Happy Birthday To Me!

I got some new bling and a new PR for my Birthday this year!! My legs are paying the price today for my new 1/2 marathon PR of 1:32:59!!

It was a beautiful day. Mostly cloudy, cool, and even a few spots of sprinkles. This was the biggest turn out for Wichita's half ever. 1060 finishers crossed the line yesterday. I was so proud to be the 53rd and the 6th female. It was a close race for the top 10 females yesterday. I was the 3rd place finisher in the 25-29 age group.

http://runwichita.org/siteadmin/raceresults_file/274.txt

I've long forgotten the side stitch that really bugged me the last 5 miles. I was so encouraged by all the runners out there yesterday. I swear, I must have known 1/2 of them. My family laughed because every time I turned around I was greeted by another familiar face. It's wonderful to belong to the running community in Wichita.

It's even better to be supported by them. With a new course in place, the route swung back through one area allowing you to see runners still on their way out. I was really pumped as people were letting me know my rank in the female placing. Many people cheered just because I was a girl coming through the front of the pack. Wow, talk about humbling!

By mile 9 I was told repeatedly that I was the 7th female. Through their encouragement, I was able to charge forward and finish strong as the 6th female.

I'm a lucky girl, I've had a great season.

Here's the details..if you're interested

Split Time Distance Elevation Gain Elevation Loss Avg Speed Max Speed Calories Summary 01:32:59 13.11 1,359 1,408 07:05 05:49 1,249 1 00:06:56 1.00 150 238 06:56 06:09 91 2 00:06:46 1.00 82 60 06:46 06:18 97 3 00:07:00 1.00 115 131 07:00 06:42 94 4 00:07:10 1.00 88 76 07:10 06:58 96 5 00:07:07 1.00 69 93 07:07 06:51 93 6 00:07:14 1.00 93 77 07:14 06:37 97 7 00:07:16 1.00 147 125 07:16 06:48 95 8 00:07:11 1.00 95 106 07:11 06:39 97 9 00:07:08 1.00 114 173 07:08 06:27 93 10 00:07:04 1.00 148 79 07:04 06:50 95 11 00:07:05 1.00 121 118 07:05 06:38 96 12 00:07:10 1.00 74 62 07:10 06:40 98 13 00:07:05 1.00 63 62 07:05 06:30 97 14 00:00:40 0.11 0 9 06:15 05:49 10

Run To You

I love and hate the day before a race. Tomorrow's the half marathon. This is a very comfortable distance for me. I run at least that far about once a week. So I'm definitely not sweating like I am the day before a marathon. But still I'm checking the weather, watching my diet, counting my fluid intake, and all together more amped than most days. I've learned that I have to take it as easy as possible, lay low in order to conserve my energy. So, I'm loading my mp3 player, charging my garmin, emptying my camera, making sure the clothes are clean, and laying all my goods out early. This is supposed to free me of a late night full of stress. Here's to hoping I've got all that down to a fine science by now!

Sometimes in training season I accidentally get fixed on a mantra. This year, I have a picture that keeps popping in my head. I'll share with you what's some of my greatest motivation for running.

Here's my son, running to me after his first day of kindergarten. Oh, how I love him. I'd run to the moon for him and never grow faint.

Here's to a great race in the morning!

Can You Hear Me Now?

As my previous post indicates, my true passion is truly my beloveds. While running is important it was so easy to get my priorities back in order this past month. Hence my posting strike....just too much living to do, to stop and write about it.

While I've been soaking up all the family fun I can, I have still been training. Training pretty hard I might add. I'm planning on Wichita's Full Marathon on October 18th. I decided to cut back much of my other racing though. It's 5K season in these parts and if I wanted to, I could race race one every weekend. But I've got better things to do with my time this season.

I've run three 20+ milers as part of my full training and things are going well. I may run one 5K in October, a few weeks before the marathon. Besides that I'm enjoying my long runs with good friends on early Saturday mornings. Then I have a whole entire weekend to enjoy my family.

So that's that, minus one minor detail. I'm celebrating my birthday this weekend with one more race. I turn 28 on Sunday, September 20th. Wichita's Half Marathon just happens to be the same day. I was so excited when I learned this months ago. It always falls near my birthday, but never right on it. So, I will celebrate appropriately this year!

It always has a great turn out and it's one of my favorite ways to spend a Sunday morning.

One bummer is that I think I killed my iPod. It dumped rain on me last week and I think the rain claimed my special iPod's life. While any inconvenience like this stinks, this is a particularly hard blow to me. My Dad gave this shuffle to me. He had it engraved. He's always been my biggest fan and I carry his words of encouragement with me during most runs and almost every race. While I have another solution for loading up my motivating tunes, I'm still pretty bummed that I won't have my Dad's gift to take on my special birthday journey this year.Either way though, I always hear his words to me as I run. And come this Sunday, I'm ready to "GO GET 'EM!"

The Best Crappy Job I've Ever Had

It all started with a little nagging stomach ache, the flu bug perhaps? Then it lead to complete nausea at the site of any and all food. Throw in some extreme fatigue, stretch marks, outrageous weight gain, cankles, swelling, pain in my back that kept me from sleeping. Then came x-rays, needles, IV's, a freezing cold surgical room, scalpels, staples, one jumbo scar. There were then lots of tears, sleepless nights, fits of panic, confusion, fear, and even counseling. Mix in a new, flabbier body, no clothes to wear, not to mention parts of my body aching in ways I didn't imagine possible. Applying ointment to parts of my body, I never imagined. More sleepless nights. Projectile fluids, of all kinds. Having showdowns with crying verses rocking. Never quite mastering the fine art of laying down in the bed without waking. Then come crashes and spills. Spits and snot. Drool and potty. More potty and now it's on the bathroom floor. Choking and spitting. Swaddling and "bo-bo's." Rockin' and rockin' and rockin'. Toys everywhere. Never ending messes. Now there's talking, and screaming. Running and running away. Grabbing and touching. Learning and then using the wisdom against me. Now, I'm sleeping at night but the days are so tiring, I need daytime naps too. Wishing for just two minutes, just two minutes, of quiet! Washing out underware, picking up the one millionth piece of paper with scribbles on it. Having to cut the apples "just right" every day. Making sure the egg is cooked "just the way he likes it," not too runny, but not too soft. Rarely hearing "thank you." Always hearing, "I want this..." Always needing just a little time to myself. Desiring that just once we could go somewhere without whining, without getting rambunctious, without making a mess, or without throwing a fit when it's time to leave. Needing that bedtime hug not to turn into a choke hold and a head butt.

Then I left my baby boy at school one rainy morning in August and everything from the list above vanished. All I could see were those warm, sweet, and tender cheeks I first nuzzled in that cold operating room. All I could hear was the soft sound of "mama" as it slipped past his lips for the first time. All I wanted to do was give him anything and everything he ever desired, and never want anything in return. All I wanted was to spend every second with him. I wanted to take back everything I'd ever deemed as a mess or scribbles and cherish it as something that only he could uniquely design. I wanted to get my hug and cling so tight he'd have to pull me off. I hated my job more on the first day of kindergarten than ever. I wanted to trade back for all the other crappy days, this was was now the worst day yet.

Kenton and I sat in the car, literally weeping. There were moans and deeps sighs involved with our tears. Our baby bravely sat in his chair and said he was fine. He was ready to move on to the next stage. A stage that didn't involve us as much, a stage we couldn't be right by his side for. My guilt overwhelmed me. I felt like scum for ever getting mad at him. I felt like I had squandered my time with him. I didn't know how I would move on to the next chapter of my life. I thought I was ready for a "break." I thought I was ready to go "find something else." Oh how wrong I was.

Even in the height of my post-partum depression my Dad spoke truth through the darkness to me. Truth that became so clear even years later. Truth that I wasn't sure I was really cut out for. But even three weeks after his first day of school, I'm still a weepy mess, confirming his words to me,

"Lacy, you were born to do this."

With all my interests and passions, new and old, one blaring passion never ceased, I was always driven to be a mommy. And not just any mommy, but Judah's Mommy.

I have hated many parts of my job, but it is without a doubt the best crappy job anyone could ever have.

Thank you Lord for fulfilling my heart's desire.

You Only Hurt The Ones You Love

The torch has been passed! I can proudly say, "I'm the fastest triathlete in the house!" With only a few digs at his expense I was able to take Kenton's former title from him today.

Hutchinson Rec puts on a novice friendly triathlon every August called The Salty Dog. It's considered a sprint distance, with a few tweaks due to the pool and bike path. It's a staggered start 400 meter swim in the aquatic center's lap pool, a five loop 10.8 mile ride around the golf course, and a 5k run on the running path all inside Carey Park.

I was in good company today. Along with Kenton, I was joined by my Dad, friend Dennis (my Dad's un-official brother), and friend Adam. We were all numbered according to our projected swim times. Surprisingly my Dad and I were right next to each other. He was #160 and I was #161. Kenton was #85. This race is against the clock, so just because someone crosses the line before you, it doesn't mean that they beat you, right Kenton? (As he crossed before me and he was sprinting to the finish next to a 'Salty Pup' competitor that shared the same course...aka a little girl!)

Competitor's started every 10 seconds. I slipped into the pool next to my Dad and watched him go and waited for my cue. "#161...GO!"

I'm not a great swimmer, but I have endurance. I can slop through the laps for a long time without feeling fatigued. So that's what I did. I passed my Pops and realized the pool isn't a great place for little bits of banter and conversation. Once I was out of the water I tried to un-cling my swim shirt from my body and ran to my bike. I'm sure I was talking out loud as I was trying to make sure I did all the necessary steps. "Start Garmin, put on shorts, dry feet, socks, shoes, helmet, glasses, Garmin on...GO!!"

The wind was a booger this morning, but since it was a loop, you got to use it to your advantage just as much as you fought it. I was using up what I thought was a lot of energy, thinking I needed to push harder on my weaker events. On my last lap around I heard my Dad's voice behind me. I thought I had him in my dust. He enjoyed the surprised look on my face and my comment, "that's not good!" Due to him catching me, I pushed so hard on the last lap just to keep him in my sights. I couldn't catch him, but rode like mad to at least keep a visual on him. In the last turn I saw Kenton out on the running path. I waved, he cheered...he's a good man.

As the dismount area came into view, I could see my Dad running to the rack. All I could think was, "I've got to catch him on the run." This caused me to frantically ditch my bike and nearly forget to take off my helmet. Phew!! I didn't get too far with that thing on!

I ran for the run start and just went. I staggered a bit trying to switch my Garmin over to run from bike. Once I got that squared, I just ran. I love that I have a strength in this arena. I don't have to think about it, I just go. My legs were tight and it felt like I was barely moving, but I knew I was cruising fast enough. The whole time I kept passing people with numbers that indicated they had started before me. After a mediocre swim and ride, this was a nice confidence boost. After all, I'm just a runner who signed up for a triathlon. I never saw my Dad (phew!) and I ran in strong to the cheers of my husband, mother, friends, and even my uncle (a hutch resident). I crossed the finish line and stopped both of my watches. One was just a stop watch I had started at the swim and then I stopped the Garmin. I walked over to Kenton and was ready to face the music. Neither of us had official times, but my unofficial time was 1:14. Once I told him that he said, "oh." His watch read 1:14 as well. However, his watch was started once he was on the bike, making it safe to assume that once his estimated 10 minute swim and transition time were added my time was faster. We waited and cheered for my Dad as he finished his first triathlon and headed to the "after party."

I was humbled during the awards ceremony. I get used to placing in runs, but the results proved I have some improvements to make if I want to be a contender in the tri field.

Official results were posted this afternoon. We all have a lot to be proud of today.

Finsh Name Division # Swim T-1 Bike T-2 Run Total Time

54th Lacy Hansen W25-34 161 0:10:25 0:03:07 0:38:29 0:01:04 0:21:35 1:14:40

108thDennis Dull M45-54 99 0:11:41 0:04:56 0:38:53 0:01:58 0:24:31 1:21:59

119thRandy Carlile M45-54 160 0:11:52 0:04:17 0:35:38 0:01:42 0:30:25 1:23:54

130thAdam RobidouM35-44 72 0:08:56 0:04:23 0:39:15 0:02:31 0:30:32 1:25:36

141stKenton HansenM25-34 85 0:09:34 0:03:00 0:36:59 0:02:23 0:35:34 1:27:30

RESULTS:

http://www.hutchrec.com/webassets/Salty%20Dog%20Final%202009.pdf

Oh, and I got my redemption by reading that even though I didn't place, I still emerged with the fastest female 5k time. Like I said, I'm a runner who signed up for a triathlon!

My New Job!

Okay Mr. Taxman, you'll be hearing from me this year!

I'm super giddy over today's race results. I ran the Heal 2 Heel 2 Mile race. St. Mark's UMC sponsors this race every year and they have a nice little purse for their top finishers. After I scoped the field and saw "my competition" had shown, and her "competition" had shown too, I wasn't sure how this adventure would end.

It's a quick hilly course through Fairmount Park (near WSU). I ran with all I had... I think... and by the half mile mark I was third with fourth quite a ways behind me. I passed several men, but remained third the entire race.

I finished strong down the hill and clocked a 12:25 (6:17 pace).

"My competition" placed 2nd and her's took first.

At the awards ceremony they started with the checks for the overall females. Starting with third place overall and a prize of $50, was "Lacy Hansen."

I also received second in my age group, since "My competition" is the same age as me.

I walked a little taller today and was excited to see how far I've come since my first Heel 2 Heal in 2006.

Oh and possibly some of the most exciting news of the day..... "my competition" is moving to the East Coast!!! (I'm terrible, I know!)

Maybe I'll own less silver and more gold this coming season.

Here's a picture from last years race...her taking first, and me second...again.

Running Partners

Kenton and I were so lucky to celebrate our 7th anniversary on Sunday. We had a great weekend, which even included watching most of our wedding video with Judah. Wow! Seven years seems like a life time ago in "married years." However, I had a quick perspective change during my Saturday morning run. Many of the people I run with are several years older than I am and most have been married longer than I've been alive. They chuckled and said, "Seven years? You guys are still newlyweds!" Somehow this conversation got tangled up in the middle of the topic of running the hills of San Francisco (How? Who knows?). But one friend said, "yeah, you still got some hills in front of you"... think San Francisco!"

I laughed, but did not disagree. Marriage is beyond tough at times, it's downright impossible. I chimed in, "Yeah, it's one of those things, just like having children, if anyone really knew how hard it was going to be, they'd never do it." The same friend replied, "And then enough time goes by and you forget and you find your self doing it again" (having kids).

The round table opened up and another runner said, "I think it's the same hormone that makes us forget and train for another marathon. We tell ourselves 'never again', but an amount of time goes by and we start thinking, 'it wasn't so bad.'"

I'm blessed to have crossed many tough finish lines. Some literal, some figurative. I'm happy to be in the "training season" of our marriage, having forgotten all the pain and trials of some of our races. We're in a good place, anxious to run the next race. But having a little bit of experience behind us, we might avoid injury or burnout this time around. And when those hills are in front of us, I'm so happy to feel confident and say "bring it on!" We've climbed these suckers before and as long as we're still moving, even if it's a pathetic crawl, we will finish this race together.

We were kid-less on Saturday night and Sunday. We took advantage and slept in until 10 AM!!!! It was the best thing ever. I'm not sure I've slept that long in over two years.

We hit the road for a 20 mile bike ride together. We're both signed-up for The Salty Dog Triathlon in August. It's a friendly rivalry between us. I've always beaten Kenton in foot races, but he's always beaten me in triathlons. I challenged him to a re-match this summer and I'm feeling pretty good about my chances. Our bike ride on Sunday did show us that I might have some more training to do. It was literally the hottest day of the season, like 105 or something. The faithful Kansas wind was in our face the ride home, so it was a nice challenge. However, a glimmer of hope came through for me in the final mile home. It's a pretty solid down hill stretch with one way traffic. I hovered and hit it with all I had....Kenton couldn't catch me. Now, he claims it was a car that turned too close to him that stopped him up a bit. All I know was I got to the stop light and was waiting on him. Challenge extended!

August 8th will be the deciding day. One of us will walk away with the title "Fastest Triathlete In The House!!"

After we stopped sweating profusely, we cleaned up and went to our favorite restaurant, Tsunami. We shared a quiet late lunch/dinner over fresh salad rolls and coconut curry.

It's good to run this race with a friend.

Marathon Touchstones

Our friendly mailman was right on time this morning. We all know he's arrived because the thud of the mail hitting our living room floor is a loud sound we have all gotten use to in the last five years. A louder thud usually indicates magazines and flutters tend to be bills and/or junk mail. Today was a medium thud. Among the mail was a large envelope addressed to me. It had the OKC marathon logo in the return address corner. I opened it to discover a certificate. It was certifying my finish of 26.2 miles on an official course. "Cool."

This got me thinking about the marathon again. It's been nearly two and a half months since I finished. So I can't really use the "I just finished a marathon" phrase anymore. But there are still so many memories that are so fresh from that day. I figured, "what the hey", I'll share some of the "Behind the scenes" memories with you before they fade away.

For starters, this is just a great picture. It's totally my lovely, nerdy family. As we were all walking to the expo the day before the race. I noticed my nephew had his pants on backwards. Long story short, we had a good laugh remedying that problem in public.

I woke very very early that next morning and heard my text message alert. I opened my phone to read this.

As I was walking out to the shuttle stop, my Dad's message sent a burst of excitement down my spine. We all had a lot of stock put in to the day's race.

Early in the race, Kenton missed one of his projected stops. He was riding his bike along the course and wasn't where he said he would be.

I really didn't have the freedom to call and talk on the phone, but I was worried. So, this text prompted me to call him and talk on the phone while I ran a marathon. Long story short, he was fine, just a little bruised.

As I was running, my Dad was running his second half-marathon. It was weird to know he was out on the course with me, but I just couldn't see him.He triumphed against the wind and finished with a new PR. I keep waiting for the day he decides he's ready for the full and we can run one together. (Hint, hint..nudge, nudge)

I'm very lucky to have such support during these races. My sister kept Judah overnight. She, my brother-in-law, Jeff, and my Mom wrangled two very rambunctious boys in downtown OKC, while they waited for our finishes. My little man had too much fun while waiting and crashed into his cousin, leaving him with a nice shiner for the next few weeks. Here's the aftermath.As I was in the last few miles I heard my text alert go off. I'm not sure why I checked it, but I'm so glad I did. I opened it to read a message from my beloved Wendy. She got me through my first marathon and I really needed her at that moment. Then there she was, perfect timing.

If she only knew, what that did for me.

After I finished I sent her a message back. I'm doing that in the background of this picture. It's a great shot though. My family is partaking in all the free food we could pilfer. However, my bro-in-law, Jeff, is covering his nose. He has a big aversion to cheese and the smell of melted cheese from the Carl's Jr. burgers was getting to him. I later went back in the finishers area and asked for a cheese-less cheese burger, so he wouldn't be left out.

Later, after I had gone back to the hotel. I was checking the results and trying to see if another friend had finished. I couldn't get any results for her at that time. I was worried that she hadn't finished and something had gone wrong. Finally, a text came to me asking how I did. I told her my time and then I asked hers.

She had just completed her first marathon and she was sweet enough to ask about my quest for the BQ. I stole this picture from her, but it's such a powerful one. She's embracing her husband after her finish. I tear up every time I see it. It's what I think we all feel after a very hard battle.

There are no pictures, no texts messages, no documentation, and possibly no real proof that my mom was there in the middle of all this. She was behind the camera, picking up my husband from the ghetto as he wrecked his bike, wrangling kids, or cheering for her family. She did it all. Those touchstones exist on my heart. I don't take her support lightly. She gets no credit, but I know that I couldn't be half the success I am if it weren't for her. I love you Mom.

This was her and I this past weekend sportin' our Firecracker Age Group awards.

I can only hope these precious memories are preserved, always.

That's My Boy!!

Today marks the fourth anniversary of my running life. Just four tiny years ago my Dad signed me up to run the one mile event in the Derby Firecracker Run. What a whirlwind of change that has occurred since that day!

Today we arrived a little later than I prefer for a 7:30 start, but we made it with about 15 minutes to spare. We got out of the car to a decent rainfall. It felt pretty good considering that it's the 4th of July and usually you come to expect a hotter than hades sort of run.

We headed for the start and took our places. Kenton was even lining up!!! WHOO-HOO!! Now, he wasn't "racing" he had planned to run 4 miles this morning and it just happened that his course was the same as the race course...weird, huh?

He came up to wish me luck and told me to get to the very front. I pointed out that my competition was already up there, so there was really no use. If she signs up, I'm automatically out of the running for an overall finish.

The gun went off and so did we. It's a nice course that weaves through the park, the high school yard, and back through the neighborhood, finishing right where you started from. I could see two girls in front of me and did all I could to keep them in my sights. I finished strong while a pack of boys thundered up on me in the last yards. I kind of hate that. I hold my pace for miles and in the last few feet someone turns it into a sprint race. Oh, well...that's racing, right?

Since this race excludes the over all winner from the age group, my competition took the overall and I took the gold medal in my age division. I'm very proud of that, but I'm more excited about my time. I set a PR for a four mile race. My previous time was just under 28 minutes, today I clocked a 26:34!! I'll take it!

After the 4 mile winded down it was time for the one mile. Judah was signed up to run this race. I was so blessed by the time he and I have spent this week "practicing." We had really pleasant and fun times running a mile each morning to get ready for today. He asked if I'd load Kid's Bop on to the mp3 player for him. So he was ready, with his finger on the play button. Once it was go time, he was off. He ran a nice even pace and avoided being a jackrabbit like most kids are. We chuckled as he started singing along through his pants for air. He's a little stubborn and doesn't like to be told what to do, so he avoided my suggestion to "kick it in" for the finish, but he finished with a nice, smooth 11:30. I was very very proud of him. I've been telling Kenton all week how excited I am for the possibility of him and I running together one day. He's well on his way. I tell him every time, "Judah this is great! I couldn't do this when I was 24 and your doing it at age 5!!"

Here's to PR's, health, family, Freedom, and three generations running this race together!

Happy4th Of July!