Heaven and Hell - Or better yet, the Great, The Better, The Good and the Downright Painfully UGLY

So, I have been back from Cozumel for about a week now. I've had a lot to think about and ponder. I personally would prefer to be back on the beach.

This picture was the day after in Cancun. Yeah, I wore a bikini. Get over it.
My race didn't go as expected but I had some major positives (the Great), some things that just went right (the better), going with the flow on some things (the good) and the point in the race where I went into a VERY DARK PLACE (the Downright, painfully UGLY). I do not EVER want to go back there, well until the next race.

It was truly Heaven and Hell at the same time. How is that possible? Well, it is. Let me give you all that happened leading up to the race, the race itself and some reflections afterwards.

Thanksgiving morning:
I was out the door at 3:30am to catch the Red Line to the Blue Line to get to O'Hare. Let me tell you, the Red Line is a HOT ASS MESS that early in the morning. If you live in Chicago, you know this to be the God's honest truth. I had a backpack and my suitcase. That was it. I was just so happy running away from below 60 degree, rainy, gloomy weather. I get to the airport and the security line was RIDICULOUS. What the hell?? Ok, I can deal with this. Note to self: Apply for Global Entry before next adventure (Canada). I notice that my flight is on time and I am a happy camper. I boarded my flight (thank you aisle seat), fastened my seatbelt and as soon as we started taxing down the runway, I was knocked out. I normally wake up during cruising altitude. I watched 2 television shows and was just waiting to land.

The minute we landed, the sunglasses went on, the pullover came off (I had on a tank top) and off to Customs. No problem there and now it was time to find the shuttle to get to the ferry. After working my way to Playa del Carmen, I just had to wait for the ferry. Damn, it was hot! No complaints from this gal. I noticed that there were a lot of other athletes boarding the ferry to Cozumel also. How would I know? Well, the various Ironman backpacks, M-dot tattoos and bike cases. Now the water was a little rough so it was interesting seeing the bikes getting loaded on the ferry. The ferry ride was a roller coaster ride on steroids. I do not get seasick, but I had to close my eyes just to get through that ride. As usual, I made friends. I met 2 hot triathletes from Costa Rica and we spoke about the race. I also met a triathlete from Texas by the name of Alex. We waited literally 30 minutes for a taxi, but hey, I had to work on my tan. :) We ended up sharing a taxi ride. Luckily, I do speak Spanish so that helped us both a lot. He came with his bike. Luckily he was going in the same direction as I was to get to the BTA (Black Triathletes Association) Compound.

I was dropped off at the Condo Complex and was shown my new home for the next few days. How did I manage to beat everyone to the house, I have no idea. Think "The Real World", but a little classier. I had to wait for my namesake to come, so I actually had the WHOLE PLACE to myself. I decided to chill because of course, I was tired. Finally, Kendrick shows up after the debacle called "Peanut Butter Gate". You need to ask him about that in his chronicles. Now, this was the first time that we had actually met face to face. Some folks assumed we were married since we have the same last name. Just roll with the punches. It was starting to get late and we were hungry. Kendrick thought it would be great for us to get a scooter to ride around the island. My thought, "Okaaaayyy." We got a scooter delivered to us and we were off. Don't worry, he was driving. We checked out the Mega Mart grocery store which is a Super Target, Super Walmart, Auto Zone and Best Buy all in one on crack. If it wasn't there, it didn't exist. Still hungry, we went to Hooters to eat. Yep! Classy! We ended up meeting with Marq, another BTA member and fellow Midwesterner.

Friday:
Well, we had to make it downtown to get groceries, check in, attend the course talk and I needed to be reunited with Beeker. So, of course, I see the Ironman sign and I had to take a picture with the M-Dot.

Now, I was not impressed with the expo. I only had to purchase 2 CO2 cartridges and of course my prerequisite visor, names shirt and water bottle. Well, the names shirt was the only thing that I did not purchase because there is no way in hell that I am squeezing in an XS or S t-shirt. Those shirts tend to run VERY small. At the expo, I finally met Tom, another BTA team member. So we putz around and decide to go down the street to the course talk. Course talk was interesting. This was not going to be a mass swim start, but a rolling start as you would in a road race. More on that later. Since this was a 2 transition race (swim to bike in 1 location, bike to run in another location), it gets tricky. Especially since we were going to be bussed to the swim start. The questions of the day, will there be a special needs table for glasses, inhalers, etc. I was told "No". You know what that means? Glasses in my sports bra for the swim. Don't worry, I'm a professional. After the talk, I met with some more BTA team members. The rest we would meet at dinner.

I left and I had to be reunited with Beeker. I went to TriBike Transport to have my pedals put back on my bike. I would pick up my bike on Saturday. Please use them whenever you race! Jared and his team were AMAZING!

Well, Kendrick and I made it back to the house and had some time to rest before we had dinner. Dinner time rolled around and it was time to head back downtown to Senor Frogs for dinner with the BTA crew. This was a total black out! We roll deep.

Now the rest of the night, what happens in Cozumel, stays in Cozumel.

Saturday (the night before IM Cozumel):
Today's agenda was the following:

• Breakfast
• Practice Swim
• Breakfast again
• Pick up bike
• Drop off run bag
• Ride bike to transition 1 to drop off bike and bike bag
• eat again
• get off my feet
• talk to my coach
• wait for the Beez to land (my partner in crime/friend/Sherpa, Sally Stresnak-she's kind of a big deal)

The practice swim-what can I say? It was everything that they said it was and then some. Since the water was so warm, a wetsuit was not necessary. I wore my Roka swim skin over my swimsuit. I jumped in the water and was amazed at how buoyant I was as well as how clear the the water was.. I was seriously in seventh heaven! It was like "Finding Nemo" and I was Dory. I just love to swim. While waiting for everyone else to finish, I struck up a conversation with a woman from Sweden. It was her first Ironman and her first open water swim EVER. She thought that I was Dominican instead of American because she heard me speak Spanish and just assumed I was. I wished her luck and waited to get back to the house to have breakfast number 2: WAFFLES!!!!!!!! After breakfast, I had to rush downtown to pick up my bike, drop off my run gear bag and then ride to Chakanaab Park to drop off my bike and bike gear bag.

Now, let's talk about riding your bike in traffic in Mexico in the middle of the day. That was some of the scariest stuff ever but I survived. Beeker was working well and I felt good about him doing some work.

While waiting for Kendrick to bring me my bike number (don't ask), I made more friends. 3 guys from Mexico, a couple of Germans, a whole hell of a lot of Texans to name a few. I finally meet up with Kendrick and I was able to find my rack for my bike. Had to take a picture:

I had to continue the tradition. Anyhoo, as always, I want to walk through swim out, to the showers, to the bags, to the bike, to the bike out. I do this at least 4 times. Now, why in the Hell was the women's change tent literally over the border and through the woods??? Then the path from the change tent to my bike was very rocky so I was not going to run it, but walk it instead.
I finally got back to the house and had a video chat with my coach, It went very well and I felt good. I watched another episode of "Jessica Jones" on Netflix and made some dinner. You know, pasta and chicken and then it was time for lights out.

Sunday: Time to go to work
I woke up at 3am and went downstairs to make breakfast, listen to music, stretch and chill. I saw a message that Sally was in the clubhouse so I had to get her. Retrieved Sally and all was good. She took a brief nap while I got ready. Everyone else started to wake up also. We had ordered a taxi to take us to Chakanaab Park. From there, I placed my frozen bottles on my bike of eFuel and my eGels from Crank Sports, I placed my sunglasses in my cycling shoes and dropped off my special needs bag for the bike and run. My bike bag had a bag of Swedish fish, cough drops and sunscreen packets. My run bag had a bag of Sour Patch Kids and cough drops. Once everything was done, it was time to get on the bus to get to the swim start. I got to meet my newest friend, Kendra from Boston and we chit chatted the whole time. I was not nervous at all.

It was so beautiful out, a little warm but that was ok. The first thing I did was head to the porta potty line. As in every race, there is NEVER enough. I went to the shortest line. It was a line of men. Once I was done, I walked over to the busses to drop off my morning clothes bag and found my crew. Of course, we had to take a picture.

Isn't this a great looking group! Once this picture was taken, it was just about time to line up. I lined up with the 1:20-1:30 swim pace. I was not nervous. Let me repeat that, I WAS NOT NERVOUS! While in line, I was speaking with Kim, he is the 2nd guy from the right. Real cool dude! He gave me some pointers on the bike. On the windy section of the bike, don't get my heart rate up. Just know that if you are suffering, everyone else is suffering as well.

Now we were suppose to be in the water in less than 6 minutes. Ummm, 30 minutes later and we are still waiting. I didn't know at the time, but the dock that we were walking down was bowing in due to the weight of the athletes and some folks were either slipping and sliding on the carpeting (indoor/outdoor carpeting anyone?) or cutting their feet and/or hands on the coral. Sooo, they were letting us in 4 at a time. Can we go back to the mass swim start? Anyway, my friend Sally videotaped me starting the swim. Damn! I looked good. Can I just say that this was the BEST open water swim EVER!!! I saw pretty fisheys and coral reefs and oh, there's a buoy! Oh crap, I forgot to start my watch! Oh well. Around half way, I really started to get very warm. That sun is blaring down. Yay for the swim skin. I finally see the final turn buoy and it is a straight shot! Now getting up those damn stairs was a BIATCH! No one was assisting us. My arms were tired but I mustered up the strength and cheered my heart out because I knew I had a DAMN GOOD SWIM.

Swim: 1:43:09ish

Got through the fresh water showers to rinse off the salt, hugged my friend Marq and proceeded to yell for my bike bag in Spanish and made my way to the change tent. Threw on my tri top, compression sleeves, more sunscreen, socks, shoes, sunglasses and helmet and made my way to the bike. 112 miles next on the docket.

The Bike:
I mounted my bike and took off. I knew that the bike would be windy, but F%$k!!!!!!! Yep, windy as all HELL!!! But, I didn't push my heart rate. I stayed between 135-140 bpm. The first 10 miles or so, ok, I got this. And then, BAM!!!!!! I got slapped and disrespected by the wind for a good 12+miles. Oh my GOD!!!!! Keep it steady. I started singing in my head the ENTIRE "Around the World in a Day" album by Prince & the Revolution. I knew I had to this twice more. Going back to make the second loop, I helped a fellow biker. He was on his third flat and had no tube. I gave him mine. I believe in spreading good Karma. He was so thankful. He passed me on the second loop and thanked me immensely. Now due to the wind, I stayed in my aero bars as much as possible. What pissed me off about the bike was there was a SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT of drafting and blocking. I followed the rules. I head towards that half way point to my special needs bag. I was happy for 2 new bottles, a bag of Swedish Fish candy and MORE Sunscreen. Now time for the last loop. Time wise, I'm hustling . I get down in aero and start singing in my head, "8 mile" by Eminem. I start to slowly pass people. Keep moving. More people passed. Keep moving. Did I pass 3 more guys????? Hell, yeah. Get me off this damn bike! Mile 105...7 more to go. I have nothing to lose so I decide to leave it all out on that course. Now here is the problem that I have, I have no depth perception so I kind of went in  little hot. Ooops! But, I did not fall when I dismounted and I had a smile! A smile y'all!

I got off that damn bike and told them they could throw it away! Due to pushing it like a crazy woman, I hobbled on the way to T2. I threw on my running shoes, picked out me hair and walked to the run. The first 2 miles was BRUTAL!!!!!!!!! "Hate it or Love it" was playing in my head so I started to run/walk. I saw some of my fellow BTA members going into their 2nd loop and some more friends that I made on the run. The turnaround! YES!!!!! Hallefreakinglujah.!!!!!! 2.5 loops to go. I make the first loop and I'm on the 2nd. I am hurting! My body is cussing me out in 3 different languages but I keep going. I can do this. I drink some water, I'm dizzy. It's not a migraine thank God. I keep going. Can I tell you how much I DESPISE PEPSI!!!!!!!!! 1.5 laps to go. This sucks! I'm going into that dark place in my head. You don't want to go there. this is where it becomes sheer will at this moment. I'm heading into the final loop and Sally meets me on the other side. She is trying to gauge how I'm doing. I told her not good but I am not going to quit. She reads me some well wishes from friends back home to keep me inspired. I walk, I run, I jog, I cry a little, I walk some more. I eat some pretzels, I drink some water. Sally gets off the course so I wouldn't get disqualified. I keep pushing. I meet some more folks and we are pushing each other. I make the final turn. 4.4 miles to go. I am told that I have 50 minutes to go. I can do this, but at mile 23.5 my chip was taken away. I keep going. I'm calm and I keep going. I meet up with Matt Miller from Base and he was tasked with finding me. He walks with me and keeps me going.  The girls are cheering me on and Matt accompanies me to the finish line which is all but dismantled. 140.6 miles and a big, sexy DNF!!!!!! But I don't care. I'm a little depressed but I just want to get in my flip flops, go back to the house, eat my damn ice cream and take a shower.

Looking  back:
I am actually proud of what I did and accomplished again. I became comfortable on my bike in aero even though it is not a proper fit. I had a wonderful swim. I finished the bike. I made it through this race with only a blister and no chafing! I had fun for the first time. I took time to enjoy myself! I spoke a gangload of Spanish! I did something for ME!!!!!It is no secret, but I am back working out: swimming, running and Pilates. No biking because Beeker is not back yet from his tour of Mexico. The other not so big secret is that I will be back. Not once, but twice for the 70.3 and 140.6. I WILL HAVE A NEW BIKE NEXT YEAR!

THANK YOUS!

• Sally Stresnak: THANK YOU !!!!!! Words cannot express my gratitude.
• Fitness Formula Clubs: My employer, enough said
• Jenny Hayes: my coach. THANK YOU ! THANK YOU !
• Ed Dailey for kicking my ass each and every Thursday at 6am and the 6am crew
• CompuTrainer: my entire training was on this
• TriMonster and Team to End AIDS: I love y'all
• BTA: including Kendrick (my tri hubbie), Tom, Marq, Lauralyn, Estelle, Shatora, Gwen, Kim, Eilsel, Arvan, Mecca,  Rafeek??, Travis, Shayla, Sabrina and I can keep going on
• SoleTri Sisters: Including KD and the Ericas
• Chicago Black Runners: Including the Research Department Alan and King Juan
• Everyone Else who had my back

It was a long season. A long, lonely season so thank you and just wait until the next episode. #thesagacontinues #Afroenduranceathlete #theironfitfro #blacktriathlete #USATLevel1coach

1 WEEK TO GO

At this time next week, I should be on the run of Ironman Cozumel. So, what is going on in my head? A lot of people are really wondering this, so here we go with a word and a song associated with each letter in Ironman Cozumel:

I is for Ironman. It is not a fad, it is not a phase. For me, it's a lifestyle.
"I'm Gonna Be Alright (Track Masters Remix)" - Jennifer Lopez featuring 50 Cent
R is for resilience. This year has been very tough for me personally, professionally and emotionally. I have weathered the storm, hurricane, monsoon and blizzard all wrapped into one with an acid rain added to the mix.
"Rock Superstar" - Cypress Hill
O is for Organized. My life may not be as organized as it should but my workouts were. Get up at 3, on the train at 3:45am, at the gym by 4:45am waiting for them to open up, hop in the pool at 5, get to my location by 7:30am to train clients, get on a conference call at 11, try to snag some food, train more clients, get a strength training session in at 3:30, on the bus by 4:45 to coach a 6pm CompuTrainer class. Yeah, organized!
"Outstanding" - Gap Band
N is for Nutty. You may be nutty if you decide to embark in the world of long course.
"Not Afraid" - Eminem
M is for Miles. Yeah, my last name is Miles and I have put in miles and miles of training. Doing my last name proud.
"Money Maker" - Ludacris
A is for Awesome. Anyone who even toes the line to an Iron distance event is AWESOME! Enough said.
"Alright" - Janet Jackson
N is for New. Cozumel is a new course, new experience and new location for me. The last 3 years I was in Arizona.
"New Agenda" - Janet Jackson

C is for CompuTrainer. I spent a LOT OF TIME in the CompuTrainer studio at The Endurance Training Center. The total amount of hours I think I have done is over, at least 100 hours.
"Controversy" - Prince
O is for Opportunity: Cozumel is my opportunity to prove to myself that I can finish this race.
"Off the Wall" - Michael Jackson
Z is for Zen. Training and just working out in general is my Zen.
U is for Understanding: This is more for friends, colleagues etc. who had to understand that my training this year meant more to me than ever.
"Up Jump Da Boogie" - Timbaland featuring Magoo, Missy Elliott and Aaliyah
M is for Motivation: You have to have the motivation and desire to do this. Without motivation, what and why in the hell are you doing it.
"Music" by Erick Sermon
E is for Early: Early morning workouts and getting a jump start on organizing my workouts and my life week by week. You don't do it early, well you will just fall behind..
"Escape" - Prince
L is for Lifestyle: This is a lifestyle for me. Some may understand it. Some may not. It is not my job to make you understand. Just understand that this is a part of me.
"Lose Yourself" - Eminem

And there you have it. I have less than 7 days now and I'm ready. Whatever happens, I'm leaving it all out on the course. Come Sunday, I become Athlete Number 1433.

The saga continues...

Tapering down

"'Cause sometimes you just feel tired,
Feel weak, and when you feel weak, you feel like you wanna just give up.
But you gotta search within you, you gotta find that inner strength
And just pull that shit out of you and get that motivation to not give up
And not be a quitter, no matter how bad you wanna just fall flat on your face and collapse." - Lyrics to "Till I Collapse" by Eminem

Tapering down does not mean stop working out and eat everything as if you are a bear hibernating for the winter. No, there are some people who think that. As I am writing this, I am watching the snow lightly fall-I digress. Nope, tapering down means reducing your workout volume and not eating everything in sight except after a swim. ALWAYS after a swim. 

Right now, I am getting my race plan together for my coach. I actually threw out the first 3 drafts due to changes I found out about our start time and my race number changed (1433 now). I have a time in mind that I am NOT sharing with anyone. I've given only a very vague idea to some people. I feel ready. It's just been a LONG ASS TRAINING SEASON.

THINGS I MISS:

• My bike. Yes, I miss Beeker but the wonderful folks at TriBike Transport are taking great care of him.
• A somewhat normal schedule. Now, let's be honest, my schedule is not normal due to the fact that I am a Pilates Trainer, Personal Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor, Coach. My Ironman training schedule right now has revolved around my coaching, teaching and training schedule. It's been a circus at times but I don't regret it.
• A normal load of laundry.

WHAT I DON'T MISS:

• Racing to the gym to get that coveted swim lane at 5am.
• Doing more laundry than is humanly possible for 1 person. Yes, 1 person! What in the hay????
• Explaining to people that my race is the very last North American Ironman

One more blog post to go! Or maybe 2 before this race. 8 days to go! #RoadtoCozumel

  

17 days...there is a significance to this

Ok, there is no big surprise that I am the BIGGEST Prince fan next to my friend, Sally. 17 days is a title of one of my favorite songs. Actually, it is his most famous B-sides. It first appeared as the B-sides to "When Doves Cry". I digress...

I am in day 4 of my taper and I am not in "taper crazy". I'm just following my training plan and getting mentally ready for what's to come.

On Tuesday, I picked up my beloved Beeker and took him to Element Multisport. If you still have no clue who Becker is, this is him:

 

 

He is misunderstood. Yeah, he is a size smaller than I should be riding, but he is up to the challenge. TriBike Transport is who I use to send my guy to Mexico. I am a little sad that I only own 1 bike but that's ok. There's always the spin bike... cue sinister music: https://youtu.be/yXQViqx6GMY

 

 

Yes, Mariah Carey's "All I Want for Christmas" is sinister sounding.

 

Anyhoo, I have already started packing. Yep, shorts, running skirts, race gear and of course the bikini!!!! I need sunshine like it is no one's business. My run , this morning was a perfect example. Headwind coming and going plus some crosswinds. Mother Nature was damn disrespectful. Oh, and the real feel temperature was 29 degrees. Straight bull! THIS was the look on my face right before I had to turn around:

 

Yeah, I had an attitude. At one point, I was running in place. That gives a new meaning to the "running man".

Someone had asked me if I was scared and nervous and my response was, "NO". Why should I be scared. This is not my first rodeo nor will it be my last. I am just laser focused on what I have to do. My Coach, Jenny knows, my inner circle knows and of course, my loved ones know even though they don't understand this thing called Endurance Sports.

The Saga Continues...

21 Days and I'm Still Standing

https://youtu.be/ZHwVBirqD2s

Yep, I'm still standing-still trying to figure that out. 3 weeks from today, I will be towing the line at IM Cozumel. These past few days have been extremely rough. Try doing an Ironman simulation when you had to work in the AM. It was rough, but I did it. I swam in the pool with my swim skin on. It was very comfortable while I was cranking out my 4300 yards except for the damn string attached to the zipper. Grrrr.....Gotta figure that out.

From the pool, I donned my tri shorts and top on went to the CompuTrainer. I had 5 hours to ride on the Cozumel course. The goal was to get 80-90 miles. I ended up with 75 miles and 3 movies.

The goal was time in the saddle, work on nutrition and high cadence. Because Cozumel will be hot and humid, I cranked up the heat, turned off the fans and got to pedaling. Oh, I also cranked up the Chicago House music as well to keep me motivated. https://youtu.be/LNRA2SOV3DY

After the bike, I had to get on the treadmill for 30 minutes. Why the treadmill? Well it was close to the studio and I did not have my headlamp to run outdoors. I made it through. I was tired. When I was leaving the gym, the front desk staffer looked at me like, "You have been here for HOW LONG?" Yeah, I was. She asked was I going to go home and sleep. Honey, I am getting something to eat. 10 wings, 3 shredded chicken tacos, yellow rice, black beans, water and a Corona (don't judge) later, it was time to go home and prepare for the next day.

Saturday's workout consisted of a 2 hour and 45 minute run. The run total was 15 miles + 1 1/2 miles walking back to my place because I ran with no Ventra Card (that's for the CTA-Chicago Transit). No temptation. The positives of my run:

• Saw a beautiful sunrise
• Saw 12 rabbits, 2 squirrels, 5 rats
• The peace and tranquility of an early morning run

The negatives of my run:

• I had to wear a hat
• It was cold
• It was dark
• My body was tired
• That wind though! Straight bullsh$t!

After laying on my grid foam roller and lacrosse ball for what seemed like forever, I had to eat and refuel. I tried to get in with a friend of mine for a massage but she was BOOKED! Grrrr....

Today, was Pilates! Oh, how I love Pilates!!!!! This is it!

Tomorrow, I start taper. That means my volume slowly decreases while I get my mind, body and soul ready for Cozumel. It's almost go time!

#Iwillnotgointothetapercrazies

https://youtu.be/ZA3n-KUe3j0

Peak Week

You see this picture! That's some scary, intimidating stuff! Well, guess what? I will be in the middle of this chaos in 25 days.

The positives:

• ! I think so. No wetsuits
• Sunshine
• Warm water
• Clear water
• Maybe a dolphin sighting?

The negatives:

• Will only be able to see colors and figures (yeah, I'm that blind)

This week marks my peak week of training. This will be my toughest week of training...I think. :)
 As I stated on Facebook, I apologize if I snap at anybody. Just be nice to me and give me coffee. In 7 days, my beloved Beeker leaves for Mexico. Lucky guy.

Anyhow, Let's recap last week why don't we. I stretched a lot, foam rolled a lot, Pilate'ed a lot, swam a lot, biked a lot and ran some, even in the rain.

I'm feeling good about training and race day. Everything else in my life right now, well that is a whole different story. Nutrition plans 1, 2 and 3 are all set. Outfits are just about set. Wayment!!!!!!!! Did she just say outfits? I sure did. One of the benefits of doing Ironman, there is a changing tent. #winning Oh, did I mention that I have already started packing as well? Yes, I am THAT person.

I just need to get through the next 22 days before I fly out. The waiting is the most annoying part since most of my friends are already done with their races or they are racing this Saturday at Ironman Florida, or they are about to do Ironman Arizona on the 15th. I have the luck of being in the last Ironman race in North America. Isn't that special. Well, I think so.

Just think:

• 7 days before my bike leaves
• 22 days before I leave
• 25 days before I race
• 26 days before my off season starts
• 27 days before I fly back and head right to work
• 28 days before I plot 2016

#trusttheprocess #believeinthepossibilities #listentocoach #respectthetraining

The Countdown: 39 days

39 things that I'm a pondering right now:

1. I am 39 days out from Ironman Cozumel.
2. I was 39 in my first attempt at the Ironman distance. (Ironman Arizona 2012)
3. This year was the 39th running of the Ironman World Championships.
4. The average age of all Age Group Athletes at Kona is 42.8. I am 42.
5. I have a list of 39 Prince songs in my head when I have to go into that dark place in my mind because training is getting tough. (ask me about that)
6. I probably have another 39 ignorant a$$ hip hop and rap songs in my head when I need to just get hyped
7. I have 13 favorite go to swim workouts that I love, 13 different body weight workouts and 13 favorite run workouts I love to do. 13 + 13 + 13 = 39
8. Crank Sports is my nutrition of choice this year for Ironman. Keep it simple.
9. 2XU are the tri shorts of choice. Yes, I do wear tri shorts for a 112 miles on a bike.
10. Would you believe this is the only race that I am doing? There are some things that I don't want to explain. Things are the way they are.
11. I think I have cried more than 39 times in this training.
12. I've made it through 2 seasons of "24" on my long rides. Ok, I never watched it when it was on originally.
13. I've also watched ALL of the Star Trek movies in CompuTrainer as well. The original 6, Next Generation and the reboot with Chris Pine.
14. Why do I always want to eat 3 extra large pizzas with mushrooms, peppers, anchovies and artichokes after my long swims??? Why?????
15. Coffee is a necessity in Ironman training.... actually in all training,
16. I discovered LYFE Kitchen during training. Oh my GOD!!!!! The Brussels Sprouts alone!
17. I've been really working on my weakness: The Bike!
18. I have done more maneuvering this year in order to do ALL of my training. There were only 2 days where I could not get my training in due to my work schedule. I really needed one of my locations to be 24 hours on the real.
19. I am not committing to any race for 2016 until I am finished with Ironman Cozumel. And no, I WILL NOT sign up for the following Ironmans: Wisconsin, Chattanooga, Kentucky, Texas, Coeur d'Alene or Boulder.
20. The goal next year is to get a new bike.
21. Yes, I am balancing on one leg on a disc to work on my core strength and balance while writing this.
22. As of today, I have swam a total of 275, 175 yards which is 156.35 miles. What the ???
23. I squeezed my a$$ into an Extra Large Roka Sports Swim Skin. Yes, I am an extra large, not an extra long which I actually am.
24. My bib number is 1451.
25. I'm missing Thanksgiving but I am totally fine with this.
26. I am working on my race plan right now. I have a time in my head but only 4 people are privy to that information.
27. With that being said, I'm working on my bike and run nutrition. South patch kids and Swedish fish are a MUST in my special needs bags.
28. I have not done any stress out workouts, but I have been doing stress out foam rolling.
29. I have not been eating enough. When I'm stressed, I don't eat. There, I admitted it.
30. I hope I can get my prescription sunglasses replaced without costing me an arm, a leg and my soul.
31. I am going to enjoy myself. https://youtu.be/Cj9GYUvj704
32. I will not workout for 2 weeks when I return. No, really.
33. I will say it until I am blue in the face, PILATES is my secret weapon. Let me know if you would like a complimentary session. :)
34. Everyone who has been doubting me (surprisingly, there are a lot). Thank you for providing me fuel for my workouts.
35. Everyone who has supported me, THANK YOU!!!!
36. I have not swam in a 17 yard pool since I started training.
37. Speaking of swimming, band and paddle workouts are just EVIL!!!!
38. I really need a shoe sponsor due to my shoe size and the lack of options out there. Thank you Brooks for the Pure Flow 4 in size 12.
39. I am not stressed out about this race.

39 problems and a race is not one.

Gratitude, beauty and friendships...

Gratitude: grat·i·tude [ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od]: the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness:

"she expressed her gratitude to the committee for their support"

synonyms: gratefulness · thankfulness · thanks · appreciation ·

[more]

indebtedness · recognition · acknowledgment · credit

 

I am usually not at a loss for words but this is a slight departure from my normal blog post and  I really should be asleep or eating or something of the likes. It has taken me almost 2 months to come up with the words to really express how I feel on what happened on Labor Day. If you are friends with me on Facebook, you know exactly what happened. I truly thought that I was in on a 50th birthday surprise for my friend Sally. Little did I know that the surprise was actually for me.

 

In these past weeks, I have really just been thinking about how truly thankful that I am to everyone and I do promise to do my damnedest to kick Cozumel's a$$ as athlete #1451. Yeah, bib numbers are out!

 

Beauty: beau·ty [ˈbyo͞odē]:

1. a combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight:

   "I was struck by her beauty"

   • a combination of qualities that pleases the intellect or moral sense.
     synonyms: attractiveness · prettiness · good looks ·
     

     [more]

     
     

     comeliness · allure · loveliness · charm · appeal · eye-appeal · heavenliness · winsomeness · grace · elegance · exquisiteness · splendor · magnificence · grandeur · impressiveness · decorativeness · gorgeousness · glamour · beauteousness · pulchritude
     antonyms: ugliness
   • denoting something intended to make a woman more attractive:
     "beauty products"
2. a beautiful or pleasing thing or person, in particular.

I find beauty in what I do. It may sound hokey, but I see beauty and grace when I am training/teaching Pilate; I see the magnificence in swimming, running and... yes, biking. Fitness is not about the pretty that most people see, but it is the behind the scenes,  the grittiness, the rawness, the struggle and eventually, the triumph.

 

Friendship... well, see below

THANK YOU!

The Tao of the Tutu

The last weekend in Chicago is a holiday of sorts.

https://youtu.be/0X7RyGBq2E8?list=RD0X7RyGBq2E8

Not your traditional holiday, but a holiday nonetheless for endurance athletes near and far. What holiday is that you may ask? Well, the Chicago Triathlon of course.

Race morning finds athletes setting up their transition areas, filling up their hydration systems, pouring water down their wetsuit to prepare for the impending shock of jumping into Lake Michigan, chant mantras and then there is me.

On race morning, after being up for over 36+ hours, I don...A TUTU!!!! Yeah, I said it, I put on a damn tutu. Now why would a self respecting coach don a tutu on race morning? I have been doing this for over 4 years and there are many reasons, but let me give you the top 10, David Letterman style:

10. You have to coordinate your tutu to your entire ensemble. This is me before the start of the 2014 Chicago marathon preparing to coach/run/motivate/cheer on my athletes. Oh, I taught my Pilates Mat class dressed like this as well. Notice the pick leopard print compression socks and Pink (can we talk about this) Newton Gravity 3 running shoes.

9. How do I stand out among the sea of other coaches and spectators? A tutu
8. How to have fun cheering? Wear a tutu with your partners in crime:

7. "Hey Coach Joy! How are we going to find you?" Look for the tutu. Check this one out of me running the Rock n' Roll Chicago Half Marathon last year. Not an epic enough tutu though it was in my favorite color purple.

6. What goes with booty shorts while you are striving for that professional, comfortable look while working an event? A tutu
5. Your athlete or friend is nervous, wear a tutu to calm their nerves. Or if all else fails, just slap some sense into them.
4. If a random stranger needs reassurance, wear a tutu and then dance, crack jokes, sing.  They may thank you at the end of the race.
3. You are trying to find your supporters, tell them to find the girl in the coach's shirt and red tutu.

2. You have to have a confidence, balls or be a bad ass to wear a tutu.

And the best reason of them all to wear a tutu...
1. When your friends all wear a tutu to give you the most EPIC SURPRISE OF A LIFETIME.

So, don't worry. This story is to be continued on why you can't do Ironman Training alone...

Happy Training... and the Road To Cozumel continues.

Why I do CompuTrainer and not ride outside?

Why do I CompuTrain? This is a question that I get asked the most.

"You're a strong cyclist! Get out on the road!"
"Stop being lazy!"

It's not about me being lazy. It is not that I am a strong cyclist. I have gotten stronger in cycling, but I have a confession to make. I do not like cycling. I am a very nervous cyclist. I always have been except in race mode. It is something that does not come naturally to me. Swimming, I feel like Dory from "Finding Nemo." When I'm running, I feel like Forrest Gump. You know, "Run Joy Run!"

When I am in the CompuTrainer Studio, I know exactly what I am doing. I am concentrating on my form: Keeping my abs drawn in, shoulders down and back, not mashing down on the pedals; I can focus on my breathing; I can focus on my nutrition; get a quality workout done in a finite amount of time.

CompuTrainer appeals to me for many reasons, but the main reason is my schedule. My work schedule is at times, very unpredictable. I may only have a total of 4 hours to bike, shower, change and be back to train a client. So this is why it appeals to me. A lot of people will argue until the cows come home that I need to be on the road. I will get on the road when I can arrange my schedule in a way that will work for me, but this will work for me and what my training plan says. Oh, don't worry coach, I will get my 4 hour ride in with that 40 minute run.

I digress, but a lot of professionals also use CompuTrainer. For me, I'm learning a lot about pacing, shifting, gearing, how hard I'm working or not working. It's about bridging the gap between perception and reality. I know when I am bullshitting my workout and when I am busting my ass with my power output numbers, my heart rate, my cadence, etc.

So there you have it. I still do not like cycling but I tolerate it as a warm up for the run.

I'm sorry, we don't carry that size...

The above title says it all. This is what I deal with ALL the time when trying to purchase running shoes and we will not talk about cycling shoes. The problem is I wear a size 12 AA. My feet are long and skinny. I will not say where I bought my last pair of shoes, however when I attempted to shop for new running shoes, I was in tears when I left. How is it that I am a coach and I can't get shoes? I do not blame the retailers except some of the employees need to be a little more sensitive, especially when I am the informed consumer. I come in on a mission; mission impossible, that is.

The shoes I was wear previously were the Newton Running Women's Gravity 3. These shoes were this obnoxious ass Pepto Bismol Pink with 5 lugs, but they were amazing. Well, I killed those shoes and was ready to get a new pair in time for marathon coaching and the continuation of my Ironman training. Well, I found out the update of the shoe ran very short., which meant I would have to buy a size 13. Where is my cocktail for this? No, really. Here is the problem, Newton's only go to size 12 in women and I had to change out the laces in order for them to fit my skinny feet. Well, a sales person insisted I get the men's version. Dude, do I look like a man? My feet are TOO SKINNY. What the frack?

So, we tried the Brooks Pure Cadence 4. Oh, they did not feel right at all. My feet were not happy when their slogan is "Run Happy". It was more like "Run Pissed Off". I use to run in the Adrenaline's version 10, 11 and 12 and the original Pure Project series. I was getting frustrated. It was worse than the Prince trying to find Cinderella and the glass slipper. And now I was really needing a shot or two of tequila. It was just as traumatic as shopping for jeans. Now that is a totally different blog post.

Ok, the guy is at his wits end. Really? What about me? I would have went with Adidas, but that super cushy stuff has gots to go. It was giving me pain. New Balance fresh foam was not so fresh and so clean. I was getting my hopes up since they were the first company I went with when I started actually running, running with my narrow ass feet. I had went through the 711, 712, 713, 714, 990, 991, 991, 1220, 1221...you get my drift. Again, no love.

Now I am challenging the shoe companies that I have mentioned to help a sister out. I am beyond frustrated that I have to go all "Mission Impossible" https://youtu.be/d-GEJri7HuI to find some running shoes for my feet and my running profile.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to create a running shoe that does not cost an arm, a leg and my right eye that will make me a Happy Happy, Joy Joy.

I AM...

Interesting title, right? Well, let's see:

1. I AM...an athlete
2. I AM...a damn good trainer
3. I AM...tired
4. I AM...feeling the lows and highs of training
5. I AM...determined
6. I AM...fierce
7. I AM...focused
8. I AM...you fill in the blank

This week has been hard. I'm heading into a recovery week, but I have been having a time. Today was the pinnacle of it. I went in early to CompuTrainer to change my back tire because that thing had a lovely split down the middle. WTF? Oh yeah, I have NEVER CHANGED A TIRE. A tube, yeah. So, I'm working on it but I forgot one little thing...my arm is still effed up from my EPIC FACE PLANT last week. That is a whole different story. I almost had a breakdown. I know I was tired physically and mentally (oh, I haven't been sleeping or really eating). Thank goodness I have some wonderful friends to help me out on this (thank you again Megan, Fred and Ed). Oh, and my gears were acting wonky. Uggghhhhhh!!!!!!! Yeah folks, Ironman training will test anyone and everyone. Right after, I had to do a 3000 yard swim. Well, the pool got beat up. I took no prisoners. I did shed a tear or 2 or maybe a million in the pool before work. I guess it proved I'm human. Just little things have been setting me off, such as finding running shoes in my size (oh, that is another post coming tomorrow...shoe manufacturers, get ready to be challenged); needing a bike that actually fits me (not in the cards); and a circus of stuff that I am dealing with. I think that next week will be, no, IT WILL BE BETTER!

So I think that is it for now since I have been slacking on my poor blog.

TOMORROW: The effing difficulty of finding size 12AA (that is double narrow running shoes). Almost as bad as blue jeans shopping.

#RoadtoCozumelcontinues

Time Management like a BOSS, oh and training for Ironman Cozumel

The road to Cozumel, the saga continues...

The past week threw me for a loop. There are times when my schedule throws a couple of change ups. I work in fitness so if a client or potential client wants a time, they get it (within reason) even if it means I have to rearrange my schedule. You have to be prepared for anything because it will prepare you for the worst case scenario on race day. 

Case in point #1: I normally swim at 5am when the gym opens up and then go to my other location to work. However, I had a person who needed 5:30am. She has to be at work no later than 7:45am. No 5am swim for me nor could I do a mid-afternoon swim. My swim was at 8:30pm. Mind you, this was a 3000 yard workout that needed to get done, but I also knew I would need to eat right after. Well, I ended up leaving the gym shortly before 10pm. I needed food. I was ravenous. I walked to the local grocery store (I bypassed every fast food joint). I wanted a rotisserie chicken, however there were none :(. What was I to do? Oh dear, I was STARVING!!!! I settled for a frozen Margherita pizza (don't judge). It was needed but I knew I would be eating this at like 11pm but I had to. I needed nutrition and a protein shake wasn't going to cut it. I ate the whole damn thing and ended up going to bed after midnight (and made it to CompuTrainer before 6am the next morning). 

Case in point #2: I knew that yesterday was going to be a doozy of a day (12 hour work day), but I had to get a run in. Hello 4am said no one ever, well except me. It was cold (real feel temperature of 27 degrees), it was windy (I felt that I would be blown all the way to Kansas) and dark. I got it done even though I was really not a happy camper and still made it work in time for my first client.

Case in point #3: Saturday was a big day since it was the kickoff for our Charity training program. I also knew that I had to leave to hop on the train to make it far South to coach swimming for another training team that I am part of. In addition, I needed to make it back in enough time to do a 2 hour 15 minute ride in the CompuTrainer Studio with a 20 minute run all before the gym closed. Did I get it done? Yes I did. Am I nuts? Do you really need to answer that question?

Why do I tell you this? In training for anything, especially an Ironman, you need to be prepared for the change ups, the curve balls, the last minute meetings or trips that may change your training for that day. You need to adapt and go with the flow. Sometimes you may be successful in it, sometimes not. Life is the exact same way. Do you just say, "I guess I'm not going to train today?" or do you say, "Let's make this work!". It's up to you.

Now time for me to finish up here in the studio and get ready for tomorrow. I have my game plan mapped out for the rest of the week. Do you?

Stop and shake the fro: Reflections while churning away at week 10

So, as I am sitting here (with a lacrosse ball against my back) writing this, I decided to look back on all of my workouts since I started Ironman training with my awesome coach, Jenny Hayes (Jenny-Hayes.com) and I had to stop and shake the fro.

The Facts:

• Swimming: 66,250 yards or approximately 37.642 miles (What the what????)
• Biking: 33 hours in the saddle
• Running: 19.5 hours
• Pilates: 9 hours (this does not include when I have to demonstrate for my clients)
• Strength Training: almost 9 hours as well

Now, mind you, I have a LONG way to go before I toe the line at Ironman Cozumel. I'm only in the beginnings of week 10 and I have already swam 3200 yards, 1 hour of strength training (3 point lunges anyone?) and an hour on the bike in CompuTrainer.

The Facts:

• Coffee is a necessity
• I can never get enough to eat
• It's crazy when the front desk staff just asks, "How many yards today?"
• I've gone through more shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and lotion... and that is just one day of training
• I'm surprised I still have hair
• I keep jamming my damn ring finger on my right hand while swimming!
• Sleep...ummmmm, we will talk about that later
• The lacrosse ball, foam roller, the grid foam roller and the stick are my good friends
• Listening to the Classic Hip Hop station on Pandora is a must for hard CompuTrainer rides
• I really want the Polar V800 watch. *hint hint*
• Laundry... do I need to say more?

I am so grateful to my coach, friends, training partners and coworkers ( I work in Fitness, remember?) who have to deal with my craziness, but don't worry. I still manage to have fun. Go see "Avengers: Age of Ultron". It was worth all of the sleep deprivation getting home at 1:30am and getting to work at 5:30am and still get my training in. We will not discuss how much coffee I drank that day.

All in all, I am having fun. I'm getting stronger, faster, more focused...A friend said I was a freaking Cylon (Battlestar Galactica). Go figure! The one thing I can say is that having a coach is making me a BETTER coach! Yep, the coach has a coach.

So thank you again for dealing with my craziness...

The road to Cozumel continues....

Let's get ready to RUMBLE!!!!!

I have now made it through almost 8 weeks or 2 months of training. As you know, I am on that long road to Cozumel. I'm so freaking ECSTATIC that next week is a step back week.


At times, I feel like I'm fighting in a cage match (if you haven't watched any wrestling, YouTube it). At other times, I am on straight autopilot. I make it to the pool every Monday and Wednesday at 5am (READ: I leave my place by 4:15am at the latest). It is now to the point where the front desk staff looks at me and ask, "So, Joy, how many yards you going to do today?" I feel like a pack mule carrying my backpack with my computer, iPAD, Kindle, research stuff (I'm always studying), clothes (sometimes 2-3 outfits) AND my swim gear bag with my fins, paddles, pull buoy (yes, I bought my own), tempo trainer, bands, goggles, cap... Whew! That's a lot of stuff. Let's not talk about the eating (I'm still not eating enough) or the laundry (why can't laundry do itself... seriously). I go into the CompuTrainer studio, get on Beeker (my bike), crank up the heat, listen to the Classic Hip-Hop Station on Pandora and go to town. I know that the staff just shake their heads looking at me pedaling, going nowhere and sweating like a hog on the butcher block. And then there is the run. Oh, I love, love, love running. I feel comfortable outside, in the sunshine, going to town. I did get a little carried away on one of my runs. I decided to run in the middle of the day since I was a little stressed out. Why did I almost end up at home? I live 3.5 miles from my main location.

I will tell you one thing though, it is HARD managing my Ironman Training schedule, training schedule (training clients), coaching, writing (yes, I am contributing to a book), teaching, eating, sleeping, drinking coffee, other stresses that I am dealing with and having a social life. However, I would not change a thing. I have an AWESOME coach (jenny-hayes.com), an awesome facility where I work and train (ffc.com), an awesome support network of friends and family all over and the confidence that I am going to finish this damn race with a BIG ASS SMILE on my face.

That's it for now. Time to prepare my swim workout for my athletes, foam roll, eat and do a mini dance break. Say what? Cue music: https://youtu.be/g-DQ_R1R1EU

Week 2: I'm not dead yet! Just hangry!

So I have officially finished week 2 of training and am now starting week 3. Some awesome things and not so awesome things happened during week 2:

1. I am one of the newest ambassadors for Base Performance.  Check them out at baseperformance.com
2. I was quoted in an article for Women's Health Magazine Online. Check that out at  http://www.womenshealthmag.com/fitness/treadmill-incline
3. I had a damn good 20-minute run test, even though I felt like I wanted to throw up. Dude! I averaged a 9:40/mile pace for 20-minutes all out. NOTE: This has not happened in a LONG while.
4. I did a brief presentation on goal setting to an awesome group of women. Shout out to Team Dream!
5. Did a video demonstrating/explaining some Pilates exercises to another group of awesomely fabulous women. Shout out to Sole Tri Sisters.
6. The last 2 things I will not mention but trust me when I say they are AMAZING!

The not so awesome thing:

1. Got SERIOUSLY bruised up in my swim. This was during my 10 x 100yds swim test (remember that I had 3 baseline tests).  Really, if you are sharing a lane, please don't breast stroke. This guy seriously tried to maul me. It is really too early for open water swimming

So, with my training, I have mastered the art of scheduling. Most of you know that I do not have a normal 9-5. I work in fitness so my schedule, in terms of getting my workouts in, revolve around my teaching, training, coaching and writing schedule. What does this mean? If I have a swim, I am at another gym at 5am in order to get that swim in before I have to get back to my location to train a Pilates Client. Or, it may mean I wake up earlier on a Sunday morning (even if I had been out all night) in order to get a run in before I have to go into work to teach and train. How do I do this? I look at my schedule for the week from my coach (jenny-hayes.com) and compare it with my work schedule. If I can do 2 workouts at the same location, I will do it. Oh, did I tell you that I do all of my traveling on Public Transportation? Case in point. This morning, I went to my other location in the Gold Coast to find out that the pool was closed. SHIT! Cue the Mission Impossible Theme Song: https://youtu.be/mWGeRgFa-hI

What did I do? Hauled ass on CTA to get to our Union Station location to get my swim in, shower and change and high tail it back to East Lakeview to train a client. Mission Accomplished! Oh yeah, CTA is where its at...not really, but it gets me from point A to point B. However, there is one thing that I didn't mention-EATING!

I am going to tell you now, Ironman training will break your grocery bill! If I am not around endurance athletes, it is a little embarrassing eating the amount of food that I can eat, especially after swimming. Yes, this girl can eat. I have to bring snacks such as a piece of fruit, graham crackers, string cheese, almond butter/blackberry jam sandwich, hard boiled eggs or a protein shake with me for post workout. If I do not have anything with me, it tends to get really ugly. Me + hangry = EVIL Joy. This is what I turn into when I do not eat after a hard workout or any workout, who am I kidding:



If I eat after a workout, I'm more like this guy:



Until next week! May the 70 degrees that we are having here in Chicago make a return towards the end of the week.

#FitCoaching #BasePerformance #ProjectIMCozumelinfulleffect #IronFitFro

I Survived Week 1 of training

So, as the title indicates, I did indeed survive week 1 of IM Cozumel training. Since I have a very DYSFUNCTIONAL schedule: I work in the Fitness Industry and at any given time I may step in to sub a class or 2, a client may ask for an extra session in the week, a client may cancel or I may have a meeting or 2 to attend. Due to this, I have to plan my week accordingly. What does this mean, you may be asking? Sometimes it means that I am at the gym at 5am in order to get my swim in (in a 25 yard pool) which translates to me leaving my apartment at 4 am at the latest. Or, if I have a break in the middle of the day, I maximize my time to get that workout in.

Crazy? Maybe. Impossible? Not in the least bit. See, the thing is if you are training for an Ironman, you will learn how to prioritize your time or it will bite you in the ass later on in your training.

How did this past week go? Well, I had my FTP (Functional Threshold Power Test) and it went ok (166 watts (95%) for 20 minutes except I felt like crap afterwards. My legs felt like lead after that but then I had to run 15 minutes on the treadmill. READ: The WORST  run EVER!!!!! The last 6 minutes, I switched my iPOD to George Kranz's "Din Daa Daa" http://youtu.be/-hTSvEgEdjs
This song will get you those last 5-10 watts! I did, however have one goof. I didn't eat enough for my swim on Wednesday since it was a midday workout. Moral of the story, Don't swim hangry!
Yeah, that didn't go over to well with my coach so, yes, I will eat more before a swim workout and bring something afterwards. Also, in this same week, I was able to switch my Friday and Saturday workouts and actually have Saturday as my rest day even though I was working the Indoor Triathlon. I didn't workout unless you count demonstrating a few PILATES exercises to a class and running up and down the stairs delivering race results. I was good! I really was....I have witnesses. LOL!

The bad? I jammed my ring finger on my right hand so it is still swollen. Don't ask.

So, what's on tap for this week? More testing: swim and run and a lot more workouts.

Until next week... keep training.

#FitCoaching #ProjectIMCozumelinfulleffect #IronFitFro

And here we go again...

It's been a while. I know, I know. Well, now is a good time to let you know what is going on.

When you last read my blog post, I DNF'd at Ironman Arizona. Things happen for a reason and I can seriously say that more people were upset for me not finishing. It happens, things happen. Well, I have an update for you...I'm back in the saddle again (well, I never left the saddle). So, where am I going? Well, it's not Arizona. Say what??? I know. I'm heading South, South of the border. I'm running away to Mexico... Cozumel that is.

Why Cozumel?
1. Why not? It's Mexico, duh? Sunshine, sand, warmth (did I mention it is November 29th?), ocean, margaritas, November in Mexico vs. November in Chicago
2. I needed a warmer weather race that suits my strengths. READ: FLAT BIKE COURSE! OCEAN SWIM! NO WETSUIT!
3. I need a VACATION! For those of you who know me very well, I am a workaholic! There, I admitted it! That, in itself is a big thing for me to do.

What am I changing?
Well, I am actually working with a coach. In the past 3 Ironman trainings, I have followed a training plan, but had to work it around my dysfunctional schedule. Most times, I would have to do a lot of training solo and hope to have the time to do some group workouts.

This time around, I am now working with a coach. Who, you may ask? Jenny Hayes (jenny-hayes.com), of course! Yes, a coach needs a coach also. I am leaving it in her capable hands to get me through this journey. I have a goal time in mind which I am going to keep very quiet. Only my inner awesome circle will know what that time is. So, no more crazy ass workouts when stressed... which means I need to stay as stress free as possible. Friends, you may have to do some intervention work if I get stressed. :)

So there you have it.

The saga continues...

New things...new experiences...a new year...same me!

Well Happy New Year y'all!

With it being the first full week of the New Year, I decided to get a post up and going. It's always interesting watching how crowded the gym gets during this time of year. New members are anxious and current members are upset due to how crowded it is. People talk about diets and turning over a new leaf, yadda, yadda, yadda. It's the way things are until things settle.

2014 proved to be a lot of ups and downs for me, but it made me the person I am right now. Last year saw me as a newly minted USAT Level 1 and USATF Level 1 Coach; racing ITU Chicago (the coolest bike course ever, considering I hate, no dislike the bike); made a lot of new friends. But it also put me face to face with some serious obstacles that left me training more than being swallowed up by the various stresses that I was dealing with.

Some of those obstacles are still around right now, but you know what? I don't really care. It's 2015. It's time to embrace some new things, new experiences all with me being the same me. So, the only thing that I will say is that I am doing IM Cozumel. I decided that I am going to have fun, treat myself and actually do a mini vacation. I deserve it. Everything else, well you will have to wait and see.

Until next time...