Year End Review

2011 is coming to close and I can't help but think about how good the year has been to me.  This year did not turn out at all like I expected....it was better! No, not everything in my life turned out as I had hoped.  There was disappointments and obstacles, but in the end there were far too many amazing things that over shadowed them.

I began the year with a goal of completing my first triathlon.  I had no idea how this decision would impact me.  I did know how much I would love the sport. Honestly, I didn't even have a clear plan on how I would make it happen.  Somehow, it all fell into place, and I had the opportunity to cross the finish line 9 times this year.  There were 7 triathlons, one half marathon, and a relay.  Each and ever finish was special for a different reason.  In each race there was always a little doubt looming over me.  Doubt in my swim, doubt in my run, doubt in my own strength. Each time I was able to overcome the doubt, and each time I crossed the finish line a little bit stronger.

During my first year of triathlon I developed some unexpected, yet wonderful,  friendships; gained 10 pounds;  mentally and physically pushed myself farther than I ever dreamed possible; and learned lessons in perseverance. At times I questioned my own sanity and asked myself, "Did I REALLY pay money to do this?" There was a little blood, a lot of sweat, and some tears throughout the year, but there were no regrets.  Well, I guess I regret the 10 pounds.  

Since finishing the half Ironman in October, my volume of training has gone way down.  I guess you can say I'm shedding my fatigue from the season.  While it has been nice to take a step back from the intense training,  I am looking forward to getting ready for Ironman in the new year.  Yesterday I went on nice 25 mile ride with a couple of friends.  It felt so good to be back on my bike, and it made me more excited for the season to come.  Afterwards, I went over to CK Sports spend the gift certificate I won from North Texas Multisport that was burning a hole in my pocket.  I'm so excited to start the 2012 season with a new pair of tri shorts and a lap counter for the pool!!

I will always cherish the memories of 2011, and I'm excited to see what 2012 has in store.

"In the end, people either have excuses or experiences; reasons or results; buts or brilliance. They either have what they wanted or they have a detailed list of all the rational reasons why not."~ Anonymous

You Know You're Triathlete...

So, I've read lots of "You Know You're a Triathlete if..." type of lists, but most of them seem to be written by a married man.  I am NOT married or a man, so I thought I would come up with my own list.

You Know Your a Triathlete if....

18. You are broke!

17. You've traded in a car payment for a bike payment.

16. You're could care less what kind of car a guy drives.  You're more interested in the stickers on it and the bike he rides.

15. You feel like a slacker for only getting in a 25 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run over the weekend...even if it's the off season.

14. You've "chicked" a guy!

13. You've worn black dress socks over your white compression socks at work.

12. The guy you've been seeing regularly is not your boyfriend...he's your chiropractor.

11. If you're interested in a guy, you check him out on Athlinks before looking him up on Facebook.

10. Most of the time you are wearing a bra that slips over your head...even when you're not training.

9. You own lots of swim caps.

8. Peeing outside is completely normal.

7. Your dream tropical vacation includes a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 bike ride, and running a marathon....on the same day.

6. You've been envious of another woman's big thighs.

5. Some of the people you see the most don't recognize you WITH makeup on. 

4. You've had to cut your nails because of the darn chain grease stains.

3. You're not at all turned off by a guy wearing socks pulled up to his knees and shorts.

2. Guys look funny with hair on their legs.

1. You've said the words, "I should have taken in MORE calories!"

I WANT to...but I just don't

I want to love the bike trainer and the treadmill, but I don't.  There are so many reasons to love these two pieces of equipment.  For one thing you can watch tv while on them!  Who doesn't love that?  I have a ton of Ironman races on my DVR that I can turn on while I work out on my trainer.  You can use either piece of equipment anytime!  I can't exactly go out for a run or a bike ride at 5 AM, but I can hop on the treadmill or trainer!  This is also the time of year when it begins getting dark early.  By the time I get home from work and get ready for my workout, I'm confined to the indoors.  Boooo!!  Last year the treadmill really helped me when I was training for a half marathon.  We had several days of icy conditions, which meant no running outside.  There was the trusty ol' treadmill waiting for me at the gym.  Mother nature couldn't help me, but that big hunk of a machine sure could. It seemed so happy that I was running on it.  I was able to get my workouts in, including a 7 mile run, and stay on track with my training.  This summer I did some of my running on the treadmill because it was so freakin' HOT outside.  I also did some of my bike workouts on the trainer for this same reason.  It was kind of nice not having to load up a bunch of equipment into the car, but still not as fun being outside and actually moving forward.

This morning I did a 30 minute run with pick-ups on the treadmill, and this evening I have 45 minutes on the bike trainer.  I really wish I didn't dislike these pieces of equipment so much, but I can't help it. In fact, part of the reason I'm writing this entry is so that I can put off the trainer workout a little longer. Perhaps over the winter training I will learn to NOT hate them so much.  For one thing, I've stopped calling the treadmill the "dreadmill."

The bottom line is that it's time for me to suck it and do what I need if I want to be an Ironman!

"Some days the training was harder than the race was today." Desiree Ficker

And So It Begins

In the summer of 2010 my friend Jim signed up for Ironman Texas.  I remember how excited I was for him, and I also remember thinking that he was absolutely nuts.  Despite  how insane this 140.6 mile race sounded, I was intrigued and wanted to know more.  I began asking questions and found myself watching hours of Ironman video.  I couldn't help myself...it was addicting and inspiring.  I like to watch Ironman races while on my bike trainer, and sometimes as I eat ice cream or Nutella. This, my friends, is how I got bit by the triathlon bug. 

Crossing the finish line in Austin was, by far, the highlight of my first triathlon season. Througout the race, I told myself I would NEVER sign up for the full 140.6 miles. But after a few days and some sleep, I knew I had unfinished business with Ironman. I toyed around with the idea of IM Florida, but when it was time to sign up, I knew it wasn't my race.  My heart was set on Ironman Arizona 2012.

Today it became official. On November 18, 2012 I will be in Tempe, AZ competing in my first full Ironman.  The race sold out online in 10 minutes! My shakey fingers were able able to manuver through fast enough to get me in.  Several of my friends were able to get in as well, including Roger.  Roger and I did our first triathlon together in May, as well as our first half Ironman just weeks ago.  It only seems right that we take on our first Ironman together. Earlier this year we could barely swim the length of the pool.  I'd say we've made some progress.  What started out as a dream, is now a goal. Over the next year I will prepare mentally and physically to take on the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and a marathon.  I have never done any of these distances.  My longest open water swim has been 1.2 miles, my longest bike ride was 102 miles (over a year ago), and I've never run more than 13.1 miles.

I'm not sure that it's actually sunk in that I'm going to do an Ironman.  Many would say I need my head examined, and they're probably right.  Some people do Ironman to prove something to the world.  I'm doing it to prove something to myself (I just wish I knew exactly what I'm trying to prove). Ironman has been calling my name for a while, and now it's time to answer. Who know, perhaps in the process someone else will be inspired to turn their dream into a goal.  Maybe someone will see that the seemingly impossible IS possible. 

There is no way I could complete an Ironman today, but with hard work and dedication I know I'll get there...hopefully in 364 days. To say I have a lot of work ahead of me is an understatement!   Thankfully I have a community of triathletes for support and an amazing coach to guide me. It will be a year of sacrifices, but I'm ready!

"A dream is just a dream.  A goal is a dream with a plan and a deadline.  And that goal will remain a dream unless you plan and execute a plan of action to accomplish it.  Every goal that gets accomplished has a good plan behind it."  - Harvey Mackay

Top 70.3

My first triathlon season has officially ended, but I know another one is just around the corner.  The pinnacle of the season has certainly been training for and completing my first half Ironman.  Here is my top 70.3!!!!!!!!!

.3.  70.4 miles would have been too much

70. Carbs

69. The feeling of excitement when I filled out the registration form and hit send.

68. Unique tan lines

67. Recovery chocolate shakes

66. Recovery weeks

65. My coach

64. Racing with pros.

63. Race wheels

62. Discovering the Bobcat Kuntry store in Celina.

61. Recovery days

60. Compression socks.

59. Honey Stinger waffles.

58. My Austin roommates: Jeneen, Rebecca, and William

57. My students think I’m cool.

56. The sound of bike shoes clicking into the pedals. 

55. Improving my swim

54. Not worrying that I’m eating too much salt

53. Salt stains  

52. Spandex never needs to be ironed

51. Glide...oh thank God for Glide

50. The feeling of new running shoes.

49. Windhaven Hill no longer kicks my butt 

48. I don’t need Ambien anymore  

47. It was a good excuse to buy a new bike  

46. Riding in aero

45. Free swim cap

44. My grandfathers would have been proud

43. The smell of chlorine in the morning

42. Discovering I still I haven't found my limits  

41. Other triathletes 

40. Sunday long runs

39. Calling a bunch of sugar my “nutrition”

38.  Burning thousands of calories in a single workout

37. Tapering

36. Out-pedaling dogs

35. Compression boots at the chiropractor’s office

34. Pre-race breakfast

33. Sponges on the race course

32. Drag queens on the race course

31. Four hour training rides in Celina

30. Running over grasshoppers

29. Wetsuit strippers

28. Watching Michael Raelert run out of the swim

27. Post swim practice oatmeal

26. Long run in Eunice

25. Writing a blog

24. I get to wear 70.3 shirts

23. Getting Roxy an Ironman leash…she earned it

22. Finishing the 1.2 mile swim

21. Volunteers on the race course

20. Seeing my mom and dad on the race course.  

19. Pre-race workout at the race site with my friend Roger

18. Discovering that half the triathletes in Dallas were in Austin for the race

17. Orange slices on the run course

16. Water stations on the bike course

15. Down hills on the bike course

14. Seeing Penney in T1

13. Body marking

12. Training with Jeneen

11. Spray tents on the run course

10. Hearing someone else’s story during the race

9.   Running by the NTM tent

8.   Racing with so many of my friends

7.   Finishing the 56 mile bike course faster than expected

6.   Not caring when the wind kicked up on the bike

5.   Seeing the mile 12 marker on the run

4.   Rounding the corner and seeing the finish line

3.  Hearing the announcer call my name

2.  Crossing the finish line!!!!!!!!!!!!

1.  Having my friends and family there with me in Austin

Man, this was fun!!!

"I'd rather have more heart than more talent any day." Allen Iverson

70.3 Finisher

I can't believe the big day has come and gone.  After months of training and preparation, I was finally able to complete my goal of finishing my first Half Ironman.  It was an incredible end to my first triathlon season.  Here's my story.

We arrived at the race site just before 6 AM, and there were shuttles ready to take us to the swim start that was over a mile away.  I waited in a long line and actually got on a bus before I realized that I was supposed to drop off my run bag before getting on the bus. Sooo, I had to get off the bus and spirit to T2 to drop off my bag. Thankfully Rebecca was there to  lead to the way.  Guess I should have gone to the athlete briefing the day before.  I got back on the bus and finally made it to the swim start where I had to get body marked and get into T1 to set up my bike.  I almost left transition without putting any nutrition on my bike.  Glad I remembered or it would have been a rough day. 

After standing around a while, it was time! I made my way down to the start.  I was pretty nervous, but there were plenty of people who looked far worse off than I.  One girl was in tears.  I had already shed a few earlier, and completely understood. It was a pretty emotional experience. As we were standing in the water awaiting our start, the racer next to me asked if it was too late to back out.  "We can't back out.  We've worked too hard to get here," I told her.  It turns out that it was her second triathlon EVER!  I thought I was a little ambitious taking on a half Ironman my first season, but this girl had me beat.

The swim start was rough.  I wanted nothing more than to get out of the water.  Why had I signed up this?  This feeling of anxiety was something I felt during the swim start of other races, so I knew I could work through it.  "I can do anything for a little while," I told myself.  I knew I couldn't stop.  My mind went to the mental skills exercises my coach had me do, and to my race plan. I did some praying, and I thought of the people who have overcome incredible obstacles to do this type of thing. I thought of Rudy Garcia and John Blaze.  I though of the initial on my ankle for who this race is dedicated.  There was no good reason to quit.  I knew if I did that it would be a long day of regret  while watching others finish.  After the first turn buoy, the crowd thinned out and I began feeling better. There was still some contact, but not like the it was during the first 400 or so meters.  I didn't feel like was swimming all that fast, but I really wasn't concerned.  I just needed to get through it. In no time I made the second (and last) turn, and was on my way to swim exit. Before I could get there, I had to swim through the seaweed that seemed to be growing out of control.  I was afraid I would come out of the water looking like a swamp monster. Now that would have make a nice race picture! It was the greatest feeling of relief when I made it out of the water.  I actually dropped down and put my hands on the ground and thanked God.  My parents were there to cheer me on as I ran up the swim exit. Words cannot describe how good it was to see them cheering me on. I know I saw other people I knew, but most of it was a blur.  Just before entering T1 I was able to get some help with my wetsuit from some wetsuit strippers.  There were a number of people lined up ready to help peel your wetsuit off.  I looked for the guy who looked the strongest, and threw myself in from of him.

As I got to my bike, I saw my friend, Penny Meyer ready to head out on her ride.  I wished her good luck and she was off.  I knew I wouldn't be seeing her again for a while.  I shoved my dirty feet into my bike shoes, buckled my helmet, and threw on my sunglasses before taking off.  Jeneen was waiting for me at the end of transition and snapping pictures. Oh, how I wished she could have joined me on that bike ride. After all the training rides she did with me, it felt funny to ride off without. After hitting the course I quickly noticed that the screen on my Garmin was not the screen I wanted.  I ended up having to turn it off and turn it on,but I forgot to press start. I didn't realize this until mile 15.  Oh well!  I was still able to see my speed and heart rate.  I had my bike computer for time and distance.

The bike was where I earned my gold stars for the day.  I was flying...well, at least by my standards. Racers whizzed by me and I whizzed by others.  This is probably the only part of the day I would describe as fun. I knew this was going to a hilly ride.  This is what I had been preparing for.  All those hill repeats on Windhaven were about to pay off.  I was expecting the hills on the course to kick my butt, but they didn't.  I just followed my race plan...get in a low gear and spin up the hills. I had been warned about one hill in particular around mile 5 that would be waiting for me right after making a sharp right hand turn.  I was prepared and already in a low gear when I approached it. That hill sucked, but I was prepared.  One guy wasn't.  He was walking his bike up the beast.

One part of the ride I was a little nervous about, believe it or not, was the water stations.  I've never had to grab water while on my bike before and wasn't sure how it was going to work.  The first water station I went through was manned by a group of women in pink and black.  Boy, could those women cheer.  They were amazing.  They were all lined up ready to hand us sports drinks or water.  I gabbed for a bottle of water and didn't drop it.   At that point I realized that I should begin eating.  I had a Cliff Bar and a Stinger Waffle cut up into bite-sized pieces in my bento box. I also had a pack of Chomps in my tri top. Over the course of the ride I choked down my nutrition and was sure to drink plenty of water.  I didn't want the water to run straight through me, so I squeezed electrolyte drops in my bottle.  It made the water taste a little salty, which I didn't mind.

As I continued on the bike  I couldn't help but notice that I was smoking the course.  I was going faster than expected and feeling great.  I was worried that I might hurt my run if I kept up hammering the bike, but I just couldn't slow down.  It was too much fun. I passed a man in his 50s who was on a bike just like mine.  "Nice bike," I called out as I passed him.  Seconds later he passed me.  Now, this man did not look like a typical triathlete.  He didn't look very fit, so it was a little deflating to get passed by him. Throughout the course we took turns passing each other. I'm pretty sure that I eventually left him behind because eventually I stopped seeing him.  Toward the end of the bike ride the winds began to kick up.  Again, I was prepared.  Just a couple weeks earlier Jeneen and I did a training ride in the wind. It wasn't fun, but it definitely paid off.  I'm pretty sure the race wheels I rented for the weekend made a difference too. When I got to mile 40, with just 16 miles to go, I realized that I could possibly finish pretty close to the three hour mark. This was an unexpected surprise.  The miles ticked away and before I knew it I was headed into T2 with a 3:03 bike split....far exceeding my expectation.  I was expecting to finish the bike between 3:15 and 3:30.  My friend, Leon, was standing near the dismount line, so I yelled out, "I smoked the (bleep) out of that bike course."  Perhaps I could have cleaned that up a little, but I was so excited.  In fact, I was so excited that I ran up and down transition looking for my bag...that was hung in numerical order. I finally understand the shirt that says, "Lost in Transition."   My brain was only able to process so much.  I finally found my bag and got ready for my run.

Standing at the end of the transition area were Jeneen and my parents.  Again, it was so good to see them.  It was nice to start the run with a little encouragement from them.  When I ran out of transition I grabbed a drink and noticed an open port-o-potty.  I was willing to sacrifice the 30 seconds it would take to pee instead of just "going" as I ran.  For those of you that don't know, some triathletes are know to "go" on their bikes or while running.  I am not one of those, although, I would be lying if I said I didn't contemplate it on the bike. I was worried about the "spray" so I opted to wait until the run course to take care of business.

 At this point in the race I was pretty tired.  I had been in motion for almost 4 hours.  I looked down at my Garmin (that I remembered to start when I began my run) and saw that I was running under a 9 minute pace. Wow!  That only lasted a couple of minutes though.  My pace quickly began to drop. I wasn't sure how I was going to complete a 13.1 mile run at this point. It didn't seem possible, but I knew I would find a way. I would have to dig deep, and I mean REALLY deep. I knew I was in for some serious hurting.

My original race plan was to walk when I got to the aide stations, and then continue running when I passed them.  I ended up walking a lot during the run.  I didn't walk for long, but every few minutes I had to slow down.  The sun was beating down on me and I was struggling.  There were several hills on the course, and I hated every one of them.  I was praying.  I was fighting for each step.  There were two women on the course cheering on the racers.  "Fo-mo, forward motion!  Don' stop!" they would yell.  It helped.  I kept telling myself to just keep moving forward.  A slow step was better than no step.  I knew if I stopped that it would hurt more.  My feet ached!  One part of the course was dirt and rock.  I could feel each and every rock under my tired feet.

Because of the 3 loop course, I was able to see spectators and other racers multiple times.  Seeing my friends and parents on the course and hearing them cheer me on helped get me though the run.  Knowing that I was approaching the NTM tent always put a little pep in my step. I always found a way to run by the tent, and I tried to hide how bad it actually felt.  Every 10 or 15 minutes I would run into one of my friends who was also racing. They kept telling me that I was doing great and looking good.  At that point in the day anyone who was still moving forward really WAS doing great and looking good.  Those brief interactions always gave me a little more strength. On my second lap I found myself about to pass a guy wearing a Frisco Tri Club kit.  While I didn't know this guy, I did know others athletes from his club, so as far as I was concerned,  he was one of my friends. He was on his first lap and looked like he was struggling.  I tried to encourage him to just keep running, but just moments later I was the one needing encouragement.  We ran together for a little while and made small talk.  I found out that his name was Ken, and that he had back surgery a year ago.  Amazing! My time with Ken provided me with a little more of what I needed to continue and finish my second loop.  As I began my third  loop I saw the turn off for the finishers for the second time.  Man, how longed to go that way.  I had one more loop to go.  I could do it.

I wouldn't say the last loop was the easiest, but there was comfort in knowing that I didn't have to do another one. It made it possible to push through the pain and keep going.  I remember getting to the mile 10 marker and telling myself that I just had a 5K left.  I pushed as hard as I could to keep going.  I prayed for strenth and though about the finish line. When I was getting ready to pass the NTM tent for the last time Pete and Rachael stood up and cheered me on.  I knew that everyone else was inside waiting for me.  I didn't stop running.  I ran to where the course split, and this time I didn't have to keep looping.  It was finally my turn to veer right and head to the finish.  There weren't many people standing on this part of the course. Everyone was inside and it sounded like a party. I couldn't believe it!   I was so close to the finish line.  This was the moment I had trained for.  This was the moment I thought about every day for the last 5 months.  My emotions began pouring out.  This wasn't a quiet tear sliding down my face.  Oh  no, it was full on crying. I managed to compose myself as I rounded the corner and ran inside the building. I heard the announcer call my name as I ran the last few yard.  There were tons of people cheering and clapping, but all I could see was the finish line.  As my feet hit the Ironman carpet I knew it was official...I was a 70.3 finisher.

My goal was to finish in under 7 hours.  It turns out that I finished in 6:22:09.  This far exceeded my expectation.  After the race I heard a lot of comments about how hard the bike course was.  I agree, it's not an easy course, but I didn't find it all that bad.  I guess my coach did a pretty good job preparing me for it.  The run was hard and it hurt, but that's where you find out what you are really made of.  This isn't the part of the race I typically enjoy the most, but it is the most gratifying. There were moments that I didn't want to keep going, but I didn't want to quit either.  I knew if I dug just a little deeper I could find just a little more strength.  I did this over and over throughout 13.1 mile run. I think that's what keeps endurance junkies coming back for more.  There's a certain satisfcation that comes from digging deep and finding just a little more.

I'm so thankful that my mom and dad were able to make the 7 hour trip to Austin to experience this with me.  They were there to cheer me on the whole day!  I cannot explain how amazing it was to see their faces and here their voices as I passed them.  The day wouldn't have been the same without them.  Thank  you Mom and Dad for being a part of this journey.  I couldn't have done it without.  There is no one I wanted more at the finish line than you.

What's next?  I don't know, but I'm sure that I'm not done with the Ironman series.  Perhaps there will be 140.6...someday!  For now, I think a little rest is in order.

Congratulations to all my friends who competed in Austin 70.3.  We each have a different story to share, and we all can hold our heads up high and know that we gave this race everything we had.

"The race isn't over until you cross the finish line.  You'll be surprised at how much can change in the last twenty strides"  - Jackie Dugall

A Big Thank You!!

The big day is just about here and want to take the time to say thank you to some very important people. This has been an exciting journey, but I couldn't have done with the help of so many wonderful people. 

First and foremost, I have to thank my North Texas Multisport friends.  You guys made me feel so welcome from day one.  I wouldn't have made it through my first triathlon, much less my first season, without you guys.  Thank you all for inspiring, teaching, and encouraging me. There is nothing I love more than training and racing with you. Each and every one of you mean so much to me. You are more than just training partners, you are my friends. I also have to thank Triple Threat Tough.  I've enjoyed training with and getting to know so many of  you over the last few months.  You guys are awesome.  I feel truly blessed to be part of such  an amazing triathlon community. I am so excited to be surrounded by so many of my NTM and TTT peeps this weekend.  You all have definitely helped keep me calm this weekend.

I want to give a special thank you to Jeneen Connolly.  Thank you for doing so much of my training with me.  You definitely made it easier to get up for 5:30 AM swim practice, and I certainly wouldn't have made it though, or had as much fun, on those epic 4+ hour training rides.  You are an amazing athlete and friend.  Not only do you have a positive attitude, but you're a kick ass bike mechanic. You definitely have made this whole experience even more incredible.  I cannot wait to train with you for your first half.

I have to thank Tommy and Kristen for teaching me how to swim.  I had no idea what I was doing in the water back in January when I attended to your swim clinic.  Thanks to all your coaching over the last few months, swimming is now my strength!  You guys are amazing!! Another swim coach  that I absolutely must thank is Carlos, my swim coach at Cooper during the first half of the season.  Thank you Carlos for not giving up on me.  There were so many days I just wanted to get out of the pool and never return, but you assured me that I would get it.  You believed in me even when I was hanging on to the ropes because I couldn't swim the entire length of the pool.

A big thank you goes out to Kyle and Aaron at Plano Cycle for taking such good care of me and my bike over the last few months.  Aaron, thanks again for getting my bike figured out and putting my race wheels on for me. You guys rock!!

Of course, I must thank my chiropractor, Ron Tribendis.  Dr. T, I'm not sure my body could have carried me this far without your help.  Thank you for undoing the damage this sport has done to me. I swear there is a bit of magic in your hands.  You've given me so much great advice, and you have been so supportive of me.  Thank you for everything!

My biggest thank you goes out to my coach, Tommy Johnson. I have LOVED working with  you. I could not have picked a better coach, and there is no way I would have made it to this point without you.  You not only put together a stellar training program for me, but you helped me to develop a solid race plan.  I would have been completely lost on my own.  You always seem to know just what I need, and just when I need it.  You have no idea how much I appreciate all that you  have done for me.  Because of your preparation, I feel completely ready to take on my first half Ironman.  I should have know that a fellow St. Landry Parish native would be just what I needed!  From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

"Sometimes winning has nothing to do with being first across the finish line." John Bingham

It's the Final Countdown!!!

In exactly one week I hope to be basking in the joy of finishing my first half Ironman. Despite finalizing my race plan and the fact that I'm tapering, I don't think I've fully wrapped my brain around the fact that it's almost here.  This week is going to be a very busy week at work, but I'm hoping that will help to keep me from over-thinking the race. The distraction will probably be good for me because I'm sure I'll start to get very nervous as October 23 gets closer.

I'm feeling pretty good about race. Its funny that five months of training all come down to a single day.  Anything can happen that day. Hopefully I can keep a clear head and stick and to my race plan. A cheat sheet will be taped to the top tube of my bike and possibly written on my arm. Since I began my official training with a coach in mid June, I have swam over 53 miles, biked over 1,300 miles, and ran over 220 miles. I've stayed virtually injury free (thanks to my chiropractor), and I've only  had one flat tire. If  you read this before my race, please say an extra prayer that I don't get a flat on race day.

This week I  have some easy workouts planned.  The race wheels that I'm renting should be here on Tuesday, so I can test them out before the weekend.  I'm pretty excited about them! I'll have Zipp 808s on the back and 404s on the front...and yes, I know what that means.  If nothing else, they will make me LOOK cool and fast.  I get to eat lots of carbs this week!  In fact, I started by inhaling the spaghetti and meat sauce I picked up for lunch today.  My coach told me to add a little extra salt to my food this week.  OK!!  Most people are told to reduce their salt and carbs...not me!!  I guess this helps make up for all the days I've had to get up at 4:15.  Hydrating will also be important this week.  I have some tablets, called Nuuns,  I can add to my water for extra electrolytes.  They fizz up like Alka-Setlzer.

"The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself." Mary Schmich

Less Than Two Weeks To Go!!

This past weekend I went back to my home town of Eunice, La for my high school reunion.  My class was being honored at this years' Homecoming, and it was the 100th anniversary of the school.  I did run this by my coach first to make sure it wouldn't mess up my training too much since my half Ironman is only 2 weeks away.

I drove in to Eunice on Thursday night and laid low at my parents house.  On Friday morning I woke up and headed out for a two hour run.  I didn't realize just how small Eunice actually is until I had to do my long run there.  I had an idea of where I would run, but I ended up having to make up the route as I went along.  I ran by some of my old stomping grounds, including my school and the clothing shop I worked in. The clothing shop is now the patio to the restaurant next door. I even went by my dad's shop to refill my water bottles and say hi.  My run was awesome.  The weather was beautiful and the roads were pretty flat.  Lots of people that I didn't know waved as I passed by.  One man even stood at the edge of his drive way and gave me a big thumbs up, and then he threw out his hands and said, "Wow, what beautiful weather for a run!"

When I finished my run my mom fixed me a hot breakfast while I showered.  She even ironed some clothes that I would be wearing later.  Thanks Mom!  Typically I rest for a while after my long run, but not this day.  I had less than an hour to get ready and head out for the Homecoming festivities.

I spent the day catching up with my high school friends.  I even decided to take advantage of the drive-thru Daiquiri Shack around noon before heading to a get together at someone's house. In Eunice, noon is a perfectly acceptable time for an adult drink.  Because we were the honored class, we got to ride in the parade.  We hopped on the float (trailer with hay) a couple of hours before the parade started, and I don't think we got off the float until close to 10:00.   We really had a great time, but I was completely exhausted.  I drove home Saturday and was thankful that I didn't have any workouts planned for the day.

Yesterday, I had my last big training day.  I struggled to stay motivated during the hour swim, and my legs weren't feeling so hot during the bike ride. I was still a little tired from my trip and my legs were still punishing me for running around in dinky little flip flops all day after my long run.  To top things off, I got my first flat.  I ran over a rock on the road and knew right away that it wasn't good when I heard the sound of the air escaping from my tire.  We pulled over and Jeneen immediately took charge and helped me change my flat.  Ok, she actually changed it and I helped a little.  Thanks Jeneen!! After the bike ride, we headed out for a 30 minute run.

I need  to be extra good to my body over the next couple of weeks to ensure I'm in tip top shape for the race.   I've decided that comfort and support trumps cuteness when it comes to my shoes. I will resist the urge to visit the new Raisin' Canes that just opened up in my neighborhood. There will be no ice cream or Nutella in my house, and I will get more sleep.  I alway say I'm going to get more sleep and it doesn't seem to happen, so we'll see.

Last night my coach told me that it was time to start writing my race plan. To be honest, I was a little overwhelmed thinking about it.  There are so many details to consider. This will be the first race I'm having to travel, so that adds a whole new piece to my race plan.  Nearly 5 months of preparation is all coming down to one day. As Eminem says, "You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow..."   When I start to feel stressed over the race, I have to remind myself that this is a gift.  Not everyone gets to do what I'm doing. I get to go after one of my dreams!! I'm doing this because I WANT to do it...not because I HAVE to do it.  God has been so good to provide me with EVERYTHING I need to make this happen.  How lucky am I!!


"Our limits may not be where we think they are." - Chrissie Wellington, 4 time World Ironman Champion

Man, I Love Race Day

One of the many things I love about triathlon is the fact that we get to compete in the same races as the pros.  In most sports you have to BE a pro to compete in with the pros.  Today I got to race with Andy Potts!!!  Ok, so I didn't exactly race WITH him, but we were competing in the same race.  He began his race about 20 minutes before I did, and he was probably finished the whole thing long before I got off the bike.  I did get to meet him briefly and get a picture with him after the race.  He won the Toyota series and was smiling from ear to ear.  You can't blame him.  He's now heading to Kona to compete in the Ford Ironman World Championship next week!  Go Cutie Pie!!

Besides getting to meet Andy Potts, the race was a success in my book.  This was my second Olympic distance.  My first was in July at Disco.  I was a nervous wreck for Disco, but this time I was much more at ease. There was still a little nervousness at the start of the race, but that's to be expected.  Much to my delight it was a wetsuit legal race. I made my way down to the start and found my friend, Erin, from NTM.  She's a smoking fast girl in my age group.  We were relieved to finally jump in the water because our feet were freezing.  The water was warmer than the outside air.  The horn blew and the swim started.  There was some contact, but it wasn't so bad...or maybe I was mentally prepared so it was less stressful.  I swam steady the whole time and didn't freak out at all!  Progress!  The lake was low and my arms hit bottom long before the swim ended.  I stood up and felt my feet sink in the soft bottom.  I got back down and tried to swim...if you'd call it that.  It was more like a crawl. When I finally exited the swim I saw the race clock and knew I had made it out in 30 minutes. I was able to cut 5 minutes off my last Olympic swim.  Victory!  As you can see I was actually smiling when I got out of the water.


Getting on the bike, I knew I still had had to find a way to shave 2 to 3 more minute off my last race time if I was going to finish the race in under 3 hours.  I had to run up hill to T1, and then I had to ride uphill on the first part of the bike.  I took it easy for the first few minutes so I could get my heart rate under control.  It never happened so I just went by how I felt.  The bike course was one of the more challenging courses I've done.  There were quite a few hills and a little bit of wind.  The roads were also a little rough on the first 1/3 or so of the course.  Around mile 8 I finally was able to pick up speed.  I took advantage of my ability to go fast to make up for the beginning of the ride. Just before mile 20 I ran out of water.  I was still hoping to choke down another 100 calories or so, but since I didn't have water I decided not to chance it.  Besides, my stomach really didn't feel like it could handle much at this point.  Shortly after running  out of water, Tommy, my coach flew by me. His wave started a good 30 minutes or so after mine, and I figured he would pass me at some point.  We exchanged a few words and I was able to tell him that I shaved 5 minutes off my swim.  I suppose it could have waited until after the race, but I was still pretty excited about it. After 24 miles I was relieved to finally roll into T2.  The hills were draining my legs and I still had hilly 10K run.  I didn't shave any time off my bike time from my last race, so I knew I had to have a good run.

The run, like the bike, began with those pesky hills.  I felt like I was going in slow motion, but when I finally looked down, I was running at a 9:20 or so pace.  This is considered slow for a lot of people, but it's pretty good for me.  My goal was to keep my run  pace under 10:00. Normally I race with my NTM kit, but today I was sporting the Triple Threat jersey.  The run is where I really got to cheer for my fellow NTM and Triple Threat friends.  When Jeneen and I finally crossed each other I was yelling her name and waving my arms around.  She looked strong and focused....or maybe that look was embarrassment.  Perhaps I'm not racing hard enough if I can mange to yell for other racers.  There were a few times when I wanted to walk and I had to tell myself NO.  I think I even said it out loud.  I hope the other races didn't think I was talking to them.  Finally, after 57 minutes of running, I crossed the finish line in under 3 hours...2:55 to be exact.  I couldn't believe I shaved almost 9 minutes off my run.

I was pleased with how the race turned out.  I finished 12 minutes faster than last time, and this was a harder course.  Following my training plan is definitely paying off.  Today is just what I needed as I begin my final three weeks of preparation for Austin.  It had been over 2 months since my last race.  Someone Tweeted today that race day is like Christmas...if you've been good. I didn't take home prize money or a trophy.  Instead, I took a sense of pride in accomplishing my goal and having a good time.  I've been saying that I'm here to complete, not to compete.  I'm probably never going to be the girl who's smoking my age group, and that's perfectly fine.  Each day that I cans swim, bike, and run is a gift.  Each race that I can finish, and finish strong, is winning in my book.  Have I mentioned how much I love this sport?

I want to send a big shout out to all my NTM and Triple Threat peeps.  Many of you were out there kicking butt, and many of you were supporting and offering words of encouragement.  There is no way I would do this without all of you.  A very special thank you goes out to Coach Tommy.  I wouldn't be where I am today with this man.

Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born. - Dr. Dale Turner

3 Weeks and 3 Days!

Holy Moly, my half Ironman is 3 weeks and 3 days away.  There is so much going on between now and race day. The next few weeks are going to be super busy trying to get ready for the race as well as trying to keep up with everything else going on in life.

This weekend I'm competing in the Toyota U.S. Open Triathlon.  This will be my second olympic distance.  I did my first one in July in 3:07, and I'm hoping to finish this one in under 3 hours.  This race has been on the books for a while, but it really hasn't been on my radar until recently. This race will be a great way for me to measure my progress over the last few months.  This week I'm tapering so I should be ready to go by Sunday.

I spent the first couple days this week nursing a training hangover. It's not a whole lot different from a traditional hangover.  My training on Saturday consisted of a 3000 yd (120 laps, 30 football fields, or 1.7 miles) swim, 70 mile bike ride, and about 2.5 mile run.  My long run on Sunday ended up being 13.1 miles.  The first half of Saturday's bike ride was pretty good, except for the part when we were chased by dogs.  We managed to stay vertical, and the dogs kept all their fur.  The second half of the ride was straight into a head wind.  I hate dealing with the wind!  We tried to pretend like we were happy to have the opportunity to train in the wind because it would make us stronger, but we knew it was b.s.  We really just wanted an easy ride.  At one point I noticed a few of those tan colored grasshoppers again.  There weren't as many as there were a few weeks earlier (hmmm...), but I though that trying to run over them would help bring a little of the joy back.  It didn't work. The crunch of the grasshoppers under my tires didn't really give me the same satisfaction as it once did.

The wind continued to suck everything from my body.  I had a variety of nutrition with me, but nothing was hitting the spot. I knew exactly what I needed, so I pulled into the Bobcat Kuntry store in Celina for a jar of pickles. Yes, pickles.  Well, actually, I wanted the juice.  It may sound gross, but it sure did hit the spot. I really didn't even care that the jar had sat on the shelf long enough to collect nice black layer of dust.  I had just enough in my tank to make it the rest of the way back.  After loading our bikes into our cars, we headed out for a 30 minute run.  I was whipped when all was said and done. Thanks again to Jeneen.  I couldn't have made it without her.

On race day I'll have a 56 mile bike ride as opposed to the 70 that I did this weekend, but I'll also have 13.1 mile run instead of a 30 minute run.  I'm curious to see how it will all come together.  On Sunday I ran 13.1 miles for the second time ever.  The first time was in March for the Rock-n-Roll half marathon.  I ran the distance 13 minutes faster in March, but that was on fresh tapered legs.  On Sunday my legs were already tired when I began, but they didn't feel as bad by the end as they did in March.  Progress?  I'd say so.

I have no experience with the half Ironman distance, so I really don't know how bad it is going to feel.  That may be a good thing.  I'm sure this weekend's training was just an appetizer.  I expect to be very uncomfortable Austin.  This morning I went in for very unpleasant dental work...a temporary crown.  It was over 90 minutes of pure misery. Yes, I had drugs, and it still sucked!  During the procedure I kept thinking about my race, and how there may be times I want to quit because it's so uncomfortable.  I tried to think of my time in the dentist chair as my training in suffering.

I do take comfort in the fact that I will have tons of support in Austin.  My parents will be there. This will be the first time they will get to see me race.  I also have a ton friends who are making the trip out there, both to compete and to support.  There is nothing better than seeing familiar faces on the course.  Sometimes just hearing, "Go Amy" is all I need to dig a little deeper and find that little bit of strength I didn't know was still there and keep going.  I'm am one lucky girl!

"Courage means being afraid to do something, but still doing it." - Knute Rockne

The Not-So-Glamorous Life

I've embraced triathlon into my life and all that comes with it.  The training makes me feel great, and I'm toning areas of my body I didn't know I had. I also love the comradrey of other triathletes. There are, however, some not-so-glamorous aspects of this sport that I thought I'd share with you.  If you are a triathlete, I'm sure you can relate. 

1. I often smell like chlorine.  I shower after practice, but sometimes the smell lingers. 

2.  After a long run or bike workout I'm usually covered with salt. It's  the closest thing I get to microderm abrasion. It can feel like sandpaper on my eyelids when I blink.  As my hair dries, the salt makes my hair feel crunchy.  It reminds me of the days when I would curl my bangs with a curling iron and spray them down with Aqua Net hair spray.  I liked mine really "crunchy."  Stop laughing...everyone was doing it back then. 

3.  Running keeps things "moving"!  No need to try to add more fiber to my diet...I just go for a run. 

4.  My tan lines could put a zebra to shame.  I have tan lines from my bike/tri shorts, swimsuit, and various cycling/tri tops.  Last years' tan lines from my bike shorts never fully went away before I began working on them again this season. 

5.  Forget sleeping in.  The best training sessions are early in the morning. 5:30 AM swim anyone? Even on the weekend I am usually up by 5:00 or 5:30.

6.  I'm ALWAYS hungry.  I can put away a lot of food in a day.  My portions aren't big, but I eat ALL day long.  See my previous entry, "Hungry Girl" for more details.

7. My neighbors think I'm crazy.  I wonder what goes through their heads when they see me practicing  my transitions in the driveway?

8.  When nature calls, it doesn't leave a message, and a proper bathroom isn't always available.  If you're not willing to pee outside from time to time, this sport isn't for you.

9. Chaffing! That's probably all you want to know. I have an assortment of products to prevent and treat this problem. 

10.  Gear has taken over my house, car, and bank account.  I try to take all my gear out of my car when I get home, but something always get left behind.  There is triathlon stuff all over my house.  I think the guest bathroom is currently the only room that doesn't have any of my gear in it.  Because I'm training in three different sports, I am always in need of something. I would hate to add up what I've spent on this sport this year.

I absolutely love what I am doing and wouldn't trade any part of the sport. I'll gladly accept the tan lines, chaffing, early morning workouts, and smelling like chlorine if it  means I get to keep tri-ing.


"You have to wonder at times what  you're doing out there....but it always comes back to where it started.  It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment." - Steve Prefontaine

Remember...This is Fun!!

This weekend I put in over 7 hours of biking and running.  Almost 5 hours of  that was spent on the bike with my friend Jeneen.  She's a great training partner because we ride at approximately the same pace.  Yesterday we started our ride in Frisco, rode south to Plano and The Colony, made our way back up to Frisco, rode through Prosper, and then up to Celina, turned around near Gunter, and made out way back to Frisco.  It was a nice ride and the weather was beautiful.  Once we were north or Frisco we were pretty much riding in the sticks.

These long ride, despite nearly ideal conditions, can get boring  if you take it too serious.  When Jeneen and I hit Celina we stopped at a baseball park to refill water bottles and go to the restroom.  We couldn't help but notice the nice playground and the fact that there were no children enjoying it.  So, we decided we would play on it.  We went down the slides, climbed ropes, and rode on the little bouncy animals.  Yes, we did all this still in our helmets, and cycling shoes.  It was so much fun!

Somewhere around the three hour mark, we started seeing large tan grasshoppers covering the road. Some of them were pretty big.  Every once in a while one would hit my leg or my spokes.  I noticed that I was running over quite a few of them. Some of them may have already been dead, but I don't think they all were. There was something about the sound of the bug crunching under my tire that gave me satisfaction.   Soon, Jeneen and I were aiming for the grasshoppers like it was a video game.  I know it may sound cruel or sadistic, but it was fun, and it helped pass the time.  It's not like we even made a dent in the grasshopper population.  In fact, I'm sure the people living out there would be more than happy for this particular insect population to be reduced.  I guess you could say we were doing a service for the good folks living on the outskirts of Celina.  It's the least we can do in return for their smooth roads and clean restrooms.

As  we made our way back home we stopped again in Celina, but this time we stopped at the local Shamrock station for water.  We noticed that everyone walking in and out the store was wearing orange Celina Football t-shirts. High school football is a big deal in Texas, and this town is no exception.  It turns out that the Celina Bobcats were playing football that day and everyone was heading to the game.  It was obvious how much this town loves their Bobcats.

Overall, I would have to say that yesterday's long ride was anything but boring.  When this sports stops being fun, I'm out.  It's not like I have sponsors breathing down my neck to win, so I can afford to stop and have a laugh along the way.  Triathlon is my hobby, my break from the responsibilities and stresses of the real world.  Yes, I have goals in this sport that I plan on working as hard as I can to reach , but I can't forget to enjoy the journey.  In 20 years I want to look back at my first half Ironman and think about how much I enjoyed the whole experience, not how happy I was when it was finally over.  Jeneen, thanks again for joining me on my long ride.  I'll be sure to return the favor when you train for your 70.3.

If you set a goal for yourself and are able to achieve it, you have won your race. Your goal can be to come in first, to improve your performance, or just finish the race. It's up to you.
-Dave Scott, Triathlete

What the Hill

I knew this day was coming.  I had been anticipating it about as much as I had the August electric bill.  What is this you ask?  Running hill repeats!!!  I've been doing hill repeats on the bike for a while now, but I've been running on flat surfaces.  Sure, there are some slight inclines here and there, but to call them hills would be a stretch.  I knew at some point my coach would add running hill repeats into the mix. 

My workout began around 6:00 this evening with a one hour bike ride.  Since I knew I would be running hills after, I had a good excuse to take it easy....and I did, for the most part.  I ended up climbing Windhaven twice, but I took my good sweet time. Other than forgetting to take off the shorts that I threw on over my tri shorts, the ride was pretty uneventful.  I figured out that my cover up shorts were still on about halfway through the ride when I was stopped at a red light.  I was a little embarassed, so I pulled over in a neighborhood and shoved the shorts in the pocket of my tri top.

After my ride I threw on my running shoes and headed back to the hill.  Before I could run up the hill I had to run down. I began psycing myself up for the uphill.  When I got to the bottom I felt like I was challenging it to a fight.  I cocked my head back and stared it down.  I even told the hill (in not so lady like terms) that it wasn't that tough.  I continued to trash talk the hill the entire way up.  I kept my  head held high and my feet moving.  As soon as I reached the top I turned around and began heading back to the bottom.  One down, four to go. 

On the second hill I decided to time my climb.  It was about .3 mile, and it took me about 3.5 minutes.  My plan was to keep track of each climb to see if I could maintain my pace, but I forgot all about this great idea by the time third climb came around.  My ADD was kicking in.

I spent the remainded of the run picturing myself in Austin.  Did I want the spectators, espically my friends and family, to see my wincing in pain or struggling on the hills?  Of course not.  I tried to stay strong as I ran.  I kept thining of everything Coach Roberto told me about form....keep my head up and pump my arms back.  I pretended that Windhaven was Quadzilla, a  hill I've heard about on the Austin 70.3 course.  I finished my hill repeats without allowing myself to walk a single step, and I was still feeling good.  I still had a few more minutes of running to do, so I ran around neighborhood.  It was a good feeling knowing that Windhaven didn't kick my butt. I reward myself with a trip to the Chik-fil-a for a chargilled chicken sandwich with cheese (because I deserved the cheese) and a chocolate milk. 

I really don't know what the hills will be like in Austin.  People say the east side of the city isn't as bad as the west side as far as the hills go.  Lucky for me I'm racing on the east side.  Hopefully my training will prepare me for whatever the course has in store for me.  

The harder you work, the harder it is to surrender . - Vince Lombardi

8 Weeks To Go!!!

Hopefully at this time in exactly eight weeks I'll be crossing the finish line of my first half Ironman!! As I was running this morning I thought about something I've never really thought about before...what if I don't finish.  I really don't know how I would handle that.  Just thinking about it was pretty emotional.  You may get couple hundreds of training sessions, but you only get one race day.  Anything can happen on that one day.  It doesn't seem fair to DNF  after 5 months of preparation, but it does happen.  Since June 14 I've spent about 56 hours on the bike, 30 hours swimming, 11 hours doing strength training, and 25 hours running...and I've got a lot more to do. 

A few weeks ago I actually felt like I was close to being ready for the race, but now I'm not so sure.  I think I'm ready for the swim and the bike, but the run is another story. Today I had 1.5 hour run that I began right after open water swim practice.  My legs felt heavy and I couldn't seem to break a 10 minute pace.  I was doing a 5 minute run / 1 minute walk combination and ended up averaging 11:28 min/mile.  Toward the end I was struggling to maintain a jog. Part of this could have been due to hydration issues.  My fuel belt only holds 20 oz of water and this wasn't enough. At one point I spotted a water fountain so I began downing the water in one of my bottles so I could fill it up.  I'm sure you can imagine the four letter words that slipped out of my mouth when I discovered that the fountain was turned off.  Really!!!  We are in the middle of worst heat wave in over 30 years and the city of Lewisville decides to turn off a drinking fountain!! While I should have had more water, I'm not sure I can completely blame hydration today.  I'm going to try tweaking my eating and sleep habits this week.

I still have this nasty sweet tooth that won't let up.  Last week I bought my first and last jar of sweet chocolaty Nutella.  I couldn't stop eating it and vowed to never buy it again.  My friend Jeneen suggested that I just finish off the jar and be done with it.  I did finally take her advice and went to town on the remainder of the jar.  Now that the Nutella is gone I'm going to restock my pantry and fridge with healthy fruits and snacks.  People kept telling me that Nutella isn't that bad if you compare it to peanut butter or jam, but I don't typically open a jar of PB or jam 5 or 6 times a day to grab a spoonful...or two...or three.  I'm sticking with almond butter because I like it, yet I've never had any desire to reach in and eat it with a spoon.   

Since I don't get to take naps between morning and evening training sessions I'm going to have to be better about going to bed early.  This week my goal is to be in bed by 9:00 every night.  We'll see if the extra sleep and reduced sugar add a little pep to my step. 

As much as I'm looking forward to race day, part of me is a little sad that I only have 8 weeks left.  I like having a goal to work toward.  Last October I began training for my first race, a duathlon, and I've been in training ever since.  After the duathlon I turned my focus to the Rock n Roll half marathon, then my first sprint triathlon, and now my first half Ironman. By the time Austin comes around I'll have been in training for a full year.  I'll wait until October 24 to decide what's next.

"There's no thrill in easy sailing ... but there IS satisfaction that's mighty sweet to take, when you reach a destination that you thought you'd never make."
— Spirella

Oh...there IT is!!!

Last week was a much needed recovery week in my training. I had my first day off from training in three week.  It was also my first day back to work after summer vacation.  During my recovery week I was still training, but the volume and intensity were much lower.  I wasn't really "feeling it" during my workouts. Most workouts felt more like a job than my passion.  Where was my spark, my excitement?  I figured the combination of fatigue, the heat, and my return to work after summer vacation was to blame. 

This week began a new week of training...a nice 14 hour week complete with hill work and 4.5 hour brick.  Monday was an off day so it I had no problem staying motivated NOT to workout.  I  went in to see my chiropractor for some much needed maintenance. Tuesday began with a 30 minute run on the dreadmill and 30 minutes of strength training.  I struggled to get through both of them...especially the running.  It wasn't a physical struggle.  It was a mental one.  The mental struggles of this sport are far worse than the physical ones.  Tuesday evening consisted of interval training on the bike.  That workout wasn't too bad, but I wasn't lovin it. My bike workouts are usually my favorite.  This morning I had swim practice and then a 45 minute run after work.  The heat made it impossible to get excited about my run today.  Even the thought of running in my new running shoes wasn't doing it for me.  All I could think about was runnng 45 minutes on the dreadmill tonight and then waking up early tomorrow morning and running on the dreadmill again.  (FYI, dreadmill is not a typo.)

For one reason or another, I decided to suck it up and run in the heat tonight.  When I walked out the door I was pleasangly suprised to be greated with a nice wind.  This wasn't the cursing kind of wind I batteled on my bike during the spring.  This was the kind of wind Mother Nature sends to try to make peace with all the people she's been pissing off.  She even threw in a few clouds.  It actually wasn't too bad outside.

About a mile into my run I found IT...my spark, my excitement.  I wasn't running fast, but I was enjoying every step...in my new shoes.  Ahhh, it felt good again to run.  I was running on the trails that travel east and west through Plano.  Other runners and bikers were taking advantage of small break in triple digit temperatures too. Most people on the trail are generally courtious and polite, but tonight everyone seemed extra friendly. The ducks even looked happier than they had in awhile. My 45 minutes were over before I knew it.  I would have loved to just keep going, but I'm paying good money for someone to tell me when to train and for how long.  Hopfully my 4:30 AM dreadmill run will be just as enjoyable....ok, I know it won't, so I'll settle for tolerable. 

Last week's recovery week couldn't have come at a better time.  Yes, I was physically in need of it, but the mental break was just as as valueable.  I think I've been underestimating the mental endurance required for this sport as well as the importance of mental recovery.  My body only needed a week of recovery, but my mind needed a week and half.  I think all systems are back on track and ready to take on the rest of the week.

"It ain't about how hard you can hit...it's how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." Rocky Balboa

Michael Phelps Can Rest Easy!!

Learning how to swim has definitely been the hardest part of becoming a triathlete.  I remember the day I walked into the swim swim shop in January to buy my first swimsuit that was actually made for swimming.  I felt like I was in another world.  I had absolutely no clue where to even begin.  Luckily, a nice woman working there explained everything and helped me choose a suit, cap, and goggles.  I don't think I had ever owned a pair of goggles, and I definitely had never worn a swim cap.  I didn't even know how to put one on.

A couple of days later I showed up for my first swim lesson.  It was a two hour swim clinic hosted by Triple Threat Tough, and I was so nervous. While I knew how to swim, or rather move from point A to point B in the water, I  knew nothing about proper form and technique.  The coaches, Kristen and Tommy (Tommy is now my amazing personal coach), were very patient with me.  They taught me so much in just two hours.  There was so much to think about....head down, elbow up, kick, don't kick too much, breathe, reach. 

Shortly after the clinic I joined North Texas Multisport and began going to masters swim with several of the other members.  I showed for my first swim practice and was shocked to learn that I would be swimming in an outdoor pool.  It was January and about 40 degrees.  I remember thinking, "What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

At this point I didn't know any of the people I was swimming with, so each practice was a humbling experience.  My movements in the water somewhat resembled swimming, but I'm not sure you could actually call it "swimming."  Everyone else seemed to glide through the water beautifully.  I was impressed  that they could swim to the end of the pool without stopping and then turn around and swim back.  I had to stop and hold on to the ropes in the middle of the lane. Coach Carlos modified everything I did for the first 2-3 months.  As the weeks went on I got to know my fellow swimmers, and eventually a couple more people showed up who had as little experience in the water as I.  We had our own lane that I often refered to as the Guppy Lane. It took a few months, but I eventually got the hang of this whole swimming thing. 

At this point in my training I usually go to swim practice two morning a week with Triple Threat, and then my coach gives me an additional swim workout that I can do on my own. I'm happy to report that I no longer swim in the Guppy Lane, and I'm not the slowest person in my lane.  Sometimes in the middle of practice I look out at the pool full of swimmers and can hardly believe that I'm a swimmer.  It's nice to finally be able to hold my own in the pool.  The coaches are no longer modifying anything for me.  They are still giving me advice on making my stoke more efficent, and it is getting better.  My shoulders and arms are even begining to look like those of a real swimmer.  Don't get me wrong, you won't see me exiting the swim first in a race, nor will you see me competing along side of Michael Phelps. 

People have told me that they would do a triathlon if it weren't for the swimming.  I guess those people don't really want it that bad.  Swimming is not easy.  You can't just stop when you get tired...you'll drown.  Like many things in life, it takes work.  There were many days in the pool when I didn't think I would ever get it.  Like I said, it took months of working on my stroke and building my endurance to feel comfortable.  The 1.2 mile swim of my half Ironman still makes me nervous.  That feeling probably won't go away, so I'll use it to motivate me when the alarm goes off at 4:30 AM for swim practice.  Sure, I can turn off the alarm and get another hour or so of sleep, but 1.2 miles isn't getting any shorter. 

"There is no failure, only feedback." Mark Allen

Hungry Girl

Training for a half Ironman is a lot of work.  So far my training hasn't been that hard, just a larger volume.  When I decided to embark on this journey I knew it wouldn't be cheap, but I knew I could make it work.  I've found ways to pay for my coach, race fees, and gear, however, one thing I didn't factor in was the amount of food required to fuel this body for the higher volume of training.  Good Lord, this half Ironman wanna-be can put away some food! 

I recently mentioned to my coach that I eat ALL the time.  I'm not necessarily eating huge meals, but I am snacking and eating small meals all day long...and I mean ALL day long.  He said that it is good to eat more smaller meals, and that I should keep non-processed snacks on hand.  He suggested things such as yogurt, eggs, nuts, fruits, and juice. 

I've been trying to keep the "junk" out of my house, but it keeps sneaking its way in. It's a little embarrassing to admit, but I did devour a can chocolate frosting in three day last week.  I haven't noticed weight gain yet, but I'm sure I'm eating way more sugar than I actually need to and it will catch up with me.  In order to see just how much I actually eat, I decided to write down everything I put in my mouth for a day. 

I'll spare you the detailed list of what I ate, but I did notice that I eat almost every hour to hour and half.  I also noticed that I do get a fair amount of fruit, protein, carbs, and healthy fats. Vegetables, on the other hand, seem to be lacking.  The day I wrote everything down wasn't as big of an eating day as the previous days.  This could be because my body had finally had enough sugar and needed a break, or the idea of writing things down may have kept me from stuffing my face.  It may have also been that I already ate all the junk in my house that tempts  me. 

As an endurance athlete (I still feel funny saying this), I know that I need more calories than the average women.  I also know that I will likely burn most, if not all, of what I'm eating.  I want to fuel my body with the good stuff. Fueling my body with chocolate frosting, sugary cereal,  Kathy William's chocolate chip cookies,  and Rachael Kryzsaik's cupcakes may be quite enjoyable, but it won't get me though 70.3 miles of swimming, biking, and running. 

Here are a few of my favorite healthy snacks and mini-meals:
-English muffin or whole grain waffle topped with almond butter, sliced bananas, and honey
-Quaker oats, soy milk, dried cranberries, and a little honey.  Don't cook it...just let it sit in the fridge for a little while and enjoy. Hits the spot after a morning workout.
-Greek yogurt
-Raw almonds with dried cranberries
-Nectarines
-Smoothie made with bananas, soy milk, and any frozen berries on hand
-Baked chicken with BBQ sauce
-Breakfast wrap - tortilla, 2 egg white and 1/2 yolk, salsa, avocado


"Suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope." Romans 5 3-4

I Want To Ride My Bicycle I Want To Ride My Bike

Apparently the song "Bicycle Race" by Queen has taken up residence in my head this week. 

This past weekend I had another triathlon, but this time it was just a sprint.  The swim and the bike were pretty short followed by a nice 5K run. The race was fast and fun.  This week I'm finally getting back to my 12+  hours of training per week after two back to back race weeks.  Training is always lighter on race weeks. This week my training consists of four hours of swimming, two hours of running, four and half hours of biking, and two hours of strength training.  I must say, it feels good to be back to a full training schedule. 

After each race I study my results and compare them to the other racers as well as my previous results.  It helps me to see where my strengths and weaknesses are. I just learned to swim a few months ago, so I was surprised to see that it tends to be my strength. Since I've been cycling for 3 years my bike should be stronger than it is. I would like to see 18-19+ mph average on my bike. My coach suggested that I might be too relaxed on the bike when I race. I do tend to enjoy that part of the race the most.  I'm always looking out for people I know so I can cheer them on, admiring the bikes of the other competitors, and thinking about how much fun I'm having.  Perhaps deep down I don't want the fun to end so I don't go as fast as I can. Perhaps not!!

 This week I did interval training and hill work on the bike.  I was happy to see these on the training  schedule this week, even though I wasn't looking forward to doing them.  These types of workouts are great for building strength, which I need,  so bring them on! 

I did the interval training at White Rock Lake.  I usually make the trip down there if I have to ride alone, and I'll only go in the morning during the week to avoid the crowds.  This week I brought my new tri bike out there.  I learned two important lessons that day.  #1 - Don't do interval training in your aero bars on your tri bike at White Rock Lake.  #2 - If you have new equipment, make sure it's working BEFORE heading out for a training session.  WRL is a popular place for runners and cyclist.  I warmed on the portion of the trail I would be sharing with runners, and saved the actual intervals for a stretch of road on the west side of the lake.  What I didn't think about was how curvy this road it.  I think interval training would work better on a straight road next time.  I did the best I could, and make a mental note to find another place for this type of workout.  When I bought my new bike last week I had a new computer installed that measures cadence since some of my workouts, like intervals, requires me maintain a certain cadence for a given period of time.  I hadn't tested this feature before hand, so I didn't know that it wasn't working.  I should have checked this out earlier.  Lessons learned. 

Yesterday morning I got up early and met a fellow triathlete, Sharon, for some good ol' hill repeats on Windhaven Hill.  Sharon and I have the same coach, and we just happened to have the same workout.  We had 12 hill repeats that were broken up into six sets of two.  This type of workout can be a beat down, but having someone doing it with helps. I did notice improvements on this hill workout vs the last one.  For a long  time I viewed this hill as my enemy, but I am determined to make it my friend.  We're getting along a little better than we used to, but our relationship still needs work.  To be honest, though, this isn't the hill I'm really interested in having a good relationship with.  If I can get Windhaven to quit kicking my butt, then maybe, just maybe, the hills of Austin will have mercy on this 70.3 first timer in October. 

"This is not Disneyland, or Hollywood. I'll give you an example: I've read that I flew up the hills and mountains of France. But you don't fly up a hill. You struggle slowly and painfully up a hill, and maybe, if you work very hard, you get to the top ahead of everybody else." -Lance Armstrong

Disco Olympic

This past weekend I competed in the Olympic distance at Disco.  Here's how the day went down.

My alarm was set for 3:30, but I was up and moving by 3:15.  I went through the usual pre-race routines.  I wrote down the initial of a special baby boy I've been dedicating my races to, my nephew.  God called him home before he ever took a breath.  He reminds me to live life to the fullest, so he has become a huge source of inspiration throughout this triathlon journey. I had my usual breakfast of coffee (a must on race day for several reason), whole wheat English muffin with almond butter (the fresh kind you grind yourself at Whole Foods)and sliced bananas drizzled with a little Texas honey.  Since it was going to be a HOT race day here in north Texas, I went ahead and popped a salt tab too. 

The race start time was moved up to 6:30 AM due to the extreme heat, so I had to leave my house around 4:15.  Throughout the hour plus drive, I had a sinking feeling that I left something.  Is my bike in the car?  Did I pack my swim cap?  Did I remember to grab my water bottles from the freezer?  Are my shoes in my bag?It was all there. 

After unloading my bike from the car I noticed a line of racers with bikes in toe walking quietly in a line to transition, so I slipped in.  It was still dark, and I couldn't help but notice how quiet it was...the calm before the storm. Everyone was either deep in though about their race plan or scared to death.  I think I was the latter.   I got my body marking and set up my transition area.  I had socks and my Sweat Gutr packed, but I wasn't sure if would use them.  I went ahead and placed them on my transition mat (old towel).  I made small talk with a few other racers who were setting up next to me. They seemed a little more relaxed than I.  I grabbed my timing chip and ran into some of my NTM friends.  Seeing them did help me to ease my nerves a little, even though one of them mention that I looked pretty nervous.  He was right, but if they weren't there I'm not sure I could have started the race.  After squeezing a packet of Gu into my mouth I made my way down to the beach. 

I stood with my feet in the warm sand looking out over the lake. Boy, were those turn buoys FAR. My stomach was doing  flips, and I was praying I wouldn't throw up before hitting the water. It was finally go time!  A guy with an big wild wig, disco pattern polyester bell bottoms, and chunky white high heel shoes gave us the swim direction. He looked very official!  The horn blew for my wave and  we were off.  I positioned myself toward the back of the pack since I'm not a particularly fast swimmer. This wasn't my first open water swim, but I was still scared to death. The first few hundred meters felt like swimming in a washing machine.  Luckily I didn't get pushed under water, but there sure was a lot of contact.  Arms, legs, heads, and other unidentifiable body parts grazed and grabbed my body. I wanted out of the water!  1500 meters seemed too long. Why did I sign up for this?  Why was I thinking when I signed up for the half-Ironman?  I had to relax and remind myself of the hours of training I put into this race.  Did I really want to quit?  Did I really want to to admit to people that I couldn't finish the swim?  Absolutely not.  But my biggest reason for continuing was the initials written on my ankle.  This was HIS race!  I couldn't quit, so I just kept swimming. A few minutes into the swim I got a welcomed break.  We hit a sand bar which gave me a few seconds to stand up and take a few good breaths and try to find my turn buoy. It was hard to see, so I followed the yellow swim caps.  By the time I made that first turn I was feeling better. I tried to think of everything my swim coaches told me, but I could only focus on good form a few stroke at a time. The pack was thinning out and I was trying to image how long I had been in the water.  My concept of time was gone, while the after taste of  my morning Gu and organic vitamins were not. Finally, the second turn buoy came into view, but it felt like I was swimming in place.  It just didn't seem to be getting any closer.  At this point my right shoulder was beginning to feel fatigued, but I knew I could make it. I finally made the last turn and knew the end was near.  The excitement began to build. I thought, "We made it baby boy!" I swam until my hand hit the bottom.  I was grinning from ear to ear when I emerged from the water. I saw lots of red NTM shirts and they were shouting my name. It was a wonderful moment.

I began making my way to T1, which was a nice little hike up a hill.  Volunteers were stationed along the way spraying down our sandy feet.  Rather than running, I opted to walk, quickly of course, to try to get my  heart rate down.  It was in the 180s when I got to my bike.  I decided to throw on my Sweat Gutr, and I'm glad I did.  I felt great throughout the bike. I couldn't get my heart rate down, but my perceived exertion wasn't that high so I didn't worry about it.  I got passed a lot, and I did my share of passing on the bike. My friends and I cheered each other on throughout the ride.  I was feeling good and having fun.  I savored the moment.  At this point, the rough swim start was a distant memory.  Before I knew I was at mile 18.  "We did  it baby boy," I called out.  I knew that sweet baby boy was with me and that he was proud.  There was one big climb (by Texas standards anyway) in the last few miles.  I dropped to the lowest gear I could and tried to keep my heart rate down.  I finished up my last few miles and made it back to T2.

I quickly racked my bike and prepared for the 6.2 mile run. My socks were sitting on my pink running shoes so I grabbed them and put them on my feet.  No doubt, this was the best decision I made all day.  I have to thank my friend Lorenzo for this one. A few months ago he didn't put socks on for the run portion of his half Ironman, and it turned out to be a huge mistake.  His feet got wet and were bloodied and blistered by the end.  Lesson learned! Wear socks! I made my way out of T2 grabbing as much water as I could.  My pace was fast and my heart rate was high.  I slowed things down a bit, but I couldn't get my heart rate down. My legs were feeling good, but aerobically I was struggling a bit.  I found myself walking for 10 to 20 seconds every few minutes.  I was beginning to feel the heat, but it still wasn't quite as bad as I was expecting.  There was a fair amount of shade on the course, and my salty sweat was staying out of my eyes thanks to the  less than fashionable Sweat Gutr hiding hiding under my visor.  I had my own cheering section on the course.  My friends were volunteering at the aide station I passed through 4 times on the run.  Their voices and encouraging words kept me going. They even poured cups of cold water on my head as I ran through. There's nothing like VIP treatment at the aide station. I pushed as hard as I could on the last mile. As I approached the finish line I became a little emotional thinking about the little angle I was racing for.  I felt him with me the entire race. He got me through it, and I know he was proud.  This was, after all, his race. 

My overall time was 3:07:33...35:31 on the swim, 1:21:36 on the bike, and 1:05:13 on the run. I was hoping for under three hours, but that may have been a lofty goal for my first Olympic distance.  I took home a cool finishers medal and a third place trophy for my age group. At the end of the day I'm happy with my performance and was able to fix the nutrition issues I had during my previous race. Being able to overcome a stressful swim start was a victory in itself.  This race reminded me just how big of a challenge my upcoming half Ironman will be.  As much as it scares the hell out of me, I'm looking forward it. 

"Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work  you already did." Newt Gingrich

Finding "The One"

About a year and a half ago I began seeing a chiropractor for a pinched nerve in my back.  Oh, how I looked forward to each and every appointment.  It took several weeks, but I finally began to notice a difference.  The shooting pain down my arm was finally gone after many years.  I continued to see my chiropractor for maintenance until he closed his practice.  This is when the adjustment table hopping began.

Fast forward five chiropractors and a year later.  On the recommendation of another triathlete I began seeing my current chiropractor, Ron.  I made the switch around the time I began feeling a pain near the heal of my left foot. He uses a technique known as ART (Active Release Technique).  I wasn't sure what to expect.  He began pressing down on the inside of my shin while I moved my foot up and down and tried my best not to cry out four letter words or kick him in the face.  I'm not going to lie, it hurt!  He also gave me one of the best adjustments I've ever had, so I was able to forgive the pain he caused.  My previous chiropractor adjusted me a few days earlier, but  Ron seemed to do it better.  He put my hips and ribs, yes, I have ribs out of place, back where they belonged.  The soreness began to set in shortly after I left the office.  I could actually feel that my hip had moved.  It wasn't painful, but it was noticeable. 

I've been seeing Ron for 3 weeks and cannot believe the difference it has made.  After one session  the pain in my foot was significantly better.  Now, it's almost nonexistent.  We're still working on a knot on the back of my shoulder where the ribs are out of place.  The knot has been there for years and causes neck pain and head aches. The massage therapist in the office, Mary, is also helping with this.  This is not the kind of relaxing massage you look forward to.  It's like paying someone to beat the crap out of you for 30 minutes. I tried to relax and breath, but we all know that it doesn't really help. I'm going to see her again next week after my triathlon.  Hopefully the pain I feel during the race will help to prepare me for the stabbing pain of Mary's elbow being jammed into my back. 

Pictured to the right is my new favorite thing at the chiropractor's office...compression boots!!  These puppies fill up with air and compress around your legs.  It starts at your feet and slowly moves up your legs to your thighs.  It pushes the lactic acid out of your muscles and leaves your legs feeling fresh.  Words cannot describe how much I love this machine. 

I know people have mixed feeling about chiropractors.  I view them as any other doctor...there are good ones and bad ones.  It's also not a one size fits all kind of thing.  Like I said, I saw several chiropractors before finding the right one for ME, and it has made all the difference.  Yes, there have been some "uncomfortable" moments, but typically the techniques they use don't really hurt. There is no way I could make it through the next 100 days of training for Austin 70.3 without my chiropractor.

"Pain is weakness leaving your body." USMC