Ironman 70.3 Austin. End of season.

Where do I begin this time around?  Usually, I would just get right into the race.  However, I would like to open by stating that I was fortunate to have been able to race in Austin.  After our Hawaii trip, it was a rather tumultuous two weeks, as my dad has not been well.  Without getting into details, he is as stable as can be expected and is getting the best care possible in his new senior living community.  Just today, I saw this quote on Christian artist TobyMac's Facebook page:  "Circumstances don't make you who you are, but reveal who you are."  That pretty much sums it up!

Friday/Saturday - Athlete check-in and course study

I've never been a fan of being late to anything or not being prepared for a situation.  On Friday, before running through the WTC check-in gamut, Jon and I drove the bike course.  I had heard stories about road conditions and viewed a current video before we arrived in Austin, but I needed to see it myself, to make mental notes of where I would have to be more careful, conservative on speed, etc.  Let me tell ya, some of those country roads are no joke!  While they did a great job of patching and sweeping all 56 miles, there was no question that certain parts would best be ridden on a mountain bike or tractor.  Worrying wasn't going to make anything change, so I just took it with a grain of salt and moved right along.  We wrapped up by spending time at Ironman Village, then dropping off Chanel at T1, scoping out the lake, and a quick look at T2.  All was good and ready!

Sunday - RACE DAY!

3:45 a.m.  The alarm went off.  Parking at Travis County Expo Center was set to open at 5 a.m. to begin shuttling athletes and spectators to T1.  Only made sense to arrive early.  My bike and run bags were prepped on Friday, so it made for an easy start - wake up, eat breakfast, head out from the hotel. We had a great location, just off the 35 and not far from downtown Austin.  The drive to the race was only about 15 minutes.  Of course, why not have a little entertainment on the way out with drunk guests on the elevator?  FUN!

It was dark at T1 when the shuttled dropped us off.  Chanel made it through the night, and nobody had stolen the morning clothes bag I had wrapped around the front wheel to protect it from thorns overnight.  In addition to the Austin course having a reputation for rough roads, T1 is known for goat heads and athletes getting flats not too far after they mount and start their 56-mile ride.  I wasn't going to take any chances!!  Volunteers were suggesting to athletes during mandatory bike check-in AND on race morning to carry bikes in and out.  But does everyone listen?  Nope!  Then flats!!

After I was settled in, I had over two hours until my swim wave at 8:15 a.m.  We stayed off our feet and just sat around until the first wave started; then we headed over to the swim start to watch.  I was just SO happy to be at the race.  Smiles putting on my wetsuit, smiles in my AG corral, smiles coming out of the swim.  The water was perfect at 74.5, actually feeling warm since it was only low 60s outside.  I had a smooth, consistent swim, so no complaints there!  Sighting was great and I kept checking in with my breathing and form.

When I got into T1, I had every intention of putting on my new pink Zoot sleeves to stay cool.  So much for that!  I was losing time, so I tossed them into the bag with my wetsuit and towel.  As I put on my helmet and shoes, another athlete just a few bikes down was asking if we had seen her bag; it turns out, someone had taken it!  Seriously, people??  I picked up Chanel and headed out.  No thorns...no problem!!

Since we had driven the course, I already knew where I could push a little more and then sit back a bit and be more conservative to avoid tire issues and/or crashing.  It was a gorgeous, sunny morning.  For the first 35-40 miles, the temperature mixed with breeze was perfect.  It was a hilly course, but nothing I couldn't handle.  In the rough areas, I saw people losing water/nutrition bottles left and right, and a few flats on the side of the road, after they had tried to blow through.  At mile 35, I made a pit stop and filled up on water.  Nutrition and salt sticks were on schedule, so I felt great even as it began to heat up until I reached T2.

T2 was craziness.  Bikes anywhere they wanted to put them, meaning any run bags that were there (mine included) were shoved down the rack and had to be located.  Shoes, visor, race belt on, nutrition in back pocket and I was off on the first of three loops between the expo center and Decker Lake!!

The most fun about the run was the supportive spectators, well-stocked aid stations, and we athletes cheered each other on as we traversed the hills and heat.  I also had the support of Team Betty sister Jennifer Rulon, which was awesome.  Each time I returned to the expo center at the end of a loop, it was a spectator party and Jon was there for extra encouragement - and photos - DUH!!  Coach had me keep my heart rate in Zone 3, so I would walk for a few seconds here and there where necessary to maintain it.  I also walked through pretty much every aid station like it was an assembly line.  Ice in the tri top to stay cool, water on my head, grab cola, grab pretzels, and get going!  I had a little quad cramping early on, but it subsided.  Again, I felt great just like on the bike - no stomach issues or anything!  THE BEST feeling in the world was knowing that final loop was over.  I dumped out extra ice I had in my top to stay cool and started pumping my arms as I neared the entrance to the rodeo arena.  SUPER COOL FINISH LINE!!

I have SO many to thank for this accomplishment.  Always first is my Lord and Savior, for making all things possible.  My hubby Sherpa is amazing and has a lot to deal with being married to this athlete!!  Coach Frank, where do I begin??  The man deals with more than Jon, including my whining text messages.  BUT he is a master in his craft and is why I was prepared for all three 70.3s this year. I also need to thank my PT Paul Gagliano at Spooner Physical Therapy for keeping me as pain-free as possible, Kristin Mayer and Team Betty for the support and fun times this year, and Brooke Schohl of Fuel to the Finish/Destination Kona for getting me on track for long-distance nutrition.  Lastly is my principal Ken James; he has been very flexible and understanding with all I have had going on (which led to some missed days at school), but has also kept his faith in me as a great educator.  This balance of support has been phenomenal.

The season is now over.  It was truly epic.  Three 70.3s and PRs across the board in all races.  I'm ready for a great off season, focused on some swim changes, increased running volume, and more gains with strength training.  Come January, the hunt for the Ironman Coeur d'Alene finish line begins!!

Ironman 70.3 Kansas - Midwest Triumph & Challenge

#788 Reporting!

Let me preface this by noting that I registered for this race late last year, before I even completed my first 70.3 in Oceanside.  The assumption was that I was going to "like" the first one so much that I would be excited to head to Kansas a few months after.  I am sure glad it worked out that way!  LOL...

The site for IM 70.3 Kansas was definitely not like Oceanside.  I knew going into it that there could be heat, humidity, and wind.  I just didn't know what to expect at the actual site - Clinton Lake - on the outskirts of Lawrence.  Growing up a city girl, I didn't camp, do the "lake" thing, bugs, etc.  So ya.  There's that.  We arrived just as athlete check-in was opening on Friday.  We pulled into Clinton Park and headed to Ironman Village.  All of the tents were in a high grassy area, with areas of mud since weather had come through.  I said to Jon, "This is definitely not as 'glamorous' as Oceanside."  We both laughed.  There was a group of local women volunteering in the check-in tent, sweet as can be from bib pickup to getting my backpack and tech tee.  After a little shopping and some photos, it was time to get to work getting the layout of the land since it was a two-transition set up.  We checked out the lake as well, then took off to relax the rest of the day in Lawrence.  On Saturday, we came back for the early athlete briefing, where I also had the chance to meet pro TJ Tollakson, someone I have respected in the sport for quite some time.  He had previous experience on the course, so he was very helpful! 

RACE MORNING

As usual, I didn't sleep well the night before the race.  I woke up at 3:45, got ready, ate my breakfast of whole-wheat bagel (I didn't have my Van's gluten-free waffles due to the road trip) with peanut butter, bit of honey, and almonds, then we loaded up the car and drove to the lake.  Our hotel was only about 15-minute drive to the site, which was perfect!  We had a great parking spot, too (always a plus when some walking is involved).  I set up my shoes and other run gear in T2, then walked down with other athletes to T1.  It was a beautiful morning!  Aside from the humidity, the temperature was perfect, and the water was 75.9 degrees - WETSUIT LEGAL!!  Happy dance, I say.  The race director announced it that morning.  Prior to Sunday morning, we had no idea IF it was even going to be wetsuit legal.  The lake had been at 78 before two inches of rain came in early Saturday and cooled it down some.  THANK YOU wetsuit gods!  HA.  I made pals in T1 with an athlete named Tiffany from Nebraska who was doing her first 70.3...we ended up hanging together through the swim corral until we entered the lake.  I also had the chance to meet one of my Betty teammates and wish her luck!  Just about 30 minutes before my wave start, I had my Honey Stinger vanilla waffle, and I was ready!

THE SWIM

Upon entering the water, it felt amazing.  It was relatively calm and warm.  The horn sounded and off we went.  No nerves, just spent a few minutes getting into a good, solid pace.  I felt great since I had warmed up my shoulders, arms, and worked on my stroke out of the water as we got closer to the lake while in my wave corral.  I would say the first half of the 1.2 miles was smoother than heading back in after the turnaround.  Suddenly there were drunk swimmers.  Everywhere.  I was in my happy straight swimming mode surrounded by them.  A few of them were in white caps - my swim wave.  They would run into me, then stop, which then stopped me; they would realize they slowed down, then start sprinting diagonally and repeat the running into people process.  I remember saying something like, "Is this for real?" after a few incidents.  I wanted to PR the swim so badly!  Finally, I was passing the last buoy.  I headed up the ramp, looked at my watch, and smiled.  I had a PR from Oceanside, even with the drunk folks on the course.  PHEW!!

THE BIKE

T1 was amazingly smooth.  I cut my time dramatically!  We had a small roller to climb out of transition to get started.  My front brake was rubbing and slowing me down, so I pulled over for a minute to straighten that out!  We exited the park and out onto the country roads around Lawrence.  The weather was unbelievable for Kansas in early summer.  It was overcast with temperatures in the 70s.  Thank goodness!  The course was hilly, common geography of eastern Kansas.  It was green and gorgeous.  There were portions that were out and back, so athletes would cheer each other on in typical Midwest fashion.  I had a few athletes roll up from behind, telling me they liked my Betty kit and pink helmet!  On my way back in, probably around mile 45, a cardinal was on my side and flew in front of me (yes, Illinois State nostalgia - Go Redbirds!) and it kinda made my ride that much better.  I saw Jon as I came into T2 - smiling and waving as I stopped!  PR on the bike!  WOOT!!  My nutrition and hydration had been dialed in yet again - three Bonk Breaker bites - peanut butter and jelly, four Salt Stick tablets, and plenty of water!

Such happy moments on the bike!

THE RUN

T2 was yet again remarkably smooth, with a huge time drop from my previous 70.3.  I headed out on the two-loop course.  For the first couple of miles, I settled in and checked my Timex GPS to get a good pace.  Oh boy, was I feeling that humidity!  I could see it on the faces of runners when I was coming into T2, but I had no idea why until it was my turn to run.  I wasn't tired or hungry, just having some struggles with the feeling of heavy air.  The clouds were still out for the most part, but there wasn't any wind, so the density of trees and wet grass around Clinton Lake really kept that humidity going.  I took one Salt Stick a couple of miles in, water, then started the routine of pouring water on my head at every aid station to cool down.  I was also grabbing cups of ice and pouring them into my kit.  That REALLY helped.  I also had some Honey Stinger Chews; overall, I stayed pretty conservative on my nutrition.  The course was VERY spectator friendly, so I saw Jon everywhere it seemed.  He was doing his best to keep me motivated, even when he saw me walking a few times in between running.  There were a few rollers on the course, and at one point, I saw pro/coach Lisa Bentley (who was there coaching a few of her own athletes) giving me some pointers to stay strong and maintain a nice jog despite how tough it was getting - all smiles of course and clapping for me.  It was great!  I ran into Betty teammate Sarah who was volunteering at a run aid station, and also saw Erin running out on the course as well.  Good stuff!  Finally, around mile 11, I had pal who I ran-walked with the rest of the way.  His name was Richard, he was from Arkansas, and was completing his first 70.3.  He put his hand out and shook mine as we introduced one another mid-run.  LOL.  Again, great to motivate each other to the end.  I made the last turn into the finishing chute and I was stoked!  I heard my name, the announcer pointed out that I was a teacher and how there were quite a few teachers racing on Sunday!  Awesome!  Educators in action!!  I was given my medal, and at that time, I turned around and high-fived Richard, who had also just finished.  Such great support between athletes and from the fantastic volunteers out on that run course!!  I didn't PR the run, but to be honest, it really wasn't too much off from Oceanside.  It was tough so I am proud of my results!!

Getting hydration and cheers from a Betty teammate!

IN THE END

So, for the results as follows:

1.2-mile swim - 44:30

56-mile bike -  3:30.31

13.1-mile run - 2:24

TOTAL - 6:45, a 70.3 PR of 18 minutes!  YAY!!!

 I have many to thank for the success of this race.  First, my Lord and Savior, whom without none of this would be possible.  Second, my husband Jon, the MOST fabulous Sherpa ever!  Next, Coach Frank for helping me get to the point where I could finish a 70.3, while dealing with whining and/or challenging him on a consistent basis.  LOL.  I also have some wonderful peeps who have kept me healthy on this journey for the last year - Brooke Schohl from Fuel to the Finish/Destination Kona for her nutrition expertise, ART from Dr. Sherman at IronCare, sports/deep tissue massage from Tonya Bratcher at Center for Athletic Performance and Don Wong at Total Lifestyle Chiropractic, and dry needling from Paul Gagliano at Spooner Physical Therapy.  My glutes thank you!  HA.  To my sponsors - Betty Designs/Kristin Mayer and Honey Stinger #HSHive, thank you.  Next, I would like to thank my Betty teammates Andree and Kristina (seasoned Ironman and 70.3 veterans) for checking up on me all weekend in Kansas and keeping me encouraged!  It is a real blessing to be part of the triathlon community, to have these amazing experiences, and to be looking forward to the next 70.3!!

Challenge: Confidence & Comfort Zones

It's something we can all probably relate to.  We have those moments - the ones where we feel insecure, uncomfortable, and may even second guess ourselves.  It can become a vicious cycle that prevents us from achieving a goal, making a change in our lives, or just having a new experience. 

I'm definitely guilty of lacking confidence and wanting to stay in my said comfort zone.

Looking back at my childhood, that's where it all started.  Piano lessons.  Oh yes.  I was SO excited to start, practice at home, and get to be part of a recital.  Then my first competition happened in Lake Geneva, Illinois, where I saw other piano students my age who were SO much more advanced than me.  How am I supposed to compete with THEM??  Zero confidence.  And way out of my comfort zone.  By my junior high years, I lost interest in playing, most likely because of an irrational fear to push myself into the "unknown".

It has been the same struggle since, from athletics I have been involved with, to academic endeavors.  I could always get to a point where I was "good" at something, but then I would be comfortable in that spot.  Decent results, happy parents (when it came to achievements), and all was right in the world.  So it seemed.  In the meantime, I would actually miss out on what could be, what I could potentially do.  I just wasn't aware because my confidence wasn't the best, obviously, and thought that I was exactly where I needed to be.

I would have to say that my academic breakthrough, the time when I felt I really did have something to offer, that I possessed intelligence beyond where I had previously allowed myself to go was during my junior year at Illinois State.  You see, I had a bad semester previously.  Who knew that college professors could see your grades online?  One morning, I was on my way to a political science class - Bureaucracy - when I passed my professor's office and she called me inside.  Dr. Lind asked me what had happened in that semester.  She couldn't understand how it was that I had the highest grade in the class, all based on those long, blue-book essay tests, but had a rather tough semester prior.  I explained, of course.  From that point on, I knew I could do more and FINALLY had the confidence that I could.  I maintained that grade, became her TA, then pulled a 4.0 GPA across the board.  WHY had I not realized this sooner? 

As the years went on, I rode that wave.  I did well with my post-baccalaureate in education at Arizona State, followed by a very successful run earning my master's in English as a second language/linguistics.  Success has all been based on confidence in going above and beyond, being willing to be uncomfortable.  It's quite remarkable, and at the same time, it makes me kick myself for not having that light bulb moment sooner.

Now enter triathlon.  In early 2008, after completing my first two half marathons, I was bored.  I didn't want to just run anymore.  I needed a challenge.  I wanted a challenge.  The confidence was there!! ...Until I got in the water for the first time.  Gone were the days of pool time as a kid, the times where you didn't actually swim, where you didn't know the difference between freestyle and butterfly.  Sure, we saw butterflies...when we were on the pool deck having a snack in between diving for sticks, pennies, rings - you name it.  THAT was swimming as I knew it.  HA!

Oh was it a struggle.  I let myself fall into the same "rut", questioning how I was ever going to be able to swim beyond 25 yards to even complete one triathlon.  I took lessons and swam with two Masters groups.  I just didn't feel the progress.  No progress=no improvement with confidence.  That also carried over to bike and run.  I felt stagnant.  I would finish races, but not with the joy that I should because I felt like I was in a comfort zone that I couldn't seem to escape. 

Just over two years ago, I won myself a swim session with Frank Sole of Sole Swim Solutions.  This guy is not about shenanigans questioning your ability and he's not going to sugar coat anything.  I've never been one to believe in coddling so this coach was right on the money for what I needed.  I kicked.  I talked back (and still do LOL).  He challenged me stop saying things like "I hope..." and "I can try..." when it came to what I wanted to accomplish in multisport.  Changing your mindset is quite the task; you have to consciously be aware of what you are saying and how the negativity is holding you back, even in simple phrases like that. 

We all like reassurance sometimes, but that alone is not going to build confidence and get you out of a comfort zone.  We need people in our lives to test us, to push us.  The old Kathy never would have built the confidence to be successful in triathlon, hit PRs consistently, and continue to seek out more to accomplish and improve on.  She never would have finished one 70.3, only to be excited for a second one just a couple of months away.  (YAY Kansas!!  Two weeks!!)

Coach Frank and I had a post-race discussion a couple of days ago about the San Diego Spring Sprint last weekend.  We talked about how what started as a setback at the race actually resulted in a solid performance.  The ladies 35-39 swim wave was posted to begin at 7:30.  Of course, I was at the bay early watching other waves go off.  At 7:20, I walked down toward the bottom of the boat ramp where I saw some other ladies in white caps.  After a few minutes, we noticed a group of other white caps waiting at the start buoy.  Strange since it was a bit early!  The next thing we knew, the race started for them.  The announcer had started our wave EARLY.  Yes, the rest of us had to chase down our wave.  HUGE confidence builder.  I caught up to the back swimmers, passed them, a few others, then grabbed an athlete's foot and moved her out of my way.  I had never been that aggressive! 

When all was said and done, I had a PR on the bike and run, with my fastest sprint triathlon 5K to date (13/51 AG finish). THAT was confidence.  THAT was going out of the comfort zone.  I had taken a little setback and turned it into something great.  I didn't let it dictate the whole event, which very well could have happened with the old Kathy.  I even said to Coach at one point, "I actually don't mind that it happened.  It helped me see what I am made of."

That being said, I now have my sights on Ironman Coeur d'Alene 2015.  I have said many times that I am not interested in Iron distance.  I guess that has changed!

You see, confidence and comfort zones in my opinion are all based on two ideas - fear and failure.  Once you let those take hold of you, it's like an abyss - if you let it be.  For me, it hasn't been a self-help book that has given me eyes to see my potential, that I can still do and be more than where I am even now.  The Lord has taken hold of my fears and led me through the change.  He has put people in my life like my husband Jon and Coach Frank, both men of Christ, to support me. 

I would like to close my thoughts with two Bible verses, one of which I came across in my devotional study of "A Confident Heart" by Renee Swope, and the other is my favorite verse that is on my Road ID.   We all can choose - let ourselves fall to fear and failure, or rise above it.

"But blessed is the man who trusts in The Lord, whose confidence is in Him." -Jeremiah 17:7

"I can do all things in Christ, who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:1