Who "new"?

My loving support crew bestowed me with new kicks this holiday season and wouldn't you know it had me running circles of happiness. Lately, my hamstrings have been bothering me and I thought it might be overuse, possibly the three runs in November? I still kept running and just made sure I stretched. Well wouldn't you know, after getting the new shoes my legs feel SOOO much better. I've heard people say new shoes are important but feeling is believing to this Thomas. Although, I don't think that it was necessarily that I didn't "believe" but more, I can be lazy replacing things like running shoes sometimes.

Reflections

Trail running is ... It is a roller coaster ride of adrenaline, mixed with sense enhancing drugs au natural. I couldn't resist the opportunity to trail run a Rocky Hill Ranch Dirty Du and talked two friends into signing up as well. At this point in the month I had run a marathon breaking my PB by 25 minutes (okay so the time I beat was 5 years ago buy hey), Ran another PB in a ten miler the next weekend and volunteered at a marathon. This was the following week, no problem right? I had my trepidations, one being I had been steering clear of the trails during my marathon training to make sure I stayed healthy, but I think I would have been fine training trails really, even so that is what I did and what I was worried about looking at the race ahead of me. The start time was the most reasonable I had seen in a long time (9 a.m) which allowed me to sleep until a decent hour before picking my friends up and heading to the start. My promise to them, coffee in the morning for one, cheeseburger after the race for the other. We pulled into the race site filled with mountain bikers, I just knew they could spot me a road runner from a mile away and know. I didn't care, I was happy to be outside and the three of us just kept repeating how it was a fun run we were going to enjoy. My legs had been feeling heavy the past week, so my plan was to just start running plain and simple and let the chips fall where they may. I stood at the start line riddled with goose pimples but remembering how fast I heated up at the ten miler, there was a small group running this one so the race organizer stood there and told us what to look for when we were running as far as flags etc., and that we would have water stops but would have to fill our own cups. Finally we were ready and the run began, we hung as one massive swarm of mosquito like runners for about the first mile and then the faster guys took off and the pack began to thin, G and I hung together, with R behind us. The route was winding but soft on the feet for the most part. We came to a water stop at what I thought to be half way and G stopped, we got water and she said she was going to need to walk for awhile due to her knee. We joked around for a bit there until she assured me she would be fine and encouraged me to run ahead. The rush of excitement pushed me onward as I continued the snake like run, winding around. The trail wound so much I almost felt dizzy at the same time it really felt like a roller coaster and was pretty fun. I felt like the scene in Return of the Jedi where they are chasing each other through the forest. I looked at my watch to try and determine where we were at in the run, but couldn't tell. All I knew was to keep running and as D taught me look for the flats, so that is what I focused on. Before I knew it I was coming around the campground into the finish, 1:49 not bad for a trail run. The guy doing the timing gave me accolades and then I was off back on the course to look for G and R. The run was WELL worth it and R and I had a well-earned cheeseburger that night, recounting the run and what a great time we had. Onward!!!

With the Wild Wolves Around You in the Morning

Last Sunday I saw a coyote - it was beautiful and at first reminded me of the fox I would see at my parents house. The strangest part was that I saw it, and my running buddy can attest to this, in a very urban area by the hike and bike trail which we were running to for our training. I looked around at the trash littering the creek he had just slithered into and thought about our footprint as humans on this earth and what we can do. It was a nice run starting with an unexpected sighting, but one that lead to great thoughts.

I looked at the moon last night as I ran and thought about that coyote again trying to make it in this world the best way he could. The moon was stunning.

One week later

I stood at the starting line to the Run for the Water 10 miler wondering what I was doing there one week after the marathon at 7 AM on a Sunday morning. "Well I thought just have fun and let the chips fall where they may." I looked for KB and Nathan before the start but couldn't find them so eventually wound my way to the starting line and waited shivering but knowing once I started going I would be fine. This was a smaller run with about two thousand people so when the gun went off I got swept up in it and started moving to the beat of those around me. At mile one, I knew I was way ahead of my usual pace. "Great, I don't want to be one of those people who goes out too fast and then gets passed by everyone at the end." I thought. "Oh well, I'll just have to keep running hard." I knew the route as I ran it the weekend before the marathon and knew it would be hilly. I felt good though. At the first water stop I saw one of my coworkers and gave her a high five and then just enjoyed the rest of the ride. I knew once I was back on Lake Austin, about mile 7, it would be smooth sailing so I kept my eye on that prize. Once I got there I just kept my feet moving in rhythm and enjoyed those around me. I knew I would see my coworkers again at the mile 8 water stop and had fun giving them high fives and then tucked my head down for the rest of the run. I kept looking at my watch and I was holding 8 minute miles and knew my parents were at the end so this had to be a strong finish. I rounded the last corner realizing that I was just under 8 minute miles if I could pull it in strong and that I did (1:19!) Hooray - it was my best run to date and I felt wonderful.What accounts for it? There has just been a joy I've been feeling with my running and that has given me the added spark I need as well as excitement of discovering places I've been able to reach that I would not have thought possible not that long ago.

1st ave to the finish

I came off the roundabout onto 1st ave. in Manhattan and knew it was guts and glory time. We had been keeping our pace just great and that is when I felt a pain in my knee. I kept running and thought about it. "How bad can it be?" I kept pushing. "Well this is what I've trained for so if something happens I can heal up and feel good about it, but if I don't give this my all I will be disappointed." I pressed on and lo' and behold the knee pain began to subside. I was making my way to the Bronx which was a short stint and then we came back into Manhattan ran through Harlem and back down entering Central Park. I remained focused and then figured where I would see my family next and concentrated on that. I saw them at 96th street which gave me a boost and then shortly after we entered the park. This is where I heard all the advice everyone told me kick in I knew I could do it, this was it. It was helpful having run here so many times when I lived in New York because I knew about how much farther I needed. I also knew that there was no way I could make Boston qualifying time but still ran hard. I counted to one hundred in my head and focused on the finish. Whoosh - the finish came lickety split and I finished in a time I was proud of and close to 30 minutes faster than my 2003 marathon run. I found J-R at the finish (he was awesome and finished two minutes ahead of me) and we talked about the run, both feeling really good about our runs and how we felt at the finish. It was the end to a great marathon day made fabulous by all the spectators including friends and family from all over. THANKS GUYS! I couldn't do it without your support.

brrr ooos (Boroughs)

We were running all five boroughs and we were in the largest of them all, Brooklyn. We could look straight up fourth avenue and see where BAM is located far ahead. My sights were set on seeing our first spectators at the moment though and we knew right where they would be standing. The crowd at that point was three deep, we spied them, my smile widened and they stood look like deer in headlights. J-R handed his jacket to Cara and I followed suit with mine and we continued on as I imagined them packing up camp and heading to the next stop where we would see them in Manhattan. The next person we were looking to see was Gretch at around mile 11 and while we were still in Brooklyn. We turned around BAM off of 4th ave. and into Ft. Greene where the street was more tree-lined. As I was running I could have sworn I heard my named called and turned to look, it was my friend Alison and a really nice surprise in an unexpected place that lifted my spirits even further. A bit up the road J-R pointed out an old school which had been turned into a Goodwill of sorts, hmm, must check out sometime. There was a school band playing in front of it and then there was the runner we passed dressed like Borat. "He is going to chafe really bad!" I heard someone comment, J-R pulled out his camera phone and snagged a shot of him. We ran through Bed-Stuy passing an area with many Hasidics (it is the multicultural bent of NY and the whole race that makes it great) and I started to look for Gretch. "We aren't to the hipster area yet," J-R commented. "You'll know when we cross that line and then we can start looking out for her at N. 8th." Normally I don't need to use a bathroom on runs, but I'd felt like I needed to go from the start and knew I should pay heed and J-R needed to go as well so at this point we looked for the port-o-lets. The line was three deep, J-R ran behind and went and I made the decision to wait and hope there was less of a line at others. Not long after we saw Gretch and she allowed herself to get swept up in the stream of runners. We talked for a bit about runners she had seen and if she was cold and where we were running. Shortly after we crossed the bridge into Queens, and the old MOMA location before moving back to Manhattan and then it was up the 59th street bridge. There are normally no spectators on this part of the route and you just hear the quiet footfalls. I was feeling really good here and actually kind of like the sound of the silent footfalls like a group of butterflies around a bunch of flowers flapping their wings gently. The next part was one of my favorites as we would exit the bridge from a roundabout to a crowd of cheers as we entered Manhattan.

Tea Time

We made our way up in the tea line, which was LONG due to the cold, and were three away from the oh so lovely warm liquid being served when we stopped moving. We waited another ten minutes still nothing. Some people will remember me talking about tambourine man back when I lived in NY and would do the five borough half marathons. Tambourine man was always to be seen there. He is a slight fellow with a long white beard and always wears a head band, but of course what gives him his name is the tambourine that he carries and taps on his thigh the whole time he runs. I had just been asking J-R about him and if he still sees him, when I looked over while waiting in the tea line and who is it, but tambourine man! Like a sign, I knew this was going to be a good race. He was dressed in his usual garb, was tapping the tambourine like a horse nudging the gate at a start to a race, and he had two American flags tucked into the head band he was wearing so they stuck up above his head. I nudged J-R, "look" I said and smiled. The tea line still had not moved so we went over to the coffee and discovered no line at all. I was set now, the warmth did a world of good, so we drank up, I took off my stockings and we prepared to go to the start. We were part of the second wave so we still needed to be corralled as they call it. J-R and I had different corral colors, but wanting to run together we had to sneak by again and we expertly slithered through to the starting area in the green group. As we waited in a sea of people I heard a horn go off. "Was that for our group" I question. "I think so." Was J-R's reply. We didn't move at all. I finally took off my pea coat and placed it along with the tide of other things making the starting line look like the east river it was so full of our discards. When we stepped across the starting mat it seemed uneventful, but nice to have J-R with me. "Here we go, let the roller coaster ride begin." I squealed. The run across the Verrazzano was COLD, windy, and beautiful all at the same time. You can look across and see the Manhattan skyline and ships in the forefront, including a tugboat spewing water for us. The amount of people is amazing and we moved like a Chinese dragon in a parade making our way into Brooklyn. Once we hit Brooklyn that is where the spectators began. My bottom was still numb from the cold, but after exiting the bridge the wind had died down which helped a lot. J-R and I chatted and talked about our pace which seemed right on target. It takes long-distance runners a bit to warm up and feel like they are in a groove, we felt our groove at about mile four.

The waiting game

Nov. 2, 2008, the New York marathon. My cousin and I woke up at 4:30 AM to get ourselves dressed and out the door in time to catch the bus to Staten Island. I don't think either of us really fully fell asleep, but that is usual for me before a race. I laid out my clothes and number the night before so I didn't have to do much thinking in the morning so, I got dressed and was ready to head out. We walked over to the bagel shop (have to in NY). The bagels were fresh from the oven and steaming, slathered with PB and we were ready nutritionally. We saw two other runners at the shop and a few other computer users (who knows what people were doing there at five in the morning on a Sunday but I guess some people are more morning people than I am). J-R and I marched up to Prospect Park and walked along it heading to 15th. It was a cold morning and I was glad I had a jacket and cut my stockings to wear on my legs. We saw a bus at 10th street and were told our bus was at 15th so that was reassuring that another track team knew of our bus. We made it to the 15th street circle and no bus was in sight, no runner was in sight for that matter either. We stood in the middle and did all we could do-waited. Eventually someone got out of a car and strolled over to us. "Are you here for the bus to the marathon" he asked. It was the organizer. I felt like our running clothes and standing around made it obvious, but figured you have to have an opener. "Yep" we replied. "Are you running this year?" I asked. "I've run the past twenty years." he said. "but my mother passed away this year and I'll probably just support this year and run a portion with some other runners." I felt bad for asking. "Well the bus should be here soon." he said. "I hope it shows up, I tried to double-check yesterday and nobody answered." Not long after the organizer pointed down the street, "ah here it comes." What was coming toward us was a school bus. Perfect, the experience already started. We climbed aboard and waited for more runners to arrive. After we were loaded, we headed off to the Verrazano bridge and Staten Island. We saw a huge line of cars waiting to enter the bridge, but our driver was excellent and knew a route that cut off a lot of the waiting and we slipped right in, which was good, because the coffee had kicked in at this point.
We hopped off the bus and were hit with a cold wind. It was a little before 7 AM and our start time was 10 AM, it was going to be a long wait! They were checking numbers as we walked in, but somehow I got by with my number still in my pocket. I saw a line of Port-o-lets with no lines and we made a bee line there. Afterward it was all about staying warm before the race and there were a couple of tents setup, like the gospel tents at Jazz Fest. We found a spot and sat down. It was as warm as we could be as we stared enviously at others in their sleeping bags. "Mental note" J-R said, "next time cheap sleeping bag and plastic to sit on." The two brits around me were talkative asking about our government and I was happy to share, kill time, and take my mind away from the race. We still had a good chunk of time to kill. The guy next to me was outfitted. He had a waterproof mat he was lying on, was tucked in a sleeping bag with stocking cap, two pairs of thick wool socks, and a bag filled with food. He was focused. In front of him was the "polar" opposite. This runner was squatting with tiny running shorts on and bare legs filled with goose pimples, and a thin sweater on top. Someone eventually gave him a plastic bag. After sitting this way for a good while J-R and I both needed to stretch our legs. We made another port-o-let stop and then decided to check out the other waiting areas and get a cup of tea or coffee. to be continued....

Finished!!!

3 hrs 48 minutes : )

NEW YORK CITY MARATHON Nov. 2

November 2nd is the New York City Marathon!

I'm trained and ready.

Number 22263 - Wave 2 - Blue start - one of 39,000. Check out the official website www.nycmarathon.com for more information.

Thanks for the support. Stay tuned for updates.

yellow jackets

My friend Andy called me at work today to wish me luck in the marathon on Sunday. I feel overwhelmed, and very fortunate to have so much support. Andy and I used to work together and both share a passion for the outdoors. The fact that we were differing speeds didn't prevent us from "running together" we would just run the opposite direction and look for each other to high five as we passed when we ran the trail in the mornings. We would ask each other the day before which direction we were going to run in and if we didn't see the other on the trail that morning we gave each other grief at work, but for the most part it consisted of, "did you see that heron this morning?" or "wasn't the fog across the water amazing?" Having shared experiences makes those experiences more real and much more brilliant. Looking forward to the marathon I'm excited to have the support of all those around me. I absolutely used the support in the Ironman and will carry those kind thoughts and support with me as I wind through the five buroughs in pursuit of my goal.

"You'll feel like you're going to die

but you are not going to die, remember that. Trust me, every time mile twenty-three comes around no matter how much I've trained I feel like I'm going to die, but you are not going to and you need to know that. It's all mental. Each marathon when I finish I recovery quickly and then wish I had gone faster at the end." This was the advice from one of the runners in the ship of fools group-Allen, who is a three-hour marathoner. His valued advice is another piece I'm going to take with me when I race next Sunday.

The loneliness of the long distance runner

The book, movie, and song The loneliness of the long distance runner (middle distance in the B&S song) talks about running as solitary. "It's a treat being a long-distance runner out in the world by yourself ... Sometimes I think that I've never been so free as during that couple of hours when I'm trotting up the path out of the gates and turning by the bare-faced, big-bellied oak tree at the lane end." I do enjoy using running as a place for solace, reflection, and a place to sort out details on my own and I do enjoy running on my own. It is also something I enjoy sharing with others like a pride of lions working together to achieve a common goal. Running with Al's ship of fools pushes me and at the same time takes away the aspect of loneliness-each person there knows ... Running with friends is a time to share our goals and set new ones. It somehow feels more real when you share it with someone else. Did I just run 20 miles? Did you just see that? Running with others gives it validity - not always needed but being of the human race often preferred.

Training for New York I've had a "long distance" partner. My cousin J-R (pictured after running the Staten Island half with a seven mile warmup) and I have been putting our hat in the NY Marathon pool for quite a few years and this year we are running it together. We had many a training run in New York when I lived there, and we talked about running the marathon together some day and that day is near. It's been fun to hear how his runs have been. "Today I'm running from Grand Central Station home." or "I ran repeats of the park." It has been a virtual partnership this go round checking up on each other. Come November 2nd we hope to carry each other along to reach the goals we have set for ourselves. Sunday November 2nd we will be part of a large pride 40,000 strong stomping through the five boroughs of New York working for a common goal, make that 40,001 as one of my running buddies here will help pace us in NY. So solitary; without company; companionless we will not be come NYC. Not to mention the many people who have supported us along the way and will be there on race day to cheer us on physically and virtually.

On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur, l'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.

That is the line that the fox says to the prince in The Little Prince. It means "One cannot see well except with the heart, the essential is invisible to the eyes." I thought of The Little Prince as I ran yesterday and was transfixed by the full moon lighting my way. Yesterday I talked about how running fast made my heart race and how great that felt. Today I decided to run fast again and thought about things and how the heart is essential. Running fast begins on the inside. I remembered what Gilbert said about running for pure joy and fixated on that and as darkness began to fall on my run there were moments were I literally closed my eyes and just felt myself taking off-a rocket ship to the moon.

speeding motorcycle

Last night I ran and I ran fast, why, because it felt good. Now fast is all relative and you can feel like you are going fast only to have someone pass you and realize you aren't going as fast as they are, but for me - I was going fast and I like it. I chased down the person ahead of me, I chased down the biker tootling down the road in front of me and I ran to feel my heart race like a speeding motorcycle - vroom!!!

I get chills thinking about hugels

Back in college I used to put Post-Its around the house the said "I love hills!" I figured maybe with positive thinking the hardest part of my runs would become exciting challenges, opportunities to make me stronger. This weekend was the last over twenty mile run before marathon day and I was looking forward to that. Training has taught me, that I'm strong enough to face any challenging day at least a moderate pace so my training day anxieties have lessened somewhat. That's somewhat (believe me they are intense). The New York Time just had an article recently on the importance of relaxing before races and how this helps performance. I think a lot of it is the unknown and training helps calm those nerves. You know you've done it many times before and you just need to put one foot in front of the other, simple as that. Matt gave me the usual directive of get sleep, no clubbing, and be there at 6:15. Does clubbing at your house count? Well I have to say it does relax me. I went into Saturday's run knowing the route was up to Matt and as we started out I realized we were heading toward the hills. Matt started talking about a bike race that covers all the largest hills in Austin (tour de Hugel) and how what we were about to go up was the steepest grade (25%) GREAT I LOVE HILLS - right?! Right - I know they will only make me stronger and I trudged up the best way I knew how, and to my surprise didn't feel that bad, and what a view! We ran up Ladera Norte and then headed over to Mt. Bonnell where we stretched at the top. I wasn't too excited about running up 2222 for a bit, but it was alright and worth the reward at the top of the hill. Twenty miles later and my legs were tired, but not as much as I expected and my cardo felt good. Not only did the hills strengthen me physically, but they also strengthened me mentally. Less than three weeks to go and the view from my long run is good.

lend me your ear

There is an area of my regular run that reminds me of a Roman theater. It is hardly on the same scale but has stone seating in a semi-circle. I've never seen anyone using it and often wonder why it was placed there. Located along the creek and nestled by greenbelt overgrowth, I constantly daydream of its use. Yesterday I went for a run and as I came from under thirty-fifth street I saw someone sitting among the stones with his bike propped against a tree. As I came closer I saw he was holding a ukulele and then I heard him singing gently. He had a beautiful voice and as I ran I thought what a treat it was to be sung to as I went along my way the sun setting with a cool breeze blowing and a soft voice wafting over me like the waves of the ocean on a beach. The rest of my run home was with a lighter step as the mariposas in my stomach lifted me up and carried me the rest of the way from the mysterious ukulele playing man at the theater with no name.

Good Times

Saturday I met up with Al's Ship of Fools to at least start off the fifteen I needed to do that day. Gretchen joined me. We started at a slowish pace due to some knee trouble that we didn't want to test too much. After the first water stop under the Mopac bridge, where Allen joined the two of us, we started to pick up the pace. I wonder if it had something to do with the conversation. Sometimes when you have conversations when you run you can lose yourself in that and your legs move to their own beat, not so bad I'd say. Well these legs were determined to keep up with Gretch and Allen. I never felt like I pushed to hard, my breathing was regular and not labored. It was just a longer stride that I'm trying to get myself a little more used to and what better time with good company who push me? We finished the ten mile loop in record time for me and then Gretch and I ran the last bit somewhat slower, I felt great knowing I felt faster and indeed the clock showed it. It was definitely good times that morning.

The Crazy Lady

"Oh, you're the crazy one." Gilbert Tuhabonye said to me my first day joining one of his groups for the run. "I looked at him with a red face that wasn't from running. "What did Susan say you said when I asked where you were on Monday." He asked. "I said I was chopping at my thighs running on Shoal Creek." I responded. "Oh yes," he said "you're crazy. That made me laugh." I ended up running faster than I thought I could on the track yesterday and so maybe the craziness is paying off?!!!

When I rode bikes with Robby that night - I got the same thing from him. He called it an addiction. I denied it, then thought about it and said "you know you're right I am addicted to it." Of course we were on Great Northern and the straight away that I love to fly down. The feeling when you get going fast down that straight away is intense, even before you get going. The sounds of the chain slipping into the big ring is like the bar of a roller coaster coming down on you. It is the signal of what is to come. You can feel the burning in your legs but at the same time the exhilaration of going as fast as you can under your own power wind whistling around you breathing rhythmic counting off, sometimes other cyclists on your tail. I am addicted.

Twenty-one miles and some microphones

ACL Fest was last weekend and I had a long run planned for that same weekend-what's a girl to do? Why both of course. I figured I would be better off doing my long run before all the fest activities started so I convinced Matt to run with me and under his strict orders of "I'm not going to run with you unless you a) go to bed early b) wake up early enough to eat something c) and NO CLUBBING.

We set off at 6:30. Matt made sure we kept a good pace and we chatted all the while we ran. Half way through the run, I saw someone waving their hands ahead of us. "Do you know them I ask Matt," as I couldn't clearly see who it was. As they got closer I realized it was KB and Nathan doing their long run before ACL as well. It was nice to see a friendly face on the run. We kept on reached the water stop at 1st street where Matt ran into Colin and set up a run for the next day. We kept on and at about mile 15 my knee started hurting so we stopped for me to stretch out for bit. That seemed to do the trick. The rest of the way home I felt pretty good and all in all had a great run. I know it seems silly, but it flew by and Matt said that was the fastest we had gone yet, but also an easier route than we usually do.

eat the cookie, don't eat the cookie

Gilbert Tuhabonye came to our offices last week and went through some running drills. The one that brought the biggest smile to his face and therefore mine was eat the cookie, don't eat the cookie. "Those girls love their cookies" he said. "So I tell them bring your hand up to your mouth and say ' eat the cookie' and then take that cookie and throw it to the ground and say 'don't eat the cookie.' Then when you are done running you can eat the cookie. He also said you can pump your arms like you are chopping at your thighs "chop, chop, chop." Gilbert's enthusiasm was fabulous. He emphasized the importance of running for fun plain and simple. I've thought about it a lot. I haven't always been so gunghoo to go running and looking back, I am absolutely better for nurturing my love of running and letting it blossom.
Running is fun plain and simple and on some of my gloomiest days has brought the sunshine back into my mood. I look forward to my runs although sometimes I still get anxious before the long runs, I am still excited for the challenge and the sense of accomplishment afterward. Every run is fun, but some are extra special and leave my heart singing louder than normal. This is the type of feeling I love. Tuesday's run was full of fun run surprises. I had fun running by the soccer players and imagining I was swiping the ball and shooting a goal. I had fun watching the frisbee golfers playing and making and missing shots. I had fun running along the trail and then coming across an oriental rug laid out right in the middle of it and then using my imagination to come up with how it got there. I had fun rhyming with words that end in "one" with my friend Robby as we ran. I had fun hopping on a swing in a neighborhood triangle and then hopping back off and running again. I had fun sprinting hard (same feeling as biking hard down Great Northern, whee!) down a street with large oak trees reaching across to each other like two people playing London bridge. All this fun in one run, one day after work. Boy am I one lucky girl to have this in my life.

Warning!

Running may result in additional house projects. I really love to run through the neighborhoods and look at other houses for ideas. Especially on weekends I feel like I'm always running by great garage sales with no money and no car. Yesterday - I took to my old college hobby of dumpster-diving or recycling as I like to call it. I've gotten many a good find this way especially in NYC, but here there can be good loot, I've even gotten a Christmas tree a good two weeks before Christmas from outside a frat house. Yesterday, it was a desk that was calling me. I ran past it on my way out from my house starting out on my run. "That was a really good looking desk" I thought as I went by it. "There must be something wrong with it, wobbly legs, stains, ghosts. Well," I figured. "I'll just see if it is there on the way back and check it out a little closer then." I can't say I didn't pick up the pace on my way back to up the odds of it still being there and it was. I moved it around, no wobbles, I opened the drawers, no severed fingers inside, hmmm. It did look a bit short, but I'll run home and have my roommate come check it out and if it is still here... I started running home even faster now. I saw Jen working in her front yard waved a hello, but didn't even break stride as I was on a mission. I burst through the front door, "You have to go check out this desk I saw." The more I described it, the more I realized that it was a actually a project desk. "There is a loose handle, but just one, and yes water stains on top, but maybe we can paint it ." Fifteen minutes later and I now have an old wooden desk in the garage waiting for some TLC. Anyone good with a paint brush?!

howlin' wolf

As I ran up scenic drive we came to a part that had a footbridge going over us and on the bridge were two dogs peering down at us. I started howlin' as a high five up to them for cheering us on. The oso-faced dog tilted his head at me quizzically like the RCA dog. I looked back over at the view of the lake and the overcast weather and was loving the run. This is what it is about I told Gretch, this is what motivates me to run. The run on Saturday was ideal, but not what I would have thought when I heard what the route was going to be. We ran Stratford to Scenic, back down Exposition then up to Congress and back to the zero mile marker for a 12.5 mile run. I held it steady through the hills and then when Gretch kicked it in running down Exposition hung onto her coattails for dear life and I felt good and fun. Just what it is all about.

Yesterday I went to hear some music and everyone started howlin' instead of clapping. It must be something in the air.

Twenty-One

The number of miles I ran on Sunday. It wouldn't have been possible without Matt running along with me. We had a 6:30 start time on Sunday and I knew it was go then or not at all. I chose to go. We start out slow or at least Matt kept reigning me back in to make sure I went slow and had enough juice for the end of the run. It sounds silly, but it is not always the easiest thing to do. I really enjoy early morning runs on the weekend once I'm over the "what am I doing waking up early on the weekend factor." It is fun to run the quiet streets while the majority of people are asleep. We saw the cleaning crew picking up trash from the previous nights football game, and experienced the sunrise. We meandered our way over to town lake at mopac Matt making sure I was drinking every 15 minutes which on a long run you sometimes have to remind yourself to do. We ran the 4.5 mile loop and then made our way home backtracking where we came from previously. It was a hilly route and I could start to feel the length of it toward the end. I think part of what was getting to me was I only had one gel the whole morning and I was starting to get grouchy. I slogged my way to the end of the run and believe me was ready to stop on this one. Was I glad I did it? absolutely I learned a lot of valuable things on this run: fuel, water and start off slow.

biking, biking, biking

Yesterday my head was infected with biking. It's all I could think about/all I wanted to do was be out on my bike pumping my legs hard until they burned and tears streamed back from my eyes. Instead I was faced in front of a computer. Rooster getting ready to ride Monday's race with Gretch was at her house, so I set about pulling out my old bike shoes for Clyde (the Bianchi) and gleefully got ready for a ride. By the time I came to the stop light by my house I realized that my shoes were not clipping in nor were they going to clip in. Note: If your biking shoes are from the early 90s they might not work so well. I was able to manage to somehow balance the cleat on top of the pedal and garner enough power to get me to Matt and Sara's house where I told my sob story about how I was really looking forward to riding, blah, blah, blah. Sara looked at me and said, "just take my bike". Of course, my face lite back up, I was going to be back on the saddle again and they had been prodding me to try her bike out anyway as it is superlight and has a good seat on it. I tested it out like a five-year-old riding up and down the street making sure all was good before I jetted off. The seat could have used some adjusting, but I was anxious to get going and headed out. I felt lighter and faster riding the Easton (Sara's bike) but I wasn't sure how fast I was going and didn't want to put the computer on, because I just wanted to go for a joy ride really. The feeling of going fast was great, although there were some things I really wasn't used to on the bike e.g. it was so light it was hard for me to get a feel for the bike when I wanted to crank hard, the shifting was completely different, and I felt super upright. What it all boils down to is it is great to be out biking on ANY bike. Which one will be my next one? Can Rooster be replaced?

I like to disco.

" No clubbing means NO CLUBBING the night before! Get a good night sleep and be ready to go." This is what Matt emailed me today about our 20 mile run this weekend. I really want to do well in NY and Matt has graciously decided to help me reach my goal, but sometimes reality can be harsh. I'm willing to do what needs to be done, GULP.

Monday was a much needed break for my legs and Sara and I headed to the Lake to join the Hippie Hollow group. We had a thunderstorm that blew through Austin on Monday and that seemed to clear out the regulars so when we got to Hippie Hollow it was mostly ours. The water level at the lake is pretty low so we had to hike down a bit to get to the water in our normal cove and then there was a lot of glass. Jimmy cut his foot on a clear piece as he was looking out for green and brown versus clear so he decided to sit this swim out. I dove into the water and it was the perfect temp! It seems the rains had cooled things off a bit and the water was calm and cool. It felt like I was ice skating versus swimming as I made my way to the Windy Point tree we target. On my way, this guy with those double fins like a dolphin tail flew by me. He said he was wearing them to loosen up his ankles. If I had them on it would be all I could do to not dive down and then dolphin kick my hardest to propel myself up and out of the water, but that's just me. This was the last HH group swim of the year as after Labor Day the park closes at 6 PM sadly. I guess we can still go on weekends, but it's always nice to get away during the week. We watched the sunset and headed back home.

Tuesday Matt had a track workout for us to do, which is where I think I can make the most improvement. It's no secret that I'm not the fastest runner, but I want that to change or at least I want to be the fastest runner I can be. The run went well although Matt thought I could have run the fast laps faster and the slow laps slower. I'll try and adjust for next time.

Wednesday was ~6 miles of my regular run to shoal creek. I'm not sure if it was the track workout the night before or? but I knocked off a couple of minutes from the amount of time it usually takes me.

This morning was happy fun run day as I told KB and I gave her several different options as to routes we could run and made her choose. She chose the capitol run route and we ran for a little under an hour thumbing our noses at the people running on treadmills in the gym, smelling bacon the whole run, running through construction zones, looking at the capitol annex, and talking the whole time. Now that is a good start to the day.

and the beat goes on

I had some more good runs last week all at night. Thursday night KB and I ran together with the dangling carrot of getting dinner afterward. We both had tired legs on the run, but completely enjoyed it. We ran around 8 miles, showered, and then walked to go get dinner - what a perfectly lovely way to end a day.

Saturday, I made it out to the Al's ship of fools run again thanks to Gretch's help in making sure I got there in time. I'm not the best at group runs, because I have trouble falling into a pace that is good for me and usually just pick up the fastest persons pace from the get go. That is what happened Saturday and by mile 4 or so, I realized I could not hold the pace for the whole distance and that I better turn the dial down a notch in order to keep on keepin' on. I completed the 10 mile loop Al's was doing and knew I had five more to go, at this point, I was not feeling my best, but Gretch encouraged me to continue you on and got me to go the extra bit.

After Saturday's less than stellar run, I was feeling trepidacious about heading out again. It is just not as fun to run on tired legs. I knew Sunday's run was supposed to be five miles so not as far and I took it as a nice Sunday jog. I started out from my friend's house right on LBL where they were BBQing and headed to the trail. My legs felt good, not top-notch, but definitely good and the weather a bit cooler than the previous morning so I was able to kick it up a bit and all in all it was a really reassuring jaunt for me. The best part was ending at the BBQ and having good food and company post-run.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

Matt Harrington completed Leadville 100. This is an amazing 100 mile run out in Leadville Colorado. He battled rain, snow, stomach issues, etc. and not once, not ONCE, did stopping cross his mind. I'm still in awe of this amazing accomplishment. Way to go Matt! I saw him yesterday merely 24 hours after he finished and he was doing a jig.

My marathon training is on its way. I ran 18 on Saturday made that much easier when KB met me 1/3 of the way through and ran the middle third with me. The whole way down to the lake the anticipation of meeting up with her kept my legs moving at a good pace and then the fun of running along with her kept me going the rest of the way home. Not the easiest run I've done. Last Wednesday I turned a 7 mile run into a 10 miler just because I felt so good and was running after work when it wasn't in the triple digits. I'm going to try and be a bit more diligent about my posts.

Click here for video from IM Switzerland. Brings back many happy memories.

I feel the need for speed

I'm going to go back over the race in a bit more detail as time permits. There are just so many experiences during the race that it is hard to put it all into words.

The major thing I've noticed since the race is something I did not expect and maybe it is partially due to the fact that I had an overall "good" race; I have a greater hunger to race more. And I want to race stronger and faster. I suppose the thrill of experiencing first-hand where you can get with hard work and determination is a treat. But I really enjoy the process and I don't think I could have or can accomplish the goals I've been talking about if I didn't feel this way. Since my return I've been thinking about what I need to do to get faster. I have the need for speed.

  

the swim

I'm an Ironman!!!!

Rooster is racked and ready

I took Rooster to the transition tonight and as you can see, the first Zürich tram ride, waiting in line to have the odometer tightened, covering with plastic bags for the night (supposed to be rain tonight and for the race tomorrow), and then look how eager I am to start after dropping the bike off, grrr!!!

check www.ironmanlive.com for updates or www.ironman.ch

Here I go!!!

getting there

on top of the world

This is the view from Piz Gloria. Packet pickup went well yesterday other than Mary being on my number, oh well, if that is all that goes wrong I'm completely fine with that. Last night we went to the Opera, Turnadot and it had the usual European flare which made it all that more special.

Rooster gets the thumbs up.

Just rode my bike around town, swam in the lake again, and now am
waiting for packet pickup with kathi and don.

The countdown continues...

Less than five days!

Yesterday we went to Piz Gloria with some spectacular views from
Schilthorn of Jungfrau (the tallest mountain in Europe) as well as
other mountains in the range. Today, I'm going to set foot in the
water of Lake Zurichsee for some ironman swim training. It all still
feels like a dream.

Landewiese

I scoped out the location for the start of the ironman and it's not
too shabby with crystal clear water about the temp of Barton Springs.

Less than a week

This morning I went for a run around lake zurichsee. There was me in
my running kit and the locals riding bikes in suit and tie heading to
work. The bike lanes here are great as there is a separate area for
bikes even on the walking trails. It is nice to see so many people
commuting to work on bikes. The view while running around the lake is
also spectacular. Everything is so green and clean. The architecture
surrounding the lake is typically European with the background being
mountains. Like running through a postcard. The race still hasn't
completely hit me yet, but yesterday. I kept thinking about where I
would be at during the race at certain times.

I'm here!!!

Made it to Zurich and it is spectacular! I'm pretty exhausted right
now but am looking forward to exploring via swim, bike, and run. I'll
keep you guys posted.

-MK

And away we go

The first leg of my journey has started as last night Robby took me and all my baggage down to SA for my flight today. We all seem to have made it in one piece, although Austin was crying as I left. I like to think of it as tears of pride. Leg one is a success, especially with Mom's going away dinner and lemon meringue pie. Yum! I keep reminding myself that now I need to be confident in my training and to just relax. It is hard to believe this is real, but I'm really excited. The image to the right is my brother's design for the race this year and with that kind of support, who couldn't relax? The image says it all—Texas to Switzerland—HERE I GO! I'll update when I get there.

Rooster packed and ready

Rooster and I went for our last Austin spin this morning with the temperature lower than it has been and a fabulous start to the day. The guy at the stop light next to me asked if I raced criteriums, umm other end of the spectrum, I'm doing an ironman. Maybe I should be doing crits instead I think, but now is not the time to question. I sat back and rode easy for the rest of the ride trying not to push too hard. Am I nervous, yes. Am I excited, yes. Can I do this, yes. It is hard to believe that the 30 minute decision to enter this race back in September after Kathi asked me, "Isn't an Ironman on your to-do list?" My answer—yes, so how could I say no? I've said that I've truly enjoyed the journey, now I just need to trust in that and in what my body can do. 

I dropped Rooster off to be packed with the help of Robby and now it is really starting to feel real. Zane was at the shop to reassure me. "I saw you out around town twice, once biking and once running. You are ready. You had a steely drive in your eye. You were focused." This is it and I know with the training I've put in and all the support that has been showered upon me from, friends, family, colleagues, I am ready.

Enjoy the Moment

This past Sunday I rode with Ironman veterans Matt and Steve. I took it upon myself to tap this wealth of knowledge and asked them what, with their experience, was the best advice they could give me as I faced this challenging race. They both said hands down it was to enjoy the moment, enjoy where you are at and savor it, because that is what it is all about. Steve also said that he would take it easier on the first half of the bike which is hard to do as you are caught up in the excitement. Oh yeah, and he also said stay away from sugar-free gummy worms. He had first-hand experience with those and it was not a good thing.

As my nerves begin to build I've been reminding myself to enjoy the moment and not panic about the future. I tell myself what a great experience it will all be and honestly I've enjoyed the journey thus far. Robby asked me if I was excited that I was almost done with all my long training and after thinking about it, other than some of the long HOT rides and the heat in general, I've really loved the training. I think in order to train for something like this, you have to enjoy it.

Riding with Matt and Steve on Sunday was a treat. We went out to Fitzhugh where it takes you by Pedernales State Park and there are far fewer cars. It was nice to be on the road and not have to worry about traffic merging or veering onto the shoulder. All we really needed to worry about was the killer yellow lab barking at us behind the fence. My legs were pretty tired from the Saturday hill run, but I still felt okay riding, I just didn't put it in the big gear and cruised along. The route was hilly, but as I've learned hills always look worse than they really are to ride up them. A bonus to my training is I feel like I can tackle a lot of things, hills being one of them (except for maybe Jester, that one scares the you know what out of me) so I just calm myself down and try not to worry about them as much as I used to worry. Matt and Steve rode along horsing around and playing games (like who can make it up the hill the farthest without pedaling and basically coming to a stop before starting again). I was just happy to be in the hill country pedaling along. I had a run after our ride and while it was hard to go home and then start back out, I did and as usual I felt horrible at the start of the run and by the end of the run - great!

Running with the Ship of Fools

Saturday I decided to bite the bullet, wake up early and join Al's ship of fools running group. KB made it a little easier by agreeing to go with me and I knew Gretch would be running with them as well. Running not being my strong suit, I am always a little intimidated by the groups, but have been hearing about this one for so long I wanted to know what the hoopla was about. I met KB at her house and we ran down to Town Lake where the group meets just in time. We met Al and he told us there would be two groups one running 11 miles and the other 8 miles and that today's route would be hilly . I calmed myself down knowing that I'm strong enough and so what if I can't keep up, I'm not here to win any medals. We headed out down the trail and over to Stratford where the hills faced us. There is something fun about running in a group, like a pack of wild animals pounding the pavement. We wound our way up and down the hills and while I wasn't the fastest in the group, I felt pretty good and handled it all pretty well. By the time I was back at Town Lake for the last 5 or so miles I felt good knowing what was ahead and that I could handle it. One of the runners, Ryan, ran with us and then asked our names. "I'm KB," KB said. "I'm MK," I stated. We both looked at each other after we said it and smirked. "Did that seem weird to you?" We both happened to be wearing the EXACT same running skirt that day down to the color and gave our name as initials. "Yeah, I never thought about it before." KB said. We laughed and kept on running. Well I feel like I got a lot out of running with the group. At one point I found myself running faster than normal and thought that I should slow down, but realized I wasn't breathing any harder. Maybe my body is ready for the next step up. I think running in a group helps push you to the next level and out of your comfort zone, so yet again I pleasantly surprised myself.

Hot Child in the City

It has been a hot past week and it looks like there is no relief in sight. The weekend before last really tested me as far as heat and distance goes and hit me hard. I picked myself up last Monday dusted myself off and kept plugging away. I'm feeling good this week and felt good this past weekend. And my training has brought about some great sightings and times. Like the guy and his dog pictured which I saw more than once on my outings. I also saw a cat proudly carrying a mouse back to his owner, and all sorts of beautiful wildlife. I really am liking the weekend mornings as the city is so quiet and feels more like I'm the one faced with the new fallen snow of a new day when I go out. Last night I finally joined the Lake Travis swim group and was once again reminded why it is so great to live here. Twenty minutes from my house and I'm swimming on a lake into the sunset, what a life!

NY State of Mind

Yesterday, on my morning run, I ran by two movie sets, and got to thinking how Austin is turning into NY with all the sets around. It must have been foreshadowing because last night around midnight I found out I made it into the New York marathon on November 2!

real hot, real hilly, real ale

The weather has been hot and I knew we would be in for another one on Saturday for the Real ale ride. I slapped on my sunscreen and caravaned with KB and Nathan down to Blanco for the start. From the get go we were hit with hills as I suspected it being the hill country and all and the head wind pushed us this time as well. I felt pretty good other than the constant tiredness my legs feel, just a gentle reminder to listen to my body. I'm usually sluggish as I warm up and then feel good. I rode along with KB until they headed off at their turn for the fifty mile route and I continued on. "I thought I recognized that bike" I hear as my friend Jeff pulls up next to me. It was great to see a friendly face out on the route and we rode and met at the rest stops the rest of the way. I tackled all the hills with confidence and the heat wasn't too bad as their was a cool breeze. What bothered me the most was the bumpy road and the distress it caused me sitting on my bike. Weird thing is, and it usually does happen like this, I start to feel better after about 60 miles. I'm not sure if it was the road conditions, getting better, me getting used to the bumps, or just knowing I didn't have too much farther to go, but I'll take it. The scenery on the ride was gorgeous and we even had a rest stop at the bat cave near Luckenbach which was fun. Mostly it was just beautiful to take in the countryside at the leisurely pace of the bike. After the ride my Dad met up with me to go on a tour of the brewery and visit which was nice as well. I realized that, as much anxiety I get from my family being at events, I am really lucky they take such an interest in my life and am grateful for their support. And when I got back to my car there was a note from KB and Nathan saying great job on my ride. Well what can I say other than I could not do it without the support of my friends as well and I am definitely one lucky girl.

Red Wave

When I started out on Saturday's ride, the heat had already arrived. I wasn't quite sure what my route would be, but knew I needed to ride for five hours and knew I needed to practice riding hills. I started out from my house and immediately saw a group of four riders. "Perfect" I thought, "maybe I can tag along with them." I caught up to them and asked how far they were going, "four hours", this seemed perfect for me. "Do you mind if I tag along" I asked. "Not a problem," I found out where they were going and rode with them for maybe a quarter of a mile, when their pace was just a bit too slow for me. I know Matt says, long and slow, but I think he means for me to be pedaling. I was a little disappointed to lose a potential pack, but it can be nice to be on your own as well. They had me heading South to Mopac so I continued on that way debating what route to take. I was at the Barton Creek light tossing back whether to continue straight to SW Parkway or turn right onto 360, when I sensed riders behind me. I turned around to come face to face with around ten identically clad red-jersey wearing Bicycle Sport shop riders. This made my decision, I had to see how long I could keep up with them. The light turned green and I bolted off charging down the hill. I rode for a bit waiting for the red wave to overtake me, sensing that they had to be right behind me. It wasn't until about five miles later that the first of the group rode on by me. We exchanged hellos and I kept on riding trying to keep up as long as I could, which wasn't much longer, but it did provide some entertainment. I rode to the end of SW Parkway and then onto 71 where I was hoping traffic would be a bit lighter at this early hour. It was lighter than usual, but not as light as no traffic. I felt pretty good so far and just tried to keep the pace, I still had a long way to go. I rode on around the mall and back to Bee Caves and then continued to 360. I made one full loop of 360 and headed home to refill my water bottles. On my way in I came across another rider clad in all white, not my first choice for bike shorts due to sweat making it see through but I guess it's cool. "How long have you been riding?" He asked. "Three hours" I grin. Saying it just seems to make it more real. "You?" "I've gone about two and am halfway there." He responded and then the light changed and we both were off going our own directions. I made it home, reapplied sunscreen, refilled my water bottle and ate half a PBJ then hopped back on my bike again. "Just think of it, like you are just heading out for a ride" I thought. That would have been great, but the temperature was soaring at this point and humidity was really high. I set back out for 360, the road noticeably lighter without as many bikers, but I know that this will help me come July. I make my way through the last two hours of the ride and it went faster than I thought it would although my riding was slower than I thought it would be, I think mainly due to solo riding, but I'm not sure. At the end of the ride I had gone 85 miles, drank 4 bottles of water, ate half a power bar and half a PBJ.

The Heat Is On

Three-sixty after work during the week always intimidates me. The traffic from people going home from work can be massive. Last night I had a two hour ride planned and the thought of doing more laps around Great Northern (~3 mile loop) was definitely not appealing. While I love cranking it out on the flat straight away of Great Northern, Zurich is NOT flat and I need to get out into the hills more. After my run yesterday the thought that I needed to ride later in the day seemed unreal, but after lunch, my legs felt refreshed and dreams of being on my bike infiltrated my thoughts. I was ready and this time I was going to take on 360. To make things a little better and maybe give some of the traffic time to die down I rode through town to the South entrance of 360 and Mopac. The ride there was definitely congested, but I picked a way that had bike lanes and took pleasure in passing all the cars waiting for lights. By the time I made it to 360 the traffic was MUCH lighter. Apparently around 7 PM everyone has already skedaddled. The road was mostly mine and actually I saw few other cyclists even. Maybe the lack of cyclists was from the heat, which has already been turned up here in Austin. I lost five pounds in sweat alone by the time I got home and I drank both my bottles. I guess even the 360 loop is a bit short for a two hour ride because I still had about 30 minutes left when I reached the GNL and so rode around twice anyway.

When I woke up this morning I knew my legs would be tired from the run-bike of yesterday, but I was looking forward to the run. It rained just before I left the house, but the air was still thick as I weaved my way down to Pease Park. I could feel the heaviness of my legs from the previous days, but tried to keep it steady and do a few pickups to start working in some speed.

sweat equity

The clothes I took off this morning after my run fell to the floor with a thump. The sound signaled the end of a great run, well make that an almost great run. I decided to head out this morning sans water bottle as I know some fountains along the route that should keep me hydrated and the morning is usually cooler. Starting out was cool, but the humidity was high. I felt great watching all the businesses getting ready for the day and the traffic starting out light and turning heavy, kind of like the movie Koyaanisqatsi the rhythm of the city kept my feet moving. I wound my way to the first water fountain about 30 minutes into the run and I pressed the button, no water, “okay” I thought. “I’ll just try the other.” The other fountain was clogged and filled with water, so unless I wanted to dip my face in the water as I drank, I wasn’t getting any. I guess I wasn’t that thirsty because the second option was not appealing. I still felt pretty good and knew positively that there would be a working fountain half way through the run. This part of the run is my favorite because it’s on trails. I could tell UT had wound down as I only passed a few people, usually there are quite a bit more out there. Reaching the fountain at the halfway point was just in time. I probably spent a minute drinking all I could before heading back. I snaked my way back through the trail passing dog walkers and their dogs who would trot along with me for a bit and then look back at their owners and with what seemed like a shrug, headed back to them when their invisible leash tugged at them. I diverted my route back somewhat to pass another park that I knew had a fountain and drank it in again. When I reached the end of my run I felt good, but ready to finish and had slowed down a tad, until that is, I saw the light turn green by my house, if I didn’t catch the light it would be a long wait so without even thinking my legs kicked it up a few notches and I flew through the light. I guess I had more juice in me than I thought, it felt good.

A Wrinkle in Time

I've been using my new shoes for about a week now and am starting to get used to them. There are definitely still some adjustments that I need to make mainly so that my left shoe will stop popping out of the pedal at inopportune times. I had a nice swim on Tuesday morning which helped to stretch out my shoulders which have been tight since Saturday's ride. Tuesday night I got back on my bike and while not feeling 100% as far as my legs it still was fun to get back on the bike. I rode with Robby from his house over to the Great Northern loop, where we did some laps. On one of the laps after the main lap I felt my front tire flat. I pulled over and set to work changing it. I still am not sure what caused this flat, but I went about changing as fast as I could and got back on the road. I did a couple of more laps and then we headed home. Wednesday, I tried out 
my running legs. The weather was overcast after a nice rain the night before and I could still hear thunder in the distance. I love to run when the weather is threatening to change. There is usually less people out and I just feel defiant "Come on rain". This time the rain held off and after about a mile the lactic acid in my legs wore off and I felt good. Wednesday night was another night of biking and I could definitely feel the tiredness in my legs, I tried to ride consistently. The goal for me was to not feel forced to ride and although my legs were constantly tapping me on the shoulder and saying "can we get a break here" I rode them easy and soon they loosened up and felt back to normal. Another case where "Press on" proved to be a good thing. Thursday morning was another post storm run and another great one. Again my legs were tired at the start but after running for a little bit I was rewarded with a special treat from nature (no Bart not nature's napkin) but a lovely blanket of leaves and moss laid along my running route making the hard roads soft and gently to the foot fall. I hopped across the normally trickling stream as it rushed along and smiled inside as I felt like the first one to run along an undisturbed beach on this early morning run after the storm.

Two Months Out!

Only two more months until the race in Switzerland. Time has flown by and the training has been going well. Will I be ready? That is a hard question to answer. I just have to trust that I will be and do what I feel I need to do to prepare for the race.

Sunday, the day after my century ride, I joined Diego for a trail run and swim at Barton Springs. I rode my bike, Clyde, down there and my legs felt surprisingly well. I did take it easy on the ride Saturday and didn't push myself too hard so maybe that played a part in the fast recovery. On the run my legs felt a bit heavy and I found it hard to find my breath, but enjoyed being out there. We decided to turn around when I bumped my head on a low slung branch and on the run back out my legs felt looser. On the swim my arms felt tired, which was weird, I wonder if it was from being in the aero bars?

sole searching

On my Wednesday night ride I felt something weird when I pulled up with my right foot. I thought that my cleat came loose which has happened before, but when I looked down at my shoe at a stoplight I saw that the sole of my shoe was ripping away from the rest of the shoe. I knew there was a bike shop just down the street from where I was at so I pulled in there. "Yeah you are going to need new shoes" I got from the mechanic. I was stymied. The shoes looked practically new on top, but at the moment with no funds on me, my main goal was finishing my workout and getting home. He offered to duck tape me into my shoes and and that worked for now. I headed back out to the road and had a fabulous ride, one shoe sporting it's new shiny-silver finish.

I knew that I would need new shoes for Saturday's ride without a doubt, There was no way I could ride 105 with my shoe duck taped mostly because it stopped the air flow to my foot. So the pressure was on for a new pair. Now, normally I like to take my time and research these things before making a purchase, but I was going to have to rely on the trusty tri shop guys to guide me. I was in there an hour before I finally settled on my lilly white Louis Garneau shoes, I know you should wait until after Memorial day for white shoes, but I can tell you I'm sure they will be black by the time Labor Day rolls around. The pedals on my bike are so old that I've had trouble finding adapters and so I knew I was going to have to buy pedals as well.

Saturday was the tell-tale day for my new shoes and pedals and I was anxious to see if the bike rode any different although a 105 mile test ride was not my ideal. My shoes clipped in incredibly easy and felt lighter. One problem though was the cleat on my left foot as it kept popping out as I rode. Better to discover these things now then at a race I guess.

The Armadillo Hill Country ride started out cooler and cloudier than originally thought. I started about 15 minutes after the start getting all I needed together. It was a great ride by snakes, longhorns, cows, goats, donkeys, horses (that ran up to the fence and ran with me a little!), dead armadillos, and countless birds. I had a lot of highs and lows on the ride at times feeling invincible and great and at others, tired of my seat, tired of the heat and headache throbbing. You constantly have to evaluate yourself (am I hungry, thirsty, how does this feel, etc.). At the end of the ride I was ready to be off my bike and HOT (at this point the temp was hovering around 100), but made it through and felt good on the whole for an enjoyable ride.

great snakes

Yesterday was a beautiful run day and I planned on running to catch the 2K swim down at town lake. I ran from my house along shoal creek and felt really good the whole way down. My legs feel the burn from the previous day's ride on the uphills, but nothing horrible. I made it to town lake and check my watch. I then decided to run the I-35 Mopac loop to add on the extra mileage and time I would need before the swim race started. Slow and steady should have been my mantra on this run, because that is the way I felt. My legs were too pooped to kick it, but felt good at a steady pace. I made it to the Mopac bridge in plenty of time before the race and ran into a few people watching other swimmers. I met Gretch at the swim finish where she said the swim was good but COLD and then got a ride back home from her. It was the perfect Sunday morning run for me.

Saturday, I had a 3 hr 45 min ride facing me followed by a 50 min run. To help me with the ride, a friend of a friend graciously agreed to ride with me part of the way and we decided that I would meet him out at Emma Long park where they were camping. Now, I've been to Emma Long, but it has been years, and what I remember is flat. That is NOT what the road out to the park is like. After the turn off from 2222 the hills seemed reasonable and then what faced me better have been Switzerland's heartbreak hill on steroids because nervous little me hopped off almost at the top for fear of the dreaded topple over from going too slow. The hill was so large to me, I was afraid of going back down it, but you do what you have to do. I decided not to flog myself over it and continue on. The rest of the Emma Long ride was rolling and felt mostly downhill. "This is going to be another rough ride out." I thought. I met Diego and his friend Brian at the park. Brian was riding this mountain bike that had some sort of engine on it that would catapult him with "20 mph bursts". This was evidenced as we went up a hill on our way to the mountain bike entrance where Brian was going to put the bike to the test and he surge right ahead of us as we churned away on our bikes. The ride out of the park was not as bad as I had thought (this is usually the case and I try to remind myself of this when I build up anxiety about certain aspects of rides). We headed back out on 360 with a head wind pushing back at us. Diego, demonstrated his hill prowess bounding up the hills, while I made it up them at a slow crawl. We turned onto 2244 for an added loop, where Diego spotted a snake on the road, maybe it should be called Snake cave road? We rode steadily and I felt pretty good and made our way back to 360. Half way to the 360 bridge I heard my phone ring in my back pocket. I looked back didn't see Diego and figured I best pull off and see if that was him. It was. Apparently the flats continue around me and I doubled back to meet up with him. I had a patch kit and 650 tube, but after taking the tire off we discovered my CO2 bottle was empty so their was no air to pump up the tire. Diego called his friends to get a ride and encouraged me to ride on. Another day leaving my riding partner on the side of the road : ( The rest of the ride went well and Diego was picked up by his friends. I donned my running shoes after getting back to the house and took an easy 50 minute run around the neighborhood with thoughts of what was for lunch running through my head.

Good Morning Sunshine

There is a great house that I pass on my runs through Rosedale. It has some beautiful native landscaping, gorgeous picture windows, and a friendly orange door. I admire it every time I pass it on my runs. This morning as I was about to run by the house the owner was standing outside with his baby. As I approach he turned the baby to watch me run by and they waved "hello". I smiled, waved back, and shouted "good morning" thanking them for the encouragement. It really warmed my heart and reminded me that this is one of the reasons I choose to train.

Tues: Bike 1 1/2 hours 30 miles (This was a really good ride for me. I was feeling down from my tired biking legs on Saturday when I didn't feel 100% on the bike. Tuesday I felt great!)
Wed: Run 1 hour, Bike 1 hour
Thurs: Run 55 min, swim 1 hour
FRIDAY: Jazz Fest bound!

POW!

I'm slowly getting closer to Zurich and my training has been steadily increasing. Friday's swim was another cold one at Deep Eddy and as I ritually splashed myself and dipped my toe in the water and then splashed myself again I began thinking "I know if I just jump right in this will be much less painful," but continued the ritual nonetheless. My thoughts drifted to my younger self looking at my Mom before my race, knees shaking, and asking her if I can just dip my toe in before I race as if that would make all the difference. I guess old habits die hard and my nerves before racing - still there. I finally did get in the water at DE after my ritual splashing and slowly lowering myself in and had a lovely swim.

Saturday was another long bike day followed by a run and Robby was joining me for the first portion. The day was gorgeous and perfect for biking. My legs are a bit tight and sore from training and but still in good shape and the ride started out great. I was lost in my thoughts and getting ready for a nice downhill when behind me I heard a loud "POW!" and then the clip, clip, clip sounds only too familiar from flats. I turned back and Robby was pulling to the side. A piece of rebar punctured his tire straight in and back out. I was just glad he wasn't thrown from his bike or hit by the rebar. We talked about the options and called one of his friends who offered to pick him up. I felt bad leaving him while he waited for his friend, (one never leaves the wingman) but he insisted and perhaps I should have put up more of a fight, but I knew he would be fine. I took back off and caught some of the people that had just passed us and made my way back toward home. At the end of my ride my legs and back were beginning to grumble and by the time I got home, was not looking forward to the run. I pushed the evil thoughts aside and heading back out running knowing that all I needed was to run easy. As I'm fast discovering, when my legs are tired from biking they are usually fine running after a little bit and again this proved to be true, although at the end of the easy 50 minute jog, I was definitely ready to be home and showered.

Sunday morning and I could feel the vibrations in my legs when I woke up telling me they were tired. "hmm, I'm supposed to run 2 hrs today, how am I going to get up and go?" I ask myself. I remember yesterday and try to think of it more of a jog around town and how much I love being out there. I called Sara to see if she wanted to start out with me and she offered Matt who was doing the same distance. I jogged over to their house and Matt and I headed out to Shoal Creek and had a nice run down to Town Lake, around and back. I do enjoy destination runs it is pretty fun to put on shoes and run down somewhere you normally drive or bike and then head back.

Sat: 56 mile bike, 50 min run
Sun: 2 hr 5 min run at least 13 miles (info thanks to Matt's GPS)