I'm not crazy...I'm just bored!!

Deseret News Half Marathon

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Location:

Herriman,UT,USA

Member Since:

Jan 01, 2009

Gender:

Female

Goal Type:

Age Division Winner

Running Accomplishments:

St George Marathon: 3:23:54 (10/6/12)

Half IM: 5:44:03 (8/25/12 - course was long!)

25K trail - Buffalo Run (16.5) 2:34:50

Half Marathon: American Fork - 1:30:44  6/23/12

Spectrum 10K 43:42   3/17/2012

Best 5K: Spanish Fork 21:55 05/30/09

Short-Term Running Goals:

Okay, so for 2013 I am going to have FUN! Not that running isn't always fun, but I had a wonderful breakthrough year last year and I want to play this year :) AND get faster! So, my first goal I'm going to put out there is my yearly mileage goal.
It is 2,186 miles from my driveway to my sister (QP's) driveway! I want to spend this year on a virtual trek cross country running those miles. So, that is how far I will run in 2013...from my house to QPs. It will take all year and yes, this is measured on Hwys so it isn't really exactly how I COULD run it, but good enough. 43 miles/week...totally doable, and a fun goal to track how far I've traveled as I go along. Who knows...maybe I'll even run PAST her house :)

I will do more trail runs, Boston, Pacing duties, another Half IM and some other tris. I'm excited for this next year and look forward to having fun with all of you out on the roads, and trails! Maybe bag a few peaks this year too!!

Long-Term Running Goals:


Big Dreams: 5K in 20:2X; 10K in 39:XX; Half in 1:29:XX; Full in 3:15:XX; complete the Rim2Rim2Rim run and not die; Comrades; Iron(wo)Man.

Run for the rest of my life!

Personal:

4 children: twelve, eight, five and baby Fartlek - 2 1/2. Wonderful supportive husband that lets me drag him and the family all over for race after race!

Finished 13 marathons and LOVE running that distance! I'm definitely hooked to the marathon monster and hope to constantly improve my endurance, speed and stay injury free!

I've also found a love of trail running! I hope to keep improving on this front.

After being injured with a broken foot at the first of 2012 I found a tri group and started training with them and am now loving tris! The half IM was harder than I'd ever imagined...and am ready to do it again. I'll earn my bike butt and someday have enough time to train for a full IM.

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Miles:This week: 0.00 Month: 0.00 Year: 0.00
BIKE MILES Lifetime Miles: 1168.40
LUCY MILES Lifetime Miles: 25.25
Adidas Lifetime Miles: 319.66
Orange II Lifetime Miles: 390.41
Boston Mizuno Lifetime Miles: 568.97
Fargo Nikes Lifetime Miles: 500.03
BEANS Lifetime Miles: 755.00
Orange Bostons Lifetime Miles: 527.59
Solomon Trail Lifetime Miles: 363.98
PI Tri Shoes Lifetime Miles: 4.00
Boston Mizuno 10s Lifetime Miles: 140.75
New Orange Lifetime Miles: 157.05
Total Distance
30.70
Fargo Nikes Miles: 11.30BEANS Miles: 52.00Boston Mizuno Miles: 19.40
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Total Distance
11.30

I don't know why trails are so hard for me and why I can't run a decent speed, but man alive I get embarrassed by it sometimes.

Neasts put out a message to join her on a flat-ish trail run and I was game. I needed an excuse to get my butt out of bed anyway. So, I met her and she took me to some fun dirt roads/trails around a gun club in Eagle Mountain. Stepping on clay pigeons was fun too! I don't know if the heat got to me, the dirt slowed me down, I'm more fatigued  than I think or what, but I was certainly slow. I'm grateful for her patience with me!

It was a lovely morning in a new valley and a new place on great dirt. I really enjoy trail running, I just suck at it :) Always finding something new to conquer...right?

 

 

Fargo Nikes Miles: 11.30
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(4)
Total Distance
0.00

Bye-wing, Brent and our 2 daughters met at my house and we did a ride together. It was good to see Brent again! We all rode the 4 miles to the MVC where the trail starts North and the girls and Bye-wing went that way and Brent and I took on the hills to the South to see how I could push on my new bike. Brent was impressed with it and could tell the increase in speed. I certainly wasn't complaining, until I thought I was doing well and had him take the lead to chase him...HA! Still slow as molasses, but at least I'm getting there. 

It was a nice 27 mile hilly, pushing ride and even with the 4 miles slower with the girls (my daughter is still getting a hang of the new bike) I averaged almost 17mph. Felt good!

Thanks for the ride Brent and I love being out with the girls too! No running so I can have a mini-taper for the half tomorrow.

BEANS Miles: 27.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Race: Deseret News Half Marathon (13.109 Miles) 01:45:15, Place in age division: 22
Total Distance
13.20

Paced the Des News Half this morning. I had intentions of racing the 10K to PR, but as my legs have shown me they are still recovering from the torture I put them through in June, so when offered to take a pacing position I jumped on it!

These early morning runs/bus rides sure do knock the crap out of me! I am not good at going to bed early...at all. Even when I know I have to get up before 3:00AM. I picked up my neighbor Jessica and we were off to the races. 

Met the pacers and had a great ride up the canyon chatting away with everyone. I'd brought Blaine a dozen cookies so that I could pace 1:45 instead of 1:55, because I really wanted to push some sub-8's and feel a little speed in my legs before Saturday. Bribery works well :) Jonathan demanded one cookie, because without him neither of us would be there...he quite enjoyed them. I'm interpreting "food orgasm" as a good thing anyway :)

The start line was crowded and the buses were trying to drive through. It was a mad house and rather dangerous. Got a POP visit in and then sat and chatted the time away until time to line up. I got a few people lined up with me and my neighbor Jessica tried to turn her ipod on and it was dead. It wouldn't work. She had a mini breakdown, tears and all. I told her that I didn't believe in that hunk of metal, but I believed in her legs and her mind. That is all she needed! Not to put her trust in that, but in herself. She was sure she wouldn't finish and it would be horrible, but I convinced her to just do her best. Funny how ipods and being plugged in matter SO much to SO many people (I will digress from this topic now, or you'd get a novel from me! More than is already coming).

We started down the canyon and my goal was to hit 7:50 for the first 5-6 miles so that we had a full minute to play with the flats/hills/aid stations toward the end. I hit it pretty much right on target. I would tell people that we caught or that asked that we had some time and why. It was nice to see those same people sticking right with us as things flattened out. I had a kid Ryan who was running his first half and an older lady trying to get into NY and a taller older guy that would leap frog us quite often that I would continually encourage and he would talk to me as well. I also had Holly from Vigor Big Cottonwood join me again. She was excited to be a repeat customer! She stopped for a POP around mile 5 and never caught back up, but finished just shortly after me. MCat also started with us, but I lost her around mile 4; she finished 1:48!! Jessica also dropped around mile 4-5, but finished 1:51 almost 10 min for a PR. I'm SO proud of her!

The aid stations and mile markers were GREAT down the canyon and the only need I could see is maybe 2 POPs per station, instead of just one. Also, I wish they could've reduced the traffic. People were pulling out of driveways and driving down the canyon weaving through the runners. It was dangerous and frustrating...for all parties.

Along Foothill, just after mile 7 before joining the 10K course, we had our last good aid station. I was told by a higher up at packet pick-up that there would be GU available there and there was none. Kind of disappointing not to have any fuel after being promised it, but I was glad that I'd decided to bring my own. The next aid station wasn't until AFTER mile 10. Nearly 3 miles between them. For the 10K that is fine, but for the half and full that can just be dangerous. I took my GU at that later aid station, because I waited too long at the previous one waiting for them to hand it out. Now I feel like I really just wasted it.

Ryan and the older lady and gentlemen kept with me the last half of the race and the older lady just kept telling me how wonderful I was :) Great for my inflated ego! I kept telling her, it isn't me doing it...you are! Combining with the 5K course was a little difficult, because they were walking and 2-4 abreast. I just stayed on the outside of the cones. It was fun when I heard my name and it was my mom! I waved to her and my little baby Fartlek in the stroller. He got a big smile and almost jumped out with his arms open. I love that kid!

When we hit the parade route the crowd was rather unresponsive. I kept encouraging them to cheer for us and each time I'd get a meager response. I guess after Boston crowds just don't ever compare. I did have a few friends waiting for the parade that would cheer me on, that was fun to have a personal cheering section. When we turned onto 200E, I told Ryan and the NY lady to use the downhill as a push to the finish and to let it and the crowd carry them into the finish. At mile 11 I still had 30 seconds in my back pocket, so I knew it was time for me to cruise and I wanted them to keep pushing. They both did great although I caught both of them at the end. I guess I'm just good at keeping people going :) More for my ego...I know.

I would've finished a little early and at the stop light before the finish I saw I was at 1:43 and I underestimated how long it would take to get to the finish, so I slowed WAY down...like 9:30's for a while. Then about 100yds out where the marathon joins in I looked down and only had 10 seconds! CRAP! So I gutted it out and tried to get people to follow my finishing sprint. I was still 15 seconds over, but I know it wasn't due to poor pacing, just an inflated ego trying to finish right on time rather than 15-20 seconds early.

AP: 7:59 splits: 7:47, 7:47, 7:44, 7:48, 7:53, 7:51, 7:52, 8:08, 7:52, 8:19, 8:11, 8:07, 8:35, 7:48 (last .19 recorded...I think the course was slightly long too, that is why I was 15 seconds over :) ).

Ryan and the NY lady as well as the older gentleman finished right with me! I was so proud of them and the NY lady just kept thanking me for getting her to NY. I just kept telling her it wasn't me, but her! I just really had a great time pacing this one. I like pacing a little faster. It gives me more confidence in myself as well...all for that struggling ego, right? 

I ran in with bye-wing who had finished the 10K, just after me came my BIL and my 2 older sons and nephew (bye-wing's son who had broken his leg and my son his same age helped pushed him in the jogging stroller. It was a beautiful sight!). The 2 girls had finished much earlier and then my mom, her hiking friend Brian and my baby came in later. I had a great need to visit the POP so after socializing a bit I ran over and waited in line...again. I got to personally congratulate John Kotter on his win and meet him, nice guy! I rushed back over to the finish hoping I hadn't missed the female finishers. Nope! Good. Then, just a few minutes later I saw Allie come around the corner. I was SO excited!!! She had a smile on her face and I knew it had been a good race. I saw Jake fall into the crowd after leaving her so she could finish solo and went and talked to him. I loved that she had taken the UT women's record for the course and taken her title back too :) Andrea also got to run with her and it was exciting to see Andrea and congratulate her on a great come back too. Sasha was also still  at the finish and I got to talk to him for a while too. The only person I missed seeing that I normal get to see there was Rossy. How could I miss him?!? :) The finish line of a marathon is SO exciting. I seriously could just live there....well, as long as finishers were constantly coming in. The energy and spirit is unparalleled! It was great to see and congratulate SO many amazing runners. Michelle, Josse, Mac, Ericka...I'm sure I'm missing 10 dozen or so, but it was great.

I then waited for George. He'd decided to do this one a couple weeks ago as a training run. I figured he'd be in around 3:45 or so. As the minutes ticked on past 4:00 I started getting nervous. I was sure he'd either DNF'd or was hurt and walking, so I decided to start walking back on the course. About 3/4 mile back I saw him. He had done well until mile 19 when his hammy and quad just gave in and he said he'd only been walking since. I knew he was in a lot of mental (let alone physical) anguish, so I just talked to him about how he should focus on the fact that it was a training run and the first 19 miles were an accomplished goal, then it was just time on his feet. It was a good training run. Don't beat yourself up at this point, look at the good you've done. I'm sure it didn't help a lot, but hopefully it did a little. Just before the last turn he decided he wanted to run, so I pushed him into the finish. I was just a 1/2 stride in front of him and told him to beat me. "You do it every other run, you can do it now!" He gave chase and had a strong finish! After getting some water, fuel, chatting and a massage we headed back on the buses. My mom and sister had taken my kids home, so I just had me to worry about.

It was a wonderful morning and I loved every minute of it! I'm glad I didn't try to race the 10K and just get feeling bad about myself and speed right now again. I feel this was a good, positive experience and now I'm ready to lay down some speed work and focus on SGM! Well, after a few triathalons :)


Boston Mizuno Miles: 13.20
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
0.00

That darn 3 hours of sleep yesterday and then a long, fun filled, late night again knocked me off my feet. Other than being up for 40 minutes to get my 4th grader out the door I and my boys slept until 12:15PM!!! So, nothing today. Can I call this my taper for Spudman? :)

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Another lazy day "tapering" for Spudman :)

Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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Race: Spudman Olympic Triathalon (31.4 Miles) 02:27:24, Place in age division: 6
Total Distance
6.20

Ahhh, the annual Spudman! Not being on crutches the 2 days before gave me some hope I could do well this year. 

Headed up Friday with Steph, got a sweet transition spot in the bike area and the run area then had dinner at Cafe Rio in Twin Falls and did our annual Wal-Mart trip which got me a Captain America Pez which I was challenged to use on the course and offer to others :) always a good time at Wal-Mart.

Got to bed around 11:00 after technology tried to kill us getting to Steph's aunt's home along the Gravity Canal Road...which, if you know ID there are 500 canals and we even saw a skank...or a skunk...however you wish to say it.

Early morning wake up call and we were off to the races with a quick pick-up of Heather. We had enough time to ready bikes and transition areas and still get a good parking spot near the start of the race, and most importantly enough time to squeeze into that stinkin' wet suit!

Swim (21:18 -1.5K): a total of 3 all out panic attacks left me wondering if I even remembered how to swim. Even floating on my back the clouds above me were swirling and I could barely breathe. I don't know what happened. It has never happened before! I hope it never happens again. The last 1/3 of the swim went well, after I finally got myself under control and realized that I didn't need to call the rescue over and be done before I died. I hate Snakes! That includes the rivers :) In retrospect I think not being in my wet suit at all is what did it. The suit is more constricting and makes it harder to breathe. Add to that race day start adrenaline and I just couldn't get the breathing under control. Maybe next year I should take the swim more seriously and practice open water more...ya think?

T1 (2:17): I was happy to be done with the swim and aside from my drop bag blowing off my bike and having to chase it down, I had a seamless transition! It was actually the 3rd fastest transition time in my AG! Nice.

Bike (1:13:22 - 40K/ 20.7MPH): I have a new bike! I was stoked. Looking at my last years times I knew I could kill the bike with my new ride. Push the bike and hang on for the run. I could easily take 3 min off my time from last year...nope. Not even close. 20 seconds. That is all I took off. I was VERY disappointed in this!! The ride went smoothly and I felt like I had a good push and stayed in aero, but my lack of training in aero and on the bike in general showed through like crazy. My butt/hams have never been so sore AFTER a race. I needed more bike practice time and I overestimated my bike. I figured who needs to train if I've got a killer bike and legs to ride it? Well, me. Only 3 women passed me the whole bike and I was 11th place in my AG on bike time, but I know that I've got more in me than that. Next year...I'll prove it. Fueling went well too. 1 gu, pez, stinger and too much water. Should've left one bottle off. I only needed one and the extra 2 pounds from the other was dead weight.

T2 (1:43): a little slower than I would've liked, but it is a BIG area to get through no matter where you drop your bike. It was 13th fastest in my AG, so not slow, but I think I could improve this a bit too. At least a few seconds. I was just happy to finally be hitting the run and ready to take it on!!!

Run (48:43 - 10K): Ahh, the run. Finally. The part of tri's I long for from the beginning. This one starts on the grass and UP a big hill from the river bottom. Kind of sucks the life out of your legs. Luckily, the fueling on the bike had gone well enough that I was ready to run and could make it...slowly, but I did it and then up and over the RR tracks and onto the pavement. I just wanted the total time under 50:00. I knew I could accomplish that. Just keep moving forward. I had a Gu at mile 3 aid station (3+) and I told myself that mile 4 was where it was time to start hammering it out. I pushed myself and thankfully, the mostly progressive run through the splits shows. I'd like to be able to recover my legs faster and pull the overall time down to 45ish, but again..next year :)  At mile 5 I passed a couple and they said "wow! nice work." and I said "last mile! Balls to the wall or nothing." I think they liked it as I heard a couple chuckles as I left them in my dust :) BTTW was Steph's motivating phrase and it felt good to channel her on the run to push to the next level. The finish is a nice downhill trail (through someone's backyard practically) onto the golf course grass for a chute finish surrounded by crowds. Felt good and push strong to the finish. I was happy to see a sub 2:30 despite my bad bike time. (splits: 8:29, 8:03, 8:01, 7:40, 7:54, 7:36, 6:24 - last .16)

Placed 6th in my AG/107 and 41/507 Females. Not too shabby, but I'm still on my quest for my Spudman trophy. If I would've knocked just that 3 min off my bike time I would've placed in my AG and gotten the spudman. I guess this gives me a good benchmark for training next year though. Despite the swim and bike I placed well and am now confident I can come back next year and take one of those little men home with me!

Steph did a great job, despite missing HER time goal and Heather finished her first tri under 3:00. It was a fabulous weekend with good friends and a good race. I like the new challenges tris present to me. Gives a little more variety than running, but I still like running the most. I don't know if that will ever change.

Boston Mizuno Miles: 6.20BEANS Miles: 25.00
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
Comments(1)
Total Distance
30.70
Fargo Nikes Miles: 11.30BEANS Miles: 52.00Boston Mizuno Miles: 19.40
Night Sleep Time: 0.00Nap Time: 0.00Total Sleep Time: 0.00Weight: 0.00
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