I Tri(ed)

Saturday was the second annual Omaha Women's Triathlon. My friend Kayla (who you may remember from last year as my pregnant by-stander friend) wanted to check a triathlon off her bucket list, so I agreed I'd do it with her.

About three weeks before the triathlon was to happen, I was having second thoughts. I had moved three (yes, three) times during the course of "training" and had really been slacking. I was getting only a couple of my week's workouts in, and I really wasn't feeling good about my abilities. But after a pep-talk with Kayla (at least that's what I'll call it), I decided I couldn't back out. So away we went.

After a 750-meter swim (a half-mile), a 20K bike (12.4 miles), and a 5K run (3.1 miles), my legs were completely exhausted, but the triathlon was complete! I didn't do as well as I could have if I had trained appropriately, but I did beat least year's time... by 5 seconds! Not bad for not training. My goal was to finish in under 2 hours, and I did beat that by 5 minutes. Win. Maybe for my next tri, I'll train and do better ;)

I have decided that the run is really the crucial part. That's what will make or break your time. Mine, at least. The swim will never be my strongest leg. I grew up as a fish in the swimming pool and beach, but the crawl stroke while I'm being kicked and hit by fellow swimmers just isn't my forte. The bike is easy for me to push it a little extra, especially when I know the route. But the run. I've never been a runner by trade, only by training. I've never excelled in it, despite all the races I've done, but I do it to accomplish a set goal. Kayla, however, IS a runner. Which is why, after being ahead of her for the swim AND the bike, she kicked my butt in the run. And beat me by a full 10 minutes. So next time... the run. I'll get the run.

Kayla, Kasey, and I before the race began.

Next year, Kasey will be flexing her guns too.

One of my cheerleaders, Kate. Oh yes, she made a sign. She's just that great :)

Transition area.

Not-so-flattering, but whatever.

Can you see the exhaustion in my face??

Asking at this point whether Kayla was ahead or behind me... and making sure she wasn't the lady in the ambulance.

Mallory was a rockstar and finished the race with me. After she had already finished. 


We decided this should go on the cover of the new Corning-Villisca newspaper (since she's from Villisca). We used to be rivals. Now we're Timberwolves. Or something like that....

Kayla, Me, and Mallory after the finish. SUCCESS!!

My final time was 1:55:32. I finished 120th out of approximately 300 ladies. Not the best in the world, but mine and I'm proud of it. I finished. Did YOU??

The Second Half

As I discussed before, I'm a Goals kind of person. I need goals to stay on track. Especially when it comes to working out. So again this year, I set a goal to run a half marathon. I retrieved my online training program once again, put it all on my calendar, and got to work.

And ten weeks later, it was time for the Half.

Kayla and I ventured to Kansas City to run their annual Half Marathon. We took along Kasey (Kayla's little one) and Jill, who was a trooper and came along to watch Kasey while Kayla was running. Even though it was two days, it was a very fun girls' weekend.

We drove the three hours, chatting and gossiping, and catching up on life. And Kasey slept the entire time. Once we arrived, we got settled in our hotel room (that we booked the night before), picked up our packets, and went to Plaza for dinner. We took in our fair share (and then some) of pasta and cheesecake. De-LISH!

The next day Kayla and I ran our 13.1 miles, then Jill and Kasey met us at the finish line.

And we succeeded! Kayla ran her first post-baby half marathon, and I beat my previous half marathon time. Both great feats for a fall Saturday.

Girls' Night Out at the Cheesecake Factory: Jill, me, Kayla, and Kasey

Kayla and I anticipating the start of the race... and trying not to freeze!

2 hour and 8 minutes later... The Finish Line!

Post-Race

86 Miles Later....

After last year's 86-mile relay run, I swore I wouldn't do it again.

Apparently I lied.

We ran it again.

This year was the fourth annual Market to Market Relay Run, that begins at Omaha's Old Market and finishes 86 miles later at Lincoln's Haymarket Park. It's a team relay, with each leg of the race being three to five miles. Each runner runs an average of three times, and each team has a van that rushes the next runner to the next checkpoint. And of course, each team has their own costume.

Last year we got second place in the women's division, coming in just four minutes slower than the winning team. And for an 11-hour race, four minutes is pretty minimal. This year our goal was to win, but it didn't happen. The competition was much stiffer... and some of our teammates decided it was time to have babies! We ended up in 7th place in our division, but we had a great time anyway.

About two hours into the day. Finishing my first leg and handing off to Theresa.

Waiting at a checkpoint. The Dashing Divas on the Run (minus Kayla, who was running):

Me, Amy L., Theresa, Eric (our rockstar driver), Shannon, Mallory, and Katie.

Kayla and I just after I finished my first leg.

Kayla, me, and Theresa waiting at another checkpoint.

All done! Eleven hours later at the Finish Line Shindig at Haymarket Park in Lincoln.

(I couldn't walk for the next three days.)

12 Mile Torture

I'm a goals kind of a person. Every New Year's Eve I set goals instead of resolutions. Then, as the year goes on, I cross off my goals and set new ones. These goals are what get me going every day. They what help me stay on task. They're the reason I run.

I don't enjoy running. Trust me. With each mile, I'd rather be walking... I'd rather be riding my bike... I'd rather be sitting on the couch. But I have goals to achieve. My current goal: a 13.1-mile half marathon and an 86-mile relay race. Actually, I set these goals so that I will work out. If I don't have an end to work toward, I take the day off. And the next day. And the next. It's a vicious cycle for me.

So how's the training going? Successfully. Today I completed the longest run of the training program, a 12 mile run. Yes, twelve miles. The last few miles were rough, but we did it. I've been running with a good friend, Kayla (who by the way just had a baby girl a couple months ago). She keeps me going. Even on mile 9 when I want to quit.

So what's my message to you?
Set goals.
Have something to work toward.
Accomplish something.
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Muddy Buddies

Last weekend a couple fabulous friends and I decided quite spur of the moment to do the Mud Run'11. I didn't really know what we were getting into until the drive there.

The run was a 3 1/2 mile off-road course with three mud pits, a giant slip-n-slide, obstacles to jump over, and creeks to cross.

But it wasn't a solo race. We did the "Worm Race", in which three team members are tethered together with a 16ft bungee cord. If one person falls, all three fall. If one goes over the obstacle, all three go under.

It was quite an adventure. We didn't win any awards and I don't have an 'after' picture, but you can see the 'before'. Oh yes, and there was a costume contest. Clearly.

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