Worst.Parade.Ever.

I feel like Professor Farnsworth from Futurama.

Good news, everyone!  I survived  finals! 

Now it's time to start my course development project and start my off-season maintenance swim-focus-type plan.

Well, maybe not quite yet.  I'd kind of like a little more ass-sittery first.

This weekend I was thinking about something funny that happened during the marathon last weekened. It was mile 5, and we were coming up to a spectator station.  Someone was holding a sign that said:

WORST PARADE EVER!!!!

 

I laughed so hard I almost peed.  Of course, I instantly thought of Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl - Don't Rain on My Parade.   

 

Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter
Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade

 

And Huntsville was trying REALLY hard to rain on all of our parades that day, with clouds and humidity as low as 81% and as high as 93%.

 

Then about mile 13 I saw another one.  This one said:

WORST PARADE EVER.

THROW SOME CANDY!

 

SO I'm thinking:

 

Don't tell me not to fly, I simply got to
If someone takes a spill, it's me and not you
Who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade?

 

Some of my favorite race signs of all time.

 

Speaking of laughs, have I mentioned that I am a huge Pinterest fan these days?  I spend more time on there than any other social network, taking down recipes and household hints and LOL'ing at funnies.

 

My latest laugh was the auto-tuned remix of an interview with Sweet Brown, an Oklahoma woman who talked with reporters after her apartment complex caught on fire.  She told reporters that she "didn't grab no shoes or nothin', Jesus, I RAN for my life."  Brown went on to, animatedly, add the line that has now made her an internet sensation: "And then the smoke hit me.  I got bronchitis! Ain't nobody got time for that!"

 

This has become my answer for everything these days.

 

Finals? Ain't nobody got time for that.

Drama? Ain't nobody got time for that.

Negativity? Ain't nobody got time for that.

 

And I'm not gonna lie . . . since I'm totally in ass-sittery mode, somedays it's even: Clothing and makeup? Ain't nobody got time for that.

 

Go watch the video, and I bet you'll start finding excuses to say it, too.

 

Of course, ain't nobody got time for that, either.

 

And, because they just sound like something I've written or said, I'm including the rest of the lyrics to Parade. Plus, a race photo of the dreary day of the Worst Parade Ever.

 

I'll march my band out, I'll beat my drum
And if I'm fanned out, your turn at bat, sir
At least I didn't fake it, hat, sir
I guess I didn't make it
But whether I'm the rose of sheer perfection
A freckle on the nose of life's complexion
The Cinderella or the shine apple of its eye
I gotta fly once, I gotta try once,
Only can die once, right, sir?
Ooh, life is juicy, juicy and you see,
I gotta have my bite, sir.
Get ready for me love, 'cause I'm a "comer"
I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer
Don't bring around the cloud to rain on my parade,

I'm gonna live and live NOW!
Get what I want, I know how!
One roll for the whole shebang!
One throw that bell will go clang,
Eye on the target and wham,
One shot, one gun shot and bam!
Hey, Mr. Arnstein, here I am ...

I'll march my band out, I will beat my drum,
And if I'm fanned out, your turn at bat, sir,
At least I didn't fake it, hat, sir,
I guess I didn't make it
Get ready for me love, 'cause I'm a "comer"
I simply gotta march, my heart's a drummer
Nobody, no, nobody, is gonna rain on my parade! 

The Rocket City Marathon 2012 RR: I'm Running a MF Marathon

Have you ever run a marathon in the South?  If not, have you spent any significant time in the South?

You should.

 

I love Christmas, I love marathons, and I love running down here.

 

I'm from North Florida. So far North in Florida that my dad says we're "from L.A." (not Los Angeles; Lower Alabama).  The part of Florida I'm originally from is NOTHING like Orlando.  The tea is sweet, the chicken is fried, and you never met someone you didn't know.

 

My parents live in Fort Payne, Alabama.  It's affectionately known as the town the band Alabama is from.  The band even has a Christmas song called Christmas in Dixie that mentions their hometown.  At the very end, they sing, "and from Fort Payne, Alabama - Merry Christmas tonight!"

 

But I'll go ahead and spare you the yammering if you want to cut to the deets - I did not go sub-5, which means my 5-year BQ plan is officially 5 years. I did, however, PR by about 6 minutes. I did, as I have alluded, try a very new HARD AS SHIT half marathon plan. I did have some very unconventional LONG RUN and training strategies. And this was possibly the hardest marathon I've ever run. It was almost 20 degrees warmer than expected, hillier, and 80-90% humidity for the whole race. My legs were tired from a long run that my sinus infection forced very close to the race. I had to walk more than just every other aid station.

And to top it all off, at about mile 8, disaster struck.

My heart rate monitor died.

I was forced to run nearly the entire marathon by feel.

 

But, back to marathoning in the South.

 

At the Huntsville Holiday Inn

People down here are just . . . . special.  Yes, I consider myself progressive; yes, there can be some laws and customs that are a bit . . . . well . . . . backward. And you should know that Huntsville is called the Rocket City because it's home to a hub of aerospace engineering.

 

This is not, by any means, a backward, podunk town.

 

But there is something about the South you just cannot explain to those who have not experienced it.

 

I have mentioned before that I LOVE local races. And there's something about deep-South running that just warms the soul.  In both Savannah and Huntsville, the crowd support was magnificent.  Everyone lines up on porches, all the way through mile 14-16 in Savannah to tell runners "good morning" and "good job." (Compare this to Disney, who doesn't even let supporters in the park to cheer you on; or Orlando, who doesn't even have their own marathon.)  And Rocket City (Huntsville) in particular, had supporters lined up for every single mile of the race -not just at aid stations, but all the way through mile 24 - TWENTY-FOUR, I TELL YOU - and the runners were just as supportive of the supporters, offering each a heartfelt "thank you." 
 

I made a friend at the start with whom I ran until almost mile 10 - her name is Laney.  She was doing her "first and last" marathon.  Her family got used to seeing me and they even cheered for me, too.

Southerners live and die by our college sports teams. It doesn't matter whether you went there, grew up there, or had an uncle who attended - it's all about the college sports. It's the spirit, the camaraderie, the joie de vivre.  I have a friend whose grandfather was the sports medicine physician for UNC.  My dad's family went to UF. My parents live around the corner from the University of Alabama, and my roommate and her family either go or live there.
 

So, for a marathon in Huntsville, I sported my houndstooth and crimson.  And, about every aid station, someone acknolweged this. Laney's family was for the rival team, and they acknowledged that, too.

 

It was a magical experience.  Then again, running a marathon is always a magical experience.  I'd even go so far as to use the word "transformative."

 

Rocket City 2012 was no different.

 

The truth was, given the circumstances during my training leading up to this 5th marathon, it was a stretch to expect a PR at the half marathon OR full distance this year.  But, because I worked hard, played hard, and trusted the team advising me, I got both (plus a 5k and 15k PR to boot). 

 

We all face challenges when we train.  Life happens. I had work change, and friends cancel race plans on me, and things upset me, and a 3-week sinus infection that led me to multiple nurse practicioner visits, and was recovering from a mild tibial stress fracture.

 

But, because I was an otherwise balanced indidivudal with a solid plan, a team of coaches and physicians told me by and large, you are doing the right things to get faster, stronger, and healthier - so keep on keepin' on. 

 

So I did.

 

Rocket City 2012: AKA "El Cinco."

 

This was my fifth marathon in my fifth state (hence the rampant obnoxious hashtags about #elcinco and #irunthistown). And, as you can tell by some of the pictures below, the conditions were less than ideal - gray, rainy, exceptionally humid, 20 degrees warmer than expected, and  - despite course descriptions - NOT flat.

 

I would 1,000,000,000 times rather run a cold marathon.  Like Philly 2007: sleet.  Like Disney 2010: snow the day before (in Florida), 35 degrees max temperature on race day.  I'll take all of this over 80-90% humidity and almost 70.

 

But, you race the conditions you are dealt.

 

And, if you survive those conditions and finish a race . . .

 

And, if you survive those conditions and PR . . . 

 

Then, well . .  .

 

You head into the off-season with a smile.

You know you have some serious swimming in your near future.

You hug the shit out of your parents when you cross the finish line, you get a Moon Pie and a beer, and you say, "ya'all wanna go over to the convention center and see the craft show?"

 

And, from Fort Payne, Alabama, you might just say Merry Christmas tonight.

 

So I did.

 

I'm off to the off-season, the holiday season, and a very, very bright outlook for my 2013 goals.

 

Whatever it is you celebrate, I wish you the happiest yet.

 

ME, at mile 21, waving at Mom, who is the best cheerleader on earth: equal parts sappy Mommy and Drill Sergeant.  Mom:"YOU'RE LOOKING GREAT, SWEETIE! Daddy says you're making great time."  Me: "yea, but I'm not going to make my goal." Mom: "WELL THEN GET YOUR BUTT MOVIN'! YOU GOT 5 MORE MILES TO RUN!!!"    (About this point, I said, she's right. I'm running a MF marathon!  Tired legs or not, I couldn't keep the grin off my face.)

The toy soliders in the Chattanooga airport.

 

 

 

Me, post-race.

 



Mom and Dad's tree
Chattanooga airport.

Great beer

 

 

Race medal and hounsdtooth scarf

Taper Madness and Finals

It's 4 Days till Race Day.

It's 10:49pm.

I'm lying in bed staring at the ceiling.

I just finished throwing together some homework and packing most of my stuff.

My heart starts to go THUD THUD THUD.   And then all of a sudden I'm like a cross between

 

AND

 

(Mostly the former.)

 

My Tweet to Coach goes something like "!!! FULL TAPER MADNESS IN EFFECT. T-MINUS ZERO MINUTES TO CRAZYTOWN !!!"

 

His response was: "relaaaaax."

 

Shortly after that, I did relaaaaax. (Gimme a break. Finals are next week and work is bananas.)

 

Today was my final run before the race. Just a little cruise around the block - 20 minutes, easy effort.  Aside from the random twinge in my leg, which is to be expected, my legs felt the most rested and full of energy I've ever felt before any marathon. I did my 17-mile run last week (it got pushed back after my almost-3-week bout with an ear infection), and I hardly felt like I ran 6 miles.  This may be the best-trained I've ever been for a marathon.

And I feel good.  I feel ready.   For the race to be over, for finals to be over, all of it.  (How's that saying go? Nothin' left but the dance?)  

I am looking forward to the trip, the race, and Chrisgiving (Thanksmas?) with my family.

Race day weather: low of 53, high of 69 (good), 11mph winds (good), low UV index (good), cloudy and 20% chance of rain with 81% humidity (blerg.)  That was about the condition of my run this morning. MAN was I hoping for some less-humid weather so I could breathe easy and not feel like I'm running in Florida.

But I've done the hard work; I've put in the training. In sun, sleet, rain, 100% humidity, and ear-infected-roller-coaster-vomitous-vertigo. In the end, the weather will be what it will be. In the end, the race will be what it will be.

All I can do is follow some sage advice:

1. Do my best every day as it's the only thing I can control
2. Never worry about anyone/thing else I have no control over
3. Keep being an awesome person and awesomeness will follow.

And get up at earlier than I want to say for an ass'o'clock flight on Friday morning.

El Cinco, by the way, is also a Mexican radio station

 

EL CINCO HERE I COME!

Display all your weakness, so that in your weakness you are made strong, and your bitterness is replaced with grace.

"Display all your weakness, so that in your weakness you are made strong, and your bitterness is replaced with grace." Live Free (@LiveFree100)

5 days till race day, and this pops up in my feed.  As much as I've espoused the evils of social media, I gots to admit: I find a good use for it at times. 

This is one of them.

I don't know if you've ever heard of Rajesh Durbal, but he is such an inspiration to me.   He swims at my Y, and when I was a regular I used to see him at the pool. He is a beautiful person. His smile lights up a room. He's a super-fit athlete.

He is a triple amputee.

Like my hero Kristin McQueen, who has survived multiple brain surgeries and cancer and all kinds of crazy complications, he knows his share of physical, mental, and emotional grief. Whenever I feel a little sadness coming on, I try to think of the two of them.

These individuals have struggled with true losses in life, have overcome true adversity and despair. Not just the normal "hard things" we all go through - like divorces, stress fractures, headaches, repossessions and bankruptcies and custody battles - which are all hard, of course - but these two deal with all of that normal "hard stuff" PLUS being physically limited, and mentally restrained because of it.

Yet they're out there.  Every day. Training. Being fit. Loving life.  Raj is very vocal about his life, and his struggles. This is his way of fighting/giving back.

I have made no bones about the fact that I have many weaknesses. There are many things I'd like to do better, about many things in life I'd like to handle better. (See my 40 Good Things post: I'm socially awkward sometimes and I'd like to be a little less self-deprecating with my humor.)  And it is no secret that I've gone through some of the worst things I ever imagined, and spent a lot of time being rather bitter about them.

Raj's post tonight resonated with me because I've had those moments of bitterness. I read his post tonight and it affirmed, more than ever, that I have so far to go. But it also reminded me of how much good is left in the human spirit, and truthfully, that's something I need a reminder of from time to time.

This blog is as much spiritual as it is physical. Sure, there's ego. There's I wants me a PR, dammit! and there's I don't wants no injuries! But there's also life lessons learned through training and racing.

I was talking to my dad tonight about race day weather, and how one of those life lessons is that things aren't always going to go your way. The rain may come. The money may run out. Someone you trusted may deceive you.

What stays the same? Out of all those horrible, difficult things - what remains intact?

Just like on race day? The way you react to them.

That's what Raj meant. He is not out there belittling himself, or talking about how bad life is. Instead, he is sharing with people how beautiful things can be, no matter how difficult they are.

I have a long way to go - that's true. And, if I've displayed my weaknesses, I can only hope that they will make me stronger, and my bitterness will be replaced with grace.

And now, in case I got too serious fo' yo' ass, here's some Grumpy Cat holiday greetings.  This is his real face.  Check him out on Tumblr, etc (Tard the Grumpy Cat).

Ho, ho, ho.

If You Say It, It Will Happen

Back when I had my first job (like, oh, 17 years ago), I had a manager who I absolutely loved - we'll call her MC.

I don't know if I've ever told you about MC. She was a petite, feisty, friendly and effective leader with one of the most positive attitudes. Sometimes I still think back to some of the things she'd say to me, but my favorite expression by far was this one:

DON'T SAY IT. 

IF YOU SAY IT, IT WILL HAPPEN.

MC usually blessed us with this wisdom when one of us asked a question like, what if we don't hit our sales goal? or I am afraid I'll stay sick all week.  That's when she'd hit us up with the

DON'T SAY IT.

IF YOU SAY IT, IT WILL HAPPEN.

 

We all knew better than to try to speak anything bad into existence, so some of us just shut up and some of us started reversing it and saying things like, I'm so glad I won't be sick next week, or let's go tear up that sales goal!

 

So I've decided for El Cinco that I'm going to follow MC's sage advice and speak some shit into existence.

 

That being:

Supposed race day forecast.

BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

 

Besides, I've run plenty of halfs and longer in rain and sleet.  I got this.

 

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, I AM GOING TO HAVE A BLAST AND TEAR UP MY MARATHON RECORD AT ROCKET CITY!

 

If you say it, it will happen.

 

2013: The Year of 40 Good Things

It's that time again!

Time for TAPER! SO READY! (I just have to stop shoving the food in my face now that the calorie-burning is reduced, LOL)

Time for RACE! I completed my longest training run, despite an ear infection, over 20 seconds per mile faster than last year's.  So I AM FEELING PSYCHED!

More 'bout that later, though.

It's also that time for BIRTHDAY YEAR RECAP! Woot!

On the tail end of my 33rd birthday, I am giving my annual "year in review" capped with resolution-type thingies. It is my custom to do this around my birthday instead of New Year's because my birthday's the the beginning of an entire additional year of my life.

Lots of big things have happened this year; tons of changes in my life. People, places, habits, jobs.  Since this is, after all, a training blog, I'll start with the training front.

While I've had outstanding results with his coaching staff, I have the pleasure now of working with the head of D3 Multisport, Mike Ricci, through my Beginner Triathlete services. Mike is the head coach for University of Colorado (wonder if he knows that I'm a Ram?!) and an all-around awesome guy. I feel so lucky that someone let me know BT online coaching existed because, as I've said many times, they're the perfect solution for the budget-conscious or long-distance athlete. Thanks to them, I've PR'd nonstop. At the end of this season, maybe I will even reveal one of my little training secrets!

On the work front, the organization for which I work just got purchased by a massive, worldwide, industry leader. A few weeks ago, one of the executives came to speak with us about the transition, and one of the things he said really stood out in my mind.

I always tell the people that work for me that you should have 40 Good Things on your list. If you have 30 Good Things and 10 Bad Things, then you need to find solutions for the 10 Bad Things and come back to me. But you should have about 40 Good Things on your list at any given time, and then let's get busy trying to accomplish the first 5.

This really cemented my positive feelings about the transition, but it also stuck with me. BE solutions-oriented. BE positive. BE realistic. Can you really do 40 things at once? Nope. If you have 30 other things on your list, are those 10 Bad Things really meaningful? Nope.

I spent the next few weeks thinking, what are MY 40 Good Things and how can I start working on the first 5?

I thought first about how many Good Things I've already experienced this year.

• I began grad school, which has been exceptionally difficult, but rewarding - at a great school.
• I am the first person in my family to go to graduate school.
• Work is fulfilling.
• My health has been improving by leaps and bounds. I still get sick here and there, but I don't get sick for weeks on end. I guess my body fighting off a 4+-centimeter tumor and lymph nodes in my neck was keeping me from being able to heal other things :-)
• My weight stabilized, then continued heading downward (I've lost 30+ pounds since my thyroidectomy in 2010.)
• My training has gone so well. Life still throws me curveballs, although they're not the giant, earth-shattering, world-altering curveballs they once were, but I am once again myself and know to just re-prioritize and keep on rollin'.

 . . . just to name a few.

And then I thought about the people in my life.

Holy crap, that's too much Good Thing for one bullet point.

I mean it when I tell you this - I am surrounded by fantastic people. People who really, truly believe in me.  People who are really, truly, there for me. I have whined a lot about missing my parents now that they're 500 miles away, but I am so fortunate that my friends have become my surrogate family.  If it was not for these people, I would not be where I am today.

So where do I start for 2013?

 

2013: The Year of 40 Good Things

(Some of which are just Good Things about Life, and the First 5 of Which I Shall Set About Doing . . . . NOW!)

1. I don't always have what I want.  Sometimes I don't have some of the things I need. But the best of my 40 Good Things is that I'm very fortunate and have SO much, I'm alive, with a roof over my head, and people who love me. The first Good Thing is to always remember and appreciate this.
2. Continue trying to be the absolute best person I can be. Try to be as open-minded, drama-free, accepting, and un-petty (is that a word?!) as possible.
3. Make sure the meaningful people in my life know how important they are to me. And do my best to keep surrounding myself with positive people.
4. Keep healthy, which means keep getting my scans and bloodwork, etc. but also means keep training. I will say it 1,000 times before I ever stop: being active literally saved my life. Racing kept me training, and training kept me active.
5. Keep setting BIG ASS GOALS for myself.  FOR EXAMPLE: I am ridiculous to think I can qualify for Boston . . .  RIGHT NOW.  But, if I keep after it, I eventually will. Being the first person of this generation of my family to go to graduate school, I can also tell you that it once seemed ridiculous to even complete my Bachelor's degree. . .  and yet now I'm getting my Master's. Little steps every day lead to big ass things.
6. Keep trying to give to those who are in need. Of money, time, love, whatever.
7. Keep looking at changes in direction and plan as positives. If something comes up, it's not because "my luck is always bad." It may be because my luck is good.  Or sometimes, no labels need to be attached - it just freaking IS.
8. Stop worrying so much what other people think of me.
9. Stop apologizing for myself.
10. On that note, less negative language as a whole!
11. Try to label things less.
12. Try to make the best decisions I can, and then move forward (see picture above) - don't dwell on the past. I will not always win at this "Good Thing," but (see #4) if I make little steps each day I'll get there.
13. Get better at understanding mathematical concepts.
14. Be brave, imaginative, decent.
15. Laugh.  A lot.
16. Worry. A lot less.
17. Work hard.
18. Play hard.
19. Find little things to celebrate every day.
20. Save more cash.
21. Stay involved in research and teaching
22. And my next project starts next month! Instructional design stuff this time.
23. Finish my Masters - which, if I do the things above, will just happen naturally.
24. Get into a PhD program.
25. I have a great place to live.
26. The opportunity to grow with my current organization.
27. A strong relationship with my parents.
28. Florida sunshine - while the humidity kills me, it's nice to have it most of the year.
29. Getting back on the bike after marathon season is over.
30. Tour de Cure. I'm not sure if I'll do the metric or full century this year but I'm signed up.
31. I don't have diabetes.
32. I don't have cancer anymore (early to cheer for this one, but I'll start).
33. I'm open and flexible to options. If something doesn't go my way, it's not a failure.  It's just a difference.
34. A PR at nearly every distance race I've cracked this year - not huge ones, but good ones.
35. New friends.
36. Good food.
37. Good drinks.
38. A clean, safe place to sleep every night.
39. Lots of fun stuff to do.
40. Keep the shiny side up and the sticky side down.

What are your Good Things?  Whatever they are, I hope your holiday season and your 2013 brings you lots of them.

LIKE A BOSS - The Brief Baldwin Park Half Marathon RR

So, this might be one of the worst race finish photos I've ever had quality-wise, but it's one of my faves.

 

 

In this shot, I am crossing the finish line of my 9th half with a 3-minute PR and two of the world's best friends waiting at the finish . . . . LIKE A BOSS.  Just behind me a few minutes, one of my other pals finished her first half.

 

I usually like to write better race reports, but I'll sum it up like this:

• tiny race - very boring out and back course
• new pacing strategy - worked really hard
• day got a little hot
• legs feel like I ran 10k, not 13.1 miles
• passed two really hard exams the day before
• celebrated with friends all afternoon

IT WAS AN AWESOME DAY.

You Might Remember Me.

You might remember me.

I used to run, and swim, and ride, and do a lot of research. 

And then I moved out on my own, and started grad school, and started a new job, and - well - it's been hard to blog about life because life's been too busy happening.

But I still live.
And run.
And swim.
And ride. (Confession: I don't ride so much during marathon season.)
And also study my face off.

With 2 months left in the year, I have beat 2011's swim distance by over 20,000 yards; I am within 40 miles of 2011's run mileage (which is about 2 week's worth of runs); and I'm within 200 miles of last year's bike mileages (which is only 4-5 rides).

SO - if I only run one more week, ride 5 more times, and didn't swim at ALL until December 31, I already kicked 2011's ass.

Add this to the Ass-Kickery: I just ran a 15k in September. My old PR was 1:58. My new PR was 1:40. I laughed my ass off all the way thanks to a good friend. I then ran a 5-miler in October, not as a race, but to support a buddy who'd never run a 5 miler. (That's all the Race Report I have time for).

On the Left: 5-mile buddies. On the Right: 15k buddy having Food Truck food a few weeks later!

My goal for El Cinco - the Rocket City Marathon - is sub 5 (hours) for 5 (marathons) in 5 (states).  That's why I'm calling it El Cinco.  My goal for the half marathon in 2 weeks is the Two-Teens. But, I am a little overwhelmed with grad school, due for all my quarterly doctor appointments, feeling exhausted because they probably need to adjust my thyroid meds or supplements again, and nursing a small injury. So, if you want to know the truth, I'm just feeling extremely grateful to keep moving.

Sure, I'll be momentarily aggravated if all the training was for nothing - but, when it all comes down to it,  I just wanna have fun finishing.  (See above.)

I swim.
I run.
I ride.
I study my face off.
I have great friends.
IMOF starts next tomorrow. 

My life? Is kinda perfect.

2012 totals
Bike:	92h 32m 50s - 1618.9 Mi
Run:	84h 29m 56s - 437.74 Mi
Swim:	52h 33m 49s - 125397.1 Yd
Strength:	12h 15m
Massage:	2h 50m
Stair Running:	05m
Walking:	6h 00m
Yoga:	8h 50m

2011 totals
Bike:	117h 28m 47s - 1889.05 Mi
Run:	103h 18m 28s - 475.65 Mi
Swim:	46h 00m 31s - 101363.7 Yd
Strength:	15h 35m
Stretching:	10m 20s
Walking:	3h 20m
Yoga:	1h 35m 20s

Girl on Fire

She's just a girl and she's on fire
Hotter than a fantasy
Lonely like a highway
She's living in a world and it's on fire
Filled with catastrophe
But she knows she can fly away
She got both feet on the ground, and she's burning It down
She's got her head in the clouds
And she's not coming down
This Girl Is On Fire
-Alicia Keys

Deoderant, Banana Bars, and Badassery

The first two weeks of the Rocket City Training plan in the bag!  I've made 100% of my planned workouts for 2 weeks straight.  The sore spot along my shin (which actually popped up during my swim block) is feeling much better.

This week ended with just under 8 hours of training; just under 22 miles ran, just under 40 miles ridden and just under 3k swam.

 It was a BADASS week.  I discovered the following:

1. I can gain a lot of speed in my flipturns
2. I can ride 18-19 mph average on 5 hours of sleep
3. I can now run in zone 1/2 at a sub-11 pace

Doesn't this look like
a BADASS!?! 
Just sayin'.

I have run 20-21 miles total the past two weeks, so if you average my pace for the 20-21 miles that's about 11:30/mile.  THE BEST PART IS, I FEEL AWESOME!  I don't have the bonks or the jimmies or the heebies during 6-8 mile runs like I did last year when I started into long runs.  That's an excellent indicator of progress that I am FEELING AWESOME and TRAINING around or under my goal pace. My goal pace for this race is 11:20/mile - ALTHOUGH the pie-in-the-sky goal with 4 more months of work and some Yassos is 4:30-4:48.

WHY 4:48, YOU ASK?

I'm glad you did.

6:48 was my very first marathon time, and I'd really like this to be the year I can say: I've taken two HOURS off my marathon time since 2007.

Still, I'll be SUPER HAPPY with a 5-hour marathon, especially considering 5:35 is my best so far.  5 hours would still be an hour and 48 minutes less than my first marathon.


HERE'S SOME STUFF that I am loving right now that makes all this badassery possible.

Cytomax Pom Berry.  None of the belly-upsetting over-sweeteness of Gatorade/Powerade, and a flavor that is not too strong and nothing like your standard lime/lemon/orange/blue drinks.

MetaSalts. Necessary in the Florida heat/humidity. The only thing I don't like here is you take 2 at a whack, unlike Salt Stick (a serving of Salt Stick is 1 pill).  I still ADORE CarboPro (this company's main product) for LONG LONG training (100 mile rides, Iron distance weeks), but I may switch back to Salt Stick so I have to carry less on marathon day.

Clandestino Banana Bars.  120 calories of dark-chocolate-coated-banana deliciousness.  Seriously, that's all that's in them - bananas and chocolate.  They pack a nice little potassium and sugar punch, they are WAY more delicious than GU or chews, and you can eat  half of one and jam the rest back inside the little foil wrapper for later.

Secret deoderant (really any of the invisible solids, but Flawless Renewal or 48-Hour Outlast in particular.)  Did you know you could use deoderant as Body Glide?  I am sure there are some sensitive-skinned out there who can't, but I sure can.  It's half the price, you can find it anywhere, and - BONUS - it makes you smell better too!

RunKeeper - www.runkeeper.com  I live in a mid-rise building with a concrete parking garage.  If I waited for my Timex Global Trainer to grab satellites every day, my runs would be an extra hour each.  I back it up using the RunKeeper app on my phone, which I have to have for safety purposes, and then I have more detailed data about heart rate on my Timex.

 This is how August looks so far:

Bike:	2h 08m - 39.29 Mi
Run:	2h 45m 25s - 14.24 Mi
Swim:	59m 26s - 2700 Yd
Strength:	40m

This is how I finished out July:

July's totals:
Bike:	7h 37m 41s - 133.5 Mi
Run:	7h 40m 53s - 40.57 Mi
Swim:	6h 31m 42s - 16950 Yd
Strength:	1h 35m
Massage:	1h 10m
Walking:	3h 00m 

BONUS PHOTO:



This isn't tri-related, but she got locked
out of the bathroom and pooped in a closet last month.
Totally the mommy's fault.



The Apocalypse is Upon Us aka Two Letters I've Never Uttered Together

Yesterday was my short zone 1/2 run and today was my mid-distance zone 1/2 run. Each week I have 2 zone 1/2 runs (one shorter and one long), 1 short speed run and 1 mid-distance run that is either speed or 1/2 depending on how much coach wants to torture me.  Then I also have 1 ride which is either trainer work or hill repeats and one swim which is drills out the ass. (I just got informed that I'm doing a kick set the size of almost an entire swim.  I was unamused.)

But something was wrong with this run.  I kept glancing down at my GPS to check my time and distance, and between slow-downs for corners, those moments before you pause at traffic lights, and a few tiny hills, it kept flashing something close to my 5k pace. And I was in zones 1 and 2.  In fact, my average heart rate stayed in low zone 2 the whole run. 

How can I be only 30-60 seconds off my 5k pace in zones 1 and 2?

I finished the run with an average of 10:49.  That's still a good bit off my 5k pace (8:40-9:11), but holy crap.  I saw those paces on my watch several times.  I've NEVER seen those on my watch during a zone 1/2 run.  EVER.

Now, to a lot of you Speed Demons, this is tortuously slow running.  For those of you, recall that, just around the time of my surgery, before and after they found my cancer, my zone 1/2 runs were 14-15 minute miles.  That's 4+ minutes slower than I am running now.  And that was only 2 years ago.  Even if I go back to 2006 when I first started racing - 6 years ago - my zone 1/2 was 12-14 minutes/mile then.

My goal pace for this race would put me at MOST of the marathon in zone 1/2 at 11:21 per mile.  I just did one of my FIRST 1/2 runs of the season completely SUB-11.  Today's run of double the distance was smack on my marathon goal pace.

So my mind gets to whirring and buzzing and clicking (relax, this is normal), and I think the unthinkable.

Maybe I could finish this marathon in like 4:30-4:48.

That's 2 HOURS off my very first marathon in 2007.

And that's not a slow marathon anymore.

Anything under 5 hours isn't slow, but that's REALLY not slow.

And then my brain goes:

Hell, if I lost 4 minutes per mile in two years, in two more years I'll be running in zone 1 and 2 at about 8:30 per mile.

And that's when it hit me.

That's Boston pace.

I always said I had no interest in trying to BQ.  But that was back when I associated that pace with my lactate threshold, dying, trying-not-to-puke pace. If I can be at Boston pace in zone 1 or 2, a BQ wouldn't feel quite that bad.  Granted, I'd have to train to do it for 26.2 miles, but I've trained to do a LOT of things for 3-10 hours.

So it was decided.  The Apocalypse is upon us. 

Me, a former 6:48 marathoner, adding Boston qualifying to my 5-year plan. (And no, Ironman still isn't on it.)


Yup, end of the world is nigh.

Let's Go

Let's go
Make no excuses now
I'm talking here and now
I'm talking here and now
Let's go

I decided that I needed a goal for my 5th marathon in my 5th state.  Since by now I've made it clear that I like corny slogans to repeat to myself when the going gets tough, I decided I needed one of those too.

Fittingly, last week was my two-year anniversary of being declared cancer-free after my surgery and radioactive iodine treatment.  It was last year that my first scan showed up stone cold normal.

It was this year that I also decided that I needed to reinvent myself again.  Remember MAJsicle 2012?

It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing

So I was sitting at my desk, looking at my medals from the previous 9 half marathons and previous 4 marathons.  I thought back to 2006, when I did my first half and said I'd never do a full.  I thought back to 2007, when I didn't take my medication before Philly because I had no clue I'd be out there for 6 hours and 48 minutes.  I thought about how I used to die thinking about doing a sprint tri in under 2 hours and now I'm looking to break 1, possibly as soon as next year.

It's all about where you're going, no matter where you've been

And I looked up at the medal hanger.

It says I RUN THESE TOWNS

Let's go
There ain't no better time
I'm talking here and now
I'm talking here and now

Suddenly I get this vision of myself crossing my 5th finish line of my 5th marathon in my 5th state.  (Hey, I'm no wacko, the pros practice visualization ALL THE TIME).

And then I hear *BIG ANNOUNCER VOICE* "HUNTSVILLE, ALABAMA!!!!!  I run this town!!!!!"

Let's go

Why make a conservative goal for this race?  Back when I was sick all the time, I busted my ass to put in what training I could put in and still finish because it was the only thing that made me feel better. I hardly made my planned workouts, but the fact that those mystery illnesses were trying to stop me made me more determined to finish.

Right now is where you shine
I'm talking here and now
I'm talking here and now
Let's go

But now those days are gone.  Now I'm not sick all the time.  There is no pre-set limit.  Obviously, I get more tired and need more rest than the typical athlete.  Obviously, my swim and run are my weakest sports.

It's not about what you've done, it's about what you're doing

But now I'm in a position physically to put in more training.  And I'm definitely in a position to make each training session count.  Now I'm more determined to finish just because I WANT TO.

Let's go

My previous marathon PR is 5:35.  So I decided that I wanted to do my 5th marathon in my 5th state  in under 5 hours.

It's now or never
Let's go
Tomorrow's good, tonight is better

Yep, I am aware that a 35-minute PR is a bit ridiculous to expect.  And, honestly, it's not that I think I'll get THAT MUCH BETTER.  I just know where I've been.  And you know what they say - if you shoot for the moon and miss, you still land among the stars.

On that note, it's time for the week's short run.

After all, don't I RUN this town?

Let's go!

-Calvin Harris, Let's Go