TURKEY CLUB Fun Run

My friend Amber and I decided to put on a "race" on Thanksgiving morning as a free alternative. We wanted it to be not only free, but fun, and worthwhile. So we are asking anyone that is coming to bring a toy for the Aurora Gift Mart for the holidays. Should be tons of fun with donuts and themed prizes. Please email me if you want to come! jengarri@gmail.com
Check out the flyer below...

Off season struggles

Acceleration Naperville

Being a professional triathlete, NOT EASY. And I am not talking about the training part. In order to race, train, and well...eat you have to somehow make a living. Unless you are winning a huge race this is VERY hard. The catch here is that in order to win any sort of big race you need to put in the time and effort to get there. And well let's face it, it costs money to train to be the best you can be. I am really struggling with this. How am I suppose to be the best I can be without an endless bank account. Training costs money to hire a coach, get sport specific training, buy equipment to train and not to mention child care! Racing costs money. Sometimes but rarely I get comped entries but not too often. Then you have to travel to races. I wish there was an easier more economical way of doing this. Essentially what I am taking away from this is that unless you are in your early 20s without kids and a mortgage it is virtually impossible to be a professional triathlete. But the key there is impossible. NOTHING is impossible. I almost feel like when things are more difficult there is even more of a lure to do it. I really want to do well, better yet, KICK ASS. It is so important to me to never have regrets in life. As long as those goals match up with my husband and also my kids I am there! I will figure out a way to make this work. If anyone has any ideas for me please let me know.

I found this FANTASTIC place called, Acceleration in Naperville. It is a sports performance training studio. They deal with professional football players, basketball, and it seems most sports. They improve power and speed through muscle memory training. They have these incredible treadmills that go 30 mph and I think 30% grade. Unfreaking real. But awesome. I know to be the best pro triathlete I can I need to start working on my weaknesses. As triathletes we seem to forget about strength and plyometrics because we only have time to swim, bike, and run. I will be updating this blog as my training with this goes. I am really excited to see how this can improve my fitness.

Halloween was a blast! It goes by so fast. Here are a few pics of my kiddos...

Chicago Marathon Recap

I decided a few months ago to give the Chicago Marathon a try. I have been doing this crazy thing of triathlons now for almost 10 years. And living in Chicago I still have not checked off the box, Chicago Marathon. Now...Checked. And side not, never do again.
I have done a few marathons before. 2 in college, mistake. And one last December. This by far was the most boring course I have ever done. And WAYYYY tooo many people. I would much rather run somewhere pretty and less crowded. The only benefit I saw was sleeping in my own bed!
I really felt prepared for this too. I trained with my running partner and friend Janeth. I actually got my highest week up to 68 miles! That is a ton for this girl. I stopped biking and swimming just to take a break from the triathlon life. (I actually miss it!). About 3 weeks ago my heel started to feel sore after a 20 mile run. I went in to the doctor and yep, plantar fascitis! I was really proactive about taking care of it, icing and stretching. It never got any worse.
The first few miles of the marathon I was right on my pace but I could feel my heel already. I knew that couldn't be good. I think it was the faster pace and blacktop. I got to the halfway point at 1:30. Okay, not bad but boy did my heel really hurt at this point. If this was mile 25 than I could have sucked it up but I had 13 miles to go. By mile 15 I had changed my stride so now my opposite hip flexor was killing me. I couldn't even run! That is crazy for me. I always think of myself as having a really high pain threshold. I walked a few min then ran again. I was looking for a place to drop out and get a ride. As I walked and watched everyone run by all I could think about was Noah asking for the medal when I got home later. So off I went. NO dropping out for me. I can't quit. Not in my vocabulary. There are too many people out there that would love to finish in any time. So I walked and jogged the last 10 miles. It was a LONG 10 miles. Lots of self talk. But I finished and didn't cry. I was actually incredibly proud of my self for not quitting and sticking it out. That is a part of sport. Not all races will be PRs but all races are successes in different ways. I am still not sure what the huge draw is for the marathon. 40,000 people? I understand the sense of accomplishment. But to be honest I get that from running a PR in any race 3 miles or 26. Why don't people try dog sledding? It would be so much easier on the body.
Note to spectators: don't cheer for people that don't give you eye contact. I had tons of people cheer for me with, "You can do it!, Run!". I knew I could too but I was in PAIN! Just smile and wave next time. It is kind of like your OB telling you, "Come on Jenny, your almost at the finish line of a triathlon, PUSH!". I am serious, my OB actually said that to me. I wanted to punch him. Pushing a kid out is NOTHING like finishing a triathlon. I would do 10 Ironmans in a row before pushing a baby out.

So now it is the fall in Chicago and I need a goal. I ran the first half of the Chicago marathon in 1:30 and the second half in 1:50. Not vary fulfilling. I have to wait 6 months now before I can race again. It is like a drug. Competition is awesome. It feeds me. Anyone with an idea?

Sport is Cyclical

I need to update my pics of people. This is Noah heading off to school for his pictures. Seriously I could just eat him up! And yes, they were fighting. SHE is always the one to start it. Who knew a 1 year old could beat the crap out of a 4 year old. You should see some of his war wounds from Molly biting him! Watch out boys!
This is what I do when there are no triathlons to train for. Pull out the slip and slide. Yep, here in the midwest this is how we do it.
You better believe I was running so fast Bill couldn't even take my picture. LOL! But really with all of the marathon miles on my legs I feel like I have one speed, turtle.

While I was in the shower Monday after yoga with Adrienne (note to self, Yoga is WAYYY harder than I ever thought) I came to a conclusion. Sport is cyclical. For the last hmm, 30 years of my life I have been involved in competitive sports in some form or another. I think I have never gone a 12 month period without a swim meet, running race, triathlon, or rowing race since I could walk. No joke. But as far back as I can remember I have always gone through periods of my life where I just wanted to BE active not racing. It seems like these are all cycles. I can imagine a big circle that I go around. It is broken down into: training hard for triathlons, post season break, training hard, post season break, then realizing it has been two seasons with only a month or so break of No structure in those 24 months or so. I implode. I need to sleep in, I need to not have a fire just fun. I need to be with my kids not be tired with my kids. I need to be just Jenny not, OH that's Jenny the triathlete. I am at that point. I stopped racing triathlons early August and have thrown myself into marathon training. In my mind that is running 6 days a week and NOT touching a bike or getting wet in a pool. Unfortunately I have come to realize this really is no different than triathlon training. I am running hard, still waking up early, and still tired with the kids. I need a break! In 10 days after this crazy 26.2 miles of running I am taking a break. I mean workout when I want if I want. I feel fatness coming on and it is OKAY with me. I want the cycle to come again. You see that is the way it works. After this cycle is over I will come back to training hard and be even hungrier to race and get back into shape. You need to get out of shape to get into shape:)
I never understood how sooo many athletes can just go from year to year doing the same thing all the time with such intensity. And I don't mean a 2 week or 1 month break. Take a break! Don't talk about triathlon or think of it. There needs to be a cycle and balance. In the last 5 years my OFF times like this usually included having a baby. NOT this time, no worries here. Just a break for the body and mind. I need that fire to burn bright again when the gun goes off.
If I don't take a break I really believe the flame gets smaller and smaller each season.

A triathlete who tries to run!

After much contemplation I decided to do the Chicago Marathon in October. It is almost hard to believe that I have never done it. The marathon has never been my thing. Too much running for this big girl. But as I get older and my kids are getting older it seems to haunt me. Marathon training is almost easy compared to triathlon training. BUT when I say easy I do not mean to slam any runners. I mean logistically as a parent it is easy. I don't have to get on my bike for hours or drive to a pool to swim for an hour. Running is simple. Shoes, watch, and you! Out the door in nature running against time. It's almost poetic in nature. This past 2 weeks I have embarked on my marathon training in full force. I totally dropped the pool (very easy for me to do!) and only am biking easy on the weekends mostly with the kids in tow. I ran a total of 50 miles last week. That is a lot for me! This week I am aiming for 55. My legs are feeling it. They are screaming at me to stop running and jump in a pool. This body was NOT cut out for distance running. I know serious distance runners can run 100 miles a week in preparation for a marathon. The difference is they weigh half as much as me. I have to slowly figure out what is my max before I get hurt. And then take the miles I do have and make them quality! I decided to have my run partner Janeth help me conquer my goal of sub 3:00. She has a ton of experience in this. She has been whipping my big butt 2 times a week with hard runs. BUT I am loving it. I love that my afternoons are free to play with Noah and I LOVE that I am not passing out at 8pm b/c of training. I know come late fall I will miss my bike and the pool. But that is the point. I want yearn for it again. I want the fire to come back so that each workout is a personal test. To be the best professional triathlete (with 2 kids, ha ha) that I can be. I need to refocus and find out what my goals are for next season. But until then I will be running my heart out and having fun doing it. Because as I have discovered if you aren't having fun, why do it.

This coming Saturday I am doing a 10k called the Dekalb Cornfest 10k! Only in Illinois do you get a race called a cornfest! And boy will I have fun. I really want to break 38 in the 10k. For some reason this triathete can run faster in a triathlon than an open road race, hmmm.




The weekend after the marathon some really good friends of mine are putting on a flat and fast 5k here in Naperville called The Newthing 5k. Please come support them and this race. It is at the yellow box church. If you live in Naperville you know where that is. I will be there cheering on everyone! www.newthing.org/5k

Naperville Sprint RR

On Sunday both Bill and I raced in the Naperville Sprint Triathlon. This was the first time I have done this race. It is basically the same course as the womens triathlon in June but a shorter swim. This was the first race for Bill in about 2 years! And I think even longer since we have actually done a triathlon together. Probably since Noah arrived 4.5 years ago!
The swim was a time trial start which I am NOT fond of. How can you race if you don't have everyone with you. All you can do is go as hard as possible. And hope it was hard enough. They let us line up according to what we thought our times were. Apparently some swimmer were over zealous b/c I got stuck behind a bunch of swimmers that got in too early. It made for an interesting swim. The bike was a little windy and very crowded on the second loop. I always feel bad shouting at beginners to move over. They must think I am either crazy or mean. I always try to apologize as I pass after shouting, "on the left!". Onto the run...it was HOT! I don't mean sort of hot I might need a drink but hot I need to jump in a freezer to stop from boiling. On the last long stretch of road on the run we ran into the sun with no shade. I think that might of been the first time this year that I have felt that hot. Thank goodness it was only a 5k run. I had so much fun waiting for Bill and hanging with the kids. My Dad met us there and pushed them around in the double jogger. I had it all ready with snacks, juice, diapers, and blankets. Once he saw the diapers he told me he was NOT changing a diaper. Molly could wait until I crossed the finish line. He said he might even stand at transition while I am heading out on the run to yell at me that she had pooped so hurry up. Gotta love the grandpas. Thanks for your help Dad! I ended up winning and Bill had a great race for not even riding his bike this year.

I was happy with my race overall. I still felt a little sluggish from Steelhead last weekend but overall was having fun so pushing through slug is easy when you are smiling!

Enjoy the video my running partner and friend Janeth made!

HRMS Naperville Triathlon from RunnerGirlJaneth on Vimeo.

Another day as triathlon capital :: Naperville Sun :: Local Sports

Another day as triathlon capital :: Naperville Sun :: Local Sports

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