2013: Another Level!

Inspired by my friends, teammates and fellow bloggers, I spent the morning reviewing 2013.  Pouring through the +Garmin data, +TrainingPeaks records, race reports and my very own "Race Numbers" spreadsheet (yes, still an engineer at heart) was pretty cool.  Lots of things to be happy about regarding the 2013 multisport season.

The best way I can sum it up... I took it to another level in 2013!  I trained less, yet accomplished more.

On 03 February, I completed my first coached workout.  Hiring a coach was a smart choice: I dedicate a lot of personal resources to my tri life and have non-tri priorities too, so letting a professional take over this part of my life was wise.  My +Carmichael Training Systems coach gets IT.  My workouts are tough, but there's not junk volume, no training for the sake of training!  And the results came.  The data proves it:

2012: 383 training hours and 3844 miles = 3 Age Group Podiums
2013: 261 hours and 2850 miles = 3 Overall Podiums (1-1st, 2-2nd) and 2 Age Group Podiums

July 2013:  2nd AG, Sprint distance, Music City Triathlon, Nashville, TN.

Race-wise, in 2012 I completed 7 triathlons including a 70.3, and in 2013, 7 triathlons and 2 duathlons, also including one 70.3.  Each season included a half marathon, a 2-mile open water swim, and few 5K or 10K races.  I even tried cyclocross in 2013!

2013 was a year of PRs for both pace (70.3, Olympic, 10K, half marathon) and distance (longest bike ride completed).  Sprints are hard to compare due to varying distances but I was just plain faster in 2013.  I rewarded myself with a new aero bike helmet after holding a 20.0 mph average in an Olympic distance race mid-season, and repeated it two more times!

The highlight of 2013 racing was participation in the USAT Age Group Nationals in August.  It was a wonderful event in Milwaukee, and I'm thrilled that I already earned the chance to return in 2014.

My awesome parents joined us in Milwaukee...

And they also supported the June 70.3 effort in Syracuse, along with my brother, sister-in-law and dear friend Frosty.

Racing with family and friends cheering is unparalleled.  I think they had as much fun as us.  Oh, and when I say "us" and "we," I'm referring to me and Burly, my favorite training partner!

Capping off the year was nomination to the most excellent Team Rev3!

I'm humbled and excited to be one of more than 60 amateur athletes representing a wonderful event company +REV3 Triathlon (REV3TRI).  2014 should be a fantastic year with them!

2013 also included several non-triathlon changes, including a new job and new house, so navigating the training and racing was not without its challenges.

I'm so very fortunate to have a strong support network of family, friends, coach, RockyTop MultiSport club mates, Provision teammates, Rev3 teammates, new sponsors and Burly.  Thank you.

As much as I enjoyed the next level that was 2013, I simply hope that sharing my activities inspired others to go out and live each day fully.  May 2014 bring more fun and inspiration.

It's time to get ready for a bike workout and get a glimpse of the next level.  Cheers!

Prescription: 30 Burpees

30 burpees really can cure what ails you!  Yes, burpees.  Those infernal middle school gym exercises?  Yes, those.  "Squat thrusts" as we called them, through gritted 8-year-old teeth.  And we HATED them.

After a blissful [I-didn't-know-I-even-missed-you] 30-year absence from my life, burpees returned.  Via an email from Coach Max.

"...I want to challenge you outside the usual triathlete box. You two strike me as the adventuresome type and may be up for this. This challenge is not for entertainment. It's real. ... It's simple; 30 burpees for 30 days."

You might imagine the subsequent incredulous snorts and chuckles from me and Burly, as I read this aloud.  We often joke about whether Coach Max might just be trying to kill us.  He's pretty deliberate with our workouts, and this was no laughing matter.

"What say you? Are you in? Here's a charming meat head demo. Form is everything."

Burly ignored the taunt.  Smart guy.  Me?  Not so much; I took the bait.

"That's like... 900 burpees."

Undaunted, Coach Max embraced my skeptical 'enthusiasm' with his reply.

"It is a indeed a big deal. Go for it! Go for it now."

That was two days ago.  Monday was my rest day, so, umm, no starting then.  And Tuesday was a tough run, with planks and push-ups mixed in, so, umm, clearly no starting then.  Anyone else smell a pattern?

Today, however, I actually took the challenge.  I don't know why today.  Work was, let's just say, less than rewarding, and my return commute was filled with a downward spiral of loathesome career reflection.  Once at the house, it took the prompting of a few Facebook 'motivations' to get me into workout clothes.  

My calendar called for four rounds of mountain climbers and air squats.  Did I mention Coach Max steals Cross Fit ideas to 'challenge' me with?  In full disclosure, I did ask for more strength training this off-season.  He doesn't disappoint.

Once the mountain climbing and air squatting was through, I took a few minutes to procrastinate/play with The Yellow Cat.  Then I got started on those first 30 burpees.  

And they were the ugliest, saddest, fattest, formless, heaving burpees ever attempted!  Utterly ridiculous.  It took me over eight minutes to finish.  Really.  Holy crap, that was hard!

But, I did all 30.

And I'll do them again tomorrow.

Yup.  I will.

WTH?  Why?

Because when I finally knocked out #29 and #30, I laid on the floor and started laughing.  I felt beaten and humbled, and it was GREAT!  All that self-defeating nonsense from work that clouded my ride home was gone.  Nowhere to be found!  Every one of those burpees absolutely sucked, and the sum of it was exactly what I needed to set my head straight.

Got my feet up the wall to enjoy my favorite yoga recovery and laughed some more while The Yellow Cat came over to congratulate me and steal more attention!

870 burpees to go.  Let's see if 30 burpees can cure Thursday too!

Triathlete, meet Cyclocross

A Race Report, of sorts

A well-known inspirational quote challenges us to do something everyday that scares us.  Today it was Cyclocross.

No, Cyclocross, or CX, is not inherently scary at all.  Just some Euro-style off-road bicycle racing on a beautiful day at a local municipal park.  For me, the 'scary' was riding a strange bike, clipping MTB pedals, clambering over strange terrain and negotiating obstacles.

Obstacles?  We triathletes don't do no stinking obstacles!  Other than random seaweed beds or a dropped bottle at the exchange, triathlon is blissfully obstacle-free.  Nope, not CX.  There were hills and drops and jumps and a sand volleyball court to cross twice each lap, to name a few.

So, this little venture into the unknown was a wee scary.  Especially after watching some You Tube videos pre-race.  What have I gotten into?

To be precise, I got myself into the first annual Turkey Cross in Loudon, TN.

Here's my cautious start - that's me in the back, FRCC orange logos and red sleeves.

Then the adrenaline kicked in.

Then the hypoxia.

And all the scary was gone.

Replaced by a wheezing, gasping, red-lined pile of flesh, grinning when I could summon the oxygen, as captured here.  (And what lovely weather we had!)

Honestly, it was FUN.  Once I got the hang of the course and the obstacles, and all that pesky dismounting and mounting (mental note: add to "Skills to Improve in 2014" list), I liked it.  I liked the challenge.  I liked learning new things.  I liked the event atmosphere.  I liked the supporters and hecklers alike (my beau Mr. Burl fits both categories).  And, we all really liked the fresh pommes frites with homemade dijonnaise, compliments of Southern Cycling!

I liked it enough to seriously consider selling my mountain bike for a CX bike.  Which, truth be told, I'm not in love with that beast anyway - heavy, unwieldy thing that it is.

Fact is, short-course Triathlon is my primary goal these days.  And that 37+ minutes to complete three loops of CX scariness was some of the best anaerobic training (average HR = 176 bpm) and bike handling that money can buy.  I sense a nice synergy here... perhaps the 2014 season will have a CX after-party?

Wait a minute.  This is a race report!  How did I do?

I finished!  Three whole loops!  The CX Cat 4 Ladies that won did four loops (I got lapped by the winner at the end).  And I was not last.  8th out of 9!

And huge THANKS to Rebekah for talking me into this! And loaning the bike!!  Much appreciation for Burly, Scott, Allison, Sharon, Jimmy and Gregg for the on-site cheers and jeers!

What scary thing did you do today?