2017 is going to be the year of dirt! With just one road tri and one road run, my 29er and I will be bonding in many special ways. The highlight of the year will of course by World's in Maui, but I'm also looking forward to the run/ride and gun biathlon, a very-Texas race involving shooting, trail running, and mountain biking near Comfort, Texas.
January:
February: Dirty Dozen Mountain Bike Race
3rd place 2-person 6-hour female team
Mellow Johnny's Classic
2nd place Cat 3 women 30-39
March: YMCA Master's Quadrathalon
April: Ironman Texas 70.3 (Galveston)
XTERRA ATX
5th place, women 30-34
May:
June: XTERRA Gator Terra, USAT Cross-Tri Champs
3rd place, women 30-34
XTERRA Muleshoe
2nd place, women 30-34
July: XTERRA Magnolia Hill
2nd place, women 30-34
August: Rocky Mountain Half Marathon
September: Camp Eagle Classic
3rd place, Cat 2, women 30-39
October: Lake Travis Relay
XTERRA World Championships (Maui)
November:
December:
Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home. Show all posts
Monday, February 27, 2017
Monday, January 4, 2016
Off-Season Goals
For the first time in three years, I've given myself a real off-season. No winter races, no marathons. Just a lot (lol, not a lot!) of trail running with my dog and learning a new skill- mountain biking!
I've been working on re-habbing my shoulder and back muscles since then, and have noticed significant improvement in my shoulder, but still have concern about my right trapezius. It's insanely tight, and no amount of massage and rolling is helping. I have an appointment tomorrow, though, and plan to get it right.
The good news is, none of these medical issues have effected my running, swimming, (amazingly enough!), or mountain biking. I've had to lay off my TT bike for now until my trap is under control, but have kept up the occasional trainer ride now and the.
When I was a kid, I had a mountain bike and rode it around the neighborhood, even through the woods sometimes, but I was never exposed to the actual sport. I was scared to jump curbs. I haven't had a mountain bike since I was 12, but bought one in October because one of my girlfriends rides all the time and I was tired of the FOMO when I heard the fun stuff she was doing.
So, I used my REI gift cards and some saved up cash and got a decent Novara bike from REI. Not bottom of the line, since it has disc brakes and a decent fork, but definitely cheapo-components. I wasn't worried about that part, since thanks to the Mr., I soon get to put a NuVinci hub on my bike.
Since I got my bike, I've been on it once or twice a week, every week. I am having so much fun! No traffic whizzing by, constant movement and scenery change, and the headwinds are less of a worry. Plus, I love getting muddy and doing dare-devil things with my friends.
The above video is pretty long, but it's a good look at how far I've come. Gone are the days of being fearful of jumping curbs- now I'm hopping trees and plunging down descents riddled with loose rock.
Of course, I've definitely eaten it a couple of times. Mostly, this is the result of me deciding to do something, and then chickening out when it's too late. So far, I've stayed on my feet, and only had a couple of scrapes and pretty gnarly bruises.
It's been worth it, though. I'm remembering the joy of cycling in a whole new way. Loving mountain biking has altered my goals for racing and I am so excited about entering my first XTERRA off-road triathlon soon. I've got a lot of work to do to extend my 7 mile trail rides to 13, but I know I can get it done! There are dozens of places to ride in Austin, so there are lots of opportunities to keep it interesting.
My fiance is incredibly supportive of all my new hobbies and adventures I pick up, and I think I've got him hooked in to this one, too. His 29er has no suspension, but I expect to see a new fork in the mail sooner than later so he can keep up without rattling right on over.
My training for Ironman Boulder begins officially in March, but I'm going to start picking up steam at the end of this month, building my endurance base back up. I've enjoyed this time off immensely, it's helped wash away the burned-out feeling and allowed me to be truly excited for the upcoming season, instead of exhausted and overwhelmed. Bring it on, 2016!
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| Hammer is much faster than me, even for 8 miles! |
Taking is easy has turned out to be a good plan. Back in October, I went to my sports medicine doctor worried about my left shoulder- it was popping a lot, and felt like it was sliding out of socket. It only hurt sometimes, but I knew that certainly wasn't normal. I set up an appointment with their physical therapist, and she gave me some strengthening exercises. They're a little afraid I might have a torn labral ring, but say that it's likely just very inflamed and needs some stabilization.
Fun fact, I also learned that when I was thrown from a horse while working at the 7D in 2009 I broke my collar bone. I did not know this because I'm stubborn and didn't tell anyone I was thrown because I didn't want to buy the barn a case of beer. I'm not really worse for the wear, but it did adjust my pain-tolerance perspective, since apparently I completely walked off a broken bone. There are NFL players *coughRomocough* that can't do that. ;)
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| My current best friends. |
The good news is, none of these medical issues have effected my running, swimming, (amazingly enough!), or mountain biking. I've had to lay off my TT bike for now until my trap is under control, but have kept up the occasional trainer ride now and the.
When I was a kid, I had a mountain bike and rode it around the neighborhood, even through the woods sometimes, but I was never exposed to the actual sport. I was scared to jump curbs. I haven't had a mountain bike since I was 12, but bought one in October because one of my girlfriends rides all the time and I was tired of the FOMO when I heard the fun stuff she was doing.
So, I used my REI gift cards and some saved up cash and got a decent Novara bike from REI. Not bottom of the line, since it has disc brakes and a decent fork, but definitely cheapo-components. I wasn't worried about that part, since thanks to the Mr., I soon get to put a NuVinci hub on my bike.
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| Mom and I enjoying a nice easy ride at the Williamson County park |
The above video is pretty long, but it's a good look at how far I've come. Gone are the days of being fearful of jumping curbs- now I'm hopping trees and plunging down descents riddled with loose rock.
Of course, I've definitely eaten it a couple of times. Mostly, this is the result of me deciding to do something, and then chickening out when it's too late. So far, I've stayed on my feet, and only had a couple of scrapes and pretty gnarly bruises.
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| This was pretty ripe a few days later! |
My fiance is incredibly supportive of all my new hobbies and adventures I pick up, and I think I've got him hooked in to this one, too. His 29er has no suspension, but I expect to see a new fork in the mail sooner than later so he can keep up without rattling right on over.
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| My new year's eve "just because" present the Mr. got me after we rode the trials. Matches the Fox gloves well, I think! |
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| Huge smiles, all the time on the trails! |
Friday, January 1, 2016
Race Schedule
2016 Racing Schedule
February 14- Austin Half Marathon: (13.1 road running miles) Although I've run the full version of this race, this year's event is a bit more special. First of all, I am raising money for the charity I work for, Family Eldercare, through the #AustinGivesMiles program. This is our first year as a charity beneficiary of the race, and it's been a lot of fun organizing a team! (Click the link to support my fundraiser!)Second, and more importantly, this race will be the FIRST long distance race my mommy has ever run! She has been training hard for the past couple of months and continues to improve every day. I'm so proud of her, and can't wait to cross the finish line with her!
March 20- Lost Pines Trail Run (10k trail run) My off-season has been focusing on trail running and mountain bike riding, so I thought I'd check out how my skills have progressed in a race setting. This may not end up happening, as it falls on the same weekend as my next event in the list, and getting from Marble Falls to Smithville in time may not be possible. Thankfully, the registration was only $25.April 2- Xterra Bluebonnet Tri (no distances listed that I can find, but roughly an Oly tri but off-road) This will be my first Xterra race and I'm pretty excited about it. Xterra races are an open water swim, mountain bike ride, and trail run- a different twist on normal triathlons. This one takes place at a MTB park near my house I've never been to during the prettiest part of the year- wildflower season!
April 23- XTERRA ATX (800m swim, 13 mile mountain bike, 6k trail run) Produced by the same company as above, this is the second of 5 XTERRA tris in the Austin area series.
April 30- Gettin' Murrrieeedddd (probably a 5k in the morning!) Not a race, but a pretty darn big deal! My biggest supporter, race sherpa, coach, sports therapist, and masseuse in one has decided he'd like to keep me around, even though I make him work really hard!
May 7- Shiner GASP Century (100 mile road cycling ride) I've done this event for the past two years and look forward to doing it again! It's a great 100 mile ride with what I hope are better road conditions this year as construction should be done. The after-party can't be beat- tons of free Shiner, BBQ, shower trucks, and a ride home on a charter bus to sleep off that beer and BBQ. Let's see if Bryce can get the full 100 miles this year without a flat!
June 4- Grand Teton Half Marathon (13.1 mile road running race) Put on by the same company that did the Yosemite Half, this race will NOT be all downhill, so I don't expect another staggering PR. However, Wyoming is simply the most amazing place I've ever lived, and I am thrilled to finally be going back for a visit. I plan to backpack 3 days before the race, run, sleep in, and head home full of the same love for the mountains as always. I can't wait!
July 9- Xterra Magnolia Hill (no distances listed that I can find, but roughly an Oly tri but off-road) Similar to the Bluebonnet race above, this one is in Navasota, so it's close enough that my mom could come watch if she wanted to. It'll be in the height of summer and one month before my Ironman, so it should be perfect timing to do a FUN race and shake it out before taper crazies set in.
August 7- Ironman Boulder 140.6 (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile road cycling, 26.2 mile road running, vomit likely) I am signed up to race this with Sandra as well, who will be doing it as her first Ironman. She is going to whip my butt, because she's an awesome athlete and a much better runner than me, but I hope to keep up as close as I can! We are both training with the Runner's World "Run Less, Run Faster" plan so I'm hoping for a sub 6-hour marathon at least, since 7 hours at Texas was just embarrassing, even for me and my lackluster running. I'll be training in the Texas heat, so I'm hoping going to this race where it will likely be in the 80s and not 100s will help me push harder and vomit just a little less.
October 15- No Country for Old Men 383 Ultra Race This will be a relay race with my friend Sandra who has already turned in to an amazing cyclist after starting last year. The ride goes through Southwest Texas and Big Bend National Park- an area of my state I've never seen, so I look forward to it, and hopefully we can complete it in under 24 hours!
November 19- Spirit Ride (74 mile road cycling ride) Not only is my cool mom getting in to running, she wants a bike, too! We plan on getting her one in the Spring and I'm going to help her train to ride this ride, which benefits the Crime Stoppers in Livingston, the town I grew up in. She can totally do it, I have no doubt, and I look forward to seeing my hometown from a new perspective.
2016 is going to be a great year!
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Stop Tripping Over Your Bikes: Clug Bike Hook Review
So I'm a member of an awesome women's triathlon Facebook group called Ironwilled: Women Who Tri (If you're a lady who does tris, come join us!) and as we were creating a post to collect links for Black Friday sales, one of the members mentioned a product I'd never heard of- a Clug bike hook.
The Mr. and I have 4 bikes, soon to be 5. I have a tri bike and a mountain bike, he has a mountain bike and a road bike, and I'm buying a road bike for the spring when I can commute to work again. We live in a pretty tiny 3 bedroom house that is full of us, our crap, our dogs, and not a lot of space, and for the past year we have just been stacking our bikes in layers on the walls.
Clug has changed that, and it's been such a relief to the clean-freak in me, that I'd venture to say it's changed my life! (Seriously, only a slight hyperbole!) To be clear, they have not asked me to do a review nor did they send me a free product. I just honestly think they're super cool and want to share the discovery!
Clugs are a little bitty plastic hook that you screw in to your wall (using drywall anchors if you put them on drywall), snap on a cover, and go. They're super simple.
One of the best things about these is the packaging! They were really smart and economical when they designed it. The box folds open to a pre-made stencil- all you have to do is line it up with your bike tire were you want to put it on the wall, tape the box, drill holes, and you're set! The roadies come with screws, drywall screws, and instructions. The MTB hangers do not have drywall screws but you NEED them, so we went out and bought them. No big deal, but it would have been nice to have those included for my heavier bikes.
Like I said, we have a stable of bikes that will probably only get bigger and live in a tiny house. These let me get them up off the floor and put away in the guest bedroom where they're out of the way, but easy to get to without having to move all your other bikes. The Mr.'s 29er is pretty dang heavy, and this hook has no problem holding it.
To put your bike in, you just place the front tire in the gap and push, and to remove it, you just pull. They're sturdy, and just tight enough to get a good grip without feeling like you're going to break them. You do have to use the front tire, because if you try to use the back tire, the bike will fall over. I bet if I figured out a strap to fix the front tire to the frame, I could alternate directions and place them even closer together, but well....I didn't feel like it!
The only wish I have for these is that they'd be capable of actually suspending your bike. I had a spot picked out above a closet in my "pain cave" (ie: the office) that would have had more space and avoided crowding a bedroom, but the back tire has to rest on the ground. They do provide a little pad to keep your tire from marking up your wall. They don't stick awesomely to drywall, but they work well enough.
Lastly, their customer service is great. The first order I placed was out in a flash and in my mailbox in like 3 days. I placed a second order because I loved them, and noticed that although I got an email saying shipped, the tracking status never changed. I contacted customer service and heard back from them within an hour. They explained the color I wanted was suddenly back ordered, and let me pick a different one that they sent with expedited shipping for free. The woman I spoke with was nice and helpful, even though it was peak holiday rush time.
I seriously love these things. If you're a bike rancher yourself, and need a solution to having a herd of bikes block your route through the house, try them out!
The Mr. and I have 4 bikes, soon to be 5. I have a tri bike and a mountain bike, he has a mountain bike and a road bike, and I'm buying a road bike for the spring when I can commute to work again. We live in a pretty tiny 3 bedroom house that is full of us, our crap, our dogs, and not a lot of space, and for the past year we have just been stacking our bikes in layers on the walls.
Clug has changed that, and it's been such a relief to the clean-freak in me, that I'd venture to say it's changed my life! (Seriously, only a slight hyperbole!) To be clear, they have not asked me to do a review nor did they send me a free product. I just honestly think they're super cool and want to share the discovery!
Clugs are a little bitty plastic hook that you screw in to your wall (using drywall anchors if you put them on drywall), snap on a cover, and go. They're super simple.
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| One of mine, they come in sizes for roadies, hybrids, and MTB |
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| Smart packaging with easy to read instructions |
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| NEVA ENOUGH BIKES! |
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| Up close look at the roadie on my 700c 23mm tires and the MTB on my 27.5 , wide MTB tires |
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| Up close on the 29er tire |
I seriously love these things. If you're a bike rancher yourself, and need a solution to having a herd of bikes block your route through the house, try them out!
Wednesday, December 16, 2015
Is This Real Life? (I Made the Team!)
So, a few weeks ago I wrote a post about how to secure ambassador and sponsorship positions as an Age Group triathlete. I had just received my notice from Moxie Cycling that I made their inaugural ambassador team, and I was so excited to have the support of a brand I truly do love (and wear SO OFTEN my tan line warranted the selection of a racer back wedding dress to hide it!)
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| I'm a #MoxieCyclingAmbassador, and it's pretty sweet! |
Then this week, I get an email and CONGRATS, I'm one of 20 people across the country (and 1 of only 8 women) to have made the team!
Do what?! I have never been on a real team in my life! For anyone who knew me in high school, I was the marching band nerd (go, nerds!) who only made the varsity soccer team because our school was so small we didn't have enough players and I'm tall and look scary when I get competitive.
Well, sure enough, it's real life! I've made the age group team for Maverick Multisport!
What does this mean? I'll be donning the Maverick kit at a minimum of 5 triathlons this year, and bringing a little mud to their lives with my XTERRA adventures. I'll be on a roster of teammates that range from age groupers like me intermingled with an impressive list of amazing elite athletes. Maybe some of their speed will rub off on me- we all know I could use it on the run!
It also means that I'll be adding a few more races to my calendar. My first commitment was to Moxie, and I honor my commitments. My position with them is not as an athlete on a team, but an "ambassadorship," however, it's more than other ambassador programs I've been involved with (in a great way!). This distinction, though, is what allows me to be able to do both, whereas if it were a team or direct sponsorship, that wouldn't be possible.
This team opportunity is one I didn't expect, but thankfully the team at Moxie is just as supportive of women building their athletic careers as I am. I promised to represent them, and I will. The details are being hammered out, but it looks like I'll be adding another XTERRA, and possibly two sprint tris so that I can fulfill my racing obligations for Maverick, and my promotional ones for Moxie, without sacrificing the expectations either group has for me.
So much for a smaller season next year! However, I'm actually looking forward to it. Last season was toooooo much racing of the same thing: same courses, same venues, same distances. I feel with mixing non-competitive rides and runs, as well as adding XTERRA in to the schedule, I'll have variety, keeping what could be very routine fresh and exciting.
My fiance asked me, while I was telling him about both opportunities, what I want next. Where is this going? I don't have the speed or natural talent to be a pro- they blow me out of the water. I got both of these chances because I seize opportunities, and because I'm not afraid to ask and see what happens. I'm good at marketing, and good at making things I already love and support work for me, too. What's next? I love this sport, and I love being put in a position where I can inspire and encourage others to find what they're passionate about and work at it- whether triathlon, cycling, or just exploring the outdoors. These teams and ambassadorships elevate the platform I have to spread that message, so I'll go as far as I can if it means reaching more women who may not have previously thought it possible to get started.
Promo video for the team!
Three years ago this spring, I had never raced in my life. I had never called myself an athlete. I had never imagined I could win series', win championships, or go to Worlds. Now, in 2016, with these two amazing groups behind me, I've got it in me to dream big and see where it takes me!
Monday, November 30, 2015
2016 Race Schedule
When I signed my contract with team Moxie Cycling last week, they asked for my race schedule. That made me think, huh, maybe I should think about that! So far, here is what I've come up with. This year will be different than last season, as it will be fewer traditional triathlons, more spaced out through the cooler parts of the year, and I'll be giving myself an actual break after my Ironman! I am really looking forward to these challenges, and looking forward to any excuse to keep putting miles on my mountain bike. (No offense to my sweet, sweet Felt!)
February 14- Austin Half Marathon: (13.1 road running miles) Although I've run the full version of this race, this year's event is a bit more special. First of all, I am raising money for the charity I work for, Family Eldercare, through the #AustinGivesMiles program. This is our first year as a charity beneficiary of the race, and it's been a lot of fun organizing a team! (Click the link to support my fundraiser!)Second, and more importantly, this race will be the FIRST long distance race my mommy has ever run! She has been training hard for the past couple of months and continues to improve every day. I'm so proud of her, and can't wait to cross the finish line with her!
March 6 (I think)- Dirty Du (5k trail run, 12mile MTB ride, 5k trail run) This is going to be my first completely off-road multi sport event! My off-season has been focusing on trail running and mountain bike riding, so I thought I'd check out how my skills have progressed in a race setting. My good friend Tasha will be doing it with me, and we'll hopefully get to camp as well, so it should be a fun weekend!
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March 26-27 RAAM Texas 400 Challenge (400 mile road cycling 2-person relay race) This will be my and Sandra's first attempt at an ultra cycling event. We had originally set out to do the 400 miles each by ourselves, but have decided to instead race as a relay team. Our plan is to switch out ever 25-30 miles and try to be the fastest female relay team out there! I'll be representing Team Moxie Cycling and our own little team of girlfriends, the Blistered Sisters.
April 2- Xterra Bluebonnet Tri (no distances listed that I can find, but roughly an Oly tri but off-road) This will be my first Xterra race and I'm pretty excited about it. Xterra races are an open water swim, mountain bike ride, and trail run- a different twist on normal triathlons. This one takes place at a MTB park near my house I've never been to during the prettiest part of the year- wildflower season! I'll be representing Team Moxie Cycling again, just on a different bike!
April 30- Gettin' Murrrieeedddd (probably a 5k in the morning!) Not a race, but a pretty darn big deal! My biggest supporter, race sherpa, coach, sports therapist, and masseuse in one has decided he'd like to keep me around, even though I make him work really hard!
May 7- Shiner GASP Century (100 mile road cycling ride) I've done this event for the past two years and look forward to doing it again! It's a great 100 mile ride with what I hope are better road conditions this year as construction should be done. The after-party can't be beat- tons of free Shiner, BBQ, shower trucks, and a ride home on a charter bus to sleep off that beer and BBQ. Let's see if Bryce can get the full 100 miles this year without a flat!
June 4- Grand Teton Half Marathon (13.1 mile road running race) Put on by the same company that did the Yosemite Half, this race will NOT be all downhill, so I don't expect another staggering PR. However, Wyoming is simply the most amazing place I've ever lived, and I am thrilled to finally be going back for a visit. I plan to backpack 3 days before the race, run, sleep in, and head home full of the same love for the mountains as always. I can't wait!
July 9- Xterra Magnolia Hill (no distances listed that I can find, but roughly an Oly tri but off-road) Similar to the Bluebonnet race above, this one is in Navasota, so it's close enough that my mom could come watch if she wanted to. It'll be in the height of summer and one month before my Ironman, so it should be perfect timing to do a FUN race and shake it out before taper crazies set in.
August 7- Ironman Boulder 140.6 (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile road cycling, 26.2 mile road running, vomit likely) I am signed up to race this with Sandra as well, who will be doing it as her first Ironman. She is going to whip my butt, because she's an awesome athlete and a much better runner than me, but I hope to keep up as close as I can! We are both training with the Runner's World "Run Less, Run Faster" plan so I'm hoping for a sub 6-hour marathon at least, since 7 hours at Texas was just embarrassing, even for me and my lackluster running. I'll be training in the Texas heat, so I'm hoping going to this race where it will likely be in the 80s and not 100s will help me push harder and vomit just a little less.
November 19- Spirit Ride (74 mile road cycling ride) Not only is my cool mom getting in to running, she wants a bike, too! We plan on getting her one in the Spring and I'm going to help her train to ride this ride, which benefits the Crime Stoppers in Livingston, the town I grew up in. She can totally do it, I have no doubt, and I look forward to seeing my hometown from a new perspective.
2016 is going to be a great year!
February 14- Austin Half Marathon: (13.1 road running miles) Although I've run the full version of this race, this year's event is a bit more special. First of all, I am raising money for the charity I work for, Family Eldercare, through the #AustinGivesMiles program. This is our first year as a charity beneficiary of the race, and it's been a lot of fun organizing a team! (Click the link to support my fundraiser!)Second, and more importantly, this race will be the FIRST long distance race my mommy has ever run! She has been training hard for the past couple of months and continues to improve every day. I'm so proud of her, and can't wait to cross the finish line with her!March 6 (I think)- Dirty Du (5k trail run, 12mile MTB ride, 5k trail run) This is going to be my first completely off-road multi sport event! My off-season has been focusing on trail running and mountain bike riding, so I thought I'd check out how my skills have progressed in a race setting. My good friend Tasha will be doing it with me, and we'll hopefully get to camp as well, so it should be a fun weekend!March 26-27 RAAM Texas 400 Challenge (400 mile road cycling 2-person relay race) This will be my and Sandra's first attempt at an ultra cycling event. We had originally set out to do the 400 miles each by ourselves, but have decided to instead race as a relay team. Our plan is to switch out ever 25-30 miles and try to be the fastest female relay team out there! I'll be representing Team Moxie Cycling and our own little team of girlfriends, the Blistered Sisters.April 2- Xterra Bluebonnet Tri (no distances listed that I can find, but roughly an Oly tri but off-road) This will be my first Xterra race and I'm pretty excited about it. Xterra races are an open water swim, mountain bike ride, and trail run- a different twist on normal triathlons. This one takes place at a MTB park near my house I've never been to during the prettiest part of the year- wildflower season! I'll be representing Team Moxie Cycling again, just on a different bike!April 30- Gettin' Murrrieeedddd (probably a 5k in the morning!) Not a race, but a pretty darn big deal! My biggest supporter, race sherpa, coach, sports therapist, and masseuse in one has decided he'd like to keep me around, even though I make him work really hard!
May 7- Shiner GASP Century (100 mile road cycling ride) I've done this event for the past two years and look forward to doing it again! It's a great 100 mile ride with what I hope are better road conditions this year as construction should be done. The after-party can't be beat- tons of free Shiner, BBQ, shower trucks, and a ride home on a charter bus to sleep off that beer and BBQ. Let's see if Bryce can get the full 100 miles this year without a flat! June 4- Grand Teton Half Marathon (13.1 mile road running race) Put on by the same company that did the Yosemite Half, this race will NOT be all downhill, so I don't expect another staggering PR. However, Wyoming is simply the most amazing place I've ever lived, and I am thrilled to finally be going back for a visit. I plan to backpack 3 days before the race, run, sleep in, and head home full of the same love for the mountains as always. I can't wait! July 9- Xterra Magnolia Hill (no distances listed that I can find, but roughly an Oly tri but off-road) Similar to the Bluebonnet race above, this one is in Navasota, so it's close enough that my mom could come watch if she wanted to. It'll be in the height of summer and one month before my Ironman, so it should be perfect timing to do a FUN race and shake it out before taper crazies set in. August 7- Ironman Boulder 140.6 (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile road cycling, 26.2 mile road running, vomit likely) I am signed up to race this with Sandra as well, who will be doing it as her first Ironman. She is going to whip my butt, because she's an awesome athlete and a much better runner than me, but I hope to keep up as close as I can! We are both training with the Runner's World "Run Less, Run Faster" plan so I'm hoping for a sub 6-hour marathon at least, since 7 hours at Texas was just embarrassing, even for me and my lackluster running. I'll be training in the Texas heat, so I'm hoping going to this race where it will likely be in the 80s and not 100s will help me push harder and vomit just a little less. November 19- Spirit Ride (74 mile road cycling ride) Not only is my cool mom getting in to running, she wants a bike, too! We plan on getting her one in the Spring and I'm going to help her train to ride this ride, which benefits the Crime Stoppers in Livingston, the town I grew up in. She can totally do it, I have no doubt, and I look forward to seeing my hometown from a new perspective.2016 is going to be a great year!
Monday, November 23, 2015
Texas Tri Series Final Results
So the culmination of my (admittedly) very extensive season ended back in October after 8 multi-sport races in 6 months. 6 of those races were for the Texas Tri Series,
This series, for those who haven't ready my previous posts, is a six event series that runs from May-October and has several options for participation. You can sign up to be a finisher, sign up for overall timing for the short courses, or overall timing for the long courses. For the finisher status, you can either race or volunteer at all of the events. For overall timing, you have to race all events, and for long course you have to choose the longest option at each race (typically, Olympic, with one 70.3 at Kerrville)
I registered in May for the Overall Long Course F 25-29. Throughout the series, I raced against what started as a group of 5 women, and slowly, as people either DNFed or DNSed, whittled down to just two, with me ending in 2nd place overall. The registration for the series closed July 1st, after the first two races were completed, giving people time to decide if they want to do the full series or not. This makes sense and is fair enough.
However, my one and only issue I had with this whole process was the results reporting. I understood why names were dropping off the list. Those women did not participate in a required race, so they were no longer included in overall results. However, I have yet to have it justified to me how someone could suddenly appear on the list 4 races in. MAYBE if they waited until the end of the day July 1st, they wouldn't appear until August. Sure. However, for our age group, a new name popped up after the race in August. I emailed to ask about it, and was told she registered on time and that was that. Fine. I thought it was a little shady, but tried to give the benefit of the doubt because perhaps they had a small crew working with the data and it had been an honest mistake.
That name disappeared after the race in September but then ANOTHER brand new name appeared. This time, I was pretty upset. How does that happen in September if the deadline was July 1? I didn't bother emailing to ask, because there was no point, but this new name bumped me out of first and in to 2nd place. I tried to let it go, because she was not just better than me, but hours better. So, it was no contest when it's a comparison of athletes side by side. But still, obviously the series doesn't take in to account every athlete in Austin, just those who sign up for it on time.
I've let it go, and moved on. There's no point in letting it gnaw at me, when overall I competed in a MUCH more competitive season this year with many more races than I've done before, and learned a lot about myself as an athlete and competitor. In that regard, I am glad I did it and had fun all season seeing people at races, meeting other in my age group, and supporting our local race community.
The Series celebrates its conclusion with a finisher party, which we attended this past weekend. It took place at the Hyatt Regency Austin and included a free dinner, open bar, photo booth, prize drawings, and awards. I got another tiny slap in the face when I realized they only gave awards to the top finishers (instead of top three, like every individual race does) but overall enjoyed the evening. I met some fun new people who had all volunteered for the series rather than run it, and after I told them about what had happened, they all agreed it was me who should get to take home the centerpiece. I was A-OK with that- it was a super cool cutout of Texas with the year and series on it. I took it home, painted "2nd Place F 25-29" on it and am now totally happy. :)
The finisher party was fun- you can't beat free food and drinks! It was a blast getting to see everyone I had spent an entire summer seeing in nothing by Lycra all dolled up for the evening. The triathlete community in Austin is huge, and so supportive of each other. It's really a great group of people to hang out with.
Bryce and I enjoyed the photo booth and loved the blackberry cheesecake. The presentation of awards was fast and straight-forward, allowing everyone to maximize their dinner time on spending time with friends and sharing stories.
Also included for the party was a nice bag of finisher swag. This was well done and I really like what we got! The bag featured a bright, reflective Headsweats brand running hat with the simple series logo on it, some hair ties, a laser engraved medal hanger for your series medals, and a finisher jacket. The jacket is a unisex cut, so I am very glad I got a small, and it's thin. It's a great jacket for grocery shopping (did that!), lounging around, or wearing before you head out on a slightly chilly run. It's not as awesome as my IMTX jacket, of course, but it's a way cooler option than just another t shirt!
I won't be doing the series again, not because of my frustrations with rankings, but simply because I enjoy variety and want to do some of the many other races in the Austin area. However, I really recommend signing up for a series, especially if you're getting in to the sport and want goals to focus on! It was really fun having a new competitive reason to do well at each one, beyond just that race's results. I enjoyed having my season essentially mapped out for me, with one race a month (plus the additional ones I did outside of this series) and it was a great way to see how I stacked up against others in my age group on a consistent basis. It confirmed my confidence in my swimming and biking, and made me realize just how important it is for me to improve my running. It was a fun experience that I'm glad I did, and I look forward to finding similar challenges in the future!
This series, for those who haven't ready my previous posts, is a six event series that runs from May-October and has several options for participation. You can sign up to be a finisher, sign up for overall timing for the short courses, or overall timing for the long courses. For the finisher status, you can either race or volunteer at all of the events. For overall timing, you have to race all events, and for long course you have to choose the longest option at each race (typically, Olympic, with one 70.3 at Kerrville)
I registered in May for the Overall Long Course F 25-29. Throughout the series, I raced against what started as a group of 5 women, and slowly, as people either DNFed or DNSed, whittled down to just two, with me ending in 2nd place overall. The registration for the series closed July 1st, after the first two races were completed, giving people time to decide if they want to do the full series or not. This makes sense and is fair enough.
However, my one and only issue I had with this whole process was the results reporting. I understood why names were dropping off the list. Those women did not participate in a required race, so they were no longer included in overall results. However, I have yet to have it justified to me how someone could suddenly appear on the list 4 races in. MAYBE if they waited until the end of the day July 1st, they wouldn't appear until August. Sure. However, for our age group, a new name popped up after the race in August. I emailed to ask about it, and was told she registered on time and that was that. Fine. I thought it was a little shady, but tried to give the benefit of the doubt because perhaps they had a small crew working with the data and it had been an honest mistake.
That name disappeared after the race in September but then ANOTHER brand new name appeared. This time, I was pretty upset. How does that happen in September if the deadline was July 1? I didn't bother emailing to ask, because there was no point, but this new name bumped me out of first and in to 2nd place. I tried to let it go, because she was not just better than me, but hours better. So, it was no contest when it's a comparison of athletes side by side. But still, obviously the series doesn't take in to account every athlete in Austin, just those who sign up for it on time.
I've let it go, and moved on. There's no point in letting it gnaw at me, when overall I competed in a MUCH more competitive season this year with many more races than I've done before, and learned a lot about myself as an athlete and competitor. In that regard, I am glad I did it and had fun all season seeing people at races, meeting other in my age group, and supporting our local race community.
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| The finisher party at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Austin |
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| My self-made trophy looks great in my office! |
Bryce and I enjoyed the photo booth and loved the blackberry cheesecake. The presentation of awards was fast and straight-forward, allowing everyone to maximize their dinner time on spending time with friends and sharing stories.
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| The program featured the names of all finishers & volunteers. |
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| My medals from all of the series |
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