Unexpected Recognitions...

I found something in the mail Friday morning and it caught be by surprise big time. It was an Honorable Mention Certificate. When I first opened it I had no idea what this was. I had been doing tri's for three years and had never known that anyone was keeping track. After reading over everything I found out based on my races last year I was ranked among the top in my age group and got the Honorable Mention All American Award along with others in my age group. To get All American you had to be in the top 70, I was 105th, so I have a bit to go, but I earned 89 and some points and the person in 70th place had 91 points. I think the coolest part about it all is that I didn't even know that being apart of USAT Triathlon means you get ranked in races, so now that I do, I can try even harded!!! =) I guess I was trying in 2011, my focus was just IM WI. We'll see what 2012 season has to bring with the addition of a new interest of mine, CF.

A lil bit of this and that

Second post of year and probably a short one. Just got back from Thailand which was absoluetely amazing. Good thing I kept a journal and wrote what we did each day. Also particiapated in the CF Open which was really fun and super competitive. I think next year or at least this is what I am thinking now I'd really like to focus some energy on CF and actually get better. Right now I'm still in the tri mode and it's just too hard to balance all the activities. I did learn that there are ALOT of super strong and talented women in the CF world, which is just so awesome and inspiring for me! Got my bike all tuned up and race wheels ready at Urban Tri this past weekend. I had been really out of it since getting back on Tuesday from Thailand. Have never had such bad jet leg. But I'm glad I found the time to get my bike all ready to go for the season. First race of the season is Oakdale Du May 12th, eeeek! Good thing it's not a tri, need to get into the open water soon! Also ran a 5K a weekend leaving for Thailand the Human Race, did a 20:21 not too bad, 2nd place. I ran hard, but wasn't tapered at all. It was a really good strong effort but I'm hoping I can better that time as I get closer to the season or at least by the end of the season as I keep getting into better shape. Did the 8K after which was sort of a joke not really a race, more trying to get my miles in for that day. It was a really good training run though, so I'm still glad I did it. Excited to get back into training and feel normal after the long vacation!

CF, throwdowns, Thailand, PR's and new opportunites! 2/17/2012

I haven't blogged in a long long time. A lot of new things have happened when it comes to my training...I joined CF, got a sponsorship from Kiwami, got some sweet race wheels, and am working with a coach (more focused on running). Oh and last but for sure not least, I'm going to Thailand March 21st to April 3rd. I am feeling pretty blessed right about now.

CF has been really awesome. I love the workouts and I really feel that they have helped me running and fitness immensely. The workouts are also very humbling. I also tried my hand in something different, doing a CF style competition, they call the throwdown. I've done some Olympic Lifting back in my high school days, so it's been really fun to get back into a competition style which involves some Olympic Lifts as well as some stuff I have never done before (handstand walk). Next feat is to learn some of the movements in CF, such as, double unders in a row (I can do like 20 now as of last Saturday), muscle ups...many more I can't even think of.

I am also feeling very lucky when it comes to getting a sponsorship I received from Kiwami. The director seems very nice and I think the opportunity will be an awesome one for 2012. I started off last year, and this year a bit worried and unsure about what I was doing when it comes to races, but I think I'm finally feeling better about training, and just my goals in general for 2012. For me it has been hard to narrow stuff down since last year I had a major goal of finishing Ironman. After completing this feat it was a bit different because there was really no one single race in mind. After going back and forth a few times (or maybe 10) I finally think I have a schedule down. Another really fortunate thing for me is, I was able to hook up with a running coach, who is also a triathlete (but an amazing running first), and she has already helped me a ton when it comes to organizing my training. I think my major thing was doing too much too soon and burning out before the season was to start. I have only stared working with her, but I am feeling way better, and not overdoing it.

I also set an unofficial PR during a workout with MN red a running group I joined a few months ago. It was at the dome and it was a 3mile or 5K time trail. I did a 19:12 for 3miles. So that's unofficially breaking 20min which is a huge feat for me. I just really hope I have all this energy and strength when the season comes.

Lastly, I'm going on a trip to Thailand in one months. Should be an amazing experience. I am going with a friend from work, Erica, and two of her friends. I'm super pumped and can't really believe I'm going to such an exotic place. I think the trip will be a nice way to get away and relax for me, hopefully! =)

I think that's it for now. Hopefully I'll be blogging more often to come.

PS: I bought some race wheels, disk HED Jet and 60 on the front, used, but I'm super pumped for that also!!!
Also working with a swim coach off and on to improve the stroke.

Crossfit, Track Meets, and to trying new things! 12/20/2011

I haven't blogged in a looooong time so this will just be wrap up of all the new things I've been trying...

Crossfit, started doing that a month or so ago, and I love it. Who would have though a 10min workout can make you feel like just lifted for 45min at the gym. I also took part in my first ever throwdown event, which is a crossfit open competitor. I have to be in the scaled or short bus division because I'm just not that strong but it was pretty fun to do it. It was a last minute decision, like literally 5 minutes before it started I decided I was in, but I'm glad I tried it. The Crossfit peeps are amazing, wow! I think doing this stuff has helped me anaerobic conditioning a lot. I can really tell in some of the tempo stuff I've done with the MN Red group, and the fact that I can still keep up or try to without feeling sick, so that's great. I also like the weight lifting and olympic lifting aspect of it, because I used to do this stuff in high school and I really sort of missed it. All in all, it's a win/win, and it's fun!


Track meet, did my first track meet since high school earlier this month. Wow that was also a rush. I was very hesitant since I hadn't done any speed work really since IM, but I decided what the heck no pressure I'll try it. I ended up impressing myself. Ran the 1500 in 5:24 and 5000 meter race in 20:30, not bad for me. It was a lot of fun being there and seeing a lot of familiar faces.

Lastly, I did my first even dome run with the MN red team. Very fun, but again I wasn't sure what to expect and I was a bit tired from doing yoga right before. But thank god for adrenaline! The team did progressive 3 miles, each mile got faster. The girls I ran with did 1st mile 7:15, 650 second mile, 6:15 last mile. I am glad I held back because it was a tough last mile and I'm not used to probably going out too hard.

It's been fun trying new things, but I have to figure out and focus on what I'll be doing in 2012 when it comes to races and such. I just have a hard time because I want to and like to do EVERYTHING! =)

Surf the Murf (Oct 29th) 25K Race (or a little longer....)

Highlights from this race:

First time going off course and actually being lost without knowing it until the end!!! I realized when I finished that I had probably gone about 2 miles extra, the course was 16.9 miles, since I was running with Greta to start but didn't want to walk the hills like she did so I just took it easy and went along. Well I didn't even know it but when I finished she had already been done for about 10min or more, so I was pretty shocked. Not only did I get lost somehow and did an extra 2 miles I didn't even know I was lost and somehow found the finish, it was just bizarre.

We were running easy 10min pace so I would have done about 3 hours for the run, but ended up running 3:19min...Oh well it was a fun but super challenging course with lots and lots of hills and on trails. It was fun they had a little 'smurf village' with was in the woods and had some logs to climb over and a hill at the end which was up and down (I walked that hill).

I actually felt good on this run, with the marathon the weekend before and the Big Woods the weekend before I was a bit worried but was surprised how good my legs felt. I felt much worse after the marathon but most likely because I took this race easy.

Experiment Done: I am able to do back to back to back races after the Ironman, good results not too sure if PR's but I was able to do almost a 19mile run after the marathon. I would have never thought I would be able to do it!!

No more real racing for the season. Happy and sad about that, but I need a break =)

Mason City Marathon 10/22/2011 (Marathon #7)

Where to start with this one...I was very excited to do this Marathon since I did it in 2009 and I really liked how small it was...I also won it in 2009 but my expectations this year were different but I still had a goal time in mind, that goal was flexible of course.

Jessica Wilson came with me as well as Gabe and Oscar, so it was a full house. Jessica is a really strong runner and also did the Ironman this year. We got to the hotel on Sat.

Hotel was horrible, and the woman at the front told us we can NOT smoke, which was sort of funny. She was really nice though. American Inn and Suites, not a good choice, but oh well it was only one night and it was cheap.

The place we ate was really good, it was the same place as 2009, Prime and Rib, I had Lobster Ravioli, yum! Weird name since there was no Prime Rib there, or maybe there was...

Either way main points about the race, where we stayed was nice due to how close the start was, so we just woke up really late 6:45am, which is the latest I've gotten up for a race and headed to the start at 8am.

Right from the start, well I'd say by mile 2 or 3 I knew my legs weren't feeling good. They simply felt flat, and we started out FAST. Under 7 min miles, and I knew deep down there was no way I was going to do that today with the way my legs felt. So by mile 6 or so I was still trying to push, and then by about mile 9 Jessica passed me after going to the bathroom and I just thought go go go. There was no way I could have kept up today, and I'm glad I didn't try I would have ended up walking. I didn't really feel fatigued otherwise, just my legs had no power or energy. I haven't felt that in a while...I guess Big Woods killed me after the Ironman. Either way I tried to keep a good pace and just keep moving. I ended up with a 3:28, which wasn't really all that bad...Jessican PR'd and won!! I was super happy for her =)

Gabe did the 10K and PR'd by 5 whole minutes, which was awesome too since he hasn't been running at all.

So all in all, it was a good experience, after the race I was super super sore actually the next day.

Another funny thing, we had to leave right away and didn't want to wait around for awards so we sorta stole our trophies...Oh yeah I got second place after Jessica =)

Key Takeaway: This course is very flat, but there is a huge stretch of gravel which is sorta tough. Some trail running on this race also.

Next up: Surf the Murf, should be interesting...

Big Woods 1/2 Marathon 10/15/2011

The day started off nice a bit chilly in the 40's, but the weather was perfect for a run with clear skies!

This was my first official "race" after Ironman,so I didn't really have many expectations except to just enjoy myself and run on the pretty trails. Of course deep down I had goals of getting close to my 2009 time of 1:35, but tried not to put a whole lot of pressure on myself.

The run started off really well I felt pretty strong, but a bit winded at the start. I think I kept a pretty steady pace the whole time and actually felt strong the WHOLE way. Usually I remember feeling dead or just out of juice those last 3 miles, but this time I didn't once have that feeling which was great. I ran with a younger girl for a while who later ended up pacing me when she caught me the last mile, she was 16 years old! Amazing, first time half marathon, and she seemed so happy to pass me. All I told her was go get there girl up ahead, and she relied, I'll try...She ended up in 3rd place I think. So so cool to watch that. She tried to pace with me, but I could tell she was holding back because she'd never done a half marathon before. All I can say is, this girl is up and coming, just wait until she tries triathlon, watch out!!

I did twist my ankle at about mile 9, which was painful! I had to stop for a bit and shake it out, but I kept running on it and it was pretty sore after. Otherwise the trails were so pretty and I'm glad I was out there and at least felt strong even though my time didn't show it...

Total Time: 1:44 (7:57 pace) 8th woman, 1 min slower than last year, and PR here is 1:35.

Next up: Mason City Marathon in Iowa.