The pre-season has gone by in a blur, but it's been promising. After a solid run in Napa Valley Marathon March 3rd, I took some recovery time before ramping up for the HITS 1/2 Iron distance last weekend to kick off the tri season.
HITS was a bittersweet race. I felt ok about the training I had put in, but I wasn't sure how fast I'd be in the Texas hill country heat. As it turns out, all those indoor trainer and treadmill sessions paid off as far as heat preparedness goes. My body certainly didn't like it, but I didn't shut down, even after crashing on the bike less than a mile from bike-to-run. A large pickup truck decided to blow through traffic cops and turn directly in front of my line, leaving me 2 options: 1) hit him straight on and splatter, or 2) swerve as much as possible out of truck-splatter range, but still hit pavement. Option 2 was the better of those and I skidded to a stop on my right side just under his bumper.
After unclipping on the ground, I didn't feel too badly damaged, so I picked myself up, assessed that I was dinged up, but nothing broken or sprained, so the next question I asked was "is my bike ok?". After the cop got over his shock of my not wanting EMS called, he handed over the bike for me to check out. I determined it was still good to ride the 3/4 mile to transition and I would finish the race.
Running 'easy' is not easy when you're hurt and pissed. I passed the #1 girl within the first mile of the run and kept truckin. I knew I was doing well, and that kept me going - I was not going to NOT finish and NOT win at this point. After a total of 5 hrs and 9 mins I tasted my first 1/2 Iron distance WIN.
It's almost a week later and the road rash is healing well, although it's still a bit painful. The bike, thankfully, will just have some cosmetic scars like me, but nothing structurally damaged. I will be taking it easy for another week or so before ramping up and getting ready for my Olympic distance season.
I have nothing but thanks to all my sponsors this year, especially CSHP and Cafe Velo (Specialized) who helped put me on an amazing bike, Hammer Nutrition who keeps me properly fueled, HumanaVitality who just helped with my fare to London, The Colorado Running Company who has been there since day one with advice and LOTS of shoes, blueseventy for the race suits and wetsuits to keep me comfy this season, and Rudy Project for keeping my brain intact!
Over the past week, I've had several people comment that they don't know how I do what I do, and that if it were them, they wouldn't have finished the race. Why? is the question I've been hearing a lot. Well, why not? I still had a fully functioning body, it was just feeling painful and bruised/bloody. But it wasn't bad enough to justify not finishing, and what a sweet feeling that was. You can't buy that feeling with any amount of money in the world.
Looking forward, this will be a tough season but a very good one. Hopefully the crashing is out of the way...
Friday, May 3, 2013
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Leveling Up
It's been one month since I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia and I went back in to the lab this week to have my numbers re-tested after being on constipatingly high doses of iron for the past 4 weeks. I haven't received full results yet, but at first glance, my blood is looking much healthier. The fun part is that I didn't really need the test to tell me that - my workouts have been feeling respectively better as well and that is exciting. I will find out my ferritin levels tomorrow and hemoglobin, which will tell me the "big picture". Just in time for Napa Valley Marathon taper!
Next week marks the beginning of an exciting tri season - the most challenging I will have met. There is something so intimidating yet so exhilarating about it. My goal this year is to take one race at a time and recognize that not every race is my "A" race. They all have a purpose, as does each training session through every week. Competitive athletes are not good at this, as we all seem to want to go out to win every race, but having a plan and sticking to it so the most important/biggest race is our best one is the key to success.
I continue to hold my head high and lead the best example I can in the local tri community, and in supporting my peers, I support myself. A positive attitude goes a long way, and it's the best way I can think of to start off a stellar season of racing. Here's to reaching the next level.
Next week marks the beginning of an exciting tri season - the most challenging I will have met. There is something so intimidating yet so exhilarating about it. My goal this year is to take one race at a time and recognize that not every race is my "A" race. They all have a purpose, as does each training session through every week. Competitive athletes are not good at this, as we all seem to want to go out to win every race, but having a plan and sticking to it so the most important/biggest race is our best one is the key to success.
I continue to hold my head high and lead the best example I can in the local tri community, and in supporting my peers, I support myself. A positive attitude goes a long way, and it's the best way I can think of to start off a stellar season of racing. Here's to reaching the next level.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Vitality and Perseverance
There is a corporate wellness program though Humana (insurance company) that we have in place at work which I have been a very active participant in for over a year now. The program is Humana Vitality and about 1/2 way through last year, I made it to the top level. I achieved that mostly by training and racing for triathlon, but in order to make it to the top, I had to focus on complete well-being and not just athletics. For the first time in a while, I was looking at other ways to be healthy besides exercising.
Part of the system of earning Vitality Points includes biometrics testing (cholesterol, BMI, Body Fat %...) I have kept track of those numbers for a couple years now and am proud to report that just this past week, I have never seen them healthier.
Another part of Vitality is a "Risk Assessment" - answering questions about your general well-being, i.e.: how many fruits and veggies do you eat a day, alcoholic beverages, do you smoke? Like many people, my fruits and veggies answer was less than par. However it gave me a new life goal - and a healthy one at that.
While I continue to persevere through early season and marathon training, Vitality is racking up my workouts and everyday I step that much closer to my goals.
In reflection of this past year, and in looking forward to the future season, I am not only excited to once again aim for that top level of Vitality, but also to improving my overall health- not just my fitness. I believe my training and racing can only benefit from it, not to mention also earning points to spend on items in the Vitality Mall - just another perk of leading a healthier life.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Knocking Down Walls
It's been almost 3 weeks since I had my blood tested and discovered an iron deficiency. The good news is that it's iron deficiency and I can do something about it now in my pre-season. The bad news is that it's iron deficiency and I'm in a constant state of tiredness/lactic acid fatigue.
If I've learned anything in this early part of my season, it's patience. It will take 120 days until my blood is healthy again, and at least 30 before I start to notice a difference in how I feel. I'm also teaching my body to be more efficient during this process. Running at a lower heart rate and slower pace than I'd like has taught my body to recover faster. The 20+ miles I ran yesterday hardly feel like half that distance, however slow they may have been.
Through the frustration of iron recovery, I keep pushing forward with consistency as smartly as possible. The name of the game right now is getting healthy and having fun gearing up for pre-season. Knowing that I'll be rocking my training in a few months if I let my body heal and recover while building my iron stores is incentive enough to tone it down a few notches now.
Train smarter, not harder - more relevant now than it ever has been. I am learning more about myself during this time, but am determined to knock down the walls in my way and become the athlete I know I can be.
Thank you to John O'Neill at CRC for his advice and guidance. And the kicks in the rear.
If I've learned anything in this early part of my season, it's patience. It will take 120 days until my blood is healthy again, and at least 30 before I start to notice a difference in how I feel. I'm also teaching my body to be more efficient during this process. Running at a lower heart rate and slower pace than I'd like has taught my body to recover faster. The 20+ miles I ran yesterday hardly feel like half that distance, however slow they may have been.
Through the frustration of iron recovery, I keep pushing forward with consistency as smartly as possible. The name of the game right now is getting healthy and having fun gearing up for pre-season. Knowing that I'll be rocking my training in a few months if I let my body heal and recover while building my iron stores is incentive enough to tone it down a few notches now.
Train smarter, not harder - more relevant now than it ever has been. I am learning more about myself during this time, but am determined to knock down the walls in my way and become the athlete I know I can be.
Thank you to John O'Neill at CRC for his advice and guidance. And the kicks in the rear.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Re Capping and Gearing Up
I ended my 2012 season with a solid top-10 finish at Age Group Nationals in Burlington, VT to snatch my goal of making it on TEAM USA for London 2013 World Champs.
As time off is part of my training regimen (if that makes sense), I did indeed take a few months to play around, let my skin have a break from chlorine, and to reflect on the seasons past and future.
January is almost through, and I have registered for some high-profile mixed with low-profile races for the upcoming 2013 season. First on the list: Napa Valley Marathon for some good solid keep-the-winter-weight-off endurance training. Second: HITS 1/2 Iron Course. Yes, getting those endurance/long course races knocked out early, then it's short course and fast twitch focus until Worlds.
I am beyond excited for this season, as I have been offered a few beneficial basic level sponsorships from my favorite companies: Hammer Nutrition, blueseventy and Rudy Project. Garmin also came through with a small but appreciated discount, and I am forever grateful for the continued support of The Colorado Running Company. Triathlon is an expensive habit, but I love it and am very appreciative of the help I'm receiving this year!
The new hurdle I must tackle before competing: overcoming iron deficiency. I somehow managed to put myself in a deficit, but it's fixable, and in 2-3 months I should be golden. Just in time for race season. Lesson learned: when building endurance and training, always take iron supplements and maintain a healthy diet. Oh, and most importantly: good sleep.
Thank you to my sponsors who have put faith in me this year - I can't wait to show you all off!
As time off is part of my training regimen (if that makes sense), I did indeed take a few months to play around, let my skin have a break from chlorine, and to reflect on the seasons past and future.
January is almost through, and I have registered for some high-profile mixed with low-profile races for the upcoming 2013 season. First on the list: Napa Valley Marathon for some good solid keep-the-winter-weight-off endurance training. Second: HITS 1/2 Iron Course. Yes, getting those endurance/long course races knocked out early, then it's short course and fast twitch focus until Worlds.
I am beyond excited for this season, as I have been offered a few beneficial basic level sponsorships from my favorite companies: Hammer Nutrition, blueseventy and Rudy Project. Garmin also came through with a small but appreciated discount, and I am forever grateful for the continued support of The Colorado Running Company. Triathlon is an expensive habit, but I love it and am very appreciative of the help I'm receiving this year!
The new hurdle I must tackle before competing: overcoming iron deficiency. I somehow managed to put myself in a deficit, but it's fixable, and in 2-3 months I should be golden. Just in time for race season. Lesson learned: when building endurance and training, always take iron supplements and maintain a healthy diet. Oh, and most importantly: good sleep.
Thank you to my sponsors who have put faith in me this year - I can't wait to show you all off!
Friday, August 10, 2012
The Hay Is In The Barn
One week to go. 4 races in the bag. It's been an intense season of training and pushing and it will all come to a peak next Saturday in Burlington, Vermont.
Special thanks to The Colorado Running Company for helping me out this year and for believing in me. It has made all the difference.
GU, Hammer Nutrition, TYR, BlueSeventy, xx2i, Saucony, Cannondale, Sidi, Rudy Project, and Pearl Izumi should all be proud that I spend many of my paycheck dollars on their products.
I have lost 12 pounds since my journey began last October. Doesn't sound like much, but for a curvy girl who wasn't considered overweight at all, it was quite the feat. The key - as my coach has always said - is "power-to-weight" ratio, and knowing your "race weight": the weight your body performs at best. That said, my body has never felt better. I feel like I can easily push much more power without sacrificing energy, and my recovery has been much faster. I am ready.
This has been almost a year of training physically, but it has been a year of training mentally as well. What I had to realize was that I can be as fit as ever, but it would all be for nothing if my mental game is not spot-on as well. Anything can happen out there to anyone else, and there's no way to know that until results are in and final.
The plan for next week: put it all on the line. It's what I've been getting ready for all year. As Steve Prefontaine once said: "There's only one pace - suicide pace, and today is a good day to die." As my coach said: "The hay is in the barn." This week is about rest, taper, and keeping my mental game in check. Sometimes that's the hardest part, but I'll be stronger for it in the end.
Happy Friday. Happy Taper. See you next week!
Special thanks to The Colorado Running Company for helping me out this year and for believing in me. It has made all the difference.
GU, Hammer Nutrition, TYR, BlueSeventy, xx2i, Saucony, Cannondale, Sidi, Rudy Project, and Pearl Izumi should all be proud that I spend many of my paycheck dollars on their products.
I have lost 12 pounds since my journey began last October. Doesn't sound like much, but for a curvy girl who wasn't considered overweight at all, it was quite the feat. The key - as my coach has always said - is "power-to-weight" ratio, and knowing your "race weight": the weight your body performs at best. That said, my body has never felt better. I feel like I can easily push much more power without sacrificing energy, and my recovery has been much faster. I am ready.
This has been almost a year of training physically, but it has been a year of training mentally as well. What I had to realize was that I can be as fit as ever, but it would all be for nothing if my mental game is not spot-on as well. Anything can happen out there to anyone else, and there's no way to know that until results are in and final.
The plan for next week: put it all on the line. It's what I've been getting ready for all year. As Steve Prefontaine once said: "There's only one pace - suicide pace, and today is a good day to die." As my coach said: "The hay is in the barn." This week is about rest, taper, and keeping my mental game in check. Sometimes that's the hardest part, but I'll be stronger for it in the end.
Happy Friday. Happy Taper. See you next week!
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
3 In The Bag, 2 To Go
Denver Tri, done. 3rd Age Group, 7th Overall Female (excluding Elites).
Loveland Lake 2 Lake Tri, done. 2nd Age Group, 5th Overall Female.
Boulder Peak Tri, done. 2nd Age Group, 10th Female Overall (excluding Pros/Elites)
Next up: State Games of Colorado Tri - last tune up before Nationals.
It's been a busy summer of intense training; but it's all paying off. There's nothing sweeter than reaping the benefits of long hours of sweat and hard work...and it's not over yet.
A month from today, I will be in Burlington, VT hopefully getting some sleep before the big race. I've tasted Victory at every one so far and it's just fueled my fire for more - given me the drive to continue to push.
Boy, am I pushing. 3 more weeks of work. One week soft taper. One week full taper. Now is the time to really be smart - or really, to STAY smart. Listen to the body. Optimal nutrition. Rest. Hydrate. Recover.
At the end of the day, I am accountable to myself, and I'm a pretty hard judge. I can't say that it's easy when the alarm goes off at 4:45am Monday and Wednesday mornings, to fling myself out of bed and hustle to the pool. It's not. It's hard. I tell myself, I went to bed at a reasonable time. I may be tired, but I can still do the workout, and I won't regret it after it is done. I WILL regret not going if I sleep in though... and more likely, will toss and turn feeling guilty if I don't get up anyway. So, might as well get up and go through the motions. It's habit now. Routine. This is what I do, so I just do it... but good thing I pack my back the night before or I would show up with no suit on, knowing me. Thank goodness I know me.
Was it easy to wake up at 5:45am this morning to do hill repeats on the bike? Nope... but I did it. Easy to go out in the heat of the day at lunch to get mile repeats in so I didn't have to do them after a late work day at 7pm? Nope, but I was out there. And it will show next month, because I am out there when others are not. Are others out there when I am not? I'm sure some are, but I am doing the best I can; that is what it's about and what counts.
I'm thankful to my friends and family for standing behind me and believing in me, and I am eternally thankful to The Colorado Running Company and John O'Neill for the continued support - it wouldn't have been as successful a season without your help.
Moving forward, excited for what the next few weeks hold in store... and excited to see what I can really do.
Loveland Lake 2 Lake Tri, done. 2nd Age Group, 5th Overall Female.
Boulder Peak Tri, done. 2nd Age Group, 10th Female Overall (excluding Pros/Elites)
Next up: State Games of Colorado Tri - last tune up before Nationals.
It's been a busy summer of intense training; but it's all paying off. There's nothing sweeter than reaping the benefits of long hours of sweat and hard work...and it's not over yet.
A month from today, I will be in Burlington, VT hopefully getting some sleep before the big race. I've tasted Victory at every one so far and it's just fueled my fire for more - given me the drive to continue to push.
Boy, am I pushing. 3 more weeks of work. One week soft taper. One week full taper. Now is the time to really be smart - or really, to STAY smart. Listen to the body. Optimal nutrition. Rest. Hydrate. Recover.
At the end of the day, I am accountable to myself, and I'm a pretty hard judge. I can't say that it's easy when the alarm goes off at 4:45am Monday and Wednesday mornings, to fling myself out of bed and hustle to the pool. It's not. It's hard. I tell myself, I went to bed at a reasonable time. I may be tired, but I can still do the workout, and I won't regret it after it is done. I WILL regret not going if I sleep in though... and more likely, will toss and turn feeling guilty if I don't get up anyway. So, might as well get up and go through the motions. It's habit now. Routine. This is what I do, so I just do it... but good thing I pack my back the night before or I would show up with no suit on, knowing me. Thank goodness I know me.
Was it easy to wake up at 5:45am this morning to do hill repeats on the bike? Nope... but I did it. Easy to go out in the heat of the day at lunch to get mile repeats in so I didn't have to do them after a late work day at 7pm? Nope, but I was out there. And it will show next month, because I am out there when others are not. Are others out there when I am not? I'm sure some are, but I am doing the best I can; that is what it's about and what counts.
I'm thankful to my friends and family for standing behind me and believing in me, and I am eternally thankful to The Colorado Running Company and John O'Neill for the continued support - it wouldn't have been as successful a season without your help.
Moving forward, excited for what the next few weeks hold in store... and excited to see what I can really do.
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