A Tale of Two Distances: Utah Half & Vegas Super Sprint

Eek!  First off, I must apologize for just how overdue this post is.  September seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye.  Two races, one bailed race, and a whole boat load of training later, here is a little update (the benefit of procrastination is you will be spared the boring details).

UTAH HALF

In late August, I ventured to Utah for my first half of the season, the Utah Half.  With the memory of disappointment and severe bonkage from last year’s Rev3 Williamsburg (passed in the last quarter mile and a 103 degree body temp at the finish) still in my mind, I was a little nervous as to how my body would hold up for a distance longer than my typical Oly.  However, Coach Mace is no dummy and I could tell his training had prepared both my mind and body far beyond where it was a year ago. 

Lucky for me, I was pampered while in Utah as I was able to stay with the amazing Schwanz family (Michelle was my elementary GT teacher, they were Wisconsin country neighbors, I babysat for a while, and went to high school with Lauren) who drove me around and fed me fresh/delicious meals.  Everything seemed to be perfect … until late afternoon before the race.  A nasty storm rolled in and brought with it lower temperatures and hours of torrential downpour.  I woke race morning to temps in the low 50s (arctic for my desert bones), thunder, lightning, and sheets of rain.  Once at the race site, we were instructed to stay in our cars and wait for the bat signal; weather had impeded transition/buoys from even being set out.  Fortunately, I’m a nerd who listens to audio books in the car so I passed the time with a little Janet Evonovich (which doubled in keeping my panic regarding the temperature at bay).  When the storm finally passed, we all herded to transition, ready to start the day. 

View from my accommodations wasn't too shabby

The morning was still chilly and the storm had cooled the water a good deal.  When the water had been checked a few days prior, it was determined that the amateur field could wear wetsuits but the pro field could not.  Bummer!  That water was COLD and the morning pretty frigid too.  Hopping on my bike I couldn’t see straight my head was so frozen and it took a good ten miles to stop shaking; I recall noting that I was finally of a comfortable body temperature just after the turnaround (28 miles in).  Despite the frosty start, the skies had cleared over a fast/flat course.  The race crew did an excellent job of cleaning gravel/debris from the course, I really don’t know how they did it so quickly! 

Coming out of the water, I had been told I was in the lead but didn’t really believe it until confirmed at the turnaround.  Second place was not far back though and I have been passed way too many times on the bike to feel confident in my lead.  I was pleasantly surprised to enter T2 still in front; not knowing if (or by how much) the gap had been closed, I took off running.  I held my lead through the run, bolstered by the encouragement of spectators and other racers, crossing the line with my first elite win, woohoo!  While I had come to the race alone, I ran into a lot of familiar faces (Kirstin McCay, Zara Guinard, fellow Hammer athletes Elliot Bassett and Andrew Drobeck, and the welcoming members of the SL Tri Club) who helped me celebrate the moment.  Back at the Schwanz house my excited super fans fed me and let me relive the fun!  After a much needed shower, I headed back towards Nevada for the next day’s visit from my big brother.  What a fun life I lead!

A few race photos: Top left, post-race with Kirstin (won her age group); with Andrew and Elliot (2nd and 3rd overall men); with Zara (who came to cheer on her teammates); on the overall women's podium. 

LAS VEGAS SUPER SPRINT

Somehow, my coach talked me into applying to race the Las Vegas Super Sprint, a Super Sprint Grand Prix event which just so happened to serve as the USAT Elite Sprint National Championship.  This race was a short, fast, multi-lap, draft legal event stacked with some of the fastest women in the world (of 21 women on the start line, 5 were Olympians).  The race was on a Thursday, so I showed up for the pre-race meeting the day before fresh off of my work day and was completely star struck; out testing the course was a hoard of my tri heroes, women/athletes I have followed and looked up to for years.  Holy intimidation and feelings of inadequacy Batman!  Fortunately, there were a few familiar faces (from sources other than magazines/TV) in the mix and the seasoned elite sprint diva Zara Guinard calmed my fears a bit.  Even better, after the meeting, I came home to a perfect home cooked meal and some pampering from my visiting mother.  The awesome crew over at Pro Cyclery let me borrow one of their fancy carbon Giant bikes (road bikes, not TT bikes, must be ridden in draft-legal races) so I was as ready as I was going to be!

This is how they put a pool in the middle of a parking lot in Las Vegas: too cool!

My race itself was far from excellent; I was lapped out and did not make the finals.  However, I wouldn’t trade the experience itself for anything!  On the start line, world champion Sarah Groff was directly to my left and I chatted/shared rubber bands with some other big wigs.  MP Multisport was in town so I had the support of Coach Mace and Coach Frosty along with visiting friend (Hammer athlete I met in Utah, also a really legit coach) Elliot Bassett and local friends Bree Thorpe (son Dash in tow) and Max Jones.  Even cooler was the evening’s final event; what athleticism and how amazing to watch! 

Checking out the course with Coach Mace (in my fancy Las Vegas Masters cap)

And we're off!

Out on the course

Women's Final

The next day, I was back to training, showing off the loop to Frosty and Coach Mace.  Since then , it’s been a solid block of training, highly supported by friends/training buddies/unwitting sounding boards Bree and Max.  I decided to skip out on the LA Tri (sorry Susan) in favor of a solid training weekend when it was changed to a draft legal sprint with a gender-neutral prize purse (not exactly my favor, as noted above).  With three weeks off the race circuit, I’m itching to don my kit again and am super jazzed to be racingChallenge Rancho Cordova (70.3) next weekend.  California, here I come!

Just another training day in gorgeous Red Rock Canyon! 

THANK YOU Blueseventy, Hammer Nutrition, and MP Multisport for supporting me through the highs and lows of training and racing! 

So This is Growing Up: Birthday Reflections on One Crazy Year

I had a bad day on Friday.  It wasn’t bad like my house burnt down and I got three speeding tickets on my way home from euthanizing my cat or anything, just a little rough.  So on Saturday, in what was not an atypical move for me, I stewed in my problems and began to count them (I even added in my impossible-to-keep-clean counter tops) as I slogged through the cool-down of my run.  With my impending birthday just ahead I thought, “Well, the year is almost over.  This next one will be amazing, it will be MY year.”  Then I opened my eyes.

What a jerk I can be sometimes! To say I had a bad year is such a proverbial slap in the face to the bomb-awesomeness that has been my life as a 27 year old.  Of course things went wrong.  This year had been far from perfect but I’m pretty sure that comes with the territory of being an adult.  There are good days and bad, ups and downs; I am one of the lucky ones to say that in the grand scheme of things, the good has far outweighed the bad.  With that said, I’ve compiled a (non-comprehensive) list of all the crap I selfishly think is wrong in my life and how it has been overpowered by the good.

Bad: Being a pro triathlete is hard.  I’m working my butt off (or on if you talk to my strength coaches) and still not getting champagne dumped on me post-race or coming home with novelty sized checks.

Good: Umm HELLO, less than 4 years after the idea of doing a triathlon even crossed my mind, I became a freakin’ professional athlete.  Heck, I even have sponsors!  Enough said.

Bad: I continue to struggle with my nutrition, weight, and body image.

Good: For the first time since I was in primary school, I have reached and maintained a healthy weight.  I’ve learned a lot about what my body needs and grown to love healthy cooking/eating.  While it took 20 years to get here, I’ve finally started to figure out that whole “healthy lifestyle” thing.  Who knew my mother and all the experts were right all along?

Bad: I managed to become even more broke than I had been as a student working as an unpaid intern.

Good: I gained valuable knowledge and experience while at that internship.  I became a real life big bad board certified music therapist and am working in a field I love!

Good: I have incredibly understanding parents who fed me and let me live at home while at that internship so really, my level of broke-ness could be a whole lot worse.

Bad: I just so happened to be around for one of the worst/coldest winters on record in Wisconsin.

Good: I was able to spend a stretch of time with my parents and build our relationship as an adult instead of as a surly teenager. 

Good: I learned a valuable lesson about myself and what makes me tick.  Now, I am more aware than ever that I am exceptionally sensitive to the weather and need sunshine/fresh air to be a happy camper.  That definitely played a role in choosing where to relocate for work.  Now I’m living the dream in the Nevada desert, wearing a sweater any time it’s under 90 degrees outside.

Bad: Marketing and growing business as a music therapist can be really, really hard.

Good: I opened my own stinkin’ business!  I’ve been up and running with Synapse Music  Therapy for less than five months so it’s pretty absurd to think that I should be living large just yet.  While nothing has happened overnight, I have slowly found new clients/contracts and am spreading the music therapy love throughout Vegas!

The good that has no bad to counter it out:

**My family and heart grew two sizes with the birth of my super-rad twin nephews, Connor and Reid.

**My dear friend Megan miraculously had CLEAN SCANS just a few weeks ago!!!!!!!

**Vegas, especially the athletic community here, has really embraced me and I’ve found a wealth of new friends and mentors.

Getting the boys hooked young

Yay for a healthy Megan!

There’s about a million more things I could list but I don’t want to draw away from these major ones (especially the twins and Megan).  It has been an unexpected roller coaster of a year; I can’t wait to see what 28 has in store for me!

Bring it on adulthood!

Racing! Family! Friends! Hooray! - Boulder Peak Race Report

A few weeks ago, bummed out, I told my coach that we’d have to cut a race from my calendar as I just couldn’t manage a way to get to Minneapolis.  Being the awesome coach that he is, Mace took it upon himself to look into flights to Colorado and took all of about three minutes to talk me into signing up for Boulder Peak which took place this past weekend.  I’m so glad that he did!  My brother and sister in-law live outside of Denver with my two brand new nephews; my parents will take any excuse to see the babies and decided to bring out my grandma for a 4-generation of Hinzs long weekend.  

Family Time

As race day approached, things did not seem to be gelling for me.  For a variety of reasons that I’m sure no one particularly cares about, I was feeling (and training) very “off.”  Instead of feeling comforted by the knowledge that my family, coach, and several friends would be cheering me on race day, I was extra stressed by the desire to perform well for everyone.  Fortunately, race magic set in and I started to feel like myself on race-day eve and woke up ready to rock for the Peak. 

Pre-Race with my Pops

Overall, I am pleased with my performance; I came in as the 9^th pro female in a very elite field of women.  Compared to my race at CapTex in May, I closed a few time gaps between myself and the leaders (namely in the swim) but more importantly, I closed some mental gaps.  Now in my third race as a pro, I’m getting used to a few things.  I must say it still boggles my mind to tread the starting line with women I have looked up to and followed for years but I’m starting to get over the “I don’t belong” feeling (of course, it didn’t hurt that I knew several athletes on the start list from my days racing for CSU).  Also, I believe my “grit” took a step in the right direction.  I have always struggled with giving sticking it out when things get tough; I tend to race much better when I’m ahead and have a tendency to give up a bit when my proverbial bum is being handed to me.  Racing the Peak, however, I set my mind to racing my race and pushing my body no matter the situation.  I have not felt so awful within a race or at the finish line in a very long time (if ever), which is awesome!  This means I tested my limits and left it all on the course.  I know I still have a very, very long way to go in my athletic development but every race is an opportunity to learn and to grow as an athlete.  I may not have come home with a pay check or a podium shot but I left a stronger and smarter athlete; at this point in my career, I don’t think I could ask for much more.   

Ready to rock in my Blueseventy Speedsuit

Coming in to T2

Loved the spectator support on this 3-lap run course

Finish line in sight!

Aaaand Done.

Following the race, I was able to relax with friends and family which was just what the doctor ordered.  Of course, Mace gave me about 5 minutes post-race before reminding me that long course training amps up this week.  I’m totally jazzed to take on this next phase of my season.  With 4 races left this season and 6 weeks until the Utah Half I can’t wait to see what is ahead!

My nephews say they're ready to start training

Loved having Coach Mace there!

My friend and fellow CSU Ram Geneva rocked her race!

Thank you Blueseventy and Hammer Nutrition for your unending support; I couldn’t be better attired or fueled! 

San Diego International Tri: Quick Race Report

With my next event all of two days away I suppose it’s time for an overdue race report from the last one!  The last weekend in June I had the opportunity to add an event to my calendar at the San Diego International triathlon.  With this being two weeks before one of my “A” races, within driving distance, a place to stay, and a ride (thanks Lindsey and Kempy!) it was impossible to say no. 

Hands down, the best part of my race weekend was having the opportunity to spend a few days with a dear family friend, Kara, and her husband Dan.  Having crewed for an endurance runner friend of ours just a few weeks prior, they were ready to handle any pre-race idiosyncrasies I threw at them, right down to my 9:00 bed time, 4:00 wake time, and mass consumption of sweet potatoes.  San Diego was lovely as ever and I had the opportunity to do my race-eve workout at/in Mission Beach. 

Ocean Swim!

Lovely venue for an expo

Race morning itself was a bit hectic.  Transition opened only 50 minutes before the race start so my usually pokey self had to pick up the pace a bit.  Fortunately, setup was smooth and well run so I didn’t run into any troubles (outside of the bathroom that apparently didn’t believe in stall doors: only a little awkward in the one piece tri suit – good thing triathletes are used to the pool locker room).  There was a great deal of banter for the in-water start and I was pleased to see a few familiar faces in the mix. 

After the gun, I swam my little heart out (decked out in my Blueseventy gear).  While I was far from the first out of the water, I was pleased to find myself in the second pack (as opposed to missing the pack as I had in Texas) and not superbly far back from the first.  The ride was a bit hillier than I expected but I pedaled my little heart out onto the run.  Hopping off of my ride, I was rather displeased to notice the nagging little pain in my right groin had exploded to a bit more than nagging.  I had all but decided to throw in the towel when it started to loosen up about a half mile in.  While the pain never went away, I was able to run my little heart out towards the finish.  While I posted one of the fastest run splits of the day (second by a few seconds) it wasn’t enough to catch the incredible swim-bikers ahead of me.  I crossed the finish line in a close 6^th, placing me solidly in the middle of the pack.  This was a definite improvement over my race in Texas.  More importantly, my attitude and confidence was much higher.  While I still feel as though I don’t really belong in the pro ranks, I was at least not terrified to talk to the other girls at the start/finish line. 

Heading out of T1

Finish Line in Sight!

Following the race, I enjoyed a gorgeous cool-down along the San Diego harbor and recovered with the awesome setup provided by Game Ready (much more pleasant than my ice bath an hour later).  Another dear friend (Kara’s brother Tyler and his girlfriend Julianna) took me out for a delicious celebratory lunch before heading back towards the desert.  With a bit more training in the glorious 110 degree heat and some recovery, I’m feeling ready to rock this next one.  Keep your eyes peeled for news from Boulder Peak!

One of these things is more fun than the other ... 

My Amazing Hosts!

Thank you Blueseventy, Hammer Nutrition, and MP Multisport for your continued support!

  

Welcome to the Big Leagues: Thoughts from My Inaugural Pro Race

There is a moment I remember with distinct clarity: dressed in a loose-fitting borrowed jet-ski wetsuit and following a poorly sighted line through Lake Michigan during my first triathlon I was struck with a thought of, “I can’t believe this is real, how amazing!”  The same sense of wonder came over me on Memorial Day as I rounded a turn buoy (this time equipped in my snazzy Blueseventy Speed Suit) at Lifetime CapTex in Austin, my first official race as a professional triathlete.

Race weekend was wonderful as friends, family, and perfect strangers reached out to make everything run as smoothly as possible.  After not seeing one another for five years, I was able to temporarily move back in with my roommate from sophomore year in college, Brianna (if the whole PhD thing doesn’t work out for her she has a definite career as a Race Sherpa – talk about accommodation!) and my aunt and uncle drove up from San Antonio just to feed me a pre-race dinner.  I’ve said before how much I love Lifetime Tri events (see Minneapolis and Oceanside) and I feel fortunate to have chosen to begin my next chapter with a series that cares so much about its athletes.  The pro coordinator, Shawna, graciously answered all of my silly questions and, knowing it was my first race, the race officials sought me out specifically in order to ensure that I understood all of the pro rule differences.  Events staff and crew cheered throughout the race and checked in on me post-race; even the announcer Dave Kappas took the time to hear my story (and learn the proper pronunciation of my last name).

Pre-race dinner with my Uncle Tom and Aunt Cathy

Shhh I'm totally not sneaking in to the closed lake for a little swim ... 

Enjoying the view from the top of the Hyatt - you can see the buoys out already!

Celebrating post-race in true Tex-Mex fashion with Brianna

 The race itself was humbling; those women are phenomenal athletes and I feel so inspired by them.  As anticipated, I got my butt totally kicked (and didn’t mind a single bit).  In a field like that, there is nowhere to hide and my weak areas were presented to me with stark reality; I definitely know what I’ll be working to improve for the rest of the season!  Overall, though, I was happy with my results.  Dressed for success in my Blueseventy kit/speed suit and fueled by Hammer Gel/Heed I raced to an 11^th place finish, including a one minute run PR which was good enough for the 5^th fastest run split.

As I hobbled through a short cooldown on a wooded path along the river, I was suddenly overcome with emotion as I reflected upon the past few years.  Four and a half years ago, I had barely even heard of a triathlon.  I was sedentary, exceptionally unhappy, partying far too much, and pushing 190 pounds; I didn’t like who I was and had no direction in my life.  Now, I’ve finished my first race as a professional athlete.  It hardly seems possible it’s not all a dream; I am filled with happiness and humility at the blessings I have been granted in abundance.  I may not have won the race yesterday but I sure as heck feel like I had a big win at life.

A huge thank you to my parents for their encouragement, my incredible coach Jon Mason with MP Multisport for getting me here, and my rad sponsors Blueseventy and HammerNutrition for their continued support.  I am so excited to keep pushing forward and to see all that the future holds! 

Vegas Sunrise Race Report and Thoughts on Race Integrity

On May 10^th I had the awesome opportunity to race in honor of my dear friend Megan Peterson (if you missed my earlier blogs about the girl, check them out here and here) by supporting the Melanoma Research Foundation at the Your Cause Sports event, Vegas Sunrise.  This event was put on at the same venue and by the same incredible crew as Rage last month.  Knowing how beautiful and how much fun Rage had been, I had high hopes for the event; I definitely was not disappointed!

Going into race day I had four goals: 1. Race faster than last month, 2. Beat the boys, 3. Make some friends, 4. Have fun!!  I didn’t hit all of my targets (next time I’m throwing sticks at the three guys who came in ahead of me) but hey, three out of four ain’t bad. 

Halfway through the bike, I found myself ahead of the women by a decent margin and far enough behind the lead men to catch up.  The race was fairly small so I was racing alone for much of the course.  However, my goals were never far from my mind and as I strove to reach them, the day morphed from a pure physical challenge to a mental test and a test of what I like to think of as “race integrity.”

What the heck is race integrity?  Does that mean not cutting the course when no one’s watching, thanking volunteers, and not throwing sticks at those pesky fast people?  Nope.  While these things are clearly important, my version is about going hard when no one is watching.  Could I have slacked off a bit on the run?  Yes, I probably could have (and the volunteer I accidentally threw water all over in my effort to keep the pace up probably would’ve appreciated it); but where would that have gotten me?  Race integrity is about giving the event, your preparation, and the other racers busting their butts out there the respect to push your full potential. 

I believe this sentiment extends far beyond race day to a foundation of a fulfilled life.  We all know that jerk who skates by in life doing everything halfway and getting away with it.  While we’re secretly jealous of said individual and their outwardly easy life, I have a hunch that deep down the slacker lifestyle isn’t exceptionally rewarding.  Anne Frank stated, “Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction.”  For example, to say I struggled with my science classes in graduate school is an understatement of epic proportions; in both human physiology and neuroanatomy I devoted hours to studying on a daily basis, attended study groups, and utilized multiple tutors.  The letters next to these classes on my transcript are far from stellar but completing them was two of the happiest and proudest moments of my entire educational career.  The joy was not in a “win” but in the knowledge that I had put in every ounce of effort possible.

Next week, I will toe the line of my first official pro race.  The competition will be stiff and I think a win would require six girls to break their legs in the next week and another six to get flats on the course (and that’s being generous).  The test will be not to stay strong and keep pushing when I’m ahead but to keep pushing from behind, to have race integrity no matter where I fall in the rankings.  In the words of Theodore Isaac Rubin, “Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best.”  Win or lose, we must strive for this happiness not only on race day but every day. 

All smiles with my first place finish!

**THANK YOU Your Cause Sports for the opportunity to race and to Blueseventy, Hammer Nutrition, and MP Multisport for supporting my win and another happy day!

Race Details: 

1st overall female and 4th overall finisher

Fastest female swim (3rd overall)

Fastest female bike (8th overall)

First overall run split (regardless of gender)

Season Kickoff, Woohoo!!

Things that stink include 3+ hour trainer rides and 15 mile treadmill runs (because even with every inch of skin covered in three layers it is still too cold to go outside).  Things that stink include getting up before dawn to jump in a cold pool when it’s cold outside and you haven’t been warm in months.  Things that stink include replacing ice cream with nonfat/unsweetened Greek yogurt (eventually you can pretend it’s the same thing) and having a route response of, “I can’t, I have to train in the morning.”

Things that don’t stink: RACING.  My recent move to Las Vegas allowed me to bump up the start of my season and get outside for some much needed competition.  After a brutal Wisconsin winter of lonely indoor training, I jumped on the opportunity to race in the Hammer sponsored event, Rage Triathlon, at the incredible Lake MeadNational Recreation Area just outside of Vegas; the fun and well run BBSCEndurance Sports event was the perfect way to kick off my 2014 season. 

Now THAT is a Good Looking Venue

After six months out of the racing circuit, I was feeling nervous and a bit rusty (especially after crashing in a parking lot during the previous day's transition practice).  Fortunately, my confidence was bolstered by my super cool new Blueseventy TX3000 tri suit and BSaccessories (for the record, this is by far the most comfortable kit I’ve ever worn and I experienced absolutely no chafing, bunching, riding up, or miscellaneous discomfort).  My new Blueseventy Helix wetsuit fit like a dream (see my previous Helix rave in my sponsorship announcement) and I felt instantly comfortable back in the open water.  In the last minutes before the gun, I downed an espresso Hammer gel and it was go time!  After swimming stroke for stroke with another woman for the first half of the swim, I was able to break away and emerged first out of the water (third overall if you include the boys). 

LOVE my new Blueseventy Kit!

Out on the road, there wasn't time for complacency as constant rollers kept me on my toes.  With the southern Nevada heat, I knew that hydration was exceptionally important (something that wasn’t as big of a deal in all of the disgustingly cold races I did last year) so I fueled with Hammer’s Heed and Endurolyte powder in my two water bottles, adding in a tropical Hammer gel at mile 22 (I have to note that this was my first time racing using Hammer fuels exclusively and I don’t think it was a coincidence that this was the first time I’ve raced with absolutely NO bonking or tummy trouble).  

Despite my efforts on the bike, I was passed around mile 18 and came into transition second.  Fortunately, Coach Mace and I have been working on my bike cadence lately so my legs still felt pretty decent exiting T2 even after all the hills.  As my run has magically transformed from a huge weakness to my strength (thanks MPMultisport), I was able to leave T2 with some sense of confidence.  While the woman ahead of me was not yet in view, I soon sighted her blessedly bright kit in the distance and trained my eyes on her back.  Battling rough terrain and a steady false flat upwards, I reeled her in and crossed into first right around mile two.  For me, this is where it became mentally challenging: I knew I was in first but had no idea of what was behind me so I had to keep my pace up without a proverbial carrot in the distance.  Fortunately, the volunteers and other racers were blessedly supported and I was boosted by cheers of, "You go girl" and the like.      

Eyes on the Prize!

Approaching the finish line for my first place finish (fourth if you count those pesky boys), I was all smiles knowing I had raced hard and successfully started the season.  For me, one of the best parts of the day was post-race (and no, not just because I was done).  In the days leading up to this event, I lamented that it would be my first race alone, not knowing any fellow racers and not having a support person along.  My fears were completely baseless!  I had barely entered transition to set up when I happened to see NAU’s Allie Nath who had come down to race with her teammate Elizabeth Wright; I have trained and raced with both of these girls and it was so great to see them!  At the finish line, I was met by MP Multisport teammate Mike Dunn who had come down from the Air Force base in Colorado Springs to race and we were able to get to know one another a bit (btw, all of the above mentioned had great races, congrats all!).  But that’s not all!  The woman who finished second, Carly Johann, and I recognized one another from last fall’s Oceanside Tri and we were able to catch up.  I feel so blessed to be a part of such a loving and supportive community and I can’t wait to see what the rest of this season brings!

All smiles for the Finish!

Oh wait, I take back my previous comment about the best part of the day … the best part was getting a ginormous bottle of wine for my first place finish – now that beats a trophy ANY day!