Claudia Spooner...Training and Racing for MultiSports

2012... and so it has begun!!!

2012-01-01T11:25:00.000-08:00

Today marks the first day of 2012 and I got it done!!! I doubled down and added one to grow on.. How's that you ask?? Well, I ran 12 miles to mark 2012, added 12 more for double the fun with Hill Country Running.. Thank you Jamie and Andrea, and Troy for pushing my negative split even though you were way ahead of me, then as a bonus(I always love to add one to grow on) I finished up with an extra mile at Tempo Pace for a 25 mile total to ring in my new year and a start to AWESOME!!!

Thank you Jeanne and Ed for joining in the fun and a great start to AWESOME for you too!!

I feel GREAT and that is even better!!! For me, this is the ONLY way to start my New Year.. call me CRAZY but, that's the way I like to do it... Weather is amazing and starting the year by doing what I love makes me CRAZY HAPPY!!!

I am really looking forward to 2012 and all that I have to look forward to. I have been blessed so much with such a great family and such an amazing and supportive group of friends. I love you all and wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

I know I said it before but, I'll say it again... the best is yet to come... Now go out and be AWESOME!!!

2012, I am ready!!!

As 2011 Closes

2011-12-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

As 2011 closes, I have given myself time to reflect over the last few weeks. Especially over the last few days. As I look back on this year I have had some of my greatest successes. I have also shed a lot of tears. I have fought some huge battles, some I have won and some I have lost. I have looked deeply at who I am, and who I want to become, where I am and where I want to be, and the legacy I want to leave behind.

I have seen who my truest friends are, those that will never leave my side, always showing me love even when I don't deserve it. I expect the best from myself and I guess that turns into expecting the best from others, if I said I didn't, that would be a lie. I am a perfectionist and strive to be the best I can be, sometimes I fail miserable, but I am never to proud to admit it, or say "I'm Sorry" and for that I am thankful.

I look back at 2011 and have so much to be thankful for, but it has been a very tough year. We started this year with joblessness, heartbreak, and my son having 3 seizures within 3 weeks, and that was just January- March.

As I look back and write this, tears fill my eyes because despite all of that, I managed to reach goals some people would only dream of. Part of me wants to spill my guts and pour my heart out over some of the things and emotions I have managed, but some things are better left unsaid.

Every mountain is big when we look from the bottom up...

I kept my head down and just moved forward, at times not even knowing how things would work out or how in the world I would manage. I thought I had a plan at one point, but that completely fell apart, so, I had to change what my final outcome might look like, at many points I completely lost sight. I am still trying to figure it all out, but I guess that's life.

I think the thing that helped me the most was the love I got from my family and friends and the support they gave me. I could never have done it alone.

My biggest Highlights for 2011 were Qualifying for Vegas 70.3 World Championships at Galveston and Kona Ironman World Championships early in 2011 at Ironman Texas

and then competing in both events within 4 weeks of each other and having strong finishes at the end of 2011. I want to say thank you to everyone for all your support and encouraging words. I have had a very successful year as far as racing is concerned, and with every finish line, I see the faces of those that have truly helped me achieve my goals, my fist pump is for you and my fingers pointing to the air is to my Savior, without Him, I would never, ever be as strong as I am..Physically, Mentally, or Emotionally.

iRuniTri Multisport has more then tripled since it's inception 4 years ago. I started coaching more or less just for fun. Although I have been a coach or personal trainer to some extent for over 20 years, I really just started iRuniTri Multisport to give me an extra excuse for training more, and helping other athletes reach their potential and add to the "bigger picture", which has changed dramatically over the last few months.

At the start of 2011, I had to really work on the growth of my company, and where I wanted it to go. I had no idea how that was going to happen, but things happened naturally, and I am thrilled with the successes my athletes have had again and again. I want to thank each and every one of them for their dedication and love to the sport and commitment to be the best they can be. That is the driving force of why I do what I do.

I know my coaching makes stronger athletes. But, if it makes you a better person in general then, I have reached my goal, if I made you a lifer, we both win! I want my athletes to love this sport, to learn every aspect of it and want more from it, commit to give back more and be a better person for it. So, my goals are not just for my athletes to get faster, or even win, but that each day they go out to train, they train with passion, a passion that flows into every other part of their lives.

My goals for 2012 are even bigger then 2011 for myself, and I am bringing in 2012 with the Houston Marathon the 2nd week in January. I have triathlon season starting in Jan with my first 70.3 in April and Ironman in May which will set me up for the rest of the season.

As I finish this post, even though I have had a lot of heart ache and trials this past year, it has made me stronger, it has made me more of a fighter than I was before, and hopefully I am a better person because of it. My passion for what I do has never wavered and my desire to see the success of others is even stronger.

Like I have said before, sometimes it is not because of our circumstances, or people around us, but in spite of those circumstances and people. If in the end we can overcome the obstacles and complications and just follow our hearts the true nature of who we are shines and those that truly love us, will never leave us.

May God Bless you in 2012... Follow your passions, follow your dreams.... The Best is yet to come...

Kona... Finally... Post race

2011-10-16T19:50:00.000-07:00

Kona.... race time. All my hard work, now put to the test. Did I pass or fail? What exactly do I mean by that? Just crossing the finishline to some is passing, but, how I manage to get there and with the fastest time possible, for me, for that day is what I am talking about, with minimal suffering. HAA

What was going on in my head? What were my thoughts as I started the race? What was my self talk? Self talk, can sometimes be the biggest obstacle on a day like this.

I also want to add you either go to Kona and get "SCHOOLED" or go to Kona and get "EDUCATED", my goal was to learn as much as possible:O).

Let me start by my wake up... I was up by 4:20am and already watching spectators and athletes walking down Alii Drive, although transition didn't open until 4:45. I think getting there to early can cause extra stress by watching all the nerves of the other athletes. I sat in bed and just watched people walk by, had my breakfast and wondered how my cough/bronchitis would affect my race... I decided to just let it go, I would give what I had for today and love the fact that I GET to be here. I decided to walk down a little later, 5:25am... When I got down there though I thought maybe I should have left earlier because of the spread of everything(body marking, transition, port-a-potties, ect...) But, it was fine.

To much time to think can be a big mistake on a day like this. I headed to body marking which was behind the host hotel, that was not in the place I expected, hence the thought of maybe I should have left earlier, but, it went quickly and smoothly.. I was stamped and painted.. I then went back around the hotel to T1(Bike Transition) to put my bottles on my bike and add a few things to my T1 and T2 bags. At World Championships, you are escorted to every spot. Athletes can add to the bags but, they may not remove items.. So I just added some salt tablets to my bike bag and a little more nutrition to my Run Bag.

I inflated my tires and double checked my nutrition taped to the top tube. I was done.. Went to drop my next bag at PreSwim stuff(clothes Etc) and my iPhone of course.. that's when I signed off.

After a few minutes, it was time to line up and head into the water. After talking to a few veterans here in Kona, I decided based on my average swim time, I would start to the left. The thing about Kona and most World Championship races are that we are only a few minutes apart in abilities, which means it's basically who is going to have the best day. Sure there are a couple of athletes that were pro at some point and have moved to age group so, they will always be pulling the group, and making it tougher for me as a competitior, but that is why I do this:o)...

So 7am.. Gun goes off and it's a mass start. It pretty much stays that way the entire swim.. Again, keep in mind I have the same swim ability as quite a few of these athletes, mostly guys. I was stuck... I was using so much energy trying to get around 3 different guys that by the turn around I decided just to go with it, the most I would have saved was probably a minute and the energy expenditure would have been huge. The biggest thing I had to deal with, they were all big splashers... I drank a ton of salt water.. I gagged twice and recovered nicely but, my thought was " maybe I won't have to take as many salt tablets" LOL.. Kept me from getting frustrated.

Out of the water and through transition as quickly as possible. Shoes on, sunglasses, race number, and off to my bike. My helmet was on my bars on the rack. Helmet on and off I ran. Mounted and took off. The first section goes through town before heading out on the Queen K. Once I got to the Queen K I was sort of locked in a big group of riders trying to back off so as not to get a penalty for drafting.. Again, keep in mind, only seconds to minutes seperate us as athletes. A group of about 20 of us went past a section lined with refs, I could hear them calling numbers out, I was riding on the inside trying to stay out of drafting situation, and not get a blocking penalty.. I made it and the group thinned out, leaving us spaced out pretty well.

At about mile 25, I started to feel a little fatigue in my legs and was just thinking it's adrenaline and blood moving pretty fast through my muscles. I was also coughing a lot from my brochitis(which was diagnosed when I got back) at about mile 40, I decided to pay closer attention to my HR and keep it below 150.. I was fueling with 2xgel every hour and a salt stick tablet every 30 minutes as well. I took water at every single aid station to add to my Speedfil 2, which I absolutely LOVE!!! Climbing a hill around mile 40 my chain dropped and I had to pull of the road and get it back on my chain ring.. small set back and I was back on the road.

The thing out here and in any hot weather race is keeping fluids cold. If the containers are to big, the water gets hot and hot water in an Ironman SUCKS! So, I was throwing empty bottles out and only keeping 1 full cold one any any given time. Why carry the extra weight.

Mile 50 Hawi.. the BIG WIND. This was approximately a 7 mile climb into a crosswind that can have gusts up to 40MPH. I had to look down a few times, I was going so slow I thought I had a flat... I was aero on my right so I could shift if needed, and low and on my horns for braking if needed. So, I was basically holding myself up the entire time and trying to stay low as possible to be as aero as possible... Boy, those winds were strong, one wrong move and it will take you out. "Hold on baby"... That was my mantra as well as STAY RELAXED. Once you get rigid in wind, that is bad news. I hit the turn around and grabbed my special needs bag... YUM Pringles to the rescue... I chomped those down trying not to choke, which I managed quite nicely and hammered back down Hawi. The winds were howling but, I held tight and rode hard. 60 miles down only 52 to go.. let's get this party started. I was holding over 40 mph!! YEEHAW!!!

I hit the Queen K again and the wind was in my face the whole way, it was a push. Head down, stay aero, hydrate, and eat. Salt tablet every 30 min.

Finally back into town, I flew into transition. Someone grabbed my bike and I took off running to T2 bags to get my run stuff on, I decided to run in some SLS compression socks, when they are wet they are suppose to keep you cool.. and for racing in them, I was promised a free pair... At $40 buck, I thought why not..LOL(do what I say not what I do) But, fortunately it worked great and I was very comfortable even if I looked like a DORK! Socks were cute blue with butterflies.. my shoes Orange and Blue Brooks totally did not match:o( Boo.. Oh well. and my Powerbar hat all though cute.. REALLY did not match.. I was a misfit.. Hoping to run fast enough no one would notice.. darn the photographers.. PROOF..

I took a quick potty brake and took off running. I had stuffed so much crap(fuel) in my top, I had no idea what all I had as far as food. I was packin' a gelflask , blocks, salt, fuel belt.. I had it all. First mile was just about7:45... then I was running some 7:15's. That was too fast. I would never make it at that pace. I made myself slow down. I was putting ice in my top grabbing cold sponges and trying to stay cool. It was getting HOT. My order: Sponges, water, ice, water, sponges... and more ice. at mile 5 I took in a gel. I think it's around mile 8 we head back out on the Queen K. No shade, black freeway and black lava fields... It gets hot.

I knew my body wanted no sugar so at this point I switched to pretzels as fuel, and water. I was walking every aid station from end to end making sure to get the water I needed and taking salt tablets as well to make sure my body was absorbing the fluid. I tried to drink Coke and it made me want to puke, so no coke. It would have to be pretzels and water. At mile 12 they had some chicken broth... PERFECT I downed 2 cups... salt and flavor.. YUM!! more Ice, more water, cold sponges and pretzels... I looked up and we were getting some cloud cover. Thank you God..

Mile 16... time for the Energy Lab. Down hill on the way in, and a big climb on the way out. I cruise down into the ENnergy Lab holding a good pace, again walking every aid station. I was feeling really strong. The first time an athlete goes to Kona, is a time to learn, to absorb and get smart. Remember, I said first time:o)... I plan on coming back:o).. So as I reach the bottom and the turn around, I hit the aid station, turn around mat, and aid station again, then special needs. I thought this was backwards. I had more pringles in my special needs bag but needed water so I wouldn't choke. I grabbed a handful of pringles, threw out the container and put the other container in my top. As a side note, at mile 6 I threw all the gel I had in my top out and dumped all the fuel in my bottles, I wasn't using it so I dumped it all.

I was running up the Energy Lab, munching on pringles slowly because the next aid station isn't until the top. I had to be patient. I ran to the top, grabbed more water and headed back onto the Queen K.. approximately 8 miles to go. My time was great and I felt strong. I was walking by choice not because my legs weren't moving like at Ironman Texas. I knew I needed the fuel and had the time to take it in as well as be grateful to the volunteers, who without, I would never be able to race. SO, A big Thank YOU to the volunteers.

The miles were going by smoothly and I was feeling confident that I had surpassed my goal. I came down onto Palani and the crowds were growing thick, the cheering was amazing. I turned onto Kuakini Hwy and then a right turn for about a block, then another right turn for the final 1/2 mile down Alii Drive... The smile on my face could not have been bigger... I did it, I finally made it to the Big Stage.. Kona Ironman. And I felt fantastic... I saw the clock... 10:39:00 I said to myself " today you will break 10:40 and with that I sprinted to the finish... 10:39:36 Finish time. Arms High pointing to the SKY.. "God without you this would never be possible" I said under my breath, I was then given a towel and someone place a lei over my head... I heard the words from the voice of Ironman " Claudia Spooner, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN" I smiled... I had PR'd by 26 minutes... at Kona no less..YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

I went to the athlete area, got my Medal and shirt, and picture:o). ARGH.. Proof again... looking like a DORK!

Then I headed over to the massage tent, where I saw Sean(the amazing massage therapist I posted about on FB) working and he hurried me in so I could get my post massage from him, which was perfect. Special treatment!! I felt FANTASTIC!!!

After seeing Chelsea, one of my athletes(who finished 5th in her AG) and some of my great friends, Mike K, Jenn R, Tom and Caroline M, I decided to head back to my condo. I grabbed my bike and walked back.. Cheering for athletes the whole way.

Today.... was a GREAT DAY!!!

After a short nap, Jenn sent me a text.. Thankfully because I was DEAD ASLEEP... So I could come back out to cheer on the final finishers. I waslked back down at 10:30 PM and saw Meg and Luke Gilmer.. Gave her a big hug and a huge congrats!!

I got right by the finish, stood on a walls and cheered and danced and yelled for the next 1 1/2 hours... THIS IS WHAT KONA IS ALL ABOUT!!! It is simply amazing.. I can't even put into words the finishline experience at this hour in Kona.. makes you WANT to wait until the final hour to cross.. it's unbelievable.

The final finisher is coming down Alii Drive.. 16:58:00 the crowd is going CRAZY.. she has 2 minutes.... she crosses at 17:00:04.. She misses the cut off by 4 seconds.. OMG... How did she miss that??? Are you kidding?? 4 seconds... BUMMER.. But, we still cheered and I had plenty of tears for that last hour.

12:15 and it's time to get back and get some rest...

In closing I want to say thank you to my family and my wonderful friends.. your support and love have brought me to where I am. I really feel like my day was a huge success.. #1133... #13 in my Age Group and #100 Female Overall... A very good day at the office:o).. Also want to say Thank you to Powerbar, Rudy Project, SLS(socks) and Team Perla's for your support, as well as Mellow Johnny's... You all ROCK!!!!!

3,2,1.....

2011-10-06T20:05:00.000-07:00

The day after tomorrow at this time I hope to be well into the run portion of this Ironman. The excitement here is amazing... IF you are following me via Facebook, I have tried to make regualr updates, I will start doing that via twitter as well. My internet connection has been limited to the hotel lobby, although is is open and outdoors, I don't spend my time here. At least not usually.

I think that in Hawaii, at least where I am at, people try to disconnect... Hence the limited Wifi, not to mention, I am not staying at a 5 star resort hotel, which frankly I am very happy about. My connection has been via phone for the most part and somethings, that is sketchy as well.

Anyways, now I will write about my SO FAR..... My flight was LONG and at one point I was literally going bazerk.. IF that's a word... in LA I ran into an old friend Derek King who started the website http://www.k226.com/ that was a treat and a total suprise and I was super excited to catch up, he has done some amazing things in the IRONMAN world and I have a ton of respect for him. During the flight I was fortunate enought to sit by a new comer to triathlon...Cameron Dorn.. Watch out for this one... I expect to see him to great things in triathlon and a SUPER awesome guy in general!!! He won't be racing Kona this year, he is volunteering, but .. Look for him in Cozumel in November.. He's racing Age Group, but he will be in the front.. he's a 23 yr old Speedster... Looking forward to watching him develop into the top field!

After landing in Kona, Meg and Luke Gilmer were wonderful to come pick me up, I me them in Clearwater last year and we have stayed close, they're from Sydney and Luke is a Pro. Meg qualified in the Philippines and this will be her first Ironman and I am super excited for her.

I got to the Condo, and changed clothes ASAP so I could go run and get rid of Airplane legs... On the way out, I just breathed in the air, got a little emotional and ran strong. I love it here... When I was a Flight Attendant after 9/11, I flew this Kona route regularly and was in Kona about 7-8 times a month. I so miss this place. On the way back it was PITCH black, I actually almost got hit by a car.. BAD.. But, I didn't so, over that.. no more running when it's that dark.

After that I took a quick shower and was heading back to Luke and Megs for a cookout. That was fun, on the way Mike Karbouski gave me a call and I invited him to go as well. We had a great time and I got to meet some really cool people. We hitch a ride home.. Literally we were hitchhiking (it's legal in Hawaii) and there is just a bunch of Ironman athletes here right now anyways, and got picked up from some of the guys at the party, we all laughed and they took me back to the condo.

After a not quite restful nights sleep, I headed down to swim.. I LOVE swimming in this ocean!!!! I floundered around looking at fish, and the waves were getting BIG!!! It was awesome!! After that I headed to race registration with Nelia, That was when I ran into Paula Newby Frasier and introduced myself... She is/was one of the toughest competitors in this sport and has won Kona 8 times.. She is a Kona Legend. After that, I got back went for a ride 50 minutes at best and then a 35 min run.

Tuesday evening was the night the Expo would open and it was like Mardi Gras for Ironman... Thousands of people out on the streets in the expo, looking at all the new stuff out in the industry, vendors out it was awesome. That is where I met my second "Ironman Legend" Natasha Badmann winner of 6 Kona Ironman.. Finishing Ironman with the biggest smile I have ever seem in Kona post 9/11... I was a spectator that day... TIm Deboom was the winner.. Standing on the sidelines I cried and cheered as I heard the crowd shouting, not "go TIM" but, go USA... People from around the world were cheering "go USA" at a time of major devastation for our country. Then Natasha Crossed with the biggest smile ever... Was a GREAT day!! all nations united... I was there to see it here in Kona...

Post expo extravaganza, I headed to Huggo's to meet some more friends from Austin, I ran into Mike and told him to come as well... We headed down and joined Tom and Carol and Jenn and quite a few other people... We walked around a bit and it was time to call it a night.

Sleep was OK at best and I was awake at 4:25:o( BOO! I got up and kind of just laid in bed. I got up and headed down to swim around 7am...AGAIN.. A wonderful swim... I walked around a bit and headed back to the room and took a short nap. That was around 10:30am, after I got up I headed out for a ride/run. I ended up riding with 2 SUPER AWESOME girls...Kelly Fillnow another soon to be TOP PRO and Meredith Dolhare(Meredith does Ultraman.. ) I rode out and back with them and had such a great ride and conversation, I can't wait to keep in touch with them. I don't think I have met a person I don't like:o)... I usually don't.. I think everyone brings so much to this sport. After my ride, I put my bike up and running shoes on, to go for a 30 min run... At this point it was getting hot, this is the time I will be on my run for the race so I told myself to suck it up and think IGLOO.. HA

I finished around 2.. took a quick shower and laid down again.. the point in taper is to get rest and stay off your feet when you can, and HYDRATE... I walked down to my favorite THAI food place here called THAI RIN... YUMMY!!!! Had some lunch and then back to my room to rest.

Around 5:30 I went down to get some miso soup and edamame and a couple sushi rolls. I wanted to eat early because I had a massage therapist coming to my room at 7pm.. After I ate, I walked around a little then headed back for my massage. Sean gave me the BEST massage I HAVE EVER HAD... and I have had a ton of massages, I can not even say enough great things about this guy.. I wish I could take him back with me, if I was a money pit, I would fly here regularly to get him to work on me. NO, I don't need him to come to Austin, I would rather be here.. LOL His wife does amazing massage as well. I think that is incentive for me to keep trying to qualify:o)

So, after my massage, I went straight to bed... My nose was a mess(I still have a cold/chest cold and the massage really made me a snotty mess) sorry to be so blunt. I fell asleep with a towel in my hand just in case. I slept like a baby, I did wake up coughing again though and tightness in my chest. It comes and goes all day. I need this to GO AWAY... I know that it will make Ironman tough with the conditions I will be facing. Not that it isn't tough already.

So, this morning was the Annual UNDERWEAR RUN benefitting the local charity.. this is hosted by Paula and Roch Frey... I'm going.. Unfortunately I didn't have any "underwear" so I wore my bikini.. I think it was close enough.. I went down and ran into my old neighbors Lloyd and Theresa I was excited to catch up with them. Lloyd is the owner of Triathlon Lab in LA... He has done so much for this sport... I remember when he bought that old dive shop in Redondo and had the drive to build what is now one of the most successful shops in USA!!! WAY TO GO LLOYD!!!!

Finally Chelsea arrives!!! YAY!!! Just in time for the underpants run... We take tons of pictures and head out for our 5 min run.. I think 5 minutes..LOL to the pier . We watch as they do the underpant aerobics.. laughing and taking pictures and then we introduce ourself to Cat Morrison, she was the Ironman Texas winner. We take a few more pictures and start getting ready to swim.

Right before we start changing(this is the sad sad part of my trip) we hear some start screaming call 911... now lots of people are screaming it and there is lots of commotion. All of a sudden they carry an older man right by us, I looked at Chelsea and said "he is in Seizure" They carried him across the street and you could hear his wife wailing. At this point both of us are crying, he was going into cardiac arrest. They started administering CPR, they pull her back. Chelsea's mom takes both of our hands and we start praying.. I am crying, I couold stop. As I write this, my eyes are filled with tears. I look over and his wife is a competitor, she has the Ironman bracelet on her arm, I was not sure about her husband. I also notice that Norman Stadler was graciously calming her. ( he is one of the fastest cyclist in Ironman) His look was of sadness. Patricia Rosen who is from Austin was over administering care. After the ambulance came to get him, she walked over. This was a very sad moment for everyone who was there to see this.

It took Chelsea and me a bit to regroup and go swim, but, we did. We jumped in the water and just enjoyed the time. We stiopped at the coffee boat and hung on for a cup of coffee. We both laughed at the moment and said, we are hanging on the side of a boat drinking a cup of KONA COFFEE in the ocean in HAWAII... LIFE is good couont your blessings, I looked to the shore and said another silent prayer for that couple. We finished our coffee and swam some more... I am not sure where I was going but, I got distraced and started just swimming straight out to no mans lands. I realized I was way off course and started swimming back towards the bouy, Chelsea saw me and started laughing and told me to quit looking at fish.. I laughed, we swam a little further and headed back in...

I started sightseeing again, this was a very clear day. The last few days, with the waves, I haven't been able to see this fish, today I got to see Angel fish, blue fish, rainbow fish, balck fish... I was lost in the sea of fish... I finally made it back in... Chelsea need to pick up her race stuff so we waited outside (was with her mom, aunt, and grandmother) After that we went to breakfast.

Joining us was Ultra Running Legend Pam Reed... She is a racing friend of mine, and has family ties to Chelsea, was nice to see them all catch up.

Post my Egg White omelet stuffed with veggies, we went to Expo and Chelsea did some shopping. After finishing there I went back to the condo and she and her mom went back to the hotel. I grabbed my bike and ran it down to Jack Murray with http://www.jackandadams.com/ and he adjusted my breaks and and took care of any last minute stuff... He is also and amazing person in triathlon and has contributed so much to this sprot and the athletes!!! Thank you Jack!!!

I can back to my room and laid down for just a little bit and now I have been sitting here writing for the last hour and a half. I am not going to proof read this before I go because I ... gotta run.. Athlete dinner is in 1 hour and I need to get upstairs and shower.. so forgive errors I will correct at some point. I hope my ramblings are fun and I try to keep it exciting...

My experience so far has been filled with amazement, excitement, fun, and a few tears and sadness... Now, I am going to enjoy more athlete stuff and the prerace mandatory meeting... Then it's off to bed... Until tomorrow...

Day 7... All packed UP!

2011-10-01T19:46:00.000-07:00

This time next Saturday I will be still out on the run course... Hoping for a strong finish... The time change from Texas to Hawaii is 5 hours so if your in Texas.. Keep that in mind if your watching via http://www.ironmanlive.com/ my race #1133.

Today, I slept in until the kids woke me up at 6:45.. Yes, I have early risers, yay me! I started my ride around 9am considering I was only riding 2 hours, I really took my time. The hydration system I was talking about yestersay... NOT

so Great, it rattles a little to much, so I switched it with an Xlab I borrowed from Jim Ryan and it has the Carbon Xlab cages. I am going to stick with that, I don't want to take any chances using something at Worlds I am not 100% about. I also got the Speedfil 2

for my Aerobars, and I absolutely LOVE IT!!!.. Actually nothing about it I didn't like, it fit my bars perfectly.

I finished my ride and had a few errands to run, then I got home and started packing. I am using a soft case and wrapping everything in bubble wrap. Today, I decided I was going to take my bike apart by myself.. I think it's very, very important for a girl to know her bike... Gearing, derailleurs

bars, brakes, cassette, etc... You need to know what's going on especially if your on your own. I have learn a lot form a lot of athletes so, today I was going to do it on my own... I am happy to say it was a complete success:o) ..

The Kestrel is packed away nice and neat,

next to my HED race wheels... I'm looking for speed... I will also be racing in a Louis Garneau Vorttice Racing helmet, which I rode in today as well. As I walked in today Rob says to me " may Schvartz be with you" Spaceballs

I think I look like a sand trooper.. Whatever, they're suppose to be fast.

I will be bringing my Giro Ionos just in case it's just too hot. I'll make that call when I am out there.

The rest of my day was spent packing, cleaning and making lists, as well as getting stuff ready for my daughters 6th Birthday, it's on Friday, the 7th and I won't be here, so I am trying to make sure everything is done so she has a wonderful day... I don't like to miss this.

After that I worked on training programs for my athletes... I am really excited tomorrow I have 6 athletes racing different events, Jill and Janet are racing the Kerrville Half Iron distance, Mary another one of my athletes was suppose to be racing bt crashed on her bike and broke her wrist... total bummer.. Cori is doing the Kerrvile Olympic Distance, Ed is racing the IBM 10K, Jason B and Brad B are both in Dallas racing the Lifetime Toyota Open Championship... I wish everyone a great race!!!!!

Now, I have to admit, I am a little under the weather and plan on going to bed..NOW... SO good night and hopefully after some rest I will be better tomorrow.. I have a cold:o(... BOOOOOO!!!

Day 8... It's crazy windy but, all I have to do is SWIM:o)

2011-09-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

Today the wind was howling at 5:30 am.. OK... COME on.. that was a funny picture..howling wind?? DOG?? I laughed... Funny, I guess sometimes I write to self entertainment. So Yes, it was windy on the pool deck this morning and I was thankful that I didn't have a ride scheduled.

So, after that thought and finishing on deck, I headed home to quickly get my kids ready and off for school. As soon as I got that finished, I headed back home. Time to clean the house... Again.

Laundry, vacuum, mop, more laundry, scrub toilets, throw toys away...and the rest of the stuff the kids never even know they have.. today is trash day so I get it all out.. No one even knows it's gone, as I snicker back in the house.

11am: time for my own swim, I headed to Lifetime today to get in about 45 min of swim.. My goal for my swim was to hold a steady pace for 20x100's within 2-3 seconds.. Goal achieved. I felt pretty confident about that, now if only I could hold that pace for Ironman distance I could actually come in, in just over an hour... Oh how awesome that would be!!!

As much as I want to, I have to be realistic. I have another 112miles to bike and 26.2 miles to run, so throwing it all out on the swim for me, would not be a wise choice. Ironman is all about patience and I can play that game pretty well, when I want to, and right now, that is what I want to do.

So after my swim, it's time for a quick shower and...off to get a pedicure... and yes, I had it on this page for a reason...

I usually do this about 7-8 days before I race, never just before just in case they cut my toes, or cuticle, or buff off my very earned calluses to much and then I get a gnarly blister that will make me limp through a race rather than run, it's happened... Live and learn baby.

After that I head to REI to get some goodies, then back to school to pick up the kids. I decided today I would be early, I like to be early. With smiling kids.. WHEW, we head to Jim's to pick up a soft case to pack the Kestrel in to take to Kona. Cost to check my bike oneway to Kona on Delta $175... CRAP!!! Additional charge for a suitcase $25. That's $400 just to get my stuff to Kona and back. SO much for not being a flight attendant anymore:o(... BOO!!!

Anyhow, I need to make things as light as possible and I guess just pack a bikini and my racing and training stuff... right:o) NOT, I have to bring more than that, allthough I am glad all I use is mascara and maybe chapstick, sometimes Revlon Colorstay.. At least that part is minimal. Oh gosh, and do I admit that I only use bar soap for my face and no lotion or other junk:o) Yup.. Beach girl through and through, I have no idea how I was born in Dallas Texas. At least I live in Austin.. We have water.. well, HAD water at one point. OK, so that part is light packing.. The rest is clothes, shoes, and nutrition.

So, for the rest of my day ... 4:30...

to 6pm... It's time for me to relax... Sort of, between phone calls and texts, my kids and the world, I enjoy what I can. Some last minute stuff is adding some stress, I could feel it as I started to tense when I knew my massage was just about over, I wanted to jump up and get moving. Feed the kids, check folders(I forgot, .. like I said if I don't do it right away... and I actually just remembered as of this second of writing) Feed dogs, send emails, make phone calls.. etc.. etc...

Dinner was gonna be late tonight but, at least all I had to do was cook noodles and meatballs, and what I mean by cook was really just re-heat... EASY... Happy kids, happy mom.

Brush teeth go to bed... "Mommy, will you read us a story?" Mommy, "no, but I will tell you one." ... There was a prince and his sister who had so much fun and giggled and giggled, and their mom the Queen loved to hear them laugh, but when she hear them yelling it made her crazy".. "MOM" cameron says "that about us and I am not a prince"

"well" I say, "I think you are, and I am the QUEEN and the Queen says it's time for bed" .. Short story... Now lets say prayers and got to bed...

Now, I am sitting here writing and of course look down and see... 10PM!!! What the... I gotta get to bed. Although I don't have to be up at 5am or even 6am tomorrow, I think I'll sleep until 7.. and that, is sleeping in for me.. I like that thought. So, with that I will close my day down and wish you all a very restful sleep.. remember talent only takes you so far, the rest is hard work and commitment.. do you have what it takes???

Day 9... Gettin' it DONE!!!

2011-09-29T19:29:00.000-07:00

9 days.... Boy, how time flies...and now it seems like my days start, and a few hours it's bedtime. No sitting around here

After I got my kids to school is was out the door for a run... I was feeling great and the weather wasn't to bad either, not to hot, YET. I got in a good middle distance run and finished with a big smile...

Yes... That pretty much sums it up:o) After that, a quick shower and then to a meeting.. After a successful meeting, it was off to Pure Austin http://www.pureaustin.com/ for a nice swim in the Quarry and a really quick strength training session. I swam about 45 min a pretty steady pace that I felt I could hold for Ironman:o) ... After that a quick shower and then the weight room... I walked out and saw one of my good friends and training partners, Jim Ryan... He and his wife Michelle are amazing friends, support and encouragers!!! We talked for a bit and then I had only 20 minutes to throw down some weights...

but, not like that

Ha! That even made me laugh.

so, I realized now it was 2:40 and I had to get my kids at 2:45... I'm late!!! It's ok though because everytime I am early I get scolded by my kids because they compete for Star Cards which they get for being quiet. If I show up early, they have no time to show the teachers how quiet they can be while they wait, however, today I was really late... I think they were last... I won't do that again.. Of course Morgan says "mom, you could still be later" then I said.."Uh, Morgan everyone is gone except the teachers and now they think I am probably a bad mommy"...So, I won't do that again..

After that we headed to the store, I was out of Bagels which I eat every single morning, with soynut butter and when I mean every single morning, that's the truth... for probably 3 years...:o) And Yes, every morning I am happy to eat the same breakfast I had the day before, and the day before that and so on. I even take it with me when I travel... YUM!!!! Cheerios for Morgan and Pringles for Cameron, and some HONEY MILK... My favorite chocolate milk in the whole world...This is some good stuff and I'm not kidding, the Coffee is amazing as well!!! OK, so enough product placement:o)

After that it's home sweet home, time to go through all the kids folders and papers. If I don't do it right away, I forget so this is a habit. I get to distracted. I sign everything and folders back in backpacks. Yup, just a normal mom at this point, cleaning house, laundry, play with dogs, cook dinner, and get kids ready for bed.. Only, it's never that simple, I usually have to ask hundred times, etc.. etc... you know the drill if you have kids.

Now all is quiet and I have a little time for myself before I go to bed.. which is soon now that I realize it's almost 9:30pm... Early bird catches the worm...

I can hardly wait to show you my new hydration system I got today, once I get it on my bike, I'll take some pictures.. Cool stuff!! So until then... Have a fantastic time wherever you are and whatever you do!!!

Redefining my Impossible.... Day 10

2011-09-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

Today marks my 10 day count down until I race in Kona... I decided to start writing today about my last 10 days. I thought if I wrote about my training the entire time, it would get a little boring for some and for those of you who think I am crazy, you would be convinced that I am for sure crazy and for those of you who wondered if I am crazy, you will no longer have any doubts. However, in my defense, there are quite a few people who do what I do at some level, and some dream of one day achieving the level I have gotten to, and I am not even the best out there. I have trained extremely hard and talent can only take me so far. For sure, my only talent is my drive to succeed and be the very best I can be.

If I can be an inspiration to just one person, I have succeeded in my journey. If I can touch the lives of many and encourage and motivate, then all my CRAZY is so worth it. I have to say though as most of you know, I coach as well, so birds of a feather flock together, what I do is very normal in my world and I know a lot of people who absolutely LOVE this sport.

So much has been on my mind over the last few days, one is my very first Boston Marathon experience. I was 24 years old, it was 1994. I remember looking out my hotel window in Boston my eyes filled with tears thinking about how far I had actually come to make it there, not just physically, but emotionally. I was overwhelmed. That emotion has gripped me over the last few weeks on and off. It seems like it was just yesterday.

I wish I could verbally put it into words, but I have no words that come to mind when I think of a descripton of where I am emotionally. There has been so much that has gone into my training and my mental preparation over the last few months, but, I have been preparing for this mentally for years. I have been competing in endurance sports since I was 22 years old, almost half of my life at this point and I still get the shakes. So over the next few days, I will talk about my training, my nutrition, my travel, my preparation, and the amazing people that have helped me through different parts of my journey. I will reflect on some of my past race experiences which will show you how I deal with my stress and my training...

As of last week, I have been on Taper, this is a drop in training, it allows my body to recover from the long and intense training I have done over the last few months and sets me up for Peak Performance. My day started at 5:00am coaching swim. Then I got home and oet the kids ready for school and off we went. I got back and started setting my computrainer up for an interval session. Today my training consisted of a 1hr 15 min ride on my computrainer with some intervals. Then after that, I worked on some training programs, made a few phone calls and headed out to run errands. Pretty light day as far as I am concerned.

I got home and the kids were home from school. I started cleaning house... nervously, I was anxious. I have a lot to do over the next few days, and I need to make sure I get it all done.

Then I started going through all my training gear drawers and cleared out way to much stuff that I have, and don't use. I also started packing:o) or at least pulling out some of the clothes I will be taking for training and racing. Yup, I couldn't wait.

I looked up and it was 6pm and time for me to cook dinner.. I made chicken breast with pasta and spinach with sweet Potato Baked fries. YUM... Since then, I have put the kids to bed, folded laundry and now I am writing about the non excitement that my evening consisted of.

So, at this point I will close with wishing you a very good evening and look forward to my training tomorrow. I get to swim and run:o) Imagine that. I will also hit the gym for a strength training session. I'll let you know how that goes. Until then, have a great evening!!!

Time for Take OFF.....

2011-05-29T19:09:00.000-07:00

It's 6:40 and we are walking to swim start area. While some athletes were waiting in line for the portaPotties, I headed for the trees. I was not waiting in line to P. I ran back out of the bushes and Jeanne and I both laughed. We headed toward the water and I sqeezed into my suit. It's tight and I was hoping FAST:o). Jeanne takes the rest of my stuff, gives me a hug and a high five and tells me to "Kick Butt Coach" I smiled, inside I felt good. I really didn't have much time to reflect or get the shakes like I usually do. I headed to the water with 2500 other Ironman athletes.

I saw Chelsea and we got in together. At the last minute she was told her suit was not legal and she had to take it off or risk not being able to qualify for Kona.. My response.."take it off... you are going to KONA" :o).. We got in.

We were now in a sea of people, mostly guys and we were small compared to most of them. We found a clear spot in the middle(my first mistake) the Gun went off and we were literally trampled.

I had completely lost her and I was getting punched and kicked and at one point I started yelling at the guys, they were drowning me. I do not say that lightly. I could not even get breathing down because they were pushing me under the water. I had probably 10 guys swimming over me with wetsuits, it was crazy. That was so frustrating.. It's a good thing I can breath under water... NOT... (Note to self to correct mistake #1.. start on the outside. )

After about 15-20 minutes, I found a clear line and the rest of the swim was just about getting it done. I got a little twisted up in the canal between a few guys, but I managed to get out pretty quick.. swim time 1:08.. I was happy with that. I got up stairs and ran to get my bike bag.

I ran to tent and the volunteers were amazing getting my stuff out for me.. Transition was fast and I ran to my bike.
I felt good and was ready for the next 138.2 miles. I knew this would be a race of patience.

My bike was strong and I felt great. I also felt like my nutrition was spot on(mistake #2)I hydrated well and my riding was right on target, actually about 8 minutes faster than I had anticipated. I caught up with a few girls I knew, had a short "WAY TO GO" conversation and rode on.

At about mile 70 on the bike, a precious dog was standing in the street just hanging out watching the riders(Blue Heeler). He ran to the side for a minute and decided for some reason to go back in the street. Right at that moment a huge black truck came speeding down the street.. My heart starts to race and my first instinct was to ride into the lane to stop the truck.. I knew the dog would not be fast enough and figured the driver was watching the cyclist. At that moment I passed the dog and bowed my head in my hands. I heard the truck honk and a yelp. I tried to hold myself together but, I couldn't help but cry. I did not look back. As another rider was passing me almost immediately, I asked him to confirm what I had just heard. My heart sank and I could hardly keep it together. Another rider comes by a few seconds later and I asked him if the dog was dead. I could hardly keep pedaling. He said the dog was hit, but ran off, and was pretty hurt. Again I wanted to cry.

A few miles up the rode was a volunteer and I told him what happened and begged him to go back to check on the dog. I don't know what happened after that. I had to get myself together and keep riding. I barrel through the 30 miles and felt great. By mile 100, I just wanted to get my helmet off my head.. I was fine with riding, I just wanted my helmet off and kept thinking "I can't wait to get my visor on" I stretched out on the bike those final miles and really picked up my cadence to go into the run... And there it was... Bike dismount..

Only thing, I got stuck in my clip:o( I almost got a penalty for crossing the line but, I couldn't unclip, so I rode backwards, unclipped and hopped off .. Someone grabbed my bike, and I took off for my run bag ,I saw Jason "thinkSpeed" in T2, he gave me a high 5, I ran through, grabbed my run bag and headed to tent.

Volunteers again got my stuff out and asked if I need anything. They were awesome and fast.. I asked how many girls had been through.. they said I was number 8:o).. WHOOP!!!! I felt good, said Thank you and ran out.

Sunscreeners lined up outside as I was running by, I asked kindly if they would just put some on my hands so I could "SCREEN MYSELF" . At this point I was feeling great and pulling back to stick to my plan(little did I know I was missing a key thing at this point) I took in about 50 calories of fuel and drink water. I had some Powerbar Perform and ran on. By mile 8 I was starting to get really nauseated. I passed Rachel, Rob, Jeanne, and all my kids... Morgan ran out and I gave her a big kiss and she ran behind me for a minute.

.

By mile 9 I was dry heaving. The girl infront of me had been throwing up the last few miles, and now it was my turn. I kept trying to take in fluid but, everytime it was making me sicker.. WHAT was HAPPENING??? The Sugar... the sugar was not processing.. I had no salt.. and now it was too late... I forgot/didn't even think about salt on my bike and took in minimial. I alway ate pickles during training and I had no salt or pickles... this was an oversight and now a huge mistake.

I tried to eat some nutrition at mile 13 only to spit it out a few minutes later. It was ice and a few swallow of coke for the next few miles. By mile 15 I was down to a walk/run and mental toughness. I had to make a choice not eat so I wouldn't be double over dry heaving and also, I knew since I had no salt, to much water would dilute my blood which would be worse. I had to be smart if I wanted to stay in the race. I got into my second loop and saw Rob and the kids, Rob ran along side me and told me I am in 3rd place for our Age Group and to hang tough.

I wanted to cry because I knew the other girls were closing in and my mistake was so stupid. Mile 18 Karen PM passed me and she asked me if I am allright. She was one of the girls in my Age Group. I really, really like her, if anyone passes me, let it be Karen. I said I was fine and told her to go for it!! I was down to a walk run pattern and this was how it was going to stay. I just needed to walk fast and keep the sponges and cold water on my head and ICE in my top:o) Had I lost my Kona Slot... I just kept going with this thought in the back of my head.

I tried to run from aid station to aid station but sometimes my walk lasted longer than I had hoped. Mile 23 and I see Karen and I think if I can just keep running I will at least get closer. I grabbed some chips and thought "I looked like the cookie monster at that point trying to get them in my mouth." I knew I needed salt.. NOW.

From mile 24-to the finish I ran more and knew I wanted to run for the last mile. My Mantra"I can do all things though Christ who gives me strength." I said it with every step and my pace got faster and my smile grew wider.. I was almost to the finish line.

With my arms held high and my fingers pointing to the sky.. I had finished.. THANK YOU GOD.. I asked to be put in a wheelchair and brought straight to medical.   I saw Jason immediately and told him I was going to be fine but, I knew I needed to be checked. He gives me the "AWESOME JOB" and off I went.

I saw Rob and told him I'll be allright as well, which I don't remember. I got in to the tent and got on a cot right by one of my friends and sometimes training partners Jim Ryan. He knew I was not doing well. He was smiling, he had a killer race. I was happy, but also, sad... I probably missed my Kona slot. I made a stupid mistake. This gave me a chance to talk to someone. I was happy it was Jim.

They took my blood and my temperature. My tempurature was 94 degrees and my blood was severely dehydrated with almost no electrolytes. The Doctor looks at me and say "I have no idea how you finished" with that I smiled.. and I remembered my mantra..

They gave me an IV and 2 servings of chicken broth... the salt was back and I was alive. I had gone from 2 place in our Age Group and 8th overall Amateur Female to 5th in my Age Group and 18th female Amatuer. I was smiling but I had no idea what that would mean until Sunday at 9:30 when I would find out how many slots we got for Kona. I could only hope... I had a joy and at the same time.. sadness. I had missed my mark. I was bummed about that.

We got back to Rachels and they had cooked a wonderful dinner and her wonderful neighbors were there to celebrate the "Big Finish" I ate like a machine and pretty much went to bed within an hour.

I slept pretty well, I wasn't to sore, just tired at that point. I woke up early and had breakfast and started unpacking all my race stuff. Then I realized I had to get to the race venue to see the outcome for the Kona Slots. I parked and walked timidly towards the race expo where they had the results posted. I was alone.

I got to the results which were taped to the tent siding.

Highlighted... TOP FIVE.. I MADE IT!!! OMG!!! I made it!!!! I was 5th...

I screamed with joy.. I got some congratulations from people standing around and I sent out some texts... I made it..."I'm going to KONA".. This was MY "AMERICAN IDOL."   The Big Stage for the "Triathlete" the IRONMAN of all Ironmans... KONA IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS...

13 years ago I remember saying to a guy I was dating "I want to do THAT" but at that point I had no idea what 'THAT" was about, then 3 years later, I did my first triathlon and thought I was going to drowned.. WHAT WAS I THINKING??

1 1/2 years later I did my first Ironman; Wisconsin 2002 and my second a few months after that Brazil 2003. I missed qualifying...

It took almost 7 years to get back on my bike. I had kids, work, and a household to run, job losses, forloughs, and a crosscountry move. A 22 month old son that started having seizures and and a new baby girl.. I would never race triathlon again.  I walked away from my career as a Flight Attendant to stay home with my kids.. My life was changing..Then I had the second of what would be 3 knee surgeries, I had to back off of racing marathons and high mileage... what's next?

With the encouragement of soem friends, I decided to get back on my bike... I qualified for Clearwater Worlds with a Rolldown slot in 2009, I was 5th. I was back in but, how far????

The story is long... But, as I crossed the line at CAPTEX last year with a strong finish. I had a glimmer in my eye.. I am gonna go for KONA.. My first shot was straight to Lubbock to race Buffalo Springs.... BUT, before we left I asked Jeanne to get Rob to help her load her bike in my car for the trip. I said I would ask for forgiveness AFTER I paid.. I was doing it and I was not asking for permission.. IRONMAN TEXAS registration opened that day, and I was not going to give myself a chance to think about it... I was going to register.. RIGHT when it opened. I registered, we got in the car and left for Lubbock, I would tell Rob when I got home.

I missed qualifying in Lubbock by one, which is a story in and of itself, but, I would not have been ready, so hind sight is good.

This year had many challenges,  including another job loss and my son having 3 seizures in 2 weeks and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I could have come up with a thousand reasons to quit but, it was one of the things that has held me together.. My training, and the support I have gotten from so many people.. I don't have to name any names... you know who you are. So in the conclusion of this writing, I want to say Thank you..

I hope to make you PROUD...

I also want to Congratulate all the the athletes who raced that day.. It was tough!!!

And a Huge CONGRATULATIONS to Chelsea Tiner and Karen Tamson... two of the athletes I coach, Chelsea Qualified for Kona 2nd in her Age Group and Karen was 5th in her Age Group.. GOOD FOR A PODIUM on her first Ironman!!! Way to go Ladies!!!!!

Here are a few pictures from from the awards ceremony

Claudia and Karen! Way to go!! We are going to KONA!!!

What it Takes

2011-05-29T15:44:00.000-07:00

It's been a really long time since my last blog here in March. I seem to just between this blog and my website http://www.irunitri.com/ and recently I started a new website http://www.iron-maniac.com/ .

Today I am going to write about my IRONMAN TEXAS experience from last Saturday. My intent was actually to blog about my entire build, training, and life up to Ironman but, that never happened. Writing is not my gift so it takes me a while to even sit long enough to write about anything, and by the end of my day, I go from 100miles an hour straight to bed. So, I decided to today to write about my race and what I learned.

I left Wedsnesday to go to Houston and got to stay with one of my best friends from high school, Rachel. She has 3 boys who were eager to help and learn about something they have no experience with.. Multisport and Triathlon. They were excited to see all my gear and learn what everything is about. I really enjoyed that.

Thursday I went to the expo early to get my race packet and deal with speedsuit/wetsuit issues. Water Temp was borderline and everyone was going back and forth over what was going to happen. I was a little stressed over this. I trained for IMTX with hopes to qualify for Kona. I had to make smart decisions on what I would be swimming in. I went back and forth over what to do and ended up getting a blueseventy speedsuit. As I looked at it and swallowed hard, I said "Please help get me to Kona." and thanked the girl who helped me, I was pretty straight forward about my expectations and she was, I felt really honest.

I went to help with Powerbar and got lots of athletes to eat lots of powerbar bites... YUMMY! I went back and forth between Powerbar and http://www.triitwear.com/. At about 3pm I decided to go back to Rachels and stay off my feet. We had mandatory athlete briefing at 7:30 pm and since I also had 2 athletes racing I felt like it was important that I go. So I got a short break and at 7pm I headed back to the Woodlands.

Briefing was just that, info we might need. The most important thing was that if you wanted to practice swim in the morning, it was mandatory to have your race chip on your ankle. Made sure both my athletes knew this and I headed back to Rachels and right to sleep.

Friday AM I do a small prerace Brick to get the legs moving and then head to race venue for practice swim in the water. Water Temperature was perfect and if they made it wetsuit legal it would be a sweatfest nightmare for me. This decision is made race morning, so bring it no matter what. They water was black, and what I mean by that is that you can't even see your bicep in front of your face when your swimming. That was a bummer, but whatever. I went out for my swim with Chelsea and we just did a short run to do some sighting and see where the turns would be. Finished that, and headed back to Rachels.

I decided I would wait until 1pm to rack my bike. I waited for my wonderful 'SHERPA' Jeanne IRONhoffMAN to arrive. She got to Rachels and we went through my transition bags and bike stuff.. Check, Check and double Check. She was such a huge help!

We head back to race venue and she drops me off at Bike Area so I can get all my stuff situated and she parks the car. At this point I am trying to stay off my feet as much as possible. I rack my bike and drop off my T1 and T2 bags.

I get a text from one of my athletes, Jason"thinkSPEED"Bahamundi, he is there helping a friend of his. I told him to meet us up at the front, we talk and give the let's kick some booty tomorrow conversation. He is totally excited and volunteered to help in bike transition, which I thought was super AWESOME!!!

Jeanne and I headed to Mongolian BBQ (me for the second day) for an early dinner. We take it to go and head back to Rachels. Rob had arrived with my kids, that made me happy. I got big hugs and a "MOMMY WHEN CAN WE SWIM?" We all hang out on the driveway talking and then head to the neighbors for a poolparty. Only thing was that Jeanne and I were leaving to spend the night in a hotel. I needed my sleep and we needed to be up at 4:30am. We leave at 7ish and head to Conroe. Got all my 'SPECIAL NEEDS" special super secret ICE;o) and get to hotel. She was staying just down the hall and was there for whatever I needed(which was just sleep at this point). It took me a while to fall asleep but, once I did, I was out.

4:30am... Time to get up. I have my breakfast, which is my secret;o) we grab our stuff and head to race venue. We miss the exit and are now about 15 minutes behind schedule... DRATS.. OH WELL. She drops me off and I walk to Bike area with Chelsea. I brought my extra front HED wheel just in case it was super windy but, ended up giving it back to Jeanne to take to car. I got my bike situated as the announcer was saying we had like 10 minutes... His clock was off and this was really starting to stress me out. I knew I couldn't miss a thing. I rushed over to my transition bags to put my fuel in and again double check. Back to bike, iced my bottles, made sure I had all my nutrition, and met back up with Jeanne.

I couldn;t find my phone which was not a good thing. I thought I dropped it so we back tracked to where she dropped me off. I told her I couldn't worry about it and we headed to swim start. Was about 1 mile walk to swim start. She was carrying all my stuff.. and it was warm.. She was a trooper. We see Rob and she gives him what she can of what she is carrying and what I don't need and followes me to the start.....

What Motivates Me

2011-03-21T10:43:00.000-07:00

So many times I get the question "What motivates you? What keeps you going? What makes you do what you do?"

The answer changes to that questions on a pretty regular basis. I find motivation in so many different things, people, places. Today my motivation came from a very special person.

As some of you know, last year I was a guide for the C Different Foundation http://www.cdifferent.org/ . As a guide we lead visually impaired athletes to finish events that would be otherwise, at times impossible, especially in triathlon.

I flew from Austin to New York City to guide an athlete from Toronto Canada that I had never met, and participate on a course I had never seen, on a bike I had never riden and guiding my first blind athlete. It was going to be a very new adventure for me. I was super excited to be a part of this event.

My athletes name was Myra. What's amazing about Myra, was not just that she was visually impaired and competing in athletic events, but that she was 68 yrs old and the sole caretaker of her husband who became severly disabled a few years ago after falling from a ladder at their house and almost dying.

In NYC Myra and I clicked immediately, like I had known her my whole life and we had a lot of catching up to do.

The reason I am talking about Myra today is because we have been planning our next events together. She is not slowing down anytime soon. I got an email from her this morning with perfect timing.

Her email states "it's the first day of Spring, and we have snow..."Bummer"..

Then goes on to list the events she would like to participate in... New York City Triathlon, Denver Triathlon, and Cycling for Sight in California. I will do what I can to help her in all 3 events if she so chooses. We need to plan now to make sure we have all the basics covered.

What I love about Myra, she is a fighter, her disabilities, her age, and her limited time are never an excuse. She tells me she is in intensive swimming throughout April and spinning classes during the week. She just finished her 5th race of the season finishing 3rd in her age group!!! She wants us to do well, and nothing is stopping her.

She closes her email with this : Claudia, I need some work on my Core and Strength Training, and building my endurance... I smiled... "When Grow Up... I wanna be like Myra."

I am sending her a Strength Training Program for her to start on immediately and look forward to seeing her progress into racing season.

What ever you Think you CAN... You CAN...

Isaiah 40:31

When it's Time to Turn Back

2011-03-05T07:50:00.000-08:00

Today sarted with big intentions on the road. I had a big ride planned and having the company of Ed for the first 50 was going to be great. He rode the entire ride with me last week, but this week he needed to cut it a little short, so I planned to do the second half solo.

All was good, until I stepped outside and it was very windy and cold. OK, I'll make it through this I decide. I hopped on my bike dressed for the occasion and met with Ed roadside at 7:30. Wind gusts were 25MPH. I told him I would probably cut my ride short because the wind would destroy me the second half on my own, I would ride my trainer. We discuss how the wind makes us "STRONG LIKE HULK" laughing. He makes a comment "Thankfully it's not raining."

A few minutes later, we feel sprinkles so we decide to pull over and check the weather. Wind and rain is a unsafe mix on the road for cyclists. Weather looks clear, maybe it's a fluke. We keep riding. Sprinkles turn to rain and the temperature is dropping, and we are soaking wet.

Mutual executive decision " let's turn back," rain turns to pouring and freezing, We can't feel our hands and the water kicking up from my back wheel into my shorts is freezing. Yes, I was in shorts... AND I WAS FREEZING.

I give up!!!

We take cover under a bridge and ponder a ride home and who to call, we have 3 miles. Light turns green and we agree to suck it up and ride home.

We are riding as fast as we can, on wet streets that is, and talk about our INDOOR training ride for the day, since everything has changed. Then Ed says " thankfully it's not a THUNDERSTORM" not 2 minutes later... BOOM... Now we are laughing.. This is ridicules. Can we say "Bedtime Stories" (movie reference)

We hear thunder now and keep laughing.

We are now on the home stretch and he sees broken glass, I say "if I flat, I can not change my tire, I can not feel my hands." He says " I heard what you said, but I didn't hear what you said and I am choosing to ignore that." Thankfully the rest of the ride home was just that...

I walked in the front door soaking wet and freezing,

That was an hour of total misery.... and Misery loves company.. Ed is a good sport!

I am still shivering almost 45 minutes later. I am sitting here typing this, looking out the window and see the sun peering out from the clouds and wonder...

But, I look up again and see the rain coming down even with the sun out and I know we made the right decision. Being cold and wet outside riding, that's when I throw in the white towel...

In a little bit I will get on my trainer and finish up. I have to regroup from that first part and pretend it didn't happen...

.... and Good Days

2011-02-25T08:06:00.000-08:00

My last post was about not just my physical struggle but, my mental struggle as well. Today I want to show you what happens in my mind and body on a good day of racing.

On Sunday Feb. 20 was the Austin LiveStrong Full and Half Marathon. I have done the full marathon in Austin for the last 3 years. This year I decided to run the half due to the fact that I am doing an Ironman in May, and I think it was the best decision for my training and recovery right now.

My week started with the same training load and I kept it that way. I had to come to the realization that I was doing these halfs as C races, which puts them as a last priority. I told myself I would be happy with a comfortable 1hr 35 min. But, in the back o f my mind I wanted to do better than 3M which I ran a 1:32:58, but, mentally and physically, I struggled. I thought as long as that didn't happen I would be happy.

I also want to add that the week leading up to this race, not only did I have a pretty big training load but, my 6 1/2 year old son had 2 seizures on the Tuesday before the race. He has what are called Febrile Seizures and my stress load for the week was about all I could handle. He had just had a seizure the week before when he got the Flu B, now he had Flu A and it was taking it's toll, 2 seizures just hours apart. One was mild but the second one hit hard. It is enough to buckle your kness and make you feel completely and utterly helpless. I know God is in control, and i at that point I would be happy to finishing with a smile.

Austin is a very challenging course and it was going to be 70 degrees as well. Total elevation gain for the Austin Half is over 4,000 and most of it seems to happen in the final 3 miles. Elevation gain for 3M is only 1,000. So a big difference. I felt like I could handle whatever after the last week, and this would be FUN!
I got to my position with about 5 minutes to spare. I decided I would stay with the 3:00:00 marathon Pace group. That was a 6:47 per/min mile. I did this to make sure I did not go out to fast. It was really windy as well so staying in the pack seem to block some of that wind resistance. The race started North of the capital this year which was different than the last 2 years but, it was good. My favorite section on this race is miles 6-8 it's a sweet rolling downhill section and was good for my soul. I was staying completely engaged but, I let my mind sing a little, this tells me I have found my sweet spot. My legs felt great and mentally I was in this race. I wore my Garmin but, I decided I would turn off pace alert and listen to my body, which is better for me personally.

Mile 10 came around and I was feeling some fatigue but, was still running great and feeling great. I could actually enjoy the crowds and here people cheering, which is what makes racing so fun for me. Now, the last 3 miles of this race is no cake walk. The hills stare you in the face as if mocking you to see what you have mentally before you actually get to the hills. They taunt you with every step, as if to say " I will Break YOU." Mentally I was saying " NOT TODAY YOU WON'T" and I pressed on.

As the soreness crept in, my mind only got stronger. I felt that smile on my face that comes when I hit my zone, knowing I was running stronger than I had a few weeks earlier, the hills were tough but, today I would be tougher. I came through the last section of hills with 600m left and picked up my pace to the finish. I finished with a 1:31:45 and a big smile and sigh of "whew, now that's more like it." This was not a PR for me but, it was a mental breakthrough from a few weeks earlier, and on a much tougher course and with tough wind and heat.

I crossed the line and didn't see my family, I knew Rob had the flu, so I thought he may have stayed home with Cameron and Morgan. I decided to circle back and run in with one of my very best friends, Bill Lockett, he comes in every year from Colorado to run the Half here. I made it back to the hilly section before I saw him and joined him for the last couple miles. He was having a good run and this was the toughest part. We made it to the corner to the finish and he sprinted away to cross the finishline, I wasn't ready for a sprint finish so he did that on his own.

I was just happy to have had the energy to go back and run more after I crossed the finish line, that told me I had a good day.

Now, to get ready for a full week of more training....

Bad Days...

2011-02-21T19:02:00.000-08:00

Exactly 3 weeks ago I ran the 3M half marathon in Austin. Now normally this is a PR course, and what I mean by that is, it's fast. It's a very flat, fairly down hill course, and normally you can do really well here. I went in feeling confident and ready. But, I also did a very minimal taper. Since my Ironman is my KEY race for this season.

The race started at 6:45 am and it was 70 degress at race start, very warm and humid. I was wearing compression socks and arm sleeves. The sleeves came off before race start. Gun went off and for some reason I got really emotional, not sure what happened but, we have been under a lot of stress lately and I think it just hit me. I got out of my head fairly quickly and fell into a good pace, 6:15 per mile and I was fully prepared to run this pace. But, by mile 3 I wanted to quit. My hip flexors were falling apart and I was suffering... My legs were falling apart and my head and heart were right behind them. I was way to hot, and I could not get it together.

I wanted to quit so many times and my compression socks were making me even more hot. I was suffering and hearing my Garmin beep at me that my pace had completely fallen off was making me crazy. I felt like it was screaming at me and I could do nothing... I had Nothing... I HATED today. It had now becoming a sufferfest. The only thing I can say is I finished... I wanted to QUIT.. But, I finished, I just put one foot in front of the other and did what I had to do.

I crossed the finish line and the first person I saw was Juan with Emerge Multisport http://www.emergemultisport.com/. I wanted to cry but held it in. Told him that it was not a good day for me, and walked to the finish area.

I walked through to get water and saw one of my good friends and athlete, Ed Cortez.. I cried as he hugged me and handed me a Diet Dr. Pepper (my finishline request). I had to pull it together, I had no idea what happened. All I know was that SUCKED for me.

Was my time horrible? not really... But, it was almost 7 minutes off my goal. That's big. The biggest dissapointment wasn't how I did based on my time, it was how I felt. I was just not happy. I felt defeated. I felt tired, weak, and just all around miserable. No arms held high in exhilartion. It was complete defeat.

I got home and gave my kids a big hug and my medal. It was beautiful outside and I needed to turn this day way around... Ashley and I decide to go for a ride. Ashley is one of my good friends and I coach her as well. At first I just figured maybe 20 miles. She was game and she knew I needed it. I needed to clear my head and she was there to help. We rode and talked and rode some more. I asked her if she wanted to keep going.. we did. We ended up riding for 3 hours and I smiled the whole way. I found my happy place again and someone to share it with. We would have gone further, but we were not prepared and had no nutrition with us... Not to mention that I had run a half marathon earlier that day.

We got back had some snacks and I somewhat forgot about that race... Sort of... I had to get back on the training wagon. I knew I had a big week of training and did not have time to worry about that race. It was time to move on....

Week 3 Base Building... Ironman

2011-01-19T19:18:00.000-08:00

Ready or not, I am in week 3 of my Base training for Ironman and it already feels like a full time job. I went from riding 2 days a week to pretty much 5;no swimming, to a ton of swimming; and easy running to very high intensity running. This all with managing a household and coaching.

I am training at the very minimum 2 hours a day this does not include stretching/pilates, which I am trying to incorporate everyday.

Today my day looked like this... 7:15 Cameron to school... Back to clean and do laundry.. Morgan to school 9am.. More cleaning and organizing..12pm Pool Swim (Endurance/Form) 1:10 shower... 1:30 Morgan pickup.. Straight to Cameron's school 2:45 pickup.. We got there at 2:15 so I was reading and Morgan was listening to a bible study CD..I was tired, I fall asleep for 15 minutes.. Morgan kisses my cheek and says "mommy, kids are coming out." I wake up and we go to get Cameron.. I come home, make afternoon snacks and I finally get my lunch: 5 Egg whites, spinach, Red bell peppers, red onions, on a salad.. it's 3pm..

3:30 I leave to go downtown to Mellow Johnny's http://www.mellowjohnnys.com/ to ride with Ashley at the Pedal Hard Computrainer Studio http://www.pedalhard.com/... We ride for an hour, I hop off and go for a 20 minute Aerobic Conditioning run which is about a 7:15 pace for me. I run 3 miles and head back to Mellow Johnny's. I shower get my bike and head out.

6pm I am starving AGAIN and head over to Wahoo's http://www.wahoos.com/ for takeout. I get Chicken Teriyaki with Veggies, Brown rice and Black beans. I head home.

Everything right now has a plan and a purpose. I am coaching other athetes for half and full Ironman events, as well as my own training for Galveston and Texas Ironman, everything has to be done with a plan and a purpose.

I will try to Blog as much as possible about my journey, right now my biggest frustration is my allergies..

This is a long and amazing journey...I hope to inspire and encourage... Spread the WORD!!!

So Long, Farewell, Auf Weidersehen, Goodbye

2010-12-31T15:57:00.000-08:00

As the close of 2010 I would like to say Thank You. To all my friends who have supported and encouraged me. Looking back on my year, I can hardly believe what I actually did. It seems like forever ago I turned 40 and did my http://www.fortytoforty.blogspot.com/ countdown. I truly have had a big year.

I have had some big ups.. Being a Blind Guide for cDifferent, being regional Champion for Xterra, going to Xterra Nationals, World Championships for the Half Ironman, and so many more. I have had some big downs... Getting annihilated at Xterra Nationals and struggling to finish in 10th, breaking my hand racing Xterra 2 weeks before Worlds, and then bonking at Worlds. That is basically by racing.

Some of my struggles are to personal to put for all eyes to see but, know there are many. For those closest to me some of those struggles you know. Some are internal battles that seem to never go away. Battles I will fight, even when it hurts.

Thank you to my dearest friends who have never judged me, I am human, even though some may have a differing opinion about that. There are days I have asked "what was Tinman thinking" then there are days that I pump my fist in the air in victory. Sweet Sweet Victory, not just in racing but in dealing with life.

As I bid adeau to 2010, it is with much joy and much sadness. Looking back on most of the year it truly was amazing.

As I step into 2011, I am stepping out of my comfort zone which I plan to write about. I have plenty of ways that will happen. I will be training for Ironman Texas.

This in and of itself will be another road of self discovery, determination, consistency, patience and self control. I know I will come out stronger and more disciplined and am sure I will learn something new everyday.

I will try to share my training as well as my struggles.

I hope to inspire, encourage and motivate.... Happy New Year!!!

Now What???

2010-11-30T19:30:00.000-08:00

So, now that my SEASON is officially over, what's next??? What does an athlete/coach/Mommy do right now?? I laugh as I write that. Somedays I wonder how in the world I got all my training done during my training season or how I actually took care of my family and household. Somehow, I managed... and as the grande finale came to an end, I managed with a broken hand, bad leg, and bruised ego.

After Worlds in Clearwater, I recovered at Disney World.. Fun, but horrible way to recovery. All that walking on the first day on sore legs. If that wasn't brutal enough, I was wearing flip flops and they bruised my heals.. I went from being mildly sore from racing, to limping on bruised feet from walking.. For crying out loud, and my arm in a cast..

Ahhhh but the memories and the smile on my children's faces will forever be etched in my memory. Let's not forget the Celebration Party at Magic Kingdom.. My cheeks were sore from smiling.. That was one pain I enjoyed.

Once we got back, I took a couple days OFF. I rode my spin bike very easy and just got stuff done around the house.. Mentally, I was feeling good but, a little worried about the Annual Turkey Trot in Dallas. The last 3 years I have been a competitor there and done quite well. Last year I ran the 8 miler in 53 minutes.

This year would be a big change.

I pushed my daughter, who is 5, in a jogging stroller, with my cast on. Yes, My hand is still broken. So this proved to be quite challenging, but we had a running fan club. I love getting cheered on by other runners.

My pace I figured would be slow... very slow. It was the uphills and into the wind that was killing me, but I have to say I was happy to average under 8 min miles in that wind pushing her. I was actually very surprised. I crossed the finish line with Chelsea Tiner, another Austin Triathlete who also competed at Worlds.

I smiled, joined family, and enjoyed a wonderful dinner.

Now it's been 2 and a half weeks and I am loosely training again. Kids are back in school for 3 weeks and life is somewhat normalizing until Christmas break. Normally this time every year, for the last 4 years I have been training for a marathon in Feb. This year I have cut that to a Half.

The reason: Ironman Texas in May. I am already mentally preparing for the training, I know I have my work cut out for me. Not just because I am looking to finish, which is in and of itself a major undertaking, but I am looking to compete and the girls I am racing against are no slackers....I want the golden ticket.. and that is KONA... KONA IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS... the best athletes in the world..

I have a big racing season planned and have to be as prepared as possible. As of late, I have been working on getting some sponsors to help me achieve my goals with the best equipment I can. I'd like to thank my current Sponsors.. PowerBar http://www.powerbar.com/, Rudy Project http://www.e-rudy.com/ , Kinesys http://www.kinesys.com/, H2O Audio http://www.h2oaudio.com/, and Stuffitts http://www.stuffitts.com/ I hope you will all check out the cool gear I have an opportunity to use, love, and promote. I look forward to hopefully adding to the list of wonderful and amazing products... keep checking back for the lastest and greatest!!!

World Championships Clearwater Florida 70.3.... RACEDAY

2010-11-19T17:35:00.001-08:00

Jeanne and I decided to meet in the lobby at 5:45 and depart by 5:50. Our wave didn't start until 7:15 and with nothing to do but get our body's marked, do a quick check over on my bike, and get my wetsuit on, we had plenty of time. You definitely don't want to be standing around for hours if you don't have to.

Jeanne and I went down to the start, 7:15 and it's GO time. My goal for the swim was to keep all swimmers on my left. The swim was clockwise so I swam as close to the bouys as I could. I wish I could have swam more aggressively but, did what I could with my hand. I had to back off when I went through other swimmers, I was taking no chances of getting hit in my hand or hitting someone else on accident.

The water was a little rough but, nothing to terrible. Like I said I used extreme caution. At the exit, I stumbled around a bit and fell down got up and ran like mad. Pulling my wetsuit off and breathing deep as I pulled my hand out. I grabbed my T1 back, which had all my cycling stuff in it. I ran through the tent put my shoes and sunglasses on and took off for my bike. I had my helmet on my bike. One thing I forgot to mention, I forgot my PowerBar Gel flask. I had to ask around for extra from other athletes that morning before the start, fortunately I got 2. The only problem was that I only had about 350 calories of nutrition on the bike. That wasn't great but, it would have to do. The reason I say that is because I could not grab anything from the aid stations because of my hand. It was to risky for someone to hit me in my hand, when you take a bottle through the aid stations, you catch them like a football. It can sting, imagine that with a broken hand.. NOT GOOD

I took off on my bike and the race was now underway...

On the first left turn, the female rider in front of me decided to turn wide so I went on the inside, she was trying to make a u-turn and almost took me out. She didn't realize it was just a left turn and almost caused us to crash... First obstacle avoided. I had to keep my right hand very loose over my right aerobar and shifter. Any bumps would be felt in that broken hand so I hand to ride with caution.

After about 10 miles, my legs started to really feel good. I think the most frustrating part of the race for me was the draft packs. I had packs of 15-20 riders going by, drafting was illegal and it was not fair. I decided at that point I was going to have a clean race even if it cost me time. I never drafted.

The mentality is even if they get a 4 minute penalty, the time saved by drafting and the energy saved would still be a bigger gain. The athletes go into the run having saved their legs. It's a win win situation for the athlete that drafts... But, I didn't want to race that way. I even saw one of the groups that passed me, I think it was about 10 riders, in the penalty tent and about 5 minutes later the same pack came by all drafting again. Even after the penalty. I just rode my race fair and square. I think what has frustrated me most was seeing the bike splits after the race and wondering who was cheating and who really rode that pace. :o(.

My second half of the bike was faster then the first half and I really had to watch my nutrition since I didn't have much on my bike and couldn't get anything from the aid stations unless I stopped and I wasn't going to do that. I started to feel the fatigue setting into my legs but, I was still feeling good.

I came into transition, someone took my bike,

I ran through grabbed my T2 bag, put my running shoes and visor on and took off on my run. My pace was strong and I felt great. I was running a pace a little under 7 min/mi.

My pace fell to about 7:15-7:20 by mile 6 and by mile 8 I fell completely off pace. My right leg was dragging, still recovering from the trauma of my fall at Xterra, and I basically hit a wall. The low calorie intake on my bike took it's toll and I really started to feel the weight of going into this race injured.

There was nothing I could do now but push through. My goal now was just to break 5 hours, which for me, would still be a PR (Personal Record) for this distance. If I could do it after my tramatic fall and a broken hand I would be happy. I knew I could do this, I was upset that I got so injured before this race and the thought of what I could do had I been healthy started to cloud my thoughts. I dug deep, there was another over forty female in front of me and she was doing a lot of walking, I would run by and she would start to run again, we went back and forth from mile 10 on. By mile 12 I could see the crowds at the finish. I looked at my watch and it read 4:47, I had plenty of time I thought, I forced all that I could to keep my pace going. What I didn't realize was how much I had slowed down and how close I would be. I pushed through and just thought, one foot in front of the other really concentrating on picking up my bad leg.

These pictures are me coming into the finish...

I crossed the line, I normally have a sprint finish, not today. As happy as I was 4:59:24... I suffered, I endured, I crossed... I BROKE 5 HOURS.. even if barely. A few seconds later, that other female crossed. She wrapped her arms around me and cried. In a faint voice she said "I could not have done it without you." Tears filled my eyes and I said I felt the same. We were both struggling to cross that finishline, even without any verbal communication we helped each other along. That is why I love this sport.

Not 2 minutes later I hear my children cheering for me and giving me kisses and hugs. All the pain I felt at that point faded for a moment. I walked out and was thrilled to be on the beach on a beautiful day.

About 30 minutes later one of my very good friends and athletes that I coach as well Jeanne Hoffman comes across the line!! SHe is tired but great. She just set a PR as well. Today was a great day!!

World Championships Clearwater Florida 70.3

2010-11-19T06:50:00.001-08:00

After having a great flight in, Jeanne came to pick me up from the airport. I was joined on the flight by Jim Ryan, a local Austin triathlete and friend. He rode back with us as well. We had a few hours before Rob and the kids arrived and we had lots to do, but also time to relax.

After dropping all our stuff off, we all headed down to packet pickup. My race number 716... I was super excited. We walked through the Athlete Village and Expo.

Then headed to lunch. After we ate Jim went back to his bungalow and Jeanne and I headed to the water for a swim. The water was cold and I was hesitant. I knew I needed to get my hand back in that wetsuit, and I knew it was going to hurt. I held my breath and suited up.

We went out and the water was great. Perfect actually for a wetsuit. We swam out and I played around for a bit. It just felt good to be in the water, I felt invigorated.

After the swim, we decided to head back to our hotel and get ready for the athlete dinner and meeting. I got my room and what do you know... It's the same number as my race number.

When I got downstairs, a couple was waiting there for a cab so, I offered them a ride. I was pretty sure Jeanne wouldn't mind. Luke and Meg Gillmer, the reason I mention them is because we spent a lot of time running into them. They were from Sydney AUS. One of my favorite places in the world. We sat with them both nights for dinner as well. They were great company and we got to meet a lot of their friends as well and everyone was so much fun.

After dinner, I had to head to the airport to pick up Rob and the kids. I was tired but, Rob couldn't get our rental car until Friday. This kind of made things hectic, and I will explain. We got back, Rob put my bike together and we got the kids to bed.

It was now Friday morning, Cameron and Morgan were up super early and ready to go the the beach at 6am. I had a lot to do today and at this point we had no car. We wanted to wait to get the car until Jeanne's friend Erin arrived so we wouldn't have to make 2 trips to the airport. This proved challenging because Cameron and Morgan were ready to GO!!!

I had a lot to do before I could relax, one of which was getting my transition bags ready. This was a little stressful since both of my kids were pulling on me from both sides to do something... I fully understood though so, I was trying to be patient. I knew I needed to focus because once those transition bags get checked in, there is no turning back. I didn't want to forget anything.

Once I had everything laid out I took the kids downstairs to run around the pond. :o).. One way to wear them out. Then we went to the hotel pool. Erin's flight was delayed so we had to wait until afternoon..UGH! I was distracting the kids as much as I could and patience was growing thin.

Finally we headed out to pick up the car...AKA the SWAGGER WAGON! I made a quick trip to the grocery store and we ran by the hotel and grabbed my bike and transition bags. It was almost 2pm and I had still not had lunch. I was getting a little frustrated but was managing. I got bike checked in and dropped all my gear off.

I walked through transitions to see the in and out portions and I was ready for lunch. 3pm, we went down to meet Karen Burks and Cookie Munson at an Italian Resturant. I was super hungry now and it was way passed time for lunch.

On the way down Morgan stumbles and tears her toe open. She's crying I was carrying her and blood was dripping all over me. We arrived at the resturant with a crying child and a very stressed mommy. I went inside and cleaned her wound and finally sat down to eat. My race was tomorrow and I was anything but relaxing.

We had wonderful conversation and I was glad to finally sit down. After dinner we decided to take the kids to the beach even though it was getting cooler. They were playing and some of my other friends, Ellen and Brian Brown joined us on the beach. I was glad the kids finally got to play, those natives were restless for sure.

The sun sets and I decided it was time for us to get back to get some rest. As I was waiting for the Swagger Wagon at the parking lot(Rob went to get the car so I wouldn't have to walk anymore, I needed to be off my feet) Luke and Meg are walking up to get a cab back. I laughed and said they had perfect timing, we were heading back. They rode with us and Meg told my kids about the "Endless Gobstopper" at Disney World. My kids were super excited. A candy the never ended. I laughed...

We all got ready for bed and I was thinking, tomorrow's a big day and today was not exactly the perfect way to relax but, that's what happens when you're a mommy.

Proceed with Caution

2010-11-19T06:49:00.001-08:00

With 3 days to go until the Half Ironman World Championships, I am going forward. Broken hand and all. I have done my training as schedule this last week and feel pretty good about that. I have had some issues. Putting on my wetsuit was a huge OUCH!! On the hand.

Hitting bumps on my bike hurts like crazy on the hand, so if I see it coming, I try to let my right hand go.

I think my biggest fear is getting kicked in the hand on the swim and also, just not being able to fight like I need to on the swim.. I need my hands. The swim can get crazy especially with 1800 very strong athletes. I will do my best.

I am super excited to say the least and I hope to be able to update as the days go by. For now I am finishing my packing and getting to bed. 6am departure and I have my bike and a suitcase I will somehow manuever in the morning... So much FUN!!!!

My MOJO....

2010-11-19T06:48:00.001-08:00

My Mojo... I am relentlessly trying to get it back, today was a start but, also an eye opener. I was up early to meet some riders and Rick for about a 50 miler at Bicycle Sport Shop.

I opened the door and it was freezing.. Burrrrr. 40 degrees. Not the best for keeping that hand warm. I bundled up nice and warm.. 2 pair of riding pants, 2 shirts, arm warmers and a jacket. The first problem I ran into was that I couldn't get my broken hand in my really warm glove, it hurt way to bad. I settled for some other gloves that still hurt getting on but, I could tolerate.

If I say I didn't have second thoughts about riding in this cold, I'd be lying. I totally wanted to bail, but, I NEVER bail, unless it's really important. This was just me being a sissy. I grab my bike and headed out to meet the group. There was about 10-12 riders when I showed up.

We took off down Parmer and headed towards Andice. Andice is a small town that has a General Store that has loitering cyclist.. That's half true. It's a turn around or stopping point for almost every rider this side of town.

The ride was a nice pace and I was actually dressed perfectly. The biggest problems I was having riding with a broken hand wasthat it hurt like crazy when I had to shift gears. When I shift I usually brace the outside of my hand on my aerobars and push my gears with my index and middle fingers or my thumb. I have bar end shifters.

Well, I can't brace.. It put to much pressure on my broken bones. So I really had to either completely move my hand or take a deep breath in pain.. I did both. I also did some teeth grinding.

My next problem was hydration. I couldn't grab my water bottle from the cage. I can't rotate my hand and grab. When I did I almost dropped it and it hurt like crazy. I was glad it was cold and I wasn't that thirsty. I was also glad I was riding with experienced riders.. If I had a flat I was in big trouble on my own. I knew that when I started.

My leg felt OK. It's the stops and starts that cause the pain in my leg. I am really concerned with the location of the pain in my leg. The bruise is high on my quad and covers almost the entire muscle but, the part that really hurts it the tissue above my knee. The pain is waking me up at night. It's not knee pain though, it's in my deep connective tissue.

We head back and we have a big headwind on Parmer. I dropped some of my layers and I was glad, it was getting warmer and once I hit Parmer and head home, I am on a mission. Doug one of my training partners said I should be the poster child for "Mind over Matter" I laughed and said I have no time for whining. I have to say it was "mind over matter", I had to disconnect from the pain and I did that today. My ride was not as fast as I had hoped but, it was a good solid ride. The head wind was pretty crazy as well.

I got home and went for a very easy run. I needed to see how my leg would do after the bike. It was painful, but tolerable at the pace I was running, which was not fast. I am just not sure how fast I can run on a bum leg. With 7 days to go I am well into my Taper and I am hoping for a miracle.

Tomorrow is just a run for me and I will try to hold a steady pace and not whence. I hope for a restful night and am excited to have an extra hour to hopefully sleep in, but I'll probably be up, laying in bed pressing the light button on my watch to see what time it is every 10-15 minutes until I get bored and get out of bed. Even when I hurt I am excited to go run...

So, Don't forget to FALL BACK, just don't FALL DOWN.....

Damage Control

2010-11-19T06:47:00.001-08:00

With 8 days left until World Championship, I am a little stressed.

I rode on Monday morning and felt good but, my leg was hurting. I had to really suffer with my hands. I came back and ran a very easy 20 minutes. My legs are still moving albeit slowly and painfully. I also had a big swim Monday afternoon that I managed to get through, which I was happy about.

I decided after my swim I should get my hand X-rayed. I made an appointment for Tuesday afternoon.

Tuesday morning I went for a run and I threw in some speed work that I really suffered through but, it wasn't bad enough or fast enough at this point for me to quit.

Tuesday afternoon: what I thought, was confirmed. My hand was broken. Thankfully my Dr. is a triathlete and he knows what I have going on. He also knows me very well, I'm a fighter not a quiter. Where the is a will, there is a way... His dilemma was thinking outside of the box. My hand has to be protected. If it breaks more or displaces, it will need surgery, which means pins in my hand. That would not be good. He had me casted in something I can take off when I swim, bike, or run if I needed to. I asked that he do nothing permanent. I told him about my leg, he told me to go easy. I was listening. Thank you Wilson!!

Wednesday was cold and raining outside.. YUCK!! I still needed to ride so I stayed indoors and got on my computrainer. I managed a good indoor session and then it was off to get the kids and head downtown. I needed my racewheels checked. I am riding Zipp 404's. I headed to Mellow Johnny's to have this done, one of my athletes works there and he takes great care of my bike needs. My bike goes in next week for a good going over. I am riding a Cervelo P2K that is almost 8 years old. I am in need of a new bike but, remember that "starving actor comment" This might be a while. Thank you Jason for taking care of my Old Blue!!!

Let me just add in at this point that not only am I injured, I have cut out all caffeine until race morning:o(. For me this means no Dark Chocolate. This might actually be the worst part.(I had one piece if I am being honest... I cracked under pressure)

Ok, so now we are up to Thursday.. I had Cameron dropped off at 7:30, Morgan and I headed back home. I had exactly an hour before I had to leave to take her to school. I hopped on my spin bike for 45 min.. Got a good recovery ride in and headed out to take her to school. I had a massage scheduled at 10am. My Therapist saw my leg and said "Whoa, that's really bad, we have to go very easy there." If a therapist goes to deep on bruised tissue it could futher the damage, my Dr. said the same thing. I already knew she couldn't go crazy there, it hurts to looks at. I really needed that massage, and I knew it would help with my recovery, more damage control.

She was finished and I headed out for a 30 min run afterwards to see how I felt. My leg is just not in good shape. It was a very easy 30 minutes. As least I was moving, and the weather was good.

Now I was going to Tillman Therapy to have another cast made that I can potentially race in. Lisa was the therapist and she was really amazing. I enjoyed talking to her and having her take good care of my hand as well as tell me her concerns about my hand. She called me a "professional athlete" I laughed and said " athletes like me are like starving actors" She says " well you're a professional to me" That warmed my heart. If I can inspire 1 I have done my job... My JOB is to inspire and motivate, to show passion and love... Some days I do better then others. As a coach that is what I strive to do with my athletes.

One of my very good friends Ruthie picked Morgan up from school and met me because my appointment was at pick up time. I am also going to add in here that if I didn't have Ruthie and Ruben as friends, I could not do what I do. Ruthie does so much to help me out with my kids. I absolutely have to thank her.. Thank you Ruthie. I don't have family here and Rob travels for work, so my schedule and planning can be very complex at times. We went to get Cameron and then headed to the gym so I could get a swim in. I get in a nice recovery swim and my day is done. Well, the training part anyways. At this point I am taking Arnica and rubbing a homeopathic cream on my leg called Tramheel, as well as wrapping it in compression bandages. I'm OK when I am moving but, sitting down and getting up feels painful and actually at night when I move my leg I have pain in my quad muscle and into the top of that knee. I am also taking Advil.. As much for my pain, as for the headache I have had without caffeine...Probably more for the headache though.

Now I am up to today and I am getting anxious. I really wanted to go for a run but, I also know I needed to stay off my leg. I take Morgan to the gym and she "swims" while I swim. Today I was swimming 100s and 500s and the water was perfect.. I was a happy swimmer. My hand felt good in the water, I have had to adjust my stroke and my left shoulder is feeling the pain, it's working overtime.

Tomorrow I will do a group ride with one of my training partners Rick aka GARMIN and a group from Bicycle Sport Shop. Last time I rode with these guys we held a great pace until the crashes and rain. I am looking forward to getting my MOJO back.

It's Not That You Fall Down.. but How You Get Back UP

2010-11-19T06:42:00.002-08:00

Last Saturday, I was racing a 24k Trail race in Bluff Creek. I felt great coming off a big week of training for me.

My goal was really to maintain a specific pace for training purposes. We started the run with a pretty good pace, I backed off a tad just to stay where I wanted to and have fun. The course was a double loop, it was great, it had tons of variation, rock, roots, ascents, and descents, a lot of fun. At mile 9.4 (I was wearing a Garmin) I went down. I was flying down a descent going into a gradual climb and I tripped on a tree root, I think. I landed so hard it took the breath out of me. I was laid flat out and stayed there a couple minutes to see if I could even move. I remember reaching up to get my glasses which flew off and landed infront of me, still laying down at this point. I felt a searing pain in my right quad. I staggered up and looked at my hands and wrists. The Garmin saved my left wrist, I had it flipped to the inside. My Polar on the right was the other way. Yes, I wear two devices.

My right hand was already swelling up, I figured something was broken. I wiped off and tried to start running again. It Hurt. My quad had hit something when I landed and felt like it was ripped open. I looked down and saw a mild abrasion but, I was in serious pain. My thought was to just keep moving, I had aboout 4.5 miles left. I started out very slowly just putting one foot in front of the other, I was trying not to cry but, my pain was deep.

It took me a couple minutes and I had my feet going again, but I was still in a lot of pain. I saw one of my local competitors Matty on one of the switchbacks and yelled to him the I fell and I was really hurt. He yelled back some encouraging words that kept me going. As much as I was hurting, him being behind me helped keep me going. I was getting back on pace somewhat, I was about 20 seconds off, but I was OK with that. I went through some bouts where I wanted to cry but I told myself to be strong. Then I starting singing " even the best fall down sometimes," I am not sure where that song came from. I think I am far from the best, but I strive at all times to be the best I can be. So the words went through my head again and again.

Then in pain I roared loud like a lion, I figured no one would hear me but Matty if he was close enough. I roared again and again, getting the pain out, the miles fading into the distance. I knew the finish line was coming up and I needed ice on that leg and hand. I blazed through that finish line happy to see my kids cheering for me.. Matty was close behind. I thanked him for the push.. He says "even when you fall down and get hurt, you won't let me pass you." I said " If it weren't for you today I would not have finished... Thank you."

It's not just that I fell, it's that I got up to finish the race.

Now for damage control.... Sunday came and I was a mess, my hand was completely swollen, and my leg was horribly bruised and had knots in the muscle. This was not good. Early afternoon I hopped on my spin bike to do a recovery ride which is HR at 125 or less for 45 min. Then at 4pm I headed to the gym to see how my hand and wrist will affect my swim. I swim 1,000 m, it hurt but I did it. I was out of time, I needed to go get the kids and we had Trick or Treat tonight. No time for whining.

I got dressed up in my Supergirl Costume and claimed someone threw Kryptonite on the trail. I was actually only half kidding.

Saturday... All Fun and Games!!!!!

2010-07-28T16:47:00.000-07:00

I woke up bright and early, 5am the first time and decided I needed to stay in bed a little longer. I got out of a little before 7am and had my usual, Diet Dr.Pepper and Bagel, my first morning love after all these years.

At about 8am I decided to get ready to go for a run in Central Park, I had until 10:30 before we all got together as a group. I figured I run for maybe an hour or so. I headed down and started my jog.Look at all these people. I started to go around the park and it's starts to get really packed. I realized there was a race going on. What are the chances?? I asked some volunteers if I can still register and how much time to I have until the race started. It was about 8:30 and the race started at 9am. Next, question did I even have any money. I usually just have enough for a water, I grabbed some extra this morning which was also, only by chance. I had just enough for the race registration with $2 to spare. I was IN!!!

Now for the race, something I was obviously totally not ready for, I was just planning on doing an easy jog.. Now in a matter of minutes my plan changed from easy jog to a 4 mile race around the park and it was super hot and humid.. Oh well, we all had the same conditions. I figured I do what I could and have a great time!

Look at all these people... there were like 8,000 runners!!!

And OFF we go!!!!!!!

It was super Hot and I was just going to fall into whatever pace I could hold for the run. Here I am coming in for the finish!

and now the CowHerd through the finish area!

Ahhhh WATER!!!

Also, let me add that 10 minutes before the race started, Myra called she was in the lobby, so I had to hurry to get back to make sure she had everything she needed, including switching our rooms. She was earlier then I expected her so I crossed the finishline and race back to the Y which was another 15 minutes of racing:o) that didn't even count. I was soaking wet when I arrived and was happy to meet Myra!!

At this point we had a room with one bed and needed to switch it for a room with two beds. We were sharing a room the size of a matchbox, it was small. I took her downstairs with all the other athletes and guides and moved all of our stuff to the different room while she had a chance to meet everyone.

It was almost 10:30 and time for everyone to be downstiars to practice riding with athletes on tandems. Only problem, we had more people than bikes and had to switch off which seemed to take forever so, there was a lot of standing and waiting. We finally had our turn!!Myra was pretending to be the Captain!

We had a great time riding and all went smooth riding Central Park even with all those people in the park!

After this we had to get the bikes to the hotel to get checked in for the race and we had a mandatory meeting at 2pm to go over some safety stuff for the race and itinerary.

I was super happy to have the opportunity to meet Dave from TOGO Gotham Bikes. They did an amazing job of sponsoring the event and this is the premier Bike/Triathlon shop in NYC!!!! I will race for them anytime!!! http://www.togobikes.com/ Thank you sooo much Dave!!!What a GREAT Group!!

After we got all checked in, it was time to head to the race site and get our bikes set up in Transition. Riding bikes through the streets of NYC is a wild and crazy ride:o).. Traffic, Cabs, People, and all the other stuff going on, we made it to the Transition area all in one piece.

I got all our stuff set up and we were good to go.

Now it was 6pm and time for dinner. We were eating Italian at a place called Sambuca.After dinner, we started to walk back to the Y to get our stuff ready for the morning. It was getting late and we had both been on our feet all day. I knew Myra needed to get off her feet. I got her back to the Y and headed to Whole Foods to get her some breakfast for the morning. We both knew me going alone would be quicker and she needed to get some rest.

Whole Foods was packed as usual and it took longer than I had hoped. I made it back by around 10pm. I took a quick shower and we started to get our stuff packed for the morning. We had to be up by 3:30am. EARLY!!!YIKES! Finally about 11:30pm it was lights out. I still had my mind racing so, I was up until about 12:30 am and was awake at 3am.. So 3 hours of sleep would have to suffice..... Until Tomorrow.. Ahhh Race Day!!!

Freaky Friday

2010-07-28T15:11:00.000-07:00

Well...I am finally getting to the point where I can sit down and write about my amazing weekend in NYC for the NYC Triathon and the journey there. I will try to replay what happened from beginning to end so, I will do daily accounts of what actually happened and try to keep it straight.

Friday started wonderfully, I was having a very relaxing morning and was just getting stuff ready to go knowing I had time to go for a run and swim before I left, my departure time was 3pm. At 8:30 I asked Rob to go check the loads as I was flying standby on American Airlines. He went to check and then said "Uh, your flight leaves at 9:35" .."WHAT??? You're mom said 3:30" as she was on the phone with me I started to go into a panic, I will never be able to make that. After a slight FREAKOUT I went in my room and got my head back together and said to myself "there is a reason for everything."

After a few minutes, flight was changed to 11:30. I had exactly 2 hours to get ready to leave. I needed to get a run in so I went for a easy 6 miler to calm my nerves and get my head together, it was going to be a long day. I got home, showered, and packed for the weekend. No swimming today unfortunately.

I got to the airport, parked, and went through security, my favorite:o). As a flight attendant I got the daily "PAT DOWN" I always considered it extra loving for a lonely flight attendant away from home. Whatever, it made me have a better attitude about a stranger feeling me and made them laugh. So, next was boarding and I was on.. Except now I was going through Chicago instead of a direct flight to NYC. I had a feeling it was not going to be as smooth. We were delayed by 20 minutes and you know how that goes. Flight was fine, my favorite part about American Airlines is that they serve my favorite poison DIET DR.PEPPER!! YAY!

We arrive in Chicago and made up the time we lost, but of course the gate was unavailable so we wait on the tarmac. Now, I am rushing to my flight to LaGuardia. I saw they were also delayed. Great... Oh and now the flight is oversold.. DRATS!!!! I was hungry and I'm never thrilled about airport food. For the 13 years I was a Flight Attendant, I carried almost every meal with me, or went to the market on layovers to restock on good for me foods. Now, I was in a pinch... Veggie Pizza it is. For $10 bucks I got a pizza I ate 2 pieces from, it was just to greasy for me. Now it was, wait to see if I get a seat and I start pacing, and taking pictures of my favorite feature in the Chicago Airport, the toilets.. You don't have to touch a thing, only thing this toilet doesn't do is wipe your hiney:o)!! HAA. So, at least I am made my sit in Chicago enjoyable, right?

Well, I did not get on the flight and the next one is in another hour and was also delayed. I called the shuttle company that was picking me up in NYC to let then know my change in arrival time. It was finally boarding time and I was the very last standby called.. WHEW! I got the last seat!!!

I got to LGA and had to wait what seems like forever for my bag. FINALLY!!! Next on the list was find out where my pickup was. This was no easy feat. After asking a few people who didn't know what I was talking about, New Yorkers and Texans have different languages. I finally figured it out. My shuttle driver was really nice but drove like a maniac, par for the course in NYC. After leaving my house at 10am, I finally arrived at my destination, the YMCA 12 hours later. The Y was right across from Central Park which was perfect. This was just like a youth hostel or college dorm. All I needed was a place to sleep. I never spend much time in a room.

I walked in dropped my stuff, and walked right back out. I was heading to Whole Foods, it was right down the street and I was super happy about that!!! I needed some fruit and snacks for the weekend. The streets were packed with people, as were the coffee shops and bars and Whole Foods.

Which made it nice for me because it didn't seem as late as it was.

I grabbed some goodies and a couple sweet treats and headed back to the Y.

Myra would not be arriving until tomorrow. I got in and went to sleep... Until tomorrow.. the action starts:o)

Blonde Leading the Blind

2010-07-15T20:45:00.000-07:00

Do Not Feed, Do Not Pet, I'm Working...

Funny thing is.. I didn't come up with the title for this Blog, actually Ron Burzese's did. He is the amazing cyclist I have been riding with this week. Let me introduce you to some of his amazing accomplishments.. One being that he was on the USA Olympic Team for Parathletes. Here is an article written about him by

Pam LeBlanc for the Austin American Statesman
Publication Date: February 11, 2008 Page: E01 Section: LIFESTYLE Edition: Final

Ron Burzese's retinas are failing. He walks with a white cane. But chances are he'd easily whip you in a bike race.

As the "stoker" in the rear seat of a tandem bike, Burzese, who has just 10 percent of his vision, chews up miles of pavement every week. He pedals with a partner, cruising around town for fun and exercise, and cranks it up in competition.

Here he is now, with piano teacher Jacob Hines, a 29-year-old amateur cyclist he met last month. Hines had never ridden a tandem before he met Burzese. Today they've pedaled up Great Northern Boulevard in perfect rhythm, legs pumping in unison.

The first time they teamed up, Hines was so nervous he shook. "I was scared out of my mind," he says. "But Ron had no worries."

By the second ride, Hines has gained his confidence. Burzese has helped him smooth out his pedal stroke and hone his racing strategy. In the front seat, Hines controls the shifting. As they roll down the road, Hines calls out approaching obstacles like bumps, parked cars and stop signs.

The wheels hum. Gravel crunches beneath the tires. And Burzese grins like a 12-year-old.

Burzese, 39, started noticing the signs of genetic retinitis pigmentosa as a child growing up in Florida. In elementary school, he couldn't see well enough to play ball sports. He wore thick glasses with an extra lens that flipped down so he could read. When the day turned to night, his vision worsened.

By the time his friends were getting their driver's licenses and first cars, Burzese had to satisfy himself with a new bike. He rode it back and forth to work. That was fine during daylight, but at night he could only see the road when he passed beneath street lights.

He relied on nonvisual clues to find his way home. He weaved back and forth as he rode down the street, feeling out the crown in the center of the road. That reduced chances of hitting a car parked on the side. He'd listen for the reflecting clicks of his bike's chain and cogs on guard rails and parked cars, like a bat using sonar for echo-location. He'd pull over when a car approached from behind, then sprint after its taillights when it passed.

It wasn't safe, but he loved to ride.

Over the years, Burzese's eyesight gradually worsened. After college, he found himself holding his face so close to the computer screen that he got nauseous.

He tried to deny what was happening. He wouldn't admit it himself, but even his friends knew he was going blind.

At 26, he had to face the facts. He wore a blindfold for nine months to learn to function as a blind person. He started using a white cane. And he quit riding his bicycle. "I knew my vision was getting away and I shouldn't do this anymore," he says. "I used to pray that God would wean me away from cycling, because I knew it was dangerous."

Eventually, he entered the Louisiana Center for the Blind. The school taught him to operate outside his comfort zone. He cooked a meal for 40 people while blindfolded. He acted in a play. He rafted and water skied and rock climbed. He forged a peace with his deteriorating eyesight.

"It would be easy to feel sorry for myself," Burzese says. "But with my faith, I felt like I was finally accepting who God wanted me to be."

Still, every time he heard the clicking of bike shifters, he'd long to climb back in the saddle.

As much as he missed cycling, he steered clear of two-seated bikes because he assumed they were technologically inferior to single bikes. Then he rented a high-quality tandem and rode with a friend looking for some extra pedal power to complete a 100-mile ride.

"I was grinning ear to ear," he says.

Suddenly, he could ride responsibly. Within a few months, he bought his own $4,500 tandem bike. By then, living in Minneapolis, he didn't have a riding partner and didn't even know if he could get the new bike through his apartment doorway and down three flights of stairs once he'd assembled it.

He could. And when he brought the tandem to a nearby bike shop, someone tapped him on the shoulder, asking about the bike. He'd found his first pilot. He'd also found his freedom again.

"On the tandem, I'm just another cyclist," says Burzese, who moved to Austin four years ago and is between jobs. "I'm socializing with cronies, enjoying the same breezes and fresh air, feeling the endorphins. Sometimes I catch myself singing."

Riding in a pack that's traveling 38 or 40 mph can rattle the nerves, especially when you can't see where you're going. That's why Burzese listens carefully to other bikes as he rides, and backs off when he hears them coast. He's wrecked before, but never blames the pilot - without someone to steer, he wouldn't be riding at all.

"I like the thrill of the speed and the feeling of the bike dropping out from under me when coming down a fast hill that suddenly gets steeper," he says. "I like listening to the bikes creaking next to me as that rider challenges us up a hill."

These days Burzese owns five tandem bikes, including a Co-Motion racer, and a single that he affixes to an indoor trainer. He rides two or three times a week and does most of his own bike maintenance. Like other cyclists, he shaves his legs. (In case of a crash, it's easier to clean gravel out of a smooth leg than a hairy one.) But he does it by feel, not by sight.

He also competes.

Last summer, Burzese won the informal Tuesday nighter road bike ride six times on his tandem. "I'm out there as a blind person, but I'm just another racer," he says. "I forget I'm blind."

He's had other successes, too. In 2003, he won a silver medal in tandem matched sprints at the International Blind Sports Association World Championships in Quebec. He made the U.S. National Paralympic Cycling Team in 2003 and 2004, collecting a silver medal in tandem matched sprints at the 2004 Paralympic National Championships. In 2006, he won a bronze medal at the U.S. Cycling Federation National Championship in tandem matched sprints, competing against sighted racers.

He's also collected three gold medals and one silver in the Texas State Time Trials, also against sighted cyclists. And he's shooting to make the Paralympic team again this year.

One of his biggest challenges is finding people to pilot his tandem so he can train. He has five or 10 regulars but needs more.

In the past decade, Burzese's vision has deteriorated. He gets wistful that he can't drive a woman home after he's taken her out to dinner. He can still recognize faces and watch his two cats up close, but he doesn't know how long he'll have even that much vision. Colors are more washed out now, and his night vision has evaporated.

He says the biggest problem facing blind people is the idea that blindness is a tragedy and blind people can't do anything for themselves. The stereotype is so pervasive that even some blind people believe it, he says.

Not Burzese. Biking has helped him break away from those misconceptions .

"What's different now is I know if I do lose (my eyesight), I can go on with my life," he says.

Look for him in the bike lane.

pleblanc@statesman.com; 445-3994

I wanted to share this article with everyone
All things are possible.

Tonight as we walked down to the Italian restuarant for dinner, Rob's meeting us so he can meet Ron, I start asking him how much he could see. He explained to me seeing shades and shadows and that it's not all black like some think. He can see light and dark as well. His words "it's like a polaroid the isn't developed." Back in the day, we had polaroid cameras which you could see the picture develop in front of your eyes. Remember at one point he had good sight so, this was a very good visual for me I could understand.

It's amazing how we take sight forgranted. I could not count how many times I say to him, did you see that, or did you see when. First time I caught myself I said " wow, did you see that green zoysa grass." Stopped myself before I even finished the grass word and said " of course you didn't see that I'm sorry I wasn't thinking." then he said tell me what it looked like.. He remembers grass. I went on to explain what I saw and create for him a vivid beautiful picture of the green grass in someones yard so he could see in his mind what I saw with my eyes.

Sometimes I wish there were things I could not see in life, but I cherish my vision. I pray God give me the compassion and words to paint a beautiful picture when I have the opportunity to share what I see.

The area we have been training in has amazing beautiful trees, beautiful flowers in every shade. We talk about the huge beautiful trees and just enjoy the ride. When we have sight it's easy to forget when someone doesn't. We expect them to see the same things we do. That's probably the hardest part for me as a pilot and guide so far that I have encountered in this short period of time.

I love the amazing beauty in our world, and I know God loves when I see a flower, or tree, or animal that He created. I told my kids the other night when we were in the car " look at that amazing sky, it's brilliant in color. Just fasinating how God created such beauty." Then I said " when God painted the sky that color, He did it for this exact moment, so I could talk about Him to you and you could see yet another miracle He has created." I smiled and thank God for that moment and that brilliant sky and my precious children.

It's super hot today, as usual, and I made comment about the heat. He says " I saw a dog chasing a rabbit earlier, they were both walking." I laughed and we pedaled. We rode the loop 4 times twice one direction, and twice the other.

At one point we were on a straight away and I see to my right a MailMan in a truck barreling down the street, I said " Crap, he's not going to stop." I say this in all seriousness, he almost didn't, and he had a stop sign. I hit my brake with no time to warn Ron. As the Mailman came to a screeching halt at his stop sign I thought, that would have killed us. I apologized to Ron, but I had no time to cue him I was braking. He immediately said "thank you God" and I said "Yes" and we continued our ride. This had nothing to do with me being Blonde or him being Blind.. this was a Mailman in a hurry, which could have turned out very bad.

As cyclist, be safe out there, and as drivers, Please share the road. Most of the cyclist do know what we are doing and yes, there are some riders that aren't very smart or make bad decisions. But, for the most of us on the road, we just want to stay fit and have fun. Please drive with caution.

Now I will get off my soap box and say, we had a GREAT RIDE!!! We rode about 1hr 30 and what I learned today was, on a rode bike with Campy Hoods, I need to wear gloves:o). My hands were sweaty and I couldn't grip. When we started to climb out of the saddle on our way back, my hands were slipping all over the place. Glad it happened though, now I know to take my gloves to NYC. Normally though, I don;t ride or race with gloves. That's just my choice. Except in winter.. I ALWAYS WEAR GLOVES.. sometimes 3 pair..:O).

Well, today was another learning experience and amazing day. I am looking forward to Rob also learning to ride as a pilot so we can, together, help other riders here in Austin and other places get out and enjoy a ride!!!

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=297723&supId=296939828

Remember every dollar helps the foundation find athletes like me to guide athletes without sight to reach their dreams and give them FREEDOM!!!

The Fear of What You Can See

2010-07-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

Life is an exciting business, and MOST exciting when it is lived for others. Helen Keller

To say that I have an exciting life is somewhat of an understatement. I love challenges, mostly physical because I would never call myself a brainiac.. I usually act before I think. Case in point, if I gave myself time to think of all the things I do, I would probably spend more time thinking and less time doing. Or worse, think my self out of doing, because I am afraid. Afraid of what? Failure, afraid that I wasn't good enough, strong enough, fast enough, or smart enough. Afraid that the outcome wasn't what I had "THOUGHT" of. Afraid of the obstacles I will face because I can't SEE the future. Fearing what I cannot see.

Yesterday was a very cool day, and I am not talking about the weather. It's July in Texas.. so not cool. On the other hand, I was going to learn how to maueuver a Tandem bike. I am not talking about your regular beach cruising tandem for a leisurely stroll with a cooler on the back. I am talking about a racing road tandem bike.

This is Ron. He was teaching me this skill. Funny thing though, I showed up thinking he would first ride in the front and show me how everything worked, balancing, gearing etc... show me how to be the pilot... Well, Ron is visually impaired.

OK.. I got this. I know how to ride a bike, although my bike is a triathlon bike, which is a completely different set up on the front bars with gearing and brakes etc.. OH and the extra seat on the back. He shows me how to mount so I don't kick the back rider. (bad way to start a ride) and shows me the gearing. OK, we are ready to roll. What already? We talk about verbal cues and off we go, now with someone on the back who can see, they see the obstacles, light, cars, stop signs and so on. We take off through the parking lot and head out to start what I will call the continous loop.

We have traffic, it's 5pm. We have traffic lights, stop signs, speed bumps, parked cars and other riders and walkers. We have right turns and left turns, and I have no idea where we are. Also, it's hot so I have a water bottle that I have to reach down for at times as well, and yes, ride one handed.. SCARY some for people riding solo. Imagine with another rider on the back who doesn't see any of this. BUT, he can hear and he can feel. He is am amazing guide for me, even though I am the one who can see.

We make "the Loop" probably 5 times I think, getting faster each time, and me figuring out the gearing and braking as well. I finally figure out where the turns are so, we are now turning from the turn lane and not the center lane(almost got hit by a porsche suv) Ron was completely calm when I was telling him and said "well, at least it was a porsche, you know they have insurance:o)" I laughed we joked and I told him I would try to make sure if we got hit, let it be a porsche, we both laughed and agreed.

Now, I do have to cue him and let him know when I am drinking so he knows I have one hand off, also when I am passing, turning, and slowingdown or stopping. And when I want to stop pedaling, I don't just stop pedaling, I slow to a spin so he doesn't come leaping forward from his seat all of a sudden because I decide it was time to slow down and he is still pedaling hard.. He can feel me start to slow down.

After we were done with the loops, he asked if I wanted to do some hill climbs out of the saddle. I don't even think about it before I say sure.. We head back toward our starting point, I drop gears and we start the climb, out of the saddle, in tandem we power up the hill. I smile... Let's do it again!!

So, we head back down to the bottom of the hill. Now, I have to maneuver a tight turn, kind of like a u-turn to go back up. Well, I hesitated and we end up going the wrong way on a DO NOT ENTER street. Oops, thankfully no on coming traffic. WHEW. I go around a median, and back up we go. He told me to turn in on the next street and we could go again. I laughed and said "we went up so fast we already passed all the streets, he laughed and we called it a day."

Through all this we had great conversation, and I have made a new friend. I can hardly wait until Thursday to ride again.

This entire process is opening up a whole new world to me. My whole racing life I have cheered for the Para-Athletes. I have cycled and run past athletes with disablities for almost 20 years, I have NEVER gone by an athlete with disabilities, even when I felt my worst without saying "good job" or "you are amazing" or "you can do this". I have seen their callused and bloodied hands from pushing a wheelchair for miles. These athletes are brave, and courageous and strong.

When I first started racing in my early twenties, I was interviewed in the paper. I remember telling the reporter how grateful I was. My words " I am grateful for the body God has given me. Most people don't even think twice about crossing a street, I do. I thank God everyday for that."

"The best and most beautiful things in the world can not be seen or even touch - they must be felt with the heart." Helen Keller

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Without Limits

2010-07-13T12:50:00.000-07:00

For the next few days, I will be writing about going to NYC for the Triathlon, and sharing with you all first hand an amazing experience.

Most of you by now know I will be the Guide for a blind athlete named Myra. Myra is coming from Canada to do the NYC Triathlon. I don't really know what is more amazing, that she is blind and doing this, that she is 67 and doing this, or that she has trust in someone she has never met to guide her through this race. I will be her eyes.

The distance of the NYC Triathlon is 1500 meter swim in the Hudson. We will take a boat out to the start from what I understand and jump in. Myra will be tethered to me. I am NOT allowed to pull her forward, only to guide her swim and keep her safe.

On the bike portion, which is 40K or app 24 miles. I will be what is called a pilot. I will navigate the bike. This bike is double the size of my bike so, this is a good challenge for me, then add another person on the back and here comes muscle.

The third portion is the Run, it's a 10k or 6.2 mile run. Myra is 67 so we will be powerwalking. She will again be tethered to my waist by a chord.

I an thrilled to have an opportunity to do this and hope you will be inspired as I take you through the challenges faced when doing this sort of event, not just as a guide, but as an athlete.

Today, my task at had is meeting with a rider named Ron, who is a very well know Blind Guide here in Austin. He will work with me on the bike so I am comfortable with the bike itself and having someone else on the back. I will let you know how that goes.

My plan is to take actual video footage of as much as I can. I am hoping to get the whole race as long as it does not interfere with Myra's race. This is all about her and all athletes with disabilities who have the courage to take the steps to move forward ... SIMPLE AMAZING

As Helen Keller said "it is a terrible thing to see and have no vision" These athletes have a vision of something so much more then we with sight will ever see. Let me show you through their eyes and mine, what is possible, what is amazing, and what is heroic..

God granted me the ability and strength, now I am blessed to use it to encourage and inspire along side a true hero..

Stay tuned... for AMAZING

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Run Drills...

2010-05-16T16:51:00.001-07:00

For the sake of saving time, I did these drills in front of my house.

These drills done within your running after your warmup of about 10 minutes will help activate and condition the ancillary muscle groups in your legs and core that provide stabilization and take the load off the main muscle groups used for forward motion in running.

If we neglect the smaller stabilizer muscles, our bigger muscle groups end up over compensating and being over worked, which will in turn lead to poor running economy and even injury.

The following drills I am starting with are 1. Butt/Hiney Kick

Make sure you are hitting heel to hiney as much as possible

Next is the HIGH KNEE RUN

Next is the straight Leg Kick/Walking

Next is the Crossover Drill

Next is the Skip..Just like a child.. High knees

You can start these drills by doing 10-20 repetitions and build up top 50 yrds each.. Alternating and mixing it up.

Drills Drills and More Drills

2010-05-13T18:32:00.001-07:00

This post is mostly for those looking to understand some of the swim drills out there. Following the Black line can be a daunting task for even the most driven athlete. For someone who is new to swimming even understanding the different strokes much less being able perform them is extremely frustrating.

Here I will offer some overview into the different strokes needed to work on drills in the pool. All of these drill/strokes will help you become a more efficient swimmer if you apply the proper form and take the time to add them into every workout. Endlessly doing lap after lap is very ineffective in improving your stroke therefore your swim time will suffer.

Swimming is all about streamline and efficiency in your stroke. Proper mechanics is truly THE ONLY way to be a faster swimmer. You CAN NOT muscle your way through a swim and be competitive.

The sooner you learn to correct your stroke and stay on top of the water the more efficient you will be and this will benefit the bike and run parts of your Triathlon. You will in effect go into the Bike and Run without fatigue in the legs. Therefore a faster bike and run time to follow.

The First video is called the FingerDrag drill, keeping your elbows high and dragging your fingers forward through your stroke.

The second drill I am adding is the catch-up drill. Here you will wait for the pull arm to catch up with the glide arm throughout the stroke, this is also a good time to work on every 3 stroke breathing

Leo is narrating the swim in the videos.. He is an acquaintance from the gym and we are usually the first in the outdoor pool when it opens and last outside before it closes for the year.

Key thing to remember... KEEP YOUR BUTT UP.. push down with your head and shoulder, rotate yuor hips through your stroke. Be a sailboat NOT a Barge.

I will post more drill videos as I can.

Swim like your arms are on FIRE!!

Day 10... 10 days to Blast OFF!!!

2010-04-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

Day 10... Blasting through these next 10 days.. full speed ahead.

I woke up so sleepy that when I started the pancake process, I kept screwing it up.. I forgot all my measurements etc.. started over 2 times. I was trying to have everything done before everyone was up.. No success, they were taking the pancakes off the pan for crying out loud. I need 8 arms this morning, I can't cook fast enough.

Not to soon we are out the door and off to school. Cameron kiss "have a great day" back to the car. Morgan and I head back home and I start my usual cleaning in the morning. Laundry, dishes, vacuum, I do this every morning before I start my day, UNLESS I have an early morning workout and then I do this when I get back.

Get Morgan ready for MDO and off we go. I drop here off and run one errand and head home, I am running long today. I get home respond to a few emails as I am dressing and head out the door. I don't really have a plan, just need to be done before 1pm to drop my bike off to Gustavo and pick Morgan up.

I have about 2:20 to get it done. I take off and the weather is actually perfect. I head down to the Brushy Creek Trail today to save drive time, I just run down. It's just perfect. Today on my run, I am thinking about the racing season and my goals and where I am and where I want to be. I have to train smarter, not harder at this point to keep from getting injured. I know where I can get big gains and need to focus on that.

Somedays, when I go through these thoughts, I am a rack of nerves. I will always wonder if I did enough or if I did to much. It is such a balance. I race against some of the most talented athletes at any given point from every age group. I will always strive to be my best no matter how old I get.

At this point, I settle into my pace and just enjoy the day, the run, and the thrill that I have had with training and racing for 20 years. I have come a long way.
I hit my turn around and start to head back. At this point my plan is to run for 2 hrs 14 minutes and 40 seconds. I am doing a negative split, which means I am running back faster then when I went out. I am in a good stride when I see a woman trying to get her dog to sit so she can take his picture in blue bonnets. I ask her if I can help, so I hold her dog.. "Beckett" She gets a couple pictures. I then ask her if she'll take my picture with Beckett, I will add him to my blog. She says sure.

She takes my picture with Beckett, I ask her her name "Kim" she says. I tell her my name and the blog so she can see it. I take off and think about it a couple minutes later. I start to laugh thinking why in the world did I take my picture with her dog and not take her camera and take her picture with her dog.

So, she got pictures of me with her dog?? I think she was just happy someone was willing to help her and I just grabbed the dog so she could shoot the pictures. If I see her again, I'll take her camera so she can be in the picture with her beautiful dog and not me.. I wonder if she thought the same thing as I ran off. Quite funny actually..

I get home with some extra time so I make an extra loop to hit the time..2:14:40 exactly...

I have a few extra minutes before I head in for my shower and do some drills to stretch out my legs.. Now I have to hurry, I have 10 minutes to shower, get my bike in the car and get to VO2. No time to waste..

I get to VO2 and bring my bike in, I am getting a new cassette. Mine is worn down and has it's own shifting agenda going on. That needs some fixing. I drop off my bike knowing it's in the best hands..

I am about 5 minutes late to get Morgan, I do not like to be late. She's fine with it, happy to see me and we head to the store. I am getting some goodies for Camerons party, and snacks for the BikeRIDE/WASH fundraiser at VO2 on Friday.. PLEASE COME OUT IF YOUR READ THIS..... 4-7... Even if just to say HI we will be in the parking lot. Lot's of FUN!!!

We get to Cameron's school early and I actually want to close my eyes for just a second. Every 30 seconds Morgan asks me if I'm done.. So, that was short lived. We get out to get Cameron and the kids play "race" in the courtyard for a bit.

We head home and I let the kids work on a craft... Painting a teaset.. I give them my old Flight Attendant Shirts as paint smocks.. Just put them on backwards.. works perfectly and everyone is happy. They are busy..AND quiet..

They finish their art and then play a little game upstairs.

At 5pm I rally them up to head to Hobby Lobby. I need a few items for the his party and I am making Ribbons for us to wear on our ride on Saturday with Shauna's name on them.

On the way home I get a text "BIKE IS READY" I tell the kids we have one more errand. We head up to VO2 and Morgan is begging to go in so she can have food. I laugh. She had pizza there yesterday. I go in and my bike is LOVELY!!! New Cassette and chain AND an extra gear!!!! WOW!! They always amaze me.. I am soo excited to ride my bike.

I wanted to ride tonight but, I had to get the kids dinner and then ready for bed. I get inside and Rob already has dinner for the kids "Thank you" I say. Kids finish and get in the shower. We get done quickly because it past bedtime..

We say prays and they are asleep in no time. I have a few more emails to respond to and a little work to get done. I'd like to read tonight before I get to sleep, so I am finishing early... Until then... iSwim,iBike,iRun,iPlay, and iLove my new gears!!!

Deal Breaker...

2010-04-05T08:08:00.000-07:00

It's decision making time... You've had a long racing season and it's still going. Now you need to decide whether to use the next few races for training or push your limits and maybe risk injury. Let me tell you where I am at.

Since January 24 I ran the 3m Half Marathon, February 14 the Austin Marathon, 3 weeks later the San Marcus Half Marathon, following week Dallas Half Marathon, 2 weeks later the Zooma Half Marathon. That's adds up to a lot of races and training. My next scheduled "race" is the Cap 10k this Sunday, then next Saturday I am racing a 22k or almost Half Marathon Trail race. It the process of all that run racing, I am training for a century ride which is, you guessed it 100 miles. This means something has to give. I have to make a choice. I actually do need to get the training in on the bike, although the 100 miler is just a "ride" I don't want to suffer.

I like to ride long on Saturdays since I have the extra time and other great people to ride with. I also know I can't really ride on the weekend of the 17 because of the Trail Race on Saturday and family obligations on Sunday, ie.. my husband is racing Xterra and I have 2 small children. So, I can choose to "race" the 10k, which I won't win, and miss my long ride or ride long, get my bike miles in and just "race" on tired legs and not worry about my time. Mind you I don't say this because I have a negative attitude, I say this because I am realistic. I am not a 10k racer.

Yes, I can run a sub40 10k giving the right conditions and training but, this is not what I train for. I am an endurance athlete. I can ride and run for a crazy long time as long as I have the right nutrition, and at a pretty good clip. But not a 6 or sub 6 minute mile and that's what these 10k racers are running. So, my thinking is to get my long ride it.. "race" the 10 on tired legs knowing it will most definitely not be my best race, especially given the difficulty of this course and be happy I had a great training weekend.

Then Taper(easy training week) after that into the following week and give my 22k a better shot, knowing I won't be riding long anyways.

Understand something about racing season, athletes hit a peak season then we need a rest so we can re-group and hit it again with training, build, build, build, taper, race..ie PEAK then we have to take another break. Your every race will not be faster then the next and when you see those race times going up or your body is feeling tired, it's time for a bit of a break. I also got pretty sick last week, and I am very rarely sick so, I am thinking it's time. I don't see a PR (Personal Record) time at this race, so I just need to be smart, train, and race smart.

As a coach and athlete, I have to lead by example so I can show my athletes what I am talking about. This approach takes a lot of discipline, we always want to do our best and in racing this is great. But, we also need a plan and know when to push and when to hold back. As I have gotten older I have gotten a bit wiser. I say that loosely of course, because I am always learning. So as I go into this week of training I will plan to just "run" the 10k. I guess we'll see what happens on tired legs.. Maybe I'll surprise myself. Until then... The plan for now is to go and ride my long ride on Saturday and enjoy the sun on my face and wind in my hair.

What to do After a Big Race

2010-03-26T18:43:00.001-07:00

Now that your big race is over.... What's next? I tell everyone I coach, have a plan. Don't just have a plan for one race and that's it. Have a bigger picture. Even if it's a small race or shorter distance.

The best way to stay consistent is to keep having goals. No, you can't train hard all year. You need to give your body a little break but, you do need to keep your head in the game. After triathlon season this last year I headed right into running season. I did not have that much of a break but it has kept me focused so I can work on my running by road racing. Beside the fact that I just like to race. I have never done a race that I haven't been nervous. I am always nervous. Whether it's a 5k or an Ironman. You never know what can happen. I will never call my time on any race before hand. I have a plan but I will never really say it out loud because I just never know. I have two small children and a household to run. My kids seem to always get some crazy cough to keep me up all night during the week leading up to my races. Par for the course I guess.

Ok.. Back to what to do exactly. As a coach and as an athlete, after any big event I try to to what is called Active Recovery. NO I do NOT take the next day totally off. You need to keep moving. I will usually do an easy swim and 30-45 minute easy spin on the bike. Helps to flush out your body and those legs and helps your body recover faster. If you are not into MultiSport and don't swim then just hop on a bike.. I don't really recommend running unless your just not that sore. It really depends on the distance and what your next goal race is.

Remember to stay hydrated this helps speed recovery. I also recommend using Powerbar Recovery Drink:o).. http://www.powerbar.com/ I also like to drink those yogurt drinks from Dannon. I think they are called Fit and Light.. Pretty yummy if you ask me. One of my other staples for recovery is the compression socks, tights etc. Right now I am wearing 2xU http://www.2xu.com/ which you can purchase at http://www.vo2tc.com/ here in Austin. No they don't sponsor me to wear their stuff, I wish but I wear it anyway.. I like it. AND it looks cool.

Got IT!!!

2010-03-07T13:28:00.000-08:00

We'll I finally got that rubber chicken. Todays race was not a key race. As a matter of fact I almost didn't do in since I just ran the Austin Marathon 3 weeks ago and have another half marathon next week. But, I decided to just do it. Weather was great, overcast and 50. I felt rested and my legs felt pretty good. I knew this was a challenging course so I wanted to race smart.

We were waiting for the National Anthem to be sung but, all of a sudden it was READY, SET, GO. I didn't even have time to think, we took off. I was running with the front guys for the first 3 miles, the only girl. I tried to hang on but, knew I couldn't hold that pace not 3 weeks after a marathon. We were running sub-6:30 miles.

I was feeling good though and just put my head down and concentrated on holding my position. I had no idea how far back the next girl was and if she had a negative split(meaning she would run the second half faster then the first) I may lose my position and I really didn't feel like going full throttle I have a full schedule of races coming up and have to race smart. I looked back a few times(which I never do) so I could see that I could slow my pace but still hold my position. Then I thought about that rubber chicken... The race I thought I had won a couple years ago. The runners are pretty spread out here and I thought "what if I go off course again" what if someone catches up with me. I pushed my pace. Looking back again. I wanted to win today, and I wanted it BAD. I felt it.

I'd felt that before and remembered the heart break that has haunted me since. I was praying please don't let someone pass me now, I had the lead the whole time. Would today be my day?? JUST KEEP RUNNING I thought "you need this" "You WANT THIS" OWN IT!!! The fear of getting passed pushed me to hold on, but not go ever the edge. I was counting down those miles and they were getting shorter, I was feeling strong and the closer I got the stronger I felt, I'm gonna WIN OMG.... I'm gonna WIN. My eyes filled with tears, my heart full of joy. And that SMILE on my face well... it was HUGE! Was this my best time? NO. I ran a faster half just a few weeks ago. Was this a huge race? NO maybe 400 runners Did it matter? Yes, at this point it mattered to me. I wanted a WIN and I was going for it!!!

That last 3 miles I thought of that rubber chicken, that silly rubber chicken.. I love that rubber chicken. Today he gets a big kiss... I can finally look him in the face and say. Today I got you!! Now it's time to get ready to chase that rubber chicken next week... God Speed

So Close

2010-02-01T19:18:00.000-08:00

Ask me what I want from racing and if you really want me to be totally honest? I REALLY want to win.. NOT just my age group but overall, I want to win the race. Two years back I was so, so close you wouldn't even believe it. The race was a 20k trail run up in Marin County California and I was ready. The fact that I had run 15 miles of trails the day before didn't matter. I was ready and I LOVE running trails. I was running strong and felt like a stallion up those trails.

I took the lead at about 1 mile and stayed there I had this race in the bag I felt AMAZING. I was flying and smiling the whole time, I could taste victory for the first time in a long time and I trained hard for this. I was soooo super excited. The course was marked with red ties around turns etc... Keep in mind this was in the mountains on trails. I was running behind 2 guys, not sure where we were in relation to the finish line but I knew we probably had about 3 miles to go. the trail had a fork, one to the right and one to the left. I saw one guy in the race go left and down and the guy in front of me followed and so did I... After about 6 minutes I saw no red ties and the road dead ended. The first guy just stopped in his tracks, I looked and realized this is all wrong. Then the guy in front of me shouted I think we're off course...OMG.. I followed the guys.. OFF COURSE. I literally screamed, turned around and took off as fast as I could I lost 6 minutes in one direction the WRONG direction.

I wanted to cry but I knew I couldn't waste any energy on tears whats done is done I had to get back on course and see how badly this mistake cost me. I was running as fast as my tired legs could go and thought if I had 3 miles to finish I could make up the time!! WooHOO I was moving, in my head I kept telling myself you had such a lead just run as hard as you can. Then I heard a man shout 1/2 a mile left and I could see the girl who I passed at approximately the 1 mile mark about 1/4 a mile ahead of me. I didn't have 3 miles I had half a mile. I didn't care I ran until I felt like my legs were bleeding, even as I write this it brings tears to my eyes. I could not, for all the strength in me catch up for the time that I lost on that mistake, the mistake to follow someone else and not pay attention.

I was sooo close and one stupid mistake and I lost. I crossed the line, my face streaked with tears and dirt, my hands clutching my face. Trying to tell myself it's just a race, it's just for fun. I was falling apart.

I was met by the girl who crossed the finish line first and the race director. They thought something happened to me cause I was so far ahead she could not believe she won.

They asked what happened and I cried, I followed those two guys off the course, they were pretty upset, not only because they lost time, but that they took the lead female completely off course. In the same breath the girl said "you won this race" I looked at her and said "you crossed that finish line first, you get the prize" I walked away with my head hung low in such sadness. That loss has stuck with me more than any other race I have ever run, I am not sure why. The prize was a rubber chicken and a pair of trail running shoes, which I thought was very cool. It wasn't even the shoes, it was that stupid chicken that I wanted. I went home and even though I had a great time, I felt a deep sadness for that loss and have never completely gotten over it.

I went and bought a mini rubber chicken, it's in my cabinet in the kitchen that I open everyday so I am reminded of that race. Reminds me a little of life... Think about it. But the prize it's just a rubber chicken and a pair of shoes...

I will one day go back and claim that chicken by the way.... I'll let you know how it goes

Amazing Awaits

2010-01-19T19:36:00.000-08:00

"Amazing Awaits"is the slogan this year for the USA Olympics. I know because I was just there for USA Cycling. "Amazing" that word sure holds a ton of weight. Yes, these athletes are truly amazing at what they do, and so are the coaches and performance staff that work together to create perfection. I tried to get to the trials for the marathon, just to be a small part of something so great. I didn't make it.. But, I have never lost sight of the dream, it has just changed as I have gotten older.

Yes, I made it to the Olympic Training Center as a USA Cycling Coach. It's a course, but I was there, I felt the energy, the excitement. Maybe not in the capacity as actually being an athlete who qualifies but of one who had a dream to.

I am an athlete, I may not have made the Olympic Trials but I have never stopped training or racing... I love this sport that I do.. Running.. Cycling..Swimming. I will continue to cross finish lines hopefully stronger each time.

Now, I am excited to be able to take my knowledge of racing and training for the last 17 years and encourage other to start, or get stronger. Being a USA Triathlon, Track and Field, and USA Cycling Coach carry with them a responsibility to teach others that "AMAZING AWAITS"!! Who knows maybe one day one of my athletes will be standing on that podium!! Never Stop Dreaming!!

Get Motivated-2010

2010-01-11T19:21:00.000-08:00

2010 ... the teen years for the 2000's. Are you gonna be a rebellious teenager, or are you gonna get motivated and get it together. The choice is yours, the time is now. We are well into the month and as we get further into the year, stay focused.

What you told yourself you wanted to do, what you wanna be, who you wanna become. HARDER, BETTER, FASTER, STRONGER!! Stay Commited, don't compromise. And please don't make excuses. We all have busy lives, yes some more than others. But it's time to prioritize, the difference you make in your self will be positive when it involves your health which means it benefits everyone who is in your life. Not only will your positive attitude affect others, you might get someone else motivated. It happens like that. Be an inspiration.

I know when I look back on these years, I wanna say "I nailed it" and point to everyone I inspired and those that inspired me. We never do it alone. Help me help you!!

My teens weren't great, yes I was a rebellious teenager. But 2010 I'm looking you in the face and I feel GOOD, I feel STRONG, I may fall down but I will stand tall with my fist pumping in the air and keep moving forward.. ARE YOU WITH ME?? SAY YES!!!!!

When the Weather Outside is Frightful...Training can be Delightful!

2009-12-05T16:22:00.000-08:00

What kind of athlete are you? Are you the kind that makes excuses when the weather is cold, rainy, or just plain miserable? Or the kind that takes advantage of the opportunity to train in inclement weather?

I like to think training in bad weather can not just make us physically stronger, but mentally it's a doozie. If your a fair weathered athlete then when the weather goes bad on race day, after all that training, you gonna quit? NOT ME. That which doesn't destroy me makes me stronger. Training in extreme weather can definitely make you strong. I'm not saying don't train smart. Wear the appropiate clothing, have the right fuel, water, and let someone know where your going, especially if your going on trail runs.

Take advantage of training against strong winds and use that to help you build power and strength. Nature has given us elements to build us not just physically but mentally and just like everyday, every race can bring on those different elements. Don't let that break your mental game. When you train in any kind of weather, you can race in every kind of weather. Good weather is just the icing on the cake, but be ready for anything.

So on race day if the weather turns bad, you can have a smile on your face as big as the Grinch when his heart grew 5x the size.. Before the race starts and the reason why.. You've train in this before. Been there done that!!! See you at the finish!!!

Building your Engine

2009-11-22T07:50:00.000-08:00

The method behind the madness. I'm talking about going SLOW. Staying in a low heart rate zone. For those of you like me, this is a very trying time and takes tons of patience. I don't like to slow down. But, when you're trying to get faster, going slow in the beginning or BASE Phase is what it's all about, especially when it comes to building speed endurance.

WHY?? you ask.. Well, our bodies can adapt to being very efficient machines, but they have to be trained to do so. What I mean by this is, even for the "SKINNY" people, we all have fat to burn , we have to train our bodies to burn our almost endless fat stores rather then our carbs or glycogen stores.

What happens when we go slow? We breath slower which means our bodies are getting more oxygen in our blood. Fat needs OXYGEN to burn. When your short of breath.. this is lack of oxygen which means your fat doesn't have the oxygen it needs to be burned. Instead your body switches to carbs, and those come in a very finite supply and once those are gone our bodies start to do crazy things, actually without sugar, our brains won't work. Sugars are the source of fuel for our amazing brains. So, lets keep the brain fed and use our fat for energy, we'll last longer that way.

But if I am going slow, how in the world will I get faster? We'll your heart is becoming more efficient in this stage AND let's not forget we will add in some high drills. Just enough to produce lactate, which is also a fuel our muscles use, and flush it out with recovery. Nothing longer then 2 minutes or shorter then 30 seconds. It takes our bodies about 15 seconds to get in this zone anyways. Then for a full recovery, repeat this about 5 times and you'll be well on your way. You do this about every 3-4 days.

This type of training lasts anywhere from 3-6 weeks. Blow it and your engine will not reach it's full potential for racing. Which means NO TEMPOS, NO MILE REPEATS, Etc. Etc. and if your heart rate goes high on a run up a hill, well then, WALK!!! Same on the bike. DON'T Blow it and you know the minute you start BLOWING your Heart Rate is too HIGH!!!Let those other people pass you. Either they are truly faster, which means they're ahead of you anyways OR they don't know what there doing. They'll be eating your dirt soon enough.

Remember this phase doesn't last forever, your build will come soon enough. As well as your peak and racing then you'll be begging for your base phase ;).. Just to start the cycle over. So, be patient, be smart and enjoy this time.. cause this to shall pass

Sometimes it Just Hurts

2009-11-10T17:14:00.001-08:00

Ever have those days.. you get up and it just hurts. You have a plan but everytime you turn around you hit a wall, those are hard days. You have a hard time seeing the other side of the Hill or Mountain or whatever it is your climbing.

Whether your running, riding, swimming through that ROUGH water or just living life.. we all have days like that. Legs feel tired, shoulders hurt, heart is pounding or life just isn't what you expected it to be and it can take it's toll, not just emotionally but physically.

As an athlete, the training we do helps us to cope with all those things that create instability in our lives. We can not control the world but we can control how we react to it, and part of that is being physically fit.

Today I was riding head on into the wind.. BIG WIND, my legs were hurting and I was feeling tired. Then somewhere in that misery and pain, a grin crept across my face that only a million dollars and a brand new Corvette(paid for of course) could have made bigger.. Somewhere a switch went off and the pain turned into pleasure... PURE JOY!! Man it felt good. I LOVE THAT PLACE.

Going 30+miles an hour on a push on a straight away. I feel like I'm FINALLY slowing down, not my speed though, just me doing something for me. We rush around all day and it's when I am running fast or riding and pushing as hard as I can that I can finally BREATHE.. Let out that silent sigh "AAAAHHH" It feels good.

Just when I questioned why I do what I do.. It all fell into place, that place just for me and a satisified smile crept on my face like the cheshire cat!! I do what I do because I know that I will overcome that place of pain, that place of hurt, that place in life that sometimes just wasn't what I expected and will be able to overcome it. No, it's never easy but nothing good ever is.

Give it a try, I promise once you find that place there is no turning back

What's the KEY???

2009-11-02T18:49:00.000-08:00

What's the best way to train?? The best way to stay fit?? The best way to eat well?? The best way to build endurance??

CONSISTENCY... If I say it once I say it a thousand times, just keep on keeping on. You get up everyday and consistently brush your teeth so you don't get cavities or sometimes worse, have bad breath. You consistently go to work, eat, sleep. So what is the difference with training? Make it part of your LIFE. EVERYDAY!! The way you eat, the activities you do, even the company you keep. I'm not saying don't hang with the ...unfit... but I am saying, hang out with people who will help keep you in the best shape of your life.

Like Dave Ramsey says "you wanna be RICH.. Do RICH people things" ... I say "you wanna be FIT..Do FIT people things." and you don't have to go broke doing either!!! Maybe you'll just rub off on the unfit.. and if not then.. sad for them. As for the RICH hopefully they rub off on me:).

How do you stay consistent?? Why Brush your teeth? BECAUSE IT"S GOOD FOR YOU!!! yes, I know it only takes 2 minutes to brush your teeth and that's if your doing it correctly. And training can take up to... well that depends on you. But if you add some friends into the mix... I can train all day.. and I bet you can too!!

But everyday?? Well you sleep everyday.. Eat everyday.. So..Yes. I'm not saying workout like crazy everyday, but have a consistent schedule. Change things up. Don't run the same run everyday, but if you have to change it up. Run faster for 30 seconds a few times add some knee lifts. Do what you need to do. Build on your fitness regularly and make it part of your life everyday!!!

Eat those Carbs??

2009-10-31T11:51:00.000-07:00

The myth about Carb-Loading and why I say that. Why eat more carbs before a long distance event or any event for that matter? My first example is a 5k you don't ever need to load up for this particular distance, it's just not long enough and for that matter neither is a 10k. As a matter of fact if your doing your TAPER (which is cutting back on training before your big event) correctly, you are already dropping your energy expenditure which means... your burning less fuel and storing energy. Adding extra calories on to that if your dropping your workout only means one thing... WEIGHT GAIN.

The only weight you should be gaining before a race is from water and that's usually from decreased sweat loss. You add extra carbs and calories to less activity and to me that does not add up right.

Carbo loading doesn't mean upping your calories, it means adding carbs and taking away from something else like maybe fats. Or ideally, since at this point you should be so trained that your nutrition has been great all along and you don't have to add much except maybe starting 2 days before the race adding a sport drink like Accelerade or PowerBar drink mix. Keep things bland and usual no one likes race day surprises. AND you really don't want to feel bloated race morning. Also, adding carbs the day before the race.. that's like studying for your finals the night before.. Good Luck, but you'll probably get an F and I say you deserve it. Be PREPARED, practice during training, not during your race or you'll get a DNF and that means did not finish, which just sucks.

If you make sure your nutrition is good the WEEK/WEEKS leading up to your big event as long as you did your training... I expect nothing but a stella performance!!!!!Now GO EAT SOME NOODLES:)

Follow you Heart

2009-10-21T18:18:00.000-07:00

Following your heart, so much easier said then done. Sometimes this just leads to heart break and drama. Other times it breathes new life into us. Our heart gives us passion, love, and emotion. But our physical heart gives us LIFE.

Our hearts can tell us almost immediately if we are, or are not in shape. Sometimes it just takes a few minutes. Our hearts can also tell us if we are sick.

For training, our heart is a real indicator for how well we are doing. First thing in the morning, our Resting Heart Rate, or RHR tells us if we are overtraining, tired, or... doing everything just right.

We'll try to keep this simple because heart rate training can get a bit scientifical and complex and technical and I really don't wanna lose my crowd.

So first thing is getting a BASELINE in the morning.. RHR and by that I don't mean get up start cleaning, getting ready, drinking your coffee (for me DietDP..We all have a flaw right?) whatever you do in the morning. STOP!!

STAY IN BED.. Lay there and RELAX. Take 2 60 second counts of your pulse. Write it down, this gives you a starting place. If this goes up during training you could be overtraining or overtired. Try to keep a log and make a habit of this especially if you are training for a race.

Now for the ZONES.. And NOT the Speeding kind even though we love to speed.

For training purposes I'm going to use 6 zones:

REC(Recovery)40-50% and below- Is just that. Your body is recovering from intense physical activity

AERO(Aerobic)50-60%-this is the zone where you strengthen your heart, improve muscle mass, reduce fat, cholesterol, blood pressure and other degenerative diseases. This is not the zone that will increase your fitness, strength or endurance but it will ward off health issues.

LT(Lactate Threshold)60-70%- this zone starts burning the fat, something we all have on some level. This zone increases your bodies ability to use fat for energy or fuel.

AC(Aerobic Conditioning)70-80%-this is where you are actually increasing the size of your heart muscle, your lung capacity and respiratory rate. In this zone is where the body increases it's ability to exercise for a longer period of time.

AT(Anaerobic Threshold)80-90%-the "BURN ZONE" and it feels good, we just usually can't stay here for more than an hour. This zone is used for tempo training. Here is where we get FASTER, LEANER, and STRONGER. Our intensity here is much higher.

VO2max-this Zone is saved for all out bursts or training intervals, with recovery and aerobic zones to get the full benefits. This is an extremely High Zone and the risk for injury can be potentially high so make sure you know your zones.

Training your heart and following your zones is crucial to gaining fitness. So get out there get that blood pumping and GO BREAK SOME HEARTS!!!

Feeling FLAT?

2009-10-21T07:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't know about you, but I do not like to flat. EVER! In my life or on my bike. Sometimes flats in life take longer to fix and I am definitely not the one to ask.

But, I can help you fix the flat on your bike and you can feel confident that when it happens you can handle it and maybe even have a chance to show off your new mad tire changing skills. It takes practice though, just like training to get better, stronger and faster. Practice on the front and back, until you have it down. It may not be the fastest change but it doesn't matter. This will give you confidence when your on the road by yourself or your riding with someone who has not read this or ever changed their own tire(you'll look like a pro).

1. Rear Wheel flatted, make sure you shift into your smallest cog (gear) and the reason is it allows your cassette to slide right past your derailleur when you remove your wheel. Otherwise your struggling and pulling it around your derailleur which could get damaged if your not to careful.

2. Release your brake.. There is a lever that you move in the up position on the brake itself, open it up. Now you can take off your wheel. Make sure when you lay your bike down MOST IMPORTANTLY: MOVE TO THE EDGE!! I have seen people change tires in the middle of the bike lane.. what are they thinking?? Lay your bike down with the driveside up (Chain up). Hopefully you have a tire lever. Makes removing the tire a bit easier. Grab the rim opposite the valve stem. Pinch the tire with your other hand and put the lever in dragging it around the rim to release the tire. If you don't have a lever .. GET ONE.. or you can always pull the tire up and over the rim away from you body and use your thumbs to pinch beads over the rim at once.. Usually hurts your thumbs though.. At least it does mine.

When the beads are loose pull the tire and rim in opposite directions. It will pop off and waa-laa tear out the old tube. Give your new tube a little air to give it some form otherwise it's flopping all over the place and hard to do anything with. I usually carry a small pump. CO2 cartridges cost more and why? I'm not racing I'm riding and training. Just seems a little wasteful. But do learn how to use these as well, they come in handy on race day if you do flat. Now that your tube has some form, place it inside the tire. Before you do that though run you fingers in the inside and outside of the tire to make sure whatever caused the flat is not stuck in the tire or you'll keep flatting and if you ride 650's like me unless your close to a bike shop your outta luck.. Seems like I'm one of the only 650 riders around in my area.( that's tire size by the way, there are 2 sizes 700's and 650's) you most likely have a 700, make sure you check this before you buy spares.

4. Now put the tubes valve through the hole, holding your wheel parallel to the ground. Starting at the hole, start cinching your tire back on over the rim with each hand working opposite of the tire. Once the beads start getting tight, roll each over your rim with your thumbs and fingers, and/or the ever functional tire lever.

5. Fully inflate your tube and put your wheel back on your bike. Make sure your rear derailleur is out of the way. Now close your brake-release with the lever.

**** Super Glue****

Now if by chance your tire has a cut or hole in it carrying a small tube of super glue and putting it in the hole of your tire(not your tube) will seal that tire until you get home and buy a new set of tires which is usually the case.

NOTE**

Make sure to check that your tube is properly in your tire so you don't give yourself a pinch flat.

Before fully inflating, make sure to push up on the valve to make sure it's seated fully in that portion of the tire. This portion of the tube is thicker.

Time is Now

2009-10-19T19:49:00.000-07:00

In the final week before my next race I feel strong and confident, this is an A race for me which means it's the race I have been training for this entire time. It didn't start that way though. I was actually coaching a friend and felt that since I was doing the distance I should do the race. "Do the race" that's funny to me, and it's because I never just DO anything. I give it my all. I commit and I train, I finely balance all that life throws my way, put my head down and go foward full force.

Somedays are great, others not so great but it's putting all those pieces together in the final days that I see the results. Will I question and second guess myself? Absolutely, every single day. Even as I race I have to struggle with that, I think we all do on different levels. Just today as I was swimming the words I told myself over and over.. You are a FIGHTER, You are STRONG especially when that self doubt starts to creep in.

For as long as I can remember I have struggled with self doubt. For as long as I can remember I have stared that self doubt in the face and said "I'm going for it anyways." The Time is Now .. I don't want to look back and wish I could have done more. What do you want to do.. Go out there and Just do it!!!