My first Ultra-Marathon

Well I've had a few days to reflect upon my first Ultra Marathon.  Last Sunday, I ran the Dean Karnazes Rock N Roll Ultra 50K in Phoenix, Arizona.  That's 31 miles.  I ran the first 4.8 miles on a looped course an hour before the marathon start.  My time was 44 min and 10 sec for this portion.  Then we joined the RnR AZ marathon course and completed the remaining 26.2 miles.  My total time was 5 hrs 49 min and 33 sec.  I was #123 out of 148 finishers.  Not a fast time by any means, but it was a mental and physical challenge that I had to overcome.  I succeeded and this will serve me well come Ironman Race Day. 
The challenge was to stay positive when the remaining miles to cover seem so large.  For example at the mile 10 Marathon marker, I had already run almost 15 miles and I still had another 16 to go!!!  Eventually, instead of focusing on "Wow this is mile 22..."; I focused on the fact that "I only have 9 more miles to go".  So I started the countdown 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 and then I was running across the finish line with arms held up high. 
The crowd support was great.  Especially the Team in Training supporters.  I had a couple Team in Training coaches check on me and even run a short while with me.  That's because my right leg started to ache and I was favoring that leg and had a slight gimp to my gait.  They wanted to make sure that I was OK and they gave me encouragement and inspiration.  The Team is great... coaches, mentors, your fellow teammates.  I'm sure my Ironman Race will be a similar experience.
When I was finished, I had access to the VIP tent, but I was so tired that I just wanted to get out of there ASAP, go back to the hotel, take a bath, eat, and sleep.  I told myself that this would be my first and last Ultra.  26.2 miles is enough for me.
Yesterday I worked out on the elliptical and stationary bike at the gym.  Its been raining cats, dogs, pigs, and cows here in So Cal.  I'll try to get my swim session in later.  We have a bike workout Saturday.  I hope the roads are dry by then. 
After a few days to reflect back on the Ultra, I'm thinking who knows, perhaps there is a trail Ultra in my future...  Stay tuned.

Westlake Village Brick

Well it was back to Westlake Village for a 30 mile ride with our Ironteam yesterday.  I definitely see an improvement from my first time on this route last year.  I remember the hills seemed almost impossible at that time.  It took a lot of "coaching" from Coach Paul to get me to the top of the hill.  I remember bobbing up and down on the bike and Coach Paul telling me to keep my upper body level and to minimize the wasted effort of moving my upper body on the bike.  This time around I cruised up the hills by spinning and trying to minimize any wasted movements.  I also tried to be aerodynamic during the flats and downhill sections. 

After the ride, I ran for 20 minutes.  ( Coach said 10 min, but that was too short for me.)  Then while waiting for the rest of my Ironteammates to come in from their ride, I worked on my pylometrics.  Jumping up and down and hopping on one leg.  Some of my teammates were wondering what the heck I was up to!  We cheered on the last few riders as they came in.  The last rider looked beat, so in addition to cheering her on, I decided to run with her for her 10 min run.  I figure its no fun coming in last and running by yourself.

I didn't realize what a workout that was until today.  I'm on call 24 at the hospital.  We had a hip fracture on a 99 y.o., a Whipple, and a uroseptic patient on maximal doses of triple pressors!  Up in OB land it was relatively quiet with just one C-section so far.  But my back is feeling the effects of yesterday's ride and my operated knee is sore today perhaps from the running, but more likely from the pylometric exercises.  I had to break out the Tiger Balm today.  Tomorrow I was planning on a quick swim followed by a 6 mile run. Hopefully my leg will cooperate.  Otherwise I might replace the run with 6 miles on the elliptical.

6 months Post ACL Reconstruction

Well its been 6 months since my surgery.  The first month was physically and psychologically the toughest.  While my Ironteammates were competing at Vineman, I was on crutches and looking out the window envious of the joggers going by.
The next couple months was about learning to walk again.  Finally getting the go ahead to start jogging in October and "walk-jog" the Nike Women's Marathon in SF which was one of my proudest accomplishments.
November brought on a new season of the Ironteam.  It was exciting to meet my old teammates who were now mentors and to meet the "newbies".  November brought another medical adventure when I had to help a runner who had collapsed and cracked his skull at mile 24 of the RnR San Antonio marathon.
I caught a cold and spent the first couple weeks of December recuperating, but I did sneak in a trip to Vegas for the RnR Las Vegas Half Marathon.  Finally the last couple weeks, I have been concentrating on biking and running faster, as well as spending more time at the gym with strengthening my hamstrings and working on pylometrics.  I have been neglecting my swim sessions, but I plan to renew my emphasis on the swim now that  2010 is here.  I'm glad I have 8 more months of Ironteam training to get ready for Ironman Louisville.