Boston Triathlon ... aka My First Tri

Ahhh-MAZING!!

Oh did you want more of a recap?

Well then let's do it! :)

I think everyone knows I was a tad wicked nervous for my first triathlon. I mean check out my T-minus 12 hours post for the jist.

I mean Hello look at all the numbers attached to this one race.

So let's get right to it!!

***

5am - Alarm Goes Off

I sprang out of bed. I knew I had laid out all my clothes the night before, but there was still so much to do before we had to leave the house. I let the dogs out so they could take care of business while I hectically got ready and attached the bike to the bike rack (which I thankfully put on the car the night before). Sometimes being slightly OCD can help one out on the morning of the race.

After leaving the house without my Garmin on the morning of the Boston Marathon, I made sure to check that I had that about 17 times before we left the house.

I had my big bag of stuff for the transition and I made sure the wife had her back-up ready with extra clothes, snacks and any other odds and ends we would need that morning.

We met my dad on the porch and...

5:40am - We are out the door

I was told by my Triathlon coaches (and fellow Tedy's Team members) Jackie and Cat to be on site by 6:15am for the 7:45am start time because there is so much more to account for before the race than a regular running race.

Since my dad and wife were getting up so early for me, I made sure we stopped at Dunkins on the way to the race. They deserved and needed the caffeine. :P

In the car I felt oddly calm. This is extremely weird for me before a race, but I was hoping to take it as a good sign. Also I knew as soon as I was on the site of the race, it would be a whole different ballgame.

6:15am-ish - We pull into a parking space

Annddd cue the butterflies. As we pull into a parking space, I start to see the other athletes with their professional bikes and looking like they knew what they were doing. In my head panic. I wanted to turn around and leave. But wait a minute. Not happening. I freakin' worked my butt off to be there too so self pull up your spandex shorts and get out there.

(Timing after this is a blur so time to go general with titles ;))

Pre-Race

The air was crisp, the sun was shining and the water looked calm - one gorgeous Boston morning! We really couldn't ask for better weather conditions.

I headed over to the transition area to get my bike checked and to set up my area. Thankfully I had watched some transition videos on Youtube the day before so I had a better idea of what I was supposed to do. I also took a picture as people suggested so I could go back after the race and see what I would change - if anything.

After racking my bike and getting everything in place, I realized that Ace Wheelworks (where I bought my bike) had tents set up and were putting air in people's tires for free. So I went back in and got my bike. I didn't want any chances of getting a flat just because the tire wasn't filled up enough. Tires perfect and back to the transition area Roxie went.

I stopped a volunteer to ask exactly how the transition would work - where do we enter from the swim, how do we exit, etc. I wasn't taking any chances of doing something incorrectly and getting slapped with a penalty.

Well by this time there was still well over an hour before the race so I went with my dad and the wife to find a location for them to set up camp for awhile. Since Tori was two weeks post-knee surgery, we needed to make sure she could sit as much as possible.

I nibbled slowly on my KIND bar, which was delish (Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt)... Mmmmm!!

I went to hit up the port-a-potty and finally ran into people I knew. Yay! Chelsea and Ally, who I both knew through twitter but had just met on Wednesday in person, were also first-time triathlete folks so it was great to share this experience with them.

Chatting with them and seeing familiar faces calmed my nerves before heading back to see my crew.

The transition area closed at 7:30am so I needed to make sure I got back in there in plenty of time to get my wetsuit, swimcap and goggles for the swim. I also had to pop my ENERGYBits then or I wouldn't have them and that wasn't happening.

Around 7:15ish, I bid farewell to my dad and wife (trying not to cry) and headed into the transition area. I was walking over to my bike when I noticed a familiar face. It was my friend Howley, who I probably hadn't seen in a good 6-7 years. She was there doing the tri relay as friends needed someone to do the bike portion. Again, seeing a familiar face distracted me from the nerves.

I made it back to my bike, grabbed my necessary tools, gave the transition area one more check over and was off to the beach for the pre-race meeting with the officials.

I decided to walk through the water to get to the pre-race meeting. It was starting to get hotter while in the wetsuit and I wanted to see how the water temp felt. It was calming to be in the water. I was ready for the race to start, but we still had a good 40 minutes or so until my wave would set off. I was in the women's 25-34 heat which was Wave 5 of 10.

Thankfully I found Chelsea, Ally, other Zoom Multisport friends and Cat from Tedy's Team on the sand near the start area. It felt good to be near people I knew. Are we sensing a theme here?

Before I knew it, the National Anthem was playing and Wave 1 (Elite Athletes) was getting in position. There would be 2 minutes between Wave 1 and Wave 2 then 6 minutes between the rest of the waves. There were 10 waves in total with novice being the final group.

I thought about putting myself in the novice division, but felt I was a strong enough swimmer to be with my age group.

Swim - 1/2 Mile

Robin had told me to line up near the front of the wave because of my practice swim times, but I ended up being about 1/3 of the way back. I readjusted once I saw the division included the mid-to-late 20s as well. I assumed they would all be faster than me so I wiggled my way back. (Hindsight? Stupid decision)

All of a sudden they were counting down, in my head I just said: "Like Tedy said - it's the party! Have fun!" and we were off.

It is a running start, which means you run from the sand into the water to about your knees/low thighs then start swimming.

As soon as I started swimming, I instantly got kicked in the face. I thought - okay got that out of the way - let's get it. I had remembered Robin saying in the Ironman she swam on the outside to avoid getting kicked so I did try to find myself a little niche in the water to avoid people ... which was challenging.

I felt as if I was swimming in place. I didn't feel like I was making good time. I tried sighting as best I could, but still found myself drifting while swimming.

But, at no point did I feel tired. BONUS!

I am thankful I did a test swim in the water before the race so I had an idea of what to use for guide points.

Before I knew it we were making the final turn (we swam in a trapezoidal pattern) to the shore. I kept reminding myself to swim until my hands swept the bottom of the water THEN get up and start running.

My dad was able to catch me "gracefully" exiting the water. Man those rocks felt like needles under the feet.

Total Time: 16:35 Pace: 1:53/100 yds Overall Place: 175/630 Division: 12/52

***

Transition 1

Time: 1:51.1

This was my first attempt at taking the wetsuit off quickly (should probably practice that more for next time).

I tried to make the switch as methodical as possible. I used my mini towel to wipe off my wet/sandy feet and quickly put on my shoes/sneakers. Yes I raced sans clip medals/bike shoes because I wasn't comfortable enough on the bike yet.

I also made sure to click my bike helmet on as soon as I put it on since you can be penalized for an unclicked helmet.

I actually more my bike/run outfit under my wetsuit so I didn't have to do any wardrobe change. It was actually a great idea because the weather was heating up but the damp singlet kept me cool on the next two legs of the race.

***

Bike

By far this is my weakest part of the race and the one I dreaded the most. The goal for this leg was to not fall off the bike. Do you like how I set big goals for myself. ;)

But seriously after talking to Robin (sensing another theme with this ;)) we decided that my goal was to keep my bike pace around 17-19 mph.

The bike portion was 9 miles, which is short for most sprint tris - but perfectly fine for me.

I merged onto the bike portion (it was a loop which you had to complete twice) so I had to be aware of other bikers completing their second loop.

The bike portion and run portion were on the same road with the runners separated on the right by cones. There are so many rules about passing and not drafting on the bike that I felt like I had no idea what I was doing.

I remembered them saying if you were going to pass you had 15 seconds and had to get 3 bike lengths ahead of the person/person being passed had to drop back 3 bike lengths.

I did my best to follow the rules, but really I was just focused on not falling.

I slowed down on the turns as those scare the crap outta me (again fear of falling). But I felt pretty comfortable out on the course since it was nice and flat AND I was able to cheer for some people I knew already on the run portion.

I just kept looking down at my cyclometer to make sure I was staying on point ... and shockingly I was!!! WOO HOO!

I also had to wipe my nose/mouth still from the swim, but I haven't mastered that taking the hands off the handlebars thing yet so I finally wiped my nose as I slowed for a turn. Sexy I know. :P

As I finished up the second loop, I was instructed to go to the right back to the transition area. I realized that my friend Cat was right in front of me.

They even had a line drawn on the ground telling you where to dismount the bike. Score!

I know I would've biked faster with 1) more practice and 2) actual bike shoes/clips - but that is for later events. (foreshadowing?)

Total Time: 28:57 Pace: 18.2 MPH (just what we wanted!!!) Overall Place: 388/630 (can we tell it's my weakest area) Division: 30/52

***

Transition 2

Time: 1:21.2

I followed Cat right into the transition area...

This was a pretty simple transition for me since I didn't have to change shoes like most people. I just made sure to put my race belt, which displayed my bib for the run, on first because you NEEDED it to finish. I popped a couple sport beans, fixed my hair, put on my Sparkly Soul headband, took a hit of Nuun Hydration water I had mixed, put on my running shades (thank goodness I made the last minute decision to bring them) and was off.

***

Run

I started my Garmin late because I had no idea when the run was actually supposed to start. Oops. Thankfully I asked someone once on the course what they had and realized I was about .1 mile off from everyone else. Okay doing that math would also help distract me during the run.

I had been looking forward to the run all day (did I seriously just write that? :P) and felt great to be on the pavement.

There were cones separating the runners and the bikers on the street. The cones seemed to leave a really narrow running area so I ended up passing people on the left and entering the bike area. Thankfully bikers were giving enough room for runners to do this successfully.

It was great having the run be and out and back set up because I was able to high five some friends on the course, while simultaneously cheering for friends doing the bike portion.

Win-win-win! :0)

My goal was to keep a sub 8:15/8:20 pace. I didn't know how the legs would feel for the 4.4-mile run and the weather was getting warmer and warmer so I wanted a realistic pace. (Also how is this my "realistic" pace? How times change!)

My shoes and socks felt damp still from my not-totally-dried feet so it felt a little heavy lifting the feet. Also the timer that goes around your ankle felt like a police ankle bracelet (not like I've ever worn one). I could feel it on my leg, but tried to zone it out.

There are no headphones on this course so I had been training without music for a couple weeks and it paid off. I was really able to zone out on the mileage and focus on taking the whole experience in.

SouthBoston is a beautiful part of the city and it was a perfect day. I had a great time cheering on other runners as we moved along.

There were two water stations on the course so I made sure to drink water at both AND take an additional cup to pour on my head.

At the turnaround point, I started getting sad - the race was going to be over in less than 2 miles. Wow! My firs triathlon would be in the books. I had no idea of my time, but I knew I was having a blast and didn't want it to end.

So I soaked in every step I took.

Around Mile 3, I thought I wasn't going to make it. I saw a lot of people walking and thought I could too. But my inner voice screamed HELL NO! I was not about to start walking.

I was going to give it everything I had on that course then I could walk. So I just kept trucking along. I smiled at other runners, I cheered for people struggling and I freakin' ran. I just kept putting one foot in front of the other.

There it was - the Mile 4 marker. We had just .4 left.

It was time to give it all I had. I just willed my legs to keep moving forward and to NOT let anyone pass me. I was going to pick people off it I could, but I would hold strong.

Total Time: 36:16 Pace: 8:15 min/mile Overall Place: 255/630 Division: 15/52

***

I'M A TRIATHLETE!

As I approached the Finish Line, the announcer said "Dani Holmes-Kirk from Somerville, MA" and in my head I said "is officially a triathlete!" :)

I couldn't stop smiling.

I swam. I biked. I ran.

Final Stats

It was everything I could've imagined and more.

Could you tell I was a little excited?

I can't even put into words how excited I was crossing that line and picking up my Finisher's Pint Glass. Not a medal, but better than nothing!!

I immediately started thinking about how I would do things different the next time, but quickly banished those thoughts. It was time to relish in the now.

I owe a big thanks to my dad and wife for getting up at 5am and coming to watch me in person. Bigger thanks to my mom who stayed back home to make sure someone was with the pups.

I spotted my favorite sign from the course and the designer let me take a pic.

Please note I am smiling because I love the sign NOT because I did what is written on the sign. :P

I was able to get some water in my pint glass right after receiving it, but then bottled water was nowhere to be found. Are you serious? I grabbed a banana, but looked all around and no water anywhere. Planning FAIL!!

The post-race celebration was sponsored by Michelob Ultra (BOO!) so we decided to head home. I would recommend a local race go with a local brew (Harpoon, Sam Adams, etc) to celebrate rather than a blah beer like Michelob Ultra. I bought Slumbrew so I could have my own party at home. :)

I headed back into the transition area to clean up my stuff. I was really pleased with how I set up my transition area.

I wish I had been able to meet up with more people afterwards - thankfully I did see some ZOOM folks and Tedy's Team folks - but I forgot to take any group photos. Oops!

I really can't thank ZOOM Multisport enough for welcoming me into their group. I thank Robin, Hank, Tara, Darcie, Jackie, Cat, Greg, Lisa and so many others for letting me text or FB you with numerous questions/pictures/thoughts during training and race prep.

So the question remains: will I do this again?

HELL YEAH!!

I'm ready for the next adventure as I go from morbidly obese couch potato to Boston Marathon Finisher to Triathlete to ???

Dani Dishes 8-5-13

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I thank you all for your Triathlon support and share how I've switched up my tracking methods (still WW of course!)!! :) Product Of The Week: Yasso Greek Yogurt Pops

T-Minus 12 hours 'til my First Triathlon

What. Was. I. Thinking? This short question has been running through my head since March 1st.

What happened on March 1st?

I took a leap waaayy out of my comfort zone and signed up for The Boston Triathlon - my first.

Maybe I was delusional from training for The Boston Marathon or something. But, here's the full story of how the registration came to be.

It took me awhile to really get into the training since well a lot of stuff happened around the Marathon. And I just couldn't find a training plan that I could relate to.

So finally on June 24, I attempted my own personal sprint triathlon at the gym with the same distances as the Boston Tri (0.5 mile swim, 9 mile bike and 4 mile run) and here were the results.

I survived!!

After that I finally found a training plan I liked and got to serious work. As I mentioned the ride for the race is 9 miles, but by far the bike is my weakest area so I wanted to get as much practice on the bike as I could. So I actually attempted a 2 hour bike ride on Saturday, July 13th and I made it 1:42:30 into the ride (24+ miles) before getting a flat tire. Yay! Third time on the bike and my first flat tire. I figured it was better then especially with my wife just minutes away to rescue me than on race day!!

But, with just two weeks to go until the race I realized I still had YET to do an open-water swim. Now, I have read many people who never did an open-water swim before their triathlon and lived to tell the tale. I couldn't do that. I needed to see how swimming in the pool differed from open-water ... with a wetsuit!

So finally, this past Wednesday, I met a group of ZOOM Multisport Triathlon members and fellow Tedy's Team members and met them at Carson Beach - the site of the race - and finally bit the bullet. It was AWESOME!! I love swimming anyway, but the wetsuit really adds some great buoyancy to the experience. We actually swam the 1/2 mile which would be used for the actual race, which was great exposure.

(Thank you to my friend Darcie who is letting me borrow her wetsuit)

I even managed two BRICK workouts - once I looked up what that meant. :P I did get out and bike then immediately run twice and felt great. It was interesting how alive the legs felt coming off the bike. Hopefully that sticks tomorrow. :)

And Friday marked the end of my #runstreak at Day 18. How did I finish the streak? With a solid 4-mile run to test out the race belt I would be using for the race because I didn't want ANY surprises on Sunday morning.

What was left for me to do? Why channel all of the amazing positivity, love and encouragement from all of you - my amazing blog readers. It also helped to get me out of my own mindset.

Every time I try something new I immediately zip back to the 230 lb me and freak out. Well, this time I will be using the amazing words from Tedy Bruschi to push me through the race ... see how amazing they are yourself here.

But, today was race packet pick-up day. Eek! Races ALWAYS get real when the bib is in hand.

They were just setting things up because you know me - I was there right as they opened. But, I did do a lap of the transition area to see where my bike would be.

Sooo this whole thing is much more complicated than a normal race. :P There are numbers for you and your bike and tattoos to adhere to your arms, hand and legs. Oh and you also have a special swim cap based on which wave you will be in. They seem to be based on gender and age. I will be in Wave 5. The race starts at 8am and it looks like my wave will head out around 8:12am.

As I munch on some wheat pasta (yum!), I am all tatted up, I've watched transition videos on Youtube, my swim/bike/run stuff is all packed in my bag, the bike rack is on the car, Roxie is primed and ready to go, the alarm is set for 5am and I realize I have done all I could do.

I'm also trying not to think about how this race does NOT have a Finisher's Medal (BIG BOO!!) and the post-race beer sponsor is Michelob Ultra. Ummm no thanks!! I definitely went and purchased some Slumbrew so that I can have my own celebration at home!! :)

For now, I leave you all with this. The preparation is done. The accessories are organized. Now all there is left to do is freakin' enjoy it!!

Tomorrow I, Dani Holmes-Kirk, will complete an actual triathlon. It doesn't matter that it is the smallest triathlon they have in terms of length because all that matters is crossing that Finish Line.

With one HUGE smile on my face!

***

If you would like to track me tomorrow, I am Bib #339 and you can enter it on this site. They have "auto refresh" available as well. It looks like my wave starts the swim around 8:12am EST.

Weekly Workout Wind Up (7/25-31/13)

Well in case you didn't know, this was the last week before my first triathlon (Sprint) on Sunday, August 4. So I thought it time to FINALLY try a BRICK workout (which means you do two different types of workouts with minimal time in between). I was actually surprised how strong my legs felt after getting off the bike and heading into my run. This week I also jumped out of my comfort zone trying a couple different workouts, while also extending my #runstreak to 16 days! I have NEVER gone that long before. I think my body is getting tired so I think August 3 may be a complete REST DAY before the tri! We will see.

Overall, I am REALLY proud of how I was able to turn my workouts around in July and really refocus by the end. I am ready to bring that intensity into August when full on Dopey Challenge training goes into effect.

Thursday, July 25: 2-Mile Run

Friday, July 26: 4-Mile Run

Saturday, July 27: Urban RAID 5k

Sunday, July 28: 55-Min Spin and BRICK workout (9.43 mile bike+3.1 mile run)

Monday, July 29: 1-Hour Personal Training Session, 2-Mile Run and Spin

Tuesday, July 30: Harvard Stadium Stairs and 2-Mile Run with the pup

Wednesday, July 31: 1/2-Mile Open-Water Swim and 3-plus Mile Run

GAH bring on the tri! :P

Urban RAID Boston

An obstacle course race without mud, color, electric or any of the other messy stuff. :P Nope. Urban RAID Boston used history as its backdrop - it's WOW factor.

That's right.

On Saturday, I participated in RAID Series inaugural Urban RAID race in Boston.

Not gonna lie - I LOVE being a part of a race during the first year. I like to see the highs and lows and offer the race committee my personal thoughts on how it went. Not that many care, but I like to offer them anyway. ;)

Let's back up.

In May, through social media channels, I got ahold of someone at RAID Series who after some emails back and forth offered me the chance to run the event in Boston for free ($65 value) AND create my own team (3 other folks).

OH HECK YES!!

All I had to do was share my thoughts on the race - good or bad.

Well that sounds like a deal I could go for.

So in June, I worked on building my team. The goal of participating in the run and having a team was to 1) relay the joy or running this type of race with friends and 2) to prove that people of all fitness levels could participate.

On to picking a team I went. I was able to wrangle up: Becki from FightingForWellness.com, Erin from CreativeSoulInMotion.com and my friend Mark who is a member of Team Slumbrew with me.

Our team was set and we were looking forward to it - as you can tell in my post a month before the run.

Shortly before race day, Mark had to back out due to a prior commitment so I went to my blog and thankfully a reader - Jacqueline - was happy enough to sub in.

Now as we have all learned by reading this blog - I love a good running outfit. Well an obstacle course gives me even more reason for a fun outfit. Why? Because I have very poor upper body strength (working on it) so I can distract the crowd with sparkles or good socks. :)

I had to come up with a team name for us quickly to get us registered so I panicked and called us: "Blog-bastic." Like Boombastic, but with Blog (since 3 of us were bloggers). Yes I told you it was bad.

Thankfully Erin decided to rename us Team Peanut Butter ... and we went with it! :)

Photo Courtesy FightingForWellness.com

I was lucky enough to pick up all of our bibs the afternoon before so we coordinated to meet in front of Anthem in Faneuil Hall at 8:30am on Saturday.

Oh did I not mention that the race was taking place in Boston's historic Faneuil Hall. Yeah, pretty badass if you ask me. Running, jumping and climbing through one of the most historic parts of the country is pretty sweet.

The first wave went off at 9am. When we arrived at the race, we had no idea what wave we would be in. They weren't pre-announced. Instead the DJ/MC announced who was eligible for each corral as they were decided. They ended up being broken up by sex then age. So all males from 16-29 say went in Wave 1 then Wave 2 was females from 16-19, etc. Well our team had a mix of ages so we had no idea which wave to join. It seemed as if most people felt the confusion - especially co-ed teams - so most people just seemed to go whenever they wanted to. So that was a little confusing at the beginning.

We decided to go in one of the last corrals for no particular reason besides allowing us to really stick to our own pace.

I let the group know before we started that our goal was to start together, make it through all the obstacles as a group and finish strong as one. This 5k race was about pushing each other, finding each other's strengths and completing the course.

As I said over and over - we didn't need any heroes that day.

If someone was unable to complete an obstacle, it was stated on the website that the person would do 5 burpees in place of the obstacle.

Once we crossed the Start Line, we were in the zone and all nerves were gone. We kept a nice even pace and really got into a nice rhythm and conversation - since we were basically all meeting for the first time that morning.

Thankfully chemistry was instant.

There was a preview of obstacles online, which you can check out here.

But the course had to be changed at the last minute due to a conflicting event happening in Downtown Boston as well.

I give the RAID group credit for thinking on their feet and really using the best of the space they were given.

Water Barriers

Marine Hurdles (twice)

Saddlebags (20 or 40 lbs)

Monkey Bars (which Jacqueline is OWNING in the front & Erin in the back)

And the final obstacles heading to the Finish were: rope/ladder, climbing down the wall backwards and heading over the wall.

That was a glimpse of about 90% of the obstacles.

I am proud of myself for completing each obstacle on the course, but walking down the wall backwards gave me the biggest shock. I felt like I would just tumble down to the cobblestone. Thankfully a fellow runner took pity on me and walked down the wall slowly next to me, encouraging me the whole way and offering a huge high five when we hit ground! I owe that man a lot.

In the end, we finished in about 36 minutes ...

... and looked AWESOME doing it! :)

The race was well-organized (whereas good number of volunteers, course was well laid out, etc). The wave situation was confusing at the Start, but that is easily fixed. 

There was also a course issue where you had to cross two streets which were open to traffic twice during the run. An odd layout, but understandable given their lack of space situation. RAID did handle this little hiccup well. They had timing mats on both sides of the street so if you were stuck at a red light - it wouldn't compromise your overall time. Additionally, they put the water stop in the median between the streets so you could walk and drink water/dump it on your head without worrying about your time. Brilliant use of technology folks. I found it a great break as it was hot on the course.

It was super cool to be running and doing obstacles while tourists were just going about their business enjoying Boston. I'm sure we ended up in a lot of their vacation albums.

There was a sweet tech shirt, which we were lucky enough to get with our entry, but most people had to pay $20 for it.

The only other confusion came at the post-race party. RAID was nice enough to partner with Ned Devine's to offer the runners an air-conditioned space to meet up with family and friends after the run. Now we were under the impression that each racer would receive 3 complimentary beers courtesy of Shipyard Brewing since there were 3 BEER tear-off tabs on our bib. 

But, when we got to Ned Devine's, they informed us it was one beer per person then $3.50 a beer after that.

Hmmm...

So I went in search of my contact to inquire about what was actually owed to racers. She said she was working with her managers to figure that out and to check back.

Well, I had to get back to my patient so we decided to head out after our one brew. I did not have a chance to follow-up to see what ended up happening with the beer situation, but would be interested to see what did occur.

(Note: when I went home after the race to search through race emails - the emails from RAID did have one beer per person from the get go.)

Would I do this race again? For sure -- if either price was reduced, a Finisher's Medal was included and more than one beer. It was challenging enough, but was still doable by each member of Team Peanut Butter. Plus, having the burpee option put many people's minds at ease.

***

Have you ever done a RAID Series event?

The Words Of Tedy Bruschi Stuck...

Words can strike you at any time. Occasionally a person will say something and it means nothing in the exact moment, but days or weeks later the words come flooding back with full force and meaning.

Well, that happened to me today.

During my brief 2-mile run Monday afternoon, Tedy Bruschi popped into my head.

(Note: Tedy was inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame on Monday night! YAY! Go Tedy!)

During one of the few times I was in the presence of Tedy during the Boston Marathon events with Tedy's Team, Tedy made a great speech.

He went on to talk about how the Boston Marathon itself was our party. That everything leading up to the Start Line was the work. We put in the blood, sweat and tears to make it to the Start Line.

So all that is left is to enjoy it - to soak up every moment of the run and PARTY!!

It meant something the moment he said it - so much that I started crying - but it truly didn't click until yesterday.

As I fret and worry about the upcoming Sprint Triathlon on Sunday and the Dopey Challenge in January, I need to let go of all of that when I hit the Start Line.

And it's freakin' spot on! I mean seriously ... and in all parts of life not just fitness-wise!

There have been races in the past where I can't tell you what the course was like or the spectators. Why? Because I was too focused on time to take in the experience.

Now as I push myself to new limits it's time to stop and smell the roses. During races it's time to ENJOY what I've spent so much time prepping for.

The hours of training are done and all that's left is the fun part - the event itself.

Which brings us to Sunday aka my first Sprint Triathlon.

I've been freaking out about it for awhile now. Why? Not so sure. I know I can do all of the elements and have been working on doing them in a row with minimal rest (aka BRICK workout).

But I think it is the unknown that really gets me. I don't know what to expect in a triathlon because I've never done one.

Well, that is the EXACT reason to "take it all in" on Sunday!

You only have one first triathlon, right?

Well, I won't have any rockin' music during the race or party favors, but I will have Tedy's words reminding me to PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999!!

(Okay, I paraphrased that last part!)

***

Do you agree with Tedy's thought process? Is your race your party?

Dani Dishes 7-29-13

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I talk about planning and how important it is for my weight loss, weight maintenance and fitness journeys!! Product Of The Week: Alex and Ani Bracelets

Three Things Thursday

Three new products I've tried out recently and am digging: 1) Arctic Ease (Value $15.95 per wrap)

What is it?

ARCTIC EASE® WRAPS ARE AN EASY EFFECTIVE TREATMENT THAT PROVIDES HOURS OF COOL RELIEF FROM PAIN AND INFLAMMATION WITHOUT THE DISCOMFORT OF ICE OR FROZEN GEL PACKS. IN ADDITION TO ELIMINATING THE IRRITATION AND ODOR FROM MENTHOL PATCHES.

I first heard about these wraps from Colleen at TheFitBee.com in April 2012 at her virtual run.

I LOVED being able to ice my knee without being tied down to a bed or couch. I wrapped it up and continued about my day as normal. It was awesome! PLUS, it is reusable (4-8 times per wrap). Say wha? I know!! :)

You just return the wrap to the pouch or plastic container, add 2 tbsps of water, reseal keep at room temperature and it will be good to use multiple times! It makes the $15.95 per wrap price tag a little easier to swallow when you know you can reuse it.

A couple of months back I reached out to Arctic Ease to see if I could score a sample so I could try them again and tell you all about them.

They were nice enough to send me 2 wraps - blue and red. At first I thought they were different types of wraps, but I think one was old packaging and one was new because everything else on the bottles read exactly the same.

The nice things about these wraps is that they can be used on ankles, knees, elbows, shoulders, wrists, feet and lower backs. Additionally, their website gives you step by step instructions on how to apply the wrap depending on the area of the body and the pain.

As the package states:

ARCTIC EASE administers therapeutic cold compression while conforming to the affected site. It'll stay in one place, even if you don't. It's suitable for sprains, arthritis, minor burns, bruises and muscle craps.

And besides being functional, it comes in six colors so you can coordinate with your outfit. ;)

(Note: I am wearing the red one on my right knee as I type this!)

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2) Shower Pill (Value - $10 for a 10 pack)

What is it?

ShowerPill™ is the hygiene supplement designed to keep you fresh and clean while on-the-go. This large premium antibacterial body wipe is individually packaged to be discrete, yet versatile and big on performance.

So I had no idea what a hygiene supplement is so thankfully they explained it further on their website:

Just touched that doorknob? You should run to the sink, but grab hand sanitizer instead. Finished that tuna sandwich and forgot your toothbrush? Better pop a breath mint. Worked up a sweat during your midday workout? The ShowerPill™ Athletic Body Wipe™ will keep you fresh so that you can stay at your best all day long.

I was scrolling through Twitter the other night and all of a sudden the twitter handle - @ShowerPill - and was instantly intrigued. Many of you know I usually work out in between Weight Watchers meetings and I am always rushing to squeeze a rinse off before interacting with people. :P So I thought I had to give this a shot.

Shower Pill sent me a couple wipes to try and we IMMEDIATELY put them to good use. Why? Well, my wife couldn't shower for at least 48 hours after knee surgery last week and it was about 100 degrees out so we needed to help her sweaty self out. We used a Shower Pill wipe and it worked like a charm. Since she gave it a positive review, it was my turn.

On Tuesday, I had to fit in a run between meetings and was running late (shocker!) so it was Shower Pill to the rescue. I was pleasantly surprised. I didn't smell at all like I had just been covered in sweat a mere five minutes earlier.

Would I use them after every single workout, probably not. But, I will be keeping them on hand in my house and gym bag for emergencies. I'd rather use one of these than show up smelly. You never want to be the smelly kid. :P

Also, read how Shower Pill was invented - I found it entertaining! :)

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3) ROAD ID App (Value - free)

To all my readers here that exercise outside (walking, jogging, prancercising, cycling, etc): I highly recommend you download the FREE Road ID iPhone app! It is still in BETA, but I downloaded it last weekend (find it here).

We all know I never leave home without my ROAD ID bracelet, which has contact information on it as well. BUT, the app will contact people FOR you.

Stock Photo From ROAD ID

You input up to 5 phone numbers into the app and the app will contact those people when you head out on a workout AND if you stop in one place for too long.

So on Saturday when I headed out for a run, I had to try it out. So the main screen allows you to note how long you will be going out for, which type of activity you are doing, etc.

Stock Photo From ROAD ID

I inputted just my wife's information and as I hit "start" on the app she received the following text:

Cool!

So on Sunday, we wanted to text the "alert" feature so I went out for a run and told my wife that at the end I would keep my phone in one place for 5 minutes while I stretched - just so she didn't get worried something really happened. (Especially since she is laid up with a bum knee :P)

And here is what happened:

Once I was in one spot for 4 minutes, this timer started going off saying I had 1 minute left. It was LOUD. I could hear the alarm going off even with my headphones on, but I had to let it countdown. Once the timer hit zero, my wife received the text on the right.

I think this can be one amazing app and something I will definitely use in the future. Someone online mentioned theirs stopped running when they took a picture, but I took 3 pictures during the run and ROAD ID kept counting away. :)

Unfortunately it is just available for the iPhone, but I'm sure it will expand once it is out of BETA.

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Have a Happy Thursday!! :)

Weekly Workout Wind Up (7/18-24/13)

Unfortunately this has been a mainly running focused week. With my wife's knee surgery on Friday, I have been on nurse duty so trying to sneak in what I can when I can. But I can say that I ran every day this week - I can't remember the last time I did that! :) Bring on the Dopey Challenge!! BUT I did cross a huge running milestone: I passed the 600-mile run mark for 2013. My goal for this year is to run 1,000 miles and I think I will do it, especially if I keep on this rate! :)

*Knock on wood* No injuries ... Ain't no one got time for that! :P

Thursday, July 18: 5k-Run

Friday, July 19: 5.19-Mile Run

Saturday, July 20: 5-Mile Run

Sunday, July 21: 55-Min Spin and 4-Mile Run

Monday, July 22: 4-Mile Run

Tuesday, July 23: 3-Mile Run

Wednesday, July 24: 3-Mile Run and 1,800-Meter Swim

This has been one tough week with high temperatures and tons of humidity in Boston, but you just have to keep pushing through. Why? Because you never know what weather conditions will be like on race day!

VERT Sasquatch Trail Race

I am not a trail runner. Okay glad I put that reminder out there. :P Last July I attempted my first "sprint" trail run - the VERT Race Series Sasquatch Race, which is a 2.35 mile run through the Middlesex Fells area.

It was SUCH an awesome experience that I jumped at the opportunity to run it again this year ... especially since I would be returning for my second stint as the Captain of Team Slumbrew.

How AWESOME are our team jerseys??

It was a hot and sweaty day on the morning of the race (Sunday July 14th), but I knew that it would be worth it. Plus, I couldn't pass up an opportunity to finally debut my BEER knee socks. :)

The race kicked off at 10am, but we had to be there by 8:45 to hand out the team jerseys. This was a huge day for us as it was our one-year anniversary of Team Slumbrew coming into existence. :)

Go us!

Thankfully most of the team picked their jerseys up in time for us to be in position for Wave 1 of the race - all teams were put in the same wave (1 of 3).

Eddie, the race director, let me pick my bib # - yes I geeked out and felt special. So why did I pick 82?

So I could do this of course...

Yup! I'm a giant dork! But we all know that.

I had ZERO expectations for this race. I just wanted to go out there and have fun - which I knew would happen either way.

Last year I had no idea what to expect with the race, but thankfully with a year under my belt I knew there were some hills involved so I could conserve my energy. :P

As we headed through the woods, I made sure to cheer and yell for all of my fellow Slumbrew teammates especially our young teenage teammate Zach - who was totally kicking my butt by the way!

I love a good action shot (photo thanks to VERT Race Series)

The course was a little over 2 miles long, but somehow felt longer. I think because I was working so hard on not falling. I remembered what Sarah had taught me the week before (during our 4+ mile train run): look 5 feet ahead, keep your arms out wider for balance and keep your legs behind your knees when running.

I knew to keep an eye out for a downhill "chute" which spit you out back on the field where we started for the final leg of the race. I looked down at my Garmin and say 1.9 miles - I knew the chute had to be close. And before I knew it, BAM! there it was. :)

There were a couple people on my tail so I tried to give everything I had in the final yards of the race. Unfortunately one that I had passed on the final hill came back to beat me at the Finish. Grr... haha! JK! :)

I ended up finishing 16 seconds SLOWER than 2012, but I was okay with that. I felt it was hotter than last year, but that was the big debate among participants this year. The course was marked as 2.35 miles, but my Garmin clocked it at 2.21. Either way it was just over 2 miles of FUN.

Every time I do this race, it makes me want to do work more trail running into my training plans. Now I just need someone to show me where to go and accompany me. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?

After I finished, I loaded up on water and headed over to Stone Zoo for the post-race party! Gotta love a race that ends with a huge party full of local craft beer. Am I right?

The post-race festivities include local craft brewers (Slumbrew, Pretty Things, Notch and Night Shift), pizza and a dance off ... what more do you need?

A couple of my beautiful friends/teammates Kim & Vicki

Last year, our team had just 12 runners where this year we tripled in size to 36!

Aren't we hot?

Even though the wife couldn't run this year, she still came out to support the team ... and show off her sweet shades!

Eddie has been generous enough to let me give away an entry to each of the Cambridge 5k series races this year. Megan Sullivan won the entry to the Sasquatch race and we were able to meet up post-race!! :)

Congrats again Megan and so glad you were able to join us!! :)

In the end I finished 197th out of 858 overall and 43rd among females. Not too shabby in my humble opinion. And I was the third member of Team Slumbrew to finish.

Will I be back next year? You bet your booty I will.

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Have you ever participated in a trail run? Do you enjoy a good brew after a run?