OLYMPIC FANFARE

The start of the Olympics has fired me up - not only to compete, but also to write. There is something magic about the OLYMPIAD (the official name of the summer Olympics) that stirs my emotions and brings nostalgia to a boil and conjures up a fight for GOLD. 

I didn't really finish my notes about France, so I'll be going back to that in the next week. Plus, I'm back to training and back to all the stories and discovery that happens when I push my body and mind to new places.  I have less than 75 days until IRONMAN NORTH CAROLINA and I have a long way to go. Here's to the trip ahead.

GUSTOGUMPTIONGRUELGRACE

I had the privilege of speaking to some local triathletes yesterday at the end of a women's only tri camp here in Wilmington. It featured Olympian and World Champion and coach of GiddyUp MultiSports, Michellie Jones and included presentations by a few local tri coaches.  I was able to choose the topic and of course, chose to talk about France. I am writing a more in-depth race review, but I wanted to share a little more of what I learned rather than the details of each leg of the race. I spoke without notes at the camp, but here is what I'd written on the plane:

I want to tell you a little bit about my experience at IMFRANCE but I want to tell you how it fits into what I call the 4G philosophy. You see, I'm a local tri coach and we use 4G - and I don't mean the mobile network. I adopted the mantra from one of my friends (thank you JeYo) and now use it all the time - in triathlon and in life. The Gs are GUSTO, GUMPTION, GRUEL & GRACE.

A Sign from one of my first training rides of the season.

Gusto is the enjoyment, vigor and zest of doing something. Gumption is spirited initiative, courage, moxie and sometimes common sense. Gruel is an experience that is exhaustive and punishing. Grace is mercy, forgiveness and love.

I want to start with GUMPTION because that's what it took to simply get to the start line. On my very first training session for this race, I passed a sign that said FEARLESS. Looking back, I know that it meant: FEAR LESS. Everything about the training and the race was scary. I trained differently - I trained hard on the bike and most of it was out of town. I spent five out of six weekends out of town and that included two century rides and a half Ironman. I trained alone. Nobody trains for a spring Ironman around here!  I spent long hours without my go-to training buddies - one was injured and one is pregnant! I takes gumption to make new training buddies. It took gumption to fly my bike and gear across the world, to put my bike back together BY MYSELF and to look at the Alps and know that I was going to go up - and down - for 112 miles.

GUSTO embodied the swim at FRANCE. My ideal race is to start and finish the race with GUSTO. This year, I started the race with dancing and I finished the race with a bow. I loved the swim. This race was a rolling start and it felt a little like Blinko - that game on PRICE IS RIGHT. You seed yourself in a roped off section based on your finish time and when the gun goes off, you follow the river of people into the water. The swim was a funky shape - I called it an infinity square instead of an infinity loop. But, I felt strong and fast - like Dash from the Incredibles skimming across the surface. The buoys looked like giant Minions and as I passed each one I'd think, BEEDO, BEEDO, BEEDO.! The blue is something you've never seen and it was salty and clear.

I'll add one other G to the swim and that was GRATITUDE. At one of the farthest points on the course, I stopped. I looked back to shore and saw the cityscape of Nice and the mountains beyond. I suddenly felt so full of gratitude that I get to do this on this beautiful day.

The GRUEL came on the bike. I never felt like I wasn't going to finish - I just knew it would take me longer than ever before. There were three climbs that were exhaustive and punishing. The first was a steep, 17% grade for half a mile. My lungs burned, my quads burned, my booty burned. I was out of the saddle and in the saddle. I was too scared to clip out for fear of toppling over. Right about the time I thought about walking up the slope, I saw IRONWILL written on the road and I thought, I have that. I'll use every bit of will and skill to get up the hill.

The second and hardest climb came a little later as I climbed from Chateauneuf to Gourdon. It was a 90-minute climb at 7-8% grade. My average speed was 6-8 mph. I switched between my three easiest gears. I watched as faster cyclists passed me. The sun was at its brightest and for the first time I was sweating. I watched my Garmin as the tenths of a mile ticked by.  SLOOOOWLY. I was patient and kept working.  

The view on the long slow road to Gourdon.

It got cold on the Alps in the rains on the descents. I had to pick up a long sleeve tee in bike special needs.

The third climb was grueling because it didn't look like a climb. It was a 5-6% grade cleverly hidden in the shade. I swear it looked flat but, I felt like I was crawling. Was it a flat tire? Was my bike falling apart? Was I low on calories? I was simply climbing 1000 feet in about 30 minutes. Compared to that second climb, this one only lasted a little while and the reward was about an hour of flats and descents.

The other G for the ride was GORGEOUS. The scenery was gorgeous. The Alps may be the prettiest place I've ever been. There were valleys that looked like rainforests. At the top of a few peaks I could look back and see the Mediterranean Sea. At the top of others, I was in the clouds. I loved the ancient villages perched on the sides of mountains.   Even I was gorgeous.  I was the best dressed out there. My kit was falcon amazing. I wore the red, white and blue USA Kiwami kit with a red helmet and silver shoes. I looked good. Everyone who passed me said so. ;) Plus, I sounded gorgeous:  I sang every song from the Sound of Music and Les Miserables. OUT LOUD.

You will face the gruel. Track training, long runs and rides, hard efforts in races can be punishing. Life is hard. Embrace the suck! If you acknowledge that it's hard in the middle of doing it, and you survive it, you will be stronger and more confidence when you get out of it.

GRACE somehow always follows the gruel and GRACE in this race came on the run. I tend to beat myself up on the run, but this time I had mercy on myself. Which, as women, we need to do a little more of in general. I stole the mantra from one of my athletes (thank you, BShivak) and repeated: happy runner, happy runner, happy runner for much of the 26.2 miles. This run could have been grueling: it's an out-and-back-and-out-and-back-and-out-and-back-and-out-and-back. That's essentially four 10Ks. And, everything hurt. My left foot ached, my right shin hurt. My glutes were fatigued and the athlete bracelet was cutting a hole in my wrist. But, unlike some other races, I didn't get discouraged or mad at myself for my performance.

My other G for the run was GOAL. I am chasing a fast Ironman marathon PR, but I didn't think this would be the day for me. So grace was actually changing the goal. I was not going to win IRONMAN FRANCE. I'm an everyday athlete. This didn't have to my personal best from 2014. This didn't have to beat my friends' runs. I didn't have to beat that woman in my age-group or the run from the guy I met before the swim (okay, yeah, I wanted to beat Barry). My new goal was to BE YOUR OWN AWESOME (thank you, Leanna). I'd written that on my arm at 4am. My goal was to do it - NOW.  My run plan was a four-minute run, 30-second walk and that plan became: be awesome for four minutes, then walk for 30 seconds. I followed that strategy - and it was awesome. This was already the run, the ride, the swim, the race of a lifetime. I ran down that finisher's chute yelling:  I'M AN IRONMAN! I DID IT! I'M AN IRONMAN! I finished with gusto - a jump over the line and a big fat curtsy bow.

My last G is GIDDYUP - which I'm stealing from Michellie. The day after the race, I went to the expo to get some beautiful finisher's apparel. Melanie - an athlete from France - and I were the first in line for the IM store to open. I asked about her race and she told me that this was her third attempt at the IRON distance. She had a good swim, but got caught in some of the thunderstorms on the bike. It slowed her down on the descents and it took her over nine hours to finish. When she came in off the bike her time was 10:44. She knew she had five hours and 15 minutes to finish before the 16-hour cutoff - and her predicted run time was 5:30. She headed out on the first two laps and was a little ahead of pace.  Before the third lap, her friend told her she had time, but it was close. When she returned from that third loop, her friend said: I was wrong you only have THIS much time to finish. Melanie said, I thought about stopping, but it's too easy to quit. She headed out on that last loop, got to the turnaround and sped up. Her marathon time was 4:55 and she finished the race in 15:53:15!! Just over five minutes to spare. THAT is GIDDYUP.

I encourage everyone to use what you've learned at this camp to make this your best triathlon season. You can use all the techniques and tips you've learned to make you a better, faster, healthier runner. But, I also encourage you to use GUSTO, GUMPTION, GRUEL & GRACE. 4G will help you not only in practice and in your next race, but it will help you tomorrow, next week and next year in life. Now, GIDDYUP! Get out there and BE YOUR OWN AWESOME.

J'AI CHERCHE

“J’ai cherché” – Amir (lyrics)

J’ai cherché
Un sens à mon existence
J’y ai laissé mon innocence
J’ai fini le coeur sans défense
J’ai cherché
L’amour et la reconnaissance
J’ai payé le prix du silence
Je me blesse et je recommence

Tu m’as
Comme donné l’envie d’être moi
Donné un sens à mes pourquoi
Tu as tué la peur
Qui dormait là, qui dormait là
Dans mes bras

You-ou-ou-ou-ou
You’re the one that’s making me strong
I’ll be looking, looking for
You-ou-ou-ou-ou
Like the melody of my song

You-ou-ou-ou-ou
You’re the one that’s making me strong
I’ll be looking, looking for
You-ou-ou-ou-ou
Like the melody of my song

J’ai cherché
Un sens, un point de repère
Partagé en deux hémisphères
Comme une erreur de l’univers
J’ai jeté
Tellement de bouteilles à la mer
J’ai bu tant de liqueurs amères
Que j’en ai les lèvres de pierre

You-ou-ou-ou-ou
You’re the one that’s making me strong
I’ll be looking, looking for
You-ou-ou-ou-ou
Like the melody of my song

You-ou-ou-ou-ou
You’re the one that’s making me strong
I’ll be looking, looking for
You-ou-ou-ou-ou
Like the melody of my song

Au gré de nos blessures
Et de nos désinvoltures
C’est quand on n’y croit plus du tout
Qu’on trouve un paradis perdu
En nous
Oh you, you, you, you, you

(You-ou-ou-ou-ou)
You’re the one that’s making me strong
I’ll be looking, looking, looking for
(You-ou-ou-ou-ou)
Like the melody of my song
Like the melody of my song

You-ou-ou-ou-ou
You’re the one that’s making me strong
I’ll be looking looking for
You-ou-ou-ou-ou
Like the melody of my song

Like the melody of my song
You’re the one that’s making me strong
I’ll be looking, looking, looking for
Giving you love with my song
Giving you love with my song

UP ON THE ROOF

Thursday's theme is UP ON THE ROOF. This morning, I woke early but did nothing. Which is great because I was tired of walking and waiting in Monoco. My coach is going to kill me because I walked too much. In not the best shoes. But, there was one last day-trip that had to be made - and that was EZE: an amazing village between Nice and Monoco that everyone has raved about.

Eze is a medieval village perched like an eagles nest on a narrow rocky peak overlooking the Mediterranean sea. The ancient fortified village is still crowned with the ruins of its 12th-century fortified castle (torn down in 1706), sitting on a narrow rocky peak. The castle grounds host the well-known Jardin Exotique, and from the top (429 m) you'll have an good view of the coast.

Provence & Beyond

Our journey was quite a juxtaposition: Ace downloaded and used Uber for the first time ever to get to a medieval village.  We climbed the to the top of the village via a winding path of narrow stairs. We explored alleys and peaked in private gardens. We found the Chateau de La Chevre d'Or and and a one-room chapel hidden in a covered portico. There are doors leading into shops, homes, hotels and cracks and crevices. There is a church (Notre Dame de l’Assomption) that was simple on the outside but was more ornate inside than Saint Nicholas in Monoco. We climbed to the top of the exotic gardens for a view of.....everywhere. 

We read all the historic info on the top of the rock so we could discover what was beyond the edge. Speaking of U2, (I was, wasn't I?) Did you know that The Edge got married there? And that the King of Sweden had a palace here? And that Nietzche wrote Also Sprach Zarathustra on the Eze trail?

Look Ma, better shoes.

I liked that it was quiet - most people spoke in hushed tones. The only ones who didn't were the hungry Italian bikers, dressed head to toe in fine leather motorcyle gear and speaking with their hands and outside voices about SPAGHETTI! I loved them a lot. They were beautiful and rough looking and I'm pretty sure their voices were louder than their bikes. #ducati-is-the-new-harley

These statues and sculptures were everywhere. This one reads: Though the growing keeps me rooted, my mind is in the heavens.

See my name? It's riiiiiiiiiiight......there.

Our time was short there and we headed back to Nice for work. And by work I mean IRONMAN. It was go time. The expo, which is located on the promenade is a long strip of sponsor tents sandwiched between the registration tent at one end and the merch tent at the other. It was about as narrow as the streets of Eze. I picked up my packet (and got to speak the most french yet!) and was sent to the merch tent to get my fancy new Ironman backpack. I bought a few bike items (canister, caffee latex and levers) and we were done in about 20 minutes. 

We headed back later for a little bike tech work - I wanted them to double check my headset and pedals since I had to put it all back together after the flight.  He said, not straight but not bad.

Tracy McCullen and me!

I also stopped and got a leg massage which was c'est magnifique for my calves. Maybe my coach won't yell at me as much. On the way out we ran into Tracy again. His enthusiasm is contagious. He's doing his FIRST Ironman here and his excitement helped boost my energy. He encouraged me to do a ride up a peninsula one harbor over and assured me that getting to the top would be a huge reward.

For dinner, we went to Wayne's, an American sports bar. It was my choice and I was so happy to be there. I sorta wanted to see how they interpreted our restaurants AND they offered a chicken, brie and cranberry sandwich which suddenly I was craving. We sat inside under rock and roll paraphernalia, watching the French Open and music videos. Our servers spoke fluent (not broken) English and the radio was tuned to American blend of pop and rock. The food was American in name only. My "burger" was french fried (I'm sure with olive oil and amazing spices). The brie was melty and smooth and the cranberry preserves were probably local. It hit the spot.

Back at the hotel, what comes around goes back around (which had been playing at the sports bar). The rooftop was hoppin' for a private event. Did I mention that we're right below that? And that the band was set up right above us? They had already started the 80's set when we arrived -  Fresh, Careless Whisper, Billie Jean. Did I mention they had a saxophone? And a good sound system?  During the break they played Let's Get it Started and Justin Timberlake's SexyBack. The band returned and every song was the standard American party mix.

We snuck up to the roof to get a pic. A band, a photo booth, funky lights and a saxophone.

Ace was so good. He went down to the front desk and asked how long the party mix was going to last. He also asked if there would be another private event on Saturday (the night before the race). He wanted to make sure that if there was, we would be moved to another end of the party. They assured us that there were no events on Saturday night. Right about the time he returned to report all this to me, a partygoer (clearly not the band songstress) grabbed the mic and proceeded to karaoke STAND BY ME. Awwwwww. She was serenading Ace for me. After that, I put on my noise canceling head phones and went to sleep.

"Up On The Roof"
 

When this old world starts getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space

On the roof it's peaceful as can be
And there the world below can't bother me

Let me tell you now
When I come home feelin' tired and beat
I go up where the air is fresh and sweet
I get away from the hustling crowds
And all that rat race noise down in the street
Up on the roof

On the roof's the only place I know
Where you just have to wish to make it so
Oh, let's go up on the roof

At night the stars put on a show for free
And darling, you can share it all with me
I keep a-telling you
Right smack dab in the middle of town
I found a paradise that's trouble-proof
Up on the roof

So if this world starts getting you down
There's room enough for two, up on the roof
Up on the roof, everything is allright
Up on the roof, oh, come on, baby
Up on the roof
Up on the roof

Hallelujah

Today I learned that the Hallelujah chorus is international reaction to, "WE DID IT!" As we were eating breakfast, three of the servers were trying to peel back a giant canvas to reveal a giant sunroof. It was stuck for quite a while, but something finally clicked and the fabric folded in like an accordion. The manager exclaimed/sang: Hallelujah! Hallelujah! It became the theme of the day and is probably what I'll be think if I cross that finish line in a few days. 

Today's highlight was a trip to Monoco. After a short workout (more on this later), Ace and I took a cab and then a train to rock of Monoco.

When we arrived, we realized that Google and Grimaldi do not agree. We couldn't pull up any maps on our phones and couldn't find a resource nearby so I relied on my masterful sense of direction (ha) and we found our way to the Rock of Monoco. We wandered down the narrow streets and checked out the views of Port Hercules on one side and Fontvielle on the other. We watched the changing of the guards at the Prince's Palace, walked above the Exotic Gardens and found a 4th century theater overlooking the sea where I stopped to take a bow. Hallelujahahaha.

My favorite part of the day was the cathedral. It is enormous, but simple and IT has the best view of the ocean. It was the same cathedral that Princess Grace and Prince Rainer married. And are buried. We walked around to view the paintings, sculptures and confessionals in the alcoves surrounding the pews. We sat for a bit and I said a little prayer for my mom and grandmother - thanking God for the gift they were in my life. We were allowed to walk around behind the chancel to view all the crypts and memorials to all the princes of ages past. I imagined being the priest - able to look out past all the parishioners to the ocean. I probably would have been overwhelmed with the sight and lost my place in the service. 

Simple.

Today was actually a test of waiting. We waited in line for a train ticket. We waited around for the changing of the guard at the Prince's Palace. We waited for a train out of Monoco to Nice. We waited for the next train out of Monoco to Nice. We waited on our waiter to bring us our check as she ate dinner with her boyfriend a few tables away. 

The train waiting was the biggest thing and fortunately we were able to sit a lot for that. The train workers are currently on strike and many of the trains are not running. So, when we returned a la gare in hopes of catching the hourly train at 2:30pm, we learned that the next train was 3:27pm. We walked down the street to a bus stop and sat on the bench watching cars. It was sort of an anti-Grand Prix: a beautiful parade of very expensive, gorgeous fast cars - going slowly. As Ace remarked on our return to the station, I've seen more Bentleys in the last half hour than I've seen every other day of my life. [There were even a few (with chauffeers not parents) in the pickup line at school earlier in the day.]

We arrived and realized that the 3:27 train was suprimme:canceled. The next available train was with a different company at 3:44. Which actually arrived at 3:54. Fortunately, it was non-stop to Nice and we arrived home in 15 minutes. Hallelujah.

Ou est le train?

We had another dinner of pizza and salad, I took a bath and was asleep by 8:30. Hallelujah.

ONE

Day ONE in Nice. We have arrived!  Oooo-la-la.  I cannot believe how close the mountains are to the ocean! Neal and I are chilling at the rooftop restaurant and pool while we wait for our room to be ready. 

We have arrived! Our flight was great. Lots of food! Salmon and corn relish app+ sweet pea salad + tuna + chocolate cake. Sleeping was hard but I think we managed three hours of interrupted snoozes. We also watched Eddie the Eagle. It was a good one to watch pre race!

Once in Nice (about 10am on Monday) We caught a cab big enough for my bike box and four pieces of luggage and headed to the Marriott. Our radio tuned into U2's song ONE and I felt right at home. Our cabbie said Bono had a house right up the road. Maybe he'll be at the finish line! 

View from the plane. This is north of Nice.

 I cannot believe how close the mountains are to the ocean! We had lunch at the rooftop restaurant and then went for a long walk into town. We finally checked in at 4pm. Evidently a Gold Marriott member is allowed to check out whenever they please - so, the guest before us took their time getting out of town. Once we checked in, I set out to put my bike back together. After only one small glitch, I pieced it all together without a single curse word. (hashtagmiracle) We celebrated by going out for dinner (pizza!).

We stayed up until about 10pm local time before falling into bed.

From the plane. This is above Nice. Maybe Bono lives here.

See those snow-capped mountains? #gulp

View from the rooftop bar.

Surgery took 80 minutes. Felt pretty badass on this one. #thanksCharlie #feltlikegreysanatomy #superheropose

View from the hotel.

ONE by U2

One love
One blood
One life
You got to do what you should
One life
With each other
Sisters
Brothers
One life
But we're not the same
We get to
Carry each other
Carry each other

[good to feel and hear and see in a country so far away]

GOOD FEELING

Day Two started with a little test session on the bike. Ace headed north on a his run to the nearby marina and I headed south on the boardwalk bike path. I was so excited that everything worked! My aero bars are a little wonky on the left, but hey, so am I. It was sunny and cool and the breeze was up, but I was so excited. It looked like the whole world was smiling.

And then I remembered that I had on my race helmet and I realized they were laughing AT me. Seriously! I stopped just off the bike path to check my arm pads and a guy almost fell off his own bike when he pointed and laughed and yelled SWOOSH. I passed him a few minutes later. Swoosh this, Dude. 

We treated ourselves to a wonderful breakfast at the hotel, where even the so-called American coffee was delicious and strong. Pancakes, eggs, fruit, mushrooms (champignons), hashbrowns and cheese. Yummy. 

Our next stop was the center of town. They are building a fan zone for the futbol tourney craze that included a stage and a water park.

Excusez-moi, Monsieur. Il y a quelque chose dans vos cheveux. 

We took a few pictures and headed to Le Parc de la Colline du Château. It was such an amazing view! Castle Hill is home to gardens, playspaces, an archaelogical dig of a medievel cathedral and memories of the fort that once stood to guard Nice against the French. On one side you can see the bay and on the other - Nice's waterfront.

On our way down the hill I stopped short. I think that's Tracy, I told Ace. He's the one other person I know from Wilmington doing the race. Bon Journee, Tracy! I called out and sure enough....it was him! We hugged and chatted about the weather (30mph winds) and workout plans and recommendations for side trips. I got a huge boost from seeing him and remembered....hey! I'm doing an Ironman in a few days. 

View from the Room. If the race had been today, they would have canceled the swim. The winds were gusting to 30mph.

After a bit of a rest at the hotel we headed out for dinner. We had foie gras and I indulged in the best Coq Au Vin EVER. Our Brasserie was picturesque: un chien, guarding his restaurant. A small girl in a pink dress, scooting back and forth, back and forth. And a french woman two floors up hanging laundry on her very swanky balcony.

Our last hour of the day was spent walking to the main square to see the water garden at night and see the lighted statues along the walk.  

FINALLY MOVING by PRETTY LIGHTS

Oh, sometimes I get a good feeling, yeah
Get a feeling that I never, never, never, never had before. Oh, no.
I get a good feeling, yeah
Just want to tell ya right now
I really do believe it.

Come & Get It

The first race of the season was a blast! What a boost of confidence and dose of fun in the middle of March. The Azalea Sprint triathlon is a short and sweet swimbikerun that our tri club focuses on each year. It's a 300-yard pool swim, a 9-mile bike and a 5K run. This year was extra special because Ace did it, too! It was his first triathlon and probably our fifth race together.

This was my seventh Azalea - including doing it twice in 2012! In the past few years, my goal has been to get in under one hour. The changes I made for this year: I found somebody to chase and I decided to play to win (instead of playing not to lose). That meant laying it on the line and pushing myself when I didn't think I could. And it worked!

THE CHASE: I had my eye on one other woman in my age-group. I knew that she was 25 athletes ahead of me (for the time-trial style swim start) and I memorized the colors on her tri kit. I knew that if I could match her time in the swim, catch her on the bike split and match her on the run, I'd have a chance to PR. I used her as a carrot even though I had NO IDEA who she was. But, I knew that seeing her would spur me to keep up my pace. 

PLAYING TO WIN: I am usually very careful. I admit I hold back. I try not to make mistakes. Champions play to win. Champions don't hold back. Champions make something positive out of everything -- every step, every mile, every race - even every mistake.  I've been reading THE CHAMPION'S MIND and chapter three is titled: BE IN IT TO WIN IT. I think I underlined or highlighted every line. The bottom line is that playing not-to-lose is rooted in fear.

“Playing so as not to lose is about merely surviving. Playing to win is about thriving. ”

— Jim Afremow, Phd - The Champion's Mind

The writing on the arm.

Both tactics worked. My goal in the pool was to go for it. Earlier in the week, Honey Spice had said I swam like a ninja fish. That she could see me one minute and then the next minute I was gone. That's how I attacked the swim. I wanted to make sure that the swimmer behind me saw me for a few lengths and then I disappeared. My time: 4:56. Which included a 20 second run down the stairs and out the pool door. A personal best.

My goal for the bike was to go hard. I wanted to hold my threshold pace and power the whole time.  I didn't care about cadence or gears - I just rode hard.  My goal was to ride close to 20mph. This is a HUGE stretch for me. As I said, I usually hold back in the bike. I save up for the run. This time I let it go. I finished the bike without looking at my split. I dismounted and hit stop on THE EDGE (my garmin computer is named after my favorite U2 guitarist) without a thought. I cruised through T2 and was out on the run.

Somebody else threw their Garmin in the grass.

My goal for the run was to look at my watch. I know it sounds crazy, but for many of my races, I don't watch the watch (whom I haven't named!). I am afraid to look. If I'm going too slow, I'm afraid of being discouraged. If I'm going too fast, I might slow myself down. So for years I've avoided looking at my pace on the watch. I'm pretty sure champions know their pace. My goal was to look every four minutes and then 30 seconds later. I even set an alert. And when I looked, my pace needed to be an 8:00/mile pace or faster. No. Matter. What.

Plus, I was looking for my carrot. I spotted her near the turnaround of the out-and-back course. She was almost a half mile ahead of me. That meant she was four minutes ahead of me. If I held my pace I might not catch her, but I'd be close. I saw Ace on his way out to the turnaround and got a boost from realizing how well he was doing. The closer I got to the finish, the more excited I got. I crossed the line and immediately backtracked toward the run course.  I figured Ace was on my heels and wanted to cheer him to the finish. Sure enough, he rounded the corner and I tried to yell and cheer for him like he always does for me.

The whole time I was cheering and chatting with other teammates, I was NOT looking at my watch for my total time. I knew it was there and I was kind of holding out for the surprise. Ace had had a good swim, a great bike and a 23-minute run. Finally, Ace asked: how'd you do? I finally looked: 58 MINUTES AND 29 SECONDS!!! Officially, I was in at 58:26. I nailed my objective: to go hard for all three sports and subsequently hit my goal to get in under an hour. 

“When you’re ready come & get it. Na Na Na Na. Na Na Na Na.”

— Selena Gomez

What's more? I caught the carrot. Essentially, I was 16 seconds down coming out of T1 (my swim was faster but my transition was slow). I gained ground on the bike as planned, was faster in T2 and held her on the run.  She beat me on the run by only two seconds. Overall, I won by over 1m:20s. The result: first place in my age-group!!

First Place!

I won a great ceramic coffee mug and I've been using it every other day. It's a great reminder of my mental fitness for a race I've been chasing for a long time.

Off the Ground

Fresh (or maybe not-so-fresh) off an intense tri camp weekend, I headed down to Wrightsville Beach for a quick bike ride on a sunny day. I had learned in tri camp to be master of my machine. I was feeling fit and hard core and ready to get outside! My workout was simply to get out there, do a couple of build repeats to the north end and wrap things up in less than an hour. It's a ride I do all the time in the middle of the day on Wrightsville Beach. Of course, I hadn't been out on my bike much and especially not in 20mph gusts.

I parked at the Seaside Club and headed south to warm up. Then turned into the wind for the five mile trip to Shell Island. I was feeling pretty good when WAM! Three miles into my ride I fell! As I approached an intersection, the light turned yellow and I saw a car approaching from my left.  I wasn't in danger, but just to be safe, I decided to hit the brakes. Well, I hit pressed a little too hard, hit a pot-hole and was hit by a gust of wind all at the same time. I was NOT the master of my machine.

The scene of the crash near Johnny Mercer's pier. Look! The light's even yellow.

I fell hard on my right side.  I stayed there in the middle of the lane for a few moments doing a mental check. My hand hurt and was bleeding. My knee hurt and was bleeding. My hip hurt but was fine. I had heard the DOINKDOINK of my helmet hitting asphalt, but my head felt fine.  I wasn't seeing spots or bluebirds flying around my noggin.

I sat up, unclipped my shoes from the pedal and lifted Lucinda off the pavement. Someone later asked if my bike was okay and I said of course, it fell on the old lady in the middle of the road! I did another quick assessment as I sat there and noticed blue lights in the distance. A WB policeman happened to be a few blocks away from the scene and stopped to help. I moved over to the sidewalk and I did a once-over. My knuckles were now bleeding and I could see a bruise on my left quad.  The officer asked my name and the day of the week (concussion protocol) and I assured him I was fine.

North End of Wrightsville

I think I'm gonna keep riding, I told him. And I did! I did two repeats to the north end and headed back to my truck. I felt pretty good and even found a dime on the way south.

As soon as I got back to my car and got off my bike in the Seaside Club parking lot, I burst into tears. THAT HURT AND I'M SCARED, I said out loud to no one. I cried all the way home. I knew I was okay, but all the emotions (frustration, sadness, embarrassment, hurt) that had been bottled up for 12 miles came pouring out.

I was stiff and sore for the next few days. My hip had a purplish bruise the size of a cantaloupe on it for several weeks. The muscle in my right thumb hurt for about a week. The biggest surprise was that I had whiplash for four days after the crash. That DOINK I heard was my head bouncing on the pavement.

I did learn a couple of things from the crash so here are a few tips from me and a link to some tips from Chris Carmichael:

CHECK YOUR HELMET: I did not realize that most accidents are one-and-done for helmets. Even slow speed tip-overs like mine. Dirty Spice reminded me to check my helmet and when I did, I was shocked. It was super scraped up and there was a crack on the inside about an inch long and all the way through the foam. Had I known that, I would not have kept riding.

STOP IN THE NAME OF LOVE: There's a fine line between staying on the move and stopping the ride. I think that keeping my body moving helped with the pain initially. I was able to shake it off and mentally toughing it out was what I needed. BUT, because my helmet was damaged and because I was alone, I should have turned around and packed it up for the day. You're not going to gain any fitness if you're bruised and battered. Take it easy back to your car and call it a day.

HERE are a few more tips on how to handle a bike crash.

OFF THE GROUND - by the RECORD COMPANY

I gotta get myself up off the side of the road

I've gotta pick myself up off the ground (x2)
Let the truth be told (repeat)
I gotta get myself up

The tears that I'm hiding
No they ain't for cryin (x2)

I'm never gonna let em start spilling out
Cause they pour down my body and they flood the ground
The tears that I'm hiding
No they ain't for crying

Off the side of the road
Quit lying to myself
And let the truth be told
My head is heavy and my heart is empty
But my spirit is strong and my legs are ready
 

The Month in Ironman - February 2016

Since it's been a while, I thought I'd fill you in on all that's been happening in training. Time is FLYING by - but I think February made me really strong. Here are the two highlights of training:

SUFFERFEST: I finished my first Tour of Sufferlandria! This crazy bike fest included NINE straight days of indoor biking. Racing, climbing, sprinting, standing and over/unders. One day included 32 x 1-minute all out efforts with only 1' rest between intervals. Another day included a 15' climb.   It was not typical triathlon training, but I loved it.

In the fitness center of the Umstead Hotel.

On days SEVEN and EIGHT, Ace and I headed out of town. I didn't want to take my bike so decided to use the gym at the Umstead Hotel. Well, even the bikes at nicest resort on the planet couldn't handle the sufferfest. There were two videos planned for Saturday and I couldn't do it. I couldn't wrap my mind around NINE HAMMERS on a LifeCycle. Technically, a day in Sufferlandria lasts a lifetime and so on day nine, I did three videos. I finished NINE HAMMERS with almost four minutes to spare and spent 3H:17M total on my trainer that day. 

It helped to know that other riders in Wilmington were suffering right along with me. A bunch of Sami Winter's rockstars were Facebooking and texting updates throughout the week and at the end, Sami had an awards ceremony. (I was still on my bike.)

Proof of Suffering proudly displayed on my fridge.

PURPLEPATCH TRICAMP: My hero came to town. Matt Dixon - world renowned coach to pros like Meredith Kessler and Jesse Thomas came to Wilmington for a tri camp.  My body and my head are full of swimbikerun. I had a swim lesson on Friday, social run (10-miler) and swim workout  on Saturday a 90-minute HARD cycle session followed by a 90-minute HARD run session at the track. In between all that we learned about each element of training, nutrition/fueling and recovery. HEAVEN! 

February really launched me into the next phase of France preparation. I am up to 3H:30M on the bike, 12 miles on the run and I've added another swim to my week. March is going to shape up to be a bump in training load and I can't wait to see what happens.

Sparks of Light

Last time, I wrote about getting out the telescope for goals. My next step? Using the binoculars. Binoculars bring what's way up there or way out there a little closer. The focus is sharper. The light is brighter.  I like this part of goal setting because it involves a little creativity. I do three things

SAY IT:  As I've said before, I'm fixed on IM marathon personal best. I'm aiming for a 4hour:40minute finish. That's my main target. I want a personal best at IMNC. My A race would mean an 11:30 finish. I want to race an EPIC race - Ironman France is my destination. I want 500 subscribers to this blog by the end of 2016. I've said it. I mean it. I will tell my family, my friends and ya'll, too.

SEE IT: I create something that I can see every day. I want to be reminded DAILY that I am actively working on goals that mean something to me. That I am striving to improve and push myself to do things I've never done! For years, I've created a goal sheet. It usually includes a list of what I want, a picture of what that looks like and pictures of the rewards I want when I achieve my goals! I keep it in my calendar (as a bookmark or on the front cover) so that I see it every day.

I reached my goals and reaped the rewards: that necklace, the indoor bike trainer and the ChickFilA treat. I did not look like the swimsuit models.

Goal Sheet 2016.

Other ideas to see your goal: index cards on your dashboard, an intention board hung on the wall, post-it notes on your bathroom mirror or a goal poster on your fridge.

SING IT: Yep. That's right. I sing my goals. I create playlists for my car, for my spin classes and for my long runs that keep my goals in my head! I sing on the bike, I sing in the swim and I sing in the run. Whether in training or races, I sing. It ain't pretty and I'm sure my training buddies wish I had auto-tune feature on my Felt, but singing makes my goals fun. I chose I'll Go Crazy..... below to remind me that in France, it's not a hill, it's a mountain. I cannot doubt, I need to shout my way to the top of the Col de l'Ecre. I've been singing ROAR by Katy Perry because I am a champion and you're gonna hear me....... Plus, it takes me back to my first B2B and the love of the game. Which means I've also been singing I Don't Like it, I Love it because I gotta, gotta have it. Whoa-oh!

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Next up, I get out the microscope.

FOLLOW MY PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY

It's not a hill, it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
Do you believe me or are you doubting?
We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But I know I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

Oh, it's not a hill it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
You see, for me, I've been shouting
Let's shout into the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light
You know we're gonna go crazy, you know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy, if we don't go crazy tonight

Shout Into the Darkness

My last post mentioned telescopes and microscopes - my new favorite metaphors for setting goals. Before I write about refining goals, I had to think about the first steps of setting goals. I had to go back to the fact that before you even set up your telescope, you are looking at the darkness. 

The darkness is scary. It's full of unknowns and variables and obstacles that you can't see. It's also full of sparks of light and hope and places you'd never think you'd be.  In order to bring the stars into focus, you dig the telescope out of the attic and set out to the back yard. You dust it off and aim the mirrors and out of the corner of the lens you notice the craters of the moon, the rings of Saturn or Jupiter's Red Spot. And when you catch a glimpse of it, it's exciting and beautiful and enormous and wee all at the same time.

And you shout into the darkness: THERE IT IS!

This year I'm shouting:

There's IRONMAN FRANCE!

There's IMNC/B2B!

B2B 2014

There's a sub-five-hour marathon in an ironman!

There is my 500th subscriber to my blog!

Get out your telescope. What do you see out there? What is your dream? What are you shouting into the darkness? Are they hills? Mountains? Are they crazy? Once you see them, you can start the next step.

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I'LL GO CRAZY IF I DON'T GO CRAZY TONIGHT by U2

Oh, it's not a hill it's a mountain
As you start out the climb
You see, for me, I've been shouting
Let's shout into the darkness, squeeze out sparks of light
You know we're gonna go crazy, you know we'll go crazy
You know we'll go crazy, if we don't go crazy tonight