Tale of a 100 Mile DNF

I decided this weekend that I need to write about the bad as well as the good. My last blog post was three years ago, after finishing the Booneville Backroads 100k. Since then, I've DNF'd at Leadville 100 twice (both times due to missing time cutoffs) and Booneville 100 miler a year ago (voluntarily dropping due to extreme heat).  This year, I waited to register for the 100 mile event until I felt confident in my ability to toe the start line.  Training in the three months leading up to this were going well, so I dropped the $155 registration fee and starting planning for the event, with Brian's help.

Last Wednesday, Brian and I decided to drive the 100k loop, to check out the condition of the "B" roads and make sure Brian was familiar with the crew driving directions.  The 100k loop looked good (at the time) and the "B" roads didn't look horrible :) .  However, the start/finish line area at the Booneville boat ramp was an absolute muddy mess.  We surmised at the time that it would be impossible to get the finish line and timing equipment set up in that area.

Hydration and a little carb-loading were in high-gear over the week preceding the race.  I always seem to struggle with fueling and hydrating, so Brian ordered some Skratch, an electrolyte replacement powder that a couple of friends swear by.  I gave it a try ahead of time to see how my stomach would handle it - light lemon-lime flavor and no gut issues.  Two big thumbs up!

The evening before the big event, we received a couple of emails from the race director regarding a change in course - the deluge of rain that Iowa has received this spring was causing road flooding and closures, so last-minute adjustments and changes had to be made to ensure the safety of runners and volunteers.  I went to bed about 8pm, trying to get a few hours of sleep (never easy the night before a race!)  Waking up at 3:15am, the adjusted race route directions were in my email, so as I was getting ready and drinking coffee, Brian was reading the directions and figuring out the route logistics.  Both the 100k and 50k segments were now "out-and-backs" rather than loops.  Considering the crazy weather we've had, kudos to the race director for making this a successful work-around, despite Mother Nature's best effort!

We arrived at Booneville around 5:20am.  Revised routes were handed out to runners - however, the last-minute changes to the race meant that the revised directions had no "left" or "right" prompts.  For everyone's safety, the start of the 100mile/100k was delayed until 6:45am until all the turns could be marked with flags (thanks Steve Bobenhouse for providing dozens of flags at the last minute!!)

Pre-race with Shawn & Brooke!

Lined up for the start

6:45 a.m. arrived and after a few last-minute directions and words of encouragement from race director Steve Cannon, we were off!  The first few miles were filled with light conversation and high energy, along with some walking on the uphills and running the downhills and flats.  Around five miles in, the 50k runners (who started at 7 a.m.) were catching up to us - first one who breezed by me was Chris Nealy with an easy stride and a huge smile on his face :) 

I was feeling good and doing well with hydration throughout the first portion of the race.  The only aggravation was that my hydration pack was leaking from the mouthpiece.  Nothing but annoyance, so when I got to the first aid station (mile 11.5) I switched out packs, drank a couple of cups of Skratch and grabbed a half a peanut butter and honey sandwich from Brian.  In and out of the aid station in about seven minutes, which is really good (for me - ha!)

A couple of miles later, Chris Nealy was heading back in, having already hit the turn-around on the 50k out-and-back.  Again, all smiles and positivity - as I cheered for him and he passed by, he said something like (if I recall correctly) "keep going...don't let your mind quit!".  Absolutely what I needed to hear - I am a mental runner, and I knew if I was to succeed, I had to keep my mind right.

Before the 50k runners' turn off, I had a runner pass me - and I noticed that his pack was steadily dripping water out of the bottom.  A quarter mile later, he was stopped and checking out his water pack which was completely empty.  I stopped, chatted with him for a few seconds, and offered him some water out of my pack.  Filled his hand-held about halfway and he continued on, very grateful!  I figured why not share - a little Karma could go a long way on a day like today.

The next interesting twist was about a mile later - a water crossing!  At the bottom of a hill on a low-lying gravel road (around mile 14.5) the North River (or a creek?)  had breached the road, in two areas. At first, I thought I would just walk through.  Then I realized the water to the left side was ankle deep, on the right it was shin-deep.  So, following the example of the runner ahead of me (Dave Mable) I took off my shoes and socks and waded through.  Kind of slow-going and a little painful, but I didn't want wet shoes and socks until the next aid station (10 miles ahead).  But the cold water felt great on the feet!

Dave Mable's pic at the water crossing

After the water crossing, the town of Bevington was about four miles ahead.  No aid station, but I knew I could run in to the Kum & Go store and refill my pack (which was empty).  After Bevington, it was another six-plus miles to St. Charles. A lot of quiet, alone time - runners ahead and behind me, but for the most part I was alone.  It was quite peaceful and beautiful, and I was feeling pretty good.  Except for the hot spots on my feet - toes and the balls of both feet.  I knew that I would have to figure something out at the next aid station. 

Coming in to St. Charles, the aid station was located at Imes Bridge, the only covered bridge that we would be running through/by due to the revised course (usual route takes us by four of the bridges).  It was also great to see familiar faces at the aid station - Jeff & Wendy Wamser and Mike McGinn. 

Imes Bridge at St. Charles

At this aid station, I filled my water, ate another 1/2 sandwich and a popsicle (thank you Mike!), drank some of the Skratch, and took care of the blisters with Brian's help.  The balls of both feet didn't have blisters (yet) but they were hot spots that were starting to "bark" so I had Brian put moleskin padding on both.  The blisters on the second toes we popped and put blister band-aids on. In and out of the aid station in less than 20 minutes.

From St. Charles to the next aid station it was just under nine miles, a mix of gravel roads and highway.  My strategy was to walk the couple of miles out of the aid station to let my food digest, then start up with a jogging/walking mix.  It worked well, and it was a good stretch of the route - at this point, the 100k and 100 mile leaders were passing me from the opposite direction so it was good to chat with and encourage each other.

Coming into the next aid station I was at 33.4 miles on my Garmin.  My pack was about empty so I was happy to get there....except they were out of water. No. Water.  What?!? 😒  I tried a cup of the Gatorade, but it was almost cough syrup flavor because it didn't have enough water mixed in.  So...grateful that I had Brian crewing for me.  He had an extra gallon of water, intending to mix up with the Skratch later on; instead, he filled my pack about 3/4 full and shared some with a few runners as they were leaving the aid station without water.  Then we got to the issue of my feet.  Still painful on the balls of the feet, and the moleskin didn't seem to be alleviating or keeping the blisters at bay.  Luckily for me, one of the runners we had met earlier in the day, Michael Ortiz, stopped and chatted a bit and offered a blister care bandage.  I put it on my left foot, and on the right I applied liquid band-aid and more moleskin.  I left the aid station (15 minute stop) walking with Brian and eating another half sandwich; we discussed the blisters and Brian decided he would go purchase some of the larger blister bandages (all that I had packed were smaller sized for toes - poor planning on my part).  As we were walking out, race director Steve Cannon showed up with a re-supply of water for the aid station  😂

This aid station was the halfway point of the 100k out and back, so now I was on the trek back to St. Charles.  Kind of lonely - passed a few runners going the opposite direction, but I kept at it with a jogging/walking combination.  I felt like I was still in the game, mentally, but the ball of my right foot was still a (literal) burning issue. About halfway back, I caught up to another runner.  He was ready to call it - he said this happens every time he does an ultra.  He gets 10-12 hours in and his mind tells him he is done.  He was feeling okay otherwise, so I said maybe he take a rest at the St. Charles aid station and spend some time hydrating and eating to get back "in the game".  We walked together for quite a while, and then he stopped to stretch out his legs and told me to go on without him. So, I continued on with a couple of miles left to the St. Charles aid station again.

Reaching the aid station, I had a mandarin orange, refilled water, and Brian tried to figure out my right foot.  The left foot was doing great (thank you Michael!), so I peeled the moleskin off the right foot and put on a blister bandage, hoping this would work and bring some relief. Also - a BIG thank you to Curtis Downs' parents, who live near the Imes Bridge and graciously allowed me the use of their bathroom before I left the aid station (for those of you who may wonder...there are no kybo's anywhere on the course, except at the start/finish line).

Brian walked with me for a couple of blocks as I left the aid station, giving me a pep talk and making sure I ate the damned peanut butter and honey sandwich lol.  I knew I wouldn't see him for a while - the next aid station was 14 miles ahead.  So he planned to go heat up some chicken noodle soup and boil potatoes so I would have some real sustenance for later in the race. After he headed back to the aid station I continued on, heading north out of St. Charles.  All was going ok until a mile and a half in, when I realized I didn't have my headlamp or reflective vest with me - I'd forgotten to grab them at the aid station.  I knew I would need them before the next aid station, so I called Brian and he said he'd get them to me.  When he handed them off, I also reluctantly told him not to worry about about hot food - my right foot was getting more and more painful (filling up with fluid?) and my brisk walk was slowing down with every step.  So, he decided to go wait in Bevington, about five miles ahead.

The next three miles were excruciating.  The blister on the ball of my foot popped, and slowed me to a hobble, which altered my gait and caused my knee and IT band to feel like they were on fire.  I considered my options, knowing that the next aid station was several miles beyond Bevington.  Realistically, I knew I could hobble along, but I knew that the pain would increase and despite the generous cutoff I doubted my ability to even finish the 100k distance.  So, I called Brian and told him to come pick me up. I was disappointed in myself, but happy with what DID go right - I was eating and drinking and staying on top of nutrition better than I ever have.  What I didn't expect were blisters on the balls of my feet - that has literally never happened before.  So, a learning experience, once again.

Reflections, 48 hours post-race:.....my Garmin Instinct (which I adore) had one bar left when I stopped it after 12-1/2 hours.  A little disappointed that it didn't have more life in it.  I started it once, stopped it once.  The total time includes one hour or so in aid stations.  I expected it to last longer....Feet recover fast. Yesterday I could barely walk, today I'm just a little sore (although the toenail on my second toe, left foot, is a goner).  The human body is resilient....

A big thanks to ALL the Booneville volunteers - you make this race what it is - awesome!  Thank you to the race directors for another solid race!  Thank you to a great cheering section of friends (Beth, Brian, Dana, Curtis) who gave all the runners a lift when we needed it most! 😄

Brooke and Shawn - you showed up at the crack of dawn, to see me off - thank you for your support and friendship always ❤ 

Brian, you are the best. You can be my wingman anytime 😏

Booneville Backroads 100k Race Report

Booneville Backroads 100k Race Report

So, in my quest to successfully complete the Leadville 100 Trail Run later this summer, I signed up in February for the Booneville Backroads 100k.  I've never run a distance longer than a marathon, so this would be a new adventure in training and endurance for me - and for Brian, who agreed to sign up for the 100k and run it with me.

Training leading up to Booneville was - for lack of a better term - sporadic.  I had a handful of weeks where I was happy with my overall mileage, but most weeks fell short of my training goals. Regardless, Brian and I kept plugging along, getting in a (painful) 20 miler on gravel with our training mentor Brad a few weeks before race day.

Race morning, we were awake at 3:20am, ate half an English muffin, drank some coffee, and were out the door by 4:30.  We drove to Booneville, parked by the Co-Op, and made our way toward the start/finish area along with a few other runners.  A short while later, race director Steve Cannon led the bulk of the runners to the start line, accompanied by bagpipe music - very cool!

After chatting with a few friends, a prayer with Brad, and last minute instructions and encouragement from Steve, we were off a little after 6 a.m.  Everyone's spirits were high and it was truly a gorgeous, perfect morning.   Brian and I ran a relaxed pace for the first several miles.  Our "strategy" was to get the first few miles out of the way, then walk up and run down the hills and jog the flats.  And the hills were plentiful.  

We made it in to the first aid station at mile 10 in really good spirits.  And the volunteers were so enthusiastic and helpful!  Brian and I spent just a few minutes here, drinking water and Gatorade, and grabbing a PB & J Uncrustable and some fruit chews before heading out again. I knew I needed the calories - but I HATE grape jelly - so I bit into an uncrustable and then shook the jelly out. Problem solved! :)  The next aid station was a little ways off, at mile 23, so we continued with our run/walk strategy.   I felt like I was keeping well hydrated, and we also were taking an S-cap every 5 miles or so to ward off cramping.  Still, my fingers were starting to swell up like crazy, which typically happens when I run any significant distance.  And at mile 17, we stopped briefly for Brian to treat a blister that had developed between a couple of toes.

We arrived at aid station 23 in good time and found our friend Kelly volunteering.  She helped us refill our packs with water and locate our drop bags.  Even though I had a fresh pair of shoes and socks at this stop, I thought about it but opted not to change either - my Asics were working out great and my feet (at this point) felt really good.  Brian drank a couple of cups of Pepsi, and I had some more Gatorade, and after eating a clementine and grabbing a small Snickers for the road - as well as taking a pic in front of the Imes Bridge - we headed out again.

We walked quite a bit after leaving this stop, taking the time to consume a few calories and drink some water.  By now, the sun was warming things up a little and I was off and on feeling a little nauseous. But we kept our run/walk strategy going, and a mile or so down the road we saw a couple of ladies (not with the race) running up a hill toward us.  One of them had a black shirt with the slogan "Be Fierce" on it....exactly what I had written on the inside of my left arm this morning!  :)

We had just completed a marathon distance when the sky became noticeably gray and it was apparent that rain was imminent.  We stopped to pull out and put on our "rain jackets" which, once the deluge started, kept us dry for about two minutes.  At this point in the race, we were just coming up to the first of three level "B" roads.....and they were doozies!  It was impossible for us to run up or down these roads - too much muck to get any traction and several times my shoes were getting mired into mud to the point where my feet were coming out of my shoes.  So, we stayed to the shoulders of the roads as much as we could, as much for stability as anything else. 

Some of our "B" road highlights....

A must-have selfie with cows

A snapping turtle that wasn't very happy to have his picture taken

Finishing the second "B" road and finally rounding the
corner to aid station 30.

At aid station 30, our drop bags contained socks but not shoes :(  Poor strategy on our part - still, we sat for a few minutes and put on dry socks, which felt divine! I also had some chicken broth and found beef sticks that I had packed in my drop bag, so we each had one and hydrated with Pepsi and water and chatted with Shelley.  We were at this aid station for 22 minutes - much longer than we planned on, but I think we needed to re-focus and get our minds back in the game.  The 3+ miles of "B" roads had almost seemed longer than the 27 miles that preceded them.

Heading out from AS 30, the skies slowly cleared and within a couple of miles it was all sun as we approached the third "B" road.  This one was much more easily navigated than the other two, and our spirits greatly improved!  Bonus - our friend Kyle happened to be searching the course for us and found us as we were finishing this road.  We chatted with Kyle for a bit and then we continued on....and just a few minutes later we were joined by a dog that we assumed belonged to a nearby farmhouse.  However, he stayed with us.....and continued on with us for several miles,.through the Holliwell Bridge, and even as we were on some fairly busy roads leading us into Winterset.  Brian nicknamed him Spuds, after Spuds MacKenzie from the old Bud Light commercials. He wasn't a bull terrier, but he did kinda resemble him. But Spuds dropped us before Winterset....apparently he found more exciting people to hang out with! 

Coming into aid station 42 at a park in Winterset, we both had hot spots and blisters developing on our feet and knew that we had fresh shoes and socks in our drop bags.  So relieved to get out of the wet shoes after 15+ miles!  Chris Nealy and his crew took great care of us and all the runners that continued to come in.  We were at this aid station for 27 minutes - eating a bit, taking care of our feet, and hydrating.  Brian and I shared a can of Red Bull that we had packed in our drop bag (Brian's first Red Bull ever) and got an instant boost of positive mood and energy.  Chris also loaned Brian a pair of his own socks which were much better than the ones Brian had packed in the drop bag.  Once we refilled our packs we put on our reflective vests, threw our headlamps in our packs, and we were on our way, walking a short distance to, and through, the Cutler-Donahue bridge, then exiting the park the way we had entered.

Leaving from mile 42, we headed north out of Winterset and made our way to the Cedar Bridge, just three miles away.  We stopped briefly here for a restroom break (really we just needed to apply some body glide to some important parts! lol). Quite a few other runners were passing through the bridge at this time, so for the next eight miles leading in to aid station 53 we were able to chat a bit and enjoy a beautiful evening and gorgeous rainbows.

  

We were maintaining a fairly consistent walking pace of 15-16 min/mile, which was surprising because both Brian and I were really feeling the hot spots and blisters on our feet. But everything else was feeling really good, my nausea was gone, and we wanted to get to the next aid station before dusk.

We arrived at aid station 53, which was manned with volunteers from Velorosa and they helped us refill our packs, offered us brats from their grill lol (which I declined, but they smelled so good!), and - Ruffles potato chips!  Yes!  It was exactly what I needed :)  I sat down in one of their chairs and devoured a cup of chips, drank some water and Gatorade, and changed into fresh socks. Brian and I were at this stop for 25 minutes, still longer than we had anticipated, but definitely appreciated the break leading in to the final leg of the race.  We knew the final stretch to the finish line would be physically and mentally draining.

Leaving AS 53, about a quarter mile down the road the Capital Striders' Turkeys had an aid station and we planned to stop in and chat briefly with Justin and his family.  They also were grilling, and I succumbed and had a slice of quesadilla - it was perfect and it was hot!  Justin also gave us a bottle of ice cold Coke!!! It was just what we needed, as most of the water and Gatorade throughout the day had been lukewarm.  Brian and I shared the Coke, and it was awesome :)

By now we had our headlamps on and it was getting very dark, very quickly.  The miles slowly clicked by, we chatted on and off, a nice combination of conversation and silence.  There were a few racers ahead of us, some behind, almost all were walking.  At mile 58, we came upon a man who was struggling and obviously in a huge amount of pain, barely making forward progress.  We asked if we could help and he said he was out, he had called his crew and someone was coming to pick him up.  IT band issues - so sad to get that close to the finish and not be able to get there. 

We passed an unmanned water stop right before mile 59, but didn't take the time to drink - we were within three miles and didn't want to stop our momentum.  We were still between 15 - 16 minutes for most miles, even on the uphills, so we were really pleased.  Brad had showed us a little "trick" during our 20 mile training run, on how to correctly position our hands and posture on uphill climbs during an ultra, and it really worked for me - very thankful, as I feel it really helped get us through the latter hills in the race.

We turned the corner at 59 and were now on a section of the 10k course.  Here, I double-checked our cue sheets and somehow I misread/miscalculated the distance to our next turn.  I thought it was .3 miles when it was actually 1.3 miles.  (I chalk it up to having only one contact in - my right contact had been bothering me throughout the race and I pulled it out and tossed it at mile 48.)  So I could see, just had a little problem with adjusting and reading.  I was insistent that we had gone too far, that we had missed our left turn.  And we couldn't see any runners' headlamps behind us.  Thankfully Brian knew where we were going - the last thing I wanted to do at this point was miss a turn and have to backtrack!  So, he calmed me down, and once we made the correct left turn, I knew that we were in the home stretch :)

We had 1.8 miles left, and we actually picked up the pace a little and started smiling and laughing, maybe a little crying too, because we knew we were going to do it - finish our first ultra together.  As we made our way into the boat ramp area of the finish line, we agreed that we would jog down the incline and cross the finish line together, holding hands - which is just what we did.....after Brian stopped to untie and take his jacket off from around his waist, which as we started jogging had somehow worked it's way down around his knees lol.  But it was absolutely amazing, incredible to cross that timing mat and get a big bear hug from Steve Cannon.  What an awesome guy and what a badass race!

We crossed the finish line in 17:37:46, averaging 17:01/mile.  We sat around the fire pit for a few minutes, drank some water and cheered for a few other 100k runners as they came in.  After a half hour, we slowly got up, collected our "bling" (Booneville mugs) and hobbled the 1/4 mile back to the car.  It was a long drive back to Ankeny, and we were starting to crash, hard.  But we made it - the real shock came when we arrived at home and got out of the car - we were shivering so bad, you would have thought it was below freezing, even though it was still 60 degrees outside.  Brian talked to his sports P/T about it, and he said we were likely hypothermic, after constant activity for almost 18 hours and then stopping, our core temps dropped.

Post-Race.....tons of swelling in our feet.  I've had minimal swelling after longer distance runs, but never like this.  I'd post a pic of our feet, but it would just be too gross.  Let's just say that six days post-race, my feet are back to normal, after ice and elevation.  Happy surprise - the actual soreness in my hips and knees was gone after a couple of days! I feel....normal!  lol

One big thing that went right:  Neither Brian nor I shut down mentally during the race.  I never once felt like turning to him and saying "I'm done."  This was huge, knowing that I can mentally stay in the game even when things hurt a lot.  Big mental boost for Leadville.

One thing to improve on: Time spent in aid stations.  I feel like, by the total number of minutes in aid stations, we spent too much time in most of them. We didn't budget for an hour and a half + in aid stations, but that's what it added up to.  Need to be more efficient in this area in future ultras.

Big Thanks....

To Steve Cannon for putting on an incredible race!

To Brad Dains - you're the man!  I can never thank you enough for your advice, mentoring and patience!

To Dr. Aaron Rector at Active Wellness - for a year + of sports therapy and advice, and helping me get to the start line healthy and happy.  And for giving me a love-hate relationship with the damn graston tool :)

To Brian - for running every step with me in this adventure! Can't wait for our next one ;)  No one else I'd want beside me. 

And this - my favorite photo from the day.....crazy good people ready to do crazy things! :)

Brad, Chuck, Brian, me, Tim, and Curt

A Change In Direction

Sometimes life throws you a curve - whether you're ready for it or not.

A little over a year ago, in December 2014, I decided to put my name in the lottery for the Leadville Trail 100, a 100-mile out-and-back trail run that had peaked my interest and been on my radar for a little while. It is a $15 non-refundable fee to enter the lottery and if you are picked from the hundreds of entrants, the fee for the race (~$315) is automatically charged to you. Unfortunately - or fortunately? - I received my "Sorry, you were not chosen" email about a month later. I was a little disappointed, but decided it wasn't meant to be. 

Fast forward through 2015, a year that included four marathons, a few 5k and 10k runs, a sprint triathlon, and a long course tri relay, and I took a couple of months off toward the end of the year to recuperate and heal.  Lots of time to think about whether or not I would be throwing my name in the Leadville lottery again.  I waited for the morning of December 1st, when the lottery opened again, before I made the decision to go for it.

And so the month-long wait for notification began - I wasn't overly optimistic about my chances. My ultra-runner friend and mentor, Brad, said that there are about 3,000 hopefuls that throw their names in the lottery and around 600 are chosen to participate.  Again, I doubted the odds would be in my favor. Imagine my surprise...excitement...panic...."oh, crap" moment....when I received the following:

And there it was - my official acceptance from Leadville - and from Chronotrack, informing me that my credit card used for the lottery fee would now be charged the race fee.  Whether I had buyer's regret or not. Whether I will be ready or not. Whether I will be physically and mentally strong enough to finish the "race across the sky".  August 20th was a mere 7+ months away.

My first order of business was to start researching everything trail running and utilizing all the resources I have.  In Iowa, our hills are "sorta" hills.  Nothing even possibly close to what I and my pacers will face near Hope Pass.  So how to train and not over-train and risk injury?  How many miles is enough miles?  How to change my hydration and nutrition during long runs?? Critical issues I MUST figure out.  There is so much to consider, my head is spinning.


Training started immediately - in January, in Iowa.  I readily admit, I am NOT a cold-weather runner.  I have Raynaud's syndrome, which is more of an annoyance than anything else - but sub 20 degree temps have an immediate impact on my hands and feet.  So....on those cold-cold days, I head to the Wellmark Y with Brian to knock off miles on the indoor track and rack up the flights on the Stair Master.  My direction and goals have inevitably changed - triathlons will be on the back burner for the time-being, although swimming will be a component of my Leadville plan on cross-training and "rest" days. Core work, upper body strength workouts and endurance will all be critical leading up to what is ahead:

It's intimidating to look at the elevation map, but I have to admit - I'm excited and ready to take on the challenge.  I believe that there is a reason why my name was picked from the pool of entrants.  This race will no doubt be a race of a lifetime for me - a race against no one but myself and the clock.

First One Done!

I have tried to remember when I first dreamed of doing a triathlon....I think it goes back to watching the televised finish of Hawaii in 1982, when the women's leader, Julie Moss, finished the race on her hands and knees and was passed by Kathleen McCartney in the final thirty yards of the race. That was what sparked my interest, 30+ years ago.  Always a dream or a bucket-list item, but it wasn't until the last couple of years that I started listening to the nagging voice in my head that said it was time to go for it, if I was ever going to do it. Plus, it helped to have some pretty amazing triathlete friends as inspiration!

The LeMars Triathlon is a sprint distance, which equates to a 300 yard swim (outdoor pool), a 15 mile bike ride, and a 5k run.  After bailing on the Iowa Games Tri in July, I was looking for another possible sprint distance tri that I could complete this season.  The LeMars Tri fit the bill, so to speak.  The real selling point for me was the outdoor pool swim - I panic a lot less when I am able to see what is in the water and if I need to take a break, it's only 25 yards away!  So, I registered myself and my son Steven, thinking it would be pretty cool for him and I to complete our first triathlon together.

Of course, things don't always work out the way you plan....eight days before the tri, Steven came down with a nasty stomach bug/food poisoning that lasted several days.  Once he recovered from that, he developed a head cold/sinus infection that required antibiotics.  Needless to say, a couple of days before the tri, I knew he wouldn't be recovered enough to compete.  The evening before the tri, I planned to get several hours of sleep and leave Ankeny by 4:00 a.m.  Brian planned to drive so I could sleep in the car, arrive in LeMars by 7:15am, packet pickup, transition set-up, and ready for my swim time of 9:42a,m.  Did I mention that things don't always work out the way you plan?? Due to unexpected circumstances, I drove up to LeMars by myself (thank goodness for coffee!) and Brian followed up a couple of hours later. I got to LeMars at about 7:15am, as expected - picked up my packet, got body-marked, checked out the outdoor pool, and went back to my car to drink coffee, warm up, and calm my nerves.

I eventually made my way back to the transition area, got my numbers on my bike and helmet, racked my bike, laid out my gear, and talked to a few other athletes.  Some were seasoned veterans, some were competing in their very first triathlon, like me.  At 8:45am, there was an athlete meeting in the pool area, and by this time Brian had made it to LeMars - it was so reassuring to have him there, as anxiety was starting to set in.  The race director went over all the "rules" such as they were, and at 9:00 am, the first swimmer went in the water.  The swim was a little different....a 300 yard "snake" swim in a six lane pool with swimmers released every thirty seconds.  The first dozen swimmers (apparently those that had submitted the slowest anticipated finish times) went first, followed by the relay teams, then the remaining individuals.

I was one of the last six swimmers....and as feared, panic set in. I'm not really sure why - the stress of the tri, knowing that someone behind me was going to catch up and pass me, Lots of shallow breathing and hyperventilating - I did the crawl stroke, the back stroke, the elementary backstroke....the only thing I didn't do was walk - which was entirely possible to do.  The shallow end of the pool was 3'10", the "deep" end was 5'6".  Not a pool where I felt very buoyant - I think I would have preferred a deeper "deep" end - say, 10-12'.  But, it wasn't open water and for that I was grateful.  I was passed by several swimmers, but I wasn't last out of the water...I was next to last :) lol

Exiting the water and heading toward transition, it was a little disconcerting to see only two bikes left in the racks.  But I did some positive self-talk and told myself that I could make up some time on the bike, even if it was only 15 miles.

So I pulled on my bike jersey, helmet and shoes and headed out of T1.  The bike course was an out and back of rolling hills on a 2-lane highway.  Within the first three miles I passed two other bicyclists, and caught a third before the halfway point.  However, there wasn't much to do after that as the next bicyclist within my line of sight was a solid mile in the distance.

Coming back into LeMars, I entered T2, took off my helmet and jersey, put on my running shirt and started the 5k.  The first half mile was a lovely uphill - not fun when you're trying to get your legs back under you!  But, after that first half mile it leveled out and was a great 5k course - a few hills but nothing horrible. I tried to stay at a consistent pace and focus on the runner in front of me.  I was able to pass five runners on the course - probably due to the fact that they walked/ran and I told myself there was no way I was going to walk.

With about 300 yards left in the run, I saw Brian waiting at the bottom of the hill where I would take my last turn towards the finish line.  So, so happy that he was there for me on this day!  I can say from personal experience that there is nothing quite so anti-climatic as crossing the finish line and having no family or friends there to witness your accomplishment.   Not so today - he was cheering, taking photos, and trying to beat me to the finish line to take a picture of me as I crossed....didn't happen :)  I crossed the line in 1:43.21 -  I had set a targeted goal time of 2 hours or less, so

I was very pleased.  No age group placing though...the first four overall females to finish were in my group (40-49); I finished 9th out of 14.   Don't ever count out the old ladies!

Up next....Brian and I, along with our friend Stacy, are competing in a triathlon relay.  Border Wars, in Alton, IL, is a long course triathlon (half a full ironman distance) - Stacy will swim 1.2 miles, I will bike 56 miles, and Brian will run the 13.1 miles. It will be a challenge but I'm looking forward to a good day with some great friends. After that, my swimming is still a major focus - I hope to be more consistent with my training in the pool and overcome the immediate anxiety that I have whenever I get in the water.  Next spring's triathlons will hopefully include Hickory Grove, Iowa Games, and Bluff Creek.  All are open water swims, so I have a lot of work ahead of me!

Anxiety vs. Confidence

So, it has been five months since I posted to this blog.  Obviously, I haven't been keeping up on my resolution to post at least once a month. Oh, well.....but seriously? I need to work on my planning skills.

Since my last post, a lot has been going on - two marathons, a couple of 5k and 10k races, and of course, the big one - the Iowa Games Triathlon yesterday, which was going to be my first. Notice the word "was".....the day didn't go as planned, or at least didn't turn out the way that I had hoped. Finding the necessary time to work out during the school year is difficult as well - add to this the stress of being "pink-slipped" along with every other employee of my school district (granted, more form over substance, but still - stress) and even now, still not having a contract to sign.....yeah, stress levels have been higher than normal.

Swimming has been going - sort of well, some days. Other days, I feel like I'm taking two steps backward.  My coach says that I have natural buoyancy (he actually tells me that he envies how buoyant I am, that it's a gift).  My Achilles heel is my anxiety and stress, which all comes from the breathing and timing of swimming. Everyone tells me that it is just time in the pool, and one day it will click, it will happen, and it will be effortless.  I'm waiting for that day, impatiently.  But it requires me getting in the water more frequently. It requires commitment.

With the Iowa Games Tri approaching, I decided last week that I should get at least one open water swim in before I attempted the tri.  So last Friday, my friend Ruth and I met coach Scott out at Easter Lake, where the tri is held.  I had my wet suit on, and once we got in the water, we swam out into the designated swim area, then past the ropes and out further to a wake buoy.  I admit, I was panicked and had a TON of anxiety.  For about 10 minutes or so, I really battled to lower my hyper-breathing and my heart rate.  Once we were at the first buoy, we treaded water, talked a little and I realized that what Scott had told me is true - it is almost impossible to sink in a wet suit.  It adds that extra buoyancy (and in my case, it bolsters my confidence).  We then swam a longer distance to another wake buoy, with Scott and Ruth really crowding and bumping into me, so I could get a feel of what it would be like surrounded by other swimmers.  At this point I was able to crawl stroke and flip to a back stroke as needed. I was able to get my breathing somewhat under control, and start to not focus so much on total disaster but actually stroke and sighting on the water. And at this point I also realized I needed a different pair of goggles, as the bright sun and glare on the water made it very difficult to focus and sight easily.  We didn't have much additional time, as a park ranger yelled at us to get back in the designated swim area.  So, OWS was over, but I was feeling a little more positive about the tri, provided I could have the wet suit on to give me the confidence to get through the 400 meters.

Saturday afternoon, we trekked to Exile Brewing for packet pickup.  I talked to the race director, explaining my swim ability, anxiety, and asked that if the race wasn't wet suit legal (water temp of 78 degrees or higher), if I could still wear the wet suit and not be considered for age group placing (which undoubtedly wouldn't happen anyway).  He was polite but didn't really give me a firm "yes" or "no".  However, he did ask another guy standing in the packet pickup area for the best advice to give me - to which this guy replied "tiny little bubbles"..........  And then, of course, some other guy said, "Here's some advice - don't drown!" I heard him the first time he said it, and he repeated it four more times - thinking he was so funny.  What a jackass.  Sigh....the RD did recommend a book to download from Amazon onto my Kindle - "Learn2 Practice", about swim technique and drills.  I did read this on Saturday night, and felt more positive about Sunday.

Sunday arrived - up at 4:45am, loaded and out the door by 5:45, arriving at Easter Lake at 6:15.  Ruth and I racked our bikes, laid out our gear, picked up our timing chips, used the bathroom...and then I heard the announcement "No wet suits allowed today".  A little panic, but I thought "I'll talk to the RD again".  And I did see him almost immediately. Talked. He said absolutely no way.  He explained that he didn't want anyone to be in a wet suit and have their core body temp rise so high that it would cause heat stroke and problems on the bike or swim.  I get it, I really do. I understand safety is paramount.  But immediately, I shut down mentally.  I knew that with my anxiety, heading out into open water without my "crutch" of the wet suit, I would panic, forget the basics, and have a literal "no good, very bad day".  Ruth, Brian, Kyle, and several other friends talked to me - they were so positive, so encouraging, so supportive - it was hard to make the decision to not swim, to not do the tri.  I was a mess, mentally - I cried for at least an hour.  I felt like I was letting everyone down, I was letting myself down.  But also my huge fear of failure was looming, larger than everything.  So, after some time by myself, I unracked my bike, repacked my gear, turned my timing chip back in, and resolved that my first tri would happen, just not today.  When I'm ready for it, I'll be positive and ready to jump in the water, wet suit or not.  And yesterday, I wasn't ready for that.

Once the decision was made, I did text my coach Scott, to let him know what had happened and my decision. His response: "Smart move, I'm very proud of you!"  I know I wasn't ready for it, and he knew it, too.

One final thought....I have met some wonderful people through running, biking, and training for a triathlon.  The lady pictured with me below is a true inspiration.  Ruth lives in Pennsylvania and flew out to Iowa for a few days to do the Iowa Games Tri with me and knocked it out of the park - and she even managed to fit in an impromptu 5k at Saturday's Midnight Madness. She truly has an "Ironheart" and is my hero!   :)

Physical (& Mental) Therapy

Well, the Phoenix marathon is behind me (thankfully).  I work hard to be a glass half-full type of person, and I'm trying to find positives about this race....it was a short but great weekend with a friend from high school, the weather was beautiful, I was able to see my brother, sister-in-law, and nieces before I left, and...I finished the dang race.  I wondered after the first 10k if I would make it - a nagging, painful ankle crept up on me and from mile 8 to the finish, it was literally all I could focus on.  So, I walked, limped, and jogged the last 18 miles.  Finished, got my medal and finisher's jacket, found the free beer tent, and - surprise, surprise - I was so slow that the Wallflowers had already finished performing by the time I was done!  My goal was to be at a Boston-qualifying time of 3:55 or less, and my previous best in October was 4:06.  I finished Phoenix in 4:43.

So, a week and a half post-race, I ended up at an orthopedist for an evaluation and diagnosis.  After a half dozen x-rays and physical examination, I'm told I have arthritis, three bone spurs, and significant calcification in my right ankle and foot.  I'm thankful that it's not more serious, but I'm not surprised by the diagnosis.  Years of running and countless ankle sprains from playing basketball in high school undoubtedly contributed to this.  The therapy: prescription anti-inflammatory meds, physical therapy (to ensure my running gait aggravates the ankle as little as possible), arch support inserts (apparently I have high arches - something I've not been told prior to this), and the option of having cortisone injections a month or two prior to races.  Down the road (far down the road?) an MRI and surgery to clean out the ankle.

Plain and simple, it sucks to be old.

After taking it easy for three weeks, I'm back on a training plan.  Eighteen weeks until Grandma's Marathon, and just eleven weeks until the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon.  I'm definitely setting my sights on BQ-ing in Duluth; as for OK, I haven't determined a time goal but I would like to have solid, pain-free training up until the race and finish with a smile on my face. Hitting four hours or less would be wonderful. I'll get there, one day and one run at a time :)

....as for swimming - I'm continuing to make improvements, slow and steady.  My latest swim lesson video is below:

Progress, slow but sure.  I'm feeling more confident and less panicked with each swim lesson - and that is the first step towards me completing a triathlon.

My adopted motto leading up to Grandma's:

"Success is not final,

Failure is not fatal:

it is the courage to 

continue that

counts."

~

Winston Churchill

New Year = New Goals & Resolutions

As I sit at my desk at the end of a long day/partial week of teaching Spanish, I realize that I am - at heart - a procrastinator.  I have contemplated this blog post for a few weeks....I mean, how often should I write and publish on this blog?  Does it matter?  Do I have anything new to write about? And does anyone really read this anyway?  But I realize that the person who probably will get the most out of this blog is me.  It will keep me honest - even when I don't like the way my training is progressing. When I have been slacking off on my running and I tell myself that it's just too cold to run outside. When I skip the pool because I only have 35 minutes free today. When I stop at Casey's on the way home from work and buy a large bag of Lay's Barbeque potato chips and eat half the bag because today sucked and I deserve comfort food. The honest truth isn't very pretty sometimes, but.....it is what it is.

So, putting my goals & resolutions for 2015 out here, for everyone to see (in no particular order of importance):

1. Complete a Sprint Triathlon with my son, Steven: Iowa Games (July)
2. Compete in/complete an Ultra....if I get chosen for the Leadville 100 (put my hat in the lottery for that one) that will be my focus.  If I don't get in with the lottery, possibly Post Oak Challenge (3/7 & 3/8)
3. Run 3 marathons: P.F. Chang's/Phoenix (1/18) Grandma's/Duluth (6/20) & Bank of America/Chicago (10/11); goal is under 3:55 for Boston Qualifying
4. Set aside 15 minutes each evening to track my workouts and nutrition
5. Start eating breakfast every day (I rarely have anything except coffee before 10am) and focus on improving my nutrition
6. Volunteer at Ironman Wisconsin (9/13)
7. One blog post per month
8. Swim at least three hours each week in the pool
9. Schedule my running, biking, and swimming workouts a month at a time, rather than week to week.

About that swimming.....it's progressing.  Slower than I want, but I know that I haven't devoted the time to it that I need to in order to improve the way I intended. But, slow progress is still progress. Below are two videos: the first from my very first lesson with Scott, practicing kicking and turning front to back, and back to front...awkward, to say the least.

Second video below is from my most recent lesson - notice the hesitation and drag on my left arm :(  ...and all the fun equipment I'm using...snorkle, the "clicker" belt (my name for it), in addition to goggles, swim cap, and sometimes fins.  

After watching these videos, I know that I've got a lot of work to do. I'm way further ahead than I was a couple of months ago, but I need to be ready for open water swimming in a few short months. So I'll practice, practice, and practice some more :)

A quote from a fellow teacher's room:

"Be In Love With Your Life, Every Single Minute"