Ridge Run

One of the best things about the Ridge Run is that you get to see a lot of familiar faces. Year after year, I seem to know more people every time I do the race. Some are new friends, some are old friends, but what's very special is that we all choose to start off our Memorial Day with a quick jaunt around the Beverly neighborhood.

The Ridge Run is one of the more popular races in the Chicagoland area. The event is very well organized from packet pickup to mile markers to a nice finish line spread, the race is one of the best around. The course takes you through the Beverly neighborhood and there are lots of spectators cheering the runners on. The 10K is really the premier race of the event, but I chose to run the 5K this year.

We arrived with plenty of time to make a pit stop, pick up our packets and we saw Griz and his brother near the registration table. Went back to the car, and on the return trip, I saw Goose taking Pat for a walk. I later saw Randy, BC, Donna and Lori all gearing up for the 10K. I saw Doug somewhere along the way. I was able to wish Pam good luck as she was standing in the start corral. I gave Joe a big Hi-5 and wished him luck as he ran off at the start of the 10K. I was starting to feel like a loser for being the only one entered in the 5K! Then I found JQ, who was also doing the 5K and we did a quick little warm up together. (who warms up for a 5K??)

There's not much to write about a 5K. You start, you run, you get tired, you keep running and then it's over. The course was different from last year, but still great. I was passed by Trevor, who I think is all of 11 years old and runs like the wind. The only females that passed me were much, much younger than me, hell, they could have been my kids! So as I ran, I just kept thinking - you know, you're not doing so bad, no women are passing you. But I felt heavy on my feet and I never did feel smooth.

These two very important men in my life turned in outstanding performances:



All in all, it was a fun race. Not my best time, but considering the lack of training I've been able to put in this week, I'm fine with it. The highlight of the race is still seeing all the familiar faces, some runners, some triathletes, but everyone out there to have a good time.

Memphis in May

It’s been so long since I made a blog post. In the past 2 weeks, I have been terribly busy, yet I’m not quite sure why. I have lots of things to write about, but I simply haven’t been able to find the time to get the thoughts down.

So, the recap of Memphis will be short, but sweet, as the event was almost a week ago already.

Since there were 5 of us, we planned to drive down in 2 cars and caravan all they way down to Memphis. We started our 8 hour journey on Friday because Lori was racing on Saturday, and the rest of us would race on Sunday. Thankfully, Lori and Chuck packed some good sandwich food which we really appreciated! We had a little picnic on the hood of their Durango.

One we got to Memphis, we decided to head right to the Expo so Lori could pick up her packed for the next day. We parked the car and as we walked toward the Expo, I started to remember all the things from when I did this race in 2005. Memphis’ expo is outside, under tents. They were pretty strict about presenting your USAT card and BC had to go back to the car to get his current card before they’d let him pick up his packet. And though there were only about 5 people in front of me in the packet pickup line, it seemed like an eternity before I actually got through the line. I forgot, things down in Memphis move really slow compared to what we’re used to. Everyone is pretty friendly and they have that southern drawl that distinguishes the visitors from the townies.

The rest of the day was just grabbing some southern BBQ and getting some rest. Saturday’s mountain bike race didn’t start until 9:00am, so we all were able to sleep in a bit and have a quick breakfast at the hotel. The transition area was set up with wooden racks on the ground with a slot for each athlete’s bike tire. This was quite a difference from the usual aluminum poles where you hang your bike. Security was very, very lax for this race and everyone, athletes and spectators alike, were allowed in and out of the transition area without question.
I was able to sit in the transition area as I waited to see JQ and Lori run in from the swim so I could get some good pictures of each of them.


The weather was near perfect and I was told it would be a little warmer for tomorrow’s race. This was only the second time I’ve ever actually watched a triathlon without participating in it. It was nice to be wrapped up in the excitement of the race without having the pressure to do the race itself.
Once I saw Lori and JQ leave T1, I went to find out where the rest of the crew was. It seems they had been put to work by manning a water station right out of the swim.

Once we saw both JQ and Lori finish, Pat, Chuck, BC and I decided to get a quick ride in. We figured we’d ride a portion of the course and we started off OK. Unfortunately, once we turned around, we’d forgotten how we got there. We saw other triathletes riding around, so we weren’t far, but we couldn’t figure out how to get back! Chuck decided to ask one of the locals for directions and we made it back just fine, going about an extra 8 miles or so! We followed up the ride with a quick run and then BC and I wanted to jump in the lake just to test it out.

If given the opportunity, I really like to get in the lake before a race. Each body of water seems to be a little different. It could be temperature, color, weeds at the bottom, things floating in it, or a number of other things that are just nice to know before you get in for the race. Most importantly is the sighting on the way in. We like to go to the last or 2nd to last buoy from the finish and swim it in just like we’ll do on race day. It leaves you with fewer surprises.

I’m not sure sushi is the best pre-race meal, but that was the decision that was made. I’m not even sure what most of that stuff is, but I took Randy’s recommendation and it was pretty good and I know it’s rather loaded with sodium, and that’s got to help for tomorrow, right? I tried something that had some orange eggs on it, and though it didn’t taste bad, just the thought of chewing on eggs freaked me out a little bit. I seemed to keep Pat entertained with my hesitation to try any of this stuff and my questions about everything we ate. Then again, it doesn’t take much to keep her amused.

On race morning, we packed up all our things and were heading down to the lobby. Pat was a bit quicker than me to get out the door, so I did a last-minute room check and picked up a few remaining items. I then went to the elevator that already had 2 women in it and I got in with my bike. Two more triathletes ran down the hall with their bikes, but there was no room in this elevator. Before the elevator door closed, they hit the button again, our door opened. OK, just let us leave before you hit the button. Door starts to close again and one of them hit the button again – elevator door opens up. You’ve GOT TO BE KIDDING! QUIT IT! But they just giggled and I couldn’t have shot them a more disgusted look.

I finally get to the lobby, loaded down with my bike and bags, and it looks like we’re ready to go! Then my lovely elevator button pushing happy friends walk right over to the vehicle next to me. Great! They turn out to be from Chicago and are pretty friendly (though they need to learn how to work elevator buttons). They also look like they are in my age group and now I’m on a mission.

We caravan over to the race site, pump up our tires and walk the bikes over to the racks. There are about 5 times more athletes today than yesterday and the place is pretty much a zoo. If I hadn’t done this race before, I think I would’ve been a little frazzled. There were people lining up to be body marked when, if they just would’ve moved closer to transition, there were people with markers standing around with nothing to do. I saw Randy in transition and it seemed his rack was missing! I was proud of him as he was handling this little problem rather well. It ended up being a blessing in disguise as he had a sweet spot on the rack once they finally set it up.

With just a few minor last-minute re-arranging, I left transition with plenty of time. Memphis is a time trial start, so they start just one racer every 3 seconds. Most people really like this because it does lessen your chances of getting knocked around at the beginning of the swim; however, it’s not really my favorite way to start. First, I can’t find anyone to draft off of. Second, there seem to be people EVERYWHERE during the swim, as opposed to the “packs” of swimmers you find in normal wave starts. This causes me to sight way more than normal (and I sight a lot already).

The water felt refreshing and cool when I jumped in. It was getting toasty standing there with a wetsuit on! Right away, there were people to pass everywhere. And it got more crowded the longer I swam. I felt someone on my toes several times and I was only a little frustrated by it. But then about half way through the back stretched, she pulled around me and I thought “Wow, she’s really fast!” and I swam like hell to jump on her feet. And just as I started to settle into a nice draft behind her, I noticed her turning right…wait, this isn’t where we turn, we have one more buoy to go to! I slowed, picked up my head and looked to the right. I saw about 6-7 swimmers turning right and I wondered if I should go with them. But then I looked ahead and I was certain I saw another orange buoy with other swimmers headed toward it. So, I swam straight and let the fast girl swim off to the right.

I started to push the pace a little bit as I moved in closer to the shore line. I felt better toward the end of the swim than I did in the beginning. I got out of the water and glanced at my watch. I saw “20:16” and thought to myself, “dammit, the course is short!” When swimming is your strength, that is the only leg of the race that you do NOT want to be short! It bummed me out for about 30 seconds. I had a decent T1, though I always feel very shaky when I’m trying to put on my bike shoes.

Once out on the bike, I was shivering. Getting out of a lake and immediately jumping on a bike in the cool morning air never feels really good to me. I was passed by 2 women within the first mile. I came back to get in front of one, but the other one dropped me with ease. The course was hillier than I remembered. I noticed my bike computer still read "SLEEP" and there was no way I was going to stop and try to get it to work. It was frustrating, but it was also my own fault as I didn't check to see that it was working once I got the bike set up in transition. I jockeyed back and forth with a guy on an Orbea for at least 5 miles. This dude would get in front of me, slow down, I'd pass, then he'd come back with a vengance just to make sure he was in front of me. Really annoying! The course also had more turns than I remember and there were lots of people taking them wide. I was yelled at by another athlete because he thought he could sneak by me during a turn...on my right. WTF??!? And HE'S yelling at ME??!?! The anger was good for a short burst of energy.

Two more women catch up with me, both in their 20s, and I pick up the pace to try to stay with them. Orbea guy is just ahead and I tell them that they MUST pass him. The road was pretty narrow and I think they must've changed the course from 2005 because I don't remember this. But then we went by some military station and I DO remember that...I also remembered that it meant the bike was almost over. I try to push a little harder and get ahead of Orbea boy just to show him who's boss.

I roll slowly into T2...couldn't go fast as it was a bit crowded with athletes dismounting. I get to my rack and I'm bummed that I see 2 bikes already back. See, if I didn't beat them in the swim and the bike, it was highly unlikely that I'd catch them in the run. But since we all have different start times, you just never know who's really ahead of you.

I rack the bike, take off my helmet and switch shoes, grab my had and some gels, and I'm off. I feel pretty sluggish, but I've come to learn that the feeling is mostly in my head. I missed the first 2 mile markers, but I started to notice signs on the side of the road "Just 3 and you're free" and I looked down to see a pink number 3 painted on the side of the road. I hit my watch as I passed it and realized I was on a pretty good pace. That's good, because I heard myself breathing heavy. I was actually PASSING people on the RUN! I wondered to myself if I was going too fast because I was really feeling it. The course was an out and back, so I was able to see Tobey, JQ, BC and Chuck on my way back in. I was so happy to be on my way back IN! I counted the miles down backwards and tried to convince myself that I could keep this pace until the end. The run course was every bit as hilly as I remembered it to be. We were now in the parking lot on the other side of the park and as I turned the corner I could see the finish. The Memphis run finish is a long stretch down a grassy area...I forget what they call it..a burm or something like that. I call it hell. At least, that's what I called it 2 years ago. This time, I felt much better as I was running down that last stretch. AND, I even passed a guy on my way in. I'm so used to being the person that is passed left and right, it feels like a major accomplishment when I can actually pass someone else on the run. Right toward the end, there is a steep, small downhill and I heard the announcer butcher my name as I came down that hill. I crossed the line and hit my watch...not at fast as I wanted, but still a time that I'm happy with.

I stood around at the finish cheering everyone else in. After a while, I went over to the make-shift showers they set up for the racers. Some guy heard me say I was from Chicago and he asked in amazement, "You mean, you came all the way from Chicago for this little race??" Yep. Memphis is a race that's definitely worth the trip.

Team Time Trial

Today was my first ever TEAM time trial. Not that I've done many time trials before (3, to be exact), but I've always done them alone. The art of a team time trial includes peeling off smoothly and drafting...2 people working together for the benefit of both. The clock only stops when both people have crossed the finish line, so it does you no good to leave your partner dragging behind.

I headed up to Garden Prairie, otherwise known as middle-of-nowhere in IL, with Brett Petersen and Sally, fellow Salt Creek Triathlon Club members. I learned a few things in talking with Brett on the way up to the race. First, if you list a team you are racing for, you must wear that jersey. If you race as "unattached" or no club listed, you must wear a jersey with no writing on it. Additionally, you must have sleeves. Therefore, the tri club uniform tops were no good...we had to wear shirts underneath. I guess it's a safety issue, your shoulders need to be covered. Therefore, even the top (which has no sleeves) with arm warmers is considered "illegal." This wasn't really an issue for me...it was chilly anyway, so Sally and I had decided to wear thin, long-sleeved under armor shirts underneath our jerseys.

We arrived in Garden Prairie with plenty of time. We met other club members, Tom, Chris and Miguel there. It was a beautiful day, sunny, seemed like very little wind, but it was a bit chilly. I actually wondered if I should keep the long pants on and pull on arm warmers over my thin under armor!

We quickly pulled the bikes down off the car and prepared to warm up. I don't really know the protocol for warming up for a bike race. I mean, in triathlon, I typically use the swim as the warm up. But a 40K bike race is so short, you need to warm up before the race. But how long? How fast? Guess I could use a little education on that sort of thing.

For Sally, this was her first time trial ever. Sally and I planned to practice riding together at last week's century (or should I say 75 mile) ride, but the courses split up too early and we had no time to practice. We rode together once during the past week and it seemed to go smoothly. We planned on taking 1 minute pulls and when one of us got tired, we'd just shorten the pull for the tired teammate. Sounds great in theory!

We rode around and I realized that, once again, it was pretty windy out! Fellow Apache, Lisa, told me to stop thinking of it as being windy. She said I should figure there will ALWAYS be wind and on the day you get to ride with no wind, consider it a miracle. Interestingly put. Sally and I roll up to the starting line. We are surrounded by teams of men. Men who looked FAST. Majority of them had disc wheels and aero helmets.

Same team of officials at the start line as the last time trial I did. We chatted with them and they commented on the nice paint job on Sally's bike. There was literally no stress or tension as we awaited our start. 5-4-3-2-1 and we were off! As planned, Sally immediately moved to the front. She started hammering and our speed climbed up to 24 mph! I struggled to get on her back wheel and I thought to myself, "Holy cow, this is going to be a fast race!" and I wondered if I was going to be able to stay with her. It's amazing how fast that 1 minute goes by when you're taking advantage of the draft. I pulled in front and my speed dropped to about 22 mph. Then I heard Sally yell, "I'm back!" which meant I had dropped her. In other words, if you are not 6 inches or closer to the wheel in front of you, you are no longer getting the advantage of the draft. And this is the whole point of the team time trial, so I eased up to let Sally catch back on to my wheel.

The wind was strong and it was a nice break when I was able to draft behind Sally. For the first quarter of the race, I'd say we struggled to make smooth transitions, but as we rode along, our communication improved and we learned to read each other better to anticipate what the other rider was doing. The course was flat for the most part, but there were several sections of road with rather large pot holes. As long as you were paying attention, though, they were not difficult to avoid.

As we turned to go out to the "loop", we were passed by an ABD (Athletes By Design) team. They were riding really far apart and the guy trailing looked at me, shook his head and said "I can't catch his wheel!" It was then that I told Sally "There is no way I want us to look like THAT!" That simply defeats the whole purpose of a team time trial. Besides, as I said earlier, it's not an average of your two times, the clock only stops when your 2nd man crosses the line. So why drop your teammate? Just doesn't make sense.

Sally and I cruised along, much slower than I think we both anticipated, but the wind was also stronger than we thought and at times the gusts would threaten to take control of my front wheel. I wondered if my jerking the bike back in line would throw Sally off. I know from riding with other people, you don't want to make any unpredictable, sudden moves. Everything should be smooth and subtle. I didn't hear her complain (then again, the wind was loud!). Slowly but surely, we made our way to the turnaround, where I got confused by the guy telling me "TURN HERE." He was pointing in front of him, but when I asked if I had to go behind him, he said yes. Huh? Confusing. But, the turnaround meant we'd have a little wind at our backs!

As one of my pulls was ending and I was letting Sally slide to the front, I noticed her breathing was pretty heavy. However, she was riding stronger now than she was in the beginning of the race! I told her to take shorter pulls, catch her breath! Now was no time for either of us to blow up. As we continued riding along, we got better at reading each other's signals and we seemed to be making smooth progress toward the finish.

As I saw the grainery ahead, I remember the guy at the beginning of the race tell us to crank it up when we saw this grainery because the finish was near. So I yelled to Sally, "Let's Hammer!" And with that, we picked up our speed maybe 2-3 mph. However, as quickly as we sped up, Brett and Tom passed us with ease. I knew they started about 15 minutes behind us and one of my goals was to not let them catch us. Darn - we were so close! So we pumped our legs even harder. Even though we were only doing about 20 mph when we crossed the line, I felt like we were flying!



This was way more fun than an individual time trial! You get to take a little break in the draft, and you can draw off the energy of your teammate. Though I would have liked to have gone faster, I'd still say this was more fun than any of the other time trials I have done. Can't wait to do another one.

Luna Chix Ride

Today was the second "official" Luna Chix ride of the year! The Luna Chix are groups of women, sponsored by Luna Bar to help encourage women to get out and be active. We plan group workouts as well as clinics and seminars and raise money for the Breast Cancer Fund.

These rides are held in conjunction with the Downers Grove Bike Club. Karen, a member of both organizations, tends to head up these rides and I couldn't think of a more perfect person for the job!

Tonight, we had a great group! In addition to the 3 Luna Chix, we had about 5-6 Downers Grove Bike Club members, 2 women who came out to ride after hearing about it through another Luna Chic and we picked up a speedy guy along the way somewhere. This made for a good sized group - not huge, but not too small.

The ride starts at Waterfall Glen promptly at 6:15pm. Very quickly, two groups were established. The nice thing about this ride was that every one was very friendly and there were no egos getting in the way. All of us were out there for one reason: to get in a ride!

There seemed to be a bit of a headwind on the way out, but nothing compared to all the other rides I've been on this year. In fact, I was quite relieved as I was starting to forget what it feels like to ride when it's NOT windy! LOL! We rode down International Parkway to Joliet Road and turned around where we took the north side of the frontage roads for the way home. Tim, a Downers Grove Bike Club member, had a flat on the way out, so we just scooped him up on the way back.

The headwind I mentioned earlier must not have been all that strong because I certainly didn't feel a tailwind on the way back (isn't that ALWAYS the case??). We took the hills on...I'm not sure of the street name, but if you're a local rider, you know what I'm talking about...might be Madison. And then when we cross 83 and head on to Bluff, I really like to hammer that section (probably because it's downhill!).

Not sure how many miles we went, but that wasn't the point of the ride. The weather was almost perfect, in fact, maybe a little to warm as I was dripping with sweat after climbing a couple of those hills. But I couldn't be happier! It felt like summer outside and I've waited for warm weather for what feels like an eternity.

Great day for a nice, casual Luna Chix ride!!

Suddenly Windy Century

I woke up and jumped online to check the weather forecast for the day's ride. Though it was only 52 so early in the morning, the prediction was for the temperature to rise to 70. Great, I thought, this will be a nice, warm ride! However, I noticed the little pictures on the hour-by-hour forecast went from a cute little sun to the word wind. This wind was scheduled to start around 10am and last through the afternoon.

It took a little longer to get to the starting location than I had planned, so the nearest parking lot was already filled. I went to turn around when I noticed Chris chasing me down the street. He and Laura had parked in a lot a couple blocks down. Excellent! Since I planned to ride a majority of these miles with Laura, I figured it made sense to park near them.

Quickly, I found a spot and ran to the registration line, which seemed really long. While there I saw so many Salt Creek Tri Club members. It was awesome! I quickly gathered my wristband and course map, but they were out of cue sheets for the 100 mile route. I waited for about 10 minutes, but I knew people were getting anxious to start, so I grabbed a 75 mile cue sheet and went back to my car to get ready.

Many of the Luna Chix were riding today, and we were quite the vision in our bright Luna jerseys! As I was getting my things together, I decided it was much colder than weather.com had lead me to believe. I was shivering and my legs were covered with goosebumps. The wind was already quite strong and I shuddered at the fact that at some point, we'd have to be riding head on into the wind today. Maybe I should change plans and go for the 60 mile route, which many of the Luna Chix were planning to do...? Well, I just decided I'd make that decision when the split of the two courses came.

I went on over to Chris and Laura and Sally was nearby. Sally and I planned to practice some of our time trial riding today because of the race we are entered in next weekend. Sally didn't bring a jacket and was already calling dibs on my jacket when I was ready to dump it. With the cold air and the wind whipping around us, I wasn't sure I was letting this jacket go at all today! We were all at the start and started to roll, only about 20 minutes later than as planned. Within a block, Judy needed to stop because her cleat was loose. She took off her shoe and we saw that out of the 4 screws that hold on her cleat, 3 of them were missing!! And she had just been on a ride 3 days ago. It's a very depressing thought when you're prepared for a long ride and something like this happens that threatens to cancel the ride for you completely. Cyclists typically carry extra tubes, tools and pumps...but no one carries extra screws for their cleats!! With that, we left Judy to fix her cleat and she promised to call me if she wasn't going to be able to join us for the ride.

The ride started off and our group was pretty big...I'd say maybe 12 of us or so. The pace was pretty easy and the group talked and laughed as we rode along. Sally and I missed one of the very early turns, but thankfully, Laura caught that and we didn't go too far out of our way as we did last week. I cannot be trusted to be in the front of these rides...at some point, I become involved in a conversation or simply just riding and then stop paying attention to the course markings. So I dropped to the back for a while.

One of the draws to this ride is that they allow you a lap on the Chicagoland Speedway. The first thing you notice is how steep the banking is. It's really an experience to ride at the top, where you are riding upright, but the banking is so steep, it looks like you are riding at a huge angle. The next thing you start thinking is that it takes a lot longer to ride around this track on a bike than in a car!

We all stopped at the end of the lap to let the group catch up. At this point, I handed my jacket off to Sally. I was already getting too warm and when you sweat a lot and then ride into wind, well, that makes for a pretty freezing ride. Judy and Jeannie then caught up to us. Judy was able to fix the cleat and not cancel her ride after all. It was great to see that she had worked it out!

Shortly after leaving the Speedway was the splitting point. Riders doing 60 miles or less would turn left. Riders going 75 or 100 miles would turn right. But wait, Sally and I hadn't even practiced our TT riding yet! The wind was already tough, did I really want to ride 100 miles?? I looked at Laura and she firmly said, "I'm going 75." There was no changing her mind. Kelly and Griz also said "75." The rest of the group could not be convinced to go that long, so the groups broke up.

And then it was just Kelly, Griz, Laura and myself. I had no idea what happened to BC, but it didn't matter because I knew if he was in front of us, he'd probably be waiting at a SAG (support and gear) stop. And if he was behind us, well, he'd catch up quickly. That first stretch felt lovely...little did I realize we had the tailwind at that point. Once again, the talking and laughing initiated and we were all having fun again.

Then the course turned. The wind was at our faces. It was so strong, it screamed in your ears and it was now impossible to hear anyone talking, even if they were riding directly beside you less than 2 feet away. Our pace dropped dramatically and we all shifted into smaller gears. This isn't fun. OK, keep pushing until we turn! It was dangerous to try to stay aero because it felt like the wind gusts would push your wheel in whatever direction it felt and it caused you to feel like you were going to fall. Ugh, this is so hard. And then...a turn. Aaaaaahhhhhh....wait for the group to get together and complain about how hard that stretch was. Uh oh, another turn...into the wind again. Come ON! I cannot wait for the first stop. Not only do I have to go to the bathroom, but I need a break from all this wind. Then Laura screams to me - the first stop isn't until mile 28. WE WERE AT MILE 14!

It was at that point that I decided I would NOT be doing 100 miles today. In fact, I didn't want to do 75, I didn't want to do 60 and I didn't want the 43 mile route. No, this sucks, I want to go home. Problem is, I'm one of the most directionally challenged people on the planet and I have no idea how to get back to the start. Besides, if everyone else was going to continue...then I must. But not 100...no, no, please not 100.

Laura and I stick together for the next several miles. Finally, BC catches up with us...somehow we had missed him coming out of the Speedway. We rode with him a little bit and I tried to draft off him to protect myself from the wind. The SAG stop felt like it was never going to come, but finally, it did. When we stopped, my ears were ringing because of all the loud wind. We grabbed some food, refilled our water bottles and waited for the others to catch up. I was able to convince BC that 75 miles today would be PLENTY! While there, we saw Janis, Lori and Donna pull up! They were opting for a shorter route today.

Finally, we were ready to take off. We turned left out of the parking lot and had to wait for a ton of (not too bright) riders to turn left in front of us. Even with someone there directing traffic, it seemed like a cluster! As soon as we made that next left...again...wind. Strong wind. Gusty wind. It was relentless. I wondered why I let Sally keep my jacket because now I really wanted it! Within minutes, BC was pulling away and I tried to scoot up on his wheel. That worked for maybe a mile, then I watched the distance grow slowly between his back wheel and my front wheel. He's just much too strong for me. I turned to look around, but I had lost the rest of the group.

The next 20 miles or so were brutally lonely. The all-too-familiar feel of snot running out of my nose like there was no tomorrow irritated the crap out of me. I don't carry tissue with me, and even if I did, I didn't dare take my hands off the handle bars for fear of being blown over. On a positive note, I passed lots and lots of people on this stretch. Some were riding really heavy mountain bikes. Some had these big jackets on that blew up like parachutes as they were riding....as if the strong winds weren't enough, hey, yeah, let's add some more drag to ourselves!

I felt sorry for those people, but I felt sorry for myself, too. I don't need to be riding this many miles at this time of the year! What good is this doing for me, really? This is stupid wind. Every ride I've been on this year has been windy. I don't remember any other ride being this windy. The temperature was actually perfect...and if it hadn't been so windy, this would have been a fabulous ride. But as I kept on pedaling, and pedaling hard, I saw the speedometer read 9 mph and it was crushing. On a downhill, I felt like I could pick up some speed, so I'd pump my legs a little faster to gain momentum...look at the speedometer...14 mph. You've got to be kidding. That 20 mile stretch was one of the longest, toughest sections of any ride I've ever done. Not quite as bad as the section in Coeur d'Alene when I wanted to quit the race, but well, still mentally very challenging.

I finally reached the next rest stop and saw Chris. He was planning on doing the full 100 miles when the day started, but as the rest of us did, he revised the plan just a little because every single one of us was just taking a beating from the powerful wind. And even more challenging than that, Chris was riding alone. I'm sure he couldn't wait for this ride to be over.

This time, we didn't wait so long at the SAG stop. This was a good thing as when you sit still for too long, you tend to get cold. We made our way back onto the course and hoped the wind hadn't shifted. See, all this time, we were either riding with a strong headwind or crosswind. A majority of this home stretch should have been a tailwind.

And there it was....it was happiness! We were putting forth much less effort, but our speeds were now in the 20s. It was a beautiful thing. It was like the reward after busting our butts all day. At one point, I even ran out of gears. An effortless ride is a FUN ride! So now the talking and laughing once again continued. I was extremely thankful the course hadn't been reversed. It's so much easier to do the "tough stuff" first and then coast the rest.

We packed our bikes and went into the bar where they were serving chili after the race. We saw a few familiar faces! We traded our horror stories of the day and Donna told us of a cyclist who was hit by a motorcycle. Everyone was OK, but still not something you want to hear.

We stayed around a little longer, just taking in the environment and talking about the difficulties of the day. The rest of the Salt Creek people I had started out the day riding with arrived, so we had to capture this photo. We took this shot about 20 times...because I still don't know how to work my camera that I have owned for years now!

Happy to have this ride over with! Let's just hope Mother Nature is a bit more kind for the next one...

What a Difference a Few Years Makes

Before the Ironman. Before even Half Ironman. Pre-Marathon days. Before I owned a road bike. Half Marathon was "way too many miles at one time". The only swimming I did was snorkeling in Grand Cayman. Before the 10K....there was 5K.

Everyone starts somewhere. I started with 5K. But I didn't start alone. Scott and I met each other while on the college recruiting circuit back in the late 90s. The first time I met him, I found him to be rather quiet and a little geeky. But we agreed on a lot of things. When he sent me a note a week or so after meeting, I knew he was someone I wanted to work with.

After that, every time I went to a college job fair, I made it a point to seek him out and make sure we spent a few minutes catching up. As soon as an opening became available in my company, I called Scott. I wanted this guy on my team. And to this day, it was one of the smartest things I've ever done.

In addition to being one of the most powerful recruiting teams in the Chicago area, we formed quite a friendship, both inside and outside the office. When another employee, Sally, suggested we start a company running team, Scott and I, being the involved slave-to-the-company type employees, there was no way we'd miss it. So we went to the race, myself to run and Scott to take pictures for the company website. So was our first exposure the the running world.

A year or two later, Scott and I both took up running to start getting some exercise. And I think both of us started out at the very back of the pack. Slowly but surely, we kept running and did several more races together. Being competitive people with the constant desire to improve, we watched our times drop and we started increasing our mileage which, in turn, increased our speed. It was Scott that convinced me to do my first Half Marathon. He was convinced it was fate due to the timing and the fact that the course ran right by his alma mater, University of Chicago. Not wanting to be outdone, I figured if he could do it, I could do it. My longest training run up to that race was a lowly 8 miles.

That was 5 years ago. In the past several years, I've moved onto triathlons and more endurance-type events. Scott and his wife started a family. We've both moved on to different jobs and our priorities have drastically changed. So when I found out about a local 5K that fit into my schedule, Scott was my first call.

We met each other in the parking lot, went in to packet pick up - Scott had a little mix up in picking up his packet as he signed up under an alias...which we both giggled uncontrollably at when we said it out loud. We put on our timing chips and race numbers, then walked around the race site, catching up, wasting time to the start of the race. Neither of us had any real time expectations, we just both wanted to do the best we were capable of on this day. I simply wanted an idea of my current capabilities and Scott just wanted to run the entire race.

We went back to the car to drop off our jackets and Scott quickly swallowed down a gel for some extra oomph. We walked over to the start line and stretched a little as we joked about how fast we weren't. This was one of those "rinky dink" races, which I love so much. No pressure, no thinking, it's all just about having fun. It's surrounding yourself in this type of environment that makes you really realize how lucky we are to be able to participate in this sport. No matter what your level, everyone, every size, shape and ability is welcome.

Unfortunately, there was no national anthem, and the race started. I had started near the back so the first half mile was just me running back and forth to get around a bunch of people. But I couldn't be mad, I should have started closer to the front...but it was more important for me to chat with Scott than it was for me to line up at the front of the race.

I could feel the lactic acid already building up in my legs and arms. I wondered to myself "what the heck am I doing??", I was already tired before I could even see the mile mark! My breathing was out of control and I reminded me, though this was a short race, it still was a full 3 miles! I finally came up to the first mile mark and looked at my watch. Not as fast as I would have liked, but I was putting out more effort than was comfortable. I started passing a few people here and there, but the race was pretty small and pretty spread out already. There was this guy, breathing and stomping too close behind me. Part of me wanted him to just pass me already so I didn't have to listen to his labored breath. But the other part of me wanted to hold him off. I knew that if he hadn't passed me by now, he was hurting too, and he was after me.

We came up to the second mile mark and he came up even with me. But every time a downhill came, I gained a little ground on him, so I got right back in front of him almost as quickly as he had pulled up next to me. He continued to breathe really loud and worked hard at picking up the pace just a little to put some distance between the two of us. I noticed my second mile was faster than the first as I hit the split on my watch. I wondered how Scott was doing. I wondered why a 5K felt so darn hard! The sounds of my follower was fading off...cool, he's dying. Guess he didn't know he was messing with an IRONMAN, I thought to myself. But then I started looking at my watch what felt like every minute. I now couldn't wait for this to be over. My breathing was getting louder and I felt like I was slowing. Then we came up to a sharp right turn and a volunteer yelled "only 300 meters left." Other runners that were already finished had come back to watch their friends finish and were cheering them on. I saw several people yelling to the guy in front of me to "KICK IT IN, YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!" And no matter how hard I tried to "kick it in", I had no kick left. In fact, I don't think I ever have a "kick." It's like I've never produced a "kick" in my life. How do these people get that and how can I get some?

And as I pondered the thought of the "kick", my heavy breather, heavy-footed follower turned on his "kick." His breathing was even louder and heavier now, but I could hear and feel him getting closer. And with less than 50 yards to go, this guy breezed by me like I was standing still. I wanted to yell out something, but I just didn't have the energy. Let him go by (not that I had the strength to stop him!). I just want this to be over. Happiness was crossing the finish line.

I grabbed 2 waters, one for me and one for Scott, and moved to a place where I could watch him come around the corner. I wasn't watching for 30 seconds before I saw him. He was moving! He was looking so strong! I thought he told me he "wasn't ready" for this race. Talking crap about "it'll probably take me 40 minutes." He was passing people left and right...and to me, those people looked like they had a good pace going on! As he got closer to the finish, I could see he was struggling right at the same point I was starting to fall apart. I yelled some words of encouragement to him and he seemed to increase his speed even more. He seemed to have that popular "kick" that everyone else I know besides me seems to have! He finished with an impressive time and I couldn't be more proud of him.


Scott and I both fight our own demons, but we "get" each other. Each of us had our own special reason for running this race and we probably wouldn't have done the race if we were going alone. I always know whatever problem I'm having, I can talk to Scott and, even if he's never experienced anything remotely similar, I know he gets it. We just understand the way each other thinks. Scott never has and probably never will do a triathlon, but he is definitely one of my biggest supporters. Not sure if he'll even be reading this post, but just in case he does, I just need to say thanks. If it wasn't for Scott those years ago, encouraging me to push further in my running (and other) endeavors, I'm not sure I'd be where I am today.

Really glad we had the opportunity to run this race together today.

Harvard 30K TT: Waiting for a Tailwind

Lisa and I arrived in Harvard well before our start. After much confusion, we were able to move our start times up by about 15 minutes. Fortunately, the sun was shining and the wind seemed pretty calm. It was a little cooler out than I expected, but I didn't bring long pants, so I was chilled before I even started my warm up.

It seemed to take forever for me to gather my things, put on the necessary clothes and get my bike ready to go for a warm up. In that time, I saw several other people I knew, so I chatted a bit with them and the first time I looked at my watch, I realized we only had about 12 minutes before our start. Quickly, we got on the bikes and headed out for a short warm up.

We headed toward the start line and as soon as we turned west, the wind hit us. Now where did that come from? We were standing around outside for the last 30 minutes and it certainly didn't seem windy! It seemed like it was a bit of a crosswind from the southwest. I knew the course was a lollipop course and that it was a bit longer than a 30K (more like a 32K).

I didn't feel like I had much of a warm up, but it was time to get in line for the start. Some guy rolled up and had missed his start so he kept trying to "sneak in" between riders. This confused the volunteer working there and the official and this late rider didn't seem to care. He wouldn't get out of Lisa's way when the official was trying to tell her she was leaving in 30 seconds. Thankfully, Lisa spoke up and the official scooted this guy out before she was to go off...now he was standing in front of me, but the volunteer kept telling him to move back.

Finally - I get my countdown, I get out of the saddle and try to get a good pace going quickly. The first section of the course was south (I think) and seemed to be going smoothly. I haven't spent much time on my bike lately, so I had no idea what to expect for this ride. In fact, I wasn't on my bike the entire week between the half ironman and this race, so I just did the best I could.

The road curved and it felt like we were going straight into a headwind. It curved again and I thought the headwind would subside...nope. My nose started running. I wasn't wearing a heartrate monitor, but I was trying to keep my breathing controlled. Though the roads were pretty flat, I found myself struggling to get into a comfortable rhythym. I was struggling against the wind and tried to stay aero the entire ride. I kept sliding off the seat forward and would have to stop pedaling to get myself back centered (or even pushed toward the back) of the saddle.

I saw the riders who started earlier coming back. They all looked like they were just churning away in their biggest gear possible. I thought to myself "cool, we'll have a sweet tailwind on the way back!" I continued to fight the wind and my nose continued to run. I've never been a "farm blower" type of chick and I just felt like there was a river running down my face, coming from my nose! It was quite disgusting and made it a little difficult to breathe.

I was passed a few times - by men, but then again, most of the riders today were men. They don't say anything when they go by, like "nice job" or "hang in there." No, cyclists just whiz by you and really crank up the power just to show you how much faster they are than you.

Finally, I reach the point where we start to turn around...I keep waiting for the tailwind. It wasn't there. Ironically, the wind felt just as strong going back as it did on the way out. There was one small section where I felt a tailwind and my mph was at the highpoint of the day - 24 mph - but it didn't last nearly long enough to be fun. I was wondering if my nose was ever going to run out of snot as I wiped it away with the back of my glove.

Finally, I saw the finish and pushed as best I could. Once again, the mph really went up, and I felt like I still "had some left." So I pushed to the limit until I flew across the finish line. I was thankful that someone told me the race was over a 30K or I would have turned on the heat too early. But maybe that wouldn't have been such a bad thing as once I was finished, I really didn't feel exhausted. I was very tired of riding in the wind, but wasn't physically tired.

I'm thinking 2007 is going to be known as "the year of the wind!"

Half Iron Intimidation: Playtri Race Report

It is with dehydration and very tired legs that I write this report. I now know how very naive of me it was to think I could do this half ironman race just 6 days after the Boston Marathon. But for those of you that know me, I need instant gratification...I had already signed up for this half ironman before I qualified for Boston. I knew I couldn't wait until 2008 to run Boston. I just don't have that kind of patience.

We flew into Dallas on Saturday morning and headed immediately to the Expo (if you could call it an Expo). I knew this race was what I like to call "rinky dink," meaning small. I don't mean to put the race down, I kinda like rinky dink races. It's a nice change of pace from the mass chaos of an Ironman or Accenture with their thousands of participants. The Expo took less than 5 minutes to walk around the room to see what the vendors had to offer. The actual packet pick up was in another room. We met up with BC, Chuck and Lori and went into the packet pick up room. It was then I learned that I had been placed in the Elite wave. Um, what?

See, a few weeks ago, the organizers sent out an email offering an Elite Wave start. I asked what the qualifications were and the Elite Wave was for those athletes who had finished in the top 3 of their Age Group in a race of 400 or more participants (or some number like that). Since I didn't qualify for that, I never responded back, but apparently, they moved me into this wave anyway. I tried not to think about it.

We checked out the water - it was a man-made pond/lake sort of thing that wound around the commercial properties. It looked much further than 1.2 miles when I scoped it out. We then went back to the hotel to put on our bike gear and get out for a quick ride to make sure the bikes were working properly. The wind was unbelievable. I only hoped it wasn't going to be so bad for the race tomorrow. Everything seemed to be working just fine with Gus and even after a short run, my legs felt OK. Not terribly great, but I wasn't dying, either.

We were then joined by Pat and had a fabulous dinner at a pretty posh Italian place. The manager/owner or someone came up to us several times to make sure everything was OK with the meal. The first time he came up to us, I thought he was going to ask us to leave because of the way we were dressed! (for those of you that were at Terre Haute with me last year, I did NOT wear a hat to this dinner!!!)

Back to the hotel, I arranged the rest of my things for tomorrow's race. I put everything down on the table in the order I'd need it. We planned to ride over on our bikes in the morning, since we were only about a mile away from the race site. I set the alarm clock and also set the alarm on my phone. Never know when one of them is going to be screwed up! Although I knew I wasn't going to have a stellar performance the next day, nor did I expect one, I still was a bit nervous and got up every hour to look at the clock.

I was already awake when the alarm went off. I quietly made my Perpetuem/Hammer drink for the bike while I ate breakfast. Chuck came by one last time with the pump and very quickly, we made our way down to the hotel lobby. It was still a little dark out when we made our way to the race site. The air was cool, but the weather forecast said it was going to get up to 78 today. Normally, that's not so bad, but when you're from Chicago where the weather is about mid-40s this time of year, it can wreak havoc with your body's temperature gauge. I thought about all the clothes I had taken to Boston just 6 days before: winter hat, heavy windproof jacket, 3 pairs of gloves, wool socks, etc., and thought I might be setting myself up for pneumonia!

For this race, my bib was lucky number 13! I went to put my bike on the rack and I almost walked away. All the rest of the athletes on my rack were these really fit-looking male triathletes. I felt so out of my league. I had absolutely no business in this wave. I'm sure they were snickering behind my back like, hey, what's this chick doing here? I felt like such a poser! Oh well, nothing I can do about it now. Besides, I could probably give them a run for their money in the swim, or so I hoped.

I collected my timing chip and went through body marking. After a quick stop at the porta potty, I went back to transition to get some sunscreen. I knew I was probably going to bake in the Texas sun today. We moved over to hear the course talk and I saw Lauren Jensen...and she's in my wave! Aw, man! I thought Elite Wave meant "Elite Age Group Wave" not "Elite/Pro, I'm faster than God Wave." Crap. I really AM a poser! I have never felt more out-of-place. The announcer reminded us of how windy it was and that we should throw all time predictions out the window. Good. I didn't have one anyway. I was just going to ride how I felt and just hang on for dear life during the run.


The official called for all the Elite athletes to get in the water. Again, I felt a little stupid being in this wave, but what can I do now? I jumped in at the back of the pack and just stayed back. The water was cool and cleaner than I expected. We had about 2 minutes to go when the Saint took this shot. I'm 4th from the left. 5-4-3-2-1 and the race had started. (no National Anthem, bummer)

Within seconds, I was on top of the woman in front of me (a.k.a. a 50 year old Bo Derek). OK, I need to move around her...I swim a little bit and lose any sort of draft. I worked at my bilateral breathing and was thankful the sun was still hidden behind the clouds. I found myself sighting a lot. This was a narrow channel-like body of water and I was a little scared to get too close to the edges. That's where all the "icky" water is, at least that's where it is in my mind! We made the first turn and I saw a pack of swimmers that weren't making any ground on me. I knew that if I could get up and catch that draft, I'd be in a much better position, so I worked a little harder. Nothing too strenuous, but I could see I was getting closer. I reached the feet of the back of this pack before the half way point. I hung back there a while. The swimming felt very, very easy. Have I ever mentioned I'm a "draft-master?" I hit the feet of the person in front of me a few too many times. I was getting tired of picking my head up to make sure he was going the right way. (I think it was a he...if it was a she, her feet were way rough!) Then I got a little claustrophobic when someone on my left kept swimming off course and running into me. WTF, dude, why don't you take a look at the buoys and see that you're headed off course?

We make another turn and we're about 75% through with the swim. That's it, I need to get away from these people. Besides, I just knew all the really FAST swimmers were way up ahead! So I moved to the outside and used the energy I was saving from the draft to pull ahead of the pack....all of them. Uh oh, now I'm in front. I see no one ahead of me. Where was I supposed to get out of the water from? Shoot, I wish I would've paid attention during the course talk! I just kept pulling smoothly with each stroke and headed for the stairs...I think that was where we get out. I get to the stairs and start feeling around with my hands, but there is no stair in the water! The volunteers grab my arms and literally pull me out of the water. I run up the rest of the stairs, take off my cap and goggles and start running toward transition. Then guess who passes me...Lauren Jensen! Holy crap, I just beat her out of the water! Suh-WEEET!!!! The Saint yells out to me "Hey, nice swim!" and snaps this shot. I take advantage of the wetsuit strippers (they're usually only at Ironman distance races) and move on over to transition beside myself...that swim didn't even feel hard! The course must've been short.

I run into transition and toward my bike and spend much too much time in transition. I hear the announcer talk about Lauren being "2nd out on the bike", then another woman "3rd out on the bike"...I was finally ready and moved on out to the bike course..."4th out on the bike." That will stay in my mind forever as that may never happen again in my lifetime. I try to grab a drink and catch my breath and settle into a rhythym. I have NOT put in enough bike miles yet this year. Unless you spent a ton of time on the trainer, I don't think anyone in Chicago has gotten in a lot of miles. The weather hasn't exactly been cooperative.

The roads were smooth and flat, for the most part. The only hills to speak of were when we were on the overpasses, which didn't seem to be all that many. However, I became frustrated by the flow of traffic. The first sign would say "Bikes left, cars right." You'd make a turn, then it was "Cars left, bikes right." Very confusing. There were many turns. It was weird to be so far in the front of the race...many times, I could not see anyone in front of me and I'd wonder if I was going the wrong way. This was a 3 loop course and each way back, the wind was brutal. The sound of the wind in my ears was sometimes deafening. It was also a bit difficult to control the front wheel while in the aero position. Almost as bad as the Time Trial I did a few weeks ago...at least it was WARMER out here!

On the second loop, I had to actually stop and unclip to let some traffic go by. I don't think the volunteer saw me there until I yelled to her...she then stopped the traffic to let me cross. I had read on Slowtwitch to be careful of drivers as they weren't very cyclist-friendly. This was true. More than once, I had a driver turn out in front of me when I would've expected them to stop. At the intersections where officers were controlling traffic, I heard drivers beeping and officers yelling at them to stop. It was quite bizzare. Pat and Lori cheering me on for the 2nd and 3rd loop was a much needed boost! By the end of the second loop, BC had passed me, which I expected, and I really wanted to get off this bike. I was uncomfortable and my neck and shoulders were getting really tight. My time was much slower than I thought it would be, but the loop times were pretty consistent, so I didn't slow down much.

Myself and another female competitor nearly crashed as we were getting ready to dismount. There was a guy in front of us all over the street. She called "on your left" and the guy turned to the left! Come on, man! She and I laughed about it as we ran into transition. Of course, I came back to find ALL the bikes back on my rack, except mine. I'm not used to that and I didn't like it very much. Sorta depressing. I grabbed my Clif Shots, race number and visor and I was out of transition as fast as I could go.

Wow, my legs felt heavy. But, as any experience triathlete knows, that is usually just in your head and within a couple of miles, that feeling should go away and I'll be OK. Within the first mile, I could feel the tri top chafing me. Shoot, I forgot to bring Aquaphor! I got the first mile split, but then missed the next few. This really threw me off and I think it took me until mile 5 to really start to know what my run splits were. I asked for Vaseline/Body Glide at each aid station and came up empty. I kept adjusting the zipper on the tri top to prevent further chafing, but it wasn't working. My quads were hurting in a way they've never hurt before. It was a sharp, consistent pain that worsened as my foot hit the ground. That would last for about a quarter of a mile, then go away. It would come in one leg, then go away. Then it would be in both legs, then go away. The run was 2 loops and as I made my way in around the 6.5 mile mark, there were Pat and Lori again, cheering me on, telling me I look great...isn't that what people say to you when you look like crap but they're trying to encourage you? Come on Pat, tell the truth!

I headed back out for the second loop and hoped that pain in my legs would subside. One of the aid stations came up with some Neosporin which I slathered on my chest to stop the chafing. The sweat was stinging the chafed areas and the Neosporin gave me little relief. The wind would gust up to about 25 mph and it cooled me off each time. OK, it was a little stronger than I'd like, you just have to deal with the conditions. My legs were aching more now, but I refused to stop. I knew that if I stopped, I'd have to walk the rest of the course. I kept telling myself, "Come on, you ran an entire marathon, you shouldn't have to stop and walk in just 13 miles!" I accidentally dropped my last dose of salt tablets and tried to shrug that off. I had just 5 miles left, that shouldn't affect me much. I saw Chuck coming around when I had about 4 miles to go. In his first Half Ironman, he was looking spectacular! Now I started focusing on not letting him pass me!

But I couldn't go any faster. Each time my foot hit the pavement, a sharp pain went though my quad on the inside, just above the knee. I wondered if I was doing myself damage and if I should jus stop running. No, no...if the pain stays constant, then stop. Although the pain wasn't constant, it was there more than it was absent! But I stayed focused on the race and reminded myself that I was only 6 days off a marathon, OF COURSE my legs are going to hurt. There isn't a running expert in the world that would recommend doing a half ironman just 6 days after a marathon! DEAL WITH IT!

I neared the last mile and I could hear the announcer and the crowds cheering as people finished. As I got closer, I saw Pat, BC, Lori and the Saint, all on their feet, cheering me in. I tried to smile, but I wasn't feeling very smiley at that point. I crossed the finish line...THEN smiled. Quickly after that, I collapsed from cramping in my quads. Though I finished 2nd to last in the Elite Group, I'd say given the time of the year and being less than a week after a marathon, I'm quite happy with my results!

Swimming the Mile

The Masters swim "season" is generally January through March. A variety of swim meets can be found in the area every other weekend. The end of the season is capped by the Illinois State Masters Swim Championship meet. This is where the best in the state come to compete over a 4 day period.

The mile (1650 FREE) is always the first event to kick of the Championship meet, usually on Thu and Fri night. I haven't swam one other swim meet in two years! Very few meets have the 1650 as an event because of the time it takes and the unpopularity of the distance. However, the 1650 is the most attractive event to me because it's the closest distance to an Olympic or Half Ironman swim.

Karen and I carpooled to the meet. We planned to count for one another. In swimming, any distance 500 yards or more, each swimmer has a counter on the opposite end of the pool to keep track of your laps. This person dunks a placard with the number of laps you've completed each time you reach the opposite end of the pool. Our heats were situated so that we'd be able to count for one another.

We arrived to the meet plenty early for our heats. The warm, humid, chlorine-filled air greeted us the instant we opened the door. Unfortunately, we'd missed our opportunity to warm up in the "event" pool. This meant our warm up would have to be in the shallow pool. Not ideal, but not a tragedy, either.

One of the best things about the 1650 being on a week night before the full days of events is that everything is very low-key. Swimming the 1650 is one of the most stress-free events one can do. All the swimmers are relaxed and, given the length of time each heat takes (approximately 20-30 minutes), it gives us plenty of time to chat, catch up with ohter swimmers and meet new ones.

Surprisingly, I met Larry, another swimmer who had run Boston just a few days before the meet. And I thought I was the only one psycho enough to try these events so close together! We talked a bit about the marathon, the weather in Boston and how both our legs felt like lead.

Before I knew it, Karen's heat was up. I made my way to the deep end of the pool and arranged the lap counter to read "1". I was making this space my home for a while as the 1650 is 66 lengths of the pool. The race started with a beep instead of a gun. I like the beep better. It's much less startling!

Karen's stroke was smooth and clean. Lap after lap, I watched her bilateral breathe and wondered how tired she was. As all good athletes do, she made it look effortless. The guy in the lane next door efficiently and thoroughly soaked me with every flip turn he made. I started wishing Karen would splash his counter with her turns, but no such luck. Karen's turns weren't splashing anyone! Inevitably, the last lap was here and I noticed Karen kick it in a bit. She finished well under 2 minutes of her predicted time! I went over to congratulate her and she had a huge smile plastered on her face. Clearly, this was a good swim for her.

We had one heat in between, so I jumped in the small pool for quick warm up. The water was crisp and cool, not like the pool at the YMCA I'm accustomed to swimming in. I had not swam in a week and my legs were still pretty sore. I cut a couple of flip turns too tight (i.e., too close to the wall), and the pain in my quads during the push off was strong enough for me to yelp under water. Note to self: Do not get too close to the wall!

Time flew and the next thing I remember is asking the Official when I could get in the water. I planned to start the race from a push-off vs. off the blocks. BC told me I'd look like one of those "old ladies," but I didn't care. I didn't want to tighten my googles so much they'd make my eyes bug out and I haven't dove in from off the blocks in 2 years! After the long whistle, I jumped in (as did 2 other women in my heat - my age- so I guess we ARE the "old ladies!").

There was the beep and off I went. By half of the first length, I could see I was ahead of the other 2 women next to me. I could also see other swimmer sho had already jumped out in front. I tried to calm down and catch my breath. I'm not a very fast swimmer, but I am steady. I can almost never win in a sprint, but the longer distances are where I excel. It seems I need the first 200 yards or so to settle into a rhythym, then I put it in cruise control. This event was no exception. I felt very comfortable and my breathing was controlled. I nearly missed a couple of turns since I was consciously working not to jam them, but everything seemed to be flowing nicely.

WIth about 200 yards left, I noticed a woman 2 lanes away, almost even with me. I knew I hadn't lapped her, so the race was ON! As I said earlier, I'm not sprinter, so I couldn't wait and then "kick it in" as Karen had done. Oh no, I must push and I must push now. I knew that if this woman had any sprinting ability, she'd get me easily - we were so close. Each time I came to the deep end, Karen pumped the number card up and down more quickly telling me, "HURRY, she's right there!!" Oh, I knew she was there and the burning sensation in my arms and legs deepened with each stroke and each kick. "Keep your head down" I told myself. Which, when you're breathing as hard as you can, is quite challenging! But I couldn't let her out kick me so late in the game. I cannot give up!

With 5 yards to go, I put my head down and drove as hard as I could toward the wall. I slammed into the timing mat with the same wrist I hurt up in Solvang. OOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWCH!!! I turned to look and the other woman was also finished. I whipped my head around quickly to the timing scoreboard. I got her...by one second. This was close to a 23 minute race for the both of us and I out-touched her by one second. Karen was smiling, shaking her head and telling me our finish made for great spectatorship. I didn't find out until later that, in fact, she was in my age group.

More importantly than the exciting finish was that my time improved significantly from the last time I did this event. I do think Brett's swim clinic played a huge part in this improvement. He videotaped my stroke, pointed out the inefficiencies, showed me how to work on them, and it has definitely helped. Now it's time to take it to the open water.

Boston Baptism

At the airport, we knew we were at the right gate when we saw all the people wearing running shoes and jackets with the Chicago Marathon and Boston Marathon logos. I even noticed a woman with the same new 2007 Boston Marathon jacket I had in my closet for the last 6 weeks. "Hey!" I thought, "She shouldn't be wearing that yet!" There were also numerous people with CARA bags. We hadn't even picked out a seat before the first woman said to us, "We're going to have lovely weather for the race tomorrow." And so the conversations started. Almost immediately, I wanted to get away from these people. It wasn't the "first Boston" for any of them and when they asked if I had packed extra shoes for in the morning before the race (I hadn't!), they just started stressing me out. I put my iPod headphones on to avoid further interaction with them.

After an uneventful flight, we got a rental car. It was raining some of the biggest, fattest raindrops I've ever seen and as I opened the car door, the wind whipped it right out of my hand. We headed over to the Expo to pick up my packet. Within less than 10 minutes from leaving the airport, we made a wrong turn and were lost. After stopping to get directions at a gas station, we headed toward the Expo. It took us about 15 more minutes to realize we were off track and were, once again, lost. Boston's streets, I decided, are screwed up. It seemed the streets we were driving on weren't on the map and the streets I did see on the map couldn't be found by car. And I don't think there is one straight road in the whole city of Boston. They all curve and change names with each curve. I looked at my watch. It's a good thing there was still 6 hours left of the Expo.

We drove around for what felt like 200 miles (it was maybe 30-40) until we finally found the building where the Expo was. We had to drive around for another 20 minutes to find a parking space near Fenway Park, just over a mile away. It was still raining hard and pretty windy. "Boston Sucks!" I thought. We also took a wrong turn walking to the Expo. (Damn those curved streets!)

It was pretty exciting to pick up my Boston Marathon bib. They had the bib packaged with the chip in a sealed, plastic bag. We went over to pick up my race t-shirt - they were already out of L and XL. How could that be?? I got my shirt and we made our way into the Expo. Gridlock. There was actually a line to get into the Expo. We felt like cattle as we were slowly herded into the hall with all the exhibitors. Once inside, it was wall-to-wall runners. Progress from one exhibitor to another was excruciatingly slow as we tried to maneuver our way past the booths. About 5 minutes of that and...Forget it - we made our way to the nearest exit and left the Expo. I never even got to see the Boston Marathon poster I saw so many other athletes carrying around. I saw plenty of people wearing my jacket. The one I bought 6 weeks ago but vowed not to wear because you don't wear an article of clothing to a race that you haven't completed. It's a rule.

We walked back to the car - still windy, still raining - sideways. My shoes and socks were already soaked through from the walk to the Expo. I was starving, but it was already too late for lunch. We got in the car, jackets soaked through. We started driving in circles again. Stopped at a gas station for more directions and got some water and Gatorade. Drove about 20 miles in the wrong direction. Stopped at another gas station for more directions - guy said he didn't know. Yeah, right. It was absolutely miserable and I hated Boston. The weather sucked and we kept getting lost!

After what seemed like another 200 miles, we found the hotel and checked in. Took a nap, a quick shower and had a fabulous dinner at Felicia's. (Thanks to Randy's sister's recommendation!) Wait, I forgot to mention we got lost on the way to Felicia's, too. We then made a quick stop at the grocery store for tomorrow's breakfast and to pick up some extra plastic bags that I figured I'd need in the morning. The kid behind the register said he'd swiped our CAHD. We looked at him like...What?? Cahd, cahd, youah credit cahd. AAAAAAAHHHH...our CARD. Got it. OK.

Unbelievably, I was able to fall asleep pretty quickly. However, it didn't last. Starting at midnight, I was up about every 45 minutes checking the clock to make sure I didn't over sleep. (I had set 2 alarms, too.) The winds were howling outside and I just hoped they would stop before it was time to wake up. The Saint was driving me to Hopkinton and they were closing the roads around 7:30, so we knew we'd need to get an early start. As soon as the first alarm went off, I jumped out of bed and went to the window. Brutal! STILL RAINING!!?!?!? Come on, we're in Boston, not Seattle, what is with this weather?? I flipped on the television to hear about the "nor' easter" and how this was a record-setting storm, blah, blah, blah. The news cameras flashed on to Athlete Village, where I was about to be dropped off. It was a massive field...of water. Flooded. You gotta be kidding me! They expect me to stand in a flooded field for 3 hours to wait to start a marathon? I wondered if I should just bag this race and jump back into bed.

I started packing everything I brought. Warm clothes, lighter clothes, waterproof clothes, double layers of everything, waterproof pants, waterproof jacket and bags...2 large heavy-duty garbage bags, 2 smaller garbage bags, about 6 plastic grocery bags and 2 dry cleaning bags. After a horrible, horrible experience at the Wild Scallion late last year, there was NO WAY I was risking getting any of my post-race clothes wet and I wanted to try and stay as dry as possible for as long as possible.

The drive over to Hopkinton took about 45 minutes. The wind was pushing the car all over the road. The rain was coming down hard...even with the windshield wipers on full-blast, it was still difficult to see the streets...again with this stupid sideways rain. Did it never end? Again, I started to think maybe I just wouldn't get out of the car. I don't want to run in this. And I certainly don't want to sit around for 3 hours in it waiting to start a race I don't even want to do!

We got to the school and they said they'd be opening up the school for runners at 7am. I sat in the car and put on everything waterproof I owned. I then tied grocery bags over each shoe...I knew that if I got my feet wet and had to wait around a few hours, it would make for a miserable race. I fell in line with the crowds of runners coming from the buses headed toward Athlete Village. As it turns out, they only opened the school for the elite runners...or so that's what they told me! We walked into a large tent and it was easy to tell who the experienced Boston runners were. They were the ones that had already staked out their turf under a dry part of the tent. They had large plastic tarps laid out to keep dry. Some had chairs. Some had air mattresses. All looked calm and relaxed. I couldn't find anyone I knew (OK, so I only knew about 8 people going). I felt like the new kid in school carrying my lunch tray and looking for a friendly group to welcome me in. I noticed a friendly couple (obviously veterans) and asked if I could sit near them and they were more than happy to make room for me. I spread one of my big Hefty garbage bags and started chatting. The rain continued to pour and the winds kept blowing sections of the sides of the tent off. When that happened, a huge cold gust of wind would come through along with the misty part of the rain coming through. It was difficult to keep warm, but as more athletes piled into that tent, it started to not be so bad.

Unfortunately, the porta potties were not under the tent...the lines got long fast and the rain was relentless. I was so happy to have those grocery bags on my feet for the 2 times I had to go stand in those lines. It might have looked ridiculous, but my feet were staying dry. In fact, I gave out the rest of my small grocery bags to other runners to help them protect their feet. The time went slowly, but it seemed none of us were in a big hurry to get out into the rain. I called the Saint, who told me he was just past the 5K mark on the right-hand side.

But the time finally came and the tent started to clear out. The first wave of runners left first. The smell of Ben Gay was overwhelming. Quickly and efficiently, runners stripped down to their race apparel. It was extremely difficult to figure out what to wear. Waterproof is good if it's really cold and windy, but as soon as you warm up, it would be easy to overheat. I tried not to overthink it and put on my warm, waterproof (yet breathable) jacket that I did many cold runs in. I threw on a dry cleaners bag over that. Hey, we'd have to stand in the corrals for at least 30 minutes before the start! I wore a hat with a visor over a hat to cover my ears. I needed something that would keep the rain off my face.

I double-bagged my gear check bags and dropped my bag off on one of the marked buses. It was close to a mile walk to the start and we were just getting a taste of how chilly it really was without the protection of the tent. Pretty quickly, my hands got cold. As uncomfortable as it is, I'm used to it. I scanned the corrals where I knew my other runner friends would be. But as you can imagine, it was impossible to find anyone.

It was quieter than you'd think, waiting for the gun. I think there were many of us with second thoughts about going through with this race. It was still raining, but a lot lighter than earlier in the morning. I ripped the grocery bags off my shoes and threw them in a nearby trash can. My feet felt warm and dry...an amazing accomplishment. (hey, in conditions like this, you have to celebrate the little things) The gun went off without much fanfare. The crowds were small, which is to be expected with the weather. There wasn't the cheering you have at the beginning of the Chicago Marathon, which was a little disappointing.

But here I was, running in my first Boston Marathon! I tried to kick back a little and have fun. I missed the first mile marker, but was told we were at about an 8:30 pace. OK, good. They talk about how narrow the streets are in the beginning, but I didn't think it was a hindrance. It did feel a little crowded, but still not like the crowds I've experienced at Chicago. I was close to mile 2 and realized I was hot...too hot. I took off my second set of gloves, ripped off the dry cleaning bag and unzipped my jacket. I expected to get a quick chill from that, but it didn't happen. I knew I had to lose the jacket. I considered losing the hat...not the thin one with the visor, but the one that was covering my ears. But then, I thought, if the winds pick up and my ears get cold and I have nothing to cover them...OK, no, keep the hat. I ran just over a mile with the jacket and gloves in my hand. What if he moved? What if I missed him? What if he was too far from the street for me to just hand him this stuff? Oh no, I can't carry this jacket through the whole race, yet this jacket is NOT a throw-away!! Stop - you just have to find him. He's just past the 5K mark. Now why does he always wear the same color clothes as EVERYONE ELSE?? Jeez! Good thing he's tall..and there he is..no, wait, that's not him. Sh*t!! OK, don't panic...you'll see him. THERE! Yep, that's him, sweet. I started yelling to him to take my stuff as I was running toward him. Like the precision of a relay team, the hand off went quite smoothly! It was almost as if we had practiced it. The course was mostly downhill at this point and I didn't feel like I was working too hard. I noticed a girl I was jockeying back and forth with and decided to start a conversation with her. We ran along together for the next several miles and the splits were too fast. I knew they were too fast for me, but I just wanted someone to talk to, so I stayed with her probably about 2 miles longer than I should have.

Right around mile 8 or 9, my quads started to ache a little. This was too early. I was running too fast and I know the second half of the course is harder, and the last 6 miles are the toughest. What am I doing?? Ah, what the heck, I decided to keep the pace to the half-way mark. I did that and clocked it about a minute faster than my last half marathon PR. That's just not smart, but it's too late to do anything about it now. It seemed just after that, we turned straight into the wind. Luckily, it wasn't raining any more, but the streets were still soaked and slippery. There were puddles placed strategically all over the streets and if you were fortunate enough to avoid the puddle, another runner would not be so fortunate and as he stepped in the puddle, he'd douse your feet. It was a no-win situation.

It was mile 16 and I already started counting the miles down. That seems to be my strategy when things get tough, "OK, only 10 more to go. That's just a half mile more than a loop at WFG. You can do this." Then I heard it. About a half mile away from Wellesley College you could hear it. The women of Wellesley are famous for cheering on the runners. And it was just the motivation I needed. I got to mile 17 and knew this was the beginning of the tough hills. Huh? You mean you didn't consider all those little rollers through the first half of the course tough? That elevation chart does NOT show the difficulty of the course. That, or maybe I just wasn't trained enough. My quads were pretty sore and I had a long, tough way to go. And the gusts of wind that would come by every so often would threaten to whip my hat off, so I'd put my head down and drive right into the wind. Is there really any other way?

I stayed on with nutrition and the water stops were consistent. But the legs felt heavier and heavier. I kept thinking about what Pat always tells me..."you gotta run lighter on your feet." Hey, maybe she can float across pavement, but I feel like I'm trying to stomp dirt of my shoes. My feet were really heavy and I felt choppy as I continued to run. Mile 18. OK. 8 more to go. Now it's time to make "deals" with yourself. No walking. That's it. I don't care how slow the splits get, I just don't want to walk. As I clicked off the splits on my watch, I noticed that I felt slower than I was actually going. This was a good thing. My miles became slower after mile 13, but they were consistent.

Mile 19. Alright, just 7 more. There were some hills in here, I'd say maybe along the lines of Cary, maybe a little tougher, I was trying to block out the pain in my legs. I tried looking at the faces of the spectators. There were a lot of spectators. And they were LOUD! I would learn later that they considered the crowds sparse due to weather, but just like Chicago, I felt there was great fan support along the whole course. The only thing that was blatanly missing was MUSIC! There was none...no bands, no radios (well, one guy had the Red Sox game on the radio), a couple kids banging on some drums, and a bunch of people yelling. There was an occasional kazoo or some funky noise maker. Mile 20. Starting to see some people fade, but mostly, I was the one doing the fading. People were passing me left and right. I got passed by a girl whose knees rubbed together with each step she took and you could see the chafing on both knees. I couldn't look anymore, I knew that had to be painful. Then I got passed by a woman who looked like she was jumping in mud and it was splashed all up and down the backs of her legs. Mud? We didn't run through any mud...wait...I looked up and saw it wasn't mud at all. She had a BM (yeah, Pat, you can laugh now) and just kept running. Aw man, I don't want to see that! I moved to the other side of the road so I couldn't see her any more.

Now I was heading up Heartbreak Hill. The hill they say throws everyone off because people think it's the last one, but it's not. And, actually, it wasn't so bad. It hurt me worse to run down than it did to run up. What's strange is that in the last couple months of training runs at WFG, I'm usually the first one down the hills...trying to use that to my advantage. Well, it just wasn't working on this day. I saw the Citgo sign, but they say not to focus on it because it feels like it takes forever to get to. I guess it's all perception because I really didn't feel like I saw it "forever." Maybe because I stopped looking at it. My legs felt like 100 pound logs I was just dragging, one in front of the other.

The last several miles were painful. I quit stopping at the aid stations for fear I would not start back up again. In my head, I was slowing down to a crawl. But the splits remained consistent and each one gave me a little more strength to push it to keep that pace. When I hit mile 23, I realized that if I didn't just crash, I could break 4 hours. Well, that's pretty cool! There were more turns in the last mile of the race than the whole rest of the race, it seemed! Right, left, right, left, oh come ON, where is the finish???

There it is! A huge banner over the finish reading "111th BOSTON MARATHON." Despite all the pain I was in, I couldn't help but smile. It was almost over. Other runners were dashing by me left and right, sprinting to the finish. But I had no sprint left. In fact, I didn't even have the energy to lift my arms as I crossed the line. I thought to myself, "Gee, I forgot how PAINFUL marathon is!" Crossing the line was a beautiful thing. The smile could not be wiped from my face.

I earned my jacket.

Sent from the BAA at 10pm last night

April 13, 2007

Weather Advisory - 2007 Boston Marathon

The Boston Athletic Association's medical team recommends the following precautions and advice for participants in Monday's Boston Marathon:

FORECAST:
The most up-to-date weather forecast calls for a predicted Spring storm on Monday, including heavy rains (potentially 3 to 5 inches), with the start temperatures in the mid to upper 30's. Wind will likely be East (in the face of the participants for most of the race) in the 20 to 25 mile per hour range, with gusts to as much as 50 miles per hour. This will produce a wind chill index of 25 to 30-degrees Fahrenheit.

RISKS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RUNNERS PARTICIPATING IN COLD AND WET CONDITIONS:
Combined with the rain, we are concerned that predicted weather conditions will increase the runners' risks for a condition called hypothermia. As with any athletic competition, as a runner you are assuming the risks inherent with participation. It is your responsibility to be informed about the risks associated with running in the aforementioned conditions, and the risks of injury or illness will increase with these predicted conditions.

While exercising in cold weather, our bodies attempt to maintain core temperature by shunting blood away from the periphery, thus minimizing heat loss. Hypothermia sets in when the body's temperature drops below normal, starting when the body loses heat faster than heat can be generated. Heat is produced by muscle action and shivering. Very low body temperatures can be life threatening.

WARNING SIGNS OF HYPOTHERMIA:
Mild hypothermia is heralded by goose pimples and shivering as our bodies attempt to raise our metabolic rates to increase our core temperature.
Moderate hypothermia will result in muscular fatigue, poor coordination, numbness and disorientation.
Severe hypothermia can result ultimately in cardiovascular failure. Treatment of hypothermia requires prompt recognition and treatment as mild hypothermia can progress to a more severe situation if not addressed early.

WHAT TO DO IF HYPOTHERMIA SETS IN:
Runners should be removed from cold, wet, or windy conditions. Wet clothing should be removed, and rewarming commenced with warm blankets and ingestion of warm fluids. If the athlete's condition does not improve, transportation to a medical facility should be arranged. Hypothermia can occur at temperatures at, or below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or even in higher temperatures when the weather is also wet and windy. Cold temperatures, dampness, and wind increase the risk of hypothermia for runners. Sweat cools the body quickly during cold weather running. Wind evaporates it faster.

As with so many other conditions in sports medicine, our best offense (treatment) is a good defense (preparation). Following the guidelines below will help minimize risk for cold related illness and will maximize your enjoyment and performance during the race:

PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR RACE DAY:
1. Be prepared prior to the race. Have extra clothing which will enable you to stay dry even before the race begins.
2. For the race itself, dress in layers of loose, lightweight clothing. The first layer of clothing (closest to the body) should be made of polyester or polypropylene which will "wick" sweat away from the body. Subsequent layers should be loose and breathable-fleece is a good choice. Cotton should be minimized as it can allow sweat buildup. The outer layer should be wind and water resistant, thus protecting from wind, rain, and snow. When in doubt, add the extra layer. You can always remove a layer if you warm up, but you will regret not having it if you start freezing with several miles to go.
3. Protect your head and extremities. Wearing a hat is essential as up to 50% of body heat can be lost though the head. Gloves are important to prevent exposure to the hands. These, too, can be removed if you get warm, but you'll regret not having them if needed. Mittens are better on colder days as they will keep the hands even warmer. Shield the face with a scarf or high collar. Wear socks that retain heat and wick moisture away.
4. Runners with exercise-induced bronchospasm should attempt to warm air such as through a scarf or mask. A prolonged warm-up prior to hard running can help minimize symptoms. Carry your inhaler if you use one, and use it should it become necessary.
5. Stay with your normal hydration regime, remembering not to over drink. Do not drink alcohol the night before the race. Alcohol will make the body lose heat faster.
6. Run with a partner. It is sometimes difficult to recognize if you are becoming hypothermic. A running partner can help if you get into trouble. Shivering is a sign of hypothermia. The cessation of shivering may indicate more severe hypothermia and the runner should seek evaluation at a shelter.
7. Consider canceling your run or seek shelter if the weather conditions are too severe or you are too tired. Running on ice or over snow-covered terrain can lead to tripping, falling, or injury.
8. Medical stations and American Red Cross locations - located every mile along the route - along the course will have buses to handle your medical needs. Rewarming will be difficult given the weather and normal field size, so if you are not feeling well, do not wait to seek medical attention.
9. Help each other. Be aware of yourself but also make medical team members aware if you see someone on the route who you believe may be starting to suffer from the onset of hypothermia.

TREATMENT OF HYPOTHERMIA
Keep the runner dry and cover with blankets.
Shelter the runner from wind and water.
Provide heat to the neck, underarms, and groin. Heat only the trunk initially to avoid core temperature after-drop. After-drop occurs in this manner: Extremities cool faster than the trunk. If you re-warm the extremities, their colder blood will re-enter the circulation and actually worsen hypothermia temporarily.
Keep the runner lying down, but only in a warm dry location.
Administer warm fluids by mouth if the runner is shivering. If the shivering reflex is lost, a bear hugger should be utilized (loss of the shivering reflex signifies significant hypothermia).
Avoid moving/jarring the runner suddenly because this may trigger an abnormal heart rhythm.
If CPR is necessary, resuscitation should not be stopped until the person's body temperature is at least 95°F/35°C (never give up your efforts). All temperatures indicated are rectal measures, which give a closer indication of core temperature. If the victim is cooperative, you may take temperature by other methods.