*RECAP* Buzzard's Bay Sprint Triathlon

FLAT and FAST run course. Oh hellz yeah - sign me up.

That may or may not have been a tipping factor in squeezing in just one more sprint triathlon in my 2014 race calendar. ;)

The Max Performance Triathlon Buzzard's Bay Sprint Triathlon on September 14 was a late add to the race calendar and I am glad I did.

I was supposed to have my first Max Performance Triathlon race experience in August at The Sharon Sprint Triathlon, but had to back out due to injury. Boo!

Race director Tim then offered me a complimentary spot at Buzzard's Bay Tri and I jumped at the chance.

(Note: While I did receive free entry in to the race, all thoughts are my own. Ain't nobody got time for lyin'!)

With the race occurring one week following my first half ironman (Pumpkinman), I was nervous about signing up for the Sprint Tri (since I wasn't sure I would survive the half), but decided to bite the bullet anyway.

The wife and I were able to sleep in until 5am since the race started at 9am. ;) Woo extra hour of sleep compared to the prior Sunday. :P

We loaded up the car and were on the road by 6 since the directions said it would take about 75 minutes to drive to the race.

Since it was 6am on a Sunday, we missed any sort of traffic and had an easy trip towards the Cape. :)

The beach was windy when we arrived. Sunny, but windy. All I could think about was the upcoming battle: the wind vs. me on my bike. I was sending out "tailwind" vibes ... hint: it didn't work. ;)

After checking out the beach, we headed to packet pick-up.

Since I am usually a slacker when it comes to checking out a race course in advance (I know! I know! Must change that), I took the time to check out the swim, bike and run courses on the large board inside the packet pick-up tent. Nothing as nerve-wracking as the previous week so I was happy about that.

The Buzzard's Bay Sprint Tri consisted of a 1/3 mile ocean swim, 14-mile bike and 5k run.

Once we got my packet (Go Bib #81), it was time to make our way over to transition. As we walked, I quipped to the wife how shocked I was that this was my 3rd triathlon of the year and 5th overall. I never thought I would do one let alone more than one. Pretty proud moment for me.

Until I was in transition listening to the athletes around me rattle off their Ironman totals and their times at the previous week's Pumpkinman Half Ironman. Oy! I didn't belong there. I wanted to run away and just drive home. But I quickly gave myself a mental slap to the face. Time and pace didn't matter. I belonged there because I wanted to be there.

With transition ready and plenty of time before the 9am kickoff, the wife and I headed back to the beach. I also wanted to get into the water and feel it out. I hadn't done an ocean swim in ages.

But first we take a selfie.

As we walked towards the water, we saw all of these rocks aka ouch on the poor feetsies.

I knew it would be a painful walk in and out of the swim course. I had a little chat with my feet and told them to DIG DEEP and not feel the pain. Umm not sure if my feet heard me or not, but I was going with it.

Right before the race meeting I put my pair of Oofos sandals down by the swim finish as there was a 1/4 mile run from there to the transition area (again found out about that morning of). Had I known earlier I would've brought a second pair of sneakers.

Note to self: always bring two pairs of sneakers to a tri. Just. In. Case.

The Max Performance group did a great job organizing the swimming waves. Volunteers each held up a cap color on a sign and we group together in a big 2-by-2 line. It really made it organized at the Start. The first group went off at 9 and my wave would be following at 9:04am.

We walked into the starting area 2-by-2 so the timing company could keep count of the number of athletes that entered the water.

The race started with us in the water edge up to our ankles. The countdown commenced and we were off.

***

Swim - 1/3 mile

The director, Tim, had changed the swim course (reversed it) so that we were swimming with the current (thanks Tim!). It was GREAT being back in the water. Swimming is one of my favorite parts so I was sad that it was only 1/3 mile. ;)

We made two right turns while out in the water. I made sure to hug towards the buoys, which kept me out of the way of many of the other swimmers.

I learned during Pumpkinman that I need to keep the top of my wetsuit un-velcroed. So instead of dealing with wetsuit/breathing issues this race, I got into my groove faster and felt stronger.

I took the second and final right, sighted the shore and gave it everything I had as there was another yellow capped swimmer right on my tail. Hello competitive side.

Once I could touch the bottom with my fingers, I stood up and started running towards the timing mat. The timing mat was up on the beach a ways, which meant running over some of the rocks. Thankfully there was some mesh covering a little of the path, but overall it still slowed me down coming out of the water.

There was a small kiddie pool where the beach met the asphalt so I made sure to wash my feet off before slipping on my sandals.

Why can't wetsuits be a little more flattering?

Thanks to the wife for catching this beauty.

Total Time: 10:16 Pace: 1:45/100 yds Overall Place: 62/294 Division: 3/21

***

Mini Run

I would call this more of a shuffle than a run. I did my best to just keep jogging forward, while not slipping in my sandals. I am so thankful I had them with me otherwise the 1/4 stretch would've been MUCH more painful.

I did my best to wiggle my wetsuit down and remove swim cap/goggles while on the move. Hello multi-tasking.

Total Time: 3:05.5 Overall Place: 138/425 Division: 7/27

***

Transition 1

I had a little problem getting my wetsuit off and wasn't sure if it was nerves or just my brain moving two steps ahead of my body. Either way I took a breath and worked on completing one step at a time.

Wetsuit off. Feet dried. Socks/bike shoes on. Shirt changed. Bike helmet on. Race belt attached. Portion of KIND Bar eaten.

I was sad to realize I left my Sparkle Athletic skirt at home. I felt naked without it.

Total Time: 2:09.6

***

Bike - 14 miles

Well bike we meet again.

I knew I wouldn't have sparkle skirt compliments on this race to entertain me while people passed me. Instead I focused on thanking every single volunteer I would encounter the rest of the race.

It was a great way to pass the time and put a smile on someone else's face.

I wish I was the type of person to post PROOF photos in a recap because my official race photos from the bike are hilarious. I am smiling like I have loved biking my entire life. Haha. Okay it entertains me more than anyone else.

The bike course was really beautiful. It was another instance where I wished triathlons allowed you to have your phone on you because I wanted to snap pics left and right. It was a picturesque New England day/scene and I wanted to capture it to share with all of you. Oh well. Luckily I still have them locked in my memory.

I can certainly tell you 14 miles on the bike passes quicker than 56. :P The final couple miles were directly into the wind. I felt like I was biking in place. I was wondering if I would actually make it back to transition. It wasn't something I had really practiced.

I just kept trying to keep the legs moving as best I could.

Seeing runners coming towards me gave me hope that I would make it back to transition.

And I did.

Hello dismount.

I really tried to focus on shifting during the ride. I am still learning when to use low gear, what to do while climbing, etc. At least I can take every ride as a learning experience. Like don't forget your fuel in transition. I was supposed to take the rest of the KIND bar on the bike with me, but left it on my towel.

Total Time: 45:51 Pace:18.3 mphOverall Place: 164/294 Division: 6/21

***

Transition 2

Since I needed more fuel, I took another piece of the KIND bar and a swig of water before heading out on the run.

Having everything already on from the ride meant I simply had to switch out bike shoes for running shoes.

Total Time: 1:30.6

***

Run - 3.1 miles

Hello my love. My legs were feeling a little shaky coming out of transition. I had done a 5-mile trail run the prior day and tweaked my right hamstring so this race I would be battling two sore hamstrings. Umm yay!

But I knew I could push through for a 5k ... especially a flat one!

The wind I experienced on the bike was still there on the run. Thanks for sticking around wind.

I wasn't sure what my legs would have in them, but decided to give it all I had since I would have some rest days coming up. :)

The course was beautiful as you weaved around the quant beach town by the water. There weren't too many spectators around so all I could focus on was my breathing and the breathing of the folks around me.

I am still getting used to the multi sport feature on my watch so I spent some time trying to figure out what my pace was. At least I like math. (multi sport - something I need to work on in BRICK workouts in the future)

But we passed Mile 1 and I saw a sub 8-min/mile pace and was ecstatic. There are some days I can in tune with my body and can feel my pace and other days where I can't. This was the latter. So I trusted the Garmin and pushed on.

I briefly slowed at the halfway point to take in some Gatorade. The run on the asphalt along the beach offered no shade and the sun was out in full force. Just after the water stop you headed out on an out-and-back portion of the run, which allowed for some smiles and head nods to other runners.

I also like seeing what triathlon teams people are part of because it is all new to me. I wished I had more friends on the course as I witnessed the guy in front of my high-fiving and cheering on all of these folks he knew.

We did the turn around on the out-and-back portion and I may have told the volunteers, who were both glued to their cell phones, to liven up for the runners. I know I needed some extra encouragement. I made sure to say it as nicely as possible. :)

Home stretch time. A time again when I wish I had my phone out so I could selfie or chat with you all.

But I pushed on to the final mile. It was a straight shot to the Finish Line. We passed through a wind tunnel with mobile homes on either side. Folks were sitting out and cheering for us. I loved that.

I decided it was time to start focusing on the people around me and try to pick some of them off. Yes mental games I play with myself when I just want to sit down and have a beer with the spectators.

There were a couple of girls in my sight that I really wanted to pass.

I dug deep and pushed forward.

And you know what - it worked!!

I managed to pass two of them and caught up to another girl right at the Finish Line. More on THAT girl in a moment.

I was wicked happy to pass the Finish of my 5th triathlon and collect my Buzzard's Bay water bottle full of water!

Total Time: 24:10 Pace: 7:48 min/mile Overall Place: 100/294 Division: 3/21

***

Official Time: 1:27:01.3

Awesome experience! I had a great time and was really happy with my results.

Until...

I found out I missed out on 3rd place in my division by 0:0:0.1. Yes a fraction of a second away from the podium.

3rd in division: 1:27:01.2 Me: 1:27:01.3

OUCH! And the girl who came in 3rd in the division was the one I caught on the run at the Finish Line. It was like a real life photo finish. :P

Since I am never usually close to placing, it was a tough defeat. But I am still happy with my time.

Big thanks to my wife for taking all these photos and keeping everyone up to speed on the race through her #wifetweets.

It was also a pleasure seeing friends at the race:

Christine from Tedy's Team, who took 2nd female overall

John, who might be one of the most inspiring people I know

Before heading home, I cashed in my ticket for free BBQ.

I chose to split a pulled pork sandwich with the wife. Aren't I nice? ;)

I wish we could've stayed for awards and raffle, but I had to get home to pick my parents up from the airport.

***

Overall Tim and the crew at Max Performance Triathlon put on a great race. Lots of volunteers along the course. I do wish there were additional folks at the water stop since it ended up being used by the runners twice during the course and extra hands would've been helpful.

The swag was a tech shirt, little towel that could be used in transition and a water bottle. I do wish there was a pint glass or a medal involved. The screen printing on the tech shirt didn't seem to be done too well.

Also no beer or low-fat chocolate milk at the end. You know I like both at the end of a race. :P

But I would definitely sign up for one of these races again and recommend them to fellow Boston area friends.

***

What is a deal breaker for you between signing up for a race or not?

Dani Dishes 9-19-14

After a two month hiatus Dani Dishes is BACK!! Let's get caught up on weight loss success, work life, balance and what is to come on Dani Dishes … I need your input!  

Face It Friday: A NWI & Eating Disorder Triggers 9/12/14

For the first Friday since June 13, I did not step on the scale. I wasn't mentally in a spot to see the number on the scale. Whether it was going to be a loss, maintain or a gain, I didn't want my week defined by it.

This past week was a HUGE win for my fitness journey. I finished my first Half Ironman and it really was unbelievable.

But the post-race blues set in on Monday... the snacking increased. I took a rest week this week to let the body heal a little, which left me with a lot of time on my hands. Stupid snacks.

I learned a lesson for the next time. Food is not the answer. I will need other things to fill the time during a rest week.

I also allowed the beer to creep into my weekdays. All summer I had stuck with the #drinkend (adult drinks on weekend only), but let that slide this week.

I tracked it all. Owned all the choices.

And I had a victory ... I didn't purge.

For those that don't know, I was in a very bad place with eating disorders for many years. When I overeat or overindulge, the urge to purge can rear its ugly head. So it happened this week. But I didn't give in. I held strong.

I am worth more than the disease. I am not defined by the disease.

I wish I could just snap my fingers and have it go away from my brain, but I can't. So each day is a battle to win. But again I am worth the battle.

I didn't like how it felt being back in that position. It has been since December that I really felt the urges this strong, but this time I didn't cave. Thanks to friends who allowed me to reach out to them when I needed the support.

If you are ever feeling alone or a need to talk, please reach out to me!! I am always here to lend an ear.

But today is a new day. This is a new week ... that includes my birthday!

So I know that this week again I will enjoy, celebrate and track it all. One week, one meal, one decision doesn't  define the journey!

***

How do you handle the post-race blues?

*RECAP* I Did It ... I Completed Pumpkinman Half Ironman!

I. Freakin. Did. It It's still surreal.

I am a Half Ironman Finisher!

Well I ruined the surprise ending. What? C'mon ... we know this story is like the movie Titanic. We all know the ending, but we tune in to hear all the good stuff of how we got there. Well I guess there isn't a lot of "good stuff" when a movie ends in everyone dying. Oh lord I am off track...

So the morning of the race began with a 4am wake-up call. I thought wow I got to sleep in compared to the 2:30am wakeup calls for the Run Disney races. :P

The alarm went off and I went through my normal morning routine on my phone: checking

Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Tumblr/Instagram/Time Hop/Email

Once that 15 minute ritual was over - it was time to face the day. Oh and that tiny way out of my comfort zone race.

I jumped out of bed and immediately ran over to get my outfit on - thank you OCD for having it all laid out the night before.

The morning was a blur. I tried to answer text messages and check my mental list over and over before heading down to breakfast at 5am. Thank you Comfort Inn for opening the complimentary breakfast at 5am rather than 7am for the racers.

Our plan was to be checked out of the hotel and on the road by 5:15 and you know what - we did it. Go us!

I was terribly nervous on the drive over the race as all sorts of situations buzzed through my mind.

The hotel was a quick 15 minute ride from the hotel and there seemed to be limited traffic until the final mile before the race, which was to be expected.

We easily parked - thank you volunteers - and made our way to transition.

As I brought myself over to transition to get body marked (number and ages on the body) I noticed other folks had the timing chip on their ankle, but I never got one.

<<Insert panic attack #1>>

After simply asking someone about it, I realized I had to get it day of. Phew!

I decided to set up my transition area before getting my timing chip. As soon as I walked into transition there was my friend and fellow Team Got Chocolate Milk team member John! Oh was it good to get a hug from that man. He is a huge motivator and inspiration of mine.

Normally I would have a nice pic of my transition area to post here, but I was a tad too nervous to snap one. #BloggerFail

The wife and I headed over to get my timing chip and I ran into my friend Robin. She is a rockstar Weight Watchers Success Story, Ironman and overall badass. I bothered the crap out of her during my training. :)

It was great catching up with Robin and a nice distraction. I headed into transition to grab my wetsuit, goggles and swim cap since it was 6:18 and transition would be closing at 6:30. We decided to head down the hill to use the port-o-potties near the water before the 6:45 mandatory race meeting.

I was able to catch up with other friends racing as well including my former Weight Watchers member and training buddy Darcie.

We listened to the announcements from race director Kat before her daughter sang the National Anthem. There was a little forgetfulness on the lyrics, which is understandable, but the whole crowd picked her up and finished the song singing together. :)

Once that was all said and done the elites were getting ready to kick off at 7am. Eek! My wave started at 7:11am.

So I had the wife snap a final pre-race photo and I sent out my final social media messages before handing the reigns over to the wife.

I do need to take a moment to thank my wife for keeping everyone up to speed during the race and rocking the #wifetweets!

I looked over and there the clock read 7:06am. Shit! Time to get into my corral. I gave the wife a final kiss and was off.

The nerves were erupting and overtaking my entire body.

I was standing in the water with the other ladies in my corral just thinking: "Enjoy this!" "You paid to do this." "You will be okay."

Then the horn went off...

Swim - 1.2 Miles

The start of the swim always makes me nervous as a bunch of folks are plunging in at the same time heading for the same goal.

I immediately felt like I couldn't breathe. I tried to pull down the zipper of my wetsuit, but it didn't help. Instead I unvelcroed the top of my wetsuit and everything felt okay. Phew! I told myself to get in my groove. And it happened.

The swim was a 0.6 triangle that we would do twice. Once I made the first left, I felt alone in the water. Like the other racers had fallen away... until I bumped into the age group in front of us. :P

But I felt like I was swimming a consistent race. After the second left, we were heading back towards the shore before doing the triangle again.

As I came to the shore, I looked up (the wife said she spotted me doing that) and noticed that another age group was starting the race JUST as I was coming around for my second loop. Really people? Poor timing on my part.

The second loop started out blindly as the sun was hitting the sky at a really awkward spot for us trying to spot the buoy.

I decided to cut to the inside and hug the buoys to try to avoid the mass of swimmers. It seemed to work well for me until I realized there was another pink cap that was pretty much in stride with me the whole way. She was on my left hand side. (I later learned that that person was a Chocolate Milk teammate. Ha!)

But it helped me stay on point.

I realized during the race I was spotting well and limiting my zig zag swimming that sometimes happens during Open Water Swimming.

Once I took the final left, the entire focus came on the shore. I couldn't believe that the swim was coming to an end. Not that I had any idea of time since my couldn't see my Garmin at all in the water.

I had heard that the water would be super weedy while leaving the water and it was true. I was all caught up in my arms and legs as I tried to get out of the water.

As I started to pull down my wetsuit, I hit my Garmin and saw a 34:xx on the swim. I was elated!!

Total Time: 34:34 Pace: 1:39/100 yds Overall Place: 109/425 Division: 3/27

**Can I just add how STOKED I was to see 3rd in my division in the swim? Clearly doing my swim workouts in meters when they were meant to be in yards (aka extra swimming) paid off!

***

Mini Run

I had decided I would take my wetsuit off before the run/walk up the mini hill to transition. It was a cool experience to get myself up the hill with all of the spectators on the side. I saw the wife, as well as, my best friend and niece. It was what I needed with 1/3 of the race over. :)

I knew I would run/walk/hustle up the hill. I wasn't about to waste energy on something like this this early on in the race.

Thankfully the hill was all grass without any stones so running up barefoot wasn't a problem.

Total Time: 1:36.8

***

Transition 1

Once again thanks to John who helped me figure out which rack was mine. I quickly got to my station and did the best change I could. I decided to wear my cycling jersey and my camelbak on the ride. I wanted to feel as comfortable as possible on my weakest leg. I had already put open luna bars in the back of my cycling jersey before the race so that was set.

I chatted with John about the swim and even saw my niece while I got my bike ready. She tried to get out of her stroller to see me. I wanted to just stop there and hang with her, but I pushed on.

Thanks for the pic John!

John caught me chatting with a woman in my lane asking if my niece was my daughter. :)

Total Time: 2:23.3

***

Bike - 56 miles

The portion of the triathlon I wish I could skip. :P

It is no surprise that the bike leg is my weakest and my least favorite so I really tried my hardest to get out there with a positive mindset.

I immediately wished I had music with me. I know it is not allowed in triathlons, but boy it would help.

It really was a gorgeous course so I tried to soak that in as best as possible.

I have mentioned the bike is my weakest leg so I really tried to get myself in the positive mindset.

Which immediately went away as about 6 people zoomed by me on the bike. Sweet - it is going be like that all morning.

And it was.

Here is where I won the bike course: my Sparkle Athletic skirt.

I lost the number of people who passed me, but 9 out of 10 of them complimented me on the skirt while they did it. So at least I had people to say "Thank You!" to. Hahaha.

One woman nicknamed me "Pumpkin Diva!" Ahh I loved it.

I definitely got dubbed Best Dressed my many a passerbyer as well.

At first being passed frustrated me, but then I kept telling myself: "Do you. Be you. Do your own race. Let them do theirs."

The rolling hills were thankfully not as big as I thought they were while driving the course the day prior. But they definitely took some out of me.

The bike course featured two loops.

The volunteers and cops did a GREAT job holding up traffic since the roads were open during the whole race, which originally freaked me out.

They were nice and complimentary.

So I knew I would be on the bike for hours and I wondered how one handled the bathroom situation. Well Robin had said you just pee on your bike. Ummm excuse me?

Well I tried it. And it didn't work. Haha. I tried multiple times since I had only seen one port-o-potty during the bike course. I knew if I got off the bike I would NOT want to get back on.

I held it.

I am proud to say while on the bike I was able to drink from my water bottles on the bike while moving AND eat while in motion.

I have been biking for just about a year so I am still learning.

I laughed out loud at how excited that made me.

I saw the 30 mile marker and BAM! I got all excited then realized I still had 26 miles to go.

So on the second loop, which featured just as many hills I tried to really enjoy the Maine scenery.

Multiple times I wished I had my phone on me to capture the sights. There were so many quaint cottages I wanted to capture, but wasn't able to. :(

And really I missed updating you all with my mid-race ramblings.

While my times might not be amazing race-wise, I was so proud with how I was doing on the bike.

Until I hit Mile 40 and thought UGH 16 more miles. That is when my positive mantra started failing. :P

So out came my singing - Frozen, Disney songs and some Taylor Swift.

Not sure how the folks passing me thought about that.

Additionally while out on the bike, I saw 5 people on the side of the road with flat tires and busted bikes.

Boy did I ask my angels above to look out for me in that time. I just asked: "Please don't let that be me."

When I roared past Mile 50 I knew I was in the home stretch.

But for me 6 miles still felt like forever. haha.

I was really proud of where I stood. I was well ahead of my sub-4 goal. I kept my Garmin on my wrist the whole time so I wouldn't be constantly looking at it. I was however doing a lot of math in my head with my cyclometer.

The bike course shut down at 12:30 and by my calculations I would be off the course by 11:22. Phew! An hour to spare.

As I took the final mile into  transition, I saw folks heading out on their run. Oh was I jealous.

The roads were ROUGH coming into transition so I just wanted to be on my feet again.

I could tell my family was so happy to see me as they were just as worried about the bike portion as I was. I was waiving to Joanna, my niece, in this photo. :)

A big part of the bike that scares me is the downhill. Going fast down the hill gives me some serious anxiety and pictures fly through my head of me hitting something and heading over my handlebars, etc. But on that day I decided to trust myself and the bike and use the speed. I knew I would need it to get back up the hills since this course was seriously rolling the entire time. So Bravo to me for overcoming that.

Total Time: 3:24:56 Pace: 16.4/mph Overall Place: 361/425 Division: 18/27

** My goal was to hit at least an average 15/mph so I was wicked happy to see something better than that. And as you can see by my places, I have some serious bike improvement.

***

Transition 2

All I could think about was peeing. Haha. So as soon as I re-racked my bike and switched to my run gear I was in line at the port-o-potty in transition.

Thanks again John!

Best decision of the race was hitting that port-o-potty! Haha. I can tell you that far into the race the skirt was a tad annoying. :P But I made it work.

I quickly threw off the cycling jersey and camelbak and replaced it with my Team Chocolate Milk t-shirt and race belt.

Total Time: 3:13.4

***

Run - 13.1 Miles

I grabbed the Essentia water they had for us and chugged it. So refreshing. As I took the right turn out of transition I saw my whole support crew. I was wicked excited to see my dad since I hadn't seen him when I came out of the water. He was driving up that morning from Boston and I really didn't want him to miss anything.

Woo! I was wicked excited to be on my comfort zone ... the run! I knew that even if I had to run, run/walk or walk I was in a place where I felt confident.

I think I was a tad excited to be out there since my first mile was 8:07 min/mile pace. I knew I couldn't keep that up the entire run so I would have to slow it down.

I hadn't looked at the run course so I didn't know what to expect. The run was also two loops so I had the first loop to see what it was all about.

Guess what?

The rolling hills were still there. Haha.

As was an out and back course. I was happy with the out and back as it meant lots of other faces to smile at, cheer for and wave at.

It was funny seeing so many folks that had passed me on the ride still complimenting me on my skirt. ;)

I am happy to say the first 7 miles were all sub 9 min/mile pace, but then around Mile 8 the pain in my left hamstring really started to bug me. This is an injury I have been dealing with since May and I knew it may flare up.

I was happy to see my BFF and the niece at the Mile 8 turnaround. I needed that familiar boost.

So starting at Mile 8 I started a version of the run-walk method. It bothered me how much of a mental game it became at that point, but I tried to will myself through it.

I saw the sub 6 time slip away, but reminded myself that this was my first Half Ironman so I really couldn't beat myself up over whatever my time was.

During my second loop, I saw a lot of familiar faces on the course so I had folks to talk to and check up on.

I had promised myself that I would walk through every water stop (all 10) and I did.

In those final few miles, I opted to walk up the hill and run the downhill. In the moment, I was angry at myself, but I had to be kind.

When I saw Mile 12, I knew it was the home stretch. The was the end of my 20th half marathon and the final mile of a long 70.3 mile journey.

The race thought it was funny to put a large hill during that final mile. Har har. I tried to use the spectators to push me up and over the hill. No literally I asked to jump into a baby's stroller to get me up the hill. But for some reason they refused.

Once I made it to the top of the hill, it was "all downhill from there." And it was. I made the final turn into the Finish shoot and there was my BFF and her daughter. They ran with me for a few yards before I made the trek down the grassy hill.

I saw my wife and dad and may have uttered: "I am going to puke" since it was straight down a grassy hill. ;)

There was the Finish Line seconds away from me.

Then it was over.

Total Time: 1:59:22 Pace: 9:03 min/mile Overall Place: 180/425 Division: 10/27

***

The After

Official Time: 6:06:03.4

photo 4 (1)

I was wicked happy to see the first medal volunteer I could to place the medal around my neck. Oh it was glorious.

pump12

Thanks Barry for my special 2nd personalized medal!

The race also gives you a Finisher's t-shirt after you get your medal. I was in such a daze that I didn't understand what they were saying, but I gladly took my shirt. :)

shirt

I can say the Finish was surreal. So much time and months were spent training and worrying about the race and then it was over.

Thankfully I had these amazing people waiting for me with hugs and love.

pump10

How cute was she??? She did NOT give me a good look when she first hugged me. Apparently I smelled. ;)

Once the BFF and the little lady departed, we headed straight towards the beer tent. I have priorities folks. :P

photo 5 (68)

photo 4 (92)

pump6

The beer tasted sooo good. :) It was great recapping the race with my dad and wife.

I even got to see two Got Chocolate Milk teammates: Jaquelin and Kevin!

pump3

photo 5 (69)

While we enjoyed our beers and listened to the awards ceremony, the wife enjoyed the thanksgiving dinner I got with my Finish and I caught up on social media.

I missed all of you while out on the course.

There was only so much time I could spend there before I needed to get some real food.

We headed back to the transition area so I could collect my belongings, got into the car, drove my dad to his car (spectator parking was 1/2 mile away) then headed to Shipyard Pub for lunch.

We enjoyed a great meal and some more celebratory beer before taking the drive back to Massachusetts.

***

Now the immediate question is: Will you do it again?

Honestly, I don't think so. I just wasn't a fan of the bike portion and it is over half the race for me.

Maybe if I move to a flat state, I would try it again, but as of now no.

Next question: Will you do a Full?

Oh hellz no. Again see the bike portion. I just couldn't imagine getting out there and going on a 7-hour bike ride some Saturday.

During the course of training for the Half Ironman, I did a ton of double workout days and a lot of early mornings. I missed social events and time with my wife. I don't want to do that again.

Again things can change, but that is my position now.

***

Overall, Pumpkinman was a great time. They did an awesome job with volunteers and aid stations. The spectators were sparse for the bike portion, but decent for the run. The volunteers were upbeat and I made sure to thank every single one I saw while out on the course.

Am I happy I took the leap outside of my comfort zone? Abso-freakin-lutely!

Can I successfully check this off my bucket list? You know it.

Now point me in the direction of the tattoo parlor ... time to add the 70.3 to my foot tattoo.

tat

***

Have you done a Half Ironman? What was your favorite part?

T-minus 19 hours until Pumpkinman Half Ironman...

The weekend I have been waiting for all year has finally arrived. The weekend that I really never thought would get here.

During a session entitled “Stop Keeping up with the Joneses” during Fitbloggin (June 2013), we were asked to introduce ourselves.

What I’d love to do as a way to get started, is to have everyone introduce yourself. We’re not a huge group, so just your name and your blog. I’d like you guys to say one weight loss or fitness goal that you’ve seen someone else do that you really wish you could do.

And in that room with my dear friend Sue (aka MrsFatAss) next to me I uttered:

Dani, Weight Off My Shoulders: There’s so many! I’d like to do a half ironman.

Yes thanks to live blogging at the session there is documented proof of what I said.

Sooooo....

I signed up for this race back in November 2013. That was almost a year ago. It is so easy and carefree to sign up for something so far away.

As the days clicked past, the workouts were checked off ... the injuries were treated ... the nerves were hidden.

With each passing day, the discussion of the race was there, but it was surreal. Again it was all the way in September.

Then the reality struck down on August 7 - ONE MONTH. One small month to go until I took on a challenge I never thought I would accept.

And in a blur the race is tomorrow! Tomorrow. Less than 19 hours away to be exact. And I am a BUNDLE of emotions.

Thank you Suzi Storm for this! :) 

Today I have laughed, cried, freaked out (sorry to my wife) and have almost thrown up. While all of this is going on, I am reminding myself I chose to sign up for this. It was my choice. Haha. I wanted to do it and push my limits and my comfort zone. Oh and to have fun!

So much gear!

Now with my bags packed and the gear about to be loaded in to the car, I take a moment to reflect back. This training cycle has had its ups and downs - great runs, horrendous bike rides, splendid swims and a sidelining quad injuries (longest 5 days of rest) - but I am proud to say I gave it my all. I tried my hardest during my workouts and made a lot of sacrifices to get things done.

Are there workouts I missed? Yes.

Do I wish I could've done some things differently? Of course.

Am I happy with the time and energy I put into my training? Absolutely.

I couldn't ask any more from my efforts. Screw that - of course I could. There are shoulda, coulda, wouldas out there, but I can't dwell on them. Especially 19 hours before the race.

All I can do now is trust that I did enough and give it everything I can tomorrow.

No one has expectations for the race besides me. I am my own worst critic/enemy. I know that my friends, family and readers will love me no matter what happens. I am the one putting unnecessary pressure on myself, which I am trying to strike from my mind.

Doing my best to store as many positive mantras, thoughts and feelings in my mind between now and the race start so whenever I feel doubt tomorrow ... it can be banished away immediately.

So now that the crying fits happened, I am going to enjoy the ride.

The plan for today/tonight?

*Drive to the hotel in Dover, NH to unload gear/stuff/bike/etc

* Head to Expo (open 4-6)

* Drive the bike course

* Back to hotel

* Dinner

* Relax/Sleep/Foam Roll/Compression as best as possible

Here's hoping the mental ready catches up to the physical readiness!!!

***

If you would like to track me, you can download the All Sports Events app on iPhone or Android. (My swim wave kicks off at 7:11am.)

* Select Upcoming Events

* Select Pumpkinman Triathlon

* Select Results

* Select Athlete Search

* Search for me (my bib # is 365) and click on Dani Holmes-Kirk

* Click on the heart in the right-hand corner to add me as a Favorite

***

Thank you all for your constant support and motivation!

Face It Friday: Accepting A Gain & Race Tracking 9/5/14

After seeing 157.4 on the scale last week for the first time in months, I may have celebrated a little too much ... I may have overindulged a little too much ... I may have had that extra beer. And you know what??

I am okay with that!

What? How? Why?

I knew it would be a big weekend as Labor Day meshed with my best friend and her family coming to visit meeting up with taper week (meaning less working out than normal).

It was the perfect storm.

So I vowed over the weekend to enjoy the moments, but track them all - good, bad or ugly.

And it did get ugly.

Now tracking this weekend didn't change any of my choices, but it allowed me to accept and own them.

Rather than beating myself up when the number hit a negative.

I checked in with myself and made sure the choices were worth it ... and they were!

Normally after a big weekend, I am right back on track on Monday, but with the holiday we decided to grill out so the points added up. I made that decision that morning and was happy I did.

I made sure to continue to weigh and measure and check off those Good Health Guidelines even when feeling a little off track.

But once Tuesday came around I was back to sticking to my Daily Points Target.

Instead of worrying about the negative number and throwing in an extra workout here or there, I stuck to my training plan. I know that this week leading up to the Half Ironman is about following my game plan rather than trying to get extra workouts in.

It is a fine balance sometimes between weight loss and training.

SO when I prepared to face the scale this morning, I expected a gain and would accept whatever the scale wanted to dish out.

I was fine with everything that happened over the week and was proud of the progress I made over the Summer leading up to the big race.

The scale read 158.3 this morning - up just 0.9 lb.

I will gladly take that since it could've been more.

My goal when recommitting to tracking/me on June 13 was to be in the 150s before the big race ... and I am!

I feel healthy, balanced, confident and thankful.

***

And now I turn my focus to race weekend.

The Pumpkinman Half Ironman is Sunday. My swim wave kicks off at 7:11am.

If you would like to track me, you can download the All Sports Events app on iPhone or Android.

* Select Upcoming Events

* Select Pumpkinman Triathlon

* Select Results

* Select Athlete Search

* Search for me (my bib # is 365) and click on Dani Holmes-Kirk

* Click on the heart in the right-hand corner to add me as a Favorite

***

I will be turning the big 3-2 on September 16! I am actually pretty excited for it since my 30s have kicked serious booty.

Now I cannot wait to see what happens next…

So how can you help me celebrate turning 32?

Donate to Tedy’s Team and help me #FightStroke in honor of my #1 Stroke Hero – my gramma.

There are two ways you can participate:

1) The Dani Ryan Holmes-Kirk 3rd Annual 30th Birthday 5k Run-Walk Ramble

A $25 to Tedy’s Team gains you entry to the virtual race, a printable bib, a Finisher’s Medal and 7 entries into the raffle.

Sign up here!

2) Make a $20 donation to Tedy’s Team and gain 5 entries into the raffle.

Donate here!

I have an anonymous donor who will match up to $1,200 raised by the Birthday 5k/raffle! Say whaa?? Heck yeah!

I appreciate all the help!!!

***

Do you beat yourself up when you over indulge or do you practice self forgiveness?

Monday Musings: Weekend of Workouts & Wedding Wonder

Weekends this summer have been full of workouts, laughs, love, friends and family ...but not a ton of rest! So you can imagine this past weekend was right along those same lines. ;) My wife actually got up early on Sunday to get her 4 mile run in before we walked over to my 5k race and she quipped later that day: "Wow, I don't know how you do this getting up early to workout thing all the time."

It made me smile to myself. Now she appreciates the early mornings I put in so that we can have more time to spend together. :)

Sunday marked just two weeks until the Pumpkinman Half Ironman. Wow September 7 will be here before I know it. This weekend I needed to really buckle down and focus.

The workouts started bright and early Friday after a great weigh-in. Did you hear I am happily back in the 150s?

My goal on Friday was to get 4 hours in on the bike, but that didn't happen. Between a Recycle Studio Spin workout and a bike tide out to Bedford from Somerville - I spent about 3 hours in the saddle.

But I still haven't gotten 56 miles in on the bike and I need to do that before the race just to show myself I can do it. So guess what is on the docket for this upcoming week?

The bike is so mental for me. My body knows it can do it, but the mind gets nervous and overwhelmed. Time to shut the brain down.

The rest of the Friday called for relaxation and blogging. Isn't that what all the cool kids do on a Friday night? :)

I had an early morning on Saturday. I wanted to hit up the 8am Weight Watchers meeting and claim my Ace Your Summer Challenge bling for having attended 10 of the last 11 weeks of meetings. Woo!

It is such a nice and welcoming group. I am happy to attend their meetings and occasionally sub before I return to long run Saturdays this Fall.

I was smiling from ear to ear as members of the group talked about the fun they had attending the Nike Run & Walk Club that I have been helping to host. They talked about feeling welcome without thought of pace or fitness level. Exactly the kind of group I have been trying to create. :)

Full of motivation and inspiration, I headed to the pool to get my 1.2 mile time trial swim done.

During the entire swim I felt strong and like I could keep swimming for days. :) I guess that training is paying off. :P It was a great morning in the pool full of entertainment from the kids' swim classes going on on the opposite side of the pool from me.

Once I was out of the pool, I had to race home, quickly change and head to my cousin's wedding dress appointment. How cute are the cards our friend Lauren made to judge the dresses?

They are so my cousin. :)

Since I never did the wedding dress shopping thing myself (maybe some day), it was a complete learning experience. It really is a live version of Say Yes To The Dress. My cousin found a style she liked, but didn't say yes to a dress at the first location.

My cousin & I working the duck lips

She inevitably found her dress at appointment #2 of the day, which I wasn't able to make.

While my Saturday afternoons were canceled last minute, I wouldn't waste the time by getting in my BRICK workout with my #1 supporter the wife by my side.

She humored me while I blabbered on about nothing for two hours on the bike trainer and then jumped on her bike while I knocked out a quick 5k (26:34) to shake the legs out.

She also listened to me curse out the wind for blowing in my face for the entire run. Not sure I could've said: "Are you serious wind?" any more than I did. Haha.

We decided to cook in on Saturday night and enjoy a lovely meal outside in the backyard, while the pups played.

Please note: it is the wife who is drinking Pumpkin beer in August. #TheShame 

The wife made Skinnytaste's Weeknight Skillet Sazon Chicken Tenders and it was delicious!! We paired it with our once a month treat of yellow rice (yum) and steamed broccoli.

After a fantastic dinner outside, we finally watched Muppets Most Wanted. It was cute but not nearly as good as the Muppet Movie from 2011.

Now while the wife got up early on Sunday to run I slept in until 7:15am - woah! Late I know. ;) But it was great to lounge around and snuggle some pups until she came home.

The Race To The Row 5k I was running on Sunday didn't start until 9:30am AND was located across the street from my house which meant a late departure time. Boy I wish all of my races were that close.

It was a fun morning with lots of friends. I will post a recap of that race shortly.

I wasn't sure how my body would handle the race since I had done a 1.5 mile swim, 30 mile bike and 5k run the day before.

But as you can see it was pretty speedy. I ended up 79th overall and 10th in my division. Woo! I never reach the top 10 in my division so that was exciting.

Following the race I had a couple of hours of downtime before we headed to a wedding celebration for my friend Nicole and her partner Melsen. It was a lovely afternoon in Brookline with friends.

They had a great spread and a make your own burritos area, which totally was up the wife's alley. I ate most of the large salad they had available. :P

Our crew has gotten older and maybe more mature? Okay not at all more mature, but it was fun to come together to celebrate love and friendship.

With a busy weekend in the books, it was great to come home and just vet out for the rest of the evening.

I went to bed Sunday night with a happy heart, a complete Weight Watchers food tracker and renewed energy for the week ahead.

***

Since we know I am - for now - just enjoying adult beverages on the weekend, here are a couple of the local brews I tried:

Berkshire Brewing Company

Tap Brewing Company (Haverhill, MA)

Both were full of hoppy goodness...

***

Two other notes for this week:

1) I have a $10 off discount code for the Max Performance Buzzards Bay Sprint Triathlon on September 14.

Use code: WOMSBUZZ14 (code expires Friday, August 29)

2) I am holding a giveaway for a free entry into the inaugural South Shore Half Marathon in Norwell, MA on November 2.

Feel free to enter here.

***

How did you stay active this weekend?

How To Prep For A Triathlon Transition

Signing up for the triathlon and training for it seemed like the easy part once I started thinking about how much STUFF is needed for Race Day and the transition area.

Where to begin?

Step One: Lay out everything I need for Race Day

I find it helpful to lay my gear out by category.

Category 1: Outfit.

My Got Chocolate Milk Tri Kit, my Garmin watch and aSparkle Athletic Skirt.

Not pictured Zensah sports bra.

This will be my base for the day, except I will NOT be wearing the Sparkle Athletic skirt in the water. 

Now not everyone will have a tri kit and that is A-okay! I didn't have one for the first year of racing in triathlons and only have one now thanks to Team Chocolate Milk! ;)

Category 2: Transition Area.

I love to use my Asics towel as my base. On top of that base goes all accessories, fuel and “just in case” stuff. I like to keep a water bottle, a handheld water bottle (if I want it for the run), a KIND bar, my ENERGYBits and sunglasses.

Category 3: The Swim.

So apparently I cut off the most important part of the swim attire – goggles. Ha. So my swim gear includes goggles, swim cap (usually one issued by the race itself), wetsuit and a towel to clear off my feet to transition to the bike.

Do you like the sweet Nestle towel I have? I got it when the Nesquik Bunny visited me back in March. 

Category 4: The Bike.

Once I maneuver the wetsuit off – hopefully without falling  – and the feet are dry, it is time to secure my Sparkly Soul headband before putting on my helmet. You can get penalized if you are moving with the bike and not having your helmet on so I make sure it is one of the first thing I put on for the bike.

With the helmet on, I will put on myZensah compression sleeves, attach my race belt which will already have my number on it and slip into the shoes.

NOW if you do not want to wear the race belt - again A-okay - you can also throw on a shirt or singlet during transition, which will already have the number pinned to it. This is your call and what you are more comfortable with.

I actually like to throw a singlet or tank on over my tri kit because well the tri kit isn't very flattering especially when went. :P

Category 5: The Run.

The final transition should be the easiest. Bike shoes and helmet off … visor and sneakers on.

Once I give everything a once over – adding the race bib and bike number – it all goes into my big IKEA bag (yup classy) and it sits by the front door. This way I won’t forget anything. I put everything in the bag by category, which makes setting up transition on race day a breeze.

I personally like bike gear closest to front of towel, food/energy/fuel in the middle and run farthest away. Play around with the set up of your transition area to see what works for you.

My bike helmet isn't in the transition picture since I keep it on the handlebars with my Garmin, which is already cued up to MultiSport. :)

It has taken me a few tries tris (see what I did there) to get it right, but now I have a good system. It is always up for tweaking, but I am getting into the groove.

***

I hope some of these tips can help you prep for your next triathlon.

Three Things Thursday: Book Edition

Books Books Books!!! I'm so excited to share what I've been reading with you all.

Now these books are not your kick back on a Sunday afternoon looking to escape reality type stories. We are growing our minds here people. It's time to get our learn on.

***

First up, it's Snack Girl to the Rescue! (value $17.99)

I've been following Lisa (aka Snack Girl) online (Twitter) for a few years so I was excited to check out her book.

In addition to dishing out 100 recipes (all under 400 calories), she shares her wisdom about weight loss, emotional eating, exercise, every day temptations, healthy cooking, as well as food marketing. Lisa, who is a mom of two, offers a friendly, witty and encouraging tone to her advice.

As a proponent of healthy living over "dieting," I agree with many of the points that Lisa brings up throughout Part 1 - Encouragement and Guidance - of the book.

When discussing creating a workout routine, she suggests:

Begin to see exercise as a gift to yourself rather than a burden

AMEN SISTER!! I love it and something I tell my Weight Watchers members often.

Speaking of Weight Watchers, Lisa offers the nutrition facts on all of her recipes, which made it easy for me to calculate the Points Plus Values. I made sure to calculate and write them on the recipes as soon as I received the book.

You can find the 100 recipes in Part 2 - Recipes (catchy I know) - of the book, which includes the philosophy behind her recipes, the recipes themselves, and a handy pantry list.

Instead of just giving you the facts for the recipes, Lisa shares a personal story or anecdote with each. For example, on her Beef and Veggie Cottage Pie (pg 178 - 5PPV per serving), she writes:

The original recipe was created to use up the leftover roast meat and potatoes from the night before. My version uses ground beer because most of us aren't eating beef roasts very often.

The recipe section is broken up into Breakfast, Mains, Sides, Snacks and Desserts. Oh be sure to check out the No-Bake Brownie Balls (2 PPV each) on page 253 and bring some by if you stop at my house anytime soon. ;)

So if you are looking for a relatable, realistic and entertaining recipe book, check out Snack Girl to the Rescue!

***

The best book on the list is one I have been holding on to since April and kept meaning to share, but those darn races were in my way. ;)

I give you The Runner's World Big Book of Running for Beginners!! (value $21.99)

The book is co authored by some heavy hitters in the running community: Bart Yasso, Jen Van Allen, and Amby Burfoot. Ummm exactly amazing.

Now when I started running I didn't know anything and didn't really know where to go for help. I really wish there was a book like this around in 2005. It even features five training plans to help you start exercising, start running, run nonstop, run faster, and run longer.

Additionally you can find inspirational stories from people who used running as a tool to lose weight, stop smoking, overcome illness and heartache, and manage chronic pain. Who doesn't love a motivational story?

There are three main parts to the book: Getting Started; Nutrition and Weight Loss; and Staying Healthy and Managing Injuries. These three authors pretty much run the gamut to cover any potential questions you may have.

In the Keys to Success (pg 56) within Chapter 2 (Become A Runner In Five Easy Steps) they stress being flexible. Now not physically, while I am sure that can help, but rather with the training plans.

Don't feel like you have to do these workouts on the days specified here. Do the workouts on whatever day gives you enough time to do the workout and clean up without feeling rushed.

Seems pretty basic, right? Well when I started out I thought I was an EPIC failure if I didn't follow the training plans to the letter. I've learned through the years that the plan is there for you to be tweaked as you/life needs it.

In addition to the mounds of information in my now overly highlighted copy, they even have a Guide To Common Running Terms. Thank you! So often people would be rattling off about fartleks, VO2 max and stride length and I would have ZERO idea what they heck they were talking about. Now you can find all those answers in once place.

I have recommended this book to countless newbie runners and even some folks like myself who think they know what is going on. Hey, I admit that I do not know a lot about running and will take all opportunities to learn and improve.

Pick up this book and you too can learn to "act like a runner even when you're not exercising!"

***

There is NO hiding it here on the blog that I am scared of my bike and not a fan of riding it outdoors that much. ;) I am working on it folks so when offered the chance to check out a couple cycling books I jumped pedaled at the chance.

The Big Book of Cycling for Beginners by Tori Bortman (value $21.99) and the Essential Road Bike Maintenance Handbook by Todd Downs (value $14.99).

The Big Book of Cycling for Beginners is breaking it down for us in topics like:

• Selecting a bicycle that best fits you and your needs • How to appropriately outfit yourself with gear and equipment • Basic riding and etiquette skills, including how to navigate traffic • The anatomy of a bicycle and its various components • Body tune up for greater endurance, strength, and speed • Training and Nutrition • Maintaining your bike, how to perform routine repairs

The 10-Part book really takes you from deciding what type of biker you are planning to be - Recreational Rider, Fitness Cyclist or Racing Cyclist - to tuning your own ride - what you can control and what the experts at the bike shop should handle.

I personally spent most of my time in Part 7 - Well, How Do You Do? Road Etiquette - as I haven't spent a ton of time on the open streets with my bike Roxie. Like did you know there are not only hand signals for signaling and stopping, but potholes, narrowing roads and parked cars? Yeah I definitely didn't. Now I know the arm signals as well as the "shout-out" for each. These are especially important when riding in a group.

I also took my highlighter out for most of Part 10 - Tuning Your Ride - as I have so much to learn about bike maintenance. There are so many parts that need attention on one lovely bike: chains, wheels, frames, etc.

But, if the Big Book of Cycling doesn't offer enough on Bike Maintenance, there is the Essential Road Bike Maintenance Handbook.

Readers will find a comprehensive guide to bike repair and simple solutions to common problems riders regularly face. With step-by-step instructions and links to various how-to videos via Bicycling.com, this handy guide will save money and aggravation by distilling core bike-maintenance fundamentals.

This book is so helpful that I've been known to shove it into the back bag under my bike seat just in case. You never know when something can go wrong. Am I right?

So for my fellow newbies, I plead you to pick up the Big Book of Cycling for Beginners - you won't be disappointed.

***

Have you read or used any of the books I mentioned?

T-minus 1 month 'til that little Half Ironman

Have I told you lately I am training for a Half Ironman? OOOOHHHH have I been too subtle with my postings? Man I thought that would happen. ;)

No really, I continue to say the words, see the workouts happen and tick the days off until the big day is here, but I am still living in a world where it doesn't seem real.

Does that even make sense?

Wow I am throwing a ton of questions at you guys RIGHT off the bat today. Sorry about that.

For those that are new to the blog - HEEYYYY!!!! welcome welcome - I am taking on my first Half Ironman at Pumpkinman on September 7 in Maine. Here were my thoughts from July 7 - 2 months 'til the big day.

Now we are just one month until Race Day.

Why am I freakin' out? 

This is sooo far out of my comfort zone that I am plain old scared.

The biggest fear? Being swept! Yup, I am paralyzed with fear that I will be swept off the course after all this work I put in. The course limit is 8 hours.

I am a worrier by nature so you can guess that most of my workouts are spent breaking down how slowly I can do each section in order to finish in time.

After talking with friends and looking at my own times during workouts, I don't really think a sweep will happen - but you NEVER know what can happen on race day. So the fear is still there.

All I can do on race day is try my hardest whatever happens will happen. Can you tell I have been reciting that over and over again?

Every time I start freakin' out I remind myself why I signed up for this crazy thing to begin with ... to 1) push myself our of my comfort zone and 2) have fun! Ohhhh this is all supposed to be fun? Right right. Sometimes I forget that.

I wish I had a coach to bounce my questions off of and to make sure the training I am doing is correct. Am I doing enough? Too much? Just right?

But for now I just trust the book I am using and reach out to my experienced friends for help.

How is training going?

The training itself is actually okay. It is trying to fit all the workouts in to the week that is the toughest. I have been tweaking my work day to fit in an afternoon workout then will finish work in the evening.

I do need to work on more BRICK workouts in this final month - making sure my legs are used to running after biking.

I also need to spend more time stretching. I had a scary shooting pain in my right quad today that left me paralyzed on the front steps of my house for a couple of minutes - scary!! So stretching, icing, heating, etc are all high priority down the stretch...

SWIM

I love swimming so the swim workouts in the pool are actually enjoyable. Not sure I am doing the speed work fast enough, but I am giving my 100% every time I get into the pool.

I think down the stretch I will need to spend a little more time in the open water in my wetsuit to get used to swimming in it. I don't find it as enjoyable as swimming in the tri kit/bathing suit - which shocks me now.

I did successfully swim 96-consecutive lengths of the pool and lived to tell the tale.

The Half Ironman swim is 1.2 miles and I swam almost 1.5, which put me at ease. I kept the pace nice and moderate and felt strong the entire time. Now if only I had a bunch of other folks in the pool trying to kick and punch me while swimming in the same direction in order to experience race conditions. ;)

Big thanks to my parents for starting my swim lessons at age six months for my love of the water.

BIKE

My weakest and most hated portion of the triathlon. :P I have so much fear on the bike - flipping over the handlebars, tipping over while trying to grab my water bottle, flying off the bike while sailing quickly down the downhill, etc.

You know the normal bike fears - ohhh I am the only one thinking I will crash and burn every time they get on the bike? Yeah I figured. It's okay.

I am proud of myself for getting out last week and doing my 3 hour training ride outside and solo.

The bike portion of the Half Ironman is 56 miles.

I know this will be my slowest portion and one I pray to make it through.

I will say that thanks to training and Spin classes I am feeling slightly stronger on the bike, especially when facing the large hills.

But I really do not enjoy it. I want to badly, but the entire 3-hour ride I wished I was running. :P Maybe with more practice and less fear the love will appear, but for now I plug through the rides and am thankful for being healthy enough to bike.

RUN

If you read this blog you know that this is clearly my favorite section of the triathlon. :) Well it is my comfort zone. During Iron Girl Webster Sprint Tri in July, I celebrated lacing up my sneakers and heading out for the run.

Now I know this won't be a PR half at the end of the Half Ironman, but I hope that it will be easiest to push through since I love running.

My long runs haven't truly been happening during this training as I am nursing a left hamstring injury, but I am still trying to get out there and keep some miles on the legs. Hence why there haven't been as many BRICK workouts as there should be.

But, I do feel pretty conditioned on the running side from all of my racing so far in 2014.

***

So what will push me through the race besides a sense of accomplishment and badass-ery? A sweet sweet medal.

Thanks to my friend Lisa for sharing her medal from 2011

Hellooo bling!

***

So what will the last month of training bring?

More mental work. I am doing all I can physically, but I need to get the positive, confident, brainspace to push through a long race day. Plus I need to trust in the training.

Ramp up my low-fat chocolate milk intake of course! ;)

Oh and remember I need to give it all I can on that day ... and E-N-J-O-Y it!

***

How do you get mentally tough for a new fitness challenge?