Wheels 'n Heels

Breaking news!  Suri Cruise learned how to ride a bike.  Pretty soon she'll be chick-ing Lance in way cuter cycling kits.  The girl's got style!

At least we won't be in the same age group.

Today I dusted off the TT bike and met Dana for a 50 mile ride.  She recognized a fellow teammate wearing a TriValley Velo kit, and he accompanied us as we rode with no real route; she just had to get 3 hours in the bank for today.  Long course nationals are in one month!  Part of our route included some gorgeous scenery overlooking Livermore wineries.  I took in the beauty of my surroundings, felt the wind on my face, and was just so thankful for moments like these- I am so lucky to be able to do what I love, to be surrounded by amazing people and live a pretty carefree life.  

They say that bike miles are those that you can lose yourself in and also find yourself.  I agree.  There have been plenty of bike miles that I've been able to escape "reality" and empty out my mind and cycle out my stress with each pedal stroke.  Equally, there have been bike miles that have stripped me to my core and have caused me to understand who I am and what I stand for.  Today, I was just merely present, and taking it all in.

Funny thing.  At the end of the ride, it turned out that Dana really didn't know the rider personally, she just was friendly because he rode for TVV!  Oh, what a cycling kit can do for someone.  The nice guy towed us around for 40 miles; I was so close to his wheel that I could smell his laundry detergent.  Poor guy had 2 twin 5-year old girls at home and had a hall pass for only 2 hours.  Hopefully next time the wifey will allow 3 hours of sanity cycling time; his wheel was a pretty steady and speedy wheel to follow!

After taking off my Giro helmet, I put my Maid of Honor helmet on and met Kimi to review the venue sites.

Gazebos always remind of The Sound of Music...
"You are 16, going on 17..."

Where the vows will be exchanged. Where I spotted the froyo man.

While talking about seating arrangements and wedding day timelines and uber-important wedding information, I spotted some guy on the bench eating  froyo.  After that, I was completely distracted like a 3-year old.  Where did he get that?  It's so hot. There has to be a froyo place nearby!  Chair seating arrangements, corsages, guest book, wha??

Kimi was a self-serve froyo virgin.  SERIOUSLY?  And I thought I lived under a rock.  I was a good MOH and showed her the ropes of mixing flavors and trying all 30 toppings.  And you know, all the wedding day diets suggest eating 4 lbs of nonfat froyo rather than 1/2 c. of real ice cream. (I kid, I kid)

Kimi, I'm sorry. Get ready to say adios to half your wedding budget.

The reception is literally 0.2 miles from where the ceremony is held.  But walking 0.2 miles in platform heels feels like 20 miles.  Everyone who knows me well knows that I hate functional fitness.  I'll run 16 miles and yet drive to my mailbox.  My high heels/flat feet conundrum reminded me of this cool video about feet that was shared by my new cyclist buddy from San Diego (thanks, SK!).  How is it that I've never heard of MobilityWOD until now?  Obviously, I must live under a rock.

Tomorrow I'm going for a real run (really early too) with 2 of the most amazing and life-changing people I've ever met.  Turns out they are on this side of the globe for awhile- I'm lucky to be able to see them again in person.  

Has anyone out there who has flat feet or severely overpronates been able to successfully transition to minimalist running?  Thoughts?

Staycation.

I kinda want to stay here.  Like forever.  Today I got an early start to beat the heat.  Apparently, I lost.  I was sweating so much and probably appeared so disheveled that people were probably wondering what half marathon was going on this morning.  Little did they know, I had only run 0.5 miles up Torrey Pines. 

Check out the view!  How could you live here and not want to run this everyday?

I paid $15 for parking, so I wanted a good run for my money.  Literally.  It was gorgeous, but holy hills! I took a trail that dropped me down to the beach where I ran alongside the water for awhile, then climbed back up, only to descend the initial hill I climbed in the beginning. 

Gradual and gorgeous climbs

Another shameless plug for Betty Designs.  

I hit the La Jolla Farmers Market afterwards.  The founder, Sherry Ahern, was my first news shoot that I put together when I worked for KGTV Channel 10.  She created the farmers market to help fund and provide resources for her children's school.  It was such a fun experience working with her, setting up a "mock" farmers market on Wednesday (the day we got camera footage), and coordinating the millions of details that ultimately ended up being 2 quality minutes of airtime.  

Still thriving, even after all these years!

These were adorable!

There's plum and nectarine goodness underneath the star...

The workers at the info booth texted her to see what time she'd come, but unfortunately, I had to leave before she showed up.  She did remember me after 13 years though and via text she congratulated me on my success.  At the time, I remember the kind words she offered up to me as a journalism major wanting to go into the news/media industry.  She made me realize how important it is to foster another's dream, regardless if that dream comes to fruition or not.  She watered my hope.  And I still have the bamboo plant she gave me as a gift from one of the market vendors- it survived almost 6 moves in different cities, and is a tangible reminder of how our souls can flourish wherever there is love and sunshine.

After that, I headed to Oceanside to spend some quality time with Erica, who has equally been a tangible reminder of all things good, and who has helped my soul flourish in the sunny days and in the cloudy rainy days. 

The view from our "bar" area outside.

These suckers were HUGE!
I probably exceeded my RDI (Recommended Daily Intake, for all you non-dietitans) by 2000%

 The world needs more Sherrys and Ericas.  I am lucky and grateful to know them both.

Lessons from a Sunset

When I rolled into the parking lot near UC Cyclery in La Jolla, I honestly was expecting a handful of riders, similar to the amount you'd normally get for a Saturday bike shop ride.  As I was pumping up my tires and prepping my bike, I was looking around at the fit cyclists in their race kits and kick a$$$$$ bikes.  I honestly felt more nervous this morning than I have felt before any races I've done all year!

Ummm...so like, where are all the girls at?

UC Cyclery was a great host shop and provided the riders with hydration and bananas pre-ride.
Too bad I can't stand bananas.  :(

There were 6 separate rides based on ability.  I was the newbie in town and didn't want to break any "rules" of the rotating double pacelines, so I stuck to the more conservative group.  I was glad I did.  There were probably only 3 times during the entire ride that my heartrate crept out of zone 2, but I had a blast enjoying this beautiful city via bike, making new friends, and learning the lingo of the paceline.  Words like "clear" and "last" and stuff like that....stuff that you will never ever hear or say in a real paceline.  This was a new riding routine to me- I'm used to the "every man for himself" mindset.  We rode much faster and more efficiently when we all worked together as a team.  You know, chalk up another important lesson that can apply to life.  I should write a book.

There were two riders who were also closet hammerheads like myself, so on the parts where there was a sprint to the top, it was the 3 of us who took off like balls shot out of a cannon.  We became friends instantly and ended up sticking together for the ride home.

For all of my non-cyclist girlfriends.  Here is pictorial proof that not just F.O.G.'s (Fat Old Guys) ride bikes.
You're welcome.

After the ride, I headed out to UCSD's Canyonview Pool to see where all my tuition money went.  Surprise, surprise... the long course pool that my dollars funded was closed, but I still happily sold my road bike along with my Garmin 910XT to afford a one-day day pass to the regular 25-meter lane pool.  

This is where I used to de-stress in college.  Love.this.pool.

Digital paceclocks!  So now there is digital proof when I miss my interval!

No trip to San Diego is complete without visiting the cliffs.  There were some Asian college students there watching the sunset too; it reminded me of my younger self.  The cliffs, the ocean lapping underneath you, the tiny silhouettes of the surfers, and the sunset- some beautiful things never change.  I thought about how much has happened to me in my life during these past 10 years.  All the lessons, the trials, the joys, the accomplishments, and the hope that the future holds.

Made it just in time...

Watching the sunset was a visual reminder that there is an appropriate time to allow things and circumstances to "set"-  to gradually remove themselves and their presence from our lives.  True, there was a time when their rays burned strong on our skin and provided light to us.  But just like the sun, those things needs to set in order for life to continue and progress.  And if we allow it, there can be exquisite beauty in that fading away, in that goodbye.

As I watched the sun disappear behind the clouds, I was also reminded of all the things that never fade.  And even after 10 years, these things remain unconditional, steadfast, and hopeful. 

9.5 is the new 6.5

It's been awhile since I've done this drive.  Once it took me only 6.5 hours from the Bay Area to San Diego.  Today it took 9.5 hours.  I also drive like a grandma when I have my bike on my roofrack.  Like even slower than the grandpas on the road.  I just wave at them while all the other cars swerve angrily around us.  I just need to wear dark wrap-around shades and sit lower in my seat so that I match the grandpas.

It's hard for me to sit still for 10 minutes.  I'd rather lead group therapy sessions for the Kardashians than sit in a car for more than an hour, so I did myself a favor and did a sanity swim set of 4100 yards this morning before I hit the road.  The benefit of driving was that I could load up my entire car with all of my stuff.  I don't see how people with kids do it. 

Quick suit review: the 2-piece Betty Designs suit is no joke.  This suit is functional!  After falling in love with her cute cycling kits, I wanted to try her swimsuits.  I've swam in 2-piece TYR and Nike suits, and across the board, I had issues with all of them because the bottoms would loosen up and slow me down!  Not with BD suits- the bottoms are fitted and stay put, so you don't have to worry about mooning the guy in the lane next to you when you do a flip turn.  Good quality, and you honestly swim faster with a butterfly on your crotch!  Worth the money.

Ms. Multi-tasking. Drying the suit on the dash. Free advertising for Betty Designs.
Truckers can't wait to order their speedos now!

Wearing my Betty Designs cycling kit. (From Tierra Bella Century)

Tomorrow morning I'm gonna hop onto the SDBC Saturday group ride and see how long I can hang with the big boys.  I printed out route directions as back-up, because in reality, I'll probably get dropped in the parking lot since they average high 20s, low 30 mphs?  Should be interesting.  

San Diego holds a lot of memories from my college years and beyond.  This weekend I'm hoping to rekindle all that I've loved about this city, visit with some old friends, and have a decent amount of swimbikerun thrown in there for good measure.  Life is pretty amazing with all of its twists and turns, but when it brings you back to places with amazing sun and ocean water, it must be pretty darn good after all.

Vineman Full Aquabike Race Report

Race morning
At 3:15 am, my alarm reminded me of how stupid this sport is sometimes.  But then again, I'd rather arrive to transition with plenty of time versus being rushed and not find parking and miss my wave start (I know, I'm soo dramatic), so 3:15 am it was.  I changed, sunscreened, Body Glided, Booty Buttered, internetted, coffeed, and breakfasted.  I decided 2 days prior to the race that I would (again) change my pre-race breakfast and stick with the tried-and-true: oatmeal, a scoop of BiPro protein and 2 Tbs. ground flaxseed.  Arriving at Johnson's Beach at 5 am gave me first dibs at my transition rack position and plenty of time to pump tires, encourage the first-timers who were racked next to me, get body-marked, and visit the portapotties like 12 times.  I sucked down an Accelerade gel 30 minutes prior to my wave start at 6:44 am and sipped on MRM.  

Everyone's favorite part of triathlon.  Clearly.

Swim: 2.4 miles (1:06:47) 4th place 
We were ushered into the swim corral and had 45 seconds to line up.  I was scanning my competition to see who looked fast.  I was having major decision paralysis since no one caught my eye, then all of a sudden, everyone started swimming!  I didn't even hear the horn!  I started my Garmin and put my head down and started swimming.  Soon enough, I was swimming over the earlier waves.  I was swimming through pink caps, then caught up to blue caps, gray caps, green caps and orange caps.  I kept running into people and getting kicked, so I resorted to a semi-breastroke/freestyle swim that allowed me to sight without getting my goggles knocked off.  I knew this was wasting energy, but it was my only choice!  Imagine driving fast on a highway and getting cut off by cars who are going 30 mph, where you have to screech to a sudden stop, adjust positioning, and continue driving.  This is how the swim was.  I remember looking up at the colored caps all around and thinking, "This is the picture of MASS CHAOS."  Why weren't our wave starts separated by more minutes??  I accidentally kicked someone hard and felt really bad.  My foot hurt badly, so I can't imagine how their face felt!  Sorry!  I exited the swim and saw my time.  Considering how congested that river was, I was happy to be out of that water.  I saw my parents and Roena as I ran up the ramp, and that made my day!

I'm the white cap in the center. I think hearing my parent's commentary is even more entertaining.

T1: 6:10

This was a real sh*tshow. I thought I had counted racks correctly, ran down the aisle, and couldn't find my stuff.  I heard someone else screaming, "Where the F is my bike?" and all I could do was laugh because I was thinking the exact same thing.  I ended up running back to the main aisle to check signs, found my bike, but I was positioned on the opposite side.  I stripped off my wetsuit and managed to shimmy between my bike and the girl's next to mine without knocking it over, and got my stuff on.  There was so much dirt and gravel and mud everywhere, so I spent extra minutes wiping off my feet well so I didn't have rocks in my shoes for 112 miles.  T1 and the finish are miles apart (don'tcha just love a logistical nightmare?) so I threw all my stuff into the bag they provided, cinched it shut, and prayed it would make it back to the finish.  I grabbed my bike and went on my way.

Ready to roll!

Bike: 112 miles (6:15:45) 5th place
I settled into a nice groove and found my rhythm.  I love this course- the rolling hills, the wineries- but man, there are some roads on that course that need some serious work!  Ever since my crash, I am now hyper-vigilant about scanning the roads for potholes that can potentially take me out.  There were areas that were so bumpy that my CO2 cartridge came unscrewed and I lost a water bottle after hitting a hard pothole.  The whole time I stayed at a steady and harder-than-normal pace.  Sometimes I got distracted by the wineries, and then would have to refocus and remind myself that I was racing!  Thinking back to what what going through my mind is quite comical- I remember telling myself, "You didn't come all this way to chalk this one up as a training ride!" and "Don't phone this one in!" (This is a total Jillian Michael's line, for those of you who are also "Ripped in 30"...lol).  Also, lines from friends' emails were running through my head that kept me focused and strong.  When I found myself relaxing a bit in my pace, I would look down at my wristband and see "FEARLESS" and then I'd pick it up again.  It was about risk; I went out harder and faster than I normally ever would on the first loop, and I had to be fearless and trust that my body wouldn't cramp on the second lap.  The second time climbing up Chalk Hill at mile 102 was hard, I won't lie.  Everything hurt and it seemed longer and steeper than it did the first time around.  It was silent around me and some people were even walking their bikes up.  One guy shifted down and it didn't sound good.  He shifted again, and his entire chain broke.  His race was over.  My heart went out for him; I knew he had sacrificed so much to be here, and now he couldn't finish.  I just hope he comes back one day and completes it.  We were slogging along, and I said, "C'mon boys, let's make this hill our b*tch!"  (I know, this is more comical coming from a girl).  When I first started riding, this was a line someone told me everytime I saw a hill and would freak out.  Something about that made me want to conquer the hill, like I owned it.  The guys around me  laughed, and we did eventually crest the top of Chalk Hill.  The rest of the miles flew by.  On the course, I had only seen 2 girls in my age group ahead of me, but their pace was blistering and I knew I could only do what I was capable of doing.  I guess there were 2 others who snuck ahead of me (maybe when I stopped to refill nutrition/use the porta-potty at mile 57??).  But at the end of the day, I was pleased with the performance I had put together, knowing that I had finished strong, finished smiling, and finished fearlessly.

Bike nutrition was spot-on and I had no issues:
-1.5 bottles customized Infinit Nutrition mix (450 calories)
-3 Accelerade gels (300 calories)
-1/2 sleeve Clif Shotblocks (100 calories)
-Udi's blueberry muffin (250 calories): This was so good, but so messy to eat while riding aero! I smashed it up as much as possible, but it still crumbled and blew all over the rider behind me.  Sorry!  Better than snot rockets, though, I'd imagine!
-2 mini Clif Bars (200 calories)
Total: 1300 calories

Finishing time: (7:48) 5th place AG
All I could think of when I got off the bike was, "Thank God I don't have to run a marathon after that!!"  I suppose Lake Tahoe IM training/motivation will come in due time.  But for now I was happy to be done, and to have beat my previous time by over an hour.  I guess this proves that we can get faster with age.

Fearless.

There is comfort in the familiar.  As I was driving and saw signs for "Old Redwood Highway" and later turned into the parking lot of the hotel I've stayed at every single time I've come here for a practice ride and actual Vineman race, I sighed a sigh of relief.  It felt like home.  I've come home.

All checked in and now ironing out my pre-race mental tactics

Today during my last easy 20-minute swim, I reflected on my race plan and my mantras.  You know how Chrissie Wellington writes her mantra on her wristband?  I thought I'd give that a shot this time around. 


Last weekend, I was paralyzed with fear.  Fear of the future, fear of others' opinions, fear of not making a difference in the world, fear of dying alone and not being found for a week... I was fearful that I would crash again on my bike, not be able to fix a mechanical, and that all these hours of preparation and training would be worthless.  I came to my senses finally and realized I could choose fear or I could choose courage.  Because there is only room for one.  Everyone has fears, but we have the choice to confront them and face them head-on.


So I decided I am going to write "FEARLESS" on my wristband.


Today was filled with other pre-race traditions:

Pre-race mani: I thought red was the most "fearless" color.
Plus, it matches my bike and tri kit. Win win!

Stopped at Starbucks on the drive up for a Cool Lime Refresher. I'm clearly addicted.
 I was gonna buy another can to go, but today they were having a special so I got it for FREE!

Whole Foods for dinner.  Again, this is tradition.
 I'd rather eat quinoa and beets for carbs over rice/pasta any day!

I've heard that if you write down your goals, you are more likely to attain them.  So here you have them, folks, my "general" list for blogland:
-Finally meet Roe's friend Dana (she's heard enough about 'my' Dana).
-Find fast feet during the swim start and stay with them as long as I can, even if it means using my "get the heck off of me" wide swim stroke in the beginning waves of chaos.
-Swim the 2nd loop harder than the first. 
-Have my bike set in the easiest gear so I don't eat it while trying to get up that first hill (unfortunately have witnessed far too many people crash coming out of T1 because they couldn't clip in!).
-Thank the volunteers.
-Follow my nutrition plan on the bike.
-Encourage fellow bikers on the course who pass me.
-But chase down the girls who are in my age group.
-Stay in the moment and realize how much of a privilege it is to be able to physically and mentally race.
-To pee, or not to pee, that is the question (only I'll answer that for myself)
-If mechanicals happen, accept them. Deal with them.  Fix them.  Move on. 
-Finish strong.
-Finish smiling.
-Finish fearlessly.


Thank you to those who mentally got me back into the game this week. All the emails, hugs, and pep-talking was perfectly timed.  I've got my mojo back, just in time for Saturday.  I just found out a friend hid a bag of dark chocolate mint M&M in my freezer as a return-from-my-race present.  Seriously?  How did I get so lucky?  We race individually as athletes, but we do not get to the start line alone.  Thank you to Dana, who happily accompanied me for my long training days, to my Intrepid Motion coaches for life (!), and to all my friends who intuitively know me better than I ever thought and knew the perfect words to lift my spirits.  And BBB, if you're reading this, thank you too.  You have been a part of this journey and good memories of you are etched in so many parts of this race course.  I'll never forget you running back to the car to get the camera at my swim start, and then having to run back to the car a second time after I realized I didn't have my goggles!  Thank you for all you contributed to my triathlon journey.


Tomorrow is the pre-race expo and the mandatory meetings.  Tomorrow the sherpas arrive.  Excitement is all around, and I'm finding the perfect balance of calm and adrenalin.  And that, my friends, is one of the best feelings in the world.

Storytime. Have You Told Yours?

One week until my big "A" race of the year.  This is the time when most prepared athletes consider tapering.  This is when underprepared athletes cram like scared little 10th graders taking the AP History exam.  I've done more crying and yoga this weekend than I did all year.


I'm not too sure where I fall, since my preparation for this was self-coached.  Like a total unplan plan.  Ever since I switched races from the Full Vineman to the Aquabike, all I've wanted to do is run.  Go figure.  I've learned that 10 miles feels normal now.  My mile splits are now consistently 30 seconds faster than they were before. My swim and bike are probably the same, if not slower than before.  Life is funny like that. 


Yesterday was my grandma's memorial service.  My uncle presented a 'brief' personal history of her 105 years; most of it was pieced together through stories and confirmations by the children.  There were 3 marriages and 11 children.  Some of the overlapping dates and gaps in time were a little fuzzy, but who are we to judge? In between those pieces of objective information, I knew there was a much more intricate and deeper layer of love, loss, rebuilding, fear, resilience, betrayal, strength, and overcoming.

It made me think about my own life story; for the random chunks that people know, and for all the fuzzy areas that I leave no one to judge except for myself.  People will always have their own opinions, but at the end of the day, you are the one who understands the intentions and truth.  I remember how someone who knew of the "chunks" had once asked me in the most lovingly way possible, "With everything you went through, were you ever suicidal?"  


I think about how my close friendships have been built upon the sharing of our own life stories, and how strong connections were founded upon vulnerability and transparency.  Yet few have the faith and strength to venture into that realm.  This makes me sad.  If only we could be bold enough to share the "in between" lessons with others, and not just the big pieces- perhaps we could positively influence the outcomes of their own stories...


Speaking of pieces- I'm hoping they all come together on Saturday.  Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this Vineman journey a success so far-  Thank you for understanding how much I love this sport, for those encouraging emails when most weekends were a party for one on the bike and in the pool, for not guilt-tripping me over missed late-night game/movie nights, for not fighting the early wake-up calls to go swimming, and for supporting my experimental pre-race diet plan and eating my sushi rice and letting me eat the fish on top.  Love you all.  May you all know how unique and significant your own life stories are, and how each of you has impacted my own journey that takes place off the bike and out of the pool.  xoxo.