Wednesday, December 15, 2010
My first interview!
I recently had the chance to do a little Q&A with Joel Strickland for his blog Tri Madness. Go check it out, 10 questions, 10 answers. I'll be posting a 2011 schedule/ sponsor update soon :)
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
IMAZ- Last Hurray of 2010
Off season has officially started and I think I am going to enjoy it for awhile. Sunday was a day that I am really proud of and ending the year on such a high note leaves me feeling pretty good about what's in store next season!
We left for AZ on Thursday and my legs were still complaining from Clearwater despite my best efforts to stay off my feet and compress the soreness out of them. I pretty much swam and did an easy spin or two, and managed one wobbly 27min run on Wednesday, which left me wondering how in the world I was going to run a marathon just a few days later.
Luckily, our homestay Wolfgang (Endurance Rehab) also happened to be one of the best P.T.'s around and with the latest and greatest equipment at his fingertips I was fortunate enough to make use of some of his tools. I did several sessions in the very funny looking, but highly effective NormaTec MVP recovery boots/ sleeves- whatever you want to call them, and also had an extremely effective couple of sessions of a technique called ASTYM, which targets muscle soreness/ tightness with a scraping technique. Check out Wolfgang's site and if you are ever in the area, I can't recommend him enough- great guy and really knows his stuff!
Anyways, I started feeling a little better each day and by Saturday (day before race) I was about 90% pain free in my lower legs. Although the weather on race day called for rain showers and wind, I tried to stay positive and ignore the silly forecast of rain in AZ, I mean, come on... Sunday morning came bright and early and I woke up in slight disbelief that I'd really be doing this. (it never seems to really set in until the gun goes off anyway, but here I was, really going through with what I originally thought might be a silly idea, especially since I was being called crazy for doubling :) This would be a real test, a true test of how tough of an athlete I am, how strong my will power is and how badly I wanted this. ready or not, I was on my way to the start line.
Brandon was a fantastic sherpa throughout the entire trip, I can't thank him enough. When doubt crept into my head, he was there to erase it and when I realized I forgot a few very important things at home, he made sure I was good to go on race day. And being on the race course throughout the day, updating me on how far ahead other racers were, made such a difference to my usual racing "blind". What a guy :) Since we were a little further away from the race site than last year, we had a 25min drive during which I realized that my clever idea of putting my Redbull bottles in with my bento box was not so smart. One of my bottles was open and spilled perfectly into my bento box, covering it in a sticky, smelly mess. Luckily, only one bottle came open, still had the other few in tact. (more on Redbull later) We rolled into the parking garage with plenty of time to clean said bento box and sticky hands before making our way over to transition.
As is usually the case in pro racing at these events, you really don't know for sure who will actually show up, and in my case, I never usually even see my competitors much of the day, unless I am passing them or they are passing me. So, I had a vague idea of who was here, but probably wouldn't know who actually raced until looking at the results later that night. However, Ironman touted this race to have the most competitive field outside of Kona this year, how is that for some pre-race pressure? It was called a "superstar studded field", and it was indeed as I realized later on that 6 out of the top 10 women were Ironman Champs (or multiple Ironman Champs for that matter)
The swim was freezing as usual, but I felt comfortable after about 10min and being in a pack (for the second week in a row- go me!) helped as well. This time it was men and women mixed, and although I was somewhat sandwiched between 2 guys for most of the swim, I was glad I didn't have to go solo for 2.4mi. I may have this whole pack swimming figured out a little better after all! I came out of the water in just a smidge over an hour, right on the heels of Erica C. and Linsey C., and faster than last year.
T2 was interesting as it was crowded and I had a hard time maneuvering through to find a chair to dump my stuff and get dressed for the ride. My great volunteers helped me get my stuff sorted and I was out of there in no time, anxious to see what the day held in store as the skies were now clearly clouding over.
The 3 loop out and back is something I like and dislike at the same time. It really helps me stay consistent and is very predictable, but at the same time each loop holds the same challenge to conquer each time. Starting out I exited T2 and almost immediately had a camera on me. Pretty neat, but wondering why me? :) I must have looked fast or something, ha. The camera guys stayed with me for a good 3 minutes or so, getting footage for ironmanlive.com (thank you, my mom was excited to see me on the computer screen, as this was the first time she was not in attendance for my IM) and then moved up to the next girl. I could tell immediately that this would be no easy ride. The winds in town were whirling around and I was forced to hold on tight as my 808's seemed to want to go in a different direction than me.
Once on the Beeline highway, there was a headwind, as is to be expected but then it turned into a tailwind, pushing me up the road at 24mph, awesome! Well, until the turn-around back down the beeline, (note downhill!) when the winds turned into vicious head and cross winds and I went from riding high 20s to low teens, downhill! Very frustrating, but I kept telling myself that everyone else was dealing with the same conditions and that I could not let up and had to keep pushing. Lap two was much of the same with increasing winds and even rain and hail (or were those tiny rocks hitting my helmet?) making me question why I thought doing this IM was a good idea...
In addition, around mi 60 I lost Erika, who I was switching off positions with riding (we were riding in 7th and 8th up to that point) and I hit my lowest point of the day. I had paid attention to my nutrition and hydration, making sure I got adequate amounts, but somehow I was fading, and fast. My head started telling me to stop, consider calling it a day, heck, maybe doing CW the week before simply was too much after all. Then I remembered the emergency magic potion attached to the rear of my bike- Redbull to the rescue. I downed about half a can and voila, about 5min later I was back with it once more, ready to focus again, muscles firing and a renewed sense of "I can do this!" I finished up my ride, coming out of the dark hole (a bonk or whatever it was) and although having lost 4 spots during my low point, I was uber happy to be off the bike and in my run shoes, in my element.
This is also where I entered previously unchartered territory. I did one back to back half ironman earlier in the season and I suffered in the second half, certainly slowing down due to fatigue still present in my body. I knew I could not have any expectations for this run or I might set myself up for disappointment. What surprised me was that I managed to still ride to a new personal best by 4 minutes over last year, even with the winds and weather and my meltdown. I put my head down and burst out of T2, hot on the heels of Heleen B, who won AZ two years ago. I knew she was a strong runner and I needed an amazing run to try and get by her. We ran the first few miles almost side by side, until I could not bear to run on a full bladder any longer and was forced to take a pit stop. Upon exiting the porta john almost 2 minutes later, she was out of sight and I knew I was not going to catch her back.
With the talent of the field, I wasn't running down as many people as I usually tend to do, and I kept telling myself to just keep it steady as this was a FULL marathon! I divided the race up into 3 segments since it's 3 loops, and focused on one loop at a time. When that became a little too overwhelming, I switched to focusing on aid stations, getting to the next and the next after that. Soon I was at the half way mark, legs slightly in pain but holding up, and spirits lifting as I realized I was going to finish this dang IM! ;) In my delirious state however, I forgot to restart my watch after pausing to pee, and by the time I noticed, it was a lap later and I ended up relying on my actual watch time for estimated race time.
By lap 3 I did some math and did it again as I could not quite grasp it- I was going to PR (unless I slowed wayyyy down, which at this point, being on autopilot, was NOT going to happen) by a good chunk of time, wow! Thinking about it, I got a little emotional and had to tell myself to stay focused and composed as anything could still happen, but with a mile to go and running on empty, I checked my watch and realized I would probably hit my super secret lofty season goal for an Ironman. Unrested, not optimally tapered, and on such a rough day. I turned the last corner around to the finish, soaked up the roaring crowds and crossed that timing mat in just over 9 hrs and 31 minutes. (my super lofty goal was 9.30 or better but I'll take this!) I couldn't believe it, and neither could my body, as I quickly faded and found myself on a massage table with legs propped up and tingly hands and a face as pale as the desert sand. Funny how you can give it your all for 140.6mi but then as soon as you cross the line, you can't go another step :)
My marathon ended up being 8 minutes faster than last year, and on a much windier day on the run course. It was only about 4min off my best in an IM, I'll take that too! Turns out my calves never bothered me much at all throughout the day, except for the second half of the run, but that is to be expected with 26miles of concrete. I wore compression sleeves for the first time and I think those helped a great deal. I am finding that I am actually less sore today, 3 days post IM, than I was last week, 4 days post CW. Well done, body, well done!
My final time put me less than 2 minutes behind 8th place, and who knows what kind of race it would have been if I hadn't stopped, but that is part of Ironman, it's so unpredictable and anything can happen. After having asked so much of my body this season and having succeeded in executing each race to the best of my abilities, I am looking forward to some much needed downtime and unstructured training before ramping things up again in the new year. The sky is the limit and I have proven to myself that anything really is possible. Can't wait for 2011!
Lastly, a big thank you to ALL the volunteers at the aid stations, the transition areas and all around the race site. No one would be racing without your help! Thank you so much for giving me what I needed at each aid station on the run, every time. To everyone who rooted for me this season, thank you! Your belief in me powered me to the finish! To my sponsors, hopefully I made you proud this year! I am dedicating IMAZ 2010 to my friend and former massage therapist extraordinaire Jeff Jewell, who passed away from brain cancer last week. I thought of you throughout the day, this race was for you!
This was a long one, but there won't be too many more this year :)
We left for AZ on Thursday and my legs were still complaining from Clearwater despite my best efforts to stay off my feet and compress the soreness out of them. I pretty much swam and did an easy spin or two, and managed one wobbly 27min run on Wednesday, which left me wondering how in the world I was going to run a marathon just a few days later.
Luckily, our homestay Wolfgang (Endurance Rehab) also happened to be one of the best P.T.'s around and with the latest and greatest equipment at his fingertips I was fortunate enough to make use of some of his tools. I did several sessions in the very funny looking, but highly effective NormaTec MVP recovery boots/ sleeves- whatever you want to call them, and also had an extremely effective couple of sessions of a technique called ASTYM, which targets muscle soreness/ tightness with a scraping technique. Check out Wolfgang's site and if you are ever in the area, I can't recommend him enough- great guy and really knows his stuff!
Anyways, I started feeling a little better each day and by Saturday (day before race) I was about 90% pain free in my lower legs. Although the weather on race day called for rain showers and wind, I tried to stay positive and ignore the silly forecast of rain in AZ, I mean, come on... Sunday morning came bright and early and I woke up in slight disbelief that I'd really be doing this. (it never seems to really set in until the gun goes off anyway, but here I was, really going through with what I originally thought might be a silly idea, especially since I was being called crazy for doubling :) This would be a real test, a true test of how tough of an athlete I am, how strong my will power is and how badly I wanted this. ready or not, I was on my way to the start line.
 |
| Cleaning up a sticky mess, ick |
 |
| Bodymarking |
 |
| I think I'm ready?! |
 |
| The little pack I swam in, thanks to my Blueseventy Helix for keeping me warm! |
 | |
| Sun barely up, pros about to go off- Tempe Town Lake |
T2 was interesting as it was crowded and I had a hard time maneuvering through to find a chair to dump my stuff and get dressed for the ride. My great volunteers helped me get my stuff sorted and I was out of there in no time, anxious to see what the day held in store as the skies were now clearly clouding over.
The 3 loop out and back is something I like and dislike at the same time. It really helps me stay consistent and is very predictable, but at the same time each loop holds the same challenge to conquer each time. Starting out I exited T2 and almost immediately had a camera on me. Pretty neat, but wondering why me? :) I must have looked fast or something, ha. The camera guys stayed with me for a good 3 minutes or so, getting footage for ironmanlive.com (thank you, my mom was excited to see me on the computer screen, as this was the first time she was not in attendance for my IM) and then moved up to the next girl. I could tell immediately that this would be no easy ride. The winds in town were whirling around and I was forced to hold on tight as my 808's seemed to want to go in a different direction than me.
 |
| Thanks to Eric Wynn for taking this awesome shot of me on the Beeline. |
 |
| photo credit: Competitive Image/ Paul Phillips |
This is also where I entered previously unchartered territory. I did one back to back half ironman earlier in the season and I suffered in the second half, certainly slowing down due to fatigue still present in my body. I knew I could not have any expectations for this run or I might set myself up for disappointment. What surprised me was that I managed to still ride to a new personal best by 4 minutes over last year, even with the winds and weather and my meltdown. I put my head down and burst out of T2, hot on the heels of Heleen B, who won AZ two years ago. I knew she was a strong runner and I needed an amazing run to try and get by her. We ran the first few miles almost side by side, until I could not bear to run on a full bladder any longer and was forced to take a pit stop. Upon exiting the porta john almost 2 minutes later, she was out of sight and I knew I was not going to catch her back.
 |
| early on in the run. photo credit: Timothy Carlson |
 |
| my own little "iron war" ;) |
 |
| Fighting to the bitter end, just before finish |
By lap 3 I did some math and did it again as I could not quite grasp it- I was going to PR (unless I slowed wayyyy down, which at this point, being on autopilot, was NOT going to happen) by a good chunk of time, wow! Thinking about it, I got a little emotional and had to tell myself to stay focused and composed as anything could still happen, but with a mile to go and running on empty, I checked my watch and realized I would probably hit my super secret lofty season goal for an Ironman. Unrested, not optimally tapered, and on such a rough day. I turned the last corner around to the finish, soaked up the roaring crowds and crossed that timing mat in just over 9 hrs and 31 minutes. (my super lofty goal was 9.30 or better but I'll take this!) I couldn't believe it, and neither could my body, as I quickly faded and found myself on a massage table with legs propped up and tingly hands and a face as pale as the desert sand. Funny how you can give it your all for 140.6mi but then as soon as you cross the line, you can't go another step :)
 |
| I think I'm tired now |
 |
| I think I wanted some chicken broth here |
My final time put me less than 2 minutes behind 8th place, and who knows what kind of race it would have been if I hadn't stopped, but that is part of Ironman, it's so unpredictable and anything can happen. After having asked so much of my body this season and having succeeded in executing each race to the best of my abilities, I am looking forward to some much needed downtime and unstructured training before ramping things up again in the new year. The sky is the limit and I have proven to myself that anything really is possible. Can't wait for 2011!
 |
| well deserved-unfortunately I could only get half of it down |
This was a long one, but there won't be too many more this year :)
Monday, November 15, 2010
Clearwater 2010- 11th Place
Day two post- race recovery has started and I am not going to lie- I am extremely sore, as I expected, from pounding the concrete for 13.1mi Saturday after getting tossed around in the ocean and riding my bike TT style for 56mi :). Since I am keeping activities light and short this week, I am hoping that my legs will come around and work with me one last time this season on Sunday for the last showdown of the year. But first, here is my Clearwater Race Report.
I was as ready as I could be for the World Champs. I had some realistic and some more "if the stars align and I get lucky" type goals. I had some great last workouts leading into the race and knew that I was the fittest I had been all season. I tried not to think about all the superstars I'd be facing on race day and just go out and do my race and have an honest race! In addition, my mom would be racing as well, and I just knew she would have the best race she's had so far. Of course she didn't believe me when I told her the time she was capable of doing...
I did a few practice swims at Pier 60 where the swim would take place, and the water was never pleasantly flat or conducive to fast swim times. At one point I wasn't sure they'd have the swim on the ocean side at all, because waves were huge! However, race morning came and the buoys were placed out and the water looked relatively calm. I had my usual pre- race routine of almost no sleep (really need to work on that, racing on one hour of sleep is only possible with huge amounts of adrenaline running through your system) a light breakfast of toast and coffee and a small pep talk with myself. Then it was off to the race site where cameras were everywhere, filming the top pros every move. I am not sure how awake I looked but I am glad I was not going to be on film ;)
After checking on my bike a half dozen times and checking on my mom an equal amount of time, it was time to put on the wetsuit and hit the water. My tinted goggles made it near impossible to see as it was still dark out when I entered the ocean at 6:20 for a warm-up. Thankfully the sun came up and provided a beautiful sunrise right before the cannon went off. The men were first, 3 minutes later the women followed. I wasn't really at all nervous at this point (other than for the run in start into the crashing waves...) and it all seemed a bit surreal to me. I was going to be racing with some of the world's best 70.3 athletes and this was the world championship!
Boom, the cannon went off and we sprinted off into the ocean. On the way in I tried to gingerly run on my toes but came down somewhat hard on my heel, which ended up feeling bruised the rest of the day (despite the super fine sand, it is really hard when it's wet!) Immediately I could tell that this would be my most challenging swim yet. I focused on even strokes and staying with people and not swallowing too much water, as it seemed that every time I went to take a breath, a wave came crashing sideways. For the first time all season I actually was part of a little pack, which consisted of Angela N. and Amanda L. I am so glad I had some people to work with as I had a hard time sighting the buoys, especially on the return trip to shore. The waves never let up and I felt like I was bobbing up and down more than swimming forward. When I finally reached shore, I heard the announcer say something about how my mom was racing as well but it's all a blur since I was focused on getting to the changing tent in the quickest way possible.
After some trouble getting my wetsuit off, I had lost a few seconds on Amanda and Angela and they were out of sight in no time. I was glad to be on my bike though and was looking forward to that super fast ride everyone always talks about at Clearwater. The first few miles meander through neighborhoods and in my opinion aren't super fast, but once hitting the highway, there's a long stretch that just goes straight and you can really hammer it there and get your average speed up! My plan for the bike was to play catch up from the swim, as I knew I was one of the slower swimmers in this race. It took awhile until I passed another girl and I mostly rode in no man's land for the majority of the race, making it a true time trial for me. I kept telling myself not to let up because no one else was, and that if I wanted any chance at a real race, I had to close the gaps to other girls so that I had a chance to be in their zip code for the run.
To be honest, I got a little demoralized when I was riding so hard, all on a lone effort, and look across the highway to the other other side to see packs of AG'ers 3 wide and 50 deep, riding along, with no ref in sight. It's Clearwater though, and it's no surprise that this would happen, but when you're working so hard racing a clean race and see that the AG'ers are so blatantly cheating, it does make it tough. (just look at the overall women's results- tons of AG W20-29 who out rode the fastest pros. Really??) I let it go and focused on my own race and my goals. The ride seemed slow (I was 1 min slower than at Boulder 70.3 and had estimated to be at least 5min faster), I wasn't sure if I was having a bad day or if the winds just weren't right for a fast day on the bike. We did have a steady headwind for 95% of it I'd say. Finally, I came back to T2, a little on the depleted side and feeling a bit lightheaded (temps were rising at this point) but glad to be off the bike and onto my favorite part- the run. I wasn't sure how I'd handle the heat since Boulder has become increasingly cold over the last few weeks, with snow before I left...
Upon leaving transition and having the crowds roaring cheers in my ears, I tried to bottle that all up and take the energy with me out on the run course. Immediately, I caught up to Heather L. and made a pass. I shopped like a champ at every aid station, getting sponges (I fully credit those with not letting me overheat out there) and water and coke. I also forced down a few gels as I knew I needed the calories ( The lightheadedness on the bike was preceeded by a slight feeling of hunger, not good!) but my body quickly said 'no' to gels as heat and gels and my taste buds don't mix well.
At around the halfway mark of the first run loop I could hear the helicopter above and the motorcycle brigade behind me and knew the leader of the race was near. At this point I could also see Amanda ahead and just in front of her, my team mate Jess. I caught up to Amanda and had cameras behind me for a good 5min while Michael Raelert made his winning move. ( wow, it was amazing to have him run by me, made me feel like I was standing still...) Once the craziness passed, I was back on the second climb up the bridge (we crossed it 4x up and down) with Amanda feet in front of me. Thinking back on all my hill runs I put my head down and shortened my stride and ran up to that bridge and told Amanda to go with me as I ran by her. I ate up the downhill coming back down the bridge like I was doing a 10k and could see Jess a few hundred meters up the path.
Still having no real idea what place I was in at this point, I picked up my pace just a bit, knowing the first lap was almost done, and that I would keep on pushing and make it count. So far my day had not played out the way I wanted it to, time-wise at least. At the run turn-around I soaked up the crowd's cheers once more and could hear the announcer cheer for the second place male coming in. One more lap to go, 6.5mi- I can do this. And so I booked it back up and over the bridge, passing Jess and telling her to go with me. She is a strong runner and I knew something was up when she dropped back. I don't run with a GPS watch or anything so I didn't know what my pace was, but I was still passing people so I just went with it. At around 9mi my energy was fading, I was starting to battle nausea. I was wondering how my mom was doing, hadn't seen her all day. I kept telling my legs to please stay with me, don't cramp up. I could definitely feel the damage of the day now and the concrete was hard under my K-Ruuz lightweight speedsters.
I came up on Melanie McQ. with about 2mi to go and I passed her on the last downhill. I have to say it felt awesome to make this many passes on the run and move up in the overall spots. I was told I was running in 10th before I passed her so I assumed I was now running in 9th- sweet! I started to tear up thinking about it and had to focus hard to keep my composure on that last mile to the finish. It got pretty crowded with AG'ers in the mix and narrow sidewalks but I managed my way around and finally reached the Ford sign, which signaled the finish up ahead. The clock read 4:23:xx, not the time I had hoped for, but knowing I gave it all I had on this day, I crossed the line utterly exhausted and with jello legs that wouldn't stand on their own. Luckily 2 volunteers plus one more caught me and helped me through.
I was overjoyed and super happy that despite racing solo on the bike I was able to fight my way back in the top 10, at the World Championship! However, this was short-lived as I checked to see the official results to make sure. I actually placed 11th, 2 places lower than I thought and 1 place out of the money. 11th place is so bittersweet because I was so close to making that top 10, 1 minute to be exact. But I never had a clue about my standings and I never saw 10th place. It is what it is, I am not going to dwell over it. each person out there had their own ups and downs I'm sure, and overall I did have a pretty darn good first WC showing! The most important thing is that it left me hungry for more, and excited for next year! It was an honor to be racing with these big names in the sport, as I still sometimes feel like I'm a newbie or a no-name out there :) Perhaps a few more people now recognize my name.
As for mom, she had the race of her life, pr'ing by 30 min and going sub 5:40. (aaaand breast stroking the swim, in a rather respectable time!) Yeah she's a happy camper!
I am about as sore as I expected to be after this race. I knew it was not going to be an easy task to get ready for 2 back to back races in this short amount of time. But I'm not the only crazy one doing it, so that's a bit comforting to know :) Clearwater is behind me and I am glad I had the opportunity to race there as this was the final year for the WC's to be hosted there. It is a beautiful venue, at least for the swim, as the concrete jungle on the bike and run leaves something to be desired, but you can't beat a FL sunrise and sunset, or those white sand beaches! Too bad I didn't get to stay long enough to enjoy a lazy day at the water.
A big thanks to everyone who showed their support for me at the race, your kind words mean so much and get me through the hard times out there! To my sponsors, thanks for providing me with the best equipment out there so that I am always ready for battle and looking good while doing so! Each passing season I learn a bit more about what it takes to be the best, and so far I am headed in the right direction!
Some more pics and video to follow later!
Stay tuned for Sunday and check ironmanlive.com for updates on the big show at IMAZ!
 |
| Sunset at Pier 60 the night before the race |
 |
| Clearwater Beach in November |
After checking on my bike a half dozen times and checking on my mom an equal amount of time, it was time to put on the wetsuit and hit the water. My tinted goggles made it near impossible to see as it was still dark out when I entered the ocean at 6:20 for a warm-up. Thankfully the sun came up and provided a beautiful sunrise right before the cannon went off. The men were first, 3 minutes later the women followed. I wasn't really at all nervous at this point (other than for the run in start into the crashing waves...) and it all seemed a bit surreal to me. I was going to be racing with some of the world's best 70.3 athletes and this was the world championship!
Boom, the cannon went off and we sprinted off into the ocean. On the way in I tried to gingerly run on my toes but came down somewhat hard on my heel, which ended up feeling bruised the rest of the day (despite the super fine sand, it is really hard when it's wet!) Immediately I could tell that this would be my most challenging swim yet. I focused on even strokes and staying with people and not swallowing too much water, as it seemed that every time I went to take a breath, a wave came crashing sideways. For the first time all season I actually was part of a little pack, which consisted of Angela N. and Amanda L. I am so glad I had some people to work with as I had a hard time sighting the buoys, especially on the return trip to shore. The waves never let up and I felt like I was bobbing up and down more than swimming forward. When I finally reached shore, I heard the announcer say something about how my mom was racing as well but it's all a blur since I was focused on getting to the changing tent in the quickest way possible.
After some trouble getting my wetsuit off, I had lost a few seconds on Amanda and Angela and they were out of sight in no time. I was glad to be on my bike though and was looking forward to that super fast ride everyone always talks about at Clearwater. The first few miles meander through neighborhoods and in my opinion aren't super fast, but once hitting the highway, there's a long stretch that just goes straight and you can really hammer it there and get your average speed up! My plan for the bike was to play catch up from the swim, as I knew I was one of the slower swimmers in this race. It took awhile until I passed another girl and I mostly rode in no man's land for the majority of the race, making it a true time trial for me. I kept telling myself not to let up because no one else was, and that if I wanted any chance at a real race, I had to close the gaps to other girls so that I had a chance to be in their zip code for the run.
To be honest, I got a little demoralized when I was riding so hard, all on a lone effort, and look across the highway to the other other side to see packs of AG'ers 3 wide and 50 deep, riding along, with no ref in sight. It's Clearwater though, and it's no surprise that this would happen, but when you're working so hard racing a clean race and see that the AG'ers are so blatantly cheating, it does make it tough. (just look at the overall women's results- tons of AG W20-29 who out rode the fastest pros. Really??) I let it go and focused on my own race and my goals. The ride seemed slow (I was 1 min slower than at Boulder 70.3 and had estimated to be at least 5min faster), I wasn't sure if I was having a bad day or if the winds just weren't right for a fast day on the bike. We did have a steady headwind for 95% of it I'd say. Finally, I came back to T2, a little on the depleted side and feeling a bit lightheaded (temps were rising at this point) but glad to be off the bike and onto my favorite part- the run. I wasn't sure how I'd handle the heat since Boulder has become increasingly cold over the last few weeks, with snow before I left...
Upon leaving transition and having the crowds roaring cheers in my ears, I tried to bottle that all up and take the energy with me out on the run course. Immediately, I caught up to Heather L. and made a pass. I shopped like a champ at every aid station, getting sponges (I fully credit those with not letting me overheat out there) and water and coke. I also forced down a few gels as I knew I needed the calories ( The lightheadedness on the bike was preceeded by a slight feeling of hunger, not good!) but my body quickly said 'no' to gels as heat and gels and my taste buds don't mix well.
At around the halfway mark of the first run loop I could hear the helicopter above and the motorcycle brigade behind me and knew the leader of the race was near. At this point I could also see Amanda ahead and just in front of her, my team mate Jess. I caught up to Amanda and had cameras behind me for a good 5min while Michael Raelert made his winning move. ( wow, it was amazing to have him run by me, made me feel like I was standing still...) Once the craziness passed, I was back on the second climb up the bridge (we crossed it 4x up and down) with Amanda feet in front of me. Thinking back on all my hill runs I put my head down and shortened my stride and ran up to that bridge and told Amanda to go with me as I ran by her. I ate up the downhill coming back down the bridge like I was doing a 10k and could see Jess a few hundred meters up the path.
Still having no real idea what place I was in at this point, I picked up my pace just a bit, knowing the first lap was almost done, and that I would keep on pushing and make it count. So far my day had not played out the way I wanted it to, time-wise at least. At the run turn-around I soaked up the crowd's cheers once more and could hear the announcer cheer for the second place male coming in. One more lap to go, 6.5mi- I can do this. And so I booked it back up and over the bridge, passing Jess and telling her to go with me. She is a strong runner and I knew something was up when she dropped back. I don't run with a GPS watch or anything so I didn't know what my pace was, but I was still passing people so I just went with it. At around 9mi my energy was fading, I was starting to battle nausea. I was wondering how my mom was doing, hadn't seen her all day. I kept telling my legs to please stay with me, don't cramp up. I could definitely feel the damage of the day now and the concrete was hard under my K-Ruuz lightweight speedsters.
I came up on Melanie McQ. with about 2mi to go and I passed her on the last downhill. I have to say it felt awesome to make this many passes on the run and move up in the overall spots. I was told I was running in 10th before I passed her so I assumed I was now running in 9th- sweet! I started to tear up thinking about it and had to focus hard to keep my composure on that last mile to the finish. It got pretty crowded with AG'ers in the mix and narrow sidewalks but I managed my way around and finally reached the Ford sign, which signaled the finish up ahead. The clock read 4:23:xx, not the time I had hoped for, but knowing I gave it all I had on this day, I crossed the line utterly exhausted and with jello legs that wouldn't stand on their own. Luckily 2 volunteers plus one more caught me and helped me through.
I was overjoyed and super happy that despite racing solo on the bike I was able to fight my way back in the top 10, at the World Championship! However, this was short-lived as I checked to see the official results to make sure. I actually placed 11th, 2 places lower than I thought and 1 place out of the money. 11th place is so bittersweet because I was so close to making that top 10, 1 minute to be exact. But I never had a clue about my standings and I never saw 10th place. It is what it is, I am not going to dwell over it. each person out there had their own ups and downs I'm sure, and overall I did have a pretty darn good first WC showing! The most important thing is that it left me hungry for more, and excited for next year! It was an honor to be racing with these big names in the sport, as I still sometimes feel like I'm a newbie or a no-name out there :) Perhaps a few more people now recognize my name.
As for mom, she had the race of her life, pr'ing by 30 min and going sub 5:40. (aaaand breast stroking the swim, in a rather respectable time!) Yeah she's a happy camper!
I am about as sore as I expected to be after this race. I knew it was not going to be an easy task to get ready for 2 back to back races in this short amount of time. But I'm not the only crazy one doing it, so that's a bit comforting to know :) Clearwater is behind me and I am glad I had the opportunity to race there as this was the final year for the WC's to be hosted there. It is a beautiful venue, at least for the swim, as the concrete jungle on the bike and run leaves something to be desired, but you can't beat a FL sunrise and sunset, or those white sand beaches! Too bad I didn't get to stay long enough to enjoy a lazy day at the water.
A big thanks to everyone who showed their support for me at the race, your kind words mean so much and get me through the hard times out there! To my sponsors, thanks for providing me with the best equipment out there so that I am always ready for battle and looking good while doing so! Each passing season I learn a bit more about what it takes to be the best, and so far I am headed in the right direction!
Some more pics and video to follow later!
Stay tuned for Sunday and check ironmanlive.com for updates on the big show at IMAZ!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Austin 70.3 RR
Last weekend I enjoyed a brief recurrence of summer as I traveled to the land of Texas for Austin 70.3. It really is true what they say, it's hot down there, no matter what time of year. I have gently de-acclimated myself over the last few weeks as the thermometer in Colorado has finally gone down to seasonably, enjoyable fall temps, making sweat fests of workouts a faint memory for now. I knew it was going to be significantly warmer where I was headed and hoped to a) trick my body into thinking that I was still used to the heat and b) use this race as a practice run for Clearwater, temperature-wise at least. Judging from the entry list of the pros, this race would serve as a CW warm-up in more ways than one...
Around 22 pro women had signed up for the race and about 22 pro women showed up on race morning. This was my first serious competition since IM Canada in August, and having more entrants I knew I had my work cut out for me. Since Austin was one month out from CW and 5 weeks out from IMAZ, I didn't do much of a taper for it, hoping that my easy travel day and brief pre- race workouts would do the trick. As the end of the season nears, I am pushing myself to get in those last few key swims, rides and runs before scaling everything back, and getting that sling shot effect I will need for the CW/ IMAZ double. But it's the end of the season and no doubt is my body telling me that it is (almost) ready for a break. (one more month to go!)
Anyways, back to the race: The swim was wetsuit legal for pros (according to the new rule of 76.1 degrees F or cooler), which was great news for me, as I tend to have much better swims in wetsuits. It was however borderline too hot, as I exited the lake with a face red like a tomato. With 22 women at the start, and most being strong swimmers I really wanted to find a pair of feet to stay on and get a good draft off of. All season long I have swam by myself, in every race. Sadly, this day would be no different as I was once again in no man's land, not fast enough to catch up to the lead group, yet speedier than the group behind me. It wasn't until the last few hundred meters that I caught up to another swimmer, Heather J., who ended up exiting the water just a second or so back of me. Still I managed a swim P.R. of 29:3X so I'll take it.
The run up to transition took forever and by the time I got to my bike I was frantically trying to get wetsuit off, while throwing on helmet, sunglasses, belt and shoes, and for some reason getting covered in grass. Got out of T1 in 10th place or so and immediately had to go to work, as this race was going to be a fast one. At this point the air temps were still relatively cool and it seemed like there was even a bit of fog, making it pretty hard to see through my glasses at some spots. I settled into a rhythm a few miles in, catching up to another girl, who ended up sitting on my wheel for a few minutes before I told her to please back off and not draft (seriously, why? Thankfully she did drop back and I didn't have to deal with her again) then came the loneliest part of the race, just me, myself and I. While this is nice for tuning out and just riding, it's not so great when you have no clue where the rest of your competition is and how hard you should ride to close the gap.
Finally, a few more miles along, 2 other girls caught up to me and we ended up switching off leading for most of the remainder of the bike, which is something I have not done before. I ended up trading the lead with Annie G. and Lauren H., both very strong riders. The roads in TX are not like the roads in CO. After having done BSLT 70.3 a few times I knew that Austin might be similar, and it did not disappoint. Between rough road surfaces, re-patched areas, and riding on packed dirt for a few miles, I kept busy trying not to lose my aero drink straw that kept getting pushed out of the bottle. I never got into a great rhythm and felt pretty zonked coming into T2, just a few seconds ahead of Annie.
Starting the run, I had really no idea where it was headed, other than out the road that I saw coming back from the bike. The lead women were way up the road and I knew I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to move up the ranks. The air felt hot and sticky at this point and my hand held drink was warm. After having Annie hot on my heels for the first few hundred yards, she made the pass and kept me at around a 10ft distance. After 1.5 miles of rolling up and downs we made a turn into a park where we would run on grassy, uneven terrain for a good part of the race. I am used to running on roads, so to all of a sudden be greeted by narrow trails/ jeep roads with weeds growing in uneven patches and the sun beating down into the meadows, was a challenge, as I tried my best not to twist my ankles. Aid stations were plenty and entertaining along the run course, thank goodness, because it got hot and the run was draining (it never actually felt flat) and I was starting to get goose bumps (never a good sign if it's hot out). At one point during the first of two laps on the run, I had to pull over and take a leak (as best as I tried to ignore it, I just could not hold it anymore) and right there I knew I was going to have to let Annie get away. This whole time she was just a few feet ahead, but with my stop for about 30 secs or so, I lost more ground.
For some reason I was able to reduce the gap a little again, passed a few more girls who seemd to be suffering as well, and found myself again, just about 10 ft back of Annie, running out of real estate since we were entering the home stretch. (the finish was INSIDE a rodeo arena, yeee haw!) At this point I saw that Heather J. was also just a few seconds ahead, but running on fumes, I could not get into that next gear and so we all three ended up finishing within 17 seconds of each other. I officially was 10th out of 21 finishers and still managed to go under 4:30, even though I felt like I never got into a rhythm the entire race, and was feeling like garbage for most of it.
As soon as I crossed the line I mouthed to my catchers/ volunteers that I was over heating (although pics have me crossing the line with a white face) so they helped me limp over to the med tent where I received the luxury of a bag of ice, water bottles and cold towel to cool off. 20 mins later I was fine enough to get up and mingle with some of my fellow racers and rehash some of the race's high and low lights.
As for the race itself, I later heard that the run course had been changed from last year and that this was the 4th year the course had been modified overall, so I guess times are irrelevant. It's fast, but it's a tough course. There are plenty of hills and terrain changes, on both the bike and run, literally keeping you on your toes the entire race. I didn't get to see too much of Austin, so I might need to make a return trip someday. I did however, check out the monstrous-sized Whole Foods- you could easily spend 3 hours in there food shopping- wow! I also must say I did not have a Lance sighting, although I did meet a bunch of great people while there.
Although I was initially a bit disappointed in my overall placing, I know this was the toughest and most competitive field I have faced all year, with Ironman winners, 70.3 champs and runner up's, former Kona top contenders etc. Definitely a good tune up race for CW, where I'll be fully rested and loaded for a great performance, followed a week later by what appears to be a super stacked field at IMAZ. There are only 2 more months left in the year, but lots of great racing yet to be had!
Around 22 pro women had signed up for the race and about 22 pro women showed up on race morning. This was my first serious competition since IM Canada in August, and having more entrants I knew I had my work cut out for me. Since Austin was one month out from CW and 5 weeks out from IMAZ, I didn't do much of a taper for it, hoping that my easy travel day and brief pre- race workouts would do the trick. As the end of the season nears, I am pushing myself to get in those last few key swims, rides and runs before scaling everything back, and getting that sling shot effect I will need for the CW/ IMAZ double. But it's the end of the season and no doubt is my body telling me that it is (almost) ready for a break. (one more month to go!)
Anyways, back to the race: The swim was wetsuit legal for pros (according to the new rule of 76.1 degrees F or cooler), which was great news for me, as I tend to have much better swims in wetsuits. It was however borderline too hot, as I exited the lake with a face red like a tomato. With 22 women at the start, and most being strong swimmers I really wanted to find a pair of feet to stay on and get a good draft off of. All season long I have swam by myself, in every race. Sadly, this day would be no different as I was once again in no man's land, not fast enough to catch up to the lead group, yet speedier than the group behind me. It wasn't until the last few hundred meters that I caught up to another swimmer, Heather J., who ended up exiting the water just a second or so back of me. Still I managed a swim P.R. of 29:3X so I'll take it.
 |
| swim exit |
 |
| Nice crack in the road |
Starting the run, I had really no idea where it was headed, other than out the road that I saw coming back from the bike. The lead women were way up the road and I knew I had my work cut out for me if I wanted to move up the ranks. The air felt hot and sticky at this point and my hand held drink was warm. After having Annie hot on my heels for the first few hundred yards, she made the pass and kept me at around a 10ft distance. After 1.5 miles of rolling up and downs we made a turn into a park where we would run on grassy, uneven terrain for a good part of the race. I am used to running on roads, so to all of a sudden be greeted by narrow trails/ jeep roads with weeds growing in uneven patches and the sun beating down into the meadows, was a challenge, as I tried my best not to twist my ankles. Aid stations were plenty and entertaining along the run course, thank goodness, because it got hot and the run was draining (it never actually felt flat) and I was starting to get goose bumps (never a good sign if it's hot out). At one point during the first of two laps on the run, I had to pull over and take a leak (as best as I tried to ignore it, I just could not hold it anymore) and right there I knew I was going to have to let Annie get away. This whole time she was just a few feet ahead, but with my stop for about 30 secs or so, I lost more ground.
 |
| so thankful cold, wet sponges were plentiful |
For some reason I was able to reduce the gap a little again, passed a few more girls who seemd to be suffering as well, and found myself again, just about 10 ft back of Annie, running out of real estate since we were entering the home stretch. (the finish was INSIDE a rodeo arena, yeee haw!) At this point I saw that Heather J. was also just a few seconds ahead, but running on fumes, I could not get into that next gear and so we all three ended up finishing within 17 seconds of each other. I officially was 10th out of 21 finishers and still managed to go under 4:30, even though I felt like I never got into a rhythm the entire race, and was feeling like garbage for most of it.
As soon as I crossed the line I mouthed to my catchers/ volunteers that I was over heating (although pics have me crossing the line with a white face) so they helped me limp over to the med tent where I received the luxury of a bag of ice, water bottles and cold towel to cool off. 20 mins later I was fine enough to get up and mingle with some of my fellow racers and rehash some of the race's high and low lights.
As for the race itself, I later heard that the run course had been changed from last year and that this was the 4th year the course had been modified overall, so I guess times are irrelevant. It's fast, but it's a tough course. There are plenty of hills and terrain changes, on both the bike and run, literally keeping you on your toes the entire race. I didn't get to see too much of Austin, so I might need to make a return trip someday. I did however, check out the monstrous-sized Whole Foods- you could easily spend 3 hours in there food shopping- wow! I also must say I did not have a Lance sighting, although I did meet a bunch of great people while there.
Although I was initially a bit disappointed in my overall placing, I know this was the toughest and most competitive field I have faced all year, with Ironman winners, 70.3 champs and runner up's, former Kona top contenders etc. Definitely a good tune up race for CW, where I'll be fully rested and loaded for a great performance, followed a week later by what appears to be a super stacked field at IMAZ. There are only 2 more months left in the year, but lots of great racing yet to be had!
Friday, October 1, 2010
Ironman- My Journey So Far
 |
| My first claim to fame :) Blueseventy picked me for their Kona Ad- Startline of the 2008 Ironman Hawaii, a million and one emotions are going through me there. |
 |
| Alii Drive in the last mile, still a blur |
In 2009 I did my second Ironman, IM Arizona. I had a goal of possibly breaking 10 hrs 30 min as my previous finish saw me at 11:25. I wasn’t sure how much faster I would go. I crossed the line in 9:47, eclipsing my goal by nearly 45min, and overcome with joy and elation, as well as disbelief, I covered my face as I cried myself across the finish. It meant so much to have conquered the distance successfully this time and to do it in the exclusive sub 10 hr club was almost unfathomable. I proved to myself that I was stronger than I thought. A 10th place overall finish in a loaded women’s pro field would top my result for the day.  |
| "Did I really just do this?!" |
 | ||
| The feeling about to be experienced here is indescribable. |
2010 and my second year of racing pro, I signed up for IM Canada in August, my first ever Summer Ironman. This forced me to train through most of my earlier races and train in the heat day in and day out. I was prepped for a hot race in Penticton, but the weather gods had different plans as the day would unfold as one of the coldest and rainiest and windiest on record. I persevered and although borderline hypothermic coming off the bike where I lost 2-3 spots, I ran my way up to 7th, finishing the day with the 3rd fastest marathon in 3:10, with an overall time of 9:46, on a much tougher course than IMAZ the previous year. Once again, the Ironman spirit prevailed and I pushed through the darkest of times to get to the finish line and reached success along the way.
If there is one thing that triathlon and especially Ironman racing has taught me, it’s that it’s never over till it’s over. As cliché as it sounds, it is so true. So many times I have had a bad start, a bad swim, a mediocre bike, but believing in that I still had a chance, that I could still have a good finish, pushed myself to my limits and ended up having a great run, renewing my excitement and love for the sport, and coming out on top. It is the soul searching in the darkest moments, the raw highs and lows (and believe me, they get very low before they get high) and the absolute thrill and emotion when coming into the finish, that make Ironman so magical and special to me. There is absolutely nothing else like it. You have to experience it to truly know. It’s what gets me out the door each and every day, putting in long, and sometimes lonely miles, over and over again. I have learned a lot about myself, and my abilities since becoming an Ironman athlete.
And as another year draws to a close, I am making my decision on a late season IM. I love the distance too much to not give it a go again before the year is done. I have it in me to go faster than last year. I have specific goals and times in mind. But I also know the timing will not be ideal. However, I do not want to ever have to think “what if only I…” so in true Ironman spirit, I will most likely be at the start line of this year’s IMAZ, a race near and dear to my heart, as it was my redemption last year after Kona 08. I know the course, I know the conditions. The only thing unclear right now is whether or not the lake will be refilled in time and whether or not a week after Clearwater will be enough time to toe the line. You never know until you try, right? Time to think about Kona 2011 starts now, and boy have I been thinking! I will be back racing on the big Island, I have unfinished business there :)
 |
| Ironman World Champs Start and Finish |
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Endless Summer in Boulder
Just saw an article in the local paper that we are on track to break a record for hottest September in Colorado. Yup, we've had every day in the 70s, 80s or even 90s and the average temp of 84.2 just went way up today as we hit well above 90. While it's nice to have summer here just a bit longer, unfortunately the creek beds are all dried up and lakes emptied of water. Without a cloud in the sky, it has been easy to get motivated to train though.
This past weekend marked 4 weeks post IM, and had on tap sprint tri #2, as well as a 5k run race for a "warmup". On Saturday, B and I got up before sunrise to travel to Aurora to see if I could still put down a decent 5k time on these IM legs. I wasn't sure how I'd do since I have not done any speed work for as long as I can remember. Races like these serve as my speed work- more fun and much more challenging in a real race setting. I came away in second place at the Southlands 5k, after what felt like the hardest 5k I have ever raced. My throat is still sore today! The course turned out to be a tad long (3.17mi), which would explain why my time of 18:25 hurt much more than it should have, but I did get a nice prize in the form of a mall gift certificate, which was spent after the race.
After getting back home it was time to pack the bags again for race number 2 of the weekend- the Oktoberfest Sprint Tri in Longmont. It was the same course as the Summer Open Sprint, which I won in May, setting a new course record there, which was later reset by Nicole DeBoom in the Outdoor Divas Sprint. I wasn't so sure about how speedy I would feel as I woke up a bit tired and throat still burning from the day before. However; after a pep talk from team director B, I realized that I wanted to do this, no one forced me, so I grabbed my coffee, threw my bag in the car and off we were, once more enjoying a sunrise in the car.
The weather was near perfect for the race, maybe a bit chilly in the water, but I managed a win and a new course record, despite never having started my watch due to some tumultuous times at the start ( elites started with collegiate racers, who were rather excited to be swimming) and thus not knowing any of my splits at any point during the race. For some reason I can't explain, my legs were all there, allowing me to run an 18:18 5k, which was 50 seconds faster than the one I ran in May on the same course. Which leads me to believe that I am indeed in better shape ;) These shorter events are great prep in the pain cave, both mentally and physically, giving me a boost for the longer stuff.
Up next is Austin 70.3, which I am racing with 2 other Team Sport Beans/ NTTC team mates, Brad and Jessica (your 2010 IM Augusta 70.3 champ!), then onto Clearwater. I am pretty excited to see how the remainder of my season will play out. Stay tuned~
This past weekend marked 4 weeks post IM, and had on tap sprint tri #2, as well as a 5k run race for a "warmup". On Saturday, B and I got up before sunrise to travel to Aurora to see if I could still put down a decent 5k time on these IM legs. I wasn't sure how I'd do since I have not done any speed work for as long as I can remember. Races like these serve as my speed work- more fun and much more challenging in a real race setting. I came away in second place at the Southlands 5k, after what felt like the hardest 5k I have ever raced. My throat is still sore today! The course turned out to be a tad long (3.17mi), which would explain why my time of 18:25 hurt much more than it should have, but I did get a nice prize in the form of a mall gift certificate, which was spent after the race.
 | |
| Pre race, me in my Ruuz and an antique beetle :) |
 | |||
| Ready, Set, Jump... |
 | |
| Pain and Agony up and down the hills of the Southlands Mall roads |
 |
| Awards |
The weather was near perfect for the race, maybe a bit chilly in the water, but I managed a win and a new course record, despite never having started my watch due to some tumultuous times at the start ( elites started with collegiate racers, who were rather excited to be swimming) and thus not knowing any of my splits at any point during the race. For some reason I can't explain, my legs were all there, allowing me to run an 18:18 5k, which was 50 seconds faster than the one I ran in May on the same course. Which leads me to believe that I am indeed in better shape ;) These shorter events are great prep in the pain cave, both mentally and physically, giving me a boost for the longer stuff.
 |
| Thinking of a fast T1- strip suit before taking goggles off :) |
 |
| one piece tri suit and KSwiss Blade Races for another race-best run |
Monday, September 20, 2010
Training/Racing Update
It's been about 3 weeks post IM and I am back on the training wagon after taking it easy for a couple weeks. The fires lasted for about a week and air quality was subpar at best, life was stressful for alot of Boulderites. I am so glad we have put this one behind us. We have not had rain in weeks and the earth is just yearning for moisture, so a high fire risk still remains around here. There have been numerous small fires burning around the foothills in the past several weeks, not to mention air temps in the 80s and 90s- not helpful! It is a reality check when something like this happens- making you rethink what your priorities are in life. All of a sudden, triathlon doesn't seem all that important at all. To all who lost their homes in the past few weeks, I hope that time and community support will heal and rebuild what they've lost.
But life must go on. Training picked up again last week and yesterday marked my first race back since Canada, even if it was 'just' a sprint. I wasn't sure about the speed I might or might not have in my legs, but somehow I pulled it off and had a respectable day at the Crescent Moon Sprint Tri. (if you live in the area and haven't given Racing Underground a try yet, go do one of their races- family run and alot of fun!) Nothing like going anaerobic for an hour to work up an appetite! I started with elite men and men 34 and under- talk about a testosterone fest in the water! It was a run-in start, and all I could think was how much I didn't want to get smacked around. Luckily I came away unscathed besides an elbow early on. It was all good fun though, and I will be doing another one this coming weekend. Should be good sharpening for my late season racing which may include a trip to Austin to get one more 70.3 under my belt before the WCs, and depending on how training goes these next few weeks, there might even be another IM in my future before the year is up.
Brandon was with me yesterday at the race and mistakenly took video instead of photos for some of the race, so I thought why not post it? (can't figure out how to flip video, sorry for any neck pain this may cause)
But life must go on. Training picked up again last week and yesterday marked my first race back since Canada, even if it was 'just' a sprint. I wasn't sure about the speed I might or might not have in my legs, but somehow I pulled it off and had a respectable day at the Crescent Moon Sprint Tri. (if you live in the area and haven't given Racing Underground a try yet, go do one of their races- family run and alot of fun!) Nothing like going anaerobic for an hour to work up an appetite! I started with elite men and men 34 and under- talk about a testosterone fest in the water! It was a run-in start, and all I could think was how much I didn't want to get smacked around. Luckily I came away unscathed besides an elbow early on. It was all good fun though, and I will be doing another one this coming weekend. Should be good sharpening for my late season racing which may include a trip to Austin to get one more 70.3 under my belt before the WCs, and depending on how training goes these next few weeks, there might even be another IM in my future before the year is up.
 |
| Start. I'm hiding in the back... |
 |
| The men and I hit the water, I'm clearly still in the back... |
 | |||
| Uff, glad to be done with that leg. About to hit the longest run (sand, grass, concrete, steps) to T1 ever. |
Brandon was with me yesterday at the race and mistakenly took video instead of photos for some of the race, so I thought why not post it? (can't figure out how to flip video, sorry for any neck pain this may cause)
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Boulder Fourmile Canyon Fires
Well, for most of us in Boulder, Labor day did not exactly turn out the way we imagined. Around 10.20 a.m. I smelled something funny, like campfire. I looked out the window from my home, which is just about 1/4mi east of the Boulder foothills, and I could see a slight white color coming from behind the hills, standing out from an otherwise clear blue sky. It took the news about 30min to catch up and then I finally saw what I expected: something was on fire.
Throughout the day the cloud of smoke grew and the smell of burning wood increased. Ashes started flying all over town and anxiety grew. Still remembering last year's grass fires that got super close to homes in a neighborhood up the road, I didn't experience ashes and the extreme smell of burn, so this was going to be way more serious.
24 hrs into the fire, it was at zero percent contained and eating up homes in the Gold Hill area and sunshine canyon, a favorite destination for mountain runs/rides. It has since turned into a national emergency and will be Colorado's worst ever property damage fire. As of tonight, the blaze has torched 140 homes (and counting) and thousand of acres of land. I live pretty much in the path of the smoke so the air quality has been less than ideal for the last few days. Depending on where the wind blows, it can smell like campfire inside the home, despite having all doors and windows closed. I have noticed my eyes and throat burning, and even have felt some tightness in my chest/lungs. The air inside is stuffy, especially without air conditioning and pretty warm outside temps. (If I were racing Kona, this would be great prep...)Not ideal training conditions, that's for sure. However, it does not compare to the pain those who lost their homes are experiencing. I cannot even imagine leaving everything behind and running out of my home with just the clothes on my back, maybe grabbing a few heirlooms and pets. It has been heartbreaking to read/watch some of the stories that have come out of this.
Seems like alot of people want to help out any way they can, volunteers have signed up by the hundreds. I myself wanted to do something to feel like I wasn't just standing on the sidelines, while people were losing their homes and the brave fire fighters relentlessly fighting the blaze. Lots of Boulder athletes (myself included) have been dropping off donations at designated spots around town. I dropped off a few boxes of Sport Beans and it felt really good handing them over to the Fire chief at one of the stations. He was very grateful and I told him "thank you" for what his guys were doing.
We are now at the end of day three and fires are still 0% contained. The air quality in North Boulder is very bad, even after a much awaited rain soak tonight. Tomorrow is forecast to be hot and windy, a perfect recipe for the flames to grow. I want to believe that progress is being made, right now even the smoke is barely visible. However, the constant smell of burnt wood is a reminder that we are not even close to putting an end to this. Predictions are 10 days to several weeks for the fire to be contained. I am not sure I want to hear that. Where is it going to go during that time? Although my place is a couple miles down the slopes from the fire, and within city limits, it is still stressful to think about what could be. For now, I am just grateful that the fire fighters are able to save at least a few of the homes in the mountains, and keep the fire away from the city. We will take this one day at a time. The town of Boulder has come together to help out those affected by the fire, and that in itself, gives hope in what seems like a hopeless situation for many.
Here's to hoping that things will get under control soon. Big appreciation goes out to all the brave fire fighters risking their lives to help put an end to this. When situations like this happen, it puts life into perspective and makes you appreciate what you have and makes you so grateful for all that is good. Now bracing for tomorrow, which could get interesting. All fingers and toes crossed.
 |
| view from my place about an hour in |
 |
| view of the smoke moving east across Boulder |
 |
| the red dot is the sun |
 |
| a piece of tree bark in the form of ash in my street |
 |
| huge ash several miles away from fire |
 |
| eerily pretty sky at Lee Hill and Broadway on first night of fire |
 | |||||
| Lee Hill/ Broadway at 5 p.m. Monday night. You can see blue sky to the very left. |
 | |
| view from neighborhood |
 |
| view of Boulder on smoky and hazy day 2 |
 | |
| Slurry Bomber planes dropping fire retardant to help reduce heat of fire |
 | |
| Today we got some clouds. |
 |
| And after everyone doing a rain dance, we got a nice soaking, followed by a double rainbow, which I did not catch on camera. Unfortunately it did not make a huge difference in fighting the fire :( |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)