Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

More Kona Photos

Ironman World Champs

Another World Championship is in the books. It was a tough day for me. I tried to put all the negativity out of my mind and only focus on positive thoughts throughout the week. I was happy to be in Kona racing one of my favorite Ironmans, happy that my family was here to share the experience and excited to be racing against the best triathletes in the world. But the truth is that I was breaking down and my fitness was declining. I trained very hard for Ironman Lake Placid only to wake up with a nasy stomach bug which knocked me out of the race. I feel like I peaked for LP and needed a longer recovery from the race and the training cycle. I wanted to go to Kona, so I held onto my fitness long enough to have a solid race in IMLOU and get my Kona slot. After IMLOU, I struggled with my training. First it was a calf strain, then it was a quad bruise when my chain broke while climbing, then it was the final blow when Istrained my hip flexor 2 weeks before the race. It was a tough day and it always is. Considering my injury and the predicted weather conditions, my quote of the day was this:

“Let me pray not to be sheltered from dangers, but the be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it.”

My goals were not accomplished, but I soldiered on crossed the finish line and in the end, that’s what Ironman is all about.

Thanks to everyone for all the support. Now, it’s vacation time! I’m looking forward to spending a few weeks getting healthy(my husband Brian has his work cut out!) a college reunion in Beantown and some quality holiday time with my family!

Celebrating the Finish (I made it two sips!)

Kona Time

It’s almost here! We are having a great week in Kona. Once again, my support crew made the trip out to Kona. Yes, I really had to twist their arms!! Forecast for race day calls for 88 degrees, 70 percent humidity and high winds. Its going to be a tough day. But, that is why we call come out here year after year; to battle in fierce elements with the best athletes in the world!

Ironman Louisville Race Report

I was excited to race Ironman Louisville and excited to test my fitness out in Kona like conditions. Race temps over the past few years have been in the high 80s to low 90s, so I thought it would be a great preparation for Kona. As race week rolled in, so did a cold front and we were greeted with much cooler than normal race temps. It wasn’t exactly Kona like conditions, but it did make for a fast day.

My training has been going well and I was excited to race and see what the day would bring. The swim was a struggle as usual. Somewhere along the half way point, my arch started to cramp. I was really wishing we were wearing wetsuits at the point! Fortunately, it worked its way out and I didn’t even think about for the rest of the race. I entered T1 with a lot of catching up to do.

I started the bike with a huge deficit, but I did my best to keep my anger and emotions in check and focus on the next task at hand; a solid bike split. My plan was to bike more conservatively than I typically do with the hopes of nailing my nutrition and running a fast marathon. I was really impressed with the bike course. Within a few miles, we were out in the Kentucky countryside surrounded by green rolling hills and horse farms. I felt great on the bike from the start. My P3 paired with an 808 front and 1080 rear was the perfect set up for this course. The longer I biked, the better I felt. My stomach and legs both felt great. I knew I would have a good run. I entered T2 in 4^th place, only 6 minutes down on 3^rd .

The run course was flat and with a predicted high of 76 degrees, I knew it was going to be a fast day for everyone. I opted to run in my new K-Swiss racing flats. They are incredibly light and perfect for the flat fast course. My plan was to go out a little harder than I usually do. I wanted to just run by feel and if I felt good, I would go with it. My opening miles were 6:30s and I felt great so I just tried to run sub 7s for as long as I could. Around mile 7, I moved into 3^rd place. I was gaining on the top 2 women, but the time lost in the swim was insurmountable. I ran from mile 7 to the finish in no man’s land. I knew I was close to a run PR and the course record, so did my best to time trial it to the finish. I crossed the finish line in 3^rd place and accomplished all of my goals for the day, a top 3 finish, a Kona slot, a new run PR and a run course record!

My trip out to Louisville will be a memorable one. We had the BEST homestay host and made some new wonderful friends. My legs are recovering well and I am looking forward to my Kona preparation. Once my legs are ready, I will head out to Tucson for a heat training camp then off to Kona for the Ironman World Championships. I am fortunate to have the support of K-Swiss, Powerbar, Cervelo, Zipp, Trakkers, Blue Seventy, Fuel Belt, Katalyst Multisport, Ski Rack, Rocket 7 and Vasa, Thank you all for taking such good care of me and I look forward to seeing you on the Big Island!

Some Long Overdo Updates!

Wow, my last blog was 8 weeks ago! Jeez how do some athletes remember to take the time to blog everyday! ??

Well, alot has happened since my last blog. I had a great time in CDA watching Kel race the Ironman. Once I returned home, it was time to buckle down and put the finishing touches on my IMLP prep. My training had gone really well and I was fortunate to be able to spend several long weekends in Lake Placid, thanks to my good friends Lethe and Frank. My pace on the run and bike course were the best they’ve ever been and I was really excited to race my favorite Ironman.

Unfortunatley, the day before the race, I woke up feeling extremely fatigued and queezy. I thought it was just from having a really bad allergy season or from the new allergy meds I was put on. I woke up race morning and felt worse; nausceous and weak. I chalked it up to nerves and moved on with my morning. By the second loop of the swim, my breakfast was coming up. As if swimming isn’t hard enough!! I tried to bounce back on the bike, but it was just one of those days when you wake up sick and cant keep anything down. I am not going to go into the gory details of the day. I quit at mile 10 of the run. Quitting is always a hard thing to do, but I believe there are times when we should push and there are times when we should throw in the towel and save it for a better day. I trained very hard for Lake Placid. I was fit and I want my hard work and fitness to be rewarded with a GREAT race. I had to look at the big picture and look at my goals for the year, which are to get to Kona, get back into the top ten there and have a GREAT Ironman. I was pretty bummed out after the race . Ironman Lake Placid is a very special race for me. But, the more I thought about it, the more I know I made the right decision. I know I will not become one of those people who just quit because they are having a bad day. I had some pretty bad races, where I soldiered on and finished. I woke up sick and if I finished, I would have had a very long recovery and that might have been the end of my year.

So what now, well I still have my goals and I am not giving up on them, so I will be at the startng line in Louisville where I hope to get my Kona slot and have a great race. I know as a pro, I am really fortunate to have this opportunity to make a little comeback and get a second chance. I don’t take this for granted. I will seize this opportunity and I will cross the finish line!

IMCDA

Some photos of our week in Coeur D’ Alene. Special thanks to Cindy and Kevin for welcoming us into their beautiful home for the week!

Checking out the bike course

A Record Breaking Day!

A friend of mine once told me racing Ironman is somewhat of a crap shoot. You train hard, you’re fit, mentally strong, you roll the dice, and sometimes get cat eyes. I definitely rolled cat eyes at Ironman China this past weekend. It was a day of records; record temps exceeding 113 degrees, 90% humidity, record drop out rates, and unfortunately a new record PW (personal worst) for me in the run!

The swim was in a river with a very strong current. My first lap went ok. It was a little brutal at the start due to the fact that we were in skinsuits and all the age groupers swimming all over us had full wetsuits on. However, once things thinned out, I was happy to have some company. My first lap went ok and I had a few age groupers to help sight off of. I was on pace for an hour, which is pretty good for me considering the strong current. On the way back to shore on loop 2, I took the turn way to wide and got swept off course by the current. I fought hard to get back on course but lost several minutes and once again exited the water with alot of work to do! My plan was to ride a little harder the first 30 miles to close the gap, then settle in. I am so happy to be riding a P3 again this year. The bike is really really fast and my position on it feels so powerful and efficient. Once I moved up to 4th place and was within striking distance to the top 3 girls, I toned it down and cruised into T2, trying to save my legs and energy for what I knew would be a war of attrition rather than a marathon running race. My muscles felt good coming off the bike, but once I hit the run course, it was as if I stepped into a sauna. The heat and humidity were oppressive and within a few minutes, I felt like my head was about to explode. My pace slowed to a shuffle, then a walk, then a nice little break at one of the aid stations where I contemplated quiting. I didn’t know how I was going to make it another 13 miles. I sat there drinking water and gatorade. I was cooked. I was done. My race was over. Then, I thought about last years Hawaii Ironman. When my hamstring cramped so badly, I quit and took the medical van to the finish line. The medical van is a horrible horrible place to be. They don’t just pick you up and take you straight to the medical tent. They sweep the course, picking up the carnage one by one. I sat there watching the race from a van window. The race that I trained so hard for. I watched the other athletes push there limits, walking shuffling along with indomitable will and focus. I didn’t come to China to watch the race from a van window. I couldn’t finish the Hawaii Ironman without risking a muscle tear, but I could finish Ironman China. So, I got up and continued my shuffle to the finish line. I crossed the finish line in 5thplace, completely exhausted, but with a little pride and self satisfaction in knowing that I just finished the hardest hottest Ironman in the world, EVER! Unless you were there, there is no way you can understand how hot it was. Let me tell you, I have raced well in 90 degree temps, 113 is a whole new world!

I owe a huge thank you to my K Swiss family who were the presenting sponsors of Ironman China and showed incredible support before during and after the race. I am still recovering from a nasty stomach bug I got my last day in China. I honestly don’t know what was harder the race or the flight home! With the exception of my stomach, my legs feel really good and I am eager to get back into some hard core training real soon. My original plan was to get a Kona slot early in the year and focus on 70.3’s throughout the summer and hit Kona training with fresher legs than in previous years. Sinced I failed to get my slot, I now have to re evaluate my race plans. There are many to choose from and some of my favorites on the circuit; IMCDA, IMLP and IM Canada. Kelly is still training hard core and very very fit for a great Ironman. There is still a possibility we will race an Ironman together this year. She was ready for IM China, but due to financial reasons decided to hold out and do some early season racing in the states. It has been a goal of ours for a few years to race an Ironman together. After training with her over the past few months, part of me would rather be out there on the sidelines supporting her like she has done for me over the years. We’re both getting antsy, so I know we have to make a decision soon. Well, I have plenty of time to think about things this week, because with this stomach bug, it doesnt look like I’ll be leaving the house anytime soon! I will keep you posted.

California 70.3 Race Report

After a long hard block of training, it’s always feels good to get out and race and test the fitness. It doesn’t feel so good when things don’t go as planned. My race last weekend was a dissapointing one. I was excited to get out and race my first triathlon of the year. My Ironman China build went really well. My run build up was short due to a little achillies tendinitis which I got from too many runs on the snow back home in Vermont. However over the past 4-6 weeks, it has gone really well and I was clipping off some pretty good tempo runs and long run paces. My biking has been strong as well and my pool times had gone down remarkably from where they were last year. So, I was excited and ready to get out there and RACE! Unfortunately, about 2 minutes into the swim, it felt more like a lonely training day. I really believed my faster pool times would translate into a faster swim leg. Unfortunately swimming is not like running or biking and hard work doesn’t always pay off!! argggg…..The dynamics of 70.3 racing has changed over the years. With more and more ITU girls stepping up to 70.3, and more pack riding, the swim is becoming more and more important, even in Ironman. So, I will not give up! I’ll keep swimming 5 times a week, keep up with the stretch cords, vasa and look forward to the start of open water swimming back home in VT!

Back to the race, on the bike I actually felt pretty and was surprised that I didn’t pass more women and rank a little higher in the bike split category. But just like the swim, I was all alone on the bike. Looking at the results you can see how beneficial it is to have other girls around you on the bike. Seems all the girls who swam 24 minutes biked within 2-3 seconds of each other. Onto the run still in no mans land! I ran steady holding 6:30s. I haven’t done much speed work, so I wasn’t sure if I would be able to hold a much faster pace than that. By mile 8, I still felt really good, so I picked it up a little and a little and a little more and ended up running the last 2 miles at 6 min pace crossing the line in 10th place.

Every time I race, I try to draw something positive out of the day. This one was a hard one, but it is a good sign for my upcoming Ironman that I felt strong throughout the day and ended up with a big negative split on the run. That is a good sign that I am strong, which Ironman is all about!!!!

I have one more week here in Tucson before I head out to China. This is the hardest part of being away from home and tapering. Feeling lazy and bored!!!!

Desert Classic Duathlon

The 2009 season is finally underway and I am happy to report I won my first race of the year! It has been a few years since I raced a duathlon, so when I heard about the Desert Classic Duathlon only 2 hours away from my winter training base, I had to hop in. I headed up to Scottsdale with John and Kelly and of course her kids. I told Kelly this is the last time she watches me race, next race she’s in! She agreed and said spectating is harder than racing (see photos!!).

The race was a total shock to the system, yet it felt really good to blow out the cob webs! The race started with a 3.5 mile trail run. I entered T1 just a few seconds behind the top 2 women and after a quick transition, I hit the 21 mile bike course in first place. Having done zero speed work, I knew I had to bike hard to hold onto the win. I entered T2 with about an 80 second lead and managed to keep that gap throughout the second run to take home the win. It’s always nice to win the first race of the year and definitely gets me excited for the upcoming race season!

9 More Days!

9 more days until I head to Tucson for my winter training camp! It’s been a really brutal month. Every year, my cold tolerance gets lower and shorter. 2 years ago, I trained for Ironman New Zealand all indoors with the except of 1 race in Pucon and 1 week in Tucson. I sucked it up for 5 hour computrainer sessions, 3 hour sub 10 degree F runs in yax tracks on icey snowy roads. My mantra was what doesn’t kill me will only make me stronger. This year my mantra is F*** this! After 7 years of training through Vermont winters, I am done with it! Last week was exceptionally miserable. We had about 4 days in a row where the temps barely hit 5 degrees. As much as I hate running in the cold, I hate the treadmill even more. So, last Wednesday when it was -10F out in the morning, I opted for a second cup of coffee and watched the weather channel waiting for it to hit double digits (10 degrees use to be my threshold) . Well, by 10 am it was warming up to a balmy 5 degrees, I still had a swim and a bike session to do so I couldn’t wait any longer. I put on my base layer, my fleece, my fleece lined jacket, capri tights, windstopper tights, ski gloves, ski hat, wool socks, gortex wind stopper socks and my fleece face gator. I was tempted to put on my ski goggles ( I swear this is typical running gear up here, seriously don’t laugh, it’s that bad!) but I passed on it. An hour later, I made it home and survived the run. I had so many layers on I could barely move, but in case you didn’t get the theme of this blog, I HATE the cold! After more coffee (to warm up!) and lunch, I hopped on the trainer for a 3 hour session. I actually don’t mind CT indoor sessions. I really believe they make you sooooo strong and my coach Cliff is very good at making them challenging and interesting that 3 hours really does go by fast. You might be wondering now why a girl who hates the cold lives in Vermont. Well you see I am married, my husband won’t leave and I don’t want a divorce! So, I suck it up when I can and he supports me when I am at my breaking point and NEED to get away. It all works out!

So, 9 days and counting! Next Thursday, I head out to Boulder to meet up with Kelly and help her and the kids (her 2 labs) pack up. Saturday we will drive down to Tucson where the adventure really begins. Kelly and I are attempting once again to race an Ironman together, Ironman China! After 2008, where we both incurred stress fractures training together, we promised ourselves we wouldn’t train for an Ironman together again. We tend to get a little crazy. Well, considering that we will be living together for 3 months in Tucson, we figured what the hell , we’ll give it a shot!! The past few training cycles I spent in Boulder, she did most of my runs with me and even a few swims, but I couldn’t entice her into a 6 hour ride! I’m so loooking forward to riding with her and putting the hurt on her in the bike after all those painful long runs with her last year. Kel, pay backs a bitch!! hehehehhe. uh oh, it’s starting already!

ok, now i have procrastinated long enough, gotta get on the trainer for a nice little 3.5 hour indoor session! Check out the pics below, sorry they are minuscule, I am trying to figure out this blogging thing!

Brian Thunder and I cutting down our Christmas tree

The sistas (memba I’m a New Yorker!) at Christmas:

Thunder playing in the corner. Not caring that is -10 out!