To Infinity & Beyond!!!

Yesterday I was able to participate in my team's annual triathlon. I didn't race, rather I chose to watch from the sidelines and help out where I could. Directing traffic in & out of transition, I yelled instructions and cheered until I lost my voice. I watched athletes of all abilities go by; some flew, some found time to slap my high 5 as they went by... Most were out there having a good time on their way to a fast PR, while others clearly just wanted the entire Sprint distance over with (funny how these were not the fastest folks.... if it is that brutal, hurry up and get it over with, no?).

The morning spent yelling "it's only 5km, just RUN that way..." made me think about Timberman. Will I get off the bike telling myself "it's only 21.5km bitch, RUN...." ??? I damn well hope so! Knees forward, foot back, chop wood carry water.... RUN LIKE A MOTHER.......
Will I cross the finish line completely finished? I hope I do that too. Will I be ready for the next race? I hope I am, because there are a few to chose from...

I am a master of lists: I make a list every morning of the day's To Do. I make a list at the office of the same impossible expectations. I makes lists when packing, when going grocery shopping, mostly I make lists just to rip them up. It's not eco-friendly, but strangely, once I've written the list, I no longer need it.

Expect for one: one list has followed me for years. It started as a list of 10, and since grew to 15. No rips to the paper, perfectly hidden from Dylan's gripping hands, it's cherished like gold. It's my Bucket List of all the races I want to do before I turn 80 (or as long as it takes me to do them, and as long as it's all fun & games!) Timberman was tops on that list. It's about to get checked off.... hence, in the moments I allow myself the joy of a daydream I wonder, what's next?
I'm superstitious, therefore planning the next one until I cross the finish line in NH is not really my style...but with races selling out in minutes... hmmm...

The top 10 of my list looks like this:
1) Timberman 70.3
2) Wildflower
3) Nautica New York City Triathlon
4) Paris Marathon
5) Challenge Roth (IM distance)
6) Rev 3 Cedar Point (Half distance)
7) Rohto 70.3 Hawaii
8) Hy-Vee Triathlon
9) Abu Dhabi Triathlon (Long course)
10) SSQ Quebec City (half marathon)

The list goes to 15.... in no particular order, they are all just experiences I want to live. 1 race I have already done, 1 is about to get done, (knock on wood) and for the remaining 13- I can only pray I am healthy enough to conquer them before the big 80.
So, what's next???? I guess I'll know when I cross the finish line in 13 days.... after all, I'll have 70.3 miles to think it over.... ;0)

It's hot.
I'm hot.
As I sit here I am well aware of my hotness.

This week's track work out was so hot I sprinted away from it, to a nice 8km loop in the shade.
The heat combined with a sinus infection has also made me quite the dork as I now swim, bike, run around with my asthma pump... not so hot! ;)

Summer is upon us, and I don't do well in the heat. It's not that I don't enjoy the short summer months; I do. I'd take summer over winter any day. Running half naked is much more comfortable than running with grips under my Zoots. However, with Timberman coming up in 3 weeks, I've started to get nervous about the one thing we should never be nervous about - the weather.
What if it rains? Yes, I know, I faced that fear at the Coteau race and I came out alive & running. But New Hampshire has hills; I'm not to certain downhill in the rain is a skill I have mastered.
What if it's hot & humid? Last year's race was, and all I got from friends were reports of serious 'heat induced' nutrition problems. I ran a summer half marathon one year - all my Gu Chomps melted in my pocket. What if I get out of the water on race day and all my food has disintegrated to form a massive sticky mess around my asthma pump?? (paint the L on my forehead right now)
What if it's perfect race weather, the run course is shady, and I have the amazing time I have envisioned for the past year? What if in my attempts to simply finish, I simply have so much fun that I make friends with 70.3 miles, and decide to do it again? What if? Perhaps I'll enjoy it so much I'll slow down (I can't go much slower, but let's pretend...) so I slow down to enjoy the race & get the most out of the scenery & the crowd?

I am a bit nervous about the weather. Looking at my history I've also become super fixated on not getting injured. I had flips flops waiting for me as I exited the swim yesterday; can't risk stepping on a rock in transition! Today might just be my final ride out in the wild- I can train just fine in the air-conditioned, squirrel and car free zone of my basement...

Ok, so I'm more than a bit crazy....I'm even more excited though, that the goal I set 1 year ago is now 21 days away. Even the sinus infection from hell right now cannot wipe the smile off my face. Just speaking about Timberman gets me all teary eyed. 70.3 miles might seem like only a Half to some... to me it's 70.3 miles to freedom. Even the weather won't stop this dream from coming true...

Train safe...

Girls Gone Wild...

This year I am lucky enough to be on a team of wonderfully able triathletes. Although I probably wouldn't recognize most of them in everyday work attire, when the goggles are on, these are the people I will go to sprint distance war for. If there is a force to reckon with, it's us, together on race day, in our red & black.

Racing in the rain: Been there, done that, all while slamming a GU.

As the men took off 1 hour before we did, us girls got down to the business of wetsuit zippers, bike set-ups and last minute advice. Having transition to ourselves, smiles and giggles replaced the normal race tension. There was no talk at all of times, age group competition, faster wheels or aerodynamics. Nor was it pink and pretty. It was lean and mean in a 'watch out the women are coming' kind of way.

The ancient Greeks (smart ass people) believed that the human spirit advanced through competition. That is how the human race achieved it's best. Competition was almost religion back then. Standing in transition last Saturday, I couldn't help but noticed that not much has changed.

On paper, I had a pretty good race- I didn't reinvent the disc-wheel. I didn't 'kill' the course, no sprint distance records were broken. Friendships were sealed though, when team spirit, 1 amazing coach, (& my cheering mother) got us girls through a wet & wild race; one teeny tiny step for the human spirit, one huge step forward for a team of high energy, overachieving women. In the cold morning rain, the uncertainly of wet suit / no wetsuit, we achieved our best and we did it damn well.
I am left motivated & in awe of the company I keep.


Train safe,

Races in Flat Places (& Dr. Seuss)

I have a thing for quotes. Words, vocabulary, sentences. I have quotes taped to my walls, in my wallet, in my car, sometimes even on my bike & written in my Zoots. There are words I LOVE, and there are words we are not allowed to use in my house.
Hate is a 'bad word'. Stupid is as well. So is Can't. We don't use these, not as verbs or adjectives - never in a sentence. Dylan has never been able to slide them past me, and he knows why. Bad, bad words.

Well, karma is a bitch. And after 3 years of telling Dylan not to say those words, it was his turn to be the parent. Yep, I have a race on Saturday. A race, on a flat course. Let's just say I used all 3 'bad words' in the same sentence when packing for this race. I do not like (insert) racing silly (insert) flat courses because I feel incapable (insert). I do not like them Sam I Am.

My life is full of metaphorical mountains, it's about the climb after all, and I go fast on the up & over.
Of course, I'm wise enough to know that doing 8 X 10km brick sessions out on the track today will put me in peak flat course shape. Of course.
I'll throw a 1080 on the front, a disc on the rear... not a problem. I'll be cruising.

Oh, and the forecast is rain. Would you like them on a train, would you like them in the rain? I would not like them here nor there, I would not like them anywhere.


The exerts say that when it gets tough, we must remember why we race. This will motivate us to crawl to the finish line proud. So, I'll do this race anyways because my 'why?' this year is to face my fears. A flat & wet bike course is probably the biggest fear of all. So, I'm requesting that my support crew (Dylan & Mom & Dad) yell "RUN" to me as I white-knuckle the bike. This will remind me of the goal: Get off the silly (insert) bike so I can run...



Who knows? We also have a rule about trying everything once... maybe, just maybe, this could be fun... You do not like them. So you Say. Try them! Try them! And you may...


Train safe,

When the Wheels Come Down

It's over. It's done. It's in the books; or in my books at least because my name got spelled wrong again so I'm a mystery on the stats page. Never the less, I was # 575, I had a good race, and the first tri of the season is now one I can recall with a smile.

I am happy that smile finally came through, because race morning was typical 'Jules', sick & scared, and it wasn't pretty. I needed help, of the divine kind, and I needed it bad.

About to sell my race to the lowest bidder, I realized some intervention was in order. I sat down on my transition mat, said a good prayer, and had a deep & meaningful conversation with me, myself & I. No surprise, we spoke about Dylan.
My child is on a mission right now, at the coolest age of 3 1/2, to discover absolutely everything about life. He approaches nothing with caution and never gives anything a second's worth of hesitation. As bouncy as children are, they are also fearless. Perhaps appropriate then that just last week we had a mommy-son talk about fear.
Sitting on my transition mat looking like a total DNS, I replayed that talk in my head. Finding logic in Dylan's 3yr old wisdom, I set my pace.
The rain clouds moved on just in time for the morning sunshine to dry the bike course; when you need it most...

The gun went off, all arms and legs and breathing all got tangled together... and I executed a perfect race. I found my confidence coming out of the swim, and it was literally all uphill from then on. No matter to me that I got beat, I really wasn't there to even attempt a podium; I was there to run again, to learn something about myself, about racing and all that encompasses our amazing sport, about my friends & teammates.
I gave out many yahoo's & high 5's on that course, and a good ol' pat on my own back when it was over. Sometimes, it can be good to linger in your own doings. I'm learning to be fearless, I'm trying to be competitive (Steven- be proud!). I might giggle through every race, I probably will never push as hard as I can...but if I can help someone else, or even myself, get to the finish line, then it's a good race for me...

Back on (the) Track, THX2U!

It's early. There is still a dark blue sky outside as I sit here with my morning jolt. Getting in my science fix: a new study was released stating that morning coffee does not affect performance of those who regularly drink a morning cup of coffee. It simply serves to get the body out of caffeine withdrawal. They needed a study to tell coffee drinkers, that we NEED coffee to swim /bike/ run...

In the same way caffeine gets my system back to its normal self, my training also has moments of necessary reset & refuel. Sometimes my runners mindset needs it, sometimes the triathlete I'm aspiring to be needs it, & most times all systems are intertwined & crisscrossed so tightly I become overwhelmed in my attempts to properly sort out the mess myself. With injury comes self doubt. With a bad race comes a lot of questions, and a training plan full of X's and scribble. Tell a runner not to run, and they will be the first out the door. Staying in place is a lot harder than moving forward. Resisting change is a lot harder than embracing it. I woke up this morning with the sudden realization that nothing had changed, yet everything is different - in a really good way.
Where I did change, where my focus strayed and I forgot to nurture the relationships of those I most adore, they patiently remained indifferent- in a totally awesome way.
My friends & family play a major role in this Yellow Brick journey; it's amazing how much support you really have if you slow down enough to see the people on the sidelines.

The past 2 weeks have been full of amazing progress: I am running well again after 7 weeks of injury. I am back on the bike, not having forgotten the recent tragedy, rather being pro-active towards it in my own way (more to come on that in another post!). I have the fire in my belly to race right now. I have a lot of ground to cover to catch up, fearing nothing of the work, strength, blood, sweat & tears that it will require.

With tidbits of advice and enough strength to share- my friends probably just saved my season.... because somehow without having to ask, they see my mishmash of goals and good intentions and they sort it out for me.

When I am off my axis, when the challenge of this 70.3 weighs heavy on my runner's heart, when the chaos of life and being a single mom steer me off track, these are the people who are quickest to show up, and remind me that the red circles scattered across my race calendar have meaning, and purpose. In a sport that has the potential to matter so much it's hard to see where my small efforts can make an actual difference; their honesty tests my intentions. Without a doubt these friendships have been put in mine & Dylans life for a purpose. It is not up to me to make sense of how we got so lucky... I feel honored just to listen & learn, knowing these wonderful people are much wiser, faster, more humble, and brilliant than I.

Timberman is coming up quick. On race morning I hope to wake up to a navy sky, enjoy my morning reset of coffee, and while standing on the shoreline suffocating in my wetsuit, I hope I remember to enjoy the moment in appreciation of all its glory. I will swim /bike/ run in the pathways of those who raced before and ahead of me, my confidence fueled by those who've been beside me the entire journey...

Train safe,

Racing, Teamwork, & Tips from a Pro...

There has been an undeniable feeling of 'YAHOO' in my home since Saturday. Dylan is living the post-race high, and it's provided us a few days of giggles, more giggles, and many victorious high 5's. He is rather famous around town as every kid on the street has been allowed to touch his medal, and everyone we know has called to congratulate him and get his replay of the BIG race. It's also encouraged much talk between Dylan and myself, as to what he accomplished, what he would like to do next, and what really happened out there on the race course (he hit The Wall at 1.2km, it was no-so-fun).

The following interview has therefore been put together using information gathered over the past 3 days. Some questions and answers have also been translated into proper adult English. Although some would argue that this is not proper journalism, he is only 3, and any attempt for a sit down interview quickly got turned into a game of 'good guy bad guy'.
I am using this milestone not to promote Dylan's pro athlete career, rather, we are hoping it will inspire others to try, and perhaps help ease the nerves of any first timers out there. Here it is:

Me: Dylan, u did it! How do u feel?
D: Did I win?

Me: Everybody won; it's about enjoying yourself and trying to be the best you can be. Are you happy with your race?
D: I know I won, because when I stopped there were lots of people behind me, so that means I beat them.
Me: Yes, you did beat some. Were there people ahead of you, did they beat you?
D: Yes, but they don't count.

Me: Did you enjoy racing? Would you like to do another one?
D: Yes, but not today.
Me: No, you recover first, and when you are ready, we can do another one.
D: Will the same kids be there?
Me: No, different kids next time.
D: I want the same kids, so I can beat them again. You should call their mommies.
Me: I'll try...

Me: What happened in the race? You stopped running and wanted a piggy back, but then you were running again?
D: I wanted a snack. It was a very lllloooooonnnnnggggg race, and my legs were getting tired, so was my tummy. But then the lady gave me a lemonade, and let me jump in her sprinkler, and then my legs weren't tired no more. I like lemonade now. And then I was running fast.

Me: You made a friend while you were racing. That was cool.
D: His name was Euan. I didn't know that, it was written on his shirt, but I can't read names yet so his mommy told me his name. And I high 5ed him and we ran really fast. He helped me and I helped him.
Me: Right, that was good teamwork! Then you left him behind and started running faster, why?
D: After I helped him keep running, it was time for me to win the race. So I ran straight ahead faster than him. I didn't look at him, I looked straight so that I wouldn't trip on my other foot. That's good running form. Then, I saw my friend Euan again, after the race, at the juice table. He looked strong, but he needed a lot of juice. I think he did good in the race. I beat him though.

Me: How do you want to train for your next race?
D: In the winter I play hockey, but now it's spring, almost summer, and then it's fall, and then it's winter. So I have a long time before hockey. I like winter because I like to making angels in the snow. But now it's spring almost summer, and there's no snow so we have to put lots of ice in the tub after we train, right mommy?
Me: Right, mommy likes a cold ice bath.
D: So now, in spring almost summer, I use my new scooter for training. And I run with my soccer ball, and I race auntie in the back yard because she can't run, so I beat her to the fence every time.
Me: That's not nice Dylan, that's not the point...
D: But mommy, she just has to run faster, but she can't, so I win. It's by accident!
Me: OK
D: AAANNNDD, for training I do lots of swimming in the big pool. I do swim-bike-run training and racing, but at this race the police were everywhere and they only let us run. They had motorcycles and they were talking to all the good kids; they were trying to find the bad-kid-racers.
Me: The what?
D: The bad-kid-racers: the kids that come to the race and think they will win, but they can't win, and then they cry and they don't get a medal or any lemonade. I got a medal because I won the race.
Me: Everyone who finished got a medal Dylan. It's not about winning.
D: Yes it is mommy. It's about winning when you are fast like me. When you are slow, then it's not, but I'm super fast, and I race to win.

Me: I'm very proud of you Dylan. Not because you won, because you did it. What was your favorite part about your big race?
D: I liked helping my new friend Euan. And I like lemonade now. And the blue toilets were funny because you can't flush them, you just peepee in the hole, and you don't look in the hole because....


Enough said.
It should be noted that Dylan has never completed a triathlon yet. He is too young. He does watch the Kona videos, and does hope to qualify, one day in 15 years.
We hope Dylan's competitive streak will not shy away any newcomers to the sport.