PR x2!

What an AMAZING weekend! WOW!

This past Saturday, I ran our Zumbrota 5k in the morning. It was a hot, humid morning. Not what I would consider great running conditions (at least not for me). I had diarrhea terribly and went 4-5 times before the run and a couple after the run. Also, it was at 8am. Not the time of day I prefer to run. I like to eat breakfast, wake myself up, get all nice and loose prior to running! And, I just prefer the afternoon better! but....The gun went off and so did I! At first I thought I was running really slow. My legs just did not feel that loose. But, I did notice that the few people that were in front on me were now behind me and that there were only four or five people in front of me...so I figured I had to be going fairly fast. I do not have a Garmin, so it is hard to know by looking at my time if I am running fast or not...so I had to wait until we got to the 1 mile marker to find that out! but, in the mean time, i ran by our house and saw H and Scott waving away to me...so that cheered me right up! Then I made it my goal to pass this little kid in front of me...he was darn fast...for how small he was! At around ~.75 miles I did pass him! Then there were only three people in front of me! Two of them were females...so my goal at this point it to at least try to catch up to them...even though neither looked like they had kids or were over the age of about 20! so....at mile 1-my time was about 6:17 I think...then mile 1.5 there was a wter stop...thank goodness, i was SO dehydrated from all my other issues...i was so happy for a drink! then mile 2 was about 12:45 so i was happy with that pace, but the girls were still ahead...so i really tried during mile three to catch up, but was unsuccessful! they ended up beating me...but my finish time was 20:30 and the girls in front of me came in around exactly 20:00-20:10, so I was proud of my time, my goal was under 21:00! So, I beat that, and I do think that a sub-20 is doable! Then i went home and took the kids for a walk for an hour and in the afternoon went to the gym and did the elliptical for 50 minutes and a little ab work. Should NOT have done any of that. That night my legs were SO tired and SORE! They are not used to running that fast. And on Sunday I had my triathlon...

So, I felt better that morning, but still had an upset stomach, so instead of my regular two slices of toast with an inch of pb and honey it was just a few honey nut chex. I was hungry during a lot of this race, but thankfully it was short! Swimming...I dread swimming...or not necessarily dread, but I dread swimming in a lake with 50 other people all at the same time kicking and paddling all around me. I asked myself last year, and this year about 100 times before I started why on earth did I think this was a good idea....who knows??? I was so happy though because my little monkeys were there watching and cheering with my parents and my brother, his wife and their two kids too! So it was a lot of fun knowing I actually had some people there cheering for me! The swim for me began around 8:45. WOW I cannot stand swimming...I got kicked by so many people so much. it was terrible. I had to stop and doggie paddle for a few seconds one time because the same lady kicked me like ten times in a thirty second period. I prayed every fifteen seconds (HONESTLY)... out loud...because I wondered what ever possessed me to sign up for this torture! But, finally I could see the end coming! AMEN! The answer to my prayer! It was only a quarter of a mile, but for someone who had not swam since last years triathlon...I was happy to be done! I think on my way out of the water I half-yelled "thank the lord I survived"!!!! But, my time ended up being 8:37 (last year 8:50)! So I was ecstatic about that! I guess my 'swim-game' improved in the off season with all that rest! Then I ran to my bike, put my shirt on...and my number came off, so i had to reattach it to my shirt with those stupid pins...I was frustrated. So, my T1 time was almost 4 minutes, YUCK! Oh well, made it out and hopped on my bike for ten miles. The biking portion was much better than all of last years hills. Still a few hills, but just overall much better course. My time was 34:15 (or close to that). My speed was about 17.5mph. Impressive, considering I do not have a fancy bike. I have a step up from a mt. bike, but not a tri/speed bike. So, I was VERY happy with that time. I knew my run would be slow, because of the 5k the day before as my legs were still exhausted from that when i woke up sunday morning. but, I did run hard...probably not as hard as I could have, but it was what it was...22:46 (or 7:20 pace) not at all what I would have liked, but had I not done my 5k on saturday it would have been around 21-22 minutes, so not too terrible! overall time: 1:10:22 (last years time 1:10:58). So, I did improve! Despite the pin issue and a minute and a half slower 5k. Overall, I was VERY HAPPY!

I placed 67th/235 overall.
5th in my age group (out of 23).
17th/108 for woman.
My swim in my age group was 7/23
Bike 6/23
Run 2/23

Not a bad weekend.

After the tri yesterday i had to write a paper for school and then relax the rest of the day!

Today I was going to go to the gym, but decided just to do live exercise and rest another day before doing much of anything!

I think my body needed a good day off!

I was impressed with everyone else's stories from the past weekends races!

Great Job everyone!

Maybe someday i will be like www.runningsane.blogspot.com and run that fast at a marathon!

~katie