KNEE NEWS

A quick note to update you on my knee. As some of you know, I tweaked my knee trying to ski like Lindsey Vonn on my recent ski trip to Aspen. The MRI last week confirmed that the tweak is an ACL injury in my right knee. My ortho guru (Dr. Dale Boyd) suggested ACL repair surgery sooner rather than later. My current surgery date is set for May 4 (may the fourth be with you!) - but, I'm on the wait list and I could be moved up with a cancellation.

This is exactly what I looked like, too.

My recovery will be longer than I prefer. :) I will be non-weight-bearing -- in a brace and on crutches -- for two weeks. I won't be able to drive those first two weeks either. I think I'll do physical therapy 2-3 times a week for the first month. The good news is that I will be able to swim when my stitches heal and I will be able to bike indoors as I regain strength and mobility. I anticipate being able to run in 12 weeks. My training focus will be physical therapy and Pilates!

I have run the gamut of negative emotions since my fall: anger, sadness, fear, embarrassment, loss, denial, FOMO, you-name-it. I have had to cancel my training and racing plans for the spring. I've only ridden my new bike ONCE! I've had to cancel my Ironman in Lake Placid in July. And, last Thursday, I broke up with my one-mile-a-day run streak. On day 525, I went to the beach house and ran almost the same one mile course that I did on the first day. Then, I walked over to the beach side, wrote 525 in the sand and watched a wave wash it away. I am proud of my determination and the ability to let go.

I am mostly disappointed right now - and I have a major case of FOMO (FearOfMissingOut) as the spring events start up and my friends start to train for races. But, I know that will change. There are already glimmers of hope. I know that I can make a comeback. I know that my late season races will be a treasure. And, I know that this will make me a better athlete and coach.

I want to thank those of you who have already encouraged me. I couldn't have done this without my close team of advisors. ESPECIALLY Neal. [He has put up with A LOT of tears already.] I need your prayers. My biggest requests are for God's timing and protection during surgery, His comfort while I feel all the feels and a quick recovery.

I will keep you updated on my progress here as I know it. Until then, take care!

ALL GOOD THINGS

THEY SAY all good things must come to an end. I say: all good things COULD come to an end.

On Thursday, I ended my one-mile-a-day run streak. It was day 525. I went to the beach and ran almost the same route that I did on day ONE. I cruised down to the Blockade Runner and back. I walked out on the beach and watched the waves and the dark clouds in the distance. I wrote 525 in the sand and watched a wave wash it away. I cried.

In the past few weeks, I’ve found out that I need ACL repair surgery on my knee. Last week, when I went to physical therapy, my therapist said: if the surgeon saw you in pre-op today, he likely wouldn’t do the surgery. There is still a little swelling and fluid build up. The risk of delaying surgery, and the damage I could be doing to my meniscus in the meantime, prompted me to end the streak.

I liken it to breaking up with a good boyfriend - but someone who is NOT the one.

I’ve never been good at that. I was a pro at draaaaaggging out a break-up. Did I want to get back together with my run streak the very next day? Yes. In fact, on day 526 I got my surgery date - which is not until May! One of my goals with the run streak was to at least get to day 555 (which would be April 9). I instantly thought: Maybe I could keep this going! Maybe this is a sign not to quit! When I got off the phone with the scheduler, I looked at my sister and said: this makes me want to go run a mile. She said NO. And, like any good sister would, she suggested retail therapy instead.

I am still very sad about it. I loved my run streak. I miss it. I wanted to get to 555 and especially 1,000. But, I may be even more proud that I stuck to my decision to stop. I know that it is what’s best for my ultimate goals. And eventually, I know I’ll find a new streak.

TTFN!

IRONMAN COZUMEL 2021

The last time I was here was in 2020 - reminiscing about my adventure in IRONMAN Cozumel 2019. I have several unfinished blogs written about that race that I may publish later in December. But, first, I want to write about this year’s race.

One of the things that I love most about this space is looking back on my adventures and remembering the little moments and lessons learned. I wish I had kept a better journal of all the summer training days. Again, I might reminisce about a few of those hot, windy days later this month.

But, first, a little about IRONMAN MEXICO 2021. I like to write about the set-up of the race because I know that many people read this race report to prep for their own trip. This is the second time I’ve raced in Cozumel so some of my review reflects a little compare and contrast.

First, I cannot say enough about booking this trip with Ken Glah’s Endurance Sports Travel. His team makes the event special and easy for the athletes and spectators. He met us at the airport with a big hug and a shuttle to our hotel. He took time to ride with me and another athlete on Wednesday after my bike was prepped. He planned daily trips into town, swim and bike sessions and helped all athletes with the point-to-point-to-point logistics. And on race day, he took care of athletes and spectators. I can’t wait to book with him for my trip to Kona. I HIGHLY recommend traveling with him.

We arrived in COZUMEL very early. American Airlines switched our flights twice and extended our trip on both ends. Of course, in the end, we could hardly complain because…..Mexico. Ace and I landed on Monday evening in a thunderstorm that was a harbinger of things to come. We stayed at Secrets Aura about 20 minutes south of downtown. It’s an all-inclusive for adults and included everything we needed for race week. The adjoining Sun Sabor was a family friendly hotel and was the meet-up spot for EST (and the Towne family once they arrived on Friday).

Flying in early gave us a chance to relax those first few days before the rest of our crew arrived. We set up our home in the villas at Aura, went for a swim in the roped-off area at the resort, I put my bike together on Tuesday and went for a ride with Ken on Wednesday. I was also able to get my pre-event Covid test at the hotel. A negative result was required within 72 hours of packet pick-up. I did my streak mile each day, too. The first mile the night we arrived was on a treadmill in the gym. The other miles were on the multi-use road outside of the resort gate.

Jen arrived on Thursday and Ace and I met her downtown at the Convention Center for packet pick-up. This was the most stressful part of the entire trip. I was trying to find gluten-free bread (never did), coordinating with Jen’s flight and her Disney-like wait through customs and attempting not miss the last shuttle to the hotel. Plus, I almost got arrested for shoplifting (not really, but caught with a bag in one of the grocery stores). Oh…and it was raining off and on.

Here are some tips on getting set up in Cozumel:

• Fly into Cozumel if you can get a flight. The first year we flew into Cancun. Even though Ken’s team was in charge, it was hectic getting out of that airport, we took a shuttle (45-minutes) with a few other athletes to Playa del Carmen, boarded our luggage (and bike) on a bike taxi, walked through a ferry plaza/mall, boarded a ferry for a 30-minute trip to Cozumel, got in another shuttle and then headed to the hotel.

• Bike bags are the last to come out onto the luggage carousel. By that time, the line to the customs bag scan is (a) full of regular tourists (not athletes) and (b) makes no sense. It is as long as a line in Disney without the organization.

• Bring a raincoat. It is the rainy season.

AND SO IT BEGINS [My Road to Kona]

I did it. I finally did it. Three weeks ago, I crossed the finish line at Ironman Cozumel and a new start line for my road to Kona. Cozumel marked my 12th MDOT race and officially qualifies me for the IRONMAN Legacy Program.

The IRONMAN Legacy Program, introduced in 2012, is a way to recognize our most loyal and dedicated athletes and give them a chance to compete in the IRONMAN World Championship. Athletes who have completed 12 full-distance, IRONMAN-branded races—and who have never had the chance to compete at the IRONMAN World Championship —may be selected for a special slot to the coveted race.

It’s funny because a few days ago, a memory popped up on Facebook that showed me at the Ironman World Championships in 2017. I was in Kona for my USA TriathlonLevel II Endurance Coach course and Ace and I volunteered for the race. We were perfectly positioned to check in the VIPs and pros and later were able to walk out on the swim dock to watch the swim and bike start. It was thrilling! We also were able to watch the run course as the pros came into town for the first 10k of the marathon.

Video Capture of my Volunteer Spot at the World Championships in 2017.

I have watched this race on the tube for years and had athletes who have worked to qualify, but I never wanted to do it. Why in heaven’s name would you want to swim in choppy waters, bike in the windy (boring) lava fields and run in tropical heat and desert conditions? Now I get it.

The one thing I did not get to see that day was the finish line. Our travel schedule prevented us from seeing Mike Reilly call anyone across that line. On the plane home, the idea started to form that I would go back and cross that line myself. I am not fast enough to qualify for the World Championships by speed. So, I hatched a plan to get there by doing 12 races.

Last Tuesday, I submitted my application. I listed my races, my bib numbers, my finishing times and my story. I hit [SEND] and now my name is on the waitlist. According to the website: Due to the high demand of the Legacy Program and popularity of this event, there will be more eligible athletes than there are slots available, therefore athletes will be placed on our waitlist. The Legacy Program is a waitlist is based on the timestamp of their application submission.  The current waitlist extends to the 2024 IRONMAN World Championship. 

So, what now? We wait.

IRONMAN COZUMEL 2019 - THE SWIM

As I mentioned in the last post, I have been playing the game: THIS TIME LAST YEAR. This time last year, I was on my way home from Cozumel. We spent Thanksgiving traveling from our resort in Cozumel to Cancun before our flight home. I had fish and shrimp tacos as a main course and a margarita for dessert. I was sunburnt and happy and trying to relive all the fun moments of the trip. Here’s what I remember about the first part of the day:

I cannot tell you how much I loved the Cozumel swim. It was beautiful and fast and fun. I wish I had had a GoPro on that day to give you an idea of the blue water and the starfish as big as my face and the image of swimming over Scuba divers and waving as I passed. Of course, before I even jumped in, there was the space between - that is, the space between waking and starting the race.

WAKE-UP CALL

One of the perks of this race was that it was in our time zone. And the timing of the race meant we could essentially wake up at the time we always do for weekend workouts (which is 4:00am). Our pace in the hotel room felt almost leisurely as I step-by-stepped my way through the morning routine. Ace and I met Jeyo and T in the lobby of the Sunscape and we were picked up by Endurance Sports Travel shuttles to the swim finish.

WORRIED STATE OF MIND

At Chankanaab park, Jen, Tonya and I left Ace and headed the swim to bike transition. We started out together and then split up inside transition. We arranged to set up our bikes and drop our bags and then meet at Jen’s bike to leave transition. I messed up at some point and Jen and I both ended up back outside transition with Ace. There was a lot of back and forth on whether we should wait to see if Tonya came out or we should go back in. It was dark, there were hundreds of people streaming by and the tension grew. The lines were forming to the bus - had she already gone by? Was she still in transition? Should Jen go back? Would that mean we lose everyone? Eventually, we decided that Jen and I would get in line and then Neal went back through to look for Tonya. It didn’t take long until she was found and brought up in line to us. RELIEF!! Sorry T!

BETTER STATE OF MIND

headed to our swim corral (1:10)

The swim started a bit north of the Chankanaab and we were dropped at the entrance to the Fonatur Marina. I would guess that the walk was about 600m and at some point we slid into our swim skins and made the last preparations (aka peeing in the woods). The sun had come out by the time we off-boarded and the energy was picking up. As we walked to the swim holding pattern, I kissed Honey and we said our good-byes. He veered off to our corral and Tonya headed to hers.

And then we waited.

It did seem like an ENDLESS wait. We sat for a while. Stood for a while. Sat again. It was fun people watching. Finally, the music got us pumped and we edged our way into the line. I was disappointed that we didn’t get to see pros take off. Really, we didn’t get to see much ahead of us until we were within 50 rows back of the swim chute.

Pro Take-Off

My Dance-Off

MY TAKE-OFF

JEN'S TAKE-OFF

THE BEST STATE OF MIND

And just like that, I was dancing my way down the gang plank and Jen was doing some crazy rodeo gallop behind me. We jumped off the dock and off we went. The Cozumel swim course is pretty straightforward. There is only one turn and it is a left-hander at the end to finish and get out of the water. It didn’t feel crowded, but I also didn’t feel all alone. I immediately felt at ease. We didn’t get any warm-up, so I let myself relax and enjoy the view for the first half or third of the 2.4 miles. It was like swimming in an aquarium. Fish as big as my bike, starfish as big as my face, and colors I have never named. There were even divers at the bottom like you see home aquariums. They were there for safety, but are great to use as siting points. They were literally hanging onto the buoys because the current was ripping! It was my favorite swim ever!

My least favorite parts about the swim: the concern about whether I was supposed to be to the right or left of the buoys, which were placed every 100-200 meters along the course. The athlete guide and pre-race briefing we were told to keep the buoys on our left the entire time. I did that for the first three or four buoys but maybe the wind or the proximity of the safety boats seemed to steer swimmers to the other side of the buoys. As another blogger wrote: I spent most of the swim wondering if they were wrong or if I was wrong. Either everyone was cutting the course and I was the only person doing the correct course or I misunderstood the course and was making it longer and harder on myself. Even as a write this, I still don’t know the answer.

The other least favorite part, the turn into the finish. Did I mention the current was ripping? It was a little daunting making the turn and I ended up crossing between a boat’s bow and its bow anchor chain. I had to swim hard to stay close to the finish pier and reach the steps. I simply reminded myself to be patient. We had been practicing out-and-backs all summer and this was just 100 yards of a good push against me.

ALREADY?

I couldn’t believe it was over so fast. I did NOT want it to end. But, I climbed the stairs, trotted my way through the transition area, grabbed my bag and headed to the tent. I only had to dropped my swim skin, goggles and cap in the bag, threw on my socks and shoes, grabbed my helmet, head band and shades and ran to my bike. I dressed on the short run, grabbed my bike and trotted my way out to the bike start. Here we go.

DON'T WEAR WHITE

#nowhitetrikits

THIS TIME LAST YEAR

Most of this year, I’ve been playing the game: THIS TIME LAST YEAR. With my races cancelled and most of my big events on the distant horizon, my favorite thing to do has been to think of all my racing victories in year’s past. So this week, the game has been: THIS TIME LAST YEAR, I was getting ready to jump into my favorite-ever swim at Ironman Cozumel! Or, THIS TIME LAST YEAR…..I was on the bike in Louisville, KY!

That time I wore a skort in an Ironman! Ironman Louisville 2019

I even extended it to: THIS TIME OF YEAR in 2012……I finished my first Ironman! It helps that InstaBook has been popping up all the pix of allllllll the past races.

That time I won third in my age group. Beach 2 Battleship 2014

I realize I can’t live in the past and I don’t expect the tri life to be what it once was (at least for a while). I don’t find I’m yearning for my time back or even grieving the loss of racing anymore (although part did happen). Looking back has been like comfort food. A Thanksgiving.

It has motivated me to count my blessings. Especially in this sport that has meant so much to me over the past dozen years.

LIMBO ROCK

I’ve been calling this the limbo season because of the uncertainty in training and racing. Imagine the limbo dance. The purpose is to see who can make it under the limbo pole without touching it as it gets lower and lower to the floor. Each limbo-er has to do it “face up” with . As Wiki describes it: the dancer prepares and approaches the bar, lowering and leaning back their body while balancing on feet akimbo with knees extended backwards.

The music gets louder and the drumbeats get faster as each dancer eases and eeks their way under the pole that’s parallel to the ground. The winner is the last one under the bar.

This year has been a year of limbo for so many endurance athletes. I had three Ironman races that I had to look forward to and train for - knowing (or assuming) they would be cancelled. There is a dance I did to motivate myself to train and also accept the fact that the training would be for naught.

I still have athletes on my team who are training for Ironman Arizona - but assume and almost hope that it will be cancelled/postponed til next year. The unknowing is what makes us go lower and lower in motivation and hope. It makes us bend and contort our brain to accept that what is happening. The deafening noise from the crowd builds pressure. [And this limbo extends to work life, family life, school life.]

I am actually trying to think of Limbo as more a dance and less of a game. So, I’m trying to be flexible. I’m picturing all the possibilities and will accept the outcome. I’m trying to imagine the anticipation for next year as the music and drumbeats that get louder as 2021 approaches. And I’m imagining that all my training is the dance itself - and the opportunity to get out and play is keeping me on the dance floor - which is where I want to be.

Missing the Tri Life

I am missing triathlon. Specifically, I miss racing. I realized just how much the other day when I was walking on the beach to meet a friend. I saw a couple up ahead and thought: I think I can pass them before I get to Geri. I picked up the pace and the competitive spark turned into a flame. I miss the game.

Here’s the latest:

• Two of my three iron-distance races have been cancelled for the year. Ironman Lake Placid was set for July and Ironman Mt. Tremblant was set for August. I have deferred both of those to 2021.

• Ironman Maryland is still on the calendar for September 19.

I am training as if IMMD is going to happen - but my heart’s not in it. I go into each weekend of long workouts dreading the time spent away from my athletes and my new beach house. I don’t push as hard on my weekday training and I am a little lazy about the process. You would think that my aforementioned love of racing and competition would spark motivation and anticipation - but it has left my training a little flat.

I know this will turn around. There is a slow burn within me to get better at each race and to complete the dream to race Kona. I know that eventually I’ll get back on track. Until then, I’ll maintain the discipline and desire to keep moving forward.

Meet-Up with Geri

July 4 Weekend Ride - 40 miles

IRONMAN COZUMEL 2019 - THE SET UP

I cannot tell you how excited I am about the last race of the year. Ironman Cozumel was SUCH a fun way to finish a year of three full iron-distance races. It was a perfect(ish) day, in a beautiful locale and I raced with two amazing friends. Plus, Honey was there to cheer for me before, during and after. I loved this race (most of the day anyway) and thought I’d write out my race report (including logistics) and my takeaways.

ARRIVAL

We set up our travel through Ken Glah’s ENDURANCE SPORTS TRAVEL - a service that I highly recommend for this or any race they serve. Getting to Cozumel was quite an adventure and they helped us (and 40 other athletes) manage planes, shuttles, bicycle rickshaws, ferries, more shuttles and taxis not only on the first day but throughout the race, the days after and our departure.

We arrived on the Thursday before the Sunday race and that gave me plenty of time to chill out a little, put together my bike, remember what summer felt like and start hydrating. We stayed at Secrets Aura - my first all-inclusive that made life really easy and set us up for a perfect post-race celebration.

I will say had quite the adventure from Cancun to Cozumel. It entailed a big glitch in our pick-up, me falling on my luggage and banging my shin and skinning my knee (which caused me to cuss in French, not Spanish), an hour trip to Playa de Carmen by shuttle, piling nine pieces of luggage (including three bikes and a golf bag), a 45 minute ferry ride on giant rolling waves and a taxi to the resort. But, we shared the adventure with Ashley and Tristan who were from Nashville and fun to get to know.

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FRIDAY BUSINESS

Tonya arrived late on Thursday and Jen arrived on midday Friday. Ace headed out on his first round of golf and T and I spent the morning assembling our bikes and worrying about Jeyo. She finally arrived (and was able to send/receive texts) before noon and we made a plan for packet pick-up and the athlete meeting. We had a light lunch at the pool bar and headed downtown to the expo.

Registration was super easy and more laid back than any North American race. It wasn’t as organized as the races here, but it flowed - and it felt like a party. [For those of you who know what I mean: There were none of those green cards with your race number that you take to the waiver table that you take to the contact info table that you take to get your race numbers and hear the race spiel, etc., etc.] And the swag was pretty awesome! The standard book bag, a fanny pack, a micro-fiber towel and a few other goodies. The expo was okay, but the lines moved slowly and it was smaller than IMLOU or IMBoulder.

The athlete’s meeting was frustrating to me. One, because it was three blocks down the street from the expo. Two, it was 30 minutes late getting started and the waiting area was mostly in the sun. Three, most of the information is in the athlete guide. Plus, we found out later they told one group to keep the swim buoys on the left shoulder and the other group to keep them on the right. Pick a side, yo. [And finally - pet peeve - all the chairs were touching. Seriously, people, you can spread the chairs out. Personal space.] Maybe I was hangry here.

Our last mandatory event of the day was the ENDURANCE SPORT TRAVEL meeting headed by Ken and Christine Glah. They outlined how to navigate the bike and bag drop-offs on Saturday and the swim finish + swim start shuttles on race day. Seriously. I am still amazed at how they coordinated all of us and our spectators all week long. After the meeting, the four of us went to dinner and created a timeline for the next 36 hours.

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SATURDAY PREP

Saturday started with a bike check shake out ride. We had all reassembled our bikes by Friday and wanted to do a test ride. It allowed Jen and me to fidget with our power meters (which seemed off) and completely open Tonya’s back brake because every time she’d hit a bump, her wheel would start to rub. We rode out about 3 miles on a side service road that was a lot like riding on roads at home. We returned to the resort, made a few adjustments and then rode our bikes to the swim finish/bike start at Chankanaab park. We racked our bikes and dropped our bags and checked out the swim exit. I have to say this was the most beautiful bike transition. It was shaded and the bikes actually had space between them.

We got an EST shuttle back to the resort, had a bite to eat and headed off to the run bag drop in downtown Cozumel. We were not allowed to access our swim-to-bike or bike-to-run bags on race day, so there was a little stress in making sure we crossed off the items on the transition checklists. We headed back to the resort, ate an early buffet dinner (3:00pm!) and started the final prep.

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Shake-Out Ride

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Bike Drop-Off

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Racked & Ready

RACE DAY LIES AHEAD……

TRI SHERPA

A few weeks ago, I wrote about my tri Sherpa. He has mastered the art of getting around on the course to see me everywhere he can. He’ll station himself at the planned spots on the course so I’ll know to look forward to seeing him, but sometimes he’ll pop out of nowhere and surprise me somewhere on the bike or run. [He’s yet to do it on the swim but I wouldn’t put it past him.]

He’s also mastered my EIGHT TIPS for being the best IRON TRI SHERPA. [He’s the inspiration for almost all of them!]

He’s READY - prepped, planned and prepared - he brings everything he needs for a long race day. It’s almost like he preps his own special needs bag (which looks a lot like a collapsible cooler). It includes maps of the courses, my predicted times, sunscreen, magazines for the in-betweens, cameras, and lots of rechargeable batteries.

He’s FLEXIBLE - he knows the IRONMAN motto that Anything is Possible can also mean Anything Can Happen. So he’ll create alternate routes and knows to be patient when my predicted times are not lining up with my actual times.

He SHOWS UP, not only on race day, but in the lead-in days when I need to vent my taper craziness or when I cry in my goggles. He also always wears something noticeable. He’s won’t wear a costume like my friend Erica, but he normally wears a bright color so I can pick him out of a crowd.

Did you know that smiling at this Lizard could save you seconds on your Ironman time?

My two favorite tips are ADD A SURPRISE and WRITE IT OUT. A few years ago, one of my athletes did her first 140.6 at IRONMAN LOUISVILLE. She went out to run an tri errand or attend the athlete briefing and when she returned, her husband had done this to the wall in their hotel room:

Over 100 Post-It notes with quotes and mantras and words to inspire. They were written by friends and family or were quotes she used (or said) in training. What a surprise! Two tips in one!

Along the same lines - chalk drawings or posters. Get crazy. My friends have created signs out of rafts and chalked up miles of sidewalk with silly sayings - not just for me but all the other participants, too!

SHERPA GUIDE

I have the best iron sherpa. I realize I am extremely lucky that hubby is so supportive of my training and racing and goals and ideas. From the beginning, he has loved to come to races. He has mastered the art of cheering and taking pictures at the same time. He’s mastered the art of getting me from hell-no-I-won’t-go to the start line a zillion times. He manages to drive my friends to remote locations on the bike so they can cheer as I go by and text my parents and sister when they call during races to find out how I am and when I’m going to finish even when I’m three time zones away. He knows how to outsmart MDOT trackers and land at just the right spot at the right time to see me go by. In Boulder this June, he even indulged in the IRONMAN VIP Experience. To my surprise, he even met me at the finish line to GIVE ME MY MEDAL!

My second iron-distance race: Beach2Battleship 2014

And, I have some AMAZING IronSherpa friends! They go out of their way to make me feel like I can do anything. My sister came to my first sprint race in Charlotte and has been a part of every race I’ve done (whether she realizes it or not). I’ve had friends (three of them) travel cross-country to watch me race in Santa Rosa and one friend travel to Nice when I did Ironman France! They have chalked up miles of sidewalk. Created HILARIOUS signs of me dressed as Vanna White and made signs out of blow up rafts! Written pre-race notes, served up flowers and french fries at the finished, shouted by megaphone and sung at the tops of their lungs to inspire and motivate me.

Notes with quotes and lyrics.

I was recently a sherpa for my friend Sami as she competed in the Iceland Xtreme Triathlon in Olafsvik. That trip meant that I did the marathon part of the race with her. Up and down a mountain and back again! Carrying hydration, nutrition, a compass, extra clothes for 5000ft of climbing up a glacier and keeping her entertained and on track (that story coming soon!). It meant singing Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, changing clothes in a rainstorm and finding our way through fog and sleet and a moonscape terrain.

Athletes may not believe it, but being an IRONSHERPA is harder than being the athlete. You can bet there is no training plan for triathlon spectators! The early wake-up, the standing, the waiting, fighting traffic and all the cheering means your squad might mean they need epsom salts, Thera-Guns or naps for days on end! And, you don’t need a VIP pass to have an amazing experience as a trifan.

I’ve created an IRONSHERPA guide epecially for IMNC 70.3 - but it applies to any race. It has my top tips for being the best triathlon fan + places to stay and places to eat while you’re in town. If you’d like a copy, fill out the form and I’ll send you yours. Plus, you’ll get updates when I post to my blog. Next week, I’ll share three of the most creative, motivational and inspirational Sherpa boosts I’ve seen! As an athlete, if you’ve had an extraordinary Sherpa experience, share them in the comments below!

IRONMAN BOULDER RACE RECAP

RACE RECAP & THREE THINGS I LEARNED AT IMBOULDER

It's been two months since #IMBOULDER and this is how I still feel. It was a #unicorn race. I don't mean I won it or that I even PR'd it. It was not even perfect. But, it was an unbelievable day. One that you love from start to finish. Where you smile in every picture and you dance at the finish. Here are few highlights, photos and flashbacks. And, a few lessons learned along the way.

The day of IMBOULDER did not start as planned. I woke up 30 minutes late. I don't do late. I was proud that I didn't freak out. Maybe sleepy = calm. Our plan was to leave the hotel at 4:00am, drop off my special needs bags and head out to the Boulder Resevoir.

I had 30 minutes to put on spandex, take my meds, fill my bottles for the bike, do other normal morning things, throw wetsuit, nutrition and gear into bags and get out the door. I had planned for it to take an hour.

In that condensed time and space, I made mistakes. I mixed my bike nutrition wrong, I forgot my heart rate monitor and I left my Dorothy pez behind.

We still made it to the car by 4:10am, had dropped my bags at the high school and were headed to the Reservoir by 4:30.

In the weeks leading up to Boulder, the fear was the water in the Boulder Reservoir. Snow melt threatened to make the water around 55 degrees. #icecreamheadache I had borrowed booties, gloves and thermal vest to wear with my wetsuit. Who knew that the air temp would be the challenge! Temps started in the mid 40s and it was colder on land than in the water which was about 67. I was happy to don the wetsuit and get in the water to warm up. The worst part of the entire day was waiting for the swim start. We lined up in the chute according to our swim time and waited. And waited. My feet were freezing and it hurt to stand on the asphalt. They only released one or two athletes down the boat ramp and into the water at a time. So it was a time trial start for 1300 swimmers. The official start was 6:20am, but my toes didn't touch the water until 6:50am. So I danced my way down, one step at a time. Cheered when they played U2 and gave Neal a kiss before I walked beneath the arches and down the red carpet to the water's edge.

PRE WARM-UP

FREEZING COLD BUT HAPPY

PLAYING U2

DANCE AT THE START LINE

WATER FEELS FINE

OMG WHAT A VIEW

The swim was amazing. Every swim stroke on the far side of the reservoir and on the way back in was like looking at a post card. Snow-capped mountains on one side and a rising sun on the other was something I'll never forget.

Halfway through, I thought: it's warmed up nicely, I probably don't even need my long sleeve shirt on the bike. As soon as I got out of the water, I changed my mind. As I peeled my wetsuit off (which got stuck on my watch) I couldn't wait to put on my long sleeve shirt. Plus, I remembered that I had stuffed hand warmers inside my gloves. They proved to be super cozy in those first miles on the bike.

One of the most fun things about MDOT races is that for many of them, you are competing with the pros in triathlon. [Notice I didn't say against. They are still in a class of their own.] One of the highlights at IMBOULDER was being passed by pros! The first to pass me was Timothy O'Donnell. I was at mile 30ish and he was at mile 85 on the loop. I looked back at the footage from the race and found the spot where he passed me. I hammed it up for the Fbook coverage cam, but they actually blurred out my waving and smiling and saying: go T.O.!

Right before that, I had come off an amazing downhill and turned left at a major intersection. On the other side of the road, I saw a woman running towards the intersection. She had on a hat and earpods and an Ironman pullover. I thought: hey girl! you're headed the wrong way. And then out loud I said: you're not a girl, you're RINNY!! Rinny is Mirinda "Rinny" Carfrae another pro athete who also happens to be married to T.O. She never heard or even saw me when I yelled: Go Rinny!

[On a side note: Mr. O'Donnell finished his whole race (that includes the #marathon after his 2.4 mile swim and 112 mile bike) before I even finished my bike! (He did get a 50 minute head start though).]

The second loop of my IMBOULDER bike was a little daunting. There's some comfort and some trepidation that comes with knowing what's ahead. But, as I sometimes tell my athletes: the bad news is we do it again; the good news we know that if we did it the first time we can do it again. And maybe even better.
What was coming was another round of false flats. I live on the coast of North Carolina, so false flats around here are about 1-3% grade of incline. Up there, it's more like 3-5%. And, at the end of each long stretch of false flat, there's a kick-up in grade. I wondered for a minute as I started that next loop if I could. And then I did. What I didn't know was coming was a visit from Ace! At mile 75 - at the top of the biggest climb (at 5100 feet), I noticed someone that looked like hubby! And then it WAS hubby! He cheered and said: you look great, Babe! That gave me just the boost I needed to finish up the course. I remembered how he's been such an amazing support. Not just for that day, but for my entire triathlon adventure.

HEADING OUT

MILE 56ish

SURPISED TO SEE ACE

SO HAPPY TO SEE HIM

A VIEW FROM THE COURSE

MADE IT BACK!

I didn't really want to get off the bike, but I also was looking forward to the run. It was on greenways and paved paths that took us from the resevoir into downtown Boulder with a loop past the finish and back out to a turnaround (in an amazing bar parking lot) and back to downtown Boulder. There always seemed to be running water within earshot and the temps were perfect.

I finished my ride (6:50ish) - about 10 minutes under my goal. And I felt great. I nailed my nutrition thanks to Cristina Caldwell Fueled Coaching I didn't get my normal 80 mile headache and my stomach never growled (which is what normally happens). But, less than a mile into the run, I felt woozy. I wanted to take a nap. I closed one eye and tried it. I ran off the road. I tried the other eye and staggered the other way. Um. What is wrong? I tried salt and then calories. Oh, and at mile 4 or 7 (who knows?!) I remembered I was at altitude. Duh. I figured out if I kept my heart rate in a certain range I wouldn't feel wonky on the low end or out of breath on the high end. It was slow going, but I had an amazing time.

TA DA!

HEADING OUT ON A LITTLE RUN

MAKING INTO DOWNTOWN

NOW PUT YOUR HANDS UP

OUT OF THE TUNNEL

CAN YOU FIND ACE?

DANCE ACROSS THE FINISH

THREE THINGS I LEARNED AT IRONMAN BOULDER

I loved Ironman Boulder. It was a unicorn of a race. It was like racing in a postcard. There were snow-capped mountains that I could see in the swim. There were prairie dogs, a rattlesnake, a few pro triathletes and a moose sighting on the bike. There was altitude wooziness on the run and a surprise at the finish line. As usual, I learned a lot. Here are my top three take-aways:

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE/ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN
I overslept. By 30 minutes! I set my alarm for 3:00am for Mon/Tue/Wed/Thu/Fri/Sat but the race was on Sunday. In the scramble to get out the door as planned, I:

• Mixed up my nutrition bottles. I mixed bottle one and bottle three together. Different brands. Different flavors.

• I didn't have time to eat breakfast in the comfort of my hotel room.

• I forgot my heartrate monitor and my Dorothy Pez!

• I ended up with weird things in my special needs bag (all of my QTips ended up in my run special needs!).

Practice not only a perfect day, but practice an imperfect day. That way, when it happens to you, you'll be prepared to KEEP CALM & CARRY ON. Practice a messy transition, practice waking up late, practice the pressure and on race day when - not if- something comes up....you can handle it.

HAVE A PLAN A-B-C-D

My bottles weren't the only thing that went awry with my nutrition. My favorite breakfast bagels couldn't be found, we didn't have a very big fridge in the room and we had no access to a microwave. That meant that I had to "make-do" with alternate ways of prepping my nutrition. I had to choose a different breakfast combo (cold waffles, Infinit MUD nutrition, Van's breakfast bars and some almond butter). I had to make all my bottles the morning of the race. And, when I mixed them incorrectly, I had to have an alternate choice.

Always be thinking of another way. Don't think that one way is always the right way. Routines and habits are beneficial - until they break your confidence or create anxiety. For example: You don't HAVE to carry a Pez dispenser on the bike. Especially when you find the token unicorn that a friend gives you before the race.

ONCE AGAIN, WITHOUT FEELING

How you feel coming off the bike is not an indicator of your race. It's not an indication of how you swam or how hard you rode. It may not even be an indicator of your nutrition. You are likely going to feel like sh!t. But that doesn't mean that your nutrition is off, you rode too hard or you're under- or over-trained.

You can use all of those things to overcome how you FEEL when you come off the bike and face the last leg of your race. You can overcome nutrition issues by eating a few more calories, taking in a little more salt or drinking plain water. You can remember the positives of your training - the little victories along the way that consistently led you to the start line of your race. And, although counter-intuitive, you can do the opposite of how you think you've raced up to this point. If you feel you over-cooked the bike, don't go easy. Give yourself a little push in pace. If you feel you didn't push yourself enough, then back off into cruise mode and see if that doesn't flip a switch.

And if none of that works.....keep moving forward. How you feel at the start of the swim or bike or run will be forgotten as soon as you cross that finish line and they hang that medal around your neck.