Coach time

I have been back and forth with the thought of being coached again through my second Ironman.

I have finally decided that If I want to be injury free and do my best, I need to have someone else decipher my data and tell me what I'm doing well and what I need focus on. With a busy home and work life, it takes that stress out of it for me.

I want someone that is going to fit my personality, my goals and know how busy my home life is. I need every moment to count while I am training. My daughter is extremely active in Gymnastics, making it to Worlds in Orlando this year, which I'm sure she will make it next year too. Every weekend we are driving up and down NY State for meets. Put on top of that a extremely active 19 month old, and my husband who is now dabbling into Cycling and Cyclocross.

Yikes!! I am nervous on how I am going to make this work..I will make this work!


I am very disciplined and will do what I need to do. I am one that doesn't like to take a day off, but I know how much that is needed. I do go stir crazy not exercising. I need to be doing something. I know this is a fault. Again, Why I am choosing a coach.

I also need someone that Is passionate about coaching and will give me the feedback I need. I don't need someone to hold my hand, but give me the push I need to succeed and beat my times from this year. Shaping my body and Mind at the same time.

With that being said. I am going to enjoy the journey with a coach. Details to come soon on who that shall be!!

Happy Training!

I did it again!!

I signed up for a Ironman!!! I was back and forth about this for a few weeks and decided I wanted to do another one.

http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/lake-placid.aspx#axzz38g6B0uMX

Its right in my back yard and one of the most Iconic Ironman races of all time!! Of course! Why not?!!

ok I have 363 days until the big day!!!

Now will be the real blogging of my Journey to yet, another Ironman!!!

Happy Training!

So Behind- 2 race reports Combined!!

This past month has flown by and I am so behind on my blogging. I have done a few races since my last blog post. The Boilermaker 15 K in Utica, NY AND the Lake Delta Sprint-Intermediate race in Utica, NY. It was the place to be this month!

I wont bore you with all the nitty gritty's just the highlights of both:

Boilermaker 15K- July 13,2014-

It was hot and muggy. The air was pretty dense. I was glad to run in Florida while on vacation the week before as it prepared me for the weather.

The first 2-3 miles were insane trying to get past people. When there is a field of 12,000 people, the race is pretty congested the first few miles!

There was nothing but water at the aid stations. Really?!! It was hot! Electrolytes were definitely a must!

TIME: 1:18:07- 80/871 in AG 30-34, 483/5,658 females, 2174/11891 total!

Great day- Tried to put down under 75min but was happy with my time given the conditions and crowd.


Onto the Next race-

Delta Double- Sprint and Intermediate Triathlon Combined

What was I thinking?!! I was fortunate enough to get a free entry to this race as the other half was doing race support. Love that my man is a Certified Race Mechanic!! Makes my life (and bike riding) so much easier! :-)

In the Sprint Swim I got kicked in the head at the start. I was not happy that these girls didn't know how to hold their line and ended up hitting me. I tried to brush it off. My arms felt really heavy at the beginning of the swim but focused more on smooth swim strokes the best I could. I felt the swim was LONG. I was right by a quarter mile!  Swim- 18:43(2:30m/meter)

Getting back in transition and seeing my lonely bike on the rack and everyone else doing the double already out on the bike depressed me even more. T1- 1:01

I knew I had to make up time on the bike with my god awful swim. I tried to focus On smooth strong strokes, push the pace as much as I could tolerate and keep hydrating well knowing that I would be doing this all over again soon but for longer. Bike- 35:17(20.57mph ave

I pulled into transition with one of the other girls in the Double. I thought ok, not too bad. I know my running has improved greatly from the previous year so I just tried to hang on and make the cut-off time. (There was a cut-off time of 1:25:00 if you were doing both races) )T2- 0:51

I focused on form, my breathing and pushing the pace, and my nutrition. Getting as much as I could in before the next race was key for me.

My run was the best run I have had in a triathlon! I was proud of that run! Run- 22:54 (7:38 ave pace)

TIME:1:18:46 (2nd overall)

I had 10 minute left to get ready for the Intermediate. I had my friend JB help me literally YANK my wetsuit back on my sweating body!

In the water again. I was kicked in the leg and slapped in the head multiple times. I actually stopped swimming and looked at the girl and said some choice of words. Never have I been hit so much in a swim. I didn't think I was that bad of a swimmer and was trying to swim a straight line!

I started cramping in my thigh on the second lap but just tried to maintain focus on breathing and smooth swim strokes. Swim- 39:30 (2:24/100m)

Again my swim was terrible! See the trend here?! T1- 1:26

The bike was a *hit show. I kept playing cat and mouse with a few girls and it was starting to wear on my nerves. I think it was a toss up between my fatiguing legs and my swim getting the best of me. I tried to focus on spinning and just going with the flow but when you are competitive sometimes it just doesn't go down like that. Bike- 1:08:50 (20.92mph ave)- T2 1:19

I got off the bike feeling pretty good. I knew I had 3, 2 mile loops to do and I would be done. The first I had to pee so bad I just sat on the side of the road and peed. I couldn't think of anything else but that and I knew it would make me slower. I picked up the pace a little on the second loop, third loop started and I got a rock stuck in my shoe. Bent my leg to get it out and BAM a cramp in my hamstring!! I could hardly even walk!! I walked for a few minutes, took my gel and started to run again. A little slower than I would've liked but tried to stay focused on form and breathing through it. I rounded the corner and knew I was done. My honey was whistling at me but I know I gave him the look that I was dying as seen in my pics! Run- 55:35 (9:15 ave pace)

Time- 2:52:57- (3rd overall)

Overall it was a good day. I believe I placed for nationals next year which was my intent going into it!!

Thank you to my honey, my family and Bike Loft East who support my crazy triathlon life!!

Syracuse 70.3 Race Recap

I know this is a few weeks late. After the race I was so focused on our trip to Orlando, Florida that this seemed to go on the back Burner.

I was fortunate enough to get a entry into the Sold Out race that happend June 22, 2014. I was notified 2 weeks before the race that I had a chance to do it and if I wanted the entry. I thought about it for a few days and pondered if I really had enough training to do a 70.3. I thought about it and realized I had been doing all the training just needed to put it all together. While I knew my swimming has been less than steller this year, I knew I could pull off a decent bike and run as I have been running well this year.

I decided to ride the course the week before the race and then give the ok to JC at Bike Loft East if I felt ok to do the race. I figured I will try for under 6 hours and if that didn't happen just go to complete it. After riding with a few of the greatest people, including the Race Director, in my home town, on a challenging course and doing pretty well with a run after, I knew I would be ok to race.

I arrived with my man in tow as he was helping with the bike mechanics of the athletes all weekend. What a job! sun up to sun down working on bikes. I just love that my man is a race mechanic and knows alot about bikes! How lucky am I?!!

SWIM

I started a hour after the race started. I was just trying to picture a decent swim. I knew I would struggle a little but just tried to remember I could get through it. I did have some sighting issues on the way out. I felt like the buoys Kept drifting, but most likely it was me. when I had about 200 meters to go, My left leg was starting to cramp up. I focused on relaxing more and kicking a little to get the blood flowing.

Time:42:21 Ave pace 2:11/100m

BIKE

I was a little down about my speed in the water but knew my strength is the bike, so Just tried to maintain a good effort on the bike without sacrificing too much. I passed a lot of people and it felt so good! I was on a road bike and passing people that had souped up tri bikes was a great feeling!!
I did 2 1/2 bottles of Cliff Electrolyte drink. I couldnt get my Gel to come out of my flask, so I decided to use the aide stations for GU. Used 3 gels, 2 salt tabs. I should've had a little more gel. Usually I do at least 4-5 in that given time frame.
I started to cramp up in the inner thighs at the end of the bike, but knew I had enough in me to complete the run.
The last 6 miles of the bike is a no pass zone. I got behind a girl that was only going 12-15mph...ugh! I was itching to get by her, but used this time to spin a little, get out of the saddle and stretch the cramped up legs a bit.

Time: 3:01:31 Ave speed : 18.51mph

RUN

This is where I started to break down a bit. This is a 2 loop run course with some steep climbs in it. The sun was starting to get hot and there was little to no shade on the run course. I started out with a good pace. Keeping about a 9 min mile. It all ended after the Gigantic hill that we had to go up....TWICE! The first loop was ok. I was really loving the crowd support and all the cheers I received along the way. It really helped out tremendously. I tried to focus on nutrition and keep moving forward. I took 16oz of Clif Electrolyte drink. 2 salt tabs, 3 gels and a banana in on the course. I felt depleted on the second loop. The down hills on the course as well as the uphills were starting to grab at my thighs. I grabbed sponges at the water stations to keep cool. I kept looking at my watch. I knew I could make my goal if I just kept moving forwards. the last 3-4 miles were tough, but Kept trucking along.

Time; 2:07:47 Average pace 9:45/mile

Time: 5:57:46- 29th in AG 30-34