Today I am struggling lots with this new food plan. Ruth graduated from Cortiva last night so I met her and some friends for a drink before, and then we all went out for dinner after. I usually go through the majority of my daily point allotment before dinner and yesterday was no exception even though I earned more through working out. By the time we made it to the restaurant, I was HUNGRY and did not make the best choice when ordering my dinner. The good news is that I managed to not eat it all like I would have in the past, but the bad news is that I used up my weekly point bank when the night was done.

Went to 24 Hour Fitness this morning and got in a weight workout.

Core @ 00:15:00
Upper Weights @ 00:30:00

I also understand that I still have a lot of growing to do around the immediacy of gratification. This first week, I have nothing to show for my efforts and still have this mindset that I have a deficit from my Ironman from 2 weeks ago. Ruth packed me a great lunch today but I was still feeling super tired and hungry this afternoon and finally broke into my granola cereal. Tip for myself for next time. Start with half a cup, rather than just going for the whole (10 point) double serving! Now I am in a deficit for the week and it is only 4 PM. We are going for a nice bike ride around the South end of the lake after work so I will be able to literally earn my dinner!

Had a beautiful ride around the South end of the lake!

32 Mile Ride @ 02:00:00

Yesterday was a pretty intense day between lots of competing demands at work and then class. I had a sandwich before class started but was very hungry by the time class was over at 9 PM. Fortunately, Ruth talked me down from going to a drive through and suggested her trick -- eat cottage cheese with salsa stirred in. I resisted because it sounded gross BUT I did try it and was pleasantly surprised! Yum :)

This morning was distance day in the pool and I led a set of 10x50's in the fast girl lane and then happily went to the back for the remainder of the workout. I also noticed my shoulders this morning from yesterday's chatterongas :)

2500 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

Got in a super easy run around Greenlake after. I used to hate those bricks but apparently I have developed some sort of pain tolerance because I did it voluntarily this morning.

3.2 Mile Run @ 00:31:00

Between work and homework, I did not get a lift in after work as I had planned but it's all good :) This is recovery week! Last night, Ruth stocked my kitchen with healthy groceries AND even cut up fruits and a salad for me. I have no excuses to drink cheap wine and eat frozen waffles and ice cream for dinner.

Went to yoga class this morning and my instructor was glad to point out that I am naturally talented at Chattaronga (Pausing when lowering in pike position). I think that she was relieved that there was actually something I could do properly! Everything else...not so much.

Yoga Class @ 01:15:00

It has been a stressful afternoon with competing demands and I have already blown through all my points (allotted 22 per day = 1100 calories). However, that is okay because the program gives me extra ones to use as needed through the week, and I earned more from working out. I found this guy's blog yesterday and liked it so much, I added it to my favorite bloggers.

Made it this morning to swim practice! Whoop whoop :) Got some nice reinforcement for my Ironman finish last week and then got my fanny kicked swimming with the fast girls.

2200 Swim Practice @ 00:55:00

Made it to core class too. Good start to the week!

Core Class @ 00:30:00

I really thought about not putting this on my blog but it is an important part of my training and I need to put it all out there. The photos from my recent race were just the wake up call I needed. I have trained for this race for so many months/weeks/hours and even though I did really kick ass and am proud of my achievement, I felt shame when looking at the pictures. I have a pretty healthy body image and have always been very happy to boast about kicking skinny girls' asses :) However, I want to make a change and after many many attempts to do it on my own, I re-joined Weight Watchers this morning and committed to the program for one year.

Their new Momentum program looks like a good one and emphasizes nutrition over 0 calorie foods. Here I go!

Got in an easy run this afternoon.

6.5 Mile Run @ 01:07:00

I am definitely feeling a bit of post-Ironman depression and an uncertainty about my next goal although it has been pointed out that starting an MBA program might be enough for now. It isn't.

Went for a nice recovery ride today around the North end of the lake. Rode from home up (and up) 75th street, over to 70th and then on the trail and over Juanita. Then went across Mercer Island (the short side) and ended up taking 15th home. I also kept with using my timer to eat/drink every 15 minutes.

I felt really great and enjoyed the ride very much!

40 Mile Ride @ 02:45:00

Had a rather hilly swim this morning in the lake but it was a great way to start the day!

1.2 Mile Swim @ 00:50:00

Got a lift after work.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core @ 00:10:00

Was in bed by 8 PM last night and the alarm woke me up at 6. Got on my rollers and did an easy ride.

11.5 Mile Roller Ride @ 00:50:00

Complete slacker day. Did nothing but work.

Went to Yoga this morning with Oma and learned that my hamstring flexibility issues are not hereditary...

It felt really really really good to stretch!

Yoga Class @ 01:15:00

Driving and Recovery Day

Ironman Coeur d'Alene Race Report 2009

Here's the stats in case the report is too long to wade through.

Total Time 13:24:52
Division Place 55 out of 121
Swim Division Place 51
Swim Time - 1:21:52
T1 - 10:27
Bike Division Place - 73
Bike Time - 07:01:27
Bike Pace - 15.9
T2 - 6:23
Run Division Place - 51
Run Time - 4:44:50
Run Pace - 10:53

Pre-Race Ruth, Oma and I drove to Idaho early Friday morning to make the check in deadline. We then headed to the sweet condo that Ruth found for us right on the lake and then went back into town for some sushi and groceries before getting a good night's sleep.

I studied a bit on Saturday (did I mention my first MBA class started 6/23) while Ruth went to find a gym and Oma ruled her properties in Atlanta from her ever ringing cell phone. We then all went into town so I could drop off my bags and bike. There was a small wear mark on my tire and after getting it looked at in the tech tent, I was quickly convinced to have them replace it. Managed to get my bike racked on time but then had to wait because Oma insisted that it needed a "rain coat" and there was no stopping her until she got one. Fortunately, the volunteer understood and let me in with a sympathetic pat to the back :)

Ruth made Vegas spaghetti for dinner and we had that with some fresh Mussels. YUM!

RACE DAY:
We were out the door at 4:45 and it was already light outside! I was a little chilly walking around and wished I had a cap to wear but was okay without it. Good to remember for next time. I did tell Oma that I really did not NEED it and no one had to get hurt in order for me to find one. Definitely getting nervous about the race and Ruth kept after me to breathe.

SWIM - 1:21:52
Ruth zipped me up and I headed towards the beach to begin the swim. I was feeling a little less escalated -- so much so that I was surprised when the start gun went off. Still adjusting my goggle strap, I walked towards the water in a crowd and started swimming. That was the most chummy (pun intended) I had ever experienced in an open water swim. My first split was actually faster I believe because I was drafting off the massive pack I could not seem to shake the first lap. They had us come out of the water and run on the beach before plunging back in for the second half. And there was Oma, right in front with her gold glittery glowing visor yelling for me as she took my picture. Finished the swim in my usual average time even with the extra waves.

T1 - 10:27
Got my wetsuit stripped by the volunteers before getting my bag (note: next time put something on the bag to really make it stand out) and jogging to the changing tent. Ate a banana in there and decided to wear the arm warmers even though it was actually sunny outside.

Bike - 07:01:27
I really did LOVE that bike course! The weather was just perfect (for me) and the combination of flats and rollers were interesting, a bit challenging and quite beautiful. I did have to stop at the porta potties three times for some GI issues but did a much better job keeping myself aero on the bike even though my back started to hurt right away instead of waiting for the first 50 miles to be done. Pretty sure that was from working so hard to stay above the waves in the swim. Set the timer on my watch for 15 minutes and ate Simbrie's and drank Perpetum with discipline the entire time. Also loved the Kimbap Oma made me for my special needs bag. YUM. The rain held off the entire ride although the winds really did pick up for those who were out there longer (for example, me). When I got off the bike in the transition area, I could not straighten up my back and hobbled towards my bag and then the changing area.

T2 - 6:23
Declined the first offer of help from a volunteer but then did accept the next offer after wrestling way too long with my bra. She was fabulous and took off my shoes and socks and helped me get into my running shoes. Ruth had yelled to me when I finished the bike that I had hit my target on the bike, was doing great and was going to OWN the run because that was MY thing.

Run - 4:44:50
The first three miles were very painful. My lower back hurt, my sides hurt and my pace was jagged and slow. I reminded myself that my runs never feel good the first three miles and to get past that point before obsessing. Then things started to feel better and better and even though I had little aches along the way, I remembered Cheryl's words from the 50 miler about focusing on things that did not hurt. It worked! The rain started to really come down the second half and I scoffed (nicely) at offers of rainjackets from the volunteers. "I am from Seattle, this is perfect" I boasted :) I was so happy to have those long runs in my pocket and when I started to feel whiny, I reminded myself of some of the crazy runs Barbara Rose and I had done in the cold snow! Saw Ruth, Oma, Cheryl and Ann (who had driven up that day for the finish) at the end of my first loop. Had to get Oma to stop running with me although I doubt anyone would have believed that this tiny Korean woman in huge sunglasses, purse a flying, a glitter gold visor, red raincoat and sweatpants 3 sizes too large that she had just purchased to wear over her dress pants when she got cold....was actually pacing me :) I did feel really good during the run and kept up the eating and drinking. This was the first time I had ever actually RUN an Ironman run and was loving it! My goal was to finish under 14 hours but when I realized that I might even finish under 13:30, I was super motivated to keep the pace up.

FINISH - 13:24:52
Entered the finish with a real smile. I could not believe my time and felt the best I ever have crossing an IM finish line! Having my family and friends there to cheer me on meant so much to me and I consider it one of the very best weekends of my life.

I was a bit pressed for time this morning so I did my ride on the rollers.

40 Mile Ride @ 02:21:00 (17 mph ave)

Then went for a run after and was very very very disgustingly stinky when I finally finished.

6.5 Mile Run @ 01:05:00

Made it through core class today :)

Core Class @00:30:00

Then I went to the first Open Water Swim race and did my first 2.4 mile swim in two years! I was pretty nervous going in but did all right. I got a little cranky when I could not sight because of the sun and zig-zagged a bit too much :(

2.4 Mile Swim @ 01:22:00

Woke up with a wicked headache so I worked from home. The headache went away by lunch so I got in a bike hill workout and rode from home to do hill repeats on 65th and 70th. There were no repeats after I barely made it through 1x each. But because it was hilly, I took a not exactly direct ride home to get in some more hills. Even saved a little wandering dog along the way and took him back to his home :)

10 Mile Ride @ 01:00:00

Then got in a lift before meeting up with friends for a delicious dinner!

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00

I really got my butt kicked this morning in swim practice in the big kids lane. The main set was 3x (4x75 pull and 500 free descending). My goal the first 500 was to not get dropped and I hung in there until the last 100. By halfway through the second 500, my goal dropped to not getting lapped. I did manage to make it... Fortunately we did not have enough time for the last 500 but of course, we did 300. I was whooped.

2650 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

Then went for one of the slowest runs ever around Greenlake...

3.2 Mile Run @ 00:30:00

Yoga was really good this morning!

Yoga @ 01:15:00

Then after my appointment in the late afternoon, Ruth and I went for a really nice ride around Mercer Island. What a beautiful evening for a ride! I rode home afterwards.

27.5 Mile Ride @ 01:55:00

Today was just one of those days :( I skipped my 15 mile run yesterday in favor of nesting and enjoying a nice Sunday at home with the plan to run home after work on Monday to get in the mileage.

I missed the bus in the morning to get in a lift and go to core class but I did a lift at home and felt really good about the workout I was able to patch together.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core @ 00:30:00

Then work exploded and I was not able to run home, or even get in a run :( I just had to let the run go after way too much consternation...

So glad to be back to MY kind of weather! Cool and cloudy :)

Had a nice lazy morning with Ruth before finally getting my butt to Marymoor to ride a hilly 70 mile route. Had a great ride and worked hard to get aero whenever I could. Got some really nice tailwind gifts that were taken back at the end of the ride but my spirits were high. Also set the timer on my watch to go off every 15 minutes to remind me to eat something and I followed it throughout. It really did make a difference (thanks Cheryl for meeting with me and drilling that in).

70 Mile Ride @ 04:26:00 (15.8 mph)

I ran out of water by the end of the ride and cut my run down to 20 minutes rather than the 40 minutes that I was supposed to do. At least I did complete my first brick in...about 2 years...

2 Mile Run @ 00:20:00

Swim practice this morning was a great workout and I really worked to get in three dolphin kicks off the wall during the sprint set. I even got a compliment from the coach :) Left a little early to get everything together for Core Class and managed to get there on time.

2000 Swim Practice @ 00:45:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

After work, I hopped on my bike and rode to the gym to get in a lift before weenie-ing out and putting my bike on the bus to head home. I rationalized it by telling myself I needed fresh legs for tomorrow.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00

I got in a run this morning down and around Greenlake. Beautiful morning and I was glad to get it in before the heat hits!

5.5 Mile Run @ 00:52:00

Met Ann this morning for a beautiful open water swim at Greenlake and then commuted to and from work. A great day!

Open Water Swim @ 00:45:00

Bike Commute @ 01:50:00

Today was yoga and only yoga :)

Yoga @ 01:15:00

Got in a lift and core class at the gym this morning and then commuted home after. Legs felt surprisingly good after the recovery massage that Ruth gave me on Sunday afternoon!

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core @ 00:30:00

Bike Commute @ 01:00:00

I have been dreading this last tough training weekend now for a while and managed to focus all my crankiness on today's 22 mile run. It helped that Ruth drove us to Marymoor and dropped us off at 5:30 AM to run to Magnuson where she parked the car for her event.

I am going to say that we did get in an honest 21 miles and I was very very very glad to be done.

21 Mile Run @ 03:30:00

Barbara Rose and I got in a beautiful ride following the Tour de Cure route. Because road signs were missing this time, the markers were a bit more difficult to follow and read so we got turned around a couple times on the route and then quite a few times trying to find Marymoor. The good news is that we still managed to maintain 15 mph even with the 5 extra (getting lost and turned around) miles.

Ruth met us at the end of the ride after her first half century post injury for a scoop home :)

105 Mile Ride @ 07:00:00

Had a wonderful swim this morning with Ruth, Ann and Barbara Rose in Greenlake :)

1.25 Mile Swim @ 00:42:00

Today was just a commute to work and home day. I initially planned to make at least one of them a brick but was not able to do it.

24 Mile Bike Commute @ 01:50:00

I woke up for swim practice but fell back asleep by accident :( Did make it into the gym for core class.

Core Class @ 00:30:00

Then I got in a nice hilly run during lunch.

7 Mile Run @ 01:00:00

Yoga was great this morning and the instructor really focused on hamstring stretches. She did mention that she thought I would be able touch my toes by the end of class but not quite...

Yoga Class @ 01:15:00

Commuted home.

Bike Commute @ 00:50:00

What a wonderful day for R&R! Wally and I hung out at home most of the day doing little chores and loved being potatoes :). In the evening, Ruth and I went to Greenlake so I could get in an open water swim while she studied on the shore. I was glad to not be the one studying but that will change soon because I have been accepted into SU's Alber's School of Business MBA program and will start this summer.

Open Water Swim @ 00:40:00

Ruth dropped Barbara Rose and me off a Seward Park at 7:30 AM this morning and we then ran back to my place. I felt really good after my 50 mile ride (with a nice long break halfway through) but Barbara Rose was a studette because she and Ann had ridden a hilly 95 miles yesterday.

14.75 Mile Run @ 02:20:00

Got in a lift before the gorging myself at the BBQ.

Core @ 00:10:00
Upper Weights @ 00:30:00

Today's workout was 50 miles speed and I decided to just go for a spin around the lake starting on the trail. I didn't start until after 9:30 but I still was able to avoid a lot of congestion. At one point, I passed a couple on a tandem who were friendly but insisted on passing me again for some reason and then, of course slowing down once they did :( Fortunately, I turned on Juanita and got in some good climbing and descending until I flatted in Bellevue on a descent. Fortunately, I was able to change it on the sidewalk away from the road and in the sun! Not bad for my first flat of the training season.

My odometer reset when I flatted so I am not sure of the exact distance but I ended up averaging about 15.5 for the whole ride. Not spectacular but I did enjoy myself and made sure to push it on the ascents and descents :)

50ish Mile Ride @ 03:30:00

Went to SU for swim practice this morning and did my best to keep up with Sue and Karen. Although it was quite humbling, I got in a great swim!

Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

Then I commuted home on my bike and was loving the sunshine~!

12 Mile Commute @ 00:50:00

I got in a really good interval run at Seattle Fitness this morning on the treadmill. It has been a VERY long time since I have done an interval run and it sure showed! I did a 1 mile WU at 10 mm pace, then 4(.75 @ 8:00, .25 recovery) and I was definitely working to keep an 8 minute mile pace!

5.25 Mile Run @ 00:50:00

I hoped to get in a lift right after work before we met friends at the game but did not get a chance.

I put myself to bed by 8:30 last night and slept fairly well, even when Wally decided to emerge from hiding after the thunderstorm and want to cuddle in the middle of the night :)

When the alarm went off, I went through my usual struggle but made it out the door and was so glad I did. We did a 30 minute time trial and whew, I was pretty tired. I am trying not to be too discouraged that I only got in 1800. If I can continue to be consistent about swimming, I should be able to make it through the 2.4 mile swim in a MONTH.

2550 Swim Practice @ 00:55:00

Got in a run around the lake after and my quads sure were tired!

3.2 Mile Run @ 00:30:17

Worked from home in the morning and then commuted into work around 10ish.

12 Mile Commute @ 00:50:00

Had to work until almost midnight last night so I did not plan to go to yoga. However, my internal clock had a different idea and I was awake at 5:30 so I decided to go and was glad I did.

Yoga Class @ 01:15:00

Then I treated myself to Tija's spin class because I have had to work so many extra hours lately and took the 2 hour break to do so. Got in a really good workout and enjoyed catching up with the old gang :)

Spin Class @ 01:00:00

Went to bed very close to 8 and slept in until almost 6:30! Made it to core class and then a good lift after work.

Core Class @ 00:30:00
Upper Weights @ 00:30:00

Met Barbara Rose this morning at Gasworks for our long run. One I advertised as a "tour of Seattle". She and Abby were good sports as we ran through Montlake, the Arboretum, down to the lake and then back and across I90, over to the waterfront, past Magnolia, over the Ballard Bridge to come back via Freemont. I had a VERY difficult time the first three miles but the company pulled me through and we finished. I am not exactly sure of the distance but Barbara Rose assured me that we were going faster than a 10 minute mile pace based on her HR.

21 Mile Run @ 03:17:00

Met Amy for brunch, who politely and generously let me inhale almost ALL of the pre-brunch chips and guacamole and caught up a bit before heading to Ruth's for a wonderful post brutal training weekend recovery massage.

I was up until midnight last night because of an urgent work issue and then got a 5:30 AM call this morning about another one. By the time we were able to work it out, I had missed my planned 7 AM and back up 8 AM start time. But I decided to go to Marymoore and still ride the ADA century route as I had planned -- just with a 9 AM start time.

The route was beautiful and I had a great ride. I was actually glad for the late start once I made it through the 45 mile crowd because I got the roads to myself most of the ride :) This time, I really did focus on nutrition and started with a thick concoction of Perpeteum and 3.5 energy bars. I was able to poach some water at the rest stops but also stopped at a store on the route to get another water and enjoyed a nice iced tea.

I worked to keep my pace and nutrition steady and consistent and achieved it! I got a little cranky about the hills near the end and did throw some not nice thoughts towards the skinny sadistic route designer. However, I was very happy to finish strong and with some energy to spare! To be clear, just some energy. Definitely didn't have a marathon in me but not bad for my first century :) I looked at my notes from last year's ride and had done the 70 mile route at a 15.2 pace. This year, I did the 100 at a 15.1 pace so I feel pretty good about that :)

100 Mile Ride @ 06:30:00 (> 6000 ft of elevation)

Was IN BED before 8:30 PM and that made the 4:40 AM alarm so much less brutal! Got in a really great swim in the lane up with the "big kids" :) During the swim, I was surprised by how good I felt. Perhaps blowing off my run and going out to dinner with Ruth in exchange for a ride home last night made all the difference.

2900 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Had a GREAT commute home in the sun :) Then got in a lift in the evening because I will probably be too beat to lift this weekend.

Bike Commute @ 01:00:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Slept in this morning and then rode my bike into work through the rain :(

12 Mile Ride @ 00:40:00

Got in a swim in at my old stomping ground -- Seattle University :)
2250 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

Threw in a 4 mile aerobic run between work and an evening meeting.
4 Mile Run @ 00:36:00

Last night I got caught up in a TV movie and ended up staying up past 10 PM. Fortunately, I have a dual alarm so I set the first for 4:30 (to get in a spin before yoga) and the second for 5:30 (just yoga). The moment the 4:30 one went off, I had no issue deciding to turn it off and get in that extra hour! Then the 5:30 went off and I was still craving more sleep but did manage to get vertical and make it to the gym only a couple of minutes late.

It turned out that my tardiness was of no consequence because when I got there, I learned that our instructor was sick and was not teaching class. Instead, I hopped on the bike and got in on of Tri Harder's longer spin workouts and finished tired (in a good way) and soaked :)

15 Mile Spin @ 00:55:00

Had to sprint to the bus this morning to make core class and I paid for skipping all last week!

Core Class @ 00:30:00

Got in an upper body lift after work.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00

Had a very nice luxurious morning with coffee in bed and two beautiful labs Ruth was dog-sitting. We then went to play fetch with them at a nearby park and happily eased into the morning before I headed out to meet Diana for the new Star Trek movie at the IMAX theater. The only showtime that was still open was the 10:15 and that was also sold out when we got there. Definitely fun!

By the time I threw some laundry in and went grocery shopping, I finally headed out for my planned 13-15 mile run around 3pm. I was definitely NOT into it (tummy bloated...) and I shortened it a bit. Okay, more than a bit...

9 Mile Run @ 01:30:00

I spent the entire morning puttering around and managed to even make a dent in my post-Om marvin-ness. But finally made it out on the bike around noon and staged an out and back from Mt Baker park going around the south end of the lake to a turn around point on Mercer Island. Kept an average speed of 16 mph although I was hoping to maintain the 16.2 I had for a bit but the wind (and my legs) would not cooperate. During the last couple of miles, I was super crabby about the headwind but realized that it was probably more of a nutrition deficit as I did not take in a SINGLE calorie the entire time. I know. I know...

50 Mile Bike @ 03:05:00

Made it to swim practice this morning but skipped core in favor of a homemade breakfast :)

2150 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

Nice commute home in the SUN this time :)

12 Mile Commute @ 01:00:00

I had a great commute into work this morning -- my first this season! On the way in, I decided that I really do not need my heavy back rack and trunk now that I have a great backpack.

12 Mile Commute @ 01:00:00

Had a less than great commute home because of all the rain the first half of the ride. The good news is that I am definitely stronger than I was at this time last year. I noticed that when taking some of the hills on the Hindenburg yesterday on my way home.

12 Mile Commute @ 01:00:00

Definitely feeling super wiped yesterday again and my body said "hell NO" when my alarm went off for swim practice. I re-set it for 7 AM but I was having a dream, and in it someone said "get your ass up and go for a run" and so I did @ 6:20 :)

Ran down to Greenlake and then did a tempo paced run around the lake. Actually felt good!

5.5 Mile Run @ 00:51:00 (tempo @ 00:27:30)

I picked up a replacement inflatable exercise ball (my last one got a little too close to the heater...) and did a quick home weight lifting set using my dumbells and balancing on the ball.

Upper Weights @ 00:20:00

I took yesterday completely off and even slept in a bit.

This morning, I got up at 4:30 AM and drove into the gym to get a "do it myself" spin workout before yoga.

Spin @ 00:45:00
Yoga @ 01:15:00

I had 20 miles on my plan today and was hoping to get started around 8. My plans were foiled by some work stuff so I did not get started until 10:30. I decided to run from Greenlake to the waterfront via the trail and Ballard Bridge and back. I managed to get a bit tangled up (I need to learn to STOP taking the first right off of the Ballard Bridge) but found my way to the waterfront.

Because I was tangled up, I figured I needed to run a little longer before turning around but once I hit the Happy Hooker bait and tackle shop, I just turned around even though I SHOULD have run a bit longer. I had a bit of an attitude the entire time (mix one hangover with one work crisis) and I figured that at least I ran 18.5 miles longer than I even wanted to...

18.5 Mile Run @ 03:03:00

Jeff and I met this morning at 7 AM at Gasworks for our 90 mile ride. We got separated at Lake Washington Blvd but he said in the beginning he was fine with finding his own route if needed. Jeff, I hope you had a good ride!

I felt terrific the first couple of hours and was very happy with my route (S end of Lake Washington, through Factoria and around Lake Sammamish to Marymoor, down the trail and then over Juanita, back through Bellevue, over 90 and back to the car).

When I hit Bellevue, I did and out and back on that road thinking I might connect with Jeff again but even though I did not find him, I was rewarded with some more time in the aerobars on a friendly road.

I tried to find the route Ann had taken us on before the long side of Sammamish but ended up riding the road that I hated (and Ruth loved) to Cougar Mountain. But that extra climbing out and back was good for me. I did manage then to find the route and go through that lovely bike path. I think I now have it memorized.

I ate a bar at Marymoor and was still feeling good and made it over Juanita fine, although I had a VERY wet and cold ride down :( By the time I hit Bellevue (75 miles in), I realized I was bonking both physically and mentally so I made the decision to go to Burger Master and ate a veggie burger before finishing my ride. Great call! Better call will be to get better nutrition for the bike. On my "to do" list this week.

I got in some extra credit miles because the Montlake Bridge was closed. Up to mile 75, I had maintained 15mph average speed but it fell after that :(

96 Mile Ride @ 06:37:00

I was disciplined enough to make it to lights out at 9 PM but the 4:45 AM alarm still was brutal. Wally and I discussed sleeping in but I headed out anyway.

2300 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

Then core class.
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Got in a quick upper body lift in the evening.
Upper Weights @ 00:30:00

I had a very difficult time getting up this morning. Heather left this morning on the shuttle at 3:40 AM and I initially decided to skip my morning run and sleep in but I still had a difficult time dragging myself out of bed at 7ish. After a couple of false starts, I ended up driving into work with my bike in the back for a ride afterwards.

After work, I drove to the beginning of the park (past Dearborn) and went across I90 to ride Mercer Island. I rode the long side back and forth to get in some distance and speed.

26.4 Mile Ride @ 01:40:00

Getting up for swim practice this morning was very hard -- even though I was in bed BEFORE 9 PM last night! We did a distance workout and I despaired about swimming 2.4 miles when a 600 yard set kicked my ass...

2500 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

I then ran reluctantly around Greenlake...

3.1 Mile Run @ 00:30:30

Got in a "do it yourself" spin this morning before yoga.

Spin Workout @ 00:40:00

Yoga class was exactly what I needed. Not strenuous and we held our floor stretches for 5-10 minutes each!

Yoga @ 01:15:00

I missed my bus to get in a lift this morning but did manage to make it into Core.

Core Class @ 00:30:00

Got my lift in after work :)

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00

Went for an early morning run with Barbara Rose (and Abby) from home to, and around Lake Union and back.

15 Mile Run @ 02:30:00

Got in a beautiful long ride with Ann and Barbara Rose. There will be pictures coming later because my mom dropped me off and was snapping away...

80 Mile Ride @ 05:50:00

Took a rest day and spent it being a tourist with my mom and sister.

Got in a do it myself quick spin before heading to the Triple Door.

Spin Workout @ 00:40:00

Today finds me continuing to be sleep deprived but I made it up and out for swimming and then dragged Oma and my sister to core class.

2300 Swim Practice @ 00:55:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Got in a short aerobic run around Greenlake between work and dinner.

3.1 Mile Run @ 00:28:30

Went to Yoga class this morning and got humbled by my mother who actually did the headstand inversion...

Yoga Class @ 01:15:00

Got in a lift and core class this morning.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

I took yesterday completely off and took my mom around Seattle for a bit before Ruth gave her a massage :)

Today was the Mt. Si Ultra 50k and Barbara Rose picked me up at 7 AM. We could not have asked for better weather and we both felt very comfortable with the route because we had run the whole thing (separate times) before.

I don't have the time to write a super long race report but we had a very good run. It was an up and back so our way back was either flat or on a slight decline. We kept the pace strong and steady and were thrilled to hit our "secret" goal of finishing in 5 hours.

31 mile run @ 04:58:30 (9:36 pace)

Swim practice this morning was good and even though I got in the pool a few minutes late, the workout was still decent.

2300 Swim Practice @ 00:55:00

Made it to core class and will get in a lift sometime this afternoon. Definitely feeling a lot of things about how much my life is going to change after tonight. It almost seems as though this is my last day of being American before I start to learn about how to be Korean too. Odd.

Core Class @ 00:30:00

Got in a nice aerobic ride on the rollers this morning.

16.2 Mile Bike @ 01:00:00

Went for a nice run at lunch in the SUN. My legs felt good and were quite happy after taking yesterday off.

4 Mile Run @ 00:36:32

I have been feeling so very tired lately and that was reinforced by people telling me how tired I looked. I went to bed last night at 8:30 feeling just exhausted from battling cramps and all the emotional stuff that I am unable to just stuff anymore.

So when my alarm went off this morning, Wally and I decided that we should just sleep in until 7 AM and give ourselves some recovery time. It was luxurious. I packed my running clothes with the thought that I would get in a run during the day but I have decided to (yes, brace yourselves) take the ENTIRE day OFF. Yes, I said it and will say it again. For no reason whatsoever than whimsy, I am taking the ENTIRE day OFF.

Go me!

Got up super early to drive into the gym to get in a spin before the 6:15 yoga class. I did one of Triharder's workouts and managed to squeeze it in before class started.

Spin @ 00:40:00

Yoga @ 01:15:00

Got in a good upper body lift and finally included the one set I had completely forgotten about for the last couple of months! I wondered why I wasn't working my shoulders. Then went to core class before heading to work.

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

This morning was a nice 13 mile taper run in anticipation of our Ultra 50k next weekend. Barbara Rose, Abby (BR's very energetic black lab) and I met at Madison Beach and ran from there to almost Seward Park and back.

13 Mile Run @ 02:18:00

Then Jeff, Ann, Gisela, Barbara Rose and I suited up for our 4th annual Easter Sunday Swim in Lake Washington. Abby swam too, but she did not need a wetsuit and happily jumped in long before we did! Uwe took pictures and as soon as he sends them to me, I will post!

Easter "Swim" @ 00:00:02

I planned on getting in a Friday evening lift but I ended up talking with my mother (Oma) until fairly late and just crashed after.

Met the iron group at 7 AM at Japanese Gardens and we rode from there to meet up with the rest of the group in West Seattle for a hilly and occasionally rainy ride. It was pretty much a humbling experience all in all -- had to walk one hill and got my butt kicked by a couple of new girls on the flats. At the end, I still had to get in 30 more miles so Barbara Rose was kind enough to join me me for ride around the South end of the lake. I ended up only riding 70 instead of the 80 I was supposed to but I hope it all balances out because I was supposed to ride 70 last week and got in almost 80.

70 Mile Ride @ 05:15:00

This morning definitely came too early this morning. I did drag myself to swim practice. Because there is a meet tomorrow, this workout was designed for those racing tomorrow and not those with tired bodies and legs. However, I made it through most of it before getting out when they did some sets off the blocks.

2000 Swim Practice @ 00:45:00

Core was extra difficult this morning because Jon's boyfriend showed up and she kicked his butt. As well as ours :)

Core Class @ 00:30:00

It has been a month since my last time trial so I give it a shot again this morning (4 WU, 10 TT, 1 CD). My legs were very slow to warm up and about halfway through, I had to do some stern self-talking to stick with it. My 10 mile time trial was 32:30 - 18.3 mph (improvement over last month's 00:33:20 - 17.9 mph)

15 Mile Ride @ 00:53:56

I was definitely under-enthusiastic about another workout today but I did remind myself that tomorrow will be much easier. I also promised my legs that I would not ask too much of them tomorrow, except for maybe some kicking in the early AM. I got in a hill run during lunch doing 8 repeats @ 2:40-2:45 on the Beacon Hill bridge.

6ish Mile Hill Run @ 00:57:45

Swim practice this morning was TOUGH. Wednesdays are distance days and there was no shortage of hard sets ending with a 2 x 400 descending. My time was more like a bell curve - 6:45, 7:00, 6:43.

2600 Swim Practice @ 01:00:00

I then got in an aerobic run down and around Greenlake although I did really pick up the pace when I could hear these two girls running behind me and chatting. I worked very hard to stay ahead and when I started to slow, I made myself imagine that they were wearing race skirts :) It worked, or they just turned off the path.

5.5 Mile Swim @ 00:50:25

I made up for skipping last night's bike but getting up at 4:30 and driving into the gym to get in a "do it yourself" spin workout before Yoga. I was a bit tired for Yoga but it was not a bad plan at all...

Spin @ 00:45:00
Yoga Class @ 01:15:00

Got in a good lift before core class this morning.

Weights @ 00:35:00
Core @ 00:30:00

It was so beautiful out, I decided I wanted to get in a bike ride in the sunshine. However, as the afternoon progressed, I missed the bus and my legs communicated their displeasure with my idea because they were still a bit trashed from the weekend. I gave in to sloth and enjoyed a nice glass of wine on the deck while chatting on the phone. Awesome!

I met Barbara Rose at her place this morning for our 18 mile run She added another runner (a very cute one with 4 legs) and took me on a great route that included some nice hills at Carkeek. I am not sure how I will keep up with them as training progresses as I was definitely feeling tired near the end.

18 Mile Run @ 03:00:00

We had a 70 mile ride on the schedule for today and I planned a route that I thought would get us approximately the right distance. I was wrong...

We met at Gasworks and rode around the South end of the lake. In Bellevue, we went to Lake Sammamish through Factoria and to Marymoor. From there, we took the trail to Bothell and Jeff and Barbara Rose were very smart to take the trail back to the cars because we were already at 60 miles. Ann and I continued on and even though she was tired, she still dusted me on the hills. Definitely having flashbacks of chasing Ruth up many mountains...

87 Mile Ride @ 06:00:00ish

When the alarm went off at 4:45 AM, my bladder got me out of bed... But I was sleepily heading back to bed when I stopped and stood right between my bed and the bathroom - and had a conversation with myself about skipping swimming vs. going. Wally was not much help because he was not jumping on the bandwagon.

However, I was able to talk myself into going to swimming and was very glad I did although I did get out a bit early because I had not packed my stuff for the day.

1800 Swim Practice @ 00:45:00

Made it to the bus to catch core class and I am done for the day!

Core Class @ 00:30:00

This morning, the alarm woke me out of a very sound sleep but I managed to get into my bike clothes and get in an interval ride on the rollers. I did a 10 minute WU and then 3 minutes hard (@ 19 mph) and then 2 easy x10.

Bike Interval Workout 16.3 Miles @ 01:00:00

Got in a lift after work and changed up my leg work so I did not do the step up's and stress my knee. Also note that I did not do a run to try to rest it...

Upper Weights @ 00:30:00
Lower Weights @ 00:10:00

Wally and I took a vote this morning at 4:45 AM and decided against swim practice. Instead, we slept until 6 (luxury!) and then I got my butt out the door for a run down to and around Greenlake. I did pick up the pace while running around the lake, but after looking at the split (@ 28 minutes), it really does not qualify as a true tempo workout.

5.5 Mile Run @ 00:52:00

This morning I woke up worrying that the last two days were a dream...but I reassured myself by checking my phone history to see all the phone calls and know it was real.

I sure missed Yoga class when I was away and was very happy to be back. My left hamstring issue crept around a bit to the inner part of my knee during Sundays run and has been causing me some grief so I looked forward to trying to stretch it out. Did a little of it but realized just how tight I had gotten again after taking a couple of weeks off and how much further that had taken me from my goal of touching my toes. Apparently finding my birth family does not make me any more flexible ;) and I still have to work on it.

Yoga Class @ 01:15:00

After work, I did a "do it yourself" spin workout at the gym using one of TriHarder's podcasts.

15 Mile Spin @ 00:50:00

So I do this endurance thing...and it feeds me for reasons I cannot explain to anyone who does not feel that hunger but is obvious to those who do. Because I do this crazy stuff, I have some training under my belt and have done races/brutal training sessions that have helped me to survive and finish these races.

Nothing that I have done to date though had prepared me for the last 32 hours. After our run yesterday and while we were stretching, I got a call from someone named Paula. My birth sister. It turned out that the lead I had gotten at Korean Social Services allowed us to connect. I spent the rest of the day on the phone with Heather, another birth sister I did not know I had and then finally my birth mother. I am still processing/celebrating/trying to absorb it all.

So obviously, I did not sleep well last night but planned to work because I make it a rule to never call in sick on a Monday. I went to core class in the morning but I just started to cry so I realized pretty quickly on that I would be useless at work. I took the day off and had coffee with friends, got in a soak at the Sauna and then dinner with another friend. It was what I needed for today to be ready to be 100% tomorrow.

Core Class @ 00:30:00

Barbara Rose met me this morning at 7 AM and we headed East for our trail run. Once we hit the pass, we also hit some snow and were the first to leave tire marks in the road to the trail head.

From there, we ran down the Snoqualmie Valley Trail hoping to get in 13 miles and be able to just turn around. We started out in the snow and it was just beautiful! As we got to lower elevation, it got slushier and our feet got soaked. The trail unfortunately ended after an hour an a half so we turned around and came back (uphill) to the trail head. I struggled a bit at that point because my left hamstring was PISSED (and still a bit jet lagged, fighting a bit of a cold) and fortunately had Barbara Rose to help pace me.

Once we hit the trail head, we then had to still get in another hour and decided to run Iron Horse trail. At times, the snow was just ridiculous and we had to lift our legs pretty high to just get through. Fortunately, we were able to laugh about it a bit and pull each other through :)

26 Mile Run @ 04:20:00

I convinced Jeff and Ann to meet early for our 70 mile ride and we set out in the rain before it had gotten completely light. We decided to go North first to get the trail and coldest part over with first and coming down Juanita was very very cold. Once we hit Bellevue, we decided to loop around Mercer and then finish by looping the south end using the f-bomb liberally to be sure our faces did not freeze. Once we hit the I90 bridge, we re-assessed the weather and reason prevailed. We headed back over the bridge.

The bridge itself helped to reinforce that our decision was sound as the wind and rain was especially heinous. After the bridge, Ann declared that 45 was the new 70 and we limped back to the cars.

46 Mile Ride @ 03:17:00

Despite waking up - wide awake at 1:30 AM, I managed to fall back asleep and got up in time to get in a good lift and core class.

Upper Weights @ 00:20:00
Lower Weights @ 00:10:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Got in a nice ride on the rollers this morning. My first time on the bike in a couple of weeks and I felt fine. Of course, this is only 1/5th of the the distance of Saturday's ride...

15 Mile Roller Ride @ 00:54:45

Still feeling the effects of jet lag and a bit of a lingering cold so I did not do anything else. I also fell asleep on the couch at 7:15 PM and woke up and went to bed at 8...

Yesterday was the last travel day and I had a really tough time sleeping on the plane. Fortunately, I was able to get some sleep last night and Wally was his sweetest cuddliest ever! I missed him a lot.

I did make it to the gym this morning and caught up for a few with Tija before getting in an upper body lift and Core Class.

Upper Weights @ 00:20:00
Core Class @ 00:30:00

Yesterday's visit offered more information, some answers and more
questions. I did get to see the orphanage I was in and even got a tour
of the nursery and meet 5 beautiful residents.

My brain wouldn't let me sleep until after 2 AM but that is fine
because I have 13 hours on the plane to catch up.

Did a quick treadmill run in the gym and then got in some core before
heading to Starbucks.

5 km run @ 00:28:10
Core @ 00:10:00

Sent from my iPhone

Got in a treadmill run this morning on the 19th floor gym here. Today is my appointment with Social Services and I am anxious about what I will learn. And anxious that I may not learn a thing at all...

10 KM Run @ 00:57:30

Today was a travel day back to Seoul and the hour bus, 50 minute airplane ride and hour subway ride was so very much better than the whole ferry experience. I did not get a chance to get in a workout but did some sun salutations in the room before we left.

I went out for a run this morning armed with the resort's complimentary "jogging map" that folds nicely to the size of a matchbox. I shouldn't have wasted the tree...I of course could not follow it and did lots of backs and forths but still got in a solid aerobic run. Got to run along some really sweet wooden paths, over some bridges and see some of the beautiful countryside here.

6ish Mile Run @ 01:00:00

After my run, we went out for a walk to explore some of the local things here. There was a path that led us to three waterfalls and the legend was that faries would descend and bathe there.

We eventually made our way to the largest temple in Korea. It was breathtaking. At the entrance, we could buy three bags of rice to give to the buddhas and so I did. Trying to bow the way everyone else was but at least the intent was pure.

I posted pictures of our "ferry" below. Note how it was inappropriately named "Cozy Island". I still think it must have been a bad dream.

After arriving at our hotel, I took a nice nap and then we went for a walk on the beach where the headwind made me really earn my breakfast. This is the island where Ironman Korea was held but it is not longer. I think it is because those skinny little Koreans could not stay on their bikes in the wind.

I did finally get myself to the gym to do my first sit up in, oh a week plus... I shared the microscopic gym with one very sweaty guy who did not think he needed to wipe off the equipment after he used it.

Weights @ 00:40:00
Core @ 00:10:00

I do not even know where to begin...

A few days ago, we made our plans for the rest of the trip and that included making a reservation on a ferry to get to Jeju. I was told that I had an option of either floor room sharing with over 100 other people or a smaller room with about 28 people with a blanket. I opted for the blanket choice.

If you know me, you know that I am not the one to actually put together schedules. I like to have input. Lots of input but I usually do not handle logistics. It has been now pointed out to me that the ferry was the ONE thing I arranged...

So we arrived via taxi at the ferry terminal 2 hours and waited with the others, including a loud group of very excited women in their brand spanking new Columbia/North Face/other colorful gear complete with matching lipstick. When it finally came time to board, I was a bit excited to see what their ferries looked like and what our accommodations were to be. As we got closer to the ship, we saw this beautiful passenger ferry with nice decks for walking and seeing the journey. It was not ours. Instead, we were headed to a very large rusted cargo ship and as we climbed the swaying "steps"/gangplank, we saw the last of the outside for the next 11 hours.

Our room 310 was exactly that. A room. It was about the size of my living room with nothing but a thin cheap carpet on the floor. We initially shared it with two business men in their suits and ties, a couple of guys in traveling gear, a sweet young couple, three very loud women and were finally joined by about 5 other guys who spoke a bit of English. The group of guys split pretty quickly and we should have followed them as the three women were loud and obnoxious throughout the night. However, I was grateful that the room was not filled to capacity.
The night was long and hard. No blankets arrived and the bathroom was entirely appalling. Of course I did not have food or think through what else to bring. Fortunately, I had enough clothing to layer and used my packing cube for a pillow. The women's snoring was just as loud as their talking and I doubt I got more than an hour or so of sleep at a time. Wow, what an experience and people travel like that a lot. I hope to not have to repeat it anytime soon but I am glad for the adventure as I now write this from the 5 star Hyatt Regency in Jeju :)

Off to shower and nap before checking out the digs.

Yesterday, we took the express train (up to 303 kph) to Busan from Seoul. First class tickets cost a little over $60 and at least I get to say I traveled first class at least once :) The trip took about 3 hours.

Had a great all you can eat seafood buffet and managed to make up for all calorie deprivation I have had the last few days. This morning, I got into their pool on the 6th floor and overlooking the ocean thankyouverymuch and got in a decent workout even though I could tell my body was a bit weak. I know the pool was shorter so I am guesstimating the distance.

2000 Meter Swim @ 00:50:00

Off to see more of Busan and then on to the overnight ferry to Jeju. The tickets I got also come with a blanket and I am curious to see what kind of accommodations are in store...

Here's a picture of me and the temple we visited.

Back to the land of the living! Kind of..

I felt better yesterday, definitely not 100% but better. Jen had booked a trip to the DMZ and we set off from the USO at 7 AM for the hour long bus ride North. Our tour guide was charming although I understood only 10% of what he said. There were very strict rules once we got there regarding where we could or could not take pictures. It turned out to be fairly interesting (it was, after all the reason I was born and all) but the military really holds no special fascination for me. At one point, we were escorted into a building and watched by some very baby faced but fierce looking S Korean guards.

This soldier (Black Belt) straddled the line between North and South Korea and we could go to the other side only from where the picture was taken at the other end of the table. There was another soldier at the door to North Korea to keep us from going there. Just outside the building, we could be observed by the North Korean soldiers and were under strict orders to not make eye contact or point or gesture towards them even if we were provoked.




We were taken to various posts and outlooks and the tour finally ended around 3 PM when the bus taking us broke down. Fortunately, it happened in Seoul right near a train station so we were able to make a break for it.

After that, we headed to the Insadong area where there were great little shops and many more people spoke English. Unfortunately, I still felt nauseous and didn't get to enjoy it as much. Finally ended up in the room after vetoing trying to eat any dinner and got some more rest.

This morning, Jen woke up with the same thing I have had so now we know it was not food poisoning but some sort of stomach flu. We are supposed to go to Busan today by train but plans may change depending on what she is able to do.

I am going to try to get in some core work and sun salutations today. I had grand plans to run but since I really have not eaten much in the last couple of days, I think I can offer my body one more day of rest.

Today finds me very sick. I am not sure if it was last night's dinner or if I caught something but I spent most of the night and morning purging the contents of my stomach. Add on to that very achy quads, a fever and I am one very miserable puppy.

I did want to add a correction to my race report. I did not do it in 3:21, but 3:51. I WISH I could have hit 3:21 but probably not in this lifetime.

I also realized that I pretty much skipped over the race experience itself. There were lots and lots of traditional drummers along the way so it was the Korean version of the Rock and Roll marathon without the rock or roll. That was absolutely my favorite. I also learned that Koreans really really like to tape up their legs and most of the men had stretchy athletic tape running vertically, horizontally and in intricate designs. Like usual, I ended up running mostly with the middle age men and actually felt a bit like a giant among them at times :)

There was a point where there were some older men on the sidelines doing some sort of call and answer cheer and it was SO cool to be in the midst of the men as they responded. Really cool and powerful because I could feel the reverberations in my chest.

I have an appointment with Korean Social Services next Monday and while I may not learn anything new, I would have regretted not making effort.

Seoul Marathon Race Report 2009

I have been surprisingly casual about this race and have actually trained less for it than any other marathon I had done. I signed up for it to ground me a bit in a familiar place as I returned to the place where I was born. Last night, I was Cranky McCrankington (poor Jen got the brunt - sorry) and I suspect a bit of it was the upcoming race although that really is a blip in the other things that were swirling around and poking me.

This morning, I woke up before the planned wake up call and ate the bagel I had picked up from Starbucks along with some of Starbucks' newest product - Via, their instant coffee that is actually pretty good! Then we got on the subway and headed to the race start. Jen goaded into trash talking the Kenyans while waiting at the subway....

There was about an hour before the race was supposed to start and we found refuge in the office building lobby where I had picked up the race packet the other day. The whole place though smelled like my grandmother and not her Lavender perfume. No, the stinky icy hot kind of stuff she would wear to try to relieve her arthritis pain. Apparently the Koreans scoop that stuff up by the vatful. Not only did they thoroughly apply the stuff to their legs before, but there were people throughout the course wearing aid uniforms who would slather athletes with it at a moment's request. It made me a little nauseous after a while and if I do not smell that stuff again for a long time, it will be too soon.

Every race has its bathroom drama and this one was no exception. I got in line for a porta pottie carefully standing in line for the ones marked with the pink girl sticker. When I opened the door, there was a bit of a surprise as it was simply a hole with some sort of step up. It was too late to back out now so I did my best to squat (thank you Jerome for making me do all those squats) and I managed not to fall in. My second trip, I used the one they opened in the office building for us and noticed the men did not follow the gender guidelines as well and were hogging both the men's and women's bathroom. I am still trying to figure out which will win the worst pre-potty award. The squat or sharing the 2 stall women's bathroom with very very very gassy Korean and Japanese men...

Then it was time to get herded to the start and I was assigned to the E group. AKA the foreigner, old, slow and/or female group. The start seemed to take forever and of course, there was not a lick of English spoken over the loudspeaker so there appeared (to me) to be many false starts. There were a lot of calls and answers and I gamely participated in each one thinking that finally, we can get moving and stop freezing. But no dice and then I heard someone singing and really hoped it was the Korean National Anthem. It was but even that did not get things moving because I learned later that they put a lot of time between the A and B group and the rest of us. Finally we were off and Jen even managed to find me in the crowd and shoot a quick movie.

I set out to do a 5:30 km pace and had a tough time hitting it at the beginning when things were so crowded. I finally did my share of shoving and broke loose a bit to get in a good rhythm. At the halfway point, I was really feeling pretty good and decided that I might even be able to qualify. It is always a bad idea to re-set goals halfway through a race but I figured I would give it a try.

Of course that led to me fantasizing about all sorts of things beyond qualifying. Winning my age group...being invited back next year as an honored guest and unfortunately on and on. The next slight hill fortunately shook me back to reality and I went back to my goal of keeping my km pace.

Near the end, I really thought I was going to make it but I had done the math wrong and had 1 km to go and did not have much time left. We entered the Olympic Stadium and had to run most of the lap around the track and I really busted it (thought about last mile, Kimchee Mile thanks Ruth) but slid in 22 seconds too late to qualify. And of course win my age group or be invited back as an honored guest or be carried off on every one's shoulders...

I have no idea when the official results will be in but I have my finish time at 03:51:21 will call it good. Thanks everyone for your great energy and I took you all with me during the race!