Time for Ralph's
[update: March 16, 2006]
Taper. During the days of high volume training I often long for the day when this word can release me from the stress of day to day toil. However I find that the week of taper before a race can be a lot more difficult mentally than any other time. I am so used to going hard without holding back that once I begin to rest many questions arise….am I doing too much? too little? am I turning into a blown up slug? Often times the days before a race I can feel completely sloth-like and awful. That day was today….I was out on a fartlek run and the whole time I kept thinking about the bug the slug, how it inspired words such as "sluggish" and "slugbug" I am confident this feeling will pass, I came home from my run and stared at my training log, to assure myself that my body was undeserving of the harsh criticism my mind was giving it! I was assured by the many hours I have put in up until this time….my body is just trying to heal itself right now. I had acupuncture today…my friend Karen is an amazing therapist, she sends me to my "happy place" with a needle in the middle of the forehead. During our sessions we have some cathartic talks….life, love and the pursuit of happiness being the main topics. Something about having all those needles stuck in those crucial places, draws deep thought.
I have been reading quite a bit this week, I finished Nick Hornby’s "How to be Good", a fast read that puts a humorous twist on the trials of married life.This is one of Paul’s books who is on vacation this week….in Hawaii at that! Luckie duckie. My friend Cindy lent me a hilarious read and true account by Maria Dahvana Headley, " The Year of Yes" in which a single New Yorker makes a pact with herself to say yes to every guy who asks her out…despite characteristics that would have previously repulsed her. So clever!
Tomorrow I will be making my trip to Oceanside, I can’t wait. My new Tri Dubai uniforms arrived earlier this week and they are looking so sharp. I am very proud to be wearing such a uniform and hope my performances this year can uphold the reputation that precedes it. Similar to last year the forecast is calling for rain and cold temperatures out at the race site. Last year I had on way too little clothing and was shivering dramatically the entire bike, praying for the uphills to get warm! I will make sure to be much better prepared this year with arm warmers and shoe covers. I prefer racing in tougher conditions but it is never pleasant to wake up to a cold rain on race day!
The first race of the year always feels a little different than all the others. It is special in that you have built up anticipation from an entire winter without racing and pure training, lower pressure in that you are a little unsure regarding what to expect. I am anxious to get out there and fly around that beautiful course on my Guru. My dad and agent Carri will be there to cheer, and several other friends from Austin who are racing will all be out there. I am looking forward to a day at the beach on Sunday, hopefully the weather is to clear up! My friend Lynne is training to swim the English Channel so we have planned a "recovery" swim in La Jolla Cove on Sunday…...she is so tough she does not weat a wetsuit, I, on the other hand would wear two if I could!
Leakey Death Camp
[update: March 08, 2006]
The flowers are blooming here in Austin and fragrant vapors surround the Town Lake Trail. Spring has arrived already and it is my favorite time of year! Last weekend a group of 30 or so headed to the town of Leakey out in the west hills of Texas for a training/camping weekend. I had been looking forward to this weekend for a long time and it was all that I had imagined it to be. I left Friday evening with my friends Cindy and John in a car loaded up with enough food and camping gear for two weeks as opposed to three days….we met up with two others Dan and stephan and had a nice little caravan going. Our car was decorated with three fancy Guru bicycles- just gorgeous.
Halfway through the drive we stopped for dinner at a German brew pub with a tasty high carb food menu. We would all be needing it for our big day of training beginning the next morning…..after dinner we drove another hour and a half to the Lost Maples campground. I used to do quite a bit of camping, in fact when I first started the sport I rarely stayed in hotels, instead I would travel with friends, my car and sleeping bag, stake out a nice piece of ground, often in unique places! and fall fast asleep. As you can imagine this often presented precarious circumstances such as unexpected rain storms, unbecoming, grouchy dogs and mosquitoes, etc…...although I no longer sleep outside before most of my races (with the exception of Wildflower) one of my favorite feelings is falling asleep under the stars. Soon after setting up tents in case of rain we did just that! The stars were plentiful and as I was falling asleep I saw several shooting by overhead….
Early the next morning we had coffee brewed on a camping stove and I tried to get in some good calories for I was planning a 130 mile loop, full of hills and headwinds- yow! with a run afterwards. I knew I was going to have to take precautions to avoid a "bonk". My jersey was loaded up high calorie snacks, mainly Fig Newmans and plenty of Nuun Active Hydration tablets. We all gathered around in a group to take some send off pictures…..a slight drizzle began and I began wondering if this was going to be more of a mental challenge than a physical one.
The ride begins with the hardest and steepest climbs packed into the first 40 miles. Being one of the few girls on the ride it was amazing to see the testosterone show its colors on that first climb. Wow! It was as if the hormone had its own vapor in the air! Into the mist we climbed up roads carved through the limestone rock. I was having trouble staying seated and to feel the burn in my quads on that first climb was enough to make me doubt the 130 loop. Soon enough though necessary body parts began to warm up and after an hour or so I was getting comfortable and feeling good. Our first stop was at an hour and I anxiously discarded some layers. The rain had stopped and the sun was peaking through….it always amazes me how some days you can go from feeling like a total mudburner to speedracer after a good warm up.
The ride continued through lovely open roads, with rolling hills so steep both up and down you could let the momentum carry you all the way to the top of the next one. At around 40 miles we began to see signs warning of us of road construction. I was following Dan on a descent when bam! all of a sudden the asphalt changed to dirt and gravel and I feared for Dan’s uprightness. Like an agile cat he balanced and slowed down just fine while I managed to break and hit the gravel at a slower speed. The road continued on in this condition for two miles, owww, the hands hurt! stephan had to stop for a flat and at this point most of the group decided to turn around and finish their 80 miler. stephan, a guy named Rob and myself continued on for the big 130 loop.
Overall the ride was absolutely incredible albeit challenging, we road hard and I must admit there were several times towards the end when the headwind was blowing that I wanted to both cry and quit….but that feeling always passes…..we were greeted back at camp by an ovation and I was so happy to put on my Asics running shoes. After 7 plus hours in the howling wind my buddy the Guru had now become my nemesis….stephan and I set out onto a trail that required stream hopping and even a little bit of uphill bouldering. We had some nice conversation and before I knew it we were back at camp. Not a bad day’s work I must say…I will be drawing strength from this day in my upcoming races….
The next morning we all got back on our bikes and made our way to the next town 20 miles away for the moist delicious breakfast in bike shorts I have ever had. The sun showed its face on the way home and arriving back at the campsite we observed a boy trying to desperately to fly his kite over and over as the wind picked up and died, picked up and died again.
We all need something to strive for…..........
Triathlon + Swimming Summer Camp
[update: February 27, 2006]
This summer I will be running a kids and teens triathlon camp here in Austin, TX on the beautiful grounds of St. Stephen’s private school. The camp will be either an overnight camp or a day camp running in three, 7 day session June 4th-June 24th. I have always wanted to start up a camp like this and am so excited to have the opportunity to introduce youths to the great sport of triathlon! We will have daily swim, bike and run sessions, guest speakers and informational seminars on nutrition and mental toughness. The camp will be a combination of fun, challenging workouts, technique and transition training, and new friends!
To register and to find out more information please click here.
You can also email me with any questions on the camp.
Thanks and I hope to see you or your children here in Austin this summer!
