Top 70.3

My first triathlon season has officially ended, but I know another one is just around the corner.  The pinnacle of the season has certainly been training for and completing my first half Ironman.  Here is my top 70.3!!!!!!!!!

.3.  70.4 miles would have been too much

70. Carbs

69. The feeling of excitement when I filled out the registration form and hit send.

68. Unique tan lines

67. Recovery chocolate shakes

66. Recovery weeks

65. My coach

64. Racing with pros.

63. Race wheels

62. Discovering the Bobcat Kuntry store in Celina.

61. Recovery days

60. Compression socks.

59. Honey Stinger waffles.

58. My Austin roommates: Jeneen, Rebecca, and William

57. My students think I’m cool.

56. The sound of bike shoes clicking into the pedals. 

55. Improving my swim

54. Not worrying that I’m eating too much salt

53. Salt stains  

52. Spandex never needs to be ironed

51. Glide...oh thank God for Glide

50. The feeling of new running shoes.

49. Windhaven Hill no longer kicks my butt 

48. I don’t need Ambien anymore  

47. It was a good excuse to buy a new bike  

46. Riding in aero

45. Free swim cap

44. My grandfathers would have been proud

43. The smell of chlorine in the morning

42. Discovering I still I haven't found my limits  

41. Other triathletes 

40. Sunday long runs

39. Calling a bunch of sugar my “nutrition”

38.  Burning thousands of calories in a single workout

37. Tapering

36. Out-pedaling dogs

35. Compression boots at the chiropractor’s office

34. Pre-race breakfast

33. Sponges on the race course

32. Drag queens on the race course

31. Four hour training rides in Celina

30. Running over grasshoppers

29. Wetsuit strippers

28. Watching Michael Raelert run out of the swim

27. Post swim practice oatmeal

26. Long run in Eunice

25. Writing a blog

24. I get to wear 70.3 shirts

23. Getting Roxy an Ironman leash…she earned it

22. Finishing the 1.2 mile swim

21. Volunteers on the race course

20. Seeing my mom and dad on the race course.  

19. Pre-race workout at the race site with my friend Roger

18. Discovering that half the triathletes in Dallas were in Austin for the race

17. Orange slices on the run course

16. Water stations on the bike course

15. Down hills on the bike course

14. Seeing Penney in T1

13. Body marking

12. Training with Jeneen

11. Spray tents on the run course

10. Hearing someone else’s story during the race

9.   Running by the NTM tent

8.   Racing with so many of my friends

7.   Finishing the 56 mile bike course faster than expected

6.   Not caring when the wind kicked up on the bike

5.   Seeing the mile 12 marker on the run

4.   Rounding the corner and seeing the finish line

3.  Hearing the announcer call my name

2.  Crossing the finish line!!!!!!!!!!!!

1.  Having my friends and family there with me in Austin

Man, this was fun!!!

"I'd rather have more heart than more talent any day." Allen Iverson

70.3 Finisher

I can't believe the big day has come and gone.  After months of training and preparation, I was finally able to complete my goal of finishing my first Half Ironman.  It was an incredible end to my first triathlon season.  Here's my story.

We arrived at the race site just before 6 AM, and there were shuttles ready to take us to the swim start that was over a mile away.  I waited in a long line and actually got on a bus before I realized that I was supposed to drop off my run bag before getting on the bus. Sooo, I had to get off the bus and spirit to T2 to drop off my bag. Thankfully Rebecca was there to  lead to the way.  Guess I should have gone to the athlete briefing the day before.  I got back on the bus and finally made it to the swim start where I had to get body marked and get into T1 to set up my bike.  I almost left transition without putting any nutrition on my bike.  Glad I remembered or it would have been a rough day. 

After standing around a while, it was time! I made my way down to the start.  I was pretty nervous, but there were plenty of people who looked far worse off than I.  One girl was in tears.  I had already shed a few earlier, and completely understood. It was a pretty emotional experience. As we were standing in the water awaiting our start, the racer next to me asked if it was too late to back out.  "We can't back out.  We've worked too hard to get here," I told her.  It turns out that it was her second triathlon EVER!  I thought I was a little ambitious taking on a half Ironman my first season, but this girl had me beat.

The swim start was rough.  I wanted nothing more than to get out of the water.  Why had I signed up this?  This feeling of anxiety was something I felt during the swim start of other races, so I knew I could work through it.  "I can do anything for a little while," I told myself.  I knew I couldn't stop.  My mind went to the mental skills exercises my coach had me do, and to my race plan. I did some praying, and I thought of the people who have overcome incredible obstacles to do this type of thing. I thought of Rudy Garcia and John Blaze.  I though of the initial on my ankle for who this race is dedicated.  There was no good reason to quit.  I knew if I did that it would be a long day of regret  while watching others finish.  After the first turn buoy, the crowd thinned out and I began feeling better. There was still some contact, but not like the it was during the first 400 or so meters.  I didn't feel like was swimming all that fast, but I really wasn't concerned.  I just needed to get through it. In no time I made the second (and last) turn, and was on my way to swim exit. Before I could get there, I had to swim through the seaweed that seemed to be growing out of control.  I was afraid I would come out of the water looking like a swamp monster. Now that would have make a nice race picture! It was the greatest feeling of relief when I made it out of the water.  I actually dropped down and put my hands on the ground and thanked God.  My parents were there to cheer me on as I ran up the swim exit. Words cannot describe how good it was to see them cheering me on. I know I saw other people I knew, but most of it was a blur.  Just before entering T1 I was able to get some help with my wetsuit from some wetsuit strippers.  There were a number of people lined up ready to help peel your wetsuit off.  I looked for the guy who looked the strongest, and threw myself in from of him.

As I got to my bike, I saw my friend, Penny Meyer ready to head out on her ride.  I wished her good luck and she was off.  I knew I wouldn't be seeing her again for a while.  I shoved my dirty feet into my bike shoes, buckled my helmet, and threw on my sunglasses before taking off.  Jeneen was waiting for me at the end of transition and snapping pictures. Oh, how I wished she could have joined me on that bike ride. After all the training rides she did with me, it felt funny to ride off without. After hitting the course I quickly noticed that the screen on my Garmin was not the screen I wanted.  I ended up having to turn it off and turn it on,but I forgot to press start. I didn't realize this until mile 15.  Oh well!  I was still able to see my speed and heart rate.  I had my bike computer for time and distance.

The bike was where I earned my gold stars for the day.  I was flying...well, at least by my standards. Racers whizzed by me and I whizzed by others.  This is probably the only part of the day I would describe as fun. I knew this was going to a hilly ride.  This is what I had been preparing for.  All those hill repeats on Windhaven were about to pay off.  I was expecting the hills on the course to kick my butt, but they didn't.  I just followed my race plan...get in a low gear and spin up the hills. I had been warned about one hill in particular around mile 5 that would be waiting for me right after making a sharp right hand turn.  I was prepared and already in a low gear when I approached it. That hill sucked, but I was prepared.  One guy wasn't.  He was walking his bike up the beast.

One part of the ride I was a little nervous about, believe it or not, was the water stations.  I've never had to grab water while on my bike before and wasn't sure how it was going to work.  The first water station I went through was manned by a group of women in pink and black.  Boy, could those women cheer.  They were amazing.  They were all lined up ready to hand us sports drinks or water.  I gabbed for a bottle of water and didn't drop it.   At that point I realized that I should begin eating.  I had a Cliff Bar and a Stinger Waffle cut up into bite-sized pieces in my bento box. I also had a pack of Chomps in my tri top. Over the course of the ride I choked down my nutrition and was sure to drink plenty of water.  I didn't want the water to run straight through me, so I squeezed electrolyte drops in my bottle.  It made the water taste a little salty, which I didn't mind.

As I continued on the bike  I couldn't help but notice that I was smoking the course.  I was going faster than expected and feeling great.  I was worried that I might hurt my run if I kept up hammering the bike, but I just couldn't slow down.  It was too much fun. I passed a man in his 50s who was on a bike just like mine.  "Nice bike," I called out as I passed him.  Seconds later he passed me.  Now, this man did not look like a typical triathlete.  He didn't look very fit, so it was a little deflating to get passed by him. Throughout the course we took turns passing each other. I'm pretty sure that I eventually left him behind because eventually I stopped seeing him.  Toward the end of the bike ride the winds began to kick up.  Again, I was prepared.  Just a couple weeks earlier Jeneen and I did a training ride in the wind. It wasn't fun, but it definitely paid off.  I'm pretty sure the race wheels I rented for the weekend made a difference too. When I got to mile 40, with just 16 miles to go, I realized that I could possibly finish pretty close to the three hour mark. This was an unexpected surprise.  The miles ticked away and before I knew it I was headed into T2 with a 3:03 bike split....far exceeding my expectation.  I was expecting to finish the bike between 3:15 and 3:30.  My friend, Leon, was standing near the dismount line, so I yelled out, "I smoked the (bleep) out of that bike course."  Perhaps I could have cleaned that up a little, but I was so excited.  In fact, I was so excited that I ran up and down transition looking for my bag...that was hung in numerical order. I finally understand the shirt that says, "Lost in Transition."   My brain was only able to process so much.  I finally found my bag and got ready for my run.

Standing at the end of the transition area were Jeneen and my parents.  Again, it was so good to see them.  It was nice to start the run with a little encouragement from them.  When I ran out of transition I grabbed a drink and noticed an open port-o-potty.  I was willing to sacrifice the 30 seconds it would take to pee instead of just "going" as I ran.  For those of you that don't know, some triathletes are know to "go" on their bikes or while running.  I am not one of those, although, I would be lying if I said I didn't contemplate it on the bike. I was worried about the "spray" so I opted to wait until the run course to take care of business.

 At this point in the race I was pretty tired.  I had been in motion for almost 4 hours.  I looked down at my Garmin (that I remembered to start when I began my run) and saw that I was running under a 9 minute pace. Wow!  That only lasted a couple of minutes though.  My pace quickly began to drop. I wasn't sure how I was going to complete a 13.1 mile run at this point. It didn't seem possible, but I knew I would find a way. I would have to dig deep, and I mean REALLY deep. I knew I was in for some serious hurting.

My original race plan was to walk when I got to the aide stations, and then continue running when I passed them.  I ended up walking a lot during the run.  I didn't walk for long, but every few minutes I had to slow down.  The sun was beating down on me and I was struggling.  There were several hills on the course, and I hated every one of them.  I was praying.  I was fighting for each step.  There were two women on the course cheering on the racers.  "Fo-mo, forward motion!  Don' stop!" they would yell.  It helped.  I kept telling myself to just keep moving forward.  A slow step was better than no step.  I knew if I stopped that it would hurt more.  My feet ached!  One part of the course was dirt and rock.  I could feel each and every rock under my tired feet.

Because of the 3 loop course, I was able to see spectators and other racers multiple times.  Seeing my friends and parents on the course and hearing them cheer me on helped get me though the run.  Knowing that I was approaching the NTM tent always put a little pep in my step. I always found a way to run by the tent, and I tried to hide how bad it actually felt.  Every 10 or 15 minutes I would run into one of my friends who was also racing. They kept telling me that I was doing great and looking good.  At that point in the day anyone who was still moving forward really WAS doing great and looking good.  Those brief interactions always gave me a little more strength. On my second lap I found myself about to pass a guy wearing a Frisco Tri Club kit.  While I didn't know this guy, I did know others athletes from his club, so as far as I was concerned,  he was one of my friends. He was on his first lap and looked like he was struggling.  I tried to encourage him to just keep running, but just moments later I was the one needing encouragement.  We ran together for a little while and made small talk.  I found out that his name was Ken, and that he had back surgery a year ago.  Amazing! My time with Ken provided me with a little more of what I needed to continue and finish my second loop.  As I began my third  loop I saw the turn off for the finishers for the second time.  Man, how longed to go that way.  I had one more loop to go.  I could do it.

I wouldn't say the last loop was the easiest, but there was comfort in knowing that I didn't have to do another one. It made it possible to push through the pain and keep going.  I remember getting to the mile 10 marker and telling myself that I just had a 5K left.  I pushed as hard as I could to keep going.  I prayed for strenth and though about the finish line. When I was getting ready to pass the NTM tent for the last time Pete and Rachael stood up and cheered me on.  I knew that everyone else was inside waiting for me.  I didn't stop running.  I ran to where the course split, and this time I didn't have to keep looping.  It was finally my turn to veer right and head to the finish.  There weren't many people standing on this part of the course. Everyone was inside and it sounded like a party. I couldn't believe it!   I was so close to the finish line.  This was the moment I had trained for.  This was the moment I thought about every day for the last 5 months.  My emotions began pouring out.  This wasn't a quiet tear sliding down my face.  Oh  no, it was full on crying. I managed to compose myself as I rounded the corner and ran inside the building. I heard the announcer call my name as I ran the last few yard.  There were tons of people cheering and clapping, but all I could see was the finish line.  As my feet hit the Ironman carpet I knew it was official...I was a 70.3 finisher.

My goal was to finish in under 7 hours.  It turns out that I finished in 6:22:09.  This far exceeded my expectation.  After the race I heard a lot of comments about how hard the bike course was.  I agree, it's not an easy course, but I didn't find it all that bad.  I guess my coach did a pretty good job preparing me for it.  The run was hard and it hurt, but that's where you find out what you are really made of.  This isn't the part of the race I typically enjoy the most, but it is the most gratifying. There were moments that I didn't want to keep going, but I didn't want to quit either.  I knew if I dug just a little deeper I could find just a little more strength.  I did this over and over throughout 13.1 mile run. I think that's what keeps endurance junkies coming back for more.  There's a certain satisfcation that comes from digging deep and finding just a little more.

I'm so thankful that my mom and dad were able to make the 7 hour trip to Austin to experience this with me.  They were there to cheer me on the whole day!  I cannot explain how amazing it was to see their faces and here their voices as I passed them.  The day wouldn't have been the same without them.  Thank  you Mom and Dad for being a part of this journey.  I couldn't have done it without.  There is no one I wanted more at the finish line than you.

What's next?  I don't know, but I'm sure that I'm not done with the Ironman series.  Perhaps there will be 140.6...someday!  For now, I think a little rest is in order.

Congratulations to all my friends who competed in Austin 70.3.  We each have a different story to share, and we all can hold our heads up high and know that we gave this race everything we had.

"The race isn't over until you cross the finish line.  You'll be surprised at how much can change in the last twenty strides"  - Jackie Dugall

A Big Thank You!!

The big day is just about here and want to take the time to say thank you to some very important people. This has been an exciting journey, but I couldn't have done with the help of so many wonderful people. 

First and foremost, I have to thank my North Texas Multisport friends.  You guys made me feel so welcome from day one.  I wouldn't have made it through my first triathlon, much less my first season, without you guys.  Thank you all for inspiring, teaching, and encouraging me. There is nothing I love more than training and racing with you. Each and every one of you mean so much to me. You are more than just training partners, you are my friends. I also have to thank Triple Threat Tough.  I've enjoyed training with and getting to know so many of  you over the last few months.  You guys are awesome.  I feel truly blessed to be part of such  an amazing triathlon community. I am so excited to be surrounded by so many of my NTM and TTT peeps this weekend.  You all have definitely helped keep me calm this weekend.

I want to give a special thank you to Jeneen Connolly.  Thank you for doing so much of my training with me.  You definitely made it easier to get up for 5:30 AM swim practice, and I certainly wouldn't have made it though, or had as much fun, on those epic 4+ hour training rides.  You are an amazing athlete and friend.  Not only do you have a positive attitude, but you're a kick ass bike mechanic. You definitely have made this whole experience even more incredible.  I cannot wait to train with you for your first half.

I have to thank Tommy and Kristen for teaching me how to swim.  I had no idea what I was doing in the water back in January when I attended to your swim clinic.  Thanks to all your coaching over the last few months, swimming is now my strength!  You guys are amazing!! Another swim coach  that I absolutely must thank is Carlos, my swim coach at Cooper during the first half of the season.  Thank you Carlos for not giving up on me.  There were so many days I just wanted to get out of the pool and never return, but you assured me that I would get it.  You believed in me even when I was hanging on to the ropes because I couldn't swim the entire length of the pool.

A big thank you goes out to Kyle and Aaron at Plano Cycle for taking such good care of me and my bike over the last few months.  Aaron, thanks again for getting my bike figured out and putting my race wheels on for me. You guys rock!!

Of course, I must thank my chiropractor, Ron Tribendis.  Dr. T, I'm not sure my body could have carried me this far without your help.  Thank you for undoing the damage this sport has done to me. I swear there is a bit of magic in your hands.  You've given me so much great advice, and you have been so supportive of me.  Thank you for everything!

My biggest thank you goes out to my coach, Tommy Johnson. I have LOVED working with  you. I could not have picked a better coach, and there is no way I would have made it to this point without you.  You not only put together a stellar training program for me, but you helped me to develop a solid race plan.  I would have been completely lost on my own.  You always seem to know just what I need, and just when I need it.  You have no idea how much I appreciate all that you  have done for me.  Because of your preparation, I feel completely ready to take on my first half Ironman.  I should have know that a fellow St. Landry Parish native would be just what I needed!  From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

"Sometimes winning has nothing to do with being first across the finish line." John Bingham

It's the Final Countdown!!!

In exactly one week I hope to be basking in the joy of finishing my first half Ironman. Despite finalizing my race plan and the fact that I'm tapering, I don't think I've fully wrapped my brain around the fact that it's almost here.  This week is going to be a very busy week at work, but I'm hoping that will help to keep me from over-thinking the race. The distraction will probably be good for me because I'm sure I'll start to get very nervous as October 23 gets closer.

I'm feeling pretty good about race. Its funny that five months of training all come down to a single day.  Anything can happen that day. Hopefully I can keep a clear head and stick and to my race plan. A cheat sheet will be taped to the top tube of my bike and possibly written on my arm. Since I began my official training with a coach in mid June, I have swam over 53 miles, biked over 1,300 miles, and ran over 220 miles. I've stayed virtually injury free (thanks to my chiropractor), and I've only  had one flat tire. If  you read this before my race, please say an extra prayer that I don't get a flat on race day.

This week I  have some easy workouts planned.  The race wheels that I'm renting should be here on Tuesday, so I can test them out before the weekend.  I'm pretty excited about them! I'll have Zipp 808s on the back and 404s on the front...and yes, I know what that means.  If nothing else, they will make me LOOK cool and fast.  I get to eat lots of carbs this week!  In fact, I started by inhaling the spaghetti and meat sauce I picked up for lunch today.  My coach told me to add a little extra salt to my food this week.  OK!!  Most people are told to reduce their salt and carbs...not me!!  I guess this helps make up for all the days I've had to get up at 4:15.  Hydrating will also be important this week.  I have some tablets, called Nuuns,  I can add to my water for extra electrolytes.  They fizz up like Alka-Setlzer.

"The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself." Mary Schmich

Less Than Two Weeks To Go!!

This past weekend I went back to my home town of Eunice, La for my high school reunion.  My class was being honored at this years' Homecoming, and it was the 100th anniversary of the school.  I did run this by my coach first to make sure it wouldn't mess up my training too much since my half Ironman is only 2 weeks away.

I drove in to Eunice on Thursday night and laid low at my parents house.  On Friday morning I woke up and headed out for a two hour run.  I didn't realize just how small Eunice actually is until I had to do my long run there.  I had an idea of where I would run, but I ended up having to make up the route as I went along.  I ran by some of my old stomping grounds, including my school and the clothing shop I worked in. The clothing shop is now the patio to the restaurant next door. I even went by my dad's shop to refill my water bottles and say hi.  My run was awesome.  The weather was beautiful and the roads were pretty flat.  Lots of people that I didn't know waved as I passed by.  One man even stood at the edge of his drive way and gave me a big thumbs up, and then he threw out his hands and said, "Wow, what beautiful weather for a run!"

When I finished my run my mom fixed me a hot breakfast while I showered.  She even ironed some clothes that I would be wearing later.  Thanks Mom!  Typically I rest for a while after my long run, but not this day.  I had less than an hour to get ready and head out for the Homecoming festivities.

I spent the day catching up with my high school friends.  I even decided to take advantage of the drive-thru Daiquiri Shack around noon before heading to a get together at someone's house. In Eunice, noon is a perfectly acceptable time for an adult drink.  Because we were the honored class, we got to ride in the parade.  We hopped on the float (trailer with hay) a couple of hours before the parade started, and I don't think we got off the float until close to 10:00.   We really had a great time, but I was completely exhausted.  I drove home Saturday and was thankful that I didn't have any workouts planned for the day.

Yesterday, I had my last big training day.  I struggled to stay motivated during the hour swim, and my legs weren't feeling so hot during the bike ride. I was still a little tired from my trip and my legs were still punishing me for running around in dinky little flip flops all day after my long run.  To top things off, I got my first flat.  I ran over a rock on the road and knew right away that it wasn't good when I heard the sound of the air escaping from my tire.  We pulled over and Jeneen immediately took charge and helped me change my flat.  Ok, she actually changed it and I helped a little.  Thanks Jeneen!! After the bike ride, we headed out for a 30 minute run.

I need  to be extra good to my body over the next couple of weeks to ensure I'm in tip top shape for the race.   I've decided that comfort and support trumps cuteness when it comes to my shoes. I will resist the urge to visit the new Raisin' Canes that just opened up in my neighborhood. There will be no ice cream or Nutella in my house, and I will get more sleep.  I alway say I'm going to get more sleep and it doesn't seem to happen, so we'll see.

Last night my coach told me that it was time to start writing my race plan. To be honest, I was a little overwhelmed thinking about it.  There are so many details to consider. This will be the first race I'm having to travel, so that adds a whole new piece to my race plan.  Nearly 5 months of preparation is all coming down to one day. As Eminem says, "You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow..."   When I start to feel stressed over the race, I have to remind myself that this is a gift.  Not everyone gets to do what I'm doing. I get to go after one of my dreams!! I'm doing this because I WANT to do it...not because I HAVE to do it.  God has been so good to provide me with EVERYTHING I need to make this happen.  How lucky am I!!


"Our limits may not be where we think they are." - Chrissie Wellington, 4 time World Ironman Champion

Man, I Love Race Day

One of the many things I love about triathlon is the fact that we get to compete in the same races as the pros.  In most sports you have to BE a pro to compete in with the pros.  Today I got to race with Andy Potts!!!  Ok, so I didn't exactly race WITH him, but we were competing in the same race.  He began his race about 20 minutes before I did, and he was probably finished the whole thing long before I got off the bike.  I did get to meet him briefly and get a picture with him after the race.  He won the Toyota series and was smiling from ear to ear.  You can't blame him.  He's now heading to Kona to compete in the Ford Ironman World Championship next week!  Go Cutie Pie!!

Besides getting to meet Andy Potts, the race was a success in my book.  This was my second Olympic distance.  My first was in July at Disco.  I was a nervous wreck for Disco, but this time I was much more at ease. There was still a little nervousness at the start of the race, but that's to be expected.  Much to my delight it was a wetsuit legal race. I made my way down to the start and found my friend, Erin, from NTM.  She's a smoking fast girl in my age group.  We were relieved to finally jump in the water because our feet were freezing.  The water was warmer than the outside air.  The horn blew and the swim started.  There was some contact, but it wasn't so bad...or maybe I was mentally prepared so it was less stressful.  I swam steady the whole time and didn't freak out at all!  Progress!  The lake was low and my arms hit bottom long before the swim ended.  I stood up and felt my feet sink in the soft bottom.  I got back down and tried to swim...if you'd call it that.  It was more like a crawl. When I finally exited the swim I saw the race clock and knew I had made it out in 30 minutes. I was able to cut 5 minutes off my last Olympic swim.  Victory!  As you can see I was actually smiling when I got out of the water.


Getting on the bike, I knew I still had had to find a way to shave 2 to 3 more minute off my last race time if I was going to finish the race in under 3 hours.  I had to run up hill to T1, and then I had to ride uphill on the first part of the bike.  I took it easy for the first few minutes so I could get my heart rate under control.  It never happened so I just went by how I felt.  The bike course was one of the more challenging courses I've done.  There were quite a few hills and a little bit of wind.  The roads were also a little rough on the first 1/3 or so of the course.  Around mile 8 I finally was able to pick up speed.  I took advantage of my ability to go fast to make up for the beginning of the ride. Just before mile 20 I ran out of water.  I was still hoping to choke down another 100 calories or so, but since I didn't have water I decided not to chance it.  Besides, my stomach really didn't feel like it could handle much at this point.  Shortly after running  out of water, Tommy, my coach flew by me. His wave started a good 30 minutes or so after mine, and I figured he would pass me at some point.  We exchanged a few words and I was able to tell him that I shaved 5 minutes off my swim.  I suppose it could have waited until after the race, but I was still pretty excited about it. After 24 miles I was relieved to finally roll into T2.  The hills were draining my legs and I still had hilly 10K run.  I didn't shave any time off my bike time from my last race, so I knew I had to have a good run.

The run, like the bike, began with those pesky hills.  I felt like I was going in slow motion, but when I finally looked down, I was running at a 9:20 or so pace.  This is considered slow for a lot of people, but it's pretty good for me.  My goal was to keep my run  pace under 10:00. Normally I race with my NTM kit, but today I was sporting the Triple Threat jersey.  The run is where I really got to cheer for my fellow NTM and Triple Threat friends.  When Jeneen and I finally crossed each other I was yelling her name and waving my arms around.  She looked strong and focused....or maybe that look was embarrassment.  Perhaps I'm not racing hard enough if I can mange to yell for other racers.  There were a few times when I wanted to walk and I had to tell myself NO.  I think I even said it out loud.  I hope the other races didn't think I was talking to them.  Finally, after 57 minutes of running, I crossed the finish line in under 3 hours...2:55 to be exact.  I couldn't believe I shaved almost 9 minutes off my run.

I was pleased with how the race turned out.  I finished 12 minutes faster than last time, and this was a harder course.  Following my training plan is definitely paying off.  Today is just what I needed as I begin my final three weeks of preparation for Austin.  It had been over 2 months since my last race.  Someone Tweeted today that race day is like Christmas...if you've been good. I didn't take home prize money or a trophy.  Instead, I took a sense of pride in accomplishing my goal and having a good time.  I've been saying that I'm here to complete, not to compete.  I'm probably never going to be the girl who's smoking my age group, and that's perfectly fine.  Each day that I cans swim, bike, and run is a gift.  Each race that I can finish, and finish strong, is winning in my book.  Have I mentioned how much I love this sport?

I want to send a big shout out to all my NTM and Triple Threat peeps.  Many of you were out there kicking butt, and many of you were supporting and offering words of encouragement.  There is no way I would do this without all of you.  A very special thank you goes out to Coach Tommy.  I wouldn't be where I am today with this man.

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. - Dr. Dale Turner