These are insta updates from my personal site.
Did I mention that I had a bad day? That I couldn't shake my mental rut? How I mentally had a come-apart and wanted to quit racing and training. And that I let it affect my race and the next many days of my life? So much so that I wanted to quit the job I love. And that I wanted to boycott Olympics and move out of the country?
Oh, and did I mention that next week I'm supposed to give a presentation at a tri camp on MENTAL FITNESS?! Ha!
I've actually been studying the ins and outs of mental toughness for the past few years. I have seven books on my shelf dedicated to the mental/emotional side of competition. I've bombarded a local sports psychologist with questions on how to get mentally fit. I've watched YouTube videos and listened to podcasts. I've practiced breathing and imagery and mantras and motivators. I love it all and use it all.
I could say that your next best race is only a movie away. Or that everything you needed to know you learned from a movie. Like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz you've had the power all along. You just need to know how to cultivate your skills and when to use them.
For almost every iron distance triathlon, I've taken a movie-inspired PEZ along for the ride. I stash them in my Bento box. I've taken along Wonder Woman, Princess Leia, R2D2 and Elastigirl. Some face forward, some face me. Remarkably, I've never eaten the candy on the ride. BUT, I have been known to talk to them around mile 95. They're little reminders on how to keep my brain in the game.
I haven't decided on who to take for IMNC, but here are some options:
DORY - from FINDING NEMO & FINDING DORY Dory is OPTIMISM. She's talkative and fun and warm and friendly. She the Good Samaritan of the sea - likely to help you in your time of need. She has a sunny personality despite suffering from short-term memory loss. And maybe that positivity is a result of that memory loss. She'll sing to you: JUST KEEP SWIMMING, JUST KEEP SWIMMING. She's your mental pep talk.
I need more DORY in my life. Sometimes I can be so hard on myself. In a race, I can really beat myself up for not doing what I "should" be doing. Especially on the run. At that recent race, I gave myself a pep talk from time to time. You can do this. This is just like France! You love this. Take in the moment! Enjoy this day. I imagined what I'd say to my athletes: BE YOUR OWN AWESOME! REJOICE! You are amazing. You are doing this! Keep up the good work. You are so strong.
Before I talk about France and tell more funny stories about my bike rides this year, I need to address last week. Because last week was bad. There was a new G in town and it stood for GRUMPY. My state of mind was so bad that on Tuesday I quit triathlon. I quit coaching. I quit cycling. I quit swimming. I quit running. I quit the Olympics. I quit America.
My funk started during the Lake Logan race and it took me daaaaaays to shake it. I was emotionally, physically and mentally stuck. Ace taught me years ago about a do-loop in computer programming.
“a do loop is a control flow statement that executes a block of code at least once, and then repeatedly executes the block.......depending on a given boolean condition at the end of the block.”
I got mentally stuck in a do-loop in the middle of the bike. I let the small things get to me. Like the fact that my wetsuit rubbed a hickey on my neck and I could feel it in the wind. And the fact that the tee shirt had a comma in the wrong place and said: Lake Logan Half. Half of what? Half a mile? Where's the 70.3? (I rarely even wear race tee shirts.) I got mad that I was invited to cheat (hey, we've got a nice draft pack! jump on in, the girl in my age-group said in a cheerful tone. I DON'T CHEAT, I yelled at her back as she whizzed past). Then, I felt guilty for yelling at her. My legs hurt. My back hurt.
In transition, I found out that one of my athletes had crashed (bruised and battered body, broken bike frame) and worried about her for many miles. I was frustrated that it was hot. I was afraid I wouldn't finish. I felt fat. I fretted that I was letting others down. I was mad that I was so slow.
Of course, being stuck in my brain on the course means that my results suffered. So after the race, all I focused on was my poor performance and how I didn't live up to my expectations. And then I had a bad week at work. And, we lost our interwebs (hashtagnoolympics) and one of the presidential candidates came to town. All of that cascaded into a bigger mental rut that turned into an emotional cavern into which I threw all my hopes and dreams and swimbikerun gear and my love and enthusiasm for the Olympics and my sense of humor about America.
Thus, all the quitting.
BLAH BLAH BLAH. WAH WAH WAH. WHINE WHINE WHINE.
Instead of SHUT UP LEGS, I need a tee shirt - no wait, I won't wear it (maybe a coffee cup or tattoo) - that says SHUT UP BRAIN. Or maybe it needs to simply say: SHUT UP.
Of course, as my hubby pointed out, I "learn more about myself on bad days than I do in the win". So, bear with me while I hash out what I did to unquit all that I quit last week.
BAD DAY by DANIEL POWTER
Where is the moment we needed the most
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
They tell me your blue skies fade to grey
They tell me your passion's gone away
And I don't need no carryin' on
You stand in the line just to hit a new low
You're faking a smile with the coffee to go
You tell me your life's been way off line
You're falling to pieces every time
And I don't need no carryin' on
'Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
You had a bad day
Well, you need a blue sky holiday
The point is they laugh at what you say
And I don't need no carryin' on
You had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
The camera don't lie
You're coming back down and you really don't mind
You had a bad day
Sometimes the system goes on the blink
And the whole thing turns out wrong
You might not make it back and you know
That you could be well, oh, that strong
And I'm not wrong
So where is the passion when you need it the most
Oh, you and I
You kick up the leaves and the magic is lost
'Cause you had a bad day
You're taking one down
You sing a sad song just to turn it around
You say you don't know
You tell me don't lie
You work at a smile and you go for a ride
You had a bad day
You've seen what you like
And how does it feel for one more time
You had a bad day
You had a bad day
Had a bad day
Had a bad day
Had a bad day
Had a bad day
Had a bad day
Today's ride included two new tubes, one new tire, the Yonder Store (and arcade) and a whole lotta hot. We started with a great group that included my regular biker chicks (Jen and Renee) + Johnny, Ty and Steve and we were joined for the first miles by Beth, Jess, Joe and Andrea! After the split, we did 75 miles through three counties in rural NC.
Yonder Store, Ivanhoe, NC
The highlight of the day was the Yonder Store on HWY210 near Ivanhoe. The Yonder Store. As in: "Hey, Ma. I'm goin' to the store up yonder. You need anything?" "Yes, Junior. I need a grape Fanta, a moonpie, an extra long SlimJim and a zebra bra for church on Wednesday night." They had all that (and so much more), bu only two bottles of water in the fridge. When a fight almost broke out over who'd get the Deer Park and who was stuck with Club soda, the kind woman at the counter offered ice and water from the sink. She led us through a door that resembled an old freezer or bank vault door and into the arcade out back. It was an un-airconditioned rec room that was home to a pool table, arcade games, a 72-inch screen tv, a Half Court Basketball shooting game, a wall covered with bikini-clad models and a very large ice machine. Evidently it's hoppin' on the weekends.
Flat No. 1
The low-light of the day was about an hour into our ride on HWY 421. We were cruising along at a good clip in a strong pace line: Renee, me, Johnny, Jen, Ty and Steve at the back. Out of nowhere, I heard a pop and a shout behind me and suddenly, Renee and I were alone. Jen had a front-tire flat. And miraculously pulled out of a skidding fall and avoided a pile-up of those behind her. We pulled over into knee-high snakey grass and she changed her tube in under two minutes but realized that not only was her tube slashed, but so was her tire. Fortunately, Johnny had an extra Gatorskin.
In the time it took Jen aka, Fast-Change, to switch out the tube and the tire (five minutes? definitely under ten), we may have been passed by three cars. They moved over into the other lane - giving us plenty of room and clearance. As she was finishing up, though, a car approached and slowed down. All of us thought: how nice, someone is stopping to check on us. I waved and gave the thumbs up, prepared to say thanks, we're okay. No. Instead, Mama Driver yelled over the lap of Daddy in the passenger seat and kiddo in the back seat:
Hay. Ya'll need to get out the road!
Don't ya'll know that's DISRESPECTFUL?
You need to get out the road!
Wait.
What?!
They drove off, leaving us all with our mouths gaping open. Jen gave a half-hearted thanks for checking on us since I have a flat and nearly DIED! I waved and wryly called out: Thanks, Ya'll! Hurry on up for church.
After four hours on the bike and a short run, we had a picnic of Modelo, Watermelon and Cheetos in the shade of Malpass Corner Elementary school and rehashed the incident. Were we disrespectful? Did she really mean disrespectful? Or was there a nicer word she wanted to use? Were we really impolite, rude or discourteous. Wasn't she? Did we obey the law?
In North Carolina, cyclists share the road and the same responsibilities as vehicles. In the case of an accident, a motorist would pull safely to the side of the road and fix the problem and wait for help. In the case of an accident, passing vehicles would stop to help, slowly move on or rubberneck. We pulled over into the shoulder (notice I didn't say: bike lane) to change the flat. S.R. and I were on the left side of that white line. He was acting as a safety beacon, directing traffic around the incident. I admit - I was the rubbernecker taking the picture. None of that is disrespectful.
The fact is that cyclists and motorists need to know the law. You can read more about NC Law HERE. And HERE. And HERE.
Flat No. 2. Lots of THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID jokes.
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.
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 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
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
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.
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]
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.
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. ”
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.”
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.