New Year, New Focus

With a new year starting I'm going to focus on having fun. I'm not going to try of a new PR in anything and not going to worry about finishing last. In fact, I fully expect to finish last a few times this year. But I'm going to have fun doing it.

That doesn't mean I'm not going to work hard. I know that being in some kind of shape makes you feel a lot better at the end of an event. I will still try my best but if I can't enjoy the day then it's not worth doing. Not at this point in my life. So I'm looking for events that give unusual swag or neat finisher medals. Unique locations and fun themes are what I'm looking for. Challenging but not excruciating, that's for me.

That's why I'm gearing up to do the TLC Groundhog Run 10K again this year. It's a totally underground run under Kansas City that benefits children with disabilities. As if that's not reason enough to do the race, I'll also be using that race to do some fund raising for the Arthritis National Research Foundation. Check out my donation page at: http://racingforacure.org/team/patty-knoll
Not nearly enough money is available for research into RA and finding a cure, or even new medications that control this chronic disease. We need better drugs that fight RA without the major side-affects caused by present treatments. It is my small way of fighting against RA. Please consider making a donation to this cause.

With only a few weeks until the run I will need to get on the treadmill and put in a few more miles. My event calendar is filling up for the year and I can't wait to get started. Happy New Year everyone, and let the fun begin!

Legacy Run

It's been exactly one year since I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. And one year ago I participated in the local cancer support race, the Legacy 10K and Spirit 5K. I was a little shell shocked and scared to death because I had just been handed a chemotherapy for life sentence. I didn't know what the future would hold for me and the internet can be scary as hell if you let it show you the dark side of life. Amber M. ran most of the 5K with me and helped me keep moving and Claudia B. was running to honor her mother who's cancer was making a comeback. These ladies were wonderful supporters and friends. Without them I would have just stopped in the middle of the street and cried.

My dad and brother lost the battle with cancer.

A year later and I'm happy to report that I'm feeling much better. Not 100% and some days are a struggle but I'm managing this disease and trying not to let it manage me. I'm still active but slow. But I was never fast anyway and turtle power gets me to the finish line. I've learned how to give myself injections and have joined the Racing For A Cure team to raise money for the Arthritis National Research Foundation. Doing something pro-active makes me feel like I can make a difference, even if it's a small contribution.

While I know there is no cure and this will be with me for life, at least I have a life ahead of me. That fact was hammered home as I looked at the signs along the run, each one with the name of someone who battled cancer in some form. Some won, but many others lost the battle. I found the sign I dedicated to my dad and brother and realized how small my problems are in the grand scheme of things. I used to get mad when people would say "at least it's not cancer" even though I take weekly chemotherapy drugs and will for life. But as I read the names, so many names of the old and the young, I said to myself, "at least I don't have cancer". I'll keep running and biking and swimming and moving anyway I can for as long as I can. If there is a legacy for me to leave behind it is to never give up and never give in. My friend Gina G. gave me a quote from Roger Crawford - "Being challenged in life is inevitable. Being defeated is optional." I try to live that philosophy every day and to turn my eyes to the sky and say, thank you God. At least it's not cancer.

Bling!

Call me a material girl but I do love the bling we get at the races. This past weekend was filled with bling and a satisfying close to my triathlon season. The Tiara Tri at El Dorado Lake turned out to be just what I needed to end on a high note, complete with sparkly crown.

Love the Bling

The Tiara Tri is in it's second year and is one of the few women's only events around. I was not prepared last year but did the race anyway with mixed results. It was my first ever swim in open water and that was freaking me out. The run was unimportant to me and finishing without drowning was the main goal. This year I was much better trained, or so I thought, and was in the next higher age division. I would be competing in the 55-59 AG and was really hoping that there wouldn't be too many old ladies signed up.

We left for the race Friday afternoon with three bikes strapped to the back of Susan E.'s SUV. We were a little paranoid about the safety of our bikes and with good reason after the Wichita Waterfront Tri. Susan had a big chain and locking bolts and every other kind of security item you can think of. When we arrived in Wichita to stay at Kate H.'s house the first thing we did was unload the bikes and lock them in the garage. Meghan M. Kate, Susan and I enjoyed Italian pasta and hit the sack early. 4:30 was going to come around awfully early.

At zero dark 30 we headed to El Dorado Lake. Meghan, Kate, and I did the race last year and knew the layout but Susan was eager to see the swimming area. She is training for a 1/2 Iron tri in October and is putting in some major miles in and out of the water. We were not the first ones there but were still early enough to grab the coveted spots on the rack. With our body marking on and our transition areas set we relaxed and headed to the water. It was almost perfect temperature and much less murky then last year. That doesn't mean clear, but you could see ahead and to the side for a few feet. They had configured the swim area a little different and it looked much longer then last year but maybe it was an optical illusion. At least that's what I was hoping. 

As we gathered at the waters edge I started my usual scouting of the competition. They put your age on

We sparkle! Me, Susan, Meghan, and Kate.

your calf and I was surreptitiously looking for my age group. Dang. I saw some really fit looking ladies in my group. I was going to have to push if I wanted a medal this year. I finished 4th in my group last year, just off the podium.

Here is my philosophy on medals and small age groups. It's not so much the medal, but having your name called and getting to stand up and wave. It's about bragging rights back home and pictures to post on Facebook. When there are only a few ladies in my group I start thinking that I just might stand a chance. I might be able to push a little harder and maybe, just maybe, hear my name called. When there are lots of women in my group I know there isn't a chance in Hell of me placing so I start slacking off and competing just to have fun. There is nothing wrong with having fun, but it's a bling thing and I just can't explain it.  I look at these medals as a badge of honor for still kicking at my age when most are home complaining about aching joints and tired bodies.

3rd place in our age divisions!

Waves of swimmers entered the water and I'm always amazed at the wide range of abilities and body types. I'm so proud of those who are less then thin for taking up such a daunting challenge. Sometimes just putting a swimming suit on is a huge victory, physically and mentally. I tried to maintain control of my breathing and keep my stroke even. My goggles didn't leak much and I felt really good. I never had to break stroke but I thought I would never get to the end. I think I started walking too soon at the finish and should have stayed swimming for another 30 yards. The water was above my waist so there was no high stepping out of it at that point. I might have gained a few seconds and saved some energy if I had kept stroking. But the run up to transition was long and slow and seemed like a mile even though it was only about 200 meters. 

Out on the bike I felt strong. I started passing some of the women from the earlier heats and was pretty pleased until I got to the first of 2 big hills. The first was long and fairly steep, the second was shorter but steeper. They kicked my tush. I really lost a lot of time there and will have to work on hill climbing much more next year. Then it was back to the transition area and out on the run. 

I'm not a good runner. I know that. But I still get disappointed each time. I would set my sights on someone and try to keep up with them, only to fall back. I watched people pass me and kept looking at their legs to see where I was in the mix. First one, then another in my age group passed me by. Well crud. If I was going to have a chance at a medal I had to hold off any more old ladies. So I pushed a little more and listened for footsteps behind me. I don't have a kick and there is no such thing as sprinting to the finish for me. 

Before I knew it I was crossing the bridge and hearing my name called as I headed to the finish line. They put a finisher medal around my neck and a tiara on my head and I felt like a queen. A really sweaty queen.

Kate had an awesome run and pulled out a strong finish to place 3rd. She was so proud of that since she just missed placing last year. Meghan finished faster then last year but didn't place this year. That's the way it goes sometimes. It depends who and how many enter and it's different each year. Susan did great in a really competitive division and was just out of medal contention. But she has bigger things she is aiming for, like becoming an Iron Woman. Me, I placed 3rd in my age group! I was so pleased to hear my name called and collect another medal. I finished a little slower then last year but after looking at the data it was almost all in the swim. Susan's Garmin had it measured at 458 meters, a little longer then last year. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 

It turns out there were only 4 in my age group but what the heck. I enjoyed the event and will do it again next year. A girl can't have too many tiaras! The bonus to the weekend was getting to know Susan better and learning we have much in common, including farmer husbands. The best part of being a triathlete and a member of the running community is all the wonderful people I've met and now count as good friends. There is not a more positive group of people with which to be associated. Almost every woman on the run either heading out or coming back offered words of encouragement and high fives to those who needed a helping hand. It doesn't get much better then that. Unless it's winning a bigger crown!

Stress = Success!

Look at all those bikes!

What a week! My summer vacation is over and I started back to work on Monday. This year I was actually ready to go back. I had accomplished most of the tasks I wanted to and stayed healthy and active so it was time to get back into a routine. I pulled out my lunch bag and set my alarm clock for o-dark-thirty.

But Monday also marked a milestone in my rheumatoid treatment. At my appointment the week before it was decided that I would need to go on a higher dose of medication. That meant I would have to start giving myself injections once a week. I was a little apprehensive about this. I'm not squeamish but didn't know how I would react to sticking a needle into my belly fat. (I guess it's a good thing I have plenty of that!) I was surprised at how simple it turned out to be. The injection didn't hurt and thankfully I didn't have any adverse reaction to the higher dose of medicine.

Tuesday was tri practice at the Holcomb Rec pool. It would be the second ride on my new bike. Yes, my new bike is here and looks so shiny and fast. I really needed to put a few more miles on before the upcoming tri at the end of the week but somehow I just didn't feel it. I think it was a combination of the medicine, being back to work, and generally not pumped to be riding and running in 95 degree heat. So I just did a long swim and called it a night.

2nd place!

Thursday evening I finally got out for a ride on the bike, only the second time I've ridden on "Leonardo" and I was still learning the shifting touch and molding my tush to the saddle. It went OK but not really fast.

Saturday morning was another perfect morning for a race. Cool with a slight south breeze so we would have the wind at our backs for the second half of the ride. The Holcomb Triathlon is put on by my good friends at the Holcomb Rec and has grown from a few crazy entrants to 65+ nuts this year. Of those, 17 were really nuts and did the Double Tri, a unique event in which they do the tri twice, forward and backward - swim/bike/run-run/bike/swim. They start and end in the pool. It's a mini sprint so the distances are 225 - 9 - 2  and a lot of people use this as their first triathlon.

All evening the night before I was mentally pumping myself up to really push hard. I wanted to do well and see what I was really made of. As I was standing in the start line for the swim I did my normal scout of the competition. Not that many old ladies! My good friend Gina G. was going to cream me in the run even if I beat her in the swim so first place was out. I was shooting for second but more importantly, I was trying to finish strong.

No problems in the swim. I was surprised at how many people still struggle even in a fairly short swim. Of the three disciplines that seems to be the one that scares people away from the event. The bike was good; into a slight wind out and a tail wind back. I managed to pass quite a few riders and was feeling good. I only averaged 15 mph and thought I should have been faster but I was really pushing it, or so I thought. The run, well, the run always sucks. I thought I was in better running shape but I was still not able to maintain my pace for very long. I ended up walking a block and running a block. My time was just under 1:10 and I was hoping for under 1:06. The run kicks my butt every time.

When the awards were handed out I did manage to snag 2nd in the 50 and over division. There were at least

The Running Friends!

5 in the group so I can feel proud of that place. The total results haven't been posted yet so I don't know where I place overall. I wasn't very happy with my run but I just have to face it. My run is not going to get any better.

I didn't realize until I saw a picture later that all the medals in each age group were won by members of my little Running Friends group! Two of our group actually did the Double Tri! These are some amazing ladies who work hard and keep moving. They motivate me and inspire me to get out each day and do what I can with what I have. Most are much better athletes then me and I'm in awe of their accomplishments. Everyone of the ladies in the group is a winner just for wanting to improve their lives by moving their bodies. Thanks Running Friends, you are all rock stars!

Now it's back to training. Tiara Tri in two weeks! I can't wait to win my crown.

Stolen Bikes, Innocence Lost.

I don't even know where to begin on this one. It is not the report I wanted to write about the Wichita Waterfront Triathlon. I wanted to report that I was ready, well prepared, happy with my effort and ready to take on the next challenge. Instead I have to report that the race went nothing like planned and almost didn't happen at all for my friend Claudia B. and myself.

That's what happens when you trust too much, don't take every precaution, and have your bikes stolen in the middle of the night right before a race.

Nothing sadder than an empty bike rack.

On Saturday we drove to Wichita and picked up our race packets and generally had a great day. We were staying with our friend Kate H. and decided to park our bikes in her garage when we went to dinner. But when we returned home I wanted to load our bikes so we wouldn't have to go through her back yard in the dark. I had a sturdy looking chain and lock for the bikes and thought they would be fine. I'm a country girl and never thought about them being a temptation, especially since I had them chained together and then chained to the bike rack. I'm stupid. That about covers it. Because I didn't want to fumble around in the dark I made a big mistake. Hind sight is 20/20, but it was a hard lesson to learn.

We woke early, ate our pre-race food, and walked out the front door. Claudia came to a stop and asked if I had moved the bikes. I just stared at the empty bike rack. Gone. It didn't make any since at first, but yes, they were gone. I was in denial for a few minutes, but no matter how many times I looked at the rack the bikes did not magically reappear. When I called 911 I'm sure the dispatcher thought I was overreacting, but when I explained that these were racing bikes worth several thousand dollars and that we had a race starting in just over an hour he understood my distress.

As corny as it sounds, I was very upset that I would be missing out on a pretty cool finisher medal. I know, but that's the thought that keep running through my mind. Claudia was distressed about her bike but I don't think the medal entered her mind. But I latched onto that idea and was bound and determined that I wasn't going to let some hoodlums rob me of my medal! I knew Kate had two bikes but they hadn't been ridden much in a while. Not exactly race ready. We quickly looked them over and discovered the front wheel was totally missing from one of them. As in gone. Hmmmm. She's not quite sure what happened to it during her recent move to Wichita, but it was AWOL. So we were down to one bike.

Relay! If the race organizes would allow it, Claudia and I could do this as a relay and salvage something of this weekend. Since Kate's bike fit me better I would ride. And my swim is a little stronger so I would swim too. Claudia is a very strong runner and I hate to run so we were set. But time was ticking and by the time we arrived at the race it was only 30 minutes to race time.

I don't mind telling you I was shaking like a leaf inside. I was angry, flustered, filled with remorse, and just plain mad. I had made the decision to load our bikes. I was responsible. But they had taken enough from us, they were not getting my medal too!

The good folks at Oz Endurance who put on the race were more then willing to help. They switched us to a relay and pointed us to the bike repair van manned by the Bike Pedaler. Ruth, the wrench on duty, went to work making sure the tires were aired, the brakes were working, and took the cages off the pedals. I just can't ride with those things. After I got my transition area set and got my body markings she helped adjust the seat and get the bike fitted to me as best she could. She even loaned us a bike stand since by that time there was no room on the racks. I rode about 20 feet around the lot and racked the bike. With minutes to spare I was down at the lake catching the last of the instructions and lining up for the swim.

Word of our plight had spread and I was talking to some ladies about it when one of them looked at me and said she knew me and where I was from. I happened to be standing next to a former school mate I hadn't seen for over 30 years. We all look so different in our swim caps and goggles that I'm surprised she recognized me at all! Finally some positive vibes were flowing my way.

The swim was through a pond that is not open to swimming any other time of year. It was murky but manageable. Since I didn't hear all the instructions I didn't know exactly where the in and out of the pond where. I just figured I would follow the leader and make it through. Everything was going fine until my goggles fogged up and I had to take them off or swim totally blind. There was no way to see the buoys at all. So I swam the second part with my head out of the water. It didn't slow me down much but it did take more energy. I was really tired by the end of the swim and the run up to the transition area was fairly long. Next up, ride on a bike I've never ridden before.

Not just a medal to me.

It is impossible to explain how our bikes become a part of us to others. We learn the touch of the shifter, the pressure of the breaks, the mold of the saddle. Now imagine having to learn all of that on the fly in race conditions. The first 4 miles were a learning experience. The geometry was different so I was in a slightly different position then I'm used to. The saddle was different and my bottom let me know about it. The handle bars were different and the ram handles were much lower. The next 4 miles were better and the last 4 miles I was finally getting the hang of things. As happens in Kansas from time to time, the wind seemed to be blowing against me 3 out of 4 directions. And how can it be uphill all the time?

I hit the transition area and Claudia stripped the timing band from my leg and off she went. My part was over and I was spent, mentally and physically. I don't think I could have done much more than a walk after all we had been through. Kate and I waited for Claudia at the finish line and cheered hard as she turned in one of her fastest 5K times in months. My teammate was getting it done!

We accepted our finisher medals and hugged as we mourned the loss of our bikes. But we had found a way to finish. With the help of friends and strangers alike we didn't let the thieves steal the one thing we could snatch back from them. We don't have much hope of getting our bikes back and I'm already in the process of getting a replacement. I have learned a hard lesson and will not be as naive in the future. That medal will always represent a changing moment in my life. It will symbolize my loss of innocence, and my renewal of faith in human kind. It will stand for overcoming obstacles and making your goals happen no matter what. It will remind me that there are good people in the world and when you want to accomplish something you will move heaven and earth to get it done. To me, it will never be just another medal.

Big Pool Triathlon! Survive and Thrive!

You can count on a few things in my area of the world in June. It's going to be hot, it's going to be dry, and it's going to be windy. But sometimes, Mother Nature looks down on us and gives us a break. We thank

Racing for a Cure at the Big Pool Triathlon

God for every beautiful day knowing how rare they can be. So how is it that for the third year in a row the weather for the Big Pool Triathlon was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!

Being woken in the middle of the night by thunder and lightning before a race is never a good feeling. Hearing the rain pounding for hours is not a good feeling either. As I finally crawled out of bed the rain was just letting up and the storm was finally moving on. The rain gauge showed 5.2 inches of rain, an almost unheard of amount in our area and the highest one day rainfall ever recorded in the month of June. As I went through my regular pre-race routine I wondered how this would affect the race. Would the water be extremely cold? Would the bike and run routes need to be altered because of flooding? Would they start on time? So many questions and not a lot of answers.

I didn't feel I needed to get to the race extremely early but when I pulled into the parking area I realized my

My Dumpster/Transition area

mistake. I ended up without a spot on the few bike racks available. The next best place to set up my transition area was next to a Dumpster. At least it was a clean Dumpster. I soon realized it might work to my advantage. The bike racks were really close together with not a lot of room between to maneuver. My Dumpster was next to the grass which meant I could run from the pool to my bike without getting onto the pavement covered in loose rock. Score one for the Dumpster Queen!

I am always happy to see a lot of friends at the races. Casey A. was there, along with Susan E. who has decided to try for a Half Iron Man Triathlon. Yolanda R. Karen B. and Stacey K. once again are doing the event as a team, each taking a turn at a different segment each year. I recognized several other people and some of the really good athletes in the area were there. I love the spirit and positive attitude of everyone at these events.

Susan and I, finished and smiling!

As it turns out the weather was perfect! The rain actually warmed up the water in the pool since they didn't have to top it off with well water. The route was basically unchanged except for one spot on the run that would require us to side step a small flooded section of the path. There was some gravel washed over the road in one area for the bike ride but otherwise we were clear and good to go. The temperature was in the 60's and NO WIND!

We were off and swimming and I was feeling good. I didn't have to rest or alter my stroke and breathing at all. The water was cool but not OMG cold like I expected. I didn't pass anyone but the only ones who passed me where those who registered late or didn't turn in an accurate swim time. I was a little wobbly as I ran to my bike but felt alright. The only problem I had in transition was getting my helmet snapped. My time was just what I thought it would be so I was happy heading into the bike.

With no wind there would be no coasting in either direction so I tried to push as much as I could. I set my sights on the rider in front of me and set off to catch her. My run is so bad that this is the only area where I can pick up any ground. Then out of nowhere, zoom! Casey A. passed me like I was standing still! She is so powerful on her bike. She has gears I've never even heard of!

The bike ride went well and the transition to the run went pretty smooth. My legs didn't feel too mushy and I

Karen, Stacey, Yolanda. What a great team!

kept my walking to a minimum. The lady I passed on the bike soon passed me on the run. Then some others passed me. Then still more passed me. I started to feel a little down but then I looked at my watch. I was ahead of the pace I ran at a 5K race just 3 weeks ago, and this was after swimming 400 meters and biking 12.5 miles! I decided that it didn't matter how many others passed me, it mattered that I was competing.

It mattered that I was there at all. Last year at this time I was hurting bad. I was slowing down. I had no energy. My hands were sore and swollen and my fingers didn't work. My hips, knees and feet where in constant pain. I was diagnosed with RA and started treatment. This was my first triathlon as a RA warrior and I was going to finish and finish with a smile.

My friends cheered me as I crossed the finish line and my Hubby treated me to a celebration donut. We talked and compared notes, and enjoyed the camaraderie that forms among athletes. I was tired but strangely energized by the thrill of accomplishment and the spirit of sportsmanship. And miraculously, my time was not very far off the mark I set last year. Another Big Pool Triathlon and another beautiful memory.


PS: SMALL RANT!
The organizers of this triathlon, the YMCA, are doing their best to ruin what should be a great event. I have never heard of any triathlon EVER lumping the men and women into one group and then only awarding 1 place per age division. This is totally unfair to the many talented women who entered as a man won each age division as you would expect. By only awarding one place in each age division it eliminated so many others from a rightfully earned feeling of accomplishment. I would not have won my age group among the women but I might have placed 2nd or 3rd. (At this time there are still no official results posted.) By offering no recognition they have taken away the incentive for many who know they are not the best but want a reason to keep trying. For this reason I may not be doing this race next year without assurances from the YMCA organizers that they are making changes.

Never a Dull Moment

I will have to say that while I'm training the darnedest thinks keep happening. Nothing major, but little things that keep throwing me off. It's only 10 days until the Big Pool Triathlon and little glitches keep popping up.

Today was a perfect example. I had planned to do a brick ride/run at distance, 12.5 miles bike and 3.1 miles run. It's been in the upper 90s here so I was planning a morning session. However, last evening our AC in our house went on strike and wouldn't keep the house cool. First thing this morning I called the repair service and they said it most likely wouldn't be until after lunch. Perfect. Plenty of time to get my ride in, practice transition 2, and then work my way through a run/walk.

When I was almost 5 miles from home my phone rang. You guessed it. The repair man was on the way to the house and would be there in 15 minutes. Yikes! I turned my bike around and hauled my tush as fast as I could for home. I kept expecting to see the repair truck passing me by on the highway as I pedaled harder then I have for a long time. Turns out the repair man was a little late and I beat him home by 3 minutes. Whew! That's the hardest I've worked on the bike in a long time. But it also meant no brick workout this morning. After checking my Garmin it turns out my "hauling tush" speed isn't a whole lot faster then my regular speed. Sad but true.

This just underscores the little things that have been cropping up. My swim cap split as I was putting it on at the pool. My sock kept walking down my foot during a run. Flats, I've had a few. I threw my back out on a run. My goggles kept filling with water one evening. On one run everything felt wrong. Hips, feet, knees, hair, bra, EVERYTHING! Maybe Karma is trying to tell me something.

But I'll get through. It will be OK. I'm past the stage of trying to push to the limit. I want to do well, but am not willing to risk my body to impress anyone. But my competitive spirit keeps rearing it's head and I don't want to embarrass myself. I also know that by being prepared I can enjoy the day without too much pain. I can do the distances, but not as well as I would like. I also haven't been able to work on transitions at all. Looks like I have my work cut out for me next week.

This afternoon I'm going to the Big Pool to swim and get used to the 50 meter distance, then get my 3 mile run in around the zoo. That is if nothing else goes wrong. In the mean time I'll sit in my nice cool house and check my gear one more time. Maybe Karma will be on my side for once!