Happy Team BSC Scottsadale Camp Eve!

It's less than 24 hours away.

Team BSC Scottsdale Camp.  My 2nd camp with this amazing crew.  My first as a coach.  EIK!!!  We have some amazing bat shit crazy sessions planned, (many thanks to Krista for all of her planning)! There will be an amazing speaker, a Mt. Lemmon climb (and the obligatory cookie), and we have a MAJOR surprise for our athletes!  I am so excited!!!!

I have not done much outside riding this year...thanks ol man winter and me turning into a wimp in the cold.  #ihatethecold  Later this week...I will have 12 hours of saddle time planned in 3 consecutive days.  Talk about a pain in the ass.  I'll be hurting for sure.  But the benefits of training camp is the huge fitness boost one gets when all has been accomplished.  I'll need it.  Race season is just around the corner for me.

This has been a stressful past couple of months for me and nothing will heal my soul more than 5 days with friends who are just as BSC as I am.  Riding long will help clear my head and get me motivated for the season ahead!  I've had to majorly adjust my race schedule, but there is still an IM on the books for this year...and maybe 2. ;)  Time to get moving!!

Cheers to BSC camp #2!!!

Kona 2013 - The BIKE!!!

Here's the quick and dirty (and lazy) until I get the photos uploaded...UPLOADED!!!  (finally, right?!)

When I went out to Hawaii for training camp in August with Team BSC this course kicked my ass.  It was terrible.  I was terrified of coming back.  I didn't feel like I belonged or deserved to come back AT ALL.  Humble pie, a piece for one please!  I took that feeling and brought it home with me.  That ride was not to be forgotten.  I learned that this course needs and deserves R.E.S.P.E.C.T.  I came back to Kona ready to give it just that.

The smile was still plastered on my face from the swim.  The crowds and energy on the first little out and back on Kuakini, was insane!  I was having a blast!  Up Palani (a fairly steep hill) and around the 'hot corner', just how I imagined it to be.  People everywhere, probably about 10 deep.  Definitely 'le tour' style.  On the way out on the Queen K we had a tailwind.  Aawesssooommmme!!  I'm pretty sure I said this in my Oprah voice several times out there.  I just could not quit grinning.  I was totally pushing it with minimal exertion and feeling great.  Maybe somewhat of a redemption ride?  I couldn't believe how much fun I was having. 

Ok, maybe this is the only one without a smile...up Palani Hill :)

There were some big draft groups, but nothing what I had expected.  I will say, some of the men on the course did NOT like getting 'chicked'.  They would pass me immediately back and literally come within a hair of cutting me off.  I had to seriously brake a couple of times...which of course pissed me off and I would jump and go by them...blazin'.  GET OVER IT.  I believe I actually said that out loud a couple of times.

Lava Lava Everywhere!

It was so nice knowing where I was on course.  Even though I was miserable that ride in August it was such a great learning tool for this day.  THANKFUL for the hurt I endured so I could enjoy it today :)  Up, up, up to Hawi.  The crosswinds did not come out to play.  I was a little upset that I wasn't able to experience the infamous crosswinds DURING the race, but it really was all ok. ;)  When I made that turn around, ya know the one you see on NBC, I squealed with delight.  I WAS THERE!!!  (It was either that or the fact that I was at ~ 2:42.xx for the 1/2 way mark which was putting me on track for a KILLER bike split for me for this course)  A quick grab of my special needs bottles and I was heading back down....BOOM right into the headwind.

TAILWIND!!  YAHOO!  This is probably my fav photo.  :)

But, I kept pushing on.  I did have to remind myself to smile a couple of times by saying... you're in m'f'n KONA - smile baby!  And yes, I used that exact language out on the course and yes it made me SMILE!  It's hard not to smile after saying this to yourself, out loud.  The views didn't hurt either.  It was getting hot, you could tell folks were getting tired...some the men were still assholes, and about 10 miles from transition things got interesting.  I had to stop and get off the bike to stretch, I almost got peed on (this girl had obviously had LOTS of practice).  There were some 'head down chin up' moments out there.  Michelle told me in August...seeing the palm trees at the airport is like seeing an oasis in the desert!  Boy was she right!!!!  I was pretty much ready to get off the bike.

And we have a headwind!

I LOVED (almost) every second on that bike.  What a difference attitude makes!

Second quickest IM bike split @ 5:30:xx.  Woo!!! I cruised into transition AGAIN with a huge smile.  I was on track for a stellar day...I just hoped my run legs came to play...dah, dah, duuuuuh...

Kona Camp 2013!

Until I have some time to jot down my thoughts on Kona Camp 2013 (I'm racing this weekend!!)...check out my coach's write up on it!  It was definately epic.  And yes, some of those tears were mine.  :)

Many memories were made and as coach mentioned, there were friendships made that will last a lifetime. 

Race Recap(s) - In Photos

WILDFLOWER MAY 5TH 2012

Pre-Race Swim in La Jolla Cove, CA

Pre-Race lunch consisted of turkey legs and beer!  One of the many cool things about Wildflower!

The death march, a.k.a 13.1 miles of pure pain.

Gut or not, my main goal for this race was to cross the finish line with a smile!  Proof!

5:55:14 (33rd/119 AG - 560/1861 OA)
Swim - 35:02 (35th AG) - 2 min PR for this distance!!!
T1 - 3:31 (clearly need work here!)
Bike - 3:07:15 (18th AG) - Very excited about this time as I've been working super hard on the bike! 
T2 - 3:02 (again really need to work on these)
Run - 2:06:24 (31st AG) - DEATH MARCH

Wildflower is an AMAZING race!  You can't beat the views/volunteers/spectators (i.e. naked co-eds!).  I was pretty happy with my race.  Wished I would have ran better, but you can't PR all of them! 

Pensacola 3 mile bridge Swim - May 20th, 2012

I really need to look at the camera next time!!!

Total time - 1:50:xx
That' s 30 min PR from 2011!!!! 

Again, fun race.  Way choppy this year, the swells were larger than what we're used to in our lakes around here.  My gals from Kansas made the trip with me!  Having a girls weekend in Florida and capping the trip with this swim was amazing!  Thanks ladies!!

Up next - Kansas 70.3 June 10 and Topeka Tinman (Oly) June 16th...stayed tuned.

Training Smarter

Training update...thoughts and log through 2012
Wildflower is on the front of the 'ol mind lately since it'll be here before I know it!  I'm so excited about this race!  I knew March would be a crazy month with work travel so when I am home, I'm trying to make the best of the swim/bike sessions.  I can run on the treadmill anywhere...
 
In between swim/bike/run last weekend, I decided to paint the dining and living room.  (we've lived here since July and I haven't done ONE thing updating this place!)  What I didn't realize was that it turned out to be a bit more in depth than I thought.  Go figure, it's an old place.  We'll get it done though...hopefully this weekend! 

I've got a strong training weekend on tap.   Very excited about new changes happening.  Excited to see these changes once my season ramps up.  I'm not sure I've been working any harder, but a ton smarter.  Each session seems to have a purpose.  I'm dialed in during my sessions and I have a feeling the quality is increasing.

Cheers to some hard work. 

Year End Review

Now that I log every workout on workoutlog.com, it's way easier to track swim/bike/run hours/miles.  Let's compare 2010 (my 1st IM) to 2011 (my 2nd IM and 80 min. PR).

2010
Swim - 121.3 miles/84.46 hours
Bike - 1587.1 miles/150.17 hours
Run - 701.1 miles/116.48 hours
Brick (bike/run) - 198 miles/29.12
Strength - 44.45 hours

Total Hours (includes camps, yoga, etc.) = 440.08

2011 - with a couple days to be included
Swim - 167.4 miles
Bike - 1811.7 miles
Run - 733.6 miles
Brick - 121.5 miles
Strength - 39 hours

Total Hours (includes camps, yoga, etc.) = 489.11

A whopping 49 hour difference (*sarcasm) = 80 minute personal best.  Hmmm....  What's in store for 2012?

Getting in the Holiday Spirit

Since I'm obsessed really into the triathlon world, I tend to miss out on exciting things going on in the running community.  Since that's the community I came from I thought it would be a good idea to catch up.  I've found some wonderful blogs that have gotten me up to speed.  Being sick on the couch during my vacation, er, staycation, I've had plenty of time to read up. 

Operation Jack Marathon - Have you heard about this?  What a cool idea.  This guy ran 61 marathons in 2010 to raise $$ for autism.   Too bad I was late finding this as they had satellite runs December 26th.  HOWEVER...some as*holes in Houston decided that a charity run was not a good idea, especially the day after Christmas.  You can read all about it on this super fun blog here.  Spreading the joy of Christmas Cheer. :)

Training Update - Not much has gone on this week as I started feeling crappy Monday.  But, I've managed to swim x 2 = 5300 yds, run x 1hr., bike x 1 @ 1:15.  I'm taking a rest today and hoping to get back in action with a swim and bike tomorrow.  Saturday is the annual New Years Eve 13.1 run and Sunday morning is the 100 x 100 with the masters crew!  Here's to a speedy recovery!  Speaking of training while being sick, here is a really great blog post from Hillary Biscay, that was posted yesterday.  I'm sure just for me.  :)  It inspired me get on the 'ol bike yesterday!

Happy Holidays!

Mega Training Week

So I get in the habit of posting, these will be short and sweet. :)

It's the off season! Why did I decide to tell my coach to "bring it on" this week!? My husband is out of town this week visiting his parents, I thought I needed to fill my time with a MEGA week. First thing's first. Monday = bike, 3 hours. I live in Kansas, it's December 12th. That means TRAINER SESSION! I have not been on my bike that long since Worlds in Vegas, November. Wow, I need more time in the saddle, my saddle is hurting!

On deck tomorrow, ME! That is the pool deck. A.M. swim session followed by an 1.5 hr. brick.

BRING IT ON!