Jennifer Garrison

Rules to Live by...

2009-12-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

Thomas Jefferson's Ten Rules

1. Never put off tomorrow what you can do today.

2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.

3. Never spend your money before you have earned it.

4. Never buy what you don't want because it is cheap.

5. Pride costs more than hunger, thirst and cold.

6. We seldom repent of having eaten too little.

7. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.

8. How much pain the evils have cost us that never happened.

9. Take things always by the smooth handle.

10. When angry, count ten before you speak, if very angry, count a hundred.

I am not a total sucker for quotes but my Mom had this sitting on her kitchen counter yesterday and I couldn't help myself but copy it! Every single point is valid and true. Especially during this time of the year when we can get so wrapped up in our own world of shop, eat, bake, run around, complain about the cold, and relatives. This really sums up how things should be done. Cherish those annoying relatives they might not be here tomorrow. Everything that is HARD and painful is worth it. Things that come easy are never worth it. Don't overindulge just because! Don't go nuts with a credit card. You will regret it in January. And most importantly what I took from this is that you should never waste time thinking about all of the negative things that COULD happen. Enjoy the positives in the moment you are in. The future is just that, far away. I am so thankful and happy to be sharing my days with my family!

TURKEY CLUB Fun Run

2009-11-15T17:19:00.000-08:00

My friend Amber and I decided to put on a "race" on Thanksgiving morning as a free alternative. We wanted it to be not only free, but fun, and worthwhile. So we are asking anyone that is coming to bring a toy for the Aurora Gift Mart for the holidays. Should be tons of fun with donuts and themed prizes. Please email me if you want to come! jengarri@gmail.com
Check out the flyer below...

Off season struggles

2009-11-09T07:34:00.001-08:00

Acceleration Naperville

Being a professional triathlete, NOT EASY. And I am not talking about the training part. In order to race, train, and well...eat you have to somehow make a living. Unless you are winning a huge race this is VERY hard. The catch here is that in order to win any sort of big race you need to put in the time and effort to get there. And well let's face it, it costs money to train to be the best you can be. I am really struggling with this. How am I suppose to be the best I can be without an endless bank account. Training costs money to hire a coach, get sport specific training, buy equipment to train and not to mention child care! Racing costs money. Sometimes but rarely I get comped entries but not too often. Then you have to travel to races. I wish there was an easier more economical way of doing this. Essentially what I am taking away from this is that unless you are in your early 20s without kids and a mortgage it is virtually impossible to be a professional triathlete. But the key there is impossible. NOTHING is impossible. I almost feel like when things are more difficult there is even more of a lure to do it. I really want to do well, better yet, KICK ASS. It is so important to me to never have regrets in life. As long as those goals match up with my husband and also my kids I am there! I will figure out a way to make this work. If anyone has any ideas for me please let me know.

I found this FANTASTIC place called, Acceleration in Naperville. It is a sports performance training studio. They deal with professional football players, basketball, and it seems most sports. They improve power and speed through muscle memory training. They have these incredible treadmills that go 30 mph and I think 30% grade. Unfreaking real. But awesome. I know to be the best pro triathlete I can I need to start working on my weaknesses. As triathletes we seem to forget about strength and plyometrics because we only have time to swim, bike, and run. I will be updating this blog as my training with this goes. I am really excited to see how this can improve my fitness.

Halloween was a blast! It goes by so fast. Here are a few pics of my kiddos...

Chicago Marathon Recap

2009-10-14T05:00:00.000-07:00

I decided a few months ago to give the Chicago Marathon a try. I have been doing this crazy thing of triathlons now for almost 10 years. And living in Chicago I still have not checked off the box, Chicago Marathon. Now...Checked. And side not, never do again.
I have done a few marathons before. 2 in college, mistake. And one last December. This by far was the most boring course I have ever done. And WAYYYY tooo many people. I would much rather run somewhere pretty and less crowded. The only benefit I saw was sleeping in my own bed!
I really felt prepared for this too. I trained with my running partner and friend Janeth. I actually got my highest week up to 68 miles! That is a ton for this girl. I stopped biking and swimming just to take a break from the triathlon life. (I actually miss it!). About 3 weeks ago my heel started to feel sore after a 20 mile run. I went in to the doctor and yep, plantar fascitis! I was really proactive about taking care of it, icing and stretching. It never got any worse.
The first few miles of the marathon I was right on my pace but I could feel my heel already. I knew that couldn't be good. I think it was the faster pace and blacktop. I got to the halfway point at 1:30. Okay, not bad but boy did my heel really hurt at this point. If this was mile 25 than I could have sucked it up but I had 13 miles to go. By mile 15 I had changed my stride so now my opposite hip flexor was killing me. I couldn't even run! That is crazy for me. I always think of myself as having a really high pain threshold. I walked a few min then ran again. I was looking for a place to drop out and get a ride. As I walked and watched everyone run by all I could think about was Noah asking for the medal when I got home later. So off I went. NO dropping out for me. I can't quit. Not in my vocabulary. There are too many people out there that would love to finish in any time. So I walked and jogged the last 10 miles. It was a LONG 10 miles. Lots of self talk. But I finished and didn't cry. I was actually incredibly proud of my self for not quitting and sticking it out. That is a part of sport. Not all races will be PRs but all races are successes in different ways. I am still not sure what the huge draw is for the marathon. 40,000 people? I understand the sense of accomplishment. But to be honest I get that from running a PR in any race 3 miles or 26. Why don't people try dog sledding? It would be so much easier on the body.
Note to spectators: don't cheer for people that don't give you eye contact. I had tons of people cheer for me with, "You can do it!, Run!". I knew I could too but I was in PAIN! Just smile and wave next time. It is kind of like your OB telling you, "Come on Jenny, your almost at the finish line of a triathlon, PUSH!". I am serious, my OB actually said that to me. I wanted to punch him. Pushing a kid out is NOTHING like finishing a triathlon. I would do 10 Ironmans in a row before pushing a baby out.

So now it is the fall in Chicago and I need a goal. I ran the first half of the Chicago marathon in 1:30 and the second half in 1:50. Not vary fulfilling. I have to wait 6 months now before I can race again. It is like a drug. Competition is awesome. It feeds me. Anyone with an idea?

Sport is Cyclical

2009-10-01T12:09:00.001-07:00

I need to update my pics of people. This is Noah heading off to school for his pictures. Seriously I could just eat him up! And yes, they were fighting. SHE is always the one to start it. Who knew a 1 year old could beat the crap out of a 4 year old. You should see some of his war wounds from Molly biting him! Watch out boys!
This is what I do when there are no triathlons to train for. Pull out the slip and slide. Yep, here in the midwest this is how we do it.
You better believe I was running so fast Bill couldn't even take my picture. LOL! But really with all of the marathon miles on my legs I feel like I have one speed, turtle.

While I was in the shower Monday after yoga with Adrienne (note to self, Yoga is WAYYY harder than I ever thought) I came to a conclusion. Sport is cyclical. For the last hmm, 30 years of my life I have been involved in competitive sports in some form or another. I think I have never gone a 12 month period without a swim meet, running race, triathlon, or rowing race since I could walk. No joke. But as far back as I can remember I have always gone through periods of my life where I just wanted to BE active not racing. It seems like these are all cycles. I can imagine a big circle that I go around. It is broken down into: training hard for triathlons, post season break, training hard, post season break, then realizing it has been two seasons with only a month or so break of No structure in those 24 months or so. I implode. I need to sleep in, I need to not have a fire just fun. I need to be with my kids not be tired with my kids. I need to be just Jenny not, OH that's Jenny the triathlete. I am at that point. I stopped racing triathlons early August and have thrown myself into marathon training. In my mind that is running 6 days a week and NOT touching a bike or getting wet in a pool. Unfortunately I have come to realize this really is no different than triathlon training. I am running hard, still waking up early, and still tired with the kids. I need a break! In 10 days after this crazy 26.2 miles of running I am taking a break. I mean workout when I want if I want. I feel fatness coming on and it is OKAY with me. I want the cycle to come again. You see that is the way it works. After this cycle is over I will come back to training hard and be even hungrier to race and get back into shape. You need to get out of shape to get into shape:)
I never understood how sooo many athletes can just go from year to year doing the same thing all the time with such intensity. And I don't mean a 2 week or 1 month break. Take a break! Don't talk about triathlon or think of it. There needs to be a cycle and balance. In the last 5 years my OFF times like this usually included having a baby. NOT this time, no worries here. Just a break for the body and mind. I need that fire to burn bright again when the gun goes off.
If I don't take a break I really believe the flame gets smaller and smaller each season.

A triathlete who tries to run!

2009-08-18T06:50:00.000-07:00

After much contemplation I decided to do the Chicago Marathon in October. It is almost hard to believe that I have never done it. The marathon has never been my thing. Too much running for this big girl. But as I get older and my kids are getting older it seems to haunt me. Marathon training is almost easy compared to triathlon training. BUT when I say easy I do not mean to slam any runners. I mean logistically as a parent it is easy. I don't have to get on my bike for hours or drive to a pool to swim for an hour. Running is simple. Shoes, watch, and you! Out the door in nature running against time. It's almost poetic in nature. This past 2 weeks I have embarked on my marathon training in full force. I totally dropped the pool (very easy for me to do!) and only am biking easy on the weekends mostly with the kids in tow. I ran a total of 50 miles last week. That is a lot for me! This week I am aiming for 55. My legs are feeling it. They are screaming at me to stop running and jump in a pool. This body was NOT cut out for distance running. I know serious distance runners can run 100 miles a week in preparation for a marathon. The difference is they weigh half as much as me. I have to slowly figure out what is my max before I get hurt. And then take the miles I do have and make them quality! I decided to have my run partner Janeth help me conquer my goal of sub 3:00. She has a ton of experience in this. She has been whipping my big butt 2 times a week with hard runs. BUT I am loving it. I love that my afternoons are free to play with Noah and I LOVE that I am not passing out at 8pm b/c of training. I know come late fall I will miss my bike and the pool. But that is the point. I want yearn for it again. I want the fire to come back so that each workout is a personal test. To be the best professional triathlete (with 2 kids, ha ha) that I can be. I need to refocus and find out what my goals are for next season. But until then I will be running my heart out and having fun doing it. Because as I have discovered if you aren't having fun, why do it.

This coming Saturday I am doing a 10k called the Dekalb Cornfest 10k! Only in Illinois do you get a race called a cornfest! And boy will I have fun. I really want to break 38 in the 10k. For some reason this triathete can run faster in a triathlon than an open road race, hmmm.

The weekend after the marathon some really good friends of mine are putting on a flat and fast 5k here in Naperville called The Newthing 5k. Please come support them and this race. It is at the yellow box church. If you live in Naperville you know where that is. I will be there cheering on everyone! www.newthing.org/5k

Naperville Sprint RR

2009-08-12T04:33:00.000-07:00

On Sunday both Bill and I raced in the Naperville Sprint Triathlon. This was the first time I have done this race. It is basically the same course as the womens triathlon in June but a shorter swim. This was the first race for Bill in about 2 years! And I think even longer since we have actually done a triathlon together. Probably since Noah arrived 4.5 years ago!
The swim was a time trial start which I am NOT fond of. How can you race if you don't have everyone with you. All you can do is go as hard as possible. And hope it was hard enough. They let us line up according to what we thought our times were. Apparently some swimmer were over zealous b/c I got stuck behind a bunch of swimmers that got in too early. It made for an interesting swim. The bike was a little windy and very crowded on the second loop. I always feel bad shouting at beginners to move over. They must think I am either crazy or mean. I always try to apologize as I pass after shouting, "on the left!". Onto the run...it was HOT! I don't mean sort of hot I might need a drink but hot I need to jump in a freezer to stop from boiling. On the last long stretch of road on the run we ran into the sun with no shade. I think that might of been the first time this year that I have felt that hot. Thank goodness it was only a 5k run. I had so much fun waiting for Bill and hanging with the kids. My Dad met us there and pushed them around in the double jogger. I had it all ready with snacks, juice, diapers, and blankets. Once he saw the diapers he told me he was NOT changing a diaper. Molly could wait until I crossed the finish line. He said he might even stand at transition while I am heading out on the run to yell at me that she had pooped so hurry up. Gotta love the grandpas. Thanks for your help Dad! I ended up winning and Bill had a great race for not even riding his bike this year.

I was happy with my race overall. I still felt a little sluggish from Steelhead last weekend but overall was having fun so pushing through slug is easy when you are smiling!

Enjoy the video my running partner and friend Janeth made!

HRMS Naperville Triathlon from RunnerGirlJaneth on Vimeo.

Another day as triathlon capital :: Naperville Sun :: Local Sports

2009-08-10T10:36:00.001-07:00

Another day as triathlon capital :: Naperville Sun :: Local Sports

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Steelhead Race Report

2009-08-02T10:53:00.001-07:00

Friday my Dad and I headed to St. Joe Michigan for the Steelhead 70.3 Triathlon. We got there in a little over 2 hours. Perfect! I love races that are close to home. I wish all of them were this easy to get to. We headed straight to the race sight so I could check it out and bike a little. The beach was beautiful. It really was a nice area to have a triathlon! I actually rested for this race so I was a little nervous if it was going to work or not. I went to bed Friday night without taking Ambien b/c I had run out and not gotten a refill. HUGE mistake. I didn't fall asleep until midnight! I don't know how anyone goes to sleep before races without it. It was just one of those nights that everything bothered me including the air conditioner. My alarm went off at 4am (3am Chicago time!). I was really relaxed and excited to get the show on the road already. I got to the transition area early and set up my stuff. It was too dark to bike so I skipped the warmup. Not sure yet if that was a mistake. I think that might have been the first race in a few years that I didn't do my typical warmup. It was a 1.2 mile walk down the beach and sand to the swim start. The water was perfect! Great temperature, wavy, and pretty! I felt good on the swim. Since I can't seem to shake the bad experience I had at New Orleans 70.3 I really was focusing on more of a relaxed pace so I could finish without having tummy problems. Plus I came into this race WAY undertrained! I have not ridden my bike over 50 miles since April or run over 12 since April. I think I ran 12 miles 3 weeks ago but really only 10 miles are my long runs. NEVER will do that again. I got out of the water with a few other girls at the same time. It was a fun experience swimming in a pack like that. I probably stayed too relaxed on the swim and should have been more aggressive. As the race progressed this seemed to be the theme on the bike too, need to be more aggressive! Anyway, onto the bike. Nutrition was number one concern on the bike even more so than speed or effort. Looking back now I know that I totally slacked. I need to start racing with power and/or HR so I know how hard to push myself. Amy Kloner went by me and I yelled at her good job, she didn't even respond b/c she was working so hard. That was the first sign I should have picked it up. I was way to focused on staying controlled and not overdoing it. Sometimes to race well you need to toe the line with overdoing it, that is the only way you will ever know if you did your best. I started the run at a 6:30 mile with a hill climb. Yikes! I slowed way the heck down worried I wouldn't be able to finish 13 miles of this. After stopping at the port o potty to pee at mile 1.5 I was off to my steady 7-7:30 pace. I finished the race definitely tired but knowing that I should have pushed the bike harder. It was mostly a lack of endurance training. The positive was that I had NO stomach problems and I think I have nailed that issue! YEAH!!!! That was a success for me. I Loved the course and race. I will do it again. I might even drag Bill to race it next year.
UP next, Naperville Sprint Triathlon. Bill and I are doing it next weekend! I have never done this race so I am excited. Plus it is a hometown race. I really enjoy all the people and friends that are there.

Naperdink

2009-07-27T11:30:00.001-07:00

Noah's cheering section. Notice I finally can put a ponytail on Molly's head. She looks like she has an antenna on.

And their off.....

Pre-Race. Notice the bento box filled and the bike jersey. He was ready!

This past Saturday Noah did his very first triathlon. It is called Naperdink. Their motto is "so dinky anyone can do it". It was a 2 mile bike, 1/2 hike, 2 mile bike, float. In that order and in no way fast or timed. Bill and I decided it would be a great idea for Noah to have an opportunity to be like Mom and "race". He was so excited and nervous! Bill pinned a jersey up so he could wear one. Bill even put my Bento Box on his cross bar of his bike. They put chocolate chip cookies and fruit snacks in it to keep him going! Bill jogged with him the whole way. Like Mother like son. Bill told me he stopped every few hundred feet to get a snack and a drink. By the time they got to the park for the hike he was really concerned he was so behind so they skipped the hike and biked back. So really it ended up being a 4 mile bike, float, and play in the sand. Bill got him a little trophy to give him. He was so proud of his trophy and finisher ribbon. I think it will be a family tradition we will do every year now! Plus I can pull Molly in the bike trailer next year. AND even more importantly it is all you can eat pancakes and bacon!

Saturday is Steelhead 70.3. This is only the second big taper I have done this year. I am sooo ready to race. I cannot wait. I have a lot to learn from this distance that I have been working on. Since my last 70.3 in New Orleans I have learned that I cannot eat gluten before a race or during a race. AND I take Imodium and then I am good to go! I have redemption on my mind. There are personal goals that I want accomplish for this race. I want to finish feeling good (stomach) and race strong. What I mean by that is mentally not falling apart or giving up. That is a big challenge for anyone I think. I also want to race on fresh legs. My legs have been so tired lately that I finally get to rest them so I can wait to feel peppy!

Anyone that lives around Naperville and is interested in Gluten Free products. My favorite bread that I have discovered that doesn't fall apart or taste terrible is the Gluten Free Raisin Bread from Great Harvest Bread Company in Naperville. It is sooo tasty. They make Gluten Free stuff every other Tuesday. If you try it I promise it will be the best GF bread you will have ever had.

Bike Problems!

2009-07-19T12:47:00.001-07:00

I am realizing more now than ever that you have the lows to appreciate the highs. Yesterday I did Evergreen Lake Triathlon which is about 2 hours from home. It is a competitive local OLY race that I LOVE.
The swim went good. It was actually a little choppy on the back end of the loop and I am pretty sure the course was long. I have not been swimming great lately so I was really content with how I did. Onto the the bike. I noticed on Friday when I put my race wheels on that the brake levers moved over and were rubbing the carbon on the wheel. I tried manually moving it over to see if that fixed it. I know that is not the right way to do it but I was in a rush. AND as a result forgot about the whole thing. The first mile or so into the bike the wheel moved a little and there it was. My front brake rubbing the ENTIRE freaking race. It was like riding a spin bike with high resistance. My legs were soooo tired halfway thru the bike. I slowed down on a ton of occasions to try and move the brake over. But it never worked. You could hear the rubbing with each spin of the wheel. UGH. All of that work and I missed a mechanical problem. Lesson learned. Take care of the bike. AND learn how to do it yourself. There were alot of voices going off in my head during that time on the bike. I wanted to quit or just get off and dnf. But I knew I couldn't face my family and kids with that. So I came into transition and put my shoes on to run as hard as my legs could after doing strength for an hour. I ended up running with Todd from Endure It. He was a great motivator. It is such a huge help to run with someone when you are in pain. Not talking just knowing they are there and their energy is helping you. I ended up 3rd. I am could say I am okay with that. BUT I am NOT! I am pissed. Because of my stupid mistake of rushing I forgot to fix something that lost the race and money! I need to slow down and take care of the little things. We all work so hard to get to the finish line that I think the little things are overlooked but in the end those are the things that keep us from getting there.
I didn't rest for this race because Steelhead is only 2 weeks away. I am burning for that race now. I want to have a great race there. It will be personal revenge!

Philly in Pictures

2009-07-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

I think this is half way thru the run you actually come back to the transition area thru grass then back on the road and away from the race again.

I had to force Bill to do this. A touristy looking couple took the shot, mostly I forced it to embarrass him!

Can you believe this is almost 250 years old!

The Skulgle river (I know this is spelled wrong but that is I I think it sounds). I actually rowed here in college. It was great to see all of the rowers practicing on the river along boat house row. Once I train less I definitely want to get back into that sport!

I am finally sitting down to do this. Bill and I were in Philadelphia this past weekend for the Philly Triathlon. It was a GREAT weekend. Friday we got there super early and did some sightseeing. I really enjoy American history so we did the Liberty Bell, the mint, Independence village, and a few other things. It was really fascinating. Living in the midwest we have nothing that is that old. Maybe 100 years but not almost 300 years old.

The race was great. The swim was a point to point with the current so it went by quick. The bike was MUCH harder than I thought it was going to be. Essentially there were 8 short and some very steep climbs and descents. I am not used to that. I would say it is my weakest thing in triathlon. The run was flat and somewhat shaded. I was glad it was over when I finally got to the finish. Starting at 6:55 eastern time really felt like 5:55 am to me. It was a much more competitive race that I thought it was going to be but I love the competitiveness of it all. Lots of fast women make it even more fun. I was content with my race and even more thrilled at how much fun we had by ourselves for the weekend. Much needed time away!

One brick and one wedding

2009-06-24T09:20:00.001-07:00

Even though he doesn't look happy he did great!

I could just eat her up:)

Summer is here in full swing. It has been in the 90s everyday and above 100 with the heat index!

This past weekend was GREAT! Noah was a ring bearer in Bill's cousin's wedding. He did a fabulous job. A four year old in a tux is ridiculously cute. He looked like honey I shrunk the kids but it was a grown up in a tux shrunk down. He even said he looked sexy. OH boy! It was a hot day too it that tux and he was still a trooper.

That morning I did a run heavy brick. The main set was 10 min TT effort on the bike and then 2 x 1 miles on the treadmill at 6 min pace and then the second mile at under that with a little break btw. OUCH it hurt. I had to do that 3 times thru. It felt great to finish it but boy was I pooped by 7pm at the wedding. After chasing the kiddies and having to wear high heels I needed my jammies and a bed a lie in.

I actually had to borrow a curling iron from a neighbor because I don't own one! I even had to dig in my bathroom cabinets for makeup. I knew I still had something from the last wedding we went to a year ago.

Bill and I head out to Philly Friday morning! I can't wait to see some sights and eat some good food too. Should be a great race.

Race Report- USWTS Naperville

2009-06-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

I will start with the beginning of the weekend. Bill had finals all the following week and a huge paper to work on. So it was a very tuff weekend to balance. I worked at the expo for Endure It on Saturday. I really enjoy the expos! It is a social outlet for me as well as a way to get my name out for coaching! I got to see tons of people and catch up with some friends that I have not seen in a long time. I got to meet a great bunch of ladies that started a company called Make Your Mark (http://www.makeyourmark.com/). I always try to support women owned and operated companies. They had great t-shirts. I am a HUGE T-shirt wearer as a stay at home mom. I must own 2 dozen life is good shirts. But these are even BETTER! I love how comfy they are. And they are CUTE and inspiring. Check em out! I also got to see Naperville Running Company and some other booths that I love! It got the competitive juices flowin for sure! This is my hometown race so I wanted to be ON for it!

I slept terrible Saturday night. First it started as me having a hard time falling asleep. Normally before races I take Ambien (sorry to push drugs here) but I ran out and forgot to get the refill. Then I started hearing EVERYTHING outside. You know those night that you can hear the branches crack and you get ticked. It was one of those nights. Then after overdosing on Tylenol PM I finally fell asleep at midnight only to wake up to my wonderful daughter at 2:15am WIDE freakin awake. Needless to say Bill and I had about 2 hrs of sleep Saturday night. By the time she fell asleep at 4am I was getting up for the race.

I headed out the door at 4:45am to get my warm up in at home before I took the 5 min drive to the race site. I was so tired my eyeballs were burning. I was in a BAD mood. Never race with no sleep or even try to be a decent human. It felt like I had a newborn again. Yuck. I almost decided to stay home but knew I would be mad at myself if I didn't try to go. So I drank some coffee and we got in the car.

I was really hoping to race this girl I have heard about from Chicago all week! But she didn't show up. I was really bummed about it. I got to the swim start with Adrienne a few minutes early to get in a good swim warm up. For a sprint triathlon you really need to warm up longer than the actual distance of the race to be able to go anaerobic from the start. We lined up at the start and it felt competitive actually. For some reason this race brings out some competitive feelings in the elite wave. I could sense it before they even said GO. The swim really wasn't that bad after a few strokes. It was pretty much open water. My wetsuit was taking on WAY too much water. I now know that the velcro that closes it is full of hair and won't stay shut (thanks Adrienne for telling me:) I would have never thought of it). I came out of the water second I think 45 sec or so back from the girl in front. I got her within the first 3-4 min of the bike. Then I got to ride behind the lead vehicle the rest of the race. I wanted to put in a hard effort on the bike with only a 5k to run you can do that. I got off the bike in the lead and started the run. The lead mtn bike guy in front of me started out to lead the course. I screamed at him after about a half mile to find out where second place was. He radioed someone and yelled at him that they were just leaving transition so they were 4 min back or so. AHHH, that was a nice feeling. The work on the bike paid off. On the other hand I LOVE to run with someone and push each other so I was a little bummed for that. I ran solid and got to finish with most of my family there! Noah was jumping up and down cheering. It meant a lot to me to have him there. He sees my train all the time on the trainer so now he understands the reason. 4 is a great age. Not to mention my client Kimberly Goodell finished second, YAHOOO all that hard work paid off. And Elizabeth and Adrienne were right on her feet. It was so much fun to have all those girls there. Congrats to everyone that finished the race.

10 days now to Philadelphia Triathlon. I can't wait to race there. Bill and I are going alone since he has a 2 week break from school. It will be a nice weekend away and nice to have Bill experiencing it the race with me! Thanks DAD!

U.S. Women's Triathlon :: Suburban Chicago News :: Photo Gallery

2009-06-15T03:25:00.001-07:00

U.S. Women's Triathlon :: Suburban Chicago News :: Photo Gallery

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Race Report: Pigman

2009-06-08T07:25:00.000-07:00

I have been humbled many times. This race was a new experience for me. I have had some amazing break throughs in the last few weeks with my running and biking. I have run mile repeats on the treadmill at 5:40 pace (for me that is great) and been on the track a few too many times. I truly can say that I gave everything I had in my body yesterday and there was nothing left. The problem was, was that there wasn't much there to start with. After talking to my coach I realized that when you achieve great breakthroughs it takes alot of time to recover from the new thresholds that you pushed yourself through.
From the start of the swim at Pigman I was completely out of breath. I actually felt like I was hyperventilating. I couldn't even catch my breath a little. It was totally ridiculous. I wasn't going anywhere and was breathing as if I was swimming like an Olympian! Running into transition I thought I was going to throw up I was still breathing so hard. It never ended the entire race. My quads even throbbed on the bike like I had done an IM the day before. I was breathing so hard on the run my mouth couldn't have been any more open to catch oxygen. I could have swallowed a bird that flew by. It was just crazy. I knew how fast I had been training and I was racing at a pace that I do on moderate days. I finished the race fairly disappointed in my place and time. But NOT disappointed in how I pushed myself. I never gave up even though I knew I had dug a huge whole these past few weeks and now was paying for it. Barb didn't taper me for this race at all and I thought it wasn't a big deal. Now I know how I respond to no taper. Not so well:) Lessened learned. After crossing the finish line the girl that won Cathy (very nice Minnesota girl) said to me ,"you have bigger fish to fry." She was right and it made me feel better in a strange way. Every race can't be great. You learn from your training and hopefully all the pieces fall together on your A race days. That was a C race for me. And I need to realize when I race a C race that I am not rested and the result might not be what I want but the big fish races will be what I have trained for!
This coming weekend is the Naperville Womens Triathlon (www.uswts.com). I LOVE this race. It was the first triathlon I ever did and is in my hometown. I am resting for this sucker! Plus tons of clients and friends are there to all have a good time! Can't wait to see everyone!

Inspirational

2009-06-03T11:02:00.000-07:00

I know this is silly but sometimes that is needed at 5am. The lifeguard had a fancy underwater camera. I want one! He offered it to Adam and I to see if we wanted it to analyze strokes. Nope I just wanted to screw around underwater with it. We do enough analyzing!

It has been a busy few weeks. Bill's little grandma passed away last week after a long bout with heart failure. She was a generous and giving human being. Bill's uncle said something that totally fit her at the funeral, "good things come in small packages." That was her, I think when she was 9 months pregnant with any of her kids she didn't even hit 100 lbs! I never really had a grandma like her. I feel like I have learned how to emulate how to be a great grandma one day from her! She was fun and adventurous. And always supportive of her grandkids ambitions. She will be greatly missed but her life was definitely lived to the fullest so it is a celebration as well.

Molly had ear tubes put in Monday morning. After 7 ear infections, tons of high fevers, and too many doses of antibiotics we finally did it. It is really amazing to me how quickly and smoothly the whole surgery went. We arrived at the surgery center at 5:45am and were home by 8:30am! She was back to her normal toddler self by dinner time! If that was an adult we would still be lying in bed. Kids don't know how to milk it. They just want to play! We are so happy it went well and are hoping this ends the crazy string of sickness.

While we were sitting in the room waiting for Molly to come back to the room to recover we talked about parents that have to deal with sick kids everyday. The Lacewell family in Naperville is dealing with a rare form of brain cancer in their son Max who is turning 6 soon. I can't imagine what that is like as a parent. Since he was diagnosed back in the fall I have been reading his parents journal online and keeping up with what their family is doing. I didn't know them until this happened. They go to my YMCA and live not far. But since this has happened it has truly touched me. I have come to appreciate everyday with my kids even more. I don't want to rush their lives from day to day. I appreciate the little things more like their giggles and hugs. And their birthdays are a HUGE deal now more than ever. I don't talk to this family often but I want them to know that they have impacted my life forever. Their faith in God and how they lean on each other is inspirational. If you want take a moment please pray for Max's health, I will.

I know this is going to right field now, but I am racing Pigman Sprint triathlon this weekend! I am SUPER excited. I love sprint races. And it is an equalizer. So the men start a few min back from the women. Who ever crosses the finish line first wins! I can't wait! It sounds so fun:) Training has been going awesome and there is NO let down for a smaller race so we'll see how the legs respond. Hopefully Barb will give me next week easy because I made a crazy decision. I am doing 2 races in one weekend. Elkhart Lake Triathlon on Saturday the 13 and Naperville Womens race on Sunday! Nuts, I know. Sunday will hurt but where would be the fun if it didn't?

Lots of luck to everyone racing this weekend!

Memphis Report

2009-05-19T17:36:00.001-07:00

This is what my wonderful husband now does for training while I am off running! Talk about strength training.

I think I discovered a new sport in Galena a few weeks ago. I even used Noah's Lightening McQueen fishing rod. I didn't tell him but as soon as a fish would come near I yanked it out. There was NO way I was touching a fish. We told him they fish were taking a tap!

Getting ready to go...

Trying to get balanced to go uphill with no shoes on.

Chatting with Deb and here sister after the race! They both had a great race too!

I know it has been SOOO long since my last post but I find it really hard to sit at the computer in my spare time (ha ha ha!) I would rather be a vegetable in front of the TV or asleep. Plus since I raced in New Orleans my life has been pretty low key and I have had consistent training. I chose Memphis in May over the winter because it was "driving" distance and a non drafting race. Well after way too many hours alone with my Dad in a car I now think that it should be a plane trip instead. Needless to say we made it down to Memphis Friday right before dinner. My Dad booked the hotel closed to the race site. He always used priceline which is great except you really don't know what you are getting. Well we got a house full of Marine teenagers on their weekend off. There is a base in town so I assume when the kids (I say kids because for the first time I felt OLD waiting in the check in line next to the young men in uniform. They seemed so young and pre pubescent) get a weekend off they go to a cheap hotel to live it up! Luckily they seemed to be pretty quiet and didn't keep me up. Plus after traveling to races for years now I have learned to travel with drugs and ear plugs. There could have been a tornado and I would have slept beautifully.

It seems as if all pros sign up for a race the year I do it. The last few years of results for this race don't seem nearly as competitive? Maybe it was me. But Michellie Jones? Who would have thunk she would come to Memphis TN! Lucky me:) Actually I was really excited and feeling great! I knew a few people doing the race as well as some friends doing the amateur race. I no longer get nervous because of who I am racing. Now I just get nervous for all the good reasons: Will I mentally stay strong the entire race, or Will my body hold up the entire race the way I want it to? Those are good reasons to get nervous. YOU can control those. You cannot control your competition. Only get nervous in life for the things you can control. It took me years to figure that one out.

I had a solid race. It was a time trial start so a person left every 10 seconds. They mixed men and women pros. Not a fan. I would much rather race head to head. I am a racer! I thrive on that element of the race. It brings you to a different level. The swim was super choppy but not awful. I used a fancy speedsuit that I bought Saturday b/c I am the only professional triathlete without one. WAYYYY worth it for anyone out there thinking of buying one. It was FAST!!! I bought a Blue Seventy and love it. (NO I am not sponsored by them). A cold front blew in on Saturday evening and with it came wind. I would take wind and cold over heat and humidity ANY day. Give me a 50 or 60 deg triathlon and I am a happy camper. The bike was extremely windy. Pretty much like riding here in Chicago all year long. It wasn't a spectacular bike for me. I never felt in the groove. It was struggle the entire ride. I think I need to borrow someones fancy aero helmet and disc wheel. It seems like most pros use those now too! I am learning. My goal was to start the run very comfortable. Run a mile to get my legs back then reassess. I did exactly that. I actually negative split the run and felt strong the entire time for taking out the first half slower. It has taken me many bonked races to learn this one. Turns out I finished 5th! Pro awards were 5 deep so that was a big milestone for me. It was my first pro award and paycheck! The only frustrating part of 4th place was 14 sec ahead of me and if it was head to head I know I would have outkicked her! UGH. Next year.

Thanks Dad for the trip and BBQ. Thanks Avia for the awesome new red and pink racing flats! Thank you PowerBar, Mideast Team Elite, my super coach Barb, Bill, Gao Fei, and my family for helping with the kids.

Wet and muddy

2009-04-19T17:38:00.001-07:00

After a few weeks of frustration I think I am finally getting somewhere. I have two appointments this week with a GI doctor and a Sports Med doctor who is also an internist to figure out my tummy troubles. After speaking to a few on the phone last week it seems like they all have the same idea, Celiac disease or gluten intolerance! What the heck is that I said. I had to google it. Hmmm, it all seems to make sense though. Hopefully after this week I will know what is "bugging" my tummy and I can get back to a symptom free training and racing world. If this is the case, I am pigging out this week on all things wheat. I LOVE carbs. It will be a morning period for me to have to give up all of those lovely flour foods. But I will do it just to run and not get sick every time! It is getting worse everyday. ICK ICK.

Today I did the NCO Spring Ahead 10k trail run. It was so fun. It was a rainy and cloudy day. It was PERFECT for a run. I think it was 60 ish deg or at least it felt that warm. To me that is tank top and shorts weather. (it was probably 50 but to us Chicago athletes it is time to break out the sunscreen and get a tan.) My brother ran with me the entire run. Or a few steps ahead. His out of shape is my in shape, thank goodness! After the gun went off, I asked him what he was going to do. He said it was more of a paced run for him with his garmin so I could probably hang with him. As we ran he kept telling me the pace. NOTE to self, NEVER wear a garmin in a race it is completely annoying. We seem to run 5:45 pace pretty consistently. Which was really shocking to me. Since my goals this year are all longer events I have not once stepped on the track or done alot of fast running. The middle 3-4 miles of this race was on a trail that was limestone, rocks and wet mud. It was great! There were times he would get a few steps ahead but I always seem to pull him back in or he slowed down, not sure which. I really worked it. It wasn't one of those I felt like I was coasting runs. I felt like I was going to hurl the entire time. But I didn't care i wanted to hold that pace and run with Brian. I miss the speed stuff! I felt a little bonkish most of the run. I get sick so much now that I am trying to not each much gluten before I train which leads to no energy. I will have to figure that one out soon. But we finished strong! His garmin read 6.44 miles. Almost 1/4 mile long! It felt like it and most the runners we talked to had the same numbers. Our time was 38:56 so I think it would have been around 37:40 which seems to make sense with the pace we were running. As we got to the finish line Brian physically pushed me in front of him so I could beat him. Brothers are awesome:) I wish someone took a picture of that! I am completely happy with the day. I needed a positive day like that after what has been going on with my training. Congrats Dad on doing great too, I think wearing the Jimmy Hendrix shirt made you faster.
OH I won the 10k and got to take home money too! Plus tons of friends and clients were there which makes our town of 100,000+ seem so small. Another great weekend.

The Aftermath

2009-04-08T10:45:00.000-07:00

When a race doesn't go as planned you start to think. During the run portion on Sunday when my stomach was screaming at me to stop running (and I did) I had plenty of time to think. That is NEVER a good thing. Normally when a race goes well you are running so hard all you can think about is the finish or race tactics. But this time all I could think about was my kids and how much time I spend training for this exact race that I am now failing at miserably. All of the weekends and early mornings that I leave home are all a waste. I know this is wrong but when you are in that mental state all you think about are the negatives. I missed my kids more than anything. I wanted to see them right then. A few things that I did take away from a miserable experience were that I don't want to race an Ironman this year. It takes too many hours away from my main job, Mom. My heart is totally with my kids now. Before I had Molly I could race with my heart 100% into every training effort and race experience. Since she came, something inside me switched. Now I have 2 human beings that I am responsible for. I want to invest quality time with them so that they become the best people they can be. I do know that to be that kind of Mom I have to train and race. It somehow balances me out. It is my drug. It makes me excited to live and breath everyday! To train and race as a pro it seems like most of the women I have met are at 20 hours on the low end to 30+ hours on average. I am nowhere near that. And I don't think I will ever be. I like my life nicely balanced with 15-18 hrs a week. I never feel overwhelmed or pulled in too many directions at that level. So I am going to stick to olympic distance races and one or two halfs this year. I think every year you need to reassess and see what life hands you. Things might change. But if they don't I am thrilled with where I am going. I know my abilities as an athlete and what I can do. It's just a matter of getting it all right race day again (with my family in tow this time).

GI and then some

2009-04-06T06:53:00.000-07:00

Quick post to sum up yesterday. Not good. I have had problems now for a few months with GI issues. NEVER before in my life racing has this ever been a problem. Very weird. Every long workout or any long run I have had problems. I have tried to change everything but nothing has worked. And after any long session or race I am not only sick during the race but then super sick until night time. Essentially until there is nothing left. I had a bad feeling about this for yesterday but hoped changing a few things up for my nutrition plan would do it. Plus I ate super bland the days leading up to the race. Halfway thru the bike it started. I felt sick to my stomach and the bubbly in the tummy. On the run it was about mile 2 that it hit me that it wasn't going to go away. There was a lot of walking and doubled over pain for the rest of the run. On a really bad day I can run a 1:35 half during a race but a 1:50 was silliness. I couldn't go. Every step I took I wanted to cry my stomach hurt so bad. I always thought people with excuses were wusses. That it was an easy way out for a bad day to make excuses. But man did I have a bad one. The race seem to be the easier part of the day. As soon as I finished I was super sick until about 5pm. I mean sweating throwing up and the other end (sorry tmi). But this is happening to me every time I go hard now.
It hit me last night talking to my dad after I came out of the coma of sickness. The only thing that has changed from last year. I am on cholesterol medication. I have had super high cholesterol since high school (270 now). I started taking the meds right after I finished nursing Molly last fall. I called my Doctor and a light bulb goes off. That is it. He explains to me what happens with the blood and water and blah blah blah. I am the small percent with the side effect and probably even a smaller percent that do what I do on the drug. Whatever! At least I know now what I need to do.

Dear Molly,

2009-03-25T11:00:00.000-07:00

One year ago today you came into our lives. I now can't imagine what life would be like without you. Since you have come into our family we have all become better at what we do. Noah has turned into the best big brother. He sings you songs when you cry in the car to calm you down and gets you your pacifier when it falls. Your Dad has evolved in so many ways. He is more sensitive now and much more willing to jump in to hold you then ever before. (he was a little more nervous with your brother). He adores you and is always kissing you. Because of you he is a better Dad to Noah. My Mom would always tell me there is nothing like having a daughter. I think I now understand what she is talking about. I can't wait to watch you grow up and become a strong women. And go shopping with you and hang out. You are already a strong independent little baby always pushing yourself away from us trying to do it on your own. You are so determined at one I can't even imagine what you will accomplish!
Happy Birthday Molly!
Love, Mom

In other news....
Only 10 days left until New Orleans 70.3. Yikes is all I can say. I hope the moon and the stars align that day for a great race. I am so excited and nervous to finally race! I haven't even been outside yet on a bike to ride! Gotta love Chicago. Every day that seems a little nice I can never get out due to babysitting issues. Go figure. I don't care I am ready for that race. I have put in some LONG trainer rides and pushed hard on freezing cold days running for this.

What does it all mean?

2009-03-22T17:22:00.000-07:00

My husband asked me today, "What are you contributing to the family with all of this training?" Good question ehh? I think it is one that a lot of families with triathletes ask each other. It hasn't been all peaches and cream since we had kids. It has been HARD. It is a struggle everyday to train, be a Mom, clean, work, and be the best wife I can be. Up until last year I have been an amateur triathlete. Really there is no difference from amateur to professional other than a card and the tiny possibility of making money at it. So what is the purpose? I struggle every day with that. I spend half of my weekends away training trying to become a faster triathlete. The key there is away. When my husband, Bill, goes away to work he brings home a paycheck. I bring home sweaty clothes and an insane hunger for anything edible. OH, and no money. Or not much at least. Truth be told, I would still train like this even if I hadn't turned pro. I know more than my share of triathletes that are not pro that train WAY more than me. And for what...
My answer to him. (I have not told him this yet it has been stewing in my head). I contribute a mom and wife that is happier, healthier, and excited about life! Training for triathlon gives me fulfillment in areas that I need. Sure my kids give me tons of fulfillment but I need something for ME! Training is my time to reflect and enjoy life. I'm not sure if this is fair or how it is perceived but that is the truth. I want to know if this is a question that anyone's spouse has ever asked them? And if so, what is your answer?

St. Patricks Day and a CRAZY hilly half marathon

2009-03-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

What a weekend! Saturday started out with a bang. I woke up super early (like everyday) to get in a 3 hr trainer ride so that we could all go to the St. Patrick's day parade together! I LOVE parades and I think my kids have caught the bug too. Who would want to miss men walking around in skirts, people throwing candy at you, and getting tons of green beads. All for free I might add! Perfect entertainment for the family. It was Molly's second parade, last year she got to see the labor day parade. Not sure if she was actually awake for in a baby coma though. I walked about 2 miles that day carrying Noah on my shoulders, all 40 lbs of him. Ugh. Saturday afternoon we took the double jogger out for a 30 min run for the first time of the season, yahoo!
We mad it an early night with Pizza and then all in bed by 8:30 b/c both Bill and I were running the March Madness Half marathon in Cary.
This IS the hilliest half marathon or running race of any kind in IL I think. We have bumps in the road but no hills. This town seems to have them all. As I warmed up for the race I knew my legs were dead from yesterday. I silently cursed my coach but I knew the big picture wasn't this race. At the start lined it was full of all of the skinny runner types in the short shorts and tank tops. I will give you it was nice but PLEASE it was still in the 40s! Put some freakin clothes on. My short course competitive side came out in the first mile as I looked at my watch and saw 6:18, oops. I was trying to run 6:45 pace. The pace I want to race in New Orleans. The first 5 miles I was probably in the 6:30s then started to taper off with the big climbs. Ended up finishing 1:28 and 6th overall. I was happy with that given what was before this and it was just a small piece of the big picture. Every time I do this race I think that I will never do it again b/c it is so painfully hilly. But I seem to keep signing up!
Congrats to everyone who ran as well! There were tons of triathletes there racing soon. Good job Doug, Todd, katie, Caroline, and tons of other people. By way we have a triathlete that does Kona every year here in Naperville, Bob Scott. HE is in his upper 70s and finished the hilly half in 2:05. HOLY cow that is incredible! I want to be like him one day:)

Skunks

2009-03-05T19:02:00.000-08:00

I haven't blogged in a long time b/c really there is nothing to blog about. It seems like the winter is never going to end. Day after day the same thing happens, feed kids, swim, treadmill, feed kids, computrainer, change diaper, feed kids, bathtime, pass out. Not always that order AND not always everything! But it really isn't that interesting. I can feel change coming. The weather is actually starting to break. Today I didn't even have to wear a hat or ear warmers! What a great surprise! 2 weeks ago on my normal morning loop with Janeth I was doing a tempo section and lost her. I turned back to find her but instead literally ran into a skunk! 5:45am and a skunk comes walking out into the street about 10 feet in front of me as I am running towards it. I stopped in my tracks and stood there. It has to be some sort of omen to run into a skunk. This NEVER happens. I always smell them but never see the stinky guys. He just stared at me then eventually waddled away. I was a little spooked but more interested at what this might mean. Flash forward to today. I was out doing a LONG fartlek run with Janeth. While we warmed up I was telling her about the run in with the skunk a few weeks back. Low and behold we turned the corner and I ran right into one, AGAIN! He even sprayed his stink. He was too far from us but you could still smell it, yuck. But this seriously has to be some sort of omen or sign. I am taking it to mean that spring is finally coming and the skunks are hungry. Either that or something big is coming! I feel it. Training sometimes hits cruise control and you have no big major break throughs just lots of the grind of work. Well it is time my friends. I have put tons of time in on the computrainer this winter. I am ready to get outside and see how this has paid off. Watch out you stinky skunks, I might run over you:)