White Rock 2008 Race Report 

When I decided to run White Rock for a second time, I thought this was the year I would try to qualify for Boston. Of the 13 prior marathons I have run (one being in an Ironman), I never really set that target as my goal. Sure it would have been nice, however, I never did what it took to take that goal seriously, i.e. never trained at the pace I needed to run a 3:40. Another reason I chose this year was because it was between IM races on my schedule (I promised Tom I would only attempt an IM every 2 years so we could recover financially and so my body could heal a bit longer between efforts) and because it was close to Shreveport and my Dallas roots. And the final reason was that I turn 35 in January and this would give me 5 more precious minutes! Game on!!!

For all my past marathons, I never had a time goal so I just followed Hal Higdon’s plans and tried to get in mileage. This was the most “comfortable” for me because I love to go out and just run without looking at my splits and worrying about anything else. The Saturday Morning Runs were great for my previous training. I could go out and hold on with the group, talking and running all morning. This training served me well in most of my past marathons because all I wanted to do was finish feeling good with a smile on my face. I made it a point to talk with anyone on the course that would listen, I thanked every volunteer, and stopped whenever I felt necessary to walk. Why be uncomfortable? That just wasn’t for me.

This year I wanted to see if I could push myself for many reasons. The main one has to do with my kids. Every day I ask them to get uncomfortable in the water and expect them to push through hard workouts in the pool (I constantly reminded myself of this while doing repeats on the track and wanting to stop dead in the middle of the workout!). As a coach, I expect nothing but the best from my kids, why can’t I expect that from myself? Is average for me really enough? Did I really enjoy running a 5+ hour marathon at the at the Florida Ironman? Was I capable of so much more? Many people have encouraged me to try so I finally decided it was the right time. I must admit also that Kevin’s Cook’s amazing performance last year – taking 30 minutes off a PR -was stunning and I thought just maybe I could succeed with my own goal too.

As the triathlon season winded down, I started to look forward to my run focus. I quickly purchased the www.runningplanet.com plan for a 3:40 marathon (the best $9.95 I have spent so far) and was happy to see that the workouts looked doable for the most part. My schedule can be very tricky with all the commitments I pile on my plate so I worked everything in and started with gusto. Long runs just have to happen on Sunday mornings for me so even though I missed my running friendships on Saturdays, this was something I had to do. Track was now Tuesday/Thursday so I missed Hutch and the group on Wednesdays too. This really worked to my advantage because I was able to single in on the times that worked for me and knew at some point in the marathon I would be alone with my Garmin and would have to prevail without relying on anyone else.

Come race day I felt prepared. Sure I missed a few of the workouts along the way but all the mile repeats and time specific long runs helped build my confidence for the big day. A big part of my race preparation also dealt with my mental focus. In countless races (running and triathlon) I check out mentally and just “quit.” Who wants to hurt? I sure didn’t and would justify that I just didn’t care enough to push through. In the weeks leading up to the big day I refused to let any negativity slip into my mind. I seriously watched what I ate, I made sure to get enough rest, I stretched, etc. – all things I never really monitored before. Sure the forcast said hot and windy, so what! This was going to be my day.

Well, the forecast was right, it was hot and windy at the start (perfect temps for me are 40 at the start and 50 at the finish). The pacer for the 3:40 (no 3:45) group lost his balloons and half his sign before we even sang the pledge of allegiance, but I still felt good. The plan was to have Craig hang with me until the half split and then we would catch back towards the finish. The start was crazy, way too many people in a little space. The first mile split was considerably slower than what we were aiming for but “Bill the pacer” made up for it with 8:00’s the next couple. I held onto the pack and looked forward to the half split for a little more breathing room, even though I would miss listening to Craig chat it up to other participants.

Amazingly I didn’t talk to anyone. I simply could not have if I wanted too. In order to keep my pace I had to focus on the race and all the little details that worked for me in my training. This was not a pace I could comfortably hold talking to others and a Runner’s World article on pacing told me too keep all energy levels in tact so I could draw on them for when I would need a boost the most. The first part of the lake had the wind at our backs which was helpful, even though it was so windy that the hair in my ponytail constantly whipped into my face! The white caps on the lake were amusing to look at, almost as much as watching the bikers attempt to go the opposite direction we were!

I tried to stay steady as much as possible and “draft” a little, but still saw my pace slip and watched the 3:40 group pull ahead. That was fine because I wasn’t trying for 3:40, it was 3:45 for me and my mental calculations had me on pace still. I did not get a pace band with splits (mental note to use this next time) so I played multiplication games in my head as I trucked along. My Garmin kept reading 9:30’s but I knew I had a little time in the bank from the fast first half. The plan was to get away from the lake and start the downhill through the neighborhoods to the finish downtown.

Tom greeted me at mile 21 – a nice surprise. I admit that I would have missed him if he didn’t jump out with the camera but decided his love pat would push me to the finish! He later told me he has never seen me that focused in a race! At 22 I knew I had to pick it up but was still unsure of how much and when. Yes, everything hurt but my desire to push hard to the end took over and it at least felt like I was getting a little faster with each step. At 23 I passed a woman getting lifted onto a stretcher and being put into an ambulance. At this point I knew I had to turn it on and push hard for me and her – she would not get to finish so close to the end, what a bummer (and to find out she later died was a huge shock, we are all blessed to finish no matter how long it takes us). At 24 I threw down my water bottle and decided now I’m really serious! Then I saw Craig and his excitement was very contagious. Even though I quickly motioned for him not to talk too much, I was thankful to have him cheering me on and leading the way. I picked it up like I never have before and ended up finishing with 8:00 minute miles! It was totally uncomfortable and I didn’t know how I was going to walk once past the finish line but I was truly giving it everything I had. My Garmin read 26.55 miles with a time of 3:48:50something. Three minutes short of Boston but that no longer mattered. I left everything on the course and that was an amazing thing for me to experience.

No, I did not reach my Boston goal this time around but I did gain so much more. This was 20 minutes faster than I ran the same race in 2001 – my first ever marathon. It was also faster than my PR of 3:55 at Wichita, Kansas in 2004. I have NEVER in my entire endurance career finished so strong that I could barely walk at the finish, and this was huge for me. Sure, it can easily be said that the weather was a factor and that I probably could have taken the necessary 3 minutes off to qualify without 30mph winds but I will never know that for sure and refuse to dwell on it. This was a breakthrough performance and I can’t wait to test my mettle again in the next one.

John Pat for literally had to “catch” me at the finish. He wasn’t there necessarily on purpose but I was thankful to have someone to keep me upright. My salt intake was lacking for such a warm day and when I tried to stop moving I felt surely I was going to pass out. The goal was to keep moving but I couldn’t do that on my own without getting wobbly. Once Tom found us he took over and would have put me in the medical tent if it was closer than the hotel. Fortunately we were able to get upstairs quickly so I could start taking the salt tablets I should have had on the run!

Boy do I hurt today and my toenails leave much to be desired (good thing it isn’t sandal season) but it was all worth it! Thank you to everyone that sent well wishes my way. It was great to know we had over 152 Shreveport/Bossier participants traveling to Dallas to compete as first-timers and veterans. Tom, Craig, and John Pat really helped me get through this and I am very grateful for them all.

I’m still trying to figure out what my next race will be. I didn’t want to go to Boston until 2010 so I have time to decide. This excitement has me looking sooner rather than later so who knows what I will come up with. It is time to refocus on swimming and running as I prepare for a half IM in May and another full in November but I just might be able to squeeze another marathon in the next few months… Stay tuned!



 

Posted in:   Tags: marathon, dallas, martha, goals

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Next weekend (11/22-11/23) all Sunrise members will be given an opportunity to jump start training for the 2009 season. Source Endurance out of Austin, TX will be in Shreveport to offer 4 distinct clinics for us to attend. You can decide to come to one or all 4 sessions.

Here is a tentative schedule:

Bike Handling Skills Clinic (Sat 11/22 9AM-12PM)

Saturday 11/22
Stoner Boat Launch
9:00-12:00pm
Come prepared to get on your bike and learn how to descend, turn, drink, and much more while riding. We will be in the parking lot on the road and on the grass to make sure there is a soft spot for falling.

The clinic will conclude with a can't miss game of tag while on your bike!!

Running Skills and Transition Clinic Saturday (Sat 11/22 3PM-5PM)

Lee Hedges Stadium
3:00-5:00
Running Skills and Transition Clinic
Here we will learn all the skills necessary to safely incorporate speed into our training. Running drills will be explained and demonstrated properly. Key stretches and recovery strategies will
also be emphasized to help us stay injury free. The transition clinic will focus on training us how to gain that free speed we could all use!

Quality vs. Quantity (Sat 11/22 7PM-9PM)

Saturday 11/22
7:00-9:00
El Chico's Madison Park
Training Lecture - Quality vs. Quantity
Can we really have a successful season with limited time to train? How can we incorporate training when we all have demanding jobs, family and other commitments? This lecture will show us how to train on as few hours a week as possible and still reach our goals.  Dinner is not included so bring some cash if you want to eat.

Source Endurance Fully Supported Group Ride  (Sunday 11/23 8:00-10:30am)

Sunday 11/23
8:00-10:30am
LSUS Parking Lot
Fully Supported Group Ride
Cap off the weekend with a moderately paced group ride with all 5 Source Endurance coaches and trainers. EVERY level member will be accomodated from super fast to super slow. We will have a sag wagon and sweep riders on the road to feed, protect and serve us. You don't want to miss this!!

I will be sending updates all week. Please let me know if you are planning to attend any or all events. It will be helpful to get an idea of what to expect.

Sunrise is covering all the costs (except dinner on Saturday) so try to take advantage of at least one session.

We are even working on a way to raffle off a training package for one lucky attendee to receive a 3 month training package from Source Endurance.

I hope to see everyone there!

Martha

Posted in:   Tags: source endurance, surnise, cycling, running, skills

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2009 Ironman Lottery To Open October 1

Application deadline is February 28, 2009

The 2009 Ironman Lottery Program will officially open on Wednesday, October 1 at 12:00 p.m. EST. Athletes interested in earning a slot through the Ironman Lottery must apply by Saturday, February 28, 2009 with all winning entries being announced on Wednesday, April 15, 2009.

Register for the Ironman Lottery Now!

A vision of Ironman founder, John Collins, the Ironman Lottery began in 1983 as a way to provide athletes of all abilities the opportunity to qualify for the world’s most challenging endurance event. The Ironman Lottery awards 150 domestic, 50 international and 5 physically challenged slots that are chosen randomly from more than 7,000 lottery entries.

 
For more information visit www.ironman.com/faq/lotteryfaq or the Lottery Registration page

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Tonight I was able to hear former Olympian Josh Davis speak for the 2nd time in 2 years. He is an amazing, energetic speaker that will blow you away. He reminded me of the 7 habits he follows everyday and encourages young swimmers across the nation to do the same. I adapted these to relate to us and try to live by them as well. I hope you get something out of them too.

 7 Habits of Highly Effective Triathletes

1.    EFFECTIVE TRAINING
The number one secret is that there are no secrets. With three sports, triathlon requires a lot of training. You have to be willing to do the work necessary to attain your desired level of performance. Spend more tim eon your weakest sports to get the most out of your training time.
2.    CONSISTENT TRAINING
It takes a lot of consistent work, over a long period of time, to meet your genetic potential. If you regularly miss workouts, or if your training is haphazard and spotty, it will take longer to get where you want to go, if you get there at all.
3.    ADEQUATE RECOVERY
For all your hard training, improvements in fitness occur during the recovery periods between training sessions, when your body repairs and rebuilds, not during training itself. Positive physiological adaptations only occur with a correctly timed alternation between stress and recovery.
4.    SETTING GOALS
All successful people, whether they sell used cars or win the Hawaii Ironman, have specific, definable and difficult but realistic goals. Goals provide direction, motivation and a sense of purpose.
5.    COACHING
While’s it’s possible to be an effective triathlete without a coach, a good coach can help you to reach your potential, especially in a complex sport like triathlon that requires simultaneous proficiency in three disciplines.
6.    NUTRITION
Well-rounded nutrition is vital to allowing an athlete’s body to recover and improve with each training block and race.
7.    POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE
If you want to be an effective triathlete, you must have the right attitude. Say to yourself, “I will nail this workout,” rather than, “I want to nail this workout.” It’s easy for negative thoughts to come into your head when things aren’t going according to plan during a race. It’s important to notice those thoughts and immediately refocus thinking.
 

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All this Ironman excitement has officially caused mine to return and I finally decided on my next one. Ironman Cozumel it is and I can't wait. Here are some of the reasons I chose this one:

 

1. It is a later fall event, thus the main focused training will most likely be in cooler temperatures. It's almost impossible for me to get in quality bike rides in June and July with the boys swim schedules. Fortunately for me I have a husband that works hard so I can "stay at home" and train in the morning when the boys are in school (thanks Tom!). 

2. Since this is really about making your support crew happy, Tom thought Mexico would be way more fun than Louisville and Arizona. The thought of Tom and the boys hanging out on the beach or lounging in the pool at the resort makes me not feel as bad about all the time I will spend training without them. 

3. All-inclusive resorts in Mexico look to be quite reasonable. If you start saving now you can have the trip paid for several months before arriving -then you can eat and drink for free! At least that's what my boys think every time we go to Jamaica!

4. What better way to finally get those distant family members to care about one of your races. What incredible Thanksgiving memories for everyone! 

5. You can schedule in a few days for rest and relaxation after the race. Every resport has a spa on hand so massages and hot tubs will be numerous and available. 

6. My good buddies John Pat and Craig signed up so the peer pressure was way too much for me to handle. If you want a group to train with we cover all basis. 

7. The course is very flat and it will be confortably warm without the humidity. 

8. And the last reason (for now) - registration was still open!

If you have been thinking about doing an Ironman and are not sure which one or where to begin. I assure you once you pay the astronomical fee you will be ready. We are lucky to have such a diverse club. If you ask you will receive a wealth of knowledge from so many team members of all abilities. We are just waiting to share our stories. 

Don't wait or it might be too late.....

 Martha

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Don't forget the Sunrise meeting August 11th at 7:00pm.

Come swim at Southside from 6-7 and then stay for dinner and a meeting.

We have money to spend and want your input. Alan Harris is going to be available to tell us how we can switch the email group over to the forum without any interruption in service. If you do not like receiving a bunch of emails than you may want to come hear what he has to say. We also need to start thinking about nominations for next year's officers. It's been fun but it's time for some new energy and ideas.

Remember, this is YOUR club. If you have complaints about what your officers are doing to represent YOU then come share them (we don't know unless you tell us).

Please RSVP so Clarke can get a good head count for the food.

The entire family is invited!!! We will have a lifeguard there to watch the kids while we eat and meet.

Martha

Posted in:   Tags: swiming, food, money

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The wildly popular Southside swims with Dustin will sadly come to end a week from today. The original plan was to offer these swims as a benefit to those training for DeGray. Seeing that Arakadelphia is NEXT WEEKEND (yikes!) the time to end is near.

Butch may be willing to workout an "open swim" arrangement if pool time is available. He does not return from vacation until next week so look for more information to follow later.

Martha

Posted in:   Tags: swim

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Don't forget that every Monday and Wednesday evening from 6-7pm we have "free" coached swim workouts for Sunrise Members. They are held at Southside Swim Club in the 50 meter pool. There is also an indoor 25 yard pool that is available when the weather does not cooperate. All levels are welcome. Come take advantage of one of the many perks to being a Sunrise member.

Let me know if you have any questions. 

Martha

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