Gosh it's gorgeous here! Today it was about 68 degrees and clear. Susan, Shannon and I ran for an hour while it was still dark out - you could see brightly, the constellations Orion and the Big Dipper. How cool!

A little later, after school drop off, Terri and Erin and I rode our bikes out to St. Michael and back.(about 35 miles) I got my first flat on a sew-up.... and I am proud to say I had it changed and on our way in EIGHT minutes. I had no idea it would actually be easier to change than a regular inner-tube tire.

Tomorrow is a swim day - we've been going about 3500 yards of assorted masters drills, sets twice a week. 

Also today is the 4th day IN A ROW that I've done my pushups, situps and lunges. I just hafta do it. At my age it is SO easy to get all soft around the middle....

About races - I have two more marathons and I'll be done for 2008. I'll have to post my 2009 stuff once I start getting registered...

Here Am I

This video is 10 minutes long, but it will answer a thousand questions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVN0PTnro_0

Enjoy and God Bless!

xoxo

Jenny

Here I am!

.... Just been busy I guess - Here's my recap of the past several weeks:

1). My tri season is over, but I have been training anyway! I actually did two swims each of the last two weeks. Those of you who know me, know that as school was winding down, I was only swimming 3-4 times per month, then only swam in races during the summer (plus a whopping two lake swims for fun), and was struggling to get my lazy arse in the water at all. But I am baaaack! Workouts were 3300, 3700, 3200 and 3300 yards. At the end of the w/o of the third day, Jean had us do a timed 100yd sprint and I got a 1:18. Which normally I'd be bummed about. But not now - knowing that I only lost 9 seconds by being lazy for 4 months? Lazy's cool.

2). I've done 3 x 20-milers in preparation for Twin Cities Marathon next month. Am planning on 21 or 22 this weekend, since it's three-weeks-out and that is when I try to do a long-long one. I don't know - there is just something comforting about having more than 20 in my back pocket come race day.

3). Speaking of race day, I am carrying a large flag for the Special Olympics (with my friend Jen Lenarz!) and a couple others for the Twin Cities Marathon. Luckily, it will be passed between us all day, because I assume it will get pretty heavy. Jen is super super fast, so the only time in my life I will ever get to run with her is if I do this, so I am in.

4). I am also doing the Whistlestop Marathon the weekend after TCM, and I will try to go fast for that one.

5). I've been biking well - no aches and pains, but boy is my bike getting old. It squeaks and creaks and stuff, but it still gets me around. I can't wait until I can get a new one... so many Specialized Transition Pros online to drool over.... :-)

Terri and I did our secret-weapon spring-training in the pre-season and we both have been faster for it.  If you want to know what our secret weapon is, I shared it in a comment with both Tri-Rob and Momo so you have to go hunt for it! But it has worked great for two summers in a row. 

6). We switched schools this year and the kids are happy as pigs in mud. Bobby especially loves it. As many of you read last year, it was a painful year for us at Providence Academy, where the kids have gone since pre-K. But Heritage Christian Academy is a much better fit for us. I've been told that what we believe in is "cheap grace" but call it what you like, it works for us and we fit in much better here, so please be happy for us!

7). I took the kids to the state fair a couple weeks ago - I hadn't been in a few years. I hate the fair! It's like a sea of grossly overweight, sweating people all walking really, really slowly, eating huge buckets of cookies, gigantic greasy turkey drumsticks, 12-inch long hot dogs and cheesecake on a stick. Gross! Those who aren't eating, are smoking and drinking until their eyes are all glassy, and it's dusty and dirty - blech. But the kids wanted to go and I felt it was my parental obligation. We actually ate something called Pig-lickers: crispy bacon strips dipped in dark chocolate. Hey, when at the fair, eat the fair food, right?

It was really cool to see all the animals, though - a baby cow was born when we were there - see above pic!- and if we'd waited around just a teeny bit longer we'd have seen piglets born, too. The kids went to the Haunted House but were so scared that a guide with a flashlight had to usher them out. Ally didn't stop crying or squeezing me for at least a half hour... ;-)

9). I passed my room at Florida IM over to my friend Julie Hull - watch for her that day - she's an uber-athlete! and I requested the portion of my registration fee to be refunded, so I am really and truly not doing Florida. I'm sad, but it just is what it is. Erin and Terri will be racing, and I will have lots of other people to cheer for.

That's my update! Now I am going to head over to Greyhounds site to get the latest on his hurricane Ike reports...

I'll close out with a few family pics..

Ally figuring out how long it will take to earn enough points to get another Webkinz.

At the fair.

Snuggling up by the fire-pit.

Ally's pet Lucy the caterpillar moments before we put her outside to be free.

Twenty Days?

Looks like it's been twenty days since my last post - ugh!
It's not like nothing exciting has happened - it has! - life has been going at its usual warped and chaotic speed.

I'm still training for the Twin Cities marathon in October, but that will be the last thing on my calendar. Yes, that means I am not doing Ironman Florida. Here are my top two reasons:

1). Money. I know I already spent the $500-ish on the registration fee. But I still can't see spending an additional $2000 on airport parking, bike fare, airfare, condo, rental car, etc. Bob's in real estate and if you haven't picked up a newpaper in the last year... :-(

Fortunately there are still a number of people that want million dollar (+/-) custom homes, but business is down about 50%. Seeing that I prioritize private school, staying at home, NOT tapping into our retirement money or the kids' college funds... you get the picture. I just think it would be silly to NOT tighten the budget belt.
2). I have done IM Florida twice already. And I love it! And I would like to do it again soon, but just not this year.

I know there are several people that I will miss terribly by not going, but it just is what it is, and I can't swing it.

On another note, Bob's sister Joan passed away rather unexpectedly on the 15th. She had had a liver transplant several years ago. It is quite common for the anti-rejection drugs that organ recipients take, to can cause cancer. That is what happened to Joan, and she kept it to herself for a long time. Bob's and Joan's nephew Adam is heading back to Iraq for a second tour and she didn't want everyone at his going-away party to know how sick she was. She fooled everyone, and it wasn't more than a month between her Oscar-worthy "I feel great" performance at Adam's party and her passing. She had cancer in her brain, spine, throat, liver, and pancreas. Her kidneys shut down and within a week we said goodbye to her. She will be missed very much. At her funeral, she had several friends that she's been friends with since they were all 17 and 18 and were rooming together. It says a lot about a person to have such longevity (45 years!) in friendships. Her family loved her; and no one ever heard her say an unkind word about anyone - ever. She was a good person and a kind soul who loved to laugh, and had a special affinity for children. Most importantly, she knew her savior.

Anyway, that's the important stuff. I will hopefully blog again soon, and I am so sorry that I will miss those of you who are doing IM Florida!

I love/hate when this happens...

I love when this happens:

Twenty miles in the humidity and my splits were still spot on!

Yesterday I ran with Angie (a girl from the MN Tri Club, whom I'd not met before)... but it turned out she and I were exactly the same speed. It's so awesome when you are just running along chatting, not thinking, "boy I hope I'm not holding her back" or "boy I sure want to run faster". Love when that happens! So I'll put her number in with Holly, Terri and Susan, etc because it's so hard to find a running partner like that!

Our goal was to average 9:45, we averaged 9:50 instead, and here are our splits:

1 - 9:48

2- 9:36

3- 9:56

4- 9:40

5- 9:44

6- 9:48

7- 9:44

8- 9:50

9- 9:48

10- 10:22 (potty stop)

11- 9:47

12- 9:49

13- 10:00 (refill water bottles)

14- 9:36

15- 9:49

16- 10:07 (refill water)

17- 9:32

18- 9:37

19- 9:38

20- 10:11 (arrive at cars)

Total time 3:16:30 We totally would have met our goal of 9:45 if we hadn't had the potty stop. water re-filling, so I am counting it as pretty nearly spot-on.

I hate when this happens:

Leaving the phone on the bumper and then going through the car wash, not even noticing it was there until after we drove to the grocery store, shopped, and returned to the car to load them up. Arghhhhh. Not again!!!

So I ordered my new, sleeker, smaller, faster version of the iPhone which will hopefully be here in 10 days.

Chisago Half Ironman - new PR!!

Yesterday I raced the half IM up in Chisago. I was really happy with my race and it was better than last year's time and is my new PR for this distance!

2007 - last year

swim - 34:04

T1 - 1:43

bike: 2:50:13

T2 - 1:12

run - 2:17:00

TOTAL - 5:44:31

2008

swim - 36:10 (OK maybe I do need to train a little)

T1 - 1:28

bike: 2:38:51 (20.9 mph)

T2 - :54

run: 2:00:57 (9:14s?)

TOTAL - 5:18:22.8!!!

I would liked to have gone 21 mph on the bike, but just missed it. But since I don't (and won't)  draft, I guess I should be happy that that is how fast I can go on my own personal power, not the collective power of a pack. Speaking of which, I again was annoyed all day watching groups of 2 to 10 enjoying the bliss of believing it was THEY who were so fast, not the fact that they were in a collective wind gust.

OY! I wish that on race-packet-pick-up day, or maybe as we register on-line, that we would have to fill out a 4-question questionaire about the rules of drafting (and blocking). I have to think that yes, there are many who cheat on purpose, but perhaps also many others (especially the hoards of newbies) who don't know it's illegal, or why it's illegal. They really do just blissfully think they are somehow 30% faster on race day than when they train on their own between races. But there is still nothing like getting passed by a guy in an aero helmet, a $10K bike with a disc wheel, whizzing by with about 8 inches between him and the guy in front of him. Grrrrr. OK, take a deep breath.... ;-)

Anyway, off the soapbox.

TriMom came in from Wisconsin and stayed with me - Kim did awesome, beating her previous PR by about 45 minutes. She was shooting for a 6:30 and did a 6:24. Great job! We went to church the night before and hung out, and I just have to say what fun it is to be around her - so fun, funny, and easygoing. Not to mention smoking fast on her bike!

Lots of other bloggers were there, too - Steve in a Speedo (who did awesome in the sprint - he can run a 5K under 20 minutes after swimming and biking... wow). He didn't even wear his underwear over tights during the race! I can only imagine what it's like to be really, really fast --- well fed , well-rested and well-trained, only to have Steve fly past you, wearing a costume, (fueled by a can of spaghettios and spray-can cheese product!)---  as you are high-tailing it and feelin' proud during in your "A" race. 

Bwahahahahah! ;-)

Jumper and his camera were there, with Miss Alleycat and Danielle from Iowa. Thanks Danielle for talking to me on the run - I was getting hot and tired and getting ready to start walking, just as you cruised by on your bike...

Some of my other friends that I used to just run with raced, too and - everyone did really well. It was the first half IM distance for Diane, Holly and Erin - woohoot!!

Anyway, here are a couple more pictures from yesterday - IronNick said he took a lot of good ones, too, but he hasn't loaded them yet. I'll add them after I get them.

Jumper took this one of me coming into the finish chute.

Me and Erin after the race. I came in 2nd in my age group so I got a trophy. ;-)

Me with my friend Mark (he did Phoenix marathon and Liberty Oly with Erin and me).  You can see the humidity on the air - ughhhh. As Mark was dismounting after the bike yesterday he slipped off his bike shoe and crashed right in front of everyone cheering in transition. He took a bow and continued sprinting off on the run portion. Great recovery and great road rash, dude!

Vineman Report

VINEMAN!!!

P and me on our practice ride.

Korbel champagne maker!

Getting ready for our wave to start.

On the bike course -- Hop Kiln winery - Bob and I went here on our honeymoon 13 years ago!

We met a really nice girl named Linda Barrett who actually raced on Lance Armstrongs wheels. Say what you want about pro cycling - I still love Lance!

The only proper way to acknowledge Lance's wheels.

Post race transition clean-up.

As you probably know Vineman was a gorgeous and perfect day! 21st Century Mom did awesome! Goal was "under 7" and she came in at 6:55 - perfect!

Here's the play-by-play:

Swim: 34:38

T1: 12:58

Bike: 3:38:53

T2: 5:18

Run: 2:23:44

Total: 6:55:33

It was a gorgeous day and if you read P's blog, you know that when we got to the Russian river, our suits not both zipped up yet, and our wave was wading into the water! You can either see that as perfect timing or extremely unsettling! But we got in just fine and still had time to wait for our wave's whistle to blow. This was only my third time in the water (at all) since school let out in June. My normal swim time for a half IM is 33 minutes, so I was only a minute slower which means I am right that "training is overrated"!

P got out of the swim after a bit and we took off on the bike. It was pleasant and cloudy and let me tell you the course was beautiful. Small country roads through wine country - past Korbel and Hop Kiln and so many other great winemakers. The bike course is mostly flat - a few very small rollers - just enough to keep it scenic - not enough to slow you down. We'd heard about the Chalk Hill hill, but were almost up to the peak of it when we realized "oh, I bet this was the famed Chalk Hill" but it was over in about 20 more seconds. A total non-event. So if you are looking for a fast fun SCENIC bike course, this is it. So fast that we saw several hot-doggers with bloody arms and knees on the run course! It's fast, but there are a lot of tight turns.

T2 was slowed down by me because I somehow lost my race bib in transition and had to get another number so that I wasn't pulled later as a bandit. Sorry P!

The run was pleasant and cool and mostly flat - a few small rollers - just enough to keep your legs fresh. We went at a comfortable 10 minute pace, and added about a minute of stops per mile (aid stations, bathroom, feeding Clif Bars to little goats on cute little farms). Speaking of aid stations, there were 14 stations on this 13 mile course (7 on the out-and-back) and they were stocked with goodies and the best volunteers you could ever meet. I love wine-people.

With 66 minutes left before the goal 7-hour mark, we had about 5 miles left, so we knew we were there, we just had to stick with it.

P was a trooper as her knee was starting to speak to her a little with 3 miles to go, but she focused on distant objects, got there and then focused on the next object. We all talk about the Mental Game, and here was P's opportunity to get to play it! So it was totally worth training for! Lucky girl!!

;-)

We crossed the finish line together (okay - I beat her by .4 seconds ;-)), and hopefully when the official pictures are loaded we will have a photo together. We had our matching outfits on (hats, too) so he may have caught us both. go to www.photo-chambers.com. They are not up as of yet, but should be soon.

P's number is 819 (mine was 745 but I lost it and I unfortunately tossed the one they replaced it with so I don't know that number that I wore on the run course) so I may have to scour the pics for my finish photo. But it was a beautiful day.

We stayed the last night back at P's ADORABLE house in Walnut Creek, had wine and cheese for dinner, and then it was homeward bound in the morning.

I am so proud of you, P! You have really done well in this sport and I hope you decide to try the full one next. Just. show. up. You are already ready. Trust me! Just go a teeny bit easier and you will see that the day just goes by. You'll still have plenty of spare time for flats or naps. I think you should show up race day for the full next month. DO IT!!!!! Can you imagine how great a memory that will be to look back on? (...."Once time I just showed up at an Ironman with my bike and raced it"...) And what a relief to have that goal behind you? Go now before you talk yourself out of it... ;-)

I got home in the afternoon, and Bobby had left that morning for camp, so I didn't get to see him off, which means Bob packed for him. Hopefully he has everything he needs! I will see him on the 26th when he returns. I miss you Bobby!

Ally had her Junior Champs meet yesterday. It's the season-ending meet for all the kids who didn't qualify for the Championships. It's a lot of fun and they give out ribbons for every heat. So Ally got two firsts, one second, and one third in her events. She had a bast! She's totally the kind of kid who likes the everyone's-a-winner policy they have at this meet. ;-)

Ally with her friend Sloan.

Bobby had qualified in 4 events for the big meet, but would never miss camp for that. He loves camp. He never gets homesick, but when he's at home he most definitely does get "campsick". He talked about it all year. It's a co-ed Christian camp and you all already know how he embraces his faith. He still wants to be in a Christian rock band when he grows up - it's the only music he listens to - and they play guitar and sing around the campfire everynight. Anyway, it's on a lake and they swim, rope-swing, go sailing, jump on this gigantic flotation toy that when you jump off a structure onto one side of it, it shoots your friend out the tube on the other end up into the air and back into the lake. Looks like a total blast. He especially liked the archery and the night games last year (he also was really excited to tell me that a couple boys from his cabin came forward and chose to dedicate their lives to Christ last summer which he thought was totally awesome), and I can't wait to hear his stories from this year.

This weekend is the Chisago half Ironman! TriMom is coming from Wisconsin, and will be staying at my house... so I'll have another race report next week.

Vineman 70.3

I'm in California getting ready to do the Vineman half IM tomorrow. 21st Century Mom will be attempting her first half! woo-hoot!

Today we went for a really short ride, put our feet in the Russian River (where we'll swim) and got our race numbers. We drove the bike course, too - it's all these winding narrow streets through the vineyards and is soooo scenic! I will have my camera and should get lots of pictures. 

My race number is 745. If Pamela needs support, (and she says she does!!) we will be together the whole day. (I am "racing" at Chisago Half Ironman next weekend, so it's totally OK if I do this race as "support".) Pamela's number is 819. But if she gets grumpy and sends me along, I will go on!!

My husband and I went all over this part of CA on our honeymoon 13 years ago, so it is really neat to be back here, and seeing a lot of familiar sights.

We are off to check our run stuff (two separate transition areas several miles apart) and dinner - then race starts for us at 7:18 a.m.

I'll post again later!

Assorted Catch-Up blog

RUNNING

It was about 60 degrees on Wednesday and Susan, Shannon and I headed out for a run. It was so perfect! I hope it is JUST LIKE THIS for Twin Cities Marathon. It's Shannon's first one, so hopefully it will be so pleasant and cool and lightly cloudy just like today.

Anyway, I did 15 miles at a comfortable 10:15 pace. I did have to stop at home for a bathroom break, and I stopped to fill up my bottles in people's sprinklers, but the pace was comfortable and my avg HR was 134.

SWIMMING

Almost none. Two or three lake swims this summer and zero pool swims. Just can't get into swimming. Don't know why. Has this happened to any of you?

BIKING

Love to bike. Erin and I and a few others have been biking early, like 6am - and getting in a three hour ride before our kids get up. I love to bike. I still have my eye on a new Specialized Transition Pro, but lack the money now. Maybe I'll have a new ride in the fall. Otherwise, I do still like the feel of my old clunker and I am fast enough on it. 

CELEBRITY SIGHTING

The Canadian Triathlon Olympic Team members biked with us on our ride last night: Simon Whitfield, Paul Tichelaar, and Colin Jenkins. They were still in town from the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon last weekend, and joined Gear West on our weekly ride of about 25 miles or so. They were awesome! so engaging and fun and they were really enjoying Minneapolis, and so excited for Beijing. They were riding along in our group of about 40 and chatting us all up. At one point Paul pulled past and ahead, so Eric and I chased him down. I rang the bell on my bike (I really do have one) and told him that there was no budging in the line. He laughed and said I had permission to write in my blog that he was drafting off me all night, and I had to pull him because his legs were weak and he was sweating. I can't wait to watch them in the Olympics on the 19th - that's the day of their race. Paul said he was going to win it, so you have to tune in!

Olympic Team members Simon Whitfield, Paul Tichelaar, and Colin Jenkins with Eric (third)

 

Me with Simon Whitfield - winner of the Lifetime Fitness Tri last weekend and Olympic gold medal in 2000.

KIDS

Ally slept over at Erin's house with her girls they are really such sweet girls. Ally had a blast. Bobby did a 40 minute lake swim with me and my friend Jeanne and her daughter, Margaret. I was so proud! It was a filthy lake with zero visibility and neither the depth nor the mill-foil freaked him out. Forty minutes! Wow!

CDA

I never did blog about CdA IM! We didn't have internet service at the house we rented, and then I flew up to Seattle, met my family, and headed to an island which didn't have internet (or phone!) service on most of it. So by the time I got home (plus I had surgery the day after I got back), I was swamped with laundry and unpacking and the general warp speed that my house runs on and I never got around to it. By then, everyone had written such great stories and posted such great pictures that I really had nothing new to report! But, trust me, it was such a blast and everyone did awesome. I got to meet some more bloggers, and hook up with some of my old faves.

I'm going to California this tomorrow to do Vineman Half Iron with 21st Century Mom - who called the other day to let me know that it was 105 degrees and there was smoke in the air. Hmmmmm. Should this change into a girls-weekend-at-the-mudbath-spas-in-Healdsburg? I could be talked into that!

Happy Birthday America!

Since I could not say it any better, I will copy what Commodore said on his own blog this morning:

Amidst the merriment of today do not forget that in 1776, some of the greatest men this world has produced created a document that declared for the first time in history that the people of their government could pursue happiness, liberty, justice and capitalism without usurpation and with guaranteed freedom.

I love this country, our United States. Happy Birthday to the most generous country in the world. It and we have provided more food, more money and more aid to more countries than any other on this planet. We have sacrificed the lives of more of its citizens in the defense of freedom and protection of democratic values than any other nation that has ever existed.

We have provided shelter for the bereaved, the weak, the oppressed and the poor from all over the globe. We stood up to tyranny on our own soil, and our foundation of democracy has been duplicated by free-thinking people ever since; seeking to uplift themselves from colonialism and despotism.

A toast to the greatest nation on God's green earth. 

As my nephew Adam prepares for his second tour of duty in Iraq, I say thank you, and let freedom ring!

No Access!

I am on a beautiful island off the coast of Washington. I don't have one of those internet cards that you plug into your laptop so I have to go into town (25 minute drive)... hence the lack of posting about either the Ironman or vacation!

But I will when I get back....

For now just believe me it's all good!

Jenny

 

Ironman Coeur d'Alene

The Ironman Village is a buzz with Bloggers this weekend in Coeur d'Alene. I finally got to meet some folks that I feel like I've know forever, like Nytro and Benny, Dread Pirate, Big and Little J...

I'm sitting here wi-fi-ing with Greyhound at the Java Coffee shop. We're going to send txt messages to Bigun, Di, Momo, TriDogMom, Trimama, 21st - GET UP! ... in a minute.... hopefully soon I'l have a group picture...

more later...

WANTED: New Friends!

URGENT!!!

My phone got hit by a car Tuesday morning. No way in heck to salvage my contact list, so I have no phone numbers! If you are my friend (or want to become one) please email me your number(s)at the address below.

Thanks, Jenny

ironjenny@mac.com

Buffalo Sprint June 1st

Well, my first tri of the season had its high and low points. It was a quarter mile swim, a 12 mile bike, and a 5K. Here are my splits:

Swim: 6:34

T1: 2:20

Bike: 39:42 (18-point-something mph)

T2: 1:27

Run: 24:06 (7:45's!)

Total: 1:14:06

High: 

- my wetsuit fit 

- the weather was beautiful

- my run was smoking fast

- my HR was a healthy-for-that-effort 161 for the run

- I was 2nd in my age group *

Low:

- I got a flat tire with about 2 miles left on the bike, so I limped in trying not to roll the wheel over the rim. (Quite tricky actually.) I was kind of bummed because I was FLYING on my bike yesterday. I know my computer is wrong (it always gives me 119 miles on a 112 mile Ironman ride, so whatever degree that math is "off", at least it's always "off" the same amount), but my read was 21.5 mph avg when I flatted on the course of flats and rollers.

- They grouped the age groups in 10-year increments instead of 5. (Wha???? My 45-49 age group was clumped together with the 40-44 women.) So I actually got bumped from 2nd place to 5th place out of 72, which was 24th out of 343 women. Dang! I coulda had hardware!

But overall, it was a great day. Erin did it with me - it was her first ever triathlon - and she did awesome! A little unnerved by all the swimmers in the water at once, but did great overall. So now she's not just a lurker, but she's a Tri-ath-a-lete Lurker! (She keeps sayin' one of these days she's going to get her own blog, but until then... BTW Lana - we saw a girl tearing up the finish chute for the Olympic Course and we both thought she looked just like you!!!!

Anyway, here in Erin getting out of the swim:

... and out on the run.

Great job Erin!!

15 seconds of fame

Bobby and Ally got their names in the paper yesterday. I hope the link still opens. That's Ally in Sponge Bob bike jersey and Bobby in black.
Cute!

Cannon Falls Ride

It was 63 degrees in beautiful Minnesota... so Beth, Terri, Weathergirl, Erin and I decided to go for a ride. What? There's a boy in the picture? Yeah! We talked Eric into calling in sick from work and joining us. It was awesome having you along...hopefully that back of yours that "went out" will be better in time for work tomorrow. ;-) TriNick was supposed to come, too, but called in "lazy" and went to work instead. (Nick -  you missed such a great ride!)

Here we are at the trailhead.

We biked 20 miles of the scenic trail along the river to the Jenny Lind Bakery/deli. Terri delivered on her promise that it was the best food ever. We ordered sandwiches, salads and a few different bars and cakes to split up and sample. Yum. We totally have to go back in the fall when the leaves are turning.  We biked past horse farms, cow farms, meadows, wetlands, and the winding river. It was gorgeous.

And then we biked back. Here we are back at the start of the Falls. It really is pretty.

What's that dot in the river?

Good lord, it's Eric. Dude, you are on a ride with a bunch of moms! Get out of there!!! 

Fargo Marathon, 2008

OK, I owe Katie Holmes an apology. 

I was one of those people who assumed/concluded that she did not complete the NYC marathon. 

I realize nobody was ever able to explain why her trainer was seen and photographed many times on the course from start to finish, wearing a several-year-old race bib and a timing chip, yet she was only spotted very late in the course, lacking any semblance of sweat or physical exhaustion, and no visible timing chip. She/they finished in 5:29; him sweaty/ her looking fresh as a daisy. I agreed with the other conspiracy theorists who believed she must have cheated.

That said, here is my race report from yesterday:

I started out with Sarah, (IrongirlNyhus' sister, with whom I have run a few other marathons) and Mark (remember him from Phoenix?) Since it was a lovely day, the course was flat, and nobody was injured, we decided to run with-or-ahead-of, the 4:00 hour (9:06 pace) group. Here are our splits:

1- 9:09, 139 heart rate

2- 9:03; 151 hr

3- 9:04; 153 hr

4- 9:10; 164 hr

5- 9:01; 153 hr

6- 9:13; 152 hr

7- 9:02; 150 hr

By mile 8 Sarah and I determined we were getting tired, breathless, and just not having fun; this feeling we were feeling isn't at all why we run, and we would likely never be able to keep up this pace, considering we hadn't completed even one training run at anything faster than 10:00 miles. 

So we said good bye to Mark and he kept on trucking and Sarah and I got swallowed up into the 4:10 (9:33) pace group and started running comfortably. We were just making new friends with our new group.....

8- 9:37; 149 hr

9- 9:51; 149 hr

...when Sarah let out a gasp and said "something just happened to my knee". So we stopped to stretch a bit. She was hardly able to get started again, but limped along being a good sport until we got to a medical tent.

10- 9:57; 141 hr

11- 11:36; 140 hr

As the 4:20 and 4:30 pace groups swallowed too, us we re-set our goal for the day to "just beat Katie Holmes." 

12- 11:25; 139 hr

13- 11:26; 139 hr

We got to the next medical tent who gave Sarah an ace bandage and we wrapped up her screaming knee.

"Do you need help pushing over that sign?"

14- 13:51; 137 hr

15- 11:33; 132 hr

16- 12:51; 128 hr

17- 12:42; 126 hr

18- 12:45; 124 hr

We continued run/walking, and stopped a couple times to put ice into the bandage. By now we've been on the course a long long while and started searching out barbecues for food and beer. Then we get a txt from Mark who says he's walking. We txt back - "So are we! Where are you?" We caught up to him shortly and the three of us limped in. But we had fun! We met lots of neat people, sampled Norwegian fare like "lefse" - a potatoe-y flatbread thing, cookies, and I had a hot dog.

Mark and me trying to push over a tree.  Grrrrr.

19- 13:30; 124 hr

20- 13:30; 126 hr

21- 13:30; 121 hr

We saw Betty (Sarah and Laura's mom), IronGreg and Zurich a couple times who offered encouragement and a couple of great hugs and endearing face licks. (well, Zurich did anyway.)

We were sort of feeling like we'd never get to the finish line at this rate, but we rationalized our going so slow because "remember, we did have a really good workout this morning already..." 

Well... True.... ;-)

22- 14:22; 124 hr

23- 14:21; 118 hr

24- 14: 23; 118 hr

By now the barbecues are smokin' and Margheritaville was serving beer and a full service of other  beverages, so Sarah had a beer and I had a margherita.  

We came upon Sarah and Laura's dad and he ran a little with us, but by now we were so close we just wanted to get to the FargoDome.

25- 13:01; 109 hr

26.2- 12:21; 110 hr

All said, it was a lovely morning. Aside from Mark feeling sick, and Sarah's aching knee, it was a fun way to spend the morning. Really, when can you run a marathon, attend barbecues, and post heart-rates at 109?! We still got a medal, took some great pictures, and we still beat Katie Holmes.

So now I can declare that, yes, you can finish a marathon looking fresh as a daisy. Katie did it in 5:29, and Sarah, Mark and I did it in 5:05.  Fresh as a Daisy.

P.S. Laura did her personal best of 4:06 and Erin did her PR, too of 3:50. Congrats to everyone!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there!

I'm having a great day... 

- Got up and ran 10 miles at 10:14 avg, which was comfortable enough to post an average heart rate of 138.

- A giant bald eagle flew right in front of me - maybe 30 feet in front of me, right across my path on his way to grab a fish out of Lake Calhoun, then as I was rounding the corner, he flew back into a tree with it to eat it, again right in front of me! How cool was that? It was like a front row seat on the Wild Kingdom.

- After my run I stopped in for coffee and ran into my dear friend Holly's husband Andrew.

- Then I got home and my kids had a bunch of handmade cards for me; and they gave me this for Mother's Day:

;-) sweet!!!

Bobby's birthday, biking

It's still cold here - 42 today - but we are out biking anyway. Here are Beth G, Terri, Erin, and I heading out after our swim last Tuesday.

Bobby turned 10 last week, too. I can't believe it's been 10 years since the most life-altering, blessed, amazing day of my life. I was forever changed in that moment. When I think back on who I was on April 25th, and who I became on April 26th of that year - I can hardly recognize the "old" Jenny. I love being a mom! Here we are in the kitchen when Bobby woke up and realized we had decorated the kitchen and baked him a cake:






For his birthday he wanted to go see Casting Crowns play at the Excel Energy Center. We bought tickets the minute they went on sale and had really great seats. He brought two of his friends from school. At one point during the show Bobby leaned over to me and said, "This is the best birthday ever, Mom." and then he squeezed my hand. Can't beat that.


Have a great day everybody!

Outdoor training

So it's 26 degrees this morning for my 6 mile run. What. Gives? 

I listen to Tac and Bigun's podcast - Bigun's always bragging about his Year-round-outdoor-training-center. (read that in a griping whining jealous voice). I am so so so ready for some warm weather.

Anyway, we did run 6 miles in about an hour, and then I swam 3300 yards. Great swim workout. I love Jeanne, the girl who writes our swim workouts. Her hubba was captain of the Olympic swim team years back (and has two silver medals!), and she herself is quite an amazing swimmer - so we always have these great workouts:

---- Today our main set was a "timed" 300, followed by 10 x 100's (50 FAST as you can/ 50 easy - take 10 seconds rest after the last person in your lane finishes between each 100). After the last 100, take your 10 seconds and then do another "timed" 300 - and it has to be faster than your first 300. 

So you eat up 1600 yards, but it's broken up into manageable pieces - none of which really kills you, but you know you are working hard.

Good thing I had two hours training in my pocket because this afternoon, IronGreg, IronGirlNyhus and I went to the reception place for their wedding to sample all the possible foods and desserts. So 15 entrees and 3 pieces of cake later, I have officially undone my hard work. 

But I'm happy!!!! When was the last time you ate all those desserts?