2015: A Breakthrough Year!

I love data and numbers and each year I look forward to compiling them all to see just how my year "measured up." I suppose that is the therapist in me, looking for a way to quantify the sweat and work that happens in the days between January 1st and December 31st. That being said, the therapist in me also knows that there is way more to a year than simply a list of numbers.  They provide a great measure for us, but a list of numbers does not tell the true story.  This year was a "breakthrough" year for me as I experienced more growth than I knew was possible.  Just goes to show you that turning 40 does not mean that one has to slow down, quite the contrary! 

Run - my first love, always.
I'm not one of those runners who keeps a daily run streak as it does not fit my training style or purpose.  I think that a daily streak would turn running into a chore for me, and is the last thing that I want to do. I have, however, managed to create a bit of an annual mileage streak for myself. In 2010 I completed my first ever 1000 mile running year.  It felt like a nice base of miles and I decided to keep the goal for the following year.  In 2011 I trained for my first marathon and my mileage got a slight bump up as a result and it put me in the 1100 mile range.  Once again, this amount of mileage felt good to me and I decided to challenge myself to maintain it for another year.  I finished 2015 with 1123 miles which brings my 1000+ mile streak to 6 years and my 1100+ streak to 5 years.  Can you see my love of consistency?!  I am down 38 miles from last year, but my training changed a great deal as I completed my first Half Ironman 70.3 distance triathlon this year.  I need to look back and find my all-time mileage total, I'm estimating that it is approaching 7,600 miles since I started this journey in the late spring of 2008.  

The second half of the year brought growth as a runner.  I found myself in a bit of a plateau after 2014 and during the beginning of 2015.  I just didn't feel like I was progressing as much as a runner and I began to think that perhaps I'd leveled off and maintaining my current level might be the way to go.  My Redman 70.3 training brought a different approach as I trained by heart rate and time instead of pace and miles.  I actually slowed down for a while (which felt like a huge leap of faith on my part!) and ended up getting faster.  The DRC Half on November 1 was my fastest half marathon of the year and the Dallas Marathon Half on December 13 was my fastest half marathon since the Oklahoma City Marathon Half in April 2013.  I had some strong training runs in November and December and I'm feeling optimistic about the coming year! 

Bike - the biggest breakthrough.
My relationship with the bike can be described as complicated.  At first, the bike was all about fun and a way to recover from the long runs of marathon training.  I was "slow" but I was okay with that as speed was never really the goal.  I upgraded my road bike and grew a good deal in 2014 - it felt great, but I knew that I would need to be much stronger on the bike if I wanted to be successful at triathlons.  I also knew that the success on the bike is a huge component in a successful 70.3 so starting in early June I approached bike training like it was my job.  Once again, training by heart rate really helped me to gauge my efforts and know when I should be pushing harder.  Mr K was generous enough to loan me his tri bike and I learned how to ride in aero and how to eat and drink on the bike.  I spent countless hours on the mean streets of Frisco and Plano as each Saturday brought another long ride, I was lucky enough to have Mr K by my side for many of these adventures.  I long and steady and I rode hard intervals, I dreaded the Wednesday morning trainer rides - but I got em all done.  I'll never forget that one August day, dreading the red lights because standing still was unbearably hot and actually made my heart rate go higher than riding.  These moments could have broken me, but somehow I emerged stronger and more confident.  My bike at Redman 70.3 was the strongest ride of my life and perhaps one of the things I'm most proud of for the whole year.  I ended up with 1676.57 miles on the bike in 2015 - that is 535 more than last year. 

I have made it a goal to continue my bike fitness even in the off season.  Mr K and I have joined the Shawnee Trail Cycling Club and have been making it out to weekly group rides consistently.  It was on one of these Thursday night rides when it hit me how much I was enjoying my bike and that I had truly experienced a breakthrough year. 

Triathlon - my new love.
On December 30, 2014 I signed up for my first sprint triathlon - the St Paddy's Day Tri on March 15.  I had no idea how this simple act would enhance my life, I can honestly say that I fell in love with triathlon in 2015.  Needless to say, my first triathlon went very well - so well that I did my second triathlon in April (and found myself on the podium!) and signed up for Redman 70.3 shortly after that.  Yep, it felt like a huge leap to me too - the girl who ran 25 half marathons before running her 1st marathon - but it also felt right.  You've heard the saying: If your dreams don't scare you, they aren't big enough. I was nervous, but I knew that I could do it...and I did.  And I can't wait to do it again in 2016.  I don't know when or where, but I have plans and goals and I can't wait to get going on those.  I've been working hard to build the base here in the off season, it is going to be great!

I ran 14 races this year, including 4 triathlons, as well as 6 bike rallies.  Race distances include: 6 half marathons (life total of 55), 1 25K, 1 15K, 2 5Ks.  I swam 99.25 miles and I spent 85 hours training in the gym, mostly all at boot camp and Pilates.  My long-time trainer and friend moved away in August as she got the opportunity of the life-time.  You may have heard of Jen Welter, she was the first woman to coach in the NFL.  I miss her and our time in the gym together immensely, but I appreciate the strong "mental game" that she left with me.  It has been awesome to see her do her thing on a national stage and I wish her all the best. 

Like I said, the numbers are fun, but they do not begin to tell the whole story.  I could not do it alone and have run, ridden, and swum many of these miles with my best friend, husband, and training partner Mr K. We constantly push and pull each other and I could not imagine doing it without him by my side (or sometimes just in front of me). It was his gentle nudge that got me into the pool on that hot August day.  It sounds cliche, but I fully believe that I have been given the best group of friends on the planet.  It has been an honor to cheer them on, both in person and virtually, as they have managed to accomplish nothing short of the incredible just this year alone - we are talking 50 mile runs, 100 mile mountain bike rides in Leadville, and so many Ironman triathlons.  They push me (and sometimes pull me) and encourage me to go beyond what I thought was ever possible. 

El Scorcho: My Mid-Summer Classic

Mid-July means that it is time for the Mid-Summer Classic.  For many of you this brings to mind the MLB All Star Game, that comes to my mind too, but it also brings El Scorcho - my own Mid-Summer Classic.  El Scorcho offers 50K and 25K options and is run at midnight each July at Trinity Park in Fort Worth.  The race is broken down into 5K loops - 5 for the 25K and 10 for the 50K.  This year marked the ninth running, a race that started when a local runner wanted to run 30 miles to mark his 30th birthday.  Registration traditionally opens the day after Cowtown in late February and it typically sells out in a few days.  This race has a quirky, cult like following - part of the added charm!  Not to mention that it benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society - a very worthy cause.

This was my fifth time to run El Scorcho and I decided to add to the challenge of the event by starting the day off with open water swimming.  The race's midnight start time is a little easier to handle with an afternoon nap and what makes one more sleepy than a good swim?  I am not sure how I developed a lifestyle that involves waking up before the sun to swim in a lake and then running 25K at midnight...but I wouldn't trade a bit of it. 

Starting the day with open water swim (Pic: Tri-Now Endurance)

We arrived at the park sometime after 10:00 and set up camp in our usual spot.  Another key to El Scorcho success is arriving "early" in order to let your eyes adjust to the dark.  It also helps to be out of the air conditioning for a little bit so that it is not such a shock to the system.  Earlier, while Mr K and I were at dinner, the news reporters kept talking about how hot it was out there.  I tried to tune it out and remembered the first year I ran El Scorcho.  It was one of the hottest summers on record and the temperatures were still around 95 when we started at midnight.  I ran a little bit scared that night, taking special care to stay on top of hydration and electrolytes.  The 50K race started at 11:00 this year, a change from past years as I think that they are still trying to find a way to efficiently manage that distance. We didn't know anyone running the 50K this year, but we gave them a big cheer as they started their loops.  How anyone runs 10 loops in that park I'll never know.

Pre-race with Bal (Pic: Bal and Michelle)

In the past, I have come into this race in various states of training.  My first year it was my longest race ever, the next two years El Scorcho fell in the middle of marathon training and I even ran an "extra credit" loop to end my night with 18 miles (nuts, I know), last year I was trained for the distance but had little speedwork under my belt at that point, and this year I am in the middle of training for a half Ironman.  Much like last year, I felt confident in the distance but have been running by heart rate based training which is slower than my usual pace.  I usually come into the race with fairly rested legs; however, this time my training is so different and I came in with 56 bike miles on my legs from the day before.  I decided to run the race solely by feel and not constantly check my watch for pace or heart rate.

Lap 1

32:20

Average pace 10:24/mile

5K Rank: 153
I like to think of El Scorcho as five individual loops.  It just works better for my brain that way and feels way more attainable.  I took the beginning mile super easy, noting the changes in surfaces and letting my eyes adjust to the dark.  The race always consists of various surfaces including crushed limestone, grass, asphalt, sidewalk, and even a basketball court.  I hoped that I could maintain a consistent pace over the loops and used this loop to familiarize myself with the aide stations and landmarks along the way.  That is another secret to surviving El Scorcho - learn the lay of the land and use that to your advantage.

Beginning of lap 2 or maybe 3 (Pic: Michelle)

Lap 2 
1:05:13
Average pace 10:30/mile
10K Rank: 143
I came off the first loop feeling strong and didn't need to stop at our home base for any thing.  I simply filled up my handheld at the aide station and set out on the second loop.  The moon was merely a sliver in the sky so parts of the park were dark.  I can't say enough about the volunteers and the spectators at El Scorcho.  They are pretty amazing to give up a night of sleep to come and sit in a hot park and cheer for us.  And have I mentioned the cold and wet paper towels?  Hard to believe that such a small thing could be such a game changer!  I looked forward to grabbing one of those about half way through each loop.  I marveled at the faster runners as they would come flying by me - how could they see well enough to run that fast?  And how do they run that fast in the heat?  Amazing.  Somewhere near the start/finish line I heard a familiar Cajun voice - Byron!  That guy brings the energy, even in the middle of the night.  It is always so much fun to see him!

Special appearance by Byron!

Lap 3 
1:38:56
Average pace 10:37/mile
15K Rank: 126
I made a quick stop at our home base after finishing the second loop for a swig or two of pickle juice and a bit of a breather.  I knew that I was getting a bit slower with each loop, but I was still feeling strong so I was not too concerned about it.  It is somewhere around 1:30 in the morning by this point - one of the most bizarre feelings ever.  I was dialed into my loop routine by now: run out to "Siberia" where the friendly course guides were (the poor guy was all alone in the dark last year - this year he had lights and a fan and people - a nice upgrade for him!), then the cold paper towel people, up a small hill, aide station with the electrolytes, into the dark frog park (the frogs were so loud!), and across the start/finish line.  My friend Stude passed me near the end of this loop - calling out "one more loop!" So speedy, that guy. It is always a boost to see a familiar face in the dark.

Lap 4 
2:12:48
Average pace 10:40/mile
20K Rank: 119
It is a great feeling to realize that I have already run 9.3 miles, but I also knew that the final two loops of the race can be tough mentally.  I still felt great physically, but the loops start to wear on me by this point and I am starting to thing about being done.  I break up my landmarks into even smaller sections and I try to let my mind wander a bit just to pass the time.  It was probably somewhere in this point that I realized that this is some of the best mental training that I can do for the run part of my upcoming half Ironman.  Nothing builds mental toughness like running alone in a park in the dark!  I know that I will feel much like this by the end of my triathlon and I try to soak that in.

Post-race with Stude (Pic: Andy)

Lap 5
2:47:01
Average pace 10:45/mile
25K Rank: 113
Last loop, y'all!  I decided to make a quick porta potty break at the beginning of the last loop, the body can get a little bit confused about running at that hour of the night.  The last loop is tough, but it is also like a victory lap.  I look forward to telling all of the volunteers at the aide stations that this is my last loop and to thanking them for giving up sleep to help all of us weirdos.  One last time through all of my landmarks and one last time to think about how El Scorcho never gets any easier.  I am a true half marathoner at heart, and the miles between 13 and 15 seemed to take forever.  Finally I could see the red glow of the clock at the finish line and I tried to pick it up for a strong finish.  El Scorcho is never easy and I'm grateful to have another finish under my belt.

Time: 2:47:01
Average pace: 10:45/mile
43rd out of 160 female finishers
113 out of 303 finishers
Not my fastest, but far from my slowest - I was very pleased with the effort considering my current training.  As I stood there at the finish line, catching my breath, I was reminded just what a challenge running can be.  Any day night that I can run 15.5 miles is a good day night in my book!  Of course, there are always a few things that I wish I could have done better, but all in all I am pleased.  It was a bit of a shock to look at my watch and realize that it is around 3:00 in the morning.  Mr K and I visited with friends for around a little bit, took a few more pictures, and enjoyed breakfast tacos before we packed up and hit the road.  Last year we discovered another El Scorcho survival tip - if we can get to sleep before the sun comes up then we can keep the sleep cycle somewhat intact and avoid the "El Scorcho Curse" during the following week.  We were like vampires racing the sun back to our hotel!

So there you have it, another El Scorcho in the books.  I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday night smack in the middle of the summer.  This race is so unique and challenging - I hope that I am able to be back again for many years to come!

Quick Hits: Summer Funnin' Edition

The typically busy end-of-school-year and laid back beginning of summer means that I have not checked in here in quite a while!  I think about it often, just never seem to find the time to sit down and crank out a blog post.  So how about some quick hits, summer funnin' style?

Life on the patio

Back In The Saddle

School was out on a Friday afternoon and I was at the Mesquite Rodeo Ride bright and early on Saturday morning.  It felt great to hit the open road again and I was missing my bike, Johann, as I had not been on it much at all this spring.  The folks in Mesquite always put on a nice rally with a well marked route, officers at the intersections, precious little chip seal, and delicious food at the end.  I was ready to be done by the end of the 40 mile route and very thankful that I was not riding the 60 mile route that day.

The next Saturday brought another favorite, the Collin Classic.  I had memories of last year being hot, windy, and miserable at the end and I looked forward to getting that monkey off of my back.  It turned out to be a great day with lots of cloud cover and the occasional rain shower.  Hard to top that in June!  Once again we were treated to a great rally with a nice route and terrific food at the end.  This time it was 45 miles and I was ready to be finished and grateful that I was not riding the longer course.  I think I am finally starting to realize that I don't have to chose the longest route every single time.

Leaving My Comfort Zone

I got up super early on the second day of summer and headed towards Mesquite again, this time for an open water swim clinic put on by Tri-Now Endurance.  I was so nervous and excited and I knew that I was taking a big step out of my comfort zone - which is exactly why I should be doing it.  I have taken to swimming fairly easily in the pool and I spent countless hours in Lake Texoma growing up, but it had been many years since I had set foot in a lake.  I took a moment to collect myself upon entering the lake, and then I was off.  I did not swim too far away from the shore as I had trouble seeing with my non-smoked goggles and I had not taken the clinic yet.  I swam around for a while, getting a little farther out each time, before the clinic began.  Coach Frank taught us some of the finer points of open water swimming and gave us a chance to practice these things in the water.  I was having so much fun, I didn't want it to end.  I can't wait to get back in the open water again; however, the lakes nearest to me are still extremely high due to the record rains this spring.  I am looking forward to getting back out to an open water swim with Tri-Now very soon!

Open Water Swim Clinic - I'm one of those bodies in the water! (Pic: Tri-Now)

Half Ironman Training....and go!

Soon after my hugely successful second triathlon in April, I decided to take a leap and sign up for Redman 70.3 in late September.  You can only imagine how sweaty my palms were as I hit the "enter" key on my registration.  Training started on the first Monday of summer vacation and I have really been enjoying it.  I really am a geek for training, I love the process, the hard work, and the nitty gritty of it all.  I was able to focus just on training during the first two weeks as there was a break between regular school and summer school.  I am excited that most of the training will fall during the summer months so that I can treat training like a part time job.  I've been swimming twice a week, riding my bike 3 times a week, running 3-4 times a week, and hitting the weights a couple of times each week.  The workouts will increase in time and intensity over the coming weeks and I'm very much looking forward to it.

No swimming...or running...here for a while!

Frundraising

If you have followed me for a while, then you know that I like to chose one big race each year to "give" to the American Music Therapy Association.  I am happy to announce that I will be tri-ing for music therapy this year at the Redman 70.3 Triathlon.  My fundraising is already off to a strong start and I look forward to reaching my goal in the coming months.  I would love it if you would check out my page here and pass it along to those who may be interested.

Of course...Rangers baseball

I can't leave out baseball!  I was lucky enough to catch a Rangers game last Thursday and I hope to get to some more games soon.  I love a summer weekday game, it is so worth the sweating just to feel like you are "getting away with something" while everyone else is working.  

I can hardly believe that June is already behind us and I am hoping that July passes by a little more slowly!  I am already looking forward to Liberty by the Lake 5K and El Scorcho 25K and many more adventures on the bike and in the water.