All The World's a Stage...

Heading towards finish! Thanks Little Miss Runner Pants for the pics!

Are we almost there?!?

Spectacular finish on Congress Ave with the capital building as a backdrop.

Gag Reflex: "Trading Blows"

Gag Reflex: Dena, Kelly and Carrie perform "Girl Talk"

Gag Reflex: "Profession of Love"

Video Performance of "Girl Talk"

...and we are merely players." Thanks, Bill Shakespeare, for the life metaphor. 

This weekend was full of performances, that's for sure. The "Gag Reflex" Valentines Day shows went very well and I'm, once again, humbled and thankful to so many friends and hubster for skipping the usual cheesy Valentines Day routine and coming out to a random theater on the East Side of Austin for some low-brow comedy. Nothing says "romance," like a good old fashioned sex joke! I was originally going to turn down these shows because of my Ironman training and Marathon the next day, but I'm glad I didn't. I had so much fun the last few weeks of rehearsals and it re-ignited the passion for stage performance!

Fortunately, that passion carried over into the Austin Marathon on Sunday . I was operating on about three hours of sleep, zero taper and less-than-ideal nutrition planning.  I never had any personal time goals, but as the day drew nearer, I decided to shoot for a 3:30. Fortunately, that was also the goal for a couple of Gazelle friends, Frank and Brian. When they invited me to pace with them, I couldn't resist. They are much smarter than I ever would be with pacing with their mile by mile breakdown.  The Austin Marathon course is, well...a bitch. They changed the course a couple of years back and I haven't run this new course even though I've run parts of it thousands of times before. Hills, hills and more hills dominate the first half and those that go out too fast are usually brought to their knees by the end.  It's a "fair" course if run properly, but definitely not a walk in the park.

So, thanks to Brian and Frank, I ran the first half conservatively, leaving plenty in the reserves for part two. I must admit, there's a moment where the Half and Full Marathoners split and it also happens to be one block from our house. There was a fleeting moment of, "It's the point of no return. Make the turn and you've got 16 more miles of torture or just stop now and go make some coffee at home!" I, of course, chose to make the turn and head north over the hills of Exposition.

While the temperature was in the low 50s at the start, there was a pretty brisk and sometimes gusty wind coming from the northwest that was definitely a mental challenge for the first half. Plus, it's tough knowing the course from beginning to end. Mentally, once you hit the 13 mile mark, your mind says, "It's time to turn around and start heading back to the Finish Line." However, this course continues to wind north AWAY from the Finish until Mile 17 when it FINALLY makes the turn East and starts bringing the runners back towards the downtown finish. I was so relieved at that point because there is some great flat/downhill portions. Plus, the wind was now at our backs (which I took full advantage of).

I gotta say, I was feeling pretty darn good during the second half of the course in general. Unfortunately, I did have to make a pit stop at Mile 15 and take care of some GI issues. Every time I would start to speed up, my tummy also started to speed up causing some major discomfort. (must've been that pre-race sushi)Instead of worrying about it the rest of the race, I went ahead and stopped at the restroom, took care of business and ran "worry free" the rest of the way!

The conservative 1st half allowed me the courtesy of blowing out (no pun intended from above paragraph) a serious negative split on the back half and a super-fast finish. I ended up passing the 3:30 group at Mile 24 and just continued to haul ass for the last 2 miles. Shawn ran me up the last final hill and I was happy to see him there. His energy lifted mine. I was ready to be done, but still feeling strong. The last mile was a blur of shouts, cheers and internal, "Where the hell is the freakin' finish line?!?" moments. Needless to say, I was proud of this "performance" as much as I was proud of the comedy shows from the night before. They both provided that adrenaline rush, endorphin overflow and feeling of complete and utter happiness for me.  Who could ask for anything more?

Here are the splits!

1:  8:31

2:  8:08

3:  8:02

4:  7:51

5:  7:44

6:  7:57

7:  7:55

8:  8:10

9:  8:12

10: 8:11 (here comes the hilly section on Exposition)

11: 8:16

12: 8:18

13: 8:19

14: 8:02

15: 7:56

16: 8:38 (restroom break)

17: 7:42

18: 7:42

19: 7:41

20:7:31

21: 7:44

22: 7:32

23: 7:34

24: 7:23

25: 7:18

26: 7:05 (hot damn!)

.42 extra towards finish: 6:17 pace!

Now that deserves an encore performance, don't you think??

3:27:58 at Austin Marathon

The Austin Marathon is in the can with a 3:27:58!

34th overall female out of 1583

8th in my age group (Women 35-39) out of  270

Official Results HERE!

I'll take it after a week that consisted of no tapering and definitely not enough rest!  I rode 60 miles on Thursday afternoon, ran 5 miles on Friday, swam an hour and rode 35 miles on Saturday AND performed 2 comedy shows on Saturday night!

Not exactly a taper I would recommend for future races.

I owe many thanks to Brian and Frank (just behind me in this photo). I raced their plan for the first half of this very tough course and it totally paid off on the back half.

Complete story including pics and videos from my Gag Reflex Comedy Show coming soon!

My New Training Weapon

One way of overcoming your fears in life is to proclaim that you are, indeed, FEARLESS!!

This new training suit is in the mail!

I am FEARLESS in the water...

(positive affirmations also help)

Health-Care is an Oxymoron

How can we expect average Americans to eat healthy and maintain a fit lifestyle when Doctors eat this crap everyday?! Comfort Meal, my ass...

All I know is that I'd be a little frightened if the Doc who was performing surgery on me at 3pm had this to eat for lunch. Can you say, "food coma?" I'm thinking Dr. Stuff Yo' Face is the one who'd be out like a light without so much a drop of anesthesia.

Isn't part of the fun in life the adventure of not really knowing how things are going to play out? Sure, the type A part of me likes to plan everything and then follow that plan step by step to reach the desired outcome (Hello Hour-By-Hour Ironman schedule!) However, as we all know, life isn't always that neat and who would want it that way really? You don't learn anything when things always go according to plan. You learn most when you make mistakes, get derailed, have to improvise and put yourself in uncomfortable situations. 

As grateful as I am to have a  stable and perfect existence (ok--it's perfect to me at least), I also get a jolt when things are a little messy too because I recognize these bumps as potential growth experiences. They are opportunities to practice patience and excellence.

Mother Teresa (who I saw once while hallucinating during a marathon, but that's a whole other story) had a quote that said, "I know God wouldn't give me more than I can handle. I just wish he didn't trust me so much." It makes me laugh to know that benevolent Mother Teresa also had a sense of humor (my kinda gal).

So, lots of things in my world are in that exciting and chaotic stage at the moment. Internally, sometimes I want to panic, shut down, and throw in the towel, but I'm also aware enough to realize how exciting each unfinished adventure is at the moment. Because like everything in life, it will complete itself in one form or another. Sometimes we don't know what form the finish line will take, but we run the race just the same and hopefully handle the rough spots with dignity, grace and that glorious sense of humor that is missing in so many people these days. 

We all know about the self-imposed stress that triathlon training puts on to our bodies and minds. Personally, it's the mental stress of "fitting it in" that is worse than the physical training. I LOVE working, training and sweating, but I hate looking at the week and forcing myself into 4 bikes, 3 swims, 4-5 runs, core and everything else that comes along with 12-14 workouts a week.  It can truly seem overwhelming (because it is), but I also know the reward at the end for maintaining some form of consistency. Believe me, I do stray from the schedule because life's too short to feel imprisoned to the schedule all of the time. 

This week is certainly no exception. We've been in rehearsal for three weeks for our two Gag Reflex comedy shows this weekend. I'm not even in a ton of the sketches (because I told them IM training came first), but I've been at rehearsal just the same practically every night from 7p-9:30p. It's been exhilarating and exhausting and I wouldn't trade it for the world. It's not like we're rehearsing for some Broadway caliber show either. It's just eight people with senses of humor whose creative outlet involves performance and creating laughter. My dream job...

Besides working everyday for "the man" at the agency(actually it's two awesome women), I'm also still pursuing my business/personal goal of creating our "Dot the M" empire. The ideas and the potential of this apparel and social movement are profound and grow exponentially everyday. Unfortunately, the people that can help me make this happen and get the ball really in motion just don't feel the same sense of urgency I feel. I'm supposed to be meeting with someone who can really propel this idea soon, but again, I'm at the mercy of their schedule (grrrr...). In the meantime, if anyone has any connections to a film producer, let me know...Rest assured, I continue to work behind the scenes on research and everything else!

So this weekend is the Austin Marathon. I was originally granted entrance to pace my friend Raul to his goal. Unfortunately, the injury gods have not been kind and he wants to build strength for Ironman CDA. Then, I was going to pace my friend Jess to her goal. Well, once again, the injury gods had a different plan for her. Now, I have an entry to the marathon and no real goal. It's that blurry level of anxiety that says just pick a pace and have fun vs. go out there and see what you can do...The rational answer is very clear. This is NOT my "A" race. It is simply a training run with waterstops, crowd support and a medal at the end.  Then, there's that little devil that is telling me to go out there and create a strategy to try to PR. Unfortunately, this is a pretty challenging course and I don't think I've got a 3:20 in me at the moment. I'm actually still a little beat up from the 3M Half a few weeks ago (and the bikes, swims, core and everything else)...not to mention the fact that I'm supposed to do a 60-mile bike ride sometime this weekend. (see--there's that hour by hour Ironman schedule again). We'll see what happens. I'm guessing and hoping it's somewhere in the neighborhood of 3:30-3:40.

FYI--my Guru bike is STILL not back from it's paint job and it's been over two months. Jane and Allison have been so nice to lend me their bikes for the last several weeks, but I'm officially over it. Unfortunately, it's also one of those little things that I spoke of above that are simply out of my control. It could really anger me or I could react how I've been reacting and just laugh about it. What can I do really? Jack all but guaranteed I'd have it back this week and I'm waiting patiently for the call.  Once again, life doesn't always follow our schedule of events. We're always at the mercy of other's schedules. It's another lesson in gratitude and patience and I'm now overly grateful for the kindness of others. 

So keep those balls in the air and remember that each ball that's dropped will hopefully bounce right back up into your arms! 

P.S. We're going to Mexico for a long weekend next week so I'll quit my bitchin'

I Got My Blog Back!!

Woo Hoo!! For some reason, Blogger marked my blog as "spam" over the weekend and decided to take it down unbeknownst to me. I went to update on Sunday and it was gone...vanished...stolen...kidnapped.  Panic set in and I took the necessary steps to rescue my baby!

Fortunately, Blogger realized the only thing I'm selling is a fun positive lifestyle and I have no real ransom.  It returned to me unharmed (but a little tainted) yesterday evening!

I'll be updating soon!!  I need some advice on how to run the Austin Marathon this weekend. Yep--I'm running a marathon on Sunday!

Safety in Numbers

Feeling good about training thus far in the journey to “Dot the M” in Coeur D’Alene! One of the coolest things about training with a group is finding new people to train and pace with during the workouts. It certainly takes monotony out of the countless hours and more than monotony, it’s challenging to break out of your comfort zone and rewarding when you reach a new breakthrough by hanging with people that you don’t think it’s possible to hang with…

A lot of that has been happening to me lately.

My cycling is on target and pace with where I want to be at this point. Similar to Ironman Arizona, I’d be thrilled with a pace at or near 17 mph for the 112 miles. It’s a solid effort which won’t deplete the reserves for the run. In addition to my long rides on the weekends, I’m hitting at least two T3 indoor cycling classes a week and riding with some new faces for the challenge and joy of getting to know wonderful new people…Dionn, Jen, Jane, Diane, Allison, Alisa, Shawnda, Laurie, Blythe…all great and incredibly strong women. I can afford to learn a thing or two from these chicks! (and not all of it has to do with cycling!)

Running has also been a new reward for me. I haven’t been to an official Gazelle workout since October, which is very odd (oh how I miss my Gazelle friends!!). A lot of my runs have been solo efforts, but I’ve also been trying to hit some T3 run workouts where I can…Again, a part of keeping the training fun and exciting is doing something DIFFERENT for a change.

I had a GREAT 18 mile training run on Sunday that started out with a very comfy sub 9:00 per mile pace with Lapuente. After 7 miles, we picked up Charles and Shellie who proceeded to pick up the pace and drop the hammer. They were only doing 10 or so, while yours truly was doing 18. Needless to say, those final few miles were tough, but I kept up until the last ½ mile.

Long Run: 9:03, 9:19, 9:02, 8:55, 8:43, 8:25, 8:30, 8:26, 8:05, 7:57, 7:44, 7:47, 7:46, 7:34, 7:26, 7:58, 7:10, 7:53 Overall Pace: 8:10 per mile (awesome for a training run!)

On Monday, I did a 7 mile recovery run with Michelle Metzler. We’ve been trying to find time to run together FOREVER and I’m so glad we finally found a day because she’s fascinating and our pace complements each other well. She’s getting into trail running, so hopefully we can move some of our “recovery” runs to the greenbelt for yet another change of pace and scenery.

Last night, I did the T3 Mile Repeat workout at O’Henry track. Like many others, I got an early start so that I could be showered and ready for “Gag Reflex” rehearsal at 7p…Coach Logan (who I adore) assigned us a warm up, 4 x 1 mile repeats which each one getting about 10 seconds faster than the previous one. While I didn’t hit the :10 mark, I did manage to knock time off each interval for a solid set of mile repeats…

1.5 mile warm-up, 6:41, 6:34, 6:27, 6:20, 1 mile cool-down
Hells Yeah Bitches!!


On the swimming front, I’m also happy to report a new breakthrough of sorts! My 100s are now in the 1:48-1:53 range due to forcing myself to swim in a more aggressive lane with Laurie, Audra and Lapuente on most mornings. Of course, that was until today when we had 12 x 100s and my times didn’t descend quite how they were supposed to :-)

So, as I continue on the journey of Dotting the M, I give thanks and gratitude to those who are encouraging me, pushing me, coaching me and challenging me to become better…faster…stronger. I wouldn't be having nearly as much fun without the group dynamic!

I Interrupt this Sports-Related Blog...

To Shamelessly Promote My Sketch Comedy Troupe's Valentines Day Shows!

Grab your significant other and join Austin’s favorite sketch comics — GAG REFLEX — on Valentine’s Day as we present nearly two dozen of our favorite sketches and songs exploring love, lust, sex, obsession and all the other things that make relationships so much damned fun.

• MEET Slave Boy Petey and The Neckbrace Girl!

• WATCH Bahston-ites tahk about their bizzah pahtnahships!

• SEE a grown man French kiss a sock & more!

Tickets are just $15 each or $25 per couple and include the show, a champagne toast and other Valentine’s favors to impress your lover and help you to get him or her into the sack. Hey — laughter is SEXY!

Buy tickets via credit card at http://www.gagplanet.com/ , or reserve them by calling 731-3945 or clicking here and sending us your name, phone number, # of tickets needed and which performance you’d like to attend. If you reserve only and pay at the door, we can only accept cash or check.

***I get to perform two shows that night and then get up the next morning to run the Austin Marathon! Could my life be any more complete?!***

60 Mile Ride/30 Min Run Brick from the Dam Loop

We did it! We survived our first "Dam Loop" of the season!

This route is not only feared for the relentless hill climbs throughout the 58+ miles of riding, but for me, it's the fact that we literally ride the perimeter of Austin hitting damn near every suburb along the way. Somehow, we start in Circle C and end up wwwwaaaayyyy up North near Anderson Freakin'Mill--only to turn around and ride most of 360 covering Great Hills, Davenport, Westlake, and Lost Creek back heading back to Travis Country and Circle C via Southwest Parkway. Seriously, I don't even think a Realtor trying to show houses on a Saturday would cover this much ground!

Fortunately, it was a glorious day for a bike ride and I found riders that I could pace with throughout the morning. A large pack of us started at 8:30 and by the time we reached the 25 mile mark at 620, most of that pack had separated from each other. The T3 gang regrouped at Walgreens and I took off with pack #2 that included Shawn, Clarence, Elizabeth, Jen and Dionn. Jen, Dionn and I hung for the rest of the ride and it was awesome--in a challenging, encouraging way. We helped each other up the hills, but D definitely wins the polka dot jersey for her climbing today. I tried not to draft so I would intentionally drop back a tad so that I wasn't sucking their wind. I almost suggested that the three of us do a pace line, but wasn't sure if they were up for it--especially since there was so much hill climbing. 

We missed a turn in the Anderson Mill hood, but quickly back tracked and found our way. D, Jen and I were definitely a good mix today both mentally and physically. Overall, I'm so pleased with my efforts out there. We averaged a little over 16 mph, but that includes a few stops and slow downs at lights and stop signs. Of course, it all includes the climbing. I never felt completely spent physically (mentally I couldn't wait to get off the bike and run).

Once we threw our bikes in the car (and enjoyed a 10 minute transition), D and I took off on our 30 minute brick run. Of course, we took a hilly route :-) We joked that now we know why it's called a "brick" because that's how your legs feel when you begin running! We started comfortable and I gradually picked up my pace throughout my 31 minute jaunt. I ended at 3.84 miles and an 8:11 overall pace for my brick run. The good news is that I was feeling better and better the longer I ran...I certainly could've kept going, but wanted to save my legs for tomorrow's 18 miler!

(Plus, I wanted some of Yvonne's cookies before they disappeared)

It was a successful deposit into the Ironman bank and I'm feeling good~~~

8 Seconds--More than a Bull Riding Competition

Carrie Barrett's 3M Half-Marathon Results

OK--not that it matters in the grand scheme of life, but it does matter to my pride and integrity.

When I finished Sunday's 3M Half-Marathon, my Garmin read 1:32:54 when I stopped it.

However when official results were posted, I was credited for a 1:33:00-1:33:01 race (depending on which results you viewed). Thrilled with my PR and 8th place age group finish, I was still perplexed as to why my Garmin was so off from the official time. Did I stop it at some point on the run? Did I start it late? Am I that bad at timing? Am I imagining these PRs?

The same thing happened last Fall at the Marine Corps Marathon so I was beginning to think I'm crazy in the head...

Until the Official Photos were published this week:


That's me stepping on the mat in what clearly reads on the Official Gun Time clock as 1:35:15. (FYI--I beat the Nike Shirt chick who is all in black just behind me) :-) See previous posts...

Now, if you scroll back up to my official results and look at my Gun Time, it reads, 1:35:23



The difference?! 8 FREAKIN SECONDS!!!

Or, a 1:32:53

Or a 6th place age group finish!


Again--not a big deal in life, but it solidifies in my mind that I am not a cheater or liar.

I did OFFICIALLY break my 1:33 goal mark (even though someone hasn't changed the official results yet) :-)

3M Half Marathon: Testament to Just Hangin' On!!!

I’m laughing as I look at my mile splits from yesterday’s 3M Half Marathon. Anyone would look at those numbers and say, “What the hell kinda race were you running?!” It is a true depiction of enduring peaks and valleys. Let the schizophrenic race begin!


The Start
It was 5 minutes before the start of the race and I was still in the porta-potty line. At this point, I had let Shawn, Richard and Thon go and hadn’t met up with any of the T3ers I was hoping to pace with during the race.

Fortunately, they held the start of the race for about 10 minutes (I’m sure it had to do with the hundreds of people still in line and not little ‘ol me, but I’m eternally grateful just the same.)

As with any race start, there’s really no clear entrance into a corral so I just forced myself somewhere in the middle of the pack. It wasn’t exactly where I wanted to be, but I was just thankful that I wasn’t running feverishly to catch up with the field with toilet paper stuck to my shoe or anything.

I ran into Lindsey in the crowd…She told me the T3 pace pack was looking for me. Damn… I was looking for them too, but all I really had a clear view of was the pack of people’s butts directly in front of me. Don’t throw a 5’ tall chick in the middle of a pack of thousands and tell her to look for one person. Unless I can recognize shoes, it’s not going to happen. Oh well…we struck up pleasantries before the race and met a new T3 dude behind us. Damn—they’re everywhere these days.

Gun finally goes off and the roar of “Eye of the Tiger” was heard throughout the Gateway Parking Lot. Not sure if it was inspiring or laughter inducing at this point. I waited over 2 minutes to hit the start line and my watch.

The Early Miles
I was that runner that I make fun of…I shot out of the gate like a thoroughbred. Nervous tension, no doubt. Plus, I was hoping to clock a 7:20 for the first mile and until you’ve been running for a while, there’s no way to tell how fast you’re going until you hear the beep of the first mile…BEEP…7:09 --oops!

As I ran by one group of runners in the first mile, I heard them talking about “people like her” (referring to yours truly) who start off fast and run out of gas by mile 2. I wanted so badly to stop and turn around and say something egotistical like, “Wanna Bet?” but I had to stay on pace J This mission didn’t allow for self-defense.

Ran by Alisa, Katy and Vegas who wished me good luck. Of course, Katy told me to chase down those boys!

As usual, the early miles clicked by so fast and before I knew it, I was flying down Mesa and Spicewood Springs and enjoying the wonderful downhill portion before crossing over Mopac and enduring Phase 2 of the race. Saw some friends and heard random “Go Carrie’s” along the course. Breathing hard, but under control at this point. I was near threshold, but felt it was sustainable (at least for a while). Of course, I was also fully aware that I was at Mile 4 of a 13 mile race.

Saw some friends along the course…Tom and Monica (thought about breakfast with them afterwards and wishing I was there at that moment!) Chris informed me that the T3 crew was just up ahead. Finally, I was catching them, even though it wasn’t really necessary to do so. Saw David and Muna who were encouraging as usual.

The Middle Miles

We hit Anderson and the Shoal Creek neighborhoods and I was still feeling strong. My average at that point was a 6:57! Holy Moly—a sub 7:00 min mile average and I’m almost halfway done! Surely I can hold this pace for 6 more miles. Surely my body and mind will hold up. Surely… Why is my right leg numb? I noticed this at the Marine Corps Marathon. My right leg starts to go numb every now and then. It’s as if my quad is dead and I have to consciously tell myself to lift it. On the verge of a cramp? Paralysis? Definitely a different feeling than the left leg, but just keep moving…

Took my 2nd of 3 gels at Mile 6 and grabbed a quick drink. Heard a quick, “Hey Barrett” and glanced to my side to see Tom and Kevin—two of my pace rabbits. “I finally found you,” was about all I could say. Turns out, that would be the extent of our conversation during the race. We were all suffering and expending as much energy to running as we were to just remain focused on the next five miles.
We passed the relay exchange area and I felt a surge of jealousy for those people who were done! Made the turn onto Burnet Road for the long stretch that isn’t nearly as flat as you’d think. I heard Kevin behind me and just tried to keep a steady pace…My watch beeped…7:15…What?! It feels like I’m running a 6:30! A little discouragement crept in…It was getting harder to maintain pace and I could feel a slight cramp coming on from the last gulp of water.

“What are you doing?!” I thought to myself as I pulled over to the side of the road and started walking. I cracked. I was into my 9th mile and hitting the dark side quickly. I must’ve walked for about 10 seconds before I snapped out of it. Kevin had passed during that short span. I remember thinking that I would have so much more fun if I just slowed down and waited for Shawn. At the same time I thought, “You’ve got a PR to beat today. Do it!” And the light flipped and I ran.

I started running again in a bit of a haze…Right leg hurting, ego breaking, breathing all out of sorts…just in time to hit the “hills” of North Loop. This is the most difficult (in my opinion) stretch of the race with a couple of final climbs. Part of me knew this which is why I felt slightly self-defeated. I hit the hills and walked again. “God Damn It, Carrie! You did it again!! You blew up!” (Gotta love my inner voice. She’s so kind sometimes) I seriously thought of sitting on the curb and waving to people as they ran up the hills.

And then, as quickly as I wanted to quit, I wanted to run again. It was as if some little booger kept turning a power switch on and off in my body. I wasn’t that far down and could still conceivably PR if I put together a stellar finish.

Enter Nike Shirt Chick.

Final Miles

With one final power gel ingested at Mile 10, my eyes caught the little black streak. This woman reminded me of, well…me…That is, if I felt strong, powerful and invincible at that moment. She was short and petite, but looked like she could whoop your butt if she had to. I was going to let her try because I needed a good butt whooping for those final miles. I caught her as we turned onto Duval and began the final stretch. We never once acknowledged each other verbally, but we were certainly connected stride for stride. At this point, I’m not even sure if we were competing against each other or running FOR each other. We both needed the support and extra push and we were both using it for all it was worth.

I saw Steph and baby Audrey as I was heaving up the final hill at 42nd Street. More than once, spectators shouted “Go Nike and Ironwoman!” I had my “Dot the M” shirt so I assume she was sporting some Nike apparel. She pulled ahead as we made the final turn for the last mile. I was so grateful and yet so spent. Only one more mile to go…just get past the football stadium. Some crazy second wind had swept me up and I was so thrilled to have caught the wave only for just a few more minutes. My average pace was getting faster and faster, but my body was hurting

Finally, the end was in sight and I could see the Finish Line and Coach Gilbert. I so badly wanted to be done!! Guess what? I clipped Nike Girl in the final meters to finish in a 1:33 flat (according to the official chip time). My garmin said 1:32:54!



Observations:

As usual, I worked too hard in the beginning and left myself virtually NOTHING at the end...no pride, no energy, no NOTHING. My nervous tension and wanting to catch up to the T3 people certainly caught up to me.

In the end, it was a PR by 1min 10 sec, which is fantastic, but I feel like I worked way too hard for that time and am definitely capable of a smarter faster race (not MUCH faster, but definitely MUCH smarter). Starting a bit slower could’ve alleviated some of the walk breaks that became necessary when I was struggling to umm...live. However, I must give myself some props for battling the demons and not giving up when the evil voices kept getting louder and louder. I don’t know where that final surge came from, but it is testament to endure the peaks and valleys of any race! (and give thanks to chicks in black Nike shirts who look like they might be around the same age as you)

Check out these humorous (and horribly inconsistent) splits:

Mile 1: 7:09
Mile 2: 7:14
Mile 3: 7:00
Mile 4: 6:51 --gotta love the downhills!
Mile 5: 6:48
Mile 6: 6:48
Mile 7:7:07 --uh oh...numbness in leg
Mile 8: 7:07
Mile 9:7:33 --walk break and crack in ego
Mile 10: 7:48 --ego crushed. I want to lay down
Mile 11: 6:45 --enter Nike chick
Mile 12: 6:48
Mile 13: 6:43 --enter finish line

3M Half-Marathon PR

It wasn't pretty, but I eeked out a Half-Marathon PR even after walking for small portions of the race!! A hearty thanks to everyone out there cheering today and a very special thanks goes to the chick dressed in black wearing the NIKE shirt. We started running together at Mile 10 and she gave me a renewed energy that was not there. We didn't look at each other. We didn't speak to each other. We did, however, keep each other going during the last three miles. She was my saving grace during that run that almost broke me!!

Here we go again:  My watch says 13.2 miles at 1:32:54 and the official clock has me at 1:33:00! Either way it's about a 1 min PR for me.

Congrats to everyone that ran including Hubster who posted a PR shattering 1:43! 

What's One More Thing?!

Effective today for the next three weeks...I'm unofficially changing my blog name to:
Tritoaccomplisheverything.com

In addition to my regular work at the ad agency (God Bless the Austin market for not slowing down too much), I'm also working on my little "Dot the M" project, training for the Ironman, trying to be a good friend and wife, and reuniting with my sketch comedy troupe "Gag Reflex" for two shows on Valentines Day at Center Stage Austin (formerly Arts on Real)!

If you're looking for something fun and quirky to do in Austin on Valentines Day, come see "Gag Reflex" perform some pretty darn hilarious and downright silly (if I do say so myself) sketch comedy. It ain't Broadway, folks, but it's a hoot. The next three weeks are going to be interesting with rehearsals about 4-5 nights of the week. That means I'll be getting very creative with my training schedule as well. (i.e. double morning and/or lunchtime workouts). I hate working out at lunch because I hate getting ready all over again.

It's a lot, but I'm looking so forward to every minute. How fortunate am I to get to pursue my two biggest passions at the same time?! Endurance training AND comedy. Holy Cow! As I've mentioned before, Ironman and comedy have a lot in common since both involve a tremendous amount of risk and a tremendous amount of reward. Both involve a great bit of improvisation, and both require a sense of humor. Hell, I laugh at myself every day at the pool. (If I didn't, I'd cry). :-)

With all of that going on, I also apparently think I'm studly enough to attempt a PR at the 3M Half Marathon this Sunday morning. My current Half-Marathon PR is a 1:34:00 in 2007. I'd like to say that I'm "perfectly capable" of beating that, but my legs just haven't been firing much since the marathon in October. That being said, I did a solitary mile repeat workout at Zilker yesterday morning and knocked out 3 x 1 mile repeats in 6:56, 6:51 and 6:46 respectively, with a 2min rest in between. Add a mile warm-up and a mile cool-down and that made for a pretty respectable 5-mile workout after a good 2700m morning swim at 5:45am. I'm hoping to run about a 7:00min pace for the entire race.

Actually, I don't give myself enough credit for the swim yesterday. I hung in my lane pretty well without killing myself and banged out 2 x 200s at around a 3:50 each. Slow to most of you swimmers? uh--yeah...BUT, it's downright speedy for me as I've never posted a 200m under 4:00 with any regularity or without gasping like a beached whale afterward. A little endurance and strength just may be creeping in through the waves. Of course, swimming is also like golf. You can have a hole in one on one shot and then hit it in the sand trap on the very next shot. That's what keeps you coming back for more!

So, with enthusiasm, excitement, and a little "performance anxiety" (sorry guys), I enter into the next three weeks like a child who wants more, more, more! The good news is that hubster and I also have our first vacation of the year booked on Feb 19th with a little trip to the Mayan Riviera in Mexico...

More, More, More!!

Weekend Ironman Training

Saturday 50 Mile Ride

 know this is only the beginning, but I was actually looking forward to yesterday's 50 mile bike ride. It's one of my favorite routes on Fitzhugh Road. Interesting scenery, challenging climbing, and fewer cars who's mission it is to run you over.  I swear, our routes on Slaughter Road scare me sometimes. Do you think it has anything to do with the name of the road?? On the way back, you lose the road shoulder and cars are passing within inches sometimes. 

I headed out with a nice solid pack of T3ers and we managed to stay together for most of the ride, albeit a red light or two would hold some back at times. We stopped just a couple of times to make sure our "group" was still in tact, but everyone was looking and riding strong!  We ended up finishing the route in about 16.5 mph, which is perfect for that route and this time of year. 

I rode Jane's Tri bike and while we're about the same size, I definitely have to do some saddle height adjustments. I was pretty sore and achy when I finished...classic sign of being in the wrong position on the bike. My quads and hams were like jelly and my back and shoulders were really tight. Ah...can't wait to get my damn bike back so that I can stop inconveniencing others.

Sunday Swim/Run Brick

Today was T3s annual 100x 100 class!  Sets of 100m repeats, with the goal for some completing all 10,000m or 6.2 miles!! That was so NOT my goal because I had to run as well today, but I managed to get in 5,000m or 3.2 miles of swimming, which far exceeds anything I've ever done before. Even the Ironman swim is "only" 2.4 miles. Take that Ironman...Too bad I can't use fins in the race! I'm sorry I missed the entire class because as I was leaving, Coach Mo was on the pool deck making pancakes, eggs and bacon! I grabbed a pancake with peanut butter and banana on my way out of the pool...happy with the way my morning had started :-)

I got home at 10am in time to start my 11 mile run. I guess I'm a glutton for punishment because I actually started down Exposition and did Mt. Bonnell and Scenic before heading to the trail for the rest of the run. The awesome news is that I averaged 8:15's  overall for this challenging run! I was definitely getting tired at the end, but that has everything to do with nutrition (or lack thereof). I didn't bring any gels with me, so the last two miles were a bit hazy even though I kept the pace. 

Unbeknownst to me, Little Miss Runner Pants was taking some photos at the pool...Here are a few of those!

Watch out Michael Phelps!

That white cap and blue goggles are *SEXY*

Such a wonderful day to start the morning!

On Newstands Everywhere! (Or Somewhere, I'm sure)

Check out the January 2009 edition of Inside Texas Running Magazine. They published my Sunmart 50K Race Report (that originally appeared on this blog). Plus, one of the photos is me sporting the super-popular and very in-demand "Dot the M" shirts! I hope to be able to sell them someday soon!

I NEED THIS

Talk about killing two birds with one stone!! My running Coach Gilbert from "Gilbert's Gazelles" would be so darn proud!



An official Gazelle Bicycle!!! Being an official Gazelle helped me become a faster runner. I wonder if riding a Gazelle would help me to become a faster cyclist?!

On a related note: I want to give special thanks to my T3 Teammates Allison and Jane B. for being so generous with their bicycles. My Guru has been off being repainted since early December and Allison let me borrow her ultra-sweet Cervelo roadie for the last month. Alas, she rightfully needs it to kick ass in a road race, so Jane has generously stepped up to the plate to lend me hers for the next couple of weeks. Thanks Ladies!!


I heard from Zane at Jack and Adam's today, and while my bike colors will remain the same (despite my recent disgust with Ohio State), the paint scheme should be the newer 2008 design. So...if everything is done correctly (fingers crossed), my bike will look something like this:

The Sound of Silence

This past Saturday, T3 had their first official group ride of the Ironman Coeur D'Alene training season. It also coincided with our Erin Lahr Memorial Ride, an 8 Mile Loop of Silence around the South Mopac Loop. While it was a day that most of us would've chosen to ride indoors because of the cool air and 30mph headwinds that greeted us on the way back to town, the power of the group was impossible to deny. The power of the silence and respect was even more dominating.

Erin's husband Jeff spoke a few resonating words before we took off and I was blown away by his spirit, energy, and gratitude at such a small gesture. He was grateful for our "tribute," but encouraged us to be loud, boisterous and have fun once the 8 mile loop of silence was over. That is, afterall, what his wife would've wanted.

Well...we took him at his word and we were definitely loud and boisterous, but I don't know how much *fun* we were having. Those headwinds coming back into town from Buda were brutal. My 18+ mph coast down south was followed up by a few sub 10 mph stretches into the wind. I didn't go all the way to Kyle, but did end up with 43.5 miles that day that included the Memorial 8 Miles(plan called for 40) and a whopping overall average of about 15.5 mph :-)

So Jeff, at your request, I was definitely loud and boisterous, but forgive me for the curse words! I hope you're wife would've wanted it that way too :-)

Below are a couple of pics of the ride (courtesy of Jeff Lahr):

Erin's husband Jeff poses with some of the crew

Quite a powerful sight to see photos of our peleton

Strange Phenomenon

Week one of Ironman Coeur D'Alene training is in the bag and it feels great getting back into some semblance of a routine. I definitely feel a lot stronger and a lot more confident this year than I did at this time last year. Maybe it's because I just don't care as much and I'm in it to have fun, as opposed to torturing myself for the next six months.

My body is responding well to the sudden increase and hours in intensity and I'm adjusting to the new sleep schedule (or lack thereof). For all intents and purposes, all systems are a go!!

Except....for one strange phenomenon...

I got ready for work on Thursday morning and as I was drying my hair I noticed random pink streaks in my hair!! I swear...I have no logical explanation for this UHC...Unidentified Hair Color! I didn't eat anything weird, I didn't try a new shampoo, I didn't highlight my own hair.  The only thing I can think of is that I did wear a pink swim cap to swimming class that morning, but I don't think that is the culprit. You'd think that my hands, face and entire head would be pink.

Strange indeed....

If you follow me on Facebook, you also know that I updated my status and made mention of the "pink steaks" in my hair...Yes, I spelled it "steaks" instead of streaks! So, a lot of people may have thought I looked like this:

Alas, it wasn't so tasty looking. I pretty much look like a Cyndi Lauper wanabee, which would be cool if "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" wasn't 25 years old! A couple of days have passed and the streaks (not steaks) still remain, but appear to be fading slightly.

I'm embracing it and am convinced that they are there to make me look faster! Also, if things don't go so well at Ironman and I'm out there past dark, at least I won't need a glow stick! Look for the chick with pink hair!!!!  (Just don't start singing "Beauy School Dropout!")

NEWEST MEMBER OF THE PRESIDENT'S FITNESS COUNCIL

Remember when you were in Elementary school and you were forced to participate in those obligatory horrific Science Fairs? For a right-brained, song and joke writing fool like me, any type of scientific hypothesis followed by the ridiculous (and mostly obvious) conclusion were pure torture. I think I did my Science Fair project on Solar Energy. That is to say, the sun is hot and can cook things if left in it for extended periods of time. We had an ultraviolent lamp in our house (I don’t know why either) and I held my arm under that thing for hours on end to prove my point. Sure enough, I had a watch tan to prove it (I also probably failed the class and created a massive melanoma risk in the process), but that was the 80s and no one cared about over-exposure to UV rays.

Suffice to say, I didn’t think science was really relevant to my daily life. I was either chasing boys (beating them up) or playing sports. I wasn’t all that concerned about photosynthesis.

That leads me to my TRI TO BE FUNNY HERO OF THE MONTH

(new feature that I just made up).

When I was home at Christmas, I got to spend time with my cousin Shelly and her family, including 14-year-old, 8th grader Jessica. When I moved away from Ohio over 10 years ago, Jessica was a pre-schooler. She’s now at least 5’6” tall (towering over me by at least 5 inches) and one heck of an athlete…Soccer is her spot du jour, but judging by her height and strength, she’d also have no trouble making a spot in the WNBA or replacing Kerri Walsh on the Pro Beach Volleyball circuit someday (even though her Dad may have something to say about that).

When I saw them on Christmas Eve, they were excited to tell me about her Science Fair Project (Well, her Mom was anyways). Jessica’s chosen topic was:

Which Sport, Soccer or Basketball,

Will Burn More Calories in a One Hour Practice?

Look at the force of that kick! I hope that other girl is wearing a cup! :-)

BRILLIANT!!! Now THIS is good stuff with REAL purpose! We’re so used to reading and hearing about the obesity epidemic among our youth, but no one is bragging about the kids who are fit and understand the importance of an active lifestyle. Believe me, until about 8 years ago, I underestimated the importance of being fit and healthy. That’s why I’m so passionate about it now and so proud of Jessica’s insight and passion for sport.

She wore a heart rate monitor for both sports and concluded that:

1.) Longer endurance sports (soccer) burn more fat calories because you’re in your lower HR Zones

2.) Shorter Bursts of effort (basketball) burns sugar calories because you’re in your higher HR Zones

Both forms of exercise are, of course, beneficial to your overall heart health, but one hour of soccer did burn more calories overall. Her entire report was well written and well cited, but the few quotes that really stood out to me were:

“A women’s heart rate is generally higher than a males because of the stress women carry (Rinzler 45).” (AMEN SISTER!!!!!!!!!!)

“The heart is imperative in the survival of the body.” (Yes, I would agree)

“Also, when the body intakes more calories then what is being burned it results in weight gain.” (I know that all too well)

“The reverse is true if the body burns more calories then what is being eaten. This will result in weight loss.” (She makes it sound so darn easy)

"Generally a man and woman consisting of the same weight average cannot take in the same amount of calories and still weigh the same. A man’s muscle mass helps burn more calories than women. Typically, the men are bigger which results in more muscles to feed. A man can intake over 10 percent more than women and still weigh the same (Rinzler 32). "
(and that is precisely why women have more stress than men!)

"Fat can however, be good for the body because of the nutrients it carries." (Yay!!!)

"Although, too much fat is fatal to the body because it can cause diseases that can eventually hurt or kill the body." (Boo!!)

Congrats Jess and nice work! I don't know what your teacher gave you on the project, but your creativity alone earns an A++ in my book!!

(Now, stop growing so that you don't accidentally step on me like a bug)

It's Only a Game Folks

This pic is one of my all-time favorites from our wedding reception. We have the most amazing group of friends in Austin who made the trip to good 'ol Columbus, Ohio for our wedding in May 2007. Who knew that the friendly Ohio State vs. Texas rivalry in the photo would play out on the big screen again last night in the Fiesta Bowl!? It was certainly a heartbreaking experience for me as my team lost (as per usual) in the last 16 seconds, but it was still an amazing and exhilarating game to watch.

Through the penalties, lead changes, injuries, field goals and missed tackles, neither team gave up, even though the game plans for either team probably weren't going as planned. Both teams were coming off long breaks and probably weren't in the best shape with their post-season and post-holiday fitness regime. Texas certainly made adjustments at half-time and came out on fire! OSU adapted and finally got the ball in the endzone. In the end, it took perserverance on the part of the Longhorns to get the win with seconds to spare.

As I enter into week one of 24 weeks of Ironman Coeur D'Alene training, I kinda feel like the players from last night. I'm entering a little "out of sorts" and a tad out of shape. I'm still thinking about last season and haven't given much thought to this "game." My head and heart are trying to wrap themselves around this moment. Two days in and I'm already having to improvise and make adjustments to the schedule. Rain and a sinus headache kept me away from both of the morning workouts so far this week. I improvised and did an hour long track workout last night before the game started. After a 2.5 mile warmup, I banged out 6x800s on the track between 3:12-3:15. I've got a huge client presentation after work tonight that will keep me from evening spin class. You know what that means? It means that I heat up the oven after the meeting, throw the tenderloin in and spin my butt off on the trainer while the pork is cooking. It might be a missed tackle, but it's not the end of the game.

Like the players last night, I'll make the necessary adjustments, miss a few more tackles, have a couple of penalties, and lose the lead every now and then. I also know that at the end of this, I'll emerge successfully and on top.

Now, why in God's name couldn't the Buckeyes do that?!?!?!?

And So It Begins!!

So I tried the 10-day Master Cleanse on January 1st and lasted all of one day.  By the 12th hour of drinking nothing but lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup, I felt like I was on the show "Celebrity Rehab."  My head was freakin' pounding, I had cold sweats and I finally ended up puking my guts out.  You're supposed to drink nothing but the above concoction for 10 days. The goal is to clean out the toxins in your vital organs and break some of the cravings that you possess. By the end of the night, the only thing possessed was me. 

I was hoping to rid my body of all the crap I've been feeding it lately, get a fresh start on the New Year and drop a couple of pounds before Ironman training. Well...I dropped a few pounds all right, but I think I also almost lost a spleen in the process! Not for me...I love food too much and I also love exercise. Endurance exercise and not eating do not go hand in hand.

Since I got that (and everything else) out of my system, it's officially on to the business of 2009!

Race Calendar so far leading up to Ironman Coeur D'Alene in June:

1.) 3M Half Marathon on 1/25 (can I break my PR of 1:34?) I haven't done a lick of speed work since October, so it's not going to be pretty. My goal is to just lay it out there and see what happens!

2.) 1/2 Ironman in Galveston, TX or Oceanside, CA in late March: Oceanside is sold out, but I'm trying to swindle my way on the roster. Nothing fast...just a good solid training race for Ironman.

3.) MS 150: Two-Day bike ride and closer to 190 mile ride from Houston to Austin in Mid-April  with Shawn and TriGreyhound,. I was going to do the Boston Marathon that same weekend, but a weekend on the roads with Greyhound was too good to pass up! 

4.) Wildflower 1/2 Ironman in Monterey County, CA: The Woodstock of triathlon falls the first week of May and I'm looking so forward to this tune up for Ironman. I've heard it's one of the hardest races, but also one of the best. I look forward to sleeping in a tent with 3000 other nutty triathletes.

5.) Cap Tex Tri: Not sure if I'll do this Olympic distance or not, but it will fall Memorial Day weekend and it's a mile from my house.

6.) Ironman Coeur D'Alene:  Who knew Idaho would be home to Austin's T3 on June 21st, 2009? I can't wait to do this race and watch hubster complete his first full Ironman. Actually, he may be watching me finish...Who knows who will finish first?! Either way, it will be a wonderful day as we begin this journey together!

Training officially kicks off January 5th and I've got the next 24 weeks outlined practically day by day, thanks to my T3 coaches. Through it all, I resolve to not take my shit too seriously. For heaven's sake, it takes all of the fun out of it! Of course, I'll do the work, but the reason I enjoyed my first Ironman so much is because I met and was able to train and travel with some wonderful people...and laugh a lot. ( I only cried once during the whole training process). I was in awe today when I showed up at our team meeting and was told that we now have over 70 people on the T3 team training for this one specific race. That told me several things:

1.) This triathlon thing is catching on.

2.) There are a lot of stupid crazy people in this town.

3.) Hubster and I are two of them.

4.) I've got lots of new people to start annoying (and introduce to Tritobefunny.com)!

5.) I've got over 69 other people to beat!! (Just kidding...sorta) :-)

So beginning today, there are no more lame excuses--except for the Ohio State/Texas game tonight...

So, beginning TOMORROW, there are no more lame excuses!!

It's going to be a great year...and that's a better feeling than any Master Cleanse!!

Happiness is...

"Happiness is different from pleasure.

Happiness has something to do with struggling and enduring and accomplishing."

-George Sheehan

2008 was certainly filled with it's fair share of struggling, enduring and accomplishing. And you know what? Overall, it was undoubtedly a happy year.

Our travels took us to Cabo San Lucas, The Grand Canyon, Sedona, Tempe, Phoenix, Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Venice, Lake Como , Breckenridge, San Diego, LaJolla, Santa Monica, Orange County, The Big Island in Hawaii, Washington D.C. and the great state of Ohio (:-)...

My bigger races included a duathlon, 2 Half-Ironmans, one full Marathon, one Ultra Marathon and, of course, Ironman Arizona in April. Pleasantly, I PR'ed in every one of them and set a heck of a base time to beat for my next Ironman. So yeah, I'd say through the struggling and enduring, there was also a huge sense of accomplishment. And that makes me happy.

There were a few significant losses as well. My dear friend TQ succombed to throat cancer, but left this world with a deep sense of faith and peace. We lost my sister in law to cancer last month, but she too passed with a heart full of love and gratitude. My T3 Teammate Erin died suddenly during the Dallas Marathon. While, at 29, she was way too young, there's little doubt she was happy as she was about to achieve her Boston qualifer race.

Struggle...endurance...accomplishment...

What will 2009 bring? No one knows for sure, but I'm willing to bet it will include a tremendous amount of struggling, enduring and accomplishing.

That also means that 2009 will bring with it an overwhelming amount of Happiness.

I can't wait. Cheers to 2009!!

Holiday Airline Travel and Triathlon...Buckle Up Because It's a Bumpy Ride!

You plan your event months in advance and prepare for practically every scenario.

You pack accordingly and try to minimize your load for the big journey.

You know that no matter how you prepare, weather is always the one thing that is out of your control.

When you get to the race or airport, you do so with optimism that you’ll actually reach your destination in the allotted time.

Airplanes, like bicycles, are prone to mechanical issues and you handle these temporary setbacks with patience, grace, and a little sense of humor.

However, after the third mechanical or weather setback, your patience and nutrition reserves start to deplete.

You look around and notice other people who don’t seem to be having the issues you are having. In fact, they look just plain happy. How are they doing it? What are they doing that I’m not?

Race officials and airline personnel are as friendly and helpful as they can be, but they can only do so much.

When you realize you are up against the time clock, you try to revise your plan over and over. If I do this, will I finish sooner or will it screw me in the end? Should I just stick with my plan and be happy?

Ironmans and air travel don’t discriminate. Pros have crappy race days and First Class passengers also have crappy flights (they just get free wine).

There will be many peaks and valleys throughout the duration of the journey. Some moments you'll be filled with joy and optimism. Those feelings of elation can quickly give way to despair and frustration.

At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter if you are the first flight or the last….It’s all about reaching your destination in one piece.

Whether you're racing or flying, all you want to do when you get home is shower and sleep in your own bed.

The memories of the journeys, both good and bad, will last a lifetime.

Always Get a Second Opinion

I've been swimming with T3 for about 1 1/2 years consistently (well...sort of consistently) and I've made some darn good improvements in that time. A 100m repeat used to take me about 2:20 and I was taking 35-40 strokes per length. No jokes. Freakin' windmill, I tell ya!

I've since gotten those 100's down to 1:55-2:00 and my stroke count is in the low to mid 20s. My endurance has also improved as I can hold that time for several repeats.

Trouble is, I've been at this plateau for several months and I'm ready for a breakthrough.

I decided to have a 30min private swim session with another Austin swim guru, Amy Marsh. Don't get me wrong...I dig my T3 coaches, but I wanted a new set of eyes to look at my stroke. Perhaps she would see something new or explain something a little differently that may click in my little peabrain.

I know without a doubt that my kick is a weakness of mine. I despise the "kick w/ board" drills and any other drill that involves feet only (without fins). She duly noted that I have pretty inflexible ankles...typical for runners. It's just hard to move fast when your feet are essentially flexed most of the time.

Other than that, everything looked pretty darn good according to her. Body Rotation...good. Arm and Catch Positioning...decent...High Elbow Recovery...good. 

Her advice?? Just Swim More. 

Damn...I was afraid she'd say that.

____

Heading to Ohio for a week to spend time with family, friends and food. I'm hoping to score several swims and a couple of runs while we're there (even if it is 9 degrees...ewww)

Happy Holidays to All!! 

Are You Ready to Dot the M in 2009?

I Know I AM...

We've been working behind the scenes for months on what I hope becomes something big for those of us who love accomplishing great things. Marketing plans and proposals have been written and presented to those with "the power." Let's use our collective conscious to spread positive vibes to a movement that I believe has epic potential. 

Together, we can Dot the M!

One More Reason To Live Life to the Fullest

This was definitely not the post I had planned for today. In the midst of my holiday cheer, lazy Sunday and leisurely bike ride in 78 degree weather today, I learned that a T3 teammate of mine collapsed and died suddenly today during the Dallas White Rock Marathon. Erin was 29. She was married. She was at Mile 21.

No details about the cause have emerged, but it doesn't really matter what caused her tragic death at this moment. The only thing that matters is that a family is grieving and a husband has just suffered the unthinkable. 

The brief article is here.

Be safe out there my friends and continue to live life like it's the first day of your life or the last day.

Why I'll Never Have 6-Pack Abs

Happy Holidays at Marketing Matters!

Gingerbread houses, gingerbread cookies and other assorted cookies and treats have begun their annual infiltration into the office and into my belly!

Let the gluttony begin :-)

Sunmart 50K Race Report: View from the Front and the Back!

The mystique of the Sunmart Trail Race has been captivating since I started running in Austin back in 2000. My Austin Fit Marathon Coaches would speak of this “50k Trail Race” where you receive more goodies than a six-year-old on Christmas morning. They spoke of the rest stop food that includes Oreos, Vanilla Wafers, gumdrops, M&Ms, bananas, boiled potatoes, salt and other sweet enticements, giving me a Hansel and Gretel-esque vision of this event. They also spoke of the friendly and compassionate trail racing culture.

I ran my first Sunmart 50K in 2007, as a virtual trail running novice. I showed up in my regular running shoes with my four gels and proceeded to run my way to 8th overall female and 2nd in my age group. Most importantly, I had a legitimate blast. Wait. How is this possible? How can you have fun in an ultra-marathon and still finish with a respectable time? Trail running isn’t necessarily a race. It’s an experience; and Sunmart is the epitome of this experience.

Needless to say, I’ve been excited for a while to come back to Sunmart for round two. Like last year, I had done no specific trail training. I had, however, spent 2008 training for and completing my first Full Ironman in April and training hard all summer to run a Marathon PR in October at Marine Corps. My body and mind were slightly fatigued from the intensity of the year and Sunmart provided the cure…and a great way to finish a monumental year as an average Joe (or Jane) athlete.

With my race shirt ready, we headed for our ritual sushi/vino pre-race dinner

I had been singing the Sunmart praises for months and was happy to see some other training partners from Austin sign up to join on the journey. I’m sure they grew weary of my, “I know it’s over 31 miles, but it’s so FUN” endorsements. Well, that and the, “the food and schwag are awesome!”

In case you got lost on the way

Race morning this year was the antithesis of 2007. Last year was hot and humid. This year, the air was a dry, crisp 30 degrees. Chilly, no doubt, but perfect for a long morning of running in a gorgeous state park. If there’s one way to describe the scene, I’d say “casual.” The kitchen crew cooks up biscuits, gravy, bacon, kolaches, eggs, hot cider, hot cocoa and coffee. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say we were all at a family picnic instead of a race! Athletes weren’t necessarily chugging their last sips of Gatorade or choking down the last bit of their bagel. They were sitting in the warm heated tent (thank you!) drinking OJ, eating some biscuits and gravy and chatting about whether it was a shorts or a tights day.

When we were called to the start line by the Race Announcer, I made a conscious effort to line up a little closer to the front knowing that the out and back of the first six miles allows little room to make passes without annoying other runners. My goal this year was the same as last year. Start slow and gradually build throughout the 31+ miles. I lined up with my running partners, Amy and Shellie, and we made our “start slow” pact together. Our first mile was a brisk sub 9:00. We reined it in over the next couple of miles when we hit the picturesque trail. Still, though, I was running a little faster than last year and wondering if this would haunt me later. The beauty of hovering around a 9:15 pace is that I could still converse with my friends and other runners who were on the course. Conversing is exactly what we were doing during the fifth mile when my friend Amy hit her foot on a root and went down in intense pain.

“I think it’s broken,” she grimaced. Shellie and I stopped immediately to tend to her, even though there wasn’t much I could do besides assure her that she was going to be o.k. As seconds turned into minutes, dozens of concerned runners came by, stopped, and took several moments out of their own day to express their concern. A nurse and her friend stopped to check the swelling and other friends hovered while we assessed the damage. Practically every runner gave a word or two of encouragement as they ran by. Finally, a local Huntsville firefighter came upon us and tended to her injuries. Fortunately, there was no break, but she definitely couldn’t proceed. We removed her chip and shoe while we waited for medical personnel to arrive. In true runner fashion, Amy insisted that we all continue. At this point, there truly was nothing we could do. She was in a tremendous amount of pain, but ultimately she would be fine. The gracious firefighter (I later learned his name is Norman) said he would wait with her. After several, “Are you sures?,” Shellie and I proceeded on…now much closer to the back of the pack than the front where we originated.

I suspect we lost about 8-10 minutes when all was said and done. Humorously, when she went down, I stopped my watch as if we were on a training run. It was a few minutes later that I realized, “You’re in a race, Carrie! You can’t stop your watch just because you’ve stopped running!” Needless to say, I really didn’t know where I was in the pack or what my time/pace truly was.

I did consciously pick it up over the next several miles. My comfortable 9:15 pace gave way to a few 8:15s as I began to climb through the pack on the first of two 12.15 mile loops. Dare I say the competitive spirit started to kick in just a tad at this point? Still though, the spirit and atmosphere were relaxed and casual. I can’t count the number of people who asked how my friend was doing as I made a pass. This type of fellowship and camaraderie is rare in a typical competitive road marathon. That support and encouragement only bolstered my efforts to race and finish strong.

Shellie and I ran and chatted together for the first 20 miles until recurring tummy issues forced her to hold back. Admittedly, I started counting the female competitors on a few of the “out and back” sections of the course. I remember suspecting that I was somewhere near the top 15. In another jewel of wisdom from my previous year, I just tried to remain focused and let those competitors come to me. Lo and behold, they started to and little by little I inched my way through the field with some sub-8:30 minute miles. Also, even though it pained me, I refrained as much as possible from overdosing at the wonderful rest stops. I stayed true to my gel consumption and complemented that with “fuel friendly” bananas, peanut butter, potatoes and salt at the stops. The last five miles were tough. My early surge to catch up was now catching up with me. My legs started to stiffen…not cramp…just seize slightly. I struggled on the uphills, but still felt strong on the flats and downhills. At the last count, I suspected that I was in third place and was darn close to the two in front of me. Part of my mind told me to relax and enjoy the moment. I could finish comfortably and not lose my place. Of course, the other part told me to push it to the end in hopes of making a final pass.

As fate would have it, I took a pretty rough tumble with a half-mile to go, which all but knocked the wind out of my sails. Still though, I finished with a huge smile and a solid 4th place overall (1st in my 35-39 year old age group). I thought I was in 3rd, but it turns out that the perennial winner, Wendy Terris, was so far ahead of the field that I never actually saw her on the course!

With new friend and fellow blogger Kathleen from Houston!

I was greeted at the Finish Line by my now-hobbling friend Amy and a multitude of congratulations from the volunteers. I picked up my wonderful Finisher’s jacket and chugged some chocolate milk (Nascar-style). I was still beaming when they had the Sunmart awards ceremony and I was able to pick up my Age Group trophy and $100 prize money.

Special thanks, again, to Roger Soler and his crew for another outstanding race display that keeps people coming back year after year. Also, special thanks go out to the wonderful volunteers, spectators and runners that make this such a unique and fulfilling event.

I can’t wait for 2009…and possibly a foray into the 50-mile club!

Me with running (hobbling) partner "Skud" and the Race Organizer


My bronze horse trophy and prize money! yee haw!

Sunmart is the BEST RACE EVER!

Hands down...Sunmart is the coolest race ever. Not only does the race schwag and food put everyone else to shame (I'm talking cool  max race shirts, hats, jackets, sunglasses, notebooks, etc), but the atmosphere and trail running culture is superior. It is a community of like minded individuals who love life, nature and have genuine care for others.  I'll be writing more about it in my race report, but I'm still learning how to walk again today!

Wendy Terris 03:53:04 (Milwaukie OR 50 K RUN F 35-39)
Mary Ross 04:43:54 (Saint Paul MN 50 K RUN F 40-44)
Liz Pinches 04:44:03 (Houston TX 50 K RUN F 30-34)
Carrie Barrett 04:48:09 (Austin TX 50 K RUN F 35-39)
Shellie Oroshiba 04:52:15 (Austin TX 50 K RUN F 35-39)
Stephanie Page 04:56:57 (Houston TX 50 K RUN F 30-34)
Marina Herrman 05:09:43 (Portland TX 50 K RUN F 45-49)
Nahila Hernandez San J 05:11:51 (Mexico DF 50 K RUN F 30-34)
Lee Neathery 05:13:19 (Houston TX 50 K RUN F 45-49)
Gina Bolton 05:14:01 (Longview TX 50 K RUN F 25-29)

4th overall Female at the Sunmart 50K and 1st in my age group (since the winner was THE WINNER)! I walked away with an infamous bronze horse trophy AND $100 in prize money for placing!

Full Race Report coming soon. Suffice to say, it's a good one!

P.S.  Thanks to Kathleen Woodhead for cheering her brains out and thanks to everyone for sharing concern for my friend Amy who dropped with a severe ankle strain at Mile 5. She's doing much better today and she will be back to avenge the course!

Caption Contest

End of....

WHAT?!?!?!

What do you think it says???

(Saw this sign in California on Balboa Island and had Shawn's Aunt Celine snap a picture. I thought it was "pee your pants" funny even though it has nothing to do with exercise--

unless we need to run for our lives!)

Sunmart 50K Trail Race...Here we Come!

Well, I definitely don't fancy myself a trail runner, but I'm set to run my second Sunmart 50k Ultra-Marathon this coming Saturday, December 6th. I had an absolute blast last year and am, once again, looking forward to hitting the Texas Trail with training partner Skud and some T3 suckers (oops-I mean teammates) ---Vegas, Katy, Charles, Jane and others who are as nutty as I am and find sadistic pleasure in running 32 miles.

The race is known for the fun schwag and the even better waterstop food (cookies, jellybeans, oreos, pbj, boiled potatoes, etc )!

Let the fun begin y'all! Hee haw! Maybe I'll walk off with another bronze horse age group award. Classic Texas Trophies :-)