Makaha TT

Riding my bike fast is hard.

There are only a handful of TTs here on island and I figured this year was as good a year as any to see what they are all about. I did one last year (Castle to Hanauma) and realized that I didn't understand what riding my bike hard or fast really meant. I'm still not sure I fully understand. I keep thinking I'm having breakthroughs and maybe I am, but then I do another race or effort and realize I still have another gear. So, long story short, TTs are hard and I'm still trying to figure them out.

As is with most races here, this was super small, maybe 50-60 people and less than half of them women. I knew there would be a handful of ladies there that would be pretty speedy which would make for a "fun" morning and I was right. This was a super, super short TT and to make things even "worse", because of all the high surf we've been getting here lately, a portion of the road was closed, so the 18k course was shortened a bit more. Joy!

I tried to get in a decent warm up after my over an hour drive to get to the start...you'd think everything is close when you live on an island...think again! I don't think I know how to warm up for these things yet and I could have used my pre-race warm up time a bit better (not sit in the car for as long, not chit-chat with everyone before the race), oh well, next time. And that's part of the beauty of these small local races, getting to see everyone, socialize and have a good time!  Before I knew it, it was time to start.

This race was a short, flat, fast five miles out and then just under 5 miles back. Kelsi was starting 30 seconds behind me and I'm not gonna lie, I was a bit anxious having her right behind me! Nothing like having a speedy little lady directly behind you in line. Motivation! She didn't catch me, but was very, very close and she did end up having an overall faster time! Great job lady (and time to change your FTP number...your coach has been informed)!!!

I really struggle with these short, hard, fast intervals, I much prefer riding my bike for a few hours as opposed to 20-25 minutes HARD. I'm definitely much better suited for the longer events or at least I'm more comfortable with them, but I also think doing races/activities that take you out of your comfort zone are great and only serve to benefit you in the future So, I'll keep plugging away at them and continue to learn more every-time.

Overall, it was a great day out there. Beautiful location, fast times, great friends, good people. Congrats to everyone that raced and hopefully see you next weekend at Castle to Hanauma!

#womensupportingwomen

Glimmers

Last night, I was back at the track again. wooooohoooo. Slowly, I've been able to recruit people to come join in the sufferfest (thanks Raul and DJ and Scott). It's not too much of a sufferfest quite yet, but it'll get there and having people to endure right alongside me will be....well let's just say I'll be happy to have others out there with me. 

Anyways, short and sweet, but after not being able to really run for almost 5 months (knee surgery and a bike crash) and now being back at the track and starting to run fast-er again, there are some glimmers of my run fitness coming back! It makes me really appreciate my health and the body's ability to heal (not that I didn't put in a lot of hard work to rest, recover, strengthen and get myself back closer to 100% again). 

So, when the going gets tough (and it will) and I am tired, the alarm goes off and I want to go back under the covers because it's too cold, too hot, too rainy, too windy, etc. That's when I need to remember I GET TO do this, I don't have to do this. I need to remember those days when all I wanted to do was run and I couldn't...now I CAN. 

My friend, Todd, shared this quote with me the other day and I really like it....

Excellence cannot be owned, it can only be rented. The rent is due every damn day!

#FindYourHappy

I'm keeping things short and sweet for now....

Just thought I would share some things that have been making me smile lately.

Holiday ocean swims....even though I'm in a wetsuit....it's February and we are swimming in the ocean OUTSIDE! How lucky are we!?

Finally getting my run back...it's not back back, but it's getting there and that is very exciting!

Brunch with this group of amazing, strong, independent, successful, women to celebrate one of the most loving, kind, wise, caring people I know...so excited for you, Mariane and Tim, and your new adventure!

Setting goals and dreaming big dreams and beginning to take actions towards those goals and dreams!

Riding bikes and #sweatybuns

And finding MY happy

#growingupisoptional

"The world doesn't need any of us to think smaller--the world needs us all to dream bigger, to be bolder, and to figure out what makes us come alive."

~Abby Falik 

Back on TRACK

little-by-little, step-by-step, day-by-day

Last night was the first time I've set foot on a track since probably, well I can't even remember how long, so it's been way too long. I don't even know if I can consider what we did an actual track workout, I mean it was, we were at the track and running around it and had a purpose to what we were doing, so a track workout it was.

The speed and run form are still not back, nor are they things I'm going to rush. Many things in life cannot be rushed, you just do what you can with what you have and when the time is right things will start falling into place once again.

But dirt track Wednesdays are back and I'm very excited about it!

Thanks

That's all, thanks, I just want to say thanks to everyone that has been there for me in the past couple of months! You know who you are! You guys are ALL the best! I wouldn't be where I am right now without you all and I appreciate each and every one of you more than you know!

I just read this on Linsey Corbin's blog, "The high's are great, but it's in the trenches where you find your true colors, your true supporters and what drives you to keep pushing on. It's the ultimate test of self belief." Smart lady she is.

Onward!

A New Year....

...new goals....new ambitions...new enthusiasm...new everything!

I've been quiet on the blog front, dealing with some life stress and changes, but things are moving in the right direction and 2016 is shaping up to be a great year...

... here I come!

On recovering from knee surgery...

I know I posted a while ago that I would have an update on how my knee was doing post surgery and what was going on in my little piece of the world. So, for anyone who cares, here ya go.

Rule #1...DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT crash on your bicycle. That will totally mess up your ability to get back in the swing of things and swimbikerun like you want. (more on this at the end)

Rule #2...listen to your doctor, if s/he says wait to run, then wait to run (this I listened to, it wasn't easy, but I listened even when my doctor didn't think I would. He was afraid he would be divining up the street and see me running 3 days post-op, nope, I was a good little patient.
I walked out of surgery, well they wheeled me out in a wheel chair because protocol, but I could walk up the stairs when I got home and didn't even really need any of my pain meds, but I waited the 6.5 weeks post op to even think about "jogging" again. I did however, get up to an 8 mile walk and was pulling in the pool as soon as my incisions were healed!
Walking is no joke, if you ever can't run, try walking, you'l still get a great workout in and you don't have to worry about not being able to run. I wouldn't say I was power walking per-say, but I was walking at a pretty good pace. Aqua jogging is also a great recovery option! When I did get the all clear to start "running" again is was 20 minutes of run easy 1 minute, walk 2 minutes and I slowly and carefully progressed up from there.

Rule #3...do the PT...religiously, EVERY DAY. And make your friends join in, it'll make it much more fun. I was helping coach the Honolulu Marathon clinic at BOCA and once a week we were doing core/strength exercises before the group went out on their runs...what an opportunity for me to do my PT and for the group to get in some great strength/stability exercises. I think a few people found muscles they didn't know they had!

Rule #4...do what you can. This I struggled with, I have found something I truly love in triathlon and to be derailed from doing what I enjoy was and is difficult. I know that having surgery was the right thing and 12 weeks, in the grand scheme of things is not long at all. I started swimming more when I could and was able to go on a few hikes. I know at times, I was pretty grumpy from lack of wanted activity and I'm sure not the most fun person to be around...sorry! But being derailed for a short period of time is a great opportunity to work on strength, core, find something new to add into your routine. As I'm writing it, I realize I'm not very good at this rule and it's something I need to continue to work on.

Rule #5...it's not the end of the world, you will heal, you will get better. Embrace this downtime and see Rule #4.

ok....now back to Rule #1...DO NOT CRASH YOUR BICYCLE...so I crashed my bicycle...3.5 weeks ago. Just as I got the all clear to start swimbikerun again, I crashed. I guess it was the universe saying I wasn't ready to train again. I thought I was, but apparently not. 

I'm fine, I'm alive, nothing is broken, my bike is not damaged, but I'm back to square 1 in this recovery game. It was no one's fault but my own, the roads here are crap, I probably wasn't as attentive as I should have been, a car was very close to me, I went one way, then over-corrected and went down (my fault). I landed HARD on my hip. In good news, didn't hurt my surgery knee at all! I saw my doctor, PT and chiro, I had an x-ray and nothing is broken. Haven't had an MRI, not sure it's necessary, but not totally ruled out just yet. I'm a lot better than I was 3 weeks ago, but I'm still in some pain and can't run AGAIN. I can pull in the pool as long as I tie my feet together and don't push off the wall with my left leg, I started riding easy, but that might be put back on hold after this weekend. So recovery once again. 

It's the holidays and the end of the year so as much as I hate not being able to do what I love, it will get better, I just need to give things appropriate time to heal, what is the appropriate amount of time, you ask, that's the hard part, I wish someone could just tell me, give it X-amount of days, weeks and you'll be good to go, but that's not the case, the body does what the body needs to do to heal itself so only time will tell. Once again, I've likely become not the most fun person to be around, lack of activity does that to me...my bad, sorry again to everyone that has dealt with all my mood swings and irritability. 

Note to self: See Rule #4 and Rule #5. 

Happy Holidays everyone!!

PS. Side note...the ROKA women's Pro Race jersey and short can stand up to a crash! Score for them!