A Carpe Diem Run

YES, it was one of those days!!  One of those winter days in Coeur d'Alene that we all love.  All look forward to.  After snow, and grey, comes the sun.  And it was stunning.  Six mile run with a perfect blue sky, and that gorgeous ball of yellow and orange reaching down out of the sky to kiss our cheeks.  Fingers long with warmth.  A seize the day, seize the moment kind of day.....and we did!!

~“Seize the moment. Remember all those women on the 'Titanic' who waved off the dessert cart.” 
― Erma Bombeck

Remember your first time???

There truly is nothing like the first time you do something.  No matter what that something is.  The first time of anything is amazing, and monumental, and there is nothing like that feeling.

  The first time you walk (ok most of us don’t remember that) the first time you rode a bike without training wheels.  The first time you held hands with a boy, or girl.  Your first love. Your first kiss.  Wow, that was something to remember, right?  How about the first time behind the wheel of a car?

I have had so many firsts in my life it is crazy.  First broken heart.  First time to move away from home, and then REALLY leave home, as in leaving the state.  My first child to be born.  First time to have stitches. The first time I leapt out of an airplane, hoping to make it safely to the ground.  My first car, my first home to own. My first 5K, to my first marathon, my first Sprint Triathlon all the way to my first Ironman.

I am still coming off a great week, after placing 3^rd  ag, in the Race the River Tri last weekend, and have been enjoying more of my summer.  Working on relaxing, but just really trying to find a sense of balance still.  Maybe it was doing another Tri that helped out.  Even though 2 weeks after Ironman, I had done a ½ marathon.  I went into Race the River thinking it would be a fun day with my girlfriends, to really racing it, and feeling good, even after being out WAY to late the night before. (Thank you friends, and Big Head Todd)

I think my summer training and summer fun is coming into focus now.  I have my training that I am still doing.  Running, biking and swimming with “the crew” and having some great beach days, some paddle boarding, some wine and boat days.

I had another tri this weekend that I decided to back out of.  The Hayden View Tri, put on by a wonderful friend of mine. I was excited to race this race for the first time……BUT, what made me decide to not race was the fact that this tri, is my husband’s first triathlon.  The more I thought about racing, the more I thought about him, and all the years he has invested in me.  Going to races, loading my bike, airing my tires, packing my crap up, mixing my bottles.  He has gotten up so early, to go and support me.  This past year was no different, but way more intense, and there was a lot more for him to deal with.  The very LEAST I could do, would be to go to this race on Saturday, supporting him, and being his Sherpa.  It is HIS first.  His first time to put a swim, bike and run together in a race. The first time for him to run through transition, pulling on socks, shoes, helmet, sunglasses all crazed and expeditious.  His first time to cross the finish line as a triathlete!  How could I not give that to him? 

I am so excited for him.  And nervous for him.  And nervous for his nervousness!  I cannot wait to be the one to talk to him Friday night when he is getting all anxious about his race in the morning.  Get up with him early Saturday to make sure he can get some food in his belly, go through the “nervous stomach” routine, walk with him and wait at transition while he sets up, racks his bike, warms up, and dives, for the first time, into the water for a ½ mile swim, then a bike and run.  I get giddy just thinking about it.

I am proud of him for making it this far. 

I am excited for him to drink the Kool-Aide that all of our friends have been drinking and dive into multi-sport.

I am excited for his first time.

I know the day before Ironman.  Pro athlete, and just all around sweetie, Michael Lovato told me when I asked him for a piece of advice before the race, said, “Enjoy every second of the day.  Because it will go by faster that you think…and then you will finish, and there is NOTHING like the feeling of the first time.”  You can never get that feeling back.  And right he is. 

But there is also something to be said for watching and being present at someone’s first race.  I cannot wait for that first!!!

~Greg, you are going to do an amazing job Saturday.  Most of all, love the moment, and have fun…you have this…and there is going to be nothing like it…. ALL of us cannot wait to see you cross that finish-line!

~And to another friend of ours, out of state racing her first tri on Sunday.  Go out there with your girls and kick some a$$. You are going to ROCK,  JH!!!

Fifty-Six Miles in the Peloton

 I just love runners, and Triathletes.  There is a certain camaraderie that we all share.  This past Sunday I had the privilege of meeting up with 5 people whom I had never met in my life, and a few of my current training partners, for a 56-mile ride on the Ironman course here in CdA. 

 Along with the awesome Running Mom’s group that I belong to, I also belong to a similar one for Triathletes, namely Ironman Triathletes.  So through discussion boards on a website, we share our training, tricks, plans, nutrition advice, aches, pains, triumphs, goals, and dreams.  So this Sunday, some of us from the group got together for a training ride.  And it was awesome!   There ended up being 12 of us on the ride.  Some I knew, and some I didn’t.  Three from here in my hometown, one awesome woman from Oregon, a great guy from Canada, mixed in with the friends that I currently train with.  It was fun to ride, and get to know everyone.  The best thing, the majority of us, first time Ironman’s.  It was great to talk to them about training, about how nervous we are some days about taking on this huge race.  I found out I am not the only one that has broken down crying after a long training day/week, and thought to myself, “I just can’t do this.”  We talked about nutrition, and what is working for some and not for others.  It was amazing riding in this peloton of cyclist, feeling like we were racing the Tour de France.  Wheels buzzing, gears shifting. It was just an amazing day.  No one was overly competitive, although a few could have been and were AMAZINGLY fast cyclist, but were just out for the training and friendship.  We rode at all different levels, and I am sure that no one felt left out or left behind.  We talked about our fears of cycling, wet roads, drafting etc. As well as great rides and races that we have all done. We shared funny stories about Chamois Butt’r and my new obsession, Hammer Seat Saver, which I am ordering today, and I hear, is the bomb!! 

I will let you know. 

It’s funny, I wonder if all sports are like this? Is there that automatic connection that we feel?  Passing someone running or riding that you know looks like they are struggling....you KNOW that feeling, you FEEL it in your gut for them, and you give them a little nod, or a "great job!" knowing that every step they are taking might be agonizing.  Or passing someone that is having a great run/ride, and giving them the little wave to acknowledge they are looking good, and to keep it up, as well as to say "Hello."  I know in meeting these people, it was like we had known one another forever.  I feel the same way with my Running group.  I have only had the pleasure of meeting one of them so far, but it was the same thing…like we had known one another forever.  I used to find it funny, that you could meet people online, and really connect with them, but you can.  I have! I look forward to meeting more women from my Running group, and more of my Tri group.  I love that the simplest things like riding a bike or lacing up a pair of running shoes, can enable you to make wonderful, life-long friendships.  It’s great to have people that can relate to you in a way that so many others can’t.  They understand the triumphs and tragedies, the highs and lows, and are able to pump you up when needed, and empathize with you, even if it’s about saddle sores, and shin splints.

Wish I would've landed in Chamois Butt'r and not Snow

I always say, what is life, without a little adventure? Trying something new. Out of the comfort zone. Off the couch, out into the world!

What a day, yesterday!

My whole life I have wanted to train for, one, a marathon (done), Ironman (currently) an Ultra marathon, and an Adventure Race. Sitting pregnant with our last child, I remember watching Eco-Challenge, and then Primal Quest, and having the desire in my heart to push my body beyond my comfort zone, and do an adventure race. Only, I never thought adventure racing would come knocking on my door the SAME year I am training for an Ironman Triathlon. That, in itself, a full time job.

I am never one to walk away from a challenge, or a fabulous opportunity, so when the call came to join team ASW for an adventure race in Montana in April, although I contemplated hard, for about 3 seconds, I knew I was in!!!

We started training together as a team, all the while I continue to train for Ironman in June. Eat, swim, eat, bike, eat, run, eat, sleep, repeat. Did I mention, eat? The training has taken me to a new level of discipline, determination, and athleticism. Hard, hilly trail running. Long, arduous, steep, muddy climbs on the mountain bike, hiking mountains, carrying my bike on my shoulders, navigation, and orienteering, and kayaking. Along with long road runs, miles of swimming each week, and 40-50 mile rides on my road bike (in one day) Which brings me to yesterday.

It was our first truly all day, long training. Eight hours. Usually our training is about 4-5 hours. We got up, had a good breakfast, and met up with the rest of the team at about 9am. We drove to our starting point, unloaded gear, food, kayak, helmets, trekking poles, shoes, and hydration. You name it, it was on our backs, which is where everything for your hours, days or weeks remains. Dave & I lost the bet with Greg and Jeni, and jumped into the kayak first. You will see later why this was a bad bet to lose. We kayaked the beautiful water of Lake Pend Orielle, to Buttonhook Bay, for about 2 miles, portaged the kayak up a hill, which is called "Big Nasty". That, I think, is a nice name for it. Needless to say, I had several other names for it by the end. We took the kayak up and down, and met the rest of our team. We then embarked on a 10-mile trail run, up, up, up the Highpoint Trail, to the Lake View Point (the view was worth the torture, believe me. As you can see above) and back down. Ruts, snow, mud, rocks, roots. My trekking poles, my new Inov-8 trail shoes, and legs were getting a great punishing! After the run, team #2 jumped into the kayak, and got the luxury of paddling back to the start, while team # 1 (this is where Dave & I lost the bet) had to run the 3-4 miles back to the start. Team #2, good leg rest, while paddling. Team # 1 kept pounding the trail. Back to the start, to meet some more friends, and fellow adventurers, change out of our gear, on to the bikes. Twenty-some miles of biking up Cape Horn. The uphill on the mountain bike was killing my legs. I started getting crampy, even though all day I had been sucking down Heed electrolyte drink. My teammate hooked me onto the tow on the bike, thank God. This is a slick system used by adventure racers in the biking and running to help along teammates who are tiring out. Stronger person tows from the front. So on the tow, I went, for a much needed rest on my legs. It’s amazing, while you are still climbing and working on the tow, it really allows you to save some energy. Only thing is it can start to get hard when you are on rugged, rocky, uphill, terrain. We were hitting some good slushy snow in the climb, and I was fairing quite well, and then BAM, tire comes out from under me into the slush. I didn’t have the time to clip out of my bike, and down I went into the hard-packed ice, rock, mud, and slush. Only then to be drug a few yards by my teammate. He felt awful. The rest of the biking, I was off tow with a bruised elbow, hip, and ego.

We stopped for a while to refuel, which was much needed. Some of us were getting hungry, and cranky…..ok me….and work on our navigation, and orienteering skills. This is something all new to me. Never done it. I was taught, handed a map, and was off to find the designated checkpoints. This went well, and I really needed the break off of the bike. Our teams all ran scattered around finding the various checkpoints. Six in all. We had some good laughs during this time. Every reading we were getting, we were off by several degrees, but we somehow managed to all find the checkpoint, and fall back together. We navigated back to our starting point, and back onto the bike. This time now, well after dark. Headlamps on, freezing cold, hungry. I have never ridden a mountain bike, or any bike for that matter, in the dark. Probably since I was a crazy kid. This was fun, a little scary, and very exhilarating. My inner-child soured, as we flew through the night, with the glow of our headlamps, back to base camp.

We were spent. Utterly used up. Bodies, sore, tight and aggravated. Hungry, cold, somewhat delirious, but totally excited, happy, and feeling like we had conquered a giant. I knew in that moment when we were standing, and congratulating one another on a job well done, and deciding what was for dinner (Ha-Ha) and how good the hot-tub was going to feel, that I was ready for my first adventure race!! Grizzlyman Montana, here we come!!!