Just because you CAN, doesn't mean you SHOULD...

 

Looking back to move forward

“We do not learn from experience … we learn from reflecting on experience.” --John Dewey

I believe that Dewey, an education reformer and philosopher, was correct.  And I feel like my triathlon season this past July and August is rife with lessons...but now I need to do the work of learning them.  So this is my reflection on the 5 races in 6 weeks that comprised my multisport season in 2021. 

Races and Highlights

The first two races. the Door County Tri Relay and the Screw City Du Relay, were the subject of my previous post "Slaying Dragons" so I won't go into detail here. But there were 3 others the Naperville Sprint Tri, The Iron Girl Sprint Tri and the 4WomenTri Minisprint. 

Big finish at Naperville

The Naperville Sprint Tri was August 1, in Naperville, Illinois.  I had done this race before, a few years ago, and was hoping for at least as good a race as I had before. The first time was very hot...but I will admit I was more rested then.  

I started the day feeling relatively good as I waited in line to start the swim at Centennial Beach (a man-made pond/lake the makes the swim like a cross between open water and the pool).  The swim was 375 meters and I was truly not concerned about it until about halfway through when someone accidentally grabbed my left leg and pulled me under. I recovered alright, but my leg felt "tweaked" and it had been a little bit of a freak out. 

The bike was uneventful, expect perhaps for the uphill and into the wind portion...but that is pretty par for the course.  

I struggled through the "run."  The tweaked leg was unhappy and my back was tightening up.  Glenda met me and went with me for a little while, and I managed to create a big finish at the end.  

It was pure cussed-ness and the compliments on the Ciao Bella Tri suit (which I'll admit is pretty awesome) that got me through.  I wasn't fast, but I wasn't last.  I was pretty toasted. 

Over the next day I developed a hitch in my ribs...which turned out to be tight lateral muscles and seemed to take a long time to loosen up.  Let's just say sneezing was a joy. I started questioning whether I could do the next race two weeks later...

Iron Girl in the Buddy Wave with my best buddy

The Iron Girl Sprint Tri in Pleasant Prairie was on August 15.  It would be my longest swim in a race ever.  One of the unique things about this race is that it has a buddy wave.  This means that unlike most triathlons which are very fixed on individual effort (ie no outside help, no pacers etc.) there is one non-competitive wave that allows you to do the event with a designated buddy. If you signed up for the buddy wave you were not eligible for awards, but I wasn't worried about that anyway. Glenda agreed to be my buddy, mostly because of the long swim.  

Although after Naperville, I debated for two weeks about whether to do this race we were there on race morning.  We had spent two entries for the not-inexpensive race and I felt recovered enough, though not completely recovered. So we decided we "could."  Thinking about "should" didn't really happen until after.

Since we were racing as buddies, we decided that we needed to dress as buddies. And since it was a women's only race, we decided to go old school and channel our inner Tough Cookies (TC was a women's training group we had been involved with back in Austin).  Glenda said she was going to wear her pink tutu on the run....so, OF COURSE, I had to make myself a pink tutu for the run as well. 

The swim was 800 meters...there were plenty of buoys and platforms marking the course, and giving the uncertain swimmer a place to breathe a moment.  There were lifeguards on every platform and in kayaks on the water.  It was an exceptionally safe course...and an exceptionally difficult one in that it was straight east into the sunrise. We planned to swim to the right of the course, for ease of taking a quick breathe at the platforms if needed.  We started out, and with the glare on the water I couldn't see the platform or the far shore or ANYTHING.  I sort of freaked out, but Glenda grabbed my hand and put it on the first platform (I'd have swum right into it!) and as I calmed a little she said, "Sighting is tough, but I can do it...just stay on my hip."  and I did.  After the initial frenzy, I actually had a very good swim.

Then it was on to the bike which Glenda and I rode together as well.  I had trouble hitting a rhythm...but otherwise it was a great course, only a few hills and closed to traffic.  By the end I was feeling it and the fact that I was probably not fully recovered after Naperville was definitely an issue.

The "run" was a mosey, a ramble, a shuffle from bench to bench. I was doing 25 minute miles and barely holding on.  But I had Glenda, and I had my tutu (which got lots of cheers and compliments....and that kept me going).  We were the last people to cross the finish line and the announcer stopped awards to have us cheered in (which was very special).  We were not, by the way, the last in terms of time on course...there were people in earlier waves that took longer. But either way it didn't matter...I was just glad to be done and praying that I could recover enough to do the mini sprint the next weekend. 

Nearing the end of the mini sprint at 4WomenTri

The 4WomenTri was a first year event in Chanhassen, MN. Glenda had received an e-mail about it and after some consideration we decided to support this new event.  Glenda did the sprint, and I did the mini sprint which was advertised as 100 meters/6 miles/1 mile....a perfect distance for a fun race to cap the season.

The race venue, Lake Ann,  was beautiful.  They took some time to set up the swim area for the sprint, and told of us doing the mini to follow the buoys for the swim area. Which we did, only to find that the swim was more like 150-180 yards...not a big deal, but longer than expected.  It went by quickly and uneventfully.

 

Then up the hill and through transition onto the bike.  The bike was only 6 miles long...but Holy Hills, Batman!  I concentrated on trying to keep steady up the hills and lower the impact on my legs by using the downhill for recovery.  Again, it was relatively quick and uneventful, and soon I was rolling into transition again. I lost a little time there as I ran right past my bike spot!

My major goal for the run was to run some of it, not walk, mosey, stumble and sit my way through it as I did in the longer races.  I was feeling the long season that came before this race and was clearly not fully recovered, but I did it, running and walking, not fast but at regular intervals.

Because this was a short race, I did it in my TomBoyX rainbow swimsuit.  I just added biking undies and a bra for comfort and a bib skirt to hold my bib on the run.  This suit is very bright and can be seen for miles around...or so it seems.  It was a stroke of brilliance, because before the race, after the race and during every leg there were positive comments and questions about it. It made me visible and got me cheers...not a bad thing when you are struggling in a race (and pretty good even when you aren't struggling).

Lessons learned 

Lesson #1--Just because you can, doesn't mean you should

It is not surprising, I suppose that I piled on so many races.  So many things were cancelled in 2020 that I (along with many other people) was hungry to do some in person events.  Naperville was  a deferral from 2020,  Door County we were working for the photo company so why not be on-site and do the race, Screw City was one of the few races we were able to do in 2020 and we wanted to support them, Iron Girl had been on our radar for a while and 4WomenTri was a lark.  These were all things we COULD do.

However, the day after the Door County race while I was editing photos for the Half Iron distance race, I found myself feeling run down and very achey and just really tired.  I ended up sleeping nearly 12 hours that night.  I wasn't sick, I was just very tired.  I chalked it up to a hard race, maybe a little dehydration or issue with nutrition.  The same thing happened after Naperville and Iron Girl...each time there were more extra aches and pains and it seemed harder to recover. 

Looking back, I raced 10.5 hours over that 6 week period...multiple marathons for some people...without enough recovery. My body yelled at me especially loudly after anything that took more than 2 hours.  I heard it yell, but I didn't listen.  

I should have listened.  I am very grateful that I am not injured...because I could easily have been.  I have decided that I have to scale back to be able to do this longer.  And the new mantra in race planning (and maybe in other parts of my life) is going to be "just because you can, doesn't necessarily mean you should."

Lesson #2--Never underestimate the power of a great outfit

You might noticed that I mentioned what I wore for the various events. And though it may sound vain or silly, I've discovered more than ever that it matters.  Why?  A couple of reasons.  First is how what you're wearing makes you feel...obviously you want to be comfortable, but does the outfit make you feel confident? fast? fun? Does it make you bold?  Does it make you smile? Picking the right outfit for a race is a kind of a serious matter for me.

The other reason is what reaction do you get from others.  (Hint: this is also part of the reason I like to run in costume).  If my outfit makes other people smile or provokes a reaction like "great kit!" "love the tutu!" or "where did you get that suit?" it just automatically makes me smile back. It also makes me feel seen and lifts my sometimes flagging body and mind.  In short it helps me keep going and give it my best effort. 

So silly or vain it may be...it is still powerful.

Lesson #3--Keep moving, they can't bury a moving body

This lesson I learned from a fellow competitor at the final race of my tri season.  Her name is Judy Rykken, she is 83 years old and she was the last to cross the finish line in the Sprint at the 4WomenTri...she also won her age group! She did two things after the race that impressed me.  

The first was immediately after we had all cheered her in and the race director asked if she needed anything.  Her reply was "just to sit down."  They got her a chair and I thought there is a woman after my own heart, because that is always the first thing I want after pretty much any race. 

The more important thing, though, was the advice that she offered to us all during the awards ceremony.."just keep moving, doesn't matter how or how fast...remember they can't bury a moving body."  And in that sentiment is a new mantra for me ... Keep Moving, They Can't Bury a Moving Body. It seems a very useful and important mantra as I approach my 65th birthday!

Sorry, not sorry...but not again!

So, do I regret doing all those races in such a short time?  No, not really.  Do I think it might have been healthier and better for me if I had maybe backed it off a bit?  For sure.  

It was good for me to know that I could do these things, however slowly.  But it was better to learn that though I could do these things, It would probably have been happier (and healthier) if I had spread things out.  My body just needs more time to recover, and the slow recovery took a mental toll too.

So I'm proud that I could pull this off, but I have NO plans to try to do so much in the future.

A Strange Season

Glenda personifies the current oddness of life

Since my last installment, pretty much everything that was on the calendar for 2020 was cancelled...but that doesn't mean we just gave up.  Sometimes you have to embrace the strange and do what you can with it. So this blog is a catching up for this strange season an there will be more focused posts going forward. I think it mainly goes to show that life changes, but at least for me the REALLY important things haven't stopped (just maybe gone a bit virtual).

VIRTUAL VACATION SHENANIGANS

In June, we took a virtual running cruise to Alaska!  It was appropriate, since Alaska is one of our favorite places to go...and running cruises are one of our favorite ways to travel.  The "trip" included a FaceBook page where there were several activities such as telling jokes on hump day and karaoke on friday as well as just general sharing.  

We definitely went all in on the jokes...here's an example

There was also Karaoke and other photos and videos. 

And at the end of the cruise we got an "Oscar" for all our shenanigans...and Shenanigans Studios was born.  (A bit more on that later)

And of course there were virtual races.

The first virtual Alaska was the Moosehead 5k.  We repped for Bullwinkle Moose's alma mater (and it was my latest 5k so far this season)

Who better for a treasure hunt than a pirate and a prospector

A couple of well-fed Ravens (in honor of the Skinny Raven running store in Anchorage) ran a trail predictor race the "Ward Lake Loop"

Claiming to be "Fittish" for the final 5k 

MORE VIRTUAL RACES (AND ONE REAL ONE!)

Besides the Alaska Races, there have been a number of other virtual races including a Summer series put on by some of the same people that do the Virtual (and real, when it is possible) running cruises.  As such they each had a different way to win the race, which I find very appealing. 

The Summer 5 x 5k series

Race #1 was a patriotic themed "treasure hunt" that we did on July 4. (I also added on to complete the Have a Blast 4-miler)

Race #2 was the Lemonade 5k...a prediction race (I never predict well!) So of course we were lemony!

Race #3 was the Ice Cream 5k, to win you had to have the median time.  I was slower and Glenda was faster, but we definitely had the ice cream gear

Race #4  The Lightning But was all about speed (and Glenda won!)...we ran in at dusk with firefly skirts and blinking lights

And finally, race #5...the Roller Coaster.  Cue the hills, the rollercoaster skirt and the silly shirts

Plus 2 Virtual 5ks, a Du and a Tri (or 2)

Also in the last couple of months, I did a couple of other virtual 5ks which appealed to me, the 2nd in my progressive Du series, and a Virtual Triathlon that replace a travel race slated for October.  I also did another tri, but I'll talk about that later. 

On July 13 I did my second du of the year, one I completely made up, based on one I did years ago...The Suellen's a Tough Cookie Du

On July 28, I repped for Wisconsin in the Big Ten Network 5k, a race I've been meaning to do for awhile that was virtual this year

On August 7, I completed the Ramblin' Rose Virtual Tri (250 yds/9 mile bike/2 mile run) which took the place of the race I was to have done in Chapel Hill, NC.  Incidentally, I got one of my favorite run pictures of the year so far

August 18, 2020 was the hundredth anniversary of the passage of the 19th amendment "Women's Suffrage" ...I ran a 5k to honor the day.

And a racetastrophy

And then there was the real life Du that wasn't.  I signed up for the Screw City Du months and months ago.  It was actually held on the 26th of July (after a postponement from May).  There were lots of precautions in place and masks were required except while actually racing.  The day came and the heat index at the 8 am start was over 90 degrees and the heat was oppressive.  By the end of the first run I knew it wasn't my day...so I dropped to the 2 mile run option.  Probably my worst race day ever. 

Masks and medals at the hottest race(s) ever

A BIG BIRTHDAY REIMAGINED

On July 8, 2020 my Mom turned 90 years old.  Originally we had planned for a big party, but COVID-19 put a stop to that. So the family "divided and conquered" to come together

The birthday girl on her 90th...doesn't she look great?

First came the "card shower" before the birthday...she got cards and letters from many.  There were signs in her yard and on her door into the hall in her condo. 

On the day of her birthday, my son's family brought candy and the girls made a giant card, my brother and his wife brought her a steak dinner, and later we stopped by with cake. 

A few days later there was a firetruck parade, photos, another cake and a family Zoom meeting with special guest appearances by several old friends and co-workers. After all of this Mom declared herself more than sufficiently celebrated.

SUCKING IT UP FOR MY KIDDO

On July 21, 2020 my daughter. Melanie was scheduled for back surgery to extend her spinal fusion.  She was allowed one support person and I was elected.  

I hadn't been able to see Mel for some time as for several weeks her group home was being very careful about visitors. But once the surgery was scheduled, I attended her last two pre-op appointments. I also spent the night in a hotel the night before the surgery and sat in the hospital most of the day of surgery.

I was glad to do those things for her, but the anxiety about these visit was pretty overwhelming. 

Pre-surgery photo in her stylish chapeau. After a month, she is healing well, through inpatient rehab and back home.  Surgery appears to have been a success.

TAKING A CHANCE WITH A SHORT TRIP

We had MANY trips cancelled this year.  One of them was a trip with our granddaughters and their parents to Branson, MO in July.  At that point the virus was high in our area and blowing up in that area of Missouri/Arkansas, and none of us was comfortable with the trip.  

So we decided that we needed to try to find something safer.  We settled on a big house in Door County, WI with amenities that meant that we didn't have to interact with the rest of the world any more than we wanted. We were fortunately able to be quite certain that no one had the virus before we went.

There was fishing both in Sturgeon Bay (directly behind the house) and the stocked swimming/and fishing pond in the front of the house. 

Fisher Ellie

Fisher Maeve

Some of the fisher crew

Swimming was another favorite activity

The pond had a floating dock

And we put on our own triathlons,  one for us and one for the kids

Ellie finishes the tri

Maeve dashes to the finish

Glenda and I preparing to start our tri

And of course, there were s'more...because, s'mores!

S'mores!

BECOMING UNRETIRED

About 18 months ago I announced my retirement from adjunct teaching,  mostly because helping to deal with all of Melanie's issues before, during and after her major bladder surgery was consuming. Between that and our athletic and travel pursuits I couldn't really give my work the time and energy it deserved.  But I really never fully adjusted to being retired, I frankly did not like it.

Once Melanie was settled not quite a year ago, I told just one school (that I'd been adjunct for for almost 9 years at that point), that I might be willing to teach again. I early August they contacted me to see if I would teach a class...and by the time all was said and done I was teaching two, and have been assigned two more for the Spring. 

MORE SHENANIGANS AHEAD!

So what's next?  Lots of things.  For instance starting August 30 we will be doing another virtual cruise...this time Hawaii! And there will be more videos and races and general goofiness. All of our videos are now "credited" to Shenanigans Studios, an idea born in the wake of our Alaska videos. 

See the country...Run the World

Medal photo from the final race

On April 1, 2006 I did my very first 5k, the Running of the Horns, on the University of Texas Campus.  I walked the whole thing.  I was also hooked on this racing/ running thing. 

On June 30, 2019 I ran/walked (mostly walked) the Missoula Half Marathon in Montana.  It was my last race in my quest to run any race 5K and above in every State plus Washington, DC.  

While I counted races starting in 2006...I really decided that I would try to run them all around 2008 when I realized Id already run in 5 different states.

SOME STATISTICS

If you count the FIRST race I did in every state I did twenty eight 5ks, one "yearling" (3.65 miles), one 4-miler, six 10ks,  Ten Half marathons, two marathon relays (with Glenda), two duathlons and one triathlon. 

If you count the LONGEST race in every state, I did nineteen 5ks, one yearling, one 4 miler, one 8k, one 5.5-miler, eight 10ks, two 10 milers, twelve half marathons, one full marathon, two marathon relays, two duathlons and one triathlon. 

And MORE than 51 great  races and stories, some of which are below. 

BECAUSE IT WAS THERE

Not all of my races were done on planned race weekends, at least 3 of them were just because there happened to be a race near where I was on a "non-race weekend" trip.

The first of these was the Cupid Chase in Albuquerque in February 2012.  It just happened to be the same weekend as the SWPACA conference, so I sneaked out to do the 5k at the balloon park.

The hot air balloons were neat to watch during the race

Thanksgiving week 2012 we attended the Maui Classic, a basketball tournament in which our Longhorns were playing.  A few weeks before we left we found that there was a 5k race nearby...so of  course we ran!

A very Maui panorama from the race start

In March of 2016, I attended the TASP conference at Rutgers University. Since I had not yet run New Jersey, I searched around and found a St. Patrick's race.

The day was chilly, the course was hilly and the Shamrock chapeau was a hit

ON THE SPUR OF THE MOMENT

A few of the races were chosen and done with almost no notice...

For example, in 2013 we lived in Texas and were training for long races.  One Saturday after our long run, we looked at each other and said, "there is no way I can do one more long run at the temperature of the surface of the sun."  So the search began for a cheap flight and race distance that would fit our training in a state we hadn't done...for the following week!  We ended up in Provo, UT where Glenda did half marathon plus and I did the 10K. I met Claudia, Mary Jane and Kristen that morning...and I'm still in touch with Kristen after 6 years.

Claudia, Mary Jane, Kristen and me...ready for the 10k in Provo

In December 2014 we had money on account with Southwest Airlines and they were having one of their very good sales...so of course we had to find a place to race (again on short notice) and ended up in St. Louis doing the Hot Chocolate 5k and 15k.

It's all about eating the chocolate afterwards

In 2015, we found ourselves needing a few more miles and segments to reach the next level on American Airlines...so what did we do?  Why looked for an inexpensive flight to get those points...and a race to get a state.  Voila!  The Road Hawg 5k/10k in Battle Creek, MI.

Here we are...Thing 1 and Thing 2 :)

IN COSTUME

Over the years Glenda and I have become infamous for running in costume, a trend which began when we ran Florida for the first time in 2010.  It was also our first Disney race...the Princess Half.  

Tinkerbell runs the half

It was 2014 before we wore costumes for another state.  But how could we not?  It was the Hare Hop 4-miler in Illinois

A couple of bunnies ready to run Illinois

Later that same year, we did a half in Kansas...I didn't feel entirely prepared (and I wasn't OH THE HILLS!), so I wanted to remind myself to have fun.  Thus, Dorothy and Glinda return to Kansas

We are in Kansas, complete with bubbles!

Early in 2015 The Little Rock Half marathon had a pirate theme, and so did we!

ARR-Kansas!

In the Fall of 2016 we ran in King's Island park in Ohio, including the Peanuts kids area.  We ran around and under the roller coasters dressed as Peppermint Pattie and Marcie

Marcie and Pattie after the race

The summer of 2017 took us on our first running cruise to Alaska.  Our first run was a friendship 5k in Anchorage with a moose theme.  We were happy to oblige!

A couple of crazy "Bullwinkles" before the race

Easter weekend of 2018 we were in Kentucky running the Run the Bluegrass as none other than jockeys.

My colors are Seattle Slew and Glenda's are American Pharaoh

December of 2018 had us channeling Elvis at the St. Jude's 10K in Memphis...complete with a peanut butter and banana milkshake post race.

We call this photo "We Three Kings"

By June of 2019 we came to the next to last race by running the Cornfield, Cornfield 10k in Omaha.  So what do you find in a Cornfield...scarecrows and crows of course!

I guess Glenda's scarecrow wasn't scary enough, because my crow finished with her

Not included here are 3 or 4 races where we wore themed skirts, but not necessarily full costumes. 

THE PRETTIEST

This is a tough category. I have run many races in beautiful places...Colorado, Wyoming, West Virginia, Washington and on and on.  But below are probably my favorites.

In June of 2015 I made my second (and successful) attempt at South Dakota (see below) with the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Half Marathon.  It was far from my best half...but it was extremely pretty with a new and beautiful scene around every turn.

Scene...

After scene...

After scene...

To the finish

In 2017, Glenda and I were celebrating our 20th anniversary on an Alaska Running Cruise.  ALL of the races we did there were scenic.  Below are a couple of photos from the first two.

Friendship run...the first race of the trip...How do you beat this scenery?

Maybe with the scenery from the second race.

June of 2019 I finished my quest with Missoula, MT Half marathon...and what a way to go out!  Gorgeous and well-supported course. 

So pretty in Missoula

as you can see

This bridge was a highlight

THE "WORST"

Of course, not every race can be perfect or scenic or wonderful....and at least 3 of them weren't.

I did a duathlon in Arizona to get that state.  It was a friends and family add on to USAT nationals and it started at 10 minutes after high noon in Oro Valley (which you can guess is hotter than the surface of the sun).  I struggled, but I finished.

I was happy to finish

But I admit to wondering why I did it

The second crazy bad race took place around Easter of 2013 in Denver, CO.  The race we had come for was cancelled by a blizzard...but this one went on.  I've never done anything more "stupid" for fun!  We did have a good time, but thought I'd freeze completely to death.

View on race morning

Yes we were that bundled up!

The final one was also a duathlon, but it was bad for opposite reasons.  It was COLD and rainy in Louisiana in February of 2014.

It was cold on the run

And colder on the bike! BRRR!

THE ONES THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN

In all the years of doing this only two races were ever cancelled, both by blizzards.  Colorado, as mentioned above had a snowstorm in March of 2013 that cancelled a race that we had come for.  Fortunately in the case, we found another race nearby and got it done.

Not so in South Dakota the next October.  Who expects a major blizzard (over 30 inches) the first weekend in October?  But we got it.  The snow was hip deep on the trail race morning, also the power was out and the interstate was closed!  We barely got out the next Monday...and had to do a do over to get the state in.

This is almost 3 feet of new snow on what was to have been race morning

FINDING WHAT'S NEXT

So proud that I've finished this quest...but now I have to figure out what's next.  And it isn't easy.  Anyone got a favorite running race 7k-10 mile distance?  How about a favorite duathlon? or super sprint or sprint triathlon?  Because I'm going to keep going.

I'm working through the counties in Wisconsin and the Provinces in Canada...but open to all kinds of suggestions.

To see more of my quest and other running things...check out my website here