Found cat/kittens update - ADOPTED!

Around 4pm on Friday April 4th, I told Karel that I wanted to spin my legs. Typically Friday’s are my swim-only days but it was warm and sunny outside and I was itching to be outside. I rarely ride my bike on a Friday afternoon but when I do an easy spin by myself, I typically ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail. However, something was pulling me to ride up and over Paris Mountain so I told Karel I was going to ride my bike on our Paris Mountain loop. I left a little after 4pm and headed up the mountain.

After 1.6 miles, I was nearing the top of the 2-mile climb and I was looking forward to a fast descent to the other side of the mountain. As I was climbing, I was shocked to see a small cat and two kittens in a muddy ditch on the side of the mountain. The cats didn’t move when I stopped as they all seemed to be in shock by the situation.

I quickly called Karel and told him the situation. He was planning to go for a swim that evening but he stopped what he was doing at home and drove the car with a cat carrier and food and water. Of note, this is not the first time that I have found and rescued cats on the side of the road so Karel knows the drill.

I sat on the side of the road while I waited for Karel and told the cats that they would soon be safe. Around ten minutes later, Karel arrived with the carrier. Another older man stopped and offered help when Karel arrived.

We were worried about catching the momma and kittens but they were so tired and in shock that they didn’t move. It was very easy to scoop each of them up and put them in the carrier in the car.

It was nearing 5:30pm and our vet closed early on this day so we stopped by a vet in Traveler’s Rest to see if the momma cat had a chip. She was scanned and no chip registered. We noticed that the momma cat had an indentation around her neck which appeared to be from a tight collar or flea collar. At this point, we made the assumption that the momma cat and her two kittens were dumped on the side of Paris Mountain.

We made a stop at the store for kitten food and while Karel was in the store, the kittens started to nurse on momma. My heart hurt for what the kittens and momma had gone through but I assured them that they would be safe, loved and well-taken care of for the rest of their life. 

We took the cats back to our house and quickly cleaned out our upstairs workout room and turned it into the “cats room.” We didn’t let our cats interact with the new cats. Momma and kittens now had blankets, a scratch post, beds, toys, water, food and a litter box and a safe room. We gave them time to decompress (and eat). 

Over the next few days we had a good routine going with our 4 cats, Sunny and our three new fosters. The fosters ate three times a day. We played with them several times throughout the day. We tried to introduce them to different people so that they would become more social. Momma cat was an exceptional mom and taught them how to use the litter box and how to behave. They were pooping and peeing machines - all with healthy digestive systems and no worms. Momma cat was very accepting of pets and enjoyed the company whereas the kittens were a bit timid, but very playful. We would often hear the kittens playing while we were downstairs and it was amazing how two tiny kittens could make so much noise. 

A week later we had an appointment at the Humane Society to get the kittens and momma vaccinated. However, when we arrived, we were told that we couldn’t get them vaccinated because we didn’t have them for 10-days, which is the time that they would be ‘officially’ my cats. We were upset that we couldn’t get them vaccinated because we were eager to start the process of trying to get them homes. We did, however, get their ears cleaned as they were filled with ear mites. The kittens were approximately 8 weeks of age and 1.8-2 lbs. Momma was predicted to be between 10-12 months old (very young for a momma!) and 5 lbs. Otherwise, all three kitties were healthy. We were also told that the two kittens were girls - a family of strong, determined females who fought hard to live. Anytime the kittens were in the carrier with momma (to and from the Humane Society), they tried to nurse for comfort. Momma wasn’t letting them nurse back in their room at home. 

Knowing that we couldn’t keep these three adorable cats, we started the process of trying to find them homes. We posted on social media and passed the word around to friends. If needed, my next steps were to post on websites like Petfinder or Adoptapet. My hope was that I could find people that I knew well to adopt the cats (instead of strangers).

A friend reached out to me and mentioned that her husband owns a vet (Oasis Animal Hospital) and they offer kitten vaccinations and spay/neuter specials on Wednesdays. On April 23rd, we took in the kittens for their vaccinations and momma got spayed. They did a great job taking care of everyone.

Thankfully, the word was passed around and I was able to find homes for all three of our kitties.

After three weeks of taking care of the two kittens and the momma, they went off to their forever homes. I cried as it was hard for me to say goodbye but I knew it was the right thing to do. And I am comforted by the fact that all of these kitties are getting spoiled by their new owners and will live a healthy and happy life without a worry in the world.

                                                                                -----------

Momma (who is now named Clementine or Clemmy) was adopted by my friend/athlete Ruthanne who recently said goodbye to her 18-year old cat. Clemmy loves watching the birds, playing with her fuzz ball and cuddling in the lap of her new mommy. 

Kitten 1 (who is now named Kismet) was adopted by Karen in Pennsylvania. 

A big thank you to my friend Allison who connected me with Karen (a friend of a friend) and drove Kitten 1 up to Pennsylvania to hand deliver to Karen. Karen said goodbye to her 18-year old cat a few months ago and has been actively looking for a boy kitten but fell in love with kitten 1. Kismet is now getting more rubs than she could ever imagine and loves playing with her toys. 

Kitten 2 (who is now named Tele) was adapted by Rachael, who lives outside of Greenville. Leslie (who runs the Greenville Splash) teaches Rachael’s son and Rachael grew up with cats and has been wanting a kitten over the past few years and now was the right time to bring one in. Tele is the queen of the house and loves exploring new places. She demands treats and gets lots of attention from her new furever family. 

Thank you to everyone who reached out and spread the word about momma and kittens. 

Please consider making a donation to a local animal rescue or shelter as it is “kitten season.” From March until October, shelters and rescues experience a significant increase in the number of kittens entering their care. And do your part by spaying and neutering your animals to help with the ever-increasing number of dogs and cats entering shelters. If you have a stray/feral/outdoor cat roaming around your property, consider a local TNR program.

Paris Mountain Climb Junior Challenge

Stats: 
Route
72.6 miles
4:07 ride time

6234 feet elevation gain 
17.6 miles average speed 
Paris mountain climb: 13:15 (2.2 miles, 9.9mph,1580 elevation gain)

Sunday was an exciting group ride. Not only was it the final ride of the 2-month Greenville Winter Bike League but it was also the 2nd annual Junior Challenge. At the end of the 72 mile ride, junior riders (up to 18 years old) would battle it up the 2.2 mile Paris Mountain climb to win a prize. There was a payout of $1650, a Woodward GFB3 Single Speed bike (for the male and female junior winner) and a custom made trophy made from a piece of Paris Mountain (made by AJ). The ride was supposed to be on Saturday but it got rained out. Typically, Rocket Revolution have their group ride on Sunday but the GVL WBL ride was moved to Sunday. We have so many amazing cycling groups in our area. So many rides to choose from! 

I started the morning with an easy 2 mile run. I timed it perfectly so that I would be back at my place around 9:40am, quickly change and then get on my bike by 9:50am to make it to the start of the 10am ride at Trailblazer. As I was leaving the garage with my bike, I looked down and realized my bike didn't have a chain on it! Karel was waxing and cleaning our bikes over the weekend and he forgot to put on my chain. Karel was out running so I gave him a call and he walked me through what to get and bring to him. I put my bike on my car rack, got in my car (all dressed in my cycling gear), drove a mile down the road and Karel quickly put on my chain. I made it to the trailblazer parking lot at 10:05am....just as the large group was leaving. I didn't get upset but rather, the endorphins kicked in and after I parked, I took my bike off the rack and started riding hard to try to catch the group. 

Thankfully, the group got stopped at two lights around the Traveler's Rest area so within 2 miles, I was in the group. Whew. Talk about a warm-up! I quickly realized I forgot my gloves at home but thankfully I got myself warm in the warm-up. It was in the 50's and very windy but I dressed well with a base layer, bibs and arm warmers. 

The group was big. I'm guessing around 60+ riders. I've been joining the GVL WBL weekend ride for the past 3 or 4 years and my bike handling skills and overall group riding fitness has improved a lot. I really enjoy this group because there's no big egos and the overall pace is controlled. There are also some "fun" sections where we can race for prizes or points. In this ride there were two "sprint" zones of 3-4 miles. The sections were rolling/hilly but the road was very quiet. I was thinking throughout the entire ride, I don't think we were passed more than 3 times by a car for 72 miles! 

I kinda participated in the first sprint zone toward the end but in the 2nd one, Carley, Debbie, Emily and me had some fun as we turned off Hwy 11 for our sprint zone and Debbie and I pushed each other for the next 3-4 miles. It was tough work but it was fun to be pushed by such a strong and accomplished cyclist like Debbie. Carley and I love to chat as we are riding so it didn't take too long for us to get back into our conversational mode in the group. 

We had a few bathroom stops along the route and a store stop in Landrum at the CVS around mile 31. The next 30+ miles were super windy. It was hard to find the right wheel to stay on depending on where the wind was coming from. 

As we were riding, I couldn't help but think how my confidence on the bike has improved over the years. I was riding on a route that I didn't know too well, with many riders that I didn't know and I was happy, comfortable and confident. I think back to just a few years ago and this situation would have been super scary for me. I really enjoy our cycling community because everyone is very supportive. Everyone loves to be on the bike! Carley and I were talking about how cool it was that there was a handful of 14-17 year olds out on their bikes for 4+ hours!

Surprisingly I felt really good the entire ride. We had done a similiar route to this one a few weeks back and I felt so exhausted and I couldn't wait for it to be over. For this ride, despite having an intense 15-mile long run on Sat and running 2 miles before the ride, I was feeling really good. 

I had two bottles on my bike - each with ~250 calories (one with Flow and one with Gu Roctane) and then I brought two baggies of INFINIT (I only used 1 of them at the refuel stop). I also nibbled on a PB Clif Bar throughout the ride. Prior to my run I had my normal long workout snack of 2 waffles + PB + syrup + granola + yogurt. Before the ride I had 2 powerbar chews. During my run I had a flask of C30 Never Second and a flask of water but I only took a few sips of the flasks. 

As we were getting closer to Paris mountain, I was getting excited to test myself. My PR is ~12:28 (solo) and I wanted to try to get under 13 minutes. I love a challenge and I never want to count myself out. As uncomfortable as it can be to fail, I always want to try. There was only one junior female and 2 other open women. 

Karel did a long run in the morning (~18 miles, up and over and back on Paris Mountain) and then joined us on his bike for the climb up paris mountain. Karel and Carley rode up with those who were not participating in the challenge and I joined Emily and Laura (the junior) for the climb. It would have been nice to be tucked in in a group as it was windy and I knew my legs were tired but it was also fun to be pushed by Laura. She was very strong and after a few minutes she rode away from me. My legs were tired and I could feel them trying to lock up but I managed to work through and finish in 13:15 - Just over my goal of breaking 13 minutes. I won the overall female prize ($30) and a really special trophy that is now one of my favorite all time trophys. 

Me and Carley 

After a chilly descend down Paris, I went back to house, got my run gear on and ran three miles to Trailblazer park to pick up my car. 

It was a great day on two wheels and a great reminder why I love our amazing cycling community. 

Paris Mountain 20K Road Race - recap

 

Most popular running races occur in the winter and spring, which doesn't work well in our triathlon training. We are either working on building our foundation for the upcoming season or we are deep in a training phase in route to the first race of the year. However, there's one race that always gets us excited - the Paris Mountain Road Race. As the oldest and most challenging road race in South Carolina, we are lucky that this event starts less than 2 miles away from where we live and it is usually held in Nov/December. Not only doesn't this make for a logistically easy race to get to/from but we know the course very well (primarily from biking it). The reason why we love this race is that it suits us as triathletes - it's a strength-based course. 

My training has been going really well over the past few weeks. On average I swim 4x week, bike 3-4x week (one trainer session on the tri bike and the rest road and mountain bike outside) and run 3x week. The focus has been on building a strong foundation with lots of strength focused workouts and neuromuscular firing. I also do mobility work every day as well as a few ECFIT strength sessions. As I enter 17 consecutive season of long distance triathlon training, I'm feeling incredibly strong and healthy. 

Two weekends ago Karel and I did a recon run on the Paris Mountain Road Race course to see how our bodies handled the course. We started at our house which added an additional 4 miles to the 20K course. With 1600+ feet of elevation gain over 12.4 miles, it's not so much the uphills that hurt but the downhills make the quads and calf muscles work so hard because of the eccentric contractions. The run really crushed us and we felt a lot of soreness and niggles after that training run. It took us several days for us to shake off the damage in our body after that training run. 

We kept the race in our mind for the next two weeks but resisted to register until the last minute. We didn't want the race to negatively impact our consistency with training so after we finished a quality week of training, we were driving home from a mountain bike ride at Pleasant Ridge on Thursday evening and decided we would register for the race when we got home. For the $65 registration fee, we received a pair of socks (super comfy), a soft and light hooded long sleeve shirt and for awards, a big coffee cup. 

To help loosen out our legs (and wake up after a really tough upper-body focused masters swim that morning) we got on our road bikes in the late afternoon. We first dropped off a package to mail at the post office in Traveler's Rest and then went to the church to pick up our packets. We then rode some of the run course (the backside of Paris Mountain) to recon one section of the course that we wanted to double check. 

We woke up around 5:45am on Saturday for the 8am race start. We spent some time working in the morning on the computer (typical Saturday) while eating our breakfast/pre-race meal before doing some mobility and light jogging outside. The weather was perfect, in the low 50's and a light chance of rain. We both had on compression socks and a short sleeve shirt. Karel wore arm warmers (technically arm coolers) and I had one gloves. Karel had 1 scoop Never Second C30 in a flask and had a C30 gel for during the race (on the way down from Paris Mountain). I had two flasks, each with 1 scoop C30 from Never Second. We had no issues wearing our Naked Running belts to a road race as it's what we do in triathlons and in training so even if it's not "normal" to wear a hydration belt in a running race, we always do what works best for us. Karel wore Nike Alpha Fly shoes and I wore New Balance Fuel Cell. 

We left our house around 7:30am to arrive a few minutes before the 10K start. The overall field for the entire race was small but we wanted to be in a race environment during a training run - it adds a little bit of pressure to give your best. 

The first 2.5 miles is uphill - from the start to the top of Paris Mountain. There are two kickers (one near the beginning and one at the top) that are steep but otherwise it is a gradual climb averaging around 6.4%. Karel and I focused on being steady on the climb as that was just the "warm-up" for the rest of the race. After climbing for almost 25 minutes, it was time to tackle the next section of this course. While there was a lot of downhill to look forward to, there was still almost 300 feet of elevation to gain over the next 4.37 miles. Karel found himself in third place at the top of Paris Mountain and I was also in 3rd place overall. There was girl ahead of me that was too fast for me to run my steady effort with and then my friend Allison passed me on the kicker before the top. She was running super strong uphill. I've really worked on my downhill running so I knew that was an area where I could try to move up. I passed Allison on the first downhill and managed to inch my way closer to the first place girl. Nearing the top of Paris Mountain, it started raining but it was a nice rain - not too cold. The rain stopped after a few miles and the temp felt comfortable for the entire race. I noticed on one of the slight uphills that the first place girl had stopped and was managing some cramping in her stomach/sides - which is pretty normal with downhill running and something I was needing to be extra careful about with my breathing, form and gait. I passed her as she was trying to work on the cramps and within a mile, she passed me again. I was happy for her that she was able to work through the cramps and didn't give up. 

There was one new section of the course that surprised me as we turned left off Altamont and it was a steep downhill with switchbacks (familiar with it from biking) so that kinda messed with my mind as I was preparing to run straight. The volunteers were great and there was someone at every corner/turn, even though the course had orange arrows on the ground. I didn't use the aid stations since I had my nutrition with me. 

Once I was done with the "Paris Mountain" part of the race (7 miles and ~1000 feet of elevation gain), it was time for the third and final section of the race. In my opinion, this is the hardest part of this road race. For the next 5.4 miles, we had over 500 feet of elevation gain with very steep and punchy up and downhills. I was still feeling really strong although I could tell that in the last few miles, my legs were getting tired, especially my right leg which tend to fatigue faster than my left leg. I did a quick stretch to pop my right hip around 11.5 miles and that helped me correct my form for the final 1.5ish miles. With a very steep uphill of ~.25 miles with less than 1 mile to go I was on my tip toes working my way up the hill. I was really happy to finish the race feeling strong and healthy. 

Our athlete Yannick won the race in a speedy time of 1:14. Karel placed 3rd overall in a time of 1:22 and I was 2nd overall female in a time of 1:38. We had a lot of fun and it was a great way to get in a quality strength-focused training run. Sure enough, the DOMS hit us hard today. Our legs were talking to us during our 3-hour ride. 

Marni Garmin splits

8:50
9:07
8:39
7:31
7:25
7:01
7:24
7:54
7:41
8:20
7:51
7:47
7:36 (.42 miles)



Karel Garmin splits

7:06
7:38
7:15
6:14
6:03
6:03
6:22
6:39
6:29
6:42
6:42
6:39
6:31 (.42)

Greenville Cycling: Paris Mountain

What you need to know before climbing Paris Mountain:

Distance: The actual climb from the bottom of Paris Mountain (starting on Old Buncome) is 2.17 miles. You can also climb Paris Mountain starting on State Park Road/253, which is a 3.69 mile climb. In total - from one side to the other, it's ~5.8 miles. With a climb to start and a descend to finish, there's a little bit of everything between (rolling).

Elevation gain: From the Old Buncome side (which is where we usually start as it's closer to our house - ~10 min bike ride away) - start at 1168 feet and finish at 1972 feet (total gain = 1565 feet). From the State Park Road side - start at 1283 feet and finish at 1972 feet (total gain = 1690 feet).

Grade: According to my Garmin, the average grade (Old Buncome side) is ~6% but there are only two steep pitches (the first is around 7% and the last one at the top is ~10%. The climb has a few segments where you can change your cadence and pick up some speed - even though you are still climbing.

Road condition: Great! The road was recently paved and compared to the road conditions around the area, I'd call this excellent. It's very smooth!

Scenery: Regardless of when you do this ride (fall, winter, spring or summer) you'll enjoy the scenery around you. While you will mostly be tucked under a canopy of trees, you can see downtown Greenville on your right (through a neighborhood gate) and on your left, you can see the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Recommended bike/gearing: Road bike or Tri bike. Your typical climbing gear set-up will do.

Descend: The descend has a few switch backs but nothing too tight. This is a good climb for those who are wanting to practice descending skills. I'd consider it a safe descend as you can always see where you are going (or which way the road is turning). Aside from the top when you start the descend, there are no segments where you would gain too much speed that you would feel out of control on your bike.

Climb with a view? Aside from a written statement "You made it" on the top of the climb (on the other side of the road), there's no view to enjoy at the top.

Traffic: Paris Mountain is home to many houses. However, it's a very popular cycling route (for example, Karel and I did three repeaters on Paris Mountain yesterday and we must have saw a dozen cyclists within an hour). Cars expect cyclists so I consider it a very safe bike route. There's plenty of room for cars to pass as you are climbing or descending.

Difficulty: A climb is a climb. If you are a good climber, you can make the climb as hard as you'd like it to be (you may want to check Strava before you try to go after any segments - we have a lot of speedy professional cyclists in our area!). We have taken many triathletes athletes up Paris Mountain and I'd say it is a moderate climb. Not easy but not extreme. If you are new to cycling or you don't have a lot of experience climbing on your bike, you'll feel incredibly attemping this climb. No matter how far you get up the climb, you'll feel accomplished.

Honest feedback: This is a go-to climb when you are visiting Greenville. Because it's just off the Swamp Rabbit Trail (by Furman University - off Roe Ford) and close to Traveler's Rest, it's a good option to include in your ride - especially if you want to get in some extra elevation.

Paris Mountain 20K road race recap

With Paris Mountain standing just a few miles away from our house, we have the opportunity to bike (or run) up the mountain anytime we want. Here's a picture (below) of my ride on Thursday, when I did 4 x 9 min heavy gear (45-50 rpm) intervals up Paris Mountain (and descended 3 minutes down between each interval). With no lookout point to stop at on the mountain, it's an added bonus to bike riding when we can enjoy the views and get in a great workout at the same time.

Once a year in Nov/Dec, the Greenville Track Club puts on the "toughest race in the south" with a 20K road race that goes up and over Paris Mountain and covers 2500 vertical feet of elevation gain, 89 curves and a few hills over 15% grade. For any athlete who likes a challenge, this is the race for you.

This year, the race was the host of the 2017 Road Runners Club of America South Carolina 20K championship. In 2015, Karel and I participated in the race and enjoyed using our triathlon resilience as we mixed it up with the road runners. Although I love a challenge, I found that the race really beat my legs up (as to be expected) and it took a while to recover from the extreme event. Karel wanted to race it this year but I decided to pass on it so that I didn't have to take any risks with my run training, as it's been going well and I've been very consistent. But, I could still get my racing fix by cheering on Karel (and our athlete Thomas) at the start/finish of the race and doing my scheduled run in between.

The race started at 7:30am at the Shi Center of Sustainability so after we parked at the Timmons arena, Karel did his warm-up to the start (about 3/4th mile away) and I started my workout (60-90 min endurance run). With about 10 minutes to spare before the start of the race, I made my way across Poinsett hwy so that I could cheer for everyone as they made their way to the base of Paris Mountain. After a few speedsters went by, I spotted Karel who looked like he was getting into his rhythm before the 2.5ish mile climb.

                                                      

Karel went into the race with no expectations, except for the slight chance of winning overall masters, which would give him a $100 award. But seeing that this race brings out the real runners, it's tough to mix it up with those who are in the peak of their season. Karel (and myself) have done no speed work or intense run training for several months so for Karel, as a triathlete, his performance reflected his ongoing development as a triathlete.  He said maybe he would have slowed down a tiny bit in the first 1/2 mile but otherwise, he felt good with his execution and could not have gone any faster/harder. This course requires a lot of resilience and strength and great running form for both the uphill and downhill sections. Although the mountain climb comes in the first mile, there's a nasty stretch of a few miles at the base of Paris Mountain that will require your legs to be strong and durable for the back half of the 12.4 mile race. The community, police and volunteer support along with the race organizers do a fabulous job with this event. I just love our Greenville community that embraces active lifestyles.

After I finished my 80 minute run, I timed it perfectly to change into some warmer clothes (although great running weather in the mid 40's, it got cold once I stopped as there was no sun, just cloud cover) and then a few minutes later, the first finisher for the 20K was making his way to the finish line in 1:11. I had no idea how the race would go for Karel but seeing that he did the race in 2015 in 1:24 (on a slightly different course in the last few miles), I expected him to be a little faster since he has improved a lot with his overall resilience over the past few years.

A few more male finishers came back and finally, I spotted Karel making his way up the last hill on a cement path in Furman. I cheered him on to the finish and then got the details from him after the race.

Karel was happy with his performance but he said there was just no way for him to go any faster. He was pleased to have completed the race in 1:20 (12.4 miles and 2000 feet elevation gain) and to place 1st in his age group. Sadly, he was the 2nd masters finisher as a 45-year old beat Karel by 2 minutes - those runners are so fast! Well, we can say that Karel was the winner of the hydration belt category as I am pretty sure he was the only one wearing a hydration belt for the race - as we like to say "it's cool to fuel."

We waited for Thomas to finish and then went inside the building to wait for the awards.

Karel was pretty exhausted and sore for the rest of the day as the race took a lot out of him (stand along running races are so much more difficult than triathlon events!). At Trimarni, we encourage our athletes (triathletes) to be mindful that the sport of triathlon is different than the sport of running. Although it's perfectly fine (and sometimes encouraged) to jump into a local 5K, 10K or even half marathon event, we advise against training specifically for that event in an effort to achieve a personal best. Many triathletes are under the impression that training for a running race will better prepare the body for triathlon season. Although your running race may build confidence for your upcoming season, the adaptations of training and physiological makeup of a triathlete is much different than a runner because of how we train for the sport of triathlon. It's always fun to see our triathletes participate in a road race with little run specific speed work training and outperform expectations. In triathlon, we want to build a strong and resilient body. While this body may not be fast relative to what a stand alone swimmer, cyclist or runner can do, to succeed in the sport of triathlon, you must learn to train in a way that makes you great at not slowing down. Once again, Karel showed us all that you don't have to be fast to do well in a race, you just have to be great at delaying fatigue with a resilient body and strong mindset.

Congrats to everyone who "conquered the mountain!"

20K Paris Mountain Road Race - race recap

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Before getting into my race report from the 20K Paris Mountain Road race that happened on Saturday, I wanted to make sure that everyone understands that I am triathlete. I am not a runner.

I absolutely love calling myself a triathlete.

For almost 10 years, my passion for swim, bike, run training grows stronger every year, as well as my education of the sport.

As mentioned in my last blog post, Karel and I are triathletes, not runners. We train for the sport of triathlons. Our entire season is devoted to triathlon training and every year builds on the previous year.

When there is the opportunity to train in a running race environment, we consider the pros and cons and whether it not the race/event "makes sense."

Karel and I wanted to do this epic race last year but it didn't make sense to do it. We were just getting back into structured training after a 6-week off-season break and neither of us had worked our way up to longer distance running miles come early December. We were also working on a new foundation/transition plan and wanted to make sure we worked through the entire plan before disrupting our consistent training. Also, it was rainy and cold that day so with everything considered, the race just didn't have a clear purpose for us to race it.

However, this year we talked about participating in the race as a fun training session. We didn't register for the race until race week as we were not sure how our recovery/training would go post IM Kona.

Our recovery went smoothly and we have been enjoying our foundation training, focusing on form, strength and skills. We do not do any speed work this early in the season so in all honesty, the Paris Mountain road race actually makes a lot of sense in our training plan this time of the year.

With an added emphasis of form, strength and skills, our training over the last 4 weeks has helped us improve our endurance and strength.

And as endurance triathletes, we know how important it is to have strength, good form, good mental strength and good endurance so why not put those triathlete qualities to good use climbing a mountain!

Karel and I woke up around 5:45am and had a pre race/training snack, water and coffee and then headed off to Furman around 7:10am. We arrived at 7:15am (nice to be close to a race venue!) and picked up our t-shirt and bib number. There was a category for fastest husband and wife so we had a special smiley face sticker on our bib numbers to notify that we were in the running for the fastest couple award.

We parked at the registration site but the race start was around 1 mile down the road. Karel and I jogged to the race start for our warm-up and then performed some dynamic stretches before the race started at 8am. Our friend Thomas was there with us at the starting line. It was a chilly morning (around 35 degrees) but I was dressed well in my Trimarni tri shorts (for compression) and CEP socks with Brooks running tights on top. I wore my Trimarni jacket, Brooks gloves and ear band over my hat. I also had my Oakley commit sunglasses.

Although I always run with my Nathan fuel belt, I decided to not wear it for this race (Karel wore his belt) as there were aid stations on the course and I brought along some energy options: 2 Clif Espresso gels and a pack of Clif Blocks (strawberry) for added energy to go along with water.

I sipped on 1 throw-away bottle of 1 scoop Clif Hydration in the 1 hour before the start (around 16 ounce fluid + 80 calories).

Although a small race, Karel and I were really excited to run. Of course we love to compete but we did not have any expectations going into this race. The unknown excited us!

We both wore our Garmin's (I also wore my HR monitor) for data to look at post race but I strategically covered up my Garmin with my jacket so that I would not look at my watch for the entire race. I hit start when we started and then hit stop after the finish line.

I was racing entirely by feel which is exactly what was needed on this type of course (~1500 elevation gain in 12.4 miles).

We started the race by running up a hill in the Furman campus and then a quick descend before starting a steady 2.5+ mile climb to the top of Paris Mountain (we crossed Poinsett hwy before turning left onto Old Buncombe, then a right to start the official climb to Paris Mountain).

Because the race started on an incline, the race start was not super fast. It was a little uncomfortable to start as my heart was working super hard so early to climb but I managed to find a rhythm early in the race.

It was only a matter of a few minutes and Karel was out of my sight, near the front of the race.

When we started the climb toward Paris Mountain, I was happy. Not only do I know this entire course from cycling (and once running it all in a workout with Karel last year) but there's something about climbing mountains that makes me feel so comfortable. I love the uncomfortable feeling of climbing as I can feel every muscle in my body working. But seeing that my body loves to climb, it just felt natural for me to run up the mountain. 

Certainly, in climbing a mountain for over 20 minutes, the body will get tired. But due to our prior strength training over the past few months and added strength component with swimming, running and biking, Karel and I both felt really good on the course and managed to maintain great form. 

For the first time in a long time, I felt like I had a rhythm with my running. I felt light on my feet and I felt powerful. 

Because this was a training race, we ignored our gadget and just went by feel. The goal was....there was no goal. Just run and have fun! 

Karel found himself near the front of the race in a matter of a few miles. 

I wasn't sure how many girls were ahead of me but I saw two in the distance and then one right in front of me, who was getting closer with each stride. 

I was all smiles for this race. Yay - I love mountains!

And thank you body for being so healthy and strong!!

(especially my quads, glutes and calves!)

As for the rest of the race, there was a water stop at the top of Paris Mountain so I stopped for 10 seconds to drink a cup of water. I grabbed my Clif gel in my pocket and took a swig of the gel (about 1/3rd) as I started to descend down the mountain.

Paris Mountain is an interesting mountain as it is only a little over 2 miles to the top and around 2000 feet but once you get to the top, you don't go straight down. There are a series of downhills and rolling  hills as you go over the mountain and then you finally make your official descend on the other side (right of the above picture) of the mountain.

I was a little concerned how my body would do on the downhills but surprisingly, my quads were responding really well to each foot strike. I did find myself moving to the gravel side of the road whenever possible to reduce some of the impact and I also found myself running up the inclines as if I was on a bike, to take the least steep incline option depending on how the road turned.

I managed to pass one lady going up the mountain but a few miles later, she passed me on a flatter segment of the mountain. I know that running "fast" is not a strength of mine as a triathlete so I didn't get frustrated but I had confidence that I would be able to maintain good strength for the hilly back-half of this race.

When I got to the 2nd water stop (around 6.5 miles), I took a quick walk (around 12 seconds) to consume another cup of water, followed by another swig of my Clif gel. I was SO happy that I had my gel because it really gave me the energy I needed in the later miles of the race. I started the gel early, when I didn't feel I needed it, so that it would kick in later on...and it did!

I was feeling a low point around mile 7-8 but I was excited for what was coming in miles 8-11.

There are lots of turns, ups and downs on the back half of this course and I noticed that many athletes were slowing down. I was passing a few people here or there and managed to pass two ladies in the next few miles. I didn't adjust my effort, I just stayed steady and strong. I got through my low point around mile 8 and found myself feeling stronger and stronger as the miles ticked away.

Not focusing on my gadget was a huge relief as I was running entirely by feel and it all felt good! There were mile markers so I knew where I was in the race but no knowledge of my overall time or pace per mile.

The volunteers were AMAZING and even though it was cold, there was support throughout the race. 

In miles 8-11, there were a few really punchy climbs were I running straight down and then tip-toeing my way up another hill. There were also a few steady inclines here and there. The course went by super fast - another reason why I love hilly courses!

There was one more water stop around mile 10 so I took advantage of one more swig of gel, chased my water and a stop to give myself a few exhales and inhales before giving it a good effort to the finish line. 

The hardest part of the course (for Karel and myself) was a long flat section around mile 10.5. Out of every section of the race, we both had a hard time at this part of the race, mentally and physically.

But thankfully, it didn't last long.

The last mile of the race included one last climb before we turned right onto the hwy (side of the road) and then we made our way to Furman University from the off-ramp on Poinsett hwy.

Karel looking strong at the finish!
Karel finished his two flasks (with Clif hydration in each flask) and consumed 1 gel. 

In case you can't read Karel's shirt (from Run In), it reads "Will Run For Beer."

(Thank you GTC, Pace Running Magazine and Run In for the great pics!)

I was so proud of my body for staying so strong for the last few miles and when I saw Karel just by the finish, I was so relieved to be finished. Even though I passed two ladies in the last few miles, I wasn't able to catch the ladies ahead of me and 3rd place was just 90 seconds in front of me. Oh well, the placing didn't matter as I was really happy with how I performed and felt throughout the entire race.

Karel was shocked that he placed so well and he also said he felt really strong and was able to keep good form throughout the entire race. He was a bit more beat-up in his calves/shins than I was but then again, he does have a super strong push-off when he runs. 

Karel, me and Thomas. 

What a fun race!!

(I had to take of my pants after the finish line as I got hot in the last mile....but then got chilly again in just a few minutes). 

We received a lot of fun goodies from the race: 

A magnet sticker. 

Glasses (or beer glasses for Karel) for our awards. 

A medal, shirt and horns for conquering the mountain!!

The recovery after the race was a bit longer than we expected as our legs were a tad beat-up on Sunday and Monday.  We did an endurance spin on Sun (I did two hours on the trainer and Karel did 90 minutes outside) and on Monday morning we swam (around 3900 yards).

But we both felt accomplished post race as we did exactly what we wanted to do going into this race: Have fun during a training run! 

Results: HERE

Marni stats: 19th overall, 6th female, 2nd AG, 1:36:38:2

Karel stats: 3rd overall, 1:24: 28

Fastest couple award

Marni stats:
Average pace, 7:50
Average HR: 157
Pace per mile (including my three walk breaks at each aid station)
8:01 min/mile, HR 180 (this is probably gadget error as my HR never gets this high)
9:15 min/mile, HR 156
9:47 min/mile (last 1/2 mile up the mountain was 10:23 min/mile pace), HR 156
7:46 min/mile, HR 148
7:46 min/mile, HR 152
7:06 min/mile, HR 148
6:59 min/mile, HR 145
7:31 min/mile, HR 152
7:30 min/mile, HR 157
7:17 min/mile, HR 158
7:52 min/mile, HR 162
7:15 min/mile, HR 161

(For the record, I have not run faster than 8:15 min/mile in a training run since way before Kona so this is proof that even if you run slow, it takes good strength to run fast).

Karel stats:
Average pace: 6:51 (And for the record, most, if not all, of Karel's training runs over the past few months, since he was injured in May, were no faster than 7:30-7:45 min/mile. Always nice to be surprised with faster paces in a race than in training after weeks and weeks of strength-focused work).
7:17 Min/mile
8:32 min/mile
8:30 min/mile
6:35 min/mile
6:28 min/mile
6:00 min/mile
6:00 min/mile
6:31 min/mile
6:50 min/mile
6:33 min/mile
6:47  min/mile
6:20  min/mile

Trimarni Greenville camp - Day 4 recap

The final day of camp had arrived and it was time to put everything together that our campers learned over the past 3 days.

Karel and I knew that we wanted to make our camp bike heavy simply because our terrain is amazing for improving bike fitness. With all of our rolling hills, mountains and punchy climbs, you have no choice but to ride and get stronger.
However, a big part of a bike-focused camp is making sure that our campers understand how to ride their bikes. Yes, it's very easy to sit on a bike and just pedal but many athletes do not know (or never take the time to learn) how to use their gears properly, how to descend and climb in the "proper" line, how to fuel/hydrate while riding (especially during intense efforts or while climbing/descending), how to sit properly on the bike and how to anticipate climbs and when to stand, sit or to stay aero (specific to triathletes). 

Karel and I constantly hear these "rules" that triathletes try to abide by like never using the small or big chain ring, they must always wear an aero helmet on race day for "fast" times, never standing or getting out of aero during a triathlon race or not putting adequate nutrition/hydration on the bike because it is not aero or fast. 

And then you see/hear triathletes that will put deep dish race wheels on their bike but struggle to ride in a straight line due to wind resistance and difficulty controlling the bike. The triathletes will forget to install a climbing cassette in hilly terrain races and without understanding how to change gears, they waste precious energy in the legs that can be used for the run. And lastly, many triathletes will chase a specific MPH pace for the bike regardless of the terrain and forget that the fastest ride is the one where you can run strong off the bike. 

Having said all of this, it is critical that triathletes learn how to ride their bike. Above all, you need to feel safe on your bike and know how to ride your bike safely on all terrain. And lastly, you have to have fun while riding your bike. If you dread riding your bike, if you are not comfortable on your bike (and have not been professional fit by an experienced fitter) or if you are scared to ride your bike around others, the best thing you can do is to focus on your skills to make you a smarter rider. 

Our ride was delayed by about 10 minutes because when I got on my tri bike, there was an issue with the derailleur that stumped Karel. It was one of those random mechanical issues that Karel could not fix or figure out in 10 minutes so I was on my road bike for day 4 of camp. (Karel was able to fix my bike later in the day to make it ridable for the week but we did end up having to buy a new derailleur - so happy to be married to my bike mechanic!)

At 7:30am, the campers met us down the road on their bikes and we all went on a recon ride of the run route that we would be running off the bike. After our 7 mile warm-up ride (which was quite welcomed as it was hilly but very conversational pace). Then we made our way 10 minutes down the road to the base of Paris Mountain.

The ride today was twice up Paris mountain. It's a 2.5 mile climb with only two steeper sections but after all that our campers experienced and accomplished, Paris Mountain was an "easy" climb. The only thing that made it hard was that our campers were climbing it after 3 days and over 10,000 feet of climbing already.

On the first ride up, our campers could ride at any pace. We wanted them to work on their bike skills going up and to understand the terrain. Just like in a race when you can pre-ride/drive the course, you can anticipate climbs a lot better when you know what's coming.

The descend down Paris Mountain is a great place to improve descending confidence because you don't go directly down once you arrive to the peak. There are several rolling hills on the top of Paris Mountain and then you eventually make your way down. There are no sketchy sections and every turn offers a view as to what's to come so it's one of those climbs where you can descend and not be worried about  having to quickly break before another switchback.

After the descend, we made our way to a very technical area for our campers to really test their skills. Karel and I have actually ran this entire bike course (that we rode at camp - it's about 13 miles) which is the entire Paris Mountain Road Warrior 20K course and we use the back section of this course (after Paris Mountain) to warm-up on chilly days in the winter with all the punchy climbs.
The course is extremely technical on a bike (after Paris Mountain) but we knew that our campers had the skills to feel confident on the changing terrain. To understand how technical the climbs are - in less than 3 miles you will go through every gear on every chain ring (big/small), stand, sit and be aero.

After the technical section was complete, we regrouped and did the climb up Paris Mountain one more time. However, this time - best effort!!

With the climb taking most of our campers between 14-18 minutes, we told our campers to ignore the pain in their legs and give the best effort possible. Everyone pushed hard and was breathing heavy at the top but no one gave  up - it was an incredible sight to see for me and Karel.

We then descending on the same side that we climbed and heading back to our house to quickly transition to the run. 

Our awesome SAG support had brought all of our campers run gear to our house in the changing tent (garage) and we all did a little dynamic warm-up and it was off for our last run/workout of camp!
The weather was absolutely amazing - in the upper 70's, which was welcomed by our exhausted bodies. 

It was nice to have all of our campers start together. As pictured below, this is our street which is a .25 mile climb out of our neighborhood. Karel and I get to climb this for every run, which certainly makes us tougher as it's not easy to start climbing immediately when you start running. 

Our campers had their bikes in transition area (our backyard) while we ran. 

I had drawn a map of our run which happens to be one of my most favorite run courses around where I live. It includes about 800-1000 feet of climbing in around 7 miles but with all the scenery, it goes by really quickly. And there are no shortage of hills!

We all ran a mile, walked 20 seconds for the entire run and amazingly kept a strong pace even though we kept it conversational until the last two miles. 

Go Angie, Alex and Taryn!!

We had our SAG crew out on the course around mile 3 so that we could all refill our bottles. Even though it was cool outside, underdrinking/fueling was not an option. After 3 days of training and our previous 2+ hour ride with 3000+ feet of climbing, an underfueled body would not perform. 

After the SAG stop, the climbs got a bit longer and the descends got a bit shorter. For the final push, the last 2 miles were strong with a best effort up the Roe Ford Road hill where we live. 

It was great to see my group push really hard on terrain that they had never experienced in their life for 4 days of training. Joe, Adam and Justine finished super strong...and Justine even out-sprinted me! You go girl!

We all waited until everyone was finished and as typical Trimarni camp practice, we all cheer for each other until everyone is finished with the very last workout. 

Our oldest camper (but certainly no less strong than the rest of us), Jim N ran super hard up the hill. Karel ran (run/walk) the entire 7 miles with Jim and we all finished together. 

It felt so great to be done with camp and after 4 days of exhausting training, our campers were a few days of recovery away from a mega boost in fitness. 

We all walked home, chatted and laughed about all the suffering that we did over 4 days. 

When we got back to our house, it was time for delicious and refreshing watermelon to go along with our recovery drinks (which were pre-made and kept cold in the cooler). 

Karel and I gave our final talk for the camp and told our campers how proud we were of their dedication, commitment and great energy at camp. 

We also had our campers talk about their experiences which was great for us, as coaches, to understand what makes their camp experience so great.

I want to give a BIG shout-out to our awesome SAG crew and photographers. 

Thank you Taylor for taking great behind the scene and action shot pictures, for taking care of all of our campers at the lodge (and helping to feed them) and for giving great energy to us on the course. 

Thank you Tricia for giving us the best SAG support!! I know camp would not have been so successful without your help and support. You really made my job easier to coach the campers so I really appreciate all the behind the scene work that you did to help us out!

Thank you Elizabeth for giving great positive energy throughout the camp and for taking the most amazing pictures to capture every highlight during the camp. You also made some amazing meals which was super important for our campers to have happy tummies. 

And thank you to the Swamp Rabbit Lodge for providing the best lodging environment for our campers and last but certainly not least, a BIG thank you to the Trimarni Team sponsors for supporting our camps and our athletes. 

After 4-days of camp: 

SWIMMING: ~2.5 hours
BIKING: ~10 hours and 11,600+ feet of climbing
RUNNING: ~4.5 hours and 3,300+ feet of climbing

TOTAL: 17+ hours of training and over 14,900 feet of climbing in 4 days!!!

We are so excited to plan our next Greenville camp for 2016....and we plan to have more than one!
We hope to see you there!