Seattle Danskin 2012 Race Report

I have a little soft spot for this race.  This was my first triathlon ever in 2001.  I was a newbie who borrowed a bike, put on bike gloves, fretted over getting lost and just wanted to try something new since graduating from college. 



1st triathlon-Danskin ever. Don't laugh too hard....yikes!!!

I never thought that this one event would "have me at hello".  I remember watching the elite wave,  idolizing the winner, and someday wanting to be like them.  I made it a goal of mine to one day win this race.  I raced elite the following year, and the one after that, and every year until 2008.   Each year hoping it would be "the year". I trained on the only hill on the run over and over knowing every crack and rivet on it since it was my weakest portion in the race. I looked up to all those girls that would win and just someday dreamed it would be me.

I cracked the top 10, I had flat tires, I was 3rd, I was 2nd.....

My first race there being a 1:24 (I think) and my fastest being 1:05, but never being the overall winner.

Hugging mom at finish.

Eventually Lake Stevens 70.3 started falling on the same weekend so I was cheering my heart out for TNM athletes racing there.   This year, however, LS moved up a month and my lifelong friend, Rebecca, messaged that she was going to do Danskin as her first triathlon and that sealed the deal for me.  I signed up immediately.

I went into this race with a ton of worry.  My UC had started flaring up the week prior and I had a doctors appointment on Wednesday and was told if I raced this could be my last race in a long while.  I only swam the week leading up, as that has the least amount of stress on my gut and was left resting, A LOT.  I chose to race on Saturday morning knowing that this just may be my first and last race ever.  Figured if I couldn't race this one I wouldn't be able to race the upcoming ones thereafter, so I went for it!  I wanted to fulfill my bucket list goal. 

Sunday arrived and I was calm, yet nervous with my gut issues.  I prayed it would hold up for a little over an hour...that was all I was asking. 

I was excited to have my mom and my in-laws and Mark there to watch.  They were able to watch the entire swim, even seeing me stop and "look" for the buoys.  It can be tough to site with kayaks in front of them.  But needless to say it was a smooth swim.  I popped out of the water with a 1:30 lead swimming the half a mile in a little over 10 minutes.

As I mounted the bike (smoother than LS I might add) the motorcyclist was waiting.  I had been in this spot many times before and just hoped that the ride would go smoothly. Mark  had gotten me a Zipp Disc for my birthday and I was excited to finally have the opportunity to ride the wheel.  My specialized Shiv road flawlessly and my Cyclops kept me honest.  The goal was to keep the power as high as possible.  I sipped on powerbar perform and had a Powergel midway through the ride back into Genesee Park.  The course was 11.5 miles (30:52)

The run was flat and fast and 3 miles even.  The out and back on Lake Washington Blvd was also lead by a motorcycle.  I hit the hill that I had trained on many times over and remembered how to run it and still have my legs for a final push to the chute. It was fun to have an escort and to have it all the way to the finish line. (21:25).  Finishing in 1:04.42.

It has taken me 11 years to finally cross that tape in first.  I was so relived, so happy, and reminded of just how far I have come since that first race in 2001.

With 2nd place Maddie Graham, 19 years old, whose mom has won Danskin too! She is going to go very far in this sport!

There are several girls out there in the same boat as me, doing Danskin for the first time and dreaming big.  My friend Rebecca smiled her way into the finish line and it was so great to share this day with her.  Keep dreaming and believing!

Rev 3 Costa Rica Race Report

So, so happy! I would be lying if I said I was not nervous for this race.  I was going into this race with the most fitness I have had since being hospitalized for the first time in July of 2010.  It wasn't like last years events to just show up and cross a line. I had goals, I had a plan, and I was anxious to see where I was at. I am looking at this year as my real "rookie pro" season.

3:20am wake up call and the six of us were out the door by 4am.  No need for any long sleeve attire here as the temps were already mid-70's. The TYR carbon kit was all I needed. We headed down our back-wheelin' hill and arrived at Playa Conchala with the sounds of wildlife in the near distance.

For starters, this race taught me a lot, gave me a lot to practice, to learn and a new prospective on racing.

The swim was a beach start.  It felt great to be back in the TYR Sayanora that has been tucked away for so long. I knew this field was stacked but looking back realized that it was my open water skills that held me back.  This was a great learning experience.  To be stacked up against these phenomenal athletes (not to mention how fast these girls are in the water) and see where I fell back.  From the initial contact with the water I was a body length back. I made it up and was with the huge lead pack (8 of 12). Around the first buoy I had to play catch up again, then the second buoy the same thing happened (didn't learn the first time!). I found myself swimming just off the lead group.  Coming in from the first loop I went to stand up and was swept back into the ocean, literally, had to start swimming again to get back to shore. It made me laugh and was even more pathetic that all the half ironman racers were there to witness my little "yelp".  I was now going to be leading the second pack the second loop.  I came out of the water 8th, not what I am used too, but realizing that this Olympic distance racing is no joke.  Immediately two girls passed while running on the sandy beaches to mount our bikes.

 (Finishing the second loop. Know this because I am not being swept back into the Ocean as the previous loop.)

The bike ride was two loops with big climbs to and from transition.  This was my first race and third bike ride on the new Specialized Shiv. I am in pure LOVE with this bike.  I have also learned to love to climb now.  Before, (meaning before my training hiatus) I was solid at the flats and at a high cadence, things have changed a bit and I am needing to find the balance between using my strength (low cadence) and being able to keep a high cadence, I prefer above 90.  This is where I have work to do and will do a smaller race here locally in order to just focus on racing with a high cadence again. I passed a girl on a climb and the first loop (there are lots of out and backs) was able to keep an equal distance on all of them, with the lead group of riders making a couple minute gains.  The second loop was a different story.  As I was maintaining the same watts but was getting passed.  I think it was a combination of them speeding up and me not being very efficient and grinding on my gears.  The things I know, yet, need to learn to apply again.  My effort though was beyond where I thought I was capable with my watts nearly 50 higher than the last Olympic I did back on September of 2011. And my HR was exactly where I thought it would be so overall, outside of bike handling I know I gave it my all on that day.

(Seriously THE BEST photo I have ever seen! Bree dodging cows! Her laugh, the humor, and really what describes and defines this whole trip is captured here.)

I started the two loop run course in 12th and had felt so great on this run a few days prior.  My legs just didn't want to go. I am a firm believer that your bike sets you up for a solid run and knowing now how low of a cadence I maintained this run is of no surprise. Each loop consists of approximately 1.5 miles of beach running, soft, but not quicksand soft. Then a little out and back trail through Brasilito and then up, up, up the road and through the golf course, then a nice downhill through transition and repeat.  By the start of the second loop I was chilled and a bit nauseous. The heat? More fluid? Not sure, but it was a battle of my mind and body. The locals were more than generous with their sponges, literally chasing us down and keeping us cool, at least for a few minutes.  It was the most refreshing feeling when they soaked us. Heart stopping, bone chilling, refreshness.  With Erin hot on my heels I decided to run as strong as I was able until she caught me (great mental thoughts, right?!).  But the miles kept ticking and I was not hearing her footsteps, so I had to keep going strong.  The last .25 miles (the course was 6.5) are the real quicksand super soft beach running, I should have been down on Alki practicing.   Thank you for pushing me to the finish line and for sharing an ice bath!!

I am excited that this season has finally started.  TYR has stood by me for years on end now and I can not thank them enough for the speedy swim attire, the stay-cool-and-look-cool-kit, the goggles that make the buoys so visible and the love from the TYR family. To Gerks for keeping the Specialized Shiv dialed in and ready to go at all times. To Cyclops for keeping me honest in my training and helping me "see" fitness gains. To Powerbar for the tasty fuel that keeps my engine running. To Zoot for the amazing shoes that feel so wonderful to slip into before hitting the pavement. Rudy Project for keeping the sun out of my eyes and my head safe.

And to my coach whom I laughed at when he told me the watts I was capable of when we first started working together. Thanks for getting the most out of me with my training limitations.

To the Rev 3 crew.  Your friendliness, your generosity, your kindness are what truly set you apart from any other race.  These are characteristics that can not be "learned" but are ingrained in each of you. Myself and the TNM crew that witnessed your top-notch assistance in everything this past week have nothing but praise to say about you and your events.  Thank you so much for all you do!

And lastly, my friends, teammates, family and husband. You each continue to inspire and amaze me day in and day out.  You help me be a better person, coach and athlete.

Until next year Costa Rica, you will be missed!

Training and Coaching

I set a big goal this year. To pay more attention to this blog, in so doing, the goal is to post one, just ONE more blog per month than the previous year. February is quickly coming to an end and so this post must go up!

For the first time since FOREVER I finally trained over 15 hours in a week, not this week, it was last week. But really I could not have made it through without my favorite Powerbar products. Yes, I love the gels and perform but the ultimate is the Snickers bar. Oops, I mean the recovery bar. Just like lip gloss you can find one, or two, or….well, whose really counting, in any bag, purse, car, or any other place imaginable. Those bars are genius.

Also would not have made it through that week without the 110% Play Harder capris. Too bad my husband is practically my size so we are always grabbing the wrong pair :). Mine are always the ones that are clean and ready to wear (right?!). Fighting for recovery around here!

The Shiv got out for its inaugural ride of 6x5’ hill repeats in West Seattle. It was smooth and I am a happy rider again! The watts outside put me in a much happier place than what they have been showing on the trainer.

This week would have been a big week too, but Humira forced me to sleep through a couple workouts. Oh and a stubbed toe, which immediately took off the big toenail, leaving me floored and nauseous and near-vomiting forcing some modification to the plan. Really hate not being right on my game plan, but I am keeping my chin up and knowing that I am giving it my best. Mark says I need to focus more…..I just think that things shouldn’t jump on my toes. :)

Today it snowed. So it was back on the bike trainer for the long ride.

Found some quotes on “coaching” that spoke to me.

You can motivate by fear, and you can motivate by reward. But both those methods are only temporary. The only lasting thing is self motivation. -Homer Rice

 

You can't let praise or criticism get to you. It's a weakness to get caught up in either one." –John Wooden

Coaching is a profession of love. You can't coach people unless you love them. -Eddie Robinson

Being your best is contagious to others around you! Train on!