Amazing March :)

Gosh where do I begin...March was so incredible in so many ways. It started with the life-changing triathlon camp and it culminated in a qualification to go race at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii on October 9, 2010. After my half marathon/sprint tri double racing weekend on March 6-7th, I worked super diligently for two weeks straight before the NYC 1/2 Marathon on March 21st. I stayed in my routine, worked out anywhere between 3.5-5.5 hours per day swimming, biking, running and doing core work. It paid off immensely in NYC, where I placed 9th in my second best ever time (on a very hilly course), 1:13:58. I came away from the race very happy and elated that I raced so well, off of literally 20-40 miles of running per week, the 6 weeks leading up to the race. I couldn't believe how EASY it felt in the race until about the 11th mile. I was running 5:30's and 5:20's and I hadn't run that fast in a race or workout in a long time!! Therefore, considering everything I've been going through with my running and bone spur, I was pretty darn happy :)

Fast forward to the next weekend, on March 27th, the Oceanside 70.3 Triathlon. I had been looking forward to this race since I signed up last August. There were times I didn't think I should go because I didn't feel ready, yet I said "screw it" and I decided to go for it and just have FUN. I didn't sleep well at all the night before and had a very "non-routine" lead up week, since I got back from New York at 11 pm Monday night and left for California Tues mid day. I spent a few days with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins an hour from Oceanside, and drove down to Oceanside on Thursday afternoon. Anyway, race morning I had been up essentially since 1:45, tossing and turning and a bit nervous for what I had ahead of me. I was the most nervous for the swim, and possibly getting kicked in the face, etc. After some toast, a Power bar and my GU Cran Apple and Strawberry Chomps, we headed to the transition zone. I got to transition, realized I left my bike Garmin at the condo, and my running Garmin had 10% battery. It was time for just an old school regular timex with my entire race time going the whole way.

The swim went smoothly and I was really annoyed when our age group started passing a bunch of masses of people who had started in waves ahead of us. I'm pretty sure I lost at least two minutes swimming over, through and around people. I got on my bike as fast as I could and got going in a great groove. I was passing tons of people and even on the HUGE hills, I was up out of my seat and just going as hard as I could. The bike went pretty fast and the last 11 miles were basically completely flat, and I continued to pass people like they were standing still. Fuel wise, I drank my new favorite GU Brew Blueberry Pomegranate Electrolyte drink with 2x Sodium, and also ate a Mint Chocolate GU with about 15 miles left in the bike. They both helped me a lot yet I think I should have had more gels or more of my drink. Now I know for next time! I was super excited to get off my bike and run people down :) I threw on my Sole Sports visor since it was so warm and sunny and I took off like a bat outta hell down the boardwalk :) After the swim I was 22nd in my age group...after the bike I was 8th..and after the run I was 1st. My run time was decent but I wanted it to be faster...it was a 1:21 yet I think I may have lost some time weaving in and out of people on the narrow race course. Overall, I was 14th female, 2nd Amateur and my total time was 4:45:07... at the awards ceremony I decided to take my Kona slot.

When I was about 13 or 14 I remember standing in my family's living room watching the Ironman World Championships on TV. I was awe-struck at what the athletes were doing. I just couldn't even fathom biking 112 miles and then running a marathon. (At the time I was still swimming on swim team so the swim didn't seem bad-2.4 miles)...Yet I told myself "I am going to do that someday. I am going to compete there"....well, this October I'll be there....and these next 6 months I am going to sacrifice, sweat, and push myself harder than I EVER have in my life...and that 2:56 Ironman World Champs run course record is going down baby :)