Finding Aloha: Easing into 2018

Somehow it's February.  "They say" that as you get older, time seems to go by faster because it's a shorter percentage of your life span.  When you're 5 years old a year is 20% of your lifetime, and it seems like forever for Christmas to arrive.  When you're 41... well, each year just seems to slip by. 

I (mistakenly) thought that by going part time I would have MORE time.  In reality I have the same amount of time and more space to become less efficient with my time.  Isn't it funny how the more stuff you have on your plate, the easier it is to cram it all in?  You are efficient with your time because you have to be.  *sigh*

I truly enjoyed my off season and took advantage of the extra time to spend with H and DB, and getting ahead of tax season at Cadence.  And by the time it was time to train again, I was chomping at the bit.  We started incorporating strength training right away which was definitely lacking from my schedule over the last year. 

I finished off 2017 with a long weekend in Sedona with the #bff.  We drank a lot of coffee, did a little hiking, talked about life and the book we're writing and plans for the future.  Despite my fear of heights H navigated me up the inconspicuous trail to the top of Cathedral Rock for sunrise.  She literally had to hold my hand on several occasions, not because I was going to fall, but because my mind convinced me I *could* fall.  Maybe this will be the next fear I work on in my mindfulness training...

Cathedral Rock:  worth the climb!

DB and I spent a quiet holiday season at home and for new year's eve, we joined a group of my Team HPB athletes for a 10k swim to finish out a 100k month that one of the girls was tackling in December.  She crushed it and we had a lot of fun on NYE, celebrating with a late lunch after our long swim.  

Colleen's 10k swim! #teamwork

January rolled in quickly and we found ourselves at Team HPB's first annual early season bike camp.  True to her word, Hillary had us ride easy over the 3 days racking up 300 miles and 20k ft of climbing, a good launching point to kick off training for the new race season.  Contrary to April training camp, where it's basically attack, attack, attack for 5 days... we eased into camp with a jog and a sprint swim, rolled up a new mountain each day, and by the end of the 4th day we found ourselves in better shape than when we arrived.  Feeling strong, refreshed and ready to train after the long off season.  We capped off the long weekend with a 10k swim, in true Team HPB fashion.  

Smash Dimond FTW!

Mt. Lemmon climb.

After camp I had a couple solid weeks of training then spend a few days at my favorite place:  The Grand Canyon.  Rach and I drove up on a Monday and after we checked in at the lodge, we stopped by the Phantom Ranch desk to see if there were any cancellations.  The attendant told us there were beds available in the women's dorm on Tuesday evening and we quickly signed up!  

Hitting the road to the GC!!

Our hiking plans changed to incorporate the overnight stay at Phantom (a GC must!!) and we stocked our backpacks in preparation for the next morning before having a quick bite to eat.  On Tuesday we got up early to be fed, caffeinated and on the trail shortly after sunrise.  

Plateau Point.  My heart is full.

We took Bright Angel Trail to Indian Garden where the Plateau Point Trail branches off and travels, mostly flat, for 1.5 miles out to an overlook where we had a break and a snack.  We set our meditation timers and sat for 10 minutes.  It was the most difficult 10 minute meditation I've ever had as I could hear the Colorado River far below me and I struggled to keep my eyes closed against the beauty of the backdrop.  Refreshed and refueled, we made our way back to Indian Garden and continued down Bright Angel to Phantom Ranch.  

View from the Plateau Point

We got checked in and after claiming our beds in the women's dorm we headed to the Cantina to enjoy a beer and some snacks.  We played a few rounds of checkers and chatted with some fellow hikers who were spending the evening at Phantom.  I love the characters that you meet at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  These are my people.  Adventurous.  Dirty, smelly, hungry.  Full of life and stories to tell.  

Beers taste better after hiking!

The Cantina closed to get ready for the first round of diners and we took a hike back down to the river where we sat and waited for the sunset.  That deep in the canyon, you can't actually see the sunset as the canyon wall to the west blocks the view.  We also discovered that you can't see the moon from the river either-- that night was the super/ blood/ blue moon and we missed it.  A group of hikers we sat with at dinner planned to get up at 2 am to be above the Tonto Plateau in time to see it, but we opted to sleep in and enjoy breakfast before getting on the trail.

I woke up early on Wednesday morning.  The wake up call for the first breakfast is 5 am and I was already lying awake when they came by with a soft knock on the door.  I got dressed quietly, knowing my entire dorm was eating at the second breakfast and slipped out into the chilly morning.  I hiked down to the river and sat in darkness on the beach, just looking up at the stars.  We don't see a lot of stars in the city.  So to appreciate the Milky Way in all of its glory was amazing.  

After a breakfast of pancakes, eggs, bacon, fruit and coffee we headed for the South Kaibab Trail and the South Rim.  I LOVE the South Kaibab Trail.  There is something so beautiful in the raw, rugged, exposed terrain.  It is by far my favorite trail and I love to hike it from river to rim.  On rested legs and full bellies, the climb is much easier than at the end of a double crossing.  And it's easier to stop along the way and appreciate the beauty.  

No filter needed.  South Kaibab and the Colorado River.

After about 4 hours of hiking and sight seeing, we reached the South Rim and hopped on a shuttle back to the Grand Canyon Village.  We stopped and had lunch on our way back to the cabin, opting for food over showers.  The hot showers felt great after refueling and we relaxed in our cabin for a few hours before dinner.  Pizza and beers were on the menu for that night at the Maswik Pizza Pub with a sunset walk back to the cabin to help our dinner digest.  

On Thursday morning we were the only 2 hikers on the early shuttle back to the South Kaibab trailhead.  We hopped off the bus and started down the trail just as the sun was beginning to threaten it's arrival.  We secured our spot at Ooh Aah Point where we sat for an hour and watched the sunrise.  The sky went from dark with a thin line of red and orange, to pink and lavender, to full blue all the while casting amazing colors across the canyon walls.  The red-orange of the rocks never looks more beautiful than at sunrise.  

The terrain of the South Kaibab Trail.

By the time we finished watching the sunrise, and got up to hike out others were beginning to make their way down the trail.  But that first hour and the show put on by the canyon at sunrise was all for us.  We grabbed a quick bite and a cup of coffee back at the visitor center before hitting the road and I dropped Rachel in Sedona to spend some time with the #bff on my way back to the valley... and back to work.  

That afternoon wasn't all a let down though... I submitted my application for the Ultraman World Championships in November!  Invitations don't go out until mid-March so I have a few more weeks to wait but I could not be more excited about the prospect.  Fingers crossed!

Tomorrow I'm "racing" a half marathon.  First official race since Ironman in November.  It might not be pretty, but it will be fun.  I look forward to blowing off the cobwebs from the run legs, and kicking off a block of training where we'll be increasing my run mileage.  Bike camp isn't exactly over yet, I hope, but we need to start thinking about April because racing season is rapidly approaching!   

Happy Training!

Finding Aloha: Reality, Roadblocks, and Rejuvenation

A friend of mine recently posted on social media:

"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!

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.

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.          

Grand Canyon Pictorial

 If you've been reading this blog for a while you probably already know how I feel about the Grand Canyon.  It is my home, my happy place, my stress relief.  I have many friends who refer to it as "the big hole in the ground", I respectfully disagree.  When I step foot on the trails and travel below the rim I am transported to a different place.  I am awed and amazed by the sights and sounds of the canyon, which to me, is very much alive.  It speaks to me.  To a place deep within my soul and fills a longing and a need.

After Ironman Texas, my best girlfriend and I planned a weekend hiking trip.  I met her in Flagstaff on Friday afternoon and we drove up to the South Rim.  On Saturday we hiked the Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point and back (roughly 12 miles).  On Sunday we hiked South Kaibab Trail to Skeleton point and back (about 6 miles).  The following is a pictorial of our weekend in paradise.  Enjoy!

We've arrived!!  Our first view of the canyon on Friday.

Feeding the Body:  Bright Angel Trail

The Bright Angel Trail is the most popular of the corridor trails.  It is the most accessible and the easiest to climb out from.  There are multiple rest houses along the trail with access to water and restrooms.

Starting Bright Angel hike!

Views as we descend the Bright Angel Trail.

Bright Angel Trail

Layers on the wall.  

Cactus blooms.

From Indian Garden, Plateau Point Trail branches west and then diverges out onto a Plateau while the Tonto Trail continues west.  The Plateau Point Trail is relatively flat and affords amazing views of the Colorado River not seen from the Bright Angel Trail.

Plateau Point Trail.

Looking back at the South Rim from the Plateau Point.

Looking west at the Colorado River from Plateau Point.

Looking east from the Plateau Point, Bright Angel Trail switchbacks below Indian Garden.

Enjoying a rest at Plateau Point.

A storm blew in from the South as we were taking a break.  Within minutes we were soaked from the thunderstorm and being pelted with hail.

We hustled back to the Bright Angel Trail as the storm hung a little longer over the Colorado River, obscuring the view of the North Rim.

Hiking out... Switchbacks!!!

After our hike, we had a quick lunch and then took a little siesta.  Later in the afternoon we decided to drive out toward the East Entrance and visit the Desert View Watchtower and stop at some of the overlooks on the way back.

View from the Watchtower.

Desert View Watchtower.

Climbing the spiral staircase.

Artwork adorning the walls.

Feeding the Soul:  South Kaibab Trail
The South Kaibab is by far my favorite trail.  On the South Kaibab Trail, the hiker is exposed and not protected in the valley.  The colors and the views are more vivid and more brilliant.  The trail is more rugged and in places, very steep.  We elected to hike halfway down to Skeleton Point at sunrise.  We were rewarded over and over along the way as the sun lit up the canyon.

Looking up at the moon over the South Rim.

The pre-sunrise view of what lies ahead on our hike.

Our first stop along the sunrise hike!  Ooh Aah Point... for obvious reasons.

Stopping to appreciate the views at Ooh Aah Point.

Ooh Aah Point.

The rugged beauty of the South Kaibab.

What goes down, must go back up!

One of my favorites.  It looks like the trail literally drops off.

Cedar Ridge, the second checkpoint on the way down.

Sunrise casting shadows and colors throughout the canyon.

My shadow following me!

Skeleton Point!  About 3 miles down the South Kaibab Trail.

Enjoying the views before the hike out.

Suns rays over the canyon.

Below Skeleton Point, the South Kaibab enters a maze of switchbacks.

View from just below Skeleton Point.

Cannot beat the colors at sunrise!

Hiking out on the South Kaibab.

We enjoyed a good laugh at the warning sign at the top of the trail.  Not that it's really funny... you should see the number of unprepared hikers that descend the trails every day.  #touristas