Hot Chocolate 15K Race Report

A few months ago my girlfriends and I decided to run the Hot Chocolate 15K in Seattle.  Why? Because you got a really cute sweatshirt and chocolate at the end!

Saturday afternoon I hopped in the old minivan and headed south, rounding up 5 more women on the way.  (Lady  #7 lives down in the Seattle area and was meeting us at the hotel.)

We finally made it to the hotel in Seattle after driving in a monsoon and making an emergency pit stop at a scary cafe on Aurora.  After walking over to the Seattle Center and picking up our race packet we headed for an early, very early (embarrassed to say 4:30pm) dinner.

We started out at a great little restaurant, Toulouse Petit.  Since there were seven of us we decided to just get a couple of bottles of wine rather than a glass each.  After a fabulous meal we realized it was only 6:00pm and way too early to head back to the hotel so our great waitress directed us to The Sitting Room around the corner.   

 Toulouse Petit

The Sitting room is a Euro-chic bar and was perfect for what we wanted.  After a couple more bottles of wine and some amazing Chocolate Mousse with Sea Salt, we headed back to the rooms.

Now normally on the night before a race we would eat sensibly, stick to one glass of wine at dinner and go to bed early.  This weekend, however, we decided none of us really cared about "racing" and would rather enjoy our time together. 
So we opened up 3 more bottles in the hotel room.  Now I know that some guys out there like to think that when seven girls get together in a hotel room with wine that girly pillow fights in tiny clothes ensues but I assure you that was not the case.  We just sat and talked and giggled, drank more wine and ate more chocolate.  And took silly photos of our wine and shoes...

So bright and early the next morning we are all up and scrounging for Advil and Tylenol.  Thank goodness it is sunny and blue skies.    We can do this!!

Despite numerous warnings from the race directors to be at the start line at 6:30am for the 7:40am start, we head out of our hotel lobby at 7:20 and walk over to the start, find our corral and only have to wait 5 minutes for the race to start.  Perfect.

The race starts and little miss Anna, who says she hasn't been training and doesn't care to race, takes off.  As the first miles go by I notice that our race pace is about 2 minutes faster per mile than I had envisioned.  Oh, so this is not going to be one of those easy fun races.  dang.

I hang in there with Anna and Susie cause I am stubborn like that.  I don't care that thousands of other people are ahead of me but I will not let these two girls shake me!
We trudge up never ending inclines and are rewarded with some declines only to find another incline.  I feel like we are on a never ending roller coaster...up up up then down, then up up up then down. 

Anna just chats along filling us in on all the Seattle happenings and more importantly, the latest on The Bachelor. 

oh, anyway, the race....Anna and Susie chat, I huff and puff, and we finish the race with a much better time than I would have ever imagined.  Which got to me to wondering, would the race have been faster or slower without the seven bottles of wine??  hmmm...

Post Race with our Chocolate Fondue Mugs

The Joys of the Swimming Pool

Things I learned today:

1.As much as I whine, bitch, and moan the swimming pool doesn't go away.  It's still there.

2.  I can't just sit in the car in the parking lot of the pool.  I have to actually open the door and get out of the car.  All I've done is waste another 10 minutes stalling.

3.  Having to walk in front of the Water Aerobics Class, cold and dripping wet from your pre-swim shower just plain sucks.

4.  I can't count past 1.    Was that my second lap or my fourth?  Was that my last set of 25's or my second set?  Crap.

1800 yards done today (or maybe 1850)

Swim Leg-Ironman Canada 2011

Fish Killer

All my son wanted for Christmas was a fish. 
I thought this was awesome.  Non-Electronic, easy, cheap.  Perfect. 

His Aunt gave him a beautiful red and blue Betta fish on Christmas Eve and the look on his face was priceless.  He was so excited.

We brought home Spikeo (aka Spikey, Spike) and set him up in his little plastic aquarium next to my son's bed.  The day was proclaimed the best day ever!

Christmas Day Spikeo wasn't looking so good.  He was sorta hanging vertically and I swear he was only taking a breath when I blew on the water.  Oh dear.

The next day my son really wanted to buy Spikeo a little cave so he could hide out and have a little home.  We hit two different pet stores looking for just the right house.  There was a little part of me that thought maybe we should pick up another fish while we were there cause I wasn't sure little Spikeo would still be alive when we got home.

When we got home, my son ran into the house with Spikeos new home and a few seconds later he came running back to me, sobbing...."Mom!  Come look, just come look!" 

oh crap.  I don't want to look.  Why, oh why, did this have to happen when the hubby is at work?? 
Seriously, dead animal removal is the mans job.  My job is to comfort the heart broken kid, his is to remove the dead thing.  But no, today I get to do both. 

 I am terrified that Spikeo is not really dead and I try and try to get him to move before I take him completely out of the water.   So I pour out some water, shake him around a little, pour out more water, shake again...until I finally am out of water and I flop him onto a paper towel. 

We decide he is too special to flush so my son grabs a little hand shovel and buries him under his special plum tree.  So heartbreaking and sweet.

RIP Spikeo

  We loved Spikeo for two days.  Next we got Awesome and he lasted 3 days.  Petunia, along with a bigger tank, heater and filter, lasted a full week.  Yesterday we welcomed Dragon home.
Please, oh please Dragon, stay alive!

Dragon only lasted one day.

Can you really take an "indoor bike ride"?

A year ago, when I was training for Ironman Canada, I HATED riding my bike indoors.  I endured rain, snow, sleet, gale force winds, anything and everything, rather than ride indoors.  It was just too dang boring.




Me, Anna, and Gina taking a break at Birch Bay State Park on a 22 degree winter day

 

But for some reason this year I just can't stand the thought of going outside to ride.  It may be a little PTSD from all the miserably wet cold rides we endured. 

So here I am, ready for an indoor training ride.

First things first, gather things I may need during the ride:
Water
DVD Remote Control
Cell Phone
TV Remote Control
Home Phone
Ever present German Shepherd Dog, Brogan



All set...(the phone book makes a great front wheel support)



I am years behind watching movies so I decide to catch up and watch Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, Part 1.  I hope that Harry will keep my mind off the tedious task of indoor biking.

I start pedaling and my puppy dogs quickly take their places around me...





Luna sets herself up in front of me.



Brogan is at my heels occasionally taking nips at my shoe or the trainer

After about 30 minutes of spinning I think, "Gawd, I am soooooo bored" and "Dang, this seat is really hard".  Also, a little note to self:  Don't set your bike up in front of a roaring fire.

Sweat dripping, I continue to watch the movie and start texting friends when I don't think I can stand it anymore.  (Thank you, friends, for getting me through those last tough minutes of my ride!)



I am toward the end of my hour ride when I notice it.   Check out those ears!





Dobby the House Elf's Ear



 

Brogan's Ears

First Bike Ride!

A bike ride was not on my list of things to do.  Never even crossed my mind.  But when the hubby wistfully mentioned, from his work desk, how beautiful and sunny it was outside I decided I couldn't waste this gorgeous day staying inside doing laundry. 

 Wait, what time is it?  Oh good, only 1:00pm.  The High School isn't out yet.  No way will I ride if the high school is out.  uh uh, no way, not gonna happen.  Never. Ever.

First things first, where are my bike shorts???

I know I have some bike shorts in here somewhere!

After making a huge mess trying to find my bike shorts I head out and search for the bike pump.  My bike has not been touched in over 4 months and the tires are completely flat.  Man, is it only me or does anyone else get tired just from pumping air into their tires? whew

Sunny and 42 degrees.  Brrr.  Bootie time!

 

I manage to not wipe out going down our gravel driveway, make it onto the road and I can't shift!  What?  are my hands so weak I can't move it?  is it broke?  I stop my bike and make the oh so smart decision to force it.  (What, am I a man now?)  I take both hands and shove with all my might.  CRACK!  oops.

Now it is all loose and floppy.  Great.  Oh well.  I can ride in the middle ring since my legs aren't all that strong.  so off I go mumbling about my piece of sh*t  bike.

I make it just a bit over a mile and I start thinking, "Holy Moly, I am REALLY out of shape.  It feels like the brakes are on". 

OH, the brakes are on.  DOH.  Another stop to adjust the brake pads and I am off again. 

I am so busy grumbling in my head and trying to figure out how many shifts at a minimum wage job I would need in order to make enough money to buy a new bike, that I miss my turn.

No biggie, I just need to make a u-turn. 

 Only it's been so long since I've ridden that I actually have to stop and unclip to turn around.  I am so embarrassed.

I am riding along grumbling and moaning when I raise my eyes off the pavement in front of me.  WHOA!  There it is!  The reason I love to bike in Whatcom County. 

Hello beautiful Mt. Baker!

Dog is My Partner....Maybe

I have two puppy dogs that are just over a year old.  I feel really guilty every time I go for a run and leave them at home.  I always hear that dogs make great running partners but I really like to just listen to mind numbing music and zone out when I run.

But the guilt sometimes gets to me. 
So today I decide to run with them but there's a catch.  I am secretly testing them to see who wins the coveted position of being my full time running partner.

So far I have always taken them together and Brogan, the German Shepherd Dog, stays right on my left hip and is a dream to run with....until we meet a dog....any dog...and then he bites them.

Luna, the Gold Retriever, loves dogs but is constantly out front pulling me.

Today I start with Brogan and my pretty pink shoes.  I am thinking, fast pretty shoes, dog on my hip, perfect! 

We head out down the street and he does a perfect impression of Pasado the Donkey.  What?  Do you know how hard it is to run while dragging 75 lbs behind you??

Pasado the Donkey



My Grumpy Face


I drag Pasado  Brogan a mile down the street and turn around.  Whoa!  Now he is a horse to the barn!  He drags me back home.

My donkey/horse and I make it back home and my feet are killing me.  As much as I love my pretty pink shoes they don't really love me back.  So after a quick shoe change I am off again. 

Now it is Luna's turn to run.  She starts off running in her usual way....way out ahead and pulling me.  (I think I am just too slow for her)

Luna

After about 20 treats and one quick yank of the leash (I did, I yanked, I admit it.  It's like saying you'll never spank your kids but then you do cause NOTHING else works)  she was an angel.  She didn't pull for the rest of the run.

                              I think we have a winner!  The non-biting, happy, sweet Luna. 

Luna as a baby (cause who doesn't love a cute puppy picture?!)

Reunited and it feels so good

 441 days or 1 year, 2 months, and 14 days.
This is the number of days I went without swimming.  How do I know this?  Because the last time I swam was August 28, 2011 at Ironman Canada.



Start of Ironman Canada Swim Leg
Do you see me?





Here I am finishing the swim...it was so much fun!



I swam 2.4 miles that day (well, probably much more because I can't swim a straight line to save my life) and haven't gotten wet since. 
I took a few weeks off after the race to recover, then the holidays hit and then in January I had sinus surgery.  Which sucked.  Really Really Sucked.  anyways, you get the point.  Lots of excuses to not put a swimsuit on over the winter...  and spring...and summer...and fall...
(My one true talent is procrastination)

So on Sunday morning  I was trying to figure out what to do with my two stir crazy boys when the words slipped out of my mouth..."We could go to the pool"  Crap!  did they hear me? 
Yes, the 7 year old did and was all for it.  Well, it's only 9am, maybe he will forget about it by the time the pool is open for public swimming at 2:00.

By 2:00 it is snowing/raining outside and I am freezing.  The last think I want to do is put down my book and leave the warmth of the fire. 

"Hey, Mom, I thought we were going swimming!"
ugh, he remembered.
As my son got ready I had an inner dialog that went something like this:

"I will just watch"
"No stupid, you are going to be at the pool, at least you can do a couple laps!"

"It's too cold to put on a swimsuit"
"Suck it up, loser, two laps won't kill you"

"My race isn't until June, I have plenty of time"
"You gotta start sometime, why not today, since YOU WILL BE AT THE POOL?"

"I will bring my suit and change at the pool"
"Nice try, put it on NOW"


We arrive to the pool and it is crazy loud and packed with bodies.  But I find an empty swim lane, push off and just like that, it is quiet and serene. 
It feels amazing.  I'm gliding silently through the water, nice and relaxed, and Yes!  even passing the older guy in the next lane with ease. 

I swim 100 yards, pause, watch the kids play, swim another 100.  and another, and another.  At one point my son and a few friends jumped in and swam with me.  This is so much fun, I can't believe I didn't want to come here!
After about 30 minutes I start thinking I should call it a day but oh my, this just feels so good .  Just a few more laps...

My Return to Triathlon

 I took a year off from triathlons.  And by "taking a year off"  I mean no swimming and biking at all for the last year. zero, zilch, nada. 

This wasn't really a conscious decision on my part.  It was more of the lazy attitude of "hmm, maybe next week." 
So here I am after 63 weeks of saying "next week!"  wondering  if next week will ever come.

On Halloween day I signed up for the  Pacific Crest Long Course Triathlon thinking, "Now THAT will get me moving."    And yet another 10 days went by and still my bike sits with over a years worth of cobwebs on it. 



There it is, back behind those boxes!



Hmm, maybe I can trick myself into biking by starting out with a fun ride.  Maybe just a little ride on my Granny Bike.  I invite a friend and we plan a day to ride a couple of miles, stop for coffee, ride back. Perfect!  I love my Granny Bike.




I really want to add some pink plastic flowers to my basket :)



On the morning of the planned ride I  am super excited to find the rain has stopped and it is a gorgeous sunny day.  A perfect day for a ride by the bay!  I plan on dropping the kids off at school and be on my way.
I get dressed, find my helmet and gloves, walk downstairs and hear....."Mom, I don't feel good".

Crap.  Maybe next week...

Wordless Wednesday

New Shoes

"I don't wanna run!"

This has been my mantra the last four weeks.  Yes, I think what I have is called burnout.
After training all summer and completing a marathon at the end of September, I have lost all desire to run.  Maybe it's the gray, rainy, dark days, or maybe it's because I don't have another race on the schedule, or possibly just post-race depression, but the fact remains.... I don't wanna run!

So what does a runner do when she loses all motivation?  Buys new gear!  Of course!  What runner doesn't want to go try out something new?

So off to the shoe store I go.  And no more of those heavy, ugly, motion-control shoes for this flat-footed pronator.  I wanted something light and fun....and the most important feature of all....PINK

Aren't they pretty??