RTC Sprint Recap ...

Date: 4/27/2013
Location: Richmond, VA
Weather: 53 degrees and sunny
Time: 1:18:12
Swim Split: 7:54 (400m)
T1: 2:13
Bike Split: 40:00 (20K)
T2: 1:23
Run Split: 26:44 (5K)
Category Place (Athena): 1/8
Gender Place: 50/161


The Good:

The Course: The RTC Sprint had a new venue and race course this year and I went into the race not knowing much about it. The pool swim was amazing. The bike course was flat to rolling. And the two loop run course was flat and fast. It was a racer's (and first timer's) paradise, as long as you were cool with the open water style pool swim.

The Swim: I know a lot of people dread pool swims, but the RTC Sprint brought a new twist to the swim. The course mimicked an open water swim.

the first wave making the first turn ...

Buoys were set up in a 7'7" pool and swimmers were sent out in waves of 10 every 30 seconds.

That me waiting to start ...

And we're off ...

This format replicated an open water swim very well (face kicks and all) and I hope to see it at more events.

My Splits: Other than my transitions, I raced really well. Going into the event, I expected that I would finish between 1:20:00 and 1:25:00. But, after I came out of the water ahead of my seed time, I decided to ignore the clock (I didn't race with my Garmin) and push myself. Ultimately, it paid off and I finished in 1:18:12 feeling crazy confident about Rev3 Williamsburg Olympic in June.

That's my "I just killed it" smile ...

Winning: I was totally psyched to find out I had won the Athena division and taken home this sweet bling.

But, I was even more excited to see that I would have finished 7th out of 23 in my age group as well. I'm pretty sure I've never placed that well before.

My new kit: Thanks to an early morning hand delivery, I was lucky enough to be the first member of Team Rev3Tri to rock our 2013 race kits.

They're pretty badass, right?

The Bad:

Mounting and Dismounting: It's no secret that I am not a master of cycling. In fact, I really struggle on downhills and turns (they scare me). And I can't seem to get the knack of mounting and dismounting with any sort of speed. Need proof? My average on the bike was 19.2, but when you add in the time that it took for me to run to and from transition and to get on an off my bike, my average was brought down to 18.6. Obviously, I need some work.

Transition: My other major time suck was transition. In T1, I couldn't decide what to wear on the bike so I put everything I had on and then immediately decided to take it all off. Add that to the battle I had with my socks and I could have easily shaved 45 seconds to a minute off my T1 time.

And if we're being honest, I wasted a good 30 seconds in T2 eating and drinking. I didn't want to die on the run, so I figured I had better refuel a little. I know I probably would have been fine without anything, but I didn't want to kick myself later.

The Ugly:

Ugly? Yeah, there was nothing ugly about this day ...

Three Things Thursday ...

Race Day - I got a notification from my countdown app that the Flying Pirate Half Marathon is a month from today. It is likely my only stand alone half marathon this year and thus, my only chance of a new PR. After I nearly surrendered to the course at the Seaside Half Marathon in October, I am itching for a good race.

The thing is, with all this Z2 training I am doing, I am kind of doubting my ability to run fast. OK, I lie. I know I can run fast, but I'm just not sure for how long. All these two hour runs at an 10:30 pace are kind of killing my mojo. I just keep telling myself that I'm doing the work for my "A" race, Rev3 Cedar Point 140.6 and that what will be, will be. I guess we'll see. Either way, I get to spend the weekend with some of my favorite running friends, G, Kim and MCM Mama (who also happen to be pretty awesome bloggers too). It's highly likely that the weekend won't suck.

Bikes - Speaking of a weekend that probably won't suck, Doodle turns 6 tomorrow. Yeah, somehow that happened. Since J is traveling this week, we are celebrating on Saturday, but before we do I am headed up to Rev3 Headquarters for a bike fit in hopes of getting a sweet Quintana Roo CD0.1. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it all works out.

Epic Cuteness - Over the past week, the girls have been getting their costumes for this Spring's dance recital. We still have two more to get, but I'm totally convinced that my kids are pretty much the cutest thing ever.

I'm right, aren't I? Go ahead and admit it. I won't tell your kids.

Three Things Thursday ...

training hours - I am currently 11 days into my 30 week training plan for Cedar Point 140.6. Right now, my workouts are super short, like off season short (except for my long runs since I have a half marathon in April). However, on most days I double. I'm not sure if he's never noticed this before or if he's just hypersensitive to it right now, but everyday, J says, "You're {biking/running/swimming} again? You just did a workout."

Um, yes. That's what they call training.

It kind of makes me wonder what he's going to say when my training load is 20 hours a week rather than eight.

consistent - Speaking of training, I have finally returned to a normal pattern of swimming. No more taking off weeks at a time just because I felt it was too cold to get in the pool. And thanks to some awesome swim sets, I am loving ever stroke (cue my Rev3 teammates saying, "That's what she said.").

Anyway, in the past two weeks I have realized that despite all the things that I lack in the pool, I couldn't possibly be more consistent with my pacing. I've swam 2500 meters three times in the last 11 days and despite completely different workouts I finished in 48:54, 48:51 and 48:52.

Sure, I've never taken a lesson, I lack speed and decent kick and I'm confident that the teenagers on the pool deck are laughing at me, but at least you can set your watch by my swimming.

manners - Did you ever have a day where you swore you were doing a horrible job as parent? A day where you were convinced that your children had been possessed and there was nothing you could do about it? Yeah, well, I have those days all the time. But, I've officially found the best way to solidify your competence as a parent ...

Invite a completely spoiled and disrespectful child over to play with your children for an afternoon.

Don't believe me? Well, you should.  All it takes is a few hours of being called "Hey you!" instead of by your name for your child to be shining in comparison.

Wait, that's not enough? OK. How about you listen to that child complain that he or she doesn't like a single food you offer or activity you suggest? Or better yet, how about overhearing that kid try to jump on your bike and/or treadmill without asking?

Well, when your kids step in and say, "That's not a good idea. It's my mom's and we should really ask first," you'll suddenly realize that you've done a fabulous job of teaching your children manners and setting appropriate boundaries for them. Trust me, you'll feel like a freaking rock star.

January Rewind ...

Miles Run: 98.91 miles. Probably should have jumped on the treadmill for a quick 1.09 miles just to round it out.

Bike Miles Rode: 126.4 miles. All on the trainer.

Swim Meters Completed: 12800 meters or 7.7 miles.

Rest Days Taken: 7. Travel kind of threw me off this month.

Highest Run Mileage Week: 1/1-1/6: 23.6 miles

Highest Bike Mileage Week: 1/21-1/27: 37.3 miles

Highest Swim Volume Week: 1/1-1/6: 3600m or 2.24 miles.

Long Runs Completed (10+ miles): 0. Third month in a row. I'm currently building my run base again and with this whole HR training, I did get to 9.9 miles. This weekend's long run should put me over 10.

Current Book: Right now, I am reading Days of Blood and Starlight by Taylor. But I also finished a few other books in January. (Note: For those of you who have asked, if it's on this or any of my lists, I would recommend the book. If I don't like the story or the book doesn't grasp my attention, I don't bother finishing it, thus it wouldn't be listed here.) 

• Matched by Condie
• Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Taylor
• The Bar Code Tattoo by Weyn

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Jumpin' Jack Doritos. I probably haven't eaten Doritos in 10 years, but I saw this throwback flavor (which was my favorite as a kid) at the store the other day and I had to have them.

Current Colors: Charcoal Gray, Yellow and Pink
 
Current Drink: Hot tea with a touch of sugar. It's freaking cold here right now.

Current Song: Try - Pink

Current Triumph: I ate 3,000 calories yesterday. Without splurging on cake. Be inpressed.

Current Goal: Be a better me. Each and every day. And tackle my 2013 To Do List head on.

Current Blessing: Health, happiness and love. I've got all three.

Current Excitement: I'm still riding high from making (and subsequently meeting) Team Rev3 Tri. I registered for my first 140.6 this week. And my birthday is in 6 days. It's like a giant freaking party over here right now.

2013 To Do List:

Fitness:

• 140.6. That is all. - Registered.
• Make time for strength training. Don't let training loads eliminate strength workouts completely. And stick to strength training in a group, it keeps you accountable. - CrossFit membership ended today, so I'm gonna need to motivate myself to keep up the strength training this month.
• Switch to time-based/HR training. Despite my knowledge of training paces, I have a hard time sticking to them. I'm hoping this will help me train more effectively. - 32 days in and adjusting quite well.
• Log 4,500 cumulative run, bike and swim miles. Up 485 from 2012. - As of February 1st, 233.01 miles logged.
• Race a 10K with a finish time much faster than your very dated current PR of 53:17. I never managed to register for a 10K in 2012 and I'm not sure where it will fit in this year, but it's on my radar. - No progress on this one.
• Set a new PR in the Half Marathon, currently 1:57:06. I totally blew this one in 2012 and will likely only have one good shot at it in 2013.- Registered for Flying Pirate Half in April.
• Run a 5K with Dizzle and Doodle, even if that means tricking them into it. - The kids have been running quite a bit recently. Probably going to aim for the fall.

Nutrition:

• Eat like a gluten-free athlete. After struggling with health issues much of 2012, removing the gluten has been key in alleviating the symptoms. Don't be swayed by the lure of wheat. Or cake.- On point, like usual.
• Find the race day (and training) nutrition plan that works for me.- Eventually ...
• Consume no more than 18 desserts from Shyndigz. This number worked well in 2012 and helped me cut back on my serious cake addiction. Plus, their gluten-free menu is limited, so I shouldn't be tempted as often. - As of February 1st, 2 desserts consumed. Both from Dilly's birthday cake.
• Drink at least 100oz of water per day.- Oh, heck yeah!

Personal:

• Only say yes to the projects you REALLY want to work on. An honest no is much better than a halfhearted yes. - Check.
• Stick to our budget. We've lived credit card (and credit card debt) free for three months. No reason to go back now. - Double Check.
• Ignore your impulses. Take time to process the true value of the things you are filling your space/life with. - Yes and no. Although TigerBlood rocks my socks, I might just be in the market for a sweet Quintana Roo ...
• Figure out what to do with my hair. Keep the mohawk or grow it out. I'm taking opinions on this one.- I'm growing it out. For real this time.
• Continue to balance family life, training and now, work.- Check.
• Prioritize and be a good example for the people in your life. - Like quadruple check!
• Help and support J and the kids in reaching their goals. We are a team and that must always be the primary focus of our lives. No one should have to sacrifice so that someone else can reach their goal. If a balance can't be found, it's not worth pursuing.- I would never waiver on this one!

Three Things Thursday ...

Bully - Dizzle and Doodle's school is really into their anti-bullying campaign. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't want to see anyone get bullied, but I don't necessarily thing shoving "Let's all be friends!" down their throats is 100% effective either. Also, my children are kind of young (and naive) and I don't think they or their peers truly understand the difference between a bully and someone who just doesn't like you.

Case in point, in the past week, both J and I heard a little girl say that "Doodle was her bully." (Doodle says this child says this almost every day.) This kind of threw me for a loop. I know that Doodle isn't particularly fond of this person. And I am aware that on more than one occasion, Doodle has stood up to this child when others wouldn't.

Does this make Doodle a bully? No. But, not being at school to see my behavior myself, I needed some insight as to whether or not my child was doing things unbecoming of her character.

So, I asked their teacher if she had witnessed any bully-like behavior from Doodle. She told me absolutely not, but that Doodle doesn't cave into the other child like many of her classmates have been known to do. She believes that the other child just doesn't know the proper use of the word bully.

I was relieved that my Doodle is behaving like my Doodle and not some demon-spawn, but I really am not chill with other people hearing that my child is someone's bully - especially since it's not true. It really makes me wish there was some sort of manual for this whole parenting thing.

Shoulder - For the past two weeks or so, my shoulder has hated me. For some odd reason, it didn't like the 4,000 push ups and pull ups I did at CrossFit and has been fighting me ever since. The really weird thing is, it doesn't bother me at all when I work out, but instead, I will get this random (and intense) burning sensation right where my clavicle separated from my shoulder joint. I'm guessing that it's because my shoulder is held together by scar tissue that doesn't like to be messed with. Who knows? Either way, it's like a daily reminder whispering in my ear ...

"Don't forget you crashed your bike ..."

Which only makes me more scared to ride my bike. It's such an evil cycle ...

Crack - I am now confident that Cinnamon Chex are not, in fact, coated with cinnamon sugar, but rather Crack, which would explain why my hand keeps finding it's way into the open box in the pantry. I mean, it's totally not my complete lack of self control or anything ...

December Rewind and 2012 To Do List Update ...

Miles Run: 40.25 miles. Yup, that's what happens when you take three weeks off.

2012 Total Run Miles: 937.3

Bike Miles Rode: 52.4. Again with the forced rest ...

2012 Total Bike Miles: 3036.65

Swim Meters Completed: 4500 meters or 2.8 miles

2012 Total Swim Miles: 109.48 or 176,190 meters

Rest Days Taken: 18. That whole antibiotic which might cause tendon rupture was kind of a bummer.

Highest Run Mileage Week: 12/4-12/30: 20.65 miles

Highest Bike Mileage Week: 12/24-12/30: 20.6 miles

Highest Swim Volume Week: 12/24-12/30: 2400 meters or 7.5 miles

Long Runs Completed (10+ miles): 0. Second month in a row. I'm currently building my run base again.

Current Book: Right now, I am waiting for the library to open so I can pick up the books I have on hold. However, I was a reading machine this month, finishing all of the following. (Note: For those of you who have asked, if it's on this or any of my lists, I would recommend the book. If I don't like the story or the book doesn't grasp my attention, I don't bother finishing it, thus it wouldn't be listed here.)

• Wheat Belly by Davis
• I am Number Four by Lore
• The Power of Six by Lore
• The Rise of Nine by Lore
• Divergent by Roth
• Insurgent by Roth
• Delirium by Oliver
• Erasing Time by Hill
• The Fault in Our Stars by Green

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Lactose-Free Vanilla Ice Cream with Trader Joe's Peanut Butter mixed in.

Current Colors: Charcoal Gray and Orange
 
Current Drink: Hot tea with a touch of sugar and creamer.

Current Song: Home - Phillip Phillips. Apparently, I am late to the game ...

Current Triumph: I'm feeling really good about 2012 overall. The positives far outweighed the negatives and I'm confident I am going to roll that momentum right into 2013.

Current Goal: Be a better me. Each and every day. And tackle my 2013 To Do List head on.

Current Blessing: Health, happiness and love. I've got all three.

Current Excitement: I'm headed to Colorado in just over three weeks and my 31st birthday is 37 days away!

2012 To Do List Update:

Fitness:

• Take 70.3 training day by day. Don't get caught up in what is coming, but rather focus on what is. Trust that it will get you where you want to be. - CHECK
• Find the strength to NOT add races to your schedule during 70.3 training. That is your focus, don't screw with that because of FOMO (fear of missing out). - CHECK
• Cross the finish line of your first 70.3 in less than 6:57:59. - CHECK. Goal crushed. 6:39:39.
• Maintain at least one day of cycling and one day of swimming per week, post 70.3. Give J some proof that a new road bike would be a good investment. - CHECK. I'm rocked this one.
• Log 4,000 miles, swim, bike and run combined. - As of December 31st, 4083.43 miles completed.
• Race a 10K with a finish time much faster than your very dated current PR of 53:17. - FAIL. I didn't even run a 10K.
• Set a new PR in the Half Marathon, currently 1:57:06 (or 1:56:18, if the half split from the NYC Marathon counts). - FAIL. Better luck in 2013.
• Race a Fall Sprint Triathlon. Actually train for the event, unlike in years past. - Rocked that. Finished 3rd Athena!
• Add strength training to the routine. - CHECK. I am a CrossFit Monster! 

Nutrition:

• Eat like an athlete. Be mindful of the nutritional value of your food. - CHECK. I did pretty well with this, although it's an ongoing challenge. I did however find out what foods don't work with my body and have effectively removed them.
• Consume no more than 18 desserts from either Shyndigz or Two Sweet Cupcakes (approximately 1 dessert/3 weeks) - As of December 31st, 17 consumed. Can you freaking believe it?
• Cut out snacking on the girl's leftovers. Just because they don't eat it, doesn't mean you have to. - CHECK. This seems so easy now.

Personal:

• Only say yes to the projects you REALLY want to work on. - CHECK
• Throw away the credit cards. Stop repeating history. - CHECK. No more credit cards or credit card debt for us!
• Ignore your impulses. Take time to process the true value of the things you are filling your space/life with. - CHECK
• Declutter and Organize using this calendar. - CHECK. Although, I feel like I could probably do this again in 2013.
• Continue to balance family life, training and now, work. - CHECK
• Prioritize and be a good example for the people in your life. - CHECK
• Help and support J and the kids in reaching their goals. We are a team and that must always be the primary focus of our lives. - CHECK

November Rewind ...

Miles Run: 47.25 miles. Yup, that's just sad.

Bike Miles Rode: 94.2 miles

Swim Meters Completed: 15150 meters of 9.41 miles

Rest Days Taken: 13. I was sick pretty much this entire month.

Highest Run Mileage Week: 11/5-11/11: 13 miles

Highest Bike Mileage Week: 11/12-11/18: 35.6 miles

Highest Swim Volume Week: 11/12-11/18: 5000 meters or 3.1 miles

Long Runs Completed (10+ miles): 0

Current Book: Right now, I am reading Iron War by Matt Fitzgerald. Even if you're not into the whole Ironman thing, you should really check it out. It's captivating. Also, in all my time NOT training this month, I read a few other selections as well ...

• Be Iron Fit: Time Efficient Training Secrets for Ultimate Fitness by Fink
• Global Weirdness: Severe Storms, Deadly Heat Waves, Relentless Drought, Rising Seas, and the Weather of the Future by Climate Central, Inc.
• A Life Without Limits: A World Champion's Journey by Wellington
• The Moneysmart Family System: Teaching Financial Independence to Children of Every Age by Economides 
• Screamfree Parenting: The Revolutionary Approach to Raising Your Kids Without Losing Your Cool by Runkel
• The Taste of Tomorrow: Dispatches From the Future of Food by Schonwald

Current Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure: Peppermint Mocha coffee creamer. That is all.

Current Colors: Charcoal Gray and Yellow
 
Current Drink: Anything I can put peppermint mocha coffee creamer in.

Current Song: A Thousand Years - Christina Perri

Current Triumph: I've made it four days without working out and I haven't even thought about strangling anyone.

Current Goal: Be a better me. Each and every day.

Current Blessing: Generally, I feel like my whole life is one big blessing and I am entirely grateful for that. I don't take anything for granted. Not even for a second.

Current Excitement: Sunday. Because on Sunday, I can get back to my training plan.

2012 To Do List Update:

Fitness:

• Take 70.3 training day by day. Don't get caught up in what is coming, but rather focus on what is. Trust that it will get you where you want to be. - CHECK
• Find the strength to NOT add races to your schedule during 70.3 training. That is your focus, don't screw with that because of FOMO (fear of missing out). - CHECK
• Cross the finish line of your first 70.3 in less than 6:57:59. - CHECK. Goal crushed. 6:39:39.
• Maintain at least one day of cycling and one day of swimming per week, post 70.3. Give J some proof that a new road bike would be a good investment. - CHECK. I'm crushing this one.
• Log 4,000 miles, swim, bike and run combined. - As of December 3, 3930.47 miles completed
• Race a 10K with a finish time much faster than your very dated current PR of 53:17.
• Set a new PR in the Half Marathon, currently 1:57:06 (or 1:56:18, if the half split from the NYC Marathon counts). - FAIL. Better luck in 2013.
• Race a Fall Sprint Triathlon. Actually train for the event, unlike in years past. - Rocked that. Finished 3rd Athena!
• Add strength training to the routine. - CHECK. 

Nutrition:

• Eat like an athlete. Be mindful of the nutritional value of your food. - I've been killing this. But, apparently my scale doesn't care.
• Consume no more than 18 desserts from either Shyndigz or Two Sweet Cupcakes (approximately 1 dessert/3 weeks) - As of December 3, 17 consumed. I need to just face the facts with this one.
• Cut out snacking on the girl's leftovers. Just because they don't eat it, doesn't mean you have to. - CHECK

Personal:

• Only say yes to the projects you REALLY want to work on. - CHECK
• Throw away the credit cards. Stop repeating history. - CHECK
• Ignore your impulses. Take time to process the true value of the things you are filling your space/life with. - CHECK
• Declutter and Organize using this calendar. - CHECK
• Continue to balance family life, training and now, work. - CHECK
• Prioritize and be a good example for the people in your life. - CHECK
• Help and support J and the kids in reaching their goals. We are a team and that must always be the primary focus of our lives. - CHECK

Three Things Thursday ...

Racing Day -  On Sunday morning, I will be racing Patriots Sprint Triathlon. It will be the first time at the sprint distance that I will be showing up on race day trained to race. In the past, I failed to execute a single day of my training plans (apart from running) and I'm kind of psyched to see what I can do.

Even better, my previous sprints have been pool swims of 300-400m, while this race is 750m in open water. So, what does that mean? Well, obviously, it's an instant PR. And I really like those.

The only downside to this whole thing is that it's looking like rain for Sunday morning. And if you've ever met me and my bike, you know that we have trust issues. And I trust TigerBlood even less in the rain.

School Woes - Dizzle and Doodle are mildly obsessed with going to school, which, as a total nerd, I love. I was the same way as a kid. In fact, I once made my mom drive me to school during a tropical storm, so that I could keep my perfect attendance that year. (Note: the school district had officially made school "optional" that day. As in, there would be no buses, but if you could get there you could go. It wasn't "optional" in my book.)

Anyway, they are completely rainbows and unicorns about the whole experience. Except when they're not.

Like yesterday, when Doodle cried because she did NOT have homework.

Typical.

I guess my mentioning that Wednesdays are homework day in Kindergarten got her really excited and when the teacher didn't deliver, tears were shed.

I tried to console her and told her to go get a workbook and do a couple of exercises, but it was no good. She told me that was "fake homework."

Duh. I should have known that.

Break It Down - Dilly heads back to the ortho today to check on the status of her break.

She freaking loves her cast ...

There are two things that annoy me about this ...

1. Our appointment is at 2:40 p.m., 25 minutes after I pickup of Dizzle and Doodle from school. The office is approximately 20 minutes from the school, which means that I am going to frantically rush over there. Then, since they are always running late, I'll have to wait (with 3 small children) for over an hour to be seen by the doctor.

2. Dilly's break was pretty severe. It went completely through the bone (think one bone in two pieces) and she only avoided surgery because the doctor in Rhode Island set it so well. And although miracles can happen, we (and her doctor) are pretty confident that three and a half weeks in a cast isn't going to be long enough to heal it completely. Despite knowing this, the ortho we go to ALWAYS removes the cast before taking a follow-up x-ray. Then, if the break isn't completely healed, they recast the injury. Do you see where I am going with this?

Apparently, they would rather torture my kid with a cast removal than take the x-ray with it on. (Note: you can take an x-ray with a cast in place. They did it multiple times after they set it in the ER.) I'm pretty sure they only follow this procedure to be able to charge you/your insurance for another cast. And casts aren't cheap.  Trust me. We've been charged for five in the last three years ...

Three Things Thursday ...

Epic Blood - To go along with my RMR test last month, I had the most in depth blood work done. On Tuesday, I finally had my follow up appointment to go over the results. And the verdict is in ...

I have epic blood. Like, "my blood work results will kick your blood work results' a**" epicness. Sorry. It's true. (I may have challenged J to a "blood battle")

My cholesterol levels are awesome. (Total - 149, LDL - 48, HDL - 73, Triglycerides - 53. I knew you were wondering.) I have no signs of inflamation/oxidation. My glucose and insulin levels are rock star. My kidneys and liver know how to operate and my electrolytes are on point (Thanks Nuun!)

However, the tests showed that I am a carrier for Factor V Leiden (which increases my risk for venous thromboembolism, blood clots that form in the vein) and that I do not effectively metabolize folic acid. Also, I have a few hormone levels that while still in the normal range, are on the low side. Super interesting stuff.

And while I learned lots of new things about how my body is functioning, I was not at all surprised by two results.

I have crazy low levels of both Vitamin D and Iron, despite heavy supplementation over the last year.

In fact, all of the supplements barely raised my levels from the last time I had blood work done, which makes me think that I also have difficulty effectively metabolizing those nutrients. At this point, I'm not really sure how to rectify this absorption issue.

Epic Fit - Also on Tuesday, I had a professional bike fit on TigerBlood. After nearly two hours, lots of pictures, videos and lasers and numerous tweaks, it's like my bike was made especially for me. It's amazing. Definitely money well spent.

Dinnertime Crazies - I've been trying to focus on spending quality time with the girls while they are out of school. Part of this includes having conversations around the dinner table.

Day in and day out, I try to keep things civilized. It never works. Every single day ends up like this ...

Yes, I constantly question their sanity.

Missing: Run Love

I'll admit it.

Lately, I haven't been feeling the run.

I will happily swim and bike all day, but when run comes knocking on my door, I look for a place to hide, hoping he won't realize that I'm at home.

And the thing is, I know exactly why.

• I've cut my weekly mileage in half from last fall. For me, running less has made me feel like less of a runner. I doubt my speed. I doubt my endurance. I know I shouldn't question either of these things, but I do. I'm human. It happens.
• My run group has become wicked fast. Last fall, when we were all marathon training, we were all similarly paced. During my hiatus from the group during 70.3 training, everyone drank rocket fuel and took off. Their easy pace is almost my race pace and I feel like I'm sucking wind every time I run with them. It's rather defeating.
• I'm kind of in love with being a triathlete. I want to swim and bike and strength train, in addition to my running. And the only way to fit that all in is to run less than I am accustomed to. My goals are changing, which is fine. I'm just having a hard time keeping that in mind when I'm in my peer group.

With that said, eventually, I give in and lace up my sneakers, but I can't seem to find my "Run Love." Instead, I am filled with "Run Tolerance" just counting down the minutes and miles until I am done.

And although, I quite enjoyed joining my sister, Beans, for her first four miler ever this weekend, my missing run mojo does not bode well for Saturday, when I am scheduled to run the Blue Ridge Half Marathon.

Four miles done. So proud of her.

13.1 miles of hills. 2500+ ft of elevation change. And one monster climb over the first 4 miles of the race.

Insanity.

An insanity that I have not prepared for.

Over the last five months, I have done nothing but focus on Ironman 70.3 Texas, which was pancake flat. I don't even remember the last time I looked at a hill, nevertheless ran one. Perhaps I am setting myself up for failure. Or maybe, just maybe, this race will be so absurd that it can't help but re-inspire my running mojo.

I'm not really sure.

But either way, I'm going to keep putting one foot in front of the other until I find my "Run Love" again. I know it's out there. Somewhere ...

Ironman 70.3 Texas Recap ...

Location: Galveston, TX
Date: 4/1/12
Temperature: mid 70's @ start, 80 degrees @ finish
Official Time: 6:39:39
Swim Time: 48:55 (2:31/100m)
T1: 4:21
Bike Time: 3:17:31 (17.01 mph)
T2: 3:07
Run Time: 2:25:45 (11:07 pace)
Place in Age Group (30-34): 73/112
Place in Gender: 414/760
Overall Place: 1699/2670

The Good:

Racing with a Friend: When I first decided to race a 70.3, I knew I needed support. My solution - get a friend to race with me. Thankfully, I was able to convince one of my best friends, Heidi, to come along for the ride.

Athlete Check In

Trying to stay cool

At the athlete briefing

Goofing around waiting for Lance to arrive

Just before heading to the start

She trained in Texas. I trained here in Virginia. We met up for the race. And it was awesome. I can't express how grateful I am to have had her by my side (or in front of me, since she's wicked fast - she finished in 5:46). We had fun from beginning to end and despite the pain, we are already working on our future race plans.

The Bike: To be completely honest, I was a little scared that all of my miles on the trainer were not going to translate to the road and that I was going to blow up on the bike. But, fortunately, the course was so pancake flat that other than a serious headwind on the way out, this ride was just like my trainer sessions. Three hours and 15 minutes of non-stop pedaling.

Heading out from T1

After a rough start, which included that headwind and a bathroom break at mile 13, I kicked it into overdrive on the second half of the bike, negative splitting by 13 minutes in the last 28 miles. And I even rode in aero position for most of the second half. A huge deal considering I had NEVER gotten into the aero bars on the road before.

Nutrition: This is one area I feel that I really did well. Three hours prior to the race, I had a bowl of oatmeal and a banana, coffee and Nuun. 45 minutes out, I had a Luna Protein Bar. After the swim, a Honey Stinger Waffle. During the bike, four Chocolate Outrage GUs. Followed by another Honey Stinger Waffle in T2 and two more GUs during the run. It seemed to work for me and I never felt hungry or low energy. Maybe poorly hydrated, but that's a different story.

Strippers: No, not that kind of stripper. The wetsuit removal kind. Wiggle out of the top of your wetsuit, lay on the ground and two people rip it off you. Best thing ever.

The Bling: Just awesome.

The Bad:

The Swim: Prior to this race, I had never swam in open water. I had never been in a mass start. And I had never attempted to remove my wetsuit with any sort of speed. Needless to say, I was kind of freaking out at the start, even if I was doing my best to hide it.

I knew that on the perfect day, I could probably finish the swim in 45 minutes. About 30 seconds after the gun, I realized that it wasn't the perfect day. The mass start and open water kind of overwhelmed me. I was flailing. I swam with my head up. I swam backstroke. I swam breaststroke. I swam off course. I swallowed salt water.

It wasn't until 38 minutes in (I checked my watch) that I found my groove and cruised into transition. It was actually quite frustrating. Once I was swimming normally, I wanted to kick myself for getting so worked up. Later, I was shocked to learn I had only missed my "perfect day" time by about 4 minutes.

coming into T1 (Ignore the finger in the shot)

Hydration: In case you forgot, I am mildly freaked out by my bike. I am almost always certain that I am going to crash. Because of this, I was not brave enough to grab a replacement water bottle at the aid stations along the bike course. That meant I had 42 oz of water on the bike with me and once it was gone, it was gone - no matter how hot it was.

Right before I hit the mile 50 marker, I finished the last of my Nuun. 20 minutes left on the bike and nothing left to drink. Despite being very well hydrated heading into the event, those 42 oz of fluid were not enough to hydrate me during the first four hours of the race and I was so parched heading into the run. It was kind of a recipe for disaster.

The Run Course: Three 4.4ish mile loops. In direct sunlight. On an airstrip. Pure torture.

Signage: Although this was a very well run event entirely worth the $250 price tag, the pre-race (i.e. athlete check in/expo) was kind of a cluster. There was a severe lack of signage and we found ourselves wondering around quite a bit. A couple of big arrows would have been killer.

The Ugly:

The Run: Although I finished the run in 2:25:45, well within in the 2:10-2:30 window that I anticipated, it was rough. Right from the start, I knew I was dehydrated and my legs didn't have the power that I needed. So, I made a deal with myself - run one minute, walk one minute. I knew that as long as I just kept moving I'd finish. Sure, I wanted it to be over as soon as possible, but I gave it everything I had on that day.

Of course, as I sit here now, I can say, "Maybe if it wasn't so hot. Maybe if I had drank more on the bike. Maybe if I didn't push it so hard on the second half of the bike." There are a million "what ifs". But, I own that 2:25:45. I kept going when I really wanted to stop. And now, I have a mark to beat.

The Aftermath: Between the sunburn and muscle soreness, post race (and the last two days) has been ugly. I'm hobbling around. I'm short-tempered. I'm tired. But I don't really care, it was freaking awesome and I can't wait to do it again.

Three Things Thursday ...

Training Overload - I hadn't ever noticed it before, but on the side of my Training Peaks calendar, there is a pie chart that tracks my completed duration and completed mileage. Being the numbers geek that I am, I was instantly in love.

Plus, once I ran the totals for the last 13 weeks (since the start of Half Ironman training), I felt like a total bada**. Since November 28th, I have logged 94 hours, 36 minutes and 39 seconds in the pool, on my bike and with my feet. Completely insane. It breaks down like this:

Swim: 11:22:12, 33459 yards, 1.848% of total distance, 12.01% of total time
Bike: 40:27:45, 739.80 miles, 71.92% of total distance, 42.76% of total time
Run: 42:46:42, 269.72 miles, 26.22% of total distance, 45.21% of total time

Huh? I really thought I was running less than that.

Disney Goals - Since I am training like a crazy woman, I will not taper for Sunday's Disney Princess Half. My long run this week is supposed to be 14 miles, so the timing of this race works out quite well in regards to my training plan, but after two weeks of heavy mileage, I'm not sure how my legs will hold up if I attempt to race.

So, the goals for Sunday.

1. Have fun.
2. Look fantastic.

I'm pretty sure I can accomplish that.

Monsters, Inc. - Speaking of looking fantastic, here is my race costume for Sunday. (Note: I have shifted the eyeball higher since taking this photo.) I present to you, Mike Wazowski ...

Pretty close, right?

i love you more ...

I love running.

I really do.

In fact, I'm confident in saying that you don't run 50 miles a week just to stay in shape. You have to love something about it. There has to be some sort of love, passion or mutual respect to get you out there day in and day out.

So, obviously, I love running.

But, there has always been something that has eluded me when it came to the run ...

The love of running solo.

I hate running solo. I hate it so much that I would rather run 22 miles on a treadmill than log even three miles outdoor by myself. I find no peace in it. I don't enjoy the quiet. That's not how I want to spend my "alone time". All I can think is, "Dear God, let this be over already." It just doesn't work for me.

Do you know what I really love to do solo?

Swim. (and bike, if we're being honest.)

On Saturday, I made the jump to 3200 meters. You know, two miles. On November 30th, I swam 200 meters, confident that I was going to drown. Now, I can swim two miles. That's pure insanity. So crazy, that when I got home, J said, "You could do an Ironman," and I replied, "Yup. One day." (Still not sure if he realizes how serious I am about training for a full).

But other than helping me realize how far I have come in such a short time, my swim on Saturday proved something else. As I was swimming along, all I could think about was how much I loved just what I was doing that very moment. How this is what other people feel about solo running. And how running has very likely lost me to triathlon for good.

I really love running.

I just really love swimming, biking and running more.

11:58:36

Triathlon training is insane. It's totally the kind of insane that I gravitate to, but it's still insane.

Remember two weeks ago, when I was complaining that week of active recovery that I had to endure? Yeah, I should have appreciated it when I had it.

During my active recovery week, I worked out for two hours and 56 minutes.

Last week, I logged a whopping 11 hours, 58 minutes and 36 seconds. My highest volume week to date. I have been completely wiped. Honestly, it kind of freaks me out for when I hit my peak weeks in March.

And while the whole week was jam-packed with over the top workouts, yesterday definitely takes the cake. Less than 24 hours after finishing a 2400 meter swim and 30 mile bike ride, I tackled a Quad Brick.

15 miles on TigerBlood followed by a two mile run.

Repeated FOUR times.

Yeah, that's nearly a five hour workout.

Post workout. Just look what a 5 hour workout does to your hair ...

Somehow, I survived. And then I fell asleep on the sofa and slept right through dinner. Overall, I'm calling it a win. Oh, and it's also a good excuse to eat an entire cake for my birthday tomorrow.

To My Dearest Run ...

Dear Run,

How have you been? I've realized that we really aren't seeing each other that much anymore. Wasn't it like three months ago when we were spending 8 or 9 hours a week together? I mean, I really felt like we had a connection, but now, you're barely make an appearance in my training plan.

Seriously, Run, I'm not sure what's going on here. Only 12 miles this week? I'm used to 12 miles in a day. I think it's time for you to man up. Bike is dominating this place and you're doing nothing about it. How are you going to let the new guy come in here and steal me away for 150 miles this week while you just sit there? And don't even get me started on how you've let Swim replace you too.

I can't be the only one fighting. We both knew that my attempts to add a few miles here and there were only going to last so long. You either needed to make an appearance or realize that Bike and Swim are here to stay. And if we are being honest here, I kind of like the new guys and I'm really not missing you all that much.

So, what's it gonna be, Run? Are you going to show me some love?

Yours in endurance,
TMB

Three Things Thursday ...

No Friends - On Monday, Doodle and Dilly were talking about friends. I interrupted their conversation to ask a question, but instead, Dilly turned to me and said,

"I have no friends because I have no preschool."

Between her sad expression and the immediate thought that I had prevented her from meeting kids her own age, I could barely hold the tears back. All I could do was hug her. Unfortunately, I realized in that same instant that she was 100% correct. With the exception of one person, Dilly really doesn't have any friends. At least any friends her age. In fact, I just sent out the invitations for her birthday party later this month and with the exception of her one friend, the party guests are ages 5-12. She's turning 3. Oops.

KDUB's 70.3 Birthday Challenge - Last week I participated in a virtual, cumulative 70.3 race for Karen @ Working It Out's birthday. Here's how it worked. You had from January 1st to January 11th to cover the total distance of a Half Ironman. Easy peasy. Especially when your training plan calls for you cover that distance anyway. My total time was 5:52:45 and it broke down like this ...

swim - 42:55
bike - 3:07:56
run - 2:01:54

Not too shabby. And wicked fun.

Mini Streak - I looked at my training plan yesterday and I realized that after I finished my run last night, it would be my 12th day without a rest day. Oops. I didn't really plan that.

While it's highly likely that my mini streak will end on it's 17th day as I have an off day scheduled for Monday, who knows? Maybe I'll keep it going. Surely, not for 600+ days, but maybe until my birthday. It would be kind of cool to finish out my 29th year on a strong note.

Three Things Thursday ...

Twitter - When I created my Twitter handle, I didn't want to tie the name to my blog because I so often think about going "dark" (a.k.a private). Or what if I just stop writing all together? I think it would be kind of stupid to have a handle that once matched a blog, but now doesn't. I guess I just didn't want to be tied to this blog forever. Who knows?

Anyway, a few weeks ago, I noticed that someone I follow changed their Twitter handle. No interruption of service. One tweet had the old handle and the next one was updated. Easy peasy. It got me thinking that it probably made sense for me to unite my Twitter account and Racing With Babes.

So I did. You can now tweet me HERE (@RacingWithBabes). And if you aren't following me already, you probably should.

*UPDATED* Birthday Gift - For months, I have been hounding J with emails of potential 30th birthday gift ideas. 99.5% of these emails contained links to bikes. Yesterday, he must have finally had enough, because he told me that I could pick out a new bike as my birthday gift. I wasn't quite sure that I heard him correctly or if we had the same idea of what "pick out a new bike" means.

But, he was for real and his budget gave me more wiggle room than I expected. So, I looked around for the best deals and this morning I ordered this ...

2011 Fuji Aloha 2.0

Isn't it beautiful? Plus, it was on closeout for an awesome price. I'm kind of excited right now!

Tough Chik - If you still want to join Team Tough Chik and haven't done so yet, you are running out of time. Registration is open until Saturday. Even in just the first few weeks, the 100+ members have formed a great community that I am excited to be a part of. Plus, our uniforms are wicked cute. You know you want in, just click HERE to learn more.

triathlon confession ...

Confession: I am a runner who is really loving triathlon training.

Confession: Swimming doesn't suck. Sure, it isn't easy, but I actually look forward to my swim workouts. Well, other than the 4:30 a.m. wake up call.

Confession: I have serious bike envy. Sleeper does the job, but this $190 bike is giving me an inferiority complex.


Confession: Running less while maintaining my workout volume is making me love running more. I appreciate every mile.

Confession: I registered for a Fall Sprint Triathlon. I can't wait to see what I can do when I actually train.

Confession: Once all of my kids are in school, I will be an Ironman. It might be in two years. It might be in 10. But it will happen.

So, what are you hiding from the rest of us?

3TT: pieces of awesome edition ...

1. Remember this picture of me on Sleeper?

Well, apparently my friends saw my suffering and are helping me upgrade. Earth Momma Mer's husband couldn't take my use of towels as aerobar stand ins, so he passed along the set he had purchased and didn't like. I installed them on Wednesday and I LOVE THEM.

In addition, SpeeDee informed me that she will come over today with a new seat for me. Actually, two. And whichever one fits, I get to keep. My very bruised back side is beyond grateful for this gesture. I am a lucky girl. My friends are freaking amazing.

2. I am racing my "A" half on Saturday. I feel that unless we get a crazy hot and humid day on Saturday (which does happen in VA), I think this is my best attempt at a sub 1:55 at least until the fall/winter. The course is perfect. I'm running with KC and I'm ready to go. The major issue right now - I have NO IDEA what I am wearing. This is so unlike me. Throw out some color suggestions or something ...

3. I have decided to register Dizzle for her first 5K on April 30th. I am going to run it with her and we plan on implementing a 4:1 run/walk ratio. I'm pumped for her. I know she will do awesome and since there are only like three other kids in the 5-9 age group, she could walk away winning her age group. At least that's my goal ...

3TT: jealous edition

1. Tomorrow morning at 5:35, J and Dizzle are headed to Disney for the weekend. I had two park passes from the Disney Princess Media Mixer that I hadn't used (one was mine and one was given to me by Monique @ Mo Travels). Initially, I thought that J and I would sneak away for a kid-free weekend, but logistically, it was too complicated.

So, instead, I suggested to J that he take Dizzle there to celebrate her upcoming 6th birthday, in lieu of a party. Coincidentally, J turned 31 on Monday, so it looks like they will be celebrating his birthday too. It worked out quite well. Perfect, actually. And between redeemed points for the hotel and car rental, we only had to pay for the flights, which cost within a few dollars of Doodle's party last month.

Honestly, I am really excited for them to a have weekend of Daddy and Dizzle time. But, let it be known that I am 100% jealous that they are going and the rest of us are not.

2. I have bike envy. Don't get me wrong, my bike is fine. It works. Yes, I want new handlebars. And a new saddle would be nice. But, it's functioning and I know that's all that matters. And I know, eventually, I will get my way and J will let me upgrade. But, I'm impatient and the Performance Bike catalog was delivered yesterday ...

3. And you should all be jealous of Shannon @ Tough Chik. She named my bike for me. Here's what she said ...

"Ummm...a good name...what do you think of Sleeper? They call cars that don't look fast, but can blow the doors off other cars sleepers. Your bike doesn't look flashy and fast, but the motor (you) will blow the doors off the competition!"

I read that and knew it was the perfect description of me and my bike. The choice was obvious. Sleeper, it is! So, Shannon, shoot me an email with your address and I will send you a little thank you gift.

See, I told you that you should be jealous ...