Save Your Skin 10K

This is the second race this year that was hosted by my coach Lora Erickson.  For more info visit saveyourskin10k.com

The course was the same as the Race for Grief 10K.  I was eager to see how my time would be a few months after the previous race there. We left the house with plenty of time to get there early but the railroad crossings had another thing planned. We got stuck behind a crossing with the arms down for over 20 minutes. No trains passed. We kept driving further and further south and all the crossing were the same.  We eventually found our way to the event with just minutes to spare before the start time.  We had just enough time to pick up our packets, put on our bib numbers and start. 

I ran this race with my husband and my friend Holly.  Holly and I teach sunbeams together at church and we became running buddies.  I kept a steady pace until the half way point and then slowed down after that. I was still about a mile out when I realized I might be able to make it under 50 minutes.  I pushed myself and finished with a time of 50:25.  I'd trimmed off 1:35 off since the last time I'd run that exact same course. I was very pleased.  I managed to match my husband's Race for Grief time down to the exact second.  Cameron decided he'd be a speed demon and get the time of 45:40 this time around. He placed 1st in his age group. I thought I'd placed 2nd in my age group until they announced that I'd actually gotten 1st in my age group.  The girl who originally got 1st place in my age group ended up getting 1st place overall female which bumped me up. Hooray! I got 4th female overall.  Great race!

Holly and me

Labor Day Triathlon

After I registered for this race I found out  most of the people on my triathlon team were also running it.  I was excited to participate with my team members. The night before I went to bed at around 10:30 PM and didn't wake up until around 6 AM. 7 1/2 hours of sleep! That's boats loads better than the 3 hours that I'd gotten in the past.

I lined up for the swim.  I felt much more confident in the pool since the last triathlon.  I passed three people in the water and was pumped to move on to the next portion. My 350 meter swim time was 8:31. I'd cut off 1.5 minutes off of my swim time in a month! The bike portion was good.  I passed a lot of people and only got passed by one guy because I was stuck at a red light.  I yelled out to my team mates and people I knew on the course.  12.5 mile bike time 42:58. I got on my bike and ran out of transition 2. My legs were numb and felt like dead weight.  I've decided I love that feeling.  It makes me push myself so much more than if I felt normal. I passed many people on the run and even caught up to some of my team mates who were ahead of me in the swim.  In past races I've done there has been that one girl that passes me and just flies by and gets my 3rd place spot. Not today! I passed at least a dozen people.  I kept pace with a guy with a bountiful bicycle tri kit on through the bike and run.  At the last mile he started walking and I passed him.  I sprinted to the finish line and felt elated. My run time was 29:18 which at first I was a little upset at myself but then I found out that the run was 3.5 miles not 3.11. Total time 1:22:45. 3rd in my age group! After three 4th places this year I got my 3rd place finish! My coach Lora Erickson also place 1st overall female! Go TBR!