A Snowy Snowflake Shuffle

The Snowflake Shuffle 5K lived up to it's name yesterday!  The event started at 9:30 AM, with a temperature of 5 degrees F, and small snowflakes filling the air. I can imagine how cool all the festive, costumed runners would look from above.  *Think GIANT snow globe!*

At least the weather had improved from my last post, and there was no question as to whether the event would be held.  However, the course was not the fastest, as there was a fresh layer of snow on the ground causing difficulty with traction and footing.  I looked at the event as more of a casual run, and knew I wouldn't be setting any PRs today!  A relaxed run was just what was needed to take in the beautiful Minnesota morning and creative costumes.  My official time was 31:28. The 3rd place AG award was 28 minutes and some odd seconds. I guess others struggled a bit with running conditions also. 

Jen and I excited to finally RUN in our ugly sweaters!

This race wraps up my 2013 season!  Wow, what a ride it has been with lots of milestones and learning experiences.  Stay tuned for my goals for 2014!

SURVIVING THE DEEP FREEZE!

It has been a frigid week or two here in the northland. Last weekend my friend Jen and I were signed up to participate in the Reindeer Run 5K around Lake Harriet in Minneapolis.

We were all set to leave at 7:30 AM.  However, the race website announced that a final decision would be made at 8:00 AM as to whether the race would be held due to brutally cold temperatures and wind. Sooooooooo, the options were:

Plan A:

-Continue with our initial plan to run, head towards the cities, and hope that the race isn't cancelled since we will be at least half way there.

-Be prepared to run in -6 degree F weather with 8 mph winds, equaling a -22 degree F run and 30 min frost bite time

Plan B:

-Have a nice WARM breakfast at the local Perkins!

-Save our ugly sweaters for another run.

-Give up a race shirt.  (As if we all don't have a million already.)

We choose Plan B!  They finally announced at 8:15 AM that the race would be held (not a lot of heads up for those of us from out of town).  I really wanted to run, but figured a 5K wasn't worth the risk of potential frostbite on my exposed skin (only around my eyes as I don't have goggles) and the opportunity to freeze my A** off!



Of course we still needed a picture in our fabulous running attire!

Things may not always work out as planned, but we must make the best of them!  After all, a big breakfast at Perkins with good company, who can complain about that!?!  Here's to hoping next year the Reindeer Run will be warmer!!

Thanksgiving Day Wishbone 5K!

What a better way to start off Thanksgiving Day, than with the Wishbone 5K!  I didn't purposely rhyme that, but I does sound pretty good!  Maybe I should work on my iambic pentameter or a haiku next!?!

Anyways, the event drew over 3000 people and has become a tradition for many families on Thanksgiving morning.  You can't beat the $5 registration which even includes a shirt, shocker I know.  I took it pretty easy on the run, and used it as a guilt free eating excuse!  Bring on the lefse!!

The event is just another reminder to be thankful that I have the ability, health, and means to participate!

Jingle Bell 5K Run

With jingle bells attached to shoes, many runners and walkers participated in this 5K on a brisk, windy 10 degree Minnesota morning.  I have to say the cold was a little shock to the system as my previous outdoor run was three days prior in 45 degree weather.  That being said, I was very pleased with my race. I came in at 26:25 which was just 23 seconds behind my PR.

Post Race...Brrrrrrrrrrrr!

The coolest part of the event was an 89 year old woman who was doing her first 5K. She walked the whole course with a walker and her family and/or friend support system. They held up signs telling fellow participants that she has had two hip replacements and a knee replacement just two weeks ago. ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!  She finished quite a significant time after the last runner.  However, while we were all warming up inside, the announcement came that she was coming to the finish. Of course the whole building cleared out to head to the finish line and cheer her on!  I love the support system in the running (triathlon and crossfit) world!!

The quirkiest part of the event was the race result posting. See photo below!

I decided instructions were in order to read these results!  :)

1.  Locate your name

2.  Determine your location on the color wheel (eg: yellow, green, blue, orange, etc.)

3.  The color is your age group

4.  Identify the geometric representation of your gender (circle=female, square=male)

5.  To determine your age group standing, count all the similar symbols (the yellow circle for me)

Obviously this was a very technical timing system!  ;)

Also to participate in the event a toy donation was made to Toys For Tots. The toy bins were overflowing!

Stay tuned for reports on a handful of 5Ks before I start training for my first full marathon!!

Fargo Mini Marathon Take 2!

Yesterday was the second year I have participated in the Fargo Mini Marathon. The race was the autumn sister event to the Fargo Marathon in May, and consisted of a 5K, 10K, and half marathon.  I chose to participate in the half marathon which went through the beautiful neighborhoods of Shadow Creek, Osgood, and McMahon.  I hate to admit that I "winged" the race, but I did!  After the multisport season ended, I did some running but not as much as I should have to prepare for a half marathon. My focus had instead shifted towards getting back into the swing of things at my crossfit box!

I knew I wasn't going for a PR on this flat and fast course, but instead a finish. Needless to say, I pulled out a time of 2:07:17, which was just about 7 minutes and 30 seconds over my half marathon PR.  I was satisfied!!  My mom also decided to compete in the 5K event.  This was her third ever 5K with the other two being small local races. She ended up fourth in her age group with her run/walk strategy!  WAY TO GO!  I think the race bug may have bit her now too!  :)

Last year I thought the event was pretty awesome. A huge vendor expo the day of the race, great race swag, and finisher medals that were second to none. I was a little disappointed this year as the expo was gone, along with the awesome medal. Don't get me wrong, the hockey puck is a unique idea since the finish is on the blue line in the Scheels Arena. However, I am a sucker for a nice race medal!  The course was still great and very safe with Fargo and West Fargo PD doing traffic control at the major intersections. The volunteers also did a great job on the race course.  A bag check and pacers would make this event even more outstanding!

Post race with our finishers' hockey pucks!

The Granite Games: Putting Crossfit On The Map In St. Cloud, MN

The past weekend I had the opportunity to volunteer at The Granite Games in St. Cloud, MN. The crossfit competition attracted over 500 athletes from around the United States.  Twenty of the individuals have participated in the "CrossFit Games", which you may have seen on ESPN at one point or another. WOW, talk about being able to witness some amazing talent and strength!  It was rather humbling watching athletes from the scaled division all the way up to the elite perform the intense WODs. My volunteer position allowed me a front row seat to see all the action!

Ready to spring into action!

You are probably wondering what my job was for the day.  Well, I was on the "WOD Setup Team."  My day consisted of arriving at 6:15 AM on Sunday and being briefed on the details of the two WODs that were to be undertaken on the final day. The event kept my team very busy and on our toes. The first WOD consisted of toes to bar, back squats, and deadlifts.  Between each heat we had a few minutes to run out and wipe off all the equipment in order to keep the schedule on track. There were also four divisions- elite, as RX, scaled, and team.  In between each division we were required to roll out different weights and properly set up the bars!  Every eight minutes we sprung into action to prepare for the next heat and/or division. The first WOD took us all through the morning and into the early afternoon. 

Elite females tackling the first WOD on Sunday.

Next up were the finals!  This WOD consisted of a 500 m row, wall balls, chest to bar pull-ups, ground to overhead, pistols, burpee box jump overs, single arm overhead kettlebell squats, heavy cleans, and shoulder to overheads!  Yes, that is all!  These heats took a little longer and had a 20 minute time cap. Setup became even more interesting as all the bar work caused many athletes to tear open their hands and bleed. Our team was busy wiping up blood, disinfecting equipment, and even picking up the occasional piece of skin.  After tear down and cleanup, my volunteer day ended at about 9 PM. 

The finals!

Our WOD setup team was amazing and worked together well!  We lifted a lot of weight ourselves no additional workout needed for me that day to setup and provide a class act for the athletes competing. I was able to watch friends from my home box, Crossfit Fast Factory, compete along with friends from Crossfit Mendota and Crossfit 701!  I don't have the crossfit competition itch yet, but it may happen one day. 

Checkout more details and results of the event at: www.thegranitegames.com

Burning Up The Trails!

What would this past weekend be without another race of some sort!?!  "Definitely not complete" is the answer that comes to mind. I promise my race season will slow down soon at least I won't have an event of some sort every weekend.  On the docket this past Saturday was the Timberdash 5K Trail Run at Lake Maria State Park. And yes, I do love the great state parks of Minnesota!

The event was my first competitive trail run. That being said, I can probably count the number of "trail runs" I have done on one hand. I thought the event would be a great way to get a taste of trail running and support a wonderful cause. The proceeds of the event benefit the Crisis Nursery of Wright County. It was amazing that there WERE proceeds to donate as participants received an awesome technical shirt, medals, and one of the better post race refreshments for a 5K race I have seen!  And get this...registration was only $25!  Oh yes, don't let me forget, one additional perk is a day pass to the state park!  Can it get any better?

Due to the recent rain we have had in the area, I was a little concerned about the trail conditions. However, the trail was pretty amazing considering. Of course we runners needed to be careful for the occasional rocks, roots, and slippery leaves. I only ran into one spot that was muddy, but it was easily traversed.  The course was challenging with hills a plenty. Initially we had some wonderful downhills.  They were wonderful until I realized we would have to climb those same hills to the finish. Uff da!!  Spoken like a true Norwegian!

I finished the course in 34:02 and ended up 24th out of 166 females.  The top female time was 27 minutes with some odd change. Not to shabby for a girl who rarely does trails and doesn't do a significant amount of hill training!

The Timberdash was also the first race 13-year old Emma had ever participated in, and she rocked it.  Emma is the daughter of my friend Paula!  Paula also rocked it!  I love seeing children of all ages introduced to events such as these!  It allows them to see the importance of wellness and fun of physical activity. 

A taste of the fall colors by the registration booth. 

Gotta love a fire pre and post race!

 

Finishers!!  Paula, Emma, and I!

A Century Ride Ruined!

This year was my 5th year participating in the Headwaters 100 Bike Ride out of Park Rapids, MN (http://www.itascatur.org/bike.shtml).  The ride is a beautiful fall ride in northern Minnesota that winds through the lakes country around Park Rapids, Itasca State Park, Lake George, Emmaville, Nevis, and Dorset.  Typically fall colors are starting to peak with vibrant hues of orange, red, and yellow along with the contrasting greens of the pine stands.  Unfortunately this year the colors took a back seat to battling the rain.

The ride consists of three routes-42, 75, and 100 miles. The first year I rode 75, the second 70 with intention of 100 damn flat tires, the third and fourth 100, and the fifth wait for it 34 miles. It literally rained pretty much all morning and afternoon. I decided the 42 mile option would be best for me as I wasn't going to force myself to be miserable all day trying to do 100 miles in the rain. Boy, did I make the right decision.  The first rest stop was 16 miles in and it was downhill from there as I became very cold, wet, and just plain tired of the rain beating down on me!  Needless to say my friend Jen and I found a shortcut off the route which got us back to Park Rapids in 34 miles instead of 42!  Yippee!  It was wonderful getting out of the wet clothes and taking a warm shower. Since we were done much earlier than expected I even got an afternoon nap in at the hotel!!

There was a contingent of 13 cyclists from the Central Minnesota Bike Club riding.  A variety of distances were rode, from 25 to 100 miles!  Wow 100 miles in those conditions-that deserves an award!

Regardless of the weather the weekend was a blast with tons of laughs. On Friday, before the Saturday ride, Jen and I also did a bike tour of Itasca State Park and hit the main tourist attractions there.  It was a beautiful day to explore the park and we managed a total of 17 miles that day.

You can't tell by the picture but I am completely soaked from head to toe after 34 miles!

 

This shirt was great for the weekend!

 

The crew post ride!  Notice the interior decorating we did with a bike tire and the clock!

 

Headwaters of the Mississippi River

 

I AM AN IRON GIRL

I decided to top off my multisport season with my first Duathlon, Iron Girl-Bloomington.  I have nothing but positive things to say about this all female race!  The organization of the whole event and venue were wonderful!  You can definitely tell this is a race for females planned by females. Little extras, such as white table clothes on the post race breakfast tables and tables outside the bathrooms with extra toilet paper, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, Vaseline, and feminine products gave the race a little feminine twist.

Results

Run: 16:11 (2 miles)

T1:  1:35

Bike:  1:16:30 (22 miles)

T2:  1:01

Run:  17:35 (2 miles)

The Run

I was excited for the short runs in this duathlon.  I also really surprised myself running an 8:06 min/mile for the first run and 8:48 min/mile for the second.  
 

And we're off!

 

The Bike

The bike course consisted of two loops. Initially I wasn't very satisfied with my 17.3 mph bike average. However, once I analyzed my data on Garmin Connect I realized that there was more elevation gain than I thought, making my bike average easier to swallow. 

Also working against me this race was a entertaining previous day at the Renaissance Fair  bit of a sore throat and head cold. All things considered I am satisfied by my performance.

15 of 97 in age group

61 of 716 overall

 

 

 

My cheering section!

 

I am an Ironman Iron Girl!

 

I would highly recommend this race to any female whether it is your first ever event or you are a seasoned veteran!  I am truly impressed by this Iron Girl Event!!  Did I mention the great post race food!?!

ALASKA: Not Your Typical Race Review

This post is definitely not a typical race review. Instead, it is more of an Alaskan vacation review!  Amongst the tail end of my race season I scheduled an eight day trip to Alaska to visit family!

If you recall previously I decided not to do my half IM race partly due to upcoming travel plans and this was it!  Had I participated in the half IM, I would have flown out on two 3-hour plane rides the day after my race and probably still be stuck on the plane with stiff sore legs.  I looked my hardest for a race event occurring nearby when I was in AK, but came up empty handed.  Darn, I guess I'll just have to enjoy Alaska without a race---not a hard thing to do!  ;)

Highlights Of The Trip:

• Alaskan Railroad
• Husky Homestead-Jeff Kings' Iditarod Dog Sled Teams' home
• Denali National Park
• 49th State Brewery-home of the "Into The Wild" bus
• Mt. McKinley-it came out for viewing the last two days of my trip
• Talkeetna
• Abundant wildlife
• Hiking and picking fresh cranberries and blueberries
• Wonderful time with family

Last Triathlon of the Season!

Well, my triathlon season has finally come to an end for 2013. Yesterday I completed the not so short Square Lake Short Course.  My half IM distance has been tabled for the time being, see previous post.

Shannon and I ready to rock the hills of Stillwater!

Swim:  18:42 (0.5 mile)

T1:  2:11

Bike:  56:53 (16.5 miles)

T2:  0:28

Run:  50:01 (5 miles)

TOTAL:  2:08:13

I have been very blessed this year with great weather for almost every race with lower temperatures and lower humidity.  A huge thank you goes out to the weather gods!

Swim:  Square Lake was amazing to swim in, super clear and clean. I was ON with my sighting today and could actually see the buoys, unlike at Pigman last month. The turn around into the sun made sighting more challenging, but the buoys were still visible.  Coming out of the water into transition was a bit tricky as there was a huge flight of wood stairs to climb-see picture below.  However, the climb went very smoothly and was easier than I imagined. 

The stair climb to the transition area. 

Bike:  THE BIKE WAS HILLY!  (That is all I have to say about that!). ;). Well except that I was happy with my 19 mph average considering all the climbing I did. 

Run:  The run course circled the lake.  However, I did not actually see the lake on the run except for at the finish line. The five mile loop consisted of some good climbs and a combo of paved and gravel roads. 

The best part of the whole race!

I wasn't out to kill the race, instead I stayed relaxed and took it all in. Square Lake was my 9th race of the triathlon season and I am now ready for a break from the multi-sport training. In September I also have a duathlon, so I will focus on biking and running to finish out 2013. Oh yeah, and get back into the crossfit box after taking two months off!!!

Mom and I post race!

A Change Of Plans and New Gear

After racing in the Pigman Olympic Triathlon, I have decided to hold off on my half ironman distance race this year for various reasons.

• First and foremost, I don't feel quite prepared to tackle the course, especially since I struggled so much on the run at Pigman with painful calves and a strained hamstring.  After doing a practice ride of the Square Lake Half Iron bike course, I know the hills will tear my legs apart and the last thing I want to do is injure myself on the run.

• Next, the course is actually 2 miles short of the half iron distance on the bike and also a finishers medal is not awarded.  However, I did just find out that there is one this year. I really would like to do the full 70.3 and not be two miles short. Also, after all that work I want a dang nice finishers medal for my effort!  :)

• Finally, I have travel plans coming up and it is a huge stress taken off my shoulder to not have two big events happening around similar times.

Soooo...with that being said I am going to do the short course!  Woohoo!  It is actually longer than a sprint course, but short of an Olympic course!

I definitely am not finished with my aspirations of doing a 70.3. I am looking into IM Racine 70.3 next season and now will be able to set goals to be better prepared and none the less take home a kick butt medal for my efforts!!

In other news I recently purchased a couple new tri gear items!

 

My Pearl Izumi Iso Transition shoes which I can wear sockless for a quick transition from my bike shoes (which I also prefer sockless) in sprint tris. 

My new ISM Adamo Breakaway saddle purchased using my Gear West Gift Certificate!  Comfort on the bike definitely comes at a price!

A Weekend Of Firsts!

This weekend I had many firsts including doing my first Olympic distance race!  I road-tripped with racing friends Jason, Genna, and Jackson down to Iowa to do the Pigman Olympic in Palo, IA.

RESULTS

Swim: 36:20 (0.9 mile)

T1:  2:26:03

Bike:  1:22 (25 miles)

T2:  1:30

Run:  1:02:27 (6.2 miles)

Total:  3:05:41

Here is the breakdown of my race.

Swim:

The swim start was a new format for me. In all my previous races I have done a wave swim start. Today, I had my first time trial swim start and loved it!  One racer would start approximately every 3 seconds. It was nice to have room in the water and not be swimming on top of 30-50 other people. After consulting my Garmin, I realized I actually swam 1.07 miles instead of the 0.9 mile swim. Guess I need to do a little work on my sighting. However, I did struggle seeing the buoys today as they had quite a distance between them and blended in with all the pink swim caps in my wave. This distance is officially the longest swim I have done and I didn't even drown. ;)

Bike:

I was slightly mislead on the bike course (I won't name and names). ;)  Mentally I had prepared for a flat and fast bike course. However, the course had many great rolling Iowa hills. The out and back route took us though Palo, IA and along the countryside.  I was happy to still manage an 18 mph bike average over the 25 miles, considering all the climbing I did.

Run:

The run was the most challenging part of the race for me. I felt as though I didn't have any running legs left around mile 2-3 of the hilly run course. I resorted to doing a walk/run to finish out the race. Amazingly, I sustained a 10 min/min average throughout the run. 

 

A Weekend of Firsts

• 1st Olympic Distance Triathlon
• 1st out of state triathlon
• 1st time trial swim start
• 1st medal with a pig on it 
• 1st trip to We Run (running store) in North Liberty, IA (www.werunllc.com)
• 1st pair of Pearl Izumi triathlon shoes
• 1st out of state road trip with the Migalas' (check out Jason's blog- www.triracingafter30.com)
• 1st time trying Normatec Recovery Boots (www.normatecrecovery.com)

The Olympic distance was a great learning experience for me and I am looking forward to getting a few more triathlons of this distance under my belt!

Northwoods Triathlon and My First Podium Finish!!

FINALLY!!!!  I did it!  At the Northwoods Triathlon in Nevis I placed 3rd in my age group, 30-34, to take my first podium finish. Prior to the awards ceremony things didn't look so promising.  I was very happy with my results and felt like I left everything I had on the course. However, when I checked the results I was listed 4th in my age group.  I have to say I was a little disappointed that my goal of achieving a podium finish in a sprint triathlon was not going to be reached this year, as the two races I have left are Olympic and Half IM distances. As I was watching the award ceremony they came to my age group and announced "ME" as 3rd place. I was ecstatic and completely not expecting an award. To top it all off, when the door prizes rolled around I finally won after participating in 12 triathlons!  And a sweet prize if was being a $100 gift certificate to Gear West!!  Thank you!!

A Happy Triathlete!

Swim:  9:36 (0.25 mile)

T1:  1:46

Bike:  43:26 (14.2 miles)

T2:  1:24

Run:  25:38 (3.1 miles)

Total time:  1:21:49

Now that I have told you about the end of the race, I suppose I should start at the beginning!  Once again we were spoiled (at least in my opinion) by a cool, partly cloudy, and non-humid race day!  The race is capped at 300 participants and filled up in about an hour and a half when registration opened January 2nd!  That alone goes to show what a little gem this race is!

Swim:  

The swim took place in Lake Belle Taine which was a very clear and clean lake. I started the swim on the front inside and decided I was going to fight for swim position in the race. I definitely got a fight as I was hit and kicked for the first 150-200 yards. 

Friends and volunteers Jen and Jan made signs for us to see along the bike and run course!

Bike:

The bike was a beautiful course around lakes, forests, and quiet country roads!  As I came in on the bike the amount of spectators cheering was phenomenal for such a small race.  One would think that the whole town of Nevis, population 388, was out cheering and creating energy for the racers!

Run: 

The run was an out and back on the Heartland Trail. Trees provided lots of shade on the run course, which would be especially helpful on a hotter race day!  The race finish was near the giant Muskie and also lined with cheering spectators!

Central MN Bike Club represents at the Northwoods Triathlon with two volunteers (Jen and Jan) and two participants (Beth and I)!

Wow!  What a great course, volunteers, and race directors. I will be sure to add this to the calendar next year!! 

 

 My first Olympic distance course race is next weekend in Iowa--Pigman Olympic!

Soobegon Lakes 100

This past weekend marked the second year I have participated in the Soobegon Lakes 100 bike touring weekend. The tour takes us through the heart of Minnesota, 106 miles from Bowlus to Fergus Falls on continuous bike trail. The name originates from the three trail systems we ride:  the Soo Line, Wobegon, and Central Lakes Trail.

Ready to hit the trail!

We began our journey early Friday morning, leaving Bowlus at 6:45 AM.  Of the six cyclists in our group, three towed B.O.B.s and three hauled panniers. Our first major rest stop was just under the 40 mile mark at Jitters in Sauk Centre. (One of my favorite coffee shops!). After refueling with some breakfast and getting our caffeine fix we hit the trail again.  

Jitters!

We battled a strong headwind all day and also rode through multiple rain showers. Alexandria, Evansville, and Ashby were two of our longer rest stops. 

Gotta stop and visit Ole in Alexandria!

All smiles around mile 60!

Fueling up in Ashby!

Outside of Dalton our friend Jen met us on her bike and rode with us the last stretch of 8-9 miles to the DeLagoon Campground.  It was wonderful to see a smiling face as the wind had worn us down throughout the day. We arrived at our campsite around 7:30 Friday evening with a total of 8 hours and 30 minutes of saddle time on our bikes and an average pace of 12 mph. The wind played a large part in slowing us down besides all the added weight we were carrying.  

Once at the campground we were lucky enough to be greeted by cold beer that Jen had picked up for us. We cyclists enjoy our beer, especially after a long day of riding!  :)  Pizza delivery to the campground was also a necessity as we had worked up quite the appetite. After our beer was drank, tents were pitched, and pizza eaten it was time to call it a day!

Gotta love a pair of dual purpose Reef sandals with the bottle opener on the bottom!

The crew after an exhausting 106.5 miles on Friday.

Saturday was a rest day and a rather cool one at that, with a high of 70 degrees in July!  We hit up the Viking Cafe in Fergus for a late breakfast, visited the otter statue, bathed in the lake, took naps, and enjoyed an evening campfire.

Working on our Abby Road impression in downtown Fergus!

What a statue...not really sure of the meaning but fun to impersonate!

A visit to the otter.

 

Sunday rolled around very quickly and the morning brought with it the packing up of our gear. I personally feel a great sense of accomplishment when I can get my 4lb tent packed back into its original bag!  :)  Although, I don't have many other options when I have to haul it on my bike.  By 8 AM we were on the trail again.  We stopped in the small town of Ashby, about 16 miles down the trail, for a delicious breakfast at Ruby's. Alexandria brought with it a quick stop at Jake's Bike Shop (highly recommended) and a pit stop at Caribou Coffee!  As the day went on we checked off and said farewell to each town we passed through. The wind gods were in our favor with nice tail and cross winds. Melrose and Holdingford were the last of our major stops before we made it 106 miles to Bowlus!  On our way back we decreased our riding time by almost an hour with a total of 7 hours and 40 minutes.  We averaged just under 14 mph and returned to Bowlus around 8 PM. 

Another successful Soobegon Lakes 100-and yes I felt as rough as I look in this picture!

Thankfully we had few mechanical issues on the trail, just one flat tire!  The weather overall was great and even a little on the cool side with little humidity. I certainly did not mind this for sleeping.  My legs feel surprisingly good and the ride seemed much easier than last year.  Well, I now have two century rides accomplished this year with a total of six in my lifetime. I have one more to come in September, the Headwaters 100!!