26 Point 2.0

Me at mile 21 of Grandma's Marathon in 2015: "Oh dear lord, what the hell am I doing. This is the worst thing I've ever done. Just make it stop. I'm never running ever again!"

Me at the finish line of Grandma's Marathon in 2015: "Oh man, I can't believe I just ran 26.2 miles! That was the most amazing thing I've ever done! I wonder which marathon I should do next!"

I started this blog a little over two years ago as a way to document training for my first (and at the time...only) marathon. While I haven't kept up posting here like I had hoped to, I am planning to start anew as I begin training for what I'm calling "26.2.0", the Twin Cities Marathon this October.

So, what have I been up to since I last posted (in...December...maybe?)? Well, there was buying a new house, fixing up said-house, a little travelling, a lot of mom-ing, and of course plenty of running. I ran all winter long with the help of my running group. Thank goodness for them...my motivation was at an all time low from January-March as we remodeled our new house...it felt like those projects were never going to end. The accountability of the group was the only thing that got me out of the door some days! These women have listened to me vent, offered sage advice, commiserated, understood, held my hand, laughed with me and allowed me to laugh with them. Running has done much to change my life, but none more so than introducing me to some of the most amazing women on the planet!

Snow, rain, sun and sub-zero, these women are my rocks!

I managed to get in some really fun races this spring too, so here's a short recap of those:

April 9: Goldy's Run 10-Miler
This is traditionally my first race of the year. It was my first EVER race three years ago when I did the 5K and marveled at all the folks wearing 10-Mile bibs. I thought to myself, "I'm never going to be able to run 10 miles!" But, here I was at the start line of my third Goldy's 10-miler! I had no goal for the day other than to enjoy the run and the gorgeous weather we were blessed with (last year it was 27-degrees at the start). I had a meet up planned with my MRTT group before the start and we had a ton of ladies show up. It's so much fun to have that kind of energy surrounding you before the start of the race, I was really excited at the turn out!

That's a bunch of good looking BAMRs!

It was already really warm at the start...the first Goldy's Run I've started without a throw-away jacket. My friend Sara was pacing the 10:30 per mile group so I decided I would stick with her for the first 8-9 miles and see how I was feeling.

Ready to rock and roll (and sweat, and climb lots of hills!) 

This would be my longest run since our New Year's Eve 16-miler, so I wasn't sure where my endurance was. After a pep talk from new Gopher Football coach PJ Flek (Row the Boat!) we were off down University Avenue. I really can't tell you enough how much I love this course, I run this area all the time and it just feels so familiar and fun to share the route with a few thousand of my closest friends. It got hot quickly and I was rethinking my famous Goldy Gopher knee-high socks by mile three. Sara and I chatted and checked in with the runners around us, it was a big group, some first timers, but many who knew the course and what we were looking at in terms of climbing. We said good bye to a few relay participants in the group as we passed the exchange at mile 5 and settled in for a nice section of flat for the next few miles. I was sweating up a storm by the time we hit the "big one"...Ed Sciences hill. This is my favorite spot on campus for hill repeats, but not one I enjoy climbing after running in the sun for 8 miles! Nevertheless, we plowed on and at the top I told Sara I would see her at the finish line as I wanted to see what my legs had left. To my surprise, it was more than I expected! I took off and clocked my last mile at 9:17...not too shabby! We met up with some of our pacer friends at the finish and headed for the food line...Old Dutch Potato Chips and Salted Nut Rolls....HEAVEN!

Um...why am I the only one who looks a hot mess?

April 15: Hot Chocolate 15K
I was excited to get to the start line for my first pacing gig of the season. However, when I woke up Saturday morning, that excitement turned to dread as I realized that we were in for some serious rain and possibly serious storms today. If I hadn't been pacing, I likely would have crawled back under my covers...but duty calls and I was up and as "at 'em" as I was going to get. We had a car pool planned, so I waited for Tom, Carla, and Aubree to join me at my house...we had to be at the pacer meet up at 7am (a full two hours before the start for some crazy reason) so we hit the road at 6:15. It was drizzly, but not too dark, so we tried to stay optimistic. When we arrived at the race site we found some street parking that we hoped was legal (the "helpful" police officer sitting in his dry car just shrugged when I asked him if it was okay to park there). We found the Pacer banner sticking out of the side of the bag drop tent, so we asked the volunteers if we could wait inside the tent to stay warm and they obliged. 7:00 came and went and we didn't see any other pacers coming our way. Finally Sara texted me asking where we were...I explained our location and she said we were supposed to meet at the Pavilion....why that made more sense than meeting at the PACER banner was beyond me, but we left our warm dry tent and ventured over to get our signs and shirts. After we checked in I told everyone I was headed back to the bag check tent....and soon it was a pacer party in there.

Dark and cloudy...but we're ready!

We reluctantly left the tent to head to the start corral. At this race there are two corrals, the "preferred", where I was pacing the 11:30 per mile group with folks who had included a predicted finish time when they registered, and the "open" corral, where everyone else was starting. In the past, the preferred corral started about 20 minutes before the open corral...the preferred pace groups start at 7:30 per mile and end with me at 11:30. The open pace groups start at 9:30 and go to 15:00 per mile. However, because of the weather, the race organizers decided that both corrals were going to start pretty much together, with just a couple minutes head start for the preferred corral. Which meant that within the first few minutes of the race, some pretty speedy runners were looking at my "11:30" sign with much confusion on their faces. One guy even said to me "Whoa, 11:30, you are WAY ahead of pace!" So, I spent the next 5-6 miles explaining to everyone who passed that I was supposed to be pacing the PREFERRED corral and in fact, they were not running an 11:30 pace. When I finally got passed by the 11:00 per mile pacer from the open corral, I decided to just tuck my sign down and run it out...being sure my finish time at least corresponded with what I was supposed to be doing. It had rained off and on most of the race, but by mile 8 the humidity came out in full force and I was really ready to be done. Unlike last year I didn't have anyone running with me, so I just started thinking about getting to my big bowl of chocolate. I will say, for as miserable as the conditions were, I still really love this race...it's well organized, a fun course, and unique swag. I hit the finish line a little ahead of my goal pace, but I figured with as messed up as the pacing was, I wasn't going to worry too much about it. The rain had let up, but had left a giant muddy mess at the after party site. No matter, at that point, I would have waded through quicksand to get my finishers mug :)

 

May 7: Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon
With a 10-miler and a 15K under my belt, I was pretty sure I would be fine pacing my first half marathon of the year, but just to be safe, I decided to do a 14-mile run the week after Hot Chocolate to be sure I had the distance in me. I was originally supposed to pace the 2:30 finish group, but the week before the race the organizers changed it to 11:00 per mile...which had me a little more nervous. Thankfully we held the fourteener at a 10:30 pace...so when I headed to the start line for Minnetonka, I felt ready to get the 11:00 minute milers to the finish line in a 2:24. We checked in and got our new (thankfully) smaller pace signs and directions on how the start corrals would work. I would be the middle of the last corral so Jenni, Beth and I headed out to find our areas. I had a great crowd around me and gave them all my "pacer pep talk" a few minutes before the national anthem (sung beautifully as always by race announcer, and my former neighbor, Kirk Poessehl). Soon we were off and were immediately greeted by a woman in a banana costume...I decided then and there this was going to be a great race! I was new to this course, but I had been forewarned about it's hilliness....and it didn't take long before we went straight up our first one. I set the tone with my group early that we were going to "kill the hills" and take it easy on the flats and downhills. This strategy worked great and before I knew it we were at the first water stop. I walked them through and we got right back to the business of climbing. The relay exchange came up quickly, it was at about mile 5 and a half, so I had to remind everyone that we were NOT half way done just yet. I had a couple first timers with me who asked a lot of questions, one of them wanted to know when she should "kick it in"...I told her for me, I usually wait until I can see the finish line, but that if she felt good with a mile to go, she should empty her tank. Small talk continued with my group through the next few miles, then we hit a portion of the course that was on a narrow shoulder of a fairly busy road, so we stayed single file for most of this time and I tried my best to convince my legs they were not tired (I am such a better pacer when I have people to talk to...I tend to forget that I am actually working kind of hard too!) We hit the last water stop at mile 11 and thankfully were able to group back up again for the last couple miles. I had lost a few of the women who were sticking with me, but I was confident they were going to get there. We came up on the 12 mile marker and I shouted "1 mile to go, it's time to empty your tank!" I saw the newbie who asked about kicking it in take off at that point and I felt like a proud mama. We rounded a corner and I saw the finish line and started circling my arm and yelling "You're there, finish strong" to anyone who was still listening to me. I crossed the finish and checked my watch. 2:23.40...30 seconds faster than my goal pace...not too shabby! After I collected my medal (yes, pacers deserve medals too). I headed back to the finish shoot to wait for my friend Lindsay, who was competing her first half marathon today. I saw my other friend Karen finish and chatted with a woman who ran with me last year at the Minnesota Half. She said she just did the relay today and stuck with me to the exchange. She told me I as a really good pacer and thanked me for being there....I really couldn't ask for a better prize than that! I saw Lindsay coming down the shoot with a big smile on her face and I held out my hand for a high five, she didn't leave me hanging and went on to finish under her goal time of 2:30...and that was just the cherry on top of a great morning!

Nothing like getting by with a little help from your friends!

May 20: The Birdtown Half Marathon
Well, if patterns exist in the world, my "race weather luck" is holding true to form this year. I had a gorgeous, warm day for Goldy's, a gloomy, gray day for Hot Chocolate, and a crisp, clear day at Minnetonka...and Birdtown, well, let's just say, I might as well have been doing a water-jogging half marathon as the only time I was dry that morning was when I was in a car. I was pacing today, which again, was likely the only reason I showed up at the start line. Despite the depressing weather, I do love this race. It's a great showcase for the town of Robbinsdale, it's small, but super well organized and the course is really fun...some killer hills in the middle, but also lovely neighborhoods, park trails, and city streets. I carpooled with Lisa, which was awesome since we are still currently a one-car family (don't even get me started). We met up with the pace group and got our (very bright, very pink) pace shirts, which I secretly love. This is a "balloon" race, so our pace signs are actually just balloons tied to a stick, which is not my favorite, but it always looks festive. The rain was holding off at this point, so I was just "minimally" wet when we headed to the start line!

Plastic bags make everything better!

Because of the rain we had a new starting spot this  year...which I liked a lot better than last year when we started in front of a grassy curb and had to make an immediate hair-pin turn to get out of the park. This year we started up the road from the park and ran down into the first neighborhood, a straight shot. It was also a little more organized, like a true race corral...I'm hoping they keep this plan for future races. Before long the drizzle was back, I had a nice sized group though so we kept our minds off the cold and wet by chatting about former and future races...I had a few who were planning on doing the Twin Cities Marathon, and a couple who had run with me at Minnetonka. This was my first time pacing a 2:20 finish, so I wasn't really sure how to run it. I knew we had some major hills coming up between miles 5-7, so I wanted to be out a little fast to make up for those climbs. We held the first 4 miles around 10:25, so I knew we had time to spare when we hit the first killer hill. There are three of them altogether, you climb, level out for a bit, climb, level out, and then climb again...I prepared my group by saying "I'm not gonna lie, the next two miles are going to suck". One woman said "Yeah, we call this the three levels of Hell!" An apt moniker :) We hit a water stop after the first hill and took a much needed walk break. This stop was manned by my friend Kristin and her daughter's dance team. Last year I was so ahead of pace when I hit Kristin's aide station that I actually stopped and chatted with her for a couple of minutes (I was also all alone, so no one cared that I took a long break). This year, not so much. I said a quick hello and told her that I had to keep moving...two more big climbs to go, ya know! We soldiered up them, with me shouting reminders (lean forward, use your arms), and encouragement (you GOT this, KILL this HILL). Finally, level ground as we approached the turn at mile seven. I heard my name and some awesome cowbell ringing out from the gloom....my friends Sherry and Karen had also come to volunteer today and were working at the intersection. It is such a boost to hear people cheering for you, but especially when they are familiar smiling faces. I was so thankful for all the volunteers who sat out in the rain to help us today! With the major hills behind us we moved into the long flat portion of the race that winds through the trails of a city park. I love this section even though there isn't any crowd support (not that there was much crowd support anywhere today). I was trying to come up with witty banter to keep my group entertained, but I think at this point we were all just happy to have some tree cover to keep the rain off us for a bit (it really started coming down around mile 6). It was also about this time that I noticed my pace had dropped quite a bit...we had been steadily holding between 10:25-10:30 and I looked at my watch to see 10:45, about four seconds slower than my goal pace. I told my group we had to pick it up a bit and most of them followed me. We hit one more hill at mile 10 and I lost a few followers...I think we all were feeling the fatigue of running in the cold and rain for so long. We passed the Veteran's monument that marks the final straight away of the race, 1.5 miles to go along a nice flat neighborhood street. I thanked all the volunteers who seemed to be congregating around the 12 mile marker and took one last look at my watch...11:00 per mile! Man, I had really slowed down and even though I had picked up some time at the front of the race, I needed to get it in gear in order to finish on time. I willed my legs to speed up, to which they protested mightily, but thankfully I was about to hit the downhill portion that takes us to the finish line. I had a few folks around me, so I shouted "It's time to empty your tanks...but be careful on this downhill!" I guess that was the best advice I could muster at this point. I got to the bottom of the hill and saw a small lake had formed across the finish area...most folks in front of me ran around it, but I figured since I really couldn't get any more wet at this point, that I would splash right through it. That got a big cheer from the crowd and a shout out from the announcer as I crossed the finish line at EXACTLY 2:20...not too shabby!

My face says it all...somehow Sara looks downright giddy though!

PF sleeping boot...SEXXAY!

So, that's pretty much what I've been up to...I've also had a running-related eye injury, and have been dealing with Plantar Fasciitis for the past two months...you know just normal middle-aged lady stuff. I'm looking forward to the next 18 weeks of training (mostly). I have a much better knowledge base than the first time I did this (as in...I know what NOT do to rather than necessarily knowing what TO do). I have another pacing gig coming up this weekend which should be fun (10 miles of unrelenting hills-style fun) and full summer of exhausting events at work (I love my job, I love my job, I love my job...) I'm excited to share the journey with you again...even if you will eventually get tired of listening to me talk about running (I mean, those of you who haven't already tuned me out that is...hello? Is this thing even on?) Thanks for the company, the advice and the miles of smiles you provide as fodder for this page. Happy Last Day of May!

Sidewalks are dangerous 

😎🏃🍺🍕

Attitudes are contagious...is yours worth catching?

It's cold, it's windy, it's dark in the morning...these are factual statements that can turn into problems with winter running.

I hate being cold, it's hard to run in the wind, I'm not a fan of running when I can only see as far as my head lamp...these are statements of attitude about these problems...see the difference?

It's so easy to let our attitudes towards problems turn into excuses to give up. When was the last time you looked at a problem and consciously told yourself, "I'm going to have a positive attitude about this problem!" Has it been awhile? Yeah, me too. In fact, I have been in a bad mood for most of the past month! But, my drought ended this morning when my alarm went off at 5:15. Jen and I planned to meet up for a run at 5:45, and when I woke up I could hear the wind howling, I checked the temp...windchill -2, my bed was SO warm and cozy...problems! But, I told myself, "Don't hit snooze. You get to see Jen, you will get your run out of the way for the day, you get to wear your cute, new Moustache Run hat, you get to start your day energized, you get to have some awesome bragging rights for running in a sub-zero windchill!" I rolled out of bed ready to get at it...and you know what? It was perfect. I was layered just right, the wind wasn't so bad, and my hamstrings felt better than they have in a long time. I didn't make it warmer, I didn't will the sun come out, I didn't stop the wind, but I changed my attitude about those problems, and it worked.

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm probably not going to turn into a Positive Polly all the time from now on...heck, I've got a couple of meetings on my work docket tomorrow that are likely to bring that bad mood right back to the surface. But knowing that a small attitude adjustment is capable of making a big difference is a tool I'm glad to have in my arsenal!

Midweek Motivation!

Yesterday I embarked on a 45-day run streak that will lead up to my 45th birthday on November 17th. That day will also see the third anniversary of the day I decided to start running. I won't go into my long-winded "journey" for you, but the short and sweet is, I was someone who said I would NEVER be a runner. I was a competitive swimmer all my life, running was our punishment! But in the fall of 2013, some very persuasive friends convinced me that I needed to do a triathlon with them..."You'll only ever have to run 3 miles" they said. What they didn't understand is to a non-runner, three miles seems IMPOSSIBLE! When I started, I couldn't run for 5 minutes straight before I thought my lungs were going to explode...I said to myself "I am going to die before I can ever run three miles" But, I found a quote that first week that has stuck with me for the last three years; "Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible, and soon, you are doing the impossible". And yes, that spring I did the impossible, I did my first 5k race, then that summer, I did my first triathlon, and I found that my "impossible" kept getting harder to define. So, in October 2014, less than a year after I got on a treadmill and barely ran for 5 minutes, I did my first TC 10 Mile. I was terrified, I had never run double digits before...I had never run in a race this big before (over 10,000 runners!). But I knew that I had it in me, I knew that I had done was was necessary, and possible, and that my mind and body, which were both so determined before that I was not a runner, were on the same page. I crossed the finish line of that race and a switch flipped...I was a runner, I had run for TEN MILES non-stop, and I knew that I wasn't finished. The next day I signed up for my first Half Marathon, and the day after my first Half Marathon I signed up for my first Marathon. And I'm still not done. This year I did my first Half Ironman, and in a few years I plan on doing my first Ironman...what started with 5 out-of-breath minutes has become a lifestyle for me, an example for my kids, and a testament to being able to achieve what your mind believes.

So, as we approach the biggest race weekend in Minnesota, and I approach my third straight TC 10 Mile, I just want to say...You've got this! What ever "this" is...you CAN do it. Start with what's necessary, then do what's possible, and soon...you WILL do the impossible.

Happy Wednesday Runners!

Midweek Motivation!

How did Wednesday creep up on me already?!? I had a great run with my running group earlier this week and we talked a lot about excuses. Most of us in the group are Moms, and many of us are working Moms and I'm telling you, if there was ever a group of people who were entitled to make excuses for not doing things, it's us! The fact that it can sometimes take us an hour to find 5 minutes to go to the bathroom uninterrupted is evidence enough. However, as moms, we also have a keenly refined "Excuse BS" detector. We know almost immediately when an excuse our children (or husband) gives us for why they can't do something is full of baloney. "The dog ate my homework" might be the classic example, but we also know all about "My friends don't have to do the dishes" or "I thought [insert sibling’s name] was going to do it", and the ever popular "I don't know how to replace the toilet paper roll". But how good are you at knowing when your OWN excuse for not doing something is full of BS? "I don't have time" is a fall back many of us use, but if you really stop to think about it...you DO have time, you just have to make running and exercise a priority for that time.

I don't love getting up at 5am to go running...but you know what....some days, that's when I can make time to do it. Some Saturdays, I struggle to justify taking time away from family to go for a run, but I also know that if I don't, I'm likely to spend my time with them regretting that I didn't go out and get it done, which is doing them a disservice anyway. But, there are the days were you really just don't have time....and that's okay. Excuses are acceptable if you can really look at them and know they are true. I mean, if I witnessed the dog eating my kids' homework, I wouldn't let them beat themselves up about it, things happen. Just don't buy into the easy ones, don't believe everything you say because often "I don't have time" really means "I don't want to make the time" and that excuse will never hold water!

Happy Wednesday Runners!

Midweek Motivation: You Crazy!

Yesterday I read an article that made me laugh out loud. It was about how watching people compete in Ironman Wisconsin made the author get motivated to do some fairly mundane things (you can read it here). I think it struck a chord with me because I used to be him. I went to UMD for college and every year I would sit on the race course at Grandma's Marathon with a bunch of friends, drinking beer, cheering for the runners, and saying "Man, those people are crazy! But, I guess if they can run a marathon, I can probably do my laundry today".

Yesterday I was in the gym talking to one of our personal trainers. Anyone taking one look at this guy would think he is the most fit person on the planet....all ripply muscles, constantly holding a protein shake, doesn't own a shirt with sleeves, you know the type. We were talking about my half Ironman and all the running I did this summer (because...I'm a runner...what else would I talk about) and he says to me "You endurance athletes are crazy! I could never work out like that" Here is a guy who literally could be on the cover of a health magazine, admiring MY workout plan (plus, he called me an "endurance athlete"...bonus pride). It serves as a good reminder that no matter how "little" you think you do, no matter how "slow" you run, no matter that you "just" did a half marathon...someone out there thinks you are crazy because you are a runner. Someone else is looking at you in awe, being inspired by the fact that you have the courage to lace up your shoes and get out there and run! I've come a long way since my days of sitting on the side of Superior street, beer in hand, marveling at the marathoners, thinking they were super-human for voluntarily running 26.2 miles. So next time you think about how far you have to go in your training...just think about how far you've come and how many people out there wish they were crazy like you!

Midweek Motivation!

It's been so long since I sat down to write up a midweek motivation that I actually had a tough time trying to land on one theme. The past six weeks have been crazy for me in pretty much every aspect of my life...if I put it on paper, this is what it looks like:

• Days I've been at work: 42 out of the last 45
• Average hours per day I worked: 12.5
• Miles swam: 4.25
• Miles biked: 99.5
• Miles ran: 70.2
• Trips requiring an airplane: 1

Things I've accomplished in the past 6 weeks:
-Did a Half Ironman
-Got third place in my last triathlon
-Paced a Half Marathon
-Hosted two national championships at work
-Helped hire my new boss
-Planned our staff retreat
-Managed to find all my kids' school supplies at ONE Target
-Went rock climbing and mountain biking with my family
-Went to the State Fair and ate everything I wanted
-Cleaned my house (like REALLY cleaned it)
-Successfully got both kids on the school bus yesterday

Number of times I complained about not having enough time to get anything done: 1,342,956

Am I tired...YES
Do I feel awesome about myself and what I've been able to accomplish despite the million times I griped about not being able to do anything: HELL YES!

We all try so hard to achieve balance in our lives, to find that perfect mix of work, family, and me time. Well, I'm here to tell you, that is a MYTH. Balance doesn't look like three perfectly aligned scales filled with rainbows and sunshine. Balance is dirty, balance is frustrating, balance is EXHAUSTING! Balance is whatever we can make it be, working too much, exercising too little, finding time in our day to sit and read to our kids, finding a minute in your week to lock yourself in the bathroom for some quiet time...whatever your balance looks like, embrace it for what it is. Your crazy life will be harder than it is now, and it will be easier than it is now, but it's your life...breed success from being completely exhausted by living your life. Deal with the hard times now and reap the rewards they will bring later. It's okay to complain about not having time to do what you want to do, but be sure to reflect back on all you HAVE done and be proud of that.

Race Recap: Toughman Half Ironman!!!

Minnesota in July...it might not strike weather-fear into people like the phrase "Minnesota in January", but trust me, there are only two things you want to do in Minnesota in July...sit in front of your air conditioning vent or jump in a lake. If you are a normal person, the thing you definitely don't want to do in Minnesota in July is race a Half Ironman...but it's been awhile since I have considered myself "normal" so there I was, on July 24th, getting ready for the longest race of my short triathlon career...the Toughman Minnesota 70.3!

About a month before the race I seriously contemplated not doing it. I admittedly had not put in the training that I felt I should have up to that point. Work and life craziness had gotten in the way, and those were things I just had to deal with...so training took a back seat. I went to my circle of tri friends seeking advice and of course they all encouraged me to keep at it and see how I felt closer to race day. I followed that advice and kept plugging away. I found time to get out and ride some of the course, especially the hills around Taylors Falls. I told myself if I could manage that training session without feeling like I was going to die, then I was in. It was a great ride and really renewed my confidence. I also got an 11 mile run in, the longest since my last half marathon in May. It wasn't my most successful long run, but it felt good enough to keep me on my positive upswing. So there I was, race morning, knowing I could have trained better, but feeling surprisingly calm considering what I was about to embark on!

The obligatory "Flat Linda" picture to make sure I had everything I needed to wear!

I was up at 3:30 and thankfully I didn't have to tiptoe around. Bill and Kayley were in Rochester for her swim meet and Logan had spent the night with my sister. Sully of course figured since I was up it must be time for a walk. So we headed out for a quick loop around our block. While we were out I noticed some flashing in the sky...lightening!  I tried not to worry about it, it was still three and a half hours to the start of the race, but I silently cursed the sky "You are NOT going to cancel my race today!" After a few moments of trying to coerce Sully back in the house since our walk was shorter than normal, I got to readying. I had packed all my gear the night before, so I loaded everything in the truck then whipped up some eggs. I don't normally eat a lot before a race, but I wanted to save my normal PB & J with banana for about an hour out from the swim, so I figured I needed something else in my belly. I went up to change and check my hair (my sister had braided it for me the night before and it held up WAY better than when I try to do it myself.) Then I was out the door by 4:30. I passed nary a soul in the 30 minutes it took me to drive to Chisago Lakes, but as soon as I got into town I was met with a flurry of activity. Race vehicles setting up cones, police cars already closing off intersections, and plenty of athletes pushing their bikes along the road to the park. Thankfully the Half Ironman racers were allowed to park in a lot adjacent to the transition area, and thankfully I was there early enough to snag one of the last parking spots. I got out and immediately saw my friend Kim, it was great to see a friendly face right away. We chatted a minute before she had to go pick up her packet (I grabbed mine on Friday) then I got to work getting my bike set up. I had my borrowed bento box, which needed to get secured much better than I had done previously (it scratched against my knee the whole ride!), I filled up my new aero bottle, and pumped up my tires. I hit the porta-potty that was in the parking lot since there was no line, then came back to the truck to eat...thankful I had eaten the eggs earlier...I was pretty hungry and I know my sandwich and banana wouldn't have made it to 6am without them!

I found my spot in transition and dropped my bike and bag, I wanted to get to body marking before it got busy and I was in luck, I walked right up to the girl with the marker, and then promptly forgot my bib number. Thankfully she had a sheet and found it. "631" now adorned my left arm and calf. I should also mention she had very nice penmanship...it really irks me when I get a sloppy body marker ;) I went back to transition and got to work setting out my gear...that's when I heard the first announcement of the day..."Water Temp is 80-degrees, wet suits are not legal. You may wear one if you want, but you will not be eligible for awards, and you will start after all other racers have entered the water". Bugger! I really wanted to wear my new wet suit. I wanted the feel light and buoyant and not have to work as hard on the swim. Immediately all my rack mates started discussing the pros and cons of wearing vs. not wearing. Most everyone had the same thought..."I'm not going to make the podium, so I'm wearing it". Of course, the competitor in me starting thinking "Hmmm, if everyone else in your wave is going to wear a wet suit, you might have a chance at making the podium if you don't". This is ridiculous...I could have a motor on my bike and jet packs on my running shoes and the likelihood of my making a podium would still be laughable, but the thought always crosses my mine. No, I had to make my decision based on heat and convenience. I didn't want to get out of the water being hot, and it was already wicked humid out. I also hate getting into and out of my wet suit, so the idea of not having to hassle with it was very appealing. I decided to put it back in my bag. I'm a strong swimmer, I was going to have to deal with enough heat and inconvenience today, and I honestly was already sweating so much I likely wouldn't have had time to wriggle myself into the thing before the swim started anyway. Decision made, I was ready for one last visit to the biff, then off to the beach!

Perfectly prepared transition station...until my neighbor showed up and squished me in...but it's all good!

The beach was filling up fast, but I tried looking around for Kim, or any other familiar face to hang out with...unfortunately, all triathletes look the same before the swim, so I just did some half-hearted stretches and tried in vain to make out what the announcer was blabbing about (seriously, it's like Charlie Brown's teacher was giving the pre-race talk!). I did happen to find the woman from my wave who was really stressed trying to decide whether or not to wear a wet suit earlier. I told her she should just go with it if it was stressing her so much to think about swimming without it. But there she was, wet suit-free. She looked at me and said "I might grab on to your ankles when we start!" I told her to go ahead as I needed a challenge on the swim! Finally we heard the call for Wave One to get into the start corral. Waves were going off every 4 minutes and we were Wave 7. Cheers went up as the first wave hit the water, it wasn't until this very moment that I started to feel a little bit of nervousness. Even though I am a strong swimmer, I have had mild panic attacks at the start of tris before, and today I didn't have my wet suit to help keep me afloat if I succumbed to my nerves. So I took some deep breaths and kept moving up toward the start area. It was still super difficult to make out what the announcer was saying, so I was kind of surprised when my wave-mate shouted "Hey, we need to get to the water!" I was the last one from my wave in the corral, but I really wanted to start in front, so I moved forward and stayed on the outside, right where I'm most comfortable. One of my other wave-mates shouted "Let's be kind to each other out there ladies!" We all smiled at this as the wave of men that had gone before us looked like some sort of splashy mosh pit with everyone jockeying for the lead. The announcers words were finally clear as I heard him say "Good Luck Ladies....10...9..." I counted silently along in my head and hit the water running...and immediately said "OWWW! Rocks!!!" I couldn't believe how rocky it was out on the side of the corral. Note to self, get to the middle next time! I dove in, readying myself for the panic attack (I don't have a good name for what happens, because I'm not really panicked, but my heart starts to race, I have trouble getting good breaths in, and my arms feel like lead weights). This usually lasts for maybe 100 yards before I feel fine. Today though, it never set in. The water was warm, kind of weedy, but I felt smooth and strong from the start. The wet suit dilemma actually worked out in my favor. Since many of the racers had opted to wear them anyway, the early non-wet suit waves were pretty thin, I would say that I had less than half of the people starting with me than would have been there if wet suits were allowed. This meant that I had a lot of open water to swim in and didn't have to deal with feet and elbows in my face. I was able to swim my pace and just focus on keeping the buoys in sight. This was the best marked swim course I've ever been on, a big orange buoy marking every 1/10 of a mile. My first turn point was at the .5 buoy, I started to cut in so I could make a tight turn and encountered a group of swimmers, so I stayed outside and turned a bit wider than I like. I was glad to make the turn though, since I had been spotting straight into the sun before, I now felt like I could really put my head down and power through the rest of the swim. I felt awesome, I was holding a great breathing pattern and my shoulders were strong. I hit the next turn buoy at .9 and actually started to get sad that the swim was almost over...either that or I was starting to freak out about the 56 miles I had coming up on that bike seat! The abundance of weeds I was swimming through signaled that I was nearing the beach, and I took a look up and saw several swimmers starting to stand. I like to swim in as far as possible before getting to my feet so I kept stroking until I hit sand with my hands. As I was running up the beach I heard a loud and deep "Linda!" Even though I knew my friend Carla and her kids might be at the swim exit, I was pretty sure this was not her voice. I looked over to the crowd and saw the smiling face of Bill Melgaard, one of my coworkers. Bill lives in the Chisago Lakes area and every time he would see me on the trainer at the Rec Center I'd joke about him coming out to cheer me on during race day...that he could just sit on his front lawn with a beer and wave to me as I biked by. But here he was, right in the thick of things near transition, telling me "Good Job! Go, Go Go!" What a boost that was...I knew I had a great swim, and to have support going into the bike was just awesome! I got to my bike and was thankful not to be stripping off a wet suit. It was already so humid that I feel like the task of peeling that thing off would have been more taxing than the swim was. I strapped on my helmet, put on my shades, and shoes, took a quick sip of Gatorade and headed out.

Yes, that is "excitement" on my face...I mean, who isn't excited about being in a bike for 3 hours straight?

What can I recap about a 56 mile, 3 hour and 20 minute bike ride that wouldn't bore you to tears? Um....well...the hills weren't bad...no that's not exciting. I didn't blow a tire...yeah, big whoop. I know...I survived my first bottle exchange!! Now you might say, "So what?!?" But I'm telling you, I was so freaked out about the stupid water bottle exchange that I had major anxiety when I passed the volunteer who cheerily informed me that the water stop was just ahead. If you aren't familiar with how this works, basically you enter a "drop zone" where you are supposed to discard any empty water bottles, then you bike up to a volunteer who is holding a full water bottle out, grab it and tuck it into your water bottle cage or you grab it and squeeze it into your speed fill (which is what I have) then drop the empty bottle in the next "drop zone" before you leave the aid area. Easy Peasey right? Well, I was certain I was going to crash, or drop the bottle, or not discard my bottle in the right spot, or, god forbid, I would run over one of the helpful volunteers while trying to grab for the bottle! I slowed down as I approached, I locked eyes with the woman holding out a bottle of water in one had and a bottle of Gatorade in the other, and I shouted "Water please". She reached her bottle out a little further, I grabbed it, fumbled a bit getting the cap open, and squeezed with all my might to empty it into my speed fill. All of this took approximately 15 seconds...I was shocked, I didn't even wobble! I had plenty of room before I was out of the "drop zone" so I threw the bottle to the side and rode on...with a GIANT smile on my face! Weeks of worrying about this were gone in 15 seconds and I settled in for the next 40 miles to come. I wasn't very hungry on the ride, but I knew I was going to need energy for the run, so I ate all four Bonk Breakers I had packed along, the first right away at mile 3, the second right after the first water stop at mile 21, the third right before the second water stop at mile 42, and the last one right after I passed mile 50. I kept steadily sipping my water and Gatorade, and despite my crotch screaming for mercy every now and then, I actually felt like this ride went WAY better than I had planned. The climbs I had dreaded were tough, but doable, we had a few miles of strong headwinds, but honestly, as hot as it was, they were almost welcome! I even let myself open up on one of the downhills...I usually have my fingers firmly wrapped around my brakes, but the thrill of the wind in my face was amazing! I passed the 55 mile marker feeling excited and accomplished. I was confident now that I had made it through this ride that I was going to finish, even if I had to walk the next 13.1 miles, I was going to cross that line no matter what!

As I turned into transition I saw my friend Sara and her kids. Sara has been an amazing inspiration to me and I was so excited that she offered to come out and cheer me on. I was also pretty excited to finally be off my bike, but mostly excited to see her. I asked her to text my husband to tell him I was starting the run...he was hopeful that he and the kids might be able to make it back from the swim meet in time to see me finish. I navigated the narrow passageway from the Bike In spot to my rack and squeezed my bike into position...it would seem that the majority of my rack-mates had beat me in. No worries though, I was just thrilled to be getting ready to run. I got my helmet off and slipped my visor on. My feet were still wet, so I tried drying them on my towel as best I could and got my socks and shoes on. I stuffed the two gels I had laying out in my side pockets, and clipped on my hydration belt. I started left to get to the Run Out and noticed the porta-potty to my right. I decided it was a good time to visit. The volunteer in transition said "run out to the left" I looked at her and smiled "I gotta pee!" There is never too much TMI at a triathlon. I had to wait a minute for the racers before me to finish their business, as I was standing there I started to worry if my legs were going to allow me to stand back up after I sat down...but then the door opened and I hurried in, did what I needed to do and hurried back out before my mind could decide that I was going to sit there for the rest of the day. I passed by the Run Out banner and the volunteers holding water cups and started down the winding grass path to the park trail. It was there I finally saw my friend Carla and her family. Carla had come out to cheer on her husband as he did the sprint course today, his first triathlon, and they had decided to stay to cheer on me and the other Half Ironman racers. Her son Kieran was standing next to the trail with a big smile and his hand outstretched....a high five was just what I needed right now!

High Fives from five year olds are the BEST!

I exited the park and got out on the road...it was hot, I mean stupid-HOT! My legs felt strong, I was certain my nutrition and hydration was spot on, but once I was out on the black top with no shade...I knew that the next 13 miles were not going to be fun. Before the race, I had hoped to do the run in 2 hours and 30 minutes. I knew I shouldn't have a time goal, but based on training, I thought that was a generous pace for myself after the bike. So I was a bit shocked when I passed the 1 mile marker and looked at my watch and it read "Pace: 9:40". I told myself "Whoa, slow down speedy!" I backed off to about a 10:10 pace and felt really good. I actually started to think that maybe I could do a 2:15 finish on this run! That fantasy lasted until about mile 4...that is when I bonked...hard! We had turned off the main road and were now on a dirt road that had a little shade, but at mile four we hit a hill, in the full sun, and I just had to walk. I didn't feel defeated, I figured there'd be some walking during this thing, I had just hoped it would come later in the race. I walked up the hill and agreed to start running at the top. I picked it back up and tried to hold closer to the 11:30 per mile pace I had planned on from the beginning. This lasted until the water stop at mile 5, then I had to take a walk break again. I was roasting and my heart rate was speeding. Each water stop was thankfully stocked with buckets of ice and cold water, so I stood at stop 5 pouring ice down my shirt and sipping water, then a volunteer pulled out a garden hose and I blissfully stood under the spray for several seconds. Finally, I figured I needed to get back at it and started up at a slow run...I was right around 12:00 miles at this point, but I didn't care anymore. Finishing now became the priority, my time goals would have to wait for another day. We encountered a small uphill section right before mile 6 and there was a fun group of spectators cheering for everyone there. "The turn around is just ahead" someone shouted and for whatever reason, this gave me a bit of a second wind. I ran from that point, through the turn around and to the next aid station at about a 10:30 pace. I walked some more through and after that aid station and kept a walk/run pace going for the next few miles. I kept negotiating points with myself, "Okay, just run to the sign post, then you can walk to the tree branch". This seemed to be the plan for many of the other athletes I met up with at this point in the race, the heat was taking it toll on all of us, but we all shared the same determination to finish. As I passed the 11 mile marker I knew that I would soon come up on the last aid station before the finish. I decided at this point to walk a bit and take my shirt off. I'm not a fan of running only in my sports bra...not because I'm super-modest or anything, I just don't think it's very "me". But at that point, I just wanted to do anything I could to feel more air on my skin. My friend Jill, an Ironman who lives in San Antonio, had hammered into my head "Cool Your Core!" so as I pulled my shirt over my head and tucked it into my pants, I said aloud "This is for you Jill!" I could see the aid station up ahead so I started running again so I could get there a little faster. There was a sweet little girl with two cups of water in her hands, I thanked her and asked if she wanted to pour them over my head...she happily obliged. I stopped at the next volunteer and asked her to fill up my water bottle as I scooped handfuls of ice into the front and back of my bra. She handed me back my bottle and said, "You're doing great, you are almost there!" I thanked her and started back out. One and a half miles to go! I had good intentions of running the rest of the way, but I needed one more quick walk break shortly before I hit the 12 mile banner. As I could see it coming up though, I resolved myself that I was going to run from that banner to the finish! I reached the banner and picked it back up. My watch had run out of battery (or got so soaked it stopped working) at some point after mile 10, so I have no idea of what my pace was that last mile, but considering my shoes scraped on the ground with almost every step, I have to imagine it was not my fastest. But I was running, and I could see the crowds picking up near the park. I turned the corner and ran up on to the sidewalk that would lead to the park trail. As I came into the playground area I saw Sara and Carla and all the kids and waved frantically at them...since I had taken my shirt off it took everyone a minute to register it was me, but they all started cheering. I scanned the crowd to see if I could spot Bill, Kayley, or Logan, knowing it was a long shot that they made it. It was right about now, knowing I was just yards away from the finish, that I got really emotional. I'm not a "crier" but I could feel the water works starting. I was actually having trouble catching my breath between sobs. I did notice that no tears were actually coming out...thanks dehydration! I turned one more corner, not happy to see that a hill awaited me before crossing the finish line, but it really didn't matter anymore, I would have run up Mount Everest at that point just to be done with this race. I entered the shoot at the same time as another racer and decided I was going to cross first. I turned on what ever jets were still lurking in my legs and powered through. I had done it...70.3 miles! I started crying again when the volunteer gave me my medal. I grabbed a gloriously cold bottle of water from another volunteer and connected with Sara and Carla. I was so thankful to have them there. Carla offered to take my finisher picture, but this was about all I could muster...

Finished...in every which way!!!

I like to use mantras during long training sessions and races, and I had plenty of them today. "Just Keep Swimming", "Kill this Hill", "Cool Your Core" (TM Jill Hartsell :), "I Can Do Hard Things", but at about mile 9 of the run, the only thing I kept telling myself was "In 4 miles you can go jump in the lake", "In 3 miles you can go jump in the lake", "In 2 miles you can..." well, you get the picture. So I plodded back into transition, dumped off my gear and headed back down to the beach. It was cleared now, barely a sign that my race had started there less than 7 hours ago. There were a few people relaxing on blankets and a few other racers swimming around. I walked in and let the glorious water engulf me...I dove in and it was just the best part of my day!

While there are a few things I may have done differently (hello...sunscreen reapplication), all in all I was really happy with my race. While my run may have been a bit slower than I was hoping, I had crushed the swim and felt strong on the bike. I did what I had to do on the run to make sure I crossed the finish line. I accomplished something I really never would have imagined I had in me and that's the true victory of the day!