Updates on 2016

      Its been a while! First off, I wanted to thank everyone for helping make 2015 a pretty great triathlon season. Despite the Achilles issue, infrequent training due to traveling, and just a crazy year in general I think it ended on a high note with a 3rd place Age Group finish at the National Long-Course Championship at Redman this year with my first Half Ironman. It was a humbling experience for sure, especially the run where I really wish my running shape was where it was normally to really do what I think I can do. Sigh...live and learn! I was excited about my bike though, and thanks to Brian, my teammates in the Bicycle League of Norman, Schlegel Bicycles and STOKE I really upped my skill set with that discipline. Cat Isom really helped a lot too with helping me stay in shape and work on my imbalances with all the traveling, and Mark Brown for helping me address my structural issues so I could train without getting re-injured. I wouldn't have made it to the starting line without everyone's help. Thank you.
      Which brings me to this coming year, 2016. In full disclosure, I had planned on worlds this year was going to really be my last hurrah. At least for a few years, while I focus on my research goals since it was getting too difficult to maintain my research goals and train at the level I wanted to. I'm not a fan of doing things half-ass, and it truly was getting to the point where, as the old saying goes: "the jack of all trades is the master of none".
     Honestly at in my 30's I had no idea I would really like triathlon as much as I do, and be as successful as I have been. I made the decision way back when in college while I was still running DI track and cross country, that sports was not going to take the place of my career goals. So I put running and other sports on the backburner through graduate school and my 20s, when I could really have made a go for it. And, even if I did, I don't think I would have been happy since I will be doing science my whole life, and my job is one-of-a-kind.
     I thought I would train this year for Worlds like never before, to really rock the race and really go out with a bang. However, fate intervened when the largest conference of my field, the International Entomological Society, Entomological Society of America, and Entomological Collections Network decided to move their conference from the traditional week in November to the same weekend in September as Worlds in OKC. There is a direct conflict, especially since I'm the VP of the Entomological Collections Network, and in charge of site logistics. I literally cannot be in two places at once on Friday and Saturday, and I will have to go to Orlando, Florida for the conference instead.
     Further, I have written a grant to do fieldwork in the Philippines three times this year for 3 week trips, and if awarded I will be internationally traveling during my training season. Not to mention in the Spring/Summer for the Linda Roadside Skipper Grant, and a week in July for ExplorOlogy in Black Mesa. I just can't bring a bike to the Philippines, or find a pool in the deserts of Black Mesa. My creative tool kit to somehow train through all my traveling in the past has hit its limit when trying to train for a 4.5k swim, 86mile bike, and 18mile run.
      So, after all this blabbing, what does this all mean? Well, it means I'm likely not going to be doing Worlds in September, which is crushing to me. I might dabble a bit in duathlons and some short aquathlons this year, but I'm going to be more involved with the administrative side of triathlon as VP of TriOKC and helping out STOKE. I'm also going to make a go of really doing some base running again this year; its the one sport I can do while still traveling as much as I plan on this year and I haven't had a solid year of running in a while. I'll also be biking and swimming some when I'm home, but obviously not enough that I'm comfortable to toe another half Ironman.

April Updates

    March came and went pretty fast, much like any spring here in Oklahoma. April showers are definitely going to bring May flowers, as we get some much needed rain to fill up our lakes for triathlon season. Oklahoma is in the drought-area predicted for the next 50-100 years, so high lake levels will be a rare luxury, and we will need to enjoy if we get them!
    Not too long after March in Okarche, I got another wave of illness that put a dent into my training and especially running. A mild fever that quickly translated into a week or more of bronchitis and coughing up all colors of phlegm made for a fun early April. I kept swimming since it was the easiest activity for my lungs and kept me from coughing too much, but biking was seriously cut down and running was a big NO.
     Before I got sick, though, I signed up for a duathlon relay with Brian and raced with his friends Melanie and Michael, both who were doing their first duathlons ever at the Iron Pig race in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Even though I knew it was going to be an ugly run leg for me, it was too much of an opportunity to spend time with him and his friends that it was worth an extra day of coughing. Even with taking it pretty easy on the run legs, Brian pulled a very strong bike leg and we ended up getting second overall for the co-ed relay (and second only to a team of one girl for the first bike leg, one guy for the bike, and another guy for the second 5K). I finally could also wear my Oiselle Team kit for a running race, which I normally can't do for triathlon. Overall it was great to see Mel and Michael kick butt (with Mel getting third in her age group for her first duathlon) and race with Brian on his birthday weekend :).

Brian and I with our second-place co-ed team buckle awards. Not pictured: the 2 boxes of Gatorade Gu's and box of Lemonaritas Beer we won in the raffle...jury's still out if they were actually "prizes".

     With my lungs nearly back to normal, I thought I also could attempt to do the Redbud double I had also signed up for before I got sick. With the 50miler bike that Saturday and the 10K the following Sunday, I wanted to do it as a good endurance race of how I would feel running after a longer, harder ride the day before. The Saturday ride was a lot of fun, averaging about 19.8 on my roadbike with a group of guys towards the end that had a nice mix of road cyclists and triathletes. The weather held off to the end for us, and thankfully only started to pour right after we were done. After stuffing our faces with pancakes and funny flavored Kind bars (Honey Mustard??), it was time to recover for the 10K the next day which thankfully was in the afternoon. With warmer temperatures on Sunday but a nice healthy breeze (as usual...when is it not windy in Oklahoma?), my legs felt kinda sluggish from the day before and definitely didn't have any "oomph" for the run. Travis Newton stayed with me for most of the race, and Pascal was pretty close behind too as we pushed through for a modest 42 minute 10K. My goal was to be around 42 or under, so I was pretty close. With my best times on the road being in the low 40's and hopefully getting back to that pace later in the season with actual run training under my belt, I was fine with that. A third place finish despite not being in top form also was a really nice surprise.

Working with fellow STOKE team member Travis Newton to the finish of the 10K. Boy that one hurt. Thanks Brian for the photo!

    The last update for April is that I obviously was not going to do the Memorial Half Marathon. Last year it was awesome being able to run it and get third, but this year my body was definitely not in shape to handle 13 miles at this point. It was fantastic hearing and seeing all the amazing race results of my friends, though. Next year!!
     May is looking to be mostly traveling for work and family and trying to fit in training as best as I can while doing so (thankfully being my own boss-of sorts-means I can take my bike and trainer with me on the road). I'm hoping I can do Rt. 66 this year, but it will depend on how much I can do this month. Since my museum job is my career and my source of income, it comes first. However, with Redman and Worlds being my focus in September, thankfully June and July are less travel-intensive to get some good training months.
      Upward and onward!

Training the mental athlete

Before I did the March in Okarche Duathlon this past Saturday, I posted a status update on Facebook that I was racing it as a training race, and not really a race-race. A few friends posted replies of why I would not do a race if I wasn't really "racing", which I understand, but I feel like I should explain why I raced the way I did and why sometimes not going all out is still a good exercise in racing.
    Going back a little, this past winter/spring has been a bit of a challenge with balancing work, illness, and other hurdles that kept getting thrown my way. Training slipped a bit, mostly with swimming since I couldn't get consistent pool access with campus closures and running because my periformis injury started coming back.

Snow, snow...and more snow

      So, I mainly got in a lot of bike work with the trainer and later with some rides with the BLN.  Setting up for Okarche I was not exactly sure how well I'd go with the running. Plus, with it being March, the worst thing that could happen would be to really injure myself and knock myself even further back with training for later in the summer.
     In the end, I chose to race to practice my mental racing. Because even if your muscles aren't 100 percent there yet, especially with this early in the season, you can practice mental training. Ultimately, it doesn't matter how fast the car is if you can't drive it. And sometimes racing smart means being patient (especially on the first run), and knowing when to push or back off.
      Even though MIO was the State Championship for duathlon (which, honestly I forgot about), I wasn't going to let competitiveness outweigh my main goals: keep even run splits for the first and last 5K to focus on maintaining good form before and after the bike, and to give the bike a good push to see where I'm at right now. The bike wasn't going to be so fast that I'd fall on my face or pull a muscle on the run, but since I have mostly been working on my bike I wanted to give it a decent effort.
      I felt both areas went really well this weekend. The run speed can definitely improve, and will as the season goes on. The bike was pretty decent, and I look forward to getting back up to 22mph+ for the Oly distance like at Nationals this past year. Swimming also will be back on the platter as the pool opens up more and my schedule (hopefully) frees up. So, the season rolls on, and happy Triathlon season everyone!

May the horrible cycling tan lines continue...at least my Mac Rogas in Pop from Oiselle will help me try to cut them down with hopefully more running in the next week!

Why not Austin

   Last October I had signed up for the Austin Half Marathon, which I had hoped to use as a goal-setting mark to get myself back into shape with running. Running, my favorite disciple of triathlon and always my go-to-sport to maintain sanity and happiness. It also is the easiest to maintain with the holidays and travel since you mainly need a good pair of shoes and far less equipment than swimming and biking. Its fun, its easy, its a start after a fall hiatus. And, I love Austin, so it was a perfect Valentines day present for myself.

There is only one Austin and South Congress Street.

    The initial intentions were good: in the fall I got up to 12 mile long runs and got pretty consistent running in during the week. Even in Portland for the ESA meeting in November, and in December as the holidays rolled around. But as soon as 2015 came around...BAM. Illness after illness. The first one around New Years left me 5-10lbs lighter due to loosing my appetite for a full week and a half, and as a result really could only run 2-3 miles without getting exhausted. Further, for someone who loves food as much as I do, not being able to eat anything or be hungry was absolutely miserable. It was a major setback.
     Once that got resolved, though, I got hit with a super-cold or the flu. No surprise there with not having much of an immune system after not being able to eat anything. That lasted an entire week and a half, and my friends can attest to how miserable I sounded. Part of the problem was I tried to still train through it (futile..), so it lasted a lot longer than it should have.
     Lastly, even though I got a lot stronger these last few weeks and physically could finish the Austin half this last weekend as a run, I just decided in the end it was going to be too risky to run it if I can't really race it. Especially since I'm competitive, and with such a beautiful course I would have pushed WAY too hard for where I'm at right now. The fact I'd have to drive back with the nasty weather and ice with my not-so-great car pretty much sealed the deal for me. No Austin.
      So what is next? I had hoped to do the Strides of March but it overlaps with a trip home to Virginia to visit my mom for our birthdays, so it will likely be either the Go Girl Half Marathon or Memorial Half Marathon for a longer running event. For multisport, March in Okarche is first on the list for the season.
      Fingers crossed the crappy start to 2015 has hit a stop sign!

On my recovery days I try to spend my time cooking, since A.) I eat a ton while training so it helps me save money and B.) In general pretty fun and relaxing, so its a win-win. Most nights I don't even get to eat until 8-9pm, so adding time for cooking the meal makes for a late night.

Tonight I made mushroom soup from a bunch of ingredients I had in my fridge. The picture is on my FB page, but here is the jist of what I did:

I took a package of ground pork that I got from Sprouts that is from a farm that sources feral pigs (awesome that invasive species are being used- good for the environment), browned it in a large steel pot. Then I added salt and pepper as they browned, two chopped leeks, and 3 minced cloves of garlic to soften. I then added about 2 cups of chopped portobello mushrooms and 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme. Once everything was soft and cooked through, I added 1tbs browning sauce (German version of Worshister sauce...thanks Jana!). The last part was about 4 cups or so of pork stock (beef would probably work instead) that I made from ham and a ham bone earlier in the fall. Simmer for 20min, and that's the soup!

Next steps!

   So with the 2014 season done and 2015 slowly sneaking ahead, its time to start considering what to do about next year. This fall I've been enjoying getting back into running as my foot slowly heals, and got some time to catch back up with some of the BLN guys for a few rides before it got too dark. Biking grew on me a lot this past year, and I enjoyed meeting a lot of new people through that sport. However, since in the fall the temperatures start to drop, it gets dark, and my travel schedule picks up again, I always usually revert to just running. Its a lot easier to pack a pair of shoes and my running gear then worrying about a bike and trying to find a pool. I enjoy the simplicity, the ability to explore with running, and deal with the elements better than the other sports. I signed up for the Austin Half Marathon to give myself a goal to train to with running, and have been appreciative that my body is rebounding fairly well to get my mileage up without my foot hurting again. I've had to make a few changes with my flexibility, and include more core work for imbalances with my left leg. I've also tried trying to take in more tumeric to see if that helps with the tendon inflammation in my foot...but honestly its a pretty yummy spice anyhow so even if its not doing anything its OK.

Exploring Portland where I had my annual ECN/ESA meetings. My Oiselle clothes kept me warm with the unusually cold temps there in November, especially the Jogging tights. They are awesome and hold a cell phone (very important when running in Portland...which honestly was sketchy at night).

But...the big BUT is starting to come back. I talked to my friend and teammate from college Jackie about doing a half-ironman distance race in Florida in April, and I started considering whether I wanted to do my first half early in the spring before Worlds and Redman in the fall. The timing would be perfect, since late April through July I have a lot of traveling again for work, and so racing will be a secondary priority this summer as I try to juggle work and just basic training anyhow. So, it would be good to get a big race out of the way in the spring. However, it would mean pretty much my whole winter would be sucking it up on the trainer, and back to super-long, solo training sessions in Norman to try to juggle everything as efficiently as possible. Right now I'm trying to decide if I've had enough of a mental break from this past season to throw in swimming and biking too this early, or just enjoy my running return and its easy ability to adapt to my schedule. The itch for tri training is coming back...but not in full swing just yet. Decisions, decisions! But no matter what, time to get started on 2015!

Catching up

Its been about 4 months since my last post, and I missed a lot of race reports! Hopefully I can try to wrap up how 2014 went this late in the game, but I did have some pretty exciting parts along the way.

The first biggest race after the On Road Du Draper Duathlon was the Guthrie Triathlon, which was a nice race to do since its a beautiful course and a good challenge if you like hills. Last year I got second place because I dropped my number on the bike (successfully stayed put this year!), and this year finally got the win I really wanted. However, despite a pretty nice swim and a good start to the bike course...which again I like since I love the hills...I bit it on the turnaround with my bike. I dropped my chain and came away with a nasty bruise, which slowed me a bit, but thankfully on the run I managed to make up the distance lost and come back to win. Being able to get up and get back on the bike after crashing again was really a big thing for me since the last crash was in Austin, and I wanted to have an experience of getting past a ride like that. Thank you to all of my TriOKC teammates who were there and did a fabulous job too!
   Nationals was the next race after that, and Milwaukee is always such a fun course. They changed the swim to make the course less of a mosh pit under the bridge, and moved the swim exit back so it helped with the course but made the transition a lot longer. The swim itself was one of the toughest swims I've done in terms of battling the entire time: its fun because its nice to have the challenge of being around such strong swimmers, but it was a lot of smacking of arms and not a lot of clean water. The bike was one of the best bikes I've ever had. The course was the same as last year so it was nice to have the heads up on where to push and where to cruise, and with my new Trek and Bontrager wheels I got up to almost 23mph for the average speed, and 8th overall for my agegroup in the bike (crazy!). There was some concern about the water that got into the wheels on the drive up, but it ended up not being a big deal in the end. My run this year wasn't as fast as last year, especially since I pushed it on the bike and it was a lot hotter on the course with the sun out at that point, but again I was really happy I did as well as I did. Overall I got 9th for my race, and qualified for Worlds again in Chicago! My teammate from Oklahoma Stephanie also made it in, so we'll both be racing again this next year (though she'll be a Virginian!).
     The next race after that was supposed to be the State Championships at Arcadia, and I really was looking forward to do that race. However, a few setbacks emotionally the night before the race pretty much blew my ability to race, and reminded me that if your head isn't in the game, its not safe to race. Since I have a track record of crashing to begin with, my friends (and fellow triathletes) suggested it was better to be safe than sorry, and I agreed that there are times that its OK to admit to being human. Its the second time I haven't been able to do the State Championship, but hopefully next year I can fix that.
    The last race I did this season was Worlds in Edmonton. Sandra was my planned travel buddy since last year, and I was extremely grateful she was there for me this year and keeping me focused and on track. My bike was checked in to be shipped to Edmonton pretty much right after it came back from Nationals, so I didn't get access to my Trek until I was there in Canada. Our flight to Canada went really well, and everything was pretty much as smooth as it could be before the race. We picked up my bike and got Sandra a road bike so she could train while we were there, as well as check out Banff after we were done. Sandra and I biked on the river trail and did the practice swim in the cold water, which was a lot of fun, but it wasn't really that cold for the preceding days of the race. In fact, the aquathlon was apparently pretty hot for people temperature-wise that Thursday. Which made the Monday morning of the race super surprising that it was only in the low 30's at the start.
     All of us were freezing, especially the girls in our wave since we had to stand around a while as one of the first waves. It was the first time I've ever had a diving reflex reaction from the cold water in fact, and myself like many other girls apparently had issues with getting a full breath and just dealing with a sense of panic in that water. It was the first time I seriously considered stopping in a swim. Thankfully no matter what I had to keep swimming, and eventually it went away. The run to the bike was also a long run, and by the time I got to my bike I had such a hard time getting out of my wetsuit with numb hands and feet. The first hill climbing out of the bike transition definitely helped me get warmed up, but my feet and hands remained numb for most of the ride. The course was really difficult in terms of handling, but not a hard course by far with effort. It was really hard for me to get up to full speed when there was so much turning and twisting, especially with a TT bike, but with a bunch of people crashing out I was just so happy I was not one of them. The run was one of the most fun runs I've ever done in a triathlon because it reminded me of cross country. It was a mix of trails, grass, and pavement, and the whole time I was just having so much fun that I forgot about the pain building up in my left foot. The split on my run was about the same as Milwaukee, and I was stoked to find out I was in the top 15 in that race for my age group with a 14th place finish. I was so proud, and it was a great end of the season.
       My foot that started to hurt in the run of the race ended up being a much more painful injury that I had thought, pretty much making walking around the next two days difficult. And a huge bummer because the rest of the trip was supposed to be biking and hiking with Sandra, which we still ended up doing but not as much as I had hoped. It also meant Redman was a no, but in some respects I already knew that was going to be the case because I was dealing with some serious burnout issues by the time Worlds came around. For my first half ironman I wanted to be motivated and excited, and instead I was just ready to be done. This was also a bit of the plan since I had been training since the preceding December for Worlds as the goal, and had been racing since February. Worlds ended up being the best finale.
        Thank you again to the Schlegel Trek Oklahoma Elite team for the wonderful opportunities this season, as well as my friends and TriOKC for the Scholarship and support! I'm glad I could represent you guys proudly!