I'm Trying To Make Team Chocolate Milk ... Can I Have Your Vote?

I love refueling with low-fat chocolate milk!!

I think we all know that by now. ;)

I have had the honor of making the Team in 2012 AND 2013.

When I made my video in 2013, I pledged that if I made the team I would sign up and train for my first Half Ironman.

Well do you know what happened? :P

I made the team and am tackling The Pumpkinman Half Ironman on September 7.

So what could I possibly be committing to make the team for a third time?

I'm going to DOMINATE Ragnar Cape Cod in May 2015 with Team Chasing Down A Dream. Each member on the 12-person team has shed over 50 lbs. Amazing right?

Well you can help me check this off my bucket list. Because I am going to need some serious Chocolate Milk to refuel after this training plan.

So how can you help?

Well vote vote vote!

Each time you vote $1 is donated to the Challenged Athletes Foundation.

When does voting end? Midnight August 15!!

Click Here To Vote Daily

Will you be needing daily reminders? Just let me know. I am here to help.

THANK YOU for taking the time out of your day to help my dream become a reality!!

Build It with low-fat Chocolate Milk!!

Tips On How I Got Faster ... It Starts With The Socks!

For the low price of $19.95, I can sell you the #1 tip I have to getting a faster running time. Are you ready for it?

Can you handle it?

I don't think your ready for this jelly!!

Okay you all broke me down.

The #1 tip to get faster is...

... buying some Acme Rocket Boots from Wile E Coyote!

What?

Not what you were expecting?

Why because they aren't street legal?

Oh because they aren't real.

Fine fine!

Just a girl trying to make a quick buck! ;)

***

But seriously, the number one question I get asked is: "How did you get so fast?"

Some days I really don't know how it has happened.

It's been years in the making.

I ran my first 5k in March 2005 in a time of 38:21.

In August 2013, I set my current 5k PR of 21:59.2.

That's right. I have taken a little over 16 minutes off of my 5k time.

I ran my first marathon in September 2006 in a time of 5:59:27.

In my second marathon in November 2012 I set my current PR of 3:58:49.

Just over two hours taken off the marathon time.

So how did I do it?

***

Here are a few of the things that have helped:

1) Weight loss

I was close to my heaviest (so around 230 lbs) when I started running. It took a lot out of me to run: pounding on my knees and other joints, heavy breathing, etc.

I ran from 2005-2006 before taking just over a 4 year break. During that break I joined Weight Watchers and started my healthy lifestyle journey.

There are articles out there saying that for every 5 pounds lost you take 30 seconds off your pace. I have yet to find any scientific proof of that, but either way I have to disagree with that statement. I don't think losing weight guarantees that you will speed up.

What I can say is the weight loss lessened the pain I felt, as well as the shortness of breath. It has been proven that for every 1lb lost reduces the pressure on your knees 3-4 lbs. That I can TOTALLY get behind.

So with less pain in my body while running, I could train longer and add in speed work more comfortably.

2) Spinning

I will give a lot of my speed improvement credit to Spinning.

I went to my first Spin class in 2009 and my life was changed. Haha. It sounds so dramatic, but it really was.

Before I knew it I was Spinning 4-5 times a week. My legs felt stronger. My cardio was improving.

In 2011 after back surgery, I was cleared to return to activity and I was ready to give running another shot. I was starting at ground zero. The first mile I ran after back surgery was about a 15 min pace or so.

As I got back into my running routine, I noticed that hills were getting easier thanks to hill workouts in my Spin classes.

While 2011 was a rebuilding year after surgery, 2012 was the year of PRs. I watched my 5k time go from 25:27 to 22:20. Woo! It was quite a ride and really the muscles built during Spin was a huge factor.

3) Cross Training

Yes there is more to cross training than Spin class. But I had to give Spin it's own category. In order to help my running, I need to find ways to strengthen my body and work on endurance without a ton of pounding on the joints.

Bring on the stationary bike, Stairmaster, elliptical and swimming.

If you don't like to swim laps, I would recommend even doing water aerobics classes. They can combine more low-impact swimming with strength training.

If you are wondering where to find swim workouts, there are ample websites out there.

I like to switch up elliptical and stationary bike workouts by the programs on the machines themselves. The Stairmaster at my gym tells you how high you are climbing in relation to world landmarks, which is fun and motivating.

I usually cross-train 2-4 times a week depending on what I am training for.

4) Find A Faster Running Buddy

Find a friend that runs a faster pace than you or a running group that is just ahead of your normal running partners ... and run with them!!!

Those folks will bring out the best in you and push you to a pace that you wouldn't think imaginable.

NOW I am not saying I am going to head out and run with Shalane Flanagan tomorrow - even though that would be fun - I am saying if you run a 10:30 pace find something that is 10:00 or 10:15.

Don't push the limit too much too fast.

My best friend Sarah and I are great at pushing each other. She is by far the better runner in our duo, but she wants me to reach my potential so she devises runs for us to do together that will do that.

Additionally running with a BQer (Boston Qualifer) can be daunting, but Robin keeps it light and fun. She has a great energy and really knows running. So besides running at a faster clip when I am with her, I also believe I can do anything!

If you don't have a friend that you can reach out to, check out a local running group to see if they have someone that runs at the pace you are looking to hit. It is a great way to meet new people and work on your speed.

5) Get Yourself Socks With Capes

I'm serious!! :)

Even if they don't technically improve your speed, they make you FEEL like you do.

No matter what my Garmin says when I am wearing my Superman caped socks I am freakin' MEB out on the course.

Most of my running socks, which are not compression, are super hero socks. Not only do they make me feel amazing, but they help win over the race crowd as well.

6) Sign Up For A Race With Free Beer At The Finish

Nothing gets me to a finish line faster than knowing there is GOOD free beer at the end. ;)

Now beer may not be your thing so go ahead and insert your motivator into sentence where beer is.

Sometimes thinking of people enjoying my free beer put a little light under my ass and make me pick up the pace.

I mean they could run out! ;)

7) Refuel and Recover

Proper refueling can greatly impact your athletic performances ... which is why I swear by my low-fat chocolate milk.

I don't drink it just because it is easy and a treat after a hard workout, but for the health benefits listed above.

In addition to 8 oz of low-fat chocolate milk after a workout, I am sure to keep my legs fresh with Zensah compression gear (shorts and socks).

***

Now yes folks also find speed work to be helpful and if I did it more, I am sure I would improve my times even more. But honestly I haven't worked it into my plan as much as I should.

It is something that I am going to be working on in the future.

For now here are the seven tips have really helped me. Now I am not sure they will work for everyone, but I can only share my experiences.

I am available for questions whenever folks have them.

Excuse me while I go and order another pair of Superman socks to go with my Wile E Coyote rocket boots Asics sneakers.

***

What has helped you improve your speed?

Face It Friday: I Didn't Throw In The Towel 7/25/14

Last weekend was FUUUNNNN! I do not regret a single food or drink choice I made.

I celebrated the wife's 34th birthday AND completing my third triathlon. I filled some cravings that I had had for months... and they were delicious.

Now my week starts on Friday as we know. So Friday itself was a 109 pt day. Yup you read that right. We went out to a big dinner and I ate delicious pizza and drank decadent beer. It was great.

Now Saturday and Sunday we were on the go with the race so I didn't track.

I knew I was over, but didn't have the energy to see how over.

But, Monday morning I looked at myself in the mirror and said the only person I am hurting is myself. So I sat down and estimated the best I could.

Yup, three days into my Weight Watchers week and I was -114 pts in the hole.

That was a punch to the gut moment. But I patted myself on the back for owning up to it.

At that moment I decided instead of throwing in the towel and "restarting" on Friday when my WW week would be fresh, I decided to see how much I could earn back through Activity. It was lighting a fire under my training butt.

So I worked and I happily saw the number decrease.

I knew I would never get back into the positive, but I felt okay.

I really didn't care what the scale said this week because I was living on my NSV (Non-Scale Victory) of sticking with my game plan and reaching out to friends for support.

Every day I hit my DPT, filled all of my Good Health Guidelines and was staying well hydrated with H2O. I was feeling GREAT.

So I woke up this morning feeling light and lean, but reminding myself that even if the scale showed a gain I would NOT take away the accomplishments of the week.

I took out the scale, dusted it off, closed my eyes and stepped on.

Down 2.8 lbs!

Woo! Now I do not get into the habit of going into the negative with my points. I've been doing Weight Watchers for almost 5 years and know that weeks will vary because well life happens.

Do I want to keep this pattern of being in the negative going - of course not. But I made it through two tough weeks and still came out on top.

So next time you have one bad meal or day and think you ruined the whole week remember this post, track it and move on.

***

Since June 13, I have successfully shed 16.2 of the 15.8 lbs gained during my temp assignment. Yes that means all the weight plus a little extra is GONE. Yahoo!! What a great feeling getting back to the balance I know that works for me.

Sometimes we need to go through a bumpy road to find the focus again and the reason we started this journey to begin with.

***

This week I will be participating in my own fundraising virtual 5k - F.A.S.T. (Fight Against Stroke Together) 5k/10k - and would love for you to join me. You can click here to find more information about how you can help Fight Stroke AND get a sweet Finisher's Medal.

***

And finally, if you all could take a moment and vote for me I would really appreciate it. There are some sweet prizes on the table and you all know I love my low-fat chocolate milk.

VOTE HERE!

I think you can vote once a day! Thanks!!

***

I hope everyone has an amazing week. I am race free this weekend, but have some social engagements to attend. I will once again track it and own it.

I will keep the following mantra in the back of my mind:

Eat To Live Don't Live To Eat

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!

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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.

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

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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. ;)

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

Monday Musings: Tori's Birthday & Iron Girl Triathlon Weekend

The weekend started off just the way I wanted it to ... with a happy result on the scale.

Despite being in the negative with my Weight Watchers Points, I still shed 1.6 lbs. Woo!

Now I have been consistently going to the Friday 8am WW meeting since my temp job ended, but Friday I had to skip. Now know I had a good reason AND I had promised to go on Saturday at 8am instead.

Why did I have to meet my meeting?

For a nice long bike ride with my friend Darcie. I'm so glad Darcie and I could connect for another long bike ride. Since the ride began in the city, I had a lot of clipping practice (clipping my bike shoe in and out of the pedals) as well as biking with traffic (cars, changing lanes, etc). We also tackled some big hills, which at the time I didn't know how handy that would be for later in the weekend.

I am still pretty new to biking outside so I was proud of my improvement ... and fell off the bike for a second time. Again it happened while at a complete stop. The first fall was into mulch and this time into grass. So at least both falls had some cushion. ;)

It's crazy how long a long bik ride takes when you count travel time to the ride start, actual ride time, breaks while riding and then traveling home. I left at 7:15am and returned home just after Noon.

Once the bike ride was out of the way, I could focus on the real highlight of Friday ... the wife's birthday!

She turned 34 on Friday. We started the celebration early with a trip to Legoland Discovery Center Boston (which is actually located at Assembly Row in Somerville) on Wednesday night. There is an adult night once a month and July's ended up during Tori's Birthday week. Hello Birthday Gods! It was a BLAST. I will be sharing more details and pictures of the event in another blog post.

On her birthday itself, we met for a nice dinner at Pizzeria Regina at Station Landing in Medford before she used her new birthday gift cards at the Lego Store.

Not sure her smile could get any wider. And yes I was the mastermind behind the Birthday Message. It is pretty much the peak of my Lego skills.

We headed home after the Lego purchase to share a bottle of our favorite wine - Door County Peninsula Winery Sunset Splash - and watched Spaceballs.

It was a great low-key night.

***

I woke up Saturday and decided to walk to and from the Weight Watchers meeting. It was fun to sit in on a new group, especially since I would be subbing in as Leader for the very group next week. It should definitely be a fun time. Plus, my friend Heather is the Leader so I love checking out her meetings.

After walking home, I made sure to clean my bike up since I would be racking it that day - the day before the race rather than the day of. This would be the first time I would leave Roxie alone at a race set-up so I was nervous. But I knew Iron Girl would have the space secured.

The Iron Girl Webster Sprint Tri that I would be competing in with Got Chocolate Milk was just over an hour away from the Boston area so we started the trek West early. Thank goodness we did as there was bumper-to-bumper traffic all over the Mass Pike. But, my neurotic need to leave the house early paid off as we arrived at the Expo just in time. Phew! The last thing you want to do it be late to an Expo that you are speaking at.

That's right. I had the pleasure of taking part in a Q&A Panel with Chocolate Milk Captain Chrisann Dalton. She is one amazingly energetic, compassionate and fierce human and athlete. She completed Iron Man Kona last year with Hines Ward. Yeah, bad ass lady! :)

Following the panel, which was super fun, we hosted a mile Shake Out run. It was great to see so many ladies coming out to stretch, shake out the nerves and refuel with some low-fat chocolate milk with us.

I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. Many of these women were coming out for their first triathlon and hearing the excitement in their voices got me even MORE pumped up for the following day.

Once the Shake Out run was over, it was time to quickly rack my bike at the race site, which was less than a mile from the Expo, before making the trek back home.

I wish we could've stayed out in Webster, but we needed to take care of the pups. So our afternoon/evening was light with a quick lunch at a mall's food court (salad wrap from D'Angelos for me) and some wheat pasta/sauce for dinner.

At the Expo we learned that the water would be too warm to wear our wetsuits. I slightly freaked out as I hadn't raced in just my tri kit yet, but I was ready to give it a whirl. But first I needed to get more comfortable in it. So yes I put it on and wore it around the house for awhile. Just to get the feel.

It was hard to NOT be self-conscious in it as it is designed to be fitted, but I was trying to push those negative thoughts out of my head.

With a glass of red wine, my Zensah compression shorts and socks on, and some Netflix, I spent Saturday night relaxing and making sure I turned in early because...

***

... the alarm went off Sunday morning at 4am. Yes folks you read that right. The race began at 7am and we had about an hour drive ahead of us. So out the door by 4:45 was the game plan. Since it was so early in the morning, we thankfully hit little to no traffic and pulled into the parking lot at 5:52. Woo! We hopped on the shuttle and made our way to the Start area so I could get my stuff set up in transition.

I will share more details about the race itself in a separate recap post, but here are some pics to enjoy in the meantime.

The race was a great experience. There are plenty of things I need to improve on, but I am taking away how strong I felt, how much fun I had high-fiving and cheering on the other ladies during the race and the amazing feeling I had crossing that Finish Line.

After the race, we had to walk my bike the mile back to the car, which was a nice little cool down. But, when I got to the car it was only about 10:30am. Ha! I really thought it was 2pm by then. I guess that is what happens when one gets up at 4am.

We hit a Dunkins before getting back on the high way home.

How did the rest of Sunday go?

Lazy. 100% lazy.

I wore compression. I snuggled puppies. I lounged. I stretched. I watched Netflix. I celebrated with a delicious beer. I read comments from other Iron Girl Finishers. I smiled.

And it was awesome!!

***

Every Monday I say how I wish the weekends were longer, but it is true. The adventures are amazing and I wouldn't change anything I need to go through to make them happen.

So now I turn back to my training plan and write out the next week. No racing this week so all practice all the time.

***

How did you celebrate your weekend?

Iron Girl Webster Race Prep w/ Got Chocolate Milk Expo Fun

It's almost time for...

IRON GIRL WEBSTER

YAY!

I cannot wait for this medal to me miiinneee!!

On Sunday (July 20) I will be taking on my first triathlon of the season and my third triathlon overall (all Sprint Tris). The Iron Girl Webster race, which I will be completing on behalf of Got Chocolate Milk, consists of a

1/3 mile swim ... 12 mile bike ... 3 mile run

But before I can even make it to Sunday, there is some race prep that has to go down.

Where to begin?

Step One: Lay out everything I need for Race Day

I find it helpful to lay my gear out by category.

Category 1: Outfit.

Choice for Iron Girl Webster? My Got Chocolate Milk Tri Kit, my Garmin watch and a Sparkle Athletic Skirt.

Not pictured Zensah sports bra.

This will be my base for the day, except I will NOT be wearing the Sparkle Athletic skirt in the water. ;)

Category 2: Transition Area.

I love to use my Asics towel as my base. On top of that base goes all accessories, fuel and "just in case" stuff. I like to keep a water bottle, a handheld water bottle (if I want it for the run), a KIND bar, my ENERGYBits and sunglasses.

Category 3: The Swim.

So apparently I cut off the most important part of the swim attire - goggles. Ha. So my swim gear includes goggles, swim cap (usually one issued by the race itself), wetsuit and a towel to clear off my feet to transition to the bike.

Do you like the sweet Nestle towel I have? I got it when the Nesquik Bunny visited me back in March. :)

Category 4: The Bike.

Once I maneuver the wetsuit off - hopefully without falling :P - and the feet are dry, it is time to secure my Sparkly Soul headband before putting on my helmet. You can get penalized if you are moving with the bike and not having your helmet on so I make sure it is one of the first thing I put on for the bike.

This will be my first time using Bike Shoes so once the helmet is on, I will put on my Zensah compression sleeves, attach my race belt which will already have my number on it and slip into the shoes.

Category 5: The Run.

The final transition should be the easiest. Bike shoes and helmet off ... visor and sneakers on.

Once I give everything a once over - adding the race bib and bike number - it all goes into my big IKEA bag (yup classy) and it sits by the front door. This way I won't forget anything.

But since it is Friday and I have everything in order I can pick up last-minute times at...

Step Two: The Expo

On Saturday (June 19), I will be heading to Webster to attend the Iron Girl Expo - pick up my bib, purchase anything I might be missing and to hopefully see friends and readers. Oh and I won't just be attending, I will be co-hosting some things.

Whhaaa??

I know.

My Got Chocolate Milk teammate Chrisann and I will be co-hosting:

** Q&A Panel at 12:30pm

...to answer any last-minute questions participants may have, while sharing some of our stories as well. Oh and of course I will be sharing how much low-fat Chocolate Milk plays into my training. :)

** Shake Out Run at 1:30pm

...to shake out the legs, but also the nerves. It is will light and easy and topped off with some low-fat Chocolate Milk. Yay!

** Booth Time til 3:00pm

...Chrisann and I will be at the Got Chocolate Milk booth following the Shake Out Run to meet participants. Please come by and say hi!! Let's take a selfie!

After the Expo I will be heading home to...

Step Three: Refuel, Recharge and Rest

Saturday Night will be a nice lowkey time spent at home with my foam roller, compression shorts and socks and a little pasta. Oh don't forget the water too. Staying hydrated is important.

Plus the alarm clock will be going off super early on Sunday so I need my beauty rest. :0)

Step Four: Race Day

HAVE FUN!! In case one forgets, these races are supposed to be joyful and exciting. So I will be turning the butterflies into fuel and remembering what Tedy Bruschi told us:

The Start Line is the Finish Line and the race is the party!

***

Now many folks might be wondering how to refuel after the race itself.

Here are the top five tips from Got Chocolate Milk and I:

1. Ice muscles. Cooling down muscles post-exercise in short bursts (10 minutes on, 10 minutes off) could reduce inflammation, muscle soreness and speed the path to recovery.
2. Compression. To get back to your training schedule and regain energy quickly, try wearing compression garments, which can help decrease the time it takes for muscles to recover between intense bouts of exercise.
3. Active Recovery. Gentle movement improves circulation, which promotes nutrient and waste product transport through the body to help muscles repair faster. Try a light jog at the scenic Midstate Trail or explore Lake Chaubunagungamaug.
4. Lowfat Chocolate Milk. Looking for a convenient post workout snack? 20+ studies support the benefits of lowfat chocolate milk for post-exercise recovery and research shows it has the right mix of protein and carbs to help athletes recover quickly so they can start preparing for their next challenge.
5. Roll it out. Much of the soreness that goes along with exercise occurs when muscles become knotted; rolling out muscles with foam rollers can help remove these knots and promote recovery.

***

What's left?

Goals.

Number 1: Have Fun!

Number 2: Finish!

Number 3: Learn! I am using this as a test for the Pumpkinman Half Ironman I am doing in September. I will need to remember what worked and what didn't so I can alter the plan before The Sharon Tri on August 10.

***

Are you participating in Iron Girl Webster? Will I see you Saturday at the Q&A or Shake Out Run?

Dani Dishes 7-14-14

On this episode of #DaniDishes, I'm showing off my latest bling, talking about the pre-race jitters and dealing with the constant struggle with comparing myself to others!

Runner's World Heartbreak Hill Festival Part 3: Five & Dime

Thursday and Friday of the Runner's World Heartbreak Hill Festival felt like Summer Camp. I mean really. Okay maybe. I never actually went to a sleep away Summer Camp so I am 100% basing this on TV. Oops. But I still think it was - laughs, hugs and beer. Okay definitely no beer at Summer Camp, right?

Either way it had been a blast. But I kept thinking and saying: Oh yeah, we are here to actually run races.

Sort of forgot that one little detail. Even though I had my bib in hand and everything.

Well the running got started bright and early Saturday morning with the Five & Dime, which meant at 5k at 7:15 and a 10k at 8:30. You know I am up for a challenge so I was ready to go. However, was unsure how to handle the time in between the races. Well, nothing like flying by the seat of your pants when it comes to fueling.

Pre-race I grabbed a dark chocolate & peanut butter KIND bar and my trusty ENERGYBits. Luckily we were staying in the dorms so Athlete's Village was a leisurely 5-7 minute walk from where we were. Strength in numbers so as many bloggers as possible climbed into the elevator - for a selfie - and headed to the Start.

KT Tape matches my Team Chocolate Milk singlet - what a coincidence? ;)

I KNEW I needed to run with people. If I have learned anything, I suck at pacing myself to a slower race when running alone.

Thanks for the pic Anne!

So I lined up around the 9 min/mile pace with some bloggers and set out to keep it easy. I had an angry left hamstring and three races to make it through in total.

As soon as the horn went off, we shuffled through the corral to the Start Line and it was game time.

And I cut off their heads! 

It was awesome setting out with Julie, Presley and Anne. My goal was to share my mid-run selfie skills with these ladies. BUT, Anne brings the A-game and a real camera to the plate. I hung my head in shame.

Hey Girls!!

As I hit Mile 2 I had separated slightly from the group, but it allowed me to cheer them on as we hit a turnaround in the race.  But Marnie and I had kept together and were having a great conversation.

I was getting lost in conversation that I hadn't taken a mid-run selfie yet. I was talking all that pretend game and hadn't done anything about it so it was time to rectify that.

I thought it was one of my better ones.

The race ended on a little bit of a downhill before taking a right into the final stretch, where - of course - I had to step it up a notch. I didn't want to be dogging it in the Finish Line photo. Priorities, right?

Splits: 9:01, 8:59, 8:46

Since I love numbers, I loved the 28:28 5k time. Now my inner demon was angry at the slower than usual time, but the brain knew that it was about finishing and not speed.

After happily collecting the first medal of the weekend, I set out to find a snack (hello chocolate chip bagel) and a bathroom (thank you BC for keeping all the buildings open so I could avoid the port-o-potties)! Once that was set, it was time to start thinking about the 10k. It was an odd amount of time for me so I wasn't really sure what to do. But the bagel hit the spot.

Now the 5k didn't really feature Heartbreak Hill so I figured the 10k would be more a challenge. I knew I would need to keep the pace easy once again.

I felt as if the 5k ended as soon as it began!

So I met up with the same crew at the same spot - oh hey hey 9 min/mile sign - and planned to run with them again.

From the look of this pic, maybe they didn't want me to run with them :P #PhotoBomb

As we crossed the Start Line again, I had some deja vu and let the ladies dictate the pace. I didn't want to push it.

Almost immediately I realized that we would be hitting more of Heartbreak this time around! And it would be the last portion of Heartbreak - aka the biggest of the hills.

For those that don't know, Heartbreak Hill is not a single hill like many think. It is actually about 3-ish miles of rolling hills (3 total). They really aren't that bad in the scheme of life, but when you come upon them at Mile 17 of the Boston Marathon they seem like MOUNTAINS!

And on this day the heat was dictating how the day would go so the hill was tough. Thankfully once again the conversation flowed so the time and miles ticked by.

Mile 1: 9:30 Mile 2: 9:53 Mile 3: 9:35

It was about the halfway mark that Anne and I started picking the pace up. Not sure how it happened, but it seemed organic. I hadn't met Anne before this weekend and didn't know much about her story. It was GREAT chatting with her. We learned that we have very similar PRs.

Her Half: 1:43, My Half: 1:44 ... Her Marathon: 3:56, My Marathon: 3:58. We are both 31. We like running and blogging.

Crazy similar.

So you can only imagine the talking helped dictate the pace. But we both wanted to keep it smart.

And I had the pleasure of introducing Anne to Heartbreak Bill. He is the mascot for the Heartbreak Hill Running Company and a staple all winter long during Boston Marathon training runs.

Poor guy must've been dying in the suit

Mile 4: 9:10 Mile 5: 9:18 (highest point of Heartbreak) Mile 6: 9:07

Once again ending on a downhill was appreciated and allowed us to rack up some speed to finish the race strong. We weren't about to let these 2 folks finish ahead of us so we dug down and sped around them. I wanted a nice clear Finish Line photo for us. :P

Now I had kept my 5k medal in my hand during the run just so I could keep start sporting both medals AS SOON as we crossed.

It was a great run in some bad heat. Finished with an official time of 58:49.

Definitely amazing knowing so many people at the Five and Dime races. Every time I turned around there was a blogger, friend or blog reader finishing the race. I love some sweaty hugs, high fives and hearing race stories.

I am proud of everyone I know that tackled a running challenge of two races in one morning.  Two pieces of bling before 10am is A-okay with me.

The left hamstring was sore, but didn't feel any worse after 9.3 miles. Taking it slower was definitely the way to go.

After more water and snacks it was time to head back to the room for a shower and a change. The rest of the day featured Expo fun, Dunkin' Donuts Iced Coffee, the Dogs Run, the pasta dinner and another Sarah Reinertsen talk (I will NEVER pass on hearing her speak).

I want to thank all of the volunteers, police offers and Runner's World staff who was up way earlier than I was to put this race on and to make sure there was enough water for the participants. I also want to applaud Runner's World for the Medical presence during the race. Since I had some breathing trouble the last time I was on Heartbreak, I kept an eye out and it put my mind at ease to see so much medical staff out on the course.

I can also say the KIND Bar and ENERGYBits was a great combo pre-race. The chocolate chip bagel wasn't too heavy before the second race. Phew! I wouldn't have wanted that yummy bagel to go to waste. Plus it worked as my chocolate since the race was lacking low-fat chocolate milk. :(

But no matter what I had another meeting with Heartbreak the next day ... for the half marathon!

***

Have you run legit back-to-back races before?

(Note: if you would like to buy ENERGYBits, use code WEIGHTOFFMYSHOULDERS for 25% off your order!)

*UPDATED* My Boston Marathon Promo is LIVE!

Ahhh can you believe it? I received the email today from Universal Sports with the link. I am 100% geeking out over it.

I owe Got Chocolate Milk a HUGE thank you for choosing me to be a part of this project.

Without further adieu, here's the video:

Edit: We found the link to the second longer promo video and wanted to share it!

Dani Dishes 3-17-14

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I'm sharing about the film shoot for my Boston Marathon training and a how I mixed up the workouts this week! :)