Sarah's Adventures

Blog Postings

2011-03-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

I wanted to update everyone that all my new blogs will be posted on my website:
www.sarahhaskins.com under the news/blog section. Please visit the site to see what is new. Thank you,
Sarah

Interview: Travlete

2011-02-10T08:06:00.000-08:00

Follow link below to read recent article on the Travlete website

http://travlete.com/2011/02/08/pro-interview-sarah-haskins/

Two More Months of Winter?

2011-02-03T07:07:00.000-08:00

The first month of the year is over; however, I know many are yearning for spring instead of nearly two more months of winter! The cold months can make you feel stir crazy, yearning the warm sun and ability to wear shorts. For me, the winter months are tough as I am back into the full swing of training and building up my fitness for a full race season in the coming months.
Although this may seem as a tough time for many triathletes, runners, swimmers and other athletes preparing for an upcoming spring and summer race season, it can be rewarding each week to see the progress in fitness from week to week. I have had a tougher fitness hill to climb this year since I had a longer off-season “break” due to an injury at the end of 2010. At the end of each 3-6 hour training day…after day….my tired body is rejuvenated by the joy of my health and accomplishing the goals I have set for myself each day. In the back of my mind, I am focusing on the end goal, which is to qualify for the 2012 Olympics in London. It seems as if Beijing was not so far in the past and London was far off, but the reality is London will be here before I know it. Every day is a step towards that goal of getting to the start line in London 100% ready to go.
Every year, I always try to make improvements. Not just improvements in what others would feel the obvious would be in a triathlete; the swim, bike and run, but all the little additional improvements an athlete can do the other 18 hours a day. I have focused on additional steps of improving my goal of not only becoming the best triathlete of my capabilities, but also becoming the healthiest I can be in mind, body and spirit. I truly feel that if you are not working on the latter; mind, body and spirit you cannot reach your full potential in whatever your goals are for the future.
I began the year by writing my goals/mantras with marker and paper and put it on the kitchen cabinet. I feel it is very important to write your goals down, make them visible, and tell others (in this case my husband) about your goals. Following these steps will be much easier to stay on track towards accomplishing these goals. My cabinet reads,
1) Keep stress free
2) Breathe, breathe…calm
3) Healthy fuel
4) Stretch
5) Believe
6) Moments of Pain for a Lifetime of Glory

Steps I have made towards following through with the kitchen cabinet goals are really thinking about what I do every day. For example, goal #3, I think about what exactly I am putting in my mouth. I want to be able to power myself through workouts with the right and correct fuel, but I also want to keep my body healthy for years to come, including an effort to prevent cancer and other diseases. I have bought a Brita (keeping my water filtered and pure ), continue to take supplements; including a Mulit-vitamin from First Endurance and Omega-3 supplements, and eating as much natural and unprocessed foods as possible. I have made a conscious effort to avoid artificial sugar, for example, sweetening tea with Stevia instead of Splenda. When fueling before a workout, I turn to my easily accessible Pure Bars or something as simple as a banana. Taking these little steps in my diet every day, I feel will add up immensely in years to come. When you fuel your body with healthy fuel, you really feel so much better in your mind and spirit; your quality of life improves.
My coach/husband and I have also focused on what my muscular weakness are in my body. I spend 3xweek in the weight room focusing on not only strengthening the weaknesses, but improving balance and agility. Remember, you are only as strong as your biggest weakness! Focusing on this will improve my swimming, cycling, and running but will also help to keep my body injury free (which helps with the goal pertaining to stress free, although sometimes injuries and accidents do happen!) In addition to strength training, I have begun yoga (supporting goal #4). After several weeks of yoga, I have noticed huge improvements in my flexibility in the hips and hip flexors (what I intended for yoga), but I have also noticed increased core strength and improvement in full body strength, rejuvenation and breath control. The last part of class is used for a short meditation and relaxation, possibly thinking about your goals, or clearing your mind completely and letting go. Yoga is not just about improving the physical strength of the body, but yoga allows you to reach into your mind and spirit. I leave each yoga class feeling relaxed, calm and a stronger, confident woman on the outside as well as the inside.
Finally, when pushing your body each day it is so important to use your mind and really listen to your body and spirit. Elite athletes are constantly pushing, but can get into trouble when one pushes too far and the rubber band (body) breaks. It is much tougher to return back to the rubber band once it breaks verses stretching it out and pushing the boundaries. The tough question is how far can you stretch and expand your body without breaking? I feel this takes evaluation every day of listening to your body; how are you sleeping, how are your muscles responding, etc.? Knowing the physical and mental limits does take experience and practice and often needs the help of other therapists. I use massage, physical therapist and chiropractors, educational books, etc. to help keep my body in check, but the most powerful tool I have is my mind. I am the only one who can truly know how I feel, when to push and when to pull back.
Remember that any goal you are trying to tackle can be challenging on the mind, body and spirit. The process of reaching that goal is a journey that manifests more fulfillment, satisfaction and growth as the achievement of that goal. So, I encourage you to get out that pencil and paper and think about what you want to achieve!
Part of the goal process setting is realizing when to “let go” and give yourself a break. I have a recovery next week and know my mind, body and spirit is ready for it! Pure Bar is giving away a trip to Costa Rica on February 21st. This is a perfect way to relax and rejuvenate! (And to get a break from the cold, winter snow!) Go to www.thepurebar.com for more information on how to register. In addition, free Pure Bars can be won each week! Good luck!!

2010 Coming to a Close....

2010-12-30T14:07:00.000-08:00

2010 is officially coming to a close and we are about to enter a new decade. Time sure does fly by; however; this is the time of year I like to reflect on the past 365 days. In 2010, I have accomplished goals in my triathlon profession and as well as personal goals. I feel the most growth we learn from year to year, are the little day to day occurrences in life where learn the most from ourselves. The highs and lows of everyday life are the glue that truly gives us perspective of whom we are and who we strive to become.
The year started off with a tough block of training, including a training camp in Tuscon, Arizona. I traveled and raced more frequently than ever the first part of the year, and it paid off with successful racing, including five wins in 2010. Unfortunately, I also struggled with an injury the second half of the year, which is much, more difficult than training hard, racing and traveling around the world. Although I am proud of my racing accomplishments, I had more internal growth learning from my injury, sticking to finding a solution to fix the problem, and spending many dedicated hours getting better. There really is no better feeling than heading out of a run without pain and enjoying freedom of movement, sun on your face (or snow!) and listening to the rhythm of your body.
Triathlon racing and training aside, other highlights of the year were getting to spend time with family in Minnesota and Missouri, especially during the off-season. As a professional triathlete, I am busy during January through October, and really love to give back to my supportive family and enjoy time with them during the off-season. I have also gotten my family involved in racing this year; as I coached my dad to his first half marathon and triathlon, mother in her first triathlon, and brother in 5k’s and 10k’s. It is great to be able to help them discover the journey of goal setting, accomplishment and most importantly living a healthy and fit a lifestyle.
Reflecting over the past year, I often think how lucky I am to be able to swim, bike and run as a career, but also be able to speak to children and adults about keeping your body healthy. I spoke with several kid’s tri clubs this year and it is great to see the sport growing amongst the youngsters! I am blessed for my family’s and I health and understand that there are so many families around the world who can’t say the same. It is also astounding for me to realize how much support and help I have from those around me to help me reach my goals. Every year, it seems more and more people I have to thank in supporting me in reaching my triathlon dreams. It is very true that behind every Olympic athlete, there is a team of coaches, nutritionists, chiropractors, physical therapists, massage therapists, medical doctors, facilities, chefs, sponsors, team mates, friends, family, husbands and fans! Every person plays a vital role in each Olympic athlete and I am so grateful to have an immense amount of support. Thank you to everyone who has helped me every step of the way this year!
I encourage all to take a moment and reflect on 2010, being 100% open and honest. I am excited for what is to come and to learn from all the “little” moments day to day….

Holiday Health

2010-12-04T14:07:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year again, holiday season! As a triathlete, holiday season also means, “off-season”. Since I am not spending as much time training and not racing, I have more time to relax and spend time with friends and family. Christmas is one of my favorite holidays of the year. When I was younger; the anticipation of receiving gifts I most looked forward to, but now I have the most joy in giving gifts. I especially like to spoil my nieces (as an Aunt, I am allowed!)
Often big family get-togethers equal lots of great food; from the Thanksgiving turkey to the Christmas eggnog. Many people are worried about gaining weight during the holiday season, but I feel one can still enjoy the holiday goodies without the jeans becoming too tight around the hips.

Eating healthy is a lifestyle and that does not change for me during the offseason (or holiday season). This does not meat skipping out on Thanksgiving pie or holiday fudge. It is all about moderation and portion control. Some guides I follow when heading to a family gathering or holiday party:
1) Never arrive to a party famished…this is a sure way to eat too much “holiday” food which may be calorie dense food; high in fat and sugar. If you have a busy day of shopping or work before the party, be prepared to fuel your body correctly throughout the day. I always pack Pure Bars when I am on the go. The bars provide me with combination or protein/carbs/fat that will keep my blood sugar in check.
2) If you are not sure there if there will be a healthy option at the party, bring one! I always like to bring a healthy salad or veggies; knowing that I can fill up on healthy veggies in addition to a chocolate treat while at the party.
3) When it is time for a meal, most parties have a display of yummy food. Sometimes my eyes are larger than my stomach, so when dishing myself a plate I think about portion control and moderation. Those yummy sweet potatoes with brown sugar are not off my plate, but I am sure to not overflow my plate with them. With small portions, I get to taste many delicious options, but I don’t feel stuffed to the brim after eating my meal.
4) Eat slowly….it takes 20 min for your brain to recognize that your stomach is full. If you eat too much too fast, it is not a fun feeling. Relax and socialize with friends and family while enjoying your food. Plus, the food tastes so much better when you slow down and enjoy each bite.
5) When it comes to dessert, keep in mind that some desserts are more nutritious than others. For example, that pumpkin pie is a bit easier on the waistline than pecan. Fruit is always a good option as well as dark chocolate. If you are aware of desserts that are more nutritious for you, it will be easier to make healthier options. Of course, the dark chocolate brownie with the works is okay every once in a while….again in moderation!
6) Finally, during the winter months, it is cold outside and many people choose to become less active than the warmer months. Find a winter sport you enjoy (like cross country skiing or snowshoeing). I still enjoy running outside in the winter, but the correct gear is a must! Make sure to be prepared and bundle in the correct kind of clothing. If you don’t like being out in the cold, join a gym. Most gyms have specials around the holiday season. When I am traveling to visit family in Minneapolis and Missouri, the Lifetime Fitness Clubs become a second home for me. Open 24 hours a day; I know I can always count on getting my workout in and refueling after with a café inside. Life café’s not just any café, this shop knows what your body needs after a workout and serves healthy food, including Pure Bars (my favorite!).

This holiday season enjoy the time with friends and family. Embrace the delicious holiday foods. Be empowered with the knowledge of a healthy and active lifestyle every day during the season and when January 2nd roles around you won’t have to worry about shopping for a larger jean size! Happy Holidays~~

Season Update

2010-10-05T07:04:00.001-07:00

Season Update

Unfortunately the 2010 season has to come to a premature end due to an injury in my calf muscle. This injury has been going on and off since I initially injured my left foot back in June. It has been a difficult time both mentally and physically. I have been repeating the process of taking a couple of weeks off and then getting back into racing as soon as possible. The injury was the reason I had to miss out on the run at the London ITU race and unfortunately, the injury has returned. Looking back, I realize that taking a break and then getting back into consecutive races four weeks later is not ideal for recovery back form injury.

As it turns out, I have a tear in my soleous muscle. The good news is this tear is slight and in the belly of the muscle, so healing is much quicker verses a tear in the tendon. Healing however, is top priority and racing in the last two races of the Toyota Series are not possible. I am focusing 100% on with the bigger goals of becoming stronger and healthier next year and focusing towards the 2012 Games.

The injury makes very clear sense to me, which helps me to understand what has happened and what to do to prevent this injury in the future. Not surprisingly, the injury has occurred on the same leg I had surgery on last year. Prior to the surgery, I did not have function of my big toe and push off motion (the muscle I tore has the responsibility of toe-off). The recovery time for the nerve healing is two years, and currently I am still in the window for healing. This particular muscle was much weaker compared to other areas of my leg and the stress of 10-15 races the past couple of years (per year) was just a bit too much to take.

The positive news is that with proper recovery and slowly easing back into training, my leg will have a full recovery and will be much stronger next year. The next two years I will really be focusing on the Olympic trials and qualifying for London in 2012. This means a bit less travel than this year to really focus on training and hitting key races at peak fitness. I am extremely disappointed that I am not able to defend my 2009 Toyota Cup Series Title, but I have to be proud of the two wins I earned in the Series; Minneapolis in July and Chicago in August.

Part of being a professional athlete is overcoming obstacles and becoming a stronger athlete in the future. Every year I learn a about my body’s, weaknesses and areas to improve in the coming years. This year my husband and I learned a lot about training progression and building more of an aerobic base early season to ward off those possible injuries later on, especially with my leg since I am still recovering from a nerve injury. The body is very strong and will continue to fight and fight until it breaks, and once it breaks, you have to give the body the rest and recovery it needs to heal. Unfortunately, this is tough to do in the middle of race season, but we have learned!

I can’t thank my sponsors enough for all the support this year in 2010. Over the past year, I have raced almost a dozen races, including five wins, and three top ten finishes in the World Championships Series races. Next year the plan may not be to get to the starting line as frequently, but each time I do toe the line I will be ready for a quality performance.

Travel Tips

2010-09-21T12:12:00.001-07:00

Go to Pure website to check out the blog at: http://thepurebar.com/blog/2010/09/21/pure-travel-tips-from-sarah/

Last weekend, I competed in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The bulk of the past five days have consisted of 24 hour travel days, which at times can be more of a challenge than racing. After six years of racing around the world as a professional triathlete, I have learned a few tricks for smart travel and how to minimize your travel stress. I would like to share with you what I have learned to help prepare you for your next trip across the country or perhaps across the world.
Five tips to favorable travel:

1) Arrange your flights so your layovers are not less than one hour. This will help ensure that you will make your connection due to any short delays from your previous flight (which frequently happens). It also gives you peace of mind not to stress out if your flight is running 15 minutes behind schedule. Of course, sometimes missing your flight is unavoidable due to weather, cancellations, etc., but try to take a proactive approach in your planning.

2) When flying across the Atlantic, try and book a flight that departs later in the evening or late afternoon and try to get a least a little shut eye on the flight. Once you arrive in Europe, stay up all day, even though you will be tired, but you will sleep great that night and be right on track. When traveling west, (Asia, etc.) leave early in the morning and stay up the entire flight until you reach your destination and go to bed at your normal bed time.

3) Flights with a duration of four hours or longer, I recommend wearing compression socks, and this goes for everyone of any age. Sitting for long periods of time on the plane creates poor circulation on your lower limbs and compression socks help to circulate the blood back to your heart. It is not fun trying to put on your shoes with swollen feet and hobbling off the plane once you land Find some at www.linsocks.com or at any Walgreens.

4) Make sure to get up and walk around every few hours to keep the blood moving around the body while in flight. Do a walk around the plane, stretch, keep your body loose.

5) Planes dehydrate your body while traveling. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. In addition, it is best to eat healthy, light meals. When traveling it can be a challenge to find healthy food options, so I often pack my own food and for the long hauls. I be sure not to forget my PURE bars! They are a perfect combination of carbs, protein and fat to keep my energized and feeling good. Airline food is usually not healthy and loaded with sodium, so be prepared and don’t forget your PURE bars.

Next time you have a long trip, follow these simple guidelines to get you to your destination feeling PURE, refreshed and ready for your trip! Enjoy!!

Travel Tips

2010-09-21T12:12:00.000-07:00

Go to Pure website to check out the blog at: http://thepurebar.com/blog/2010/09/21/pure-travel-tips-from-sarah/

Last weekend, I competed in the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The bulk of the past five days have consisted of 24 hour travel days, which at times can be more of a challenge than racing.

After six years of racing around the world as a professional triathlete, I have learned a few tricks for smart travel and how to minimize your travel stress. I would like to share with you what I have learned to help prepare you for your next trip across the country or perhaps across the world.

Five tips to favorable travel:

Arrange your flights so your layovers are not less than one hour. This will help ensure that you will make your connection due to any short delays from your previous flight (which frequently happens). It also gives you peace of mind not to stress out if your flight is running 15 minutes behind schedule. Of course, sometimes missing your flight is unavoidable due to weather, cancellations, etc., but try to take a proactive approach in your planning.

When flying across the Atlantic, try and book a flight that departs later in the evening or late afternoon and try to get a least a little shut eye on the flight. Once you arrive in Europe, stay up all day, even though you will be tired, but you will sleep great that night and be right on track. When traveling west, (Asia, etc.. leave early in the morning and stay up the entire flight until you reach your destination and go to bed at your normal bed time.

Flights with a duration of four hours or longer, I recommend wearing compression socks, and this goes for everyone of any age. Sitting for long periods of time on the plane creates poor circulation on your lower limbs and compression socks help to circulate the blood back to your heart. It is not fun trying to put on your shoes with swollen feet and hobbling off the plane once you land Find some at www.linsocks.com or at any Walgreens.

Make sure to get up and walk around every few hours to keep the blood moving around the body while in flight. Do a walk around the plane, stretch, keep your body loose.

Planes dehydrate your body while traveling. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids. In addition, it is best to eat healthy, light meals. When traveling it can be a challenge to find healthy food options, so I often pack my own food and for the long hauls. I be sure not to forget my Pure Bars! They are a perfect combination of carbs, protein and fat to keep my energized and feeling good. Airline food is usually not healthy and loaded with sodium, so be prepared and don’t forget your Pure Bars.

Next time you have a long trip, follow these simple guidelines to get you to your destination feeling PURE, refreshed and ready for your trip! Enjoy!!

World Championships Finale, Budapest, Hungary

2010-09-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

World Championships Finale, Budapest, Hungary

This past Sunday, I competed for the first time in eastern Europe in Budapest. All three days prior to my race were cold and rainy, but on race day for the women, the skies cleared and the temperatures warmed up to mid 70s. The race course had two different transitions, T1 and T2 located about 3.5 miles away from each other, which led to more of a challenge than usual on race morning. Fortunately, I had my teammates with me to bike through the streets of downtown Budapest, so I did not get lost finding both transition areas.

The swim was a wetsuit swim, with water temp in the low 60s. The Friday prior to the race, the water felt, much, much colder due to colder air and water temperature, but on race day the water felt comfortable with the warmer temperatures. I started off the swim in a great position, was in second position after the first 300 meters and at 500 meters took the lead and held the lead for the remainder of the swim. I wanted to push the swim to try and create some separation; however, I did not want to push over my limits so that I could exit the water with a quick run through the first transition and onto the bike.

A couple months out of ITU racing I realized can get me rusty with transitions. Unfortunately, I got a bit caught up in my wetsuit and lost a critical five or six seconds. Instead of riding with Helen 100meters in front of the group, I found myself working hard to catch up to Helen Jenkins so that we could start working together. The first section of the bike course was a straight 5k, which headed to the looped portion of the course. The bike course was very technical and challenging due to narrow turns, railroad crossings, and potholes. I have to admit I was a little timid due to all of the crashes in the races the day before (however, it was raining during those races). We were very lucky to have dry pavement and were able to have a fast ride. I felt the ride was very challenging because of all the turns, required repeated jumps out of the saddle with high end wattage. In fact, I had my highest 10 second wattage recording of all time. To be honest, most of my cycling training has been more time trial based focus and I have not prepared my legs for the repeated jumps. It is a tough call to know how to prepare for a race, especially not having raced prior on the course.
Most importantly, all the women stayed upright on our bikes and finished safe. With one lap remaining on the bike course, I made sure to get to the front of the group, however, with the last turn I let up just for a second and ended up exiting about mid-pack. Again, I noticed I was rusty putting on my shoes and I lost about 5 seconds in the second transition. It is tough to run out on the run course and see a long line of close to 30 women in front of you. In addition, ITU racing has a new rule about putting all equipment inside a box, and if not followed the athlete will serve a 15 second penalty, so I was also worried about putting all the equipment in the box…for the future I will need to practice with the box!!

Once out of the run, I struggled to find my rhythm, but I stayed focused to catch as many women up the road as possible. After lap 1, the pace settled a bit and I focused on my form and staying mentally in the game. Unfortunately, a couple women passed me within the last one kilometer, but I managed to finish inside the top 20 (20th). This final score left me in 14th position overall for my world ranking, which was short of my goal. However, I do have to consider that I was missing a score from my overall ranking since I was unable to run in London and only had four scores verses five. I was not quite prepared for the day, but as always, I can learn from my mistakes.

I finished up second on the swim rankings and finished just behind Laura Bennett and it was great to finish first/second for the Americans in the swim title.

I have still a bit of racing left this season, including my goal to defend my Toyota Cup title. I look forward to finishing the season strong and racing in the US.

Chicago

2010-09-01T17:42:00.001-07:00

Chicago Triathlon
This past Sunday, I competed in my second Chicago Triathlon event. The race was on the same course as last year; however, the race “feel” was a bit different. Last year we had a wetsuit swim in the 66 degree water, this year non-wetsuit swim in the 73 degree water (and did lake water feel refreshing!!). Last year I was warming up in long sleeves in the 65 degree air temp, this year I was not doing much warming up besides swimming, as the air temp reached 92 degrees! Over the years, I have learned to try and conserve as much as possible before the race on hot days and that means little warm-up on the bike and run. The crowd and race atmosphere was still the same and I loved having a large crowd there to cheer on the pros.
With tougher conditions expected, I truly feel preparations for the race begin right from the moment you wake. I made sure to hydrate and eat a hearty breakfast with the noon start time. I slept in until 8:15AM (nice!) and had a PURE bar to get my body going along with water. At 9:00 AM, I ate a peanut butter and banana bagel with 20 oz of EFS lemon flavor drink. Prior to the race, I drank another bottle of EFS drink and made sure to have my aero bottle and an additional First Endurance water bottle filled. During the bike ride, I drank both bottles and this helped me stay hydrated to the race finish. Before I left for the race, I made sure to wear my Bite Tech mouthpiece so I would not forget it in my transition bag before the start!
One of my favorite parts of the race is the swim in beautiful Lake Michigan. The swim is unique in that the competitors swim the length of the boat harbor and spectators can walk along the pier and follow us as we complete the 1500meter swim. The swim reminds me of my swimming days, because I can breathe to my left and see my family and husband cheering me on and actually hear people cheering while we are swimming! The swim was a deep water start and I wore my TYR Sayonara over my race suit. I was very pleased with my swim as I was able to swim with Sara McLarty and Hailey Peirsol for the first half of the swim and lost about 20 seconds to Hailey and 30 seconds to Sara by the end of the long swim. The challenge before even getting to our bikes however is an 800 meter run to get to our bikes! Last year I opted on not putting on shoes, but the year I made sure to spend the extra ten seconds to put shoes on before the run. The ten seconds I lost putting on shoes, I gained by running ten seconds faster and my feet were much happier the remainder of the race! I quickly got out of my shoes, stripped off my Sayonara, and put on my Rudy glasses and Wingspan TT Helmet.
The first part of the bike on my Fuji D-6 and Zipp Zed-Tech 808 Front and Sub-9 rear Disc was tough. I enjoyed having Sara McLarty out in front to work and try and catch up with her. Sara was riding very strong and I did not take over the lead until the half-way mark of the bike course. The bike was warm and windy (but I guess it is always windy in Chicago). The bike course is very straightforward and non-technical, so it is a grinder (glad I had my mouthpiece!) The first part is a false flat uphill and the second part is a false flat downhill section (two loops) and we had a head wind for the downhill section…so we did not have a break. My muscles were screaming at me most of the ride, but I wanted to ride strong today so I kept pushing on through.
Exiting the bike, my legs felt heavy. I quickly put on my Saucony Fastwitch flats and headed out of the 800meter transition area. I crossed the first mile marker and had a feeling the run was going to be a long, hot 10k. The first three miles was mostly a slight downhill, however, we had a headwind the entire way so it felt as if we were running uphill! I was very glad to cross that finish line and break the tape. So many factors can happen during a triathlon, you never know what obstacles are going to come your way. I was very happy and appreciative to walk away with a back to back win!

PURE

2010-08-05T15:48:00.001-07:00

I have recently partnered with PURE, a company that encourages a healthy and active lifestyle and helps keep us going throughout the day with healthy, organic bars. Pure bars not only taste delicious, but are made with 100% natural ingredients and contain a healthy proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fats that sustain you for a quick meal on the go or a healthy snack option. For me, Pure bars are essential when I am on the road or traveling on a twelve hour flight overseas. When you are fueling your body correctly you not only feel better, but as athletes we are able to perform at our potential!

It is exciting to be part of a company that shares the same values as me. I am very passionate about sharing with children and adults about being healthy and active in mind, body and spirit! The other day, I had the opportunity to speak to a youth triathlon club; ages 5-14 about my career as an elite triathlete. I shared with the children five tips for a successful triathlon season, but I truly feel that these tips can be helpful for anyone at any age in trying to accomplish a goal in any type of sport.

1) Don’t forget to fuel your body correctly! Without proper hydration and nutrition, your body will not be able to perform to it’s best abilities. Eating healthy will also keep your body healthy….it’s no fun being sick! PURE offers a perfect snack while outdoors. P.S. Don’t forget to hydrate---
2) Be a good sport! It is important whether you are running on a trail or playing soccer with your friends to cheer on your teammates or friends. If you are outside on a jog, encourage other joggers with a hello, a good job or a smile----these small little gestures can go a long way.
3) Be safe! If you are out biking for example, always wear your helmet. If you are going swimming in a lake, never swim alone. The outdoors is a great way to be healthy and active, but remember to plan accordingly.
4) Set goals! Success is not an accident. It takes hard work and planning. Be sure to write your goals down and to tell others about the goals you want to accomplish---goals next month, next year or ten years from now.
5) Have Fun! Spend time outdoors with family and friends or maybe some time alone.

I believe following these five tips can help you live life to the fullest. To find out more about PURE: please go to the website: www.thepurebar.com. Oh, and my favorite bar flavor….hard to pick just one because they are all so delicious, but I would have to say Chocolate Brownie (how can anything with the word chocolate not be delicious?). My husband’s favorite is the Cranberry Orange. Try them all and see which one is your favorite….

Update

2010-08-01T13:04:00.001-07:00

Update:
The past ten days have been very busy…it seems like I have been away from home for much, much longer, but it was only July 21st that we left Colorado Springs headed for London! Since London, I have been in St. Louis and Jacksonville, Florida visiting family and friends and attending a wedding in Florida. The start of the trip went very smoothly and I loved the fact that I had a direct flight from Denver straight to London. London was a great city, with a vast amount of historical as well as modern landmarks.
The triathlon took place in Hyde Park, which was a huge park right in the middle of the city. The swim course was a two loop swim in a calm, weed-ridden pond (of course you don’t notice the weeds too much while racing). The bike was a fairly technical eight lap loop course around the park and the run was a flat three loop course. I went into the race expecting of only compete in 2/3’s of the event. Ten days prior to the race, I strained a tendon/muscle in my calf and I wanted to give my leg a chance to fully heal and not damage my leg any further so that the later part of my season would be compromised. Nate and I still felt traveling to London and competing on the swim and bike would be important since this is the site of the Olympic venue and experience on the course is important for future preparations.
The swim was fast, but I was able to get to the buoy just behind Emma Moffett and Laura Bennett. I exited the swim in second position, just behind Laura. Once on the bike course, the plan was to do as much work on the bike possible to keep any groups behind separated and to help out the Americans in my group by allowing them to do less work on the bike. At the start of the bike, I rode on top of my pedals through the first turn and up a gradual descent. When I was ready to put my feet into my shoes, I lost some valuable time struggling to strap my feet in; however, our group was motivated to get moving and several women in the pack were really working hard to stay away from the chase pack. Our lead extended from 50 seconds up to two minutes from the middle to the end of the ride.
Once out on the run course, I ended my race there. Unfortunately, I was not able to finish contributing to my overall score in the rankings; however, I felt the smart move is to heal now and have a more successful end of the year.
While in London, I was able to get excellent treatment Alex Keith the chiropractor and Robby Dolby, massage therapist, so I am happy to report that I have been back to running for the past several days now!
Watching the men’s race the following day was extremely exciting and great to see such a wonderful crowd supporting triathlon. This is great news for what kind of support triathlon is likely to have for the Olympics and beyond!
Since the race, I have been enjoying a visit to St. Louis and Jacksonville. In St. Louis, Nate and I went to Six Flags with my family….it has been years since I have been on roller coasters! We also helped my Dad get fitted on his bike with clip-less pedals. He was on a pair of my old Sampson pedals and really picked up the new shoes quickly! He rode 17 miles with me and was able to keep up with a smile on his face the entire way…minus one small set back---climbing the hill back up to my parents house he snapped the chain! Nate and I mentioned that he was producing so much power and his pedal stroke that he broke the chain. As a result, he went down on his elbow. Fortunately, he walked away without any injuries, but this was his first official, “crash”.
This past weekend, we had our last leg of the trip to Florida where we attended Andre Lapar and Kathy Hunken’s wedding. We had a blast at the wedding and got a chance to see friends, dance, and enjoy some wedding cake! It was extra special to see them exchange vows, since three years ago Nate and I introduced Kathy and Andre to each other at the St. Anthony’s Triathlon in St. Petersburg, Florida. I have to say that about the only activity we did not enjoy this past weekend, was going for a run at 12:30PM with a heat index of 110 degrees! All I have to say is that I do not recommend, however; sleeping in was worth the cost of having to run in the sauna. Today we went running along the beach shore, which was much, much more comfortable having the ocean breezes blowing on you for much of the run. Both runs were ended with an immediate jump into the pool and today; into the ocean. Nate caught a couple waves, losing his shorts in the process---but, fortunately, he found them before he had to scare anyone off the beach. The rest of the day will be spent heading back across the country and back to some quality training in preparation for the final part of the season that will quickly be approaching. I have Chicago next up on the agenda at the end of the month.
Hope everyone is enjoying summer and don’t forget to take a moment to relax before the remainder of the summer season flies by!

Lifetime Fitness Triathlon

2010-07-11T16:28:00.000-07:00

LTF Triathlon
7:03AM sharp (three minutes behind the pro men) was the start of the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon and the second race in the Toyota Cup Series. This was my first race in the series and the goal of the race was to defend my race title from 2009. The field was relatively small this year, with many other races occurring around the world, but none the less many talented women were at the start line.
The swim was a one-loop course in a calm, warm lake. I have to say that I could not wait to get out of the 82 degree water…it felt warm for racing. I tried to swim with Sara McLarty, but was unable to swim with her for more than 200meters. I exited the swim with a group of other athletes, including Rebeccah Wassner, and had a solid transition through T1.
Once out on the bike, I focused on high cadence riding to make sure not to fatigue my legs too much muscularly. I also wanted to ride as technically smooth as possible, avoid course potholes and try and catch Sara McLarty up the road. I felt much better out on the bike course, than in the warm water and was able to catch up to Sara around mile 18. We exited transition close together and I was ready for my final leg!
On the run course, I started off at a good pace; knowing talented runners were behind me. I had about a 50 second lead over Wassner off the bike. On the second lap of the run, I saw that my lead was extended a little bit, so I felt at this point I could relax a bit and really think about my form the last two miles of the race. It was great to cross the finish line accomplishing my goal….and I finished one second faster than last year…I guess that shows consistency. I finished in 2:00:49 in 2010 and 2:00:50 in 2009!
I had a great time visiting family and friends in Minneapolis and I am very grateful to have so much support on and off the course. After the race, I got a chance to spend time at my in-laws lake house and enjoy the beautiful MN summer afternoon. Sunday I had an early morning back to the airport and headed back to Colorado for a brief block of training before I head to London next week. This was my fourth year competing at the race and this is one I definitely mark as a priority that I don’t want to miss! The crowd is great year after year and the sponsors and race directors do a fantastic job putting on a great event for the Pros and Age Group athletes.
I also can’t thank all my sponsors enough for all their support this year. This was my first chance to check out the new expo set up at the Toyota booth. I love the set up….with my new Fuji on top of the Camery. Also, at the end of the year, a gear gift package is up for grabs with my sponsored product in a drawing taking place. I will be in Chicago, Los Angeles and Dallas at the expo’s the day before the race, so stop by the booth and check out all the prizes you can win and meet Andy Potts, Hunter Kemper and Craig Alexander as well!

What's Been Up

2010-07-02T11:11:00.001-07:00

The past couple of weeks have still been busy as ever, but racing season is now well under way….in fact, I already hit the half-way point! The past couple of weeks I have been focusing on my next couple of races in July; Lifetime Fitness Triathlon on July 10th and the London WCS race on July 25th. With what has already been a long season of racing a travel; I have spend the past couple of weeks getting back into some base fitness to carry me through the end of the season. With racing, I sometimes encounter little bumps in the road and I had to take a couple weeks off running post Madrid/Des Moines to get over some tendinitis in my left foot. I have been back to running for the past couple of weeks now and ready to finish the season strong!

Earlier this week, I spend a few days in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho for a TYR photo shoot. We arrived at the end of the Ironman last Sunday and got to see some age grouper’s finishing up their day. I have to say that Coeur d’Alene has to be one of the most beautiful places in the country (at least this time of year!). Lakes, mountain pines, and fresh air are plentiful and what a great place for some amazing pictures. I arrived back home on Wednesday night with just one week until I leave for Minneapolis. The fast forward button has been set on the remote control since spring and I feel it is still flying by so far this summer!

Shortly after I return home from Minnesota, I am co-hosting a webinar with Bob Seebohar on July 12th. You can learn all about race day nutrition and what might work best for you. For more information and to sign up for the webinar; click on the link: July 12 Race Day Nutrition registration link: http://bit.ly/bx3pbz

I will keep you posted about my Minneapolis race…goal is to perform my best and also defend my 2009 title!

Hy-Vee Tri

2010-06-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

Race Report
This past Sunday, I competed in my fourth Hy-Vee Triathlon. Although this was
my fourth time competing in Iowa, this was only the second time on this exact
race course. The race began back in 2007 in downtown Des MOines. The following
year it was moved to West Des Moines because of flooding and last year the course
was changed once again so that the swim, bike and run were all completed near Raccoon
River Park and made the race very spectator friendly. This course consisted of a two
lap swim, an eight lap bike and a four lap run.

Weather this year again proved to be a challenge. Des Monies was hit with heavy rain the days leading up to the race. As a result, the kids triathlon was cancelled and the Age Group race was cut back to a sprint distance to try and fit everybody in beforea dangerous thunderstorm rolled in. Fortunately, the weather held out for the elites;although the park was turned into a swamp!

I went into this race with a fourth place ranking as my season has been strong prior to the race. I started off the swim in decent position; although I was not able to get on the feet of Sara McLarty and Hailey Peirsol. Those women were battling out the swim for the $5000 swim
prime! I exited the water in third position, but leading the large pack of chase women. We were just under one minute down on the two American women. We had about a 300 meter run into
the transition area and once out on the bike really wanted to push the pace quick.
On the bike course, positioning was critical as the course was extremely narrow to accommodate a large pack of women. I tried to push the pace on the first lap and get our pack a little smaller;
however, with the flat roads attacks were unsuccessful. A group of athletes were working well to paceline at the front; however, our group had to be quite pedestrian through the transition
area since it was a very narrow technical section to be safe with our large pack. I again tried to attack towards the end of the ride to try and bridge up to Sara and Hailey; although I was
still unable to get away! Behind us, some of the key players; including Emma Snowsill and Barbara Riveros were only 30 seconds down at the end of the ride.

I really focused on being in the lead heading into transition every lap and at the last lap I was in great position and in the lead; however, once I took my shoes off few women passed me right before exiting the bike. Once I started the run, my legs did not have the normal "pick-up" that they have felt most races this year. I struggled to find my form the first mile and saw the women
in front of me getting farther and farther away. It was one of those days my legs felt FLAT...could not get my heart rate up and could not get those legs moving. I was frustrated with the result of finishing 16th overall, but I have to realize that not every race will be great. Sometimes you learn more from the performances where you fall very far from your goals.

I think the all the travel thus far this season is finally catching up to me. Now it is time to get back into some consistent training the remainder of the year and to gear up for the races towards the end of the season. Although I did not have the performance I was looking for, I truly enjoy the Hy-Vee experience. The staff, volunteers and citizens of Hy-Vee and West Des Moines go above and beyond making sure each athlete has a wonderful experience. I enjoyed the family time and the cheering from friends and family who made the trip. Nate's 30th birthday was the day before the race, so it was nice to spend his birthday with smiles, cake, and laughter with family!
Now I am back in St. Louis----I am quickly remembered by the familiar heat and humidity here at my hometown!~ Six races down and at least seven more to go....so just about half way through with 2010...time sure does fly by.

Madrid

2010-06-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, I competed in my third World Championship Series race for the year. This was my third time back to Spain; as I competed previously in ’06 and ’09. This year, conditions proved to be warmer than usual with temperatures in the low 90’s and water temps in the mid 80’s. Fortunately, Madrid’s climate is similar to Colorado in that it is a very dry heat, so my body is more adapted to this type of weather. Next weekend I will be racing in Des Moines, Iowa…so I will be prepared for the heat + humidity of the Midwest.
All the race action took place at Caso de Campo Park in downtown Madrid. The race started at 1:15pm; however, this was 5:15am back home in Colorado. My nutrition prior to the race for breakfast at 10:30AM was 2 pieces of peanut butter and jelly toast, 16 oz of EFS and 6 oz of Pre-race. I also made sure to take my Mulit-V supplement. Since my body felt like it was getting up at 2am, I wanted to get some Pre-race in my system early to help “wake” me up. While arriving at the race course, I continued to drink another 16 oz of EFS drink and 100 cal of EFS gel flask. At this point, my body was nutritionally ready to go!
The swim was two loops in a large pond, eight loop bike that included a 1500meter climb, and a mostly flat 4 loop run. On the swim, I was first at the turn buoy, but was very cautious about expending too much energy too soon with the warmer conditions. I led the first lap and settled into second position on the second lap behind Jessica Harrison of France.
We had a 300meter run to T1 and all went smoothly. I got on my Fuji SL1-RC outfitted with Zipp 404s, Oval handle bars and ISM Adamo Racing Saddle; working on the first lap, but also conscientious of staying within myself. I had a gut feeling that if I really attacked the bike and pushed the climbs I could dehydrate myself for the run portion. Near the 6th of 8 laps, a large group of riders all merged together, so I made sure at this point to stay near to front to avoid any crashes. I led up the climb on the 7th and 8th laps and rode strong, but did not attack. I wanted to maintain my lead heading into T2; however, with 800 meters to go on the bike I was stuck behind a group of riders and unable to come off in front. There was a crash right near the finish, which was very scary, but I was lucky not to be in the path of the crash. I was very aware of my nutrition during the race and made sure to drink every last drop of my 20oz water bottles. I drank two full bottles of EFS lemon before I exited my bike.
I dismounted the bike near the top 1/3 of the pack, but I had trouble racking my front wheel into the rack and lost a few precious seconds. I started the run relaxed and at a comfortable pace. I didn’t worry about surging up to the leaders too quickly. By the 1k mark a group of six of athletes was running together at the front and I continued to run with this pack until 1 lap to go on the run. At this point, I was beginning to feel the effects of the heat and unable to respond to any surges.
I finished in 5th position, and I am happy with my progression so far this year. I will continue to be working towards my goal of a podium finish in the next two WCS races (London and World Championships in Budapest). Congratulations to the winner, Nicola Spirig…that’s two wins in a row for the Swiss team.
Currently, as I type I am ready to get off the plane!!! I have been up for nearly two days straight with a few power naps in-between, so I am ready for a good night sleep tonight. Tomorrow I will get this body moving again and flushed out so I can get in the last bit of prep training before Hy-Vee on Sunday. Hy-Vee is always a special race for me since it is so close to my hometown I have many friends and family members making to drive to Des Moines to watch the race. Nate’s 30th birthday is on Saturday, so it will be a nice way to share the birthday with family---and hopefully a nice paycheck the following day!

Recovery

2010-05-24T06:09:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I spoke with graduate and undergraduate students pursuing a sports medicine/athletic training degree from the University o f Alabama. Of all the schools in the country, I thought it was quite ironic that I had a connection with their college town (Tuscaloosa was the sight of the 2008 Olympic Trials and upcoming US Nationals in September). I spoke with an athletic trainer who works with athletes at the Olympic Training Center on a daily basis. I was there to give an athlete’s perspective. The topic: recovery….if there is one thing I have learned the over the past six years being an elite athlete; it is the importance of listening to your body and techniques to properly recover.
I have heard the saying, “It’s not how hard you train, it’s how hard you recover.” The past several years I have realized how true this saying is to reach your top potential and to try and avoid injuries. Of course pushing our bodies to the limits on a weekly basis, injuries due occur throughout an athlete’s career. However, with proper recovery techniques, these injuries can be greatly decreased.
Thinking back to my college days and running at the NCAA level, I realize now how poorly I was at recovering. I did not have much knowledge on nutrition, proper sleep, and stretching techniques…just to name a few aspects. In fact, recovery based training is scientifically proven that it really works, where as ten years ago this type of training was not too well known.
The training center in Colorado Springs has an entire building devoted specifically to recovery techniques. Three years ago, this center opened to all resident athletes and available for athletes to use as much or as little as they choose. Athletes are allotted 90 minutes of massage per week. In addition, the center is equipped with a dry and wet sauna, cold bath, hot tub and a yoga or stretching room. Recently, Norma-Tec pants have been added for athletes to use post workout or between workouts. These pants help flush out waste from the legs, similar to a massage. With nutrition being a fundamental key to recovery, the center is stocked with bars, fruit, and plenty of fluids. If an athlete chooses to take advantage of all the recovery tools, this can definitely give he/she the extra edge needed to perform at their best.
Just as training can be individually based, I feel recovery works the same way. A certain recovery technique that works best for athlete A, may not work best for athlete B. Find what works best for you! Some of the key recovery techniques that I use and pay attention to: 1) nutrition/hydration: making sure you are fueled properly pre/during/post workout. Fueling within 30 minutes with after finishing a quality session is key for the muscles to recover. 2) sleep/rest: The best way for the body to recover is quality sleep. Sleep is one of the best ways for me to listen to my body and know that I am properly recovering. If I begin to have consecutive poor nights of sleep, this alerts me I may be “overtraining”. 3) massage: This is a great way to flush the legs after travel or tough training. I feel massage is a great way to prevent injury as well 4) ice bath : After a high intensity bike or run session, ice baths are a great way to help flush out the legs and get them ready for another challenging session the next day 5) strength training/stretching –I spend time daily working on my flexibility and strength training all the “little” muscles to help prevent injury and improve my performance in addition to strengthening the large muscle groups 6) compression tights—I find these are great for travel or after a key workout…they keep the blood flowing in the legs to speed up recovery. If for some reason I can’t prop my legs up after a tough workout and going to be on my feet; the compression socks are a must.
Good luck with your race season and don’t forget to recover!

Seoul: World Championship Series Race #2

2010-05-08T17:26:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday (technically Friday night in the USA), I raced my second WCS race of the year. The race was in downtown Seoul, South Korea. This was my first time to Seoul; however, in 2007 and 2008 I spent a couple of weeks in Cheju in preparation for the Beijing Olympics. Cheju is known as the “Hawaii” of Korea as it is a tropical island south of the mainland. Cheju is a beautiful island landscaped with tropical greenery, mountains and bright blue oceans. The look of Seoul is much different than Cheju in that it is a massive city with a population of over ten million people and an extensive city skyline.
The race took place at the Han River with a start time at 10:25AM (a 15 minute delay due to trouble closing the streets). The swim was a 1000meter loop followed by a 500 meter loop in the chilly 15.2 degree water. This was my first WCS race to wear my new TYR Hurricane wetsuit, which felt smooth and comfortable in the water. I had a great starting position and almost immediately was on the feet of Kerry Lang, who was having a great swim. Once we reached the first bouy, Kerry was on the feet of Hailey Peirsol and I was in third. By the end of the first lap, we had opened up a 15 second gap and extended the gap to 28 seconds once we exited the water and headed off onto the bike course.
I felt very strong on the bike on my Fuji SL 1 RC and wanted to push the pace to make the girls behind work and chase. I realized that I was going to get caught by the larger pack of women behind me; however, I was prepared for an attack once the groups merged. I wanted the bike to be hard and aggressive and with the tight corners in the race I felt a breakaway was possible. I attacked shortly after the packs merged, but unable to get a response from any of the other women to attack with me. We still had a chase pack behind us, so I felt it was important to keep the tempo of the group high to keep the second pack from merging. With so many strong riders in the second pack, we were unable to hold off the pack with two laps to go on the bike. Throughout the bike, I again tried a couple more unsuccessful attacks, but really focused on getting off the bike in front. I was happy to have another strong transition and able to execute my mental game to prepare myself for a successful run.
Once out on the run course, Emma Moffet took off very quickly. I ran the first 2k very hard and really wanted to get as close to Emma as possible. Right around the 4k mark, I started to hurt and around the 6k mark was really struggling to hang onto the pack. I think I may have burned one too many matches for my run legs during the bike segment and also took out the run very hard at the start. I ended up finishing 10th overall and remain in 8th for the overall WCS rankings. Congrats to Daniella Ryf for the win and an amazing spring finish! The goal of this race was to be aggressive throughout the entire race and see what would happen. I love to push myself from start to finish and although I may have pushed the envelope a little too far on the bike, it is important to know where your limits are and to test your body.
I have included a picture of me across the finish line, yes, looking a bit fatigued. I noticed my time on the clock reading a 1:55…and crossing the “finish” line seeing a 1:49….however, my overall time reads a 2:02. Once seeing this picture, the moment all came back to me; I was standing on the timing mat with a load blaring noise going off (my chip was hitting the map but not shutting off!). So, lesson learned…make sure you cross the timing matt completely when you finish and do not just STAND on the timing matt!! At least no one was close in front or behind so I did not lose a finishing spot!
Nate and I head home today and back to the US. It has been a whirlwind of travel and racing the past six and a half weeks, and now time to settle a bit and get back to some consistent training.
Also---I want to wish all mother’s out there a Happy Mother’s Day (the most important job in the world). I know I would not be where I am today without my mother’s love and support growing up and continued love and support today.

WCS #2 Approaching….

2010-05-01T14:30:00.001-07:00

In a few days, I will be traveling back across the Pacific once again, but this time to Seoul, South Korea. Less than three weeks ago I raced the first World Championship Series Race of the year in Sydney, Australia and finished in 8th place. Sydney was an amazing city and I would have loved to stay an extra few days and vacation; however, this is not exactly in the training plan at the start of the season. I quickly returned to the US and suffered for a few days from jet lag and travel. But, once I felt recovered, I was anxious to get back into some quality training in preparation for Seoul.
On April 25th, I raced in the St. Anthony’s Triathlon in St. Petersburg, Florida. The goal of this race was to be able to incorporate a tough workout into my training block ----and there is no better way to get in an intense quality workout than jumping into a race!! Florida felt much like Sydney, warm and humid… I did not have to pack any cold weather gear.
Speaking of packing….I will have to prepare much differently for Seoul. Cool and possibly wet conditions are likely for Korea and I will make sure to bring my arm warmers, rain jacket and tights. I will definitely need my TYR Hurricane Wetsuit, as I have a feeling the water is going to be COLD. I think one of the unique characteristics of triathletes is our ability to adapt to adversity. I can’t imagine too many other sports travel several weeks apart to different continents and race in quite drastically different conditions. I love a challenge and look forward to getting out on the start line and putting forth 100% of my effort; both physically and mentally.

St. Anthony's Triathlon

2010-04-26T17:55:00.001-07:00

Race Report: St. Anthony’s Triathlon
This past Sunday, I competed in the prestigious St. Anthony’s Triathlon. The race is beginning to have a hometown feel to me, as it was my fourth time competing at the race. I missed last year after undergoing surgery in Feb. or 09’ at DISC Medical facility in CA for a nerve entrapment release in my leg. This was the first time we stayed in downtown St. Pete’s and experienced the atmosphere and flavor of city.
The race is EARLY, especially traveling from Colorado with a 6:55AM start (which is more like a 4:55AM start; however, once race morning arrives any feeling of tiredness is replaced with a rush of adrenaline!) I woke up at 4:40AM; had my normal breakfast and walked the .8 mile to the transition area to get setup. It is still very dark at 5:30AM, so fortunately Nate had his flashlight to help me get all my gear set up in transition. Around 6 AM, I started my warm up and ran down to the swim start, followed by some activation, drills and strides. I wanted to make sure to get in the water and test out a couple of runs into the water since it was a beach start. The water felt very refreshing at 74 degrees vs. the muggy, humid 76 degree morning.
The men started promptly at 6:52 and we began just three minutes behind. I had a decent start, next to Laura Bennett who is one of the best in the world at beach starts. She had a body length on me after the run into the water, but I remained calm and got right on her feet for the first 400meters of the swim. After the first couple of buoys, I took over the swim lead and swam at a comfortable, but strong pace. The swim started off fairly calm, but the waves definitely picked up the second half of the swim. As I approached the steps to climb out of the water, I was grateful a couple of volunteers were there to help me onto that first step, as I was feeling a little dizzy from the waves at that point.
Once out on land, I focused on getting my TYR Sayonara off as quickly as possible and strapping on my Rudy Project Wingspan TT Helmet. I felt comfortable on my Fuji D-6 with my 921 Oval Aerobars, ISM Adamo saddle, Zed Tech 404 and Sub9 disc. I also loved my new pedals from Sampson Sports; Stratics S6, which are lightweight, yet have a great platform for power. The bike was a bit windy (wind from the south), so the first 15 miles of the bike were challenging. I focused on making sure all my corners were smooth and keeping up a high and steady tempo. At two points on the course (around mile 3 and mile 17), I could see where the other girls were located. I noticed I had about at least a minute lead over the next girl, so I continued to ride at my pace and made sure to hydrate in preparation for the run. I drank 36oz of EFS fluid while on the bike course, much more than most races beginning at 6:55AM due to the high humidity in Florida!
Heading into T2, I focused on starting the run off at a high tempo pace, especially thinking about my form. The run is an out and back, so I only could see the other competitors at the half-way mark. I noticed I had a lead by a couple minutes, so I knew if I could keep everything together at that point, I should break the tape in first. I was very glad to get to that last stretch of the run, knowing that I accomplished my goal for the day! My time was the second fastest for me on that course (although it is tough to compare overall times because conditions change so much from year to year!).
After the awards ceremony, we headed home back to Colorado. This made for almost two days in one, but it was nice be able to spend my recovery day on Monday at home. The travel home was much easier than the travel to Florida….we had to drive in a snowstorm up to Denver last Friday! Yes, Colorado can still get pounded with snow at the end of April!!! Hopefully, that snow was the last!!! I am now gearing up for my second WCS race in Seoul, Korea on May 8th. Recently I have been doing lots of traveling and racing, but this is my last race for quite some time (five weeks). I will spend most of May and part of June training for the races upcoming in this summer.
Best Wishes
Sarah

Sydney Race Report

2010-04-13T14:31:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday (technically Saturday night in the USA), I raced in Sydney, Australia on the 2000 Olympic course. This was my first visit to the city and I have to say it is one of the most beautiful cities I have visited; with the blue Pacific Ocean at an arm’s reach, a centralized botanical garden and friendly downtown atmosphere. The weather was pleasant, although on race day; temperatures were about fifteen degrees above normal, which made for a more challenging day.
The race began at 9:50 AM (the men raced earlier in the morning at 7AM). The swim was a two loop 750meter lap swim in Sydney harbor. The water was cool, but felt refreshing with air temperatures in the mid 80s. Some of my teammates and I were lost heading to the race meeting and missed the first two minutes, so as a penalty we were moved to the last start swim spot. I have to say, it was nice not worrying about where to go on the pontoon, but instead immediately going to the open spot. I was second out of the water, behind Laura Bennett.
Once out on the bike course, I followed my plan to push the pace to try and separate the packs even more after the swim. This race however, the swim was strung very close together and the course was difficult to get away due to a long downhill and many strong cyclists in the large pack. Early on a few attacks were attempted and quickly swallowed up…and due to the high wind, no one wanted to be up front. Needless to say, all the groups merged and it can down to the run. On the bike I always made sure to stay near the front in case a break occurred and also stay towards the front heading in to the technical transition to avoid any possible crashes as much as possible. I feel the best moment in my race is tactically setting myself up into T2. I rode up to the front on the last downhill and pushed the pace into transition. This allowed me to get off the bike at the front of group and start at the front rather than having to spend energy to run up to the group.
The run was challenging, windy and warm with a long hill on each of the four laps. I worked the first 5k to hang on to the leaders. Just before halfway, I was gapped by a group of four leaders and found myself running in sixth position right behind Kate Roberts. The biggest mistake I made in this race was settling behind Kate Roberts into the headwind and not surging to try and get closer to the leaders. Unfortunately, this allowed two other women I had previously passed (Norden and Harrison) to catch back up to me. On a positive, I felt much stronger on my new running form and felt like I had a faster kick at the end, although I got beat out by a lean! I finished 8th overall and hope to improve on the rest of my WCS races the rest of the year.
After a long travel day or (days), I got back home last night and was very happy to sleep in my bed...and not try to sleep on an airplane. I finally had a full night of sleep last night as well after consecutive nights of waking up at 2-3AM due to jet lag. In a couple of days, I should be back at it with training hard and getting ready for my next race. Next up on the schedule, I am racing the St. Anthony Triathlon on April 25th. Since I have another World Championship Race at the beginning of May, I am going to use this race as a tough training day in the middle of my training block preparation for the WCS race in Seoul.
Best Wishes...

10 Days in Florida

2010-03-15T07:24:00.000-07:00

Miami Triathlon and USAT Sprint Development Race-Clermont, Florida
My trip to Florida began at Disney resort, where I was representing Mission Skincare and working at the Lady Foot Locker booth. In addition, I was able to speak to athletes of all running levels about nutrition and sign autograph cards for several hours. I met so many great people and although it was a running race, I was excited to meet so many triathletes! Nate and I had a great time and hopefully next year will have some more time to hang out at Disney resort.
This past week, I have officially begun my start to the 2010 racing season. On March 7th, I raced in Clermont, Florida in a draft-legal sprint triathlon. This race was very unique in that developmental athletes, who have not yet obtained a pro card, were permitted to race and gain experience and a feel for what draft-legal racing is all about. I have not competed in a sprint race since my first year of racing back in 2003! The race went by very quickly and I can’t complain about my result finishing up on top of the podium. The entire race was in Lake Louisa State Park and was a wetsuit legal swim, since Florida has been experiencing a colder than average winter. The swim was especially short, because we had a long run in and out of the water. The bike was four laps on a smoothly paved, flat road and the run was a two loop flat, fast course. I exited the swim just behind Sara McLarty and ended up cycling with her as well as Alicia Kaye. I felt good on the swim and bike, but needed to brush up on my transitions, as they were quite rusty! I felt strong on my run and thought about my new run form I have been working on since January. I spend the following week training in Clermont, Florida while I was preparing for the Miami Triathlon.
I wanted to still get in some quality training this week, but this past week was also scheduled as a recovery week, so I was able to go into Miami with some rest after my big build up in training in Arizona. Clermont had some gorgeous days, but also had days wih complete downpours and tornado warnings that we don’t see in Colorado. On Friday, I drove down to West Palm Beach and was able to see friend and team USA chiropractor Alex Keith. Nate and I enjoyed his kind hospitality and got to hang out with his family before we finished the drive down to Miami on Saturday morning.
Late morning on Saturday for a couple of hours, Team Fuji (Matt Reed, Sara Mclarty and Omar Nour and myself), got together for an autograph signing at Mack cycles. We were welcomed by the University of Miami Triathlon Team and helped the young athletes with questions about getting into the sport, training, racing, etc. Nate and I did our best to get to bed early (we were in bed by nine); however; we had a very early rising with the time change happening on race day. I had my alarm for 4:30AM, but was up much earlier worrying I was going to miss my alarm (4:30AM was really 3:30AM!). Often times, I may have a restless night of sleep before a race, especially when the race start is early morning so I know it does not really affect my race outcome.
I raced Miami back in 2008 and finished in first, so the goal was to defend the title from a couple of years ago. The water was a cool, 69 degrees, but fortunately, I had my TYR’s Sayonara Swimskin. which kept me a little warmer. I had a great swim and exited just 15 seconds back from the super star swimmers McLarty and Piersol. I had much better transitions this race and got onto my bike working hard to catch the leaders, but feeling strong on my new Fuji D-6 with Oval concept bars! Unfortunately, I went slightly off course about 7 miles into the bike course and lost a little bit of time, but kept my head in it to get right back on course and back into my riding rhythm. I ended up exiting the bike about 15 seconds behind McLarty, with Peterson about 40 seconds behind me. I started off the run at a good pace; not quite sure what was going on behind me. The run was a two loop out and back, so we were able to see our competition. I noticed that I was gaining time on the other athletes and was able to back off the pace a little towards the end of the run. The faster I can recover from a race; the faster I can get back into serious training for Sydney, my first big race of the year!
I am currently in St. Louis for a couple days and getting a chance to see the family and celebrate birthday’s with my nieces (Sarah turned three on the `14th and Anna one on the 17th). I have another tough training block approaching the next couple of weeks (and an altitude adjustment since I have been away from home for six weeks!)

Training Camp

2010-03-08T06:24:00.000-08:00

Training Camp
The past three and a half weeks I have reached my goal of making strides in my fitness gains, especially in the bike and run disciplines. Despite a few unseasonable rainy days in Tucson, I enjoyed many outdoor rides away from the snow and ice that keep me on the trainer in Colorado! The location in Oro Valley where Nate and I were staying was beautiful. We had a fantastic view of the mountains just behind our condo and could see the peak of Mount Lemmon not too far off in the distance.
Not only did I get in quality training sessions, but also go to meet some great people. I want to thank Sean Bechtal, Nat "Dream Crusher" Faulkner and Dave "Dragon" Sharratt for pushing me in my training session, helping me to improve my bike handling skills and creating a great training atmosphere. While I was not training, I spent as much time as I could watching the winter Olympics in Vancouver. I was very impressed with the performances of the American team and I have to say the athletes inspired me to focus on London. It was exciting watching some athletes I have personally gotten to know over the years while training in Colorado! The games could not have ended with much more excitement in the overtime game against Canada. Althought the team came up just short, both the US and Canada played extremely well, with immense heart and gave it their all….the true definition of sport.
My trip away from home is not quite over yet, as I am headed to Florida this weekend for the Disney Princess Half Marathon Event on Saturday, March 6th. I will be speaking about nutrition at the expo and afterwards signing cards for a few hours. On the 7th, I am competing in my first competition of the year at Lake Louisa State Park in Clermont, Florida. The race is a draft-legal development race and is a sprint distance (750m swim, 20k bike and 5k run). It has been a long time since I have competed at this distance (I think I have only raced this distance once before back in 2003!). I will be staying in Clermont the following week in preparation for the Miami International Triathlon on the 14th. Although I am ending a tough block of training, I am excited to be starting my race season for 2010 and get some of the race cobwebs out of my system before the bigger races to come in April.
Best of luck to all of you who are starting to ramp up your training intensity and getting prepared for the 2010 season….spring has sprung!

Headed to Warmer Weather...

2010-02-08T06:52:00.000-08:00

Headed to Warmer Weather…

January was a solid month of training in Colorado and I have to say that we lucked out with the weather conditions for the most part! I was able to complete almost all my scheduled runs outside, so that was a plus. I did spend a majority of cycling on the trainer, only because I am miserable on the bike unless the temps are close to 50!
I spent the last weekend in January in San Diego at the inaugural Tri-Expo and the annual ESA Awards show. In addition, I got to meet many reps with TYR and spend a day with them at a photo shoot at the beautiful La Jolla cove. The shoot started at 7:00AM with Andy Potts and me in the new Hurricane wetsuits. Little did I know that we were going to be standing at the edge of a rocky edge, with powerful waves crashing against us. I watched Andy fall over from the intensity of a wave, and I was hoping that he simply wasn’t paying attention---but, I soon found out standing on a slippery rock and cold, Pacific waves hurling at you kept us on our toes and a couple times were knocked off our toes!! This was the start of a great shoot and made for gorgeous pics (at least of the ones I saw!). The ESA awards show was a great experience to watch some amazing athletes and coaches accept their awards for their accomplishments for the year. One of the most touching awards, was an eight year old boy, Cody, a double amputee athlete overcoming many obstacles to become a successful swimmer and runner. His goal is to be on the Para-Olympic swim team…and I don’t doubt he will be there someday. His heart and drive was remarkable and put a huge smile on your face! Maybe I will see him training in the next couple of years with the Para Olympic Resident Team in Colorado Springs!!
When I returned back from San Diego, my parents and niece were in town for a few days to visit while Nate was skiing with friends and family in Utah. Nate’s 30th birthday is this June (during a big race weekend), so I figured I would surprise him with an early birthday present and spend four days skiing with his brothers and friends at Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah. Since Nate returned back in town a few days ago, we have been busy packing and getting ready for the next adventure: training trip in Oro Valley, Arizona!
I am currently on the plane, headed to LA for a visit with DISC before I depart for Tucson. It has been almost a year since I had surgery (hard to believe!). I am scheduled for a follow-up EMG test (this will test how my nerve is responding) and in addition, completing an interview with doctors at DISC and speaking about my surgery, recovery and results! I am very excited to see how my foot drop is healing and to see the progress of my nerve re-growth!! On Feb. 9th, I will arrive in Arizona and begin a training camp with Barrie Shepley and a few other athletes. I will spend the remainder of February in the warmer weather away from the snow (it was snowing in Colorado when I left, so it makes me that much more excited to get to warmer weather!!). I am excited to step up my training quality and volume even more in preparation for my 2010 season. Race season will begin before I know it and I want to be fully prepared to perform my best.

Holidays Are Over--- The 2010 Season is Here!

2010-01-10T07:40:00.001-08:00

I always enjoy the holiday season, as I get to visit with family and relax a bit with my triathlon training. Although Christmas time I have to be a little more dedicated with my training than Thanksgiving, but the training is still pretty flexible and I can change my training around for family and friend activities. However, once that date changes over to the New Year, the priorities seem to change and training moves up the ladder to become a priority this time of year leading into the race season.
Over the holidays, I also had the opportunity to speak with around 300 students at Medford High School in Minnesota about setting goals and attaining those goals. I also spoke with a swim team in Webster Groves, Missouri about working hard, nutrition and my Olympic experience. The weather was much colder than usual in Missouri, so I spend much more time running on the treadmill. I trained at the Lifetime Fitness gym in West County (St. Louis). I was star struck when I walked in with Albert Pujols and later he was on the elliptical right behind me! On New Year’s, my family and extended family played a traditional game of Bingo and I played five games of monopoly in four days. I have to say that I am 5-0 in Monopoly right now, so the luck is rolling…is it all luck?? The game was a Christmas gift from my sister and I have to say I have not played in close to 15 years, but it brought back some nostalgic memories. By the way, there is a new “speed version” out that makes the game go much quicker!!
On January 5th, I headed back to Colorado to get back in the groove of altitude and training. I am planning on only being in Colorado for the next four weeks before I head to a training camp in Oro Valley, Arizona. I am going to be training with Barrie Shepley and some of his athletes and looking forward to a change in scenery and getting out of the potentially cold weather here in Colorado. Before I head to Arizona, I am going to be in San Diego Jan. 28th-30th for a wetsuit photo shoot with TYR, speaking at the Competitor Magazine Expo and attending the Endurance Sports Awards.
I am looking forward to the new season and all that is to come! I am changing around some of my training this year and adding a bit more power and strength training to the program. I truly believe in continuing to figure out what works best for you and accepting a change to improve your performance. I will have some reality TV entertainment while I am recovering in the evenings with a new series of the Bachelor and American Idol starting next week!
Stay warm and all the best for a healthy, successful and blessed 2010!

November Break...

2009-12-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

The past month has been a whirlwind of visiting friends, family and taking time off triathlon! Now, I am in the process of getting back in shape, but I have realized that it seems to be so much more difficult to get back in shape when you are training at altitude!
I started my break in Panama City, Florida, where I watched some friends of mine compete in Ironman Florida. This was the first time I have ever witnessed an Ironman event, and I have to say that I am so impressed with all the grit and determination I witnessed from so many athletes out there on race day. A group of us were cheering right around mile 6, 9,19,22 (the run was a two-loop out and back). We even supplied chocolate to the athletes who wanted it----of course some could not even look at it, but others thought we were gods!!! I figured whatever could help athletes get through the marathon…Dr. Keith, Chance, Kathy, Kevin and all the others I met during the weekend—congrats! One of the most unique experiences was the swim start, with several thousand athletes starting at the same time! It looked as if thousands of dolphins were entering the water (everyone in their wetsuits). Watching was inspirational, but for me I am sticking to short course racing, which is my passion at the moment and maybe one day I will complete an Ironman.
After Florida, I headed to Missouri to visit my family and friends. I spent a couple weeks spending a lot of time with my nieces and going out on adventures to the zoo, magic house, city museum and many more family friendly attractions. We also attended our first Bat Mitzvah (my cousin’s) and played a little family tennis. I have to brag that I beat Nate 5 games to 1!! Nate met me in St. Louis, and brought back our new car….we traded in our truck for a suburban, so it will be much more functional down the road.
Our final stop was up in north country… Minnesota. We spent the Thanksgiving holiday up visiting my in-laws and the weather was not too frigid…yet (I am bracing for Christmas). No snow yet, which made my first few runs back outside enjoyable as I could stay away from the treadmill. We had a great time visiting, eating great food and remembering what we are thankful for---our health, family, friends, and each other! We are also thankful for the opportunity to use the Lifetime Fitness facilities while we are in Minnesota and St. Louis!
We have been back in Colorado for almost a week now and winter has attacked us!! I have been doing almost all my training indoors, but you never know in Colorado, next week it could be 60! This Sunday I am taking a day off training; relaxing, watching movies, catching up on updating my blog…..paying bills…hitting the grocery store…doing some “normal” activities. I have less than two weeks before I leave for Christmas in Minnesota and Missouri. Next week I will be speaking at Fort Carson High School with a swimming and diving team. I am also participating for the second year in a row, “Flight to the North Pole”, sponsored by United Airlines. Several other Olympians and I will meet underprivileged children who will get to have autographs, and take a flight to the “north pole” (another wing of the airport) and meet Santa. All of these children have never flown on an airplane before, so it is very exciting for them.
I am getting back into the training mode and fit for the 2010 season (one last down time for Christmas before “real” training starts in January!) Happy Holidays!!!

Marin Triathlon

2009-11-02T14:17:00.001-08:00

This past Sunday, I competed in my last official race of 2009 in San Rafael, CA (just outside of San Francisco). On Saturday, we spent the day at the race site cheering on the athletes in the kids triathlon and family relay. I had the opportunity to speak at the expo and sign autograph cards (provided by DISC). It was so cute to see kids as young as five swimming, biking and running....all with a smile on their face (even though it was cold and foggy).
Fortunately, for our race day on Sunday morning the fog was nowhere in sight and we had a gorgeous day for racing. The swim was cold, but calm and there were about ten pros that started together. I swam with Brian Lavelle and we were joking and laughing as we exited the water as I mentioned the him, "Thanks for the ride (meaning draft) as I managed to exit just a second before him!" The bike course was three loops and created quite a challenge riding with 500 other age groupers of all skill ability. I made sure to take it safe and enjoy the ride. The run was rolling and quite a challenging course. I was glad to cross the line first, but more importantly able to donate $5,000 to Jenny's Light (www.jennyslight.org). TJ Tollakson won the men's competition and a women's relay with Becky Lavelle (swim) Kristen Armstrong (bike) and Gina Kehr (run) won overall and the relay title. Kristen was the 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist in the time trial event. It was very cool to meet Kristin and to watch her ride...she is FAST!
While we were in CA, we stayed in Tiburon, which has an authentic, small town feel, although it is just across the bay from San Fransisco. We stayed at a nice hotel, with local shops, restaurants, and beautiful homes surrounding the breathtaking harbor. We at a local pub on Saturday night and got the feeling of Halloween, as all the waiters/waitresses were dressed up (the bar even had candy for us as we left!). I have to say that San Francisco is one of the most beautiful cities in the world~~ I recommend visiting if you have never been there!
Back at home I have spent the day on cleaning, laundry and organizing that has been neglected during my busy racing season. I am off again on Wednesday to Panama City Beach, FL to watch my friend, Kathy Hunken, race Ironman Florida. It will be fun for the role reversal and be able to take on the support/cheering role! Dr. Alex Keith and Kevin Grogan will also be racing, so I will have some other friends to support. I will be hanging out in Florida until Monday, Nov 9th and then off the St. Louis for a couple of weeks to spend time with the family!!
Should be plenty busy during my break from training.

2009-10-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

Brrr....it is cold outside today, even with wearing a Speedo Parka. One of those days you step outside and the wind blows your coat up, sending a cold chill through your body.
Well, I am headed to San Francisco tomorrow for the Marin Triathlon and it is supposed to be gorgeous there this weekend (weather and scenery). This is my last race for the 2009 season---hard to believe how fast the years begin to tick by.
As I look back upon 2009, I have to be thrilled with my season, but not quite satisfied. I began the season knowing something was not right with my leg, but not knowing WHAT was wrong. That can be the most frustrating time as an athlete when you are in the dark, searching for answers. Fortunately, my answers were solved with thanks to Dr. Bray and his medical team at DISC. This past week, DISC was officially announced as United States Olympic sponsor for all athletes, which is great for Olympic athletes to have the opportunity to work with the best doctors in the country.
Having surgery at the end of February, I did not really start training "hard" until April and was not even planning on racing until June. Fortunately, this were really looking up and I was ready to compete at the end of May. This worked out as a blessing, because I was able to get in all my race requirements (5 races) for the World Championship Series (WCS). I set two goals to focus on this year, win the Lifetime Fitness Series: Race to the Toyota Cup, and finish Top 5 in the WCS. I accomplished the win for the LTF series with my second place finish in the Toyota US Open in Dallas and just fell short of my goal of top 5, with a sixth place finish in the series standings. However, I did finish fourth at the World Championships, so I can't complain as it was just a matter of points between 4th, 5th, and 6th (virtually a three-way tie).
Next year will require again another extensive year of travel, with the first race of the WCS in Sydney, Australia on April 11th. Unfortunately, a race in North America or South America is not on the WCS schedule, which will mean a more intensive look at race planning and focusing on the best travel options, since I will be flying multiple times across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. I plan to be competing in the same two series again next year as well as some other races, like St. Anthony's Triathlon, Elite Nationals and possibly a 70.3 race.
I want to send out a special thanks to my sponsors this year who allow elite athletes to focus on training and racing full time and preform to our best, not only providing us with top of the line equipment, but financially supporting us as well.
My sponsors for 2009 year:
Blue: Provided me with a fast, light and aerodynamic TT bike: Triad SL. I have been with Blue since 2006 and they are a company I know I can trust.
Speedo: Sad to say that this is my last year with Speedo, as they were my first sponsor back in 2006 when I was just starting out. Speedo is exploring other avenues and leaving the triathlon community, but they have been a huge part of triathlon's success over the years. I have worn a Speedo race suit since the day I started and Speedo has been with me every step of the way. Great trainng suits, caps, goggles, Parka's (a life saver on a day like today!), and the Fastskin (my race suit) does fufill it's title.
BlueSeventy: I know I can trust BlueSeventy for cold water races as their wetsuits are comfortable and fast! I have also started wearing the PointZero which has proven to increase my speed in nonwetsuit swims. I have exited the water first in half of my LTF races, thanks to the help of BlueSeventy.
Zipp: Nobody develops better science and technology on race wheels than Zipp. I have a full ranges of wheel options to choose on race day based on the conditions and race course. Maybe a set of 404s for an ITU race, while for a flat and fast non-draft I will ride the 808 front, with a ZedTech Disc rear wheel. I can count to Zipp to keep me prepared on race day!
Toyota: Since becoming a member of the Toyota family, I have enjoyed every minute of the ride! Not only do I love my Toyota Camry Hybrid, but I love what Toyota represents for the community of triathlon, our cities, and ultimately our country. Toyota is part of an awesome race series (Minneapolis, NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas) and every race sets up an expo, teaching athletes about their Engines of Change program, informing about their hybrids, and offering raffle prizes. The personal connection Toyota has with athletes, both pros and amateurs, ensures that they are a company that cares about fitness, fun and what is best for each individual. Go out and test drive a Hybrid today----take my word for it!
First Endurance: Bob Seebohar recommended me this company back in 2008, just prior to the Olympic Games. Since using their product, I have noticed tremendous benefits in my racing and training. This company really understands endurance sports and the fuel and energy we need to preform our best on race day. I use the Multi-V everyday to keep from getting sick and also to keep my iron stores up. I also use Optygen-HP regularly, and love the sports drink, EFS. The post workout drink, Ultragen, is phenomenal! Check out the products at www.firstendurance.com
PowerBar: I have been with PowerBar for almost two years now! I love the many flavors of bars and gels that I use before and during races. I never have to worry about bonking with PowerBar!
Colorado Running Company: I have been working with Co Run Co for the past four years. This local store in Col. Springs has been very generous in providing me with shoes at no cost (training shoes and racing flats). John O'Neal has been a great help to me over the years, not only helping me decide which shoes are right for me, but keeping up with my racing over the years.
Show-Me Cables: The owner of this company, John Lynch, taught me to ride a bike back in 2003. This was the first year I started triathlons, and I spend many hours with him and his training group suffering out on the bike as he taught me not only how to ride, but cycling tactics as well. John was a big part in helping me get to the Training Center and becoming a professional triathlete. His company helped me financially with travel in the early years and helped me get to the level I am at today. Now when I go back to STL, the rides with the boys can still crush me, those guys are fit!
PowerCranks: I first rode PowerCranks before the Olympic Games and have integrated them into my training every since. This piece of equipment is surprisingly tough and can dramatically improve your cycling efficiency and power. Not only has my cycling improved, but hipflexer strength due to the powercranks have improved my running.
Sampson: I met Eric Sampson a couple of years ago out on a group ride---followed by an email and a visit up to his shop, I was on his pedals by the next race. His pedals are light and fast and I have put my cycling shoes on top of anything since!
Mission: For the past couple of years, I have been using a skin care product that is top of the line for athletes. What makes Mission so unique, is that athletes help develop this product, so you know it works! Sunscreen, anti-friction cream, lip balm, are just some of my favorites...and they are always developing more top of the line products. I don't worry about what to use for my skin now...
ISM Adamo: Back in early 2007, my husband saw a Adamo saddle in the USAT office and thought this would solve my saddle issues. I started riding it, and immediately the pain from my previous saddle was gone! Sure enough, my other teammates wanted to try the saddle and were thrilled! I get questions from athletes today with comfort issues and all have been solved from ISM. Time on the saddle is a must, now it is comfortable!
Rudy Project: I have been wearing Rudy's since the day I started triathlon. The quality and comfort is a must for racing and training....not to mention "fashion glasses" to wear when not on the saddle. Rudy's helmets are top of the line and are with me every step of the way, through crashes and wins, most importantly, I am protected.
USA Triathlon: I feel sometimes as athletes we can take our own federation for granted as a contributor for support. USA Triathlon has been one of my biggest sponsors since the day I became part of the Resident Team. All of the people who are part of USAT, work hard to provide the best for elites and armatures, whether it is to make sure the races are safe or help fund elites to get to World Championships. USAT is always thinking of ways to improve and help athletes achieve the best results possible.
Thank you to Amy Stanton, my manager, who works hard to keep everything in line and responsible for finding many of my present sponsors.

Finally, I have to thank my friends and family for all of their support as well. I would not be the athlete I am today without their help, especially my husband----who also is my coach and training partner.

Happy Halloween to all and be safe!!!

Change of Plans

2009-10-25T14:27:00.001-07:00

Last weekend, my brother-in-law, Tommy, and his fiance, Sarah, got married on a beautiful fall day in Minnesota. Fortunately, the rain that had been sputtering off and on all week stopped on Saturday morning and the couple was able to share their vows in a magnificent outdoor ceremony. The fall colors were at it's peak and looked beautiful with the wedding party standing near the alter. Nate and I had a great time visiting with family and friends and as much as I love the bike trainer, we made the ultimate decision to forgo the Longhorn 70.3 the following weekend. Traveling to Texas the next weekend would make four weeks of travel in a row and frankly, we were ready for a travel break...especially since I am racing my final race of the 2009 next weekend in Marin County (just outside San Fran). That would have made it five weekends in a row, but I have to say it has been nice being home this weekend and not getting on an airplane.
We had the yo-yo'ing of temperatures this week and drastically different climates this weekend! Yesterday was a great training day, with temperatures up into the sixties, but today, I got to enjoy my run in the snow flurries! Yesterday, Nate and I participated in the Manitu Springs 5k...tough run! The first half of the run was mostly downhill and fast (yes, a 5:10 first mile), but the second half was uphill and into the wind....ouch! Not to mention, we are also racing at 6500ft above sea level. My goal was to be around 17:40, but once I saw the course I adjusted to just try to break 18:00...I ended up at 18:08...so a little short, but it was fun all and all. Nate entered the race to and beat me in our "competition" (he finished in 18:00). Although, I later beat him up a hill as we "raced" each other on our bikes up a sub 10 min climb.
This upcoming week is my official last week of "training" for the 2009 season. For the past week, I have kept training pretty relaxed and making up my own schedule. I am really looking forward to finishing the year with the Marin Triathlon. I hear the area is gorgeous and the triathlon is a "green" event. All the proceeds to the race are going to charity as well and the male and female race winner each get $5000 to donate to the charity of their choice. I am going to be speaking and signing autographs at the kids race the day before the event. More information can be found about the triathlon at: http://www.marintriathlon.com/.
Maybe the kids will be in their Halloween costumes!!
Have a thrilling upcoming Halloween---Sarah

US OPEN---Dallas, Texas

2009-10-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

After the race in LA, I spend the six days in-between traveling, recovering and getting ready to race the Lifetime Fitness Toyota Cup Finale in Dallas on Oct. 11th. The plan going into these two weekends of racing was to prepare more for Dallas and train a bit harder for LA than usual so that I would have my legs ready to go for the Finale.
The race conditions were tough as temperatures were in the lower fifties, but what made it chilly was the light rain that fell most of the morning. The water however, was still warm since Texas is coming off their hot and humid summers. So, with the water temperature at 70, it was a non-wetsuit swim.
The swim start was a short run into the water (we started with the water at our ankles). I had a solid swim and exited the water in front with Sarah Groff right behind. We had about at 45-60 second lead over the rest of the competitors. The transitions were brutal this race, as my dexterity was not so great with the colder conditions. The parking lot we ran through to get our bikes was a chip seal surface that is NOT fun to run with bare feet. I was almost slowing to a jog as I was approaching my bike as I was worried I was cutting up my feet.
Once out on the bike, I focused on getting into a rhythm. After about five minutes into the bike, I remembered to pull my mouthgaurd off my bike and test it out while racing. The start of the course has some longer gradual climbs, with some steeper pitches. I was feeling pretty good on the bike, not killing it as I was expecting some of the other girls to come up on me and I would work on staying with them. Once we were about two-thirds of the way through the bike, Julie came by and I noticed this week it was much easier to stay with her in Dallas verses LA. I lost a bit of time to her mainly because I was trying to navigate through some rough roads and had to get out of aero position. Towards the end of the bike course, there are sections with lots of pot holes and with the puddles, it made the pot holes difficult to navigate. I was glad to escape through that section without any flats or crashes!
I exited T2 about 15 seconds behind Julie. The big problem in T 2 began when I tried to get my shoes on!! My feet and hands were cold and numb and I had a difficult time putting on my shoes and taking off my helmet. Unfortunately, I lost about 15 seconds in transition to Lisa and we ended up exiting the transition area almost at the same time. Once out on the run, I could not feel my feet for the first mile, but then I began to warm-up and have more feeling. I wanted to start out the run fast, as I noticed Lisa was right with me and I would have to break her before the end of the race if I wanted a chance at the win… We ran neck and neck the entire way, as I tried to surge a couple of times during the 10k. With about 800meters to go, Lisa put in a strong surge that I was not able to match. Lisa took the win for the second straight year, and I finished second, but have to be proud that the race was much closer this year. Last year she finished over a minute in front of me and this year it was 15 seconds. However, I did accomplish my goal of finishing 1st in the Series.
I had a great time in Dallas, as some friends and family came to support me. Lifetime Fitness had a great pre-race dinner and post-race party. They really went above and beyond to treat the athletes well at the event. We saw sun for the first time arriving back to the Springs yesterday----Dallas was cloudy and cool the entire weekend. Fall is here and winter is knocking on the door very early this year!!!
Hard to believe my 2009 season is almost over. I am racing my first 70.3 in Austin in less than two weeks! I am treating this race for “fun” with the main goal of qualifying for the 70.3 2010 World Championships in Florida. This race will mean a lot more focus on my nutrition, as it is over twice as long as an Olympic distance race. I am not specifically training for this race, as I centered my training focus on these last two Olympic races.
We are headed to Minnesota tomorrow for a family wedding! This will mean having to spend a little time on the bike trainer since I am racing the following weekend---but, really looking forward to spending time with family and celebrating!

Los Angeles Triathlon

2009-10-06T11:10:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday, I competed in my second LA Tri. The first time I toed the beach for the LA Tri, it was my first non-drafting race and my first win of my professional career. Back then I was still riding my road bike, but my equipment, the course and the competition was completely different this time around! As excited as I was about my first win back in 2005, I can’t complain about second place for the 2009 race, as I feel this was the most competitive non-drafting race I have had the opportunity to compete in so far in my career (although I will get the opportunity again in five days in Dallas!!)
The race began at 7:20 AM (five minutes behind the professional men). We had a beach run into some incredible surf and chop. I don’t mind swimming in the waves and chop once I am past the break, with the exception of trying to find your way in the water (which is tough). The waves make it extremely difficult to find the buoys! Fortunately, the surf was not as rough as 20 minutes before the race during my warm-up. I did get lost a couple time and the lifeguards were trying to steer us in the right direction. I had a good swim and ended up exiting the water 15 seconds behind Haley Peirsol. I had an average transition, just feeling a little jostled from the waves and did not get on my bike as quickly as I would have liked to, so I will focus on both of my transitions for next weekend.
I started off the bike hard. I knew that STRONG women were behind me on the bike chasing and I had to put my head down and go. The bike course is challenging as it is mostly false flat uphill, so it is quite a grinder and requires massive power. About halfway through the bike section, Juile Dibbons biked by me and I focused on staying with her, then Daniella and Lisa. For the next five miles I focused on staying with the women and did not lose too much time to them. Heading into the last turnaround with about 5 miles to go, my legs hit a wall and I lost almost a minute to the women on the last section. I just focused on keeping my cadence up, as I was experiencing some muscular fatigue. I headed into transition just over a minute down.
Once out on the run, I felt good. After how my legs felt at the end of the bike, I did not know what to expect. After the first mile, I could see Julie and just kept a good tempo up and worked my way up to her. After half-way, I realized Daniella was about 15 seconds ahead and just gradually worked my way up to her. Lisa was having a great day and I knew that catching her was out of the question, but I was pleased to work my way up to second. I crossed the line not leaving everything out on the line, as the entire run I was thinking about Dallas the next weekend and wanted to leave something for Dallas!
Every athlete heads into the race with the goal of crossing first, which is my goal for next weekend. I know I have to race smart and just go out there and give it 100% for that day. Dallas has even more amazing athletes than Los Angeles, so I am welcoming the challenge and going to give it my best. I am currently leading the Race to the Toyota Cup Series and my goal heading into the final race is to finish up on top of the standings. This is my last major Olympic distance race of the year, so I would love to finish with something to smile about!
I leave for Dallas on Thursday afternoon...
Have a great week!

Races Approaching and New Gear!

2009-09-30T15:07:00.001-07:00

The past couple of weeks, I have gotten to spend quite some time in my time trail position on the bike, as all the remaining races on my schedule are non drafting races. This Sunday, I will be competing in the Los Angeles Triathlon, followed by the Toyota US Open the next Sunday in Dallas, Texas. Dallas is the final race in the Lifetime Fitness Series and has more weight in the series compared to the other four races. To be eligible for the series, you have to start four of the five races. I have competed in Minneapolis and Chicago (missing New York for a race in Hamburg, Germany) and will be eligible for the series as long as I start the final two races. My goal is to finish the season strong, and I have to say it is very nice heading into these races not traveling across the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean to get there, much like most of my races this year.

These last two races will have plenty of competition, as many fellow ITU competitors from Europe will be on the starting line. This race will be very different from an ITU race, as the bike will be solo---no packs, strategies, as the race is all on you.

I am very excited to have gotten some new gear the past week. I recently got to build up my new TT Triad SL bike (2010) from Blue, which is very similar to this year's model, but is about a pound lighter, which is never a bad thing and very aero! I rode the bike for the first time yesterday, and it feels awesome. Check out the ride at www.rideblue.com

While I was in Chicago, I got the opportunity for my mouth to be molded for a sport performance mouthpiece. I have never heard of such a simple piece of equipment that can enhance your training and racing, but I just got the mouthpiece in the mail last week and have been training with it during the bike and run. From what I have heard, everyone experiences different effects with the piece, but personally I have noticed feeling more relaxed while riding. Being not as tense, and more relaxed in any situation saves you energy and when you are training and racing this equals positive benefits. For more information about the mouthpiece, please visit the website: http://bitetech.com. The piece is very comfortable in my mouth and I can easily drink while riding. The science behind the mouthpiece, "When athletes exert themselves, clenching the jaw is a natural reaction. Teeth-clenching, however, triggers the excess production and release of hormones, such as cortisol, that produce stress, fatigue and distraction, hindering an athlete’s performance. ArmourBite Technology in UA Performance Mouthwear prevents an athlete’s teeth from clenching, relieves pressure on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and prevents the excessive production of performance-sapping hormones."---who knew!

I am enjoying some of the last bits of warm weather here in Colorado...as fall is fairly short lived here and the weather can change at the drop of a hat. Last week for instance, I was running in tights, gloves, two layers, and hat (maybe 40...or more like 38 degrees) and by Saturday I was in a sports bra and shorts (80 degrees!). I have to say I much prefer the 80 degree training weather---

Gold Coast Australia

2009-09-15T14:06:00.001-07:00

Gold Coast World Championship Series Finale:
On Sunday, September 13th, I competed in the world championships in Gold Coast, Australia. This was the final race of a five part race series, with the finale having a bit more weight (1/3 more points) in the overall standings. The race started later in the afternoon (2:45PM) and was perfect racing temperatures, with highs in the lower 70s. The wind did pick up quite a bit before our race start, which led to very choppy waters and turned into more of a strength bike/run (although the course was mostly flat).
The swim conditions suited my strengths, as it was cold and choppy. I started out the swim in second position at the first turn buoy (250meters) and followed the athlete in front of me. I remember thinking we made a very sharp turn and I remember NOT making this sharp of a turn in the warm-up swim. After about 50 meters or so, I realized that we were swimming far off course and I turned back left to head to the right direction. I finished the first lap in front, winning the swim prime. The second lap, I knew I had a gap from the field, but just focused on staying within my limits and not pushing too hard. I ran out of the water with a 15 second lead into T1.
Once I got on the bike I pushed it hard for the first 2k and then realized there was a pack of six behind me. I soft-pedaled until the group caught me and then we all worked very well together pace lining over the eight lap course. The course was very smooth and not too technical, so we had straight sections were could rotate through and work together. We ended up getting a 50 second lead on the chase pack and over a two minute lead over the third pack.
One of my goals this weekend was to get off the bike in great position. I attacked just heading into the turns before transition and ended up exiting third, just behind Lisa Norden and Emma Moffett. Things were going great, but as I racked my bike, my bike fell over and my shoe flew over to another athlete’s transition. I had to re-rack my bike (to be sure I would not get DQ’d) and lost a precious six seconds. Instead of running out of the transition with Lisa, I was behind and had to work my way up. I quickly worked my way to fourth and after 1500meters I was in third and held that position most of the run. I was feeling great most of the run and keeping close distance behind Emma and Lisa; however, on the third lap I felt my foot beginning to fatigue and I lost some time to the leaders. On the last lap, Helen Tucker was coming on very strong and surged past me with about 600meters to go. I was not able to respond to her surge as my muscles would not push my body any farther. My dreams and goals of a podium finish were shot and I crossed the line in fourth. Although I was very disappointed with my fourth, I have to focus on all the positives of the race.
Also, I thought that I would hold onto my fifth place in the series, since I finished in fourth. However, with Helen Jenkins finishing in third, I was bumped to sixth in the series. Danellia Ryf finished sixth in the race and fourth overall, Helen was third in the race and fifth overall and I finished forth in the race and was sixth overall. Although I finished sixth, it was almost a three way tie!
World Champs is always a great opportunity to meet younger up and coming athletes as well as Team USA age group team. There were so many athletes competing this weekend, it was great to see so many people racing. I am always amazed to watch the Para athletes out there swimming,biking and running. Triathlon is going to be a test event in 2012 for the Para-Olympics, so hopefully it will be on the schedule in 2016....
I have two major races left this season…LA Triathlon and the Dallas Triathlon. My goal is to finish the series up on top, but each race will be very challenging because many international athletes are going to be in attendance.
I am in the LAX United red carpet lounge right now with a long layover until I catch my flight back to Colorado Springs. I have to say I am ready to get home after a week on the road. Gold Coast was beautiful and we got to spend Monday at the beach, just relaxing! We found a restaurant, Clock Hotel, with great food for a cheap price. We ate dinner there four days in a row!!! Now time to recover from jet lag and looking forward to a shower when I get home. I did pay to upgrade on the way home too and very glad to travel in business class. It is so hard to travel international after you have traveled in the new business class seats. Each seat reclines into a bed and each seat has a large tv screen in front to watch any movies, tv, radio, games, etc. No more international trips for the year (thank goodness).

Chicago Tri

2009-08-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, I competed in the Chicago Triathlon located right in the heart of downtown. This was my first year racing in Chicago and I can’t be happier with my finish, as I met my race goal and finished on top of the podium. I was amazed with how many athletes were competing in the race (9300 athletes in total). I believe this makes the Chicago Triathlon one of the biggest triathlons in the world! I was great to see so many people out watching the race and so many athletes out competing.
The weather was perfect day for racing, with temperatures in the sixties. The pros did not start until 11:15 (men) and 11:18 (women). I am sure it was a bit on the cold side for the age groupers with the first wave starting at 6:00AM! We really lucked out with the weather, as August can still be hot and humid in Chicago. The wind on the other hand, made for tough conditions with a 20mph wind from the north. The swim was swum in the New York Yacht Club harbor of Lake Michigan and it was a straight out and back swim. The water was 65 degrees, so wetsuit legal, and was quite choppy with the wind. I lead out of the water, with Sarah Groff right behind me and headed to the run transition (almost a ½ mile run to my bike). I was debating weather or not to put shoes on, since most of the run was on pavement, but opted out of the shoes (I think this was a good call, although I my heels are a little sore at the moment). I started off the bike wanting to hit it hard for the first 10k and it was hard, as the first 10k was slightly uphill into the strong headwind. At the first turn, I could see Sarah Groff about 30 seconds back and I though I saw Julie Dibbons, but surprised I did not see her the rest of the ride. Unfortunately, it turns out Julie crashed right after I saw her and was not able to finish the bike portion, but fortunately, she is okay! I continued on the second half of the bike in the lead and managed to spin the legs at the end to prepare for the run.
The run was again a straight out and back with a tailwind for the first 3.5 miles and then a strong headwind for the last couple of miles. I felt pretty comfortable the first half and once I made the turn, my heart rate spiked with the run into the headwind. With one mile to go, I was beginning to feel confident with a win; however, did not want to led up as you never know what can happen at any moment. Once I crossed that finish line I was relieved to have accomplished my goal! It made the extra special to have family and friends to share it with as they made the short drive up from St. Louis. I could not thank all my sponsors enough for all the support they have given me thus far, especially Toyota and Blue who were both sponsors of the race as well.
My wishes go out to Julie Dibbons and Andy Potts (who also crashed in the race) to speedy recoveries and back to training for the remainder of their 2009 season. Congratulations to Matt Reed, who was the men’s winner in the race.
Part of my race schedule will include Chicago for 2010 for sure! I am looking forward to returning and trying to defend my title. Also, on October 2nd, Chicago is up for the 2016 Olympic bid----so I am keeping my fingers crossed as I think Chicago would be an incredible host city for the Olympic Games.
Next up for me is the World Championship Series Finale in Gold Coast Austraila. I have eight days in Colorado Springs to prepare for the race before I make the trip across the ocean.
Enjoy the end of summer and the upcoming holiday weekend!
Best Wishes
Sarah

Yokohama Race

2009-08-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

I competed in my fourth World Championship Series race this past weekend in Yokohama, Japan. This was the final race in the series leading into the Grand Finale in Gold Coast Australia. My number one goal for the race was to finish the race with an overall ranking of 5th in the standings and I am very pleased to have accomplished that goal. I finished 9th overall, which was my lowest score of the four, but really fought the race through to the finish line and can’t beat myself up over the result.
The race took place right in downtown Yokohama (which is only an hour outside of Tokyo). We swam two laps in a calm harbor, 8 laps on a flat and technical course and ran the standard four laps. The race was all flat, but very tough due to the weather. I have never raced in such humid conditions. The air temperature was in the upper 80s, but since the humidity was close to 100%, the heat index was near 100 degrees. Training in Colorado with such low humidity, it is tough to switch to a drastically different environment. I feel as a triathlete you have to be ready for any weather condition and be ready to race with whatever is given to you on that day!
I started off on the swim feeling pretty good, I tried to make sure to start on the outside to avoid contact with the fractured ribs (although they are healing up now very well). I exited the swim in third position and got on the bike working hard from the start with a small group of four athletes. Despite our efforts, we were unable to hold off the chase pack and they managed to make up the 20 second advantage we had, at the start of the third lap. From this point on, I focused on staying hydrated as best I could (although I still ran out of fluids the last lap of the bike) and make sure to stay at the front in case any breaks occurred. I also knew a good T2 was critical. I ended up starting the run about 4 seconds off the leaders, which is not great, but not terrible. I caught the leaders within the first 200meters of the race.
The 10k run was the toughest 10k I have run so far this year. The humidity was so high, I felt like I was being suffocated by the air! I focused on staying with the leaders and just trying to keep contact with them. After the first lap, I was already hurting and knew it was going to be mentally and physically challenging. I was hoping my body would hold up through the end and not collapse in the heat. I was able to stick with the leaders until about 3k left to go in the run. Lisa Norden (the race winner), put in a surge and I was not able to hold onto the pace. Unfortunately, on the last lap I ended up losing almost a minute from the women I was running with and ended fading a bit on the last 1k and finished 9th. I was starting the feel my leg muscles beginning to chill and goose bumps all over my body, so I was just glad to get across the finish line. I gave it everything I had to stay with the leaders for as long as I could.
Heading into the finale, I am in 5th position overall. My goal all season has been a podium and I feel I have been knocking at the door. My goal is a podium finish and a 3rd or 4th place in the overall rankings. After a long travel back to the States, it will be a quick recovery and then I begin a hard training block before my next overseas travel. I have the Chicago Triathlon this next weekend and although I will be training through the race, I want to have a strong showing there and test out the TT fitness on the bike.
I was bummed to miss Nationals this year, but with all the races I am doing I felt I had to make the decision to focus on the WCS races. Congrats goes out to Jasmine Oenick and Matt Charbot on their wins yesterday. Also, Jarrod finished 6th in the men's race today in Japan, so congrats to another strong finish for him.
Best Wishes!

Rib 3 and Rib 9....

2009-08-05T12:06:00.000-07:00

I had a great time in St. Louis last week, as I got to visit friends and family and enjoy a different training enviroment. Unfortunately, I was in a bit of pain from the crash and I figured after a few days, my ribs would begin to feel better. By Friday, my ribs were feeling worse after training, especially swimming, and I began to question if something more serious had happened in the crash.
I returned back to Colorado on Monday and went into Sports Med on Tuesday morning to have an evaluation completed. Not to my surprise, I have two fractured ribs (rib just below my chest and a rib just below my collar bone). I believe that when I went down in Hamburg, the handle bars jabbed me and this is what has lead to my fractures---or it could have been the pavement. The rib below my chest has not been bothering me too much, but the rib just below my colar bone has been a BEAR----especially swimming. I have been able to keep up with training running/cylcing, but swimming has had to take a back seat for the time being.
Right now is the middle of race season and all is going well, so I am just going to train through it...good news is that I won't cause any more injury by swimming/biking/running, but may just prolong the healing process.
I have just over two weeks until I race in Yokohoma, Japan, so my ribs should be feeling better by then, although it will take six weeks for the fractures to heal.
Good news is that my leg is feeling great, so I am fully confident that my surgery in Feb. was a success.
Overcoming and dealing with injuries is another part of the sport and at least have to look at the bright side and take a couple of broken ribs over a broken arm or leg!
Best Wishes
Sarah

Hamburg WCS

2009-07-28T06:45:00.001-07:00

Race Report---Hamburg ITU World Championship Series:

This past Saturday, July 25th, I competed in my third WCS Race in Hamburg, Germany. This was my third time racing in Hamburg, as I had previously raced in 2006 and 2007. The course has not changed over the years, but the weather has been different every time. This year, the weather was a challenging element, especially on the bike as much of the bike portion was in the rain. I finished in sixth place overall, and I have to say I was pleased with my finish considering a few obstacles I overcame during my race.

The race began later in the afternoon, very common in Europe, with a 3:30PM start time. When racing in Hamburg, there is always much excitement in the air, mainly due to the fact that almost ½ million people are watching the race. The run especially goes by fast, as people are along the entire course cheering on the athletes. The water temperature was 20.2, which would normally be a non-wetsuit swim, but since the air temperature was only in the 60s, the race officials decided to have a wetsuit swim. The swim is a two loop swim in the downtown river. I had a solid swim, exiting in the front of group. I was about 45 seconds behind teammate Haily Peirsol, who is only one of three women ever to break 16 minutes in the 1500 meter freestyle and this year has switched over to the triathlon.

I had a descent transition and started the ride feeling strong. I was looking down at my SRM and noticed that I was pushing well above my threshold (70 Watts above) and feeling great. My goal at the start of the bike is to really push the pace to try and separate the packs as much as possible out of the swim. Within the first ½ of the first lap, I had established a 30 meter gap on a pack of women. I was riding very aggressively and unfortunately, too aggressive for the conditions. Hamburg is very technical, but also has lots of paint on the crosswalks and paint with the combination of wet roads can lead to crashes!!!!! On the third turn of the race, I felt my wheel slide out and I was down before I knew it. I hoped right back up to my bike and then realized that my chain was off, so I then had get off and put my chain back on. At this point, many other riders were flying by and a race official was holding me against the gate so that I was not starting up in the middle of a pack and interfering with other athletes. Finally, I was able to get back on my bike and start chasing down the pack once the official felt it was safe for me to begin. I got on my bike and gritted my teeth and spent the next 2-3 laps working hard to catch back up. I found it is easier to push yourself trying to chase a pack rather than trying to stay away from a pack. It seems having a target ahead definitely helps to motivate you to drive forward. Once I caught up with the pack, I was able to relax and breathe a sigh of relief. When I first joined the group, I did not realize that there was a group of three off the front. With a couple laps to go, I tried to push the pace and close the gap, but it was a bit too late.

I did not have a great second transition, as I could not get into good position before getting off the bike; therefore, I exited off the bike in the back of the pack. Our group had a 90+ second deficit over Emma Moffet, Daniella Ryf, and Lisa Norden. I started off the run with legs a bit cold, but feeling good. I focused on moving up towards to front. After about 1500meters or so, I was able to get to the front of the pack. Halfway through, Lauren Groves of Canada began to push the pace and separate the big group. I was able to stick with her until about 1500meters left to go in the run. I ended up finishing 6th overall, with the third fastest run split of the day. I was happy with my run performance as my leg strength continues to improve. It is a bit frustrating to know that I was feeling so strong on the bike and if I had been a bit more careful on the bike and not crashed I feel I would have been in the break-away. But at the same time, I really went for it and gained valuable experience. I am also very proud to get back on my bike and catch back up to the pack after the crash and glad to not have lost focus mentally.

This was my third race of the year for the WCS races and I have two races remaining in the series, Yokohoma, Japan on August 22nd and the finale in Gold Coast Australia on September 12th.am currently ranked sixth in the series and my goal is to end the year within the top 5 in the World Championship Rankings.

I had a great time in Hamburg taking in the beautiful buildings downtown, eating some German food (the pizza in Germany was awesome!) and also getting to meet up with some friends of mine I met on vacation eight years ago in Mexico! Tim and Simone were on their honeymoon in Playa del Carmen, Mexico back in the summer of 2001 and my Dad, sister and I were vacationing at the same time and have stayed in touch ever since. They have traveled up to Hamburg to watch me race every year and since we first met back in 2001, their family has grown. They now have two adorable girls (Lena, 5, and Sophia, 3).

Currently, I am on the plane headed back to the US. I upgraded to business class, which is a very nice treat!! I am taking a couple of days of light training to let my body recover from all the racing (this was my fourth race in six weeks---something I never could have dreamed of completing last year, but now my leg is feeling so much better post surgery). I am also excited to spend next week in St. Louis. I will be visiting family, attending my 10 year high school reunion as well as going to my niece’s baptism (I will be her godmother).

I will not be racing for another four weeks, so I am going to take advantage of some time to get in another quality training block before my next block of racing in Japan, Chicago and Australia.
Summer is flying by….already August. The kids/teachers will be back in school before you know it. Enjoy the remainder of summer!

Lifetime Fitness Triathlon and Jimi Flowers

2009-07-14T15:35:00.000-07:00

Lifetime Fitness Triathlon Race Report
This past Saturday, I competed in my third LTF triathlon in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This race is always fun for me because I get to also spend time with family (as it is Nate’s hometown). My parents, brother and his girlfriend also came up from Missouri to watch too. The weather was perfect again this year, with temperatures in the sixties during race morning and just a slight breeze. The race began early, as the Pros were the first wave to begin the race. The women started 3 minutes behind the men at 7:03AM.
The swim was a beach start with a short run into the water. The swim was one loop with calm, lake water. The water temp. this year was a nice 74 degrees; usually it is closer to 80 degrees, so it is very nice starting off the race without getting your core body temperature up at all. I was in second position most of the swim, just behind Sarah Groff. I had a smooth and fast T1 and was the first to hop on my bike.
I had a goal heading into the race to really push the first 15k of the bike. When I got o n the bike, I was feeling good and had a great rhythm. I followed my goal plan and pushed the start and as I got into my ride eased back just a bit. I was expecting to see some other competitors come up on the bike (last year eight of us were riding “together”), but this year I was able to stay in front the entire ride. During the bike ride, you have to stay very mentally focused, but not just focused on pushing the pace, but paying attention to the road, looking out for turns, holes, people, etc. The course is pretty technical, with narrow roads, so you have to keep your head up. I was most pleased with my bike ride overall with the race.
I exited the bike about 20 seconds ahead of Julie Dibbons and about 30 seconds ahead of Becky Lavelle. Once I got onto the run course, I pushed the first mile and then settled in to pace. I was able to keep my lead and extend it to 1:23 once I crossed the finish line. It is a great feeling being able to break the tape and accomplish your goal. I was second last year, so it was nice to finish up on top this year.
This was the first race in the Race to the Toyota Cup Series, with the final race in Dallas, Texas in October. I will be racing in four out of the five races and will be eligible for the overall series standings.
By the end of the day on Saturday, we were tired…partly because of the 4:00AM wake up for the race! After the race, we got to spend some time with the family and some good friends from college, who happen to live right near the race course! After spending some time, Nate and I were off to a wedding…(my sister-in-law’s sister was getting married) and we got to spend some more quality time with family, eat some great food (and wedding cake). We returned back to my brother-in-law’s home and hit the sack. Before heading to bed, I heard some very tragic news, Jimi Flowers, Para-Olympic Swimming Coach, died on Friday from a climbing accident. Jimi was an outstanding coach and inspiration to all. He was always asking about my triathlon races on pool deck and keeping up with all the athletes. He would also write inspirational quotes up on the board at the start of workouts and I loved the extra pick-up it would give you for the moment. There is a trust fund set up for his young children. You can find the information for the fund at the link: http://usparalympics.org/news/article/14260.

Hy-Vee TV Coverage

2009-07-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

Happy 4th of July~~enjoy a great fireworks show tonight, even if it's on TV! (Which we will be doing here in Colorado because the local fireworks were cancelled due to city budget cuts).
Also, wanted to pass on information that the Des Moines Hy-Vee Elite World Cup will be broadcasted on NBC tomorrow (July 5th) following the men's Wimbledon Finals (around 1:30PM).
Enjoy the weekend!
Sarah

Weekend of Racing

2009-07-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

Hy-Vee ITU Elite World Cup/Team World Championships Event
This past Saturday, I competed in my third race of the year and finished in 9th position. It was a very tough race, with the heat index near 100 degrees while we were racing. I also was a bit unlucky in that I caught a stomach bug on Thursday and was in bed all day on Friday, but fortunately, I felt much better on Saturday and was able to get to the start line.
Hy-Vee did an excellent job putting on another fantastic race. This year the race took place with T1 and T2 in the same location, which made it much easier for the spectators to watch. The swim was a two-loop 1500m swim in the Racoon River (much like a lake). Water temps were around 83 degrees, which made for a warm swim. I kept the swim as comfortable as possible and exited the water in fourth position. I was with the front pack, with the exception of Sara McLarty, who had a 45 second lead from the swim.
The bike course was mostly flat and very technical with lots of tight and narrow turns. I was in a front group of eight and everyone was working together well. The bike was very tough, as I was really feeling the heat. We joined with Sara McLarty half-way through the bike and managed to keep a 45 second lead from the chase pack heading into T2.
The run was also flat and technical. I started off feeling good for about the first 2k, but then I quickly faded and by the last couple of laps was just trying to get across the finish line. The Australians are continuing to dominate, as the Emma’s finished 1,2.
The racing excitement did not conclude with the race on Saturday, but also raced in the inaugural World Championship Team Event. I have never competed in anything like this before. The relay race was 4x(250m swim/8k bike, 1.8k run) with two men and two women from each country. A woman started off, tagged a male, a woman third, and finished with a male. This made for a very fast and exciting race and hopefully, will get to showcase in the 2012 Olympics in London. I think this will add so much to our sport and will be a hit with not only the athletes, but also the spectators.
Laura Bennett went first, followed by Jarrod Shoemaker. I went in third position and tried my best to catch up to the field. I ended up closing within 18 seconds of third and handed off the Matt Reed. Our team ended up in fourth position, although we wanted to podium, we had a lot of fun competing in the event. The Swiss team won the event, followed by Australia and Canada third.
Hy-Vee is always a special race for me because I feel it is almost a "hometown" race. I had family travel from Minnesota and Missouri to cheer me on and watch the races. I had a great time hanging out with them.
My busy racing season has just begun. I am back in Colorado for a quick training block and then head next week to Minneapolis, MN for the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon on July 11th.
Have a great Fourth of July!!

Competitive Image

2009-06-24T14:22:00.000-07:00

The pictures above are complements of Paul Phillips. Photographs of other athletes can be found at his site: http://www.competitiveimage.us/
Thank you Paul!

Washington D.C.

2009-06-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

Washington D.C. Race Report---June 21st, 2009: World Championship Series Race #3
This past Sunday, I competed in my second race of the season, which happened to also be my second WCS race. I finished in fourth position, just off the podium spot. The race was almost a duathlon, as race officials decided late afternoon on Saturday that the water quality in the Potomac River was clean enough to hold the event. I am very grateful of all the efforts of the race organizers and volunteers who helped to make this race happen and this race a success. It turned out to be a very nice day, as the temperatures were only in the upper 70s, as it could have been much warmer.
The race began with an unusual start, as the men went off first at 9:10AM and the women began at 11:45AM. The swim was a two-lap (750m. loop) with a pontoon dive start. I had a very good start, as I was first to hit the turn buoy, located 300meters from the start. I led the swim for the duration of the 1500 meters and was able to take home the swim prime. The swim was a little rough, with river currents and the windy day correlated to some chop on the water, but I do enjoy the rough and challenging swims as those types of swims are a strength for me.
Upon entering T1, I lost just a couple seconds as my helmet fell to the ground as I was trying to quickly grab it from my bike. The bike was mostly flat, with one hill (4% grade for 1k) and very technical course. Due to the wind, the bike was very tough. A group of about seven of us quickly made a move on the bike and worked very hard to stay away from the chase group behind us. We only had about 20-30 seconds on the chase group during the first four laps and half-way through the bike section of the course; we were reeled in despite our strong efforts. Towards the end of the bike with 1.5 laps to go, I was able to break away with a teammate of mine, Marybeth Ellis, and enter T2 with a 30 second lead!
It is a great feeling to start the run course with a lead and enter transition with just one other person instead of entering with 15 other people. I started the run with very heavy legs, as the bike was quite taxing. As I progressed over the run, I felt like I held my pace and was quickly caught by Australia’s Emma Moffat, halfway through the run, I was caught by Emma Snowsill and with about 3K to go; I was caught by Swiss, Danielle Riff. As each runner passed me by, I tried to stay with them and accelerate to their pace. I was not able to stick with Danielle’s surge with 2.5 K to go, but finished strong to keep my 4th position. So, far I have a 5th and a 4th, so I seem to be just missing that podium spot, but that is my goal for the next WCS race!
The men and the women performed well on Sunday as we each had four athletes in the top 14! Andy Potts was also fourth and the top US finisher on the men’s side. The race location was absolutely amazing in that we were riding and running down Pennsylvania Ave (directly in front on the Capitol building). After the race, a friend from college was able to give Nate and me a private tour of the White House West Wing. We got to see where our top government officials work daily, including the famous oval office (and I did see the swing set that was recently build just outside the oval office, so he could watch his daughter’s play). A new rule was just issued that no photographs were to be taken inside the west wing or the rose garden (to protect the girl’s privacy if they were to be outside playing). I thank Monte Hawkins for being so generous to spend Sunday evening with us and give us the opportunity of a lifetime! On a final note, we also got to bowl on Harry Truman’s personal bowling alley!
I have just five days until I compete in the Des Moines World Cup. So, it is all about recovery and getting ready for the race! I am headed to Minnesota to visit family and make the fairly short drive down to Iowa on Thursday.
Happy official start to summer!

Madrid WCS

2009-06-06T17:27:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, I competed in my first race in almost seven months. I really wanted to test out my fitness after a couple of months of tough training after my recovery from surgery. I knew that my swim/bike fitness was well on course, due to strong training workouts in those disciplines; however, I was not quite sure how my running fitness would fare in the race since I have just begun doing speed workout several weeks prior to the race.

A new addition for 2009 is team travel, which is nice because you don’t have to worry about finding your way around a new city and you will always be staying close by a teammate or coach. I have to confess though, I still managed to get lost biking to the race course (twice)! In addition, athletes are supported by a team bike mechanic, doctor, chiropractor, and massage therapist---so we are very well supported!!

Surprisingly, the race went better than I expected and I finished in 5th overall, but it was a very close race as it was only a few seconds behind first place. The race began with just under 50 women on the starting line and race conditions were very nice, maybe just a bit warm with temperatures in the lower 80s. The swim portion was in a lake with calm, 22 degree C water. I had a descent swim start and was in second position after the first buoy. I was feeling pretty good halfway through the swim and ended up leading most of the second lap. Annabelle Luxford and I ended up exiting the water side by side and I entered T1 in first position.
The bike course was 8 laps with a longer climb and downhill making up most of the lap. I knew that I wanted to try and get the front group small, so I worked the first climb hard and after the climb had a 20 second gap with Annabelle. Unfortunately, we were not strong enough to hold off the chase pack of around 13 or so athletes, but we were able to maintain over a minute lead on the following pack. The bike was not easy, but I was very aware of making sure I was staying hydrated as the sun was hot and the air was very dry.

My second transition was okay, I ended up running out mid-pack and about 7 seconds behind the leader. I started out the run with my legs feeling a bit heavy from the bike and worked my way up to third after the first lap (the run course was mostly flat with 4 mostly shaded loops). At the start of the second lap, I was able to run up to the two leaders and was feeling pretty comfortable. I was expecting my foot to fatigue just after the half-way mark (the foot drop I usually experience) and prepared for it mentally in case I was feeling the symptoms, but they never came! I have not felt this comfortable and fluid in a race in quite some time (since I had my ankle sprain). It is such a relief to know how successful the surgery was and know that my foot is functioning better. It is still not quite 100%, but I still have another six months for the nerve fibers to completely regenerate, so that is also great to know I have room for improvement. I tried a couple of surges in the third and fourth laps to try and keep the pace high, as I did not want the race to come down to a sprint finish because 1) sprinting is a weakness of mine 2) I have only completed a couple of speed workouts so far this season.
Overall I am very pleased with my first race back and eager to try and improve on my next race! My run was the biggest surprise of the day as I felt the best on the run portion and ran 45 seconds faster than my goal time. I have a long season ahead of me and will do my best to stay on top of my body and prevent any injuries with my leg as it is continuing to get stronger.
I am headed back to Colorado and will first recovery from the Europe trip and start another training block before my next race (WCS #3 in Washington D.C.) I am really looking forward to the race in Washington, as we will get to race in front of the US Capitol, White House and many other historic buildings. We also have the opportunity to meet the mayor of DC and help out a kids triathlon race.

The other Americans did very well, as Sarah Groff finished in 8th place and Mary Beth Ellis had a strong finish. Jarrod Shoemaker had another strong showing at his second WCS race and finished in 12th place.

The post race dinner was much better than normal---as the Spaniards treated us to a feast! We were all invited for a free meal inside an amusement park, although we were not able to go on any rides. The food served was plentiful….bread, chicken wings, salad, cheese, sangria, ribs (yes, ribs in Spain…I almost felt like I was home in the US) and a really great chocolate cake!! Of course it was an adventure trying to find the exit of the park…..we went out the way we came in and found we were locked out (we later realized we had to exit from a different area) but, we all just decided to climb over the gate and walk around for 30 minutes until we could find the metro to take us back to the hotel. Fortunately, I was with a big group, otherwise I would have been really lost!!
As I type this now, I am headed back on the plane to Dallas where I will go through customs and wait four hours until my flight back home to the Springs. I really hope there are not any delays because by the time I get home, I will have been up for about 24 hours…..and my body will be ready to sleep!!!!! Unfortunately, Nate will be out of town on a business trip and won’t be able to pick me up at the airport---I have not seen him in almost two weeks, so that was a disappointment to know that he would not be home.

Hard to believe it is already June and summer is here!! I think I can finally pack up all those winter clothes for awhile (Colorado gets some cold days in May).

First Race Approaching

2009-05-22T14:55:00.001-07:00

After a couple months of getting back into some solid training, I am gearing up for my first race in almost seven months. I have been back to running now for seven weeks and began speed workouts a few weeks ago. The foot is feeling good and looking forward to testing it out in a race.
I am racing the Madrid World Championship Series #2 (the first series race was at the beginning of May in Korea). The race begins at 11:30AM on Sunday, May 31st (which would be 4:30AM start time in Colorado) and the men's race begins at 2:30PM. The race will be broad casted live at: www.triathlon.org and you can check out the website for race video and results. One of the hardest parts about this trip will be the travel to Europe and the time zone change (eight hours ahead). I will be departing on Wed. afternoon and arriving into Spain at 10:00AM on Thursday morning. I hope to get a few hours of sleep on the plane and then try and stay up the next day...

I raced here three years ago, and I remember the course quite well. The swim course is two laps in a lake (calm water) and the temperature will probably be non wetsuit, although the temp is usually right at the cut-off. The bike course is eight laps, with a long climb that starts out steep and then becomes very gradual, followed by a steep downhill that turns into a long false flat downhill into the transition zone. The run is fairly flat and fast.

The climate is pretty similar to Colorado with lower humidity and temps up into the mid 80s.
The most interesting part of Spain is the culture difference....everyone takes a nap from 1:00-4:00PM and nothing is open during those times. Everyone goes back to work from 4:00-7:00PM and you can't find a place to eat that is open before 8:00PM! I don't remember the sun setting till almost 10:30PM either!!! So, it makes for many night owls----as most people will stay out until 3:00AM (reason why a 2-3 hour siesta is needed). I just remember going to bed at 10PM and everyone in the hotel departing for a night out and waking up at 3:00AM upon their arrival!
Once race season begins for me, it will be a whirlwind of travel and racing! I am looking forward to the start of racing for 2009 and just going out there and competing at my best. Good luck to everyone upon the start of your racing season and if you have already begun, I hope it is off to a great start!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

New Niece--Anna Riley Lauck

2009-03-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

On March 17th at 3:45PM, my fourth niece was born! Her original name was going to be Anna Marie, but since she was born on St. Patty's Day my sister wanted to give her an Irish name.
Mother and baby are doing great now, but my sister ended up having an emergency c-section because Anna flipped during labor (she was feet first instead of head first). My sister was not happy with the news, but she did not have too long to think about it because within five minutes she was wheeled into surgery. Anna was 6lbs. 12 oz and healthy!
After Megan's first child, she was up and running around the next day. The recovery process is much slower this time around, but she is feeling better every day. I arrived into St. Louis on the 18th, so I got to see Anna at just a day old. It was incredible to be holding a life that is six pounds! Megan was in the hospital for five days, so Sarah ended up staying with my parents and I during most of the week. It was great spending some quality time with her. She is very excited to be a big sister and loved to give the new baby hugs and kisses!
I returned back to Colorado on Monday and already missing the babies....Skype is a lifesaver at times. I am sure the next time I will see Anna she will have doubled in size!!

On a training note, I have been back to cycling and swimming for almost three weeks. I am feeling very good on the bike and swim and getting closer to race fitness every week. This week I was also cleared to begin running and I will gradually build up distance and time in the weeks to come.

Colorado was hit with a "blizzard" last Thursday and it basically shut the city down! Of course with the sun here in Colorado, the snow will be melted in no time, but I am anxious for spring to arrive and be able to ride outside a bit more. I have been riding on the trainer frequently!!!

Happy Spring! Enjoy training

An Excellent Resource

2009-03-11T16:00:00.000-07:00

Check out a recently published book: Run Workouts: For Runners and Triathletes, by Bobby McGee and Marathon Plans by Mark Plaatjes. This book is ideal for athletes who wish to improve their fitness through smart training. The specific types of workouts included are track repeats, hill running, bricks, and fartlicks that will help you build strength, endurance and learn proper form.
Bobby McGee has worked with me since 2005 and helped me prepare for the 2008 Olympic Games. Since I started working with Bobby, he has greatly improved my running technique by introducing me to a variety of drills. Not only has he helped me with the physical aspect of training, but he has also helped me with my mental approach to racing. Bobby teaches athletes and coaches mental techniques that can be used to prepare athletes to compete at their best. You can check out Bobby's website at http://www.bobbymcgee.com/.
Enjoy!

Speaking

2009-03-09T11:45:00.000-07:00

Although the past ten days I have not been able to swim, bike or run, I have been staying busy traveling to four different states and getting the opportunity to speak to many different groups of people.
On Feb. 28th, I spent the day at the YMCA Endurance Symposium in Indianapolis, Indiana. Doug Robinson put on a fantastic event and I got to meet triathletes from a wide range of levels. I had the opportunity of delivering the key note speech and answer any questions the guests had about triathlon. I got the opportunity to listen to presenters all afternoon speaking about topics ranging from nutrition, cycling power, to mental skills.
After my day was completed in Indy, I made to 4.5 hour drive to St. Louis and was able to make my grandfather's 80th birthday party on Sunday! On Tuesday I did a school presentation to K-4th grade at High Ridge Elementary and on Wednesday I delivered another key note speech at the NAIA Swimming National Championships. Craig Penrose invited me to speak last fall and I was more than honored to be part of the event. Craig Penrose was my swimming coach when I was on the Parkway Swim Club. He was one of my first coaches (from age 10-11). He is now head coach for Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO. Lindenwood was hosting the meet at the St. Peter's Rec Plex....I had many, many swim meets and workouts there growing up!
650 coaches and swimmers attended the dinner on Wed. night, so this was probably close to the biggest crowd I have spoken to at once! It brought back some swimming memories seeing all the collegiate swimmers tapered, shaved and ready to swim fast!
I spent the next few days in St. Louis getting to hang out with my family and attend another birthday party for my niece (she turns two on March 14th). We spend Thursday night at Chuck-E-Cheese!!! Now that definitely brought back some childhood memories...although much has changed from what I remembered. It was fun to see my niece explore all the games and I also enjoyed playing some ski ball with my brother...that game never goes out of style.
My sister chose to have Sarah's birthday early because she is 8.5 months pregnant and due on March 18th. She did not want to have the birthday party too close to the due date...besides Sarah is too young to know! We are all very anxious for the arrival of baby number two....they are expecting another baby girl.
The final portion of my week was flying out to Florida on Friday for the Disney Princess Half-Marathon event. I got the opportunity to speak at the expo and meet many participants. Lady Foot Locker was the key sponsor for this race, so I met many of the staff. I was also there representing Mission and excited to know that they are developing awesome new products....check them out at www.missionskincare.com.
Directly after the event at the expo, I had to head straight to the airport to catch a flight out to Tucson, Arizona for Tri-Fest. I was at Tri-Fest representing Speedo and spoke on Sunday from 10-11:30AM about open water swimming and my Olympic experience. Again, soon after speaking I had to head to the airport to catch a flight back home....finally! It is nice to be back home (I have only been here a couple of days the past month!!). It would have been nice to be able to spend a few more hours in Florida and Arizona, but I am glad I don't have to step on a plane for awhile...at least not till 9 more days!
Today was the first day I was cleared for swimming and cycling. Swimming went pretty well...just the normal out of shape feeling. I have yet to get on my bike, but anxious to see how the knee area feels.
It is refreshing to know that spring is around the corner!! Enjoy the changing seasons...

Update

2009-02-25T08:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had my update with Dr. Bray and he gave me the full report of what exactly happened during the surgery (including the size of the knife to cut the incision!). I have about a 3 inch incision on my left leg just below my knee on the left side.
He also gave me the full report of my recovery and when I can begin training again. I do have to keep in mind that everyone recovers at different rates, so I have to also listen to my body and be aware of how quickly I can push myself.
I have already noticed an improvement in my nerve function just one day post surgery! I have not been able to move my big toe up on my left foot for quite some time...and now I can do that!! This gives me confidence that my nerve is functioning now much closer to normal.
For the next two weeks, I will be focusing on keeping swelling down so I will try to limit walking, or anything with repetitive motion in my leg. Although I can walk, the Doctor encouraged me to use crutches in the airport---which should be an experience!! After two weeks I can begin swimming and cycling and after four weeks I can begin running. I really don't have too much swelling at all, although I have pretty much been elevating my leg and icing for the past two days. Today I am flying back to Colorado Springs and will only be back for one day and then I am off traveling for the next 10 days. I will be doing several speaking engagements and visiting family. This Saturday I have a talk in Indianapolis, Indiana at the YMCA Endurance Symposium. I will be speaking about my Olympic experience and getting the opportunity to meet many triathletes and answer any questions they may have about training, life as an elite, etc.
I am anxious to get home and check the mailbox which I am sure is overflowing. We left home on Feb. 11th a few days prior to my brother's wedding.
I will continue to keep up with posts on my recovery process.
Best-Sarah

Recovery

2009-02-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

It has been a whirlwind these past couple of weeks, but really this journey began last December and has finally come to an end yesterday. Now, however, I am starting a new chapter for the season and beginning a recovery process into a better 2009 and beyond.
Last November when I began training again for the 2009 season, I felt quite a bit of frustration. Many of the symptoms I have been dealing with since an ankle injury at the Lisbon World Cup in May of 2007, had ceased to go away. All last year, I was dealing with a bit of pain, but I believed my ligaments in my ankle were loose from the fall and were getting better with time. I felt I needed to continue strengthening my ligaments. Although that thought mentally got me through the season last year, I was correct in that something was not quite right with my left leg, but the issue was not the ligaments in my ankle, but a peronial nerve impingement near my knee. What I mean by this is, just below my knee on the left side of my leg, my nerve was entrapped by some tissue (possibly scar tissue from my ankle injury). An MRI of my knee also showed a cist near the same area. While exercising, especially at a high intensity, the area swells and the nerve was getting cut off (much like a garden hose that gets pinched off). The symptoms I was feeling while racing and training while running were a result of my nerve not being able to fully send the correct message to my muscles; therefore, not being able to work correctly. I was not able to perform at 100% and I definitely want to be competing at 100% and training at 100%, so I went through several months of testing, patience and discovering what was really going on with my leg since this is not a normal injury.
Fortunately, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Dr. Roberty Bray, a neurological surgeon, who runs the D.I.S.C. facility in Marina Del Ray, CA. Feel free to check out the facility at: http://www.discmdgroup.com/index.asp. He was in Colorado a couple of weeks ago as a volunteer doctor at the training center. He invited me out to California to have all tests and procedures completed under the care of him and his team of doctors. His goal was to get the tests and procedures done as soon as possible so that I could get going with my season, but to also know 100% what exactly was going on with my leg. I had a nerve conduction test completed and found that post-exercise I have a 57% loss of nerve function with my peoronial nerve near my fibular head. This causes my foot to have weak dorsiflexion (ability to pull my foot up) so this causes problems with the push off on my run and bringing my foot forward (I have foot drop). I most likely damaged my nerve when I sprained my ankle and the scar tissue was trapping the nerve. It was felt the cist needed to be removed as well, which could have also contributed to the irritation on the nerve. On Monday, Feb. 23rd, I went under a minor surgical procedure (although I have never even had stitches before…so this was very new to me!!) to release the entrapped nerve (Dr. Bray performed) and remove the cist (Dr. Millstein). The surgery was completed in less than 90 min and I was able to stay awake….although I was “relaxed” with some help from some drugs. My leg was also numbed (and continued to stay numb for 24 hours) by a femoral nerve block (similar to an epidural, but in my leg). This feels very, very strange not being able to feel your leg!!!!
Today I am not in too much pain, but of course walking is a slow process at the moment. After a week off, I should be able to get back into the pool and after a couple weeks I can get back on my bike and three weeks I will be cleared to start running! Although this means I will miss the first part of my season, my goal is to be ready to race by June. I know I will take it day by day and will first focus on smart recovery.
I am so relieved to finally figure out what was hampering my leg…it has been almost two years and I am fortunate to have figured it out because once the nerve gets irritated, it only gets worse over time. I know that I could not have continued to race and train at this level because I could have potentially caused my leg permanent nerve damage.
I have an appointment with the Dr. Bray this afternoon and I will get my full report of recovery protocol.
I am looking forward to this next phase of my career and excited to begin moving forward.

Wind Tunnel Testing

2009-01-19T14:08:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to visit the A2 Wind Tunnel testing lab in Morriseville, North Carolina. The lab was a great opportunity to learn about aerodynamics and to find the best position for me on the bike, with the least amount of drag. Blue, my bike sponsor, is giving all athletes one free hour in the wind tunnel with the purchase of a Triad. Check out the awesome new ride at http://www.rideblue.com/. I rode the Triad in the Olympics last year and I am looking forward to racing the Triad in non-drafting races for the 2009 season. For information on the A2 wind tunnel visit www.A2WT.com. There is also a very informative article about how the wind tunnel testing is conducted at: http://www.roadbikeaction.com/fly.aspx?layout=content&taxid=67&cid=1018

At the lab, there are two tunnels, one smaller tunnel (where we tested our bikes) and one larger tunnel that is used exclusively for NASCAR. We got the opportunity to check out the other tunnel and see what goes on behind the scenes in aerodynamic testing for race cars. The tunnel is booked solid with different teams for the next two years (and the tunnel is open 24 hours/day). Busy business!

I am looking forward to my bike being shipped back to me so that I can go and check out my new set-up on the road. Especially since Colorado is experiencing spring in January. The past few days have been absolutely gorgeous...and temperatures are supposed to hang around in the 60s for most of the week. I think I am getting spoiled so far this winter....but taking advantage of some outdoor riding while I can.

My parents are also driving out to visit this week as well---so it will be a great week to do a bit of sightseeing. They are finishing out the trip was a couple days of skiing, but I am sure the mountains are still cold and have plenty of snow.

Holiday Adventures of 2008-2009

2009-01-12T13:57:00.001-08:00

I am now back in Colorado after three weeks of traveling to Minnesota and Missouri for the holidays and traveling to North Carolina last week for wind tunnel testing on the bike.
I had a great time spending time with family and friends and the holiday travel went pretty smooth...for the most part.
I did have one flight cancellation from Minnesota to Missouri on Christmas Eve. My original flight plan was on United (which unfortunately had a layover in Chicago....I thought this could be a mistake prior). I was scheduled to leave around 5:00AM for the airport, went to bed around 11:30pm, only to be awoke one hour later with my cell phone ringing. At first I just ignored the phone, but then realized that I was getting repeated calls with messages. Nate grabbed the phone and informed me it was a 1-800 number...I immediately sensed it was about my flight....and listened to the message to learn it was cancelled! So, we spent the next couple of hours trying to figure out what we were going to do....calling the airlines, rent a car (they were booked for a one-way). At 2:30AM, Nate came up with a bright idea of renting a U-Hall! So, at 9:00AM the next morning, we were headed to STL in a 14 ft. box truck....empty, unless you count two bags in the back!!
The trip went well, we made the trip in 9 hours and made the end of the Christmas party at my Aunt's home that evening. The only downside to the U-Hall was that we were getting 7.6MPG...but at least gas is cheap at the moment. This was a much better situation than spending Christmas in the airport. From now on, we are going to plan on driving around Christmas!! We also had a very easy drop-off site because my parents have a U-Hall service in conjunction with storage....so we only had to drive home!
Minnesota was beautiful with all the white snow, but it was soooo cold! I had to do all my training inside, but I got to train at Lifetime Fitness and the facilities are beautiful there. The pool is 25meters and separate from the leisure pool (where kids can play, and you don't have to worry about not getting in a swim because water aerobics is taking place). Also, you never have to worry about waiting for a treadmill because there are literally 500 cardio equipment machines. I was cold almost all the time, so I did really enjoy my hot showers there...and nightly hot cups of tea. One day it was -10 degrees...and it literally hurt to walk outside. I could feel my lungs and nostrils burning because the water molecules were actually freezing!! Despite the cold, I had a great time in MN!
Missouri seemed like a tropical climate compared to MN, but there were ups and downs in temps there as well. I did enjoy running outside on the trails in MO, but most of my rides were on the trainer...with a few rides outside when temps were in the 50s and near 60!
It is hard to believe that 2009 is here....it does not seem that long ago when we
were celebrating the Y2k!! Time really does fly by and you have to enjoy life, appreciate what you have and live life to the fullest.
I am ready to embark on another year, get into quality training and push myself----not only for another year, but another quad.

Brrrr.....Winter is Here!

2008-12-05T15:15:00.000-08:00

I am back in Colorado getting into the normal swing of things for a couple of weeks before I head off again to celebrate the holidays in Minnesota and Missouri.

I had a great Thanksgiving holiday getting to participate in the Thanksgiving Day Parade in downtown St. Louis. Fortunately we had great weather that morning, with lows only in the 40s and sunshine! The parade lasted several hours and my family got to enjoy watching the parade in the VIP section at the Old Courthouse. After the parade we celebrated Thanksgiving dinner at my aunts house and got the opportunity to visit with my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.
I also spoke with more schools the final week in November and also traveled to Tulsa to speak with TAT (Tulsa Area Triathletes) club. While in Tulsa, I stayed with Jessica Meyer (Jones) and got to hang out with her family and spend time with her twins (20 months....cute!)

Now back in Colorado for a few days I have already experienced temperatures in the 60s, a high of 20 and snow, and this weekend forecast is expected to be back into the 50s! I am hoping to get outside for a ride this weekend, but I know I better become friends with my trainer....as it is only December and it will be awhile until signs of spring!

The past few days I have started swimming in the 50 meter pool again. The OTC pool closes every quad following the Olympics for several months for re-surfacing, and cleaning.
I had not swum long course since July and I can feel it!!! My arms tire so much more quickly than swimming in a short course pool. My saving grace is that the swims have all been pretty light this week as we are just getting back into the early part of the season.

I am looking forward to the rest of the month with holiday parties, visiting family and enjoying the spirit of Christmas! Enjoy and Happy Holidays!!!

Fall Folliage

2008-11-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

The past couple weeks have been very nice with taking some time off from training and getting to spend some time in Missouri and Minnesota.
I was able to spend Halloween in St. Louis and go trick-or-treating with my 19 month old niece! She dressed as a St. Louis Cardinals cheerleader and picked up the thrill of Halloween very quickly---We also got to go to the zoo, spend time at the park and enjoy the beautiful weather St. Louis was having at the beginning of November. It has been quite awhile since I have been to the Midwest in the fall and I forgot how beautiful all of the trees are with their changing colors. Reds, orange, gold, brown...so many shades everywhere you look! I also got to catch up with some old friends and take a college friend of mine out for her birthday in U-City.

The warm weather was quickly cut short when I traveled to Minnesota on Nov. 6th for my cousin's wedding and visit my in-laws. The 70 degree days were replaced with rain, snow and cold temps! Of course it is almost Thanksgiving, so these conditions are much more normal...

The past week I have been getting back into some lighter training and will not pick up the intensity until December. It is a much needed change of pace for the body and the mind after a long season and needed to prepare the body for another long season.

This month I will also be spending quite a bit of time speaking at elementary schools. In Minnesota, I spoke at Crooked Lake Elementary (my mother-in-law is principal there) about goal setting, Beijing and the sport of triathlon. I will be speaking at 5 more schools before the Thanksgiving holiday, including my elementary school, Wren Hollow! I really enjoy speaking to the kids about my passion for sport and fitness and hope that I can touch them in some way.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and enjoy the spirit of the Holiday season
Best-Sarah

Back at Home

2008-10-28T08:03:00.001-07:00

After a day of traveling back from Huatulco, Mexico, I am back home in Colorado Springs.
The race did not play out as I would have liked and I am extremely disappointed with the outcome, especially since this was my final race of the year.
Unfortunately, I experienced a mechanical on the bike and was unable to finish the race. This has only happened to me one other time in my career, my first world cup back in 2005.
This was hard to swallow, considering there were only eight women that finished the race...so if I could have just been able to finish the ride I could have broke even for the trip and earned world cup points.
More upsetting, is that I was not able to go out there and execute the past few weeks of hard training and also cross that finish line. I do wish I had another race scheduled for the remainder of the year to let out my frustrations, but I am going to continue with my regularly scheduled off-season plans. I am headed to St. Louis tomorrow to visit the family and enjoy my break from training!!
I always look at the positives from the race and try learn from my mistakes. The race began with mistakes from the get go----not only just mechanical on the bike!
The race began at 8:00AM, and the temperatures were already very warm!! We had a short run into the water with a beach start, and I got into a good position very early into the swim with a lead after the first 100 meters. Prior to the race start, I misjudged the layout of the swim course and did not make an appropriate turn about 400 meters into the race. I swam about 50 meters out of the way, before I realized my mistake and looked back and saw the entire swim pack 50-100 meters ahead of me. I worked the next 800 meters catching back up to the front group before exiting the water for T1. A positive in this aspect is that I stayed calm, and did what I needed to do in catching back up to the front. However, once out on the bike course I dwelled on my mistake and should have been more focused on the race at the moment.
About half-way through the bike course, I was shifting in the middle of a small hill and my chain stuck. I got off my bike, fixed it, and then hopped back on (2 min behind the lead pack of four I was riding with). I was very disheartened, but after a lap or so I got back into it. Unfortunately, my chain/shifting stopped working again and I was not able to continue.
I learned two very important skills----no matter what happens, DO NOT dwell on what happened in the past. I did a great job reacting in the water, but I was not present on the bike.
Could my mechanical been avoided? Who knows? Maybe if I was more in the present on the bike, my shifting would not have been so terrible? I do know that I need to be more smooth in my shifting and more aware of putting my bike in the correct gear before climbing, turning, etc. This course was very, very challenging, with one very steep hill. This course required mental and physical focus and I was physically there, but fell short on my bike skills, bike mechanical issues, and mental mistakes. I am going forward with what I can take away from this race and be stronger for next year.
I do have to say congratulations to all the men and women who had great days out there who raced on not only a challenging course, but racing in temperatures around a 100 degree heat index!
I have not quite figured out my race season for 2009, mainly because the ITU World Cup schedule has not yet been posted. I am looking forward to time with my family and a break to let my body recharge both physically and mentally. The past few days this race has been on my mind and my mistakes have been eating at me, although I know a mechanical is not completely in my control.
Have a safe and happy Halloween this Friday!
Sarah

Headed off to Mexico

2008-10-22T16:17:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow morning I depart for my final race of the 2008 season. I will be traveling all day to Huatulco, Mexico for the last ITU World Cup event. My flight departs Colorado Springs at 8:15 AM in route to Dallas---then to Mexico City and catching one more plane to Huatulco. I should be arriving by 7:00PM if all flights are on schedule. I had never heard of Huatulco before, but I have heard it is a quiet city with beautiful beaches. Most of the tourism in the area is domestic, but it may become more popular for international travelers in the future.
Huatulco is located about an hour plane ride south of Mexico City---it is just northwest of Guatemala. I don't have to worry about being cold while there----temperatures will climb into the 90s during the day, with lows in the lower 70s at night.
My race begins at 8:00AM, so the heat should not be much of a factor at race start; however, I am sure it will get hot by the time we hit T2. We will be swimming in a calm sea bay, riding eight laps on a rolling course and running four laps (not quite sure of the run terrain yet). The men begin racing at 10:45AM, so all the racing will be done by noon and we can spend the remainder of the day at the beach!
The field is quite small for a world cup with only 22 women on the start list. I am wanting to finish out the season on a strong note and looking forward to going out and racing hard and having fun. The race will be be broad casted on the web at 8:00AM CST (7:00MST) on the itu website Tricast (www.triathlon.org).
I will post race updates once I am back home.
Best Wishes
Sarah

Dallas Triathlon/White House/Las Vegas

2008-10-10T15:25:00.000-07:00

I have now been back in Colorado for a couple days and have been catching up on emails and getting back into my last block of training for the 2008 race season!
I was gone for a full week with traveling to Dallas, racing last Sunday, traveling to Washington D.C. on Monday, traveling to Las Vegas on Tuesday and finally one last plane trip back to the Springs on Wednesday.
My trip began with race preparations for Dallas---checking out the course, working at the Toyota booth in the expo and enjoying time with family who came down to Dallas to watch.
The race began at 7:50AM on Sunday morning with a slightly different agenda than normal (when we start just a few minutes behind the Pro Men). This race, we began 10 minutes after the elite ameature women (12 min behind the Pro men and 20 min behind the elite ameature men).
The water temperature was a nice 76 degrees with minimal chop. The swim was straight out, one right turn and straight back. Unfortunately on the way back in to shore, the sun was glaring down onto the water and I could not see a single thing except sun glare. Kayaks were out on the course, but they were not really leading us, just watching us and making sure everyone was doing okay. After several minutes, I stopped and asked a guy on a kayak where to go----I had started swimming off course and he helped me back into shore. I ended up getting out of the water with a 20-25 second gap on the main pack.
This was a goal of mine, especially considering the first 3 miles of the bike ride were in the park and it was very tight and technical section.
I lead through the bike section until around the half-way mark when I saw Lisa Norden and a group of about 5 women riding with her catch up to me. At that point in the race, I focused on sticking near Lisa and not letting her get too far in front. The bike was tough, but I exited in second about 20 seconds down from Lisa.
I started off the run doing the best I could to make up ground, but Lisa is a very quick runner (she just came off a world cup win in France the weekend prior). I felt good on the run and felt like I had a quick cadence. With about two miles to go, I knew that I was not going to catch Lisa, but kept running hard until the finish because I did not know what was going on behind me. The run was an out and back, so we only got to see where competitors were only once, at the half-way mark.
Although it was my goal to repeat my win from 2007, I can't complain with second place. There were many strong women competing at the Toyota Cup Dallas Triathlon this year and I only expect the race to get more and more competitive.

The day after the race, I got the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to visit the White House on Tuesday. All the Olympians and Para-Olympians were invited to meet the President and tour the West Wing. The event began with a dinner at the Baltimore Hilton on Monday night and a very early wake up on Tuesday morning. We left promptly at 6:30AM to head to D.C. and with traffic, the commute took 2 hours!! Once we got to the White House grounds and went through security, all of the athletes stood in front of the White House and waited for the President and First Lady to address the crowd. I have to say, I have never met a President before, so it was very exciting to see President Bush and Laura in person. Surprisingly, President Bush was much taller in person than he looks on T.V.! After his speech, I was able to sneak down and get a picture with him! The West Wing was beautiful with an enormous amount of history. The paintings were beautiful (from George Washington to Hilary Clinton) there were so many original paintings. My tour had to be cut short, because at 12:30PM I had a flight to Las Vegas.
The final part of my trip was attending a dealer meeting in Las Vegas for Toyota. The same group I met a few weeks ago in New York was also in Las Vegas (Dara Torres, Culin Jones, Aron Peirsol and Brenden Hansen). Hunter and I joined the swimmers and we met Toyota dealers, took pictures with them and signed autographs. I was a very easy night of work, but by 8:00PM I started getting sleepy (considering I woke at 1:30AM Pacific Time).
I did end up getting to bed by 10:00, so it was not so bad. We also got to stay at the Four Seasons, which is located on the top four floors of Mandalay Bay. Talk about service....and a spectacular view of Vegas from the room.
I have just about two weeks in Colorado before I leave for Mexico. It will be nice to have two weeks in one place!!!
Best Wishes
Sarah

Back in Colorado....For a Short Time

2008-09-29T13:41:00.002-07:00

I have been back in Colorado for a few days now and getting in some quality training before I head to Dallas to compete in the US Open Toyota Cup.
If you were tuning into the Today Show last Wednesday, unfortunately not all the athletes were able to talk about their charities on air. As things go with TV, our time segment got cut, so the swimmers were on air, but Hunter and I had an online interview to talk about Toyota's Engines of Change program and our charities.
You can read the article here:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26873822/
I have to say traveling across the country and back in two days was a lot of time spent on the airplane, but New York was a great experience getting the opportunity to meet some Olympic swimmers; Dara Torres, Colin Jones, Brenden Hansen and Aron Piersol.

I am leaving very soon for Dallas to participate in some media events and be in the race expo with Toyota. The race begins Sunday morning with the following schedule:
7:30 – Men Elite Amateurs Swim Start
7:38 – Pro Men Swim Start
7:40 – Women Elite Amateurs Swim Start
7:50 – Pro Women Swim Start.
I have some family members and friends coming to the race to watch and support---so really looking forward to racing and putting in a 100% effort. This race is a non-drafting race, so it is tactically very different from an ITU draft-legal race. I will be pushing the bike at my own pace, instead of riding in a pack.

After the race, I will have another crazy short few days of travel. I depart on Monday for Washington D.C. On Tuesday, the Olympic athletes have been invited to tour the White House and meet the president. Immediately following the President's speech in the morning, I am leaving for Las Vegas for a dealer meeting with Toyota that evening. On Wed. morning, I will head back to Colorado.

I am looking forward to my upcoming trip and ready to race!
Good luck to all racing this weekend!

2008-09-29T13:41:00.001-07:00

West Coast to East Coast

2008-09-22T15:32:00.000-07:00

For the past few days since the race, I have been in Portland, Oregon attending the USAT Arts and Science Conference. The Olympic triathletes are speaking at the conference on Monday night and sharing our experience at the Beijing Olympic Games. I have gotten the opportunity to meet coaches from around the country as well as many age group athletes who competed at thier National Championships this past Saturday.
Tomorrow morning I will be up very early to catch a flight to NYC. As part of my sponsorship with Toyota, I will be on the Today show on Wednesday morning and speaking about my charities as well as Toyota's Engines on Change Program. I have never had an experience quite like this and excited to meet Meredith, Matt, Ann, and Al! Other athletes Toyota sponsors will be there as well, including Hunter Kemper and swimmers Dara Torres and Colin Joenes. Aside from all the travel, I am very excited for this opportunity. I did not realize how long it takes to get to New York when departing for the West Coast (over six hours of flying)....only to turn around on Wednesday and fly back to Colorado Springs.
Fortunately, I will have about nine days to train and recover before heading off to Dallas for the US Open Toyota Cup.

Elite Nationals

2008-09-22T06:42:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, I raced elite nationals at Hagg Lake, Oregon. Hagg Lake was about 1.5 hours away from downtown Portland, so we were out in the country...and it was breathtaking out there! The course was very rolling (barely a flat section on the course) and lined with huge pine trees. The temperatures indicated that we were just about to begin the fall season, with highs in the 60s. The water was just warm enough to be non-wetsuit (69 degrees). Although this temperature would be too cold for warming up, it is okay when you are racing!
The race began at noon, with 19 other women on the starting line.
I had a great start and got out to an early lead for the one loop swim. I ended up leading the swim and exiting in first position. The water level was low in the lake for this time of year, so we ended up having a longer T1 run (the run out of the water was just a prelude to all the hills to come!). I had a decent transition, and immediately we began climing as we hopped on our bikes. I decided to climb the first hill with my feet on top of my shoes and did not put my shoes on until I crested the first climb. I pushed the first climb, realizing there were three other women with me, Sarah Groff, Jasmine Oenick, and Julie Ertel.
I tried to mix up the pace in the bike and make our bike group even smaller by launching a few attacks throughout the technical, hilly, eight-lap bike. Although I was never able to break up the group with attacks, we still rode hard and made the bike challenging.
Once we approached T2, I had a great transition and was out on the run course just a step behind Julie.
Once out onto the run, we had to start up the steep hill we climbed on the bike. Although it was quite short for the bike, it did not feel so easy on the run! The run was very hilly and some of the hills could really take the power out of your legs. Despite the course, I was feeling great during the race. Unfortunately, on the first lap, the turnaround was not marked and I did not know where to turn!! I ran past the spot, asked where to turn and Julie and I finally just decided to turn around. By the second lap, the cones were up and we were able to make the turn appropriately! I may have lost about 15 or so seconds, but in the end, it did not matter. I lead for about three laps of the run, with Julie right there. She made surge at the end of the third lap and I was close to her, but never could quite get back up to her. She finished in first for her second national championships and I finished 10 seconds behind. Sarah Groff claimed the final spot on the podium with her 3rd place finish.
Overall, I am pleased with my performance, but of course you always want to improve and think of what you could have done to place higher. I felt strong throughout the race, but my main focus is just less than two weeks away with the Toyota Cup in Dallas.
I had so much fun just getting back in racing on Saturday and am really looking forward to racing the remainder of the season.
For full results, go to http://www.pigmantri.com/jmsracing/results08/usatage08d.html

Weekend in St. Louis

2008-09-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was spent in St. Louis and although I was very busy, I had a great time.
The trip began with getting to spend a little time with family on Thursday night. Friday morning, I was up early to fit in a three hour ride and a 30 minute transition run. Surprisingly, the temperatures were very cool for early September, but I definately won't complain about that!
I got a chance to ride with some friends out in Chesterfield and rode a loop that begins out by the Spirit of St. Louis Airport at the ShowMe Cables office, heads south down to Six Flags and back up through Rockwood Reservations. It is a great loop with lots of steep climbs and quite country roads with very little traffic.
After the ride, I headed over to Bellerive Elementary (Parkway School District) to speak to the school about my experiences in China and how to prepare for tests. I explained to the kids how I prepare for a triathlon is very similar to how they would prepare for a big test (the kids are taking standardized tests this week). My cousin, Jami DeBosch, is the administrative intern for Bellerive and asked me a few weeks ago to speak with the students. I had a great time interacting with the kids and answering their questions. Kids will always put a smile to your face..and have to mention that when Jami told the kids an Olympian was coming to speak with them, some kids assumed it was Michael Phelps! When they found out a women was coming, they then deducted that Micheal Phelp's wife was coming!!
After the school presentation, I headed over to Parkway South for their opening home football game. I was very honored to be presented at half-time with a special recognition and a my uniform retirement. Nate escorted me down onto the field, while the band was playing the Olympic theme song. It was great to see former principals, teachers, coaches and students ( I had coached many of the students at South now while they were participating five years ago in Big Bend Woods swimming and attending Hanna Woods Elementary) Wow--kids sure do change a lot in five years! I really appreciate all the work the district and school put forth in making the night special.
On Saturday, I got in a long run at Quenny Park and then headed down to Saint Louis University's campus for a wedding. My cousin, Brooke, and her husband Ron were married on a gorgeous afternoon and everything went off with a bang. We had a great time at the wedding visiting with family.
On Sunday, the day began with a free breakfest open to the community at the High Ridge Fire Department. We were also holding a silent auction for the charities I support, Jenny's Light and Train for Autism. It was great to see so many people in the community come out to support the charities and enjoy a pancake breakfest. I was able to auction off many items from Beijing and some gear from my sponsors. We were able to end the auction with a generous donation for my charities---thankyou all for your support!
Immediately after the breakfest, we headed over to Busch Stadium for the Cards game. This was a special day at the stadium because it was "Buddy Walk" day at the ballpark. Children with down-syndrome got the opportunity to walk to field prior to the start of the game. A friend of the family, McKensie (age 10), asked me to walk with her on the field. I also got the opportunity to throw out the first pitch of the game! I have never really played baseball before, so I have to say I was a little nervous about my performance!! Fortunately, I made it to the plate; however, not over the plate----the ball hit the dirt, about a foot to the left! All in all, it was a great experience and the day turned out even better since the Cards won!! After the game, I managed to sneak in a swim with Nate at the Lodge in Des Peres.
On Monday, I had one final activity before heading back to Colorado that night. I got the opportunity to speak with another school, but this time out in Jefferson County at Maple Groves Elementary (this is where my brother is currenty student teaching for PE). I got to speak for about an hour to the older students and roughly 45 min to the younger students.
Nate and I were able to train in the afternoon, before catching a flight back to Denver later that evening.
Now I am back in Colorado Springs and training hard for the remainder of the season. I leave in week for Portland, Oregon to compete at Elite Nationals.
Thank you to everyone for your support through the games and beyond!

Back into the Swing

2008-09-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

I have been back in the States for over a week now and I am finally feeling like I am getting back into the swing of things! Getting used to this time zone again seemed to be quite a challenge, as it took me about a week to really feel like I had my days and nights correct. For about four or five days straight, I was fighting trying to say awake until 9:00PM, only to wake up between 3 and 5AM and not able to fall back asleep!
I am also back into the swing of training and getting ready for the last few races of the year. Next on my race schedule is Elite Nationals which is located just outside Portland, Oregon.
I will be traveling to St. Louis this weekend for a family wedding, along with several other events planned...including speaking with an elementary school and attending a Cardinals game. This Saturday it is "Buddy Walk" day at the stadium where children with down-syndrome get to meet the players and walk out onto the field. A friend of the family has asked me to walk their daughter, Makensie, onto the field--so it will be very exciting to get the opportunity to meet the players and the other children. My Dad has also organized a free breakfest in High Ridge on Sunday morning to greet people in the community and also hold an auction for several charities (Train for Autism and Jenny's Light). Olympic gear will be auctioned and all proceeds with go to the charities. It is going to be a very fast paced weekend between training and events, but I am looking forward to seeing friends and family.
Just before I left for the Olympics, I was able to pick up my Toyota Camry Hybrid! I have a year lease on the car with my sponsorship with Toyota. I have included pictures above! The car is awesome with leather seats, smooth driving, great city and HWY gas milleage---just to name a few great features. Our trips to Denver, St. Louis and Minnesota will be much more comfortable (and cheaper) for the next year.
Hard to believe summer is almost over...just seemed to fly by! September is a beautiful month in Colorado (and many areas in the US), so enjoy the weather...

Post Race

2008-08-22T06:25:00.001-07:00

Taking It All In

The days after the race were quite a whirlwind. I wanted to see as many events as I possibly could. After my race, we took a taxi down to the famous water cube to see diving (men’s 3 meter springboard prelims). After the men’s race, we went to see synchronized swimming and then headed back for the triathlon party. Wednesday was packed, with BMX in the morning, followed by viewing the Athlete Village, having a burger at the USA House and then headed to the Olympic Stadium for a night of track and field.
BMX was an awesome event and I think it is a great addition to the Olympics. It was incredible to see eight guys race on the dirt track all at once. A crash was very likely each lap, which kept fans on their toes. Watching the cyclists’ explosive power on the cranks to fly over the jumps was very impressive. The three American men and one woman did very well. Although, one of the men crashed on his last quarterfinal, he still had enough points to move onto the semis. At the start of the run, another competitor took him out on the turn and he went down hard. He dislocated his shoulder, but the doctor popped it back in place on the spot and he was able to get back on his bike and finish the lap so that he could still get into finals…..insane? crazy? Incredible
The track and field stadium was massive and breathtaking. The design of the famous birds nest was unique. The stadium can hold up to 91,000 spectators…I have never been inside anything larger. We got to see 5000 meter prelims (two American men advanced), 200 meter final (Michael Johnson’s world record broken, with a time of 19.30), women’s hammer throw, 110 men’s hurdles prelims, women’s 200 meter semi-finals. It was an exciting night and a long, but eventful day. We got back to the hotel around 11:30 and hit the sack as Nate and I were departing in the morning back to the States.
It was great to share the experience with my family members, as they attended the events with me and Nate. My family will be spending the next couple of days seeing the Great Wall and viewing a few more events. They were such huge supporters leading up to the race and throughout. I wouldn’t be where I am today without their support.
I had wonderful support from USAT staff as well, not only in China, but leading up to the Games in California and Korea. Katie Baker made sure we had our travel arranged, created a slide show for us, and put posters up on our doors in Korea. Jeff made sure our bikes were in working order, while Diana was able to give up pre-race massage treatment in China. Dr. Keith was able to be with us in Korea and China and work his magic on any ailments the athletes were having. Sharon and Andy were coaches for the Olympic Team and were there for us if we needed to get to a training session, mental preparation, or anything we needed. Bobby McGee was able to help with my run form and mental skills. Scott was there making sure everything was under control and working behind the scenes to make sure everything was running smoothly. Bob was a making sure the food we were eating was not going to get us sick, while also monitoring our hydration. He has been helping me prepare for the past three months with workouts, mental skills, and always there to help.
USA athletes have been so lucky to have such wonderful support staff and I could not be more thankful for all the effort that is put forth to make sure we have everything we need as athletes. Thank you!
Currently, I am flying back on the plane (was able to be bumped up to business class!!). I took a nice nap at the beginning of the flight and hoping that is enough to get me through the day of travel ahead of me. I am off to Chicago first thing on Friday morning to work with Toyota at the expo for the Chicago triathlon. I am not planning on racing, but looking forward to finishing up the remainder of the season strong. My next race is Elite Nationals in Portland, Oregon on September 20th, followed by the Dallas Triathlon on October 5th and finally an ITU World Cup in Mexico on October 26th.

Beijing Race Update

2008-08-22T06:14:00.001-07:00

Beijing Race—August 18th, 2008

Fortunately for the women’s race (and the men’s race on the 19th), the weather was spectacular. We had nearly blue skies and a clear day, which enabled the crowd to view the beautiful triathlon venue. I have raced on the course twice before, but the race venue has never looked so crisp and green.
The race began at 10:00AM and all 55 athletes were announced and jogged down to the pontoon. I have to say I definitely had the pre-race nerves and all the fans, friends, and family here to support us heightened the excitement of the race. I had swim spot number three (near the right side of the pontoon). We had a very long swim (nearly 600 meters) to the first buoy and warm 81 degree, calm water. I had a bit of a struggle getting to the front of the swim pack as it was difficult to break away from the other swimmers. Once I got to the front, we were swimming several women across, which created a large draft behind us. It was also difficult to break away out front, with so many girls swimming across each other at the front. I exited the swim in front position, but we had a very large group headed out onto the bike course.
I had an average transition and quickly tried to make a move on the first hill. However, with a pack of 20 plus women, it was hard to get to the front on the hill because of the narrow road. I was stuck in the pack on the first lap, but was able to move up in position so I could push the second hill hard to try and split up the group. After couple attempts of breakaways from other athletes and my own attempt to break away on the hill, I realized that it was very tough to be able to break from the main group….there were so many strong riders in the group.
The race was going to come down to a run, as many of the players were all in the front pack. I moved up to the front of the group before exiting the bike and had a solid transition (although I was still about five seconds back from the first girl to exit). The run started off fast….I felt comfortable, but did not have the leg speed to keep up with the top girls. I kept my focus throughout the run and managed to feel strong all the way to the end. I ended up finishing 11th overall, with a solid race. My goal was for the pack to be smaller exiting the bike; however, it did come down to a run race. So many outcomes can happen in triathlon and you have to be prepared for all the different games that can come into play during the races.
Crossing the finish line, I was excited for the medal winners, especially for Emma Snowsill as she crushed the run and finished over a minute ahead of Vanessa. Laura had a great race, just missing the medals with her fourth place finish. Julie was a fighter out on the race course and ended up finishing in 19th position.
The atmosphere of the race was truly incredible, from the grand stand of spectators to the quarter mile of media lined up at the finish line. The women had the advantage of racing first so that we could enjoy cheering on the men the following day. The men’s race was extremely exciting and can down to a sprint finish between a German, Canadian and a New Zealander. The German pulled off the sprint and won the gold, with Simon Whitefield of Canada taking the silver (he was the gold medalist in 2000). Hunter was the top American with a strong 7th place finish. Jarrod ended up in 18th and Matt 34th.
I truly enjoyed my first Olympic experience, but I am already looking forward to working on qualifying for 2012 in London!

Arrival Into Beijing

2008-08-16T02:31:00.000-07:00

Yesterday our team arrived into Beijing and had a wonderful surprise….clear, blue skies! This is my third time racing in Beijing; however, it seems as if this is my first time really “seeing” the country. The view flying into Beijing, we could see lots of rolling green hills and even mountains in the distance! The triathlon race venue is absolutely picturesque with rolling green hills, many trees and ancient temples scattered across the mountains. I really hope this weather holds up through Monday and Tuesday for the races. It would be great for the world to see how beautiful the venue truly can be without thick smog.
The past several days, Beijing experienced lots of rain, so I think that lead to clearing out the air. In addition, the city has worked to clean up the air by reducing driving and shutting down factories inside the city. We never know what race day hold, but we can only hope for conditions like today. The temperatures are very nice for racing as well, with highs in the mid-80s and lower humidity!
Today we had a busy day: training at the venue, the race briefing and media events. The race briefing was different than world cups, in that we had to pick our swim spot at the end of the briefing instead of picking the spot on the starting line race morning. I picked spot number three and I will be starting on the right hand side of the pontoon. The first swim buoy is 560 meters out, so we should not have too much congestion at the first buoy.
Some of my family members arrived late last night and are spending the day sightseeing. My parent arrive tomorrow and will probably be a little jet lagged, since this is their first oversees flight. The longest flight they have been on before this trip was under three hours, so I hope they are doing okay on the plane as I type this now!!
Tomorrow will be spent with training in all three sports and getting my muscles activated and ready to race on Monday. I have less than two days before the gun goes off (in our case horn). My race will also be shown at 10:00EST (8:00MST) on Sunday night, Aug. 17th.
I am looking forward to representing the red, white and blue!

Cheju Update

2008-08-12T20:50:00.000-07:00

This is my fifth day in Cheju and hard to believe I only have two days until I head to Beijing. The past few days have been very challenging training in the heat and humidity, but I am beginning to feel like I am getting adjusted to training in this climate. The other day while I was doing a track workout, the heat index was 105 degrees----and those temperatures have been pretty consistent here every day. With the high humidity, it has been difficult to stay hydrated, although I have been adding additional salt to my sport drinks. Bob has been hard at work monitoring our hydration levels and letting us know if we need to drink more or add even more salt to our diet.
While training in Cheju, we have crossed paths with many other Olympic Triathletes from other countries….this little island in Korea is a popular place. Athletes from Luxemburg, Germany, Russia, New Zealand, Denmark, Great Brittian, Spain and Switzerland….are just the countries we have seen. The plane on Friday will be filled with Triathletes headed to Beijing!
During our downtime, Nate and I have been keeping up with what’s been going on in Beijing. There have definitely been some exciting races going on….especially the men’s 4x100 meter relay. That was a phenomenal finish and exemplifies the Olympic spirit. I am going to be watching Michael Phelps every step of the way in his quest for winning eight Olympic gold medals.
That is it for now---enjoy the Games!

Arrival to South Korea

2008-08-09T14:52:00.000-07:00

I have arrived on the island of Cheju for a week of training before I head over to Beijing. I departed San Jose last Thursday morning from team processing and began the long trip over the Pacific. We got lots of really cool Nike and Raulph Lauren Polo clothing (they are the official dress sponsors for opening and closing ceremonies and Nike supplies all the training and podium gear). I had to ship two bags full of clothes back home before I departed for Korea so that I would be able fit everything I needed into one large bag and one carry-on backpack. Traveling with anymore just makes travel so much more complicated (considering we have to travel with a large bike box, in addition).
My travel went very smoothly and we had not delays. I was very excited to upgrade up to buisness class with a special deal of only using 15,000 miles (it is normaly 30,000 miles). I was able to nap for a couple hours on the plane, watch Maid of Honor and begin a new book. After 10 hours and 30 min, I arrived in Nagoya, Japan and had a short layover before getting on a quick 90 minute flight to Cheju, South Korea. Fortunately, all my baggage made the long trip and I arrived safely (although I was very sleepy...as it was 3:00AM Colorado time once I landed in Korea). We had about an hour drive to the Marathon Center where we will spend the week training and I got back, hit the shower, and my head hit the pillow!!! I was reminded how beautiful Cheju, Korea really is....mountains, oceans, and lots and lots of greenery. This will be a great place to prepare for Beijing humidity.
Now it is time to adjust to the new time zone and go through my final preparations for Beijing.

Look at the Beijing Pictures Below!!

2008-08-02T15:08:00.000-07:00

My coach, Bob Seebohar, has been in Beijing for a week now and has been keeping me updated about what is going on over there. At the bottom of my blog, you will see two pictures of Beijing (each picture is taken from the same location). The first picture shows what you may typically see in downtown Beijing..."cloudy looking"...or to be frank, you are seeing quite a bit of pollution. The next night, Beijing experience some heavy rain and next morning....sunshine! Beijing is really trying to cut down on the pollution by closing down some factories and cutting back on the number of people driving cars during the Games. The rain also seems to help clear out some of the smog. So, hopefully, we will see more of the sunny, clear days like picture number 2 while we are experiencing the Olympics in Beijing.
I have just two days before I head over to San Jose for Team Processing. I have been told to bring an empty bay along because we will be outfitted with LOTS of cool Nike gear. Speedo was also a very generous sponsor of mine and shipped a box of Team USA clothing, bag, suits, hats...you name it!
Enjoy the weekend!
Sarah

2020 Olympians

2008-07-28T14:42:00.000-07:00

My cousins (Adam and Tricia Williams) drove down from Denver to Colorado Springs to visit us for a night and I just so happened to get my Olympic cycling kit and swim caps for the Games. My cousins, Gaia (6) and Holden (3), did not want to take off the clothes. In fact, we took them to eat at the Olympic Training Center and they kept their swim caps on while eating! They might need those swim caps for an Olympics in the future!!!

Beijing Quickly Approaching

2008-07-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

I have just one week before I depart for San Jose, California for team processing. At team processing, I will be getting my uniforms (opening ceremonies, podium uniforms, workout clothing). Nike is the official sponsor of the 2008 Games, so the US Team will be outfitted in Nike gear.
I did recieve some of my triathlon gear from USA Triathlon (cycling kits, speedo race suit, and our mask!!!). Each athlete will be given a mask to wear while not participating in athletic events or media events while in China. The less time your lungs are exposed to the air, the better!
Our race suits for the Olympics look great. They are blue on the front, with white down the side, and red stitching. The suit will also have red stars down the side of the suit screened, in addition to our name and country. In the Olympics, athletes are not allowed to have any personal sponsors on the suits, so the suits will look a bit different than normal ITU World Cups (not even the ITU logo).
I have been training hard and training in the heat of the day to try and acclimatize in preparation for the Beijing heat. Colorado does have the heat, but missing the humidity. Race day temperatures could reach up to near 100 degrees!! I have less than two weeks left of tough training before I begin my taper.

Beijing Adventures

2008-07-22T18:03:00.000-07:00

This blog is going to take you through my experiences through the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. I am competing in the triathlon competition on August 18th, but will be training in Cheju, South Korea from Aug. 9-Aug. 15th before I head over to China for my competition.
I am planning on watching other competitions, visiting some famous sites in Beijing, and relaxing with my friends and family post-competition, before I head back to the US at the end of August.
I am ready to enjoy the Olympic experience and welcome you to follow along with me!