2011 Race Schedule

This is kind of late, as I've already done three races this year, but here is my race schedule for 2011 through September.  I may throw in some last minute stuff but these are all the big races.

1/16/2011   Naples Half Marathon     Naples, FL
3/5/2011     Shamrock 8K                 Buffalo, NY
4/16/2011   ENVIRUN 5K               Niagara Falls State Park
5/1/2011     Big Sur Marathon           Monterey, CA
6/5/2011     REV 3 Quassy               Middlebury, CT
7/2/2011     A Tri in the Buff              Buffalo, NY
7/17/2011   Musselman Half-Iron      Geneva, NY
9/11/2011   Ironman Wisconsin         Madison, WI

I also want to take a trip up to watch Ironman Lake Placid, I just have to find a place to stay and that's all set too.  I also was thinking of an ultra at the end of the year but we'll see how that plays out.  Lots of fun planned for the year.

30th Birthday

Today was my 30th birthday.  Yep, I'm getting old.  Asher wanted to give me a special birthday present but he needed a little help so he called upon Jeff to help him.  Jeff made him a sign that said "Happy Birthday Mom" and put it on his running jacket.  Well Asher gets a little excited when you put his jacket on him so getting him to control himself and sit still was a little tricky.  Below are pictures that are very much Asher and how he rolls.  He's a happy kid.

"Sweet, I got my running jacket on.  Whoa, super excited, better get my ball (because that's what I always get when I'm excited)."

"I love my ball.  And I still got my jacket on so I'm still super excited."

"Jeff is trying to take a picture of me, maybe I should run over to him so he can pet me."

"That ball looks awesome, so awesome I am drooling, better lick my lips.....wait, I don't have lips....."

"Oh, you wanted me to lay nice so I could say 'Happy Birthday Mom', simple, no prob."

Envirun 5K

The weather here has been less than stellar lately and I am getting cabin fever in a serious way...maybe the worst I have ever been.  So when the weather people said it was going to rain, a lot, and be super crazy windy all weekend I was totally bummed.  I had planned to do the Envirun 5K up at Niagara Falls and I was planning to take Asher up there and we would do our long run on the trails up there before and after the race.  "Torrential" rain postponed this.  So I started out on the treadmill and was deciding about the race.  Well I got to 8 miles and said "I'm going"!  That was enough of the treadmill for me.  So I headed to Niagara Falls for the race.  Jeff came along too and I was glad he did.  It took me longer to get there than I had planned (the story of my life) and I got to the race about 5 minutes before the start and I still had to check in and get my bib (no chips at this one).  I jumped out of the car, he went and parked and I picked up my stuff.  I even started the race with my race shirt in my pocket and shorts and pants on because I didn't have time to take my pants off before the race.  As I was leaving the registration tent they radioed to the start that the last person checked in...yep...nice AJ.  I got to the start and we were off.  The race went around Goat Island and we got to run by the rivers that lead into all three of the falls.  Super cool.  I love this place.  We got to run 1/2 mile into a nasty head wind but then cruised back.  And the rain stopped for the race, how awesome is that!!  Good race and I hope to be back next year in the sunshine with my pooch! (Thanks to Jeff for the pictures.)

Me at the finish, holding my bib because I didn't have time to put in on before the race. 

American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls

 

Horseshoe Falls