Glitter and Dust

The Spirit of an Athlete.

Ironman Coeur d’Alene: Celebration

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The moment I crossed the finish line at Ironman Coeur d’Alene the physical side of my body shut down and the emotions, which had been building throughout the day I was able to suppress, took over. In fact, it was one of the most emotional moments of my life. After taking a few steps forward I was greeted by a smiling volunteer who swooped my hot, sweaty mess into her arms, congratulated me, and placed a finisher medal around my neck. I rested my arm around her shoulder as another volunteer quickly removed my timing chip and handed me Continue Reading…

Ironman Coeur d’Alene: The Race

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At 3:45 a.m. on Sunday I woke up to Eye of the Tiger blasting on Justin’s cell phone. It was the perfect alarm tone, and I cracked a smile and rolled out of bed. I could immediately feel the adrenaline kick in as I made my way downstairs to pour a massive cup of coffee. Justin prepared my favorite pre-race meal and smeared a bunch of avocado on toast, topping it with salt. The atmosphere in the house seemed a little tense but fairly tranquil as we all gathered our gear and made our way out the door by Continue Reading…

Ironman Coeur d’Alene: Pre-Race Waiting Game

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Six years ago I was flipping through the channels while staying in a hotel room on vacation, and stumbled upon the televised Ironman World Championship in Kona. I was immediately sucked in and sat on the edge of the bed, directly in front of the TV, completely in awe of the athletic talent and inspirational stories. Once it was over I looked at Justin and said, “I want to do that. That is going to be me one day crossing the finish line.” Well, on Sunday, August 21, I did it. I crossed the finish line and in doing Continue Reading…

Wrapping My Head Around An Ironman

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Less than 3 weeks to go until Ironman Coeur d’Alene. After finishing Ironman CdA 70.3 several weeks ago, I really started to wrap my head around the magnitude of this race. I never mentioned it in my race recap, but during the second mile of the half marathon I pretty much convinced myself that I was going to back out of the full Ironman. There were several moments on the course when I hit those “lows” and doubted my ability to double the distance. Even after I finished the race I was questioning my sanity and whether or not Continue Reading…

Ironman 70.3 Coeur d’Alene Race Report

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It has already been a little over a week since I lined up with athletes from all over the world to race the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Coeur d’Alene, but I’m still basking in the afterglow. I can’t believe that between pregnancy and parenthood, it has been nearly two years since my last triathlon. Although I felt a little rusty and would have liked more time to practice transitions and do more open water swims, I was feeling confident and excited to toe the water of my first race of the season. If you would have asked me a few Continue Reading…

Too Close For Comfort

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I got hit by a car while riding my bike yesterday, but before I get into those details let me start by saying that I love being on my bike. The sound of two wheels spinning beneath me. Wind sweeping around my body. Blood flowing, heart pounding, the sights, sounds, and smells of mountain air, pine, farmlands, and pavement. Yes, even pavement has a distinct smell. Cycling makes the senses really come alive, as though you are part of the land, living, feeling, breathing it, and not just passing by from the comfort (and safety) of a car.

Just like Continue Reading…

Thoughts On My First Road Race

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As much as I love riding my bike, I have always told myself (and anyone who would listen) that I would never, ever, never, never, never actually do a road race. So, naturally, on Saturday I participated in my first ever road race. If you would have asked me 6 months ago if I ever saw myself racing on a bike with a group of other women, I would have laughed and served you a big fat “no’ on a golden platter. While I really enjoy spectating at road race events, and watching the various Tours all spring and Continue Reading…

Lately…

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I’m back! Not that I left or went anywhere special, but lately life has been busy and my priorities have left very little room for hobbies or downtime. I finally have a window of opportunity to give my blog a little attention and catch everyone up on what’s been happening this past month! Some of the highlights include:

Epic bike rides on closed roads over scenic mountain passes.
My first Mother’s Day (it was the best).
Time with family and meeting my stepsister’s 4-month-old little girl.
Introducing Axel to his great grandparents.
I got a new road bike!

After the Continue Reading…

Eugene Half Marathon Race Report

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This past weekend I had a true “how on earth did I do that” moment when I crossed the finish line at the Eugene Half Marathon. I was able to do the two things I had set out to accomplish when racing in my first half marathon postpartum: maintain a consistent pace throughout the race, and PR.

Justin, Axel, and I packed up and headed to Eugene late Saturday morning, making sure to time our departure so it would coincide with Axel’s nap. Little man was a trooper and slept the entire 2 ½ hour drive before waking up as Continue Reading…

Recovery Week and Battling Mental Fatigue

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These past two weeks have been an absolute blur. Between an eruption of work that had to get done, doctor appointments, training, and taking care of Axel, I’m surprised I have enough left in me to write this post. It actually feels good to sit down, write, and give my blog some attention.

Work has consumed me the past several days with papers to be graded, an exam to prep, and emails that seem to pile up faster than I can respond. To get it all done, I had to set the alarm clock a little earlier than usual, and Continue Reading…