Time Flies - Ironman Texas

Time flies when you're having fun. Let me sum up the last couple years here. May 2012, I completed my first Ironman in The Woodlands, TX. I trained really hard and felt ready. The day of the race I am really nervous thinking what in the heck have I gotten myself into. I drop off all my gear and head to the swim. I'm standing there in disbelief of what I am about to do noticing I can't even see the turn around on the swim course. I turn around and take a deep breath and say a prayer. I get in the water, the gun goes off and I begin the 2.4 mile swim. The swim felt great and I just swam along until the finish appeared. I jumped out and headed to T1 (Transition 1) to get ready for my bike portion of the race. I begin the bike leg and it was a warm day. It nearly reached 90 degrees with not a cloud in the sky. I stopped at every water stop to refill the water bottles and enjoyed some bananas too. I enjoyed my peanut butter sandwiches and boiled potatoes coated with sea salt and olive oil. The course was very flat and country. I approached T2 after being on the bike for over 7 hours. I was ready for my running shoes and wrap up the race, five hours later. I started out jogging knowing good and well I would have to walk at some point in the marathon. I'm about half way through (13.1 miles) and still no walking. I am in awe that I haven't walked and still jogging. I down some fuel and still going. The run course was three loops and every time I would pass under the bridge I would hear finishers being called an Ironman. The last loop takes you up the bridge and to the finish. All I could do was visualize myself crossing the finish line and being hearing my name. I had come this far and was determined to finish. After 5 hours of running I hit the bridge and could see the finish line. I crossed the finish line hearing "Vicki Rieger, you are and IRONMAN!!!!!!!" To this day it still gives me goose bumps and a big smile. I finished in 14 hours 34 minutes and some change. 2013 is another Ironman too!

Leavenworth Marathon October 2011

Leavenworth is about 2 hours East of Everett, WA so it is about a 2 hour drive from my house. It is over the Cascade mountains and is a small village town that represents Germany. There are so many things to to here including a marathon!

I met my friend Sheila almost a year ago at the gym, go figure! We began to talk and get to know one another very well. We hit it off right from the beginning. She was on a weight loss journey (Began Jan. 2010) and as of today she has kept off more than 105 pounds. She began running with Stacey and I on our weekend runs. It wasn't too long she was right at our heels. She was getting so good at running that I got her to do her first 5K March 2011 (St. Patty's Day Dash) and she was hooked. I also told her there was green beer at the end and that was my selling point. :)

Two months later she was running her first half marathon and finished 2:06 which was awesome! So you see where I am going with this right? Soon after the half I asked "so when are we running your first marathon"? We picked Leavenworth Oktoberfest Marathon! I set out the training schedule and off we went and trained 13-14 weeks for her first and my fifth.

We arrive Friday, Oct. 14 into Leavenworth, check into our room, pick up race packet and find a nice pre-race dinner. The next morning we get up and get our marathon gear on. She was a little nervous but who isn't on their first 26.2 mile run! The first 11 miles were down hill which is not so great, puts a hurt'in on the quads. Mile 11-17 we hit trail and loose dirt which is not a favorite but we went through it like champs. Finally, back on the road and the scenery throughout the run was amazing with mountains all around us. She only had to walk a few times and did fantastic for her very first. I too felt fantastic and felt like I could have gotten a personal record but today was all about Sheila and I wasn't going to leave her side. Heck I was worried she would leave me! I was so proud of her and finishing so strong at a time of 4:45, not bad at all for a first with loose dirt!

A few times during the run she had a few "this sucks" moments but they didn't last long. The one moment I loved the most was when she said "your Iron Man can suck it", meaning she wasn't taking any part in that. We shall see Sheila, one day...one day!!!

Lake Stevens Half Iron Man August 2011

Here we go again with Half Iron #3 and I'm more prepared for this one than I was for the Napa valley one. I had trained better especially on the bike and the hills. It was a beautiful morning and the lake was calm. Although I've done many triathlons I still get the "jitters" race day morning. I layed all my gear out, got in my wetsuit and headed to Lake Stevens where I would begin my 70.3 race. The 70.3 is the total miles I will complete including all three legs: swim 1.2, bike 56 and run 13.1. The swim starts in waves so there is not a heard of people taking off all at the same time. I hear "GO" and I jump in and begin my swim. The first quarter of the swim I'm usually trying to find my rhythm and get my breathing down. I soon realized that there is a rope underwater that is attached to the buoys so that was very helpful. I didn't have to keep looking up to make sure I wasn't swimming "away" from the other racers. My swim was decent but when I approached the end and got out I felt a little disoriented and took a few moments to find my bike.

Once I found my bike I switched gears into bike mode and was on my way. The course was beautiful and the hills were not as bad as I thought they were going to be. A few prior to the race a friend took me out there to ride the course so I would be prepared and know what to expect. By race day they had changed the course a bit and it was actually easier than what we trained on. This is always a good thing! Coming back to the transition area I was mentally preparing myself for the run.

I got changed into my running shoes and began hitting the pavement. I started out a bit slower than expected but a jog is better than a walk. I met some friendly people along the way and then after a few miles my friend Stacey caught up with me and we began to run together. The run course was two loops and there was one major hill along the lake that I wasn't too happy about but once I had done it twice I knew I was home free. We both finished together at a time of 7 hours. I was happy with this time because the difficulty of this course was in between my first (6:30 hours) and second (7:30 hours) half iron.

As usual after the race I celebrated with a couple victory beers!

Newport, OR Marathon June 2011

Didn't think I was a "runner", I just knew I enjoyed it. So here I am on Marathon #4 and my first Marathon was November 2010 with a time of 5:34. I now classify myself as a runner! I took my time on my first Marathon because I had no idea what to expect. It was in Seattle and the course was very nice. It was also in November so it was in the 40's-50"s the entire way. My second Marathon was on New Year's Eve and it never reach above freezing. It was also mostly trail which I enjoyed. My muscles started to ache half way through due to such cold temperature but I finished with a time of 5:25. Then there was my third Marathon in Redding, CA and I was a little nervous because it would be my warmest one yet. It was two weeks after my second Marathon which was in January and this made me even more nervous because there wasn't much time between the two. I really wanted to run the entire way but you never know how you are going to feel. I did great for the first 20 miles and then cramped up so bad that the last six miles soon became a walk run interval finishing at 5:05.

So here comes number 4 and my main goal is to finish under 5 hours and try to run the entire course. I started out feeling really good and just a few miles past the half way point I began to tire and not feeling my best. This was now my hottest race and was in Newport, OR first part of June. I did enjoy the heat and was happy not to have two or three layers of clothing. My honey was there on his bike the entire way taking photos of me and Stacey. This was really cool to have him there and pictures along the way for free!



At mile 20 I kept going back and forth with this older man. I kept jogging/running as he would walk/run. I would tell him only 6 miles to go then 3 to go as I kept running and glancing at my Garmin wondering how in the heck I was doing this. I kept going back and forth in my head I need to walk and then I would say no keep going. This lasted the last 3-4 miles and pushed all the way to the end, running the entire course and finishing with a time of 4:34. I couldn't believe I shaved 35 minutes off my last Marathon and was thrilled to death. I was so happy and the beer right after never tasted oh so good!

Napa Valley Vintage Half Iron Man April 2011

Going into this triathlon I didn't feel quite as ready as I did for my first. I felt confident in my running and swimming training but the bike was lacking. I was pretty confident that I could at least finish but wishing I had been a bit more prepared.



Stacey and I left Washington Thursday morning for the 13 hour drive down to Napa. It was a nice drive and perfect time of year. We arrived and got a good night's sleep that night. Friday appeared and Stacey and I just relaxed in downtown Napa. Mind you I haven't have a drink of alcohol in several weeks in preparation for this race so touring Napa was somewhat difficult with all the wonderful wineries around. We did go into one where I sipped a few but that was it! Napa is such an awesome town and would love to go back to spend more time and of course sample more wines! Friday night we went to Outback, funny two vegetarians sitting in a steakhouse but they have the best salmon and sweet potatoes which is an awesome prerace dinner.



Saturday morning rolls around and we are up at o dark thirty with jitters and all. We make it to the race site which was at Lake Berryessa and oh my was it rough! I didn't realize just how rough and cold it was until I had to swim in it. The first 15 minutes was the worst! I could barley put my face in the water due to the cold temp of the water and I hadn't swam in rough waters in awhile. After I wanted to cry and or quit I gathered my thoughts and focused on my swim. I told myself to get over it and start swimming! I fought through and learned very quickly how to keep the water out of my face each time I came up for air. I didn't let the white caps nor the temperature of the water stop me, I was going to finish this and I did (1.2 mile)!



The bike portion was next and although it was very beautiful but extremely hilly. I just enjoyed the scenery and peddled as hard and fast as my legs could go. I was lucky and had no flats and everything went smoothly.

Finally after 56 miles of biking I came back to transition into my run. I changed my shoes quickly and set off to run 13.1 miles. There were some rolling hills again but I just kept on going. My run felt great and did not stop once! It was an out and back course which we had to do twice. These types of runs can be a bit boring but at least you know what is ahead for your second loop.

After swimming 1.2 mile, biking 56 and running 13.1 my final time was 7.5 hours. I was pleased that I finished and got through that horrible swim. I knew I wasn't 100% ready for this race but as always I had a great time and again challenged my body the way I enjoy challenging it! I tried jumping in the lake to cool off but it was so darn cold I could only get in up to my knees!

Mt. Si 50K

I have come to learn that there are three types of runners that enjoy competing. There may be more but I will describe the three in "my book". First, you have the elite or pro which are super fast people and you could never wrap your head around their finishing times and you are just amazed! Second, there are the people just under the elite and they are quite quick but not quick enough to be elite. Their finishing times are fast but within reason. Third, there are the recreational runners who enjoy registering for races but don't even think of staying after the race to see if they placed. They are just tickled to be there and finish without having to be carried out by volunteers or even the medical team.

I feel as though all three categories tend to go through the same emotions on race day. The anticipation of "how will I do?", "Will I be able to finish today without any injuries?" etc. As a runner you never know how good you are going to feel on race day. There are some days where I feel like I can't even run a 5K (3.1 Miles) and put in a 12 Miler. Other days I feel like I could run a marathon and come in after 30 minutes of running. You just never know what your body is in the mood for but that is where motivation comes in, to push ourselves past that comfort zone.

I am defiantly runner number three. I enjoy racing to 1. Have a great time, 2. Accomplish new personal records and distances. 3. Because I can! I never really considered myself a runner until last year when I broke my toe and was told I could not run. I felt as though someone just took my air away and I knew then, I was a runner.




This 50K was an awesome accomplishment for myself and I am very pleased with myself. I was worried about not being able to finish due to the lack of long distance running I had not been doing the last couple of months. Feb. 6Th I ran a marathon, end of Feb. I ran a half marathon (in TX), and a few weeks ago I ran 10 miles. All my other runs here and there were under 10 miles. Running is also a very mind over matter sport at times. If you tell yourself you can do it then you will be able to do it. Humans are built to run and run long distances, we have our own cooling system and the duration built within us, we just have to dig and find it because it is there. I was very fortunate to have one of my best friends with me while running my longest race ever. We do many runs together and is nice to know someone else is sharing the pain. "Misery loves company"! When we got to the race it was cold and wet. My friend was not feeling it and once we got our awesome shirts she was ready to hit the road and call it a day. She was kidding but really was not feeling it, me on the other hand was nervous and worried about how I would do. I had told many people that I was going to do this run so I was going to do it! The course was an out and back and uphill the first half. The climb was gradual and started at 400 feet and then reached 1,400 feet at the turn around point. After the turn around point it was a nice downhill which felt good on the different leg muscles.

Running 31 miles gives you alot of time to think, chit chat and just soak up the enjoyment of running. My friend and I ran side by side the entire way and there were many times we were silent. Even though we wouldn't talk at times it was nice knowing she was next to me doing the same 31 miles. The chit chat was helpful to get our minds off some of the pain and some good laughs were involved as well. I told her it was better to be laughing at ourselves than crying. We crossed the finish line together and had completed our 31 miles in 6 hours and 43 minutes. My husband, Brian was at the finish line taking pictures and then gave me a huge hug and said he was very proud of me. It means alot having him at the finish line and I really do appreciate his patience with all my races. Thanks baby! I am now a triathlete, marathoner and ultra (small end of the ultra) runner. If you would of asked me if any of this was possible years ago, I would have laughed and said you were crazy! Dream and it will come true!

Marathon 2 and 3!

It is now February and since my very first marathon I have completed two more. I got the marathon "bug" and went for it. I was told about Marathon Maniacs, in which you had many ways to join but the "easiest" is to do three marathons in three months so I stepped up to the challenge and did so. I did my second marathon in Bellingham, WA on New Year's Eve which was freezing the entire race. We actually ran mostly on a trail which I love rather than concrete. I did better on my time by just a few minutes finishing at 5:03. I was then on the hunt for marathon number 3 in January and could not find one in Washington. So a friend of mine and me decided to go visit her family outside the Bay Area, CA and do the Redding Marathon. This trip was a bit crazy but fun all in the same time. We took a late flight to Oakland on a Friday night and got in to her Father's around 1:00 am. We slept in a bit and had an awesome breakfast, blueberry pancakes! We drove around and enjoyed the Napa Valley area (we are doing a half iron man there in April) and then hit the hay around 9 pm. We woke up Sunday morning around 3:00 am and loaded the car and drove 2.5 hours to the marathon. We made it in plenty of time and we ran our race.

I was doing great in the beginning and the first 3-4 miles were all downhill. This downhill would have been nice at the end but oh well! There were some good hills right in the middle of the race. By mile 20 I started to crap up like I never have before. My friend took off which we do that if we are feeling great! I was cursing and praying all at the same time and just wanted to finish. The cramps in my legs would go away and then come right back. I fought this for the last 5.5 miles and as soon as I knew the finish line was near I had the burst of energy take over and sprinted across the finish line. I shaved 25 minutes off my last marathon which is huge and I cried due to the bitter sweet feelings I had. Bitter because I hurt so dam bad and sweet because I shaved so much time off.

After the race we climbed back into the car and drove the 2.5 hours back to her Father's house where we showered and ate some pizza. We had about an hour to rest and then off to the airport we went which was an hour drive and then a two hour flight back to Seattle. By the time I got home I had been up for 24 hours and a marathon under my belt.

Marathons are tough but so rewarding! I still believe a half iron man is easier than a marathon. There are so many thoughts that go through your head and the question of why do this to myself? Well in the end it is all clear and the feeling you have makes it all worth the pain and glory.