Me: There's a 90 year old guy checking me out. I'm pretty sure he's jealous of my donut pillow.
The BFF: He's jealous because you look so young for 80.
I was fully in denial. I arrived at camp with my bike on the back of my car because I'm wasn't willing to let go just yet. It sat in the casita while my teammates rode all of my favorite routes, laughing, and bonding over the suffering.
There's also been anger, bargaining, and a more than a few moments of complete despair, or depression, if you want to use the correct terminology for the stages of grief. I cried on the phone as the doctor read my MRI results. (depression) It doesn't hurt. Please can I ride my bike? And I can run, right? I pleaded with him over text message later that day. (denial) OK no running or biking, but what about hiking? I can hike right? (bargaining)
And then, finally, my last text message to him... I need a letter from my physician stating why I can't race Ironman, for the insurance company. Can you email that to me? (acceptance)
Acute, traumatic fracture of the sacrum at S4-S5. That's my official diagnosis. The trauma had nothing to do with swim, bike or run... nothing to do with training or over training... Once it's healed here in another couple of weeks, I can get back to the business at hand. Not like a stress fracture or a soft tissue injury.
It was a tough decision to not race Oceanside. Knowing what I know now, I'm glad I didn't. The nerves that come off the spinal cord and travel through the S4-S5 region control bladder and bowel function. I don't think I need to explain the repercussions if I fuck up recovery. I still rode my bike and ran that weekend. Monday morning after the race we drove home and that evening I went in for the MRI. In fact the morning I got my results I rode my bike for 90 minutes with intervals, and ran 5 miles at race pace. My doctor called me 2 hours after I finished. I just couldn't believe that it was even possible that there was a fracture. I only had the MRI because Hillary insisted.
And I guess I wasn't going to say anything, because there's nothing TO say. But there are a couple of reasons why I decided to:
1. Because everyone is asking. Living in my own little world, no one notices what I'm doing. No one cares. But when you proclaim that you're going to defend your title at a race and then suddenly don't show up on the start line, people start wondering... and asking. I've basically just ignored every inquiry, mostly because I just don't feel like talking about it. But sometimes, the stories that people are willing to make up are so much worse than the actual truth. So I wanted to put the truth out there so no one feels the need to make shit up.
2. Because I am 100% fine. I'm not in pain. I can still work. I can still swim (with open turns), and walk, and even do a bit of strength training (with some limitations). I believe that everything resolves to good. And no matter how disappointed I am that I don't get to race Texas or Santa Rosa, I know in my heart that something good will come out of this. Something better. Why this happened to me, I may never know. But it's not my right to know. For whatever reason, the universe decided that I needed healing and presented that opportunity to me. I am taking my recovery seriously-- like it's my full time job.
3. Because I want my athletes to see this and know that life happens, moment by moment, and we improvise, adapt and overcome. Sometimes it's injury. Sometimes work gets in the way of training. Sometimes it's a family member and you drop everything to be with them in their time if need. Triathlon is a hobby, and a passion, and a lifeline for a lot of us. It helps us make friends as adults, and relieve stress from real life, and burn a few extra calories from the beer we like to enjoy at dinner. But if you can't be flexible, and change the plans when you need to, you will drive the enjoyment right out of the sport and it'll die a slow and painful death. And I intend to be in this sport for the rest of my life, so 6-8 weeks to heal is a mere pine needle on the trail I'm walking.
I called Hillary with my MRI results an hour before I was supposed to drive to Tucson for a long weekend training camp. Come to camp, she said. It will be good for you to be around your teammates. And she was right. It was good to be around people that were in good spirits and hang out and talk to friends I don't see often. I met one of my athletes from the East coast who has given me so much joy in my coaching job over the last 6 months. And she made me laugh every single day. I got to watch her grow in courage and confidence over the 5 days. And I got to witness another athlete, who had previously struggled with self esteem, tackle workouts with grace and confidence and strength. So even if I wasn't riding or running next to them, I was still in the presence of greatness.
I walked a lot. I joined in on swim workouts. And I sat back as an observer and watched my teammates work hard. Giving more when they thought the tank was empty. And my passion grew. My desire grew. My willingness to work hard for my dreams grew. With every step they took.
I am pulling out of Texas and Santa Rosa. God-willing, I will be on the start line in Boulder, not racing, but using it as a long training day. And I am planning a late summer Ironman as the new start to my racing season.
I am grateful that my best friend is on speed dial and she doesn't let me wallow in my shit. She makes me laugh and reminds me that I'm 40 going on 80, and that things could be so. much. worse. And she's already agreed to join me on my next adventure...
I got to walk along a 9 mile section of the Arizona Trail last weekend while everyone was running. It was so amazingly beautiful. I stopped to take pictures of all the flowers blooming and the changing landscapes as I traveled along on foot. Things I never would have noticed had I been running. And it inspired a new dream, a new desire, a new goal.
I want to thru-hike the AZT.
Showing posts with label IM training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IM training. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Saturday, August 6, 2016
Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Run: At the heart of #findingaloha
One of the things I love most about working with Hillary is that I can bring ideas to the table and she will give me a "yay" or a "nay" on whether or not they'll work into my training plan. I've almost never received a "nay" -- she believes in gaining fitness through racing, thankfully, so I'm allowed and encouraged to race regularly throughout the season. Obviously we try to be smart about what races I'm doing and where they fit in so as to maximize the meat of my plan.
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| Pre Race! Obviously cold for us Arizona girls. |
Last fall I approached her with the idea of fitting in the Tahoe Rim Trail Endurance Run 55k into my July schedule. She said yes, and even volunteered to enter the lottery herself. On January 1, we both were accepted into the race. At the time I imagined she'd win the race and be chilling at the finish line after a nice shower and lunch by the time I rolled in. I did NOT imagine running side by side with her for 7.5 hours (at my pace). Let me say, it was a blast!!
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| Not quite the half way mark. #trt100 |
We brought a couple of girlfriends along for the weekend and spent 90% of the time laughing. (The other 10% of the time was spent sleeping). What happens on girls weekend stays on girls weekend, so sorry... no details. But it was very refreshing, and we enjoyed every second of our time in Lake Tahoe. And sharing my favorite trail race with my friends was icing on the cake.
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| Final aid station. Had to get off my feet for 30 seconds. |
For the first time I stuck around to witness the 100 mile finish and seeing the runners come through the final crew stop at mile 80 and into the finish line hours later solidified in my heart the desire for this particular race to one day be my first 100 miler.
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| On the descent from Snow Valley Peak. |
This year for me has been about finding joy and enjoyment (#findingaloha!) in everything I do-- appreciating the simple fact of being able to do the things I love. Looking back, I think this pursuit has been really life-changing for me. I've been accused of being pessimistic though I will always argue that though I am not an optimist, I see myself as a realist. It's enough of a topic for it's own post, but after waking up for weeks on end feeling down on myself and down on life (last fall), actively choosing joy has been a huge part of my recovery and my success this season. This also means that I have to recognize when something / someone in my life is not bringing me joy-- and I've been working to eliminate those things whether it's hiring someone to help with household chores, or unfollowing friends on social media who constantly post about politics, or getting rid of that toxic "friend" that you don't love but feel guilty about abandoning. Life is too short. Being in the mountains definitely brings my heart peace and joy.
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| A little swim in chilly Lake Tahoe. |
When we weren't running, we swam in the lake, ate at some unique eateries (#sassafrass) and just enjoyed the scenery. Each of us girls is in a different phase in life. Single vs. married. Retired from professional racing vs. actively pursuing goals vs. training and racing for fun. Too young for kids vs. decidedly no kids vs. in the trenches of family planning. But together we can encourage, listen, laugh, cry, and just be there for each other. These are the friendships that are forged through sport.
The end of my racing season is quickly coming into view with the World Championships being 9 weeks away. My training volume and intensity is reaching peak. I am tired... a lot of the time. I can no longer remember what's on my plan tomorrow or the next day, which is probably a good thing because when I look ahead it gives me anxiety.
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| PR up Mt. Lemmon!! |
Despite being tired, I am feeling stronger every day. Last weekend we had a team smashfest in Tucson-- biking Mt. Lemmon and then racing in the pool. I beat my previous best time up Mt. Lemmon, holding higher watts than I ever have and keeping up with teammates that I probably shouldn't be keeping up with. And my times in the pool matched my previous best times for the workout. I have a few more key workouts before I get a bit of rest for Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2 weeks.
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| A little team rivalry never hurts when racing! |
If you missed my last post about meal planning, you can check it out here. I am looking forward to sharing my plans for 2017 as there are some exciting plans on the horizon, but I'm not quite ready yet. :-) Soon!
Saturday, July 9, 2016
Finding Aloha in the Journey
13 weeks.
13 weeks from today I will be racing the Ironman World Championships.
13 weeks from right this very moment I will be mere minutes into the 2.4 mile swim.
Every time I think about my journey and everything that has gotten me to this point I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. As slow as the first half of the year went, time has now sped up and I want to maximize every workout, every opportunity for rest and recovery, every everything that can help me get through race day in 13 weeks.
Many people have asked me my goals for Kona. I have avoided setting time goals for this race because time goals in general are useless and I think setting them is really silly. For me. This is my first time racing on the Big Island. It's my first time competing in a major championship race. I do have a rough idea of what I am capable of on a "perfect day". But I also know that I need to get to the finish line no. matter. what. Unlike racing in Arizona, I cannot completely throw caution to the wind. However if I focus on doing what I do every single day in training, and stay in the moment, and stay on top of my hydration and nutrition, everything will be fine.
I'm going to be very honest here and say that the Ironman World Championships scare the sh*t out of me. I ran the Kona Marathon in 2005 and it was great. My sister and I were vacationing on Kauai, flew over for the night to run it and then flew back. It was the same course as Ironman except you started/ ended at the far end of Ali'i Drive (where the run course at IM does the first out-n-back). It's comforting to know that I've run through the energy lab, granted much earlier in the day, but I did it. And at the time, I ran a marathon PR.
A few years later when my husband raced in Kona for the first time (2009) I took my bike to maintain my training for IMAZ. I was absolutely destroyed by the heat and humidity. I remember going out for a ride one afternoon. Just an hour shake out. Nothing major. I seriously bonked within 15 minutes. Like, had to sit on the side of the road in the shade of a vehicle to recover, destroyed. I did my long ride during race week on the Ironman course and it was absolutely the worst 75 mile ride I've ever done. I remember getting back to our condo and telling the hubs that I never, EVER, wanted to race in Kona.
Obviously a lot has changed since then. I'm a different athlete, and by the time we went back to the Big Island in 2011 I thought, I could do this. And that's when I decided to start pursuing the goal (initially chasing the Legacy).
I have worked really hard to change my approach mentally and this past week I was watching the broadcast from last year's race while on my trainer and I thought to myself, there have literally been 40,000+ who have finished this race. For real. (Almost) 40 years x 1000 finisher average (this is way low for a majority of years)= 40k. There is absolutely no reason in the world that if I am on the start line on October 8 I can't be one of them. None. Not a single reason.
I will be prepared. I have a heat acclimation program set in place. I work every day on making sure my nutrition and hydration are working for me. I am practicing with all of the gear and methods that I might want to use to help keep myself cool on race day. There will be nothing left to chance.
The meat of my training is just beginning. From now until the end of September I will be in full Ironman build mode. These are the weeks I've waited for and looked forward to all year. Every day I wake excited and ready to tackle whatever awaits me in WorkoutLog.
I told Hillary after Oceanside that I thought this year was going to be special because I no longer felt afraid, I felt free. And that freedom propelled me to another podium finish at Ironman CDA 70.3 two weekends ago. When she asked me my plan for the race, I told her I was going to go as hard as I could on the bike and hold it together for the run. And I did! After being first out of the water in my age group, I absolutely attacked the bike course, held higher watts than I've ever raced at before, and still managed to tick off the miles on foot feeling strong.
A few pics of our weekend in Idaho (my favorite race venue!!!):
Next up: Tahoe Rim Trail 55k! Finding Aloha in my favorite place to run!
(P.S. 13 weeks from right now I'll be an hour into the 112 mile bike ride....)
13 weeks from today I will be racing the Ironman World Championships.
13 weeks from right this very moment I will be mere minutes into the 2.4 mile swim.
Every time I think about my journey and everything that has gotten me to this point I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude. As slow as the first half of the year went, time has now sped up and I want to maximize every workout, every opportunity for rest and recovery, every everything that can help me get through race day in 13 weeks.
Many people have asked me my goals for Kona. I have avoided setting time goals for this race because time goals in general are useless and I think setting them is really silly. For me. This is my first time racing on the Big Island. It's my first time competing in a major championship race. I do have a rough idea of what I am capable of on a "perfect day". But I also know that I need to get to the finish line no. matter. what. Unlike racing in Arizona, I cannot completely throw caution to the wind. However if I focus on doing what I do every single day in training, and stay in the moment, and stay on top of my hydration and nutrition, everything will be fine.
I'm going to be very honest here and say that the Ironman World Championships scare the sh*t out of me. I ran the Kona Marathon in 2005 and it was great. My sister and I were vacationing on Kauai, flew over for the night to run it and then flew back. It was the same course as Ironman except you started/ ended at the far end of Ali'i Drive (where the run course at IM does the first out-n-back). It's comforting to know that I've run through the energy lab, granted much earlier in the day, but I did it. And at the time, I ran a marathon PR.
A few years later when my husband raced in Kona for the first time (2009) I took my bike to maintain my training for IMAZ. I was absolutely destroyed by the heat and humidity. I remember going out for a ride one afternoon. Just an hour shake out. Nothing major. I seriously bonked within 15 minutes. Like, had to sit on the side of the road in the shade of a vehicle to recover, destroyed. I did my long ride during race week on the Ironman course and it was absolutely the worst 75 mile ride I've ever done. I remember getting back to our condo and telling the hubs that I never, EVER, wanted to race in Kona.
Obviously a lot has changed since then. I'm a different athlete, and by the time we went back to the Big Island in 2011 I thought, I could do this. And that's when I decided to start pursuing the goal (initially chasing the Legacy).
I have worked really hard to change my approach mentally and this past week I was watching the broadcast from last year's race while on my trainer and I thought to myself, there have literally been 40,000+ who have finished this race. For real. (Almost) 40 years x 1000 finisher average (this is way low for a majority of years)= 40k. There is absolutely no reason in the world that if I am on the start line on October 8 I can't be one of them. None. Not a single reason.
I will be prepared. I have a heat acclimation program set in place. I work every day on making sure my nutrition and hydration are working for me. I am practicing with all of the gear and methods that I might want to use to help keep myself cool on race day. There will be nothing left to chance.
The meat of my training is just beginning. From now until the end of September I will be in full Ironman build mode. These are the weeks I've waited for and looked forward to all year. Every day I wake excited and ready to tackle whatever awaits me in WorkoutLog.
I told Hillary after Oceanside that I thought this year was going to be special because I no longer felt afraid, I felt free. And that freedom propelled me to another podium finish at Ironman CDA 70.3 two weekends ago. When she asked me my plan for the race, I told her I was going to go as hard as I could on the bike and hold it together for the run. And I did! After being first out of the water in my age group, I absolutely attacked the bike course, held higher watts than I've ever raced at before, and still managed to tick off the miles on foot feeling strong.
A few pics of our weekend in Idaho (my favorite race venue!!!):
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| Post race spin taking in the scenery! #ilovemybike |
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| Pre race dinner. Ready to smash it! |
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| A little selfie fun at packet pickup. |
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| My gem racked in transition. Rock star parking! |
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| Ceiling art at Taphouse Unchained. Post race celebration! |
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| 2nd Place Women 40-44! |
Next up: Tahoe Rim Trail 55k! Finding Aloha in my favorite place to run!
(P.S. 13 weeks from right now I'll be an hour into the 112 mile bike ride....)
Friday, June 10, 2016
Finding Aloha: Reality, Roadblocks, and Rejuvenation
A friend of mine recently posted on social media:
I was in my warm-up on the trainer preparing to start another brutal set of intervals. I instantly got all choked up and a new burst of motivation coursed through my legs. Truth is, I've had a really hard time accepting that I've qualified for Kona. I thought that once it happened I would spend a year celebrating and preparing for the big day. Instead, I spent 3 months feeling like a big fat blog, unfit and unworthy of competing in the World Championships.
No matter how many times my husband reminds me that I can't be in peak fitness year round. And my target race is in October, not February. And to keep trusting the plan, it got me there in the first place. Despite all of that I have still struggled.
After St. George 70.3, which would have been about 7 weeks into training, I finally started to feel like me again. I recognized my bike legs in workouts and didn't feel like I was struggling just to hit Ironman watts. With this milestone my excitement for October was kindled.
In mid-May I raced a olympic distance tri which is our local club championships. I was very proud to represent my local team, TriScottsdale and pull in second female overall, earning extra points towards our club win. And my run legs have continued to hold on through the spring and I capped off the tri with a 10k at 7:22 pace!
The training plan is ramping up and I'm seeing progress in all three disciplines. After a very sluggish winter, my swim is finally starting to feel a little more natural. I'm having a lot of fun on my bike. We have a new favorite route for when "hills" show up on the training plan. Instead of biking from home and wasting half of our time on flats, we drive out to Sunflower and bike a 25 mile loop. In a 50 mile ride we get over 6k of climbing (and descending!). Plus it's always windy which is great practice for me looking toward October.
This past weekend I took my (adopted) little brother rim to rim through the Grand Canyon, twice, spending the night at the North Rim in between. Friday we ran/ hiked the South Kaibab trail, through Phantom Ranch and up the North Kaibab with a stop at Ribbon Falls in between. I have done this trip now 4 times, and I forget how hard it is. That hike up the North Kaibab, especially the last couple of miles, is quite difficult.
We reached the top and were dismayed to realize we still had to walk 1.7 miles to the lodge. Apparently I had completely blocked this from memory! But we arrived well ahead of schedule and treated ourselves to pizza before we checked in. We enjoyed beers and people watching while overlooking the rim before heading to bed early for our return trip.
Saturday we reversed direction, leaving out Ribbon Falls. We cruised into Phantom Ranch 2 hours ahead of schedule and after a brief stop to refill water were on the hike out by 8:30 am. Heat warnings had been issued for the entire weekend, with temps in the canyon expected to reach up to 110. We knew it would take 3.5 hours to reach the rim, and felt confident in our water supply to last that long.
We felt that way until we got stuck behind a mule train that had stopped to help a hiker suffering heat stroke about half way up. If you are familiar with the South Kaibab Trail, the hiker was lying on the side of the trail near the middle of the switchbacks, just below Skeleton Point. The park ranger offered some assistance and then radio'd for the helicopter. We were probably only stopped for 10 minutes before they started moving again, but then they stopped 3 more times on the way through the switchbacks. Each time I became more and more anxious about my water supply and worried that they would need to rescue two more hikers if they didn't get moving!
Thankfully, when space permitted at the top of the switchbacks, the mule train pulled over to let us pass. I had been promising that we'd stop to rest, but at that point all I wanted was to stay ahead of the mule train so I set the pace and stayed on the mission until we reached Cedar Ridge with 1.5 miles to go. We stopped for a few minutes to sit in a very small patch of shade and eat some calories. Just after we started hiking again the mule train pulled into Cedar Ridge, so our timing was near perfect.
We paused on the final switchback before reaching the rim. Behind my sunglasses, I choked back tears. I have no real explanation for why I love the Grand Canyon so much. It just speaks to my soul. I think because it is raw, and harsh, and beautiful. It makes my muscles ache, my lungs burn with need for oxygen and all the while soothes me with sounds of water rushing along the creek bed, and wind through the canyon walls. Sometimes, higher up the trail, away from the river, the silence causes my ears to ring. I wish I could disappear there and explore every nook and cranny of each trail. I wish I could sit for hours and watch the sunrise and the light move across the canyon changing my perspective. Everything looks different when I blink and look again.
This weekend refreshed my spirit and boosted my fitness. I am ready to put my head down and do work, without fear or judgement, for the next 17 weeks. I know I belong in Kona, and by the time October rolls around I will be in peak shape to take on what will no doubt be a challenging, amazing experience. Focusing on #FindingAloha this year has allowed me to find the joy and passion in each workout, and honestly, looking at life from this perspective has carried over into my work and "non-triathlon" life. I embrace each new challenge in training and try to give my very best every day. I am so excited to get to Kona and realize a dream that has been many years in the making.
"On days like today, I just need a hug.
I'm in a new kind of Ironman adolescence where my mirror still says I'm a back-of-the-packer; but my training plan says I'm a Kona-qualifier.
Despite being extraordinarily tired and emotionally spent, somehow I find a way to keep up with grueling workout after grueling workout. But I'll be completely honest: THIS HURTS!!!"
I was in my warm-up on the trainer preparing to start another brutal set of intervals. I instantly got all choked up and a new burst of motivation coursed through my legs. Truth is, I've had a really hard time accepting that I've qualified for Kona. I thought that once it happened I would spend a year celebrating and preparing for the big day. Instead, I spent 3 months feeling like a big fat blog, unfit and unworthy of competing in the World Championships.
No matter how many times my husband reminds me that I can't be in peak fitness year round. And my target race is in October, not February. And to keep trusting the plan, it got me there in the first place. Despite all of that I have still struggled.
After St. George 70.3, which would have been about 7 weeks into training, I finally started to feel like me again. I recognized my bike legs in workouts and didn't feel like I was struggling just to hit Ironman watts. With this milestone my excitement for October was kindled.
 |
| Out on the run course at Tempe International. |
In mid-May I raced a olympic distance tri which is our local club championships. I was very proud to represent my local team, TriScottsdale and pull in second female overall, earning extra points towards our club win. And my run legs have continued to hold on through the spring and I capped off the tri with a 10k at 7:22 pace!
 |
| TriScottsdale sweep of the women's podium! |
 |
| Sunflower repeats!! I love hills! |
This past weekend I took my (adopted) little brother rim to rim through the Grand Canyon, twice, spending the night at the North Rim in between. Friday we ran/ hiked the South Kaibab trail, through Phantom Ranch and up the North Kaibab with a stop at Ribbon Falls in between. I have done this trip now 4 times, and I forget how hard it is. That hike up the North Kaibab, especially the last couple of miles, is quite difficult.
 |
| South Kaibab Trail |
We reached the top and were dismayed to realize we still had to walk 1.7 miles to the lodge. Apparently I had completely blocked this from memory! But we arrived well ahead of schedule and treated ourselves to pizza before we checked in. We enjoyed beers and people watching while overlooking the rim before heading to bed early for our return trip.
 |
| Well deserved beers. |
Saturday we reversed direction, leaving out Ribbon Falls. We cruised into Phantom Ranch 2 hours ahead of schedule and after a brief stop to refill water were on the hike out by 8:30 am. Heat warnings had been issued for the entire weekend, with temps in the canyon expected to reach up to 110. We knew it would take 3.5 hours to reach the rim, and felt confident in our water supply to last that long.
 |
| North Kaibab Trail |
We felt that way until we got stuck behind a mule train that had stopped to help a hiker suffering heat stroke about half way up. If you are familiar with the South Kaibab Trail, the hiker was lying on the side of the trail near the middle of the switchbacks, just below Skeleton Point. The park ranger offered some assistance and then radio'd for the helicopter. We were probably only stopped for 10 minutes before they started moving again, but then they stopped 3 more times on the way through the switchbacks. Each time I became more and more anxious about my water supply and worried that they would need to rescue two more hikers if they didn't get moving!
 |
| Soaking my feet at Ribbon Falls. |
Thankfully, when space permitted at the top of the switchbacks, the mule train pulled over to let us pass. I had been promising that we'd stop to rest, but at that point all I wanted was to stay ahead of the mule train so I set the pace and stayed on the mission until we reached Cedar Ridge with 1.5 miles to go. We stopped for a few minutes to sit in a very small patch of shade and eat some calories. Just after we started hiking again the mule train pulled into Cedar Ridge, so our timing was near perfect.
 |
| #maycausedeath #donottrythisathome |
We paused on the final switchback before reaching the rim. Behind my sunglasses, I choked back tears. I have no real explanation for why I love the Grand Canyon so much. It just speaks to my soul. I think because it is raw, and harsh, and beautiful. It makes my muscles ache, my lungs burn with need for oxygen and all the while soothes me with sounds of water rushing along the creek bed, and wind through the canyon walls. Sometimes, higher up the trail, away from the river, the silence causes my ears to ring. I wish I could disappear there and explore every nook and cranny of each trail. I wish I could sit for hours and watch the sunrise and the light move across the canyon changing my perspective. Everything looks different when I blink and look again.
 |
| South Kaibab at sunrise. |
This weekend refreshed my spirit and boosted my fitness. I am ready to put my head down and do work, without fear or judgement, for the next 17 weeks. I know I belong in Kona, and by the time October rolls around I will be in peak shape to take on what will no doubt be a challenging, amazing experience. Focusing on #FindingAloha this year has allowed me to find the joy and passion in each workout, and honestly, looking at life from this perspective has carried over into my work and "non-triathlon" life. I embrace each new challenge in training and try to give my very best every day. I am so excited to get to Kona and realize a dream that has been many years in the making.
Friday, May 13, 2016
Finding Aloha: Ironman St. George 70.3
Since my one and only dnf in 2012, I have owed revenge on the St. George Ironman course. This weekend I got my chance.
To say that I was anxious would probably be an understatement. In 2012, I dropped out because I was unable to adjust my expectations when mother nature dished out some horrendous conditions. I was completely fine, physically. But mentally I gave up in the swim. I honestly was shocked that I didn't drown that year. That no one drowned. And over the last 4 years, my mind has turned that epic day into a blockbuster movie reel. One in which the fish are six times larger than reality and the waves could easily swallow up Noah's ark.
We arrived into Utah on Thursday afternoon and headed straight to Sand Hollow Reservoir to swim before checking into our hotel. The winds pick up as the day goes on, and so by the time we swam at 2 pm it was fairly choppy. I was glad to experience that chop before race day and start to put some of my demons to rest.
On race day, I did not have my usual confidence jumping into the water and even though the water was relatively calm, I had to continuously remind myself that I was OK. That I could breathe. That I was going to make it through the swim. One girl in my age group took off so fast at the gun that no one could go with her. I settled into a rhythm with another girl and pretty much stayed with her off to my left until the final turn buoy. At that point I tried to pick up the pace a little and worked on safely dodging slower swimmers ahead of me. I was thrilled to see a sub-30 coming out of the water.
We had been following the weather for a couple of weeks as I'm sure everyone was. Rain and 50 degrees were predicted for race day, and that's pretty much exactly what we got. It was raining by the time I exited the water. Knowing how my body reacts in cold weather, I had packed my Smashfest Queen vest and arm warmers into my T1 bag. With wet skin it took me longer in transition to get my arm warmers on, but it was worth the extra minute to be comfortable during the bike ride.
The bike ride was everything you dream about. It was beautiful. And challenging. And fun. And totally awesome. I focused on holding my watts according to my race plan. With the rain making it difficult to see at times, and the wet roads, I was definitely not as aggressive on the bike as I would otherwise have been. The one thing my husband had said to me on Friday was that he didn't want me descending from Snow Canyon on wet roads. With Kona coming up in just 5 short months, I cannot afford to crash out and risk my only real goal for the year. As the miles went by I laughed to myself that, like it or not, I was going to be descending Snow Canyon in the rain. I really wasn't bothered by it at all. I was mentally prepared but it was just ironic.
In fact, coming into this race, I prepared for the absolute worst possible weather conditions. In my scenario it was more of a repeat of 2012- wind, heat, and more wind. The cold and rain was much easier to deal with as I can just put more clothes on. I never felt chilled until the final descent and when you're flying downhill at 44 mph for 8+ miles, it doesn't matter that you have layers on, it's darn cold.
T2 was once again super long because with cold hands I had a hard time changing into my running shoes. I was super excited to be off the bike, not because I was happy to be off the bike but because I felt like no matter what happened now I would get to the finish line. I took off out of transition and saw my #bff about 2 blocks up just as you start the first 3 mile climb. She got this awesome pic of me as I'm shouting to her:
Apparently I got a good laugh from all of the spectators in her vicinity as they heard me yell #whatthefuck?! #frozen! In reality, I was staying plenty warm working my way through 70.3 miles. They were standing for hours in the pouring rain, wind and cold. Thank you #bff for doing just that!!
There is basically no flat ground on the St. George run course. You're either running uphill, or coming down. The good news is that the first 3 miles are uphill, which means that the last 3 are downhill! In between it's a nice mix of climbing and descending to break up which muscles are being taxed. I actually really like hills. And I think this course favors strength over pure speed. With my experience on trails, I definitely fall into the "strong" category and felt like I was running strong the whole way through.
I decided at the beginning of the run that I was not going to look at my Garmin. Coach had told me during our pre-race briefing that on this course, it's impossible to sustain a specific pace. (For example, at Oceanside the plan was to dial in a certain minute-per-mile pace and hold that throughout.) With the ups and downs, my pace would be all over the place. Rather than worry about it, I decided to just not look, and hold constant effort. When I hit 2 miles to go I glanced down and realized that I was going to be well under my goal of 5:30 for the day I was ecstatic!
The camera man caught me running into the finish line... you can see me with 1:17 to go on the highlight video below!
Even though I didn't land on the podium at Ironman St. George 70.3, I accomplished all of my other pre race goals:
*Survived (and thrived!) the swim (Swim time: 29:50)
*Held goal watts on the bike
*Finished the bike under 2:55 (Bike time: 2:54:04)
*Finished under 5:30 (Total time: 5:20:09)
And I crushed my goal for the run course finishing the run in 1:47:37!
After the race we relaxed and at dinner. On Sunday morning we slept in and went for a nice easy bike ride with the only goal of capturing some of the gorgeous scenery in Utah.
After our ride we had an hour to pack up and check out of the hotel. This was our starting point...
Up next:
Tempe International Tri (local olympic distance race for fun!)
Ironman Coeur d'Alene 70.3
To say that I was anxious would probably be an understatement. In 2012, I dropped out because I was unable to adjust my expectations when mother nature dished out some horrendous conditions. I was completely fine, physically. But mentally I gave up in the swim. I honestly was shocked that I didn't drown that year. That no one drowned. And over the last 4 years, my mind has turned that epic day into a blockbuster movie reel. One in which the fish are six times larger than reality and the waves could easily swallow up Noah's ark.
 |
| Wind, in its greatest power, whirls. |
 |
| The swim takes place in the reservoir at Sand Hollow. |
On race day, I did not have my usual confidence jumping into the water and even though the water was relatively calm, I had to continuously remind myself that I was OK. That I could breathe. That I was going to make it through the swim. One girl in my age group took off so fast at the gun that no one could go with her. I settled into a rhythm with another girl and pretty much stayed with her off to my left until the final turn buoy. At that point I tried to pick up the pace a little and worked on safely dodging slower swimmers ahead of me. I was thrilled to see a sub-30 coming out of the water.
We had been following the weather for a couple of weeks as I'm sure everyone was. Rain and 50 degrees were predicted for race day, and that's pretty much exactly what we got. It was raining by the time I exited the water. Knowing how my body reacts in cold weather, I had packed my Smashfest Queen vest and arm warmers into my T1 bag. With wet skin it took me longer in transition to get my arm warmers on, but it was worth the extra minute to be comfortable during the bike ride.
 |
| All smiles at the start of the bike ride! |
The bike ride was everything you dream about. It was beautiful. And challenging. And fun. And totally awesome. I focused on holding my watts according to my race plan. With the rain making it difficult to see at times, and the wet roads, I was definitely not as aggressive on the bike as I would otherwise have been. The one thing my husband had said to me on Friday was that he didn't want me descending from Snow Canyon on wet roads. With Kona coming up in just 5 short months, I cannot afford to crash out and risk my only real goal for the year. As the miles went by I laughed to myself that, like it or not, I was going to be descending Snow Canyon in the rain. I really wasn't bothered by it at all. I was mentally prepared but it was just ironic.
 |
| Don't worry, I didn't stop mid race for this photo op! |
In fact, coming into this race, I prepared for the absolute worst possible weather conditions. In my scenario it was more of a repeat of 2012- wind, heat, and more wind. The cold and rain was much easier to deal with as I can just put more clothes on. I never felt chilled until the final descent and when you're flying downhill at 44 mph for 8+ miles, it doesn't matter that you have layers on, it's darn cold.
 |
| Running into T2. |
T2 was once again super long because with cold hands I had a hard time changing into my running shoes. I was super excited to be off the bike, not because I was happy to be off the bike but because I felt like no matter what happened now I would get to the finish line. I took off out of transition and saw my #bff about 2 blocks up just as you start the first 3 mile climb. She got this awesome pic of me as I'm shouting to her:
 |
| # whatthefuck #frozen |
Apparently I got a good laugh from all of the spectators in her vicinity as they heard me yell #whatthefuck?! #frozen! In reality, I was staying plenty warm working my way through 70.3 miles. They were standing for hours in the pouring rain, wind and cold. Thank you #bff for doing just that!!
There is basically no flat ground on the St. George run course. You're either running uphill, or coming down. The good news is that the first 3 miles are uphill, which means that the last 3 are downhill! In between it's a nice mix of climbing and descending to break up which muscles are being taxed. I actually really like hills. And I think this course favors strength over pure speed. With my experience on trails, I definitely fall into the "strong" category and felt like I was running strong the whole way through.
 |
| Running downhill toward the finish! |
I decided at the beginning of the run that I was not going to look at my Garmin. Coach had told me during our pre-race briefing that on this course, it's impossible to sustain a specific pace. (For example, at Oceanside the plan was to dial in a certain minute-per-mile pace and hold that throughout.) With the ups and downs, my pace would be all over the place. Rather than worry about it, I decided to just not look, and hold constant effort. When I hit 2 miles to go I glanced down and realized that I was going to be well under my goal of 5:30 for the day I was ecstatic!
The camera man caught me running into the finish line... you can see me with 1:17 to go on the highlight video below!
 |
| Happy camper! |
Even though I didn't land on the podium at Ironman St. George 70.3, I accomplished all of my other pre race goals:
*Survived (and thrived!) the swim (Swim time: 29:50)
*Held goal watts on the bike
*Finished the bike under 2:55 (Bike time: 2:54:04)
*Finished under 5:30 (Total time: 5:20:09)
And I crushed my goal for the run course finishing the run in 1:47:37!
 |
| Post race! |
After the race we relaxed and at dinner. On Sunday morning we slept in and went for a nice easy bike ride with the only goal of capturing some of the gorgeous scenery in Utah.
 |
| I had to bike up a 12% grade for this photo op. #totallyworthit |
 |
| Our bikes are enjoying the view. |
After our ride we had an hour to pack up and check out of the hotel. This was our starting point...
 |
| Help! A hurricane hit our hotel room! |
Up next:
Tempe International Tri (local olympic distance race for fun!)
Ironman Coeur d'Alene 70.3
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Spring Training: Awakening from a Long Winter's Nap
Training camp. *shudder* Going into camp this year I felt less than prepared. Running season meant I had been on my bike for recovery purposes only and even then, very few miles. I expressed my concerns to Coach on multiple occasions and she always reassured me not to worry, this year's plan was different. The idea was to use camp to get back into shape and kick off triathlon training with my goal race being in October and the World Championships.
I had a hard time envisioning how this was going to work and knew that I was going to struggle keeping up with the "sub-12 hour" ironman group. I even suggested that maybe I should go to week 1 camp, the "over 12 hour" group. Nevertheless, plans were made and we piled into my car last Thursday to head to Tucson for the long weekend.
Thursday
One of our teammates flew into Phoenix and drove with us, and we met up with some fellow campers upon arrival. One thing I have learned from past years is that at camp, when you're not training or sleeping, you should be eating. So we ate...
Thursday afternoon was low key. The group met for a social hour run. I got to catch up with Kelly during the run, my camp roommate from 2 years ago who is also qualified for Hawaii in October. Afterwards we went to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.
One of the best part about camp is that I get 10+ hours of sleep every night. At home my routine is 8 pm- 4 am for dedicated sleep time. I was so excited to be able to sleep in till 6 am or later every morning. Friday morning I felt rested, and still was up in plenty of time to eat a good breakfast and get mentally prepared for the day's long ride.
Friday
Friday is our 95 mile ride to Madera Canyon. It's a fun ride- lots of climbing in the first half, and a fast ride home after the 14 mile climb through the Canyon. Coach Alyssa told me stay within myself and not to try to push it, let my fitness come to me. It was very disheartening watching everyone ride away from me but I knew I would never survive the weekend if I tried to hammer this ride.
Alyssa was the ride sweep and we rode together through the first half of the ride. Just as we reached the false flat of Madera we started talking about my #bff and pretty soon I was laughing and telling stories as the miles flew by. Amazing how my #bff can cheer me up from 200 miles away! The climb gets steep the final 4 miles and I eventually passed a couple of people. Alyssa hung back to continue her job as sweep and I was thrilled to sail up to the top of the climb with no problems. The last two times I did this ride the climb did not end well... once with me falling over and once with me getting off to walk.
We regrouped at the top and Coach gave us our orders for the ride home. After the descent we were going to practice pacelines. We had about 12 people so each group of 2 riders took turns at the front for 3 minutes. I felt good, and the pace tolerable, until we turned onto a 10k gradual climb. Then the effort level got to be a bit much for me and every time I was second or third wheel I was falling farther and farther behind, unable to hang on. Eventually we finished the pace work, rode through town and then split up again as we climbed the final 3-4 miles back to home base.
Back in the condo I immediately set to work making rice, tamari sauce and avocado. I kept eating and drinking until it was time to leave for the pool and our evening sprint session, the beloved forever set. Somehow I ended up leading a lane - even though the 2 girls I was racing were beating me by a full body length on the 25s. It was still good practice and nice to have someone pushing me on this set.
Saturday
Saturday morning started with 100 x 100 yds in the pool. Alyssa had told me on Friday that there were too many fast swimmers this year so I wouldn't be in the coaches lane (ie: the fast lane). So when Hillary announced my name in the fast lane I did a double take. On one hand, now I was terrified, having flashbacks of last year and my 3k time trial to start the swim. On the other hand, I appreciated the vote of confidence and wanted to show that I belonged there.
The other lanes are given a workout to follow, and someone to generally lead the lane. Our lane's workout is made up as we go along. The 10k (yards) looked like this:
10 x 100 swim on 1:30
10 x 100 as 75 free/ 25 back on 1:30
18 x 100 band only, descending from 1:35- 1:30- 1:25
2 x 100 social kick
10 x 100 as 25 fly/ 75 free on 1:30
40 x 100 PBB descending 4 @ 1:25, 3 @ 1:20, 2 @ 1:15, 1 @ 1:10 (4 times through)
6 x 100 as 25 fast/ 25 easy on 1:30, changing lead each 100.
4 x 100 as 50 kick/ 50 free on 10 seconds rest.
I had to skip the backstroke and fly because I am not skilled enough at these strokes to make the time interval, but otherwise I had no trouble making any of the intervals. A huge improvement over last year and a big confidence boost!
After a quick lunch and a shopping session at the Smash warehouse, we met up for a social ride over Gates Pass and the McCain Loop. It is one of the most beautiful rides in Tucson. Hard, hard work but at the pace we were riding it was definitely a recovery ride.
As on Friday, I was quickly and repeatedly dropped from the group. It was a little frustrating trying to keep up with people who were not even riding hard, but I just kept within myself. The final climb is a lung buster and I was seriously afraid I wouldn't make it up if I killed myself trying to stay with the group.
One of my Team HPB teammates, who happens to be a Tucson local, did a good job of keeping an eye on everyone. When he saw me fall behind before the final climb he stopped and waited for me, shepherding me to the top safely. I was thankful for this gesture as I was not entirely having fun riding solo.
Sunday: a.k.a: Home free!
Sunday dawned with an unexpected sprint swim. For most campers, Sunday's swim is a technique session. The 3 of us who swam fast lane with the coaches earned a 3k sprint session instead. By the time I finished I was exhausted and ready to cry, knowing I still had to make it up Mt. Lemmon. My husband (who finished his technique session in about 15 minutes) had everything ready to go when I got back to the casita. He had bikes loaded, breakfast made. All I had to do was change into my cycling kit, take a deep breath and switch mindsets. Did I mention how much I adore him? He totally knew that having less than 15 minutes to go from pool to car was going to stress me out and he was so on top of it. We are a match made in paradise.
He drove while I ate and collected my thoughts. For Mt. Lemmon, we were divided into 4 groups starting at 20 minute intervals. I was supposed to be in group 2, but things were a little behind and when we rolled into the parking lot at 9:10 am, group 1 was just getting ready to head out. Coach Emily told me that it was fine if I rolled with them, that I was just supposed to ride steady for the climb. I was nervous about holding people up at the top and knew it was going to take me a long time to make it up, so I rolled out with group 1.
Immediately after making the right hand turn onto the Highway.... I got dropped. I was like, seriously??!! On a flattish road, riding warm up, I couldn't keep up. This was going to be a long day. By the time we hit the start of the climb 4 miles later, the group was no where in sight. *sigh*
Mt. Lemmon is a 20.5 mile gradual climb. Literally no break for 20.5 miles. You just grind. it. out. It's not particularly difficult as far as climbs go, but it can be a total mind fuck some days. And other days it flies by. Today was somewhere in between.
I didn't feel great, and my power numbers were low, but I just wanted to ride steady. I had worn my Smash Aloha bra under my Irock kit to remind myself that once, not so long ago, I was in phenomenal shape. Good enough shape to go 10:09 at Ironman and qualify for Kona. Even though I felt out of shape and slow, I knew that there was potential to get that back.
Around mile 10 one of the girls from group 2 passed me and I thought, ok, here we go. I kept waiting for more people and none ever came. Windy Point, at mile 14 of the climb, is my mental "you're almost there" point. A mile or so above Windy Point the terrain changes from desert to alpine. The air is lighter, cooler, and the sun is not beating down on you so much.
Something happened around mile 15 of the climb. It was like a light switch was flipped. I went from struggling at an easy pace to suddenly being able to push my normal Mt. Lemmon watts with no added difficulty. In the final 5 miles I passed everyone in group one and the girl who passed me earlier from group 2. I lapped out at the top of the climb and with a huge grin on my face sailed downhill toward Summerhaven. When Coach Hillary got to the Cookie Cabin she confirmed my suspicion... my bike legs were back! It only took 150 miles and 15,000 ft of climbing to get them. I was a happy camper!!
After a brief rendezvous at the Cookie Cabin we headed back down the mountain and out for a quick 4 mile progression run. I paced my transition run with a perfect progression from 8 minutes to 7 minutes and high fived my teammates along the way.
At this point we were home free. We had a group dinner that night and a trail run the following day, but all the things I had worried about before camp had been tackled. I was no longer feeling embarrassed about showing up for Oceanside in 3 short weeks. I felt ready.
Monday
Camp ends with a group trail run on some gnarly terrain. Tucson trails (at least what I've seen!) are rocky and technical. I'm used to smoother, more run-able terrain but the pace was relaxed and social. We ran for 3 hours, stopped for pictures a few times, and in general tried not to get lost in the desert.
After camp ended we did a little recovery swim, went for lunch and beers and then met the group at the JW Marriott for drinks and dinner. Every night they do a toast and everyone involved gets a free shot of tequila to share in the festivities. Tonight's tequila was infused with vanilla and orange. Smooth as butter.
Since I do most of my training solo, I begged coach to give us a group workout before we drove home on Tuesday. Much to my teammates' dismay, they had to crawl out of bed for an 8 am swim after partaking in a few too many margaritas. And since it's rare that we get to swim as a team, it wasn't just any swim... but another sprint swim. Feeling a bit dehydrated, it was slow and not at all pretty, but it was fun and a great way to end the weekend.
So here's the deal. Camp is always a learning experience. Every year has presented different challenges and opportunities for growth. As disappointed as I was to show up slow and unprepared and be dropped by the group at every turn, it reinforced my faith in Hillary as everything she's been telling me for the last 3 months proved true. My fitness was not gone forever. My run is faster than ever. And now heading into this year's triathlon season we can rebuild my bike fitness and capitalize on my run. My swim is as good as it ever was, and we are even seeing glimpses of improvement here too.
I think the hardest part about camp this year was realizing that I'm not in competition with my fellow campers at camp. (Yes, if I meet you on a race course, you better believe I will try to beat you.) But I'm here to work on myself, and I will encourage you as you work on yourself. I watched some of my teammates be pitted against each other for workouts. It's fun and it's an added challenge, and I hope that maybe next year at camp I will be fit enough to partake in the games. But this year for me was about getting my fitness back after a long winter's nap.
I've spent a lot of the last three months doubting myself, doubting that I belong in Kona, and generally feeling out of shape. My race season kicks off in 2 weeks and I know how quickly the weeks are going to tick by once we break that seal. I really, really want to soak up every single opportunity to get stronger and faster. And to prepare mentally for my ultimate race in October. The most important thing for me is to show up in Kona healthy and confident. To face the day, unafraid, knowing that I am strong. Prepared. Ready. For me, training and finding success in the every day is where I get that confidence. I am so ready to start this season.
I had a hard time envisioning how this was going to work and knew that I was going to struggle keeping up with the "sub-12 hour" ironman group. I even suggested that maybe I should go to week 1 camp, the "over 12 hour" group. Nevertheless, plans were made and we piled into my car last Thursday to head to Tucson for the long weekend.
Thursday
One of our teammates flew into Phoenix and drove with us, and we met up with some fellow campers upon arrival. One thing I have learned from past years is that at camp, when you're not training or sleeping, you should be eating. So we ate...
 |
| Pre camp fueling. |
Thursday afternoon was low key. The group met for a social hour run. I got to catch up with Kelly during the run, my camp roommate from 2 years ago who is also qualified for Hawaii in October. Afterwards we went to dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.
One of the best part about camp is that I get 10+ hours of sleep every night. At home my routine is 8 pm- 4 am for dedicated sleep time. I was so excited to be able to sleep in till 6 am or later every morning. Friday morning I felt rested, and still was up in plenty of time to eat a good breakfast and get mentally prepared for the day's long ride.
Friday
Friday is our 95 mile ride to Madera Canyon. It's a fun ride- lots of climbing in the first half, and a fast ride home after the 14 mile climb through the Canyon. Coach Alyssa told me stay within myself and not to try to push it, let my fitness come to me. It was very disheartening watching everyone ride away from me but I knew I would never survive the weekend if I tried to hammer this ride.
 |
| My gem. I think she's happy to have me back. |
Alyssa was the ride sweep and we rode together through the first half of the ride. Just as we reached the false flat of Madera we started talking about my #bff and pretty soon I was laughing and telling stories as the miles flew by. Amazing how my #bff can cheer me up from 200 miles away! The climb gets steep the final 4 miles and I eventually passed a couple of people. Alyssa hung back to continue her job as sweep and I was thrilled to sail up to the top of the climb with no problems. The last two times I did this ride the climb did not end well... once with me falling over and once with me getting off to walk.
 |
| Made it to the top of Madera! |
We regrouped at the top and Coach gave us our orders for the ride home. After the descent we were going to practice pacelines. We had about 12 people so each group of 2 riders took turns at the front for 3 minutes. I felt good, and the pace tolerable, until we turned onto a 10k gradual climb. Then the effort level got to be a bit much for me and every time I was second or third wheel I was falling farther and farther behind, unable to hang on. Eventually we finished the pace work, rode through town and then split up again as we climbed the final 3-4 miles back to home base.
Back in the condo I immediately set to work making rice, tamari sauce and avocado. I kept eating and drinking until it was time to leave for the pool and our evening sprint session, the beloved forever set. Somehow I ended up leading a lane - even though the 2 girls I was racing were beating me by a full body length on the 25s. It was still good practice and nice to have someone pushing me on this set.
 |
| First swim group finishing up the forever set with Coach Alyssa looking on. |
Saturday morning started with 100 x 100 yds in the pool. Alyssa had told me on Friday that there were too many fast swimmers this year so I wouldn't be in the coaches lane (ie: the fast lane). So when Hillary announced my name in the fast lane I did a double take. On one hand, now I was terrified, having flashbacks of last year and my 3k time trial to start the swim. On the other hand, I appreciated the vote of confidence and wanted to show that I belonged there.
 |
| Fast lane! Photo credit: Hillary Biscay |
The other lanes are given a workout to follow, and someone to generally lead the lane. Our lane's workout is made up as we go along. The 10k (yards) looked like this:
10 x 100 swim on 1:30
10 x 100 as 75 free/ 25 back on 1:30
18 x 100 band only, descending from 1:35- 1:30- 1:25
2 x 100 social kick
10 x 100 as 25 fly/ 75 free on 1:30
40 x 100 PBB descending 4 @ 1:25, 3 @ 1:20, 2 @ 1:15, 1 @ 1:10 (4 times through)
6 x 100 as 25 fast/ 25 easy on 1:30, changing lead each 100.
4 x 100 as 50 kick/ 50 free on 10 seconds rest.
I had to skip the backstroke and fly because I am not skilled enough at these strokes to make the time interval, but otherwise I had no trouble making any of the intervals. A huge improvement over last year and a big confidence boost!
 |
| We survived 10k!! DB is stronger and faster than last year. |
After a quick lunch and a shopping session at the Smash warehouse, we met up for a social ride over Gates Pass and the McCain Loop. It is one of the most beautiful rides in Tucson. Hard, hard work but at the pace we were riding it was definitely a recovery ride.
 |
| Selfie with Dimond Van! #DimondsAreAGirlsBestFriend |
As on Friday, I was quickly and repeatedly dropped from the group. It was a little frustrating trying to keep up with people who were not even riding hard, but I just kept within myself. The final climb is a lung buster and I was seriously afraid I wouldn't make it up if I killed myself trying to stay with the group.
 |
| Working up the final climb. |
One of my Team HPB teammates, who happens to be a Tucson local, did a good job of keeping an eye on everyone. When he saw me fall behind before the final climb he stopped and waited for me, shepherding me to the top safely. I was thankful for this gesture as I was not entirely having fun riding solo.
 |
| We love our bikes! #BrilliantUnderPressure |
Sunday dawned with an unexpected sprint swim. For most campers, Sunday's swim is a technique session. The 3 of us who swam fast lane with the coaches earned a 3k sprint session instead. By the time I finished I was exhausted and ready to cry, knowing I still had to make it up Mt. Lemmon. My husband (who finished his technique session in about 15 minutes) had everything ready to go when I got back to the casita. He had bikes loaded, breakfast made. All I had to do was change into my cycling kit, take a deep breath and switch mindsets. Did I mention how much I adore him? He totally knew that having less than 15 minutes to go from pool to car was going to stress me out and he was so on top of it. We are a match made in paradise.
He drove while I ate and collected my thoughts. For Mt. Lemmon, we were divided into 4 groups starting at 20 minute intervals. I was supposed to be in group 2, but things were a little behind and when we rolled into the parking lot at 9:10 am, group 1 was just getting ready to head out. Coach Emily told me that it was fine if I rolled with them, that I was just supposed to ride steady for the climb. I was nervous about holding people up at the top and knew it was going to take me a long time to make it up, so I rolled out with group 1.
Immediately after making the right hand turn onto the Highway.... I got dropped. I was like, seriously??!! On a flattish road, riding warm up, I couldn't keep up. This was going to be a long day. By the time we hit the start of the climb 4 miles later, the group was no where in sight. *sigh*
I didn't feel great, and my power numbers were low, but I just wanted to ride steady. I had worn my Smash Aloha bra under my Irock kit to remind myself that once, not so long ago, I was in phenomenal shape. Good enough shape to go 10:09 at Ironman and qualify for Kona. Even though I felt out of shape and slow, I knew that there was potential to get that back.
Around mile 10 one of the girls from group 2 passed me and I thought, ok, here we go. I kept waiting for more people and none ever came. Windy Point, at mile 14 of the climb, is my mental "you're almost there" point. A mile or so above Windy Point the terrain changes from desert to alpine. The air is lighter, cooler, and the sun is not beating down on you so much.
 |
| Prize at the top |
Something happened around mile 15 of the climb. It was like a light switch was flipped. I went from struggling at an easy pace to suddenly being able to push my normal Mt. Lemmon watts with no added difficulty. In the final 5 miles I passed everyone in group one and the girl who passed me earlier from group 2. I lapped out at the top of the climb and with a huge grin on my face sailed downhill toward Summerhaven. When Coach Hillary got to the Cookie Cabin she confirmed my suspicion... my bike legs were back! It only took 150 miles and 15,000 ft of climbing to get them. I was a happy camper!!
 |
| I (heart) Mt. Lemmon Cookie Cabin!! |
After a brief rendezvous at the Cookie Cabin we headed back down the mountain and out for a quick 4 mile progression run. I paced my transition run with a perfect progression from 8 minutes to 7 minutes and high fived my teammates along the way.
 |
| Smiling! Home free, baby! |
At this point we were home free. We had a group dinner that night and a trail run the following day, but all the things I had worried about before camp had been tackled. I was no longer feeling embarrassed about showing up for Oceanside in 3 short weeks. I felt ready.
Monday
Camp ends with a group trail run on some gnarly terrain. Tucson trails (at least what I've seen!) are rocky and technical. I'm used to smoother, more run-able terrain but the pace was relaxed and social. We ran for 3 hours, stopped for pictures a few times, and in general tried not to get lost in the desert.
 |
| Gates Pass Trail |
 |
| Photo op at the stone house. |
 |
| Group 2 runners! Only one fall and one cactus in 3 hours. |
 |
| Toasting to god-knows-what... but we got free tequila. |
Since I do most of my training solo, I begged coach to give us a group workout before we drove home on Tuesday. Much to my teammates' dismay, they had to crawl out of bed for an 8 am swim after partaking in a few too many margaritas. And since it's rare that we get to swim as a team, it wasn't just any swim... but another sprint swim. Feeling a bit dehydrated, it was slow and not at all pretty, but it was fun and a great way to end the weekend.
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| Team HPB swim sesh |
I think the hardest part about camp this year was realizing that I'm not in competition with my fellow campers at camp. (Yes, if I meet you on a race course, you better believe I will try to beat you.) But I'm here to work on myself, and I will encourage you as you work on yourself. I watched some of my teammates be pitted against each other for workouts. It's fun and it's an added challenge, and I hope that maybe next year at camp I will be fit enough to partake in the games. But this year for me was about getting my fitness back after a long winter's nap.
I've spent a lot of the last three months doubting myself, doubting that I belong in Kona, and generally feeling out of shape. My race season kicks off in 2 weeks and I know how quickly the weeks are going to tick by once we break that seal. I really, really want to soak up every single opportunity to get stronger and faster. And to prepare mentally for my ultimate race in October. The most important thing for me is to show up in Kona healthy and confident. To face the day, unafraid, knowing that I am strong. Prepared. Ready. For me, training and finding success in the every day is where I get that confidence. I am so ready to start this season.
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