Is it ????? At all about the Bike??

The new bikes, pretty kick ass, NOT TOP of the LINE like you bought a new used car "bike" , but still thousands of dollars have been invested. Up until this Spring I was riding a 2003 Aluminum Trek road bike with tri bars. I have to say I did beat lots of people on super fancy bikes with ZIPP tires even. So, I know it is not ALL about the bike, but it feels good to have a responsive faster Bike. My husband and I both have full carbon, triathlon specific bikes, and have been fitted and tweaked and fitted for top performance. IM 70.3 St George, May 3 2014 here we come. First big stop before Ironman 140.6 Couer d 'Alene . I got the womens fit Felt B16, which many a races have been dominated with by female triathletes. My husband got the Cervelo p2 .

I found the rub free bra!!! Halleluiah. Female endurace athletes with the Sistas can rejoice!!

I have searched far, I have trialed and error and spent too much money . I have completed endurance events with bloody, ulcerated wounds around my sternum. But I will search no more. And I did not buy it at any fancy , expensive athletic store. I bought 6 of them of course a Fred Meyer for 12.99 a piece. I ran a marathon in them before Easter, two weeks ago , and not a problem!!! Halleluiah

Sisters!!! I will save the rest of you all the Grief. Cascade Sports performance no seam , reversible athletic bra.

Running pictures are not flattering!!

Yes, sometimes it is nice to commemorate your accomplishments, but holy hell, freeze framing most runners is either a picture of comedy or agony, or the movement doesn't give the slightest justice to the task at hand. So here are my husband and I's pictures of us running and finishing or second marathon. As highlighted in my last post, it was a great run until mile 15, then there was the wall of 20-30 mile an hour wind from mile 15 to 20 and the last 6 miles were up and down rolling hills. The finish was also up hill the last 1/2 mile . I suppose I can sort of laugh at myself , for you think in your head your feeling good, and kicking ass, then you see the pictures and think OMG I look like I am torturing myself to death.

First picture of me, good cadence , mile 4-5 , feeling awesome. Still cold , so super bundled up.

Still holding cadence maybe almost half way.

mile 15 , getting hot, getting tired, and here comes the wind!!!

26.2 miles done!! Definitely NOT the " I just want to feel this MOMENT" moments. I really think I was delirious! As for my husband there is a joke about him. He literally has two looks. Pissed and more pissed at all times. so he never really looked phased. NOT like me.

Ben, my hot husband, did awesome , but the turtle beat the hare once again. Sorry honey!! love you. Anyway, lesson learned on my road to Ironman. Smile for the camera as much as it may hurt. And if you want really good running photos hire a friend or relative to get your good side. Sonja Kireilis Wildt , I need you !!!

Glutton for Punishment, Lake Lowell Marathon

2nd Marathon completed. It was hellaciously grueling. Not because I was not physically ready, but because the environmental variable. You see I grew up a competitive swimmer in Southern California, where the weather is typically sunny and 70 degrees, and the breezes are rare. In competitive swimming the environment in which you compete has very little variable. Competitive racing pools are pretty standard, and alot of them are indoor. All you need to worry about is "are you ready to compete". In marathon running and triathlons the variables are many, the WEATHER, the elevation changes from course to course, traffic.. These things that the athlete cannot control. Here in the mid west, the weather can change everything. My husband and I decided to do this marathon, as it is about this time in our training that we are supposed to peak up our running mileage, to prepare for our June 29th Ironman . Honestly we were both "rockin" it, I was well under my mile average to get my Boston Qualifier, until ............... Mile 15. The wind became uncontrollable, like it does in Idaho, it is know to blo over Semi trucks and stuff. It was a wall of wind averaging 25 to 30 miles an hour. For 5 miles it came from the North , North west . I tried to keep my running cadence in hopes that I could salvage through it, but OMG did it zap ALL my energy. I went from running 8:30 minute miles to 9:45. My husband went from 8:00 minute mile to 10:00 then 11:00. Water station cups were flying, Runners hats were flying off peoples heads, and of course tumble weeds were crossing the roads. It was a mental game at that point. Needless to say , I finished, and right at my best, still dont know my official time , as they have yet to post those . I May have been a few seconds under my best, or a few seconds over. No time to dwell, just hope I recover well. In three weeks is Ironman St George, a 70.3. The road to Ironman continues.