Turkey Trot PR, Topo MT, RWRunStreak Day 1

Happy Thanksgiving! 

It was a PR at my 3rd running of the Reid Park 5K Turkey Trot in Tucson organized by Southern Arizona Road Runners.
I crossed the finish line at 28:00 but the chip time is better. 

I started with my friends Vanessa and Kassandra. It was a good morning to run. 

As promised in my gear review of the Topo MT shoe, I raced in the shoe and loved it. I definitely agree with my assessment that this shoe is perfect for a shorter, fast distance. 

Today was Day 1 of the #RWRunStreak, running every day until New Year's Day. 

Now I'm off to bike as part of the Under Armour Winter Challenge, and put in a 45 minute bike outside workout. 

Then it's eat turkey time. Happy Holidays. 

2015 Goals & Plan

Before the holidays come and wreck plans and goals, I'm formalizing them here in cyberspace to refer to and remember. I'm ready to stay motivated and have a great racing / adventure season in 2015. It starts with having a great plan, outlining goals, and staying motivated.

The 2015 Race Plan:

1. Jan: Mississippi Blue Marathon
2. March: Arizona Distance Classic 
3. March: Grand Canyon Rim to Rim
4. May: Ironman Texas
5. June: Ironman 70.3 Boise
6. August: Mountain Man Long Course

 This is the plan so far. I'm sure more local races will be added later.

Goals:

12:00 Hour Ironman

5:45 Ironman 70.3

Ironman is always on my mind. I want to finally have the race I trained for.
After a PR in 2010 I have yet to race an Ironman or 70.3 at that level.

The next 6 months is about:

• Getting Faster
• Leaner
• Studying the swim, bike, run data on my new Suunto Ambit3 to get faster. 

I live in the perfect place to train for a May Ironman.

I'm going to be streaking, too. Run Streaking that is. #rwrunstreak – 36 days of running starting on Thanksgiving and ending on New Years.

Let the season and seasons begin. 

After a DNF

Whenever I failed at something (which is a lot) I have a few days of recovery, sadness and indecision, then I snap back and get back in the game.

On Saturday I dropped out of the Colossal Cave 50k (which was really 34.4 miles or 55K) at mile 24. My legs were dead and I couldn’t run another 10. I kept hitting my toe on rocks and stumbling, but not falling. I knew I could become seriously injured if I continued.

The 50k was my A race. I’ve been training for it since my bike crash.

And, I didn’t finish.

The week leading up to the race I was considering not doing it; even the day before I was thinking about rolling my registration. However, I’m glad I started but I’m struggling with coming to terms with dropping out of the race.

Analysis:

I had the training plan and while I didn’t follow it exactly, I did a lot of it. This has worked for me in the past but this time it blew up in my face.

The last month leading up to the race I didn’t do Saturday/Sunday long runs but I did do long back to back runs the first two months of the training plan.

I didn’t run on the terrain similar to the race during the last month; I ran on trail a lot during the first two months of the training plan.

The six weeks leading up to the race I was running consistently and feeling good while running. I just didn't do what I needed to do for a trail run on rocky terrain.

Saturday just wasn’t my day.

I know everything I did wrong and how to fix it for the Grand Canyon Rim to Rim run in March.

• I know I need a gear change.
• I need to try a different running shoe. I’ve tried the minimal shoes and the zero drop. I will go back a better padded, more support running shoe. (Suggestions, anyone?!)
• I want to try different running shorts. (less chafing thank you very much)
• I need to follow a trail running plan consistently. 

Trying to turn this negative into a positive isn’t very difficult when you are a committed life long endurance athlete. That is what I am. I love new challenges, new trails, and new places.

I still want to do it all and see it all.

The best part of Saturday’s race:

The scenery on the Arizona Trail is spectacular. The trail has the best single track I have ever run on in Arizona.  

Photo Courtesy of https://www.facebook.com/CV5050?fref=photo

The second best part of the race was the organization of the race. Thank you to Kristi (she and her husband were in charge of the aidstations) for driving me back to the start. The aid station volunteer were amazing, from taking my CamelBak and filling it to the brim, to the awesome peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

The Colossal Vale 50/50 is a great race. I will finish this race next year. 

Mark.My.Words.

Race Travel Planning - Ironman, Marathons, oh my

In one day I

• Bought a new GPS watch
• Signed up for Mississippi Blues Marathon
• Bought a plane ticket to Jackson MS
• Bought a plane ticket to Houston for Ironman Texas
• Purchased my TriBike Transport ticket for my bike to get to Ironman Texas

It’s been a big hit to my bank account but I’m so excited. I love travel planning. 

I’m excited to see my friend Rich, who throughout our 15 year friendship has always traveled to all the places I’ve lived to hang out with me. Now, I get to see his new chosen place, just outside Jackson, Mississippi.

I get to see his southern place, new home and the life he has made.This is happening. 

In two days I will be running a 50K trail run and celebrating my birthday with my most-awesome friend, Missy. Then a few days later celebrating her birthday.

After that I start back to full Ironman training, another marathon, and running the Grand Canyon in late March.

Life is good.

I feel very fortunate that I get to do all the things I do.

I feel blessed to have the family I do, and friends that have come, and stayed in my life.

I can't wait to race Ironman Texas with Mark, my long-distance Ironman friend. I can't wait to find out what race we will do in 2016. I'm thinking, Maryland or Chattanooga. But I really hope it's Lake Placid; I have unfinished business there.  

This tri life, this running life, keeps me busy, fit, and happy. 

Post Marathon and Triathlon Weekend

What a great weekend of friends, training, and dogs.

After a month of constant activity: Duke City Marathon, Space Coast (Florida) work trip, Oceanside Olympic triathlon, this weekend was full of Tucson activities with friends.

The Loop - Santa Cruz

Don’t get me wrong Saturday and Sunday I was up at 5am getting reading for a bike and run, but at least I wasn’t driving in my car for hours on end. A fun 40 mile bike ride on the loop with Missy and a 10.5 mile run around desert in Tucson with Kassandra.

10.5 Mile Training Run with Kassandra

It’s nice to be home.

Home=where my dogs are.

I’m still undecided about future running and triathlon races. I haven't planned my 2015 race schedule yet. I know, shocking, since it is November. 

I still want to do a marathon in every state at least every three months but I'm still trying to find the right race - at the right time - that doesn't cost a fortune. 

For sure: Ironman Texas May 2015 and I'm 11 weeks into the training plan. 

Next weekend the crazy schedule ramps up again with Ragnar Trail Relay on the November 7 & 8. Then, the 15^th is the 50K in Vail, AZ.

The best part of this weekend: the temperatures are perfect. Right now, a pleasant 65 degrees at 10am on Sunday, and cloudy. 

I could get used to this. 

Oceanside – Lifetime Tri Race Report

Lifetime Tri puts on a great triathlon.

On Saturday the pros gave a talk and 3 Race Tips from Andy Potts were used during the race:

• Swim:  Be sure the tips of your fingers hit the water first
• Bike: Remember high cadence
• Run: Stand tall

I remembered all these tips as I entered the calm, ocean bay on Sunday October 26. I have never competed in a triathlon in the ocean and since it was in a bay I didn’t worry. However, I forgot about swallowing ocean water; that took a while to get used to.

Once I was out of the water the bike was fast. It has been many years since I’ve race an Olympic distance triathlon and I biked this course faster than on any recent training rides – so fun!!!  This is what I was thinking as I was biking:

     I am a triathlete. I get so much joy from swimming biking and running. Thank you to all my friends and family who travel, train and race with me ! What a great life.

The run was by the ocean and it was an AWESOME course! Some of the waves were crashing over the rocks and I had to avoid the water. Aid stations were great. The entire day was overcast and the temperature was perfect for racing. 

Oceanside Pier

A perfect race day and I love Oceanside, California. I’ll be back for this race. For. Sure.

My work mug to remember an awesome race.