Category: Race Reports

Mooseman 70.3 Race Report: A (sort of) personal best

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What can I say about Mooseman 70.3, held on June 6 in New Hampshire? Fantastic. Exhilarating. Motivating. And, just a little bit frightening. It was worth every minute I spent on the course (as well as every penny I spent to enter and race), as I learned a great deal about being a smarter, stronger, and more strategic triathlete. I also learned that personal bests can be measured by more than time. No, I didn’t finish the Mooseman 70.3 course in less time than I completed the Bassman half ironman last October. In fact, I crossed the line a full …

Impromptu Race: Kenny Wayland Memorial 10k

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Funny thing happened in the middle of my 10 mile training run yesterday (Sunday, May 30): I ran the Kenny Wayland Memorial 10k (6.2 miles) race. The Ventnor City (NJ) Fire Department organizes this race each Memorial Day Weekend to raise scholarship money for local high school kids. Naturally, it’s a cause I couldn’t resist! Until just a few days ago, I didn’t even know I would be running this race. Each Sunday, my coach sends me my workouts for the week via the Training Peaks website, which is a training log for all types of athletic endeavors (very useful …

New Jersey Devilman: An Honest Effort

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After weeks upon weeks of winter and early spring training, with little to break up the swim/bike/run/eat/sleep cycle, the day for our first triathlon of the season had arrived. We selected the New Jersey Devilman Half “Lite” Triathlon, held in Cedarville, NJ on Saturday, May 8, 2010. The “lite” status denotes that the race was about 20 miles shorter than the traditional half iron 70.3 distance. Specifically, the half lite included a .8 mile swim, 40.3 mile bike, and 8.8 mile run. A nice distance to get started for the year. Lest you may think the “Devilman” moniker conjures the …

PHUNT 50k Race Report

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I woke up this morning, put my feet on the floor, and struggled to stand up. Ah, yes, I did run that 50k yesterday. Now I remember. My quads are almost useless, as I have to use my arms to pull myself up and help myself down. My right leg wants to know exactly what I did yesterday because the ITB is tight, my shin is on fire, and my cranky tendon is, well, cranky again. But, I crossed the finish line in yesterday’s PHUNT 50k in a just a breath under 6 hours (5:59:32 to be precise). Was it …

The Streets of Philadelphia

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My husband John, my sister-in-law Tracy, and I ran the Philadelphia Marathon yesterday, along with 7,465 other marathon finishers. The Philly was Tracy’s first marathon ever. For John and I, this was the first race we’ve ever done with more than 1,000 entrants. Including the half marathon and the 8k, there were about 15,000 runners in yesterday’s events. The last race I ran had about 600 runners. The collective energy of that many runners along with the thousands of spectators was invigorating, contributing mightily to a successful race day for all three of us. Philadelphia is a special place for …

Atlantic City Half Marathon 2009: Two thumbs up and a fist bump

Last night around 7:00 p.m. or so, I decided I would run the Atlantic City half marathon. I debated whether to run the race because John and I are already signed up to run the Philadelphia Marathon next Sunday (November 22). Technically, I’m in the “taper” part of my training plan, which means reduced volume. However, contrary to what some may suggest, taper does not mean reduced intensity. Granted, it’s not typical to race a half marathon the week before a full marathon, but it’s not unheard of to do so. Some people run a marathon (or more) every week. So, …

Arriving at one goal: The half distance triathlon

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Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.  ~John Dewey Sunday, October 4th was the day I have been working toward for five months: my first half iron distance triathlon. Race day began as most race days begin: EARLY! While I had been tossing and turning since 2:34 a.m., I did not officially rise out of bed until 5:01 a.m. The race was scheduled to start at 8 a.m. Even though the venue was only 20 minutes away and I had already packed everything I needed, I wanted to get up early enough to eat something solid, and arrive …

Hammering the hills and loving it

After I completed the July 4th Killington Triathlon, I learned that going uphill is really not that bad. It’s difficult, but I love a good challenge and muscle burn. Thanks to genetics’ blessing with my large quadriceps and hamstrings, hills are a challenge I can handle.   On the other hand, going downhill on a road bike in the rain can be pretty scary. Since the Killington race, which included downhills in the rain, I’ve been nervous about going down hills. Now, I’m not talking about basic hills, you know those little hills that are a part of almost every …

TrekWomen Triathlon Series, Mount Snow: Event Summary

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 The TrekWomen Triathlon was held at Mount Snow on August 9, 2009. It was a sprint tri, with a 1/4 mile swim, 12 mile bike, and 2.1 mile semi-trail run. A portion of the proceeds benefitted breast cancer research and Team Survivor. There were a total of 185 finishers, who included cancer survivors and first timers who have overcome great obstacles to get to the finish line.One woman had undergone a heart transplant and was participating in her first triathlon. Wow! If you were looking for inspiration, this race was a great place to find it. I was teary eyed in …

Learning to pick races carefully

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I grew up in Brigantine, NJ, which is a small island community right next to Atlantic City, NJ. Well, it was a small island community when I was growing up. But much has changed in Brigantine, and it bustles and hustles in the summer more now than ever. As a young teen, I would head to the city dock on 26th Street and watch the Brigantine Triathlon each August. I had always wanted to participate, as many of my friends did when we were younger. But, I didn’t swim then. With my recent foray into swimming and triathlon this season, I was …