Two against one....

Today's event (workout) was fun. Dave and I met at Vickie's house for a duathlon...but with a Dave twist. Vickie did two bike laps followed by two run laps while Dave and I relayed for an entire hour. She's a super tough competitor and she did beat us... Congrats Vic!!!

Sometimes when I exercise with my super athletic friends I get a little intimidated. To me they are pretty hard core and no matter how hard I try they will always be stronger and faster then I am. My only frustration today was just how fast my body wants to shut down after I start these brick workouts. I can go about 200 yards on my mtn bike and my legs just can't keep a strong hard pace and then I get upset with myself. I want to do well...I want to be fast... Any hill, I don't care how tiny really sucks the life from my body and ugh... I don't know why this is happening to me and when I won't feel this way anymore. Could be I'm just a sore loser.

Perhaps a little PMS has got my head thinking backwards and not forwards... I'm glad I get a do-over tomorrow :)

It's been days!

It's been several days since I've posted but nothing really fun or new has happened. Well, except this! I got another email from the Ironman volunteer lady and it turns out that she was WRONG when she told me volunteers get to register for 09 the same day racers do. Volunteers register on Monday, the same day as the public except in a different line. So, just hope that it does not sell out before Monday. My guess is that it won't, but you never know.

Yesterday was a windy ride with my women's group. There are 18 of us who ride together and it sure is fun! We made our way up to the McDowell Mtn area and then back around town. I was determined this time to not be last the entire ride. Sometimes I get really tired of feeling like a burden and there is just one way to cure that - speed up! On our way out I was pretty sluggish and the first climb was slow but we turned a corner and I had just had enough! I pushed hard to put a few people behind me on one of the smaller hills and I was pleased not to be last again. We stopped for a water refill at a gas station where I slammed down some Shot Blocks and wow, something happened to me after that. I was going about 20 mph and on the heels of one of the fast women in the group. She and I quickly moved forward and soon could no longer see the rest of the group behind us. I went from the back of the group to the lead and it sure did feel awesome! This is the kind of rider I strive to be... What a perfect way to end a long ride :)

Splash & Dash #2

First I need to set the record straight on something. Rick was all over me yesterday after he read my blog about the mountain bike ride Dave took to Anthem from Bartlett. Dave's mountain bike ride was "not just to Anthem," Rick was quick to tell me. He left Bartlett, went into Cave Creek, North into Seven Springs then went towards I17 on Table Mesa Rd. Now for those of us who don't know that area it's because nobody ever ventures out there except maybe Jeep tours or crazy adventure dudes like Dave. He went about 35 miles without seeing a single soul and only 80oz of water. It was very dangerous and just the fact that he didn't get attacked by or see a Mountain Lion is a miracle. Not a recommended route choice for any novice Mountain Bikers....

I participated in the second Splash & Dash last night. It was a 750 meter swim followed by a 4k. I had a swim lesson yesterday morning and wanted to practice what I had learned. What I didn't really realize was just how tired my body was. I finished the event but certainly did not swim my best or run very fast. The run portion was pretty hard because I had stomach cramps and my legs were really heavy. This morning I woke up stiff and with some lactic acid...which I have not felt in several months. Dave was quick to tell me that today is my rest day - do nothing! I'm doing just that and trying not to feel guilty about it. A part of me said, just hike up Squaw Peak, and I did seriously consider it, but I need to really focus on recovery days and let my body make all those fabulous changes Dave talks about.

Until next time - take it outside!

Mental Strength vs. Physical Strength

Remember several blogs ago when I expressed the need for a challenge that would truly kick my butt? I wanted to find my breaking point just to know how much I could actually take. Well I'm not sure but maybe yesterday was it....you decide.

I knew that a bike ride out to Bartlett Lake would be the ultimate test of physical and mental strength. Every person I told about my desire to ride this loop thought I was crazy...it's REALLY hard, is pretty much what I heard over and over. In fact I think everyone else BUT me thought it may be to soon for me to try this ride. I never doubted myself coming into this. I am stubborn enough that I would walk all 40 miles if I had to just to prove that I could do it! Nevertheless, yesterday was it - the ride to Bartlett.

Dave drove his SUV out to Horseshoe Lake and mtn biked up towards Anthem for what turned out to be 50 miles and nearly 6 hours for him. WOW - imagine 50 freakin miles on your mountain bike! Something I have ZERO desire to do. Anyway, my plan was to ride my road bike from the bottom of Pima and the 101 to Bartlett and then drive his SUV to pick him up in Anthem. We had a plan, and I had a "rescue plan" in case something happened and I could not finish.

I felt really great leaving. My ride up Pima was pretty easy and I kept a steady 10 - 12 mph pace. Then I had a flat. I was prepared for this...but what I WAS NOT prepared for was how beat up, and cut up my tire was. This tire would not make it to Bartlett and now I'm in a situation. I absolutely refuse to call for help. I will finish this. I contacted my friend S.M. who found me a bike shop in Carefree....great news right. Well, it's on the opposite side of town which means a nice ride down hill gives me another 10 miles UP hill back to the start at Pima and Cave Creek Rd. I lost over an hour but left the shop with two new tires and tubes. I was ready to roll again. (shout out to the guys at Flat Tire Bike Shop - they were really awesome)

Let's get serious here...this was the most mentally challenging ride, or workout, that I have ever done. Being alone and the cars are either zooming by or it's totally silent really takes a toll on your mind. The ride up Cave Creek Rd was the longest and hardest ride of my life! In fact, I walked some of it. I would ride for 15 minutes and then walk for 15. Then I would ride for 10, walk for 15. Mental games got me through it...and the hand of my Heavenly Father.

I finally made it to the Bartlett Lake turn and I was home free. I knew I had 17 miles to go and I was thinking about the air conditioned car, a tall Coke and getting to Dave as fast as I could because I knew his ride was harder then mine...but that 17 miles was steep so I walked/ride the entire way. Scared to be alone and fall off my bike for the birds and bugs to eat me, I said a prayer...."Lord, if today is the day I die please save my soul and bring me home. And please let Dave, Windy, Brigid or Vickie know that one of them needs to do Ironman on my behalf. Amen" :)

I walked and rode and finished my ride around 1:00pm. I never sat and rested (except when my bike was getting fixed), I never cried and I never picked up the phone to have somebody come and get me. I said a lot of foul words and foul word combinations and I savored all of the things we take for granted daily when I finished....like that air conditioned SUV, the Coke and the company of my friend and trainer Dave (who I was worried about all day).

Will I do it again - NEVER! But I'm glad I did it once....

"Bike Butt"

Today is MY super Tuesday and here's why. So I signed up to volunteer for Ironman this year. Somebody told me that volunteers get to register for Ironman 2009 BEFORE the general pubic and it turns out - IT'S TRUE! Yesterday I received volunteer instructions from the woman who runs registration and I told her I could not help the day I had to stand in line to sign up for 09...you know what she said! Volunteers get to sign up the same day the racers do!!! She told me to come early and get it done, then help at the table. That means I'm in for sure and WOW - I'm really excited. Ironman is in my cards...

Dave and I went for a really cool bike ride today around Mummy Mtn. I had never heard it called that before but it's up towards Camelback and some of the roads I had been on with my women's group. We did some major climbs that I couldn't believe I was able to do! I was so proud of myself today....These were not just baby climbs either. This was some serious stuff and the crazy thing is - I didn't want to stop climbing. I felt so fresh and strong that I could have gone for another 20 mile ride.

Oh, something new to think about. You know I've been having "bike butt" chaffing where my shorts rub under my cheeks so I tried using Body Glide on my cheek creases before I left. Great stuff!!! I don't have "bike butt" today.... :) (a little visual entertainment for you)

Here is the pretty cool thing I was thinking about on my way home from Dave's. I'm really starting to notice my endurance level increase again. Sometimes it's one or two steps further then before but there are those days when I just can't believe how strong I am and how much I can take. I'm so fortunate and thankful to have Dave on my side! We've been training together 4x's a week for 6 months and he's not sick of me yet... I keep my head focused on my goal, train hard and never give up....thanks again Dave for everything you do.

Sexy!

Gilmore was a blast! Let me start off by saying that I STINK at navigating. I'm not sure if I'm just really bad or the map size totally threw me off but man, I cost my team a win and I feel really bad about that part.

We were two teams of two so Leslie and I set off feeling really groovy. The hike section was up a giant hill full of stickers but we found a really great way through this nice wash on our way down so we were happy...

We hit the bike section feeling strong and ready to roll. I'm thankful for all the teams that helped us find out way. Well, the bike section is where I really screwed up and we went UUUPPPP and down these hills for about 30 minutes in the wrong direction. What's worse is that we had to go back UUUPPP the hills another 30 minutes to get back onto the correct path. Our legs were toast by then but we pressed on at probably the slowest pace I've ever held...and it was still too fast for my tired legs. Let me tell you something.... we had to pass the TA on our way to the last bike CP and that was mentally challenging for me. I didn't want to bike anymore. I didn't want to pass the TA - I wanted to STOP in the TA! Of course we didn't stop....we finished with The Wall....

Leslie and I knew the wall was coming but up close and personal, it was a giant. We watched another team use the low crawl tube as a ladder so we did the same. However, the leap up towards the top of the wall was scary and it took me several minutes to get my nerve up. I was so tired and unsure if I could hold my weight...but I did. Why was I second guessing this when I do pull-ups at the gym with Dave ALL THE TIME! It's no different - I took a deep breath and a big leap and look at me!!! I made it!!!! Here comes my partner with no troubles at all and at that moment I was so proud for us!!!

It was a great way to spend a Saturday. I'm glad to be back in Adventure Racing and look forward to the challenges that the Monsoon Adventure Race brings next month. Rick and I are doing the long course so my day will be longer and harder...but I'm ready! - "Bring it"

Packing for Gilmore

Packing the camper for the Gilmore race tomorrow... This is so exciting!