Back to Decatur

Well, it's been a little over 4 months since my last big race in Decatur.  Since the Grasslands 50 miler, I have been doing a lot of what I want to do not what I have to do (i.e.. not following any type of training plan)...and it has been AWESOME!  I have been doing some races here and there - a couple of triathlons, a couple 5k's, Collin Classic bike rally in McKinney and now back to Decatur for the Eighter from Decatur bike rally.

I had heard about this rally last year from a friend that had done it and I didn't even realize it existed or I would have been there last year!  Last year was the first time that they had hosted it, so I was keeping an eye out for this year and registered as soon as I found it.  A couple of reasons I wanted to do it, A) it is super close to my parent's house (same reason I chose my 50 miler out there) B) it got great reviews C) I have always wanted to ride out there where mom and dad live.

So I talked my friend Catherine into signing up and going with me.  She's usually pretty easy to talk into stuff these days as long as it doesn't involve running.  So we signed up and made plans to drive the 90 minutes over for the 8:00 start.  It really wasn't too bad - drive wise...we even saw a herd of wild pigs and piglets on our way!

Getting ready to head out with Catherine

Small crowd of 300

So we got our shirts (which I LOVE -- super soft) and got our bib numbers and got ready to head out.  It was a crowd of 300 they said, up a hundred from the previous year, yet so much nicer than the 1000 people you have to fight at Collin Classic.

Aid Station #2 View

So off we rode into the hills of Decatur...I had looked at the route and had an idea of where we would be riding. I read the reviews and knew the first part was super nice road, the last part was hills and chip seal...I didn't tell Catherine any of that, until we were on our way up.  We have bad memories of chip seal from a few other bike rallies...

Honestly, I don't know what they were talking about hills being worse after mile 30.  The hills pretty much sucked from mile 1...and they were continuous...You would think you were at the top and it would round a corner and you were still climbing.  Maybe people thought that by mile 30 you were so tired, the hills sucked more.  I can see that, because they did.  But they weren't awful - okay some of them were...mostly large rollers...I couldn't decide what I should do, power up them fast and get it over with or go up slower and save my legs...I chose the faster option because I hated to prolong the agony.

The first 36 miles were on beautiful super smooth roads with beautiful views.  The aid stations were stocked with homemade cookies, pickles, pickle juice, water, Gatorade, oranges, and bananas.  Most of them were at the local churches which I thought was neat.

After mile 36, literally 15 seconds after Catherine comments about how wonderful the roads have been, boom, we hit chip seal.  Now this chip seal was really not that bad at all...totally do able...I have been on so much worse...I really couldn't complain because we had the best roads for 36 miles and this really wasn't that bad...

These look yummy...

And these too...I can't imagine why I don't lose weight on these bike rides.

This was just one of about a gazillion beautiful views from the ride.

Miles 36-48 took us through the little town of Greenwood (which has the best hamburgers and fries if you are ever there - check out the Greenwood Grocery) and on down to Oak Grove UMC (one of the neatest little churches around - been to many services there and Stuart was even baptized there - but I digress...)

Once we hit mile 50, we hit smooth, glass roads again and 3 miles later we were at the airport finish line!  Boom!

They actually had a finish line (first one I have been to that did) and also Boy Scouts handing out our medals and when I crossed George Strait was playing over the loud speakers.  Seriously...does it get any better - a medal, a great ride, your best friend, and George Strait...The even had a free BBQ lunch afterwards.

Catherine coming in the finish line.

Love the medal....

So after the best day of riding...now that the hills were over...we met up with my dad and went to have lunch in town at Casa Torres - best Mexican food in Decatur.

Dad doesn't smile for selfies...but he was glad to see me...I think :-)

It really was the best rally...the course was definitely CHALLENGING.  Now my perspective is probably different from others. I don't normally ride a lot of hills.  I ride some here and there but hills and I aren't friends - I did feel strong on the hills today for some weird reason.  This was a lot of hills for me - and I wasn't the only rider complaining of them.  Catherine saw a guy walking his bike up one of them towards the end.  

I'm pretty sure it was all up hill and this is lying...

So, would I do this course again...In a heartbeat. I will definitely be back next year because of the awesome race, but another super cool thing at the end was when we found out who the race was benefiting - Raquel's Wings .  They are a non-profit that flies people down to MD Anderson for cancer treatments who normally wouldn't be able to make it.  The man that runs it was doing it out of his own money for a while using his own plane.  Amazing.  He was even out there working the race.

So thank you Decatur!

Hot Rocks 56 miler

   

I stepped out of my little box that I have made for myself and joined the cyclist community today with a bunch of friends.  A few of us had decided to ride this a month or so ago.  I needed it as a training ride for that half ironman in 41 days and 12 hours...but who is counting...

Lucky for me I can always check their website and know exactly how long until D-Day....

There were 4 of us gals (Catherine, Teri, and Kristi, and I) and Catherine's husband and his friends.

We met at 5:45am and headed to Rockwall.  Got there in plenty of time and it was very laid back.  Not like the triathlon morning crowd where everyone is busy getting transition set up and using the bathrooms...Pretty much everyone just hung out at their car until it was time to go ride. 

Hanging out, not really sure what the hell we had signed up for...
Teri, Kristi, Me, and Catherine

 When we made our way to the start line, it looked like this:

Look at all those bikes in front of me!!! And there were a gazillion more behind me...

Aren't they cute? How could you not want to ride with these biker chicks!

Not long after taking the pic of my biker chick friends, I go to put my sunglasses on and they break! Oh well, I have had them for years but they are my favorite pair and now I am left with nada.  

So off we go, and the first few minutes were nerve wracking for me, because you couldn't clip in both feet because there were so many people.  You had to one leg it and I was so sure I was going to fall and knock down like 30 dudes.  I felt like such a rookie! Totally out of my element.  I wanted to go and find a big bunch of trees and go run out in the forest!  

We eventually get going and somehow we all got separated.  I eventually caught up to speedster Catherine (only because she waited at the rest stop).  We kept looking for Teri and Kristi and never saw them again. They were doing the 45 miler and so we knew they would cut off at some point but I thought we would see them along the way.  About mile 20, we got into a group and rode with them for several miles and it was so much fun.  I love drafting!  So much easier.  Eventually, we got out of that and stopped at another rest stop and continued on.  The hills were endless on this course and if I never see another hill again while riding a bike, I would be totally okay with that.  I may have cussed them out loud while going up them...(Sorry Mom...Catherine made me) By mile 30, I was telling myself "only 26 more miles" and for some reason that would sound easy and then I would think a little longer and realize that meant I was only half way done!  So I then decided it was not in my best interest to think in fractions.  I got to 30 and my next goal was 40...from 30-40 was the hardest mentally for me.  We continued to hit the aid stations and cuss hills until we got to 51 and from there on in it was smooth sailing.  No more stupid asphalt roads or hills...I will never take for granted concrete roads again. 

We got to the finish line and it was so anti-climatic. I guess as a runner/triathlete I am spoiled by everyone cheering you on at the finish.  In fact, I was a little pissed.  I worked way too hard to ride straight off the course and to my car.  No finish line, no cheers, no goat signs, nada, zip, nothing...not even any people! So we loaded up our bikes and went to the food area and loaded up on sandwiches and Blue Bell banana fudge pops...They don't have Blue Bell at running stuff, so that is a plus! 

Overall, I had a lot of fun.  I have been working hard on figuring out my nutrition on this bike thing and I think I have it figured out now.  That was my 3rd 50 miler bike ride, and the last two I have been feeling fine because I actually ate while riding!  Amazing how that works!  

I am really looking forward to the half ironman....I say that now...I may not say that in 41 days and 20 hours though!

BEST. RACE. EVER.

Well for some reason I was so nervous going into this race.  I don't know why.  I knew I was capable of the distances on all 3 events...I guess I was nervous because I hadn't done a triathlon in a very long time...Maybe a little nervous I wouldn't be even close to the times I was when I quit racing triathlons.  I didn't want to disappoint myself, but at the same time - I wasn't really sure what to expect.  The more I sat around and looked at the water...The more nervous I got about the swim....1500m is a long way...at least when you are looking at buoys in a canal and not the end of the nicely manicured pool lane.

Me and DK before the swim trying to figure out a way to hop out of the canal and jump in at the last buoy and swim back from there.  That has to be legal right?

Crap...I really have to swim this stupid thing...

OMG....Here goes nothing....I am going to die...

So I met DK early at the race, got everything set up in transition and went and waited by the canal. It would be a two loop bike and two loop run course.  I liked that.  So we get in the water and tread water a few minutes out to the kayak start and immediately my goggles fog up.  I am trying to fix them and not drown and the lady yells "10 seconds!" What in the world?  I'm not gonna be ready in 10 seconds...doesn't she know that? Slight panic attack...more fixing of goggles...more fogging. "5 seconds!"  AHHHHHH!  I'm gonna die right here before we even start!  "Go!"  Well crap!  Here we go..my goggles are still foggy and now they are leaking water because I didn't get them back on good!  These goggles have never done this to me and now they are rebelling against a swim I didn't want to do either.  My goggles and I fought the whole 1500m.  I must have stopped 4 or 5 times to clear them and finally said screw it...I am just going to sight every 5th stroke and I'll be fine.  I could see out of a little slit at the bottom of them and that was just going to have to do.  Thank goodness for my friend DK - she stayed with me and reminded me to calm down and just breathe and that she would look out for me if I couldn't see.  I have such awesome friends!  I knew my other Olympic swim times ranged from 29 min - 45 min.  I hit this one it at 36 which was way better than I expected with all the goggle issues!  If my goggles had cooperated, I think I could have done better, but I was happy with that time.

Off on the bike with DK!

So we get in from the swim and head out on the bike. It was hard to stay together on this part because you can only stay so close without getting a drafting penalty so we just went and met in transition afterwards.  We finished within about a minute of each other and it worked out perfectly.  I had already decided that I was gonna wait for her no matter what because she had totally saved me on the swim and I knew she wanted to do this race together if possible because it was her first triathlon of this distance.

So back we go out on the run portion...I was so looking forward to this.  I have gotten to where I think running might be my strongest portion of the triathlon although I really like the bike too.  So off we go.  

Out on the first loop - 

What in the world have you talked me into? We have to do this loop again?

Loving the run...almost done!

I may or may not have been posing for the camera...that or I run like this...

Finished the race and came in at 3:19!  So thrilled with that time!  Out of my 4 Olympic races, that is the second fastest time!  So happy with that!  Maybe I can still hang after all! Don't get me wrong, I am never gonna win my age group or anything, but as long as I can be competitive with myself I am so happy!  

Congratulatory hug from Drum who totally rocked her Sprint and got first in her AG!

I survived!!!

Drum, TPG, and DK - ROCKSTARS!

Elizabeth rocked it out!

I had so much fun today and I must say that we had the biggest and best cheering crowd out there!  There were so many friends either racing or cheering!  Big kudos to Chad and Kim and Kristi for doing their first triathlon!  So awesome!  And Drum, Elizabeth, Amy, and DK for completing their tri's too!  Thank you so much to everyone that came out and cheered - Elaine, Libby, Erin, Gretchen, Marci, Staci, Michelle, and Mama C!  Special thanks to Mama C for all these pictures!  

What a difference 3 years make!  I am so thankful to be where I am right now!  So many fun people, so much support! 

And I will repay the favor of the cheering squad!  You let me know the next race and I am all over it!  It was so uplifting to see everyone out there when they could have been out running, biking, swimming, or sleeping in...and I know all of these girls would have been out there working out some how if they weren't in Las Colinas cheering and that means a whole lot!  Time is precious and the fact that you spent your Sunday morning out there did not go unnoticed!  I love each and everyone of you all!

Love me some E!!!!

Best Cheering Crew! One thing is for sure, you can't miss them! :-)

They even look cute from behind!  

Queens of the Road - Rocking the Relay!

Well let me start by saying I have wanted to do this race for a few years now, but I couldn't find enough girls to do it with me. They all thought I was crazy (go figure).  So when I joined NTX runners, last spring and found out the Libby usually coordinates a team, I was all over it!  I had been looking forward to this race for a very long time!

We left out of D/FW airport in our rental vans about 10:30ish.  We had two vans each carrying 5 great girls and some pretty awesome guys who agreed to drive us for 3 days while we ran and giggled and stunk! (I think they might have gotten the worst job of them all, at least we got to run!)

Stopped at Rudy's along the way for some lunch.

Lunch - yum, yum!

The whole gang...drivers and all

Me - so excited on the way down to Bastrop from my perch in the back seat - obviously had no idea what I was about to do...

On we go to Bastrop and checked into the Holiday Inn and made a quick trip to Walmart for some last minute snacks and decorations for the vans.  Apparently we planned on eating our weight in Oreos, Pringles, and candy because I came home with so much food!  

These "accidentally" fell in my basket at Walmart when I realized I would be rooming with Corina for the night.  She might have a hatred for the lizard...I am working on getting her to overcome that by scaring her in hotel rooms with tiny lizards during race weekends...so far - no luck, just lots of screaming...

Next stop was to find some place for dinner and we went to the Texas Grill where I must say they have the best french fries ever.  ( I will admit most of the food I ate on this trip was the best ever - I think I was really hungry!)

Happenin' Joint in Bastrop

Then it was back to the hotel to decorate our vans before hitting the packet pickup/pre race party.

Van Decorating...Never underestimate the power of a hot pink star when you are running! I was so glad to see those stars many times!

Van #1 - Ready for some craziness!

Then we get back to the hotel and start getting ready for bed and our 4:20 wake up!  I couldn't sleep - too excited - nerves...Finally fell asleep about midnight...That would be last the sleep I would have until 5:30 Sunday morning.  

So Saturday morning we were up and out the door by 5 am.  With a 6:10 am race start and a 30 minute drive out to the race start, it was an early morning, but we made it.  

Van 1 Bright and Early!

The starting line at 6:00 in the morning...

So they announce our team start and shoot the cannon and off we run as a whole team for the prologue (about .3 miles) and then Kristi takes off on the first leg in the dark by herself!  

The weird thing about this race as opposed to other races, very rarely are you around other runners.  You are on your own.  You have to know your turns, streets, directions...Most turns were marked, but some weren't.  I took my map of each leg with me when I ran.  I was terrified of getting lost and not knowing it!

Van 1 went back to the hotel and grabbed our stuff and a quick breakfast, while Van 2 ran the first few legs and we met up with them about 2 hours later.  Then we all worked together to take care of the runners and leapfrog them every mile to make sure they were okay and if they needed water.  

My family for the weekend! Van #1 peeps!

Love these two! And who is that good looking one on the right? :-)

Waiting for Fiona to come in off her first relay leg with our Van #2 peeps! Wish we would have gotten to hang with them more!

Fiona looking strong at the end of her leg!

Lesley taking off! 

Loved meeting and talking to Liz!  Great team - great new friends!

Beautiful scenery along this part of the relay!

We continue with our running leapfrogging each runner at every mile and at each exchange point.  After Van #2 had finished their morning relay legs, they went to grab some food and our van took over for a while.  By this time, it was getting really hot and VERY humid.  Most of our running was done more on small 2 lane highways where it was just radiating heat.  We had to change the plan at that time and go from leapfrogging the runner every mile to every 1/2 mile.  It worked out really well.  At every 1/2 mile my peeps would meet me with water, ice, S caps, wet towels, anything you needed. You just took it and continued on and they would meet you down the next 1/2 mile.  I think a lot of teams underestimated the heat because we were actually supporting a lot of runners who were out of water and/or wanted wet towels.  We saw at least 3 ambulances in the afternoon.  After Van 2 got some grub, they met right back up with us and we continued leapfrogging.  It was really a team effort with both vans. It was wonderful to be met at the 1/2 miles with cowbells and horn honks and water and ice. I love my team!  

We continued on into the afternoon running, leapfrogging, cheering, and sweating.  On Saturday I ran 2 legs during the afternoon.  I had at 1:00 pm ( 4.35 miles), and then again at 4 pm (3.86 miles).  The second one was harder than the first, but I got it done.  

Leg 1- done

Sharon waiting to run at the exchange point.

The map of my relay leg 2.  These are the directions you would get.

Waiting on Sharon to come into Weimer, TX!

Main Street Weimer, TX

Best cupcake ever...

There she is!!! Sharon coming into the exchange point!

We continued on leapfrogging and running all through the afternoon and night.  Sometimes our van would be the runners, sometimes it was our other van.  We were all leapfrogging and cheering and supporting each runner through every 1/2 mile (unless we were grabbing some real food from somewhere).  Our van ate breakfast about 7 am remember, but we didn't eat again until about 6 or 7 that night other than what we had in the van.  

Van #1 Ready to Run!

Van We took over for Van #2 and ran our night legs.  I wound up running from about 12:45-1:30 Sunday morning along a little FM road in the middle of absolutely nowhere.  Just had my headlamp and some reflective gear and knew that on the map I had no turns so as long as I stayed on that road for 5 miles I would get to where I was supposed to be.  Every 1/2 mile our van would be waiting for me - the other van was on break and back at the hotel to get their big 2 hours of sleep in a real bed before relieving us later.  At every 1/2 mile, Luis (our driver/Amanda's husband) was on the side of the road waving his huge flashlight that you could see from 3 miles away I swear.  I would just tell myself "Make it to the light, make it to the light."  I felt like a bug!  Every time he was there, with water.  The girls were pretty tired and asleep in the van but good ol' Luis was amazing.  I was running my 5 miler in the dark and the first stop, he gave me water and asked if I needed anything and I told him I just needed to catch the guy in front of me...I figured that would give me a goal and I wouldn't think about what in the world I was doing.  The guy was far enough ahead that it was going to be a real challenge, but I could tell by the distance of his headlamp that I was gaining on him so I made it into a game. I also knew that I had to be on the lookout for little night animals on the road.  We had seen snakes and stuff already.  Fabulous! So I finally made it to him and kept on trucking.  Met Luis again, more water, more running, beat another guy...by mile 4 I was exhausted.  This was my fastest relay leg - probably because I was afraid of the chupa and I was trying to make a game out of it by catching up  to people.  I get to mile 4 and Luis tells me that the guy that just past him a ways up is walking and that I can catch him...Well great...I was really okay with taking it easy the last mile, but now I have to go catch that dude - Okay, I don't have to - but it sure would be cool if I did... :-) Of course the guy started running and I had to sprint a long time but finally got there and ran on to the finish.  Luis started laughing when I told him I beat the guy, I on the other hand told him that if I threw up at that point it was his fault because I had to haul buns to try and do that! :-) Totally worth it though - made that last mile go by much faster - Thank you, Luis!

Exchange point in the middle of the night...

There goes Mama C into the dead of night with way too much happiness!

I may have been delirious here from no sleep.  We were going on 25 hours of no sleep and I was pumped because I was out of the dark and done outrunning the little night creatures.

We continued on in this manner and Van #2 returned fresh off a whopping 2 hours of hotel room sleep and took over and we headed to the hotel, showered, hopped in bed at 5:30am woke up at 7:30 am - grabbed some breakfast from the lobby and were out the door to meet our van peeps and take over at 9 to start running again.  We ran the legs on Sunday from about 9 - 3.  It was hot and humid, but our vans rocked and rolled and helped everyone!

Mama C taking pictures of me taking pictures of her!

Lesley finishing strong on her last leg.

Van 1 peeps meeting Elaine on mile 3 of her 6 miler.  Taking care of each other. It was like this the whole time! I really loved the cohesiveness and teamwork we all put in.  It was like a little family.

Me waiting for Elaine at mile 4.  I was bored...

Waiting at the exchange point in downtown Houston for Elizabeth.

Don't ask...

There is Miss Elizabeth...Rocking out 9 straight miles in the afternoon heat like the rockstar that she is.

 Then van #2 finished off the last 3 legs of the race and we were done! 

Corina finishes leg 39 and still has energy to hook 'em...

Fiona and Kristi bring it in for the team together and finish Leg 40.

There it is...

Never been so happy to see a monument in my life.

 It took us 34 hours and 58 minutes, but the Queens of the Road were at the San Jacinto Monument and we had run 203 miles from Bastrop to Houston!

DONE! 203 glorious miles!

Stats...

I am so thankful for all the girls on our team, the drivers, and all their support!  I love each and everyone of you girls and I am so proud of all us.  I can't wait until next year!