Hold On and Let Go

The last couple of weeks have been preoccupied by next years plans as well as training. The original plan was to do Ironman Lake Placid in 2013 but that seems to have taken a back seat to other things. I would still like to do this race (I think!) so maybe 2014 will be the plan. There are days I feel like I never want to do any of this again. Having to make a decision 364 days prior to next years event, when you haven't even finished this years, is cruel and unusual to say the least.

The future race planning was done at a social at 5 Seasons so there was drinking involved. This is never a good idea when planning these races. What was "decided" was to get through Louisville in August. John will do Ironman Mt Treblant next August and I would return to Wisconsin to extract some revenge next September. December 2012 would be Bartram 100K, December 2013 would be a possible attempt at 100miles with a final plan for 100miles at Umstead in 2014 (to celebrate being 45). Geez! How stupid am I? Thankfully a computer was not available when these fine "decisions" were made. I will see what happens after August.

As for training, things are going well, I guess. I am getting through the workouts but last week was a tough one. The temps were super high and we finished a 2 week build period with a 1.5 mile swim, 11 mile run and 80 mile ride. I was definitely feeling beat up and tired. I was also feeling slow and deflated. There is this terrible mental set that you are tired because you are not doing enough and that is why you suck. This makes you resist rest even though you know you need it.

I did enjoy my rest day/holiday on Monday and caught up with a bunch of house chores. I was looking forward to a light week when my coach came back home from vacation. Hmm, apparently this is NOT a rest week for me. This is also my late week at work so it's stressful combined with having to work late Friday evening, going back in Saturday and being on call Sunday. On top of that I am "scheduled" for a 14 mile run tomorrow before work (yay!!), an open water swim Saturday after work and then 90 miles on the bike Sunday. How awesome is that??!

I talked to my coach yesterday and basically I need to stop trying to fit my schedule into the group training schedule and instead fit their schedule into mine. Or do I have that backwards? Anyway, I get it. What I have been doing up until now has not really been working so I need to stop trying to control it and just follow the plan no matter how unfun it sounds. In the end it's my race to finish or not.

What if the one thing that I missed
Was everything I need to pass the test?
And if I fail what happens then?
Can I still count on you as a friend?

We're insane but not alone,
You hold on and let go

 - Soundgarden, "Live to Rise"

These lyrics caught my attention the other day and I have been rolling them around in my head lately. I think it seems to sum up my Ironman/Ultra journey so far.

Friendships have been forged and have faded over these silly events and it can definitely be considered insane. So "Hold on and Let Go!"

WWAMD?

Can OCD and Ironman Training Coexist?

This is my third year of Ironman training and I have already reached the first milestone. The beginning of the first meltdown. The previous week was supposed to be recovery after the big push for the first half Ironman of the year. It was a tough race and I took things relatively easy. This current week was the start of another build cycle and I was feeling pretty good. Monday started with hill repeats on my favorite 2 mile stretch of road. The first lap was done in the small chain ring and as fast as possible and timed for comparison reasons. The next 3 laps were done in the big chain ring with the last third done out of the saddle. We were also supposed to be practicing climbing in aero position but I immediately said hell no. Aero makes me nervous enough, I didn't want to be climbing as well. I gave it a try for a little while on my third climb and actually did the last climb all in aero. Legs felt great and strong.

Tuesday I was scheduled to run 7. I met Sandy and Mike Tue night and they were tapering for Texas so I ended up walking 3 miles with  Sandy. Ok, one more easy day would not kill me. I had not  been sleeping well this week so by the time Wed rolled around I was dragging. I felt as if I was coming down with something as I drove home from work. Uh oh. This is the exact time I got sick last year during my training. I vowed to train smarter this year and so I skipped swim in order to go to bed early. I mostly made that goal but still slept poorly.

Thur morning I was up at 6 for spin class. I was still dragging. I made it through spin but had a tough time meeting my power targets but made it through. Followed spin with a quick mile around the parking lot and that felt great. Not sure why but I will take it. Thursday after work I was feeling a bit tired and again opted to get more rest as opposed to doing my strength workout.

Friday was a rest day and the weekend holds the following: 1.2 to 2.4 mile swim Saturday morning followed by a 10 to 12 mile run and then massage and then catch up on house chores. Sunday I am back at it again for a 70 mile hilly ride which will be the longest ride this year. I hope I am fully rested or its going to be a tough, tough weekend. 


[weekend update - succumbed to a headache that turned into a migraine, took some medicine and felt better in the morning. I got in a roughly 1.5-1.75 mile swim, a 7 mile run (cut short to because swim ran over and needed to make the massage appt). I got one or two things done around the house but I am currently sniffing and periodically sneezing. Neti Pot STAT!! Hoping it's related to the lake swim and that I am not clairvoyant]

In the midst of all this I have been stressing about the fact that I feel like I am never home and I never get anything accomplished. It's work, training, food and sleep. Its been a never ending cycle and I feel like I spend every evening and weekend cleaning up the chaos of my training life. John says I have to just get over it but how does a borderline OCD person get over it? 


I organize my CDs  and DVDs alphabetically, color code the clothes in my closet, have spreadsheets for my car maintenance and I LOVE bleach....yes, I am that person. I have also found that triathlon seems to attract this personality.

I cannot relax until everything is in its place. I walk in the door and I have to clean up the dishes, clean out my lunch bag, take out the dog, sort the mail, water the plants, set up the coffee maker for the next day, etc  etc. Then there is the gear, downloading the data from the Garmin, checking the training schedule, obsessing over the training schedule, planning how to fit in in each day. Laundry, grocery shopping, and all the regular chores. I honestly have no clue how people do all this with kids. I feel bad enough that Betty (the spoiled Doberman) gets neglected. Thankfully I don't have to pay for her therapy or college. Don't even get me started about the dog hair. Plus, I can't let things sit. I can let it go for a day or so but then I freak and have to put everything away and clean it up. It makes me crazy when things are cluttered!!


WWAMD? - What would Adrian Monk do?

Caution! Athletes in Pain

It's been a long time and a lot has happened. There was a trip to Vogel State park for a training camp and then Mountain Madness. I wanted to do 2 separate entries but things have been so busy lately I haven't had a chance to sit down and write. Work has been nuts again but in 3 more weeks we will finally have our 5th PA so we won't be so short all the time. Ok, so let's rewind 2 weeks.....

After work that Friday I hitched a ride with Peggy and caravaned up to Vogel State park with Adrienne and Kim in the lead car. We were headed to the No Boundaries Multisport Training Camp. There would be biking, hiking, swimming, running and s'mores. Let's go! John had left earlier in the day to set up camp. The girls opted to share a cabin. I have nothing against camping but didn't relish sleeping on the ground and then biking in the gaps. The drive up was pretty uneventful except Adrienne and Kim missed the turn into the park. I had no cell service so we couldn't call them so we found John at the campsite and then checked into the cabin. Adrienne and Kim made it back and found us at the park office. The cabin was very nice. 5 beds and two full baths plus a kitchen and a great back porch. Too bad we spent barely any time there.

Teesha arrived just as we were getting ready for a little swim. We donned our wet suits and hopped into the cool lake. I didn't swim too far before I started to feel cold. My ears were feeling numb so I decided to head back into shore. A bunch of the swimmers were way off in the distance. When I got back to shore I found out that when Teesha tried to get in to swim she was told by the park ranger that we were only allowed to swim a the beach. That was rather ridiculous since it was a roped off area that comprised about 60 sq feet. Um, ok. This nice lake and we all had wetsuits but no swimming. Boo!

Of note, this is where I first met Willy "Natureboy" Syndram. I would later learn that Willy was heading up to Vermont to take on the McNaughton 500. A 500 mile foot race that had never been completed. I am proud to say Willy crushed that race and finished in 8 days, 8 hrs and 20 minutes!!! Totally nuts and totally cool!

Willy on the left with Coach Phil on the right at the McNaughton 500 - this is what spring in VT looks like

So, back to the cabin we go. We rinsed off and headed to the camp site. We had a grab bag of dinner items and enjoyed the campfire and a few s'mores. Then it was time for bed - we had a big day ahead of us.

We got up, packed our gear and headed to the campsite. We had a great camp breakfast, did a few strength exercises and then split up for our respective activities. Coach Mike, Teesha, Coach Phil and his daughter Grace headed off for a Coosa hike. Coach John, Coach Sandy and Peggy set off for the back part of the Skeenah Gap ride that would miss Wolfpen Gap. Peggy referred to this option as "the baby gaps ride". Harry, Adrienne, Kim, Tripp and I headed to Wolfpen for 50 miles of fun. 

I did this loop twice last summer as a final century ride before Wisconsin but it started on the other side of Wolfpen. I was a little nervous since it was early in the season and I was not sure I was quite ready for this much fun. In addition to Wolfpen, which was steep but relatively short, there are a LOT of nasty little climbs on this route. Wolfpen sucked but not too bad (we saw our hikers about 1/3 of the way up) and soon we were flying down the other side. It was about this time I started to remember exactly how nasty this ride really was. Every stinkin' climb started coming back to me and I was dreading the rest of the ride. We all took things pretty easy except "rocket pack" Kim and her fancy new tri bike. We played catch up with her all day! Thankfully, the weather was nice and not super hot and we got through the ride. It was tough but I got it done except for the last 4 miles. John drove by to check on us and well he offered me a ride so I took it. I can't believe we did that ride twice last year. Wow! 

When we got back to the camp instead of soaking our legs in the lake we decided to just sit our asses in the creek near the campsite. 

Back to the cabin to rinse off again and then over to the camp for dinner. We had a great dinner cooked by Coach Mike while John went through some Ironman packing and logistics stuff with the group. Then the beers came out and the "salty talk" began. It was a fun night but we were all pretty wiped out by 9:00. Back to the cabin to pass out.


The next morning was another great breakfast at the camp and then we split into 2 running groups. John, Phil, Willy, Mike, Sandy ran the Coosa Trail with Berta who came up that morning. Kim, Tripp, Peggy, Adrienne, Teesha and I ran/hiked the Bear Hair Trail and had a great time. 

Soon it was time to head home. It was a great weekend full of training, fun and friendship.  Can't wait to do it again!

The next week was actually a nice one at work - we were fully staffed and things were rather slow. The week passed super quick (almost too quick) and soon it was time for Mountain Madness - cue the sinister music.


Training race, training race, training race. I had to keep telling myself that the results didn't matter that it was just a long training day. I was still concerned about the time cutoffs but knew that if I made it through the bike the rest didn't matter. We drove up Saturday morning to check in, drop off our bikes and listen to the race briefing. I got race number 8 and was at the first bike rack in transition with about 5 more people. Knowing the race directors has it's perks! At the briefing we found out we had until 1:30 on the bike so I knew I would be fine. I might not make the 8 hr cutoff time but I would be able to complete the entire distance, medal or no medal. 


We checked into out hotel and a big group of friends went out to dinner. The No Boundaries tri people were all there and a bunch of friends who came up to volunteer. Dinner was a lot of fun and then it was time for sleep. I slept great, got my gear together and it was off to the race site. We parked, got our gear setup, pumped up tires, sunscreen applied and wetsuits were put on. 

John, Tripp and Harry before the swim

Tripp, Adrienne, Harry and John before the race

It was time to go! After a little panic of trying to use my Garmin in multisport for the first time, I gave up and decided to just go with changing modes in transition. Mike L helped me get it back in regular mode and it was time for the swim. I was a tiny bit nervous since my swim was not where it should be but felt better knowing the wetsuit would help. I was in the third (and last) swim wave. We all gathered in the water and then it was time to go! Swim, swim, swim. I was moving along sighting the buoys and then I looked up and I was alone and could not see the pack. Where the hell was everyone? There were a few people around me but I was surprised to be almost alone out there. I tried not to think about that and to keep swimming. Soon I was at the farthest point then turned left and the sun was in my eyes. OK, ignore it, close your eyes when you sight and just keep swimming. Soon I was at the next turn buoy and headed to shore. Almost there and then I was out of the water. I checked my watch and my time was 49 min. That really wasn't too bad for me and I was shocked that I was nearly last out of the water. No time for worrying about that just get your ass on that bike.


Into transition, bike gear on and then it's time to climb that first ridiculous hill out of transition. It went better than I expected with "swim legs" and then it was just pedal, pedal, pedal. I had already done this ride twice so I knew exactly what to expect. I kept my cadence high and anytime I felt any real resistance on the legs I geared down. I wanted to save it for the Mountain and for the final hills. Three people passed me on the bike and then it was me alone. I stopped for a minute very early into the ride because I looked down and noticed I put my gloves on the wrong hands and backwards - seriously??! As if I had never done this before. I quickly remedied that piece of stupidity and kept going. About 10 miles in I noticed some irritation on my left ankle and realized I had my timing chip strap under my sock and it was starting to rub. I am not talented enough to tend to this kind of thing while riding so I kept pedaling until the first rest stop. I made a brief stop, fixed my ankle issue and then topped off my aerobottle. Around mile 18 I saw the first guy heading back on the bike. He was hauling a***. Wow! The next group were a while back but seeing as I was last or nearly last out there I got to see them all. 

One last turn and then it's up the mountain. This was my third time up Fort Mountain and it was just as fun as the first time. I was in the smallest gear but I kept it easy. There were times when I could have gone faster but I tried to keep my breathing as easy and as light as possible. Along the mountain there were lots of fun motivational signs that kept me smiling. Finally I was almost at the top and there was Sandy. I said hello and kept pedaling to the top. Sandy came running up and chatted with me while I quick ate a sandwich and then made a pitstop. I was feeling good and still had plenty of time. 


I hopped back on the bike and headed down the mountain. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful and I made the last couple of climbs and sighed with relief as I headed back into the park. I knew I was last at this point and eventually saw all the runners on the course. I had a bit of a panic when I had to yell at 3 guys running on the wrong side of the road and in my path. I pulled into transition and pulled on my run gear. I was very happy to finish the bike and ready to get that run over with. 


I started the run with a guy in a yellow shirt and we started chatting about the race when he told me this was his first triathlon. Wow!! He really picked a hell of a first race. He took off running up the hill while I just used my ultra training and walked quickly up the hill. I soon found that the run was going to be as hilly as the bike. It was also getting really hot by now. I walked up every hill and ran on the downhills and flats. I saw all my fellow No Boundaries racers out there - Harry, Adrienne, John, Kim and Tripp. John even gave me a little hug(!!) Harry said he wanted photographic evidence that actually happened. I also saw lots of friends racing and volunteering as well as the rest of the No Boundaries tri group. It was great!! At one point a fellow racer said he didn't know he was running with a celebrity since everyone knew me on the course. This was especially nice when I was starting my second loop and there were only a handful of runners left. At one point Chris Green (one of the race directors) drove by on the run course. He asked how I was doing and I told him I was doing great but wouldn't be making the 8 hour cutoff time. He assured me that wouldn't be a problem so I felt a little better.


I kept plugging along and still had some energy to run those downhills and flats. Soon, I was back at the finish line and I saw the guy I started the run leg with. I was gaining on him and we were together at the final turn. Just then he kind of paused so I started running down the hill to the finish line. He started really running too and we finished together. I got my medal and we both went straight to the lake to soak our sore legs. 


I did it!! Wow, that was a really hard race, with a really serious group of competitors. Almost everyone racing was an Ironman. When I really started thinking about it that's why I hardly saw anyone on the swim. It's still very early on in the training season and with 4 mths to go I had already finished a tough, tough, half Ironman and didn't feel all that bad when I finished.  Look out Louisville!!

Quick aside - Zone 5 Events put on a fantastic race, and I am not just saying that because I know these guys. This was the first year and you would never know it based on how well it was run. The volunteers were great and everything went super smooth. This is a tough, tough race but I highly recommend it!

The Madness Continues

There was more Madness on hand last weekend. Saturday was the first open water swim of the season and the first time swimming in 3 weeks for me (the fishy tattoo was finally done and healed). Got out the wetsuit and headed to Red Top. My goal was to see how I felt and hopefully get at least a 1200-1500 m swim done. Best case scenario would be 1.2 miles (~1900m). I started swimming and did not feel the usual butterflies I get in open water. Ninety nine percent of the time I can calm myself down and just get on with my swim. It's just a weird adrenaline thing mixed with shoving your face in the water that causes momentary anxiety. This is always heightened on race day when you think of the enormity of what is ahead of you. Anyway, it was all good and I just swam.

Now that it's my 4th year doing this I can just swim without really thinking about it any more. Sure, I will concentrate on my pull or my stroke but for the most part I can just mindlessly swim and get there in reasonable time. I have come a long way from when I was drinking half the pool. It's kind of a nice feeling. Of course weather and other swimmers can always ruin your day but I pretty much got this swim thing down. So much so that I was able to comfortably swim 1.2 miles after no swimming for 3 weeks and barely any swimming prior to that for almost 6 months. I was quite happy! Now to get back in the swim routine, build up the endurance and get a little faster.

Post swim we changed and headed off to run the trails. I chatted with Teesha for 6 miles and we both felt a little tired and were not looking forward to the second loop.  I decided to skip it since it was a hilly run and we had 56 miles of hell awaiting us the next day. The rest of the crew thought this was a good plan and we all called it a day after 6 miles.

The Madness continues..... On Sunday I headed up to Carters Lake with the No Boundaries crew for a second look at the Mountain Madness bike course. Originally, I was supposed to head to Athens for the Terrapin Brewery Anniversary party Saturday night and then go straight to Carters Lake. I thought this was too much packed into one weekend so I let John go without me. He decided to go to a swim clinic Sunday instead and I caught a ride with Harry (fellow IM MOO training partner) and Adrienne. This time I brought Fiona Felt the tri bike and no granny gears to help me through. I was at the back of the pack all day but as Harry pointed out I was consistently only 3 minutes behind. I guess that is an improvement.

The ride was tough but Fiona and I made it. The mountain climb even seemed a little easier. Here is the profile of the ride.

It's really not that Fort Mountain climb in the middle that gets you. It's those climbs at the very end of the ride. By the time you get there you want to throw your bike in the lake NOT hop off and run 13.1 miles. I did finish a bit faster than last time and did a 1 mile brick around the parking lot.

It still is questionable if I will make the cutoffs. The cutoffs are not very generous and this is a tough, tough course. I am not alone in my fear of not getting to finish. In the end it is a training race so I will try my best not to stress about it too much. No matter what I will be stronger for doing this bike ride multiple times.

Not too much else going on right now except work and training. Training is going well so far and work has calmed down a bit, thank God!! Also, the extra stresses seemed to have subsided so its just train, work, eat and sleep until Louisville!!

Here are some pics from the scenic overlook near the top of Fort Mountain:

Picture of the No Boundaries crew at Red Top

It's not all training - we find some time for some beer if only the ones matching our bike jerseys. I look like I have had a few too many!

Can I Play with Madness?

Mountain Madness Preview Ride

Last Saturday we headed up to the Elijay area for a preview ride of the newest Half Iron distance triathlon in Georgia called Mountain Madness. The race takes place in May and will be a good training day in preparation for Ironman Louisville. I had previously ridden in this area while training for Ironman Coeur D’Alene. In fact I was training with the race directors who decided to take their love of the sport and make a business out of it. Together they formed Zone 5 Events. That being said, I had a vague idea of what was ahead including a climb up Fort Mountain. What I didn’t know was that the climb was 6 miles and that was just one of the many climbs I would encounter on my 56 mile journey. 

    Prior to Saturday my longest bike ride this year had been around 15 miles (the previous weekend!) I had made sure my few bike outings were hilly in order to prepare a tiny bit but I knew I was in way over my head. So much so that I brought my rarely used road bike so I would have that extra granny gear to get my a** up those hills. I was less intimidated than I would have been had I not done so many hills last year and 2 trips to the gaps. That was a big confidence builder and although slow and painful I was pretty sure I would survive.

    Saturday’s forecast was warm with a slight chance of rain. We packed up the car the night before and headed up to Carter’s Lake. I brought all kinds of clothes to cover the changing temperatures and settled on a short sleeve shirt and light jacket with bike shorts. The ride started on a super steep incline to get out of the park with no warm-up and knew this would set the tone for the day. Thankfully, I was able to pull my a** up the hills getting out of the park and started onto the main road. The first major road was a nice downhill stretch which had me cursing since I knew we would be climbing back up that hill on the way back. There was tons of support out there with people stationed at every turn plus the turns were all marked. I started to recognize parts of the route from my previous ride up there. I knew the middle stretch on the out and back was not too bad. I also knew I wasn’t moving fast but I wanted to take things easy and save my energy for the mountain.

I was making my way along the road and enjoying the scenery when I spotted a little grey blur off to my right. I thought it might be a squirrel and hoped he would just stay put. Well, it started coming closer and getting bigger and I realized it was a small dog. It ran onto the road and started barking and chasing me so I had to pick up the pace or be in danger of it biting me or me running over it. Eventually, it got tired and I was able to get my heart rate back down (you could actually see the spike on my Garmin data!!).  I hate dogs while on the bike. Thankfully, I could outride this little guy.



At the base of the big climb there was a store where many were stopped to either grab some food and drink for energy to get up the hill or as a little rest before heading back to the start. I still had yet to see anyone head back down the mountain so either I was keeping good time or the mountain was really a bitch! Once I started the climb I felt better because I knew it was tough but totally doable. In fact it was not as steep as stuff we did last summer so I just settled in and climbed. The worst part of the whole climb was that I was at the back of the pack doing the whole route so I had a truck riding my butt to keep an eye on me. I tried very hard to shut out the sound of the engine but it was a bit nerve racking.

Eventually, I made it to the top and grabbed a snack and a drink and headed down. In some ways down was worse because my brakes were not super grippy and I had to really squeeze to engage them. This combined with the whipping wind caused my hands to go completely numb and they were totally frozen when I got to the bottom. I spent a little time warming them up and then headed back on my journey.

I was still feeling good. A little tired but not completely wrecked like I have been on other rides. This was good since I had already doubled my longest ride for the year. The flat part was nice and I kept it easy since I knew the final climb was coming up soon. As expected it was a bitch but I kept climbing along with my entourage of trucks right behind me. I am sure they were thinking why doesn’t this bitch just stop. I thought that a few times myself!! I had plenty of offers to take my bike and get a ride to the end but I didn’t feel too bad and although I was slow I felt good knowing how much I had accomplished on Day 13 of my training.

At last the big climb was over and I just had to turn into the park and get back to the car. I made that last left turn and said “WTF?” I had completely forgotten about the realtively short but steep hill before we turned onto the main road. Grumble, grumble , grumble I got up it and finished the rolling section and back to the car - finally. Bill Monahan called out my name on the bullhorn as I came into the parking lot. I was, as per usual, the last person back who did the whole ride. I yelled back “I hate you!!” but it was all in good fun. It was a tough, tough ride but I made it. Now I just have to shave about an hour off that time!

So, what’s on tap for the upcoming weekend? I am signed up for GUTS Operation Endurance 12 hour race starting at 8pm on Saturday through 8am Sunday. Not sure when this sounded like a good idea because it just sounds like a pain in the a** right now. I know I will have fun while I am there but there is no reason why I need to run for 12 hours right now. NONE. I am just starting my Ironman training. I have a decent run base (I did a 50K and a half marathon 4 weeks ago). I could drop back to the 6hr run which starts at 2am Sunday morning. This will just screw up my sleep schedule and again, what is the point? John is running the 24 hr race. It was supposed to be training for his 100 miler this year but we got that out of the way back in December . So, who knows why he is doing it. Regardless, I need to make an appearance but I am dreading the drive and I would rather just stay home right now. Things have been so hectic and stressful lately that a weekend at home sounds really good right now. As things stand I think my plan is to sleep in, get a massage Saturday afternoon, ride for 2 hours later that day and then head down to the race sometime Saturday evening. I need to gett some sort of run done (my schedule has me running 2 hrs) so I will run a little at the race (it’s a one mile loop) and just generally help out, nap and probably whine a bit (or a lot). Then I will drive home, nap some more, maybe do some yard work, laundry, eat and get ready for another fun week at work.

It Just Doesn't Matter

Ironman Training has started!! A few weeks ago I was starting to freak out a bit about it being 6 months before Louisville and not having a coach. So much so that I needed Juanita the weasel to illustrate my true feelings. For the story behind Juanita check out the Bloggess.

The search for a coach was very frustrating but finally I have a coach!! Now all I have to do is look at my workouts and do them. Simple, right? So far things are going well on that front so one less bit of stress. Now if I can get rid of a few other pesky stressors I will be all good. Work has been extremely busy the last couple of months combined with working short since November it's getting pretty tiring. Looking forward to being fully staffed in June - what Juanita? yes, I said June!!!! Hopefully, we will make it. To add to that there are some other major annoyances going on which I can't really talk about right now but will hopefully be over soon as well. I am trying hard to put this all in perspective especially since a friend is dealing with a major health issue right now. Something that literally changes your life. It makes me look at all of this stuff and say it just doesn't matter. We create most of our own stress and sometimes it takes a serious reality check to make us appreciate the things we have.

Reverse Redneck Goofy Challenge

What an amazing and truly exhausting weekend it has been. It all started a few months back when Barb Blackford suggested that MS50 might be a good first ultra for those willing to take up the challenge. We looked at the web site and description of the course and it sounded relatively flat and easy (at least as far as an ultra is concerned). The race offered a 20K, 50K and 50 mile option. At this point I was heavy into my Pine Mtn 40 training so the thought of doing a relatively flat 50 miler a few months later seemed interesting. So, I signed John and I up for the 50 miler. Eleven other friends signed up for various distances so it was going to be fun little road trip no matter what happened.

December came and Pine Mtn 40 was a disaster. At that point I just decided I had too much on my plate to stress about doing a 50 miler, especially one with a 12 hour cutoff, so I focused on the 50K. In January I was on track with a 28 mile showing at Fat Ass and running every day. Then my right hamstring started acting up. It never prevented me from running but continued to nag at me from time to time all month. A vacation came and went and in between work was stressful and hectic and the launch of a my new training group - No Boundaries Multisport - took up most of my free time. I did get a few runs in but nothing like I should have done in preparation for my race. Again, I was glad I had made that decision to just do the 50K. 

Before I knew it the weekend before MS50 was here and I was no where near prepared. I had spent the last couple of weeks working on getting a personal coach setup for Ironman Louisville among other distractions and long runs let alone swims and bike rides were not part of my days. The Sunday before the race we hosted an Ultra Q&A/ movie watching party. All of the MS50 participants came over to ask any last minute questions and get some advice on what to do on race day. Nine of the eleven other participants were doing their first ultra. After the Q&A we watched Unbreakable the story of the 2010 Western States 100 mile race. What an incredible and inspiring movie!! I recommend it to anyone who has any interest in ultra running. 

The Friday before the race arrived and we dropped the dog off to be boarded, packed the car and headed to Laurel, Mississippi in the midst of a major storm heading east. We had a rather uneventful journey despite ominous weather patterns swirling all around us. The weather was clear and warm and it was a pretty quick trip. We hooked up with the rest of the group, had dinner, picked up race numbers and settled in for the evening. 

Once in Laurel, my phone basically stopped working almost completely. No phone, no data. Welcome to 2012 in Mississippi. There was wifi in the hotel so I at least was able to keep up with the weather and what was going on back home. Sounds like Atlanta got a nasty dose of storms Friday night and Mississippi was no exception. It started lightly raining around dinner time and continued all night. 

Race morning the temps were in the 50's and it was lightly raining on and off. My first plan was to wear a running skirt, calf sleeves, gaiters, short sleeve shirt, arm warmers and a light jacket for the beginning of the race. We drove 30 minutes to the race start over many muddy, dark forestry roads in the DeSoto National Forest. We checked in for the race, setup our tent and I decided a wardrobe change was in order. I was getting increasingly cold and the nasty weather was not encouraging. I always end up wearing more layers than most runners - partly because I am slow and don't generate as much heat and partly because I am just cold natured no matter what. I know that if I got cold and wet my day would end a whole lot sooner. I added running tights a long sleeve pullover, gloves and a raincoat to my attire. 

Some of the ultra newbies were starting to get a little nervous but I assured them it would all be fine. It was just going to be a long day and everyone would do great. The race started with little fanfare and we were off at 6am.  The course consisted of a 12+ mile loop and a 6+ mile loop. The 50K would be 2  big loops and one little loop. The 50 miler would be 3 big loops and 2 small loops. It was already getting very light so we all ditched our head lamps in the first 10 yard as we ran by our campsite. We ran for a bit and I was feeling good. I even ran ahead of John for a while since he was conserving energy for the 50 miler. Soon, the crowd spread out and the mud began. The first couple of mud patches were annoying but passable and then we came upon a water crossing (basically a rain swollen creek). There were no rocks or logs to assist in the crossing so it was just plunge on through with water up to your ankles. OK, shoes and socks are wet!! Glad I brought spares. Continue running. More mud, more rain, and now more water. A whole lot more water. I have no idea how many water crossing there were but it was at least 5 or 6 on the large loop and 3 or 4 on the small loop -with 2 being as deep as mid thigh and the rest ankle to mid calf depth. It was nuts! 

As per usual, I found myself in a weird place in the race. I was slow enough that I lost the fast group but had just enough trail and bad weather experience to be a bit ahead of some of the other newbies who would typically be just ahead of me or right near me in a road run. Thankfully, my nano was working and I had a good audiobook going all day. There was a little out and back part on the big loop so I saw a good bit of the group there but never saw the faster runners. I did see Kate Brun from Big Peach and GUTS run by me twice on the way to her first female finish in the 50 miler. She was amazing to watch as she handled the mud and hills with ease. I want to be Kate someday! I also saw Leslie Lybarger as I finished loop 2. I thought I was hallucinating since I was not expecting her to be there. It was such a lift to see her smiling face and get a hug before I started the final loop. Thanks Leslie for getting up in the middle of the night to drive to Mississippi!!

Kate and her first female trophy!

I stayed mostly warm all day with a few bouts of being hot which quickly passed and then cold which also quickly passed. The rain came on and off and there was a bit of thunder but for the most part it was just overcast and ugly. I felt like I was moving well although not running as much as I had hoped. The constant stop & start for nasty mud patches and water crossing made things tedious. Whenever there was a nice patch of clear trail or road I ran as best I could. Many of the faster runners would just trot on through the mud but I was always worried about twisting an ankle or getting needlessly hurt. I wasn't  winning this race and it was not an "A" race so I stayed conservative and safe. I don't think I drank enough but still had to make 4 stops to pee. My nutrition consisted of an energy bar before the race, 2 uncrustables, a couple more PB&J squares, a couple of oreos and mini twix. I never felt hungry, thirsty or overly tired. As I was running along the final 6 miles I noticed my time was 8:05 and I thought I might have a chance to finish under 9 hours. If so that would be a PR even though it is really impossible to compare these types of races. I ran up to the finish line and my times was 8:53:38. Not spectacular by any means but a PR none the less. 

Race Impressions: Nice, low key and cheap race that was not far away from home. The shirts and medals were nice and the 50 milers got buckles. The weather was crappy but nothing can be done about that. I wish I had known about all the water crossings but then again if I did I might not have done the race. I did feel the landscape was kind of boring compared to other races I have done but it was probably much nicer in better weather. It was flatter than any other 50K I had done but there were a few hills and the water crossings and mud made up for the lack of hills. The aid stations and volunteers were great. Good food, smiling faces and fun little signs along the trails to keep your mind of the miles. I would recommend the race to others.

Now onto part 2 of the weekend Odyssey: The next bit of idiocy was because of an agreement between Olga Henao and Barb Blackford. Barb wanted Olga to do the New Orleans half marathon with her the day after MS50. Olga agreed but only if Barb would do the Goofy Challenge at Disney (run the half marathon on Saturday and full marathon on Sunday). The MS50 and NOLA half then became the "Redneck Reverse Goofy Challenge".They agreed and well a bunch of us lemmings followed suit. So, with the MS50K and 50 miler behind us we packed up the car, showered, ate dinner and then headed to New Orleans. Seven of us decided to do this but 2 had to head back to Atlanta for business and could not make New Orleans. 

The drive to New Orleans was miserable. Not much to occupy the mind along the way and combined with our sheer exhaustion it was a fight for us to stay awake. John stopped about 25 miles out to drink some Mtn Dew and to wake up a bit. We scooted in to NOLA, checked into our hotel and dropped in bed around 11:30 pm.

The alarm went off at 5:30 the next morning followed by groans and general displeasure. We scrambled to get dressed and headed down to the lobby by 6:15. Fortunately, we were only a block or two from the start. We got our race numbers and headed to corral 17 to meet up with some friends. By now I had woken up a bit and did not feel too bad. The plan to was to walk and just enjoy ourselves.

The race started and we moved up to the start line and then we were off. John, Terrie Tillman and I started jogging and were feeling pretty good. Next thing I know we had done a mile and we were heading into an out and back along St. Charles. We moved into the center island and ran along the trolley tracks looking for some friends running the marathon. We saw almost everyone and had a good time cheering them on while running along. By now we had run a 33 min 5K and I was seriously impressed that I could do that with so many miles on my legs. I asked when we were going to do this walking thing and John said when we got to the turn around. OK, so we continued to run along and when we reached the turn around it was close to 5 miles. I suggested we run for the 10K if we could and then for fun lets just make it 6.5 so that we can say we ran half. We kept moving. We would slow at the water stops and walk quickly through but then pick up running. There were also a few picture breaks, a port a potty stop, and a beignet break (thanks to Faraz - awesome support all weekend) but essentially we ran the whole frikkin' thing! Terrie and I took turns feeling good and "sprinting" ahead or feeling like we couldn't make it but still chugging along. John stayed with us the whole time and I asked him to not sprint ahead at the end since this would probably be the only time we would ever run a complete race together. Finally we were finished with a time of 2:37.  I was shocked! I couldn't believe we ran that entire race, took pictures and generally had a good time and still had a decent finish. Wow! That was fun! Especially, since my official finish showed me finishing one second before John!!! (that will never happen again1!) Gone was all that grumbling the previous night about how stupid an idea this all was. My legs felt pretty good despite a little soreness in my ankles. Of course every time we sat down it was hard to get back up but I felt fine once I started moving. 

We hung around after the race for a while to check on everyone else we knew who were finishing and finally we just had to head back to the hotel to get a little nap. We slept for 2 hours and then went out for Oysters & beer and to experience a little bit of New Orleans night life. Everyone was having a great time and I just wish I had the energy to play a bit more. We finally headed back to the hotel around 10:30 and crashed. 

Race Impressions: This was my first Rock n Roll race and it was great! Coming in at the last minute and avoiding the expo and lines was priceless. We were able to pick up our numbers race morning and Tshirt after with little or no fuss. The race waves moved quickly and worked great. The hotel Barb found was 2 blocks away from the start. The food and entertainment were great and overall I really enjoyed myself. However, I don't recommend doing it right after a 50K. 

Weekend impressions - it was a fantastic weekend!! I had a good race on Saturday even though I was undertrained and feeling a bit injured. Guess what? My hamstring is not bothering me at all right now so I am quite grateful. I was super impressed that I was able to RUN - not fast, but really RUN a half marathon on Sunday. That really gave me a boost to my ego and was a good kickstart to Ironman training. Now we need to get the bike and swim training going. 

I was so completely impressed with all the new Ultra marathoners from Saturday - Olga, Barb, Terrie, Miles, Mike L, Tripp, Kim, Maria, and Celi. You guys rocked it!! I am also humbled and impressed by the incredible efforts of Cherie and Peggy in their attempt at the 50 miler. They gave it a great shot but the conditions were just not favorable. I am confident that a second 50 miler is in Cherie's future and Peggy will get her first very soon. These ladies are much stronger runners than I am so my decision was really the right one to concentrate on the 50K. 

Now, I am typing on my laptop as we drive home. Next up for me race wise is Operation Endurance 12 hr run on Apr 1st. Why did I sign up for that? More insanity. In the meantime Ironman Louisville training is starting in earnest. I am hoping to have a personal coach in the next 2 weeks and it's Game On! Look out Louisville I am coming for you.