How do you top an Ironmother? If you’re me, you don’t even try. No desire to go 140.6 miles anytime soon.
But that doesn’t mean that I’m leaving that badass feeling behind in 2013. No siree. If nothing else, Ironmother taught me how alive and grateful I feel when I dive deep into things that aren’t a gimme, when I’m not sure how much it’ll take to reach the finish line—or even if I’ll get there. Despite the thunderclouds under my eyes and a few injury speedbumps, I was secretly kind of thriving as I was striving. (And if that’s not the worst sentence ever written, it’s right up there.)
So how do you top Ironmother? If you’re me, you spend time trolling race sites and then get all theme-y. These are the two themes I settled on for 2014:
1. Races that intimidate me for one reason or another.
2. Local races because Sarah and I are on the road, on average, once a month this year. If I’m going to enter races that already have me quaking in my Sauconys, I want a home-bed advantage.
…drum roll…
Big Race #1: Ironman 70.3 Boulder. June 15.
Careful readers will know I am loath to race in Boulder, where intense doesn’t begin to describe the racing scene—or at least the scene as seen through Dimity lenses. It’s time for me to get over myself and just race my own race in the land of crazy endurance athletes. When I pulled out a strong 70.3 last spring, I was all amped, thinking maybe I could concentrate on speed this year and try to qualify for the National Championships. I realize this will not happen in Boulder—a certain number of age-group slots are allotted per race, and I believe in myself but come on: it’s Boulder!—but that doesn’t mean I can’t have my own PR.
That’s my goal: a solid 70.3 PR.
Big Race #2: Pikes Peak Ascent, August 16.
Stats: 13.1 miles, about 7,800 feet of climbing. Did I mention I’m not the swiftest—or most enthusiastic—climber? Yep, intimidation: nice to see you around these oxygen-deprived parts. Even so, this race—and getting to the top of the Purple Mountain Majesty—has been swirling around my subconscious ever since we moved to Colorado. 2014 is the year. I attempted to climb the Peak once with some friends, but one came from sea-level and was slayed by the altitude, so we turned around about halfway up. I was contemplating doing the full marathon, but my husband gently reminded me running 13.1 miles downhill on my injury-prone back, legs, and feet probably isn’t the best idea.
My goal: to embrace the “Coloradoness” of this unique race—and to get in. Entries, I’ve heard, go quickly in mid-March, especially when I’m aiming for the easier for Wave 2, which requires a 2:25 half-marathon. (Wave 1 has a qualifying time of 1:40 for a half-marathon; bet there will be a lot of Boulder-ites in that one.)
Other items potentially on my list: a sprint or Olympic triathlon before the 70.3, but those are hard to come by, timing-wise, since the water is still pretty chilly around here in late May; and possibly the Triple Crown, a package of races that includes the Pikes Peak Ascent, the Garden of the Gods 10-Miler (another race that slightly intimidates me: crazy hills + the ghost of races past, when I was swifter) and a 15K trail race that is good prep for the Ascent. And I hope I get to pace a good pal in the Leadville 100 again.
I’m also in for Tinker Bell Half-Marathon and the Princess Half-Marathon, and possibly the inaugural Napa Valley ZOOMA Half-Marathon; Sarah and I will definitely be at the latter, but we haven’t played rock/paper/scissors to see who will run and who will woman the AMR booth.
Wow. A little weary right now from transferring that from my head to the universe. But I’ll be racing fewer miles this year than I did in one day last year, which is reassuring. I can’t promise that I’ve got this, but I can promise that I’m going to give it everything I’ve got.
Do you have your race calendar planned for this year? What’s on it?
So far the Disney Princess Glass Slipper Challenge, Big Sur and a sprint Tri in August. And “I can’t promise that I’ve got this, but I can promise that I’m going to give it everything I’ve got ” just became my mantra for Big Sur! Awesome! Love ya ! Go Dimity!
Ooh! Can I get that quote on a T-shirt?!?
Awesome goals Dimity! They scare me just reading about them, but if anyone can do it, it’s you.
You go! I have through April plotted out but then, I need to start looking.
So far, I’ve signed up for two (snowy) trail races. I’m not a trail runner, at least not regularly, and I’ve never done any trail races. That’s my goal for 2014, so I’m starting off early!
I know what you mean about intimidation – it gets me going too.
On my calendar so far: AMR Virtual 10K in March, Grand Rapids Gazelle Girl 1/2 on April 13, Hurt the Dirt 10K Trail Race April 26, AMR Virtual 1/2 May 11, Traverse City Bayshore 1/2 May 24, North Country Trail Relay June 14.
Monday kicks off my training for this big block of spring races – I’m ready!!!
Awesome! You can do these!!!
Run to remember Half memorial day weekend here in Boston. I might throw another half in the 1st weekend in April too. Plus the big goal for me in 14 is a full, that isn’t till Nov!
Looks like a fantastic year ahead of you Dimity. I am registered for 4 half marathons so far, 3 of them make up the Rhode Island Triple Crown. Those 3 are my “big”goal. I would like to run 14 races for the year and plan to just add short distance races to do that.
I’ll see you at Timkerbell! After that – planning on East Bay mermaid race, & then Double Dipsea and we’ll see what happens after that. :)
I am jealous! I want to do the Pikes Peak Ascent! My daughter lived in Colorado Springs for a while and I hiked that mountain a few times.
Fantastic plan! I loved the thriving while striving sentence. I’ve got a date with the Providence marathon. I loved training for my first marathon last fall but hated my final time. I’ve thrown in 3 half marathons in the spring, which freaks me out just a little, but in a good way.
All I have planned is a color run with my runner friends and a Shamrock 4 miler. I would love to do Disney Wine and Dine for my first half!!
Sounds like a great year! I am still working on mine. First and foremost is a marathon in June since my first marathon was cancelled last December :(
Sounds like a great plan Dimity! I’ll be going for 14 in 2014 starting with a 5 miler next month and hopefully finishing with the Philly Half in November!
It’s the year of the marathon for me. I’ll start with the Race for the Roses Half marathon in April and then head north to Alaska for the Moose’s Tooth Marathon in August. For my fist marathon, I’m excited to be on my home turf in Anchorage, AK.
Sounds like a great year of races you have on tap! Love following along on the journey.
xo
Go Dimity Go!!!!
other than more halfs than I really should be attempting, including Zooma Napa (yeah!), I have a couple sprint tris on the calendar. those are what excite me…..something new!
Wow Dimity!!!! Wow Wow Wow!!! I’m so inspired, and having lived in Colorado Springs (oh how we miss it there), I know that crazy little race called The Pikes Peak Ascent (hubs once ran it). Your calendar makes me long for that Rocky Mountain High! Keep pushing and keep inspiring us all!!!
My 2014 starts off with another half next weekend (Naples Half in Florida) and then Ragnar Cape Cod. My first Ragnar! Got some 5Ks and a 10K in there too! First year ever having a calendar of races!
Good on you, Dimity! Pikes Peak has always intrigued/terrified me so I’m envious? of you. What an experience that will be. Once again, you are conquering your fears and putting it all out there. Here’s to a fantastic, exhilarating 2014!
Love that you’re putting it all out there & facing fears! I’m sure you’ll have a great year. I’ve got the Tallahassee Marathon in February, the Pensacola Run Rock & Fly half marathon in March, and then my goal is to ease back and enjoy some shorter distances for the rest of the year. I feel like I have missed out on a lot of fun races because I’ve either been training for or recovering from a marathon since July.
WOW those look like some large peaks you will be climbing Dimity, Good Luck!! Hope to see you and Sarah at the Tinkerbell Run next week wearing our wings proud!! This will be my first half for 2014!! I did a goal of 4 half marathons last year and am crazy to say that four ladies I run with here in Alameda California will be attempting 12/13.1s/in 2014s so playing with numbers to make 12/13/14 inspired by one of us reading an article about a someone doing 13/13/13 last year. While its been fun finding like you said mainly “LOCAL” runs, it’s been hard on the checkbook to sign up for 7 races so far, my mind has also not grasped the fact that we will now have to get to the starting lines and finish all these races..here’s to hoping our bodies and our friendships hold up!! I’ll be turning 50 this year and what a way to celebrate by running 12 half’s with my friends! Highlights for 12/13/14 include two evening runs, one in Davis, CA with glow in the dark medals and the LV rock and roll, which has you running down the Las Vegas strip at night!! Thanks for keeping me motivated and full of training knowledge to get my runs done!! Go Mother Runners for 2014!!
I have one race on my calendar (how does everyone afford more than one??) – Lincoln half marathon. It’ll be a pure miracle if I run this race! I’m still not 100% recovered and haven’t ran over 3 miles since March when I got hurt training for my full marathon. So yeah. :)
Run Dimity Run! Looking forward to the AMR party next month in Memphis! It’s 5 hours from me but the closest one so I’m IN! I have 3 half marathons on the calendar this year with aspirations of running my first marathon in spring 2015. Super excited about running the Tinker Bell Half next weekend in Disneyland. New race and new park for me, yay! Then the Oak Barrel Half in April here in Tennessee. Then to the other coast for the Wine and Dine Half at Disney World in November. (My sister and I are shooting for coast to coast medals this year!!) Good luck and happy running to all mother runners in 2014!
NIce, Dimity! Way to go out there, make yourself a little uncomfortable, see what you are made of. I always find that when I put myself out thereon an intimidating race, it is often about the journey/experience/the fact that I finished, and not so much about time — which can be nice every now and then, not to mention as we get older. I plan to do a little of the same, with 2 clothing optional runs this year. I also plan to do at least three halfs (although none too strenuous. No marathons this year – will take a year off – but may get up the gumption to do a 12 hour race!
I’ll be running the Garden of the Gods 10 miler as well! I’m always in awe of the people that do the Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon! Kudos for you having the bravery to do it!
I did the Ascent in 2008…the coldest Ascent ever…and it was amazing…so excited you get this opportunity. Any chance there will be a group of Mother runners training on this hill over the summer? I’d love to have some other runners to head up Barr Trail!
You can do the Triple Crown! Have done the Garden, Barr Trail and the Ascent. After the Ascent, you will feel invincible!
I’m racing longer distances for the first time this year. I’ll be running the Rock ‘n’ Roll and Nike Women’s Half Marathons in DC this spring, and (eek!) the Wineglass Marathon in Corning, NY this fall. I didn’t really believe until recently that I could run a marathon, but my husband has been encouraging me for a while, and you and SBS both encouraged me to dream big for 2014 when you signed my copy of Train Like a Mother. So here I go!
I’m running the Air Force Half Marathon and what ever else strikes my fancy!
Spring Half somewhere. Chicago Ragnar with my BAMRR Ladies! BAMRR REUNION! Rock n Roll Chicago Half. AND drum roll… My First Full Marathon in the Twin Cities, MN! Exciting year. Thanks AMR for everything!
Austin Half-Marathon in February, Chicago Quarter Marathon in April, a couple of local Chicago 5Ks in the spring, Ragnar Chicago in June-I’m co-captain of our team (!) and then Chicago Zooma 10K and Chicago Women’s half both in August. Not sure how I’ll finish up the fall but am psyched at this challenging line up!
My first mud run in February, Shamrock run 15k in March, Bridge to Brews in April, Cinco de Mayo 10k and Rock’n’roll Half in May, and Blue Lake Sprint Triathlon in June. The Hood to Coast in August, and Run like Hell in October. All of these are in the Portland area.
Estes Park Half–elevation beyond 7000 scares me! Colorado Ragnar–scary 10,000 feet. This is the year of scary races–Loving it! no easy races in my bag this season.
Hey Dimity! Just last September I did the Imogene Pass Run which goes from Ouray to Telluride Colorado OVER the mountain pass. From 8,000 (ish) feet up to 13,100 and back down in about 17 miles. It was HARDER than any marathon I’d ever done. It was more of a hike than a run (at least on the way up) The last 2 miles before the summit in low oxygen were pretty scary. I’d take 10 steps (shuffle really) and then have to rest for 30 seconds. I say now that it was one of the stupidest things I’ve ever done. I got a wicked headache up there and started freaking out that I may have a brain aneurism or something (that was definitively the low oxygen making me a little irrational!) It was really scary though. You start to feel kind of drunk – I was slurring my words a bit and having trouble handling my camera. My fingers swole up like sausages (leave your rings at home!) And that race only went up to 13,000 feet! Pikes Peak goes up another thousand feet. If you do it, I HIGHLY advise you get some very high altitude hiking in as training. We did our training runs at around 6000-7000 feet because that was all we had access too. Forget running as training, and HIKE at high altitude (above 10,000 feet). You may want to think about doing Imogene – it was a really unique race. Views were amazing… here are the photos… http://www.flickr.com/photos/52425861@N06/sets/72157635448629555/
I totally binged on signing up for races for 2014. I’m hoping for a strong injury-free year. I hope I’m not getting in over my head. But, there is no race that’s longer than a half-marathon. I’m excited! One highlight will be the BAMRR reunion at the Chicago Ragnar. I will totally miss Sarah and Dimity, and the other teammates from the Ultimate Mother Runner Showdown!
I’m really excited for your race goals, Dimity! Many happy miles to you! :)
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I just signed up for Pikes Peak Ascent!! I’m a flat lander living at sea level so I’m pretty terrified! But I just listened to the big dreams podcast and know I’m on the right track if my goals scare me! Would love any tips or pointers on training for this bad boy (girl) “run”. (I know there will be A LOT of walking in this one!)