2009 Race Schedule

Here's my (Just Tri) race schedule for 2009:

April 5: Cherry Blossom 10-miler, Washington, DC (10 mile run)

May 5: Lake Anna Kinetic Half, Lake Anna, Virginia (Half Iron Triathlon: 1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run)

September 12: Patriot's Half, Williamsburg, Virginia (Half Iron Triathlon)

My 30th Birthday Celebration:
October 11: Chicago Marathon, Chicago, Illinois


What's missing? Oh, about 4-6 additional races I usually do! I was so burned out last year I didn't even care anymore. When you get to the point where you say, "Oh, I'll just pull this half-iron out of my arse." you know it's time to re-group. So, this year I'm backing off a bit and taking time to re-think. I'm practicing great restraint not to register for every race that has a cool gimmick. I keep telling myself, that race will still be there next year. Who knows, 2010 might be my Ironman year (as well as the year hell freezes over).

Stay tuned to the TriBabes blog for all our training ups and downs and post race analyses. Once again, we're off and running... and swimming and biking!


"It's good training!" - Just Tri

Bye-Bye AG 25-29

The girls and I will be running the Fairfax Four on New Year's Eve. Somehow the thought of a Nike Hoodie and, more importantly, wine at the finish line has blocked out the thought of running in 30 degree weather. (Hey, I've done it for worse. Remember my first half marathon in 32 degree weather for a green fleece vest?!). Anywho, I realized this will be my last race as an age grouper 25-29. I am moving on up to the AG 30-35.

I really don't wanna go.... That's the toughest age group. I had finally cracked the top quarter of my age group and now this.

However, to help celebrate TriBabes are doing a marathon to help me celebrate my 30th birthday in September. TriMe apparently did this for her 30th too. I guess great minds think alike; or at least masochistic minds do. BarbieGirlNot is probably wondering why she just couldn't just chip in a Starbucks gift card. She got peer-pressured into it, although I gave her the opportunity to stand by for 26.2 miles and watch. So she's a quasi-masochist.

No race has been chosen. If I'm going to run, we're going to do it BIG. Vegas? Ladies, it's going to be fun. Just think, if I really had it my way, we'd be swimming 26.2 miles!

"It's Good Training" - Just Tri Me

Turkey Trot

I told a friend I would help her train for her 1st 5k. I am so proud of her. She is a ma of 2 also. Ipush our 2 youngest sons around while our other kids are at preschool. She just got certified as a ZUMBA instructor so she does that and long walks/runs on the days we don't run together. How motivating is that?!!!! I don't know if it is because I am use to doing longer, slower training runs, but I feel so out of shape when I run with her. She hasn't run competitively since High school and she hated it. But she is a natural!!! I just wish I wasn't slowing her down. Anyway, I am a little upset with myself that I have let all my endurance go in the crapper. But we will be doing the Herndon Turkey trot for any and all those who wish to join us!!! Teammates???????

Off season training?!?!?!

We have officially concluded training???? Really, do we psycho 1/2 ironwomen really ever stop? Ok, I am the first to admit we slack, but in the back of our minds is the next race sometime next year and how much effort do we really want to put into that "startup" training for yet another half???? With all that said I have started an off season training plan that I downloaded off the web site begginertriathlete.com. I would love to say I am following it religiously, but the truth is I am slacking. I hate swimming and therefore have replaced 1 and most the time 2 out of the 3 swims I am suppose to be doing a week with weight training. Which in the actual plan is interspaced throughout the week I just hate to swim. Ok so much for my babbling. I still love that we (all 3 someday hopefully) will keep riding on Sundays and I love that we all still love getting together. I truely love my teammates as I say in every one of these blogs I have done. By the way, I have never blogged before and I have found this to be very fun! Does anyone read these?

Ready, set, no go...

So I don't know if I am mad or relived. The half was cancelled and I am now back at home sitting on my couch instead of firmly planted on my bike. With my projected time I would have been within an hour of finishing right now. Instead, I already ate an apple fritter and am thinking about lunch. What the.....!!!

I am the first to admit I did not want to swim, but not having the chance to do anything is frustrating. I was at least hoping to get the chance to race the Olympic distance on Sunday. I know it takes a lot to set up these events, however, it also takes a lot to get ready for one. The sprint and Olympic are to take place on Sunday(swim for them is cancelled)....seems like they could have shared the road?! Race directors said there wouldn't be enough support for that many athletes...fine with me...kick the sprinters out. I mean J-Lo wouldn't have minded (see previous blog). We paid the most, trained the most and therefore are aloud to whine the most.

I guess it will just have to wait until next year. We have been offered a 50% discount for next year. Wow, how about paying for my hotel, my gas, etc. My whining is free for them! Two of us will be around and might be able to talk the third into coming back out. Who knows, maybe next year will be a 110 out and we fall off our bikes due to the heat.

With no races in sight I am not sure what I will be up to. Time to kick back and reflect on how this training was fun. As much as I just bitched, this year of tris and runs has given me two great friends. We have common interests and goals that without the tris we might not have crossed each others paths. To sum it all up I want to borrow a line or two from some famous commericals...

Tri registration: $175
Hotels, food, gas, etc: $600+
Friendships gained while not even getting to race: Priceless!!!

Thanks for a great year-it makes me sad to think it's kind of over. Maybe we need to find something to do......

Hurricane Hanna & a Half

Our first Half-Iron was in 90 degree heat just a week after a tornado hit. Now, Huricane Hanna is headed up the east coast and over Williamsburg - at the EXACT time we will be racing. No word yet on what modifications they will make to the race or if they'll cancel it (I, of course, am praying for the latter!). I'm sure they'll take away the swim and add more running. Personally, I'd rather take my chances in the water than have to run anymore than required. I've done some races in Hawaii in some 4ft+ waves.... :) Quite honestly, I'm more afraid of getting blown off my bike with my feet still clipped in.

The other girls, of course, would rather do anything else other than a swim. I'm trying to conjure up a 3rd event for them that might be embarrassing, but if you knew what they did to me at a public restaurant, you'd know they aren't easily embarrassed.

I'm actually more excited about this race now than before. It's probably because that remote shot of it being canceled looks likely. It's like one of my students holding out for snow on the day of a major test.

If my next post ends up being from Maine, you'll know I got blown a little off course in the swim. Wish us luck... although surviving is a pretty feasible goal at this point too.


"It's good training!" - Just Tri Me

And this is so special because?????

In this week's issue of People magazine there is an article about Jennifer Lopez doing her first triathlon (!) and six months after giving birth (!!). Wow... she's so special. All hail la Lopez.

It really makes me laugh. Well, J-Lil did her first triathlon six months after giving birth, too. And you know what? My friends and I are doing our SECOND HALF IRON Saturday. We have kids, too. We have jobs (real ones, to boot). Yet we don't get a 3 page spread in People.

So, what am I griping about? Not much. Just wanted to let you know we are way cooler than J-Lo.

Go TriBabes!


"It's Good Training" - Just Tri Me