About "Balance"

In the past couple of weeks I have had a number of comments from people I know about balance. Some feel that I'm not living a "balanced" life and need to step out of the 'triathlon scene' and enjoy life. Hmmm…..

Enjoy life? I am enjoying life…more than ever! Waking up in the morning and moving my body is exactly what I enjoy doing. I don't think being an athlete is a job and maybe that is what these others are thinking. It makes me assume that these people feel I am not "balanced" may not like their jobs and feel that I'm working 24/7 at a job I don't necessary enjoy. This is NOT the case.

For me, being a full-time athlete (meaning, I don't do much else) is a gift. I love it! I enjoy having the days slip away while I'm out riding my bike, running, swimming or some other form of training. I enjoy going to bed early, waking up early, and staying away from all the hoopla that nightlife provides. I enjoy reading and talking about the sport. What is the harm in doing something you love day in and day out? Is there any harm in it?

Of course there are days that I'm tired and want to get away from the routine of training but these have been few and far between. If I'm tired, I listen to my body and rest. If I'm bored or sick of something I'm doing, I (we: Chuckie and I) are sure to change it up. The beauty of triathlon is that you have three distinctly different disciplines in which to challenge yourself. If you get bored of swimming, you run; if you get bored of running, you bike; and so on.

The best thing about all of this is that triathlon is a game. "Like life," Chuckie says. This is precisely where the balance resides. I take it seriously but I also know that in the end, racing is a game. And who doesn't love games? Triathlon provides me the ability to challenge myself that I don't believe I would otherwise. I want to do my best and that means living my best each day – sleeping well, eating well, training well…and, well, enjoying it.

The problem I see when people say I need "balance" in my life is that they either:

1. Don't understand what it really means to love what they do 100%.
2. Hate their jobs and want to follow their dreams but are too scared to try…they have a fear of success.
3. Have a fear of failure.
4. Worry too much about what others think---family members, friends, etc.
5. Might be jealous or envious. I would be too!
6. Cut themselves short in everything they do in life---family, work, etc.

I do believe it is important to enjoy other things in life and I do. But what is "balance"? What does having "balance" in your life really mean? Is it not balance in your life when you do the very things that give you happiness? Pleasure is one thing. I could watch movies all days, eat candy and chocolate, hang out with friends at bars…but to me this is NOT happiness. Not even close. I feel like crap the next day or two and that's supposed to give me balance in life?

Attempting to be the best you can be offers the ultimate in happiness. I love triathlon, the challenge, the way I feel after training, during training, and even on those tired days when all I want to do is sleep and not move a muscle. That is life to me….that is why I have the body, mind and spirit that I do. So, the next time someone asks me about so-called "balance", I'll counter: "Balance to what? Balance in trying and finding the time to enjoy life?"

I've already got that down.

Sadly, it seems some people may just never understand….

Titles defended at half Iron Man By Greg Meachem - Red Deer Advocate - July 28, 2008

SYLVAN LAKE — Familiarity was the key to victory for Sylvan Lake Half Iron Man women’s winner Angela Naeth on Saturday.

“I knew coming in here that I was familiar with the course and what I was kind of getting myself into, so I just tried to pace it evenly and it worked out well,” said Naeth, who captured the women’s crown for the second consecutive year, placing fourth overall in a time of four hours, 37 minutes and 17 seconds.

The men’s division also presented a repeat winner, with Kyle Marcotte of Calgary the first across the finish line. His time of 4:15.01 was nearly four minutes faster than runner-up Chris Brown of Penticton, B.C., who clocked in at 4:18.51.

Naeth entered the Sylvan Lake triathlon, which featured a 1.9 kilometre swim, a 90 km bike course and a 21.1 km run, fresh off a win in the Boulder Peak Triathlon in Colorado the previous weekend.

“That was big for me because I broke my toe in June and was out for six weeks,” said the Prince George, B.C., native, who moved to Boulder this year and then turned professional.
“I just made this huge change in my life, so hopefully things keep going well.”

Naeth plans to compete in the 70.3 Iron Man Series this season and/or attempt to qualify for the world championship.

“There’s a variety of different pro races out there, but I have to work on my run over the next few weeks because I’m just back from the toe injury, and my swim . . . well, my swim is just slow,” she said.

While Naeth’s time was nearly a full minute slower than last year’s clocking, Marcotte was also off his 2007 time of 4:13.32.

“The bike and the run course are pretty rolling, and I think the run course may have been a little bit longer this year, just looking at the times,” said Marcotte, with a grin. “But that’s OK. It’s the same for everybody.”

Marcotte, a 31-year-old engineer with a fuel cell company, enters roughly four half events and two full iron man competitions per year, keeping himself busy through the summer months.
“I’ve been doing triathlon for the last five years. Before that I was a duathlete with running and biking, and before that I ran cross-country at the University of Alberta,” he noted.

Despite his success in the sport, Marcotte has never entertained the idea of chasing a berth in the Olympics. And he’s beyond the point in his life that he’d ever consider such a quest.

“It’s a much bigger commitment in terms of training and I’d really have to improve my swimming to have any chance of competing at the top level,” he said. “I’m not ready to quit my job and become poor.

“A lot of the Olympic distance guys are ex-swimmers who can run. Quite often they’re not the best swimmers, but guys who were just off the national level, but they have the heart and determination necessary to compete against the best.”

Unlike Naeth and Marcotte, Brown posted better numbers than the previous time he competed in the Sylvan Lake event — in 2004 when he placed 13th overall in five hours and two minutes.
He admitted he’s a big fan of the Sylvan Lake course.

“It’s really nice having a one loop for the swim, bike and run,” said Brown. “A lot of races will do multiple loops and it gets quite congested.”

Sylvan Lake Race Recap!

On Saturday, July 26th I took part in the Sylvan Lake half-Ironman in Alberta, Canada. This was a memorable race for me because I was returning as the defending champ. It was also my first ever half Ironman, and it was this day – one year ago, that I fell in love with the longer distances. Along with Wildflower, it marks my 3rd half Ironman in the past year.

I have to start this race recap from the beginning – when I flew into Calgary and got picked up by my awesome friend and sponsor – Ernie Wyder. I spoke of him before in this blog. Briefly I will give you the lowdown: we met at the Solvang Triathlon Camp last year in Solvang, CA. I was the girl who sat behind his wheel for the great draft most of the time in group 1. We got to know one another and he wanted to help me out with achieving my triathlon dream. Ernie rides a bike like there is no tomorrow and is a true freak when it comes to power! He has an awesome little boy named Colton, who is to die for. Best of all though, he is a super great guy and friend. You can count on him to be there when you need him to and he's always there for me. Thanks Ernie!

The plane ride from Denver was smooth, not even 2.5 hours! I wore my SKINS on the plane to help my legs recover from the trip and their usual swelling during travel. The flight was amazing to me because usually when I want to head home to Prince George it is an all day event; this journey was over before I knew it!

Ernie and I headed back to his place where I met the rest of the family: Isaac and Monty (their dogs), Colton and Ernie's girlfriend, Yvette. I was provided a guest room in the most beautiful house I have ever slept in. Ernie loves cycling and triathlon and has a whole room dedicated to his bikes, an additional workout room and tons of Ironman videos! It was truly the best homestay I've ever been to (if you can call it a homestay!). I was treated like a superstar the whole time I was there. Ernie spoiled me with great food, great times, and amazing views and some brief riding around Calgary. He ventured in the pool with me a few times (I am very proud of this because he hasn't been swimming since March!), jogged with me and rode with me. It was awesome Ernie!

A few more things about the weekend and then it's all about the race!

Calgary is a huge city and I am often not a fan of these type of areas. Calgary, however, is very spread-out and is a great city. I loved the views of the mountains. It reminded me of Prince George with its alpine smell and pine trees all over the landscape. I loved the fresh air and being around fellow Canadians!

Ernie took me to a number of his favorite places: Starbucks (top on the list!), a number of restaurants around Calgary, the reservoir, and the mountains just west of Calgary for some great riding. We went swimming in two different pools and I got to meet a number of his friends at the BBQ he hosted on Thursday night. Calgary is on the radar for some great training and recovery days – as long as I can stay at Ernie's!

OK, the race...

We stayed overnight in Red Deer, a town 17km from race site. I woke up wired with the thought of one thing: I GET TO DRINK COFFEE! I had everything laid out the night before and slowly got dressed, savouring every sip of coffee before Ernie, Yvette and I headed out toward the race site. I was jacked up on caffeine, something I don't normally put into my body, talking a mile a minute while Ernie and Yvette looked at me like I was a freak. I had to tell myself to relax and not waste so much energy!

The weather was perfect for race morning: overcast slightly with a high of 25C. I knew the water was going to be a bit colder than last weekend at the Boulder Peak Race so I didn't waste any time hopping in and getting a "warm-up". They're were more than 500 competitors. The race director made a slight mistake in issuing the swim caps in the same bright orange colour as the buoys. Sighting was a bit hard to do with so many buoys everywhere!

I swam in hopes of beating last year's swim time. I managed to jump on a competitor's feet right away. After a few hundred meters I ventured off on my own because I felt like I was not pushing hard enough. I got on with another pack but ended up doing the last 800meters on my own. It was a solid swim, unlike the one I had at Boulder Peak last week. My Sable Optics goggles worked awesome – clear as ever! I swam just over 30minutes and was the 4th women out.

In transition we had strippers for the wetsuits. I love this part! You lie on your back and volunteer strippers strip your wetsuit off from underneath you in a blink of an eye! It made for a quick and non-stressful transition. I was on the bike in no time, chasing down anyone I could.

The bike was another solid performance for me. I felt great the whole time – minus a nagging little stomach cramp that wouldn't go away. I missed a water feed between KM 60 and 80. I need to learn to not be so antsy and slow down for these to get a solid grip on the water bottle. Ernie and Yvette were out cheering me on and taking some pictures. The course was identical to last year's but was much windier out there this year. I was able to ride a 2:29 in a not very aero-position! I cannot wait to get my new bike! (AVIA is helping me out with a custom painted Cervelo here soon.)

The best part of Sylvan Lake is the run. It is an out and back course with a huge variety of terrain. It started along the beach trail, then heads into some sideroads and then jets into the local campground on single lane bike track. It is not a fast course because of the trails, roots and rocks you have to run on but it is FUN! After the single-track you are running on back roads with undulating hills until the turn-around.

This year the race was a bit longer than expected. A number of us were thinking it was around 1km longer due to the turn-around being a bit farther than last year. Nonetheless, the run was great! I felt like a million bucks until the last 3km where my stomach began cramping again. I knew I was OK for the win so I slowed down a lot in order to tame my stomach issues. It seemed to work because the last KM of the race I felt the same as I did when I started! I was amazed at how I felt because this has been the longest I have run since Wildflower, back in May! My broken toe has put a huge damper on my running and I was nervous at how I would feel 9miles into the run. I ran 1:36. This is not as fast as I ran last year (1:35) but with the extra KM it bodes well!

Overall the race was great and I am so glad I went. I got to meet up with old friends and feel like I was at home for a few days! Nothing beats the fresh air and scenery of the Rockies! Another win helps with my confidence and my desire to train hard! And I feel great today (Monday). Chuckie and I will be monitoring how I recover over the next few days and then decide when I will be racing next. I'm entered in both the 5430 half-Ironman here in Boulder and the Timberman 70.3 in New Hampshire, but they are only one week apart and just two weeks from now. 5430 is the debatable one, since racing at altitude on what is likely to be a hot day is tough on the body. Barry and Joddee Siff put on great events though, so I hope I recover in time!

Thanks Ernie once again for a stellar homestay! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I had an AWESOME time!

A huge thanks also goes out to AVIA, Standard Process, Skins, Sable Optics and Cocymela!

Cheers!

Wetsuit Sale!

I have two wetsuits in storage that are BRAND new! I would love to sell them to someone who needs them!

Details:

- Aquasphere WXP Multisport Wetsuit, size small

- Zoot Z1 Wetsuit, size small 5'1-5'7, 106-120lbs, 30-34bust

If you can, please know the size you wear as I don't like to offer 'try-ons.' In past experience I had a potential buyer rip one!

Race Recap on INSIDE TRIATHLON

Reed Repeats at Boulder Peak
Olympian breaks Simon Lessing's course record; first-year pro Naeth tops women's field
By IT Interactive
Posted Jul. 21, 2008

BOULDER, Colorado – On a day that hit a Rocky Mountain high of 95 degrees, 2008 Olympian Matt Reed was hot enough to set a new Boulder Peak race record and defeat two men with eight world championships between them.

“This race means a lot to me,” said Reed, who successfully defended his 2007 crown and broke out of a short-term slump during his preparation for the Olympic Triathlon in Beijing next month. “This race has a lot of history and I think this year’s field was the best ever. I’m very happy to win a race in the home town of my sponsor Crocs. And the heat today was a great preparation for what I know will be a sizzling day in Beijing.”

On the same melting hot day, first year Canadian pro Angela Naeth overcame a four-minute deficit on the swim to pass two-time Under 23 World Championship silver medalist Jasmine Oeinck a mile and a half from the finish on the 10k run to take the $6,000 first prize.

“It feels awesome to get my first pro win,” said Naeth, who moved to Boulder this summer to train with coach Chuckie Veylupek. “This was my first race back after breaking my toe at the Boise 70.3.” Naeth's closing 39:13 run gave her a 40-second margin of victory over runner-up Oeinck and a 2:10:07 finish – the fifth fastest women’s time in Boulder Peak history.

Reed, on the road to recovery from inevitable exhaustion after a spring streak that included wins at Miami, the second US Olympic Trials in Tuscaloosa, St. Anthony’s, and a clutch second place finish at Richards Bay ITU World Cup and a fifth at the ITU World Championships in Vancouver, was back on the winning form Sunday after a rare DNF at Hy-Vee and a frustrating day at Life Time Fitness in Minneapolis last weekend.

The 33-year-old home town hero overcame the third-fastest swim with a race-best 59:41 bike and a 32:51 run beside the boiling hot, shadeless reservoir to finish with a 37-second margin of victory over runner-up and 5-time ITU World Champion Simon Lessing.
Lessing’s 1:52:29 time was no slouching performance – it also broke his own 2003 course record by four seconds.

“I haven’t raced the Olympic distance since Los Angeles last September,” said Lessing. “So today’s swim (2nd in 18:11) was a happy surprise and I felt strong on the bike (2nd in 59:54). The first mileof the run didn’t feel very good, so I told myself ‘Don’t be crazy, don’t try to catch Matt and blow up. Keep a steady pace and hold on to second.’”

Reed's 1:51:52 finish cut 41 seconds from Lessing’s 2003 course record and earned the 6-foot 5-inch Kiwi native and recent US citizen $6,000 for the win and a $1,000 bonus for overcoming the pro women’s 14-minute 30-second starting handicap and become the first pro athlete to crossthe line.

While Reed remained calm and typically understated after his performance, wife Kelly Reed saw good omens in her husband’s return to form. “Javier Gomez (the Beijing Olympic pre-race favorite) won’t know what hit him when Matt races in Beijing,” said Kelly, who finished off her prediction with a single sound effect -- . “Boom!”

In a performance that would have won eight of the past 10 Boulder Peaks, Brian Fleischmann’s 1:53:12 effort could only take third place, with Australian Paul Matthews taking fourth in
1:54:57. Underlining the excellence of the field and Reed’s achievement, three-time ITU World Champion Peter Robertson of Australia took fifth, 4-minutes and 16-seconds behind Reed. Reed’s 32:51 run on the Boulder Reservoir soft pack dirt and relentless microwave heat looks evenbetter when compared with Robertson’s 33:41 effort.

Still, Reed says his current race is only a pale reflection of his anticipated fitness for Beijing. “I’m just getting back my form,” said Reed. “But there’s still no spark in my legs. I am going to train20atsea level leading up to Beijing and should be ready for the battle in August.”

While Naeth was thrilled with her come from behind win, runner-up Oeinck took heart from her performance. Number one, her two Under 23 World Championship silver medals came on extraordinarily cold and wet days in Hamburg and Vancouver, and the 5-foot 11-inch, 145-pounderadmits she is still a work in progress on triathlon’s typically sizzling days.

“After Vancouver, I rested a bit coming into Hy-Vee and had to drop out in the heat,” she said. “After that, I didn’t feel much urgency about returning to training. After all, my next big goal is making the team for London in 2012. “ But, she added, “I decided I needed to figure out how to beat the heat, so I came here to deal with it today. My nutrition adviser Bob Seebohar gave me some race day drinks for the bike, and I grabbed ice at every aid station and I worked out some ideas about strategy racing in the heat today. I let Amanda Stevens get the ($250) bike prime to the top of Olde Stage Road because I learned the race was long and hot last year when I faded to third and I didn't want to use up all my energy early on. So I passed Amanda on the rollers on 63rd Street halfwaythrough the bike and led out on the run. When Angela passed me, I had no fight. She was running fast (39:03) and I was just hanging on (40:56).”

All in all, said Oeinck, “I was proud of how I raced today. Now I’m really happy I’m going to a Dave Matthews concert tonight in Denver.”17th Boulder Peak TriathlonBoulder, ColoradoJuly 20, 2008S 1.5k/ B 42k/ R 10k

Pro Men's Results1. Matt Reed (Boulder, CO) 1:51:522. Simon Lessing (Boulder, CO) 1:52:293. Brian Fleischmann (Colorado Springs, CO) 1:53:124. Paul Matthews (AUS) 1:54:575. Peter Robertson (AUS) 1:56:08

Pro Women's Results1. Angela Naeth (Prince George, BC) 2:10:072. Jasmine Oeinck (Colorado Springs, CO) 2:10:473. Amanda Stevens (Colorado Springs, CO) 2:11:574. Tracy Robertson (Colorado Springs, CO) 2:15:085. Leah Daugherty (Stafford, VA) 2:15:316. Emily Finanger (Boulder, CO) 2:17:20

Race Pictures - Boulder Peak

Boulder Peak Triathlon Race Recap

Well, I went into this race thinking, "OK, so training hasn’t been going so well, but it is time to get my feet wet. Just have fun, swim, bike and run hard, and see what happens." Chuckie and I joked around about coming dead last – being the last one to finish the entire race (because the pros were in the last waves to start). My goal was not to be this person – I knew from the last month, this easily could have been me!

I slept well last night and went to bed quite early. Prior to turning the lights off I had been reading How Lance Does It by an old acquaintance of Chuckie's named Brad Kearns. There was a pesky fly in the room so I packed it in early rather than chasing it out of the bedroom.

In the morning, I woke up excited to be racing again – and to have COFFEE! I haven't had this motor oil for a long time and to have it race morning is a treat, although I do have to say, I could feel the acidity just 15minutes after the cup. I had to take a few Tums because my stomach was turning. It could have easily been butterflies as well. I am going to say it was butterflies, because I love my race morning coffee.

I had time to chill after packing my bag and eating breakfast. I ended up looking at old emails Chuckie sent me in the last year. He is such a good coach that he inspires his athletes by educating them, giving them great quotes he and others have written, and laying out everything out there in his e-mails (the do's and don'ts). I came upon this great quote from his trail journal (it was perfect timing for the quote and I have to say, he is a stellar writer):

"Methinks that if you don't take the time to lay down its foundation accordingly, Memory Lane won't be much of a road later in life; not long enough, nor wide enough. One thing is for sure: it is a one-way street and there is no going back. Those carelessly discarded yesterdays will haunt us all."

Needless to say, it got me fired up!

Pre-race warm-up: Last night, after talking with Chuckie, we decided it would be a good warm-up to ride to the race site. He was driving his motorbike (since he was volunteering at the race) so the Chuck-wagon was not available. The ride was 40 or so minutes, and as it turned out, this was the best warm-up for me. I am going to start all my warm-ups like I did today. The ride helped me get into a positive frame of mind and gave me the chance to enjoy the sunrise, enjoy life and think, 'gosh, I am so lucky – lucky to be racing and doing what I love!' I also had the chance to talk to myself out loud without other people thinking I was (am) crazy. I knew I wanted to show all my competitors how hard I have been training, so it was important to pump myself up at this point in the game. I made myself even laugh and say, 'Angela, you are going to WIN!' But at this point in the game, I knew I was only kidding myself. There were some tough girls at this race.

When I got to the race venue I had time to spare (1hour15minutes). After a few bathroom brakes, I jogged 11minutes. Over the loud speaker (much too loud for morning time), the race announcer mentioned that the race was going to start 15minutes later than previously scheduled. I ended up sitting on the sidelines taming my stomach and sipping on water. I jumped in the water with 20minutes to the gun. A quick pump-up talk from Chuckie and Jenni Keil (fellow athlete coached by Chuckie and more importantly, my new awesome friend!) and I was off!

The swim started in waste-deep water that looked a lot like the coffee I drank earlier. I kept reminding myself, "just try to stay on someone's feet and don't drink this!" Hmm, this lasted a solid 20 seconds. Even before the first buoy I was all alone and drinking from the Boulder Reservoir! I thought, great, I am going to be the last one to finish this race! I focused on keeping the girls in sight. Lo and behold, even though I thought I was the last female swimmer, there were a few others behind me. The whole time I was thinking to myself – don't let the men catch! I kept positive by focusing on being smooth in the water (if not fast) and repeating, "I will get them ALL on the bike!"

T1 was quick and snappy to me. I had no real mishaps except that it took me awhile to get on the bike with my shoes clipped in (I don’t practice much with transitions).

My focus on the bike was to catch as many, if not ALL the girls that were ahead of me. I rode hard and without a HR monitor. I asked Chuckie prior to the race if it would be ok to go caveman style and not worry about the numbers. Though Chuck always tells me to race caveman style but "be sure to collect the data," I find that when I wear a HR monitor, I am always looking at it. I didn't want to do that today. I just wanted to go for broke and not worry too much about any numbers.

The first part of the ride was uphill. It was awesome! I kept plugging away and ended up passing 4-5 ladies. I could see the 2nd place competitor in the distance just as I was turning onto the Boulder Reservoir Road. At this point I felt like there actually could be a chance to place in the top 5!

Transitioning into my run shoes, I had a bit of a fumble with putting my bike on the rack. It fell three times! I want to blame it on the angle of my bike seat rails but I think I was just too focused on putting my AVIAs on. After a slow start, I ran out of transition with the focus on catching the girls ahead of me. I felt strong but knew that what was ahead was not going to be fun. Chuckie and Jenni Keil were there cheering me on during the three-lap run course. It was amazingly helpful to have this support around. I was given run splits, cheered on, yelled at (guess: Chuckie or Jenni?) and encouraged.

I caught Amanda Stevens around Mile 3. Chuckie knew I could catch Jasmine Oienck and kept encouraging me to push a little deeper. He yelled, "Come on Ang, you’ve got this, I know you can push harder!" It reminded me of the day we rode together in the lightning storm where he was screaming at me at the top of his lungs (those are big lungs too!) to ride harder so we didn't get ourselves killed out there. At this point in the run, I had a voice in my head saying, second place is OK. I'm good just where I am. Moving along, I could here Chuckie yelling, which them prompted me to say to myself, "f*&** this! It's just pain – go and get her!" I have to say, it is truly amazing how a race ends up being a mind game with yourself. With that change of mindset, I caught Jasmine with 1.5 miles to go. When I passed her, I knew I could do it. I had this awesome rush I don't think you can get any other way except passing one of your stronger competitors – and taking the lead!

Just prior to finishing, a bunch of cheerleaders from Boulder High, all with pom-poms, traced me right to the finish line. It was awesome! First place – WOW! I had no idea this would happen today – let alone, in any race this year! Chuckie says we're celebrating by cutting tomorrow's swim workout down to two hours instead of our usual two and a half. What a coach, eh?

A BIG thanks goes out to my sponsors:
Ernie Wyder – my one and only financial backer!
AVIA for the best racing gear and running shoes a girl (or guy) could have!
Standard Process for my nutrition supplements. I swear by their products!
Specialized for my awesome race shoes and bike helmet!
Sable Optics for my CLEAR race goggles! It's important to see where you're going!

And to my suppliers…
Cocymela
Nuun
Vega
Francine's Finest
Just Juice
PowerCranks

I also want to thank Jenni & Jeff Keil for all their cheers and screaming – especially Jenni! And of course Chuckie – THE best coach. It amazes me that more aspiring pros here in Boulder aren't seeking his help. In a way, I'm happy they're not.

Next stop, next week: CANADA – for the Sylvan Lake Half-Ironman!

Swimming like you are suppose to...

This is from Sarah McMillan's Blog . This is exactly how Chuckie is trying to teach me to swim.

Dear Anonymous, Thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!

Dear Anonymous,

THANK-YOU so much for your card I received from Jenni and Jeff Keil today. It uplifted me enormously and brought an amazing smile to my face – a smile of gratitude and astonishment that such good people like you exist! And then I was even more taken aback with the enclosed donation! WOW! Thank-you a million times over. I really appreciate this and will use the money towards a plane ticket for one of my upcoming races! I just wish I knew who you were so I could give you a huge hug, help you in your endeavors, and somehow return the favor! I will be sure to help someone else and pay it forward!

Greatly appreciative,
Angela

Anonymous wrote: (in a beautiful card with a man walking across a very sketchy bridge made of wire and logs – like you would find in a jungle, across an ocean)

Dear Angela,

I found your blog a while ago and have been following along through your move to Boulder and the associated stress. I’m so inspired by how hard you’re working to fulfill a dream! Since part of the stress is money-related, I hope the enclosed may help somewhat. The deliverer(s) of this know that if they blab, I’ll drive them off the road! (I want to remain anonymous). When you get a chance, help someone else!
Good-Luck!

Yesterday's EPIC indoor ride

Just a note on yesterday's indoor ride! It was brutal! Be sure to check out Chuckie's blog for the details. I did this once before in California and knew from the start that I need to get my head in the game. Rocking out to Chuckie's MP3 player helped! Along with the uplifting talk and motivation from the best coach! Thanks Chuckie!

Proudly Sponsored by Ernie Wyder

Ernie Wyder is one of the best guys you will come across who rides a bike and enjoys triathlons. I met Ernie at Chuckie's Solvang Triathlon Camp last May. He has been so generous as to help me out personally to chase my dreams of becoming a world-champion in the sport. AND he is a fellow Canadian!

Thanks Ernie!

He is lounging in this picture - but wait until you get him on a bike! :)

Ready or Not, here I come!

After some time sitting down with Chuckie, we both decided it is time for me to at least get my feet wet again and enter a race or two. Although I am not as in a shape as I was prior to breaking me toe, the whole goal for this year is to gain some experience as a Pro. And to do so, you need to race.


So, I am going to be racing at the local Olympic distance race Boulder Peak. The week after that, I will travel to Calgary, AB to race the Sylvan Lake Half-ironman. I will not taper for these races because I need to continue building into a lean, mean (not so much), speedy machine. Sylvan Lake was my first half-ironman I competed in (2007) and it is the first race I ever made a pay-check from! It was this race I decided I wanted to continue racing in the longer events. Hopefully this year, the race bodes well!


I will continue to work my stroke in swimming, my strength in all areas and ensure I don't stay up every night partying. :) I can't even remember when I did this last - if ever (pulling an 'all-nighter' is the toughest thing for me -I can hardly stay awake for a 2hour movie!).

Last Week in a Nutshell

The week started out with a few easy days after the 3 weeks I collected at 30hours per week. Today was my first run test on the track, which consisted of 6miles at a predetermined heart-rate (HR). This is more or less what Mark Allen would call a MAF test. You run at a specific HR and average your pace per mile at the end of the test. Over time, with consistency and data tracking– one would hope to see an improvement. With me, I have run better before, but both Chuckie and I were surprised at the numbers. For not running for about a month, and all the stress in my life, and the move to altitude, I was not too far off my best marks! I have to say...it made my day! What also made my day today was a Costco run! I just love having a full fridge and having a major meltdown every time you want to eat because you have too many choices!

Last Week Overview:
Mon – Masters x 2; Easy jog
Tues – Swim – Slight tempo; Easy bike with Tabata Sprints; Very easy jog
Wed – Masters x 2; Easy jog; Easy spin on the Powercranks
Thu – BRICK – A hard ride with an easy jog; Stroke & Stride (1500m swim, no run)
Fri – Masters x 2 with Tabata Sprints; Easy spin on the Powercranks
Sat – Long ride with race-related pace/power work; Easy jog
Sun – Swim with some tempo efforts; Easy spin; Run MAF test
Total training time: 25hours and 55min, about 1 minute more than Jeff.

Overall I'm slowly getting more acclimatized and feeling a bit more chipper. I forced myself to have a few naps during the week and I believe it made all the difference (that plus the five fewer hours of training). I'm racing the Boulder Peak Triathlon next Sunday, if racing is the right word.

Things I learned in the last week:

1. There are a number of great people in the area: Jeff and Jenni Keil of course; the number of readers of my blog with their inspirational notes and quotes; the two cyclists that helped me on Saturday when I flatted – twice!; the friendly construction workers who let us get that extra 15 seconds before they start letting the cars go by; David Saintsing, who has been swimming with Chuckie and I, and all the athletes coached by Chuckie, especially Ian Lee, Chris Kotte and the Keils (again!); and of course, then there's Chuckie himself. Having people like this surrounding you makes all the difference in training, motivation and for just having a great day.

2. The weather patterns here in Boulder are CRAZY. I swear you never know what the day will unfold like until you wait a few hours after you wake up. The clouds either roll in and take over, or nothing develops and blue skies await! Solvang had this: Sunday everyday.

3. I am not as out of shape as I thought. Things are slowly turning around – I am not up to par, but I am starting to see some improvement from 3 weeks ago.

4. I still have no idea where Carter Lake is exactly (I have been there with Chuckie but I am so bad at direction). I rode on my own Saturday and ended up riding 106miles total because I got lost and ended up in Longmont, Masonville, Fort Collins and who knows where else.

5. Eggs and Sausage is my new favorite meal – with guacamole, veggies and salsa! It is a Chuckie staple.

6. How to use a CO2 cartridge – I know, crazy, but I have never used one before until Saturday!

7. Water is a necessity. I now have a Brita filter because I go through so much store-bought water and making the trip every other day is a major pain in the you know what.

8. Apparently you need to consume 1 gram of sodium per hour when training for >4hours at a time. I don't think I get enough of this.

Things I need to improve on:
1. My strength in the pool! I kick too much.
2. My running form – good arm position, feet underneath me, and to stick out my chest J
3. How to CHILL OUT more consistently.
4. How to sight properly while swimming – this via Chuckie.
5. How to sleep-in when I don't have a morning workout.

Three Weeks at Altitude and Counting

I have been in Colorado for 3 weeks now. When I first got here I felt great physically (minus the stiff legs, crappy tummy and headache from the long drive from California). A few days went by and I still felt great. I was getting some solid training in and thought to myself, this isn't so bad. I don't know what all the hype is about with being at altitude. And then we started doing some wattage tests on the bike and the reality of CRAP hit me:

Yikes! I think I lost almost 50watts from my last testing in California! We continued to try to increase the load, and the watts continued to stay low...so low in fact that I thought I needed a new battery in my Powertap. I wasn't running yet and my confidence in all three sports decreased. My form and times in the pool were crappy and slow, my legs felt like mulch when I first began running 6 days ago. I was scared - I still am scared! It is scary to think that you quit your job, leave home, travel to an unknown place and try to make something of yourself. Chuckie continued to reassure me daily that things will get better.

Fast track to today:

My mind has been playing a lot of tricks on me. I doubt myself alot. My form and swimming is a mind-boggler. I seemed to have lost a lot of oomph and form. My biking - as stated above - seems to be flat. And my running....hmm, for some reason I don't think 9minute miles are going to get me too far in a race - let alone finish one in the pro ranks. I am feeling better towards my training. We had a few rest days but I still question: Why do I suck? What is happening?

1. STRESS. Stress of altitude, stress of financial issues, worry, stress of my relationship I lost along the way, stress of breaking my toe in mid-season and trying to get back into a race again, and so on and so forth. I know everyone has stress, so I shouldn't complain or be bothered by this.

2. No confidence: I haven't raced since Boise and am a bit petrified of joining the pro females.

3. Lack of self-esteem: I still am a bit on the heavy side in terms of goal race weight, I think negative about who I am, what I am doing, who I'm hurting, what I am giving up in my life...the list could go on forever.

Turning professional this year has got me questioning a lot of things.

1. What does it mean to really be pro?

2. What happens if you don't do well?

3. How am I going to survive without a job?

With all this in mind, I am trying to sit back as I type this ,and really look at all this questioning and stress as a whole. OK, so I was injured - I am now running daily (slow but consistent). I decided to change my first race back from Vineman 70.3 to a local Olympic-distance race (Boulder Peak); wattage's do decrease at altitude (from what I read only 20watts though), and the change in altitude on performance should just be starting to turn around. I have had a lot of changes in my life - traveling to Colorado, moving, packing, etc. I lack self-esteem and confidence because of not racing and the above reasons. However, ny swimming will get better - Chuckie is now in the pool with me almost every practice and is watching and critiquing me every moment). I know overall I have put in a lot of hours in the last three weeks (90, to be exact)...so something has got to turn around. Chuckie watches me daily and sees how I am progressing, or regressing as it is. I believe in him, and I know he would change my training (as he does daily), if the need is there.

As for the other stresses, it is hard. I can only hope that over time, I realize and feel that all the choices I have made are the right ones for both parties. I think about what has become of my life often. It is crazy how things can change in 6 months. It makes you scared, sad, always thinking - questioning, worrying. Big life changes really makes you question about what you want in your life...

On with the finances: I am learning to live meagerly. Chuckie helps me get to the pool and to the grocery store...other than that, I basically ride the bike or use my own two legs. I shop (only really for food) by sale and am actually now learning what it means to save every penny. I think money-stress will always be a worry for me with having no income. With no savings, that will do that to you! I just have to accept that and let it be fuel for the fire!

I guess I really shouldn't complain about my life and worry. Everyone has some worry and stress and questions their life (or at least I am not the only one). Heck, I could be starving, I could be unhealthy, I could be homeless (which I am, but I have a roof over my head!), I could have no family, I could be stranded on my own, I could be working a job I HATE, and I could NOT have the ability to do what I love!

Hmmm...Life is pretty good. I just need to keep reminding myself of this.

It is time to start kicking some @ss (my own as a matter of fact)!

Monday (yesterday)- Rest Day. I went swimming in the morning with Chuckie during BAM practice. I love just swimming with him. In the afternoon, a 35min easy jog.

Tuesday - Semi rest day. This was not planned but the weather was our dictator. We were going to get some indoor training done but thought it was best to have anothe mellow(er) day. I swam in the morning with David and Chuckie. It was a great workout of 20min at race pace tempo, followed by some rest, then 10min at race pace tempo, rest, 5 minutes of tempo...and finally an all-out effort for 1minute. It was fun! I need to get in more workouts at a sustained effort like that. This was all followed by Chuckie and I working at a slower pace and pushing form. It was more than 2hours in the pool. After some yummy eggs, sausage and veggies, Chuckie and I headed out to get some Tabata sprints done on the bike and an easy spin. The rain clouds were moving in very fast so we ended the ride at that. I jogged at home for 20minutes.

Friday and Saturday with Chuckie and JK

Friday - I swam Masters in the morning with David (ex-swim coach, now Doctor) followed by a stellar ride with Jeff Keil (pictured, just behind me) and Chuckie. We headed up toward Ward and went back down from the 5,000+ foot climb through a small town called Raymond and onto Lyons, CO. Both training sessions went well. My power is still low and I seem to be swimming slowly. However: Slow and steady + patience and consistency = FAST and steady. Later, I followed the ride with an easy easy 11minute run.

Saturday - Today, Chuckie and I headed to Masters practice once again. We did our own thing - Chuckie coached me and critiqued my stroke. We are going back to formwork because some how in the last couple of months I've lost everything I seemed to have gained! Too much slapping, slipping, and wiggling. It was awesome to have Chuckie one-on-one in the water. He has such a beautiful stroke. Somehow I am hoping by watching him I will get that much faster. If only!

Later, we met up with Jeff (JK) again and went for an easy 3:30 ride with some upper end HR work for 1.5hours. Jeff and I compared heart-rates every now and then, and oddly enough, mine was always one beat lower. We stayed on flat terrain around Boulder. It was another fun time with these two. They crack me up and make the ride so much fun. Both Chuckie and JK are very strong. The focus today was on me though - which was nice. Luckily, I felt good. In fact, each time I compared watt output with Jeff's, mine was one higher. For the last half-hour JK's cadence averaged 98rpm. Mine was 99---one higher.

At the end of the ride we rode through the aftermath of some rain, Jeff started complaining that he had to clean his bike, something I like to avoid. By ride's end Jeff had ridden 75.7 miles while Chuckie and I managed to ride 75.8.

I just finished a quick weight routine and am just off to go for an easy run (it was raining earlier).

I will also probably do whatever Jeff is doing, plus one more.

Yesterday and Today

Yesterday was CRAZY! After some restless sleep and worry I headed to Masters swim practice. It was OK at best. I managed to stay in for both practices and worked on form. Chuckie was in his own lane, while I dealt with the masses. One thing's for sure: I still have a lot of work to do. (Today we worked on form and I kept the 1hour swimming MELLOW).

Later, Chuckie and I headed out on our bikes to Masonville and back. The plan was to get in 2hours at a high-end aerobic zone. I did this fine - although my power output is still significantly lower than what it was in California. (I hope this turns around!) We stopped to get some water and the clouds began churning and turning black. I was a bit in my own world and didn't realize that thunderstorms were ahead.

These were Chuckie's words: "I'll take us down this hill and then we'll start rolling again."

"OK," I thought. I am tired but I can do it.

"Rolling" usually means the same high-end aerobic HR and relatively evenly paced. We headed down the hill as planned. But once we got to a flatter area Chuckie starting rolling. Not my type of rolling - but rather his type. His type is what anyone else would call "oh, no!" I let him go because my HR was already jacked up and my legs were dead. In the distance, he kept pointing at his back wheel and I was getting frustrated.

"Whatever, I am going hard and feel like crap." I was trying to chase him for a solid 20-minutes and of course I wasn't catching him. He finally slowed down and then the yelling began: "Come on Angela, what are you doing?! When I say get on my wheel, GET ON! There's friggin' [other words you can imagine] lightning all around us and you're not even trying!"

Let me tell you, I was trying. I was tired, ready to cry and wanting to just throw my bike off the side of the road.

"I am trying Chuckie! Just go! [f%&^! this!]!"

I felt awful, but yet I had to push. The storm was imminent.

He got me when he said, "Where is your eye of the tiger? You are just not in shape. You ride better than this. You are not trying!"

It was harsher than it reads.

Just imagine Chuckie angry, pissed at the world, and scared for his life. And now imagine yourself very tired, dead legs and angry at your coach. I was soooo mad. I really didn't care at this point about lightning, getting rained on or anything.

Worst yet, once I did get on his wheel, some schmuck we passed decided to race us and pass us back on a small hill. And, because of me, we couldn't catch him. Chuckie was not amused one bit. I didn't hear the end of this one until we were finally in the 'safe zone' from the T-storms brewing our way. Where and when this 'safe zone' appeared was beyond me, but we finally stopped this nonsense of crazy riding about 45 minutes from home. The pace just mellowed out...and finally, so did Chuckie.

I didn't speak; I didn't look at him. We were both mad. He wanted us to be safe and I was sucking wind. I didn't know he wanted me to go as hard as I could. Gosh, I was so mad at him...mad at the world..and really mad at myself because I am feeling out of shape. And the funny thing is, Chuckie was complaining at the beginning of the ride how I am going to ride away from him because he hasn't been riding. Bull$hit! Chuckie will always be able to ride away from anyone. Years of riding will allow that, I guess.

Seriously, this ride showed me a number of things:
1. I have a lot of work to do.
2. I am stressed, over-tired and drained.
3. I need to focus on my recovery
4. Figure out what Chuckie means when he tells me things....I swear, sometimes I just don't understand what he is trying to relay to me. I wasn't really thinking T-storms were upon us that badly. There seems to be a lot of this miscommunication while we're on our bikes. I need to work on this. I almost got us killed as well. I was eating a banana while in the aerobars and hit a pothole just as a car was coming. Chuckie was behind my wheel. Another anger session. I get more swells of tears on the bike then I do anywhere else.
5. I need to learn to pay more attention while riding - at the weather, learn Chuckie talk and read his mind (this I think may be a bit hard!) and where I am riding.
6. It is only after such hard efforts and crap that you put yourself through, that you feel better about yourself.
7. I really am needing to get in gear, I think. Why are my wattages so low!!!! I have lost a ton of power in the last month. Stress, I think.

After the stressful and crappy ride, I got some food in me and took a nap. A nap that was well - needed. I then headed out for my 3rd run since I broke my toe - slow 9min/miles with a total time of 21minutes. Slow and steady.

Today: Masters, but by myself in Chuckie's and Wolfgang's lane. Chuckie looked at my stroke and gave me more ideas to work on in the next couple of weeks. Later we headed out for an easy easy spin of 1hr 25min. I used the PowerCranks. These are crazy tough on the hip flexors. I think today I did more coasting than spinning. I am now headed out for a 25-minute run.

A lot can happen in two days

In the past few days I have had to deal with a lot of personal issues. Family, finances, friendships, questioning and worrying. It is amazing how the body curtails to stress. I wish there was a way to just ignore all the stresses of life, money, love, relationships but, that is what makes life what it is I guess. I feel like a child in terms of everything I am trying to deal with right now - and rightly I am. It would be so much easier to just curl up under the covers and hide away from everything. I know I am rambling and not getting to any specific points. I guess my point is that feelings, emotions - relationships are hard. Love is hard. Life is hard. And all this changes how you can train...

The plan for today was to ride hard...I did ride hard...but at a snail's pace (and it was only the warm-up!). Chuckie has not been on his bike for the past week because of coaching and travelling. He 'says' he is out of shape but the heart-rate (HR) doesn't lie. We have very similar HR numbers and zones. We compare them for fun and mine were at the top end ceilings while his were in the ground. I knew I was stressed once we starting climbing a bit. I felt like a wreck today. My legs were like lead and my body was literally aching inside and out. I guess the purpose of writing this is to realize that outside stresses (the ones we don't put on ourselves through training) change everything in training.

I am back at home typing this, feeling a bit better after a shower and some food. We got caught up in a bit of rain and it just seemed to make matters worse. I am warm now, drinking some tea. I will be off to run in a bit - 2nd time since I broke my toe! I hope to have some fun and cheer from knowing that I have a body that has the capability to do what I am doing with it. I just hope for my own sake, that I can continue to get my head on straight and have confidence in my decision to chase my dreams. I am doing what I love - and that is what matters in the end. All in good faith and hope that things work out the way we all dream they will...