High Altitude Adventures

I never turn down a good excuse to go to Colorado so I lived the dream for a bit racing, training, and visiting family!  Teammate and training partner, Max Jones, and I loaded the car for a road trip to the Rockies and it was anything but a smooth ride.  After being detoured through Aspen due to a rock slide, hail, and epic white-knuckle driving rain, we finally made it to NoCo about five hours after expected.  Thankfully, I was able to meet up with Patrick of PR Triworks to help me get the 15 pounds of water out of my frame/wheels before heading down to packet pickup.  Then, it was off to Parker to relax post-race with my brother's family. 

A little weather climbing past Aspen

Unexpected detour

Already winners

The post-race smile is deceiving

My cheering squad!

 

Race day was a bit of a mixed bag for me though I'd say it was an overall success.  Despite some nausea I was able to come out of the water in my Blueseventy Helix wetsuit with a PR before riding my pretty (and well cared for by Pro Cyclery) Miss Cleo and HIE Cycling wheels to another PR on the bike, woohoo!  Unfortunately, things fell apart a bit after that as nausea and that nagging glute issue getting the best of me.  Thankfully CoachMace was there at the start of lap two to talk me off a ledge and inspire me through the finish.  I'm glad to be making consistent progress in the first two legs though, just need to put it all together!

Following the race, I hung out in Recovery Pump boots, spent more time with family (my nephews are just the cutest), and enjoyed a rare relaxing day (including big fun at the Parker Days festival) before heading up to the mountains for camp.

MPMULTISPORT HIGH ALTITUDE TRAINING CAMP 2015

Camp was a whirlwind of incredible awesomeness.  We saw new friends and old, spent quality time with coach, got nourished by the brilliant John Lawyer of Licksillet, took in some of the greatest views on the in the country, and trained our butts off!  Time flew by way too fast but I enjoyed it all.

Patrick and Max doing some bike maintenance

Individualized plates from John

And we feast!

View from the living room - not too shabby

Rainbow siting from our porch

View from right outside the pool

Sunset view from the back porch



Day 1

The traffic woes continued as we made our way to Granby but once there it was well worth the drive!  The views from our cabin were absolutely breathtaking (though that may be partially the elevation).  After an insightful FMS (functional movement systems) presentation from Max, we hit the trails to shake out our legs and find our lungs.  I was fairly certain that death was knocking on my doorstep as my heart rate surpassed 150 while shuffling through miles way below "normal" pace - this made me more than a little nervous about the training ahead.

All stocked up and ready to go!

 

FMS Training and talk from Max



Day 2

Tuesday began with a great pool swim led by Coach Tess.  Swimming at altitude is tough but sharing a lane with a few of my college chronies made it all worthwhile.  After breakfast, it was time for our first ride.  Unfortunately, some big black clouds filled the sky just as we were about to start.  Fortunately, however, coach just happens to be a former meteorologist and confidently held us back for all of ten minutes before we were in the clear.  Because it's me (and these things just seem to happen), I was amongst the group that got a little lost on our way to Winter Park, but technology is a key and we all found our way eventually!

Waiting out the weather

 

Right after being "found" - thanks Max!

 

JT looking so aero ...



In the afternoon, we were fortunate enough to have some metabolic efficiency knowledge dropped on us by the legendary Bob Seebohar of eNRG PERFORMANCE.  Feeling all inspired, we then hit the trails for another gorgeous run.  Of course, three workouts is never enough so Steve ran me through a tough core workout before dinner (which served to show where a few of my weaknesses remain). 

Thanks eNRG!!! 

 

Steve about to lead me through a workout while Paige and Mike stretch, JT and Hannah roll ... and coach watches from the comfort of his chair - hmmmmm

Day 3

A few of us greeted the day with a short pool swim before loading up the trailer for our day of training.  The group started off at Lake Granby and rode from there.  With our time limitations in mind, Coach Frost said something along the lines of, "Only the studs will make it to the peak," which basically meant "Bailey is about to get stubborn."  The ride was a gorgeous  rolling climb through green woods and meadows and the summit was reached (even though it meant only seven minutes of our allotted hour lunch break was left).  Next it was time to freeze our butts off in Lake Granby (a mountain lake in June isn't too toasty) with an open water swim and tactics lesson from Coach Tess before warming up again with a light run.  After this successful day of training, we relaxed by taking over the party room at a local restaurant (where I thoroughly grilled and annoyed the manager to determine the one item on the menu that would be edible). 

Ready to ride!

 

Thanks Frosty, Mike, and JT for getting me to the divide!

Made It! (continental divide in the background there)

 

Just in time for lunch

 

... and the ladies' lunch photo

Grateful for our Blueseventy suits!

 

And we feast

 

 

Friends new and old: Tess, Paige, and JT

 

 Day 4

Call me crazy but I wanted to enjoy every last second of my final day at camp so I dragged myself out of bed for one last solo trail run (of course, it was time to leave right around the time I started to get used to the elevation).  Then, it was off to Lake Granby to begin our biggest ride yet!  We rolled out from the lake in the opposite direction of the previous day and headed towards Rocky Mountain National Park.  30 miles later, we hit the summit at 12,213 feet after climbing switchbacks across the continental divide.  I think one of my favorite parts was the looks of surprise mixed with both awe and disgust that we received from trail-mix eating, selfie taking, couch potatoes parked at the scenic overlooks.  Speaking of scenery, however, the views were awe inspiring.  That ride was something I don't think I'll soon forget!  After a team photo at the visitor center, it was back down the mountain for a final swim in the lake.   

 

 

So worth it

Still a little snow on the roads

Mike was a great riding partner (and the sole reason I got ANY sleep Thursday night as he prevented my detour to the airport - thanks Mike!!!)

If only all the roads were like this

2 miles above sea level and still climbing!

Bikes need a break too

Whole team made it to the top!

#MPTrainingcamp2015

Love these super legit ladies!

Tess, Paige, Hannah, and Elise

 

And best of all, I saw a moose on my way down!

 

Unfortunately, I had to leave camp a day early and drive through Thursday night to get back for Friday morning clients.  Fortunately, I was armed with the adrenaline rush of camp coupled with audio books and some fantastic mariachi music on the mountain radio stations of Utah (and maybe a few too many cups of coffee). 

 THANK YOU so much to everyone involved in making this trip a success.  Thank you to Coach Mace for convincing me it would be worth my time, to Max for basically signing us up to go before actually receiving my consent, JT, Tess and Frosty (and of course Mace) for superior coaching, Patrick Ray (PR TriWorks) for the daily sag/bike support, John Lawyer (Lickskillet) for putting up with my dietary shenanigans, and to my TEAM (new friends and old) for being a constant inspiration.  I'm already counting the days until camp 2016!

 

 

Thank you for the continued support Pro Cyclery, Hammer Nutrition, Blueseventy, HIECycling, Pro Motorsports of Fond du Lac, Las Vegas Multisport, Riplaces, It'sYour Choice Training, Duro Tire, and Anthem Fitness!



So, What am I NOT Allergic to Now?

Before I begin, yes, I did race this weekend.  I'm staying in Colorado for MP Multisport High Altitude Training Camp so I'll have my race report combined with that in about a week.  In the mean time, as promised here is a little update on the saga of my allergy and nutrition woes!

I have always had a fairly finicky stomach; it seems as though the smallest things will set it off and make me feel terrible for days.  This improved dramatically after giving up wheat three years ago but things again became progressively worse over the last year.  A dramatic change occurred then after spending several weeks sedentary while on pain meds/antibiotics/etc last fall; it was as though something latent had been set into motion.  This spring, I finally decided to go to the doctor for some blood work and to knock out a basic allergy test at the same time.  In late April, I was shocked to be told that in addition to my wheat sensitivity, I am allergic to corn, eggs, sesame, and peanuts, yikes! 

Originally, I was most concerned to be forever bidding adieu to my banana-egg concoctions and holiday themed peanut butter cups.  Outside of tahini and Asian food, I didn't consume much sesame anyway and I figured corn would be an easy one to avoid; then my research began.  Corn is in virtually everything!  Seriously, it's disgusting; I carry around a 10 pt font, two sided, double column list with me of all of the products out there made from corn.  In addition to the obvious (corn syrup, corn starch, corn oil), things like baking powder, xanthum gum, most sweeteners, most artificial sweeteners, flavor extracts, food colors, alcohols, fillers, and preservatives are made from corn.  Even fresh fruits and vegetables are usually sprayed with a corn based preservative before hitting the shelves and require extensive scrubbing.  I've had to take a close look at and make changes to most of my pantry - about half of my vitamins ended up on the "no" list as well!  It has been a trial by fire month of figuring out what I can and cannot consume.  On the plus side, I've essentially been forced to adopt an even healthier lifestyle with a diet of organic meats (no additives allowed for me) and fresh fruits and vegetables with natural seasonings primarily cooked at home.  I've been forced to give up my diet soda and energy drink vices and to put a lot of thought into everything that I consume.  I'm now an old hat at calling 800 numbers and sitting on hold to find out what their citric acid or "natural flavors" are derived from.  Unfortunately, in our nation of subsidized corn, it is hard to find information on this allergy.  For some reason, marketers are happy to advertise corn-free dog food but it's stunningly difficult to find information on corn based ingredients (wheat, nuts, eggs, and soy seem to be the primary ones listed).

 It's taken about a month but I am finally starting to feel better!  A few weeks ago I accidentally ate something that I believe was corn/sesame based and I felt crummy for two days; this served as an excellent reminder of how much healthier I am beginning to feel.  The extra weight that seemed to pile on in late fall/early winter is slowly starting to peace out, I'm training stronger, and recovering faster.  I know that I am still learning a lot and have a ways to go but it's beyond exciting to be on the road to recovery!  A huuuuge thank you to Tess of MP Multisport (Registered Dietician, MP Coach, and great friend) for tirelessly working to help me navigate this mess!

 

My weirdie "mush" breakfast now minus the eggs: sweet potato, Hammer Vegan protein powder, chia seeds, psyllium fiber, sunflower butter, almond milk, and a banana - yum!

Lunch time delight: kale, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, tuna, avocado, and mango

Zucchini "pasta" with ground turkey, spinach, tomatoes, peppers, and olive oil

I think it's as good as dessert - or at least I tell myself that

Mashed beets, ground flax, raw dark cocoa powder, and stevia





Early Season Race Reports

And the comeback tour is on!  After a few "learning experiences" (ie frustrating and disappointing races), I'm finally starting to settle into 2015 and post-injury racing.  I'm now three races into my season (plus a swim meet) and yet to post a race report so here's a quick summary!

 

RageSprint Tri

I kicked things off at one of my favorite local races, Rage Tri, put on but the super rad people at BBSC Endurance.  I haven't raced a sprint in a few years and forgot just how tough it is to properly execute one of these fast and furious events!  I committed the cardinal sin of overconfidence and skated through the finish only to find out later that a rock star high schooler in a later wave edged me out by three seconds!  I was kicking myself for days after this one but still had a great time racing with all of my friends in the Las Vegas multisport community!

Rage Podium



 

USMasters Swimming Spring Nationals

Coach Vic of Las Vegas Masters can officially talk me into anything.  After realizing I could hit USMS Nats in San Antonio in the same trip as Ironman 70.3 Texas, it was on!  This was my second swim meet as a masters swimmer and first time racing the three events in which I competed (200, 1000, and 1650).  I especially enjoyed my first event of the meet, the 1650, and was able to surprise myself with the result.  The best part of the meet was the company, however.  I absolutely adore my LVM family so it was great to spend some time out of the water with them!  Additionally, I was able to stay with my Aunt and Uncle for a few days which is always a blessing. 

 

  

Texas meet entertainment

 

 

 

  

Distance ladies heading out

 

Our gorgeous competition pool

 

 

Ironman70.3 Texas

As soon as my last event was complete Friday afternoon at USMS Nats, I got behind the wheel and scurried myself down to Galveston, TX for IM 70.3 Texas.  Arriving to my homestay much later than anticipated, I quickly put my bike together, strapped on some bike lights, and got out for a quick ride.  Saturday was then spent completing the pre-race checklist while dodging rain and thunderstorms.  My homestay host, Dean, got me where I needed to be throughout the day while prepping for his own race (a relay with his friend Mark) the next day.  Finally, the rained cleared out and the three of us went to a gorgeous sunset dinner of fresh seafood right on the bay.  It should be noted that I had no hesitation in selfishly monopolizing the bed that night while Mark slept on the couch and Dean on the hardwood floor.  #sorrynotsorry  In the morning, I introduced the boys to my two pre-race traditions: a bowl of unidentifiable mush and a dance party! 

Couldn't complain about the dinner view

I was concerned for a bit that we may just be doing the swim in the street





Both the men's and women's fields were stacked and there were some fantastic results out on the course.  I, however, did not have such a fantastic day.  I let my guard down and fell off the pack in the water, lost focus (and consequently speed/power) on the bike, got myself dehydrated, and epically bonked on the run.  Obviously, this is not a combination for a fantastic race result!  That said, it was a great learning day for me and another step towards better days and bigger goals. 

You can practically see the humidity

Relaxing post-race with Dean and Mark



Ironman70.3 Raleigh

Following Texas, my coach and I really got to work and put in five weeks of quality training.  Additionally, I took on a huge transformation in my nutrition.  For the past year (especially the past 4-6 months) I have had fairly perpetual and, at times, debilitating stomach trouble.  I finally got myself to  a doctor and was diagnosed with a slew of food allergies (I intend to have a much more detailed post up about this sometime in the next week or so) and have had to make some major alterations to my diet.  While this is never fun or easy, I'm finally starting to feel better, woohoo!  I'm still experimenting but my new race nutrition plan of whole/natural foods coupled with Hammer Endurolytes is starting to  get dialed in.  Heading to Raleigh, I felt much more race ready than in the previous month.  Originally, I hadn't planned on making it to Raleigh, but with generous Southwest points donations from Bob Wojak (Pro Motorsports of Fond Du Lac) and my dear Megan Peterson, I was on my way!  While in North Carolina, I was hosted by super-rad elite runner Stephen Furst who slowed his pace to run with me on a local trail, helped me get my Blueseventy training tan on at the pool, drove me all over Tibmucktoo, and fed my now-neurotic tummy (I now know how to steam an artichoke - worth the trip right there).  Unfortunately, I mysteriously strained a muscle in my glute on Friday and spent the 36 hours leading up to the gun hobbling about.  Fortunately, the massage therapist at expo was a miracle worker and got me loosened up to a point that I was able to compete. 

As the race had a point to point bike course, we had an extra early morning in order to catch a shuttle out to the race start.  While my gas station coffee was nothing short of disappointing, I was fortunate to find myself riding the 45 minutes next to Jackie Hering (badass pro triathlete AND fellow Wisconsin girl - who could ask for more?).  Knowing that my run would likely be at least somewhat altered by my glute, I made a decision, supported by Coach Mace, to go all in on the first two legs of the course and hope for the best on the third.  Mentally, I typically save something for the run so this would be a new approach for me.



A few minutes into the swim, I started to get excited; I had made one of the main swim packs for the first time in my professional career!  It was such a great feeling to get out of the water relaxed and confident as opposed to feeling like I'm already behind.  As Raleigh is a hilly course with a net elevation gain, I was expecting pure misery.  However, I ended up having a BLAST!  In addition to the gorgeous scenery and constant change of elevation/direction, I was able to ride most of the 56 miles near two other girls which kept the course fun and my effort focused (resulting in a new bike PR).  As with the bike course, the two loop run course through town was far from flat.  I'd be lying to deny misery but it was well supported and I was able run negative split for a mid-pack 11th place finish - a definite improvement from just a few weeks ago!  Also, despite the tough course and humid conditions, I managed to make a pretty big PR and get a little closer to my season's goal. 

 

I still have a long way to go this season and in this sport but am pleased by the progress I have made this spring.  After a rough start, comeback time is officially on - next up, Ironman 70.3 Boulder on the 13th!!

 

Thank you for the continued support to Coach Mace (MP Multisport), Hammer Nutrition, Blueseventy, HIE Cycling, Pro Cyclery, Pro Motorsports, Duro Tires, It's YourChoice Training, Las Vegas Multisport, and Anthem Fitness. 

 

2015 Detox Final Report

Well, I made it!  On February 18^th I completed my little six week detox and boy do I feel better for having done it!  It never ceases to amaze me just how much what I eat can affect my physical, mental, and emotional well being.  While I’m still not quite down to racing body composition (nor should I be at this time of year), I certainly made progress in the right direction!  My head feels clearer without the spikes and subsequent crashes of refined sugar.  While this can be partially attributed to simply gaining back some of my lost fitness, I feel as though I am bethter able to train hard and recover quickly.  Also, I feel more in control of what I’m consuming, as opposed to it being in control of me which is a great feeling.  When on a strict diet regiment, I find it significantly easier to just cook for myself; eating out becomes a headache of hunting down ingredients and requesting specialized orders.  That said, I lead a very busy life and don’t necessarily have time to prep/cook quality meals and snacks every day.  Over the past six weeks, I have become a wizard of advanced preparation though!  I shared several of my recipes/experiments in my halfway update post (which a friend endearingly refers to as the “unidentifiable mush” I eat); here are a few more!

Tuna, pears, avocado, mustard, and vinegar - also great on top of kale and/or with sweet potato

Greek yogurt with a boatload of cinnamon 

Cabbage, jalapeno, red onion, vinegar, stevia, and cilantro - my Superbowl side

Seafood stew: shrimp, salmon, tilapia, squah, onion, and tomato

Almost chocolate cake: egg whites, mashed avocado, cocoa powder, and stevia

Hammer Nutrition always keeping me fueled!

Pineapple "Cake": Pineapple chunks, Hammer vegan protein powder, and an egg white.  Yum!

Despite the success of my sugar detox, however, I continue to struggle with aspects of my diet.  I frequently experience sudden insatiable hunger, get headaches, or have energy crashes; I also would still like to shed a bit of excess body fat.  Last week, I began working with MP Multisport's nutritionist (and good friend) Tess Mattern.  Tess has me doing a few things that I know are for the best but are still a little scary: eating more (healthy) fats and worrying less about my caloric intake.  As someone who was once rather overweight and who has obsessively tracked her diet for years, this is more than a little nerve wracking!  I am now working to boost my Omega-3s through the deliciousness that is olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, and avocados: yum!  Additionally, Tess has me cutting down a bit on my fruit intake (fruit is awesome, of course, but I have actually been eating way more than is beneficial) while adding in a few healthy grains (quinoa, steel cut oats, brown rice, etc).  Finally, we are cutting down (not out) on my overwhelming coffee habit in favor of green tea.  On Friday, the first day I followed some of my new rules, I was pleasantly shocked at how long I was able to last without becoming ravenously hungry – it was great!  While I’m, of course, trepidatious about some of these changes (especially the coffee thing), I’m excited to see what positive changes are in store for me!