After long thought and discussion... contemplating many
options, I finally decided.
I signed up for Ironman CDA... 6/27/2010.
It is official!
Like I said... here we go...
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Race report catch up ...
Wow ... so I moved into my new apartment May 1st and just got around to hooking up my computer so am way behind in blogging.
I have missed multiple race reports in that time. I don't have the patience to blog about each one, so here are the highlights:
May 1 - Polar Bear Triathlon
First tri of the season. Raced a few weeks post Boston, still fatigued and very tired from moving the entire day before.
May 16 - Bedford 12k
This was the 3rd race in the quest for the jacket. Raced extremely tired from finals at school, some personal stress, and an impromptu trip out of town.
June 6 - Mooseman Triathlon
I arrived at this race after 4 days in NJ for an insurance training class. Drove straight from the airport to the race site ... little tired but nothing major. Slept great in my tent. I love sleeping in my tent. Weird. Race morning was good. All was pretty normal. I was trying not to freak out about the swim as I have been having issues with that lately. Start ... swim didn't go to well. I kept feeling like I couldn't breathe and having to stop. My swim split was slow. Then, coming out of T1 I mounted my bike and then somehow got tangled with another girl. Our handlebars hit, my bike went down, I went over the handlebars and hit the ground, hard. I got up and took off, shaking. I kept telling myself to shake it off and relax. I kept riding and then realized that something was wrong with my bike. Dismount. It was just my brake rubbing. I fixed it and took back off. The first time I reached up to shift, pain shot through my hand and I thought, wow ... that's not good. I looked down at my right hand and it was already swollen and bruised. I kept riding and fought back a few tears. I soon relaxed but was having problems shifting and getting my water bottle in and out. Half way through the ride the road was really rough and the vibrations were sending shock waves through my hand. I tried riding with one hand for awhile then frustrated and in pain, I started to cry. Okay, this is not me. I started to yell at myself in my head ... dude, suck it up and get over it. There's probably nothing wrong. No excuses. Luckily the road smoothed out and I was able to drop back in my aerobars for awhile and got myself together for the end of the bike. I was really happy to get off that bike. T2 proved a challenge as I had a hard time getting my shoes on with one hand. Once I headed out on the run, I felt good. Adrenalin took over, the pain went away, and I had a really good run split. However, the moment I crossed the finish line I knew something was wrong and the pain came rushing back. I went straight to the med tent for ice. They told me something was probably broken ... which was confirmed 2 days later. Ugh.
June 7 - Rhody 5k
The 4th race in the quest for the jacket. This was the day after the Mooseman. I woke up tired, with a swollen hand, and still in pain. I drove almost 3 hours, ran a 5K in a pretty respectable time given the circumstances, then drove almost 3 hours home. Wow, earning the jacket... that's all I have to say about that.
June 21 - Portland Seadogs Fathers Day 5k
Nothing to say here ... ran it as a workout.
July 12 - Rhode Island 70.3 Triathlon
My Half Ironman and what was to be my BIG race of the season. Unfortunately, having a splint on my hand for a week and a cast for 3, put a damper on my training for this race. I went down, did the distance, and finished. Maybe the only good thing that came out of this race is that I had a good swim with no freak outs and my fastest bike split in a half yet, which is ironic seeing that the bike is what I trained on the least.
Many more races to come this season ... 3 more triathlons and 3 more races in the quest for the jacket. Stay tuned ...
I have missed multiple race reports in that time. I don't have the patience to blog about each one, so here are the highlights:
May 1 - Polar Bear Triathlon
First tri of the season. Raced a few weeks post Boston, still fatigued and very tired from moving the entire day before.
May 16 - Bedford 12k
This was the 3rd race in the quest for the jacket. Raced extremely tired from finals at school, some personal stress, and an impromptu trip out of town.
June 6 - Mooseman Triathlon
I arrived at this race after 4 days in NJ for an insurance training class. Drove straight from the airport to the race site ... little tired but nothing major. Slept great in my tent. I love sleeping in my tent. Weird. Race morning was good. All was pretty normal. I was trying not to freak out about the swim as I have been having issues with that lately. Start ... swim didn't go to well. I kept feeling like I couldn't breathe and having to stop. My swim split was slow. Then, coming out of T1 I mounted my bike and then somehow got tangled with another girl. Our handlebars hit, my bike went down, I went over the handlebars and hit the ground, hard. I got up and took off, shaking. I kept telling myself to shake it off and relax. I kept riding and then realized that something was wrong with my bike. Dismount. It was just my brake rubbing. I fixed it and took back off. The first time I reached up to shift, pain shot through my hand and I thought, wow ... that's not good. I looked down at my right hand and it was already swollen and bruised. I kept riding and fought back a few tears. I soon relaxed but was having problems shifting and getting my water bottle in and out. Half way through the ride the road was really rough and the vibrations were sending shock waves through my hand. I tried riding with one hand for awhile then frustrated and in pain, I started to cry. Okay, this is not me. I started to yell at myself in my head ... dude, suck it up and get over it. There's probably nothing wrong. No excuses. Luckily the road smoothed out and I was able to drop back in my aerobars for awhile and got myself together for the end of the bike. I was really happy to get off that bike. T2 proved a challenge as I had a hard time getting my shoes on with one hand. Once I headed out on the run, I felt good. Adrenalin took over, the pain went away, and I had a really good run split. However, the moment I crossed the finish line I knew something was wrong and the pain came rushing back. I went straight to the med tent for ice. They told me something was probably broken ... which was confirmed 2 days later. Ugh.
June 7 - Rhody 5k
The 4th race in the quest for the jacket. This was the day after the Mooseman. I woke up tired, with a swollen hand, and still in pain. I drove almost 3 hours, ran a 5K in a pretty respectable time given the circumstances, then drove almost 3 hours home. Wow, earning the jacket... that's all I have to say about that.
June 21 - Portland Seadogs Fathers Day 5k
Nothing to say here ... ran it as a workout.
July 12 - Rhode Island 70.3 Triathlon
My Half Ironman and what was to be my BIG race of the season. Unfortunately, having a splint on my hand for a week and a cast for 3, put a damper on my training for this race. I went down, did the distance, and finished. Maybe the only good thing that came out of this race is that I had a good swim with no freak outs and my fastest bike split in a half yet, which is ironic seeing that the bike is what I trained on the least.
Many more races to come this season ... 3 more triathlons and 3 more races in the quest for the jacket. Stay tuned ...
Friday, May 29, 2009
Balancing Act
I remember sitting in the living at the age of 8, or maybe 9, listening to a man talk to my sister and I about the importance of positive thinking and setting goals. My mother had brought this man to the house, had him talk to us, then bought tapes for us to listen to and posters to hang on our bedroom walls, all to help encourage us. My parents "encouraged" us to always be our best. Give everything 100%, or more.
I am very thankful that my parents taught me that I could do many many things and be successful if I worked hard. Motivation and hard work, Think you can, You can do it, Never quit, and I could go on and on.
My parents never limited me. I attempted a variety of activities, some with better results than others. Swim team, diving team, weigh lifting, track, basketball, tennis, gymnastics, cheerleading, golf, rodeo, baton twirling, piano, marching band, concert band, jazz band. Did I miss anything?
This is all well and good; but if you are not careful you can collapse under the pressure. The expectations set, although maybe not intentional, can be so high that they are unattainable. This attitude has driven me to be very successful in my adult life. However, I continue to set the bar extremely high for myself and many times falter under the pressure. It is a balancing act ... and for those who know me, know that I don't always have the best balance...
I am very thankful that my parents taught me that I could do many many things and be successful if I worked hard. Motivation and hard work, Think you can, You can do it, Never quit, and I could go on and on.
My parents never limited me. I attempted a variety of activities, some with better results than others. Swim team, diving team, weigh lifting, track, basketball, tennis, gymnastics, cheerleading, golf, rodeo, baton twirling, piano, marching band, concert band, jazz band. Did I miss anything?
This is all well and good; but if you are not careful you can collapse under the pressure. The expectations set, although maybe not intentional, can be so high that they are unattainable. This attitude has driven me to be very successful in my adult life. However, I continue to set the bar extremely high for myself and many times falter under the pressure. It is a balancing act ... and for those who know me, know that I don't always have the best balance...
Monday, April 27, 2009
Who am I?
Do you know who you are? Do you know what you believe? What do you want in life? Are you afraid to voice it? Can you answer these honestly? I can, thankfully today I can.
I admit, there were times many years ago that I didn't know who I was. I was searching for something, I'm not sure what, but it was a long road. I made bad choices. Choices that at moments I regretted; wished I could change. Choices that effected me for the rest of my life, or so it seemed. I was vulnerable, easily influenced, and I couldn't stand up for myself. People who know me today probably find that hard to believe. Now, looking back, I wouldn't change a thing because that journey has made me who I am.
Today, I never apologize for who I am. If I'm wrong or harm someone, I will always apologize, but I never apologize for being me. Not everyone is going to like me. Not everyone is going to agree with me. I just am who I am ... and to be honest, I like who I am.
I've been looked down upon for being a teenage Mom. I've been looked down upon for being divorced, more than once. I haven't always made the right decisions, but all of these things, all of these challenges have made me who I am today. Every time I see a mountain in front of me, I climb it. I don't turn around and look the other way. I know that whatever comes my way, I can handle it. (I give a lot of credit to my mom for that.) It may not be easy, but life never is.
When I find something about myself that I don't like, I change it. I don't change it for anyone else, I change it for me. One thing I have learned over the years is that you cannot change for another person, nor should you expect another person to change for you. It doesn't work. You have to do it for yourself ... no one else.
So, who I am? I am a 38 year old single, divorced female, mother of 2, grandmother of 1, successful business woman, grad student, talented athlete, and a great friend. Egotistical? Not a chance. I call it confidence. I know exactly who I am and I am proud of it.
I challenge you to find out who you are ...
I admit, there were times many years ago that I didn't know who I was. I was searching for something, I'm not sure what, but it was a long road. I made bad choices. Choices that at moments I regretted; wished I could change. Choices that effected me for the rest of my life, or so it seemed. I was vulnerable, easily influenced, and I couldn't stand up for myself. People who know me today probably find that hard to believe. Now, looking back, I wouldn't change a thing because that journey has made me who I am.
Today, I never apologize for who I am. If I'm wrong or harm someone, I will always apologize, but I never apologize for being me. Not everyone is going to like me. Not everyone is going to agree with me. I just am who I am ... and to be honest, I like who I am.
I've been looked down upon for being a teenage Mom. I've been looked down upon for being divorced, more than once. I haven't always made the right decisions, but all of these things, all of these challenges have made me who I am today. Every time I see a mountain in front of me, I climb it. I don't turn around and look the other way. I know that whatever comes my way, I can handle it. (I give a lot of credit to my mom for that.) It may not be easy, but life never is.
When I find something about myself that I don't like, I change it. I don't change it for anyone else, I change it for me. One thing I have learned over the years is that you cannot change for another person, nor should you expect another person to change for you. It doesn't work. You have to do it for yourself ... no one else.
So, who I am? I am a 38 year old single, divorced female, mother of 2, grandmother of 1, successful business woman, grad student, talented athlete, and a great friend. Egotistical? Not a chance. I call it confidence. I know exactly who I am and I am proud of it.
I challenge you to find out who you are ...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Boston 2009 Race Report
Boston Marathon 2009 ... 2nd Boston, 6th Marathon. Good intentions that never came to be. I thought twice about posting this because my splits were, well, almost embarrassing. Goal going in was approx 3:30, ~8 min pace. My 2nd Boston went something like this ...
Didn't sleep too bad. Was asleep by 9:30, tossed a little, but then woke up a 3 am and had a hard time going back to sleep. Finally got up at 4. My parents dropped me at Boston Common at 5:45, boarded one of the first buses and I was on my way. Arrived at the athlete's village and the temps were low 40s with a wind. I found a spot under a tent and sat down to relax. Nothing too major pre-race, everything went fine.
The start ... wave 1, corral 13. National Anthem, then the fly over ... that always gives me chills. It took about 8+ minutes to get to the starting line from my corral and then we were off and running. I felt good through the first half ...
Mile 1 - 8.21
Mile 2 - 7.58
Mile 3 - 7.57
Mile 4 - 7.52
Mile 5 - 8.05
Mile 6 - 8.00
Mile 7 - 8.02
Mile 8 - 8.01
Mile 9 - 7.55
Mile 10 - 8.03
Mile 11 - 8.05
Mile 12 - 7.56
Mile 13 - 7.57
Not too bad eh? I thought well, maybe this year will be different ... uh, nope. First, I had to stretch a cramp in the left hamstring during mile 14 then had to hit the porta potty at mile 15 - (necessary or I would have never stopped).
Mile 14 - 8.50
Mile 15 - 9.52
Mile 16 - 8.26 tried to come back but just wasn't the same after stopping ...
Then I hit the Newton Hills that rocked my world ... and not in a good way either.
Mile 17 - 9.28
Mile 18 - 10.13
Mile 19 - 10.14
Mile 20 - 10.11
Mile 21 - 10.33
I really tried to rally at this point now that the hills were over; but honestly, my legs had taken a beating at this point and were starting to really hurt.
Mile 22 -9.10
Mile 23 - 9.30
Mile 24 - 9.16
Mile 25 - 9.51 (not real sure what happened here)
Mile 26.2 - 10.57 ( which is 9.07 pace)
So I rallied slightly and brought the pace back down a minute per mile, but not enough. Final time 3.50.51. 8.49 pace. 2nd time I've ran Boston and 2nd time I failed to re-qualify.
Now, this is Boston and I find it an honor to run. I am happy that I have completed the 26.2 mile trek again, but not happy with the result. This is definitely not my last Boston. I will learn how to run the course.
Next up ... Polar Bear Tri on 5/2, Bedford Rotary 12K on 5/16. Bad races only motivate me. It's going to be a fun season ...
Saturday, April 18, 2009
confessions of my rituals ...
we all have them, those little things that we do before every big event. routines, superstitions, idiosyncrasies, rituals ... whatever you call them and for whatever reason you do them, they are there. i remember early on in my basketball career i established a routine that i went through before every free throw. step to line, look at the basket, three dribbles, roll the ball in my hands, bounce at the knees for a 3 count and swish (well, most of the time it went swish). did it contribute to my high free throw percentage? i have no idea. all i know is that i just didn't feel right if i didn't go through the ritual. i have another every time i tee off in golf. as an athlete, we learn that the mental aspect is just as important, if not more, than the physical. we can train all we want but if we are not in the right space mentally, we will never realize our full potential. we will never get where we want to be.
that being said, i am confessing a few of my own ...
* shower - now to some that may seem silly. especially when heading to a triathlon to get in the water. doesn't matter. sometimes i even wash my hair.
* shaved legs - yes, the legs must be shaved either the night before or the morning of... no exception.
* painted toes - this is a must for every triathlon. big triathlons even constitute a trip to the nail salon for a full blown pedicure and a fancy paint job.
* splits - i have to write out my splits before hand. road race and triathlon alike, i have to know exactly where i want to be.
* meditation - i have to mentally picture myself during the race. i know i'm not alone in this one! all i need is a little time to put on my mp3 player and close my eyes and go through the race start to finish.
* music - we have the songs that mean something to us. i have songs for all occasions ... when i'm happy, when i'm sad, when i'm trying to cheer myself up, when i'm trying to pump myself up, when i'm trying to relax. my favorite pre-race song ever is up around the bend by CCR. something about the line "there's a place up ahead and i'm goin' just as fast as my feet can fly ..."
* go to phrase or song - i need something in my head to think about, repeat, or sing when it gets really tough. it changes from race to race but i do have some favorites. for big races i usually come up with something new. one year while racing my third big lake half marathon, i sang the abc song over and over to get through the 4 miles of really tough hills. crazy but it worked.
* hair ribbons - this is my newest and most off the wall yet. for some reason i decided that i needed ribbons in my hair for my first boston marathon and they had to match my singlet... blue and orange. i have no idea why or where this idea came from. There is something to be said about feeling better about yourself if you think you look good ... yes, back to the mental aspect. so, as i was preparing for boston marathon #2 i realized i needed another set of ribbons. yesterday i picked up my new singlet to check out the colors so i could get matching ribbons today. this time, blue and silver... and they sparkle!
do any of these things make me perform better? i have no idea but i don't think i'll change them ...
that being said, i am confessing a few of my own ...
* shower - now to some that may seem silly. especially when heading to a triathlon to get in the water. doesn't matter. sometimes i even wash my hair.
* shaved legs - yes, the legs must be shaved either the night before or the morning of... no exception.
* painted toes - this is a must for every triathlon. big triathlons even constitute a trip to the nail salon for a full blown pedicure and a fancy paint job.
* splits - i have to write out my splits before hand. road race and triathlon alike, i have to know exactly where i want to be.
* meditation - i have to mentally picture myself during the race. i know i'm not alone in this one! all i need is a little time to put on my mp3 player and close my eyes and go through the race start to finish.
* music - we have the songs that mean something to us. i have songs for all occasions ... when i'm happy, when i'm sad, when i'm trying to cheer myself up, when i'm trying to pump myself up, when i'm trying to relax. my favorite pre-race song ever is up around the bend by CCR. something about the line "there's a place up ahead and i'm goin' just as fast as my feet can fly ..."
* go to phrase or song - i need something in my head to think about, repeat, or sing when it gets really tough. it changes from race to race but i do have some favorites. for big races i usually come up with something new. one year while racing my third big lake half marathon, i sang the abc song over and over to get through the 4 miles of really tough hills. crazy but it worked.
* hair ribbons - this is my newest and most off the wall yet. for some reason i decided that i needed ribbons in my hair for my first boston marathon and they had to match my singlet... blue and orange. i have no idea why or where this idea came from. There is something to be said about feeling better about yourself if you think you look good ... yes, back to the mental aspect. so, as i was preparing for boston marathon #2 i realized i needed another set of ribbons. yesterday i picked up my new singlet to check out the colors so i could get matching ribbons today. this time, blue and silver... and they sparkle!
do any of these things make me perform better? i have no idea but i don't think i'll change them ...
Thursday, April 16, 2009
3 days and counting ...
I'm having the normal jitters for Boston ... not ready, not ready, not ready. Actually I'm not. Or am I? Felt really good up until New Bedford then something came apart a little. Mental or physical? Not sure. Doubt is creeping in. However, Wednesday night I was out for an easy run and started thinking I was slower than death so I clocked a mile split ... 7:19. Uh, yeah. Said to myself ... "Carlson, this is suppose to be an easy run ... rein it in!!!!"
One would think that heading into marathon #6 I would be better. Nope. Not a chance. Having flashbacks of my worst and most painful marathon ever ... yup, you guessed it, Boston.
One thing I have learned is to put the goal out there. You have to say it out loud so it is real. (I love that saying ... think I'll say it again ... you have to say it out loud so it is real. Believe it.) Okay, back to the goal ... started out at sub 3.25. Not going to happen. Not in a million years. Wait, it WILL happen but not on Monday. I felt as if I was in pretty good shape a month ago so probably just playing mental games with myself. Okay, how about an easy 3.40 ... yeah, okay slacker. Let's be serious. 3.30. 8 minute pace. Doable without killing myself. There it is, let's go with it ... goal is 3:30.
Counting down and getting ready ... stayed tuned for the race report...
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