The Fro Fro Blog

Race Report: Danskin Women's Triathlon (Austin)

Deja vu?  Perhaps, since this is the fourth year in a row that Jo Jo and I have made the trip down to Austin for "The Danskin."  Of course, it's become much more than just the race.  It's a weekend full of great food, shopping and spending time with Joanna's family.  And while we've gotten some of the weekend down to a science, there are always new things to discover and hopefully keep this report interesting.

Day 1: Friday

First change was our hotel.  I am so over the Omni after suffering through construction noise and housekeeping screaming down the entire hall for turn-down service when we stayed there for the Austin Half in February.  So we made the switch to the Hyatt Regency on the other side of the Congress Street Bridge, adjacent to the "SoCo" 'hood.  I fell in love with the place immediately, mostly because once we ditched our bags in our room, we went on a walk on the Lady Bird Trail (formerly Town Lake Trail) which was right at the hotel's back doorstep.  It was early evening, but the weather was still quite warm.  It was the perfect way to shake off the airplane ride, get our heart rates up a bit and take in the gorgeous scenery (trees...and cute Southern men!)

For dinner I made a reservation at Trio, in the Four Seasons Hotel (see separate post).  

Day 2: Saturday

Rise and shine, bright and early to pick up bikes at Bicycle Sport Shop.  Imagine my delight when I learned that my fab Trek Madone rental bike was grey and pink -- and would therefore match my new tri outfit!  (Like Billy Crystal's Fernando Lamas always said, "It's not how you feel, dahling.  It's how you look.  And you look mahvelous!")

From there it was the usual routine we've come to know so well -- Expo packet pickup, bike transition area drop-off, and lunch at the best Whole Foods in all the land.  My Saturday lunch fare is usually the shrimp spring rolls and a fruit salad.  I also got some cappuccino almonds from the huge Nut Bar.  (That's funny.  That's what people usually call me when I tell them I'm going to do a triathlon...)  The bar has about six times more varieties than I was able to capture in this photo. 

After lunch, I went on a SoCo shopping expedition.  What were some of my favorite finds?  

Big Top Candy Shop:  An old fashioned candy shop that stocks all kinds of bulk and novelty candies.  I found some of my old favorites (Goetze's Bull's Eyes, Swedish Fish), some more recent discoveries (Violet Crumble, which Jacquie turned me on to in Sydney) and some things that were just not to be believed  -- like Burgers and Fries made out of marshmallows, and a Pop Rocks Chocolate Bar.  If you ever liked Pop Rocks as a kid, and you like chocolate, I encourage you to get your hands on some.  

hey cupcake!: The culinary highlight of the trip, I kid you not.  People line up and wait for the chance to buy cupcakes from an Airstream trailer with a huge spinning cupcake on top.  What makes the cupcakes so good?  You know how most cupcakes are decent on the bottom, but the best part is the moist area near the top and, of course, the icing?  Well at hey cupcake! the entire thing is rich and decadent enough to want to set up a tent next door.  As the napkin holder says, wipe that icing off your face, you big disgrace!

Another special treat this trip was seeing Ann -- my college friend and sorority sister whom I hadn't seen in ages. A few months ago we reconnected on Facebook and bonded about races, and before I knew it she'd  decided to come out from Rhode Island to do the Danskin!  Ann, her brother Ken, her sister-in-law Debra and I enjoyed dinner at Blue Dahlia the night before the race.   Between bites of my open-faced Chicken Salad Sandwich with pine nuts and sundried tomatoes, Ann and I tried to put Debra's tri newbie mind at ease about the race.  I don't think we were very successful, but the sandwich sure was good!   

Day 3: Sunday (Race Day)

Arrived at the transition area a little after 6 am, which gave us plenty of time before it closed at 7.  I set up my gear which included:

SFTri Club Towel to dry my feet off after the swim

Bike helmet 

Sunglasses

Camelbak

Socks

Sneakers

Number belt 

CLIF Nectar Bar (unwraped and placed in a plastic baggie to keep the bugs out)

For those of you who have never done a tri before, you've got no more than about one square foot in which to put all this stuff, and you need to be very strategic about it -- placing items in the order in which you'll need them.  My area was well-organized, but unfortunately I got a little overconfident and didn't bother to really take a few minutes to memorize my transition area location vis a vis the entrance and exit points.  (Insert ominous music signifying foreshadowing here.)

Jo Jo and I headed down toward the Swim Start and got body marked.  Yup, 974 on my arms and legs, and the big 4-0 on the back of my right calf.  Before long I was in the water and Sally Edwards was telling me I'm a PHENOMENAL swimmer! (Each wave gets a word - so you can chant to yourself throughout the race.  "I. Am. A. Phenomenal. Swimmer!"  So glad my word wasn't "Awesome."  Gag me.)

Speaking of gagging, it was so windy that I ended up swallowing most of Decker Lake.  But I got through it and was able to remain calm thanks to remembering triathlete Matt Reed's great speech at Sports Basement a year ago. "Relax in the swim."  It really makes a difference in terms of not freaking out.  That said, the first year of Danskin I actually did freak out in the swim but had my best swim time of all four years.  Go figure.

So I finally made it out of the water.  This first shot appears to be me displaying that manicure also made it out intact.

  

Running up toward the transition area I was feeling good -- relieved that the swim was over and ready to get on my bike.  If I could only find it... I finally did, hopped on and rode like the wind. he bike leg was great.  It's always such a treat to do the whole thing without falling or getting a flat tire.  Those are the two things I always worry will happen and, thank God, to date never have.

Back in the transition area, I ditched the bike and Camelbak, grabbed my number belt and Nectar bar and was off again.  As I headed out the Run Exit, I heard the announcer say, "There goes Number 974 looking strong, not a care in the world!"  That gave me a boost and I was feeling great for about 15 more seconds.  Then the Austin heat and the fact that I hadn't done enough brick training really set in.  I just had to keep reminding myself that this was the final leg, I could do it....just keep pushing.   However, the biggest encouragement was at a point where the run course ran by part of the bike course.  Someone yelled to the bikers, "What's your word?"  The answer came back, "Phenomenal!"  Wait a minute, that's my word, and I'm running!  I must be doing pretty well!

It was so hot that at each water stop, half my water went in my mouth; the other half I poured on my head.  Boy that felt good.  Before long I was crossing the finish line at 1:46:59 -- 31 seconds faster than last year.  Another one down! 

  

After the race, it was back to rituals.  A Barton Springs Sandwich at Whole Foods (turkey, arugula, brie and fig spread), and since their Gelato Bar was closed (gasp!) we scurried across the street for some famous Amy's Ice Cream.  Kahlua Ice Cream with Heath Bars and Oreos mixed in, please -- I just did a triathlon!

From there it was down to San Marcos for a quick, productive stop at the outlet mall and then on to what has always been my very favorite part of the trip: time with Joanna's family -- including swimming in the river with the kids, and Texas BBQ for dinner.  

So that's all for this year, folks!  Since next year will be our 5th Annual, we're going to really do it in style.  More style that this, you ask?  Yes - we mean raising money for semi-private bike racks in the transition area and going for a little spa vaca afterwards.  Anyone want to join us?  

Race Report: See Jane Run Half Marathon (Alameda, CA)

I know what you're saying.  "Fro Fro, I thought you weren't going to do the race-a-month thing this year."  Or perhaps, "Aren't you doing a triathlon next weekend?"  Or more simply, "Are you crazy?"  All of these are appropriate questions to ask.

This time around, my excuse is that I'd read the course was flat. At long last I might be able to achieve the personal best I'd been (literally) chasing since my 2:15:35 time in the U.S. Half over a year and a half ago. I became convinced that the U.S. Half course had been mis-measured, I had been mis-timed, or some other mistake had occurred.  If there were any time to prove that wrong, it was yesterday.  So I laced up my Asics once more and headed over the Bay Bridge to Alameda. 

Thanks to the wonder of microclimates, the East Bay is normally more than a bit warmer than the city of San Francisco.  Unfortunately, when I arrived at the starting line in Crown Memorial State Beach at 7:15 am, it was c-c-c-cold and at one point even started to drizzle a bit.  This didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits. The all-female race was organized by See Jane Run, the athletic gear store that's all about girl power. At 7:40 there was an '80s-music dance warmup -- and before long the cold around me and inside me began to thaw a little.

At 8:02 am we were off.  As promised, the course was flat as a pancake.  It also helped that the race was well-organized and well-supported but not too well-attended.  With 1,900 participants, it felt like a big event but not so big that you got held up at water stops or had to deal with too much crowding.  

In most races I try to pace myself in order to reach the finish line at my desired time.  Unfortunately as can be the case with even the best laid plans, I just can't seem to get there when I want to.  But yesterday, even by mile 8 I was still on my desired pace.  My internal monologue shifted from, "I think I can do it" to "This could actually happen" to "Wow, I'm really gonna do this!"  Around mile 10 we hit some serious headwind that didn't let up for the final 3 miles.  But by then I knew I had this thing licked and I couldn't have been happier. 

I crossed the finish line and was handed a little bag that contained a silver-y pendant on a black silk cord. Nice, but whether or not it was a nod to the Nike, it ain't no Tiffany necklace.   The 5K finishers got more traditional-style race medals and I think some of the half-marathoners were jealous.

Great snacks 'n' schwag bags at the post-race partay.  There were the usual bagels, peanut butter and yogurt, plus Smart Water, LightFull Smoothies, CLIF Luna Bars, champagne and Schoggi imported Swiss chocolates.  It was still pretty overcast and cold, so I headed to the See Jane Run booth and bought a cute pink hoodie, just so I could stay warm while I waited for the race results to be posted. I had to see it in writing. 

I've always felt that most of your ability to achieve a goal lies in believing that you can, and yesterday, I finally did.  2:07:21.  (That's right, a birthday present a little bit early!)

UPDATE:  Received an email from the head of the company that timed the race, saying there was a technical glitch -- they'd set their timing device to GUN time, not CHIP time.  My heart sank. But I checked the updated results and lo and behold - my personal record remains in tact at 2:10:13.

True to form, and for those of you here for the food, there was a bacon cheeseburger and fries in my future later that evening at Polkers Gourmet Burgers.  Though Perry's is still my current fave, decided to stay away from the Union Street Fair mayhem.  The Polkers folks are a nice bunch, and they made a nice burger.  It was a bit more done than my requested medium rare, but the curly fries -- which came with ranch dressing on the side without having to request it -- made amends.  

UPDATE:  A few photos...

Race Report: DSE Embarcadero 10K

Yeah, I know, I know.  I wasn't going to do the race-a-month thing again this year.  So call me Michael Corleone.  ("Just when I thought I was out...they pull me back in!")

I did Sawyer Camp in January "just in case."  If I miss January, the year is shot!  I did February, because it's tradition... (tradition!)  March came and almost went, but at the last minute, last Sunday, the very last Sunday of the month, I laced up my Asics for the DSE Embarcadero 10K.   

The weather was perfect, the air was crisp, and the course was flat -- from Aquatic Park we headed East along the Embarcadero -- out and back 6.4 miles.  The always convivial DSE crew was out in full force for these great conditions.  What always impresses me the about this group is the wide spectrum of ages and how fit the folks on the older side of that spectrum are.   For most of the second half of the race I was either slightly ahead or slightly behind a senior gentleman.  But in the end, sorry dude, I don't care how old you are, I'm finishing first!  (Even if I have to kick into a sprint to do so.)  Results aren't published yet, but on my watch I ran my clockwork 10-minute mile.  I also got a lovely baby blue finisher's ribbon to add to my growing collection.

Afterwards, enjoyed a scrumptious brunch with friends at Magic Flute.  Thanks to the morning run, I said, "Bring on the beignets!"

Now, it's on to April.  This weekend Cousin Laura is doing the Great Race of Agoura to benefit Noah and Lexi's school.  Half marathon, 11 miles of which will be on trails.  Here's hoping I remain upright.

In related news, a study recently found that people who buy at least three pairs of sneakers each year are more likely to be leaders.  Hmmmm...interesting.  I just bought my third pair last weekend!

Race Report: AT&T Austin Half Marathon

In what has become tradition, Joanna and I ventured down to Austin for the AT&T Half Marathon over Presidents' Day Weekend. 

As expected, we had a terrific time. I enjoyed eating my way through the weekend, beating my time from last year's race by 22 seconds despite what felt like more and bigger hills than San Fran, and spending time with Joanna's wonderful family.  Here's a slide show of the weekend highlights, including BBQ at The Salt Lick, a deep fried Snickers Bar, Central Market, and Cibo.  UPDATE: Race photos have been added!

Austin Half Marathon February 2008 (click this link to watch the slideshow on Webshots with captions)

Then the unexpected happened.  As we were making our way back to San Francisco, Joanna's brother-in-law was being rushed into intensive care with Narcotizing Faciatus -- sometimes referred to in the press by a less glamorous moniker, the "flesh eating disease."   Several days later this young, loving husband and dedicated father of three beautiful children was gone.  My heart is heavy, my prayers go out to them, and I look forward to seeing them again in June.  In the meantime I remind myself -- and you -- to cherish every minute of life, and to make sure your loved ones know how much you care.

xoxo,
Fro Fro

Race Report: Las Vegas Half Marathon

You're probably wondering what's taken me so long to report on my December 2nd race in Vegas -- the 12th of 12 in my year-long race-a-month fundraising frenzy.  You've been waiting in suspense, losing sleep over whether I achieved my goals, and more important, where I ate my 12th celebratory meal.  That's so sweet of you, really.  The wait is over.

I hadn't posted yet mostly due to my denial that the year-long journey was actually over.  But at long last, here are some the highlights:

Carbo loading on wild mushroom pasta at Wolfgang Puck's Trattoria del Lupo:

Whether you're a gambler or not, nothing beats the magic of running down Las Vegas Boulevard, aka "The Strip."  Especially when you're surrounded by hundreds of runners dressed as Elvis!

They used disposable Tyvek-like paper strips with embedded transmitters (or something techy-tech like that), so no backup at the finish line while everyone gets stripped of their chips -- and no need to return a chip if you forget to give it back.

Though my goal for this race was to beat my personal best 2:15, I missed it by two lousy minutes.  I was beating myself up about it until Frankie reminded me that I did it 2:17 faster than most people ever will.

Having Randall, Jo Jo and her fabulous friends there made my last race of the year an even more special celebration. (Read Jo Jo's Race Report here.)

Speaking of celebrations, our post-race dinner was held at Alain Ducasse's Mix Las Vegas.  First, there were drinks in the bar which had this amazing view, and an inventive way to lighten up the tab.

Most of the meal is a distant fond memory, but the bread remains top of mind and made it onto my list of Fro Fro's Faves (for now!)  Ducasse's signature milk and dark chocolate homages to the Snickers bar were also outstanding.

We stayed at THEHotel at Mandalay Bay.  Rooms were mod and luxe, and everything was well-branded, even the toilet paper.

On the fundraising front, I raised almost $4,700 -- 116% of my goal -- thanks to my wonderfully generous friends and family.  I thank you, Girls on the Run Bay Area thanks you, and so do all the folks who will benefit from those girls learning to run and doing fundraising races in the future.  Just like that timeless shampoo ad:  they'll tell two friends, and they'll tell two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on.

And so...on(ward) for me!  What's in store for 2008?  Not sure I'll do the race-a-month thing again.  As rewarding as it was, it may be time for a new challenge.  That said, I did a 10K last weekend for January.  Just in case.

Race Report: U.S. Half Marathon

Just two weeks after my last race, the Nike Women's Half Marathon, I turned back my clock and laced up my sneaks for the U.S. Half Marathon.  This race's organizers use the fact that you get to run over the Golden Gate Bridge as a selling point.  However, as my dear friend Jo Jo will tell you, this isn't as much fun as it sounds -- since the bridge seems to go uphill the majority of the span in both directions.   That being said, I was eager to see if I could beat my personal best of 2:15 that I set in this race last year.

The rest of the course is also largely unremarkable -- from Aquatic Park through the Presidio, over the bridge and back to Aquatic Park. I've obviously become spoiled by living in the Bay Area for so long.  Most people would be thrilled with such scenery.  But compare that compact course to the San Francisco Half Marathon or the Nike, and it's no contest.  Though the U.S. Half is a relatively fast course, the others make you feel like you've actually gone 13 miles.  That said, it was nice to do a smaller race for a change, while still having well-supported water stops and other accouterments like a nice finishers' medal.

Since I waited a week for the pics in order to write this report, much of the race is already a blur.  Here's what I do remember:

1. The race announcer trying to get people riled up and excited but at the same time telling us we had to be quiet to respect the nearby neighbors.  Good luck, buddy!

2. The spectacular weather. 

3. The not-so-spectacular uphill immediately after the start.  So it's gonna be like THAT, I guess...

4. Running over the bridge, with the aforementioned uphill-both-ways effect.  Annoyance compounded by Ms. A.P. (initials to protect the innocent) who insisted on speeding up to get in front of me, then immediately slowing down once she'd done so.  This happened at least three or four times.

5. The blister from two weeks ago that I thought had gone away actually hadn't. Advice anyone?

6. I do some of my best thinking when I run, and races are no different.  This time I came up with two suggestions for race organizers everywhere.  First, get Goody or some other hairbrush manufacturer to put brushes in the goody bags.  They always give out pony tail holders, when what folks really need after the race is a good brush.  Not to mention the unisex factor.  Second, in every race I've run, so many people have change jingling in their pockets.  It drives me crazy!  I guess most folks can't hear it because they're defying the USTAF rule against headphones.  Anyway, I think there should be donation stations along the course where people can drop their loose change for a good cause. 

7. Crossing the finish line with a time of 2:17:31, beating my Nike time from two weeks ago by three minutes, but missing my all-time record by two and a half.   Looking forward to catching it at my last race of the year, December 2 in Vegas, baby!

Crossing the bridge...

Crossing the finish line...

Crossing one more race off the list...11 down 1 to go!

Race Report: Nike Women's Half Marathon

Many people know that I'm on a crazy kick to do a race each month this year.  The #1 question I typically get is, "Why on Earth would you do such a thing?"  In second place, "How are you feeling?"  Well, by last week, my response had become, "Honestly, I'm glad I did it, but I can't wait for it to be over."  My answer changed on Sunday after I did the Nike Women's Half Marathon.  It turned out to be my favorite race of all time, and has revitalized me for the home stretch in November and December.

It's no secret that the folks at Nike are master marketeers, and they know how to execute a top notch event, start to finish.  For Nike, they don't do an Expo.  It's an Expotique.  None of the bargain-basement, flea-markety vendors you typically see at other races.  Instead there were manicures and pedicures, a video booth so you could tell the world why you're running, and a button-making station so you can tell the world that your PowerSong is "SexyBack."  Or "Eye of the Tiger."  Whatever.  You could write your name on a little strip and pin it on a map of all the participants.  And of course, there were huge demo stations for Nike Plus, the device you put in your Nike shoe that works with your iPod while you work out.  It'll tell you how far you've gone/have to go, play your PowerSongs, etc.  The whole time I felt as if I were being sucked into the Nike marketing machine, but I was loving it all the same.  My favorite part of the Expotique was seeing my name among the thousands of other runners on the wall of the Niketown store.

 The next morning, it seemed as if all of those thousands of runners were calling Veterans Cab.  Luckily, the dispatcher recognized me as a regular.   Even so, I waited a while for my cab to arrive, so when we came upon two other women trying in vain to hail one, I asked my cabbie to pick them up.  Nothing like some good karma to pump you up on race day.

As we approached Union Square, it looked like Times Square on New Year's Eve, minus Dick Clark and the big ball.  We were supposed to line up according to pace time, but the sea of people was too dense to navigate. So I stayed put, stretched and ate my CLIF Builder's Bar.   In spite of my San Francisco Half Marathon experience in July, I'm glad I decided to forgo the fleece and the whole bag check situation.  That's San Francisco for you:  freezing in July, delightful in October.

The race started on time and I crossed the starting line at 7:06 am.  The first six miles were an almost entirely flat tour of downtown, the Embarcadero and the Marina.  Then, all of a sudden it was as if the course were mocking us, saying "Hope you enjoyed that first part, 'cause it's all uphill from here."  However, the weather was so spectacular (clear, a little breeze, just the right temp) and the course so beautiful that I really didn't mind.  It was so much fun to hear the out-of-towners' glee when we came upon the Golden Gate Bridge, or turned the corner at Ocean Beach.   

Fan support and aid was everywhere along the course.  Even literally on the course.  Folks from Kaiser  were giving out navel orange sections in Sea Cliff, and I ended up body-checking one of their volunteers who wandered into the middle of the road.  Sorry!  It was also great to see some familiar faces -- huge thanks to Stu B., Dave L. and Aimee M. for cheering me through those hills.

At one point I was feeling so great that I started thinking that I should try another marathon next year.  It would be the 10th anniversary of my first marathon in '98.  Must have been the runner's high.  By the time I got to mile 10, I decided half marathons are just fine, thank you very much.

As the end of the race grew closer, we came upon what looked like a small airplane hangar, and as we ran through the tunnel we experienced what it's like to run with Nike Plus.  "You're at mile 12.2," intoned the voice of a woman who sounded way too relaxed.  I decided to kick it into gear for the last mile, blowing by the Ghirardelli chocolate samples in order to get to that little blue box.  That's right, the finisher medal for this race is a Tiffany necklace, delivered by members of the San Francisco Fire Department in tuxedos.   Now that's hot!

But there was another man I was much more excited to see at the finish line.  For now we'll simply call him Mr. Man.  If you want more details, you'll just have to stay tuned, darlings!

My ChampionChip time...drum roll please...2:20:18, my second-best ever! And now that Brightroom (the event photographer) offers photo downloads, I've already got the pix.

   

      

For my post-race dinner, Mr. Man treated me to an amazing burger at Rex Cafe on Polk St.  In fact, it made my Fro Fro Faves list!  Perfectly seasoned and cooked, with cheddar on a toasted ciabatta roll, spicy steak fries on the side.  Why on Earth would I do all these races, you ask?  So I can eat like this all the time!

Next up is the U.S. Half on November 4th.  This will be my last San Francisco race this year, so I'd love to see you out there cheering me on!  Course details at ushalf.com.  It's early in the a.m., but we get an extra hour that day.  FYI for all you Andy and Tessa fans out there, it was at this race that Tessa signed up to audition for The Bachelor.  More important, I set a personal record in this race last year, so let's see what I can do this time around!

Race Report: See Jane Tri

The See Jane Tri is a sprint triathlon (400 yd swim / 11 mi bike / 3.1 mi run) put on by See Jane Run, the women's fitness store with outlets in Noe Valley, Oakland and ... Boise.  Yes, the one in Idaho.  Their stores are great because not only do they have great gear (i.e. apparel, yoga wear, wetsuits, running shoes, accessories), but they specialize in helping women, especially newbies.  That means, among other things, you don't have to feel embarrassed asking things like, "How do I keep my boobs from chafing when I run?"  They also have a training program so you can train for your first (or 51st) triathlon without the added pressure of all that testosterone.

Although this was my second year participating in this race and my fifth triathlon, I was still apprehensive.  Would it be freezing cold like last year?  Will I get a flat tire?  Will the nagging pain in my instep come out to torture me?  Read on...

On Friday night, I had my bike checked out by the nice people at Sports Basement, then rode it home and put it in the trunk of my car.  That's right - little Fro Fro's bike is small enough to fit in the trunk of a 4-door sedan.  No unsightly bike racks for this girl. 

In the morning I made the drive to the race site at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park in Pleasanton, about an hour East of my Pac Heights pad.  Though my wave wasn't due to start until 8:20, I'm glad I arrived at about 7 am.  There were already tons of people there and the transition area was almost filled to capacity.  However, I was able to snag a great spot close to both the Bike and Run exit points.  Set up my transition area with the following*:

- Nike super-absorbent chamois towel on top of a bright yellow terri towel
- Amphipod for See Jane Run number belt. This one is self-contained and has little plastic clips - so there are no extra straps or cords sticking out like my Zoot one had.
- Oakley Sunglasses
- Giro bike helmet
- Cannondale bike gloves
- Camelbak hydration pack
- Chocolate CLIF Shot
- Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water
- Pocket Pack of Kleenex tissues (With the cool temps, these came in super-handy two years in a row.)
- Asics GT-2110s (I've been wearing the GTs for years - starting with the 2010's. Great for stability.)

*No promotional consideration was provided by any of these manufacturers.  I just hawk their brands out of the goodness of my heart.

Picked up my chip and got body marked with my bib number on my arm and the big 4-0 tattooed on my leg for the first time.  At the Danskin Tri in Austin, they put your age on the back of your leg, so you can  competitively gawk at everyone else behind their backs.  At the See Jane Tri, it's in front, so everything's out in the open! 

At about 7:45 I ate my customary CLIF Peanut Butter Builder's Bar and decided it was finally time to take off my nice warm fleece and join the other racers to make our way over to the beach to get ready for the Swim start.  Brrr... it was cold.  But the sun was coming out, which I don't think ever happened last year.  I chattered and chatted with a woman doing her first triathlon, and tried to allay her fears as I answered her myriad of questions. 

The race waves began, and my Wave 6 took off about 8:30.  The Swim leg of the tri is not the nemesis it once was for me, although at one point I caught a huge wave with my mouth and had to cough it out for several strokes.

Out of the water, into the transition area.  Throw off the cap and googles, dry the feet, throw on the socks, shoes, shirt, number belt, sunglasses and bike helmet.  Take a big swig of water.  Decide to forgo  the gloves and the Camelbak and head out to the Bike course.  Hopefully that wasn't a knucklehead move because a) I don't want to get dehydrated and b) my tire tools are in it and I saw at least three women along the course with flats.  Luckily neither was an issue for me.

Back in the transition area again.  Did a shot of CLIF with a water chaser and started the Run.  This is the point at which I'm most excited, because I've gotten through the more nerve-wracking first two legs and I'm in the home stretch.  The See Jane Tri run course is among the prettiest of any of the races I've done, and the Janes punctuate it with signs carrying inspirational quotes from folks like Eleanor Roosevelt, Madonna and Vince Lombardi.  My favorite was from Anais Nin: "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."  A wave of emotions rushed over me and propelled me toward the finish.

Official Chip Time: 1:23:11 - not bad, especially since my goal was to do it in under 1:30.

After the race, I engaged in my favorite rituals -- a manicure and dinner at a restaurant I haven't tried.  Last night's venue was Skipjack (see separate Skipjack post).

I'm now in the home stretch of my year of monthly races.  Nine down, three to go.  Looking forward to finishing strong!

See Jane Tri 09.29.07

Race Report: La Salle Bank Chicago Distance Classic

Why, you might ask, would I choose to do a race in Chicago in the middle of August when it's hotter than (insert your preferred metaphor here)?  Well, a few reasons:

1. I'd been wanting to visit my dear friend Candace and my darling cousin Dana in Chicago for a while, but I didn't want go there in the winter when it's colder than (insert your preferred metaphor here). 

2. Since I've committed to doing a race per month this year, I needed one for August, and the Chicago Distance Classic (CDC) seemed as good a race as any: big city with stuff to do in addition to the race, popular (12K estimated entrants), etc.

3. Since I've complained enough about how cold I've been in previous races this year, figured I'd try the other extreme.

4. Last, but certainly not least, I'd read about Alinea restaurant and had to try it.  In fact, to show you where my priorities lie, I made the Alinea reservation first,  booked my flight second, and then registered for the race.  More on Alinea to come in a separate post.

Here's how the weekend went:

Friday, August 10

4:45 pm - Touched down at O'Hare a bit early.  That's a refreshing and pleasant start!

6 pm - Arrived at Candace's fab apartment in Oprah's hood. The moment I got there, Candace banished my little jacket -- a San Francisco wardrobe staple -- to the closet, never to be seen again until I left on Monday.

8 pm ish - The two of us gussied ourselves up and headed out to Cafe Iberico for dinner.  It was so nice to walk to the restaurant and breathe the warm night air.  Once we got to the restaurant, it wasn't so nice to breathe smoke.  Thankfully, a smoking ban is going into effect in January.  We ordered two dishes from the traditional tapas menu: Tortilla Espanola and Seared Scallops with Rice.  Both were excellent and authentic.

10 pm ish - Candace's friend Rob met us at Cafe Iberico, then the three of us went to Fulton Lounge for after-dinner cocktails.  When we arrived, we were carded.  I'm not even in the door yet and I LOVE this place!  We got there just in time to be escorted to one of the last available tables.  The one word I'd use to describe the decor would be "mod."  Low tables, Eames-y chairs and a big shag rug along the perimeter are the perfect vantage point from which to observe the action at the bar and sip scrumptious specialty cocktails.  On Rob's recommendation I ordered the Key Lime Pie Martini -- Absolut Vanilla, KeKe Beach Liqueur and pineapple juice served in a graham cracker rimmed glass.  True to their menu's promise, it was even better than a slice of the real thing.  I kicked off my shoes to let my feet enjoy the shag rug while the rest of me enjoyed my drink, the atmosphere, the music and the great company.

Saturday, August 11

10 ish - Brunch at Tavern on Rush.  Features sidewalk seating and an extensive menu of breakfast specialties.  I decided to go for a short stack with banana and mango - however the waitress informed me that it might be difficult for the chefs to fit more than one type of fruit on the dish.  Perplexing... especially since when the pancakes arrived, the bananas took up very little plate real estate.  What was there was very good, though. 

After brunch we headed over to the Race Expo at the Hilton.  The main floor of the hotel had no race signage whatsoever, and while there were tons of people everywhere, they didn't seem to be there for the race (no telltale Expo goodie bags in hand, for example).  So we spent a bit of time figuring out where to go, but once we got to the North West Hall, there were no lines and everything was well- organized.  At this point I should note that if I have one criticism of the CDC's pre-race communications, it's that among the gazillion emails they sent me, and among all the flyers in the goodie bag, the only reference to the race start location that I recall finding was on the PDF of the course map on the race web site.  It would be much more helpful to include the info in the race day logistics email and/or on something similar in the goodie bag.  Maybe they figure there aren't that many people like me that travel to run this race, so people know what they're doing or at least have access to a computer.  However, I'd implore any organizers of this race or others to consider this feedback in your game plan.

The rest of the afternoon was spent seeing Chicago sights such as the big silver bean in Millenium Park and the Architecture Tour (an expertly narrated boat ride) at Navy Pier.

8 pm - Carbo loading at Quartino Restaurant.  In fact, it was a carb and cheese orgy that included a Pizza Quatro Formaggi, Caprese Salad, Potato Gnocchi with Green Beans and Arugula Pesto, and Cavatelli with Fresh Tomatoes and Fresh Ricotta. Everything was very good, the pastas in particular. Though I later learned that I should "Save room for dessert," (Crain's Chicago Business) at the time we couldn't even bring ourselves to look at the menu.  We had a great table upstairs, away from the din of the main floor, but still very much in the thick of things.  In fact, I don't think there's a bathroom downstairs, so everyone came upstairs and past our table to get to the WC.  This was akin to having front row seats at Fashion Week.  Though the couture wasn't necessarily haute, it was a vast improvement over San Francisco, where in a restaurant like this each and every woman would be wearing "the uniform" = jeans and a cute top.

Sunday, August 12

5:30 am - Rise and shine and get ready for the 6:30 race start.  They start the race early to beat the heat.  Thankfully, it rained a bit last night and that's cooled things down a little bit.

5:45 am - Head downstairs to grab a cab to the race start in Grant Park.  As I'm leaving Candace's building, three guys are leaving the bar next door, finally ending their night as I'm starting my day.  Toto, we're definitely not in San Francisco anymore.  They see my bib and attire and ask me if I'm going for a little run.  Yes, a little 13.1 mile run this morning, boys.  Care to join me?

6:00 am - I still haven't been able to hail a cab. One cabbie even stopped, but when I told him where I was going, he said he couldn't take me, he was going home.  I started walking down State Street and just as I was getting worried that I might not make it to the start in time, I got a cab.  Arrived in plenty of time for my pre-race stretching and CLIF Builder's Bar rituals.  It was so nice to stand at the start in shorts and a tank instead of long running pants, long sleeves and gloves for a change.

6:30 am - Race time!  For this race report, I'll do a pro/con format:

Pros:

• Started right on time.
• Though I heard folks complaining that the course wasn't as nice as the Chicago Marathon course, as a tourist I enjoyed the sights, especially Soldier Field, the planetarium and the lakefront. 
• There was a bit of a cloud cover for most of the race so while it was warm, the heat and sun weren't oppressive.
• Plenty of wide-open space in the finish-line transition area
• ChampionChip timing
• Finshers' medal -- not too heavy, not too gaudy, nice ribbon

Cons:

• The quietest race I've run this year - the only music I remember was at the start, the finish and one or two other places. 
• Fan support was concentrated in a few areas, rather than being consistent the entire way.
• Many narrow stretches - difficult to keep a consistent, comfortable stride. 
• They ran out of cups at two of the water stops.

Finished the race in 2:21:25, achieving my goal of beating my time from SF two weeks ago by a mere minute and five seconds.  I was pleased with that considering the Chicago course was more flat-to-uphill, vs SF which was more flat-to-downhill.  Plus, I was running with a minor injury.  I'd accidentally disregarded rule #1 of race training: Don't do anything differently the week prior.  Don't eat differently, don't dress differently, don't work out differently (aside from tapering).  Unfortunately I'd used a different treadmill at the gym than I normally do, and pulled a muscle in the arch of my foot.  I was bound and determined to do the race, though, and while I was running it didn't hurt too badly thanks to the adrenaline factor.  Once that wore off I realized how bad it actually was and I hope I didn't screw it up too much.  Thankfully, my next race isn't for another six weeks.

9 am - After the race, Dana met me near the finish line after a pretty hilarious cell phone exchange trying to locate each other (Dana: Go North.  Laura: Where's North?  Dana: OK, now go away from the lake.  Laura: I don't see a lake! etc.) 

12 pm - After a much-needed shower and nap, Candace and I went over to Dana's for a relaxing afternoon on her condo's pool deck. Dana made us a delicious lunch of barbecued chicken, green salad, Asian slaw & noodle salad, and fruit.  From there we went to Karen's Nails for what is becoming another post-race ritual: the mani/pedi.

7 pm - Dinner at Alinea.  (See separate post).

Monday, August 13

8 am - Fly to NY for the second part of my summer vacation.  Stay tuned!

Click here for my CDC Race Report Google Map.

Race Report: San Francisco Marathon (2nd Half)

Over the past several months, most of my races have been "away games," so my Race Reports have featured not only the races themselves, but also all the other fun stuff I've done in the cities I've visited.  Well, I decided that even though the SF Half Marathon was on home turf, there's no reason not to feature my activities in my own fair city. 

Saturday

10:00 Show up at the Expo in Justin Herman Plaza.  No convention center reminiscent of trade shows for us here in San Francisco.  We're all about the great outdoors.  I meandered around the booths, thinking that with a few exceptions, it's the usual suspects...CLIF (yay!), various other races trying to recruit you to come to their cities, and the folks that come with racks and racks of apparel plus gear and gadgets organized in rows of boxes around the perimeter.  It's the racing equivalent of the impulse purchase rack at the supermarket checkout.  Do I really need another Amphipod?  Why, yes!  You can never have too many of those, right?

10:30 Time to get down to business.  Go across the street to the One Market building for packet pickup and chip swiping.  No line -- breezed right through.

10:35 Another advantage of having the Expo in Justin Herman Plaza is that it's right across the street from the world-famous Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market.  While I still miss the days when it was held in a nearby parking lot, there's no denying the wonder of the new space and all its retail splendor.  This time I picked up some of my favorite prepared foods at San Francisco Fish Company (tea-smoked scallops, ahi tuna poke and candied smoked salmon), some verbena soaps at The Gardener, and a few kitchen "essentials" at Sur la Table.  Paid a visit to a new merchant, Boriana, which features imported specialties from Tuscany -- wine, cheese, pasta, pastry and coffee.  Benvenuto!

2:45 After lunch, headed out to Union City to try indoor skydiving -- what a rush!   The facility hasn't officially opened yet, but they were doing instructor training and I got the inside track thanks to my friend Greg, whose former roommate owns the place.  iFly simulates the experience of skydiving, but instead of  free-falling from a plane at 15,000 feet, you're flying in a wind tunnel just a few feet above a metal net.  It was a total blast and can't wait to go back when they open.  Learn more on iFly's site.

6:30 Carbo load a spaghetti dinner.

Sunday

5:45 Wake up and recognize a key difference between racing on the road and racing at home:  the number of wardrobe choices.  On the road, you can only pack so many in your bag.  At home, they're all there.  Shorts or running pants?  Long or short sleeves?  Settle on long black running pants with a short-sleeved top.  Underneath, there's no dilemma, though.  I'm wearing the greatest athletic bra known to women, the Lululemon Marathon Bra.  Provides "maximum support" that's comfortable, not constraining.  (My girls need a leash, not a straitjacket.)

6:00 Contemplate logistics.  For this race, you could choose to do the first half of the marathon, the second half or the whole thing.  I'm doing the second half, which starts in Golden Gate Park and ends at the Telecom-du-Jour Park.  (First it was Pac Bell, then SBC; now it's AT&T, which Cingular also became.) I decide the best plan is to park near the finish, and take the race-provided shuttle to the start.  Worked like a charm.  The buses were where we were told they'd be, they were clean and comfortable, and the only waiting time was after we got dropped off at the park and had to wait about an hour and a half for the race to start. 

7:30 Brrr...it's cold!  I'm wearing one of those disposable Tyvek jackets and thinking next time I'll have to experiment with the gear-checking system.  I used to think, "Who wants to deal with figuring out where the stuff has been dropped off and wading through it to find yours?"  Now I'm thinking, "Who the hell cares, I'm freezing my butt off out here."

8:00 Eat my customary pre-race CLIF Peanut Butter Builder's Bar, which can hold me for an entire race, though I usually have a Chocolate CLIF Shot around Mile 8 for a little boost.  Stretch.  Talk to 56-year-old breast cancer survivor who does 2 races a year, and did the L.A. Marathon in 4:10.  What a nice woman, and such an inspiration!

8:25 I'm in Wave 3, and we start right on time.  It takes a while for me to really warm up, but I'm loving this race because it's a great course that's mostly through the park, and mostly either flat or downhill! 

The race is already a blur for me, but here's what I do remember:

-- Great support along the course.  Plenty of water, quickly dispensed. 

-- Lots of music -- probably the best speakers of any race I've done this year!  This is key since I'm not running with my iPod in races anymore thanks to the USATF ban on headphones.  (People still wear them, but supposedly they strip you out of the photos if you do, and you people know how I love my photo opps.)

-- Seeing a whole crowd of runners do the YMCA dance while they ran and the Village People song played.

-- Having my name printed on my bib so tons of random strangers could cheer for me.

-- Having someone I actually know see me and cheer for me.  Thanks, Lisa M!

-- Feeling good and strong the entire way, and sprinting across the finish line.

-- Moseying my way thorough the post-race transition area and loving the fact that we're not being corralled like cattle (as I've experienced at other races).  Not in San Francisco.  We're free-range runners here.

11:00 Head home.  Check my  race time... 2:22:30.  Not bad; in fact, my second-best half marathon time ever.  Thought I'd beat my 2:15 from the U.S. Half last year, since that had more hills (going up), but it was not to be.  Good thing I get another shot at it in two weeks in Chicago.

11:30 Shower and nap. 

4:00 Manicure and pedicure.

7:00 Pane e Vino.

More about the race on its official site here: San Francisco Marathon

At last, the photos:

San Francisco (Half) Marathon album on Webshots