Mission Accomplished!

On Sunday morning I took several minutes to channel Michael Phelps, well not really, but I did sit, mediate and listen to my ipod playing the music that I wanted running though my head during the race as my mental soundtrack. We were all up early including poor Megan, and we head way out east to the reservoir.

I was feeling really good until we got within sight of part of the bike route. Those were some damn big hills! We got to the parking area - I ran to the port-a-potty from all my hydrating I'd done. I went and got all set up in the transition area, and started talking to women here and there(This was an all women's event, which was a very cool way to go.)and everyone was so nice, excited, yet an overall sense of nervousness.

My friends Kelly and Carolyn were both there too and we finally all connected and had a chance to chat before things got underway. And here's a picture of us all fresh before the race.

Our friend Mary also came to cheer us all which meant a lot to me too. Everyone has been so supportive and it's been so amazing to so surrounded by love and friendship.

Finally it was time to get started so I separated from Kelly and Carolyn, who were doing the longest distance so they were in a different transition area and got an earlier start. While waiting for the okay to start in my transition area I ran into another women that I knew who was doing the short distance who I chatted with a bit, and strangers as well.

After lots of nervous waiting I was finally off.


The bike route was 12 miles and it was incredibly hard. The course description said it had "rolling hills". "Rolling" sounds so gentle and peaceful - WRONG - and it neglected to mention "strong headwinds", which I guess at times had to be tailwinds, but hell if I felt that. I would fight up to the top of a hill, my heart rate through the roof, and finally I would get the rush of the fast descent. Unfortunately the descents were too short and the flats were essentially non- existent. I was so worried that I wouldn't have anything left for the run, because I couldn't get in any recovery time to get my heart rate down following those hills. The best part of the bike part was definitely at about the 1/2 way point there was some group of 50 some high school-aged boys lined up along the side of the road cheering, hollering and screaming for all they were worth and it was right before/after a turn around point so I got to go through that awesome gauntlet twice!

But finally the bike was over and I headed back into the transition area with one thought on my mind - "Thank goodness for the run, I finally get to stand up straight, my lower back was killing me."

In the transition area I managed to find my spot somehow:

Now I'd said from the beginning that I wasn't in this for time and a fast transition wasn't that important to me, I had one of the longest transitions as it was - I had to go to the bathroom, you know, I can't run without having peed first!. I also took off my helmet and gloves, changed into my running shoes, took a couple of Cliff Shot Blocks, changed a short-sleeve shirt and put my hair into a ponytail. But perhaps I should have taken a little more time. I forgot to put on my knee brace and if you look closely:
I also managed to get my shirt on backwards! Which Jay pointed out to me after the race was over, which explained why it was so hot that I kept tugging at shirt collar.

The running was hard, it was hillier than where I normally run, it was concrete-I NEVER run on concrete, and I forgot my knee brace. But I was really glad that I'd learned the lesson about running my own race. At one point I caught up to the friend I knew doing the shorter distance walking along and she decided she'd run with me, that was until the first hill she started walking again but I kept going. There were a lot of walkers during the run, and several times I was passed by someone running just to pass them again on an uphill portion after they had stopped to walk, which was hard because it would have felt good to walk . . .for about 2 seconds and then I would have been kicking myself that I threw it all away - hence one of my favorite quotes from Lance Armstrong - Pain is Temporary. Quitting last Forever. The other quote that ran through my head a few times during the run is "To do any less than your Best is to Deny the Gift." And this new found fitness is a huge gift that I don't intend to waste.

I almost drowned myself 2 or 3 times at water stations by getting water up my nose when trying to get a drink before I learned to stop doing that and refusing water at the stations. I saw Kelly coming the other way at one point and we did a quick High-5. But soon I knew the finish was coming and I actually started to get a little teary, I was so proud of myself, but I had to stop that thinking because I wasn't there yet.

I finally got to the finish and Jay and Megan were there to cheer me on home,

and Megan helped me the rest of the way:

Carolyn and Kelly were there to greet me on the other side:


I had a great time, I was really stiff afterwards, particularly the knee that should have had a brace, I was really hungry yesterday afternoon and took a HARD nap. But I feel really pretty good today and am going for a massage tonight (which I was smart enough to schedule a week or so ago).

Last night I found myself on the Internet looking up more duathlons and I'm already working on the next goal. If any women, here in Colorado, are considering a duathlon, or some sort of physical challenge I would highly, highly, highly recommend this race. It was so none competitive, and there were women of all sorts of varying ages and abilities out there that everyone can feel comfortable doing their thing.

Last week's stats were as follows:

6 hrs 16 min 30 sec working out (includes 2 yoga classes
Doesn't include shoveling/wheelbarrowing 5 cubic yards of mulch
2099 calories burned
My first DONE-althon!!!