Dear Endsley you will be missed

A friend of mine and a close dear friend and neighbor of my sister died this weekend from a very tragic car accident. Oh, Endsley, you were truly one of those amazing people. A very bright light that not only lit up the room but all the people in it. You are going to be missed. My heart goes out to your family, Wells, Claire and all the others that were so close to you. I am thinking of you.

Okay. I had to write that. Feeling a little helpless with everybody feeling such a loss.

So on the brighter side. I raced cyclocross on Sunday and got 2nd to Anna! I was super stoked. Annalisa who is a strong road rider was breathing down my neck for the first lap and even tried to pass once. I had it in me to demoralize and fired away. I didn't have 6 laps of that but could have done it a few more times. Started feeling good the last couple of laps. Even passed my husband. Not his kind of course. I had a really good time and was hoping we could talk some more about my new swimming schedule. Can I start that in a month and do cyclocross for the rest of the month? It has been nice actually seeing some of those people again, and I really do like to race cyclocross. Last year I wasn't into it, but this year I almost feel like I need it. It was so amazing to have a race without any problems. If this doesn't work with the rest of my goals though, that is fine too and I can start swimming but.....

So, this is hard for me to think about what I want to do since I am not running. Usually I do all of my important thinking running. 

However, I did come up with some ideas.

#1 I absolutely want to be triathlon focused this year. Triathlon is what I love.  I love to swim, bike and run. Just one of those just ain't gonna cut it. Also, I am envisioning a future with a lot less time, which might mean a lot more running. I can store that away for later.

So with that being said. The races I really want to focus on are going to be the local Montana races. Especially the Grizzly and Polson. Those two races are where all the competition comes out. I will have to work the hardest even if my results aren't the highest (make sense).

I would also like to focus on one half ironman distance. I would like to discuss this a little more. Timing etc. My options are to 1) stay close to home and do a non Ironman race or 2) Lawrence is going to sign up for Vineman. I mentioned to Erik that I didn't think I should because of cost and vacation, but he kept trying to convince me to go. So, I just might. One thing I learned this year is  that I really like having a buddy who is racing. The experience seems to be a lot better. We would be able to carpool and we both have family in the area. Registration for this race is November 1. So I have a month to figure this out and see what the refund policy might be.

As far as vacation. If I can plan it, and afford it, I would like to go to Belize on a week or so long trip in April. I am still researching the best time of year. I was thinking that this could be a treat after the Grizzly.
We are also going to be building our house this spring. Hopefully, keep your fingers crossed. So, vacation might be out of the question. I think part of this vacation thing is my not letting grass grow under my feet.

Other races:
I would like to plan on 24 hours of Rapleje. That is a Team Muleterro event. I love the camaraderie. I had so much fun at this last year.

 So as I was writing this, I had a Julie great idea #1. What do you think of my idea below?
Do a couple of Olympic distance races before Polson. Use them to work out how to race that distance. I don't feel comfortable at the Olympic distance. Not sure how hard to go. So maybe try and get in a couple of those before Polson. This would mean Spring Meadow and another one. I might have to find it somewhere other than MT.

Other:
Did I mention I am the race director for MuleX. I did this last year too. It really isn't a ton of work except for the weekend of the race.  I also have a lot of down time at work and this is a good way to fill in the time. This year is going to be great. We are going to have a secret unveiling.....

Work this week- Crazy day Wednesday. Usually I have 20 mice and it takes 8 hours. This Wed. I will have 30 mice. I really hope it doesn't take 12 hours. 

Plans, plans, plans

The week
So, I kind of broke a rule. I went on a hike and decided I don't actually like to hike. My fingers get swollen. I couldn't help it and had to run a little. I kept it slow and concentrated on form. Ran up steep parts and walked down steep parts. Felt so good to get the lungs going. Felt so good to get out. Was getting a little worried I might not want to exercise again. Slept so good after the first hike and felt so much better the next day.

Rode the cross bike a few times. Did a 2-3 hour ride on Sunday. Felt good to do some quick stuff.

Went to a yoga class on Monday.

Made a lot of pickled things. Made plum jam from tree to table. That was pretty cool.

Races
Winter triathlon
Grizzly
Rapelje
Headwaters relay
Spring Meadow
Lake Como
Bighorn triathlon
Polson
Bangtail 38k
The Rut
Bridger Ridge Run
Butte 100

Maybe one or two halves- Troika, Rev3 Portland, Oliver? Try and have an awesome 1/2 distance race.

International trip with Erik. Maybe Greece and run the Athens marathon.

Another vacation with Erik, not doing any racing. Kayak tour in Belize.

Am on the ball with the Bobcat. Found a super great organizer who works at MSU who talked to somebody who has the in. This somebody thought it was a great idea! Still working on it.

Am having some insurance trouble. They are not billing me correctly and it is very, very frustrating. Got a bill saying I owed the Orthopedic place 250.00. It should have been 15.00 plus extra for the x-ray. Need to figure this out before I can go back. Note: think it is getting sorted out. Will make an appointment on Monday.

Okay, so here it goes. My life plans. First, I am curious how many athletes you coach explain their life plans/spill their heart and soul out  to you before most other people in their lives know? Anyway, we
talked about this a couple of years ago too. I am not doing an Ironman this year or any other race that requires a very early sign up because I think that this is the year for me to achieve some of life's other tasks and by this I mean have a baby. I don't know when or how long it will take to get pregnant but after that I guess I will have 9 months until their is an actual baby and after that I would think another couple of years before I have time to dedicate to Ironman. However, as I alluded to in last weeks blog I am seeking redemption. Right now in life I don't want to quit or give up. I still want to try and have an Ironman of a lifetime and qualify for Kona, I just might be doing it in the 40 age group.

I think that the best way to proceed with this year is like I don't have these plans though. I still need to learn how to swim and who knows what is really going to happen. It might not even happen.

Never done tri ing

So far I haven't done a thing but ride my bike to and from work and a little hike on Sunday. It is Monday and I am actually a little stiff from that hike. It was nice to be out in the mountains. I would like to do that more this fall. Maybe tonight?

I've definitely had more thoughts about Wisconsin as the week has gone on. That race was the hardest thing I have ever done. I found a quote before I left. "It is not about finding your limits, its about finding what lies beyond them." I think I went further beyond my limits on that run than I ever have before. If you really think about it, that is an accomplishment in itself. However, I also feel a little sense of redemption. I don't see myself at this point retiring from IM racing. I need to go back at some point and have the race of a lifetime. This year is going to be the year of learning how to swim fast. I need to come up with a plan for how this is going to happen. Will you help me? PT/g-fit, lots of swimming, finding a person who can run and watch me often, some sort of camp?

The other think I need to do is figure out what is wrong with my hip. I need to call the orthopedic doctor and get in with an appointment. When I last saw him the only thing I could think about was racing, we hardly even talked about what it actually might be, just that I wouldn't permanently damage myself my doing the race. Further, once I talk to him I want to talk to my PT and see if he can give me a bunch of G-fit strength stuff to do that is specific for 1-triathlon, and 2-some of my running problems and 3- hopefully have some knowledge on swimming and dryland exercises specific for swimming. I have asked him before and I don't think swimming is a huge area of expertise for him, so I may have to find someone else.

This week has definitely been more like the off season. Erik's Korean mentor has been in town. We went to his lecture which even featured a bunch of Erik's work and then out to a fancy dinner with all the architecture people. Also, Erik received an AIA award so we got to dress up and go to that banquet and ceremony. It is really cool how respectable everybody is to Erik. I drove around on Saturday with my Mom and looked at houses in the Parade of Homes. I was hoping to get a sense of what I liked for our house, but ended up taking lots of pictures of what I don't like.

MSU now has a Tri club. I guess they have been around since last spring. I talked to the guy who is their head coach. He mentioned they want to put on a race next spring called the Bobcat. I am going to meet up with him at some point here soon. I sent the last email and haven't heard back yet. I am a little worried because we don't necessarily get along. He was all weird when I got you to come and do those clinics rather than him. Personally, I don't think he is a very good coach. I'm going to insert gossip here. He had a couple who he coached for CDA and they got pulled on the bike. Their longest ride of the year was only 80 miles. He does training rides with them on his 50lb single speed while they ride tri bikes. How demoralizing. Also, he is very USAT (level 1 certified ;) ) Anyway, back to the Bobcat. Here is the thing. I have a vision for this race. I don't want it to be diluted by too many cooks in the kitchen. I will meet with him and see what the kids in the tri club think. However he isn't getting back to me. I am hoping that won't get their ducks in row and I can just get the Bobcat done without them. Is that terrible. I don't like race organization with a committee.

Not really sure what you are thinking for the next few weeks, but I am still feeling very tired. This year seemed hard. Was it harder? I think it was. My friend is finalizing his 2014 schedule. He is very type A but just being that organized made me tired. Interesting though, I was just going through my calendar and making a list of all the racing I have done this year. There was quite a bit. Quite a few bigger races too. Anyway back to scheduling etc, maybe some checklists would be good. Not a specific schedule.

IM Wisconsin race report

First, I finished. I am happy to complete the event. Not just happy but very accomplished. 2nd, the spectator support was absolutely amazing. Third, the transition and the helix running and riding was pretty damn cool. 4th, I pushed the bike hard. Maybe blew myself a little for the ride home, but wanted to try. 5th, the run took us through Camp Randall Stadium. What other race does something that cool? 6th, the weather was cool. Not 90 degrees like the day before or the day later. 7th, the finish chute brought me to tears.

But, oh my lord, that was a long day. I chatted with another girl at midnight when we were cheering in the final racers and we summed it up. The swim was choppy, the ride was windy, and the run was hilly. Further, I had my own unexpected issues. My cleat almost fell off during the bike. I probably spent 10 minutes finding a screwdriver to keep the two remaining screws in place. Second, I felt like I lost my gut on the run. Felt nauseous on the bike and had to use the outhouse at least 5 times on the run. Couldn't keep food in me. Not vomiting, the other direction. Perform turns out to be a fairly good drink. It was hard because I knew I had to keep getting I'm some calories, they just kept coming out.  Erik said he felt crappy all day and is convinced we ate something bad. I have never had gut problems like that on the run and have used the exact same nutrition plan for long rides all year.  Getting through that marathon was difficult. Did you see the times though? Slow. Everybody cooked themselves on the bike. My run, I thought, was horrendous, until I saw the times. I followed what you said though and focused on form. Especially on the steep downhills. My hip hurt very little, but I felt it could creep in. It almost hurt worse sleeping that night. I could not roll over on it.

Mentally, I was not super into the event. Not like the past couple of years, where I embrace the long day. I really had to force myself to enjoy it.  I don't think I enjoyed more than five minutes of the run. Watching my times was demoralizing, just felt like I was in a crappy place all day. Looking at the times, if my run had gone well I was probably better off than I had thought. 

Can't wait to hear your thoughts.

Taper week thoughts and worries

Are you kidding me. I have a UTI. Spent Tuesday morning in Urgent Care and at Walmart getting it taken care of. It is harder to get the the start line healthy than I thought. Remember we talked about this a while ago? On antibiotics for a week. None of the nurses seemed to think the antibiotics would have any side effects. At least I won't feel some uncomfortable for the rest of the week.

Rode the two loops of the course on Monday. I love it. There are a couple of pretty steep hills but it wasn't up and down the whole time. There were lots of flatter, settle in, sections. I guess most people aren't used to Battle Ridge or Kelly Canyon or Bozeman pass or Hyalite or all of them in one ride. It is really fun to ride lots of turns, different scenery, and road types. Some of the roads could stand to use some work, bumpy.

This write up is pretty crappy. Don't have a ton to say. Enjoying relaxing and hanging out with my Mom in Wisconsin Dells. Am not yet very nervous about racing. I am excited. The bike course is really fun and the run is going to be great. I get to tour downtown Madison 2x. What better way to sightsee. I guess a race strategy would be a good idea. I was thinking I would need to hold back on the bike but now not sure  how much. Who knows what is going to happen on the run. Hopefully my run will be okay without that last couple of weeks. What do you think? Should I expect to be okay, or be a little slower? Should I shoot for a goal time for this race, or just go as fast as I can without looking at a watch?  If I could shoot for a goal time it would be 10:30. Faster than IM Canada, but I know this is course is slower so I don't want to set myself up for failure.

Okay, tired. Off to bed. Talk tomorrow.