A PR kind of year....

What a racing year! I am so humbled, honestly.  First, let me link up one song that has been my theme all year.  Especially when I decided to pull the trigger on the Ironman Calgary 70.3.  I even heard it as I was cheering the IMCDA.  And just an all around kick butt song to get you going.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y66j_BUCBMY

Ok.  So, this last year was the first year that I trained during the winter.  Usually after my season ends in September, I say peace out and focus on school the rest of the time until like...February.  I enjoyed sleeping in, focusing only on school and eating queso...and more queso...you get the point.  However, I would have to start all over on my fitness.  I found it is easier to maintain than to start over.  Who knew!!

I started this year being challenged to do the YMCA Indoor Ironman by my friend Kelli.  You have the whole month to finish it.  I completed it in 3 days and technically won it.  First done in the fastest time.  I scored a cool track jacket as well.  I picked green because I don't have enough great-for an Irish girl.

My friend Adrienna talked me into a snow packed run called the Snow Joke in Seeley Lake, which I had always wanted to do, yet never signed up, until this year.  So, pretty and there were some miserable times as well.  My hydration belt leaked on my quad and froze it.  So, the last few miles were mind over matter for sure.

This year I also bought my new bike, Fuego- a red Specialized road bike.  I will add picks when I do my Ironman blog.  I named him Fuego because it's red and looks fast.  57 inch frame-this girl has long legs :-)  Soon, because of this bike-which fit me better-I was biking faster-and because of Masters-I was swimming faster-and because of girls making me get out of bed-I was running better.  Thus, after the Grizzly Triathlon PR, I decided to make a silent goal to myself.  I would PR every race I entered.  And I did!  Granted a few were the first time on the course (which counts as a PR!)-only like three races, but nonetheless, I PR'd every race...every damn one.  Only one was a total complete sufferfest.  That was the Spring Meadow Triathlon.  It was so hot.  I was seeing double when I got off the bike.  The first half of the run I twisted my ankle on a rock on the path.  It was slow going after that.  But I finished. There were times I definitely DNC-DID NOT CARE- anymore, but still finished to my friends cheering and my tri partner Diedra running me in.

Here are the bibs from this year's races!

And my medals :-)

On the last 3 miles of my last half marathon-ahead of 2 dudes!

What an amazing year.  Now for more yoga, easy runs, some light rides and only swimming with Masters once-maybe twice a week at times.  No pressure for a couple months!  Also, a time to set new goals and dream big!
Namaste.

It's My Birthday and...

This is a little bit late.  However, I am finally coming off my birthday week of cake and wine.  Yes, the breakfast of champions.  Tricks are for kids.  I had 2 cakes made for me and 2 sets of cupcakes. And I didn't want to be rude.  Pics to follow..but I heard this song this last week on Pandora and it was one of my favorites while living in LA..so here you go.  Plus, there is a girl in the band..so that rocks.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCHCcoPIQpk

So, the birthday was last week.  I planned to go to Fairmont Hot Springs (http://www.fairmontmontana.com/) and have some pool time with some friends.  When got there the outdoor pool was closed, but we made the best of the indoor pool and hot tub.  We cooked dinner at my condo there and then stayed up playing Cards Against Humanity (which is some great politically incorrect fun) and drank champagne.  Next morning we soaked some more and headed off to Bozeman.  I decided a few months ago to ring in my birthday with one of my favorite half marathons. It is such a beautiful race with views of the mountains and horses then goes through town!  My friend Adrieanna jumped on board for the run and met us there.  My friends, Kelli and Tina, were going to be our cheerleaders.

My lucky # 7 (plus 711 sells coffee and doughnuts)

When we got to the running store to pick up our packet, Kelli went right to the pickup at the back of the store.  I finally made my way down there, but was thinking to myself "Kelli, we can pickup our own packets."  Because Kelli is the type to go get them for you.  I got up to the table and I said that to her...and her response..."No, this is my packet." Shock and disbelief.  Why such shock you ask. Because Kelli has had a hell of year.  Before our first half marathon in February, she slipped on ice and broke her ankle in a spiral fracture.  Oh wait, it gets better...er worse.  Then after the prescribed time off she started to become active again, only to find out she has a blood clot.  Another set back of sorts.  Then she had two eye surgeries.  So, needless to say she met her deductible.  Up to this birthday weekend, she had really only ran 3 miles.

I had tears in my eyes and hugged her.  What a great gift, but I was so proud.  I mean she was going to do this and finally was would do a race "together." I joked with her that she would do anything to get out of a race! So, the next morning we all geared up and headed to the start. Later in the race we would see that Tina went out early and made signs along the course.  They were awesome.  She would bike back and forth cheering along the way.  Kelli wasn't too far behind us, maybe a mile? There was one time I saw she was close behind us! So, Adrieanna and I made a goal, if we don't PR this, at least beat the one-legged bandit! We all rocked it! Kelli only finished 10 min behind her last half marathon time, when she had two "good" legs (her words, not mine.)

We ate up and headed home.  What a great weekend with great friends.

And her is a couple of the goodies that my friends made me! Yum!

Kelli's yummy cupcakes

My little buddy and my hot pink cake

Last year wasn't too shabby either.  I ran the NYC Marathon, graduated Graduate school and rocked the Half Ironman Calgary.

Here is to a great year of kicking ass!

The Secrets of Vision Boards

So, in my search of full time employment, it's been a challenge to keep my spirits up.  Looking for a job is a full time job.  Nonetheless, if any of you know someone who works at Nike, please tell them I am pretty cool.  This video is how I feel about those working at Nike.  It is also a pretty cool video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXTlczyWJ-Y

Ok, so this last week after going on another interview (getting pretty good at these... or maybe I am getting worse).  So, naturally I started to think of other ways to bring good "job" energy to my little world besides sending resumes and praying-endlessly.  I thought of a vision board.  Oh and watching The Secret, of course.  I got some mixed reactions to this.  Some believe in this, others not so much.  However, there are many reasons this was probably in my subconscious, one is the fact I made a vision board April 2013.  Yep. I hung it my training room.  I had it taped up on my front door inside so I would always see it.  But then it kept falling down and all I could vision was myself taping it back up.  Hence, it was in my training room.

Of course the poster board is hot pink!

The other day I was in there to get something and I happened to glance at it.  Being outside training I haven't really looked at it.  My draw dropped a little.  First, the girl in one of the pictures is wearing the exact running shoes I would switch to in May 2013.  I had always been a Brooks girl for years, then in May I went to the local running store and told them my feet just felt like they needed a shake up because I was getting shin splints and wanted a different shoe.  Low and behold, he brought out a hot pink pair of Asic Gel Nimbus 14. I truly believe you need to be energized by the color of your running shoe, otherwise, what is the point of spending that $ ;-)  I fell in love with them.  It was like running on pillows! Also, this sealed the deal that hot pink is my signature color! A little product review that I and others have noticed with Asics. The inside of the heel will wear out; thus a good indicator it's time for a new set and for you to be a little annoyed.   But not until you have gotten your well-deserved use, but still.  So, here is a close up of the girl and then a pair of the shoes the sales person brought out.

This is my 3rd and last pair.

I know right!  Ok, so on the board you also see a lot about running.  To keep running and run with your heart.  I was going to focus on running and start fresh with these new shoes.  I just finished a race before buying these and I wanted to get better because I had signed up for a my first marathon in September in Pocatello.  I had always pushed off doing a marathon-it scared me.  However, I would watch the NYC 

Marathon every year on TV.  I had been in the drawing since 2011, only to not make it in.  Then, in May,one month after the vision board and putting running sayings/images on it, I got picked for the NYC Marathon!!! A life long dream came true and how cool that it would be my first marathon.  So, I dropped the September Marathon to a half and began training for NYC. I also documented the journey on Facebook so people could be with me from Week 1 to the Finish Line.

Amazeballs.  

Asic Gel Nimbus 15-NYC 13 edition

Also, you will see that I put pictures for Triathlons as well.  One specifically says "Every Girl Has An Iron Core."  When I cut this out there was very little thought of doing an Ironman.  I had done sprint triathlons-numerous and I was kinda ok with that.  Then in 2014 it aligned.  I pushed myself harder in the pool, entered Masters more regularly, bought a new bike, became friends with Ironman and convinced a good friend to do a Half Ironman with me in Calgary.  I also PR'd every triathlon this year. Before any of this, when I would randomly catch the Ironman on TV, I would only think "hmm looks intense and hmm, looks like something to do that day."  But, so many things from January 2014 on aligned and pushed me to compete in Calgary 2014.

Awesome Sauce.  

So, I am going to make a vision board, with a lot of Nike stuff on it and cute outfits and some pictures of making money and paying off school loans-HA.  Whatever you need to do to get to the next level do it.  My friend recently told me "If it makes you feel uncomfortable, then it is probably right."  So, here is to dreaming (visioning) big.