tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65088251430431637152024-03-18T21:32:03.023-07:00Kirsten-a runner, a triathlete...Thoughts and stories about racing and training experiences from an average
marathoner/ironman who really just loves to be out there and values every moment.Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-70733486302299016412011-08-08T09:35:00.000-07:002011-08-08T11:18:29.326-07:00Preggo Running Update<div style="text-align: justify;">It has been MONTHS since I've been on this blog, but I'm still here and I'm still out there running. I will include lots of pictures in this post!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Last Rochester Run's with my FRIENDS:</b> I made every group run I possibly could and created a few extra's to squeeze in as many miles with my friends as I could in our last weeks in Rochester. They are ALL greatly missed and will always be a huge part of my memories of our time living in NY. I know I have lifelong friends there and we will be meeting up for future races and triathlons. Somehow I was able to keep up with them while pregnant even for our last runs together. Once I got to WA and further into my third trimester I slowed down, but am so thankful I could keep up with them while I was there! Also thankful to still be running!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKYkWWalkssQ1g4QkXA4djY7ik-pSOW-BxsCEX-HkXcZa7zGlX-vnzX5a3y09WNV69cwCiiz1jxW6m2zpZEdQU8tzdeUI47y5kmUIUKwZ3ZD2ClqhKgRS-XQAS8bec0YK_jzQ09cijojs/s1600/IMG_0526.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKYkWWalkssQ1g4QkXA4djY7ik-pSOW-BxsCEX-HkXcZa7zGlX-vnzX5a3y09WNV69cwCiiz1jxW6m2zpZEdQU8tzdeUI47y5kmUIUKwZ3ZD2ClqhKgRS-XQAS8bec0YK_jzQ09cijojs/s320/IMG_0526.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638533305060402674" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Last Saturday long run with my friends. 10 miles at a 9:29 pace. Thankfully everyone runs their long run at an easy pace. These guys are all fast Boston Qualifiers and Racers!!! </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(almost 29 weeks preg.)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AuH45UErr4XplM_YoKDRimJlJvAdZvWgFMcNZG1hDW1-FEzJmdQXjW74RADnxvtDQU5mmm519IDL3u5kgTyJTvFs8q5ulQIKou7RmrudbvPu1QPlN3yvYv_rI_m-kTNEVpQFFa2VqdVg/s1600/last+run.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-AuH45UErr4XplM_YoKDRimJlJvAdZvWgFMcNZG1hDW1-FEzJmdQXjW74RADnxvtDQU5mmm519IDL3u5kgTyJTvFs8q5ulQIKou7RmrudbvPu1QPlN3yvYv_rI_m-kTNEVpQFFa2VqdVg/s320/last+run.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638535234505253106" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Early morning and very humid 10 miler the day before I left town. 10.4 miles, 9:36 pace.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(Kathy, Heather, Megan, Steve, me, Sandy, Wendy)</i></div>
<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWa0HkNnlDWMJEkk1XaHrPAR9TfkPiL_cALD0aNPLSdK8rYhD5UIQEFLiouwAZ09eZqeLLd7FD7-FE3-2Dw6Q8RkpKJwdXx7QzbPJ5M6VMphUBpq_3L64eel0O1I1j3I3JuOa9u4sKAUb/s1600/IMG_0521.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEWa0HkNnlDWMJEkk1XaHrPAR9TfkPiL_cALD0aNPLSdK8rYhD5UIQEFLiouwAZ09eZqeLLd7FD7-FE3-2Dw6Q8RkpKJwdXx7QzbPJ5M6VMphUBpq_3L64eel0O1I1j3I3JuOa9u4sKAUb/s320/IMG_0521.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638541008165934274" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Kim and I before our last yoga class in Rochester. </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>(28 weeks preg.)</i></div>
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Moving:</b> We have officially made the move from Rochester, NY to Tacoma, WA. It was quite a wild adventure complete with packing, loading, driving 6 days, my husband driving the moving truck towing a car and me driving the SUV with two bikes and two dogs, then unloading and unpacking and settling in...</div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJBZ_yJ6vVvcBI1vrlqYqPDSzCN2_h6GXZ62_2poBQprYBKkgTRn3BVifm1UjmS1Gr6-CqnbF7O_k0_94SJa5uD_XO2W9cZschRTJlZ-Oxphyphenhyphen76pOaUOzB0wsLRvMk7qG0Zv_b0f8IdDj/s1600/IMG_0548.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyJBZ_yJ6vVvcBI1vrlqYqPDSzCN2_h6GXZ62_2poBQprYBKkgTRn3BVifm1UjmS1Gr6-CqnbF7O_k0_94SJa5uD_XO2W9cZschRTJlZ-Oxphyphenhyphen76pOaUOzB0wsLRvMk7qG0Zv_b0f8IdDj/s320/IMG_0548.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638536162950671762" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTNqHCx9ixUCT_rU695JhAPJfOGhWJ_ZIb-6vRtEYOpHRElZi-2-uPudYDV6oaNhyphenhyphenbcbFpLxpzOwb7PvlDEyUFO22EfY71CH4kGaB5oTwsYhZVG526PavkO9tmGS1EAjXxS5SBXGgBa4q/s1600/IMG_0543.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNTNqHCx9ixUCT_rU695JhAPJfOGhWJ_ZIb-6vRtEYOpHRElZi-2-uPudYDV6oaNhyphenhyphenbcbFpLxpzOwb7PvlDEyUFO22EfY71CH4kGaB5oTwsYhZVG526PavkO9tmGS1EAjXxS5SBXGgBa4q/s320/IMG_0543.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638536422565161458" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbxo2VI6apVxZLLm0Y4WEg5WHPlX3p1us3mv9fjIE0fDJn-w6G2RRkHNk2w8mE5RSom5BloE5_evdAc6VbcVL6g8VMJlDGW8-Se-bE50OLaseHJ5xtXv2_oOEDlln5GF334PhgMKfezid/s1600/dogs.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFbxo2VI6apVxZLLm0Y4WEg5WHPlX3p1us3mv9fjIE0fDJn-w6G2RRkHNk2w8mE5RSom5BloE5_evdAc6VbcVL6g8VMJlDGW8-Se-bE50OLaseHJ5xtXv2_oOEDlln5GF334PhgMKfezid/s320/dogs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638539712167740866" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Rudy and Goliath</i></div>
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Current Running:</b> Since moving to Tacoma, my husband Colin has started running with me for almost every run. He has run 4 or 5 half marathons, his first marathon last fall, and slows down to stay with me. (even though I tell him to go ahead!) He takes Rudy, our 6 year old energetic golden retriever, and runs ahead of me for our short 4 milers through the week. Then for the weekend long runs, we leave Rudy at home, and Colin runs with me the whole time. He easily tolerates my slower pace and frequent RR stops. I'm a lucky girl! It's great to not have to run alone after leaving so many great running partners in Roch! I'm now on a 10:00 to 10:30 mile pace but occasionally run a mile or two around 9:40's and 9:50's which seems crazy fast in this pregnant state! ha! I feel great out there running, some days are much easier than others to run. It's definitely more of an effort to run with an awkward belly and constant pressure on the bladder! I cannot wait for that part to end! At 35 weeks pregnant, yesterday I ran 9 miles with Colin at a 10:28 average pace and had to make 3 RR stops due to a baby on my bladder! But I made it to the end. Glad to still be running 5 to 6 days a week and making it to yoga once or twice a week. On long runs especially, I can literally feel the baby going lower and lower into my pelvis, weird! Here is an overview of pictures so you can "watch" the belly grow!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDmkYdkseOy3S8MJxvF1_2h7YpgvFl4hwM2XW2oGvDT8jujL4ZCEPY1ZfsjucWxnKwtm8c-bYtjp_dvgQ1NgBFckKUee45WBqrXGNz9GVBI4B8WchBL6BrxwLBby-VmFGmFLsmwjTFlmg/s1600/IMG_0483.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMDmkYdkseOy3S8MJxvF1_2h7YpgvFl4hwM2XW2oGvDT8jujL4ZCEPY1ZfsjucWxnKwtm8c-bYtjp_dvgQ1NgBFckKUee45WBqrXGNz9GVBI4B8WchBL6BrxwLBby-VmFGmFLsmwjTFlmg/s320/IMG_0483.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638537182409012274" /></a><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Almost 27 weeks...</i><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
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<br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfSPgo50RRsrIygrB095V5K-eb8jFuBDMAL71dYoS5P0xyBGeESFRbE0pwkTtN_haj2Is2GIw_t_G2gL_untq8xem87a0xJztqN8XIg4B7Bsr89IaJb-0Fj7ESJyyVuslMe5ptFTRELkR/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZfSPgo50RRsrIygrB095V5K-eb8jFuBDMAL71dYoS5P0xyBGeESFRbE0pwkTtN_haj2Is2GIw_t_G2gL_untq8xem87a0xJztqN8XIg4B7Bsr89IaJb-0Fj7ESJyyVuslMe5ptFTRELkR/s320/IMG_0502.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638538085532195442" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>28 weeks</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
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<br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkCmnnxh7K_I1WjnhpxCTqg0Cw8oY5U1A20XZa6uOWoXLdc6eYUjdHajI7QifeoF02Cs8nMu8GUJYAu6he9rkTIH7g7RAK2IwKvoNrBih1_RxCi1fIEO7LslV7J8KsdyUq18jtSR3YPPR/s1600/IMG_0562.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkCmnnxh7K_I1WjnhpxCTqg0Cw8oY5U1A20XZa6uOWoXLdc6eYUjdHajI7QifeoF02Cs8nMu8GUJYAu6he9rkTIH7g7RAK2IwKvoNrBih1_RxCi1fIEO7LslV7J8KsdyUq18jtSR3YPPR/s320/IMG_0562.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638539063943166498" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>29 weeks</i></div>
<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdV3vv5kTRQiNtkNAzrAMI5y05CcFmr44Jrv_KGwaKz4D4WB5AqN-SAjHSL4__qYR85oQ0LSYeNSkt8ZCT5Mda1NvhaB03FTBwWDlZgmYeqkKbW5-W_QiJOtdwtwEg_PO7j8pxo_zUdFZ/s1600/IMG_0571.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDdV3vv5kTRQiNtkNAzrAMI5y05CcFmr44Jrv_KGwaKz4D4WB5AqN-SAjHSL4__qYR85oQ0LSYeNSkt8ZCT5Mda1NvhaB03FTBwWDlZgmYeqkKbW5-W_QiJOtdwtwEg_PO7j8pxo_zUdFZ/s320/IMG_0571.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638540330640062482" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">29 weeks</div></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2RNIkuOrHMDJaf5hWw6y836SiqD_po3auK65yB-mMx5HoXhCHpmVY5GRRCXXa0BauA1761JLRlllswUFKu2F9heRxzmDN8dpdhfULExVkNOkSXxAQBBScYlfQWNJCqyMTqmyQgmCpONf/s1600/IMG_0633.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiY2RNIkuOrHMDJaf5hWw6y836SiqD_po3auK65yB-mMx5HoXhCHpmVY5GRRCXXa0BauA1761JLRlllswUFKu2F9heRxzmDN8dpdhfULExVkNOkSXxAQBBScYlfQWNJCqyMTqmyQgmCpONf/s320/IMG_0633.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638542017511924434" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My friend Dawn (and her husband) came from Iowa to visit us in Tacoma and she and I ran 10 miles together. She slowed down for me! 10 miles, 9:53 pace, 32 weeks pregnant</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
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<br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeX537WR8D_j6yvj0trn8mCV9Z2vGNHLSVgFchN6vbh18DU9RVyI3SaV4_7u1tNjIHE_RxqqbMhObbhOvpb6crEBfr9ylheshMM5elbyMvzA6h2P5effjfW1jZflr3XwVodI1AoqNyJYa/s1600/IMG_0635.JPG" style="font-weight: bold; " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOeX537WR8D_j6yvj0trn8mCV9Z2vGNHLSVgFchN6vbh18DU9RVyI3SaV4_7u1tNjIHE_RxqqbMhObbhOvpb6crEBfr9ylheshMM5elbyMvzA6h2P5effjfW1jZflr3XwVodI1AoqNyJYa/s320/IMG_0635.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638543040421936882" /></a><div style="text-align: center; "><i>Sideview, 32 weeks</i></div><div style="text-align: center; "><i>
<br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9si5EpHHogkoCpxN3DOcaabODHjBnkB6nwLdJzH_A-_YakOFHuwHr4O2L7hthdtiDN6MIbpB-Nat2fAqNj1jqu7hyphenhyphen4oKwrbQDBD6afHe4lyemSrToC9jsGLQUHuytIrMBJTFz7aLn4YG/s1600/IMG_0666.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd9si5EpHHogkoCpxN3DOcaabODHjBnkB6nwLdJzH_A-_YakOFHuwHr4O2L7hthdtiDN6MIbpB-Nat2fAqNj1jqu7hyphenhyphen4oKwrbQDBD6afHe4lyemSrToC9jsGLQUHuytIrMBJTFz7aLn4YG/s320/IMG_0666.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638543623493802626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>33 weeks, after 10 miles at a 10:09 average pace (with Colin)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
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<br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjTn53TknxoWvM6RJqXa1nznlv_ij3atITxlolYxweIAyKWUTdQ9rZzf8pb3x8UbDhDNZddy5eUgpwnsXvjZstEzsoi44eKDckcAQFah6PyecPUTwrwQDzRqVqmZ4oz7RY_ZhgjvOsM5N/s1600/IMG_0676.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjTn53TknxoWvM6RJqXa1nznlv_ij3atITxlolYxweIAyKWUTdQ9rZzf8pb3x8UbDhDNZddy5eUgpwnsXvjZstEzsoi44eKDckcAQFah6PyecPUTwrwQDzRqVqmZ4oz7RY_ZhgjvOsM5N/s320/IMG_0676.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638545744594114754" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>34 weeks, after a short 4 mile run</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
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<br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHduK2ALUP870SPIFO2ImTkLKRDCOo9A7jbBtLvNUZNp5qbxzD29eb0MulWciF347gz6mSfabu70kHrWg59ZbuPAmMSVFoIqslnJIXBWlYLzqNBD9EpaTgLlm4X6hMfwxdSnqmIi2HMbs/s1600/IMG_0670.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTHduK2ALUP870SPIFO2ImTkLKRDCOo9A7jbBtLvNUZNp5qbxzD29eb0MulWciF347gz6mSfabu70kHrWg59ZbuPAmMSVFoIqslnJIXBWlYLzqNBD9EpaTgLlm4X6hMfwxdSnqmIi2HMbs/s320/IMG_0670.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638544518396681986" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>34 weeks, sideview</i></div>
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<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Summer Weather: </b> <i>OUTSTANDING!!!!</i> If you need a reprieve from the summer heat, you must visit the Pacific Northwest. It's unbelievable great running weather with highs only in the mid to upper 70's and no humidity. You can run in the middle of the day and be perfectly fine or opt for a morning run in the 60's and sometimes high 50's. I'm not kidding!!!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Hiking:</b> This state is absolutely gorgeous! There are mountains and hiking and skiing all within driving distance. We were able to get out on several hikes and take in some beautiful scenery. On a clear day you can see amazing views of Mt. Ranier from Tacoma. It's so cool to live where there are mountain and water views all within a mile from my house! We've decided to curb the hiking since I'm more "pregnant" now and would hate to be stuck miles up a trail and have something crazy happen and not be able to get back down quick enough!</div><div>
<br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bCu8xlt9pDS4bQz07Qs94hUC-wKxvs9S_v_0zndHWDsmpeYW673l2qPluVZzNN25WJcQNrVFcdnOi8uZW1ohfwaim0yDUx_UTzIwbd6hyjTWhyW2ZBYY0_j80NfA5WzwFf01BSdN0z22/s1600/IMG_0594.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9bCu8xlt9pDS4bQz07Qs94hUC-wKxvs9S_v_0zndHWDsmpeYW673l2qPluVZzNN25WJcQNrVFcdnOi8uZW1ohfwaim0yDUx_UTzIwbd6hyjTWhyW2ZBYY0_j80NfA5WzwFf01BSdN0z22/s320/IMG_0594.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638546639311687682" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>During a short hike in the Olympics, 31 weeks...</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
<br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqUor1JN4NOaXQu7ohuI7EubyEGnY47OKnAGShnXerdLLLDXe49NRXr7vlKoxhWzae2B4o883avCpNwxaPEjIFS6P0ttbnPGWaf5WsmSzcnCKeYKR6hxJiLm8NSxYreAjKdJqBqgMXCqA/s1600/IMG_0615.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqUor1JN4NOaXQu7ohuI7EubyEGnY47OKnAGShnXerdLLLDXe49NRXr7vlKoxhWzae2B4o883avCpNwxaPEjIFS6P0ttbnPGWaf5WsmSzcnCKeYKR6hxJiLm8NSxYreAjKdJqBqgMXCqA/s320/IMG_0615.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638547212113317074" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A view on a day we went for a hike on part of Mt. Ranier.</i></div>
<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Baby Prep:</b> We didn't get a single baby thing before our move because the fit on the moving truck was way too tight for anything extra! Since arriving here, it has been a mad rush to start getting the necessities. There are several items still on the shopping list and nothing purchased has been taken out of bags or boxes yet! It's all just piled up in the baby's room! This baby better not come early! Actually I think I'll be late, the baby's estimated weight at the ultra sound last week was only 4.9 lbs and most people are late with their first babies, right??? I'm <b>35 weeks</b>, due date is <b>September 7 </b>which is exactly one month from today. YIKES!!!!!!! Needless to say I'm nervous about the whole thing but gradually working through and trying to mentally prepare for the pain of labor and come up with plans and strategies of how to handle it! Then there's the whole adjusting to life with a baby-but one step at a time. Here are a few pictures of the baby's room for your entertainment! It is comical how "not ready" it appears to be currently, but we'll get there!</div><div>
<br /></div></div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXGFOuTdYRR5TymJCP7DjcwEc5uDkEH7ZEhWdeSCazUF0BjIFsnav-chHDvFScqi8O9LHJO5HJP7ITSYo_Hm83E8__tnUBmMXCe-YXJsf80LmGPVczmWeHr7luJlfNMlogVpvKIvRh3zj/s1600/IMG_0678.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiXGFOuTdYRR5TymJCP7DjcwEc5uDkEH7ZEhWdeSCazUF0BjIFsnav-chHDvFScqi8O9LHJO5HJP7ITSYo_Hm83E8__tnUBmMXCe-YXJsf80LmGPVczmWeHr7luJlfNMlogVpvKIvRh3zj/s320/IMG_0678.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638547789814592018" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDXeQ2d2301toF26Bisq0fe3ZvIXPk8eY2RkfuZPuTZakCRSztXHJ7hWod7vlkCHZIZbwxYddVIVk4ydFISzR66uRDjeiS1gAHHLh0DoL4QsM6OK1tFOh52aJXb3LWohf3RnbiCvyrJKj/s1600/IMG_0683.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDDXeQ2d2301toF26Bisq0fe3ZvIXPk8eY2RkfuZPuTZakCRSztXHJ7hWod7vlkCHZIZbwxYddVIVk4ydFISzR66uRDjeiS1gAHHLh0DoL4QsM6OK1tFOh52aJXb3LWohf3RnbiCvyrJKj/s320/IMG_0683.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638548238486146290" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>I know, quite a ways to go....</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>
<br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Happy Summer Running to all of you! My next post may not be until after the baby arrives but I promise to post a pic or two so you can all see the new little one! Still don't know the gender!! Any guesses???? The heart rate is always 130's so according to Old Wives Tales it could be a boy...</div><div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-10723570242680457742011-05-16T14:00:00.000-07:002011-05-16T14:48:20.378-07:00Two for One<b>Two for One</b>, that is, two races in one blog post. Life is flying past and leaving little time for blog posts but finally making time to recap two races.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>March: Spring Forward 9 mi. Race at 17 Weeks Pregnant</b></div><div><b><br /></b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcst1oGMTwOUMM3TFL3Ycvx4mY-lAY4n76wTmoQMwOFHDAjqazeDcP4ACwOWiE1OzQHsxsezlKpxLHWAF9kmcM9se3Hc42embpVLq89r6a7jpfiLNS3-PWCW0lElrhe8_PbdoZ8_cyfGn/s1600/Spring+Forward+sign.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHcst1oGMTwOUMM3TFL3Ycvx4mY-lAY4n76wTmoQMwOFHDAjqazeDcP4ACwOWiE1OzQHsxsezlKpxLHWAF9kmcM9se3Hc42embpVLq89r6a7jpfiLNS3-PWCW0lElrhe8_PbdoZ8_cyfGn/s320/Spring+Forward+sign.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607423321609797938" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since I didn't look at all pregnant, I pinned this sign to my back just for fun! We had a chilly yet sunny March morning for this hilly 9 mile race. Running attire included tights, long sleeves and gloves! I ran this race with a friend and we had a great time chatting up and down all of the hills. We stayed together until around the last mile and then I went ahead since I was feeling good and I could "smell" the finish line! Honestly, I can't remember my exact finishing time but I think it was around 1:30ish...</div><div><br /></div><div><b>May 1: Flower City Challenge, Half Marathon at 21 Weeks Pregnant</b></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This 13.1 miles was an amazing memory because I paced my Mom (Carol), age 60, for her first ever half marathon! Just a year ago, she trained for a 5K and came here to run it. Since then she continued running and entered several 5K's and one 5 miler on Thanksgiving Day. (There was a blog about that one complete with a picture of us posing with a running turkey...) Anyway, I sent her a training plan months ago and asked her to think about training for this half marathon. After deciding to take the challenge and sign up for the race, it was on! Mom trained hard for this one and it was a privilege to stay with her for every mile and cross the finish line together!</div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSGTKCu4JvK7fkiodPkErlHmrT_T-htA8Oqf6_xSUfjYmYu47U_VxVbIpvIqtYTW-rlIuPPo9MQMiegRgZgu6_gRdFyQ6Gki6ReghYB4VB_CKP9IUzPwo_GvwFPSh5NjbrfJ-q2lU4rMI/s1600/FC+mom+and+Kirsten.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfSGTKCu4JvK7fkiodPkErlHmrT_T-htA8Oqf6_xSUfjYmYu47U_VxVbIpvIqtYTW-rlIuPPo9MQMiegRgZgu6_gRdFyQ6Gki6ReghYB4VB_CKP9IUzPwo_GvwFPSh5NjbrfJ-q2lU4rMI/s320/FC+mom+and+Kirsten.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607425342140075410" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mom and I with our medals after the race at my house.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cheering for us at the finish line was my Dad, my sister Lindsay and her 3 year old son, Noah. Noah LOVES his Grammie and high fived her just before she crossed the line! Mom was thrilled to have held a 12:00 minute pace after not being sure she could maintain it for that distance, and finished in 2:38 and some change. Lindsay made this fun sign as a surprise and brought it to the race to cheer us on!</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAf41sOCLKAFzbeXI_B8GNIJAs29BsmIrTZoyWAyUPmGYJYlMH6IWH_TZPSd6L8HH_iiFVjd2scHSvotZrsisl0bV83stJWz_iHj7AXqVBZyNFjSFHQC2NAKk_IrY9dZuB9NFsyNCCBIWS/s1600/Lindsay%2527s+sign.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAf41sOCLKAFzbeXI_B8GNIJAs29BsmIrTZoyWAyUPmGYJYlMH6IWH_TZPSd6L8HH_iiFVjd2scHSvotZrsisl0bV83stJWz_iHj7AXqVBZyNFjSFHQC2NAKk_IrY9dZuB9NFsyNCCBIWS/s320/Lindsay%2527s+sign.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607428277228436754" /></a><div><div style="text-align: justify;">A HUGE congrats to my Mom! I am so proud of her for running such a great race! She has already mentioned thoughts of finding another half marathon to run...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Preggo Running Update</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Still working, house hunting in WA, house selling here in NY, packing boxes, and hosting visitors but definitely RUNNING! Weekly mileage is 30-33ish and feels great! Actually, my IT band flared up after the half marathon, but it's much better this week than last week and definitely getting better. IT pain slowed down a few runs for sure, but this past week's long run of 10 miles was much improved and I ran a 9:21 pace, thanks to a fabulous running partner who made the miles click by! Still getting to the yoga studio and managing weekly long runs of 10-13 miles so I cannot complain about being pregnant! I still think I don't really look specifically pregnant, more like a girl with a gut! Here are a couple of belly pictures...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUKhPIsaksapByCgqscBIeHUXwhVSIvMpRbwNOZ-4uOEQswHCT6FrJxgFcZfw-rlmTkYsO9L-jvThllC2fAzG0vZMVmXelcZeKTSL96MJ7bwNtNTJZzaA744-zCvuLLYMK8_WifV3B4IA/s1600/photo-5.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUKhPIsaksapByCgqscBIeHUXwhVSIvMpRbwNOZ-4uOEQswHCT6FrJxgFcZfw-rlmTkYsO9L-jvThllC2fAzG0vZMVmXelcZeKTSL96MJ7bwNtNTJZzaA744-zCvuLLYMK8_WifV3B4IA/s320/photo-5.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607431125553803346" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>21 Weeks, day before the half marathon</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0AXeKYLxv4CX4JWOBHSNLXbcCvRAtMs_enoq5rEonI2hYNERQ-R2BQHlV6v9czmWW7lib1tBlJ9A5jmH_DLspgZzgD5XJO-BdBgC1WJSIMPXfvIFyfEz1I7Jkn0LY_2atU_m9Hp8R633/s1600/photo-6.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx0AXeKYLxv4CX4JWOBHSNLXbcCvRAtMs_enoq5rEonI2hYNERQ-R2BQHlV6v9czmWW7lib1tBlJ9A5jmH_DLspgZzgD5XJO-BdBgC1WJSIMPXfvIFyfEz1I7Jkn0LY_2atU_m9Hp8R633/s320/photo-6.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5607432304813424322" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>23 Weeks, definitely a girl with a GUT, but almost 6 months??? Crazy how fast this is going!</i></div><div><br /></div></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-27838262206892530822011-03-27T14:44:00.000-07:002011-03-27T15:09:54.793-07:00Springing Into WINTER<div style="text-align: justify;">While the calendar says spring, the weather is screaming WINTER in protest! At least I know that with every day we are somehow closer to the warm weather that has to be in our future somewhere! Last week we got 6 inches of snow which promptly covered our grass that had just become visible in the previous week as our snow melted away. We had two warm days, even up to 60 degrees, and then winter struck again! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Thankfully, I'm still out there running but definitely ready to lose the winter running jacket, tights, gloves, and hats or ear warmers! Yesterday I ran <b>13 miles</b> at <b>16 weeks pregnant</b>, took me 2:02 at a 9:26 pace. Temps were in the 20's but more like 7 or 8 with the windchill-yuck!!! I'm really happy to be at this pace for my long runs and I know I will continue to slow down. Oddly I'm okay with my slowing pace because I know it's for a good reason and that it is temporary. My doctor says all of the running and other workouts I'm doing are perfectly fine because of my background. Good thing because if she didn't I think I would do it anyway! Ha ha! My 13 mile run was actually 2 minutes faster than the first half marathon I ever ran back in 1998! Much slower than my half marathon PR of 1:36 which was also some years back. (2004??) I love my Saturday long runs with my friends and I'm truly dreading the day when I won't be able to keep up with them anymore! But until then I'll keep rocking it out and enjoying the miles with them!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fortunately, I can easily tell if I'm pushing too hard on the run because I'll get a little breathless and I know to back off a bit. It's so strange because I've never gotten breathless running! (unless at the end of 5K or really hard speed workout but you get my point...) It's also crazy how one day my body is just flat out slower and I'll run a 4 or 5 miler at a 9:30ish pace and then another day, like this past Friday, I run a 4 miler at a sub-9 minute pace. My pace Friday was 8:47 and my first mile 8:27. It's nice to have a day like that because it reminds me that this changing body is capable of running faster and after the pregnancy it will all come back. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On a baby note, we heard the heartbeat last week for the first time which was great. Not quite as much fun as the ultrasound but still cool to experience it. Next weekend I'm planning to run a 9 mile hilly race here locally which is a challenging course and a lot of fun. I won't be "racing" it but I'll be out there plugging away! Still out there 5-6 days a week running and logging between 30-35 preggo miles...yoga and spinning too about once a week...next week I'm hoping to drag myself to a pool workout-wish me luck!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-22351745672508650772011-03-08T16:33:00.000-08:002011-03-08T17:13:04.464-08:00March 5: 16 Miles at 13 Weeks...<div style="text-align: justify;">This past Saturday I ran 16 miles and then for the rest of the day I felt like I had run a <b>MARATHON!</b> I guess that's what happens when you're 13 weeks <b>PREGGO!!!!</b> We just told our parents, siblings, and friends, so it's officially out, baby number one for us is coming sometime around September 9. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We are super excited about this and shocked all of our family members with the news. I never said we weren't having kids, people just jumped to their own conclusions on the matter! :) It's no big deal, I always knew sometime before I was 40 I would give it a shot. After being married for 6 years and over-analyzing and re-hashing and processing for years-I'm finally ready! I think??? Seriously, I don't think you're ever ready for this until it happens-meaning the baby comes- but I knew it would be a huge regret if I lived my life and never tried to have a baby. Both of us are very thankful for this exciting new part of our lives and I'm sure it will be more than we an imagine. For now, we're just getting used to the idea that it's for real and praying for a healthy little one!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've still been running 6 days a week, 32-35 miles total, taking in spin classes here and there, and going to my favorite yoga studios. I love all of that and have been so very lucky to have not had a second of sickness. In fact, I really haven't even felt pregnant, which is so strange! But I'm not complaining! I finally went for my first ultrasound last week thinking I was 9 weeks along. Imagine the shock for both my husband and myself to see an active kicking little baby with arms, legs, hands and feet all over the place! Within seconds the ultrasound tech said "You're not 9 weeks, I'll tell you that. You're more like 13 weeks!" Wow! It was truly the most amazing thing and an incredibly exciting moment for both of us. Finally, confirmation that this was for real! I never realized the impact of an ultrasound before when I've seen other people's pictures. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I mentioned, the running has truly felt great! I've had a few days where I was a little tired but still felt like running and was able to get out there and enjoy the miles. My long runs have been at around 12 miles but then a week ago I bumped it up to 14 and couldn't believe how great I felt! Easy run, good recovery, 9:30 pace. My pace has slowed down some but I'm really okay with that and I know it will slow more. I've still had several days sprinkled in where I ran fairly quickly though. Anyway, this past Saturday, I decided to bump up to 16 miles since the 14 a week before had been so good. I always meet my running group for Saturday long runs and at the end of the 16 miles I had an average pace of 9:23. For the rest of the day I didn't get off the couch! I slept, made myself eat even though I wasn't hungry, and slept some more! Seriously, I've recovered better from some marathons!!! And I always have an appetite after long runs! Yes, I realize I over-did it slightly and will be more careful on future long runs. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This week I've been really paying attention to my body on my runs. I haven't tried to hit any specific paces but have paid attention to my breathing and not let myself get too breathless. This coming Saturday I'll probably drop down to 14 and not push the pace. I don't know how many more weeks I'll be able to hang with my friends on long runs but I'll enjoy it while I can! There are other slower pace groups that meet at the same place so I will just drop down and meet some new people when the time comes! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm hoping to run as long as possible. I've had some friends who ran all the way to the bitter end of their pregnancies with no problems, and others who had to quit at some point along the way for various reasons. As long as I feel good, have the energy, and my doctor gives the okay I plan to keep hitting the pavement! I'm signed up for the <b>Rochester Flower City Challenge Half Marathon </b>on May 1 and will be running with my <b>MOM</b> who will be completing her first half marathon at 60 years old! Her training is going great and I'm just thrilled to see her following the plan successfully! Hopefully I can keep up with her on race day! If not I'll accept whatever preggo pace I'm at by that point. LOL!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Honestly the strangest thing about this is that I'm not planning and training for 3 marathons and a zillion triathlons and an ironman this year!!!!! How will I survive??? Just kidding, I <b>WILL</b> miss the training, (already do!) but I have a feeling as the weeks pass I will be more and more focused on all of the crazy changes I will surely experience and the excitement of a baby on the way! Besides, I already have 2 marathons and an ironman picked out for 2012...and who knows what other races. :) I'll spare you which ones for now, but trust me, I already know the cities and dates for all of them! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For now I'll enjoy this new phase of running and continue to count down the days until spring!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-11858650015517986682011-02-02T07:20:00.000-08:002011-02-10T05:37:40.018-08:00Dec. 5, 2010: Dallas White Rock Marathon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0OBGkTAYQ2Ku1mv6eB1QgNpal1N-RJYd2iCILUzTEQc0ZBqG12mdSQ4jOqSbGnYW697GzzrXCGNwkWKSMJd7YD3n1NeE1oyNVyVUj_j9sV1O4frzA0Z9TPpzrFTZezbABaKpzluwDMfr/s1600/snowy+trees.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY0OBGkTAYQ2Ku1mv6eB1QgNpal1N-RJYd2iCILUzTEQc0ZBqG12mdSQ4jOqSbGnYW697GzzrXCGNwkWKSMJd7YD3n1NeE1oyNVyVUj_j9sV1O4frzA0Z9TPpzrFTZezbABaKpzluwDMfr/s320/snowy+trees.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570261671804270626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>Winter time in Rochester...</b></i></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Believe it or not, I initially hoped to post this race story before 2011 got underway, but clearly that did not happen. I had a great race experience, loved this marathon, and would definitely run it again! This was the last beautiful, warm-weather, sunny day run I've had as I now count down the days of the long cold winter to SPRING!! Although, I did have double IT band pain for most of the 26.2 miles and a slower finishing time than I prefer, I still count this as a great marathon. Obviously, completing an Ironman, a half-iron tri, a marathon, and then another marathon, all within 3 months- is a recipe that equals SLOW! :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Weather:</b> Beautiful! Sunny! Cool at the start at around 30 degrees but it warmed up to the 40's and was a perfect sunny run in a skirt and long sleeved shirt. I didn't feel the least bit cold and recognized it would be my last sunny, dry pavement run for awhile since my home in Rochester was getting dumped on that day! (SNOW!)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Course and the Crowd:</b> I loved the course, it took us briefly through the downtown area, then through several nice neighborhoods where the homeowners were out on their lawns cheering the runners on all day! Lots of people complain about the 9 mile loop around the lake that begins around mile 12, and some years it can be chilly and windy. Surprisingly, I enjoyed this part of the run, it wasn't cool or windy, and since I had never run there before, it was beautiful. The only two hills of the entire race come at mile 20 and are nothing to worry about, not steep or long, over pretty fast. Definitely a course I would run again and hope for no nagging injury pains to get in the way.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>ITB:</b> My IT bands started hurting on both sides relatively early in the race, well before the halfway point. By mile 14 I had started stopping at every mile marker to briefly stretch both sides. This helped me run through the pain mentally knowing I could stop and stretch at those places and every stretch helped a bit though the pain never went away. I've had worse IT pain in other marathons and training runs in years past, but it was definitely there and nagging.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Number Nineteen:</b> Woo Hoo!!! I made it to the finish line of my nineteenth marathon and I realized a long time ago that if I intended to run as many marathons as I can, that they certainly won't all be fast or PR's, so I'm happy to have finished it! And now I plan on triathlons too for the rest of my life, including an Ironman every 2 or 3 years, so I'm going to enjoy every day that I'm able to be out there! But I do plan to focus on speed and get a fast marathon under my belt again. Time will tell...</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Will I go back?</b> Absolutely! I loved meeting up with my old running friends from one of my first ever running groups in Arkansas for this race! Also, I have family in Dallas which makes it easy to travel there when I get to visit with them, too, in addition to a marathon. Besides, December is great running weather in Dallas!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dTyaoMCoifxup8V0c0BIfpVB6CaEeZZWgoK10e1BRn74UoSr6XuNSGNVKcrk1ncmurkvZ_wT3GuQOhd4c8yOQ01ENKKaD-u785LNGTJ4D5t-k0xVKu5OSqs9bhoZ3DThPNV8Y_B0n44_/s1600/snow+street.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5dTyaoMCoifxup8V0c0BIfpVB6CaEeZZWgoK10e1BRn74UoSr6XuNSGNVKcrk1ncmurkvZ_wT3GuQOhd4c8yOQ01ENKKaD-u785LNGTJ4D5t-k0xVKu5OSqs9bhoZ3DThPNV8Y_B0n44_/s320/snow+street.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5570261053879720626" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b>View from the front steps of my house...</b></i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Winter Update:</b> Since the day I got back, we have had steady, constant snow on the ground in Rochester. There are plenty of days when there is dry, clean pavement to run on despite the piles of snow on the ground itself. There are also days when the roads are snowy and like running in sand even though they've been plowed, not my favorite. If you have to run on snow, the best kind is frozen and icy and you just run right on top of it with that crunchy snow sound all around you. There are also days in the teens and single digits, or days with wind! After that, days in the 20's and 30's feel almost perfect in comparison! I had a blast running a 4 mile snow shoe race a couple weeks back. It was a gorgeous trail run through the woods with everything completely snow covered. Temps were below zero that day, but there was no wind and running in snow shoes is such a workout that I was literally HOT out there! Seriously! I'm just enjoying running, training for nothing, hitting a spin class here and there, a new thing for me, and still making it to my favorite yoga studio 1 to 3 times a week. Of course I still meet up with my fabulous running friends every Saturday for our weekly long runs. Excited for March when we might start getting less snow and warmer temps....one can only hope! :) </div></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-20164244670950511742010-12-20T12:39:00.000-08:002010-12-20T13:18:14.601-08:00Running a Turkey Race with Mom<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Z1dyxDwmEQeJ4b8XstZLeIK4EVmyjRYqi_XrwNbzfFoZu4eb-5zzQdHQOEWtdJbe-UOx0wns3w731u73jg2e8X0-593doBL96Ov5Mz5wDH3H5d6ebL5bBkN1YeddMEmgd7YK9ducbk2N/s1600/IMG_0316.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Z1dyxDwmEQeJ4b8XstZLeIK4EVmyjRYqi_XrwNbzfFoZu4eb-5zzQdHQOEWtdJbe-UOx0wns3w731u73jg2e8X0-593doBL96Ov5Mz5wDH3H5d6ebL5bBkN1YeddMEmgd7YK9ducbk2N/s320/IMG_0316.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552872496022951170" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Mom and I, post-race, we didn't plan to match! :)</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div>Thanksgiving Day 2010 marked my Mom's first time to ever run 5 miles, and she chose a race to meet the distance goal! I decided to skip out on a local 10K race here at home in Rochester, NY, which I've run the previous two years since moving here, and went home a day early so I could race with my Mom. <div><br /></div><div>Turkey Day morning we awoke to chilly temps and steady rain! But of course that didn't stop us from putting on our running clothes and running shoes to head out the door to the race. Along the 20 minute drive from my parent's house to the start line, we were laughing at ourselves for what we were about to experience!</div><div><br /></div><div>We parked and ran from the car to packet pick-up, which was a small tent where other runners were huddled picking up racing numbers. Race bibs and goody bags in tow, we ran back to the car to wait a few more minutes, hoping the rain would lessen. Up until now we were relatively dry since we had rain jackets on, but I had to shed mine down to racing clothes in order to go and stand in the porta line before the race started. Standing in line, I got SOAKED! Oh well, what are you gonna' do??</div><div><br /></div><div>Finally it was time to line up at the start, and we did! The race director led a pre-race prayer, which I thought was awesome. This race benefitted a shelter that helped homeless women and children called Hope Alive. It was humbling to think of others with no shelter from the cold and rain that we were experiencing at that very moment. </div><div><br /></div><div>The gun went off and everyone was running! A half mile in we met our first big hill! I just pushed up to the top and started praying for my Mom to be able to run strong on that hill when she got there. This race was all through country roads and turned out to be full of big rolling hills! What a great course for your first 5 miles! (Insert sarcasm.) However, the rain actually stopped completely by the end of my first mile and it was suddenly great running weather! The only thing cold on me were my hands and after two miles they warmed up and were fine for the whole race. </div><div><br /></div><div>I finished and then ran back out along the course to meet up with my Mom and run her in. I came to her after about .75 miles, turned around and ran in with her. She was doing amazing! Her pace was steady and strong, she had done fine on all of the hills we'd encountered, and was able to easily have a conversation with me. There we were, running it in, and talking. I'm so proud of her! She ran her first 5 miles ever, and she just turned 60 in August. But what else would you expect from a Mother of 5 and a High School English teacher? She also has always had major bicep muscles even though she's never lifted weights until recent years. (She always used to say "From carrying groceries and babies..." while flexing her cool muscles at our insistent requests--usually at the dinner table.)</div><div><br /></div><div>I finished in 39:27, which was 33 seconds slower than I finished a flat 5 mile race last April, but I'm happy with it. Mom finished her first ever 5 miles in 56:21, hills, rain, cold, and all! At the end we posed for a picture with a runner who ran the entire race in a full-on turkey costume, too funny! By the way, this race was called the "Wattle Waddle: Thanksgiving Day 5 Mile Race," get it??? The turkey has a "wattle" and we all were going to "waddle" to the finish line? Cute, huh?</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOTeruyHjlBpvE-mQYX9xURL5wV-hId1xxvFXtXWYRvFfN-w8AJWwZM2PjNwjjBUxSw4sPOqrpm6w3JYZRLAVqyChNb-0NvRL6wXjkwrJ9dGrGSn1VCb2mGSiE75_bPGA9AKW3e1HU7Ce/s1600/IMG_0314.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOOTeruyHjlBpvE-mQYX9xURL5wV-hId1xxvFXtXWYRvFfN-w8AJWwZM2PjNwjjBUxSw4sPOqrpm6w3JYZRLAVqyChNb-0NvRL6wXjkwrJ9dGrGSn1VCb2mGSiE75_bPGA9AKW3e1HU7Ce/s320/IMG_0314.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552872937192152018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Gobble, Gobble!!!</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div>Congrats Mom! I have big plans for her, next up a 10K, and one day a half marathon, and I'll leave my other goals for her unwritten... :)</div><div><br /></div><div>I did run the Dallas White Rock Marathon on Dec. 5 and totally loved the course, though I had a painful race due to my IT bands. I'll run it again one year and will blog about it soon, marathon #19 was a success!</div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-35867701885232858352010-11-21T12:15:00.000-08:002010-11-21T13:33:34.637-08:00October 31, 2010: MCM pics<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijV9brkT2aCTC5WeXge6mFYeV1wF8-kSNJoH0lmfg4dH_tdrXDz9xlNjtrG9UAPB_qo80FnkHm0z5ga8PSWwfX7n4qfYDeSclzZvP-DiiMA4gJ0HLqF7P6FnTCgtgAPlF2GQnCikd3dvNa/s1600/MCM+2010+067.jpg"></a><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 239px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt2X39t_fQW0SI1YImjMfA4UairxWOMiJP2JbpnQe3pjy9jBk2lSKgDJb4AxfLmHIIFlLmcHTCTPEfnpZzuJNZjl67CJdTMlnH1mos9GVUUolVgiMOJST-kdqejy4IALtZk8SJxVuEHGM6/s320/MCM+2010+082.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542107071037011042" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">Colin and I post-race, hooray for his FIRST marathon!</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>My Thoughts/Opinion:</b> I know it has been weeks since the marathon, but I am just now getting a chance to post some pics after being out of town for awhile. My apologies for such a late race story on this one, seems like it was ages ago now! Suffice it to say I spent the first 7 miles ticked off at how crowded it was and frustrated that I couldn't just settle into a pace! On the other hand, it was a beautiful sunny day and the weather was perfect to me. I found the course very pretty and actually really liked running the hills, it was a nice change of terrain. But there were several parts that got even more crowded, I felt, because of the way they routed us. The "bridge" was seemingly un-ending and I was dying of thirst at that point, not my favorite part of the race! I've done other large city marathons that I thought handled the crowd of participants a bit better. I've never had to come to a dead stop when crossing the finish line. And I've never had to stand and wait in line for a medal. Usually it's all one smooth flowing motion, finishers just walk through and all of those things are taken care of with no stopping. At any rate, it's all in the past at this point and I'm happy to have been able to reach the finish line. Of course I did way too much weaving and my Garmin read 26.75 miles when I finished! My friend Steph cut every corner as tightly as she could and ended up with precisely 26.2, so lesson learned for me! No weaving! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR3q_La9BXp3AuL21VcuhWpBh0SAvNti4VrrmP_OJ5fZdQETL60V_e64unT0SomHGgKhdakeGkLApzGkIrS_mlOVs4alE8Fmedx3o6UttjNHTTpKfKhJdXJAG7BOZPXK7wTpALI8HpI6MN/s320/MCM+Kirsten+Steph+Wendy.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542107511644294466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i>Me with my girlfriends from Rochester, Steph and Wendy. :)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>SIGNS:</b> It seems like there is rarely a shortage of signs to read along the course of an endurance race. There were several shirts listing family members who were veterans which were moving to read. There were other more comical ones, like the back of one shirt that read <i>"<b>Dear God, please let there be someone behind me to read this!</b>"</i> And my favorite sideline sign at around 24 miles read <i>"<b>Embrace the Suck!</b>"</i> Oh yeah, that is most definitely the "sucky" time of the race! It made me laugh and reflect on how I should embrace it because is was near the END! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hfqxI9EoUi-gCdP7tfOvqSRAftdtoyB1RgE-tOW7ymcoMuLja_zyGiOKzoHIBEX0V3GSVmDfCefDbtE7LnOlqLxldU04NLbowe7Z5Rns6fZVnxNRsAc8GbFi4TmlwWbw9uY7vwoh5us7/s320/MCM+2010+084.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542108898603996466" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i>left to right: My Mom's siblings Uncle Mike, Aunt Lisa, Austin (Mike's son-in-law), me, Colin. We were all a little chilly at this point! </i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>THE HILL:</b> All through the later miles in the race I was prepping myself mentally for the infamous hill at mile 26. In my mind that sucker was vertical and huge and I told myself that no matter how bad I felt and how awful the hill was, I would not walk! Not that there is any shame in walking, I just didn't want to walk that close to the finish line. I wanted to power through and reach the finish without walking up that last hill! Let me tell you, building something up to the worst possible thing you can imagine is a great strategy! When I finally got to the hill I'd been dreading, it looked nothing like I was expecting and I picked up the pace a bit and sailed to the top! Of course my overall pace wasn't exactly speedy and stellar, but I did finish and added that 18th notch to my mental race belt. Ahhhh, the finish line.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">A few more race day pics...</span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijV9brkT2aCTC5WeXge6mFYeV1wF8-kSNJoH0lmfg4dH_tdrXDz9xlNjtrG9UAPB_qo80FnkHm0z5ga8PSWwfX7n4qfYDeSclzZvP-DiiMA4gJ0HLqF7P6FnTCgtgAPlF2GQnCikd3dvNa/s320/MCM+2010+067.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542111418261577474" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; " /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireAADzGJOgTJM78SlSqrBCq12-pZXLfSzlOezlI3vq53Ue4DLDo1nkL69jYgsyycITGlo3f-689HFWtzdng4DTY3Sb-g5clS8WCFUpouEtqro0LVubOPgJzDVlN3hUcpYT0XDK9MoXYZ6/s320/MCM+2010+081.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542112211775409698" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 239px; " /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i>Some pics from the day after the race...</i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8i10GaFPw45v9JyE82Gw3WgpgNgB1zzEpqjChtcaoKLbk1pEBjY0xfNit2XxupeNXHl1ZRNilpix3s7v9yM4_L15Kx_n7cdtR3CrYvHZfv99IbAJR_D4LeKKwlIJEkaVpfEn_cEyXOYa/s320/PB010031.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542112735997765682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt6WvD41cJxTV9VQm98yEyvCqMR3ItUOK9nuIOamPzcofreFXLfoAK-3B1_guX8HTiWJD2c30j-OX9Pmm54Doeaq8EQZESJI_4JkbmowKV7vLXBQJvB7BJE-NJHjBbZ_xgxn0v2hKlxumi/s320/PB010036.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542113683372237442" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i>My first time to see the WWII Memorial which was very cool.</i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp9B0fqOB_Gr9qS1LY2NV1HN5ZMjkTVefMsCSv68eEjWPzFg3Ji2S3gXeNwhiHFvjK3HRDGfvDVf5ER4kpQcBXXV7R_8lHkBp3vV4b6teGxdd2C2e27icN4vtzqITTAriMEV93RvImeGe2/s320/PB010047.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542114543128633794" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><i>Colin next to his home state at the WWII Memorial.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYVl41-Gf17Db2pLCe0mwEpxwaoyOu_JEwiWf8na9oLM8BvkDX1MZF0DQvdvQkV3FEWYuQHIDToPbNCLJf2WWAs-j7mcGr1Lz7Brh0MzUJ4SO8h9-coZ9OzRAJ-QFqibNAaFjT1ElDujQq/s320/PB010051.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542115141533285106" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">As close as we were allowed to get to the White House. </span></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></i></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The whole weekend was definitely one to remember and to celebrate the gift of being able to run. Getting to share it with friends and family make it even more memorable. Congrats to ALL who ran this marathon and know that I was praying for all of the runners that I knew out there on the course! You guys all rocked it! So proud of everyone! Until the next time.... :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-61883330897626890202010-11-06T08:02:00.000-07:002010-11-06T08:36:19.084-07:002010 Marine Corps Marathon and 10K Running Skirts in Action<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>WOW!!!</b> I've never made it on a skirt video before in a marathon! My friend Wendy posted this on her facebook page. She is at 19 seconds in the red dotted skirt and Mini Mouse ears with a big smile on her face! I'm at 57 seconds in a hot pink skirt and black tank. YAY for us!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/HqmTp9aLW-Q?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/HqmTp9aLW-Q?fs=1&hl=en_US" width="480" height="295" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It was gorgeous weather in DC for the entire weekend! Colin and I had a great time, loved where we stayed, loved being in the city, and both crossed the finish line and got our medals! He ran his FIRST marathon, woo hoo!!! So proud of him, he powered through despite major leg cramping from mile 16 to the end, yikes! He finished in 4:55 and plans to run another one when he has time to train, work schedule was nuts for him this time around. Plus he sprained his ankle at the end of August and lost 3 weeks of training. Congrats to him on becoming a marathoner!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I finished right back in the time zone of my first two marathons, uggh! But I was really burned out and tired from the all the tri's this summer, mainly the Ironman and then the half-iron in September, just had no speed in training so I knew it wouldn't be there race day. BUT I did finish and got the medal, in 4:31. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This was my 18th marathon, something to celebrate right? I signed up for Dallas White Rock Marathon on Dec. 5 because I don't know if I'll get to run one this spring if we are moving, lots of "up in the air" things in life right now. And I figure if I rest up, don't do any long runs that will beat me down, get out there and hit some speedwork, I can at least run a 4:29! Ha ha! Seriously, it would be nice to run around a 4 hour or 4:15, not trying to BQ, just trying to bank on my training and take a little time off. PLUS my friends from Arkansas are running and I get to meet up with them and stay in the same hotel with them! And I will get to see two nieces and a nephew who LIVE there! Can't beat it! Besides, I've never run this marathon before. Did I convince you why I need to run it yet? :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Most of the fun is hanging out with your friends at the finish and talking about the race! My two girlfriends from Rochester, Wendy and Steph (okay, actually she is from Canada!) met at the expo and at the finish and hashed out our race stories. I also loved meeting up with my Aunt Lisa who ran a 4:36, she has run Boston 5 times and is going back again this spring. My Uncle Mike, (Lisa's brother, both are my Mom's siblings...) ran a 3:33 and he's 54! His fastest marathon time is 3:08 which he ran not too long ago. I can't help but brag on their running times!!! (Lisa's PR is 3:45, since I'm in the bragging zone...) My cousin's husband, Austin, also ran this marathon on limited training time and STILL finished! And one of the most special finishers, <a href="http://settingufree.blogspot.com/2010/11/mcm-race-recap-part-1-of-many.html">Jen</a>, my sis-in-law, ran her FIRST marathon in 5:03! Sadly we didn't get to meet up though we did try! I'm really SAD about that! But oh so proud of her! You can read her 6 posts about her first marathon on <a href="http://settingufree.blogspot.com/2010/11/mcm-race-recap-part-1-of-many.html">her blog.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I didn't mean to make this post so long. I will post a real story about my race soon, and will throw in a few pictures. Just wanted to share the skirt video and give a basic re-cap. CONGRATS to all of you who rocked the 2010 Marine Corps Marathon!!! </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-17868264749608256302010-10-14T06:07:00.000-07:002010-10-15T14:21:20.705-07:00September 19: Last Tri of the Season<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5On7X-F9xqBNZb_fvlBaK3-fsWuUMdOnStle26J7g51qVQudBOHfXjqyzpGWk8ngXjdhBu6_K8-Ov76pDylzqyM5ZoadaBln7M0KoFy6ttloqafDy6d6Dl_ziw3yGM-8QlXG7heByhNd/s1600/photo.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK5On7X-F9xqBNZb_fvlBaK3-fsWuUMdOnStle26J7g51qVQudBOHfXjqyzpGWk8ngXjdhBu6_K8-Ov76pDylzqyM5ZoadaBln7M0KoFy6ttloqafDy6d6Dl_ziw3yGM-8QlXG7heByhNd/s320/photo.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5527888016767221154" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Me, Kim and Steph</b> the day before the race, I love these girls! We have the best time training together-biking all summer, training swims in the lake, running, and yoga. Kim drove us to the Syracuse Half Ironman Tri in her "tri-mobile" a fabulous minivan with all the bells and whistles that carries us, our three bikes and all of our race gear. We shared a hotel room and headed to the start in the dark as night, rainy race day morning together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Honestly, I really had to psych myself up for this last tri of the season. I'm so glad I had a couple of girlfriends to go with to the race and several other friends there racing as well. After the full ironman and training all summer, I was kind of ready for the end of the season. If the weather had been gorgeous for this race, I may have been a little more motivated. The day before the race was beautiful, sunny, near 70 degrees but race day was drizzly rain, dark, cold-you get the idea.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Swim: </b> Water temp was 61 which is pretty chilly. I actually didn't mind it too much and felt good in my wetsuit. Some people complained that their feet and faces were freezing but I felt decent all through, We swam in a rectangle in a reservoir for 1.2 miles. The water was calm and the way out was really nice, easy to sight and went by so fast. It was a wave swim start so everyone started in their age groups. Before I knew it I was nearing the finish and the best part of the whole race day was the wet suit peelers! No triathlons have this except Ford Ironman's and Ford Half-Ironman's. Volunteers meet you at the end of the swim, you lay on the ground and they strip your wetsuit off for you! This is amazing and if you've ever taken your own wetsuit on and off you appreciate the effort and time it saves to have two people peel your wetsuit off for you in SECONDS!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Bike:</b> The route was great! We trained on it once and it was a fiasco, pouring rain that day, felt like HILLS for MILES, and we got lost to top it all off!!!! Ended up with almost 70 miles and had a lot of fun laughing at ourselves and created a lot of inside jokes that day! (This was myself, Kim and Steph...) Well race day, the ride went much better! It was a hilly route, but fun to ride. The only downside for me was that it was a drizzly rain and foggy, which made it hard to push and ride hard because I didn't want to slide around or wreck on wet pavement. My max speed on one of the downhills was still 42.4 miles per hour! I wore arm warmers, tri shorts and a tank for the entire ride and was glad to have my arms covered, still cold pretty much the whole ride. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The Run:</b> Uggh!!!! At least the rain stopped on the run. I was not a fan of the route which was a point to point 13.1 mile run that eventually put us on a 4 lane highway that went past all these really attractive strip malls. At least the people in the cars cheered for the runners, or some of them did. The runners had a lane all to ourselves, wow. To top it off, I was pretty tired and my IT band started hurting, I couldn't wait to reach the finish line which I did, FINALLY!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Overall, my friends and I all raced well and enjoyed the day. After I finished the rain cleared and it turned into a sunny afternoon, go figure! Weather affects me so much, I think I would have felt entirely different during the race if it had a been a nicer day. Logistically this race was my least favorite. We had to drive 10 miles or so from the host hotel to reach the transition area and race start. Race morning it took us 30 minutes, and some who left later took even longer, because of the long line of cars full of all the race participants trying to get to the same place. Then because the run was a point-to-point, it ended 13.1 miles from the race start and all of our gear, so we had to take shuttles back to the start to get our things and drive home. But we did get medals for finishing and made a few more triathlon memories together! I'm glad I got to do this race and was able to complete it. I don't want to take for granted that I can be out there doing it. Regardless of weather, you have to tough it out on race day, not just on the perfect day. Besides, when does "life" ever give us a "perfect" day everyday? :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span">Overall Finish- 6:13:16</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>Swim- 39:25</div><div style="text-align: justify;">T1- 6:58</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span>Bike- 3:14:37</div><div style="text-align: justify;">T2- 3:50</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Run- 2:08:26</div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-27099390271341343692010-09-16T08:37:00.001-07:002010-09-16T09:28:00.259-07:00IM Wrap-Up Pics<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAh9WJYLxF5xEPN1kgEv-CZFKZ4Uq2rgpVnIitIWgiYYNKIViyDsQYGJoO5k1y9CuQQgoCSeonaICdXJh210qyyKffsqMNfj6fuAYyY1TNrFdU8iyCBWjjA1rgsxOj81PHMzjK6hRWS9Fq/s1600/DSCN1765.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAh9WJYLxF5xEPN1kgEv-CZFKZ4Uq2rgpVnIitIWgiYYNKIViyDsQYGJoO5k1y9CuQQgoCSeonaICdXJh210qyyKffsqMNfj6fuAYyY1TNrFdU8iyCBWjjA1rgsxOj81PHMzjK6hRWS9Fq/s320/DSCN1765.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517536568082252034" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">Waiting in line for the swim start. The line stretched for more than a mile. nice face, huh? I didn't get to jump off the dock to start the swim until 45 minutes after the official start time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYScL3hwoBf1BNTsNlD70mYZTA1v67DGh2MivIpI3K_t1D8GQ7T57sxIHgwgpHqWj6fEB9lL7xoYT2ZE839ZX3FuKUDwI5BUz-Wgcw-LlHhTR5FD8DeNgsQDQDAFHkf577E6EkvOpesPEl/s320/P8290059.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517539002864752514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the end of the 2.4 mile swim, the final bouy, and then we swam to the steps to exit the water.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIAiodtwO8bup0BwamkoOVhqwcYUFRBxuS0OZFobsaxBIiK0-nFWcxQxSoU3D6ovEg4MQlTqW4Pvav4KPK1x5s7CUXge_TS6gdVmMmRJmU4XeyCfYPzMGaM0bhRGj2HXdEG2SG21IeMS6q/s320/P8290062.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517539891497220098" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Swim complete-woohoo! Now off to transition to the changing tent to get ready for the bike! During the run from the swim exit to transition, I saw my Aunt Lisa and Rose cheering me on and again as I exited on my bike! Colin actually took these pics but somehow I didn't see him!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaHXFsUoaMO1byGzAtmHF4lVYWmpBwtodw7IX1yqNzoQ9BHFR_TlohdJVbq5tcTQLUV_XA6YbosxKTZPhzCnVs3s56mtjBX2qAYXId4ExLezhuPE-tqJCvLydCgK-sBHcQmAA9YYwWRAKt/s320/P8290067.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517540637466902178" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Final push to the finish of 112 miles of rolling, hilly, gorgeous country side and horse farms galore! Only downside was that is was in full sun with no shade and temps topped out at 94 degrees. Lisa and Rose were out on the course when I hit 70 miles, what a boost to have them cheering! I got to see the whole crew when they took this pic! At the end of the ride I was completely covered in a thick layer of salt. During the bike ride I actually had a headache within the first two hours. I worked hard to drink even more and loosened my ponytail a little thinking maybe that would ease the headache.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOkbgQudWswUw-cluaOXemKB7kGdhEqYdcxrzbKr3Io3w7EGflw0emIynG9pUVU9JwFbh-AP8WSD2qF05xS3dxvnmYhQK_MJXTiy15S5ZTdTovzO1KcKG3aBzTCggB6x1jfGOGroTdGJYg/s320/DSCN1796.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517542129238829650" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is what the end of a tough 26.2 mile run looks like! I was beyond happy to see the finish line. It was a double out and back run course and we literally ran right up to the finish line at mile 13ish and had to turn right to do the out and back loop again. It was not a scenic run in the least, pretty much torture to run in my dehydrated state! I got to run with several people along the way, chatting some and helping each other through small stretches of the run. A huge upside was getting to see Colin, my cousins Rose and Julia, and my Aunt Lisa all throughout the run. They were fabulous!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqlvIWdOJfHP5mX2RC9xYurAuABb1R3c0hZ6yhgkRQ0s4WfXPMmks3FqS3bcm3V5O7LpWp-QDUrM_n7xMoXRCIJXSHrnaWSEeSqfwhlPZCUcqs-qFOQi_1ihajLYvwDUwCklSOpYMmagd/s320/DSCN1800.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517543737408483218" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sporting my hard earned medal and chatting about the day at the finish line... :)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkIETWe9u1F1ynPQlZh1uYqcW4W3XV4VKiJJFQXc2CUHpcG0l5aPDNed2Pa_0AVo00zLI2xNzdhMdSNDxMPbjLYGf94aiiiM3PgXhTkOaLCGRKoo6-XvJpCa0jakYd0NYHaFmcUCr0gWHK/s320/DSCN1801.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517544341344963682" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">I was so much more fatigued after this Ironman than my first one and I think it was because it was so much hotter. Literally felt better to squat then to stand upright! This is me talking to my sister Kellee on my cell, she had been following the race and talking to Colin all day. :) I had to sit on a curb and drink some water before I could walk back to the hotel... Last IM I felt fine to walk around, stand and talk and it was no big deal to get my gear and get to the hotel. This time Colin got me to the hotel and then went out to pick up my bike and all my gear for me, what a keeper!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5AX6HikC9o2eGon4liOnsO4DgRM4GyTUEvnFTu0p4q8U4jl5h0a2vf83x_5ch3QDBzHxobY6BvhemdOsSnu6OFDQBvamo-nJ6Hizr5NAB1RGKM0ennwvGGPzFY-qrmF3UQLJbgK7Ruqby/s320/P8290075.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517545527292109410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Julia, Lisa, Me not being able to stand up anymore, and Rose! Julia has done a sprint tri previously, Lisa has run LOTS of marathons including Boston 5 times and counting, Rose is an amazing runner and marathoner with a PR of something like 3:24.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWNTVbanaJwokib9DmvSRC15ey9mVxp5U9Q9biEcYqNKhac5Oz_kXexfw6tSjcsCu1f10351drT_eIZXVtZUcmH_x2vv3HC2I_ebq8MQ71gu-ZSMm0u_WQtnXE99EPTCnqQUUPoEB_kf8S/s320/P8300083.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5517546085878683538" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Safely back home again the day after the race, proudly wearing my finishers hat and a t-shirt that says "Ironman Louisville." It was fun but I never plan to do this HOT Ironman race again! Goodbye Louisville! Hello to future IM cities like Tempe, Arizona or Madison, Wisconsin and definitely would go back to Panama City Beach, Florida!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next up Syracuse 70.2 Triathlon on Sep. 19 and then Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 31. </div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-7597139666485210682010-09-01T17:14:00.000-07:002010-09-04T05:37:25.362-07:00Ironman Louisville Preview....Post One<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnF1MZw9zcYIrDXpfBzIICrQkiku-MVHHgLef2IvdB3XS-akKfteZs2wkuJST9ALa9DhAT0ZmCTfHO8LCYX7jwxPjsqdtyhMsgsP3h8xSVAdPncxvfyS_wd5UfY1ltFDoRWadLmaxAWP8/s1600/DSCN1798.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEnF1MZw9zcYIrDXpfBzIICrQkiku-MVHHgLef2IvdB3XS-akKfteZs2wkuJST9ALa9DhAT0ZmCTfHO8LCYX7jwxPjsqdtyhMsgsP3h8xSVAdPncxvfyS_wd5UfY1ltFDoRWadLmaxAWP8/s320/DSCN1798.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5512704771452989650" /></a><br />Well, I finished the IM in some seriously hot weather conditions. It was a dig deep kind of day that took lots of prayer, and I was so thankful to cross the finish line. There's really nothing like the sight of the finish line after a seemingly never ending race day! I knew I would be slower then my first IM but I ended up an hour and 45 minutes slower. Try that for your ego!!!! But truly it was the best I could do, it was a completely different race course and city, and the biggest difference was the weather. I will gradually go through the swim-bike-run that took me 15:00:54 in future posts. But first a preview...<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>HIGH POINTS:</b> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>The Finish Line!!!!!!!!!!!!</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Colin-my husband there cheering me on, not to mention he went and picked up all my gear and bike post-race, and listened to me about everything all through the weekend...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Aunt Lisa</i> and Cousins <i>Rose</i> and <i>Julia-</i>drove 2 hours to meet for dinner the night before and cheered me all through the entire long race day! They rocked! Took lots of pics too!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ohio River proved to be easy water to swim in, brown and murky, but not stinky. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fun rolling hills on the bike course!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Met a few people to chat with briefly along the run course!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pulled myself through the run by cheering on the other runners in the later darker miles of the course and then got called "Skirt Girl" and asked "How I could be so perky?" by those same runners. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>LOW POINTS:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That this thing was in <i>AUGUST</i>!!!! In Kentucky!!!!! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">That it was 94 degrees and the bike course was in <i>FULL SUN</i>!!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An aid station on the bike course ran out of water (just didn't get replenished quickly enough...) so I went without for 12 miles or so, not fun. (I had half a bottle of warm gatorade on my bike, better then nothing.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Had a <i>headache </i>for the first hour or two of the bike, it was hot out there. Kept drinking gatorade and pushing to get better hydrated.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Cried</i> at mile 5.86 of the run because I felt so bad, dehydration bad feeling in my head, not really muscles. Another runner coming back on the other side of the road said, "It's okay, we ALL feel like that, keep going!!!" So I sucked it up, quit my crying, and kept going!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Run course was a double out and back straight shot with no turns, very boring, and we had to do it TWICE! AND at mile 14 we had to run right up to the finish line but instead of going down the chute to the end, we turned left and went back out for the second boring out and back loop. You could see and hear the screaming crowd and the people finishing. good times.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>HYDRATION and NUTRITION:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Bike</i>-Drank 4 aero bottles of water, 2 sports drink bottles, 5 hours worth of Hammer Perpetuem (900 calories), 4 mini Clif bars (100 calories each), 2 Clif Shot Blocks packages (200 calories each), half a banana from an aid station.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Run</i>-Drank Nuun (3 tablets worth spaced out, needed more), straight water, sports drink (not sure how much, drank it at the aid stations as needed.), 4 GU gel packs (100 calories each).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>[Aid stations had lots of food and choices but I just can't eat on the run which is why I try to really take it all in on the bike.]</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>WEIGHT CHANGES:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Friday:</i> weighed in at athlete check-in 4 lbs heavier than my normal which was a result of minimal workouts for the two previous taper weeks, not a big deal. Body water was at 50 percent which was good. (anything from 45 to 60 is good.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Sunday Race Day:</i> <b>CALORIE BURN </b>was <b>13,020</b>, craziness!!!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Tuesday:</i> a full day after the race I weighed 9 pounds <b>LESS</b> than I did at the athlete weigh-in!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Wednesday:</i> back to my normal weight, not the extra 4 lbs. I had at the athlete weigh-in but at what I've been weighing all summer. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>RECOVERY:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Feel better than after a marathon, not sure why??? Quads were a little sore Mon-Tues but not Wednesday, left hamstring is a still a little tight. Overall, I feel pretty good. I did NOT feel so great at the finish line, tired and hard to stand up then!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Monday</i>-drove the 9.5 hours home.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Tuesday</i>-3 mile walk plus a 1 mile jog. (hadn't planned to run but was in a hurry to get back and it didn't hurt.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Wednesday</i>-very easy 1.5 hour slow paced bike ride.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Thursday</i>-went out to bike 30 miles with my friend but felt so great that I biked <b>5o miles</b> instead! Would not have done it if I didn't feel good, no soreness during or after and pace was decent. (15.8, not bad for a few days after IM) </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>the rest of the week?</i> lake swim on Friday and a short run on Saturday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Why am I recovering so well???</i> I think because it was sooooooo incredibly hot at the IM that I couldn't go all out like I had trained up for and now I've still got some in the tank. Too bad I can't go try again for faster in an upcoming IM but they fill up a year in advance and my husband would flat out leave me! ha! Not really, but he definitely would not be in favor! I mean, I'm definitely doing <b>MORE</b> of these things, I'm hooked and want to get faster, but I won't being doing one in the fall! :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>COMING SOON:</b> Maybe some short posts and more pictures, one about the swim, one about the bike, and a final one about the run. Trying to keep it shorter. But of course this one is completely long. Sorry.</div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-23257439601466846422010-08-25T05:15:00.000-07:002010-08-25T05:39:46.215-07:00IM Race MOJO!!!!!!<span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Nerves, Anxiety, Apprehension</span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">----ALL at the forefront of my mind this week! Yep, I've been in my own personal world of freak out! I've even gone so far as to be disappointed in a slower finishing time for my second Ironman then I had in my first Ironman, and I haven't even raced yet!!!!!! Pretty funny when I step back and look at myself! But seriously, this will be a much hotter race, different terrain, different swim, no comparison to my first IM. My goal is to finish. The time will be whatever it is, not putting pressure on myself, I want to listen to my body and race smart, fuel well, follow my nutrition plan, and HAVE FUN!</span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">IT'S HERE:</span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Sunday, August 29 is the race day, please pray for me while I'm out there! My number is 427 and it is Ironman Louisville if you want to track me on-line. I so appreciate the encouraging words I've heard from my friends both in person and on facebook. I love being out there and I think that as soon as I hit the water the nerves will settle and I'll enjoy being out there! </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">RACE DAY FUEL/NUTRITION:</span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">On the bike I will have Perpetuem, Clif bars, Clif shot blocks, Gatorade and water. I'd rather have a little more than I might want than not enough! On the run I'll probably just do straight GU gels and water, they'll have tons of stuff at the aid stations but not sure I'll want it at that point. Last time I couldn't do anything but gels by the time I got to the run. Planning to have NUUN in my water bottle on the run.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">MENTAL GAME:</span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">This day is a huge mental game, even more so than the marathon. So it starts in my head. As I stated in the beginning, I've been on the nervous side! Well, yesterday I got this awesome message from my songbird friend from college. Her name is Colleen, we haven't seen each other since we graduated but connected on facebook in the past year. She has done two Ironmans, works for Livestrong, and is an amazing athlete! I LOVE what she wrote, hit the nail on the head, made me laugh, and brought me back to reality! I CAN DO THIS! God is my strength, there are way more important things and far more difficult things in life then a little old swim-bike-run. So Louisville, here I come! Excited! </span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Colleen's Words:</span></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"YOU ARE READY! You have planned your race....now race your plan! Do not deviate one bit from what you know you have worked on in the past 5 months of training." </span></span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">(actually 6 months, but who's counting??) </span></span></span></i></span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FFFFFF;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">"Have fun. Don't take it too seriously. Keep in mind it is a long training day – you are not going to win. Eat and drink more than you think you need. Smile and/or laugh every once in a while. Think about people during the race that are in much greater pain than you ever will be. Think about me barfing in the swim on my first Ironman – it was red because I drank cranberry juice that morning (I thought I was puking blood). Enjoy it when they take your wetsuit off for you – that never happens in real-life. Play games with yourself all day. Go easy when it feels hard and go hard when it feels easy. Don't think about the people who will be finishing as you get off the bike. Do something stupid when you cross the finish line. Say thank you to the volunteers. Have a beer after you are done, even if you don't want one. Stay at the finish line until the race is over – you will want to leave, but it will be worth it to see the last finishers. Be prepared to be mauled in the swim – if you expect to get kicked and lose your goggles it won't be a shock when it happens. Don't get an M-Dot tattoo, no matter what."</span></span></span></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">And there you have it, thanks Colleen!!!</span></span></b></span></i> </span></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-8646394029375600142010-08-02T06:47:00.000-07:002010-08-02T09:07:46.713-07:00Bad Things Happen in 3's :)<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">1.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Transmission on my car</span> went out 2 weeks ago! Fun times, got it towed, re-built, then back to the shop for the key stuck in the ignition. It's just a car! Been 13 days without it but it comes home today. Pain in the wallet! :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">2.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">First Solo Flat Tire:</span> Only 6 miles from home on my 52 mile solo bike ride, I got my first flat tire when I was alone! I know how to change them but always have a little help. SO, I was fine, actually kind of glad for a chance to prove to myself I could do it alone. I could do it, not very fast, but changed the WHOLE thing. Don't get your hopes up, it was a failure! I changed it and got all the "hard" parts accomplished, only to break the valve off my newly changed tube when I tried to air up the tire with my CO2 cartridge. Literally the moment I had the mishap a young couple on road bikes pulled up and helped me out. They gave me a new tube and the guy changed the tire for me! I love happy endings, don't you? Free flat tire clinic, here I come!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">3.</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;">Broken shifter cable on my bike: </span>Yep, this weekend it was my shifter cable that frayed and completely broke making it impossible to shift out of my little ring and into my big ring. I was 3 hours into a 5.5 hour ride with my husband! This makes it impossible to shift into higher gears and ride at a faster pace. Great. He says we'll have to shorten the route or it will take forever. This "type A" addicted to my training girl cannot handle that! Ha ha!!! So, he got out his tools, took off my front derailer and put the chain on the big ring and I rode the next 2.5 hours in my big ring. Yahoo! This is only not fun when you are climbing a hill and don't have your low gears to make it easier to reach the top. There weren't too many hills though so I survived! Bike went straight to the shop when we got home for a repair and tune-up and it will be ready on Tuesday! Yay!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#FF0000;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Happy Weekend:</span></i></b></span><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"> </span></i></b> It was a great weekend! Got some great hang-out and training time with my husband after having barely seen each other or talked for the past week while he worked over 80 hours and was completely exhausted all week! Logged a 5.5 hour bike ride and 40 min. run in gorgeous weather, a long run the next day, and even grilled out on the deck! I'm all about quality time! :)</div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-73346588031026735092010-07-26T07:24:00.000-07:002010-07-26T12:28:55.267-07:00Musselman Half Iron Tri: July 11, 2010<div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitj1OhUZuQrgCgmX9KGTJf_MB7zfQ-WcS9lm84qwLwMZHVkYrpRIyALuioF_mFRVTSEtp6GAMy0ftgh-jNY0FxAkvA-1clxawEnwb1Oo5bkH0h3qKWGQmEBMss60Ywu6KuH62OOtxRopk2/s1600/transition.jpg"></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnB9JQ6IuKXKCDt0fEIqKVVjPyXGtuDLwiJtdwLUVWYNG4AY_dEbj0NWdfnOHoXfIg7GW7XgZBb3oqbxUhaY0JA1qK25tL-eGNwboP5eYZ-97CfVb4TzvMiXBrP37LC6wsGjpbKlLOk2rq/s1600/post-race.jpg"><img style="text-align: left;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnB9JQ6IuKXKCDt0fEIqKVVjPyXGtuDLwiJtdwLUVWYNG4AY_dEbj0NWdfnOHoXfIg7GW7XgZBb3oqbxUhaY0JA1qK25tL-eGNwboP5eYZ-97CfVb4TzvMiXBrP37LC6wsGjpbKlLOk2rq/s320/post-race.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498233196778835794" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Kim and Kirsten, post-race, notice the empty transition area...</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I <b>LOVE</b> this race and highly recommend it to anyone considering a half-iron triathlon distance! It's an outstanding, well-organized, family oriented, FUN race. The bike course is flat and fast, the run has challenging hills, and the swim is in beautiful Seneca Lake. This was my second time to participate in this race. They also have a mini-mussel which is the sprint distance, a micro-mussel which is some kind of comical tricycle race, and the Kid's Mussel which is awesome to watch!</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYQUvel6UcPQavQ_MqZNMoGsvixVOrjFmtRw-YMK0j-7c_5lmUvhn7KL3UsQ1mJLMfyB8tpOZBRDyWpNUqoLeyR-0j1SVp3rNXKGvIFRs2Yr6fJd4uY62NiJwwepq_4J-ih-FQoa77JaGi/s320/mussel+quotes.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498235431211462274" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My assigned spot in transition, when you register they ask you to give them motivational slogans and they put them on your sticker at your spot in transition. Mine says "I love this stuff! Ride it like you stole it! Never give up!" Of course I only had time to read that before the race started! I love the idea though. :)</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><div><b>My Race:</b></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The <b>SWIM</b> felt great, my goggles were a bit fogged so I felt like I had to work harder to stay on course but it was decent. I finished the <b>1.2 miles</b> in <b>37:28</b>, about 30 seconds <i>faster</i> then last year. Yay! Then it was out of the lake, a run down the path to transition while getting my arms out of the wetsuit and into biking shoes/socks, helmet, gloves and sunglasses. Did I forget anything? No! Out of <b>T1</b> in <b>2:55</b>, a huge improvement for me! </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTwtFgv7f7Pm124vWeqSHQwMVk98O91qZGjblBjxFzif5U2s_nItb5iIogFUaX5fJsSKuH2Q01q9LksY6CtZ8WCf6CY8totRDcYJyS4VAEujX6ZM2Q3qRllXO-Yde0RCvxemBdSTeorbBx/s320/stuff+in+transition.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498234617786461394" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">My spot in the transition area with everything set exactly the way I wanted it, you should see the mess it becomes as the race progresses. :)</span></span></i></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My <b>BIKE</b> computer wasn't working immediately when I started at the mount line, nice. I stopped <i>(can you believe it?) </i>to try and fix the sensor on my front wheel which had gotten knocked out of place. Of course I couldn't fix it and I'm ultra dependent on watching my speed and time to know how hard to push and when to take in nutrition. Well, I couldn't fix it and didn't want to waste precious time so off I pedaled deciding to ride totally on feel, what choice did I have? Honestly, it was good for me even though I took a little while mentally to get over it while I was riding! I love the bike course, it's awesome, fast, you can really fly! We had a head wind for the first 14 miles so perceived effort was up but I kept pushing. Then it was a fabulous tail wind! I saw all kinds of people passing me while drafting (against the rules), a few people blocking (also against the rules and quite annoying when you want/need to pass them!!) and it was incredibly gratifying to watch the official motorcycle pull up beside people and take down their numbers to apply penalties. Yes! I loved that and it made me even more cautious to not accidentally break any rules myself. I finished the <b>56 miles</b> in <b>3:07:36</b> with an <b>18.0 avg. </b>speed.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitj1OhUZuQrgCgmX9KGTJf_MB7zfQ-WcS9lm84qwLwMZHVkYrpRIyALuioF_mFRVTSEtp6GAMy0ftgh-jNY0FxAkvA-1clxawEnwb1Oo5bkH0h3qKWGQmEBMss60Ywu6KuH62OOtxRopk2/s320/transition.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498233645942180498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pre-race transition area with athletes setting gear for their races. </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Into transition, my legs were tired when I walked/jogged my bike to my spot. Quick change of shoes and shedding of bike gear, grabbed my water bottle and I was off! <b>T2</b> about 20 seconds slower than last year in <b>2:52</b>. The <b>RUN</b> was so hot and hilly, I completely struggled through the course in full sun with little shade. <i>(Yes, I still love this race!) </i> Spectators were out in their yards with hoses spraying us and I ran through every one of them! I sponged cold ice water all over my face, neck, arms and poured water over my head. I took in several Gu gel packs and drank water. I would have loved some gatorade, the course had Heed, which I don't care for, such a snob! I also would have done well to take in salt tablets. About a mile from the finish I passed my friends cheering me in and felt so bad I almost cried! In fact, I did cry a little. I was so HAPPY to cross the finish in line in <b>2:18:38 </b>for <b>13.1 miles</b>, even though it was <i>14 minutes slower </i>than my run last year! Uggh! So, I ended up with a total time of <b>6:09:29 </b>which was only <i>7 minutes slower</i> than my overall time last year. It could have been much worse if I hadn't improved in other parts but it could have been so much better if I could have run better. But it is what it is! I'm thankful to have completed the race and it was frankly the best I could run on that day. :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The LOOT:</b> We got arm warmers, gloves, a nice long-sleeved tech shirt (made from recycled material), and a finishing eco-friendly water bottle and finishing medal which is a chainring. (basically a recycled bike part) This race really goes all out to be environmentally conscious.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduJMHwadM5i749fiSedBbI9YS3IsRsdEfa8PbE6G2-4TdRyrBG44PfefboXYq6IPknv6OjnvIPV395icMVD2BrIuTluIC7O_vifisQettwT7sUrJoINQ7WB3cQyO68xRjHo7g8EZh2YvQ/s320/photo-13.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498290370685549314" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">There's the "stuff" and Kim made the awesome keepsake clipboard as a surprise!</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Place in the Race:</i> I got 22nd out of 53 in my age group of 35-39 year olds. I came in 423 out of 794 overall. I do wish I had run better, running is supposed to my "thing," I remember when I used to pass everyone on the run in tri's, not that day! Life goes on, I'm learning to be thankful that I can have health and fitness to do these things that I love, and appreciate that God gives me the desire and ability to do it, regardless of finishing times. It's for his glory anyway that we're even on this earth. And so as the verse says in Col. 3:23 "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men." So I will do it with all my heart and be thankful and happy that I can!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>PICTURES: </b> My great friend and training partner, Kim, went through this whole weekend as well, and also our friend Scott, who is married to another marathon training friend of mine. The three of us traveled together in Kim's awesome triathlon Dodge minivan with automatic doors on all sides and room for THREE bikes PLUS all of our STUFF! It's amazing, see pics below... We went to packet pick-up, painted the "Wall of Mussel," went to the pre-race meeting and then met Scott's family for dinner out and all stayed at Scott's family's lake cottage before heading out to the race the next morning. Kim and Scott both had great races and Scott completed his second ever tri and first half-iron distance. </div></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm-b5hgvbsuy2zDE-Bk9FkwMTEqSeWqUq5q8raGsLplRbJdYkrTVKzEZeZFpyqa7g6yyT1HaEwJkNXwOuLGybUtlNrYYx_3k8Qd9CUmeC8ivNAZF6AoQ_rUACb-xZbCVfv6tieVGVwPTZ3/s320/van-musselman.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498288772598801090" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The Van: Lots of stuff and 3 bikes, count 'em!</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEileOTfc8dL7NbqLep9g0kZLIlx2lZk7P9lWF9KfBzeZT4YesoN8mjdtXYRJ3-EVqnzTrsVnDg0i4DS9TPg0NvGsyOXOpiUH7F-YreN812HqKNVJE9foL22TsptCSZomdKSn7_HSSwuM6HA/s320/wall+of+mussel.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498294360872342050" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Athletes painting the mural and their names.</span></span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></i></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "><br /></span></i></span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "><br /></span></i></span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre; "><br /></span></i></span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitNdpPebmmPq2wIoGEi7iRsvhz1g9rhfhnvm9nqmmZU8xaycbw51Nhm6Da2sm-WsF1tNtRlEAa76QV_YdhI2UHgUrTOcKZHZ8VBKr430rX5qBI7nn5idIaT2GEXwQFRCinsXsVQmQ6itzm/s320/mural+musselman.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498294729357238498" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Closer view of the mural...</span></span></i></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></i></span></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></i></span></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdHXlOIoblCPL2yGnM-5fzR3lXVq7cnDFXpNdpmSD5HNDXYEk7TfR6dX9cHJrZxUECn_d7rtm8FkPfcTG10buZjO_oPIw2m3mc9DZzpKXYex74bMbHchF-NvfVYT8JgFPJBW9tRcg-ub-H/s320/Scott,+Kim,+Kirsten+at+musselman.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498295294257697362" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></span></i></span></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; white-space: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">The three of us in front of the "Wall of Mussel."</span></span></i></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></i></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVsP3BynLMEN7h5ycY0TvAnrMZ7jlgAorKfz-2CLDPk6KPIyh3gvv0-0AZnoryPUwIVO5kzrSMOQwhOhFSJBmARSBKE4xcj7IIlhEDmFva7SKcMkO4pnnT0JYtEFonvssiTg11UquP8Ku/s320/Kim+and+Kirsten+pre-race.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498295679530264066" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pre-Race shot of Kim and I.</span></span></i></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><br /></span></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMIoMbb6_FgDqLw6msbw_-u5XonSEqLujN5re7v18GMGzICZ9kVjxix9aBEF1vPBsZVE9ONkPaSnROvOa-HSXEwEDEGuHXGWaXjH4b5GuHAUggo3tB3X7LMILuFubT5tEtf2-LFG1QN3wx/s320/name-musselman.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5498291859699470322" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">You can add the years on to the wall every time you come back and race. Fun idea!</span></span></i></div></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-42027769693933798452010-07-18T18:01:00.000-07:002010-07-18T18:47:14.558-07:00At a Glance...<div align="justify">Officially I have survived 18 weeks of Ironman training! It started out with an 8 week base phase followed by an 8 week build phase, and now I am in the second week of the 4 weeks of the peak training phase. After that, the long-awaited taper leading to race day. So, peak phase is all that the name implies. Here is what this previous week of training entailed:</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Monday, July 12:</span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#3366ff;">Rest day</span> <em>(This was the day after the half-iron Musselman Triathlon)</em></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Tuesday, July 13:</span> </strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Swim 2,900 yards</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><em>(pool workout including warm up, drills, moderate and threshold intervals, kicking and cooldown) </em></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Bike 1 hr. 40 min.</span></strong> </div><div align="justify"><em>(27 miles, 15.9 avg--slower then usual due to still recovering from the race)</em></div><div align="justify"><em></em></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Wednesday, July 14:</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Swim 2,900 yards</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><em>(pool workout with warm up, drills, moderate and VO2 max intervals, speed intervals, kicking and cool down)</em></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Bike 1 hr. 30 min.</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><em>(23.5 miles, 15.9 avg---still in recovery mode...)</em></div><div align="justify"><em></em></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Thursday, July 15:</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Run</span> </strong><em>speedwork 6 x 800 m repeats, 5 mile total run distance</em></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong></strong></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>Open Water Swim</strong></span> (3 loops in Canandaigua Lake, first swim with no wetsuit this season and it felt great, IM Lousiville will not be wetsuit legal due to warm water temps so I must practice in open water without a wetsuit.)</div><div align="justify"><em>(1 loop equals slightly less then a mile, plan called for 3700 yards so I guess/estimated at the lake, must have been around 2.5 miles??)</em></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Friday, July 16:</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><span style="color:#3366ff;"><strong>Run 6</strong> <strong>miles</strong></span></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Bike 2 hours</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><em>(30 miles, 15.0 avg)</em></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Saturday, July 17:</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Long Run 16 miles</span></strong> <em>(hot and humid!)</em></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#33cc00;">Sunday, July 18:</span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Long Bike 5 hr. 15 min.</span> </strong><em>(76 miles in the wind and lots of climbing made for</em> a slower pace)</div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;"></span></strong></div><div align="justify"><strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">Run 4 miles</span></strong> <em>(immediately following bike workout)</em></div><div align="justify"><em></em></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify">Next week is quite similar to this week, there is usually a Brick workout each week but this week was slightly modified due to the race on Sunday. My bike workouts are usually supposed to be at moderate intensity, one on a hilly course and one high intensity bike workout. I just didn't have speed this week mainly because of racing on Sunday. I can feel fatigue settling in and that is normal. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>Nutrition during workouts:</strong> I've been tweaking nutrition on my long bike ride days to try and figure out my race day plan. Today I burned 3300 plus calories on the bike and 400 on the run! That's a lot of calories to keep up with so I can keep going on the long workout. Race day will be an even longer time on the bike followed by 26.2 miles of running, nutrition is the most important factor to plan. Currently I'm leaning towards a 4 hour bottle of perpetuem on the bike plus a couple packs of GU chomps plus 3 or 4 mini Clif bars. (100 calories each and easy to consume) For the run I"ll likely stick with straight gels and water/gatorade because that was all I could tolerate last time and it seemed to do the trick. I'm no expert and basically just figuring it out as I go along. :)</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>My training plan:</strong> Following Matt Fitzgerald's Triathlon Level 4 Ironman Plan. (love his training book/plan)</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>Coming Soon:</strong> Pictures and a full race report from the Musselman Half Iron Tri on July 11. It was a fun race, hard run, I improved in everything except the run but I blame the heat and sun! I'm just full of excuses in this post...forgive me!</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong></strong> </div><div align="justify"><strong>Shout-Out:</strong> to several training partners... <em>Sandy and Kim</em> for open water swims and bike rides from time to time, <em>FF running groups</em> for long runs, and the <strong>biggest</strong> and <strong>bestest</strong> shout-out of all to <strong>COLIN</strong> for biking with me on the long endurance rides. He's a strong cyclist and patiently waits for me at turns, he also plans our routes. :) Thank You! I'm lucky he's training for the Highlander, a 125 mile bike ride in September so he needs these long workouts too. </div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-12364693634267022662010-07-09T09:37:00.000-07:002010-07-09T10:25:34.879-07:00June 13: Diabetes 101 Mile Bike Ride<div style="text-align: justify;">Ironman training has taken over my life, this is week 17, leaving little time for blogging, my apologies for this late post about the fun yet wet and rainy bike ride for Diabetes this past month. Tour de Cure goes on in many major cities and I was privileged to get to participate in the Rochester ride. Thank you to everyone who donated to this important cause and made the ride possible.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My friend Sandy convinced me to join her team for this ride and the two of us set out to reach our goals. She and I have logged many training miles together, both running and biking, and have even gotten a few swim workouts in together! Her first Ironman will be this coming November! I promise to get a pic of us posted here at some point. :) Also happened upon another friend, Scott, at the start of the ride. Sandy, Scott and I set out together in the pack of over 1,000 riders in the drizzly morning weather.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The course was great, many roads that I have biked previously and a fair amount of new ones. The three of us were averaging in the high 17's for the first 25 miles or so and it felt great to be out there riding and chatting away. We stopped at the first aid station for a restroom break and to re-fill bottles on our bikes. This is really just a ride, not a race, no pressure, just a nice long endurance workout and each individual can control their own pace. There are aid stations all throughout so it is fully supported, a wonderful perk! After the first aid station the three of us separated a bit but met up at the stop around 34 miles. So we started off together again. Scott and I ended up pulling ahead and drafting behind this group of cyclists, my first drafting experience. (Drafting is illegal in triathlons earning you an ugly time penalty and your main focus is to keep at least 3 bike lengths between yourself and the rider ahead of you....) ANYWAY, back to the drafting, wow! It was so much fun, we were completely speeding along in the mid-20's with no effort. It was a great ride that went on for a good 20 minutes. Then we were back to riding on our own. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Around 60ish miles the rain had changed from drizzly to a heavy mist and amazingly WET! We were soaked, our glasses were fogged up and stopping just made you cold. I've never seen so many flat tires in a ride, they were everywhere. Scott ended up with a flat a little past mid-way through. (quickly fixed with a new tube) Around 70ish miles the course looped around Lake Conesus which was quite beautiful and gradually the misty rain subsided. I ended up stopping at 4 aid stations along the course and they were all well-stocked. But I rode with perpetuem, gatorade and water and had some GU chomps so didn't really need anything. (except the restrooms!) Perpetuem is made by Hammer and is my preference for long training rides. It has calories, carbs, protein and even a little fat and keeps my energy levels up, makes a huge difference for me on the bike. Nutrition and fueling your body is so important on these long endurance days. I did take in a Luna bar at one of the stops. (They had everything-sandwiches, Clif bars and much more...) I like perpetuem because it's easy on the gastro-intestinal track and seems to do the trick for me. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By 90 miles we were on the home stretch and a road that I ride all the time. Strangely my legs were so TIRED! Ha! But at that point I just wanted to get to the end. My left knee hurt every pedal stroke for some weird reason and I was ready to get off the bike seat! There was a fabulous downhill and a matching uphill climb, good times. :) I was so happy to roll through the finish at 101.27 miles, 6:04:38 for my time (not including stops), 16.7 average mph, and max speed of 38.4 mph. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Here is a picture of my bike racked on the car after pulling back into my driveway at home and a shot of my "tattoed" leg courtesy of my bike chain. The bike needed a good cleaning after an attack of rain and road grit, just what you feel like doing when you get home after a long ride, but I did it! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISQSu8Fr4DLohom1SpvT7KGa5oULpbl5jzltdJusLAj_SiIoESpbJmM29FcAVtqKuVpzsZDc0fG-GzHj7qf4jzq6X0vf3HzKxsqKml3vksIHWGBc65ijE1ZZX0bKKKs-byTeuQ1eaC1e2/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjISQSu8Fr4DLohom1SpvT7KGa5oULpbl5jzltdJusLAj_SiIoESpbJmM29FcAVtqKuVpzsZDc0fG-GzHj7qf4jzq6X0vf3HzKxsqKml3vksIHWGBc65ijE1ZZX0bKKKs-byTeuQ1eaC1e2/s320/photo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491957867526575202" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKRPuGkoG5wPRylxaKC34DiwkhYegD0m1ivP1ahPr6g5okMz7QTUzNbUe-_4VoVhCnzqPlFuQFdGhF_z-5Ufacb0oPlRbfktHhdEl1VV4kkSOwtRGQKC-i8mh5sDwejAvUKcNh3FRj0At/s1600/photo-1.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIKRPuGkoG5wPRylxaKC34DiwkhYegD0m1ivP1ahPr6g5okMz7QTUzNbUe-_4VoVhCnzqPlFuQFdGhF_z-5Ufacb0oPlRbfktHhdEl1VV4kkSOwtRGQKC-i8mh5sDwejAvUKcNh3FRj0At/s320/photo-1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491958430987878754" /></a><br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">By the way, the day after this 101 mile bike ride I rested from workouts and my knee pain is completely gone, never came back. I think it was just a short aggravation from the miles that day. whew!!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Stay tuned...in just two days I have the Musselman Half-Iron Tri in Geneva, NY. It's a great race, I got to do it last year too! I don't know that I can better my time this year, but it's sure to be a fun day and my friend Kim and I can't wait to get there and do it again! Scott is doing it too, his first half-iron tri! A story to come but I make no promises as to how quickly I will tell it! :)</div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-17367060595213132602010-06-14T06:53:00.000-07:002010-06-14T15:46:52.919-07:00June 6: Keuka Sprint Tri<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukI_-1-HF1e4oMxguoYhCDQILPaR2rGHXOb07i8drkH97Z9S2XX0r5sidOpI5jBL5_fIiUNTk3a-uCDqPvkEAqTzEo1aMckLPMzo58c8ToQa6UL1lxLjzOxm6fGiKx4hgCpYrv28SW-eh/s1600/Kirsten+and+Steph-Keuka+Tri.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiukI_-1-HF1e4oMxguoYhCDQILPaR2rGHXOb07i8drkH97Z9S2XX0r5sidOpI5jBL5_fIiUNTk3a-uCDqPvkEAqTzEo1aMckLPMzo58c8ToQa6UL1lxLjzOxm6fGiKx4hgCpYrv28SW-eh/s320/Kirsten+and+Steph-Keuka+Tri.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482640101112838066" /></a><br /><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Crashing</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> thunder and streaks of lightning accompanied the sound of my alarm clock at 4:15 AM on race morning. Great, the opening triathlon of the season was going to be in a downpour, I couldn't wait to get to transition to set up my gear. (insert sarcasm...) But I got up, ate oatmeal, got dressed, grabbed my pre-packed bags and hit the road, along with the pounding rain. Fortunately, I racked my back the night before so it was already loaded and I always get everything I need for the tri packed and ready the night before the race. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">By the time I got to the race site, the rain had slowed to a drizzle. Steph and I met up and walked to check in to get our numbers, timing chips, and swim caps. Then it was off to set up our gear in transition, we had to be all set, completely ready, and out of transition by 7:15 AM. I was more excited for Steph to experience her first triathlon then I was about my own race. That was a good thing because the rain was not my preferred weather condition, LOL. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I aired up my bike tires and put on my backpack with all my STUFF and walked to transition. I laid everything out and covered my socks, bike shoes, running shoes and towel with a plastic bag so they would stay dry until I needed them. I even put a plastic bag over my helmet to keep it dry during the swim. Then it was off to get body marked, get my wetsuit on, and wait for the start. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Amazingly, it stopped raining! Steph and hung out chatting and watching the Olympic Tri participants swim their loop in the lake. It was gorgeous, calm water, so very peaceful. We had fun watching and killing time until our sprint distance wave starts. Hers was at 8:30 and mine at 8:35, since we were in different age groups. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It was actually fun to line up with all the women in my age group. Everyone was chatting, voicing their nerves, encouraging each other. It was inspiring to see them, some mentioning their kids, lots of them strong athletic women who were likely to have outstanding races! I missed my friend Kim, who I usually do tri's with, she had a conflict this weekend. But we always start in the same wave and get to stand there together waiting to SWIM! </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">the SWIM:</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> And we were off, even though this is my 10th triathlon, I forgot what the first few moments are like in the triathlon swim. Everyone scrambles to find their pace and position to get to the first buoy. (often you get kicked, pushed, and grabbed, although surprisingly, not today!) This is when I work my nerves out, push out the anxiety, and find my own rhythm. Once I got around the first buoy and away from the crowd, I felt better and much more comfortable. I just swam along to the second buoy, then the third and then it was time to head in toward the finish. The water was 71 degrees, practically 10 degrees warmer then last year's race and not in the least bit cold. I got to that last little stretch and suddenly something sharp was poking my underarm, ouch! </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Don't think about it, just keep swimming! </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> ouch again! I finally had to reach in the neck of my wetsuit and pull whatever "it" was up to the front of my suit so it wouldn't poke me anymore. I was afraid it was my timing chip so I didn't discard it and toss it into the water. It was, wait for it....my energy gel!!!!! It had come out of my shirt pocket somehow, and worked it's way up my suit, it was a sharp painful little sucker, but funny!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Transition 1 and the BIKE:</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> I went as fast as I can, like always, which ends up not being very fast, like always. But I really do try. I got out of my wetsuit into my bike gear and onto the bike! Then I was off on the bike and flying as fast as I could possibly go. Immediately I took in an energy gel while I started the opening stretch. I tried to stay in as high of a gear as possible for the whole time, sometimes in my top most gear and pedaling as hard as I could. Other times, I shifted down for a slight incline but tried to keep a strong steady cadence, not grinding and pushing on the pedals, but smooth circular pedaling. I have much to learn on the bike, but I'm trying. The sprint was an out and back course, very simple, the road isn't the greatest but it was a little better than last year, due to some patching. I have to say, I managed to pass a lot of people and no one passed me, crazy. However, I'm in one of the last wave starts so that makes sense. Into the bike finish...</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Transition 2 and the RUN:</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> I'm always much faster in T2 going from bike to run, but still slower than my fellow competitors! I ripped off my bike stuff and jumped into my running shoes, grabbed my water bottle and out to the run course. By the way, it still is not raining and the sun has just come out. I took off, feeling fatigue in my legs but pushing through. I could tell I was not moving as fast as I did on the run last year when I somehow managed to run sub-8 minute miles for the whole thing. But you just do what you can do on any given day and there it is. My first mile was 7:55, 10 to 20 seconds slower then last year's miles but I just kept moving. My eyes were constantly scanning the on-coming runners for Steph and there she was, already on her way in after the turn around! We cheered each other on and kept on going. I hit the turn around, woo hoo! Second mile was 8:13, no problem just keep the pace, I saw my friend Karin and she yelled "Go Kirsten!" She was competing the Olympic distance and doing great as always. My third mile was 8:16 and then a surprise, my friend Melissa was yelling my name from up ahead which made me pick up the pace for the finish. She has done this for me in at least 4 races and I love it! I didn't even know she would be there that day. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The FINISH:</span></i></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> I crossed the line in </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">1:30:08</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, turns out it was about a minute faster than last year, I'll take it! Even more of a bonus, I actually got THIRD in my age group! I was ecstatic about that! Even though one of the amazing power houses in my age group was an overall winner which allowed me to place, I'll take it! I was slower on the swim than last year, faster in T1 than last year, faster on the bike than last year, same in T2, and slower on the run than last year. It all comes out to slightly faster than 2009, so again, I'll take it, with a placque to boot for the memory. Wow, a great day!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And Steph wrapped up her first triathlon by placing second in her age group with an overall finish of 1:27:47! Of course we hung out to get our awards. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My final splits for the day were: </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Half Mile SWIM 17:19</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">T1 3:17</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(guys, I've NEVER gotten under 4 minutes here!)</span></i></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">20K BIKE</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> 42:08</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">, average pace 19.7 mph, max speed 33.8</span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">T2 1:42</span></b></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">5K Run 26:12</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> (my Garmin said an 8:06 pace for 3.26 miles, but race results say 8:27)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Overall 1:30:08</span></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Most of the girls in my age group can get through T1 in under two minutes, how do you get a wetsuit off that fast?? I think next time I'm putting wet feet straight into my socks and shoes, no more towel drying...</span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yeah, I'm </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">sure</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"> that's the secret. ha ha!</span></i></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOe5P3LWsoOLnrCkkIKkvONRwrBLFVyERbxGrFT5Xvombt_-FhqjA0x9pzkigqOzqB9d_iGowDY_KdOjH8u06TCWZHEY2XfRu97lsQjexxwODh6zaxrwkmHOA_AXI72rNuRuAxSIbe6CBp/s1600/Kirsten+and+Steph-keuka+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOe5P3LWsoOLnrCkkIKkvONRwrBLFVyERbxGrFT5Xvombt_-FhqjA0x9pzkigqOzqB9d_iGowDY_KdOjH8u06TCWZHEY2XfRu97lsQjexxwODh6zaxrwkmHOA_AXI72rNuRuAxSIbe6CBp/s320/Kirsten+and+Steph-keuka+2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482640403510685330" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i>This was our FAILED attempt at a self portrait and we thought it was too hilarious to delete...</i></span></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-2559699590575400672010-06-12T11:23:00.000-07:002010-06-12T12:20:43.779-07:00May 5: Pink Ribbon Race With MOM<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAG_QiTNWv84ixkmCrL_qPJVxLW0agnKdljFGIGXvDQer4hegW2oobY9UoaDuzAZuMcU_qX470GBnxDCF1aHomz-no0iC9Vm6Vy9hx5PFEUErMvO8mpajePQEV24PIUWYqT6GQ3GAf9_L7/s1600/P5090004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAG_QiTNWv84ixkmCrL_qPJVxLW0agnKdljFGIGXvDQer4hegW2oobY9UoaDuzAZuMcU_qX470GBnxDCF1aHomz-no0iC9Vm6Vy9hx5PFEUErMvO8mpajePQEV24PIUWYqT6GQ3GAf9_L7/s320/P5090004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481966860699269202" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Me and Mom, Pre-Race</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div><i><b>"Want to come run a Breast Cancer 5K race on Mother's Day?"</b> </i> Several months prior to this fun Mother's Day 5K race, open to only women, I posed that exact question to my Mom, who had been running a mile or so at a time. Well, that got the ball rolling! Before I knew it, my 59 years young Mom was diligently following the training plan I emailed to her. Not only that, she even went out and bought a pair of running shoes, it seems her previous sneakers were not specialized to running, and oh yeah, they were FIVE YEARS OLD! We all know THAT is a travesty in the running world! (No offense Mom, I love you!!!)<div><br /></div><div>In the following weeks we had many chats about her training completed first on a treadmill, and then in the neighborhood before she landed on her favorite training spot-the cushioned track at the local high school. It was a milestone to reach each new training distance and her program was a mixture of walking and running days with run mileage gradually increasing. By race day she had completed the 3 mile distance twice and was ready to go.</div><div><br /></div><div>True to the form of Rochester weather, we had quite an unpredictable weekend. The day before the race it was a chilly 50 degrees accompanied by wind and rain. This resulted in discussions of race day attire and weather speculation. Sunday morning, "Happy Mother's Day" and don't let a little snow scare you!! Yes! You read correctly, we woke up to snow flurries and temps in the 30's---<i>brrrrr!!!</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>We drove off to the race site and met a big group of women ready to chase breast cancer down in 3.1 miles, the weather couldn't stop us! Besides, the flurries were gone, leaving us with nothing more then cool temps and a little wind. (I didn't say it was ideal or anything...) Mom got to meet several of my running friends and Dad bundled up to stand the weather as a spectator. </div><div><br /></div><div>Mom and I planned to run our own separate paces and when the gun went off were out and running! There was a rough head wind for the first mile-plus of the out and back course along Lake Ontario, which was tough physically and mentally. But soon we reached the loop turn around and started passing other runners still on their way out. I immediately began searching for my Mom in the crowd. I was running as hard as I could, which was proving not hard enough, my mile splits weren't quite fast enough for my normal 5K race times. I kept trying to reach the women ahead of me and was determined not to get passed by the women behind me. That was a success at least! I saw Mom, we cheered each other on and high-fived! I met my Dad at the finish line in 22:24 then I grabbed some water and walked out to wait for Mom. </div><div><br /></div><div>Shortly she came running a strong pace approaching the last turn to head in to the finish! She looked great, had stripped her jacket because it was too warm and was running faster then she had predicted! I was so proud of her looking so great on the run! In 37:20 she crossed the finish line, a far cry from her expected 45:00. What a great pace!</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm happy to announce that she is keeping up with her running, not wanting to lose the consistency she has gained, and plans to run another 5K race sometime this summer! Yay Mom!</div><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae8iMUatpkDNpz_2fx2zSrfky_vR8RYiskA6JVx1YWk6vx5JQCbCpBppNTvJAUxS2OhHQRgM4S9NUtpeTK7NOAG9c-qYKkCxwUgvF_WDBXqCtHag4OpPYazR1Psn-GHjNYCzX2vNavSPO/s1600/P5090001.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjae8iMUatpkDNpz_2fx2zSrfky_vR8RYiskA6JVx1YWk6vx5JQCbCpBppNTvJAUxS2OhHQRgM4S9NUtpeTK7NOAG9c-qYKkCxwUgvF_WDBXqCtHag4OpPYazR1Psn-GHjNYCzX2vNavSPO/s320/P5090001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481967537129983474" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFKmD27Ggl2TO8nwnBbilHq22pVgiDCaJZVRu-phyphenhyphenGYXcNzavvb96oWcPwvpbDomGz77yDO9yZ0h5YsdCmGH6NlWskvfKlQv7msTUwMXiCLAt6vkALRwpH100gVeX8PnGXPCCALJl350H/s1600/P5090006.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVFKmD27Ggl2TO8nwnBbilHq22pVgiDCaJZVRu-phyphenhyphenGYXcNzavvb96oWcPwvpbDomGz77yDO9yZ0h5YsdCmGH6NlWskvfKlQv7msTUwMXiCLAt6vkALRwpH100gVeX8PnGXPCCALJl350H/s320/P5090006.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481967959831710754" /></a> <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">My Parents trying to stay warm pre-race... </span></i><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">another one of me and Mom... </span></i></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-82616457941612482102010-05-07T20:22:00.000-07:002010-05-07T20:58:26.225-07:00April 25: Flower City Half Marathon<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSkUjhwHPaP5JFC40sVUsB_KPJDH-t6M07FsMfFrcyfMI55j9lWGrBXkDvl7b3v9Xp92L1LaxX472oVPuiI2ImbCSvMzrHHCe4S7vcww84E2-B7CyJW27vg4AvlfHhPilOy8fvDj86dZn/s1600/flowercity1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXSkUjhwHPaP5JFC40sVUsB_KPJDH-t6M07FsMfFrcyfMI55j9lWGrBXkDvl7b3v9Xp92L1LaxX472oVPuiI2ImbCSvMzrHHCe4S7vcww84E2-B7CyJW27vg4AvlfHhPilOy8fvDj86dZn/s320/flowercity1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468734770155082082" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another 13.1 mile race in the books. I honestly don't know how many half-marathons I've run, a lot, at any rate. This was the premier year for this awesome race in Rochester, New York. I must say it was a huge success! The course was excellent, just the right amount of challenge, great route, good crowd support, fabulous volunteers, and the event organization was amazing all around. The finish felt like a marathon and they treated all the participants like rock stars, there was even live music at the finish! (and a couple places along the course...)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Rain was the dismal forecast for race day weather so I was completely dreading it the night before the race. However, I chatted with my friend Amy who was running her very first half marathon and I got excited and motivated for the morning run! It was so much fun to hash it all out with her before hand and look forward to her first race at that distance! To make things even better, I woke up to temps near 50 and no rain! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Amy and I made our way to the start and lined up with the 1:50 pace leader. We decided to start out with him and just see how the day went for us, never planning to run together, but just to start together. A light misty rain did start but it was perfectly fine, actually felt good. I was completely comfortable in a running tank and skirt. I was surprised at how great I felt on the run because just two days before I had run a miserable 4 miles with IT band pain. But on race day it was like that had never happened! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We hit our first hill at mile 6 or 7 and I fell off the pace group. The course wound through the city, and then a section through the beautiful Mount Hope Cemetery for miles 7 through 9 basically had rolling hills before flattening out again for the final segment of the run. I determined to keep the pace group in sight with the hopes of possibly catching back up to them. Our pace leader was great, Ultra-Runner-Bill was nice and steady on our 8:23 pace, and had an ultra run himself the following weekend where he would run for 24 hours straight hoping to cover 108 miles-wow! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">So back to the moment, I had fallen off the group and just when I thought I was not going to catch up, I picked it up and ran a 7:44 mile and was back with them. Amy was ahead of the group and in sight, she was running strong! I knew she would have an awesome race, she is a natural runner and just easily settled into her pace. Gradually I lost complete sight of her as she moved ahead of our pace group. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">By the end of the cemetery section, I was feeling tired and Bill gave me some words that stayed with me to the finish line. He said </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"Your body is strong, you've trained for this! Your mind is weak and wants to quit and give up. Tell your mind to SHUT UP, you'll talk later. You can do anything for 30 minutes."</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> He was completely RIGHT! This was purely mental! Of course I could do this! And I did. I made it to the end in 1:50:31. My Garmin read 13.2 miles at an 8:20 pace. Not a PR, but definitely the best I could do on that given day. You get out what you put in, I put no speed work in and that's what I got. :) I'm happy with it. Maybe next year I can beat my time from this year. I loved this race and can't wait to run it again!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">My friend Amy? She ran a 1:46! Super race for her, she got 9th in her age group and I got 10th in mine. There were over 100 in each of our groups, not a bad day for either of us! I have a feeling she'll be even faster next year. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A ton of my friends and running partners ran this race and we all loved it. Can't wait for next year! Kudos to the Rochester Fleet Feet team for putting on an outstanding event</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">!</span></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-44837926523534864132010-04-04T20:30:00.000-07:002010-04-04T21:39:13.293-07:00Heat Wave<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD3A5wnMk1RmP6_n7OBV_uQnuQgDe6unN6vRTA5H-8G6u8mmxoGvGk9A_JttUiTR7OJEozQuPIiRawoMf0dAIn_QYeAQyS8WItMyHD8u50-HXiz86zMvplYf2Tg7fvJ_dlRXFpplYFGoC/s1600/P3270028.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456506394771519650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMD3A5wnMk1RmP6_n7OBV_uQnuQgDe6unN6vRTA5H-8G6u8mmxoGvGk9A_JttUiTR7OJEozQuPIiRawoMf0dAIn_QYeAQyS8WItMyHD8u50-HXiz86zMvplYf2Tg7fvJ_dlRXFpplYFGoC/s320/P3270028.JPG" border="0" /></a> <span style="font-size:78%;">My Grandfather, two sisters, sis-in-law, and TEN nieces and nephews!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">A week before this pic, my Grandfather spent 5 days straight SKIING!!!!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">He's 83 years old-WOW!!!</span><br /></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;">Last weekend with my family in PA was a fabulous couple of days! We had lots of fun and cute kiddo's running around, spent a day at a park for a picnic, watched my parents renew their wedding vows after 38 years, and enjoyed precious time together. I managed to fit in a hilly 10 mile long run on that chilly Saturday morning. God has blessed me with wonderful family for which I am incredibly thankful!</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"></span></div><div align="justify"><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />This weekend our NY temps climbed to 84 degrees two days in a row! I made the most of it-biking 44 miles with two amazing girlfriends on Friday followed by a 30 minute run. Then Saturday I ran 12 miles on a gorgeous sunny and warm morning follwed by a 23 mile bike ride, both with great friends. IM training is going great and I still love it just as much as I did last summer. I've completed three weeks of my training plan, 21 to go! Obviously I'm only at the beginning, barely, but loving it all. I'm getting two workouts a day and one rest day every week. Generally swimming 3 times a week, biking 3 times, running 3 times, and one brick workout a week. (bike/run = brick)</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">I did suffer a heat/dehydration headache after the long bike ride and short run on Friday. It lasted all night AND I woke up with it the next morning. Then I ran 12 miles, with a headache still, came home to a recoverite smoothie and got ready for the bike ride. I would have skipped the bike but had committed to ride with some friends who were biking for the first time and I didn't want to back out on them. (Plus I knew I would be okay.) It ended up being fine, my headache was practically gone by the end of the ride and went away completely after I ate and showered. Our temps jumped from 50's and 60's to mid-80's which is why I think the headache came on-not heat acclimated yet, but I survived. I did take tylenol and ibuprofen throughout but they didn't work!</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Week Totals: Swimming 6000 yards, Biking 110 miles, Running 26 miles (wimpy running!!! not like marathon 50 mile weeks!)</span></div><div align="justify"><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Finally, here is a pic of me and my siblings taken on our family weekend, lined up oldest to youngest, yep, I'm the old lady at 35. LOL! I love my sisters and bro!</span></div><div align="center"><br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456505802407952274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfpfVyECYzhgDol1jzOASiDlDXwETTJ7BURY-EVMse_xnE53c5qfq8In54YXM2AtylFISKEm1XjyoO4rLkDk8MjcH8cl2lk51NEm7CHaBOzsgbh7QJA5vWf2Oqx-mvjJ71lWNZOMJJoHnh/s320/P3270030.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">Kirsten, Kellee, Kendra, Nathan, Lindsay</span></p><br /><p align="center"><span style="font-size:78%;">(Can you find nephew Jacob peeking from behind? hee hee!!!)</span><br /></p>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-13911467154443708072010-03-24T11:08:00.000-07:002010-03-24T12:07:17.670-07:00Sunshine is Back<div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Today's gorgeous sunshine makes the past two days of steady cold rain seem like a bad dream. Monday I ventured out on my bike for an hour and 19 minutes, it was a progressively colder and wetter ride. Yay me.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Lot's of self talk going on for this workout. I kept telling myself, "You can do this." "You've ridden in worse weather than this before." "PUUULEEZE, this is no ironman, you can make it an hour in the rain!" That made me think, rides like this one in cruddy weather when you just want to give it up and you wonder why you are even out there, help build the mental toughness needed for IM race day. So I kept going. I told myself, "You don't have to feel your feet to make your legs pedal this bike." My feet and fingers were completely numb with cold. Truthfully it was only the last 25 minutes that were brutal. By the time I made it home, my bike was covered in mud and so was I! In fact, the road spray had soaked through my tights and shorts and I had mud all over my skin. The hot shower was painful like I had frostbite or something! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Later that day in the early evening, Colin said "Come on, let's go for a run." I was still mentally un-recovered from the ride and not quite ready to step back out into the rainy day. I knew though that if I let him go running without me, I would wish I was out there. So off we went for 4 miles! Mentally my heart wasn't really in it, but he made me laugh and said it was perfect running weather, suck it up sally. It HAD stopped raining and it was on the cool side, but not too bad out there. </span></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4vNV_HtLcynK-xC_riE8UimpcmzoauxEPuSTx5WJrjkYswtm35x_VmcGmWLn8KFRql0h5FZa6_N3LNokN_xlxkepQAi5Xj4Coe0PRZrUJ4yas28d0TIQSP6-h6TEjLgr0QioWiNJKNWp/s1600/P3240001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4vNV_HtLcynK-xC_riE8UimpcmzoauxEPuSTx5WJrjkYswtm35x_VmcGmWLn8KFRql0h5FZa6_N3LNokN_xlxkepQAi5Xj4Coe0PRZrUJ4yas28d0TIQSP6-h6TEjLgr0QioWiNJKNWp/s320/P3240001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5452271102113699538" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><b><i>Want to get your shoes completely dry after a rainy wet workout so they're ready to go on your next time out? Simply stuff them with newspaper and the next day when you remove the newspaper, the paper is damp and the shoes are bone-dry. Works great for bike shoes and running shoes. </i></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Yesterday I ran 7.5 miles in the rain with friends. Those great friends are what got me out there on my low motivation day. Today it is gorgeous and sunny, temps in the low-50's. Colin and I are headed to bike in a little while. I had one of the best pool workouts today, 2000 yards and I got my strokes down to 16 for each 25 for nearly the entire workout. That is crazy good for me! Granted it's not that good among "true swimmers" but it's the best I've ever done in the pool. Last winter I was taking 25 to 27 strokes per 25, over the summer I got it down to 18-19, but 16 is unheard of for me. My friend Julie (a "true swimmer") helped me with some drills in the pool last week that are helping me decrease the strokes, who knew?? It was a hard workout, but worth it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Hard workouts, the theme for this post. A hard bike ride due to weather, a hard run (2 of them actually...) due to low motivation, a hard pool workout due to pushing myself. How do you deal with hard workouts? They </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">are </span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">worth it though, aren't they? :)</span></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-71224714366869368702010-03-22T14:46:00.000-07:002010-03-22T17:53:37.568-07:00Spring for a Week<div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Last </b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">week was the first week for official Ironman training and proved to be a kick-off for some rockin' spring sunshine and warm temps. It's all a distant memory with today's dreary grey skies, steady rain, and a dropping 39 degrees to match. But, back to last week! It was gorgeous everyday with sunny, pure blue skies, and warm air in the high 50's and 60's! Perfect biking weather and I sailed through every workout with a huge grin and straight up joy in my soul! All while working everyday, subbing has been busy recently. By the way, people in Rochester seriously break out shorts and flip flops when it hits the 60's!</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Re-cap of last week's workouts:</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Let me say that I LOVED every second out there! It felt like re-uniting with my long lost friend of "triathlon training." I know I'm a dork, I've admitted it many times on this blog, but I was so happy to slide right back into tri training again. I'm not going to do a weekly post of my specific training, but this is a general idea of my tri training schedule, although the time and distances will increase considerably along the way. </span></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Monday:</b> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>2100 yard pool workout</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>40 min. run</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Tuesday:</b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>1 hr. 10 min. bike</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>2050 yard pool workout</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Wednesday:<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></b>1800 yard pool workout</div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span></span>1 hr. bike</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Thursday:</b> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Brick <i>(back to back bike/run workout)</i></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>1 hr. 27 min. bike/15 min. run</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Friday:</b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>1 hr. 43 min. bike <i>(followed immediately by a recovery run)</i></div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span></span>25 min. run</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Saturday:</b> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>11 mile long run at a 9:00 pace</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Sunday:</b> <span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>rest <i>(ahhhhhhh)</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I feel recovered from the marathon completely by now. In addition to marathon training, I have been swimming since December, but first just once a week and then twice weekly for the past couple of months. This was my first week to bike since November. It felt great to be back on the bike and I know my speed will build over the next 23 weeks of Ironman training, with several shorter tri races and running races in the mix. Last summer I got to the point where it didn't hurt to run after biking, my legs were pretty conditioned for it. Thursday I felt all kinds of pain in all my muscles and tendons for that 15 minute run! In Friday's run I didn't feel any pain, instead my legs felt like lead cylinders that couldn't move anything but slow! Good times. :)</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Kudos to my training partners:</b> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Colin biked with me three times last week-one day after a working a night shift and only 2 hours of sleep! Another day Colin and another friend of ours biked with me. The long run was done with my normal Saturday running group and I even met a couple new people that day. Two swim workouts were with friends. That left me with only one solo bike workout and one solo swim workout. Not bad!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Coming Soon</b>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">A blog post about the sheer misery of today's cold, wet, rainy, muddy bike ride. Did I mention it was miserable? Lest you think I'm "Sally Sunshine," today completely sucked and the run wasn't too hot either, but at least I had a running bud, thanks Colin. :)</span></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-39983093547116610752010-03-14T09:47:00.000-07:002010-03-14T10:14:09.733-07:00Johnny's Runnin' O The Green<b>Saturday, March 13, 2010</b><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jPX1nD3XGoNaqva1aZeTA8E8blh9tU1m0StYe7Qlk84T_W0aCvVgHrZhq3-9faXqY1oJCjDGL9M9sGMtWUGmNxIbTUu_FBRtihyHIP8YGDKw2Am_4pAA9JA2mOvs9OakEWjpvlHFUaql/s1600-h/P3140007.JPG" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1jPX1nD3XGoNaqva1aZeTA8E8blh9tU1m0StYe7Qlk84T_W0aCvVgHrZhq3-9faXqY1oJCjDGL9M9sGMtWUGmNxIbTUu_FBRtihyHIP8YGDKw2Am_4pAA9JA2mOvs9OakEWjpvlHFUaql/s320/P3140007.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448536469658445250" /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">This was my 5 year wedding anniversary and my husband had to work for 27 hours beginning at 7:30 AM-yay US! What can you do? You make the best of it, we're celebrating a day late. So, in honor of 5 married years I signed up for a 5 mile race, a pretty big one here in Rochester, as it turns out. It's a St. Patty's Day race followed by a parade through the city. I was well on my way home during the parade in some chilly 40-degree rainy weather! I did, however, run in shorts (actually a skirt, my new favorite thing...) and long sleeves. I wasn't the least bit cold while running, yes, cold afterwards. (But that's what long pants and fleece jackets are for!)</span></span></a><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">There were around 1600 or 1800 runners, many in green and some in fun costumes, including kilts. I started out with my long run buds and three of us stayed together for a little while. Wendy and I ran the first 2 plus miles together, then she moved on ahead and I did my best to keep her in sight. It was an out and back course so we got to cheer on the front runners as we were still going out which was really fun. We even knew a couple of them! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">I finished a minute behind Wendy and 2 minutes behind my other friend Mark. My normal long run group had done a 7-mile pre-run to reach their long distance of 17 for the day and they all still ran FAST races! Still I'm happy with my 7:38 average pace a week after the marathon. My splits were mile 1- 7:28, mile 2- 7:44, mile 3- 7:39, mile 4- 7:54, mile 5- 7:31.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">I opted to call it a day at 5 miles instead of running 5 more with my friends-about 8 of them were still going like energizer bunnies! Maybe if it had been a beautiful day I would have kept running. But I deserve an easy weekend because Monday is Ironman Training Week One, already!!!</span></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEGNFgG7tzATVCBsFEtVDx5SZtRtqGkVCUP1Djat-xoQIKFyUUTjjkoDf_NsAXmqxnkyERRUxjP8DpGqwvIAIVN27JhQ9ttUUuFaT5wTGnd5-Bo2pANrXiehHUgMrQYlCSz5NR69xqXem/s1600-h/P3140008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEGNFgG7tzATVCBsFEtVDx5SZtRtqGkVCUP1Djat-xoQIKFyUUTjjkoDf_NsAXmqxnkyERRUxjP8DpGqwvIAIVN27JhQ9ttUUuFaT5wTGnd5-Bo2pANrXiehHUgMrQYlCSz5NR69xqXem/s320/P3140008.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448536992598695506" /></a>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-8458134487561599762010-03-14T08:35:00.000-07:002010-03-14T09:46:11.160-07:00IT Band Stretch<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you've ever run with me you've already seen this stretch a zillion times. There are other good stretches for IT but this one is quick, convenient and easy. You can easily stop on the side of the road for this quick stretch if necessary at any time during a run.</span><div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><b><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNt5m0Z3mreTofYvpYxUryU62QP3B0eVjIanjY2FoLuJ1WghpkzYOq5dpY0_V4N8dhFdkbUKSatq2w66bivnEoYhuLoK4YBygRDdS59dCMqop8Fw0YPX-80Lk_Go0jlskFC36HjG_kWAPZ/s1600-h/P3110001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNt5m0Z3mreTofYvpYxUryU62QP3B0eVjIanjY2FoLuJ1WghpkzYOq5dpY0_V4N8dhFdkbUKSatq2w66bivnEoYhuLoK4YBygRDdS59dCMqop8Fw0YPX-80Lk_Go0jlskFC36HjG_kWAPZ/s320/P3110001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448530063742706130" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Step 1: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cross the right foot over the left foot.</span><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div></span></b></i></div><div><div><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div><div><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWl_ftxvPE9REp7EaVEB8XCb-lbBluwYOw51dYEiO5S9OQzRQzZYQ3xxO3HLV5_hILIlLg2AC3lhgrl1NY6ucumOEQVu7F1wpNinfyLK86oNNvVjzVpFSyRSUmZSJ33G0Jzj1qopIGFVI/s1600-h/P3110002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOWl_ftxvPE9REp7EaVEB8XCb-lbBluwYOw51dYEiO5S9OQzRQzZYQ3xxO3HLV5_hILIlLg2AC3lhgrl1NY6ucumOEQVu7F1wpNinfyLK86oNNvVjzVpFSyRSUmZSJ33G0Jzj1qopIGFVI/s320/P3110002.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448530802049741794" /></a><b><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Step 2:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Lean to your right to stretch the left IT band.</span></span></div></b></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_sMXf_Ww1uBbgythn9_cE_l3jCuBL4Kwasg_0n6MT7wMchPEZ968eL2cjnforgmwiJRSyuILFV8H2qe6xIQAu9VhTAfp1LAo6DxUrhQnqu3s5f5SFPLCvPrldNveu4ilHui6PB0WM4oX/s1600-h/P3110005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8_sMXf_Ww1uBbgythn9_cE_l3jCuBL4Kwasg_0n6MT7wMchPEZ968eL2cjnforgmwiJRSyuILFV8H2qe6xIQAu9VhTAfp1LAo6DxUrhQnqu3s5f5SFPLCvPrldNveu4ilHui6PB0WM4oX/s320/P3110005.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448527254441551730" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(View of the above left IT stretch from the back.)</span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><i><br /></i></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESRLzVEs8v9Zy6M6otQSXkDh3zSg9KmGR5etC2CWXxKBq7gchHiz1DYkYr3ihTiMrqUjLJcomRIAGn2p7NjIZpvw1AxmBSdNt3tFbKovhm2GqmWzalC0nt3QHYYdqKT034Ty_rtPWjFc_/s1600-h/P3110003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgESRLzVEs8v9Zy6M6otQSXkDh3zSg9KmGR5etC2CWXxKBq7gchHiz1DYkYr3ihTiMrqUjLJcomRIAGn2p7NjIZpvw1AxmBSdNt3tFbKovhm2GqmWzalC0nt3QHYYdqKT034Ty_rtPWjFc_/s320/P3110003.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5448522431151583218" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; "><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Opposite Side: </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Cross left foot over right foot, lean to the left to stretch the right IT band.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Tips:</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> Keep the back leg straight and stiff, push hip outward to really feel the stretch.</span></div></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Another good one is to roll on a foam roller or medicine ball. This is done by lying on your side with the roller or ball under your leg. Balance yourself with one hand on the floor and the foot of your top leg on the floor. Then roll as slowly as possible from hip to knee (and back up) on the side of your bottom leg, with as much body weight/pressure that you can stand. You could do this 10 times on each side, or less. You can really feel the IT band stretching and if you're tight or injured it will be painful. Another runner told me this weekend that she uses a rolling pin on her IT to stretch it out as well. There are other stretches that can be done lying on your back but this standing stretch is my "go-to" IT band stretch. :)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Ice massage is great for IT band inflammation after a workout. I've used this in the past when I had severe knee pain from a tight IT band. Simply freeze a paper cup filled with water in advance. Immediately following your run, peel the paper down on the cup so that the ice is exposed. Move the ice in small circles all along the outside of the knee for 10 minutes. Be careful to ice in small circles and not in an up and down motion. I always needed a towel underneath my knee because it melted into a big puddle as I was icing. </span></div></div></div></div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6508825143043163715.post-8663400591343220732010-03-09T19:13:00.000-08:002010-03-09T19:55:53.297-08:00Little Rock Friends<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXDICpmwG9E0YUMwWGpBB5ZUpwACzAUlmqthT8dpTvJLD7cV8VVbmFbyr-MvoPACEUqWcQK7zdqFVEKV_8CkwJWcki_Omus_VlvjKix2g6qF7VObBUlOxppebe3nIiomlGIFn_QK35Tan/s1600-h/P3050002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyXDICpmwG9E0YUMwWGpBB5ZUpwACzAUlmqthT8dpTvJLD7cV8VVbmFbyr-MvoPACEUqWcQK7zdqFVEKV_8CkwJWcki_Omus_VlvjKix2g6qF7VObBUlOxppebe3nIiomlGIFn_QK35Tan/s320/P3050002.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446842280933274402" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My dear friend Teraysa. I got to stay with her and we </span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">got some much needed catch-up time. </span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">You never fully realize how much you miss a place, and how much you miss the people, until you are suddenly back and it hits you right in the face. I loved every minute of seeing my friends and enjoyed spectacular spring weather with glorious sunshine all weekend. It was quite nostalgic to be back in Little Rock and visiting with old friends and running on my favorite old streets. Thank you to everyone for being so wonderful, it was truly a weekend to remember. I had to battle mild depression when I left town and headed home. Miss you guys!</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnp-_lRsFlCH0b_WADK1Og_5C0v-SOYQuJI9zglZRxsMALMgcgoxzSJyPD6dPeLXyvHf7iUL2ES_wMiH3QYOpYe85GK3-HQ2TT1uMUuJB-WuiigI5W2nfGfSMwIzMwoe2aT5JzC2GTs3F/s1600-h/P3070016.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 168px; text-align: center; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnp-_lRsFlCH0b_WADK1Og_5C0v-SOYQuJI9zglZRxsMALMgcgoxzSJyPD6dPeLXyvHf7iUL2ES_wMiH3QYOpYe85GK3-HQ2TT1uMUuJB-WuiigI5W2nfGfSMwIzMwoe2aT5JzC2GTs3F/s320/P3070016.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446839476776152258" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Brian, Karen, John and Allison, Me, Lea and Greg at the post race party. </span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Everyone ran some part of the marathon-full, half or relay.</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHc73Mc8FjoxFl-SgMFyL1rYc7aWNcB7eqEJAO0ZkOWBbvEWw139BrncqevS9WtR44wwmu5OFgA8lzriqrl2FCtJkgvBIVJpbDtJo1g3A1vAJSEftz5ftUPsx6xBIWZMwH3DxUL32Bb2Cm/s1600-h/P3070018.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 263px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHc73Mc8FjoxFl-SgMFyL1rYc7aWNcB7eqEJAO0ZkOWBbvEWw139BrncqevS9WtR44wwmu5OFgA8lzriqrl2FCtJkgvBIVJpbDtJo1g3A1vAJSEftz5ftUPsx6xBIWZMwH3DxUL32Bb2Cm/s320/P3070018.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446840767801651266" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The Girls: Karen, Lea, me, Allison, Tina</span></b></i></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9Wb-SdclfYSg4EDEnML0Q4zXbeB682aRot4ekMkeN1qn-is504rsV94cs5yqHSTqwU0pucm-CrrokzxhhebuJ05R3DJlW8-56cAU-E4CGI81aHhr7bk1nXcOtMyw2iZ7Ju-qfsDLJu6R/s1600-h/P3070017.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9Wb-SdclfYSg4EDEnML0Q4zXbeB682aRot4ekMkeN1qn-is504rsV94cs5yqHSTqwU0pucm-CrrokzxhhebuJ05R3DJlW8-56cAU-E4CGI81aHhr7bk1nXcOtMyw2iZ7Ju-qfsDLJu6R/s320/P3070017.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446843283266562370" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Tina and I at the post race party.</span></i></b></div><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtpaeqReRNDFOKpvprhYkeka5SUvUiAkgdB7GL4A3p7ZLgX1s4cLV8jU8KQyP2gH2FzFn5_yjyRw_UYjsV-fcUL13dHgBYerlQaH17wQITl7Aesxux4bOb79LEWoknIJURVI0FDdX3mV-/s1600-h/P3050004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtpaeqReRNDFOKpvprhYkeka5SUvUiAkgdB7GL4A3p7ZLgX1s4cLV8jU8KQyP2gH2FzFn5_yjyRw_UYjsV-fcUL13dHgBYerlQaH17wQITl7Aesxux4bOb79LEWoknIJURVI0FDdX3mV-/s320/P3050004.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446848338928402690" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Tray and I again, at our favorite Starbucks. :</span></b></i>)</div>Kirstenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13716646898691792398noreply@blogger.com2