Wahine Sprint Triathlon Race Report

Race List this year:
March 16 - Shamrock Run 8K: DONE!
April 6th - Beaver Freezer Duathlon - 12 mile bike, 3 mile run : DONE!
May- might have to look for a 10K in here. I had lots of stuff to do this month, including 2 vacations and a little cold. Glad in retrospect no races here.
June 7th - Blue Lake Sprint Triathlon: DONE!
June 15th - Hagg Lake Olympic Distance Swim: DONE!
June 27th - Pacific Crest Triathlon Olympic Distance Triathlon: DONE!
And I planned out the rest of my summer-ish...
July 20 Girlfiends and Dudes Sprint Tri - missed this!
August 2 Wahine All Women's Triathlon: DONE!
August 9 Huckleberry Half and 10K- running the 10K!
August- Run 100 miles this month
September and beyond unknown!

I heart the Wahine Sprint Triathlon!

Unlike every other race this year, I trained not-at-all for the swim, or the bike in the last month since the Pacific Crest Oly in June.

And I didn't think I would do this one...this week physically, mentally, and spiritually has been tough.  Allergies, lady time, and new pet stress have made it a real uptight week.

We recently adopted a dog, and she has got some issues! (who doesn't...).  But has also come a long way with her leash skills.  She has been passed around a lot, and is just beginning to trust us (many have said to really trust it will take a while).  Any other dog adopters out there feel free to share comments about adopted pets, cause our family could use the encouragement (positive ones!).

With all the commotion of the new pup, I have been running and lifting weights and walking the mammal.  And training the folks. Planned swimmage has floated by on the planner!  I have done a few HIIT sessions on the bike in the last three weeks, but no real out-in-the-world biking.

I told Mike, the Snuggle Partner,  I might do the Wahine last night, I woke at 7 am and knew the race started at 9:00, that's plenty of time.  Quickly packed, Mike walked the pup, and set off.  As much as I was unprepared, I knew I needed to go, to muster through and do something fantastic to shake off the week.

The race really started at 8:00 and I rolled in at 8:04.  In sixteen minutes, I registered, got my pile of stuff, dropped off my pile of stuff, made a second trip to the car, and hopped in the water.  I usually like to get there way early, and set everything up just so, warm up and trigger point prep.  You have seen my lists, and the many goals set from past posts...this was not that kind of party.

I was the last kid in the water.  In a total sweet move they did not have to do, the AA sports crew allowed me to have my own single lady wave.

I went out right after the Tri-it groups, technically "in" the family and friends wave, but swimming the course all on my own.

Three goals today:

1) finish.
2) enjoy the day.
3) repeatedly thank AA sports staff.

DONE AND DONE!


This race was held at the same locale as the Blue Lake Triathlon, in the Blue Lake Regional Park.

Knowing the race course proved really powerful for me in this race and races past.  Saturday morning I knew what to expect in every discipline.

SWIM:

I am thrilled with my time, considering the last time I splashed around was a little more than a month ago at the Pac Crest triathlon.

I swam it in 21:53, and had to completely stop a few times, due to no group to follow, had my old goggles on, and sun in the eyeball.  But also out of practice, no warm up!  Last time at Blue Lake I swam it in 18:29! I am totally good with the lapse, consider there have been no laps.  I also have been plagued with terrible jokes and puns this week.  Really...it was a challenging week!



BIKE:

I held down a slower pace than last time (once again, cool with that as I have not been on my bike once in a month), a 16.57 mph average versus 17.3, and appreciated the relatively flat course.  This is an all lady tri.  There is a clear sweet vibe and one of my favorite sites was a mom, and her two daughters.  All three were wearing matching gear, and one of the kids lifted legs out to the side "weeeeeeee!" style in total celebration on her bike.

RUN:

I felt awesome this run, very little discomfort in the tootsies, and totally enjoyed not feeling all crumple yet was slower again, maybe the cumulative effect of the decreased volume of running? My time was a 10:33 mile versus 10:17, and overall time was 1:44:03.  I was 1:38:28 in July dutifully training like a boss.

Very proud, and since I was a late-late-latey I came is second in my group...which was the friends and family group to allow peops of multiple ages to be in the same wave, I got a second place medal.  Keep in mind, this was a non-competitive bracket of 5 people...I am keeping my medal! (to be sung to the tune of Papa Don't Preach!)

Check out how cute the Wahine medal is...little flippity-flop styles!

Awesome things to note:

• AA sports, once again, so organized and gets it all done right
• This all women tri has a great vibe.  I love the standard Jock Jam line up, but being uber inspired  from 7 am to noon by bumping music can be a bit much sometimes.  The chill jams were soothing and lovely.
• Blue Lake Triathlon and this event are tied for best-event-ever for first timers. The Wahine is a bit smaller. The not-so-huge field is nice, but big enough there is always a competitor close
• Music was lovely, real deal drumming by Hawaiian band, and healthy choices, and a FROZEN YOGURT FOOD CART.
• Kids tri also well run
• Blue lake is warm, no wet suit!

Running once was my strength in the triathlon, and now it's time for it to be so AGAIN.  The rest of the year is all about getting those running chops back, gaining muscle, and living up this last month of summer.

I signed up for this challenge, any one else interested?  Also, 25, 50, 75, are good goals too, if this one is not a good fit, maybe you can make your own!

100 miles in August challenge!

A GOOD YEAR: Happily ever after

I'm sitting here reflecting on the last year and trying to figure out how to summarize 365 days that encompass such profound change for me. In re-reading my first blog post from July 2, 2013 it seems like I nervously hit "post" on Facebook last week and at the same time, it feels a lifetime ago.

I began this journey because I noticed myself getting out of breath going up a flight of stairs. After talking more with Beth about the program I realized that I had some additional goals if I was really going to do this: I wanted to get physically and mentally stronger. I wanted to eat food that gave me energy instead of making me lethargic. I wanted to feel less anxious and get over my depression. And ultimately, I wanted to find new ways to enjoy life and relase stress.

To be honest, I didn't really feel like all that was possible. The world was a pretty dark place to me and setting and achieving goals of any sort seemed like a long shot. Knowing that was at the back of my mind going into this program, I am even prouder of what I achieved. I'm immensely pleased to announce that since this adventure began last July I've lost 34 pounds. That translated to 2.5 inches from my bust, 3.5 inches from my waist, 1.25 inches from my arms, 4 inches from my hips, 1.5 inches from my leg, and 2.5 inches from my chest. I've gone from buying size 18 pant at Lane Bryant to size 14 petite jeans at Banana Republic. Being able to find a size that fit me at a regular store is seriously one of the greatest moments I've ever had. I can't put into words how freeing that felt.

Before (July 2013) and After (July 2014)

 

Key non-scale victories I've achieved include:

• Discovering the benefits of strength training: Lifting weights has helped me get smaller but also given me new power and ultimately helped heal my back pain.
• Moving more easily: I picked up a 20lb bag recently and it was heavy. Then I started thinking about how hard my body would have had to work to lug around those 34 pounds last year. It is no wonder getting up the stairs was hard work! It is uplifting to think about how much better I can move with that weight off my shoulders... literally.
• Realizing that what I eat impacts more than just my weight: A few months ago I cut my sugar intake back significantly and stopped eating processed foods. This would have seemed impossible a year ago. I went from eating ice cream with Cool Whip on it every night to making green smoothies. I make almost all of my meals from scratch and read lables obsessively. While eliminating sugar from my diet is still a struggle, I've seen a tremendous drop in my anxiety and a lightening of the depression from limiting myself to whole, healthy foods.   
• Exercising because it makes me feel good: Working out is a critical part of my day. I feel so much happier and less stressed when I go to the gym or go walking and I genuinely enjoy it. I like having time in my own head walking, on the elliptical, or riding the bike, and listening to good music. It helps me feel calm and relaxed and just happy.
• Sobering up: It turns out I don't mix well with alcohol and while I could write an entire year-long blog on that topic, there is already a great blog post you may have seen that sums up my feelings so eloquently. But suffice it to say that I have gone a year without a drink and feel dramatically better.

When I wrote that first blog post, I secretly hoped that this post - my "after" - would be like The Biggest Loser and I'd be showing off my tiny new physique as though my life was a montage set to upbeat music where everything works out in the end. And while I'm very proud of my weight loss, the dramatic reveal is really comprised more by changes you can't see on the outside: I've grieved for the way I thought my life would turn out. I've let go of a lot of anger and am working to forgive myself for the decisions I made and the hurt I caused others. I've sought enlightenment and levity as I work to overcome my personal obstacles. I've discovered that tiny miracles everywhere and realized we often don't see them until much further down our path. And I've found gratitude for the people in my life who took me in, propped me up, talked me down, and got me out of the house when I needed them to. I'm blessed with friendships that have lasted more than 20 years and extended family that supported me regardless of how long I'd been away.

Time heals old wounds is an old adage that has really held true for me. But the expression implies that healing just happens. It doesn't account for all the hard work and perseverence it takes to keep from growing hard and bitter when things get really tough. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my hard work and perseverence with you as I worked through a tough period.

This isn't the end of my story, though. Everything isn't perfect and I'm not riding off into a happily ever after. It turns out that doesn't exist. My back pain still flares up. I still struggle to reign in my eating. I get massive sugar cravings. I am an emotional eater and my portions need to be smaller if I want to get past the plateau my weight has settled into. Even eating healthy food still needs to be done in moderation and that's not easy for me.

Me still having problems is actually good news because it means that Beth has invited me to contribute on a more regular basis going forward! I'll be trying to solve my pain issues, testing new recipes, trying new fitness classes (please God not the aeriel dance again!) So, keep an eye out for my new posts that will be under the banner of "A GOOD LIFE" and keep an eye out for the inaugural blog of my successor. He is someone I don't know very well but already feel a strong kinship!

Cathy

Heart, Soul, and Body

I am so lucky to have met this guest blogger.  Darci has a fierce passion for running, and it has helped reignite my passion for running, which has been a touch and go relationship since an accident last year. Although I am so sorry an injury steered her my way, I am grateful to have been touched by her infectious desire to run. Darci is training for an upcoming half and will run in the mother of all relays, Hood to Coast, in August.

A few weeks ago, well 7 weeks, 4 days and 13 hours ago, I was told by a doctor that I may never be able to run again. I was diagnosed with unexplained, sudden onset peroneal nerve dysfunction. Or drop foot. Essentially it meant that I couldn’t flex my foot up or to the side, so walking was tricky and running, skipping, jumping were mostly impossible. I spent many hours in the emergency room, ruling out things that sound as awful as they are in real life, and  was told I was fit as a fiddle…well, except for this one little nerve that turned itself off for some unknown reason. I was handed a boot to help me walk and, with the tip of their hat, they sent me home to ponder my new life.

 

Let me back up. I am a runner. I am not a great runner, but in my book, anyone who runs a mile, on purpose and not because they are being chased down, is a runner. I run every day. For me, running is my breath. It is my space. It is the beginning of my day. It is the mirror that I hold up to myself every morning. Over the years I have become addicted to it in the way that one would feel addicted to a beloved spouse. I have measured my life and personal development and growth through miles and PRs and number of races run. I have spent hours with myself in the rain and the sun and the darkness of night. I know myself through running and I have found peace inside my own brain and wandering mind as my legs wander the streets and paths that have become a second home to me.

 

I love running.

 

And a doctor proclaimed, with a sad shake of his head and eyes that told me that he didn’t understand my love, that it was highly likely I would not be running for at least a year, if not ever.

 

So home I went to ponder.

 

And the truth is, even when my foot refused to flex, I just didn’t believe it.

 

My foot was partially paralyzed for sure. The universe had spoken. It had given me some message. It had taken running from me. But let’s be clear. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t all that dramatic. I could drive, I could clean my house, I could work, I could take the kids to soccer practice. Basically the universe had not taken anything away from me. Except the thing I loved the most. The thing I needed the most. Don’t get me wrong, I love my husband and kids. I need my husband and kids. I also love and need my parents, and chocolate chip cookies. But running. Well, running is me. And it was gone.

 

But the truth is, even when my toes refused to wiggle, I just didn’t believe it.

 

I have always had the attitude that if I wanted something, or if I made a plan, I could make it happen. I could will it to happen. I could move forward with my plans and expectations for my life with little regard to the forces at play. I have given up stability and moved to foreign lands on a whim. I have started private practices. I have jumped out of planes. I have run half marathons while injured, while sick with the flu. I have run countless miles with a broken bone in my foot. I can make a decision and will it to be. Mind over body. Mind over matter. Mind over reality. I was, essentially, all in my head.

 

The truth is that this mirror I was holding up to myself every morning may have brought me a form of inner wisdom and peace, but it wasn’t a full-length mirror. I never looked at the full picture.

 

It was time to step back. Take a broader look. Actually consider my full self, perhaps for the first time. My left peroneal nerve, one teeny tiny little nerve said “Hey you up there, you, the one stuck in your head. Look down here. Look at your body. It matters.”

 

So while I didn’t believe it, I also finally found a profound understanding of the fact that my body is real. And it’s connected to my brain. And it will not be ignored. It is complex and complicated and deserves as much love and attention and respect as my thoughts, my heart and my soul.

 

So this time, I listened to my will and my heart and my body. I knew I would run again. But I knew I couldn’t just will myself to do it. I had to actually become one with my own body. I had to look in the full-length mirror. For real.

 

So I took a deep breath. I found the right people to work with me. I listened to them. I listened to my body. I trusted myself and my body and my mind.

 

And I am running again. I did my first run, 2 miles, exactly 3 weeks to the day of my diagnosis. And now, 7 weeks and 4 days later, I am almost back up to my pre-injury mileage. And I feel great.

 

Running has again become my space, my breath, my respite from a busy life. It has again become the mirror that I hold up to myself every morning, but now it is a full-length mirror. It not only shows me where I am mentally and emotionally, but where I am physically. I am learning to be a keen observer of my body in the same way I was to my mind.  

 

And now I know a deeper truth about my life. I can’t just will things, or myself, to do something. It takes more than that. Yes, will is important. But so is listening to your gut, to your instincts, to your body, to your left peroneal nerve. Drive is important, but so are the people that you chose to put in your life. Heart and soul are crucial, but they are nothing without the body. I need all three. And I need all three, not just to run around the block or run the next marathon, I need all three to be present as a partner and a mom and a psychologist and a friend. I need all three to truly thrive in my life. It doesn’t mean I will always feel great or that all three will be pain free. But the path, the work, is to strive for balance. To listen to the quiet signs (and the not-so-quiet signs) that each part brings to the picture.

 

I run because I can. I run because I must. I run because I am.

 

My sincerest gratitude to Beth Trimark, Physical Therapist and Personal Trainer, for listening to my heart and body and helping me do the same.  

Pac Crest Race Report

Race List this year:
March 16 - Shamrock Run 8K: DONE!
April 6th - Beaver Freezer Duathlon - 12 mile bike, 3 mile run : DONE!
May- might have to look for a 10K in here. I had lots of stuff to do this month, including 2 vacations and a little cold. Glad in retrospect no races here.
June 7th - Blue Lake Sprint Triathlon: DONE!
June 15th - Hagg Lake Olympic Distance Swim: DONE!
June 27th - Pacific Crest Triathlon Olympic Distance Triathlon: DONE!
And I planned out the rest of my summer-ish...
July 20 Girlfiends and Dudes Sprint Tri
August 2 Wahine All Women's Triathlon
August 9 Huckleberry Half and 10K- running the 10K!
September and beyond unknown!

I did the Pacific Crest Olympic Triathlon last weekend Sunday!  SO many learning points!

This race is gorgeous, set in and around Sunriver, Oregon, near Bend.  This area is so yummy for your eyes, the Sisters, Mount Bachelor, and all the beauty the high desert holds.  It is a part of a mega weekend of events.  There are two days of events: s a kids tri (think bounce house, run through pool, bike and run, very fun!), a long distance tri (half iron man), a marathon, a half marathon, 5K, 10K, and 2 supported bike rides, phew!

Before I left, I made an all inclusive list, I did not want to get there and not have my gear.

BIG LIST 

In our crew, we had Ryan, rocking a half marathon in 2:08 minutes, AT ELEVATION! He accomplished that feat on Saturday.  That's less than a ten minute mile...awesome. And myself, Emily, and Danielle all took part in the Olympic Triathlon.  AND not to forget the fearless littles, Etta and Sarah did the kids tri!  Also new-to-me-friend Mike was ready to shred the Oly too.

Let's start at Saturday night, Danielle, Emily and I packed up our gear, going piece by piece through every leg of the race, packing all the required equipment we would need.  Typically, there is one spot for transitions in a triathlon but sometimes there is two.  The latter is the case for the PAC CREST Triathlon.

Danielle had the great idea to pack two bags in the morning, one for each site, so it was a no-brainer come morning times.

We also agreed to head out a bit earlier this year,  we got to the water just in time last year to set up and Emily had to immediately hit the water!

My Goals:

1. Prep body with rolling out after car ride to Sunriver - done
2. Be prepared by packing all items - done
3. Get there early so have time to sun lube, set-up - done, still got burned to hell
4. Shave some time off swim - DONE!
5. Shave some time off bike - DONE!
6. Except whatever happens on the run - it was a toughy.  Still in the accepting process.

I have said this before, but I set lots of goals.  I met so many! And they were reasonable based on my training and how things were going.  These are all really relevant to me;  it is essential that I loosen up my body, and pre-pack.  Day of race, my brain is also racing and I need that day to be as automatic as possible.

This year, I estimated my miraculous-do-no-wrong-running-goes-so-well time (11 min mile) at 3 hours 33 minutes, my long-end-of-things prediction being to beat last years time of 3 hours 58 minutes.  I ended up with an overall time of 3:53.39. I will take it!

Here's how it all went down:

We got up early! And we were so prepared, a quick efficient dolling out of our goods at T2, then Ryan, having raced the day before, shuttled us to the start.  T2 is transition 2 where you stow your bike and lace up your trainers.

T2, or transition 2, where we will dismount our bikes, and switch to running shoes.

Here is my little nest, I put down a towel and weirdly have two pairs of running shoes.

I changed shoes and socks, my feet get so cold on the bike ride I am experimenting with how to make the bike to run transition better.

I didn't know which pair I would go with...I have been having such a hard time with my feet, I WAS going to wear my old "high heeled" running shoes because they had been the best option post bike ride during my last triathlon.  On the Friday before the race,  the toes box started seriously hurting my pinky toe on my last pre-race run.

I brought my two newest pairs, never had much running in them.  It is highly NOT RECOMMENDED to try something new on your race day.  I just new that I couldn't use my oldies and have a happy day.   I'd rather walk it all and not crowd my feet.  I ended up running in my Altras to the left and my feet felt great!

From here, we enjoyed the drive to the reservoir.  It takes a solid 30 minutes to get there, plan on that!  

You also had to jam all your gear into your bag before heading out on the bike.

Transition one, after the swim, you strip your wetsuit (I like to sit on my bucket), dab a bit of water off, helmet and shoes and sunnies on and roll out on your bike.  I usually have two towels.  One for my nest and another for a quicky post-swim wipe down.

Once we were all set it was time to put on wetsuits, and get warmed up in the water, which is a bit of  an oxymoron since the water was about 64 degrees.

The swim went off in waves, and this year Emily, Mike, and Danielle were also in my age group.

Das Schwimmen: .9 miles = 34 minutes 42 seconds

This is the first time I suited up and felt none, no internal wiggles at the swim.   Not sure if that was because my friend, Emily, was there and we were being silly right up until the start, or comfort from experience.

This also was what I had been practicing since February for...to come out of the water less traumatized and more able to get at it on the bike and run.

I have been in the pool and open water more this year than any other year of triathlizing since 2003. And I started right in the mix, looking to battle for position and hang with the big kids.  Last year I swam it in 38:03, this year I pulled in at 34:42.  That was a super duper win.  I am very pumped about this shift!

I ACTUALLY passed people!

Passed them, schwoop!  Oh, I was still passed and swam over too, but what a thrill to not just survive the swim but thrive a bit.

Check this out if you can see, Emily and Danielle shaved loads of time off last year as well! Danielle's time is not picture here but she tore it up, finishing in 3 hours and 5 minutes!  She was in the top 15 of our age group!

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OHHH, Das Biking: 28 miles = 1 hour 50 minutes 20 seconds

This bike course is no-jokesters.  The first 14 miles are a series of ups ups ups and also up, did I mention the climbs?  And just to keep it fun, mile 12 to 13 is a one mile climb!  Then reward city, ripping 30-34 miles an hour downhill!

Last year I held down a 14.3 mph average, and this year 15.6 mile per hour.  I like it!

Last year, (My First Olympic Triathlon) I had done a sprint triathlon the week before and felt pretty tired at the start...and it was 95 plus degrees in the high desert.  That was a test of mental and physical  power.  I also noted to taper harder in that post, should have reread that post prior to this one!

This year, I trained per my coaches directions, and did a decent ride the weekend before, 28 miles, and another 13 miles the Tuesday before.  I really wanted to follow my coaches instructions to the "T" this year.  I am so grateful for the coaching from Shawn Bostad at Upper Echelon fitness.  He has a wealth of experience, and endless encouragement.  During group workouts, I would hit a wall or feel downtrodden or frustrated at being at the back of the pack and he always picked me up.

I totally shaved 6 minutes off the previous year's time.  I did do a lot more hill training this year and a lot more long rides and I think this is where I squeaked out a little more speed.

I did have a bit of a mechanical issue on the downhill.  I could not shift into my big wheel as my bike is over ten years old and just could not get the derailier to do it's thing with the intense vibration.  Some sections of the road are rough.  Not full of potholes but the asphalt is older and sits in the desert sun daily.  I am not sure how much faster I could have gone if the shifting was going better.

I once again felt pretty tired at the start of the bike and kinda demolished at the run start.

Hmmmmm, IF I do this race next year, I am going to taper much harder, and maybe go up a few days before, versus a day and a half.  I also just couldn't nutrition up really well on the bike, my tummy just wasn't having it.  Next time I would push food in the mouth hole and get it down regardless of what my stomach thought.

The Runner: 6.2 = 1 hour 20 minutes

My friend Emily, so kindly hovered in T2 area, thinking maybe we would enjoy the run together.  I already knew as I dismounted my bike this was going to be a tough run.  I was so tired in my leggies.

We walked out of T2 after running past families to high five, and I had just a scooch of the prior issues I had in the last couple races (see Beaver Freezer Duathlon,  Blue Lake Triathlon) with the foot ache.  The new wider bike shoes have been key in solving that issue.

Emily looked good, felt good and went ahead.  My legs were scrambled.  I knew I had to just put keep moving for the next hour or so.

I didn't have a treasure trove of successful runs to lean on, but I knew I would finish.  I made tiny goals, "run until the next cross walk", "walk the hill, run the downhill".

I did my best and walked ran the next 6.2 miles, just slowly peeling off the miles.  I ended up being 5 minutes slower this year.  I would mwah mwah that one BUT it's not a huge surprise for me.  I transitioned to a zero drop shoe this year, lost a lot of muscle, gained 15 pounds, and have had really up and down showings with the run.  During my training runs, I have had to skip some workouts and straight up run less frequently because of ouchies in the feet.

I am so happy to feel truly recovered from my car accident.

And how could I mwah mwah when I kicked some booty cheeks on the swim and the bike? And I KNEW coming into this one, the run would be a question mark.

I FINISHED and look at my buddies helping me towards the finish line!

I didn't know they were gonna boost me but I SO appreciated it!

That was my big tri for the year, I have a couple more sprints and running races planned but my next phase is to shine up my running AND PUT ON SOME MUSCLE!

Endurance training is great, but I am more interested in adding muscles, and would rather put time into that sector of life.

And shake off the 15 pounds I put on since last year.

IF YOU ARE CONSIDERING THE PAC CREST TRI, know this:

1. It's at an elevation of about 4,000 feet, and it might behoove you to train at high elevation or get there a few days earlier.  (I got their Friday night, my buddies got there Thursday night).
2.  The bike course and the run course are minimally shaded, out there in the open.  Wearing sunblock will only help so much, to truly be sunburn free you will have to cover your shoulders.
3. Practice biking hills!
4. Their is a bus shuttle and a bike shuttle!  I have used the bike shuttle and there was a scratch or two on my bike after each time, if you are very particular about your bike you may prefer bringing it yourself.  The bus shuttle is nice because race start is about 30 minutes by care from Sunriver at the Wikiup reservoir.  We had a very nice shuttle driver in our buddy Ryan but you have resources available if you want to get there way early or not disturb a family member.
5. TOT FRIENDLY!  Sunriver has safe, paved and (supervised by Sunriver safety employees if you get lost) bike path's, a water park, a grocery store, shopping, restaurants, playgrounds, condos, etc.  If you have kids, there is lots to do!
6. Split up your transition bags for race day!  Then you need zero double checking day of.
7. It's hard BUT so doable.
8.  The swim is a two-looper, just FYI.  You will be passed by later waves.  I do not love this...I do not hate this...it just is...
9. Have support to shuttle you to pick up your stuffs, you will be tired and the pick up closes round 2 pm.

My dad is a caveman.

My dad is the guy who welds stuff for all the other guys in the neighborhood, lends out tools, loves to barter, and workity work work. And eat my mom's food. And cruise Ebay for boat parts.

My dad has moved his body quite a bit in his lifetime.  He is somewhere in his seventh decade, has huge rough hands, and is crazy strong.  He all at once owned his own business, and worked a full time job as an metal model maker at Chrysler, one of the Big Three automakers in Michigan.  He has always had a wicked strong work ethic.

He built our house from the ground up.  He taught me how to lay brick and reroof a house like all the other ten year old girls.   He even knows how to operated the scoopy move-the-earth thingy and a high-lo.

One thing he is not, is a life long exerciser. In the past, work was his exercise.

As for other family members and exercise habits, I have always enjoyed sports and body moving, from age of 5 to the present day, it is my therapy.  Working is when my dad is happiest.

My brother, also a caveman, is instantly good at everything he tries (annoying!) and is more of a sit-ups, push ups type guy, who weighs exactly the same as he did in high school (double annoying!) and has a permanent six pack, eats whatever he wants, AND is a smoker.  We can talk about that another time...

My mom has always kept moving and "loves her Denise Austin", bikes, walks, yoga-cises, and works out with me online twice a week.  She is also crazy strong, but doesn't like to mess up her hair or get "too sweaty".

I never really thought my Dad would be interested in exercise.  But I was wrong.

He unfortunately had a whack EKG in 2008, and was immediately admitted for an angioplasty and had a stent placed in his heart.  We have a strong history of cancer and cardiac disease on his side of the family.  He is a survivor of bladder cancer as well.  

He came through like a champ, but it sucks to see your dad in the hospital.  He had the option to go to cardiac rehab but didn't go.  I remember feeling worried and really hoping he'd change his lifestyle but also knowing that lasting change has to be his idea.  That is true for all of us.

He had another catheritization and more stents in 2010, and lo and behold this tough-salt-of-the-earth-rather-be-working-than-doing-anything-else-guy... went to cardiac rehab!  Consistently, and no surprise to me, made connections and friends there.  

This inspires me because you never know when someone is going to change.  It is a reminder to always leave the room and possibility for people to make a different choice.  Always have faith, and be a cheerleader. 

Anyway, my dad is amazing, tough, hard working, and generous with his time.  

He has not been 100% consistent since 2010, but he always gets back to it.  He still works out and now has free gym access part of his medicare benefit, hooray for Silver Sneakers, and hooray for my dad!  Work still takes priority, but exercise is now something he calls familiar.

A GOOD YEAR: Keep on truckin'

This is one of Cathy's last blog posts for her GOOD YEAR experiment of finding health that is sustainable.  SO I am proposing a new challenge to her, but also looking for a new candidate for a year long health overhaul.  Are you or someone you know ready to make small changes over a long period of time?

Email me at beth@gotrainingwithbeth.com if you or someone you know is all in!

This is Cathy's May/June summary.  We did make a monthly plan that included travel plans and ideas, and how many days are fair to expect to workout out while away from home.May was a huge traveling month for Cathy, and June was a journey to take some next steps for her low back, read on!

In May, I traveled for almost three weeks. The trip took me from Kalamazoo, MI to Charlotte, NC to Atlanta, GA. I would apologize when I show up at a friend's house to stay because my suitcase was huge and ridiculous. Moving it was serious strength training in and of itself.

I planned super carefully before the trip to keep up with my fitness routine and even joined Anytime Fitness so I had access to a gym everywhere I went. Ironically, the locations in Charlotte and Atlanta that were most convenient were also closed for renovations. No matter! I still got outside and got outside to walk a lot.

The entire trip was fantastic but the Atlanta leg was big for me. I went down to visit my friends and test out how it felt to be back in a city that was home for a long time. I moved down right after graduating from Michigan State for a job at an aeronautics manufacturing company. The intent at that time was to stay long enough to get some good work experience and then move back to the Detroit area. Thirteen amazing years later I finally found myself leaving a city I love, not because I wanted to relocate, but because I needed a lot of propping up from my family (biological family and friends-forever family).

I came back down twice in 2013. The first time to pack up my apartment and move everything into storage and the second time to visit with friends. Across both visits I was incredibly tense and anxious and found myself reliving a lot of the darker moments in recent history in my head.

This visit, however, was 100% enjoyable - I saw friends, stuck to my healthy routine, and even got a lot of walks in!  My friends were amazing - they went out of their way to go on walks with me, plan hiking adventures, and make sure I had food that fit my plan. The trip helped me realize that how truly fortunate I am to have such wonderful people in my life across the country.

Sweetwater Creek State Park - Great hiking trails with a great family! (I didn't take this picture but it was totally that pretty!)

When I got back from my trip i had another gnarly back flare up in May... then three weeks later in June. By that point, I was pretty fed up. So I finally went to a orthapedic surgeon and now have two weeks of physical therapy under my belt. It's been three weeks since my last flare up - a new record!

I also reworked my work station to put myself in a better ergonomic situation after some confessions to Beth about working from the recliner. Working at home has a lot of benefits, access to casual seating, it turns out, is not one of them.

Feeling better physically has made a huge difference in my perspective. I've talked about the power of pain before. When my back is out, it is crippling physically and emotionally. I still managed to stick pretty closely to my sugar free/no processed food lifestyle but did have a few days where the need for ice cream was stronger than my will power. Fortunately, with this lifestyle makeover I no longer give up completely when I experience minor setbacks and yeah, so a Dairy Queen cone and sprinkles found there way into my belly (read = processed and high in sugar) - I'm back on my game and on track.

My weight has remained flat - both a surprise and relief - and my enjoyment of exercise remains. I'm doing cardio four days a week and strength training twice a week at physical therapy. I'm focused mostly on upper body but it's a start and that feels good.

In addition, I'm back to yoga again and even got through my first vinyasa class the other day! Vinyasa is a more vigorous form of yoga that left me sweating at the end of class with sore muscles the next day. I have really come a long way with yoga this year. When I began this adventure, I found it so difficult to quiet my mind for any length of time and could not mentally let go in order to enjoy the class. But when I went this past Sunday I noticed I didn't have racing thoughts while I was there. I am able to listen to my breath, hear the instructor's voice, and relax. If the occasional stray thought does appear, I simply acknowledge it and let it go.

My next goal is to start meditating briefly throughout the day. I'm still guilty of clenching up pretty much constantly and while yoga gives me a break, there are still 23 more hours in the day. I've found that when I do meditate, even briefly, I can let that go and in those quiet and still moments, find real relaxation.

With all of this, I've felt so good and feeling good translates to steps forward! With that, my latest milestone has arrived.. I've found a fabulous pet friendly apartment that is walkable to a really nice litte downtown area here in Michigan. I move in August and can't wait for this next step. I was really, really torn between staying in Michigan and going back to Atlanta. This was especially tough after my trip in May because it really felt like home to be there. Having said that, Michigan is where I want that to be for the next step and I'll see what comes after that.

So where does that leave me? Careening toward then end of my GOOD YEAR! I began this adventure back in July of 2013 and I can't wait to reflect on all that can happen in 365 days!

Blue Lake Triathlon and Hagg Lake Swim RACE REPORTS

Double Race Report coming at ya!

Race List this year:
March 16 - Shamrock Run 8K: DONE!
April 6th - Beaver Freezer Duathlon - 12 mile bike, 3 mile run : DONE!
May- might have to look for a 10K in here. I had lots of stuff to do this month, including 2 vacations and a little cold. Glad in retrospect no races here.
June 7th - Blue Lake Sprint Triathlon: DONE!
June 15th - Hagg Lake Olympic Distance Swim: DONE!
June 27th - Pacific Crest Triathlon Olympic Distance Triathlon
July- Going to work something in this month!
August 22-23 - Hood to Coast Relay (Each person runs several legs and each runner does anywhere from 16-26 miles total…unique event to train for) If this doesn't pan out that's ok…
September 21 - Half-Marathon Beat the Blerch in Washington
October - hmmmm. Maybe need to scout out something here.

Two more races under my belt for the summer!

I had to through the fear quote out there, because this is the FIRST TRIATHLON I didn't feel a fear nugget at the beginning.

I felt able.

In the past, I was totally intimidated but pushed on anyway!  I am so proud of the Beth that plunged into the water for the first time in 2004.

And the difference is all the swim help I have had.  I believe this was the 12th outdoor triathlon I have done. My usual approach to race season would go as such: I just barely get in enough swimming to remember what water was and how you move in it.  This season I really wanted to improve and I have been swimming pretty consistently since late February, and a lot of those swims had coaches.

For my first triathlon of the season, I chose a sprint. This is the shortest length of race in the world of triathlon and a great intro to the season for me.  This particular race is considered one of the season openers here in the Pacific Northwest.

Sprint triathlons consist of a swim between 500-800 meters, then take a 12-15 mile biker, and end with a 5K.

The Blue Lake Triathlon had an extra grand feature:  a My First Tri division, with a shorter but still challenging swim that was 400 meters, or a quarter of a mile.

The biggest hurdle for any new triathlete who did not spend time on a swim team is the first leg of the triathlon.  Offering a slightly shorter swim let's first timers get the challenge, but not be overwhelmed.  Well done, Blue lakers!

Other fine features of Blue Lake:

• Super duperly well organized
• Pretty much closed to traffic fast and flat bike course
• Cozy water temp!  I wore a wetsuit but was quite comfortable
• Kept announcing swim course over and over again, which is helpful!
• Nice tree-filled park with shade 
• Parking close to race so didn't have to haul goods to far
• Covered pavilions close to transition area nice spot to stretch and warm up prior to race
• Not too overstimmy, sometimes a race site has jock jams so loud your nervous system feels overloaded!

This year I joined the Portland Triathlon Team.  Not my first tri team experience, but definitely my best!  I bought a kit this year which is just a name for a tri-suit.  You can wear ANYTHING to a triathlon really but a kit can be nice if you are serious enough to do several in a year and see yourself continuing in the world of triathlon BECAUSE it is the only gear you will need for the day working as a swimsuit, and has built in bike shorts, and pockets for fuel.

Here I am decked out in my gear!

Let me tell you all the reasons I am so glad I joined the tri team here in Portland.  

1.  Wearing this get up you get extra boosts of verbal encouragement from the 300 other members of your team.  I may not know all their faces, but their is a cheering reciprocation that is so nice to have and give! And abilities range from sponsored to first timers, but mutual support and respect flowing every which way.

2.  Having access to info on coached swims has been really great for my swimming! I have shaved off a few minutes and GAINED a lot of confidence in the world of swimming.

3. Lots of workouts in Portland to be a part of!  Many bike rides, run, and swims to join.

Breaking down the race, my goals included a good set-up, and warm up, to PR my swim, and to finish on the super amazing end in 1 hour 30 minutes, and the super proud end 1:45 minutes.  I was hoping for an 18 minute swim and came close! I was also hoping to start moving towards the top ten in my age group and was thinking top 15...and I came in 16th...by 5 seconds!

The SWIM!

Swim start was great, headed straight for the first buoy with a good line, with buoys 2 and 3 I got off course a bit and lost a little time.  Too stay calm and focused, I break down my swim buoy by buoy, just thinking about my next mini goal in the water.  One of the biggest challenges is staying calm at the start and hitting that first buoy and it seems once I round buoy one I get into a nice rhythm. My swim time was 18:29, about a 2:20 pace per 100 meters,  in the past my swims have been 22-24 minutes in length.  I know I can better that with some better sighting and staying on a good path from buoy to buoy.

The BIKE!

Fast and flat is this course! OOOH yea! There is another triathlon here later in the summer and I may do it to see if I can best my time.

Biking into a head wind, I maintained about 15-17 miles an hour going out the first six miles of the bike course, and on the way back with the wind scooting me along my speed was 18-20 miles an hour.  Felt great but my toes were going numbskiddle-do, because of my tiny shoes!  My average speed was 17.3 miles an hour and I feel really great about my time.

The Run....mwah mwahhhhhhh!

SO I forgot to start busting out my new biking shoes because I had to put the cleats on.  In my mind, this seemed like a daunting task, but it took less than 5 minutes with the assist of the You Tubery. Essentially, I had the same issue I had during my April duathlon: a very painful foot calf region for the duration of the run.  My elfin bikers really limit toe spread, which was not to much of an issue until I started wearing a more "barefoot"type  shoe that is foot shaped with a wide toe box and zero drop.  I also am using correct toes to head off the beginnings of a bunion in my right foot.

Oh, need a little pedi love, but really, LOOK HOW THEY ARE sooooo POINTED!
Not a foot shaped shoe! See how my fourth and fifth toe are looking at it angrily!

Look at the angle of the left side of my new shoe on the left!
They are a little bigger period, so much better!

I am not sure if the picture shows the outer angle of the right shoe but...ouch!  Anyone know an elf in need of riding shoes!

I have corrected the issue and am enjoying better post-bike ride runs.  But that day, it felt bad, just felt like my lower leg was filled with rocks and mud, and there was no free and easy to be found.  Thank goodness it was a 5K, I broke it down and peeled off the painful miles.  At the 1.5 mile turn around a BUNCH of Portland Tri Team volunteers cheered me on and up, and I pushed through the last chunk to take it home.  My time was 32:00 minutes for the 5K, not terrible, but not the pace I have seen in my training runs.  My running pace was a 10:17 minute mile.  That's fine!

I have also had a lot of ankle-ish issues with my barefoot transition, consistently doing too much, too fast. Now I see spending any time at all in my riding shoes has been not good for my feet period, especially running.  MY next move to make my tri life better is to snag beefier shoe that has a less of a drop and to throw it into my quiver of available running shoes.

Muppet smile!

I was grateful to be done and to make it so this doesn't happen again!

Here is a summary of my overall time, and transitions.  I was 5 seconds away from the top fifteen of my age group!   My swim to bike transition was slow because I was trying bring life to my feet, room for improvement there.

HAGG LAKE 1.2 mile SWIMMER!

A very chill, very sweet atmosphere at the open water swim.  No air horn to start, 5 second countdown and I finished a 1.2 mile swim! My longest distance ever! Sorry no at-the-race pics, but kinda ran out the door to get to the Hagg Lake sight, little less than an hour outside Portland.  Here is sleepy face before hitting the road!

Wake up in front of house before the ride out to Hagg Lake.

There is also a tri out here in July, which looks to be a hilly but beautiful ride.

I finished in about 47 minutes, had to stop completely due to another swimmer edging me off course, and just let them go in front.  I also let that frustrate me a bit.  Good one to learn on. Once again, better control of my line would help a lot here. But I am pumped I wasn't too far off my pace in the Blue Lake Triathlon.  I am just over a week away from a great race, the Pacific Crest Olympic distance, and hope to keep up that 2:20-ish pace or, OR even a bit better!