Race Report: Germantown Half marathon!!

Before the race

What a day.. Today was the first race for my season. I woke up at 5:30 am... not a morning person (thank you Don for waking me up) and made a peanut butter, banana,  and honey sandwich.. I wanted to make sure I had enough carbs for the half marathon. As I got ready, I was wondering what the weather was going to be.. 53 degrees... ok.. on with the long sleeves and bring the gloves.

We got to the race site and met up with a lot of team members and everyone was wondering if I was going to be too warm... I was determined.. I have been running with my long sleeve shirt all through training and I knew I had to wear this.. I am sooo glad I did.. It actually got colder through the morning...

 I was nervous.. I had no excuses today.. In the past years, I never completely followed my training.. I wasn't committed, I actually would make up  excuses to avoid my workouts..so when I was done and I didn't do well, I could say.. "if I only did xy training, this would have been different."  Well, this  year is different.. I have followed my training and I wanted to do well. I have been consistent with my pacing and my nutrition. I was having fun and I wanted to do well.. So, away I went.. 

The beginning of the race was fast, I was going about an 11 min/mile and I knew I had to slow down.. So, I slowed down to my usual pace and ran.. There were hills .. going up hills, going down hills and more hills.. wow.. my legs were just running.. I passed people and thanked people on the way.. the entire time, I kept saying when are we going to run on flat ground. We finally turned and we were going on flat ground!! Yeah! I picked up my pace and took in my nutrition.. Just before mile 6, I looked up and on the other side of the road was my husband and my team mates.. It was so great to hear their cheers! I cheered back and kept on running.. At mile 7, I looked at the time and  at first I thought: " oh wow... I am going to finish this in 2 hours and 35 mins.." as I approached mile 8, I realized I added 5 miles at mile 7 and not 6 miles.. aw darn it... So, I recalculated in my head.. I am going to finish the half marathon under 3 hours... If you could only image how I felt.. I was going to accomplish what I set out to do..  then we turned another corner.. ughh... more hills... ok, I said to myself, " you run hills at home, you can do this" So, I picked my feet up and pushed up the hill.. The last three miles, trainers from Fleet Feet, kept pushing me along.. I was so happy to hear them. My legs were getting stiff and my fingers were frozen. All I kept saying to myself was.. "keep on running... keep on running.." to the tune of Dori on Finding Nemo.. I need to remember this for IM 70.3 New Orleans!.. I turned the last corner and a race volunteer said, "up the hill and you are done".. Ughh another hill.. then I heard my husband.. he was cheering me out and I pushed it to the end! I saw the time and I was going to make the finish line under 3 hours.. WHOO HOO!!... I smiled at the camera and I raised my hands!.. I did it! I pushed though the aches, pains and cold fingers and finished the race. My final time was 2 hours and 55 mins. This was 10 minutes faster than last year! 

What a great feeling! My coach was at the finish line and I gave her a great big smile and hug! It was a great feeling. I know all of my hard work made this possible. I just have to keep remembering to follow the training schedule. I need to keep on BRINGING IT.. 

What a great race!! Tomorrow will be back to training for New Orleans!

Happy Training!
Eling 

3 More days until my first race of the season...

This coming up Sunday, I will be starting my season off.. I know it isn't a triathlon, but it is a race that is helping me train for my Half Ironman.. Last year, I did this race in 3 hours and 10 minutes... yes I AM slow... but this year, I know I can do this in under 3 hours...I have been following my training and I am loving how I feel when I run.. So, even if I don't meet my goal, I will still have fun..

Time to bring it and get focused!

Have a great day!

Eling

My Night and Shining Armour!!!

Today was a big workout day for me! I had on my schedule a brick: 40 miles on the bike and a 3 mile run (it was supposed to be 5 miles,but I read 3 miles). I was so excited because today I would get to ride my bike outside and not on a trainer. I got ready and took off. The first 20 miles was great! I arrived at my SAG in 1 hour and 10 min. I grabbed more water, roasted almonds and a Cliff bar and took off to finish the last 20 miles.. A mile out, my back wheel just didn't feel right... so I looked down and sure enough I had a flat.. I pulled over and pulled the wheel off. I struggled and text my hubby and let him know that I had a flat and was changing my tire. Twenty minutes later, I finally got the tire off and was working on putting the new tire on.. and then I see another hole.. uggh... I called my hubby to pick me up. My knight and shining armour!

This is what I saw!! Doesn't he look so handsome!!...

Well, he wasn't wearing his uniform, but he pulled up and I was ready to put the bike in the car.. but instead, he brought me a new tire to replace.. When he found out that the outer tire had a hole, he had brought my other bike tire and put it on my bike. He was not going to be my excuse for not completing my workout.. Instead, he took the tire and put it back on my bike and made sure I had enough water and nutrition and told me to finish my ride. He is such a supporting man. I am one lucky girl.

The ride bike ride back was a lot harder.. the wind picked up and I had a head wind.. Also, I didn't realize that I had all of these hills to climb.. as my hubby would say.."It will make you stronger".. So, climb I go.
I make it home..Yeah!

Off  I go to run..wobble, wobble off I run down the hill and back up. I finished the run and the workout! Now, I am ready for a burger, beer and some carrot cake....

Have a great day... till the next workout!

Eling

New Game on a long Run.....

How do I avoid getting hit by a car?? Oh wait!! That is an arcade game that I played when I was a kid.. FROGGER!!!

 So, today, I had a twelve mile run and it was going great until I came to a 2 mile stretch that has no sidewalks. It was a country two lane road. It is a common road for bikers to ride because usually no one drives it until later in the day.. Well, that is when I was running and being that is was a very beautiful day, drivers were out on a Sunday drive.. talking on their cell phones and not paying attention. YIKES!! That a good thing for me. I had to avoid being hit be at least three different cars. Not fun.. by the time I got to the mile 6 turn around.. I was in tears. I was so happy that my hubby and I are each others SAG for long runs, because he was there waiting for me. He asked what was wrong and I told him.. He drove me past the the two lane road and had be get out and finish my run. He then proceeded to watch out for me along the way.. It is a great feeling to know he is there looking out for me.. Not only did he watch out for me, he had brought me my reflective belt and my headlamp to make sure the other cars will still see me, even if I was running in the bike lane.

I did have a great run! Actually, this week has been a great training week after traveling to San Francisco in the beginning of the week. Friday afternoon, I swam a mile in 38 minutes.. the best time I have ever done. My son counted my laps for me. He was so funny, he floated underwater and showed my lap count on the bottom of the pool and then he would give me thumbs up. He shadow boxed telling me that I was conquering the swim and flexed his muscles telling me that I was looking strong. What a great feeling to have him there supporting me.  

Yesterday, I rode the bike trainer for 2 hours and was engrossed in "Downton Abby" . I hadn't seen the series yet and I finished up Season 1 this week. I will start Season 2 tomorrow. 

My love hate relationship with training is turning into I "LOVE" and "NEED" to workout! I have been the most consistent in my training this season and I am feeling stronger and stronger. In two weeks, I will be running in a half marathon and then a month later a duathlon and a half Ironman. So, the test will be those events. 

Now, it is time to get ready for a new week!

Happy Training, 
Eling 

Training update!!!!!

So this past weekend, the LONG workouts began!!! On Saturday, I had a two hour bike ride... it was 40 degrees F outside and I rode the trainer!! I actually did not mind riding the trainer on Saturday. My hubby got us the movie ARGO and the two of us rode our bikes and watched the movie. AMAZING... It earned Best Picture for the Grammys...The cats were in front of the fireplace, the kiddo was watching the movie with us and we were riding.. 

me riding and watching the movie

Sunday, brought sunshine and 60 degree weather.. I had a 10 mile run... two weeks prior, I had a 9 mile run and it was not fun.. I was slow and it took me 2 LONGGGG hours to finish it. On Sunday, it was a lot better... I was enjoying the weather, the scenery and it just felt a lot easier to run.. I guess, you can say that I am starting to love running!! So, just by enjoying myself and getting into a great running rhythm, I finished 10 miles in 2 hours.. OMG... I think I will be able to finish the half marathon in less than 3 hours, one of my goals this year!! Whooo Hooo... I need to bottle this feeling up because I know I will have those days where running will be hard and I will just hate it.. So, I am going to cherish this..

Here is my proof!!

This weekend's training will be tough, but I am going to do it. Tomorrow, I have a timed mile swim. Saturday 2.5 hour bike ride and on Sunday 12 mile run. All of this will be indoors because the weather is predicting snow.. yikes.. I have movies downloaded for the run and I need to see what I can watch on Saturday for the ride.. I am determined to BRING IT!!! I know come Monday, I will look like this....... but it will be worth it come April when I am racing IM 70.3 New Orleans. 

Happy Speedy Turtle Training!
Eling

Weeble, Wobble and we all fall down.....

Weeble, wobble and we all fall down... This is how I felt today after my first brick workout of the season..

Wow.. the bike ride was a great ride!  I didn't love the hills... my husband states that when I ride up the hills slow, I must really love the hills because I am on them for soo long..so.. I didn't love the hills and I had my aluminum wheels and not the carbon.. Whoo Hoo!.. finished the 16 miles in 1 hour.. I think I can do 56 miles at a 16 mph.. It felt so good to ride outside and not on a trainer...then came the run...

The first 100 hundred yards, my legs were jello... I had forgotten how that felt..I trotted up the hills and thought.. what am I doing..I don't ride a bike and then run... WAIT.. I AM A TRIATHLETE... that is exactly what I do.. so, I wobble up the hill and started to trot, and then build up to a full run.. well, running in my eyes.. I am the speedy turtle..  I ran 3 miles and felt accomplish! Now, I need to keep up with my training and I will conquer Ironman 70.3 New Orleans!

Here we go...

Happy Training, 
Eling
Speedy Turtle.. 

Happy Feb 1, 2013

Just wanted to put out a little inspiration out there for me... Yesterday was a hard run workout! I am still recovering from my yucky cough but I "Gott'er Dun"  

Have a wonderful day!

Eling