*RECAP* Buzzard's Bay Sprint Triathlon

FLAT and FAST run course. Oh hellz yeah - sign me up.

That may or may not have been a tipping factor in squeezing in just one more sprint triathlon in my 2014 race calendar. ;)

The Max Performance Triathlon Buzzard's Bay Sprint Triathlon on September 14 was a late add to the race calendar and I am glad I did.

I was supposed to have my first Max Performance Triathlon race experience in August at The Sharon Sprint Triathlon, but had to back out due to injury. Boo!

Race director Tim then offered me a complimentary spot at Buzzard's Bay Tri and I jumped at the chance.

(Note: While I did receive free entry in to the race, all thoughts are my own. Ain't nobody got time for lyin'!)

With the race occurring one week following my first half ironman (Pumpkinman), I was nervous about signing up for the Sprint Tri (since I wasn't sure I would survive the half), but decided to bite the bullet anyway.

The wife and I were able to sleep in until 5am since the race started at 9am. ;) Woo extra hour of sleep compared to the prior Sunday. :P

We loaded up the car and were on the road by 6 since the directions said it would take about 75 minutes to drive to the race.

Since it was 6am on a Sunday, we missed any sort of traffic and had an easy trip towards the Cape. :)

The beach was windy when we arrived. Sunny, but windy. All I could think about was the upcoming battle: the wind vs. me on my bike. I was sending out "tailwind" vibes ... hint: it didn't work. ;)

After checking out the beach, we headed to packet pick-up.

Since I am usually a slacker when it comes to checking out a race course in advance (I know! I know! Must change that), I took the time to check out the swim, bike and run courses on the large board inside the packet pick-up tent. Nothing as nerve-wracking as the previous week so I was happy about that.

The Buzzard's Bay Sprint Tri consisted of a 1/3 mile ocean swim, 14-mile bike and 5k run.

Once we got my packet (Go Bib #81), it was time to make our way over to transition. As we walked, I quipped to the wife how shocked I was that this was my 3rd triathlon of the year and 5th overall. I never thought I would do one let alone more than one. Pretty proud moment for me.

Until I was in transition listening to the athletes around me rattle off their Ironman totals and their times at the previous week's Pumpkinman Half Ironman. Oy! I didn't belong there. I wanted to run away and just drive home. But I quickly gave myself a mental slap to the face. Time and pace didn't matter. I belonged there because I wanted to be there.

With transition ready and plenty of time before the 9am kickoff, the wife and I headed back to the beach. I also wanted to get into the water and feel it out. I hadn't done an ocean swim in ages.

But first we take a selfie.

As we walked towards the water, we saw all of these rocks aka ouch on the poor feetsies.

I knew it would be a painful walk in and out of the swim course. I had a little chat with my feet and told them to DIG DEEP and not feel the pain. Umm not sure if my feet heard me or not, but I was going with it.

Right before the race meeting I put my pair of Oofos sandals down by the swim finish as there was a 1/4 mile run from there to the transition area (again found out about that morning of). Had I known earlier I would've brought a second pair of sneakers.

Note to self: always bring two pairs of sneakers to a tri. Just. In. Case.

The Max Performance group did a great job organizing the swimming waves. Volunteers each held up a cap color on a sign and we group together in a big 2-by-2 line. It really made it organized at the Start. The first group went off at 9 and my wave would be following at 9:04am.

We walked into the starting area 2-by-2 so the timing company could keep count of the number of athletes that entered the water.

The race started with us in the water edge up to our ankles. The countdown commenced and we were off.

***

Swim - 1/3 mile

The director, Tim, had changed the swim course (reversed it) so that we were swimming with the current (thanks Tim!). It was GREAT being back in the water. Swimming is one of my favorite parts so I was sad that it was only 1/3 mile. ;)

We made two right turns while out in the water. I made sure to hug towards the buoys, which kept me out of the way of many of the other swimmers.

I learned during Pumpkinman that I need to keep the top of my wetsuit un-velcroed. So instead of dealing with wetsuit/breathing issues this race, I got into my groove faster and felt stronger.

I took the second and final right, sighted the shore and gave it everything I had as there was another yellow capped swimmer right on my tail. Hello competitive side.

Once I could touch the bottom with my fingers, I stood up and started running towards the timing mat. The timing mat was up on the beach a ways, which meant running over some of the rocks. Thankfully there was some mesh covering a little of the path, but overall it still slowed me down coming out of the water.

There was a small kiddie pool where the beach met the asphalt so I made sure to wash my feet off before slipping on my sandals.

Why can't wetsuits be a little more flattering?

Thanks to the wife for catching this beauty.

Total Time: 10:16 Pace: 1:45/100 yds Overall Place: 62/294 Division: 3/21

***

Mini Run

I would call this more of a shuffle than a run. I did my best to just keep jogging forward, while not slipping in my sandals. I am so thankful I had them with me otherwise the 1/4 stretch would've been MUCH more painful.

I did my best to wiggle my wetsuit down and remove swim cap/goggles while on the move. Hello multi-tasking.

Total Time: 3:05.5 Overall Place: 138/425 Division: 7/27

***

Transition 1

I had a little problem getting my wetsuit off and wasn't sure if it was nerves or just my brain moving two steps ahead of my body. Either way I took a breath and worked on completing one step at a time.

Wetsuit off. Feet dried. Socks/bike shoes on. Shirt changed. Bike helmet on. Race belt attached. Portion of KIND Bar eaten.

I was sad to realize I left my Sparkle Athletic skirt at home. I felt naked without it.

Total Time: 2:09.6

***

Bike - 14 miles

Well bike we meet again.

I knew I wouldn't have sparkle skirt compliments on this race to entertain me while people passed me. Instead I focused on thanking every single volunteer I would encounter the rest of the race.

It was a great way to pass the time and put a smile on someone else's face.

I wish I was the type of person to post PROOF photos in a recap because my official race photos from the bike are hilarious. I am smiling like I have loved biking my entire life. Haha. Okay it entertains me more than anyone else.

The bike course was really beautiful. It was another instance where I wished triathlons allowed you to have your phone on you because I wanted to snap pics left and right. It was a picturesque New England day/scene and I wanted to capture it to share with all of you. Oh well. Luckily I still have them locked in my memory.

I can certainly tell you 14 miles on the bike passes quicker than 56. :P The final couple miles were directly into the wind. I felt like I was biking in place. I was wondering if I would actually make it back to transition. It wasn't something I had really practiced.

I just kept trying to keep the legs moving as best I could.

Seeing runners coming towards me gave me hope that I would make it back to transition.

And I did.

Hello dismount.

I really tried to focus on shifting during the ride. I am still learning when to use low gear, what to do while climbing, etc. At least I can take every ride as a learning experience. Like don't forget your fuel in transition. I was supposed to take the rest of the KIND bar on the bike with me, but left it on my towel.

Total Time: 45:51 Pace:18.3 mphOverall Place: 164/294 Division: 6/21

***

Transition 2

Since I needed more fuel, I took another piece of the KIND bar and a swig of water before heading out on the run.

Having everything already on from the ride meant I simply had to switch out bike shoes for running shoes.

Total Time: 1:30.6

***

Run - 3.1 miles

Hello my love. My legs were feeling a little shaky coming out of transition. I had done a 5-mile trail run the prior day and tweaked my right hamstring so this race I would be battling two sore hamstrings. Umm yay!

But I knew I could push through for a 5k ... especially a flat one!

The wind I experienced on the bike was still there on the run. Thanks for sticking around wind.

I wasn't sure what my legs would have in them, but decided to give it all I had since I would have some rest days coming up. :)

The course was beautiful as you weaved around the quant beach town by the water. There weren't too many spectators around so all I could focus on was my breathing and the breathing of the folks around me.

I am still getting used to the multi sport feature on my watch so I spent some time trying to figure out what my pace was. At least I like math. (multi sport - something I need to work on in BRICK workouts in the future)

But we passed Mile 1 and I saw a sub 8-min/mile pace and was ecstatic. There are some days I can in tune with my body and can feel my pace and other days where I can't. This was the latter. So I trusted the Garmin and pushed on.

I briefly slowed at the halfway point to take in some Gatorade. The run on the asphalt along the beach offered no shade and the sun was out in full force. Just after the water stop you headed out on an out-and-back portion of the run, which allowed for some smiles and head nods to other runners.

I also like seeing what triathlon teams people are part of because it is all new to me. I wished I had more friends on the course as I witnessed the guy in front of my high-fiving and cheering on all of these folks he knew.

We did the turn around on the out-and-back portion and I may have told the volunteers, who were both glued to their cell phones, to liven up for the runners. I know I needed some extra encouragement. I made sure to say it as nicely as possible. :)

Home stretch time. A time again when I wish I had my phone out so I could selfie or chat with you all.

But I pushed on to the final mile. It was a straight shot to the Finish Line. We passed through a wind tunnel with mobile homes on either side. Folks were sitting out and cheering for us. I loved that.

I decided it was time to start focusing on the people around me and try to pick some of them off. Yes mental games I play with myself when I just want to sit down and have a beer with the spectators.

There were a couple of girls in my sight that I really wanted to pass.

I dug deep and pushed forward.

And you know what - it worked!!

I managed to pass two of them and caught up to another girl right at the Finish Line. More on THAT girl in a moment.

I was wicked happy to pass the Finish of my 5th triathlon and collect my Buzzard's Bay water bottle full of water!

Total Time: 24:10 Pace: 7:48 min/mile Overall Place: 100/294 Division: 3/21

***

Official Time: 1:27:01.3

Awesome experience! I had a great time and was really happy with my results.

Until...

I found out I missed out on 3rd place in my division by 0:0:0.1. Yes a fraction of a second away from the podium.

3rd in division: 1:27:01.2 Me: 1:27:01.3

OUCH! And the girl who came in 3rd in the division was the one I caught on the run at the Finish Line. It was like a real life photo finish. :P

Since I am never usually close to placing, it was a tough defeat. But I am still happy with my time.

Big thanks to my wife for taking all these photos and keeping everyone up to speed on the race through her #wifetweets.

It was also a pleasure seeing friends at the race:

Christine from Tedy's Team, who took 2nd female overall

John, who might be one of the most inspiring people I know

Before heading home, I cashed in my ticket for free BBQ.

I chose to split a pulled pork sandwich with the wife. Aren't I nice? ;)

I wish we could've stayed for awards and raffle, but I had to get home to pick my parents up from the airport.

***

Overall Tim and the crew at Max Performance Triathlon put on a great race. Lots of volunteers along the course. I do wish there were additional folks at the water stop since it ended up being used by the runners twice during the course and extra hands would've been helpful.

The swag was a tech shirt, little towel that could be used in transition and a water bottle. I do wish there was a pint glass or a medal involved. The screen printing on the tech shirt didn't seem to be done too well.

Also no beer or low-fat chocolate milk at the end. You know I like both at the end of a race. :P

But I would definitely sign up for one of these races again and recommend them to fellow Boston area friends.

***

What is a deal breaker for you between signing up for a race or not?

*RECAP* VERT Big Bad Wolf 5-Mile Trail Race

It's not often you get to run or party with a wolf...

Okay okay so at Saturday's Big Bad Wolf 5-Mile Trail Race we didn't actually party or run WITH the wolves. BUT we looked at them. ;)

We made the 45-minute trek to Ipswich to rock the Wolf Hollow with my fellow Slumbrew Happy Soles. I love meeting new people and seeing familiar faces when the Happy Soles get together at a Cambridge 5k/VERT Race Series race.

After lots of hugs and laughs before the race even started, it was all of a sudden the 1 minute warning that the race was starting. Ohhh I am with all my friends to actually race THEN drink beer. Oops I sort of forgot about the running part. ;)

I finagled myself up to the Start Line and we were off. I had no expectations for the race. I was hoping to beat last year's time (40:38), but with the sore hamstring I didn't have my hopes up.

I started the race chatting with fellow Happy Sole Kate, who was also experiencing some pain in her hamstring area. So we swapped treatment ideas.

The first 1/4 of a mile or so is on the sidewalk as we head from the Start/party area to the field/trail portion of the race. The race is tight at the beginning, but really opens up once you enter the field.

Since I did this race last year, I knew the terrain. The race consists of two 2+ mile loops.

The Big Bad Wolf is a great into to trail running. The race is in a huge open field with some small inclines. It also features that uneven terrain that basically all trail races have. The kind of uneven footing that you feel in your ankles the next day.

But thankfully there aren't any huge inclines/hills that you will have to face.

I really would recommend it to all fitness levels/paces. There were runners, run/walkers and walkers on the course.

Mile 1: 8:02 Mile 2: 8:01

I was really shocked at the pace for the first two miles. I think I was excited to see so many fun folks out on the course. Also there were some STELLAR costumes out there. Folks who take part in this race series take the costume contest very seriously. ;)

Mid-run selfie

I made sure to slow it down this mile while doing the mid-run selfie and posting due to the uneven footing. I had a sprint tri the next day and REALLY didn't need to twist an ankle.

Mile 3: 8:17

On the second loop, I felt some pain in my right hamstring. NOOOO not both of them. Oh yes folks both of them. I tried to keep focused on being over halfway done. I promised myself I would stretch extra when the race ended.

The final loop was a little tough. Knowing how long you have left in a race can be pretty tough mentally. Anyone agree?

I really need to hand it to VERT for offering free race photos. Yay!

I was trying to give the photographer a "Hey there" hand gesture, but he caught me mid gesture so I just look awkward.

Mile 4: 8:14

Man was I happy when the Garmin buzzed for Mile 4. One mile to go. I wanted to stretch and enjoy a beer. :)

As we hit the pavement again, I knew I was in the home stretch. My Garmin buzzed before we hit the Finish Line for 5 miles.

Mile 5: 8:13

So my paces may be slightly off since the Garmin gave me 5.13 miles.

But either way the final time was 41:41. I was happy with the results even though I was almost a minute slower than the previous year. I finished 94th overall and 25th among females.

The Flagraiser IPA hit the spot post-race. I love seeing all my teammates come together after the race, checking in on each other and cheersing with a Slumbrew.

Once everyone had crossed, it was time for a group photo. Proud that our teammate Kristina said: "Now we chug ... 1 -2 -3" and this picture was born. :)

After our photo it was awards time.

Now our group never really has a shot at the team prizes ... except on this day.

Kate and Kat had brought two friends with them and welcomed them with open arms to the Slumbrew Happy Soles family. They just happened to be uber speedy. George (second from left) finished the race 3rd overall, while Craig (left) took the #1 spot overall.

These two speedsters helped land the Slumbrew Happy Soles in second place among the 12 teams.

Can you tell we were a TAD excited???

It was awesome seeing how excited the whole team was. We all took turns drinking out of the trophy.

Now we wait for the Slumbrew Taproom open so we can proudly display our trophy! :)

Once awards were handed out, it was time for the costume party and dance off. That's right this race has the complete package.

The wife and I had to duck out at this time as she had a hockey game. But it is always a joy racing with the Happy Soles.

So if you are in the Boston area and interested in trying trail racing? Use the Big Bad Wolf race as a jumping off point. If you don't want to drive to Ipswich, you can always use the commuter rail to catch the free race shuttle.

***

Have you ever thought about trail racing?

*RECAP* I Did It ... I Completed Pumpkinman Half Ironman!

I. Freakin. Did. It It's still surreal.

I am a Half Ironman Finisher!

Well I ruined the surprise ending. What? C'mon ... we know this story is like the movie Titanic. We all know the ending, but we tune in to hear all the good stuff of how we got there. Well I guess there isn't a lot of "good stuff" when a movie ends in everyone dying. Oh lord I am off track...

So the morning of the race began with a 4am wake-up call. I thought wow I got to sleep in compared to the 2:30am wakeup calls for the Run Disney races. :P

The alarm went off and I went through my normal morning routine on my phone: checking

Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest/Tumblr/Instagram/Time Hop/Email

Once that 15 minute ritual was over - it was time to face the day. Oh and that tiny way out of my comfort zone race.

I jumped out of bed and immediately ran over to get my outfit on - thank you OCD for having it all laid out the night before.

The morning was a blur. I tried to answer text messages and check my mental list over and over before heading down to breakfast at 5am. Thank you Comfort Inn for opening the complimentary breakfast at 5am rather than 7am for the racers.

Our plan was to be checked out of the hotel and on the road by 5:15 and you know what - we did it. Go us!

I was terribly nervous on the drive over the race as all sorts of situations buzzed through my mind.

The hotel was a quick 15 minute ride from the hotel and there seemed to be limited traffic until the final mile before the race, which was to be expected.

We easily parked - thank you volunteers - and made our way to transition.

As I brought myself over to transition to get body marked (number and ages on the body) I noticed other folks had the timing chip on their ankle, but I never got one.

<<Insert panic attack #1>>

After simply asking someone about it, I realized I had to get it day of. Phew!

I decided to set up my transition area before getting my timing chip. As soon as I walked into transition there was my friend and fellow Team Got Chocolate Milk team member John! Oh was it good to get a hug from that man. He is a huge motivator and inspiration of mine.

Normally I would have a nice pic of my transition area to post here, but I was a tad too nervous to snap one. #BloggerFail

The wife and I headed over to get my timing chip and I ran into my friend Robin. She is a rockstar Weight Watchers Success Story, Ironman and overall badass. I bothered the crap out of her during my training. :)

It was great catching up with Robin and a nice distraction. I headed into transition to grab my wetsuit, goggles and swim cap since it was 6:18 and transition would be closing at 6:30. We decided to head down the hill to use the port-o-potties near the water before the 6:45 mandatory race meeting.

I was able to catch up with other friends racing as well including my former Weight Watchers member and training buddy Darcie.

We listened to the announcements from race director Kat before her daughter sang the National Anthem. There was a little forgetfulness on the lyrics, which is understandable, but the whole crowd picked her up and finished the song singing together. :)

Once that was all said and done the elites were getting ready to kick off at 7am. Eek! My wave started at 7:11am.

So I had the wife snap a final pre-race photo and I sent out my final social media messages before handing the reigns over to the wife.

I do need to take a moment to thank my wife for keeping everyone up to speed during the race and rocking the #wifetweets!

I looked over and there the clock read 7:06am. Shit! Time to get into my corral. I gave the wife a final kiss and was off.

The nerves were erupting and overtaking my entire body.

I was standing in the water with the other ladies in my corral just thinking: "Enjoy this!" "You paid to do this." "You will be okay."

Then the horn went off...

Swim - 1.2 Miles

The start of the swim always makes me nervous as a bunch of folks are plunging in at the same time heading for the same goal.

I immediately felt like I couldn't breathe. I tried to pull down the zipper of my wetsuit, but it didn't help. Instead I unvelcroed the top of my wetsuit and everything felt okay. Phew! I told myself to get in my groove. And it happened.

The swim was a 0.6 triangle that we would do twice. Once I made the first left, I felt alone in the water. Like the other racers had fallen away... until I bumped into the age group in front of us. :P

But I felt like I was swimming a consistent race. After the second left, we were heading back towards the shore before doing the triangle again.

As I came to the shore, I looked up (the wife said she spotted me doing that) and noticed that another age group was starting the race JUST as I was coming around for my second loop. Really people? Poor timing on my part.

The second loop started out blindly as the sun was hitting the sky at a really awkward spot for us trying to spot the buoy.

I decided to cut to the inside and hug the buoys to try to avoid the mass of swimmers. It seemed to work well for me until I realized there was another pink cap that was pretty much in stride with me the whole way. She was on my left hand side. (I later learned that that person was a Chocolate Milk teammate. Ha!)

But it helped me stay on point.

I realized during the race I was spotting well and limiting my zig zag swimming that sometimes happens during Open Water Swimming.

Once I took the final left, the entire focus came on the shore. I couldn't believe that the swim was coming to an end. Not that I had any idea of time since my couldn't see my Garmin at all in the water.

I had heard that the water would be super weedy while leaving the water and it was true. I was all caught up in my arms and legs as I tried to get out of the water.

As I started to pull down my wetsuit, I hit my Garmin and saw a 34:xx on the swim. I was elated!!

Total Time: 34:34 Pace: 1:39/100 yds Overall Place: 109/425 Division: 3/27

**Can I just add how STOKED I was to see 3rd in my division in the swim? Clearly doing my swim workouts in meters when they were meant to be in yards (aka extra swimming) paid off!

***

Mini Run

I had decided I would take my wetsuit off before the run/walk up the mini hill to transition. It was a cool experience to get myself up the hill with all of the spectators on the side. I saw the wife, as well as, my best friend and niece. It was what I needed with 1/3 of the race over. :)

I knew I would run/walk/hustle up the hill. I wasn't about to waste energy on something like this this early on in the race.

Thankfully the hill was all grass without any stones so running up barefoot wasn't a problem.

Total Time: 1:36.8

***

Transition 1

Once again thanks to John who helped me figure out which rack was mine. I quickly got to my station and did the best change I could. I decided to wear my cycling jersey and my camelbak on the ride. I wanted to feel as comfortable as possible on my weakest leg. I had already put open luna bars in the back of my cycling jersey before the race so that was set.

I chatted with John about the swim and even saw my niece while I got my bike ready. She tried to get out of her stroller to see me. I wanted to just stop there and hang with her, but I pushed on.

Thanks for the pic John!

John caught me chatting with a woman in my lane asking if my niece was my daughter. :)

Total Time: 2:23.3

***

Bike - 56 miles

The portion of the triathlon I wish I could skip. :P

It is no surprise that the bike leg is my weakest and my least favorite so I really tried my hardest to get out there with a positive mindset.

I immediately wished I had music with me. I know it is not allowed in triathlons, but boy it would help.

It really was a gorgeous course so I tried to soak that in as best as possible.

I have mentioned the bike is my weakest leg so I really tried to get myself in the positive mindset.

Which immediately went away as about 6 people zoomed by me on the bike. Sweet - it is going be like that all morning.

And it was.

Here is where I won the bike course: my Sparkle Athletic skirt.

I lost the number of people who passed me, but 9 out of 10 of them complimented me on the skirt while they did it. So at least I had people to say "Thank You!" to. Hahaha.

One woman nicknamed me "Pumpkin Diva!" Ahh I loved it.

I definitely got dubbed Best Dressed my many a passerbyer as well.

At first being passed frustrated me, but then I kept telling myself: "Do you. Be you. Do your own race. Let them do theirs."

The rolling hills were thankfully not as big as I thought they were while driving the course the day prior. But they definitely took some out of me.

The bike course featured two loops.

The volunteers and cops did a GREAT job holding up traffic since the roads were open during the whole race, which originally freaked me out.

They were nice and complimentary.

So I knew I would be on the bike for hours and I wondered how one handled the bathroom situation. Well Robin had said you just pee on your bike. Ummm excuse me?

Well I tried it. And it didn't work. Haha. I tried multiple times since I had only seen one port-o-potty during the bike course. I knew if I got off the bike I would NOT want to get back on.

I held it.

I am proud to say while on the bike I was able to drink from my water bottles on the bike while moving AND eat while in motion.

I have been biking for just about a year so I am still learning.

I laughed out loud at how excited that made me.

I saw the 30 mile marker and BAM! I got all excited then realized I still had 26 miles to go.

So on the second loop, which featured just as many hills I tried to really enjoy the Maine scenery.

Multiple times I wished I had my phone on me to capture the sights. There were so many quaint cottages I wanted to capture, but wasn't able to. :(

And really I missed updating you all with my mid-race ramblings.

While my times might not be amazing race-wise, I was so proud with how I was doing on the bike.

Until I hit Mile 40 and thought UGH 16 more miles. That is when my positive mantra started failing. :P

So out came my singing - Frozen, Disney songs and some Taylor Swift.

Not sure how the folks passing me thought about that.

Additionally while out on the bike, I saw 5 people on the side of the road with flat tires and busted bikes.

Boy did I ask my angels above to look out for me in that time. I just asked: "Please don't let that be me."

When I roared past Mile 50 I knew I was in the home stretch.

But for me 6 miles still felt like forever. haha.

I was really proud of where I stood. I was well ahead of my sub-4 goal. I kept my Garmin on my wrist the whole time so I wouldn't be constantly looking at it. I was however doing a lot of math in my head with my cyclometer.

The bike course shut down at 12:30 and by my calculations I would be off the course by 11:22. Phew! An hour to spare.

As I took the final mile into  transition, I saw folks heading out on their run. Oh was I jealous.

The roads were ROUGH coming into transition so I just wanted to be on my feet again.

I could tell my family was so happy to see me as they were just as worried about the bike portion as I was. I was waiving to Joanna, my niece, in this photo. :)

A big part of the bike that scares me is the downhill. Going fast down the hill gives me some serious anxiety and pictures fly through my head of me hitting something and heading over my handlebars, etc. But on that day I decided to trust myself and the bike and use the speed. I knew I would need it to get back up the hills since this course was seriously rolling the entire time. So Bravo to me for overcoming that.

Total Time: 3:24:56 Pace: 16.4/mph Overall Place: 361/425 Division: 18/27

** My goal was to hit at least an average 15/mph so I was wicked happy to see something better than that. And as you can see by my places, I have some serious bike improvement.

***

Transition 2

All I could think about was peeing. Haha. So as soon as I re-racked my bike and switched to my run gear I was in line at the port-o-potty in transition.

Thanks again John!

Best decision of the race was hitting that port-o-potty! Haha. I can tell you that far into the race the skirt was a tad annoying. :P But I made it work.

I quickly threw off the cycling jersey and camelbak and replaced it with my Team Chocolate Milk t-shirt and race belt.

Total Time: 3:13.4

***

Run - 13.1 Miles

I grabbed the Essentia water they had for us and chugged it. So refreshing. As I took the right turn out of transition I saw my whole support crew. I was wicked excited to see my dad since I hadn't seen him when I came out of the water. He was driving up that morning from Boston and I really didn't want him to miss anything.

Woo! I was wicked excited to be on my comfort zone ... the run! I knew that even if I had to run, run/walk or walk I was in a place where I felt confident.

I think I was a tad excited to be out there since my first mile was 8:07 min/mile pace. I knew I couldn't keep that up the entire run so I would have to slow it down.

I hadn't looked at the run course so I didn't know what to expect. The run was also two loops so I had the first loop to see what it was all about.

Guess what?

The rolling hills were still there. Haha.

As was an out and back course. I was happy with the out and back as it meant lots of other faces to smile at, cheer for and wave at.

It was funny seeing so many folks that had passed me on the ride still complimenting me on my skirt. ;)

I am happy to say the first 7 miles were all sub 9 min/mile pace, but then around Mile 8 the pain in my left hamstring really started to bug me. This is an injury I have been dealing with since May and I knew it may flare up.

I was happy to see my BFF and the niece at the Mile 8 turnaround. I needed that familiar boost.

So starting at Mile 8 I started a version of the run-walk method. It bothered me how much of a mental game it became at that point, but I tried to will myself through it.

I saw the sub 6 time slip away, but reminded myself that this was my first Half Ironman so I really couldn't beat myself up over whatever my time was.

During my second loop, I saw a lot of familiar faces on the course so I had folks to talk to and check up on.

I had promised myself that I would walk through every water stop (all 10) and I did.

In those final few miles, I opted to walk up the hill and run the downhill. In the moment, I was angry at myself, but I had to be kind.

When I saw Mile 12, I knew it was the home stretch. The was the end of my 20th half marathon and the final mile of a long 70.3 mile journey.

The race thought it was funny to put a large hill during that final mile. Har har. I tried to use the spectators to push me up and over the hill. No literally I asked to jump into a baby's stroller to get me up the hill. But for some reason they refused.

Once I made it to the top of the hill, it was "all downhill from there." And it was. I made the final turn into the Finish shoot and there was my BFF and her daughter. They ran with me for a few yards before I made the trek down the grassy hill.

I saw my wife and dad and may have uttered: "I am going to puke" since it was straight down a grassy hill. ;)

There was the Finish Line seconds away from me.

Then it was over.

Total Time: 1:59:22 Pace: 9:03 min/mile Overall Place: 180/425 Division: 10/27

***

The After

Official Time: 6:06:03.4

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I was wicked happy to see the first medal volunteer I could to place the medal around my neck. Oh it was glorious.

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Thanks Barry for my special 2nd personalized medal!

The race also gives you a Finisher's t-shirt after you get your medal. I was in such a daze that I didn't understand what they were saying, but I gladly took my shirt. :)

shirt

I can say the Finish was surreal. So much time and months were spent training and worrying about the race and then it was over.

Thankfully I had these amazing people waiting for me with hugs and love.

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How cute was she??? She did NOT give me a good look when she first hugged me. Apparently I smelled. ;)

Once the BFF and the little lady departed, we headed straight towards the beer tent. I have priorities folks. :P

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The beer tasted sooo good. :) It was great recapping the race with my dad and wife.

I even got to see two Got Chocolate Milk teammates: Jaquelin and Kevin!

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While we enjoyed our beers and listened to the awards ceremony, the wife enjoyed the thanksgiving dinner I got with my Finish and I caught up on social media.

I missed all of you while out on the course.

There was only so much time I could spend there before I needed to get some real food.

We headed back to the transition area so I could collect my belongings, got into the car, drove my dad to his car (spectator parking was 1/2 mile away) then headed to Shipyard Pub for lunch.

We enjoyed a great meal and some more celebratory beer before taking the drive back to Massachusetts.

***

Now the immediate question is: Will you do it again?

Honestly, I don't think so. I just wasn't a fan of the bike portion and it is over half the race for me.

Maybe if I move to a flat state, I would try it again, but as of now no.

Next question: Will you do a Full?

Oh hellz no. Again see the bike portion. I just couldn't imagine getting out there and going on a 7-hour bike ride some Saturday.

During the course of training for the Half Ironman, I did a ton of double workout days and a lot of early mornings. I missed social events and time with my wife. I don't want to do that again.

Again things can change, but that is my position now.

***

Overall, Pumpkinman was a great time. They did an awesome job with volunteers and aid stations. The spectators were sparse for the bike portion, but decent for the run. The volunteers were upbeat and I made sure to thank every single one I saw while out on the course.

Am I happy I took the leap outside of my comfort zone? Abso-freakin-lutely!

Can I successfully check this off my bucket list? You know it.

Now point me in the direction of the tattoo parlor ... time to add the 70.3 to my foot tattoo.

tat

***

Have you done a Half Ironman? What was your favorite part?

Racecancer’s Boston 5k Summer Series: Race #5

You know that Fall is approaching when the Racecancer Boston 5k Summer Series in winding down. I started this race series in May and can't believe that Race #5 has come and gone. May: Race #1 – 23:29 (7:34 min/mile pace) June: Race #2 - Did Not Start (Hamstring Injury) July: Race #3 - 24:19 (7:50 min/mile pace) August: Race #4 - 24:57 (8:03 min/mile pace) September (1): Race #5 - 22:39 (7:18 min/mile pace) September (2): Race #6 - September 18

My times are not what I have wanted, but I have given my all at those times, which is all I can ask of myself.

I had been disappointed in myself until Race #5, which took place on September 4. My original plan was to take the race super easy as I had my big big race just three days later.

But when the stars align on race day you need to take advantage.

The women's only 5k was set to start at 6pm. With the early race start many of the female racers were not in attendance - meaning a smaller field ... and many of the super speedy ladies wouldn't be racing.

Hmmm... my goal was to take advantage of that. ;)

So I lined up sort of near the front, but reminded myself to run my race.

The horn went off, I clicked on my Garmin and the game was on.

It was crazy being in the top 5 at the beginning of the race. As we took our first loop, I was in a small pack of runners (after 1 girl took off ahead of everyone) and I turned to the woman next to me and said "Wow! This is what the elite women at the Boston Marathon must experience!" Umm yeah not really a response or laugh. Ha. Oops. I guess not everyone likes to chat during a race. :)

It was exciting experience trying to keep up with the two girls just ahead of me.

When I saw the first water stop (thank you race for having 2 on the 5k course), I spotted the Mile 1 marker.

Mile 1: 6:55.

Ummm friends let's take a moment to reflect. The first mile buzzed with a pace with a 6 in the front. Holy crap! I almost teared up when I saw it. Yes I am that dorky. But how could I not? I remember when I started running in 2005 and could barely bust out a 14 min/mile pace. To see that kind of change over the years gives me chills.

Now I was feeling good, but I could tell my body was slowing down a little. Not sure if it was the heat or just tired legs. But I knew the last two miles wouldn't be as fast... and I was okay with that.

I just tried to keep the 2 girls within eye distance. I knew they were gaining ground, but I liked seeing them.

The second mile is pretty boring scenery wise - you have the Charles River on one side (yay) and a boulevard on the other (boring).

Mile 2 marker was met with another water stop ... and a girl flying by me! :P I was holding down 5th place until she came out of nowhere. But she was cooking it so I didn't get too huffy. ;)

Mile 2: 7:25

Off quite a drop. I tried to keep the big picture at the forefront.

The good thing about running the same course over and over again is familiarity. You know the ebbs and flows of the pavement and when you need to give the final kick!

It was kind of an odd experience basically running alone for the final mile. The few girls ahead of me were about a minute in front of me so I didn't see them through the twists and turns of the final mile. I also couldn't hear/see the girl behind me.

Just had to remind myself: One More Mile. You can do it.

So I tried my best to finish strong.

Mile 3: 7:31

When I passed the Mile 3 marker, I could see the Finish and hear folks cheering for someone else. I assumed she was right on my tail so I kicked in everything I had. I wasn't about to get passed in the final stretch of the race!

Final: 22:39 (7:18 min/mile)

I was ecstatic! It was 40 seconds slower than matching my 5k PR (21:59), but I felt proud of my overall performance. I thought I ran the best I could and had a great time being part of a small intimate race.

And holy crap! I finished 6th overall and 2nd in my division. Little 'ol me. I wanted to savor the experience since it will probably never happen again.

Now you may be wondering about the lack of mid-run selfie. Well I was wearing my glasses and I despise running/pics in glasses so there were no pics taken. Until...

I was given the great responsibility of sending off the co-ed 5k race with the bullhorn.

Hey-o! I am hitting the big times. ;)

I meant to head out to get home for dinner, but I ran into a friend Nacole. Nacole attends the Nike Run And Walk Club in Somerville on Wednesday nights. I took the time to catch up with her while she waited for her friends doing the co-ed 5k. She had already rocked the women's only 5k.

It was great to get to know her better and her friends.

While they all headed off to the post-race party, I ventured home for food. I promised that I would attend the post-race party for the final race on September 18.

If you haven't made it to a Racecancer Boston 5k Summer Series, you have one final chance - September 18 (women's only at 6pm and co-ed at 6:15). Feel free to register here.

***

Have you ever shocked yourself mid-race with an amazing split?

RACE RECAP: 2nd Annual Race To The Row 5k

How many races do you participate in that take place across the street from your house? Oh is that next to none?

Yeah I feel you on that...

... except when the Race To The Row 5k comes around!

That's right. It takes the wife about 5 minutes (more if there is a stop at Dunkin' Donuts for her) to get to the Start Area of the Race To The Row 5k, which is at the new Assembly Row area in Somerville, MA.

When the inaugural race took part last year, the Assembly Row area was still under construction so the race course lacked a lot of visual beauty. But with Assembly Row in full effect this year, I was ready to enjoy the beautiful new buildings and shots of the Mystic River.

Since the race didn't start until 9:30, I was 1) able to sleep in and 2) could do bib check day of. Woo!

We decided to leave the house just after 8:30 to stop at Dunkins and give us enough time to chat with friends before the Kids Race would start at 9:15.

There were a lot of great local businesses set up near bib pick-up and day of registration.

Somerville's own Runfellow gear

Runfellow also hosts a Tuesday night run club, which changes venues each week, but always takes place in the Somerville-Cambridge area.

b Positive Project out of South Boston

After browsing the booths, we made sure to get a good spot for the Kids Race. It was just about a 1/4 mile and each participant received an adorable Finisher's Medal. (Side Note: I really wish I had entered ;P)

My favorite was this tiny tiny boy with a big Superman cape on. I really wanted to borrow it from him, but he seemed attached to it.

Once the kids and their parents cleared the Start Area, it was time to line up.

I had no idea what kind of time to expect. My body was tired from the workouts the day prior - 1.5 mile swim, 30 mile bike and 5k run - so I didn't expect a PR.

I actually PRed at this race the previous year pulling a 21:59.2... yeah that wouldn't happen again. But I was ready to give it all I had.

The Sun was out and ready to shine out on the pretty shadeless course.

Now the Somerville Road Runners, the group organizing the race, had changed the course from the year prior. We would now be doing 2 loops, which was intriguing.

As we lined up, I distracted myself by chatting with a fellow Nike Run & Walk Club and Somerville resident, Ben. He was coming off an injury so also unsure what sort of race he would have.

The goal as always was to enjoy the run ... and hurry to the beer! ;)

The horn went off and it was a blaze of color in front of me. I tried to keep myself in my own groove and not worry about the folks around me. Which is always easier said than done at the beginning of a race for me.

Since I am working on racing without music in prep for the Half Ironman, I spent most of the race listening to my own breathing and the breathing of the folks around me. Ouch! Not the best soundtrack for a run.

BUT there was a slight out and back portion of the race so I could cheer for my friends after rounding the first turn. YES! I love being able to do that. Plus, I could marvel at the lead pack. Man those guys were flying!!

Mile 1: 7:29

I may or may not have picked a couple near me after that first mile and set a goal to get ahead of them at some point in the next mile. Sometimes it is a fun game to play and a way to push yourself in a race.

As we hit the end of the first loop, I waved to the wife, gave Jillian (creator of Runfellow) a high-five (pictured above) and checked in with the body. I was hot and I could tell the legs were slowing down.

I picked myself up by posting my halfway mark selfie to the interwebs before bearing down and finishing off the race.

Not one of my finest mid-run selfies

At least with the double loop you know when the Finish is coming.

Mile 2: 7:38

Now I never actually saw the Mile 2 marker, but when my Garmin buzzed I tried to dig deep and give it everything I could for the final mile.

I was back-and-forth with a couple of girls during Mile 2 so I kept them in my sights during the final mile.

I can't tell you how many times I repeated to myself Beer Beer Beer during that last stretch.

The volunteers did a great job directing and cheering on the runners.

I definitely won over the water stop with my Sparkle Skirt! ;)

Oddly enough not so many comments on the BEER socks, which surprised me.

Oh and yes these were thoughts during the final 1/2 mile of the run.

Mile 3: 7:40

Just get me to the BEER!

Final Finish: 23:46

Sweet. I was definitely happy with that. The quads felt good and the left hamstring was a bearable dull pain. ;) Baby steps.

According to the results I finished 79th overall and 10th in my division. Yeah! I never end up in Top 10 of my division.

After crossing the Finish Line, I headed right into the post-race party for some food and beer.

Thanks to Harpoon Brewery and J.P. Licks

I can't pass on mint chocolate chip ice cream at 10am.

Oh and Ernesto's pizza - great crust!

The post-race party was treated to the musical stylings of the IT Band.

It was a great vibe and always fun hanging out with my fellow Slumbrew Happy Soles.

The Race To The Row 5k is such a great local race and I cannot wait to see the race flourish over the years.

I will see you at the 3rd Annual race in 2015.

***

Did you Race To The Row? What was your favorite part?

*RACE RECAP* The 2014 New Balance Falmouth Road Race

It's not every day you are invited to participate in one of the world's most-recognized road races. But luckily this year New Balance did just that for me inviting me to run in the 42nd Annual Falmouth Road Race (7 miles) on August 17th.

As always all thoughts on the race are mine and of course honest ... ain't nobody got time for lyin'!

This would be my second time running Falmouth. After being selected in the lottery, I ran it in 2012 during the 40th anniversary when they offered a rare medal for Finishers because of the big anniversary.

Following 2012 race

We opted to head down to the Cape the day before the race and hang out at my parents' camper in Sandwich, MA - a short 30 min or so ride to the Shuttle Buses for the race. I was happy to NOT be one of those racers riding down from Boston on the morning of OR forking over an arm and a leg to pay for a place. :)

I want to thank my Tedy's Team mate Allie for picking up my bib and special welcome gift from New Balance at the Expo for me while we made our way down to the Cape in traffic. Allie came through in the clutch.

Now normally the New Balance Falmouth Road Race starts at 10am, but this year it had a 9am Start Time. This meant a 5am wake-up call for my support team (dad and wife) and me.

You may ask for a 30 minute drive to the Shuttle Buses why would I be up so early?

Well the Falmouth Road Race is a point to point race, which means myself and 12,800 of my closest friends need to take those Shuttle Buses to the Start area in Woods Hole. Shuttle Buses run from 5:45-7:45am.

My Tedy's Team mates would be meeting around 6:30/6:45 at the shuttle bus area so I wanted to hook up with the crew before we boarded the buses.

What a fine looking crew!

Around 7:30am, we got in line with our friends to board the school buses.

It was a quick ride up to Woods Hole. The Falmouth Road Race volunteers are amazing and have the loading and unloading areas running like clock work.

We unloaded in Woods Hole and headed to find the port-o-potties. There were ample port-o-potty areas available to the runners.

Usually Falmouth offered strict corral placement and policing, but switched it up here in 2014 with pulse starting.

This year, the New Balance Falmouth Road Race is introducing the “Pulse Start” system as an improved plan to start large numbers of runners within a venue site of limited size. This system is possible due to use of chip timing, that allows for all runners to receive an accurate time based on their crossings of the official start and finish lines. The "Pulse Start" has received excellent industry-wide runner feedback.

Goal: to give every runner the best experience possible

• This includes the ability now to run from the start with less congestion on the course

• Pulse intervals within each pace group are set at time intervals [approx. 2 minutes between] thus allowing for less congestion at the Start and on the course

• Each pace group will have multiple pace starts

My Tedy's Teammate Meg and I would be running together and decided to line up between the 8 and 9 min pace signs. There was a great atmosphere on race morning with amazing weather and a bunch of talented elite runners on site (Oh Hey Meb!).

MulletMarathon.com

After having the pleasure of meeting a couple of blog readers and the brains behind Somerville's own Runfellow gear, the pulse starts began.

Coming off the quad injury in the previous week I didn't set high expectations time wise for the race, but kept the main goal as Having Fun!

With over 12,000 runners meant a lot of tight running at the beginning of the race. The first three miles of the course are the tightest and also feature a majority of the hills and shade.

The self-seeding is a tricky game to play as many participants line up incorrectly resulting in tripping, elbowing and generally unsafe running conditions. I always line up in the area closest to my actual pace in order to keep the course safe and you should too. Runners Safety Moment From Me To You

Meg and I were doing the best bobbing and weaving that we could to try and get into a groove where we could find a comfortable pace and run next to each other. It was Meg's first time running Falmouth so I was playing guide the best I could.

Mile 1: 9:03 Mile 2: 8:49

I thought the race did a great job with the number of water stops available and trying to keep them balanced between the left and right sides of the road.

Not many races can beat the breathtaking views of the ocean that Falmouth has. The Sun was shining and the water was glistening. My quads felt pretty darn good even as we battled through the ups and downs of the first few miles of the race. It was my pesky left quad that was being a stick in the mud. It isn't a sharp or alarming pain just a constant reminder that the hamstring will require rest post Half Ironman (Sept 7).

Meg and I have done most of the long training runs for Boston Marathon together the past two years so we have a pretty good rhythm when we run together which I love and had missed. It can get pretty boring running alone without music. So we were able to use this time to catch up.

Mile 3: 8:39

Now the extra joy of this race was hitting the 3.5 mark and realizing we were already halfway done. Hey oh! Falmouth is definitely original with it's 7-mile distance. The story behind it says that the race creator, Tommy Leonard, was at a bar in Falmouth and someone said to him that he couldn't run home, which was about 7 miles away in Woods Hole. And that is how the race was born. Well that is what rumor says.

(Note: more on the history can be found here)

Halfway there selfie

The spectators along the course cheer with the same enthusiasm and dedication as those at that drape the roads along the Boston Marathon route.

Residents offer up their own water stops and even put aside what it will due to their water bills by spraying water from garden hoses across the course. Ohhh it felt awesome each time I ran under one.

There are bar owners and locals playing music and holding up signs everywhere you turn.

Additionally, you can find cheering sections for each of the charities running in the race along the course as well.

I may or may not have gotten shafted by a little kid looking for high fives. Apparently mine wasn't good enough for him. #Ouch

Mile 4: 8:21 Mile 5: 8:30

The crowds were really digging the Sparkle Athletic skirt and my Wonder Woman socks. I was getting a ton of cheers and loving the support. Falmouth puts your name on your bib if you sign up before a certain date, which is also a great motivator during the run as random strangers are calling out your name.

It seemed as soon as we hit Mile 5 the weather was taking its toll on some of the runners. Many were starting to walk or slow down. I was still feeling good. Thankfully Meg was willing to hang back with me and keep the pace where it was. I honestly didn't even know what pace we were at because I was so focused on the action around me and keeping in tune with how my body was feeling.

I was pleasantly surprised when my Garmin buzzed at Mile 5 with an 8:30 pace. :)

Mile 6: 8:27

The crowds are thick and rowdy as you head into the final couple of miles, which really carries you to that final hill that you know is coming during the last mile.

But once you crest that hill you KNOW it's all downhill to the Finish Line. As you top the hill, you see the glorious sight of the huge American Flag that flies over the Finish.

Yes I get teary when I see it thinking of the thousands of folks that have run this race before me: family, friends, Olympians.

Mile 7: 8:14

It was a truly beautiful day and the race was over before we knew it. I had a great run into the Finish and even saw my wife and dad just before crossing.

Final Time: 1:00:49 (8:42 min/mile pace)

Once I saw the Finish Time, I wished I had lined up earlier or pushed it harder to break one hour. I had finished the 2012 race in 58:10. But with injury, etc, I was happy with the results.

And I fulfilled my main goal: I had fun the entire time. :)

My Garmin gave me 7.1 miles on the nose, but the official course description says 7 miles so we will go with that since I did do extra bobbing and weaving along the way.

Since it wasn't an anniversary year there wasn't a Finisher's Medal - man I wish they did one - but I can't be too picky I know.

Meg and I grabbed a water before heading to the Finish Area to find both of our families. The post-race grub included Cape Cod Chips, pretzels, peanuts, bananas and Yasso bars. Mmm I grabbed a Mint Chocolate Chip Yasso Bar (2 PPV) and it was delicious.

But I was ready for a celebratory beer. We headed off to the post-race Tedy's Team BBQ, which was being held at a house just a mile away from the Finish Area. A little post-race shakeout walk.

The hamstring was feeling a little tight, but the rest of me was feeling great! My dad and wife caught me up on their morning, their delicious breakfast and their race spectating highlights.

I will say a highlight for me was when a little boy that I was the real Wonder Woman because his dad led him to believe it. The excitement on his face was priceless and I wanted to take him home with me. :P

The BBQ had delicious Samuel Adams beer, Papa Ginos pizza, snacks, veggies and more. Thank you again Tedy's Team for having my family and I.

I think I even have Tedy's kids participating in my birthday virtual 5k fundraiser. They understand the awesomeness of a Finisher's medal. :)

Tedy Bruschi and I

After an amazing morning, it was time to head back to Sandwich and relax the rest of the day ... the Cape way.

***

Thank you again to New Balance and Tedy's Team for a great Falmouth Road Race.

Have you run the Falmouth Road Race? What is your favorite part?

I Swam, Biked & Ran At Iron Girl Webster

I swam then I biked then I ran.

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All in a row.

All by choice.

And you know what?

It was fuuunnnn!!

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The Iron Girl Webster Sprint Tri was a BLAST from Start to Finish.

Okay there was some slight cursing during the bike (I'll get to that later), but for the most part I was alll smiles!

The triathlon ended up spanning over three days rather than just Race Day! On Friday, I shared my triathlon prep post and on Saturday I had the honor of participating in the Iron Girl Expo with Got Chocolate Milk. I never thought I would be asked to participate in a Q&A panel at a triathlon expo or co-host a shakeout run, but both were a blast!

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With a 4am wake-up call on race day, I tried to spend the night before relaxing in bed, enjoying my Zensah compression shorts and socks and just calming the pre-race jitters.

Can I stress how quickly 4am seems to come? :P

I leaped out of bed since I knew we were on a tight schedule to make sure we made it out West on time.

We were on the road by 4:49am and in the parking lot for the race at 5:52am. Booya! Yay for no traffic on the Mass Pike.

The weather was in the low 60s with clear skies. Perfect racing conditions.

The parking lot was just over a mile from the Start so the race provided port-o-potties at the parking lot (HUGE WIN!) and shuttles to the Start. They were moving regularly and had amole busses available (ANOTHER WIN).

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Finish shoot I would see a few hours later

I headed straight to the transition area to be numbered up and to set up my gear.

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This race was my third triathlon (all Sprint) so I looked at my transition set up from previous races as an example. I laid everything out then stood back and made sure the things I needed first would be in front - aka bike gear, snacks in the middle and run gear farthest back.

As I mentioned this would be my first tri using the bike shoes so it would be a learning experience either way. :)

Transition closed at 6:30 so I gave the layout one last glance over, grabbed my goggles/swim cap and headed out to meet the Got Chocolate Milk ladies.

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The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement. The beach was full of ladies and their support crews. I took a quick dip in the water to see how the tri kit would feel while swimming. Remember I haven't swum in the tri kit yet so again new experience for me. :P

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I love chatting with people before a race. It pushes the pre-race jitters out of my mind since I am busy focusing on the other person or people. So things like this amazing group photo get me motivated and ready to jump in the water.

Only thing was the picture was at 6:45am and my wave wasn't starting until 7:30! :P

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But, I took my opportunity to get last-minute advice and inspiration from Chrisann, a Got Chocolate Milk Captain and Iron(wo)man! Biggest piece of advice: Have Fun! I can definitely do that.

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The wife and I moved closer to the Start Area on the beach so we could hear the National Anthem and start cheering on the earlier waves.

The Iron Girl Webster race manager, Sarah Frey, came over to chat with me while on the beach. I have to say it was a really nice gesture and a pleasure. I had nothing but positive things to say up to that point about the race. The IRONMAN group knows how to run an event properly. Volunteers were nice, helpful and everyone seemed happy!

It was also cool to hear more about her background in triathlons, etc. What can I say I love hearing people share their journeys!

Before I knew it was time for me to line up. I gave the wife a kiss for good luck and headed to the Start Line. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach, but I tried my hardest to keep the positive thoughts going. I also had to remind myself that I chose to be there. ;)

***

Swim - 1/3 mile

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We started the swim in the water. I moved myself closer to the front of the group to hopefully avoid some of the extra kicking and punching that can happen when a group of people start swimming at the same time.

There were 5 minutes between each wave, but I swear it was really 30 minutes. It felt like a lifetime between getting in the water and the 10 second countdown.

But then we were off.

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 Can you see me? ;)

I could definitely tell a difference racing without a wetsuit compared to with a wetsuit since it gives you a little extra buoyancy. But I felt strong. I have been working on sighting - keeping a target in your sights while swimming - and it was paying off. I was definitely swimming in a straighter line than the two triathlons last year.

As we took the first of two left turns in the water, I swam straight into the wave before us. I stopped for a moment to get gauge the situation before swimming a tad to the left to get out of the mass of orange or red cap swimmers. Thankfully that gave me a nice lane to get back into a rhythm.

I was trying to swim using more of my arms than my legs. Sarah Reinertsen told me in her Ironman she exhausted her arms as much as possible since you don't really need them the rest of the race. I tried to take that to heart.

With the second left turn done, it was straight to the Swim Finish on the beach. I kept my eyes on the Swim Finish Arch whenever I needed to re-sight.

I kept swimming until my fingers grazed the bottom of the Lake then I stood up to run out of the water.

Crossed the Swim mat and officially entered transition.

I was 1/3 of the way there! ;)

There were some small rocks and gravel during the run/jog from the water to my stuff.

Total Time: 10:55 Pace: 2:03/100 yds Overall Place: 55/583 Division: 10/83

***

Transition 1

After hobbling/jogging over the rocks/dirt/asphalt to get to my bike. Step 1 was to put on my shirt with my number on it. I didn't want to forget that. Second was putting on my helmet. I should've taken the time to readjust my ponytail a little more for comfort but I was caught up in the moment.

So folks take the time to get comfortable in your gear - it's what transition is for. ;)

I wiped off my feet with my towel, put on my socks/bike shoes, adjust my Sparkle Athletic skirt,  grabbed my bike and I was out the gate. I took a quick swig of water, but should've eaten my mini Luna bar then. My mistake! I need to remember to fuel before the bike.

It was odd running to the "mount" spot in my bike shoes, but thankfully it wasn't too far.

Time: 2:56 Overall Place: 100/583 Division: 10/83

***

Bike - 12 miles

Friends, I recommend looking at the course map before the race. :P I had NO idea there was such a HUGE hill and other rolling hills during the bike course.

We headed out of transition for the 12 mile loop. This was my first race in bike shoes so I was really hoping to see an improvement from my previous races where I wore sneakers.

I felt like the motion was more fluid. I am still not comfortable on the bike enough to take my hands off the handlebars so I didn't bother putting water bottles on my bike (yes something I am working on), but I should've checked whether they allowed camelbacks or not and should've brought it either way. I originally thought it's 12 miles I can make it, but I definitely needed it. Another learning experience.

Mile 1: 3:39 Mile 2: 3:57 Mile 3: 3:51 Mile 4: 3:48 Mile 5: 6:20 Mile 6: 3:07

Sooo do we have any idea which mile the largest of the hills was located? ;)

There were many women walking their bikes up the hill, but I made a deal with myself that no matter how long it took me to get up it - I would ride the entire way up. I grunted, I swore, I breathed heavily, but I did it!

And it felt AWESOME! Tiring, but awesome.

Mile 7: 3:36 Mile 8: 4:15 Mile 9: 3:16 Mile 10: 3:28 Mile 11: 3:21 Mile 12: 3:33

Rolling hills for most of the course gave me a LOT of practice on shifting gears, which I needed.

I also need to work on not being so scared when going fast on the downhills. I always imagine me flipping over my handlebars and crashing so I slam on the brakes. I need to get a little more confidence, which I assume and hope will come over time.

At least while ladies were passing me on the bike, they had my Sparkle Athletic skirt to compliment me on. ;)

I did come off the bike feeling excited. I really felt stronger and more knowledgable than I did a year ago. I need to keep reminding myself that I am newest to biking and every chance I am on the bike is a learning experience.

I was proud of my shifting and staying in my own race rather than getting upset when folks passed me ... which happens a lot.

Total Time: 47:35 Pace: 15.1 MPH Overall Place: 172/583 (can we tell it’s my weakest area) Division: 24/83

***

Transition 2

Well you know a transition won't go as well when you go into the wrong lane. Yup, took my bike down the wrong row before realizing it and hauling booty to the correct one. Oops!

photo 1 (99)

Gotta thank the wife for catching this action shot a I changed from bike shoes to sneakers. I was shaking so much that I was having trouble tying my shoes, which slowed me down. But I stopped took a deep breath and tried again - success! I chugged some water and headed out. Again this is where I should've had another mini luna bar, but I was sooo excited to get to the run part (my fav) I skipped it. Another life lesson.

Time: 2:12 Overall Place: 262/583 Division: 44/83

***

Run - 3 Miles

Hello old friend. As someone that hated running for most of my life I never thought I would get excited for the run portion of a triathlon. But it really is my happy place and comfort zone.

The run was an out and back (which we passed when coming in on the bike) so there were a TON of people to high five and cheer on. I was having a blast.

I LOVE cheering people on so this was 3 miles of it. The course had some inclines, but nothing terribly challenging.

My legs felt a little heavy right off the bike, but quickly got acclimated.

I can only simply say the run was like a party. It was such a great energy and excitement knowing we were 2/3 of the way done. You know I was secretly wishing the run portion was longer ;) but I didn't let on to anyone else about that. Ha.

I wish I had my phone because the run portion was weird to be mid-run selfie-less. Priorities right?

There were volunteers clearly directing us where to go and offering up water/Nuun in a water stop that you saw on the way out and back on the run. So two stops for the price of one.

There was an incline during Mile 2, but it came with a down hill.

The run was through a little neighborhood so you could see the water in between the houses.

I just couldn't stop smiling.

As we took the final right down the Stretch. You had the bikes coming in on your left, you had runners coming towards you on the right as they headed out on the run. It was awesomely motivating commotion!

Then there it was ... the Finish Line shoot. As you came down the shoot you could hear the announcer say: Dani Holmes-Kirk ... you are an Iron Girl!

It was freakin' cool. I mean I will never hear you are an Ironman so this was the closest I will get and it was awesome.

Total Time: 23:16 Pace: 7:46 min/mile Overall Place: 47/583 Division: 7/83

***

After receiving my medal from an adorable young lady, I immediately headed to refuel with some Chocolate Milk.

photo 4 (65)

Oh it was heaven in a little Nestle Nesquick bottle. I needed the carbs and the proteins so these tired muscles could recover!

choc milk

Since the Chocolate Milk booth was RIGHT at the Finish Line, I could refuel and continue to cheer on the Finishers.

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I had actually heard Chrisann's name announced when I was heading out on the run. She did amazing.

photo 3 (76)

I want to thank Natalie from Got Chocolate Milk for all her help over the weekend. :)

Right next to the Chocolate Milk tent was the post-race spread for the athletes. Mmmm mini cinnamon rolls. I had two and enjoyed every bite!

psot-race

Photo Courtesy Iron Girl Webster

***

Overall, I am really happy with how the day turned out. I tried new things out: tri kit, bike shoes, wearing a Sparkle Athletic skirt for bike/run and focusing on staying in my own race.

I also learned things I need to work on: proper fueling/hydrating, the bike - just all of the bike, and transitions.

photo 2 (90)

photo 1 (3)

Oh and the biggest thing, not getting caught up in rankings. Not one of my close friends or family asked where I placed. They just wanted to make sure I finished and I had fun doing it. Why I put this pressure on myself? I don't know, but I am working on it.

photo 5 (48)

I also want to thank Chrisann and her Iron Maidens for welcoming me with open arms into their group for the weekend. Talk about one inspiring and motivating group of women!

I owe an extra WOO to Chrisann who went back on the course to run in with the final participant.

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I was cheering them on and caught this action shot after I started walking back to my car. Marge, pictured above finishing her first triathlon, battled bike malfunctions, but kept moving forward which meant dragging her bike 30-40 minutes until she found the on-road bike mechanics. How about THAT for heart?

*** Iron Girl did a GREAT job putting this race on. I will recommend it to any lady I meet looking for a good, welcoming, supportive and fun triathlon.

But with no adult beverages onsite, I did have to wait to cheers until I got home. ;)

photo 5 (45)

Did you participate in Iron Girl Webster? What did you think of that hill on the bike course?

Racecancer’s Boston 5k Summer Series: Race #3

I love a race series especially one that takes place along the gorgeous and historic Charles River in Boston.

How did I get so lucky to call this my running path?

Thursday July 17th marked the third installment of Racecancer's Boston Summer 5k Series.

I competed in Race 1 on May 29, but missed Race 2 on June 12 due to injury.

When I woke up on July 17, I wasn't feeling it. I was just having one of those days when I wasn't in the mood to race. I think it happens to all of us at one time or another.

But, I knew I would feel better if I went, saw friends and just hit the pavement.

I arrived early for the race since I misread my calendar as to what time it started. Oops! I took the extra time to get some pre-run walking and stretching in.

I was deciding whether I would run both 5ks offered - the women's only 5k was kicking off at 7 and the co-ed 5k would follow at 7:30. I was going to wait and decide after race #1.

The women lined up just before 7 for pre-race announcements.

Not sure why I look so tall compared to everyone else. Hmm... For the record I am 5-8.

Also for the record, I was NOT posing in this photo. It just looks that way. ;)

Do you guys like my Race Ragz blog shirt? It was only the second time I wore it in a race.

As the pre-race jitters sunk in (like they do for every single race I participate in), I tried to block them out and turn it into fuel.

I had no expectations for the race time-wise and was just going to get out there and enjoy the atmosphere.

The course is basically the same for every race so I wouldn't have any surprises during the 3.1 miles.

After a 10 second countdown, we were OFF!

Ladies zoomed past me and I was okay with that. I wasn't going to PR and I needed to stay in my own game.

We crossed over the Eliot St bridge just before Mile 1 and I had to snap a pic.

How beautiful is that?

Mile 1: 7:48

It was hot and humid. I don't normally run in sleeves so I had to keep tucking my sleeves back under the strap of my sports bra. Having wardrobe malfunctions or annoyances while running is never fun.

And of course a halfway point selfie for everyone's enjoyment. ;) This was actually the second attempt at the selfie as the first was horrendous. Yes my mid-run selfies are not always perfect on the first try. :P

I want to thank the race for having two water stops during the 5k loop. They were both needed and appreciated.

Mile 2: 7:59

Since I was once again running without music, I needed something to occupy my mind for the final mile so I took in the people around me. I was trying to remember if any were around me during the first race in the series. I also had a blast watching this young girl - maybe around 10 or so - running with her mom. She kept looking over her shoulder to see if any of us were about to pass her.

I loved her fire and tenacity. Part of me wanted to step it up a notch to see what she would do, but I really wanted her to have that moment with her mom. So I hung back.

I also want to thank the race for providing free race photos to participants. It is such a rare thing these days. This photo was about 1/2 a mile from the Finish.

I gave it all I could for the final 1/2 mile, but between heat and my overall tiredness it felt like I was moving in place or I was on a treadmill. Has anyone else felt that during a run? I looked down just to confirm I was in fact moving forward.

As I neared the Finish Line, I looked to my right and saw a couple having a picnic - on the ground - among the geese. Ummm not my idea of a romantic date - umm hi goose poop - but they looked like they were having a phenomenal time.

Mile 3: 7:56

I crossed the Finish Line and went directly to the water jugs.

Let me tell you how much I did NOT feel like I was running sub 8's. Prior to my watch buzzing at Mile 1, I really expected to see a 9:30-ish pace. I just felt heavy and hot the entire race.

So while I am excited to see the final time, I really felt off the entire run. I don't think I could've done anything different. I was properly hydrated. I had plenty of fuel prior to the race. I was stretched. I think the heat/humidity was just there. Hi Summer! ;)

Once the first race was over, I was chatting with my friend George and seriously considering running the second 5k slowly. A cool down if you will. But as the time passed prior to the second race, the achiness in my left hammy was increasing. So I listened to my body and headed home.

Start to Coed 5k

With my weekly weigh-in the next morning I opted out of the post-race party at Miller's Boston Ale House sponsored by Long Trail Brewing. But man I could've used a beer after that race.

That night I looked at the race results for the women's only race and I was nowhere to be found. Hmm... I know from my mid-run selfie that I was in fact in there. After a quick tweet to the race organizers, I was told some people were missing from the electronic results, but were still on the manual list. It didn't take them long to fix the mistake. Thanks!

My 24:19 (7:50 min/mile pace) placed me 33rd overall out of 108 and 11th out of 35 in my division.

I am looking forward to hopefully being a little healthier for Race #4 of the series on Thursday, August 14 sponsored by Clown Shoes. Want to join me? You can still register here.

***

Have you ever participated in a women's only 5k?

RACE RECAP: 2014 Old Port Half Marathon

FUN RUN with the BFF = 2014 Old Port Half Marathon

Buoys as division prizes ... so cool!

I was pumped when my BFF Sarah's dad bought her an entry into the Old Port Half for her bday present. Since Sarah and her family live in Portland, we would be making it a little weekend trip.

First stop on Saturday, June 12 was the Expo. The Expo may've been small, but it would outside on a pier with beer for purchase and live music. Hey-o!

I want to thank Old Port Half Race Director Erik Boucher for having me at the race. I do want to share that I was given complimentary race entry and swag, but all of my thoughts are honest and 100% mine!

After a quick Expo trip, we had a lovely afternoon birthday BBQ for my niece Joanna's 2nd birthday.

Since we had a 5am wake-up call, we all turned in early.

After some grumbling after the early wake-up call, I dragged myself off the guest futon and happily got ready for the race. I brought some instant oatmeal to have prior to the race. It is nice to have a kitchen at your disposal when prepping for a race while on the road. Plus, Sarah lives pretty close to downtown so we didn't have to leave the house until just after 6am.

There was ample parking available around the city. Okay, we just parked in any lot we found and hoped for the best. ;) We asked a cop to double check that we were okay and he basically said we are parking at our own risk. Eh, we took the chance.

We immediately headed to the lengthy port-o-potty lines. While in line, I brought up the article from the Boston Globe where Boston Marathon race director Dave McGillivray shared his race pet peeves. One included folks forming one line to cover multiple port-o-potties rather than one line per port-o-potty. Shortly after I brought this up in a line that seemed to be growing rather than moving, someone made an announcement over the loudspeaker to form one line per port-o-potty. Hallelujah! The lines immediately started moving more.

Wife & I proud to #SportTheFort for Slumbrew!

But we were already cutting it close to the race start. We had about 15 minutes before the Start and still had to drop my bag at the Blue Trailer Mobile Lockers. Thankfully Molly was running a smooth ship and the line moved swiftly. I got my key, locked up my gear and Sarah and I headed to the Start corral.

I sent Tori ahead so she could be in place and get settled before the race started. Since Sarah and I were doing it for fun, I wasn't worried about getting to the right corral.

I will commend Old Port for trying to keep a lane free to the right side of the Start Corral for folks to shimmy up to their correct pace group.

Oh when we came to the back of the Corral, we spotted additional port-o-potties. Would've been helpful to know about those earlier. :P

We did our best to sashay our way up to the 8:30-ish corral, but we got stopped around the 9 min/mile pace corral.

While in line, we went over our game plan again of having fun, taking pictures and keeping the run around a 9 min/mile pace. Our only time goal was to finish in sub-2. The rest of the goals were for fun. ;)

The Start corral was full of spectators and the folks running the 5k option which would be kicking off at 7:30. They were actually taking a shuttle to their Start Line. Cool idea.

The race started out on the main street of Commercial Street. With parts of the street still open to traffic, we were actually running in a roped off area in the middle of the street. It was a narrow shoot so there wasn't a whole lot of bobbing/weaving we could do without possibly rolling an ankle on the old streets. We did the best we could, but again didn't want to waste energy as there was a large hill happening around Mile 3.

Mile 1: 8:52 Mile 2: 8:05

Can you tell we got into a better groove around Mile 2? ;)

After Mile 2, the ever-loving hill began. It weaved, it climbed and it just kept going.

Mile 3: 9:05

I know the hill takes a little more toll on the injured left hammy so I made sure to stay smart and strong. I slowed it down and didn't get antsy when folks passed me. I had to run my own race.

Just after hitting the 5k mark, we saw race volunteers waving frantically and yelling "You are going the wrong way!"

Ummm what? Apparently the folks in front of us were being led in the wrong direction.

We were among the first 15 people to be directed the correct way on the course. As we turned right and had the cool feeling of being in the "front of the pack" on the race, we grumbled that those folks probably wouldn't have to run all 13.1 miles. In reality, I would've been angry if my race wasn't accurately 13.1.

***

Before I continue with the race recap, I want to share what race director Erik posted on the mix-up.

Thank you Erik for being honest and owning up to the mistake.

***

We celebrated being on the correct course with a downhill. :)

During the downhill, I was trying to fix my bun when I lost the hair elastic. Ahhh! Sparkly Soul headband to the rescue. Phew. I was about to start asking surrounding runners for help.

Mile 4: 8:47

Once the hill ended, we took a sharp left and returned to Commercial St. We were heading back towards the Start Area before heading out on the second loop of the race.

I was getting a ton of cheers for my gun metal Sparkle Athletic skirt. The girls around me were jealous of my cheers. I explained to them how awesome the Sparkle Athletic skirts are. It is an instant crowd pleaser.

Mile 5: 8:33

As we passed the Start area, we waved to the car that was still there (woo!) and headed up yet another hill. Sarah had told me that the hill at Mile 3 and an incline at Mile 11 would be it.

Well apparently she thought the course would be down by the water during Mile 6 rather than taking the hill side. Oh joy! ;) I tried to just put my head down and barrel up the hill.

Luckily the hill began by passing the Shipyard Brewery so I just kept thinking about the Shipyard beer we would enjoy at the end of the race.

Mile 6: 8:57

Best friends can be in sync about many things including bathroom breaks. Since we weren't trying to PR, we took a much-needed port-o-potty break during Mile 6. One great way to celebrate climbing to the top of the hill. ;)

Everything was better after the bathroom break.

Beautiful, right?

My Garmin was pretty spot on the whole race so I made sure we took a mid-run selfie at the halfway mark.

We didn't even plan to have such similar outfits, but it worked for us. ;)

My left hamstring was feeling a little tight, but nothing that I haven't gotten used to since the pain started in May. (Yes I am working on the problem ;))

Mile 7: 9:40 (bathroom break can really slow the pace :P)

During Mile 7, we took a left turn onto the running/bike trail that surrounds Back Cove. We would be spending the next 3-ish miles running along this lovely spot of Portland.

Somehow turned on the black-white filter on my phone

This is definitely the top running in Portland as we had a ton of folks out for a fun Saturday morning run pass us while we were running.

Mile 8: 8:42

I want to commend the race for having 10 water stops throughout the course, including a handful of misting tents.

While out on the trail along the Cove, the sun really starting beat down on us. There wasn't a ton of shade available so we made sure to take in water and gatorade whenever available.

Mile 9: 9:03

I've been focusing on walking through the water stops during my races. I've heard taking that 10-15 seconds is wicked helpful for the legs during a race.

Sarah and I were having a good time catching up and planning for her and her daughter to come see my Half Ironman in September. :)

Mile 10: 9:20

During the Mile 10 water stop, I had to peel off my KT Tape as it was rolling off. I rarely have that happen, but I guess I was sweating that much?

Mile 11 took place over Tukey's Bridge. It was an incline, but not nearly as steep as the previous two hills.

Mile 11: 9:20

Once over the bridge, we took a right on Sewage Plant Rd. You can only imagine what kind of facility is on that street and the smell that it let out. Gross! If nothing else, that smell made us run faster.

After a quick turn around point, we headed straight down Eastern Prom trail to the Finish.

We just kept saying "Beer! Beer! Beer!"

Not sure the people around us were as excited as we were. ;)

Mile 12: 8:55

The final mile offered a beatiful view of a dog park as well as some little up and down inclines. Thanks Portland. How sweet of you!

Mile 13: 8:28

The last mile gave us time to decide what we would do when we hit the Finish Line - holding hands and doing the SNL Superstar move it is!

Finish Time: 1:57:44 (8:58 min/mile pace)

Success! Half Marathon #19 was in the books!

We had a great time and felt awesome at the Finish.

We scooped up our medals and headed for the food. I got a nice bottle of free water, a KIND bar and a hot piece of pizza from Portland Pie Company. I applaud Portland Pie for offering a Gluten-Free option for Finishers. They also had cookies and swedish fish for refuel.

We recovered our stuff from Blue Trailer lockers before stalking the Shipyard Beer Garden.

Each Finisher was given two complimentary Shipyard beers. Since the line was ridiculously long that wrapped around the Beer Garden, we grabbed both of our beers at once to be safe.

I felt bad that they ran out of Blueberry beer before my wife finished. :/ It is her favorite.

Sarah and I settled in to stretch and enjoy our beverages, while we waited for Tori to finish and her husband to meet up with us.

The weather was great to sit out and enjoy the 90s cover band. I'm not sure if the band was amazing or if they were just playing every song we love. I think a little of both. :)

We finally met up with Sarah's husband Brandon and Joanna when we found out that babies weren't allowed in the Beer Garden ... but dogs were. Didn't make sense to us. But we found a barricade so we could still hang out with them while we enjoyed our beer.

Joanna was rocking Sarah's medal. While chatting, Joanna decided to break into the beer garden - a gutsy 2 year old - to start double fisting.

Down that water baby!

She is a rebel with a cause. To distract her from the doggies in the beer garden, Brandon and Joanna went to cheer Tori into the Finish! She did awesome finishing in 3:00:11. Amazing job. I was so proud of her especially since I know she hadn't been training for the hills.

We enjoyed some more pizza, while Tori had her celebratory beer.

It is hilarious that we were calling it a day shortly after 11am. We needed some low-fat chocolate milk and Dunkin Donuts coffee.

BYOCM - Bring Your Own Chocolate Milk

Overall, the race was amazing. I had a blast with my BFF and fellow very supported throughout the race. Besides the snafu with misdirection and not alerting folks earlier about the additional port-o-potties, Erik and crew did a great job.

Special thanks to all the volunteers and police officers out on the course.

Plus, it was one sweet sweet medal.

***

Did you run the Old Port Half or 5k?

Finish At The 50 10k Recap

The Finish Line of any race is a sweet and special spot... ... but imagine it was moved to the 50 yard line of your favorite Football team.

Yeah, exactly!

That would be freakin' sweet.

Well the Finish At The 50 race did just that.

The Finish Line was at the 50 yard line of Gillette Stadium, aka the home of the New England Patriots.

Sign me up.

Oh it's the 5th anniversary of the race so you are going to add a kick ass medal on top of it all.

Where do I hand over my $$$$???

:)

On July 3rd, the wife and I took the drive down to Foxboro. With it being the day before a holiday weekend we got wicked nervous about traffic and proceeded to leave Boston at 1pm. The wife's 5k was taking place at 5:30, while my 10k went off at 6:30. Expecting hours of traffic and bib pick-up, we hoped we had plenty of time to head South.

It took us about an hour. Well then...

I'd rather spend a few hours at the race site, which had stores, restaurants and Dunkin' than cutting it close to race time.

We quickly picked up our numbers and shirts and proceeded to find coffee and air conditioning. Other racers had the same idea we had and Patriot Place (the shopping area next to Gillette Stadium) was bumping. Especially with families as there was a Kids Race prior to the 5k-10k.

Now normally there are fireworks after the races, but with a Hurricane heading our way it was canceled. Boo, but understandable.

There were plenty of booths set up so we had enough to entertain us.

After finding the wife a place to change, having a few snacks, hiding in the Patriots Pro Shop for air-conditioning and catching up with Molly, CEO of Blue Trailer Mobile Lockers, it was time for the wife to stretch and line up for her 5k.

Molly, brains behind the operations, and I

The weather was hot so we both made sure to take the race easy. I was hoping to find lots of water on the course as the race had warned folks to stay hydrated. They also offered 10k runners the choice to drop to the 5k if they needed to due to temps.

I waved to the wife as she headed out and met up with Erin and Kelsey,who were both running the 10k as well. I dropped my stuff in my Blue Trailer locker and we all headed to the Start Line.

Thanks for the pic Erin!

(Note: if you squint, you can see the 5k runners running up and down the ramps behind us)

Thankfully the corrals were in the shade. I was trying to soak up as much shade as possible because I could only guess how hot and sunny the course would be.

While hanging out around the 9 min/mile pace, Cat and her fiance Chris joined us. Cat and I run on Tedy's Team together. :) She was the one that got me to sign up for this crazy race with a promise of sweet sweet bling. (This race doesn't normally have bling, but being the 5th anniversary they decided to have one.)

After some more chatting and stretching, it was finally time for everyone to squish forward to start the pre-race ceremonies. The wheelchair group went off a couple minutes before the rest of us. The announcer gave us a 30 second warning before the horn went off, which I sort of missed because I was only half listening. ;) Because all of a sudden the horn went off and we started the awkward pre-race run, jog, wog, walk to the actual Start Line. Everyone know what I am talking about?

As I crossed the Start Line, I clicked Start on my Garmin and we were off.

Tori had finished the 5k in 42:56 and had warned me that her course was lacking adequate water and to be careful.

Well too late for me to do anything about that so I just hoped for the best.

Less than half a mile into the race I spotted my friend John and fellow Team Chocolate Milk running mate. :) I love seeing familiar faces out on the course.

After passing John, I came up to the most inspirational duo in sports - the Hoyts.

If you don't know anything about the Hoyts please run to Google now and get yourself caught up. I'll wait.

Moved to tears? Yeah, I always get that way when thinking of this father-son team. It is an honor to run in races alongside them.

I had to grab a quick selfie.

Once I saw the Hoyts, I was motivated to keep moving myself forward to the best of my ability. If they would be giving it 100%, I would to.

Mile 1: 7:59

Umm yeah that first mile was on Team Hoyt high! I knew I wouldn't be keeping that for the whole race.

I was already feeling hot, sweaty and thirsty. This would be a looong 6.2 miles.

After the first water stop, we took a right and entered a quiet neighborhood where we would spend most of the race.

I want to thank the residents that stood outside with hoses trying to keep the racers cool. The ones out enjoying their evening cocktail cheering us on.

But they were few and far between. The course was unfortunately boring and for the most part quiet.

Mile 2: 8:23

The uphills started early and I learned would be constant. It felt as if we kept going up with very little down. Ha.

I thought the race committee would've added additional water stops due to the high temperature, but unfortunately that didn't happen. :/

I was happy to see at least one ambulance along the course.

Mile 3: 8:35

It was around the 5k mark that I focused my attention on smiling. I learned from Sarah Reinertsen at Heartbreak Hill Festival that when she is feeling down or any pain in a race, she smiles and it fakes her body into thinking everything is fine.

So I tried to put that motto into practice.

I could tell I needed new shoes - there was little to no support left in my sneakers - and I was thirsty. The entire time. There just needed to be a water stop per mile or some music out on the course somewhere. Just a little action to keep the spirits up. At least the spirits of the people around me. We all tried to cheer each other on in the moment.

Mile 4: 8:35

There was finally a decent downhill. I wanted it to last forever, but it felt like maybe 1/10th of a mile. Hehe. We had a decent flat leading back into the Gillette Stadium campus.

The spectator of the day went to the woman during Mile 4 offering a hose for relief and watermelon slices. While I didn't take a watermelon slice, I really did appreciate the creativity.

Just after seeing Ms. Watermelon we took a right to re-enter the Gillette Stadium campus. We would be wrapping around the outside of the Stadium before entering.

It was just before the Mile 5 marker that I took this sexy mid-run selfie and pleaded to my social media friends for an extra boost of support.

I was hot, tired and really felt exactly how I looked. :P I wondered if I would make it through the final mile. Granted the final mile is what I endured the whole race for ... to FINALLY be inside the Stadium.

Mile 5: 8:40

And there it was Gillette. Just after a water stop we headed to the ramps. In the 10k, we only had to go down ramps not up like the 5k. ;) We ran down two ramps, along the concourse, down two more ramps and back out of the Stadium ... to the parking lot. :/ Womp womp! We clearly had to make up some more distance so we did a zig zag through the parking lot before we headed back into the Stadium and onto the field.

Mile 6: 9:18

Not sure how the Garmin did in the Stadium since we were covered and satellite was lost briefly. But as soon as we re-entered the Stadium, I dug deep to finish strong!

I felt like I had endured really the first 6 miles of boring course for the final .2 on the field. It was a thrill running on the same field as so many Hall of Famers including Tedy Bruschi, the captain and founder of that very charity team I am honored to be a part of.

It was crazy to come to the Finish Line and see yourself on the large Jumbotrons in the Stadium.

Official Finish Time: 53:01 ... 267th out of 1,609 overall and 31st out of 304 in my division

The medal is soooo sweet. The football is made out of the same material as a real football. Amazing right?

It was great having the wife at the Finish Line. She had plenty of time to roam around and snap pics, while I was out sweating my booty off. ;)

Since the fireworks were canceled, we snapped some additional pics, grabbed extra water and headed back to the Lockers to pick up our bag.

Funny thing is Garmin said 53:03, first email from Granite State results said 53:02 and official website said 53:01. Haha. At least the time was getting faster. ;)

Since the fireworks were canceled, we got back in the car to head home and take care of the pups.

Oh and enjoy a celebratory drink of course.

***

Overall, the race was a huge disappointment and I don't think I will sign up for it again:

*90 percent of the 10k was out in the neighborhood, while about half of the 5k was on the ramps inside the Stadium.

*There wasn't enough water, especially for the weather. My wife said there were 2 water stops during the 5k, but 1) the first wasn't until halfway through the race and 2) they weren't ready with water. She actually had to wait for the volunteers to fill water up.

Now I know that they probably didn't expect as many 5k runners since people at the last minute dropped down, but still. It is a crucial aspect of the race to keep the runners hydrated.

*The shirt was cotton, which is tough because they aren't as useful as tech shirts.

*No one policed the corrals meaning there was chaos and it seemed no one lined up properly except the "elites," which caused for bottlenecking and tripping at the Start.

*The course really was pretty blah. It had rolling hills, but no entertainment outside of some scattered residents.

*The residents and volunteers ROCKED. They did the best they could with what they had.

*The medal is off the hook, but it isn't a yearly feature.

*I expected a flawless race as it was headed by DMSE, which is run by Dave McGillvray - who is the Race Director for the Boston Marathon and other great races.

***

Did you take part in the Finish At the 50 5k or 10k?