A great view of KONA (not through my eyes)

Man this guy made a great video!  He got into Kona via the lottery and just absorbed every part of the day with so much positivity.  Sometimes as a faster age grouper I yearn for an experience like his, finishing in the dark, just out there soaking it all in, not worrying about splits and what place I'm in.  I've been able to do that some while pregnant, just racing for fun, not caring how I'm doing.  And I still make an effort to smile and enjoy myself and cheer for others even when I am racing hard, because after all, I don't have to do this, I'm not getting paid.  I choose to.  Just really love this guy's attitude. Enjoy!

"Look Mom, the baby has a running arm!"

Were the first words my 7 year old said upon seeing this ultrasound picture.  LOL!

Baby's running arm

We chose not to find out the gender on this one.  We have girl boy girl so we're not lacking any clothes or blankets/bedding or whatnot.  I haven't been that anxious to know, so hopefully that will remain and I'll stay calm and not to ancy through these next 4 months.

Sweet

Everything looked good with baby.  He/she is very active which proved a little difficult during the ultrasound, but that's ok, it's just a genetic thing  ;)  My placenta was low enough to warrent another ultrasound near 30 weeks.  If it doesn't move up (which we expect it will) I probably won't be able to deliver at the birth center like we plan, but instead closely monitored in the hospital, or worst case scenerio, a c-section.

Now I am a natural birther by choice.  I don't care how others birth, I think everyone should be able to do it how they wish, but I personally don't want to expose the baby to the drugs and I want to be in control during my labor, move around, not increase my chance at complications/c-section from being stuck in bed all day with other meds to manage the pain meds (I had a very medical birth with our first, including an epidural, so I know that end too), and I want to recover faster.  I've gotten all those things from my last 2 med free vaginal births.  So yeah, a c-section freaks me out some, but of course if it was necessary I would do it.  My biggest worry with it is how will I come back into sport?  Will slicing my abs open slow me down a lot longer, will I come back a lot weaker, or can I still come back strong like I have without waiting a year to do so?  Any of you athlete mamas out there have experience with training and racing again after c-section?

Again, NOT planning on having one, but I like to think ahead and prepare myself for whatever.  For now, baby and I will continue enjoying this summer like fall weather here running on the trails, swimming at masters, and biking all of the 10 miles I might get to do around riding kids to school and back  :)

Forget me!

and all my self centered posts.  I am so touched by my friend and fellow athlete Heath Thurston's example today.  I was watching the St George Marathon live finish line coverage this morning on the computer and noted quite a few of the more elite runners stumbling in or falling after the finish line, I hear it was real hot down there.  Then close to the 3 hr mark I see this guy stumbling bad about 20 yards from the finish line, and fall to his knees.  Then this guy coming up behind him stopped, picked him up, and carried all this guy's weight, supporting him through the finish line.  None of the staff or volunteers came to help till feet before the finish line, Heath carried him in with I'm sure super fatigued muscles.

What a guy

Heath is such a good example of thinking of others and remembering that it's just a race, it's for fun, we choose to do this.  People are more important.  The pregnancy emotions in me don't help, but I've been crying and so teary all day from watching it actually happen on the computer to every time I look at the pictures his brother Jarom posted.  It's even more touching to me today because it's my church's semi annual General Conference where our leaders speak words from the spirit to help us grow and become more Christlike.  Excellent example Heath!

Triathamom!

So Altra was a sponsor of Triathamom, a women's only pool tri in Herriman, which means my husband had to be out there.  They were really kid friendly with a carnival like atmosphere (bouncy houses, face painting, sign making, balloons, popcorn - all free!) so I knew we could bring the kids.  And what does that mean for me?  An hour to work out!  : D  Seems silly that I just can't find the time lately to work out, but between normal mom stuff, going to school (taking a Pathophysiology class as the last class I can take before starting a nursing program that I just want to keep the possibility open for.  I'm not sure if I'll do it, I'm not sure how I would with my more important family, but it's at least a year down the road, so we'll just take it as it comes), working all day Thursdays and being tired being pregnant, I just haven't gotten up early recently and Jer is always working these days, so I don't often get an escape from morning to night.  I have and will have have to utilize the Chariot more I think.

Anyway.....sorry for the ramble.  I knew I could leave the kids with him (typical expos no way), and it was a beginner oriented race so I wouldn't feel any pressure going slower to accommodate this little baby on board.  So a few days before, I signed up - so my style.  Really hoping I can sign up for some A races for next year well in advance as a good commitment.
I tested the bike handling skills out Friday afternoon since honestly I haven't been on it in weeks, and it went great!  Still felt just fine on it. We headed to my mother-in-law's house to crash with the kids that night since she lives about a mile away from the race, and I'd have to go earlier than they would.  So alarm clock went off and my only negative thought for the day was 'oh man it's early, I don't have to do this race, what was I thinking??'  I tell ya, getting up early pregnant is not my forte.  Got everything ready after my usual pre race breakfast and headed out.  As soon as I sat on the bike I thought, 'oh no!'  I could barely sit on the seat, seriously.  I seem to have issues with tenderness down there while pregnant when I ride a lot, and yeah, I guess I forgot that when riding Friday.  I was really stressed about the bike portion of the race, because I litterally could not sit on that seat riding to the race.  Decided to just go with what I planned on attire wise and let the endorphins help as my wise husband suggested.  After I planted my bike I wanted to help out my good friend and race director Aly, so I wandered around transition answering questions.  I love doing that, and there were plenty of questions to be had.  It was really great to see so many women (close to 400 I think) out doing this triathlon that you probably wouldn't expect.

So it was finally go time, wandered into the pool, snuck into a bathroom I probably wasn't supposed to use, and lined up.  It was so nice to have Jer and my youngest Kaitlyn come over for the start.  Such good spectators.
 Swim was fine, I didn't intend to go first, but the lady I was talking to that went behind me was nervous to go first I think.  So off I went....and so did she a second later  :)  She rode my feet the whole time which kind of stunk, and when we got out of the water she said 'oh was I supposed to wait till they told me to go?'  Well yeah (guess they didn't know her number, each person was supposed to tell them that before they started), but that's ok.  She didn't tap my feet or anything, was just that close the whole time.  No harm no foul.

Other than my hand in front of my belly I really like this pic.  Totally worth the $6

We got into T1 and I had a light jacket sitting out ready, but it was already way too warm even when I was wet so I just pulled on my lovely matching pink tri skirt so not everyone had to see my butt and off I went.  Had to go around the mats again after laying my bike down though because it didn't beep the first time.  Cost me 10-15 seconds and I wasn't rude, but wasn't the most gracious/patient, which I feel bad about.  I can get kind of into it/emotional when racing.  I try very hard to be enthusiastic and appreciative of volunteers always saying thank you, so I feel bad I got a little upset telling them it was important they send people out the right way.  Luckily I got to talk to the guy after and apologize.

So as soon as I started riding I notice a pace car in front of me. Fun!  I've never had a pace car experience, usually because I'm either not in the lead or it's a dual gender race and the men get them.  I was happy to see them though as it made me feel a little more secure and visible out on the road.  Now is not the time to get in a wreck.  And yeah, it was just fun :)  Was a little more out of breath than I would've liked the first half, and was concerned a bit about the big hill at half way, but fortunately that one was acutally easier than the preceding several miles leading up to it.  Yeah I had to stand, but it wasn't bad at all.  And then it was all downhill from there.  The winds were nice as was the traffic and it was a great smooth 4 miles back into T2.  Thank you pace car!

T2 was fine.  The run was a little lonely.  There was no one out on the course, volunteers included, I guess I beat them there.  Aly passed me with about a mile to go asking if I needed an aid station as she was driving to set it up :)  No worries, I was fine.  Anyway, the course was marked well, but there was about a mile section where I just hoped I was going the right way.  I've had dreams about getting lost on a race course, not fun.  Just another less that you should study every race course map, I glanced, but that's it.  Kept my pace reasonable, was definately less out of breath on the run than bike.  Finished into a fun arch of colored balloons and headed toward the food :)

Check it out, 6:20-6:30.  My 10 seconds of fame!  : D

So that was that.  The kids and husband missed me (he underestimated me I think), but not a big deal.  There was great fruit and bagels and drinks afterward that I definately enjoyed.  Rested for about 10 minutes then scooped the kids up and headed to a church kids program practice where I had to be because I play the piano.  yeah, talk about rushed.  Confession - I litterally threw on a skirt and shirt on over my swim suit.  Afterwards we headed back to pick Jer up and the race was still going so that was fun to be around it a bit.  I think they did a great job with organization.  The swim is really the onlything I can see being changed for next year (more divided by time), and I hear they're already on it.  It was a fun boutiquey atmosphere, and I LOVED the great stuff for the kids.  It was also neat to see all the different women come in and finish and hear some about them as they finished.

Fun!

I ended up 2nd, by a second, at 20 weeks pregnant.  Sounds good to me!  Great way to celebrate half way through this pregnancy.  Jer thought I'd be upset about not winning by such a close margin, but eh, I didn't go to win, and know I could've made that second up easy so it's fine.  They didn't do awards which would have been fun with this belly of mine, but they wanted to keep it a non-competitive attitude.  The charm necklace is cute though.  Glad I did the race.  It helps to give me a little athletic reminder and uplift that I'm still in reasonable shape and will be back next year.  I am getting more and more excited to meet this baby and play in that phase again.  4 more months  :)

Saratoga Tri = great race!

Some have wondered why I race at all pregnant.  It's not like I go into it expecting a win or anything, why not just take a break right?  I've said it before, I'll say it again.  I really love triathlon and it's FUN, so why when I train for this stuff year in and year out and I know how to listen to my body, do I have to take a break from fun just because I'm pregnant?  I don't, I still need some fun  :)
So I did the Daybreak Tri about a week after we found out we were pregnant.  Yeah I was a little nervous, but my body knows how to do this stuff (race, it's not always the best at staying pregnant apparently), it was a sprint, and I really wanted to win that 3rd time.  It went great, no problems.  Then around 8 weeks I think I did the Women Rock tri mainly because it had a trail run - those don't exist in regular non-Xterra tri's, and it was great!  So much fun!  Then I took about 8 weeks off.  Some because my mind was going crazy with worry about this pregnancy lasting, and some just because life got in the way.  Well, we hit about 15 weeks I believe and I knew of this great little open water race and decided to jump in.  I finally felt pretty safe in the pregnancy, I know I can control my pacing and listen to my body and I just wanted to do it because triathlon is FUN and I missed it and the atmosphere and people, and it was probably about the last time I could fit into a larger wetsuit  :)

So I show up to register morning of after the race director said I would be fine to do so.  I figured it's a small race, every race this year has had way low numbers, I'll be fine.  Boy was I wrong!  This great little race with non-professional race directors, just average people that live in the area, had sold their race out with almost 300 people!  That's more than almost every race this whole year has had in a single distance, that's phenomenal for a race that doesn't get a lot of hype and isn't part of a series.  Oh and did I mention it was only $35?!  So anyway, I show up about 90 minutes before the start of the race and see a sign saying it's full.  I'm happy they sold it out, but I was SO bummed!  They said to stand in line and wait to see if anyone didn't show up as they were out of chips.  So wait I did with about 5 other people, and stressed, and stressed, and finally got in 10 minutes before the race started.  Can you say fastest most simple transition set up EVER!  Really shows you how little you need in transition.  I didn't want to get out of line so I wasn't even dressed in a race kit, let alone my wetsuit.  I threw everything in transition, ran to the bathrooms to change, ran my bag back to the car and threw my wetsuit on while running over to the start just in time to walk into the water with my wave, whew!

The swim - water felt SOOOO good!  Now this is Utah lake, a notoriously yucky/murky lake, but the beauty of where they held this race was it wasn't in the main boat ramp.  Yes I couldn't see my hand in front of me, but I never tasted boat fuel at all, didn't taste anything actually.  So the wave took off and we made our way about 100 yards and then were out of the sheltered area and found ourselves riding some pretty big waves!  Now not white capping ocean stuff obviously, I wouldn't call the water rough, just some big rolling wake.  I'm a swimmer and I know some struggled with it (I stopped to check on a few people), but I thought it was a blast!  Seriously!  Yeah I got a few face fulls of water, but I was laughing and smiling the whole way.  The size large sleeveless wetsuit I wore was perfect too.  Great swim!  They had great in water support too, very important.

Bike - wasn't sure how much time I'd spend in aero, actually figured I really wouldn't at all as it was gotten a bit uncomfortable, but I actually rode most the ride tucked in.  It just felt good and the roads were keen to it, fairly flat, nothing that I needed to stand for, and in good condition.  I felt better during it than expected and again, just smiled my way along.  The views riding along the lake were nice and traffic control was good.  No complaints here

Run - running out of T2, literally, 10 feet out of it some guy was like "come on, why can't I run?!"  He was so mad.  We were 10 feet out of transition and I let him know it.  I told him to calm down, we just turned a corner and left the transition area.  Just thought it was weird he'd declare it was a bad run already when we'd only taken a dozen steps.  Anyway, took off at what my body knows we race sprint/oly tri's at, I swear it just has a preprogrammed pace.  So I had to reign it in a bit, but not much.  I really expected and planned to run slower, but I felt just fine at probably 7:30 pace.  I watched my breathing and any discomfort anywhere and just smiled and ran and cheered for others and enjoyed the views again looking toward the lake.

Neat views all over the course and closed to traffic, yay!

Finished 4th woman overall, sounds good to me!  I'm not sure who took that worse, the men or the women  :)  So there you have it, a simple race report all about a great day.  I don't have any suggestions for the race directors at all, I am really super impressed!  Totally affordable race entry, open water swim with in water support, great road and closed bike course, and well supported run and just a really good course.  They had chip timing and tech shirts, a finish line banner thing, lots of volunteers, really great post race food with all kinds of fruits and bread and cookies and drinks, and get this, they had prize money not only for overall winners, but top 3 in every age group!  I walked away with $40 for winning my age group, that's more than I paid to race!  They didn't advertise it, I had no idea they were doing prize money, but I'm impressed.  Seriously, I can't say enough good things about this race, put it on your calender next year!  I was so pleased with my body too.  I really haven't been training much the last several months so just expected to go out and do it at a slower pace, but I listened to my body and it let me do more and go faster than I was expecting. Maybe it's the extra ATP (cellular energy) the baby is developing too  :)

Some 15 week belly shots.  Also notice the calm water in the middle pic post race, oh well, I enjoyed the waves

Some pregnancy updates

Well, so far so good!  We're 14 weeks now (2nd trimester I guess huh?), have heard a heartbeat twice, just picked up a doppler to borrow from a friend so I'm sure we'll hear many more, and saw baby on a quick ultrasound a couple weeks ago.  I've been feeling good, times of nausea, but have only thrown up once, but yes, it has come time to pull out the heavier duty sports bras :)  That's a good thing though, I appreciate have some kind of indication that things are ok.  Oh yeah, there's the belly too.  Holy cow it's popped out big time!  This whole last 4-5 weeks it's been obvious (at least if I'm in spandex) and that's way early for me.  I know it's my 4th baby, but yes I suspected twins (I'm a twin), but we only saw one on the ultrasound, so that's what I'm going by....for now  :)  
Anyway, all those things are good.  I've stayed pretty active, getting a little more active now that I'm starting to crawl out of the pit that is constant worry and anxiety after 5 miscarriages.  These last 10 weeks have really been brutal.  After so many miscarriages it's just been so hard, and you can't feel the baby move, so there's not much to go off of.  That should come in a month or so and will be great.

So I entered this fit2Bmom model search contest.  I know, I know, me a model?  Don't laugh!  It sounded fun and they make great maternity activewear which I could really use since I'm almost out of my current tanks and jerseys and shorts and that means I head into the husband's closet (which has evolved a lot since our last baby and has many fancier fabrics than I do) but equals a shirt that fits my belly but hangs off my chest and arms.  I'm assuming this will be out last baby, but still, I'd really like some cute stuff that is meant for a big belly.  Now yes, I'll be my biggest Nov-Feb, but I teach on a hot humid pool deck, and hey, there's always arm warmers and gloves for outside  :)
So here's my entry video for it.  I wasn't selected, but was recognized as a top 4 video (including the winner) which is great considering I don't have a huge belly right now, and they're sending me a goody bag with clothes - SO EXCITED!!  I'll fill you in for sure on how great the stuff is.  In the mean time, don't laugh at me, I don't talk well under pressure even if it is just me and the camera.  Am I the only one that squirms a little when watching themselves?  And I even made the whole video all by myself with voice-overing which is a big thing for non tech savvy me (Jer of course did take the pics and video though)

But here's some updated bump pics for you  :)

A few unseen race pics

Appears I forgot a few pics from Rockport  :)  Notice anything out of the ordinary?

No, not my scrunched up face...look more, central

Breathing a little extra oxygen in for a reason

Did you figure it out?  I know the first pic isn't super obvious, but it's different to me, and in person.

I'm pregnant!  So far so good, still some worry.  No plans in the next couple months to race (but then I never plan my races as of late), just lots of praying and finger crossing.  I knew what I was doing during Daybreak and Women Rock, and had a lot of fun.  Now it's time to work on growing another human. 
I'll still be around though, don't you worry  :)

Women Rock

Rocked!  

What a great race!!  I really really liked the course.  Let me tell you more.

So signed up week of (story of my life this year) thanks to Powertri, just figured I'd go up there and have fun.  We found a great RV resort to camp in - minus the RV, we have a nice tent though :)   But it was great for the kids, lots of grass in a big tent only area right down by a pretty river, table, modern restrooms/showers, game room, rock wall, nice pool, clean sleeping arrangements, no dingy budget hotel, and $20/night - score!  I got up to Park City that afternoon with the kids to get my packet (the only thing that's hard about that race, no race day check in) then we headed to the campground to play.  A nice afternoon/evening with them since they'd be with me all the next morning, and it was finally bed time.
You were supposed to shuttle in from Park City to Rockport Reservoir, a 20 minute or so drive, but I'm rebellious, more like I have kids and worried about using a shuttle (which was BAD on the way out, like hours, I'm sure they'll improve it next year), so I drove our car as close as I could, parked, and rode my bike in 3 miles.  My husband who joined us later Friday evening after working, wisely drove in in our van with the kids to the marina right by the start.  Now there wouldn't have been room for everyone to park, but there was plenty and I was grateful he didn't have to bike the 3 kids in the trailer in the 3 hilly miles - I never would have heard the end of it!
Ok, blah blah blah, sorry.  Set up quickly, probably faster and more efficient than I ever have, I tend to dink around.  Time to put on the wetsuit and head down.  Got to find and chat with Ammie Black who is always fun, great hanging out with her all day!

Swim - 15:31, 6th woman.  There were 4 waves, 5 minutes apart, I was in the first wave.  Don't like waves.
The water was great here!  Not amazing visibility, but good, tasted clean, wasn't too cold.  Easy sighting except on the way back.  I do appreciate all the buoys they had out there, I think they were really looking out for beginners, lots of kayaks too and even swim buddies if you wanted (someone to swim next to you).  I felt really good on the swim!  No legs squished in the wetsuit, no anaerobic out of control feeling.  Just felt good and steady.  There was a pack of 3 swimmers always a couple body lengths ahead of me, but I never could catch up enough to draft, oh well.

T1 - :53, 1st woman.  With a long dirt trail run up to transition I decided while swimming I would take my wetsuit off just out of the swim in front of my sandals (quick note there, they gave all participants a pair of black or purple flip flops, nice touch, but I still bought my own for identification).  I knew it would dry on the way up and be a pain in the butt, so got it off fine, fumbled with my flip flops, probably puzzled spectators who watched me hang out there for what seemed like forever, and ran up the trail.  Entered T1 in 4th, left quickly in 1st giving a quick smile of acknowledgment to a certain coach there who I'm not a fan of.  Upon meeting me several years ago at a half ironman, told me I'd go no where as a mom with young kids, especially without his help.  I passed 2 of his girls in T1....all while wearing the sportsmanship bracelet my 5 year old boy told me to wear  :)  Hey, I didn't say anything to the ladies.  Ok, vent over, he just really irritates me with extremely rude comments like that, and several other girls have heard crap like that.  Yikes.

Bike - 37:32, 5th woman.  I wasn't expecting to leave transition in 1st, I was expecting to get to kind of hide out of the podium spots since I came out of the water 4th.  My goal that day was just to have fun, not race my guts out.  Well leaving in 1st boosted the ol' confidence and I worried would push me to work too hard, but it didn't.  I just smiled and had fun the whole time!  The first 3 miles are curvy and up and down, and can be steep, but aren't leg burners.  I may have stood up twice but it was short and sweet.  Just a very fun section in my opinion.  I'm sure it could be challenging if you're not experienced with shifting quick and climbing some, so for some beginners I can see how it would be a little hard, but I really thought it was a blast!  Then the next 3 miles after leaving the park and getting on the highway were basically straight and false flat.  No winds I recall, good roads, good police support, just fun!  Turned around curious to see where I was and don't think I saw anyone for a good couple minutes.  Continued back toward the lake and really enjoyed pushing fast on those now false flat downhills.  It was so sweet and uplifting and awesome to see all these women all the way back to the lake just smiling and cheering.  I wish they hadn't cheered for me like I was something cool, because they were out there doing something out of the ordinary for them and they were smiling!  THEY were something cool, I was really touched!

So while I may still be too scared to do a flying mount again since breaking my foot a couple years ago, I do do flying dismounts, and when time counts, I DO think they are faster.  Some will argue with me, but I believe it's faster to run without bike shoes slipping around and having to take them off.  

T2 - :52, 6th woman.  Fun to arrive back in first to lots of cheering, it really was a great crowd.  Surprised just now looking at my being 6th in rankings here, but I bet there were a lot of ladies biking in their running shoes.  Hey props to them, some speedy times ahead of me!

Run - 23:54, 5th woman.  Needed to keep this under control.  I recall how it felt at Daybreak, and I didn't want it to hurt that bad, but I was in the lead and that's fun and motivating.  Just tried to hold back a little and be cautious of effort and have fun.  And have fun I did!  A TRAIL run!!  That is unheard of in road triathlons. I mean there's a few races with even dirt paths, but if it's something I could drive my little Saturn on with no problem it's not real trail in my opinion, at least not the kind I like.  After 1/2 mile on the road this was single track and enclosed with trees!  It had mild ups and downs and curves and was slightly overgrown in some places, I'll take it!  There were signs at the places we'd cross over another trail, but a few flaggings here and there would have been nice since at times I hadn't seen any markings in a while and just hoped I was on the right path  :)  Anyway, figured I'd get to the turnaround and see where the ladies were behind me and that would guide my pace to the finish.  Turned around and had ladies coming again, probably 2 minutes behind me.  Figured I couldn't really go slower, but could hold this pace and be ok since the girls I saw were in my first wave.  Enjoyed the end of the run, cheered on some ladies coming toward me and made my way off the trail to the hard part, the last 1/2 mile on the road.  I didn't have to win this race, that wasn't even on my radar before the start of the race, but I figured if I'm this close I might as well try  :)   Made my way into the finish to cheering and feeling great!  What a great day, I had so much fun!!!  1:18.39


Second place came in a couple minutes after me and immediately came up to me asking my time and wave (which I find annoying, at least say nice race or good job or hello first).  I didn't wear a watch, I had no idea, I was there to have fun.  Turns out she was not the girl I thought was in back of transition as I ran out, she was in the wave after me, so she actually won by 2 minutes.  That's ok, it really is.  Sure it would have been nice to know that, but the way I wanted to race that day, I really don't think I should have pushed for those 2 minutes.  I at least got the thrill of thinking I was winning most the race!  : D
 I'm so satisfied with what my body did, with what fun it let me have despite the fact I haven't trained it this year.  I tell ya, maybe there's something to this taper all the time / hardly train thing ;)   Seriously though, I just loved the day.  Loved having my babies there cheering, love seeing their faces while I'm out there.  Had a great feeling swim, had so much fun on the bike, and just adored the trail run, it was all exhilarating.  Way more fun than pain, way more!  Even if it is just as a swim buddy volunteer sometime, Women Rock is definitely one I will put on my calender in the future.

Daybreak 3

I came into Daybreak casual in that I was 'only' doing the sprint and decided I'd do it only a couple weeks before after coming to the stark realization I was not in shape to race Boise and there really wasn't a point in going up there since I don't really care about qualifying for 70.3 worlds.  I would like to go up and do it because of all the people that go up and do it, but wasn't worth it this year.

Anyway, once I decided to do Daybreak for sure I was excited and looking forward to going for a 3 for 3, 3 wins in 3 years.  2009 I raced it 3 months after breaking my foot.  I'd been running 3 weeks I think when the race came so I was cautious and nervous, but actually had a fantastic race winning by 6 minutes.  2010 was post Ironman so I was in great shape.  Came away with win #2 again several minutes up.  And 2011?  Well let me tell you.

Swim - 13:58 - 1st woman, 6th OV w/men.  LOVED the new swim venue!  Point to point, under bridges big and small, great sandy beach exit with a big dock all around for spectators, and a big finish area to run by.  Water was fine.  Pretty cold upon getting in, but wasn't cold at all while swimming.  I felt ok, never felt like I got into a good groove, kind of felt anaerobic and not smooth most of the time.  My old tattered but full sleeve Xterra practice wetsuit I wore (since I sold my QR last year thinking we would have a baby this year...) was good in the shoulders, but really squeezed my quads and that was uncomfortable.

T1 - 1:01 - 1st woman, 7thOV.  Not much to speak of, in and out.  Somewhat long run to the bikes, but a cool feeling to it.  Was concerned about possibly being cold going into the bike, but so glad I didn't put anything on, warmed up very quickly.  And loved the new sports bra I wore  :)

Bike - 42:09 - 3rd woman, 16thOV.  So I got out on the course once before the race this year because it's always good to ride the road up to the hill because of potholes, and it's good to ride the hill because it's a bit of a challenge.  You can't sit and spin, it's not a canyon climb, but you can't stand and crank the whole thing.  It's a good challenge.  Anyway, it seemed a little harder than I remember in practice, but come race day it felt smooth and fast without too much effort (which was the goal, not spike the HR).  That was nice.  The winds were very calm, I didn't have to deal with a lot of other riders or traffic, really liked riding along the lake new this year.  Don't love my bike split but oh well.

T2 - :46 - 1st woman, 7th OV.  Again, not much to speak of, in and out.  T2 is a funny one to rank because the more beginner athletes who choose to ride with their running shoes on can smoke you :)

Run - 22:52 - 1st woman, 13th OV.  Course must have been long based on others times.  This was the part that felt the hardest though.  My body kind of knows one pace when racing, and it's hard to rein that in.  I probably could have run a little faster, but I could tell my lack of fitness with how hard I was working for this run.  Found a guy to run with the last half of the run and that was nice.  Felt bad I was stalking behind him, but he didn't seem to like me to his side and I really didn't want to spur him on to run a faster pace, I was just content to follow him.  Apologized as I went to the finish and he kept on going for his 2nd Oly lap.  He didn't seem upset, thanks Canyon guy!  My goal was to stay out of that anaerobic area as much as possible, but still win, and besides the run I think I did that.



1:20.43, 1st woman, 10th OV.  3:50 lead on 2nd.  So I did it!  3rd win in 3 years!  And while it was 'just a sprint' (had someone say something to that effect on FB later.  Irritating.  I did the sprint for a reason, and sprints can be really hard if you push them to be, it's all out all the time if you're really racing it.  Ironman racing isn't everything....even to me), I was pretty excited to have done it since I hadn't really been training well or consistently.  At all.  Seriously.  Thank you body!

I think that guy wasn't interested in getting chicked  ;)

Great job USTrisports!  I loved the new finish venue, plenty of grass, much easier for spectators.  Was nice to see my husband and kids there of course, but my mom and brother too.  Thanks to sweet friend Aly Black for a really nice chat and my boys from Powertri for saving me a spot in T1, they're so good to me.
The race directors just did a great job overall on this one, I really think this is a race everyone should try.  Close by, affordable, cool swim, urban and country challenging but doable bike (because what goes up the whole first half screams down the whole second half!), and great almost all flat run.  Good day!

Always nice to have family there!  Wish I'd gotten a pic with my 4 biggest fans, they were probably busy helping Daddy sell shoes  :)

FreeThingsFriday - First Endurance

This has been a long time coming, I'm sorry I've held out on your so long!  But I want to tell you about my favorite nutrition product line, First Endurance.  Here's some background. I was a dedicated Hammer Nutrition user for years and years and introduced many people to it.  It was last year and we had recently started carrying First Endurance at Powertri.  A coworker gave me some comparisons of it to Hammer, and while I didn't think anything would really feel all that different and better that what I was using, about 3 weeks before Ironman last year I decide to try this First Endurance stuff on my last 110 mile long ride just to see if all the hype was for real.  It was.  My energy and mental state stayed SO steady.  It wasn't that I felt hyped up or anything, I just felt so steady and kept going fine and a biggie for me was that I didn't get grumpy and ancy to get home as usually happened at the end of every long workout.  It was also so simple!  First Endurance has A TON more electrolytes in its products than other nutrition products including Hammer, even with Endurolytes, and it's all in the drink or gel.  I can't tell you how many times I got a pill stuck in my throat, fumbled and dropped pills mid ride or run, or found a bunch of pills crushed in my pocket or bento.  I really love the fact that the electrolyte complex of First Endurance allows me to only use the drink or the gel or a combination.

EFS

So let me tell you a little bit about their products, and keep reading, I'll tell you how to enter to win some from me for free!  First Endurance has a powdered drink mix in several flavors (more potent flavor, sweet, but I like them, tropical punch is my favorite for sure).  The grape is good if you like grape, the orange reminds me of the McDonalds old school orange drink, lemon lime is lemon lime, and like I said, tropical punch is my favorite, especially cold on the bike.  I don't do super cold drinks on the run, I end up with side aches.  I personally like to concentrate my bottles, so I can carry less weight, and I think at twice the concentration it tastes better than only 1 scoop per water bottle (bike bottles, not 8-10 oz running bottles).  But don't concentrate it more than 3x the dosage (or 7%), can mess with absorption.

They also have a version of a gel, Liquid Shot, but it's actually not a gel at all as it has no gelling agents in it.  A gel is closer to a solid, and our guts do not like to digest solids when exercising.  So First Endurance 'gel' is like a thick liquid and comes in 4 serving (400 calories) flasks, or big 24 serving jugs.  The Liquid Shot comes in vanilla and a new berry flavor.  Both are strong flavors and I prefer vanilla, but I started mixing the two in a flask and I really like that combination, really mellows out both flavors.  The fact that it's not a gel makes it easier to swallow too.  Liquid shot does not have as high an electrolyte count as the EFS drink mix, but still a lot.

The other thing different about First Endurance is that they don't put protein in their products, kind of.  Yes our bodies need protein, but what they actually need is from the protein, they need the amino acids.  So First Endurance takes the amino acids out of the solid protein and puts it in their drink and gel so you're getting the important part of what you need from protein but without the digestion issues.  "EFS contains 2g Free Form Amino Acids per serving which is the equivalent in BCAA and Glutamine profile to 9g Whey Protein."  I had used Perpetuem for years and never super successfully.  It about killed me at Ogden Marathon 2009 when I just wanted to kill over and vomit the entire last 6 miles because my stomach was so upset.  It didn't happen till I started the Perpetuem, and it hasn't happened since (I haven't used Perpetuem since).  A lot of people refer to Perpetuem as 'rotgut' because it can be so hard to get something so heavy to settle well in your stomach.

So aside from the high levels of electrolytes (highest level of sodium on the market, and did you realize you can't effectively absorb fluids you drink without proper sodium levels?), the clean and effective amino acids, First Endurance also uses a mixture of simple and complex carbs unlike former fav products of mine.  Some simple carbs allow for quicker initial absorption.  EFS and Liquid Shot also includes Malic acid in their products.  From the website " Malic acid stimulates oxygen consumption by increasing mitochondrial uptake, improving mitochondrial respiration and increasing energy production. Malic acid is essential in the formation of ATP, the body's energy source. Malic acid allows the body to make ATP more efficiently, even under low oxygen, or hypoxic conditions. "
I should also mention that First Endurance makes a great product I used last year when I race prepping for Ironman and racing so much that summer, called Optygen HP.  It has some pretty sweet stuff in it and improves oxygen absorption.  I don't think I realized the difference it made until I was off it.  First Endurance also has a great recovery drink called Ultragen.

So how do I use it?  When racing I do my usual 3 hours before race breakfast, then take 100 calories of Liquid shot 15 min before the race.  If the race isn't longer than an hour I may carry a flask of calories with me, but I can usually get away with what my body has stored in that amount of time.  Now in longer races, I use 200-250 calories on the bike, about 150 on the run.  To get those calories for say 3 hours, as I've done in half and full Ironman races, I take a regular sized water bottle (the short ones, not the tall ones) and make 5 tick marks on it with a sharpe, then fill it with water and 3 scoops of EFS.  I'll also carry a flask of Liquid Shot.  I have my Garmin go off every 15 minutes, and on the :00 and the :30 I'll take in 1/6 of my EFS water bottle (here's where the handy markings come in so I make sure I get in enough) and some water.  On the :15 and :45 I'll take almost a serving of Liquid Shot (about two mouthfuls) and some water.  This gives me about 250 calories. During IMSG last year I picked up a pre-frozen EFS water bottle and new flask at bike Special Needs.  If it's just a running race, or just on the run of a tri half ironman or longer, I carry a Liquid Shot flask with me to sip on every 30 or so minutes while alternating with water.  I haven't felt the need for any additional products like salt tabs or anything.
Here is some more good stuff from First Endurance:
"During long races (3 hours+) considerable stress is put on an athlete’s body. 1) Glycogen (energy) stores are depleted 2) cells experience damage from cellular oxidation 3) electrolytes are depleted and 4) amino acids are depleted.

1) EFS replenishes glycogen by using a mix of high glycemic carbohydrates including both simple and complex sugars. This easy to digest mix is rapidly absorbed and delivers fast and long term energy.

2) Formulated with 120mg (200% RDA) of Vitamin C per serving, EFS helps protect cells from oxidation keeping the immune system stronger for better training and faster racing. A depleted immune system can cause upper respiratory distress which generally accompanies long exhaustive exercise.

3) EFS provides the most potent electrolyte profile available. The combination of all five electrolytes deliver a potent 1040mg per serving, helping to prevent cramping. The 300mgs sodium per serving also aids in maximum fluid absorption so you stay hydrated throughout your training and racing. Supplementing with additional salt tabs, electrolyte tabs, or salty snacks is no longer needed when using EFS.

4) 2000mg of Amino Acids offers the same BCAA and Glutamine levels as 9g Whey Protein. These amino acids have clinically shown to improve performance, reduced post-exercise muscle damage, improve muscle glycogen resynthesis, reduced central fatigue and improved rate of perceived exertion." 


Heather Wurtele said it very well detailing her nutrition during Ironman St George this year, winning it for the second time.  Check it out.  I really enjoyed it

There's some really great stuff to read on the website, check out the Q&A of EFS and Liquid Shot at least.  So all that said, there are some nutrition companies I will not use period, thick slug like texture, all simple sugars, syrups, artificial colors/flavors (of which First Endurance has none), and I certainly think Hammer is a great company, I just found something better for me.  I love the convenience of not having to bring any pills or protein source with me, it's all there in the drink and/or 'gel'. I've had people share concerns about it's higher cost, but I don't think it is in the end since you don't have to buy salt/electrolyte additives or a protein source.  If cost is a concern for you, save First Endurance EFS and Liquid Shot for your harder/longer workouts and races.  But I really think it's worth it.  I love the higher level of electrolytes, and respect the research First Endurance puts into their stuff.  Nutrition is a very individual thing that must be practiced and is something everyone has to try for themselves as certain bodies like certain products, but I'm uber impressed with First Endurance.   No cramping, great absorption, great energy levels and mental clarity.  I've raced with only it since April of last year and don't plan to stop any time soon.  So there's my plug (and I'm not sponsored by First Endurance by the way, I buy it at Powertri, and I just love the stuff).  

I think you will too, so how about a giveaway??  I have 4 packets of EFS and 2 flasks of Liquid Shot that were generously donated by Robert at First Endurance (who by the way is a head of the company, and has communicated with me in almost every email I've sent, awesome customer service!).  Here's what you need to do by Monday June 6th at noon:  1) Go on their website, and leave me a comment here telling me one thing that you like or is appealing to you about First Endurance including a small quote from the website telling me you checked it out, and 2) tell me if you'd like to try the EFS or the Liquid Shot in this giveaway.  My followers have been kind of quiet lately, hint hint,  so if you I only get a handful of comments then great, you'll all get something, if I get lots of comments I'll do random drawings for the giveaway.  Good luck!!    ETA:  Winner's announced in the comments, thanks for playing!!  Another good giveaway in a couple weeks