Are we ready for this?

Our first attempt at the 50k distance (Black Warrior in AL) didn’t go so well. On that day, we decided to run the Sweet H20 50k in Atlanta. It filled up a week before we intended to register. So, we have made up our own 50k! We’ll be combining Thompson and Mouse Branch Loops in the Tsali Recreation Area near Bryson City, NC plus a few parking lot miles for our own fat-ass 50k on April 21.

Training has consisted of short runs and a few bike rides, with the Charleston Marathon in January being our last long run. But, we have faith. We’ll knock it out…eventually!

Also, if you know of anyone looking for a great home in the north Charlotte area, please check out the link below. It’s our house, and it is an outstanding one!
http://www.kw.com/homes-for-sale/28025/NC/Concord/4519-Carol-Court/3yd-CMLSNC-2073986.html

If you haven’t heard, huge props to our friend Suzanne Erickson, who just ran 100 miles at the Umstead 100 a couple weeks ago!!

And, to keep me motivated, here are my stats, year to date. Hoping to beef that cycling number up soon:
Running: 111.6 miles
Cycling: 261.8 miles

rest day

yesterday consisted of riding 99 miles, half of it in drizzle. we went from concord to the top of morrow mountain, in morrow mountain state park. Averaging 20 to the top of the mountain, it was one helluva ride. great ride with awesome friends.

Getting back in -dustin

Things have been crazy busy lately, but Care and I have been getting out there, nonetheless.  More running than biking over the winter, but that has been changing recently for me, as I’ve been getting some road miles in.

ORAMM will be knocking on my door soon, but the three musketeers will also be doing a fat-ass 50k at Tsali next month, too.  Stay tuned…

Getting back into it -dustin

Things have been crazy busy lately, but Care and I have been getting out there, nonetheless.  More running than biking over the winter, but that has been changing recently for me, as I’ve been getting some road miles in.  

ORAMM will be knocking on my door soon, but the three musketeers will also be doing a fat-ass 50k at Tsali next month, too.  Stay tuned…

Hiatus?!

Well, it wasn’t planned, but we’ve been slow on posting. Sorry! All is well and we are getting ready for races in 2012. Carrie just ran a 50k a couple weeks ago and Care just ran the thunder road half a few weeks ago. Here’s what we’ve already committed to for 2012:

January 14, 2012
Charleston Marathon Charleston, SC (Dustin and Care)

February 18, 2012
Black Warrior 50k Bankhead National Forest, AL (Dustin, Care, Carrie)

July 22, 2012
Off Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell Pisgah National Forest, NC (Dustin)

October 20, 2012
Beach 2 Battleship Iron Distance Tri (Carrie

Beach 2 Battleship Half Iron Distance Tri (Dustin and Care)

Basically a Summer recap! By: Carrie

I know it is a bit ridiculous that with all the races and training I’ve done, I have not posted all summer long.  I have definitely been busy, but probably not as busy as Dustin and Care so no excuses!  June obviously brought my AMAZING niece, Kila Montana.  I made a couple trips up there, arriving the night she was born and then making another trip just before she turned a month old.  I just saw her this past weekend at my Half Ironman right after she turned 3 months old.  She, Dustin, Care, Tsali (my dog niece) and my Dad and Patti all came up to cheer me on!  In that capacity it was the best race ever, though performance-wise not so much.  Details on that race coming soon…

July and August were CRAZY busy serving as the Summer Sizzler Event Director as well as the Rocketman Olympic Triathlon Volunteer Coordinator.  In addition, I made a job change within Family Services Center to the Homicide Survivors Program.  September absolutely flew by, as I spent 2 1/2 weeks of the month on vacation in Spokane, WA and Glacier National Park, MT.  So, here is my attempt to update everyone on what I have been up to this summer.  Hold on tight.  It’s a wild ride!

On July 9, 2011 the Dixie Daredevils held a fundraiser in conjunction with the Rocket City Hash House Harriers, which ended up bringing us to our $15,000 fundraising goal.  So, it is official!  The DD’s are going to Hood to Coast 2012!!!  If you haven’t liked us on Facebook yet, please do so.  Tell your friends!  Over the next year, we will continue to raise funds for American Cancer Society and our travel expenses.  We have a Jewelry party coming up this Friday in which DD friend and Lia Sophia consultant, Sandra Tompkins will donate 75% of her commissions towards our travel expenses!!  In addition, the Skinny Turkey 5K and 10K on Saturday, November 26, 2011 will be donating its proceeds to our travel expenses!!  Race Director, Parker Edmiston ROCKS!!!  So, gather your family and friends to run off those Thanksgiving calories and release some Black Friday shopping stress!

In July I raced the Big Brothers Big Sisters BIG 5K at Bridgestreet.  It was a typical hot, humid, sunny day in Huntsville, Alabama.  I was determined to PR though and I did!  Although my time was 24:36, the course was long.  Given the calculation formula from the Race Director my time was 22:23, which I am TOTALLY claiming! 😉 That race was tough!!  I remember kicking it up to a sprint once my Garmin said 3 miles only to find out that I was STILL RUNNING after the 3.1 distance.  I felt like I was going to die, but ended up taking 1st place in the 30-39 female age group and came in 4th overall female, about a minute behind the 3rd place female.  I ended up volunteering for (and not racing) the Paint the Streets 5K, which is a Team Rocket Tri Club (TRTC) event directed by Jim Varnavas.  The event was a HUGE success and is only in it’s 2nd year, raising over v$20K.  I know I speak for the entire club when I say we are proud of and thankful to have Jim!I want to test my 5K again on a course that is measured accurately, but I am not sure if I should “race” a 5K the weekend before my marathon.  If you have thoughts on this, please let me know!

Saturday, August 6, 2011 was the Summer Sizzler Super Metric Century Bike Ride benefiting the Both Parents Supervised Visitation Program at Family Services Center.  As I am the Event Director for the Sizzler, I was super busy the entire month of July.  It was SO worth every effort of myself and all the fabulous volunteers who gave of their time and energy to put on an event that drew almost 200 cyclists.  This was my 3rd year as Event Director and I am proud to say the ride has grown each year, thanks to our enthusiastic and passionate cycling and triathlon communities.  Thank you to each of you who helped along the way and/or at the event.  You guys ROCK!!  Mark your calendars for the 2012 date, Saturday, August 4, 2012 at 7:00 am; spread the word!

I spent the remainder of August riding as much as I could, primarily at the “Bike with Mike” nights.  I definitely took advantage of the extra daylight hours this summer, and met lots of great people along the way.  This fall and winter I am organizing a weekly ride called “Night Riding Disco Lighting”!  Basically it is just a fun excuse to motivate us all to ride outside during the dark and cold months.  Come on, you know you want to join! Ok, and if you are “just a runner” I might have something else fun up my sleeve!  Stay tuned…

August was also super busy with my Rocketman Olympic Triathlon Volunteer Coordinator obligations.  If you have never raced Rocketman, you are totally missing out.  If you are looking for an end of summer oly distance race that is very well organized and makes each athlete feel like a Rockstar, look no further.  Race Director and Team Rocket Tri Club member, Mike Gerrity puts on a top notch event.  Registration is now open for the 2012 race!  Register now and get the early bird discount.  Better yet, join Team Rocket and get $15 off your race fee, and become a member of the coolest tri club in town!  Unfortunately I will not be able to race the 2012 event, as I will be running in Oregon with my Dixie Daredevils!  It’s bittersweet.  If you are interested in taking over as Volunteer Coordinator for the 2012 event let me know.  Mike is on top of things and will be recruiting soon!

Finally, September rolled around and it was time for my vacation!  I scored 2 1/2 weeks off and planned the trip of a lifetime. Even though I go to Glacier every summer, each trip is entirely different; and yes, each picture I take (of the “same thing”) is entirely different.  My vacation deserves (and requires) a post of it’s own, so stay tuned!  Just think Dave Matthews Band at the Gorge, Stand Up Paddleboarding on Lake Coeur d’Alene, a 2.5/80/2.5 “solo duathlon” around the Flathead Valley, a ride by Hammer Nutrition headquarters, catching up with old friends, Amtrak train rides, a 9 day backpacking trip through Glacier National Park, a climb up Mount Oberlin for amazing 360* views!  See, a trip of a lifetime…  I promise to write about it soon!

Update! by dustin

So…..it has been awhile since my last post, like decades or something. Our baby daughter Kila is now 2 months old and Care will be going back to work in a few weeks. Care is doing great with training. While on vacation she was able to run every day except one, and worked up to a 9-mile long run. She has been running while pushing Kila in a stroller every day here lately. No doubt someone will question running with her in a stroller already. We tried doing this in the house while on vacation with the Chicco car seat docked in the Chicco stroller w/ the head insert in place and noticed her head didn’t move around. So, we’re being careful and sticking to greenways for now, but what a relief that we can all go run together.
This past Sunday we went out for 8 with her on the Mallard Creek greenway near UNCC. By the way, there will be an ultra run held in February there this year. Thanks, Theoden for letting me know about it.
As far as training for me, I have been concentrating on getting ready for the ridge to bridge marathon in Morganton on Oct. 22., so riding has been limited to a few short mountain bike rides. And, the 3Wilsons have decided to do a 50k in early 2012. I think we’ve decided on the Holiday Lake 50k++ in Virgina, If anyone knows much about it, let us know!

Monster Sprint Triathlon 2011 Pulaski, TN

Today was my first individual triathlon of 2011 and it was definitely a memorable one! Since the stress fracture I have either swam or biked in relay teams. The Monster Triathlon in Pulaski, TN is put on by Race Director Scott Landis and his amazing crew of volunteers. The money raised from the event goes to the Deanna Glossup Foundation, which helps children and their families fight cancer. Check out their website at http://www.deannaglossupfoundation.org/.

The distances for the Monster Sprint were 200 yard pool swim,  11.2 miles through hilly backcountry roads and a 2.9 mile run through Sam Davis stadium and the Historic Heritage Trail. The swim starts were spaced about 7-8 seconds apart, with one athlete entering the pool at a time. The wait time made the swim MUCH more enjoyable than last years human washing machine feel! The bike course was cut short this year due to road construction issues. Though “monster hill” was eliminated this year, the bike course was STILL a killer! Luckily the downhill made the uphill worth the effort! It is most definitely not considered a flat and fast course, by any stretch. The run was pleasant, as it stayed off of all major roads and was nicely shaded a good bit of the time.

I had a pretty good 200 yd swim (3:45) and didn’t get passed in the pool. My T1 was decent at :51, though I think if I were more focused I could have been faster. My bike average was 19.7, and pulling that off was no easy feat! My climbs were SLOW. My T2 was pretty horrible at 1:07! I put my socks on and had tied my shoes loosely before the race started because I realized I didn’t have my tri laces in my new shoes. That ended up a disaster, as I had to stop at the beginning of the run and untie my laces and tie them again! Lesson learned. Also I grabbed my race belt only to find that the belt strap was not fed through the buckle so it wouldn’t snap together! I had to mess with that on the run as well. In addition, I was holding my silly water bottle that I really didn’t need in a 2.9 mile run AND I was fidgeting around with my Garmin trying to get it on my wrist. I was all over the board on run pacing, but ended up with an 8:13 pace. I have definitely had better T2/run days, but all in all it was a great race!

I ended up placing 3rd overall female, which bumped me up from 1st in my age group!! I couldn’t believe it! It was a really great day for racing and a great post injury comeback for me! Maybe it was the lucky ROCKSTAR “tatoo” Rick put on my calf during body marking?!  It was definitely a good day!  Either way, it’s time to celebrate!! I’m headed to the Team Rocket Tri Club pool party to celebrate my accomplishment and everyone else’s who rocked the Monster tri, or some other awesome event this morning! I LOVE tri season!!!

Mach Tenn Triathlon Relay Recap

Well it’s a little late for a recap on the Mach Tenn triathlon relay I raced in a week and a half ago.  I figure it’s not too late because I haven’t had another race since Mach Tenn… yet!  I will race again on Saturday at the Monster Triathlon in Pulaski, TN.  Monster, which is a sprint tri,  will be my first running race since the stress fracture.  I am REALLY looking forward to it!  I haven’t done any speed work, so the run is pretty much just left up to the triathlon gods.  We’ll see what they have for me on Saturday!  Either way, I’ll just roll with it.

I ended up doing the swim portion for the relay team at Mach Tenn, after planning to race the bike leg.  Long story…  Embarrassingly I did not swim for a solid week before the race with the exception of a chilled out 1500 yard swim the Friday before.  Nonetheless I had a pretty solid swim and even surprised myself!  I didn’t really know what to expect time wise, especially with the swim being in open water.  I find that I am usually slower in open water than in the pool.  Compared to my age group, my swim time would have been third!  Granted I was not doing the bike or run so that comparison is somewhat skewed, but I was still pleased!

I definitely want to race Mach Tenn again next year!  It was a very well managed event that drew a really fun, energetic group of triathletes.  Team Rocket Tri Club was very well represented and fun times were had by all!  Now let’s do the same at Monster this weekend!  I love tri season…

2011 12 hours of Tsali (dustin)

It’s over! A bittersweet statement, though. One the one hand, all my body parts are relieved. On the other hand, my big race of the year is done. No other long races for the year (at least until the fall marathon). First off, a huge shout out to my Sis who did an excellent job as pit crew and motivator.
Soooo, as a lot of you know, I raced for 12 hours at Tsali. The race started at 11 am, which was a great time, as I didn’t have to wake up before the sun came up to get ready. We all went off running up County Line Road as soon as the air horn blared. As it was to be a long day, I chose to jog. Shortly after getting on the bike, I realized I was climbing much more than I expected. Then it got more steep. Then there was another climb. In all, the climb lasted about 12-14 minutes. Then there was some fast downhill single track, followed by rollercoaster singletrack. Then I realized I had to pedal up those usually fun whoop-de-do (if you ride Tsali the “correct” way) climbs. Good GOD, that was tough. And then around 8.5 miles in there was the rocky ascent (usually the descent around mile 2 if going the “correct” direction). Then the single track turned to flowy, epic, perfectly classic Tsali trail . Multiply that by 10 (laps). A couple laps in, I learned the laps were more than 10 miles, closer to 11. I wasn’t too happy about that.
I’ll jot down nutrition/water intakes in a couple days. Thanks, Sis for keeping up with that. For now, a rough estimate of what I took in: 350 ounces of water, perpetuem and cytomax, 30 endurolytes, 3 advil, 5 tylenol, 1/4 pound of salami, 15 combos, 1 pepsi, 1 orange, 5 mini-snickers, 3 gels. The highlight of the race was meeting and riding with (for a while) Grace Ragland, who won 1st female, has had MS all her life, and is ramping up for Leadville this year! Even better, she’s from Huntsville, AL (my birthplace). Huge props to her and best of luck, as well. At the end of the day, I had ridden 107 miles (10 laps), finishing at 10:43 pm. Results at goneriding.com unfortunately have my last name listed as Miller (#49).