Train-This

ready to go

2009-07-14T07:45:00.005-04:00

I have a full day off today except for working. I have everything ready to go days in advance. My plan is simple and I keep memorizing it. All I have to do.... is do what I am told. As I think to what is in store for me on Sunday I think abut the plan that I have trusted. It is much more about executing the plan than anything. Save the ass kicking for Clearwater. I have won races, I have lost races. I have DNF'd races, I have qualified for Hawaii. I have been to World Championships...... so this Sunday I have nothing to lose by sticking to the plan.

Bike for show, run for dough.

Yesterday I headed down to the Geneva Bike Shop in Geneva NY. It's the official bike shop of the Musselman and recently named in the 100 best bike shops in the country. Jim Hogan is the owner and while he knew I was coming I don't think he wad ready to spend 2+ hours on my bike.

I have been without a true bike mechanic for a year, I have bounced around to a couple of people but I have not found my new bike home. I like an old school bike shop feeling and when I hung out at Geneva Bikes yesterday it's what I found.

You'd think a shop in such a small town would be hurting for business. Not so. Sure there were a few triathletes trickling in but there was a grandmother buying bikes for the granddaughters. A couple in town to rent bikes. A guy who was on his way to work who broke something.

This is what an old school bike shop is like. Come on in, have a seat... how are the kids?

Each adjustment and fix Jim made he found something else. I'm hard on my bike. At one time 3 guys were working on it at a time.

I will say I have found my new bike shop and my new bike guy. This is my new home.

It was good to be in Geneva yesterday. A small town with a hometown feel. A beautiful lake. Musselman posters everywhere. Locals stopped to ask me..... are you coming down for the race? Unlike what seems to be a growing hatred for Ironman athletes up in Lake Placid year after year, Geneva is excited for us to come for the sixth year in a row.

They can't seem to wait.

It will be an Eggers family weekend here. Curt is doing the Mini Mussel on Saturday, I am in the half on Sunday and Luc is in the Musselkids. Festivities are lined up on the waterfront the whole weekend to include music, wine and kite flying.

You just gotta come.

Lots has changed since NOLA. I am 10 pounds lighter. I am with a new coach. I am training smart and recovering well. I am in a very good emotional and physical place.

Sunday..... I get to kick off my racing season. I can't wait!

Signing off until after the race..... thanks for the cheers!

fastest bike split of the day!

2009-07-12T19:50:00.004-04:00

How many times have I heard this? Seen this? It's my darn trademark. It's where I have won every race I have ever won...... on the bike. Fly on the bike.... die on the run. I'm a classic at it.

Next Sunday I check my ego at the door of the bike course and I get my mind wrapped around the runner that I am becoming. The choke collar will be on. "I will be analysing that power file." Coach reminded me tonight. We will be setting up for my first ever strong run and well paced 1/2 Ironman race. It's no secret I have not paced myself at this distance well. That changes right now. I am on the way to the World Championships and the ability to pace will begin right now.

Next Sunday is about pacing + nutrition+ execution. All I have to do..... is what I am told to do.

Excellent. I can do that. Ego.... check it at the door. Done.

As Trevor used to say..... bike for show..... run for dough.

My 3:03 (yes.... three hours and three minute) ride was done along 20A in Orchard Park, towards Warsaw. If you know that area then you know it makes Placid seem rather flat. 10-15 minute climbs and 5 minute descents. It's gorgeous but tough. There were times I saw 36 for cadence. 5.6 for speed. I was nailing my nutrition to the wall. I was eating at my highest heart rate and smiling. Bring me a damn steak!!!!!!!

This weekend it feels like I consumed more PowerBar product than whole food and peed on myself more than in a toilet. I bring new meaning to the word STINK.

The 30 minute run felt like a breeze. Cadence 96. Did you know that Cait Snow, 2008 Ironman Lake Placid Champion (and my teammate.... sorry but I have to make a reach here....) runs with a cadence of 105?

Coach is teaching me that I need to think like a runner. Gone are the days of having that fastest bike split of the day..... and just holding on for the run praying I have built enough cushion. In 2004 I came off that bike so far ahead of Donna McMahon, and she ate 12 minutes out of my 16 minute lead....... she just ran out of real estate. I am learning to think like a runner.

Part of my mental strategy on the bike will be to rev up for that run. I have an assigned pace and I am to hold that pace. I am to take nutrition as I am told to. I am to sit on my bike seat and get passed if I get passed and let it happen. Get ready for the run.

Truth be told I am feeling like a runner, I have never felt that before. My E paced has dropped to 8:30. My cadence again is averaging 96. I am enjoying running more than ever before. I loved hill repeats. I am looking forward to being on the track post Mussel for the first time.

"We've just gotten started here." I was told. This is the stuff I have signed up for.

Like I said..... that bike ego will be checked right here and right now. "Nice bike split" is something I don't want to be known for. "GREAT RACE." Is what I want. Equal splitting in all 3 disciplines.

6 days till race day!

transition tips

2009-07-11T07:46:00.000-04:00

Here is a great 8 minute video demonstrating transitions!

how to slice a mango

2009-07-10T05:43:00.001-04:00

This is for Damie!

black flies in summer

2009-07-10T05:22:00.004-04:00

Needing to put myself in a spot where things would be tough, after my tempo bike ride I headed down to a trail near my house. In one direction it was shaded, in the other direction it was open. Green and trees on either side but nothing to cover overhead. Crushed stone provided the perfect surface and black flies. There's nothing like running 1 mile repeats when being circled by black flies.

Perfect, I thought. Make it tough.

The workout called for 6 X 1 mile repeats, alternating zone 1 and zone 2 (Friel's z2-3). Repeatability is what I was after so after my warm up I ran each mile in the same place even though with my Garmin I could have done them anywhere. Zone 1 this way, zone 2 that way. A few goals were on tap today, go by HR, cadence > 90, and nutrition.

As I ran the first 2 I noticed that the smell of dog%^#% was an enhancement to the wrkout.

During my second repeat it was time for a PowerGel, washed down by Power Bar Endurance (love this stuff). Thanks to Fleet Feet Rochester for having so much in stock and in so many flavors. I can't find it anywhere else and I really love to buy local.

My HR was 164 and I took down that gel, laughing in the face of it. My stomach was rock solid. I could have eaten a steak during this effort.

"You will never throw up in a race again." Coach told me a few months ago. I smiled. This training the gut stuff is working. I don't necessarily believe that it is the products although Coach believes these products to be superior. I think it is losing the anxiety about throwing up or having GI issues. Many time, I don't know what %...... GI issues are caused by anxiety and stress. Not all of the time..... but many times.

I have not done an official study but very often when I see a child under the age of 14-15 with GI issues, I notice that they have overbearing helicopter parents. Not all the time.... but a lot. I began to wonder how much my own anxiety about having a GI issue in a race in fact contributed to the issue itself.

The second thing..... you gotta train your gut.

So the gel went down and so did the Power Bar Endurance and the effort remained strong and not even a burp could get in my way.

I was delighted that I had legs after the bike I just did. I was thrilled that after the entire 2:30 effort of bike / run that morning I escaped the feeling of standing on the edge between bonking and passing out. I was awake, alert, I could have easily done math calculations.

No bonk in sight.

I am amazed at how if I take in nutrition during the workouts.... I don't gain weight. Losing still in fact! More during .... less at rest. I know this isn't rocket science but for someone like me to really make that connection.... it's huge. I know I am not alone in this feeling.

The black flies swarmed. The sun blazed down on me. No hat, no sunglasses, I wanted to put myself in the four corners of hell. While I hit my parameters and goals for the workout, I didn't feel like I was running beyond myself. felt like I was nailing it.

I had only one thought, "I can't wait to race."

That's what you have to do at times in training. You have to put yourself into tough situations and see how you fare. Can I deal with black flies, can I escape allowing the small things to irritate me? Can I run in the sun with sweat dripping in my eyes. Can I take in nutrition in the most delicate parts of the effort? Will it all come together or will I fall apart completely?

I am finding myself again. Not my old former self but my new self. I always knew there was an athlete in here that could achieve her goals and the armor has started to chip. She's not fully out here yet but damn, by Clearwater you bet she will be.

sweet

2009-07-09T07:55:00.003-04:00

"We are just getting started here." Coach emailed me the other day. I smiled so big.

A friend emailed me last year before Gulf Coast 1/2 Ironman..... "Think Musselman 2004", that was the year I won the Mussel and I set the amateur course record (which still stands). My reaction to that email was.... good lord I hope not. I executed that race terribly. I threw out my nutrition and only took water for the 13.1 mile run. Yeah I had a good run and I won but oh my gawd did I almost die during it. I never want to feel like that again, it wasn't going to the well, it wasn't HTFU'ing and it wasn't going into the box of hurt.... it was entering the stupid store.

Who throws out their nutrition? In the garbage. Gone. Don't need it!

Eeks.

I have never truly executed a 1/2 Ironman well. I can nail an Ironman and I can nail the short distances but this distance has eluded me. Until now, until I am focusing on it. 1/2 Ironman / 70.3 has always been part of something bigger. On the way to the Ironman.

My 2009 goal was to learn to execute this bastard and it didn't start very well. However that experience led me to QT2, and in case i have not mentioned it before.... I love it here. We've got very specific pacing plans for this race, execution plans that won't yield me the time I won this race in, but will help me gain so much more on the way to Cheatwarer.... oops... Clearwater.

Thus far I have learned so much, and as you may know the majority of my lessons have been nutritional. I love the way Chuckie V recently stated it in his blog:

"Eat more during, eat less at rest."

The more during is something I have never done, like I said before I am known for doing a 3 hour workout on water. Tuesday brought a wonderful brick workout. A 2 hour tempo bike and a 1 hour endurance run.

Jesse (for reasons I will learn during our next chat) believes in certain products and is pretty strict about using them. While the critic in me wants to say... well QT2 is sponsored by them.... knowing Jesse there is a very good reason for this. I trust my coach. If he says use a product ... then I use a product (do you have a bridge to sell me?) and I know the reason will be explained to me.

Exactly as prescribed I took in my nutrition for the three hour event. While this might seem like rocket science I know..... but I felt incredible at the end. I was awake, I was alert, I was ready to get started. I nailed all the things I needed to nail. I had taken in solids at a high heart rate and I did not puke. That was the biggest victory yet.

I am a new berry eater, I just learned how to slice a mango! Remember that I am a swimmer, I could live on bagels and bananas all day long! So if I can convert, you can convert. Here's my fruit salad snack: strawberries, mango, blueberries. Rich in antioxidants and sweeter than sweet can be:

getting ready

2009-07-07T05:33:00.004-04:00

That's how summertime should be, and is. Gathering at the beach, digging holes, connecting them, and playing in the water. And that's exactly what summer has been. Luc knows none of those kids in this picture. He has this gift of making friends wherever he goes. His summer program began yesterday and he arrived home with awards form speech therapy, and the news that he had passed the deep end test at his pool. That means diving board and that means cannonballs. Two deep end tests in 2 days. He's got no big interest in riding his bike but just add water to this kid and we've got a kid who is at peace.

In the lake yesterday he just started to do fly. I asked him where he learned that. He said Michael Phelps. Then he asked to join the swim team. My dream come true!

Earlier that day I spent the morning swimming in the lake, around here we are so fortunate to have this lake as well as Lake Ontario to swim in. It's an incredible gift. Between lakes and my outdoor long course pool I won't be swimming inside until September!

I've got a big week ahead of me before we bring it down a notch for the Mussel. I've entered into a new block of training and I adore it. I've got bags of Happy Ice on Standby. If you are not an ice bath taker I promise you that 15 minutes in ice will make the biggest difference in your day.

Here's what I like to do:

If you can find a garbage can tall enough to cover your hip flexors, it's a little more bearable. I found one and I am 5'10 and a half!

1. Get into the tub or the garbage can without anything in it
2. turn the water on, to cold.
3. Have your kid start to pile in the ice.

By getting in first and then adding the cold I have found it much easier to bear. I wear warm clothes on the top (and my bathing suit). 15 minutes at 58 degrees and your legs will say HAPPY while your mind will say BRAIN FREEZE.

As we are just a few weeks away from Ironman Lake Placid, I thought I would share a few resources about the course and Ironman in general from my favorite mentors:

These are from Gordo

Pacing your first Ironman

Golden Rules of Your first Ironman

Ironman Lake Placid briefing

This is from Coaches Patrick McCrann and Rich Straus of Endurance Nation

IMLP Preview

training the gut

2009-07-05T08:30:00.008-04:00

It was one of those rides where everything just clicked. My eyes were set about 2 inches beyond my front wheel, I was hitting the targets and nutrition was spot on. One of the things we are working on this season is training my gut. I've thrown up in so many races and when Jesse took me on he promised I'd never throw up in a race again.

Sign me the hell up for that. Too much of my gut juice has been left along side the road.

We have to train the gut like we train the body. You don't just embark on a 6 hour ride without building up to it. Then why do we seem to only execute race day nutrition on race day, and wonder why our stomach is not agreeing? I am the guiltiest of that. For reasons I know and some I don't I rarely use nutrition during training. Nothing for anything under two hours. Race day comes and whoa.... why is my stomach so upset?

Hindsight is always 20/20.

Now I don't go more than 30 minutes without something, which when you are dropping pounds was something I really resisted. But I trusted the plan, and the weight is coming off. Four more pounds till the Musselman, and it's been easy. I eat all of the time.

The nutrition component of the QT2 is not something that Jesse pulled out of thin air. It's the Paleo Diet, the Ultramind Solution.......... Jesse sums it up really well right here. Another good resources is this one right here, as the aim is to keep your blood sugar stabilized all day long. Low glycemic foods are what you want to be eating except for certain windows that revolve around training. Stay with foods with a GI index below 15.

Jesse outlines that in the before mentioned article, but here are the key points:

During the one hour before your workouts have a higher glycemic carbohydrate such as a grain to specifically fuel the workout (not too concerned with nutrient density at that time).

Fuel your workout with sport drinks, gels, bars, or grains

Following your workout, refuel your body with a good, high glycemic recovery drink that includes protein.

Continue to refuel after the workout with grains and lean proteins during a window after your workout that’s as long as the workout was.

Following these windows, go back to eating in the Core (i.e., fruits, vegetable, nuts, and lean meats). These are the highest nutrient foods and are also low glycimic. Why fuel your body with high glycemic sources if you are not going to use them? Therefore, people that don’t exercise should eat in the core at all times.

One time not to worry about the core is while carbohydrate loading for a specific race. At that time grains have a specific purpose to fuel your effort the following day.

When you do a nutritional analysis with Jesse you get a manual which contains several protocols on fueling for workouts and fueling for races and outlines nutrition before and after training....... the best part about it is that he reviews it with you page by page by page. He brings in terrific analogies, he teaches the way I learn. No wonder he makes such a great coach.

Yesterday I was eating 1/2 powerbar every 30 minutes for the 2 hour bike and 1:05 run, which both finished with tempo efforts. Never before in my entire life have I been able to hold a tempo effort and a solid food. As Jesse said ..... we are training your gut for 2010 (more on that later, but it is not IMLP).

Yesterday nutrition felt great. The efforts all felt great. MY RUN FELT GREAT. I felt like I was in control of it. I felt like I was owning it. As my in-training nutrition is improving my workouts are much more productive. I am recovering like a CHAMP. I used to hobble out of bed. Not anymore. I attribute that to ice baths, good post fuel nutrition (really..... that has an impact) and being all around healthier.

That's what this nutrition really revolves around. Health. I've got my health back which regardless of anything else is the truest gift.

If you are ever interested in a nutrition consult with Jesse and QT2, it is a service they offer.

For $260 they offer a personalized weight loss plan.

For $260 they offer Nutrition Maintenance plans.

Race fueling consultations are $160

At first sight they might seem pricey but trust me on this one: it is worth every dollar (all of these services are included if you are coached by QT2). In all honesty when I first looked at the price of coaching itself I puked. As I am deep in the trenches of this I get it.

I am treated like I am Jesse's only athlete. When I have a question my answer is to me before I even hit send. Jesse calls you once a week, he likes a lot of contact with his athletes. He holds you 200% accountable, as he gives you 800% detail.

I'm in the right place in so many ways. I see now that the best performances I am capable of are ahead of me. In 2009, 2010 and in 2011.

Two weeks to go.

Newsworthy!

2009-07-04T09:27:00.001-04:00

R News recently did a story on one of the Train-This Ironman Athletes!

Her name is Mary Beth and click here for her story!

momentum

2009-07-03T20:51:00.002-04:00

I speak with my coach about once a week and I love that. Jesse is a terrific teacher and I love to learn. The nutritional side of my training is going very well. Sometimes people will tell me that Jesse's core diet is a lot of work. That it's time consuming to plan out, etc etc.

Well..... so is training. You do all this work to swim bike and run. You download this, analyze that, you schedule races..... why not add int he nutrition component to seal the deal? In all honesty this is not a diet, it's not an invention, it's been around since the caveman. Jesse has really honed it to fit the athlete. It fits me great. I am leaner and more importantly I am healthier than I have been in years.

Now about the coffee..... with this plan we use coffee wisely. We use it for a purpose. So I didn't give it up.... I merely change the time of when I drink it to enhance my workouts.

The biggest difference I have noticed is the nutrition I use during training. I will admit, and I don't coach this but I tend to eat nothing during training. I'm cheap, I can be lazy, I want to burn calories.

Now.... I don't go over 40 minutes without taking in carbohydrates. We speak in terms of carbohydrates and not calories. The difference is that my workouts are more productive, I am recovering better, I am making gains.

I took off my Garmin a few weeks ago to force myself to relearn my heart rate again. I didn't want to look at pace. For a few years I trained strictly by pace and my E Pace was 9 minute miles. Loved it. Felt great and ran a lot.

In six weeks time, my E pace has dropped to..... well 8:13 on one run and 8:18 on the second run at a heart rate of zone I (which in the Friel world would be zone 2..... aerobic). Before I even write that down I should see how my workouts go tomorrow..... I am a bit superstitious.

I am excited. I am ready. I am feeling better than ever. I get to race in three weeks.

For a long time after I won that first Musselman in 2004 (4:48) I got very hung up in the concept that despite being under 5 hours for years...... since then I have not broken that barrier. It bothered me a great deal until last Sept when I made the decision to just let it go.

And I let it go.

That slate got wiped clean. We will be under 5 hours very soon. We've set a goal for the Musselman, and I will let you know what that is after I finish.

I am trying new things. New coach, new nutrition, new system, new everything and it feels so good.

Right now this is what I call fun. Tracking, measuring, caloric management. Call me sick but right now this is so much fun. I am chomping at the bit to get on that starting line and put all this to use. We have a race plan in more ways than one and I can't wait to take that exam.

My posts on sports bras and gi issues are coming! I promise!

Happy 4th of July!

the ironman long run

2009-07-01T16:01:00.007-04:00

As we approach the Lake Placid Ironman I get questions from athletes about how long should my longest run be for the Ironman?When I hear someone is doing three hour long runs, it usually means one of a few things:

1. They are trying to cram their training in..... maybe rather than putting in a good 6-8 months of solid consistent training, they "got serious" 4 months out. They are nervous. But the Ironman..... he weeds these kids out. He knows who has done the work and who has not.

2. They have not been able to be consistent within their plan (their plan might call for it but they dont' execute it....) so they feel that by doing the mega run, that it will best prepare them for the marathon.

Now a lot of this is my opinion which I have formed through my experience coaching Ironman athletes (over 50 people, which is not as many as the coaches I look up to have certainly!), the reading I have done by people I consider to be the experts in our sport and through the coaches I have worked under (three of them).

I am going to extrapolate some points from an article by Coach Patrick, the other half of Rich Straus and Endurance Nation. I love the way these guys approach training. I use these guys a lot as references because they just simply have a way of saying what I want to say, but they strip it down and get right to the point.

In the Ironman I believe that running over 2:30.... even 2:15 is a risk not worth taking. I believe if you are following the standard 6 hour ride / 3 hour run you are doing nothing more than exhausting yourself, putting yourself at risk and just plain not confident in the training you have put in over the past 6-9 months. Remember that it is the cumulative work you have done throughout the past YEAR that makes this Ironman. NOT the number of long bikes and long runs you have done.

Longer is not better.

In my opinion..... longer is stoopid. I have changed my thinking over the years but I hope that shows that I am learning more and more each year that I do this.

Using the words of Coach Patrick I have added in some of my own thoughts on why running 3 hour long runs to prepare for an Ironman is not effective:

1: This is from my opinion: you train for an Ironman very differently than how you train for a marathon. To run a marathon, you strictly run, to complete an Ironman you swim bike and run. A 3 hour run might exist in a marathon plan. But in a marathon plan you are not biking 5 + hours as a long ride or per week. You are not swimming, you are running. Therefore you are not going to train the Ironman marathon as you would a straight up marathon. An Ironman isn't putting together long distance swim training + century ride training + marathon training. Ironman

2. This is from Coach Patrick and this article:

Overall IM Fitness is Built Across all Three Disciplines.True IM fitness isn't about one run (or ride or swim), it's about connecting all three via a plan that allows you to training effectively and consistently. Sure, we build up to some pretty significant distance benchmarks, but the fitness here is all about the "journey" -- not the "destination." Focus too much on a single discipline and you not only run the risk of injury, but you will also be taking time and energy away from something else.

Try thinking of a basic week of fitness instead of any one workout or discipline (. At Endurance Nation we think in a "weekly view" as all of our workouts are connected. And not a week as in Monday -- Sunday (or however you look at it), but as a rolling seven-day window. For example, looking at this Thursday's long run, we consider have you done over the last seven days to get here. There is not magical "reset" that happens every Monday. Run too hard or too long on Thursday and you'll mess up your weekend of riding; or worse yet, you'll fake it through the weekend but blow up somewhere else down the line

My input: Agree 100% on this one. I can't tell you how many stories I hear about athletes getting in their six hour rides, their three hour runs, then being injured / sick / exhausted and then being off the bike for 2 weeks. Believe me that the 1.5 weeks you are off the bike will hinder your performance more than that 3 hour run will help your performance. Over the course of the winter the athletes on the Train-This Team, Ironman or not complete a very balanced basic week. We may cycle through big bike or big run weeks but every single workout is designed to build off the previous. The consistency of the training means much more than the length of a long ride or run. In fact if I had it my way we would ride nothing over 5 hours.

3. IM Run Fitness has nothing to do with your longest run.This is a hold over from open marathon training, where folks are training to run hard for the whole event; in this case it makes sense to build that solid pace up to a long run of 20-21 miles. In an IM, however, we are training to not slow down on the run.

Let me repeat that: Marathon training = go fast on run; IM training = don't slow down.

Instead of being a marathon runner aiming for a pace (8:00 per mile, who cares about HR zones!), you are a triathlete who aims for an HR, not a pace. Race day is a great equalizer; most people end up running an IM at their easy long run pace (roughly 20 beats below LTHR). So instead of looking at a magical distance marker, we look at time. In the case of an IM training cycle. the peak run that a person can do during the typical race preparation week is 2.5 hours in Zone Two. Anything longer (or harder) starts to become a problem regarding recovery and overall running health. Can you run 24 miles in training for an IM? Yes. But when you are out there on the course, no one is saying, "Sure am glad I did that 24-mile run @ week 18, it's really helping me now!!!"

3. IM Run Fitness is about Frequency, Durability, and Consistency

If you have grasped the concept that your total aerobic engine, developed across three disciplines, is what drives your run, we have almost converted you. While the longest run peaks out at 2.5 hours, that doesn't mean you aren't running a lot; in your biggest run weeks, you'll do 5+ hours of running -- that's a lot, especially when you add it on top of swim and bike time. With the EN model of Iron-distance training, we work first to build durability by increasing run volume deliberately. Then we add "speed" in the form of strides and fartlek work. Once this is accomplished, we back off the intensity and start to increase the distance. When we move to the race preparation phase, "tempo" workouts move from being closer to 10k Pace and instead move to Half Marathon Pace

My input: Again, I can't agree more. Now Coach Patrick and Coach Rich build their programs a very specific way, I suppose mine might be similar or different. What I aim to do is match the program to the ability of the athlete, their schedule, etc. Not to say that these guys don't.

But I think we all have the same goal in mind. The goal: to build a very durable athlete.

Running 3 hour long runs is not building a durable age group Ironman Athlete.

The next time you hear your neighbor whose doing the Ironman brag about their 7 hour rides and 3 hour runs....... pray for them. Because their day will be a lot harder than they want to admit.

true

2009-07-01T09:20:00.004-04:00

This morning we (my Masters Team) swam long course outdoor meters at Genesse Valley Pool. The air was cool but the water was warm. The sun was shining and the pool is right in line with the airport. Every few minutes a plane comes by so close.

"That never gets old." I told Dr. Les. I've overcome my fear of flying so much that I love to watch airplanes do airplane things. Like land. Take off. Go fast. Soar.

To say that my swim felt G.R.E.A.T. today would be a gross understatement. It felt effin G.R.E.A.T. . I stopped at the wall at one point and looked around at the lanes I swim with. With Mark and Kim and Ken and Travis. Grimm and his cycling tan, Dr. Les and his go fast ass whooping go go juice. Bill with his granny shawl on. Maureen and her go fast-ness, and Rauni. I looked over at the other lanes too and I just felt so damn appreciative of every single person I get to swim with whether they are in my lane or not. Whether we ever talk, we share eye contact every now and then and we share a bond.

I looked at my amazing swim Coach, Lorie standing on the deck and I thought..... life is good. And man are we lucky.

After swim practice Luc and I had breakfast with a friend and I again felt so grateful and appreciative of every single person I get to call my friend. What strikes me about this community is the trueness of the people.

In all honesty I have had some unfortunate experiences with some people as of late who don't bring about the trueness and passion of the sport that I love so much. for the first time in my 12+ years of being a triathlete they brought a dimension that I didn't understand and felt so darn toxic.

The experience of being manipulative, malicious and darn right cruel.

Of all places that does not belong in the community to which I belong and it took me a very long time to wrap myself around the understanding that.... that's what it was. It was no fault of their own, through the experiences of their lives the only way they knew how to be was controlling, manipulating..... through the circumstances they found themselves in being guarded, secretive, and undercutting is truly the only way they knew how to be.

I don't understand that at all. So I had to leave it behind. Does that make me a better person? No, I just need to stick with the community and the atmosphere that I love so much. It's free of all of that.

Like this morning when Grimm showed up with the most outrageous cycling tan I have ever seen. Think white tri suit kind of cycling tan. It's hilarious. We laughed with him. Or when we decide the order of our lane..... no one takes it personally if they want to go first or last.... we just accept each person as they are. There is no hidden agenda. Or when none of us can add 5 X 100's to be 2 lengths in long course (or maybe it's just me)...... it's not personal..... we just find the fun in everything we do.

Is it good? Is it bad? I don't know. It's the way we roll and it's the energy I love to bask in.

As I was swimming this morning and the sun was shining, the airplanes were soaring overhead, I just couldn't help but smile.

Last night I was pouring over training log entries of my athletes and I had the exact same feeling. WOW. Each year I think..... holy CATS I have the most talented group of athletes.... and each year I think..... man, does it get any better than this current team? I should not say that each year the team is better...... what I really mean is that each year we all seem to come together in the most amazing way. It makes each season so special.

I get to be in the best seat of all. Over the course of a year for some, three years for others..... I get to watch them do things and achieve things that during our first meetings they wonder.... can I do this? It might be a 5K, a Sprint tri or the Ironman. Whatever that goal is it's so amazing and such an honor to watch what they do. They are the ones who execute the plan. They are the ones who fit all of it in.

It's a group of athletes who are so much more like a family. If I was stranded on an island with these 30 athletes I would be okay. I know we'd have some struggles on that island but I know there would be no voting anyone off the island antics. There would be a ton of laughter. Hell there might be so much laughter we'd never get rescued because we were having too much fun to try.

I count my lucky stars every single day that I get to do what I do and experience the people and the life that I get to. I worked hard to build this business, yet the right group of people seems to find each other every single year.

What an honor.

As seven o'clock rolled around this morning I didn't want to get out of the pool. I wanted to hang out and laugh some more. I felt grateful to my swim coach Lorie, the greatest swim coach I have ever had. I felt grateful for a friend I used to have named Ellen.... who bridged the gap between swimmers and triathletes when the morning sessions began. And I felt grateful for Rauni who is our organizer, planner, caretaker, she's our freaking MOM.

And that's what makes a community, as my father taught me throughout my life. It isn't the house you live in, the size of your assets. It's the size of your heart that matters. I have found a bunch of people with great big hearts and a lot of love to give and receive. To have found that at home, and to have found that in the community to which I belong to....... that's the lottery right there.

report card

2009-06-30T16:15:00.003-04:00

The other day when I embarked on my long run I was not positive that my legs would even work. Sleep deprivation + 2 days of walking around in Hershey had left both Curt and pretty trashed. How do people who are not in shape do this???? So I began the run thinking that I wouldn't be surprised if this turned into hell. But I need hell so give me hell then.

As I am learning to rely more on HR rather than pace I looped my Garmin around my Fuel Belt and I set off. I ran entirely by HR and I never looked at pace. I felt good. I felt so good I had tears in my eyes. It's been a long time since I have had a long run like this. Upon later analysis of my paces..... oh boy, I thought. It's been a while since I have run this.

It was a continuation from 3 days before, this feeling of being back. Back in my body, back on my feet, back in my health. I set out for 2 X 30 min efforts with Curt. And I dropped him. Upon returning to the house a bit later he said..... Um.... eeeks.... it's been a while since I have seen that bike form. To hear that from Curt is like him dropping down on one knee again. It makes my heart race to zone 3 all on it's own.

Musselman 1/2 Ironman is in 2 weeks. For this race we are aiming for a sub 5:08, even though I won the inaugural Musselman in a 4:48. I have let that go as the focus is here on this race and this season with this new coach.

Which brings me to the report card to answer the question I have been asked the most.....

How are things going with Coach Jesse?

My grade is an A+. And I have not even raced yet.

There are many things I really like about Jesse and his system. The first is that's it's a system. There are goals and parameters to meet each week. Meet the parameter and move up a notch.

Jesse is an excellent teacher and has proven to me that you can in fact teach an old dog new tricks. Through HR, pace and power I am learning to push myself beyond what I thought I could achieve in training. Through proper rep, during and post race fueling I am able to do the same.

The nutrition makes sense and it is real food. It's such a massive component of the training and I feel the healthiest I have felt in ages.

I like that he checks in by phone weekly or bi weekly. I like that he treats you like you are the most important athlete in his stable. I like that his methods are proven, I like that everything is measurable, I like that everything makes sense.

I like the way he puts together a week. I like that I can see where we are going. I like that we have short term goals for B races like the Musselman, longer term goals like Clearwater, and those goals that are stepping stones along the way.

I love that we've set an Ironman goal for 2010. Did I just say Ironman????? I did. More on that much later on, we have a 2009 season to focus on first.

I can't wait to race. I am feeling good, I am feeling ready to go get it and I am ready to step up a rung on this ladder.

Like I said...... A PLUS.

the privelage of the period

2009-06-29T05:06:00.005-04:00

It's not easy being a girl. We've got stuff and issues and..... hormones. Any parent of a pre teen or teenage daughter knows this all too well. Those of us who have the ability to look back on our teenage years with the same reaction as fingernails scratching a chalkboard...... wish to god the same fate does not await us. I was horrible. I don't know how my parents survived. I really don't. Not only did they survive 2 teenage daughters but one with an eating disorder and a son..... well we don't need to even talk about him and his antics. At least not until Halloween.

Early on I had a swim coach who taught me to never allow anything to prevent me from doing what I dreamt of doing. She told me that when I first got my period at age 12. Yeah, 12. Not only that but I was already 5'10" in 6th grade and the first girl in a bra. More on that one Friday.

Lucky me, early bloomer, no one around me was going through the same thing. It was awkward, teenage years are awkward. At that age I was 2 full years into my EDO career so you can imagine I was .... oh just a little bit..... insane.

I remember standing on the pool deck and I was afraid to get into the water. What if I bled in the pool? I can't swim with my period! Oh my gawd! I was too mortified to ask my mother, and I actually wonder what she would have told me to do.

My swim coach ( a girl) told me that having my period was something I needed to learn to deal with. It's part of being a woman, that I should consider it a privilege and it is not something to be ashamed of. Now get in the water and swim.

So I did. And of all the things I took to heart, I took her advice.

Menstruation is different for every girl. My sister would be on the floor for days with cramps so bad she couldn't walk. Me, pretty easy. Heavy flow.... three days. Cramping? No.

Thank you god for giving me something that was easy. Fertility? not easy. The books? Not easy. College? Not easy? Being a triathlete? Not easy.

Marriage = easy. Period = easy. I will take those.

So I learned to deal with having my period. I danced with it, I swam with it, I swim and I bike and I run with it.

Last year I took on a wonderful new athlete who was doing the Ironman. One of her first questions to me was...... I don't want to have my period on the day of the Ironman.

Um..... God..... I might need some help on this one, I thought...... I can't control the period.

A few years ago when I visited my OB / GYN she informed me that women need to only have three periods a year, that by skipping the placebo row with your BCP's that you could have control over when you actually had your period.

As wonderful as that sounded, I was horrified. Tell a girl who has fertility issues to mess around with her body...... nice advice sister.

I did confirm with a few other physicians that this was a plausible idea.

I completely disagree with this practice. And that's just my opinion. I am not in favor of anything that messes around with the body like that. Especially especially if you plan on having children in the future.

If that's something that interests you... speak to your OB / GYN/. Maybe your period is so horrible that an option as that is like gold. TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. I just plainly think there are better ways to deal with it than that.

According to several sources there is evidence to demonstrate that periods either slow down or stop when you are in water. Each and every person is different however and I am positive someone out there could tell me a horror story about how they bleed in water. Many athletes use tampons while swimming, just be sure to change it when you get out.

Know that I have seen 4 cases of Toxic Shock Syndrome. It is frightening. So change and change often. I know the box says every 6-8 hours, but I say change it sooner. These super absorbent ones...... be careful. Change it often. Bottom line.

So what do you do when training racing? Be prepared and know your body. In all honesty I seem to pretty well miss race day with my period. I recall one or two races where I had it.

In an Ironman I would honestly just wear nothing. As gross as that sounds the things your body goes through during that day..... I certainly wouldn't pop one in at 6am and take it out at 6pm. I wouldn't think to change it during the race either. But that's me, I have it easy.

If you do need to wear one in an Ironman I would change it post swim, and post bike. It takes 30 total seconds and if it's your comfort, if you know yourself then I think it is worth it.

Along with bleeding comes bloating, cramping and moodiness. There are medications like Midol out there which can help. However you know me..... I like au natural. In many cases manipulating your diet..... or cleaning it up...... can alleviate those symptoms better than a medication will, and minus the side effects.

By sticking to 4-5 nutrient dense fruit and vegetables per day you can give your body what it needs to self regulate. In many cases we use medications as band aids and we don't fix the underlying problem. It's like giving someone with high cholesterol a pill to bring it down and then they go eat bacon.

Now..... in my sister's case I don't think nutritional manipulation would have helped her. I don't know her that well and I don't know if she still has those problems, we live in different countries.
I just remember her crying on the floor of the bathroom. Because I am an asshole I will say she was just a wimp, although she probably was not :-).

So there are certainly cases where medications like ibuprofen, midol, or what have you will help. I'd still recommend doing what you can nutritionally to help take care of the root cause of the bloating and the cramping and the moodiness.

I would also recommend tracking your period and tracking your symptoms. If you have an iPhone there's a great tracking application called iPeriod. It's tremendously helpful in tracking patterns, predicting when your next period will come, and if you are trying to conceive it helps you plan your fertile days.

Tracking your period and what goes with it can then help you plan for it. If you know this week you have your period, with brings with it a 3 pound weight gain, and moodiness, plan for it. Maybe adjust your workouts, know that when you step on the scale you are just retaining water this week, the more you plan the better you can use that as an opportunity.

Like my swim coach told me years ago..... do not let your period stop you from doing anything. Anything. It takes understanding your body, knowing your body and it takes planning. I would never be in favor of changing the natural rhythm of your body, but I am for not looking at it as the enemy.

Look at it as a privilege. You get to have children. What better privilege in the world?

home sweet home

2009-06-26T22:42:00.003-04:00

There are a few things I love about traveling other than traveling itself.... coming home, time in the car with people I love.... and seeing new places..... okay and old places.

I am convinced that the two greatest methods of seeing a new place are on foot and by bike. In Germany I saw the best parts on bike. This morning, I met Hershey on foot. It's a small town, not overdone (it seemed) by the chocolate, but just enough of it to make it sweeter. Sweet is the word everyone associated with Hershey seems to use.

Have a sweet day! Exclaimed all the park employees! I loved it!

This morning I had a short run through chocolate town and yes, it does smell like chocolate. Not strong enough to nauseate you but enough to make you smile. The street lights are in the shape of kisses. There's the Hershey museum, and a few other novelties. Aside from that, it's a small town with pretty landscaping and nice people. What a gift in itself!

We toured Chocolate World, got our Masters Degree from Hershey University, rode more rides and had more fun. We drove home smiling, worn, sun burnt and giggling. I swear the best times I have are in the car with my guys.

I feel like my biggest gift in life is the ability to soak up every single moment. People will try to tell me to live it now... meaning my son's youth.... because before I know it he will be off to college. Trust me I soak up every single minute of him. Every single day. That is my gift. I can't think of a single second in the past 8 years that I missed. I get to see it all and I hold onto all of it.

Today Luc rode his first upside down roller coaster. Since Curt shaved his head the two of them refer to themselves as the "Bald Brothers". The bald brothers took on some of the scarier rides and I got to spectate and photograph the moments shared by a father and son. Those pictures.... those are for us. But there are lots of good shots on Face Book.

Those moments make me fall in love with Curt even deeper (sappy moment!) and allow me to rest in the warmest moments of happiness. Life is so full and rich..... and damn.... so sweet.

This is the life.... I told them as we rode the Sky View last night. This is the life.

Back home we are full of great memories, ready for a summer of many more to come. We've got adventures planned all summer. I can't freaking wait.

And to give you an exciting preview of some blog topics for next week...... you either might want to skip a week of me, or tune in because next week I will tackle three questions I am repeatedly asked:

1. Monday:

Menstruation and the competitive athlete. (for the boys who don't know.... that means your period).

2. Wednesday:

Dropping the monkey...... meaning GI distress during races. Charting yourself, runner's trots, why it happens and what to do about it.

3. Friday:

Breasts, boobs...... how to find the right support for those who have to wear a sports bra while they race. I am the expert on this one, I am a bra tester for 2 companies!

Exciting stuff gang. Stay tuned.

the sweetest place on earth

2009-06-26T08:04:00.002-04:00

At promptly 0500 Thursday morning we rolled Luc out of bed and into the car. We announced that there would be no attending the last day of school..... we were instead heading to Hershey Park (don't worry, his teach was in the know)..... and off we headed to Hershey Park, about a 5 hr drive form Rochester.

When we arrived at 1000 it was game on, until about 10 pm last night. Waterslides, roller coasters, laughing and a ton of sun!!!! Luc was out of his mind!

We are a little bit sunburnt, well rested, and gearing up for day two. Today we are sending Curt on the Fahrenheit, a roller coaster I wont even think of going on... and I rode 2 yesterday!!!!!

We will head home tonight, but first there is a chocolate factory to tour and waterslides to ride!

the good life

2009-06-23T07:56:00.006-04:00

After class last evening, one of my yoga students approached me. She told me she appreciated that I led such a well balanced life, that I had helped her find balance in her own life. I think any time you can help someone do something positive in their life, you can really feel good about it. I know that when someone has influenced or helped me, I let them know as well. It's a good way to keep the good energy flowing.

She made me smile for a lot of reasons, one of those reasons is how many people will take a look at me, what I do, what I write, and make the assumption that I live a totally insane life without room to sit in the backyard and drink a beer, or play with my son.

If you are a mother who is a competitive athlete you are automatically assumed to be too busy and focused to spend time with your children, and you are often told that by other mothers.

I don't explain myself to a lot of people, simply because I don't care. If you've created the story about me that I'm living a 24 hour life that speeds along at 70 mph..... I don't want to ruin that for you at all. I just encourage people to look in their own mirrors, and look at their life.

If I was told that this was the way my life was going to be for eternity I would cheer. I love every minute that I get to me in my shoes. I get to experience the best of so many worlds. I get to be a working yet stay home Mom...... most of my work and my training is done while Luc is at school. Last week he told his new specialist that I wait for him to come home all day, when he was asked what it is that I do.

It made me laugh because yeah, I pack a lot into his school day when he is at school. But when the bus pulls up it's all Luc. And I don't need to explain that or prove that to anyone..... what matters is that he knows it, and trust me he does.

That I get to call my husband my BFF, is incredible. I dare to say that marriage is easy..... ours certainly is. While I am no expert on marriage and longevity, I just know that we know and respect one another.

That's why this weekend in Lake Placid I knew that whatever decision I made about an Ironman in 2010 didn't need to be run by my husband. It wasn't his call, he knew that if I got there and felt the need to sign up again...... then that is what I would need to do. Just as.... if Curt decides not to do Arizona..... that's his call.

Now, there are certainly much more important things in our lives than triathlon.... but those items are not up for public display. Triathlon becomes an easy subject to write about.

As I pulled into Lake Placid last Friday I immediately felt at home. Usually I know immediately if I need to do this race again. The Ironman is a spiritual experience for me, whether you resonate with that or not..... is up to you. We all have our thing.

The mountains were beautiful, the roads were smooth and the rain was warm. I felt good the whole weekend. I did the training I was assigned to do, I watched my athletes and my friends find new pieces of themselves out there.

Sunday morning I sent the campers out for their workout and drive to the out and back on the run for a 50 min interval run / 30 min bike / 50 min interval run. I wanted to go out there alone, and find the answer I was looking for.

While I was training alone I was not alone. Everyone was out there. People I knew, people I didn't know. People I hadn't seen in four years. I stopped mid interval to give a hug to a very old friend. What a cool place to run into him! And he ran with me for a bit. I felt tears in my eyes as I felt the energy of every soul I crossed paths with that morning.

"You look strong!" one man called out to me..... I told him he did as well.

Bob hit his turnaround point and I we cheered each other on.

A girl was out there struggling..... I gave her a cheer and she started to pull it back together.

The people in this multisport community are just incredible.

As I ran I looked at the ski jumps and I thought of Marit over in Ironman CDA, and I sent everything positive her way, knowing that across the country my friend was hearing me cheer for her.

When my second 50 minute run was over I will admit that I was on the verge of shitting myself and vomiting. The yellow car parked in front of my car offered me cookies (which I declined.... we have an eating protocol on QT2!!!!)....... one guy gave me a high five and told me... job well done!

I stood there for a few minutes as I looked down the straightaway of that out and back and I felt miraculously content. Sometimes in Lake Placid I hear the call of Iron, and this weekend..... I did not hear that call. I felt so excited to be coaching the Ironman and not trashing myself for it.

We all do the Ironman for different reasons. They are all very good reasons if they are your reasons, not someone else's. Right now I have different goals in my sport. I've gone sub eleven. I have qualified for Hawaii a few times. It's almost like.... been there done that.

I would like to try to break the family Ironman record. Scratch that. I want to break the family Ironman record. Not now though. It's not time.

My passion lies in improving how I coach my athletes through the Ironman. How I can even better help them on their own journey.

Myself..... I want to crack my favorite distance, the 70.3 race. That fires me up. That excites me. When you have a family this distance is just so darn doable and it's easier to recover from.

I don't' want my season to be over in July. People disappear after IMLP. They retreat. It will be the time I am emerging.

I got back into my car and drove back to the hotel to hear the stories of the morning and to see smiles and dirty bikes being wiped down and packed up to go home.

A balanced life is certainly what I have. A good life is definitely what I have. A life that gives me so much to be grateful for, and believe me I am.

Camp recap

2009-06-22T07:43:00.005-04:00

In this current economy I am so incredibly lucky to be able to run my own business, have an athlete stable that is full, a waiting list and the ability to give out 2 coaching scholarships per year. I am anything but a necessity, triathlon would revolve just fine without me, so believe me I know what a lucky position I am in right now. I am more than lucky, I am blessed. Each person who contacts me I am fortunate for.

I have been in this sport a very long time. I am entrenched in the community of triathlon. Locally and nationally I feel like I have friends on every street corner. I consider the multisport community my family and what's really fortunate for me is that people know and understand who I am, just as I understand who they are.

A few months ago I discovered someone who was trying to bring negativity, drama, and destruction my way. It was hurtful in so many ways because I don't understand why anyone would get such pleasure out of trying to cause someone pain. In this community however, that kind of behavior is so recognized, and it was recognized for what it's worth. Those around me alerted me, and helped me move very far from the situation. What I love about this community is that it does not tolerate that kind of energy.

It's within this community that I have found love, friendship and so much more.

It's this kind of positive energy and feeling of community I get during an experience as we had this weekend, at the Weekend at Placid Part 6. Every single year camp gets better and better, with so many new faces I looked forward to what everyone would bring to the table.

My one regret from camp...... I did not take a lot of pictures. I was too immersed in the action!

This year we opened up camp to people outside our team. Dave from Ontario, Joe from Downstate, Jessica from Delaware, Jason and Charlie from Rochester and Buffalo, Bob from Massachusetts........ joined our group and it was awesome.

Most everyone arrived on Friday night, and by 3pm we had a big group ride through the run course and down the last 11 miles of the bike. The weather was warm and although it began to rain, it was a good rain. Everyone was ready, laughing, smiling and already enjoying the day.

When I was done riding I had a hill repeat workout, that I talked Sarah into. Most everyone else transitioned to a run and a swim, the plan was dinner at 7.

Sarah ran the hills great, excellent form. I could not believe that this big hill in town, the one we run for the Ironman..... was actually easier than Ward Hill Road. I couldn't' believe it. I felt stronger. I felt good, although low on calories, but I know better so push through Mary!

By 7pm we had gathered for dinner and it was wonderful to watch everyone connect and laugh and exchange their energy. I love this stuff.

Saturday morning brought us another big day. The Intermediate and 70.3 folks were riding one loop, and the Iron Folk were riding 2 loops. We all had runs off the bikes and the weather, looked like it would be cooperating.

I followed my plan, I stayed within my numbers..... I learned later that Don and I pulled a giant train around the course. I wasn't to pick it up until 2:30 and I did, right in the last 11 miles.

By the way, if you are coming to Lake Placid..... the descent into KEANE IS REPAVED. Smooth as glass! Holy FUN!

When I got to the top of Papa Bear I turned around to continue my interval, it was the kind of interval that was hard but not hard enough..... and believe me I am itching to go hard. I am beginning to froth at the mouth ready to race. That is coming..... it is coming.........

As I descended Papa Bear I got a chance to see many of the campers as they continues to climb. By this time I had sent Don ahead .... go charge I told him.... what's the worst that could happen?

Steve was riding stronger than ever. Sarah not far behind. And Kim...... the work this girl has put in has given her moon leaps on the bike. I almost begin to wonder if there is some bike envy going around. Ken, right there. Everyone looked great,

I completed my interval back on 73 and back towards town. I made a turn to try to skirt the main roads and hit the hotel from behind. Of course I am out of nutrition and get lost, ending back at the horsefarm. My calories again were a little low, but we are experimenting so this is what we have to learn.

Back at the hotel the athletes have begun to arrive. And the stories that make this kind of stuff hilarious begin to roll in. I join everyone in the unheated pool for a quick ice bath before I head out on my run. My run felt great and so did my swim. I loved the feeling of putting in good solid training and not thrashing myself.

At 4pm I was out on the kayak watching everyone swimming, taping strokes and just....... loving the feeling of sitting in the middle of the Lake...... being surrounded by such beauty.

I later learned that Fitz as we call him, had a bit of a bonk the last 11 miles of loop 2. He stopped to buy a cheeseburger, realized he was $2 short, tried to get a cash advance on his credit card.... the seller ended up feeling so bad for him ..... he gave him the Cheeseburger.

Jochen..... rode the 112. Pulled into the hotel parking lot at 4:20pm. Drove to Whiteface to register for the 8 mile climb up Whiteface.... 8 miles at an 8% grade..... because he was feeling good. Upon returning to his car he realized he had a bike with no wheels. He raced back to the hotel and then back to Whiteface and started the race 10 minutes late. 74 minutes later he popped out of the clouds at the top of Whiteface.

K dub did the race as well and brought Jochen back down the mountain. I have to admit that when I saw K Dub and E Dub pull into the hotel parking lot with Jochen's bike and a bunch of foil blankets in the waaaay back....... I feared it was Jochen in the fetal position back there.

But no, he pulled in a few minutes later, got out of his car and did a little jig for us.

Oh my GOD!

Saturday night a bunch of us had dinner at the Dancing Bear, a new restaurant in town, others headed over to the Brew Pub. The Dancing Bear was awesome and the company was even better.

Sunday morning everyone had their assigned rides and I had my own workout to do. I will write up a personal report tomorrow but I found so much on my workout on Sunday morning. And made my decision about 2010.

As we all parted ways on Sunday I was almost in tears as people thanked me. Me? They did the work! All I did was organize and laugh and have fun. It showed me that I am in the right place at the right time in this very moment. That I need to never worry about the negativity that tried to harm me....... that ....... in this community..... is seen for what it is. Which is nothing.

Kim, Ken, Alan, Bob, Jochen and I did a late morning swim in Mirror Lake. Man I love that Lake. We had a final breakfast together at Charlie's, again where I felt such an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.

As Kim and I drove home.... it was an episode of Dumb and Dumber...... 5 hours of laughing at.... well really nothing at all. Chatting Ironman, planning the final peak period..... getting ready.

When I got home the guys were waiting and I of course began to cry. I am the luckiest girl in the world to be able to do what I do.

This weekend I laughed so hard my abs hurt. I found connection with so many people, I confirmed that I am doing what I need to be doing......

Out on that course I found the girl I left here last year. The one who is ready to hold the starting line in her teeth, who loves to race and turn herself inside out while doing it.

I am almost ready my friends..... almost ready to bring it.

Thanks to everyone who made this weekend about community, friendship and all things good in this world!

quick camp recap..... the luckiest

2009-06-21T20:57:00.002-04:00

As I drove home from Lake Placid this afternoon I kept basking in a warm sense of gratitude. I can't believe that I get to do what I do. Triathlon is my passion, and I can't believe I have been able to turn that into a career, which in turn, more importantly than anything in terms of a business..... allows me the great fortune to work with the athletes that I have the privilege to work with..... and this weekend add to that...... some great people that I don't coach, but who honored me by attending our camp.

I feel like I am the luckiest girl on the face of this earth. I need to send a giant thanks to the two boys in my life who make every single breath I take breathtaking itself..... my husband Curt and my son Luc, who gave me the biggest huggs upon returning this evening, who allowed me to go away this weekend, and who make every minute of my life just damn incredible.

I found so many amazing things in this world of multisport, while to outsiders we may be viewed as selfish people obsessed with exercise...... what I have found.... is a group of people who love life as much as I do. Within that a group of people who just love to laugh, move, breathe and connect with one another.

In our lives we get to meet people, in our lives people touch us and give something to us that brings such richness to us. It's like we exchange energy in the form of a laugh, a smile, a ride getting snot rockets blown on you......

In those memories so much is built in terms of friendships, camaraderie, and just plan great memories.

I can not express enough the gratitude I feel, that this team is made up of who it is made up of, that people outside of this team thought enough of the camp experience to come along, to be able to share laughter over a Gatorade and a slice of pizza. In the beauty, serenity and mountains of Lake Placid.

More to come, I will have a full team report and a personal report up in the next few days. Personally I found great healing in Placid in terms of my experience from 2008...... and have made a decision on 2010.

Thank you everyone who came along this year. I am so humbled by your desire to come, your kindness, your spirit, and I am so grateful to be able to know all of you!

weekend at placid part 6

2009-06-18T14:20:00.004-04:00

I'm a touch under the weather, but the Train-This gang.... plus some..... is headed to Lake Placid for our annual training camp. This year we moved it back a month as Lake Placid is a bit cooler and we want the option to swim in Mirror Lake!

I love this town. I don't know what it is but there is something about Placid that is healing, inspiring and amazing to me. The mountains, the people, the people I get to be there with at any given moment just fills me up like you would not believe.

If you were round these parts last year you remember that my departure from Lake Placid is something I do not remember very well, my fifth Ironman turned out to be my first DNF and some frightening medical issues surfaced in the month right after... that were actually happening all along.....

So I have some healing to do in the mountains. I have some questions to answer for the 2010 adventure. I have some fresh air to breathe, some laughter to laugh and a lot of miles to train.

We have an amazing group of athletes attending camp this year. for three days we will swim bike and run. We will have some swim clinic time, some taping, some good food, and a lot of laughter.

So we are signing off for the weekend, full update on Monday!

big wheel keep on turnin

2009-06-17T07:43:00.004-04:00

Tuesdays are big gear rides, where wattage is the priority, as opposed to Tempo Thursday where we gauge intensity by HR. I like mixing it up, I am learning to blend power and HR correctly instead of siding with one or the other. We began this set of 3 X 10 minute repeats holding a wattage of 225. Week 2 we moved up to 230. This week, since I had made cut...... I moved up to 235.

Aiming to control the situation rather than ride the variability of the roads, I do this set on my trainer. It's essentially outside. I am in the garage. I can see the sun. Truthfully I don't care because I am here to achieve a goal not check out the scenery.

After a 30 minute warm up I began the first effort. For the first one I maintained 233 and felt a bit defeated. I knew that during #2 and #3 I needed to look a little deeper. My cadence was 5-60, I wasn't feeling bad at all, in fact I was feeling hungry.

#2 I hit 235. Excellent I thought as I dove into the recovery section. Now we need to up the ante. In order to achieve 240 these needed to remain above 235.

It means turning off my head and just riding. Pure and raw, no thoughts, just me.

And I hit #3 in 237 effectively earning me a 240 goal for next week. I know there is going to be a week where I will top off temporarily. It might be next week, but I am already wondering..... can I hold 240?????

It excites me and makes me nervous at the same time.

As my buddies and athletes are all gearing up for Lake Placid and racing all over the place I am still in the garage. Waiting. Learning. Strengthening. I know that come August I will hear "........ but I just did Lake Placid....." which is when I will begin to get rolling.

Patience, I remind myself as I for now......enjoy the view......

eat this!

2009-06-16T06:16:00.002-04:00

Yesterday I received my 35 page nutrition manual from Coach Jesse. I had been warned and warned and warned about everything I will have to give up. I have read through his nutritional principles and Core Diet recommendations....... I was afraid to be banned from coffee and now peanut butter......

Then we talked. This guy likes his athletes to know exactly what the plan is and why your heart takes every beat that it does. We went through the manual page by page by page. This nutrition program is not at all far off from the way I have been working tirelessly to eat through the past 5 months. In fact..... it's spot on line with that I have been doing..... now we make some revisions to mold to the athlete..... and we are golden.

I think the three resources that would be most helpful for the athlete are these:

The Ultramind Solution by Dr. Hyman

The Core Diet Recommendations by Jesse Korpelnicki

The Glycemic Index.

What Jesse does with all of this is bring it into the world of an athlete.

The problem is not our training, we all train hard. As I have failed at the 70.3 distance in recent years I always look at my training. My training logs are great, my data rocks. I train my ass off and it does not show in my results.

Jessee is teaching me just how poor my nutritional protocol for myself was. I council my athletes to better nutrition before, during and after a race than I follow myself. My calories are good. My protein is terrible, my fat content is good but could be better quality.

The nutritional program of QT2 is about quality and timing.

It's not that coffee and peanut butter are bad for you. They are not. Coffee is good when used at the right time. It gets grouped in with the High Glycemic Index foods and how they affect our blood sugar. There is a time and a place and a purpose for it.

Right now I am drinking green tea. There is a lot of purpose to Green Tea.

Peanut butter? It's not a bad food to have, but there are better choices, foods with more bang for their buck. I am a peanut butter addict. A.D.D.I.C.T. But give me a purpose and a good reason to make a better choice.......

It's already been done.

After an hour on the phone last night listening, note taking, and getting it, I mean really getting it...... I truly understand how all of this ties together. I understand how to use nutrition as my ally and not as my enemy. I understand that timing is everything and I can eat all day long.

Every time I get off the phone with Jesse I have a new piece of understanding, and increased passion for this program that I am on. I am getting itchy to race, yet I know I am not ready. I have a few more weeks. We need to roll all of this together.

I am planning on racing at A Tri In The Buff Intermediate Distance on July 5th, 2 weeks before the Musselman. Musselman will be a B priority race for me as we are still in the beginning of this. Typically my parents steal Luc for the morning so we can both race. However they have guests that weekend, and Curt is gearing for Nationals, so he needs a tune up. So if I can find some help, great, if not, I am looking for a Saturday race that weekend.

I have a great second half of the season schedule that I will post soon (just me being lazy)...... one thing is for sure..... I will arrive in Clearwater hungry, and ready.

the coffee ride

2009-06-14T13:42:00.008-04:00

A little recovery .......

Today was one of those days that reminds me why I love this sport so much. It was the who-knows-how-many-years- annual Train-This coffee ride. We ride South to Naples, stop at the Grainery and we ride back. Simple. It might have been our best coffee ride ever.

I had some zone 2 work to do..... and I do need to mention that Coach Jesse has his own heart rate ranges:

Zone R

Zone 1

Zone 2

You can equate The QT2 Zone 2 to Friel's Zone 3..... give or take. Now the rule on rides like this is when Zone 1 (which is more like Friel's Zone 2.... give or take) is perscribed, you stay in Zone 1. You try not to use your Zone 2 bank until the Zone 2 intervals hit. That meant I sat back for a lot of the ride and watched the fabulous athletes I get to work with ride. Their winter work is paying off.

I primarily rode with Don..... THE BULL..... Jochen..... King of the Mountain...... Jackie D.....the British invasion, Steve, and Kim. I don't' have nicknames for Steve and Kim. It was awesome to watch them all ascend the hills.

Dennis and his very own sweat box arrived part way through the ride. Dennis dresses warm. All of the time. He used to wear this green fleece that we called his Snuggie or his Woobie. Jeremy and his one lung showed up with Uncle Glenn. Alan stayed right in the thick of things, the guy can freaking ride. Amy Mo got duct taped due to a fall at a gas station. Peter O claims to not have killed the squirrel he jumped but I have no photographic evidence. I imagine Eddy is wondering what he got himself into. I noticed that Steve and Dennis suddenly have matching P2C's...... planned?

Amy Mo and her carnage

We rode south to Naples. When you say South and the road seems to be downhill.... you imagine it to be fast. Not so much today. I was pushing big watts and staying where I was supposed to stay. I reminded the gang I didn't need to lead the ride, in fact when training I'd much rather stare at the hub of your back wheel. I know when to push and the time was not then.

On the way back Jochen requested coach permission to push the 10 minute climb out of Naples. As I did my best to stay out of zone 2 and in my zone 1, I granted it. We all looked at each other.

Dude can climb.

As I neared my own zone 2 intervals coming up...... I sent Jochen ahead again with the intention of catching him. My time finally, finally came. I put my head down and I rode. Not so hard I thought I'd puke, but I rode hungry. I rode to catch Jochen and I was on my favorite section of my favorite road. 64 between 5 and 20 and 251. Heading North. The world seems to tip when you come back from Naples, this road is F.A.S.T. Finally I was in my element, riding hard, the wind flying through me, catching someone ahead. I reminded myself that I am to push when I am supposed to push, not a second sooner. I follow instructions. (I do need to mention that I only caught Jochen because he was recovering. And he didn't know I was chasing.)

I felt awesome.

Back at the park Jochen joined me for a 30 min T run. I talked Kim into it by completely lying to her. I told her it was 10 minutes around "the loop" and back. Strangely when we got back it was 17, and if you run for 17 might as well run for 30, right?

It was a great run. I could not believe how good I felt. After the week of training I had, after the ride, I began to negative split the run a bit.

30 minutes hit. 18 hours in the bank.

I slapped hands with Kim and Jochen.

"This is the stuff Ironman is made of." They smiled.

I smiled too. we head to camp in Lake Placid on Friday. This might be the best camp group we've ever had.

Stay tuned........ the picture below is the British Invasion. Jackie D. herself.

eating hill

2009-06-13T05:41:00.003-04:00

Look! Another day on the trainer.... because I won't publish pictures of hill bounding......

At the top of the hill on my last hill repeat there were tears coming from my eyes. For the first time in a very long time I can feel it coming back. Not the athlete I used to be but the one I know I am becoming.

We began this hill repeat set last week. Last week was four times up the hill, bounding up, zipping down. After #3 2 X 15 sec wind sprints (ha!) Negative split each and every one. This week FIVE with the direct instruction to negative split each one. Today was the first day ever that I felt like a runner. I even traded in my running skirt for running shorts, not even a visor of a fuel belt. Instead I went old school, for the warm up to the hill I ran with a 24 oz water bottle to park at the bottom of the hill.

Seemed like everyone was out. The folks gardening form last week, a British man and his wife were walking in circles (a circular path around the side streets) and the nursery school kids were out. Welcome to the freak show, I thought. The freak being me. I could just imagine what these people were thinking.....

who is that busty chick running up the hill?
honey.... there's that strange woman again running up and down this hill.....
wonder how many she will do today?

I was just hoping no one would

A. Take my water bottle

B. Pee on it.

#1: I hit the first one in 1:26. Feeling pretty good. Bounding to all hell with perfect form..... just because to the audience it looked cool.

#2: 1:25. Okay, a little progress. The problem with progress is that the faster the repeat the higher the bar.

#3: 1:20. Wowser, it's like hitting 20 min for a 5K. right on the bubble! The 2 X 15 sec wind sprints...... let's just say you thought I looked good during the hills!

#4: 1:20 Again? I wonder if I will die on the last one. I am determined not to.

#5: 1:18. Eighteen? Yes, eighteen. If it had said 19 I would have wondered. But I smiled, as I stopped for a moment.

It wasn't like I had something left in the tank after my bike intervals this morning. It was that I had dug deeper. Inside of me. To that place where you are sometimes afraid to go to.

That place of I might blow up, throw up, or die. I might die right here. In front of this crowd of people wondering what the hell is going on. But even though the chances are higher that I will throw up..... there is chance I might not. There is a chance I will negative split. There is a chance I will make it. I made it. I smiled.

I was a god forsaken sweaty mess. I had my hair cut last night and there was hair mouse running into my eyes again, after I had just spent 1:40 with it dripping down my face. I was soaked. I was stumbling, but I was five hill repeats stronger than I was 75 minutes earlier.

As I ran down the hill for the final time, the couple who was out gardening waved again. "See you next week!" They said. I smiled and waved back. Damn straight you will.

Then I remembered..... next week is camp in Lake Placid. When I left Placid in 2008 I could barely utter my own name, I had a grade 3 concussion. It was a rough day on what was supposed to be my fifth and final Ironman.

Coach set the stage for what he believes I could do in Lake Placid. It caught my eye.

Will I sign up for 2010? Ask me next week when I crest the hill that descends to Main Street and gives me my first view of Mirror Lake. I will answer that question then.

welcome to the box of hurt

2009-06-11T11:36:00.005-04:00

Thursdays.... much like Tuesdays.... just add in a 75 minute hill bounding run. Double your trouble on Thursdays I like to call it. Tempo bike and hill bounding. All that before 8 hours of saving lives.

Ahhh..... the life of a Princess!

The horrible thing about all of it is that I got my semi annual hair cut yesterday..... and she used mousse..... oh excuse me.... product. Do I use product? I didn't know what it was so I said no. Good thing, because I don't. But just like I am the world's most coach able athlete I am the world's easiest hairstylee.... one who has their hair cut by a hairstylist. Don't take your time combing through my tangles one strand at a time, just brush them out like a real woman. My hair is down to my waist, minute three inches now (not out of a hair plan, out of sheer hair laziness) so that means I am used to a tangle, or two.

The problem with product is when you are knocking out 2 X 25 minutes in your garage sweating your butt off, and the mouse, oops.... product...... runs into your contact wearing eyes. God forbid you stop in the middle of the effort, because if I went blind from the mousse in my eyes I am sure it would have impacted the world enough to solve some global problem.

I lived. And I didn't go blind.

I didn't hit my goal wattage though. Bummer. The intervals were 5 minutes longer and my goal was 220...... and I was at 210. Heart rate and cadence were in check, but those are the easy ones to control. Sometimes you just don't totally rule the bike like you lead yourself to believe you do. Or at least me.

I did my very best for today. There are five sets of hill bounding that will happen in about an hour so I can swell on missed wattages or I can saddle up, hydrate up, resist from downing 3 cups of Pike Place in the hopes that it will carry me up the hill and negative split each one.

Today that hill is my B****. Missed wattages or not the hill is mine today.