left.right.repeat group -closed - Full of a bunch of winners...YEAH! (Page 21)

Once again I have a weekend of anxiety waiting for race reports...I swear it is much easy to race than wait for you all and watch you win....

Flipper - I am back in town and you are officially banned from negative thoughts.  No more.  None.  You are ready...you have done the work.  It is VERY normal to have those thoughts.  I am beginning my taper this next week for my oly in 2 weeks and I have some concerns as well, but the fortunate thing is having done some races I KNOW I will be OK.  That said I also KNOW you will be OK.  Walk the bike up the hill if necessary and if anyone even looks at you funny, flip them off....tell them I told you to... -- really just shift to the easy gears - the easiest if necessary and spin right up that sucker...if you can't get all the way, shut her down and walk her up.  Also, if there are hills on the run try running the flats and the downhills and walk the uphills.  I walk in EVERY race I do.  I would laugh if anyone on the sidelines said anything or looked at me as those poor slobs probably couldn't run 100 yards much less meters...so you go girl!!!  You have a lot of sTRIvers pulling you toward the finish line. 

Flipper - this was posted before your 5k

Flipper,
Take it easy tomorrow on the run/walk - enjoy the experience....take the digital camera and take pics along the way...especially the FINISH LINE! One caution, at the start you are going to be JAZZED and want to run a million miles an hour...DON'T DO IT...take your time...the only RACE you are running is yours...and it lasts the rest of your life. Enjoy the moment, revel in it and record it so you can re-visit on long tough training days. Emboss every moment on your brain. Take pics or video. Live in the moment.

Then you posted this....remember?

OMG, how do I describe the feeling?!! We had a PERFECT - you're hearing me, right? - a PERFECT day for this race! The sky was so blue it was... well, I can't even describe it, lol. And the water... you have to see the bay and the gulf on a morning like this morning to believe it.

I've run faster on the treadmill, but I intentionally paced myself, and am thrilled with the finish time for my first race. I kept thinking about Bryan's advice, and I wanted to take in EVERY second, even the times I couldn't breath. When we got water cups at the water stations, I pictured races that I've seen clips of on TV, and I almost shouted: "Hey, it's ME getting water in a race!" I smiled and talked to everyone and so did my hubby (Bill). Everyone was great. And there were actually folks at the finish line that cheered us when finished? HOW COOL IS THAT?! 

My official time is 40.11 and I finished 6th in my division. Gee-willikers-wow, what an AWESOME feeling of accomplishment! I want to say more, but I'm honestly still dazed! I can't believe that we did it! Thank you guys, for all for your support!

Mav - go girl go.....   (your mother's day T-shirt is approved for 1st time use)

FBP and Mrs. FBP - run folks run...

Your finish lines await

Flipper - maybe this helps...

ter

Bless you, Bryan. You are the best! Thank you! I will do this.

sTRIving to finish!

Flipper - what you need to realize is you have already DONE IT!!!  The work is behind you.  The base is there.  The deposits have been made.  On May 24, it is just withdrawal time.  YOU HAVE ALREADY DONE IT!!!  Now we are just awaiting pictures.

Very cool Mav - go get em

FBP and Mrs. FBP - good running to you....

Happy mother's day to all

Race Report

Yours truly and Mrs FBP both had great races !! I finished in 2:10 and Jill was right behind me in 2:20.

We had a perfect day weather-wise. Chilly to start but no rain and only a modest wind, into our face on the route out so pushing us on the way back. There were roughly 300 entrants in the Half so it took a while to get into a rhythm but once I did my pace was comfortable and constant. I was aiming to stay under 6:10 per km and managed to do that the whole way. I knew a ton of people taking part and so on the out/back route you got to see everyone at least once. A person near me ramarked that she thought I must know everyone in the race because I was saying hi so  often .

Saw Jill just after the turnaround point so I knew she wasn't that far behind me. Figured she might have gone out a little too quick but apparently not.

Loads of people I know were at the finish line waiting to cheer on those who finished behind them. I love that about races - folks are so supportive. Great eats at the end - subway sandwiches, oranges, bananas, bagels, water, etc. Also free massages - Mrs FBP had one and said they were great. Cool medals too - shaped like a whole round medal that's been broken in Half. I'll post a pic later.  

Heading out now to a local pub to meet up with some of the  folks from my Running Mania on-line group who are in town for race weekend. First time I'll have met any of them in person.

Can't wait to read Mav's race report - I actually said a little prayer to wish her luck when I was at the 6 km mark.

Flipper - please email me ([email protected]) your mailing address as I have an envelope to send you.

Sticka 

AWESOME MAV !!!!!!!!!

Must have posted my message (about good things coming from mav) just as you posted your report because it ended up on the board out of sequence.

Wow - what a great result. I'm so proud of you !!!!

Loved that you went out afterwards with your body markings - war paint you might say.

Glad that people liked the slogan on your shirt too I made up a sign with those words on it too and posted it on our race course. Can't be sure how many saw it and probably fewer again understood the comment.

Jill and I went out afterwards to meet a couple of the folks from my RunningMania.com discussion board. I had nachos and a beer (Guinness) - even though I almost never drink lcohol. I associate Guinness though with racing because my first ever race was the Dublin marathon and there is nothing that tastes better than a Guinness, in Dublin, after a marathon !!!

Found out our official times and I snuck in under 2:10 by 3 seconds. Mrs FBP was well under 2:20 so just 9 minutes separated us. Man, I'm going to have to work harder to stay ahead of her !!

Mav - you mentioned that you're having tech problems posting - pics or vids?

If pics, what site are you using to host your pics - photobucket? If so, I can try to give you instructions because that's what I use.

Leston - great work on the bike man. That's my next focus is to get some longer rides and shorter runs.

Mav - did you run into (or over) the guys you met at race packet pickup? 

OK, I was up at 4:15 central time this morning thinking of FBP, the missus FBP and of course, Mav......AWESOME JOB TO ALL OF YOU.....

Great race reports - Mav, was the PAM sticky when you got the wetsuit off? 

FBP - great run....2:10 is rocking....those 1 hour folks don't hardly have time to enjoy the course....LOL!

Page one has been updated with our finish line count.  More coming soon.

OMG! Can I claim menopause symptoms and hormone changes for the reason my eyes are filled with tears? (I guess I shouldn't even mention it, lol. You guys will think I'm the world's biggest crybaby), but Marianne... WOW, JUST WOW!!! You, girl, are my hero!! Look at you! Unreal, totally unreal. I don't know if I'm prouder of you or happier for you, heehee! Yeyyyyyyyyyyyyyy! I'm glowing like I'M THE ONE who just raced! You have made my day. And Jill? (or Mrs. Sticka, hehe) you almost staying with Peter is totally AWESOME! Women rule! (Oops, didn't mean to let that slip out. *sly grin*)

Good job Sticka!!! You are a runnin' fool!

35 miles, Leston! *boggle!* I just wonder why you're tired, hehe. WTG you!

sTRIvers ROCK THE HOUSE

Ya'll (that's Texas talk for you up north) just crack me up. 

I am so proud of all of you ---

Sticka - you are a sTRIving, running dude

Mav - podium....WOW!!!

So on 5/11/08 - we have a podium and a sTRIve half marathoner....although as Sticka and I have agreed before....anything that hard should not be called HALF.

I am so jazzed that the year is just starting....think of all the fun we are going to have this summer....it's like being a kid again.

Mav showing off her guns as she reaches the finish line !!

Mav lookin' fine in her wetsuit alongside son Brian

You're welcome!

Try this for posting pics:

1. Open two windows, one for this thread and one for photobucket and sign into both.

2. In the photobucket album copy the address for the Direct Link. You can do this by left click (to highlite the link) and then right click and scroll down to copy

3. In the BT thread type your message and then click on the insert photo icon. You will get a dialogue box that asks for a URL location. Left click to get the cursor there then right click and scroll to paste and click. You now should have the image location listed there and tyou then click on Insert.

4. You will now have the image in the BT post but it will likely be very big. To re-size it you  need to click the cursor on the picture. You should then see some small white boxes appear on the edge. Go to either the top left corner or the bottom right corner by moving the slider on the side bottom. When you see the small white box, click and hold on it and then move it inwards/upwards to resize the frame. You may have to do this several times to get it small enough.

Clear as mud?

Sticka