ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon (9/28)

I love Cape Cod in the Fall. It is a beautiful time to see the blue ocean against the trees that are starting to change colors. Sounds pretty right?

Well it is.

And I was able to run through it.

On Friday, September 27th, I hopped in my car and took the just under 2 hour drive to Falmouth (part of Cape Cod) to participate in the ZOOMA Women's Series Half Marathon. I was actually honored to be a ZOOMA Ambassador for the Cape Cod race so I received free entry and a discount code to offer 10% off the race entry to anyone that used it.

Since I got to Falmouth early, I decided to make a pit stop at the Cape Cod Beer Brewery. I mean I was there I had to do it. ;)

They have a lovely free tasting area right INSIDE the brewery. Cool!! You can then buy a pint of whichever brews they are pouring for $5 and browse the gift shop or sit out at the picnic benches.

After doing a quick change in their bathroom into non-comfy clothes ;) I was off to Nancy's house. Nancy, my fellow Ambassador and friend through social media, allowed me to use her guest bed for the night. Thanks Lady!! I didn't have the funds to pay for a hotel room. We jumped in the car and headed over to the Expo.

We were asked to do a ZOOMA Ambassador Q&A, but no one asked a Q. :P But, we still look spiffy.

Thanks for the pic Nancy.

Oh and I am not a Giant, I was just wearing wedges. :P

We grabbed our bibs (which also came with a ZOOMA water bottle and a YOGA mat) and headed out near the pool for the Mocktail party hosted by Honest Tea.

How amazing was our view?

Since it was a tad chilly and I failed to dress appropriately, Nancy and I headed inside for dinner and were joined by Amy (RunningEscapade.com) and her husband Chris.

It was great catching up with these folks that I sort of forgot we had to get up to actually run the next day. Whoops.

I did my nightly ritual of using my foot foam roller, my Stick and my regular foam roller and called it a night. One benefit of driving was that I could haul all my rolling tools with me. No worry of security taking them away as possible weapons.

I jumped out of bed as my alarm wailed at 5:30am. Yay early races.

Nancy and I prepped, I snacked on my KIND Bar and headed out the door to the race.

The race actually had ample parking lots which was nice so getting the car situated was easier than I expected. We met with Nancy's friend Jill, another blogger, and all headed to the Start area.

Okay I talk a lot about port-o-potties because well they are at every race. BUT, the ones at ZOOMA were fancy. They were pretty, clean, had a lever you could hit with your foot to flush and lots of hand sanitizer. I've really never seen ones like it before.

And yes I am easily impressed.

We met up with the other Ambassadors to snap a quick pre-race photo.

Thanks Nancy for the pic!

And I of course headed back to the bathroom. This time I opted to go inside the Sea Crest Beach Hotel to see if the lines were shorter. Well I went to the women's room and the line was out the door. Duh Dani! This is a race geared towards women.

So I walked myself into the men's room to use their facilities. In and out in less than a minute. Score!

I head back outside to hang with the crew until the race started.

ZOOMA offers a 10k and Half Marathon option. The 10kers were off at 7:30am followed by the Half Marathon at 7:35am.

Once the 10kers headed out, we lined up. I had never been so close to the Start Line before. The shot fired and we were off.

Again, I have never been so close to the front of the pack. It was cool to be near the front people at the beginning.

But of course after about a mile they started speeding up, which was fine by me.

For portions of the race, both 10kers and Half Marathoners were on the same course - which was neat. It was great seeing so many women out running or walking or wogging their first race.

There were even some men out there - many who were husbands, boyfriends or friends of ladies - helping and encouraging them through the race.

It was absolutely beautiful at the Start. We ran along the ocean. The sky was blue. The weather was perfect.

I dealt with some headphone issues which resulted in wrapping them around my bun with 1 of my two Sparkly Soul headbands. Hey it worked! ;)

I wish I had my phone out at the beginning of the race, where I missed all the great Cape Cod "shots."

We winded our way through the streets, which were open to traffic. We did our best to stay to the right and out of harms way.

There was a great out-and-back turnaround spot (Mile 2/3ish) where I caught a glimpse of the Leader. It was amazing to see one woman so far ahead of the pack. So as I turned around I was able to cheer for the friends I knew. I LOVE high-fiving and cheering on familiar and unfamiliar faces during a race.

When not on the open streets, we were on the Shining Sea Bike Path, which was great. It was nicely paved and made me feel safe.

I definitely enjoyed the views.

The volunteers and spectators along the course were awesome! I want to give a special Thank You to the police officers and volunteers on the open road doing the best they could do keep cars at bay. While not many adhered, I didn't hear of any runners getting injured by vehicle traffic.

My body was feeling great. I kept an eye on my pace to keep myself in check. I had a half marathon the following day so I needed to NOT burn out in this race. I wanted to let my legs fly free, but I tried to keep myself between 8 and 8:30 min/mile pace.

When did that become normal pace for me? Not sure, but I was loving it.

For some reason I was under the impression this was a flat course - not sure where I got this - but it was definitely rolling hills. It kept you on your toes for sure.

During Miles 10-12, we were going through some Falmouth neighborhoods. Not many spectators out, but the few that were I would ask them: "This way to the wine?" Some thought it was comical and some gave me blank stares. ;)

I do need to give major credit to a pair of spectators that I saw not once, but four times along the course. I even had to say something the final time. I just let them know how awesome they were and how lucky their runner was to have them. Their response: "No YOUR awesome for running." Made me smile.

As I turned to head back on the Main street, this was about 12.5 or so, there it was. The major hill at the end. Now it wasn't like it was straight up, but it was definitely nasty! ESPECIALLY at the end of a race.

I squated down a little in my form and powered up the hill. I love to thin about Spinning during hills and just power myself up as best I can.

I did it. I was at the top of the hill and ready for the final .2 or so to the Finish Line.

I had no real idea how I had done, but I was pleased to be pain free as I had been dealing with a sore foot all week long.

I finished in 1:47:35. No PR, which meant no medal. ZOOMA only gives medals to those where the race was 1) their first 10k or Half or 2) it was a PR.

But I every Finisher did get a beautiful necklace as a medal. :)

I love the message.

The race had laptops at the Finish where racers could check their results. It was then I found out...

I had finished 4th in my division. Ahhh I could've gotten a prize had I just pushed a little. DARN I missed 3rd my 14 seconds. Had I known. Oohhh well.  Next time. :P

After seeing Amy (who was injured and volunteering at the PR medal table), meeting a fellow Weight Watchers Leader (who I spotted by her Activelink) and grabbing some water, I headed to the beach to meet up with Nancy and Jill.

Another stolen pic from Nancy!

Oh yes, the post-race party was on the beach: foam rollers, massages, snacks and wine. Unfortunately the lines were all so long that I missed all that fun, but I still soaked up some sun as I stretched.

Plus it was nice to put my feet in the sand after a race ... and I was able to run into a fellow Tedy's Team member Liza! Woo!

And you couldn't beat the view...

We had to scoot as I had still have to drive to Providence after, but it looked like the festivities were going strong when we left.

Overall, the race seemed well-organized and the participants seemed happy. Lots of smiles and laughs on the beach.

One of the race directors asked my thoughts on the race, which I appreciated and was happy to share:

1) I love the offering of a 10k and Half. So many races have done away with the 10k option and it is such a great bridge as people grow from the 5k to the Half.

2) I wish the course was reversed. I would've loved to see the gorgeous ocean shots at the end rather than houses in a neighborhood. Plus that would move that hill from the Finish. ;)

3) Streets blocked off more. I know that there is more to that with city/police/race officials/etc but it would've been nice and we ended up bobbing and weaving across streets. Since I am not from Falmouth, I was honestly just following the runners in front of me and doing what they did when it came to crossing streets, etc. But I think as the race grows, the city will be more open to blocking off streets for the racers.

4) I loved the portions on the Shining Sea Bike Path, which is a known hotspot on the Cape.

5) More massage tables if possible. The line was full of 10k racers that anyone doing the half would be waiting quite a while to take part in the service. But that is more in the hands of the company offering the service.

6) I liked the special props to women completing their first race or hitting a PR. I love welcoming new racers to the sport so giving them an extra boost with something special is a great idea.

7) The overall vibe. This was a supportive community. I couldn't stop smiling during the whole race seeing women pushing themselves, cheering for others and out there enjoying moving. It is a great energy to bottle up and keep with me on those days I just don't want to run.

So thank you ZOOMA for giving me the opportunity to experience this event, to see my blogging friends and to meet new smiling faces.

***

Have you ever participated in a ZOOMA Women's Series race?

The Mundane Day-by-Day

Why write a blog? I get asked this question on an almost daily basis.

Why did I decide to start this small slice of the internet back in May of 2011?

Why share aspects of my life with complete strangers?

Because otherwise I may not be here today.

I let so much weigh down on me over the years. I buried it deep below. I was hurting myself both on the inside and out.

So I decided to release.

Now this blog has evolved over the years as I have.

I don't share every single weigh in. I don't share what I eat each day.

Because life has changed. Also I was tired of getting criticized for what I eat.

But I was sitting back searching through twitter the other day and hearing more and more people complain about many blogs today - all they do is push product or host giveaways.

Yes when I read these comments I immediately think people are talking about me ... about my baby blog.

Cuhlearly not everyone is talking about me, but I take it personally.

I share on my blog what I want. I love talking about the races I have participated in and the new products that may help people improve their own training.

I thought about trying to be one of the bloggers that can write everyday, but it is too much for me.

Plus, I am boring. ;)

My day-to-day life is pretty boring: workout of some sort, lead some Weight Watchers meetings and watch some Netflix.

Woo! Now THAT is one exciting life. Right?

I realized it's okay to share the mundane occasionally ... if that is what I want to write about.

In the end, what I share on this space is up to me. If people want to read it great. If not that's okay too.

I will not please everyone, but the most important person to think about is myself.

I rocked & rolled through Philadelphia!!

Is there a better way to spend your birthday weekend than racing, exploring a new city, seeing an old friend, meeting online folks and setting a shiny PR?? NOPE!

Well not in my book. ;)

I arrived in Philadelphia on Friday, September 13th and had a great time walking around a bit with my friend Joann, who I've known since 7th grade (I'm 31). We hit a few local establishments before calling it an early night.

One of the best ways to explore a city - in my opinion - is on foot so I headed out bright and early Saturday morning (September 14th) for a little shakeout run before the following day's half marathon.

It was beautiful. Joann lives right by an entrance to the bike path so I hopped on and just let the legs lead me. I was planning on just running 2 miles, but I had something I wanted to see over a certain bend so I just kept running. I honestly wanted to keep going, but had to bring myself back to reality knowing I had a race the next day.

Thankfully Joann doesn't mind walking and Philly is a wonderfully walkable city so instead of driving or taking a bus or taking a train, we walked from her apartment to the Rock 'n' Roll Philadelphia Expo. It was a great way to hit some of the "must sees" of Philadelphia and the weather was beautiful!

Rocky and I conquering our dreams!!

I couldn't ask for a prettier day to explore a new city!

LOVE - wish my wife had been with me so we could've taken a cheesy photo together

We had such a great time walking and talking that before I knew it we had finally made it to the Expo.

After picking up my bib...

I made sure that one of my first stops was to the KT Tape booth to get my knee all taped up for the following day then it was time to see my favorite people: Got Chocolate Milk & Team Refuel.

Should I host my own radio show? ;)

Joann and I wandered around the Expo, trying out some free samples, running into familiar faces from Boston (yay Kelsey) and making sure I nabbed a sweet pic in front of the green screen.

I should wear these glasses all the time, right?

Following the Expo we hit up the famous Reading Market and continued our sightseeing/trek back to her apartment. We saw almost all historic landmarks Philadelphia had to offer as well as some of the most historic taverns. Balance, right? ;)

We had a lowkey/chill dinner before I called it an early night. I had an early wakeup call with the race.

Joann was gone, but thankfully she had a full length mirror so I could still do my pre-race selfie. Important or the race won't happen. :P

I got myself ready nice and early so I could hit up Dunkin Donuts first (hello coffee) and give myself plenty of time to get lost walking to the Start - just in case.

I did love the art on the walls of a certain bridge underpass as I walked to the Start.

It gave me something to think about as I ran later.

Thanks to Got Chocolate Milk & Team Refuel I was able to hang out in the VIP tent prior to the race and meet up with some of my teammates.

The wonderful Erika & Angela

The VIP tent was sah-weet. They had snacks, a special bag claim as well as Elite athletes all over the place. I felt extremely out of place, but had a great time sitting and chatting with my teammates. It was also nice to have a special area with bag claim and port-o-potties to use before heading to the Start Line.

Apparently I was too busy chatting, having my pre-race KIND Bar and Energybits and using the bathroom to realize I was cutting it close to the Start.

I had to hightail it over to Corral 4 and made it pretty much just in time.

Before the race started, I tried to tell myself to just take it easy. I was trying to use the race as a simple long training run. BUT I was also told that Philly was one of the flatest courses around and a great place to PR.

My mind and body were torn. Once the Start gun went off I said I would listen to my body. And no matter what enjoy the run.

And from the get go I had to pee again. I had to talk with myself of when to stop and use the port-o-potty or skip it. I also was sad to know I had zero people watching me along the course. I get sad when I don't have even one spectator I know personally.

But as I turned the corner (around Mile 2 I believe), there was a smiling face I was happy to see. The one and only Mission Meltdown (aka Dre). We know each other through blogging. He has one amazing infectious smile. I was BEYOND happy to see him. Plus he snapped this pretty sweet action shot.

I used his energy and love to push through the rest of the race.

I decided to hit a port-o-potty before the 5k mark and I was happy I did. Short line so the whole experience took under 45 seconds.

Once I left that spot, I was golden the rest of the race.

I just kept trying to enjoy the scenery around me and take in the experience. I actually was around the same few people the whole race so I made it my mission to try and stay with them or ahead of them for the rest of the race. Sometimes during long races you need to play games with yourself to distract yourself from the time.

I also was using a pacing bracelet for the first time ever. I picked the 1:45 bracelet out of the bin at the Expo. My previous PR was 1:44:30 so I thought having the bracelet might be a nice experiment to see how well I did.

It actually helped me make up time after the bathroom stop. :)

Philly is legit flat/downhill folks. We kept going down and down and I thought to myself at some point we HAVE to hit a large hill, yet we didn't.

I was making glorious time and my body felt awesome.

It was around Mile 7 that I realized. I might hit a PR if I play my cards right, but if I miss it - it will all be because of my darn bladder. :O)

I was cruising along listening to the convos of the folks around me when I came across a Rock 'n' Roll and Team Refuel legend - George (probably during Mile 8). We were online friends, but had never met in person. All of a sudden he came up next to me. It was great to have someone to chat with for a couple minutes - especially someone you have been wanting to meet in person for awhile now.

Every time I hit a Mile Marker, I checked my Garmin and checked my 1:45 pace bracelet. I was on my mark of trying to stay at least 30 seconds ahead of the pace band.

As we hit Mile 10, I just told myself "You just have a 5k to go - kick it up a notch." I tried to give it everything I had. I wanted a PR so bad I could taste it.

I tried to just focus on passing people - it takes my mind off the PR - and keep myself strong.

We were still on a slight decline, which confused the heck out of me. If you go down, at some point you have to come back up ... except in Philly. :P

As we passed the 12 mile mark, I ended up near someone running in jorts (jean shorts). I COULDN'T have this person beat me so I had to et in front of him.

I saw the Mile 13 mark and the road finally started to have an incline.

Of course!

Of course it would incline during the last tenth of a mile.

But I dug deep and gave it everything I had.

I crossed the line, grabbed my medal, took my post-race photo and finally looked at my Garmin. Unofficial time of 1:44:08 ... a freakin' PR!!! Ahhh!! Even with a 45 second port-o-potty stop.

I headed over to see my peeps at the Got Chocolate Milk tent ... I needed my sweet sweet After of chocolate milk.

I even got to snap a pic with George after he finished.

Love his hair! :)

After chatting with Lindsey from Got Chocolate Milk, it was time to head to the medal engraving tent and get my medal engraved. It is totally worth the $20 to me. I do it at each Rock 'n' Roll event. Why do it onsite? Well if they mess it up, they have a whole box of medals sitting next to them where they can redo it. You wouldn't get that if you waited til you got home.

The man told me I had an official finish time of 1:44:12. Still a PR by 18 seconds! :) Hell yeah! I jumped up and down!

Oh I'm sorry, does that say SUB 8 min/mile pace for a freakin' half. Yes it does. Whhaaa??? Me. Lil 'ol me. It is CRAZY what my body can do now. I am loving every moment of this adventure.

After my medal was all snazzy, it was time to head back to the VIP tent and wait for my Refuel teammates. The one thing I dislike about the RnR events is their post-race beer choice - Michelob Ultra. I just don't like wasting calories/Points on that beer. I have specific beer taste. ;)

BUT, when I went into the VIP tent, there were mimosas. Oh yes I will have one of those ... thanks!

I LOVED the medal and really needed to thank Team Refuel for the chance to run this race.

I added my own sparkle thanks to this Sparkle Athletic skirt.

As I was enjoying my mimosas and snacks (mmm bacon), other teammates starting trickling in. It is just such a treat to meet these online friends in real life.

What a great crew! Thanks Angela for the pics!!

This was a great great race. It really is one of the flatest courses I have ever run on. It was scenic. The bands along the way were rockin'! The volunteers were energetic. And the crowd - as always - was lively!!

Would I recommend this race? For sure!

After hanging with the crew for awhile, it was time to head back to Joann's house, grab a shower and hit up lunch with Joann. Sunday afternoon we finished up some touristy stuff, but called it a night early. Ordered in some sushi for a pre-birthday dinner and watched a movie at her place.

A lovely end to a lovely day as I had an early wakeup call the next day to head home. Yes I got to travel on my birthday. :P

Overall, it was one truly amazing weekend. I was surrounded by so much love, earned a shiny PR and just enjoyed the experience. I am one lucky lady for the opportunities I have received.

Until next time Philadelphia...

Weekly Workout Wind Up (9/26-10/2/13)

This week was about two things resting and running!! Still trying to nurse this foot pain that came out of nowhere. Last week it started in the ball of my foot, but during my RnR Providence Half it moved to the right arch. I think it probably came from compensating while running, but I am still working on resting, icing and foam rolling. I will heal and still own my training as best as possible. I won't give up.

BUT I am ready for change. I am ready to get variety back into my workouts. I said this before, but I think now I really am ready.

Thursday, September 26: Mandatory REST

Friday, September 27: Mandatory REST

Saturday, September 28: ZOOMA Women's Half Marathon

Sunday, September 29: Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon

Monday, September 30: 46-Min Spin Class

Tuesday, October 1: REST DAY

Wednesday, October 2: 35-Min Stairmaster

I'm excited for a couple fun 5ks this weekend (Electric Run Friday night and Oktoberfest Sunday morning) with an attempt at a long run on Saturday.

Have you checked out Spandits?

Color in my wardrobe - no way!! For most of my life I hid behind dark workout clothes especially when it came to pants. I mean black is slimming, right?

Well, as the weight came off, I started to get bolder with my running or workout tops, but the black pants remained.

I was discussing this through my social media networks and all of a sudden Spandits showed up on my radar. They were very engaging on Instagram so I had to check out who they really were.

So you are probably wondering who the heck Spandits is?

Well, there tagline is: Seriously Fun, Never Too Bold.

If that gives you a small idea. ;)

Spandits is a small apparel company out of Centerville, Maine run by a pair of running mothers.

Our business is driven by our desire to offer apparel that is both fun to wear and functional.

When you spend up to three hours a day wearing spandex tights, you get tired of rotating from black to gray to navy and back to black again. That’s why, after combing through hundreds of store racks, we decided it was time to start our own venture.

I was liking what I was reading. I love supporting small local businesses.

The more I chatted with Spandits' social media team the more intrigued I got.

Well the lovely ladies of Spandits offered to send me a free pair of capris (retail $40). How could I pass up an offer like that, right?

I continuously checked the mail and finally it was here.

OOhhh was I one of those real athletes that would be testing these out? I always get giddy if someone refers to me as an athlete so we will pretend they were talking right to me. ;)

I had gone bold. I selected the "hyperspeed" pattern and boy was it bold.

Now, I as I mentioned I am not one to wear colors on the bottom so this was outside my comfort zone. I just kept thinking to myself my thighs will look massive. I ordered a medium and I thought they would be too tight. How could I order such a small size?

Then I swallowed the insecurities and slid the pants on.

Wow!

I slid these pants on and didn't feel an ounce of insecurity.

Confidence. Comfort. Color.

It was all happening at once. I was surprised that the Mediums actually fit like a glove.

Now I loved how they looked, but how functionable (is that even a word?) were they going to be.

We’ve worked hard to select high-quality fabrics and customize a fit that works for you.  All of our waist-bands rest just below the navel. Both men’s and women’s apparel contain a key pocket just large enough to hold a standard key fob.  And if you’re tired of sweating in your winter hat, check out our headbands and skull caps that are just enough to let off some steam while keeping you warm.

I liked the little pocket to pop my key in and it really didn't move around as I was jogging around the apartment.

But it was time to road test them. I went out for an easy 3 mile run. I like to go on shorter distance runs when testing out new fitness gear in case it malfunctions.

Never want to be midway through a 7 mile run and have a wardrobe malfunction.

So out I went.

Overall, the pants were comfortable, but I missed having a tie at the waistband. I like to make my pants tight around the waist to avoid any sort of slippage or "riding down" if you will. So a couple times during the run I found myself pulling at the waistband of the pants to make sure it was right where I wanted it. I think a tie just does that for me or gives me the reassurance that they won't move.

I think they worked well for me on a short run, but I would be too distracted by the lack of a tie at the top to wear them for a long distance run.

BUT, I wasn't done testing them out. :P

I gave them another shot during my cross training workout - a little Stairmaster and Spin action.

They really were great. They didn't ride down during the jumps of Spin or slide down as I pushed myself on the Stairmaster.

Plus they looked pretty snazzy as I hit up Dunkin' Donuts afterward.

I think the people in line loved them!!

I really do love all the pattern choices they have to offer. They make all the products themselves and inspect all pieces before they are mailed out. I will take that for quality control.

Would I buy another pair of Spandits capris for running? Probably not for me personally.

Would I buy another pair of Spandits capris for cross training and general use? Heck yeah.

I love supporting local and you can see the love in each article of clothing they produce.

The only other hitch is that I do not believe they are machine washable.

(Editor's Note: after speaking with the owners of Spandits they did point out that their products are machine washable!)

So if you are in the market for some bold workout gear, Spandits offers a wide variety of accessories, shorts, pants, etc for women, men and children.

Support local and tell them Weight Off My Shoulders sent you.

Sooo which pattern should I choose next?

Women's Triathlon Recap

FORGIVE ME BLOG READERS FOR I HAVE SINNED. I allowed too much time to pass before posting this recap. Almost a month.

FOR SHAME.

***

I need to start by thanking the Hartford Marathon Foundation for offering me a complimentary entry into the Women's Sprint Triathlon in Farmington, Connecticut on September 8th. But as you all know I do not let a complimentary entry sway my thoughts on a race!

It was pretty clear after finishing my first triathlon - Boston Sprint Tri on August 4th - that I was hooked. So I was happy to get another triathlon in before the season came to a close.

Now I registered and got all excited and THEN realized the race would be a good 2.5 hour drive from Boston ... on the day of the race.

The race began at 7:30am.

I will let you take a moment to do the math.

Got it?

If not, that meant a nice 3:30am wakeup that morning.

Yay!!!!!

Not. :P

Okay it wasn't the ideal pre-race conditions, but we had no other choice. We couldn't leave the pups the night before so day of travel was our only option.

The alarm went off at 3:30am, I leaped out of bed and immediately the pre-race jitters set in.

Thankfully I am a tad OCD and everything was already packed and ready to go the night before to help make the morning a smooth transition.

We hit Dunkin Donuts for some much-needed caffeine and we were on the road.

Shockingly we hit zero traffic. ;)

We arrived at the Winding Trails in Farmington, CT with plenty of time to pick up my packet, get numbered and set up my transition station.

My transition area worked so well at Boston Triathlon that I decided to duplicate it at the Women's Triathlon.

The transition area was set up by bib #s, but in each lane you could put your bike wherever you wanted. So I just picked one as close to the front as I could, but I pretty much ended up smack in the middle of my lane.

I did a once over and headed out of the transition area to hang with the wife until it was time to suit up.

It was amazing to walk around and see a race entirely made up of women. It felt great, comforting and welcoming.

There were women of all shapes, sizes and athletic abilities taking part. For many, it was their first triathlon. There were women wearing just bathing suits, women whose bikes had baskets/bells/kickstands and some who were clear Ironman finishers. It was a wide variety, but everyone was cheering each other on.

I also throughly enjoyed that during all the announcements when they talked about spectators they mentioned wives of competitors. Yay for being super supportive of the lesbian racers. It just made me smile. :)

Before I knew it it was time to head back to the transition area to pick up the wetsuit and head to the beach.

While standing on the beach, a blog reader came over to introduce herself and say hi. It was such an awesome feeling. I love meeting people who actually read these posts. :)

I decided to take a quick dip into the water before heading to the Start area.

And it was time.

The nerves were high. I was so busy doing Dopey Challenge training that I hadn't been on the bike in over a month or in the pool all that much so I had no idea what to expect. I just wanted to go out there and give it my all.

***

Swim - 1/2 Mile

For this race we started IN the water. I was in the first corral of ladies in the water. I tried to put myself farther up in the pack since I learned at the last tri that I needed to do that. I was a stronger swimmer than I gave myself credit for.

The gun went off and we were in.

But from the get go something was wrong. I couldn't breathe. It felt as if someone was trying to choke me. I tried to loosen the neck area of the wetsuit slightly to see if that would help, but I couldn't get in a groove.

I felt as if I was swimming in place. I had no idea what was going on so I just kept trying to move forward.

I ended up breathing almost every single stroke, but I figured I would do anything to try and get to the Finish.

Thankfully we were in a calm pond which I can say helped.

I got to the halfway mark and wondered how the heck I would make it the rest of the way. I just thought about my wife on the beach and swam towards her.

I could tell my sighting had gotten much better from the first triathlon to this one. My wife said I was the only swimmer in my group that came straight towards the Finish Line after the halfway point. Woo! I think I was probably the 10 or 12th swimmer out of the water so I guess I was moving faster than I thought.

After coming out of the water, we had to run all the way up the beach, along the outside length of the transition area and THEN entered the transition area. It was a long way to run barefoot, but I did the best I could to get that wetsuit down to my waist as quickly as possible.

There were a good number of volunteers (lifeguards) out in kayaks on the water which put me at ease in case I really couldn't breathe at any point.

Total Time: 17:42 Overall Place: 44/442

***

Transition 1

Time: 2:07

Since I was still trying to catch my breath, I took my time during the transition. I was worrying about that so much that I fell right over while taking off the wetsuit. Yes I need to focus on one thing at a time. :P

I was able to grab some Gatorade, some pieces of KIND Bar, switch into my Team Refuel singlet and lace up my sneakers. I also made sure to really dry my feet off before putting my socks on since I ended up with very wet feet last time. ;)

(See how we learn something from each race!)

I slapped my helmet on and I was headed out of the transition area.

Yes this should've been faster, but I was just happy that my breathing had started to return to normal.

***

Bike - 12 miles

Now for some reason I thought this was going to be a flat course. Not sure where I got that impression but boy was I WRONG!!! Holy hill Batman. I am a weak biker anyway, but throw in hills and I wasn't sure what I was doing.

I definitely know I will be getting some clips for my bike so I can wear my Spin shoes before my next race because I was losing some force having my sneakers on.

All I could do was push forward though. I had the cyclometer on my bike and my goal was to try and stay between 17-19 mph the best I could.

I pushed faster than I had before and tried to use the downhills to my benefit. The roads were open to traffic so we had to stay as close to the right of the road as we could.

I was actually able to pass some people, but was definitely passed my more. :)

It was one amazing experience coming back towards the transition area as both sides of the course were lined with spectators. The cheering was loud and the faces made my smile grow. I felt like a freakin' rock star. All these people were cheering for lil old me. It was awesome!

Plus just as I was about to dismount the bike, I caught a glimpse of the wife - just what I needed to see since I hadn't seen her when I left the water earlier.

I know that the bike is the portion I need to work on the most, but I was pretty pleased with how I handled my first hilly bike course.

I didn't really see too many volunteers out on the course itself for some stretches, but they were there at key turns and when we exited and entered the lanes near the transition area.

Total Time: 40:09 Overall Place: 88/442 (can we tell it’s my weakest area)

***

Transition 2

Time: 1:07

Much more respectable transition time the second time around. But really all I had to do here was ditch the bike/bike helmet, throw on my visor/sunglasses and put on my race belt with bib.

***

Run - 5k

As I left the transition area, I ran by the wife and said "I can't breathe." Not sure what was going on with me that day, but as I headed out for the run - I once again just tried to focus on my breathing.

Since triathlons don't allow headphones, it was really easy to tune into my breathing and correct it.

I had just a 5k between me and the end of my second triathlon.

Now again I somehow was under the impression that this would be a flat easy run.

FALSE!!!!

As I rounded the second turn, there was a large trail incline in front of me.

It is at that point, that I realized I was in for a rough terrain trail 5k rather than an easy run.

I stopped to retie my sneakers, buckled down and focused on trying to pass any runners I could pass in front of me.

I got my breathing under control and just tried to enjoy the scenery around me. We were in one glorious forest.

Every volunteer I passed, I said "I was lied to about this being a flat course" and all they could do was laugh.

Thankfully my GPS was pretty spot on and before I knew it we were less than 1/2 a mile to the Finish.

I tried to speed the body up as best I could.

With a few hundred yards to go we emerged from the trees and there was the Finish Line.

I gave it the rest I had and it was over. The 5k was done.

Water stops were well covered, but other than that it was really just the runners on the trail. Not sure what I would've done had I gone down with a cramp or injury while in the woods since I didn't know where the next water stop or volunteer would be.

Total Time: 24:45 Overall Place: 15/442

***

I’M A TRIATHLETE ... AGAIN! :)

I completed the course in 1:25:48 and couldn't have been happier.

As soon as I crossed the Finish Line, they announced my name (Ahhh I love when races do this) and was given a gorgeous wooden medal.

Cool, right?

I found the wife and she presented me with an actual cycling jersey for me to use next year during training rides.

Can I pull it off?

We then headed over to refuel with some chocolate milk. It was like they knew I was coming! ;)

After my chocolate milk and water, it was obviously time to grab a celebratory beer courtesy of Old Burnside Brewing Company! I love when races are sponsored by local craft breweries. Drink local friends! :)

As I walked away from the beer area, I noticed a massage tent with no wait. YES!! Whenever these are at races by the time I finish there is a huge line so I had to jump on this opportunity.

It was GREAT to get stretched out by a professional! I wish I could have this treatment after every workout.

Thank you Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Centers for providing this service!

Before I go any further I want to thank my wife for being my #1 supporter, calming me down along the course, getting up at 3:30am, driving hours to the race and being an overall wonderful sport in this crazy racing world I am in. :) I couldn't do this without her.

We had planned on meeting up with my friend Martinus from 300PoundsAndRunning.com for lunch so we headed back to the transition area to get my stuff and headed back to the car.

I wouldn't find out until hours later that I had actually placed in my division. Whaaa??? I KNOW!!

I had finished 31st overall out of 442 and 3rd in my division.

How cool is that? I was shocked and amazed. Since I had left, I missed receiving my prize. A prize? Yay!

So I actually sent $8 to the Hartford Marathon Foundation and they sent me the prize. An amazing hand-painted marvel.

Overall, I was extremely happy with how the race turned out. Do I know exactly what happened with my breathing during the swimming portion? No, but that is something I will work through on my training in case it happens again.

I really loved the Women's Triathlon atmosphere and would highly recommend this race to any of my friends.

I hope to return next year to take on those rolling hills of Connecticut again! :)

***

So when can I do my next triathlon? ;)

Dani Dishes 9-30-13

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I celebrate running 2 half marathons this past weekend and reiterating my oh so important mantra - Finish What You Started!!  

Weekly Workout Wind Up (9/19-25/13)

Tough week. I was feeling great until I hit 10.53 miles into my 15-mile run on Sunday. Something was going on in the ball of my foot out to my second toe. Not a happy camper to have to stop my run early. Tried to run Monday and only got 1 mile in before pain started. So I had to take rest days on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tough. I was going to try to Stairmaster or Elliptical, but was advised to try to rest it as much as possible. I DID PASS 850 miles run for the year!! At the end of this week I was at 862 miles. Woo! Bring on my goal of 1,000 miles run in 2013!

Thursday, September 19: 3-Mile Run

Friday, September 20: 2-Mile Run

Saturday, September 21: VERT Race Series Big Bad Wolf 5-Mile Trail Run

Sunday, September 22: 11-Mile Run

Monday, September 23: 1-Mile Run and 53-Min Spin Class

Tuesday, September 24: REST DAY

Wednesday, September 25: REST DAY

I am praying it is okay this weekend with back to back half marathons. Here's hoping rest and foam rolling was the trick!

Why Do I Discredit Myself?

Pride.

Something I truly feel on a daily basis for the accomplishments and changes I have made over the past few years.

Soooo why do I continuously discredit those same accomplishments?

Easy.

I don't want people to think I am full of myself. I don't want to be considered vain.

Yes, I still think entirely too much about what people think of me.

Having low self-esteem most of my life has gotten me really good at wanting to be a people pleaser.

I always thought if they liked me then I would be able to somehow use that to start liking myself.

I like the core person I was - good friend, loyal, caring, kind, etc - but I focused too much on the outside and letting the weight dictate how I really felt about myself.

So now that I have this little slice of the internet and I share my story - good, bad, ugly - some of the self doubt and worry creep back to the forefront.

I share my accomplishments to show others they CAN do things they didn't think possible.

I open up about the struggles to show I am human and not perfect.

BUT, after receiving a few comments saying I had gotten too vain I was crushed.

I turned to my wife and friends seeking their opinion.

Had I changed? Why couldn't I be happy and share the wonderful things that were happening?

At no point do I try to say I am better than anyone else, we are all on different journeys - which should be celebrated.

I posted this thought on the blog's Facebook page yesterday and wanted to thank Hungry Healthy Happy for commenting:

I think it is an issue for a lot of people that run pages like ours. Maybe because of comments we might have got about being vain when we share a proud moment. But we should be proud and for every 1 person that thinks you are vain, you are inspiring hundreds more.

I have been putting myself and my accomplishments down for too long.

No longer will I share something and immediately follow it up with an apology for it.

As someone noted yesterday, there is a difference between vanity and pride.

I choose to focus on Pride.

And maybe someday I will be able to stop caring SOO much about what others think and more about what I think!

***

Anyone else struggle with this?

Dani Dishes 9-23-13

On this episode of Dani Dishes, it has simply been a week of excuses and it has to stop!!