Doing Peanut Butter

(the picture is bad these shoes were light blue, and socks were white)



Its May and time to start racing.

I have done some training this winter, nothing like years past, in fact I feel like a slacker a lot of the time compared to what I'm used to. But with May here the races are starting and its time to see what the indoor training and winter full of fun has left me. I had signed up for the TriZou Tri at the Univ. of Missouri (formally Race For Sight). I have done this race a bunch of times, in all kinds of formats, venues and weather conditions, and love it. It is always competitive and a great way to start the season. However, this is roughly a 6 hr drive that I was looking at doing solo, and wasn't loving the idea of that for a sprint tri. Adam is off on the islands racing St Croix (yooo Mahn!), and I am just getting waaaaaay to practical these days. I still wanted to race and was searching for some 5ks or 10ks and found the Peanut Butter Duathlon. Hmmm. Yumm. and sounds intriguing, best yet only 1 hr from home. The distances were roughly the same minus the swim, add a run and lots of fun!

The race was held at Rock Cut State Park in Rockford and was a 2 mile trail run, 14 mile bike and 2 mile trail run and was to benefit the Rockford area food pantry. With all the rain we've had daily, I knew it would be an interesting day. The sun finally came out and the day was beautiful. Perfect for racing. The race was small and VERY local/laid back, but I was just out for a good workout and and to test out my fitness and my NEW BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Scott Plasma....red and black. I feel so lucky. Thank you Adam thank you Rich and Anthony!!!!

I'm not much of a duathlete, and have only done 1 or 2 so it felt like a strange start but was glad not to be jumping in freezing cold water. After a good warm up, finally I was off and running. The run was on grassy trails.The first mile was relatively dry with a nice uphill. I was running strong but felt a bit sluggish, maybe it was the grass, but was surprised to see mile 1 at 6:22! The second mile was basically all through mud, and wet swamp that soaked your socks and splashed mud everywhere. My shoe just about came off at one point. I was laughing because this was truly fun. I felt like I was running through peanut butter! 2 miles of fun and I was caked in mud from shoes to shorts! Transition...oh yea a good time to practice. I haven't done this since last September, but I breezed through and was off on my new ride. The bike course is hilly and curvy, lots of potholes. It was fun doing loops around the park. I guess this is where they have Rockman Tri and much of the run is where we were riding. Ouch, it looks like a tough run for a 1/2 IM! The bike felt awesome. The position great, just a few tweaks to make. Another fast transition and 2 more miles of peanut butter. I had been leading for the women the whole time, but still didn't want to let up. The second run felt good. I was pretty much by myself in the woods I could see a guy in front I was trying to catch. I trying to go fast through mud is tough. The effort is there but you go now where. A little backwards, a little sideways, but this was really fun. In the end I finished first female, 13th overall. I even won some cash!!! What a nice surprise. What is it about local small races. Great prizes, and low entry fees (only 40$ for this) and an hour drive. Congrats also to Scott Iott, fellow Trainingbible athlete who won for the men.
For a small local race this was very well organized and a good start to the season.

Here's to race season.

Sub 3!

Andy and I post Mt. Lemmon ride. We are laughing because until the Tuscon camp he
was logging more running miles than biking miles!!! It paid off in the end!


Congratulations to my client Andy Wellman who PR'd and ran sub 3 hrs at the Boston Marathon today!!! He is a machine and worked so hard all winter, doing those long runs in the freezing cold. I was jumping up and down like a little kid when I heard the news !!

A rare opportunity

The end of a good run


If our camera was better/ you'd see steam coming out of my mouth it was so cold



With 2 triathletes who work and have kids, it is a rare chance that Adam and I actually do any workouts together anymore. Add to it the fact that I am a morning person and Adam is a night owl, and you get 2 ships passing a lot. Then you add in his extreme speed and I need to be all guns firing to stay behind him on the bike, pool or whatever. ( I did manage to keep up with him and the Group Ride on my first ride out with them this year! Hooray!, that is mentally like winning a race for me!) Something must be working this winter!

But today for whatever reason, it ended up that we both had a track workout. No trips to paradise to train for 10 days, no work trips, meetings, my day off from the clinic, kids in school and what do you know......I get to go to the track with my husband! And, even though it was freezing and cold, we didn't have to shovel the snow off first!!! Bonus! Its been a while since I've been on the track so my legs needed slapped around, and they were a bit sore and tired from my killer strength session Mon night, but I was able to push through and get the session done (shh shh I think today on the track I actually did more than he did. It was probably his easy run with strides for him really) I had several sets of 200s all out. Hmmm I forgot what all out feels like on the track! But it was fun to find to try and dig to that extra gear. And it was fun working out with 1 of my favorite training partners. There have been times where he has the ability to push me to where I didn't think I could go as an athlete, and gotten me to believe I can accomplish a lot. and other times I just laugh in his face and walk away.

Even though our life is crazy, and we are often like 2 ships passing so much of the time, it is fun, to share something that is so big and important in our lives. So these rare opportunities are worth it in the end.

Road Trip!

Post workout boat cruise

Jack's prize

It was hilly and windy





In search of sun and warmer weather, I cashed in on an offer to come to Southern Illinois for the weekend. With Adam still gone, and Jack and I at home trying to find some spring break fun, we loaded up the car, and headed 5 1/2 hours south to meet up with my friend Debbie at her lake house. The long drive was worth it for some warmer temps, outside training, and just hanging out by the lake.

Friday Debbie and I switched off watching all the boys to get our workouts in. (this is just 1 of many creative ways moms of younger kids get their training in) So, Friday morning I headed out for a windy, and very hilly brick workout. It was 1 1/2 hrs of riding up and down steep hills followed by the same amount of running over the same hills. It is pretty remote and at times I was a little nervous about being snagged by someone in a pick up with a gun rack on the back of their pick up, or being bit by dogs chasing me, but the scenery was pretty and the little bit of fear got me moving over the hills. Next it was Debbie's turn to do her workout, and I played with the boys watching them jump off the dock into freezing water, swim, run around like boys, feed fish and catch them and all kinds of crazy boy stuff. Jack was having the time of his life. 6 hrs later, with both of us done with workouts, we headed out for a boat ride around Lake of Egypt. It gave me the urge to go water skiing which I haven't done in years but love.

Saturday Debbie's husband was there and took all the boys out fishing so we were able to do a long ride together in the hills and wind again. The temps eventually reached 70 that day, but the wind made our ride a little chilly in the morning. I wasn't complaining too much because I was just glad to be outside observing that there is actually green leaves and trees with purple flowers blooming in Illinois right now. Its interesting too; in southern Illinois, road kill not only includes dead squirrels and rodents, but dead fish carcases too. The rest of the afternoon we hung out, on the boat and deck (without coats even!) Jack caught fish and was so excited and having a blast being all boy, all weekend, totally making the trip worth it.

In the afternoon I got word Adam had qualified for Kona out in Oceanside. I am so happy for him and relieved to see all the hard work paying off, and yessssssss this means another trip to Kona :) and more beach and surf time for me. I'll have to dig out my Iron Maiden armor again though. I had a huge hunch I'd be dusting it off again for Kona. October is a long way off and there is a lot of Ironman training ahead as he plans to do IM Wisconsin and Kona this year.


Thanks to Debbie for a fun weekend, hopefully we didn't wear out our welcome as we may need to come back for another get away sometime.

** Spring Cleaning!*

Its that time of year for sure.

Its nearly April and all the signs of spring are popping out like Jose the landscaper knocking on the door and asked in broken English if we'd like service again this year, (I nearly choked on the thought of this household not having lawn service. Frightening.

Adam packing up to leave for his first race of the 2009 season. He'll be gone a week and doing 2 races.

There are very faint hints of green here and there with actual living plants poking through the ground (they actually lived after that winter?), the spring wind and extreme temperature changes

and yes the flu! The flu went through 3 members of our family and I am humbly saying I came down with it as well. I think its because I was bragging and going on about how Mom's can't get sick. Ha.... 1/2 way through a meeting the other day I lost my lunch literally and did so for the next 24 hrs. The rest of the details aren't fun, but once back int 1 piece, I went on a crazy cleaning and scrubbing binge to rid this place of the germs that having been hanging out and invading our space. Now, I am not one of those germophobics who have to wash their hands after touching anyone or anything in public. But, if there has been illness, and germs present, or....there ever becomes evidence of mice in the house I will be launched into a crazy cleaning spree.

While scrubbing, polishing, bleaching and washing linens, I got to thinking about spring cleaning the mind as the start of the tri season is really right around the corner. Maybe it was the chemicals from all the cleaning products that got my mind spinning about spring cleaning the mind and attitude for the new race season. Many thoughts came to mind for myself as an athlete, and as a coach....for my athletes.

Take a look at what worked last year and what didn't. If you're finding yourself in some old patterns and the same result keeping happening....make a change. If you continually bonk in longer workouts, take a look at what you're eating during the longer sessions....and make a change. Communicate what works and doesn't with your coach, if you don't have a coach, talk to one about making some changes instead of falling into the same routine that may not be helping your reach your potential. If you keep getting hurt in the same places, get help instead of living with it. You get the idea....make a noticeable change instead of continuing along the same path.

Dust out all the pre-conceived notions and negative thoughts bouncing around. Start this season with a shiny clean mind and image of yourself achieving the goals you've set. Believe you can accomplish the goals you have set.

Take chances and risks. If your coach puts up a workout that looks a little scary, take the risk. The more times you take the risk, the easier it will be to deal with those "scary" things. The thought of a 5k for some may be scary, or doing that bike test indoors...is scary mostly because of fear of not having good results, however this info can only help the coach write better workouts and help you with the physical and mental componets necessary to make yourself go hard and deal with the uncomfortableness that comes with taking it to the next level. And, how can you ever see the success and improvements your making if the workouts aren't or test sets aren't complete. I used to get nerves bigger than a race when I would see group ride on my schedule. But I have done it now for several years. I still get a little nervous especially if its a Tuesday, but I have gotten better at dealing with taking that risk.

Don't be so serious, and have some fun. Don't be afraid to try a new approach or way of doing something. ( this is a big one for me this year) I have been having fun so far doing more group workouts, and working with a personal trainer on strength/ power and focusing on just the local races which are fun. This is a different approach, and it seems strange not having some huge gigantic Ironman, Worlds etc goal out there, and sometimes is hard to get used to, but I am having fun and getting fit with some of the different things I am doing.

Now I have a clean house, a clean tummy, and a clean brain ! Happy Spring

Playing catch up

I stepped off the plane at Ohare at the end of my Tuscon Training trip and found myself immediately back into suburban mom hyper drive complete with a strong dose of reality. Thankfully the weather was welcoming, but the transition from full time triathlete (sprinkled with a little coaching) for a few days back to real life was sharp and quick.

The Tuscon Camp was a success I found myself doing more this year as an athlete than in years past which was a nice change. It felt to be coached some instead of doing the coaching. The group was strong, and hard working, and quite serious. I think I started the camp with some decent fitness, maybe not as strong as last year, but last year I was heading into early 1/2 IMs. However I think this year I did more hard workouts total than in years past. Highlights of the camp included:

1. riding outside daily through the desert to include Gates pass twice and Mt. Lemmon; thanks to Carla for good indoor sessions this winter I felt strong!
2. a coached track workout ...um yes, on the track with a fast group after 3 days of riding and climbing. OUCH, get those legs moving. I have to say it was a shock to the system especially trying to keep up with a fast group in major build mode for some upcoming races that are getting very near.
3. Mexican dinner with the MSM club. My social friends! I can be as serious as the best of them, but couldn't pass up some fun. I heard all kinds of great stories and I was laughing the entire night hearing everyone's recap about how the camp and training was going
4. Swimming outside with the sun setting over the mountains; I could get used to that.

The days were filled with waking up training, eating, training and eating again. Then sleep; get up and repeat. It was fun and a great way to kick it into shape, but quite a contrast to how it really goes for me. Back home this week I had waiting for me stacks of bills, some unfinished schedules, work Monday morning, a sick kid with the flu which started Thurs at 2:30 a.m, some sore muscles, empty cupboards and boatloads of laundry, Thursday night coaching, and my constant feeling of squeezing in workouts. My parents are here visiting which is a huge help. Mom, Dad, want to move closer? I think I now have my head above water again, and this afternoon actually had a chance to sit in the sun while the kids played at the park and catch my breath.

I love Lemmon

Part of the group getting ready to start up!

Megan staying warm at the top

Thanks to awesome sag support/ Jim Vance

Glad to be done!



Some pics from a fun day, climbing up to 8000+ ft. (Brrr it was cold at the top!)It was lots of big climbing and everyone did great. There are some really amazing views on the way, but I didn't stop to take any pics along the way. It was much colder at the top than I remember from last year, but nice and warm back at the bottom. We finished the day with a yummy Mexican feast. I will sleep good tonight.