4 weeks!!!

It's hard to believe we only have 4 weeks until the ironman. It's been an interesting week training with moving thrown in. Hallie mom and my favorite aunt Sarah helped me move in to my roommates house on Tuesday. So I've been trying to adjust to a new place. I haven't had much luck with my bike rides since I have been here. On my first ride out I took Katie's (my roommate) garage door opener with me. It fell out of my back pocket on my bike and was run over!!! So I had to get that replaced. Thursday when I went out for another ride...I had a pretty bad wreck 9 miles in!! I was lucky I didn't break nethin and my bike is still rideable...I'm just pretty cut up!! So it has to get better!!! And it did- hallie came over on Friday so we could train this weekend. I know it's only been a couple days since I've seen her....but it was great to get to spend sometime with her this weekend. I won't see her again until race weekend!! But hallie and i both rode the full 112 Saturday for the last time before the race. Neither one of us had an awesome ride...but thats okay because I know WE CAN DO THIS!! And WE WILL...in 4 weeks!!

Goodbye Evansville!

I just wanted to take a second and thank everyone who came out on Saturday evening to wish me farwell and good luck in my next adventure!! I move today-packing up the car as we speak.  I hope for a quick and smooth move.

I want to especially thank my mom, my sister, and my aunt sarah for taking the time out of their week to move me today.  And my cousins for helping me pack up last night.  And everyone else for being so supportive in this transition.  I can't wait to see what the next chapter of my life holds!

I hope Jeffersonville/Clarksville/Louisville is ready for me! :-)

Newburgh 70.3

Hallie and I participated in the first Newburgh 70.3 sponsored by the Southern Indiana Triathlon team yesterday.  This is Hallie's 2nd 70.3 - which she improved her time by 18 minutes!!! Way to go Hallie- she looked strong swimming, biking, and running- and she feels great today!!!

This was my first 70.3 - and i must say I did better than I ever expected I would.  I finished first out of everyone in the swim! I think I was third overall in the bike- and obviously slower in the run..but I finished 3rd overall with a finishing time of 5:26:27!!! Take that 70.3. 
Below are the results with splits.

https://docs.google.com/open?id=1OUldn2nIRiNA_OELonBE92Z8KX3rOnjkMK46ddeFLmmjPNXxP3Uio_1YJKWB

The Southern Indiana Triathlon Team ROCKS!!!

We can't thank the SITT enough for putting a 70.3 this morning for us!!! I know it was a lot of work and a lot of money spent for not a lot of participants!! They had more volunteers than participants- but i know just speaking for Hallie and I we can't say thank you enough to the team- to Jeff and Anna and Mike - and ALL the volunteers.  You guys helped us in our training- and we are so honored to be a part of such an amazing team!!!! Without you all- Hallie and I definitely wouldn't be where we are in our training!!! YOU GUYS ROCK!!

TEAM SHIRTS!!!

With the IM being 41 days away and the fact that I will be moving in 7 days - we have decided to start asking who is interested in shirts! 

Again- this is going to be free (Hallie and I are going to pay for all the shirts) but if you would like to donate a couple dollars to help us with the cost that would be great.  BUT it is NOT required.  This is a small token of appreciation for all those that have/are supporting us.  I am going to attach the shirt design.  It is Irish green...if you plan on making the trip over to Lousiville we strongly encourage you to get a shirt-so it is easy to identify everyone! Even if you aren't making the trip, but you would like a shirt to show your support-that's perfect!! Take a look at the design, and if you want one let Hallie or I know what size!
Hallie: text or call 455-3579, or email hdenstorff@gmail.com
Jenna: text or call 455-4674 or email jdenstorff@gmail.com 

The back is going to be plain- so if you want to add your own saying to the back - more power to you!!  I think we are going to paint "Proud Mom" or "THE MOM" on the back of mom's shirt!!

What do you look like after you bike 112 miles?

During our training journey Hallie and I have both biked 100+ miles on multiple occassions.  But the first time biking 112 miles on the Lousiville IM course is not only a huge accomplishment but it is a daughting task.

I biked 112 miles for the first time back at the end of May when we went over to Louisville to train for the second time.  Hallie ran up and down the sidewalk outside the parking lot waiting for me to come back.  She was able to capture my first words/expressions after finishing my first 112.  However, she forgot to press record- so my video is actually a second take! ahhahahha - you gotta love her!! Her is my video - I felt great and ran for an hour after!!

Hallie bike the full 112 Louisville IM course at the end of June when we went back over for another training session.  This training session we were able to swim in the river for the first time, and then bike.  Keep in mind this was the day it was 108 degress!!  So i pulled a Hallie and ran up and down the sidewalk waiting for her to get back so I could capture her first words.  Hallie felt good after her ride and we ran for a bit- but it was HOT! I have a picture of Hallie fist pumping and then of video of her in the parking lot! ENJOY!

If you haven't figured out we are awesome!!!

What songs motivate you!??!

As I was biking today - I was trying to think of songs that motivate me.  I needed some motivation on this ride- after running 16+ miles on Wednesday and trying to bike 80+ today (Thursday) - my legs were TIRED!!!

So I thought of "the Worlds Greatest" by R Kelly (maybe) and the song "Heart of a Champion" by Nelly ( I think)  I'm horrible when it comes to songs/artists. 

So what songs inspire you?  What songs motivate you?  Help us compile a list - so we can have some motivation when the going gets tough!!

Happy Training!

You know its bad when...

You know it's bad when not only Hallie and I contantly talk about the ironman but when our friends and family constantly talk about the ironman too!!!

We are now 49 days away from the ironman!! Again - we are long overdue for thanking those that have been there every step of the way.  Our friends and family have been amazing!!  I know for me- my friends are tired of hearing
Well, I can't tonight because i have to get up early to train.
and let's be honest- when  I do make it out- i am the first one to leave because 1. i'm exhausted or 2. I know i have to get up early to train.

I know my friends and family are tired of hearing
When the ironman is over i will...
or I can't wait for this race so I can have a life again

but again-everyone has been nothing but supportive- and we know we haven't been easy to put up with!!  We even have friends and family who have gone far enough as to train with us when its 108 degrees out!! Laura - Hallie wants to thank you so much for joining her on the course last weekend in Louisville!! Pretty impressive- you should be super proud of yourself!

I want to send a shoutout to my friends- even though i constantly tell them I can't do anything they still invite me places! This past weekend Marie and Greg had us all over to swim.  That evening my friends started doing different jumps/dives into the pull - and of course the ironman got brought in.

This is their production of ironman 2012!
Featuring Michelle Farney (swimming), Allison Mesker Garrard (biking), and Casie Williams (running).  Video recorded by Beth Cardin.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=966454460823

Okay - i'm not sure if you will be able to access this video or not! I hope you can!

Also - Hallie and I are going to finalize our shirt design for the denstorff duo.  We haven't settled on a color- but soon we will be asking who is interested in a shirt.  These shirts are going to be a gift from Hallie and I as being such an amazing support team for us - we would appreciate any donation to help cover the cost- but it is not required by any means.  We both know that you guys are all sacraficing a lot by coming over to support us on a SUNDAY!

Another Shout out!

I think we are going to start doing weekly shoutouts - or more often depending on what comes to me...

but as I was swimming today - I was thinking that Hallie and I need to  thank Holly Will (well the whole Will family) for letting us use their lake anytime we want.  So a big shoutout to the Will family.

We also need to give a shoutout to Coomes for making us an awesome IRONMAN mix! Can't wait to jam out on our next road trip!

CITY CHAMPS!

 

Today was the city swim meet!! and Howell WON!!!! Hallie and I both competed in three individual events and a relay.

I got:
3rd in Individual Medly
1st in Backstroke
2nd in Butterfly
(p.s. this was all after running 15 miles this morning!!)

Hallie got:
4th in Individual Medly
3rd in Breaststroke
3rd in Butterfly

and we did a freestyle relay together- and our relay team got 1st!!!  So we brought home some nice hardware today!! Way to go Howell!!!

Our shirts are in!!

I'm so excited!! I had shirts made for Hallie and I - and I picked them up today!! She doesn't even know I have them!!! I guess there is no turning back now! (Well actually i think it was no turning back after we paid the entry fee! hahahah)

50 days!!!!! I can't wait! Now- it's time to getting working on team shirts for all of you!!!

June Numbers!

It's hard to believe I am posting our totals from June- I feel like I just posted totals from May. 
For June:
Swim: 27,395 yds
Bike: 968.85 miles
Run: 124.23 miles
Total miles for June: 1,108.04
Now- if I go back and look at March 1st until June 30th
swim: 140606yds
Bike: 2,671.88 miles
Run: 435.70 miles
For a total distance of  3,187.39miles!!

Hallies numbers
for June:

Swim: 23,300 yds
Bike:  724.5 miles
Run: 69.5 miles

   Walk:  3 miles

Total miles for June:  811.47

Now- if she goes back and looks at all of her numbers from March 1st to June 30th

swim:  97,877 yds
Bike: 1,916 miles
Run: 265.6 miles

   Walk: 36.8 miles

For a total distance of 2274 miles

Spectator Info

Okay- so i'm going to do my best to give you as much information as possible....

but please remember- this is Hallie and I's first ironman- so there are definitely things that we don't know!!

Things I do know...
Hallie and Mom are coming over to Louisville Thursday evening after mom gets done with work.  I plan on working a 1/2 day on Friday since I'll only be 15 minutes from Lousiville!!! :-)
Thursday evening Hallie and I have plans to meet up with people from IAMTRI for a bit.

I'm assuming mom and Hallie will spend quality time together on Friday morning before I meet up with them.  Friday evening as well as saturday Louisville IM have events planned for those racing- so i'm sure we will attend some if not all of the events to really take in the IM experience.

We have rooms at the Courtyard Marriott on second street downtown.  As far as I know- we have one room Thursday and Friday nights.  Saturday night we each have our own room- because mom and Halllie snore! Not that I will be able to sleep anyways- but hopefully we can all get a little sleep because sunday will be LONG day for everyone!!!

Sunday - Hallie and I will be up by 3am to eat and hopefully lay back down for an hour.  The transition area opens at 4:45- so knowing Hallie she is going to make sure we are there at 4:40! hahahaha.  We have to stand in line for the swim- so the earlier we get there the earlier we get to jump in the water.  We hope to be in line by 5:30 -6  not sure yet.  The professionals will jump in the river at 6:50-and everyone else will follow.  Last year everyone was in the water by 7:45.  So we are hoping to be in the water by 7:30.  The swim should take both of us about 1hr and 30 minutes.  So that would be running out of the river at 9am.  Which would be starting the bike by 9:30am.  The bike should take me between 6 hrs and 20 minutes - 7 hours if all goes well.  Hallie should be between 7 and 7hrs and 30minutes.  That would mean- if all goes well I could be back at the transition area at 4pm -5pm, and if all goes well Hallie will be back betwn 5-6pm. Then we will start the marathon!! I honestly have no idea how long it will take myself or Hallie to do the complete marathon.  I can't tell you how my body will feel after swimming 2.4 and biking 112- in a perfect world- I would feel great - and run a 10 minute pace which would be around 5 hrs- putting me at the finish line at 9-10pm....and Hallie around 10-11.  But again - this is all just guesstimating!! For those of you that hvae done races in the past - you know how funny the body is- some days you feel great and could go all day long- and some days your body is just saying NO!  So that is just some times.  

Things to keep in mind:  They are an hour ahead if you are coming from Evansville.
It is going to be HOT!!   There is a lot of walking because streets will be closed - so wear comfortable shoes!

I am going to attach the swim course, bike course, and run course.  We start at Tumbleweed on the Ohio River- the transition area is about .5 miles from there.
 We bike out river road to lagrande.  We bike around Lagrande twice.  I was told this past weekend that there is a trolle that goes back and forth-but again I don't know how often it comes and goes.  I do know that river road will be closed so you would have to take 71 to get out there.  As far as the run route- we do the loop twice and finish on 4th street!!!

I really don't have any good information about where to stay- i would just say stay somewhere that is cheep!!!!  Jeffersonville is right accross the river, and new albany is right there.  However I will tell you they were working on the bridge this past weekend when we went over and traffic was awful.  THey are supposed t obe done at the end of July- but you know how construnction can be.

I am attaching the louisville ironman website.
http://ironmanlouisville.com/

swim course: http://ironmanlouisville.com/course/swim
bike course: http://ironmanlouisville.com/course/bike
run course: http://ironmanlouisville.com/course/run/

They haven't posted the road closures yet - but it is to come.  This is just some basic information - hopefully that helps.

soooo much to talk about...

We really do have soooo much to talk about- so expect more blogs to come!

Can you believe it's July!?!?!  So expect a blog on the numbers we have calculated for June and then since the beginning of march until now!!

This past weekend- Hallie and I went to Louisville to train on Saturday.  We went over on Friday so we could drive and prepared detailed directions on where you can go and what roads will be closed and specific information pertaining to race day...however - I'm not sure if you heard but they are doing construction on the bridge!  TALK ABOUT A NIGHTMARE!!

We attempted to get on HWY 71 to head to La Grange-however- that exit was closed- so we ended up in Jeffersonville- (now keep in mind - this i while sitting in a traffic jam not moving an inch  FOREVER!)  While we were in Jeffersonville we headed to my future house (or Katie's house!)  I got to see my room again- and she gave me a key - so we are getting closer to moving!! I'm not sure why i said we- I am getting closer to moving!!

So when we left Katie's we attempted to get back to Lousiville- but what should have taken 15 minutes - ended up taking us a good 2-3 hours to finally get back to louisville- so we decided just to head to Laura's. 

Saturday we were up early - to get in our training.
We had a chance to swim in the river for the first time.  I thought it was hilarious that they were talking about how people usually decide not to do IM Lousiville because they don't wnat to swim in the river.  But it really isn't bad- and it's all in people's heads- and as they were saying this - somone on the dock pointed out one of the BIGGEST HAIRIEST spiders i have ever seen.  As I looked aroud the dock- there were spiders everywhere!!!!

But that didn't stop us- after they gave us a speech and talked about safety-they said we were free to jump in.  Hallie and I were one of the first to drive in and get started.  We only swam 500m just to get a feel for the current.  We wanted to get in and out and get on the bike because we knew it was going to be HOT!!

We both got in 112! We did the full course- but I will be honest- IT WAS ROUGH!! The heat/humity was intense!!!  I just hope that it isn't that hot the day of the race!!! But if it is- we both know that we can do it!!! I am attaching some pictures from the day.  We want to thank Bob and his crew for putting these training sessions on and providing fuel! we wouldn't have been able to do it without them!!

The other crazy ppl registaring for all the fun!!

Hallie and Ami after their 112 ride!

The temp in the car!

I prefer this reading rather than the above!!

Next blog will provide more information about race day!!