I Want To Be Better

As January of 2015 has come and gone and here we are in February I figured it would be a good time to really get out there my goals for this race year.  I have thought long and hard about what I want and I have decided it comes down to this: I want to be better.  That is my goal.  
As with all goals in order to know what you are working towards you have to define the goal, this meant for me there was a need to define what "better" means.  This was where I started to have a problem. What did better mean?  And how would I know I was better?
Well, the first part of this was easy for me, I wanted to define better as a time.  I am not normally one who hopes to cut time down on races, I look at each race as did I try my best.  but this year I do have a time goal, I want to shave 10 minutes from my Ironman distance time.  I have three opportunities to achieve this goal this year.  I feel this is reasonable and obtainable.  This year I know what to expect from this race and I think that gives me some advantage over the time.  
After I set this goal for time I thought about if this is really the only definition of better for me.  I came up with, "no".  So what else do I want to do better. 
I want to be even better at engaging in the racing community in a helpful manner.  This year Patrick and I have taken on writing out Tri Club newsletter and we are members of a Tri Team.  Both of these give opportunities  to give back to our sport and physical community.  So this year on the race course I am going to say even more thanks yous and good jobs to the volunteers and other racers.  I am going to cheer on those who I encounter who are struggling.  And even before the start line I am going to support, encourage, and push those around me to be better.  So be prepared for when you see me on the course I will yell louder and push a little harder.
These are my goals.  I have means of getting there and a course of action.  Here we go. 

Being better does not mean changing the world, it simple means being the change you want to see in the world and in yourself.         

Double Bridge- Patrick and Teresa Style!!!

One of the great things about our racing community is that certain races are going to come up year after year, Double Bridge is one of those races.  With these repeat races there is often a benefit to signing up early, a money saving benefit.  So Patrick and I signed up shortly after the race last year.  The only problem with this is we had no idea we would be selected for a triathlon team that would be volunteering at the event handing out fabulous visors.  We had to figure a few things out to make it all work- we wanted to run the race but knew we could not run the race.  A plan started to brew- we would run the race before the race!!! 

Start Line- 4AM

This seemed like a good idea when the plan was to start running at 5am.  But since we had a few rough running events lately I freaked out and we decided to run at 4am!  This means a 3am wake up for me, because I still HAD to shower.  
Also, something to remember at 4am (which since we had not been running in the mornings I had forgotten), it is colder than the day's high! We arrived at the start line at 4am, water, nutrition, and lights all a go!!!  The security officer gave a slightly questionable glance but since we weren't vandalizing the place or breaking any laws he didn't intervene.  He more than likely thought, "Oh great crazy runners already!"

At the CHOPPA!!!

We headed out on our little adventure, we would run the course from the Pensacola side to the Pensacola beach side (oh yeah this meant leaving my Jeep overnight at the beach).  It was a strange feeling coming out of the start line, there was no one elbowing for room, no one pushing, no need to zig or zag.  Then it dawned on us, THIS IS WHAT THE FRONT OF THE PACK FEELS LIKE!!!!  We were the leaders in our own little race!!! 
We started a little slow and in the third mile I needed a quick potty break- the good thing about running a race course before the race, these things are already set up for you!  We hit the War Memorial and got a quick photo with the Chopper- the Pea Ridge folks know why. (It is weird having so many race photos, since we stopped to take them this time.)
Once on the 3 mile bridge it was step by step easy sailing.  We listened to the fish jump at the bugs brought by the lights off the fishing pier and after we passed that Patrick listened to me sing the theme song to Might Mouse.   

Moving on 3 Mile

The moon was high and bright in the sky and lit up the small water breaks.  I was basking in the moonlight when I heard a voice behind me, "I am coming up on you, don't want to scare you." I nearly jumped off the bridge in that moment.  Who the heck is out here running at 0430?  Besides us!!!  I laughed as his efforts to not scared me nearly made me pee myself (thank goodness for the earlier potty break).  He passed with little more than a conversation about the great morning and to have a good run.  We got a few honks from people headed out to the race- we waved.  We got a few looks from people trying to beat the start of the race to work- we waved.  And we got buzzed by an 18 wheeler- he did try to give us room and we certainly gave him as much as we could. 

Overpass

After reaching the end of the first bridge we headed onto some not so great road.  They are grating the road for new pavement so it is not fun, but the sidewalk soon appeared.  I thought this would be a good thing, until we hit the sprinklers.  I am not sure what they were watering as it seemed only the side walk and us were getting wet.  
We passed another officer at this point, waiting in her car for the real racers.  She waved and appeared shocked.  Not sure if it was because we were running out there so early or if it was because we looked like blinking Christmas trees heading down the road.  We hit the 5K area and started to see the 15K buses go by to the start line, Patrick waved, I gave my hang ten signal and on we went.
At this point we hit the overpass.  Now if you have never run this course "Double" Bridge is a misnomer, because really there are three bridges when you include the over pass.  And you should include the over pass because it is a bridge, it is steep, and it is at an awkward angle, making it difficult.  The buses were coming by more frequently at this point- we still waved.  

Top of the beach bridge

Here we were at the foot of the last bridge, up and over that's all we had left.  Again I sang, not sure what this time, but I sang.  We waved at a few runners on the other side and a few more buses.  We pushed up the bridge at a decent pace, catching the sky as it began to warn of the rising sun. Down the bridge felt good, this is not always the case for me and downhills, but today it was all good.  We met the cone layers at the bottom of the bridge as they headed out. 

Rock N Fly Proud!

Wishing them all a good morning we pushed out the last half mile on a marked course.  
We turned into the parking area and went ahead on down the finish shoot.  I think the guys finishing putting up the netting got nervous with our arrival so we assured them it was not race time yet.  We lengthened our strides and pressed on through the finish line.  Patrick really pushed me, I could not fall back.  It would have been a photo finish.  We were greeted by a few friends who were working the race.  One mentioned that he was not sure if it was us coming through or UFOs landing!!!!  
After our race it was time for part two of our morning- Handing out visors to the 15K finishers.  This was an amazing experience, as volunteering on these events often is.  We got to see the speedy guys and gals cross the line then we took our spots at the Gavel Nation (Joe Zarzaur) tent to hand out visors with our Tri Team. We got to see lots of smiling faces- happy to have done their 15K!!!  

 While a year ago and even a few months ago this was not the race we set out to have I think in the end it was even better than any race we could have run today.  We got to run the race course that we love and we got to give back to the running community which has and continues to give back so much to us!!!! 

Congrats to all the finishers out there!!!  

They were nice enough to give us medals (we were official racers).

   

Rock and Roll Marathon- Sometimes You Get the Race You need, Not the Race You Wanted

There are good races and bad races in racing, but everyday you race is a good day.  
We went to NOLA Rock and Roll marathon with no sort of plan other than to get it done.  In the end that's what we did.

Our training had been minimal at best, getting only one one run over 13.1 miles done.  We had felt good on that long run.  Once at the expo we decided to aim for a 5:30 race (I never said we were super speedy).  This would make this our fastest marathon.  On race morning we also decided to stay together for this race, knowing each one of us would need a little extra push at some point, we just didn't realize how big of a push would be needed.  
The morning was cold and windy, then we turned a corner (literally) and it was hot!  The sun was beating down on us by the time our wave started around 8am, the wind was steady.  We headed out towards the Garden District, stripping clothing.  We were down to our shorts and singlets by the second mile.  We were also needing to stop to stretch in this second mile.  We listened to the bands play brass and southern rock, as the smells of bar-b-que began to fill the morning air.  We were on pace; we were actually a minute ahead of pace for the first 10 miles.  All was good in this moment, the bands were playing, our legs were loosening out, and we were feeling good (minus all my potty breaks).  

 As we headed to the  French Quarter some of the half marathoners were starting to fall off their own pace.  We gave encouragements as we passed, hoping to give them that edge as they stride into their last 5 miles.  Running through the French Quarter on streets normally filled with angry drivers and drinking patrons, was a refreshing New Orleans experience.  We could hear the tuba player outside of Cafe du Monde, as the barges started to wake up on the Mississippi.  We finished off the French Quarter portion with cheers and headed out to the lake.  This run up Esplanade would be about 2 miles.  At the end of it the half marathoners would break off to the finish line and leave only a few of us still pushing on.  As we approached our turn on to a short out and back road Patrick began to feel his calf pain worsen and then tighten to an unbearable pain.  He described it as a feeling that his Achilles was going to break off.  I don't care who you are if that's the description of your pain that's not good.  We began to walk at about 12.5.  From here till about mile 15 we would be slow.  In fact our pace was too slow, at that pace over the next 13 miles we would be in danger of being pulled from the course.  We negotiated back and forth over me leaving a running ahead.  I would not be able to recatch the 5:30 pace, but I could still push out to beat my IMCHOO time.  Patrick was in pain that no course massage, stretching, or ibprophen was helping (we were looking for some Biofreeze but that was limited on the course and would remain elusive until mile 25).  

After much encouragement from Patrick, I kissed him and headed out to finish the race.  There was one problem, my legs thought we were already done.  I ran about 200 yards on legs made of cement and rebar, then had to walk again.  This continued for about a half a mile.  I glanced back to see where Patrick was to find that he was gaining on me.  He grinned having been caught.  I found out later he wanted me to be his rabbit, someone to chase to help him try to push through the pain.  We were back together heading into mile 19.  I looked over to Patrick and told him I wanted to catch the guy in the Blerch shirt (my favorite running comic).  Patrick looked back at me and said, "I know."  I knew it would take some time.  But as we made the turn along the lake front I could see my target. We were about 3/4ths of a mile back.  Having 5 miles to go I knew I could catch him.  Little by little we crept up on him.  I was having some pretty serious abdominal/side pain, this had happened before so I was pretty sure my appendix was not bursting.  Just before mile 23 we caught him and passed him, it was a little victory but what we both needed.  We cheered him on as we passed.  Then step by heavy step we moved into the final 5K.  
Here in these final miles we would pass and cheer others (rabbit after rabbit behind us)  but we would no longer be passed.  We were putting our race back together and we were doing on the spirit from each other.  Each mile feeling a little stronger.  At the last band stand at 25 they began to play Tom Petty's "Last Dance with Mary Jane".  We took a seconds pause, this mile was our last dance.  We pushed on. 
As we approached the finish line we agreed to not sprint it out.  But then the final 300 yards opened up.  We looked at each other- it was almost over, it was a hard road, but it was our road.  200 yards, we lengthened our stride.  100 yards, hand in hand we ran.  I may have gotten a little excited, as I heard Patrick say "whoa" and we slowed only slightly to keep his legs from cramping up more.  That was it!!!  DONE!!!  

At the finish line there still stood volunteers and announcers.  They high fived us, patted us on our backs, handed us our medals, water, chocolate milk, beads, and jackets.   
We may not have met our time goal, we may not have had our fastest marathon, we may not have done it as others would have, but what we did was amazing.  
If you take away the medals, the visors, the jackets, what stands before you is still the glory you have in your heart for the sport, the commitment, the effort, and the love.  I would not wish for a better day or a better race.  This race was ours, this day was wonderful, and tomorrow we will learn again.   

Awesomeness!!!

   

How a Robot Vacuum Makes me a Better Husband

I hate vacuuming. I always have. Vacuums annoy me, at best. The act of vacuuming - ug. I'd rather go to the dentist. For these reasons, Teresa has always taken care of this particular chore. I still do things around the house, mainly fixing things, taking out the trash, dishes, and cat litter boxes. Since Teresa is obviously in charge of floor care she gets the final say in the equipment she uses. We graduated from a conventional bagged vacuum about 10 years ago to a Dyson. I really hate this thing. As far as I'm concerned, the transition to "bagless" is a big FU to consumers. What a useless idea this is. Now after stirring up all the dust while vacuuming, you also get an extra dose in the face when you try to empty the canister, and again when you try to clean the 50 filters. BUT Teresa likes it and I only have to use it once a year. To be honest, we are lucky that my one-time-a-year use hasn't resulted in me running it over with may car (like the cordless phone, VCR, and blender). I digress.

Shortly after we got this particular vacuum we replaced most of our carpet with laminate floors, and bought a Mint, swiffer robot. We call her Rosie, like the "Jetson's." This little engineering marvel increased my involvement in floor cleaning by 100%. It's like a Ronco for floors, set it and forget it.

 When Teresa started looking at robot vacuums I was apprehensive because of the price. Ultimately, we bought one. BEST DECISION EVER. A step up from the Mint, this thing is on a schedule and is completely automatic (except when it gets stuck or needs it's dust bin emptied). It starts in the morning and vacuums our room, the bathroom, the cat's bathroom, the hall, entry way, and bar room, then it returns to it's charging station. It effectively picks up all the cat hair and sand daily. It makes a huge difference in the amount of vacuuming Teresa has to fit in on a monthly basis.

We call it Tony, like "Who's the Boss."

Here's the thing: I enjoy the act of emptying that thing's dust bin. I do it every other day. It takes less than a minute (still bagless and I do hate that but it doesn't seem as bad, and the filter cleaning is still a pain). Once a week I put it in the living room to pick up all the dog hair. I'm happy to do it because it is one less thing for Teresa to worry about and it doesn't result in me wanting to run something over with my car.

This morning we had a discussion about how often Teresa empties the dust bin on the robot. Maybe once a month. I came to the conclusion that the robot helps me be a better husband. It encourages me  to do more things around the house. Dishes, trash, cat boxes, and fixing things don't take a lot of time, and I'm able to fit those into my normal days without much trouble. Teresa "cleans" where I only "pick-up," does all the laundry and bed sheet stuff, shopping and scheduling. Everything balances out pretty well. The problems occur when we go into major training mode. We trash the house quicker because we are always short on time. Laundry increases exponentially because of workout clothes and towels. My contribution with the vacuuming helps alleviate the extra demands our "Athletic" lifestyle has put on the household.

The robot vacuum helps.

And I'm finally getting older and more mature and have figured out more of this "being an Adult" stuff. -- that probably helps too.

Advice to First Timers

Jennifer's First Half!!

While I am not first or fast out there I feel like I have been doing this long enough to give some advice to the first timers.  
**The reason I feel that maybe I should give some general advice is that I have been running in events since 2008.  I have run most distances and on most terrains.  Also it seems I am being asked for advice (still weird).**
Remember first you already did you the two hardest parts: 

1) YOU SIGNED UP! 
2) YOU SHOWED UP!!

I hope you did the 3rd important part and TRAINED too! 

Now advice for race day prep and race day advice: 

RACE DAY PREP

• Do packet pick up early.  For your first time you don't want to be standing at the packet pick up on the morning of your race.  It causes anxiety.   But remember if you can't get there to get your packet early you will be okay.
• Check the weather.  Never freak out.  Weather is what it is.  it makes us tougher every step of the way. 

  

  This was for a 5K. :)

• Lay out your race day gear.  Everything from underwear to shoes to nutrition to after clothes.  I set up my gear on the bed as if I am putting it on- visor, sunglasses, bra, shirt, run belt (with number attached), shorts (built-in undies), knee braces, socks, shoes.  Then I set out nutrition (for long runs).  Then I packet it in my bag, piece by piece, except for what I will wear.  I also lay out my clothes I am wearing to the race.   Then I grab out after race clothes.  This is helpful in the winter as you will sweat then when you stop you will get cold.
• Set your alarm clock. 
• Eat dinner a little early. 
• Go to bed early if the have to get up earlier than normal.   Now it may feel like Christmas Eve and you can't sleep.  Take deep breaths and with each breath fill your body with a color.  See it come over your toes, breath, then up your legs, breath, then into your torso, breath, the don your arms, breath, then up your neck breath, then over your head, breath, then bask in your colored warmth.  And sleep.  

RACE DAY ADVICE: 

SHOES!!!

•  Remember your shoes.  You can run without them but it might be rough.  They should be in your gear bag or with your morning clothes.
• Stick to your plan. STAY THE COURSE.  Your first race is not the first time you should try something new. If your new socks just came in the mail, today is not that day to wear them.  
• Trust in yourself.  This is a journey.  A life change.  This is the first step to other journeys.  Trust that you can do it.  Because all the rest of us on that start line with you know you can do it.   
• SMILE!!!!  We are all glad you are there, you should be too. 

  

  HAVE FUN!!!

• Don't under estimate your ability. 
• Don't think that because you didn't win that you didn't try.  A DFL (Dead F**king Last) is better than a DNS (Did Not Start). 
• Be willing to assess the situation.  If you had wanted to run the full distance but on mile 2 get a horrible leg pain, take time to assess.  This does not mean your race day is over it just means there is some change.  These changes on the course are to be expected. 
• Give yourself permission to try and try again.  If you need to walk or want to walk this is okay.  It does not mean your race is over, you don't get to throw in the towel.  Take your minute and go at it again. 

My last piece of RACE DAY advice is this: 

HAVE FUN

If you are not having fun then at some point you missed the point.  This is fun. Race day is fun. Get involved in the race.  Sing the National Anthem. Yell when they say GO! Say thank you to the police and volunteers.  Joke with the guys giving you directions.  Look around at the beauty of the course (something you don't see from a car). Feel refreshed by the water at water stops.  Count down the miles (I do mine in the voice of the Count from Sesame Street. A 5, ha ha ha.  A 6 ha ha ha.  It makes me laugh). And when that finish line appears, you push your final push, you throw your hands up in the air and you proclaim your finish!!!!  

I AM HERE!!!  VICTORY IS MINE!!!!    

Happy racing to all of those towing the line for the first time and to those who have towed it a thousand times.  You are each my hero.  And I am proud to call you comrades. 

Preparing for Something You Didn't Prepare For

Life throws things at us.  I would love to say this half marathon go thrown at me but let's face it I have known it was coming for months.  However, my motivation has not be hyped up for months.  So here we are on the eve of the eve of this half marahton and I am working to convenience my brain that I am ready and I can do this, at least live through this thing. 
I think I may be at the "fake it till you make it" stage. 
That's what I am going to do.  I am working to change my self talk from worries to proclamations.  
I WILL FINISH. 
I will run it. 
I will be strong. 
I will be powerful. 
I will press on. 
I will stay focused. 
I will be okay. 

That's it---- I WILL.  

It's All About That Swim!!!

If you have been reading along then you may have noticed that of the three tri sports I really enjoy the swim and amazingly Patrick has started to enjoy the swim.  Like most of my story of triathlon I sort of fell into swimming; well, I was thrown in to it, but we will get to that shortly.  I was not a high school swimmer nor a collegiate swimmer, nope I was a back yard swimmer.  

2014- Patrick's 10K swim

My parents will both tell you that I was born for the water.  I was not a cuddler as a kid (or now) but I love the feeling of water compressing against me, even at a young age.  I don't remember much about my early swimming years, strangely enough those early years I mostly remember things about snow, maybe because I would only have few experiences with the stuff.  What I do recall about my early swimming years was a lake and a dock and my dad.  My father taught me to swim, as a naval submariner my father also found comfort in the water.  Of course also as a Navy man my father believed in the sink of swim method.  He would throw my brother and I off the dock and we were encouraged to swim to shore.  This was the lesson in swimming (and survival).  Sure we breathed a little water but we learned to doggie paddle, to float, and to hold our breath. And yes my father kept a watchful eye on us, as did my mother.  I don't remember being scared; what I remember is making it to shore and running back out the dock to be thrown back in again and again and again.  This would be my first swimming lesson.  

Can't keep me out of the water.

As I got older we moved to Florida, near the Gulf and with a pool in the back yard.  I remember swimming in the frigid March water all the way up till nearly Christmas one year.  My brother and I would claim to not be cold, as our lips turned blue and our fingers numb.  My mother would give us no more option to stay in as our teeth chattered she would force us into warm towels and dry clothes.  However, the next day I was back out there ready to swim.  
Around this time I also started watching the Olympics.  This meant learning how to REALLY swim.  Again my father took to the water to teach me the Freestyle stroke, breast stroke, and butterfly.  My mother also taught me how to side stroke (my mother is actually fearful of the water due to a childhood event).  
Besides the pool there was the Gulf.  As a child the beach was a great adventure (not much has changed).  My father taught me to "jump" waves, dive under waves, and to read the waters for rip currents and wave counts.   I remember watching my father suit up with his navy fins, mask, and snorkel.  He would be gone for what seemed like hours; then there he would appear again and I would run out into the water (much further than my mother wished), swimming to him to see what treasures he had found and to hear what fish were out that day. There was never a fear for me.  Open water was simply a big pool that I shared with wildlife.  
As I went off to college the only place to swim was our college pool.  I spent many nights in the pool swimming laps.  I took a few courses in swimming but given my level of water comfort I often found myself swimming alone with little guidance.  I found the pool was a comfortable place where the rest of the world could not find me or reach me.  I was there just gliding in the water.  
After college it would be a few years before I would come back to the water for swimming purposes.  I still loved the Gulf, which I moved back near, but it was more about playing and floating. 

YOU SCUBA!!!

Patrick and I became scuba certified.  This was my comfort zone, minus the part where I had to flood my goggles then clear them. I love everything about scuba but what I love the most is the water.  I could watch bubbles float up all day long.  Under water the world is different it moves in fluid motions, not forced.  It is quiet there, just the sound of bubbles and fish eating and your own breath.  

2010 Aquathon- Finish

When we got into racing I decided I wanted to do the

2010 Aquathon- Entering the water.

Aquathon, 5K run and 5K swim.  I trained but not well and not in open water.  I had a horrible run.  I was the second to last person into the water.  I heard the safety guy on the walkie say, "I guess we will let her get in, we can pull her along the way if we have to."  The start of the swim was near a retaining wall.  Here I was safe, free from openness.  I passed the wall and got my first look at the bridge.  I nearly turned back, said NOPE NOPE NOPE.  I remember shaking in the water, pulling my head up to breath, gasping for the air.  I looked forward, the other side was so far away.  A support women in a kayak came up to me, the other gentleman was on my heels, she asked if I was ok.  I wasn't but I said I said I was good.  Then I found my comfort zone and I swam.  As I got further away from the guy behind me and started to actually pass others I became more confident.  My new found support buddy went back and forth between me and others, spending less and less time with me (I missed my buddy).  I made it halfway, I was not last.  I realized I loved being here, under the bridge, in the water, gliding. 

2013 25K Swim

This recharged my love for the water, for the swim. 
This part of triathlon is my push point, few of us push in the water.  But I enjoy that part, again the freedom, the pressured hug, the silence.  
While my swimming journey is not glamorous it has been a journey I took feet first.  If you ask me today to go for a run, I will wrinkle my nose but put on my shoes.  If you ask me to go for a swim, I will grab my prepacked swim bag and a suit and I will head to any body of water you pick.