SavageMan Triathlon {recap}

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again - SavageMan is my favorite (and hardest) triathlon of the season! I’m in my 4th year of racing (of the 5 years in existence) and it just keeps getting better. I love the course, the volunteers, the other racers, and the laid-back feel of the entire weekend.

Of the 4 years, this year was by far the coldest and most windy. The morning had a slight chill - but I was hoping the sun would come out and warm things up. Wishful thinking - the sun never came out and it was cold the entire race (about 45 degrees with a strong wind)

Pre-race: The race started at 9:30am (race directors take note - this is the *perfect* time for a race), with transition closing at 9:15am. I pushed it to the last minute because I did not want to take off my cozy, warm clothes. Little did I know that the swim would be the warmest part of the whole race!

Swim: I usually hate the swim, but I make an exception one time/year - for SavageMan. Deep Creek Lake is beautiful and I can see the bottom of the lake the entire swim. And since it’s a smaller race (but getting bigger), I don’t feel like I’ve just gotten into an all-out cat fight when I exit the water (not that I know what a cat-fight feels like).

I’m a slow(er) swimmer - I’m totally okay admitting that - but I’m excited to announce that I had my 1st sub-30 minute swim on Saturday! Time: 29:55

T1: One of my slowest transitions in triathlon history. I did, however, attempt to dry myself off as much as possible and wiggle on some arm warmers before heading out on the bike. Time: 3:06

Bike: I’m not going to spend much time talking about the bike, because I don’t want to sound like a major complainer - but this ride was hard and challenging. It was cold, it was windy - and I was still very wet from the swim. If I wasn’t wearing arm-warmers I probably would have called it quits (BJ was certain that he would see me on the side of the road, waiting to be taken back to transition). I wanted to cry on every.single.downhill and could not feel my feet for 23 miles. At one point, I was {only} going 5mph up hill with a major head-wind. {day-dreaming about the run} Time: 1:26:18

T2: I could barely tie my running shoes because my fingers were frozen. Time: 2:41

Run: I spent 1 hour, 26 minutes and 18 seconds dreaming about the run. Even though it took 3 miles for my toes to finally thaw out, I felt really good on the run (especially since I have only done one brick workout all season, and it was at the Columbia Triathlon, ha). The run is one of my favorites - hilly and shaded but with plenty of flats to recover on. One bystander recognized my Brooks I.D. uniform and cheered for me throughout the run - it was great motivation and just what I needed for the last mile. I pushed hard for the last mile and finished in... Time: 51:03 (8:13 pace)

Overall Time: 2:53:01 (2 minutes slower than last year, but I'll take the weather and wind into consideration)

Recap: I placed 4th in my AG group for the 4th year in a row! I kind of feel like I should earn a medal or plaque for consistency. Each year I think “If I just train harder next year, I’ll get 3rd” - but the field keeps improving and I keep getting 4th. Now, it’s just funny!

Post-race = Freezing

Trying to stay warm, with BJ

I love this race, absolutely love it. After we raced on Saturday, I said to BJ: “We should start charging our friends a fee for introducing them to this race”. I was joking, of course, (kind of), but this year we had 5 friends join us for SavageMan weekend. We rented a huge house (log cabin-esque), and celebrated with lots of wine, hot tub excursions, and (real) fires - it was so much fun. I already can’t wait for 2012.

A HUGE thanks to race management, race officials and all of volunteer for making SavageMan an awesome triathlon experience!

Crystal City Twilighter 5k

When I signed up for the Crystal City Twilighter 5k two months ago, my goal was to run a 5k PR. I’m so close to breaking 20 minutes in a 5k, yet so far away.

2 months before the race: The plan was to add speed work back in to my routine and really focus on running a PR but with the diagnosis of Plantar Fascittus, I had to alter my training. I took time off from running, incorporated more swimming/biking into my routine and started (a pretty serious regiment of) ART, graston and acupuncture. Needless to say, this is not the recipe for running a PR.

1 week before the race:
a) ART, graston and acupuncture seem to be working. I’m able to run (virtually pain free) - but also have to take my foot into consideration while training. If I run consecutively for 2 days, I usually take the following 2 days off from running (I’m swimming & biking instead). While I’m extremely thankful that I am able to run, I’m aware that I have not properly trained to run a 5k PR.
b) The Washington D.C. area experienced record highs with temperatures in the high 90’s - 100’s (and “real feel” in the 120’s). It was HOT. Training may or may not have been affected due to heat.

Race Day: It was so hot on July 23, that Pacers offered deferments to the 2012 race for individuals who felt they could not safely compete.

I had to adjust my goals for the CTT 5k - and I was okay with that. Instead, I was excited to run a night race and hang out with BJ.

Thoughts:
The course was flat and fast. It seemed a little long (my Garmin said 3.26) but the course was mostly an out and back, so that always seems to make things “longer”.

Very well organized event with plenty of volunteers, water stations, and ice sponges. My only complaint would be that about 100m into the race, we ran around a short “U” {think apartment building round-about} that was sectioned off by cones. No one was expecting it and no one could see the cones until you were right on them - people were tripping, I had to catch a women from falling and people were yelling (they were pissed). The cones were there because we ran back through the round-about on the return lap, but there would have been plenty of time between the 1st runner/last runner to add the cones after the race had started.

Overall, I think the CTT 5k was a good race (albiet extremely HOT) and I'll plan on running it again next year. While I didn't run a PR (I was almost 1 minute off my current PR), I had a great time. BJ and I stayed after the race to talk, hang out and grab a beer. I also had a chance to meet some awesome bloggers that live and race in the area. It was a really fun night!

Stats
Time: 21:05
Overall: 125/1,605
Female: 21/838
AG: 13/292

Blogger Meet-Up: I’ve followed these blogs/ladies for a few months now and they rock. It was fun to finally meet Lauren, Katie and Amy in real life!

L-R: me, Katie, Lizzy, Amy and Lauren

Don't forget out my CamelBak Groove Giveaway {HERE}

Lawyers Have Heart 5k {Race Report}

At 5:30am on race morning, I received an email with “IMPORTANT INFORMATION about the race”. I opened the email and read: Due to heat and humidity, the race has been changed from a 10k to a 5k.

Best news of the morning. (Granted it was only 5:30am and I had just woken up - but whatever, it made my day)

I knew I could run a 10k, no problem, but with last week’s 100 degree weather, a major lack of sleep, and a little foot problem that I will disclose in another post, I just didn’t feel ready for 6.2 miles. I think I was the only person at the race NOT complaining of the distance change.

It was already 82 degrees by 6:30am. The course is mostly flat - but isn’t shaded and it's run on asphalt, so the sun can be brutal. Let’s just say I was sweating profusely when I crossed the finish line.

I felt pretty good. I was hanging out with my friends and excited about the afternoon activities.  But, 400m into the race, I knew it would be a long 5k.  I can’t totally explain it but I didn’t feel good or strong and nothing felt right. I think I would have dropped out if it had been a 10k.

I have only one thing to say about this picture: I need a tan ASAP

I crossed the finish line in 20:13 - 4 seconds off of my PR. I’ve never been so excited to be done with 3.1 miles before.

Despite not having a great race personally, Lawyers Have Heart was a great race and I would recommend it to anyone looking for an easy, local 10k (or 5k).

Reasons you should run (and love) LHH:

• Race officials were on the course at 5am to change the race (from a 10k to 5k) - they were spot on with the measuring (with such short notice). 
• Water, water, water - and more water
• Ice - there’s nothing better than crossing the finish line and getting a cup of ice
• Cold-water sponges on the course 
• Volunteers - they were great & plenty to go around
• Georgetown Waterfront - I have a thing for local races that are easy to get to

Thanks to Pacers & American Heart Association for such a great race. I can’t wait for a 2012 rematch.

Stats
Time: 20:13
Overall Place: 220/3361
Age-Group Place: 16/534
Sex Place: 29/??

I have a new goal after running this race: break 20 minutes in a 5k race. I plan to accomplish this goal in 2011. (Since I've said it to the world, I am now held accountable to achieving said goal - thank you)

PS - shout-out to Allison at Runner-in-Progress who rocked the run. Also, thanks to Allison, I had my 1st blogger meet-up.