tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-294076972024-03-21T14:04:00.430-05:00...my magic bean...a chronicle of my plant fueled adventures in triathlonMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.comBlogger791125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-4236154986712627872015-11-15T09:28:00.005-05:002015-11-15T09:28:37.672-05:00Ironman Chattanooga 2015 Race Report<div class="MsoNormal">
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<b>LEADING UP TO RACE
DAY<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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There’s so much to share I almost don’t know where to
start. The Ironman journey was nearly a
year in the making. Once I signed up in
the fall of 2014, I kicked off training in January 2015. I didn’t have the funds to hire a coach, so I
opted to go it alone when it came to training.
I gathered training plans from my roll teammate Dawn (a 7 time Ironman
finisher), one from the Ironman site, one from Aaron Schrein (my former run
club coach), and I kind of combined them all together – then promptly stopped looking
at them. Yes, I admit, I had no training
plan. Well, I had a plan – I just didn’t
pay much attention to it. Because I work
in fitness, my weeks were filled with teaching and attending classes, so I
hoped that would do most of the work for me.
Luckily it all worked, but there were some initial nerves going into
this event! I didn’t have the miles
under my belt that many others did, and I was relying on very different
training – shorter bursts of intervals, strength training, and lots of short/fast
rides rather than long rides. I also
didn’t swim much at all. A lot of things
could go wrong. ::sigh::<o:p></o:p></div>
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Now to the event weekend…….I met my roll: racing teammates Gena,
Michelle, Matt, and Siobhan at the Briggs’ residence on Thursday morning before
the race. We loaded our gear up into two
different cars and made the way to Chattanooga. Easy trip in, and we were at
the rental house in Lookout Mountain, GA around 7pm. The house was absolutely beautiful, and we
had plenty of space. I was initially
worried that being away from downtown Chattanooga would be a problem, but in
the end, I think having that refuge away from the madness was integral in
keeping stress levels low. We all did
great together in the house, and staying there will hold a special place in my
IMCHOO memories.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Friday was check in – in the rain. Shopping – in the rain. Everything – in the
rain. It rained from Thursday through
Saturday night without little letup.
That’s okay – as we hoped it would increase the flow of the river and
drop temps to make the swim wetsuit legal.
It just made for a damp several days.
We had some meals out – burritos at Mojo Burrito on Thursday night,
lunch at a riverfront restaurant on Friday, and I went with Dawn and Paul to a
street fair hosted by Outside magazine on Friday night, too, after the Central
Ohio IMCHOO get together. Dawn and I
split a funnel cake and both ended up sick that evening due to undercooked
batter. AWESOME (not good to wake up at
2am with serious GI issues less than 24 hours before race start).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Saturday, Dawn and I were feeling better (thank goodness),
and we made our way down to Ironman Village for some random reason (Saturday
morning is a blur to me – what the hell did we do that day??), then we headed
back up the mountain. My dear friend
from grad school, Lauren, and another friend, Brian, drove in from Atlanta to
wish me well. I had a nice crying spell
in the backyard of the rental house as I hugged my longtime friend who I so
dearly miss. Dawn and I decided to get
our bags together and drop off bikes down at the Village, so we double checked
all the bag contents and headed back down the mountain. We went through the check in process to drop
off bikes and bags, then I split off to hang out with Lauren and Brian a bit to
show them the Ironman sites and explain the ridiculosity of the whole
event. After wandering a bit, Lauren and
Brian took me back to the house and said their goodbyes to allow me some time
to rest. It was hard to say bye to Lauren, but I was so touched that she and
Brian made the trip out to see me.<o:p></o:p></div>
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That evening we had a team dinner at the house – simple and
lovely. Pasta, sauce, salad and garlic
bread (and wine). I felt so grateful to
be going through this experience with so many friends. Being around them all really helped ease my
nerves and make this “individual event” feel somewhat like a team endeavor!!
Before bed, we put our race tattoos and I was in bed by about 9pm. Before trying to sleep, I read through all the
letters, cards, texts and facebook messages from friends far and wide. To say I was overcome by the amount of
support is an understatement. I felt
like I had the support of SO many people going into IMCHOO – how did I get so
lucky? Amazingly enough, sleep came easily, and I was out pretty quickly.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>RACE MORNING<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The alarm was ringing at 4:15am, and I was ready to go. I sat up pretty quickly and grabbed my manual
breastpump I brought with me. Mira is
still nursing, and I wanted to do all I could to preserve my supply even being
away for a few days. Therefore, I REALLY
had to make sure I pumped before 15+ hours of an athletic event. I pumped about ten minutes then rolled out of
bed, got dressed, grabbed coffee, grabbed bike bottles, went to the bathroom,
and I had some toast with peanut butter for breakfast. I got my morning clothes bag in hand, and we
all loaded up and headed out shortly after 5am.
We dropped off Special Needs bags, checked our bikes, then boarded the
bus for the swim start together – all 5 of us.
I am so glad we had each other.
Having those ladies there for the start was huge in keeping nerves
low. We waited for a while in the start
line, but honestly time seemed to go by fast.
Before we knew it, the line had been split into wetsuit vs non wetsuit
(the water temp was high enough to not make wetsuits “legal”), so we donned our
suits and stayed to the right. The line
started moving, and within a half an hour, we were walking barefoot through the
muck on our way to the dock. As I
started towards the dock, a volunteer slapped the back of my shoulder and said
“Get ready for the best swim of your life” and I thought “heck yeah – let’s do
it.” All five roll: ladies all made our
way to the dock, and I clamped my nose with two fingers and took a flying leap
into the river as I said “weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”.
GAME. ON.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>SWIM – 2.4 miles<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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The water temp was great.
I don’t recall needing any time to adapt to the water temp – it just
felt comfortable right away – especially in the wetsuit. Open water swimming (let’s be honest –
swimming in general) is not my favorite, so it always takes a bit to get warmed
up. I knew the swim would be three main
parts – getting to the island, swimming the length of the island, then three
bridges. Divide it into thirds, and just
swim that part. In the beginning, I
would sight ahead and say “make it just past the yellow kayak, then you can
rest; now, the blue; now, the green.”
Eventually, I was making the goals further away – the boat on the left,
oh hey – THE ISLAND! Before I knew it, I
had found a good rhythm. I breathed to
the right every other stroke, and I had my own swim space. I had a dude that kept smacking me for a
while, but after I stopped to breaststroke for a bit, he moved away. Traffic started to get heavier as we made our
way around the island, so I had to jockey for space a bit. I kept my pacing though and just kept
swimming. All of a sudden, I looked up
and saw a bridge! Already to part
3! Three bridges, then exit left. It felt like it took a while to get to bridge
one, then to bridge two, but there I was finally at bridge 3 and I knew the
exit was coming. I saw that red buoy and
the stairs. It didn’t feel like I had
been in the water long at all. I knew
coming in that I had an awesome swim. Indeed, I had! I highly recommend this
swim for folks not that crazy about open water swims – having the current helps
weaker swimmers, and the water quality and visibility seemed pretty
reasonable. Great experience and a
confidence booster for future OWS!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>TIME: 1 hour 7 minutes
for 2.4 miles (1:44/100m)<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>T1: Swim to Bike<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Because the swim was so fast for so many, the changing tent
was packed when I got in there with my T1 bag.
I had heard volunteer support was great in the tents, but because there
were so many people, I didn’t have anyone to help me. No worries – I got this. Until I put on my bib shorts backwards and
had a leg through an arm hole.
BREATHE. Slow down, sit down, get
your clothes on right. I looked up and
saw Michelle D, one of my teammates, in the tent too. I knew Michelle was a strong swimmer this
year, so I was pumped to be in the tent the same time as her! I got her attention and said hi! A volunteer
rushed over and asked if I needed help.
By then, I was starting to get my shit together. Finally got my bibs on,
left my sports bra on from the swim, and I put on my roll: cycling jersey. Grabbed my glasses, put on my helmet and
shoes, and I was off. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>TIME: 10:53<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>BIKE – 116 miles<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Here’s my basic thoughts on the bike course – absolutely
beautiful, kind of hilly but not bad (riding in Granville is great to prep for
mildly hilly rides like this), and absolutely beautiful. Did I say that already? Amazingly enough – even though the bike
course takes the majority of time in the race – I don’t have a ton to share
here! I was warned by others to not take
the first loop too fast. I had also
heard the mantra “If you have a fast bike, you will have a crap run.” I knew I could shine more on the run, so I
decided to conserve a bit for that. I
never went all out, but I tried to keep the speed in the 15mph+ zone as much as
possible. I wanted a 16mph average on
the bike overall, so that was the only goal I kept in mind.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It seemed like time was in a vacuum a bit on the ride. I looked at my computer once and was shocked
to see I had already been on the bike for almost 3 hours. It didn’t feel like that at all. I felt good, and I was really enjoying
myself. Between HEED for my drink, BASE
Salts every 10-12 miles, and a Shot Block every 10-12 miles, I felt nutrition
was spot on. When I hit special needs in
Chickimagua, I didn’t really want to stop, but I did so I could grab my
sandwich and down a few Pringles. I also
chugged half a bottle of Coke. I went
out pretty quickly because I felt good and just wanted to keep rolling. The climb out of Chickimagua seemed like it
would never end, and I was glad to get started on the second loop.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Around Mile 90, I started to get excited because I thought
90 seemed close to 100, and 100 seemed close to 116. Then I started to do the math and realized
that 26 miles still meant about an hour and a half on the bike. SIGH.
I was ready to be done riding at that point. I never wanted to stop – I was just “over”
riding. The last 10 miles seemed to take
FOREVER. When I finally rolled up on the
dismount line, I was super excited to hand over my bike. It was time to hit the
strong part of my race – the run.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>TIME: 7:37:50,
15.2mph, 116 miles<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>T2: Bike to Run<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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By this time, the field had spread, so there was plenty of
space in the changing tent, and a volunteer grabbed my bag and sat down on the
ground ready to help me get ready. I
changed out of my jersey and bib shorts into my roll: tri shorts and my VO2 tri
top. There’s no such thing as modesty in
the changing tent – which is a bit odd and awesome at the same time. Ha! I
had a pic of Mira on a luggage tag from Bryn in my bag, and I gave it a big
kiss for some power. Got on my race
belt, the volunteer lubed up my underarms with Vaseline, got my shoes on, visor
and sunglasses, and I was out. I was
excited to run my first marathon!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>TIME: 7:58<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>RUN – 26.2 miles<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I had never run a marathon before, so I wasn’t quite sure
what to expect. The longest run in
training was 17 miles, and that run was a bust due to crap nutrition and
hydration. I planned to make this part
of the race a success – I knew I had plenty of time to finish before midnight,
so I wanted to make the marathon as pleasant an experience as possible.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The first six miles went by FAST. I walked every aid station and a bit in
between. I started off counting my steps
– for every 500 I ran, I got to walk 100 steps.
For every extra 100 steps over 500 I ran, I gave myself an extra 100
steps to walk. This worked REALLY well getting
over the mental hurdle of thinking about running a marathon in those early
miles. I realized I was feeling pretty
good, so I just stopped counting the steps and just ran. It felt good, so why
the hell not? I saw Dawn at Mile 4 and her foot was killing her. I had a bag of Advil on me, so I gave her a
few in hopes it would help her pain!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Around mile 10 or so, I had a big cup of soda, and I think
the bubbles started to make me a bit gassy.
My stomach felt distended, so I decided I should probably back off on
the soda even if it tasted delish. I saw Gena coming back into town as I was
hitting the super hilly part of the course, and she looked great. I gave up any hope of catching her, so I just
kept with running my own race. I was
eating orange slices at each stop, sometimes some chips or pretzels, Gatorade
at one station, then water at the next. I
saw Lynne as I was headed back into town from my first loop and she seemed
worried about time – I hoped she was doing okay. The half way point was on me, and I was at
special needs. I grabbed my bag and
realized I needed nothing in it – not the jacket, the bandaids, the wipes – I
was feeling great. I stashed a couple
bandaids in my pocket just in case, but I was on my second loop pretty fast.<o:p></o:p></div>
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On the second loop I got to see the big blood/harvest moon
that was out – that was lovely. I kept
running in any flat place I could – I now knew the back 4 miles of the loop
were hilly as hell, so if it looked reasonably flat anywhere else, my feet
better be moving quick. I realized, too,
that I may actually be able to meet my super secret time goal of 15 hours – at
this point I knew I would finish, so now I wanted to finish faster. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Several people had told me to prepare for “the wall” to hit
around mile 21. I remember passing the
“Mile 21” sign and actually looking around and preparing for this wall to jump
out and smack me. It never did. Sure, I was tired and my legs were getting
achy – but dammit, this is Ironman! It’s
supposed to hurt a bit, right? I walked
the uphills, ran the downhills, and I was eating ice in between aid stations
(and using BASE Salts every couple aid stations). My stomach had recovered from the soda, and I
was feeling pretty damn good.<o:p></o:p></div>
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At Mile 24, I ran into Jeanne Bauer, and we hugged and
talked quickly about our experience so far.
We ran a bit together, then Jeanne sent me on my way – she wanted to
walk, and I kept with the run. I knew we
were SO close, and I was ready to be done.
As I hit the boardwalk bridge, I could hear the announcer saying names
and the crowd was cheering. The
spectators on the bridge were so encouraging – they were clapping and saying
“you look great! Stay strong! You are going to be an Ironman!” I had a huge
smile those last two miles. So much so that
my cheeks hurt afterwards. As I rounded
into town, I thought of Mira and how much I missed her. This is the longest I had ever been apart
from her, and I wanted to see my baby girl.
I started to well up with tears but pushed them back – this was a celebration.
I hoped she would be proud of me once
she got bigger and knew about this accomplishment.<o:p></o:p></div>
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It was then I realized I was about to enter the finishers
chute – it was a lot longer than I thought it would be. There was a dude in front of me, but I put on
the speed and sprinted ahead of him. I
now had the whole chute to myself. I
high fived a couple folks, then I hit the middle of the chute, put my arms up
and sprinted in. I heard “Michelle
Newman Brady – YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!” I was just thrilled. So thrilled. I’m an Ironman. Wow.
Who knew that was even possible?<o:p></o:p></div>
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The day was just amazing - I never wanted to stop the whole
day. Never wanted to give up. Sure, I got tired and I was ready to be off
the bike at mile 90. But I never had a
moment of “oh gosh please let this be over.”
I felt strong the majority of the race, and my unorganized training
actually served me really, really well.
Ironman Chattanooga was an amazing, awesome experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>TIME: 5:25:13,
12:24/mile<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b><i>FINAL TIME: 14:28:59<o:p></o:p></i></b></div>
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After the finish, I went straight to our team tent, hugged
Gena, hugged our team Sherpas, then sat in a chair. Paul had a massage stick, and I went to work
on my legs right away. It hurt, but I
think it aided in my recovery. We started
figuring out where Michelle, Dawn, and Lynne were on the course so we could see
them come in. It’s a bit of a blur after
that – I stood at the edge of the chute and got to see all of my fellow
ladyrollers finish. We hugged, we took
pictures. It was ridiculously cool. And
surreal.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I slept that night with the medal next to me. When I woke up in the morning, it almost
seemed like a dream. A really great
dream. Not sure if and when I will do
another. This experience was so great, I
don’t know how I could top it. I’ll take
some time over the next year to get faster at other distances. I’ll probably come back to Ironman at some
point, but if I don’t that’s okay too.
The experience I had was amazing, so it should hopefully last for a
while!!<o:p></o:p></div>
Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-25418407135655207652014-05-05T17:27:00.002-05:002014-05-05T17:27:32.025-05:00Even more new adventures! MNB Wellness ConsultingHowdy, readers!<br />
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Can you believe my baby girls is now EIGHT MONTHS OLD? Where on earth has time gone? </div>
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I am actually starting up a new endeavor - check it out here:</div>
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<a href="http://mnbwellnessconsulting.com/">mnbwellnessconsulting.com</a></div>
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Between growing my business and raising my baby girl, I haven't had much time to write here. My goal is to pick this back up soon. Our little monkey heads into child care next week, so I will have a chance to get back to some stuff I "used" to do!</div>
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In the meantime, please go check out my new adventure, and don't hesitate to reach out!!</div>
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Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-82198262381559035182013-11-06T17:45:00.000-05:002013-11-06T17:45:00.424-05:00Temporary Relocation!Just a reminder that I have temporarily relocated to my new blog "Monkey Torture" - it is a journal of our little girl's adventures with hip displaysia. Come on over!<br />
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<a href="http://monkeytorture.blogspot.com/">http://monkeytorture.blogspot.com/</a><br />
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Our baby girl in her Pavlik harness</div>
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Mom and Mira on Week 2 of the harness!</div>
<br />Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-32642732871763483772013-10-21T05:30:00.001-05:002013-10-21T05:30:23.251-05:00A new journeyBaby girl's clean bill of health had one glitch. At a routine pediatrician appointment, the doc noticed a click in her left hip. An ultrasound at the local children's hospital confirmed the diagnosis - hip dysplasia. (DDH)<div><br></div><div>We start treatment at Nationwide Children's Hospital this Thursday. I've started a new blog to chronicle our journey - there's not a ton of info out there about DDH, so I'm hoping a log of our journey may help someone else.</div><div><br></div><div>Check it out at monkeytorture.blogspot.com.</div><div><br></div><div>I'll still post running/tri stuff here. I'm now into week 2 of C25k and it's going great. Goodness knows I need the therapy that running is right now!</div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb9rdxuw_CYm8hYpMruzfTU7UURK8rlQJz0ErFD2Ov0aEYYqSQ_KewCmm9aJ8RhH97Y0BEJIxPosbCy_2TKYysv5v4KKW6RlJsPKWfi11i7fH5Jk7-VKh6ScZftLf94bIq0sK/s640/blogger-image--58294683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizb9rdxuw_CYm8hYpMruzfTU7UURK8rlQJz0ErFD2Ov0aEYYqSQ_KewCmm9aJ8RhH97Y0BEJIxPosbCy_2TKYysv5v4KKW6RlJsPKWfi11i7fH5Jk7-VKh6ScZftLf94bIq0sK/s640/blogger-image--58294683.jpg"></a></div>Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-59708919503039032712013-10-08T20:16:00.004-05:002013-10-08T20:16:59.034-05:00Starting OverToday, Mira is five weeks old.<br />
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Today, I started Couch to 5K. Last time I did C25K was when I first started running - back in 2007? Today (with jogging stroller in tow), I ran/walked 1.9 miles in 28:30.<br />
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WOW.<br />
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I have a long way to get back where I was, but you have to start somewhere.<br />
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And <i>today</i>, I started.Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-23005755028014928572013-09-14T13:45:00.001-05:002013-09-14T13:45:13.904-05:00And it begins....Mirabelle Hope Brady was born on September 3, 2013 at 12:58am. She weighed 8lb 9 oz at birth and was 20 inches long. She was born at our local hospital, 100% natural with no medication, and we had the assistance of a wonderful doula throughout the labor process. Labor lasted 10 hours, and my wonderful husband and amazing doula were the best birth team I could have ever imagined. At delivery, I was surrounded by a group of wonderful women - my midwife, nurses, etc. It was exactly the birth I hoped for, and the end result was a beautiful and healthy baby girl.<br />
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Our hospital stay was lengthened one day due to a bit of jaundice, but Mira received a clean bill of health from the pediatrician the Monday following release from the hospital. Less than three days at home, and my baby girl was already back at birth weight + four ounces. She is amazing, and her Dad and I are totally in love with her.<br />
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More updates later, but I thought I would let blog land know she is here!!<br />
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Doula Megan, Mike, Midwife Erica, me and Mirabelle</div>
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Miss Mira and her adorableness</div>
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Hospital photo - she barely looks like this anymore!</div>
Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-67061267459670475662013-08-27T11:02:00.000-05:002013-08-27T11:02:27.518-05:00STILL PregnantHowdy, blog land! In case any of you are curious - I am STILL pregnant and am starting to come to terms with the fact I may be forever.<br />
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In an amazing turn of events though, my hips no longer hurt like those of an 80 year old woman, and I am able to actually get out and walk for several miles without any pain. I believe this is because my body has decided this child will live in my womb forever and must adapt if I am to stay a sane and somewhat normal person.<br />
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With that being said, I am SO ready to meet my baby girl and to get on with becoming a parent!! The room is ready, the car seat is in the car, and all we can do is WAIT. My due date is Thursday (Wednesday if you trust those internet due date trackers), and so far no signs of impending labor.<br />
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My mom informed me that I was TWELVE days late. TWELVE. I could actually be pregnant through almost mid September. If this is the case, you may find me in a corner somewhere rocking myself as I sob. <br />
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Send good vibes - baby girl will be here eventually, RIGHT?Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-74113042872810640672013-06-20T12:45:00.004-05:002013-06-20T12:45:39.264-05:00The end of Google ReaderEvery couple of days when I log into Google Reader, I am reminded that the service expires on July 1. That used to seem like a long way away. I now realize that is less than two weeks from today.<br />
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Over the past several years, I have accumulated a blog roll that I scan every so many days. I started skipping posts from certain blogs a long time ago - they either made me feel bad, or the person writing them annoyed the crap out of me. Some folks stopped writing their blogs, and I scan hopeful that maybe today will be the day they reappear.<br />
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I don't approach my reading list with the zest and gusto I used to. When I started the blog, I wrote it with the intention of pursuing a travel blog. "Travel" actually turned into "fitness." I started running more, then racing triathlons, then joining a team, and now I'm on my way to being a mom. I'm also on my way to making health and wellness my career. I began teaching spinning class, then boot camp. I'm hoping to possibly start teaching some baby boot camp classes after my girl arrives. I even registered for classes through the Mayo Clinic and will become a professional coach in the next year. This blog led me to big big things.<br />
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Anyway, as Google Reader comes to a close, I haven't migrated my blog list. I think I will just let it dissipate. When I need the blog community, I will seek it out again - this time from my new point in life. A lot of the blogs I used to read for advice and inspiration have moved on - much like I have. We have all reached and surpassed milestones. We've all learned a lot more of what we are made of - and I think we took the support and encouragement skills we learned here and have started to apply them to people in our non online realm.<br />
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So it is with that I say THANK YOU to all the folks I have crossed paths with online over the past several years. There are blogs I never even commented on that changed my life perspective. I may come here and post occasionally, or I may not. I have no idea. But I am so glad this written history is here. I look forward to sharing it with my daughter. <br />
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So, thanks blogland - you are pretty awesome.Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-88914279237793035702013-05-06T16:13:00.001-05:002013-05-06T16:13:17.162-05:00How time fliesHey hey there, everyone!<br />
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Life has been a bit crazy, and I don't really see this as a pregger lady blog - hence the quietness here lately. I just thought I would check in briefly and say things are going well.<br />
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Now since spring has officially arrived in Ohio, I am back to walking outside and have managed to jump on the bike a couple of times, too.<br />
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Unlike may pregger ladies in the blogosphere, I have opted to NOT be Miss Fitness during this journey but instead take some time away from the training schedule. For all intents and purposes, I have been "in training" for about 2.5 years now. The break has been welcome. I definitely miss my schedule - and racing - but I am also enjoying a more relaxed lifestyle for a while. Don't get me wrong, I haven't stopped doing everything. I just haven't been running 3 days a week, biking 4 days a week and swimming 3 days a week. It's about four days of walk a week and a day of cycling. That's it - and it works fine.<br />
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As my triathlon teammates are starting their seasons, I am taking great pleasure in playing an active support role for them. I plan to go out and cheer folks on at races, volunteer, etc - I'll be present, but just in different ways. <br />
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We found out a couple of weeks ago that we are having a little girl. Mirabelle Hope Brady is developing wonderfully, and I have continued to feel great. We are still on track for a late August delivery.<br />
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In the meantime, I have several friends who are due between now and then, so it has been a lot of fun to see all the babies arrive. <br />
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That's about it here - I hope all of you in blog land are doing awesome!Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-38905834899666379782013-03-12T16:10:00.000-05:002013-03-12T16:10:47.372-05:00Week 16 - Smooth SailingAs of tomorrow, I am officially into Week 16. This pregnancy is flying by - within a month I will be halfway there. Well, baby will be halfway there.<br />
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I have been extremely lucky this whole process - still no sickness, and everything seems to be fine with the developing kiddo. Fingers staying crossed!<br />
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This is week two of not teaching spinning classes; I miss it, but I know I made the right call. While I haven't put myself into a structured workout schedule, I am staying fairly active. I managed to get out for a hilly 13 mile bike ride last weekend on a beautiful 66 degree day. I also manage to get to the gym for walks on the indoor track, and I do mild lifting when I work with my personal training clients. Between all that, I feel like I haven't strayed too much from fitness land in the past month or so. I feel better when I am active, but I also feel like I should enjoy not being on a "plan" or "schedule" of working out for the first time in about four years.<br />
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I had a midwife appointment today, and baby's heartbeat is nice and strong. My weight gain is a couple pounds ahead of schedule, so I need to back away from the sweets a bit. ha!<br />
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Other than that, not a ton to report! Workin hard, playin hard :-)<br />
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<br />Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-81832807664899442013-02-19T16:21:00.000-05:002013-02-19T16:21:11.696-05:00Recognizing LimitationsToday marks the last day of my first trimester. I remember when I first found out I was pregnant, seeing the conclusion of this first stage seemed SO far in the future. Ummmm, yeah. It has FLOWN by. How on earth am I already a third of the way through this process? I'm not "showing" yet, but I am feeling uber flabby. In fact, I feel and look exactly like I did before I started training and racing triathlons almost three years ago. My weight is nearly the same, I'm back in size 12, and I'm "running" the same pace I was back then (when I run anyway). It's like I have stepped back in the past!<br /><br />
I know it is all due to the changes I am going through, but I think I'm ready to start looking pregnant rather than just unfit :-)<br />
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Now that I am entering into my second trimester, it is time to own up to some limitations. I've been teaching Spinning classes for over a year and a half now. I teach a minimum of twice a week, sometimes three or more if I sub in for someone else.<br />
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I made the tough decision last week to end my teaching at the end of February. As everyone knows, a pregnant woman's body is filled with all sorts of crazy hormones, and some of those are working to loosen joints. This is GOOD as the baby grows in size - your body is ready to stretch. it's even better in labor when you have to shoot a watermelon out of your hoo-ha. Due to the loosening of the joints, it's easier to injure oneself, and you may feel increased soreness after exercise. That has definitely been my experience. Over the past several weeks, I'm hobbling around like an 80 year old lady for a few hours after my spinning classes.<br />
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I really hoped I would be able to super-badass it and teach through about month five or so, but it looks like making it to month 3.5 will be my stopping point. It's bittersweet. I'm ready to move onto the next phase of my pregnancy, but Spinning and teaching has been a big part of my life in the past 18 months. But - this is a time in life where it's not about me. It's about the baby. And baby isn't loving spinning too much.<br />
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I have four classes left, starting tonight!<br />
<br />Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-19239896377264093942013-02-17T15:29:00.003-05:002013-02-17T15:29:54.541-05:00Now - what I have REALLY been up toFirst off, thanks so much for all the well wishes! It feels great to finally have this news out in the open - I felt like I was walking around with a huge secret (well, I guess I was!). Lots of people asking me out on a Friday night to have drinks - me politely declining. Lots of people asking me to sign up for races - me politely declining. People asking me to go on runs/bikes/swims - me politely declining.<br />
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I've been declining all sorts of invites because I have just been so damn tired. For nearly the entire trimester, each morning I woke up I felt like a train had run over me the night before. Absolute and pure exhaustion. I always thought that if I went through this experience, I would be one of those pregger ladies that kept running, riding, swimming - all of it for as long as I could. Let me tell you - growing a person is frickin HARD work. I haven't peeled my butt off the couch a whole hell of a lot in the past 2 months.<br />
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From about September through early December, I was running at least three days a week - 12 to 15 miles a week. Nothing crazy, but I wasn't training for anything - just running for fun, mental health and as a social outlet. Want to venture how many miles I have clocked since about December 15? Probably 15-20 miles total. I just don't have the energy in me to do it. Slowly, the exhaustion is leaving and is being replaced by worry, doubt and fear - ha. Okay, maybe not that bad, but I haven't run in a while and my health is suffering for it. I miss the endorphins, nature, my running buddies, my strong legs and thin waist line. BUT. Don't get me wrong - I am THRILLED about our new family addition on the way.<br />
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With that being said, I'm going to try to get back on here (the blog) and start holding myself accountable to getting a bit more active. Maintaining a decent exercise schedule will keep me feeling good in all sorts of ways - and I need to back to it in some form. Amazingly enough, five of my closest friends are currently pregnant, and everyone has their own way of getting in some physical activity. From all the bloggers I have seen in the baby camp, too, I know there's lots of advice out there. I just need to start following it!<br />
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With all that being said, I have done ONE race so far this season. I'll still be serving as the co-captain of teamroll: this year, and I'll need to fulfill my team commitments in ways other than racing. I wanted to get in at least one though - just because I love it so much. I chose to do the OSU Indoor Triathlon about three weeks ago. <br />
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Race report:<br />
10 minute swim - I haven't been in the pool much at all since November. My goal was to get in 400 meters in ten minutes, and I got 420. Works for me.<br />
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20 minute stationary bike - This is always a crap shoot - between playing with cadence and resistance, finding the sweet spot can be tough. I managed to clock 6.55 miles in 20 minutes, so I averaged somewhere between 18-19mph. Also, works for me.<br />
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15 minute run - oh goodness. Here's where it all went to crap. The run was on a small indoor track at OSU's gym. We were seeded in waves based on swim times and 5K times. Every woman in my wave must have lied about their run times. Kidding - kind of. Let's just say I got my ass handed to me big time. We headed out and I managed to stay in the front pack for approximately 1/4 lap. I was then lapped 8 times by the guy that was in first. In 15 minutes, I averaged a 10:18 mile. 10:18???? That's what I was running a year and a half ago! GAH! My heart rate jumped immediately, and I just couldn't keep up. I moved to the outside lane and just jogged it out. Yowza. That experience convinced me to table the pipe dream I had of possibly doing a few early season women's short distance races. <br />
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At the OSU Indoor Tri with two teamroll ladies - I'm on the far right.</div>
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The tri top was already feeling a bit snug!</div>
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I still may change my mind and go out and just "participate" in some of the women's only races early in the season - we are talking a 250 yard swim, 7 mile bike and 2 mile run. I'll be about 5.5 months at the first race of the season, so if I decide to play along it will be very last minute. i figure I'll go out there and walk/hobble and cheer everyone on. If I don't "race," I will be the designated cow bell ringer for teamroll all season!<br />
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Ok, all - that's it for now. I'll be back soon with some sort of activity report - promise!!!!Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-63706110507837763422013-02-15T12:34:00.003-05:002013-02-15T12:34:33.679-05:00Another reason I've disappearedHey there, blog land! I know most triathletes are hard core into spring training by this point of the year. A races have been designated, and training plans are in full effect.<br />
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I would like to thank all my teammates and friends that have invited me to run 200 mile relays, train for an Ironman, or attempt a marathon in 2013. I've dodged the question a few ways so far - "I'm broke." "Not sure what I want to focus on this year." "All the Ironmans I want to do are sold out!"<br />
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The truth is, I've already committed myself to an endurance event which will occur sometime in late August. I'm already in training - three months in, in fact.<br />
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So, there you have it world! I'm now a mama in training.Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-24717931087981494182013-01-25T16:04:00.002-05:002013-01-25T16:04:38.363-05:00Viva Puerto Rico!Hey there, loyal readers!<br />
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I AM still around, just been buried by the doldrums of winter. Not much to report. Sleeping in, trying to get Vitamin D from the sun when I can, swimming a bit, running a bit, but nothing major. Still haven't set a 2013 schedule - in large part due to finances. BUT hopefully, that is about to change. Fingers crossed.<br />
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In the meantime, to escape the near constant grey Columbus skies, we got away to Puerto Rico for a week. It was beautiful. Perfect weather, great hiking and exploring, and best of all we were with great friends. A couple highlights. Enjoy!<br />
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AWESOME bikes in Old San Juan</div>
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Our rental house near Rio Grande - with our very smelly rental car parked in front</div>
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Chilling at Luquillo Beach</div>
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Mike and I with our travel buddies and friends Sue and Jer</div>
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A little pink, but happy on the beach</div>
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Hiking trail through El Yunque Rain Forest</div>
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Our private "bali bed" at the Grand Melia resort</div>
<br />Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-35889317443205044132012-12-16T16:22:00.002-05:002012-12-16T16:22:11.492-05:00Snickerdoodle and Apple TartCheck out my first ever published recipe! I made this up all on my own, and I had the pleasure of having it published online with a fantastic new e-mag/blog called Broadway + Thresher.<br />
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Check out my recipe, then peruse the blog. To stay up with all the happenings at B + T, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/BroadwayandThresher?fref=ts" target="_blank">like them on Facebook here</a>.<br />
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S<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_990624597">nickerdoodle and Apple Tart</a><br />
<a href="http://broadwayandthresher.com/food-and-drink/2012/11/7/forage-for-sinckerdoodle-and-apple-crumble">http://broadwayandthresher.com/food-and-drink/2012/11/7/forage-for-sinckerdoodle-and-apple-crumble</a>Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-44719680365752345992012-11-23T15:57:00.000-05:002012-11-23T15:57:36.864-05:005K PRThe Granville Turkey Trot was held Thanksgiving morning, 9:30am, in Granville, Ohio. My buddy Jer lined up with me at 9:25. He paced me to my best ever 5K time - by over two minutes. When I crossed the finish line, I had a time of 25:41. That's an 8:18 average mile. Holy f-ing shizz. When the final results went up, I found out I placed 5th of 117 women in my age group. Definitely the best ever for me. I'm still riding the high!<br />
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And because I'm a nerd, I played with the lineup and found out I had the fastest time of all 34 year old women in the race. Yay :-)</div>
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Happy Thanksgiving, all!!!</div>
<br />Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-170020006595539682012-10-30T08:55:00.002-05:002012-10-30T08:55:48.968-05:00Like, no way!Please read the title of this post in your best valley girl accent. <i>Like, no way! </i><br />
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On Sunday, my original running group, Life Time Run Club, had an 80s themed run from the club. Now that we have wrapped up Cycle Club's outdoor rides for the year, my Sundays are pretty much free; therefore, I donned a throw together 80s outfit and headed out to meet the group last weekend. I am so glad I did - I really miss running with run club. Due to the differing speeds of all the runners, it really pushes me to go faster and harder than I normally would on my own. <br />
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Life Time Easton Run Club 80s run!</div>
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As I mentioned last week, I bailed out of the 5K trail run where I planned on going for a PR. I don't know what hit me this weekend, but as we headed out on Sunday's run, I was either propelled by my rockin side ponytail or had a lot of pent up energy having not run for almost two weeks. Whatever it was, it lit a fire under my feet, and I was flying. Since I felt so good, I figured I would go for my PR out on our route. It was chilly and windy, but what the hell. I was using the mapmyrun app on my iphone, so I knew I would get updates from the friendly voiceover lady while I was running. For once, I also decided to run with music - which I haven't done in a long, long time. <br />
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We headed out and I felt strong. Quick steps, mid foot strike, good breathing - everything just fell into place. At the end of Mile 1, the voice told me I was averaging something in the 8 minute range. WHA? I didn't catch the seconds part of the time, but the fact that my pace was anywhere in the 8s was amazing. I kept pushing it, and Mile 2 was an average of 8:30. Like, no way!!! I promised myself that no matter how much it started to get uncomfortable, I would keep pushing until I got past the three mile mark. I have to admit that when the voice told me I had hit three miles, I was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. I kept it going for a couple more minutes to make sure I got a full 5K in. I stopped to pull out my phone and stop the app. What I saw amazed me. I got a PR. 3.17 miles, 26:59. That's an average pace of 8:31. Like, NO WAY! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YewSPsfI_QFM1j567A0PotYLJ5eNf7UrTjzjdKPgtm8owic7KbEJUr-UgXod-nDtxItYBQy-JMvOKR2AdmUOOurRM4sUik9UEbVFWGFLKAeLnAmLPQ46VwxDDpXJRa794CL6/s1600/5K+PR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="157" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9YewSPsfI_QFM1j567A0PotYLJ5eNf7UrTjzjdKPgtm8owic7KbEJUr-UgXod-nDtxItYBQy-JMvOKR2AdmUOOurRM4sUik9UEbVFWGFLKAeLnAmLPQ46VwxDDpXJRa794CL6/s400/5K+PR.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I have no idea where it came from, but I will take it. Part of me doesn't trust the app, but I also know that I stayed in front of some of the faster runners in the club - and I know they routinely stay in the 8s for their runs. So maybe it is right? No matter what, I had a great run, and it was a great feeling to see those results. <br />
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Let's see if I can keep it up over the winter - or heck, maybe I can improve that time!! I think I still need to race test it though and get an official time on a real mapped course. I just may shoot to beat the 26:59 for this year's Turkey Trot!Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-26609871093777130582012-10-25T15:01:00.002-05:002012-10-25T15:01:53.566-05:00Me. Dancing. With a Beer.Enjoy.<br />
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Oh, internet. Thanks for all the fun stuff you have out there.Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-76211055277821120102012-10-22T12:50:00.001-05:002012-10-22T12:50:08.914-05:00Becoming a wussI must be on the path to become a total wuss when it comes to running. Maybe it's that I am in the "end of season carb binge and not working out" phase of the year, or maybe I miss the warm temps. This past Saturday I was supposed to run one of my favorite local races AND go for a 5K PR. <br />
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Ummmm, yeah, I didn't go. I hadn't signed up for the race ahead of time, so technically it's not a DNS. The race costs $30, and when I woke up to temps in the low 30s and a stead downpour of rain, I decided to not go. It also happened to be the birthday of my running buddy who planned to go with me. I knew he would race if I said I wanted to, but I thought maybe one of the best birthday presents of the day would be a text saying "Let's just sleep in."<br />
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I've run in rain, sleet, snow, wind, you name it. But 35 and rainy this weekend was enough to have me say NOPE! <br />
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Le sigh. Am I becoming a running wuss? What are your hard line no's when it comes to running?<br />
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Yeah, I'm soft. So what.</div>
Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-31658030736785104752012-10-18T13:20:00.001-05:002012-10-18T13:20:21.085-05:00Updates! Updates! Get your updates!Wow. August 21 was the last time I blogged? Yeesh. I am a slacker to say the least.<br />
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But I'm still here! I promise! I should probably get back to this blogging gig, as I actually do have a lot to share. Big changes on the horizon. First off though, an update on the last couple months.<br />
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My tri season ended at the Giant Eagle Triathlon on July 29. Due to my job changes, racing a great deal was not in the cards this year. I am happy to say that at Giant Eagle, I PRed on the Oly distance by over 14 minutes. I rocked the bike (shaved off 6 minutes from 2011) and the run (shaved on 8 minutes from 2011). Swim still kind of sucks. Overall, I finished with a 2:50 and placed 16/24 in my age group. I'm happy with that!<br />
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For Labor Day weekend, I went to Minnesota to see one of my besties, Becky, get married. It was a lovely ceremony in a lovely location. I wore a lovely dress.<br />
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Grand Superior Lodge</div>
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Castle Danger, MN</div>
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In September, I ran. I did the Hocking Hills Indian Run yet again, and I shaved almost 6 minutes off my time from this race in 2010. I love trail running, so it was a great feeling to get out and run some major hills while getting a PR at the same time.<br />
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The next weekend, I headed out with my team "Hunka Hunka Burnin Runs" to complete the 200 mile Kentucky Bourbon Chase. It was an amazing experience. If you get the chance to do this race, do it. It is very well put together and absolutely beautiful. I made several new friends and overall just had a freaking blast. We finished the race in just over 28 hours. My portion made up about 15 miles in total. First leg was 7 miles, and the two after that were about 5. I've never run that many miles in a 12 hour period, but I managed to keep a similar pace for all of them (about a 9:45). <br />
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I was Runner #1 for the team, so I got to start us off. Don't I look happy??</div>
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Our team pic!</div>
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Post party - free bourbon. Hells yes!</div>
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(Teammates L to R Sarah, Lynne, Me, Mike)</div>
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This weekend, I have one of my favorite local races - the Pink Strides Trail Run. It's a local 5K run on the horse trails at a park. It has some rollers, and it is really just a very pretty location in the fall. My buddy Jer plans to run it with me, and last year he got me to a 5K PR of 28:19. This year I hope beat that. I'd love to have something sub 27, but that may be pushing it a bit.<br />
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As for the big life changes - well, I guess the biggest news is that come June 2013, I will begin the Wellness Coaching program through the Mayo Clinic. The course is done mainly online, but I will spend four days at the Rochester, MN clinic in July. I am also working towards my personal training certification. My goal will be to work with individuals going from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one, as well as becoming more active in community wellness. Village exercise programs, school stuff, etc. I'm all about wellness much more than I am about performance. So far, I have taken some steps to make this happen, and I really love it. This time next year, I hope to be fully immersed in my new career. It is exciting and terrifying at the same time.<br />
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So, that's what has been up with me. I promise to blog more. Starting with today!Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-65067514584611490502012-08-21T11:07:00.001-05:002012-08-21T11:07:31.915-05:00New distance record!In my role as ride coordinator at Life Time Fitness, I have the pleasure of putting together routes of distances from 20-40 miles then leading my riders out on these routes. Leading as in "giving them the link to the ride, and I play sweep since I am not very fast at all." It really is great fun.<br />
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This past Sunday, we concluded the last of a three ride series - one hosted by each Life Time Club in the Columbus area. My co-ride leader, Mike, put together the route - and a good chunk of it was taken from a local event called the <a href="http://www.outdoor-pursuits.org/" target="_blank">Ridge Runner Ramble</a>. You can see our full ride profile <a href="http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1581368" target="_blank">here</a>. <br />
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This was both the farthest I ever rode my bike, and the hilliest ride I have ever done. It was fantastic. 65 miles of rolling hills, all in my backyard. We actually passed less than a tenth of a mile from my house, and we rode some areas that I had no idea were even there. Looks like we may re run the route come fall when the leaves change - it should be beautiful.<br />
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Even though my tri racing season is over, I still plan on being on the bike until it is too cold for me to do so. I have really come to love being on my bike. It's a feeling like no other.<br />
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I'm still running, too - I am Runner #1 in Van #1 for my team in the <a href="http://www.bourbonchase.com/" target="_blank">Kentucky Bourbon Chase</a>. I'm a little nervous that I am kicking off our race, as the first leg is 7 miles of pure uphill. I know what I need to be doing between now and then :-s<br />
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Beyond running and biking, I am also reaping the rewards of our garden this year. So far I have canned three jars of peppers and two huge jars of salsa. That's about 15 lbs of produce canned, and we have already eaten a lot of what we grew right off the vine (or out of the ground). We just planted fall swiss chard, collard greens, and we still have cabbage coming up. More squash is appearing by the day, and we will have tomatoes coming out of our ears in the next couple of weeks.<br />
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The time I have at home really allows me to play with the produce a bit, and it has been tons of fun. I think I'm ready for at least a part time gig though - starting to get a *bit* bored at home.<br />
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Later, taters - catch you soon :-)Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-6108225151912598942012-08-13T11:10:00.002-05:002012-08-13T11:10:58.803-05:00Now, we rest. Kind of.I have decided not to seek out a 70.3 in 2012. Muncie was supposed to be "the day", but it didn't happen thanks to Mother Nature having serious hot flashes. I know I was ready, and I could have completed the distance. I don't have to pay another $200+ to a race company to prove that to myself. So, I won't. With the announcement of <a href="http://ironman.com/mediacenter/pressreleases/ironman-70.3-raleigh#axzz23RXoEUbB" target="_blank">Ironman 70.3 Raleigh</a>, I may cough up the cash next year - but we will see where life takes me in the meantime.<br />
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For the rest of 2012, I am going to keep teaching, keep learning, and keep trying to find another part time job. If I find a simple something to do 15-20 hours a week in addition to my two other jobs, I'll be a happy girl.<br />
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In the meantime, I am going to reap the rewards of a year's worth of training by wearing cute dresses and going to fun events where they serve lots of wine, snacks and champagne. Wedding 1 of 2 for the month of August was this weekend. <br />
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Wedding #1 of 2 for August</div>
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All this Ironman 70.3 training combined with my new love for cycling has made me the fittest I think I've ever been. Last time I was a size 6, I was probably a senior in high school. I eat like a horse (a healthy horse), but I am super active and have found easy ways to keep fitness a regular part of my life - not a chore to be completed.<br />
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I have running buddies, cycling friends, a triathlon team, and a good diet. It seems to be working. It's not about weight. It's about feeling strong. And that, I do!Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-80630846431575619502012-07-31T11:36:00.002-05:002012-07-31T11:38:26.515-05:00My first half of a half ironmanEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK. I have a blog and have NOT been blogging. Oops. I even received a very nice comment the other day asking me to recount my experience at Muncie. Do to this very sweet gesture, I thought I would pop on in and say HELLO!!!!<br />
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Things here are going well. I'm teaching spinning, helping cyclists, and I am leading rides all over the Columbus area. I've got a nice part time gig that pays me to encourage people to ride their bikes. Pretty sweet. I still need to make some more cash, so I am finally sitting down at the computer and sending in job applications. Otherwise, I have been keeping very busy with house stuff, helping out friends, training and the like. I've actually had one of the busiest summers on record, but I think I'm ready to get back into more of the real world again.<br />
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Anyway - Muncie. I was supposed to race my first ever Half Ironman on Sunday, July 7 in Muncie, IN. I trained, and I was ready. Well, mostly ready. I hadn't swam much in the month before the race, but I knew I would make it through. <br />
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We pack the car on Friday and drive up to Muncie. We hit the expo, and I opt *not* to buy the IM 70.3 t-shirt with the logo made out of the racers names. Thanks goodness. Why thank goodness? Within 15 minutes I was treated to the news at the 2pm racers meeting that the distance had been cut to a modified Olympic distance race due to an expected heat index of 115 degrees the next day. WHAT? A modified distance?<br />
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Did I mention that a massive storm had hit central Ohio the week before the race leaving us without power and living in 100+ degree temps for the eight days leading up to race day? I was CONDITIONED. I was living my life, clearing trees, working outside - all in 100+ temps. I was ready for the heat.<br />
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I get the decision for legal reasons. They have to protect folks, and we all know that on race day some folks show up who are not quite prepared for what they are about to do. With 115 degrees, even the toughest athletes were going to be tested. Still, I was heart broken.<br />
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They shortened the swim from 1.2 miles to 1 mile; the bike from 56 miles to 30 miles, and the run from a half marathon to a 10K. Shit. There was nothing to do but roll with it, so that's what I did.<br />
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The hubs and I grabbed dinner that night (and I treated myself to a big beer with dinner), and we were up at 3:30 Saturday morning to head to the race. Since all the pressure of completing a half was off my shoulders, I just decided to go with it and enjoy myself. Evidently it was a good strategy, as I had a great freaking time.<br />
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SWIM - ONE MILE - 41:19<br />
The water temp was 85 degrees (swim in a hot tub before?), and the swim was relatively laid back. I just kept a nice steady pace. It seemed like it took forever to get to the first buoy, but once we were there the rest of the swim went by like a flash. Out of the water, and I felt great. Time to bike!<br />
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BIKE - 30 MILES - 1:34:50 (18.9mph average)<br />
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Bike course was fast and flat. I even rode aero a good chunk of the race! Again, I just tried to have fun with it. I didn't want to burn up my legs because I knew I had a 10K to run in major heat. Therefore, I just had a good time with it. I think my cheeks actually hurt a bit when I got off the bike because I was smiling through the whole damn thing!<br />
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RUN - 10K (6.2 miles) - 1:06:30<br />
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Run was HOTTTTTT. They collapsed all the water stations from the half marathon into a 10K, so that meant there was a stop nearly every half mile. I told myself to walk through each station and drench myself in ice. I didn't want to end up with an IV or in the hospital. The walks helped, and my final time showed that when I was actually running, I was at a 9 min/mile pace. I had 14 walk breaks I think? So hey - I'm pretty damn happy with this time. The volunteers were great, and I had a blast.<br />
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FINISH - 3:30:09, 58/79 30-34 Age Group<br />
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I finished feeling awesome. Probably too awesome. Which means I didn't work hard enough. But that's okay - I had a freaking blast and the photos prove it.<br />
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While I am super bummed I didn't get to claim the completion of a 70.3, I'm not sure if I will be looking to reschedule one this year. They are pricey, and I don't really have the cash to spend. Plus, I'm a little burned out. <br />
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I did just race the Giant Eagle Olympic Distance tri this weekend - I PRed both the Olympic Distance - a 2 hour 51 minute finish (13 minute PR from this same race last year), and I even PRed my 10K time during the race (57 minutes). With that finish, I am feeling great about the season - we'll see. Maybe I'll HALF it this year. Maybe not - to be continued!!!!<br />
<br />Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-46145295353522141822012-06-18T12:40:00.002-05:002012-06-18T12:40:53.703-05:00Update! Update!I know, I know. Still no regular posting. To be honest, I'm staying rather busy and rarely have access to a computer! I despise typing from my iPhone, so a "once in a while" post is just going to have to do it for ya :-) Here's an update on the past few weeks and the future few weeks:<br />
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- This weekend I was the leg manager for a five mile stretch of the first ever Relay Around Columbus. It was a long day in the sun, but it was great fun. I'm ready to run this in 2013, and it has me even more pumped for the Bourbon Chase in September.<br />
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- The Cycle Club at Life Time is growing by leaps and bounds. Our rides have anywhere from 10-16 riders most gatherings, and this weekend we held our first ever All Club ride for the Columbus area. Over 40 folks showed up to ride either 23 or 50 miles. Amazing.<br />
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- In 18 days I will arrive in Muncie, IN to pick up my race packet. I am racing my first ever Half Ironman on Saturday, July 7, 2012. Holy. F-ing. Shizz.<br />
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- I have not been swimming enough. Which is kind of bad. You know, since I have to swim 1.2 miles in a lake. Yay doggy paddle?<br />
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- I am SO looking forward to the bike. Grace and I are nearly inseparable. I love her so much, and I can't wait to race her in a few weeks. Due to my under-employed status, I haven't had the luxury of signing up for many races. I was hoping to do a local race series or something, but I have to be smart with the cash. Which means Muncie and Giant Eagle are the big focuses of this year. I have to get my rear in check volunteering, too, or I sadly won't even meet the requirements for teamroll this year!<br /><br />
- Speaking of teamroll, our inaugural year is going great. The team is out racing all sorts of events. Our team kits should be in within the next 7-14 days. I'll race in my team kit at Muncie. AWESOME. Once the kit is in hand, I will be sure to post a picture!<br />
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That's about it here. I think of you guys a lot - and I will try to get better at posting. Be sure to know that a pic will come of the race kit, and I will also be sure to post a recap of Muncie!!!!Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29407697.post-23393848479018233402012-05-31T11:02:00.002-05:002012-05-31T11:02:38.702-05:00I'm still here....hey hey, bloglandia! I am still out here floating around. Oddly enough, when one is underemployed (or funemployed), the days are ridiculously busy. I can honestly say I have achieved more and checked more off my to-do list in the past month than I have in a long, long time. <br />
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Here's a brief summary of what's been going on in my life: I'm following my heart. I love to help people, and that's what I am doing. I'm teaching SPINNING 2-3 days a week, I'm leading outdoor rides for Life Time Fitness every week, and I am getting certified by<a href="http://www.sgtken.com/?pp=sgt_ken&p=bio&e=index&c=null" target="_blank"> this guy</a> at the end of June to start teaching Boot Camp classes. <br />
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I'm toying with the idea of getting USAT Level 1 Coaching Certified, and my husband is 100% supportive.<br />
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In the past month, one of my best friends lost her father unexpectedly, my husband's department secretary passed suddenly, and I have come to a very REAL understanding that life is short - so live it NOW. <br />
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And that's what I'm doing.<br />
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Oh, and training for Ironman Muncie 70.3. Which is now about 5 weeks away. Holy crap.Mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03575577872803103610noreply@blogger.com1