The Mom in Me

The mom in me can sound like a nagging b+*&;.  I tell my kids to turn out the lights when they leave the room, put a new toilet paper roll on if it runs out, pick their clothes up off the floor and put them away. I tell them to rinse their food down the drain instead of just leaving it soggy in the sink (hate that its gross). I repeat myself daily saying don't talk to strangers, come straight home from school and to wash your hands before dinner. The mom in me sounds like my mom.  

The kids going crazy because it was nice 1 day

The mom in me tells them try their best and to have fun. I tell them they can do anything if they believe they can and work hard. The mom in me still loves to go watch the school musical, to see whatever artwork comes home and watch whatever sport is in season. These days the mom in me is on the lacrosse sidelines, which I must admit is kind of fun.  I'm still learning the rules, but its more entertaining than baseball was.

confused at lacrosse

he is number 5, it took me a whole quarter to realize it was him since he's gotten so big

But, the mom in me loves to swim bike, run and race a cyclocross bike. Unlike a lot of moms, I like pushing myself until it hurts, riding my bike with boys, or through mud. 

CX.....since it triathlon season

I still love having goals for myself that challenge me. I admit it adds to the craziness of a busy house, sometimes stresses me out, but I'd be bored otherwise. Plus having a goal and something of your own teaches the kids, its not all about them all the time. The mom in me cracked at work on Monday. I cried and I never cry in front of people, especially work people. This mom is usually tough as nails, but fatigue, an overloaded week and weather in May that feels like November pushed me over the edge. But I recovered quickly from my meltdown and even though Tuesday this week felt like Friday, I managed to go to work, plus an extra meeting, fit in a work out, go back to work for CPR recertification to come home and record the TBC podcast about  If you haven't heard it check it out. Adam and Scott, interviewing 3 women......priceless.

The mom in me still likes to put on girly clothes and high heels, blow dry my hair go on a date with my awesome husband and do something not related to triathlon or kids. What mom wouldn't want to lose the pony tail and sweat pants for a night out!

1 of my favorites, mtn biking in day, cirque de soleil at night

The mom in me is even published in the book Tri-Mom..Swimming Biking and Running through Motherhood.  Several other crazy moms who also have an endurance habit sat still long enough to put real stories down on paper to make  to this fun book about working training and being a mom. 


 The mom in me still has mom guilt, at times and is always fighting hard to keep the balance of not letting work racing and training overtake life. The mom in me gets more stressed about how to fit workouts in vs doing the workout itself and I admit to skipping a workout if something important comes up for the kids and my usual plan gets derailed. 

The mom in me might swim bike run, ride a bike through dirt in mud, run around in spandex or workout clothes with sweaty wet pony tails, but I also love  to make waffles for kids on the weekend mornings,  see them walk in the door after school excited about the day, try new sports, and at the end of the day tuck them in and hear them say I love you mom, you're the best mom ever.

1 crazy week ending with the jackpot!

This was a taper week like none other. I'm sure it will never be repeated. Nor do I want it to.

Its one for record books on how NOT to go into your first big race of the season with the goal of qualifying for Vegas. A lot was on the line with this race (yes put on my shoulders ALL  by me).  My taper was awful, my race very average, but I managed to get what I went for, a spot to Vegas, and a lesson learned...don't give up even when its ugly

I opted to skip the upcoming  trip to St. Croix with AZ  (even though I loved that race) because now that I work full time,  I am trying to spread out days of work.   I want to   have a few extra days in Vegas and Kona and do summer training trip. Plus  I just spent time in Tuscon and San Diego. The people I work think I'm crazy for sure.   NOLA can be done on a quick trip.  Just ask my coach, Scott! and I managed this race without missing any time off work. The pressure was on  though because damn it I got up at 4:20 in the morning to meet people to swim,  or drug myself to the basement in the dark to run on the treadmill or do intervals on the trainer, and I didn't want that to go to waste!  Plus there is a lot of relief getting the spot early and being able to pick and choose what I do all summer.

My taper week started off with watching the Boston marathon at work, in awe of how awesome the women's race was to only find out at lunch time of the horror that was unfolding. And yes, the first I heard of the news came from none other than Joe Lotus from facebook.  I knew a lot of people there and thankfully they were all ok. But I found myself in tears, hearing that people actually died, and lost limbs, and one of the people killed was an 8 year old boy waiting for his Dad to cross the line. Jack is 9. It just hit too close to home.

Meanwhile it started raining and never stopped. AZ and I woke up to thunder and pouring rain at 1 in the morning.  It just kept on raining. It was rain on top of more rain and we couldn't sleep.  On a whim he checked the basement, and it was a bad dream come true.  The sump pump had quit and there was water sloshing around on the carpet in our newly finished basement complete with new furntiture and theater system. We were up all night getting it fixed so it wouldn't do more damage. I went to work exhausted, missed whatever workout I was supposed to do. In fact all my workouts that week went awful because I was so tired and stressed.  AZ insisted I still go race went into contractor mode and got the basement under control. So I worked 1/2 day Friday, boarded the plane and arrived in NOLA with just enough time to get my packet and see that suspect #2 had been caught!

Secret Service style

For the rest of the weekend, I  was in princess mode, because my bike was being shuttled down by Scott who drove,  and my friend DL and I were being chauffered around by our friend Dan who was also racing. He scored a blacked out secret service style  suburban  at the rental agency with only 4 miles on it so were riding in style! Friday night we took a walk down Bourban street after dinner. A sober view is  much different I'm sure  than if you've had a few hurricanes. After such a stressful week it was fun to just watch and laugh at  crazy drunk people.

Bourban St.

I woke up Sunday excited to race. Its been really since Kansas last year since I raced a triathlon thanks to the ugly injury. Going into this race I had been working hard on my swimming which has been horrific that past few years mainly due to just not getting in the water enough. I can and have done better swimming when I put the time in. So I  have worked hard to try to  get some of it back.  I have been swimming with Kelly Perry 2-3 days a week. She smokes me. Bad.  But keeps me honest, and is always there early which works for me. I also have been working hard on my running coming back from being hurt and I have had some great workouts and have been  running as well as I ever have. So was so excited to test it out in NOLA. 2 years ago there I ran 1:37,  and my goal Sunday was to beat that because I have been running better than I was then.  Its so funny how things can wind up in a race though.

finish line seemed to take forever

The new swim course was actually nicer than expected. ,A  little choppy and a super long wait if you were 40+ female (like 2 hours), but we swam!  It was a time trial start, I had no idea where I stood, because our group included anyone 40+.   Bonus= wetsuit strippers! By the time we actually started the bike the wind was crazy. No complaints from me. We bike in this all the time, but the long 30 miles straight into headwind made it very  tough!  I didn't feel good and knew I was under prepared some on the bike thanks to our horrible never ending winter. I think I rode outside a total of 3 x.  I wan't happy with how the bike felt and how slow the time was turning out to be. But I felt some relief when I got to transition, there hardly any bikes racked. I was able to run my first 2 miles at my goal pace but then it all fell apart. I was getting charley horses in my quads, then several miles later my calves,or arches. I had to walk a lot to get them under control, and ended up running slower than my easy run pace.  Even when I was falling apart no one passed me on the run other than 1 girl from the 25-29 age group, so it must have been ugly for everyone.  Not sure why,  other than the wind was extreme. It wasn't hot, actually perfect. 73 sunny degrees. For me I'm blaming lack of bike fitness and going out hard to race.  I finished 2nd in the AG, with 4th fastest swim (wow, me?)  and fastest bike in AG, and held on enough to get a spot to Vegas.  We barely made it to the airport in time to fly home. Sorry to those around us as we were still sweaty with race numbers. I was home at midnight  just in time to go to work the next day.

podium

Every race teaches you something.  This race,  it was to keep pushing even when the plan is falling apart because you don't know what is happening around you. My run goal went up in smoke, but didn't give up even though I was way off pace. First race is done.

California 70.3, SoCal....and a BOOK!!!!

The calendar says its spring, all the stores have super cute spring clothes out, but the end of March has still been winter like. My friends and I were whining while sitting in a local bowling alley with our kids during spring break while everyone else was away in sunny places. They really should have "shhhh'd" me though,  because at the end of the week I was able to escape the midwest and head to San Diego to watch Adam race IMCA 70.3, and spend a few extra days afterwards being part of a very cool project!

I landed mid day Friday, with enough time to hang out with AZ a bit and have an early dinner before race morning. I must say seeing him get ready to race was getting me pretty fired up for my first race in a few weeks. Early race morning I hooked up with a good friend who had mini Razor Scooters for he and I  to get us to the race start quickly  from our parking spot!  Yep we took the Razors for spin through the dark on our way to the start line! I have raced this and spectated Oceanside before and it has always been pretty chilly at the start, but this year it seemed perfect. As I was scoping out a great spot to see Adam come out of T1 I saw fellow midwest Wattie Karin Langer, and she immediately saw none other than Massi!  We knew we were in for a very special spectating experience having Massi in the mix! aka...#eurostar!

Massi!

#OGs!!

 Lots of Wattie teammates were also there cheering and racing.  During the bike Karin and I wandered around the pier with coffee, soaking up the sun,  and wondering why we stick around Chicago.

Langer!

 I also checked out a few surfers.  The time flew and before we knew it pros were already coming in to start the run. We scored a great spot to watch the run on a downhill corner and cheered for everyone.

 It was awesome to see Adam having a great race and start to his season. He has been working extra- incredibly hard this winter.

I say it all the time……hard work, discipline = goals met. Just saying.

AZ on the run!

Of course a great race, being in southern California, and tons of friends around deserves a reason to celebrate. The post race party with Mules= fun

After AZ left to head back home, I went for an amazing run on a hilly wood chip trail. Finally a chance to run without all the layers. I was supposed to be putting in some race pace miles, but the hills slowed those miles down, but gave my legs a good workout. Race pace miles have to seem easier after that, and I actually felt sweat dripping off me. 

I had to be in another part of San Diego later that day for the start of the special project. So i spent the rest of the afternoon, checking out the beach, surf shops, and coffee shops.  I could get used to that sort of life, so different than the midwestern burbs of Chicago! (how many years left until the kids graduate from high school?)

I can't say very much about the special project I got to be a part of for a few days, but it involved me taking off work during the week,  photographers in the middle of the desert, a crazy schedule each day and hanging with some cool pros. We ate salads for dinner on the side of the road out in the desert with the sun going down, 

in bloom!

saw the the Octillio bush in bloom with the sun coming up and celebrated with delicious Mexican and Margaritas the final night. I had a 3:30 a.m. wake up call the next day to fly back home to real life.

Yum

And, if you've been following my blog you know March was going to be a busy month. Not kidding!  After about 2 years in the making our book is finally OUT!!! I practically cried when I got the email from Deb Hodgett who took an idea that came about with she, Carla Hastert and I were having a "girls night" sitting around the table at a pizza place while our kids played video games. (now thats a classy girls night !) I don't care if it only sells a few copies, we have a book in print!  "Tri -Mom: swimming, biking, and running through motherhood"  is out now on Amazon. Its full of funny stories about trying to train and race, while trying to still be a good mom. Check it out!! 

GET LUCKY

Get Lucky half marathon......

the KSWISS KRUUZ = fast and lucky

We were supposed to go to Atlanta to do a WARM southern half marathon, combined with seeing family, and  potentially fast race.   Meanwhile life other trips and circumstances and travel happen we decide not to go. It just so happens that  Get Lucky 1/2 was the same weekend. A race  along the lake front of Chicago in mid March is super lucky.  Especially this year. (hardly)  I traveled to the city with my friend DL 1 week post Tuscon camp to run the 1/2 marathon. Not really racing since Kansas 70.3, then  a shortend cylcocross season has left me feeling race deprived, so I  was on a mission  for some race redemption.  Even a cold local 1/2 marathon would do.

pre race freeze out

DL and I  were chauffered to Soilder field  St. Patrick's day weekend for the race.  I had a sweet St. Patty's day race outfit picked including Wattie Gear and Lucky Irish socks,  but it was freeeeeezing with the addition of 20 mph wind coming off the lake,  so I made a quick change in the car adding a layer and taking all  the fun out of it! :(    I managed to run solid race.  The NE freezing bitter  wind was howling from the north east  off the lake for the  2nd 10k. I felt I strong the whole way even though the  last 3-4 miles I felt like I was being blown backwards. I wasn't fading from fatigue, just running into a brick wall. Despite slowing down I still felt strong and passed alot of people dying into the wind, who probably started too fast.  No fun podium pictures or post race party. We were ice zombies at the finish.  We bolted into the nearby Congress Hotel to change out of cold wet clothes and get warm amongst the St. Patrick's day parade goers. DL and I in our cute running clothes looked boring compared to the already buzzed parade goers making 1 last pit stop before the parade began.

I ended up 1st in my AG.  Its funny to me anymore.  I am just glad to be racing again.

4 weeks until New Orleans 70.3!, but where is spring. I am now on a California countdown to escape this frozen Tundra that will never end
ROCK The W!

Tuscon.....and a new Age Group

My birthday falls in that transitional time between being completely done with winter, (yet it still keeps creeping around)  and dying for spring and warm sunny weather. It also falls in that time where training really starts to ramp up, needs to start counting and yet wondering where your fitness really is.    I have spent just about the last 5 birthdays in Tuscon (maybe 1 more ???)  For me, I can think of no better way to spend the day than swim bike and running in the sun, followed by some great Mexican food and maybe a margarita to top off the day.

This year's Tuscon birthday trip fell during TBC's training camp lead by Ryan Bolton and a very fun group of athletes. I knew I was heading into the camp short on bike volume, so  my main mission was to get in some good bike miles each day. We were up early to load up our gear and head out to the meet the group for some Gates Pass, Saguaro, Sandaro, or Kitts Peak riding, swimming at outside  U of A, or yea.... a track workout one of my favorite tracks to run on. Just about every moment of each day was  spent transitioning from one workout to the next with some stops for food a long the way. I laughed at my co -workers when I returned to work and they  asked how my vacation was because it wasn't relaxing, but it WAS just what I needed to kick myself in the pants to get some early season fitness. Ryan did a great job setting up some sweet training days.  Camps like this are great to boost the fitness. I sometime wonder if the hard work stays with you once you come back home and return to a busy work schedule and squeezing in workouts around life. I've done it enough times that I can say it is totally worth it and it does help bring fitness to a higher level that you can keep tweaking once  back home. Now days are lighter, (hopefully warmer soon) and I can keep things rolling.

Thanks to Pappa Joel and our friend Ned who drove us all around Tuscon, helped keep us warm and took great pictures!

my coach before he crashed

My top 5's

Camp highlights:

1. riding outside!

still warmer than home, and a better view :)

2. swimming outside!

warming up after a swim

3. hilly tempo run, outside!.with Adam and Scott on the first day in 80 degrees and feeling sweat drip off my face

4. Watching Ryan's fast kenyan runner Caroline Rotich chase Ben Kanute around the track=effortless and Ben looks like a totallly different runner from seeing him run there 1 year ago. Watch out!

some fast...trying to beat the storm

5. Dinner and drinks for my birthday after a big day of training even though we could all barely stay awake


My camp lowlights:

1. losing my contact lense descending Gates Pass and only having 1 for the rest of the camp, at least I still navigated the potholes

2. not being able to climb Mt. Lemmon because the roads were closed, for SNOW!

3. the weather was a bit on the chilly side compared to how it usually is, but  was still better than home

4. having to pack the bike to come back to reality, could have used 2 more days!

5. pulling jumping choya out of my thigh after a pit stop


So now I am in a new Age group. I've raced in a lot of them and am happy to still be motivated enough to race. I have accomplished all I have ever wanted to do in triathlon, so these last few years of racing have been icing on the cake. Often people come up with crazy goals when they go into a new age group, like doing an Ironman. Ha. I must admit the thought did cross my mind last fall as I momentarily thought about doing IM AZ, but it filled so fast I couldn't give it a second thought, which is a good thing. Why do it just because it seemed like a cool thing. I don't really enjoy Ironman training, nor have time for it so what was I smoking.?

My new AG goals are to just race as fast as I can.

Brain Freeze

 

I usually update this blog a little better than I have lately, but I’ve had a case of brain freeze. By now I usually have taken at least 1 trip to escape winter and get some training in and avoid brain freeze, but my first trip out is still a few weeks away so I believe I am suffering from a frozen brain caused from:

making snow angles after shoveling, and the kids weren't home

~ true winter deciding to make an ugly appearance in February; running into that cold wind, standing on the pool deck in a frozen suit can be mind numbing

~work being so busy its hard to think about anything else, I walk out of there after such a crazy day and my brain is frozen

~ the Midwest mid winter routine of mega indoor training or layering it all up to go out and still be cold is enough to cause ice to form in my head

~wondering if all the getting up early to fit in training before work, and you train and you train but a race still seems so far away, and you wonder if you are making any progress

~fatigue from getting up at the at the crack of early then working all day

I’ve tried to overcome winter a few times with some fun. We took the kids skiing in the middle of a wickedly busy weekend of training, Jack’s basketball and throwing a big super bowl party. Even though it was cold it was a blast and made me want to go home to ski the big hills again.

staying warm

keeping the drinks chilled at Super Bowl

 I started goal mile track workouts again at the Vaughn Center and realized…..with a few layers off and the absence of the bitter wind I am running better than I realized. Its just sometimes hard to tell when you are getting blown backwards or sideways and can barely move thanks to all the layers. 

 WattieInk race kits, KSWISS shoes, BlueSeventy wetsuit will soon be arriving so thats motivation to keep the dark cold training going. 

There is light and warmth at the end of the dark cold tunnel though. Its already light 3 days a week when I leave work now!  March will definitely thaw my head beginning with a Tuscon training trip put on by TBC coach Ryan Bolton and......gulp...... a lot of very fast athletes! That will heat things up.  Several very cool projects are coming together in March which are very exciting, along with another trip to California at the end of the month to train, have a little fun and  cheer on AZ and a bunch of WattieInk Elite Team at Oceanside.

Extremes

Sometimes I like a little extremeness to make life exciting, and I’ve noticed things have been a bit extreme lately. If you were to draw a graph of the extremeness I’ve been observing going on around me it would look like a jagged edge sword.

Lets start with the weather (always good for conversation with my patients who inform me of the weather prediction daily) One day I bundle up and head to the somewhat sheltered trails layered and smeared with Aquaphor to be protected from biting freezing wind, to a few days later riding outside in 60 degrees and swearing because I overdressed!

60 degree ride in Jan

layered up

winter trails

Extreme is: going from multilayered running in cold wind feeling slow to doing a timed mile on the indoor track and seeing a fast split not seen for a really long time and realizing the hard work is paying off

Extreme is: going from smashing myself on the trainer with  snot, sweat pouring out of me while listening to loud inappropriate music, to carpooling four  9 yr olds to basketball practice, driving quietly and laughing inside to what is extreme to them

Extreme is: getting excited to run a 5k in February, just because you haven’t toed the line with anything involving running for a long time

Extremes make life more exciting, less boring. But huge extremes in training aren’t ideal and will only take you so far. Consistency is key.

 If you train so much over the weekend that you can’t get up to fit the training in for the next 4 days of the work week, that extreme weekend effort will only give you so much race day.

If your trying to get power on the bike by pushing so hard or fast but can’t hold it and let up, then realize you are slacking and pedal so hard to get the watts up again, is taxing and burning up your legs (cyclocross style, which is extreme!), but for time trialing you might have fried your legs. Smooth steady pedaling with little extremes and a smooth graph is going to lead you to a better, run  vs. an extreme blow up.

yellow line is steady power

Extremeness adds variety to life and keeps things interesting for sure, but consistency in training will give you and extreme performance!