Ironman Santa Cruz 70.3 Race Recap

🏊🏼‍♀️🚴🏽‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️

I had 2 specific goals going into this race…

A) SMASH the bike
B) get a sub 6 time
👊🏼
As I was walking to the transition area, I realize I left ALL my liquid nutrition in the fridge!

Thankfully, a fellow competitor & my teammate Carla came through BIG time for me and gave me enough nutrition to get me fueled up on the bike.
🙏🏼
I headed to the swim start & got into the water for a quick warm up…that water was cold!! I got out & headed for the corrals & weaved my way up to Carla who was just about ready to start.

I got off to a slow start & kept my head up for way too long. I think I was in my head, thinking about how cold it was. When I finally put my head down, I kept a steady pace all the way to the beach.

✅🏊🏼‍♀️

It was a long run to T1 but I managed to run the entire distance. I missed the strippers along the way & had to take my wetsuit off once I got to my bike. Kept the time in transition to a minimum & got the hell out of there as fast as I could!
⏰
I hopped on my bike & settled in. The sun came out & so did the wind! Major headwinds & crosswinds heading north along the coast. I pushed hard & built up as much speed & momentum as I could to carry me up the rolling hills. I was feeling good, hit the turnaround & then the fun really began!
💨
I got a nice push from the wind at the turnaround & the views of the rugged coastline were breathtaking! At one point, I hit 49 mph descending & couldn’t help but woo-hoo spontaneously, lol!
😆
I came into T2 feeling great. I gave a strong effort on the bike & was ready to run. I quickly made my way out & dialed back the pace until I got my legs back.

At about mile 5.5, I came to the top of the dirt trail where there was an aid station set up right by some uneven terrain. I went to grab a cup of water from one of the volunteers, twisted my ankle & fell down in grand fashion!
😵
I got up, took a few steps & knew I’d be okay. My ankle was a little sore but there was no way I wasn’t going to finish! I came up a little short of my sub 6 but managed a PR of 6:09:27 & top 20 in my age group.
🏅

Ironman Santa Rosa 70.3

🍇 July 27, 2019 🍷

Finish line feels for my 2nd Half Ironman with a time of 6:36:00. I was relieved to finish after being so worried about the rough roads on the bike course!

🏊🏼‍♀️🚴🏽‍♀️🏃🏻‍♀️
The lake swim was awesome! The fresh water was a pleasure to swim in and although it was wetsuit legal, I was hoping I’d get a chance to use my new ROKA Viper swimskin.

The bike course was rough and the roads were in less than stellar condition which made me hesitant on the course. I didn’t attack the bike as much as I would have liked to but I did manage a sub 3 hour bike time.

The run was hot and mostly on the trail with a steady incline on the way back. Thankfully, it was shaded and well supported with aid stations at each mile on the run.

Best part of this race was spending time with my girl Rebekah & her awesome mom. They were so easygoing, fun and kept me in stitches laughing 24/7! 💜 the 💩 out of you ladies!

2019 Encinitas Half Marathon = PR!

13.1 miles in the books yesterday in 2:01:06 for a new PR at the Encinitas Half Marathon. 🥳

I started about a minute and a half ahead of the 2 hour pacers and when they caught up to me, I decided to stick to them like glue.  I almost got dropped at one of the hills & had to really push myself to catch up. 🌄

I kept my cadence high and averaged 188 spm – one of the tweaks I’ve made with the help of my coach and the run analysis I got at @optimum_care_therapy.  I really focused on maintaining good form, especially when I started to fatigue.

🏃🏻‍♀️

I knew I was going to be really close to a sub 2 time so I surged ahead of the pacers and ran the final 2 miles at a 9:03 pace.  As I got closer to the finish line, I saw that I was running out of time and had about a quarter of a mile left…my ever elusive sub 2 hour half was not to be.

😬

I finished the race in a head to head sprint with another runner.  We both gave it all we had and made it a good show for the spectators.  I was spent…left it all out there and gave it my best effort.

😝

Although I was disappointed to not get that sub 2 hour half, I was really proud of my effort and for getting a PR.  I haven’t ran that fast since before my ACL reconstruction & meniscus repair surgery in August 2017 so I feel really great about that.

🏅

2019 SuperSEAL Olympic Triathlon

Stoked to get this beauty yesterday at the IRONMAN SuperSeal Olympic Triathlon!  Overall, I’m happy to have hit my goal to finish under 3 hours [2:59:54]😜but I definitely have A LOT of work to do on my open water swim in particular as well as cutting down my transition times.

🏊🏼‍♀️S-W-I-M [38:48]

The water was a relatively “warm” 62 degrees compared to what I’m used to at Bayshore and they sent us in the water in a self-seeded staggered start with 2 athletes entering the water at a time.  This relieved a lot of stress as there was no mass start and frantic battling for position in the water.  I was able to get my face down in the water but struggled with swimming continuously, especially in the beginning.  The mental battle in the open water is real!  Those red turnaround buoys looked SO damn far, I was so relieved when I finally reached them.  I got into a groove and focused on making good, strong pulls.  I had a guy zig-zagging pretty badly in front of me on the way back and had to surge ahead to get past him.  I finally could hear the cheers in the crowd which seemed to help pull me in faster…plus I really wanted to catch the dude in front of me, which I did and then passed him up as we got out of the water and into transition.💪🏼

🔁T1 [5:05]

I unzipped my wetsuit as fast as I could and took off my watch.  In training, my watch kept getting stuck on my wetsuit so I had it in my head to just take it off before pulling the sleeves off.  That worked great, as well as tucking my timing chip under my wetsuit on my ankle so that it wouldn’t get caught or ripped off accidentally. Next time, I’m buying booties too!  The sand was pretty cold and the rocky gravel wasn’t fun to run on and we had a bit of a ways to go to get to the bike rack.  I finally got myself geared up for the bike and was off.

🚴🏽‍♀️💨 B-I-K-E [1:15:59]

There was a strict no-passing lane for the first and last 1/2 mile so I used that time to eat my CliffBloks and hydrate.  Once I hit the road, I got into my aero bars and just gave it a good strong and steady effort.  I saw my coach starting his 2nd loop on the bike as I was beginning my 1st. He gave me a word of encouragement and zipped ahead. The bike course was 2 loops, flat & fast.  I managed an average pace of 19.66 mph and felt good & so thankful to have survived the swim!

🔁T2 [2:46]

I quickly racked my bike and swapped my cycling shoes for my running ones.  My race belt+bib was in my hat so I put that on me as I made my way out of transition.  

🏃🏻‍♀️💨 R-U-N [57:18]

It took about a mile to get my legs back and to boot, we started uphill on soft dirt! 😬 I focused on a quick and light cadence and managed a 9:25 pace…not bad for me.  I pushed the pace for the final mile to hit sub 9 minutes, feeling strong & elated to cross the finish line. 🏁 

🏅

I DID IT!  I’m so grateful for my amazing coach who has put together a great program for me and has encouraged me every step of the way.

🙌🏼

Race On The Base Reverse Tri

🥇Medal Monday feels got me like 🤩 after my first podium finish, taking 1st place in my age group this weekend at the Race on the Base Reverse Triathlon!

🏃🏻‍💨 R – U – N

My strategy was to start at the back of the pack and pick off people one at a time.  I think it was a great mental boost for me to pass someone up & get a “kill” (as they say in Ragnar races). I  had one of my best 5K runs with an 8:27 pace, finishing in 27:58.  I utilized the tweaks that I received from my run analysis from Noriel from @optimum_care_therapy —> quicker cadence and running more on the front of my foot rather than landing on the heel.  This was included in my coaching package with @area_3_endurance and I could feel & see the improvement right away with the changes.

🚴🏽‍💨 B – I – K – E

I dodged a crash that happened right in front of me on the first lap.  I slowed down to avoid them and had to regain my composure.  I got to work and was feeling pretty fast, passing a lot of people.  3 hour sessions on the trainer makes you strong apparently & I was zipping right along!

🏊🏼‍ 💦S – W – I – M

4 times across the pool shouldn’t be hard for me at this point but it was still tough with dead legs, lol!  I managed to have good form for the first 2 times across…the 3rd, I did some breast stroke but I got it together to finish strong and got my 200 meters done in 2:46 for a final finish time of 1:18:17 and claiming my first ever podium finish! 🥇

I almost cried when they told me and was so happy my daughter was there to share the moment with me.  She did the Jr. Reverse Tri before my race and cheered me on during mine.  I couldn’t want to tell Coach @jon_yance & @rebekahwalker17 from @area_3_endurance – they are truly so very supportive and have helped me improve so much, definitely worth the investment and I highly recommend them to anyone who is looking to crush some goals! 💪🏼

💀🦋

I got to meet up with some of the amazing ladies out on the course like Erin —> @tryfit finished 1st overall for the ladies and 10 overall including the men! That is so badass!!! @mrschilders took 3rd in her age group and Amy took 2nd right behind me in our age group.

2018 Rock’n’Roll Las Vegas Remix = 5K+Half Marathon

Epic weekend at Rock’n’Roll Las Vegas where I took the Remix Challenge: 5K on Saturday + Half Marathon on Sunday!  We ran the strip at night and rocked out from the airport to Stratosphere and finished at Treasure Island.  This is the only time they shut the strip down and we got to take over the city (to the dismay of many motorists). I just had to stop and take a quick pic with KISS tribute band, @kissedalive one of the many entertainers along the course. 

 

2018 New York City Marathon – Amazing!

NYC 26.2…All the feels today, so much emotion and all the love came pouring out for us.  Thank you New York, you have a piece of my heart for sure.  Again, please donate to my fundraiser in memory of my dad who died of Lyme disease…every bit helps!  Link below.

💚💚💚

http://www.gla.org/nanimarathon

💚💚💚

Holiday Half Race Recap: Part 2 of 2

Started out my Sunday morning with a gorgeous drive out to Pomona…in my groove and happy to be heading to the race! You can’t hear anything in the video but check out those beautiful mountains in the background! 👀🤙🏼

Once I got there I met up with my fellow Ambassadors for some pre-race pics! My fav was this one of race announcer Rudy Novotny photobombing us! 😬

We started the race off with another snow start!!

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

It was magical and so fun to go through!

❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️❄️

Here are some of the rolling hills along the start of the course.

More gorgeous views of the mountains in the background! 😍

Here is my pro tip for you when going through the water station…

Found some dirt to run on! I’m not allowed to run on the pavement yet (ACL reconstruction was done on my left knee in August).

We ran right past Raging Waters!

We went through a park which provided lots of opportunities for me to run on the grass and dirt. 👍🏽

I loved the course – very peaceful with plenty of rolling hills to keep you engaged!

Getting closer…

 …and back to the raceway at mile 12 before heading to the finish line at 13.1!

I received my Holiday Half Marathon Medal AND the coveted GOLDEN SNOWFLAKE CHALLENGE MEDAL!! ❄️

It’s HUGE and it’s BEAUTIFUL!!!

Here’s a pic of all 3 medals together.🏅🏅🏅

Post race beverage! ❄️🏅🏅🏅❄️

I had a blast at the Holiday Half and will definitely be coming back next year!

Holiday Half Race Recap: Part 1 of 2

I had the honor of being an Ambassador for the Holiday Half Marathon this year. I opted to take on the ❄️”Golden Snowflake Challenge,”❄️ which consists of completing the Ugly Sweater 5K on Saturday & then finishing the Half Marathon on Sunday. The incentive?? Bragging rights & extra BLING!🏅🏅🏅

I arrived at gate 9 the Fairplex in Pomona and parking was plentiful and easy to access. Once parked, it’s a short walk through the entrance to the festivities.

There are several photo opportunities available for you to strike a pose…we love a good silly pic! Even Santa showed up for pics! They were handing out beanies for everyone and a bonus ornament picture frame medal. One of my favorite things about this event is that everything is easy to get to and in one central location. Packet pickup & bag check was quick and right there next to all the action, making it super convenient for those who didn’t wanted to carry their race shirt and other swag during the race.

Another fun feature of this race is the “snow” start!

The race starts inside and heads out to the Auto Club Raceway which is surrounded by mountains…loved it!

Thankful for another gorgeous day in Southern California & making it to the finish line!

😍 the medal so much…pictures don’t do it justice! It is so pretty and twinkles like crazy with all the silver glitter on it. Pictured with it is one of the two beanies that Motiv Racing gave away.

Here I am after the race with fellow Ambassador Tam & Ambassador Program Liaison Daryl…💜 these ladies!

After the 5K, it was time for the kids 1 mile Penguin Dash! Both my girls were in the first wave…

Starting line stretches to get the blood moving!

This is a FREE race for kids up to 12-years-old. Medals awarded to all participants…and they are super cute!

💜💜💜LOVE IT!!!!!💜💜💜

Post Race Recap – Long Beach Marathon 2017 (Part 1)

I had the awesome honor to be chosen as one of the Ambassadors for the Long Beach Marathon this year.

2017 makes it my 3rd year in a row participating in the Long Beach Marathon & Half Marathon, earning myself the coveted “Beach Bum” status, earning me special perks & privileges including:

– Beach Bum Club shirt
– Special member discounts to future events
– VIP Experience Race Weekend
– Beach Bum Club area adjacent to the Beer Garden
– One free Shock Top Beers

Keep running Long Beach every year and earn rewards for being a loyal participant:

– New rewards every year for those who qualify
– Additional event day benefits including a Shock Top Beach Bum Club members only area adjacent to the beer garden
– One free Shock Top beer
– After 6 consecutive years you will receive a Beach Bum hoodie
– After 10 consecutive years, your name will be enshrined on a bench on the Long Beach Run of Fame Bench in Lighthouse Park.

Expo & VIP Event for Legacy Runners & Ambassadors

 

Having fun at the expo with my girlies!

 

Aquarium of the Pacific 5K

 

The 5K ends with you running through the Aquarium of the Pacific…too cool!

Kids Aquarium of the Pacific Fun Run

After the 5K, it was time for the Kids Fun Run, a FREE untimed 1 mike race for kids up to the age of 12.  Participants receive a medal, certificate & FREE admission to the Aquarium of the Pacific on race weekend!