The next big thing...

Something happened; my dad says I drank the cool-aid, others say I'm crazy.  But after reflecting on my first season of doing triathlons and finally becoming a triathlete, I wanted to do more.  Next step for me...a half Ironman!  That is right, I am excited to announce that I am officially registered for Augusta 70.3 IM.  There's no turning back. Let the journey begin. #RoadToAugusta703

Tough Mudder

Fun, Friends, Mud, & Miles...enter Tough Mudder.

I've been wanting to do the Tough Mudder challenge for about 2 years now.  But not too many people want to spend their Saturday morning running nearly 13 miles, in mud and water, and...oh by the way, lots of obstacles.  And lots of tall obstacles. Lucky for me, I met a couple crazy MBA classmates that were crazy enough to take on the challenge (willingly).

Happy, clean faces at the start of the race and decked out in our Gator gear.

We barely even began and the mud started; plenty of mud.

No monkeying around here.

The carry.  Finally a challenge wear my leg strength helped. Thank goodness we had some tough dudes on our team, lots of upper body strength challenges.

Oh look, then there was more mud running.

And some "walking the plank."

But no challenge was too big for us (approaching the finish line).

Finally, what we really came her for...the free beer.

Cooterfest Triathlon

When Josh decided to do his first triathlon, I was excited for one last opportunity this season to finish another triathlon.  His only stipulation...we do the Cooterfest Triathlon and we do it in costumes.  What I thought was a crazy idea, ended up being a crazy awesome idea.

There wasn't a lot of time to train, but there was plenty of time to find costumes when we registered just three weeks before the tri.  Cooters are fresh water turtles, so naturally we needed to go as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Josh also recruited Beth (her first tri too) and Itsky to join the costume tri fun; so we were all set with the whole turtle gang.

This tri was so fun, that only photos will do it justice.

 

Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michelangelo were ready for the race, bright and early that morning.

The swim was a little brutal.  I've never swam in a completely black lake and was happy to just finish this part.

The ride had several rolling hills but still a very fun ride.

Hamming it up.

Check out those karate action moves across the finish line.

Post Race Photo.  Good job Josh and Beth (they both killed it)!

Pinappleman Triathlon

Pinappleman was the triathlon that I was signed up for last year and didn't actually compete in it. So what better way to redeem myself, than get out there and finish it this year.

Tammy and I heading out to the start of the swim.  Team Extremeist gear and all.

First swim without the wetsuit (so real possibility of drowning) and it went pretty good.  This was a slightly further distance swim than the previous two races.

I have not mastered looking cool on the bike...but out there doing it.

All smiles on the run again.  I think I really love this part of the race.  Or maybe it is the fact that I am near the finish by this point. ?

Finish line celebration (it was raining...and on this hot day, the rain was welcomed).

Another finish line photo.

Team Extremeist post race photo with Tammy and Dave.

Rocketman Triathlon

Rocketman Triathlon was suppose to be my first tri, but since I got a practice run in with the Cocoa Beach Tri, I was feeling really ready for this one.  And this one was going to be a family event.  When I was back home in late 2013, registration opened for the first ever triathlon that would have you biking through Kennedy Space Center.  I figured this might be the only chance this would actually be allowed, so jumped on the opportunity. Both my Mom and Dad did as well.

The day before the race, the three of us headed over to Titusville to check out the course, pick up our packets, drop off the bikes, and get marked for the following morning. And while we were there...might as well take a dip in the water.  Since the previous race, I hadn't had any more open water time, so this would be a good way to get out the pre-swim jitters.  Surprisingly, I did fine. Didn't panic and felt really comfortable out there. I'm sure it helped having my experience tri dad there (I'm pretty sure he wouldn't let me drown...pretty sure) and the fact that there weren't 100 other triathletes competing to be out front.  But still, a successful swim helped calm my nerves and get my head right.

Even though my nerves were calmed the night before, I still woke up feeling anxious for the race (I don't actually think that feeling will ever go away).  Quick change, double bag check, triple bag check, chug morning smoothies...and we were off to the race.

Swim was great!  I really felt like I killed it and was all smiles coming out of the water.

What a cool bike ride. The course took us 38 miles (that is what I calculated) across the beautiful water and on and around Kennedy Space Center.  

The run was very hot that day (despite the photos, there was actually very little shade), but how could you not be happy after surviving the swim and bike.

Finish line!

Triathlete!

Almost exactly a year ago, I wrote about trying a tri; not getting though the swim, struggling with the bike and then not living up to actually doing a triathlon later in the year.  Fast forward one year, I now get to write about actually finishing a tri!

In September, I signed up for a triathlon at the beginning of May.  That would give me plenty of time to get through my Marathon, take a quick break (which ended up being almost a full 4 weeks off...and it was nice), and change gears to biking and swimming; with maybe a little running along the way.  So mid January hits and I get back in training mode.  I got lucky that early in my training I met another triathlete (and a super successful one at that) at the pool who introduced me to some improved stroke techniques, a near-by (and pretty car-less) 11 mile bike loop and some other triathletes working towards a half iron-man a little later in the year.  That is just what I needed; some pros at this sport that were nice enough to teach me the tricks of the trade and keep me accountable for time in the water and on the road.  And thanks to them, I finally over came my fear of biking.  There had been few and far between rides after the "accident" that happened in September of 2011.

With some solid training behind me, I was getting anxious for the big day.  Literally couldn't wait and decided to do a race before the "first" race.  Cocoa Beach Triathlon was the chosen winner!

Pre-race prep photo.  I honestly had no idea what I was doing.  Just tried to copy everyone around me, keep the nerves low, and the excitement high. Luckily I had my very own cheerleader with me that morning.  Josh did a good job keeping from looking inexperience and crazy; all while pumping me up.

Check me out center of photo with the pink cap.  Fake smile much?  I was definitely getting very nervous at this point.  Ready to hit the water.

As I entered the water, reality set in.  I was swimming in open water for the first time.  I was swimming with other competitors for the first time (nothing like taking a foot to the face for the first time). And I was swimming in a wetsuit for the first time.  Yes, I panicked.   I got out there and immediately didn't know how to swim or breathe.  It was actually very scary.  Even though I knew that I would not sink in a wetsuit, something told me I was going to die.  When I heard the whistle for the next wave, I tried to get myself together.  All of a sudden, the next whistle went off.  Who knows where my head was...but it wasn't there.  I did some doggy paddling, some breast stroking, some frog kicking and a bunch of other things to move in the water that were not free style swimming; like I practiced.  Finally to the end and feeling defeated, I exited the water.  Actually the yellow caps started 2 waves after me...leaving Josh a little concerned how many people got out and I didn't.

As I entered transition, defeated and upset, I decided to do what any 3 year old would do.  Throw a tantrum and whine.  Yup sat there for nearly 5 minutes saying things like: "This is stupid," "Why would I even want to do a tri," "I almost died," "ERRR." But I'm here and I ain't quitting.  So on to the bike I went.

Something happened on the bike.  Something really good.

I found myself realizing why I wanted to do a triathlon.  Not to win the race, but to win for myself.  Finally being able to say I can swim; finally being able to say I got back on the bike; and finally being able to say "I am a triathlete!"

It was nice to get my head right...and at that moment all was good in the world and I was happy to be there.

The Run!  I love the run.  I'm not fast, but I run it. It was a great day for a run and I couldn't be happier at that point.  As I turned the corner and saw the finish line, I had to restrain myself from crying.  I sprinted forward and finished with all I had.

Finished!  I AM A TRIATHLETE.

Color Run Fun

Nothing better to get back in training mode than to do a fun run after a not so great marathon.

On your mark, get set, run with the unicorn!

A little color fun!

Lots of fun.  But if you ever run this race...know it is not a easy as they say to get the color off of you.

Jacksonville Bank Marathon Finish

I've been dreading this post for so long; mostly embarrassed by the time it took me to finish the marathon.  Until recently, I decided I just wouldn't speak of this race; and I knew that with time everyone else would forget too.  But then I realized...I FINISHED a marathon.  That is pretty great in itself.

Here is a look at the day through pictures.

The morning of the race, Josh was in full Christmas spirit and I struggled to keep that smile covering up all the nerves and crazy thoughts going through my mind.

Running through the start line help alleviate most of my nerves and we began our journey.

 Still smiles as we cross the 5K mark.

The sun began to come up and the crowd began to thin.
















At the half marathon point, we were doing great.  Holding steady with the pace we wanted, still moving along and still in high spirits.  I thought I had this in the bag. But as we got closer to the 17 mile mark, my foot started to ache and I slowed a bit...okay a lot more than a bit, I felt like I was walking on a broken foot. And with every step, I got closer and closer to quitting.  In fact I encouraged Josh to run his race, he was still killing it. Josh took off and we agreed to meet at the 18 mile point.  Right before that mark, I sat down with a few cops patrolling the race and said, "I quit."  I even asked them to arrange me transportation to the finish, where I could wait for Josh to finish.  But I could see him waiting ahead and decided I better tell him the bad news before he waited any longer on me.  As I caught up to him, I knew he could tell I was hurting but he wouldn't let me quit.  We argued how close/far the finish line was.  He argument...only 8 to go, we've already done 18.  My argument, it was EIGHT more miles.  But then as all the volunteers at the water stop were cheering for us and encouraging me to continue...I decided to suck it up and keep going.  I mean I couldn't let Josh become a marathoner and not do it myself.  He was gracious enough to stay with me for those last 8 miles as I struggled to even get a mild jog going.

 As we rounded the corner and came into the stadium, you could see the pain in my face as I mustered up a slow jog to the finish.

Not sure if this is a fake smile or a smile of relief that the finish line was in sight.

 AND FINISHED! That was brutal.

Josh finished just before me, so that on record it shows he won.  He definitely could have finished a good 15-30 minutes faster if he didn't walk with me those last 8 miles.  (He also won the "Best Husband of 2012" award that day.)

Barely smiling. I was saying "never again" at this very moment...but I change my mind a lot. :)

Proof that we finished.