WP 10K Pre Race Thoughts

Race Swag!

Tomorrow I'll be running my 7th 10K. (Side note: Wow, I just realized I've run twice as many half marathons as 10Ks.) This will be my 3rd time running this particular 10K race, and I always enjoy it. This year is extra special because the race is celebrating it's 35th Anniversary and we get extra swag:

- Custom medal with spinning peacock.
- Commemorative Tech Tee
- Collectible, Souvenir Glass (I'm most excited about this!)
- $5 Track Shack Cash

As usual, we'll bike there which serves as a nice warm up, but I hope to have time to also run a warm up mile. My goal for this race is aggressive, although within what my Magic Mile predicts: I'd love to break 1 hour or at least a 10 min/mile avg pace (1:02), but ultimately I just want to PR (<1:06). I am not printing a pace chart, but I'll run with my Garmin (Jason fixed it!) and just keep an eye on my average pace. As long as it's under 10:40 I'll PR, which shouldn't be hard since my half PR is 10:32. I'll be pushing to get it under or as close 10 as I can :)

Many from my running group and other running friends will also be there, which always makes racing a lot more fun. Jason will also be out there taking photos, so shout his name and smile if you spot him! However, what I'm most excited about is that I remembered that La Empanada Food Truck is at the Winter Park Farmer's Market on Saturdays! Maybe it will make me run faster now that a post-race empanada is in my future :)

The menu is here: http://laempanadatruck.com/ I have my eye on these 2:

CURRIED CAULIFLOWER (B) $3
Roasted cauliflower, potatoes and chickpeas with golden raisins, green peas and tahini-curry sauce.

DARK CHOCOLATE AND SEA SALT (F) $2
Dark chocolate with a sprinkle of crunchy sea salt.

Yummy!

PS - Name Steve's Shorts - Steve in a speedo posted a pair of plaid pink swim jammers he just bought and asked his readers to name them. I suggested "Great Scott!"and my suggestion is among his top 6 favorites! This cracks me up! He now has a poll up for his readers to choose. Check it out and vote for it if you feel so inclined. And you might as well follow his blog because it's awesome. 

Sarasota HM Pre-Race Thoughts

Busy Weekend
I'm exhausted, more mentally than physically, but I'm still exhausted. I've spent the past 2 days in a room with 30+ other runners for 9 hours learning how to be a running coach, and my brain is about to explode. But at least I got lots really good information that I hope to apply during my next training cycle, so that's really exciting. I'll post more about my experience later.

Expo / Race Outfit
After today's training session, we went to the expo to get our race packets. The shirts are really nice and I was happy they let me try it on and change sizes. Both the race shirts and bibs are gender specific, which is nice, but why do the women have to get the pastel blue color? What amuses me though is that the bib matches my race outfit. I didn't actually choose it for this reason, although I had seen a photo of the bib and my subconscious must have remembered it. I just thought a pink skirt with flowers would be fun with my half fanatics singlet :)

Race Shirt and Bib

Race Outfit

Goal
My main goal for tomorrow is to have fun and finish half marathon #14 with a smile. Having just raced a half PR a week ago, and with the forecast calling for warmer weather, I don't think it wise to push tomorrow. I plan to bring my camera to capture the gorgeous scenery, and I am seriously considering leaving my phone and watch in the car so I can just run by feel and see what happens. We'll see if I go through with it tomorrow :)

Track Me
Since I'll likely not run with my iPhone because I don't want the added weight if I run with my camera, I signed up to have my splits posted to Facebook through the race. I have no idea how often those will post, but my guess would be every 5K. You can also subscribe yourself to receive my splits via text or email during the race at http://www.xacte.com/templates/sarasota/

OB Half Pre Race Thoughts

Busy Saturday
Today was so busy that I barely had time to freak out about tomorrow's race. We got to sleep in for a change, and as soon as we got up we sprung into action. We organized Jason's office, did laundry, changed bed sheets, went grocery shopping, had some old time fun blowing soap bubbles, and cooked up a storm: granola, chili, white bean veggie mash, mini quiches. I probably shouldn't have spent so much time on my feet, but oh well.

Weather
Today was a beautiful day, but a nasty storm is approaching and tomorrow will be quite the opposite. So far, I've run in scolding heat, pouring rain, gusty winds, and freezing cold. After running for hours in the rain, I don't mind it at all because you barely notice once you are wet and it's refreshing when it's warm. Cold rain is another story and it looks like I may find out what that feels like tomorrow. The forecast so far calls for cold, wind and rain. I just gotta laugh because really it's the only thing left. I'm up for the challenge and just grateful this is not a full marathon.

Goal
My initial plan was to leave everything on the course as I attempted an aggressive PR of 2:15.  But a lot depends on the weather we get, so I'm just going to do my very best with whatever I get. I just want to have fun and stay injury free because I have another half next week, so I think I may just take it easy tomorrow and try for the goal next week.

Tracking
I'll likely not be running with my phone if it's pouring out, but I'll post to Facebook as soon as I'm back in the car. If the forecast changes and we get dry weather, I'll run with my phone and Runmeter will post my splits as usually. Check my page after 7:30 am to see. Now to finish packing and get some sleep.

26.2 with Donna Pre-Race Thoughts & Virtual 12athon

Well, this is it! In less than 12 hours I'll be toeing the line of my 4th marathon, and I'm so ready. Today has been a super busy day. I've been up and going non-stop for the past 12 hours and I'm so ready to get some shut eye. I'll have no problem falling asleep before 8 pm, which is good because I'll be up before 4 am to get ready and catch the shuttle to the start. I'm really looking forward to catching up with everyone at the Galloway tent and meeting my pace group. Since the weather will be favorable (though maybe too cold), I'm going for it and running with the 5 hour pace group. Hopefully that is the right choice but I won't know unless I try. I am fully prepared to fall back into the 5:15 pace group if it's too aggressive because I also want to make sure I have fun. I'm pretty sure I'll be running with my camera to capture the journey, and I'll also have my iPhone to hear your comments.

Track Me!

• See http://www.breastcancermarathon.com/run/results/ for official tracking information. You can track me on that site or via the iPhone app where you can see my progress on a map and these splits: 5, 10, 1/2, 15, 20, and finish.
• Runmeter will post my splits to Facebook every 5 miles and I'll be able to hear your comments, so your words of encouragement will be most welcomed!

Virtual 12athon

In addition to the marathon, I'm participating in the Virtual 12athon tomorrow. The main goal is to run 12 miles on the 12th. I easily got that covered, but the fun is in trying to do as many bonus challenges as possible. There are a ton of bonus challenges to choose from, and below are the ones I'm going to attempt:

• Galloway - run/walk
• Sunrise - see sunrise during run
• 12 Runners - get 11 runners to run 12 miles with you. 
• Masquerade - run in a costume based on a holiday in that month

Galloway and sunrise are gimmes, but the other 2 will require a bit of creativity because I need to document it. I am running this race with a pace group, so I'm hoping it is big enough and at least 12 remain by the 12 mile mark. I just need to figure out how to get them all in a photo in the middle of a marathon lol The other one is not quite as hard but with the weather curve ball I am not sure. I am wearing pink in support of breast cancer awareness, which is the purpose of the race, but not sure if that will be good enough or if I need to wear something depicting valentine's day too. I had socks I tried to turn into leg warmers but that didn't pan out, so we'll see if the pink is enough.

Ocala Marathon Pre Race Thoughts & Tracking Info

Well, this is it. Race day eve is here. I'm getting a little more nervous, and starting to worry about important things like what to wear =P I got plenty of sleep last night and hope to go to bed by 8 pm tonight because 4 am will come too soon. The forecast calls for 55º with 86% humidity at the start, mostly cloudy all day, and mid 70s by the time I finish. I'll take that! I'm as ready as I'll ever be, so let's do this!

Track Me

I'll run with my iPhone and Runmeter will post my splits to Twitter, Facebook, and Dailymile along with a link to a google map where you can track me in real time.

• The map will update every 5 minutes. 
• Dailymile, Facebook and Twitter will update every 5 miles. 
• I'll be able to hear your comments on all 3 of those sites; your happy thoughts and words of encouragement will be most welcomed. 
• The race starts at 7 am, and I should be done sometime after noon, so you can sleep in and check in on me after you wake up :)

Goals

I really want to treat this as a training run and just have fun like I did at OUC. I'm trying to lower my expectations, ignore my pace, and just run by feel and see where the chips fall. As of now, I plan to run with only my phone tucked in my pocket for at least the the 1st loop. I'll start with 1/1 intervals and see how I feel by the 2nd loop. 

I'd like to at least finish faster than Space Coast (5:43:16), which should not be a problem if I don't do something stupid. If the stars align, I'd love to PR with anything under 5:22 (~ 12:12 pace), but I'm not going to sweat it. I gotta keep my eye on the prize: finish without getting injured so I can give it my all at BCM and become a marathon maniac :) 

Wish me luck and tune in tomorrow from 7 am - 1 pm to cheer me on. 

OUC Half 2011 Pre-Race Thoughts

Tomorrow I'll be running my 11th half marathon. It will be my 4th year in a row running the OUC Half, which was the first one I ever ran when I started running in 2008. Since I have no expectations other than to have fun and finish, I'm not anxious tonight. I just feel like i'm getting up to do another long run with my running buddies. This is the reason I wanted to run tomorrow, to regain that feeling of enjoying the journey no matter the outcome.

Many from my group are also running it, and I'm looking forward to seeing them in the morning and maybe running a few steps with them before they take off and run their own races. There are plans for mimosas after, so that will be our carrot during the race :) I'm also looking forward to my first half fanatics meet up and photo op before the race, so I plan to wear my half fanatic shirt and maybe some fun socks.

Much like the first time I ran this race, I'll be leaving my watch at home. I'm going to run with my iPhone, strictly as a time piece and camera, because I have to juggle picking up my packet and being at 3 different pre-race photo ops, but I'll be leaving it in my pocket and out of site during the race. I guess I should go to bed now :)

Space Coast Marathon Goals, Pacing Strategy & Tracking Info

This is it! In less than 24 hours, I'll be undertaking my 2nd marathon. I'm a little anxious, but I'm far more excited! :) I really cannot wait to experience this and see what I'm truly made of :) So I thought in this post I'd let you in on the thought process behind my goals and pacing strategy. But first, here's how to track me on race day. I'm #248. Jason is #2872

Track Me:

1. Live results will be posted at http://SpaceCoastMarathon.com/ as we cross the timing mats for the following splits: 
• Full = 10K, half, 20 miles, finish. 
• Half = 5K, 10K, 15K, and finish
2. I'll run with my iPhone and Runmeter will post my splits to Twitter, Facebook, and Dailymile along with a link to a google map where you can track me in real time.
• The map will update every 5 minutes. 
• Dailymile, Facebook and Twitter will update every 5 miles. 
• I'll be able to hear your comments on all 3 of those sites; your happy thoughts and words of encouragement will be most welcomed. 
• The race starts at 6:15, and I hope to be done no later than 11:15, so you can sleep in and check in on me after you wake up :)

Goals: As always, my #1 goal is to do my best and finish with a smile on my face. I'm going all out on this race, so the smile at the end may be forced and through joy-filled tears, but that's still a goal. My primary time goal is anything under 5 hours, but I'm shooting for 4:50 - 4:55. My predicted time, with an all out effort and perfect conditions, is 4:46, so this is still a bit of a conservative goal. Of course, I'll adjust my expectations on race day according to the weather and how I feel. 

Pacing Strategy: My plan as always is to run negative splits because it is how I perform my best. If I start slow enough, I can pick up considerable speed at the end. I'll run the first half at a comfortable pace, then pick it up for the second half.

I used this race split calculator to determine my splits for various finishing times using very negative splits. A very negative split strategy will ensure I don't start out too fast even if my goal is too aggressive. By following a pace chart for 4:50 it also gives me a little cushion to still finish in under 5 hours, in case I don't speed up as much on the 2nd half or I run longer than 26.2 and thus my average pace on my watch would need to be faster to ensure I officially finish in under 5 hours. 

I am really good at sticking to my pace chart, and thus holding myself back too much, so this is another reason I'll have a pace chart for a 4:50 goal in case the stars align and I'm capable of that. Ultimately though, I know I can slow to an average pace of 11:24 and still make my 5 hour goal. Mile 1 on the pace chart for any of my goals is still slower than that, so I won't screw myself too much if the goal is too aggressive. 

Instead of bringing a full pace chart for all 26.2 miles and obsessing over every single mile split, I'm going to carry the compressed pace chart below showing a range of where my average pace needs to be at key points in the race (fastest = 4:50 finish, middle = 4:55 finish, slowest = 4:59 finish). This will ensure I stay on track but it won't matter too much if I hit every single mile split as long as my average is where it needs to be. 

Wish me luck and if you can login to Twitter, Facebook, or Dailymile between 6:15 and 11 am tomorrow and virtually cheer me on! I won't be able to respond during the race, but will hear/read every one of your comments and trust me they'll help :)

Ft Lauderdale 13.1 Pre Race Thoughts

I'm running his race as a training run to practice my marathon race pace strategy, but I still plan to do my best and shoot for a slight PR. A few facts to support my goal to PR tomorrow while not jeopardizing my marathon training:

• I set my half marathon PR of 2:28 (11:19 pace) almost 1 year ago, after coming back from an injury and before I began doing any speed work. 
• This training cycle has been amazing, filled with consistent and purposeful runs including hills and speed.
• My target marathon race pace (11:15) will actually be a half marathon PR without the need to go all out. (See why I keep freaking out about this marathon goal?) 
• I will pay close attention to my body and will pull back if anything doesn't feel right because I am keeping my eye on the the prize so I can do my best at my A race: the marathon.

Ok, enough caveats; let's get specific.

• My primary goal is 2:24 (sub-11 pace) or anything sub-2:28 for a PR. 
• pacing strategy: 11:30 or slower through mile 5, speed up to 11:15 by mile 9, then bring it home at sub-11.
• I considered shooting for 2:21 (10:45 pace)
• This is what I'll need to run for the 2nd half of the marathon to meet my goal with my chosen negative splits strategy, but I'm terrified of hurting myself. 
• If the weather is perfect and I feel amazing, I may naturally run that pace, but I don't want to focus too much on it. 
• A sub 11-pace is already faster than my 4:55 (11:15 pace) marathon goal, but per my magic mile I am capable (under perfect conditions) of: 
• 4:46 (10:56 pace) for a marathon and 
• 2:12 (10:06 pace) for a half marathon, 
• so I am confident that an 11:00 pace is a safe goal. 

Let's see what happens :) 

Track Me:

• http://www.xacte.com/templates/ftl131/ - sign up to receive alerts via text or email
• I signed up and splits should post to my Facebook and Twitter pages during the race, but I have no idea how frequently.
• http://bit.ly/umT5dY - track me live on a map starting at 6:13 am.

OUC HM Pre-Race Musings

Tomorrow I will run the OUC Half Marathon for the 3rd year in a row. This was my 1st half marathon two years ago, my 3rd last year, and tomorrow's will be my 7th half marathon. This still astonishes me. Every time I want to feel sorry for myself because I'm not fast enough, or a race didn't go as planned, or I am hurt, I pause and think back to all that I've accomplished in just 2.5 years.

Because I ran a half marathon last weekend, and didn't hold any punches, my plan for tomorrow is to enjoy myself. My primary goal is just to finish and thus become a half fanatic, but I would really like to at least get a course PR (< 2:38:56). I'm still going to run my heart out, listen to my body, and hope for the best.  If I can stand it, I'm going to run naked--that is without a watch or my iPhone. This is how I ran it the first time (not by choice) and I had a great time and did better than expected. I know it will kill me to not have that data to analyze later; I do love my data :) Maybe I'll bring my camera and take photos of the clocks at the mile markers lol

Space Coast HM Pre-Race Thoughts

We're in Cocoa, FL chilling at the hotel after a yummy dinner at a local italian restaurant. We picked up my race packet earlier and browsed the (very tiny) expo at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Jason is not running this one, so he'll be out on the course on his bike cheering me on and taking photos. I know that will help keep me motivated.

My outfit is all set and I'm more than ready for this race. I'm feeling really strong, so I'm going to push myself and attempt to PR. The weather should be perfect, if a little cold at the start, and it's a flat and fast course, so I'm hoping I can finish in under 2:35. I may even have a shot at my coveted 2:30 finish with the aid of a pace group, but I'll play it by ear and see how it goes.

Good luck to everyone racing tomorrow!

PS - I added this to the previous post, but in case you missed it, here is the Tamarac Turkey Trot 5K Video.

2010 CF Sprint Tri #1 Predictions

Tomorrow is my first triathlon of the season. I still haven't been swimming, but I am looking forward to it. I had a solid brick workout on Sunday, which helped get me excited about it and led me to believe I won't suck so bad LOL. Let's just hope I don't drown and that it reignites my passion for the sport so I can get back in the pool. If not, I'll just get through these 3 races and then go back to focusing on my running :)

My goals for this race are mainly to finish and have fun! =) I'd love to finish in under 1:30, but I think 1:40 is more realistic unless I can really push hard on the bike and still have enough left for a decent run. Last year I finished in 1:29, but this year the bike is 2 miles longer.

Below are some predictions/hopes for each leg:

• Swim: 15 minutes - I am really hoping this is a gross overestimation and I'll manage something closer to last year's 12:19, but I haven't been swimming lately. Hopefully the work I did earlier in the summer will come back to me, but I am not expecting much here. 
• Bike: 15-16 mph (40m) - I think 15 mph is very doable if I push hard; last year I averaged 14.8 mph. I rode 11 miles on Sunday @ 16 mph average, but that was on a very flat route. This triathlon is in Clermont with rolling hills, so that will be a little more challenging.
• Run: 11:30 - 12 min/mile (36m) - I'm aiming high here, but I won't be surprised if I'm slower. On Sunday, the run portion of my brick was 12:24 min/mile for 2 miles. Last year my average was 12:50, but I was being cautious and not pushing myself because of a foot injury. This pace is doable, but I'll have to dig deep. Hopefully I don't destroy my legs on the bike too much, and I can still at least manage to average 12 min/mile. I'll probably use walk breaks to make this happen.
• Transitions: 5 minutes - This is consistent with my times last year, and I hope I can at least manage the same this time. It will also depend on how far transition is from the beach, and where my spot is.
• T1: rinse and dry feet, put on socks, shoes, helmet and camelbak. I'll eat a gu roctane as I get on the bike or walk to the mount line. I'm wearing my camelbak instead of messing with water bottles. Reaching for and replacing water bottles in their cages always slows me down more than the few seconds I'll spend putting on the camelbak. I'm debating whether to wear a headband under my helmet, but I think I can suffer through 10 miles without one. Same goes for gloves.
• T2: remove helmet, move garmin to wrist, change shoes, grab water bottle, hat, and racing belt and put them on as I walk out of transition. I'll eat another gu roctane (stored in my racing belt) as I start the run. 

I think that covers everything. What am I missing? Anyone else racing this weekend? What are your plans/goals?

Friday Five: Run for the Trees 5k Goals

Tomorrow I'll be running the Run for the Trees 5K for the 3rd time. I set my current 5K PR at this race last year, and I'm going back for a rematch tomorrow :) I stupidly did a new circuit workout on Monday and have been sore since; fearing I may have pulled something on my right inner thigh, I skipped yesterday's run. The soreness (and bruise like pain on my thigh) seems to be mostly gone now with resting the last 2 days, so I still have high hopes that I'll do well tomorrow.

Below are my lofty goals for this race.

1. Bike to start -- the race start is about 6 miles away near Cady Way Park, so we plan to bike there as a warm up. I am not looking forward to biking back after pushing hard on the run, but it should be a good cool down if I take it easy and allow myself plenty of time to recover before heading home.
2. PR -- This is my main goal, to finish under 33:12, which was my time at this race last year.
3. Finish in 32:30 -- This would be an average pace of 10:30 min/mile and I think its doable since it's only 42 seconds faster than last year. I may be able to pull that off on my improved endurance alone.
4. Finish in 31 minutes -- This is my pie in the sky goal, which would mean an average pace of the coveted 10 min/mile. I would be ecstatic if I finished anywhere near this, but I am not going to beat myself up if I don't. I do think this is doable if I push really hard and leave it all out there, so I'm going to do my best.
5. Run using 3:1 intervals - Even though I can cover the distance without walking, I am at least 2 minutes slower. So I plan to run using 3:1 intervals (last year I used 5:1 intervals). I may extend the run intervals during the last mile, but will likely just run faster. Using 2:1 intervals worked great for a PR at my last 10k a few weeks ago, so it's worth a shot for this 5k.

Well, there you have it.  I'll be sure to post a race report tomorrow night and let you know how I did. Wish me luck!

Gasparilla Marathon Pre Race Thoughts

Race weekend is finally here, and I'll be running my first marathon in less than 24 hours! We're packing everything but the kitchen sink and heading to Tampa shortly to go to the Expo, pick up our packets, and have our last supper :)

My goals for this race are very similar to the goals for my first half marathon:

1. Start
2. Finish
3. Finish with a smile on my face :) 
4. Pace myself properly so I have enough left to finish strong and run across the finish line.
• start at no faster than 13 min/mil pace using 1:1 intervals
• maintain this easy pace and intervals for the first 5-7 miles
• pick up the pace a bit as I near the halfway point
• see how I feel after the 1st half, and increase my speed towards a 12:30 average 
• if feeling good, switch to 2:1 or bigger intervals as I near the finish and possibly run the last 1/2 - 1 mile straight
• be flexible and listen to my body
5. Fuel properly so I don't hit the wall: 
• regular gu or shot blocks before the start
• gu or shot blocks every 3-4 miles
• gu roctanes starting at mile 12 or 16
• water every 1-2 water stops
6. I'm trying not to set a time goal, but I know I can finish in under 6 hours. 
• My main goal is to finish with a time closer to 5:30 than 5:45. 
• The Galloway prediction formula says I should be able to finish in 5:15, but I want to enjoy this so I'm not going to try that. 
• If I pull of 5:15, great! But I'll be thrilled with anything near 5:30.
7. And most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Marathon Packing Checklist

Since this is an away race and I won't be sleeping at home the night before the marathon, I'll need to pack everything I could possibly need for the race, and then some. With the flaky weather we've been having lately, I plan to pack for every eventuality.

Here's the list so far. Comment and let me know if I am forgetting anything!

Running Clothes

• sports bra
• race ready shorts w/pockets
• running shoes
• running socks
• running tops: short sleeve, long sleeve, tank
• running tights/pants

Running Accessories

• arm warmers
• black hat
• bondi bands: skull and bones + spares
• gloves
• hair tie
• pirate eye patch
• race belt
• wrist sweat band 
• pearl izumi jacket

Electronics

• garmin + strap + charger
• iphone + charger
• ipod shuffle + charger
• headphones
• camera + charger + extra battery
• laptop + charger

Nutrition/Snacks

• gu
• gu roctane
• shot blocks
• mini luna bars
• bananas
• bagels
• chocolate covered pretzels
• oyster crackers

Other Clothes

• 2 shirts
• sleep pants
• warm up suit
• extra sports bra
• underwear
• pants / shorts
• crocs
• jacket

Injury Prevention / Treatment

• biofreeze packets
• body glide
• moleskin
• sunscreen 

Misc

• ear plugs
• water bottle
• laundry bag
• garbage bags
• chapstick
• money
• ID

BCM Pre-Race Thoughts

We just finished a yummy pre-race dinner at Mellow Mushroom. I'm now at the Radisson in Jacksonville, seating on my sleep number bed, and enjoying complimentary internet. Tomorrow morning I'll run 5 miles of the Breast Cancer Marathon as part of the relay team "Smells Like Run Spirit" with my family. 

I've done a triathlon relay before, but this will be a little different because I won't see my relay team until the exchange and the finish. I'll have my phone and camera to help pass the time. I set it up so family members hand off to each other in this order: Bob (Jason's Dad), Jason, Me, Mom, and Dad. After we finish our leg, we'll take a bus to the finish line and wait for dad 100 yards from the finish to cross the finish line together. 

Since I have a marathon next weekend, and this is meant to be a fun run, I'll be taking it easy. My only goal is to finish in under an hour, though I'd love to run it in 55 minutes or PR (> 57:24), but I'm not going to push it. If you want to follow along with me, I'll be updating along the way and sending live results from the race to twitter and facebook or you can setup your own race alerts. 

1st Triathlon Predictions

I can hardly believe that I will be participating in a triathlon tomorrow morning! Remember when I thought I wasn't a runner? Yeah, I though I was even less of a swimmer. Not only have I learned to swim with my head in the water in just 5 short weeks--and 13 swim sessions--I am actually enjoying it.

Tomorrow I will conquer my fear of open water! I am terrified, but I think I am finally more excited than scared =) My inaugural tri race is the Lake Louisa Sprint Tri #4: 1/4 mile swim, 7 mile bike, 1.5 mile run.

My main goals for this race are 1) don't drown :P  2) finish with a smile on my face ... in an upright position ... doing something that resembles a running motion =D I know I shouldn't have a time goal for my first tri, but it would be awesome if I could finish at or under 1 hour. This may be tight, but 1:05 - 1:10 is totally doable.

I think I stand a chance of meeting the 1 hour time goal, or coming real close, if 1) I don't completely freak out in the water, 2) if I can push hard on the bike, 3) but not too hard that I can't run. Here is the breakdown of how I see each leg playing out:

• swim: This is the leg that concerns me most, but I have a feeling (I'm hoping) the adrenaline will kick in, and I will surprise myself. Everyone says the lake is shallow and I can stand up, but I really want to try to swim as much as possible--even if "swimming" means doggy paddling   or rolling over on my back to catch my breath :) Once I exit the water, and the swim is behind me, I'll be on top of the world and the rest will come naturally. I'm allocating this leg 20 minutes--what I hope is a gross overestimation. 

• bike: I averaged 15.5 mph on the bike for 13.4 miles at the duathlon (after running 2.5 miles), so I am hoping I can push it to 16-17 for these 7 miles, especially since I won't have to slow down to round a corner every 1/2 a mile. This would mean 25-28 minutes on the bike.

• run: I'd like to run the entire 1.5 miles, but I may have to walk a bit if I push too hard on the bike. I'll just try to start slow and pick up the pace as I go. I think I can gut it out for such a short distance and just slow down instead of walking if I need to. My estimate for the run is 16-19 minutes.

So yeah, 1 hour will be really tight, especially once we throw in an additional 5 minutes for the transitions. No matter how it turns out, I'm going to give it my all and have fun!

Duathlon Race Goals & Mental Dress Rehearsal

I picked up my bib this afternoon, got body marked, and took the guided course tour, which really helped put my mind at ease of where I need be when. With one less thing to think about, its time to make some predictions and do a mental rehearsal of the transitions.

Race Goals

• Finish! - Since this is my first duathlon (and multi-sport event) my main goal is to just get through it.
• Have fun and finish with a smile on my face! :)
• Finish strong and sprint across the finish line - this may be a bit harder than in the half marathon as I'll be exhausted from the bike and I don't feel I've had enough brick training, but I'll do my best.
• Finish in sub-2:15 - By all my conservative calculations, this is more than doable but I have no idea how long the transitions will truly take, or how much the heat will affect me.
• Finish in sub-2 hours - I would be thrilled if I can finish in under 2 hours. This also seems very doable if I can push as much as I intended to on the bike and my 2nd run doesn't suffer too much as a result of the exertion on the bike and the insane heat at 9 am, when I anticipate starting the 2nd run.
• Place in my Age Group - there are currently only 4 women registered in my age group, so it would be nice to at least beat one of them and place, but I am not holding my breath. This is my first multi-sport event after all.

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Mental Dress Rehearsal

Pre race

• Wake up at 5 am and eat breakfast: banana, bagel with peanut butter.
• Lube feet and other hot stops, and get dressed (don't forget heart rate monitor).
• Check tire pressure and contents of saddle bag, then load bikes on roof of car.
• Recheck pre-packed bags and checklist, then load bags and buckets into car.
• Drive to race no later than 6 am.

Setup Transition

• Rack bike, place water bottles on bike cages, and place helmet on bike seat.
• Place big bright towel next to bike w/bike shoes, camelbak, and snacks (and maybe a bucket to sit on).
• Verify watch is configured to use multi-sport mode and relevant alerts.
• Put on sunscreen and run gear: headband, hat, watch, spibelt w/BIB (and maybe sports means and phone), bike gloves (so I don't have to put them on during T1), sunglasses, wrist sweatband
• Grab 8 oz water bottle w/sweatband and bag of sport beans, turn on watch, then head to pre-race meeting.

Run 1

• Meet at start line at 7:15 am for pre-race announcements and eat a few sport beans with some water.
• Start watch when I start to run.
• Start slow and listen to my body: either run using 5:1 or just walk at the water stops (every mile).
• Eat some sport beans with water at each water stop.
• Try to average an 11-12 min/mile pace.

T1

• Press lap button as I enter transition, and switch watch to the bike mount.
• Put on helmet on top of hat, change shoes, and put on camelbak.
• Eat some sport beans or granola bar w/water as I walk bike to mount line.

Bike

• Press lap button as I leave transition and enter bike course.
• Push as hard as I can on the bike and try to maintain at least 14-15 mph average.
• Drink plenty of water throughout ride and listen to my body.

T2

• Press lap button as I enter transition, and switch watch to the wrist mount.
• Rack bike THEN remove helmet and camelbak.
• Change shoes and eat some sport beans w/water as I head out of transition.

Run 2

• Press lap button as I leave transition and enter run course.
• Start slow and try to run the whole thing, but take walk breaks as needed (either 5:1 or at each water stop).
• Eat sport beans w/water at each water stop or as needed.
• Try to average an 11-12 min/mile pace.
• Sprint to the finish!

I think I'm ready! Any last minute tips?

Duathlon Pre Race Checklist

Less than 36 hours until my first duathlon! Time to put together the pre race checklists. Multi-sport events sure require more prep ;)

Night Before:

• fill water bottles and freeze: 8 oz, 20 oz, & 24 oz.
• charge Garmin watch, iPhone and camera
• configure Garmin watch
• pack pre-race bag (inside transition bag)
• pack transition bag
• pack post race bag
• lay out race clothes/gear: 
• tri shorts
• sports bra
• cycling jersey
• socks
• running shoes w/yanks
• body glide / chamois butt'r

Pre Race Bag:

• headband/sweatband
• hat
• bike gloves
• sunglasses / safety glasses (in case it rains instead)
• garmin watch
• spibelt w/BIB attached
• wallet w/ID, money & USAT card 
• iphone
• camera
• sunscreen
• chapstick

Transition Bag:

• towel
• bike shoes
• helmet
• water bottles
• food: sport beans, luna moons, granola bars
• extra socks
• camelbak
• floor pump

Post Race Bag:

• crocs
• sports bra
• race t-shirt / tank top
• shorts / pants
• jacket

What am I missing?

Pre-race Jitters

I've been slacking on the blogging lately--except for race reports--and that is because I've been slacking on the running :( Ever since the 1st half marathon, my motivation has dwindled (burn out maybe?), and then vacation, illness, and moving for nearly a month further interrupted my running. Actually, I have plenty of motivation for racing, its the in between runs that have been the problem :) Not to mention that I am a wuss when it comes to cold weather, and I've been utterly exhausted and short on time because of moving. But really, I'm just making excuses now. *sigh*

My 2nd half marathon is on Sunday 2/9, and I am freaking out. I do not feel nearly as prepared as I did for the first one (because I'm not), and I fear my knee will betray me. Even though I've done this before, I've only run this distance once--twice if you count the training run before the first race--and never alone. The most I've run since OUC was 11 miles, 3 of which I had to walk because my stupid knee starting hurting, and that was almost a month ago. I've averaged 2-3 runs per week of 2-3 miles each since. It's pathetic.

Last Sunday I ran 5 miles, barely. I ran 2 miles to Cady Way, then 3 miles there before my knee started to hurt. It still hurt the next day and I've felt slight twinges on and off since. It feels mostly fine and perhaps what I think is a twinge is now all in my head, but I have not run all week for fear of injuring it and not being able to even make it to the start line. I am sure the lack of running is contributing to my anxiety and self doubt.

I know every race is different and I can't PR at every one, but this is only my 2nd half marathon and I was hoping to at least not do worse than the first. My dad is also running this race--it is his first 1/2 marathon since he started running again--and while I do not except we will run it together, I was hoping I could at least keep him in my sights and be able to push myself a bit. At this point, however, I just want to be able to finish running and not have the knee give out on my halfway through the race making me walk several miles in pain. With that in mind, I will begin slowly with 2:1 intervals and see how it goes. If I can run the entire race this way, great! If I feel good at the halfway point, I may step it up, but I'll listen to my body and do what it says.

Perhaps what is really freaking me out is that this is my first 1/2 marathon all over again because I am running it by myself. I won't have my Galloway group to pace me and encourage me, or keep myself going by encouraging them. It is entirely up to me to make it through this. Hopefully my Garmin won't abandon me this time. The most I've ever run on my own is 5 miles. I know there will be tons of people around me and I can draw energy from the crowd, but it's still not the same. I guess I'm not mentally ready and I need to fix that asap!

Ok, so my goals for this race are:

• Start!
• Finish!
• Run--not walk--across the finish line.
• Finish in sub-2:45
• PR--if even by 1 second--from previous time of 2:38:56
• Finish in sub-2:35 -- this was my original goal for this race, but now I am not so sure. I'm writing it down just in case, but I'm not holding my breath.

I think I've rambled long enough (sorry! But props to you if you made it this far). Feel free to leave your advice and words of encouragement. Looks like I need them. Thanks!

PS - Oh yeah, I found out yesterday that the Marathon Relay I planned to run with the fam is already sold out. So that really bummed me out and is not helping lift my spirits to get out of this funk :(

Pre Race Checklist

I am making my final pre-race perparations before going to bed in a few minutes. I'm posting this here to remind myself for next time and in case anyone spots something I forgot :)

Night Before

• lay out race clothes: sports bra, shorts, singlet, socks, shoes
• back up Garmin and erase older lap memory
• charge Garmin
• charge iPhone & turn off pass code access
  
• pack pre race bag (see below)
• pack post race bag (see below)
• panic
• remind myself I've trained for this and I can do this. YES I CAN!
• triple check every item on the lists
• set alarm with beep
• turn ON alarm D'oh!
  
• go to bed
• toss and turn for several hours
• finally fall asleep about 1-2 hours before alarm is supposed to go off.
  

Race Morning

• wake up before alarm goes off because I am too excited/nervous/anxious to sleep any longer (or because I forgot to actually turn it on)
  
• use facilities
• eat something (banana/bagel/luna bar)
• drink water
  
• use facilities
• drink more water
• get dressed
• use facilities
• make sure Jason is up
  
• apply body glide
• put on socks and shoes
• double check contents of pre race bag
• double check contents of post race bag
• triple check that I have Garmin
  
• grab purse and bags
• OMG where is my BIB?
• quadruple check I have everything and get in the car
• drive to race (by this I of course mean Jason)
  
• Park
• Pick up timing chip and place securely on shoe
  
• Meet Galloway group (6:45 am at timing chip pick up table)
• Take group pictures
• Line up at the back of appropriate pace sign (12-13?)
• START RACE!
• HAVE TOO MUCH FUN! =)
• Smile for camera as I cross the finish line feeling and looking great ;)
  

Pre Race Bag
(aka what I'll carry on person/shorts during the race)

• Garmin
• Garmin strap
• hat
• arm warmers
• headband
• body glide
• sunscreen
  
• fleece vest (maybe)
  
• sport beans
• iPhone
  
• ID
• BIB!
  

Post Race Bag

• Crocs
• sports bra
• race t-shirt / tank top
  
• shorts / pants
• jacket
• oyster crackers :)

I think that's all. Shout if I forgot something!