Save what you can.

Monday night Jordan and I returned home after a 5500 yd swim practice totally famished.  Before we could get dinner cooked, the wicked storm that was blowing through knocked out our electricity.  We waited for a half hour before losing all hope and going to Whole Foods for dinner.  Upon returning home, the power was still out so we had to make some choices.  Can we really let the Ben & Jerry’s go to waste?  It was an arduous task, but both of us were up to the challenge so we polished off the near-full pint.  Going to sleep with an overly full stomach is way better than waking up to a puddle of Cherry Garcia in the freezer.  That’s how Monday ended.

It began with an early wake-up nudge from Jordan and soon we were riding towards Bear Creek Lake Park for another one of his hellacious Monday morning workouts.  This time we were on the TT bikes riding sections of the Littlefoot course, 5 minute intervals with 5 minutes between.  I would get a 30 second head start, then Jordan would come barreling after me.  The handicap was almost perfect.  I “won” 3 times, he got me twice, and the last one we were dead even.  We worked on finding good lines, maintaining the form stuff I learned two weeks ago, and doing everything I possibly can to go fast.  It was a good workout!

Then on Tuesday Bethany came!!  She’s living and training with us for two weeks!  Hooray!  This morning we rocked an 11 mile run on Highline with 5 at tempo.  I think this might have been the first time I’ve run a tempo with someone.  So much more fun!  And so much less taxing mentally.

This weekend Jordan and I are off to Salida for the Salida Omnium.  Time trial on Friday, road race on Saturday, and crit on Sunday.  I get talked into races very easily.

If you’re anything like me, you love watching inanimate objects float down bodies of rushing water.  When I was little, floating stick rafts down rain run-off and in a stream behind my grandmother’s house was about as fun as it got.  Little did I know that in the faraway land of Golden, Colorado, the entire town turns out to float rubber duckies down a creek.

Enter Buffalo Bill Days 2009.  I heard about the rubber duck race earlier in the week and cleared Sunday on my schedule.  I even took the day off of training (maybe for reasons in addition to the duck race).  Jordan, Gulliver, and I went to the duck stand at 11am, 2 hours before the 1pm start only to learn the ducks SOLD OUT!!!  A crushing blow indeed.

Not one to miss out on the fun, Gulliver and I went back later to watch the ducks float down stream…

Here come the ducks

Stuck in the rapids

1st and 2nd place

More ducks...I think there were over 1000

Kayaker wasn't too pleased.

Next year, we’ll be there ready to dominate.  Early, prepared, and well studied on rubber duck fluid dynamics.

By popular demand!!  Here is my recipe for some breakfast awesomeness:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk (any kind will work, I’ve tried 2%, soy, and reduced fat buttermilk, all with delicious results)
• as many blueberries as you can handle (fresh or frozen)

Not sure which is more exhausting.

Saturday Jordan made his big return to racing at the Mount Evans Hill Climb, a 28 mile climb from Idaho Springs to the top of Mt. Evans (14,130 ft).  The total climbing vertical is 6,915 ft.  I’m willing to bet Jordan was the only racer with a broken leg.  And he still finished 12th in Cat 4!  He’s not too pleased, but I think it’s pretty impressive.  I got to spend the morning with the Practical Coaching crew providing Accelerade, water, gels, and most importantly, cowbell.

The comeback kid -- racing on his b-day!

Also at the race was the most accurate Gulliver imposter I’ve seen to date.  For some dogs this wouldn’t be a big deal, but Gull is a mutt of all mutts.  This little guy is a year younger and his owners got him at the Brighton shelter (Gull is from Aurora).  This guy has a brother who is gray/black…they were found abandoned, but now at least we know this one is living quite the happy life.  Without a doubt he and Gulliver share some genes:

This is NOT Gulliver!

After marvelling at the Gulliver wannabe and handing out a few more Accelerades, it was time to race down to Arvada to help with the race preparations for Table Mountain Triathlon that Riptide put on this morning (Sunday).  I hadn’t been up to Mount Evans before and driving back through Evergreen was so beautiful.  I’m thinking when Bethany comes out to train (next week!!!) we’re going to have to do an epic ride up along 103…maybe not all the way to the top of Evans though.

Always have to stop and enjoy the view..

Table Mountain Tri is geared toward the beginner-intermediate triathlete and is a great race to get your feet wet.  It’s a pool swim, 10 mile bike, and a 5k run.  My job this morning was to manage the run course.  Lots of fun!  I squirted flour lines down all over the neighborhood (most of it ended up on me) and put in some serious miles on my mountain bike (equipped with flat pedals).  Looked like most of the racers were enjoying themselves, and the neighborhood seemed to really embrace it which was nice.  I only had one person ask me what it was exactly I was spraying all over.  I also learned that squirrels love flour…could have been problematic if the race last a few hours longer as all the lines would have been eaten.  Good times!!  Muchos gracias to Beth Mack for holding it down at the busiest corner of the course! =)

This week I’ve spent some time thinking about what I can do differently in training and life to make me a better triathlete…the list is long, but I’ll just mention a few things here.

After a tough time at Boulder Peak and Dinoland first on the agenda was to get my breathing troubles sorted out.  I went to the doctor and after some tests, he concluded that it’s almost definitely allergies.  This makes sense why some days it’s manageable and other days it’s not.  So now with the help of Singulair, hopefully that’s all sorted out!  It’s just a seasonal thing and something that’s really only affected me since moving to Colorado…maybe the air is better in New Jersey afterall?

Next up, is nutrition.  I hit the hurt really bad in Tuesday’s swim workout because I didn’t eat enough during the day.  I often get busy at work or lazy about packing enough in the morning and then hungry strikes like a beast mid-swim.  Tuesday it was so bad I swore I would never let it happen again, so now I am mowing down like a crazy girl at lunch.  It helps that Jordan has been on a big Whole Foods kick this week, so we’ve both been eating really well.  I’m starting to really believe in how much good food can help you recover from and fuel for workouts.  I’ve even ditched my staple Bisquick pancakes in favor of some amazing homemade oatmeal brown sugar blueberry deliciousness.  I make them completely from scratch and unlike the Bisquick ones, actually keep my full for more than 30 minutes.

Pancakes + Justin's Cinnamon Peanut Butter = flavor explosion (and fuel that will stick to your ribs!)

And lastly, the fun one!  Cycling!  Usually I either ride on my own, or I’m trying so hard to stay with whoever I’m with, there’s no time for learning anything new.  This week I got in two really solid rides with Jordan and we (he) figured out some stuff that’s wrong with my cycling technique that I should really improve.  Mainly, I wobble/bounce too much and my heals come up too high.  I’m really looking forward to getting out on the bike and focusing on what I’m doing, not just enjoying a cruise around the foothills.

My plan for the next month is to get in a slew of solid training, with a Stroke & Stride each week, plus some bike races (!).  I’ll make my bike race debut at the Salida Omnium, July 31st-Aug 2nd.  Terrifying and exciting.

One walloping down, many to go.

I stayed in Boulder on Saturday night at Martha and Taylor’s, which not only allowed me to sleep-in even more, but prevented me from being totally alone on Saturday night mulling over the next day (Jordan was in Boston and flew back late Saturday night).  We ate dinner at their friends’ house, a perfect situation for the night before the race because in the midst of plenty of company it didn’t allow me to even think about triathlon (and the amazing food  was another perk).  For once, I was really prepared and had gotten everything together Friday night and Saturday morning, so there was nothing to do.  I slept like a rock.  The sun woke me up…so relaxing — no 4:30am alarm clock!!

Arrived to the race in plenty of time, hung out at the Mix1 tent and chilled out.  Did a super short warm-up run because it was supposed to be really hot.  A big perk to racing pro is they let you in the transition area whenever you want, so I was able to run then go back and put my shoes in.  Another little while spent in the Mix1 tent, a bit of a swim with some sprints thrown in, then…it was time to go!  Still no nerves…I am a guppy in a huge sea, maybe if a $6000 paycheck were on the line I would be nervous, but that day is far off.

Jordan had warned me of the intensity of pro swim starts, and though I knew he was right, I figured I had been well prepared for the frenzy: my last few races have been mixed guys/girls pros/elite amateurs, so I had experienced a bit of the crazy for myself.  Today was definitely different.  Instead of swimming, it was like I was trying not to drown.  My breathing was frantic, and I felt way too maxed out by the time we reached the first buoy. I kept trying to press it, but couldn’t go any faster.  Seeing 26 minutes on my watch when I popped out of the water wasn’t the best feeling in the world.  Fortunately, I was with 2 other girls, so I wasn’t alone.  (Turns out the swim was a bit long…whew!…otherwise I’d really have to rethink this whole no-wetsuit pro thing.)

After a quick transition (Alexis says it was the fastest, it wasn’t, but definitely was a good one for me!) I headed out on the bike, noticing immediately that my legs were already burning.  Not good.  Kept it strong for the first 5mi, moseyed up Old Stage (it was pathetic…dissapointing b/c I thought I had gotten better at climbs! …apparently not the steep ones).  Descending Old Stage w/o the 35mph speed limit was totally fun though, and definitely the best part of the bike!  Per usual, I lost my focus about 12 miles in.  It would come back for a few fleeting minutes, then it would drift off again.  Have to get that together.

Finally off the bike, and anyone that I had managed to beat out of the water was now ahead of me, so I was DFL going into T2.  Legs still felt bad, and couldn’t get a run together.  Faked it when I passed through the crowd at the turnaround, but then would totally wipe myself out and struggle for the rest of the loop!  Despite the lead-like legs, the run was BY FAR the best race experience I’ve had.  It was great seeing so many people out cheering (especially Matt, Alexis, Andrea, Michelle, the Practical Coaching crew, Cyrus, Tate, Cailee, and Jordan…and I’m sure I’m leaving some people out..sorry).  Even if I was the slow girl bringing up the rear of the pro race, it was great to feel so supported!  THANKS!!!!  Of course, with 100m to go, I find out that Josh is closing in on me, so I do my best to kick…we ended up crossing at the same time, which is pretty cool for teammates!  Would have been a cool picture, especially if we never mentioned that I got a 15 minute headstart on Josh =)

Stole this pic from Andrea (@triandrea) -- thanks! It's the end of the run and you can see Josh a'comin! Andrea and I had a good talk on Thursday and decided that smiling is the key!! Even more so when you're feeling crappy =)

Overall, it was a pretty hurting day, but the goal was to go out and get the first pro race experience done and come out of it feeling good, which I guess I did.  I have a looooong way to go, but I know I can get where I want to be with work and patience (the hard part).

End result: 11th out of 12 female pro finishers (14 started) … 2:28:22 (s: 26:03 b: 1:17:05 r: 43:56)

Thanks so much to everyone who I’ve talked with this week and all of the encouragement I’ve gotten, it’s been very cool to feel so supported when I know I’m really reaching to race at this level…it helps a ton to it  have others believe in me!

So aside from some serious procrastination, there is a real reason for delaying this post, but you’re just going to have to hang on the edge of your chair and wait to find out.

As Conde Naste and other authoritative travel sources will tell you, Vernal is the ultimate vacation destination.  Small town feel coupled with picturesque Western landscapes, abundant camping, and enough prehistoric history to make even the biggest history buff gush, it is most likely already atop your ‘places to see’ list.  No?  Never heard of it?

Me neither.

Until last year when Jordan reluctantly made the trek out there for Dinoland, only to be pleasantly surprised at how nice it actually is.  So this year Riptide made a weeklong training camp around the race, and Jordan and I made it a long weekend, and packed up the wagon and dog.

Happy pup! His first time outside of Colorado.

I was really excited to camp, and when we got to the campground, Jordan and I quickly set up the tent and I haphazardly threw the rainfly overtop.  I didn’t bother attaching it because “it never rains” in Vernal.  Sometime around midnight Vernal got its first rainstorm in history and our air mattress was in a puddle.  Early the next morning I realized my iPhone was also in the puddle.  Off to a good start.

The weather eventually cleared Friday afternoon, offering a few hour window for us to get our workouts in, before turning cool and damp again.  All was well though, the rainfly was attached and Gulliver provided ample warmth.

Saturday morning I hitched a ride to T2 with Sean, where we set up our running stuff before getting on a plush charter bus to the swim start.  We had set up our bikes the previous afternoon, so all there was left to do was to dry them off and top-off the tires, and mosey around aimlessly warmup.

Red Fleet Reservoir, where the swim leg was held.

Pros and elite amateur men and women went off together, which is always a disaster if it’s a pretty small field and you’re not an insanely fast swimmer.  I was off the back about 10 strokes in, and over the course of the first lap watched the pack disappear into splashes far in the distance.  I haven’t swum an entire swim leg by myself in a really long time, and forgot how hard it is.  I was breathing like a maniac, the only indication that I must still be going at a decent pace.  I got out in 24:05, and knew it had to be at least a little bit long.  From there I thought the day would get easier, as I’ve felt good on the bike lately, but I was mistaken.

Climbing out of transition. I hate that stupid aero helmet. I'm not wearing it again until I bike fast.

Up and up out of transition…actually I was climbing from the second I came ashore.  My cycling has really been coming around in training, so I thought now I would finally be able to lay down a good bike split, and I tried my best to let ‘er rip, but it didn’t happen.  Jolene came out of T2 about 1:15 back, but she had already made up the ground on me by 6 miles into the bike.  I fought to not let her become a dot in the distance, but eventually it happened.  I tried to keep the effort up but stay relaxed, noticing my breathing was pretty wild.  On the out and back section I saw 1st place, then a little later, Sean (who also raced in the elite wave).  He yelled that I was still within 8%, but I really had to get to work.

8% was the magic number for this race.  As Sean and I had realized only about a week before the race, I had 2 of 3 races checked off for pro qualifying Criteria A: finish within 8% of the winner’s time in a race with pros and pro prize money.  Dinoland was poised to be my 3rd race, if I didn’t let it slip away.

At the turn around, a surly guy in a pick-up blasted heavy metal and helped get me going, yelling at me to “get the music in your head and go with it!”.  That was definitely the best part of the race, despite feeling like hell, the guy definitely forced me to crack and smile and relax.  Once I turned around I realized it had been a slight uphill the whole way out and suddenly I felt like I was flying (I wasn’t, but at least it felt a little better).

Heading out on the run I knew I had my work cut out for me.  I went out hard then relaxed, and took the first 5k relatively easy as I again struggled to get my breathing under control.  About 1/4 mile before the turn around I saw Sean (I had already seen 1st place go by and Jocelyn in 2nd).  He said, “It’s gonna be close, but wait until 2.5k to go to kick.”  If the heavy metal guy didn’t wake me up, this certainly did.  Here I am in Vernal, Utah, I’ve slept in the rain the past 2 nights, trained my ass of all year, and now on my 3rd out of 3 races, here I was letting it slip away.  For the next 1/4 mile I talked some sense into myself, then hit the 180 turn and dropped zee hammer.  I couldn’t wait until 2.5k to go, I had to go now.  I forced myself to relax my breathing, relax my arms, and let my legs carry me.  I thought of Mar and her “controlled falling forward” and just let it go.  It was the first time in a triathlon where I felt like I was actually running, not just shuffling along.  I had found my stride and it felt really smooth.  I wish I had timed it, I think it might’ve been my fastest 5k ever.  By the time I hit the track for the final 200m, I had all but run out of steam.

Finishing up the run...standard Amy-running shot..head cocked, hands doing crazy things.

I had finished within 8%.  It was done.  …but I didn’t let myself get too excited, since USAT would have to approve it still.  I found out on Monday, July 6th, that it had gotten approved.  The goal that had seemed more like a pipe dream when I set it last October is now reality.  I’m excited and very happy, but more than anything I realize this is only the beginning.

True, I’m not the most experienced or fastest age-group triathlete on the block.  But, it doesn’t really matter.  I’ll get my drubbing at the next level, and that is completely fine with me.  I don’t believe in waiting for the perfect moment, I’m more into throwing myself into something and going from there.

To quote Jon Bon Jovi from a recent 60 Minutes Interview, “Too many people say, ‘I could’ve, should’ve, would’ve.’…I don’t want to do that.”

A massive thanks first to Jordan, for showing me the triathlon ropes and putting up with me day in and day out.  In the 8 months I’ve been training with Riptide I’ve come a loooong way, and that of course wouldn’t have been possible without Coach Sean Wendt and all of my teammates who bury me in training everyday.  And of course to everyone else I’ve been training with lately (Sonja, Michelle, Laura, Taylor, Martha, etc).  Annnnd finally to my fam who thinks I am insane for getting up early to run on Christmas morning.  They are probably sad that won’t be stopping anytime soon, but judging by my parents’ reaction when I told them the news, I think they are pretty happy.   =)

The full write-up of our trip to Vernal and my race at Dinoland is coming, but I’ve had my hands full since our return.  I found out on Wednesday I’ve got a nice case of bronchitis and sinusitis — allergies gone awry from spending three nights sleeping in a puddle.  Jordan found out today that he has Giardia from drinking the campsite’s water.  Other “expenses” from the camping trip include: Gulliver ripping a gaping hole in the tent (that is not our’s — luckily Jordan’s Mom is not only very understanding and nice, but she also knows how to fix it!) and my iPhone drowning in the puddle that formed in our tent the first night b/c I didn’t bother to really attach the rainfly as I had been told “it never rains here!!”.

Despite all of the above and our weeklong recovery, it was actually a really fun trip and we’re looking forward to going back for the full week next year.  And I know the New Jersey in me is really coming out in this post, but despite what it sounds like, I really do like camping and I’m not a total wimp.  Honest!