Ah, the bliss of a post-holiday vacation... Testing out -- or exchanging -- those killer (in whichever sense of the word is most appropriate) presents, munching on tasty leftovers, SKIING, and just enjoying the simple pleasure of care-free day without agenda... Must be nice!!!
While this may be the situation for many right now -- of whom I am extremely envious! -- it is not the case for me. I did get a blissful four days off for Christmas -- my first "vacation" since starting work in April -- but as slowly as it came, it went even more quickly, and I am back on the grind. The holiday was amazing, and I particularly enjoyed being able to get some quality time on my skis... in addition to my lack of agenda and surplus of delicious treats, which I may or may not have overindulged in (I'll leave it at that).
But, time passes, so inconveniently at times, and I find myself doing the holiday hustle, while many others are catching up on some R&R. I am somehow managing a fine balancing act of three jobs in addition to training, and of course taking the time to enjoy the finer moments in life and be a contributing family member and friend. I have become a relative master of this unique art, like a performer at a circus, and most people would probably find me just as crazy. But, while there are certainly some bumps in the road, I have to say, I am enjoying the act, despite its quick pace.
One would certainly be very lucky to be able to dedicate themselves wholeheartedly to being an athlete, and call it their career in addition to their passion and practice. But in my experience, that is fairly rare, because life, and in my case other passions, come in conflict. And that's where the balancing act comes in. I understand that the reality for me is that there are several things I am passionate enough about to want to pursue as a career: for the time being, writing, athletics, coaching and teaching, though there are so many others I only wish I could squeeze in, and likely will do in the future. I have chosen to pursue each of those things, in a quest to see where they will take me, and in an effort to support myself amidst the realities of life (more specifically, bills, and even more specifically, those nagging student loans). And I am doing my best each and everyday to give all that I can to each of these roles, because frankly I wouldn't have it any other way.
While I know that my situation is probably not entirely unique or any more difficult than anyone else's, I do acknowledge that it presents challenges, and is not the easiest path toward attaining optimum success in any one area, including skiing. But, it is the path I continue to chose, for reasons that perhaps only I can understand. And along with the difficulties, it continues to bring me many rewards.
Just before the holidays, my team, North Tahoe High School, raced in their first CNISSF race at Kirkwood. To say that the day was less than ideal is a gross understatement. The weather was unbelievably harsh. But the kids, several of whom were racing for their first time, got out there and gave it their all. And though some of them were disappointed with their results, I felt extremely proud of their efforts. I know there are only better things to come, and I am anxious to see them unfold.
In addition, several athletes I am coaching/have been coaching/ have coached, went out in yet another snowstorm and left everything they had on the Snowshoe Thompson course, and found themselves meeting the JO qualifying standards for the race. That was a first for several of these athletes. And while I couldn't be there to witness it, I was so incredibly impressed and proud to see their results. A very big reward, for them, but also for me.
On teaching... I have started a few different clinics over at Tahoe XC, including a Women's only clinic, which has been an immense success thus far. While I have heard feedback that the women are reeping the benefits of the class, I don't know whether they know that I am too. It is, in so many ways, empowering. To be with a strong group of female athletes sharing in the same goals and challenges and working together to achieve and overcome them is really an incredible feeling, beyond what I had expected. I knew the atmosphere would be great for the women in the class, and conducive to success, but I didn't predict that I would feel so empowered by it as well. Being able to teach and share with these women has been awesome so far, and I am looking forward to watching them, and myself, progress throughout the season.
I also got the chance before school got out to ski with a few of the middle schoolers that I had coached this summer through the development program. Again, I felt empowered by the atmosphere, though there were only four of us. I could see just how strong their passion for skiing has become, elevated by the season, and how many gains they had made over the summer. It was a sense of accomplishment for me, knowing I had something to do with it. And when these same athletes went on to win the middle school boy's race, I felt I had a little part in that too, somewhere rooted in the background.
I have not done a ski race yet this year, as I just haven't felt I had enough solid on-snow training days under my belt yet, but that will come soon. And so too will those rewards.For now, I am doing my best to hustle with grace -- my dance of choice -- and enjoy the moments along the way.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, December 9, 2010
A new gig
Last week, I started my new coaching job at North Tahoe High School. It went great.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect and admittedly slightly nervous on the first day, stepping into a role that has long been occupied by the same all-stars, Elyah Gordon and Randolph Green. What would the kids think of me? Would they welcome me as their new head coach, or be opposed to the change? What would be the first thing I said?
But, luckily for me, both Randolph and Elyah are still around and helping out a TON, which has really helped to ease my transition in as head coach, and also helped make it easier on the team as well. Randolph even showed up the first day -- greeted by enthusiastic hugs and hellos from all the kids -- to provide an introduction and be a crutch for me to lean on that first day of practice. I was glad he was there.
Since that first day, which ended up being just fine -- I committed no major coaching faux pas that I know of! -- things have only gotten better. I am already getting to know the athletes pretty well on an individual basis, and learning about their skiing abilities and goals. They are a unique group, each with their own range of experience and very different personalities. It has been a lot of fun getting to know them!
There have been some adjustments, certainly, both for me and for them. I don't know that they are particularly in favor of my hard-nosed attitude about drills, drills, drills... BUT, they will thank me later. This I know for sure. I mean, you have to learn how to ski before you can actually go ski, right?! I really think they've learned a lot already, and it's showing. I like that! On the other hand, they've taught me lots too: the value of "adventure days" and what an adventure day entails; the fact that there is HOT CHOCOLATE in the huts at Tahoe XC (did you know this?! If not, you better get on it!!); the importance of a good apres-practice group sing and dance sess; just how hysterical teenagers really are this days!! ... and the list will only continue to grow.
I think things are off to a great start, and personally, I am just feeling really good about it. I am anxious to see where the rest of the season takes us, and I hope I can continue to be a good guide along the way.
I wasn't quite sure what to expect and admittedly slightly nervous on the first day, stepping into a role that has long been occupied by the same all-stars, Elyah Gordon and Randolph Green. What would the kids think of me? Would they welcome me as their new head coach, or be opposed to the change? What would be the first thing I said?
But, luckily for me, both Randolph and Elyah are still around and helping out a TON, which has really helped to ease my transition in as head coach, and also helped make it easier on the team as well. Randolph even showed up the first day -- greeted by enthusiastic hugs and hellos from all the kids -- to provide an introduction and be a crutch for me to lean on that first day of practice. I was glad he was there.
Since that first day, which ended up being just fine -- I committed no major coaching faux pas that I know of! -- things have only gotten better. I am already getting to know the athletes pretty well on an individual basis, and learning about their skiing abilities and goals. They are a unique group, each with their own range of experience and very different personalities. It has been a lot of fun getting to know them!
There have been some adjustments, certainly, both for me and for them. I don't know that they are particularly in favor of my hard-nosed attitude about drills, drills, drills... BUT, they will thank me later. This I know for sure. I mean, you have to learn how to ski before you can actually go ski, right?! I really think they've learned a lot already, and it's showing. I like that! On the other hand, they've taught me lots too: the value of "adventure days" and what an adventure day entails; the fact that there is HOT CHOCOLATE in the huts at Tahoe XC (did you know this?! If not, you better get on it!!); the importance of a good apres-practice group sing and dance sess; just how hysterical teenagers really are this days!! ... and the list will only continue to grow.
I think things are off to a great start, and personally, I am just feeling really good about it. I am anxious to see where the rest of the season takes us, and I hope I can continue to be a good guide along the way.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
A good start to the ski season
Hello hello! I hope everyone's Thanksgiving week has been wonderful. I for one had a great time getting out on the snow and enjoying my first few skis with some awesome athletes!
Over the last three days I led the local Far West Thanksgiving training camp here at home, and it was really great. I hope the athletes had as much fun as I did. For me, it was my first four "real" skis, so it felt awesome to get out there and get things going.
We started off with a double on-snow day on Friday. We took advantage of the new snow and cold temperatures for a nice long classic ski in the morning. We did lots of drills and went back to the basics, focusing on getting our fundamentals right to carry over through the year. We worked on balance, body position, maximizing glide and efficiency and more. I have to say I was super impressed with how well everyone was classic skiing. They looked like they had been skiing for months already! It was great to see. For me, classic skiing felt surprisingly natural and good. Unlike past seasons, I really felt in my element right away, and it made me super stoked for some classic racing. After lunch complete with plenty of hot chocolate and whipped cream and a little bit of rest, we hit the trails again for a skate ski -- my first of the season, but the third or fourth to most everyone else. Again, the focus was on technique, and again I was impressed with everyone's progress so early in the season. We ended the day with some short relays and a game of ski tag, and I have to say I was not prepared to have to go so fast in order to keep up! I was worked!
Saturday brought a bunch of new snow (as if we needed anymore...?!), and we set out for a classic ski in the powder. It was somewhat of an adventure, but everyone made the best of it, getting in some distance and still putting in some quality technique work, despite blowing snow and chilly wind gusts. We were all relieved to get inside and get some hot pizza, and consume hot chocolate in even more mass quantities than the day before. We were all set to go ice skating at Northstar in the afternoon, only to find that when we got there, there was too much snow on the rink to skate! Bummer! But again, we made the best of the situation, and the athletes got involved in some serious snowplay/ intense snow ball fighting/ fort building out on what is normally the ice rink, but in this case looked more like a mecca of snowplay.
This morning, for our final workout, we did another nice long skate ski, complete with some fun relays. After the mess of snow yesterday, it was great to come out to freshly groomed tracks and blue skies, though the morning was pretty brisk. After some more drills and everyone's favorite, no-pole skiing, we headed off to get some distance in before meeting back up for some extreme speed relay action. The ladies, myself included, took on the boys in some head-to-head speed action. We couldn't quite pull off the upset, so we decided to change it up. The boys, always up for a challenge, took us on again in a relay in which they doubled poled and we skated, and we managed to take them down. In the finale, we did a combi relay that consisted of backwards skiing, double poling on our knees (Savannah's creative suggestion), and frog hops. This time, we REALLY took the boys down, thanks to Savannah's surprising expertise at the double-pole-from-the-knees technique. It was a fun end to a great weekend.
Thanks to all the athletes for working hard, smiling, and just doing an awesome job. Based on these three days, I think it's more than safe to say that you guys are going to have an awesome ski season ahead. I can't wait to watch!
Over the last three days I led the local Far West Thanksgiving training camp here at home, and it was really great. I hope the athletes had as much fun as I did. For me, it was my first four "real" skis, so it felt awesome to get out there and get things going.
We started off with a double on-snow day on Friday. We took advantage of the new snow and cold temperatures for a nice long classic ski in the morning. We did lots of drills and went back to the basics, focusing on getting our fundamentals right to carry over through the year. We worked on balance, body position, maximizing glide and efficiency and more. I have to say I was super impressed with how well everyone was classic skiing. They looked like they had been skiing for months already! It was great to see. For me, classic skiing felt surprisingly natural and good. Unlike past seasons, I really felt in my element right away, and it made me super stoked for some classic racing. After lunch complete with plenty of hot chocolate and whipped cream and a little bit of rest, we hit the trails again for a skate ski -- my first of the season, but the third or fourth to most everyone else. Again, the focus was on technique, and again I was impressed with everyone's progress so early in the season. We ended the day with some short relays and a game of ski tag, and I have to say I was not prepared to have to go so fast in order to keep up! I was worked!
Saturday brought a bunch of new snow (as if we needed anymore...?!), and we set out for a classic ski in the powder. It was somewhat of an adventure, but everyone made the best of it, getting in some distance and still putting in some quality technique work, despite blowing snow and chilly wind gusts. We were all relieved to get inside and get some hot pizza, and consume hot chocolate in even more mass quantities than the day before. We were all set to go ice skating at Northstar in the afternoon, only to find that when we got there, there was too much snow on the rink to skate! Bummer! But again, we made the best of the situation, and the athletes got involved in some serious snowplay/ intense snow ball fighting/ fort building out on what is normally the ice rink, but in this case looked more like a mecca of snowplay.
This morning, for our final workout, we did another nice long skate ski, complete with some fun relays. After the mess of snow yesterday, it was great to come out to freshly groomed tracks and blue skies, though the morning was pretty brisk. After some more drills and everyone's favorite, no-pole skiing, we headed off to get some distance in before meeting back up for some extreme speed relay action. The ladies, myself included, took on the boys in some head-to-head speed action. We couldn't quite pull off the upset, so we decided to change it up. The boys, always up for a challenge, took us on again in a relay in which they doubled poled and we skated, and we managed to take them down. In the finale, we did a combi relay that consisted of backwards skiing, double poling on our knees (Savannah's creative suggestion), and frog hops. This time, we REALLY took the boys down, thanks to Savannah's surprising expertise at the double-pole-from-the-knees technique. It was a fun end to a great weekend.
Thanks to all the athletes for working hard, smiling, and just doing an awesome job. Based on these three days, I think it's more than safe to say that you guys are going to have an awesome ski season ahead. I can't wait to watch!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Changing of the season
Where does the time go? Clearly, it has escaped me. I have not written in my blog since Aug. 19.
Here it is, Nov. 21, and winter has fully arrived. It is a whole new season, full of new challenges and a whole new outlook. And hopefully, a new chance for me to redeem myself. If it means anything, I have certainly been writing, and writing a lot. Only, it's for the newspaper, it's about business, and it's far from my own athletic passions and pursuits. I hope I can redirect some of that energy into my personal efforts in this new season, despite the business of every-day life.
Since my last updates, much has been accomplished, and much has changed. I completed my triathlon season on Sept. 12 with the Big Kahuna Half Iron distance. The race was decent, but not quite the going-out-with-a-bang season culmination I had hoped for. But, with my second triathlon season behind me, I can certainly say I have grown tremendously as an athlete, but have a ways to go and a lot to learn in order to really accomplish my goals. I am pleased with the season, but have my sights set much higher for next year, and I know it will take a lot of work ahead to get there. Nonetheless, I am excited!
The fall was my time for running. This was long-anticipated, and delivered on that. I enjoyed many cool and beautiful long autumn-day runs -- perhaps my favorite type of training. I was able to do a couple of half marathons and one full, as well as a 7-mile race just this past weekend. So far, "running season," if you can call it that, has fallen short of delivering performance-wise, despite fulfilling my growing urge to just run. But, there have been some highlights and I still have one more race coming up, the California International Marathon (CIM) on December 5th, and I am REALLY, REALLY pumped up for it. This is one of the few races this year that I have really tried to prepare for, rather than train through, and I really do feel ready. Only problem... we are getting dumped on with snow, and it is tough not to totally switch into ski mode as the new season beckons! But, while I have enjoyed a couple of skis already, I am focused on the race and really anxious to accomplish my goals. Less than two weeks now...!!
On the note of skiing, this was a great weekend of welcoming in the snow. Here is an excerpt from a post I wrote today on the Far West Farm Team blog -- my team for the winter! -- along with some photos:
Several feet of the fluffy white stuff has graced the ground outside my house in Glenshire, and I have to say, it is absolutely beautiful. Each year with the first snow comes a change of pace, a fresh perspective and all the promise of the season ahead. I couldn’t be happier.
The trails around Tahoe aren’t quite open yet, but I just couldn’t wait to get out and celebrate the snow. This weekend, I rung in the season with a couple backcountry adventure skis in the meadow behind my house. While they weren’t quite the pristine skis on freshly-groomed trails that I have been anticipating and longing for, the skiing was a whole other form of awesome in itself. In its own right, nothing beats breaking trail through more than a foot of light, fluffy powder on some beat-up metal-edged crowns with dogs in tow.
And while it wasn’t quite conducive to great classic technique, it still felt like skiing, and that felt amazing. And after a couple two-hour sessions of powder trekking up steep climbs and over logs, and navigating down hills through trees and bushes with less than adequate control, I have to say I am feeling more than sufficiently exhausted, and even more excited about skiing.
This afternoon my good friend Shannon came along, and with the four dogs between the two of us, there was no shortage of good company. Our ski was pleasure in its purest form. I wasn’t thinking about my technique, my heartrate, how to ski the transition, or preparing for an upcoming race. I was just enjoying my sport, my company, the beauty around us and the day. And sometimes, that is the perfect ski. And this year, it was the perfect beginning to what I already know is going to be an incredible ski season.
Here it is, Nov. 21, and winter has fully arrived. It is a whole new season, full of new challenges and a whole new outlook. And hopefully, a new chance for me to redeem myself. If it means anything, I have certainly been writing, and writing a lot. Only, it's for the newspaper, it's about business, and it's far from my own athletic passions and pursuits. I hope I can redirect some of that energy into my personal efforts in this new season, despite the business of every-day life.
Since my last updates, much has been accomplished, and much has changed. I completed my triathlon season on Sept. 12 with the Big Kahuna Half Iron distance. The race was decent, but not quite the going-out-with-a-bang season culmination I had hoped for. But, with my second triathlon season behind me, I can certainly say I have grown tremendously as an athlete, but have a ways to go and a lot to learn in order to really accomplish my goals. I am pleased with the season, but have my sights set much higher for next year, and I know it will take a lot of work ahead to get there. Nonetheless, I am excited!
The fall was my time for running. This was long-anticipated, and delivered on that. I enjoyed many cool and beautiful long autumn-day runs -- perhaps my favorite type of training. I was able to do a couple of half marathons and one full, as well as a 7-mile race just this past weekend. So far, "running season," if you can call it that, has fallen short of delivering performance-wise, despite fulfilling my growing urge to just run. But, there have been some highlights and I still have one more race coming up, the California International Marathon (CIM) on December 5th, and I am REALLY, REALLY pumped up for it. This is one of the few races this year that I have really tried to prepare for, rather than train through, and I really do feel ready. Only problem... we are getting dumped on with snow, and it is tough not to totally switch into ski mode as the new season beckons! But, while I have enjoyed a couple of skis already, I am focused on the race and really anxious to accomplish my goals. Less than two weeks now...!!
On the note of skiing, this was a great weekend of welcoming in the snow. Here is an excerpt from a post I wrote today on the Far West Farm Team blog -- my team for the winter! -- along with some photos:
Several feet of the fluffy white stuff has graced the ground outside my house in Glenshire, and I have to say, it is absolutely beautiful. Each year with the first snow comes a change of pace, a fresh perspective and all the promise of the season ahead. I couldn’t be happier.
The trails around Tahoe aren’t quite open yet, but I just couldn’t wait to get out and celebrate the snow. This weekend, I rung in the season with a couple backcountry adventure skis in the meadow behind my house. While they weren’t quite the pristine skis on freshly-groomed trails that I have been anticipating and longing for, the skiing was a whole other form of awesome in itself. In its own right, nothing beats breaking trail through more than a foot of light, fluffy powder on some beat-up metal-edged crowns with dogs in tow.
And while it wasn’t quite conducive to great classic technique, it still felt like skiing, and that felt amazing. And after a couple two-hour sessions of powder trekking up steep climbs and over logs, and navigating down hills through trees and bushes with less than adequate control, I have to say I am feeling more than sufficiently exhausted, and even more excited about skiing.
This afternoon my good friend Shannon came along, and with the four dogs between the two of us, there was no shortage of good company. Our ski was pleasure in its purest form. I wasn’t thinking about my technique, my heartrate, how to ski the transition, or preparing for an upcoming race. I was just enjoying my sport, my company, the beauty around us and the day. And sometimes, that is the perfect ski. And this year, it was the perfect beginning to what I already know is going to be an incredible ski season.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Post-Vineman racing and recovery
Just wanted to post a quick update about life post-Vineman.
Recovery has actually gone surprisingly well. I took the first few days off after completing the race, but by mid-week I was ready to start easing my way back in. The soreness gradually went away, and I slowly began walking more normally, and getting less questions about what might have happened to me :)Overall, I really didn't feel that fatigued after a couple of days went by. The biggest issue I had was that I was experiencing some pretty serious pain on the bottom of my right foot. I could hardly put any pressure on it and was afraid I might have a stress fracture, but a first visit to the doctor in probably years revealed otherwise. The doctors said it was likely just bruising, so I have been keeping an eye on it. The pain goes back and forth, some days intense to the opint where I can hardly walk, and other days I barely notice it. I hope it will be all better soon.
I decided to race the following Sunday after my race, to finish off the Olympic triathlon series I started in June at Rancho Seco Park. And man, am I glad I did! I mostly wanted to do the third and fnial race because it would clinch me the series win for my age-group, which means free entry to next years races, which we all know I NEED! But, I figured the race would be painful and most likely slow just one week after Ironman. But, as it turns out, it was actually awesome, and I ended up with a total PR, taking off almost five minutes from the time I set in June!
I don't know if maybe my pain threshold went up after making it through Vineman, or if the fact that I spent almost the entire week resting helped out, but somehow as soon as I started the race I just felt awesome! I felt like I was able to push harder and harder and wasn't being held back by anything. Each discipline felt great, and I believe I actually set a best time in all three.
I finished 4th, with a final time of 2:23:54. I am still trying to get under 2:20, so I have some work yet to do. But, I feel confident that if I have another day like last Sunday, I can make that happen before the year is over! Overall though, a really great day and a very positive experience. It's nice when you see results that confirm taht you are getting stronger, and all the work you have been putting in really is paying off.
Now it's time to really put in some good quality hours, along with some intensity, as I have two weekends in a row sans-racing (including last weekend). Looking forward to seeing how my body responds to some actual quality training time!
Recovery has actually gone surprisingly well. I took the first few days off after completing the race, but by mid-week I was ready to start easing my way back in. The soreness gradually went away, and I slowly began walking more normally, and getting less questions about what might have happened to me :)Overall, I really didn't feel that fatigued after a couple of days went by. The biggest issue I had was that I was experiencing some pretty serious pain on the bottom of my right foot. I could hardly put any pressure on it and was afraid I might have a stress fracture, but a first visit to the doctor in probably years revealed otherwise. The doctors said it was likely just bruising, so I have been keeping an eye on it. The pain goes back and forth, some days intense to the opint where I can hardly walk, and other days I barely notice it. I hope it will be all better soon.
I decided to race the following Sunday after my race, to finish off the Olympic triathlon series I started in June at Rancho Seco Park. And man, am I glad I did! I mostly wanted to do the third and fnial race because it would clinch me the series win for my age-group, which means free entry to next years races, which we all know I NEED! But, I figured the race would be painful and most likely slow just one week after Ironman. But, as it turns out, it was actually awesome, and I ended up with a total PR, taking off almost five minutes from the time I set in June!
I don't know if maybe my pain threshold went up after making it through Vineman, or if the fact that I spent almost the entire week resting helped out, but somehow as soon as I started the race I just felt awesome! I felt like I was able to push harder and harder and wasn't being held back by anything. Each discipline felt great, and I believe I actually set a best time in all three.
I finished 4th, with a final time of 2:23:54. I am still trying to get under 2:20, so I have some work yet to do. But, I feel confident that if I have another day like last Sunday, I can make that happen before the year is over! Overall though, a really great day and a very positive experience. It's nice when you see results that confirm taht you are getting stronger, and all the work you have been putting in really is paying off.
Now it's time to really put in some good quality hours, along with some intensity, as I have two weekends in a row sans-racing (including last weekend). Looking forward to seeing how my body responds to some actual quality training time!
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Vineman Photos!
Some pics from my first Ironman Triathlon, Windsor, CA July 31st, 2010 Vineman
Tired at the end, but within a few minutes, still dazed but HAPPY! :)
Tired at the end, but within a few minutes, still dazed but HAPPY! :)
Monday, August 2, 2010
Becoming an Iron Woman!
Wow, how to sum up the experience of my first Ironman...?! I guess the easiest way would be to say it was both amazing and awful at the same time... but mostly amazing. And especially amazing after crossing that finish line -- despite the pain!
The race was what I expected in many ways, and not at all what I expected in others. Actually -- and I can't believe I'm saying this! -- in some ways it was not as tough as I had anticipated it might be. I think this was maybe just simply because of the adrenaline and excitement pushing me through some of the parts that would otherwise have been extremely challenging. But, that's not to say that it wasn't still hard, because believe me it was!
The swim was tough, but in different ways than I expected. While the distance was hard and inevitably exhausting, I think that what really took a lot out of me in the swim were some of the circumstantial challenges I faced. The swim took place in the Russian River and was an out and back, two loops. The women started all together after ALL the men, so needless to say, thins got pretty bottle-necked and I have to say we had it the hardest. Having to navigate through such big swarms of people was difficult. I thought I had experience that before, but nothing like this. As a result, I swallowed a TON of water throughout the swim, and ended up feeling very sick to my stomach by the last lap on the way home. This made it tough to really push the last part of the swim, but I made it through as best as I could, and was very relieved to get out of the water.
I was still in a pretty good position, top 15, and even though I was tired, I felt good energy from inside for the bike portion. I took my time on the transition, making sure to get some food down and get everything I needed for the bike, as well as pack up all my swim stuff, and get myself composed and relaxed. I took off feeling good about the upcoming bike leg!
We were amazingly lucky on the bike, as the clouds stayed out pretty much the entire first lap, keeping things nice and cool, which is also how I felt that lap. I worked to get into a good, comfortable pace, and just stayed relaxed. I was pushing it, but not too much that I really felt tired. The course was gorgeous, winding through vineyards, across hillsides, through groves of trees and over hilltops. The course was challenging, with plenty of rolling hills and one pretty good climb, "Chalk Hill." But, it rode very smooth.
On the second lap, let's just say, the bike was no longer quite as much fun! In fact, I even said those exact words at one point to someone I passed along the way: "This isn't so much fun anymore!" My legs were certainly feeling the strain, as were my hips and back. I did my best to continue pushing through, even though I wanted so badly to get out the saddle and off of the bike! I kept thinking, though, that as much as I wanted to get off the bike, I knew I would be wishing I was back on it by the time I was halfway through the run! :) I was surprised how much I was actually longing for the big climb on the second lap. I think at that point standing felt so much better than being down low, and my legs felt stronger that way. Though it seemed like a long time, it did finally come, and I made it up and over, and was soon on my way to the finish. I picked it up a bit toward the end, but tried not to do so too much, as I just kept telling myself I had a LONG ways yet to go in this race!
I finally made it off my bike 6 hours and 20 minutes later, and was feeling TIRED, but still pretty amped! I was psyched about my bike time, and actually feeling pretty ready to give it my all on the run. Physically, the hours I had already accumulated were certainly felt, but mentally, I was shocked at how much I did not feel worn down by them. It was almost strange. Even though I had just rode 112 miles (I could only think: what? did I really just ride 112 miles..?!), as soon as I hung up my bike, my thoughts shifted immediately forward to the run, and I was in the here and now, just running a marathon.
I was actually amazed at how good I felt when I started running. Truly. I didn't have near the amount of "dead leg" I expected after such a long ride, or even quite as much as I normally feel in just an Olympic distance triathlon. As soon as I took my first few strides, I just felt really in the groove. Perhaps after so much time on the bike, just a different motion was welcomed and felt great. I had not done the run course before, so I didn't know entirely what to expect. I did know, though, that it was three loops of about 8.3 miles, which were essentially an out-and-back. I knew this might be grueling, but I quickly learned that it also had its advantages.
I also learned quickly that the course was NOT flat, and NOT easy! But, my first loop really felt nothing short of great! My body was working for me, my legs felt surprisingly fresh, and mentally I was in a great place, with lots of good energy. There were a whole bunch of people out along the course, and aid stations every mile with plenty of food and drink, and high-energy, amazing volunteers. There were also plenty of other people out on course, between those well out in front of me, women doing the half-iron, and others behind me on the way back. So, with the combination of all these things, I really felt good the first lap, and my running showed that. Despite the couple of steep climbs on the course, I came around the first lap right on pace for a four-hour marathon, and felt like I would be able to keep it up.
Of course, this is rarely every the case! As I rounded lap one and headed out for more (lots more!), I got a nice boost of energy on seeing my family cheering for me, as well as the many spectators giving their day to be there in support. That was awesome. I headed out on lap two still feeling good. The sun was out by this time and it was plenty warm, though not too hot still -- fortunately! I carried my water bottle with electrolytes, and still walked through each aid station to drink and dump water on myself. On the way out on the second lap, I kept my pace up pretty well, and more importantly kept the good energy and positive vibes flowing really well.
This was obvious in my thoughts and actions, and carried over to my running. That first lap and a half, I am pretty sure my positive energy was contagious, and I felt it coming right back my way from so many others out on the course. I was able to say good job to almost everyone I passed in both directions on the course, especially the women, and most everyone returned the enthusiasm and support. Really, the atmosphere out there was amazing! And it truly lifted me up. Some of those women who were out there doing the half (it was women's only) were so inspiring. All shapes, sizes, ages and ability levels... it was so cool! Many walked through the entire run portion, but it was obvious they were giving everything they had, and it was just incredible to see the passion and spirit they had. Great feeling! And among the Ironman racers too, everyone was so supportive. Something else that was really special... I ran by a fellow Team Marathon athlete! This was awesome, and gave me an extra boost of inspiration, as we cheered each other on! I really felt like we were out there together! And she looked great! Overall, the atmosphere on the run was awesome! And having enough energy to take part in that and really thrive felt great.
But, right about the turnaround on the second lap -- 13 miles in -- the race seemed to turn around as well. The fatigue began to set in, 10 hours of pushing well over 100 miles taking its toll. I think what was so tough about this stretch too was that as I headed back on the loop and watched others go in the other direction, all I could think about was how I STILL had to do it ALL AGAIN! This was NOT a good feeling, and not a fun time! I was definitely struggling at this point, physically and mentally. But, I just kept on putting one foot in front of the other, and told myself just to relax, take it slow and do what I needed to do to get through it. Many people were walking out on the course, but I knew I was still doing really well, and wanted to keep running even if it was slow, which I did, despite the pain of each step!
I was watching my watch, and while I wanted so badly to go under 12 hours, I knew it was likely not going to happen, so I tried to quickly get that out of my head and just focus, again, on the here and and now and just getting through the race, and becoming an Ironwoman! I think that was a big thing that helped me... when I felt mentally really down, I just would tell myself, "Kara, you are doing Ironman right now! And you are doing awesome!" I think just getting a little pride really helps to push things along. As I came toward the finish of that gruesomely long second lap and headed out for my last one, I saw my family again. But this time, when they cheered, instead of a burst of energy, I actually felt sorry for myself! In fact, it was at this point, as I anticipated, that I hit sort of a breaking point, and I did cry a little bit!
But, it didn't last long, and for a breaking point, I would say this was pretty good! I think this is mostly because when I let a couple sobs come through, I started to almost hyperventilate because I was already breathing hard, so I was forced to quickly calm down and get a hold of myself, and focus on what was still to come. I just told myself that I was still in a great place, and that I could do it. I knew I could. And, just like that, I suddenly really did know it, and my body responded. I told myself to change my attitude and my energy, and my body would follow, and it really did. I looked back at my first lap and all my actions and energy, and thought how different the last half of my second lap had been -- I was no longer offering words of encouragement to those around me and could rarely muster thank you's to the volunteers -- and I told myself to bring that energy back NOW. And, somehow, I found a way to do it, and my running came back a little bit, too.
Of course, this does not mean that I picked up the pace. In fact, I got slower (naturally... it was my last 8 miles of the Ironman!). But, all in all, I think the third lap was MUCH better than I ever would have guessed, and I was shocked at how much I was able to persevere. I was hurting and tired, and my pace was now closer to 4:20, but I was still out there, and still giving it my all. My body was somehow, amazingly starting to feel better. So, I just kept on plugging away, letting the miles tick down, and getting myself one step closer to becoming an Ironwoman, and that much closer to total relief all the time. By the time I rounded the turn for the LAST time, I jokingly told the volunteer that I was happy I would not see him again -- a truth, but a good sign that I was still in good spirits, and I hit the road for home, feeling truly uplifted that I was on my way, and determined to get there quickly!
It was still another four miles or so, but knowing that that was ALL I had left, I was stoked, and somehow able to really give it everything I had those last four miles. Actually, I really think I was able to give more of myself in those last four miles, and let down less, than I have in any regular marathon -- even though my pace was considerably slower. I somehow found myself even picking it up in the last couple miles. I just felt so strong, with such a sense of empowerment as I realized that I was becoming an Ironwoman, and I really knew and felt that I was doing an amazing job of it. I pushed when others no longer could, and ended up passing three women within the last three miles. Mind you, I was still running slowly, but from my persepctive, I felt like I was flying!
I carried that energy all the way in to the finish, skipping the last two aid stations, and even throwing in a sprint to the line. All of a sudden, I just felt so damn good, in a way and from a place I cannot even describe. Looking back on it just makes me happy from the inside out, even though I know I remember how much I was in pain! When I crossed the line, all I could feel was relief. I fell to the ground almost immediately, and though I was hurting in more ways than I ever have, I was also happy and proud in ways I have never experienced before. Truly, what an amazing feeling!
My family had to help me to hobble over to the grass -- my legs literally felt as though they had died on my body, yet could still feel immense pain. At that point, I laid down, for the first time in just over twelve hours, and was hardly able to move. But that was okay, because I was doing my best to soak it all in, and let it sink in. I had just done an Ironman! And, though I didn't break 12 hours (12:08), I knew I had done the absolute best I could have possibly asked for, and for that I was anything but disappointed.
I think in some ways, the race almost still has not sunk in, even a week later. As proud and full as I felt inside that night, I was never quite jumping out of my skin with excitement -- perhaps because I did not have the energy. I was focused on relieving myself of the pain. It took several days to be able to eat and walk normally. The first night of sleep was hardly such, as my muscles and joints were so sore. And don't even get me started on driving home the next day... :) But, through it all, I could look back and just try to take in the immensity of the feat I had just accomplished, and smile! No other experience in my life will be quite the same again -- neither as uniquely hard or rewarding, as my first 140.6. The experience was simultaneously awful and amazing -- but much more amazing! -- unlike anything else. And, really, in so many ways it just felt so much bigger than me. I felt like, even though this was such a personal goal, I was so much a part of everyone else's experience too, as they were mine. And that was really an inspiring thing. In the end, I am an Ironwoman! And next time, I will become one in 11 and a half hours... you just wait... ;)
Final time: 12:08:15
Swim: 1:11
Bike: 6:20
Run 4:30
First place age group, 13th woman overall
The race was what I expected in many ways, and not at all what I expected in others. Actually -- and I can't believe I'm saying this! -- in some ways it was not as tough as I had anticipated it might be. I think this was maybe just simply because of the adrenaline and excitement pushing me through some of the parts that would otherwise have been extremely challenging. But, that's not to say that it wasn't still hard, because believe me it was!
The swim was tough, but in different ways than I expected. While the distance was hard and inevitably exhausting, I think that what really took a lot out of me in the swim were some of the circumstantial challenges I faced. The swim took place in the Russian River and was an out and back, two loops. The women started all together after ALL the men, so needless to say, thins got pretty bottle-necked and I have to say we had it the hardest. Having to navigate through such big swarms of people was difficult. I thought I had experience that before, but nothing like this. As a result, I swallowed a TON of water throughout the swim, and ended up feeling very sick to my stomach by the last lap on the way home. This made it tough to really push the last part of the swim, but I made it through as best as I could, and was very relieved to get out of the water.
I was still in a pretty good position, top 15, and even though I was tired, I felt good energy from inside for the bike portion. I took my time on the transition, making sure to get some food down and get everything I needed for the bike, as well as pack up all my swim stuff, and get myself composed and relaxed. I took off feeling good about the upcoming bike leg!
We were amazingly lucky on the bike, as the clouds stayed out pretty much the entire first lap, keeping things nice and cool, which is also how I felt that lap. I worked to get into a good, comfortable pace, and just stayed relaxed. I was pushing it, but not too much that I really felt tired. The course was gorgeous, winding through vineyards, across hillsides, through groves of trees and over hilltops. The course was challenging, with plenty of rolling hills and one pretty good climb, "Chalk Hill." But, it rode very smooth.
On the second lap, let's just say, the bike was no longer quite as much fun! In fact, I even said those exact words at one point to someone I passed along the way: "This isn't so much fun anymore!" My legs were certainly feeling the strain, as were my hips and back. I did my best to continue pushing through, even though I wanted so badly to get out the saddle and off of the bike! I kept thinking, though, that as much as I wanted to get off the bike, I knew I would be wishing I was back on it by the time I was halfway through the run! :) I was surprised how much I was actually longing for the big climb on the second lap. I think at that point standing felt so much better than being down low, and my legs felt stronger that way. Though it seemed like a long time, it did finally come, and I made it up and over, and was soon on my way to the finish. I picked it up a bit toward the end, but tried not to do so too much, as I just kept telling myself I had a LONG ways yet to go in this race!
I finally made it off my bike 6 hours and 20 minutes later, and was feeling TIRED, but still pretty amped! I was psyched about my bike time, and actually feeling pretty ready to give it my all on the run. Physically, the hours I had already accumulated were certainly felt, but mentally, I was shocked at how much I did not feel worn down by them. It was almost strange. Even though I had just rode 112 miles (I could only think: what? did I really just ride 112 miles..?!), as soon as I hung up my bike, my thoughts shifted immediately forward to the run, and I was in the here and now, just running a marathon.
I was actually amazed at how good I felt when I started running. Truly. I didn't have near the amount of "dead leg" I expected after such a long ride, or even quite as much as I normally feel in just an Olympic distance triathlon. As soon as I took my first few strides, I just felt really in the groove. Perhaps after so much time on the bike, just a different motion was welcomed and felt great. I had not done the run course before, so I didn't know entirely what to expect. I did know, though, that it was three loops of about 8.3 miles, which were essentially an out-and-back. I knew this might be grueling, but I quickly learned that it also had its advantages.
I also learned quickly that the course was NOT flat, and NOT easy! But, my first loop really felt nothing short of great! My body was working for me, my legs felt surprisingly fresh, and mentally I was in a great place, with lots of good energy. There were a whole bunch of people out along the course, and aid stations every mile with plenty of food and drink, and high-energy, amazing volunteers. There were also plenty of other people out on course, between those well out in front of me, women doing the half-iron, and others behind me on the way back. So, with the combination of all these things, I really felt good the first lap, and my running showed that. Despite the couple of steep climbs on the course, I came around the first lap right on pace for a four-hour marathon, and felt like I would be able to keep it up.
Of course, this is rarely every the case! As I rounded lap one and headed out for more (lots more!), I got a nice boost of energy on seeing my family cheering for me, as well as the many spectators giving their day to be there in support. That was awesome. I headed out on lap two still feeling good. The sun was out by this time and it was plenty warm, though not too hot still -- fortunately! I carried my water bottle with electrolytes, and still walked through each aid station to drink and dump water on myself. On the way out on the second lap, I kept my pace up pretty well, and more importantly kept the good energy and positive vibes flowing really well.
This was obvious in my thoughts and actions, and carried over to my running. That first lap and a half, I am pretty sure my positive energy was contagious, and I felt it coming right back my way from so many others out on the course. I was able to say good job to almost everyone I passed in both directions on the course, especially the women, and most everyone returned the enthusiasm and support. Really, the atmosphere out there was amazing! And it truly lifted me up. Some of those women who were out there doing the half (it was women's only) were so inspiring. All shapes, sizes, ages and ability levels... it was so cool! Many walked through the entire run portion, but it was obvious they were giving everything they had, and it was just incredible to see the passion and spirit they had. Great feeling! And among the Ironman racers too, everyone was so supportive. Something else that was really special... I ran by a fellow Team Marathon athlete! This was awesome, and gave me an extra boost of inspiration, as we cheered each other on! I really felt like we were out there together! And she looked great! Overall, the atmosphere on the run was awesome! And having enough energy to take part in that and really thrive felt great.
But, right about the turnaround on the second lap -- 13 miles in -- the race seemed to turn around as well. The fatigue began to set in, 10 hours of pushing well over 100 miles taking its toll. I think what was so tough about this stretch too was that as I headed back on the loop and watched others go in the other direction, all I could think about was how I STILL had to do it ALL AGAIN! This was NOT a good feeling, and not a fun time! I was definitely struggling at this point, physically and mentally. But, I just kept on putting one foot in front of the other, and told myself just to relax, take it slow and do what I needed to do to get through it. Many people were walking out on the course, but I knew I was still doing really well, and wanted to keep running even if it was slow, which I did, despite the pain of each step!
I was watching my watch, and while I wanted so badly to go under 12 hours, I knew it was likely not going to happen, so I tried to quickly get that out of my head and just focus, again, on the here and and now and just getting through the race, and becoming an Ironwoman! I think that was a big thing that helped me... when I felt mentally really down, I just would tell myself, "Kara, you are doing Ironman right now! And you are doing awesome!" I think just getting a little pride really helps to push things along. As I came toward the finish of that gruesomely long second lap and headed out for my last one, I saw my family again. But this time, when they cheered, instead of a burst of energy, I actually felt sorry for myself! In fact, it was at this point, as I anticipated, that I hit sort of a breaking point, and I did cry a little bit!
But, it didn't last long, and for a breaking point, I would say this was pretty good! I think this is mostly because when I let a couple sobs come through, I started to almost hyperventilate because I was already breathing hard, so I was forced to quickly calm down and get a hold of myself, and focus on what was still to come. I just told myself that I was still in a great place, and that I could do it. I knew I could. And, just like that, I suddenly really did know it, and my body responded. I told myself to change my attitude and my energy, and my body would follow, and it really did. I looked back at my first lap and all my actions and energy, and thought how different the last half of my second lap had been -- I was no longer offering words of encouragement to those around me and could rarely muster thank you's to the volunteers -- and I told myself to bring that energy back NOW. And, somehow, I found a way to do it, and my running came back a little bit, too.
Of course, this does not mean that I picked up the pace. In fact, I got slower (naturally... it was my last 8 miles of the Ironman!). But, all in all, I think the third lap was MUCH better than I ever would have guessed, and I was shocked at how much I was able to persevere. I was hurting and tired, and my pace was now closer to 4:20, but I was still out there, and still giving it my all. My body was somehow, amazingly starting to feel better. So, I just kept on plugging away, letting the miles tick down, and getting myself one step closer to becoming an Ironwoman, and that much closer to total relief all the time. By the time I rounded the turn for the LAST time, I jokingly told the volunteer that I was happy I would not see him again -- a truth, but a good sign that I was still in good spirits, and I hit the road for home, feeling truly uplifted that I was on my way, and determined to get there quickly!
It was still another four miles or so, but knowing that that was ALL I had left, I was stoked, and somehow able to really give it everything I had those last four miles. Actually, I really think I was able to give more of myself in those last four miles, and let down less, than I have in any regular marathon -- even though my pace was considerably slower. I somehow found myself even picking it up in the last couple miles. I just felt so strong, with such a sense of empowerment as I realized that I was becoming an Ironwoman, and I really knew and felt that I was doing an amazing job of it. I pushed when others no longer could, and ended up passing three women within the last three miles. Mind you, I was still running slowly, but from my persepctive, I felt like I was flying!
I carried that energy all the way in to the finish, skipping the last two aid stations, and even throwing in a sprint to the line. All of a sudden, I just felt so damn good, in a way and from a place I cannot even describe. Looking back on it just makes me happy from the inside out, even though I know I remember how much I was in pain! When I crossed the line, all I could feel was relief. I fell to the ground almost immediately, and though I was hurting in more ways than I ever have, I was also happy and proud in ways I have never experienced before. Truly, what an amazing feeling!
My family had to help me to hobble over to the grass -- my legs literally felt as though they had died on my body, yet could still feel immense pain. At that point, I laid down, for the first time in just over twelve hours, and was hardly able to move. But that was okay, because I was doing my best to soak it all in, and let it sink in. I had just done an Ironman! And, though I didn't break 12 hours (12:08), I knew I had done the absolute best I could have possibly asked for, and for that I was anything but disappointed.
I think in some ways, the race almost still has not sunk in, even a week later. As proud and full as I felt inside that night, I was never quite jumping out of my skin with excitement -- perhaps because I did not have the energy. I was focused on relieving myself of the pain. It took several days to be able to eat and walk normally. The first night of sleep was hardly such, as my muscles and joints were so sore. And don't even get me started on driving home the next day... :) But, through it all, I could look back and just try to take in the immensity of the feat I had just accomplished, and smile! No other experience in my life will be quite the same again -- neither as uniquely hard or rewarding, as my first 140.6. The experience was simultaneously awful and amazing -- but much more amazing! -- unlike anything else. And, really, in so many ways it just felt so much bigger than me. I felt like, even though this was such a personal goal, I was so much a part of everyone else's experience too, as they were mine. And that was really an inspiring thing. In the end, I am an Ironwoman! And next time, I will become one in 11 and a half hours... you just wait... ;)
Final time: 12:08:15
Swim: 1:11
Bike: 6:20
Run 4:30
First place age group, 13th woman overall
Friday, July 30, 2010
A very big day
Well, I am a couple of race reports and many training stories and photos behind.
But, for now, I just wanted to post a quick update that I am heading into a VERY big day tomorrow... my first ever Ironman! I am so excited, but of course nervous as well.
I already anticipate moments of wanting to cry because I am so miserable, but also moments of tears out of sheer happiness and being truly overwhelmed with pride... I do tend to get emotional with these things sometimes!
In such a long event, I know anything can happen. So, I am going into the race feeling up for the adventure. While I have expectations, of course, I know that no matter what it will be an amazing experience, and that is what really counts tomorrow, in my first stab at the 140.6. And when it's all said and done, if I'm still standing!, I can call myself an Ironmwoman... amazing!
Off for some much-needed sleep, race report to follow!
But, for now, I just wanted to post a quick update that I am heading into a VERY big day tomorrow... my first ever Ironman! I am so excited, but of course nervous as well.
I already anticipate moments of wanting to cry because I am so miserable, but also moments of tears out of sheer happiness and being truly overwhelmed with pride... I do tend to get emotional with these things sometimes!
In such a long event, I know anything can happen. So, I am going into the race feeling up for the adventure. While I have expectations, of course, I know that no matter what it will be an amazing experience, and that is what really counts tomorrow, in my first stab at the 140.6. And when it's all said and done, if I'm still standing!, I can call myself an Ironmwoman... amazing!
Off for some much-needed sleep, race report to follow!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Training hard, facing my nemesis and enjoying new gear!
So... 25 days til the Iron(wo)man!! Holy moly how time flies. As the event is quickly approaching, I have been really trying to up my training hours and just push the envelope. I am feeling the effects! Because work has continued to be BUSY BUSY BUSY, I have been really putting in some big hours on the weekends, including this past three-day holiday weekend.
While most were out drinking beers, eating barbeque and riding jet skis, I was putting in some hours on the bike (both day and night!), racing in the firecracker mile, getting in a 3:15 OD run, surviving some hard bike intervals and even fitting in a swim and some strength. It was a tough weekend, but a fun one, and today I am TIRED.
But, the big event looms just around the corner, so after this one day of rest, I will be back at it tomorrow with an early morning swim and then a run after work and coaching. I cannot believe how soon the Ironman is coming up now... the nerves are definitely kicking in. BUT, if I can really prioritize getting in some quality training hours and push through this tough period even when I feel tired, I think I will really be ready to go. No doubt I will be fired up!
One thing I NEED to focus on, which becomes even more essential when trying to get in big hours, is my ultimate nemesis... STRETCHING! For as many tough workouts that I do and difficult challenges that I face with training, you would think stretching would seem like nothing. But, in fact it is a difficult thing for me to do and really stick with. Needless to say, I am far from flexible, which makes me dread and thus avoid stretching even more, worsening my lack of flexibility... and so on goes the domino effect.
But, I do think stretching is SUPER important, and have in fact witnessed the miracle-like effects it can have on both injury healing and prevention, as well as performance and just feeling good over-all during times when I have been forced to prioritize stretching due to injury. I truly reaped the benefits. But, it was not easy to get into the stretching mode. Still, I need to get back there, and am making it my goal to do at least 20 minutes a day... starting tomorrow! :)
On another note... I got all my Team Marathon gear finalized and in order, and have been LOVING training in it and representing the team! All the stuff really looks great, such an awesome design, and so comfortable! All in all, the gear rocks, and I am pumped to be a part of the team and wearing the gear with pride!! Woop woop! :) Oh yeah, and the bars have been AMAZING during these big volume weeks; really gotten me through some of the longer sessions!
While most were out drinking beers, eating barbeque and riding jet skis, I was putting in some hours on the bike (both day and night!), racing in the firecracker mile, getting in a 3:15 OD run, surviving some hard bike intervals and even fitting in a swim and some strength. It was a tough weekend, but a fun one, and today I am TIRED.
But, the big event looms just around the corner, so after this one day of rest, I will be back at it tomorrow with an early morning swim and then a run after work and coaching. I cannot believe how soon the Ironman is coming up now... the nerves are definitely kicking in. BUT, if I can really prioritize getting in some quality training hours and push through this tough period even when I feel tired, I think I will really be ready to go. No doubt I will be fired up!
One thing I NEED to focus on, which becomes even more essential when trying to get in big hours, is my ultimate nemesis... STRETCHING! For as many tough workouts that I do and difficult challenges that I face with training, you would think stretching would seem like nothing. But, in fact it is a difficult thing for me to do and really stick with. Needless to say, I am far from flexible, which makes me dread and thus avoid stretching even more, worsening my lack of flexibility... and so on goes the domino effect.
But, I do think stretching is SUPER important, and have in fact witnessed the miracle-like effects it can have on both injury healing and prevention, as well as performance and just feeling good over-all during times when I have been forced to prioritize stretching due to injury. I truly reaped the benefits. But, it was not easy to get into the stretching mode. Still, I need to get back there, and am making it my goal to do at least 20 minutes a day... starting tomorrow! :)
On another note... I got all my Team Marathon gear finalized and in order, and have been LOVING training in it and representing the team! All the stuff really looks great, such an awesome design, and so comfortable! All in all, the gear rocks, and I am pumped to be a part of the team and wearing the gear with pride!! Woop woop! :) Oh yeah, and the bars have been AMAZING during these big volume weeks; really gotten me through some of the longer sessions!
Pics from Rancho Seco Tri
So, they're a little late, but here are some pics from my first triathlon of the year at Rancho Seco Park in Herald, Calif. The second event of this Olympic distance series is already fast approaching this coming Sunday! Looking forward to it! :)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Tri Number One... Down!
Well, Sunday marked my first tri of the year: Olympic distance at Rancho Seco Park in Herald, Calif. It definitely felt like the year's first tri, but it also felt really good to jump back into it. I definitely racked up a list of several positives and negatives with this event, but on the whole it was really a pretty good race -- especially considering I am only about a week off of my ten-day sickness bout.
I actually felt pretty darn good on the day overall. I definitely felt strong, but I can also tell I am lacking speed, and need to get back into the intensity stuff, which I couldn't do this week because I just wanted to get my base back up. I am hoping this race will help jump-start me back into that -- a kick-in-the-pants, if you will.
The swim felt LONG! I was literally looking at the bouys in front of me thinking, "Are you kidding me?" And what's scary... that was only .9 miles! I have to do more than 2 in the Ironman in A MONTH AND A HALF... shizzz! This very much solified the fact that I NEED to start getting in the water. I only swam ONCE TIME before this race (pathetic, I know.. I blame the sickness!). And while I totally survived and actually swam about 10 seconds faster than last year (25:06), and just a couple minutes behind the leaders, I am also fully aware that if I got in the pool and started getting stronger, not only could I cut (valuable) minutes off this time, and go from "up there" to the front, but also that this .9 miles wouldn't have felt so long and exhausting. And then, of course, I would feel more confident about 2.2, which I know I can do -- but, again, I would prefer to not exhaust so much of my energy, and come out of the water with a fast time, or even a lead.
The bike was definitely the highlight of the day, as I felt strong and fast and improved GREATLY over my time from last year (about 7 minutes). I averaged right about 20 mph, and didn't lose any major ground on this section as I have in the past. However, I didn't gain any ground either, really, and I know I still need to -- and can -- get faster on the bike. My time for the leg was about 1:14, and really to be a major contender in this distance, that has to get under 1:10. Cut five minutes off and I am definitely in there for the win. I know I can do that. Again, just need some more intensity here to build up the power and speed. But, overall, encouraging, as I am no longer totally dragging a** and getting passed!
The run was ultimately discouraging. I actually felt pretty strong and definitely pushed it HARD. And I passed a couple dozen men in front of me, which added to my feeling that I had a pretty good pace going. But, I didn't. It was over 90 degrees by that time, which is NEVER good for me, and certainly made things more difficult as I desperately grabbed every cup of water offered to me and threw it frantically over my head. And, of course, the run at the end of the hammer sesh on the bike is ALWAYS hard, and you never realy feel fast. But still, I felt like I was givin' 'er and doing pretty well. But, my time showed otherwise...about 50 minutes, compared to 47:42 last year!
I know it was hot today and I went faster and probably harder on the bike than last year, but still... I am used to being the fastest or close to it in the run, and Sunday I was maybe the fifth-fastest, and several women had times about what I did last year. So, I conclude that I did run slower, and this bothers me. I really just don't feel like I am able to run fast yet, and it is frustrating. I am really going to focus on figuring out a plan to get my running speed back up -- and, of course, being able to run twenty MORE miles atfer these 6.2 by July 31st -- after the 112 mile bike ride!
The one thing I am really happy about with my run is that I pushed it HARD to close on the girl in front of me in about the last mile. Didn't know if I'd be able to do it, but I dug really deep and ended up about 30 seconds in front of her. Overhwelmingly, the biggest memory that returned to me Sunday about triathlons is that they are HARD! And they really really HURT! But, of course, this is a good thing, because I know for sure that I made it hurt, which is really the ultimate goal (messed up, I know...).
So, I took 4th place overall (for the women), and PR'd by almost five minutes, and broke 2:30! Stoked on that! Looking at the splits, this was solely due to my bike improvements. Had I run even just as fast as last year, I could have knocked off almost three more minutes. Ultimately, I'd like to take off about four-five in the run (so that I am actually running faster than last year), shave about four minutes off my bike, and definitely try to take a couple minutes off my swmi. Then I'm looking at a sub-2:20, which I think is going to be a new goal by the end of the season.
The scary thing now is that, as hard as the race felt Sunday, I have to swim more than twice the length, bike almost five times the length, and run about four times the length by the end of July. It is REALLLYYY time to amp up the training. Which is why since I crossed the line Sunday, I have been training right through, with an OD bike Monday and distance run this morning. I am hoping to get in a spin after work tonight. The good news is, neither of these things hurt too bad after Sunday's hard efforts. This must mean I am getting stronger!... or else, that effort needs to be even harder next time. I'll take both.
Thanks for tuning in... pics to come!
I actually felt pretty darn good on the day overall. I definitely felt strong, but I can also tell I am lacking speed, and need to get back into the intensity stuff, which I couldn't do this week because I just wanted to get my base back up. I am hoping this race will help jump-start me back into that -- a kick-in-the-pants, if you will.
The swim felt LONG! I was literally looking at the bouys in front of me thinking, "Are you kidding me?" And what's scary... that was only .9 miles! I have to do more than 2 in the Ironman in A MONTH AND A HALF... shizzz! This very much solified the fact that I NEED to start getting in the water. I only swam ONCE TIME before this race (pathetic, I know.. I blame the sickness!). And while I totally survived and actually swam about 10 seconds faster than last year (25:06), and just a couple minutes behind the leaders, I am also fully aware that if I got in the pool and started getting stronger, not only could I cut (valuable) minutes off this time, and go from "up there" to the front, but also that this .9 miles wouldn't have felt so long and exhausting. And then, of course, I would feel more confident about 2.2, which I know I can do -- but, again, I would prefer to not exhaust so much of my energy, and come out of the water with a fast time, or even a lead.
The bike was definitely the highlight of the day, as I felt strong and fast and improved GREATLY over my time from last year (about 7 minutes). I averaged right about 20 mph, and didn't lose any major ground on this section as I have in the past. However, I didn't gain any ground either, really, and I know I still need to -- and can -- get faster on the bike. My time for the leg was about 1:14, and really to be a major contender in this distance, that has to get under 1:10. Cut five minutes off and I am definitely in there for the win. I know I can do that. Again, just need some more intensity here to build up the power and speed. But, overall, encouraging, as I am no longer totally dragging a** and getting passed!
The run was ultimately discouraging. I actually felt pretty strong and definitely pushed it HARD. And I passed a couple dozen men in front of me, which added to my feeling that I had a pretty good pace going. But, I didn't. It was over 90 degrees by that time, which is NEVER good for me, and certainly made things more difficult as I desperately grabbed every cup of water offered to me and threw it frantically over my head. And, of course, the run at the end of the hammer sesh on the bike is ALWAYS hard, and you never realy feel fast. But still, I felt like I was givin' 'er and doing pretty well. But, my time showed otherwise...about 50 minutes, compared to 47:42 last year!
I know it was hot today and I went faster and probably harder on the bike than last year, but still... I am used to being the fastest or close to it in the run, and Sunday I was maybe the fifth-fastest, and several women had times about what I did last year. So, I conclude that I did run slower, and this bothers me. I really just don't feel like I am able to run fast yet, and it is frustrating. I am really going to focus on figuring out a plan to get my running speed back up -- and, of course, being able to run twenty MORE miles atfer these 6.2 by July 31st -- after the 112 mile bike ride!
The one thing I am really happy about with my run is that I pushed it HARD to close on the girl in front of me in about the last mile. Didn't know if I'd be able to do it, but I dug really deep and ended up about 30 seconds in front of her. Overhwelmingly, the biggest memory that returned to me Sunday about triathlons is that they are HARD! And they really really HURT! But, of course, this is a good thing, because I know for sure that I made it hurt, which is really the ultimate goal (messed up, I know...).
So, I took 4th place overall (for the women), and PR'd by almost five minutes, and broke 2:30! Stoked on that! Looking at the splits, this was solely due to my bike improvements. Had I run even just as fast as last year, I could have knocked off almost three more minutes. Ultimately, I'd like to take off about four-five in the run (so that I am actually running faster than last year), shave about four minutes off my bike, and definitely try to take a couple minutes off my swmi. Then I'm looking at a sub-2:20, which I think is going to be a new goal by the end of the season.
The scary thing now is that, as hard as the race felt Sunday, I have to swim more than twice the length, bike almost five times the length, and run about four times the length by the end of July. It is REALLLYYY time to amp up the training. Which is why since I crossed the line Sunday, I have been training right through, with an OD bike Monday and distance run this morning. I am hoping to get in a spin after work tonight. The good news is, neither of these things hurt too bad after Sunday's hard efforts. This must mean I am getting stronger!... or else, that effort needs to be even harder next time. I'll take both.
Thanks for tuning in... pics to come!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Getting Back in to the Groove....
So after a full TEN days off (incredible, I know...), I have finally returned to my normal life of daily exercise. And let me tell you, I sure feel more normal. But my performance these few days probably shows otherwise.
On Monday, I went out for my first run since getting sick, and it REALLY felt like just that: my first run in a long while. My legs and lungs hurt even though I was essentially just putzing around, and for a measly 30 minutes. But still!! I went running again!... finally! It still felt good, even though I really felt terrible. And by Tuesday's run, the movement felt much more natural. By this morning, I was actually feeling pretty good.
Between my three short runs and two longer rides that I got in this weekend plus a hard session on the trainer last night, I am slowly working my way back up to where I already was just two weeks ago. But, at least I am on my way. It looks like as of now I will still be racing in my first triathlon of the season on Sunday -- an Olympic distance down near Sacramento. Even though I know I shouldn't expect anything great, I am psyched! It will feel really good to jump back in again and get the tri fever going for the year! I hope it is a positive experience.
By next week, I hope to be fully back in the swing of things so that I can really up the volume and get some good base training in. After that, the focus will be intensity and specificity: gotta get some speed going! I can't believe how close I am getting to being fully emerged in race season already. Only two months until the Ironman! Woop woooop!
On Monday, I went out for my first run since getting sick, and it REALLY felt like just that: my first run in a long while. My legs and lungs hurt even though I was essentially just putzing around, and for a measly 30 minutes. But still!! I went running again!... finally! It still felt good, even though I really felt terrible. And by Tuesday's run, the movement felt much more natural. By this morning, I was actually feeling pretty good.
Between my three short runs and two longer rides that I got in this weekend plus a hard session on the trainer last night, I am slowly working my way back up to where I already was just two weeks ago. But, at least I am on my way. It looks like as of now I will still be racing in my first triathlon of the season on Sunday -- an Olympic distance down near Sacramento. Even though I know I shouldn't expect anything great, I am psyched! It will feel really good to jump back in again and get the tri fever going for the year! I hope it is a positive experience.
By next week, I hope to be fully back in the swing of things so that I can really up the volume and get some good base training in. After that, the focus will be intensity and specificity: gotta get some speed going! I can't believe how close I am getting to being fully emerged in race season already. Only two months until the Ironman! Woop woooop!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Good News and Bad News
Well, I think I'll start with the good news... I always like good news! I found out yesterday that I will have a news sponsor for the 2010 run/ tri season: Marathon Bar. I am really excited to be a part of the Marathon Bar team. It is going to be an awesome program. The team includes athletes, known as "hometown heroes" from all over the country, who recruitment officers believed embodied the qualities they feel are synonymous with the brand: true passion for sport and community, and a general zest for life. I am honored to have been chosen, and looking forward to see what I can do for the team in the upcoming season. Triathlon #1 is right around the corner... next weekend!
But, on that note... time for the bad news. Shortly after I got back from B2B last week, I started to feel like I was getting run down. Okay, so maybe I had some preliminary signs a few days before to B2B, but chose to ignore them... classic mistake! After getting in the pool for the first time this year (the seed has been planted -- I am excited to swim again) and having a great workout, I went to the gym for some leg strength in the afternoon. I was feeling just fine. But by the time the evening rolled around, it was clear that I was most definitely sick.
Things got progressively worse by the day, and here I am a full eight days later FINALLY starting to feel better. But, this is after EIGHT days off (probably the most I have ever had to take due to anything other than choosing a rest period), several sleepless nights of excessive coughing and many struggling work days trying to do reporting with virtually no voice.
While I still had to go to work, I did the best I could to listen to my body and give it rest. This is probably the worst and most painful case of a sore throat I have ever had, and it really wore me down, more than I could have imagined. As silly as it sounds, I am proud of myself for taking the necessary time off to let my body recover (this has always been much harder for me than it should be), and am hoping this will pay off. As crucial as rest and recovery are, it is easy to overlook them when you're trying to focus on training hard and getting in shape.
But this time, I made sure to do the right thing, and I really hope to reap the benefits. But I know I still need to be careful. I plan to get back into things slowly with an EASY, short run today and see where I can go from there. I hope to be able to compete in my first triathlon of the season next weekend, so I certainly don't want to push it before I'm ready. We'll see how it goes this evening...
But, on that note... time for the bad news. Shortly after I got back from B2B last week, I started to feel like I was getting run down. Okay, so maybe I had some preliminary signs a few days before to B2B, but chose to ignore them... classic mistake! After getting in the pool for the first time this year (the seed has been planted -- I am excited to swim again) and having a great workout, I went to the gym for some leg strength in the afternoon. I was feeling just fine. But by the time the evening rolled around, it was clear that I was most definitely sick.
Things got progressively worse by the day, and here I am a full eight days later FINALLY starting to feel better. But, this is after EIGHT days off (probably the most I have ever had to take due to anything other than choosing a rest period), several sleepless nights of excessive coughing and many struggling work days trying to do reporting with virtually no voice.
While I still had to go to work, I did the best I could to listen to my body and give it rest. This is probably the worst and most painful case of a sore throat I have ever had, and it really wore me down, more than I could have imagined. As silly as it sounds, I am proud of myself for taking the necessary time off to let my body recover (this has always been much harder for me than it should be), and am hoping this will pay off. As crucial as rest and recovery are, it is easy to overlook them when you're trying to focus on training hard and getting in shape.
But this time, I made sure to do the right thing, and I really hope to reap the benefits. But I know I still need to be careful. I plan to get back into things slowly with an EASY, short run today and see where I can go from there. I hope to be able to compete in my first triathlon of the season next weekend, so I certainly don't want to push it before I'm ready. We'll see how it goes this evening...
Capturing the Madness
Just a few images to help you imagine the craziness of San Francisco on Bay to Breakers Weekend...
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Bay to Madness... I mean Breakers....
For any of you who haven't had the pleasure of witnessing the absolute insanity that is San Francisco on Bay to Breakers weekend, I encourage you to change that. Not to say that you will necessarily find it to be a great experience, because you very well might not, but it is just something that everyone HAS to witness at least once in their lifetime. Because, frankly, I have never seen ANYTHING else like it. So add it to your bucket list and buy a ticket to the city by the bay for the third Sunday in May. You won't regret it... or maybe you will...
When I say I have never seen anything like Bay to Breakers, I mean it. The event is absolute madness. When I began my race at 8 am sharp, it was crowded, of course, but essentially like any other running race. Okay, so there were some interesting folks out lining the streets and a whole lot of boom box action, as well as some tequila slamming, but still... it resembled a running race, at least from the view I had in the seeded division. Myself and those around me were fighting full-force to get to that finish line and paying little attention to the surroundings as they quickly passed. But, as I would come to learn on my way back along the course, for the rest of the 65,000 people on the course behind me -- plus the WHOLEEEE lot of other people who didn't register for the "race" yet decided to "walk" (a.k.a. booze cruise) the course anyways -- it was NOTHING like your traditional running race.
Costumes ranged from bananas to watermelon to avatars to rockstars to complete randomness to complete nudity, in more cases than one. Intoxication levels, too, were all over the board... and often off the charts. Needless to say, people were enjoying the day. I don't think a description can really do the scene justice, but if I had to try I would say: imagine cramming 400,000 people into an eight-mile stretch of city, adding equal parts alcohol and totally wacky costumes, music and charades and a complete lack of control or concern for pretty much anything, and you have a slight understanding of B2B... though you still can't really conceptualize it.
I'm glad I witnessed the madness, because it was so unbelievable. Last time I ran the race, I parked on Mission at about 7 a.m. (from Truckee), ran, took my shuttle back, and hopped right back in the car and drove home. So, I was blissfully unaware of the insanity that had ensued the rest of the day. But, this time, I went from sisters' place on Hayes down to the start in a cab, ran my butt off, and walked the full 4.5 miles back because I didn't want to spend the money on a cab (you know you're broke when...). And, it was interesting to say the least. Again, I am glad I witnessed it. But, after about an hour of actually allowing myself to be in the thick of the masses, I was BEYOND over it. Couldn't wait to get off my feet, inside, comfortable and away from the crazies. And when the liberation finally arrived, it was every bit as sweet as I imagined. Ultimately, that is just not my kind of scene. But, maybe it will be yours! Everyone else sure seemed to dig it... so, check it out!
Race wise, I am pretty pleased with how things went. I felt really, really good, and I was totally givin' 'er. I never let myself let up for an instant. My legs felt stronger than they have, and faster as well. Yet, cross the line, and come to see I was about 45 seconds slower than when I ran the race two years ago. Disappointing, naturally, but still... a really good day. Next time, I'll blow it out of the water! :) And based on how my body felt, I am really encouraged for where things are going. One highlight that's definitely worth mentioning: when I ran this race two years ago, I ran behind a woman in a very distinct, thong-focused outfit. After staring at her butt the full 7.43 miles, she ended up beating me. And yes, it made me angry. "Thong lady," as I deemed her, had beaten me. Though, I could tell by her physique, which was ever-so-available-to-see, that she was a legit runner. But still... she was running in a thong! Well, imagine my surprise when at mile 1 this year, I found myself behind the EXACT same lady in the EXACT same outfit and EXACT same thong. This time, I only saw her butt for about a half-a-mile... I took that thong lady down! Sorry to say, though, that I did get beat by one naked guy. Totally naked! Next year, he's going down...
When I say I have never seen anything like Bay to Breakers, I mean it. The event is absolute madness. When I began my race at 8 am sharp, it was crowded, of course, but essentially like any other running race. Okay, so there were some interesting folks out lining the streets and a whole lot of boom box action, as well as some tequila slamming, but still... it resembled a running race, at least from the view I had in the seeded division. Myself and those around me were fighting full-force to get to that finish line and paying little attention to the surroundings as they quickly passed. But, as I would come to learn on my way back along the course, for the rest of the 65,000 people on the course behind me -- plus the WHOLEEEE lot of other people who didn't register for the "race" yet decided to "walk" (a.k.a. booze cruise) the course anyways -- it was NOTHING like your traditional running race.
Costumes ranged from bananas to watermelon to avatars to rockstars to complete randomness to complete nudity, in more cases than one. Intoxication levels, too, were all over the board... and often off the charts. Needless to say, people were enjoying the day. I don't think a description can really do the scene justice, but if I had to try I would say: imagine cramming 400,000 people into an eight-mile stretch of city, adding equal parts alcohol and totally wacky costumes, music and charades and a complete lack of control or concern for pretty much anything, and you have a slight understanding of B2B... though you still can't really conceptualize it.
I'm glad I witnessed the madness, because it was so unbelievable. Last time I ran the race, I parked on Mission at about 7 a.m. (from Truckee), ran, took my shuttle back, and hopped right back in the car and drove home. So, I was blissfully unaware of the insanity that had ensued the rest of the day. But, this time, I went from sisters' place on Hayes down to the start in a cab, ran my butt off, and walked the full 4.5 miles back because I didn't want to spend the money on a cab (you know you're broke when...). And, it was interesting to say the least. Again, I am glad I witnessed it. But, after about an hour of actually allowing myself to be in the thick of the masses, I was BEYOND over it. Couldn't wait to get off my feet, inside, comfortable and away from the crazies. And when the liberation finally arrived, it was every bit as sweet as I imagined. Ultimately, that is just not my kind of scene. But, maybe it will be yours! Everyone else sure seemed to dig it... so, check it out!
Race wise, I am pretty pleased with how things went. I felt really, really good, and I was totally givin' 'er. I never let myself let up for an instant. My legs felt stronger than they have, and faster as well. Yet, cross the line, and come to see I was about 45 seconds slower than when I ran the race two years ago. Disappointing, naturally, but still... a really good day. Next time, I'll blow it out of the water! :) And based on how my body felt, I am really encouraged for where things are going. One highlight that's definitely worth mentioning: when I ran this race two years ago, I ran behind a woman in a very distinct, thong-focused outfit. After staring at her butt the full 7.43 miles, she ended up beating me. And yes, it made me angry. "Thong lady," as I deemed her, had beaten me. Though, I could tell by her physique, which was ever-so-available-to-see, that she was a legit runner. But still... she was running in a thong! Well, imagine my surprise when at mile 1 this year, I found myself behind the EXACT same lady in the EXACT same outfit and EXACT same thong. This time, I only saw her butt for about a half-a-mile... I took that thong lady down! Sorry to say, though, that I did get beat by one naked guy. Totally naked! Next year, he's going down...
Monday, May 10, 2010
Transitioning
This blog post is WELL overdue... but, nonetheless, here it is. Things have been pretty busy as I have been focusing on the whole job thing, and officially graduating. Yet, I have still been doing the best I can to find time to train, and have even thrown in a few early season races. Those turned out, well... as expected for early season I suppose you could say. In all honesty, it has been tough to train like I want. My internship at the paper has been taking up a LOT of time, so it is hard to get in good workouts during the work. But, I am doing my best and that's all I can do. I have been really trying to take advantage of my weekends to get in longer workouts and double days, and then squeezing in the shorter stuff like intervals and strength during the week. I guess you could say that as I am transitioning into a new season, I am also learning to transition into a new way of balancing training with "real life," or at least a real job. I'm sure I can only get better at it.
Besides some of the struggles with time, training has gone well so far. I really feel like I am in a good place for early spring. I know I am far from my prime shape in the sports of these coming seasons, and certainly not the shape I am hoping and expecting to be in. But, I think I am well on my way there, and happy to be getting things going earlier in the year than I have in the past. I feel like everything I am doing now is helping build strength for later, when I really get in to the competition season.
I have done a few races already, though. They were races, of course, in that I was pushing hard and giving it my all to cross the finish line as fast as possible. But, in essence, the competitions so far have been "training races," in that I have trained through them, and ultimately not expected much in the way of super fast times or great condition, because I am just not ready for that yet. And, I have pretty much gotten what I have hoped for out of my races so far: mediocre times, but feeling increasingly stronger and getting some "race base" under my belt.
My first race was April 11, the U.S. Other Half in San Fran, which I did with my good friend Taryn. This is EARLY for me for a running race, so I knew I couldn't expect too much out of myself. But, again, I think getting an earlier start to the season will be a good thing, if I let myself progress in time. Ultimately, I was pleased with how the race turned out. It was very tough -- I felt like I was in the end of a marathon the last few miles, rather than just a half. Tougher to get through 13.1 than I remember feeling in a long time. But, also made me that much more satisfied to finish at the end. I ran it in 1:39:41, which is about 8 minutes off my PR, and 10 minutes off of my goal, but I think a fine, and even encouraging place to start, especially for a pretty tough course. My legs were shot afterward. I could really tell they just need some more time to get stronger and adjust to the impact of running on pavement, and then it won't be so tough to get through those last few miles. Overall, an encouraging race, a chance to be proud, and a lot of fun racing with a good friend, who also had a great run in only her second half marathon!
A couple weeks later, I decided to jump into a local 5k as a warm-up for the next half marathon I had planned on my docket, and it ended up doing that job just perfectly. Again, I wasn't expecting a terrific result, especially in a short event, since I have done virtually no speed training yet. But the race turned out really good, and I was really happy I did it. I think it is good and really important to keep a variety of distances in your racing schedule, and to challenge yourself to become better at them, because it primes you to improve in your best distances. Again, the race was tough, despite being short. I am not used to pushing quite that hard and seeking so much speed. I felt good though, and most importantly pushed super hard, so it ended up being just the perfect hard workout I needed. I was well off my PR for a 5k -- though the course was fairly hilly -- but still satisfied. I knew I had gone all out, and that was the most important. I was totally exhausted after the finish, but my legs were not nearly as drained as I had expected, didn't end up with any pain, and even recovered super quick afterward, so that was VERY encouraging for me. I ended up second place for the women, and got a sweet prize: massage certificates! Those will come in handy :)
Finally, just last Sunday I ran the Rock-N-River half marathon in Reno. It was my first time doing this race, and I have to say it was wonderful. I will definitely do it again. It is great to have a local race, but especially when it is such a nice course and so well organized as this one. Right along the river, lots of aid stations, and lots of fun! Unfortunately, I had some minor issues that I think ended up having pretty major effects on my time. Namely, some pretty significant stomach problems that started just before 10k, and then a wicked blood blister that started developing about halfway through and only continued to rub more and more and get more and more painful. The sight was not pretty when I took off my shoe. So, I think these things held me back quite a bit in the second half, especially the stomach issues, which were difficult to ignore. This was a bit disappointing, because in terms of my body physically, I felt surprisingly great. I thought I had good speed, and my legs felt really strong, and again stayed pain-free even in the last miles. Super encouraging. So, overall a disappointment because I think it could have been a really great day, and I could have at least brought my time from the San Fran race down to a 1:35, but in the end I guess it wasn't the day. Nonetheless, I feel really positive about how much potential I felt on the day. Just need to get the shoes and food issues worked out, and hopefully I am on the rise for some good races! Finished with a 1:38:40, so I am working my way back down, but I hope the decrease is a bit more significant next time!
All in all, it has been a good spring so far... if you can call it that! It is fully dumping outside my window right now... on May 10th! Just nuts. But, I know this will be a good thing when summer finally does come, for the plants and the trails, and for my enjoyment of them. I am getting excited for all that is still to come. I know I still have a ways to go just with development of my running, riding and swimming muscles again -- mostly running. I am still working my way up to longer distances, and know I am a ways away from a marathon at this point. I am also hoping to add in some more speed sessions so that I can start improving my raw speed as well. This weekend, I am heading down to SF for Bay to Breakers, and I am stoked! I didn't get to do it last year because of WAC Champs for track, so it will be great to get back in that race. It is always a lot of fun to be there during such a big weekend, and it will also be great to run a 12k -- such a fun distance! Really looking forward to it, and hope I get some sunshine!!
Besides some of the struggles with time, training has gone well so far. I really feel like I am in a good place for early spring. I know I am far from my prime shape in the sports of these coming seasons, and certainly not the shape I am hoping and expecting to be in. But, I think I am well on my way there, and happy to be getting things going earlier in the year than I have in the past. I feel like everything I am doing now is helping build strength for later, when I really get in to the competition season.
I have done a few races already, though. They were races, of course, in that I was pushing hard and giving it my all to cross the finish line as fast as possible. But, in essence, the competitions so far have been "training races," in that I have trained through them, and ultimately not expected much in the way of super fast times or great condition, because I am just not ready for that yet. And, I have pretty much gotten what I have hoped for out of my races so far: mediocre times, but feeling increasingly stronger and getting some "race base" under my belt.
My first race was April 11, the U.S. Other Half in San Fran, which I did with my good friend Taryn. This is EARLY for me for a running race, so I knew I couldn't expect too much out of myself. But, again, I think getting an earlier start to the season will be a good thing, if I let myself progress in time. Ultimately, I was pleased with how the race turned out. It was very tough -- I felt like I was in the end of a marathon the last few miles, rather than just a half. Tougher to get through 13.1 than I remember feeling in a long time. But, also made me that much more satisfied to finish at the end. I ran it in 1:39:41, which is about 8 minutes off my PR, and 10 minutes off of my goal, but I think a fine, and even encouraging place to start, especially for a pretty tough course. My legs were shot afterward. I could really tell they just need some more time to get stronger and adjust to the impact of running on pavement, and then it won't be so tough to get through those last few miles. Overall, an encouraging race, a chance to be proud, and a lot of fun racing with a good friend, who also had a great run in only her second half marathon!
A couple weeks later, I decided to jump into a local 5k as a warm-up for the next half marathon I had planned on my docket, and it ended up doing that job just perfectly. Again, I wasn't expecting a terrific result, especially in a short event, since I have done virtually no speed training yet. But the race turned out really good, and I was really happy I did it. I think it is good and really important to keep a variety of distances in your racing schedule, and to challenge yourself to become better at them, because it primes you to improve in your best distances. Again, the race was tough, despite being short. I am not used to pushing quite that hard and seeking so much speed. I felt good though, and most importantly pushed super hard, so it ended up being just the perfect hard workout I needed. I was well off my PR for a 5k -- though the course was fairly hilly -- but still satisfied. I knew I had gone all out, and that was the most important. I was totally exhausted after the finish, but my legs were not nearly as drained as I had expected, didn't end up with any pain, and even recovered super quick afterward, so that was VERY encouraging for me. I ended up second place for the women, and got a sweet prize: massage certificates! Those will come in handy :)
Finally, just last Sunday I ran the Rock-N-River half marathon in Reno. It was my first time doing this race, and I have to say it was wonderful. I will definitely do it again. It is great to have a local race, but especially when it is such a nice course and so well organized as this one. Right along the river, lots of aid stations, and lots of fun! Unfortunately, I had some minor issues that I think ended up having pretty major effects on my time. Namely, some pretty significant stomach problems that started just before 10k, and then a wicked blood blister that started developing about halfway through and only continued to rub more and more and get more and more painful. The sight was not pretty when I took off my shoe. So, I think these things held me back quite a bit in the second half, especially the stomach issues, which were difficult to ignore. This was a bit disappointing, because in terms of my body physically, I felt surprisingly great. I thought I had good speed, and my legs felt really strong, and again stayed pain-free even in the last miles. Super encouraging. So, overall a disappointment because I think it could have been a really great day, and I could have at least brought my time from the San Fran race down to a 1:35, but in the end I guess it wasn't the day. Nonetheless, I feel really positive about how much potential I felt on the day. Just need to get the shoes and food issues worked out, and hopefully I am on the rise for some good races! Finished with a 1:38:40, so I am working my way back down, but I hope the decrease is a bit more significant next time!
All in all, it has been a good spring so far... if you can call it that! It is fully dumping outside my window right now... on May 10th! Just nuts. But, I know this will be a good thing when summer finally does come, for the plants and the trails, and for my enjoyment of them. I am getting excited for all that is still to come. I know I still have a ways to go just with development of my running, riding and swimming muscles again -- mostly running. I am still working my way up to longer distances, and know I am a ways away from a marathon at this point. I am also hoping to add in some more speed sessions so that I can start improving my raw speed as well. This weekend, I am heading down to SF for Bay to Breakers, and I am stoked! I didn't get to do it last year because of WAC Champs for track, so it will be great to get back in that race. It is always a lot of fun to be there during such a big weekend, and it will also be great to run a 12k -- such a fun distance! Really looking forward to it, and hope I get some sunshine!!
Saturday, April 3, 2010
The End of a Season and A Lot To Look Forward To!
Note: I do have some pictures to put up from these last ski races and NCAAs, but just can't seem to find my darn camera cord to upload them!! Will work on making it happen ASAP! Sorry for the delay!
Well, it looks like my ski season is pretty much all wrapped up... despite the fact that it looks to be full-on winter outside my window right now! But, things closed up on a really good note, and I am really grateful for that!! Also, I am stoked because I have a LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO, and I am already super excited about it!
The last race of the season was this past weekend, the California Gold Rush series. I chose to do the Silver Rush (30-km distance) instead of the Gold (45-km) which I have done the past few years, because I wanted to win the Fischer Cup Series (local race series that is a culmination of total race points from five races throughout the season). In the women's field, the Silver Rush, not the Gold Rush, was the race that garnered Fischer Cup points, and the final race of the series. I couldn't win the series without completing the race, and since I DESPERATELY need the money, I went with the Silver! But, no regrets here!
After completing those two 15-km laps I was more than happy to ski through the finish line, rather than have to go around yet again. Actually, I don't think I could have made it at that point! Of course, I hope I would have paced the beginning a little easier if I had been doing the full marathon, but regardless, I was EXHAUSTED after 30 k. And when I say exhausted, I mean it, in every sense of the word. This is a GREATTT thing! As I have emphasized again and again in this blog, one of the toughest things for me in racing in years past has been really pushing to that point where you go beyond what you thought you could -- exceeding your limits and just getting everything out of your body that it could possibly give. As I have been so happy to finally start doing consistently this year, I succeeded at reaching this point yet again in this last race. And I am stoked!
My exertion level alone was enough to make this a really good last race of the season, but fortunately for me, it also happened to be a day when I was feeling good as well, and things just really came together. Between not having too much trouble from my body, pushing so hard and also really feeling "there" mentally -- maybe from knowing it was my last race and wanting to prove to myself that I could really have a good one after the Great Ski Race -- the race turned out awesome. Even though it was extremely tough and I was so damn tired at the end that I didn't know if I would make it up the last hill, I never took my foot off the accelerator. I just kept telling myself that I didn't know where anyone else was on the course or how much they were turning it on at the end, so I managed to really keep the sense of urgency there and never get too comfortable. In the end, this paid off despite the pain, as I felt like I skied great, and ended up with a result that I was super happy with.
I took second for the women, behind the ever-speedy Joanne Reid (daughter of the all-amazing Beth Reid), and placed sixth overall. The Far West boys took all the top spots, so that was cool as well. After I crossed the line, it took me a while to get my body back to a normal state and eventually muster up the energy to stand back up. I was supposed to bring a water bottle out to Maria on her last lap, and I was really doubting my abilities to make it out there. I tried, and ended up skiing pretty far despite feeling like I could barely stand on my legs the whole time, only to find out they had long passed the point I made it out to on the course. They were flying! So, I slowly made my way back into the stadium just in time to see the next few skiers AFTER Maria come in to the finish. And at that point, I cannot emphasize how fortunate I felt that I had just settled for the Silver Rush. Man did it look hard coming up that hill for the THIRD time!
The racers kicked some butt though, and of course I was super happy with the winners: Matt Gelso with yet another victory and Maria pulling out the win in the last 600m of the women's race. Awesome job guys! Maria and Beth pretty much kicked my booty time-wise, despite going 15km longer than me. Had I done another lap at the same pace (which I don't think I would have managed to do!!), I would have been a ways back there. But, seeing as they were in the top-10 overall, I don't feel so bad! We will see how I fare next year if I am able to jump in the Gold Rush again. All in all, it was a great day: sunshine, plenty of snow and a lot of great people celebrating the end of another awesome season in the Sierras. It was one of those days when I remembered how lucky I am to live here and be part of this ski community!
I did end up winning the Fischer Cup, as my second place on the day was good enough to earn the top spot overall, so I was happy about that. I should add, though, that Beth went for the win in the Gold Rush, as she is a phenomenal distance racer, and in all likelihood would have won the Fischer Cup otherwise, as she has won most all of the races in front of me this year. But, without the Silver Rush points, she was unable to win the event, but I still think she deserves credit for everything she has done this year and just the overall amazing ability she has consistently shown. She is truly the best skier out there in this region, alongside Joanne -- like mother like daughter, I guess! Anyhow, awesome job to Beth and all the ladies who came out there and raced so hard in all these races! It was a lot of fun!
Now, I am in a transition phase, as I get ready for another long but FUN season of competition! And I really can't wait for this one! I have been working hard in hopes that it will be great, and am really heading into this run/tri/bike season with a lot of heart, hope and high expectations. I have some pretty big goals, but I am more than ready to put in the time and energy that I need to in order to achieve them. My schedule is still in the works, but there are a few things I know will be happening for sure, and I am already getting so stoked for them!! The biggest is my IRONMAN, July 31st! This is a big goal of mine and I am expecting a lot from myself, and I am already so stoked for the race! Counting down the days!
In addition to the Ironman, I will be doing one or two other half-ironman distance triathlons, a handful of olympic distance tris, two marathons, a handful of half marathons, and some other shorter bike and running races mixed in. It's going to be awesome!! Right now I am taking a bit of a break, with a couple of pretty low-volume, zero intensity weeks, focusing on the job search and moving out of my house. Needless to say, I have still been plenty busy. But, starting next week, I will pick things up and really get into gear training for these competitions. For a while there it was looking like spring had fully sprung, and I even got out on my rode bike a couple times down in Reno, and got in a number of good runs. It was awesome! But, old man winter has decided to come BACK! We have gotten multiple FEET of new snow this past week, and the temperatures are below freezing! It looks like we are back in full-on winter mode for now. This is throwing me for a loop a little bit, but I did have the opportunity to get out for an incredible classic ski today in what looked like the most snow of the whole winter up at Auburn Ski Club. I guess I will just try to take advantage of this last chance for a few more great ski days, and stick with riding the rollers for now, and getting in some more runs down in Reno on work days. More to come soon!
Well, it looks like my ski season is pretty much all wrapped up... despite the fact that it looks to be full-on winter outside my window right now! But, things closed up on a really good note, and I am really grateful for that!! Also, I am stoked because I have a LOT TO LOOK FORWARD TO, and I am already super excited about it!
The last race of the season was this past weekend, the California Gold Rush series. I chose to do the Silver Rush (30-km distance) instead of the Gold (45-km) which I have done the past few years, because I wanted to win the Fischer Cup Series (local race series that is a culmination of total race points from five races throughout the season). In the women's field, the Silver Rush, not the Gold Rush, was the race that garnered Fischer Cup points, and the final race of the series. I couldn't win the series without completing the race, and since I DESPERATELY need the money, I went with the Silver! But, no regrets here!
After completing those two 15-km laps I was more than happy to ski through the finish line, rather than have to go around yet again. Actually, I don't think I could have made it at that point! Of course, I hope I would have paced the beginning a little easier if I had been doing the full marathon, but regardless, I was EXHAUSTED after 30 k. And when I say exhausted, I mean it, in every sense of the word. This is a GREATTT thing! As I have emphasized again and again in this blog, one of the toughest things for me in racing in years past has been really pushing to that point where you go beyond what you thought you could -- exceeding your limits and just getting everything out of your body that it could possibly give. As I have been so happy to finally start doing consistently this year, I succeeded at reaching this point yet again in this last race. And I am stoked!
My exertion level alone was enough to make this a really good last race of the season, but fortunately for me, it also happened to be a day when I was feeling good as well, and things just really came together. Between not having too much trouble from my body, pushing so hard and also really feeling "there" mentally -- maybe from knowing it was my last race and wanting to prove to myself that I could really have a good one after the Great Ski Race -- the race turned out awesome. Even though it was extremely tough and I was so damn tired at the end that I didn't know if I would make it up the last hill, I never took my foot off the accelerator. I just kept telling myself that I didn't know where anyone else was on the course or how much they were turning it on at the end, so I managed to really keep the sense of urgency there and never get too comfortable. In the end, this paid off despite the pain, as I felt like I skied great, and ended up with a result that I was super happy with.
I took second for the women, behind the ever-speedy Joanne Reid (daughter of the all-amazing Beth Reid), and placed sixth overall. The Far West boys took all the top spots, so that was cool as well. After I crossed the line, it took me a while to get my body back to a normal state and eventually muster up the energy to stand back up. I was supposed to bring a water bottle out to Maria on her last lap, and I was really doubting my abilities to make it out there. I tried, and ended up skiing pretty far despite feeling like I could barely stand on my legs the whole time, only to find out they had long passed the point I made it out to on the course. They were flying! So, I slowly made my way back into the stadium just in time to see the next few skiers AFTER Maria come in to the finish. And at that point, I cannot emphasize how fortunate I felt that I had just settled for the Silver Rush. Man did it look hard coming up that hill for the THIRD time!
The racers kicked some butt though, and of course I was super happy with the winners: Matt Gelso with yet another victory and Maria pulling out the win in the last 600m of the women's race. Awesome job guys! Maria and Beth pretty much kicked my booty time-wise, despite going 15km longer than me. Had I done another lap at the same pace (which I don't think I would have managed to do!!), I would have been a ways back there. But, seeing as they were in the top-10 overall, I don't feel so bad! We will see how I fare next year if I am able to jump in the Gold Rush again. All in all, it was a great day: sunshine, plenty of snow and a lot of great people celebrating the end of another awesome season in the Sierras. It was one of those days when I remembered how lucky I am to live here and be part of this ski community!
I did end up winning the Fischer Cup, as my second place on the day was good enough to earn the top spot overall, so I was happy about that. I should add, though, that Beth went for the win in the Gold Rush, as she is a phenomenal distance racer, and in all likelihood would have won the Fischer Cup otherwise, as she has won most all of the races in front of me this year. But, without the Silver Rush points, she was unable to win the event, but I still think she deserves credit for everything she has done this year and just the overall amazing ability she has consistently shown. She is truly the best skier out there in this region, alongside Joanne -- like mother like daughter, I guess! Anyhow, awesome job to Beth and all the ladies who came out there and raced so hard in all these races! It was a lot of fun!
Now, I am in a transition phase, as I get ready for another long but FUN season of competition! And I really can't wait for this one! I have been working hard in hopes that it will be great, and am really heading into this run/tri/bike season with a lot of heart, hope and high expectations. I have some pretty big goals, but I am more than ready to put in the time and energy that I need to in order to achieve them. My schedule is still in the works, but there are a few things I know will be happening for sure, and I am already getting so stoked for them!! The biggest is my IRONMAN, July 31st! This is a big goal of mine and I am expecting a lot from myself, and I am already so stoked for the race! Counting down the days!
In addition to the Ironman, I will be doing one or two other half-ironman distance triathlons, a handful of olympic distance tris, two marathons, a handful of half marathons, and some other shorter bike and running races mixed in. It's going to be awesome!! Right now I am taking a bit of a break, with a couple of pretty low-volume, zero intensity weeks, focusing on the job search and moving out of my house. Needless to say, I have still been plenty busy. But, starting next week, I will pick things up and really get into gear training for these competitions. For a while there it was looking like spring had fully sprung, and I even got out on my rode bike a couple times down in Reno, and got in a number of good runs. It was awesome! But, old man winter has decided to come BACK! We have gotten multiple FEET of new snow this past week, and the temperatures are below freezing! It looks like we are back in full-on winter mode for now. This is throwing me for a loop a little bit, but I did have the opportunity to get out for an incredible classic ski today in what looked like the most snow of the whole winter up at Auburn Ski Club. I guess I will just try to take advantage of this last chance for a few more great ski days, and stick with riding the rollers for now, and getting in some more runs down in Reno on work days. More to come soon!
The Great Ski Race and NCAAs
SO, I have fallen behind in my blog posting, once again. My apologies. I have been busy trying to find myself a J-O-B (or two!!), so that I can continue supporting my racing, a.k.a. be able to pay my entry fees!!! Anyways, here is a post that I started and came oh-so-close to finishing several weeks ago! But, here it is now in the full, outdated and all! :)
1. The Not-So-Great-Race
So, the Great Race was not so great... in fact, it was pretty much the opposite. I would actually say that it was probably my worst race of the season, with the BMT coming in a close second, as these two "big" races were easily outdone by every other race I've done this season. Like the Boulder, it was just one of those days: a very BAD day. There wasn't much I could do, I simply felt terrible. Actually got out of the start pretty fast for once, but knew pretty quickly -- about 800 meters in -- that things were not headed in a good direction. It was one of those "Uh-Oh" moments, as more and more men started to go around and I stood by with no hope of following, even though the vast majority were men I had been beating all season. "This is not good" -- another sinking thought -- and "this is going to hurt!"
But, what could I do? Despite the pain in my legs from being already flooded with lactic acid and feeling about 500 pounds each, the overwhelming lightheadedness I was feeling for whatever reason and just an overall low-energy, cruddy body feeling, I just kept on pushing. I continued to watch myself getting further and further back in the pack as the lead women (Beth and Katerina) slipped away, but just kept skiing and trying to give it my all, feeling worse and worse along the way. After about 5km I was feeling totally exhausted, and I was welcomed to that land of exhaustion by meeting the bottom of the climb... oh boy! I was SO not thrilled. For those of you who have never done the Great Ski Race, this is NOT your standard hill climb... this thing is LONG and HARD, and did I mention LONG?! I think its about 6 or 7k of relentless uphill. Not fun on any day, but especially not fun on a bad day.
Just as I was heading up to start the ascent, breathing out of control, heart beating into my head which by this point felt like it was going to explode, I got passed by the eventual third-place female finisher... then the fourth... and then the fifth... all women whom I had beaten in every other race this year. But, again, I just had to tell myself to keep going, even though this was demoralizing. As I headed up the hill, the lighteheadedness got increasingly worse and I soon felt like I was going to black out. This was really strange, and something I have experienced once or twice before in ski races but not frequently by any means. I did not enjoy it at all or know what to do about it. I certainly could not speed up, and instead ended up slowing down, worried I might pass out on the trail! This is pretty much how my whole body felt though... like I just wanted to lay down on the side of the trail (I seriously did contemplate taking a couple of rest breaks, thinking it would probably be faster in the end). But, I just kept going, taking it one step at a time and trying my best to ignore my body. The hill seemed so long... I thought it might never end. But, eventually it did, and man was I grateful to see the top after such a long and brutal sufferfest. That gratitude even transferred over into a new burst of energy as I told myself to really go for it over the top and into the downhill to try and make up for some of the damage I had just caused myself. I knew not much could be done though.
Even though there was still more than 15k left to go in the 30-km race, I knew it would be nearly impossible to make up however many minutes I had lost to the women in front of me climbing up the pass. But, hey, I was sure going to try. And I did! I pushed hard over the top, closing the gap and accelerating by the group of men who had passed me just before the top of the pass. I forced myself to keep pushing and capitalize on my strengths of downhills and fast flats, of which there were a LOT! I went all out, and even though it wasn't much on this day, I think it was a lot to give. I definitely made up some time from the top of the pass into the finish, but it just wasn't enough to get the top-three finish that I wanted and was expecting. Oh well.. almost no race season goes by without days like these, and we only become stronger by finding the drive somewhere deep down to push through it and finish hard, and that is what I did. While I may be disappointed with the result and the state of my body, for that, I am proud. Although I have to say, I'm still glad it's over! :)
2. Steamboat
Shortly after TGSR, I headed out to Steamboat, Colo. for the NCAA championships. I mostly went out to support / help / cheer on Nevada (the best team in the whole wide world), but there were MANY bonuses / incentives of this trip. For one, I got to get out of town for the first time in a while! Secondly, there were plenty of other skiers and friends I wanted to watch, cheer for and have the chance to see again. Third, NCAAs is always an awesome time. It is so much fun to be around so many awesome people and celebrate the biggest event of the collegiate season. It's such an energetic, positive atmosphere and everyone is so into it. It's great! This year was definitely no exception and lived up to all of my expectations heading out. Steamboat was sunny and beautiful almost everyday, I saw more close friends and awesome people than I was expecting, and the races were super exciting. The race coordinators and volunteers at Steamboat also did an awesome job putting the event together. I was really impressed, and I'm sure the athletes were too.
Overall, it was a ton of fun. I love getting the chance to watch some really good racing and not have to have the pressure of showing up for it... even though watching always gives me the itch to be out there! Nonetheless, there were some AMAZING racers at this event (best in the country!), and watching how they tackled the challenging courses and applied tactics as the races unfolded was both entertaining and insightful. Most of all, it was really great to get the chance to watch the Nevada skiers, who turned in some INCREDIBLE and truly INSPIRING performances in what will most likely be their last NCAA appearance (for those of you who don't know, the team has been cut and will not be around next year without funding from the community). Undoubtedly the highlight of the week was Charlie Smith's THIRD PLACE performance in the 10km classic race... a lifetime best result and overall UNBELIEVABLE performance! Everything really came together for him on this day and he truly excelled beyond any limits he previously knew. So inspiring. Maria Grafnings also turned in amazing results, though I know she was disappointed. She finished fourth in the skate and 10th in the classic with not-so-great skis, but she wanted to win the skate race, and absolutely could have had she had a perfect day. Unfortunately, she didn't, and had to settle for fourth. I wanted the win for her super badly, but I was so proud of the way she skied and left everything out there on the course, fighting to the end to outsprint the fifth-place finisher.
Overall, I was unbelievably happy to see these awesome performances by such deserving people, and such a deserving team. I wanted so much for them to do well. It was so cool to see how much positive energy there was surrounding the whole team when Charlie got his podium. It really speaks to the quality of character on the Wolf Pack squad. Everyone was so excited that it just really lifted the spirits all around. I am so glad I was a part of it! Elias also had career-best races and was super stoked about it, which is always good to see. Kristin had a rough go in the skate race but she toughed it out and finished despite struggling, which I was REALLY proud of (we all know how tough that is in a big race). There were many other highlights of the races out there, but the most notable for me was Matt Gelso's win in the 10km classic. We grew up skiing together on Far West, which was plenty of time for me to know he is an awesome guy and totally deserving of a national championship. I was stoked for him! Joanne Reid's fourth place finish in the 5k classic was up there, too! (Another fellow Far West racer)
All in all, the trip was great, but it was also bittersweet. While I am glad I got the opportunity to go out and support Nevada, it was also tough knowing it was their last hoorah, especially seeing how much heart they raced with out there and how unbelievably tough they were. You could definitely tell that they had more on the line and more in mind than just themselves and their individual races. The culmination of the women's 15k freestyle really meant that it was all over. And for me, that was so sad. Knowing that a team that did so much for me and came to mean so much to me in just one year is losing its opportunities to do the same for others is really a hard thing to swallow. All of these athletes deserve the best, and I hope that they find more opportunities to continue their skiing successes. Way to go pack, I am proud of all of you!
1. The Not-So-Great-Race
So, the Great Race was not so great... in fact, it was pretty much the opposite. I would actually say that it was probably my worst race of the season, with the BMT coming in a close second, as these two "big" races were easily outdone by every other race I've done this season. Like the Boulder, it was just one of those days: a very BAD day. There wasn't much I could do, I simply felt terrible. Actually got out of the start pretty fast for once, but knew pretty quickly -- about 800 meters in -- that things were not headed in a good direction. It was one of those "Uh-Oh" moments, as more and more men started to go around and I stood by with no hope of following, even though the vast majority were men I had been beating all season. "This is not good" -- another sinking thought -- and "this is going to hurt!"
But, what could I do? Despite the pain in my legs from being already flooded with lactic acid and feeling about 500 pounds each, the overwhelming lightheadedness I was feeling for whatever reason and just an overall low-energy, cruddy body feeling, I just kept on pushing. I continued to watch myself getting further and further back in the pack as the lead women (Beth and Katerina) slipped away, but just kept skiing and trying to give it my all, feeling worse and worse along the way. After about 5km I was feeling totally exhausted, and I was welcomed to that land of exhaustion by meeting the bottom of the climb... oh boy! I was SO not thrilled. For those of you who have never done the Great Ski Race, this is NOT your standard hill climb... this thing is LONG and HARD, and did I mention LONG?! I think its about 6 or 7k of relentless uphill. Not fun on any day, but especially not fun on a bad day.
Just as I was heading up to start the ascent, breathing out of control, heart beating into my head which by this point felt like it was going to explode, I got passed by the eventual third-place female finisher... then the fourth... and then the fifth... all women whom I had beaten in every other race this year. But, again, I just had to tell myself to keep going, even though this was demoralizing. As I headed up the hill, the lighteheadedness got increasingly worse and I soon felt like I was going to black out. This was really strange, and something I have experienced once or twice before in ski races but not frequently by any means. I did not enjoy it at all or know what to do about it. I certainly could not speed up, and instead ended up slowing down, worried I might pass out on the trail! This is pretty much how my whole body felt though... like I just wanted to lay down on the side of the trail (I seriously did contemplate taking a couple of rest breaks, thinking it would probably be faster in the end). But, I just kept going, taking it one step at a time and trying my best to ignore my body. The hill seemed so long... I thought it might never end. But, eventually it did, and man was I grateful to see the top after such a long and brutal sufferfest. That gratitude even transferred over into a new burst of energy as I told myself to really go for it over the top and into the downhill to try and make up for some of the damage I had just caused myself. I knew not much could be done though.
Even though there was still more than 15k left to go in the 30-km race, I knew it would be nearly impossible to make up however many minutes I had lost to the women in front of me climbing up the pass. But, hey, I was sure going to try. And I did! I pushed hard over the top, closing the gap and accelerating by the group of men who had passed me just before the top of the pass. I forced myself to keep pushing and capitalize on my strengths of downhills and fast flats, of which there were a LOT! I went all out, and even though it wasn't much on this day, I think it was a lot to give. I definitely made up some time from the top of the pass into the finish, but it just wasn't enough to get the top-three finish that I wanted and was expecting. Oh well.. almost no race season goes by without days like these, and we only become stronger by finding the drive somewhere deep down to push through it and finish hard, and that is what I did. While I may be disappointed with the result and the state of my body, for that, I am proud. Although I have to say, I'm still glad it's over! :)
2. Steamboat
Shortly after TGSR, I headed out to Steamboat, Colo. for the NCAA championships. I mostly went out to support / help / cheer on Nevada (the best team in the whole wide world), but there were MANY bonuses / incentives of this trip. For one, I got to get out of town for the first time in a while! Secondly, there were plenty of other skiers and friends I wanted to watch, cheer for and have the chance to see again. Third, NCAAs is always an awesome time. It is so much fun to be around so many awesome people and celebrate the biggest event of the collegiate season. It's such an energetic, positive atmosphere and everyone is so into it. It's great! This year was definitely no exception and lived up to all of my expectations heading out. Steamboat was sunny and beautiful almost everyday, I saw more close friends and awesome people than I was expecting, and the races were super exciting. The race coordinators and volunteers at Steamboat also did an awesome job putting the event together. I was really impressed, and I'm sure the athletes were too.
Overall, it was a ton of fun. I love getting the chance to watch some really good racing and not have to have the pressure of showing up for it... even though watching always gives me the itch to be out there! Nonetheless, there were some AMAZING racers at this event (best in the country!), and watching how they tackled the challenging courses and applied tactics as the races unfolded was both entertaining and insightful. Most of all, it was really great to get the chance to watch the Nevada skiers, who turned in some INCREDIBLE and truly INSPIRING performances in what will most likely be their last NCAA appearance (for those of you who don't know, the team has been cut and will not be around next year without funding from the community). Undoubtedly the highlight of the week was Charlie Smith's THIRD PLACE performance in the 10km classic race... a lifetime best result and overall UNBELIEVABLE performance! Everything really came together for him on this day and he truly excelled beyond any limits he previously knew. So inspiring. Maria Grafnings also turned in amazing results, though I know she was disappointed. She finished fourth in the skate and 10th in the classic with not-so-great skis, but she wanted to win the skate race, and absolutely could have had she had a perfect day. Unfortunately, she didn't, and had to settle for fourth. I wanted the win for her super badly, but I was so proud of the way she skied and left everything out there on the course, fighting to the end to outsprint the fifth-place finisher.
Overall, I was unbelievably happy to see these awesome performances by such deserving people, and such a deserving team. I wanted so much for them to do well. It was so cool to see how much positive energy there was surrounding the whole team when Charlie got his podium. It really speaks to the quality of character on the Wolf Pack squad. Everyone was so excited that it just really lifted the spirits all around. I am so glad I was a part of it! Elias also had career-best races and was super stoked about it, which is always good to see. Kristin had a rough go in the skate race but she toughed it out and finished despite struggling, which I was REALLY proud of (we all know how tough that is in a big race). There were many other highlights of the races out there, but the most notable for me was Matt Gelso's win in the 10km classic. We grew up skiing together on Far West, which was plenty of time for me to know he is an awesome guy and totally deserving of a national championship. I was stoked for him! Joanne Reid's fourth place finish in the 5k classic was up there, too! (Another fellow Far West racer)
All in all, the trip was great, but it was also bittersweet. While I am glad I got the opportunity to go out and support Nevada, it was also tough knowing it was their last hoorah, especially seeing how much heart they raced with out there and how unbelievably tough they were. You could definitely tell that they had more on the line and more in mind than just themselves and their individual races. The culmination of the women's 15k freestyle really meant that it was all over. And for me, that was so sad. Knowing that a team that did so much for me and came to mean so much to me in just one year is losing its opportunities to do the same for others is really a hard thing to swallow. All of these athletes deserve the best, and I hope that they find more opportunities to continue their skiing successes. Way to go pack, I am proud of all of you!
Saturday, March 6, 2010
A Really Great Weekend!
So it’s probably self-explanatory from the title of this blog post, but hey I’ll say it again because I like it: I just had one really great weekend!
It was one of those weekends that was gratifying on multiple levels: an overwhelming reiteration of why I love coaching so much and why it can be so rewarding, pride in the job I have done in that regard, the unexplainable feeling of achieving nearly the “perfect race day” and the high that comes with it, and yet another reminder of just why I love skiing so much. Let me tell you why…
The weekend started off with a bang, as the CNISSF State Championships were being held Friday and Saturday up at Auburn Ski Club. If you haven’t been up there to watch one of these season culminations, let me tell you, you should! It is such an amazing event. It is so cool to see a. how many young racers there are out there – it’s really a positive sign for the expansion of the sport, b. how much drive and desire and passion they have for the sport already – it’s so evident, and c. how hard they are working! These kids are awesome! They are all competitors, but they come together so well here at the final event, each sharing in the effort they have put in all year long to get to this moment and the desire to reap the benefits of that effort.
It’s especially neat for me to come back and be a part of the State Championships now, from a different perspective. I remember so well all of the years I competed in the event and how much it meant to me to do well there. To now see that same thing in my racers, and know that I am helping them to make it happen, is really special. I feel like I am totally able to understand what they are feeling, and I think that helps them – or at least I hope!
We spent the last two and a half weeks (well, the whole season really, but the last two and a half weeks were on a specific peaking plan), preparing for just these very two days. The kids put in so much work, probably hating me for about a week and a half as I made them do interval after interval in between races trying to get into top form. I wanted so badly for them to be rewarded. It is kind of an amazing feeling, realizing just how much you can want something for someone else because you are so invested in them, despite wanting the same thing for yourself simultaneously. I had confidence, though, that the kids were ready, and even more confidence that they had the motivation and desire to totally throw down. They were fired up! And let me just say… they killed it! There was not one athlete who didn’t totally rise to the occasion and surpass anything they had done all season in at least one of the two races.
I felt like a proud mother of all of these five kids, emotionally stressed out on the racecourse as I watched them go by and in preparation, and then so totally psyched when they finished and turned in awesome results! Despite stormy, just plain nasty weather, the kids brought their A-game, determination in full-force. The classic day was tough waxing with wet snow and continual storming despite the warm air, but I gotta say, we nailed it (or so the kids tell me… maybe they are just trying to make me feel better ☺). And let me tell you… there are few things more gratifying than really nailing the wax on a challenging day with varying conditions. Feels awesome! Or maybe it’s just right now because I’m such a rookie... Nonetheless, it was a relief at the least, to know my wax job was not hindering the kids’ performance and hopefully helping it on the contrary.
Melanie Swick (soph.) came in first place for the JV girls, in front of several varsity girls at 13th place overall, continuing the dominance she has progressed toward all season. Close behind her in second place for JV was our freshman, Maddy Kwasny, with her best race of the season… up until that point at least! Ashley Vomund (soph.) came in eighth place on the day (JV), another strong effort, and sophomore Julie Falke finished 25th. Our lone male for the weekend, Ryan Collin, was the eighth JV boy on the day. All in all, it was an awesome day. Everyone felt like they raced well and gave it everything they had, which is the most important thing. A couple were slightly disappointed with their results, but remained hopeful and determined that they could turn things around on Saturday.
And Saturday came, bringing the pursuit start Freestyle race. For those who are not familiar with this format, the racers start based on their order and times from the day before, so someone who finished third and 35 seconds back from the leader, that is the way that they start on day 2. The finish order is the final order, regardless of starting time differences. Needless to say, it allows for an intense and exciting race, but it’s a lot of fun, both as a racer and a spectator. The JV athletes were dispersed in with the varsity athletes (based on their overall place), which I thought was great because it provided them the chance to try to push themselves to reach the level of these athletes around them. I encouraged my kids to push hard and try to catch varsity athletes in front of them, or stay with any who may pass them from behind. Especially for my girls who were 1-2 in the JV race, I told them to pretend like everyone around them was their competitor and they needed to try to beat them. The team had another really great day. In fact, almost all of them had an even better race than the day before, showing true grit as they pushed themselves to the absolute limit trying to knock off those around them and move up in the ranks. Maddy actually threw down an even better race than Friday, now truly her best race of the season. She went above and beyond anything I had ever seen her do, and you could see in her face how much of it was just purely mental and driven by sheer determination. It was so fun to watch! She turned in the fastest time of the day for JV in the skate leg, 13th fastest overall, also holding off the third-place girl who started just 20 seconds behind her. She was truly on fire!
But despite her valiant effort, Maddy was unable to move into first as Melanie held her off with the help of the big lead she earned for herself on Friday, earning the title of JV Girls State Champion – so well-deserved, I must say. Hard work and a great attitude lye behind that title. Ashley also stepped up big time, coming out with a vengeance and ready to capitalize on her opportunity to skate (her favored technique) her way to a better place more deserving of her capabilities than that of Friday. She pushed so, so hard! And she skied great, passing several girls on the course and moving up to sixth place in the JV category, also earning the 3rd fastest skate time!! (Behind only her teammtes!!!) Awesome effort! Julie and Ryan both also moved up on the day with strong performances and confidence in their skating, from 25th to 23rd, and 8th to 7th, respectively. Overall, another great day, very worthy of celebration.
In the end, the girls’ team finished the meet as JV STATE CHAMPIONS!!!! Yay!!! Small little Incline High School, only in its second year with a Nordic team and multiple first and second-year skiers, emerged as the state champions! Sure, it may not seem like much to those on the outside, but to these girls, and to me… it was amazing! What an honor and an accomplishment. The best thing about it is that it was truly a team effort, and the result of a whole season long of dedication and effort on everyone’s part – myself, Kathy and Peter on the coaching staff, and each of these kids coming out and giving 100 percent everyday, and most of all, skiing with heart. They set the bar high, and they achieved their goal. They really do inspire me, and I am so proud to be one of their coaches and say that I helped them get there!
While the state champs were awesome to be a part of, I cannot deny that the experience was also exhausting. Two days of scrambling, stressing and running around frantically to keep everyone organized and see everyone’s effort on the course did have me feeling wiped out by Saturday afternoon. I opted out of my usual pre-race L3 1-minute intervals because I felt like I had already done them and more with sprinting around the course trying to catch all my girls at different points.
So, needless to say, when I arrived at the Royal Gorge Mid-Season Freestyle Race on Sunday, I was feeling less than tip-top. Warming up, my legs were tired and I just felt sluggish. I was preparing for a painful race, but focused on telling myself to just start out relaxed and ski into the race and see what happened. And to my surprise, it turned out really well!! In fact, this was undoubtedly one of my best races of the year – if not the best! And it was an AWESOME feeling!
The course was extremely flat and fast, a 10k loop in the Van Norden Trail System with long, power-based flat sections and only rolling hills that you can still rely on power to get up. I think the course was really tailored to my strengths, as a power skier, so that probably helped me to have a good day. Nonetheless, I am proud of the way that I raced smart and really pushed myself through the end. I got out to a good start for once, probably because I was really trying to emphasize the importance of that in my head and prioritize it. It was nice starting with the men, but in a separate corridor, so that we could get on a train with them but also get out in the front – ideal. I got out fast and got on the back of the front train, pushing myself to stay up there and close to the top female competitors, Beth Reid and Ekaterina Vinagradova, so that I was not racing a different race from the start and could give myself the chance to rise to the challenge of keeping up. Even though the pace was fast and I was breathing hard, I felt relaxed the first few kilometers out on the flats because I tucked in well on the back of the train, taking advantage of times to rest by no-pole skating. The only disappointing thing about this first section was that while I was getting off to a good start, Beth got taken down just in front of me and lost a ski! I had to ski by, leaving her stranded in the middle of the trail, so as not to fall off the back! I felt so bad, but knew she could probably ski her way back up!
After the first and only big hill, things started to spread out. Hitting the hill was so tough after the long section of flat, throwing down big, powerful strokes. As soon as we hit that transition, my heart rate seemed to go through the roof! I told myself just to push over the top (even though it was steep, the hill was short), so that I could stay with the racers in front of me. I dropped back a bit, but was not out of reach, and pushed myself through the next rollers to gradually work my way back up. As I skied along, I did start to work my way back up, and noticed I was starting to feel really strong! I was pushing hard but still felt like I had good energy. I felt like I was skiing well, with good technique and doing a good job of utilizing the terrain to my advantage. I realized that I must be almost halfway, as the turn-around point was nearing. As my body started feeling stronger and I was able to push harder and faster, Beth came up behind me and blazing by! I was psyched that she had made her way back up, but also forced myself to focus on trying to stay with her as long as possible. While I dropped off fairly quickly, I was still able to stay close and focused on watching her skiing and doing the same thing. Beth is someone who skis the transitions so well (one of my weaknesses) and is just so efficient, so having the chance to just keep her in sight and mimic exactly what she was doing was not only great for the race, but also just really eye-opening. If I can remember some of the changes I was making, I think the experience could benefit me in the long-run as well. (Usually Beth is too far in front of me by just a few k’s in that I don’t get the chance to try to hang on for long!!)
As I focused on continuing to keep Beth in my sight and match her pace as closely as possible, I saw that she was catching Ekaterina quickly. Meanwhile, we were now heading back toward the finish, the terrain flying by so quickly on the fast course. I knew we were getting close to the homestretch, and challenged myself to keep pushing and capitalize on my body still feeling strong. I was stoked just to be as close as I was to both Ekaternia and Beth (despite the fall! – I was hanging in there!). They are both SUCH good skiers. Even though I was psyched about this and knew I was having a great race, I forced myself to override these thoughts and remember that this still was a race, and I had to be competitive and go for it! I saw myself getting closer and closer to Ekaternia, and suddenly something kicked in and I told myself to make the push to close the gap. I told myself I could do it, and almost felt a sense of excitement, as though I had reached an agreement with my body, a final decision of sorts, that despite my satisfaction with the current position, I was going to do everything in my power to go for 2nd place. I mean, I might never have another chance for that!
I was determined. I had set my sights, and was not going to give in and settle like I have other times. I stepped on the gas just a bit more – now fully floored – just as I rounded the corner on to the long flat stretch for the finish. Even though the terrain was easy, in the last couple k’s of the race it felt hard as I tried to output as much power as possible and ski with maximum efficiency. But I still felt strong! I saw myself getting closer and closer. With about a k to go, I was just a few yards back, but really wasn’t sure if I could close the gap! We were both full-throttle, and my body was maxed out. I told myself that if I didn’t close the gap NOW, it wouldn’t happen, and I would end up just a few feet short. I dug deep and found the energy for one big push and sprinted right up to Ekaterina’s heels. I skied in her wake for several strokes, feeling out the pace and trying to get a bit of energy, preparing to make a move. I told myself to wait back there and continue conserving energy, letting her pull me to the finish when I could make a move. But my gut instincts kicked in and took over. The pace was comfortable, and I knew I had more and could give it right then. I got up next to her, and could hear that her breathing was harder than mine. I decided to go for it, also keeping in mind that I am a TERRIBLE sprinter, and made the pass. I knew that if I did this I had to push hard and accelerate away right then so that I did not leave the opportunity to become the puller and then get schooled into the finish, as is usually the story for me!! I did just that, intently, pushing hard when I got around, determined to ski away.
The bit of rest I had gotten seemed to be ample, probably aided by the strength I was still feeling despite being about 800m from the finish, and I was able to ski away. Even though I knew I had a gap, I kept the intensity high in my mind and sprinted in as hard and frantically as I could, envisioning someone right on my heels in the final chute. I managed to cross the line as 2nd woman, within 30 seconds of Beth for the first time all year (though she had a tough day!), and just about 5 seconds in front of Ekaterina. I couldn’t believe it! For once, I had done the right thing; made my move at the right time; gone for it, beyond the limit, and succeeded. I was stoked! I think I still lost some time in that final sprint, as she pushed her way back up a bit, but it wasn’t enough to cause me to lose the coveted spot I had set my sets on. Because I had made this a goal for myself in the race, at a time when I knew it would be a huge push, I was so happy to have accomplished it. I knew that I had given it everything I had and really challenged myself to go further than I had originally expected. I was overcome with happiness and satisfaction after crossing the finish. Even though it was only a small race where there wasn’t much stake in the results, I couldn’t have been happier to have this great day when I did. It boosted my confidence a ton, and I know that will carry with me, hopefully to the Great Ski Race! I will make it my goal to remember just how great it feels when you really do set your sights and go for it and push the extra mile. Hopefully knowing that feeling will motivate me to do it again and not back down!
One other thing I will take from this race is to remember that any day can result in a good race. Even though I went into the day feeling bad, it turned out good. It is important to put it out of your mind if your body is not feeling great and not throw out the possibility of turning it around. Sometimes you can surprise yourself!
It was one of those weekends that was gratifying on multiple levels: an overwhelming reiteration of why I love coaching so much and why it can be so rewarding, pride in the job I have done in that regard, the unexplainable feeling of achieving nearly the “perfect race day” and the high that comes with it, and yet another reminder of just why I love skiing so much. Let me tell you why…
The weekend started off with a bang, as the CNISSF State Championships were being held Friday and Saturday up at Auburn Ski Club. If you haven’t been up there to watch one of these season culminations, let me tell you, you should! It is such an amazing event. It is so cool to see a. how many young racers there are out there – it’s really a positive sign for the expansion of the sport, b. how much drive and desire and passion they have for the sport already – it’s so evident, and c. how hard they are working! These kids are awesome! They are all competitors, but they come together so well here at the final event, each sharing in the effort they have put in all year long to get to this moment and the desire to reap the benefits of that effort.
It’s especially neat for me to come back and be a part of the State Championships now, from a different perspective. I remember so well all of the years I competed in the event and how much it meant to me to do well there. To now see that same thing in my racers, and know that I am helping them to make it happen, is really special. I feel like I am totally able to understand what they are feeling, and I think that helps them – or at least I hope!
We spent the last two and a half weeks (well, the whole season really, but the last two and a half weeks were on a specific peaking plan), preparing for just these very two days. The kids put in so much work, probably hating me for about a week and a half as I made them do interval after interval in between races trying to get into top form. I wanted so badly for them to be rewarded. It is kind of an amazing feeling, realizing just how much you can want something for someone else because you are so invested in them, despite wanting the same thing for yourself simultaneously. I had confidence, though, that the kids were ready, and even more confidence that they had the motivation and desire to totally throw down. They were fired up! And let me just say… they killed it! There was not one athlete who didn’t totally rise to the occasion and surpass anything they had done all season in at least one of the two races.
I felt like a proud mother of all of these five kids, emotionally stressed out on the racecourse as I watched them go by and in preparation, and then so totally psyched when they finished and turned in awesome results! Despite stormy, just plain nasty weather, the kids brought their A-game, determination in full-force. The classic day was tough waxing with wet snow and continual storming despite the warm air, but I gotta say, we nailed it (or so the kids tell me… maybe they are just trying to make me feel better ☺). And let me tell you… there are few things more gratifying than really nailing the wax on a challenging day with varying conditions. Feels awesome! Or maybe it’s just right now because I’m such a rookie... Nonetheless, it was a relief at the least, to know my wax job was not hindering the kids’ performance and hopefully helping it on the contrary.
Melanie Swick (soph.) came in first place for the JV girls, in front of several varsity girls at 13th place overall, continuing the dominance she has progressed toward all season. Close behind her in second place for JV was our freshman, Maddy Kwasny, with her best race of the season… up until that point at least! Ashley Vomund (soph.) came in eighth place on the day (JV), another strong effort, and sophomore Julie Falke finished 25th. Our lone male for the weekend, Ryan Collin, was the eighth JV boy on the day. All in all, it was an awesome day. Everyone felt like they raced well and gave it everything they had, which is the most important thing. A couple were slightly disappointed with their results, but remained hopeful and determined that they could turn things around on Saturday.
And Saturday came, bringing the pursuit start Freestyle race. For those who are not familiar with this format, the racers start based on their order and times from the day before, so someone who finished third and 35 seconds back from the leader, that is the way that they start on day 2. The finish order is the final order, regardless of starting time differences. Needless to say, it allows for an intense and exciting race, but it’s a lot of fun, both as a racer and a spectator. The JV athletes were dispersed in with the varsity athletes (based on their overall place), which I thought was great because it provided them the chance to try to push themselves to reach the level of these athletes around them. I encouraged my kids to push hard and try to catch varsity athletes in front of them, or stay with any who may pass them from behind. Especially for my girls who were 1-2 in the JV race, I told them to pretend like everyone around them was their competitor and they needed to try to beat them. The team had another really great day. In fact, almost all of them had an even better race than the day before, showing true grit as they pushed themselves to the absolute limit trying to knock off those around them and move up in the ranks. Maddy actually threw down an even better race than Friday, now truly her best race of the season. She went above and beyond anything I had ever seen her do, and you could see in her face how much of it was just purely mental and driven by sheer determination. It was so fun to watch! She turned in the fastest time of the day for JV in the skate leg, 13th fastest overall, also holding off the third-place girl who started just 20 seconds behind her. She was truly on fire!
But despite her valiant effort, Maddy was unable to move into first as Melanie held her off with the help of the big lead she earned for herself on Friday, earning the title of JV Girls State Champion – so well-deserved, I must say. Hard work and a great attitude lye behind that title. Ashley also stepped up big time, coming out with a vengeance and ready to capitalize on her opportunity to skate (her favored technique) her way to a better place more deserving of her capabilities than that of Friday. She pushed so, so hard! And she skied great, passing several girls on the course and moving up to sixth place in the JV category, also earning the 3rd fastest skate time!! (Behind only her teammtes!!!) Awesome effort! Julie and Ryan both also moved up on the day with strong performances and confidence in their skating, from 25th to 23rd, and 8th to 7th, respectively. Overall, another great day, very worthy of celebration.
In the end, the girls’ team finished the meet as JV STATE CHAMPIONS!!!! Yay!!! Small little Incline High School, only in its second year with a Nordic team and multiple first and second-year skiers, emerged as the state champions! Sure, it may not seem like much to those on the outside, but to these girls, and to me… it was amazing! What an honor and an accomplishment. The best thing about it is that it was truly a team effort, and the result of a whole season long of dedication and effort on everyone’s part – myself, Kathy and Peter on the coaching staff, and each of these kids coming out and giving 100 percent everyday, and most of all, skiing with heart. They set the bar high, and they achieved their goal. They really do inspire me, and I am so proud to be one of their coaches and say that I helped them get there!
While the state champs were awesome to be a part of, I cannot deny that the experience was also exhausting. Two days of scrambling, stressing and running around frantically to keep everyone organized and see everyone’s effort on the course did have me feeling wiped out by Saturday afternoon. I opted out of my usual pre-race L3 1-minute intervals because I felt like I had already done them and more with sprinting around the course trying to catch all my girls at different points.
So, needless to say, when I arrived at the Royal Gorge Mid-Season Freestyle Race on Sunday, I was feeling less than tip-top. Warming up, my legs were tired and I just felt sluggish. I was preparing for a painful race, but focused on telling myself to just start out relaxed and ski into the race and see what happened. And to my surprise, it turned out really well!! In fact, this was undoubtedly one of my best races of the year – if not the best! And it was an AWESOME feeling!
The course was extremely flat and fast, a 10k loop in the Van Norden Trail System with long, power-based flat sections and only rolling hills that you can still rely on power to get up. I think the course was really tailored to my strengths, as a power skier, so that probably helped me to have a good day. Nonetheless, I am proud of the way that I raced smart and really pushed myself through the end. I got out to a good start for once, probably because I was really trying to emphasize the importance of that in my head and prioritize it. It was nice starting with the men, but in a separate corridor, so that we could get on a train with them but also get out in the front – ideal. I got out fast and got on the back of the front train, pushing myself to stay up there and close to the top female competitors, Beth Reid and Ekaterina Vinagradova, so that I was not racing a different race from the start and could give myself the chance to rise to the challenge of keeping up. Even though the pace was fast and I was breathing hard, I felt relaxed the first few kilometers out on the flats because I tucked in well on the back of the train, taking advantage of times to rest by no-pole skating. The only disappointing thing about this first section was that while I was getting off to a good start, Beth got taken down just in front of me and lost a ski! I had to ski by, leaving her stranded in the middle of the trail, so as not to fall off the back! I felt so bad, but knew she could probably ski her way back up!
After the first and only big hill, things started to spread out. Hitting the hill was so tough after the long section of flat, throwing down big, powerful strokes. As soon as we hit that transition, my heart rate seemed to go through the roof! I told myself just to push over the top (even though it was steep, the hill was short), so that I could stay with the racers in front of me. I dropped back a bit, but was not out of reach, and pushed myself through the next rollers to gradually work my way back up. As I skied along, I did start to work my way back up, and noticed I was starting to feel really strong! I was pushing hard but still felt like I had good energy. I felt like I was skiing well, with good technique and doing a good job of utilizing the terrain to my advantage. I realized that I must be almost halfway, as the turn-around point was nearing. As my body started feeling stronger and I was able to push harder and faster, Beth came up behind me and blazing by! I was psyched that she had made her way back up, but also forced myself to focus on trying to stay with her as long as possible. While I dropped off fairly quickly, I was still able to stay close and focused on watching her skiing and doing the same thing. Beth is someone who skis the transitions so well (one of my weaknesses) and is just so efficient, so having the chance to just keep her in sight and mimic exactly what she was doing was not only great for the race, but also just really eye-opening. If I can remember some of the changes I was making, I think the experience could benefit me in the long-run as well. (Usually Beth is too far in front of me by just a few k’s in that I don’t get the chance to try to hang on for long!!)
As I focused on continuing to keep Beth in my sight and match her pace as closely as possible, I saw that she was catching Ekaterina quickly. Meanwhile, we were now heading back toward the finish, the terrain flying by so quickly on the fast course. I knew we were getting close to the homestretch, and challenged myself to keep pushing and capitalize on my body still feeling strong. I was stoked just to be as close as I was to both Ekaternia and Beth (despite the fall! – I was hanging in there!). They are both SUCH good skiers. Even though I was psyched about this and knew I was having a great race, I forced myself to override these thoughts and remember that this still was a race, and I had to be competitive and go for it! I saw myself getting closer and closer to Ekaternia, and suddenly something kicked in and I told myself to make the push to close the gap. I told myself I could do it, and almost felt a sense of excitement, as though I had reached an agreement with my body, a final decision of sorts, that despite my satisfaction with the current position, I was going to do everything in my power to go for 2nd place. I mean, I might never have another chance for that!
I was determined. I had set my sights, and was not going to give in and settle like I have other times. I stepped on the gas just a bit more – now fully floored – just as I rounded the corner on to the long flat stretch for the finish. Even though the terrain was easy, in the last couple k’s of the race it felt hard as I tried to output as much power as possible and ski with maximum efficiency. But I still felt strong! I saw myself getting closer and closer. With about a k to go, I was just a few yards back, but really wasn’t sure if I could close the gap! We were both full-throttle, and my body was maxed out. I told myself that if I didn’t close the gap NOW, it wouldn’t happen, and I would end up just a few feet short. I dug deep and found the energy for one big push and sprinted right up to Ekaterina’s heels. I skied in her wake for several strokes, feeling out the pace and trying to get a bit of energy, preparing to make a move. I told myself to wait back there and continue conserving energy, letting her pull me to the finish when I could make a move. But my gut instincts kicked in and took over. The pace was comfortable, and I knew I had more and could give it right then. I got up next to her, and could hear that her breathing was harder than mine. I decided to go for it, also keeping in mind that I am a TERRIBLE sprinter, and made the pass. I knew that if I did this I had to push hard and accelerate away right then so that I did not leave the opportunity to become the puller and then get schooled into the finish, as is usually the story for me!! I did just that, intently, pushing hard when I got around, determined to ski away.
The bit of rest I had gotten seemed to be ample, probably aided by the strength I was still feeling despite being about 800m from the finish, and I was able to ski away. Even though I knew I had a gap, I kept the intensity high in my mind and sprinted in as hard and frantically as I could, envisioning someone right on my heels in the final chute. I managed to cross the line as 2nd woman, within 30 seconds of Beth for the first time all year (though she had a tough day!), and just about 5 seconds in front of Ekaterina. I couldn’t believe it! For once, I had done the right thing; made my move at the right time; gone for it, beyond the limit, and succeeded. I was stoked! I think I still lost some time in that final sprint, as she pushed her way back up a bit, but it wasn’t enough to cause me to lose the coveted spot I had set my sets on. Because I had made this a goal for myself in the race, at a time when I knew it would be a huge push, I was so happy to have accomplished it. I knew that I had given it everything I had and really challenged myself to go further than I had originally expected. I was overcome with happiness and satisfaction after crossing the finish. Even though it was only a small race where there wasn’t much stake in the results, I couldn’t have been happier to have this great day when I did. It boosted my confidence a ton, and I know that will carry with me, hopefully to the Great Ski Race! I will make it my goal to remember just how great it feels when you really do set your sights and go for it and push the extra mile. Hopefully knowing that feeling will motivate me to do it again and not back down!
One other thing I will take from this race is to remember that any day can result in a good race. Even though I went into the day feeling bad, it turned out good. It is important to put it out of your mind if your body is not feeling great and not throw out the possibility of turning it around. Sometimes you can surprise yourself!
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