Ironman Florida (Haines City) Race Report 2018

 

1. TriBikeTransport was painless, convenient, and worth it
2. Flying, instead of driving 15 hours, was our best decision
3. The venue change from Panama City Beach to Haines City meant that I "GET" to race and celebrate all this training
4. AWA status pays off with easy packet pickup (no lines) and priority bike racks near the entry/exit
5. Celebrating my 40th birthday was awesome because the volunteers sang to me
6. My Sherpa is the BEST Sherpa
7. Being short at the swim starts means that all you can see is a sea of tall wetsuit wearing dudes
8. That floating platform on the swim is tied to a jet ski...wish I knew that before getting caught in the rope and losing my goggles
9. When you swim through a rope, you feel like your face was peeled off of your skull
10. Eleven turns on the swim equals constant bottle necking and lots of contact with other athletes
11. Swimming through a timing mat tunnel is worse than around a buoy
12. There are hills in central Florida
13. Two-loop bike course means you KNOW what is coming...again
14. Just because you ride by lots of orange orchards doesn't mean you actually get to smell that amazing citrus scent
15. Six bike lengths is really far to drop back after some dude passes you and slows down
16. My Sherpa is the BEST Sherpa
17. There are hills in central Florida
18. Don't let your pity party on the run last 11 miles
19. Lots of turns on the run are super annoying
20. Rainbows on the run course are awesome signs that God keeps his promises

*Special thanks to my support crew. Carra Walker Thomas for watching the kids. Pablo Jimenez for getting our flights. Jason Turner for being the BEST sherpa ever! My Infinity Endurance Team for continuing to be my inspiration! Northwest Cycles and Jim Osbon for keeping my bike in great condition.

Avoid Burnout

Here are some simple things you can do to avoid over-training and burnout: 

Use common sense! When your body is not responding to the workout or you can feel yourself getting sick, work out less. Schedule at least one or two rest days per week. Resting might mean no exercise at all, or active recovery like yoga or a walk. Rest days should give you the feeling that you’re storing up energy.

Fatigue and injury occur when you don't allow your body to recover from harder workouts. As you push through intense workouts, your muscles develop small tears. Those muscles heal during rest and grow back stronger! With a balance between intense exercise and recovery,  your body will become a machine that can power through your hardest workouts with less recovery time. 

Incorporate a variety of activities into your exercise program. Participating in triathlon is a great way to cross train but if there is one thing you really enjoy, consider mixing it up. You can play with speed or inclines on a treadmill, change the route that you walk or cycle or even find a new class or group to meet. As you vary your routine, you will help prevent injury, improve fitness gains, and stay motivated to keep going. Trying different workouts can help push you over a plateau and help you ignite the fire that got you started on your fitness journey.    

Don’t do too much, too soon. When motivation is high, it can be easy to slip into the "all or nothing" approach. Participating in a routine without preparing your body can be a recipe for disaster, starting with extremely sore muscles. Instead, gradually add time and frequency to your workouts to allow for recovery. 

Take care of yourself. Eat a balanced diet, get enough sleep, and stay hydrated to make sure that you are providing a foundation for your body to grow stronger. Allow yourself flexibility so that you don't feel discouraged when "life happens". Fitness is meant to make you feel good, not guilty. A healthy lifestyle will domino from a fit body, to a healthy mind, to stronger relationships. 

Exercise should make you feel refreshed and energized—not exhausted. If it’s causing fatigue, soreness, or a feeling of utter dread, listen to your body! It may be time to make a change.

USMS Certified Coach

I attended the Level 1 and 2 certification course in Austin this year. The course was structured as a 1-day event and hosted by three of the top professionals in the industry.

During the morning session, we covered topics relating to the mindset of a coach and adult learner, coaching triathletes, and writing workouts. The afternoon session was focused on stroke progressions and technique, starts/turns/transitions, and drills. 

There were over 30 coaches in the room that ranged from triathlon coaches, swim coaches, and swimmers that want to eventually coach on deck. The group was cohesive and open to sharing experiences.

Although I have been coaching swimmers for many years, I enjoy building my toolkit and earning additional recognition in the sport. The feeling when you see a swimmer make progress is amazing and I truly LOVE being a coach!

Put Your Mask on FIRST

As many in my area are dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, we have lots of emotions about the recovery effort. Those that were spared the flood damage suffer from "survivors guilt" and the communities hit hard have a sense of "death" for the life that had. As we wake up each morning prepared to muck out homes, deliver meals, wash clothes, and rebuild our city it is easy to become consumed with the effort ahead. 

A recent plane trip comes to mind....when in a stressful situation, put your own mask on FIRST. 

It's easy to feel guilty for taking the time to exercise, relax, enjoy a healthy meal, etc. You need to take care of yourself so that you can be your best self for others.  

Are you working out too much?

Have you noticed that your workouts feel harder than before or that the results of harder intensities aren't creating change? Do you feel like you are constantly battling uphill to get results? If so, you may be overdoing it.

Many of us continue to workout more often and at higher intensities to get RESULTS! But that is not always true. Your body may still run into problems even if you gradually increase intensity and duration/frequency of your workouts. 

The idea of over-training is simple. You aren't getting enough rest to allow your body time to recover, or you are repeating the same exercises expecting different results (sounds like INSANITY).

Below are some common symptoms of over-training:

• High resting heart rate
• Decrease in performance
• Insomnia
• Body aches and soreness
• Headaches  

If you have been over-training, it’s not too late to get back on track! Follow these three steps:

1. Your first priority should be rest. Just a day or two probably won’t do it. Depending on how severely you’ve been pushing yourself, three to five days should give your body enough time to recover—both physically and mentally.

2. Eat a balanced diet. Focus on getting adequate amounts of protein, complex carbohydrates and lots of colorful fruits and vegetables.

3. When you are ready to return to your exercise routine, start off slowly. Most research shows that it is okay to return to that same level of intensity, but you may need to cut back on the length and frequency of your workouts for the next few weeks. After that, you should be able to resume normal activities.  

Are you the right client for me?

Triathlete looks for a coach but doesn't know WHAT they want. Triathlete talks to friends and social media (btw, everyone LOVES their coach). Triathlete HIRES a coach but feels to intimidated to ASK for what they want and need. Triathlete continues to PAY a coach who is not providing them with the information and skills that they want. Triathlete finishes season but doesn't feel SUCCESSFUL.

I often focus on teaching clients to ask themselves questions to determine what they are looking for in a coach. BUT as a coach, I'm looking for traits that make YOU a compatible client too. All coaches want their clients to be successful but many coaches are stretched thin with a long list of clients to serve. I select clients based on our ability to work together because I VALUE their commitment. My list of WANTS is short. 

1. Consistency and Motivation
2. Honesty (regarding availability, reasons for missing workouts, and workout results)
3. No Frills (I don't do kits, tents, cheer squads, etc)

My goal in coaching is to provide an INDIVIDUAL and PROFESSIONAL plan for each client. I pride myself in providing HONEST feedback and PERSONAL attention to each client. I keep my roster short so that I have the resources to continually CHANGE and provide ONE-on-ONE assistance as needed. I hope to EDUCATE triathletes regarding skills, training periodization, injury prevention, strength development, and efficiency. 

Support Your Local Bike Shop

We live in a society where it is easy to compare prices and expect to receive goods/services quickly. I recently upgraded my bike with pedals for power at the bargain price of about $1200. Yes, I could have saved a few hundred dollars by purchasing through the internet but I chose to shop at my local bike shop. I knew the shop would be installing the equipment and I trusted them to take care of my bike.

After a couple of months of frustration due to reliability of connection, I decided that I didn't want the pedals. I had visited the shop several times to trouble shoot battery power and connectivity so they were familiar with my concerns. Because we had worked together, we were able to find a solution that included an exchange of the pedals for a hub based power meter.

I have been a loyal customer of my Local Bike Shop, LBS, since I started in triathlon in 2008. I have purchased bikes, received tune ups, and attended group rides and sponsored events. I continue to return because I NEED them to keep my bike in working order.  It's great to have a knowledgeable staff that is willing to listen to your issues, then work together to find a solution.

For those that purchase equipment and bikes then go to the LBS for fixes or warranty claims, shame on you. Why should the LBS show you loyalty and quick service when you didn't support them in the community?  Bottom line. When you support your LBS, you will receive friendship, knowledge, service, and maybe even enjoy a small discount for your loyalty!

Thanks to Northwest Cyclery and Jim Osbon for being my LBS and bike gurus!!!