Fairport Triathlon

I'm a triathlete.

aka ~ Lake Erie v Me.

I think the score is even.  Lake Erie - 1/2; me - 1/2.  In practice I could finally swim in Lake Erie... Game day came & I was a bundle of nerves.  Self talk was all about going out slow in the water.  The race started with the kayaks going out at 8:00, followed by four waves of swimmers every five minutes.  Being an old lady, my wave was at 8:20.  The water was perfect ~ no waves, good temperature ~ and I was going to start slow.

Mike, Rick, me & John ready to start

And 8:20 came and I got 10 strokes in & couldn't catch my breath...so I started breathing every stroke...so I started hyperventilating...so I started the breast stroke...so I went slow!  I kept trying to swim...and kept failing.  I got to the turn and stood up, talked some sense into my head, and swam back.  Got out of the water & everyone was running to the transition...I didn't want to run, that swim was hard.  But I bent to peer pressure & ran to the bike.

Yep, that's how my swim went & "Why is everyone running?"

Being the last wave, the transition area was basically empty when I got there to get my bike.  Dodd & Mike were both long gone, so my bike was the only one on the rack...and I had no idea what I was doing except hurrying to get my socks & shoes on...helmet...gloves...pull on my flipbelt & bib...eat the gel...get out.  I guess I did ok, because I had all my stuff.

Rode up the hill (oh my, what a way to start the ride) and got going.  My speedometer wasn't working ~ so I moved the sensor...too much.  It was clinking and dinging the spokes the whole time.  UGH.  Tried to move it back, but kept pinching my fingers (can't stop and fix this)  Luckily I threw chapstick into my flipbelt...pulled it out and used it to push the sensor out of the way.  Didn't know my speed the whole time, but it stopped clanking.

Passed people the whole ride.  My quads were working, but I remembered what Dodd said about doing each event well...and holding back didn't really equate to better times in other events.  So I rode hard.  I averaged 17 mph, above what I did in training.

talking to someone, I'm sure

So thankful to have so many people fanning ~ it's motivation to see a familiar face & someone yelling your name. And, there lots of pictures of the adventure afterward.

The transition to the run went much faster ~ no shoe change.  Threw off the helmet & gloves, chugged some water and off.  On the way into transition John yelled, "power walk the hill."  I ran out of transition, and he yelled it again at the bottom of the hill.  So I walked it.  I think that really helped, because I took off at the top & passed a whole bunch of people.  He had told me to not get passed, and I didn't.  Not a single person passed me on the run ~ and I ran it negative.  I never run a race negative.  I felt very strong on the run.  It was one of those moments when it hurt & I was working hard & I KNEW I was strong enough to maintain and finish strong.  The 5k was 3.29 miles (UGH) I ran it at an 8:04 minute pace according to my Garmin.  

the final turn to the finish

I missed 3rd place in my AG by 26 seconds (Lake Erie's final word) but I'm really happy with my first tri.  Sat at the award ceremony (I beat Mike timewise, and he placed 3rd in his AG) saying to myself, "well, that was fun & I don't ever need to do it again."  It was HARD.  Not as hard as a marathon, but hard.  By Sunday night Mike & I were both talking about next year.  What is wrong with us.

Woke up Monday with really sore shoulders and tight hips.  Weirdest after race aches I've ever had.  This tri stuff is taxing on the body.  I can't even imagine what Dodd will go through with his full ironman in October.  Total respect.

Mike's finish

PR ice cream

The gang ~ minus BJ

Mike's award

Could not have done this without my friend Leslie & Brenda

Run Log JUNE

June has been a series of highs and lows ~

Our first place finish at Hill, Yeah ~ a high

Biking with Brenda and Leslie ~ a high

The first time swimming in Lake Erie ~ a low

I've been swimming at the Y all winter.  I am a decent swimmer.  I  can swim a mile (takes me 40 minutes, but I can do it)  First time in Lake Erie ~ total panic.  Extremely rapid heart rate ~ couldn't control my breathing... so unreal to me.  I've always felt comfortable in the water & I was in total panic mode.  I made it down and back twice...but never really swimming.  I couldn't put my face in and get a rhythm.  

So I tried again ~ this time with Dodd and Mike in the kayak.  NOPE.  In my defense the waves were 2-3 feet ~ but that wasn't that wasn't the biggest issue.  I just couldn't put my face in and swim.  I made it two houses from Trisha's parents place and back twice.  Mostly doggie paddling. {more about this later as I'm going in order of my pictures}

Thursday morning NERC run group at Lake Erie Bluffs ~ a high.  We've had a steady stream of people.  It's been fun.  We've also talked the Bodies Done Right coach into doing a 20 minute core class.  I have not been good about strength training.  It's been a good day to start a Thursday.

flat Leslie was late to breakfast

Last Friday morning there were too many storms to even attempt to swim, bike, run...So we  met at Bob Evan's for breakfast ~ which included candied bacon ~ YUM  

That morning I looked at the radar and saw the storms ~ so I went to the Y and swam.  Zero problems, so I knew I hadn't forgotten HOW to swim.

On Monday we tried the lake again.  It was still scary & hard, but a tad bit better.  Then the skies darkened & we could hear thunder...and we decided to get out of the water. {genius idea} 

Angela was joining us for a run ~ and we thought we'd try and get it in as the dark clouds were over the lake.  We ran in beautiful sunshine & the storm passed without much excitement.

get-out-of-the-water sky

Lake Erie is beautiful at sunset

On Wednesday I decided I'd had enough of this stupid fear of swimming in the Lake.  I had a failed track workout ~ Guess I should talk about that.  

First track workout: 12 x 400.  ROCKED IT.  Felt like an badass beast of a runner.

Second track workout: 6 x 800.  It was hard, but I nailed the upper end of my paces.

Third track workout: 6 x 800.  It was very hard.  I hit the upper end of my paces, which were faster than the previous week.  But I felt like a failure.  It was REALLY hard.  I did not feel badass.  I felt worn out.

Fourth track workout: 5 x 1000.  WHAT?!?  I CAN'T DO THAT.  I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.  {see the bad attitude?} seriously contemplated not doing it.  I did it.  Didn't hit a single pace, but I did it.  And I wanted to count hhat as a win.  I sent that to John & didn't get the response I wanted {That's ok, you tried.}  I got the response I needed. {you said you had bigger goals}

I have bigger goals.

I have a really big goal.  It's time to trust my body and push it to do all it can.  

So with this in mind, I couldn't have two fails in a day.  I drove myself to Fairport, got in the water and SWAM.  Down and back.  Stopped once in the middle of the first lap, because I was tired, not because I was scared.  I made myself stick to my breathing rhythm that I do everyday in the pool.  I pretended the tan murk of the water was a sandy bottom {oh, look I can see the sand at the bottom of the lake} and I did it.

So today, when we woke to more storms and everyone but Leslie cancelled ~ I got in the lake and SWAM. Easy and relaxed and enjoyable.  I can do this tri.

Finished the morning with a three mile run in the tri suit.  Feeling exposed, but getting used to it.  

Leslie and I made a plan to race together on Sunday.  She'll push me & I'm going to go for it.

June Run Log:

JuneTotals:

132.30 miles for the month 
736.27 miles for the year 

245.51 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ not worn at all this month.

425.87 miles in my old pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

390.31 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

510.61 miles in my teal Brooks Glycerin 13 

223.96 miles in my purple Brooks Glycerin 14 

Training for:  Fairport Triathlon July 16, 2017 & BQ @ Columbus Marathon October 15, 2017

Cross Training: Swimming, biking, some core work, some stretching.  Need to do some everyday.  But I'm not.

My WEIGHT: A few weeks ago I was 137.  The tri suit was a tad easier to get on today, so that's good.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   12.06

What hurts?: nothing

Weekly mileage this month:  26.79 ~ 27.34 ~ 33.35 ~ 31.61

Favorite place to run this month: Geneva on the Lake ~ Lake Erie Bluffs...

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:

1 mile: 6:43 (Memorial Mile 6/10/17)

5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)

marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

Balloons& Up Your Hill!

Saturday after our mile run...we went to Debonne to watch the balloon festival. This is a big even for the winery ~ and last year it was so crowded there was grid lock traffic jams on South River Road.  This year they made it a ticketed event...free tickets, but they "sold out" ~ and it really wasn't that crowded.  It was HOT and sunny & expensive.  And they only accepted cash ~ which seems a little fishy to me ~ but who am I.

We had fun.. and then the rumor started spreading that they weren't going to launch the balloons because the wind was too strong & from the wrong direction.  So we left and went to Melt.









These pictures were from last Wednesday when we met Distler/Chandler & Becca ~ The only balloon I saw this week ~ Zero at the, so called, "Balloon Festival".

We did see some parachuters jump from a plane a couple of times.  That looks SCARY and they are really moving fast when they land.  

Today was my favorite {not} race of the year.  Hill, Yeah.  The only time I enjoyed this race was when I trained hills.  Go figure.  I HATE the last two miles of this race ~ in fact I debated calling our team "I hate the last two miles of this race so I refuse to run them" ~ Since I hate them, and I refuse to run them...I decided this would be a good race to do as a relay.  Originally it was me and both Dodds.  But when Trisha wasn't training...she decided not to run.  Katie Barton joined us & she ran the fastest pace of all of us.  

Let's flash back to John Distler's quote from yesterday...when he questioned my beastliness.  And I knew he was right.  And he was.  Legs were heavy today.  Breathing wasn't exactly relaxed either.  The goal was to run marathon pace for my leg ~ I managed 8:47 overall for the 4.5...but one of those was 9:57.  Chapin Forest CLIMBS and CLIMBS and CLIMBS.  I was not prepared.  Then the last half mile drops pretty severely.  {Oh my Quads!}

I wasn't the beast I imagine myself to be...but I did ok with my tired legs.

Dodd is so strong.  He ran with me and Katie {who dropped to a 7:47 pace overall} and then finished strong.  We were first place in the co-ed division!  I like running with fast people.

It was HOT and sunny.  Mike ran the whole thing...still with his head/chest cold.  He's kinda beastly.  

A NERC posted on Facebook four pictures of Mike saying, "I'm sorry I don't know you, but you were kicking asphalt."

He even photo bombed Brenda and Leslie's selfie.  He said he had to haul ass to get in it & he did!

Then we had to get first place ice cream.

We may be stretching the limits of the PR ice cream rule...but if Dodd's driving, we get ice cream.

 

Memorial mile

Today I raced a new distance.  A mile.  I have never timed myself in a mile.  I have never done mile repeats.  I have run 7:13 minute miles in the first mile of a 5k...I've run 7:24 minute miles on the treadmill.  I had no idea what to expect.
I have been looking forward to this race since the NERC race schedule came out this winter.  At the time I was doing regular speed workouts at Spire & thought in my own head ~ I may be able to be sub 7:00.  I never said that out loud, because it seemed like a top tier ~ I'm not sure if people will laugh at me ~ goal.  I said, "I'd like to be around 7:00".
Then May happened and I didn't do speed work & I didn't even run 100 miles.  My new in my head goal ~ 7:13 ish.
And John wrote 6:45 in my training plan.
And my hopes were lifted.
And I still told people around 7:00 ish.
I told Mike John's pace for me...and kinda laughed at it.
But there was hope.

And I was scared.

It hurts to run fast.







Marcella lined up with me at the start and told me she was going to run with me.  And she took off.  I didn't dare look at my watch...I just ran.  And people ran passed me.  And I just ran.  And it felt good.  And it was downhill.  Marcella was ahead of me, by a lot.  And then there was a slight uphill just before we made the last turn.  I passed Marcella and I knew I could finish strong.  My watched beeped .04 before the finish line and said 6:30.





My official time:  6:43 (with a pace of 6:44 ~ go figure)

And I want to toot my own horn.  I'm so impressed with myself.  Still finished behind Mike (6:31) and Dodd (5:46) ~ who were beyond amazing.
And I placed 3rd female OVERALL.

Cloud nine.







And John said, "Hahaha let's see what you have in you tomorrow."

And I know he's right.

Run Log

Once again...I come to the end of the month ~ and I've not documented a single life event.  I have a ton of pictures on my phone ~ that need some documentation.  Maybe it'll be a summer goal to blog about 2017...or maybe they will just stay on my phone.

May was a low mileage month for me.  After Canton I just couldn't get the motivation to run much.  What I ran was pretty good ~ a few aches and pains ~ but overall ok.  I just didn't have a plan, so I didn't have a schedule.  I ran when I wanted and what I wanted.  

The biggest news is I have a coach.  I asked John Distler one night for some speed work advice & he offered to be my coach, making me his first coaching client.  The goal: BQ at Columbus on October 15.

Training started Monday, May 29 (and I didn't follow the training plan on day 1)

I'm excited.  I'm scared.  I have some added pressure to be successful for John.  I have a huge cheerleader & most importantly, a plan.  I love to follow the plan.  And now I have someone holding me accountable to it.  So here we go.  

Monday (Day 1 of training) I turned my 4 easy miles into a 5k.  My goal was to start slow and run negative splits.  Didn't happen.  I started slow & got a little slower.  Ugh.  I'm blaming it on the cold/cough I have had for the past two weeks.

This marked the first picture of MGR taken in a long time.  Kelly is back running :)

Mike and I ended up finishing together (exact same finish time)  He really tried to motivate me to speed up and catch Katie Barton (running really well) ahead of us.  I just didn't have it mentally...maybe physically too.  Hard to tell.  He's kinda a good guy, that marathon man of mine.

Lots of NERCs at Johnny's Run :)

Got the award for second place as the first in this age group was an overall placer.  Speedy girl :)










This was the second race run in May.  The Red Bird Run went well & I placed first in my age group :)  I ran it faster too (didn't have a cold)

May Run Log:

May Totals:

90.20 miles for the month 
603.97 miles for the year 

245.51 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ not worn at all this month.

402.78 miles in my old pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

370.94 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

493,92 miles in my teal Brooks Glycerin 13 

150.81 miles in my purple Brooks Glycerin 14 

Training for:  Fairport Triathlon July 16, 2017 & BQ @ Columbus Marathon October 15, 2017

Cross Training: Abs everyday in May lasted until the teacher party on the last day of school...I will start again {tomorrow}  Still swimming & rode the bike once.

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All & Undone

My WEIGHT: Haven't weighed myself.  I was 140 at the post-assessment for the Bodies Done Right wellness program at the beginning of the month.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   10.2

What hurts?: my throat & right ear.  Nothing running related :)

Weekly mileage this month:  30.38 ~ 23.13 ~ 28.26 ~ 14.11 ~  Took three days off that last week.

Favorite place to run this month: Geneva on the Lake ~ Lake Erie Bluffs...

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:

5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)

marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)

Run Log: March & April

Life has been busy & when I get downtime...I've been LAZY!I'm two months behind on my run logs...so here we go:

March...Track started & it got harder to get runs in.  I ended up doing a mile here and there with the kids & then a few miles after practice.  It worked & it was fun to work with the kids on the track.  I have a lot of learning to do & I've anxious about the whole track coach thing.  But I've loved working with the kids.  

March Run Log:

March Totals:

140.39 miles for the month 
374.09 miles for the year 

245.51 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ not worn at all this month.

391.72 miles in my old pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

326.05 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

466.80 miles in my teal Brooks Glycerin 13 

4 miles in my purple Brooks Glycerin 14 ~ SIZE 9.5 (had to buy a bigger size...BIG FEET) 

Training for:  Hall of Fame Marathon April 30, 2017  ~ Signed up for the Columbus Marathon October 15, 2017

Cross Training: Swimming Friday mornings.  Lifting a few times.  Was REALLY good about daily ab work during March.  Daily.  And looking better & feeling stronger.

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All & Undone

My WEIGHT: I have no idea what I weighed in march

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   20.25

What hurts?: Left IT band/hip.  Chiropractic care helped that one mend.

Weekly mileage this month:  19.51 ~ 38.51 ~ 22.73 ~ 41.54 ~ 32.61

Favorite place to run this month: ?

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:

5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)

marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15) 

Then came April and crazy busy weeks at school with IEPs and Track meets and trying to get workouts.  Ran a couple of times in the morning...but that's early for me & I never did get to run a Tuesday morning with Christine and crew, because the times I thought about it... it was RAINING in the morning.  NOT running in the cold rain when there are treadmills in the warm dry Y.

Then we took the 8th graders to DC & Mike and I went to Arizona (blog & pictures still to follow) and I stopped doing daily ab work & lifting has been non existent.  And then came April 30.  The $26.20 marathon in Canton, Ohio.  There was no packet pick up on race day...so we had date night ~ The Bartons and Dodds drove in rush hour traffic to Canton ~ and were presently surprised at the race expo.  There was stuff to do & things to buy and people to talk to.  We checked out where we were parking the next day (the $30 pre-paid parking was worth it, not to have to shuttle back and forth from the fairground)

We were all NERC'ed up for our marathon...number 2 for Dodd, #4 for me and #6 for Mike.  We got their early (of course) and checked it all out.  They delayed the start of the race by 15 minutes because there was a wreck on the highway & people were struggling to get to the race.  I felt this was stupid...as the weather forecast was looking to turn HOT {just leave the starting line open longer...it was chipped timed} but I'm not in charge.  We saw lots of NERC people & lined ourselves up.  Dodd went with the 3:50 pace group & Mike and I hung back just around the 4:0 people.  We took off & soon I was running with Kattya from NERC.  We ran together well for 5 miles or so through a park and by the McKinley monument.  Kattya wanted to slow it down, so we parted ways.  I was running well & felt great ~ up and down the hills...seemed like lots of uphill grades for miles with only a few steep climbs & equivalent downhill portions.  The turn around is at the 13 mile mark...so you could hear the finish line for the half marathoners...kinda hard to turn it around and then run the whole thing backward when you're so close to the finish & it was getting HOT.  Turned it around and ran.  I was still feeling pretty good.  Legs were fine, I was warm.  I kept drinking as much as I could.  At mile 15.5, I used the port-a-pot and felt better!  passed Dodd around 17ish.  He said he felt fine, but his calf was cramping.  I started walking through water stops here so I could down a Gatorade and a water.  At mile 19 I started walking a little more ~ everyone around me was walking & it seemed like a really wonderful thing.  I ran the majority of mile 21 and ran into Crystal and Lindsay (NERC people) who had decided it was too hot to have any goals & they were walking it in.  I walked with them for mile 22 and 23.  We ate Popsicles and drank water and talked and laughed.  My hamstrings started to tighten up walking & I decided to start running when we hit a good downhill spot.  I ran walked the remainder of the race ~ "I'll run .25...at then to the next cone...ok, the cone after that...ok that next road...ok the tree...ok, that car at the bottom of the hill...ok walk up the hill"  I didn't run uphill the rest of the race!  Finished 4:18:14.  Not too shabby considering I walked a good 2.5 miles of the thing.

Today I feel tight, but ok.  Physically I was ready for 26.2  BUT WHAT IS WITH THE HEAT?  Four marathons and three have been HOT.  

Mike had about the same experience.  He walked, but he did not puke!

Dodd ended the day at mile 23 and got a ride to the med tent.  The unfairness of the whole thing...no one took his temperature.

April Run Log:

April Totals:

139.68 miles for the month 
513.77 miles for the year 

245.51 miles in my Gortex Ghosts ~ not worn at all this month.

394.72 miles in my old pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

353.59 miles in my new pink Brooks Glycerin 13 

485.87 miles in my teal Brooks Glycerin 13 

94.07 miles in my purple Brooks Glycerin 14 ~ SIZE 9.5 (had to buy a bigger size...BIG FEET) 

Training for:  Fairport Triathlon July 16, 2017 & BQ @ Columbus Marathon October 15, 2017

Cross Training: Swimming Friday mornings.  and Beach Glass Hunting?  Need to get riding and lifting & back to daily Abs.  I will do before bed tonight.  Goal: EVERYDAY in MAY.

Podcasts I'm listening to: Marathon Training Academy, Dear Sugar, Story Corp & Reply All & Undone

My WEIGHT: 137 after we got home from lunch after the marathon & 135 this morning.  Love the water weight loss.

Some interesting facts:

Longest run this month:   26.31

What hurts?: Hamstrings are a little tight as are my calves.  Overall...feel really good.

Weekly mileage this month:  32.7 ~ 41.28 ~ 17.13 ~ 21.39

Favorite place to run this month: DC ~ Arizona ~ Canton   Lots a variety this month.

Monthly mileage record: 156.69 ~ March 2015 {purposely ran 8 (on a treadmill) on March 30 to beat the August 2013 record}
Highest mileage ever-at-one-time:  26.78, October 30, 2016, Marine Corps Marathon, Washington DC

PR's:

5K: 22:30 (Run For the Grapes 9/28/14}
10K: 50:13 {Run for the Hills 6/22/14 & TIED the time Run for the Hills 6/21/15)
10-miler: 1:21:29 (Hermes Cleveland 10-miler 4/28/12)
half-marathon: 1:44:42 (Northern Ohio Half Marathon 10/4/15)

marathon: 3:57:31 (The Cleveland Marathon 5/17/15)