Who likes swimming anyway?! My New Orleans Duathlon Race Recap

ME! That's who! I LOVE swimming! I live for diving into the crisp cool water, I find joy in following the black line, and if it were socially acceptable, I'd probably use chlorine as perfume. I love swimming so much that when I found out high winds had caused the race director at the New Orleans 70.3 to replace the traditional 1.2 mile swim with a 2 mile run, I reacted like this:

Ok, maybe it wasn't quite that bad. But I wasn't happy! Luckily, my coach is a bit more even tempered than I am, and he convinced me to stop screaming obscenties and contemplating retirement from the sport and instead focus on how best to race my first ever duathlon. The new race format was 2 mile run, 52 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. I decided to run those first two miles like I would normally do the swim - HARD. My sister had traveled all the way from Houston to cheer me on. She's a swimmer too, and I'd hoped seeing some fast swimming might inspire her to start doing tris. With the swim cancelled, I had to do a quick switch. Plan B: Show her some run speed! Before I knew it, I was through the first run and out on the bike course. Yes, it was windy. Yes, it was crowded. But neither of those were much of a surprise. My start wave was at the very back of the pack, which just meant I always had someone to chase. And my friend Betty always says wind is your friends back home cheering you on, so I appreciated the breeze! Plus, since Brent and Kyle were racing too, I enjoyed some on-course cheers and camera snaps from their official photog John David!

Once back in transition, I slipped on my trusty Mizunos and headed out on the 13.1 mile, two-loop run course. Between my sister and other ATL friends cheering me on, and glimpses of my teammates Gerry, Ryan, Kidd, Brent and Kyle looking good in their green and yellow Dynamo kits, my head was flooded with happy thoughts. I couldn't help but run fast.

I enjoyed every mile. I think I even liked the .1.

I finished the race with a 1:28 half marathon - my best off the bike effort to date. My performance was good enough for first in my age group, second overall amateur female, and a qualifying spot at the Half Ironman World Championships. Now I'm looking forward to fast racing - including the SWIM - in Vegas in September!

The evolution of a race kit: My fashion blog

When I did my first half Ironman in 2008 I made a couple rookie mistakes: Forgot my socks, forgot my sunscreen, forgot to train for the bike and run. But amidst all that, my biggest faux pas was definitely my wardrobe.

Between my American flag swimsuit, baggy shorts, and shoes that actually came untied, I'm surprised I didn't show up in the Fashion Police pages of US Weekly!

Thankfully, after some friendly ribbing, my friend Betty came to the rescue. She convinced me to join the new Dynamo Multisport triathlon team and so began my triathlon fashion evolution.

2009 saw me in a real tri kit. The first year Dynamo Multisports kits were surprisingly tasteful - black shorts, white tops, some green accents - a big step up from my baggy shorts days!

But Coach decided we needed to be bolder. Much bolder. And in 2010 the GREEN Dynamo shorts were born:

Not only were those shorts bright green, they also came down to my knees. After watching me race, my friend Beth said I looked like I was wearing "really tight basketball shorts." A fashion regression to say the least, but I did get a lot of cheers!

Things got a little better in 2011. Coach decided to offer a mongoose-friendly option with shorter shorts and a slightly longer top. My lower back rejoiced!

And now, for 2012, I believe I've made a real triathlon fashion breakthrough. Check it out:



This year my Dynamo teammates and I will be sporting the super comfy, super flattering, and super fast TYR Carbon race kits - in the always bold GREEN and YELLOW! How sweet is that?!

I'll be accessorizing with my Mizuno race flats, super cool TYR visor, delicious Element Endurance bar, and shades that look like they came right off the race track. It seems I've found the perfect combo of flash and fashion and I couldn't be more excited. See you on the race course - you definitely won't miss me!!

Georgia Half Marathon Race Recap

This weekend I returned to the starting line at the Publix Georgia Half Marathon. This is always one of my favorite races because the course winds through some of the coolest parts of Atlanta. For months afterwards I'll drive through parts of the city and memories of the race will pop into my head. It's definitely a must-do for anyone living in the Southeast.

Unfortunately, this year I found out what it's like to hit the wall. In a half marathon. At mile 1.5. Endurance athlete? HAH! My legs had other plans.

But I struggled on, my legs came around a bit, and I finished in a respectable 1:27. Not my best, but better than hitching a ride home on the Civic Center Marta train (I seriously considered it).

One thing that kept me going was the Pease brothers. Kyle and Brent are one of my favorite blog topics because they seriously inspire me. Together they ran a personal record 1:40 half marathon last weekend - on a tough course in 80 degree weather! And just the day before they crushed the 5k race along with two children they sponsored through the Kyle Pease Foundation. Their story just keeps getting better.

And I quickly figured out that if I hung out around them post-race I could get in some famous John David Johnson paparazzi shots! Check it out - I look so candid!





There's nothing I love more than being famous by association. But why was I wearing a sweatshirt when it was 85 degrees out? Maybe it was my brain that hit the wall! Congrats to the Pease brothers and everyone else who ran!

Wow, my friends are really fast!

This past weekend I took a break from racing and spent some quality time watching other people race! My friends Bryan and Ernie were racing in a local 10k so I rode my bike down to the finish line to cheer them on.

Bryan is running 40 races this year to celebrate turning 40 years old! How cool is that?!

Race day also happened to be Ernie's Birthday! Being another year older meant Ernie was racing in a new age group for the first time, and he killed it! Ernie won not only his age group, but also the overall masters crown as well! What great way to start a new year!

While I didn't actually get to see my friend Kelly race the Double Top 100k, I was definitely rooting her on in spirit! Kelly swam for the University of Georgia a couple years before me. We both swam the 400IM and our coach actually used to tell me stories about the badass workouts she did while she was on the team! I was inspired then and I still am today!

It turns out Kelly's rockstar endurance antics didn't stop when she got out of the pool. She kicked butt and WON the 62 mile trail run! And I'm thinking Kelly's well on her way to becoming the first former UGA swimmer to run a 100 miler! Coach Jack will be bragging about her for years to come!

And speaking of trail ultra running, I highly recommend the movie "Unbreakable" about the 2010 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. I stumbled across the video while looking for something to watch while I was riding the trainer (I like to watch other people working out while I work out, hah) and now I'm obsessed! I have no idea how those people run so fast for so long! The race is exciting, the scenery is breathtaking, and if you look close you'll see my friend Alyssa on the sideline about 2 minutes in! Definitely worth checking out!

Have a great weekend folks! I'm headed to the Gaps for a couple days of glorious bike riding! And I've packed tons of Element bars to keep me going! Woo hoo!

Charles Harris 10k Race Recap

Saturday morning I woke up feeling like I'd been run over by a herd of triceratops:

I'd signed up to race the Charles Harris 10k, but every fiber in my being was screaming at me to just stay in bed.

But since I'd spent the past week listening to Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger" on repeat, it did not seem like an appropriate time to become a quitter. Plus, everyone is always talking about how flat and fast the course is, so I figured worst case I could just cartwheel my way to the finish line.

Once I got to the start at Tucker High School I immediately starting feeling better. At least a dozen of my Dynamo Multisport teammates were racing too! I'd been working out of town for the past few weeks so it was really great to catch up with everyone.

I went hard from the gun - I knew there was no such thing as "easing into" a 6.2 mile race. I needed to get MOVING!

I got a little extra boost when I passed Kyle "K-Peasey" Pease cruising along with the help of his big brother Brent. Kyle has cerebal palsy, but with his brothers, Brent and Evan, pushing him in his racing chair, he's tackled 10ks, triathlons, and even an ultramarathon. And K-Peasey doesn't mess around - he and Brent hit the first mile marker in 6:30. Smokin' fast!

This was my first time running Charles Harris, and even though I'd heard the course was mostly flat, I still secretly believed the road would make a right turn and I'd be face-to-face with a huge hill.

Thankfully, that did not happen. The course was as flat as a gluten-free pancake. But that doesn't mean it was easy. It just meant I had to run faster!

Aided by my super sweet Mizuno racing flats, some friendly cheers on the course, and a good push from my triathlon buddy Tim on the final downhill, I managed to finish in a personal record 37:43. Good enough for second place female.

Ten kilometers may be a lot shorter than my typical races, but I learned a lot out on the Charles Harris race course. For years, I've heard coaches say it doesn't matter how you feel on race day - if you've done the work you can still pull off a good race. This race was a nice reminder of that. It was also a nice reminder of what it feels like to go fast. But one reminder I did not need was how delicious post-race coffee tastes! That’s a joy I could never forget!

Red Top Rumble Race Recap 2012

Humbled by the trails yet again!

Every year I go into the 11.5 mile Red Top Rumble trail run with big dreams of redemption. I picture myself cruising through the trails with ease. But every year I find myself scrambling up, and gingerly tip-toeing down, the "non-techical" trails. Man! I think even "easy" trails are tough!

But even though I struggle, I do actually have a lot of fun running trails! And I think my move up from 5th place last year to 4th this year means I am getting a little faster!

Highlights of the day included:

*Finishing without a single cut, scrape, or bruise

*Taking a wrong turn, but being quickly caught and re-routed by a friendly volunteer

*The really delicious finish line breakfast (it's made by a real chef!)

*Hanging out with Kevin and SuperDave post-race:



*Watching Michael claim his podium spot! (2nd year in a row!):



*And the following succession of absolutely amazing tweets:

First, Michael tweeted a pic of me excitedly collecting my 4th place gift basket:

My friend EJ never misses anything. He's a lawyer. He immediately fired back:

Wait, what? Let's see that award pic again!

Yes, it does in fact appear the Red Top Rumble now awards participants with children in red jump suits. I bet the race will sell out in seconds next year!

Blood Lactate Testing Day!

Blood and needles are pretty much my least favorite things in the world. Yep, right up there with spiders and insects. So when my Coach (who I fondly refer to as El Diablo) suggested I do a blood lactate test, I had only one thought:

"No way Jose!"

I resisted for a really long time. But eventually I gave in for 3 reasons:

(1) I actually do want to become a faster Ironman triathlete



(2) Diablo is usually right about things

(3) Everyone else was doing it!

So, what is a blood lactate test? I stole this from the Dynamo Multisport website and highlighted the important parts:




Basically, the test would give me an idea of my current fitness level and help me figure out what kind of training I need to do going forward.

I would be riding my bike on an indoor trainer (with power, to allow for measured intensity). Every couple minutes Diablo or his cronie, Shanks, would prick my finger, squeeze out a drop of the precious red stuff, and take a blood lactate reading. The number would show how hard I was working. Over time, the bike intensity would increase, and so would my blood lactate level and heart rate until...

(Just kidding. Sort of.)

When I showed up for my test I got a little preview courtesy of my training buddy, Michael. He was almost finished and was seriously killing it! Everyone else in the room was cheering him on. FIND A WAY MIKEY!!!

I was actually very happy to see Michael's anguish seemed to come more from his effort on the bike and not the tiny pin pricks in his finger. Hey - I can handle that kind of pain! Things were looking up!

I got on the bike and did a quick warm-up before the games began.

In the beginning, everything was really easy. I just focused on my friend, Kathryn's, awesome music mix and maintaining a good cadence. But gradually things started getting harder and harder and harder.

Before I knew it I was drenched in sweat, practically drooling all over myself, and using every single muscle fiber in my being just to keep the pedals turning over. I could hear people cheering and Diablo calling for 30 more seconds. I tried to keep going, but eventually...CRASH. The train wreck came to a screeching halt. My legs had had ENOUGH.

The good news is Coach and I actually got some really good data from the test. It turns out I'm in a really good spot for February, but I still have plenty of room for improvement. I also have some new heart rate and power zones I'm ready to put to good use!

The other good news is the pin pricks really didn't hurt that bad. Or maybe I'm not that afraid of needles anymore? Now if only I could figure out how to toughen up around roaches...