Sunday, May 15, 2011

Three Parts to My Crazy Busy Weekend

1. Loved racing in my hometown.  Did the recycling on the way.   Could sleep later as it was 2 1/2 miles up the road.  Knew people there.  Raced on roads I run on all the time.

It was very well organized for a first time race.  I chose to do the 5K as did many of the people there. I ended up being the 4th woman!  Ha!  I can't write that very often.  There were lots of people who walked but I'll take that 4th with pride regardless.  I had a 9:13 pace overall.  My first mile was around 9:15, second was 9:53 (the killer hill - this included going down it!) and the third was 8:42.  The last tenth was 7:52.  I don't know most of the stats. I don't know if race results will be published.  T was the third woman.  The two women who tied for first talked the whole way.   CQL came up with her friends for the race. She is also doing 5 races in May, 4 of them the same ones I am.  My next race is this coming Thursday, our state Corporate Cup. I don't like racing in the evening but it should be fun.

2. AS SOON AS I got home from the race I took my car to Shelburne to leave it for an appointment. It needs to sit for awhile so I wanted to get it there early in the weekend.  I took my bike as I was going to get myself back home. I love running errands while riding/running and I love being self sufficient.  Of course when I was thinking about doing this it was sunny and beautiful.  It started raining pretty much as soon as I started riding. It wasn't too bad for awhile but was quite settled in by the halfway point.  I divided the route into 4 parts mentally as I thought about how much I had done/had to do.  On the way up I drove the first 2/3 of the duathlon route. That was a mistake as I am more freaked than I already was. It is very hilly, again and again and again.  The first part of my ride home  included the final third. I have driven this road many times but not paid attention to the hills before.  Nonetheless this section was okay.  I knew in the second section that there was a very giant hill so I was mentally prepared for it.  The trouble is .........it goes on forever...........it is very steep.............you go around a curve and it just continues and continues and continues.  But I made it up and I'm riding along when I remember another giant hill that I had forgotten.  It is also very long and very steep but it is straight with no surprises.  I make it up that one and then I remember one more big hill to come in this section. It's amazing how different a familiar road is on a bike.  I am quite wet but I don't want to stop because I am afraid if I do I will call my husband to come get me.  Everyone tried to talk me out of doing this once it was going to rain but I can be rather stubborn.  So I continue on and get to the third part which was the easiest.  There were some rolling hills but nothing alarming.  I stop just before I head up to my house for the last section because I can no longer shift my gears and I need my gloves on.  I also eat a quick energy bar probably far too late. How do you eat on a bike?  Then I head up along the river to home. Now everyone I work with thinks I am amazing to ride this route home but truthfully it is all hill but not a steep incline. I felt like I had a motor on my bike in comparison to some of the hills I had been on. Or maybe I was the horse heading for the barn.  Whatever..... I made it home.  The whole ride was 27.5 miles.  And my butt felt every one of them.  I wish I had been faster. That also makes me nervous for the duathlon.  Will I finish my bike and they tell me I took too long so I should pack up and go home?  But for the present I am proud of myself for doing this ride and not quitting.


I MADE IT!

Then after a quick shower we jumped in the car (not mine) and went to a birthday party. Very busy day.
No time to rest.

3. Today I had 12 miles planned. I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it but I could tell almost as soon as I started that it would be fine. I felt quite good and managed all 12 even though it was once again raining.  It felt great to be on my feet and not on the bike.

I plan to ride to work tomorrow (rain again) and run on Tuesday so I can catch a ride with  a colleague who lives that way to get my car. The biggest problem is carrying all the stuff I need.  I don't want to carry stuff running on Tues. so I am taking it tomorrow. Because of the rain I need more (dry shoes - plus I am planning on running with  a friend after school so I need that stuff.)  Who knew how much organizing working out could take?

21 comments:

Christina said...

Wow! That's a weekend full of biking and running!
Don't you love it that you were so active during the weekend?

Anne said...

What a great and full weekend! You are in such amazing shape...good job!

Teamarcia said...

Congrats on the race and holy hills that was one helluva ride! I am witting out about my duathlon too...I'm such a novice.

Teamarcia said...

I've never done a du...the one I'm planning to do if I don't wimp out is on 7/10. It's 5k, 15 mile ride, 5k.

Monica said...

OY! I didn't realize when I made my last comment that you had already signed up for a dualthon! Perfect!! You will do GREAT!!!

Pahla said...

WOW!! I am so impressed by your hilly bike ride and your 12-miler AND being the 4th woman at your race!!! You are such a rock star and I have no fear that you will crush your du! Cute pic, too. :)

Char said...

You are a MACHINE. I'm tired just reading about your weekend.

2 Slow 4 Boston said...

4th Place Woman!! Whoo Hoo.

Hell of a bike ride too.

Richelle said...

Way to go on the race! I feel like such a slob after reading how much biking and running you did. I hope you get some pleasant days for biking this week. :)

Kate Geisen said...

Way to go on that 5K! Ending way faster than you started, even after the killer hill...nice!

I feel for you on the bike. I spent 27 miles on my bike for that adventure race back in March after spending very few miles on it before then...ow. And hills...yes, it's amazing how different a road feels on a bike than in a car! I bet any time you drive or run now you'll be thinking about how you'd ride that route, too.

Liz said...

That's a lot of running and riding! Congrats on the 4th place too - you're doing so well recently!

Amy said...

Congratulations on your 4th place finish! And I have also taken my bike with me when I have to drop off my car, but the garage is only 6 km from my house, not 30 miles!!! Whoa! And then run 12 miles the next day? I think you are in good form for your duathalon...

Karen said...

You had quite the weekend! 4th overall in a 5k, a killer bike ride and then a 12 mile run. You are making me tired just reading about it :) Congratulations on the 4th overall!!!

Michelle said...

That pic is hilarious! Congrats on the 4th overall!

Johann said...

Great race and 4th place, well done! I enjoy racing in the evenings from time to time and generally run better times than in the morning. I think it is a metabolism thing. Way to go with all the biking! Keep it going!

Jim ... 50after40 said...

Hahaha - love the picture and GREAT RACE! And a run too - wow!

Fran said...

Congrats on a great race! And on a great bike ride. I'm proud of you too that you didn't quit.

I often split up my run in parts, especially when it's not going naturally.

Anonymous said...

4th place woman!! Woot!!

Congrats on finishing that killer bike ride, bummer about the rain, on the bike and the run!

We've had rain on the schedule the last few days, but it's wound up being pretty nice! Hope you luck out like that too!

Tina @GottaRunNow said...

Yay for 4th! Funny pic!

Kandi said...

Sounds like a very full weekend.

Alisa said...

I would love for a race to start down the street, that would be awesome! Sleeping in is sooooo key!

4th place, that is awesome.

Lots of running and biking for you. All those hills are totally going to help you in the duathlon and actually riding hills really helps my running! Eating on the bike...I got a bike bag, it's a little bag that velcros onto the top tube and I stash food in there. It is easy to open while riding (and I have horrible balance). For the half ironman and all my training leading up to it, I cut up cliff mojo bars into bite size pieces and stashed them in the bag and then I could eat little pieces without having to choke down a whole bar at once. Lots of people use their riding jerseys for food but I found that awkward to reach back and not be able to see what I was grabbing. Good luck!