Monday Musings: Relaxing Weekend, Team Chocolate Milk Voting & Fit Plus Wear Review

Weekends make the weekdays bearable, right? Then whhhyyy must they zoom by? Each and every time! But I am thankful for whatever time I can have with family and friends. :) It is such a blessing to have the time to be with them.

So how did this past weekend look?

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Let's start with the workouts:

Friday - a tough tough run, which ended with a mini meltdown. I must remember that the bad runs make the good runs even better. :0)

Saturday - a ego-boosting swim ... I felt great and was excited for the longest-consecutive swim in training!

Sunday - a 3-hour training bike ride ... I did it all by myself and wished the entire time I was out running. :P Maybe someday I will learn to love the bike.

I am thankful that this upcoming week is a "recovery week" on the training plan, which means workouts are a little less intense and I might have a full on rest day! Yay! :)

***

For the past 7-8 weeks, I have been saving my beer and wine for the weekend - aka #DrinkEnd! Here are the two delicious brews I enjoyed this weekend.

Somerville's own Pretty Things Beer

Port Brewing Mongo IPA out of my Old Port Half mug

***

Unfortunately the wife injured her back on Sunday morning during a run so we had a low-key rest of the weekend. Really the weekend as a whole was pretty low-key outside of the workouts and I kinda loved it. Such a rare sight for us to not be running from event to event. I know so popular right? Haha. JK. :0)

But Saturday we did make it over to Assembly Row to check out Assembled and Pet Palooza. It was overcast and rainy, but seeing the pups compete was worth it. :)

***

Final three random thoughts/asks from the weekend:

1) I would LOOOOVVEEE your daily vote in the following two Got Chocolate Milk contests... each ends on August 15!

Chocolate Milk Contest

^I am currently in fourth place (by a lot I know), but the top three vote getters secure the prizes. 1st prize is valued just over $5k, 2nd prize just under $1,900 and 3rd prize around $775. Holy cow they are sweet.

and

Team Chocolate Milk

^The prize? $500 in sponsorship money, which I will use to fund my first Ragnar Relay experience, new training gear and free race entries. Each time you vote $1 is donated to the Challenged Athletes Foundation. How awesome is that?

Thank you all so much!!!

2) There are just 6 spots left in the F.A.S.T. (Fighting Against Stroke Together) Virtual 5k/10k run/walk/bike!! Registration ends August 10... :)

3) Thanks to my friend Larisa from 0to26point2 I was able to test out the Fit Plus Wear Sound Solution compression capris (Value $88).

I love that the Fit Plus Wear company is led by a power duo of two female athletes and moms. They want to reach every woman and offer sizes from XXS-3XL. I am wearing size Medium in the picture below.

These moisture wicking and antimicrobial slimming compression capri pants offer a revolutionary way to carry your cell phone or MP3 device while you workout! Equipped with a sweat-proof, bounce proof, fall proof pocket you now can walk or workout hands free and worry free! It’s our Sound Solution- a pocket with a plus!

If you want to check out these awesome pants, use code 2HE90CGR5Y4U at checkout.

***

Oh oh oh one more thing ;) I guest posted over at my boy Nathan's blog - The Fotographing Fat Kid - about my Top Threeve Weight Loss Lessons. Check it out!

Now back to my regularly scheduled Monday ... where did I put that training plan? :P

A Saturday At Assembly Row: #Assembled & #PetPalooza

How much do you love shopping? Aren't puppies just the cutest things you've ever seen?

Do you love spending a Saturday in Somerville with your family and friends?

Well, next Saturday you have free you should head to #Assembled at Assembly Row (11am-4pm)!

If you are a Boston area resident and HAVEN'T checked out Assembled then you are missing out.

The Handmade Arts Market at Assembly Row showcases arts and crafts by local Somerville artists, Etsy artists, and some of New England’s top creative talents! Visit the market every Saturday, now through September 13 for an ever changing selection of local art ranging from soaps and candles to gifts and prints.

Totally cool, right? Well it is.

I'm pretty lucky that Assembled is a mere 5-7 minute walk from my house. Hollah!

So we tend to frequent the local arts market with our pups and Dunkin' Donuts coffee in hand.

This weekend's Assembled featured some pretty amazing jewelers.

Yes I walked away with these 3 gorgeous bracelets for $10 total from Chappy Girls Jewelry.

I tried to get the wife to buy a bow, but she wouldn't bite.

But they are wicked cute! ;)

Then I came across the Swiss Bakers tent with mouth-watering homemade pretzels. Ohhh it took all my will to resist. So instead I decided to treat the pups...

... we picked up a little variety pack for them ($10 value) from Brownie's Barkery out of Maine. Let me just tell you the pups appreciated my sacrifice! ;)

After walking and checking out the 10 or so tents that made up Assembled, it was lunch time for the wife. Tough choices for her as always. With three food trucks to pick from, she went with...

BON ME!

She dined on the rice bowl with coconut-braised chicken (extra meat) which came to $8.50 and smelled amazing!! I had my grapes in my backpack so I made sure to have something, while drooling over the choices at the trucks. ;)

After grabbing her food and our purchases, we headed over to an Assembly Row special for the weekend - Pet Palooza. Pet Palooza was a two-day family-friendly event with pet-centric events including demos, training seminars, pet adoptions, and DockDog’s Northeast Regional Championship Competition.

Despite the rain, there was a great crowd on hand to watch the Dock Dogs competition.

We made it JUST in time to see a round of Extreme Vertical.

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This was INSANE. Dogs were jumping off the dock to knock off the bumper toy hanging from magnets off of the adjustable arm. While we were there the arm rose from 4'7" from 5'10"!! Can you freakin' believe that? These dogs were jumping off the dog to knock a toy down that was higher than me. It was awesome to watch.

After taking in part of the competition (which had different types of jumping all day long), we walked through the Pet Palooza, which featured local dog trainers, dog snack companies, a dog masseuse, a portable dog groomer and of course rescues. Oh was it tough to leave without adopting another dog, but our wallets were happy. :)

It was a great afternoon despite the weather. Folks that attend the Pet Palooza on Sunday (August 4) were met with much better weather.

But as we headed out we had to stop by the Slumbrew booth as they were handing out frisbees and other swag to attendees. Boy I can't wait until American Fresh opens up at Assembly Row and I can have a nice draft Slumbrew Porter Square Porter after a nice 5k run with the Nike Run Club (Wednesdays at 6:30pm).

***

So if you are ever in the Somerville hood on a Saturday between 11-4 before September 13, come check out Assembled. You never know which local artist will be there... :)

Will You #RaceToTheRow With Me? *Race Entry Giveaway*

AND THE WINNER IS.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to everyone that entered! If you didn't win, I still hope you will register for the race!! :)

***

Amazing Race is coming back to Somerville.

Wait wait! That sounds misleading.

THE Amazing Race the show is not coming back to Somerville, but AN Amazing Race is.

The Somerville Road Runners are putting on the 2nd Annual Race To The Row 5kon August 24th at 9:30am!

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YAY!! 

I had a BLAST at the inaugural race last year. If you didn't just click on "last year" and read the race recap, let me tell you it is the race where I set my current 5k PR of 21:59. Umm yeah so this race means A LOT to me. Plus it is less than a 5 minute walk from my house.

Since Assembly Row was under construction last year, I know the course will be even BETTER this year since Assembly Row is open and thriving. Here is a sneak peek at it.

row

The race is a run or walk and is open to runners and families of all ages and abilities.

Additionally, there will be a Children's Fun Run (age 9 and under) before the race with all kids getting a medal! Can I pretend to be an 8-year old? ;) I love a medal.

I will say the Fun Run was adorable to watch pre-race last year.

But more about the 5k:

The Race to the Row will run through the Assembly Square District and along the Mystic River, ending with a fun-filled post-race party with food and drinks served from the newest local restaurants and live music supplied by the IT Band! All proceeds will benefit the East Somerville Main Streets program (funding East Somerville business visibility and bolstering the community at large) as well as Somerville TrackPAC (provides college scholarships for Somerville High School students).

row2

Following last year's race I enjoyed free Harpoon beer and food courtesy of Burger Dive. I know they will be offering free food and drink to participants again this year, but details have yet to be released.

The Assembly Row and race area are easily accessible via public transportation and offer ample parking options for those choosing to drive.

***

Now that I have you all drooling over the fun ... it is time for the best part:

I have a FREE race entry to give away!

Lucky me!!

So here’s how to enter:

The giveaway will run from Monday July 28 (10am ET) through Friday August 1 (10am ET)!

The winner will be selected and announced on Friday!

Tips On How I Got Faster ... It Starts With The Socks!

For the low price of $19.95, I can sell you the #1 tip I have to getting a faster running time. Are you ready for it?

Can you handle it?

I don't think your ready for this jelly!!

Okay you all broke me down.

The #1 tip to get faster is...

... buying some Acme Rocket Boots from Wile E Coyote!

What?

Not what you were expecting?

Why because they aren't street legal?

Oh because they aren't real.

Fine fine!

Just a girl trying to make a quick buck! ;)

***

But seriously, the number one question I get asked is: "How did you get so fast?"

Some days I really don't know how it has happened.

It's been years in the making.

I ran my first 5k in March 2005 in a time of 38:21.

In August 2013, I set my current 5k PR of 21:59.2.

That's right. I have taken a little over 16 minutes off of my 5k time.

I ran my first marathon in September 2006 in a time of 5:59:27.

In my second marathon in November 2012 I set my current PR of 3:58:49.

Just over two hours taken off the marathon time.

So how did I do it?

***

Here are a few of the things that have helped:

1) Weight loss

I was close to my heaviest (so around 230 lbs) when I started running. It took a lot out of me to run: pounding on my knees and other joints, heavy breathing, etc.

I ran from 2005-2006 before taking just over a 4 year break. During that break I joined Weight Watchers and started my healthy lifestyle journey.

There are articles out there saying that for every 5 pounds lost you take 30 seconds off your pace. I have yet to find any scientific proof of that, but either way I have to disagree with that statement. I don't think losing weight guarantees that you will speed up.

What I can say is the weight loss lessened the pain I felt, as well as the shortness of breath. It has been proven that for every 1lb lost reduces the pressure on your knees 3-4 lbs. That I can TOTALLY get behind.

So with less pain in my body while running, I could train longer and add in speed work more comfortably.

2) Spinning

I will give a lot of my speed improvement credit to Spinning.

I went to my first Spin class in 2009 and my life was changed. Haha. It sounds so dramatic, but it really was.

Before I knew it I was Spinning 4-5 times a week. My legs felt stronger. My cardio was improving.

In 2011 after back surgery, I was cleared to return to activity and I was ready to give running another shot. I was starting at ground zero. The first mile I ran after back surgery was about a 15 min pace or so.

As I got back into my running routine, I noticed that hills were getting easier thanks to hill workouts in my Spin classes.

While 2011 was a rebuilding year after surgery, 2012 was the year of PRs. I watched my 5k time go from 25:27 to 22:20. Woo! It was quite a ride and really the muscles built during Spin was a huge factor.

3) Cross Training

Yes there is more to cross training than Spin class. But I had to give Spin it's own category. In order to help my running, I need to find ways to strengthen my body and work on endurance without a ton of pounding on the joints.

Bring on the stationary bike, Stairmaster, elliptical and swimming.

If you don't like to swim laps, I would recommend even doing water aerobics classes. They can combine more low-impact swimming with strength training.

If you are wondering where to find swim workouts, there are ample websites out there.

I like to switch up elliptical and stationary bike workouts by the programs on the machines themselves. The Stairmaster at my gym tells you how high you are climbing in relation to world landmarks, which is fun and motivating.

I usually cross-train 2-4 times a week depending on what I am training for.

4) Find A Faster Running Buddy

Find a friend that runs a faster pace than you or a running group that is just ahead of your normal running partners ... and run with them!!!

Those folks will bring out the best in you and push you to a pace that you wouldn't think imaginable.

NOW I am not saying I am going to head out and run with Shalane Flanagan tomorrow - even though that would be fun - I am saying if you run a 10:30 pace find something that is 10:00 or 10:15.

Don't push the limit too much too fast.

My best friend Sarah and I are great at pushing each other. She is by far the better runner in our duo, but she wants me to reach my potential so she devises runs for us to do together that will do that.

Additionally running with a BQer (Boston Qualifer) can be daunting, but Robin keeps it light and fun. She has a great energy and really knows running. So besides running at a faster clip when I am with her, I also believe I can do anything!

If you don't have a friend that you can reach out to, check out a local running group to see if they have someone that runs at the pace you are looking to hit. It is a great way to meet new people and work on your speed.

5) Get Yourself Socks With Capes

I'm serious!! :)

Even if they don't technically improve your speed, they make you FEEL like you do.

No matter what my Garmin says when I am wearing my Superman caped socks I am freakin' MEB out on the course.

Most of my running socks, which are not compression, are super hero socks. Not only do they make me feel amazing, but they help win over the race crowd as well.

6) Sign Up For A Race With Free Beer At The Finish

Nothing gets me to a finish line faster than knowing there is GOOD free beer at the end. ;)

Now beer may not be your thing so go ahead and insert your motivator into sentence where beer is.

Sometimes thinking of people enjoying my free beer put a little light under my ass and make me pick up the pace.

I mean they could run out! ;)

7) Refuel and Recover

Proper refueling can greatly impact your athletic performances ... which is why I swear by my low-fat chocolate milk.

I don't drink it just because it is easy and a treat after a hard workout, but for the health benefits listed above.

In addition to 8 oz of low-fat chocolate milk after a workout, I am sure to keep my legs fresh with Zensah compression gear (shorts and socks).

***

Now yes folks also find speed work to be helpful and if I did it more, I am sure I would improve my times even more. But honestly I haven't worked it into my plan as much as I should.

It is something that I am going to be working on in the future.

For now here are the seven tips have really helped me. Now I am not sure they will work for everyone, but I can only share my experiences.

I am available for questions whenever folks have them.

Excuse me while I go and order another pair of Superman socks to go with my Wile E Coyote rocket boots Asics sneakers.

***

What has helped you improve your speed?

Monday Musings: Sun, Fun And Of Course Training

This Summer ROCKS! Okay I am not sleeping as much as I would like or having as many lazy weekends or trips as my wife would like.

But we are definitely doing more than we did last summer.

Last summer on July 19, my wife had her ACL replaced, which led to a pretty uneventful summer.

Thankfully this year she is healed and we are taking advantage of it.

The weekends have been full of adventure and something I'm looking forward to recapping every Monday. :)

***

Friday kicked off with a phenomenal weigh-in, where I finally shed the weight I had gained during my temp job and I am feeling AMAZING.

After attending my Friday morning meeting, I subbed the Noon meeting for a coworker. I love meeting new groups and hearing about people's journeys.

When I got home from work I had a present from Misfit Wearables!!

I am wicked excited to try another activity monitor and report back all my thoughts. I am going to give it a couple of weeks before I write a post on it. It has the feature to track your swims so I already love that it is waterproof. :)

Once the work day was over, I had to turn my attention to the training plan. Which called for a 2 hour and 15 min bike ride. Now the weather was forecasted to be crappy and I was waiting for the wife to get home to enjoy dinner so I opted for a ride on the trainer.

But how could I be in my living room for that long without going crazy?!?! A movie would do the trick.

Yay Frozen to the rescue.

After a grueling training session - Hello Sweatfest - it was a low-key evening in our household: Zensah compression, pizza, wine and snuggling in bed. Success since I was getting up early Saturday morning.

***

I must've gotten up early for a training ride or run on Saturday? Nope! The alarm went off at 6am so I could sub two Weight Watchers meetings for my friend Heather. I had attended the 8am meeting as a member in the past and I knew it was a fun group. I was looking forward to see the good times that most Saturday groups convey. :)

Now I made sure to adjust my training plan accordingly so I could work and keep my afternoon free to spend with the wife.

So I wore my bathing suit underneath my work clothes to keep me accountable. I walked straight from the Weight Watchers Center to the gym, which was easy since it is on my way home. :P

The swim workout was easily laid out: 300 WU, 2000 meters and 300 CD. To my knowledge that would be my longest consistent swim.

2000 meters = 80 lengths of my pool = 1.242 miles

The Half Ironman swim distance is 1.2 miles and has a 1-hour cutoff.

The 2000 meters took me 40 minutes and 55 seconds. I was happy with the outcome. I felt strong and consistent the entire time. I knew I could've pushed it more, which made me happy. The plan wanted you to swim it at moderate pace and I think I kept it that way. Besides some bursts when I needed to change lane mid-swim and my lane mate wanted to chat briefly. Ha!

With work and the workout done, it was Date Afternoon time. For the wife's birthday, I gave her a Date Afternoon consisting of Stand Up Paddle Boarding and dinner at the Boston Burger Company in Davis Square (Somerville).

Neither of us had done Stand Up Paddle Boarding before so it would definitely be an experience for both of us.

I have seen the Charles River Canoe & Kayak kiosk on countless runs.

Finally time to step on up and try it!

After taking a brief quiz - of course we got 100% and a smiley face on it - we signed away our lives and hid our stuff in the car to keep it safe and dry. I had no idea how many times we would potentially end up in the water. :P

The SUP boards were $15/hr and we were figuring one hour would be a good starting off point for us.

We were fitted for our life vests before having the oars properly lengthened for our heights.

In order to shimmy on to the board, we headed down the dock where the dockhands were ready and waiting. Thankfully I trusted the 15 year old (if that) to hold the board steady, while I slid onto the board.

You start on your knees and work your way to standing up once 10 feet from the dock.

I don't have the best of balance so I was hoping for the best.

Success!!

We started our trip upstream. It was a beautifully sunny day in Boston and perfect to be out on the River. We were boarding among canoers, kayakers and even some boaters.

Now the boaters can be tricky as they leave wake behind ... which is why my love ended up in the water! ;) I wish I had pictures of it. :P

She did a great job quickly getting back on to the board and reclaiming her balance. Go babe!

After that little blip the rest of the hour was smooth sailing. It is a good upper body workout as well as a lower body workout to keep balanced.

Once we hit a boat house along the water, we decided to make the turn and head back to the dock.

We started upstream- against the current - which proved to be more of a workout than downstream. I know a Duh sort of moment. But both were fun.

We returned to the docks and the dockhands helped us shimmy back on to land and check out.

The service was great and the payment process quick. They did take credit cards, which was nice.

Now I will say I didn't bring the camera with me on the River. We actually went back to the dock so I could run to the car, retrieve my car and snap some action shots of us. :)

I kept the phone in a little pocket on the life vest in between pics.

It was nice to just enjoy time with my wife away from technology and the real world. I even said to her during the trek that I would've never imagined doing something like this when we first met. I am thankful for so much from this weight loss journey - including a more daring personality.

We actually finished up paddle boarding just before 4, but we ready for an early dinner so straight to Boston Burger Company we went.

This restaurant features my wife's favorite burger: The Killer Bee.

Can you tell how happy she is?

I am not a burger person so I opted for a Garden Salad with chicken and french fries.

We both cheered her birthday with our favorite Slumbrew beers on tap: Happy Sol for her (right) and Porter Square Porter for me (left).

What a delicious meal!

It was one perfect Summer Day in Boston. I could've asked for a better time or person to spend it with.

I was getting sleepy so we called it an early night to watch some Netflix, snuggle some pups and turn in early.

Okay I fell asleep before anyone else ... it happens!

***

Sunday I made sure to get up early to get my 5-mile training run in before the wife and I headed to New Hampshire for my friend's daughter's baptism.

It was great to catch up with college friends. The original party would've been outside, but with inclement weather coming down on us the festivities were moved inside. After some baby snuggling, we all headed home.

We caught a little bit of weekend vacation traffic, but thankfully not too much.

I was home, changed and on the bike trainer by 4pm. I could've ridden outside, but I wanted to spend more time with my little family so I hopped on the trainer for the 90 minute ride.

Luckily the trainer isn't so loud that it drowns out the conversation. :)

But if you haven't caught on with the pattern so far, the night was low-key and I tried to recover with my compression and bed.

***

Once again the weekend was superb (and I tracked every delicious bite of it), but ended on a tough note. I have signed up for something in 2015 (which I will reveal soon), but now I am nervous that it was a bad choice. I need to listen to my gut so instead of regretting the decision I am going to accept the challenges.

I spent a majority of Sunday also glued to my iPhone as I tracked seven people I knew attacking Iron Man Lake Placid. It was a phenomenally inspiring day. 6 of the 7 were able to Finish after battling tough weather conditions. But all 7 are winners in my book as they had the heart to sign up, train and show up on Race Day!

A DNF (Did Not Finish) is better than a DNS (Did Not Start)!

Now I must recollect myself and get back to my own training plan... six weeks until Pumpkinman Half Ironman. Eek!

***

PS. There is still time to sign up for my virtual fundraising 5k – F.A.S.T. (Fight Against Stroke Together) 5k/10k. You can click here to find more information about how you can help Fight Stroke AND get a sweet Finisher’s Medal.

Face It Friday: I Didn't Throw In The Towel 7/25/14

Last weekend was FUUUNNNN! I do not regret a single food or drink choice I made.

I celebrated the wife's 34th birthday AND completing my third triathlon. I filled some cravings that I had had for months... and they were delicious.

Now my week starts on Friday as we know. So Friday itself was a 109 pt day. Yup you read that right. We went out to a big dinner and I ate delicious pizza and drank decadent beer. It was great.

Now Saturday and Sunday we were on the go with the race so I didn't track.

I knew I was over, but didn't have the energy to see how over.

But, Monday morning I looked at myself in the mirror and said the only person I am hurting is myself. So I sat down and estimated the best I could.

Yup, three days into my Weight Watchers week and I was -114 pts in the hole.

That was a punch to the gut moment. But I patted myself on the back for owning up to it.

At that moment I decided instead of throwing in the towel and "restarting" on Friday when my WW week would be fresh, I decided to see how much I could earn back through Activity. It was lighting a fire under my training butt.

So I worked and I happily saw the number decrease.

I knew I would never get back into the positive, but I felt okay.

I really didn't care what the scale said this week because I was living on my NSV (Non-Scale Victory) of sticking with my game plan and reaching out to friends for support.

Every day I hit my DPT, filled all of my Good Health Guidelines and was staying well hydrated with H2O. I was feeling GREAT.

So I woke up this morning feeling light and lean, but reminding myself that even if the scale showed a gain I would NOT take away the accomplishments of the week.

I took out the scale, dusted it off, closed my eyes and stepped on.

Down 2.8 lbs!

Woo! Now I do not get into the habit of going into the negative with my points. I've been doing Weight Watchers for almost 5 years and know that weeks will vary because well life happens.

Do I want to keep this pattern of being in the negative going - of course not. But I made it through two tough weeks and still came out on top.

So next time you have one bad meal or day and think you ruined the whole week remember this post, track it and move on.

***

Since June 13, I have successfully shed 16.2 of the 15.8 lbs gained during my temp assignment. Yes that means all the weight plus a little extra is GONE. Yahoo!! What a great feeling getting back to the balance I know that works for me.

Sometimes we need to go through a bumpy road to find the focus again and the reason we started this journey to begin with.

***

This week I will be participating in my own fundraising virtual 5k - F.A.S.T. (Fight Against Stroke Together) 5k/10k - and would love for you to join me. You can click here to find more information about how you can help Fight Stroke AND get a sweet Finisher's Medal.

***

And finally, if you all could take a moment and vote for me I would really appreciate it. There are some sweet prizes on the table and you all know I love my low-fat chocolate milk.

VOTE HERE!

I think you can vote once a day! Thanks!!

***

I hope everyone has an amazing week. I am race free this weekend, but have some social engagements to attend. I will once again track it and own it.

I will keep the following mantra in the back of my mind:

Eat To Live Don't Live To Eat

I Swam, Biked & Ran At Iron Girl Webster

I swam then I biked then I ran.

photo 4 (64)

All in a row.

All by choice.

And you know what?

It was fuuunnnn!!

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The Iron Girl Webster Sprint Tri was a BLAST from Start to Finish.

Okay there was some slight cursing during the bike (I'll get to that later), but for the most part I was alll smiles!

The triathlon ended up spanning over three days rather than just Race Day! On Friday, I shared my triathlon prep post and on Saturday I had the honor of participating in the Iron Girl Expo with Got Chocolate Milk. I never thought I would be asked to participate in a Q&A panel at a triathlon expo or co-host a shakeout run, but both were a blast!

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With a 4am wake-up call on race day, I tried to spend the night before relaxing in bed, enjoying my Zensah compression shorts and socks and just calming the pre-race jitters.

Can I stress how quickly 4am seems to come? :P

I leaped out of bed since I knew we were on a tight schedule to make sure we made it out West on time.

We were on the road by 4:49am and in the parking lot for the race at 5:52am. Booya! Yay for no traffic on the Mass Pike.

The weather was in the low 60s with clear skies. Perfect racing conditions.

The parking lot was just over a mile from the Start so the race provided port-o-potties at the parking lot (HUGE WIN!) and shuttles to the Start. They were moving regularly and had amole busses available (ANOTHER WIN).

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Finish shoot I would see a few hours later

I headed straight to the transition area to be numbered up and to set up my gear.

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This race was my third triathlon (all Sprint) so I looked at my transition set up from previous races as an example. I laid everything out then stood back and made sure the things I needed first would be in front - aka bike gear, snacks in the middle and run gear farthest back.

As I mentioned this would be my first tri using the bike shoes so it would be a learning experience either way. :)

Transition closed at 6:30 so I gave the layout one last glance over, grabbed my goggles/swim cap and headed out to meet the Got Chocolate Milk ladies.

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The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement. The beach was full of ladies and their support crews. I took a quick dip in the water to see how the tri kit would feel while swimming. Remember I haven't swum in the tri kit yet so again new experience for me. :P

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I love chatting with people before a race. It pushes the pre-race jitters out of my mind since I am busy focusing on the other person or people. So things like this amazing group photo get me motivated and ready to jump in the water.

Only thing was the picture was at 6:45am and my wave wasn't starting until 7:30! :P

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But, I took my opportunity to get last-minute advice and inspiration from Chrisann, a Got Chocolate Milk Captain and Iron(wo)man! Biggest piece of advice: Have Fun! I can definitely do that.

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The wife and I moved closer to the Start Area on the beach so we could hear the National Anthem and start cheering on the earlier waves.

The Iron Girl Webster race manager, Sarah Frey, came over to chat with me while on the beach. I have to say it was a really nice gesture and a pleasure. I had nothing but positive things to say up to that point about the race. The IRONMAN group knows how to run an event properly. Volunteers were nice, helpful and everyone seemed happy!

It was also cool to hear more about her background in triathlons, etc. What can I say I love hearing people share their journeys!

Before I knew it was time for me to line up. I gave the wife a kiss for good luck and headed to the Start Line. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach, but I tried my hardest to keep the positive thoughts going. I also had to remind myself that I chose to be there. ;)

***

Swim - 1/3 mile

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We started the swim in the water. I moved myself closer to the front of the group to hopefully avoid some of the extra kicking and punching that can happen when a group of people start swimming at the same time.

There were 5 minutes between each wave, but I swear it was really 30 minutes. It felt like a lifetime between getting in the water and the 10 second countdown.

But then we were off.

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 Can you see me? ;)

I could definitely tell a difference racing without a wetsuit compared to with a wetsuit since it gives you a little extra buoyancy. But I felt strong. I have been working on sighting - keeping a target in your sights while swimming - and it was paying off. I was definitely swimming in a straighter line than the two triathlons last year.

As we took the first of two left turns in the water, I swam straight into the wave before us. I stopped for a moment to get gauge the situation before swimming a tad to the left to get out of the mass of orange or red cap swimmers. Thankfully that gave me a nice lane to get back into a rhythm.

I was trying to swim using more of my arms than my legs. Sarah Reinertsen told me in her Ironman she exhausted her arms as much as possible since you don't really need them the rest of the race. I tried to take that to heart.

With the second left turn done, it was straight to the Swim Finish on the beach. I kept my eyes on the Swim Finish Arch whenever I needed to re-sight.

I kept swimming until my fingers grazed the bottom of the Lake then I stood up to run out of the water.

Crossed the Swim mat and officially entered transition.

I was 1/3 of the way there! ;)

There were some small rocks and gravel during the run/jog from the water to my stuff.

Total Time: 10:55 Pace: 2:03/100 yds Overall Place: 55/583 Division: 10/83

***

Transition 1

After hobbling/jogging over the rocks/dirt/asphalt to get to my bike. Step 1 was to put on my shirt with my number on it. I didn't want to forget that. Second was putting on my helmet. I should've taken the time to readjust my ponytail a little more for comfort but I was caught up in the moment.

So folks take the time to get comfortable in your gear - it's what transition is for. ;)

I wiped off my feet with my towel, put on my socks/bike shoes, adjust my Sparkle Athletic skirt,  grabbed my bike and I was out the gate. I took a quick swig of water, but should've eaten my mini Luna bar then. My mistake! I need to remember to fuel before the bike.

It was odd running to the "mount" spot in my bike shoes, but thankfully it wasn't too far.

Time: 2:56 Overall Place: 100/583 Division: 10/83

***

Bike - 12 miles

Friends, I recommend looking at the course map before the race. :P I had NO idea there was such a HUGE hill and other rolling hills during the bike course.

We headed out of transition for the 12 mile loop. This was my first race in bike shoes so I was really hoping to see an improvement from my previous races where I wore sneakers.

I felt like the motion was more fluid. I am still not comfortable on the bike enough to take my hands off the handlebars so I didn't bother putting water bottles on my bike (yes something I am working on), but I should've checked whether they allowed camelbacks or not and should've brought it either way. I originally thought it's 12 miles I can make it, but I definitely needed it. Another learning experience.

Mile 1: 3:39 Mile 2: 3:57 Mile 3: 3:51 Mile 4: 3:48 Mile 5: 6:20 Mile 6: 3:07

Sooo do we have any idea which mile the largest of the hills was located? ;)

There were many women walking their bikes up the hill, but I made a deal with myself that no matter how long it took me to get up it - I would ride the entire way up. I grunted, I swore, I breathed heavily, but I did it!

And it felt AWESOME! Tiring, but awesome.

Mile 7: 3:36 Mile 8: 4:15 Mile 9: 3:16 Mile 10: 3:28 Mile 11: 3:21 Mile 12: 3:33

Rolling hills for most of the course gave me a LOT of practice on shifting gears, which I needed.

I also need to work on not being so scared when going fast on the downhills. I always imagine me flipping over my handlebars and crashing so I slam on the brakes. I need to get a little more confidence, which I assume and hope will come over time.

At least while ladies were passing me on the bike, they had my Sparkle Athletic skirt to compliment me on. ;)

I did come off the bike feeling excited. I really felt stronger and more knowledgable than I did a year ago. I need to keep reminding myself that I am newest to biking and every chance I am on the bike is a learning experience.

I was proud of my shifting and staying in my own race rather than getting upset when folks passed me ... which happens a lot.

Total Time: 47:35 Pace: 15.1 MPH Overall Place: 172/583 (can we tell it’s my weakest area) Division: 24/83

***

Transition 2

Well you know a transition won't go as well when you go into the wrong lane. Yup, took my bike down the wrong row before realizing it and hauling booty to the correct one. Oops!

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Gotta thank the wife for catching this action shot a I changed from bike shoes to sneakers. I was shaking so much that I was having trouble tying my shoes, which slowed me down. But I stopped took a deep breath and tried again - success! I chugged some water and headed out. Again this is where I should've had another mini luna bar, but I was sooo excited to get to the run part (my fav) I skipped it. Another life lesson.

Time: 2:12 Overall Place: 262/583 Division: 44/83

***

Run - 3 Miles

Hello old friend. As someone that hated running for most of my life I never thought I would get excited for the run portion of a triathlon. But it really is my happy place and comfort zone.

The run was an out and back (which we passed when coming in on the bike) so there were a TON of people to high five and cheer on. I was having a blast.

I LOVE cheering people on so this was 3 miles of it. The course had some inclines, but nothing terribly challenging.

My legs felt a little heavy right off the bike, but quickly got acclimated.

I can only simply say the run was like a party. It was such a great energy and excitement knowing we were 2/3 of the way done. You know I was secretly wishing the run portion was longer ;) but I didn't let on to anyone else about that. Ha.

I wish I had my phone because the run portion was weird to be mid-run selfie-less. Priorities right?

There were volunteers clearly directing us where to go and offering up water/Nuun in a water stop that you saw on the way out and back on the run. So two stops for the price of one.

There was an incline during Mile 2, but it came with a down hill.

The run was through a little neighborhood so you could see the water in between the houses.

I just couldn't stop smiling.

As we took the final right down the Stretch. You had the bikes coming in on your left, you had runners coming towards you on the right as they headed out on the run. It was awesomely motivating commotion!

Then there it was ... the Finish Line shoot. As you came down the shoot you could hear the announcer say: Dani Holmes-Kirk ... you are an Iron Girl!

It was freakin' cool. I mean I will never hear you are an Ironman so this was the closest I will get and it was awesome.

Total Time: 23:16 Pace: 7:46 min/mile Overall Place: 47/583 Division: 7/83

***

After receiving my medal from an adorable young lady, I immediately headed to refuel with some Chocolate Milk.

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Oh it was heaven in a little Nestle Nesquick bottle. I needed the carbs and the proteins so these tired muscles could recover!

choc milk

Since the Chocolate Milk booth was RIGHT at the Finish Line, I could refuel and continue to cheer on the Finishers.

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I had actually heard Chrisann's name announced when I was heading out on the run. She did amazing.

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I want to thank Natalie from Got Chocolate Milk for all her help over the weekend. :)

Right next to the Chocolate Milk tent was the post-race spread for the athletes. Mmmm mini cinnamon rolls. I had two and enjoyed every bite!

psot-race

Photo Courtesy Iron Girl Webster

***

Overall, I am really happy with how the day turned out. I tried new things out: tri kit, bike shoes, wearing a Sparkle Athletic skirt for bike/run and focusing on staying in my own race.

I also learned things I need to work on: proper fueling/hydrating, the bike - just all of the bike, and transitions.

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Oh and the biggest thing, not getting caught up in rankings. Not one of my close friends or family asked where I placed. They just wanted to make sure I finished and I had fun doing it. Why I put this pressure on myself? I don't know, but I am working on it.

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I also want to thank Chrisann and her Iron Maidens for welcoming me with open arms into their group for the weekend. Talk about one inspiring and motivating group of women!

I owe an extra WOO to Chrisann who went back on the course to run in with the final participant.

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I was cheering them on and caught this action shot after I started walking back to my car. Marge, pictured above finishing her first triathlon, battled bike malfunctions, but kept moving forward which meant dragging her bike 30-40 minutes until she found the on-road bike mechanics. How about THAT for heart?

*** Iron Girl did a GREAT job putting this race on. I will recommend it to any lady I meet looking for a good, welcoming, supportive and fun triathlon.

But with no adult beverages onsite, I did have to wait to cheers until I got home. ;)

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Did you participate in Iron Girl Webster? What did you think of that hill on the bike course?

Racecancer’s Boston 5k Summer Series: Race #3

I love a race series especially one that takes place along the gorgeous and historic Charles River in Boston.

How did I get so lucky to call this my running path?

Thursday July 17th marked the third installment of Racecancer's Boston Summer 5k Series.

I competed in Race 1 on May 29, but missed Race 2 on June 12 due to injury.

When I woke up on July 17, I wasn't feeling it. I was just having one of those days when I wasn't in the mood to race. I think it happens to all of us at one time or another.

But, I knew I would feel better if I went, saw friends and just hit the pavement.

I arrived early for the race since I misread my calendar as to what time it started. Oops! I took the extra time to get some pre-run walking and stretching in.

I was deciding whether I would run both 5ks offered - the women's only 5k was kicking off at 7 and the co-ed 5k would follow at 7:30. I was going to wait and decide after race #1.

The women lined up just before 7 for pre-race announcements.

Not sure why I look so tall compared to everyone else. Hmm... For the record I am 5-8.

Also for the record, I was NOT posing in this photo. It just looks that way. ;)

Do you guys like my Race Ragz blog shirt? It was only the second time I wore it in a race.

As the pre-race jitters sunk in (like they do for every single race I participate in), I tried to block them out and turn it into fuel.

I had no expectations for the race time-wise and was just going to get out there and enjoy the atmosphere.

The course is basically the same for every race so I wouldn't have any surprises during the 3.1 miles.

After a 10 second countdown, we were OFF!

Ladies zoomed past me and I was okay with that. I wasn't going to PR and I needed to stay in my own game.

We crossed over the Eliot St bridge just before Mile 1 and I had to snap a pic.

How beautiful is that?

Mile 1: 7:48

It was hot and humid. I don't normally run in sleeves so I had to keep tucking my sleeves back under the strap of my sports bra. Having wardrobe malfunctions or annoyances while running is never fun.

And of course a halfway point selfie for everyone's enjoyment. ;) This was actually the second attempt at the selfie as the first was horrendous. Yes my mid-run selfies are not always perfect on the first try. :P

I want to thank the race for having two water stops during the 5k loop. They were both needed and appreciated.

Mile 2: 7:59

Since I was once again running without music, I needed something to occupy my mind for the final mile so I took in the people around me. I was trying to remember if any were around me during the first race in the series. I also had a blast watching this young girl - maybe around 10 or so - running with her mom. She kept looking over her shoulder to see if any of us were about to pass her.

I loved her fire and tenacity. Part of me wanted to step it up a notch to see what she would do, but I really wanted her to have that moment with her mom. So I hung back.

I also want to thank the race for providing free race photos to participants. It is such a rare thing these days. This photo was about 1/2 a mile from the Finish.

I gave it all I could for the final 1/2 mile, but between heat and my overall tiredness it felt like I was moving in place or I was on a treadmill. Has anyone else felt that during a run? I looked down just to confirm I was in fact moving forward.

As I neared the Finish Line, I looked to my right and saw a couple having a picnic - on the ground - among the geese. Ummm not my idea of a romantic date - umm hi goose poop - but they looked like they were having a phenomenal time.

Mile 3: 7:56

I crossed the Finish Line and went directly to the water jugs.

Let me tell you how much I did NOT feel like I was running sub 8's. Prior to my watch buzzing at Mile 1, I really expected to see a 9:30-ish pace. I just felt heavy and hot the entire race.

So while I am excited to see the final time, I really felt off the entire run. I don't think I could've done anything different. I was properly hydrated. I had plenty of fuel prior to the race. I was stretched. I think the heat/humidity was just there. Hi Summer! ;)

Once the first race was over, I was chatting with my friend George and seriously considering running the second 5k slowly. A cool down if you will. But as the time passed prior to the second race, the achiness in my left hammy was increasing. So I listened to my body and headed home.

Start to Coed 5k

With my weekly weigh-in the next morning I opted out of the post-race party at Miller's Boston Ale House sponsored by Long Trail Brewing. But man I could've used a beer after that race.

That night I looked at the race results for the women's only race and I was nowhere to be found. Hmm... I know from my mid-run selfie that I was in fact in there. After a quick tweet to the race organizers, I was told some people were missing from the electronic results, but were still on the manual list. It didn't take them long to fix the mistake. Thanks!

My 24:19 (7:50 min/mile pace) placed me 33rd overall out of 108 and 11th out of 35 in my division.

I am looking forward to hopefully being a little healthier for Race #4 of the series on Thursday, August 14 sponsored by Clown Shoes. Want to join me? You can still register here.

***

Have you ever participated in a women's only 5k?

Monday Musings: Tori's Birthday & Iron Girl Triathlon Weekend

The weekend started off just the way I wanted it to ... with a happy result on the scale.

Despite being in the negative with my Weight Watchers Points, I still shed 1.6 lbs. Woo!

Now I have been consistently going to the Friday 8am WW meeting since my temp job ended, but Friday I had to skip. Now know I had a good reason AND I had promised to go on Saturday at 8am instead.

Why did I have to meet my meeting?

For a nice long bike ride with my friend Darcie. I'm so glad Darcie and I could connect for another long bike ride. Since the ride began in the city, I had a lot of clipping practice (clipping my bike shoe in and out of the pedals) as well as biking with traffic (cars, changing lanes, etc). We also tackled some big hills, which at the time I didn't know how handy that would be for later in the weekend.

I am still pretty new to biking outside so I was proud of my improvement ... and fell off the bike for a second time. Again it happened while at a complete stop. The first fall was into mulch and this time into grass. So at least both falls had some cushion. ;)

It's crazy how long a long bik ride takes when you count travel time to the ride start, actual ride time, breaks while riding and then traveling home. I left at 7:15am and returned home just after Noon.

Once the bike ride was out of the way, I could focus on the real highlight of Friday ... the wife's birthday!

She turned 34 on Friday. We started the celebration early with a trip to Legoland Discovery Center Boston (which is actually located at Assembly Row in Somerville) on Wednesday night. There is an adult night once a month and July's ended up during Tori's Birthday week. Hello Birthday Gods! It was a BLAST. I will be sharing more details and pictures of the event in another blog post.

On her birthday itself, we met for a nice dinner at Pizzeria Regina at Station Landing in Medford before she used her new birthday gift cards at the Lego Store.

Not sure her smile could get any wider. And yes I was the mastermind behind the Birthday Message. It is pretty much the peak of my Lego skills.

We headed home after the Lego purchase to share a bottle of our favorite wine - Door County Peninsula Winery Sunset Splash - and watched Spaceballs.

It was a great low-key night.

***

I woke up Saturday and decided to walk to and from the Weight Watchers meeting. It was fun to sit in on a new group, especially since I would be subbing in as Leader for the very group next week. It should definitely be a fun time. Plus, my friend Heather is the Leader so I love checking out her meetings.

After walking home, I made sure to clean my bike up since I would be racking it that day - the day before the race rather than the day of. This would be the first time I would leave Roxie alone at a race set-up so I was nervous. But I knew Iron Girl would have the space secured.

The Iron Girl Webster Sprint Tri that I would be competing in with Got Chocolate Milk was just over an hour away from the Boston area so we started the trek West early. Thank goodness we did as there was bumper-to-bumper traffic all over the Mass Pike. But, my neurotic need to leave the house early paid off as we arrived at the Expo just in time. Phew! The last thing you want to do it be late to an Expo that you are speaking at.

That's right. I had the pleasure of taking part in a Q&A Panel with Chocolate Milk Captain Chrisann Dalton. She is one amazingly energetic, compassionate and fierce human and athlete. She completed Iron Man Kona last year with Hines Ward. Yeah, bad ass lady! :)

Following the panel, which was super fun, we hosted a mile Shake Out run. It was great to see so many ladies coming out to stretch, shake out the nerves and refuel with some low-fat chocolate milk with us.

I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. Many of these women were coming out for their first triathlon and hearing the excitement in their voices got me even MORE pumped up for the following day.

Once the Shake Out run was over, it was time to quickly rack my bike at the race site, which was less than a mile from the Expo, before making the trek back home.

I wish we could've stayed out in Webster, but we needed to take care of the pups. So our afternoon/evening was light with a quick lunch at a mall's food court (salad wrap from D'Angelos for me) and some wheat pasta/sauce for dinner.

At the Expo we learned that the water would be too warm to wear our wetsuits. I slightly freaked out as I hadn't raced in just my tri kit yet, but I was ready to give it a whirl. But first I needed to get more comfortable in it. So yes I put it on and wore it around the house for awhile. Just to get the feel.

It was hard to NOT be self-conscious in it as it is designed to be fitted, but I was trying to push those negative thoughts out of my head.

With a glass of red wine, my Zensah compression shorts and socks on, and some Netflix, I spent Saturday night relaxing and making sure I turned in early because...

***

... the alarm went off Sunday morning at 4am. Yes folks you read that right. The race began at 7am and we had about an hour drive ahead of us. So out the door by 4:45 was the game plan. Since it was so early in the morning, we thankfully hit little to no traffic and pulled into the parking lot at 5:52. Woo! We hopped on the shuttle and made our way to the Start area so I could get my stuff set up in transition.

I will share more details about the race itself in a separate recap post, but here are some pics to enjoy in the meantime.

The race was a great experience. There are plenty of things I need to improve on, but I am taking away how strong I felt, how much fun I had high-fiving and cheering on the other ladies during the race and the amazing feeling I had crossing that Finish Line.

After the race, we had to walk my bike the mile back to the car, which was a nice little cool down. But, when I got to the car it was only about 10:30am. Ha! I really thought it was 2pm by then. I guess that is what happens when one gets up at 4am.

We hit a Dunkins before getting back on the high way home.

How did the rest of Sunday go?

Lazy. 100% lazy.

I wore compression. I snuggled puppies. I lounged. I stretched. I watched Netflix. I celebrated with a delicious beer. I read comments from other Iron Girl Finishers. I smiled.

And it was awesome!!

***

Every Monday I say how I wish the weekends were longer, but it is true. The adventures are amazing and I wouldn't change anything I need to go through to make them happen.

So now I turn back to my training plan and write out the next week. No racing this week so all practice all the time.

***

How did you celebrate your weekend?

RACE RECAP: 2014 Old Port Half Marathon

FUN RUN with the BFF = 2014 Old Port Half Marathon

Buoys as division prizes ... so cool!

I was pumped when my BFF Sarah's dad bought her an entry into the Old Port Half for her bday present. Since Sarah and her family live in Portland, we would be making it a little weekend trip.

First stop on Saturday, June 12 was the Expo. The Expo may've been small, but it would outside on a pier with beer for purchase and live music. Hey-o!

I want to thank Old Port Half Race Director Erik Boucher for having me at the race. I do want to share that I was given complimentary race entry and swag, but all of my thoughts are honest and 100% mine!

After a quick Expo trip, we had a lovely afternoon birthday BBQ for my niece Joanna's 2nd birthday.

Since we had a 5am wake-up call, we all turned in early.

After some grumbling after the early wake-up call, I dragged myself off the guest futon and happily got ready for the race. I brought some instant oatmeal to have prior to the race. It is nice to have a kitchen at your disposal when prepping for a race while on the road. Plus, Sarah lives pretty close to downtown so we didn't have to leave the house until just after 6am.

There was ample parking available around the city. Okay, we just parked in any lot we found and hoped for the best. ;) We asked a cop to double check that we were okay and he basically said we are parking at our own risk. Eh, we took the chance.

We immediately headed to the lengthy port-o-potty lines. While in line, I brought up the article from the Boston Globe where Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray shared his race pet peeves. One included folks forming one line to cover multiple port-o-potties rather than one line per port-o-potty. Shortly after I brought this up in a line that seemed to be growing rather than moving, someone made an announcement over the loudspeaker to form one line per port-o-potty. Hallelujah! The lines immediately started moving more.

Wife & I proud to #SportTheFort for Slumbrew!

But we were already cutting it close to the race start. We had about 15 minutes before the Start and still had to drop my bag at the Blue Trailer Mobile Lockers. Thankfully Molly was running a smooth ship and the line moved swiftly. I got my key, locked up my gear and Sarah and I headed to the Start corral.

I sent Tori ahead so she could be in place and get settled before the race started. Since Sarah and I were doing it for fun, I wasn't worried about getting to the right corral.

I will commend Old Port for trying to keep a lane free to the right side of the Start Corral for folks to shimmy up to their correct pace group.

Oh when we came to the back of the Corral, we spotted additional port-o-potties. Would've been helpful to know about those earlier. :P

We did our best to sashay our way up to the 8:30-ish corral, but we got stopped around the 9 min/mile pace corral.

While in line, we went over our game plan again of having fun, taking pictures and keeping the run around a 9 min/mile pace. Our only time goal was to finish in sub-2. The rest of the goals were for fun. ;)

The Start corral was full of spectators and the folks running the 5k option which would be kicking off at 7:30. They were actually taking a shuttle to their Start Line. Cool idea.

The race started out on the main street of Commercial Street. With parts of the street still open to traffic, we were actually running in a roped off area in the middle of the street. It was a narrow shoot so there wasn't a whole lot of bobbing/weaving we could do without possibly rolling an ankle on the old streets. We did the best we could, but again didn't want to waste energy as there was a large hill happening around Mile 3.

Mile 1: 8:52 Mile 2: 8:05

Can you tell we got into a better groove around Mile 2? ;)

After Mile 2, the ever-loving hill began. It weaved, it climbed and it just kept going.

Mile 3: 9:05

I know the hill takes a little more toll on the injured left hammy so I made sure to stay smart and strong. I slowed it down and didn't get antsy when folks passed me. I had to run my own race.

Just after hitting the 5k mark, we saw race volunteers waving frantically and yelling "You are going the wrong way!"

Ummm what? Apparently the folks in front of us were being led in the wrong direction.

We were among the first 15 people to be directed the correct way on the course. As we turned right and had the cool feeling of being in the "front of the pack" on the race, we grumbled that those folks probably wouldn't have to run all 13.1 miles. In reality, I would've been angry if my race wasn't accurately 13.1.

***

Before I continue with the race recap, I want to share what race director Erik posted on the mix-up.

Thank you Erik for being honest and owning up to the mistake.

***

We celebrated being on the correct course with a downhill. :)

During the downhill, I was trying to fix my bun when I lost the hair elastic. Ahhh! Sparkly Soul headband to the rescue. Phew. I was about to start asking surrounding runners for help.

Mile 4: 8:47

Once the hill ended, we took a sharp left and returned to Commercial St. We were heading back towards the Start Area before heading out on the second loop of the race.

I was getting a ton of cheers for my gun metal Sparkle Athletic skirt. The girls around me were jealous of my cheers. I explained to them how awesome the Sparkle Athletic skirts are. It is an instant crowd pleaser.

Mile 5: 8:33

As we passed the Start area, we waved to the car that was still there (woo!) and headed up yet another hill. Sarah had told me that the hill at Mile 3 and an incline at Mile 11 would be it.

Well apparently she thought the course would be down by the water during Mile 6 rather than taking the hill side. Oh joy! ;) I tried to just put my head down and barrel up the hill.

Luckily the hill began by passing the Shipyard Brewery so I just kept thinking about the Shipyard beer we would enjoy at the end of the race.

Mile 6: 8:57

Best friends can be in sync about many things including bathroom breaks. Since we weren't trying to PR, we took a much-needed port-o-potty break during Mile 6. One great way to celebrate climbing to the top of the hill. ;)

Everything was better after the bathroom break.

Beautiful, right?

My Garmin was pretty spot on the whole race so I made sure we took a mid-run selfie at the halfway mark.

We didn't even plan to have such similar outfits, but it worked for us. ;)

My left hamstring was feeling a little tight, but nothing that I haven't gotten used to since the pain started in May. (Yes I am working on the problem ;))

Mile 7: 9:40 (bathroom break can really slow the pace :P)

During Mile 7, we took a left turn onto the running/bike trail that surrounds Back Cove. We would be spending the next 3-ish miles running along this lovely spot of Portland.

Somehow turned on the black-white filter on my phone

This is definitely the top running in Portland as we had a ton of folks out for a fun Saturday morning run pass us while we were running.

Mile 8: 8:42

I want to commend the race for having 10 water stops throughout the course, including a handful of misting tents.

While out on the trail along the Cove, the sun really starting beat down on us. There wasn't a ton of shade available so we made sure to take in water and gatorade whenever available.

Mile 9: 9:03

I've been focusing on walking through the water stops during my races. I've heard taking that 10-15 seconds is wicked helpful for the legs during a race.

Sarah and I were having a good time catching up and planning for her and her daughter to come see my Half Ironman in September. :)

Mile 10: 9:20

During the Mile 10 water stop, I had to peel off my KT Tape as it was rolling off. I rarely have that happen, but I guess I was sweating that much?

Mile 11 took place over Tukey's Bridge. It was an incline, but not nearly as steep as the previous two hills.

Mile 11: 9:20

Once over the bridge, we took a right on Sewage Plant Rd. You can only imagine what kind of facility is on that street and the smell that it let out. Gross! If nothing else, that smell made us run faster.

After a quick turn around point, we headed straight down Eastern Prom trail to the Finish.

We just kept saying "Beer! Beer! Beer!"

Not sure the people around us were as excited as we were. ;)

Mile 12: 8:55

The final mile offered a beatiful view of a dog park as well as some little up and down inclines. Thanks Portland. How sweet of you!

Mile 13: 8:28

The last mile gave us time to decide what we would do when we hit the Finish Line - holding hands and doing the SNL Superstar move it is!

Finish Time: 1:57:44 (8:58 min/mile pace)

Success! Half Marathon #19 was in the books!

We had a great time and felt awesome at the Finish.

We scooped up our medals and headed for the food. I got a nice bottle of free water, a KIND bar and a hot piece of pizza from Portland Pie Company. I applaud Portland Pie for offering a Gluten-Free option for Finishers. They also had cookies and swedish fish for refuel.

We recovered our stuff from Blue Trailer lockers before stalking the Shipyard Beer Garden.

Each Finisher was given two complimentary Shipyard beers. Since the line was ridiculously long that wrapped around the Beer Garden, we grabbed both of our beers at once to be safe.

I felt bad that they ran out of Blueberry beer before my wife finished. :/ It is her favorite.

Sarah and I settled in to stretch and enjoy our beverages, while we waited for Tori to finish and her husband to meet up with us.

The weather was great to sit out and enjoy the 90s cover band. I'm not sure if the band was amazing or if they were just playing every song we love. I think a little of both. :)

We finally met up with Sarah's husband Brandon and Joanna when we found out that babies weren't allowed in the Beer Garden ... but dogs were. Didn't make sense to us. But we found a barricade so we could still hang out with them while we enjoyed our beer.

Joanna was rocking Sarah's medal. While chatting, Joanna decided to break into the beer garden - a gutsy 2 year old - to start double fisting.

Down that water baby!

She is a rebel with a cause. To distract her from the doggies in the beer garden, Brandon and Joanna went to cheer Tori into the Finish! She did awesome finishing in 3:00:11. Amazing job. I was so proud of her especially since I know she hadn't been training for the hills.

We enjoyed some more pizza, while Tori had her celebratory beer.

It is hilarious that we were calling it a day shortly after 11am. We needed some low-fat chocolate milk and Dunkin Donuts coffee.

BYOCM - Bring Your Own Chocolate Milk

Overall, the race was amazing. I had a blast with my BFF and fellow very supported throughout the race. Besides the snafu with misdirection and not alerting folks earlier about the additional port-o-potties, Erik and crew did a great job.

Special thanks to all the volunteers and police officers out on the course.

Plus, it was one sweet sweet medal.

***

Did you run the Old Port Half or 5k?