Off Season and Fall Fun

Lets just start this post saying coming down from your peak... simply sucks. 

Post-race depression is for real. Teresa prescribed a schedule to kick off the 'OFF' season that left me with some major training withdrawals... antsy, annoyed, bored, cranky... IN A MAJOR FUNK.  

It took a lot of trust in her to listen.  I didn't like it one bit (Hello Christie Control Freak) 

but I got through the rest phase that in all reality, my body NEEDED. 

(Do yourself a favor and go read this post over and over for a reminder of the importance of rest) 

and now...we are back to base building for a whole new level of racing in 2014!

In the mean time... some off season Fall fun 



Supporting friends
St George Marathon

Absolutely fantastic day!! The St George Marathon snapped me right out of that funk and rejuvenated my spirit.  Rachelle and I had so much fun pacing people throughout the day.  Watching the leaders pass at mile 23 with such focus was crazy inspiring!  Walter, Janice, and Julia let me share in the last few miles of their races which was incredible. 

I ran (and screamed) the last 3 miles with Walter who finished with a 2:36... NBD, right?!  Janice was flying when I found her and finished so dang strong earning herself a nice PR.  And Julia PR'd and BQ'd. SO PROUD.


Park City 5K Pink Series

Laura was nice enough to let me spend the night with her before the race in Park City.  It is absolutely stunning up there this time of year! Fun race... but a whole lot of ‘girlieness!’  When they say PINK they are not kidding! :)  Got a fun prize for 2nd overall. 
 

2 products I am OBsessing over right now...  both from Zoot 

There are no words to describe how AWESOME these recovery tights are. Seriously. After you eventually get them squeezed on, the lower half of your body is in pure bliss. For a week  post Worlds/Big Cottonwood weekend, I may have only taken them off to shower :) Worth.Every.Cent.

Kiawe's - Mad crushing over these shoes lately.  I love my Brooks Pure Connects for road racing, but after Boise 70.3, I decided to look for an alternative triathlon specific racer because of all the blisters I was getting. Major score. 

 

Race Pacing - Moab Other Half

 
This past weekend I went with the American Flyers Race Pacers to help pace the Moab Other Half.  I had the biggest group I have ever had in a race stick with me.  It feels so great at the end of the race when you are able to help people achieve there goals.  Almost all of them came in under goal time too!

While we were down in Moab, had to take advantage of the beautiful scenery and did a short hike up to Delicate Arch before heading back home...

Training Weekend and Pacing in St George

Training weekend in St. George

Had a wonderful weekend.  Warmer weather, running in shorts, awesome training, and fun time with new friends!  It has been so dang cold where I live so it was super nice to pack up and get out of town for the weekend. 

Kicked the weekend off pacing St. George Half Marathon, 1:40 group.  Finished 1:39:55.  I love pacing.  Such a wonderful feeling helping people reach their goals.   

Super cute girl, Lauren, came up before the race and wanted to sub 1:40.  She looked so strong the whole time and totally crushed her goal... so proud! Ran a cool down with Rachelle and a few others getting me a little over 17 miles for the day. 

 

 

After the race went to the Washington Rec Center and had a nice swim workout, in an actual lap pool! Oh how it would be to regularly swim in this facility.   

Sunday biked the 70.3 course.  Teresa had told me to just get out, experience the course, and that is exactly what I did.  No tough efforts, just getting to know what I am going to be up against.  I was worried about getting lost but the course is pretty straight forward. Everyone duct tapes course directions to their arm right?! ;) 

Lots of climbing along with some fun, speedy descends.  Climbing snow canyon was not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.  Don’t get me wrong, legs were burning; but I expected it to be a bit longer.  It was awesome making it to the top and then zipping back down in aero was fabulous.  I might have chicked a male cyclist going up who was decked out head to toe in expensive gear which Made.My.Day;)

 Got a flat at mile 50 so I didn’t get the entire course in.  Called Rachelle to do a T-run with me.

The run course is No.Freaking.Joke. So dang hilly.  Our first mile was a 8:40!! Rachelle reminded me we were going up a 9% grade. Awesome to have here there for the run portion.  She pushed me and we finished strong with a 6:16 mile that felt controlled! 

This weekend was such a confidence boost that I needed. 

I feel so much better about my training for STG now. 

3 months out!