Off season training!

While I have had a little break from the regular grind of training, I haven't stopped completely. Recently, I revisited with the TRX for some core work. Let me tell you what, for just 10 minutes of core work using the TRX, I was feeling it for the next two days! It really is amazing how good of a workout you can get when you are forced to balance your body weight. I like to do core exercises such as pikes, plank work, and knee to chest tucks. These are great for swim strength as you work on the connection between the shoulders and core. These are exercises my coach had me do on a physio ball, but then transferred them to the TRX. Ooo wee! If you only have a few minutes-these will let you feel the burn quickly!

Thank You!

Thank you to my sponsors for your support through another successful season of racing (Pioneer Construction, Strider's, Village Bike, Rolf Prima Wheels, Tifosi, Sugoi, Specialized, TRX). Your support helps me to be able to compete successfully at the elite level! I know that having a team of supporters is crucial to helping me reach my potential. I appreciate the partnership developed through triathlon!

In addition, I want to thank Ryan Tanis and Shorline Sport and Spine Physical Therapy, Jason Ross, from Train Out Pain, and Dr. Kornoelje at Metro Health for their guidance through my injuries and extensive knowledge on how to help me strengthen my weak areas. 

And of course I can't forget to thank my amazing husband for his continual support and encouragment. Couldn't do this without you! Thank you to my family as well. You show your support in so many ways-thanks for traveling to many of my races!

Last, but not least, thank you coach Barb for guiding me through another season! Your knowledge is so fun to tap into!

Wow, what a team!!

2012 Seaston wrap up

Hello! It is that time in the year again where the intensity of training backs down, I get to rest the mind and body, and dream about the next season! 2012 certainly had its challenges, but it offered plenty of learning opportunities as well. I had several solid races to the start of my season, but did suffer an injury in the middle of the summer. I developed some serious tendonitis in my glute of all places! Literally--a pain in the butt! Anyway, this injury prevented me from being able to run, bike intensly, and do glute strength work, which was tough to endure patience through. I had to be okay with going through the motions for awhile with light training. While this injury was a setback (reflecting back over the season), I can still be thankful for the many races I was able to compete in and for the improvements I made despite the setback. I belive my 2012 season was where I made significant gains in my swim, allowing me to come out of the water with the main chase pack at elite nationals and put me in a solid position for non-drafting races at the start of the bike leg.
I learned the importance of balance in life and training (well, I am still learning about this and what this looks like!). I realized it can be so easy to just go go go and get stuck going through the motions forgetting to step back and reflect on how I am enduring the workload (in and out of training). I am finding when I am out of balance, I don't recognize when I need more rest and/or if I am on the verge of injury. It is like symptoms almost get masked. Anyone else know what I am talking about? On that note, it is important to remember to pay attention to my life outside of training too!

Anyway, I ended my season with the Race to the Toyota Cup Championship race in Dallas, TX on October 7th. Ross and I were pumped to be leaving MI since it was supposed to 50s and rainy--the Fall weather was moving in. Well...Dallas was not offering any warmth and sunshine. Shocking really! Race morning it was in the 40s, cloudy, and not warming up or getting sunny (the day before was the same). I was thinking I wouldn't be too affected by this since I am from MI- and usually when I race Reed's Lake in September it is in the 50s. No big deal! Well, it was a challenge, but you can't focus on what you can't control. I did my best with that, but coming off the bike with cold, numb feet was something different to experience...ha! I had gotten sick the weekend before the race and while I tried to ignore the symptoms and any effect it might have on my race, I still felt under the weather. the cold weather didn't help that either. Boo. Eventhough, I put together a solid race, not what I had hoped for, but ended up 8th in a very solid field of pros. It was definitly a bitter-sweet end to the season, but again, I am so thankful for the many race experiences I did have. It was challenging to not let doubts creep in at times knowing I hadn't been able to put intense training and solid strength work for a good period of time. Good mental toughness training though!

At this point, I am fully healed and working on my weakness to be even stronger for 2013! I look forward with great anticipation. I will be working on my schedule as dates come out. Exciting to look foward (all while having some good off season reflection)!!

Thank you to all of you who follow and cheer me on! I appreciate the support so much!

Reed's Lake Tri

What a fun time! I just love doing this race because so many friends that I don't always get to race with participate too. It is also fun to have family there to watch! I like racing with Ross too-he always like to go after Reeds. Anyway, I was victorious on saturday for the women, which was exciting. I had to drop out last year after the bike (mostly by choice) since my injury was acting up and I didn't want to risk re-injury on the run. So to be back feeling healthy was just awesome!! Here is a link to an article about the race.
Pictures: http://photos.mlive.com/4469/gallery/reeds_lake_triathlon/index.html
Article: http://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/09/rainbow_inspires_reeds_lake_tr.html

I am now prepping for Buffalo, NY this saturday. It is an ITU (draft-legal) race. Woo hoo! Should be fun. I haven't done an ITU race since March.

Chicago Triathlon

It was a fun weekend in Chicago! Ross and I's parents came down so that was great to have them around and their support. Our annual Chicago dinner tradition continued with Kattie, AD, and Eric Zane's family...except we went to the Cheesecake Factory 2 nights before the race insteady of Gino's. Man, Cheesecake Factory has something for everyone...ya know???? I did get some great Gino's deep dish pizza AFTER the race. That was so worth it! Anyway, how I about I tell about the race? It was a later starting race (11:30). Since there are so many people participating they have the pros go later in the day when the bike course is more clear. Ross raced first thing in the morning with the elite amateur group so he was gone early and I got to hang out in the hotel for hours later. That is hard to do sometimes by yourself when you have nerves! haha. Anyway, weather was looking good in the morning, but we knew they were calling for rain-it was just a matter of hours before it was supposed to roll through. Of course, at the start of our race came some rain. Well, the swim felt great for me this time. I got reved up in the warm up and felt confident in my plan. I was in the next pack of girls back behind the top 4. I felt like I could throw in surges when I needed to so that was great! There is a long run to transition...believe me...it is long. I lost some contact with people on that run to the bike. I just couldn't get my legs under me! I put shoes on (like many others) coming right out of the water for the long run and was glad I did. Once I got on my bike, I settled in and went for my targets. I know this bike course well (it is a simple out and back one-2 loops on Lakeshore Drive) so I knew when I wanted to build and put in any kind of surges. It did start to rain and got a little windy towards the end of the bike so that was challenging at some points, but I remained focused and looked at it as an adventure. I haven't done many big races in the rain! My Rolf Prima wheels seriously worked well. I didn't have any real big issues with the wind and rain, which was great. I think the rain decieved me as far as how hydrated I was. I didn't go through all my water on the bike, which was probably not a good idea. I was concerned I was going to be sloshy in the stomach on the run and I wasn't sweating (so I thought) so I cut back.  I think I needed more though. Anyway, I held my spot of 7th on the bike and set off for the run. I can't say I felt too peppy coming off the bike. I had to stick to my mantras and committ to my targets and surge where I planned to. I did stick to my targets, but it sure didn't feel like I was surging. The run just felt hard, but I stayed focused and committed. I am glad I was able to take some risks and see if I could dig a little beyond...it just gives fuel for upcoming races. My run training has been ramping up for about a month now since my latest hip injury. So I think I am still a little behind yet with my runnning gears. I am just looking foward to getting more run training under my belt so I can finish the season off strong. I kept my spot at 7th and was about 50" behind 6th place. I am happy with how I did considering the stacked field that was there. It was fun overall despite the painful run...haha! Again, it was so great to have family and friends at the finish line to hug afterwards. :) Thanks for all your support!

Lifetime Fitness Minneapolis

Here is a cool highlights video! I am in there a few times...woo! :)

http://www.slowtwitch.com/Features/Fast_Times_at_Minneapolis_Tri_2927.html

This event is seriously great. It is run so well! Fun area, twisty, turny fun bikecourse, and a lot of fast racers...awesome! I had a great experience. Most of the pros stayed in the host hotel, Best Western Dakota Ridge, thanks to Lifetime. The hotel experience was one of the highlights of the race as the regional hotel manager, Matt, went above and beyond to make sure the pros and racers were taken care of. I enjoyed meeting and talking to some of the pros that I don't usually get to interact with. That was fun. There was a pro dinner on Thursday before the race, which was also wonderful. Ross and I had fun visiting with race staff and other athletes. It sure takes a lot to put on a such a big race!

Anyway, the race itself was certainly not my best. I have been working through some inflammation in my hip, which has put a damper on my training. I wasn't sure how I was going to fare on the run, but did finish...what a blessing! Before the race, I decided to play it smart on the run and just pick a pace that felt safe where my hip wouldn't fatigue too soon. The goal was really to finish! Even though it is frustrating to be dealing with an injury, I am so thankful that I was able to race in a great atmosphere. I ended up taking 8th, which allowed me to get a few points for the Lifetime Race to the Toyota Cup series. So that is a positive. It was definitly a weekend where I had to seek out the positives. Another positive is that I had a solid swim and didn't feel the hip on the bike so was able to push (not 100% like normal), but to a solid effort. So as far as the race goes--we'll just put that one aside. :) I will look back on this trip as a great social venture as Ross and I hung out with a few other pros after the race from Australia and New Zealand (Katie, Maxine, Jimi, and Mitch). Fun times! Thanks to Matt and Mandi for having us all over for an amazing dinner.

Thanks to all those who followed the facebook posts from Ross and for the support!

Heading to Minneapolis!

Well, after a couple of weeks of dealing with a hip issue, I am planning to test the waters in Minneapolis this weekend (this race is also part of the Race to the Toyota Cup series). Ross is racing too! This is the race where I qualified for my pro card so it is fun to being going back. While my running training hasn't been what I have wanted, I am just excited to be out there racing!