More than One Week in Photos

This reminds me of Trey.

I was cleaning out my hard drive and found this gem.
All the freebies I got at the cowtown Expo
...and then next day, was a repeat from 2011, when I walked away with a huge box of yogurt. Sunday, after the race, the volunteers were shoving food at the finishers, it was the end of the race day - 12:45 ish, so I'm sure they were just trying to not have to load it back up.
…"take this. Do you want more? Take as much as you want! Here's a box, fill it up!" Thank you.
Trey was like, ummm you ran 31 miles and then carried that box to the car?

The kids hanging out with grandparents at the trailer, while I was recovering from the race. 
We are still Foam Rolling

Lately, Trey has been using me like an electric blanket, when he slips into bed.

The girls spend so much time together. I think next year, when Chey goes to school - they will miss each other.

Someone is eager to drive

Unexpected Portraits

I love these pictures of my girls. Once it warms up, I'm going to go back to this location and take more photos. Originally, I wasn't planning on taking any portraits, but they were in a good mood and luckily I had my camera.

2014 Cowtown Official Race Photos

My Race Results:

Distance: 50K (31 miles)

Duration: 5:28:56

Average Pace Per Mile: 10:37

Overall Place: 145 out of 451 Ultra runners

550 Ultra Runners Registered. 451 Finishers.

Gender Place: 42 out of 201

Division Place (25-29 yrs): 9th out of 21

 No, I didn't run sideways the whole time. I was checking behind me to make sure I had a visual of my pacer. We were running downtown, probably mile 11. Sure enough the pacer was behind me, but not pictured here.

The Trinity Trails aka the painful miles. Mile 26 'ish.

I heard a spectator yell, it makes it easier if you smile, so I tried to smile. He was right, it helped. 
Sprinting to the finish line. At the end of a 50K, a 10:30 mile is a sprint (for me).

About to cross the finish line! PRAISE THE LORD! Also, holla and food me!

Happy.

I already passed one mat, it's over right? Can I stop now????

Sweet victory tastes like salty sweat.
After I crossed the finish line I sat down to catch my breathe, text and call my friends and family who had been following my race. When it was time for me to stand up, I felt every ache in my body. I saw two gentlemen and asked them to help me up. They laughed at me and called me crazy, but they did help me. Today, I'm feeling less sore. All the foam rolling and stretching has helped.

Similar Post:
2014 Cowtown Ultra Results
http://domandtrey.blogspot.com/2014/02/2014-cowtown-ultra-results.html

2014 Cowtown Ultra Results

I don't even know where to start, so I'll start with the results.
2011 Finish Time: 5:27:24
2014 Finish Time: 5:28:56
Seriously???? Yes. I was nowhere near my 5:17 goal, but to be that close to a PR was a bit tough to swallow.

This year's ultra marathon was a sold out race. There were 550 participants registered. I finished 145 overall and 42nd in my gender.  Here it is….the official results. I was pretty steady, up until the very end.

4:15 am I woke up.
4:30 am I got out of bed and got dressed.
5:00 am Ate blueberry oatmeal.
5:15 am Left the house.
5:35 am Arrived at Will Rogers Memorial for Sunrise Service. There was praise and worship and a devotional service.
6:15 am Bathroom break and tried to connect face-to-face with Sherri
6:50 am Hopped in corral 5 and immediately found the 4:40 marathon pacer. It took me a minute of debating with myself to move closer to the 4:30 marathon pacer.
7:10 am One last pit-stop to the bathroom. No lines. I guess that's one advantage of being in the 5th corral. I made it back, just in time to find the pacer and just like that, we were running.

The first half of my race, not pictured here, was pretty solid. 10-10:20 splits. Mile 22 is when things start to get interesting. I told the pacer, "I'm going to try to hang with you as long as I can." And I did, but things started to unravel between mile 23-24. That's when I lost her. I knew I was going to lose her for sure at mile 25 when the ultra and marathon split, but I so badly wanted to hang out to her until the end.


Unfortunately, Trey did not spectate the race, but my friend Sherri ran the half marathon and then spectated. She called me several times and asked me if I needed anything. She offered me pickled juice and I said, "YES! That sounds wonderful." She ran a little ways with me and encouraged me. When she asked me how I felt, I told her the truth, "I'M EXHAUSTED!" My mom also called me several times, but every time she called, I started to pick up my pace, so thanks mom!

Once I started to run on the trinity trail, my legs had enough. I want to say that was around mile 24. I was so weak, but tried to push on. At that point, I knew I was well ahead of my goal, so I started to take walk breaks...but before I knew it, time was slipping away from me. My 5:17 goal was slipping away. I wasn't mad, I was just like OK. Maybe I can beat my 2011 time???

A lot of distance runners say, it's important to take walk breaks to conserve energy, but I'm not so sure that's the right thing for me or at least on this course/this race…and when I started to take frequent walk breaks, it really messed me up. I'd stop running and then I'd feel ALL the pain, 10 times more, which made it that much harder to start running again. My friend Michael who had recently attempted to complete a 100 mile race, was cheering me on at the 27 mile aid station. I slowed down there a lot, which looking back now, was probably my number one mistake. Runners you know, how these stations make you want to get cozy and relax, when you should be high-tailing it to the finish line! Someone said, don't worry - soon the announcer will be calling your name at the finish line! And that was my mantra, to get me through those last brutal miles.

Today, I picked up the girls. They were in Abilene partying - while I was running and recovering. It was so good to see them. We spent the evening together foam rolling.

My ballerina got into it too.
I have lots more to share, but I think this is good for now! Stay tune for more Cowtown Race Weekend chatter.

All Set for Cowtown

This is happening tomorrow….  The girls are in Abilene, so Trey will be spectating!!!! I'm so excited about that! Last year, he decided to stay at home with the girls, while I ran the half marathon.

I finally decided on what to wear… I will start off wearing either this long sleeve white shirt or I'll find a short sleeve shirt and then toss it, when I get hot. Here's the race day forecast. HOT, if you ask me.
Okay, time to go to bed. This feels like the night before Christmas!

The Game Plan for Cowtown Ultra

I pulled up my 2011 Cowtown Race Report, since I ALWAYS have a hard time remembering stuff like that. I can't even tell you what my 5K PR is, I'd have to look that up too. As far as Sunday goes, I'd love to set a PR. Here are the numbers I'm competing against...

2011 50K Race Results

Distance: 31 miles

Duration: 5:27:24
Average Pace Per Mile: 10:33

Here's my Plan:

I will attempt to run the first 10-15 miles at a medium pace, which for me would feel like an easy run, for at least the first half. Typically, when I race, even an ultra I run out the gate like a bat out of hell. I can't allow my race excitement to get the best of me! I'm going to aim for a 10:20 pace for the first half of the race and then depending  how things go, hopefully run some negative splits for the majority of the second half. I'm terrible at pacing myself during a race, but lately my training runs, have been consistent - mile after mile.

Okay, so here are the numbers I want to see when I cross the finish line: 

5 hours. 17 minutes. 45 seconds. 

I hope I don't have to stop for a restroom break.

I'm trying to decide what shorts to wear on race day. I was thinking of wearing this run skirt or...

Maybe I'll switch it up and wear some speed shorts. I'm really leaning towards the shorts. It might be easier for friends to spot me. 

By the way, I took the liberty to sign my friends and family for Text message race updates. So if you get multiple updates by text, that's because of me. I'll be wearing a headphone bud in one ear, so call me if you want to chat. The best time to call would be around noon. I'm sure I will need some motivational words around that time. If I don't answer, it might be because I've sweated my headphones to death. I'm anticipating a hot race.
Here's to giving it my best. 

88 Weeks = 20 Months

Yep, all of the info below sounds about right….Also, Dakota is showing interest in potty-training. For about a month, she's been going to the restroom at least once a day in the potty. Lately, she goes twice. She's vocal and tells me when she feels like going. She says, "Mmmmmm, Potty!" And then she'll tug at her diaper or pull-up.

Valentine's Group Date. Boys Surprise Us with a Limo Ride to Dallas

For over a month, Trey has had Valentine's Day plans for us. He kept the details from me. However he did tell me, that it was going to be a group date. I love surprises! I didn't even beg him to tell me.

Yesterday, I worked a half-day, so I would have enough time to get ready.
Before meeting our friends for a night of fun, we stopped by to see the girls.

It was nice seeing Trey dressed up for the occasion.

We arrived at Paul's house (the guy to Trey's right), and we took group photos. We were chatting, wondering now what? Where are we going? What are we doing, boys? And then this black limo pulled up. The girls were like what???? Are we being punked? They have the wrong address.
We were so appreciative of the wonderful surprise! Way to go guys! Thank you! We felt special.

Have you ever rode in a limo? This was my first time. It was pretty cool.

We cranked up the music and had a great time. The guys still didn't' tell us where we were heading. An hour later, we were in Dallas!

Talk about fancy…we stopped and ate at Pappas Bros Steakhouse. I didn't even know about this place. I've been to the other Pappas chain restaurants, but I didn't know they had a steakhouse. It was a formal resturant. The atmosphere was over the top, romantic - even with four couples. :)

I made some new friends and new memories.



Thanks, Trey!