Toughman: Pre-Race

I decided to write each leg this way by reading one of my Brooklyn Tri teammates blogs...so thanks for the idea Shaun!

Pre Race - Saturday:
I woke up early and went with a friend for a 45min ride just to make sure Violet (my bike) was feeling ok, then I ran for 15 minutes to see how the legs felt - all was good :). I drove up with two of my Brooklyn tri teammates later that morning to Croton Point Park where the race was being held so we could check in. I was feeling good, plus I was able to get some A.R.T. (Active release therapy) work done on my foot and shoulder to make sure I was loose. Oh how I LOVE that stuff felt a TON better. Leaving the parking lot I saw a dog that looked just like my Val I almost didn't stop to pet it but I'm glad I did. Reminded me of her and made me feel good.

Later that night as Denise, Mark and I were packing our bags for race day I jumped up and said "oh my god I don't remember packing my helmet!" I knew I didn't leave it with my bike earlier that day but I couldn't remember the action of putting it in or seeing it in the car! I started to hyperventilate therefore making myself light headed. I was FREAKING out! All I was thinking (in my head) was "oh my god, great, after all this training, after the countless tweets and facebook statuses and well wishes from everyone I'm gonna come back and say "yeah I forgot my helmet", oh lord. You can't race without a helmet! Denise, thank god for her (she's been my saving grace this season) she told me to calm down, we could go get one at walmart. I tried calling my friends who I drove up with but I couldn't reach them.

I was trying to calm down so I said "at least I remembered my meter", then Denise says "well that's great but you can race without your meter, you can't race without a helmet!" Gee thanks Denise, I feel much more calm now less than 10hours before the race and no sign of my helmet. So off we go 9:00pm at night day before the race to the shopping center and there are both a Kmart AND a Modell's.  We decided in the car that I would have to get the funniest helmet possible. Mind you I'm still freaking out (in my head), I just want get there! As soon as we get into Modell's my friends called to tell me that...I DID have my helmet I just forgot it in the car :). I asked them 3 times "you're SURE you saw it in there? Because we're here now and I can get a helmet"; mind you I had a lavender colored, child size helmet in my hand with smiley faces and pink flowers. No need to buy it! Ten pounds off the shoulders and about 3oz on my head (I think), I'll take it!

We were in bed by 11pm (late...yes I know), I was dead to the world before my head hit the pillow.

Toughman - Short Version

I haven't written much about my training for the biggest race of my life thus far, but on September 12th I completed my first half Ironman!!! A half Ironman consists of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and a 13.1 mile run all within cut off times for each leg and within a total of 8 hours.

Here's the short of it:
Total time: 7:37:45
Swim: 41:59
T1: 5:58
Bike: 3:44:06
T2: 3:04
Run: 3:02:41
Good blood sugars throughout, I finished strong and with a smile :).

I could have probably saved 1-2min from my swim time by sighting correctly. I couldn't see the finish and the buoys looked like they were on the wrong side; apparently everyone else had the same problem. I paced well on the bike. The run is my weak link and my goal was to have it be the same time as my 1/2 marathon back in April which was 2:55:12 so I was very close :). I think had I not stopped two times to cop a squat on side of road and not stopped to take pictures with my two girlfriends (who were running with me) at the beautiful waterfall I could have made my time. However, I'd take none of it back - it only added to my experience. The temperature was cool, breezy and overcast entire day so it made for great race conditions!

The race has shown me that I can do ANYTHING I set my mind to and further motivated me to continue in my path.

We did it!

Enjoying the scenery

I will be having other posts for each leg of the race for the readers out there who want all the deets.

Keep living your dream kids!

Updates! (stay tuned for more)

It has been way too long my friends I apologize. Many BIG things have occurred since we last spoke, I'll try not to let this post be toooooo long ;).

July 3rd:
I had the honor of being a bridesmaid for one of my closest friends Deanna. Let me tell you being a bridesmaid IS as stressful as everyone says but it wasn't because of the bride :). Being a bridesmaid you want to make sure your friend has everything she dreamed of, hoped for, you want everything to be perfect for them. It's there special day. Deanna's wedding was WONDERFUL, she looked beautiful and the entire day went off flawlessly. It was a fairy tale wedding just like their story. She married a great guy but he, well he married a gem. That's my Dee Dee a gem with the biggest heart and always a great attitude. A true friend. I'm glad I could share that day with them. Cheers to Deanna and Frank, wishing you happiness, good health, success, laughter and above all love and friendship throughout your life together.

July 18th: Nautica NYC Olympic Tri
Short of it:

right after I completed my 1st Oly!

It was freaking HOT! 90 degrees, 60 or 70% humidity. HOT. Pretty unbearable. BUT I'm very happy with my times :). My super secret goals were:
Swim: 30 min based on everyone saying current is so fast and it takes me just under 50min to swim a mile.
Bike: 1:30 or 1:40 I wanted my avg pace to be 16. But I wasn't sure I could pull it off cuz that's what I did last year on a flat sprint course.
Run: goal was to try and run straight and walk the stations. Finish in 1:30
(yes I know that's slow).

My results:
swim:19:46 pace 1:11
T1 15:02 (we had 2run just under 1/2 mile 2 T1...I'm just sayin)
bike:1:35:37 avg 15.6
T2 6:47

wearing my t-shirt & medal next day at work :)

run:1:26:04 avg 13:52.
total time 3:43:13
I finished strong and with a smile despite it being so freaking hot and having high BS (blood sugar) since the bike portion (I need to work on BS mgmt while racing). Thank you so much guys for the support!

Long of it:
I competed in my first Olympic distance triathlon NYC Nautica tri; consists of a .90mile swim down the Hudson, 24mile bike on the Westside Highway into the Bronx and back, and 1 loop around Central Park. I had my concerns about the run because its not really my thing and the temps were VERY high with lots of humidity. I was very concerned prior to the race because I had been having a very difficult time training in the heat especially on the runs; plus I hadn't run 6 miles since my half marathon back in April. BUT I did it! It was a very well run race with lots of support although they could have had more run stations. I loved running through the hose. Heaven in that heat. Everyone should do that race at least once and I'm glad that was my first Olympic distance.

On to the next weekend July 23-26:
I went with three friends to Ironman Lake Placid to volunteer. All but one is diabetic and all but one (not same person) will be competing in our first Ironman distance triathlon on July 24th,2011. We were able to ensure our entry by volunteering for this event. The event of all events. One of the most physically challenging and demanding events in the world. Some of you might not know what an Ironman is, I'll tell you:

Ironman distance is the longest distance in triathlon that consists of swimming 2.4miles, biking 112miles and running a marathon 26.2miles. All within 17hours and the allotted time frames for each leg of the race.

Being at Ironman that weekend was inspiring, motivating, thrilling! A complete rush. I had friends and teammates racing at the Placid course so it was great to be able to help them at the aid stations or just cheering for them whenever I caught a glimpse while out on the course. The placid course is a 2 loop course for each leg so while volunteering on the run station I was able to see fresh faces as they made it through the first loop, when it came to the 2nd loop there were a whole other set of faces. Some were wilted, some displayed fierce determination while others just showed a constant smile, there were even athletes forcing themselves to throw up on the course!

Midnight is the 17hour cut off time. Being able to see the last person who made it as an official ironman was nerve racking and exhilarating all at once. The energy of the crowd is ELECTRIC! Volunteering at an Ironman event is humbling and inspiring.

Me right after I signed up for my 1st Ironman!!!! IMLP 2011

The next morning with less than 5 hours sleep feeling like a zombie I waited in line for 4 hours so I could sign up for 2011. Before I even signed those papers and put a small fortune down for the race fee I was committed. Signing those papers only made it official :).

On the road to our 1st IM :)

we've got our pumps & paid registration!!!

And so my Ironman road has officially begun! Looking forward to embracing every moment this year will bring.

Ragnar Essay

I created an essay for team Glucomotives Great River Ragnar Relay. If it's chosen we could win Suunto watches, get featured on the website, have it submitted to the media or a television interview. I wanted to share the essay with all of you, I hope you enjoy!

“I love running. I feel alive. My muscles ache. My lungs tire. And I feel good. It's as simple as that!”

We’re a 14-member team consisting of 2 drivers and 12 runners from across the country; most have never met each other face to face. We’ve come together to take a 24-hour racing road trip to cover 198 miles across Minnesota to spread the word about our cause and to prove to ourselves more than anything that we CAN. What is our vehicle of choice? The Great River Ragnar Relay. What makes us different from the 200+ other teams racing? Every single member of our team is diabetic. As a team we have lived over 150 years with diabetes. What makes us even cooler than every other team racing is that this is not the first Ragnar Relay Team Glucomotive has raced; last year we had an all diabetic team at the Ragnar Relay Del Sol-one of our runners has raced every Ragnar Del Sol relay. Next year we hope to race another location that Ragnar offers.

"Team Glucomotive is Insulindependence's running and walking club for people with diabetes, promoting successful diabetes management through casual training and serious racing.” Last year when I first heard of running in a relay with an all diabetic team I said "sign me up!”. Despite having never run a relay, not even liking the idea of running, it sounded like a great adventure, full of smiling, sweaty, stinky new friends with a wealth of knowledge about training, racing and managing diabetes. Plus, I had decided that in 2011 I'd be racing in my first Ironman, so really I had to start running since my first marathon would be at Ironman. My teammates have dubbed me "Jen Ironwoman in training", a fitting nickname I think. So with all that, how could I POSSIBLY say no to running this relay? Never a doubt. Being part of Glucomotive and Insulindependence has truly helped to change my life by surrounding me with other diabetics that inspire me by their personal and athletic endeavors.

Though we have yet to meet, my team has already earned a special place in my heart. We have all been getting to know each other via email, phone calls and reading each other’s blogs. Some of the team was able to share with me a few of their accomplishments and what this race means to them:

"I’m a lifelong runner and an official Marathon Maniac; having run 51 marathons and 5 ultra marathons in the past 11 years and 9 months. And I just love running.”–Jerry

“The Ragnar Relay Del Sol ‘08 was the first running event I had done EVER (since high school 16 years before). When I found out there was an all diabetic team, I wanted to be a part of that! Ragnar Relay was one of those events that LITERALLY changed my life, and if I could do that surrounded by people who weren't letting this disease stop them, I wanted in. Thanks, Ragnar!!”-Jenny

“This is my first relay run! I am running the Ragnar race because I want to start my own branch of Insulindependence on the East Coast” –Emily

“Since running the New York marathon I also ran the Barcelona marathon and the Berlin half marathon - I am definitely hooked. Running is such a 'sweet' treat for anyone, but as someone living with type 1 diabetes, I think that running is a much needed escape, a moment during our busy 24 hour days where we can forget about the glucose meter, forget about the number of carbs in our meal, forget about our rotating sites, or forget about grandma's recipe that undoubtedly will have too much sugar in it...and remember that our daily journeys, be it in a "I'm running a 24 hour relay race" format or a "there's no such thing as a normal routine when you have diabetes" 24 hour daily stretch, are just that - journeys.”-Anne

“Running is by far the most simple of the athletic activities to get the "exercise" fix and for sure the best ‘bang for the buck’, meaning it gets the job done to help the mental and physical wellbeing relative to diabetes management.” –Pratt

“When first diagnosed I was told I would never compete never run, cycle or train like I used to. I somewhat lost myself, had no direction, got all sorts of depressed. Until I discovered that I can do this. I can do everything that I enjoy and then some. Diabetes isn't an excuse it’s a way of life. I want to help others realize this and achieve their goals.”-Daniel

“I’ve never run in a relay event, but training for this is making running a little more focused and fun with an improvement in diabetes management a nice side-affect!” –Mike

“This is the first running event I have ever participated in!” –Corinne

“I was diagnosed with Type 1 almost 8 years ago and I starting running in the fall of 2008. Since then I have run 1 marathon, 2 half's, a hand full of 10 milers, 2 Olympic Distance Tri's, and an 8-hour Adventure Race.” –Gary

“This is my first time running in a relay, first time running in Minnesota. I came to running via triathlons and although it was my weakest after cycling and swimming, it's now my second favorite (still love to cycle).”-Carlene

“I have seen running serve two major purposes in my life. One, to help control diabetes and two, to prove to myself that I can physically perform as good and better than any other person without diabetes. I was very successful at both, keeping my A1C near normal and having some great running accomplishments. However, there was one thing that always made me stand out…as everyone else is hanging out at the start of the race and gearing up to go…I am looking for a place to check my blood sugar and see if I can safely compete. As everyone else is trying to figure out their mile pace and estimate their finish time while racing, I do the same but also do different kind of math wondering how high my sugars are and if I will make it to the finish at all. After the race, everyone is basking in their glory, talking about the race, eating snacks and drinking Gatorade. I am busy checking my sugars and trying to find a private place to administer insulin to treat post race highs. What running Ragnar means to me is providing me with the opportunity to take on something physically challenging, but more than that, it enables me to do it with the people just like myself and not feel different for the very first time in life.”-Igor

My team inspires me and makes me smile. I’m sure they will do the same for you. Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,
Jen
“Ironwoman in training”

Coaches

I'm reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. If you get the chance, read the book or watch his video on YouTube, I don't think you'd regret it. As I was reading I came to the end of one chapter titled "I never made it to the NFL". There was one paragraph that stuck with me:

"...Coach Graham keeps showing up in my head, forcing me to work harder whenever I feel like quitting, forcing me to be better. When we send our kids to play organized sports-football, soccer, swimming, whatever-for most of us its not because we're desperate for them to learn the intricacies of the sport. What we really want them to learn is far more important: teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, the value of hard work, an ability to deal with adversity".

That paragraph got me thinking about how I have become involved in sports, the teams I'm part of, my teammates and above all my coaches. My coaches who whether they realize it or not, "show up in my head, forcing me to work harder whenever I feel like quitting, forcing me to be better". My coaches have also calmed many of my fears when I get closer to the "big day" my A race/event. And let me tell you I panic. I'll inevitably send the text or email asking my coach if they really think I could it, if I trained enough, if the hills are as hard as I think, questioning everything. That's me in panic mode. Stressing.

You know what they say? They tell me I can, they remind me of what I've already accomplished, they tell me I've trained on harder hills. They reassure me and calm me down. On my 2nd century ride I was stressing about a hill everyone had been talking about, so the day before I texted my coach and asked him if he thought I could do the hill and finish the 100 miles in time. His words: "you've trained on harder hills". That's all I needed to hear cuz when I got to that hill I rode it slow and steady. When I reached the top I said to myself and teammates "come on we can finish this ride, that's the hardest hill, coach said I could do it, and if he said I can than I can!" and I did :).

I've learned a lot from my coaches so far. I respect them tremendously; their ability to see the bigger picture, to be the calm in the storm, for their patience, for their knowledge in the sport, for always pushing me, for being able to draw that fine line of expecting more and being supportive of what I CAN do. Coaches have a hard job. Mine have inspired me.

Next year I plan on applying to be a captain and coach for two of my teams and can hopefully inspire and teach others the way my coaches have and continue to teach me. No matter if you're a kid or adult when you join an organized sport Randy's words hold true and you do learn "teamwork, perseverance, sportsmanship, the value of hard work, an ability to deal with adversity".

THANK YOU Jon R., Delaine, Lewis, Tim, Mike, Danny, John S., Cary & Tom you guys are THE BEST!

Re-learning

Formulas. Addition. Subtraction. Planning. Calculating. Ratios. Have I told you that I don't like math? You'd think I was taking a class with that stuff right? Wrong. It's what I have to think about every day when I'm trying to get my blood sugar management under control.

I've been working with a new CDE (certified diabetes educator), I chose her because she is also a sports nutritionist. Definitely a plus and a necessity these days. I decided to revisit this whole process because I feel like I'm not in the best control. I'm swinging between high and low too often. I'm working with my triathlon coach and my training has increased a lot. I'm learning (or at least trying) how to do everything at once:
•train consistently
•train efficiently
•not neglect my friends, family or other social obligations
•learn how to eat so I can fuel my body for the stress I'm putting it under
•learn how to adjust my insulin for each of the 3 disciplines (swim,bike,run)
•learn how to do it all I guess

I have such huge goals for myself the next two years but I won't be able to it right if I can't get my blood sugar management under better control. It really is so very scientific too. Cause and effect. 9 times out of 10 there was a reason for the high or low. Its UNDERSTANDING the why and how of it that will help me better manage. If not I'll continue this vicious physical and emotional yo-yo effect, which can become quite draining.

Do I find it annoying to have to write everything down? You betcha. Will I continue to write everything down? Yup, BECAUSE this is temporary. I don't have to write everything down all the time. I'm working on correcting these swings just as I am training to be able to swim, bike and run whatever distances I have planned for myself.

Practicing, training, logging info and being consistent. All ingredients for becoming a better athlete and understanding my diabetes management. What keeps me going is seeing that perfect BG (blood sugar) after a training session, seeing that my HR (heart rate) IS starting to come down in a run. Its all hard work but when you get to see those moments...well, it just makes it all worth it.

Monday's Run = A Hot Mess

On Monday I had to run 42min keeping my HR (heart rate) in a certain zone. Legs were feeling a tad tight when I started. It was HOT, 60% humidity heat index of 84. Sweating my ass off lol. I was thankful for a run/walk ratio of 6:1. While I was running I felt a little weird but chalked it off to the heat. Well I was wrong. When I hit the 21min mark it was time to walk so I did but also stretched - my legs felt REALLY tight. I took a 2min stretch break rather than walk break. Resumed. Felt weird again and was gonna wait til my next break but decided against it and just checked my BG (Blood sugar). Well I was 36. I did a double take and checked it again to make sure it was right and it said I was 37! NOT GOOD (normal BG is between 70-120). Then I started feeling real bad real quick. I shut my insulin pump off. Ate a gel. I was hoping I'd feel better very quickly by doing this.

My friends were passing me on their return trip back and one stopped to walk with me. I was grateful to have someone at that moment. She gave me some jelly belly sports beans and we walked together for about 10min after which I told her to just go ahead I'd meet up with them in a few. I did not think I would pass out so I wanted her to go. I felt bad for holding her back. I couldn't stand still and I couldn't run anymore so I just walked. Slowly. After she left I walked maybe 5 more minutes and wanted to try running but yeah that wasn't good. I only took a few steps before I realized I couldn't run.

So I walked the last 20minutes. When I got to our starting point I was feeling much better. Enough that I thought I could run the last 1/4mile out the park. I felt like I wasn't going to let the betes (diabetes) end my run. So I ran a hard 1/4mile. I felt better in the end for doing it because it was kinda like falling off a horse. If you fall you have to get back on. I HAVE literally fallen off a horse and gotten back on. So today I felt like I did the same thing even though I didn't do the workout in it's entirety. I at least did the first half :) and I finished it with a run. When I left the park my BG was 122...perfect!

I learned a lesson though. I didn't listen to my better judgment and keep my temp basal on (as I should have) and I shouldn't have given myself the minuscule blood sugar correction of .25units when my blood sugar before starting the run was only 178 (I was paranoid about going really high since I was rising). huh lesson learned I guess.

PS
For those that don't know, a temp basal is when you reduce or increase the amount of your basal insulin by a certain %. Basal is the base insulin delivered by your insulin pump delivered approximately every 5 minutes to try and regulate your blood sugar. Its trying to be similar to a working pancreas. A bolus is the insulin you give yourself to correct a high blood sugar or its the insulin you give yourself to cover carbohydrates in a meal.

Lake Placid

I'm telling you, Memorial weekend could NOT come fast enough and boy oh boy was it worth the wait! Heaven, pure training heaven is what I had. Me and my friends rented a house for the weekend it was a total of 5 adults, 1 baby and 2 dogs. We took the 6hour drive up to Placid on Friday morning, very easy, straight run. The reason we went up to Placid was because it was a training vacation getaway. It's a great place for triathletes to train, a bunch of teammates from our local tri group were training up there and most importantly it's where Ironman is held. You know the one. Ironman Lake Placid July 2011. The race of my dreams. The reason I'm doing everything I'm doing. I wanted to check the course out. See if those hills were as hard as I've heard :).

We get up there Friday don't even unpack and I'm already getting my wetsuit so I can go swim in the lake with my other teammates. I was so scared the water temp was going to be like 40 degrees, but I was prepared, I had my neoprene cap so I was good to go. I only wound up swimming for 20 minutes. Of course it was the worst part of the swim because it was more or less a warm up and I felt like I didn't even know how to swim. But I loved the water, and the temp was 60 degrees if not a little bit warmer. The PERFECT temperature! We came back to the house and I felt like a queen. We had fan-freaking-tastic home cooked meals the entire weekend! Sigh :). Dinners were grilled steak and salmon, salads, couscous, grilled veggies. Dessert was ice cream every night. mmmmm deeeeeelish.

Saturday I woke up, went for a run down to the Olympic ski lift and back which was a total of 4.70 miles. I decided to run up this wall of a hill that's straight up and leads to our house. Driving up it I was scared, running up it my pace was 17min mile. I'm sure that's considered walking lol. Point is I did it and it was hard. Got home took a quick shower and got ready for a bike ride. I'm sure you're probably asking WHY would I take a shower if I was just going to go sweat some more...well as soon as I stopped moving it LOOKED like I had taken a shower. It was so hot. Anyway we set off on the road, me and Blake. I warned him I was slow especially on the hills. The first 8 miles was harder than I thought. I was literally going 5mph on some of the climbs. I felt like I was dying (ok not really but you get my drift). I was telling Blake that it was really hard and he said "don't worry we'll catch a break". Well he was right. I started to see the signs that said low gear with a truck on an angle. A clear indication we were going downhill. Oh how I loved that downhill; 7-8miles of downhill, I was flying. Its not easy going downhill for miles on end it takes a toll on your body. You get sore. I was flat backed, low over the handlebars, knees against the bar, pushed back in my seat. There were lots of turns and you had to ride in the road rather than off to the side because there were lots of cracks in the pavement. I was using my breaks a little and I went a max of 41mph. It was crazy! My arms were killing me afterwards. After that break of downhill soaring we keep going and turn onto Route 9N this has some flats or maybe these were the false flats I kept hearing about. In either case it didn't seem that bad. Then dun dun dun dun we turn onto Route 86 17miles til Lake Placid. OMG 86 is where it gets hard, because its constant hills you feel like you never get a break. As soon as I got onto 86 I was riding 5-8mph again. I couldn't understand why it felt so hard. I thought it should have felt easier than what it was. I mean that's the way it looked. I got to a point where I was thinking of stopping. But I kept going. I started wondering if I missed the baby & mama bear climbs I had heard of. But no they were there. They aren't as bad as you imagine and once you get over them it's a downhill into Placid :). It was good to be back home...well almost. I had to climb that wall of a hill to get to the house. Oh lord. So I stuck to my granny gears and went for it. You don't completely understand the meaning of a hard hill until you climb that. Blake and I got to the highest point and then had to pull over. I was so out of breath and then I couldn't stop laughing. I think I had a bout of hysteria. All I kept on saying was "I can't believe we just did that, I can't believe we just climbed that hill. OMG I can't stop laughing". It was hysteria. Seriously. We were done after that. So we walked to the house. We couldn't get back on our bikes.

It was a hard but GOOD day followed by a BBQ across the lake at the team houses. I was so exhausted that night.

Sunday was an easier day. Woke up had a great big breakfast of eggs, pancakes, fruit and coffee. Then I needed another nap (hey what can I say it's a lot of work to eat hehe). Everybody met up to swim at 4pm. I wasn't convinced I'd do the whole out and back which was a total of 1.5miles. Thanks to my good friend Ryan I was able to pull it off. When I was putting my wetsuit on I decided to try it with a GU in my sleeve, for practice and for peace of mind. My blood sugar was in the 300's (the entire wknd I was yo-yoing) when I started so I gave a 1.5unit correction and I had a temp basal of 50% for 1.5hrs. Ryan kinda had to convince me to keep going cuz I was scared about not being able to make it back. But she told me to just slow down and take it easy - no rush. So we did. I was able to catch a rhythm, and we would check in every 2 buoys, then 3 then 4. When we got to the end Ryan was singing the rocky theme lol. So we head back I was feeling good. But then the yellow line I was following the whole time started to get blurry so I stopped to eat the GU. Very easy to do let me tell you. Continue on and we're checking every 4 buoys then 6. I felt so good when we came out the water! I checked my BG and I was 142. I had dropped 200pts in the water. scary. Next time I won't take so much of a correction and I'll be sure to swim with 2 GU's. Ryan told me while we were in the middle of the lake that I'd be so happy once we finished. Ya know what? She was right. I've never swum that far. I was so proud of us.

Monday I went for a 42miler with Ryan. I felt much better this time around on the bike course but I think I was still just as slow. Good thing about the ride was that I changed the setting on my Garmin to tell me what the grade % was. So when I mentioned it was hard...it really WAS hard. The grades were like 6-8% on average, thankfully they didn't last more than 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile. Route 86...yeah guess what that was...12% grade!!!! Oh the satisfaction. I felt so completely justified in going 5mph. lol Oh yeah and you know what else I did? That wall of a hill I had to climb to get back to the house? Yeah I did it again and I rode it all the way up to the front door of the house. Guess what the % was. You're not even gonna be able to guess it...20% at the highest point then it leveled off at 12%!!! Oh the sweet satisfaction. I felt beat after that.

We thankfully had a huge meal to eat then we were on the road for 6 hours back to the city. Training heaven is what Lake Placid is. My blood sugars were all over the place, my training was crazy hard but it was all a learning time. Right now I can't imagine doing the bike course 2x but that's what this next year is for. To train. To build my confidence. To learn. To become better.

It's gonna be crazy fun! I know it was a long write up so if you made it this far thank you for reading. I truly appreciate your support.

Noah's Ride

On Sunday I did a charity bike ride to benefit JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). The max distance was 37 miles but you could ride as little as 5 miles. I went with a few teammates as well as my former JDRF coach Lewis who happens to be a bike racer for Deno's Wonder Wheel; Lewis also brought his teammate John along for the ride. The day turned out to be fantastic! There were rolling hills, lots of horse farms (I LOVE horses), sunshine and great company, to top it all off there was lots of speed (another thing I LOVE).

There were a couple of challenging hills and one super fast downhill (I reached a max of 43mph). That ride was a turning point for me, wanna know why???!!!! I pacelined for the first time ever!!! For those of you that don't know, pacelining is when you draft or follow right behind the person in front of you. Your front wheel is just a few inches from their back wheel. The benefit of pacelining is that the front person sets an agreed pace for the other riders in the line, they also break the wind therefore making it much easier for everyone else to go faster without expending much energy.

So? Can you see WHY I loved that ride so much??!!! The last 13 miles of the ride I was pacelining, we were going like 22mph! On average I ride 13/14mph, with flats and downhills I can pull 15/16mph but to be able to ride 22mph for that length of time. My god the thrill! The rush of adrenaline! I love speed. It was so freaking cool. I felt like a kid, I felt like (what I imagine to be) a bike racer. I felt inspired to better my riding skills. After the ride was over Lewis came over to me and told me it was some of the best riding I've done, he gave me a high five and said good job. I felt like a puppy wagging my tail who got the pat on the head. So few with his words yet so rewarding when he gives them. That's Lewis.

The ride reminded me of my first century. It's those first moments that you can never forget. The turning points.

I'd like to give a special thank you to Aly, Lewis, John, Lianna, Mike and Lindsay for inviting me, for riding with me and for teaching me. Of course we couldn't have done the ride without Tom and Nancy (the hosts) - thank you for what you do in order to raise money so we can cure diabetes.

2:55:12=13.1miles

I know I'm late in supplying you with a race report. Sorry I'll try not to let it be so long before my next post. Can I just tell you that it was amazing!!!

I got to the race a little early (surprise surprise), I was super paranoid about me missing the start lol. The temp was a nice 47 degrees - and pouring. It was raining since I woke up. I was very disappointed, guess that weather man was right for once :P. The day before, I was able to find a rain jacket to run in, I put my CGM in, and had my new Garmin 310xt so I felt totally prepared for the race.

So the bell goes off and I was pumped. It was so nice to be surrounded by 5,000+ women all doing the same thing - running a half marathon. Whether it was their first, tenth, or they PR'd we were all running 13.1 miles.

I forced myself to stay with my 5:1 run/walk ratio, what can I say I was paranoid about burning out in the end. The first 3-4 miles are torture and it was no different this time around. I tried checking my blood sugar close to mile 4 and my strips failed me cuz I think they got a little wet. I wasn't too worried though because I had the foresight to hook up my Dexcom CGM so if my meter failed I'd at least have my CGM and know what my blood sugar was at all times. Being able to check your blood sugar during a race is soooo important not just because you can see where you're going (high/low blood sugar) but it's a major piece of mind factor. We've got enough to deal with just staying hydrated, fueled and running the entire way. To not have to worry about checking my blood sugar is priceless.

During my training leading up to the half I realized I liked running longer distances - anywhere from 6-9 miles. I also felt like I became a little faster during those mile markers, and you know what? During the half marathon I did! My pace on average was 13:33 minute mile and during mile 9 I dropped it to 12:31!

I felt like the last 2-3 miles were hard especially the last mile. I couldn't really stick to the 5:1 ratio so I dropped it 3:1. I felt really really good throughout the race though. Never any pain, no shin splints. Nothing. Despite it being hard I finished strong. I wanted to make sure I was running hard to the finish - I mean who doesn't right? You've got all those people watching you.

I was all smiles. Running hard. In the pouring rain. My first half marathon.

When it was all said and done I finished the race with a negative split which means I finished faster than when I started (always a good way to run), my blood sugars were high throughout the race and when I finished I was 150! My goal was 3hrs and I ran it in 2:55.

I did it. WOW :)