To My Loving Supporters and Fans!

First off, I want to thank you for your support throughout the past year, whether it be financial, emotional or spiritual. I cannot extend enough gratitude to the wonderful community of family and friends that have blessed me in so many ways! From friendly faces and cheerful spirits at the pool, to training buddies on the road and track, I could not do it without you.

This past year offered a great variety of experiences and learning opportunities. Most of you know I had a roller coaster winter with the unexpected turn with my mom’s hip surgeries (3 of them in 3 months). Helping take care of her was a blessing and a test that I wouldn’t trade for anything. I started off my racing season in March in Lake Havasu Arizona where I won the overall female for the age groups and was several minutes faster than my time on that same course the previous year.

St. Anthony’s Triathlon

Next, in April, came back to back weekends of racing in St Petersburg, FL and Richmond, VA. The weather in St. Pete was beautiful all week, race day morning myself and my competitors woke up to heavy winds and some light rain. The rain let up by race time, but the wind had not. While doing my swim warm-up I looked out at the sea of competitors and spectators lining the mile long stretch of beach, and felt a rush of excitement as I realized this was by far the biggest race I had ever attended! Much to my chagrin, race directors shortened the swim to half the distance. I still managed the first out of the water for all the female age groupers by 30 seconds and over a minute ahead of most. The bike course was flat and fast with lots of turns. Overall the race course was fantastic, and I felt as though all those miles on the treadmill over the winter had greatly improved my run. I earned 7th place and came away with even more motivation to improve my run/bike after having to give up precious minutes lead because of the shortened swim.

Richond Elite Development Race

The week between races, I couch surfed both at my Aunt’s in Florida and at friends’ apartments in Arlington,VA. I felt pride well within me as I got to explore Washington, D.C. by bike. The Washington Monument, MLK Statue, and Arlington Cemetery were reminders of what great ideals our country upholds amidst all the current politics. I found a new sense of pride in our country, and felt abundantly blessed to live here. Off to Richmond by train for an Elite Development draft legal race. I had a rough swim, but a great bike and terrific run for myself. However, in draft legal racing the swim and run are of great importance as strength on the bike is marginalized by the ability to draft. I got out of the swim between two bike packs and spent two laps by myself before the chase pack absorbed me. My run felt great, but was no match for some of the collegiate runners in the group. I was disappointed in my swim and 5^th place finish, but I guess it’s a lesson in how to adjust and make better planning for back to back weekends!

Even the Little Victories Count

I came home with an even greater passion for training, wanting to better my bike and run. Come June, I was on fire! I ran an altitude PR in the 5k while leading out for the local Run n Ride fundraiser for Cancer, and spent the rest of my race hoping it was fast enough to hold off my coach and 2004 Olympian, Barb Lindquist, who has a super strong bike. I clenched the win, and while it was a very small victory in the grand scheme of my goals, I was quite pleased with my fitness level. I continued to hit the road hard both with feet and bike. Next, I won the local Blacktail Triathlon in Idaho Falls, trailing only 40 seconds behind my training partner Brent Peacock (however, the lengthened swim might have been to my advantage). I was ready to race and win the Monroe Elite Development Race. 

A Bump in the Road

A few mornings later, I woke up and had throbbing sharp pains in my lower abdomen and groin. Nothing I did relieved the pain. I had been pretty sore the week before, but I chalked it up to the normal training pains. I went to my favorite physical therapists at All Body Therapy; the diagnosis was crushing. I had pulled my adductor longus and inflamed my ab muscle because they both attach along the pubic symphysis. There was nothing I could do but rest and ensure I was using my core to support my groin and hip joints. I couldn’t bear the thought of not racing in Monroe, I was sure I could earn my pro card there. I took two full days off and wore and old race suit everywhere for compression. I did everything the PT prescribed. I tried pulling in the pool, but just rotating hurt, and flip-turns elicited searing pains. I took another few days off and the muscles were finally ready to handle swimming without pushing off the wall. I gradually started to add strengthening exercises and biking and finally running back into my regimen. There was no Monroe race for me, and it was three weeks before I was back to a somewhat normal training plan.

Boulder Peak

By now, it was July and time for the Boulder Peak 5150. After a neck and neck finish with a competitor for the Age Group Elite, I came away with the win for the second year in a row, but I had been lucky. I was certainly not at the top of my game that day, and my run was slower than what I had run on that same course the previous year. I was disappointed to realize how much fitness and muscle memory I had lost during my injury. I had a lot of work to do to get back to where I want to be.

Age Group Nationals

Milwaukee, WI was everything I expected it to be and more. After having visited Madison, WI for Collegiate Cycling Nationals in 2011, I was hoping Milwaukee would be similar in bike-ability and walkability. Being an environmental planning major, I love visiting cities that exemplify many of the theories you read about in books. Madison and Milwaukee both promote multi-modal transportation and engage the citizen and tourist with their natural surroundings with beautiful waterfronts and trails through their various parks.

The swim started in Lake Michigan, and I was third out of the water. I passed a girl in transition and maintained position on the bike which offered small rollers but was mostly flat and fast. The first few miles on the run felt fantastic, I had a high cadence and felt light on my feet. Everything felt right, but I think my muscle endurance could not keep the paces I was pushing. The last two miles of the run were a brutal push to the finish as I fought to hang on to the girls that passed me. I finished 7^th in my age group, and 15^th overall. A significant improvement from last year’s 34^th overall, but I was far from satisfied. My goal had been to place in the top 5 overall and earn my pro-card. Obviously, conditions changed with my injury, but I had still been hoping for better.

Discovering my Heritage

After a post-race morning run and swim clinic at the UW-Milwaukee, I boarded the plane for my first trip

ever out of the United States. My family embarked on a long over-due journey to Ireland, the birthplace of my father’s mother and father. My aunts had urged me to visit Ireland before all of my father’s aunts and uncles passed. Ireland is beautiful, not simply for it’s vibrant green pastures, mystic fog, and beautiful shorelines, but it’s people exhibit a kind of passion for life rarely found in such abundance elsewhere. I enjoyed some of the most beautiful runs and bike rides of my life! I will stop from writing too much here, but you can read more of my journeys in my next post ( I promise I will post a lot more often than I have been known to in the past!).

Hy Vee 5150 US Championships

My Final “A” race of the season was the HyVee US Championships in Des Moines, IA. I qualified for a free entry through my win at Boulder Peak, and my cousins lived just outside of Des Moines, so I could not pass up this opportunity. I arrived in Des Moines on Tuesday before the race and spent the week adjusting to the time change, resting, and priming for the race. Race day came and I was pumped and ready to go. I stepped outside for my pre-race run and was greeted by thunder, lightning and rain. This was surely not the first time I had seen rain on race day, but the lightning worried me. I would be devastated if they had to cancel the swim. Thankfully, the race went on swim and all, only with an hour delay. In the end, I was thankful for the 

rain, as it cooled the blazing 104 temperatures to a bearable 80 degrees F with high humidity. I was the first out of the swim by 30 seconds for the age groupers. The bike was a challenge with the last 10 miles being stacked with some steep kickers. I may have ground out those hills too hard, because when I hopped off the bike my legs were lead. I continued to push the pace and try to chase down the few girls in front of me, but I was passed by 2 girls for every one that I passed. While disappointed in my slow run, I was pleased that despite the heat and humidity and being passed, I kept up my tempo and positive attitude on the run. I finished in 8^th to a crowd of my relatives cheering me home. It was a rare treat to have a cheering section at a race far from home! My Aunt, Uncle, and cousins were gracious hosts and I had a fantastic trip.

Looking to next year

While having bumps in the road and not achieving your season goals for the year can be frustrating, it can also be a good swift kick in the butt. I am looking forward to what this fall and winter’s training will hold, and will be wiser about taking proper steps to ensure rest and recovery to avoid any further injuries!

For now, it is back to the drawing board: garnering financial and product support (which seems to be as much work as the training itself) and simply putting in the grunt work building a good base through the winter. I recently asked a runner friend how he regained such good fitness and speed after an injury, his response: “Don’t worry, you’ll get there. Running’s quite simple, just put one foot in front of the other!”