Reflections and Resolutions

My, what a difference a year makes!  365 days ago I was stressed about my thesis, wondering where I would intern, and ecstatic to eek out a 6:30 mile.  Now, just one short year later, my thesis is long complete, my internship is done, and I seem to have gotten more than a little quicker.  As I seek full time employment and anxiously look towards my first pro racing season it is easy to get a bit overwhelmed about the future; but if history is any indication of the future, I know that there are good things ahead if I only allow them happen!   As I reflect upon 2013 and look towards 2014 three important categories come to mind: 1. The things/people I am most grateful for over the past year, 2. That which I am most excited for ahead, and 3. Setting those pesky resolutions!  Here are the top 5 in each category.

Thank you 2013!

1. First and foremost, I am thankful for my parents; they are my biggest sponsors and have supported me through my internship so that I have the opportunity to follow my career goals.  Along with this, I am incredibly grateful that I have been able to establish an adult relationship with them (which is so much different than what we had the last time I lived at home as a surly teenager).                                                                 
2. My coach Jon Mason at MP Multisport: hardly a week goes by that I am not pleasantly surprised by the progress he has led me to achieve. 
   
3. That after nearly 15 years of struggling, I have finally found a happy place in my nutrition and have achieved/ maintained a healthy weight.
4. Having graduated in a field I am passionate about and that my internship is complete! 
   
   
   
5. My support network: my friends, family, and teammates encourage and inspire me from near and far, thank you all!

CSU Tri Ladies!

Team in Havasu

A few of my dearest college friends: Will, Alex, and Tron

**See "Thankful Thirty" for an extended list!

2014 Excitement

1. So jazzed to be going head to head with the fastest women in the world as I venture into professional triathlon!
2. To start working as a music therapist, I know it won’t be long now.
3. Very pumped (and proud) to represent my brand new sponsors Hammer Nutrition and Blueseventy for the 2014 season. 

                                                       

   
   
4. Before the year is out I will be an auntie!
5. Excited for the unknown and for all of the possibilities which await.

Resolutions

1. To be more optimistic: I have realized that I am a bit of a pessimist.  I tend to catastrophize situations and I have been really working at being more positive/ resilient.  I got a cute little day calendar for Christmas to help with this goal!                                                                                                                                                       
2. To regularly send letters and greeting cards: my goal is one per week though that may be a bit ambitious.
3. To get faster, darn it (bring it MP Multisport)!  Goals are sub 4:30 for a 70.3, regularly getting under 2:10 (on a legit course) for Oly, and running at/ under :36 for the 10k.  I also hope to up the power on my bike and to have better starts and good pack placement in the water (good thing I’ve got Blueseventy on my side for that one!). 
                                                                                                       
4. ABS!  Continuing to work on my core both through strength training and through nutrition.  My goal of having a 6 pack by Christmas didn’t quite reach fruition and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t think it may be correlated to more than a few holiday treats.  Kicking off the new year with a month without added sugar.  This is going to be tough but thankfully I have lots of delicious and natural options from HammerNutrition to keep me fueled!
5. To be more grateful for the many blessings in my life.  Each night I plan to write down (on my optimism calendar) something from the day that I am thankful for.  Looking back at these notes will remind me of what a truly amazing life I have.

Happy new year everyone, here’s to an amazing 2014!

2014 Sponsorship Announcement!

When I was about seven I reached an impasse at level one of gymnastics as a result of my inability to do anything but hang on the parallel bars.  At nine it seemed swimming wasn’t for me when my biggest accomplishment was a heat winner ribbon in the first of about 12 heats (for those unfamiliar the first is the slowest 8 of 96 swimmers).  In the seventh grade my knee pads and hair ribbons allowed me to be a very stylish member of the volleyball team on which I played the esteemed position of bench.  Throughout high school track and cross country I was no more than a medium sized fish even in a very little pond.  As a college student I moved between being twenty to sixty pounds overweight.  Needless to say, I still find myself in a state of disbelief to be finding myself entering into an elite level of sport at the age of twenty-seven.

And the unbelievable part doesn’t end there; I have offered sponsorship from two absolutely amazing companies for the 2014 season!  I am proud, honored, and humbled to announce that I will be representing HAMMER NUTRITION and BLUESEVENTY as an elite triathlete for the upcoming season.  I only applied for sponsorship from companies that I truly believe in and would endorse with or without sponsorship so I am especially thrilled that Hammer Nutrition and Blueseventy have chosen to believe in me the way that I believe in them.

Hammer nutrition offers a very wide array of products including gel, protein powder, fueling and recovery bars (including vegan and gluten free options), hydration options, essential supplements, and gear.  I am especially pleased to represent Hammer as their products are not only yummy (seriously, there’s not a bad flavor in the bunch) but are among the very few that fit my dietary needs and don’t bother my extremely finicky stomach.  Please check out Hammer for your fueling needs and make sure to give them my name as your referral!

Blueseventy specializes in wetsuits but offers so much more!  My first wetsuit (after the water-skiing wetsuit I borrowed from my mom for my first few races) and absolute preference is the BlueseventyHelix.  It fits like a glove even as my weight has changed and has survived nearly 30 races worth of abuse.  The material of the arms allows for the unique combination of a full sleeve while still having a feel for the water and the top-down zipper makes for easy removal when (and only when) I hit T1.  Blueseventy also has swimwear, speed suits,tri-suits, and gear (my goggles are still going strong despite their storage location in the back seat of my car).  If you want that first leg advantage over your competitors I highly recommend Blueseventy!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to Hammer and to Blueseventy for taking a chance on this new kid on the block, it feels good to finally get off the bench.  

Ready to sign on the dotted line

Aaaaand I'm official!

Carol of the Kettle-Bells: My Holiday Workout Playlist

Here it is as promised: festive little holiday themed workout playlist!  These are some pretty fun songs and, in my opinion, not too obnoxious (no Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer on this list).  I’ll be the first to admit this probably isn’t the best motivational tool for sprints or hill repeats but I hope it puts you in the spirit for a jolly ‘ol long run!

• The Killers have a holiday album (Red) which is a way better gift than two stinkin front teeth – try Don’t Shoot me Santa or Happy Birthday Guadalupe, actually they’re all great.
• Pretty much anything Mannheim Steamroller, Deck theHalls is particularly 90s-tastic
• Pretty much anything Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Carolof the Bells is a favorite (again, 90s-tastic)
• 12 Days of Christmas – Straight No Chaser (If you don’t smile at 2:00 you have no soul)
• Santa Clause is Coming to Town – Jackson 5
• All I Want for Christmas is You – namely the version with Jimmy Fallon, Mariah Carey, the Roots, and some adorable children
• I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas (who doesn’t?)
• Jingle Bell Rock – I like the tempo in the Glee version
• Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Ella Fitzgerald does it right
• Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) – Michael Buble
• Little Saint Nick – The Beach Boys
• BarenakedLadies have a Christmas album, check it out, especially Sleigh Ride
• As does Twisted Sister – give Deck the Halls a listen
• Winter Wonderland – The Eurythmics (for your 80’s fix)
• And while you’re at it give a listen to some Annie Lennox Christmas Cornicopia – perhaps God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
• Jingle Bells – Brian Setzer Orchestra

There are just so many spectacular ones; this is hardly a comprehensive list.  Send me your favorites and I’ll add them in!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Doesn't matter what you give, the kid just wants to play with the box

Christmas 2011

Training Songs of the Moment from Music Therapist Bailey

We’ve all been there: trying to rock a tough set of intervals but the wrong song keeps coming up on shuffle, in a spin class where the music  wasn’t synched to the actual workout, or at a race where the music does the opposite of getting you in the zone.  A spin instructor (of mine who is pretty darn good an aligning the music, by the way) tells a story of actually falling asleep slumped over his handle bars at the start line while Semisonic’s “Freshman” was blasted through the PA system.  Fortunately, there’s a flip side of this; we all have songs that can excited us, pull us out of a bad mood, or power us through a tough workout. 

As a music therapist (well, a soon-to-be music therapist), it is my job to understand how music effects our brains and bodies.  In short, we use music to reach functional non-musical cognitive, social-emotional, speech, and PHYSICAL goals.  Specific to exercise, research has shown that music can have an effect on recovery, endurance, and RPE (rate of perceived exertion) in training (read up on this a little here or here). 

I am often asked the question, “What should I listen to for a workout?” or “What is the best music for  … (fill in the blank with any random situation or experience)?”  Unfortunately, I can’t give you a specific set of songs and send you on your way with the promise of inner peace and athletic dominance (if I could I would market that sucker and be a bazillionaire).  The key is choosing music that YOU enjoy and are motivated by.  For most people, an upbeat tempo and strong rhythm is great for training; that bill can be met in any number of genres and the key is to find something that suites your individual taste.  That said, I can offer a few suggestions based on what works for me.

So, what is triathlete/music therapist Bailey listening to these days?  Here is a list of current songs that I find good for training – this is not my “all time” list (perhaps I’ll make a part II with that list someday) but pieces from the last six months or so that have the power to bring a tough training session from blah to blam!  I’ve done my best to put these into 3 categories (Sprint/grit sessions, tempo work/ long intervals, and shiny happy keep the long run/ride rolling) but there is admittedly a lot of crossover – do with it what you will.

Grit Through it Sprint Sessions

• Bleed Out – Blue October (this one lends it’s way to a spin hill climb particularly well)
• Sail – AWOLNATION (I think of this more as a lifting song)
• Radioactive – Imagine Dragons
• My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark – Fall OutBoy (This was my unofficial get pumped song of the season)
• Tessellate – Alt J. (Another lifting song)
• Gas Pedal – Sage the Gemini (So embarrassing to admit but it makes me want to destroy)

Long Intervals and Tempo Work

• Counting Stars – One Republic (Starts off slow so but pretty good once you get past that part)
• Wake Me Up – Avicii
• Pompeii – Bastille
• Work B**ch – Britney Spears (This was running through my head the whole time in Oceanside)
• Roar – Katy Perry
• Timber – Ke$ha and Pitbull (Another guilty pleasure of mine)
• Can’t Hold Us – Macklemore and Ryan Lewis

Shiny Happy Kee the Long Run/Ride Rolling Songs

• Pumpkin Blood – NONONO
• Ways to Go – Group Love
• The Mother We Share –CHVRCHES
• House of Gold – Twenty One Pilots
• On Top of the World –Imagine Dragons
• Chocolate – The 1975
• Shot at the Night - The Killers

I’m sure there are a few I’m missing and I welcome your input in adding to this list.  Comment with what music gets YOU working!  I’m also considering putting out a holiday themed workout playlist.  Would that interest anyone?

Happy training!

Thankful Thirty (And the Power of Positivity)

I cannot believe November has already come and gone!  I managed to fall off of the #thankfulnovember bandwagon on Twitter after all of three days.  I am incredibly fortunate in my life and grateful for my many blessings.  It is easy to get caught up in the daily struggles of life, especially during the hustle and bustle of the holidays, and to allow the negative to overshadow our many positives.  Not good.

Kicking off Thanksgiving right with Turkey and Pie for my 1st place finish at our local Turkey Trot

Research has shown that positive thinking has a whole slew of benefits on both our mental and physical health.  To name a few, positive thinking is said to improve immunity, reduce stress, increase resiliency, lower rates of depression, increase resistance to the common cold, lower the risk of death associated with cardiovascular disease, reduce frailty in old age.  Positive thinkers are even believed to have a longer lifespan when compared to their Debbie-Downer counterparts.

I must admit that I have a tendency to catastrophise situations and let negative feelings snowball.  After a harsh but much needed “snap out of it” talk with my dad a few weeks ago, I realized that I need to actively WORK on looking at the glass half full (and to be honest, it usually is).  Experts recommend using positive self-talk to improve mood and increase optimism.  However, if you’re already in a funk, it can be tough to flip on the “happy thoughts” switch.  The Mayo Clinic offers a few tips on doing so, including: Identifying negative thoughts in order to change them, check in with yourself throughout the day in order to get yourself out of a rut, be open to humor, exercise, eat well, surround yourself with positive people, and actually practice positive self-talk.  For more tips, check out the article here. 

In my quest to be a more positive and optimistic person, I’ve decided to complete my “November Thankful Thirty” list, identifying just a few of the things in my life I am most grateful for.  So, here it is, in no particular order, my 2013 30 Thankful list!

1. My family and their complete support of me as I work towards my future in athletics and in music therapy.  I am so fortunate to be from a family in which I wasn’t spoiled but never wanted for anything either.  Not all kids get family support from dance and piano lessons as a kid to help in college, to support through graduate school!
2. That I didn’t get into grad school for voice performance: it sucked at the time but boy has that one turned out for the best.
3. My cousin Jacqueline and the deep friendship we have grown since we were babies and been given the opportunity to foster in this time I’ve been back in Wisconsin. 
4. All of my coaches, especially Jon “Mace” Mason at MP Multisport for the unending support and guidance he’s given me both personally and athletically and Coach Reu at FAST Masters for the mental toughness he instilled in me.  Really, for ALL of the coaches I’ve had over the years (Danner, Muentner, Wendy, and Tess).
5. My tri team at CSU and the tri community as a whole– they’re not only friends but an inspiration!
6. My best friends at North Central College and the way we remain like family.
7. ALL of the friends I have in my life – even those I may have fallen out of touch with mean so much to me.
8. The SUNSHINE!  I cannot express how much it puts a smile on my face when that big yellow globe is out.
9. The changes I have made in my life to become healthier: I have never felt better!
10. That I am lucky enough to have been blessed with good health in general.  I have friends and loved ones struggling with cancer, addiction, illnesses, and a whole slew of problems.  These people are stronger than I ever want to have to be and are such an inspiration.
11. Triathlon – I have no proof of this but I’m convinced it saved me in more ways than one.
12. That I happened to find and subsequently choose a not overly well known profession in music therapy.
13. That I studied abroad in college – how cool is that?!
14. Having had foreign exchange students in high school – it gave me two new sisters and broadened my horizons.
15. My brother, Ryan, and sister in-law, Lib – they have been so supportive of me and never ask a thing in return.  Also, I am beyond excited and thankful for their twins due this spring!
16. My bicycles – love them all, especially my first road bike Belle.
17. That I rediscovered a love of running –how sad to think it could still be out of my life.
18. Coffee. 
19. For failure.  It is always so hard to swallow at the time but every time I’ve fallen it’s done nothing but drive me towards better things.  My mother says I’m “like a cat” – always landing on my feet no matter the situation. 
20. Being from a sailing family – what a joy to be out on the water.  I suppose more in general, that I’m “outdoorsy” and am surrounded by people with similar interests – it would be such a bummer to sit around inside all the time.
21. That I have not yet been in a serious bike or car crash (major knock on wood).
22. My camp family and having been a camp counselor – those summers and experiences really helped to shape my life.
23. That my life’s dreams are all starting to come together!
24. Books and the fact that I’m a reader.
25. Every time I’m called “mini” or “tiny” – it sure beats the crap out of being told I’m an inspiration because I still race well as a ‘bigger athlete’ (that really stunk, by the way).
26. Yoga – it’s wonderful for the mind and body, thank goodness I can do it!
27. My Tempurpedic bed – grateful every time I get in it.
28. All of my sponsors through MP Multisport: Brooks, Discover Massage, Provelo, Training Peaks, and Sport About.
29. For my faith and the strength and guidance it has provided me with.
30. The opportunity of each new day!

What a wonderful life and family I have to give thanks for!

References:

http://psychology.about.com/od/PositivePsychology/a/benefits-of-positive-thinking.htm

http://psychology.about.com/od/PositivePsychology/f/positive-thinking.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/positive-thinking/SR00009

A Little Bit of Crazy

The off season is a funny thing.  We look forward to it all year, dreaming of a Saturday morning spent in bed with a cup of coffee or a Sunday afternoon drinking a beer on the couch in front of the football game.  However, when those long awaited weeks off are finally upon us we turn into twitching fools: counting the days until base season is upon us and guiltily sneaking in workouts like kids sneaking a peak at the presents hidden in Mom’s closet as they count the days until Christmas.

Actual time to relax? Who would enjoy that?

My season ended a bit over a month ago and I enjoyed the break for all of four days.  On day five, however, I woke up feeling like a sluggish, cranky blob.  My poor parents spent the next week and a half avoiding proverbial land mines as I had angry and/or tearful outbursts at the mere mention of training.  (I did, however, console myself with some quality relaxation and time with family/friends – something that I really had been missing).  I think it’s fair to say that most people look at my inability to relax as a bit obsessive or overly Type A; but from where I’m sitting it’s a little different. 

Blessing of the off-season: Hiking with high school cross country buddy, Teagan

And hiking with my lovely cousin, Jacqueline

Off season training? Running with some matadors from a pesky bull sounds sufficient.

Outside of ‘literally’ and ‘actually’ I am of the belief that ‘passion’ is one of the most improperly used and overused words in the English language.  We say we are passionate about a whole slew of hobbies, jobs, sports teams, and products when what we really mean is we enjoy those things.  Passion, I feel, should be designated for something deeper, something that comes with a little crazy.

While pursuing a degree and career in opera, I touted myself as being passionate about music and performance.  However, after graduating, I decided to take a few months off of singing as I healed from the stress and emotional wounds my pursuit had recently inflicted.  Months turned into years as I realized I didn’t miss either the anxiety or the thrill of performing in the slightest and realized a career change was in order.  (For more on this, check out previous post “Beginnings” from Oct 2012).

I dressed a little differently in my singer days (2009)

As I faced my startling lack of passion, I kept thinking back to a good friend from college who was filled with the stuff: Maxx Popp.  Maxx is a drummer.  If you were to enter the music building at North Central College, nine times out of ten, Maxx would be there.  Finally, one day I asked him how much he practiced each day, he shrugged and told me about five or six hours (outside of general lessons and rehearsal times) as though it was nothing.  What’s more, is that wasn’t Maxx’s only drum time; when not in a rehearsal room, Maxx was most likely to be found drumming at home, jamming with other musicians, or listening to and studying music.  When he wasn’t actually drumming, his hands would twitch and you knew he was going through solos in his mind.  I shudder to think what would happen to that poor kid if he suddenly couldn’t drum.  Now THAT is passion. 

Maxx NOT drumming circa 2008

As a triathlete, I’ve grown to think it normal to train 25 hours a week (well, during base at least) and to then spend my free time reading or thinking about it.  I somehow think nothing of fitting in two hours of training before leaving for work at 8 am and then a few more when I get home at six though I know it sounds a bit absurd to tri muggles.  I struggle not with keeping a training regiment but with letting it go for a while. 

I think it’s safe to say I’ve found that elusive passion they speak of and it’s a beautiful thing.  My determination comes with a little crazy, probably more than a little, but it has brought me great joy.  My heart goes out to those who have not yet found their obsession or who have allowed themselves to be fooled with excuses or the easy way out.  I tell you, spending five hours training on a Saturday sure beats the heck out of five hours watching marathons of “Project Runway.”  My advice?  You won’t know your passion until you stumble upon it, so get out there and try new things!  It doesn’t matter in the slightest how old you are, I have a client who found a passion for running in his sixties and another who discovered she loved piano in her seventies.  Whether it is baking, scrapbooking, art, music, sport, or any number of things: once you find your life’s love, go after it with fearlessness and a bit of unbridled fearlessness because that is where happiness lies.

Happy to be back to training, no matter the weather!

For more on the off-season and actually dealing with it, check out MP Multisport’s (my coach’s) awesome blog “Last Race of the Season? Now What!?” at http://www.mpmultisport.com/1/post/2013/09/last-race-of-the-season-now-what.html

If At First You Don't Succeed

… try, try again (or in my case, tri, tri again).  Coming into this season, I had some pretty lofty goals.  While I was able to meet and even exceed my expectations in some aspects, another was a bit harder to grasp.  It seemed that try as I might, that elusive pro card was just out of my reach as I oh so narrowly missed the mark or had circumstance change that mark four separate times.  The frosting was completed on my proverbial cake when I received notice from USAT that my finish at Lifetime Minneapolis would not count as a qualifier (due to the course change) a mere 36 hours after a disappointing finish at Hyvee.  I had a good cry, took a deep breath, and accepted that it simply wasn’t my time.  My season was over and it was time to reevaluate my goals … or was it?

Later that week, I opened my mailbox to an invitation to the Toyota Triple Crown Championship (the Lifetime Tri series final) in Oceanside, CA.  At first I all but dismissed the possibility; as I am still an intern, I have less than no money and couldn’t foresee getting myself to California as a possibility.  However, I talked to Coach Mace and we decided I would continue training as though I would be doing the race.  On a whim I sent letters to a few local businesses requesting sponsorship for the event.  A few weeks later, I had all but given up hope when I found yet another surprise in my mailbox: a generous sponsorship from Kelley Country Creamery (on Hwy B in Fond du Lac) to help cover airfare.  Friends on the west coast offered up their couches and cars (thanks Amanda, Gordo, Scott, and Tyler) and suddenly everything started falling into place: the race was on.

Thank you Kelley Country Creamery!!!

As game day approached, I noticed a different feel than I had in previous events.  More than anything, I set a goal of having fun rather than achieving a certain position and felt more relaxed and confident than I ever have for a race before.  The fun of the event was only bolstered by sunny southern California and some quality time with an old friend (Amanda) and a new one (Gordo).

Great to see my Salzburg roomie Amanda

My support crew for the weekend - thanks Gordo!

All the fun and smiles came to a jolting conclusion, however, with a simple observation from a fellow racer as we tread at the start line, “Hey, look at the fog coming in.”  And come in it did.  I have never been so completely and utterly lost in the water as the buoys were impossible to see.  The first half was a mess as kayakers did their best to point us in the right direction.  Fortunately by the time I hit the turnaround, the volunteers had worked out a system of guiding packs between the buoys and I made it safely to transition.  While my swim time was substantially slower than anticipated, everyone else in the amateur waves had the same issue (pro’s got out just as the fog rolled in) and I managed to post the fastest female split of the day. 

Swim start: see the fog juuuuuust starting to roll in

On the bike, life became truly miserable.  I have never been so painfully cold in my life.  The air temperature was in the mid-40s and the fog/mist kept me soaking wet (so much for that beautiful California weather).  My jaw hurt from shivering and my upper body was completely rigid, I couldn’t even see straight I was so cold (I even cried because that’s what I do when I’m cold).  At one point, I very strongly contemplated dropping out of the race.  However, a little voice deep in my heart screamed out, “NO, NOT TODAY! THIS IS MY DAY!”  Mind over matter was the name of the game and I found a new level of mental strength that I didn’t know I was capable of.  Instead of giving in, I pushed harder with the one solace that the harder I pushed the sooner I’d be out warming up on the run course. 

Off for a chilly, chilly ride

After my helmet off and my run shoes on with my stiff fingers, I took off out of transition (at this point neck and neck for second/third).  My feet were numb but I focused on staying ahead of the girl breathing down my neck and gave into the song in my head (Britney Spears telling me to “Work B@#%*”).  After two miles, my extremities began to thaw and I realized I had another level left.  I picked up the pace and before long I could see the back of first place getting closer and closer; Gordo saw me at right about this point and later commented that it was the first time he saw me crack a smile.   Over and over I told myself, “This is my time, this is my day,” passing first place and never looking back.  As I crossed the finish line, my emotions of a year’s disappointment and a moment’s total joy collided head on as I simultaneously began to laugh and cry; I had finally done it. 

Women's Podium

It hasn’t yet sunk in that I’ve qualified to race as a professional triathlete.  I am both excited and a little nervous about the possibilities held by the future.  Next season is going to be tough and I’m going to have to get used to being a little fish in a really big pond.  But for now, I am allowing myself to appreciate all that I have worked for and accomplished this season.  Soon it will be time to hit the pavement (and the pool and the trainer) with even more intensity.  But for now, it is time to sit back and simply smile.  

Welcome to the off season

The Upside of Terrible

Last weekend was spectacular; my nearest and dearest from college came up for the weekend and good times were had by all.  I was uncharacteristically lax for a few days and presented with brats, cheese, guac, and peanut butter brownies (to my credit at least they were gluten free), my typical eating habits went right out the window.  Come Sunday, I was so laden with sodium and high fructose corn syrup that my heart rate was a solid 30 bpm higher than usual and every part of my body – from my face to my digits – was swollen.  Monday and Tuesday were met with even more awfulness; my belt rested 2 notches larger than normal and I could barely stomach half of my typical caloric intake.  My 2 mile run felt like starting from mile 24 of the marathon and splits on my Tuesday morning swim were nearly 10 seconds slower than usual (yes – 10 seconds per 100).  Finally, midway through my Tuesday evening track workout (over 48 hours after the last of my buddies had walked out the door), the sugar hangover lifted and I suddenly felt like me again.

Throughout the first part of the week, I really beat myself up over my weekend consumption.  About Wednesday, however, I realized just how incredible it was that I had felt so terrible for those few days.  Noting such a horrible feeling means that not only am I highly attuned to my body, but also that this was not a normal state of being for me.  Looking back, I can now see that when I was unfit and overweight I spent years of my life feeling so consistently bad that I accepted it as the status quo.  I did not realize how awful I felt until I didn't feel that way anymore. 

Often times, life can be highly reflective of this sentiment.  It is not unusual to allow a crummy state of being as acceptable.  Maybe it’s staying at a much hated job and telling yourself that everyone hates their job; maybe it’s riding out a nasty relationship with the excuse that all relationships have their flaws; maybe it’s sitting on the couch day in and day out because complacency is more comfortable than change; maybe it’s accepting continued unhappiness as ok or normal.  If we don’t acknowledge what is wrong and believe that we are deserving of something better, it can never be fixed. 

So where am I going with this?  It is a blessing to have a bad day every now and again.  A notably horrible day at work probably means that most days are pretty great; being upset over a fight with your mate means it probably doesn’t happen very often; having a down day means most days are sunny; and feeling completely disconnected from your body for a few days after a glutton-fest means that 99% of the time, you take pretty stinkin good care of yourself.  Living a positive life is no easy task; it takes work to find a job you love, an effort to be a happy person, or, in my case, a strong will to avoid the cheese curds and chocolate cake.  

Love life my friends, live it to the fullest: and work your butt off to be happy and healthy darn it! 

Eh, It's Just a Bike Crash

A few weeks ago I posted a blog about relaxing and going with the flow, about my races seeking to go better when something went a little wrong.  Apparently I should be careful what I wish for as approximately three hours later I found myself disoriented and bleeding in the middle of a country road after flipping over my handlebars for no apparent reason.  This was my first bike crash (other than tipping over in my parking lot or falling off the trainer) and I was a mere six days out from USAT Age Group Nationals.  Lovely. 

Anyway, after finding myself on the pavement I took care of the important things in the following order: 1. Stopped my watch, 2. Gave my bike a once over, 3. Messaged my coach, and lastly 4. Checked myself for any major damage.  I had landed straight on my face and head then rolled so the right side of my face banged up, road rash on right shoulder and left knee, and a good bruise coming in on my right quad from hitting my aero bars as I went over.  My head was feeling a bit foggy but fortunately nothing seemed to be broken (except my helmet) – yes, because I’m a big weirdo athlete I was relieved to realize my face had taken the brunt of things (three weeks later I’ve established that I probably chipped my chin but it’s not deformed so oh well).  After resigning that I wouldn’t be riding the 15 miles home I called my dad who was up on the boat but arranged a pickup for me (thank you to Gerry and Cheryl Meyer – always good to know the church family of my youth still has my back).  Despite the fact that I’m fairly certain I got a minor concussion, I decided against wasting time and money on a hospital trip and spent the rest of the evening icing and relaxing (yes, I repeatedly checked my pupils and made sure to stay awake for like seven hours). 

To be honest, the next few days sucked.  I was disoriented for about 36 hours and about the sorest I’ve ever been.  Fortunately, I was able to maintain my normal training schedule as taper and recovery melded well.  My spectacular father took Maureen in and all fixed up by the awesome crew at Attitude Sports; fortunately she was uninjured and only needed some minor tweaks.  By Wednesday, I was running again (even if it felt like my quad was going to fall off the bone) and by Thursday the aching had mostly subsided. 

It was a busy and fun weekend with Ian flying in Wednesday and Hannah coming Thursday from Arizona.  On Friday, we loaded up and headed down to Milwaukee for some course recon and packet pickup.  Boy oh boy, it’s awesome having a big race so close to home; I think not having to travel more than an hour basically made up for any crash damage.  As an added bonus, I had the opportunity to meet my hero Chrissie Wellington – a lady who’s overcome much worse crashes than I had!  Ian and I stayed with my cousin Jacqueline very close to the race site which made for a relaxing Friday night and a very fun Saturday. 

Swim Recon

Getting some inspiration from the great Chrissie Wellington!

Come race morning, I was surprisingly relaxed.  My quad was still giving me grief and my right shoulder was hurting but I knew it was nothing I couldn’t handle.  I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day and the course was pretty stinkin awesome.  Long story short, I had a pretty great race.  There were some rubber band issues with my T1 but that’s about the only issue.  I got out of the water in about 18th age group, and off the bike somewhere around 10th.  That’s when the fun began.  Slowly but surely, I started picking off ladies, especially in the final two miles.  For someone who’s “not a runner” it was great to finally realize that I am; that I am stronger than I once thought.  In the end I finished 4^th in the 25 – 29 division and 8^th overall; what an improvement from last year! 

Thanks for everything Mom and Dad!

Clearly I'm more rested than Ian at this point (my race was almost an hour before his)

Basking in our post race glory

I was slightly disappointed after realizing that I was a mere 18 seconds from top 5 overall, wondering if a better transition or lack of crash might have made all the difference.  However, as I said before, no one ever has a perfect race and that was just how my cards fell.  I’ve improved so much in the last year.  I have improved dramatically and it’s not over yet.  While I hate to see my tri season draw to a close, I’m excited for my final multisport race in Des Moines next weekend at the Hyvee Championship.  We’ll see what happens if I can keep from crashing and wear the proper shoes all in one race!

Many thanks to Jacqueline, my parents, Ian, and Hannah for sitting through the epicly long awards ceremony

I like podiums

Racing Rasta

Don’t worry be happy: so easy to say so hard to live by.  You can be kind and call it “Type A” or be honest and say high strung, neurotic, or anal retentive; but no matter how you word it, stressed out has typically been my racing style (especially for the big ones).  However, a series of events, unfortunate and otherwise, this season has had me rethinking my approach. 

Last month I drove up to Minnesota to race Lifetime Minneapolis.  This had been slotted as a big race for me with some heavy competition and the potential of earning a pro card.  I became nervous four days before the event when I noticed that one of my glands was swollen – usually a sign that I am coming down with a cold.  As the weekend approached, I continued to swell until Friday when I woke up with a visible lump on the right side of my neck and face.  I had stayed with my aunt the night before at the halfway point so I made a quick stop in urgent care before heading up where I was told that it was probably just an irritation and to not worry too much.  After popping far too many ibuprofen and meeting up with a few former teammates (Evan Koenig, Chris Leiferman, and Kyle Bevers) I felt a bit better but still not great.  Morning came with an even larger face and an unexpected deviation from the weather forecast.  It was raining and storming so hard I drove to the race site with white knuckles.  The entire area was flooded and heavy lightning prompted race directors to delay the start and encourage everyone to wait in their cars.  Once we were allowed to enter transition, I set transition wet and shivering clad in a garbage bag.  Before long we were informed that the Olympic distance bike course was under water and the event was changing to a sprint.  The pro field, however, would have a slightly longer swim than the amateurs, meaning the race was no longer a pro qualifier.  Suddenly the pressure was off.  While I could have been upset I made the conscious decision to have fun in the race and take it for what it was.  Low and behold, I came in as the third overall female – not too shabby considering that within the next 36 hours I was in the emergency room as my face and neck swelled out of control (turned out to be an infected salivary gland in case you’re curious)!

Finish line smiles in Minnesota

Illness kept me from training for the next several days and from doing anything substantial for a full week.  Eager to get back into it, I had a tough but solid week of training the next week leading up to Giant Eagle Triathlon in Columbus, OH (a training race for me).  I won’t bore you with details but to summarize: I stayed with my friend Margaret in the Chicago area Friday night (staying up entirely too late chatting – oops), forgot about the time change and got into Columbus later than expected, dealt with some nutty situations at the expo (including being followed and having our ears talked off by a strange man and an enormous plastic colon for children to play in), had to get poor Ian’s bike fixed (I swear he’s cursed), didn’t have a chance to ride/run on the course or to swim, and took the risk of eating grocery store sushi for dinner after realizing how late it had gotten and that there was nothing else without wheat in the deli.  All of this led to a much later than desired bed time which was followed by fairly interrupted sleep (we were on the same floor as a wedding party – oy).  In the morning, we jammed out while eating breakfast and then walked down to T2 from our incredibly conveniently located hotel.  As it was a two transition race, we set up T2 (in the dark) before boarding busses to T1.  Once arriving at the race start, we were relatively crunched for time so I quickly set up transition and went for a brief warmup run.  As I started stripping down to get my wetsuit on I looked at my feet for the first time since I had tried on my shoes to make sure everything felt right while setting up T2 … and realized I had two different shoes on – one racing shoe and one training shoe.  It quickly sunk in that this fact meant that the same combination of shoes was waiting for me in T2 and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it.  I couldn’t help myself but laugh.  While historically any ONE of these pre-race details would have freaked me out, the low pressure mindset of the race allowed me to stay relaxed and anxiety free.  So what happened in my race? I not only won the amateur field but I posted a 10k PR, breaking 40 minutes for the first time!

Oops

Ian showing off his orangutan arms at our post-race adventure to the Columbus zoo

("Whoa, do you have a unicorn on your shirt?!" - quote from a small ginger child)

Throughout my eight hour drive back to Wisconsin the next day I had a lot of time to reflect on the peaks and valleys of my season thus far and noticed a pretty obvious trend.  At my B/C races (Havasu, Capitol View, Lifetime, and Giant Eagle) where I didn’t put too much stress on myself I had great races and met or exceeded my goals.  However, at my high pressure A races where I made an effort to ensure everything was perfect (unending thank you’s and apologies to Ian for putting up with me for both of these races), I was extremely disappointed in my results.  While I considered that this may have been a natural consequence of having had loftier goals at these races, I don’t think that is the reality; I had still set the bar pretty high at the other ones, I just wasn’t as worried about the details.  Instead, the hard truth is that at the big ones I let my anxiety get the best of me and I cracked under the pressure.  In hindsight I can say that a big part of me gave up as soon as things weren’t perfect and I wasn't exactly where I wanted to be.  I didn't dig as deeply as I could have because my heart was saying, “Oh well, it’s already ruined.” 

So now I have a new goal and it is probably the greatest challenge I’ve taken on in this sport yet: change my attitude.  As I approach my next two big races (Age Group Nats and Hyvee Chamionship) I’m doing my best to be fully prepared but to then trust my training and to, more than anything, go with the flow.  I have never had a “perfect” race and probably never will – I don’t think anyone ever has.  It’s time to remember how much I love this sport and to enjoy whatever it throws at me.  To quote the rasta man himself, “Don’t worry ‘bout a thing, every little thing is gonna be all right.” 

Staying relaxed pre-race in Columbus with a little dance party

- new tradition perhaps?

**The title of this post does not indicate that the author of this blog or her affiliates support the use of illicit or performance enhancing drugs legal or otherwise in or out of competition.