The Beach and the Big Chainring

     I've heard it said that "it takes a village to raise a child."  While looking back over this past year, I've learned that the whole "taking a village" thing is not only true of children.  It apparently also (at least in my case) takes a village to raise and Ironman. Thank you notes and Tshirts going out to my friends and family who won't be there in person.      There are so many people in my life who have gotten me to the point I'm at today.  Whether it's giving me a pep talk when I needed it most, listening to me whine about the 5 hour bike ride on schedule for the next day knowing full well that I signed up for this, inviting me over for dinner and making extra hamburgers because they, as Ironmen, know the hunger of someone training 15+ hours a week, or making laugh when I was laying on the floor with calf cramps.  It really does take a village, and without my village, I most certainly would have no hope of standing on th...

           I’ve been pretty silent on here recently.   Not because I have nothing to say, but because I don’t really know how to say it.   I’ve been training, training, and training some more.   I’ve completed 2 70.3s and 1 full aquabike since the last time I logged on.  They all went great, each had some highs, and one of the 70.3s had some serious lows, but each one gave me a little more confidence than I had entering the water that day.    The aquabike being the most recent and being a huge confidence builder.               I have a little motto I've created for myself.  A mantra if you will: Be Patient. Be Brave.  These are the things I've been practicing these last few months because I know I will need to be patient and brave on November 2.  I've been patient, waiting for that day to arrive.  Waiting for my endurance to get to where it needs to be.  Waiting u...

     A few things about this post.  First, I wouldn't say that a Nike Women's Marathon (NWM) race is really my cup of tea.  I think I prefer more local races, and races where men and women are running. Nothing wrong with other aces, that's just my preference. Second, I really really hate it when people are disingenuous about their training and the work they've put in for a race, and then are like "I accidentally PR'd by fourteen minutes."  I don't want this post to come across like that and I don't believe in accidental PRs. Since I've started working with my coach in November, I have put in lots of long long weeks of training. It's been lots of hard work. It's just that the training has been more tri specific, and not focused on running, and certainly not focused on half-marathon type running.  And now, to the recap.     Quite a few months ago, a friend of mine asked me to do this race with her.  I said "yes" and suckered m...

A lot has happened since I last posted.  A lot with training, and I've just had a lot going on in my life.  Every time I sat down to write a post, it just didn't feel right and I didn't feel up for writing about what was going on.  But over the past few weeks, things have gotten better, I've returned to my training schedule, and I feel happy.  Happy to be swimming, biking, and running my heart out. So now, back to this blogging thing.  I have two race reports that I want to write.  Hopefully I'll get those done this week. If you're wondering how my training is going, it's going something like this: the swims are getting longer; the bikes are getting longer; and the runs are getting longer.  But I'm enjoying it.  I feel like I'm in a good place with my training, and training is making me happy! I'll update more soon! Hope you are having a wonderful day!

I just wanted to share something my dad wrote reflecting on the tragedy at the Boston Marathon yesterday: So what do we do now? We still don’t know who set the bombs. Or why. But we do know this—no marathon can ever be safe. Twenty-six miles. Thousands of runners. Hundreds of thousands of spectators. If every TSA agent in the world had descended on Boston this morning, they couldn’t have prevented it. Evil is like that. It only takes one twisted mind, one person who thrives on the  suffering of others, and suffering will follow. So what do we do? We pray for the victims and their families. We honor them and the heroes who helped the injured. We hunt down the person or persons responsible. We vow not to let this stop us from pushing ourselves to our limit and experiencing the joy of honest hard-work and achievement. I could never qualify for Boston, but I do love to run. When my mind gets stuck and I need creativity, or when I’m frustrated and need to pray, or when I just want to ...

     Sometimes I have so much to say, but instead I just sit here and stare at the blinking cursor.  I don't know where to start, and that's kind of a weird feeling because I always have something to say.  Is it weird if I write it in list form?  Ok well, since about 5 people read this blog (that's generous, I know...moving on), I'm going to assume you all agreed to a bulleted post: Spring.  This weather.  I literally could not be happier.  Rides outside without a million layers.  I may even have to start breaking out the sunscreen.  (I'm not going to rant on this right now, but sunscreen, people, wear it.  When I swim, bike, or run outside, I wear 45+.  No skin cancer for me, please).  And running in shorts and a tank top will be happening today.  I'm a summertime girl through and through.  All smiles.   My bracelet.  Oh my goodness!  My amazing friend  Erin  Leigh, also of...

     Tomorow morning, I'm putting on my big girl pants.  Actually, if we are going to get technical about it, tomorrow morning I am putting on my big girl bicycle shorts.  But that' really a matter of semantics.      When I started running, I did it by myself.  I trained for my first half marathon and then my first marathon alone.  And I loved it.  Because, if I'm being completely honest, I like being by myself.  I heard and read about people involved in great running groups.  But truthfully, that never appealed to me.  I like being by myself.  Running was my time to think.  I think best when I'm running.  I solve life's problems when I'm running.  I clear out my head and get a fresh perspective when I'm running.  If I'm trying to talk to other people, or trying to speed up to keep up, or slow down so I don't ditch them, I'm thinking about that and can't get into my running zone.  So ru...