Numbers

I've always enjoyed numbers.  Math and music...the neat predictability of numbers and rhythm...two of my favorite things. Often, when I am running, biking or swimming I am counting or chanting numbers or singing repetitively in my head. Strange?  Probably ;-).  However, it keeps me focused. 

Triathlon training is number-intensive for sure. Here are a few of "my" numbers, as of late:

3300:  the number of yards I swam in my indoor pool workout tonight (my longest thus far!)

1150:  the number of calories I was SUPPOSED to consume during yesterday's 4.5 hour bike ride

980:  the number of calories I actually consumed during yesterday's 4.5 hour bike ride (all all-time high for me in terms of caloric intake during training. Eating while working out is such a paradigm shift for me...someone who typically thinks about the calories BURNED during activity, without much thought to intake. I'm QUICKLY learning just how important consuming the right amounts of the right kinds of fuel is though!)

14:  the number of hours I worked out last week (swimming, biking, running and yoga)

5:  the number of laps I swam around the course marked out in the lake at Thursday night Open Water Swim (TOWS) at a camp outside of town (for a total of 1.41 miles!  This was my longest open-water swim yet...AND I did it without a wetsuit and without stopping!). 

4:  the number of pairs of running shoes I'm currently rotating through/experimenting with. It's also the number of yoga mats I play around with, depending on my mood/function. 

26.2:  the longest distance (in miles) I've ever run. I've never run a distance longer than a marathon. Hmmm. I think an ultramarathon needs to be in the plans for the next year or so...

2: number of times I've fallen off of my bike (both on the same day...whoops ;-))

13:  the number of minutes SLOWER my marathon PR is than the Boston Qualifying time of 3:35 (I have a lot of work to do!)

106: number of days in my longest streak of consecutive days of workouts (completed jan-may this year...streak died the day after my half marathon at the U of I :-))

9:  number of consecutive Bix 7 races in Davenport, Iowa I've run (this year will be my 10th!). This is one of my very favorite events each year. 

10:  the number in my list of marathons completed this year's New York City Marathon will be (!!!) on November 3 (seeing as I've only run 8 marathons...it means I need to find a suitable marathon #9 between now and November ;-)).

26:  number of training days between now and my 70.3 event in Racine 

75:  number of training days between now and becoming an Ironman!!!!!!!

Rockford Triathlon 2013

This past weekend I participated in the Rockford Triathlon, held at the beautiful Rock Cut State Park in Rockford, IL.  Well...it's beautiful most of the time, anyway.  Saturday morning it wasn't exactly beautiful.  It was cold, rainy and kinda icky, frankly.

I had won an entry to the Rockford Triathlon in a drawing through the Tri Shark triathlon club, of which I have become a more active member these past few months, this past winter.  I was excited by this for a number of reasons.  First, hey...free triathlon!  Second, I have some very good friends that live in that area and I am always excited by the opportunity to be able to see them.

The week leading up to the tri, I checked the weather a few times and was somewhat discouraged to see that it wasn't looking good as far as having a pleasant weather situation for the event.  Regardless, I was pumped for my first "real" triathlon of the season (I am referring to this event as a "real" tri...since it involved an open water swim.  The first tri I did in Morton had a pool swim and the Tri Shark triathlon was turned into a duathlon thanks to the E. coli adventure!). I was excited to see where my skills lie in a tri with an open water swim, bike and run, compared to last summer.

Friday night I was awoken a couple of times by heavy rain.  Saturday morning when I got up...it was sprinkling.  When I arrived at the transition/registration area, it was wet/mushy/icky.  Ugh.

While I was waiting in line to pick up my packet (yahoo for smaller events with day-of-event packet pickup!), I was greeted by a familiar face...my good friend (and graduate school roomie!) Brooke walked up to me!  She had driven out to the park from her home about 45 minutes away and had arrived at the early hour of 6:30am just to hang out with and support little old me!  It was great to see her...and meant a lot to have her support in the minutes leading up to the race.

After I got my number, shirt, and cute little bag with the race logo on it, I set up my bike and related accoutrements in the transition area.  I was pleased to see that we had assigned areas based on race number...and I had scored a spot right at the end of a row on the inside aisle.  Ideal!!  After setting up my bike, I sprayed myself down with lube and wrestled into my wetsuit.  I headed down to the beach and did some yoga poses/stretches in the sand to get prepped and ready to rock.  The water looked less than inviting, however I was still pretty excited to get moving.

I was in the third wave of swimmers, so after the first two waves set off I made my way into the water to wait for the start.  I quickly realized that the neck of my wetsuit was a bit too snug. Every time I breathed on the left side, the wetsuit rubbed on the back right part of my neck. Darn it all!  Rookie mistake...I didn't  adjust/check for areas that rubbed on the wetsuit prior to taking off. 

The swim course was approximately .45 miles long...after completing one loop of the course, participants had to get out of the water, run over a timing mat and jump back in for round two. Approximately 300 yards or so into the first loop, I felt a crawling sensation on my exposed skin.  I realized I was swimming though some sort of water plants. It kinda grossed me out, because I'm a wimp in the water. It kinda felt like snakes or bugs. Sick. Thankfully, swimming through crap didn't last forever. 

I was out of the water in 34:45. This isn't a super-fast time, but it is decent for me. There were 8 women in my division (Females age 30-34) and my swim was 7th out of 8. Looks like I still have lots of work to do in the water!

Once I was out of the water, I had to run up a small incline that felt like a huge mountain after being tired out from the swim ;-). I "hurried" to the transition area and fought my way out of my wetsuit.  I am soooo uncoordinated when it comes to getting out of that darn thing!!  I secured my helmet, put on my shoes, grabbed my bike and was out of T1 (transition 1)....in 3:35.  I was 5th out of 8 in T1....WAY too slow. What the heck was I doing in there?!  Ha! ;-)

I was excited to see another Rockford-area friend, Jill, standing under an umbrella outside of the transition area with her cute 1-year-old daughter Gia.  It was hilarious to see Gia's look of disgust as she sat in her mom's arms under the umbrella on that nasty morning!  Also with Jill and Gia was Michelle, a friend and former college roommate who now lives outside of Rockford!  It meant so much to have so many sweet supporters!

The bike was challenging for me. It rained basically the entire time...which freaked me out. I'm not really sure why. I've never fallen or crashed or anything during a ride when it's raining, but for some reason it's one of my (many) paranoias.  I was also trying out some racing wheels from a friend (zipp 404's)...trying new things makes me nervous too. Not exactly rational, I know, but my nervousness on the bike definitely showed in my finish time:  1:26.24, breaking down to a 17.4 mph pace. I was actually 3rd out of 8 in my age group on the bike, which is pretty great. However, I was frustrated because I know I'm capable of much better in that area. 

I was happy to get off of that bike...it's definitely not fun to be uptight/nervous for about an hour and a half!  The run is the "easy" part for me, and I always feel better once the swim and bike are behind me!  I was out of T2 (transition 2) in 1:10. This was the 3rd fastest time out of 8.

I happily (yet tiredly) set out on the run course. It was raining steadily at this point and my shoes sloshed soggily with each step. Brooke was waiting right outside of the transition area and ran with me, singing encouragingly in true Brooke-fashion the entire time, for about a quarter mile or so. This was a fun distraction from my tiredness!  

The run course was kinda beastly. It was rather hilly...I really don't feel like any of it was actually flat. It seemed to be all either uphill or downhill. A 10k (6.2 miles) is really no big deal to me, but I wasn't crazy about this course ;-).  It thankfully didn't rain the entire time I was running (unlike my time on the bike!), but my shoes sloshed/made rhythmic duck-like noises (from being soaked sitting out in the transition area) for 5 miles or so...which was kinda irritating. 

Toward the end, a girl in my age group passed me on my left during a flatter portion of the course. I complacently allowed this, until I mentally realized I really should've been pushing harder. I was able to turn on a bit of steam and we fought one another (with smiles in a friendly fashion, I must add! ;-)) for a big until I ultimate pulled ahead on an uphill and kept it strong until the end. 

I took a slight wrong turn a few hundred yards before the finish, but was quickly redirected with shouts from onlookers. I finished in 53:54, with an average mile per hour pace of around 8:33 (average for me).  This was 5th out of the 8 of us in my age group. 

My overall official finish time was 2:59.39. I was ECSTATIC to finish in under 3 hours!  This was my first time finishing an Olympic-distance tri in under 3 hours. My place was 6th out of 8 in my age group...definitely not stellar, but I'm pleased overall in spite of that. 

After the race, I was greeted by Brooke who had spoiled me by bringing me treats (strawberries and nuts!) to chow down on after I finished!  Yummmmm. It was nice to spend a bit of time talking with her and recapping the race to her before she had to head home to get cleaned up to get to a wedding out of state!  It was awesome that she was able to come!

I've spent some time perusing my results from last year's triathlons. It's fun to see how far my training has come from last year. Last year was really my first season of doing tris. My first tri in May of 2011 was a horrid experience (I had NO idea what I was doing!). I had thrown in the towel on the whole tri-thing until a year later...on May 24, 2012 when I decided to go big and give the world of triathlon another try and registered for the 2012 Branson half Ironman on September 23. 

Last season I completed 7 triathlons: 1 sprint, 3 Olympic, 1 "modified" Olympic (longer than a sprint but shorter than an Olympic tri), 1 half-Iron distance (though non-sanctioned) and my big half-Iron distance A-race in Branson on September 23, 2012. I didn't get under 3 hours in the three Olympic-distance races last year, thus had made it one of my goals for this season. 

This season has been good to me...a half marathon PR, completing my 8th marathon (and officially having the training base to be able to pick up a marathon "on a whim"!), placing 3rd in a 70.3 relay, placing 3rd overall female in a sprint tri (and getting a PR :-)), placing 5th in my age group in my first tri-turned-du AND now getting under 3 hours/PRing in an Olympic-distance tri!

This all speaks highly to my awesome coach, Laura!  I'm so thankful to have found her and to have her leadership as I work toward my personal goals. I'm stronger physically and mentally than ever, thanks to her!

Can't wait to see what else is in store for me this season!

(Teaser:  I confirmed today that my season will now include the NYC Marathon on November 3!  I'm ELATED. Stay tuned for details!!)

Two triathlons + two trophies = solid start to the season!

I've completed events each weekend for the past six weeks...

April 27: U of I half marathon

May 5:  Rev3 Knoxville 70.3 relay (swim leg)

May 12: Quad Cities Distance Classic half marathon

May 19: River City marathon (full #8!)

May 25: Tri for Kids' Sake (sprint tri)

June 1:  Tri Shark (sprint tri-turned-du)

I love racing...and it's been fun to have something "big" to look forward to each weekend. I now am breaking my streak this coming weekend, though. I think it's high time to stay home!  Clearly events like some of these aren't cheap..plus my brain (and maybe body!) could use some down time. 

My first two multi-sport events of the 2013 season have gone decently well. Somehow I managed to finish #3 overall female in the Tri for Kids' Sake. It was a small event...but a bit of a confidence builder nonetheless.  

I ended up deciding at the last possible moment to drive up to Morton, the small town where the race was being held approximately 35 minutes away from me, and signed up for the event just about 45 short minutes prior to the start. I really enjoy the big-name, thrilling events...but there is something very calming and inviting about smaller local races such as this one...nothing like being able to arrive less than an hour before the start and still have MORE than enough time to register and prep my things in transition!  I had run this race the previous year and remembered it as being well supported, fun, and having an uncomplicated course, so I was excited to give it another try.

The morning of the race was chilly, and I was slightly nervous. I had gone up alone, which is fine with me. Sometimes I really enjoy being solo. It calms me down. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy participating in events with my friends...but I also really appreciate some "me" time where I can do whatever odd pre-race rituals I want without fear of judgement ;-).

The swim start for the Morton event is a time-trial start. Registrants have to provide an estimated finish time for swimming 400 yards. Last year I had also signed up on somewhat of a whim and registered online just days before the race. Shortly prior to that race last year, I had registered for the Branson 70.3 event (maybe after a BIT of pressure from a friend ;-)).  The ONLY experiences in triathlon I had had prior to registering for Branson were an "indoor tri" in St. Louis in February of 2011 (completed simply for fun) and the great triathlon debacle of 2012...when I completed the Kansas City triathlon (sprint distance) in May of 2012 and H A T E D every minute (other than the run). However, having registered for Branson a mere 4 months prior to the event, I knew I needed to get serious with training. Enter the Morton Tri for Kids' Sake as my first real "training exercise" last season. 

Also...prior to registering for the Morton event last year I literally had not been in a pool (or lake or any body of water other than a bathtub) for approximately 6 months. So...I had NO idea of how to estimate my swim finish time for 400 yards. I think I estimated like 13 minutes. Ha!!! Looking back, I find this extremely funny. I ended up finishing in around 10 minutes (10:07.1).

The swim at this event takes place in a very nice outdoor lap pool. You jump in (one by one), swim down and back in one lane and then go under the rope...down and back the next lane...under the rope...etc...for a total of 8 lanes (400 total yards). 

Last year I probably could've even finished a bit faster than 10 minutes. The problem with estimating a slower time like I had is the lanes were already very congested by the time I got in the pool. People were fatiguing and popping up to grab breaks...some stopped in the middle of lanes and others grabbed onto the sides of the pool.  I actually had to swim/walk/run around many people.

This winter I've worked very hard on my swimming. I knew I was capable of finishing much faster than 10 minutes. However, when I asked the volunteers working the sign up table where I was to start in the line-up, they informed me that race-day registrants had to start at the end of the line. I kindly and what I hope still came across as humbly told them that my swim finish time would likely be quite faster than what those at the end of the line were. I KNEW from last year's experience that I did NOT want to get stuck at the end of the line. They ended up telling me to chat with the race director...who told me I could start around 30th. Sweet!  One volunteer did give me grief 3x as I stood in line (I was sporting number 119 on my body) with the athletes numbered in the 30's. I assured her the race director really did tell me what I was doing was ok but she did NOT believe me. 

I chatted with a few kind people in line as I waited...and soon enough it was my turn to run across the timing mat and jump in. I felt decent while swimming.....maybe not quite as strong as I swam in some workout sessions, but not bad overall. I finished the swim in 8:24.5 (1:42 faster than last year!). 

The bike and run went decently. It rained lightly off and on throughout the duration of the event. Additionally, it was pretty darn cold. When I got off the bike and started the run leg, my feet felt like blocks of ice. I truly could barely feel them for about a mile. At one point, shortly after leaving the transition area, I looked down at my feet to be sure I had put my shoes on...my feet just felt awful!!

My overall finish times weren't spectacular, but I was faster in all areas (except the first transition!  Ha!) than last year:

                2012                  2013

Swim       10:07.1           8:24.5 (2:06)

T1            1:29.2            1:53.6

Bike         45:18.2 (17.2)   43.48.5 (18.5)

T2            1:32.2             1:08.7

Run          26:32.4(8:34)   26:07.6 (8:25)

Total        1:24:59.1         1:21:22.9

WOW...check out my first transition (T1) this year!  It was almost TWO minutes!  Ha!  I know exactly why it took me so long...I made the mistake of planning to wear one of my favorite fitted black long-sleeved lululemon tops over my tri top when I got out of the water. It was COLD and I knew I'd want more coverage on the bike and run. Secondarily, I had forgotten my race belt at home (whoops!!). So, I pinned my race number to said top. After I got out of the water and was in the midst of transitioning to the bike, I had to FIGHT to get that dry tight top onto my cold, soaked body. The shirt was less than cooperative. Lesson learned:  they make triathlon-specific clothing for a reason. Perhaps a jacket with a zipper would've been a wiser choice as opposed to a tight, soft (though adorable ;-)) shirt. That said...the shirt really WAS comfy on the bike/run. Comfy enough to "cost" me ~1 minute in transition tacked onto my finish time?  Maybe not...oh we'll ;-). Live and learn!

Last year...I finished 3rd in my age group and earned a little trophy. This year...I finished 3rd overall female (and 1st out of 5 in my age group!). I was VERY surprised. Hooray for small events!! :-)

It was a fun, satisfying morning. 

(Dorky ol' me in my car with my award and look of dorky surprise before the drive home:-))

I texted my friend Jillian to tell her of my good fortune that morning...and she immediately called me back. "Do you remember what we were doing two years ago this same weekend?" she asked incredulously. I had to think for a few minutes before I realized it was exactly two years prior to this event that I had completed the horrid (for me!) Kansas City Triathlon with Jillian. After the race...I had even uttered the foolish words, "This was horrible. Triathlon just isn't for me."  I then sulked in the car until Jillian successfully navigated to a chipotle (at my request) that seemed to be an eternity away in driving distance. 

After that event...I had even, in anger and disgust, hung up my road bike in the garage and didn't ride it again for a good five months. Ha!!!!!  Ohhhh how time and an adjustment of attitude can change a person!

The weekend after the Morton event, I was registered to run in the Tri Shark Classic (sprint triathlon) near my home in central IL. Central IL experienced quite a lot of rain and subsequently quite a lot of flooding in the days leading up to the race. The morning before the race we received notice via e-mail that the triathlon had become a duathlon. The swim portion had been canceled, secondary to high levels of E. coli and other nastiness in the lake. Sick. 

While I understand the decision (duh!  Who can argue with E. coli?!), I was disappointed. I still don't LIKE swimming...but I really did work hard on improving my swimming skills this past winter and was (and still am) somewhat eager to see what I can do in a race.  I know there will be PLENTY of other opportunities for swimming this summer, though! 

I had a LOT of fun at the Tri Shark event. Since the event is local for me, I knew a large number of both participants and spectators. It's great to spend time before and after the event talking to people in the festive environment. My coach Laura came out to cheer on her Epic Endurance crew racing (her husband Dan, David, Steve and myself). Our friend Kelly was there and took some seriously amazing photos (the pictures to follow are all from her!)

(I'm not sure who or what I was smiling at here...I certainly look as if I was having fun!)

(I decided to blow Kelly/the camera some kisses....darn it, Rachel!  You likely cost yourself like a minute messing around! ;-))

(Me on the bike...taking things a bit more seriously here. I'm so grateful to Kelly for capturing these photos!)

I finished in 1:27:07.3, which earned me 5th place in my age group (F 30-34). I didn't believe some of my friends who were telling me that I'd get a trophy for 5th place....but I should've!  Because....

Here's my sweet trophy!!

Here are my times:

Run 1 (2 mi):  15:24.5

T1:  1:30.2

Bike (13 mi):  43:08.1

T2:  1:35.9

Run 2 (5k/3.1mi):  25:28.6

Steve, one of my awesome teammates, also earned a sweet Shark trophy for an impressive 3rd place finish in his age group!

(Way to go, Steve!)

The Epic Endurance crew! (Why am I hiding??)

I'm looking forward to my first Olympic tri of the season in a week!  I'm registered for the Rockford Triathlon (near my old stomping grounds!  I grew up in Winnebago, a small town outside of Rockford) on June 15. 

To be honest...I'm rather nervous...I haven't swam at ALL since the Morton event on May 25.  However, my running has been solid lately and my biking has been decent, for me. I'm hoping to go under 3 hours (I never quite got under 3 last season).  I need to really concentrate on my swimming form and confidence in the water...and I need to get serious about not wasting time in transitions/becoming more efficient. I need to get better about NOT being afraid to hurt a bit on the bike and being able to push my legs and body harder....and then really bring it home strong on the 10k run at the end (which is my area of relative strength).

I'm also excited about my fan club that will be present at the Rockford Triathlon...my good friends Jill and Brooke live near the race site and will be there, along with their sweet little ones Gia and Kaitlyn!  Can't wait!

Stay tuned!

What's in a name anyway?

Monday I began the arduous process of changing my name. While the divorce was finalized months ago...I hadn't taken the last steps required to legally change my name, for a variety of reasons (primarily to avoid the confusion by taking on a new name after the start of a school year...talk about mayhem for my students ;-)).

So far I've changed my name in 9 places and have approximately 18 more to go (until I remember another...which seems to keep happening).  For someone who hasn't had to go through this, know I definitely wouldn't wish it upon you.  It's quite the pain in the rear. Sure, sitting in government offices (lovely establishments including the DMV, Social Security Administration, circuit clerk) is time-consuming and irritating on many levels (though can provide some entertainment value as well).  However, the part of the whole thing that feels far worse than all of that is the emotional/mental piece. 

I'd been "Rachel Brunner" for 5 years, 8 months and 12 days. Rachel Brunner accomplished many things and experienced a lot in that time. First half marathon, first full marathon. First triathlon, first half Ironman. Trips to Mexico, California, Hawaii, Washington DC, Florida, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. And...I've seen countless clients for speech/language therapy through three different employers.  Stood up in my sister's and my brother's weddings. Held my niece at mere hours old. Becoming known by a new name is....awkward. Sad. Just plain weird. 

Changing my name requires a new driver's license, social security card, and credit cards. It requires changing my name on my bank accounts and at my doctors' offices, changing my name with my (three) employers, getting new work badges and email addresses, and learning to sign my name daily with a different last name. I've already caught my hand trying to revert back to its old motor pattern of signing my former married name a number of times this week. 

On my list of places to contact this week regarding my name change include the USAT and Ironman. Ironman?  Most definitely!!  You see...I've heard that they announce your name as you cross the finish of Ironman races.  Let me tell you what, if I cross that finish line after 140.6 miles of pain and perseverence and the announcer says, "Rachel Brunner...you are an Ironman!!!"...I will likely lose it. Here's hoping they change it without a fuss. We'll see.  If not...I might need earplugs. The sound of that name would likely induce vomiting at that point...or something. 

While it's definitely taking some adjusting to get used to my new-old name, it does feel good overall. Once again, I'm tied by name to my parents and brother/sister-in-law, four people who I love and respect, so that's one good thing I guess. 

A good friend texted me this picture today:

I could not agree more. Sometimes I feel guilty for my feelings of sadness over my current "state" and I know I've induced frustration in people close to me by the seemingly long "grieving" process I seem to be in the middle of (sometimes more or less than others!)!  The fact is, there are no rules for this...no time lines...and no "right" way of doing things or feeling. Recently I've finally started giving myself a bit of freedom to "feel" instead of keeping it all hidden and locked inside. Sometimes it presents a challenge as I feel decreased motivation to do anything, frankly. Sitting on the couch being sad feels easier than lacing up my shoes and pounding some pavement. Thankfully, my mind knows strongly the great feelings that come from training and racing...so I haven't let myself fall TOO far off the training wagon!

Next Saturday (June 15) I will be completing my first tri as Rachel Matyasse. It is an Olympic distance race in Rockford, IL and I am really looking forward to it. All things considered, I know I will be "ok".  I'm surrounded by a super network of friends and family who won't let me quit. 

I'm looking forward to becoming the best version of myself. In with the new (well, the old "new" anyway ;-)), out with the old. Here's to an epic summer!

Marathon #8 recap

Well...that's an underwhelming title for an overwhelming day. Everything else my tired brain came up with was either too cheesy or just plain stupid. So, I'll just call this post what it is:  simply a recap of my 8th marathon.

I've completed 8 marathons. I have to say...I like the sounds of that.  Eight marathons. First, Chicago in October of 2009.  Second, Minneapolis in June of 2010. Third, Quad Cities in September of 2010. Fourth, Quad Cities in September of 2011 (where I earned my PR of 3:49.46). Fifth, Virginia Beach in March of 2012 (my slowest...and most dramatic. I was incredibly sick and actually had passed out on the flight out to VA twice, resulting in an ER visit. I still managed to finish:  in 4:52.01). Sixth, Marine Corps in DC on my 30th birthday in October of 2012.  Seventh, Los Angeles in December of 2012 (on the day after Christmas!). 

And....eighth....today. 

Here I am at the finish...rather proud, I must say. 

....let's back up a bit, though. It was a long road to the finish this morning, both physically and mentally. 

I toyed with the idea of running one of the events in the inaugural Run River City event in Peoria since last fall when I heard it was scheduled. I was quite excited about a local marathon and was thrilled that Running Central, my favorite fabulous central IL running store, was sponsoring a team for the event to run to raise money and awareness for Easter Seals.  I felt strongly about supporting an exciting new event in my area...supporting Running Central...and of course, about supporting Easter Seals. Those who know me know that Easter Seals, an organization that provides pediatric outpatient rehabilitation services for children with disabilities, has been near and dear to my heart since 2007 when I moved to this area. So, for me, participation in the Run River City event would be a win-win-win. 

There were 5k, 25k, marathon and marathon relay options. I actually planned a number of weeks ago to run the relay. Long story short, my team fell apart. Next, I considered the idea of running the 25k (15.5 miles). I had never run a 25k race before...could be cool to add another race distance to my list. This week, however, I started thinking about just going for the full. Really...what's ~11 more miles?! ;-)

My coach, Laura, caught wind of my tentative plans and strongly encouraged me to NOT do the full. In fact, in my Training Peaks schedule she specifically wrote in a long run...of NO MORE THAN 13-16 miles for today. My left foot has given me some grief the past few months. Additionally, I hadn't run further than 13.1 miles since my marathon in December.  I really, really should listen to her.  Sometimes...I just get...stubborn.

Yesterday afternoon, I drove over to the Caterpillar welcome center in downtown Peoria. I walked up to the registration table and told the young man at the computer that I would like to register for the event. He asked me what distance...and I hesitated before responding "well I don't know. The full I guess."  He looked at me as if I was kinda crazy and said, "uh, it's YOUR decision!"  I'm sure he was thinking something along the lines of, "what kind of nut job walks up to a race registration not knowing what distance to register for?  Don't they consider training?!"  I repeated myself, more confidently this time, "yes. I know. I want to sign up for the full please!"

I secured my number and shirt, then checked out the Running Central tent where I scored a new pair of my favorite New Balance shoes (that I've used for about a year) for about half price on sale! Sa-weeet!!

After a dinner of GF pasta and lots of water, I hit the sack.  This morning, I climbed out of bed at the last possible minute (as is my typical style) and got ready for the race. I got to the race site around 6:40 for the 7am start (cutting it a bit close!!), scored a stellar parking spot along the road, visited a porta potty and made it to the start with time to spare. 

Number 70...ready to rock this thing!!

Wheelchair athletes lining up...many were wearing red "Team Believe" shirts for Easter Seals...pretty great. 

The following two photos I found on the Peoria Journal Star website:

(I'm in the left part of the pic above, with my head turned and a white visor on. In other news...I'm totally jealous of the abs on the chick in front of me!!)

AND THEY'RE OFF!!!

(I'm in the right side of the pic...white visor.  I love this picture!)

Things felt great...mile 1 was done and over before I even felt warmed up.  I completed mile 1 in 7:47.  Adrenaline ALLLLLWAYS gets me and I start off more quickly than I should.  Miles 2 and 3 were at a much more manageable (for me) pace of 8:15 and 8:16, respectively.  After that...I just wasn't feeling it.  I started to slow down.  It didn't take me long at all today to see that a 3:35 finish (my age group's Boston Qualifying (or BQ) time) just isn't in my capabilities...yet.  Miles 4 and 5 were slower yet...8:35 and 8:45.  I picked it up a bit for Mile 6...8:37...and Mile 7...8:26.  Mile 8 ventured into the 9-minute-mile territory with a 9:01 mile.  Miles 9-13 were all right around the 9 minute-mile pace.  Mile 14 slowed a bit to 9:15.  Miles 15-20 were all between 9-9:25. 

At mile 19 I started doubting myself and started wondering if maybe I was a complete idiot for running today...when I was explicitly advised not to.  Plus it was hot...and I was getting tired.  At each and every water stop (there were around 20, which was fabulous!!) I took two cups...one to dump over my head and one to drink.  Additionally, a few kind people were handing out cups of ice cubes in their yards!  These ice cubes felt like small pieces of heaven today.  Some went in my mouth...others went on my head...some were rubbed on my cheeks...and two went down the back of my shirt.  Ahhhhh!!!!

As I fought through mile 19-20, I told myself that when I got to mile 20 I would allow myself a short walking break.  I hadn't walked at all at that point and rationalized that a 20 mile non-stop running workout was, if nothing else, a great workout.  As soon as my watch beeped on that 20th mile, I stopped running and began to walk.  As anyone who has made it through elementary science knows...an object in motion tends to stay in motion and an object at rest tends to stay at rest unless it is acted upon by an outside force.  Likewise, an object walking or running at a slow pace sometimes requires an outside force to act upon it to get it moving again.

Around mile 21, my outside force came in the shape of a sweet "random stranger" (as we later called one another).  She ran up beside my right side and said something to me.  I had to take out my ear buds to hear her; she was offering up kind words of encouragement to spur me onward in my race.  I smiled at her and we started running together.

We exchanged some pleasantries, talked about the course...the heat...our aching bodies...and then she began to open up to me.  Turned out, she had just run in the Boston Marathon one month ago.  She shared that she was running today as a way to emotionally heal from that day.  I won't write about all the details of what she shared with me, because I don't feel it is my story to share.  One thing she did say to me that especially resonated within me, though, was "I have been dealing with survivors' guilt."  She went on to say that she didn't understand why it was that she was able to escape that day, bearing nothing more than the emotional scars, while others fared much worse.  As we fought through those final miles together, there were times she became caught up in her emotions and I had to wipe a few involuntary tears from my own cheeks. 

As we neared mile 23, we saw a fellow runner begin to stumble.  A few of us started shouting for help and two strong men ran up to the struggling runner and caught him before he could fall.  I will never forget looking in his eyes in that moment...they were rolling around in their sockets and his body seemed to be flailing uncontrollably.  What happened to me next is somewhat embarrassing to admit.  I started panicking...or hyperventilating...or something.  Honestly, I'm not really sure what was going on with my body.  A combination of the physical stress of the race and the heat and the emotional conversation I had been having with my new friend, on top of seeing the pain and struggle of a fellow runner...it all got to me.  I started breathing crazily and was horrified by the gasping sound coming out of my body.  I couldn't take deep breaths, which made me panic more, and I continued to gasp.  I felt my lungs inside my chest expanding as if they were going to push out of my ribs.  I couldn't stop tears from coming out of my eyes.  After what felt like an eternity...but was likely only a minute or two...I was able to talk myself down and get myself under control.

After being assured by others that the struggling runner would be taken care of, we continued on our way...together we pushed onward.  Our final miles were a run-walk combination.  A few times, my new friend needed to stop to throw up (by this point, the throwing up was dry heaves, as her poor stomach and body were completely empty).  Each time she urged me to leave her and go on...but I couldn't do it.  A few times, a selfish part of me was a bit tempted (just offering up complete honesty!) to continue on and just wait for her at the finish...but there was just NO way I could rationalize leaving her.  She had picked me up when I was about ready to give in between miles 20-21, the least I could do was to finish up the race with her.

As we neared the finish line, the reality of crossing a marathon finish line began setting in for her.  We talked about how today was completely different than April 15 and that what had happened there in Boston on that terrible day was not going to be happening today.  With about three tenths of a mile to go, I glanced down at my watch.  "4:07" shown back at me.  In a split second I realized that we would likely be crossing the finish line at 4:09.  4:09...when the explosion occurred at the finish line in Boston. 

We picked up our pace and ran toward the finish line stronger than we had run in the past 6 miles.  When the finish line came into view, it became clear that we would indeed be running under it within the 4:09 mark.  I didn't say anything to her as we finished, nor did I say anything after we finished.  However, I am sure she realized what was happening.

We crossed the finish line together at 04:09:30.  Two were absolutely stronger than one.

We exchanged some sweaty hugs after being presented with our medals.  We then parted ways.  I have a feeling, though, that our race together today won't be the last we see of each other.

Today was a day I will truly never forget.  It wasn't my fastest marathon...and it wasn't my slowest.  It was hard-fought, though, and a great day of training.  Most importantly, though, it taught me that there are things far more important than PRs and BQ times.  Kindness, compassion and companionship...to name a few.

Wrapping up with a few final tidbits from the day....

This vehicle cracked me up..."nuisance abatement vehicle"?!  It was parked on part of the course (I took the photo after I was done).

Here's a breakdown of my splits!  As you can see, I did the exact OPPOSITE of what one SHOULD do in a race...run "negative splits" (getting gradually faster). Instead...my pace dropped significantly throughout the race. But....I'm ok with that. And I truly mean it. Like I said, today's race showed me that there are things far more important than PRs and even BQ times...not that I'm giving up on my quest for those things!  That will just be for another day :-).

Each of my marathons is memorable, for one or more reasons. Chicago...my first. Quad Cities...my PR. Marine Corps...my 30th birthday (and hurricane Sandy!). Peoria...because it was a tangible lesson for me in what's really important in life. 

I'm truly grateful that I had the experiences that I did today. The soreness in my joints and muscles will (hopefully!) fade this week. My sun-burnt shoulders and arms will sting less. But, I really hope that I never forget the way crossing that finish line side by side with my new friend felt. The kindness of a stranger taught me about strength today in a way nothing has before.  To whom much is given, much will be required. I have this life, these legs that carry me (regardless of if they are as thin as I may like or as fast as I would desire!), and the heart that beats strongly within my chest. I know today more than ever that I have the responsibility to share my gifts and kindness with those I come into contact with.  Thank you to sweet J for an unforgettable run!

Looking forward to many more adventures,

Rachel Lynn

A Weekend of Firsts

The past few years, and the past year in particular, I've experienced a number of racing-and-training-related "firsts".  For fun, here are a few...

First half marathon (April 2009)
First full marathon (October 2009)
First time seeing a PT and orthopedic physician for Achilles tendinitis, resulting in 2 months of NO RUNNING aside from "pool jogging" (October 2009)
First time getting top female in an event (a SMALL 5k in April 2011)
First stress fracture (April 2011)
First time swimming in open water AND in a wetsuit (May 2011)
First triathlon (May 2011)
First time using clips on my bike (August 2011)
First yoga class (September 2011)
First century ride (October 2011)
First time actually getting fitted for running shoes by someone who knew what they were talking about (March 2012)
First time purchasing and riding a shiny new Trek carbon road bike (May 2012)
First time witnessing someone (my father) falling off of a bike, necessitating an ER visit, resulting in recurring mental anguish (May 2012)
First Olympic tri (June 2012)
First half Ironman (September 2012)
First experience with chafing so severe I had to resort to Desitin (September 2012)
First experience working with a tri coach (November 2012)
First time using aero bars (March 2013)
First time getting stuck in my pedals and falling off of my bike...twice for good measure (April 2013)


The weekend of May 3-5, I added some more "firsts" to my growing list:

First time participating in a Rev3 event (AWESOME!)
First time visiting Knoxville, Tennessee
First time participating in a relay triathlon (or any sort of relay race, for that matter!)
First time swimming in the Tennessee River
First time swimming in open water during the 2013 season
First time placing in a 70.3 relay!

My awesome coach, Laura, extended an invitation to complete a 70.3 relay with her at Rev3 Knoxville to myself and Steve, another athlete she coaches.  I was hesitant (the two of them, Laura in particular, are MUCH more adept triathletes than I am!)...but am glad I agreed to go.  It was a BLAST...and a fabulous learning and training opportunity.

Aaaaand...we got third in the relay category of the race!  I completed the swim portion, Laura did the bike and Steve ran.  It was a NASTY weekend, weather-wise.  I don't think it stopped raining the ENTIRE time we were in Knoxville!  Clearly it didn't affect me in the swim (c'mon...water is water), but the bike and run portions of the race had to be just miserable (Laura and Steve are champions!!).  I will say, though, the swim was a challenge in its own right...the water was about 58 degrees!  It was so stinking cold!!  I was grateful for my wetsuit....and for the thermal swim cap Laura lent me!

This race definitely got me pumped up for triathlon season...AND it made me eager to try out more Rev3 events!




Team Epic Endurance...with our SWEET Rev3 Knoxville finishers' medals AND third place medals!



NOT very excited about the cold  water...this was taken the day before the event; we were allowed to practice on the course.



Pretending to be stoked



Thinking about going in...



I look pretty happy...I was probably simply delirious from the cold



Pretending to know what I'm doing

The perfect distance

The past few weeks have shown me that the half marathon, 13.1 miles, is my perfect distance. 

As I was explaining to a friend recently...I've realized that 5k's just aren't for me.  In my opinion, in general they seem to be for
a) new runners who need an easily attainable distance to train for,
b) casual runners satisfied with the respectable distance of 3+ miles who don't necessarily have the desire to do longer races, or
c) super fast runners who can be absolutely speedy at a short distance and bring in 3 consecutive ~6 minute-miles. 

Let me be clear...I am NOT poo-pooing at 5ks (in fact, I am particularly impressed with those who fall into category (c)!  My body was just NOT made to go fast.  Or, if it was, I can't seem to make it do that.  I hate hurting too darn much!!)...simply saying they aren't MY "best fit race."  Since they aren't a great fit for me...unless there's something super special about the event...I just can't justify paying $$$ to register to run a 5k.

Marathons are still my true "loves"...but there are too many variables with a marathon.  They are just too long...and there's too much time for pain/injuries/nutrition issues/GI distress.  Half marathons...for me anyway....are simply perfect.

Exhibit A:
My first race of this season was Saturday, April 27th.  My dear sister Megan and I registered for this race together.  It was to be Megan's first race post-baby!  Macy, my adorable niece, was just five months old at the time of this race.  I am VERY proud of my sister for putting forth all of the extra effort needed to train for a half marathon after giving birth and while caring for an infant!  Megan, as I've written about many times, is who spurred me on to running years ago.  I was more than happy to be able to support her in her first race "back" after baby!

In the weeks leading up to the race I couldn't quite decide how I wanted to treat the race.  I had earned my half marathon PR at the U of I half marathon the previous year (1:48:20).  Part of me thought that perhaps a faster PR could be in the cards for me at this year's event.  But, an even larger part of me thought that this was probably a lofty goal.  I had not been running much in the weeks leading up to the event.  The longest run I'd completed in April prior to that weekend was a 7 mile run on Sunday, April 14.  My left foot had been bothering me for about a month...I'd received a tentative diagnosis of Morton's Neuroma from two different physical therapists and had subsequently been taking it "easy", mostly swimming and biking.

Even in spite of the foot pain, I had no doubt that I'd still be able to at least finish the race.  I toyed with the idea of running alongside Megan for the entire race for support.  I probably SHOULD have been a good sister and run with her :).

But...on race morning, I felt great.  The weather was cool...the rain that had been forecasted was holding off.  My GI system and nutrition felt on track.  All systems appeared to be a "go".  So...I made the decision to go for it.  Selfish...maybe (sorry Meg!! ;))...but I am glad I challenged myself.  It paid off!!  I smashed my former PR, besting it by 1:31, and replaced it with a new one of 1:46.49.  Not too shabby for my first race of the year!  It felt good to know that my training seemed to be paying off!

Even better than my PR, though, was the fact that I felt STRONG throughout the entire race!  My body felt great...the best I've ever felt running in any race, ever!  My foot did start hurting around mile 10, but it wasn't anything unbearable by any means.  It didn't slow me down, and I did my best to force it out of my mind.  After the race, I truly felt on top of the world.



Me with Meg after the U of I Half Marathon

 

Me after the Quad Cities Distance Classic...at my alma mater
**hmmmm...apparently my blue Lulu pullover brings me some half-marathon luck!  I just realized I wore the same top to both events this year!  Ha!!**

Exhibit B: 
My third race of the season (second running event) was this past Sunday...the Quad Cities Distance Classic Half Marathon.  This was my first year participating in this event.  I had been planning to go home to the Quad Cities this past weekend for my niece's dedication at Megan and her husband's church on Mother's Day.  On a whim about two weeks ago, I Googled "Quad Cities races May 12" and noted that the Quad Cities Distance Classic was indeed on that day...and it was on Augustana College's campus!  TOO PERFECT!!

I decided to wait until the morning of the event to decide for certain if I was going to do the event.  If it interfered with family plans...if it was raining...or if I didn't feel well, I would simply not attend.  But...if all of the stars seemed to be aligned...I would go.

When I woke up Sunday morning, I felt great...so I ate a banana and a KIND bar (my pre-race meal of choice!) and set out on my way to Augie's campus.  I found a prime parking spot in the Centennial Hall parking lot and made my way to Carver Hall where the registration and packet pickup was held.  After securing everything I needed to participate, I made my way back to my car where I sat in the warmth for a while...it was a chilly morning!

Right before the start, I made my way out of my car and walked a short distance to the starting line.  The weather was cool, but not freezing.  There was a bit of wind, but it wasn't horrid. 

The race started...and I felt fantastic.  The route started downhill, but soon began a short uphill jaunt.  The course was actually pretty hilly.  The wind added to the challenge for some portions of the race.  As I was running, I felt fantastic.  Actually, until about mile 8 I was envisioning a NEW PR.  I'd be lying if I said I wasn't at least slightly disappointed that I didn't get a PR ;)....my time Sunday fell short of my time two weeks ago at the U of I by a mere TWO seconds!  My official finish time was 1:46.51!  Until the official times were posted later last night, I actually thought there was a chance that my finish time was identical to the finish time at the U of I event.  How funny would that have been?!

I am VERY proud of my pace...8:09 average per mile for the race, which is fantastic for me!  I'm the girl whose comfortable/default pace is 9:30!  As I previously stated, I DON'T like hurting.  I love running...and and can run for hours on end...but would prefer to run slower for longer than faster for a shorter time period.  That said, I am slowly adjusting to the mental game of becoming OK with pain...probably a GOOD thing as the Ironman date only looms closer and closer!

My splits are as follows:

Mile 1:  7:39
Mile 2:  8:04
Mile 3:  7:59
Mile 4:  7:50
Mile 5:  7:23
Mile 6:  8:03
Mile 7:  8:03
Mile 8:  8:07
Mile 9:  8:17
Mile 10: 8:17
Mile 11: 8:19
Mile 12: 8:20
Mile 13: 8:10

Ok...I realize that in an ideal situation, one would run negative splits (or get faster as the race goes on).  My pace was fairly steady (right below 8 min/mile) for 8 miles.  After that I was pretty solidly around 8:20 for the remainder of the race.  BUT...my pace IS much faster than it USED to be.  So, I consider that a big victory for me.

I'm cautiously optimistic about the rest of my 2013 racing season after my two solid (for me!) half marathons!

This next weekend is a new event in the Peoria area...The River City Marathon.  There are the following distances available:  5k, 25k, marathon and marathon relay.  I had tentatively been planning to complete the marathon relay with some friends, but the plans fell through.  I still want to attend the event, but am undecided on distance.  As previously stated, I feel like the 5k would be a waste of $$ (for me)...I've never run a 25k so that could be a fun experience...but part of me wants to just go for the full marathon.  Why not?!  I will probably just wait until Saturday (packet pickup!) to decide.  We'll see...