Ironman Los Cabos “Race Report” - Sherpa Style

I’ve been on all sides of Ironman…spectator, volunteer, 2 time athlete/finisher, and now 3 time girlfriend/Sherpa.  Over the past 6 months I’ve been at 4 different Ironman events ALL over the world.  I’m beyond lucky, I love that this is my life…love doesn’t even come close to describe what I’m trying to say.  Each Ironman is a different experience, different venue, and plays a different role in my life…but it always has the same effect on me.  It fuels me, inspires me to keep being a better athlete, and always motivates me to sign up for another Ironman.  To answer your question…NO, I have not signed up for another one yet, but plans are being made for 2015 ;)

Truth…I love playing ANY of these roles.  More often than not, I’m the athlete…but I don’t always have to be, nor do I think it should always be that way.  It truly takes an army to get someone to an Ironman, and I think at some point all Ironman athletes should experience not only being a spectator, but also a volunteer and Sherpa.  It really gives you an appreciation for what others do for YOU when it’s your turn to play athlete.  The more I see the other side of Ironman, the more thankful I am to have support from my family, my man, and friends.  Especially from those that don’t DO Ironman events…you know they are just supporting your dream because they really care about you, event though they don’t understand WHY in the world you would put yourself through it.

Being a Sherpa/partner/family member doesn’t just start race weekend, it starts the day you even think of signing up for the event.  A lot of thought, planning, and conversations happen around just registering.  Then comes a year of training, money spent, early weekend nights, even earlier weekend mornings, social life compromises, travel (to other races), tears (or maybe that’s just me??), then more conversations about Ironman…I mean, this list could go on and on.  Let’s just be honest and say it’s life changing.  If you ask me, it’s for the better and the life I CHOOSE.  So when I had the chance to Sherpa for my man in Los Cabos, I was in :) #dontgottaaskmetwice

The weeks leading in to Los Cabos were typical…lots of food from a slow cooker (don’t judge me, I’m training too), really early weekend nights (yep, someone may have passed out on me before 8pm a few times…not naming any names), encouraging text messages during trainer rides from different homes (so cute), “dates” that included 5am weekday runs together literally in the freezing cold, and a ton of excitement about our “vacation” to Ironman Los Cabos.  Wouldn’t have it any other way.

After what seemed like forever, we were in Mexico.  The nice thing about being a Sherpa in Mexico is just that…I wasn’t racing and I was in Mexico.  Alls this girl had to do was some open water swims in the ocean and run in 80 degree weather in San Jose del Cabo…life could be worse.  Oh, and make sure my man was all set to race on Sunday.  Duh.  I got this.

A nice change of pace from running in Chiberia.

The days leading in to the race were super easy, fun, and relaxed.  We did everything we needed to do so he was ready on Sunday, and enjoyed the rest of the time eating, relaxing, eating more, and getting some sun in Mexico.  All of a sudden it was 4:30am Sunday morning, and we were up…well I was (another plus of not racing…”sleeping in” by race morning standards), he was up well before that eating, drinking coffee, you know the drill.  We quickly got on to the shuttle, him to T1, then to the beach start with plenty of time to spare.  After he took off, I watched the swim start, then went up above the swim area and did my own little strength workout…

What else was I going to do for the next hour or so??  I like to multitask ;)

I went down by the swim exit around 8am to get a good spot and keep an eye out for Ed.  If I needed any type of reminder or validation for why I was there (I didn’t, but just sayin’), I got it the minute I saw him exit the water.  Let’s start out by saying swimming is his weakness, by far, and he has been working really hard at building his fitness and technique for months.  He took 8 minutes, yes 8 minutes off his swim time from IM AZ just a few months ago, crazy awesome.  Seeing the excitement on his face when he ran up to me screaming that he swam a 1:19, gave me a quick kiss, then went on to T1 was it, that’s exactly why I’m here.  I want to be a part of him achieving his goals (not just on race day, but also continually supporting him during the daily grind of training), I want to be there to share in that excitement…I wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.  Why you might ask?  When you really care about your athlete, when you’re fully invested in them having a great day, when you see them reaching their goals…it’s as though you are as well.  The feeling is almost as good as if it were your own race, at least for me it is.

After that it was back to the shuttle, roughly a 75 minute ride back to the hotel (it was 3 miles away), and time to see Ed as much as possible.  Anyone who has spectated an Ironman knows this is no easy feat, especially alone in Mexico with no way to get around but my own 2 feet.  Luckily the bike and run course were 3 loops, so I had a plan to park it at a few places, take pics, walk to the hotel and upload those pics to FB (the only place with WiFi), then go back out to see him…and repeat…and repeat.  It’s exhausting spectating an Ironman, in a much different way than actually doing an Ironman (obviously), but it’s logistically hard.  I managed to see him 6 times on the bike course, and then another 5 on the run course = success.  I got to see some really high points…feeling great, having fun, and a huge bike split (and another huge PR over last year #beast).  I also was there for the dark moments we all have in Ironman…truth is I’m glad I was there for it.  We had a minute together, he worked it out, and finished with yet again, another PR for his run split on this course from last year.  So proud of my mans.

Point is, I loved every minute of being a part of this race…the before, during and after.  It isn’t exactly the same experience as when you’re the athlete, but it comes a close second.  Next up, a new Ironman experience…we’re going to race one together. #cantwait

Some awesome pics from the swim.  Mountains next to the beach make me happy.

Our last night out in Mexico to celebrate :)

Why I choose this lifestyle…

Do you ever have people ask why you do Ironman, triathlons, or just train in general?  Even better…how about the funny looks you get when someone asks what you’re doing over the weekend?  Then there’s the 4am wake ups during the week to train before work…and then workouts after work.  Oh, and you PAID how much to put yourself through this?  The registration fee doesn’t even scratch the surface…don’t forget coaching fees, other races, travel, equipment, nutrition, AND the absurdly large grocery bills (not going to lie, love eating like a teenage boy…it’s my favorite).  

Let’s be honest, it CANNOT be explained…you either get it, or you don’t.

I’m reminded quite often why I love this life.  This usually comes in ways you might expect…the sense of accomplishment after crushing a tough training session, meeting and exceeding goals I set for myself in both training and racing, placing in my age group…the list could go on and on.  But every once in awhile something happens in my life, and I realize just how much of a deeper meaning this lifestyle has for me.

Not but a few days after my most recent blog about choosing to keep a positive outlook on life, 5 days to be exact, I didn’t get the best news.  Not going into details about it here, but one of THE most important people in my life was diagnosed with cancer.  I found out about it on a Friday while I was at work…totally wasn’t expecting it.  After the initial shock, I cried…to my employees, the horror ;).  Thankfully they rock.  I pulled it together and got through the day.  I thought (and cried) a lot that night, talked with this person, and we made the choice to keep it positive.  Nothing good would come of us crying, worrying, thinking the worst, or living in fear.  Cancer isn’t a death sentence, but a negative outlook on life is in my opinion…

What did I do the next day?  I got up before the sun came out Saturday morning to drive an hour away to do Jen Harrison’s Hill Workout in the freezing cold, duh.  My mind was still spinning as I was making my way out to meet up with the team, but after 8 brutal hill repeats, and a hard mile, I was feeling better.  Having that time to think, burn off some anxiety, and simply work HARD was just the therapy I needed.  Sunday morning wasn’t too different, a long indoor trainer ride.  I found myself working harder than normal, I was able to channel all of my thoughts and energy into the ride, and again felt much better after.

For me, this lifestyle isn’t always about race day and race finishes…the daily training it just as important.  It’s my therapy.  My training sessions are of course, ultimately all about getting fitter, faster, ready to race and achieve my goals from both a physical and mental standpoint…but there is SO much more to it than that.  It’s my time alone, to think, reboot, and shut up that negative voice in my head.  When I train I feel powerful, confident, and able to choose my outlook on life.  Having a positive outlet to channel my energy into everyday is huge, and how I get through times in life like these.  Training is in no way escaping my reality, but addressing it head on.  I would be kind of scary if I didn’t train ;) #truth #notashamedtosayit

We’re going to get through this, I know it.  I hope to look back on this in a few months and be thankful to have had this experience, with the cancer gone and a lot of lessons learned.  Those lessons have already started, hands down top 2…

1.  I want to make the time I have with my loved ones count.  Be present, grateful, and in the moment.

2.  I had no idea a few years ago how much Ironman and triathlon (racing and training) would change my life - in every aspect.  100% for the better.

So grateful for my life :)

The Law of Attraction

For those of you who are not familiar with the law of attraction, allow me to explain.  It's actually quite simple…like attracts like, focusing on positive or negative thoughts will result in the same outcome... you get the point.  This is something I firmly believe in.  When I say that, I don't mean if you are positive and happy all the time life will be perfect (I checked - that's not reality).  It takes effort every day, some days more effort than others.  We all have our moments, days, weeks…just don't stay there long, it isn't fun ;)  #beentheredonethat

I'm always looking for inspiration, literally everywhere I go.  This week I found 3 really cool quotes that I have to share…

This was written on a chalkboard at my acupuncturist's office.  Why shouldn't everyone expect to have amazing things happen in their life?  What's even more important, are you able to accept the things you want?  Do you even know what you want?  These "miracles" don't have to be big, life altering things...but they can be. :)

By the way, go see my girl Kyla Boles…she's bomb.  

http://www.urbanacupuncturechicago.com

I LOVE this!  Let's be real…we don't have control over everything that happens in our lives.  We do however, have control over our attitude and how we react to life events.  Some are much easier to handle than others.  Don't sweat the small stuff and do what you love as much as you can, with the people who mean the most to you.

Rockstar.  Unbelievably true.  This is the mental toughness of our sport.  Putting limitations on yourself or others will never allow you to reach your fullest potential.  I should put this on my bathroom mirror.

And last but not least, a quote I found about a month ago.  It means more to me now than it did even back then…

I cannot even put into words how important this is to me.  Having an amazing crew of loved ones that not only support me, but help plan and work towards my goals means everything.  I might be the luckiest girl in the world.  For real.

"Hard Work, Dedication"

Love me some Dolvett Quince.  If you don't watch the Biggest Loser you will have NO idea what I'm talking about it.  Google him, thank me later.

If you live in the Midwest, specifically Chicago, you know we are dealing with a beast of a winter.  It's no joke.  I can honestly say I ran more on the treadmill in January than I have in the past few years combined.  We are all dealing with it (the weather isn't different for anyone else here), but it's HOW you deal with it that will determine the fitness you develop in the winter.  Complaining, missing workouts, making excuses…this will do nothing for you.  Finding a way to embrace winter, get creative with your workouts, and staying dialed in are what it's all about.

Not easy, right?  Here's how I'm doing it…

Tri Smart Coaching puts on a really fun event every year called Swim-A-Poolooza.  I pick to swim 100x75 which is roughly a 4.26 mile indoor swim.  I know what you're thinking…sounds like the worst pool workout EVER.  Not going to lie, it's tough.  It's physically and mentally exhausting, but I get to do it with a group of my friends so it isn't as bad.  Problem is, this year I had a total blonde moment and missed the event.  "Lucky" for me, my coach Jen wrote me my own 100x75 to do solo the following Sunday.  It even included sets with fly and other stroke work, she's so good to me.  I could have dreaded this workout, complain to anyone who would listen, or just not do it.  Nope, I CHOSE to get excited about it and actually looked forward to it all week.  Seriously.  

 

The foot of snow that I woke up to at 5:30am Sunday morning wasn't even going to stop me.  I drove all the way down to FFC Union Station so I would have a full length and quiet pool to swim in…it rocked.

My Salty Yeti always gets me through tough workouts :)

I can't even explain how good this swim felt.  Was it hard?  Yes.  Did it hurt?  Yes.  Was the pool freezing?  YES!!  BUT, the mental "win" this type of workout gives me in January is worth all the effort.

My other saving grace this winter…indoor CompuTrainer classes and cycling time trials.  Let's start with the indoor CT classes…

FFC is awesome and has an indoor CompuTrainer studio (http://ffc.com/computrainer/).  I wish I had discovered this a LONG time ago, it has completely changed how hard I push myself when I ride indoors.  So, every Thursday morning I get to see the sun come up in Chicago while I work HARD on my bike. #needtogetfaster

Not a bad view right?

All this hard work I've been putting in at CT class has paid off HUGE at the Indoor Cycling Time Trial Series I'm doing this winter.  I tested almost 20 watts above where I did last year at the first time trial in January…oh yeah!  Today, just a few weeks later, I tested another 6 watts above that on a downhill course.  FINALLY in the 200+ range.

Incredibly painful, from such a pretty little bike.

No way I'm letting the "Polar Vortex" get in the way of chasing my dreams this winter.  The more I think about it, it's actually helping.  I'm getting stronger with all of my extra swim and bike workouts, and running outside feels amazing after being cooped up on the treadmill for weeks.  On top of all that, the mental toughness you need to get through these indoor workouts will serve me well once race season comes along.

#doit

Product Review: Larabar

The kind people at Larabar sent me a few samples to test and review…so let's get to it!

First off, I adore this product.  Larabar is all about pure, simple, and delicious bars that are made of unsweetened fruits, nuts, and spices.  In my opinion, they provide a healthy balance of fats, carbs, and protein for just about any time of day.  They sent me THE most amazing flavors as well.

As any coffee junkie would do, I tried the Cappuccino bar the morning after I received these samples.  I had a short run followed by an hour indoor bike ride, and needed something small and quick to have in between the two.  Keep in mind that I was up around 5am that morning, so the extra jolt of caffeine was a big bonus to keep my energy up.  The bar was SO good and had a really nice coffee flavor to it.  This will definitely become a staple in my early morning training sessions.

Moving on to the next flavor, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough…this is hands down my FAVORITE of the 4 flavors I tried.  I had this bar right after an Indoor Cycling Time Trial along with a protein shake for recovery.  This bar literally tastes like a chocolate chip cookie…stupid good.  There are a ton of chocolate chips in it and it's made with cashews!  I have a gluten allergy, so this is a major treat.  I love this bar so much that I have since bought boxes (I'm not kidding).  They make for real good desserts ;)

The next afternoon I found myself STARVING at work and I had a 90 minute masters swim before I was going to be home for dinner.  Time to eat me some Coconut Cream Pie.  I'm obsessed with coconut, you really can't go wrong with it in my opinion.  They definitely didn't go anything wrong when creating this bar.  It has the yummy texture of unsweetened coconut flakes AND is contains extra virgin coconut oil.  No doubt one of the healthiest oils around, can't say I've found another bar that has this ingredient.

Last but not least…Cashew Cookie.  Honestly, who doesn't love cashews?  I could eat jars of them, but they are even better mixed with dates.  That's it, 2 ingredients…bomb.  This was another mid afternoon snack for me.  Kept me full until dinner (this doesn't happen often). #ieatlikeaboy

Overall, I LOVE these bars.  They give me really good and consistent energy, sit well when I eat them before and during training sessions, and they taste SO good.  Larabars will continue to be a "go to" for me whenever I need something quick, nutritious, and really yummy.

One last thing…there are seasonal flavors!  Snickerdoodle and Pumpkin Pie.  Do yourself a favor and try them.

Why are you just sitting there??  Go out and buy some :)

A New Year

I'm not into New Year's Resolutions, I think they are great for some people, just not for me.  If I decide I want to do something I just do it, doesn't matter what day it is or time of the year.  To be real honest about it...once I make my mind up about something it's more of a get out of my way because it's happening.  This girl don't have time to wait until Monday morning to start something ;)

What I actually like to do at the beginning of a year is set an intention.  This isn't "I want to lose 5 pounds" or "go to the gym more", this is a frame of mind.  How do I want to feel?  What do I need/want to do to feel that way?  What is holding me back?  You get the point, it's bigger picture stuff and takes a lot more work.  #itsworthit

For me, 2014 is all about challenging myself, getting out of my comfort zone, my own way, and working towards my goals and dreams no matter how scary or big they may be (because they are).  I know what I want out of life and I'm not settling.  Don't get me wrong, my life is pretty great.  I wake up everyday knowing how lucky I am to have everything that have, but I know there are a few missing pieces.  This means some things in my life will have to change, something that's always been hard for me.  I'm finally learning how to embrace everything that life is giving me.

To be honest, the end of last year and beginning of this year has already had some big ups and downs.  From a training standpoint, I've had some incredible opportunities in the triathlon and fitness community that I'm beyond excited about, more on this below.  On a personal level, I've had a few important relationships in my life shift in ways I had never planned.  No matter how hard this has been, I know I'm moving forward and in the right direction.

On to the exciting stuff…I was picked to be a member of Team Zoot Great Lakes for 2014!  SO excited for this opportunity!  On top of that, GU Energy and Therawheel have sponsored me for 2014 as well.  I still have to pinch myself to make sure this isn't all a dream.

And somehow I wound up in the Fitness Formula Clubs marketing campaign for 2014, so I am now in newspaper ads, a TV and radio commercial, and a 30ft billboard in Chicago…

No clue how this happened.

I have also finally decided on my race calendar for the year.  My "A" races are Duathlon Worlds in Spain, IM 70.3 Syracuse, and IM 70.3 Muncie.  I'm motivated and training hard now, hopefully they will pay off the way hope come race day.

Looking forward to a big, exciting, and life changing 2014 :)

Rest & Recovery

Duathlon Nationals was the end of my 2013 racing season, I was SO ready for some time off!  Coach Jen and I decided that I would take off the month of November from training and get back into it in December.  The past 2 years I've taken longer than that, but I don't feel the need for it this year, plus it's just too much time for me.

What have I been up to for the last few weeks??  I've slept a lot, eaten even more (I've gone hard on some chocolate), stayed relatively active with some easy workouts to keep me moving, and just embraced the offseason.  I know I've done the offseason right when I was excited to get back at it this morning and feeling a little "clunky." ;)

Here are some highlights of the last few weeks…

Pedicures with my niece...

NEVER enough time with this girl <3

Some really good food…

Chili with a side of meat…don't you judge me ;)

Do yourself a favor and try one.  Thank me later.

Some self care in the form of Gua Sha, cupping, and acupuncture…

Marks are from Gua Sha and cupping, not acupuncture.  And yeah, I know it looks awful but it feels AMAZING!  Google it.  Go see Kyla Boles at Urban Acupuncture, she's crazy good.

http://www.urbanacupuncturechicago.com

A Turkey Day 5k…

5ks always hurt, but when you're not in your best shape they hurt REAL bad.  Truth.

And last but not least, my new toy…

A Trek 2014 Crockett!  I need to get back into training if for no other reason than it stops me from shopping.  But, I LOVE IT!!  Cross is on my 2014 racing schedule anyway, so why not get some time on it this winter?  Yep, that's my reason and I'm sticking to it ;)

There you have it, my offseason.  It is honestly just as important as key training months in my opinion.  It was fun, relaxing, and just what I needed to fuel me for 2014…time to get moving!