Last long training weekend...

This weekend was my LAST long weekend of training before my tapering begins. From here on out my training slowly starts to wind down leading up to Ironman. Can we just take a moment to realize that Ironman is 21 days away!! 21!! holy cow! 

Yesterday, RunningFrida and I did my last 100 mile bike ride... I think it was 97 or 98 miles but close enough! ;) It was an extremely eventful day for us!

We met at 7:45ish and wanted to start riding by 8. Well, I decided it would be fun to lock my keys in my truck and so we tried (and tried) to fold my seats down (to get to the trunk) and couldn't- apparently you have to fold the seats down using a string in the trunk? Go figure.... So I moved my valuables to RunningFrida's car and called 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' for the number to a locksmith for later.

We finally got started a little before 9am. It was SUPER windy and hard- the wind was so bad I thought I was going to blow over!

We finally hit the turn around point and saw an ALIVE tranchula just walking across the road! (We've seen our fair share of 'wildlife' out there- including dead tranchulas, but we've never actually seen one still alive!) So that helped us pick the pace right up! ;)

Once we were about 10 miles away, I called the locksmith (on speaker phone from my bento box), gave him my information and he said he was on his way. We rode into the parking lot right as he pulled up- it was perfect timing!

It look him a couple of crazy attempts BUT he got my keys out of the crack of my trunk! I'm still not sure how he did it but he did! 15 minutes and $70 dollars later- I was good to go! ;)

These signs are now up all over town and every time I see them it really makes it sink in that Ironman is coming!

Then this morning I woke up and had a 19 mile run scheduled. SCARY! I met my friend, Vari at Tempe Town Lake (this place is really becoming a second home to me!) and we ran the first 5 miles together. It is always so, so nice to have company on long run like today. Anything to help pass the time and miles- plus catching up with good friends- win/win!!

Then I set off alone for the remaining 15 miles. I did another loop and felt great! Passed a couple friends out there and kept a good pace. Then when I started my third loop, there was some sort of walk going on and I was like a rock in the river trying to run the opposite way of all the walkers! I ran in the grass and ignored all the "you're going the wrong way" chuckles I got from the younger walkers. I went a different way back on the loop (to avoid the walkers) and I think it just mentally threw me off. I got back to my car and refilled my water bottle.

I was exhausted at this point and wanting to quit. I quickly called 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and told him I was at mile 15, had 4 miles to go, and I didn't think I could finish it. He responded with "so why are you calling me?" I told him I needed motivation from him to finish- something, anything! His response was "No, finish your run. And now run an extra mile for stopping and calling me!" It definitely was not what I wanted to hear- but it was really what I NEEDED to hear.

It hit me so hard I almost started crying- right there in the parking lot. Ironman is not going to be easy- and I sure as heck am not going to be able to call him up when the race gets tough and ask him for some motivational quote. I needed to finish this run (just like Ironman) by myself. I have to be able to find the motivation in myself to push through.

I am happy to report that I not only finished my 19 miles but I ran an extra 1.2 miles making a grand total of 20.2 miles! (I would love to say I'm a badass and ran the extra 1.2 miles because of what 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' said, but reality is I went a different route and over estimated how far out I was and it took me an extra 1.2 miles to get back to the car. I was going to walk once I hit 19 miles but it was hot and still a ways-away, so running it made it go faster! haha!)

This is my exhausted smile... LOL!

So glad to be done and to officially start my tapering.! Although it makes me extremely nervous that it is coming up so close! Three weeks from today!

What gets you through your long training? 

Do you like to run/workout with music? 

Soma Race Recap!!

My second half Ironman is in the books! It could not have gone more perfectly and it felt a million times better than the first (Remember Deuces Wild in May? Hard and painful!)

And remember these cool peeps from the  Mountain Man Race? All 4 of us did the 70.3 today!

David, RunningFrida, me, and 'Mr. Spinkles and Glitter''

Both RunningFrida and I had a goal to finish under 7 hours (considering it was her FIRST half ironman and I did my last one in 7:42- it was a pretty big goal for us.) But we've been training SO hard, I really thought we would both do it.

'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and I got there early and went our separate ways as always. I found RunningFrida and she had SO much good stuff for me- Gummy Bears, Dr. Pepper, and snickers! (I know, amazing- right?!) I love me some Gummy Bears so I took a handful and put them in my bento box on my bike- along with my Luna bars and HoneyStingers, for the ride. YOLO! ;)

Transition closed early and we made our way towards the water. David was in the first wave and 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' was in the second. We saw them both start and then found some friends to chat with while we waited. Next thing you know, we're at the front of the best wave, jumping into the water.

Apparently I'm giving a thumbs up and hugging myself....? 

The swim went great- I felt good, stayed focused, and didn't have any problems. I did have to stop a few times because the people around me were swimming side to side? not swimming straight and kept cutting me off. So I would just stop and let them pass me (headed back to shore there, buddy) and then keep going again. It happened quite a few times but I'd rather stop and let them by then get hit or accidently hit them.

Finished the swim and quickly made my way to the wet suit strippers. I held on to my shorts for dear life and everything went smoothly. (The 'stripper' (I don't know what else to call them?) even complimented me on my speed and form!) I made the trek into transition- (which always seems like it's close to a quarter mile) and hurried to get out and on the bike.

The bike ride was the same loop 3 times- talk about a party! The first loop was great! Everything was new and exciting... then all hell broke loose on the second loop. At the start of the second loop, we headed down Rio Salado and at one of the intersections it has 2 very large cracks/bumps that are so big you will see riders slow down and hold onto their waters bottles to they don't fly out. (You also will see a lovely collection of stuff that did fly out on the side of the road.)

I knew the cracks/bumps and I was prepared. I stopped pedaling and held onto both my water bottles. *bump-bump* Still feel my water bottles- everything's great. That is until I feel my Luna bar and HoneyStinger sliding down my leg. I tried to do anything to catch them- but when your feet are clipped in and you only have 1 hand, there isn't much you can do.

I immediately went into panic mode. I knew without both of those I would not have enough calories to get me through the rest of the bike and then the 13.1 mile run. I passed another aid station and shouted out for a Gatorade at the last minute. I figured if I could drink the entire Gatorade and finish off the remaining ShockBlocks and Gummy Bears that I had I should be OK until I got back into transition and could grab a Luna bar. (THANK GOSH for those Gummy Bears!!))

Back to the actual bike riding- I saw our friend Veronica on the first loop and she had a sign for RunningFrida. When I saw her again on the second loop I was going to joke with her about not having a sign for me- but then she held up a "GO KIM!" sign and started cheering for me! She is awesome (and doing her first triathlon in a week!)!

The third loop I was ready to be done. I tried to push the pace a little and finished feeling great. Back into transition I immediately started eating a Luna bar and grabbed another handful of Gummy Bears for the run. What? Gummy Bears make great fuel! ;)

I started the run and asked one of the first volunteers I saw what time it was- just after 11am. I did the math and realized that I could definitely hit my goal of beating 7 hours! Running felt amazing! I wasn't sore at all and felt like I held a pretty steady pace throughout the entire run.

The women behind me ran by me the whole time and I kept trying to make conversation with her- it wasn't until we passed her husband that I realized she didn't speak English! AWESOME! 

I ran with a water bottle and at every aid station I just kept asking for cups of ice to put in my bottle. I was SO impressed with the volunteers at the race! The literally went above and beyond for every single participant! As I was coming up to an aid station that had a lot of athletes stopped- waiting in line for the port-o-potty, eating, filling water bottles, etc. I shouted out for 'ice" and all the volunteers were busy with other athletes so I wasn't able to get any. Oh well, that's OK- I'll get some at the next aid station. Then I hear someone running up behind me and it was a young volunteer handing me a cup of ice and said I got you girl!  Seriously?! BEST. VOLUNTEERS. EVER! Then at another aid station- where all the volunteers were dressed up as hula girls- including the boys- same situation happened. Busy with athletes and no one was able to hand me ice (at this point, I knew there was another aid station close by- so I wasn't too concerned). But a few yards once I passed the aid station I hear the swishing of a grass skirt and someone running in coconuts. A guy came up to me and had TWO cups of ice and a cup of water. Not only was I dying laughing, but I was extremely grateful!

When I started the second loop I looked into the transition area and randomly saw 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter'!! Made my day! I screamed at him and laughed as he ran right/ran left/ran towards the fence to try to get out of transition but there was no way out. So he just shouted at me from there- I was glad to know he finished (that's the hardest part of both of us racing- not knowing how the other person is doing).

For some reason I felt like the second loop went a lot faster than the first and I was feeling great. When I knew about a mile away from the finish I gave it everything I had. I saw 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' right before the final turn who ran with me for a second and told me to leave nothing in the tank- at this point I was sprinting around the final corner. Everyone started cheering, shouting to 'FINISH STRONG!'. I finally saw the finish line and ran through it- waving my hands in the air like I don't care. 

Not the right time...

My official time was 6:40:22- I beat my goal time by 20 minutes and my last 70.3 time by 1 hour and 2 minutes! I was so beyond happy! I quickly found 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and we were able to see both RunningFrida and David finish!

Such a good photo of both of them finishing!! 

Doesn't she look so great for just finishing her first half IRONMAN!? And so happy too! :)

So proud of her!

RunningFrida finished in 6:50!! Which mean we BOTH crushed our 7 hour goal!! We've been training so hard and it all paid off. Such a great feeling! 

We did it! We all finished! :)

Can you believe there are only 29 days until Ironman Arizona? That makes my stomach drop every time I hear that. Time is flying by!

Did anyone else race this weekend? 

Who's doing Ironman Arizona? Have you ever done an Ironman before?