Southern Style.....NOLA 70.3

Early season BIG races aren’t usually something I enjoy getting involved in mostly because of the environment we have to train in from Jan to spring. A change in venue for the 70.3 World Champs, some huge motivation that came from taking about 4 yrs very low key in triathlon and caving to some peer pressure from friends, i.e. Joe Lotus!!!!, convinced me to sign up for an April half Ironman! So I trained in the cold, and wind, and did the killer workouts, to get myself as fit as possible for a Chicagoan in April and headed south to the Big Easy to do the first triathlon I actually cared about in a long time. My goals were to qualify for Vegas. I hooked up with Joe and his gang, including several other TBC athletes for a race weekend southern style!!!! This included country music, a cab driver who didn’t seem to understand numerical order, and a new nick name for me……Quiet Riot.

When explaining to my patients at work who have been to NOLA that I was heading south, I got many tips and advice on where to eat like Emeril’s, where to go, and what types of drinks to order! Drinks with names like Monsoon, Hurricane, Hand Grenade….not Gatorade!.... I was really psyched to head somewhere totally new and different, and of course warm, to race. I laughed at my patients and told them Cajun jambalaya, crawfish, and Hurricanes probably wasn’t the best pre race nutrition. They also couldn’t believe we were swimming in Lake Ponchatrain!!

I did my pre race brick out at the lake and swam in the worst chop and white caps I can recall. I shook it off and assumed it would be calm in the morning, and figured if anything it would just be a rough swim. I felt amazing on my pre race bike and run. Adam let me use the Bontrager disc and front set up he had in Cali, and I of course was hoping for some of that 2:18 bike magic to come my way! LOL. I was a little concerned about the cross winds with the disc, and that I might be blown into the lake. I was also wondering why I felt so good on my pre race brick. Scary, because normally I feel lousy during a taper, and my motto had always been feeling lousy in taper workouts = a good race. So I didn’t know quite what to expect. I also mentally had the most confidence going into a race than I had in a very long time.

Race morning I woke up excited and psyched to race….no feeling of dread or ugh or what the heck am I doing! On the drive out to the lake, Joe got a text from someone already out there that the swim was canceled. I didn’t believe him, and neither did anyone in the truck! I actually didn’t believe it until I heard the race announcer saying it while I was getting body marked. I was bummed there was no swim even though its my weakest of the 3, wondered why they didn’t just shorten the swim, and disappointed they didn’t do some sort of 2 mile run first to break up the field and make the race harder. The wind was crazy, and someone most likely would have drowned, so I guess it was a safe call. But you can’t stress or be pissed about things like this. You take what the race gives you and that is the race, so race it. Of course it changed the dynamics of the race, but on that day the race was a bike/run so saddle up and race.

We stood around for an extra 30-45 min before the TT style race started. It was chilly, I wished I had a few more layers, but hanging out with this crew kept me laughing and entertained until it was my time to go.




The bike was windy and flat, it seemed we went for ever into a big killer straight flat headwind. There were 3, 180 degree turns, and 1 section into the bayou, 2 bridges over the Mississippi out and back. I don’t love flat courses, but this was fun! I felt strong and passed a lot of girls in the AG, but kept riding as strong as I could because with the TT start I didn’t know who was ahead or behind or doing what. We had the tailwind behind us coming home and I felt like I was sailing, almost wiped out on a downhill right turn I was going so fast before entering T2. My legs felt almost perfect right away running my bike through the grassy transition. I tried not to get too excited, put on my running shoes and Garmin and heading out for 13.1 miles from Lake Ponchatrain to the French Quarter. I felt great from the start and tried to follow the plan of starting the first 3 miles controlled before hitting race pace I have to say I loved this run course. It goes along the lake, then into a park. There are 4 maybe 5 out and back sections but through a park with tree lined streets, great crowds. After the first 3 miles I picked it up, took some risks and just ran. I caught several more in the AG including 1 who I know from racing over the years as a cyclist phenom. The last 3 miles were into more of the headwind and along a rough surfaced road as we got closer to downtown. A right turn and a long straight finish into the heart of the French Quarter and I was running with a huge smile because I had it a 1/2 IM run PR. Half Ironmans have not been good to me. For so long I focused on Olympic distance or Ironman throwing in a few halves here and there which never seemed to completely click until then.

In the end I finished 2nd in the AG, with a spot to Vegas!



The AG winner kicked our tails pretty good, so I don't think having a swim would have changed the results in the top 3 at least. All the TBC athletes had great early season races!!!! Sure I was disappointed in no swim and what could have been my best ½ IM ever…at the lovely age of 40 something! We all celebrated by heading to Port of Call in the French Quarter for burgers and Monsoons in honor of the Monsoon like weather we were treated with race weekend. I laughed so much my cheeks hurt. Would I go back to NOLA to race, definitely it is a very cool venue and a very fun destiation race to excape Chicago.

Thanks to my coach Scott Iott, who had me so prepared that I actually felt confident and like I could take risks and race for the first time in a long time, and to Joe Lotus for convincing me to sign up for the race and come to Tuscon and train, and to Adam for sharing his bike goodies and balancing kid duty when he is IM training. He actually started his long run on the TM on one of the nicest weather days, so I could go run the Dewey Dash 5k!

Next up. Recovery! Then re-group. The great part about all the winter hard work is getting to just train, and do whatever races sound good through the summer to prepare for Vegas.

Spring Cleaning.......

I recently had a serious need for a detox diet from the self indulgences and over connection of triathlon life, which prompted a trip home to Oregon to the foothills of Mt. Hood to clean the mind, brain, lungs, muscles fibers, and even my TT bike Scotty P got a daily cleaning as every time I saddled up to ride. Every ride I did, though, I was covered in rain, mud, road slime, and pine needles requiring a serious clean job after each ride. I try to take good care of Scotty P.






Even though seriously drenched I loved riding through the hills and green forests. Riding from my parents puts you in Mt. Hood National Forest along the Clackamas River within about 3 miles.



I was in heaven... even completely soaked or being pelted by hail. Running under these conditions was a bit easier, and luckily the skies cleared for goal mile day and I nailed my best goal mile track workout ever leaving me pretty excited for things to come. And thanks to the North Clackamas Aquatic Park for such an awesome pool. They have entire 8 lane regulation size pool designated just for lap swimming with extremely convenient times and, wow, it coast 2.00 each time I went.! Imagine that, no kids with floaties or water aerobics classes to fight with! There is a separate pool for that. Why is it other cities seem to get the pool/ aquatic centers right? And Chicago and vicinity seems to just not get it?

Yes, I trained, but then totally tuned out. I read a lot and 1 book I read was Apollo Ohono’s, NO REGRETS. This was an incredibly inspiring book. Did you know he could leg press like 2000 lb!, and I loved hearing about the ways he challenged him self to deal with discomfort, even in daily life situations like standing in a long line at the store, or …this is my favorite: ...he would buy his favorite candy which I think was Nestle Crunch, and put in out in a bowl to tempt him as he walked by, but he would teach himself to deal with the discomfort and not indulge! How about that for discipline and focus. For me it would have to be chips and salsa sitting out.  I had a new appreciation for focus and discipline after reading this!

Race season is upon us. Many have toed the line and crossed the finish line already testing themselves in their early season form. This is a good chance to re-evaluate, re-assess and then move forward with the rest of the season. Following an early season race you still have time to do some “spring cleaning” on the entire training plan. What needs tweaked, added, cut out? Do I need more strength, less sugar or fat, more power, less brain clutter, more speed, less poopy pants ( remember I’m a mom), more focus etc. You get the idea. If you wait until mid summer to test the waters, even in training, then that leaves little room for changes and more work to be done.

My first race is less than 2 weeks away now, it is early! Ouch. And, yes I want to do well my first race of the season. I’ve been working hard trying to be prepared to race and see where I am. Maybe I should have read Apollo's book in Jan. though!

Spring is in the air; my landscapers have shown up to make our yard pretty since we can’t. Races are approaching. Are you in need of some spring cleaning? Are you even aware that some spring cleaning in your training plan might be needed. Can you show up to race with “No Regrets?”

Open the windows, shake out the rugs, spring is here. Time to race!

I AM SO LUCKY!!!

Recently I have been dramatically reminded how precious life is, and with that realize how much I take for granted. I whine sometimes, and stress and feel too busy to stop and smell the roses because I need to get X workout in, or X thing crossed off my list. I take the path of least resistance because it fits better, works more smoothly and gets done faster. I'm a perfectionist and want to be good at it all. I know I miss out on some of the really good stuff when I do this. Sometimes I feel like I skate through life.... 1 task to the next without appreciating all the good things. So on my flight home from my 2nd trip from Tucson in 2 weeks(LOL/ oh my!), I decided to think about how lucky I am and came up with this:




I have 2 incredible kids who keep getting more and more fun. Its not like they weren't fun at 3 and 4, it just keeps getting better. They make us laugh, they remind me of how we used to be, they keep us on our toes. Jack and Kaitlin are 8 now. Where has time gone. They are amazing kids.



I am a successful physical therapist in a sports medicine clinic. For so many years, this was my dream. I studied like a psycho triathlete trying to qualify for Kona to get into PT school, and then get out. Now I get to help people walk again, lift something overhead, or run again. I also get the privilege of helping triathletes, and runners achieve their dreams through coaching. TBC is an amazing company to work for. And having putting in the time, the combination of both gives me the opportunity to periodically take off for the sun and mtns and train.




After "Xty" some years in the sport of triathlon I still love to go out and swim, bike, run, do pull ups, push prowlers, race, and do cyclocross. Some days or weeks I like biking more than running, while at other times I the reverse is true. There have even been times I'm excited to go swim. I still love that at 43 I still have the motivation and drive to go out get fit and want to race.

I have an amazing family that is so supportive of all the "unconventional" things Adam and I do. I have amazing parents and in-laws who have always encouraged me to chase my dreams. My family spreads from Oregon, to Illinois, to Georgia, and a few places in between. 3 amazing brothers, and 3 amazing sis in laws!

I have so many incredible friends who share the same dreams, challenges, ups, downs and crazy life as me. Where would I be without my friends to fall back on!


Last but absolutely not least, I have an incredible husband, who continues to amaze me and and leaves my jaw dropped in all that he can accomplish with racing and growth of TBC for sure.... but also as a husband and father.




Of course there are many more things I feel lucky to have...but, what things are you lucky for?

To Run or Not To Run.............

…..that’s the million dollar question I am frequently answering.

With years of experience treating orthopedic and sport related injuries as a physical therapist, years of training and racing myself, and coaching my own incredible athletes I am often helping coaches, athletes, and my own clients answer this question. Is it ok to still run?

Athletes invest a great deal of time, money, energy, sweat, heart and sole into following their dream and achieving their goals (if you haven’t noticed just signing up for Ironman isn’t cheap). When training catches up to you and your body starts to talk back in some way telling you with pain that it’s not happy, it’s hard to stop and interrupt the training. Athletes often push through the pain, keep training, ignoring the symptoms which often results in even more dysfunction.

Over the years I have developed some guidelines for my athletes, and clients in the clinic who find themselves in pain, injured or trying to train through an injury. I’ll share some of these generalizations here and you will see a lot of it is common sense, but when dealing with pain, the desire and motivation to keep training all rational thoughts and common sense is sometimes lost. My ultimate goal as a physical therapist and coach is to keep the athlete running or participating in their sport. However, there comes a time when resting is the smarter choice and will allow the injury to heal more quickly. When all conservative options, such as rest, ice, modifying training still results in pain, then use common sense and seek professional medical help to get some treatment. This will ultimately help speed up the healing and recovery process, and allow a quicker return to training.




Don’t Run When:

1 Obvious trauma: severe trauma resulting in exposure of bone, inability to contract a muscle or stand or walk. Laugh, but you’d be surprised! I’ve seen it all!

2 Limping or severe compensation: running with pain to the point where you are limping, significantly altering form, stride or foot placement to avoid pain. This will likely lead to tissue breakdown somewhere else only adding to the problem

3 Pain with ADLs: when pain (other than general muscle soreness) is experienced during normal day to day activities just walking, standing, sitting at rest; then likely running is not an optimal choice

4 Pain increases during a run: if experiencing pain and it worsens or becomes more severe and sharp while running, then stopping is recommended

5 Increased pain at night or when done running: this is your clue that you are dealing with some injured tissue and likely continuing to run without modifying the training or seeking treatment will only aggravate the condition.


Run When:




1 Pain decreases throughout the run: its ok to keep running when you start out
and feel pain or discomfort and after a short duration it diminishes and goes away, then it is ok to continue the workout. This may take 12-15 min. as the blood and oxygen circulates to all the muscles. Running for this amount of time will most often not worsen or aggravate a condition. If pain does not diminish during this amount of time, pain increases, or compensation/ favoring is occurring, then stopping the workout is the best option; when coming back from an injury sometimes you will feel it during the warm up. The injured tissue has to adapt to the stress of running again. As long as it doesn’t continue or increase then continuing the run is ok.

2 Injured tissue has gotten a rest/and or some treatment and pain has decreased: try the above option and see how the injury responds. If pain does not diminish or decrease during the warm up, then stop. Running for this short amount of time most likely will not set the athlete back.

3 Modifications have been made: sometimes injured tissue will tolerate running
at a slower pace, or decreased volume and still allow the healing to occur. If the symptoms are minor, then try slowing down and cutting back. If after trying that pain is still present then seek some professional help from a physical therapist, chiro, physio or medical person with some expertise to guide you through the injury and return to running.

Run Smart and Train Safe :)

This is how we roll!

This is one of those posts that won't offer too much in from a coach or physcial therapist perspective, its just about some fun training.

I LOVE to get out of here in the winter as much as the next person and passed on a few early winter trips leaving me dying for some sun and warm weather training. Gasp. I've never waited until the end of Feb. to escape Chicago in the winter! Our ritual trip to Tuscon in February wasn't initially scheduled as Adam and I were planning a low key trip to San Diego instead to be just train and hang out. We found out 2 days before we were supposed to leave that rain was in the forecast for the entire weekend. I can handle rain, but I didn't pass on other trips, take time off, or want to spend $$ to be stuck indoors, cold and wet. We almost canceled the trip and tried to re-schedule for another time, but when?.......we are booked out until next Oct practically! :)(thats how we roll !) So last minute tickets were booked for Tuscon. Thank you Southwest! and Pappa Joel for making room for us at the house and my "Jerry McGuire" husband for pulling off a last minute ticket switch. This is how we roll!

No glitz no glam just get up train, roll from workout to workout, hang, and crash pretty much sums up the weekend...and thats how I wanted it. Just put my head down, train, suck it up when it hurt, then chillax with AZ.

Some highlights:

I literally stepped off the plane and headed to the track. A track workout outdoors and running in shorts and a tank on a regular track vs. the 200m indoor track with mtns in the background!!! What a way to start the weekend!

Riding to and climbing Kits Peak. Ouch this is a TOUGH climb. I didn't climb well and that is usually my thing. It seemed way harder than Mt. Lemmon. But I thought it was just that I had been riding behind Adam for the 2nd day in a row and my legs were starting to go. Apparently though it is a steeper grade. Same elevation gain but shorter distace. Whatever the "excuse" it was still hard, but awesome to see different Mtn. We also got to see tons of Border Patrol out keeping us safe. Is it good or bad if you see tons Border Patrol vehicles all a long the way?


Sun mtns, climbing...just try to wipe the smile off my face.


We usually found ourself swimming at 7 or 8 at night at an outdoor pool. I loved this pool. Who can beat swimming outside with the sun setting in the background. Even tired, I felt like a good swimmer again.

We watched MMA Sat. night. LOL. Weird, I was actually looking forward to it. I can't even believe I'm saying that. I don't care for the repeated head bashings, but it is amazing what kind of physical shape they are in and what they can do, and...their hamstring flexibility blows mine away! And we both said that no matter how bad our killer brick workout the next day would be it wouldn't hurt like that. And, it makes our little pathetic boxing workouts with the trainer seem like nothing.

I did my Sunday long run at the end of a lot of good efforts. I was suprised how good I felt running on our hard hilly loop at the end of all the training. Tuscon had snow Sunday morning so I had my Skinfit layers on and was attacked by this:




This porky prickly thing must have wanted to try some skinfit too and came with me for the remainder of my run because I couldn't pull it out of my arm!

Next up, another trip to Tuscon! This time with some other Trainingbible and fun Chicago athletes!

Training Camp, Local Style!

Heading into a long weekend home with a forecast of warmer weather on the horizon, Jack gone on a long weekend to Florida, and Adam off working in Costa Rica (I was so close to going on this trip, but passed so I could save some days off for some upcoming training trips!!! ), I informed my awesome coach, Scott that I had some extra time and he could load me up with some good training. This is one very cool thing about having a local coach ! We looked at the weather re-arranged some things and voila….my own little local training camp. The only interruption in this would be 6 hrs of work on Friday rehabbing the injured.

While adventuresome travel off to train in warm sunny places is always fun and usually very beneficial especially during the winter months, there ARE some benefits of a training camp from home.(well at least thats what I was telling myself) Luxuries such as of your own king size bed to crash in at night when walking up the stairs becomes a challenge, stress free travel, larger supply of clean workout clothes to select from, familiar training routes, a little extra cash in your pocket and a lot of motivation, because after all if you can train in flat, cold grey, windy climates, it makes warm and sunny seem easy.

So here are some highlights of a training camp from home!

Thurs: this is my day off from work, and with 55 deg temps on the way, we made this my big brick. It was my first ride outside on my TT bike since Aug. I was anxious to see how the power intervals would feel outside vs. the trainer. This time of year we are always provided wind that can blow you to Canada and I was psyched to hit my threshold and it seem easy compared to the trainer.1 minor mis-hap= flying through Maple Park and crossing the slick tracks a little too fast, caused my rear skewer to come loose and my rear wheel drop out!!! Good thing I love cyclocross because I had good bike control and didn’t crash! Make sure your screws are tight! Off the bike with T-run and a goal to hit. I’ve been doing a lot of short hard bricks but this was the first run off a long ride. I felt great and hit the target. At the end of this I headed out with girlfriends to Bien Trucha, locally the BEST for quality mexican food and margaritas. No need to go South of the Border for food like this.

Friday: a little trickier to fit in workouts but it was sunny and warm. A swim in the morning before work. Here’s proof I’ve been swimming some:


6 hrs of treating some really cool clients and seeing them walk, run, raise their arm overhead again made working a little more tolerable. Then I took the cross bike out for a recovery spin. The wind was crazy but the sun was out and it sure beats the trainer. Friday evening was spent celebrating D. Delgado’s 40th. Probably not the best for recovery to dance walk and dance around in these:




But I couldn’t miss the chance to dress like a girl, and be out with friends, and hear a U2 cover band.




Sat: I was up early enough to make coffee before masters, only to find my coffee pot had died, oh the nerve! So I sucked down a caffeinated Gel to get a jolt, and headed out. I was lucky enough to see this on my way in to swimming:



My typical lane seemed a little crowded and the fast lane a little sparse, so I sucked it up and moved over. I felt good and didn’t mind very short amount of rest until about 2000 m when calves reminded me I had been dancing in heels and were cramping. I managed my way through the full 4000 though. The day warmed up and stayed sunny and I didn’t have to dress like a snowman to do my long run. When it hits 45 deg this time of year people are driving with windows down, sun roof open and music blasting like its summer. All kinds were coming out from the cracks and depths of hibernation making my usual route more entertaining. I did have to stop ½ through to strip down a little. I chilled Sat night and tried to do a better job recovering. Next up Sunday…..my Goal Mile track workout. I love this.

Sun: Track workout. Finally the tracks are clear of snow but it is freezing rain, slushy and cold again. I kept debating in or out/ but wimped a little and headed to the VAC (Vaughn Athletic Center) where there is an awesome 200 m. indoor track. I had recently been watching an indoor track meet watching the UBER fast women run circles indoors. If they can do this, then so can I. I usually do this workout of the week rested, so I didn’t know what to expect trying to hit these times at the end of some solid training days. Can I just say I hit the times and ran as fast as I nearly ever have, ever? Hmmm. was it dancing to U2 music in heels? Bien Trucha? running tired? Fitness coming around? Who know I’m not questioning it. I had an easy spin to recover which I had planned to do outside but our typical Feb. weather returned found my way to the trainer again.

Final item on the training agenda was a massage right here at the house!

CABIN FEVER

Winter training has been taken to an all new level this year.

Old man winter has provided us with everything winter has to offer, snow, arctic temps, ice, more snow, wind, blizzard complete with 20 inches of snow and gale force winds enough to shut down school and….everything else (including Cosport where I work which in the history of 16 yrs of working there, has never closed) and then more arctic cold.

To those training for Boston. I commend you long runs outside in this…or, on the TM…ick. I’m not sure which is worse. Which is why as long as I live in Chicago, Boston is never a big dream of mine.

To those training for an early season IM or even ½ IM……..I commend you. Long rides indoors, long runs out in frigid temps or on the TM, jumping into a pool when you are already frostbitten from just walking into the health club…. I commend you. Oh, wait. I am 1 of those people training for an early season ½. April as it turns out. When I signed up I was hoping for a mild winter. 

Below are some tips I have found to ease the pain with that comes with hard core winter training:

 wear Skinfit, even just during ADLs (in PT world that means activities of daily living) and during outdoor workouts
 put your coat, running gear, etc in the dryer for 10 min before putting it on
 use the blow drier at the health club to heat up your swimsuit and cap
 put the Garmin in cadence mode when running over black ice or glazed over snow to avoid seeing the slow pace, focus on form
 create an awesome, lengthy, and killer playlist for you Ipod with all your favorite rockers push you through those long indoor workout sessions
 go to Carla’s Sunday morning bike class to help pass the time with “gossip topic” of the week, 3 hrs is nothing!
 drink LOTS of very HOT coffee in the early morning and laugh at the thought of giving it up
 Mtn bike through deep snow because you are sick of the trainer, ouch.
 wear your coat for 20 mininuites when you come indoors
 plaster Aquaphor all over your face before running outside in arctic temps, then re-apply all the best moisturizers repeatedly on the hour afterwards to avoid the cracked, scaly, summit of MT. Everest look
 FOCUS and BELIEVE………. that this will only make you stronger and faster and APPRECIATE the warmer temps …..when they finally come…. even more.

And yes, I actually do all of the above.