I have been eagerly anticipating this event, and even dreading it as the time grew closer. Much of my anxiety revolved around the discovery that the swim would have a limiting time; we would be allowed in at some time after 8 AM based on our scheduled waves and put out of the water at 9:15. For an accomplished swimmer this should not be an issue since a mile swim should really only take around 30 minutes. Let me clue you in.... I am not an accomplished swimmer. I know that in a pool, where I can push off on the ends of the pool, I can do a mile in just over an hour. In the open water, where I am zig-zagging all around the place and getting scared when people swim over me, it will take me about an hour and 20 minutes to do a mile. Those are just the swimming facts for me. I sent a frantic email to the race director asking if there was any way for me to start the swim with the long course (1/2 iron distance) athletes at 7 AM, but she said no way. I understand why, but it was a desperate situation, so I thought I would ask. Frequently I figure it is best to ask because not asking is always a "no" and asking might get you a yes. Sigh. She sent me an encouraging email that I just needed to swim hard and she was sure I could do it. That made one of us.
Saturday morning I headed off to Elephant Butte, NM. It is a long drive from Fort Sumner, about four hours, so I got to Marcy and Grady Oxfords about 3:30 that afternoon. That meant I missed the first of the packet pick up opportunities, so Marcy had to stand in line with me at 5, and it was a LONG, wait. Fortunately we have the ability to stand and chat at the same time, so fun was had. It was also a great time to visit with other friends all around. I got to meet Dave S, an online triathlon friend from Colorado, and his wife Michelle, and that was fun. Once packet pick up was done, we headed back to Marcy's for sandwiches and a great evening on the porch; it was so beautiful and I was in awe of the world God created for us to enjoy. A host of the NMSU triathlon club athletes were there too, so all of the available floor space was taken up by college-aged athletes, and as I've mentioned before, nobody knows quite how to party like triathletes: we were in bed by 9:30 and up the next morning by 5 AM.
Transition had assigned racking, and that worked out okay for me. I got an end spot, and you know how I am about my end spots because I need room to spread my gear. It was good and I got my stuff organized and set up. I waited until 7 to go find the ambulance to use their electricity to get my nebulizer going. It was the same crew that I'd bugged for Dam It Man, so that was nice since the EMT's mom is an asthmatic and he is always so encouraging. I got my gear stowed back in transition and met up with some more of the NM Outlaws, and that was fun too. This was my first race wearing my Outlaw tri jersey, and I am so thankful to my friend Deb for sending it to me so I can proudly race as an Outlaw. The race officials did decide that this would be a wetsuit legal race once they checked the water temperature, and I was so glad because I needed the security of the wet suit for the long time in the water. I was drinking lots in order to hydrate, so a couple of trips to the port-o-potties were needed, but the lines were non-existant for me and they were not stinky and were equipped with TP. YEAH for the necessities of life. Grady was capturing the moments on digital "film" and I'm glad since I didn't think to get the cameral out of my tri bag, and then we were off on the swim.
You may remember that last year I DNF'd at the 12.5 mile mark on the bike course due to dehydration, so I was highly motivated to make it this year. I am an extremely slow triathlete, but I plug away very well, and I see myself making improvements between years that do bring me joy.
It took me 1:18 to slog through my mile swim. I usually alternate between the breast stroke and the freestyle, but whenever I started to freestyle I would be called down by the kayak folks that I was getting off course, so I ended up doing the entire race in the breaststroke. There was one other woman behind me getting out of the water.
I had not been feeling well for a couple of days before the race and had put it off as pre-race digestive upset. I was nauseated the entire bike race, and figured it was the heat. Looking back, and seeing that I was sick the entire week following the race, I think I had the stomach flu. Usually I rock the bike portion of the race, but I was only mediocre, and that surprised me, but I plugged along. In the last four miles I was really stunned to realize that I could not look forward on my bike and apply my brakes at the same time. My trapezius muscles were completely locked up. I am assuming that the long breaststroke and then the long bike, something I'd never done before (can you say training failure?) were impacting me. The bike course finshed with a steep incline back down the boat ramp into transition. I knew that unchecked I would come screaming into transition at 25-28 mph, and that was not going to work. I just got off my bike at the upper parking area and ran my bike into transition. Of course my friends who had finished the race at that point and were cheering me on thought I'd lost my mind. My friend Marcy knows my dehydration accuity check is to do multiplication in my head, so she asked me to multiply for her, so I did. She was eating a snow cone, and it was HOT, and I really wanted to snatch it from her, but I needed both hands to change shoes to get out on the run. She did give me a bottle of cold water to dump on my head, and off I went.
The first 1/2 mile on the dirt trail felt good, even if it was churned and sandy, then the hills started. That was when the heat really hit me. I used the old fall back advice of walk up the hills and run down them. The heat was bad, about 95 at this point, so I did the best I could and kept plugging away. At the 3 mile mark I started seeing snakes on the road. I was pretty sure there were no snakes, so I cleverly constructed a question of one of the high school volunteers, "Are you guys having much problems with snakes on the road?"
"No, m'am," he replied, "We haven't seen any today." I figured that if they were just heat related snakes, I really didn't have much of a problem. I was not throwing up, I was only dizzy when I ran, and I would just get hosed down at the next water station. I got to the next station and there were two little boys with weed sprayers full of water. I told them to spray me down like they had sprayed nobody down all day. The look of joy in their eyes was completely worth it. I was soaked, much cooler, and did much better on the way back. Once I finished the race, I asked Marcy to help me find some ice, and I packed my bra with ice, and in five minutes I felt much more myself. I was the last person to finish the Oly course. I did get third place in the Athena category. At this race they also have a drawing for a male and female winner of a beach cruiser bike. I won the female bike and a friend from my triathlon club the NM Outlaws, Carl (won his age group in the long course) won the men's beach cruiser.
I figure that now I have to do a 1/2 iron distance race next year. The difference between a mile and a 1.2 mile swim is not that much, and since that is the part that terrifies me I can do that and enjoy the rest. Of course the bike portion will be 54 miles instead of 26.5 and the run will be 13.1 miles instead of 6.2, but who is counting. Marcy has said she is in too :-) It is good to have friends who are crazy right with you. Of course we also have decided we want to go beyond the 1/2 marathon distance, so we are looking for a good destination to do our full marathon. We think we would like to go to a place with LOTS of oxygen and not much hill, so right now San Diego sounds fun. Another reason San Diego would be good is that Southwest flies there for $49 each way, so it could be a fun girl's weekend. Another wickedly fun thing we are thinking could be a blast is one of the major relays where you get a team and do one of the ultra marathons and you take turns running through the night to cover 122 miles or something absurd like that. Uh huh, I know what you are thinking, and you are right....... you want in on this fun....... yep, that is what you are thinking. I know it <grin> You are as insane as we are. That is what the voices are telling me anyway.
I work hard, I just have so much ground to cover since I am coming from a place with absolutely no physical skills or ability. I like seeing the growth though. Participation in triathlon does bring me a great deal of joy.
Next up I've got the Duke City 1/2 Marathon on 10/23/11 and then the Candyman Triathlon on the 30th of October. On November 13th we have the Aggie Autum Triathlon at NMSU, and you should plan on joining us. It will be a great race, and you will have so much fun. Registration is available online at www.nmsportsonline.com.
Patricia
Showing posts with label Marathon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marathon. Show all posts
Live, Love Tri-->August 27, 2011
Live Well, Love More, Tri Harder. So say the women who organized the Live, Love Tri held this weekend in Rio Rancho, NM. The race filled and we had a WONDERFUL time. I've not done any other women only events. When I saw that they were organizing this early in the spring I signed up online right away, as evidenced by my bib number 3. I sent an email and a text, no reason to trust only one form of electronic communication, to my dear friend and fellow triathlete Marcy Oxford, and she also signed up immediately and she was #5. Now this matters because we ended up with assigned racking and we were assigned by bib number, so we were rack buddies :-) and now I am waaaaay ahead of myself in the story.
I arrived in Albuquerque in time to go to REI on Friday night to get my packet about 6:45 and ended up waiting in line until 7:30. Now I know people usually gripe about waiting in line, but this was just a lovely time to visit with fellow triathletes and get to meet new friends. It was really fun when I got up to the check in station and the organizers said, "Oh, you are Patricia Miller, the AMAZING Patricia Miller that we've heard so much about." and we all had a great giggle about that. I guess Angie from Chasing3 Race Productions had been telling them about our Billy the Kid Tombstone Triathlon that we had in Fort Sumner, so that means we may get some more good entries next year. Of course now I will owe Angie some payment for the good publicity <grin>. After packet pick up it was off to VietQ Grill to meet Marcy, Lisa and Lisa's daughter for supper and great conversation.
As per our usual athlete ethic, we were in bed by 10 and up at 4:30 AM so we could hit Starbucks for skinny lattes and be at the race venue by 5:45 AM. We even got to park in the parking lot and had no problem getting everything set up in transition. The body marking and race organization were great. The event was held at the Rio Rancho Aquatic Center and was set up as a reverse sprint triathlon. We started with the run and went off in waves separated by three minutes. Marcy and I were in the first wave. The course is the same as the Patriot Triathlon and we start of going uphill and then we go off the paved path and go into the desert and run more uphill in the sand. I don't really mind the sandy trail running because it is easier on my knees, but the sand is challenging. I did love the downhill portions though, I felt so FAST. My pace was nice for this run and while it was not my best 5K time, it was not bad at 42:41. Last year when I did the Patriot Triathlon on the same route my time was 52:53, so that is a 10 minute improvement. Of course in the Patriot the run comes at the end, so a direct comparison is not very fair.
T1 was great, as always in a reverse sprint, and then it was off on the bike for a great hilly 12 mile ride. I passed so many people and it was hugely rewarding. I got to say, "On your left" to so many people. There were a number of folks who had not done triathlons before, so there were some folks who didn't know basic things like not riding two abreast or not to pass when someone is already passing someone. Since I am a fairly aggressive cyclist, I paid close attention to everyone else and did really well and was extremely happy with my bike split time of 43:15. The bike route does not compare to Patriot's route, but Chili Harvest has a 12 mile bike route and is much less hilly and it took me 45:45, so I am happy. I should be happy because I am really sore today, so my legs worked hard yesterday.
T2 went really fast too since it is just a matter of stripping excess items off and running to the pool. I did forget to take my inhaler out of my short pocket, and lost in the pool. The pool was a bit of a battle zone. I did a combination of backstroke and breaststroke and my time was 14:08, again an improvement and I passed some folks in the pool, and that is a novel experience for me. I am still a super poor swimmer and I am freaking out the closer we get to Elephant Man. That mile swim at Elephant Butte is making me tense, but I will just plug away because I know that I am a good plug away person. Frankly, the kayak people are always great about shadowing the last person in the water, and since I have LOTS of experience being that person, it will be okay. That is the positive self-talk I am using every time I begin screaming in my head anyway.
Overall, my time was 1:43:53 and that is 10 minutes faster than the similar distanced race in Socorro held just a few weeks ago. I was 202 out of 265, so that means I can in ahead of 63 other competitors, and that is the most people I've come in ahead of in any triathlon. Dance of joy moment! We all got great necklaces as we finished. My triathlon friend Paula gave me this really cool (operative word) neck bandana that I can use when I do the Yucca Triathlon and Elephant Man. It has gel crystals in it and it will help me not to get overheated.
Next up on the fun list:
October will bring a duathlon at Santa Rosa, the Candy Land Triathlon in Albuquerque, and the Duke City Marathon, so it has some fun ahead too.
Living Well, Loving More, and DEFINITELY Tring Harder,
Patricia
I arrived in Albuquerque in time to go to REI on Friday night to get my packet about 6:45 and ended up waiting in line until 7:30. Now I know people usually gripe about waiting in line, but this was just a lovely time to visit with fellow triathletes and get to meet new friends. It was really fun when I got up to the check in station and the organizers said, "Oh, you are Patricia Miller, the AMAZING Patricia Miller that we've heard so much about." and we all had a great giggle about that. I guess Angie from Chasing3 Race Productions had been telling them about our Billy the Kid Tombstone Triathlon that we had in Fort Sumner, so that means we may get some more good entries next year. Of course now I will owe Angie some payment for the good publicity <grin>. After packet pick up it was off to VietQ Grill to meet Marcy, Lisa and Lisa's daughter for supper and great conversation.
As per our usual athlete ethic, we were in bed by 10 and up at 4:30 AM so we could hit Starbucks for skinny lattes and be at the race venue by 5:45 AM. We even got to park in the parking lot and had no problem getting everything set up in transition. The body marking and race organization were great. The event was held at the Rio Rancho Aquatic Center and was set up as a reverse sprint triathlon. We started with the run and went off in waves separated by three minutes. Marcy and I were in the first wave. The course is the same as the Patriot Triathlon and we start of going uphill and then we go off the paved path and go into the desert and run more uphill in the sand. I don't really mind the sandy trail running because it is easier on my knees, but the sand is challenging. I did love the downhill portions though, I felt so FAST. My pace was nice for this run and while it was not my best 5K time, it was not bad at 42:41. Last year when I did the Patriot Triathlon on the same route my time was 52:53, so that is a 10 minute improvement. Of course in the Patriot the run comes at the end, so a direct comparison is not very fair.
T1 was great, as always in a reverse sprint, and then it was off on the bike for a great hilly 12 mile ride. I passed so many people and it was hugely rewarding. I got to say, "On your left" to so many people. There were a number of folks who had not done triathlons before, so there were some folks who didn't know basic things like not riding two abreast or not to pass when someone is already passing someone. Since I am a fairly aggressive cyclist, I paid close attention to everyone else and did really well and was extremely happy with my bike split time of 43:15. The bike route does not compare to Patriot's route, but Chili Harvest has a 12 mile bike route and is much less hilly and it took me 45:45, so I am happy. I should be happy because I am really sore today, so my legs worked hard yesterday.
T2 went really fast too since it is just a matter of stripping excess items off and running to the pool. I did forget to take my inhaler out of my short pocket, and lost in the pool. The pool was a bit of a battle zone. I did a combination of backstroke and breaststroke and my time was 14:08, again an improvement and I passed some folks in the pool, and that is a novel experience for me. I am still a super poor swimmer and I am freaking out the closer we get to Elephant Man. That mile swim at Elephant Butte is making me tense, but I will just plug away because I know that I am a good plug away person. Frankly, the kayak people are always great about shadowing the last person in the water, and since I have LOTS of experience being that person, it will be okay. That is the positive self-talk I am using every time I begin screaming in my head anyway.
Overall, my time was 1:43:53 and that is 10 minutes faster than the similar distanced race in Socorro held just a few weeks ago. I was 202 out of 265, so that means I can in ahead of 63 other competitors, and that is the most people I've come in ahead of in any triathlon. Dance of joy moment! We all got great necklaces as we finished. My triathlon friend Paula gave me this really cool (operative word) neck bandana that I can use when I do the Yucca Triathlon and Elephant Man. It has gel crystals in it and it will help me not to get overheated.
Next up on the fun list:
- Hearts on Fire Youth Retreat with our FCA students on Sunday/Monday of Labor Day weekend
- Yucca Triathlon at White Sands on 9/10. This will be a different distance because it is a 7K run, a 45K bike, and a 400M swim. After the triathlon I'll head to Las Cruces and spend the rest of the weekend with our daughter and son-in-law. It will be great to see our friends in Las Cruces at the church there too.
- Cotton County Triathlon at Levelland on 9/17. I will drive over to Clovis and ride to Levelland with some of the Clovis triathletes. They tell me that this is a great triathlon, and I am looking forward to it and have never done this one before.
- Elephant Man at Elephant Butte on 9/25. This is an Olympic distance race, so that means a 1 mile swim, 26 mile bike, and 10K run. At the recent clinic they told the attendees to power walk the first mile in the sand up the hill on the run rather than to try to run it, and then when we get to the paved road surface we can start running. So glad they gave me permission to walk, giggle. Heat can be an issue for the slow pokes like me. Now the good news for me this year is that they are also having a 1/2 iron distance race, so my finishing time will be about the time that the finishers of the 1/2 iron distance folks are finishing--- yeah, I am truly that slow. Oh well, it will be my race and it will be in my time.
October will bring a duathlon at Santa Rosa, the Candy Land Triathlon in Albuquerque, and the Duke City Marathon, so it has some fun ahead too.
Living Well, Loving More, and DEFINITELY Tring Harder,
Patricia
El Paso 1/2 Marathon--> March 6, 2011
I am discovering that there are advantages to being an incredibly poor athlete that has to start from nothing to build up to any level of fitness at all; one of the prime advantages is that you can make ENORMOUS gains when you build your base fitness over a winter. Settle back and let me tell you a story about the little runner that could, did and is so excited that she could not sleep last night, will probably not sleep tonight, and may not sleep again for days.
Monday the 28th I was talking to Marcy in Las Cruces, and she told me there was a 1/2 marathon in El Paso. I told her I didn't think I could do it, after all you can't do two in a row can you? Sure you can, Marcy encouraged. We were looking at the race site (jointly on our separate computers-- parallel play at its best, separated by 200 miles) and we realized it said that you had to pick up the packet in person, in El Paso, on Saturday. That nearly put the kibosh on the deal since our girls played in the first round of state basket ball on Friday (they won, YEAH Vixens) and the boys played in the first round of state basketball on Saturday afternoon (they won, YEAH Foxes). Marcy suggested I send the race director an email asking for mercy, so I did, and that night I got an email back giving me permission to have someone else pick up the packet. I told Les that the Lord must be blessing the venture since it would be much easier for Him to keep the race director's heart hard since there were going to be thousand in the race. Les, Mr. Practical, said he didn't think I could blame my craziness on the Lord. Then he told me he would go with me, so we had a mini-vacation planned :-)
I fixed my dish for the church potluck, did the church bulletin, and we left both items at the building. Then as soon as the boys won, we headed to El Paso. We stopped in Roswell and got some yummy dinner at the Zen Asian Diner and made it to the hotel about 9 PM. Aaron met us there. He was kind enough to pick up my packet and we had a nice visit and then I was able to get to bed about 11.
Marcy, Jeffery (her son) and Johnathan (college friend of Jeffery) met me at the hotel at 6 I have to say the folks at the Holiday Inn Express get bonus points for being nice Normally they do not serve breakfast until 7. They adjusted the schedule to accommodate the racers and set it out early. They gave Marcy a parking pass so she could leave her car at the hotel and we all jogged over to the conference center for the race start, about seven tenths of a mile away. We figured it was a good warm up. They had a bag check-in, so that was great for me since I like to run in cooler wear, but tend to freeze prior to the start. I'd had Shelley (local embroidery art business owner) decorate up a performance t-shirt for me with some fox paw prints and I was wearing my Newton shoes (see my Christmas shoes note for a picture of the best shoes EVER). I had on my NM Outlaws hat (multisport group) and my pretty butterfly socks. I tell you the details of the outfit, because every moment is emblazoned on my memory now that I am writing it down......
We all lined up at the start. I chatted with a man next to me. It was his first 1/2 and he was nervous. I reassured him that he had nothing to worry about because I KNOW that if I can do these events he can and he did seem to feel better as we talked. I'd set a goal of cutting 15 minutes off my prior best running time of 3 hours and 47 minutes from the Albuquerque 1/2 marathon last October. It was a cool morning, but I was optimistic. It took about three minutes for everyone to get across the start line, and I started my Garmin when I crossed the line, so my time is only tracking my running time.
I was running along and a couple of women next to me started up a conversation and mentioned that I seemed to have a really consistent pace. I was stunned. I laughed and said, thanks and then we talked a bit about how we got into running, what running we did, etc. I guess I did have a consistent pace, because even slow as I am, I eventually left them behind. That never has happened before..... That was weird. Anyway, I kept running and I know I was looking at my pace and it was 14/15 minute mile pace, so not very fast, but I was doing okay. I got to a long hill, and walked up it with another woman and she told me that she did this 1/2 every year, never trained and that the first half was quite hilly and the rest was pretty flat. Tip of the day, find out about the course (had not done that). I decided that I would walk briskly up each hill and run down each hill. That proved to be a winner of a strategy. I remember reading somewhere that this was not a very good idea, but it sure felt good on Sunday, and I have to tell you that while I have some muscle soreness in my thighs, I am really feeling great.
Around mile five or so I ran and walked a bit with a gentleman who suggested I breath in more through my nose and less through my mouth, so I tried that. I don't know if that is good or not, but I tried it, and seemed to do fine. Talk about shooting from the hip. Gosh I am glad nobody told me to try walking on my hands! I stopped at one port-a-potty just in case there wasn't one later, but I could have skipped it (I am sure you need the toileting details). I walked each water station and poured water on my head, down my chest, and down my back since I was pretty warm even though it was not all that hot. That coolness seemed to help me quite a bit. I do not know how much I ran vs. how much I walked, but I know I averaged 14:55 minute miles and that is about 2 minutes better per mile than I have ever done before. I can't believe I cut off that kind of time.
Now I do have to give the none 1/2 marathon runners some perspective. Marcy, who is about five years younger than I am, ran her 1/2 marathon in 2:06, so that is a respectable time for a 1/2 marathon. 3:17 is still a LONG time in a 1/2 marathon---- HOWEVER it is such an improvement that I am having a huge party in my head all day and all night, and I may never sleep again because I am truly getting better and more fit. I can't believe the improvement. You can celebrate with me.
Next adventure--- Roadrunner Triathlon on April 3rd in Las Cruces (unless something else magical comes along in the meantime........) I do know that now I have to see if I can keep running 13+ miles each weekend. Long runs, here I come.
Monday the 28th I was talking to Marcy in Las Cruces, and she told me there was a 1/2 marathon in El Paso. I told her I didn't think I could do it, after all you can't do two in a row can you? Sure you can, Marcy encouraged. We were looking at the race site (jointly on our separate computers-- parallel play at its best, separated by 200 miles) and we realized it said that you had to pick up the packet in person, in El Paso, on Saturday. That nearly put the kibosh on the deal since our girls played in the first round of state basket ball on Friday (they won, YEAH Vixens) and the boys played in the first round of state basketball on Saturday afternoon (they won, YEAH Foxes). Marcy suggested I send the race director an email asking for mercy, so I did, and that night I got an email back giving me permission to have someone else pick up the packet. I told Les that the Lord must be blessing the venture since it would be much easier for Him to keep the race director's heart hard since there were going to be thousand in the race. Les, Mr. Practical, said he didn't think I could blame my craziness on the Lord. Then he told me he would go with me, so we had a mini-vacation planned :-)
I fixed my dish for the church potluck, did the church bulletin, and we left both items at the building. Then as soon as the boys won, we headed to El Paso. We stopped in Roswell and got some yummy dinner at the Zen Asian Diner and made it to the hotel about 9 PM. Aaron met us there. He was kind enough to pick up my packet and we had a nice visit and then I was able to get to bed about 11.
Marcy, Jeffery (her son) and Johnathan (college friend of Jeffery) met me at the hotel at 6 I have to say the folks at the Holiday Inn Express get bonus points for being nice Normally they do not serve breakfast until 7. They adjusted the schedule to accommodate the racers and set it out early. They gave Marcy a parking pass so she could leave her car at the hotel and we all jogged over to the conference center for the race start, about seven tenths of a mile away. We figured it was a good warm up. They had a bag check-in, so that was great for me since I like to run in cooler wear, but tend to freeze prior to the start. I'd had Shelley (local embroidery art business owner) decorate up a performance t-shirt for me with some fox paw prints and I was wearing my Newton shoes (see my Christmas shoes note for a picture of the best shoes EVER). I had on my NM Outlaws hat (multisport group) and my pretty butterfly socks. I tell you the details of the outfit, because every moment is emblazoned on my memory now that I am writing it down......
We all lined up at the start. I chatted with a man next to me. It was his first 1/2 and he was nervous. I reassured him that he had nothing to worry about because I KNOW that if I can do these events he can and he did seem to feel better as we talked. I'd set a goal of cutting 15 minutes off my prior best running time of 3 hours and 47 minutes from the Albuquerque 1/2 marathon last October. It was a cool morning, but I was optimistic. It took about three minutes for everyone to get across the start line, and I started my Garmin when I crossed the line, so my time is only tracking my running time.
I was running along and a couple of women next to me started up a conversation and mentioned that I seemed to have a really consistent pace. I was stunned. I laughed and said, thanks and then we talked a bit about how we got into running, what running we did, etc. I guess I did have a consistent pace, because even slow as I am, I eventually left them behind. That never has happened before..... That was weird. Anyway, I kept running and I know I was looking at my pace and it was 14/15 minute mile pace, so not very fast, but I was doing okay. I got to a long hill, and walked up it with another woman and she told me that she did this 1/2 every year, never trained and that the first half was quite hilly and the rest was pretty flat. Tip of the day, find out about the course (had not done that). I decided that I would walk briskly up each hill and run down each hill. That proved to be a winner of a strategy. I remember reading somewhere that this was not a very good idea, but it sure felt good on Sunday, and I have to tell you that while I have some muscle soreness in my thighs, I am really feeling great.
Around mile five or so I ran and walked a bit with a gentleman who suggested I breath in more through my nose and less through my mouth, so I tried that. I don't know if that is good or not, but I tried it, and seemed to do fine. Talk about shooting from the hip. Gosh I am glad nobody told me to try walking on my hands! I stopped at one port-a-potty just in case there wasn't one later, but I could have skipped it (I am sure you need the toileting details). I walked each water station and poured water on my head, down my chest, and down my back since I was pretty warm even though it was not all that hot. That coolness seemed to help me quite a bit. I do not know how much I ran vs. how much I walked, but I know I averaged 14:55 minute miles and that is about 2 minutes better per mile than I have ever done before. I can't believe I cut off that kind of time.
Now I do have to give the none 1/2 marathon runners some perspective. Marcy, who is about five years younger than I am, ran her 1/2 marathon in 2:06, so that is a respectable time for a 1/2 marathon. 3:17 is still a LONG time in a 1/2 marathon---- HOWEVER it is such an improvement that I am having a huge party in my head all day and all night, and I may never sleep again because I am truly getting better and more fit. I can't believe the improvement. You can celebrate with me.
Next adventure--- Roadrunner Triathlon on April 3rd in Las Cruces (unless something else magical comes along in the meantime........) I do know that now I have to see if I can keep running 13+ miles each weekend. Long runs, here I come.
Asthma Can't Keep Me Down: Pecos Valley 1/2 Marathon on 2.26.2011
Summary: I did the 1/2 marathon even though I am a wheezing asthmatic on antibiotics, and I am one happy camper for LOTS of reasons. One reason I am really happy is that this month I have biked and run over 300 miles, and that is the first time I've done that many miles in a month. Read on if you want details.
Last weekend I thought my asthma might be getting a bit obstinate, so I upped all of the usual medications and kept my training going getting ready for the 1/2 marathon on the 26th of February. On Wednesday, I called the local clinic and asked if they could work me in for an appointment, and they were merciful. I say my PCP, and she prescribed some prednisone and gave me a prescription for a z-pack of antibiotics to use once I could actually get enough phlegm up to see if it was nasty enough to warranty antibiotics. Evidently, most of the asthmatics in our region of New Mexico are having a rough patch this winter and I am not alone in my disobedient asthma. Frankly, I would like to spank my asthma and send it to bed hungry to teach it the appropriate respect for my fitness training and fantasies, however that is not working.
I kept using the nebulizer every four hours, and by Thursday night, the prednisone had loosen things up enough it was obvious that I need the antibiotics (smart doc-- thank you!). Hacking, coughing and gasping my way through the boy's district basketball game (Foxes emerged district champs, in overtime-- yeah Foxes), I didn't sleep well on Thursday night. The girls were playing for the district basketball championship on Friday night, and I didn't want to miss that game either. The Vixens emerged as the district champs-- congratulations Vixens), and I knew that no matter how bad I felt, I could make it through the 1/2 marathon on Saturday morning. Yeah, I realize it is probably not the most clever thing to do a 1/2 marathon with an asthma flare up, but I'd paid my $15 dollars for the t-shirt, and more importantly, I've been training for this since December! I knew I could do it, even if I had to do it more slowly than I anticipated.
Originally I'd planned on going over on Friday, but watching the Vixens beat Melrose for the district championship was a greater priority, so Les and I just got up at 5 on Saturday morning. I started the day with my usual Syntrax Vanilla Bean protein drink. I mix it with Splenda sweetened iced tea and Da Vinci sugar free Chai Tea extract. I am talking about the yummy Chai tea protein latte of the world. It is delicious. 100 calories and 20 grams of protein. You can't beat it for the way to start the day. I also packaged up a whole wheat bagel thin with some light cream cheese to eat at 7 AM. Since I was taking the predinsone, I had to have something solid, so I had 1 teaspoon of peanut butter on a slice of light 45 whole wheat bread. We were on the road by 5:30. I wore my compression tights, my festive running skirt with the wildflowers on it, my Brooks running shoes (the Mizuno's have not had enough distance on them for me to feel "safe" taking them on a full 1/2 marathon run yet) and a long sleeved bright pink zip top performance top. I also wore my Outlaws Multisport Club racing cap.
We got to Roswell a little after 7 (Les believes in obeying the speed limit), and I grabbed a couple of G2s and a cup of hot coffee (ahhhhh, caffeine, it is my friend). We got to Cahoun Park, and I got race number 51. I liked that symmetry since I am 51 (in triathlon years I am 52.... but that is another story). I hit the bathroom three times, never like to run with a full bladder, you know and finished my coffee. I visited with some folks and met Carl from Clovis who is also in the Outlaws. I told Les to come back about 11:30 since that was as early as I figured I would possibly finish. As it turns out, they didn't start us until about 8:15, so it was noonish when I finished.
The first mile was good. I ran a 13:30 pace, and then I had to stop to cough up so much phlegm that I had to get off the running path so nobody would see the pile of disgusting crud I was leaving on the side of the road. I knew I had to decide what type of race I was going to have, i.e. was I going to finish or not. I opted for slow and finish rather than burn out my lungs by punishing myself that way. I alternated running and walking and did well, and kept my average heartrate under 130, a pace I know does not hurt my breathing too much.
The first water station was located about 2 miles into the race and the second was located at the halfway point. The port-a-potty was at the first water station. I didn't need to stop on the way out (three trips before the race.....) but by about mile 6 I was looking for a bus. There were none. For those of you familiar with Roswell, we started at Cahoun park, ran on the bike/running trail, headed out to the highway out past the state police office, and then headed out on the truck by-pass relief route. There are no bushes, no trees, no businesses, no dirt roads to allow a detour, you are out of luck. I considered asking the volunteers at the turnaround if I could go behind their vehicle, but they were all young cadets from the military academy, and frankly I just could not bring myself to discuss my toileting needs with them. However, I do notice that I have no problem discussing it with everyone on Facebook, hmmm, the inconsistencies of my personal values and boundaries. Anyway, the trip BACK to the port-a-potty was just as desolate, though I did notice I made slightly better time on that section (ah the joys of data analysis with my special friend the Garmin Forerunner). It was hot.
I'd filled up my water bottles at the turnaround point and was swilling it pretty good. I was not worried because there was the second water station at the port-a-potty. I'd also poured water over my head and down my back and front. I'd even entertained becoming one of those women who run in her sports bra. Now I've never been one of those women because I don't look like one of those women who SHOULD run in her sports bra. I was hot, and I did consider it. I discarded it because I am frankly much to modest (refer to the paragraph above where I could not discuss my need to relieve myself behind a vehicle). I reached the 6K turnaround point and knew it was just a little bit to the port-a-potty and the next water station. I could see the port-a-potty, relief was in sight! I was so happy. Soon I was much more comfortable, unfortunately, there was no water. They'd shut down the water station. I was the last runner and there were still about 8 walkers behind me..... no water for us. Now that worried me, because I am a big drinker because I am so prone to dehydration. It was windy, it was hot, and I was out of water. I just told myself, "Suck it up, move on, there is a drinking fountain on the running path in a mile-- you can do that," and I did. I dumped a bottle of water on myself, cooled off, drank part of a bottle, and filled up two more just to be safe <grin>.
I used my inhaler about every hour on the run. Overall, it took me 3:52 and in October it took me 3:48 to do the Duke City 1/2. If my lungs had been more able, I think I could have cut 15 to 30 minutes off my time pretty handily, but I am very satisfied with the way it worked out. I will absolutely dress for hotter weather next time. I am so glad I didn't let the asthma get in the way. I am not very sore at all today, so I think my base fitness is much improved. This morning I got up at 6 and went to the gym at the school to use the stationery bike for an hour to work out my legs and have some easy spinning and did 18 miles. I track all of my miles (biking, running and swimming) each month, and this month is the first month I've gone over300 miles. Right now I have 92 running miles and 216 bike miles for February. I will add to that tomorrow :-)
After the run, Les asked what I wanted to do. I told him I needed to stretch out my legs some, so we went to Sams to do some shopping, and then we went to a yummy Asian diner for lunch and I had cashew shrimp and vegetables. We'd never been there, but I recommend Zen Asian Diner (I think that's the name) if you are in Roswell.
I really wish I had another 1/2 marathon on the schedule in May or so. May is a tough month with school responsibilities too. I've been looking, and there are a couple in April, but they both conflict with other stuff. One in Albuquerque conflicts with the Fox/Vixen Relays and one in Hobbs conflicts with Easter when we will be in CA visiting Stephen. I am thinking that I may just do a 13.1 mile run on that Saturday when we are seeing him in CA and check my time then. It isn't the same as doing it in a race though; I know I am faster in a race. The 1/2 marathon is a good distance for me because it does not seem to destroy my poor little arthritic knees (no knee pain at all). My next "event" is the Mesilla Valley Triathlon in Las Cruces on April 3rd. I am excited about that. My "worry" is that there has been no swimming since October; how good do you think I'm going to do on the swim? Yeah, that good, that is what I'm thinking. The lack of access to an indoor pool slows down winter practice, and I am not woman enough to go out to the lake with ice on it. Maybe in a week or two, brrrrr.
Anyway, I want to tell you all that your encouragement means so much to me. Thank you so much.
Patricia the Adult On-Set Athlete
Last weekend I thought my asthma might be getting a bit obstinate, so I upped all of the usual medications and kept my training going getting ready for the 1/2 marathon on the 26th of February. On Wednesday, I called the local clinic and asked if they could work me in for an appointment, and they were merciful. I say my PCP, and she prescribed some prednisone and gave me a prescription for a z-pack of antibiotics to use once I could actually get enough phlegm up to see if it was nasty enough to warranty antibiotics. Evidently, most of the asthmatics in our region of New Mexico are having a rough patch this winter and I am not alone in my disobedient asthma. Frankly, I would like to spank my asthma and send it to bed hungry to teach it the appropriate respect for my fitness training and fantasies, however that is not working.
I kept using the nebulizer every four hours, and by Thursday night, the prednisone had loosen things up enough it was obvious that I need the antibiotics (smart doc-- thank you!). Hacking, coughing and gasping my way through the boy's district basketball game (Foxes emerged district champs, in overtime-- yeah Foxes), I didn't sleep well on Thursday night. The girls were playing for the district basketball championship on Friday night, and I didn't want to miss that game either. The Vixens emerged as the district champs-- congratulations Vixens), and I knew that no matter how bad I felt, I could make it through the 1/2 marathon on Saturday morning. Yeah, I realize it is probably not the most clever thing to do a 1/2 marathon with an asthma flare up, but I'd paid my $15 dollars for the t-shirt, and more importantly, I've been training for this since December! I knew I could do it, even if I had to do it more slowly than I anticipated.
Originally I'd planned on going over on Friday, but watching the Vixens beat Melrose for the district championship was a greater priority, so Les and I just got up at 5 on Saturday morning. I started the day with my usual Syntrax Vanilla Bean protein drink. I mix it with Splenda sweetened iced tea and Da Vinci sugar free Chai Tea extract. I am talking about the yummy Chai tea protein latte of the world. It is delicious. 100 calories and 20 grams of protein. You can't beat it for the way to start the day. I also packaged up a whole wheat bagel thin with some light cream cheese to eat at 7 AM. Since I was taking the predinsone, I had to have something solid, so I had 1 teaspoon of peanut butter on a slice of light 45 whole wheat bread. We were on the road by 5:30. I wore my compression tights, my festive running skirt with the wildflowers on it, my Brooks running shoes (the Mizuno's have not had enough distance on them for me to feel "safe" taking them on a full 1/2 marathon run yet) and a long sleeved bright pink zip top performance top. I also wore my Outlaws Multisport Club racing cap.
We got to Roswell a little after 7 (Les believes in obeying the speed limit), and I grabbed a couple of G2s and a cup of hot coffee (ahhhhh, caffeine, it is my friend). We got to Cahoun Park, and I got race number 51. I liked that symmetry since I am 51 (in triathlon years I am 52.... but that is another story). I hit the bathroom three times, never like to run with a full bladder, you know and finished my coffee. I visited with some folks and met Carl from Clovis who is also in the Outlaws. I told Les to come back about 11:30 since that was as early as I figured I would possibly finish. As it turns out, they didn't start us until about 8:15, so it was noonish when I finished.
The first mile was good. I ran a 13:30 pace, and then I had to stop to cough up so much phlegm that I had to get off the running path so nobody would see the pile of disgusting crud I was leaving on the side of the road. I knew I had to decide what type of race I was going to have, i.e. was I going to finish or not. I opted for slow and finish rather than burn out my lungs by punishing myself that way. I alternated running and walking and did well, and kept my average heartrate under 130, a pace I know does not hurt my breathing too much.
The first water station was located about 2 miles into the race and the second was located at the halfway point. The port-a-potty was at the first water station. I didn't need to stop on the way out (three trips before the race.....) but by about mile 6 I was looking for a bus. There were none. For those of you familiar with Roswell, we started at Cahoun park, ran on the bike/running trail, headed out to the highway out past the state police office, and then headed out on the truck by-pass relief route. There are no bushes, no trees, no businesses, no dirt roads to allow a detour, you are out of luck. I considered asking the volunteers at the turnaround if I could go behind their vehicle, but they were all young cadets from the military academy, and frankly I just could not bring myself to discuss my toileting needs with them. However, I do notice that I have no problem discussing it with everyone on Facebook, hmmm, the inconsistencies of my personal values and boundaries. Anyway, the trip BACK to the port-a-potty was just as desolate, though I did notice I made slightly better time on that section (ah the joys of data analysis with my special friend the Garmin Forerunner). It was hot.
I'd filled up my water bottles at the turnaround point and was swilling it pretty good. I was not worried because there was the second water station at the port-a-potty. I'd also poured water over my head and down my back and front. I'd even entertained becoming one of those women who run in her sports bra. Now I've never been one of those women because I don't look like one of those women who SHOULD run in her sports bra. I was hot, and I did consider it. I discarded it because I am frankly much to modest (refer to the paragraph above where I could not discuss my need to relieve myself behind a vehicle). I reached the 6K turnaround point and knew it was just a little bit to the port-a-potty and the next water station. I could see the port-a-potty, relief was in sight! I was so happy. Soon I was much more comfortable, unfortunately, there was no water. They'd shut down the water station. I was the last runner and there were still about 8 walkers behind me..... no water for us. Now that worried me, because I am a big drinker because I am so prone to dehydration. It was windy, it was hot, and I was out of water. I just told myself, "Suck it up, move on, there is a drinking fountain on the running path in a mile-- you can do that," and I did. I dumped a bottle of water on myself, cooled off, drank part of a bottle, and filled up two more just to be safe <grin>.
I used my inhaler about every hour on the run. Overall, it took me 3:52 and in October it took me 3:48 to do the Duke City 1/2. If my lungs had been more able, I think I could have cut 15 to 30 minutes off my time pretty handily, but I am very satisfied with the way it worked out. I will absolutely dress for hotter weather next time. I am so glad I didn't let the asthma get in the way. I am not very sore at all today, so I think my base fitness is much improved. This morning I got up at 6 and went to the gym at the school to use the stationery bike for an hour to work out my legs and have some easy spinning and did 18 miles. I track all of my miles (biking, running and swimming) each month, and this month is the first month I've gone over300 miles. Right now I have 92 running miles and 216 bike miles for February. I will add to that tomorrow :-)
After the run, Les asked what I wanted to do. I told him I needed to stretch out my legs some, so we went to Sams to do some shopping, and then we went to a yummy Asian diner for lunch and I had cashew shrimp and vegetables. We'd never been there, but I recommend Zen Asian Diner (I think that's the name) if you are in Roswell.
I really wish I had another 1/2 marathon on the schedule in May or so. May is a tough month with school responsibilities too. I've been looking, and there are a couple in April, but they both conflict with other stuff. One in Albuquerque conflicts with the Fox/Vixen Relays and one in Hobbs conflicts with Easter when we will be in CA visiting Stephen. I am thinking that I may just do a 13.1 mile run on that Saturday when we are seeing him in CA and check my time then. It isn't the same as doing it in a race though; I know I am faster in a race. The 1/2 marathon is a good distance for me because it does not seem to destroy my poor little arthritic knees (no knee pain at all). My next "event" is the Mesilla Valley Triathlon in Las Cruces on April 3rd. I am excited about that. My "worry" is that there has been no swimming since October; how good do you think I'm going to do on the swim? Yeah, that good, that is what I'm thinking. The lack of access to an indoor pool slows down winter practice, and I am not woman enough to go out to the lake with ice on it. Maybe in a week or two, brrrrr.
Anyway, I want to tell you all that your encouragement means so much to me. Thank you so much.
Patricia the Adult On-Set Athlete
Duke City Marathon--> October 17, 2010
This Sunday was my first attempt at a half marathon, and it was magnificent fun. I had a great time and just to cut to the chase, I was not the last person in the race; I finished fifth from last in the 1/2 marathon run. For those of you who can stand the details, here goes.
I live in a tiny town, less than 1,000 folks, in a large county (2,345 square miles) in New Mexico. The total county population is less than 2,000. Even with that small population, we were magnificently represented. One of our high school students went with me, I will call her A, and four of our school teachers. A and I decided to do the 1/2 marathon run and the four teachers decided to do the 1/2 marathon walk. Everyone started training this summer as an outgrowth of our first local triathlon (we'd hosted one in June because we needed a fund raiser for our athletic program).
A and I left on Saturday and drove to Albuquerque for packet pick-up. We had to go to the downtown convention center. I have never been to a marathon event before, and boy are they casual compared to triathlons! No ID, no parent permission, you can pick up other people's packets; it is so much more "slack" than a USAT sanctioned event. Not that this was a problem since A is only 16, but it was something I noticed. A is a high school track qualifier (one and two mile) but she had really never done any distance running. She likes running, and she thought it would be fun to give the 1/2 a try with me.
Anyway, we took off for the mall and headed to Sephora. I told the beauty consultant that A needed a make-over since we were here for the 1/2 marathon and athletes needed to look their best (we'd planned our venture in advance) and after she was dolled up, off to meet the rest of our party at Olive Garden for pasta.
Sunday morning was great, and we got to the Civic Plaza in plenty of time. There were over 3,000 folks in the Duke City Marathon, and I am not sure how many in each event. I know we took off at 7:45.
I was worried about hydration, so I had my 40 ounce hydration belt on and I know I am the person most likely to set a "land slow record". I kid you not, I can run the most consistent 14:30 minute miles on the face of the planet. One mile, seven miles, five miles, it does not really matter, 14:30 per mile. Yes, if you see me in motion you would have to call what I am doing technically running, it is just an amazingly slow run.
Over the last two months I've been reading books on improving my running form, and have switched to a mid-foot strike. That took me from taking 60 minutes to run 3.5 miles to 50 minutes to run the same 3.5 mile route. That is a 16.6% improvement in a two month period. That makes me happy, and I really knew I needed to get different shoes before the race, but I live in a tiny town, and didn't have a chance to shop and break in new shoes early enough to make it make sense. This meant I was going to run this race in the old shoes that were correct for a heel striker. Oh well, it worked okay. I was able to run without taking a break to walk until after I finished mile 7. I have NEVER gone that far without at least some sort of walk break. If I didn't have cramping in my lower back, I am sure I could have gone at least another three miles before I needed a break. I suspect the back cramping was from forcing me to try to continue to run correctly in the shoes. I don't know that, but after talking to one of the track coaches at school, it could be that or it could just be that I am a baby. I can tell you that I was grinning ear to ear. It was AMAZING and I was so happy I could hardly stand it.
I walked half a mile, tried to work out the kinks in my back, and then ran another mile and a half. I walked with another runner who was recently out of her cast (stress fracture) and then ran the last mile and a half.
Oh, yes, my muscles are sore. I can hardly wait to get set for another 1/2 marathon, and to get up to Albuquerque tomorrow to try to get some of the correct shoes so I can gradually transition to some mid-foot strike shoes. One thing about being a person coming from absolute ground zero, you have nowhere to go but up and you have no ego to lose. I was just so excited to see the posted results and discover that I was not the last one. I spent most of my first year in triathlon being the last person to finish. This was my first 1/2 marathon, and I was NOT the last person. That is just stunning and amazing. It is particularly gratifying after feeling like such a failure after DNFing out of Elephant Man two weeks ago. To finish, finish well, and to be able to feel like I can barely wait to do the next race is so exciting and energizing.
A finished in about 2 hours and 50 minutes and I finished in 3 hours and 47 minutes. She does not ever plan on doing it again, but she is so happy she did it. I am now someone who finished running 13.1 miles in a 1/2 marathon. Wow. I am someone who is planning on doing another 1/2 marathon. I am sitting here planning on what type of training I need to do so I can do the full marathon next October. I am so excited that it is hard to even sit here at the computer and write about it instead of "doing" something.
I am excited too because I've got the Warrior Triathlon on the 30th of October. While I was doing the Duke City 1/2 I paid attention to how long it took me to do the 6.2 miles (1 hour and 38 minutes) because on Thanksgiving I am doing the Tallahassee Turkey Trot 10K (daughter and son-in-law are doing the 5K) and I want to try to do it in 1 hour and 30 minutes or better.
I realize my training goals are kind of lame compared to the competitive levels I know many of you experience, but it is nice to have a forum to share my personal victories too.
Patricia
I live in a tiny town, less than 1,000 folks, in a large county (2,345 square miles) in New Mexico. The total county population is less than 2,000. Even with that small population, we were magnificently represented. One of our high school students went with me, I will call her A, and four of our school teachers. A and I decided to do the 1/2 marathon run and the four teachers decided to do the 1/2 marathon walk. Everyone started training this summer as an outgrowth of our first local triathlon (we'd hosted one in June because we needed a fund raiser for our athletic program).
A and I left on Saturday and drove to Albuquerque for packet pick-up. We had to go to the downtown convention center. I have never been to a marathon event before, and boy are they casual compared to triathlons! No ID, no parent permission, you can pick up other people's packets; it is so much more "slack" than a USAT sanctioned event. Not that this was a problem since A is only 16, but it was something I noticed. A is a high school track qualifier (one and two mile) but she had really never done any distance running. She likes running, and she thought it would be fun to give the 1/2 a try with me.
Anyway, we took off for the mall and headed to Sephora. I told the beauty consultant that A needed a make-over since we were here for the 1/2 marathon and athletes needed to look their best (we'd planned our venture in advance) and after she was dolled up, off to meet the rest of our party at Olive Garden for pasta.
Sunday morning was great, and we got to the Civic Plaza in plenty of time. There were over 3,000 folks in the Duke City Marathon, and I am not sure how many in each event. I know we took off at 7:45.
I was worried about hydration, so I had my 40 ounce hydration belt on and I know I am the person most likely to set a "land slow record". I kid you not, I can run the most consistent 14:30 minute miles on the face of the planet. One mile, seven miles, five miles, it does not really matter, 14:30 per mile. Yes, if you see me in motion you would have to call what I am doing technically running, it is just an amazingly slow run.
Over the last two months I've been reading books on improving my running form, and have switched to a mid-foot strike. That took me from taking 60 minutes to run 3.5 miles to 50 minutes to run the same 3.5 mile route. That is a 16.6% improvement in a two month period. That makes me happy, and I really knew I needed to get different shoes before the race, but I live in a tiny town, and didn't have a chance to shop and break in new shoes early enough to make it make sense. This meant I was going to run this race in the old shoes that were correct for a heel striker. Oh well, it worked okay. I was able to run without taking a break to walk until after I finished mile 7. I have NEVER gone that far without at least some sort of walk break. If I didn't have cramping in my lower back, I am sure I could have gone at least another three miles before I needed a break. I suspect the back cramping was from forcing me to try to continue to run correctly in the shoes. I don't know that, but after talking to one of the track coaches at school, it could be that or it could just be that I am a baby. I can tell you that I was grinning ear to ear. It was AMAZING and I was so happy I could hardly stand it.
I walked half a mile, tried to work out the kinks in my back, and then ran another mile and a half. I walked with another runner who was recently out of her cast (stress fracture) and then ran the last mile and a half.
Oh, yes, my muscles are sore. I can hardly wait to get set for another 1/2 marathon, and to get up to Albuquerque tomorrow to try to get some of the correct shoes so I can gradually transition to some mid-foot strike shoes. One thing about being a person coming from absolute ground zero, you have nowhere to go but up and you have no ego to lose. I was just so excited to see the posted results and discover that I was not the last one. I spent most of my first year in triathlon being the last person to finish. This was my first 1/2 marathon, and I was NOT the last person. That is just stunning and amazing. It is particularly gratifying after feeling like such a failure after DNFing out of Elephant Man two weeks ago. To finish, finish well, and to be able to feel like I can barely wait to do the next race is so exciting and energizing.
A finished in about 2 hours and 50 minutes and I finished in 3 hours and 47 minutes. She does not ever plan on doing it again, but she is so happy she did it. I am now someone who finished running 13.1 miles in a 1/2 marathon. Wow. I am someone who is planning on doing another 1/2 marathon. I am sitting here planning on what type of training I need to do so I can do the full marathon next October. I am so excited that it is hard to even sit here at the computer and write about it instead of "doing" something.
I am excited too because I've got the Warrior Triathlon on the 30th of October. While I was doing the Duke City 1/2 I paid attention to how long it took me to do the 6.2 miles (1 hour and 38 minutes) because on Thanksgiving I am doing the Tallahassee Turkey Trot 10K (daughter and son-in-law are doing the 5K) and I want to try to do it in 1 hour and 30 minutes or better.
I realize my training goals are kind of lame compared to the competitive levels I know many of you experience, but it is nice to have a forum to share my personal victories too.
Patricia
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