Here are a ton of photos that Beth took from the Colfax Relay that we did. First off is two team pictures. I’m sad that my friend Gaye isn’t in any of the photos, she appeared later.

Here is Michelle and I having a post race rehash. I think we look like sisters sometimes.

Here is Andrea, Noel, Beth, me, Laura, and Kayla just before I headed out to do the last leg.

Here is Laura, Kayla, and Beth after they finished their legs.

Here is Laura and Kayla enjoying some post run java.

Here are two shots of Chelsea and I rockin’ out after the race while we cheered for others to finish.

Here is Michelle, me, Beth, Chelsea, Jenna, and Kayla enjoying the post race atmosphere.

Here is my favorite shot. Michelle and Ann on top, Beth and I on bottom. The guys were loving it when we took this one.

Today was quite a hoot. Andrea at Practical Coaching put together three relay teams to run the Colorado Colfax Marathon. It was quite the logistical doing on her part! Getting 15 people all to the correct location, and making sure everyone knew who they were handing off with, and how they were getting around was quite the feat. Great job Andrea!

We met at 4:30am! Ouch! But it was necessary for everyone to get on the same page. After our pre-race meeting each group of three took off on their own to get to their starting spots. I was running the last leg, 7.5 miles and so Andrea, Noell and I had brought our bikes. We planned to ride the course, following the runners until it was time to head to our start. That way we got a good warmup and we weren’t waiting around all day to run. The biking part was so fun. We biked over to the start line and watched that, then we rode along with the runners until we had seen all three first leggers (Kayla, Laura, and Beth). We hung out at the first exchange until they came in and watched leg 2 take off (Chelsea, Shaun, and Ann). They all ran such fast 5K’s that by the time we visited the portapottie and tried to catch them on our bikes we had missed them. We continued riding up looking for the leg 3 runners (Jenna, Michelle, and Chris). We saw Michelle and decided it was time to turn around and head to our own legs.

I was looking at my watch and seeing how fast my team was running I knew it was time to skedaddle. They were bookin’! We stashed our bikes on Chelseas bike rack, suited up, and took off on the 3/4 mile jog to the exchange point to wait for the leg 4 runners (Jenna, Doreen, and Gaye). I was getting a little worried running over there because I knew I was cutting it close. I arrived and looked down the road and the first person I saw was Gaye. I made it with a max of 30 seconds to spare. Eek. No time to catch my breath, no time to compose myself, I was off.

I took off really slow, just trying to get into the swing of things. The first 2.3 miles I just warmed up. Then I started picking it up. I definitely negative splited the effort in the race, but it ended up being like a tempo run because I would see a marathoner who was struggling (every one of them was hurting pretty bad). I would slow down and run with them for a little bit telling them they looked good, to stay strong, and that this is what they trained for. Then I would pick it back up hard and run to the next marathoner. I felt like a total fraud in the race. People cheering kept saying the nicest things likes “you look great” and “awesome pace”. I needed a big sign on my chest that said “RELAY” b/c my green race bib wasn’t doing the trick.

The race flew by with my little “support” tactic and before I knew it we had wound back through downtown, along Colfax and were heading into city Park. That last mile was cake for me, but so tough for those marathoners. When I came into the finish all the other Practical Coaching legs were there, cheering their heads off. It was great to hear them. They rocked the cheering house and totally upstaged the cheerleaders (yup, cheerleaders…pom poms and all).

the finish tent was sweet, Panera bagels up the yin-yang, lots of tasty treats, and drunk looking marathoners.

This race was a total blast, but it was a combination of watching and cheering the marathon runners, and having all my peeps there that did it for me. Lots of fun. Thanks to all the ladies (and the two boys) that ran on our relay teams today. Also many thanks for Jon, Tyler and Anthony who acted as our very studly male support crew. You all rocked the house.

Results are posted here

We were 4th in the Open Female division (but we would have been third in the all male teams. Our times were:
Gun Time: 3:25:55
Chip Time: 3:25:31
Pace: 7:51
Leg 1 - Beth 10K: 50:36
Leg 2 - Ann 5K: 26:03
Leg 3 - Michelle 10K: 48:43
Leg 4 - Gaye 5K 26:40
Leg 5 - Sonja 7.5 miles 53:56

Great Job ladies!

Calling all triathletes!

Have you heard about Trakkers?

Do you often have friends and family hitting the “REFRESH” (F5) button on the results page waiting to see how you performed? I know that my parents and grandparents are often patiently awaiting to hear how I did in my races. Sometimes my friends see the results before I do.

Trakkers is developing this awesome new technology using GPS where an athlete can wear a cute little unit like a watch and information about your race will be displayed on a website REAL TIME. You strap on this little doo-job-er to your race belt, wrist, or arm, hit the start button and do your race. Meanwhile, the Trakker will be relaying location, pace, distance, heart rate, etc to a website that your friends and family can tune into!

Another cool feature…a panic button. If you get into trouble during a race you can press the panic button and your distress call will be relayed to organizers.

Trakkers is still in the development stage (I even get to help out with that process a little bit). They are aiming for a release date closer to the end of 2008. Working with Trakkers thus far has been super fun, they are taking the athletes perspective very seriously! I’ll be updating you more along the way as I get more information.

It matches my blog!

Tell me that the new Garmin Forerunner 405 isn’t absolutely awesome looking. Go ahead…try, yea, that’s what I thought, you can’t even say it. The new Forerunner is HOT HOT HOT! The last two versions were a bit more lets say…large…maybe clunky is the word. But we still bought them, and we wore them, and we used them. Why? Because WE LIKE DATA. And there is nothing like knowing your pace and your distance.

We were set free by the Garmin Forerunner. No longer did we need to run routes that we “knew” the distance. Nor did we have to just “Run for Time”. Oh no, we could now step out the front door and just start running, letting our feet and heart take us were they may. And boy have they taken me places.

When we got home we knew it all…where we had gone, how far, how fast, how many calories. It was all there. Yet we just got to run, to let loose.

I was very lucky to have trained with a Garmin Forerunner 201 this past year, and I have loved it. It’s especially awesome to get back on the computer and review past runs and rides from months back. However, during the Beaver Creek Snowshoe Race #2 my Gamin suffered an injury. It got torn from it’s wrist strap during one of my many falls. Ever since I have been forced to train with it in my pocket (or sportsbra) b/c it’s doesn’t have a strap any more, nor does it have the pins to hold a replacement strap on. So needless to say when I saw this new one on the market, I started drooling green. The only problem…

Suggested Retail Price: $318.74

.

Okay, I am a bit biased, but WOW, we had so much fun watching the single screening of “Spirit of the Marathon” last night. It was sooo well done, and sooo inspirational. It had a little something for everyone, and it was JUST SO GOOD. Not that I am partial.

They plan to do a second screening in February and I plan to be there. I can’t wait! Even though it was a Thursday night our theatre was sold out as were many others around the country.

We runners are really appreciative of this film, it gave all of us a voice, and it was done so nicely. I spent the entire movie curled up in a little ball in my chair, like a little kid, feasting on what was playing out before me. It was better than chocolate.

It didn’t hurt that 6 of my closest friends sat all around me…in various states of intoxication. The ones that have been with me the past year in a half as I transformed into an endurance athlete. Yup, they were all there, as googly eyed as I.

When the second screaning comes on February 21, I highly suggest that you purchase a ticket and go see what we runners consider the distance of all distances. Call me…I’ll go with you!

2007 Denver Marathon
Official Chip Time: 3:32:55

Conditions were wet, cold and rainy…which beats hot and miserable like the week before for the Chicago Marathon..

I never get a good night of sleep before races, but Saturday night before the marathon, I slept like a log…dead to the world. The whole family woke up around 4am and it was raining, and cold outside. The previous night I had decided to run in my Practical Coaching uniform, but that morning I changed my mind. Actually, I wore the uniform, but I also wore a Patagonia base layer long sleeve top, arm warmers, gloves, warm hat and tights.

Chris arrived and we were off. The plan was for the boys to ride along the course, cheering for me at intervals of their choosing, and Troy was to pull Annie in the Chariot. Thank goodness the Chariot is water proof b/c it was really raining! We arrived too early as usual, got a great parking spot and waited. I did a light warm up and thought to myself how crazy it was that I was warming up for a 26.2 mile race. After a warm up and some stretching I lined up in the starting area next to the 8 min/mile pace guy. Steve found me and gave me some hot balm for my legs…sooo helpful!

Before I knew it the gun was off. The first 4 miles were through downtown Denver, and were very congested with people starting out too fast. There was a lot of elbowing and jostling around the pace guy so I sped up to about 2 minutes in front of him by mile 2 and then maintained 8 min pace. There were lots of puddles and my feet were already soaked. I saw Steve and Troy and Chris at mile 4.5 and threw my very wet gloves and sunglasses at them. We then headed out to City Park where I knew Michelle and Ron would be if they could brave the cold and rain. I saw them around mile 8 and had a nice little conversation with them as I ran past. I was then off to Clement park where I saw Troy again, and almost missed my friend Gaye who was there with a sign and everything! She thought I missed her, but ooh no, I saw her! After Clement park Steve and Andrea caught up to me on their bikes and Steve gave me some kind words. I was at mile 11 and he told me this was where the race started, and that I looked really strong. I felt strong, and I knew that I had run a patient race up to this point. I was still about 2 minutes in front of 8 min pace guy, and I was holding 8 minute pace really well.

We then went down a slight hill as we headed to Cherry Creek North and the 1/2 marathoners split off. Most all of the people around me were now gone! I didn’t really realize that there were that many 1/2 marathon finishers. We had this crazy out and back section in Cherry Creek North that was pretty boring. It was becoming tougher to keep on my 8 minute pace, but I was doing it. Things like elbows and knees were starting to feel creaky due to the cold and rain, and the liquid in the aid stations kept feeling colder. After the out and back section I saw Troy and Chris again, very good cheering on their part, and I was off to Washington Park. This is where things really started to hurt. At about mile 18 I just got sooooo cold. I started to slow after that, and at mile 20 the 8 min pace guy passed me. I was still so cold and the aid station water was so cold that every time I drank it I got the chills. At mile 20.5 I saw Troy and Chris again and I wanted to tell them I was cold, but there were cheering so loud I couldn’t get a word in edgewise…I did manage to give them the “Help me” look, but there was nothing they could do. They themselves were freezing at that point.

That’s when my thoughts turned to my coach. I kept hoping I would see Steve and Andrea, and at mile 22 my thoughts became reality. Andrea pulled up next to me running. I told her “Annie, I’m just so cold” and I started crying. Being the stellar coach that she is she immediately diagnosed my emotional state, gave me a great pep-talk, all the while handing me hand warmers…the type you use skiing. She did all this running next to me, and in the span of about 2 minutes. By the time she left I was a whole new woman, I was warm and back on pace.

At mile 24 I saw someone that looked familiar go by. I thought it was Amy (see my Rattlesnake Tri Post) and so I picked up the pace (b/c she literally FLEW by me…and nobody really flies at mile 24 of a marathon). I pulled up next to her and looked at her and she said “Oooh my god, your doing this too?” Catching up to her took all I had, so I dropped back from her, and she said “Let’s go”, and I said “No thanks”. I just needed to run my race, and she needed to run hers. But it was a great pick-me-up to see her out there. Before I knew it I was coming through the final stretch and my first Marathon was over.

The minute I stopped I was in pain, and the minute that the official put the medal around my neck I was in tears. Troy and Chris and Steve and Andrea were there and lots of hugs went around. I have never felt so proud of myself, it felt like an amazing accomplishment. I was instantly stiff and could barely walk. Troy and Chris got around the barricades to help me and within 10 minutes my tears of joy morphed into tears of pain. My legs and body just hurt so badly and I was really cold. The changing tent looked miles away but we eventually got there, although Troy and Chris basically carried me. It took me 25 minutes to change my clothes, I could barely move and everything hurt, and didn’t really work. I thought Troy was going to have to come in after me! They should totally make “family” changing tents.

After the changing tent I learned that our car battery had died so the boys wanted me to get to a Starbucks and warm up. I was shivering very badly, still very cold even though I was now in dry clothes, and I was getting pretty hypothermic. The Starbucks at 16th street felt a very long ways away but I made it there and they pumped me full of Hot Apple Cider. In the middle of our stay at Starbucks Annie pulled over…and broke…an entire shelf of porcelain Starbucks mugs. That was delightful…I just sat there, could even move to help clean up or anything.

Eventually I warmed up at bit, AAA came and jumped the car and we headed home. I wore my medal all day. I laid on the couch re-hashing the day with Troy and Chris. What a success, but boy was it cold!

My official Chip Time was: 3:32:55 (8:07 pace).
This qualifies me for the Boston Marathon.
I was the 31st overall woman out of 683
I was the 11th woman in the 25-29 age group, out of 155