LAVAMAN 2010

It's been a long time since I've posted anything on my blog, and I'm not sure if I will again for a while after this post, but I wanted to do something for the Lavaman race that I did on March 28, 2010. I'm not sure, but this post may show up on my facebook page. It seems like Randy set my account to do that.

I didn't start training until January 1st, and when race time finally arrived, I really wished that I would have had at least another month of training. Last year, after the Lavaman, I got sick and was sick for a month and a half. I quit training for the rest of the year and really regretted that decision when I decided to do Lavaman again this year.

Training was a little rough this year, since I didn't train as long as I did last year. Plus, last year, I worked at 7am so I got up early and did my running before work. This year, I have to be at work at 6am, and I'm too much of a chicken to go out running at 4am. Too many scary things outside at that early hour. So all my training was after work and on weekends. It was really hard to do the after work training. I get so tired at work, and really had to force myself to train after work. I thank Randy so much for pushing me, helping me, encouraging me, coaching me, and for training with me sometimes after work, and always on weekends. I couldn't have and wouldn't have done it without you, sweetheart.

About two weeks before Lavaman, I got really nervous. I knew I wasn't ready, I was way behind schedule on the bike and swim, and I really wanted to drop out of the race. Luckily, the nerves only bothered me for a day or two. Then I kept waiting for the nervousness to come back. Last year I didn't get nervous until the day before the race, at the mandatory meeting, so I was expecting the same this year. But the meeting came and went, and still no nervousness. Then race morning, and I was feeling calm. I kept expecting to be nervous, but it really never came.

I don't have too much to say about the race. My goal was to beat last years time, but I didn't think I could do that since I felt like I needed another month of training.

The swim start was in five different waves, 3 minutes apart. Me, being in the older ladies wave, started last. It is very exciting, I found out last year, to be in the last wave to start, and to pass people that started in waves earlier than you. This year I passed men that had started 9 minutes earlier than me, and yes, the excitement was there again. I ended up doing the 1500 meter swim in 35 minutes, over two minutes faster than last year.

I had a blast on the bike. I think I had a grin on my face the whole time. I was having such a great time, that I didn't notice the pain (too much) riding up Scenic and Donkey Hill. The wind wasn't bad at all, and the 25 miles seemed to go by quickly. I was also over two minutes faster this year on the bike than last year.


The run didn't go as well as I wanted. I felt slow, and was really tired. I found a friend to run with and maybe slacked a little too much. I ended up being 2 minutes slower than last year on the run. However, I made up a little time in the transition area and ended my day over six minutes better than last year.




Although I'm disappointed that I didn't do better, I did beat my goal for this year. And the best part is that I didn't get sick this year and plan to keep training for the next race. Hopefully, the Kona 1/2 marathon. Also, I'm hoping to do all the Peaman races this year, so I will be doing the 10 mile run in two weeks. That's probably farther than I've ever ran in one day in my whole life, but I'm excited to do it, and hopefully I'll see you all there.