An Early Christmas (Justin)

One of my buddies from college moved out to Colorado post-grad and what I'm guessing happens to everyone that moves there, fell in love with the outdoors. He started up his own company (http://activegearreview.com/) where he's sent outdoor gear from all different companies.

He was in need of some help from fellow runners for some magazine deal he's working on and there's no way I was going to turn down the offer. I was sent 3 pairs of New Balances that just arrived today: the 1064's, the 760's and the MT876's.

I can't wait to give them a beating and let you know how they hold up- my reviews to follow soon...

Just a couple of pictures

Here are two photos from the weekend. Jus was awesome kicking out a 2:15 run (while I just did 1 hr). It was cold but we dressed perfectly. Rain was arriving later on so we made sure to kick the runs out early.

Jus on Charles River

Ice, BRRRR!

I'm so disciplined : )

Last night was my company's holiday party. This year it started earlier in the day and was in the office (instead of at a restaurant) which is cool with me. It was a fun time with lots of chatter, games and delicious food (mind you I only had 1 meat ball, 3 shrimp and maybe a couple of peanut butter cups - great control on my part!). The party ended at 6pm after which everyone went out on the town. Being the disciplined athlete I am (ha!) I hoped on the T at 6:15pm and headed home instead to go for a run. My motivation has been real low lately but this week has been great and I didn't want to end my streak last night. Home by 6:45pm and out the door for my run at 7pm. I was jealous cause Justin had just gotten home from his run which made me REALLY not want to run! I was out quick though so that I didn't give myself the opportunity to back out of going.

Temperatures were dropping last night so it made for a cold run. I went the usual route down the Charles River. The way out had an awful headwind that made me feel like my nose was going to fall off. I was giving so much effort just to move forward. The way home was awesome though as I had the tailwind pushing me along. The trail was pretty empty - a few runners here and there, but just a few. I stopped with a min left in the run to snap a pic in front of Faneuil Hall and it's xmas tree. Thanks to Jus, I'm rockin' my new night vision jacket from Brooks - like? I'm blinded from just looking at it.

I took a hot shower afterwords and ate prob the worst turkey chili we've ever made for dinner (but still not bad). Tonight I have off - yay! - and couldn't be looking forward to the weekend more than I am right now!

Cash Cab and Us

Well, even though yesterday called for a run and/or swim for Jus and I, we decided to hop on the trainers instead. It was nasty outside and it's too early in the season to be sacrificing comfort for workouts... that comes later in the season (like my attitude?). Usually we throw on VH1 music videos then both put on our own earphones to listen to our own music, that way we listen to what we want yet have something to watch, make sense? Yesterday though, my shuffle was sadly forgotten in the car, parked in the garage, 1 mile away from our apartment, so I had no music. Jus was oh so kind to sacrifice his music too and instead we put on the Cash Cab and decided to make a game of the game. We played along and for every question we answered incorrectly, we had to sprint 15 secs on commercial break. Thanks to smarty-pants Jus for answering all the questions (I think I got a total of 3 questions right), we only had to sprint a total of 2:15 the entire show - that's 9 incorrect answers.

After biking, we did a core and arm workout, a routine Jus put together. My arms hurt and my stomach even more.

Jus on the trainer, watching Cash Cab.

Transition from Laziness (justin)

Its been a lot harder than expected to get back into serious training mode. To start at a level of absolute apathy and move back into an everyday training schedule has caused my mind/body to riot. Trying to go straight from the couch to 6 days a week wasn't working so well so I decided to make it more of a slow transition.

During Ironman training, I followed a hardcore nutrition and training regimen and am slowly reintroducing those things back into daily life. My diets not perfect yet and I definitely haven't been doing every workout on the schedule but each week (for the last month) I've gotten a little better. With about 1 month to go before the Goofy Challenge, I'm ready to jump in head first. I picked up some new running kicks (Mizuno Wave Elixir 4s) which are more minimal than I'm used to- I can tell a big difference with these shoes and am definitely more conscious of my stride. While there is a decent amount of cushioning in the heel, I get sharp pains when I let my stride breakdown and it forces me to correct my stride. I've also been consistently using a Trigger Point foot roller that helps with my arches (Plantar Fascitis) and a foam roller for my leg muscles. I'm hoping this prevents my usual injuries and helps with recovery. With 37 days till the Goofy Challenge, I'll take any advantage I can get.

The moon is bright!

Look how bright the moon is tonight! (yea, my phone doesn't take such great pics). That's all - just a very bright moon.

Puma's Sprint Your Halls Off

Today my company had Puma come in for a promotional event called Sprint Your Halls Off. Puma is trying to expand their brand even more from fashion to performance, hence the event. They came in, took over our hallway and set up a speed trap. We all, individually, ran down the hall in Puma kicks and clocked in our times. Top seven people with fastest speeds moved on to run for our company's average time (which they'll compare to other Boston-based companies to find out who holds the title of fastest). Being one of two females that actually participated, I automatically made it into the the group of seven, but sadly came in with a 14.3mph speed (everyone else came in with 15.7-17.6mph). Oh well! Good thing I do endurance, not speed! It was a fun time, and the Puma folks were great. Our video should be up next week (i'll post it) but to get a better sense of what it's about, here is their promo video:



And some pictures...

I think he's running fast!

Puma showing off their stuff : )

 

The final times...

Travel (Justin)

I've been struggling to get into a consistent training sched as I prep for the Goofy challenge. Last week I was sick and when you throw that in with all the usual excuses- tired after work, wife on a break from training, and it gets dark at 4 freakin' 30!!!- I pretty much ended up doing nothing. I got in 1 medium and 1 long run and thats it...pretty lame.

This week I decided I am re-motivated and ready to dive in head first. I had to travel to Ft Worth, TX for work so I packed up my new running kicks (Mizuno Wave Elixir 4s) and some warm-weather running gear. Upon arrival in Texas, I've found its a lot colder than expected (H55 L34) but that just means that locals were too cold to go outside and overcrowd my run route. The low temps has made this city a virtual ghost town. I missed yesterdays run b/c of work so I woke up early this morning, wound my way through the city, and hit the Trinity River running route. The starting temp in the low 30's ensured I had the place too myself- though a couple people in the city commented that I must be crazy for running in shorts. Its hard to see from the picture but I started from the office where the picture was taken and ran along the river thats hiding behind the big glass building on the right (total run was about 6 miles). The goal is to get in 1-2 more runs before leaving tomorrow afternoon and maybe an hour bike at the hotel gym.

Lots of reflections in one big paragraph!

On my walk at lunch on this beautiful day (70 degrees and sunny!), I thought a lot about this past season and next. Some of the below might seem choppy but I'm kinda just letting my thoughts go (and don't really feel like editing)...

This past season was a great one for me in many ways. I kicked the season off with a great race at the Honu 70.3. This was my second half ever and I went sub 6 hours -- 40 minutes faster than my first half (Rhode Island) in 2008. Then, at the end of the season, I took on the Pumpkinman half and did 5:50:56, an 8 minute improvement from Honu with no prepping as I was in recovery from IMLP. I did a few other repeat races (Shelton and Cranberry Oly) and did faster times than the previous year at both. IMLP, the race of the year made this a great season all on it's own! I still don't know what made me sign up. Whatever it was, I'm happy for it. When I did the Rhode Island 70.3 in 2008, I was making the turn for the second loop on the run when my brother decided to videotape me as he ran by my side. In pain and on the verge of giving up (though I would never give up!), I turned to the video camera and said very clearly "I am NOT doing Ironman!" Ha, well, so much for that! When I had my first talk with coach John, far before the training season started, I told him I wanted to finish IMLP under 14 hours, could I do that? I need to give myself more credit! I did 12:35 in my first Ironman, a time I couldn't have been happier with. I hope I am never not completely nervous and scared out of my mind for Ironman races, it's a pretty awesome feeling to have and following it up with a finish is pretty awesome too. Also this season, I was sponsored by Bear Naked, which was a cool experience to be a part of. My biggest improvement and the one I'm most proud of is biking. Going back down memory lane when I bought my first bike, I fell straight over when I tried to clip into the pedals. On that same day, my first bike ride ever, Joey and Justin thought it would be a great idea to bring me up a road called Hilltop Drive (you can guess from the name, it's a road straight up a steep hill). Not even halfway up and I again fell straight over while fighting the incline and not being able to snap out of my pedals to catch my fall. Now, I make Hilltop a part of every ride when I'm in Ridgefield, even if it's just riding up it once only to go right back down before heading home. This past season I upgraded my race bike to a Cervelo which means areobars! Just the thought of areobars scared me before this season. I took my first ride alone on my new bike and quickly overcame a fear of riding areo bars! I finished my season with my second marathon ever, the Baystate marathon, and set an 11+ min PR. But most importantly, the best part of training/racing this past season has been that I've gotten to go through it all with my family - racing and training with them and having them their for support is unbelievable.

Top 10 training memories of this past season:

1.  Buying my first ever carbon bike (and treating it like it's my little piece of gold). My first drive in the car when I had to bring it along, I packed it up IN the car instead of on the bike rack because I didn't want to get it dirty with dead bugs... hahaha!)
2.  Biking my first ride over 70 miles which came out to be 116.82 miles with Justin, all while trying to beat a bad storm!
3.  Going for swims in Walden Pond - mine and Justin's best discovery of the season!
4.  Doing the Hilly 100 (though it didn't exactly come out to 100 miles) with Joey in the cold and rain. This route ended with a climb up Cains Hill that Joey feared he wouldn't be able to shift up due to frozen fingers, but we both made it!
5.  QT2 - yes, very much a love/hate relationship :-) But, seriously, my ability to get past my dislikes in foods so I can eat more healthily.
6.  Running on the treadmill only ONE TIME and discovering the peacefulness in winter running.
7.  Joey breaking his derailer at mile 82 of a 100-something bike ride followed by us all sitting on the side of the road for over an hour as we waited for a ride home while dogs barked at us and bugs bit us the entire time.
8.  "Night of the Living Dead" bike ride with Justin.
9.  Rich guy lending us his rich guy car to go get our car 20 minutes away as we were stranded in the middle of a ride in the dark. The entire time thinking we were going to get pulled over and gunned down by the police for driving a stolen vehicle.
10.  Getting hit by reality and getting terribly winded 10 minutes into our bike ride in Hawaii (head + wind = tough riding) and getting extremely worried that I was doomed for the Honu 70.3 just a few days away. For a positive memory, being able to jump into the ocean for a cool down dip halfway through a training run!

Next season:
Ironman races are still in the books for me, but next season I've decided to focus on 70.3 distance races. There are positives and negatives to training for an Ironman but in reality, next year, I think I'll only have the sanity to train for 70.3s. I'll focus on improving at the half distance and then take on another Ironman in 2011. That's the plan and I'm stickin' to it.  This way, I'll have more time on the weekends and nights to do other things than swim, bike and run, like have a life. I'll also be able to do more races next season which I was itching for this season. With an Ironman race, your entire schedule and race calendar is planned around that one race. And, let's face it, I'm broke and want more for my money. I can get two half ironman races for the price of one full Ironman. Sounds like a deal to me ;) A focus on halves will also allow some more time to train for a marathon or two. A Boston spot is my carrot and I'll keep running till I get it!

Those are my (many) thoughts for today. Since I've gotten to reflect, I though it'd be appropriate to end this with a picture of me finishing my first race ever - the inaugural NYC half marathon! Ah, the start of it all!!

Shamed into a Post...(Justin)

I always appreciate Liz's subtle hints that I haven't been doing my part with the blog.

As she mentioned, I started training again after a long and much needed hiatus. Having taken such a long break, I feel completely refreshed and ready to set some unrealistic goals...which brings me to the Disney Marathon. I'm signed up for the Goofy Challenge but may drop out of the half to focus on the full marathon- it all depends on the next couple months of training. If I'm capable of getting near a Boston-qualifying time (3:10:59) its marathon only- otherwise I'll be trying to set PR's in the half and full back to back. So I guess I'll have lots to blog about in the coming weeks. Now I'll cover the shoes...

After some post-season discussions with Liz and Jon Hirsch (our coach) about our future goals- long term and short- I started thinking about what I want to accomplish in triathlon/endurance sports. For a variety of reasons, I know I will never be a top age grouper or have a true chance of qualifying for Kona. I'd love these things to happen but there's a limit to the sacrifices I'm willing to make for sport so these probably aren't in the cards for me- Liz on the other hand has a definite shot at these goals. So my "goals" are to continually improve my times and find new ways to push myself. We've signed up for a bunch of half iron distance races next summer so I'll definitely have my shots at getting faster.

As for finding new ways to push my limits, I have a lot ideas for the next few years but want to start with a 50 mile ultra marathon next fall. I'm never content with just finishing and know that I'm prone to running injuries (every season so far I've had to take some time off) so I evaluated my training. The idea for barefoot running started by reading "Born to Run" (seems like it affected a lot of people the same way) but then I started doing a lot of research and reading argument from both sides. Without going on a whole rant on the pros/cons, I decided to give them a try. Worst case, I still get hurt and toss the shoes in the trash. Best case, I run with better form, strengthen my legs, and prevent common injuries. I've only worn them appr. 5-6 times and just jumped from a previous long run of 15 mins to 30 mins and felt really good but extremely sore and tired- after some more time I'll give another post of my reviews.

So would I wear these if I was still in high school...hell no. I'd be too self-conscious. But in a big city this is one of the more normal things you see. I have no idea what line I'll draw in the sand between running minimalistic and wearing running shoes but I know I'll be keeping them solely in the sports usage category...no fashion statement for me.

What I've been up to

Hey All - sorry for not blogging in awhile. When Jus and I started this blog, we agreed to keep the focus 100% on all things related to training/racing, and, well, since I haven't been doing much of that, nor have I thought about it, I haven't really  had anything to post. Justin on the other hand, he's started training again so he has no excuses (er, Jus, get the hint... START POSTING!).

I've been in a very deep recovery/rest  period since the Baystate Marathon and have limited myself from exercising. Honestly though, I haven't even wanted to exercise either. Coming home from work, sitting on the couch, watching TV and continuously losing at Monopoly gets old quick though and I'm starting to hit the point of restlessness. Tonight, I joined Jus on his 1/2 hour run and kept a nice slow pace. It was an awesome night for a run - 50's, no wind. Why did it rain and drop into the 40's, with snow later in the afternoon on the day of the marathon, yet now it's awesome out???

My next race is not for another 2 months, which will be the Disney Goofy Challenge. I'll run a half marathon on Saturday followed with a full marathon on Sunday. Along for the ride is Justin and my brother Joey and my sister Courtney is in for the half. We're taking a mini-vacation to hit the theme parks and have some fun with the company of my other sis, Jen who will be around as the cheer squad! I can't wait, it should be a lot of fun.

Oh, the picture above. Justin got a pair of vibram five toes awhile back. Want to know about them and what he thinks of them? Well then, he should post about them, shouldn't he?

New Vanilla Gingerbread GU

We just got a holiday shipment in of GUs: Mint Chocolate (YUM, my favorite) and new Vanilla Gingerbread! Hoping it taste good... if it's anything like Mint Chocolate, it will be DELICIOUS! We'll let you know.

Baystate Marathon Race Report - 10/18/09

Today I ran the Baystate Marathon. Total time (according to watch) was 3:44:25 (8:35 min/mile pace).

Good news: I improved my marathon time by 11:13 which is great. The only other marathon I've run was the NYC Marathon last year (excluding Ironman) where I did a 3:55:38. Bad news: I missed qualifying for the Boston Marathon by 3:26 - so close but no cigar! Man!

I'm kinda bummed I didn't qualify but I can't be upset because I improved my time by a lot. And, I'm really happy with my performance with the factors that played into this race. One, I never REALLY gave myself a rest after Ironman - I was doing an oly tri 3 weeks after and then a half the second weekend of September. With recovery after the half, I had 3 solid weeks of training for the marathon which included three 20 miles on the weekends. My nutrition has gone down the drain and I'm not sure why I thought eating healthy the week leading up to Baystate would somehow make up for the last 2 1/2 months. The weather has been freakishly cold for October (well, all summer at that) and this morning it was 40 degrees with a feels like 33 degrees, windy, overcast skies and 80% chance of rain. Mentally, I was checked out of race mode after the Pumpkinman Half. So considering all the above, I'm extremely proud of my time today and it only gives me better hope for a chance of qualifying next year. Now, on to the race...

It was an 8am start. I met Kathleen and Brian (from work), Kathleen was doing the marathon, Brian the half, in the arena where check in was and shortly after we headed to the race start.

After saying goodbye to Justin and Jen, we hunted down the 3:40 pacer. This is a 1,000 person race so it wasn't too hard to find the pacer and get a spot close by. For the first 7 miles or so the rain held out but once it started raining, it rained. With the rain, it felt cold and with my clothes soaked, I started freezing up. I held strong till about mile 21 where even grabbing a cup of water hurt because my hands were so cold. I stuck with the pacer till mile 20 and was feeling awesome about a qualifying time, too. I guess that's the thrill of racing long distance... you never know when things will go right or wrong and how. The other runners were awesome and everyone was in good spirits. I liked the pace group I was with - a good group of peeps to run with.

Throughout the race, the 3:40 pacer switched out 3 times. This mentally deflated me a bit because while I know they are doing this to guarantee a true finish time, I would like the same pacer to pace us the entire time so that their bodies can adjust to the mileage we are putting in and pace us off how we all feel. The last pacer that came in was told we were behind our time by 1 minute (which I disagree with) which seemed to have translated to like 5 minutes to her as she booked away from the pack. None of the group stuck with her as her sprint with fresh legs was just not doable for us with 20 miles under our belt. It was now my responsibility to finish this race on my own.

Clearly I slowed down enough in those last 6 miles to come up short. When I hit the last mile marker, I had about 6 mins left on my watch to qualify. I tried to pick up the pace but my body was saying no. I hit 3:41:00 as I turned off the street into the final finishing area, which honestly was a let down for being so close but I was also so happy for doing such a great time and just finishing. It was cold at the finish and I was shaking. I B-lined it to the bathroom to change into dry clothes which oddly, did not warm me up.

At the end of the day, it's another marathon I've successfully completed! I think I'll be back at Baystate next year to try to get my 3:40 and will cross my fingers for better weather! =)

Thanks for Jus and Jen for coming out on a gross day and cheering me on. I envied you two as you drove by in the car screaming out the window with cheers.

NOW, it's officially the end of my race season - time to be lazy and put some weight on before we do this all over again next year! hahahaha.

Getting my stuff ready at race check-in

Mad at Jen for dropping out of the Marathon :(

Race start

3:40 pace group - I'm the one in the grey shirt in the middle!

Headed for the finish - oh the rain.

Jus and I after the race!

Ridgefield 1/2 Marathon Race Report - 10/4/09

This past weekend, Jenny, Joey and I ran the Ridegfield Half Marathon. It turned out to be an awesome day for a race – warm and (eventually) sunny. It was a late start of 8:30am so we got to “sleep in”, eat some breakfast, relax and not rush the morning of. Cork was kind enough to come support us and she brought along 4-legged support crew, Reese. I think the two of them ended up doing a lot of running/walking as they moved from point to point throughout the race!

Going into the race I wanted to run my marathon pace of 8:20 to see what kind of shape I’m in. I’ve done several 20 mile runs the post consecutive weekends and my last I paced an 8:24 which I was very happy with. I felt good at race start. When the horn went off, I started fast – first mile in 7:40 – SLOW DOWN! I made a conscious effort to slow the pace down after that and ended up pacing about 8 min miles for the next 3 miles. My pace was still too fast for my liking and it hit me quick. At mile 6 or so, I started running each mile slower and slower. Saw Cork and Reese at mile 7 and gave a shout that I was TIRED but at that point, you’re more than halfway done and for some reason that thought works for me to keep me going.

The last 2 miles I slowed down considerably. Not sure of my pace but I would guess 9:30 min/mile. I finished at 1:50:56, good for an 8:27 min/mile pace. While I am happy with this finish, I am kind of bummed at the same time because this was an easy course. Maybe my body is just tired and I need to physically and mentally relax a bit before the marathon. Maybe my lack of nutrition during the race (took nothing but GU20) left me with no energy. Maybe some skipped run workouts due to working late are hurting me, not helping? I have to improve my pace by 7 secs for the big day – can I do it?

Joey headed in with a sub 2 hr time and Jen came in at just over 2 hrs. Great job to both of them – it’s always fun doing races with family! Thanks to Cork and Reese for making it out for us!

Now, it’s time to taper.

Time to run

This will be quick! I did my first 20 miler this past Saturday and made it through in 3 hrs 5 mins. That's good for a 9:15 min/mile and in all honesty, I didn't run to run fast, I ran to what felt right so I am feeling very good about my pace. 2 more of these to go...

(My favorite view of Boston from run)

I headed out at 6am today for an hour run with lots of hills - there is only one spot to do that near me and it's Beacon Hill. I did 6.75 miles in 1hr 6 min for a 9:46 min/mile pace. MyMyRun says I climbed a total of 328 ft. Not sure if that's good or not for doing a hill workout.

(6am in Boston - good morning!)

(one of the hills of Beacon Hill - it's far more intimidating in person, I swear)

Cranberry Trifest Race Report (Oly) - 8/30/09

So it’s been awhile and I blame this entirely on Justin for not posting enough… technically it’s his turn! ;)

Anyways, not much has been going on over here. Jus and I have been doing some really light workouts but nothing to demanding. A few runs here and there with a mix of biking. Swimming… ummm…. yea, swimming… we’ve done none of that. This weekend I start my first 20 miler for my marathon training – John says to keep it easy, goal is to just finish. This should be interesting.

We’ve done a couple races since the last post. 8/30 we raced in the Cranberry TriFest. Sprint was on Saturday, Oly on Sunday. Saturday’s race was cancelled due to a tropical storm but lucky for us the Oly was still on. Conditions weren’t excellent, but not bad either. Overcast skies, dry roads (considering how much rain we got the day before), the air was a bit cool. This race is used as a regional club championship race so there are a lot of fast racers on the course.

Swim: [30:36 - 1:55/100yds]
The swim is in Loon Pond in Lakeville, MA, a shallow pond where you can easily stand the entire 0.9 miles. I was the second to last wave group to go out, Justin I think the 4^th to go out. I lined up close to the front of the group only to get agitated and annoyed once I started swimming. I slowed down and dropped back to find a spot of my own. I’d rather get a slower time and enjoy my swim, esp. when I wasn’t competing, but rather just doing. I desperately need new goggles, mine are so scrapped up and worn that they look foggy before I even put them on. It made for a difficult time to spot but I made it somehow or another. I was out in 30:36. That’s a whole 13 sec faster from last year… sweet! (OK, I’m an awful swimmer, but something I’m going to work to improve for next year).

T1: [3:43]
I love wet suit strippers… none at this race. Not much to say about my time, but slow.

Bike: [1:15:47 - 19.7mph]
Over the last year of training, my bike times have improved a lot. I feel better on the bike and it shows in my times. I’ve done a ton of biking and put myself into some tough training rides (I guess I need to think twice when I decide to ride with Joey, he never makes anything easy). This year was 7:21 faster than last…sweet x2! Given that I am writing this three weeks after the fact, and my old age, I don’t really remember a whole lot about the bike course except it’s a great, 25 mile rolling hills ride.

T2: [2:09]
Hm, I need to work on my transition times for next year, too.

Run: [51:00 – 8:13 min/mile]
I wanted to push myself on the run, I wanted to give myself the goal to not let anyone in my age group pass me, if they did, I would chase them. The short start of the run is on grass/dirt and I hate races that don’t start you immediately on the road because I get discombobulated and have to focus on tripping over rocks and tree stumps instead of getting my hat, water and GU’s situated. I was pretty tired in the beginning of the run and my right calve was cramping. I refused to walk or stop and stretch cause I figured it was a short course, suffer through it. Quickly, at mile one, a girl passed me with a 26 on her calve – crap! I kept on her heels when not soon after another girl passed in my age group! Ugh, man, I was starting to fall back. With an extra boost of determination, I passed one of the girls as she fell back and I was happy enough with that accomplishment. The run was pretty quiet the rest of the way, I just kept on going. After the race when they posted the times, I was pretty amazed at my run pace – I certainly didn’t feel like I was going that fast and I absolutely did not feel like I could even go that fast in my condition. And…sweet x3, I ran 26 sec faster than last year. (Don't make fun of my hair... Justin keeps calling me a banshee. I got my haircut and I don't know how to deal with it yet when racing!)

In the end, I placed 15/39 in my age group, which I feel good about. I think if I treated this race as an A race, I would have done far better, but given I haven’t worked out since Ironman, I am pretty darn happy. Total time: 2:43:21.

And, last but not least, here are Justin’s times:

Swim: 30:32 [1:55/100yds]
T1: 2:59
Bike: 1:15:19 [19.8 mph]
T2: 1:46
Run: 51:40 [8:20 min/mile]
Total Time: 2:42:14

If you want to see where Justin and I were in relation to each other throughout the race, check this out. It’s a new results review that is pretty freakin cool. I’m the red dot, Justin is the blue dot. Watch me chase him down the whole race! : )

Another race report to come soon for the Pumpkinman Half we did last weekend! We’re falling behind on these posts!!!

Be Bear Naked

This past Sunday I hosted a Bear Naked breakfast clinic at the Sharon’s Back Triathlon. Justin raced while I set up shop and promoted Bear Naked to the athletes and spectators. There were parfaits, stickers, coupons and lots (and I mean lots) of free sample packs. It was a ton of fun and a great day for a race. There were three other Team Bear Naked athletes racing that day (seen in pic) so it was pretty neat having a crew there to support.

Hearing the horns go off for the swim waves really made me want to get back into racing! Alright, Ironman, you took enough time away from me, I’m ready to race again! For that very reason, I decided to sign up for my final triathlon of the season, making a total of 3 races left plus 1 marathon. My final triathlon of the season will be the Buzzard’s Bay Sprint, directed by the same folks as Sharon’s Back. From what I saw and heard, the races are well organized, beautiful and fun. Can’t wait! Last night I got on the trainer and did a killer 1 hr ride. I was so excited to be training again, haha! Now, less than 2 weeks away from the Cranberry Oly! YAY.

Back at it and some other random thoughts...(Justin)

We're now almost 3 weeks post IMLP and we've worked out exactly 3 times (mountain biked, a 3 mile run, and a 4.5 mile run)- we know what you're thinking...impressive.

Being a member of Team Bear Naked, Liz needs to host a race breakfast and decided to pick Sharon's Back Sprint triathlon. She picked this race because the race company (Max Performance) does a great job, the race director seems like a really nice guy, and one of my co-workers is doing his first triathlon. This left me with 2 options- race or wake up at 5am on my b-day and watch other people race (unfortunately the 3rd option of sleeping in was nixed by Liz) so I decided to race. My only goals are to have a lot of fun and maintain some dignity by not losing to a Tri-Virgin. Plus the course is flat as shown by the video below:



Now on to my random thoughts- JoJo recommended reading the book "Born to Run" so I checked it out. The book is amazing. Runner or not you should definitely read it. I was interested throughout but a couple topics were of high interest: why people run and running injuries. I've gone through a lot of knee and foot pain since I started running/triathlons and over time the pain has always gotten worse (I started sitting out workouts before Ironman b/c of sharp pains in my feet). The book covers the evolution of footwear and the semantics of human feet in a very 'non-preachy' way- though I don't think the author's a big fan of Nike.

Without breaking down the specifics of the book, it has definitely given me a new perspective on my shoes, training and diet...all 3 were on my mind well before reading this book. For shoes, I've been looking for something that will prevent foot pain. Training, I've wanted to complete some ultras and qualify for Boston and have been looking for the right plan to meet these goals. And for diet, I've been frequently looking at a more primal diet (unprocessed, natural foods). We were basically eating this way on the QT2 diet with exceptions but I definitely saw the benefits and am considering making it a full time thing. I'm sure I'll have more on this as I start serious training for the Fall/Winter races.

3 pics for the fun

Today we focus on Justin.. haha..

First off, I forgot to add this pic into my IM race report - Justin and I got to feast on McDonald's on our ride home after the race. I can't remember the last time I had chicken nuggets and fries (maybe 5 years ago?) but they were just as I remembered them. So good. Here's Justin enjoying his fries:


Second, with all the down time we've had lately, we bought the new Wii Resort to help fill some of the time. I crack up every time I watch Justin play Wii, the best is watching him play table tilt on Wii Fit : ) Here he is sword fighting:

Third, we got out yesterday for our first ride post-ironman on the mountain bikes! We headed to the Fells and took to the paths. This was my first time mountain biking on trails. I don't know if it's my thing. I'll give it a few more tries, next time with the correct nutrition and gear (need gloves!) and we'll see how it goes. Here's Justin at the top of a hill that we might or might not have had to walk up (it's much steeper than it appears!) ;)

Post-Ironman Despression Syndrome

Was reading an interesting article the other day that my sister sent along.

I am gonna go ahead and diagnose myself with PIDS (Post-Ironman Depression Syndrome). The funny thing about this article is that Justin and I had been talking about how we’ve been having these exact thoughts and feelings mentioned in the article just the day before reading it.

The article says that it is normal to feel “a bit of a letdown, kinda-lost feeling after an Ironman,” after all, you’ve been focusing on this one date for the last year and now that it has come and gone, you feel empty. “Your formerly-constant thoughts about training, racing, nutrition, transition bags, carbon aero widgets, and what-I-have-to-pack-for-my-workouts-tomorrow have now been replaced with a single, all-consuming thought: What do I do now?”

The week immediately after Ironman, it felt good to do nothing. I got to eat whatever I wanted, didn’t have to rush home for a workout, had all weekend to enjoy Boston rather than heading out of the city for long rides. That was nice. But now, it’s starting to catch up with us. Ok, the BBQ and cornbread was delicious but ugh, I don’t feel so great after eating it and I want to go for a run to feel a bit better but can’t. Walking around and shopping all day Saturday was nice, but now I have a high bill to pay and I suddenly remember why I hate living in a city filled with tourist. Coming home from work and taking time to make dinner, hang out and watch TV at regular hours is great but I’m starting to feel useless and lazy.

The article recommends that you have no races on the calendar for 8 weeks after the Ironman to ensure a proper recovery. From Lake Placid to my next race is 5 weeks apart. Justin would have been the same but decided a celebratory birthday tri was appropriate and signed up for the Sharon’s Back Sprint Triathlon on Aug 16^th, so he has 3 weeks. Neither of us wanted our season to end so early so we ended up signing up for the Pumpkinman Half on Sept. 13^th. Stupid? Probably, the article even says this is a no-no, but we’ll learn from our mistakes. Plus this race has an awesome post-race feast that includes apple and pumpkin pie – YUM!

As soon as I start to feel fresh, I’m going to begin my focus on running (unfortunately, running is the hardest on the body and therefore is the slowest to get back into). I’ll be running the Baystate Marathon with Jenny on October 18^th and we’ll both be aiming to run sub 3:45. I’m looking forward to the challenge! However, until I can start running normally again, I continue to be in limbo.

IMLP Race Report (Justin)

I'll skip the pre-race details since Liz listed everything below. I think we were all fairly relaxed but a little anxious for race day to finally be upon us.

The week before the race, I put together some personal race goals. I felt comfortable that even if I fell short of these times, I'd still be really happy and have a chance of beating Liz and Joey (always fun to have a little competition). Here's what I was hoping for:
Swim- 1:25:00
T1- 0:08:00
Bike- 6:40:00
T2- 0:06:00
Run- 4:30:00
Total- 12:49:00

Race Morning:
B-fast (3am) was 2 hardboiled eggs, a bagel with peanut butter and 2 bananas. An hour before the race I ate a Clif bar. As expected, I didn't sleep much the night before so I got up early and starting all my race day prep. I actually started calming as the race got closer...a resignation that whatever happens, happens and its too late to change anything.

Swim: (1:22:12)
My plan was to start towards the front of the crowd and fight my way to the inside of the buoy line. It actually worked out pretty well and I found some great feet to draft off of. There was definitely a lot of chaos but nothing too bad (pretty sure I cracked someone in the face with my elbow though). I finished the 1st loop in 39 min and change and reminded myself to slow down...it'll be a long day. 2nd loop was thankfully uneventful- I hopped out, found the strippers, and took a slow jog towards the transition.

T1: (6:32)
I guess I was too amped up to realize I was supposed to change in the tent so instead I got ready at the bag rack and moved on. I didn't really have the dizzy feeling I usually get after long swims so I was happy about that.

Bike: (6:31:22)
Pre-race, I decided to break the bike into 4 equal sections. The 1st, I'd go very slow to get my bearings. In the 2nd I'd hold race pace (17.2 was my goal). 3rd I'd go hard and catch all the people starting to fall about and 4th I go just below race pace to prep for the marathon.
The plan worked well until I went to hard in the 2nd section and tried to hold on the 3rd. I had to stop at the turn around for a new timing chip (SUGGESTION: DONT BE NICE AND CHANGE RACE #'S FOR THE ALS GUY!) and was able to catch my breath- 3:04:00 for the first loop. By mile 95 I was starting to hurt and hurt bad. I passed Joey on the Big Bear Hill and was just willing myself to be done with the bike.

T2: (4:30)
At this point I was so 'bonky' that I kept grabbing any solid food I could to replace calories- not caring about the effect it could have on the run. I was also very aware that I was starting the run ahead of Joey and Liz and was now officially the Hunted.

Run: (4:25:44)
Surprisingly felt great to start the run. I kept looking over my shoulders expecting to see the 2 chasers but knew my pace was strong. I finshed the first 13.1 in 2:01:00 and started to feel like just maybe I could do a sub-4 hour marathon. Those thoughts quickly dissipated around mile 15 when the transition food started messing with me. I couldn't eat (stomach made me stop every time I ate), couldn't take gels (threw up) and couldn't really drink (gave me a sick feeling). In my head, it was only a matter of time before getting passed...they could smell blood in the water. Somehow I was able to will my body through the next 10 miles and finish in front. The crowds were unbelievable. They always cheer but when you starting hurting, they go crazy screaming your name and doing everything they can to force you through the next step. It was extremely helpful during those last few miles.

Final: 12:30:19!!!

Thoughts on the race...
A HUGE thanks to everyone who called, texted, and gave their support. As always, Liz's family was incredible throughout the entire race. I'm so happy my mom was able to be there supporting us throughout the week. Everyone's efforts made the race that much more manageable.

My two favorite moments of the entire race were taking in the scene before the swim and the crowd support as I ran up the Sentinel Road hill on the 2nd loop. I don't know if I could have kept going if I had allowed myself to walk at any point during the run and those people are the reason I didn't walk when I wanted to most.

Now Liz and I are taking a week off from being healthy and just enjoying the lack of regimen. I'm already planning my next challenge and what Ironman I'll be doing next...THANKS AGAIN!!!

Ironman Lake Placid Race Report (Liz's Report)

Ironman Lake Placid 2009… It’s in the books!

First off, thanks to everyone who has supported me throughout the last 8 months as I trained my butt off for this once race. Justin, the family, coach John, and friends. Without your encouragement and understanding, it would have been a long, tough journey.

Jus and I on a practice bike

Me and Joey at registration

Pre-Race

We headed to LP Wednesday after work, didn’t get to the house until about 1:30am. Thursday through Saturday were resting days – short workouts and lots of laziness. LP is beautiful; it was nice not to have to do anything and just get to take it all in. We stayed in a house right on the run course, 2 miles from town, it was a great spot.

Race Morning

Jus and I woke up at 3am to eat breakfast. I never have much of an appetite on race mornings and even though this was Ironman and it’s essential to eat, I still didn’t want food. I had a bagel with peanut butter and one banana. We went back to bed for an hour and half and woke up at 4:30am to get the day started. Dressed and ready to go, Joey, Jus and I headed to the race. I checked the bike, pumped the tires, dropped off transition and special needs bags and suited up. Just as I was getting the wetsuit on, the sky graced us with a nice little downpour. Being nervous already, the rain didn’t help to put me at ease. We made our way to swim start and I got a good stretch in before entering the water. I started to tear up a bit from the nerves and being a little scared of the day. We saw Joey walking into the water, wished him good luck and parted ways.

Strecthing

Swim [1:23:38]

I got in the water with 10 minutes till start. I got used to the water and found a comfortable spot to start. I placed myself about 10 feet behind the crowd that swarms the start line. Justin told me to turn around and take in the crowd – that was an unbelievable sight and feeling, one you can’t describe. He soon left to find his starting spot and I was then on my own. I watched the clock tick away. The spectators cheered on their athletes and the athletes cheered on their supporters. The gun went off at 7am exactly and the race was underway. Playing it safe, I kept my head above the water until I felt like I had enough space to actually swim. I didn’t want to risk a punch in the face or losing my goggles. To my amazement, I had a nice swimming spot once I hit the second yellow buoy and it was smooth sailing from there on out. I was relieved and surprised at how the swim was nothing like I thought it would be. I was expecting punches, pulls, anxiety, not-so-smooth swimming and all the works. Instead, there was a little bit of bullying for the first couple minutes but once all the swimmers found their spots, it was as if I was the only one in the water. I lined myself up to the left of the buoys, spotted the line underwater and kept it the whole way. There is a wire that runs the swim course under water in Mirror Lake so you don’t have to spot, ever. All the swimmers created a very large draft and at points I felt like I was just floating yet moving so fast in the water. It was funny to see the scuba divers underneath you as you swam. I did my first loop in 40 minutes, second in 43:38 for a total time of 1:23:38. This was actually good times for me this season so I can’t complain. Wetsuit strippers are, in my mind, the best thing in the race. With that out of the way, I ran to T1 with a smile on my face.

Swim start

T1 [6:47]

The transition from swim to bike is long. You have to run a quarter mile just to get to transition and then run another quarter mile to get to bike mount. I was happy with my time of 6:47. The volunteers were awesome… they told me just to throw everything on the ground I didn’t need and they’ll take care of it all. That’s what I did and at the end of the race, everything of mine was in the bags, nothing lost. They didn’t have my bike ready for me as I ran by so I had to stop and wait for someone to grab it. Once I got it, I was out and riding.

Coming through on the bike - furthest right.

Bike [6:34:01 – 17.1 mph]

I had half of a peanut butter sandwich right when I started the bike. At this point, the rain was gone and the sun was starting to shine through. I was feeling good starting the bike but reminded myself over and over again to take it easy; I had 112 miles to go. Climbing the first hill before the long descent into Keene I caught up to Justin and gave him a little shout out. We stayed together for the following few miles until he pulled away and took off. I took the hills slow but the flats fast and the descents even faster. I caught up to Joey on the big bear climb. Unintentionally, we stuck together from than until just about hitting the last 15 miles or so on the second loop of the bike. I felt strong starting the second loop and was confident I’d come in with a good time. I saw the family cheering on both ends of River Road – they put themselves in great spots to cheer! I hit the huge descent before hitting Keene at 46 mph. I was scared to take my eyes off the road to see my speed but I was curious. Joey flew down this hill like a madman. I caught back up with him on the out and back and took the final pass on the bike before hitting the last 12 miles – later! I was happy to see transition again as I dismounted the bike and headed into T2.

T2 [2:52]

I took T2 fast. The volunteer that was helping me in the tent said to me as I left “THAT was a fast transition!” Ha.

First loop of run on River Road

Run [4:28:35 – 10:16 min/mile]

I was very nervous to see how I would feel on the run. My legs have always hurt a lot for the first 2 miles or so of the run during my brick workouts in training. To my surprise, I felt awesome heading out for the run. No pain. I was tired, but actual pain, there was none. I think I was gleaming ear to ear. I carried a water bottle the entire run which has become more of a comfort thing for me than anything else. Going into the run I told myself to walk every aid station. It’s a long run, I need time to regroup and make sure I am fueling up properly. That’s exactly what I did. At every aid station I took sponges and squeezed them over my head, then whipped my face off. I’d take a Gatorade and a piece of banana. That was my routine. When I hit the end of the aid station, I was running again. I saw a lot of familiar faces out on the course which really helped to keep me going. Justin always gave me a wave, Joey and Phil would yell encouraging words each time I passed one of them, Kristoph and Steve, who I just met for the first time that weekend, worked an aid station and spotted me both times I came around and cheered. The crew from Landry’s was out cheering the racers on and I recognized them as they yelled “YEA BEAR NAKED! GO!” The runners themselves were great. I talked to couple of them out there and it was a huge help to pass the time. I started drinking cola on the second loop as my stomach started feeling a little iffy. The cola worked and I made it through the run (and the whole race) without any issues. The best moment in the race for me was hitting the last aid station, seeing the finish, hearing the cheers, and knowing I had just done an Ironman. I threw my water bottle to the side, put a smile on my face and took in the crowd’s cheers as I ran the final stretch of the course. It wasn’t actually crossing the finish that was THE moment for me; it was that last half mile that meant the most. I saw my family as I turned the corner of the oval – I don’t think they will ever realize what having them there did for me that day. Thanks guys! Extra props to all of you for a great sign that helped me spot where you were AND for even more awesomer shirts : ) As I crossed the finish line I saw Justin waiting for me – I walked over and greeted him with a huge hug.

Heading to the finish

Post-Race

I am never hungry after long workouts. I tried eating a piece of pizza immediately after the race but the thought of it made me nauseous. I took a cup of pretzels and had about 5 of them. I headed into the message tent for my 10 minute message. I was freezing cold after it and was shivering. I got my morning clothes bag and changed into some very warm sweatpants and hoodie, met the family for pictures and called it a night. With intentions to head back at midnight to see the last finishers come through, we couldn’t get ourselves off the couch once we were home, showered and had a full stomach from dinner.

Congratulations to Justin for becoming an Ironman and to Joey for becoming an Ironman for the second time. One question for you, Joey: What did you get me into? IRONMAN?!

Joey, Jus and I - You are an IRONMAN!

Afterthoughts

No one can truly understand what it feels like to complete an Ironman until you've done it yourself. It takes a lot of training, dedication, sacrifice and courage. Most will take it for granted and never truly understand what it takes. There are many points in my training where I wanted to give up. There are also many moments that were memorable and fun. As much as biking in 20 degrees sucked, I look back at those times and laugh and say "oh, what were we thinking." I would and will do it all again - only faster next time : ) Only until Jen told me did I find out that had I been racing just one age earlier (24), I would have been three minutes behind the girl who took the Kona slot... and you bet I would have given it my all to make up those three minutes for a 12:32 finish and a ticket to Kona. Oh well, what can you do? I couldn't have asked for any more on race day. Thanks again to everyone for routing me through and helping me get here. With just a couple more triathlons this season, I'll soon be starting to focus on qualifying for the Boston Marathon this October. The season is just halfway through - much more to come!

The Family in their support shirts!!

Last Weekend

We are just six short days away from the big day! You bet I am NERVOUS!!!!

This past weekend, Jus and I headed back to Walden Pond for a swim on Saturday and a short bike on Sunday. I know people say to never change anything up in the weeks leading up to a race but I needed new goggles and I didn’t really see what the big deal was… I can try them out Saturday and in Mirror Lake when I get to Lake Placid. Bad idea.

I got a new pair and tried them out on Saturday. The first stretch of the swim my left eye kept filling with water. I tried to fix it once but when it refilled, I was frustrated and decided to just keep swimming with my eye closed. I fixed it when I hit the first turn point where it’s shallow enough to stand. Only to frustrate me more, it refilled during my next stretch to the second turn around point. In an attempt for one last fix I stopped and adjusted the goggles. I drafted off Justin on the swim back to the start and the goggles seemed to have stuck – perfecto! Though, as I crawled out of the water to go grab my old goggles for loop two, my left eye started stinging. I stopped and just held it, tried to tear up to make it feel better and maybe get whatever felt was in it out but no luck. We ended our swim there and picked up some eye drops which help tremendously. On the positive side, we felt great swimming and we both broke this seasons swim times for a 1.5 mile swim which is a good way to end things.

Our ride on Saturday was nice, though nature is against us. For the whole two hours we rode, the sun was beaming down on us, not a cloud in the sky. Once we were done, we headed to the pond to relax a little and try to fix our awkward tans. First off, Walden Pond is a zoo when it’s nice out – police enforcing number of people allowed on the beach and all. Jus and I snuck in on a back trail and hiked around to the beach and found a spot. I’m not kidding though, the very second we sat down, a huge cloud rolled in and many more after that. This is not the first time this has happened - we kid how something or someone is against us. Our stay was short lived, also due to two creepy little girls that just stood and stared at me the entire time we were there. They made me feel really uncomfortable!

The weather for Sunday is looking good, good, good. I just need to make sure I finish before those PM storms roll in! : )

3 days till departure!

Making progress

We're making progress. Now the weather calls for an overcast day with a thunderstorm in the afternoon. OK with me. I'll be back up and posting weather updates next week! ; )

A Good Omen???

I'm taking this as a good sign...though Liz will probably disagree...looks like the race organizers know I already have this one in the bag:

IMLP BIB #'s:

Justin: 179
JoJo: 637
Liz: 1945

Oh no...

Ok, I know I am obsessive, but I can't help it. I know a lot can change in a 10 day forecast, and I am sure hoping it does. I mean, just yesterday it was saying sunny and 83 degrees, but now its all changed. What the heck?! : ( Still crossing my fingers...

Crossing my fingers X 1,000!!!

OH! There is a God!!!! Please oh please let this forecast be accurate for July 26!!!!!!

Lots of swimming & a nice weekend!

This weekend, Justin and I found ourselves spending most of our time around the Walden Pond area. It was a beautiful weekend, nice weather, no clouds in the sky.

We got up super early on Saturday thanks to the loud beeps of a garbage truck, ate breakfast and were out the door. It’s a half hour drive to Walden Pond, which isn’t so bad. This pond is awesome, too, one of the cleanest I’ve ever seen. I think we were expecting ourselves to be the only ones out for a swim that morning but when we got there, there were groups of triathletes suiting up. We swam a triangle twice for a total of 2 miles then headed out for a run. After, we hiked around the pond as a nice recovery : )

Sunday we were back at Walden Pond for a swim followed with a bike ride. It was a really great weekend and we had fun. When we got home on Sunday we had pasta w/ homemade garlic bread – yum! There is nothing better than a simple bowl of pasta and delicious bread.

Getting Real

I’m starting to get nervous. I’ve been waking up with stomach pains and haven’t been feeling all too hungry. It seems the thought of Ironman is consistently in the back of my mind and now that the “hard” training has come to an end, it’s starting to seem all too real. Before it was just training, now it’s the real deal. There is nothing I can do from this point on that will prepare me more for Ironman than what I’ve done in the last 7+ months.

I’ve gone back to the start of this blog to see the post that Jus and I have written during our training and it brings back a lot of memories from this past year. I wonder how I ran 16 miles on snow covered grounds or better yet, how I rode for hours in the cold while my toes and fingers felt like they could snap right off. I’m amazed at how I managed to make a drastic change in my diet – no sandwiches for lunch, candy for snacks, cereal for breakfast, no this and no that and everything in between…. WHAT?!! I have sacrificed time with my family and friends… all for this one race. I have woken up before the sun has risen for a workout and have eaten dinner after my bedtime cause it’s the first moment I get. Not to mention, I have done all this while planning a wedding (which I do not recommend getting married and doing an Ironman in the same year).

It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of changes and a lot of unwanted sacrifices but here I am. I’m extremely satisfied with the work I’ve put into Ironman. I feel that I am ready (but am I?). At the end of this week I change my diet once again so that I lose 4 lbs by race day. Am I looking forward to it? No. But, it’s just another thing you have to do for Ironman. Until the next post… I’ll be here – doing what I do.

A bonus picture of Jus from last weekend in CT:

Training in Lake Placid

This past weekend Justin and I drove up to Lake Placid to train on the course with Joey & crew – 1 MONTH AWAY, BABY!!!!!

In my opinion, this weekend was key for a successful race day. The intimidation of not knowing the course is now non-existent. I no longer have the doubt of whether I can do it or not. Now, it’s just a matter of in what time (which I’m just looking to finish, not win)! Lake Placid was filled with athletes training for the Ironman – it was kind of cool to be surrounded by it all already, I feel like half the people doing the race were there this weekend.

Saturday started with some coffee and breakfast and then it was out the door for a 112 mile bike ride. The weather was not cooperating as it was on and off showers all day with a few glimpses of sun. Jus and I were not looking forward to rainy weather on a hard training weekend but we looked at the positive – we now know how to take on the course if this year’s race weather repeats last years (but I really, really hope it doesn’t!). I felt strong on the bike and was feeling good about it after the first lap – ah… just have to do that all over again! Second lap was just as good and I left the bike with confidence.

After the bike, Jus and I changed into some dry running clothes and headed out the door for an 8 mile run. The sun was shining when we left and it was nice to feel the warmth, finally. We headed 4 miles from the start of the run and back which included the killer hill that we had not known about. This was an extra bonus to help add pain to our legs! On our way back into town, more clouds came rolling in and the last 2 miles were in downpours. A warm shower and well deserved dinner finished the day.

Sunday morning the sun was out and I was looking forward to a day outside. The group headed into town for some breakfast and then split for training. Joey, Jus and I trekked down to Mirror Lake for a 2.4 mile swim. Ugh. We floated out to the pier to where the official start of the swim is… started the watch and off we went. Joey pulled away early as Justin and I stuck together for the majority of the way… headed to the beach at the end of the first lap, ran the beach and back in the water we went. I did the second loop 2 minutes slower than the first, Justin did it faster. The swim didn’t leave me feeling too great – but in general I have been bummed about it. I just can’t seem to get into it.

Back to the house to change and all three of us were out for a long run. I mentally prepared myself for the entire loop of the run, apparently somewhere in conversation Joey and Jus agreed on skipping the out and back. The run course is “easy” enough, but I can see the long stretch out of town and back being long, tough and lonely. We all held up well and with 2 miles left back into town, two ladies rescued us by letting us fill up on water at their athlete water stop. After I split from Joey and Jus, I hoped in Mirror Lake at the end of the run to cool down. I stumbled back to the house, showered and packed up. We grabbed a quick lunch and some FroYo in a waffle cone at Ben & Jerry's (YUM!) and headed back to Boston.

The race is coming up way too quick!!!!!

View of Lake Placid:

Again, sacrificing good tan lines for tri:

A sign on the run course that made me laugh:

Packed up and ready to go: