Strong for 23 in 2011

I went to Alan a few days ago and said we needed a new challenge, something to get us excited again.  This is the perfect time with the new year, and it would feel sort of like a resolution, but with even more commitment to a challenge.  After some negotiation we decided that this next challenge is to be active for 23 days in January and to share it with our Twitter worlds. I’ve been in a small slump recently and I need to be accountable to something and someone, otherwise I’ll fall off the wagon. I’m looking forward to #strongfor23in2011 and really pushing myself to commit.  It’s allows us 8 rest days in January, which is roughly two days/week.  If I can’t make it to the gym that day I’m going to get up early and ride my bike on the trainer or lift weights at home.  I hope you all can join us!

Please visit Alan's sites and read about what he has to say about this challenge and follow us on Twitter

• My Twitter
• Alan's Twitter and Blog - read about his journey!

I'm going to print off a calendar now and get ready for 23 in 2011.  Thanks for reading.

I'm no Ironman but I still tri.

Post-season 2010

It's been off to a slow start unfortunately.  I kept up with my running (somewhat) and even attempted to continue training on the bike trainer, but that came to a dramatic halt.  Long story short, the bike's front shifter is busted, and either needs to be replaced (read: $$) which won't make a lot of sense considering the value of the bike is near the replacement cost.  To add a bit of fuel to the fire, my bike rack is broken, and until the correct replacement part has been sent from the company the bike remains in the laundry room.  Unfortunately, the bike rack company sent the wrong part, so now I'm waiting again for the correct part.  I could technically throw the bike in the back of my car, but that's what the damn bike rack is for (that and I hardly let passengers in my car, let alone a greasy bike).

So needless to say, the fabulous bike trainer I bought in August is collecting dust until I come up with Plan B after another bike mechanic looks at the system.  Then I will make a decision about whether or not I will be buying a new bike.  (If you have any suggestions for a woman's road/triathlon bike, please let me know.)

So, now that we've got bike part covered, let's discuss the swim and the run.

Swim - non-existent, except for Together We Tri's indoor triathlon last weekend.

Run - I kept going a bit after the Chicago Triathlon, but work got totally crazy and I was on the road for almost two weeks, with no time to workout, let alone rest or sleep.  I returned feeling healthy, and within two days I went and visited Sickville.  This knocked me on my rear for a week, and I couldn't get back into it until this past Tuesday morning.  I had to get up and run at 6am, because it's pitch dark at 4:30am, let alone running after work.  This makes for one unhappy Pam. But, I love running in cool weather, and it was very quiet at 6:15am.  After coming off a sickness and it being my first time this season running in the cold, I did what I could and made it 1.81 miles. Yipee!  It wasn't the best idea considering I was still a bit sick, but it still felt great and made me appreciate my health.

So, bottom line, I've started off this post-season training slow and bruised, but I'm determined to stick with it.  Our gym just added a Jacob's Ladder machine, and let me tell you, after 5 minutes of torture I'm in pain and dripped wet.  I made it to 10 minutes yesterday, and boy was I wiped (how can I do a triathlon, and not climb a ladder?) but again, it felt great.

I signed up for a 4 mi run for next week (post-Tgiving). It's probably going to suck a lot too, considering my longest is 3 miles and I haven't done that in weeks, but I'm running with a good friend and we're going to stick it out together. w00t w00t!

I've got to stay motivated! Time to shed pounds and keep up my fitness.

Thanks for reading.

I'm no Ironman, but I still tri.

Chicago Triathlon - 6 minutes

13 weeks in the making, 8+ months advance registration, 1 race.

This race has been my focus for 3 of the past 4 seasons. I live for this race, and I even registered early (December 2009) for the race on August 29, 2010. Training begins roughly 13 weeks prior with 12 of those weeks training with a group. This race is my mecca, blood, sweat and tears (fortunately there hasn't been any blood, but more than enough sweat, and a handful of tears).

I won't go on and on about the weekend leading up to it, other than with a reminder of my love for race expos, and the Chicago Triathlon Multisport Expo is one not to miss. (Un)forutnately, the only thing I walked away with was a new Spinervals DVD that I can use while trianing indoors on my bike trainer. AWESOME, things were starting off the right way.

I wasn't sure how the race would go, as my training has been less than ideal for me this season. My past two races have been stellar for me with regards to time, but I've walked away feeling sort of sluggish. Mentally, I was 100% there, and even got all my gear in a smaller bag (see post below). Typically, I carry a large triathlon bag, which can hold everything including the kitchen sink, and I'm trying to be a minamilst, so said bag wasn't going to cut it this year.

3:30am rolls around Sunday morning, I'm up, brushing my teeth, eating toast, and we're off to the race site (big shout out to my family and Kevin for getting up with me and driving me, thank you). We arrive a bit later than I would have liked, but there are still tons of people arriving, so I am not as concerned. Leigh Ann and I get there, find a transition area where we can place our bikes next to each other, and set up. I'm feeling calm, collected, and excited. 

6:15-6:20am begins the 1/2 mile trek to the starting line. I meet up with my family, and it's time to line up with the other F25-29 and M25-29 participants. With 60 athletes/wave and a wave every 4 minutes, the line up starts early. We creep closer and closer to the gates, nerves have kicked in a bit, and I'm pumped. I'm ready to go. I hop into the water, tred for a moment, and that's that!

Wave 13: 6:54am, I'M OFF. Something came over me and I swam smoothly for a 1/2 mile. The water was roughly 73 degrees, which is cool initially, but it was a life saver once my body warmed up. I managed to breath every 2-3 strokes, and I pushed forward. I felt great. My arms got a bit tired, but the few times I stopped were to dodge feet and other bodies. 19 minutes later, I'm out of the water. This was very exciting because I realized it was 3 minutes faster than 2009 (fact: the water was about 62 degrees last year).

The run to transition was less than ideal, but I kept moving (fact: the time from leaving the water to arriving at transition is included in the swim time; don't ask, I don't get it either). It's hard to run with the wetsuit half on. Argh. I was moving a bit slowly in transition, but I had less gear to deal with, so I was happy (yes folks, I left the Garmin 305 at home).

The beginning of the bike wasn't too bad, a little bit of athlete traffic, but it eventually evened out and I was able to find my pace. My hips and butt were screaming a bit, but my pace wasn't all too slow, and I knew I was going to beat my previous time of 56 minutes. I arrived back at transition around 52 minutes and that in itself was another pround moment.

Transition 2 was a bit easier than the first, but I just knew my legs were so mad at me. I couldn't get going, and I was hurting. Little did I know that the heat index would reach 101 degrees, so I would be running in mid-80 temperatures at around 8:30am.

The run started off very very tough, and I imagined how the remaining 3.1 miles would feel. I saw my family around 1/4 mile, and Kevin ran with me for a few minutes. I could barely speak! I just asked him to stay with me for a little while as a distraction. Unfortunately, it didn't work. After Kevin stayed behind, I resorted to Plan B: iPod (shhh don't tell the race organizers). I know that the first few minutes of the bike-to-run portion are tough, but my legs wouldn't have anything to do with this run. It took me about 12 mintues to get to the first mile, and it just knocked me down. I resorted to Plan C: walk-run-shuffle. This became the theme of the 5k. I had bursts of energy, then I'd have to walk/shuffle. Energy for 20-45 seconds, then a shuffle.  It kept me going, and overall my pace was 12:55. This was discouraging, but I made it to the finish line and the annoucer saw how excited I was to finish that I got three shoutouts!

I did it! I really did it! It was a mental challenge that I wasn't expecting, but I got through it with no injuries and with excellent times. Here's the comparison:

(note: the swim time reflects the time it took from exiting the water to arriving at transition. I compared my stop watch time of 19:00 to the 2009 course I tracked from my Garmin, and it read roughly 22:00.)

Year	2010	2009
Swim - .5mi	22:55	25:14
T1	04:41	05:27
Bike - 13.67 mi	52:42	56:04
T2	03:01	04:38
Run - 3.1 mi	40:16	38:26
Overall	2:03:37	2:09:51

As you can see, this is a difference of -06:14. Even with my run, I managed to smash my 2009 time.

As I was journaling last night (I do this after every race, it's a must!) I realized what I had accomplished and how excited I was. 6 minutes. Earlier in the year I posted faster times for the Trek Triathlon (4 minutes faster than 2009) and the Glenview Triathlon (6 minutes faster than 2009). That adds up to 16 minutes faster than 2009 for the identical races. The little changes have helped tremendously and I'm estatic to be ending my season this way. Even though this finishing time isn't spectacular, I improved and I finished with a smile on my face.

To quote Kevin from yesterday, "So another 364 more days until we do this again." You betcha, and I can't wait.

I'm No Ironman but I Still Tri

P.S. Congrats to all my Together We Tri friends, including Kim Morgan, Mark Morgan, Coach Mary Bradbury and Dr. Bruce Noxon for their stellar races. I train amongst the best and they inspire me! For more links and footage, please visit Dave Wallach's blog. He completed the triple challenge (the Super Sprint on Saturday, AND the sprint and olympic races on Sunday) so a big round of applause to him.

I did it!

Walking to the start

Warm already, but pumped to race! Here's Leigh Ann and me

Our transition area (Leigh Ann on left)

All my stuff

(minus bike & helmet) for tomorrow's Chicago Triathlon. Up at 3:30am, wave at 6:54am.

Can't wait! Its my favorite time of year

Conquering the Little Steps: ABR

Before continuing, I'd like to preface this by saying, please don't poke fun at the triathlete. I am fragile too you know.

The whole theme of my progression as a triathlete is while even though I've raced for four seasons doesn't mean I know everything and can win my divisions. I love to race, be with other triathletes, and see how far I can really push my mind and body. I love the sprint distance races, and attempt to recruit people everywhere I go* (yes, that includes you Alan and I'm pretty sure I've succeeded).

When I began racing, everything was new, but it was fun! Over the years I've gotten hooked on the gadgets, watches, shoes and clothing.** but there are a few things that I haven't been able to get past, and they've been a big setback for me. Well, this past month has actually be a huge month for me and conquering those fears.

Back to my "progressions." As you know, most triathletes race with a road bike which consists of a less than desirable seated position, a hard saddle seat and thin road tires. Additionally, athletes switch out their running shoes and caged pedals for a clipless pedal and cycling shoes. I use SPD clips and pedals.  This makes for an interesting ride as a first-timer, and the general rule of thumb is that you'll fall three times (yes, it's true). Okay, so far we've got road tires, I'm locked into my pedals, and I'm supposed to fall three times while being clipped into the bike. Awesome. Now I have to bike 14 miles without crashing and I must manage to stay hydrated. This transformed me into a cyclist and CamelBak enthusiast.*** Long story short, I was able to conquer the bike segments of each race, but I was tied to my crutch, my beloved CamelBak.

Fast forward to 3 weeks ago (roughly). I had a group workout with Together We Tri and I decided that it's time to grow up and use a water bottle, like normal athletes! I left the CamelBak at home, put the new CamelBak water bottle in my bike cage, and was going to attempt hydration while riding. So I'm doing my thing, riding along, and at mile 3 or so, I stopped pedaling, reached down for the water bottle, drank some, and put it back. WHAT?!?!?! Did I really just conquer this? Is this really what's been keeping me back all these years? You betcha.

I can't even begin to tell you how amazing I felt.**** This is something that's been holding me back for so many seasons and I just proved to myself that I am capable and I moved on. I literally felt a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.  The CamelBak took up time, space, and I looked like an idiot after all these years. I used it in my early seasons to be more comfortable, and I'm a huge component of comfort and safety, but it was time to push myself and reach for the freaking water bottle.

And then, this past Tuesday, I was with the group again and we did an easy taper ride along the North Shore area of Chicago. This was an easy, flat and safe course, aka: great conditions to try the Advanced Bottle Reach (ABR - includes bottle reach while continuing to pedal^). I didn't think I'd be able to progress to ABR so quickly, but heck, it was worth a shot. Somewhere on the return, I'm pedaling, and BOOM! ABR was executed! :: insert happy dance here :: Well well, what do you know? And then again, ABR! ABR!^^

At the end of the day, not including my race times, I know that I accomplished so much, even though this is normal operating procedures for many triathletes. Everyone makes their advancements at different paces, and I'm quite happy with mine. This may have been a lot of writing for not a lot of substance, but it's something that I've dealt with for four seasons. I'm looking forward to using these accomplishments this Sunday during the Chicago Triathlon. I'M STOKED!!

Thank you for reading, and remember, no matter the pace of your progress, you're moving forward and that's reason enough to be proud.

I'm no Ironman, but I Still Tri

*If you need any encouragement, I'm your gal. I'll make you wish you were racing this weekend.

** Shh, listen real close. All that crap written in the past about "racing because it's fun" is all a bunch of bologna. The real reason why I race is because of the swag bags, "free" shirts and the opportunity to spend more money at the pre-race expos. Finishers medals are pretty sweet too.

***New flash: riding with a small backpack on ones back does not make one aerodynamic.

****You can stop giggling now.... okay, please stop giggling. I can hear you.

^ Kinda catchy, isn't it?

^^ I musta been butter, because I was on a roll.

Short, Sweet, and Savory

It may not have been a long race, but every race is a challenge and I take it seriously. I still have a clock to chase, I still have three disciplines to complete, I still have to stay safe, and I always fun.


Well, I won't bore you with the details, but "calm" has been my theme this year. This wasn't the case until this season, but I'm enjoying it. Nerves usually get in the way, and bring out my chatty-ness. Every year I am more comfortable with racing, and it took a while for "calm" to become a constant theme. Nevertheless, I still get very excited to race and love being in a racing environment.

Refresher: 300 yd swim, 10 mi bike, 3.1 mi run

I am proud to announce that I shaved about 6 minutes off my time from last year (still about 3 minutes away from my PR), and I am so thrilled to report that. My swim was 2 seconds slower, Transition 1 was about the same, the bike was about 5 minutes faster, Transition 2 was roughly 30 seconds faster, and my run was mostly unchanged. Overall, I netted about 6 minutes faster! Huge! It's not easy to make up a lot of time in shorter races (simply because there isn't as much distance to make up that time) but as you know, I'm the turtle and I'll take any decrease in time.


I felt great during the swim, pushed myself on the bike and ignored the pain, and was inching towards "terrible" during the run. My right foot orthotic wasn't in properly and it caused major pain in my right heel and eventually creeped up my "inner shin" (as you can tell, I'm well versed in biology). That was a pain that was hard to avoid and hard to push through, but I did my best to keep "running" with the help of Michael Jackson. I felt like garbage when I finished, but I've felt a lot worse, so I'll take it!



I looked at some of the finishing times, and the winner was at about 44 minutes. WOW. My training friends were all around 1 hour, and I'm so proud of them. They really work hard and deserve great finishing times.

As for me, I still loved this sprint triathlon, I always will, and it's always a challenge.


And as I always say, "I'm no Ironman but I still tri."

Thanks for reading.

Is My Less Actually More?

There's the phrase in endurance training of "less is more." The harder you push yourself it's likely that your body will be prone to injuries and fatigue, and in the end it will set you back due to recovery, required rest, etc.

So here's my thinking. Maybe this is my season of "less is more" and because I've built a decent "endurance base" starting from January, that maybe I don't need to overdue myself this year to shed time off my races. Wishful thinking, right?

Reason I bring this up is from my previous post. I had significantly less training than the 2009 race, but somehow I managed to take a whole bunch of time off that race. Last season I was killing myself to get the workouts in, and this year I'm not getting them in like I would hope.

That being said, I am very confident about my body, what I can push myself to do, and my overall outlook about racing and this helps keep me focused on the weekly workouts and my goals.

So again, maybe this is my season of "less is more." I never claim to be a fast or stellar triathlete, but I still have fun.

Upcoming race: Sunday's Glenview Sprint Triathlon and I look forward to this race every year. Here's the deets:

• 300 yd swim
• 10 mi bike
• 5k (3 mi) run

Race report to follow!

I'm No Ironman but I Still Tri

First Tri of 2010

Well, I have fun things to report this time. Not a lot, but they're sort of fun.

I participated in the Trek Women's Triathlon on Sunday up in Pleasant Prairie, WI, a race I'm actually familiar with. There are roughly three races at the same site every season, and this is one of two women only triathlons. The Danskin tri is very early this year, and combined with the Glenview Triathlon being one week later than normal, this was my first opportunity to race. My priorities are always Glenview and Chicago, therefore other races are planned according to those.

I invited my good friend Jen to race in her FIRST outdoor triathlon, and my friend Leigh Ann was already going to participate, so we turned it into a fun weekend. We're all in the same age group, obviously the same gender, and it became a group effort (well, by group effort I mean we had fun, as a group, but Leigh Ann is pretty much a rock star and smoked us both). I shared my knowledge and gear with Jen, and we all had fun driving to and from the race site (twice!) this past weekend.

Details:

• .5 mi swim
• 12 mi bike
• 3.1 mi run

Fortunately, or unfortunately, I don't have much to report. It honestly felt like "just another race" because I was mentally very calm. I was almost too calm this past weekend because I wasn't anxious enough. (Can you believe that?) I'm a bit behind on my 12-week training due to my incredibly busy schedule, so some of the workouts have been left behind. That being said, there are a few details about the race:

I actually shaved almost 4 minutes off my time from last year. I think with my improved running speed from earlier this year, I was able to have that strong base for this summer. CRAZY. I've only had 2-3 open water swims (including a new wetsuit), and I still managed to take 30 seconds off my swim time. I've only been on the bike twice, and was able to take a few minutes off there. That's also true for my run. My pace last year was 11:40, and this race it was 11:15. Any explanations? (Again, I don't claim to be fast, hence my mascot above: turtle)

I'm very happy to report those statistics, and even more excited for the upcoming races on August 1 and August 29. I think that's going to be it for me this year unfortunately, due to my fall schedule, but it's still a good amount.

Thanks for reading, and please share your stories.

Side comment to any Together We Tri athletes: congrats to Stef for finishing in the top 5% of the Trek race, and to Mary Bradbury for winning the Lake Zurich triathlon.

Dena's Words

Here's a great summary of the weekend, quoted ::stolen:: from Dena

"This weekend I...
hung out with THE Biggest Loser
camped out in a hurricane
high-fived a biker in a pink tutu
discovered the joys of Second Dinner
yelled "pink balls" at least 10 times
showered in a truck
cheered for Tamara Habib as she shared her story with 4,000 people
walked 26.2 miles with minimal complaining
and raised, with your help, over $2,000 for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer! Thanks everyone!!"

Thanks for sharing your story wish us Dena. Now you're famous too! ;)

Home and Showered

Since it was raining during the closing ceremony, there was no official blog/tweet/update, so I shall start from before.

I was in far too much pain to be able to continue past mile 3.7-ish today, so I spent some time with others in pain and hopped from station to station, taking in the scenery, enjoying other people's stories, and absorbing the beautiful day. Our great bus leader, Katie (who Lori introduced me to), dropped us off about 150 yards from the finish line, so we were able to take in the crowd and feel rewarded for our successes. It was very exciting to see so many faces cheering and supporting my accomplishment, it felt great. Even though I was unable to complete the 39.3, I am very proud of my official 13.1 + approx 3.7 (not including the extra random walking around during the ceremonies and during our time at the Wellness Village), so I'm damn proud!

I took a few snapshots at the end, and took in all the excitement.

The closing ceremony was a nice touch. Just before Tamara's speech, it began raining (with almost perfect predictions by Ginger Zee). It was almost a sign that the big man upstairs was feeling our pain and grieving for us, Tamara, and all the survivors. She delivered one hell of a speech, and as soon as she ended, the rain continued but the sun came out. It was a nice touch and brought a smile to my face.

I give a lot of credit to the survivors of this disease, and all cancerous diseases. It was very moving to see so many of them there, supporting the cause. Honestly, i can only imagine what they've all been through or are going through. The disease touches so many people, and I only hope that in my lifetime the Avon Foundation and other breast cancer research centers are able to find a cure and spread the word on how to prevent the disease.

I also had an interesting epiphany... Yes, this is the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, and with the Chicago walk being so large (3000-4000?) that so much is involved. At times I did feel like I was being herded, but from stepping foot into the host hotel, I felt that the whole experience was very personalized and the volunteers/crew/staff were there to continue the mission of finding a cure by helping us with our needs, and always with a smile. Yes, the fresh food was prepared for the masses and our gear was hauled around, but at no point did I feel like "just a number." I always felt like an individual and was constantly being thanked for doing so much for others. That says a lot about a fundraising event with so many people, don't you think? Every walker was there for someone else, but we were all there to support each other and the volunteers really made it happen. If any Avon volunteers read this, thank you.

And with my final words from the Walk weekend, I repeat myself and mention how blessed I am to feel this pain and how fortunate I am to be in the situation to be able to walk in support of others. Tomorrow morning when I wake up, I'm sure I'll have a few (PG-13) words with myself, but I'll know that the pain I'm feeling is appreciated by so many. Also, the funds my supporters, teammates and I raised are going towards that $7.7 million dollars the Chicago Walk brought in. I'll know that those four nagging blisters are minimal pain compared to those who are fighting, those who have fought, and those who have lost another due to the disease. I'll take four blisters any day.

Thank you to my supporters, friends, family and coworkers, who helped me reach my goal of $1800 to walk this weekend in support of breast cancer.

Update: I have a Garmin watch that I use for my training (with accurate tracking via satellites), and I was able to track the walk (until the battery died). If interested, here's 9 miles from Saturday's walk http://www.mapmyrun.com/route//il/chicago/778127591696065259

Put it my best

Well troops, I did my best, I'm happy to been given the opportunity to participate, but I have more injuries than the number of fingers on my hand. And that is not something my body is used to.

Great weather today, and off to lunch.

So I'm sitting on the bus, and this great lady sits down. I apologize for "being rude" because it looks like I'm texting. We start chatting, and of course, Avon Walk always leads to stories... Next thing we know we're both tearing up and I'm almost to the point of no return. Those of you who know me, I get teary during during the National Anthem.

Anyway, we shared a few moments, a few stories, learned that we're connected through my profession and her husband's trade. Small small world. Here she is: http://tweetphoto.com/25925596


Anyway, arrived at lunch. Still nice out, and in pain :/
http://tweetphoto.com/25929470

That's all for now. Next up: closing ceremony!

The scenery

I had to... http://tweetphoto.com/25909303

Beautiful

Wind tunnel, rushing river and the floor

Well, last night was relaxing.. Massage, brushing teeth, and off to bed.

Or so we thought.

Mother nature (MN) had a different plan. So Jess and I get into our tent, about ready to sleep (over the sounds of EVERYONE talking), and rest. 5 minutes later, MN opened up the skies and threw in the wind. Dena's tent went flying, ours began dripping, Emily and Reba's tent filled up, and we high tailed it out of there. And I think MN took my ear plugs too.

Tamara made 2 trips to pick all 8 of us up, and we slept on her parents' floor, and eventually made it to sleep ( http://tweetphoto.com/25852594 )

Oh MN... We were not friends yesterday.

So Tam finally rolls around, we're up, changed, back at the Wellness Village, and ready for day 2. We'll see how far I can make it... My shins have returned to pain city, and my calves/back of my knees/hamstrings are STILL very unhappy with me :)

Closing ceremony today, great weather, and some more fun.

IN IT TO END IT!

-p

Last Push & Wellness

Well, we did make it to 13.1... And it was a trip. We tried to find a bus that would put us near our cheering squad, but it was too complicated.

The bus ride around town actually did damage, as my calves/knees/hamstrings were less than pleased with me. OUCH.

We made it to the finish line, almost at a crawl, but we walked proud. http://tweetphoto.com/25768963 see us here!

These great young boy scouts helped us find our bags and set up our tents. How nice and refreshing!

We decided to shower (in a truck) and it was just like being back at Alpha Gamma Delta... Except fun!!!!!

We've signed up for massages, dinner is soon, and we're at the "spa zone" for some vibrating chairs and feet "homedics."

That's all for now, but I made it 3 miles over my goal, through rain, sun, humidity, great snacks, and good company.

That's all until later!

I made it! 13.1!

Well, it sure felt great to get to the 13.1 mile and half way point! Half marathon in the books!

The pain was getting pretty bad the closer we got, but it felt great to smile ( http://tweetphoto.com/25753717 ). We're checking out the other rest stops and hopefully making our way to 24.1 where Habib and family will be.

Feet hurt, back of knees are screaming at me, but I've enjoyed the journey so far. I'm proud to support the cause and help find a cure for this disease.

4:45am was quite a long time ago, and its just about 10 hours from then, but we still have a ways to go.

Thanks for reading, and hope you're doing something today to make a difference.

Ciao for now.

-p

ressting my feet and sunchips

So finally made it!

And, there are a few things in life that makes everything better: Original Sun Chips. Ok wait... Back to the Avon Walk.

Been good so far. Its easily mentally, which helps w/the physical pain.

Socks got pretty wet, so I'll be changing those soon.

Again, I feel so fortunate so have the ability to be in this pain knowing how fortunate I really am.

Good group of girls, so that helps too. We're on a mission to get to that 13.1!!!!!

All the cheer stations are so awesome too. They're so supportive and the smiles are endles.

Also, there are a few things today that could really irritate me: humidity. Its been brought, and with a vengence!!!!! Argh!

Ciao for now. Follow my tweets: @prnewman

Peace from mile 10

mile 9-ish

Ok all... Pain is left knee, right foot. But we're going strong. Walking with Reba and Dena. Lunch is at mile 10. Getting closer...like I just tweeted, i feel blessed to have the ability to walk.

Thanks for reading, more at lunch.

walking it out

Well, been walking for 2 hours, around mile 5, feeling mostly good. Tamara spoke really well this morning, and we had a great turnout from the team. Special guest was winner, Michale V from season 9 of the Biggest Loser. He looks great! We started the walk and I'm doing my thing and I look to my right... And I LITERALLY almost walked into him! I introduced myself, took a pic, and walked of.

Its humid, cloudy, but I'm having fun. I've also prepared for every natural disaster and stored it in my fanny pack...

Hehe ;)

Oooh hitting mile 5!!!

Ciao for now

Getting ready for the Avon Walk!

If you're seeing this, thanks for stopping by. Tomorrow kicks off Chicago's 2-day Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Stay tuned for stories from the weekend!

Follow me on Twitter: prnewman

Thanks for your support!

Warming up in Chicago

Well, one would think that because it's May in Chicago that the weather would reflect this. Well, you're actually quite wrong. I ran a "5k" on Saturday, and the temp was a whopping 47-49 degrees. Awesome. Naturally, once you get going, you warm up, and the hat and the gloves are no longer necessary.

Anyway.

That is just a start to the Chicago season. This "5k" I completed was good. Boring, but good. The pace was just about a minute faster than my time last year, so that's also exciting. I'm happy to stick with my 5k's and my shorter distances. VERY proud.

Here's the race: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/il/park-ridge/709127369743950643

Running still gives me a little challenge

Ever since I started running with Kevin and Mike, it's been more of a challenge, which I like. I'm getting faster, because the pace is faster than I'm used to. We don't go as far, but I guess I'm content with a faster pace.

Anyway, sorry there's nothing cool to report. But here's today's run. Happy Earth Day!

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route//il/des-plaines/542127198742119079

Fastest run in years

Thanks to Kevin, I ran the fastest pace for 2 miles in quite some time. Very pleased with myself, even though we only averaged a 10:15 pace. Granted: Kevin doesn't run regularly like I do, and he still kicks my butt.

http://www.mapmyrun.com/route//il/des-plaines/284127112404042797

My general outlook. Again, I may be not be fast, but I have a blast.

Indoor triathlon: great effort

I competed in Lifetime Fitness' indoor triathlon series yesterday. It's my 4th one there (of 10 that I've done), and still enjoy it. I love indoor triathlons whether I organize them or not (especially the races I organize).

Anyway, still going on my theme of "I may not be the fastest or the best, I still have a blast," here's how I did:

• 10-min swim - 17.5 lengths (not 100% sure if the pool was 25m/25yd/30m?) and this is with goggle malfunctions (probably would have been closer to 19, but hey, what can I say?) Also, I wanted to SLUG the girl who was sharing a lane with me, she didn't understand how to swim straight, in a pool no less!
• 30-min bike - 12.3 mi (on Spinner bikes, I can't stand them, and I'm not a fan of the grinding feel feel under my feet...) felt good, and used the songs as motivation, as I do when leading a spin class
• 20-min bike - 1.73 mi (treadmill) again, felt good, I started a little too slow, but finished around a 6.8/7.0 mph, so can't complain too much

As you can see, I'm quite the turtle in comparison to the others that competed, but I still had fun. And I even had time to go to the bathroom and set up my bike before most people in my wave transitioned from the swim to run. TAKE THAT!

I'm happy with my pace, happy that I completed it, and even though I missed out on Saturday night's activities, my workout was over by 10:15 am. When did YOU finish your workout? ;)

Until next time, I'm No Ironman but I Still Tri.

UPDATED: Stats from previous races at same location:

Nov 2009:

• Swim - 19 lengths
• Bike - 12 miles
• Run - 1.86 miles
  

Feb 19, 2009:

• Swim - 16 lengths
  
• Bike - 12.3 miles (man, am I predictable)
• Run - 1.65 miles

Overall, I'm dead on, and somewhat predictable. Here's how I'll use this to improve, but still, I'm very content with these numbers, and couldn't be happier!

Ok, it's time us "regular" triathletes to shine

Don't get me wrong, I admire and adore all triathletes, especially those who train and compete in Ironman races.

This is my story, my life, and how I approach triathlons.

I began training during the summer of 2007, and participated in my first race in Glenview, IL, and then later in Niles, MI.

I do sprint distance triathlons, some are longer than others, but they are the best. They don't take nearly as long to complete, my "pit crew" appreciates that, I'm never bored, and I still rock.

I'm not fast, I hate speed work, my long workouts aren't all that long, but I am devoted and love my sport.

It's time to write about triathletes that aspire to master the short distance races and those who may never do a long distance race.

I'm no Ironman but I still tri.