Long before I was a mom, a wife, a physical therapist, an athletic trainer, a coach, a student – I was a runner.

I ran my first race at age 3 and have been hooked ever since. At times I was competitive, I ran to win. At other times I ran for fun. Sometimes I trained very hard – other times I was more lax. But though it all, year after year, I have been a runner. I have run in more states then most people have been to. I have run in other countries , on cruise ships, in the mountains , in the city, at the beach , on tracks , on roads, at dawn, at mid night, in minus 10,in 110, in rain, snow , sleet , sun, thunder, lightening, with 53 thousand others , by myself, with my dad , my mom, my husband , my kids, my grandfather , old friends and new friends. Running has just always been me.

As a lifelong runner the Boston Marathon was always in my dreams – to one day run it – then to go back – again and again.

After the bombing yesterday – I can say a piece of my heart is forever broken. Every Patriots Day as long as I can remember whether I had run Boston or not has been filled with happy phone calls, emails and texts from friends and clients. Reporting their day – asking about mine – talking about the amazing crowds – heartbreak hill – did the Red Sox win – how was the wind – was is hot – was it cold. The same conversations year after year – with always the same tone – a finish at Boston was a great day!!

Yesterday was just so horribly different – trying to locate clients and friends that had and hadn’t finished. Seeing the horror on a street I and so many thousands have so proudly run down and the sidewalks so many more thousands – including my friends and family have stood on cheering was just beyond belief. I am so grateful to have found all my clients and friends shaken, changed – but ok. Yet devastated for all those who can’t say the same.

It is so hard to explain what a community the world of runners is. In running there is no – better and fancier equipment – there are no haves and have not’s. 26.2 miles is the same for everyone and there truly seems to be a respect that is lacking in so many other sports for the effort everyone has made for their own achievements. We all just blend together.

For me road races are like a second home, as funny as that might sound. Each one – no matter how big or small has that same feel. There is a warm welcoming familiarity that makes a runner feel comfortable and at home. I can image that too many runners, just like me it is as if our own home had been attacked.

As much as part of me wants to run away and hide from the all to horrors of our world – the runner in me says – hell no – I care too much and work too hard to have some coward take away so much of my life.

I will choice to focus on all the amazing people who ran to help – not away to hide.

I will continue to take every chance I get to be a part of my running community and fill the rest of my heart with happy wonderful memories. One I plan to be – Boston 2014.

Swim- So, this was a run in swim, or whatever the official name for it is. Beach start? I don’t have a lot of practice with these. I’ve done one race like this- Collegiate Nationals. It was my 3^rd triathlon ever and my first Olympic. I guess CDA was a beach start, but people had pushed forward so far by the time we started, you just sort of fell forward and started swimming. At Collegiate nationals there is a wonderful video of me falling in and losing my goggles and then standing up and re-starting. Now, in Cabo, there is another one. Yep- just a crash landing awful start.

Matt had graciously described dolphin dives to me via email the night before. I know what dolphin dives are- I was a summer league swimmer. We didn’t ever even do butterfly, we just jumped off the bottom. But there isn’t sand in a pool,  and there aren’t waves, and there aren’t other people whapping into you and it’s just different. So my dolphin dive was sort of straight into the first wave and the just sort of crashing goggles full of sand and water. I just sort of took about 20 strokes with full goggles to get out of the mess and the just cleared the water quickly. Luckily- 1^st pro race!!!!!- there were only 20-25 of us, so it was still a pretty straight shot to the first buoy. Unluckily, I didn’t notice one girl head out off the front.

So, I ended up thinking I was in front which was good mentally, but bad for overall time. I got to the turn buoy and actually took a breakstroke and readjusted the goggles and then headed out. I felt like I had a nice rhythm and easy smooth strokes, but looking back, they were probably a little too slow. Still, I thought I was all by myself and crushing everyone. I actually had this big boat by me and thought, “They must be filming me because I’m winning by so much.” It’s ridiculous, I realize, but it’s important to be ridiculously cocky when you are about to work hard for 10 hours and make yourself hurt badly- you have to tell yourself, “Yes- I’m awesome and can do this!” At least, that is what I’m telling myself now so that I don’t have to admit that I’m just a cocky bitch.

Anyway, I begin to have to pee. It’s really hard to pee while you are swimming, but I wanted to try, so I sort of relaxed and spread out my legs (and therefore slowed down) and wham- I basically get swum over. Turns out I was not as far in front as I thought. In fact I had a very large group of very polite ladies drafting off me, but they did such a nice job and the water was so clear that they didn’t touch my feet even 1 time.  Anyway- darn. I was hoping to draft, so I slowed a little to try to have one of them pull, but they were just not fast enough. They were basically fast enough to keep up with me while drafting. So I figured I’d just pull. If I were to do it again (I’ll write that a lot in this because I plan on doing another Ironman- yay! And I figure I should remember what I want to fix), I would have just busted 300 meters and dropped them, but I was trying to be safe and steady. I mean, it’s less than 10% of the whole race in time, so I don’t really need to blow it all.

I did drop them as we headed into the finish. While I’m not great at getting into the water, apparently, I’m pretty good at getting out. The trick is to swim until you literally cannot swim any more and then stand up- but not a moment sooner. It’s much faster to swim through water than walk.

Transition looked really long and hard and I thought I would be exhausted and be in there for 7 minutes, but with all the people cheering and the water I was drinking and getting out of the wetsuit (half way anyway) it just wasn’t a big deal. Grabbed my bag (I was really lucky and had a number right next to a pole, so it was super easy to find) and ran into the tent. The ladies got my wetsuit off and I dumped all my stuff out. I washed the sand off my feet, they put on my helmet and then they grabbed all my stuff and shoved it into the bag with my wetsuit and said, “Leave this at your bike.” Okay- I should take full responsibility for this, because it is my responsibility, but I’d seen my race bib and it just got gathered up with all the stuff and I sort of forgot. So, I raced without a bib.  (I will say, the girl who won didn’t even remember her chip that morning to the race, so I think I’m doing reasonably well. It’s important to find a low bar.).  So I grab my bike, and it’s literally not until there, when I see Michelle Vesterby’s bike missing next to mine, that I realize I haven’t been winning. Dang it.

Oh well, I head out onto the bike course and just try and be calm. I had caught some of the men (they started 3 minutes in front of us) and so was following them out of transition and they weren’t going too crazy fast, so I figured I’d didn’t need to either. Once we got on the hwy (a mile in??), they took off really fast, and I just started riding.

This was literally the most negative part of my ride and I cannot figure out why. I was just like, “oh. I wish I were just out on a normal ride and I could go slowly and look at how pretty everything is. Or that this was only an Olympic and I only had to go 25 miles.” I may have just been hungry. Anyway, two girls passed me and I remember thinking, “well, here it goes- all the super fast cyclists are coming by!” But I could keep up. I mean, they weren’t really going that fast at all. I think the pleasantness of that surprise made me feel much better. I also called an official over and said, “My bib is in my T1 bag!! Sorry!! I’m number 35! Can we put it in T2?” Or something. Anyway, he marked me down (or not, I’m not sure, but I felt better having told someone that I wasn’t purposefully breaking the rules). So, I follow these girls about 20 meters back. (Or, as it said in the rule book: 10×2 meters. What? Why is this listed as a math problem? Side note- when I read the rule book the first time, I said, “200 METERS?!?! That’s sooo far. “ Brandon looked at me like I was crazy. We don’t do multiplication in 1^st grade).

Then we’re going up a hill and I decide they aren’t going that fast, so I pass one of them (Christine Anderson- she’s from Boulder and I’d stalked her earlier and said, “I know you because you are at all the local races kicking ass. Hi!” She said, “Hi, I’m Christine.” I said, “I know.”  I’m sure when I went by she had to think for a second if she really wanted to try to stay with the creepy stalker girl. She did. Later I passed the other girl, too. Then Christine passed both of us. Anyway, we sort of just rode together.

I think some other people went flying by and I couldn’t hang with them, but then my new friend Jess rode by. I had met Jess on a warm up ride (and through mutual friends and this is already too long of a race report so I won’t explain it all) earlier in the week, so it was really nice to see her. I knew she was a fast cyclist, but was hoping I could stay in touch and try to out run her. She was also really nice. Some of the girls other are a little more focused than I was, I think.  Jess was very friendly!

It’s not that I was f’ing around on the course or anything, but you better believe I was smiling and giving a thumbs up to the camera guy. Hello- you are on IRONMAN Coverage! The whole world can see this. You are certainly going to smile and wave. At the start, when I was still in 2^nd or 3^rd, the camera guy tracked me a lot. After I while it was sort of like when you are driving in a car next to someone you know and you are making funny faces or singing, but then you just run out of things to do and it’s sort of awkward that they are next to you. That’s how I felt. I knew I should just ride and be normal, but I couldn’t do it.

(Okay- another side note and I know this isn’t an autobiography, but I write stream of consciousness, so that’s what happens. My mom tells a story of when I was 6 or 8 or something and we were at the zoo. I was up at the fence looking at the crocodiles and my mom said, “Katy, honey, someone wants to take a pictures.” So I turned around and smiled. It did not even occur to me that these random tourists might be taking pictures of the animals they came to see and not the silly little girl looking at them. Apparently, I still feel this way, because I just kept smiling at the cameraman).

Truthfully, though, it was easy to smile because I was having a great time. And we were riding with the wind on our way back and under all the bridges people from the towns have set up their lawn chairs and are cheering like crazy and it was so fun! Plus, Jess says, “good job!” and I’m excited that I know someone and it was just good times. We get back to where we did the swim and I see my mom and my uncle Bob on the bridge (they weren’t allowed to leave until all the swimmers were out)  yelling their heads off. I’m still trying to stay with Jess, but mostly just staying with Christine and I’m getting toward the end of the first out and back and I think, “wow- I’m feeling great. Good thing I only have to do this all again and still have the really huge hill coming up.”

Well- that hill didn’t turn out to be too bad at all! The wind was totally at our back and, thanks to Colorado training buddies, it turns out I’m a reasonable climber. I think some of that has to do with the other ladies training with power and therefore being more even in their riding, but I don’t care. It made me feel good to go faster than people up the hills. So I pass Christine and drop both her and the other girl (Ashley Clifford was her name and it was on her pants and she ran 2:57 in her marathon an Ironman Florida, so I figured I might need a little gap- to say the least). We come screaming downhill and I’m being really brave in my aero bars as we go across the bridge- terrifying- and then I’m just waiting for the turn around.  I start checking people coming back, just to see if I’m in the race and I get to the turn around and 6 seconds later I get passed by a group of 4 women. One of them was going ridiculously fast. It was Erika Csomor and she ended up winning. The other three were going faster than I was. Again, if I were to do it again, I would go with them and push a little more, but I wasn’t even half way and so I was safe. Lame, but not a terrible choice. I don’t think that’s bad. 1^st race in a new division. Coming back over the hill was not quite as fun as going over the first one, but it still went by fast. We got to scream into town and then head out for lap 2.

I checked finally allowed myself to see how far I had gone. Looking at my total time on my watch, I assumed I was going pretty slowly, but then I checked my mph and was very pleasantly surprised. I remember thinking, “Holy crap that was an awful swim!!”

Then it was windy. Whoa. It was just a push for about 15 miles (??) down to Cabo San Lucas. Because of the distortion, it looked like the girls in front of me were just riding in this nice little group of 4 (they weren’t- everyone rode very nicely and obeyed the rules, as I saw on the turn arounds- it just looks like it because you can’t judge distance to quite that precise a measure). Anyway, I was so mad. And so jealous. Ha! The good thing was, instead of being in this, “ugh- it’s windy and I’m tired and I’m going 17mph when I want to go 20 and blah blah blah,” that is all internally directed, I was like, “stupid drafting girls. Darn it. Stop it.” And it kept me from feeling slow or mad at myself or anything. Plus, I knew we were going to fly back, I’d get to go up the hill which was the happiest part of the first loop because it was so surprisingly easy, and then I’d have the wind again, but I’d only have 12 miles left, so it wouldn’t matter. So, the course was great for staying on your mental game. There was always something nice (or just a change) coming up.

2^nd trip over the hill wasn’t quite so exciting, though the first AG male had caught me and then I passed him on the hill, but then he crushed me. He was from Mexico and I cheered for him in Spanish and he cheered for me in English when we passed each other. I LOVE that about Ironman. Everyone is like, “here we go- ride with me up this hill. Last one” and it’s a nice community effort.
Oh- speaking of community- amazing cheering throughout the course, but especially from my mom and my uncle. They drove along and parked every 5 miles or so (they didn’t drive next to me because that is illegal pacing) on the main highway and then took pictures and got everyone around them to cheer “Go Katy!” so cool. On the out and back with the hill, no cars were allowed, but there were still people that had walked chairs out there. Supporters make a big difference!

So I get to the turn around and it is just a slog into the wind, but I’m at 100 miles and I have about 37 minutes to be under goal pace and it was like, “just get over the stupid hill and you get to coast in and then run!!” I have been feeling great about running lately, which is so nice because then you get to be happy all ride that you are going to run!

Also- I was trying to be really good about keeping my arm coolers wet and putting water on my helmet and eating salt and food and whatever. It was 100% procedural and not based on feel at all. Salt every half hour. 1 powerbar every hour (even when you really really do not want to eat it). I figured I should get my calories in on the bike because it’s harder to eat on the run. At one point I took an extra salt because I thought I was getting shakey, but really it was just a little wheel wobble in the wind going down a really big hill. Hehe.

So- I get to transition- yay!!! I was so enthusiastic about grabbing my bag, I grabbed the hook right off the pole with my bag. I was moving. My mom was filming and running along outside the changing tent going “Go KATY BLAKEMORE!!!” And so I got my shoes on very quickly J The lady asked if I wanted crema (sunscreen) and I said, “YES- all over!!” Apparently they do all over a little differently in Mexico. Darker skin. I got a little on the top of my shoulders, I think. They hadn’t had any at the bike transition, so I was already a little nervous, but I was like, “F it- we’re going to get burned.” Not to self- put sunscreen packets in your bag to rub on if they don’t have lots of sunscreen in transition. I think this is important because sunburn hurts, but also because it makes you really hot and can affect performance. Check bike split and I’m 4 minutes under goal time.

In CdA, the first few miles of the run, I literally couldn’t slow down. I felt so good! This time, not so much. I didn’t feel bad, just a little off, I guess. It just took a couple miles to get my run legs under me. I think I was actually going pretty fast, though. You get the reverse treadmill effect when you get off your bike, so it seems like you’re going really slow (as compared to 20mph, you are) but you really aren’t going slow as compared to run speed.

My mom tells me, “The whole community is out!” and sure enough around mile 1.5 of the run I see all the neighbors from our little rented condo area out cheering “Go Katy.” I also got to see Lauren Barnett out supporting Brandon and she cheered for me and was really nice and looks like she is in great shape (in case she reads this or someone who knows her reads this- during the bike leg, she was out running and I saw her and thought, “Why is that crazy fit hot girl not racing?” and then she said, “Katy!!” Happy.).  Cheerers literally are the 2^nd best part of Ironman. 1^st is the aid station volunteers. Lord, I love them! All the volunteers were awesome and when they weren’t offering ice, I asked if they had ice and they would run to catch up to me and give it to me. Or they would say, “we’ll get you on the way back” and then after the turn around they would be ready on the other side of the road with ice for me.

The run course was 3 loops and each loop had 7 turn arounds!! So you got to see people a lot. There were some girls who were just way too far in front for me to even see them, but I could see a few that seemed like they were within reach. I also knew there were some runners behind me!
But, I was smart. Matt had told me to run 7:30s for the first loop and I slowed down and I did it. Well, 7:25s. I actually think it was really good advice. It felt smooth and nice and I got to be really thoughtful about nutrition and staying cool. It was 85 or so and sunny and I’d been training in Colorado. In the snow. So I figured the biggest things I needed to manage were not muscle fatigue, but heat and hydration. So I put ice down my pants and in my bra at every chance I got, and I made sure to drink a little at every aid station (they were at every kilometer, plus, because of some of the out and backs, they ended up being double that in some parts- lots of aid). They had bagged water, which I LOVE! You can drink for a little while and you can spray it all over yourself and get your arm coolers wet and it is just fantastic. So much better than a little plastic cup. Also an environmental nightmare, but I guess the cups are, too.

I passed on Jess pretty quickly and said, “Come run with me.” She said, “Maybe later.” Hehe! And was gaining quickly on another. I was also paying attention to 3 girls behind me who seemed to be running fast. I will say- none of these pros were stupid about their races. I kept expecting someone to blow up or just disappear or be an awful runner, but everyone was sort of still there- still within touch, still coming (even one girl, who I saw walking, must have pulled it together because she ran 3:14. Including the walking part. Crazy people). It was awesome. It was so fun to really race for 10 hours.

So the 2^nd lap I was supposed to speed up. I didn’t. It wasn’t an awful fade like in CdA or anything, it was just sort of a miscalculation of how hard I needed to work to descend to 7:20s. So I ended up probably running about 7:45s.  (The miles weren’t all marked and weren’t all right, so I didn’t actually know how fast I was going, which was fine). Luckily, I passed another girl and gained on one more, so at least a lot of us were slowing down.

Somewhere in there, I heard my name, but not from my mom’s voice. I was sort of searching around and there were Beth and Cory from RMTC!! WOW HAPPINESS! They decided there was no other way to spend their 10 year anniversary than sitting in the hot sun watching people run by them every hour or so! What incredible people and great cheerers. They were really specific and positive and it was awesome! They also picked a special spot that was the hardest part of the course (I’m sure it was on purpose) for the last lap and I was so happy to see them there!

2^nd lap- My stomach and lower back started to hurt a little, but not like in CDA. I farted. It happens. It feels amazing! My mom said she heard lots and lots of people farting. Honestly- it feels so great to fart in Ironman. I also ate! And I learned that gels make me feel better. Even though they are super unappetizing at the time (like I have to motivate myself to grab one. “You have to take at least one swallow every 4 miles. You have to do it. Do it. Grab the gel, damnit. Take the gel from that lady and eat it). Then I would take my swallow and throw it down and be like, “yum!” And start to feel better. Then I would repeat the process. It is just that you aren’t hungry. I mean, your body is hungry, but your stomach is not. But, compared to taking nothing but coke starting at mile 2 in CdA, I was kicking ass on nutrition. I also took a salt tab on scheduled mile markers and was basically very procedural.

Once Matt told me (I’m paraphrasing) that there aren’t good days and bad days, there is just executing a plan. He wasn’t saying that stuff doesn’t sometimes go wrong, but I still really love this idea because it puts you in control. Rather than being like, “Well, I just had a bad day- nothing I could do about it.” Or even, “Yeah- it was just a good day. Sometimes they happen.” You are actually the agent controlling how the day goes, rather than it happening to you. So, I was proud of my execution of the nutrition and the cooling (soaking arm coolers and filling pants and sports’ bra with ice).

Thanks to mom, I also had friends at the aid stations at this point. She’d ride her bike a few miles and then stop and cheer and the volunteers kept offering her water and she’d say, “No- save it for Katy!” So then, when I ran by, they would say, “I’m supposed to give this to you, Katy! Go fast!” Ha- fantastic!! I also met another guy on a bike named Nick who was wearing a lovely sombrero and he was cheering for his fast friend who passed me and Nick and I are facebook friends now. I love Ironman. Have I mentioned that?

So the second lap was too slow, in retrospect, because I still felt really good, but it was good in that I did what I needed to do to get to the last lap ready to rock. Matt had also told me I could run the last lap as fast as I wanted and if I blew up, oh well. He suggested 7:15s. I actually think I almost got there. I was about 1:30 or 2 minutes back from a girl in front of me and I just sort of sped up. It felt awesome! This is why I think I should have gone faster on the 2^nd lap. I think sometimes you have a more comfortable cadence or something. It was definitely getting into a much higher end aerobic effort, but who cares- it’s only an hour at that point.

I also had Pepsi to look forward to. Man oh man does that stuff taste amazing during a race. Wow. It’s like concentrated super hero juice- I felt like I could fly. (I wasn’t actually running that fast. I mean, effectively it was the same speed as the miles that felt slow in the beginning, but you’re 9 hours in at this point, so it’s making you feel like a super hero, considering).  I waited until mile 18- good job!! And then I drank coke. And I just ran down the girl in front of me. I caught up to her in about 3 or 4 miles and put some distance between myself and the girls that were chasing me. I felt great from mile 18-23. I also was at a point where I was pretty sure I was going to break 10 and was really happy about that. The last few miles I also felt great, but I was basically ready to be done. I stayed so procedural, too. Since it is a loop course, there is an aid station at around mile 25.9. I got coke and ice at that station. “Staying cool” In case I might overheat in the last 2 minutes of the race. I guess it can happen.  I actually counted my steps a little the last 2 miles, too, because I’d promised myself I could do that. It seems like it would be really boring, but I love it and it takes my mind of how far I need to go or how long something is taking and just makes me run. It also helps me keep my cadence up, I think.

Finish line! Always incredible. Again, since it’s a loop, I tried to really stay over to the right side so people would know I was finishing. The cheering was awesome and I tried to keep my arms up for a really long time so that I could get a good finisher photo. I think I was laughing. And the clock said 9:51 or something and I didn’t even care about the minutes because – yes!!!! There is a 9 at the start of that number!!

And the British announcer had apparently met my mom and my uncle (I did not really do justice to how many times I saw them around the course- they were everywhere!) during the swim in this little lifeguard tower where they were watching. So he had asked her about who she thought would win the swim and my mom said “Well, it’s her first Pro race, but I think Katy Blakemore should be out pretty early.” No pressure, mom, thanks!

So, rather than say, “You are an Ironman,” the announcer was like, “And this is Katy Blakemore, and it is her Pro debut and her mom said she was feeling good and hoping for good things, but I bet they didn’t expect it would be this good! Nice job, Katy.”

I also gave this really long, probably incoherent speech at the end to the crowd. Oh dear. I was like, “I just think Los Cabos is amazing, and the volunteers are amazing, and you are all here and you are cheering for people, and you are amazing. And I love you all. And thank you because it really is you who gets us to the goal.” (“It is YOU who gets them to the goal” was the tagline for all the volunteer request forms and posters around town). It was like a crappy Oscar speech from this random girl who did not win. And it was in Spanish. Success.

I think I clapped for them (which I did in CdA, too. Why do I do that?).

Then I got my medal and a towel and my shirt and a massage that was absolutely incredible! And I did not poo my pants, which was better than last time- improvements.

The massage was 2 ladies and they spent about 25 minutes and it was fantastic. And then I had to pee- that is how well I stayed hydrated. I peed a lot, and I don’t think it was just a “you haven’t had any salt” pee, but an actually hydrated pee. Yay!!

Went home, took a shower in my kit with my bike and all my shoes to wash everything off (while I couldn’t pee in the water, I was successful on the bike, though not as much as at CDA- there weren’t enough long downhills where you could relax. Still- got it done).

Then went to last finisher. There apparently are less people at International and March races that just barely finish. Like in CDA there is just a steady stream of people from 11-12, but here there just weren’t very many, but that does not make last finisher any less special. I got to go in the VIP area because there weren’t very many people there and they just opened it up, so I chatted with the announcer and told him he had met my mom, and it was his bday the next day, so we sang Las Mañanitas, and then people started coming in and I started crying and it was just amazing. Watching people achieve their dreams is so incredible!!  I cannot explain how amazing the Ironman finish line is. Whoa.

So- that’s the report. By far the worst effects of the race were the sunburn. I matched my bright red kit and it was not very comfortable. Legs were clearly tight, but I walked around a lot the next day, and teaching 2 days later means you get to bend down and stretch out and chase kids around a lot and I honestly feel awesome! Ready for another one 

As this was the hardest thing that I have ever done and probably the 5th best event of my life (following wedding day, child births, and my qualifying day 6 weeks ago in Louisville)…this particular race report may be particularly long…. so please don’t feel like you have to read the whole thing. Some of the details may be geared more towards my triathlon geek friends out there. I apologize in advance for the type-o’s and grammatical errors. I hate to proofread. I am also doing this at 4:00 in the morning after 5 hours of sleep because I kept waking up with a smile on my face and filled with emotion.

First off – a huge thanks to my lovely wife and kids who sacrificed themselves over the last 10 months of training in order to achieve my lifelong dream. I love them with all of my heart and couldn’t have achieved this without them. They are also happy that it is over and happy that my ironman career is officially over….or at least put on hold until the kids are in my college…or if my kids want to give ironman a shot ….hopefully my next can be with either Alex or Ashley…or possibly both.

I also want to thank my coach, Matt Smith. Your coaching, consultation, nutrition training, and friendship got me to this race and to the finish line. It was awesome to see you out on the course Matt and watch you kick some serious butt….despite your own knee problems. I am forever grateful. The ironman is 40% training, 40% mental, and 20% nutrition. If any of you triathletes want my nutrition plan…just send me a note and I’ll send you it to you. It worked perfectly for me in both my races this year.

The Hype: The lead up to the race was awesome. Right off the bat hung out with Andy Potts on the rental car shuttle and while waiting for our cars. What a nice guy. He is the #1 U.S. triathlete and was the #1 U.S. pro triathlete yesterday…and was 1st out of the water as usual. Also saw him after the race, and he was excited about his 7th place finish. It was a drag race for 2nd as 2nd – 7th place were really racing at the end for the prize money. Also saw Macca and Miranda Carefree (2 more huge names in ironman) leading up to the race. Very Cool. Also my family hung out with Craig Alexander and his family after he finished. Alex got “Crowie’s autograph.” He is considered the #1 triathlete in the world.

Pre- race. What a great feeling walking down the magical check in carpet with hundreds of camera man taking pictures of your gear (not really you)…documenting everything from type of running shoes, bike shoes, pedals, bike manufacturers, helmet manufacture…you name it. They use these stats in their advertisements…200 Felt bicycles raced in the Kona, etc.

Race Day – Slept 6 hours…which is 6 hours more than I have slept leading up to any other ironman races. Knowing that I had a knee injury, I was at piece with just hopefully being able to race and resigned to the fact that I had no idea how the knee would feel during the race. Totally at piece with just qualifying and for the opportunity to compete. No expectations whatsoever.

The Swim/ Meat Grinder – entered the water with 10 minutes before race start, hung on to a buoy for 5 minutes then swam as far left as I could without getting caught up in the waves. I thought I was as far left as it gets but it turns out other folks were even further out. Since these are all the fast folks, everyone in the swims faster or about the same pace as me…It was full contact swimming for the entire hour, 10 minutes. Got kicked in the head probably 20 times, almost swam over once…felt bad for that guy’s face….got pulled, grabbed, yanked…you name it. As soon as you get in a rhythm, someone would swim right into you or straight across your line….tried to stay as far to the left as possible but apparently I wasn’t the only one trying to escape the chaos…as the same thing happened out wide. The paddle boarders really keep you in a pretty tight area. An hour swim is just so long and I was ready for it to be over right from the start. At the finish, my swimming to the left strategy really turned out to be a bad idea….as the exit was a left hand ramp up and everyone swam left early and pushed us left siders into the dock…serious physical contact at this point as we were all just trying to get to the exit as fast as we could. Reminded me of the old Rugby scrum from high school. Finished in a respectable 1:12 which was ok since I think that everyone was slower due to the full contact

T1- 1st transition was super slow for me as I had to find a place to sit with the other 500 guys who swam the same pace…had to put on all my gear and then find a sunscreen dude in order to avoid my normal ironman burn. Super slow 6:04 transition.

The Bike – starts out with a short but steep climb. I stood up and immediately experienced sharp knee pain. It was at this moment that I knew that this race was going to be extremely hard to complete given that I had another 137 miles to go and already had knee pain…and this wasn’t even taking into account the super tough weather conditions and challenging bike course that I was about to face. I always pace myself according to power since I know how long I can sustain a particular power output over the course of 112 miles. For this race, I had planned on between 210 and 220 watts. However, after the knee pain I figured I would try and sustain 200 watts. This was ambitious as after the first hour I lowered my level to 190, then hour 3 to 180, hour 4 to 170, hour 5 160, and the last hour at 150…pretty much standing still for me. To put it in perspective, at Ironman Louisville I sustained 219 watts for the bike and averaged just shy of 22 mph and yesterday I averaged 177 watts and 18.8 mph.

The pain was excruciating, as it felt like someone was scraping the inside of my knee with a knife. I couldn’t stand up on my bike pedals at all during this 6 hours of pain…it hurt that bad. It was hot and super windy so you almost come to a halt on some of the hills…so not standing up for me was really hard. Also, not standing up at all to adjust position and stretch out everything left me with some unfortunate saddle sores in several uncomfortable areas. I was just happy to complete the bike. I repeated the following over and over in my head to get through this. “I worked my butt to qualify and get to this race…this may be my only shot….I sure as hell am going to complete this race!!! Probably used a few more expletives. I also was extremely motivated by seeing the handcyle physically challenged folks. I figured they don’t even have knees so who am I felling sorry for myself. Even without the knee issues, this is probably the hardest bike course that I have ever done. Even the pros and top bikers didn’t achieve great times. So so windy, hot, and hilly in the worst places…total mental grind. Finished in 5:58

My saving grace came at the bike special needs. I put 2 super strength Aleve in my bike special needs bag…which I picked up at the halfway point on the bike at the top of the mountain. Put these down right away and hoped that I would get some relief. Did start feeling better with about 45 minutes so I was able to catch up to a few of the folks that were passing me all day. Sorry Dr. Hewitt, I went against Dr’s orders as I was desperate at this point to finish.

Off the bike running into T2 was extremely painful. I sat for a while in transition and once again considered quitting. Came out in 4:11 and ran over to Jessica who was right there. I explained my situation and urged her to take the shuttle home with the kids…because it was highly unlikely that I would be able to run this marathon…but that I wanted to finish and could walk the whole thing in 10 hours or less. She said she wasn’t going to go and we agreed that we would talk when I pass her again in 10 miles. I told her that if it takes more than 1.5 hours for this that we’ll revisit this plan and try and work out an early departure. I didn’t want her and the kids to suffer through another 10 hours of hanging around if I was going to walk/crawl to the finish.

The Run – Way better than expected. The knee hurt but not nearly as bad as on the bike. Perhaps it was the Aleve or perhaps the 6000 times my plica rubbed against the outside of my knee either carved out some of the plica, or my nerves down there got tired of screaming at me. Ran 7:30 – 8:15 minute miles through the first 10 miles…stopped at every aid station for ice, sponges, cola…kept my core temperature cool the entire race which is one of my personal keys to racing. I know the tracker showed 6:00 min. miles but they must have screwed up their math because I have never run a 6:00 min mile…especially not in a marathon. Saw Jessica at around mile 10, waved, and then started up the crazy 20% grade hill to the famous Queen K highway. Walked the hill because I needed to get my heart rate down. It was way too high for the first 10 miles…probably due to the knee pain but perhaps also relating to the fact that overall my muscles felt extremely fresh since I didn’t expend nearly the energy that I had planned on the bike. I had tons in the tank. Got it down and felt great for the next few miles then the knee pain came back with a vengeance at mile 15. Took 2 more Aleve (which I thankfully put in my run transition bag) and headed to the energy lab. What a magical place. It was awesome to be at the place I watched so many folks on T.V. endure. It is hot, desolate, and seriously challenging. I loved it. I was catching folks left and right. The black pavement combined with the molten lava on both sides can bring the temperatures up to 118’ F. I have no idea how it was yesterday but it certainly didn’t feel that bad…but the ice in the shirt, shorts at every aid station again keeps my core temp manageable. The climb out of there is world famous and totally cruel as this is the ultimate marathon running wall at miles 18-20. Caught up with a friend and ran with her, which I think helped us both get back out of the Energy Lab and back onto the Queen K. It is mostly downhill back to the finish for the last 6 miles. I felt good and picked up the pace. Got to Alii drive and it was just as magical as everyone says. Thousands of people line the streets…just like a mountain top finish at the Tour de France. It was so loud and the crowd literally propels you that last ½ mile to the finish. Lots of high fives and saw some friends right at the end. Totally awesome.

Finished the marathon in 3:42.

Overall time was 11:06….not a PR as I was hoping for but certainly happy to be lucky enough to finish. Now I need to figure out what to do about the grapefruit on the inside of my knee. Will probably have surgery in the coming months once the swelling subsides.

Finished 169th in my age group out of 260…not what I was aiming for but this was the best of the best so 169th in the world makes me feel pretty good for 40-44 year olds.

And 976th overall out of around 2000.

I look forward to sitting at the pool and beach over the next few days… and hearing the stories from other competitors. The beauty of the ironman is that everyone has their own unique personal battles that day since it is such a long race…it is so so awesome to hear how they overcame their personal challenges to become an official ironman.

The ironman is a magical experience and I recommend that everyone experience this once in your life. It will change your life forever.

Thanks for readying this ridiculously long essay.

Eric Gutknecht
Ironman World Championship finisher 2012

On October 13th, Matt Smith, Temple Hayles, Eric Gutknecht, Katy Blakemore and Dr. Laurel Wright who all train with Mile High MultiSport will be competing in the 2012 Ironman World Championship. Gaining entry to the Ironman World Championships is one of the most coveted spots in all of athletics. Qualifying for this event gives you bragging rights for the rest of your life as truly being one of the elite in the sport of triathlon.

While they’ve all trained hard for this event, everyone who has ever done a triathlon of any length knows that there will be someplace during the race when the going gets tough. It’s why triathlons are such a great challenge!

Three questions:
What can we do to support these fellow athletes when they find the going gets tough during their Ironman? While it may sound corny, let’s all be thinking of them and sending Matt, Temple, Eric, Kathy and Laurel energy and best wishes for a safe and fast race throughout the day on October 13th. If you know one of them personally, all the better! Send them a quick email or text. Let them know you’re thinking of them and sending them energy.

What can they do to support themselves when it gets tough? 1) Make a list of all the people who have helped you train and prepare for your Ironman. Mentally thank them for the help they’ve provided. By doing this, you’re further committing to completing a contract you’ve verbally and through your actions made with all your supporters. 2) Carry something with you, or write something on your hand that reminds you every so often during your race of all the hard work you’ve done and all the support you’ve received as you’ve trained for your Ironman. It will remind you at a crucial time of all the support that’s behind you. 3) When you see and hear people cheering, understand that they’re cheering you on, and that they’re representing all the people back home who are cheering you on. Acknowledge the cheering, drink it in and use the energy to keep going and to celebrate the dream you’re living. Let their cheering remind you of the triumph and celebration of the race, and lift you out of the drudgery and suffering of it.

What can each of us learn that will help us in our coming triathlons? See question 2 and use these strategies not just when you’re doing your triathlon, but also while you’re training for it this fall, winter and next spring.

Best wishes to Matt, Temple, Eric, Kathy and Laurel. Travel safely and race well. We’ll all be thinking of you through the day and evening this coming Saturday.

Tim Engels, M.A., sports psychology consultant with Mile High Multisport LLC, is a sports psychology consultant and counselor in Denver, CO.  You can contact him at (303) 956-5691 or tim@timspractice.com and find him at www.timspractice.com.

Can I share two remarkable stories with you?

First, a story about professional golfer, Ernie Els.  Ernie is a professional golfer in his early 40’s, an age that many people believe to be a time of declining skill.  His last major tournament win was in 2002 before he and wife, Leizl had their two children and Ernie suffered a significant knee injury.  In 2010 he decided to rededicate himself to golf.  For most of the time since, he’s seen his game gradually come back, but he’s been frustrated to regularly see a part of his game break down when close to victory.  He missed a 4 foot putt to lose a tournament earlier in the 2012 season that would have gotten him in the Master’s Tournament.  During these two years, with doubters speaking up loudly and regularly, he maintained his belief, commitment and hard work.  You could tell how hard it was to do when you’d listen to him answer questions in interviews about his lack of success.

Now, after shooting a 68, 5 strokes better than any of his close competitors, he’s again the “Champion Golf in the World” after winning the 2012 British Open, birdieing the final hole and winning by a stroke.  The takeaway.  You never know when your belief, commitment and hard work will pay off.  Ernie Els continued to train hard and believe he could achieve his goals in the absence of evidence.  So can you.

Roger Federer was the best player in tennis for a six year run, from 2003 through 2008.  He won 16 Grand Slams, and was arguably the best player in history.  But starting in 2009, Rafael Nadal and then Novak Djokovik started beating him regularly, albeit in either the semi’s or finals of Grand Slam tournaments.  He turned 30, married and had twins.  People began to write him off, saying he was over the hill.  He on the other hand rededicated himself to his tennis, believing there were more Grand Slams in his future.  For two years he believed, stayed committed, and worked hard in the absence of evidence.  Now he’s the Wimbledon champion again, notched his 17^th Grand Slam victory, regained the #1 ranking, and is again being talked about as the greatest player ever.  Many people wonder how he suddenly turned his season around.  He didn’t.  He had the courage to persevere through the ups and downs of three seasons, and it finally paid off.

The 2012 Summer Olympics provides us with a host of similar stories inspiring stories

What would you like to accomplish, not just this season, but over a longer time frame?  Are you willing to pursue your goals with belief, commitment, hard work and courage – qualities we all have available to us?

Tim Engels, M.A., sports psychology consultant with Mile High Multisport LLC, is a sports psychology consultant and counselor in Denver, CO.  You can contact him at (303) 956-5691 or tim@timspractice.com and find him at www.timspractice.com.

Steroids are released into your bloodstream.  Testosterone levels are climbing (yes, in both men and women).  Adrenaline and cortisol surge into your brain, stimulating the release of dopamine and giving you a rush.

Your pupils are dilated, you’re breathing is deep and rhythmic, your muscles are coiled, your brain and body are fused for impending action.

This is all great if you’re preparing to sprint (flee) or fight.  Maybe not so much for the aerobic, steady state exercise of a triathlon!  It’s too inefficient – you’re burning calories you’ll need later on, and you’re in a hyped up state that will make it difficult to go out at your pace; instead creating an oxygen debt you’ll have to repay later on by going slower than you’d like.

It’s very important to practice the start and transitions of a triathlon under pressure.  It’s important to practice handling yourself in the melee of a swim start, staying calm when your shoes won’t slip on easily in the swim-bike transition, managing your initial running pace so you don’t fall flat on your face in the bike-run transition.  (Side story: I was so freaked out by the chaos of the swim start in my first open water triathlon that I waited until everyone was in the water before starting out.  It was pretty cool to then see how many people I could pass, but it cost me a lot of time to be the last one starting.  Not a great strategy.)

So…practice being in mass swim starts at Grant Ranch lake.  Practice doing a micro triathlon where you set a time goal that’s very dependent on efficient transitions.  (Try swimming 100 yards, biking two miles, and running ½ mile with a time goal.)  Race a few of your triathlon training buddies using this format, creating time handicaps, so you will all be in the physiological state describe at the beginning of this article.  You’ll be creating the conditions you want to learn to manage and getting to practice it.  It’ll pay off in the racing season.

Tim Engels, M.A., sports psychology consultant with Mile High Multisport LLC, is a sports psychology consultant and counselor in Denver, CO.  You can contact him at (303) 956-5691 or tim@timspractice.com and find him at http://www.timspractice.com/.

1. Write down their fears, doubts and anxious thoughts.  Just doing this helps to get them out of the body where they create tension and distractibility.  Here are some examples:
• I’m scared about the mass swim start.
• I feel like I’m going to throw up.
• I don’t think I can beat ______.
• My shoulder (or some other body part) is hurting.
2. Identify a positive goal statement, i.e.:
• I’m going to swim to win.
• I’m excited.
• I can achieve my goal.
• I’m going to do my race tomorrow.
3. Now create sentences starting in “Even though,” and ending with the positive goal statement.  Repeat the statements until you find yourself no longer getting stuck on the negative image, and able to focus on the positive part of the statement, seeing yourself being that way in the upcoming competition.
• Even though I’m scared about the mass swim start, I’m going to swim to win.
• Even though I feel like I’m going to throw up, I’m excited.
• Even though I don’t think I can beat _____, I can achieve my goal.
• Even though my shoulder (or some other body part) is hurting, I’m going to do my race tomorrow.

Try these statements out yourself and notice how you process them.  Notice how the negative thoughts  in 1. wind up feeling like facts and we get stuck on them.  When you place “even though” in front of them, they become more transitory, and it’s much easier to release them and then focus on what we want to do, becoming goal focused.  If you’re going to be racing with friends, or in a team event, do this exercise together – having each of you express your particular vulnerability and commitment will help all of you.

Tim Engels, M.A., sports psychology consultant with Mile High Multisport LLC, is a sports psychology consultant and counselor in Denver, CO.  You can contact him at (303) 956-5691 or tim@timspractice.com and find him at http://www.timspractice.com/.

Sports psychology is about taking charge of your thoughts so you can take appropriate action.  Notice what happens to your thoughts and feelings when you think to yourself, “I’m going to go to open water swim practice this morning, but I really don’t want to.”  Notice how the statement affects your mood and motivation.

Now try this: “Even though I really don’t want to, I’m going to go to open water practice swim practice this morning.”  Notice how this form of the statement affects your mood and motivation differently.

Using the words “even though” and changing the sequence of the phrases so you finish with a focus on what action you’re going to take makes a tremendous difference in how the statement affects you.

Here’s a final weeks’ mental toughness preparation tip.

1. Make note of the doubts, worries, fears, etc. that are coming up in your thoughts.
2. Turn them into “Even though …, I’m …” statements.  See some examples below.
   1. Even though I’m afraid I’m not going to finish the swim in time, I’m going to trust my coach and continue my training.
   2. Even though I’m worried that this nagging injury will stop me, I’m going continue my training and plan to race.
   3. Even though I don’t feel like getting up tomorrow morning, I’m going to get up and go for my run.
   4. Repeat these statements to yourself several times until you feel a shift in focus from the doubt, worry or fear to a focus on the action that will support your training and success in your race.
   5. Notice when you create internal statements (or find yourself saying it out loud) that give negative instructions, practice this rephrasing technique, and in a short time you’ll find yourself naturally correcting your thinking and taking charge of your focus and motivation.

Tim Engels, M.A., sports psychology consultant with Mile High Multisport LLC, is a sports psychology consultant and counselor in Denver, CO.  You can contact him at (303) 956-5691 or tim@timspractice.com and find him at www.timspractice.com.

I just completed my 29th straight year of racing triathlons and although I’m not big into writing these reports, I thought I would share a few thoughts so others may benefit from my experiences. I only raced three times this year and with my season lasting until the first week of November it seemed like a long year.
Why only three times? Because that is what we (My coach/husband) and I decided would be best. Lesson #1: Choose your schedule wisely and commit to the schedule you have chosen. Don’t deviate or add things mid season in an attempt to satisfy some itch you may have. When your mind is clear, pick your schedule and stick to it.
Having raced Kona in 2010 and with key races in September and November in 2011, we wanted to be prepared for a long season. The threat of late season burn out loomed if we started the difficult training too early. This meant starting out a little slower than we normally do and then increasing duration and intensity when others were ending their season.

Kansas 70.3
I raced Kansas 70.3 in June with a goal of qualifying for the 70.3 World Championships. There was only one slot in my age group so I knew I needed to win in order to qualify. I ended up winning my age group by 26 minutes. Lesson #2: Don’t be afraid to shoot for the top and let it all go on race day. If you fail, at least you know you gave it everything you had on race day. The time to give everything you have is during the race. All the talking pre and post race never made anyone any faster.

70.3 World Championships

My next race wasn’t until 11 weeks later in Vegas at the 70.3 World Championships. I ended up 4th and on the podium but was slightly disappointed with the outcome as I was in 2nd going into the last lap. Given the prep time I had for this race I was a little disappointed that I lost muscular endurance at the end of the run. Lesson #3: Some times, outcomes don’t happen as planned. Don’t dwell on the poor performances but put a plan in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

ITU Long Course World Championships

I ended my season with the ITU Long Course World Championships on the same course in Vegas. This is an odd distance race with a 2.5 mile swim, a very hilly 75 mile bike and an 18.6 mile run. To prepare for the bike, I spent my long rides trying to hang on to the wheel of America’s only Olympic Triathlon medalist Susan Williams. To put it short and sweet she kicked my ass. In fact on one ride I had to get off my bike and walk up a climb which I have never done before. Lesson #4: Don’t be afraid to ride with people who are better than you and get your butt handed to you. It will make you stronger in the end. Too many triathletes operate in their comfort zone.

The swim portion of the race was cancelled on race morning. This through me for a big loop as one of my strategies was to take the swim out strong to gain a lead on my number one rival Ellen Hart. Ellen is a superior runner than most triathletes, regardless of age or gender (3:24 marathon in Kona at age 52!!) and has become a very strong cyclist. I figured if I could put time on her in the water then perhaps she would have to chase me down on the run. Regardless, the swim was cancelled. My initial thought was to not do the race. Pete had me sit in the lobby of the hotel while he went to the race site and figured out the logistics of the day. He came back to the hotel about 20 minutes later, pulled me aside and reminded me that I had never had a race cancelled or altered in my 29 years of racing. “Wrap your head around this and start thinking of your new race strategy”. Lesson #5: Things don’t always go as planned. Don’t be an emotional athlete. Learn to roll with the flow and alter race strategies. Everyone has to deal with the same conditions and circumstances. So many athletes wasted mental energy complaining about the lack of the swim when they should have focused on what lies in front of them.

I had a very strong bike and was thankful to have chased Susan around for a month on the bike. Ellen and I pulled into transition together and I knew I was racing for second unless she had a monumental failure on the run. Lesson#6: Always race like you are going for the win in a situation like this. You want to be ready to move into the lead should something falter in front of you.

I knew I had an 11 minute lead on third place but continued to race strong. My longest run had been 16 miles. I did no brick workouts this year other than my two races. The run course was hilly, I didn’t feel strong on the run on the same course 2 months earlier so the only question which remained was could I hold onto second place. Ellen was not faltering and was pulling away from me with each lap. I held strong for all four laps and gained my third World Championship Podium finish in 13 months.

Thank You

Obviously I didn’t get here by myself so some thanks are in order.

Thank you to my sponsors, Runners Roost of Lone Tree for the Newtons. Whole Health Center of Highlands Ranch. I think the entire staff worked on me throughout the year but special thanks to Stephanie Shober, Acupuncturist, Mary Contraes, Massage Therapist and Kayla Bennett, ART Dr. Also to Keegan Bowers from Integrative Health for frequent massages and insisting I try barefoot massage! Thank you Pete for pointing out Kegan had his hands on me more than he did this summer!! A big thanks to Todd Carver from Retul who set me up perfect on my bike. Thank you, Michel Herskovitz from Performance Acupuncture and Lifestyle Medicine for improving my nutrition. In February of this year Michel changed my diet to a Natural Hygiene/Plant Based Diet plan. The result was a loss of 15 lbs while increasing my energy and power. Lesson #7: Don’t be afraid to continue to look for areas which you can make gains. After taking 3rd in Kona in 2010 I knew there were areas in my nutrition I could tweak but I was afraid of losing power. After having my second fastest half ironman race in Kansas I put all worries to bed.

To my family, friends and the Triathlon Community, thank you for your continued support. I’m always overwhelmed and humbled by the support I receive. I actually had someone call me a legend this year and a Japanese athlete approach me at an awards ceremony and told me she was impressed with my bike and run. My family won’t stop reminding me of the legend comment.

Special thanks to my husband and coach Pete. Sometimes I think that people believe he says he coaches me but that I self coach. He does write my plan and we discuss what is best for me given my race schedule. However, it is the little things he recognizes and fixes, like getting my head wrapped around this race or I may not have raced this past weekend. His insight and direction are a key part of my success. Although I felt I wasn’t adequately prepared for the run, he kept telling me I would be fine and he was correct. I ran my fastest splits at a long distance event ever. Thank you for your support and believing in me, I couldn’t do it without you.

In conclusion, it was another great year. Three podium finishes with two at World Championship events was a dream come true. I have no idea what next year holds. I haven’t signed up for anything. I look forward to working with my triathlon clients to help them achieve their multisport dreams as well as building the women’s triathlon group we are starting with TriBella Multisport in January of 2012.

I do know that my body needs a rest and I look forward to catching up on some tasks that were put aside. Lesson #8: When your season is over, rest and rejuvenate your batteries. I see so many people blow in and out of this sport because they don’t shut things down at the end of the year. If you rest properly, your body will be ready to make physiological gains when you start up again.

Sincerely,

Kathy

My last entry focused on the week leading up to race day. Now your race has come and gone and you find yourself asking, what next? Dealing with the aftermath of a big race can be difficult regardless of the results. Here is some advice to help you move forward.

It is inevitable to feel a big let down after a big race. You’ve spent months preparing yourself and now it’s done. Hopefully you achieved your goal, but even if you didn’t, the feelings you experience are similar. I liken it to post-par tum depression or the let down you feel after planning a wedding or a big family trip, etc. You have been focusing on that event for months and now it’s behind you. It’s easy to let that bring you down, but you don’t have to let that happen.

The first thing to do is simply relax and enjoy your accomplishment. Even if you had a terrible day, by arriving at the start line you have achieved a great deal. You need to keep things in perspective. It’s not the end of the world. Your family and friends still love you, and trust me, most of them are in complete awe of what you’ve just done. Take a minute to be disappointed, but then put it behind you and thank those who helped you get to where you are. I’m not saying to live in denial. A poor result can be a big motivator moving forward, but immediately after, you need to rest and relax. Let your body and your mind recover and then you can address the things that went wrong and set some new goals.

It’s even more likely to experience a let down if you have a good day. You did it. You worked hard and you achieved your goal, but now what? It’s easy to get caught up in a viscous cycle of faster times and bigger events until you can’t even enjoy the event you just finished. Don’t let that happen. Take that same amount of time afterward and enjoy it. Decompress a little. Enjoy some bad food and rest your body. Thank those friends and family too, and don’t get too caught up in how great you are now that you achieved your goal. Your friends admire you but there is always someone faster so don’t become a bore. Just like you can use a poor result to motivate you, you can do the same with a good result. By all means, use a good day to catapult you to a higher level, but enjoy the race you just finished and, more importantly, be proud of the hard work that got you there.

In the end, training for a big race is not much different than any other big goal. It takes hard work and planning and the big day arrives and seems to pass too quickly. On race day, take some time and look around. Appreciate what a spectacle it is. Get caught up in the excitement and realize that yes, you are part of what makes this a big event. Be grateful for your big day regardless of your results, take time to remember what got you there, and thank those that helped you. Reflection is wonderful. Don’t get caught up in the good or bad. Be content. Accept yourself and your results and move on. If you do this, you’ll be ready for a new challenge quickly.

Happy Training,

Coach Mike