Michael's Mini Triathlon.......

Yesterday, I swam, I biked and I ran.

It felt good.  It's been a long time.

It was not pain free...but it was tolerable.  Tolerable enough to get through a Sprint Tri in 2 weeks (I hope). It's a 500 meter swim, 16 mile bike, and 3 mile run.  The bike will be the toughest part.

My hand/wrist hurt, but it was more nerves than anything on the bike.  I rode outside for 30 minutes on my old road bike and my nerves were pretty shot.  Then I came back and did another 30 inside on the trainer.  Then I ran 1.25 miles, and then I jumped in the pool and swam for about 7 minutes.  No major comeback, but I managed to do all 3!

I think I could get through the tri, I'm just still not sure if I should.  I go see a hand specialist/surgeon a week from today for a second opinion on my wrist...even after my super excited post a few days ago I think my wrist might actually still be broken.  I could be wrong, and I hope I am, but I want to be certain, to avoid complications down the road.  In the meantime, I don't "think" I can do much else to hurt it (well besides from falling again of course).  But I will get her opinion on both. 

I'm hopeful :)

Spartan Race Giveaway Winner!

I had 13 entries for the Spartan Race Giveaway.  Random.org generated lucky NUMBER 1!!

Congratulations Jose......or should I say Araios!  You've won the entry.  Jose said:

Please e-mail me:

weatherlymh0@yahoo.com

And I'll send you your code!

I look forward to hearing about your race!

And remember even if you didn't win, you can still SAVE 15% on your Entry.  Just click HERE to redeem your code!

Thanks to everyone who entered!  I wish you could all be winners!

I "May" be Tri-ing Again Soon (a wrist update)

I went back to the Dr. today for a follow-up on my broken wrist.  After my stint as a Google MD I have to admit, I was pretty certain I'd end up needing to have surgery to remove the bone fragment (a 50% chance of it not healing was pretty high).

I was and am continuing to have pain in my wrist and hand, so again I was certain that was from the bone not healing....but not so!

I got great news today and I couldn't be happier!  My bone is healed.  The pain I'm continuing to have is from the wrist sprain.  The MRI I had a few weeks ago revealed that along with the broken bone there was still significant swelling in the carpal tunnel area from the fall.

So, my new plan of action is a short dose of steroids (ugh) and occupational therapy.  She says I should be good as new in a few weeks!!! 

I am missing my first scheduled tri of the season on Sat, and I'm still doubtful for my 2nd on June 30....but I'm at least maybe hopeful. 

Bad part is I'm out of town next week, so probably won't actually be able to start therapy for another week and a half.

I know it will still take some time to get back to 100%, but I'm just happy to finally be moving in that direction.  I just need to remember to take it easy...I don't want set backs!  At a minimum I have my third planned tri at the end of July and I would REALLY like to be able to do that one, and think that really shouldn't be a problem.

Woot!  Woot!!!!!!!!!  Happy Dance!!

Hopefully this will be me again soon :)

Oh and don't forget to enter my Spartan Race Giveaway....only 2 more days!

Mostly Photos Monday

It's hard to believe, but sometimes you can have fun doing something besides racing LOL.  Had a great time just hanging out around my city this weekend.  Lots of random photos below.  Hope everyone is having a great Monday.

Jim and I at Lee's Summit Downtown Days.  We saw a Journey/80s Tribute Band and they were awesome!

 

My friend Mary Beth and I at Aliens and Androids Exhibit

 

I am Ironman!

 

Loved this beautiful and color guy!

One of my fav pics from the weekend....cool

Ship me anywhere but here!

 

Lastly, a race related photo.  This is a pic from my last race. I think it's one of the only pics I've ever had from a race that I actually like.

 

Have you entered my SPARTAN RACE GIVEAWAY?  There are only a few entries so far - and these race entries are up to $200!  It's a great deal if you've got one close to you.  



 

Reebok SPARTAN RACE - Free Entry Giveaway

Adventure races are definitely the new trend in fitness.  Even people who don't consider themselves runners seem to be able to gear themselves up for 3+ miles if it includes fun obstacles like mud and fire.


If you like extreme racing then the Reebok SPARTAN RACE is for you!  They have a variety of distances in cities across the US and even Internationally to challenge even the most seasoned athlete.

The SPARTAN RACE offers the following distances:

• Spartan Sprint - 3+ miles/15+ obstacles
• Super Spartan - 8+ miles/20+ obstacles
• Spartan Beast - 12+ miles/25+ obstacles
• Death Race - Distance unknown/+-48 adventure race.  This is a race of physical and mental challenges.  99.9% need not apply.

Want to get in on the action?  There are some great races coming up in:
Virginia, Philadelphia, Chicago, Milwaukee, Nebraska, and a town near you!  Click HERE to see if the Spartan Race is coming to your town.

So Are you Spartan? Spartan Code:

• A Spartan pushes their mind and body to their limits.
• A Spartan masters their emotions.
• A Spartan learns continuously.
• A Spartan gives generously.
• A Spartan leads.
• A Spartan stands up for what they believe in, no matter the cost.
• A Spartan knows their flaws as well as they know their strengths.
• A Spartan proves themselves through actions, not words.
• A Spartan lives every day as if it were their last.

If you answered YES to these questions, then you are ready.

How would you like a FREE entry (a $205 Value)?  The entry is good for any 2013 or 2014 race.

Requirements (please leave one comment only)
1.  Visit their website and let me know what location and distance you'd be interested in.
2.  Tell me what your Spartan Name would be.

A winner will be selected at random on Thursday, June 13.

Can't wait to sign up?  Click HERE to get a 15% discount on any race.

Disclaimer:  I was contacted by Spartan Race to host a giveaway on my blog.  I have not participated in this race series and was not compensated for my comments.

I Need Your Advice!!!

OK, all you veteran marathon runners I need some advice.

I am doing my second marathon in Chicago in October.  It’s just a mere 19 weeks away.  I am putting together an 18 week training plan.

I have looked at a few different plans including:  Hal Higdon Novice 2, Cool Running:  Beginner Marathon Program, and Jeff Galloway.

I did the run/walk technique for Disney and that worked well for me so I plan to use that again for this marathon (so I’ll be doing a modified Galloway program as he recommends 6 months I think).

But here’s my question – 2 of those 3 plans have you run a 26 mile training race 3 weeks prior to the marathon (so that’s 26 miles, 12 miles, 12 miles, Race Day).  I know some people don’t recommend going beyond 20 miles in marathon training, but I need it for the mental aspect.  I was planning to do at least 24.

I looked back at my Disney marathon training and I did 23 miles two weeks prior to Disney (so that was 23 miles, 10 miles, race day).

So here is my question – if I am planning to do 24-26 miles – should I just plan another marathon as a training run?  If I’m going to put the mileage in anyway, it seems logical to just do a race where I have everything set up for me.  Remember for me, a 24 mile training run is going to take 5+ hours….this is very, very awful to do alone – trust me.  And at my pace, there’s no one for me to run with.

I would take the marathon as a serious, training only run, meaning I would take it at a training pace and would probably honestly only run/walk 23-24 miles and then walk out the final miles as recovery.

What do you think?  I only have ONE marathon under my belt.  Would it be possible to do 2 marathons so close together?

I’ve found a great race in Indiana that is flat and timed perfectly.  So what do you think???

 

Hospital Hill Half Marathon....I finished

I've ran the Hospital Hill Race the last 3 years.  In 2011, I did the 10K and in 2012 and this year I did the half marathon.  The race slogan is "I Conquered the Hill"......which I have always thought should be Hills, as this is an extremely hilly course.  It's named Hospital Hill however, for the one major hill in the race called Hospital Hill.

Anyway, this year, I did not conquer the hill(s).......they definitely conquered me.

Me & my friends Meredith and Michelle (my Disney Marathon Buddies)

This was my 6th half marathon in 2013.  Just 3 weeks ago I ran my fastest half of 2013, Saturday I ran my slowest half in 2 years.  This race report will be brief because there's not much to tell.  I finished...that's it...it was just one of those days.

I am never fast, we all know that, but I can consistently run a 2:30-2:35 half. And I haven't ran anything over a 2:39 in 2 years.  On Saturday my half marathon was a 2:48....a freaking 2:48!!!  Last year when I ran this race I did it in 2:28....that's a 20 minute difference!!!

The hills, the hills!!!

I wasn't expecting this to be a fast race.  I actually planned to run it fairly slow and even started with the 2:35 pace group.  The plan was to take it easy and enjoy it.  I hadn't run much over the past week (only 3 miles) and it was a hilly course, so I didn't plan to kill it.

Me & Jim post race

I'm not exactly sure what happened.  It just wasn't my day at all.  The entire race felt like a struggle.  From the time I started I felt tired, sluggish and not great.  At mile 5, I got a really bad side cramp under my left rib cage.  I never get side cramps anymore.  I walked for awhile trying to get it to go away.  It wasn't long after this that the 2:35 pace group pushed ahead of me.  I just told myself to keep them in my sites.  But as I continued I just felt more tired, my heart rate was crazy and I just couldn't get it under control.  By mile 8 I felt like I was walking more than running.  Around mile 9 I developed terrible cramps in my back ribs.  It hurt way to bad to run.  I would run a few feet and then have to stop and walk.  About this time the 2:40 pace group passed me.  Crap I thought, you've got to do all you can to keep up with them....so I started running again, for about 30 feet and had to stop.  It was then I realized, this race was just going to be slow.  There was nothing I was going to be able to do.  My body wasn't having any of it.  Even if I had to walk the next 4 miles, I would get through it, and I would finish.  I walked almost all of miles 10-12.  Then once you get past about mile 12.5 you've gone over the last hill and you have a nice downhill stretch to the finish.  So I ran out that last half mile or so, but it was still a slow run.

I crossed the finish line and there were several of my friends and Jim waiting for me...I'm sure probably wondering what the heck happened to me...but waiting none the less.  So really you can't complain.  These things are for fun, and while I struggled I still had a great time.

So that's that.  Not much to tell.  I finished.

Me crossing the finish line

The only thing I can really say that might have contributed was the fact that I had been taking a decongestant twice a day for over a week leading up to the race because my allergies had been crazy.  So considering you can make meth with decongestants, I'm thinking it might have impacted my heart race and maybe I was a little dehydrated as well.  But maybe it was just one of those races that everyone has at some point...and it was just a bad day.  But, I don't think I'll be taking decongestants again so close to a race.  Lesson learned.  Oh, and Jim and I skipped pre-race dance....hmmmm...I think that might be an issue too.

This is a an excellent race, and I will do again.  I will try to forget my bad experience and hopefully redeem myself next year.  You also got a great track jacket this year for their 40th Anniversary and a pretty cool medal.  It's pretty impressive that a race like this has been around 40 years.

Medal and Jacket (stolen from my husband's blog)