Old Forge Tri

{Please excuse my very belated race report... from 8/18/13}

Location: Old Forge, NY
Distance: Intermediate (1000m s, 22mi b, 4mi r)
Time: 8am
Weather: low 50s at the start (cloudy)
Total Participants: 219

Going into the race, I would be remiss not to mention that I was nervous for the swim.  I could count on one hand the number of times I had gotten into water during the summer.  Nevertheless, I jumped at the chance to spend a weekend with some of my favorite people (my family) and do some of my favorite things (swimming, biking, and running) in the Adirondacks!

Even though this race takes place in August, I had failed to recognize that by the third weekend in August, nights have already started to cool off up there.  I got to the race site early that morning so I could get a good parking spot and spend as long as I could in my car.  Brr.

Swim
Given the air temperature, it actually felt great to be in my wetsuit, and even to jump in the water.  It definitely took me awhile to calm myself down and settle my breathing (see above).  There were very few buouys, making it a little tough to sight on the angular course. I'm sure I didn't take the most direct route on the way out, I must've gotten into some sort of groove as I started passing people towards the halfway point.  It wasn't my fastest swim, but I had finished in 20:14 at 2nd in my AG.

Bike
There are some decent rollers in the front half of the course, but no crazy hills.  I got a boost as I was passing the all the tri bikes and aero bars.  And then I dropped my chain and they all passed me back.  Sigh.  I tried to be quick as I put it back on and pedaled along, distracted by the smell of breakfast being cooked in nearby homes (namely: bacon).  You're pretty much in the woods for the back half of the course, and it's pretty flat.  After enjoying the scenery, I pulled into transition in 1:18:37 (17mph).

must've been enjoying myself!

Run
I got off the bike with my legs feeling great, but quickly realized that I had to slow down.  I'm guessing I had an asthma attack (it's only happened once before in my life so it took me awhile to realize what was happening).  I walked a lot trying to get my breathing under control, and as frustrated as I was I tried to keep things in perspective and just enjoy where I was.  The turnaround had a great view, on a bridge over a river, and I started to jog slowly again.  I was able to keep it up for awhile longer and by the end of the race was able to pick it up, finishing in 36:35 (9:06 pace).

My focus on the beauty of the course paid off, as I wasn't complaining even after finishing with gas left in the tank.  It probably helped that I finished 3rd in my age group...  an unexpected end to the morning!

Me, Dad, Sweets

Clock Time: 2:18:50
AG 4/10
Overall 135/219

Mom & I

PMC 2013

The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge.

Photo Source

When I first heard about the event from Rachel, it sounded like something I wanted to be a part of.  I didn't quite realize how incredible it would be until last weekend.

The PMC is the largest athletic fund-raiser in the country.  Since it was founded in 1980, the PMC has raised $375 million for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.  100% of rider-raised funds go directly to the Jimmy Fund.  That's pretty impressive.

Photo Source

Some riders have photographs pinned to their jerseys.  Other have ribbons pinned to their jerseys.  I even saw a "Why I Ride" list of inspiration on the top tube of their bike.  Everyone's lives have been touched by cancer.  Riding in the PMC is our way of doing something about it.

#committed

#closerbythemile
#forthosewhocannot

#theresalotridingonthis

#PMC2013

There were spectators, cheering us on, thanking us.  Thanking us?  I thanked them!  The signs that said "I'm here because of you", or "15 years old, 8 year cancer survivor" really tug at the heart strings.  And then we got to Lakeville, where we were greeted by Pedal Partners, children who are being treated or have undergone advanced cancer treatment at Dana-Farber.  Talk about inspiring.

Photo Source

Wellesley to Bourne
To be honest, I was so overwhelmed with the event, that I almost want to say the terrain was unremarkable.  There were a few short climbs but nothing too intense.  I had some cheerleaders at several water stops that gave me something to look forward to and helped me appreciate the extent of what we were doing this weekend.

the gang at DR-lunch stop

You meet some amazing people doing an event like the PMC.  I was lucky enough to cover many miles of training and the PMC with a special group of 'turkeys'.  Their company helped the miles fly by, and they made sure Sunday was extra special for me by serenading me with a few renditions of Happy Birthday!  I did find myself on open road sometimes, and my thoughts immediately went to everyone I was riding for.

My mom.
Grandpa.
Aunt Kathi and Aunt Carla.
Meghan's mom.

Mom & I

Joanne's dad.
Uncle Ted.
Louis.
Jack and Kay.
Barb.
David.
Bob and David.
Aunt Ange and Tony.
Karen.
Laura's dad.
Laurette.
Aunt Rose.
Ciocio Reggie.
Ciocio Mary.
John.

Sunrise in Bourne (Day 2)

Bourne to Provincetown
As we left Bourne Sunday morning, we were treated to a beautiful sunrise.  So gorgeous I had to stop for a picture!  The first part of the ride starts with some rollers.  Having friends waiting for me in Brewster helped get me through that first climb in Sandwich.  It gets easier for a stretch after that, with descents to match any ascents.  I found that pacelines were much more prevalent on day 2, and got more comfortable in them as the day went on.  At one point down Route 6 I was even leading a paceline!  Not sure how that happened, but I couldn't help but think I wanted to take a picture behind me :)

Check-ins along the way

As you get closer to the finish, you hit some more climbs in Truro that start to hurt.  My shoulder/neck started to give me some trouble here, but luckily enough the Welfleet water stop had a massage tent that helped ease some of my pain.  Nearing Provincetown, you have a chance to go to the "easy" way or the "fun" way to the finish line.  I chose to ride the dunes- the "fun" way, which included a few more hills and some great views.  Before I knew it I was rolling into the finish.

Finished!

My Stats
Miles Ridden: 163ish
Pace: 17ish mph

PMC Stats
Total registered riders: 5,534
33% Female
20% First-year riders
Average Age: 45
Participating states: 38
Participating countries: 7
Volunteers: 3,000+



I can't think of a better way to celebrate my birthday!

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who has supported my ride, I could not have done it without you.  I have raised $5010 to date.  There's still time to contribute- click here, every dollar counts.

Virtual Bake Sale

This year, instead of pursuing my own triathlon goals, I decided to tackle a different sort of challenge.  In less than two months, I will be riding from Wellesley to Provincetown (163 miles) as part of the Pan-Mass Challenge (or PMC).

The PMC is a bike-a-thon started in 1980 that has donated over $375 million to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.  I am riding for my mom, a breast cancer survivor, and my grandpa who has fought off colon, bladder and skin cancers.  I am riding for my uncle who struggles with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma.  It's about my aunts who have fought breast cancer.  It's about my friend's mom who suddenly passed away from ovarian cancer.  And it's about another friend's dad who lost his battle with metastatic liver cancer last year.

The list of family and friends who have been diagnosed with cancer unfortunately goes on.  However challenging this ride may be for me, it's all about riding for those who cannot, for those who are fighting cancer and those supporting them.

To help me meet my fundraising minimum, I am hosting a virtual bake sale today through Wednesday June 12.  Please consider supporting my PMC ride by making an online donation or bidding on a baked good.  It would also be amazing if you could spread the word about the bake sale- its success depends on plenty of buyers!

The baked goods up for auction look delicious and include some gluten-free and dairy-free treats, even sugar-free ones that would be perfect to fuel training rides.  There is also some of my award-winning tomato jam up for grabs, as well as a copy of the Smitten Kitchen cookbook.  So go on over and check it out.

Thank you so much for your support!!

Amica 19.7 Boston

Location: Carver, MA
Distance: Sprint (.5mi s, 16.1mi b, 3.1mi r)
Time: 7:30am
Weather: 55deg, sunny
Total Participants: 104

Alternate Title: The race that almost didn't happen. I don't think I could've scripted it any better- a turnaround due to forgotten sunglasses, almost running out of gas, driving around the park looking for the start/parking... there were definitely a few moments that I didn't think we'd make it to the race!

Things were a blur as we picked up our packets, navigated the parking lot, got our bikes and set up in transition.  I was on auto-pilot, grabbing only the important stuff out of my bag.  I don't really know how it all happened in time, but we made it down to the water just as they were about to sing the national anthem.

Swim
I was glad to put on my wetsuit with the morning chill still in the air.  With such a small race, there were just two waves- the men went off first, and then the women.  After the men were in the water, I was glad to put my feet in the warm water and thought that this would be the warmest I'd be all day!  The swim was marked with one buoy on the way out and one for the turnaround, so a slight triangle.  I was a little bit off course on the way out, but think I held a good line on the way back despite the blinding sun.  Out of the water in 13:20, I got an extra boost seeing my parents who had made the trip to watch!

Bike
I debated adding another layer before heading out on the bike, but decided against it and was glad for the sun.  My feet got a little chilly towards the second half of the ride, but luckily they didn't go numb.  I spent some time leapfrogging with a few other ladies, and had some trouble with my rear derailer (derailleur?), but I felt pretty good for the ride.

The bike course stayed entirely within Myles Standish State Forest, including its rolling hills and imperfectly paved roads.  It's a good thing we weren't dealing with traffic; the sides of the roads were sandy and a little beat up.  There weren't any huge climbs, but there wasn't much flat road either.  At least it kept it interesting ;)  A solid ride at 54:28 (~18mph), I was ready to run!

Up we go!

Run
As with the bike course, the run through the park took us up and over some rolling hills.  It starts right out of transition- you head right up a nice hill.  My lungs hadn't adjusted to the cooler temperatures yet, so I struggling a bit with my breathing but tried to focus on keeping my legs moving.  I ended up passing the few women who I had juggled position with on the bike, and before I knew it I was flying down that same hill we started out on.  Yes, it felt that fast, I was a little worried at one point I wasn't going to keep up with my legs :-P

Finishing strong!

I crossed the finish line feeling strong and very pleased with my performance.  A little cheering and some food later, I checked out the official times and after double and triple checking, realized that I was first in my AG!  (Ok, second.  But the woman who finished ahead of me was a pro who won the whole race...  so she doesn't count, right?  sort of!).

Clock Time: 1:37:59
AG 2/10
Overall 40/101

Thanks Mom (and Dad)!

As with the other Amica 19.7 race I've done, it's very well organized and marked (minus the whole finding the start once you get into the park) and the volunteers were great.

Couldn't have asked for a better end to the season :)  Having the people who mean so much to me there was the icing on the cake.  Until next year...

ps- thanks to kelly (a local triathlete who was spectating for some of the pictures above)!

Cranberry Olympic 2012

Location:  Lakeville, MA

Distance:  Olympic (.9mi s, 26.2mi b, 6.2mi r)
Time:  Scheduled at 8, delayed due to fog
Weather:  cool in the early morning, mid-hi 70s during the race
Total participants:  643

I hope you forgive me for back-to-back race reports for races that were almost two months apart ;)  The summer's been a bit crazy, and I'm not even sure how it's September!  Fewer pictures here, as I went down to the race myself.  I did have a few friends racing/cheering that day, so it was fun to spot them a couple of times along the course!

Swim
Going off in the third wave meant I didn't have too much time to wait once the fog had lifted. The wave was quite sizable, so I stayed towards the front as we entered the water so as not to get stuck like last time.  Lots of hands and feet for pretty much the whole swim, I even swam over someone for the first time!  (Just her legs- I'm guessing one of us was going in the wrong direction...)  I managed to keep a tight line to each buoy, so tight that I actually swam into a buoy on the way back!  In addition to the blinding sun once you were heading back to shore, the lake got quite shallow.  Luckily I didn't hit the ground and exited the water feeling strong at 26:46.  Super pleased with the swim!!  While the water was definitely warm, I never felt hot in my  full-sleeve wetsuit so I was definitely glad I wore it.

T1: 3:10  I tried to be efficient, but there is some room for improvement!

Bike
When I did the sprint course two years ago, I remember nothing about the bike course.  People said it was nice, through cranberry bogs and all, so this year I was determined to take a look around!  Add in some gorgeous weather, and the bike course was indeed quite enjoyable.  That is, until around mile 20, when my hip flexors and adductors started getting tight.  After this it felt like I was pushing as hard as I could and yet slowing down.  There were some rolling hills, but nothing to write home about.  Off the bike in 1:27:35 (18mph), it wasn't quite the time I was hoping for, but solid nonetheless.

T2: 1:39

heading out on the run

Run
Definitely glad to be off the bike, I wasn't quite sure about the run due to my tight hips.  There was a good amount of shade on the course which definitely helped with the rising temperatures and bright sun.  I felt alright out of T2 and even started to feel good by mile 4.  However things the tightness in my hips/legs didn't go away and although I needed some more nutrition, my stomach was having none of it.  The was one hill on the course, about mile 5 if I remember correctly.  Try as I might to just keep running (one mile at a time was my mantra that day), I ended up walking twice for short stints around mile 5.  After the hill I managed to keep going and finish strong once we got back in the park for a 55:27 run (8:57min/mile).

finish line in sight!

Clock Time:  2:54:36
AG  17/47
Overall  312/643

I finished with mixed feelings on this race- a great swim and an 11min PR for an olympic-distance tri is definitely something I'm proud of (different course, but still).  I gave it all I had that day, I just know I've got a better race in me.  I'll see you next year, Cranberry Oly!

Pine Bush Tri

Location: Albany, NY
Distance: Sprint (325yd s, 11.5mi b, 3.25mi r)
Participants: 311

When I found out I was heading home for not one, but two family reunions this summer, on back-to-back weekends, I thought it would be fun if I could add in a race to the trip.  And so I signed up.  This race report is almost two months late at this point, funny how time slips by...

One of the big reasons I signed up for this race was so that some out of town family members would get to see me race.  That being said, I didn't quite realize that the swim start, T1 and T2 were all in different locations- not the most spectator-friendly race ever.  Choosing to situate themselves in T2, my parents and aunts were able to see me twice, going in/out of T2 and then coming back in for the finish.  There's something special about racing when you know you'll have some friendly faces in the crowd, and I was glad to have them there :)

Swim
The swim is in a small lake so it was short.  Crazy short.  I'm sure all of the first-timers appreciated it, but it seemed like they could've tried to cover a little more ground pond.  I was in the 10th wave and they ended up starting 15min late, so I had some time to stand around and...  wait.  The water temperature was perfectly comfortable sans wetsuit and while it wasn't clear, there wasn't much of any muck to contend with (I heard some chatter about it beforehand, so I was a little worried).  In my wave were both men and women in my age group, so I was a little unsure of where to start.  Turns out I overestimated others' ability and wasn't able to swim my own pace.  Before you knew it, though, we were already at the shore.

And is a really big beef from this race:  timing.  Since when do we not separate out transition times from the other disciplines???  I didn't pay too much attention to the placement of the timing mats during the race so I have no idea where the breakdowns were; all that is listed in the results is swim, bike, run and overall times.  #wtf

Bike
The bike course is a mix of pine bush preserves and sectioned off major roads, with some gentle rollers along the way.  I did what I could to push here, but 60miles in the Adirondacks & central NY in the week leading up to the race left me with legs that only had so much to give :-P  What can I say, I couldn't help but take advantage of my surroundings!

Run
The run is an out and back, with a little lollipop in the middle.  There's a sizable hill at the beginning/end of the course so you know what to expect when you head down it out of T2.  While I didn't have that much left on the bike, I was feeling good on the run and kept passing people (none of whom were in my age group), so I couldn't help but wonder if I had a chance to place.   I was able to power up the hill and finish strong in 1:13:10.  Or so they say.  Based on what I saw on the clock and my wave, I thought it should've been 1:10??

top of the hill, in the home stretch

While I like racing by perceived effort and not having to worry about hitting the start/lap/stop button, this experience has made me realize that I still want those numbers!!!  I can't help but want to compare past performances and want to improve.

I did have a good race though, and my parents and aunts cheered me on to a 4th place AG finish  (79th overall).  Which I was unhappy about until I was on my way back to Boston and realized that I left the blueberries I picked for jam-making in my parents fridge.  That quickly became the tragedy, and I realized that no matter what place I finished, I was satisfied with my performance ;)

Greater Nashua Tri

Location: Nashua, NH
Distance: Sprint (.3mi s, 16mi b, 3.1mi r)
Participants: 382

While friends may discount their ability to complete a triathlon, I always try to bait them and say they don't have to do it all- there are relays, after all ;)  The way I see it, once they get a taste, you never know what might happen!

Maybe it was the wine and cocktails, or just good company, but I convinced some friends to do a relay a few months back.  Luckily I didn't have too many, so I remembered the next week to research some races that would fit with our schedules.  Between the six of us at the table, we decided on women versus men.  #Game On.

Our furry cheerleader!!

I did my best to quell any fears and convince everyone that they would do just fine in the race.  Before we knew it, race day was upon us and after a week of rain and cooler temps we had a gorgeous, sunny day.  The lake had cooled off a bit from their readings the week before, but not so much that our swimmers were uncomfortable sans wetsuit.  The sun did however make for a hot run as it got later on in the morning, as the first couple miles were not in the shade.

See, we were relaxed!!

Quite a different experience from competing in the entire race, all I had to setup was my bike stuff and make sure we all got bodymarked, knew how the transitions (aka timing chip handoff) should go and figure out the layout of the transition area.  It was strange watching the first wave go off and cheering on our swimmers, knowing that I wasn't going to be jumping in the water soon.  Another first was the chance to watch wetsuit strippers in action, they are pretty amazing!

heading out for the bike

The bike course is a lollipop which you do twice, I'd say it was pretty flat, with some gentle rollers.  Given the fact that I was only biking that day, I tried my best to push the pace as much as I could.  There was one turn that was poorly marked for some of the race.  Luckily there was someone there when I passed, but our other biker wasn't so fortunate and added an extra mile or two :/  I finished the bike in 49:54 (19.2mph), handed off the chip to our runner, and my day was done.

Well, sort of-- we backtracked from the finish and met our runner for the last half mile or so and finished strong as we got back to Camp Sargent :)

Post-race

Final Thoughts:  Our first tri was a success!  Especially when everyone said they'd be up for another relay (although I haven't gotten them to commit), and one or two of the men said they could see themselves doing the whole thing :)  I was pleased with my bike, especially given the craziness of this summer and inconsistency of my training up to this point.  Races always have a way of rekindling my love for triathlon, and this was no exception, especially because I got to share it with friends.

Congrats guys, you all did awesome!!  And thanks to Ed for being our photographer for the day!

Duxbury Beach Tri 2011

Location:  Duxbury, MA
Distance: Sprint (.5mi s, 13mi b, 3.1mi r)
Time:  9am start
Weather:  mid-70s(?) and  humid
Participants:  535

A couple of Saturdays ago I headed to Duxbury for my last tri of the year.  Only two weeks after my first Oly (instead of the planned month), I wasn't quite sure what to expect.  Recovery from Lobsterman was a little rough and I hadn't exactly been sleeping so well with the move/unpacking/adjusting to a new sleep schedule.  No time expectations here, just the goal to have fun and push based on how I was feeling.

View across the bay

I got there pretty early, so I had plenty of time to figure out where to go, set up my stuff, then trek back to the car for my inhaler, find my parents and some friends, get in the water and acclimate...  and gosh knows what else.  Luckily the weather cleared and we had a dry (albeit humid) race!

Swim
We had to walk the 1/2mi across the bay to the swim start (it was a point-to-point), and then run a fair bit to/through transition... not ideal for someone who has been dealing with alignment issues and normally wears orthotics.  The water in Duxbury Bay wasn't bad, my guess would be close to 68, comfortable in a wetsuit.  There were definitely some swells (I could feel myself bobbing a bit), but there was plenty of room to swim (no turns!).  I came out of the water in 11:46 and headed to transition.

Coming out of the water, I'm in the middle, front 

Bike
The bike starts and ends on Powder Point Bridge, where no passing is allowed.  Starting in the third wave, in the midst of plenty of people, both slower and faster, this can be a little frustrating.  In fact, the woman behind me was complaining about losing the lead she had out of the water.  But we're all in the same boat, and there's not much you can do except loosen up your legs and get ready to work!

Heading out on the bike (towards the right)

Winding through historic Duxbury, the bike course has some rolling hills, but no major climbs.  My legs weren't complaining and it was a nice ride.  Towards the end I started playing a game of cat and mouse with three other women in my AG, and while I may have come in behind them at 41:18 (18.9mph), I kept them in my sights as we came back into transition!

Run
The run was pretty flat and I felt good throughout, keeping a decent pace (from what I could tell) and picking people off!  I was smiling to myself as I debated whether I like passing men or women in my AG more :)  Those three women from the bike?  Caught them and never looked back!  Ended up with a 25:04 run (8:05min/mi).

Off and running!

Overall time:  1hr 24min 15sec  (6/21 in my AG)

Final Thoughts:  Although it wasn't my fastest sprint tri, I enjoyed the race and was reminded of how much I love triathlon.  I could stand to work on my transitions (a couple more races in a wetsuit and a second pair of orthotics should help), but I was definitely happy at the end of the day.  Duxbury was definitely a great end to the season as well, and maybe next year men and women can get the same color tee ;)


What will next year bring??  That's a good question!

Lobsterman 2011

Location: Freeport, ME
Distance: Olympic (.93mi s, 24.7mi b, 6.2mi r)
Time:  9am start
Weather:  gorgeous (70s?)
Participants: 615

I can't begin the race recap without acknowledging Aaron Brooks (Perfect Postures) and Mike Carey (Performance Health Therapy).  Without them, training for an olympic distance race wouldn't have happened.  I've talked about it before, but over the past year I've been working Aaron and Mike to get my hips and feet back in proper alignment so that I can run (and bike) without that nagging ache in my left heel.  Obviously, it worked and I can't say enough good things about these guys!


My goal for this year (my first year in the 30-34AG) was to do an olympic distance tri.  Given the above, I picked a late season race to make sure I could ease back into training.  I was ready and looking forward to a fun race with a cheering section set to attend.  Then Hurricane Irene arrived, and said race was cancelled.  Understandable, but disappointing to say the least.  A week later I heard about another race up in Maine that was still open... hmm.

BPC friends help keep the nerves at bay pre-race ;)

To add another race or not?  After the let-down of Irene/no race, I took a week off of training, I just couldn't do it.  That's a bit of a long taper :)  And the course profiles couldn't be more different--  the race I trained for was pretty much flat, maybe some rolling hills.  This new race had hills.  Oh, and did I mention I was moving the day after the new race?  So I adjusted my goals--  just enjoy the race.  On Tuesday before the race, I officially signed up.

Our wave is off!

Swim
Given the wetsuit requirement and temperatures in the low 60s earlier this week, I was a bit worried about how cold the swim would be.  Luckily it wasn't bad (announced as 68), and the only thing that was a bit chilly were my feet.  The course had three buoys, and we were in the 6th wave.  Things went well from the start, I felt pretty good through the first two buoys.

At least I wasn't the only one swimming off course ;)

After rounding the second buoy I couldn't find the 3rd buoy (due to a poorly placed raft/boat), people from the wave behind me started to catch up, the water was getting a bit choppier, and I was getting a bit tired.  I tried to catch some feet, but that didn't last more than a couple of strokes as I was likely going off course :)  Somehow I made it to the third buoy and headed to shore.  I was guessing/hoping for ~30min, so 33:16 probably takes into account the extra distance covered by searching for buoy 3.

That's me in the purple cap and ear plugs!

Bike
Up a little hill to transition and back to my bike, I got out of my wetsuit without any issues and got ready to head out on the bike.  My chilly feet came back to life pretty quickly and before I knew it I was heading up the first hill out of the park.

As I mentioned before, the course is has some hills (see above).  There are more challenging courses out there, for sure, but for my untrained legs I was a little weary.  After all, I still had to run a 10K!  The course definitely keeps you on your toes;  I hung out in my granny gear on a couple hills but tried to take advantage of the downhills and maxed out on the other end a few times as well.

I'm sorry for taking a screen shot...  is that copying?

I safely maneuvered the packed gravel around mile 8, kept my cool when a couple people passed me and then stopped pedaling (really?), and I pulled back into the park just under 1:28 (16.8mph ave).  I'll take it!

Run
While I survived the bike, I wasn't really looking forward to the run (usually my favorite part).  You see, I had ridden the first part of the run, and, well, it had the same sort of hills.

There's not really much I remember about the run...  my hips were really tight off the bike, but after walking up the second half of the first hill they loosened up so that was good.   My stomach wasn't feeling awesome (nerves?  salt water?), and I tried to keep my focus to one mile at a time.   Reminding myself of my goal (have fun!  enjoy the scenery!) and my move the following day, I didn't push it and walked up a few of the hills.  Unusual for me, but I was totally okay with it and somehow I finished in 58:50.

Hey look, my feet are moving!

I did see a retriever with his owner walking along the side of the road towards the end of the run.  He suddenly copped a squat and wouldn't budge, must have been tired of spectating/cheering :)   I feel the same way, Buddy!

Where is the finish line already??

Overall time:  3hr 5min 5sec  (21/42 in my AG)

Lobster Bake!

Final thoughts
I was aiming for 3hours and came in right around that on a challenging course that I didn't train for.  So I am very pleased!  It was great to see some friends podium too (Congrats Laura and Jeff)!

Oly?  Done.

It was an absolutely beautiful day for a race, and Lobsterman was a great one.  Volunteers were pretty awesome all day, and the race was very well organized.  The only issue I had was at the end of the race, when all I wanted was a bottle of water and they were filling small cups of water.  Bottles next time, please?  Thanks!

BAA 10K

  
Waking up to 66degree temperatures on Sunday, I thought it would be perfect running weather.  Until I stepped outside and realized it was still quite warm and very humid.  Not quite perfect, but I've run in alot worse ;) Nonetheless my nerves woke me up before my alarm and before I knew it, it was go time!

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Given the events of the past nine months, I was nervous.  It's been a long road to feeling good out there running again, and I didn't want to do anything stupid in the face of a race clock :)  Add in the fact that I hadn't solidified a nutrition plan and I was using this race to test the waters for my big goal of this season (an Olympic distance triathlon), and let's just say I had some butterflies.

The BAA 10K started and finished in Boston Common, taking us through Back Bay out towards BU and back.  The staggered start for the 3,000 runners seemed to work well, as I never felt like the course was too crowded.  There were 3 rolling hills over the course, nothing too steep or long.

Somewhere around mile 1

Long story short, I couldn't be happier with how I did, finishing in 49:48.  I managed to stay around a 7:30-8:30 pace the entire race, instead of going out too fast like I usually do.  I picked out a guy ahead of me in a Hartford Marathon shirt that I stayed with the first half of the race, thought about achieving my goal, focused on form, and then picked out someone else to keep pace with the second half of the race when I lost Hartford Marathon guy.  Mile 4 was the worst for me, I grabbed water at the stop and threw it over my head, but the finish line seemed more than two miles away.  Back around the Common I was finally able to kick it, and whaddya know, there's now a race picture with both feet off the ground!

Speedy!!

A successful race to cap of the end of my first three decades ;)  Now I just need to figure out how to keep this pace off a 26mile bike ride!!

Newtons: An Update

Alternate title:  My Hips Don't Lie :)

I know you guys come here for the food, but there was some interest when I introduced them almost a year ago so I figured I owed you an update!  If you're not interested, I promise there will be something tasty next time :)

If you followed my tale (Week 1, Week 2 and Weeks 3+4 recaps), you probably notcied that things went well as I began running in the Newtons.  I felt lighter, probably improved my gait/footstrike, and got a bit faster.  After a trip to Italy (and a week+ of not running),  I wound up with an injured foot.  I didn't mention it too much (apart from my two DNFs) as I wasn't sure what was going on and why it happened.  Was it the shoes?  My feet?  (Lack of) orthotics?

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After various appointments, an xray, PT, I think the story (or at least the story as I understand it) is this:  the 1st metatarsal joint of my feet (especially the right one) is too flexible.  This flexibility predisposes me to the overpronation that led to my injured right foot (which was just rubbing between the calcaneus & talus bones, if you're interested in that sort of thing ;))   This flexible joint means that I will always need support, or orthotics.

As Newtons promote a mid- to fore-foot strike (right around the 1st metatasal joint), they are not the best shoes for me.  It will take some trial and error once I get my new orthotics, but hopefully I'll find a shoe that fits ;)

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The other part to this story, the way I actually reached the above conclusions.  I may have mentioned before, but for the past few years (maybe 5+ now?), I've been dealing with various issues that have never been successfully treated (read:  they were treating the symptoms not the underlying cause).  After chatting with a BPC coach about my hips after a run, she recommended seeing Aaron Brooks, an exercise physiologist/biomechanist.   My first visit was particularly revealing, as it confirmed that the alignment and rotation of my hips was out of whack.  Furthermore, my old orthotics reinforced my hip misalignment and functional leg length discrepancy.  Thus the re-evaluation that led me to the above...

What about my hips?  Well, seeing as they've likely been messed up since I had hip dysplasia as a kid, I wasn't going to be able to change it overnight.  I've been seeing Aaron since October, working through sets of exercises/stretches he has put together for me.  The programs seem to have aligned me, now I'm working at strengthening my hips in their new (correct) position.

Since I haven't been wearing orthotics, I spent some time in Vibrams

Downside?  I haven't run since October.  It's not pretty ;)  Luckily I have been able to swim, cycle and lift weights.  I'm trying to stay positive and think about what I can do...  like the one week I went for swim 3x!  I've never put in 3,000m in a week before!  And swim over a mile, at once?  Done and done.  That's gotta be something, right?  Whatever you do just don't ask what I'm signed up for this year.  The answer's nothing yet, as I'm still not running.  And I'm not thrilled about that either.  Moving on.

So the moral of the story, or why I'm sharing this with anyone who's still reading...  finding a good doctor/podiatrist/specialist, and one you like,  is important, and worth the time and money you may spend.  Make sure they take a detailed history and ask you lots of questions, and be sure to include any symptoms you may not connect, but may in fact be related.  Remember, too, that we're all unique, and solutions/treatments will likely vary as well!

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Don't forget about Dem Bones: your hips are connected to your thighs, are connected to your knees, are connected to your ankles, which are connected to your feet!  When we walk or run or cycle, we load all our weight down this "drive train" and when something's amiss, it's best not to forget that it's all connected!

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