Big Update

So much to catch up on!!

First of all, I've been training.  I haven't been perfect but I've kept at it and that makes me happy.

After the Napa Triathlon my Step Son showed a LOT of interest in doing tris so, I signed us both up for a Super Sprint on Memorial Day.  I figured it would be a fantastic first Tri.  It's a 250y swim in a pool, a 6 mile bike and a 2 mile run.  It'll be good fun for me too because it'll give me a chance to feel what it's like to go all out for all three events - something I can do at those distances.

Bike training has been sporadic at best. I know my biking is something I need to work on, but finding time to ride before it gets dark has been a challenge, and weekends have been busy.  Ok - so I'm making excuses.  BUT hubby and I have made some plans this week that'll make sure we get a couple of good rides in this week. I'm excited about it.

Swimming - well it's been non-existent.  That is, until last week :) I After some searching I found a local tri team that sounded really good so I joined!  (Forward Motion Race Club )  Then I found out they do group open water swims on Friday nights so on Friday I showed up and joined in.  It was GREAT!!  It's certainly going to become a regular part of my routine.  I like long open water swims so much better then pool work - although I know the pool work is good for working on specifics like form and lowering stroke count.

Running - that's actually been going really really well.  I've been hitting almost every workout and I'm currently getting better/faster.  Last week was week four of my 1st day to 5k program and I ran a three minute set, followed by a 90 minute recovery walk and then a five minute set.  Although I've ran that many minutes (and more) before, I'm now running those intervals at a less then 12 minute/mile pace.  It's my goal to keep lengthening those intervals without dropping my pace so that eventually I'll be able to run an entire 5K at the sub 12min/mile pace.  After that - I'll be doing a program to keep that same pace for the 10K length!

Outside of training - well you might have noticed I finished another race.  Well I don't know if you would call it a race as much as an 'event'.  We did the Bay to Breakers this weekend.  I have to say, this is certainly something that should be on everyone's life list and everyone should do it at least once just for the pleasure, and a pleasure it was.

Five of us signed up for the race, my hubby, my step-son, my two daughters and me.  We all pretty much started together but my step-son (I) and my youngest daughter (S) decided to run the whole thing and they took off.  Hubby, oldest daughter (C) and I all just walked.  We had a BLAST - even with the heat.

I ended up leaving Hubby and C behind at mile 5 and ran the rest of the race.  It was beautiful! and the last turn to an ocean view and then the race to the finish along the beach was picture perfect.  Even with all of that though the highlight of the day was something I was never expecting...

In the last month or so Hubby and I have become addicted to and inspired by the "Biggest Loser".  I purchased season 6 and we watched the whole thing over a few days.  Then I got a season pass to season 7 and we watched all of it except for the last few episodes that hadn't aired yet.  Friday night we finally got to watch finale.  It was FANTASTIC!  Jerry's weight loss/transformation was just amazing.  So, you can imagine our surprise and happiness when we ran into Jerry on the street before the start of the B2B!




After the race, we ran into him again and the girls wanted to check on how he did.  He said he had a great race and that doing the B2B had always been a dream of his, but that he had always been too heavy... well, he's not too heavy now!  The girls and I got another picture just cause we could!


As for our results:

Step-son(I) was first to finish for the family with a time of 01:28:56

This was the first race for him of this length, and considering the crowd and the hill - I thought he did really well and I was proud of him.

Daughter (S) was next with a time of 01:41:42

This was her first race EVER and at 15 with no training other then months and months of soccer I thought she did EXCELLENT.  She even pushed through an asthma attack that started at mile 7.  She said she didn't want to stop she wanted to finish running.  That's my girl!

I was next with a time of 02:25:55

As I said, I wasn't out to 'race' this one (maybe next year).  And I even stopped along the way a few times (Including a long stop at a chevron to get some water since the water stop was out.)

Hubby came in at 02:39:32

He's been battling planter fasciitis and I was proud of him for finishing at all - at one point a few weeks ago he thought he was going to have to drop.

and then my oldest (C) finished 02:43:25

She had set herself a goal of finishing in less then three hours, and she did!

Overall - it was an excellent family filled day -- the worse part?  the three mile walk from the finish line to catch muni back to the start.  :P