7 things I learned from SOMA 70.3

Last weekend was SOMA 70.3. This race was such a favorite for me last year, it was the last big race before Ironman Arizona and I went into it feeling great. And I ended up with a huge PR...last year.

This year, not so much. I knew I was seriously under trained and not in the condition I was, going into SOMA last year. I was nervous and knew it was going to be a hard day. 

Here's a recap in the form of 10 things I can only think of 7 things I learned:

1. Don't go into a race under trained. Seriously, don't. It absolutely sucks. Stick to your training schedule and put in the work. Trust me, you won't regret it.

2. Even though the calendar says mid-October, the weather says summer. Hot, hot summer. When I started sweating waiting to get into the water (before 7am) I knew it was going to be a long, hot day.

3. Getting my bike tuned up before the race was the best thing ever. On my last long bike ride, I was really struggling. I was going super slow and felt like I was working way harder than I normally do. I got it tuned up Thursday before the race and it was like a brand new bike on race day! It was great- I felt like I was flying!

4. ICE! Ice was the best thing for me on the run. I filled my water bottle up with it and put a cup down my shirt. It definitely was a life saver with the brutal heat and helped me stay somewhat cool until the next aid station.

5. Having an aid station every mile of the run was AMAZING! I got so happy when I saw another aid station- no joke! Not only did that mean I got more ICE but it meant another mile down.

6. I literally have the best boyfriend in the whole entire world! No joke. He did a 3/4th Ironman the day before Soma (on his own) but was stil all over the course cheering me on and met me on both loops of the run and ran about 5 miles with me.

That shadow beside me is 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter'. :)

He ran the end of the second loop with me and really pushed the pace (for me). I was dying and he ran to the last turn with me and then was waiting at the finish line. Absolutely love him!!

7. I've never been more excited to see a finish line and cross it than I was after this race! I was just so happy to stop moving. And the wet, ice-cold, towel they give you as you cross the finish line felt like heaven!

So moral of the story- be prepared! :)

*Have you ever gone into a race under trained?

*What's the biggest lesson you've learned while racing?

Update on Life

Hey! I'm back!! I have bee SO busy I haven't really had to time to blog. Here's a little update on everything that's been going on lately to get you up to speed:

Remember back in April the random, ridiculous trip my sister and I took to Colorado? Well, it was supposed to for my sister-in-law's bridal shower, but my dad got sick the week before and was in the hospital. So we stayed and hung out with him. At first, we didn't really think much of it, but we soon learned that he had stage 4 liver cancer.
To say our world was rock would be the understatement of the year. My dad never got sick- I literally cannot even recall a time my dad had the sniffles- so to get the diagnosis cancer was brutal. We immediately jumped into the mentally that were were going to fight it as a family and we were going to win. Losing wasn't an option.
We continued to go back and fourth as often as we could. As he fought, he was growing weaker and weaker- but never once lost his sense of humor and was always cracking jokes. He did everything the doctors told him to and was willing to try anything.
Unfortunately, the cancer was growing too fast and was too aggressive to stop and he passed away August 17, less than 4 months after we got the diagnosis. It also happened to be his anniversary with my stepmom, which she didn't think was a bad thing. She said it won't be a sad day for her every year, because she will have so many good, happy memories associated with that day, and it won't just be the day he passed away.

After my sister's wedding we brought all the flowers from the wedding to my dads grave.

My brother was already planning his June wedding, but because of my dad getting sick my sister and I both decided to plan ours before the end of the year so that he would be there. My sister planned hers for October, in Las Animas, Colorado. She actually got married in the same chapel that my dad and stepmom got married in.

Photo: Malissa Ahlin Photography

'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and I were planning to get married in November- 2 weeks after Ironman Arizona, but we recently found out he was losing his job that he has had the past 12 years. So we decided that spending a bunch of money on a wedding, probably wasn't the best idea. ((**UPDATE to this: he has a new job that he loves and is going to be working from home starting Monday. He is super excited!!:))

So with all the above going on (mainly the traveling to see my dad, for my brothers wedding, the funeral, my sisters wedding) my training for Ironman Arizona has NOT been what it should be. I talked about it in my last post, but I do not feel as prepared for it as I did last year. But, I can't change that now. I had an extremely good training weekend last weekend and got a 20 mile run in and a 107 bike ride in. So hoping for the best. :)

Plus, everyone I know who is doing Ironman has been posting their bib numbers and asking me what mine is. So I went onto the Ironman website to look up my bib number- I wasn't on there!! I immediately started freaking out and sent a bunch of emails to the people at Ironman. I finally got a response a couple days later telling me to re-register. I did and am anxiously waiting to be added to the athlete list. :)

Then onto of everything else going on, I was signed up for the Women's Half Marathon for Sunday, and it got cancelled!! I've ran this race the last 4 years and have absolutely loved it every year. Luckily, there's the Phoenix 10k race on Sunday and they have a half marathon option that I was able to get into. RunningFrida and I are going to run it, then run another 5 miles to get our last long run in.

It's been a super stressful, emotional roller coaster lately. BUT I'm back, and I'll definitely be blogging a whole lot more!! :) Plus, there's only 18 days until Ironman Arizona so I'll most likely be posting about how I'm freaking out. (The last year has totally flown by, I can't believe it's already here again!!)
*Who's racing Ironman Arizona?? 

*What's your favorite Halloween Candy? 

My sister's getting married!!

Today we had a bridal shower for my sister who's getting married in October! I still can't believe she's getting married!!

(Their super cute Save The Dates!!)

Since her wedding colors are Tiffany Blue and grey, I decided to do a breakfast/brunch themed shower. (Breakfast at Tiffany's anyone?:))

I loved decorating for this shower- especially since her house already had a grey striped wall and Tiffany blue furniture- it matched perfectly! ;)

We had the basic's: bagels, muffins, donuts, bacon and eggs, etc., but then we also had the most delicious cookies ever made by our bonus-mom. Seriously, they were SO good and absolutely adorable!! 

My bonus-mom made them all look like little Tiffany boxes! 

Loved all the blue and grey details

I wish I would have gotten a better picture of this, it was one of my favorite decorations. I bought a white umbrella and then hung dollar bills and and some of my homemade garland from it. (We were "showering" the bride-to-be....get it? haha!)

 And one of my favorite gifts to my sister was the super cute hanger with her new last name. 

We played the toilet paper wedding dress game- which was HILARIOUS! We gave each person a roll of toilet paper and divided them into teams of 3 and put 5 minutes on the clock. We really had some creative people there!

This dress was my favorite with the sweetheart neckline and mermaid style. :)

This was a tea-length dress complete with sleeves and a veil. 

This team had WAY too much fun and opted for the mini-skirt wedding dress. ;)

The winner was the cutie in the middle. :)

We also played a game where everyone was given 2 wedding rings and couldn't say the words "Bride" or "Groom", if you did, whoever heard you could steal your rings. Yeah, I was absolutely horrible at the game and lost both my rings within 2 seconds of starting it. 

Instead of doing the traditional guest book, I got a frame with a large mat around it and had all guest sign that. And then she could put a photo from the shower in it. :)

I think my favorite part of the shower was the 'spoons'. I passed out wooden spoons to everyone and asked them to give 'the recipe for a happy marriage' on it. When everyone was done, the bride-to-be read them all out loud. Some made me laugh and more than one of them made me cry. 

I still cannot believe my sister is getting married! Beyond excited for her perfect wedding!! 

*Do you like to throw parties? I absolutely love to and wish I could throw a party every weekend!! :)

*Do you like playing games at parties? 

100 Days from today....

Today marks 100 days until Ironman Arizona!! 100 freaking days!! I cannot believe how fast time is flying by!

I am beyond excited for this, because not only am I racing, but 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and Maria are too!! I'm definitely just as nervous as I was last year though, I don't think that part ever gets easier.

I'm also excited to see the best support team ever out there. These people were amazing last year and were there from before the gun went off to well after I finished, cheering me on and supporting me the entire way. I could not have done it without them. 

Let the double digit countdown and long training days begin!! :)

What big races do you have coming up? 

Do you keep track of a countdown for big events? 

Mountain Man Sprint Race Recap!!

We headed up to Flagstaff this weekend to get out of the 110+ degrees heat! It was fabulous!!

'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' got a free race entry into the Mountain Man Sprint Triathlon and decided not to use it (because he has a pretty hard race next weekend) and gave it to me!! I absolutely LOVED this race last year and was super excited to do it again!

We headed up there early Saturday afternoon, checked into our hotel, and headed over to packet pickup. Ran into some friends and hung out for a bit and then left meet our friend David for lunch at Chipolte- YUM!!
After lunch we headed back to the hotel to hang out for a bit before going for a run with David. Theboys were planning on running 8 miles and I was just going to tag along for a couple miles to break in my new sneakers.

From my Instagram

We left the hotel and got to one of my favorite trails and it instantly started POURING down rain! Once David got there, he parked right next to us and we tried rolling down the window to talk to him but the rain was coming down so hard we couldn't even hear him!

We decided to skip the run- which really scared me since that meant I'd be running in the shoes for the first time at the race.... We left and met up with some friends for dinner at Olive Garden. It was a lot fun and definitely took off some of the usual pre-race nerves. Driving back to the hotel after dinner I saw the coolest car I've ever seen in my entire life-- I'm not even joking!!

"Head Mouse"... hahaha!!

We got back to the hotel and got everything ready for the next morning and took our bikes out for a couple laps around the hotel. ('Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' was riding his new bike and I changed out my cleats) We were good to go.

We woke up and headed down to the lake. The race started at 7 and we got there a little after 6 and transition was already PACKED!!

I got body marked, set up my transition, and picked up my timing chip. I hung out with 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and before I knew it, it was go time! The guys went off first and we followed 8 minutes after.

The swim went well- I started out in the front and felt good. My goal for this race was to stay outside of my comfort zone and push myself. I did notice I was getting a little weezy towards the end, but I'm blaming that on the altitude. ;) I finished the swim in 18:40 and quickly took off on the bike. (Have I mentioned how much I love when we both aren't racing and I get to see 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' throughout the race?! BEST thing ever!)

I forgot how brown the water is here

The bike went great- I was constantly trying to push myself and pick up the pace. Funny how I forgot the rolling hills from last year. :) 12 miles goes by REALLY fast, and before I knew it, I was back in transition taking off on the run.

My hair is a hot mess! 

I was slightly worried about the run with the new shoes, but again, was determined to stay just outside of my comfort zone and push the pace. I started out pretty comfortable and then continuously picked up the pace, ending in a sprint to the finish. The run was like a trip down memory lane because I recognized the guy at the water station from last year and he cheered me on. Then I ran next to the SAME guy I ran next to last year. (Last year was his first triathlon ever and it was really hard for him. This year he looked great and said he's done a handful of triathlons since and plans to do more in future too!)

I finished in 1:33:37- which is a 13 second PR for me. HAHA! I was hoping to be sub 1:30 but I'm happy.

This race always symbolizes the start of of the tri season for me. Next month we'll do the Mountain Man Olympic, and then Silverman and Soma's 70.3, and before we know it-- Ironman Arizona will be here again!!! Crazy how fast time is going!

P.S. After the race 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' and David did an 80 mile bike ride followed by a 4 mile run and swim while I headed back home. I apparently went the wrong way and took a detour through Sedona and turned the 2 hour drive home into over 3!! Not my proudest moment.... 

Have you ever ran in knew shoes on race day? 

What is your favorite race you've ever done before? 

Mr. and Mrs. Flory!

**My brother is officially married!!**

The beautiful Bride and Groom

Last night we went to The Moot Houe for the rehearsal dinner and it was amazing! Everything was SO delicious, especially the peanut butter pie!

The original 5! 

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel and my sister took the kids to the pool while we waiting for 'Mr. Sprinkles and Glitter' to arrive. He finally got in at 11:30pm and ordered FatShack delivery. Neither of us have ever eaten there, but my brother recommended it and they were still open so he went for it. Their macaroni bites were incredible! I may have stole more than one! ;)

We woke up today and met everyone downstairs for breakfast and then we all went our separate ways. I went with my bonus-mom to drop something off at the reception location and ended up setting up for the reception.

Once we were done, we quickly got lunch and started getting ready for the wedding. Note to self:: Do NOT let your sister "try" something new with your hair an hour before your brothers wedding. Lesson learned. We met up with my family in the lobby and headed over to the wedding. It was absolutely GORGEOUS!! (We weren't allowed to take pictures, but wait until you see the ones from the photographer. It was outside in a garden and picture perfect!)

After the ceremony, we headed over to the reception. They had the cutest little personal touches that were adorable. The name cards were attached to bicycle bells! People would ring them throughout the night for the couple to kiss- cutest thing ever!!

The food was amazing and the music was great. The DJ's assistant was a guy that apparently got 4th place on 'So You Think You Can Dance?' and he he taught us how to Dougie. It was a great night! We all had so much fun- even though my sister and I lost the selfie war to my cousins Jess and Damion. ;)

My favorite part BY FAR was when my brother and his wife came out for their first dance and it was the song our parents did their first dance to. About half way through they invited my dad and bonus-mom to come out and join them So, SO sweet!! My sister and I were crying like babies!

It's crazy to think that our small family of 5 has now grown to a family of 10!! I absolutely love it!

So beyond happy for my brother and his new wife. They are both amazing and I wish them nothing but the best! Love you both!!!

Are you single, dating, or married? 

Is your family big or small?

Literally the hardest hike I've ever done!

Yesterday after work I flew into Denver and took a 2 hour shuttle ride (should of only been an hour) to Fort Collins, Colorado for my brothers wedding this weekend!! To say I am beyond excited is an understatement!!

Once I finally made it to the hotel after the shuttle fiasco (the driver left someone's luggage in the middle of an empty parking lot!) I hung out with my parents and sister for awhile and then went to bed.

When I woke up today, I went back to my parents hotel room and my brother brought us all breakfast burritos- SO good!! And then we set off for a hike with a large group from the wedding up to where my brother purposed to his fiance, Shala. **It all sounded so good in theory..... ;)

We started the hike and about 15 minutes in, my cousin Jess (she is like a sister to me) and I were already wondering when the first snack break was going to be. It was tough!! Luckily, her husband Damion works for Frito Lays and had a backpack full of goodies! 

After awhile, we reach an area with a huge rock overlooking a beautiful reservoir. We were all so excited- thinking we had made it to the top! We were enjoying the view and snapping some pictures when someone said we should keep going. Keep going where? Back down? We were definitely surprised to find out that we were barley halfway!!

Nothing like being the 7th wheel!! :)

We kept going straight up and took lots of breaks. we kept saying we were going to stop and head back to the cars but we kept going. We eventually got separated from the group, but they were nice enough to leave us an 'arrow' made of rocks when we got to a fork in the road. ;)

We went on a little bit further and my sister and Jess decided to head back down to the car while Damion, Tommy, and I were determined to reach the top. (Some points, we were literally on our hands and knees crawling straight up!) But.... WE MADE IT!!!!

We finally reached the top as our original group was just about to head back down. We were so high up (I'm scared or heights) but it was gorgeous! I( felt like we were closer to the clouds in the sky than we were to the ground!

So gorgeous!! 

Our way back was WAY faster than the way up, and it started to sprinkle a little bit which was REALLY refreshing! We went to the brides parents house and had bratwurst for lunch and then my sisters family, cousins, and I headed out to the best cupcakery in town for a snack!! The rain nor the hail stopped us from getting these bad boys! SO good!

Do you like hiking? 

What's your favorite cupcake flavor?