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7/13/10 This past weekend we headed up to beautiful Providence for the Rhode Island 70.3. It was an awesome weekend! The course was amazing starting with a swim in the Atlantic Ocean, a point to point bike that rode along the coast straight into downtown Providence and then a challenging two loop run course that finished right at the steps of the capital building. I loved it! And I had a great race finishing first in my age group and as the 3rd overall female amateur. After the race we spent some time in Newport, RI which harbors hundreds of sailboats. Simply amazing! Great weekend overall! Looking forward to my next race which is a 2 mile swim in North Carolina coupled up with a visit to my sister and brother-in-law who live in the area!
7/7/10 A few new updates! Number one and most exciting is that I am now proudly sponsored by Lin High Performance Socks! This is an awesome company that makes high quality socks for cyling, running, hiking, whatever activity you might need socks for! Check out the sponsorship page to see their logo and link to their website. And use the promo code "beth" to get 10% off some awesome new socks. Rock those socks! :)
Also, I added a 2010 Triathlon Season photo gallery to the site so there are a few new pictures to check out. I will add more as the season progresses.
Getting excited for my next race which is only a few days away. On Friday we leave for tiny Rhode Island to race 70.3 miles along the coast. Will report back soon with the results!
6/15/10 Guess who is going to Kona?! :) Yep, that's right - ME! This past weekend we headed to hot and steamy Cambridge, MD for the Eagleman 70.3 which serves as a qualifier for the Ironman World Championships. Although getting a Kona slot wasn't my singular purpose for doing the race, it was a lofty goal to consider. And through a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, that goal was achieved!
The race itself was tough! I had a great swim and bike but with temperatures in the 90s (and the heat index possibly in the 100s!) I suffered greatly on the run. Most people did though. When all was said and done, my final time of 4:49:50 was good enough for 3rd place in my AG and because the top 2 women didn't want to go to Kona, I will now be packing my bags for Hawaii in October! But first, a lot of work must be done - time spent in the pool, in the saddle and pounding the pavement in my running shoes! I've updated my schedule on the website. Next up is the Providence 70.3 in 3 short weeks!
5/25/10 This past weekend we traveled to Columbia, MD for one of my all time favorite triathlons - the Columbia Olympic Distance Triathlon! And the weather was...challenging (to say the least!). Despite heavy rains, it was still a great race. I had a good swim, an awesome bike but a little bit of a disappointing run. I guess two out of three isn't bad! When all was said and done I ended up as the 5th amateur and walked away with some gained fitness and experience and a good race to build upon for the rest of the season! And I don't have to wait long to race again! Next up is the Eagleman 70.3, my first "A" race of the year!
4/25/10 Racing season really is here! Just one week after my first triathlon of the season I got to race again today - this time in a 10K running race! Lots of fun was had! I didn't get my goal of breaking 40 minutes but I did run over 1:30 faster than last year at this race with a 40:26. Can't be disappointed with that! Now for a few weeks of training before my next race - the Columbia Triathlon in Maryland!
4/19/10 Triathlon season has officially begun! This past weekend we traveled to Bumpass, VA for the Rumpus in Bumpass Sprint Triathlon. And what a rumpus is was! We had a blast and I really enjoyed getting my first swim/bike/run in of the season. We swam in beautiful Lake Anna and the water wasn't too cold! Then we rode and ran on the scenic country roads of Bumpass and when the dust settled I had crossed the line first for females and scored a course record. Nice way to start the year! Back to some hard training now with my next race being - NEXT WEEKEND! This time it's a 10K running race and I'm really looking forward to it! Racing season HERE I COME!
3/7/10 I think spring just MAY have sprung here in Pittsburgh (fingers crossed)! This winter has been a tough one! We've had record amounts of snow fall and I was on the disabled list for most of January and February! My rib strain did turn into some time off training. I only missed about 10 days of cycling but missed 4 weeks of running and close to 5 weeks of swimming! Luckily I'm on the upside of the injury (again, fingers crossed) and am now back to swim, bike AND run. And it feels great! I did have to change around the race schedule a little though! Because I missed such a large chunk of training time for the Oceanside 70.3, I decided to skip that race and get back to some base training. I will miss sunny San Diego at the end of March but hopefully this extra rest and then added base training will serve me well later in the season. Instead I will start my season with a sprint race in mid April in Virginia and then head to Columbia (one of my all-time favorite races) in late May! Couldn't be more excited. Now if only all the snow would melt...
1/22/10 It's been a while! But as the new season and new year start, I'm back to updating my website! After enjoying a wonderful off season including holidays in warm South Carolina, I started up my training, working and racing routine! On January 10th I began the 2010 season with a bang by winning the Frigid Five Miler (and frigid it was - BRRR!) and besting my time from the previous year by 1:15. Unfortunately, after the race I developed some pain in my rib area which turned out to be a strained intercostal muscle. I've been getting the strain treated and resting it up and will hopefully be as good as new ASAP! Plenty of time left to get back into shape. Afterall, I have a big year ahead!
11/17/09 I am very happy to report that this past weekend I finished my season off with a BANG at the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL. I had been targeting this race all season as an "A" race and my main goal was to "podium" which would require me to finish in the top 5 of my age group. Quite a tall order given the level of competition and the fact that I've struggled at this distance in the past! Luckily my training had been going well all fall and lead to a nearly perfect race in Clearwater. I PRed in all three disciplines with a 29:28 swim, a 2:18:12 bike and a 1:33:02 run for a total time of 4:26:02 (including transitions) and finished 4th! Needless to say, standing on that podium at the awards ceremony never felt so good! It was a great way to end the season, and now it's time to rest! It's been a long and successful season where I've learned a lot, grew stronger through countless hours of training, and of course, had tons of fun.
I've updated the website with my 2010 racing schedule as well as adding some pictures from my 2009 races. See you in the New Year!
10/17/09 Today I ran a half marathon! No bike. No wetsuit. Just me and my running shoes. Needless to say it was very nice packing last night - much easier than usual! I ran the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon as a tune-up race for my last triathlon of the season - the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL in mid-November. My goal today was to PR which would require me running faster than 1:26:50, a mark I set over 5 years ago when I was "just" a runner! Goal accomplished - I ran a 1:23:35! I was very excited to feel good and run strong. I placed as the 2nd overall female. Now if only I could run that fast off the bike... Who knows, maybe I will in Clearwater!
9/30/09 I am excited to report about the great race I had at the Best of the US Amateur Championship in Mission Veijo, CA over the weekend! We raced on a beautiful but challenging (read - hilly and hot!) course in Orange Country. The Best of the US race takes the top male and top female from each state (found through a qualifier race) and lets them go head to head in a National Championship. Very exciting and very competitive! I was very nervous but also feeling confident in my training. Last year I placed 8th at this race so my goal this year was to place in the top 5. Not an easy task! After a great swim I came out of the water in 9th (big improvement for me!), moved up to 5th on the bike and then finally into 4th on the run. It was a hard fought battle but in the end I was very pleased with how the race turned out. Now it's time for some more hard training in preparation for my last two races of the season - a half marathon in October (just running - no bike or wetsuit!) and the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL in November.
8/24/09 This past weekend I traveled to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the first time in my life, to compete in the USAT Age Group National Championships. It was a great weekend! My goal was to finish in the top 3 in my age group but I knew this would be a tall order given the level of competition at this race and the difficulty of being in the 30-34 year old age group. I raced my heart out in the heat and humidity of Alabama and ended the day in 3rd place! I was very excited! It was a great weekend all around as, in addition to a great race, I also got to see many old friends and make some new friends. Also, the Professional National Championships were held on the same day so I got to see the pros in action. An all-around success! Next up is the Best of the US Championships in September in California. I'm looking forward to some good training until then and the return of some nice fall weather.
8/3/09 Over the weekend we traveled to one of my favorite races, the Steelhead 70.3 in western Michigan. It is so beautiful there! We swam in Lake Michigan, biked around Benton Harbor and ran through the Whirlpool campus. Once the dust setttled I placed 4th in my age group and was the 7th overall amateur female. I had a great swim (first time under 30 minutes for the 1.2 mile distance!), biked well but then had trouble with nausea on the run making for a slower than usual half marathon. Still though, it was a great day and another great opportunity to learn more about racing the longer distances. Next up is the USAT Age Group Nationals in Tuscaloosa, AL. I'm looking forward to visiting a new state and racing the best amateurs in the country over the Olympic distance!
6/29/09 Yesterday I raced at the Philadelphia Triathlon in downtown Philly and I had a great race! The swim was fast - my fastest ever, at least partly due to the river having a stronger than usual current! I also had a good bike and run to place as the 2nd overall female amateur in 2:10:54. And because I was the 1st amatuer female from Pennsylvania, I also qualifed for the Best of the US Amateur Championships in September in California! Very exciting day all around! Next up is the Steelhead 70.3 in Benton Harbor, MI in early August. Can't wait!
6/20/09 I've been busy training! But the good news is, I've be able to train in some amazing places over the past couple weeks! Two weeks ago I went to a training camp in Boulder, CO to learn more about triathlon but also to do some serious training in the mountains! It was an amazing experience and I can definitely see why Boulder is a haven for endurance athletes. I don't think I've ever seen so many cyclists in one place other than a race! :) Then, just today, I also got some great training in in a new and fun place, but this time much closer to home. I drove up to Erie, PA where I did a swim race in Lake Erie and then a nice long run along the lakefront. It's always great to change the scenary some and see new places on foot or bike! I hope to put all this great training to good use next weekend when I race at the Philadelphia Triathlon which is the PA Best of the US qualifier!
5/18/09-Yesterday I got to compete in one of my favorite races of all time - the Columbia Triathlon in Ellicot City, Maryland! This year was the third year that I've raced Columbia and the 2nd time I've won the elite amateur title! I was very excited to win given my current fitness level. All in all it was a great weekend and a great race. And now it's time to start ramping up the training for my next "A" race in early August! Next up on the docket though is another of my favorites - the Philadelphia Triathlon in late June. Summer here we come!
4/28/09-Heat wave in Pittsburgh! We've been having some wonderful, sunny and WARM weather these past few days and it has felt GREAT! It's such a treat to ride outside in a short sleeve jersey and to drive to the pool in flip flops instead of 5 layers of clothing. This past Sunday though, I was cursing the heat as I raced in a 10K running race! It was my first bit of speed work and hard running since Oceanside and that coupled with the 80+ degree temps saw me die a slow and painful death out on the race course. I still held on for the 2nd place overall female though which netted me a nice $200 prize! I can't complain about that! The 10K was also a great way to jump start my training for my next few triathlons through the summer - Columbia in May, Philadelphia in June and my next "A" race, Steelhead in August. I can't wait!
In other news my hamstring has been bothering me some so I've been doing a little more swimming and biking and a little less running. I have been working with some great doctors at De Novo Pittsburgh Chiropractic & Health who have used active release therapy (ART) to nurse the hamstring back to health! It's been feeling better and better and I'm very thankful to their expertise and help in keeping me running strong. If you are in the Pittsburgh area and need some help staying healthy, check these guys out!
4/7/09-This past weekend I competed in my first triathlon of the 2009 season! It felt great to get going again, especially in the sun and warmth of Oceanside, CA where I raced the Ironman California 70.3. It was my first time in California and it did not disappoint! My only complaint is the sunburn that I got while racing. Next time I must remember the sunscreen! The race was great! We swam in the Oceanside Harbor, biked in Camp Pendleton and ran along the coast in Oceanside. Breathtaking! I was pleased with a solid performance of 6th in my AG and the 9th overall amateur female. I moved up in AG this year to the 30-34 bracket and those women are tough! I was also pleased with my time of 4:58:30 on the tough course. AND, I accomplished my main goal of qualifying for the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, FL in November. Mission accomplished! I am taking a nice and easy week now before restarting my training for the next few races. The Columbia Triathlon in mid May is next up on the docket!
3/8/09-There is so much to update about, I don't know where to start! I haven't updated for a bit because I didn't know how to use my new website yet. :) But now that I do, let the updates begin! First of all, I have a new website! You can keep track of my triathlon exploits on this site as well as my foray into business. Keep me in mind if you ever need any help with your diet! I also have some new sponsor updates. I am very excited to be working with Saucony this year for the first time! Just this morning I had a great 14 mile run on some muddy trails in my new Saucony Triumphs. They felt fantastic! I'm also happy to be working with Blue Seventy for the first time in 2009 and to continue to be supported by PowerBar, Big Bang Bikes and of course, my amazing coaches at MarkAllenOnline. The sponsors page of this site has all the details. And finally, training and racing! I've been training hard for the Oceanside 70.3 in early April. I did a swim race and a run race in late February to help me prepare and both went well! I PRed in the 1650 yd swim with a 21:09 and then a week later had another PR at the 10 mile distance when I ran the Spring Thaw in 1:03:50! So things are going well and I just need to stay healthy and strong. Looking forward to a great 2009 triathlon season! And next time I won't wait so long to update the "latest news"!
1/17/09-My usual Saturday morning swim had a little twist today! I did the One Hour Postal Swim, a mail in competition sponsored by US Master Swimming where you swim as far as you can in one hour's time. It was a lot of fun and something different to try, all while getting in a great training session! I covered 4250 yds and am already trying to figure out how I can improve next year...
1/11/09-Today I kicked off the 2009 season with a 5 mile running race! It was great to get back into the racing scene and feel that familiar "burn" in the lungs and the legs while I was running as hard as I could! Today's race got me more excited than ever for the next few months of training before the triathlon season starts in earnest. Oceanside, CA here I come!
12/10/08-Training has restarted in earnest! It is exciting to get back into the routine of base training and also to start thinking of next season's races and goals. On that note, I decided to post my racing schedule for 2009 thus far. It is a work in progress but starting to look more and more definite! You can find it under the Race Schedule and Results link. In the mean time, happy holidays to everyone! I hope you all enjoy!
11/11/08-The off season has been going well! I enjoyed two full weeks off from training and now I am slowly easing back into things. I was thrilled to go running yesterday morning! I added some pictures from this season to the photos page. It won't be long until I'll have some 2009 pictures! 10/31/08 This past Sunday I competed in my 9th and final race of the 2008 season! I had the awesome opportunity of racing in the Best of the US Amateur Championships in beautiful Tempe, AZ. I'm happy to report that despite a fender bender and a small mechanical issue on the bike, I still managed an 8th place finish in this very competitive race! It was an honor to stand on the podium with so many amazing athletes. And so now it's time for some rest, relaxation and renewal before I attack my 2009 season with fury! Stay tuned for pictures from the 2008 season under the photo link!
10/7/08-For the first time ever, I traveled to Texas! This past weekend I competed in the Elite Amateur Championship at the US Open Triathlon in Dallas which is the final race in the Life Time Fitness series. What a blast! Life Time Fitness treated us like stars. And I really enjoyed lining up with and racing the best short course amateurs in the country! When it was all said and done, I was 8th place, achieving my goal of placing in the top 10. My time was 2:14:33. Only one final race now, the Best of the US on October 26th. I am trying to savor my last few weeks of the 2008 season!
