it got did
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
5:10.

Yeah, I cried a little bit at the end. Bottom of the barrel number, really, but heck, it's my first one.

Lessons learned: tossing clothes is worth it to stay warm before the race

Take GU every 30-40 minutes was perfect
breakfast at 5:30 was perfect
Underarms got chafed, towards the shoulder blade. Must put bodyglide there next time. That's right folks, there will be a next time.

By the way this is a big deal to me because this is the first time I completed the distance required for one of the 3 Ironman triathlon events. I've yet to do a continuous 2.4 mile swim or 112 mile bike ride, but we are getting there. So... maybe, some day.

Did I mention that running for 2 hours is not that big of a deal anymore?

More lessons learned:

-sc00si reservation needs to be made way way in advance
-do not eat the bannana on course because I get cramps.
-shoes, socks worked. Get shoes a month or two ahead.

-getting into Pierce 4 days out was great. But next time... Maybe an 18-mile training run 7 days before the marathon... not a good idea. D'oh! And the errr... 3 hour swim the day before - maybe not next time.

- take tylenol 8 hour
-bring more gum
-bring more gu or make sure it's on the course for me
-ice legs afterwards

breakfast: bannana, bagel, yogurt, gatoraid
nite before dinner: pasta; break; pre-bed snack: leftovers, apple slices, grapes, yogurt, and gatoraid, per hal.

- training: switch to Gatoraid endurance formula. regular is outdated.

Highlights:
-the people with the nose/mustashe glasses.
-the kids the kids the kids - giving high fives to sweaty runners till their little arms hurt
-the guy in the peach bathrobe
-the people in the lifeway bags, running
-the supporters
-the kids in the "go dad go" shirts
-the 50 and up crowd, running waaay faster then me
-the blind marathoners
-the cheerleaders
-the mimes and clowns
-the dragons in chinatown
-the drag band in boys town

A day to remember.

Aftercare:
-tylenol 8 hr
-gu recovery tastes bad but heck it was free and is probably a good idea
-more gatoraid
-bananna
-yogurt

salad dinner with soup - my pie

more thanks
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
Not that many people read this, but more thanks:

Momentum, Fleet Feet, Running Away, Chicago Blue Dolphins, Pierce Institute, Chicago Endurance Sports, Universal Sole, New Balance, Polar, Gatoraid, Biofreeze, Tylenol, Scoozi, GU.

what's your ritual
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
Before a new race, or an important race, I usually find myself in a day or two of peparations.

It starts about a week out as I attempt to stop working out. Umm, trainer Bob with weights on Monday, an 18-mile run Sunday, and my swim today excluded. Heh heh heh, I have a problem...

Then there's the expo/picking up of the packet, which I did on Friday for this race..

Then there's the drop-by Pearce Institute for a massage, about 4 or more days out, to fix my IT band and other potential issues.

Then there is the purchasing of GU, Yogurt/bananas, and anything else I may need...

Then there's carbo loading... I try to start it a few days out... Eat large amounts of salad and fruit, and also have tons of pasta, some lean meat, and lots of various juices and beverages. I keep forcing myself to eat more, telling myself to eat like a mad woman, to eat like it's my last meal, to eat like it's my first meal in 3 days, to eat like this is the most delicious food I've ever had.

Then there's the time before I go to sleep before the race, when everything is finally ready. And I am thinking, I'll probaby watch some Ironman footage and read some "runner for charity" stories, to inspire me.

So I dedicate this Marathon... to Ben for his support, to my family for their support, to all the friends and coworkers who get me through it with little things, and of course to my many trainers, Fitz, Mike, Kevin, and Bob. To the race director of Mardi Gras Marathon that is still planning on holding the race next year, and I'll try to be there. To the 39,999 other runners in the race, including Olympic medalists, debutants like me, and veterans alike, you all accomplish more then an average person I know by the time everyone else even wakes up. To you, who said I can and I will. And to the City of Chicago, the most beautiful city in the whole world. Hip Hip Hoora. I'm going to get out there tomorrow and do it, dog gone it. all 26.2 miles.

umm
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
maybe the 3 hour back-stroke, breast sroke and butterfly clinic today... was not such a good idea?

i'll see this tomorrow in the daytime.
my first ever marathon is tomorrow.

here's a shot i took during my loosen-it-up run 4 days ago...

I'll be running past this in less then 24 hours... I'll be marathon virgin no more!

Most disturbing blog on triathlons ever
Topic: On the way to Triathlon
Umm... Thanks to my parents' decision to take a particular kind of interest in my hobby, I now have, curtesy of dad, a disturbing little digital video collection of several of my races, suck as this one. I'm pretty embarassed but for the sake of blog-like journalism and to document the entire experience of doing triathlons, here goes. Warning, if your family members are even remotely computer savvy, you too may be a victum of really bad home video. God help me. My Video

Olav the future great sailor
Topic: Hot People
When I was a child, I loved reading about adventures like this. Now there's a sequel to one of my favorite adventures of all times. It's stuff like that which makes me want to do triathlons, travel, and eventually, circumnavigate the Black Sea.

Olav is hot because he's going to repeat his grandfather's voyage aboard the

Kon Tiki - Thanks for inspiring millions, Olav! I hope you keep a blog of your journey and the preparations! In fact, I'll go look for it now, and if I can't find it, I'm going to send you and email and ask you to keep one. I think this is going to be soooo great!

Lots of info coming soon, like tour de Black Sea, 2010, and how to best stalk me during my first marathon next week.

Off to do more work - currently still in Vegas, baby.

oh and...
a contract is pending on our new house!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yay!!! We willl
soon have a place that is big enough to put babies into. of course, babies
would put a damper on the triathlon training, but we all know i'm not going
to the olympics anyway, so that's okay :-)

off-season plans
Now that the season is over, here's my plan to hit it hard during the
off-season trainiNG:
1. do the marathon. somehow
2. swim continuously, at least once a week, if not 3 times.
3. don't stop the bike or the run
4. swim clinics to learn back-stroke, butterfly, and breast-stroke for
cross-training.
5. figure out spin classes or hook up with those century riders in my
building for winter spin training
6. hit the gym hard with Bob.

season not for nothing
I'm proud (yes I'm bragging again, about something pretty pathetic actually)
that I won the 1st place in my division for the super sprint triathlon...
that would be... I'm first out of... 11... but 5th out of all women and 17
overall... out of only 96. But hey, in a year, that's not a bad achievement.
Humor me here?

Anyway, things to remember for this raCE:

1. come early
2. you can bring the ipod for the run
3. no dogs
4. great spectator area
5. bring more changes of clothes
6. have something warm in the water waiting area with you to wear because
the air can be colder then the water :-(
7. bring flip flops for the swim
8. you can warm up before the swim

there is a bottle swap and plenty of water and poweraide for those doing the
big race :-)

all of the above is subject to change

the chicago triathlon by the way has a nasty long transition area after the
swim. bring an extra pair of old shoes for after the swim.

note to seLF: buy new wet suit.