PolarBear Sprint Triathlon - Bowdoin College, Maine

Lately, it seems like months go by before I update this blog. Ooops!

I mean to, but I get so busy. Between playing with Karalyn, who is now almost 18 months old (wow), running, doing house stuff and working part-time as a bookseller, my life is really busy!

So a number of things have happened since last writing. I participated in the PolarBear Sprint Triathlon held on May 3, 2008 at Bowdoin College in Maine; I continued training for the San Francisco Marathon (August 3, 2008); and of course I had a lovely three weeks of visiting with my parents, who came for a visit from Eureka. Yippee!

More on those another day. Mostly, this is all about the PolarBear.

I was very excited to participate in the PolarBear Sprint triathlon. It's held at Bowdoin (as mentioned above), and involves a 525 yard pool swim, 12 mile bike ride, and a 5K run. I started in the 2nd wave of swimmers--the 2nd slowest group--which was fine with me. I estimated I'd need 12 or 13 minutes to do the swim, but I over-estimated with them to make sure I'd have plenty of time. I used a swim cap, too, which made me look like a dork in my photos (I look like an old woman, ergh!) so in future, I whip that puppy off as soon as I'm out of the water!! LOL!

While watching the first wave start, a few of us noticed that, despite being promised by an announcer that it'd be sunny shortly, it was now pouring down rain outside...directly onto my dry biking clothes, under which was my waterproof Brooks Nightlife Jacket. Oh geez. If I'd thought it was going to rain, I'd have put the clothes UNDER it, rather than trying to organize my clothes in the order I'd put them on!

Anyway, getting into the water, I was excited because I'd done more swimming and had learned how NOT to race compared to last year: that is, I got in the pool determined to go at a strong but manageable pace, not trying to "race" but just be consistently strong and swim with the best technique I had. When the last person out of the pool from the first wave got out, we were off! I felt great--I even lapped the women on either side of me (who were coincidentally #'s 234 and 235, while I was 233), and was out of the pool in just over 12 minutes. I got out and ran outside--where it was still raining. No drying off today, apparently!

I yelled out my number for my split (12:51; 141st out of 177), and hustled over to my bike: the old Raleigh Technium from my college days. That puppy cost somewhere between $350 and $500 (Dad says $500, holy cow), and Dad had it FedExed out to me because he knew that riding my mountain bike is hard in a triathlon. I had literally gotten it in time to get it tuned up and taken out for one ride before the race. In fact, with the possibility of rain, I nearly decided against it, because the skinny tires had me scared. However, I had brought it after all. I got dressed in my riding clothes, took a bite or two of Clif bar, and headed out on the bike. I got to the road and took off. I rode with one of the other women (235) almost the entire time.

Near the end, she got ahead of me, but then at one tight intersection, the traffic got so jammed up she unexpectedly braked and nearly dumped her bike. I was so impressed that she didn't fall; I kept yelling for her "keep it up" and "you're doing great!" but she never caught me on the bike. I think she was rattled.

We pulled in within a minute of each other (45:42, 109th out of 177 riders), and I quickly tossed off my jacket and helmet. A quick grab of something to eat (I'd snacked on the ride, too, but my Bento Box--the food carrier--was so small, it was a pain), and I was off again. Immediately, I cramped up. Every time I try to drink gatorade/water mix on a ride, I cramp. I am just going to stick with water from now on. I suffered through two full miles of cramps before it eased up, and the last mile was blissfully free of pain--but my legs were torched from the bike. I had ridden too hard, considering I was so psyched to be on a good bike, and I was trying to keep up with 235! Duh!

When I came in to the finish, running the 3 miles in 31:26 (128th out of 177), I clicked my watch and saw that, my goal being "in under 1:30", I had made it JUST under 1:30! The official timers had my time at 1:30 exactly, but I know my watch was right because I clicked it as I started and as I finished. However, I'll take their time. I was bummed that I didn't run better than a ten minute mile, but considering that I was running in pain and exhausted, a ten minute mile is good! I need to stop being such a pain about it!

Final time: 1 hour, 30 minutes, .003 seconds; 121st out of 177. I met my goal time, and shaved 15 minutes off my previous triathlon time (granted, it did have a 3 mile longer bike portion...)!

I was so happy I was jumping around screaming--for myself--because nobody else was there! Kent was at USM giving a workshop on literacy, and the girls were being babysat because, really, there was nobody to watch them AT the triathlon, and they couldn't do it with me of course! I did see Rebecca Lamb, though, which was cool--she works with Kent--and that was nice. I happily got in line for a massage (free), when a Team Nor'Easter member out of Peak Performance Multisport in Portland came up with a DONUT.

OMG. A DONUT. I wanted one! I was starving! I said, "WHERE did you get that??" He told me there was a WHOLE TABLE of them!! I said, "I'm outta here!" and ran for a donut--chocolate. Yum! I was so hungry! (I had some banana too.)

When I came back, I let two other guys go ahead of me since I left the line, but the Nor'Easter guy let me go first. The massage was a great help, and she gave me a few hints about how to eliminate the cramping next time. I've used that a few times now when I started to cramp, and it helps. I push on the muscles right under my ribs for a few seconds at a time, moving from middle to side, and it goes away. Whew.

Afterwards, I ate a bit more, then went for a shower. We were at Bowdoin College's Phys Ed facility, of course. A shower felt SO good, I was so cold and wet--the warm, dry clothes helped a ton. While there, I spoke to a nice lady who was also a Team Nor'Easter member. I said I'd considered being a member but I couldn't make their training. She said it didn't matter, because it was mostly for support and if you couldn't train, at least you'd know people there.

I thought it sounded good, so the next week I went to a Team Nor'Easter social night at Peak Performance in Portland, and decided to sign up. I've since gone to a 2nd night, and Jean was a great help in talking to me about the marathon plans and my running schedule. The people rock.

I expect I'll do at least one more triathlon this year; maybe the CELT again in September. But for right now, my goal/focus is the SF Marathon August 3. I have done my longest run to-date about a couple weeks ago now--20 miles, while my parents were here. Took me just over 4 hours, and I felt like if I needed to, I could have run another 6. My legs weren't trashed, and I felt pretty good doing the full four laps of 5 miles each around the Presidential Loop.

That was a huge mental hurdle. Going out, I didn't WANT to run it at all; I wanted to quit. I REALLY didn't think I could do it. I was dreading it like crazy!! But when I did it, I was like, OK, now I KNOW I can do a marathon!! It was like when I did my first true brick workout, riding 15 miles then running 3; I knew I could do a triathlon. Now I know I can, it's just a matter of how long it takes me, not whether I can finish or not.

So that's my experience, and a few pictures.

"A good time was had by all." :D

____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!

I AM a Triathlete!

It is done!

After months of work losing weight, learning how to jog (then run), and practicing my biking, swimming AND running, I have finally done it!

I have become a Triathlete!

On Sunday morning, September 30, I arrived bright and early at the Cape Elizabeth (CELT) Challenge triathlon venue. It was 6 a.m., and as I rolled my bike up to the registration table to pick up my packet, I nervously saw I was the first one there! It was ridiculously dark--the sun wasn't even up yet--but I wanted to be sure that I had plenty of time to get myself set up, since it was my first triathlon.

Next time, I'll opt for an extra hour in the sack. Watching the sun rise was pretty, but it wasn't THAT pretty. And it was COLD out! I was hoping for a cool day because I don't like running in hot temperatures, but this was ridiculous.

Anyway, being there that early meant that meant I had my choice of place to rack my bike over at the transition area. I chose a spot near the entry/exit for the bike leg, right by a light pole in a grassy area so it would be easy to find and run to. Everything I had read said to be sure to find a spot that's easy to locate when you are in the middle of the race, but given the size of the field of competitors (just over 130), I needn't have worried.

Some time later, as more people started to arrive, I went to get "body-marked", where they write your race number and age on your body in permanent marker.

My race number (left) and age (right)

Then it was time for an interminable wait for my "wave" in the swim race to begin--after 9:00 a.m. I had over two hours to wait from the time I was bodymarked until I hit the water. During that time, I ate a snack (peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a banana), listened to my iPod, and finally stripped down to my swimsuit and went to sit out the hour-plus wait in the pool area itself.

Did I mention it was REALLY COLD that morning? I was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and long Adidas pants, and still I was cold! Yet I had to strip to my swimsuit and run inside to wait, because I didn't want to be juggling clothes at the pool! I had intended to bike and run in shorts and a tank top, but rethought it after freezing all morning, and so I set up my pants and long-sleeved TRI shirt so they would be ready to go, just in case.

I got lucky in that I saw Erin, a teacher friend that I used to work with, and we spent some time chatting and catching up on everyone at school. It was nice to see a friend, and to be able to hear how things are going in the teaching world. Teaching 8th grade science was fun, but I prefer being home with the baby right now.

Anyway, pretty soon Kent showed up with Kara and Maddy, and so they were there as my wave was called "on deck", ready to go.

Me (center, blue and yellow suit), waiting for my wave to start

Pretty soon, we were told to get in the water, and the countdown began to start my 425 yard swim. It was not a chip-timed event, which means I didn't wear a timing chip that would record my actual start, transitions, and time in each leg of the race. We all got started at the same time by a common clock, and then the transition times were noted as we ran past volunteers. In retrospect, I'm sad about this, because the transitions in and out of the bike and run were added to the bike portion, which means there's no way to find out exactly how long I took in each transition.

ANYWAY, so I was in the water, my goggles were defogged and on, and my timer watch was ready to go. They counted down and we were off!

Immediately, my right goggle filled with water, and I was forced to swim one-eyed across the pool. After the first length, I stopped, fixed my goggle, and headed back for length two of 17 total. I felt totally "discombobulated" from the goggle fiasco, and suddenly I realized I forgot to start my timer! At the end of length two, I stopped, hit what I thought was the start button, and went out for length three. Partway through I realized that I probably hit "reset" instead of start, and sure enough, I had. So at the end of length four, I finally hit the start button.

By this time, I was so out-of-sorts that I ended up out of sync. It wasn't good. I felt like I was flopping around; I couldn't settle down. My pace was off--normally I can swim 17 lengths in 11.5 minutes, but I was clearly going too fast and my breathing was erratic. I can normally take four strokes and breathe, but this time I was doing two strokes-breathe-two strokes-breathe, which is the wrong pace for me. I get out of breath doing that, oddly enough.

Me (center) swimming as hard as I could!

Halfway through I was forced to take a one-length breaststroke swim, because I was just too tired. I slogged along, and eventually I managed to get out of the pool--dead last in my heat, which was the 10-12 minute heat. I got a big cheer (I heard Erin above the crowd), and they started the next heat almost exactly as I got out!

Next time, I'm going to OVER-estimate my swim time! I talked to another competitor later, and she and I both felt like we were swimming as fast as we could, but we were both dead last in a field of people who were swimming 2-4 minutes faster than we were in our heat!!

Anyway, I got out, walked to grab my towel (it was slippery), then ran out of the building into the cold, cold morning air. OH MY GOSH. It was awful! I sprinted across the parking lot (miraculously missing any little pebbles or debris--it must've been swept), and they noted my time as I entered transition. My time was 11 and a half minutes, which means I swam faster than my usual pace, despite the problems!

At transition, I realized the cold wasn't as bad as it had been an hour and a half ago, so I opted for shorts after all, but I did put on my long-sleeved shirt, because I was heading for the bike part and though the wind on my cold, wet torso might be a bit much.

At transition, putting my shoes on and laughing as Kent takes my picture

I got my helmet on, put on the black "race belt" that had my race number (27) affixed to it...
...added my biking gloves, ate a few Clif Shot Bloks (salty margarita--yeah, I'm hooked after the half marathon I ran), drank some water, and pulled my bike off the rack. I ran my bike to the mount/dismount line, mounted up, and was OFF on the 14 mile bike ride!

Immediately, there was a hill. Did I mention that this was reputed to be a "relatively flat" course? Whoever decided on that was clearly out of their minds! There were rolling hills, long uphills, and some nice long downhills that were payoff for the harder parts. It was a good ride. It was a double loop, where I had a small inner loop before the bigger outer one. I was glad I had my water bottle full of Gatorade--I needed it.

During the bike portion, I was passed repeatedly by people on those beautiful aerodynamic TRI bikes with the aerobars (the $5000 bikes, oh my), and I actually passed two people--though in retrospect, I now think they weren't part of the race!

Every time someone passed me, I yelled, "Good morning!" and "Looking great!" They all yelled encouraging things back--and that was the theme of the race. EVERY person who passed me, in the same or opposite direction, yelled something positive. EVERY TIME. It was such a great experience! One lady who passed me on the bike was very supportive--she said, "You're doing great, and oh my gosh, you're doing it on a mountain bike!" (That's like racing a bunch of lamborghinis when you're driving a Jeep.) I yelled back, "Thanks, it's all I had, we make do!"

There was one point I was glad of the mountain bike--one part of the road was really trashed, it was broken up and had weird dips in it. The race official yelled, "Be careful of the road--oh but you're on a good mountain bike, you'll be fine!" It was the one time I was glad I had my bike. It's not fast, but it's sturdy.

Halfway through the race, I heard some beeping and looked back--it was Kent and the girls, in the Honda! He passed me by, and a bit later I saw him on the side of the road, where he'd pulled over to take pictures and videotape me! I waved as I went by, and continued on.

Halfway through the bike course

A bit down the road, I heard a noise and looked back--Kent was pacing me, driving right behind me as I rode! I was coming to the next turn, and as a race volunteer waved me around, I yelled, "Don't mind my stalker back there--it's just my husband and my daughters!" He laughed!

Once back at the school, I shifted my feet on the pedals so I was pedaling more on my heels, and spun the pedals at a "high cadence" to loosen up my leg muscles for the run. That was a bit hard, coming down that same hill I had to bike up on my way out. I was so excited to be done with the bike, though, I grinned all the way in!

Coming in to transition (FYI, Beth Rand was the race photographer)

I pulled up to the mount/dismount line and stopped, and the race official pronounced me "perfect!" (Not sure why, but I'll take it.) I ran the bike in, whipped off my long-sleeved shirt, tossed on my tank top, ate a few more Shot Bloks, and took off, putting my race belt back on as I ran. I had a bit of the "jelly legs" syndrome, but within a minute or so, my legs were fine.

Starting out on the cross-country run

The run was a cross-country 3-mile run through the woods and over roots, across mud puddles and up and down hills. I thought I was going so slow! I felt like I was almost moving backwards! Yet the encouragement kept on coming. "You're almost there!" and "Looking strong!" and "Keep it up!" and "You're doing great!" It was so cool.

I ran on and on...finally I hit the one-mile mark, got a cup of water, and took off again. Very shortly thereafter I hit the 1 1/2 mile mark, where we literally had to run around a pylon and head back. Partway across what looked like a salt marsh (I was too busy running to really look closely at it) there was a wooden walkway and, in the middle of that, a little wooden bridge. On the bridge railings were about seven teenagers, and they were busy cheering literally everyone who went by. When I went by the first time, they cheered me. On my way back, I told them THANK you because I could hear them through the woods, and it kept me oriented! They thought that was neat, and yelled even louder!

Back through the woods, then up the last hill I went. One very fit, very tall man passed me, and all the way up that last hill he kept yelling for me, "Come on, you're almost there, you can do it! Go! Go! Go!" I had to laugh, he was so exuberant!

Yelling HI to Kent, Maddy and Karalyn...

...as I sprinted in to the finish!

I made it up the hill, rounded the corner, and sprinted for the finish. As I crossed the line, I whooped and yelled, "Oh my God, I can't believe I actually did it!" The people at the finish cheered for me, and Kent and the girls were there right away. Maddy took this rather unflattering picture...

...and I got lots of hugs!

My goal was to finish in less than two hours. I made my goal, finishing in 1 hour, 46 minutes and 43.6 seconds. My breakdowns were as follows:

• 425 yard Swim (plus run to the transition area): 11 minutes, 31.3 seconds (fastest I've ever done)
• 14 mile Bike (plus transition time after swim, before run): 1 hr., 2 min and 4.9 seconds
• 3 mile (5K) Run: 33 min, 7.5 seconds--an 11 minute mile pace
  

I was really proud of myself, and for the rest of the day I kept occasionally grinning and saying, "I ran a triathlon! Hee hee!"

Afterwards, Kent took Kara and Maddy to the book store for a book and a snack, and I took advantage of the post-race barbecue to get something to eat. The rest of the day we spent out at the Fryeburg Fair, in Fryeburg Maine. We realized that, since I got Sunday off for the triathlon, this would be our best chance to go--every other weekend I'd be working. We were there until about 7, and had a great time.

Now that I've finished my first triathlon, I'm eager to do it again. I want to see if I can improve on my time, and I would like to redo that swim--I'm not happy with how it went. I also thought the organization was OK, but not superb, for this race, and would like to try the Kennebunk FireMan Sprint in August, which is the same distance. The only drawback that I can see is that it includes an ocean swim. I don't care about the ocean part--I've swum oceans many times. I just don't like the COLD that forces you to wear a wetsuit. That part I'm not looking forward to, although apparently I can rent a wetsuit.

I think I'd also like to do an Olympic distance. That's twice the distance, with a swim of 1.5K, 40K bike, and 10K run. There is one in Auburn, California, just in the foothills above Sacramento, where we used to live. I'd like to do that one. It's in May of 2008, so it'd be just after my 42nd birthday, and a nice way to celebrate.

Overall, I'm pleased with how I've trained, although I am disappointed with my swim. I know I could do better, but considering I practiced only about six times (two in a pool of the proper length), I think I did fine. The bike I was disappointed with only because the mountain bike is hardly a speed demon; I wish I could try it on a TriBike with aerobars and see how much faster I could go. Hard as I trained, and often as I trained, no matter how long or short the ride (as long as 25 miles, as short as 5), I could never go much faster than 15 miles per hour.

I am most proud of the running. I have come a long, long way from my old 20-minute-mile walk pace. Being able to run more than 30 seconds seemed like such a long shot, but that was only six months ago. Now I can run ten miles straight without stopping, and I can even enter races. I may not finish fast, but I finish, and so far, I'm never last!

At this point, I just have some small 5K races to run. As of the writing of this blog, I've already done one of them. I'll write about that another day. For now, I'm starting to shift into running-only mode, practicing to keep my fitness level and to maybe improve my speed over the winter. Eventually I'll start training for a tri again, but for now, I am just focusing on my family, working at the bookstore, and trying to adjust to being up until past midnight four nights a week for my job.

Just wait, though. I've done one triathlon; I am a triathlete. I don't want this to be a one-off deal.

I will be back!

Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.
- Brian Tracy


____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!

Transitioning from Jogger to Runner

"You need to be flexible with your workouts. Some days you just don't have it, but some days you will shock yourself with your strength." -- Dotsie Cowden, U.S. National Cycling Team member
____________________________________________________________________

Dianne Jones (blue and black) and
me (in purple), running at Long
Sands Beach during the inaugural
women's only Maine Coast
Half Marathon, Sept. 23, 2007.

I have never considered myself a runner. Even when, as a teenager, I would take my walkman out for long runs around San Francisco when in town visiting my sister, I would call it "jogging". It didn't matter if I was "jogging" for three hours--I was still only jogging, because I did it slowly, and I took walk breaks.

Running, on the other hand, was something that people did when they were (a) going really fast, or (b) going really long distances without stopping.

This past Sunday, I passed the point where I can now feel comfortable calling myself a runner.

How did that happen, you ask?

Simple. I ran my first-ever half marathon.

You may recall from an earlier blog that I signed up for the inaugural Maine Coast (women's only) Half Marathon in York, Maine, to be held on September 23. When I "jogged" the York Hospital 5K in June, there was a postcard on my car window advertising this race. Instead of tossing it, I held onto it--because of two little words:

"Walkers welcome!"

Well heck. I could WALK 13 miles, I knew that I could do that. Up to this point I'd only ever walked 7 at a time, but I figured from June to September I should have been able to improve to walking 13. So I held onto the postcard.

After spending the summer in Eureka, I was comfortable jogging a couple miles, so I decided to sign up for the half marathon. I was going to sign up as a walker, but there was a proviso that said, "If you plan to jog any part of this course, you must sign up as a runner." So I did, despite being scared to death of that term.

Over the past two months, though, I improved to the point where I could jog 7 miles straight, nonstop. That was a huge breakthrough, and I was so excited to try out my "new legs" in the half marathon last Sunday.

The experience was incredible. I finally splurged and got myself a real "cool-max" tank top to wear (me? in a tank top?)--no more hot cotton. I also got some cool-max shorts at Target, on sale yet. So the morning of the race, when I lined up, I felt good. There is something to be said for dressing the part. I felt like such a real runner!

My only concern was that the race was USA Track & Field sanctioned, which means the rule is no iPods. That was a big concern because I run best when I have music. I need the distraction. Otherwise I obsess about my legs, my breathing, my side (I always get a cramp), how far I have gone, and so forth. The music takes me out of that and allows me to just go, without all the internal dialogue messing me up. Thankfully, I saw lots of other women with iPods, and nobody seemed to be policing it, so I decided to wear mine after all.

The walkers set out first at 8:30 a.m. I was nervous about this. I had visions of being the last one in--not that it would be disgraceful, as long as I finished. I just didn't want to never be able to catch any walkers. I kept trying to figure out how far I'd have to run to pass at least one walker. It was my own little "pride" thing that I still need to get out of my system, I guess.

At 9:00, we lined up on the course, and I positioned myself about 2/3 of the way back in the pack. There were so many women! I saw all shapes, sizes, colors, fitness levels, some with iPods, some without, lots of women in cool max clothing and lots and lots of women in cotton. I was pleased that I'd run with my Moms on the Run group all this time, because at least I knew the cotton wouldn't hold me back today.

When the race started, we all moved forward at a walk. There was a "chip timer" on my shoelace that would activate when I crossed the start, thereby entering my official start time, so I wasn't too worried. I had queued up my iPod to start with Keith Urban's "Days Go By", one of my favorite songs, but somehow messed it up. It was a happy coincidence, though, because when I hit the "play" button, what I got instead was Rascal Flatts' "Life is a Highway".

If you have seen the Disney/Pixar movie "Cars", you will recognize the song as the one that plays when Mack the truck drives Lightning McQueen on an all night drive to get to California for the final race to determine the winner of the Piston Cup. That scene is one of my favorites of the whole movie, because although the scene is totally computer-generated, it accurately reflects what it's like to travel long distances out on the open road.

This made it the PERFECT song choice! It started just as I crossed the Start line, and the appropriateness actually brought me to tears!

I started out at what felt like an easy pace, and watched all these women run past me. That was a bit demoralizing, but I kept thinking, so long as I'm ahead of SOMEONE, that's OK! (That's my "pride" thing talking.) I finally settled into a field of women that seemed to be going my pace.

Suddenly, a women came up alongside me, and somehow we got to talking. Her name was Dianne Jones, and she's from New Jersey. Then another lady joined us. Her name is Jen Nachbur, and she's from Vermont.

I shut off my iPod as the the three of us started talking as we were running together. Jen was running for Team in Training, and so she had scheduled walk breaks that she took, so now and again it was just Dianne and me. Yet Jen kept catching up to us, despite the fact that Dianne and I just ran without stopping.

Dianne was a bit concerned about our pace. We were on an 11-minute-mile pace, which is a bit faster than she (or I) wanted to go. But I couldn't pull up, because I was comfortable.

That still strikes me--I was comfortable running!

Another amazing thing is that I started passing people. The same women who had passed me were now walking, and I was still running...and zipping past them. I was so beyond psyched. It was such a revelation--I could run well enough to keep my pace and pass other people who had started faster than me.

Dianne and me, joking with the photographer

That was an amazing feeling. I look back now, a few days past the run, and I remember it more with a sense of gliding than pounding. I felt so strong when I was running (and passing others); I felt like I could accomplish anything. I amazed myself at my strength.

During one point in the run, one race official who was stopping traffic started laughing. He told us, "Only women could run a half marathon and still talk all the way through it!" We laughed also and I yelled back, "We're multi-talented!"

About mile six, Dianne gave me a sports jelly bean, which helped because I was getting hungry. My stomach actually growled! I drank some Accelerade when it was offered at mile 4, and then by mile 8, I was getting really hungry. Once I passed the 7 mile mark, I told Dianne and Jen, "Every single step I take now is a personal best!" I had never run that far without stopping before.

At mile 8, I was all ready for some Accelerade...but to my surprise and delight, they were also passing out something called Clif Shot Bloks, which are thick 10-gram gummy squares of carbohydrate in the form of organic brown rice syrup mixed with electrolytes. They were handing out packets of a flavor called "Margarita with salt", but I didn't even look at that. I just knew I needed some fuel, and I needed it NOW.

After drinking some Accelerade and water, I ripped open the package (while still running) and ate one of the Shot Bloks.

Oh my. It was simultaneously the worst thing I have ever tasted, and the best thing I have ever tasted.

I was half expecting some kind of sticky-sweet stuff like the "GU" and gels many runners prefer. Instead I got a shot of margarita (yum!) with a lot of salt.

How smart is the Clif company to make margarita with salt? It turns out that when you run and sweat a lot, of course you lose salt. That means as you drink water, you lose your electrolyte balance--hence the need for sports drinks like Gatorade and Accelerade. By the 8 mile mark, I must have been pretty salt-depleted, because I was already talking about walking.

Two of the Shot Bloks fixed me right up, and I was good to go. I ate two more of them over the next two miles, then just held the package in my right hand--a good idea because it stopped me from clenching my fist, which also halted any cramps in their tracks.

I later forgot all about the Shot Bloks, unfortunately, and after mile ten I dropped to a walk for one minute. I wish I'd thought to try a Shot Blok first, but the walk break was good for me. Diane kept going, but Jen was near me, so after my one-minute walk break, I started running again. I knew the last three miles would be my toughest, despite it "only being a 5K" at this point, so I used my iPod to get my groove back. That helped a lot--I ran along, singing and smiling, waving at people and shouting "THANK YOU!" to any race officials I saw.

Over the last three miles, I took a total of four one-minute walk breaks. Jen and I stayed pretty even, but Dianne was long gone.

When we rounded the last corner to take us into the final stretch, Jen and I were side-by-side. I saw Kent and the girls, waving at me as I ran past, and then I yelled to Jen, "Shall we kick it?" She said yes, and we started to SPRINT. We finished the race that way--sprinting to the end.

Jen Nachbur and me in our final sprint

I'd done it! I finished my first half-marathon, running most of the time, and my final time was 2 hours, 36 minutes and 56 seconds, which put me in at an "11 minute, 59 second per mile" pace. Another personal best.

Afterwards, we all got medals, and I immediately went to find food and stretch. While I felt great during the run, as soon as I stopped, things started to cramp up. My stomach (which my Dad later said was my diaphragm) cramped, my legs started to ache, and I had to stretch, drink, stretch, eat, stretch, stretch, and stretch some more. I thanked Jen for keeping me motivated, and I found Dianne and thanked her for not letting me stop at 8 miles (I wanted to). Both of those women were SO key in getting me through as far and as well as I did, and I will forever be grateful to them both.

The rest of the day was spent resting, eating, and smiling. I later took a 30 minute walk to help stretch my legs, and Kent presented me with a gift--a $100 bill to buy a new iPod shuffle, one of the little ones, so I wouldn't have it banging against me as I run, and I won't have the headphone cords yanked out by weight machines or the jogging stroller any longer, because it won't be hanging down the front of me. I was shocked and really thrilled, and have already loaded it up.

The color? Bright pink of course!

That day will forever be etched on my mind as a highlight of my life. It was a day I did something I swore I could never do--run over ten miles non-stop, completing a half marathon in just over 2 1/2 hours. It has inspired me as nothing else in my life ever has--except becoming a mother.

I told both Dianne and Jen about my plans to try the Honolulu Marathon. They were both absolutely certain I could, and they both encouraged me to go for it. They said the time I have until that marathon (15 months) will give me plenty of time to train properly.

They also said if I could do this, then I could definitely do a marathon.

First, however, I still have one other little matter to attend to:

The Cape Elizabeth Land Trust Challenge Triathlon. That's next Sunday.

One goal realized (half marathon); one more to go (triathlon); one new one to train for (full marathon).

I'm gonna be one busy lady.

____________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!

Am I out of my mind???

Well I have done it now.

I haven't written in a while. Boy did I foul this blog up. I meant to write all summer, but something about being 3,000+ miles from home with my two girls (hubby Kent was at home) meant that I did very little writing. I have been working on a book about my experiences, too, and while I did a little work on it, that's about all I did.

The rest of the time, I was walking and jogging and running up hills three times a week, and visiting with family, swimming at the River House (in Willow Creek), eating lots of veggies and fruits and generally moving my way down to a new low of 165.

I then sat at that 165 mark for three weeks. I've since moved lower, 162.5 on my last weigh-in two days ago, but considering my hubby thought I would gain weight while in California (thanks to my Mom's great cooking), I think I did OK.

So back to how I started the blog: Now I've done it. I am out of my mind.

What, pray tell, have I done?

I have signed up for not ONE but TWO big races.

On consecutive weekends.

To be held in just over six weeks.

Yup. I am signed up for the Women's Only Half Marathon in York, Maine on September 23, and I am also signed up for a Sprint Triathlon at Cape Elizabeth, Maine on September 30.

And in a small bid toward mentally preparing for those, I am signed up as a volunteer to mark numbers on triathletes (LEGS and ARMS ONLY, PEOPLE!!!) at the West Kennebunk FireMan Sprint Triathlon on August 26. The idea is that I can mark triathletes, and when they're in the water, I get to go watch how they do the swim-bike and bike-run transitions, and hopefully learn how the heck I'm going to get out of a swimsuit and into my running gear (which is also going to be my biking gear).

Good plan, eh? :D

Anyway, for those of you who don't know, a Half Marathon is just that--13 miles. And it's "walker-friendly" although if you intend to jog at all, you have to sign up as a runner, which is what I've done.

AND, for those who also don't know (as I didn't), a "Sprint Triathlon" is a short, non-Ironman-distance triathlon comprising an approximately 450 yard swim (in my case, in a swimming pool..thank God no wetsuits!), a 15-mile bike ride, and a 5K run.

I have always wanted to do a triathlon. I would LOVE to someday do the Ironman Triathlon in Hawaii, but I realize that I have many years to go before I can manage that...and probably it won't happen at least until the baby is in her teens. Or near enough anyway. And by then I'll be in my ... ergh ... 60s!!!!!!

Oh God. I just got depressed.

Anyway, I have always wanted to do a triathlon. When I weighed 259.6 pounds, that was a far-flung dream. But last week, I got a shot of "I-Can-Do-This" when I decided to do my little walk/jog routine from Kennebunkport all the way to my in-law's condo in Kennebunk, and did it in record (for me) time.

How far is it? It's a "nice" little 7.6 mile distance, if you go through Dock Square, which I chose to do.

I was secretly hoping I could manage it in 90 minutes. I did, however, stop several times for about 7-8 minutes to talk to people I knew along the way, and made it in 97 minutes. So if you don't count the stop times, I made it in 90. My actual speed in movement was about 12 minutes per mile...not bad, especially considering that last January, I couldn't even WALK for 30 minutes on a treadmill.

That made me so excited, I started looking around for another race. "Another" because back in June, Maddy and I did the York Hospital 5K run, and we weren't even the last ones in (although an 80-year-old man beat us quite handily).

So now that I can walk and jog with a jogging stroller for 90 minutes, and still have energy when I'm done, I suddenly start thinking "half-marathon", "marathon", and "triathlon"!

I have well and truly lost my ever-loving mind.

Still...you gotta admit. This has truly been an amazing journey.

So now here I am, and I have these two major races coming up. However, I am also actively pursuing employment. No more teaching for me! I am DONE. I turned in two applications today, one for a receptionist job that I really, really want (with an ad agency in Portland), and one for a copy editor for a magazine, which I would also like to do. I think it'd be fun.

The receptionist job looks great...reception's the main duty but I'd be a backup for the clerical, all of which is easily doable. I spent almost 10 years as a secretary so it sounds like a nice, low-stress (in terms of ability) job.

That means that it's likely that I'll be training and working full-time at the same time. At least for the next month or so. But I can do it! I already figured out how I can do my usual routine at the club, of elliptical trainer on cardio setting (143 beats per minute on the heart for 30 minutes just about kills me...but it's done wonders for my stamina) and my weight machine rounds. I can do them separately, instead of all at the same visit, and alternate them most mornings (6x per week). The amount of time I need is 30-45 minutes per day, plus another 15 to shower and dress, so if I left the house at 6ish, I could do my routine and still get to work on time, assuming it starts at 8.

Of course, the running/swimming/biking will have to be done after work, but Kent will support me. He has already said as much and added how proud of me he is.

So I am completely out of my mind. It will be interesting to see how this goes, not just exercise-wise, but time- and weight-loss-wise at the same time.

I have other news to write, but it doesn't belong on this blog. I'll add another one.

Have a great evening. And remember:

“Blessed are the flexible for they shall never be bent out of shape.” – Ancient Xterra Tribe Race Director Proverb



__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: Look, I'm not a doctor. However, I am a teacher certified in both California and Maine to teach science curriculum, including the human body (and health/nutrition) to kids in grades K-8. This blog is my attempt to wade through the current thinking on weight loss, and to present it in a way that makes sense to everyone. As a woman who is successfully recovering from obesity herself, I feel it's even more important to help others understand what I did to lose the weight; what worked, what didn't, and what the struggle has been like as I went from morbid obesity to fitness. It doesn't mean that I have all the answers, however. If you want to lose weight, by all means, read my blog--I think I can provide some help and clarity. BUT, please know that I am NOT a medical expert, and you should most definitely consult with your own doctor or family physician before undertaking any weight loss efforts yourself. Weight loss is a personal journey. I'm making mine visible to the world, but each of us has to take our own steps with our own doctor's guidance; please make sure you check in with yours before you try to do anything I have done. Good luck and God bless!