Almost Podium in Arizona

 

When Clint and I came home to Victoria after Ironman Hawaii, I really struggled physically and mentally to recover. My body simply wasn’t responding like it normally does after Ironman.  I didn’t seem to be bouncing back and was slow and sluggish. For 3 weeks Clint and I had to take everything 1 day at a time. I wasn’t sure if I could handle another Ironman this season and it made me uneasy. After all the work I did and fitness I gained for Kona, I really wanted to be able to race again. We made decisions day by day, kept me moving and hoped it would be ok. At the time, I was planning on racing Ironman Cozumel but had also put my name on the list for Arizona.

 

 

After 3 frustrating weeks, Clint, Rosie and I packed up and headed down to Tucson. I was either going to come around and race or have a family holiday. A couple factors contributed to things finally coming together physically and mentally. One was that I finally got a massage! Sounds stupid, but I neglected my usual massage schedule of 1-2x/week and was carrying all my tension and stress in my back, shoulders and neck. I didn’t realise what was going on until I finally had some good work done and went “aha!”  Despite Clint’s mocking about my lavish spending, I immediately booked 2 more appointments for the following 2 days!

Also, coming back to the desert got me out of rainy Victoria and into a more comfortable place to train. Since going gluten free, I have dropped about 5 lbs and my body isn’t handling the cold very well right now. More about that later, but I think it might take a while for my thermoregulation system to catch up!

Once in Tucson, I was back in action. Still a little stale and “end-of-season-ish”, but nothing like as bad as I had been! Ironman Arizona feels like a home race for me now. I really like the energy of the looped course and most importantly, Clint and Rosalee could come watch the race. And so it was decided. I would do IM Arizona.

Race week I rested up and felt ready to go. I trusted that the fitness I gained from the work I did in Sedona would get me through.

The swim was really the only truly disappointing part of my day. My swimming has traditionally been very dependable; I feel I can count on it.  Looking back, I recognize that I have been “cold” ever since I came back from Hawaii. The week leading up to the race in AZ, I kept noticing that I was wearing a hoodie when others were in T-shirts, jeans when others wore shorts etc.  I just assumed I was still acclimatized for the heat of Kona.

I am used to the symptoms of cold from many years of swimming in Canadian lakes. Usually, adrenaline and other race feelings mask the early indicators of cold and a person can literally jump from feeling fine to being hypothermic without really knowing how they got there.  My first symptom was extreme fatigue, followed by a realization that my arms simply weren’t moving as fast as my brain was telling them to.

Anyway, long story short, I feel lucky that I didn’t jump straight to hypothermia and was able to carry on with the race. Out on the bike I felt strong and was able to ride the 180km hard. It was a new thing for me to not lose any places on the bike. I held my own and was strong. Clint tells me that my first lap was slower than my subsequent laps, which is probably just because I was literally, warming up. Strangely, I felt like I was riding really hard on the first lap!

The run went fairly smoothly as well. In the last few miles I started to have that feeling of not knowing where I was or what I was doing.  My friend Marilyn was standing about 300m from the finish line (I was pleased to recognize her).  She gave me a cheer and I waved back, but later told her that what I really wanted to say was “Did I crap my pants?” Sometimes it’s hard to tell.  

 

Going into this race I felt I had lifted my game to a new level over the last couple months (and this year in general). I felt that a podium was possible. Having missed it by less than 3 mins, I can at least take away the feeling that I was right about that.  Last year I was 8^th in this race and this year 4^th. Improvement.

I briefly considered taking on the double again and going Cozumel. I wracked my brain for a good reason to do another Ironman this weekend, but couldn’t find one. So, time to recover and start plotting for 2013.

Big Thanks to Zoot and TriSports who managed to get a wetsuit to me in time for the race (I failed to bring mine to Arizona). Thanks to Rudy Project, Trek ProCity, Sportexcel and everyone else who chipped in to support me this year.

But the biggest thanks is saved for my husband and coach Clint who makes it possible for me to pursue my goals day to day, month to month and year to year. I love you Clinton! Also thanks to my little Rosalee who really went to the well on race day to cheer on her mom. When we got back to the hotel she collapsed on the floor and slept for over 2h! What a great girl I have.

 

Pics courtesy of Tessa Capistrano Photography (www.tessacapistrano.ca)

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Kona Ironman World Championships

Often a picture tells a tale much better than words.  I feel very lucky to have so many talented photographers in my world. All of the photos here are courtesy of Tessa (www.tessacapistrano.ca) with the exception of the shot on the bike from David McColm (www.davidmccolm.com).

I started my day feeling focused and confident. My training had gone very well and I really felt ready. Good preparation always equates to confidence on race day.

 

My first inkling that I wasn’t firing on all cylinders was during the warm up. I thought, “maybe I should have done a little run warm up”. I didn’t have much spark.

As the swim got started, I felt ok, but really only had one gear. As some of the faster girls pulled away, I would normally surge and try to stay with them, but in that moment I had nothing.

In the latter part of the swim, the oft-used analogy of the matchsticks came to mind.  The theory is that when you start an Ironman you only have so many matches to burn, so you need to be conscientious about how and when you burn them. My thought on Saturday was “I feel like I have no matches at all.”

I told myself that it was just taking a while to warm up. That happens sometimes. No problem.

But once I was on my bike, I very quickly realized that the flatness I was feeling was not going to be shaken. Mentally, I went between trying hard to break out of it, and accepting my fate. I got to 120k on the bike and felt like I hadn’t done anything yet. This is normally when it starts to hurt. Getting back to T2 was simply a matter of patience. At this point I was basically last in the race.

 

I started running and felt more or less the same. I kept running and finished the race.

 

As it happens, I got the timing wrong. I came down from altitude 12 days before the race, the same way I had in 2007 when I finished 2^nd at Ironman Canada.  I felt confident it would work again. It did not. I don’t know why I needed longer this time after my block at altitude. Maybe it’s because I am older? I really have no idea.

Some of the guys who I had been training with in Sedona felt the same way on race day. Ronnie, Macca, Bart- they all had a similar complaint. One of my friends found this video clip of Macca discussing the same topic:

 

So that was my day. All I can do now is learn and move forward. As the champ says "no excuses, i shall return".

 

Big thanks to everyone who contributed to this year so far. Most of all, my husband and coach Clint Lien. My sponsors, especially Zoot, Rudy Project, Sportexcel and Trek ProCity. My rehab people, but especially Rob Hasagawa who has kept me healthy for almost 2 years. Coach Daz and Rick who really got me to the race in good form. Not to mention all the other friends and family who continually help with the project that is my athletic career.

 

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Go time!

Thanks for the great pic David!

 

Did a fun photoshoot with David McColm a couple days ago and here is a little sample. Thanks to everyone who helped me get to the startline including Zoot Sports, Trek ProCityCycle, Rudy Project, Sportexcel, Dr. Rob Hasagawa, Pearl Lien and Shelley Thomson. And biggest thank you to my husband and Coach Clint Lien who made many many sacrifices this year!

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Training in Sedona with the D-Squad

After finding out that I had qualified for the Ironman World Champs in Hawaii, I was looking for somewhere to do my final build before the race. In an ideal world, I wanted a little altitude (but not too much) a little heat (but not too much), and good training partners. Oh, and it would help to have a good massage therapist and a good coach, and somewhere not too expensive…

I contacted my old coach Darren Smith who I thought might have a few athletes training in Sedona, Arizona and was very grateful when he agreed to help me out. Darren’s squad has been dubbed the D-Squad and his athletes have been increasingly successful over recent years. He is rightly considered one of the best coaches in the sport right now. The group in Sedona included some stellar ITU girls; Lisa Norden, Anne Haug, Vicki Holland and Jodie Stimpson, and an equally stellar group of Ironman boys; Chris McCormack, Ronnie Schildnecht, Fraser Cartmell, Bart Aernouts, and Cam Goode. Michelle Wu, Fiorella Dcruz and I represented the long course girls. There were also a handful of new-recruits and development athletes that were hanging around on various weeks here and there. I was certainly not lacking in training partners.

Darren himself was pretty much the same guy that I remember; smart, witty, and driven. He has worked very hard to develop himself as a coach and takes the same full-speed-ahead approach with his athletes. His success at the Olympics was not accidental. And from what I observed, I predict his success will actually increase over the next few years.

Darren also has a way of speaking his mind, right or wrong, at appropriate times and also at inappropriate times. Some people find this aspect of his personality difficult. I certainly used to when I was younger. Now that I am a little more “mature”, I find I can laugh more easily at his antics. Smart people rarely have a full range of social skills (sorry Daz, but its true ;)

Anyway. During my time in Sedona, I made some significant progress. Realizing I was gluten intolerant (see previous post), left me with oodles of energy and I was able to train hard. Clint and I made decisions on a daily basis about how to make the best of the group sessions, and I ended up putting together 3 pretty strong weeks. One day I got to ride 195km with “the boys”. Luckily, Macca wasn’t out to set any speed records that day and I was able to sit in and enjoy the ride. We even stopped for coffee. Michelle and I did a handful of quality long rides together, and I was grateful for her company. In the pool, I had Lisa and Vicki in the next lane, so I could look over and think, ‘so that’s how its done’. I was constantly taking mental notes. Noticing little things about stroke or about the habits that make people successful, stuff like that.

On the technical side, Darren had picked up some new things from his time in Kenya. We worked on the track and on a couple occasions when I was running off the bike, D would come out on his little mountain bike and bark instructions at me as I ran. I was impressed at how many pointers he managed to come up with. I mean, if I watch an athlete run, I can come up with 2, maybe 3 things they could improve on. Darren had a constant flow of thoughts that helped me. How to run uphill, downhill, crest a hill, arms, shoulders, push back etc, etc… It was impressive and very helpful.

In the pool, we made a couple subtle changes (no point reinventing the wheel 3 weeks before Ironman!) that helped me find a better rhythm.

And I can not forget the massage and rehab guy, Rick. Rick is from the Netherlands but speaks as if he is from London. He is genuinely good at his job and has the time and energy to do things properly. In the end, my long-term hamstring niggle cleared up, I have better range through my hips for running and I genuinely don’t feel like an old lady anymore.

And so, my time in Sedona has left me feeling fit, more proficient and more mobile. Not to mention with a few new friends to follow at the races. Most of the D-Squad are here in Kona right now training for the World Championship Series Finale in New Zealand which is a week after Ironman. Its been really fun seeing everyone and i look forward to watching them race.

Big thank you to Darren for allowing me this opportunity. Thanks to Rick for taking an interest in my hamstring and other ailments. Thanks to Vicki and Anne who put up with me for the longest… as well as everyone else who made me feel welcome.

I wish continued success to everyone!   

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Ironman New York, Ironman Canada and being gluten free

I’ve written 3 blogs in the last few months – in my mind.  Unfortunately none have made it from there to the page.  I need to clear these topics from my mental “to do” list before I can write the blog about my time in Sedona, which is currently in gestation phase.

 

Here are the 3 topics I will address quickly and efficiently (in case you are bored by one of them, you can simply move to the next); 1. My decision to pull out of IM New York at mile 16; 2. My observations at Ironman Canada; and 3. My gluten intolerance and how it changed everything.

Blog 1: Ironman New York Race Report

 

My goal this year was to race at the World Championships in Kona and in July/early August I still needed more points so I planned a 3-week trip that included Calgary 70.3, 10 days in Ontario at my Dad’s and Ironman New York. At the time I was 26^th in the pro ranking and thus expected to be leading the fight for the final 5 spots. Five days before Ironman NY, I got the news that someone had turned down her spot and I was in. I was going to Kona.

A huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. I was happy and relieved. But it left me in this weird situation in which I had traveled across the country, acclimatized, was tapered and ready for an Ironman race that I no longer needed to do. I contemplated simply changing my flights and coming home, but in the end, Clint and I decided that since I had 9 weeks in between New York and Kona it would be enough to rest and rebuild. So I went to New York.

Long story short, it turned out to be the hot, humid race that we expected and during the run I started to hear a nagging voice telling me that I should pull the plug. It was more an instinct than anything else. My heart wasn’t in it, I wasn’t doing very well and I didn’t want to destroy myself. I could have kept running, but I simply didn’t have the base fitness to have a great Ironman race. Before crossing the Washington Bridge to what I knew would be the hottest part of the course, I pulled the plug. I walked back down to the ferry and went back to my homestay.  

The decision was really, really hard on me. At first I thought I had done the wrong thing. I wished I’d had support out there to help me problem solve. I wasn’t sure. But, it only took a couple days for me to come around, to know that listening to my instincts is always the right thing to do. Regardless of what happens in the rest of the season, I feel like I couldn’t have done more than that.

Blog 2: Observations from Ironman Canada

David McColm caught me searching for my athletes on the IMC run course!

I have been working with Bob Palmer at Sportexcel for almost 2 years. Bob’s work revolves around a system that aims to get athletes into “the Zone” and keep them there, during races, training, and everyday life. I have really learned a lot from Bob. I would say that working with him has been life-changing in that I simply enjoy my life more.

I have tried to bring this experience to the athletes I coach as well. Not in a deliberate way, but just by making an effort to be in “the Zone” when I am around them so I can get the best out of them as well.

At Ironman Canada this year, I was biking around the run course looking for my girls and I was struck by how many people were absolutely NOT in the Zone. In fact, most people were in the antithesis to the Zone. They were in the anti-zone. They were complaining, making excuses, walking. Heads were hung low. Defeated already and still so much to go!

But not my girls… well, mostly ;)  Michelle struggled a little, was in and out of her zone for sure, but definitely had some moments there. Her 30min-PB is testament to that. Julie was shining like a light compared to the others around her. She kept herself centered and focused and earned herself a PB by 47mins!! Tessa also kept her composure, stayed in her Zone and executed a great race and a new PB for her as well.

It truly is amazing what a little focus and a positive attitude can do for an athlete in an Ironman race. I was so proud that my girls didn’t get caught up in the carnage around them. I can remember saying to Tessa (who, believe me, was suffering as much as the next girl) that if she kept focused and strong she would overtake hundredsof people before the finish line (I knew this to be true, because I had seen the state of those hundreds!) I don’t think she believed me at first. She later told me that she stopped counting after 138.

Congrats to my Iron-girls.

 

Blog 3: How being gluten-free has changed everything.

 

Ok, so here’s the story. I’ve been working with a Naturopathic Doctor called Kim McQueen, mostly in an attempt to get myself leaner for the big race in Kona. We looked at my diet, she gave me some simple advice (reduce fats, eat quality carbs..), all good stuff. As an aside, she told me that since I feel bloated after eating pasta I likely have at least some minor sensitivity to gluten, and that maybe, until we can test things properly, I should consider going gluten free, just until Kona. No problem. I can do that. I was already half way there anyway.

Five days later, I was warming up with our morning swim group and I thought, ‘I’ve never felt so good during a warm up before!’ It seemed kinda odd since I had also been training harder, longer and more than I have in many years. I felt so good, that I spent the entire warm up wondering what it could be… what have I changed? And then I knew. Gluten. It’s the gluten.

I am not even exaggerating when I say that changing to a gluten free diet has effected everything. My energy levels have increased. I’ve lost weight. I don’t bonk as easily on long bike rides and am thus stronger after 4, 5, 6 hours than ever before. I look forward to every training session because I am simply not dragging my ass out the door like I used to. I am feeling stronger.

If this was someone else’s blog and I was reading it, I don’t think I would believe it. I am not a “magical potions” kind of person. I believe in working hard and chipping away at things and looking for change in the bigger picture, not expecting miracles etc etc… Even my work with Bob that I described as “life-changing” took a year to ingrain, and I still work at it! But this, this was like someone sprinkling fairy dust on me or finding a magic bean. And for my next trick I will fly with the pigs then climb my bean stalk to the clouds.

 

 

 

 

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Not all 4th's are made the same

Congrats to race-winners Rasmus and Magali!

Last Sunday was my 3rd time racing the Calgary 70.3 and the 4th year for the event (In the 2nd year, i was there, but 5-months pregnant!). I love going to Calgary because i have family and friends there and lots of support. I love the race and the beauty of the course and once again Paul and his team did a great job.

 

 

After a fun and busy week of visiting friends, meeting with athletes and swimming, biking and running, race day finally arrived with perfect weather and conditions. The first nice surprise of the morning was that one of my fave people of all times- Morna Brown- was volunteering in T1. Not only was it great to see her, but she took care of my T1 bag ensuring that everything went smoothly. Between her and Suzanne Boyd (who volunteered as a wetsuit stripper and personally called me over after i ran the wrong direction!), i had a smooth T1. Thanks ladies!

 

 

I am getting ahead of myself... Back to race morning. This year we started by diving off a pontoon into the cold... i mean... refreshing water at Ghost Lake. The difference in temperature between the water and my face was so extreme that my goggles fogged up and i couldnt see a thing. As a result, I missed the first pack. From time to time I saw an arm or a swim cap and I knew i needed to surge to get on the group, but couldnt tell which direction to surge in!! By the time i figured out where the next buoy was, I realized i was leading a large pack having missed the group in front. Eventually, I was just happy if i could see the buoys and know i was going in the right direction. I came out of the water in 3rd.

Gotta love the fluro-green helmet right?

Starting the bike I felt good, my legs came around quickly and the ambient temperature was not freezing cold! I love the bike course in Calgary. Its scenic and hilly, but still fast. I have been working on my position on the bike, and while there is still a ways to go, I felt smooth and comfy. I rolled into T2 in 6th place.

Starting the run, I felt ok but not great. I found my rhythm quickly. The run course is a little deceptive, for some reason it always seems harder than it looks. There are a couple decent hills, and some gradual up and downward grades... i'm not exactly sure what it is, but it always feels hard. I overtook MacKenzie Madison near the beginning of the run, and as i approached the turn around, I could see that the lead girls, were all within a mile. I was pleased with my proximity to the front of the race. Improvement! At km 17, I overtook Lisa Mensink and knew that Mel McQuaid was fading. As much as I wanted to finish on the podium again, I was still 2mins down on Mel with 3k to go, I tried to run a little faster, but at this stage in the race, its pretty hard to move any faster than you already are!

Love this course!

I was very pleased with my 4th place this time around, mostly because it means i am moving in the right direction.

I am so grateful for all the support i have in Calgary. Thank you to everyone who cheered out there on the bike and run course. Thank you to Morna and Suzanne for their help in T1. Thank you to David McColm for the wonderful photos yet again. Thanks to physio Catherine and massage Therapist Mike who treated me during race week. The guys at Speed Theory helped me out numerous times during race week when i had frustrating punctures! Thanks to my Mom who let me take over her little apartment and continues to support me in every way she can. Thanks to my sister Lisa and nephew Oliver who are a great cheering section on race day. Thanks to Bob (www.sportexcel.ca) for his ongoing support and mental tricks that keep me enjoying racing and life in general! Thanks to BFF Carrie for making time to hang out, for being a great friend and business partner. Thanks to Shelley for putting up with me all week, and to Clinty for being the best husband ever. Fabulous.

Shelley qualifies for Vegas!!

I am now in Ontario prepping for Ironman New York on August 11th. Until then, thanks for reading!

An additional note from the mom side of things.... A good friend of mine has started a blog about motherhood. She is highly educated in early childhood development and now that she has a daughter of her own, is sharing her insights on her blog; http://theprofessormom.blogspot.ca/. Enjoy!

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Ironman Brazil and Mourning a Friend

Leaving T1

One of the hard truths about Ironman racing is that we have to accept the hand we are dealt on race day. We spend weeks and months preparing, trying to limit the variables, and take control of the things we can control. For the average age group athlete this means that you can literally spend your whole year focused on one race and then catch the bubonic plaque the night before. This doesnt happen often and the chances are very slim, so we continue to train, to plan, to race.

I came to Brazil in the shape of my life with expectations for a good race. I truly enjoy my trips to Florianopolis, which is why i have returned 4 times in the last 6 years. The thing that really makes the trip enjoyable is the group dynamic created by Ken Glah with Endurance Sport Travel. I have travelled to this race solo the last two years and each time have had a thoroughly enjoyable time with the old friends I see and new ones i meet. This makes for an extremely relaxed race week, which is always a good thing.

I dont want to ramble on too much about the details of swim, bike and run, but i will share some highlights/lowlights. I had a good swim. 52-something. Thats a good strong swim for me. On the bike i was riding well and sitting about 3-5mins behind the leaders when i punctured at km 50 (ish). Last year I started using clinchers on my race wheels so i could make the change quickly on just such an occasion, so i fixed it up and got back on my bike. From the splits it looks like i lost about 5-6mins. Not bad, but it could be better!!

One of the things i did lose with the puncture though was my proximity to the front of the race. I never did find what was in my tire and felt it deflating slowly through the remainder of the ride. I got off the bike about 20mins down. Even before i started the run I knew i was in trouble, GI-wise. I later found out they served tap water on the bike course and I drank 2 big bottles. Whoa!!! What a mistake! When situations like this arise, you arent just dealing with the time spent in the porta-potties, but also the loss of nutrition, the time spent running slowly, butt cheeks clenched while looking desperately for the next toilet stop. It can get messy. So, all things considered, i was quite pleased to cross the line in 4th place. Not the day I wanted, but the day i had. I cant be disappointed by the way i handled things and I certainly will not drink water on the bike if i come back next year!!

Back in the hotel after the race, I got the news that a childhood friend who had been fighting brain cancer had passed away that morning. Sometime during the second half of my bike ride, 3 times zones and half a world away, Alyson slipped away peacefully in a Calgary hospice, surrounded by family. Anyone who met Alyson knew that from the time of her diagnosis to her passing she dealt with the hand she was given with humility and took on the project of fundraising for future cancer-suffers with an energy and vigour that most of us can only conjure during childhood on Christmas morning. It has been oft said but it is so true that Alyson was a very special woman and will be missed by many.

Alyson and I became close in about grade 2, a time when many of my important friendships were forged. I remember that we would embark on various creative projects and games, as you do when you are 7 years old. One such project, that we would still laugh about as adults, was a book of songs that we had composed together in French class. I dont think it was an official class project but a task we simply took on for the fun of it. I can remember creating the tunes in our heads and carefully laying out the lyrics in a booklet that we stapled together with hand-drawn pictures. The center-piece of our booklet was a simple song called "Alyson joue au domino" and i can remember a day when Alyson and I took control of the class while a subsitute teacher was on duty. We each took half the class and sang "Alyson joue au domino" in a round. The last time I saw Alyson before she began to decline, we took great pleasure in singing that same song (in a round!) for ol' times sake.

So, back to Brazil. As i assess the ebb and flow of my race career, the good races, the bad races, the in-between, its difficult not to be effected by Alyson's story, her perspective on life and the value of the time we have. Somehow, flying to Australia and having my bike crushed by the airline, getting sick and having GI issues on a run course are all very managable problems that can be easily solved by accepting the way things are and moving forward to the next task simply because i am lucky enough to be here and do the things I love and hang out with the people i love and watch the sunrise on the day after and the day after that.

My deepest condolences go to those who were closest to Alyson. Her family and friends from Kitchener who i remember fondly and her partner Jared. I only met Jared once but i knew from the way Alyson spoke of him that she had a very special guy. My heart is with those who loved her most.

Goodbye my friend.

Myself, 3rd from left and Alyson (eating a giant hotdog) at what looks like my 8th (?) birthday party



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St. Croix Race Report

 Lowery Hill (Photo by Justin Fabian)

My season did not start out as I would have liked, but the disaster in Australia gave me the opportunity to plan a new race schedule for 2012. It didn’t take long to decide where I wanted to go. St Croix! This was more a decision of the heart than the head. I love St. Croix; the place, the people, the laid back atmosphere of the race, not to mention my wonderful homestay couple Ed and Linda. The fact that its one of the hardest bike courses on the IM circuit could not deter me from heading once again to the US Virgin Islands. 

 Homestay Ed and I at the awards party.

A couple weeks earlier, I had come home from Oz sick, stressed and bike-less. And then I had to wait. Wait until I had a bike to ride, wait until I felt well enough to train again. Wait. Slowly but surely things started to get better, as they always do. Jasper Blake offered to lend me his Speed Concept in the same size as mine. I had some blood tests done and a long talk with my doctor and we figured a few things out. And when I was ready, Clint and I settled on a race plan, starting with 70.3 St. Croix. A couple weeks later I was packing up to go Tucson to get ready for a hot, hilly race.

On March 21^st, Rosalee and I headed south to meet my mom, sister and nephew in Arizona. Mom and Lisa helped out with babysitting while I swam, biked and ran in the sun. I was starting to feel good again.

Once in St. Croix, I felt relaxed and ready. Race week was filled with laughter and good times with friends new and old. The afternoon before the race the rain came down in buckets and the streets of St. Croix became rivers. As the rivers receded overnight, gravel and dirt covered the roads. Race morning the rain continued and it rained on and off all day.

I got in the water at 6am and started my warm up. I had a plan for the swim and was able to follow it to the letter. Last year, the swim had been a gong show. The group I was with swam all over the place and our time was slow. This year, I planned exactly how I was going to sight for each section of the course to make sure we stayed our course! As expected, Nina Kraft and Mary Beth Ellis got away and I led a small chase pack coming out of the water in 3^rd with Angela Naeth, Jenny Fletcher and Marie Danais.

Climbing the Beast (Photo by Justin Fabian)

Out of transition, Angela predictably took off and I was riding with Jenny. After a few miles it was clear that her and I were well-matched on the bike and we ended up spending the whole ride together. When I started to lose concentration, she would come past and get me going again and vice versa. We were a good duo. The course was still covered in debris from the rain and there were large puddles everywhere. Some covered the entire road and we had no choice but to ride right through. Others were more like streams. Near the end of the bike a couple girls overtook us, but they didn’t make up too much time. I came off the bike in about 5^th or 6^th.

Jen and I starting the run.

Starting the run I felt a little sluggish and wasn’t moving as well as I would have liked. Within a mile I became aware that I was making up ground on the lead male (who was a lap ahead). As I got closer I realized it was Lance. He was clearly suffering a little on his final lap and I could hear him breathing hard. As I went past I said “Come on Lance!” But I don’t think he heard me amidst all the cheering from the crown. Say what you will but that guy works hard! Part of me was thinking I should run with him for the whole lap just for the cheering and publicity. But, as I started to feel better and ready to kick my run up a notch, I slowly started to pull away.

After the first lap I had overtaken 2 girls and was running in 4^th. At the turn around I saw that I was close to Nina and was starting to feel good. I picked up the pace and finally got her just before mile 10. Angela and Mary Beth were running their own race in an entirely different time zone, so it was up to me to hold my own until the finish line. Needless to say, I was overjoyed to finish on the podium.

As always, I want to thank many special people for their contribution to my racing. Now that I have a little family, it takes a small village to support my training and travels. Let’s start with my husband Clint whose faith in me is greater than anyone I’ve known. “Aunty” Shelley who continues to be an important part of both my life and Rosalee’s. Grandma Pearl who makes my training possible in Victoria and also makes Clint’s life possible when I am not there. Jasper who generously lent me his Speed Concept and let me drag it across the world. All the people who shared their time and opinions on my bike set-up when I was seeking answers. The guys at the Trek shop who put up with my relentless phone calls and dropping by. My mom and sister who looked after Rosalee during some big training days in Tucson. Good friend and training partner Marilyn who picked me up each day for swimming in the ghetto van, and always shares her time, wisdom and vast cycling knowledge generously. Bob, whose crazy mental training techniques got me to the race feeling excited and ready. Ed and Linda who opened their home again this year in St. Croix. Angela, Jenny, Marisela, Terenzo and many others who shared all those well-needed pre-race laughs! Love you all!

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Getting Here

So here I am in Melbourne Australia counting down to another Ironman race day (the count is at 2 days) I am sitting in the kitchen at Luke and Meg Gillmer's place (best people ever, BTW) eating a cinnamon bun (because Peter Reid said to eat whatever you want on the Friday before race day, so best not to argue) and drinking a very good long black (an awesome coffee drink in which you run an espresso through the machine but keep it running until the cup is full... like an americano, but better). (Peter Reid also said not to drink coffee for a couple weeks until race day, but whatever.)

The time since my last race has passed very quickly and is easily divided in my mind between 3 distinct training blocks. The first started just before Christmas and involved about 20h/week of base volume with nothing too hard or specific. The highlight was all the mountain biking and cross country skiing I did in Ontario. The second block started with Houshang's bike camp (see previous blog) and included 2 long rides a week with his group, often in the pissing rain. I also started doing weights again, which i love! The third block is the most recent. In mid-February I packed up my baby girl and Shelley (my volunteer-nanny and swim-training partner) packed up her dog and we all travelled to Tucson for some warmer and drier times.

The Tucson camp was an especially good one for me on many levels. I started to see good times in the pool, good watts on the bike and good average paces on the garmin. I got fitter. It was also a time when many friendships were created or made deeper and many laughs were had. I am especially grateful for the support of Shelley, Clint and Pearl who all helped take care of my baby girl while i trained. I was also very lucky to have a strong group of girls to swim, bike and run with; Rachel, Julie, Shelley, Marilyn and Linsey, thank you all. For anyone who hasn't seen Julie's fun little video of our trip, here it is;

And a few photos:

Here i am testing out my new bike position.

Shelley tries to get Rosalee to eat while Koko waits patiently for anything that might drop.

Grandma Pearl and Rosalee out for a walk.

And another shot on the bike!

 

thanks everyone!

S.

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Game Changers



Clint, Rosie, myself and Gramma Rosaleen on Boxing Day



After Ironman Arizona and Cozumel, I took a 3-week break. Clint and I started planning for 2012. We spent Christmas in Ontario with my Dad and his wife Mary, who had never met Rosalee. And Rosalee got to meet her namesake, my 101-year-old grandmother Rosaleen. I amused myself with big days of mountain biking and cross country skiing, not to mention a lot of family visiting.



Rosalee, age 1 and Rosaleen, age 101



On our return to Vic the plan was simple, improve my cycling. One of the things we did was talk to some knowledgable people about how to reach my goals. One of the people we talked to is Clint's friend Patrick, who also happens to coach Paula Findlay. Among other things, Patrick said that I need to find 2 or 3 Game Changers and implement them in training. For some reason I loved this phrase and it stayed with me.

One of the Game Changers we decided on was to attend a camp put on by the Pacific Sport Cycing Centre's Houshang Amiri, who is generally regarded as one the best cycling coaches in Victoria. This meant attending a 5-day, big-volume bike camp with some of the best riders in town. For me, this felt akin to jumping off a cliff, at least in terms of fear, and the possibility of pain. Its safe to say, I would be outside of my comfort zone.

Nervous as I was, I rolled up to the camp feeling positive about what i would learn. The first couple days were a bit of a struggle, especially in terms of my pack-riding skills which are negligable especially compared to guys and girls who race bikes at a high level. It took 2 days of falling off the group on corners, riding 2 feet behind the wheel infront and generally having to focus so hard i couldnt make conversation, before I settled into a reasonable skill level. Its still a work in progress, but at least i can now talk and ride at the same time!

On the first day, we did a couple time trials. One was a 12-minute quad-buster up a big hill that got steep at the top, and the other was an undulating 20-minute effort. Following the advice of another girl on the camp, I turned off my brain and went as hard as i could. I found out later that my times fell right in with the other girls, which i was quite pleased about. On the second day, we did some hill climbs. I was hurting and was already partially blown before we even started climbing. The second day was the roughest for me. I wondered if i could survive 3 more days.



Enough with the boring cycling talk Mom!



On the third day I started to come into my own, felt more comfortable with the group and was really starting to enjoy all the time in the saddle. We did team time trials that day, which were very fun, especially because i didnt get dropped. The fourth day was hills again, and my legs were getting heavy after 4-5hours of hard riding each day. I did my best, but still got lapped by the boys on the hill repeats. At least i know what i have to work on!

The last day of the camp got snowed out, and I was more than happy to go for a run and rest up. I came out of the camp having learned a ton, and also gained a new riding group. We met today for some more hill repeats and I fared a lot better than last week!

Here's a list of my "Game Changers" from the week;

1. A new skill level for riding in a group, cornering and generally being comfy on my bike.

2. A new group to do long rides with on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

3. Some great advice from Coach Houshang about my cycling training.

4. The feeling that maybe, just maybe, I can kick an ass or two on the bike.



Are you done writing yet? Can we play chase?

Happy Training everyone!!



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An Interview with Julie

A couple months ago I started working with Julie as our team manager for Mercury Rising. Julie has a wonderful blog chronicling her triathlon journey (see link below) and has recently started a video log full of great triathlon tips (http://trivlogger.blogspot.com/). After I finished the two Ironman races this past November Julie had some great questions for me, which in time became an interview for our coaching website. I thought I would repost it here. Thanks to Julie for her great writing and inquisitive mind!

Julie on her way to a 2h30 bike split at Great White North 1/2 Iron!

Doing the Double

By Julie Anderson

For many iron-distance triathletes, the transition from finisher to competitor is often years in the making. Training, recovery, tapering, racing. Lather, rinse, repeat. But every once in awhile something challenges the way we view our sport in terms of recovery and performance. Outside of the box kind of stuff – like racing two Ironman races only 1 week apart for example.

In November 2011, professional triathlete Sara Gross (http://www.saragross.ca/ and www.saragross.blogspot.com/) did just this. (Keep in mind that Sara gave birth to her daughter Rosalee last year. So, not only did Sara train to regain the fitness required to compete at an elite level, she did so with all the challenges of being a new Mom!) On November 20, 2011, Sara competed at Ironman Arizona. One week later she raced Ironman Cozumel. At both races, she placed in the top ten: 8th female overall in Arizona and 6th female overall in Cozumel.

The following is an interview I had with Sara about her successful execution of the Ironman Double:

1. How did you feel after IMAZ? In other words, do you feel as crappy as the rest of us mortals after an IM race? How I was going to feel during the week between races was actually one of my main concerns going in. After Ironman Canada this year I felt terrible for more than a week, so I worried this would happen again. Before deciding to do the double, I talked to Chris McDonald (and wife Marilyn) to pick his brain and get the low-down on doing the double. (Chris was very successful at it and actually won the second race, Ironman Wisconsin 2008, ed.) He told me that recovering from the first race is all about what you do (or don’t do) during the first 72 hours after the race. This includes getting hydrated, massage, using compression, recovery food, and the little bit of exercise that you do to keep things firing. To answer your question, I felt great after IMAZ. A lot better than after most IM races, and I contribute that to being more diligent with my recovery. I was also in a very positive frame of mind, which always helps.

2. Why did you decide to do another IM only 7 days after IMAZ? Have you ever done this before? I have never done back-to-back Ironman races before but I did race two long-course distances (4k-120k-30k) 8 days apart in 2005. I finished 2nd at the first race in Gerardmer France and won the second race in Sweden 8 days later. So, I had a good feeling about racing back to back. I am not sure exactly what made me decide to do both this time. I was signed up for both races and was having trouble deciding which race to do. Arizona is always very competitive and I really love racing against a tough field. That always motivates me, though it isn’t a wise choice if you are after Kona points! Once the idea of doing both popped into my head I just couldn’t shake it. I was worried that Clint (my husband and coach) wouldn't go for it, but he got completely behind me. I guess the short answer is; because I wanted to. It really is as simple as that. I thought I was fit enough to pull it off and it was a challenge that excited me.

3. In terms of recovery after an IM, what did you do differently, if anything, to prepare for IMCoz? The differences in what I did after IMAZ compared to what I normally do after IM were subtle. It was more a mindset that kept me focused after the race. I did everything a little bit more quickly and efficiently. I ate the post-race pizza immediately even though I wasn’t hungry. I went to the massage tent right away instead of hanging around and chatting with my friends. It was mostly little things like that. I had my Zoot compression socks ready to put on in the car on the way home. I ate lots of protein. I went to bed and actually slept for 8 or 9 hours. I stretched the next day. I had multiple massages. I walked around and didn’t allow my muscles to seize up.

4. Racing 2 IMs only a week apart goes against the widely held notion of training, tapering, racing and recovering. Do you think you were fully recovered for IM Cozumel? Lol! Well, you only have to look at my bike time to see that I was not fully recovered! I was however, recovered enough to finish in 6th place, so I consider it to be a success. So many things can go wrong in an event that takes all day that a little fatigue was not a great concern for me on race day. You know, this little experiment has really challenged the way I see myself and our sport. My performance at IM Cozumel was pretty much exactly what I would expect it to be if I were to do a full Ironman in the middle of a big training block (ie, with no taper). Its amazing how it panned out in such a predictable way. And, the fact that I wasn’t fully recovered sort of makes me want to try again. The whole challenge of racing back-to-back Ironmans is about how well you can recover in 7 days. I think I could do better. I could use my compression clothing from Zoot more effectively or try to get my hands on some of those compression boots that people are using. My daughter really kept me on my toes in the week between the races, so I would recruit more people to help out with that. There are a few bits and pieces that I would change.

5. Did you do any “training” in the week between the two races? Based on advice from Chris, I kept moving in the days after the race and also listened to my body. The morning after IMAZ I rode my bike for 30mins. On Tuesday I did an 800m swim and a short water run and on Wednesday I did a 1200m swim and was able to do some short surges of 15m or so. I also did a fair bit of walking (with my daughter in the stroller). If I did this again, it might be entirely different, but this was the right amount for me that week. My legs and energy levels started to come around on Thursday and from there on I proceeded with my normal taper week. I ended up taking Friday off and did the “biggest” day of the week on Saturday with a 20min swim, 1h bike and 20min run. My total volume for the week between the races was 4h30mins.

6. How much food did you eat after IMAZ? Did you eat even more (the day after and the days following) after IM Coz? Lol!! Yes Julie, if you do 2 Ironmans in a row, you can eat as many bananas and sweet potatoes as you like!! Seriously, one of the things I was thankful for was that I had a good appetite the night after IMAZ. I often feel too sick to eat after an IM. Clint took me to Chipotle after the race for a giant burrito. During the week after Ironman, I normally eat whatever I want. And I did that this time as well, but I also made sure I was eating enough protein for my muscles to recover. I thought that I would be painfully hungry for weeks after the second race, but shockingly, I just had a “normal” post-race appetite after Cozumel. Actually, this applies to how I felt after IMCoz in general. It really felt like I had just done 1 race. I had been warned that I may feel a lot of systemic fatigue in the weeks after the second race, but its been weeks now and I feel great! I am very happy about that.

6. How on earth did you run a 3:07, and then a 3:18 in an IM only 7 days apart? WOW! Ok. You always have to see things like this in relation to how fit you are and what you are capable of. So, In Arizona I ran 3.07 and had a couple minutes of walking break in there. In Cozumel, I had a low patch that lasted 4-5hours smack in the middle of the race, so I was running slowly at the beginning and built into it until I was running at a more suitable pace. The same would apply to the difference in my bike times when compared to my ability, the conditions etc.

7. Did the new Hawaii qualification system effect your decision to race back-to-back? Will we see more of these double IM races in the future? To be honest, the points system was a factor, but not the main reason I decided to try the double. If I had done only Cozumel, I would have likely had a faster day, got decent points from that race and made more prize money. For me, it was mostly about the challenge of it. I love Ironman and just really liked the idea of the double. I don’t know if we will see more of it in the future as many people worry (and rightly so!) that they would not recover in time for the second race. Though I did feel that by playing my cards right it was easier than I thought it would be. I was excited about it and had fun executing it. The race in Cozumel just felt like a celebration to me. It was the right thing to do.

8. Anything else you would like to say? First of all, thanks for the questions Julie! At the risk of sounding a little cheesy, doing back-to-back Ironman races has had a subtle effect on my worldview. It has reinforced the idea that we really can do anything we set our minds to. Once I got my mind linked into the idea of doing the double, it was easy to just follow the path and get the job done. It stretched me as a person and as an athlete. It has had a positive effect on how I feel about my future and on the attitude I bring to my coaching as well. All in all, it was a great experience.

Julie Anderson is the Team Manager for Mercury Rising Triathlon (www.mercuryrisingtriathloncom). She is also a successful age group triathlete and dedicated student of the sport. Julie writes extensively on her blog (www.runningwithdoggies.blogspot.com). She lives in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada with her partner Mike and cats Mandalay and Peanut.

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