Catching up to...5150 Giant Eagle 2nd Place!

I added this race to my schedule very last minute.  I have had a standing invitation from dear friends in Ohio to come and do this race and I was finally able to make it work with the schedule. So what's been happening since Dallas? Here is a brief overview:

I traveled to Syracuse 70.3 to race with my sister.

  I was coming off a foot injury that I sustained during an early season Half Marathon on concrete. This injury  had kept me from being able to accumulate any run volume heading into the race in addition to three weeks off running.  As we were trying to sort out what the issue was; I received many dry needles (fyi, this is very unpleasant in the foot!) and was finally fit for custom orthotics by Specialized Physical Therapy.  This did the trick! Syracuse was a more than tough course.  With the intense mile and a half climb per loop on the run course, I am pretty sure I won't be returning to this venue regardless of how great the bike was! Next up was Boulder Peak. I knew that morning that registering for this race might have been a mistake. My nerves where shot by the time transition was set up and it was not regarding my own race; it was on behalf of my two pro's racing that day in the Pro Field!  I had to chuckle at myself.  It really is a beautiful thing to be so invested in someone else's dreams... As I was running onto the dam, I saw that the Pro Men were in the water and I was breaking my neck to try and find Alex in the water! I did enjoy myself on the course even though I hate that course ;) and had a good training session regardless.

Now to Ohio! For as long as I have been racing, it amazes me how I continue to learn from my experiences at each race.  I went into this race with ZERO expectations. I wanted to just head to Ohio and enjoy time with Jim and Tracy Aust on their 150 acres and just catch up with them.  When I woke up Saturday morning it was pouring rain! My Pre-race workout consisted of a short, wet, 15 min run, feeding the horse and llamas, collecting eggs from the chickens and cutting sunflowers.

 Not my typical pre-race workout!  I was so relaxed, no nerves; it was awesome!

Race morning came and the skies had cleared and it was perfect racing temperature. Once again, I was just there to do what I love to do... Race. I had a very solid swim, but heading onto the bike, I have to admit, I lost focus a bit. This typically doesn't happen but given the circumstances, I can see why I was just taking in my surroundings.  When I headed out on the run, I got in a real good clip and was feeling good.  The view of downtown Columbus from the River Walk was absolutely breath taking!  I am pretty sure if I had my phone I would have stopped and taken a photo! I started to really push the second half of the run and finished strong.  So what happened? I set a new PR of 2:26 and finished in 2nd place F 40-44.

 What?? Well, I did run better than Boulder because I was able to start working on speed but that was only a couple sessions... NO. That is not it at all.  I am just out there doing what I love and when I can have a clear relaxed mind; things just go better. It's all about having fun! I tell my husband all the time.."I'm too old to do things I don't like to do" and it's true!  I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family, great friends, talented athletes, and awesome sponsors and still be able to have fun doing what I love to do! Thanks especially to TIMEX and PowerBar!