Spring Base Camp: A Weekend of Firsts

As you might have heard, Mr K is training for his first Half Ironman coming up in April in Galveston.  This training has brought many new experiences for Mr K and for me by proxy.  One of these new opportunities was the chance to attend a spring base camp hosted by Coach Frank and Debra of Tri-Now Endurance.  Mr K has been training for his big race with Tri-Now Endurance and I can't recommend them enough if you are looking for a friendly and knowledgeable training group.

The view from our porch at Tin Star Ranch

We headed out early Friday morning, our destination was Tin Star Ranch in the Texas Hill Country.  We elected to skip the Interstate and take the back roads and were rewarded with terrific scenery.  You just can't beat a road trip to the Texas Hill Country on a sunny Friday.  Upon arrival we fell in love with our rustic cabin and the scenic views.  It was hard to be motivated to ride my bike when the rocking chair and wrap-around porch called my name.  However, we had work to do.  The theme for the camp was "A Weekend of Firsts" and my mind was open to learning new things.  I want to become a stronger cyclist and I have so many things to learn and experience.

I think that I could live in this little cabin

We started off with a talk about nutrition and recovery given by Coach Frank.  Lots of good information as fueling on the bike (and for a triathlon) is so different from fueling for a run alone.  We also had a preview of our afternoon ride and discussion on how to ride a hill effectively. Then we took off for our first ride.  Is there a better way to spend a Friday afternoon?  We traveled on 22 miles of old German farm roads complete with cattle guards and sweeping views.  There were times when we had cows crossing the road in front of us and we saw a field full of baby sheep running beside their mamas - bleating the entire time!  I would have taken one home with me if I could have figured out how to carry it on my bike.  There were hills too, but I rode my best and made it up all of them.  After the ride we went out for a run.  Triathletes call running off of the bike a "brick" and I can now say that I have experienced a brick.  Holy crackers my legs felt so heavy, like nothing I have experienced before.  A weekend of firsts, right? While we were running this brick, Coach Frank took video of us so that we could look at our running form later in the weekend.

The Tri Besties Prepare for the Frigid Water

The next day we got up bright and early and drove over to Kerrville so that the triathletes could experience an open water swim in the waters of the Guadalupe.  It was quite a scene as they all donned their wetsuits and braved the 62 degree water.  I was not envious of them at all and admired their guts for getting out there.  After the swim they packed up their swim gear and we all hopped on our bikes for the ride back to Tin Star Ranch.  Some in the group would ride all the way back to Tin Star (50+ miles), but I knew that I would be stopping in Fredericksburg (35 miles).  The first few miles were stop and go as we had to get out of Kerrville, but then we hit the open road and things got much better.  Once again we were on the old German farm roads with some incredible views.  There was a clear stream that meandered along the road and I often wondered what that water felt like as the temperatures soared to 90 degrees.  I focused on getting up those hills again and only walked my bike up one of them.  I probably could have ridden it, but I wanted to conserve my energy for the upcoming rides.  Once we were back on the ranch we went out on another brick.  I felt every one of those 90 degrees, it was only 25 degrees when I ran on Thursday morning. 

A Cyclist's Dream

We ran out of daylight before we could go out for the afternoon ride, but it gave me an opportunity to sit in the rocking chair on that lovely patio.  I honestly think that I could sit there for hours on end looking out at that pretty view.  I can't explain the beauty of the Texas Hill Country.  We enjoyed a group dinner at a terrific restaurant in downtown Fredericksburg.  Such a charming town!

Sunrise at Tin Star Rance

The plan was to ride again on Sunday, but the weather had other plans for us.  We literally felt the cold front come sweeping by in an instant as we stood outside on the patio.  It was in the 60s when we woke up and in the 40s by the time we left camp a couple hours later.  By the time we arrived home in Dallas the roads were covered in ice and the temperatures were in the 20s.  The rain and cooler temperatures gave us a chance to review the run videos that Coach Frank took on Friday.  I gotta tell you, it was very enlightening!  I have some habits that are burning up so much extra energy and I'm already working on fixing them.



I loved my time in the Hill Country and I'm already planning a trip back so that I can run, ride, and sit in that rocking chair again.  My love for Texas is deep, but a trip like this reminds me just how special our state is.

Cowtown Half Marathon: Earning My Spurs





There are some races that just standout as "favorites" on the run calendar.  The Cowtown Half is certainly one of those.  This was my sixth time to run the Cowtown Half (insert "where has time gone" cliche here) and many of those years have brought stories.  Remember the first year with the freezing cold, high winds, and ridiculous hip pain?  What about the year that I kicked Mr K out of the car on the highway as we were stuck in the worst traffic ever? Always a grand adventure in the Town of the Cow.

Coming soon to a Half Ironman near you: The TriBesties

I had no real time goals coming into this race and I have been trying to approach half marathons with a more natural, laid back attitude.  I have taken to starting my watch then never looking at it again, letting the legs do what they want to do on that day.  I have had some really good races since I started this approach last year in Oklahoma City and I plan to continue it.  Wouldn't you know it, we trained during some of the coldest weather that North Texas has seen in years....and race day dawned warm and humid.  Humidity is no friend of mine and I have had some absolutely horrid experiences on days like this one.  In the past I chose to ignore the weather and push hard in the first ten miles of the race, only to blow up and hate life in the later miles.  This has happened at least three times in recent memory and each time I end up with a time just over two hours.  This time I made an effort to keep the pace more conservative in the beginning in order to have a more pleasant experience.

Team K (Pic: Mama C)

I really enjoy this course despite the added challenge of the hills, the organizers do a terrific time showing off the best parts of Fort Worth.  My favorite section comes just before mile 7 as we run through the historic Fort Worth Stockyards.  The most infamous hill comes around mile 9 as we climb the Main Street bridge leading into my other favorite part of the race - Sundance Square.  The worst part of the Main Street hill is that you can see it coming for more than a half of a mile.  The best part of that hill is that there is always a frunner or two at the top to cheer you on.  I have found that it is best to count the lamp posts on this hill rather than looking at the whole thing all at once.  I started at a fairly conservative pace, but decided that I had more in the tank and felt pretty proud of myself as I passed several dudes on the way up.  As expected, Fred and Music Mary were waiting near the top. 

Passing the dudes on that hill (Pic: Music Mary)

The full marathoners and ultra marathoners split from us half marathoners around mile 10 and I sent all of my best energy to them at the split.  It was not an easy day to run a marathon, but they were getting it done.  As bad as the hill at mile 9 is, I think that the one around mile 11 might be worst.  It is far shorter and more steep and the mental energy is starting to wane by that part.  The good news is that there is a rocking downhill about a quarter mile later and I let it all go.  I don't care what anyone says, I LOVE running downhill.

Spoiler alert....I finished!

I was so focused on finishing strong that I almost missed the hot dog that was calling out my name.  Yep, you read that right.  TPG was dressed as a hot dog and was holding a picture of Kid President that read "you were born to be awesome." Did I notice my friend or the random hot dog?  Nope.  I only saw Kid President before realizing that someone was saying my name before realizing that it was my friend...dressed in a hot dog suit.  Race amnesia at its finest, y'all!

And all I saw was Kid President... (Pic: Mama C)

Shortly after that the race was done and I was pleased to see 1:58 on my watch.  I was so pleased to have a strong and consistent run in the humidity.  It was slower than I would have liked, but it sure beats blowing up at mile 10 and finishing the remaining miles in misery.  I was even more proud when I saw my pacing according to the race results: 5K - 9:06, 10K - 9:10, 11 mile - 9:08, Finish - 9:04. Looks like the hill repeats in the later miles of my long runs paid off!

Post Race With My Girls Marci and Mama C (Pic: Mama C)

The best part of Cowtown is the time spent with frunners at our traditional pre and post race hang outs.  While the weather was warm for running, it was perfect for enjoying some chicken fried bacon and a cold beer on a shady patio.  I enjoy the challenge that training and racing brings, but the thing that keeps me coming back for more is the friendships that I have made in the process. 

Another Great Day in The Town of the Cow (Pic: Mama C)