Just Keep Going...

Ch-ch-ch-changes!!!

2012-01-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, the truth is the more things change, the more they stay the same, right? Once again, I have been absolutely terrible with the whole blog thing. For this, I will just give you one of my 4 responses: No excuse, Sir! But seriously, I have not been totally lacking in social media. You can follow my twitter at jessmeyerstri. I need to figure out how to link the twitter to my blog. (In other words, I need to find someone else to link my twitter to my blog!)

So updates on my front. It's a new year and we have been extremely lucky with the weather. I don't think I've ever gotten out this much in January since living in Oklahoma. We are preparing ourselves for February. Hopefully our luck will continue. Also, last fall I realized I left out quite a bit of information about what's going on in the Meyers household. There have been a couple big changes that as a result change the dynamic of my training. Me being a glass half-full kind of gal mean the changes have been in the positive direction! First off, my husband got into medical school at OSU here in Tulsa. While this definitley brings stress with the uncertainty of our financial situation, I remind myself it's temporary and you can't let that get to you. On a positive note, it is exciting to see my husband love what he is doing. I am fortunate to get live my passion day in and day out, and now he gets to join the fun! And this might be hard to believe, but we actually see him more than when he worked as an enginner. I don't think people know that when we first moved here Lucas was still in the Reserves. Shortly after that when the kids were about 8 months old he started going to classes at night and on the weekend to make this dream happen. I won't get into details just yet--I'll save that for another blog! The other big change is that my kids started Pre-K. They are in school 5 days a week, from 7:45 until 2:45. My babies are growing up!! So how does this change for me? Well, it's the obvious. I have more time to train during the week. But even more is that I have time to rest during the week! (and blog perhaps? ;) This has definitely added much more structure to my training. I do my training while they are at school. I pick them up, and that's it--I'm full Mom. I no longer have that uncertainty of "Oh, I hope Lucas can get home on time so I can get my swim in because I couldn't get it done earlier." And then the guilt of leaving the kids to go get it done. I'm just able to get the work done stress free, and it's making a huge difference--not just in my training but in my emotional well-being. For all of this, I am so thankful!!

In other news, I've got a few new exciting partnerships! However, one that will be staying the same is the Trakkers/Rev 3 Team. But you must know, the "Trakkers" will be dropped and it's just called the Rev3 Team now! Details will come once everything is finalized! Until next time--happy training!! And for you crazies that are already racing--happy racing!! I'll see you out there in a few months!!

Austin 70.3...Take 4!

2011-10-25T05:57:00.001-07:00

Thank you Mario Cantu for the photos.

This weekend I raced the Austin 70.3. This was my first half-ironman starting in 2008. I started training for it a few months before. My twins were 18 months old, and I really don't think I totally understood what I was getting myself into. When I got off the bike, all I could think was, "How in the heck do people run a half marathon now??" I've returned each year, mainly it's as close to a "home" race as I'll ever get. I think of Austin as where I grew up in triathlon. When I was stationed at Fort Hood, which is about 45 minutes north, I spent a lot of weekends in Austin learning and training for this sport. I love the people, the energy, the hills, the heat, and on and on! Despite all this, I've never put together a good race in Austin. I've always just missed out of the money, and I've always had some late season issue going into the race. I vowed this year I wouldn't let this happen again!

We loaded and took off Thursday. Lucas had to bury his head in the books, so he was unable to come. I was a bit nervous driving by myself with the kids, but we made it okay with only a few meltdowns. We arrived at my brother's house and Rowan and Gwyn went crazy for their cousins. Times like these makes me really want to move back to Texas. I love Tulsa, but can you beat being with family? My Mom, who is an absolute Saint by the way, arrived that evening. She helped me with the kids and the next day entertained them while I did my short swim/bike/run. Later that day she loaded the kids up to go visit their other grandparents in San Antonio. (Again, thank you to my awesome mother and father in-law for helping me out!!) Leading into the race was relatively stress free. I had one incident at the pool with a head in collision. It left my head a little sore, but thank goodness I'm so hard headed to begin with :)

Okay, let's get to the race. Kevin and I had a specific game plan for this race. We knew I was running well. We also knew that this was a type of race that sneaks up on you. It gets hot and windy. Also, the run course is hard with some rollers that just come back to bite you in the butt. To top it off there isn't an ounce of shade on the run. They changed the course from last year and we would run 3 loops and exclude the off road portion from last year. I got my stuff ready and headed to the swim, hoping the sun would come up soon so we wouldn't be swimming in the dark. When the cannon went off I was really surprised how aggressive the swim was. I moved over to get some clear water and was back from a few girls. I noticed that I was on Caroline's feet. I also noticed we were losing contact with some girls ahead, so I went ahead and caught the next girl, which ended up being Morgan (who I swam with in Branson). I debated going around her and trying to catch the next group, or just chilling where I was. She decided that for me because I realized we picked up the pace while rounding the last buoy and I couldn't have gone around if I wanted to! I exited and was a little surprised there were so many girls out all ready. They must not have been too far ahead because I passed all but a few in transition. Once on the bike I concentrated on keeping my cool, staying focused, and taking my nutrition. Like I said, this race sneaks up on you. The bike was pretty lonely. I passed a few girls and a few pro men passed me. In the later stages a few collegiate guys (Go Army!) passed me in the last 5 miles. I will say that the roads were in bad shape. The drought caused cracks and holes. The organizers did an excellent job marking, but there was noticeably a lot more chip seal then years prior. By mile 45 I was ready to get off. I felt like my whole body was vibrating and I was just kind of getting bored. This is where I really lost my concentration and I undoubtedly gave up most of my time to the leader (Tenille having a great ride) up ahead. I finally got to T2 and I was stoked to get off the bike and get running. When I headed out I heard I was 5 minutes down. I didn't panic at all. Kevin and I fully anticipated I would be at this kind of deficit. I quickly calculated that if I ran 30 sec per mile faster, I should reach her by mile 10. Time to get to work. When I reached mile 2 I was told 4:20. Uh, Jessica that ain't going to cut it. Okay, keep calm and you have 3 miles of wiggle room. When I got to the first loop I was 3:30 down. Okay better, keep it moving. I suddenly felt better and the crowds were amazing! When I got past the far turn-around I got an update that I took back 1 minute in just that section. I got energized and just started to go harder. Through loop 2 and 1:20 down. I could see the lead cyclist ahead and put the hammer down to catch it. Finally I passed Tenille around mile 10, and I was concerned as she looked to be hurting. I offered some encouragement as we had quite some time on 3rd. When I got to the far turn around coming back I saw she was walking and having a hard time. I hoped she was okay as it was getting brutal out there. Once I reached mile 11 I knew I secured the lead and put the race in cruise control in order to "save" my legs a bit for Miami. Really, it was nice to enjoy the crowds who cheered me on all day to keep fighting. As I made the turn to go into the expo center, I saw Rowan sitting on my brother's shoulders going crazy. My brother yelled, "Are you winning??" Ha! High fives to them, ran inside and my father-in-law was holding Gwynnie near the finish. High fives and kisses to her. Finally I crossed the line and suddenly was worried I was going to pass out! I kept on two feet and my good friend Adam (announcing the race) interviewed me and I have no idea what I said. I was totally spent. I got to visit with some friends (even childhood that happen to be there!) and headed out to get cleaned up and get the kids out of the sun. A quick shout out to Kelly and Derik Williamson--each loop I would find them and they were just calm and cheering as if "go get it done already." I didn't even know they'd be there, what a treat! Also, to Richie and Melissa Cunningham. Richie, my Trakkers teammate, is coming back from an injury and passed me on the run and kept me calm. Melissa, thanks for the cheers and twitter updates!

This was a great day. It wasn't an incredible time, but it's one of those races that force you to believe in yourself. I am most proud that I raced my race and never panicked. We had a plan and we stuck to it. Huge thanks to my family, especially my parents, for always supporting me in this triathlon dream. To my incredible sponsors: Trakkers, Rev 3, First Endurance, TYR, Recovery Pump, Kestrel, Louis Garneau, Avia, 918 XC, and Team Red, White, and Blue!! Thanks for sticking with me. This season has been full of downs, and now finally ups!

Back in Branson

2011-09-19T06:39:00.000-07:00

Last I wrote I was bummed about my race in Vegas. I was scheduled to go do Augusta, which would be two weeks later. In the few days after Vegas, my legs felt pretty decent (minus my quads from all the climbing) and I had a little talk with Coach Kevin about doing Branson instead. At first Kevin was pretty hesitant. I think he was just concerned about my state emotionally after Vegas. He says that can take more out of you then a good race, and I definitely agree with him. But once I took the emotion out of the race, I knew that I was ready to go in Vegas and truly believed I just made a few costly errors there. I knew I was fit and ready for a good race. Was I little scared? Heck yeah! You can't come away from such a disappointing race without doubting yourself. That's normal. But I refuse to let fear dictate what I'm going to do with my life. Branson is a 3 hr drive, my kids and husband could watch, and quite frankly I couldn't afford the trip to Augusta. So Kevin agreed but told me to be realistic. I can deal with realistic.

On Friday I dropped the kids off to school and did some last minute errands of the swim/bike/run variety. Lisa picked me up and we hit the rode by 11. We had a nice little girl's drive to Branson. Once there we checked in and then decided to go ahead and drive the course. I went to this race last year but had my first ever DNF with a broken chain. So it was nice to get familiar again. Also, they changed the last part of the course. Last year was a nice decent back into town. This year not so much! It included going around a school, a bike path, and then a nice little 14% climb. Thanks guys! ha! I'd also like to mention that it rained the entire time. This was going to be a tough day.

Saturday morning Lisa and I did a little bike/run. I was worried because my quads still felt a bit heavy and tight. Lisa reminded me I still have another whole day. What really gave me some confidence is teammate Hillary Biscay's message letting me know that I could do a dirty double. She is the queen of the dirty doubles! And she said the 2nd is usually the better race. Okay, keep telling myself this! After our little day before bike/run we met up with my good friend, Jasmine and her boyfriend Brandon. Jasmine is like a little sister to me. At the OTC when we first met she was 19 years old. We were best buds there and did all our training together. I am admittedly jealous that now she and and Amanda get to do all their training together :( In any event, it was just like old times. I have found that I have a hard time being serious at all when she is around. But I guess that's good for the nerves? We hit up the race meeting later that day and by the time I got back to the hotel Lucas and the kids arrived. They were psyched about the hotel. I apologize to the people below our room as they immediately started jumping between the two beds!

Race morning came and Lisa and I set up our transition 2, then took the shuttle to the swim start/transition 1. I left my bike overnight with my friend Amanda E., who was staying at the hotel there. After getting the bike all set (thanks Amanda again for letting us crash your room), Jasmine and I decided to just chill in the lobby instead of sitting in the rain outside. We put on our wetsuits half way, then took off around 615 (race started at 7). We were the last pros to arrive, but we just racked our bikes and headed to the swim start. During warm-up I knew my "swim" body felt a little sluggish. I hoped that I would have someone to swim with because Jasmine would crush all of us in the water. The cannon went off and sure enough Jaz was gone (by the way she beat all the men). Luckily Caroline was next to me and and I hopped on her feet. Around half way through another girl came by and we all swam in together. I had a quick transition and got on the road. Luckily the rain had subsided and stayed that way until about 5 minutes after I finished the race! My legs felt great, but I still played it pretty conservative because I knew this ride would take over 2:45. I caught Nina pretty early on and knew Jasmine would be well up the road. Once one the main road (they closed off a 4 lane highway, how cool is that!) I could see Jasmine ahead but just stayed focused on my efforts as this ride is literally up or down. On one of the ascents I looked over and poor Jaz was changing a flat. I asked if she needed anything and she said she got it. For the next two loops I just tried to stay focused. I knew I was riding away from the other women, but one thing Vegas taught me was anything can happen! Once we got off the 4 lane highway, we were back on a 2 lane highway and things started to get a bit sketchy. A sprint tri was going on in conjunction with the race. Usually I would have been hammering this section, but this section was open to traffic. Several cars were stuck behind some of the sprinters. So I'm riding my brakes because I can't go around the cars, and the cars won't go around the cyclist. It was a tad frustrating and I definitely lost some time here. Finally what felt like an eternity it cleared out and I was back at it and was finally back at T2.

The run was a 3 loop course that took us through the Branson landing which has a bunch of shops. It was great for spectators and they definitely helped keep the morale high. Around mile 2 Matt Leito caught me while he was on his second loop. He told me to stay with him because it took him a long time to catch me. I did just that and it made the miles just click by. I knew I was putting more time on the girls, but didn't want to take any chances. Also, Matt was pretty entertaining so I had to keep up! Matt, I apologize--I usually have a little more wit when I'm not so tired. The best part was seeing my kids multiple times each loop. They would yell things like, "Sprint!!" and "Move it Mommy!" I also got to see lots of Tulsans out on the course, which was awesome. The best is seeing your training partners: Amanda E won the whole amateur race, Susie was 2nd in her age group, and Lisa was hanging tough after an especially long, hard season.

I got to the finish line and was greeted with flowers and huge bottle of wine. I gave Lucas and the kids a quick kiss and the first thing Rowan says to me is, "Is it time to eat now Mommy?" Ahhh yes, kids will keep you grounded!

It began to downpour so we got the kids out of there and warmed up back at the hotel. We hit up awards. Congrats to all the ladies, it was a lot of fun, hard work! We got home by 730 and the kids were out by 745. I think I made it to 8.

I really learned a lot from Vegas. You can ready my full nutrition report on firstendurance.com. I changed just a few things but it made all the difference!

Again, thanks to all my sponsors who make this possible. Trakkers, Rev 3, Recovery Pump, First Endurance, TYR, Kestrel, Avia, Louis Garneu, 918 XC, Team Red White and Blue. Thanks Kevin for encouraging me and keeping the faith! You always say the right things. And most of all to my family! Your support means more then you'll ever know!

70.3 World Champs 2011, Las Vegas

2011-09-14T08:10:00.000-07:00

Let me start by saying this was an absolutely awesome course! I like it so much better then Clearwater. Just driving the course the day before I knew this had the elements I thrive in: hilly, windy, & "hot"! I was excited for race day and was so ready to go on Saturday I wished it was a day sooner! Sunday came bright and early. This race has two transitions so it threw in some logistical difficulty, but we got it figured out pretty well. I got to transition and wasn't my normal self. By normal I mean that I usually don't get flustered, but I dropped my electrical tape in the dark and couldn't find it, and almost walked off without putting my bike shoes on my bike! What was I doing? Well, in my defense there were 2 or 3 camera crews next to me. No, not taking pictures of me as one would think :) But taking pictures of the bike, or rather the person racked next to me, the awesome Julie Dibens. I was trying to duck out of the video crew's shot half my time setting up. Ha!
We hopped in the water about 10 minutes before go time. I had a nice little warm-up, got in position, and before I knew it the cannon was firing. We took off and I never conceded in the swim like I have in the past. I swam hard and then once it strung out a little bit hopped in behind a few feet, one being the eventual World Champ. I had a great, smooth transition (despite my rough time setting it up) and got out on the course. Right away I knew my legs were ready to bike. I caught up with several girls, and then it became a bit of cat and mouse the whole ride, but also with a male pro?? I tried to keep my distance off the back or get to the front, but never me in the middle because I knew this guy was going to cause a penalty, and sure enough he did. Luckily it wasn't me but not so fortuate for my competitor Melanie McQuaid who hardly needs to draft. She was blitzing through our ride.
Off on the run it took about a mile for my legs to come around. Then I felt strong and ready to pick off some girls ahead of me. My legs were moving, I felt great and I was within 90 seconds of 4 girls ahead while sitting in 8th. Perfect. Around mile 6 I head a rumbling in my stomach. Hmmm, this is not so good. In all of my years of running and triathlon this has never happen. I wouldn't call it a blow-up but more a blow-out if you catch my drift. Luckily there were port-a-johns on site. After a few of these I had nothing. It took all my energy just to move my legs. I've never wanted to stop so badly in my life. But on the other hand, I knew I'd never forgive myself for stopping (although that probably would have been the smart thing to do!)
After letting the dust settle and taking out the emotion, I'm obviously disappointed with my result. I made a few mistakes. While they were simple mistakes, they caused major problems in the end. The important thing is to fix these mistakes, and not spend another minute beating myself over this race. The 10th anniversary of 9/11 is a good reminder that Jessica Meyers having a bad last 7 miles of a 70.3 is hardly a tragedy. Also, I was able to look up and see that my good friend Jessica Jacobs was about to win Ironman Wisconsin. She has had a tough year and it brought tears to my eyes. That is resiliance right there. And then Amanda and Michael Lovato won their first 70.3 together! How cool is that? Finally, I was proud of Heather Jackson for running into the top 5. What a cool chick. I love seeing nice, friendly people do so well. Way to get after it!
I wanted to thank everyone that contributed to my race for Team Red White and Blue! Much much appreciated! And also to my wonderful sponsors, Rev 3, Trakkers, Kestrel, Recovery Pump, First Endurance, TYR, Avia, Louis Garneu, 918 XC. Also to Superleggera for getting my fit just right! Lastly to my awesome parents for coming to support me. You guys are the best pit crew (sorry you always pick the not so great ones!) Until next time!

Better Late Then Never? Buffalo Springs and Muncie!

2011-07-27T06:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am way late in posting my race reports. Apologizes again. I'm a broken record, again...Let's start with Buffalo Springs!

I arrived to Lubbock on Friday. As soon as I got out of the airport I felt that dry, Texas heat and had to smile a little bit. Yes, it's certainly not comfortable, but I love racing in my home state! I will say that the humidity of Houston is nothing like the dryness of Lubbock. Although they are probably equally unpleasant! In any event, I got to the hotel and built up my bike and got to meet up with my vatos, Amanda and Michael Lovato. The best thing about these races is catching up with friends, and I've come to love my vato-time, even if it is a bit tardy!

Saturday was a little swim/bike/run course preview. I knew this race was going to be epic, and like what I learned in Mil Art--a war of attrition so to speak on race day. This race you had to play your cards right, there really was no room for mistakes. To me, one word came to mind--conservation! Getting through would be an accomplishment! The pro race meeting was totally laid back and I got to catch my with more friends that I've know for years now (crazy!) Kelly W and Jessica Jacobs (yes, this might surprise people but I am not Jessica Jacobs :)!

Race morning came too early as usual. Amanda and I kept Michael in order and we arrived to race site with plenty of time. We got the bikes all set up and head down for the swim. I opted for the sleeveless TYR Hurricane. Again, I knew it might not be as fast as the full wetsuit, but I was more interested in conserving. When we took off and got to the first buoy I was just behind the feet I wanted to grab. Perfect. Although right next to me a girl that I don't know is pounding me every stroke. I'm thinking really? Yes, this definitely impedes progress and I couldn't quite catch the feet in front of me, perhaps because every stroke I took half her body was on me. I thought, "Well, she must be a swimmer and know what she's doing, we are getting nowhere." So I moved over so she could go ahead and grab the feet and I'd fall in behind her. Big mistake! She died about 100 meters later and I realized that she probably wasn't fighting for the feet like I was, I think she was probably just a little over anxious and firing on all cylinders! In any event, I couldn't bridge back up, and then I was pulling several girls. This is not the situation I wanted--remember the buzz word "conservation!" So I soft stroked and let the girls go ahead and fell in. I look over and who do I see? Amanda! Every stroke I'd smile at her and knew she was having a great swim, so don't make her laugh! I kept my heart rate down and finished the swim. I got a time check in transition of about 2 minutes down. Not too bad, although I would have like to be a little closer! I got on my Kestrel 4000 and went to work. The whole bike I focused on nutrition and not ever extending myself. I kept a consistent effort that was within myself. I slowly picked girls off and was able to get a good idea where I was at 2 180 turns. I caught Kelly with about 10 miles to go. I rode into T2 and they announced me as the first woman. I thought "how silly, they missed Margie" but unfortunately I learned later that Margie had gone off course, so I really was the race leader. I wish I would have enjoyed it a little bit more! I started the run, again--conserve, Jessica, conserve. Get through it. I was waiting for Kelly to come flying by. Sure enough she did, but not until around mile 2 which really surprised me. I guess I put on a little more time than expected those last few bike miles. I kept trudging along, focusing on my nutrition and putting one foot in front of the other. I kept seeing this guy out on the course (bike and run) and I figured it was a pro woman's coach. After seeing him about 10 times I felt like we were old pals, and he started to give me a little feedback. At around mile 12.5 I said to him "am I almost done already?" He smiled and said just ahead. It turns out it was the legendary Dave Scott! He was Sherpa for his son who started in the wave behind me! Very cool. So I finished with a bit of blurred vision and stayed strong for 2nd.

The next day I flew out straight to Denver. My family was having their annual family reunion in Estes Park. Honestly, Buffalo Springs is not like other half ironmans. It just takes a lot out of you--the heat, the course, the wind. I was beat up. And recovering at 7200 feet is probably not ideal, but good for the soul nonetheless. We had a great time and I'll post some pics when I get them downloaded. "Training" was definitely interesting. I was just really beat up from Buffalo Springs and started to feel pretty run down. We came back to Tulsa for 1 day and then I was on another plane to Indianapolis for the Muncie 70.3.

I'll admit I wasn't feeling too zippy for this race. If I hadn't been chasing 70.3 points I would have scratched it. But being worth more points I decided to go for it. Unfortunately so did a group of talented women, including good friend Kelly W who went on to come in 2nd! If "conservation" was the buzz word for Buffalo Springs, then "blah" would be for Muncie. The gun went off and within my first 10 strokes I thought "uh-oh." I had nothing. My arms just went through the water, seemingly grabbing nothing. I got on my bike and just biked, no power behind them. It was a lonely day out there :) I started the run and actually felt pretty decent, although my time might not reflect it. I finished 6th. For as blah as it was, I had to be satisfied. You just can't expect to be in the race with these women without a little pep in your step. I had nada. Was it worth it? Only time would tell if I got the precious points to put me in the top 25. When it was all said and done, I landed at 27. Hopefully 2 women would decline their spot. Luckily they did and I confirmed my spot to Vegas last Friday.

So where does this leave me? Getting ready for Worlds 70.3 in Vegas! I'm loving that it's going to be hot and hilly. This is my type of course! Again, none of this would be possible without my wonderful family and friends, and I include my awesome sponsors in this friends category! Trakkers, Rev 3, Kestrel, First Endurance, Tyr, Avia, Recovery Pump, Louis Garneau, 918 XC...Just a quick story on Recovery Pump. I brought them along with me to Muncie 70.3 I had a late flight out the following day so I sat around in them for several hours. No soreness! No joke! These things are worth their weight in gold!!

Nutrition at Buffalo Springs (and Muncie), yum...

2011-07-15T08:40:00.000-07:00

Hello all, I'm trying to get my stuff together after two races in two weeks, and a family reunion in Estes Park in between. Those of you who have been so lucky to spend time in Estes know that there is little reception in the area, so I apologize for the delay! More to come about my races, but I wanted to give a quick run down of my nutrition at Buffalo Springs, and Muncie for that matter!

After Quassy I realized I need some more calories. I knew Buffalo Springs was going to be a race that would afford little mistakes. With temps well over 100, nutrition would be key (even more than usual!) in this race. I woke up and ate 3 hrs before--my usual bagel with Justin's Nut Butter with honey, totally 400 calories. I made sure to drink lots of water, but also to sip on mild grape EFS before the race. About 45 minutes before the race I took one scoop Pre-Race with roughly 100 calories of EFS liquid gel. One thing I did do differently this race was to stay away from caffeine before the race. After getting a little light headed in Quassy, I just wanted to see if staying away from the coffee would make a difference. So, in total before the race I had about 600 calories.

Once on the bike I had two bottles of EFS mild grape with 300 calories each. I made sure to grab water at every aid station. So I drank an EFS bottle, then a water, EFS, then water. The temps started to climb, so of course my appetite went south. I couldn't quite stomach all of my send bottle of nutrition, so I made sure I had plenty of gel, 300 calories in total. I was able to get this all in, so a total of roughly 700-750 cals. Also, I took salt every hour on the hour, as I knew I'd really be sweating a lot this race.

During the run it got even hotter. I made sure to grab every liquid I could get my hands on, which included water and the occasional coke. I took about 100 calories worth of gel on the run.

I ended up the day in 2nd, which I'll gladly take! I did get a little light headed, but this wasn't until mile 12.5. I think just about everyone was light headed at this point! It was a brutal day out there!!!

As you can see, my nutrition continues to be tweaked just a little each race. In Muncie I had the same game plan, but this time I decided to break up my pre-race. I had half a scoop before the race, and then put the remaining half (so a quarter scoop) in each nutrition bottle. Did a make a difference? Well, I finished 6th, so let's just say that's obviously why I didn't podium. Joking!!! I really couldn't tell much difference. I will say my swim was terrible at Muncie, so perhaps I'll use the whole scoop to rev of the engine a little better next time!!

Thanks First Endurance for the continued fuel!!

Quassy!

2011-06-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Photo courtesy of Eric Wynn and Sean Watlkins

Where do I start? First off, this race was a big question mark for me. I really debated doing the race. Since New Orleans I've been nursing a calf niggle and I really wasn't sure if the timing of Quassy was so great for the healing process. Two weeks before I thought there was no way possible I'd be able to start the run. One week away I thought maybe I could just start the run and go a short time and call it a training brick. On the other hand, I knew that was not a good scenario. I have never gone into a race with this in mind, because I know me better than this. If I start a race I plan on finishing. In a few rare instances this hasn't happen and I tend to lament it longer than I should! So as soon as I told Rev 3 I was coming, I knew I was all in!

With that said I have to mention that no other race would I have struggled with this decision. I think it's pretty safe to say I would have just said no! Rev 3 is an absolutely incredible race organization. They treat Pros like Pros, but more than that they put on spectacular races for everyone to enjoy. This includes spectators! Quassy is in the perfect location for a race and as soon as I got in and checked out the race site on Friday I was glad I came. Of course there was a little, "what did I get myself into?" between the course and the start list. But I reminded myself that I'm in this beautiful location with the most incredible triathletes in the world and I need to embrace it and enjoy it. I'm so glad I did because it really allowed me to free my mind and not over analyze things. I think in this sport we can be our own worst enemies!

After checking into the hotel Friday I was lucky to have an awesome roommate, Kate Major. She is such a veteran of the sport and also down to earth and most of all funny! (Although sometimes I wonder if she's trying to be funny, I just have to laugh at some of her Aussie "sayings" ie what she yells at bad drivers! ahhh, I still laugh sitting her ;) I digress. Also, many of my Trakkers teammates were at the race and it was great to catch up with them and see how their season is going. Michael Lovato was commentating and I've got to give him big thanks for helping me out and not get freaked out about my situation. He made me feel comfortable that whatever I chose was okay and in the end it's not the end of the world. Saturday was a little bike/run then to the race site for a little swim and race meeting. I didn't have time to get my wet suit on for my swim. The water actually felt great, and the big debate would be if the swim was wet suit legal. The temp that morning was 69, and the cut off is 68. Needless to say it would be a close call!

Sunday morning always comes too early. I got up 3 hours before race start and had my usual bagel, pb & honey. I also sipped on mild grape EFS until the race start. I got my nutrition squared away for the bike and we headed out to the race site. The pro racks were awesome--they had a poster up behind each of our racks. Definitely makes us feel like rock stars! Once we got out there and Kate did some sneaky parking, we learned that the swim would be non-wet suit. I actually was kind of glad by this! This race was odd in that I didn't want to run to warm-up, I figured I'd better save all my running for the race! ha! I took my EFS Pre Race 40 minutes before the start with a quick shot of EFS Berry gel. Once I got on my TYR Torque I headed down to the swim. I think I made the smartest decision of my day here--with air temps in the 50s and the water at 69, I decided to skip my swim warm-up. I knew once I got in I'd have to get out and probably get cold waiting to start. Instead I just did a few dry land exercises to make sure my muscles were "warm" and ready to go. Kathleen Calkins husband was nice enough to take my jacket at the last minute. (thank you so much!!) This proved to be a good move as several of the women were shivering, and a few had to drop out on the bike because of hypothermia. Back to the swim--one of the good things about not running is you have more time to devote to biking and running. I didn't jockey for position on the swim. Most of the strong swimmers lined up to the left, and I started to the right. I figured I would just go hard and hope the feet were there!! When the gun went off (or actually I think it was just a guy yelling "Go" because I wasn't expecting that!) I just swam hard, had a few run-ins but nothing significant. Suddenly I was on some feet and I thought, "I hope these are some good ones." After a few 100s I figured they had to be because I was swimming hard to stay on them. This is a perfect scenario for me--being on feet that I have to "work" to stay on. That's when I know I'm going to have a good swim. We rounded the last turn buoy and I actually felt really good. I suppose I was warmed up then! When we got out I was stoked looking around. Finally, a swim that I knew I could have but just kept missing! I got in and out of transition and realized Rinny was just ahead. While this was exciting, I knew on this course it was important to ride my own race and stay within myself. I immediately felt comfortable and strong. I loved each and every hill. This is my type of course and I never had that feeling of "get me off this bike" that can creep in. Turns out my pace put me in good company. I lost contact a few times but just stayed focused on the course and on my nutrition. Somehow I'd look up and I'd be back up to Malika (who was having a fantastic ride) and Rinny. At around mile 53 I made the mistake of putting my bike in the small gear and then suddenly lost contact and couldn't figure out why. When I realized my mistake I was like Homer Simpson "DOH!" as I lost 20-30 secs right at the end! But on the other hand, it's probably good I didn't run out of T2 with these ladies as I really needed to make sure I wasn't going to hinder my calf more on the run.

At T2 I made the decision to wear trainers, the Avia Rhythms. Let me tell you, there is nothing like running (or stomping rather) our of T2 in trainers. It just feels wrong. I ran out and settled into a pace that I thought I could manage for 13.1 miles. Granted, this was not a great pace. I'll be honest--I don't like getting passed on the run. But this was my reality for the day and this was also not a course you could fake a great run. The good news about running slow--my calf held up great which is a huge confidence booster and I'm not nearly as sore as normal! Imagine that! In the end I finished 7th, which I'm more than pleased with on this day. Am I satisfied? Heck no!! But that's what keeps me getting up in the morning and chipping away at this sport. Things are headed in the right direction!

Now, the most important factor of the race: Nutrition, I had two 300 calorie bottles of EFS mild grape. I decided to have only about 100 calories worth of gel. At around half way I grabbed water to sip on the remainder of the ride. I didn't quite finish the 2nd bottle, so I'm guessing my total calories were about 600 calories. Looking back I probably could have used a little more because I started getting light headed around mile 3 of the run. For me this is usually an indicator I didn't get enough calories on the bike. It's tough in cooler temps to get all the calories in but it's an absolute must! I took more than my normal gels on the run, 3 total. I also took in coke and water at the aid stations. These are all good things to know for the future! Also, I have to mention--an integral part of my training and recovery has been the EFS Multi-Vitamin and the Optygen HP. I know that this has been key in my recovery, which tends to be my biggest limiter. I will definitely be taking these every night!

So, what's next for me? Chasing down some points to get a spot at 70.3 Worlds! Looks like Buffalo Springs and then maybe Racine 70.3. I will keep you posted! Let me thank my awesome sponsors: Trakkers, Revolution 3, Kestrel, Avia, First Endurance, TYR, Recovery Pump, Louis Garneau. My bike store 918XC for putting up with me! Also, Ted at Superleggera for squaring away my fit (he's the fit guru fyi!) Team Red White and Blue, thanks for keeping me motivated! My family, thank you! I have to mention that in New Orleans I forgot to thank the most important person, my Mom. She watched the kids so that Lucas could go with me. Without her it wouldn't have been possible. Sorry Mom I was too busy throwing a pity party, but I hope you know how important you are to me! Until next time!

New Orleans in Pics

2011-04-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

Please excuse that I only have bike photos, but as it turns out my triathlon turned more into a bike TT! Love the Kestrel 4000, and love my Brand Betty designed suit!

New Orleans 70.3, errrr, 62.18725

2011-04-19T06:13:00.000-07:00

New Orleans, New Orleans! I did this race 2 years ago and absolutely loved it. I knew if I could fit it on my schedule for 2011 that I'd be back. There was some question after my bike crash if I could be ready for Galveston, and I felt one extra week of healing/training would do me well so I went ahead and signed up. It actually turned out well. After about 3 weeks down from Costa Rica, I got a great block of training in and came into New Orleans feeling very fresh and surprisingly fit. I love it when a plan comes together at the last moment! I absolutely love my Kestrel 4000, it fits me so much better than my previous bike, and it's just so smooth. Also, Zipp was kind enough to send me some new race tires and I couldn't believe how much better (and faster!) the bike felt. I digress...I left on Thursday afternoon and made it out before all the tornadoes hit Oklahoma. Meanwhile, Lucas and the kids had to camp out in the basement for awhile! No damage, everything was fine. I got to the hotel and had Friday all to myself to completely chill. I relish these moments of doing nothing, as they don't seem to happen often! I also brought my Recovery Boots and spent some time in them. I was feeling very relaxed, which is always a great sign.

Lucas got in that night and Saturday morning we met up with our good friends Jon and Sandra. Jon was doing the race and picked us up to do a little swim/bike/run. I panicked when I loaded my bike and realized my front 808 was completely flat. After sorting it out and realizing it was just a slight mechanical error, I was confident in my equipment for Sunday. When we got to the race site the wind was howling and there were white caps on the water. They wouldn't let us in for a test swim, but I figured in the morning with less wind everything would be fine. No worries.

Sunday morning always comes too early. I got up and ate 3 hrs prior to the start. I also sipped on First Endurance mild grape drink. Although it was not going to be a scorcher of a day, I know from Oklahoma winds that dehydration can be deceiving. We got out to the race site and quickly learned the swim was cancelled. Bummer. I'm never happy about this. Not that I'm the world's greatest swimmer (obviously) but any chance to swim in a race setting allows me to gauge my strengths and weakness. I need to know these things, it's imperative to my training. Plus, it changes the whole dynamic of our race. I want to know where I stand, not where I think I stand in a race (as in trying to add or subtract the time according to where you start). But, this was not the time to dwell. I'm actually very proud that I stayed focused and realized it is what it is, it doesn't change your objectives. 30 minutes prior I took my EFS pre-race mixed with water and a little bit of gel. This stuff is amazing. I love that it doesn't make me jittery like coffee can. And there is no crash, it's just pure power baby :) Seriously, I kept my nerves in check and lined up for out time trial start. The plan was to start 30 secs apart, and I was number 7. I actually kind of liked this. I was able to stay focused in the wind, and there were several 180s where you could see everyone. This was huge for me, I really like to see what's going on. While it was tricky actually knowing where you stand, I knew I was having a great bike ride. My coach and I carefully planned how to execute this ride. I rode conservatively, knowing that the wind would take more out then people realize. I had two bottles with 300 calories each of mild grape EFS. I grabbed one bottle of water from the aid station and had about 100 calories of vanilla EFS gel. I also went ahead and took a few salt. I felt great, very in control and as the ride continued I felt stronger. The was a good sign for my #1 objective-- to run fast. I've been running very well lately and was psyched to have a good run in New Orleans. I got into T2, slipped on the Avia Bolt III and took off. I love these shoes. They have a lot of cushion, which I need for my heavy forefoot strike. When I started running I knew it was going to be good. I felt snappy right from the go. Again, I wanted to be conservative the first 5k, and then really build and try to negative split the run. While I felt great, I felt a little tug in the back of my left lower leg. Almost exactly 1 year ago I experienced a level 2 strain of my soleus. It was kind of a freak thing, I had a sinus infection and had been on the antibiotic Levaquin. I was out on an easy run and suddenly it felt like someone was stabbing me in the back of the leg. I couldn't figure out why--all my years of running and nothing like this has ever happen. Upon further research it turns out one Levaquin has been black boxed by the FDA for causing Achilles tendon ruptures. As you can imagine, I was not pleased to learn this. After a few weeks off, I seemed to get it under control but really had to manage it as it seems to flare up at random times. When I felt the tug in my leg I got a little worried. I backed off the pace a little and tried to change my gait, thinking I could keep it under control. Somewhere between mile 6 and 7 I suddenly got that stabbing pain again. When this happens there is nothing I can do. It's not like a cramp that you can work out. It kind of reminds me of the movie Pet Cemetery when the creepy toddler cuts the old man's Achilles, rendering him totally ineffective. I knew I was done, and trying to do more would probably just tear the soleus more. The problem was this was a point to point race and I was literally smack-dab in the middle. Besides my crash, I've never DNFd (except Branson and Armed Forces one year, both mechanical). I have no idea how it works. I didn't know if there was anyone on the course that could take me back. I just kept moving forward with a walk, trot, thinking Lucas is waiting for me at the finish. Luckily a spectator on his bike was on the course taking pictures. He asked if I was okay. I told him no and asked if I could borrow his phone to call my husband to come pick me up. He was so kind and generous and let me use his phone. It felt great that people were so supportive, other women going by shouted words of encouragement, which was great as I was incredibly disappointed. Okay, I have to tell this story because now it just makes me laugh. So this nice man is letting me use his phone. I'm limp trotting down the road on the phone as he is biking next to me. This part of the course happen to be an out and back. Another athlete sees me and yells out an accusation of "outside assistance!!"??? I'm caught so off guard as just about everyone else is yelling things like, "sorry girl" or "keep it up." Perhaps she thought the man was pacing me as I was gimping along rocking out to Pink on the phone?? I guess in these races at a calorie deficit one can be void of common sense? I'll admit, I was pretty angry. I take my reputation very seriously--and by that I think I'm pretty up front that integrity is probably the biggest quality that I hold to myself and look for in others. But like I said, if you know me then you know this about me. Yelling things like that is just sad and laughable....So luckily down the road I was able to get a ride back from an official and there you have it.

So, where does this leave me? Of course, very disappointed--but mainly because I don't know what triggered my leg for this to happen. I haven't had any problems that would warn me. I'm trying to figure it out as I write this. But on the flip side I know I can get it better and still have a good season, as I did last year. And as for positives, I have confidence of where I am with my fitness. I have confidence in my training plan. I'm not run down, I'm just more hungry to get this leg better and get out there and race!! I never want to let my sponsors down, and I feel as if I've done so. Please be patient with me, I promise good things are to come :)!! Special thanks to Trakkers/Revolution 3, Kestrel, Avia, Endurance First, TYR, Recovery Boots, Louis Garneau. Also, the best bike shop ever, 918XC. The bike rode like a dream! To Rip at Zipp, you came through in a pinch, thank you! Team Red White and Blue, I promise to represent next time! Coach Kevin P, this is the start of a beautiful friendship :0 Most of all to Lucas for being so supportive this weekend and not letting me dwell! Until next time!

Costa Rica!!!!

2011-02-23T08:06:00.000-08:00

With super-star Hillary Biscay. Not only is she tough, she makes a mean coffee...

This weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica for part of Rev3 Tri Series. I got the call a few weeks before saying this trip would also be part of our Team Trakkers launch. At first I was a little hesitant at the idea of racing in February, but on the other hand how could you pass up going to such a beautiful place? I knew my fitness would not be the greatest at this time, but then again I think we are all in the same boat. No one wants to be killing it in February only to be burnt out come October. So I got my mind ready to go, only to get hit by a blizzard that left us indoors for nearly 2 weeks! Not such a big deal, but during this time I got my new awesome Kestrel 4000. With the conditions I was never able to ride the bike outside. Again, not a big deal but as you know with riding on the trainer you never switch gears and it's difficult to tell how the bike handles. I knew it was a sweet ride nonetheless!

So off I go to Costa Rica! The coolest part of the trip was meeting up with old friends, and making new ones. I'm so excited to be a part of Trakkers. I can honestly say everyone on the team is amazing--not just as athletes but as people. This says a lot about the team. I know that I want to be surrounded by good people, and this team has a plethora of them. The great thing about Rev3 is that you are treated like a Professional. They just really get the details down, and I'm excited to race in the series this year. On Friday we had a series of events to attend and Saturday we pretty much had all to ourselves. I did some short riding, swimming, and running with Kathleen (absolute super-star, 2 x Kona AG overall winner). I was so impressed with her. She broke both her thumbs in an accident in October and had just started training again. It takes a lot of guts to be a new Pro and go into a race not feeling prepared. And on top of it leaving her son home, what a star! Again, this was the first time I had ridden my bike outside and I absolutely love it! I was ready to go!

Race morning I got my Endurance First Pre-Race down and was feeling pretty good. I planned on drinking the EFS on the bike and taking some gel. There was some confusion about the swim course. We started and somehow got a bit off course. The pack diverted back on but somehow I went totally blonde and continued on the wrong path. I was frustrated because I should have been more aggressive at the start, there was no reason for me to be swimming off the back and losing contact. On top of it, I kept getting stung. Some say it was jelly fish, others say sea lice (wt? gross). In any event, by the time I got out I knew I had some serious time to make up and took off. We were told this course was flat, which kind of became the running joke. We had to climb a huge hill that seemed to go on forever. I actually kind of liked it- before getting stuck training indoors I'd been training a lot on hilly terrain. I started my first big descent and threw the bike in the big gear and started hammering down. There was a local biking on the course and I wasn't quite sure what she was doing. She wasn't part of the race and I knew I was going to overtake her at the round about at the bottom of this hill. I tapped the brakes and my back wheel came off the ground. Next thing I know I start wobbling and braking more at this point would be worse so I think to myself, "Okay, you're probably going to crash so you need to get over on the dirt and try to avoid that pole." So I prep myself, tuck my shoulder in and get ready to go down. This all happens so fast but I just lay there as the locals surround me. They were so sweet and genuinely concerned. I also heard, "click click click" and realized they were taking my picture!! HA! Not my finest moment! I got taken to medical (with a really hot doctor that Bree called the Costa Rican Doogie Hawser which kind of killed it for me) and knew nothing was broken, just half my skin was left on the Costa Rican country side. If anything, I can say I crash well! I also learned several things. First off, this crash was a 100% avoidable. While it was a difficult course, I know that in the end I was the match that lit the fire. I took a lot of things for granted. I should have known the course better. And by that I mean not just driving it, but actually getting on my bike and riding it. Also, I had no business going that fast on this section. I went down at nearly 40 mph. Without being completely comfortable on my new bike I should have been way more conservative then what I was. Lastly, since I had lost contact on the swim I was rushing myself instead of "keeping calm and carrying on." I need to trust myself and not rush through things. This is not just in racing, but everyday life. This is how accidents happen! Lesson learned!

After the race we had several photos to take. I put on a smile, took some advil and had a good time! Really the pain did not settle in until I got on the plane the next day. By the time I got home I totally became a big baby. Hey, my husband and kids are being really sweet. I'll take it when I can!! I'm on the mend for the next couple of days and hoping nothing is too serious. Looks good so far.

I really want to thank my sponsors! They went out of their way to make this happen--Trakkers, Rev3, Kestrel, Avia, Endurance First, TYR. And a huge thank you for the local support. 918xc jump through hoops to get my bike built, Superleggara to get my fit, and Zoellner Chiropractic to get my legs treated last minute. I can't thank the Tulsa community enough!

Austin 70.3

2010-10-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

One week later and I'm finally getting around to my Austin 70.3 race report. For me, that's pretty good. We'll call Austin the good, the bad, and the ugly. Seriously, I'm actually pleased with my performance. I gave the best that I had that day with a tough field and ended up 6th (again here!) and the first American. I wish my legs felt a little snappier on the bike, but as I rode along with my pace deteriorating, I knew I had no one to blame but myself. However, I knowingly did this to myself, so I can't complain. With the Branson/Augusta "double" and Clearwater around the corner, I trained into this race a little more than I would have liked. I still pulled off a solid swim/run and I know with a little rest the legs and I will be happy by the World Champs!

photos courtesy of asiorders.com

Dear legs, I hope we can be friends again soon.

Yes, happy to be done! Any race worth finishing is worth finishing with a smile!

Gwyn even more happy I'm done. Rowan refused the photo op.

My Dad smoked the bike in a 2:47. Did I mention he's 67?

Also since my last post I got to go back to West Point for my 10 year reunion. It was absolutely awesome. There are so many people I hadn't seen since graduation. I think our class shares a special bond not only formed from the rigors while at the Academy, but also from serving in a war together. It is sad remembering our classmates no longer with us, but it was an awesome opportunity to reflect back and share stories about them. If you've never been to West Point and happen to be "around" you should check it out. It is truly inspiring. Seeing these cadets reminded me of much harder days. It makes me so proud--these cadets go here knowing that they will face deployments and war right out of the gate. My class, on the other hand, thought we'd be serving in peacetime. Boy, that changed pretty quick! I can't praise them enough and I'm truly humbled to be part of the long gray line.

West Point overlooks the Hudson River.

Lillian, my plebe roommate and fellow Texan, and I at the football game.

Inside of the Cadet Chapel. Simply beautiful.

Outside of the Cadet Chapel.

Another view of the Hudson River.With my plebe and yearling roommates Elizabeth and Lillian. (Thanks Liz and Lil for the photos!!)

1 Year Later....My First 70.3 Win!!

2010-10-04T06:27:00.000-07:00

photo courtesy of brightroom.com

I can't believe it's been a year since my last post. That is terrible. You know it's bad when you have no idea what your password is. I will save you from my lame excuses. But what have I been doing? Training of course! And keeping up with Rowan and Gwyn! They keep me busy.

But really, a quick rundown of the last year. I had a great block of winter training and my first race of the year (besides the Claremore World Champs :) was Galveston 70.3 in April. When March rolled around I started having a lot more problems with my sinuses. I went through a couple rounds of antibiotics and would feel better for a short time, but then turn around and get sick again. I never had allergies growing up and I assumed my kids were just bringing me home bugs that I couldn't shake. It had been several years since I'd been able to breathe out of my nose and I finally bit the bullet and went to an allergist. Turns out I'm allergic to several spring/fall pollens (along with cats, dog, dust mites and a bunch of other stuff). Beyond that I had chronic sinusitis and a cyst in one of my sinus cavities. My immune system was shot--I basically had a sinus infection since the previous fall and ended up developing mycoplasma pneumonia by May. From March to June I went on 7 rounds of antibiotics and finally decided to go ahead with the sinus surgery at the end of June. Needless to say, I backed off significantly and started thinking about my 2011 season!

After the surgery I had a fairly quick recovery and felt like a new woman! Oh, to breathe again! And how amazing it feels to not be battling infection!! I had originally planned to do Boulder 70.3 but wrote it off after my surgery. However, a week out my husband encouraged me to go ahead and do it. We were going to be in Estes Park for a family reunion anyway, so why not? Also, I figured if I did the race I could have a recovery week and enjoy my family and not worry about training. I went in totally relaxed with no expectation except to have fun and work hard, and mostly to thank my body for cooperating! I ended up 3rd--a not so great swim which I expected because obviously swimming took the greatest hit with my sinus situation, a solid bike, and an unexpected fast run! Running is my background and I know I have not met my potential in the last few years. It feels great to be getting closer to what I know I can do. The best part of the race, confidence!! This also has been missing the last few years.

I came back to Tulsa ready to get to work. My next race was Branson 70.3 and I was ready. I came into the race fit, confident and ready to race. I had a good swim and transition and was feeling strong on the bike. I turned a corner and heard a strange noise and looked down to see something dragging. It took a second to register that my new chain was dragging behind my bike, broken. I sat on the side of the rode angry, then a little teary, but reminded myself to get my emotions under control so I'd be ready to go again when tech support came. 45 minutes later I realized that wasn't going to happen and Lucas came and picked me up. I went ahead and did a long run and ran into Amanda Lovato, who also DNFd due to double flats. She mentioned Augusta the next weekend and my immediate thought was "no way." I couldn't leave Lucas and the kids on such short notice. But Lucas again strongly encouraged me to go and even made all my travel arrangements. I wrote Amanda and she was in too. Augusta here I come!

At Augusta I was very relaxed which I can thank Amanda for. We kept it light and both figured as long as we didn't have a mechanical it'd be better than the week before. Before the race they announced the Pro Women and didn't announce me. Amanda looked at me and said, "What about you? They forgot you!" I shrugged and said, "I'm used to it, I don't ever get the love." She replied, "That's why you've got to win one these." I realized she was right and today was as good a day as any. Why not me? The swim was downstream and we took off. I noticed the feet I wanted to be on were ahead of me to the right with several people between us. I soft stroked and went around, then put my head down and hammered for the next 500 meters to catch up. When we got to T1, again, no announcement. Okay, this is starting to get annoying. I got out of T1 fast and the rain was really starting to come down. Out on the bike it ended up being 3 of us pushing the pace. I got in and out of T2 quickly (again, no announcement) and was first out on the run. Here's the thing about leading this thing. The energy was amazing!! I really fed off the crowd and kept the tempo going. I had great runners behind me. If they passed me--fine, but they would have to work for it. My running has been going well and I have been doing it so long I reminded myself that this is where I feel most at home. By the time I got to mile 11 I realize I was probably going to win. I thought of my kids and how I wish they were there. I thought of my brother in Afghanistan on his 2nd deployment and I wished he was there. I thought of my parents and family who have always encouraged me not to give up and I wished they were there. And I thought of my husband and his swims that I'm struggling to just stay on his feet and I wished he was there. I got to the finish and couldn't contain my emotions anymore and started to cry. Okay, for me this is pretty embarrassing. At West Point and in the Army you always contain your emotions. I don't lose my composure often and certainly not in public with cameras to record it!! But, it's still pretty awesome!

I had a great weekend and Amanda ended up with a great race as well. I'm so glad she talked me into it! :) I have to thank the Tulsa community for really helping out on my last minute trip--Duncan, Lisa, Amanda R., Ashley, Jennifer, and Bethany. My great sponsors Sport Beans/NTTC and 918XC (best bike shop in Tulsa!!) and to my incredible family for their continued support. On to Austin, my home state of Texas!

Tulsa Run

2009-11-01T04:44:00.000-08:00

Give me some candy.....

Is candy worth this humiliation, Mom?

He warmed up to it, eventually! I guess so!

I finally got to do it. Tulsa Run is in it's 32nd year. It's a 15K and has a huge turn out. And since it offers some prize money, it's also fassssttttt! This year I finally got to do it! In 2007 my kids were about 6 months old and the furthest I had run in almost a year was 20 minutes (keep in mine that includes a little bed rest stint). Last year it came a few weeks after Longhorn 70.3 and I was still battling some hamstring/hip flexor issues. This year I thought it was the same weekend as Longhorn 70.3. When I went to look up results on Monday, I realized it was Halloween. Woo hooo, sign me up! I knew it wouldn't be pretty 6 days after a half ironman, but I knew I could do it, and all the people I train with would be there, and most of all I really wanted to thank Brian and Kathy Hoover at Runner's World for all their support. So I dawned my Runner's World jersey, went and got Dana (3 weeks since Kona), little QuickTrip coffee, and we rolled up at the Downtown Y at 8. It was like a reunion and the atmosphere is so different than a triathlon. Everyone is so....happy? Relaxed? Not sure, but it's much more laid back. I started getting worried that maybe I should be nervous. I always go into a race with a plan. Earlier in the week when I had a hard time walking, I thought to just try to break 60 minutes. Be conservative and go out the first 5k in 20 min. As the week went on my legs felt better, so my time got a little faster in my head. I saw Sean Stephens in the Y and we're usually pretty close, so I asked him what he was trying to run. "55 and a half." Alright, looks like I'm going to try to run a 55:30. What the heck was I thinking? There are thousands of runners and I found Sean within the first 1k. He was nailing his splits. I asked if I could tag along--it felt effortless. We rolled through 5k at 18:30...dead on. Then, somewhere around 6 to 7 k everything went south. My legs just hurt. No, they freaking H-U-R-T!!! Yes, even my compression socks did nothing for me (yes, I am a dork, but I hadn't taken them off all week, my calves are always a mess post race), Sean ran away in the distance, then more and more people were passing me. 10k--38 minutes. Slowed down a minute. Okay, just hold on to this pace. I wish, each k was a little slower and my legs hurt a little more. Lucas found me at various points in the race and he and the kids were cheering from the car. I really just wanted to go get in the car and stop this pain. Then I see Amanda Erwin and she jumps out, holds her hand out and yells, "Keep it up, only 7 minutes behind!!" Thanks for the comic relief, Amanda! 15k--finish, yes! 58:52--slowed down another minute. Well, I broke 60 at least. I could have done it in a lot less pain if I had gone one with my conservative 20 minute 5k! Lesson learned! All in all, it was a really fun day and I'm glad I didn't stop. Plus, I got a cool "sub 60" mug. One year I'm going to do this race "for real!" I doubt I'll be anywhere close to the 50 minute winning time, but I know I can hit those 18:30 5ks, Sean! I won't be dead weight next time!

As soon as I got home I started making the chili for a little Halloween get together. Lucas raked leaves and the kids darted between us "helping." Rowan would take the leaves and bring them inside. By the time I was finished I had a huge pile to clean up. Too bad I couldn't lean over to get them--Lucas had to take over. The kids were amped all day. They completely understood "you get candy from houses today." What they didn't get is that you are supposed to wait until you get home to eat it. More pictures to come...I can't find the stupid cord that downloads the pics. Here are a few from earlier in the week!

Few Pics...

2009-10-26T17:44:00.000-07:00

Gwyn & Rowan hanging out waiting for my return

My Mom saw this helmet and says (totally seriously), "Oh, they designed it to look like an alien!" Yeah, Mom....then a neighbor saw George wearing this and says, "Oh, he already has his alien costume for Halloween!"

George L. Jones is aero. Hence, if you ask him his name he says,

"George Lightening Fast Jones."

Quick Longhorn 70.3 Post....

2009-10-26T17:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, more to come...6th place...4:28 something....I'm am more than happy with this! You know, it's a big improvement from last year, and I still have a lot of room improvement. With my training this year I really couldn't ask for more. Most of all, It was a great time with my brother Elliot's family in Austin! I had to leave the kids at home with Lucas. Rowan got a severe case of croup the day before we were scheduled to leave, so I drove solo to Austin. Luckily I was entertained all weekend by my nephews Max and George. Pictures to come--my sister-in-law Emily got some awesome ones from Max's triathlon with Ian Crocker! Oh, and my Dad flatted at mile 30. Bummer. Next year, Pops!

Taking up a new sport

2009-10-15T12:24:00.000-07:00

I love this photo--Rowan sticking up for me to my bro...
All my siblings together

cousins...a little blurry...my kids not cooperating....

That's right sista'! Bring it on!! This is for not letting me borrow those
Guess jeans!!

Nice move, Jenn...

It helps that I'm an Amazon compared to my sister....

Elliot(bro 1) takes on Jeremy (bro 2)...Trevor (bro 3) watching....

Woahhh! Low blow El! Jeremy protecting his money maker...

Trevor trying to beat Elliot while my neice and sister-in-law heckle....

While I was on break this summer we had a family reunion to celebrate my little brother Trevor's return home. In order to satisfy the Jones competitiveness, we started a tether ball competition. I won the women's division. Granted, I only played 1 person, my older sister, I now have a better winning record in tether ball than triathlon! Hmmmmmmmm..........

In training news, my build going into Longhorn 70.3 has been going well. I love the taper as I'm able to get so many things done! I'm trying not to be too OCD and clean like crazy because really the point of taper is to rest, but sometimes I just can't help myself. The most exciting part of Longhorn is my Dad is doing the race. He turned 65 last month. It's always so much for fun to do a race with someone. Also, it's always fun to catch up with friends! With the end of the year just around the corner it's always an exciting time!

Until next time....

Cycling Shorts

2009-10-13T05:29:00.001-07:00

Gwyn insisted that she wear cycling shorts. I mean, that's kind of cool. Instead of asking for dolls she's asking for cycling gear? Then she also asked for a cycling shirt. The next think I know, Rowan is chiming in that he wants cycling shorts and shirt. And these kids are demanding when they fixate on something! I better come up with a cycling kit pronto or else massive discord in the Meyers house. Luckily I found their "cycling kits" in a recent gift from our friends in Washington. Whatever you do, do not call these soccer outfits. These are their cycling clothes--I can only fool them for so long. The XMAS list is getting longer...

And yes, Rowan is wearing a necklace. He stole this from his Gramms and has been wearing for nearly 3 months. It's kind of masculine, right?

On our ride...

2009-10-12T05:35:00.000-07:00

Rowan's school picture...

Saturday on our ride Duncan said to me, "I stopped reading yer blog. You never write on it anymore." (Yes, I know how to spell "your," this is my attempt to convey is thick southern accent!) Oh, will I get my 3 readers back? I have failed you!!!! To get you up to speed...I took a "break" after Kansas. Partly needed, but partly forced as my kids were out of school and my husband's work forced him to be in the field for a week and then back home for 2 weeks. He did this for four rotations. Training took a hit. While I love Tulsa, it is hard to not have any family near by to help out. Luckily I have an incredibly supportive family and my Mom came up to help the last weekend he was gone. I almost made it!! Soooo, when September rolled around I realized I wasn't in too terrible of shape and decided to stick Longhorn 70.3 on the end of my schedule. I'm excited as last year this was my first half, and I can see if I've improved at all :)

The above photo is from school photos. I'll get one of Gwyn soon. The kids go to a "pre school" at a church here. Last year it was two days a week, and this year it is 3. They go from 9:30 until 2:30 which I found is the perfect amount of time for me to get my workouts in. No messing around if I want it all done! Anyway, the teacher told me after photo day that Rowan really got into it. When I saw the photos I died! This kid is such a cheese! I guess he loves the camera?

I promise to blog better! See you soon!

Long time no blog....

2009-06-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

Okay,
I will keep this brief! I apologize to my avid readers for my lack of blogging. And by avid readers, I mean you, Mom. I raced the Kansas 70.3 the weekend before last. I ended up 7th in just over 4:29, with Chrissie Wellington taking top honors. I wasn't thrilled with my swim and bike, but my run is getting better. The thing about racing Pro is sometimes you end up by yourself, and the bike ended up feeling like a lonely training day. I need to make sure I keep my head in the game, and I know that just takes practice. Also, a better swim always means you're around more people. So, lesson learned! I did get my Clearwater slot--however, I left before I had time to claim it. Gwyn got into household cleaner, "Tough & Tender," which isn't so tender after all. Lucas and I rushed back to take her to Urgent Care, which of course was closed on Sunday evening. So we sat in the ER until midnight. Poor girl had chemical conjunctivitis and a scratched cornea. Then on Monday Rowan got sick...long story short, my "recovery" week was short on sleep, and 5 of 6 days at the ER or Dr.'s office. Ahhhh, the joys of motherhood! This week is the Jones family reunion to welcome Trevor home. Should be fun and full of training partners!

I take my duties seriously....

2009-06-08T14:03:00.000-07:00

I forgot to mention....over Memorial Day Weekend I headed to Louisville, KY for my friend Carolyn's wedding. Carolyn and I went to West Point together and she is one of my closest friends. I was honored that she asked me to be her Matron of Honor. And I proved that I was fit for the challenge...Here I am wiping her sweaty upper lip for the pictures. Now that's showing her the love! I also got to hang out with some other friends from college, my bff Jenn D, my teammate Christine, and Jen C! It was like a mini-reunion! Congrats to Carolyn and Joe!

Updates!

2009-06-08T13:47:00.000-07:00

Becky, Rachel, and Trevor together again

Rachel getting her patriotism on....

I knew that I would be hit or miss with the new blog. In my defense, my kids did learn to crawl out of their cribs, which created a sleep disruption in the whole house for a few weeks. But like anything, with time they are napping and sleeping through the night in their new twin size bed! Training has been going great, it's getting hot in Tulsa, and blah blah blah. I will spare you the details. I'm sitting here sweating and not feeling very witty (but am I ever as witty as I might think? Probably not, ask my husband...) The BIG news is...I'm expecting twins again! Okay, not really. Just making sure you're paying attention. My little brother Trevor is back from Iraq!!! He got back this past weekend! After the race in Kansas this weekend, we're headed for a little family reunion, which will be awesome. It's not often we all can get together, and unfortunately we might be missing my brother Jeremy and his wife Pearl. The other news is that they graduated medical school over Memorial Day Weekend, and they are starting their residency at Vanderbilt. I love calling Jeremy, "Docta Jonez!!" like that little Asian kid in Indiana Jones, do you know who I'm talking about? I think maybe Temple of Doom? Who knows, I'm rambling....One last thing...Duncan, don't kill me for telling this story, but every time I think about it I laugh. Duncan, a retired firefighter and upstanding citizen of Tulsa, is doing his first 70.3 in Kansas this weekend. We were talking about his nutrition for the race and I told him there would be water on the bike course. He then says, in a thick Southern accent, "Shoooot, for two hundred dollars there oughtta give us water, gatorade, (slight pause) and wipe my a$$!" Well put, Duncan!! I'll be sure to pass that along!

I've Missed Mother's Day, B-day, and Race!!

2009-05-18T05:43:00.000-07:00

water thief....

hurry up mom

now let's get bbq...

Lucas & Gwyn waiting...

Finally here I come, with no glasses :(

Rowan out of it thanks to Gwyn keeping him up...

Yes, I am cool...and I am in trouble....

I knew this blogging would be tough to stay up with! To backtrack, I had a great Mother's Day--I got the best gift a girl could ask for--a maid for a day! Oh, I am still in heaven! While I'm fairly neat and can't stand clutter, there is only so much cleanliness I can achieve with two two-year-olds running around with grimy hands. We'll see how long it lasts....

On Thursday my old teammate and swim extraordinaire Sara Mclarty got to spend the day with us. She was racing in Oklahoma City so she took the time to stop by Tulsa and chill with us. Poor girl--"chilling" with Rowan and Gwyn are not conducive to pre-race relaxation. We had so much fun and hope she can come back soon! Maybe some swim lessons for the kids next time, hint hint! :) Pictures to come, but Lucas took the camera to work today....

We took off for Memphis on Friday. We made pretty good time and for the first car trip ever the kids were not totally crazy. They got antsy a few times so we actually had to stop and let them out to run around. Now I see why Mapquest directions take so much longer than what I use to think was "real" drive time! We arrived at the State Park and I told the kids, "This is when we find out if Daddy is a big hero or a big zero." I wasn't so sure about staying in a cabin. Lucas and I agree that after being in the Army camping is totally ruined for us. We have no desire to rough it in the wilderness, desert, or even the back yard. Give us a bed and shower and roof, please! Luckily, while the cabin was not glamorous, it had all of this and plenty of space for the kids to run around and they were in a separate room. This came in handy the night before the race as Gwyn decided to scream at the top of her lungs every 45 minutes. Since it was my birthday and I was racing the next day, my lovely husband sat with her at 1 am for an hour until she calmed down. Oh, and my kids also learned a new trick! It's called "Crawl Out of Your Pack-n-Play!" We are doomed. Hopefully they won't be crawling out of their cribs at home!!

Saturday some friends of ours that Lucas went to high school with came to visit. Nathan and Beth have a beautiful new baby boy and it was fun to see them on my birthday. No cake, though--I'm still waiting for that. Lucas better deliver tonight...

Race on Sunday had the Pros starting after everyone at 1030. While the heat was not a factor this year, the wind was out of control! Memphis in May is one of the oldest, most established triathlons out there. One reason we came back this year is it is always put on so well. This year was no different. I had a blahhh swim, I felt good on the bike although I do feel a bit "slower" since training for the longer stuff. I actually felt great on the run and ended up withe fastest run split. I've been really trying to dial in my run as this is my strength but it hasn't appeared that way in my last couple of half ironmans....slowly but surely it's coming around and I know to be patient. I ended up 3rd behind Pip Taylor and Michillie Jones. I'll take that anyday, they are studs...Oh, my sad news is that I hook my Oakleys onto my bike and put them on while biking. Well, I looked down and they were gone! I am so bummed!! Soooo, if anyone out there forgot my Birthday gifts--as in all of my siblings, yes I say I do not care about gifts but now I actually need something--you know what I need!! Ha ha ha, it will be a cold day in Baghdad before this happens...............I'm putting some photos from the race. Thank you Beth and Nathan for the beautiful photos!!

Ranger That!

2009-04-27T18:53:00.000-07:00

Trevor post "Boston Marathon" in Iraq--he's the one with the skinny triathlete legs...

Trevor running "Boston" on the base...

Trevor looking gaunt at graduation with Becky

The Ranger Tower

My Dad pinning on Trevor's Ranger tab.

I come from a large family of five kids and we are each other’s biggest supporters and also biggest critics. My nick names growing up were, “Fat-ica Pig-ica” or a personal favorite , “Oink-ica.” There were coined by my clever older brother Jeremy who we dubbed, “Ugly-emy ” or “Crooked lips-emy ” Oh, and let’s not forget my oldest brother Elliot—“Dumb-iot and Big Head-iot.” My sister Jennifer, the eldest and first to hit puberty had the unfortunate name of, “Big Nose-ifer.” Okay, so are we getting the idea here? Basically pick out an insulting word and tack on the suffix of the person’s name and there you go! Clever, eh? Yes, I must admit the Jones’ had a vast array of insults that could personally brand anyone for life. For the record—Jennifer has the smallest nose of all the Jones’, Elliot grew into his head, I never understood Jeremy’s crooked lips, they looked fine to me (but of course I went along!) and I like to think I grew out of my chubby phase. Now, if you do the math that’s only four kids. The last is Trevor. Trevor is the 5th child and he is 6 years younger than me (I’m the 4th) and 12 years younger than Jennifer. Trevor grew up in an entirely different family. Trevor is, well how do I put this….nice. He says things that make you feel good. Like when I graduated from college he told me I could be a really good triathlete or several months after having my twins he told me I looked great. Meanwhile, random strangers were asking me my due date. It’s like he came from an entirely different set of DNA. I could go on and on about this, and I’m sure I will in the future, but the real reason for this post is to point out one of the best things about coming from a large family: there is never a shortage of inspiration. Inspiration lately is my little brother Trevor Jones.

So why does Trevor inspire me? Okay…all 5 kids in my family went to service academies. Jennifer went to Annapolis (yes, we still love her) and the rest of us went to West Point. I graduated in 2000. Trevor went in 2002 and graduated in 2006. I think it’s incredible that after 9/11 and seeing his older siblings deploy he still wanted to go. On top of it, he was a freaking bad a$$ junior triathlete. For two years Trevor was ranked #1 for Junior (U19) Triathletes by USAT. Back then USAT didn’t have the developmental program like it does now. Even if it did, I doubt Trevor would have gone this route because he was so committed to going to West Point. While there, he was on the triathlon team but he always talked about the “Real Army” and what he needed to do to be the best officer possible. When it came time to branch, despite both my older brothers trying to talk him out of it, he chose infantry. He graduated and triathlon took a far back seat. That summer he started the Infantry Officer Basic Course and also prepared for the big test: Ranger School. Ranger School is a grueling school and probably the most difficult in the Army and one of the hardest for all military branches. It’s physically difficult, but on top of it you add a severe lack of food and sleep. Elliot and Jeremy are both Rangers and I think it was really important to Trevor to keep the tradition alive. He got married to his long time girlfriend, Becky, and a week later started Ranger School. At the time it was January and cold at Fort Benning. At the end of the first week they had a 12 mile road march. Trevor took off at a brisk pace, hoping to erase some demerits he earned earlier in the week. Midway through the march he started “bonking” but worse. Now, Trevor is a little guy. He’s about 5’9” and he “bulked” up for Ranger school to be a whopping 155. During this bonk he collapsed and really doesn’t remember much, except for being pretty much naked and another pretty much naked man on top of him in the middle of nowhere. It turns out this bonk was actually hypothermia. The naked man on top of him was the medic trying to get his core temperature to rise while waiting for the MEDEVAC to take him to the hospital. His temp was under 90 degrees and once he missed more than a few hours of Ranger School he got medically dropped from the course. Now most who have been to Ranger School, graduates and non-graduates alike, will tell you that if it’s a choice between going back to Ranger School or a deployment, they would chose the deployment. However, Trevor refused to concede that he would not get his Ranger Tab. He never gave up. He got better and tried every option to get back in the school. They really pushed for him to go on to Fort Hood, but he was on a mission. He studied, “bulked up,” and trained all over for the school. Finally he got the okay, re-entered the school, and in 2007 he earned his tab. He epitomizes putting your head down and getting to work.

In 2008 Trevor deployed with 4th ID one week after his daughter Rachel was born. He went over as a Platoon Leader in an Infantry Company. He has done countless patrols, lived in a soccer stadium, lived in a random Forward Operating Base that receives none of the civilian contractors in Iraq. He earned his Combat Infantry Badge, acted as Company Commander, and is now the Executive Officer of his company. This past week he ran a half marathon in conjunction with the Boston Marathon. This is quite a feat for him because his hamstring has been hurt since the first time getting ready for Ranger School. When there are times I don’t feel like training, or I want to throw a pity party, I think of Trevor. He’s never complained, he’s never whined. He’s got so much talent it’s unbelievable. And while he is over there missing the entire first year of his daughter’s life, I get to do this—be a Mom and a Pro Triathlete. He teaches me to not take anything for granted and to be thankful for what you have. Yes, I might not live in the most desirable location for triathletes, but you can make anything work if you want it bad enough. We’re counting down the days until he gets home. Just a few more months. And watch out, maybe he’ll catch that triathlon bug again!

Runnin' In The Hood

2009-04-26T18:04:00.001-07:00

So I've run in some scary places. I mean, I am from Houston after all. Seriously...in college we raced several times at Van Cortland Park. While the park is nice, once you venture out I affectionately called it, "Rumble in the Bronx." Oh, and how can I forget that special place...good 'ole Baghdad. When we would run around the "lost lakes" at Camp Victory I would race around as quickly as possible in the case of indirect fire. Talk about speed work! In any event, I expected it there. I was in a combat zone, isn't that what happens there? However, today took the cake as far as bizarreness...
I met up with Rob for a long run. He's doing St. Croix so his long run stopped after an hour. I continued north around the river, but decided to go on the other side in order to hit up the bathroom. As I'm headed south my stomach is upset and I immediately know I'm not going to make it to the bathroom. (Sorry, gross I know, but it happens). I pop a quick squat by the river and then get going again. Suddenly I notice a few cop cars. I think, "Man, I'm busted!!" But wait a second, would they need half a dozen cops to bust the indecent blond river runner ? At this point I run into a few runners coming the opposite direction and they say, "You have to turn around! The police are blocking the river. There's a man with a gun in the bushes!" What?? I'm confused, annoyed, but strangely not scared. So I turn around and start heading back and sure enough I hear gun shots. No one warned me about Tulsa being the hood! Turns out a suicidal guy was hiding in the bushes with a gun. The police got him--no injuries to anyone. I am really lucky that I decided to hit up the bathroom or else I would have run right past him! And what if I popped a squat in his bushes? Okay, that came out totally wrong, but I think you get the point....

Spring Fever!!

2009-04-20T05:26:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was the famous World Championships of Claremore, the annual Spring Fever Sprint Triathlon. We're going old school here with a 400 meter snake swim at 10 second intervals, 12 mile bike, and two mile run. This is a fun race because it is low key and you get to hang out and talk trash with your training partners and get the legs moving fast! This year my goal was to try to come within two minutes of the men's leader, which I knew could be tough since Chuck Sloan would be there. Anyway, I was seated 9th, Amanda R. 8th, and then Duncan Wise and Dana Chance 12th and 13th. I passed one swimmer and caught up to Chuck, had a quick transition and was off. I noticed once out on the bike there was only one guy in front of me--I must have had a really quick transition! The bike was a bit hilly and out and back, so you got to see everyone. At the turn around I knew I could catch the guy in front of me, the problem is Chuck passed me, and he was on a stinking road bike! Thanks for adding insult to injury :) Dana looked super strong on the bike, Duncan speedy on his new bike and trying to hold off the fast charging Larry Krutka. And Amanda, super swimmer, was charging along. I was so proud! Remember, she was my crew in New Orleans and if she ever really decides to do triathlon she is going to kill it! Anyway, coming back into transition I'm pulling my feet out of the shoes, look up and see this giant white truck coming the opposite direction turning right in front of me. All I'm thinking is, "This is not happening, really? I'm going to break my neck at Spring Fever." I slam on the brakes and begin to turn my body so that my I will hit the cab from the side rather than my head. Oh, and I'm yelling quite a few explicatives that hopefully my children or other small kids did not hear!! I guess the driver heard them because he accelerated so I just missed his bumper. Needless to say this was the highest my heart rate got the whole race. My adrenaline was so high I came out of T2 sprinting and I think I had a pretty good run--but there are no splits posted yet so I can just believe that for now....

I did come with 2 minutes of Chuck (yes!) and Dana took home the overall 2nd, Amanda won her age group, and Duncan just missed Larry. Larry and Donna Krutka are such studs it's hard to be upset when they beat everyone. But we will be working on Duncan's transitions for next year. I think it might be time for him to ditch his bucket!

Afterwards my kids were mad at me. As I started the run Lucas was pushing them in the jogger. Gwyn sees me, puts her hand up and yells, "Mama!!" This isn't a happy "Mama" but a, "What the heck are you doing, you forgot me, come back here immediately!!" They got over it with the free pizza and granola bars. Is that bribing your kids?

All in all a great, fun day. Oh, but maybe a bit more traffic control for next year!

2009-04-13T15:06:00.000-07:00

From New Orleans. Thank you Runner's World Tulsa for keeping shoes on my feet and Chuck Zoellner for keeping the feet healthy!

I really do like you....

2009-04-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so when I first started dating my now husband I thought it was really cool he was such a great swimmer. We met at the Olympic Training Center (me-triathlon, Lucas-pentathlon) he had returned from Iraq the week prior and still could bust out a 1:00 100free long course meters at 6000 feet. This is after not swimming for an entire year. I was impressed. Most of all, I was hoping he could help my swim a little! Well, it never really worked out. You see, he says things like, "You just need to...." or "Just put it in another gear" or "You're making it too hard, it's easy." Hello, if it was easy, wouldn't I have figured it out a long time ago? And I am trying!! And you just need to shove it!! Let's just say I tend to get a little sensitive....This past weekend my parents came to visit so we got to swim together. We had a nice group at the pool, and Rob was there so I knew it would be a good workout. Lucas killed us and then decided to "help" my swimming. He sat on the end of the pool while I "played" swim golf. It wasn't pretty, and I got more and more frustrated, which means I turned into a giant baby snapping at every helpful hint. Finally Rob piped in with, "He's just trying to help you!" Okay, I feel bad now. I really do like you, Lucas. But for now, I think it's best we do not swim together. Or if we do, you owe me a run so I can "help" you with your form :) Seriously, I am so lucky to have someone that knows what he's talking about. But I get the remote....

My First Blog....

2009-04-07T05:35:00.000-07:00

Man! I'm new to this blog thing--I just wrote my first one, clicked on a tab to "preview" it, and then it was gone! So, to sum it up again...I just got back from my first triathlon of the season, New Orleans 70.3. This is only my second half ironman and I'm on a steep learning curve. The field was very competitive and my goal was top 10. I ended up 10th so I was very pleased despite blowing up on the run! I had a great time with the Amandas and hope we can do it again. Most of all, I survived my first trip ever away from my twins, Rowan and Gwyneth, age 2. I really missed them race day and was ready to get home. Lucas did a great job and even cleaned the house a bit for my return. Now that's the way to a woman's heart! More to come....