Palos Bank Southwest Half Marathon

The thermometer read a brisk 39 degrees when I woke up this morning. Despite reports that the day was to get up to 70 degrees, I found myself getting prepared for the race fighting goose bumps. I very much dislike being cold, so I pulled on a pair of tights, threw on a heavy long sleeved shirt and topped it with a short sleeved dri fit. I threw gloves and a hat in my bag of clothes I wanted to change in to and headed out.

Doing a race so close to home is so much fun. It felt like I knew every other person there and I think I was parked and at the meeting point within 20 minutes of leaving my house. I was hustling about, trying to say hi to everyone and get my things to gear check when I decided I was already warm. The sun was coming up and I ditched the long sleeved shirt. Unfortunately, I didn't bring a pair of shorts to change in to, but that ended up not being an issue.

We had a strong group heading out - BC, Peck, Shoemaker, Lauren and myself decided to try and keep pace together. We'd lose one person and pick up another and I think around mile 2 or 3, we picked up KK. At one point, I commented, "You know, if we slow down a little bit, I could talk a lot more!" That was answered promptly by BC with, "Hey, let's run faster!" WTF?

Yep, the pace was too much for me to hold much of a conversation with anyone and, at times, I could barely get out the one word answers. The sun came up and it got warmer and I was able to pass off my gloves to Gil, who was riding by on a bike (thanks, Gil!!). Once we hit the turnaround, I felt pretty good and it seemed the terrain started to go downhill.

My splits stayed fairly consistent, but the group broke up by mile 7. It sort of tuned into an "every man for himself" and then my pace was a bit scattered. I tried to push every time I got a slow split and started to wish this was just a 10 mile race and not a half marathon! Hamstring started talking to me around mile 9, so I pulled it in a little, but was trying to keep focused.

Great race, great weather and it was even better that I was able to share it with great friends. Go south side!

Hy-Vee Triathlon

Twitter. It's all the rage. We're hearing about it just about every day now - talk shows, news, and of course, all over the internet. It's the big buzz.

I started my Twitter account many months ago, but I'm still learning how to use it. I've started "following" (because that's what you do, people aren't your friends on Twitter, they're your followers) a few triathlon-related people and/or companies. I check in every few days to see what new posts are up and catch up on the latest triathlon talk.

One day, I saw a "Tweet" (that's a status update) that the Des Moines Register was giving away 10 free entries to the Hy-Vee Triathlon. You just had to be willing to blog about your training up to the race and submit an article explaining WHY you want to participate in the event. Considering as I already blog about my training and Hy-Vee is a top-notch event that is on my "races that must be done" list, I figured I'd give it a shot. Two weeks later, I received an email that I have been accepted on to the "Des Moines Register Triathlon Team" and qualify for a free entry to this year's race!

This link here will take you to last year's team. I'm not sure how soon the profiles and blogs for this year's team will be posted, but I'm guessing it will be within the next couple of weeks. The content on that blog will be dedicated solely to my training for that race. I'll add a link to it when it's active in case you'd like to follow that also.

Anyone want to go to Iowa in June??

Get To Know Your Bike!

GET TO KNOW YOUR BIKE!

Please join the Chicago Triathlon Luna Chix for an overview of the bike, general maintenance and tire changing clinic! This hands-on clinic will provide an overview of general bicycle maintenance and minor adjustments and a demonstration of changing a flat tire. Attendees are encouraged to bring a wheel from their own bike, tire levers and a pump to practice changing a flat. This is a must-not-miss clinic for new cyclists preparing for the outdoor biking season!

WHEN: Thursday, April 30th, 7:00pm

WHERE: Runners Grove, 5155 Main Street, Downers Grove, IL 60515

COST: $10.00 - Proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Fund Everyone is welcome and encouraged to bring guests!

RSVP: info@trismartcoaching.com or 708-466-2379.

REFRESHMENTS: Will be provided!

No Easter Ride

Today is the annual Folks on Spokes Easter Ride. Easter is over, you say? Doesn't matter. This group does a bike ride every year around this time. It's a great local ride, the first one of the season in this area.

However, with the weather forecast for today and this picture I just took out my front door, well, let's just say I'm taking a pass on this year's ride.

Really happy I went out for that ride yesterday afternoon!

Quarryman Challenge Course Preview #2

Great morning for a run! I think many of us were a bit overdressed as we headed out to run the hills of Lemont. If you've never run this course, you're missing out. Some of the toughest hills you can find out in this area. Race day is May 9, 2009. If you're interested, you can Register here.

I think temperatures were in the low 50s when we started and reached low 60s by the end of the 10 mile run. Very little wind and beautiful sunshine made this a very enjoyable run.

Hope you can join us on May 9, 2009!

Introduction to Cycling Workshop - 5.6.09 and 5.13.09

INTRODUCTION TO CYCLING

Whether you are new to cycling or triathlon, or if you’re an experienced athlete just looking to improve your skills and technique on the bike, please join us for a two-part workshop designed to help you be more knowledgeable and comfortable in your cycling endeavors!

Dates: May 6th and May 13th, 2009
Location: Urban Tri Gear
210 Burr Ridge Parkway
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Registration: www.trismartcoaching.com/sign_me_up
Cost: $40.00

This workshop will cover the following:

• Group Riding Etiquette
• Paceline riding
• Cornering
• Shifting
• Skills and Drills

Bring your bike, shoes, helmet and dress appropriately for the ride. Each workshop will include a short informational session followed by a ride for hands on practice of the material discussed.

All participants must complete a registration and participant waiver. Registrations will be accepted on day of the workshop (cash or check only).

MJ Slikas has been competing in the sport of triathlon for six years and has completed 4 Ironman distance races. She consistently places at the top of her age group in all distances. MJ has also qualified for and ran the Boston marathon, participated in the Wild Scallion Adventure Race and is active on the local running and cycling scene. MJ is a USAT Certified Coach and is the founder and owner of Tri Smart Coaching (http://www.trismartcoaching.com/). MJ can be reached at mj(AT)trismartcoaching.com.

Luna Summit

Each year, Luna invites all the members of it's Luna Chix team out to Clif headquarters for some education, workouts, team bonding and much more. Though I've been a part of the Chicago Triathlon Luna Chix for 4 years now, this was the first year I was actually able to make it to this event called Summit.

I thought I knew what to expect. And in some ways, I was right on and in some ways I was completely off. On the first day, Leader Training, I forgot my camera. Taking a tour of the Clif Headquarters was an amazing experience and it's very similar to what I pictured it to be. It has all the things you'd expect a forward-thinking, environmentally correct, California-based company to be. I kid you not, during our meeting, there were employees skateboarding from one section of the warehouse to another. I couldn't control my giggling when one would skate right by.

The second day was a whirlwind of clinics: open water swimming, bike maintenance, a yoga class, Cross-Fit, Chi Running, I mean, it was almost exhausting. Being able to sit and rub elbows with the Pro Luna Team is an experience I will never forget. Listening to the CEO of the Breast Cancer Fund was also very moving and inspirational. It was almost too much packed all into a tiny 2 and a half day weekend.

I was very excited to be able to put faces with names - women with whom I've exchanged emails and phone calls with, with whom I've learned from and grown with through the program. Every time I turned around there was another women I was anxious to speak with and get to know better. I've learned so much more about Luna and the Luna Chix program - things you'd think I would have known years ago.

Before I could even blink, the weekend was over. I was happy to spend time with so many women gathered together to reach a common goal: to get women out and active while raising money for the Breast Cancer Fund. Each and every woman I met out there made some sort of impact on me. It was a great kickoff to what promises to be yet another successful Luna Chix season!

First Outdoor Ride of 2009

It seems obnoxiously late in the season to be getting out on the open road for the first time this year, but it is what it is. Training has had to take a back seat for the last couple of months due to a number of work/family things. I was excited to be a part of a sizable group for this ride.

However, it had opened my eyes to how much work I have to do to get back to racing shape. I completely overdressed (I'm a big wimp in the cold). I was the only one with anything on my shoes - not just toe covers, but the big ol' neoprene booties. Though my feet were hot, they didn't really bother me during the ride. Nor what I bothered by the fact that I had these indestructable wind proof, water proof, nothin'-gettin'-through-these-bad-boys pants on which made me totally sweat.

What bothered me what my lack of ability to keep up with a group of guys that would normally be a regular ride for me. Within the first 20 minutes, I started to realize I was not going to be up at the front for long. And to my dismay, about half way through the ride, I felt the hamstring injury acting up. I thought I was PAST that darn thing! I ended up backing off and riding home with my tail between my legs.

Guess I need to start riding my bike again.

Team Mideast Elite

This year, I've been fortunate enough to be selected to be on Mideast Team Elite. Until now, I've been familiar only with about half of the people on the team. This weekend we're having a Performance Camp, including several clinics and LT testing. It's only Saturday night and it has been a fabulous experience so far. It is amazing to be associated with some of the best triathletes (and duathletes) of the Midwest (Mideast is our category within USAT). Thanks to Guy P., Brett P. and the directors and team captains - what a truly great initiative to be a part of!

Unfortunately, my training as of late has been taking a back seat to some other things going on in my life. It concerns me for my races coming up in the next few months, but I'm hoping to be able to pull it together before the end of August when I will do my first of 2 Ironman distance events this year. This could be a blessing in disguise as I frequently fall victim to overtraining. When you have late season Ironman events, it's important not to start the season out like gangbusters, and I think I have that covered for now!

Still trying to decide on a July Half Ironman. If you've got any thoughts/ preferences, let me know! I could also probably skip that Half in July, but knowing how race-crazy I go year after year, I think I'll be signing up for something.

See you all out there.
Train SMART.

Injury Prevention Clinic

Earlier this week, the Luna Chix held an Injury Prevention Clinic at Runners Grove. This was the first occasion in which we had the entire 2009 team together. Marguerite Ruminski of Healthy Sins (708-227-7177) provided us with a fantastic spread of delicious, healthy snacks. Of course, there was also plenty of Luna Electrolyte drink and Luna bars for each participant.

The clinic started off with one question. What is the number one cause of running injuries? Overuse. We then covered the top 5 ways to prevent running injuries:

• Avoid the "toos": too much, too soon, too intense


• Proper shoes


• Right surface


• Keep the balance


• Stay loose - STRETCH!

All stretching should be done with warm muscles. This means you should stretch after a brief 10 minute warm up or after your workout. You should never stretch cold muscles. All stretches should be held for 30 seconds. The main stretches covered were:

• Hamstring - place one leg on a chair, step or bench. Straighten leg, flex foot, keep back straight and lean gently into the stretch toward your toes


• Calf - Stand on a curb or step with heel over edge, keep knee straight, push heel slowly down; Using a wall, place your toes on the wall with heel on floor, gently lean in toward the wall


• Quad/Hip Flexor - Stand on one foot, bend knee of opposite foot and grab foot - not toes - with the hand on the same side of the body. Keep knee directly down, do not push out to the side or lean. Keep standing foot pointing forward.


• Hip Rotator - Cross one foot over opposite knee. Brace yourself on a steady object and move to a sitting position. Point the bent knee down.


• Groin - sit with bottoms of feet pushed together, knees to sides; move feet in as close to groin as possible, lean forward keeping back straight - do NOT overdo this stretch!

With each of these stretches, the audience got up and performed them - and held each stretch for 30 seconds. We covered some of the most common running injuries and what stretches runners can do to help prevent those injuries. After a brief question and answer session, we raffled off some great Runners Grove prizes. As a "thank you" to all participants, everyone walked away with a goody bag full of a variety of items.

If you were unable to come to this clinic, we certainly hope you'll consider joining us for the next one!

Indoor Triathlons

Here in the midwest, the time is ripe for the Indoor Triathlon. With just a little investigation, you can find an indoor triathlon somewhere near you. So what is an indoor triathlon? Well, an indoor triathlon is a bit different from an outdoor triathlon. The biggest noticable difference is that you do each event for a designated amount of time vs. trying to cover a certain distance. Another major difference is that the transition times are set (i.e. 10 minutes) for all athletes, so there is no advantage to moving on to your next event - everyone starts at the same time.

Overview

The Swim: The number of lanes in the pool typically dictates how many triathletes can start together. Many of our local indoor triathlons will put two swimmers in each line to swim side-by-side. Circle swimming is not allowed. Each participant swims for the designated time, while “counters” assigned to each lane keep track of laps. When time is up, participants exit the pool and the next wave of swimmers begins.

The Transitions: After the swim, participants have the opportunity to go to the locker room and change out of their wet swimsuits. Most indoor triathlons allow 10 minutes for each transition which is like "free" time. After the bike, athletes are once again allowed 5 or 10 minutes to get from the bikes to the treadmills or track, depending on the race. Be sure to hydrate well during these periods.

The Bike: Stationary bikes are most commonly used for indoor triathlons. Make sure you give yourself ample time to adjust the bike seat and bars so you’re comfortable riding. The stationary bikes have built-in computers that will show you speed and distance. You will be allowed to adjust your resistance as needed and your goal is to ride as far as you can in the designated time period. In most indoor triathlons, the same "counter" (volunteer) will follow you throughout the day to record your distance in each discipline.

The Run: After getting from the bike to the track (or treadmill), the run begins. You are to stop when the designated time elapses. Again your "counter" (volunteer) is there to count your laps so you don't have to count. At the end of the event, this person will add up all your distances, show you the card and you are to sign off on it before having the card turned in to be recorded in the official results.

Indoor vs. Outdoor

While the formats for indoor triathlons can vary between indoor triathlons, most are developed to remove certain “barriers to entry” that prevent aspiring triathletes from participating in outdoor events.

Swim is in a pool. One reason many people hesitate to sign up for a triathlon is the swim, which usually occurs in open water with a mass start. Triathletes often describe the experience as “swimming in a washing machine.” Indoor triathlon participants swim in a pool, sometimes in their own lane, allowing enough space to swim at their own pace with the option to stop and regroup if necessary.

Transitions are less stressful. Most people define triathlons as swimming, biking and running, but a major part of the race is the transition between events. The clock doesn’t stop as you race to your gear, change equipment and set yourself on the right course. In many indoor triathlons, however, the clock does stop — for a short period — to allow you to move on to the next stage.

Predictable bike ride.
Since you’re not riding a bike on the road, you don’t have to worry about getting a flat tire, wiping out, navigating around other cyclists on the course, or perfecting some of the rules of conventional triathlons, such as drafting and passing.

Perfect weather conditions. Some outdoor triathlons have become duathlons because of dangerous swim conditions. Severe heat can shorten the run course. You don’t always get what you expect, and your own race results from the same outdoor course each year can vary because of weather. Not so with an indoor race. The conditions are always the same.

No one gets left behind. Everyone races in the same building, in the same area. Even if another competitor is running faster than you, you're on the same indoor track (or treadmill) next to you runs a mile in half the time it takes you to get there, you won’t be left in his dust. Because of this proximity, it’s an ideal format to race with friends and family.

So should you participate in an indoor triathlon?

While participating in an indoor triathlon will not significantly advance your training or fitness, it can be a fun event to add to your training schedule when working out indoors becomes monotonous. So if you're feeling like adding a little spice and excitement to your indoor regimen, go ahead and sign up for an indoor triathlon. You're bound to have fun!

Planning the Season

I was just asked yesterday what races I planned to do this season. While I've already signed up for a few (see list on the left), most of the season is still up in the air. A couple of years ago, you could have asked me in December what my upcoming season was going to be like and I'd have every race listed and every weekend was accounted for! By the first of January, I would know exactly what races I planned to do for the entire year.

Last year, still fighting the hamstring injury, I had registered for several events only to sell off my entries knowing I would not be ready to compete. I did not regret one entry I ended up dumping (including Tri Shark which turned out to be a duathlon because of weather). So this year, once again, I am entering races slowly and deliberately. I don't want to go through the hassle of trying to get money back or selling an entry, and I really don't have extra money to just let a registered, paid event go to waste.

My focus now has become to race more strategically. In the first few years, I think I raced anything and everything that was convenient or went when I knew a group of friends heading out to the event. I have now become a little more "big picture" in terms of how each race might help me in my "ultimate" race. But that doesn't mean that there should be only one "A" race per season. There is room for at least 2, maybe even 3, "peak" events in each athlete's season. Much of this depends on the experience, motivation and ability of the athlete.

In some ways, not having the whole season nailed down makes me feel a little like a slacker - but knowing how well things turned out for me last year, I think I may be on to something. How many times have you signed up for an event 6+ months in advance only to find out there is something else you must do, family-wise or another, even better, event that now you have to miss out on? Sure, you might miss out on some of those events that close very quickly (i.e. the March Madness half marathon), but I think waiting to decide gives you a little more "racing freedom." Now, if you have your heart set on a race for the season, by all means, you'd better be logged in, at the computer, credit card in hand when registration opens up (think Ironman events, or even Tri Shark). But there are still plenty of well-run events that you can sign up for as close to a week before the race.

The 2009 season is just around the corner. If you haven't taken the time to plan out your season, now would be a great time. Even if you don't sign up for every event this month, you could keep something on the "back burner" and keep an eye on registration. You'll know how bad you want to do the event when it starts getting close to being filled. Try to think of how you would take the news if you found out the event was filled and you weren't in. No big deal? I'd probably hold out for another event. On the other hand, if you feel like, "Shoot, NOW what am I going to do that weekend?" or "NOW what half ironman can I get into before XYZ race??", well, then, I think that's probably the event I'd put my money in to.

And if you happen to get shut out of an event you really, really wanted to get in to, you have just two options: 1)as the event gets closer, keep your eyes and ears open and ask around if you can buy an entry from someone who has to bail (of course, some events don't even allow this), or 2)there's always next year.

13.1 Marathon

A few weeks ago, my friend Mary and I drafted this note to the editor of one of the local athlete publications. I ended up never sending the email, but I still think it has validity.

Call it what it IS!

There is a need to speak out about the advertisement published in your December 2008 issue for the “13.1 Marathon Chicago ”. 13.1 miles is a HALF marathon. This is just some gimmick for event directors to get more money by preying on athletes by using the allure of “marathon” in the title of the event without it being the actual 26.2 miles. There is a certain prestige that goes along with saying one finished a Marathon . So why are we cheapening the accomplishment by coming out with races with the title of Marathon if the race is not the actual distance? But if that’s how you roll, I’ve got some suggestions for you. Let’s have a Shamrock Shuffle 4K. Or let’s have the Chicago Half Marathon 6.55. And for your short course specialists, we should have the 2.5K Ravenswood 5K. Personally, I would like to be called an Ultramarathoner – so I’d like to request we have an Ultramarathon 26.2.

New year, commiting to the blog

Yes, I'll admit it. I've been much of a slacker when it comes to keeping this blog updated. One of my projects for the year will be to get back into regular blog posting. I was talking to a good friend of mine, someone outside of the triathlon world, and he gave me a new perspective.

All this time, I've been keeping this blog pretty much focused on race reports and workouts. But you can only race so many times a year and, honestly, most workouts are not blog-worthy. So in our conversation, he made me realize how many things I really could blog about and still have it connected to triathlon and or/training. Why this never occurred to me before is a mystery.

Things have been busy and I've been doing a lot of work towards my coaching business, Tri Smart Coaching. Just when I think I've got some free time, something hits me and I realize there is always something more I could be doing. In the upcoming weeks, I'll be focused on some deep base training to prepare for the 2009 season. I still have not selected all of my races for the year, but I've got ideas floating around in my head.

So be sure to start checking back more frequently. I will be posting on a more regular basis and hope you find it of some value (even if it's enteratainment value!). And if you don't really want to read anything I post, you can always just click on for the music!!

Dark, icy and sub-zero windchill...LET'S RUN!

Every week, the Luna Chix host a run at Runners Grove. For the last several Mondays, the weather has been less than ideal. As the days get shorter, it gets darker earlier and the sinking temperatures are not enjoyed by many. Sunday night's ice storm did not help conditions. The streets were covered with a very thin, very slippery layer of ice all day that wreaked havoc with commuters, whether they were in their cars or walking to the train.

I had hoped that things would get better before Monday night. However, as I drove to the store, it took me significantly longer than usual and as I rushed from car to doorfront, the temperature down to the single digits, I shivered to think about running this evening. A quick check of weather.com and it predicted the temperature to drop a few degrees and, with the windchill, it would be feeling about -8 for our run.

But runners are some of the most loyal, dedicated, don't-interrupt-my-schedule type of people. A little darkness, icy surfaces and below freezing windchills are not enough to stop us. We are prepared with our double and triple layers of technical clothing, reflective vests and headlamps all designed to keep us moving during the most treacherous conditions. So off we went!

Surprising even myself, I found myself overheating in the first mile of the run. I had to unzip my jacket to let the bitter cold come just a little closer to me. Unfortunately, the damage had been done - I was already sweating! And once you sweat in these obnoxiously cold temperatures, it's pretty difficult to keep warm because your clothes are now wet. So now we picked up the pace just a little bit. Believe it or not, the rest of the run was rather comfortable. I'm sure we got plenty of stares from people in their cars with huge, warm jackets on and heaters a blazing, but it didn't matter. Another wintry run is in the books!

Ironman Arizona Race Report

Some of you asked for it - this is the long version....

I didn't need the alarm to wake up this morning. In true Type A fashion, I was awake just about every hour looking at the clock. I quietly got dressed and headed down to the hotel-sponsored breakfast. I wasn't the least bit hungry, but I know I need to pack in my food now for the long day ahead. I went to drop off breakfast for the Saint (whohad a late night the evening before) and tell him he needed to get up soon. I picked up my bags and pump and headed down for the hotel shuttle to the race start. There were 7 athletes on this shuttle and I was the only female. We had some nervous chatter as we rode to the race start in the dark.

It was cold out. I had forgotten to bring warm up pants so I threw on the only pair of jeans I brought to AZ. I didn't realize how cold it got at night there! I pumped up my tires, was asked about 9 times to borrow my pump, to which I quickly replied "someone's already got it next." It got really irritating. Sally and I had talked about pumping up her tires in the morning - and besides, I didn't have time to wait around for all these people to use my pump and return it to me! I put my bottle of Perpetuem on the bike and filled the aerobottle with water.

Next stop was the transition bags, which were very close together. I had some last-minute things to place in each of them. Back to my bike - I forgot to attach my power meter. On to a potty break - holy cow, the line was long! I ended up putting my wetsuit half way on while in line because at 6:40, I was still in line and the race started at 7:00!I wished good luck to all my Ironman friends and scooted out to try and get a good spot in the water.

The water temperature was a crisp 63 degrees and I was happy to have survived Racine (54 degrees) earlier this year because that made this 63 not so bad. I jumped in off the pier and quickly came up for air from the shock of the cold. Idon't care if you know how cold it is, it's always a shock when you first get in! I swam tarzan-style over towards the front and close to the water's edge. Despite being a strong swimmer, I get a little freaked out in the washing machine of arms and legs that is the Ironman swim. I asked a girl up front what she expected to swim and she replied ":58". I asked another guy and he said "1:30". Me and “:58” quickly told him he may want to reconsider his positioning.

We treaded water for close to 15 minutes. I don't know how, but I managed to spot the Saint along the sidelines where he snapped a quick picture. One of the coolest sights was when I turned around to look and saw both bridges lined with spectators. I defogged my goggles for the last time and the cannon sounded - AW CRAP!

Almost immediately I was clocked in the head. I fought for my position as best I could, but I also know when to let an adrenaline-rushed swimmer with arms-a-flailin' to go on past me. Those are always the guys that run out of gas about 600-800 yards in, anyway. I think I was caught up in traffic for about 7-10 minutes and then I was able to get clear water. I did hug the side and know I was adding yardage to my swim, but I prefer that to the alternative, which is to get beat up. One negative: no draft - no one was out there with me.

Unbelievable, I have to pee! At the turn around (which felt like an eternity), I decided to cut in and find some feet. Unfortunately, people are now losing steam so just when I thought I found a nice spot, it would be too slow and I'd start clipping the feet in front. I then found a nice guy swimming to the outside - I had to kick it up a notch to catch him, but once I did, the pace was good! Didn't last long, guy couldn't swim a straight line if you paid him. I ended up swimming alone for the remainder of the 2.4 miles. I tried to pee while swimming - can't do it.

Coming to the finish, they have aluminum stairs dropped in the water. You cannot see the bottom stair and if you try to grab the rail and pull yourself out, it's very likely you'll slam your shin on the bottom stair. This is why it always looks like everyone coming out of the water at IMAZ is crawling out - they are. The advice we were given was to grab the stairs with your hands and pull yourself up until your feet hit the bottom stair. Looks funny, but it was effective.

Got to the top of the stairs, checked the time, business as usual. Headed to the wetsuit strippers and the woman who helped me really was not good. I think I could've gotten the stupid wetsuit off faster myself! It was clear she hadn't done this before. Ah well. Wetsuit in hand, I started the long jaunt to my transition bag. Between the chilly water and the cold ground, my feet were completely numb before I picked up my bag. I ran right over to my bag, picked it up and headed into the changing tent. There were a few other women in there, but relatively quiet.

Should I pee? No, I'll get on the bike, maybe the urge will go away. The volunteer helping me dumped my bag - which I wasn't happy about. All my stuff came flying out of my bike jersey pockets. I bit my tongue remembering how one lady yelled at me when I volunteered - I know she wasonly trying to help. I crammed all my stuff back in the jersey, just the way I had it before. It was difficult to get my socks and shoes on. My feet were just so cold. Volunteer loses one of my bike gloves so I was scrambling to pick it up. Then she couldn't figure out how to put the race belt on me while I was snapping on my helmet. I just grabbed it and ran.

Not sure if it was planned this way or not, but I was simply directed to my bike. No volunteer handing it to me like has been done at previous races. The unfortunate part about this was that I was the furthest away on the rack that you could be - last bike on the row. I grab the bike and run out wondering if I'll ever feel my toes again. Get to the mount line, not very many people, and I easily get on and take off. I don't remember anything being cold at all - except my feet.

Out onto the course, I smile at the familiar streets and sights. I was fortunate enough to have ridden this course (or close to the exact course) twice this year. I knew when the turns were AND - I actually knew which WAY we were turning! Pretty exciting for this directionally-challenged triathlete!! I felt great. Holding my power exactly where I wanted it and it felt easy. My right contact now was bothering me. I kept blinking to see if I could get it to go back into place, but that wasn't happening.

For the first 10-15 miles, I did have to purposely slow myself down. My legs just wanted to go. I was uncomfortable now - but only because I really had to pee!! I make it to the Beeline Highway, which is a long, gradual uphill. It felt like the wind was coming straight at us, but looking at the bushes (or tumbleweeds or whatever it is they have there in the desert), they were not moving. I don't think there was ANY wind. Yet, I was riding on what looked to be flat, at my designated power, andsaw my miles per hour at 13. OUCH! "This is going to take me forever," I thought. Saw my first HUGE pack of drafters and wonder why people do that.

Now I really have to pee. I decided to hit the aid station at the turn around which was at the top of Beeline. I figure, do the work, use the bathroom, then haul it on the downhill back in to do the loop again. BONUS - going to the bathroom this early in the race is good - no waiting for a porta potty! While in the porta potty, I hear an athlete who just came out of another porta potty start swearing. Apparently, he broke his cleat. He’s screaming at the poor volunteer, who really has no idea what to do, nor is it his job, and I am happy I just don’t take myself that seriously.

Back on the bike, the ride back into town was SO MUCH FUN! I was flying down, in my biggest gear, having a hard time keeping the watts up. WOO HOO - I get to do this 2 more times! The spectators on the bike course were non-existent. About a mile before the turn around back into town, the people were lined up, cheering, ringing those beloved cow bells. I make the turn and I'm off on loop 2. Still can’t see out of my right eye. Gotta get that damn Lasik.

I was very comfortable temperature-wise and my legs felt great. On up the Beeline, I just told myself how great the return trip would be. It felt like it took me a long time on this second trip up the long, steady hill, but I just stuck to my plan. I was being passed by many men, sometimes riding way too close or cutting over before they should have - again, I wonder why people do that? I mean, it's a pretty big road! And with my right contact still not in the right place, it wasn't a good situation.

On to my third lap, I realize I drank my Perpetuem much too fast. I only have a couple of sips left and I have over 30 miles to go. For a split-second, I wonder if I just screwed up my race. I am no longer comfortable in the aero position. I had to get off the saddle and re-adjust every 10 minutes or so. One of my projects for next year is to find SOME WAY to remain comfortable for the duration of one of these rides! Now I'm at mile 90 or so and out of nowhere, both legs cramped up. OWWW!!! I quickly stood up on the pedals, stretching out the calves. This happened to me briefly, once, in Ironman Wisconsin. I think - OK, what does this mean? Salt. I whip out the Endurolytes Sally so graciously gave me in the minutes before the race started. Worked like a charm - thank you Sally!!

I pushed a little bit on the last 5-6 miles, just because I could. I now started to think about my run and wondered if the legs were going to hold up. Up to the dismount line, a nice volunteer grabbed my bike and I ran over to find my other transition bag. Again, I grabbed it myself (soooo glad I memorized where my bags were) and headed to the changing tent yet again. Full wardrobe change, including throwing on my really cool compression socks and I was off and running.

Almost immediately, my legs feel heavy. Uh oh. What did I do? Bike too aggressively? Not really, I stuck to the plan. Well, let's just go with a comfortable pace. About 1 mile in, my feet start burning. I think they were first NOW thawing out!! I take a minute to take off my sunglasses to rub my eye to get the contact back in place, but something is still off. I put the sunglasses back on and just kept blinking. The Saint was there at the second water station (close to our hotel) with my brother on the scooter cooler. It was a pick-me-up to see them both. I managed a thumbs-up, but I was already bumming with the lack of pep in my step.

The run is another 3 loop course and it was really, really difficult (mentally) to see the mile markers for all the loops on your first time around. So, you'd see mile 2...and then you'd see the mile 11 sign or something right after that and you wished you were on that second loop! It especially hit in when I saw “Mile 23” and I was on mile 6. Now I was getting passed left and right, by just about everyone. I knew I was slow, but I just kept moving. I thought about all the people who said they'd be watching online (damn you, Parello!) and it kept me going. Once again, this was a spectator-less course aside from the area near transition, which was also near the finish. Even "inspiration station" wasn't very inspiring. It was just one woman with a megaphone, yelling "Go runners" every minute or so. Very weak compared to what I’ve experienced in the past.

Heading around for lap 2, I now know what is in store for me. There are more hills than I realized. There were a couple sections of gravel – one with big, loose rocks. It was a very short section, but it was on a steep downhill and because I could only see with one eye, I slowed a lot for fear of tripping over a rock. On this second loop, the Saint and my brother were joined by Sally’s crew and they were all cheering me on. It was another little boost for me, but I knew I was slowing down. My face was covered with salt. I’d take a sponge every few aid stations to wipe off my face, but then I saw them recycling sponges. That ended that little ritual. There wasn’t much music along the course and I didn’t care for much of what I heard. I played my favorite iPod playlist over and over in my head to pass the time.

Third loop – right contact is beyond irritating, so I just ripped it out. I’m almost done, anyway. The sun is setting and I wondered if I should’ve put a long-sleeved shirt in a special needs bag for this (I didn’t even do special needs bags). The last pass I see my “fan club”, I smiled and said, “Only 8 more miles to go!” I felt better on the last loop than I did on the second loop. My legs are still heavy, but my pace is staying constant. With 10K left to go, I realize I could break 11:30 if I didn’t walk. I started skipping aid stations just to make sure I didn’t run out of time!

Somehow, I missed the mile 25 marker, but I knew I was close because I was getting near the group of spectators. There is one point on the course that has 2 signs. One said “Laps 1, 2 and 3” with an arrow. The other sign said “To Finish” with an arrow. I was DELIGHTED to be on the path “To Finish”!!! The fans are cheering and I am trying to pick up my pace. My legs hurt but I am so close now. A quick little detour through a parking lot, back out on the street and then one sharp left turn to see the finish line. There it is! I cannot help but smile. I am going to break the 11:30 mark! And for the very first time, I actually heard the announcer say my name and call me an IRONMAN.

Ironman Arizona 2008

Is now in the books. I wrote a full race report on the way home, and looking over it this morning, it's much too long to post. I have been accused of putting in "every excrutiating detail", so I'm going to spend some time condensing my first draft and will get something up shortly.

THANKS SO MUCH TO EVERYONE FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT. I cannot believe how many people either wished me luck, followed me online, or congratulated me afterwards. I appreciate each and every one of your kind words.

Report will be up in the next day or two...stay tuned.

Compression Tights

Yes, Peeps, you've heard me rave about the compression socks I invested in a couple of months ago. Well, now that the temperature has dropped below 32 degrees here in good ol' Chicago, I've moved on to compression tights.

These are the CW-X Insulator Stabilyx Tights. You've probably seen the advertisement...some guy has a piece of sidewalk with the mailbox attached and it says something about the speed of his run....or another one has a guy holding (on one arm, mind you) a pile of people he passed during his run because of these tights. Well, I can't say I've ripped out a piece of road or passed a ton of people wearing these tights, but what I can tell you is - WOW - do my legs feel energetic while wearing these tights! The key is to get the right size - they are compression tights, so you will be squeezing into these a bit - and then you need to make sure the diamond part in the stitching is over your kneecap. This gets the compression part over the right places in your leg.

These fantastic little tights have this "wind proof panel" covering your thighs so they will be warm in the chilliest conditions. (wish they'd put a little of that over the butt cheeks!!) They seem to support your legs exactly where you need it and they are just so comfortable, you'll want to lounge around your house in them (okay, maybe not).

They're a little pricey, but I've found that with technical apparel, you get what you pay for. I had to shell out just over $100 for them, but the comfort they'll bring me in the upcoming chilly months will far outweigh the cost.

I'm still not happy about it being so cold out here. It seems every year around this time, I wonder why the heck I live here. If I wasn't able to dress warmly enough to run comfortably outside, I'm thoroughly convinced I would no longer live in the midwest.

Keep warm!

2345

That's my bib number for Ironman Arizona.

'Nuff said.

AZ Training Trip

When I say this outloud, I almost can't believe it, but I went to Arizona last weekend just to train. Sounds like I belong on the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous or something, but the cost of the trip really wasn't all that much. When I planned the trip several months ago, I figured long bike rides were going to be brutal this time of year here in Chicago and I wasn't really that far off. The weather prediction for this weekend isn't making me look forward to my last long ride in preparation for this race. Sure, there's always the trainer, but....

Of course having someone to share the experience with makes it all that much better, so another fellow IMAZ competitor (SH) flew down to AZ for the weekend also. We arrived on Friday night and, trying to keep expenses to a minimum, we opted not to rent a car and decided to walk to dinner. This was Halloween night and I am now convinced that girls in college use Halloween to get away with dressing like hoochies. We also had some drunk college student talking to us as we walked past and actually burped as he was speaking. It was impossible not to laugh.

The two hour time difference screwed with us a little, but it allowed us to get a good night's sleep before the ride on Saturday. We headed down the street to get some bagels, bananas and peanut butter to fuel for the long ride. After clearing out the couple of ice machines the hotel had, our Camelbacks and water bottles were full and we were ready to go. It was already warm by Chicago standards - a balmy 68 degrees or so.

I'm not going to give a long, detailed description of the entire ride, but know these important parts:

• The Beeline highway has a very deceiving incline
• You get hot even in a dry heat
• Wind and desert can make for a nasty combination

Though the ride was not brutal, it was tough. The drastic temperature change from the 32 of Chicago to the 97 of Tempe was hard to deal with...and I love the heat. At each stop, we filled up the water bottles and Camelbacks with ice, but our fluids never really seemed to stay cold. Biggest disappointment: I don't even have any tan lines after being out there all day.

Had my brother come and pick us up for some dinner. It was great to see him and AZ seems to be treating him well. Dinner was fabulous and we ate every bite. It was our first real meal of the day. Another early bed time.

Got a little confused because now the time had changed. But it doesn't change in AZ. So weird, I walked around the rest of the day not really being sure of what time it was. We ran 1 loop of the 2 loop run course (or something close to it). No real challenging hills, but definitely some ramps that will probably not be all that fun come race day. It was fun to see so many other people out there - on what was Nov. 2 - outside enjoying the day. There was an Autism walk this day and had an amazing turnout! We thought about snatching some water from some of the sponsors, but decided to head over and grab some recovery food at the Einstein's on the way back to the hotel.

Sunday night brought us right back home. It was not as cold back home as I expected. Of course, I was hoping for freezing, sleeting conditions here while I was away!! This time, my bike and box made it back safe and sound (huge sigh of relief!) and now my hardest training weekend for IMAZ is complete.