MARCH MADNESS

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MARCH MADNESS

I RACED! Twice! Last weekend, I did the Steve Haydu Lo Tide 10K and the Azalea Sprint. On Saturday, I met Kitty at Carolina Beach for my first real 10k in three years (Disney in 2020 and 2022 didn’t count to me). Meaning: I ran to race.

The sun was out but, it was chilly and breezy. I picked up my bib that morning and then Kitty and I sat in her car for about 20 minutes to drink coffee and chat. We warmed up for 15 minutes with pick-ups and dynamics, ditched our warm-up clothes and then went out to run a little more. We lined up to start and just as in years past, the host blessed us with the Irish blessing and a Christian prayer - complete with a salvation call! = and pronounced THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE! LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT! I rubbed the road ID on my watch and heard: On your mark. Get set. Go!

Almost immediately, my right shins hurts. Hadn’t felt it in the warm-up Hadn’t felt it in years. But, suddenly, the dull ache was there. At mile 1.5, right after the first water station, I stopped to swallow the water in my cup and mainly to point and flex my ankle to get rid of the shin pain. It was only then that I remembered that one of my goals this year was to run a 10k without stopping! So off I went.

Obviously, it wasn’t a major goal. I didn’t even write it down on my calendar goal sheet. But, I know I had said it out loud at some point to friends. I know it might seem like a minor thing, but honestly, Ironman has made me lazy. And my strategy to recover from my ACL surgery played into that as well. I am a runwalker. What started with a 10’ run to 1’ walk ratio for my long runs and races for my first race in 2013, turned into a 4’ run + 1’ walk strategy last year for every training run and race.

For me to run a whole mile in the past few months is a major milestone. Mentally and physically. So, to be able to run six is HUGE! Even when I got stuck in the middle of all the 5k walkers, I kept on running. It was a giant victory for me. My total time was 1:04 (about a 10:30/mile pace).

More to come on the tri next time.

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WHAT IF I

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WHAT IF I

MARCH 1: Training has been busy! I had a great run yesterday. It was an amazing afternoon - 83 degrees in February! My mantra on this run was: WHATIFICAN. As I mentioned, I’ve been riding the Peloton - and trying to stick with a power zone training plan. It’s been so good for me. One of the instructors is Christine D’Ercole and she is freaking amazing.

When she’s not writing, leading Wordshops, or delivering keynote speeches, Christine is racing bicycles. She is a Masters World Champion and ten-time Masters National Champion. 

As an original cycling instructor at Peloton, her classes are rooted in the science of cycling and the power of words. Her unique style of mindful motivation inspires members of the Peloton community, reaching thousands of devoted riders every day. 

I rode on Monday and these words - along with her IAMICANIWILLIDO - have stuck with me. She told a really great story about going head-to-head with a seasoned cycling champion and all the doubts that she couldn’t win against her - but the thought what if I can came to her and calmed her down. That thought gave her drive and determination and she won.

I’ve admitted to several people about my doubt about finishing Kona. But, what if I can? I look at all the training and preparation I have to do in the next eight months and my first thought is yikes! But, what if I can? I think ahead about the choppy water and wind and hills and humidity and think no way - but, what if I can?

So, new mantra. Working on flipping to that question every time I think: yikes, no way, or I have my doubts.

For some reason I was into my metronome on this run and doing Kona math. Such as:

At 4:00Pm on October 13, I will be out on the run. It will be 9:00PM in Wilmington. If I finish at midnight, it will be 5:00AM back home. If I finish at 10:00PM it will be 3:00AM. I decided that friends and family should just come to Hawaii so they wouldn’t have to get up early to “see” me finish.

MARCH 2: Yesterday was awesome! First ride outdoors. I have been loving the Peloton, but I sure do love Wednesday morning rides at Wrightsville Beach! Even when it’s windy and my bike computer is not charged and it’s colder than I prefer. Tony, Kitty and I headed up to the north end twice, took a picture of the sun rising, fixed Kitty’s stuck brake, chatted with Kurt and had fun with the tailwind on the return. It was good to feel the salt air.

WHAT IF I by Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats

Maybe I’m all in and doubt it
Maybe the nights are sharp and cold
Maybe it’s harder to see when you cannot believe
When only half the cards are shown
Maybe as time goes on together
We’ll learn how to grow
— What If I

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YOU MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE

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YOU MAKE MY DREAMS COME TRUE

It’s OFFICIAL! I got the official link to sign up for the Ironman World Championships in Kona in October!

Phew! I’ve been more nervous about this email than the race itself! Will it come to the right email address? I have a dozen, you know? Will it end up in my spam box? Will I miss the deadline? I have been checking the promotions and spam inbox of three different email accounts almost daily and FINALLY! It arrived with an aloha and a registration deadline of August 20. Have I signed up yet? No! In fact, I’m going to wait a bit so that I can savor the moment. If I ruminate on it, I can savor the joy of having made it this far and two, I can make a big deal about the commitment. Like signing day for athletes.

Plus, technically, I have to do one more Ironman race of any distance (Chatty 70.3) and then I’ll be set. That race is May 21 and I thought of waiting until after that race to sign up. That would be May 22 and that would have been mom’s 75th birthday. That might be special.

The email couldn’t have come at a better time. It was literally on the heels of my first race anxiety dream. The dream was like most dreams: nonsensical and non-linear. I think Kona was moved to Coeur d’Alene and was predicted to be as hot as the one I did in 2021. For some reason, they also moved the start time to 11:00AM - despite being CDA hot.

Jen and Sami were there to race, too - which was a fun surprise. But, we were all irritated about the changes. We all had to sit out in the transition area (a large park) at picnic tables while everyone took showers at the two available stalls in the public restroom. We couldn’t understand why everyone was going to take a shower before we jumped in the lake or biked or ran. So, we snuck out of the transition and decided to start ahead of everyone else.

We didn’t get in trouble, but the feeling of getting in trouble was anxiety and thrill producing. And as soon as we jumped in to swim….the dream dissolved away. Thank goodness. I hope this is the one and only race dream of the year.

Here is the song I’ve been singing all week. Here is the playlist to my Coeur d’Alne race.

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Power Pedals

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Power Pedals

FEBRUARY 4: Two big things yesterday. I did a power test on Peloton. And, I ended dry January. I wasn't quite expecting to do a power test-but, all of a sudden I wanted to get a baseline. And, I didn't want to use my bike and trainer set up. I've been-having so much fun with Peloton that I decided to keep training there for a while. In the past, I've used Sufferfest or Zwift -but I need a bit of fun infused into my workouts. Even the power tests. Especially for power tests. I am all about Matt Wilpers and his power zone training right now.

Plus, it reminds me of being a spin instructor and training for my first century ride. I think I had my road bike and had already done my first tri when Anna and I signed up for the Fletcher Flyer in the mountains of NC. We rode for LLS and raised over $5000 combined in honor of mom. That spring I trained primarily on any spin bike at the fit center. I think I taught-four classes each week and added a long ride on weekends. I honestly don't remember doing big rides over so miles in prep for the century-but I'm sure I did. I can't even imagine what my nutrition was like then. Water?

 

Speaking of nutrition, I broke my alcohol-free streak yesterday, too. I had sort of planned it and knew it was coming but also didn't want it to happen. I like a streak and once I get rolling and have momentum I like to keep it. Also, I have been enjoying how great I feel without alcohol. Mainly, my sleep is so much better. Plus, I've finally started dropping a few pounds. I admitted to a few of my training buddies - I want to do everything in my power to perform well in Kona. If that means being alcohol (and sugar) free-then so be it.

Back to the Peloton. That power test went well and according to my new stats, my FTP is 115. As usual, when I test or race, I think: I could have gone harder or done that better. I can’t wait to test again in a few weeks to see if I actually can.

P.S. Photo of Sunny for fun. This is what she does when I’m on the Peloton. Always looking for squirrels, birds or cats.

FTP test

#teamwilpers #powerzone

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

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DOUBLE TROUBLE

Double Trouble- Last week was a bit of a wash training wise. I headed to Austin, TX for USA Triathlon's Endurance Exchange. My brain got a workout but my body had a rest week. I got in two fun workouts. On Tuesday, Sami, Betsy, Alfonso and I headed to the YMCA in the pouring rain. The gals headed to the pool, while Alfonso hit the treadmill. We did 10 x 100 and I was pretty proud to finish the workout with three strong efforts. Each 100 was stronger than the last for 1:30/1:26/1:24. It was a great swim and even had time for a quick dip in the hot tub. On Wednesday, Sami, Betsy and I went out for a run along the shores of Barton creek. It was hilly & chilly and dark and we started slowly down towards the trail. Our goal was to catch up with the larger group of coaches from the conference for a track workout, but never found them. Instead, Betsy headed back to the house for a zoom call and Sami & I hit the multi-use path for a few pick-up intervals. Actually, my main goal was to find the statue of Stevie Ray Vaughn-one of my top 10 guitar heroes and get a photo.

I stood in front of him & rested in the shadow of a legend gone too soon. My favorite part of the run was an uphill on Congress that was minutes long. It was a good for heart, mind and legs. Good prep for Chatty in May (although not as steep as THAT Barton will be).

The rest of the trip involved a lot of sitting. But, I am now a certified race director and got all the CEUs I need to recertify as a Level II coach. The best part of the trip was being with my coach BFF, Sami Winter. She is outgoing and knows everyone so I tagged along and met a ton of people. We also had time to plan and prepare for our collaborations this year. For years, we have led camps and clinics for athletes all over the nation. This year we’ve got some amazing trips planned. In fact, that Sunday we came home - we held what was probably our 10th swim clinic. Watch out for double trouble.

Stevie Ray Vaughn

In the shadow of a legend.

Standing beside a legend: Mike Reilly - the Voice of Ironman.

Double Trouble

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Double Dopey

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Double Dopey

This time last year (and in 2020) I was finishing the Dopey Challenge in Disney World. I still can’t believe I did it. I realllly can’t believe I’ve done it twice. But, I sometimes joke that I want my epitaph to read: Tried everything twice. Liked it both times.

I thought I’d write a little about it because I learned so much from both 2020 and 2022. There is no way to fit in all the tips and tricks, but here are my biggest takeaways.

THE DOPEY CHALLENGE IS AN ULTRA MARATHON

The back-to-back-to-back-to-back race days make it feel like a broken ultra marathon. We figured that with each race: 5k on Thursday, 10k on Friday, 13.1 on Saturday and 26.2 on Sunday plus walking (to, from and IN) in a park each day we covered close to 75 miles. In 2022, we would wake up at 3:00AM, get dressed, have coffee, walk to the bus at the resort, head over to Epcot for the start, meet-up with all our friends from Wilmington, find our corral, wait for 45-60’ for our start, run the race, get on a bus back to the resort, take a shower, eat all the food, take a nap, head over to a park, head back to the resort and go to bed. The next day we would start again. On the night before the marathon we were in bed by 6:00PM and up by 2:30AM.

I would say that it’s a great introduction to ultra marathons. Maybe it’s an introduction to one of those last man standing marathons! I haven’t done an ultra yet, but, after Disney the thought did cross my mind.

YOU CAN’T TRAIN FOR IT

There is no way to properly train for this extravaganza of a race. Well, there is. But, until you do it, you can’t possibly know what it’s like to do all the things that you do (see above) for four days in a row. In a costume. Even then, it’s a little like what I’ve heard about childbirth: you need time to forget about it before you sign up for it again. I signed up for Dopey 2022 almost a year after our first adventure in 2020. By then, I had forgotten about the achy legs and the zombie-like look you display after four races, dozens of lines and a nalgene of wine in the park (shhh…don’t tell). You remember the Rise of the Resistance and Space Mountain and the gospel choir at the last mile of the race that is Disney. Plus, you forget about all the back to back training runs, the soreness, the chafing and the mental toughness the whole ordeal requires. You only think of the kindness of volunteers and fans and characters and the music (oh! the music is my favorite) and your friends and the finish line. And so you sign up again.

THE BLING IS BLINDING

I’ll admit it: one of the reasons I did the Dopey is for the bling. Waaaaay bak in 2006, I did my first 5k in Myrtle Vegas. There was a huge expo and on the way out of the main convention hall, RUNDISNEY had set up a boot to promote the Goofy Challenge (the 13.1 and marathon). I tried on the three medals and was lured into the magic. Before that, I had said I would never do a marathon. Suddenly I was saying….well, if I do a marathon, it will definitely be in Disney.

Flash forward to 2020 and suddenly, I’m signed up to do my first marathon. [I’ll save a story on this later.) I show to the marathon expo and get six shirts and six bibs! And, there are actually two expos - one for RunDisney gear and another for every other run product on the planet.

DON’T EXPECT TO SET A RECORD

There are a LOT of people in every race. It felt at times like an IRONMAN swim. There are other people touching you. And criss-cross running in front of you. You may have to swerve or duck or dodge to avoid someone around you. And the river of people does not diminish. It is 20 people wide for miles and miles and miles. It is overwhelming at times - especially in the dark around the highway ramps.

Plus, there is so much to see and take in along the route. Unless you are starting in one of the first waves, you may end up being behind so many runners that you spend too much energy bobbing and weaving. My suggestion is to enjoy the entertainment at each mile. Try to find the best costumed runner. Pose with at least one character along the way and, let the finish find you.

THERE IS DISNEY MAGIC EVERYWHERE

You might think that with all the miles and all the runners that you would lose all the magic. But, it is there around every corner. The most magical part of the half and the full races was the entry into the main street of the Magic Kingdom. As I made the turn around the giant Christmas tree at the entrance, I tried to look down at the feet in front of me. I listened to the quiet shuffle around me, mixed with the Disney theme songs playing on the speakers. Just as I made it onto the straightaway……I looked up. Seeing the castle for the first time was magic. I gasped and cried each time and I get goose bumps each time I think of it. My description will never do it justice!

The coolest part of 2020 was riding Expedition Everest in the middle of the marathon. The park had just opened as Jen and I reached the Asia section of the Animal Kingdom. I was able to hop in on the single rider line and rode a roller coaster at mile 17ish! I had such an adrenaline rush that I was able to catch Jen in the last few miles and we finished together.

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THIS TIME LAST YEAR - January 2023

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THIS TIME LAST YEAR - January 2023

As I usually do this time of year, I have been playing the game THIS TIME LAST YEAR. As in, this time last year: I had just gotten home from a six-day trip to Disney for the Dopey Challenge and was getting ready for a four-day trip to Aspen, Colorado.

The game started after my first Ironman (Beach2Battleship 2013). I found myself saying, this time yesterday I was just getting out of the swim. This time last week I was finishing my Ironman! Now it’s morphed into a yearly thing.

I often do this because I miss riding my bike and I start reminiscing about the country roads in Pender County. I start remembering all the fun jokes with my riding buddies and the wildlife (some of which are also riding buddies).

I can already tell that this year is a little different. My memories are extending back to when I started this whole journey of triathlon. A little nostalgia is good for the soul and good for my confidence. I like looking back at how far I’ve come since 2008.

I may have to pull up some of my old blog posts just to show how this whole things has come full-circle.

Until then, check out my first pair of tri shoes…..


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KONA QUEST COUNTDOWN

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KONA QUEST COUNTDOWN

JANUARY 13

CHATTY COUNTDOWN: 127 Day. KONA COUNTDOWN 266 Days: 15 Hours: 33 Minutes: 52 Seconds.

It’s been a pretty great week of training. I missed swim Thursday (I ended up coaching instead of swimming) but, I hope to make it up on Sunday. I’ve gotten in most of my other workouts including a session on my own on Friday at the gym. I was scheduled to go to PT, but also needed a change of scenery. Heading to the club gym was a fun little field trip. The equipment is different and that helped me mix it up a bit. I’m trying to strengthen my quads for the hills of Chatty 70.3 in May.

My biggest win of the week was a run on Wednesday. For the first time in probably a year-I ran a mile without a walk freak. It seems crazy, I know, but IRON MAN has ruined my run. I am a big believer in planned walk breaks for an ultra distance. It resets form, it allows me to take in nutrition and it helps me break my mileage into bite size instead of blocks. But, I've relied on it so much that it has stolen some of my run performance — and confidence. I have done 4 minute run + 1 minute walk pretty consistently since Cozumel in 2021. That includes training runs. Add on an injury and that means almost a year of training my body to run/walk.

So, I need a change. My goal for this year is to run a 10k without a walk break. Again — crazy to think about — but, I've been lazy. In order to build my endurance I need to build my endurance.

Will I take walk breaks in Kona? Absolutely. For now, I’ll train myself to run long (and maybe fast) again.

This is how I feel after a week of training. Don’t tell Honey that Sunny is on the bed.

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KONA QUEST COUNTDOWN

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KONA QUEST COUNTDOWN

Jan 3

HAPPY NEW YEAR! It's the most wonderful time of the year! So much going on and I love the clean slates & fresh starts. My training is getting off to a slow start this week. Yesterday was a bit of a wash. Today I might be coaching instead of swimming. But, I am going to a pt appointment today to kick-off the week. I am giving myself a little leeway on these first few days of the year b/c i'm doing Dry January. All my energy is going into the healing power of non-toxic wining. Thinking of it as a bit of a reset, so the training will come.

Jan 8

Week one: done. Its been a fun week training-wise and i'm trying to find the right schedule to fit it all in. The most fun thing has been riding the Peloton. I don't think i'll be able to use it much during later training, but, it sure is fun to listen to great music and have someone tell me what to do. I’ve enjoyed rockin' out to some 90s music and I even knew the top 10 songs on the 2022 Top 50 count down.

Here’s what my Training currently looks like:

Monday: Easy Walk + Pilates

Tuesday: Swim + PT WKO + Peloton

Wednesday: Peloton + Run

Thursday: Swim

Friday: Run

Saturday: Peloton

Sunday: Run

JAN 10

Dry January sucks! And, also, dry January rocks!

It sucks because quitting anything is hard. Quitting an addictive, toxic, socially accepted drug is even harder. I'll admit, I’ve had detox symptoms — night sweats, a little crankiness, a headache.

Dry January rocks. I am already feeling the best effects. My sleep has been amazing. According to my Whoop data, I’ve been In the green everyday since I started - despite the hot flashes. My HRV and my RHR has improved.

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BACK ON THE BIKE

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BACK ON THE BIKE

I actually did my first double workout today. I met the girls at the track- it was frosty and the infield looked icy white even in the darkness. It's hard to imagine that Kona is going to be the complete opposite! Jen, Tonya, Kitty & I struggled to stay warm but we did an easy wko. We literally started with 50 meters run + 100m walk. We built to running the straights & walking the curves. Then 200s, then 300s. Our final push was a 400m. Jen & I let Tonya and Kitty go first and tried to catch them. It made for a great finish! The best part of the morning was a bright shooting star that I caught during the warm-up.

I finally got back on the bike! I think I have ridden once since Florida-it's almost been two months. I mentioned I missed riding - but I prefer outdoors. The Peloton definitely helps. Lucinda & LanaKeli were judging me from the corner of the sunroom, but I ignored both tri bikes and danced and climbed and ran with Kendall Toole’s 30-minute ride. It was a challenge and so much fun. Peloton is in countdown mode and so I rode to #30-#21 on their most popular songs of 2022. That 30 minutes was looong. But, i\I got some high-fives i wasn't last on the leaderboard.

I hope I can work this into my training more often! These next few weeks are all about setting routines. I am trying to set up two-a-days on Tuesdays & Wednesdays so, having an appointment and someone with high energy bossing me around on the bike is a fresh way to look forward to training.

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DAY ONEISH

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DAY ONEISH

December 27, 2022

Today felt a lot like DAY ONE. I realize that for most, the new year is the launch of annual training plans and promises and ONE WORD and such. But today felt like the first day. Today I set a timer on my phone for Chatty (144 days away) and for Kona (283 days away). I weighed myself for the first time in a while. I swam. I did a PT workout.

I was pleased with my swim. I was able to hold 1:31s on a descending interval and felt pretty strong. My lats started to ache after lunch. I was pleased with my PT workout. I timed everything today so that I would know the timing of 20 reps of each exercise. I felt pretty strong on everything - including the leg press and the surboard lunges. I even added in some TRX pull-ups. Ohhhhhh…..maybe that’s why my lats are sore. I was NOT pleased with my weigh in, but, it wasn’t bad for all the salty meats we’ve been consuming this weekend for Christmas. At least I was able to take off my rings today.

SWIM WOTD:

WU: 300 with buoy + 200 swim + 100 kick.

MS:

100 strong
200 as 8 x 25 with 20” rbi. odds were drill. evens were swim.
300 with buoy and pdls. "
400 as 8 x 50 on 1:00. descend 1-4 and 5-8.
500 as 4 x 100 on descending rest. 2:00/1:55/1:50/1:45/1:40
100 very strong to beat the last.
(that’s the end of the main set. 2200 for 2022)
——-
cd: 200 buoy

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KONA BOUND

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KONA BOUND

Well y'all....it's getting real! I received an email in the past few days that says I have been confirmed for the 2023 IRONMAN World Championships! I did a crazy little happy dance, I celebrated with a little bubbly and I keep singing konakonakona to all the Christmas tunes.

The photo here is from my first MDOT race (my third 140.6) in Florida in 2015. At that time, Kona WC wasn't even a thought in my head. I knew I'd never be fast enough to qualify on the podium and the Legacy program was equally as far out of reach. But, two years later, I was in Kona for my Level II Endurance Coaching certification clinic. Ace and I volunteered on the day of the race. We got to body mark the pros! We watched the swim start and finish. We watched the pros head out on the bike course and cheered for them at the turn around on the run for hours. Our flight home prevented us from being at the finish line. Not long after, my dream to go back and see the finish line for myself was ignited.

My dream is a little closer and the countdown has begun. I am grateful for all my family and friends who have encouraged me and helped me along the way. I am even grateful for the ones who think I'm a little crazy! I can't wait to see what this next year brings. Aloha, Y'all!

#triathlon #tritraining #ironman #ironmantri #mdot #trilife #triathlete #swim #bike #run
#nextlevel #personalbest #fullcircle #triathloncoach #coach #tricoach #ironmancoach
#ironmanlegacy

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