That's pretty much what I've been saying for the last couple of months, where have I been? Well, I finished my 1st (of this year) half marathon in AZ being RnRAZ. It was a fun, painful, interesting race. Let's just say that I've never ran with that much pain in my calves before..yet you wouldn't be able to tell by my race photos!! My parents had come down from WI to watch me run and then enjoy the warmer weather with me.
After my parents left, things in my life sorta fell apart. I'm totally used to only seeing them about every 3 months or so but this time it was different. After they left, it's like they took my training with them. Phoenix was warming up (yay??) so I could ride outside again and run in the morning and not be so cold (its relative I do realize). Yet I was also faced with having no job-no new travel assignment had been found yet and my contract was up at the end of January. My job hunt was included calling my company on a daily (if not 2x ) for updates and then I decided to just apply at Mayo Hospital in Phoenix as a last ditch effort.
Terra without plan and without an upcoming job=stress x10. That rolled over into migraines and lack of wanting to training. I would wait to run til almost dark and waste my days off on the most beautiful days in Phoenix. I had gone to 2 different job interviews at Mayo's by Jan 24th and had nothing as a travel job. Coming up this week was the running clinic in Estes Park, CO. All I have to say is, it set me straight.
Thank you to @Coachprs and Active at Altitude. Thank you to Cindy (@knittingrunner), David (@DP_Turtle), Glenn (@mcdanielg), Jon (@jonjay500), Cheryl, and Megan (@meganMnelson). This clinic helped me put confidence in my running and just being around teammates during this time really helped me. It broke me of whatever I was stuck in -maybe it was the cold Colorado air and the Rocky Mnt high...
Returning from the clinic I found out the next day that I got the job at Mayo-permanent job...me?? And I start end of Feb 27th and by the way, you have to do this and that and......STRESS!!!
Fast forward to today. Today I am back in WI (home) where I am finishing packing up my belongings to send back to Scottsdale for good. This is a huge deal for me. I keep asking "Am I doing the right thing" and I keep getting yes otherwise things wouldn't be working out. This is true. Everything works out for a reason. For reasons, I am meant to be in the Phoenix area for now.
What does this mean for my schedule?? I don't have one right now. I have a list of races that I can race locally and just noticed that HITS HIM Lake Havasu will be in my own back yard (bonus!) and I'll be able to volunteer for IM AZ again in hopes for a spot at IM AZ 2013 with @meganMnelson.
Til next time-Be Safe and Train like you mean it
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Where in the world....
Friday, February 10, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
New Year, time for a change
Well good bye 2011 and hello 2012 and boy did you come in with a bang! Where did 2011 go?? I think I'm still trying to find some of it if you look at my nurse's notes (ie-still 2011 with error thru it). I went back and looked at my goals that I set forth for myself this year and a few I met, one I will always be working on, and the others just fell apart for reasons.
In 2011 I was lucky to have only 2 different jobs verses the 4 possible and they both were only 90 minutes apart when I needed to more which made my life even easier! Up until May, I spent the winter in Tuscon, AZ. I was sick for awhile and then got injured while training for RnR Dallas. I'm not one to just sit still so I used P90x/Turbo Fire/Rev abs to keep me in shape for the small amount of time I had off of running. Then I got back on that horse and was at my fav local running store weekly looking/trying on shoes and trying to figure out what happened.
Amongst this time, my personal biz I had decided to put away due to personal reasons. It wasn't working for me but I did and have managed to figure out who my "real" friends are. If you know the song "Find out who your friends are" by Tracy Lawrence you will know what I am talking about-otherwise google it.
I came into Phoenix during the HOTTEST summer on recorded (yay me!) which killed me for training. It was nice to wake up at 4:55 am to see it was only 95*-no, I'm kidding. It got old after a month. Good thing I had easy access to a pool-but even that was hard to be at for a while. I survived-learned that I needed to drink ALOT more water and watch my electrolytes or else....
Trying to race locally??? yeah...I gave that up. I love to travel too much. I went to SD for a sprint tri which was awesome and then to St Louis and Savannah for 2 half marathons. I had a blast. I think I am one to always travel for races.
So..goals for 2012
1.HIM..late summer to fall
2.Ragnar CO-I'm co-captain!!
3.Marathon??
4. probably run 2 half marys along the way too (the 1st Jan 15th)
5. Running Coaching clinic
6. Make it back to California...some how..
Here's to a great and better 2012
-T
Monday, October 31, 2011
Rockin in St Louis
Back on the #RnR series, I picked up this race on whim. When I asked my coach if I could do it, I could hear her mind punching numbers...thinking I was crazy especially when I was planning a marathon on Nov 6. "It's possible" and that's all I need. (I think she knew I would do it anyways, just had to figure out how without getting injured.
I actually had already bought airfare and had a hotel on reserve so it was just training. I had presented this to my coach in Mid august. I'm living in Phoenix where the temps still at 5 am are 90* and she forewarned me about the double training cause this training would be during my triathlon training.
I managed to get it all down and was doing a run/walk at various time lengths due to IT band issues. So that was the plan for the race: run/walk it as I have been and if I felt that I could run the last couple of miles..DO IT.
Step back..taper week. My coach wanted the long run done on Sunday than flat out rest remainder of week. Um...yeah...My week actually went: Run Sunday, work Monday, Tuesday (13 hours cardiac RN) Wednesday (nada), Thursday work, and Friday fly to STL. Not really a taper since I've figured out that I walk 5-6 miles daily at work.
Catch an early flight out of Phoenix to St Louis and get to the hotel to sleep a bit. Did a short run in the "cold" weather and checked out the expo. A friend was suppose to be staying and racing with me but had a family emergency so it was just me this weekend.
Saturday I laid low. Had a slight cold so I was taking cold medicine, watching football, and sleeping. It was after all a vacation for me. I got out all my race gear, laid them out, got my gear check bag situated and fell asleep.
RACE DAY:
The bonus of race times at 7:30, you don't have to get up until 6am. YES!!!! So I did, got all bundled up and walked to the starting area. I could already feel the energy. This was St Louis's 1st #RnR and they did a pretty good job. Dropped off my stuff, ate another half banana, and found where I was suppose to be.
#RnR are a blast. Bands every mile, cheer squads, and there is always Elvis. I really enjoyed this race. I didn't like all the hills I had to conquer but I tried to keep on pace. I probably would have hit my goal had I not walked up 2 hills but I really didn't feel like dying over them. I stuck to my plan up to mile 11. I had to dig deep to keep going. Right around mile 6, I hit a mental wall of "what were you thinking". Mile 11 passed, then 12 and all I kept hearing was the "you're almost there" or "the finish line is right there" I kept saying where, where cause I was cramping bad; luckily I ran by a med tent with salt tabs grabbed 3, downed them with a little water and pushed on.
I managed to pick up a runner who just stopped running; got him up and running to the finish line. He thanked me-I was his first half marathon. I sure hope he had a blast.
I love the #RnR series. I may run with my ipod but I still hear the bands, crowds. It's an experience that I keep coming back to.
So what's next? #RnRSV half (yeah I changed it), #RnRAZ 2012, OD in Feb, and HIM end of April. I can't wait.
Sprint Re-cap
Yes...it's been awhile since I first posted the beginning of my triathlon venture. It's called life. So back to the race.
I woke up at 4:30am and I can say that I really didn't sleep well that night anyways. I was afraid that my alarm clock would fail or even worse, I would sleep through it :( It went off and I got up; ate my normal PB and J on bagel with banana. I knew that this race I would be going all out. I had already set up my transition area the night prior and had it packed. So I grabbed my bag, bike, extra water and out the door I went. I was only 5 minutes from transition and it was a quick walk cause it was cold (for me).
True to the sport, the company around me was very helpful. I was so nervous. There were the obvious top competitors-Vineman, Oceanside and then the newbies who rolled in on the beach cuisers (that was cool). Still being dark I set up my transition area-luckily that got an end spot right on the bike out. Couldn't miss my bike. Set up, wetsuit on, and the walk to the starting line (which wasn't fun being all stony and barefooted)
Being Sept 11th, the National Anthem was sung by a military personal who was overseas during that time. Very moving and, yes, I did shed tears. As the ways started into the water, everyone got to cheer each on. When it was my turn, I knew the instant I hit the water, a toasty 68*, that my swim was going to be difficult. Treading water trying to stay warm, I couldn't keep my feet from cramping; as the gun went off, I tried to kick and all I felt was constant cramping in feet and up my calves. Welp-plan B: pull the whole way and I did. First OW and I pulled the whole way. That was an experience in itself. This, though, was the best 400 yds time that I posted to date.
Coming into T1, I was totally off balance. I had some motion sickness from the waves (dramine next time) and couldn't think. So T1 I took a little longer to recollect myself and head. Thanks to @crittermedic, @kgirltris, and @indianabackdoc, I had my bike setup all coordinated. Grabbed my bike and off I went.
Bike: Um..they will have to re-do this part. It just isn't fun to have ride over them at a 45* angle ON padding, coming down a hill, to hopefully prevent crashes. I saw many "top" competitors walking back with their pricey bikes and many visiting the ambulance that was purposefully placed there. Otherwise it was a good ride. There is a photo of me with "deer in headlights" look. My coach and I laughed.
Run: For me T2 was easy, drop bike and helmet, and go! And I did, at the fastest I could. This is a sprint, so you're going to push yourself. I did to a pace that I hadn't seen in a year!! :) But I felt it every step, in every breath. I walked only 2x for maybe a minute but once I crossed that finish line, I was done. Luckily, my friend @tipcan was there to rescue me and help me out.
I had a blast and plan to continue the triathlon experience. I PR'd the 5K. I will always remember this race, this day, and all the aches, pain, tears, joy that I felt. It was so worth it.
Breakdown
Total:1:35:00
swim:400 yrd-13.18
bike-9.2 in 40 min
run-00:33
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Wordless Wednesday
For my grandpa: Thank you
For my cousin: my God be with you and watch over you while you are overseas
For all: Thank you for protecting us, serving. Words can never say enough
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Weekend in San Diego
Since May, I had made the choice to attempt a triathlon. I knew that it would be in September sometime, just not which weekend. As long as I started with the base building for that time being, when the event would actually take place wasn't a huge deal. I knew that I was going to be doing the sprint distance (400 yd swim, 10 mi bike, 5k run). As the time approached, and might I add, my contract on my current floor near end, I was forced to pick a weekend. I literally had 3 hours to pick a weekend, not really a race for my event (I owe that one to my recruiters ). The weekend-Sept 10-11th. I had no idea if there was going to be a race that weekend, I just hoped since I was granted that weekend off without a problem.
So every time I go on a race-cation, there always seems to be some kind of drama. No different here. I got up Friday morning, tied up loose ends around my apartment, packed up my car and headed out to San Diego. I've seen alot of desert and this drive just added more to it. Flat, sand, and boring. I was so excited to see the mountains hence the other side meant San Diego. I got into the city right before rush hour (just like I planned) and drove to my hotel. Upon arriving, I noticed that the area was really run down with bars on the windows, including the hotel-NEW HOTEL
Text my good friend Tip @tipcan for some help to find the host hotel for the Tri Rock event. The Hilton it was; via phone, he managed to get me there safe and sound. I quick ran in to see if there were any open spots and I got lucky. I would have a place to sleep-thank goodness. Unpacked my car, headed up to the 29th floor to unwind and catch with @kgirltris and @coachprs. We talked about the race and my goal (which for me was just to complete it). I set up my transition area and bike that night and called it a day. My brain was tired. I'd have all day Saturday to do whatever I wanted.
