The Good Ol' Ticker

Last September after a sub par season, I set my sights on qualifying for ITU Draft Legal World Championships in November. I knew I was going to have to really work to pull this one off coming out of a hard place in training. My preparation was spot on and I was beyond thrilled with a 7th place finish that qualified me for Cozumel 2016!!

Moving into 2016, I had very high expectations for myself. I really wanted to perform well at the World Championships. I knew I needed to make my bike stronger to help me have a better run. I set up my race schedule accordingly. Draft Legal racing is a different animal for sure! I have loved coaching it for the past 4 years and it was even better racing one!

My optimistic outlook was in place and was lined up with my training plan. In February, I started having some really odd and irregular high heart rate in training. My max on the bike is 162 and on the run is 174. I was easily seeing numbers in the high 180-190 and even into 210-220. This is frightening when you seriously feel like you're going to blow up and you are working below a zone 1 pace!

Not to bore you with ins and outs and ups and downs; by the beginning of July, I decided to pull the plug on my season. I just was not getting anywhere with heavy fatigue after mediocre efforts and not being able to do any speed. At this point, I also felt like I should maybe go get things checked out to make sure there wasn't anything serious I should be ignoring. Up to this point, I had just attributed it to "stress". 

At the end of July, I was out on a run, which was typically ... run until the HR got too high, then walk until it came down then repeat". This day I was finishing my run downhill at the Bluffs and my HR sky rocketed to 242 and I felt pressure under my breast bone. This scared me beyond anything previously. I got into my doctor immediately, she ran an EKG and nothing; it all checked out to be normal. She scheduled further testing and told me to really be very careful with things and to not push at all. I agreed.

On the way out of town to USAT Age Group Nationals, I had an echo stress test done and then was to wear a holter monitor for 48 hours. I was so upset to not be able to race at Nationals, but even more so, I was missing my training the way it used to be. I missed being outdoors and enjoying nature.

A couple weeks ago, we got things sorted out and I decided after 2 weeks that if the HR would hold during training, I would consider racing Worlds since I was already going. Once I made that decision, the excitement of racing in the World Championships that I worked so hard to qualify for is flooding back into me! I am now at 3 weeks of normal HR and as long as nothing changes, I will feel comfortable swimming in open water again and being able to at least participate!! I will not have any sort of result but 90% of the journey is getting to the World level and now I can play on the stage once again!!

The Morning After....

It's no secret that my family is my first priority. It's been quite some time since I've blogged... And I'm

quite sure 99.9% (if not every single one) of my entries are regarding racing, training or coaching. Today is different. Today I blog about Motherhood on my blog titled "My Fire Within".

 

We are always told as parents "don't blink" they'll be gone before you know it. I really have taken that to heart but even more so when I was sitting at a Parent Orientation Meeting for incoming Freshman January 2010. A sense of panic ran through my veins and I dug my heels deep into the dirt and did what I could to make time go slower. My own training and racing dropped to a very solid 3rd on my list.  I knew I wanted to be able to look back on the High School years with my daughters with absolutely no regrets. During the process, my relationship with my daughters blossomed beyond what I thought was capable. But as I look back, it's kind of a no brainer.. I invested deeply in them and what happens to anything that we truly invest in? Well you know that answer. We are best friends... But don't be fooled, there was a lot of tough love! My girls are good girls! I know that! But refining them so they can reach their full potential is a constant process. 

Sunday morning we departed at 7:15 am en route to BYU in Provo, Utah. With Daphnie and Darbie both leaving home this fall, I anticipated this being very hard once again. When we arrived we checked into our hotel and the madness began. Dorm check in, apartment check in, load and unload.  Target runs, grocery shopping, job applications and cover letters; meet the roomies, love the roomies, walk campus, cafeteria meals, bookstore and router installs. Daphnie's boxes at Darbie's place and vice versa. Morning jogs, trips to Swig and taco runs to Brasas. Come Thursday afternoon, all was good and in order and it was time to leave. As hard as it was to leave, Demi is in need of some attention after such a world wind month. She is now the only one at home which is a huge adjustment for all of us. 

As I wake this morning and review a few midnight texts that I received from my lovelies already enjoying their life out there.. I sit here and find myself counting the hours until they arise and facetime, texts, calls and snaps begin so we can share all the details of their evening. I already miss them. 

5, 9, 29, 38

5 days: Miami. Seven days to my first race of the season. I am very excited and anxious to see where I'm at. I don't have many expectations. I'm just going to see what I've got after winters worth of work.

9 days: Utah. I will drive out and pack Daphnie up while she is finishing finals. I can't hardly wait to get there. I can believe its been 8 months since I dropped her off, feels like forever. This might be harder work than the race. Carrying boxes up and down a few flights of stairs all day kicked my booty last August. Last time I checked I wasn't getting any younger.

29 days: Maui. Greg and I are being spoiled by sales-force as we get to celebrate Greg's had work. He was one of the top performers in the nation in 2014, therefore we get to go wiggle our toes in the sand for a few days and relax... I'm very proud of him and his hard, hard work.

38 days: Red Rocks. Darbie graduates from High School. Another one down, geesh! She is ready for the next phase of her life and it's been fun being apart of the process. just two months ago I remember a conversation with her while I was at iTz camp, how she was scared and didn't feel ready for college. Now she is more than ready to get started with life after High School.

My plate is full but I am excited for the next month and all it holds. many people have commented recently about my crazy schedules. I believe to be truly successful AND happy, you have to work just as hard as you play. I've seen people in my life that struggle with that balance. One that has worked so hard his whole life but never figured out how to play hard and enjoy the efforts of the work. Another who believes life should just be fun and can't quite figure out how to work hard. She always is coming up short and can't figure out why.

As I celebrate 20 years from my college graduation and reflect back as my nest empty's... I can see that has truly been the key to my happiness. WORK HARD PLAY HARD =)

My Head Injury on Valentines Day 2009

As Feb 14th draws near, I am reminded of what happened on Feb 14, 2009.  I was skiing very slow watching my daughter take jumps to the right of me and I caught an edge, went down and slammed my head on the ground behind me.  I sustained a pretty significant head injury; in bed for 7 days with the worst head pain.  As it started to improve, I was able to get back to walking around. I would have headaches on and off through out the day but not constant like the first week. I was able to start with walks around the block. That is how I began to get back to training. These headaches were very different and NOTHING improved them except for the occasional sleep; resting the brain so it could heal. My poor family and close friends saw a whole different Trista and it was very clear to them when my head was hurting. I had zero tolerance for any noise, light, movement, etc. It took months for me to be able to sit at the computer for any extended period of time. It was a huge challenge to work and build athlete plans. Alison Dunlap, an Olympic Cyclist was a good support to me during this time as she advised on how she returned to training after sustaining a similar injury. I eventually was able to get on the trainer again.  My rides were only about 30-40 mins.  That is all it took for the head pain to return from exertion and bring me to a screetching halt.  My first run was 3 weeks after the injury and I was very nervous and had my husband with me. I made it 20 min which I was very happy about but once again, stopped by pain.  It was the most difficult to swim. I couldn't wear a swim cap because the pressure on my head was unbearable. My time in the water was only 10-15 min because the water on my head created pain as well. I couldn't be an any situation to be hit in the head again until I had 7 consecutive days without a headache.  To me, this meant no group rides or even riding with friends.  I couldn't be in jeopardy of another fall. This took absolutely forever... I would get to 6 days and get a headache and then have to start over again, Some times it would only be 4 days or I would have a headache daily for 3 days.  I kept an in depth log but there were no triggers that I could find to associate with it.  My head just needed time to heal. I was scared it would never heal.  After 3 months, I had my first 7 day break with no headaches and I would say I was about 80-90% recovered in 6 months. Over time, the headaches have improved, but I was convinced they were ever changed. Even 2 years later I would get headaches like I had never had prior to injury.

A month after my fall as I continued to be patient with the healing process, Natasha Richardson took a similar fall hitting the back of her head on the slopes at Mont Tremblant Resort and was NOT wearing a helmet.  She passed March 19 from an epidural hematoma. This information still is paralzying to me today.  I was so lucky, I was so lucky.

As Feb 14 approaches this year, I seem to be especially grateful for my health, and my full recovery from that head injury. Counting my blessings and grateful that helmet spared me that day.

Off to a Great Start! Sponsors, Partners and Race Schedule

February is here! 2015 is well under way and I am excited to announce my 2015 line up!! I will a part of the TIMEX MULTISPORT TEAM for another year and I can honestly say I'm just as excited as I was my first season in 2009. With Timex comes an umbrella of sponsors including Trek, Shimano, Castelli, BlueSeventy, to name a few. I have ZOOT returning as my shoe sponsor and am really excited about the new shoes they are launching this year! POWERBAR will continue to provide me with all my training nutrition needs as I will continue on PowerBar Team Elite thru 2015. Finally, I am partnered again with HIGHLANDS RANCH OPTICAL and Dr. Jeff Ward! I'm honored to have this partnership as they support such a critical piece of my training and racing; my vision! Ortho-Keratology has changed my life as an athlete! 

Feb 3-9 Team iTz Camp Clermont, FL
Mar 19-22 Timex Team Camp Tucson, AZ
Apr 19 South Beach OLY Miami, FL
June 7 Trinona Oly Winona, MN
July 19 NYC Triathlon New York City, NY
Aug 9 USAT Sprint Nationals Milwaukee, WI
Sept 19 ITU World Chicago AG Sprint Chicago, IL 

All Systems Go

I read a quote the other day about Wisdom. It said "Wisdom does not come from age, it comes from education and learning". I like this for several reasons, but particularly because I don't feel like I'm old =) This really resonated with me as I have been reflecting back over my years of learning. First, being a young runner instructed by my Father. Next pursuing a degree in Sports Medicine from Brigham Young University, then working for Performance Physical Therapy, next initiating my own competitive spirit back into competition, then finally assisting well over 100 athletes in their athletic endeavors. Actually, it doesn't end there. Beyond that, I have been able to work under World Renowned Coaches ie. Brett Sutton and gain additional insight and expand my methodologies. And there is yet another new coaching philosophy, I just ordered the book on Amazon. Any ideas on what book will drop into my mail box later this week? Looking more locally, Team Timex prides itself in not only having incredible athletes, but top coaches and professionals in the field. Not only have I advised many teammates, I have seeked advice from others as well. It is an incredible resource for me.

As I continue to still compete, I am a coach that feels it is of great importance to physically take my body where I ask my athletes to take theirs.  Each one of my athletes know that. For example, I may not compete in Ironman, but I have done every single workout I prescribe to them.

That moves me into the discussion of athlete development. One of my favorite discussions I have with my clients!!  But for now, we are going to discuss me. Before I entered Multisport, I was a runner, then a Mountain Biker. Both in which I raced a fair amount in. I am now in my 11th season as a Triathlete. My! Where does the time go?? There has been so much learning, change and adaptation over the last decade. (Which in my book, equates to Wisdom) Regarding injury, I have learned by trial and error where those boundaries are. I am much smarter now when my body talks to me, I listen to avoid setbacks and injury, to change my training to provide appropriate stimulus. My nutrition and fueling have changed. I learned quickly what foods makes me feel better with multiple sessions in a day or after a big quality brick. I have had many years for trial and error and over time have dialed into this. My eating and what I cook for my family has changed immensely over the decade. Not because of fads, trends or textbooks; but because of how I feel and recover.

This year I have implemented a few new things. Some have worked, others not so well. The first was a goal weight of 114. Nope! That didn't work. I brought a whole new meaning to the term "couch potato". 117 still continues to be my ideal race weight. Solid bike power, light enough to run fast and a tank full of energy. Next was making a shift in my carbs to protein ratio. Nope! That didn't work either. As I have entered my early 40's, I have had to make some slight modifications to my diet to maintain a good weight for me, but too much protein and I felt heavy and lethargic in training. Now, I knew this was a very strong possibility.. But, I know first hand now =) Another was an emphasis on strength. Can there be too much of a good thing? ABSOLUTELY! Strength played an integral roll in my base and initial builds at the beginning of the season. My running legs were rediscovered from 2009 pre injury. WAHOO! BUT! Staying on that same trajectory hasn't served me well at this point in the season. With the intensity continuing to build in my quality workouts; strength at that level pretty much brought all systems to a hault. I stopped hitting run paces, recovery continued to slow down, general fatigue increased to significant levels, weight was climbing to levels I hadn't seen in over a year and I was not recovered for key workouts. I do appreciate the few watchful eyes that were seeing red flags sooner than I was able to admit and see myself. I can not emphasize how important it is to encircle yourself with people who are invested in you on a daily basis and are aware of your well being as an athlete. I, as a coach, am invested in each one of my lads and lasses. The outside perspective is huge and one that I can never have for myself ;)

Two weeks ago today, I physically, emotionally and mentally was in a place I have never been. I pulled the plug early on the last 5 days of my build and went into recovery. Recovery was not in any hurry to find me!! I would take about every other day off and do something very light and short between. Having to rest every 200 meters at the lake while swimming turtle pace scared me, honestly. Having to be picked up after 34 min on the bike, scared me too. Running a 9:30 pace and having my HR close to max, of course made me walk and take a good look at reality, especially with my A race (Age Group Nationals) 5 weeks away. The question of the day... Everyday; am I over reached or over trained. Only time would tell.

Last Friday, I was still struggling with high heart rates. I took another very restful weekend. Yesterday, I managed an easy slow run and HR is stabilizing. Strength was a very quick session, functional and dynamic and then I hit the lake in the evening. YES! By the end of the swim, I was feeling like my groove is back and I was swimming better paces!

To answer my question above, I overreached. I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and getting my body back on track. Weight has continued to drop back to normal as my body heals. It feels so good to have it back and happy. Today feels like a day in a normal recovery week instead of a big dark hole. Will I be race ready for August 10th? I really have no idea. I will be able to race, I just don't know what all this down time is going to do to my speed. I will know come race day and guess what?! I'll be that much wiser. I am hoping by the weekend I'll be ready for some intensity; that will be 3 weeks since I pulled the plug. I am grateful I am getting there and all systems will be go!

No Regrets

I was told by some wise friends to make sure I keep a clear calender for the weeks leading up to High School Graduation. I didn't quite understand why, but trusted those who had gone before me. The one thing I committed to when my oldest started her Freshman year is that I would have no regrets when I look back in four years over the time I would have spent with her and each of my girls and my involvement in their lives as teenagers.

I planned my race schedule accordingly. I raced two races in April. I raced Lifetime Marquee with much success and took a happy 2nd place there. I was pleased with where my fitness was for this season opener. I have been coaching myself and working twice a week with Chris Smith of Empowered Performance on strength. We have been targeting my hammy/glut issues that I have struggled with since a severe injury back in 2009. Next up was St. Anthony's race. My goal here was to go top 5. Fitness and taper was spot on, unfortunately, I under prepared for the heat on the run and at mile 2, I was forced to slow the pace to keep the HR manageable for the duration of the race. I wasn't too disappointed as it was a good to know my taper were a success and I felt on fire during the swim and bike. I managed a 13th place finish which qualified me for the 5150 HyVee US Championships.

At this point, May was right around the corner and I pulled the plug on structured training. I was in graduation mode full force with my daughter, requirements deadlines, family arriving and party planning. Wow! I was truly lucky to get one workout in some days, but I just went with the flow and did what I had time for.

All came together and Graduation came and went with many emotions for this Mamma. We then decided to be jet setters (as client Tom Stone would say) and head to Italy and Croatia for three weeks. IT WAS A BLAST! Once again, just ran when the schedule allowed and we even snuck in a 4 hr Bike Tour of Rome and swimming in the Adriatic Sea! Regardless to say, I am a little unfit now for the end of June.

I am really trying to jump start and regain my fitness quickly for August races that seem to be coming very quickly. Doing this amongst the summer schedule with the girls and some more travel sprinkled in, is calling for more early morning sessions than I like. As long as I have Sunshine on my side, I'll be good :)

As I sit and reflect as College for my first is literally less than 2 months away... And as my second just had Senior Photos taken, and as my third is already running with HRHS Cross Country preparing to be a freshman  this fall; I can look back and truly say thus far, I have no regrets. I plan to say that two more times. As a parent, you are either there, or not. I have chosen to be there.