Back at It!

Time to get more fit!  

I hired an online coach, Steve Brandes, https://www.trainingpeaks.com/coach/stevenbrandes , in January and began training again.

Coach Steve develops a workout schedule for me to follow using Training Peaks.

I upload my workout data via my Garmin Forerunner. 

March 3, 2024

I ran The Kings Runner 10K as an in between challenge!

The Lavaman is an Olympic Distance Triathlon on the Big Island. 

1500 M Swim, 40K Bike and 10K Run

Quite the challenge. Goal: Finish it!

Little Tri-ing, but Still Running!

 Recent History:

It's been a while!  Over five years?  I lost my log in information.  

Since September of 2018, I have lived on the mainland in Longmont, Colorado.  Quite a change from Oahu and KoOlina.  No lagoon swims; no triathlons without a wetsuit.

Swimming, biking and running are different when you are at mile high too.

Triathlon:

Mother and Daughter Divas!

I challenged myself to tri again, this time with less oxygen.  

My daughter, Aarika, and I completed a sprint triathlon, Outdoor Diva's, in August of 2019.

Then COVID hit, and I have not made a comeback.  Training with air quality/ozone issues and at altitude have made it challenging for me to even want to.  Time will tell.

Running Mile High:

Turkey Trot Awards with Dennis and Larry!

In Colorado we enjoy the social run on Thursday evening at a local business called Shoes and Brews, a running store with a brewery/brew pub.   Shoes & Brews – Run Wild. Drink Beer. (shoesbrews.com) It is a motivator to run with others especially when it is dark and cold, and you need to wear a headlamp and running tights, jackets and beanies. They also host several 5K races which we run.  The city has a Turkey Trot which we have done annually.

Running on Oahu:

We winter in Makaha (on Oahu) now and for the past three years have trained and completed the Great Aloha 8.15 mile race.  It is a good challenge for someone who is in her 70's.  I have been coaching my husband too.  He runs it with me: run a mile, walk one minute, repeat until ready to sprint to the finish. We ran this as a virtual race in 2020, 2021 and 2022. This year we did it in person.  Much more fun!

We stayed in Waikiki and took a taxi to the start.  $27!! Crazy. We ran the race and then took the free shuttle back to Waikiki. But we had to wait in line for over a half an hour, with no place to sit.  And, all we got was water and a banana at the finish. While we were waiting in the bus line, I used the barriers  and did a handful of stretches. However, what I was really craving salt and a seat.

Reward Brunch:

We have a tradition of rewarding ourselves with a post-race brunch at the Marriott Waikiki where we stay, but it ends at 11 am.  This year it was 10:49 when our bus finally arrived at the Sheraton.  I had calculated the pace we needed to achieve if we were to get to brunch before it closed. So, Larry and I both ran, tired as we were, dodging pedestrians and sprinting to make the green lights. SO CRAZY.  

We made it to the restaurant at 10:59. The hostess said they had seated the last guests, but I shamelessly pleaded, told her of our tradition, and she let us in.  (It helped that we were in our running gear, with our number bibs still on, and looked exhausted.)

The view from our upgraded Marriott Waikiki room!

It ended up being a fabulous meal, which we followed with a shower, a rest, a soak in the whirlpool, and a swim in the pool.  Thank you, Marriott Waikiki for the 4 pm check out.

 Will there be a next time for the Great Aloha?  Not quite sure.  A large broken up, black top stadium parking lot with no lawn and no trees makes for a very poor ending.

Cleaned up and enjoying the new Great Aloha shirts and medals!

Looking for a new challenge. Why not tri a Tinman Hawaiian style?

NC IM 70.3 Great Place for First Ever!

Thoughts on Ironman NC 70.3, My First Ironman:  Things That Made Me Smile

At body marking a volunteer wrote 65 in big black numbers on my left calf.  (I was still 64.)

I took a trolley to the swim start!

In a corral for an hour before the swim start. I forgot water, but when I asked a fellow competitor if there was water available, she said “no” and then shortly after came and found me and gave me one of her bottles.

It felt warm to get into the water.  The swim felt good: the current was at my back.

After the swim, I had the help of a wetsuit stripper for the first time ever.  Amazing!  Arm tug. Done. Laid on back. Leg tugs. Done. No struggling. Love this concept!

In T1 tent: Volunteer sun screened me with SPF 50 that they provided (and I had forgotten).  What a luxury!

On the bike: a woman in a green helmet with the name “Scooter” on it came up from behind and said, “You know what most 65 year old women are doing today?” I said, “Knitting or crocheting?”  She responded, “Not THIS!” and biked off.  During the tough times in the wind, I kept thinking about this. It helped me keep going.

Toward the end of the bike ride with the wind finally at my back, a young woman came up behind me and said, “Quite a pace you are riding!” I said, “Feel free to pass me.”  Her response?  “I can’t.”  I never saw her again, as I kept trying to make up for lost time earlier.

A guy commented on my Island Bike and Triathlon jersey.  “Cool shirt!”

On the run we went through Old Town Wilmington.  Shady. Cool bars and restaurants along the way.  Lots of people cheering you, by name!

Much of the run was along a beautiful lake and in the shade.

Icy cool, wet sponges that I put in the back of my trishirt.

Pretzels and chips at the aid stations.  It was great to have the salt and real food!

Coke at the aid stations.  Nice for a quick energy fix.

The run began and ended along the water on a beautiful walkway.

We received 70.3 FINISHER pajama bottoms that I quickly put to use as I cooled down. 

There was pizza and beer at the finish.   It reminded me of my first triathlon, The Capitol View in Middleton in 2009.