Words, Music, & Outdoor Adventures

The Ironman Race is NOT the test.

The test was the training.

The race is your celebration of the hard work

and

accomplishment.

My triathlon article is in the Summer/Fall issue of Steamboat Magazine. Unfortunately it’s not online, you have to buy/find the magazine. See page 52 - Triathlon Training in Steamboat Springs  - “there’s a reason why world-class athletes make Steamboat their home”.

I’m disappointed in my time. Slower than 2 years ago. Now I have a ton of things to work on.

http://www.myentryfee.com/results/RaceList.aspx?target=50

Place 137 out of 148 who did the 1,500m
1:08:28

Thanks to Greg who took the photo. I’m not sure if this was after the 1st swim loop or the 2nd.

Here is me out of transition area, to the run:

I finished around 1:08 - the water was great and I ran the fastest 5K I can remember. Results should be posted in the morning. Greg took some photos and I’ll post once he sends. Great night in Boulder.

Here is the view from my 16 mile bike ride to and from work:

????????Time: 4:53:49 Pace: 11:13

I have another blog: http://myroadtoironman.blogspot.com/

I really want to document my road to Ironman 2009. This blog (www.kristenlodge.com) is more of my Life-adventures-in-the-mountains Blog not really focused on any one thing because my adventures take me all over the place: books, music, biking, skiing, pondering my place in the world, friendships, dogs, family, cool places, the literary life, movies, TV (I’m a big fan, now, of the Gilmore Girls, and am watching every episode on DVD), nature, poetry, and writing. Where myroadtoironman will be about the-biggest-goal-I-have-yet-to-achieve-in-my-life type blog.  

I ran the mileage I was suppose to and the first 40+ week.
I will be Ironman.

It was a perfect morning for a snowshoe hike with the dog, albeit -2 degrees.

Going Randonee Skiing today up on Berthoud Pass for Grand County Living Magazine. Should be fun; if it warms up.

Skied today with Greg in Winter Park. I estimate about six inches of powder. Here is a great video of Greg skiing in his first-*POWDER Day.

Watch:

And, an interesting article about runner’s high.

I was listening to Vienna Waits for You by Billy Joel as I was running up a hill that always kicks my butt and forces me to to walk. But a few lines in this song really kept me going and I didn’t walk up that hill today.

But you know that when the truth is told, that you can get what you want or you can just get old
…. You’ve got your passion, you’ve got your pride but don’t you know that only fools are satisfied? Dream on, but don’t imagine they’ll all come true

Swimming starts next week.

The plan is set and course is in front of me. I’ve consulted with my father, 3 time marathon finisher including The Montreal Marathon back in the 80’s (I think). I don’t remember my father training, I think he did it during lunch, but I remember the posters he has in the TV room in the house in New Hamsphire and I want a poster in my TV room, too, damn it. [need to have a TV room first] His advice: run 20-30 miles per week and build up to a big run.

I’m taking that advice and-*now, the day after the LONG run, I decided that I can do it; I can run 26 miles. I read on the website that I have to do it under 5 1/2 hours. My goal is to do it at the same pace as my 2 1/2 marathon finshes, ooooo, around 10 minute miles.

I signed up for the race, paid my money, and now there is no turning back. I have to admit that I did sign up for the Steamboat Marathon last year but backed out when I couldn’t do the mileage. I-*didn’t actually pay to sign up [I had a trade if you will] so it’s different now. I paid my $60 and I’m committed.

I have a place to stay in Steamboat the night before, I have a dog sitter, and now I just need to put in the time. And then, when all goes as planned; I finish the marathon under 5 1/2 hours, no medical tent, no throwing up, then a few days later I try my luck with the Coeur-*d’Alene Ironman Lottery and hopefully I will be a participant in the 2009 Coeur-*d’Alene Ironman.

That’s all I have tonight. Have a good night and a pleasant tomorrow.

My ankle is doing much better. It’s been a week and I finally am able to run. Today I walked the dogs, skied, and ran. I’m going to go sit in the hot tub now. I ran only 15 minutes because it didn’t feel that great.

Now if I could just get a swim in then I’ll be on the right path.

Team: Mission Improbable is signed up and ready for the Steamboat Pentathlon March 1, 2008 - LONG COURSE.

Here’s the skinny:

Stage 1 - Alpine Skiing 400 vertical feet - Steve Palmquist
Alpine skiers charge 400′ up Howelsen Hill on foot, put on their choice of Alpine, Nordic skis or Snowboard and ski down 400 vertical feet to the transition area to begin the snowshoe course.-* This is an expert run - expect hard-packed conditions.

Stage 2 ,Aei Snowshoeing approx. 3 miles ,Aei Kristen Lodge
Snowshoers travel along a groomed trail winding through trails on lower Howelsen Hill.-*

Stage 3 - Cross Country Skiing approx. 4 miles ,Aei Grant Fenton
Nordic racers will traverse on an intermediate / expert course on groomed tracks.-*

Stage 4 - Mountain Biking 12 miles ,Aei Randy Howie
Racers bike on a winding road which follows the scenic Yampa River for an out-and-back course.-*

Stage 5 - Running -*5 miles ,Aei Kristen Lodge

When you cross the finish line it will change your life forever.

That’s what I’m hoping for, when I finish a Marathon in June.

This movie, Spirit of the Marathon,-*comes out in select movie theaters today. Chances are it’s not coming to Grand County (we only have one movie theater and I love that feature). I won’t be making the trek to the big city to see it but will check out the reviews and blog posts about it. http://www.deenakastor.com/

I ran today for 45 minutes and felt great. I’ve been thinking about my new goals for this year and how much I really want to make them happen.

I’m really serious this year. I’m really motivated after taking a year off from triathlon.

I’m reading through all of my triathlon motivational material and found a pile of triathlon magazines in my closet. It was a sign. I’m sitting here drinking wine and surfing the net, and decided that it was time to sign up for the Long Course. I even debated for ten minutes about signing up for the Boulder Triathlon Series. But the reality of it is that I want to do a marathon,-*a 1/2 Ironman, and some smaller local road races, so ….

I’M SIGNED UP FOR THE 5430 LONG COURSE IN BOULDER, AUGUST 10TH.

I hope I can get that day off from work.