itasca's oktoberfast 2011 5k

as i'm sure you know, dave & i became triathletes this summer.  we've been training since february and did a race in july and another in august.  at the end of august we went to see my family in georgia.  we have been back for 3 weeks now and things at the gym haven't been going well.  we haven't been in the pool since we were at my grandparent's house, and we have only been to the gym together maybe twice in those 3 weeks.  luckily, dave rides his bike 2 nights a week from home, and i have been taking ian and going to the gym during the day.  we really hoped to squeeze in one more triathlon before the season ended, but the weather in illinois has not been above 70 since we've been home...  and this is the last weekend of triathlon season... so.... guess we'll start again next year!  

so.... i think it was me who had the brilliant idea... let's do a 5k!!!  it'll be SO fun!  i have ran 2 5ks in my entire life-  1.  sophomore year cheerleading camp.  2.  schaumburg triathlon.  both of these had similar results.  i'm not a runner.  i don't love it.  i don't get a "runner's high."  i don't like it.  but what will i be doing at 9 am saturday morning you ask?  running a 5k.  why?  why?  maybe it was the promise of free beer & brats after the race (wait, i don't even like beer!)  maybe it was the free goodies (those are always nice).  whatever it is, i'm crazy... and i'll be running a 5k saturday morning.  not sure if dave & i are running  together or not.  it is fun to have someone to run with, but i definitely would just be holding him back...  we'll see.  so please send luck, prayers, and well wishes this way.  i certainly need them!!!

results on monday?  yes!

and then i ran a triathlon

yes.  me. 

i don't even know when this all began, but it began with my husband.  one night we were sitting in bed and dave said, "i want us to run a triathlon."  i'm sure i thought to myself how insane he was, but he wouldn't let it go, so i did what i always do- i researched it.  and then, somehow... i agreed.  we started training in february spending 6 days a week at the gym.  we chose a race done by our local park district.  5 long months of training, and now i guess we can call ourselves triathletes.  sprint triathletes.  it was tough, but so worth it.  i had 2 goals for the race:  1.  finish.  2.  finish in under 2.5 hours.  i accomplished both!  although i was near the bottom of my age group- i didn't finish last, and i didn't finish last overall! 

swim-  400 m.  the swim was probably the toughest.  i'm not an incredible swimmer- i lack a lot of skill, and i usually end up swallowing water.  we trained pretty hard for the swimming and then discovered 2 days before the race that we had been training in a pool that was HALF the size of the pool we were actually going to swim in, and that we had been swimming HALF the distance.  really, really, really dumb.  so i basically had to swim double what i had been practicing for 5 months.  so dumb.  the water is choppy and it's pretty hard to swim w\ that many people to a lane.  i had a really tough time. 

bike-  15 mi.  i was probably the most prepared for this part.  dave & i had spent the last couple weekends doing rides and we did a few that were around 15 miles that i felt really good about.  it was definitely hard riding w\o someone to cheer you along and push you.  i had to be that for myself.  i had to keep singing "don't stop, don't give up" (from yo gabba gabba) during the tough parts- and it was tough.  very hilly!  i was pretty much dead after the ride, but i was passing people, and that made me feel good!

run-  5k.  this was definitely my weakest event as i am NOT a runner.  i unfortunately wrecked my legs during the bike and was totally unprepared to run.  :(  i ended up speed walking 95% of the run b\c i could hardly use my left leg.  it was also super muggy by that point, but i kept pressing on- i would run when i could, and then walk again.  the "run" went by super quickly, and before i knew it, i was running over the finish line into dave's arms in tears!  i did it!  and while i'm a bit disappointed with my times- i was definitely one of the slowest overall, i just know i need to keep working. 

dave's self-portrait after finishing the race.  he finished in just over 90 minutes!!

 hobbling in on my bike.  boy were my legs wobbly.

 transition 2.  bike to run.  getting my helmet off so i could hit the road again

i had slowed down and realized how close i was!

 run!  run! 

 sweet victory crossing the finish line

after!  we did it!

giveaway extended

just wanted everyone to know that i've extended the date of my giveaway end to thursday 6/2.  come on, people.  it's free stuff- and good free stuff at that!  so you now have until 11:59 pm thursday to enter, if not, maegan will be the lucky winner!  be sure to enter on the actual giveaway page!