A new PR - I didn't drop dead??

Well. I've been quite a lazy-ass in the past month. I would say I've played hard, and played even harder. My liver still is wondering wtf hit it after two weekends of concerts. Such a great time, such lazy weeks between (well, work and sleep). I messed up, I didn't keep with my training at all, so now I'm three weeks behind in marathon training. Lazy. Only thing I can say.

So I had a tri this past weekend. I really debated if I should just skip it. It has been in the upper 90s. I knew it would be in the mid-80s at the start of the race. Even though it was just a sprint tri I have not been training, I have been drinking a lot and smoking when I drink. I figured I would probably either sink to the bottom of the reservoir or I would literally pass out on the bike or run.

I talked myself out of quitting, figured if I got to feeling bad I wouldn't chance it and would stop where ever I was in the race. I picked up my packet, packed up my stuff and got a good night sleep. I woke up late, rushed out the door without a proper breakfast (mainly because I haven't been to the store in 3 weeks) and got to the park.

In our pre-race meeting the told us we'd be DQ'd on the bike if we had an ipod and we'd get a 2 minute penalty for headphones on the run. Shit. I don't want that, but I've never done a race 100% without music. Even at Carmel, I cheated a little bit.

It was 85 at 8 a.m. when the race kicked off. The water in the reservoir was bathwater, it was absolutely disgusting and not refreshing at all. I got in the water and some how got a little off the course so I tried to rush back to the pack. In the process I ingested a mouthful of warm lake water (I almost barfed just now thinking about it) and spent a good minute treading water while coughing it out of my lungs. I got out of the lake and a guy passed out right in front of me. That scared the crap out of me as I ran by (they already had oxygen on him). I knew I was behind my June swim time. Oh well, I hadn't sunk like a lead balloon, so strike one victory.

I ran to my bike and took off. As soon as you get out of the transition area you face one of the biggest hills on the course, so cruel. It really wasn't an issue at all and I got up it a bit faster than I remembered in June. I screamed "HI Richard" (a volunteer from the museum) as I rode by. I was passing people left and right. Surely there were slower people this race. As I got out to the main street I had a few cops cheering me on. I guess that's the benefit of being one of the biggest chicks out on the course, everyone seems to be amazed you're out there and passing people, so they get really excited when you go by.

I flew back into the park and realized I killed the bike but I knew I had a slower transition than June as I got my running shoes on. It was so effin hot I spent a few seconds just taking down liquids. I ran out of the transition and faced that cruel hill again. The first 1.5 miles are an uphill incline in the direct sun. Fucking sucks, not going to lie. I alternated running (shuffling?) and walking up the hill. I passed a girl coming down the hill the other way that I had been neck and neck with in June at the finish line. I was outright pissed at myself for slacking, had I trained, I KNOW I would have beat her. Instead I got lazy, partied my ass off and was getting my ass kicked. Lesson learned. Also without music, I realized how much I have screwed my lungs and can hear every breath as I hit the pavement. Lesson learned 2.

Running down the hill I knew I was finishing the run faster than June by some weird act of god. I run by and scream "Hi Richard" again and get a bunch of screams back from people " GO BLUE" as I run by in my blue puma shirt. Who greets me at the top of the last hill? The girl who I should have beat. Turns out her name is Shannon and she said she wanted to run the last quarter mile in with me (she had already finished and came back up). I said that was sweet and we chatted as we sprinted down the hill. Well as best I could "chat" as I was running, drenched in sweat.

I finished and looked at the time and knew I had PR'd the race. WTF! How did that happen? I should have dropped dead somewhere along the 13.35 miles.

I have no clue how I did it. It certainly wasn't a PR that I earned or deserved, but I'll take it with a big lesson learned. I'm a tough bitch that can push through anything. I should know this after the ridiculous weight sets that get pushed at me every Wednesday (60 pushups into 60 dips? I've perfected my "are you fucking serious" look)

I'm ready to stop messing around and get serious. I'm so excited that PK and I are going to do our training (swim, run, weights) in Phoenix next week. I told my trainer I was giving her the gift she always wanted.. she now owns me. She tells me to jump and I'm going to ask how high. I'm ready to put all my energy and time into myself and training and get shit done. I'm ready to kill the Chicago Tri and then put all my focus into smashing the marathon to bits. There's clarity in all aspects of my life that are lining up just perfect to tell me now is the time.