if there has to be adjustments made...or routes re-routed.

{ Learning to Fall and get Back Up}

From pretty to pretty ugly.

Three years ago when I started all this running/triathlon business...

I thought my feet were the only nice thing I had on me.

I loved sandal weather.

I wasn't worried to take my shoes and socks off.

Baring my feet at the beach wasn't scary at all.

Now....

after the hours in chlorinated water swimming lanes,

and hours of pounding gravel and pavement in my numerous pairs of runners,

and cycling in bare feet inside my fancy clip~less pedal shoes?

Those feet are gone.

I used to cringe when people posted pics up of their battered feet and toes. And cover my ears in disgust when they relayed the gruesome details about foot information after a run.

Missing toenails, callouses, strange shaped toes and blisters....

It was all just wrong.

Now...I'm turning into "one of those people".

I don't think my own feet will ever be the same.

Funny thing is....I don't even care.

I go back to the saying....

"It doesn't matter what something looks like, it's what's inside that counts."

True.

I finally figured out that the pride I have in my pretty-ugly-now-feet comes from what they can do for me.

And I think that this summer....regardless of the 3 missing toenails and strange bumps...I'll still flaunt my feet at the beach.

~~~

Being thankful for the Feet that Have a Purpose and serve me well.

Much better than being pretty;)

Double the Time in my Day

I finally sat down and "totaled my Totals for 2011".

If I step back and look at it...it seems okay.
But when I broke  it all down~ I'm lacking in the running department!
I did swim more than I thought, but I need to spin out a few more km's than I did on the bike.
My hiking meters need to pick up too.... for 2012;)

Over the entire 365 days of 2011, here are where my kilometers are found:

Running            876km
Cycling            2,234km
Swimming      243km (who swims more than they walk??!)
Walking            215km
Other                   294km
(includes cross-country skiing, kayaking, and hiking)
                             which leaves me with a total of:  3,862km

For this new year, and especially if I'm doing another 1/2 Marathon as well as 2 full, my running should probably be almost double that!
Thankfully I have a trainer right from the beginning this year, so given our 6 months of crappy road weather, I should still be able to increase mileage on the bike. With the 185km bike tour in July, this would be a good thing!
Swimming... I'm actually surprised I swam that far, but with the Half_Iron man ahead...I want to increase that as well.

As for walking with friends and the dogs, hiking up my most favorite mountains...well that is just a given. I need to double those kilometers!!

Now if one can just find the time to double their steps and swims.

Anyone know how to Double their Time in a day?

It's that season...

It's that season again.
The one where my running takes the back burner, and I find winter sports a welcome replacement.
(Not that I should...with the Half and Full Marathon in the near future....)

But a change is as good as a rest they say,
and one can ever say no to an Outdoor Adventure.


~Not one's with Skies like this:

~Or when there are Trails to be made in new snow:

~Not skipping corners:

~and Never forgetting to drop everything to capture it all with cell phone camera:

Yeah~ It's THAT season!

{Listed as: Winter Workouts that I Love most}
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Oh the Places We'll Go

I've been humming over my 2012 Race Schedule for months now.

The truth is- races scare me!

I get pre-race jitters worse than the average person. Really.

But I know I need to do things like that, for a few reasons:

*We only live once.

*I would rather say I tried than not do anything at all.

*It's good to break out of my comfort zone every so often.

*A race set on my calendar pushes me to keep moving/training.

*Once I feel I want to do something -even in the tiniest way- I can't get it out of my head until I try it.

So....

March ~ Hypothermic-Half marathon.

May means my very first Marathon!

June ~ my annual Sprint Triathlon with my boys.

July ~ a one day 185km Bike Tour in northern Alberta.

August- my very first HALF IRONMAN~ Boulder, Colorado.

August also means a 42km Trail Race up and down and around a mountain.

September/October ~ thinking to end off with a couple of 10k or half-marathons.

One never knows what lies ahead, but if all goes well this is what the new year looks like for me.

Here's to many hours on this thing over the winter months:

And for some of my running, I'll be using these new things:

And if Santa is listening....I'll also be needing new race wheels for the bike, cycling shoes,  a new swim suit and goggles, a few boxes of GU gels;), and a few massage appointments:D

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!

Run on!

"Second Place is not Defeat"

I signed myself and my 4 kiddos up for a 5km Fun Race a couple of months ago.

We ran it last week.

I have to say races are so much more enjoyable and fun when there are people in it 

that you know and love and enjoy being with.

We good~naturedly all  tried to outrun the other...through the dark of the evening, over ice, through snow drifts, waiting at stop lights,

inspiring each other in a competitive way to run just  a bit faster.

Of course, I didn't come in first- 

(but I like to think it was close;)

~Post-Race Photo of 4 of my favorite running partners~

~~~~~

So I guess the quote for me after this particular 

race would have to be:

“Second place is not a defeat. It is a stimulation to get better. It makes you even more determined.”

Carlos Lopes quotes  (Portuguese Marathon Runner Olympic-gold-1984,