Friday, November 28, 2008
10k Turkey Trot - Ran the race with Gary. Started off at 9 min/mi and just kept getting faster. It felt great...ready to step it up with pace and distance. Activity
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Posted from bimactive.com | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Ragnar Relay - Legs 2 and 3
The rest of the story...
Anne-Marie – NO Pickles! I knew from the start that it was going to be a while before I would be running my leg, about 8 and a half hours or so. Had a blast during that time going from stop to stop cheering everybody on and making sure they had everything they needed. I got some great pictures of everyone and just enjoyed a great day. When we saw Ali off on her leg it quickly sunk in that it was my turn next, and I started feeling a little nervous. Jen and I headed to the next exchange and I started to get ready. Because it was going to get dark while I was running I had to don the snazzy reflective vest and snapped the head lamp on the brim of my cap (little did I know how much I would come to love that little light!). Then the time came and I could see Ali coming up to the exchange. She passed on the slapper and I was off for my 10 mile leg. The first half of the leg was a little tough, there was no shoulder so I was running on grass for about 2 miles. As it started getting dark I was getting worried about hitting a hole or something. This gave way to a great stretch of road that had some great rolling (not so rolling) hills, and as it came on full dark it was an amazing experience to be out there "doing it" – I got into a zone and just enjoyed the run.I was ready to pass on the slapper by the time the exchange rolled around. Because it was a major exchange there seemed to be a ton of people lining the path to the exchange point, and all of them were cheering the runners on – a definite boast as I handed off to Jen.
Jen – Ready…Set…Go! Ahhhh, the 2nd leg. I was pumped. The 11 hour wait is over. 13.4 miles this time. Was I ready? How was it going to feel? After spending the last several hours frequently visiting the porta potties on the route I was anxious to start running again. I had been feeling sick to my stomach the whole time. Not sure if it was something I ate or just all the Gu’s, Accelerade and Power Bars but I figured it should disappear somewhat as I got into my run. I was right. Yeah! The route this time was going to be a tough one with some major hills to climb, but I was ready. The first couple of miles went ok, but then found myself in a less desirable neighborhood and no other runners in sight. Really just wanted to see someone or even one of the vans go by just to make sure I didn’t take a wrong turn, but nothing for quite a while it seemed. I eventually made my way through and then out into a rural area. Not sure which scared me the most, the less desirable neighborhood or the middle of nowhere. I finally see the 1st hill up ahead and a pack of 5 dogs running down their front yard. They would stop each time I looked at them, I think my headlight threw them off but as soon as I would look at the road again, they would start inching forward. They barked and I kept looking, I made it to the start of the hill climb, but now the dogs were running after me. Oh geeze! I turned my visor around so the light shined in their eyes and ran as fast as I could up the hill. They eventually chickened out. The hill must have been too tough for them…they obviously didn’t train like I did ;-> Ahh, the posse showed up and hung with me till the next checkpoint, they had heard from the other vans to stick to the runners on this leg, it was an ugly one. The rest of the run felt great. I got to see the space shuttle in the sky next to the huge moon. Awesome sight. I couldn’t have asked for a clearer sky. Anne-Marie then joined me on the bike and stayed with me through the next leg. It was perfect and I really needed someone by then. I had a lot of soft sand to run through, she had to walk the bike…it was tough running through it…kinda like very soft sand at the beach. Twisted my ankles a lot. Knees hurting by now. Yeah, a trail. It was the Withlacoochee State trail, nice! Dark, too, but Anne-Marie stuck with me. Even with something in the woods rustling on either side. Thanx girlfriend! I was mentally digging deep for the last 4 miles. It seemed to take forever, but made it to the exchange, posse cheering me on and Audrey ready to take over. Whew…that was a long one. Now where are those compression socks?
Audrey – My 2nd leg started at a little after 9pm with mileage to total 15.9 miles. I had high hopes for a great leg after my signage issue in the last leg. As I left the exchange point, I was off with Anne-Marie in tow on the bike. It took a little bit for my legs to start to warm up after such a long hiatus of running and sitting in the car. My entire run consisted of running along the shoulder of SR-50. Let’s just say the shoulder was completely slanted and filled with road kill. About mile 3, I started to experience shooting pain running up my right leg to my knee with a desperate need for Tylenol. To make matters worse, I started to feel sick about mile 6. I ended up starting a run/walk along the route. When I finally arrived at the exchange point for the first portion of my course, I made a stop at the port-a-potty and took some Tylenol. Off again, I went in complete pain. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to stand the pain long enough to finish this portion, let along my last leg. Somehow, I managed to make it to the exchange point.
Dave – This is when the stomach ache began. I might even call it Montezuma’s Revenge. We’re talking bad stuff here, but my wonderful girlfriend Ali, kept me company on the bike and she talked me through the entire 8 miles. I managed to run the whole way and was excited to have only one more run to go.
Chris – So leg 2 starts at 1:52 am, boy is it nice out, night running is the best. This leg is only 6.1 miles and after the disappointment of the first leg I decided to run this one hard knowing that for leg 3 I would be tired and it would be hot again. With Sherry leading me on the bike I was able to maintain a 7:55 per mile pace for this leg. As I approached the finish I was happy to see Ali, passed on the slap bracelet and was ready for a nap (all 10 minutes of one).
Ali – After a 2 hr rest lying down in the back of the van, I jumped on the bike to pace with Dave while he ran. We tried to keep someone on the bike at all times since we were running through some dark, random places. It was actually nice to get my legs loosened up and stretch it out. When Dave got done Chris took off for his quick 6 miler so I had a quick turn around from the bike to the run and before I knew it, I was standing in the exchange corral with a vest and headlamp. Bring it on! Chris came flying in and I was off. Ouch…those hamstrings were still a bit tight, but nothing a good 11 mile run won’t cure. After a mile Dave appeared on the bike next to me, all was good from there out. I had what would be a scenic course if it would have been light out, but all I knew was it contained some rolling hills. More rolling up, then rolling down, but it was actually nice to do something besides run straight and flat for 2 hours! Surprisingly, I felt great (minus the tightness in the hammies) and held my pace. I knew the last mile was over a bridge, and I love bridges so I had something to look forward to the whole way. It was worth the wait, with the full moon, the water was beautiful. All I could think about was how I wanted to go for a swim. In the meantime, I’ll just get to the exchange point and get this bracelet on Anne-Marie! Two down, one 14 miler left! Woo-hoo!
Anne-Marie – After my first leg I had hopped on the bike and rode with Jen through her 2nd leg and with Audrey through her 1st leg – almost 16 miles! Wow. But it definitely was a great way to spin out the legs and I think it really helped keep things loose for the 2nd and 3rd legs.
It was late. We saw Ali off from her exchange and figured it would be time for my 2nd leg around 4:00am. Sleep wasn't really happening, so we waited at the exchange for Ali to come through with Dave on the bike – my stomach was bugging me a little and I don't even know how many times I had to run to the port-a-potty. I had the spiffy reflective vest on and light ready to go for my 9.7 miles. Because it was dark, it wasn't that easy seeing who was coming so there were a few false starts until we saw Ali. As she came up I was feeling a little nervous, but quickly got into a groove as we went along. Chris was riding the bike along with me and was so great the entire time – he definitely kept me going and psyched along the way. It was awesome.
Could see the sun just starting to come up as I ran along into the next exchange, and it was so great to know that we were now two thirds done! Just one more leg each and we would be in Daytona. Jen wasn't quite at the exchange point yet so I got to abuse her a little with the slapper. Then it was time to pass it off and Jen took over for her last leg!
Jen – 3rd leg...LAST leg…only 6 miles….I got this! Just about an hour away from saying I did it. I exchanged with Anne-Marie and I was off. Chris joined me on the bike this time. It was still dark and soon would get light, but he was able to get one last support ride in. Thank goodness, I needed it! Thanx buddy! This was definitely a slower run, I felt good, but definitely felt the pain more and the fatigue. We were all running on next to no sleep. Tummy was still upset. Seemed to always disappear when I ran but quickly came back when I stopped. But, no worries, only 6 miles to go. It was a scenic route with a couple of big lakes and lots of frogs on the road…dead. The posse as usual came by showing their support with honks and woo-hoo’s never wavering in their aid to the runner on the road. Chris would either sing a couple lines of a song or just be his funny self to help take the edge off. Finally, the infamous “One Mile To Go” sign…I had made it. I told Chris to go ahead and check on Audrey and see if I could take over on the bike and ride with her. I was worried about her injury from her last run and Chris had just done 2 bike legs with Anne-Marie and myself. He rode ahead and I finished the last mile…damn proud of myself for making it. Got to the exchange and set Audrey off. Couldn’t ride with her as it was daylight, but hopped in the van to stick close to her.
Audrey – With two horrible legs on my record and still in some pain, I headed off with fingers crossed that I could finish my last leg of the relay. Well, I didn’t make it far…less than a half a mile before the shooting pain was too unbearable to run. Although I didn’t want to stop and let down the team, my body was screaming at me to stop. I gave in to walking and knew I couldn’t make it. Thankfully, we were able to substitute runners for those who dropped out due to injury. Jen took one for the team and jumped back on the course after completing her legs immediately prior to finish my section…THANKS Jen!
Jen – Audrey got about 1/3 of a mile and was still in too much pain to run, but bless her heart, said she would walk it if she had to. Everyone else had longer runs for their last legs so I knew what I had to do. I put my shoes back on, told the posse I had 2-3 miles left in me and would do my best, but to check on me every mile. I took off. I actually felt better on this run than my last one. I was faster too. The posse checked on me every mile and was there with mega support! It fueled me to keep going. I knew I could make it the first 3 to the next exchange. Chris came up in the car and said Ali was there and would take over. There was no way I could let her do that…I was still upright…I knew I was done after this and she still had 14 miles to go. I had to finish it out, I told Chris, tell her I got it…I’m going 4 more! Oh boy, I passed the exchange station, Ali gave one more offer. I was too worried about her on her next run and knew I could do this; after all, I was done after this. I told her I got it and passed the exchange. I was committed now. No turning back. What the hell was I thinking! What did I just do? Ok….FOCUS! The next four were tough, gagged a lot with tons of roadkill on the road, dug deep into the soul again, but made it. Then happily slapped that wristband on Ginger and said Run Baby Run! Wow, I really did it, 37+ miles….YEEHAW…what a RUSH! Special thanx to the posse. You guys are INSANE! I love you all!
Dave – My last run of the day! I was so excited to get this run over with. I took one of those new Roctane Gu’s and felt great for the first 4 miles. The humidity killed me on my first 2 runs and the third wasn’t any different. I was completely soaked and I tried to stay as hydrated as possible. The last 2 of my 7 mile trek I did a walk/run and as I climbed the last hill the finish line was in sight. I ran as hard as I could and crossed the exchange point with a huge smile on my face. I was finally done and ready to cheer on the rest of our crew for the last few runs. Plus, I can’t wait to put my Ginger costume back on. ; )
Chris – Leg 3 started real nice, cloudy and a little cooler in the middle of the Ocala National forest. Only 15.7 miles until I am finished. As always I started out too fast and then the sun came out. The last 8 miles were tough but thanks to Poncho running with me and keeping my mind occupied I was able to finish with an average pace of 9:36 per mile. That was ahead of the plan and now I was done. Towel off, change clothes and a nice nap in the back of the forerunner. Now that it is done it was not as bad as I imagined it to be, I am now ready for the finish line party, see you in Daytona Beach! WAY TO GO S.S. INSANITY!!!!
Ali – I can’t believe it’s here already…my last run! Surprisingly, this whole adventure has flown by! As I got the bracelet and turned to run, I was mentally in the game, but my legs needed a bit of convincing. It took a mile or so to shake them out. The quads were a little tired and the hamstrings were like rubber bands stretched to their endpoint. But it’s all mental, right? And you can’t expect to run across Florida from coast to coast without feeling a little bit of pain, so suck it up and go! It was 7.4 miles to the first exchange and my plan was to run all the way there and then if I needed to resort to a walk/run, so be it. Luckily I have the best family, Dad and Nan drove over from Dunedin to cheer us on and help us out…as if they haven’t already done enough! So I was fortunate enough to have 3 vehicles supporting me along the way. It was so helpful because it was hot and humid and I needed to continuously dump water on me to try and cool off. I got to my favorite signs, the “One Mile to Go” marker and ran it in feeling pretty good. Saw the posse and kept on trucking. I told Dad to head up about 2 miles and be ready to run. When I saw him, I started the walk/run. We would go for a mile to a mile and a half and then walk for about 2 minutes. It allowed me to get my heart rate down, get some extra water and get ready for the next stint. Sometimes you just have to break it down, one mile at a time! This worked great and with a mile and a half left, I was ready to pound it out…well it may not have actually been pounding, but I ran the whole thing with a smile on my face and a feeling of great accomplishment and respect for my incredible team! 5 runners down, 1 runner left. Anne-Marie stood in the exchange looking strong and confident. Bring it home girl! We will see you in Daytona Beach!
Anne-Marie – "36 hours never seemed like a long time until it seemed like it would never end!" By the time my 3rd leg rolled around I was getting pretty darn tired. I'd managed to grab literally a few minutes of sleep here and there, but nothing any more substantial. The day had warmed up quite a bit and we were running along the highway with little shade. This leg was going to be tough – 16 miles – but doable. We got to drive through some beautiful countryside during the day supporting and cheering on the team. Waiting for Ali at the exchange was pretty nerve racking, I was worried that I was going to really struggle with the run and didn't want to let the rest of the team down. I was ready as Ali passed off the slapper, and started my last leg. It took a little bit to work out the stiffness in my legs, but that soon passed and I was able to settle into a good groove. Now this is where having the support and caring of an awesome group of people comes in – stopped along the side of the road at the perfect intervals my team and Ponch & Nan had cold water and a ton of encouragement. I'd already figured out that at 6.4 miles I would have run the distance of a marathon in 24 hours, so as I crossed that mark I couldn't help but let out a "YES!". It was only another miles and a half or so to the next exchange at that point, but because we were getting closer to Daytona Beach it was definitely getting busier. After the exchange I had a great running partner for the next 3 miles – he helped keep me going and my spirits up as we headed to the home stretch. I think the best part of our run together was getting to the top of the bridge that took us over the causeway – it was beautiful – but there was no time to stop and admire the view. Daytona awaited! The team was all there at the turn around and then it was straight down A1a to the finish. That last 5 miles was really tough. It has gotten quite cold and there was a strong wind blowing. I just kept picking something in the distance and concentrated on getting there until I saw that beautiful blue sign and the team waiting there to run the last little bit in with me. Crossing the finish line with the team was awesome. I was filled with the emotion of what I and the rest of us had managed to accomplish in the last 33 hours – WE DID IT!
Anne-Marie – NO Pickles! I knew from the start that it was going to be a while before I would be running my leg, about 8 and a half hours or so. Had a blast during that time going from stop to stop cheering everybody on and making sure they had everything they needed. I got some great pictures of everyone and just enjoyed a great day. When we saw Ali off on her leg it quickly sunk in that it was my turn next, and I started feeling a little nervous. Jen and I headed to the next exchange and I started to get ready. Because it was going to get dark while I was running I had to don the snazzy reflective vest and snapped the head lamp on the brim of my cap (little did I know how much I would come to love that little light!). Then the time came and I could see Ali coming up to the exchange. She passed on the slapper and I was off for my 10 mile leg. The first half of the leg was a little tough, there was no shoulder so I was running on grass for about 2 miles. As it started getting dark I was getting worried about hitting a hole or something. This gave way to a great stretch of road that had some great rolling (not so rolling) hills, and as it came on full dark it was an amazing experience to be out there "doing it" – I got into a zone and just enjoyed the run.I was ready to pass on the slapper by the time the exchange rolled around. Because it was a major exchange there seemed to be a ton of people lining the path to the exchange point, and all of them were cheering the runners on – a definite boast as I handed off to Jen.
Jen – Ready…Set…Go! Ahhhh, the 2nd leg. I was pumped. The 11 hour wait is over. 13.4 miles this time. Was I ready? How was it going to feel? After spending the last several hours frequently visiting the porta potties on the route I was anxious to start running again. I had been feeling sick to my stomach the whole time. Not sure if it was something I ate or just all the Gu’s, Accelerade and Power Bars but I figured it should disappear somewhat as I got into my run. I was right. Yeah! The route this time was going to be a tough one with some major hills to climb, but I was ready. The first couple of miles went ok, but then found myself in a less desirable neighborhood and no other runners in sight. Really just wanted to see someone or even one of the vans go by just to make sure I didn’t take a wrong turn, but nothing for quite a while it seemed. I eventually made my way through and then out into a rural area. Not sure which scared me the most, the less desirable neighborhood or the middle of nowhere. I finally see the 1st hill up ahead and a pack of 5 dogs running down their front yard. They would stop each time I looked at them, I think my headlight threw them off but as soon as I would look at the road again, they would start inching forward. They barked and I kept looking, I made it to the start of the hill climb, but now the dogs were running after me. Oh geeze! I turned my visor around so the light shined in their eyes and ran as fast as I could up the hill. They eventually chickened out. The hill must have been too tough for them…they obviously didn’t train like I did ;-> Ahh, the posse showed up and hung with me till the next checkpoint, they had heard from the other vans to stick to the runners on this leg, it was an ugly one. The rest of the run felt great. I got to see the space shuttle in the sky next to the huge moon. Awesome sight. I couldn’t have asked for a clearer sky. Anne-Marie then joined me on the bike and stayed with me through the next leg. It was perfect and I really needed someone by then. I had a lot of soft sand to run through, she had to walk the bike…it was tough running through it…kinda like very soft sand at the beach. Twisted my ankles a lot. Knees hurting by now. Yeah, a trail. It was the Withlacoochee State trail, nice! Dark, too, but Anne-Marie stuck with me. Even with something in the woods rustling on either side. Thanx girlfriend! I was mentally digging deep for the last 4 miles. It seemed to take forever, but made it to the exchange, posse cheering me on and Audrey ready to take over. Whew…that was a long one. Now where are those compression socks?
Audrey – My 2nd leg started at a little after 9pm with mileage to total 15.9 miles. I had high hopes for a great leg after my signage issue in the last leg. As I left the exchange point, I was off with Anne-Marie in tow on the bike. It took a little bit for my legs to start to warm up after such a long hiatus of running and sitting in the car. My entire run consisted of running along the shoulder of SR-50. Let’s just say the shoulder was completely slanted and filled with road kill. About mile 3, I started to experience shooting pain running up my right leg to my knee with a desperate need for Tylenol. To make matters worse, I started to feel sick about mile 6. I ended up starting a run/walk along the route. When I finally arrived at the exchange point for the first portion of my course, I made a stop at the port-a-potty and took some Tylenol. Off again, I went in complete pain. I didn’t know if I was going to be able to stand the pain long enough to finish this portion, let along my last leg. Somehow, I managed to make it to the exchange point.
Dave – This is when the stomach ache began. I might even call it Montezuma’s Revenge. We’re talking bad stuff here, but my wonderful girlfriend Ali, kept me company on the bike and she talked me through the entire 8 miles. I managed to run the whole way and was excited to have only one more run to go.
Chris – So leg 2 starts at 1:52 am, boy is it nice out, night running is the best. This leg is only 6.1 miles and after the disappointment of the first leg I decided to run this one hard knowing that for leg 3 I would be tired and it would be hot again. With Sherry leading me on the bike I was able to maintain a 7:55 per mile pace for this leg. As I approached the finish I was happy to see Ali, passed on the slap bracelet and was ready for a nap (all 10 minutes of one).
Ali – After a 2 hr rest lying down in the back of the van, I jumped on the bike to pace with Dave while he ran. We tried to keep someone on the bike at all times since we were running through some dark, random places. It was actually nice to get my legs loosened up and stretch it out. When Dave got done Chris took off for his quick 6 miler so I had a quick turn around from the bike to the run and before I knew it, I was standing in the exchange corral with a vest and headlamp. Bring it on! Chris came flying in and I was off. Ouch…those hamstrings were still a bit tight, but nothing a good 11 mile run won’t cure. After a mile Dave appeared on the bike next to me, all was good from there out. I had what would be a scenic course if it would have been light out, but all I knew was it contained some rolling hills. More rolling up, then rolling down, but it was actually nice to do something besides run straight and flat for 2 hours! Surprisingly, I felt great (minus the tightness in the hammies) and held my pace. I knew the last mile was over a bridge, and I love bridges so I had something to look forward to the whole way. It was worth the wait, with the full moon, the water was beautiful. All I could think about was how I wanted to go for a swim. In the meantime, I’ll just get to the exchange point and get this bracelet on Anne-Marie! Two down, one 14 miler left! Woo-hoo!
Anne-Marie – After my first leg I had hopped on the bike and rode with Jen through her 2nd leg and with Audrey through her 1st leg – almost 16 miles! Wow. But it definitely was a great way to spin out the legs and I think it really helped keep things loose for the 2nd and 3rd legs.
It was late. We saw Ali off from her exchange and figured it would be time for my 2nd leg around 4:00am. Sleep wasn't really happening, so we waited at the exchange for Ali to come through with Dave on the bike – my stomach was bugging me a little and I don't even know how many times I had to run to the port-a-potty. I had the spiffy reflective vest on and light ready to go for my 9.7 miles. Because it was dark, it wasn't that easy seeing who was coming so there were a few false starts until we saw Ali. As she came up I was feeling a little nervous, but quickly got into a groove as we went along. Chris was riding the bike along with me and was so great the entire time – he definitely kept me going and psyched along the way. It was awesome.
Could see the sun just starting to come up as I ran along into the next exchange, and it was so great to know that we were now two thirds done! Just one more leg each and we would be in Daytona. Jen wasn't quite at the exchange point yet so I got to abuse her a little with the slapper. Then it was time to pass it off and Jen took over for her last leg!
Jen – 3rd leg...LAST leg…only 6 miles….I got this! Just about an hour away from saying I did it. I exchanged with Anne-Marie and I was off. Chris joined me on the bike this time. It was still dark and soon would get light, but he was able to get one last support ride in. Thank goodness, I needed it! Thanx buddy! This was definitely a slower run, I felt good, but definitely felt the pain more and the fatigue. We were all running on next to no sleep. Tummy was still upset. Seemed to always disappear when I ran but quickly came back when I stopped. But, no worries, only 6 miles to go. It was a scenic route with a couple of big lakes and lots of frogs on the road…dead. The posse as usual came by showing their support with honks and woo-hoo’s never wavering in their aid to the runner on the road. Chris would either sing a couple lines of a song or just be his funny self to help take the edge off. Finally, the infamous “One Mile To Go” sign…I had made it. I told Chris to go ahead and check on Audrey and see if I could take over on the bike and ride with her. I was worried about her injury from her last run and Chris had just done 2 bike legs with Anne-Marie and myself. He rode ahead and I finished the last mile…damn proud of myself for making it. Got to the exchange and set Audrey off. Couldn’t ride with her as it was daylight, but hopped in the van to stick close to her.
Audrey – With two horrible legs on my record and still in some pain, I headed off with fingers crossed that I could finish my last leg of the relay. Well, I didn’t make it far…less than a half a mile before the shooting pain was too unbearable to run. Although I didn’t want to stop and let down the team, my body was screaming at me to stop. I gave in to walking and knew I couldn’t make it. Thankfully, we were able to substitute runners for those who dropped out due to injury. Jen took one for the team and jumped back on the course after completing her legs immediately prior to finish my section…THANKS Jen!
Jen – Audrey got about 1/3 of a mile and was still in too much pain to run, but bless her heart, said she would walk it if she had to. Everyone else had longer runs for their last legs so I knew what I had to do. I put my shoes back on, told the posse I had 2-3 miles left in me and would do my best, but to check on me every mile. I took off. I actually felt better on this run than my last one. I was faster too. The posse checked on me every mile and was there with mega support! It fueled me to keep going. I knew I could make it the first 3 to the next exchange. Chris came up in the car and said Ali was there and would take over. There was no way I could let her do that…I was still upright…I knew I was done after this and she still had 14 miles to go. I had to finish it out, I told Chris, tell her I got it…I’m going 4 more! Oh boy, I passed the exchange station, Ali gave one more offer. I was too worried about her on her next run and knew I could do this; after all, I was done after this. I told her I got it and passed the exchange. I was committed now. No turning back. What the hell was I thinking! What did I just do? Ok….FOCUS! The next four were tough, gagged a lot with tons of roadkill on the road, dug deep into the soul again, but made it. Then happily slapped that wristband on Ginger and said Run Baby Run! Wow, I really did it, 37+ miles….YEEHAW…what a RUSH! Special thanx to the posse. You guys are INSANE! I love you all!
Dave – My last run of the day! I was so excited to get this run over with. I took one of those new Roctane Gu’s and felt great for the first 4 miles. The humidity killed me on my first 2 runs and the third wasn’t any different. I was completely soaked and I tried to stay as hydrated as possible. The last 2 of my 7 mile trek I did a walk/run and as I climbed the last hill the finish line was in sight. I ran as hard as I could and crossed the exchange point with a huge smile on my face. I was finally done and ready to cheer on the rest of our crew for the last few runs. Plus, I can’t wait to put my Ginger costume back on. ; )
Chris – Leg 3 started real nice, cloudy and a little cooler in the middle of the Ocala National forest. Only 15.7 miles until I am finished. As always I started out too fast and then the sun came out. The last 8 miles were tough but thanks to Poncho running with me and keeping my mind occupied I was able to finish with an average pace of 9:36 per mile. That was ahead of the plan and now I was done. Towel off, change clothes and a nice nap in the back of the forerunner. Now that it is done it was not as bad as I imagined it to be, I am now ready for the finish line party, see you in Daytona Beach! WAY TO GO S.S. INSANITY!!!!
Ali – I can’t believe it’s here already…my last run! Surprisingly, this whole adventure has flown by! As I got the bracelet and turned to run, I was mentally in the game, but my legs needed a bit of convincing. It took a mile or so to shake them out. The quads were a little tired and the hamstrings were like rubber bands stretched to their endpoint. But it’s all mental, right? And you can’t expect to run across Florida from coast to coast without feeling a little bit of pain, so suck it up and go! It was 7.4 miles to the first exchange and my plan was to run all the way there and then if I needed to resort to a walk/run, so be it. Luckily I have the best family, Dad and Nan drove over from Dunedin to cheer us on and help us out…as if they haven’t already done enough! So I was fortunate enough to have 3 vehicles supporting me along the way. It was so helpful because it was hot and humid and I needed to continuously dump water on me to try and cool off. I got to my favorite signs, the “One Mile to Go” marker and ran it in feeling pretty good. Saw the posse and kept on trucking. I told Dad to head up about 2 miles and be ready to run. When I saw him, I started the walk/run. We would go for a mile to a mile and a half and then walk for about 2 minutes. It allowed me to get my heart rate down, get some extra water and get ready for the next stint. Sometimes you just have to break it down, one mile at a time! This worked great and with a mile and a half left, I was ready to pound it out…well it may not have actually been pounding, but I ran the whole thing with a smile on my face and a feeling of great accomplishment and respect for my incredible team! 5 runners down, 1 runner left. Anne-Marie stood in the exchange looking strong and confident. Bring it home girl! We will see you in Daytona Beach!
Anne-Marie – "36 hours never seemed like a long time until it seemed like it would never end!" By the time my 3rd leg rolled around I was getting pretty darn tired. I'd managed to grab literally a few minutes of sleep here and there, but nothing any more substantial. The day had warmed up quite a bit and we were running along the highway with little shade. This leg was going to be tough – 16 miles – but doable. We got to drive through some beautiful countryside during the day supporting and cheering on the team. Waiting for Ali at the exchange was pretty nerve racking, I was worried that I was going to really struggle with the run and didn't want to let the rest of the team down. I was ready as Ali passed off the slapper, and started my last leg. It took a little bit to work out the stiffness in my legs, but that soon passed and I was able to settle into a good groove. Now this is where having the support and caring of an awesome group of people comes in – stopped along the side of the road at the perfect intervals my team and Ponch & Nan had cold water and a ton of encouragement. I'd already figured out that at 6.4 miles I would have run the distance of a marathon in 24 hours, so as I crossed that mark I couldn't help but let out a "YES!". It was only another miles and a half or so to the next exchange at that point, but because we were getting closer to Daytona Beach it was definitely getting busier. After the exchange I had a great running partner for the next 3 miles – he helped keep me going and my spirits up as we headed to the home stretch. I think the best part of our run together was getting to the top of the bridge that took us over the causeway – it was beautiful – but there was no time to stop and admire the view. Daytona awaited! The team was all there at the turn around and then it was straight down A1a to the finish. That last 5 miles was really tough. It has gotten quite cold and there was a strong wind blowing. I just kept picking something in the distance and concentrated on getting there until I saw that beautiful blue sign and the team waiting there to run the last little bit in with me. Crossing the finish line with the team was awesome. I was filled with the emotion of what I and the rest of us had managed to accomplish in the last 33 hours – WE DID IT!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Ragnar - The Finish Line
We made it! Wow...what a crazy 33 hours! When you say you're going to run from Clearwater to Daytona Beach, you don't REALLY know what to think...how's it going to feel, what all do I need, can this be done? Now the 6 of us know exactly how it feels...a mixture of accomplishment, relief and no race would be complete without a little bit of pain and suffering. It was a great time and we will definitely be back next year! Have to at least hold our 2nd place finish in the Ultra Mixed division!
Stay tuned for the 2nd half of the race blog coming soon...
Labels: florida, ragnar, smith sports
Friday, November 14, 2008
Ragnar Relay - The first 5
Jen – On your mark…get set…GO! I took off, so much excitement brewing inside, definitely had to slow down and watch my pace. Headed out of the park and on to the causeway, beautiful view and met a buddy.
We said hi and ended up running together for a while. I loved the camaraderie. All the support teams were great along the way, cheering not only their runners, but others too. I headed straight up the Pinellas trail, familiar view so far, but I seemed to breeze through until around mile 7, then started feeling the mileage, but all in all a great run…Finished right on time.
Audrey – Runner 2, Legs 3 & 4, 6.7 miles. According to the race bible, both legs were supposed to be easy. I figured it would be a nice warm-up for my opening leg. BUT that didn’t happen. A signage issue caused an off-course jaunt of 3 miles, which meant my total mileage ended up being 9.6 miles. Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one who ended up lost and unable to tell from the map exactly which direction we were supposed to go. Thankfully, Poncho was there on his bike to do a little riding ahead and phone calling to help us find out way. Of course, once back on track, the overcast sky turned sunny and HOT fast! Thanks to the crew of the S.S. Insanity for provided support and fuel along the route. My first leg of the race is done and I can’t wait for my next portion of the race at night.
Dave – I was thinking, “Can’t we SWIM across Florida?” as Audrey passes me the wrist slapper “baton” straight out of the 80’s. The team screams, “Go Ginger go!” and we’re off! Ten more miles to go… I spent most of the fifth leg trying to catch some people and it was going pretty well, but I noticed I was getting a little tired already. Not good. A very nice team offered me some water right before leg 6 started and I gladly accepted. My second leg was only 3.6 miles and I remember running along a river, some hills, and even some sand along the side of the road, but to be honest, it was mostly a blur. I perked right up when the sixth exchange was in sight. I was all smiles and celebration when I finished and handed Chris the wrist slapper. I think we got some good video of me acting like a fool, which should be entertaining when we watch it later. The best part so far was using my engineering skills to get the “showers” working, which were just tents with a garden hose sticking through the top, but felt more like an oasis in the middle of the Sahara. I need to be a lot smarter from here on out. Start slow, stay hydrated, and keep good food in my system. I’ll let you know how it works out.
Chris - So here comes Dave, why did he have so run so fast as it is really Hot out here!!!! Maybe that’s because it is 1 PM and very humid. So I started and the pace was a tad fast but it felt OK. Made it through the first check point at 6.3 miles and I knew 7.4 was going to be tough and it was. As I approach the finish I see Ali waiting for me, all smiles and I was sure happy to see her as it meant I was done for the first leg. Time to relax and get fueled up for the next leg. What a great team to be a member of, having fun, running and many laughs and all the support one could ask for. Time to rest, see you on leg 2!
Ali – I don’t know if this Ultra thing is good for people that are competitive. As Chris came in and slapped the bracelet on me, I was off and running for 12.7 miles. As always, I took off a little faster than I had really wanted to, what can I say, I get a bit excited at the start. J My first run was straight on SR-52…non-stop, no turns, just go. I had a guy pass me within the first mile and even though the killer instinct in me wanted to kick it in, I actually was able to keep myself in check…and pass him another mile up the road. After that it was smooth sailing with an occasional wind blast from big trucks going up. I lost my visor twice before deciding it was a smart idea to turn it around. I also had one good blast that lifted my feet off the ground! Yes, seriously, off the ground! But I felt great and loved all the honks and thumbs ups along the way! Plus, my team rocks…or sails for that matter. They were everywhere along the course, which was a good mental boost as I got close to the end. Coming into the exchange, Anne-Marie was ready and waiting with her “How Can I Help You” reflective vest on and headlamp clipped to her visor. I passed off the slap bracelet very willingly and off she went. Give me some water, trail mix and a PBJ and I’m ready for Round 2!
We said hi and ended up running together for a while. I loved the camaraderie. All the support teams were great along the way, cheering not only their runners, but others too. I headed straight up the Pinellas trail, familiar view so far, but I seemed to breeze through until around mile 7, then started feeling the mileage, but all in all a great run…Finished right on time.
Audrey – Runner 2, Legs 3 & 4, 6.7 miles. According to the race bible, both legs were supposed to be easy. I figured it would be a nice warm-up for my opening leg. BUT that didn’t happen. A signage issue caused an off-course jaunt of 3 miles, which meant my total mileage ended up being 9.6 miles. Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one who ended up lost and unable to tell from the map exactly which direction we were supposed to go. Thankfully, Poncho was there on his bike to do a little riding ahead and phone calling to help us find out way. Of course, once back on track, the overcast sky turned sunny and HOT fast! Thanks to the crew of the S.S. Insanity for provided support and fuel along the route. My first leg of the race is done and I can’t wait for my next portion of the race at night.
Dave – I was thinking, “Can’t we SWIM across Florida?” as Audrey passes me the wrist slapper “baton” straight out of the 80’s. The team screams, “Go Ginger go!” and we’re off! Ten more miles to go… I spent most of the fifth leg trying to catch some people and it was going pretty well, but I noticed I was getting a little tired already. Not good. A very nice team offered me some water right before leg 6 started and I gladly accepted. My second leg was only 3.6 miles and I remember running along a river, some hills, and even some sand along the side of the road, but to be honest, it was mostly a blur. I perked right up when the sixth exchange was in sight. I was all smiles and celebration when I finished and handed Chris the wrist slapper. I think we got some good video of me acting like a fool, which should be entertaining when we watch it later. The best part so far was using my engineering skills to get the “showers” working, which were just tents with a garden hose sticking through the top, but felt more like an oasis in the middle of the Sahara. I need to be a lot smarter from here on out. Start slow, stay hydrated, and keep good food in my system. I’ll let you know how it works out.
Chris - So here comes Dave, why did he have so run so fast as it is really Hot out here!!!! Maybe that’s because it is 1 PM and very humid. So I started and the pace was a tad fast but it felt OK. Made it through the first check point at 6.3 miles and I knew 7.4 was going to be tough and it was. As I approach the finish I see Ali waiting for me, all smiles and I was sure happy to see her as it meant I was done for the first leg. Time to relax and get fueled up for the next leg. What a great team to be a member of, having fun, running and many laughs and all the support one could ask for. Time to rest, see you on leg 2!
Ali – I don’t know if this Ultra thing is good for people that are competitive. As Chris came in and slapped the bracelet on me, I was off and running for 12.7 miles. As always, I took off a little faster than I had really wanted to, what can I say, I get a bit excited at the start. J My first run was straight on SR-52…non-stop, no turns, just go. I had a guy pass me within the first mile and even though the killer instinct in me wanted to kick it in, I actually was able to keep myself in check…and pass him another mile up the road. After that it was smooth sailing with an occasional wind blast from big trucks going up. I lost my visor twice before deciding it was a smart idea to turn it around. I also had one good blast that lifted my feet off the ground! Yes, seriously, off the ground! But I felt great and loved all the honks and thumbs ups along the way! Plus, my team rocks…or sails for that matter. They were everywhere along the course, which was a good mental boost as I got close to the end. Coming into the exchange, Anne-Marie was ready and waiting with her “How Can I Help You” reflective vest on and headlamp clipped to her visor. I passed off the slap bracelet very willingly and off she went. Give me some water, trail mix and a PBJ and I’m ready for Round 2!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Daytona Beach...Here We Run!
4 months ago we all thought it would be a great idea to sign up for Ragnar Relay in Florida. At the time all we knew was there were 6 of us (an ultra team) that were going to run 191 miles. Easy enough, right? Well that was before we decided to turn this into a whole themed event! It has definitely made things entertaining. It started with our team name, S.S. Insanity. Of course that led to some sort of boat theme. Since we're from Tampa Bay, a pirates theme came to mind first. That was until Audrey came up with Gilligan's Island! The best idea EVER! And that's where things started to get really entertaining...especially since we did a role reversal in characters. I'm the Skipper, Jen is Gilligan, Audrey is the Millionaire (without a wife), Anne-Marie is the Professor, Chris is Mary Ann and Dave is Ginger! Yes, he is wearing a dress. The ideas just kept flowing after that. Thanks to Nan, we have some AWESOME shirts to wear while we're running! A big thank you to Dad and Nan also for helping us decorate the van and Forerunner today! Hey, we may not be the fastest team, but we're definitely going to look good doing it! :) Stay tuned for the craziness that is about to ensue over the next 48 hours!
Sunday, November 02, 2008
3 Time Ironman!
Wow...what an amazing day! After being sick for the past week and not being able to train, I managed to PR with a 12:05.17! That's 38 minutes faster than by best...granted that was from IM WI, which is insanely hilly, but still! Wow, it was a pretty exciting day to say the least! But before I get into that, I have to give a shout out to the Posse. Dave, Chris, Jen and Audrey came up to watch the race and not only did they watch, but they took turns running with my during the marathon. I couldn't have done it without them! I'm extremely fortunate to have the best friends you could hope for!
Now, onto the good stuff...the nitty, gritty details of the day. The cannon went off at 7 am so we were up at 4:30 am...actually we were awake at midnight when I apparently had a little issue with the alarm clock in the condo and it went off at 12:00, but minor details. After some yogurt and granola and rounding up the trips, we were off to the transition area to get Scott, my bike, fueled up for the long ride ahead and get bodymarked with my number and age. Of course we still had an hour left after this was all done, so we headed into the Convention Center which was slightly warmer than the 50 degree weather that was going on outside. A little bit of chatting, a little bit of stretching, 2 trips to the restroom, and we were ready to suit up. Let me just say right now, I hate wetsuits. Not only are they a pain to put on...as you'll see from the pictures of my yanking it up, and yes with my hands down my pants (thanks Audrey), but I get so freaking hot and they are so confining. But I suck it up and get it on. By this time, we're ready to hit the beach. After a final pep talk from the gang and hugs all around, Dad and I are making our way over the timing mat into the corral. There appears to be a lot of room behind us as we wait at waters edge, but once the pros start (10 mins. before us regular folks) and the age groupers are cleared out of the water, it was looking a bit tight. All I knew was when that cannon went off, I was running into the water and not looking back.
The swim was a 2 loop course that required you to get out of the water after the first loop, run through a timing mat and then diagonal back out to, what I thought, was the first buoy. It would only make sense, right? Then do your 2nd lap and exit up to transition. Well, here's how it actually went. The race started and we all went charging into the water, I actually felt great at the start and had a bit of space around me, unlike WI which is a deep water start and I feel like I'm getting pummeled from the get-go. We started about 3/4 of the way down in the starting corral so as to avoid the line huggers. This was definitely a good plan because it was a bit less congested, until you got to the red buoy which was roughly 800 meters out. The buoys are always a cluster-you-know-what. But I made it around and tried to maintain that wide angle. It was a short distance along the backside, but we were swimming directly into the sun and for those of you that remember be swimming the Ludington Triathlon, you know how much I suck at sighting into the sun. My eyes were not happy! But at least here I could just follow the crowd and before I knew it, we were angling around the next red buoy and swimming for shore, another 800 meters back in. There was a tall condo building just to the right of the buoys, so I would sight every 6-8 strokes, if that and keep heading for it. It seemed to work out well, but it seemed to have gotten a bit more congested. People were swimming crooked, one guy swam over me, I had someone hitting my feet until I gave a few hard kicks and they backed off. The usual stuff. As we neared the shore, I continued swimming until my fingers scraped the bottom. I stood up and did as much of a jog as I could up on the beach and through the semi-circle fencing over the timing mat before trudging back into the water. Now, this is where things get interesting. As I'm attempting to jog into the water, I'm watching all the people ahead of walking out on an angle, not in the direction of the first buoy. Most of them weren't even close to aiming for the 2nd buoy. I guess I missed the announcement about buoys being optional! I had even made sure I looked at the map beforehand because the whole out of the water thing was new to me and it definitely showed up angling toward the 1st one. So I start swimming towards the 1st buoy and as I neared it I realized I was 1 of 3 people that were trying to be fair. We sort of collectively said screw it, and veered just to the left of it and then took the rest of the buoys at our left. While the rest of the field seemed to decide the 2nd one was not importantly either. After that, I'm not really sure what people did. I guess they just figured they had to stay to the left of the red one on the end. I was irritated and stopped paying attention to everyone else at this point. The back side of the swim and the final turn were a mess again, but knowing we were almost out of there, I attempted to kick it in and get the heck out of there. I came out of the water in 1:09.02. I knew it would be slower than WI since that's in a lake and this is the Gulf, so I wasn't too disheartened, but I do wonder how much time I could have shaved off if I followed the pack. I've never been very good at that though. :)
T1 didn't go as smooth as I had hoped. I began running up the beach, stripping off my wetsuit to my waist before reaching the wetsuit peelers. Yes, there are actually volunteers who strip off your wetsuit for you, it's so great! I dropped to my bum, put my feet up, and woosh, it was off. I hopped up and continued the trek up the sand, under the fresh water sprayers, and onto the boardwalk which lead into the resorts parking lot/transition area. First, you have to pick up your "Swim to Bike" bag and then head into the change tent. Again, they have volunteers to assist you...in getting dressed. It's actually quite nice. I wasn't changing, but I had to get on my HR strap, watch, socks, bike shoes, gloves, sunglasses, helmet, and the most difficult arm warmers. Yes, try putting on arm warmers when your arms are wet. It was a fight but between the two of us, we finally got them pulled up far enough. After a quick stop in the port-a-potty and a whole lot of nose blowing, I grabbed Scott and was running for the transition exit. The whole ordeal took 7:21, not as fast as I was hoping, but I was heading on the bike and focused on a 6 hr ride now.
The bike was a single loop, which I wasn't familiar with either. WI has you going out of town 16 miles and then doing a double loop before returning. It's kind of bitter sweet that way...knowing what lies ahead the 2nd time. All I knew was FL was a whole lot flatter than WI, so I was ready to go. After 10 miles of paralleling the shoreline we headed north onto a highway. It was an open course, which had me a bit nervous at the start, but it turned out to not be an issue even with all the highway riding we ended up doing. Since it wasn't even 9 am yet, it was still cold, probably in the mid to upper 50's by this point. The sun was just coming up, but we weren't feeling it yet. I was so cold and my nose was running like crazy. That's always a fun experience while you're biking. If there would have been a competition for blowing snot rockets and spitting lugies, I so would have won. It wasn't pretty, but it was necessary! I knew if I averaged 18.66 mph, that was a 6 hr ride, so I tried to stay in the upper 18's to 19. I was doing great for the 1st 20 or so miles...and then we turned...into the wind. It was pretty brutal, but I never train without it and that's what I kept telling myself. So I managed to hold my speed for the most part. I was passing some and getting passed my tons...that's what happens when you're a better swimmer. :) At the dinner and meeting Thursday night, the bike course official really got on us about drafting. You're supposed to be 4 bike lengths behind the person in front of you and if you want to pass, you need to do it within 20 secs. Now 4 bike lengths is a LONG way. Nobody really does that, but I try to have at least 2 in between. However, there were times when I was getting passed my groups of 20-25 riders! It was insane! After it happened twice, I passed a girl who I had been playing cat and mouse with for some time and told her I missed the memo about the 112 mile group ride! Oh well, all I could do was hope the officials on motorcycles would see them and do their job. After what felt like forever, we finally turned south and I was able to crank it up a bit. I was feeling good, drinking my Heed/Carbo-Pro mix every 5-10 minutes and taking a bite of a Powerbar every 20-30 mins. It seemed to be working well for me. Another turn and we were no longer on a highway, but a country road that was cracked every 50 feet it seemed. Not fun! Of all the roads in the area, they couldn't have found a better road than this? It soon turned north and then east on the out and back, which meant into the wind again! This was between 60 and 70 miles and I was hitting the wall. I backed off a little, regrouped, ate and drank some more and at the turn around I was ready to go. This is the point where I just start counting down the miles 10 at a time. It's all a mental game and you have to have some way of beating it. But I must say the 2nd to best feeling on the bike is when you hit 100 miles. On this course it was at the top of an overpass heading back into town and you could see the tall beach condo buildings ahead. I let out a "Woot, woot" and picked up the speed. I knew it was going to be close to the 6 hr mark. The last 6 or so miles were heading east along the shoreline, same as when we went out. Only this time, we were going directly into the wind. How cruel at the end of the race! As we made the final turn, I saw our condo and knew it wasn't even a 1/2 mile left. I was just at 6 hrs at that point. At the dismount line, my clock read 6:03! I'll definitely take that! This is the best part of the bike...getting off! And even though I love Scott and he's been good to me, I needed to hand him off to the volunteers and start running!
T2 is my favorite because it's short and sweet. Grab your bag, run into the tent, throw on running shoes and a visor, grab my gels and go! Well...after another stop at the port-a-potty with a lot of nose blowing...then go! I came flying out of transition and down the road knowing the posse was just up ahead. Jen and Audrey were going to run the 1st lap with me and I thought Dave and Chris were going to run the 2nd lap. I got out onto the main road and across from the campground was Nan, Dave and Chris. There was a lot of cheering and I remember yelling "6:03 baby!" and I was off with Chris hollering behind me that Audrey and Jen would be up ahead. I wanted to maintain a 9:30-9:45 from the start because if I went out to hard (like usual), I knew I wouldn't be able to hold on, especially after pushing hard on the bike. I made the 1st turn, checked my watch and saw 9:00. Slow down Ali. Luckily Jen and Audrey were about a mile up the road so they jumped in and I let them know the plan. Audrey set the pace and Jen stuck by my side. It was perfect. We ran through some neighborhoods on the way out which required us to run over speed bumps...not so fun when you can barely pick up your legs on the 2nd loop. The course led us out to the state park, all the way through, turned around and headed back along the same way. About a mile after the turn you hit the Ford motivational section which contains a giant message board that displays a message when you cross a mat triggering your number. Audrey entered a message at the expo the day before. We crossed the mat and just before we passed the board "Smith Sports Posse" came up in lights! I loved it! It starts me thinking about all the amazing people I train with, work with and train! They are an extraordinary group and, whether they know it or not, they got me through a lot of this race mentally! We exited the park and about a mile up I spotted Chris and Dave. That was a nice surprise! They had started running a little while after I had gone by, caught Poncho, turned to run with him about a mile and a half, then turned back and ran to meet us. So we had the whole gang together for awhile. With about 3 miles left to the turnaround we saw Ponch heading out for his last loop so Chris turned and joined him. Dave ran another 1-2 miles and stopped to wait for me to come back around. He was going to run me to Chris who, I was hoping, would finish up the last lap with me. So Audrey led the way and her and Jen jumped off the course at the campground while I went up and made the turn around. I love going through the corral, even if it's not for the actual finish yet. Everyone is so excited, cheering and giving out high fives! I try and soak in the energy and excitement as much as possible. I came back around to the campground and Jen jumped back in with me with my water bottle of Heed and Carbo-Pro. We met up with Dave and the two of them ran me to Chris and Dad. At that point they all did a switch, Chris joined me and Dave and Jen joined Dad. Apparently Dad was flying...at the end of the marathon...no, no...at the end of the Ironman, him and Dave took off running 7:30's for the last 3 miles! He's amazing! Chris was my saving grace on that last lap. He just hung right by me and gave me a little ego boost when I needed it. Coming out of the state park it started to get dark and it seemed like it went pitch black within a matter of minutes! Good thing I still had my arm warmers on and pulled down around my wrist because I didn't grab my shirt from Jen when she turned around. I yanked up the arm warmers and felt good. At that point, it was about 5 miles left and I knew it was time to shut off the mind and let auto-pilot take over. It was going to be close to 12 hours, probably a bit over, but I wanted to see what I could do. I didn't look at the watch, but I tried picking it up. I haven't checked the Garmin yet, but my last 6.55 miles was almost as fast as my 1st 6.55 miles and Chris said we definitely took it up a notch. With about a mile and a half to go you could hear Mike Riley telling people they were an Ironman. It was a blur after that. All I know is we got to the start of the corral and Chris veered off to the left and I had a big smile plastered across my face as I tried to hold back the tears. Not so much from finishing even though the 1st time I heard "Allison Smith, you are an Ironman" it was incredibly emotional, but this time it was tears of joy and thankfulness for the incredible friends I have. Not only did they come to watch and support me, but they got me through an entire marathon and then stood at the finish line with signs they made cheering me all the way across! What a great end to the day!
And yes, seeing 12:05 wasn't what I had originally hoped for, but I'll take the extra 5 minutes! After attempting to walk around for a bit, scarfing down a piece of pizza and then getting a shower, I told Dave no matter what I say, don't let me do an Ironman next year. 2 in 2 months was a little much for me and I think my body needs a little recovery. Especially seeing as how in 2 weeks we are running across Florida for Ragnar Relays. Next year, I'm all about the Half IMs! But wow, what a sense of accomplishment! Just another checkmark on the list!
Labels: bike, florida, ironman, run, smith sports, swim
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