Ironman 70.3 Miami - A Weekend Full of Firsts

This past weekend was a weekend full of firsts for me.  It started with travelling to Miami, on my own, with my bike, to race at Ironman 70.3 Miami, where the swim was in the Ocean, and I was racing as an Ironman Pro Athlete.  

P is for Pro, no age this time.

 Ever since I've had my kids, I've not been a fan of flying.  I realize that is silly, as flying is one of the safest modes of transportation and much safer than driving, however, with young kids I wonder what would happen to them if I didn't make it back?   I'm also afraid of the mysterious monsters of the deep.  Yes, that includes the lakes.  This summer I didn't want to dive in Otisco Lake in New York because it was full of 5 ft long Muskies, can you imagine what I was thinking may be in the dark waters at the Bayfront Park in Miami.  Over the last year I've been learning more about my bike, however, I have a great team at County Cycle, in Beamsville, Ontario that take care of my Devinci and I rely on them a lot to keep her in good shape.  So flying to Miami with my bike in a bike box, partially disassembled with no teammates to help me put her back together was causing me a bit of anxiety as well. On top of this, I decided to race as a Pro Triathlete in a field of amazingly fast women not fully sure of what to expect of them or myself.

And a pool was found with help
from new friend Gus.

Hello Key Biscayne and Florida Coconut 

A friend of mine from University and an amazing triathlete, Amanda Stevens, recommended a bike shop she'd used before to assemble her bike.  So I gave them a call and worked it out that I'd bring my bike directly from the airport to the bike shop.  After a super smooth flight to Miami from Toronto, I grabbed a cab and went directly to South Miami Bike Shop. The owner, Jean, met me as I brought ALL my bags into the shop, I sat down on a stool, took a big breath and felt like I was at home; comfortable in the bike shop.  The people there were amazing, helpful, and super social!  While I was there so many people came in to chat, the shop is an amazing and positive place to be.  They arranged for me to get a ride back to the hotel, with friend Gus, who took me on a tour of the bike routes around the area, and also found me a pool to swim in the next day! Jean met me for a bike ride at Key Biscayne, as they knew I was on my own, and gave me some helpful advice about staying safe in downtown Miami. I do tend to be overly friendly and very trusting and that has the potential to lead to bad situations, or  so I've been told.  They even came to support me at the race;  the South Miami Bike Shop helped make this trip a really great one; not only have I found my bike shop for when I travel to Florida, I've found some great new friends.  

THE RACE EXPERIENCE

Sunday morning at 4:30 am my alarm went off.  I rolled out of bed, put on my race gear, ate breakfast, and walked over to the transition to make sure my bike was ready to go.  While in transition,  fellow Canadian, Miranda Tomenson, was racked next to me.  It was nice to have a familiar someone to talk with, we stuck together until the race started.  

THE SWIM

Me (pink cap) and Leanda Cave

We were informed at the pro meeting the day before that the good news was there were no jellyfish, yeah!, the bad news was there would be no swim warm up.  However, Sunday morning they did allow a short warm up period, for the pro athletes, in the water before the cannon went off for the first wave.   So we jumped off the dock into the very salty ocean, no sea creatures appeared out of the depths to eat us, and did a in water warm up.   Two minutes before the female pro wave start we all began to jostle for our positions, and when the race started I received the biggest shock of the race.  As an age group athlete I was used to swimming through waves of people, as generally I started an hour behind the pros.  I thought swimming through the men was tough as sometimes they would swim off course, or I'd have to swim between people, that seems like a piece of cake now.  Nothing is like swimming with a group of people who are swimming for their livelihood. I'd injured my shoulder two weeks ago and knew it would be tough for me to get out in front early; I was lacking power.  It's an aggressive arena, no holds barred kinda swimming.  There was a point during the swim I actually said to myself, "what am I doing?  I'm in way over my head".  But I calmed myself down, settled in and continued on.  This was an amazing opportunity to finish, not one to give up on.  Finally the swim was complete, and time to transition out onto the road.

THE BIKE

The bike is not yet a strong area for me.  Looking at the other women, I can see where my legs are lacking strength, but it's not something that can't be improved with a little winter weight lifting and lots of power trainer sessions.  My coach told me not to worry about the others and just go race my own race, so that is what I did.  I watched as the other girls passed, admiring their  strength on the bike. My shoulder was aching throughout the ride and I had to leave the aero position multiple times to bring some relief from the pain, however, I held my own and enjoyed the twists and turns out and back into downtown Miami.   My transitions, although not quite where they need to be, were much better than they have ever been thus far.  I threw on my runners and race belt and headed out on the final leg of the race.

THE RUN

The run course was fantastic!  It was certainly a challenge!  We ran over grass, through sand under a bridge, and then over the causeway 4 times!  It was an out and back double loop, and whoever tells you the run will be flat in Miami, slap them!  Going up the causeway was not an easy task the fourth time around, it's a fairly big incline and makes you work.  The first 15km of the run I was moving; I felt great until I hit the turn around aid station with 5km to go, then the piano hit.  I knew with only a relatively short distance to go  I could manage to hold myself somewhat together, however it was a painfully slow finish to what was almost my fastest run.  I still ran a 1:35.04 half marathon which was faster than I thought, and I'm very happy with that.  My time was also within the 12% of the overall winner which qualifies me to compete again next year as a pro!

SUMMARY

Had I come to Ironman 70.3 Miami as an age group athlete, I would have won my age group and qualified for Ironman 70.3 World Championships for 2017.  However, I did not go as an age group athlete this time.  I choose to go as a Pro; I wouldn't change that decision if given the opportunity.  There was no prize cheque for me and I don't get an automatic qualifying spot to World's. What I did get was an opportunity of a life time, a chance to race pro, to meet some incredible people, make new friends, learn that I can go to these events on my own, if I need to, and be okay. The sea monsters didn't get me, my bike made it to and from Florida just fine, and really I was never alone.  My family, coach, teammates, and new found friends provided amazing support throughout the weekend.  It's okay to be afraid of new experiences, of all the 'firsts', it's not okay to let fear keep us from those experiences.

The Decision to Go PRO....at 42

Sketchers Performance Barrelman Triathlon 2016, L to R,  Angela Quick, Miranda  Tomenson,
Jennie Hansen, Sheila Treleaven, Leah Sherriff

When I turned down Kona last month, at Ironman Mont Tremblant, there were some rumblings that I may be a bit crazy. It was a decision I made during the race and one that I am still content with.  However my latest choice has been receiving a few raised eyebrows as well.  A few weeks ago I received my Professional Triathlete designation, raced my first local race, Barrelman Triathlon, as a Pro, and  signed up for Ironman 70.3 Miami, in 2 weeks, racing in the Pro Wave, right up front (with the jellyfish and sharks).

Why would I do this when I'm top of my Age Group in my Ironman races? I'm under no delusions, I will not be top of the podium as an Ironman Pro, yet.  I only started training and racing triathlon just exactly 2 years ago. I could stay as an Age Group athlete and continue to compete as I have been this past year, but at the age of 42, I met all the criteria to go Pro.  I do not have 5 years to build strength in my legs and master my bike skills, get my transitions down to a science and learn to run a little faster before turning pro.  I have only now.  Those needed triathlon skills I am learning and will continue to learn as I go.  I will need to learn them fast because if I don't, I'm certain to take a beating in the rankings by the amazing athletes I get to watch and race against.  

Yes, I have fear

Me and my girls.

Of course I am a little afraid.  There are amazing athletes out there, some that have been competing for a long time, and some fresh and young, all of them fast.  Something that my husband and I try to teach our children is, although you may be a little afraid you still need to try.  Failure is what ultimately leads to success.  Bravery is not being without fear, it's acting even when you are afraid.  I'm stepping into a world I know little about. I'm doing it at the age of 42.  I have three amazing children, a career with a fantastic company, a household to run, and now training to squeeze in.  I don't have the luxury of training as my only job, my career is full time, and getting my kids to their activities is also crazy busy.  I don't get the recovery time that I should.  Luckily I have supportive family, friends to help with advice and driving the kids when needed, and a great coach to work around my crazy life. 

You will not hear me speak of back to back 8 hour training days, or of catching a nap of more than 25 minutes during the day, once or twice a week, however you will see me talk about how it is possible to do things you only imagined were for "other people".    

Continue to Chase Doubt Away

3rd place Multisport Barrleman
 Triathlon

Two years ago I laughed, inside and out, when my coach told me I had talent to go pro.  "Do you know how old I am?" I asked him.  I still sometimes think that, especially when the day has been long at work, sandwiched by 2 workouts, driving the kids to the pool, or picking up my eldest daughter from work at 10 pm when I'd rather be asleep.  My doubts are there, did I make the right choice to go pro?, how badly am I going to get beaten in my first race? How can I improve the way those girls do with my time spread between all my responsibilities?  Then I remember I need to chase them away.

Regardless of whether I am top of the podium or not, I earned the spot as a pro based on my times and overall placings at the Ironman races I've competed in.  My bike will only get better as each month goes by with more and more time in the saddle, and the same with the run.  My swim, it will continue to hold it's own.  

Doubts are always there but shouldn't keep us from striving for goals, reaching, way outside our comfort zone, and taking a shot at something, even if it seems impossible, unrealistic, or a bit crazy.  Sometimes we don't have time to make our doubts go away completely.  Sometimes we only have what's right now.

Who Turns Down Their Ironman World Championship KONA Spot? - ME

#IMMT Ironman Mont Tremblant 40-44 Winners

This past weekend I competed in my first full Ironman event at Mont Tremblant, QC.  For those of you that may not know what this event entails let me explain it briefly.  It begins with a 3.8km open water swim, followed by a 180km bike ride, and finishes up with a full marathon, 42.2 km run.

Before going into this event I had pictured in my mind what I would look like when I finished.  I never pictured not finishing, just the state I'd be in at the end and for the next few days following.  I think the below link may give you an idea of what was running through my brain.

https://youtu.be/MTn1v5TGK_w

Two nights before the event I was unable to sleep.  I awoke at 2:45 am, thinking of crawling across the finish line, stretched, attempted to go back to sleep, failed, so I ended up going down the stairs of our condo and quietly reading some Peter Pan. My mind was going a million miles a minute, as that day we would go for our race warm up and say good-bye to our bikes and gear until the race the next morning.  The reality of what I'd signed up for was really real now and I wondered how it got here so fast! Where did the last 8 months go?  I managed somehow to keep my nerves under control, and my usual multiple, pre-race, bathroom trips did not happen.  Perhaps because I stayed chatty to distract myself, and also perhaps because I met with an old college friend, who had completed many of these events, and she gave me some sound advice.  Regardless, race morning arrived and off my team went to the race venue.

THE RACE

First of all, I have to say, this was the most amazing race experience I have ever had.  Yes, I realize my triathlon experience is limited, however I would think this would be difficult to beat.  The volunteers made everything from setting up my bike, to finding my transition bags, to making sure my bike was racked between transitions, and making every athlete feel like a super star their first priority. I cannot imagine what the race would have been like without all these people and the first class organization of the event overall. A major thank you to all of you, because I know there is no way this event could happen without them. 

THE SWIM

Swim Start, Last Wave Women 40+

There were 2480 athletes competing in Mont Tremblant.  The first Pro Wave left at 6:34 am and the last Women's wave (my wave) left at 7:00am.  There were 2000 people within 26 min in front of me on a 3.8km swim.  I may not be the best cyclist or runner in the field, but I do know that I will be one of the fastest swimmers on the course; regardless of this knowledge I was apprehensive of the swim.  I knew I would be swimming through a lot of large groups of athletes and I was hoping I would come out with my face intact.  The Fireworks went off and our last wave of women 40+ ran into the water. I was able to get some clear space quickly, almost swam into a diver (I've never seen one in the water before at a race), and then within 2 minutes was entering the wave that left in front of ours.  It was choppy and a challenge to move through the white bathing caps, but doable.  But within a few moments it was the men in the Orange Caps, red caps, green caps, and blue caps. It was not an easy swim and navigating through groups of hundreds was a challenge.  I talked myself into staying relaxed and finding the line through the school of swimmers that lay before me.  I was given a couple knocks and bumps but I think I gave a few back as well. 

 The chop in the water on the second half of the course was really quite difficult and I worried for some of my teammates about making it through this part of the swim.  The Pro Female Winner of the race, Mary Beth Ellis, said that the chop in the water was worse than any Ocean swim she had done!

Ultimately, I exited the water with the fastest Woman's time of the day and 10th fastest swim overall. Ran 400m down an awesome red carpet and into the change tent to start the longest bike ride of my life.

THE BIKE

Just to give an idea of the rain.

The weather report for last Sunday was one of a lot of rain.  During the swim the rain was holding off, and for the first little while on the bike it seemed it may stay dry, perhaps just an overcast day.  However that changed rather quickly and for the next 9 hours the rain came teaming down! 

Mont Tremblant bike course has some big hills.  They aren't easy going up but can be super fun and fast going down.  There were points I was hitting over 70km/hr on the down hills and there were people going much faster than me, however by the second loop the large puddles and streaming road rivers made the course a bit treacherous.  On the second loop the Race Director himself was out on the course standing in the middle of the road on Dupliesse telling racers to reduce speed for safety.

The first loop of the course I felt pretty good.  The second loop something happened.  I'm still trying to analyze and figure it out, however my stomach started to hurt and I began to throw up.  At this point I started to panic a bit and wondered how I would make it through the marathon if this was happening to me now.  I don't know if it was the salt tab I took at that moment or if the vomiting episode had run it's course, but I managed to pull myself back together and keep going to the transition area.  

At the bike transition, I got off my bike, a volunteer took it from me, and I tried to run, but my legs said otherwise.  They were completely unsteady!  I took a moment and gathered my wits and slowly and then gradually a bit quicker made my way back down the red carpet to the change tent for the run.

THE RUN

I decided that my wet Tri-Shorts, that had started to cause chaffing, were not what I wanted to run the next 42.2 km in.  So I changed out of my shorts, put on some dry socks that didn't stay dry for long as it was still pouring rain, and surprisingly jogged out of the tent without too much trouble!  I was running really well!  I knew at this point I was in second place for my age group and if I kept up this pace I would catch her by the end of the marathon.  Unfortunately my stomach had other plans, and at 17km I had to make an unplanned stop at the port-a-potty.   After that, I knew the other girl was out of reach, and I settled into my place.  At the 21km I ran passed the fork in the road, one way said "to second loop" the other "to finisher shoot"  I actually wanted to just run down the shoot! Instead I went right and heard my husband yell out to me that I was in second spot.  He was excited because he knew that I would qualify for Kona if I stayed in that spot.  That was the goal going into the race.  I was feeling disappointed because I knew I was struggling mentally to stay motivated to run up that seemingly never ending hill that was just around the next corner.  

Along the path I watched as others, who I knew were incredible competitors and athletes, struggle through their run.  The combination of the weather and the course was taking it's toll.  During the run I decided that even if I made Kona, I would not accept the spot.  It is not an easy thing to explain, but I knew and still know it was the right decision.  At one point I started hoping someone would pass me so I didn't need to make or explain my choice. At this point I knew I needed to get out of the mental funk, so I began to play a little game.  At every kilometre sign I would count down.  "Less than 15km to go....Less than 14 km to go..." and so on. Finally I saw the last hill into the village and knew it was almost done.  When I reached the fork in the road a feeling of euphoria seemed to over take me because I knew I got to take the left fork to the finish.   'Sheila Treleaven, from Grimsby, ON, You are an Ironman". 

THE MIDNIGHT FINISH

Our team stayed to the end, we cheered on our finishing teammates and all those who struggled through the same torrential rains, choppy water and challenging hills.  It was the most inspiring and exciting place to be.  To watch all those people cross the finish line, reach their goal, and celebrate the finish of their Ironman journey for whatever reasons they chose to take on this event, was nothing less than incredible.  It's enough to make almost anyone want to do an Ironman, volunteer at an Ironman, or do another Ironman!

SUMMARY

Division V Team Winners - Tri-Hart Triathlon

At the awards ceremony, almost everyone was encouraging me to take my Kona spot.  My husband and my coach knew that I had made my choice.   I do appreciate their caring because I know they probably thought I would regret my choice the next day.  I do not.  I don't think that will be the only time I will qualify for Kona.  When I go, I want to feel ready, at least more so than I will be in 6 weeks.  I was disappointed in myself, not for how I did in the race, I am very proud of that, I finished and I am not crawling and I'm back in the pool and on the bike, but for how I mentally gave up during the run.  I know I'm not able to explain it so I will not try.  What I do know is that I have a plan, and some new challenges on the horizon that I'm very excited about!  I also know that I made someone very happy as I was able to give her my spot to Kona, it was wonderful to watch her accept. 

This past year has been a journey.  Injuries, exhaustion, struggling with the unknown of what may happen during the race.  Watching my teammates race and finish the Ironman made me feel proud and emotional around their accomplishments.  They worked hard and were rewarded as they can all be called "IRONMAN" and go home knowing that we all contributed to the winning of our Team Division at Mont Tremblant.  Knowing I did it and was able to show my kids that you don't give in you stick it out to reach your goals, I can't measure that.  I'm looking forward to the next chapter in my triathlon journey, and when I qualify for Kona again I will take the spot. For now, I'm content with my decision and have no regrets.  

Team Tri-Hart at Mont Tremblant

Less than 2 Weeks Until I Face my Fears - Ironman

This isn't a race report, because I haven't yet done a full Ironman;  I'm comfortable with the 70.3 distance but the thought of doubling that has been tough to get my mind around. This year has been full of emotional ups and downs, mostly, I think, because of the training and time commitment required to compete in a full Ironman distance event. This instead is a report on the journey to get to the Ironman, because no matter what, unless I am pulled off the course by the paramedics, I will finish this race and be able to say I'm an Ironman.

What I've learnt so far from the training this year is that the big part of being an Ironman isn't just finishing the race, it's managing the training and your life leading up to the big event.  I grew up watching the Ironman World Championships every year on TV.  It was inspiring.  I thought I would like to do that some day.  Of course, other things happen, like kids and work,  and those fleeting thoughts of greatness are pushed aside, and then it becomes, " there is no way I will ever do that event, that's crazy!"

I can ride a bike now.  

When I started the journey last fall towards doing Ironman Mont Tremblant, I still said to myself, this is crazy.  I'll have finished my 2nd full year of triathlon this coming September and I'm tackling an Ironman.  Two years ago I was falling off my bike at every stop sign, who am I kidding, two weeks ago I fell off my bike at a stop light. Two years ago the longest run I had done was 12km.  The last three weeks I've run farther than I ever have and rode my bike longer and further than I ever thought was possible for me.  I've come a long way in these last 2 years.

This season started out really amazing.  I ran my fastest Half-Marathon at 1:24, I swam some decent 1500m races, and rocked The Around The Bay 30Km Road Race at 2:03 finishing top 10 for women. I was super excited to get into the triathlon season.  But then my back and hamstring started giving me grief.   If you know me, you will know that I will not miss a practice or cut out early unless there is a really good reason or I'm really really hurt.  One morning I stood on the treadmill, after forcing myself to literally roll off my bed and stand up straight,  pressed the green GO button, started to cry, looked at my coach and said,  "I CAN'T DO THIS."

Winning Overall Female Subaru Niagara Triathlon

My body has been adapting to the increase in volume, the changes in training, and really just the  change in my body make up altogether.  I was struggling to hold the speeds that I should have been able to, I was struggling to complete the long runs, I was actually afraid to start running because I knew the pain that was going to accompany the activity.  I  was only making it through by sheer will power and the support of my teammates. 

If you have read some of my previous blogs you will see a theme.  I feel that having a good coach and finding someone or many someones to train with and around is key to staying the course and

Team Tri-Hart at Subaru Niagara Triathlon

keeping motivation high.  My teammates at  Tri-Hart Triathlon inspire me everyday.  We motivate each other to keep going.  We are not all training for an Ironman.  There are athletes training for Try-a-Tris, Sprint, Olympic, Half Ironman Distance as well.  We find a way to work together to better ourselves and reach our personal goals.   Without this group I know for certain I would not be getting ready to do 226.3 kilometres in just Two weeks.  Nor would I have made it through the pain that plagued me for so long this season.

Me and my two youngest girls.
I turned 42 Last week.

Through regular treatments the pain has been manageable.  I've done well at all my events this season, from Ironman 70.3 Eagleman, to the local Sprint events at Milton and Niagara.  These events have brought in the fun and reassured me that despite the injury and slowing down on the training my fitness it still there and I am improving.  I wasn't sure I would make it.  Watching my teammates work their way towards their goals, struggling with life events and still managing to come to practice has inspired me to do the same.  My family has been supportive and we have found a schedule that works.  Sometimes there are setbacks along the way to reaching a goal; It is possible to work your way through or around the setback and persevere.  It makes getting to the end result all the sweeter.

For those of you reading my blog that are sitting on the fence as to whether or not to get out there to do a race of some kind, a 5k, a marathon, a mud race, a triathlon, stop wondering and start doing.  Start by choosing a race, sit down with your family and share your goal and your why, and ask for their help in reaching that goal.  Not sure where to pick a race or how to find one?  There are a few sites you can visit. Both Subaru and Multisport are a great hub for triathlon races.  Eventbrite  will have a variety of events from adventure racing to beer runs, relays,  to the Scotia Marathon.  Eventbrite also lets you create an event of your own, sell tickets, and get the word out, it's an amazing opportunity to create something to support your favourite local charity.  

Regardless of what happens in two weeks at the Ironman Mont Tremblant.  The journey has shown me that I can make it through the tired days, survive the long training, and still go to work and be a good mom. Don't put off something because of some excuse.  Face your fears, that's what I'm doing with this Ironman.  I'll let you know how it goes after I cross the finish line.  Hopefully it's as the first place finisher in my age category, but if it's not, and I struggle through the run, I know I will still have finished a gruelling race and enjoyed the ups and downs of an amazing journey along the way.

Better late than Never

Entering the finishing shoot Ironman 70.3 Eagleman 2016

Busy seems to be the theme of my life, as it is for many others.  "I at least got in 30 min of that 60 min run today", is not unusual to hear from me.  Since I've returned home from Ironman 70.3 Eagleman two and one half weeks ago it's been non-stop.  Business meetings, presentations, kids activities and school year end, it's just now that I am sitting down to write my race report on Eagleman. Better late than never, right.   I had written down each section of the race and what happened with in it, then changed my mind.  Instead here are my Top 10 experiences from the event.  

Eagleman Top 10 List

Cody Beals

10. The highlight of the awards ceremony was Canadian Pro Triathlete, Cody Beals.  He won the event overall.  He was asked to say a few words about his race.  He didn't speak about "his" race; he was humble and articulate. He spoke about the race itself. The people watching, the volunteers, the organisers.  He had a way of commanding the stage and endearing the crowd to him.  I'm proud to say Cody is representing Canada.  He is a great ambassador for triathlon in this country.

9. While racking my bike in the Silver All World Athlete area (which is really cool) I met two amazing ladies from the Betty Designs Team.  Both were incredibly talented triathletes and both were kind, supportive and encouraging women.  After the race they both came over and congratulated me. I'm hoping to see them both again at another race this year.  What I'm learning is the triathlete community is an amazing and positive group to be
part of.

8.  The Volunteers! It's 4:45 am.  Most people are still asleep.  The volunteers at the Ironman event were lined up at the entrance of transisiton cheering for every athlete coming in to prep their bikes for the event.  They set the tone for the day.  They helped all of us to make it through the sweltering heat of this race and remain upright and positive.  Thank you.

Finish line

7. Coming across the finish line thinking that I'd come in 2nd place for my age group and learning that I actually won!  Then finding out that I did a best time and actually placed 6th overall for women.

6.  Watching other athletes in the race persevere after having bike crashes.  I rode by one gentleman who had blood pouring down his arm. He was riding on and determined to make it to the end of this event.  Another man I saw come into the finish of his race, he had fallen from his bike, he had blood and gravel all in his face! He continued on the bike and finished the 21.1km run.  The perseverance and determination is beyond inspiring.

5. The drive to Eagleman.  Yes the drive.  My friend Christina and I drove together.  We left on Wednesday night and stopped in to visit my dad in the Fingerlakes.  We stayed the night there and after a short morning run and a nice breakfast continued our trek to Maryland.  We never turned  on the car radio.  We talked to whole trip!  Coach Lee and Natalie met us along the way and we were able to stop for lunch and socialize.  It truly was a great road trip to Maryland (and back).

Front: Natalie, Cindy, Diana
Back: Kevin, Bernard, Sheila,
Lee, Christina

4. Going to this race with the team.   There were 8 of us from Tri-Hart that competed at Eagleman.  We all stayed in the same hotel.  We went out for lunch and dinner together, and did our race prep together.  It was a lot of fun.  There is an amazing energy that is created when the team is together.  It really helps boost the morale and keep the nerves in check.

3. Tri-Hart placed 2nd overall for Team Division V! Three of our team mates were the fastest out of the water for their perspective age groups!  Yes, we have a large swimmer contingent on our team.

Coach Lee, Bernard, Sheila, Kevin

2. Watching my teammates perform their bests at the event! It was a hot day, to say the least.  If you read any of the race reports or the forums about Eagleman, that is the one common thread you will see in every commentary.  Although there were many athletes that dropped out due to the heat, everyone of our team finished the race and finished well!  We all could pick each other out on the course in our new team gear and cheer each other forward and keep each other going.  There is no underestimating the power of TEAM.

1. That every time I race I go out thinking I'm going to do my best and whatever happens happens.  That I was satisfied thinking I'd placed 2nd and surprised and elated to learn I was 1st.  I am grateful for the ability that I've been given, the opportunity to try my hand at this sport, and the support I receive from my family, friends, teammates, and coach.  My win is really our win.

Leaderboard results from Eagleman.

Next up?  

Ironman Mont Tremblant.  And yes, I am terrified.

That Girl

Me and my 3 girls

Who hasn't looked around the room and seen "that" girl. You know the one I'm talking about.  She comes across cute, bubbly, nice looking, fit, great career, attractive spouse, she's had 3 kids, and to you looks like she couldn't possibly have eaten anything in her life but carrots and celery, yet comes to the soccer potluck with a delicious, homemade, cheesecake and eats 2 pieces. On facebook and instagram she posts pictures of what looks like a perfect life, with the odd funny mishap that happens along the way, just to show that perhaps she is a little fallible.  You look around at the mess in your house, the inablilty to find time to get to the gym, the marker all over your kids face before they have to run out the door to catch the bus for school and wonder why you can't be like "that girl"! You hate her and want to be her all at the same time. 

Let me reassure you, you don't really want to be her;  "that" girl's life is not as rosy as you may think.  Just like you, she has struggled with her post baby weight, fights with herself to not eat the extra cookies when packing the kids' lunches, and sacrifices certain pleasures so that she can be in the shape she wants to be in. She throws laundry in at 4:30am before workout and switches it over at 6:30am when she gets back so the kids have something to wear to school.  She works hard to be as fit as she is; gets up early and goes to bed late. She fights through injury and exhaustion;   if she can get a minimum of 5-6 hours sleep per night that's enough to make her happy.  Every few weeks or so she crashes and then she cries when the number of tasks she has on her plate become too overwhelming and she feels that she is failing everyone around her when she can't fit it all in.  "That" girl, wants to help everyone and when she can't solve the problems of others, she blames herself.  She struggles with balancing her own goals with the needs of her children, husband, and those she has around her.  She takes on the extra projects at work, and has a hard time saying NO, when sometimes she really would just like to have a bottle of wine, half a chocolate cake and watch 3 movies on the couch in her pjamas.  

Although she is grateful for all of what she has, and accomplishes, it is stressful.  She wakes before 4am most days to get started so she can fit in work, life, kids, etc.   She forgoes the wine and almost never watches TV.  But that doesn't mean her life is terrible, she has much to be grateful for. She also possesses many good time management strategies that she puts in place. The pressure, she puts that onto herself.  Take the good qualities and attributes you like of "that" girl and see how you can start to integrate some of  those positive

My Kitchen Counter at times....like every day!

attributes into your daily routine.

When you are looking at her and saying "look at "that" girl,"  what I've recently discovered is someone else is saying that about YOU!  So what can we do to bring our life into balance? Where are you willing to make some additional sacrifices and be a bit uncomfortable to make time for what you truly want?  

Here's a few ideas to get you started:

1. You can start by looking at your calendar and saying "where will I schedule in 30 min of exercise 3-5 days per week"?  It may mean you wake up at 5:30 am to do it.  You will feel better about your day if you start it with something positive, like exercise.

2. Everyone has a different body, a different internal drive, and a different goal.  Maybe you don't want to win a race or win the Miss Fitness crown, perhaps your goal is to accomplish finishing a 5k, fitting into your favourite dress from 2 years ago, or having more energy throughout the day.  Your fitness regimen will be different from hers, allow for a more balanced life approach that still allows you to reach your  goal and rock that sexy dress. 

3.  Learn to be okay with who you are.  It's okay for your kid to have marker on their face and cake in their hair, for the room to be a bit dusty and dishes to be on the countertop.  Sometimes this has to happen for you to have time to fit in something you want.

4. Everyone has to work at change;  make time for yourself to get fit, race a swim meet,  or take a cooking class, whatever it is that is your personal goal. 

Remember, you are "that" girl to someone else.  Be a role model, do what you can, and remember, just as you do, "that" girl struggles with the everyday too.

Around the Bay Road Race - A Great Addition to Anyone's Race Schedule.

2016 Around the Bay 30km Road Race Start

The Around the Bay is an iconic race. This year there were 6000 runners in the 30km. It's an odd distance, too long to run it like a half marathon and too short to pace it as a full marathon (or so I've read).  It's biggest claim to fame is that it is the oldest road race in North America, even older than the Boston Marathon.  This year was the event's 122nd anniversary.  Listening to others speak about the race, who have done it many times, I would have to say there are a few other things that give this race it's charm.

1.  The Weather:  You never know what you will get.  It could be warm and sunny or freezing cold and damp.   You may be running in your long johns or your tank top.  Actually, who am I kidding, from what I've witnessed the last two years, it could be -10 degrees Celsius and there will  still be a number of people running in shorts and a tank top.

2.  The Hills:  The first 20km are deceiving; there are a few hills while running over the overpasses on Burlington Street, but nothing too crazy until the last 10km.  At this point it feels like the hills never end!  They are rolling hills, but far from easy.

3.  The People:  The many volunteers are well organized and friendly keeping the race moving and the runners safe. All along the 30km course their are numerous supporters of the race and the runners participating in it.  They are out with pots and pans, music, and additional aide stations for the athletes.  Then there is the Grim Reaper, waiting with 3 km to go to the finish, telling you how awful you look and there's no need for you to keep going. What race is complete without the Grim Reaper, right?

 So how did I fair at the race? Here's the recap:

This is the second time I've run the Bay, last year being the first.   My coach, Lee Hart, put out an aggressive goal for me to target.  However, knowing my personality, he also provided me with a time range that he'd consider really good.  The range was under 2 hrs - 2 hrs 8 min.  Last year my chip time was 2:16.36. 

Me and my teammates
running the first 9 km
together.

The first 9km down Burlington street was deceptively warm.  I ran this section with three of my team mates.  We watched people throwing off their mittens, hats, and extra shirts along the side of the road.  I only took off my first layer of mittens, but held them close to my chest.  With having Raynaud's Syndrome, keeping my mittens can feel like a life saver.
At the 9.5km mark I said good-bye to my running partners and scooted around the exit ramp off Burlington Street and right into the freezing cold wind. I was betting that for the next 20km there were a lot of people wishing they could get their clothing back!

Running up the first long hill on North Shore

My team mates told me at this point they could see I had 5 men on my tail and I was pulling them through the wind.  The next group of runners was about 30m in front of me and I desperately wanted to get to them so I could tuck in and take a bit of a breather from the wind and the chill.  It seemed to take forever.  While running along the lake shore I was amazed and inspired by all the spectators and cheerleaders on the side of the road.  They really are so supportive and keep the runners morale on the positive side of things, even 15km into the race. I'm one of the runners that waved, gave thumbs up, and thanked them for their support.  It really was nice.

Thank you for helping me up those hills! Your encouragement
was truly appreciated!

 I also want to give a shout out to the two guys that provided me with positive reinforcement while struggling up those North Shore hills.  Thank you!  And at 21km, I was surprised to hear a GO SHEILA! It was from my friend Mark Miller who had come out to watch the Bay.  There is nothing better than a shout of encouragement when your legs want to quit.

GOLD!!!

Finally the last 5km.  It's flat, thank goodness, however the damage had been done.  I was concentrating on form as best I could to will myself to the First Ontario Centre, which by the way, you can see from a couple kilometres out of the finish line, and it never seems to get any closer!  

Somehow it did arrive, and one of the great parts of this event is you get to finish inside the Coliseum.  The announcer is there calling out your name, where you are from and the volunteers are there making sure you are okay and handing you your Gold, Silver or Bronze finisher medal.  

Team Tri-Hart, Around the Bay 2016
Kevin, Bernard, Thomas, Me, Mark, Natalie
 (missing, Coach Lee, and Diana)

My final Chip time was 2:03.25, and I finished 10th woman overall;  a big improvement from last years 80th.  I also made it in the top end of my coaches range and earned a Gold Medal time at the Bay!  This looks positive for the upcoming Triathlon season. My teammates finished not far behind and we all went up to watch the rest of our crew and the 6000 other inspiring runners out there completing The Around the Bay race on a very cold and windy, yet sunny Sunday morning.
_______________________________________
As an addition to this post, a week after the race I recieved a surprise cheque in the mail for $100!  I won 3rd place Masters athlete 40+ and I didn't realize there was a prize for that.  This was an awesome event and I definitely recommend it for your list of races to do. 

I

NEGLECTING THE LITTLE THINGS

Chiropodist Jim Marando giving me a gait analysis. Someone has
a weak Glute Medius.

Most people that cross my path think that I am a very positive and happy person; they would be right for the most part.  I'm upbeat and happy until, I'm just not.  This winter has been a bit of a tough go for me.  Why? It's not like we've had a brutal winter, heck, it was 18 degrees Celsius one day this week! It was February, in Canada?!  The reason it's been so tough is because I hurt myself.

Yes, I hurt myself.  My coach didn't do it, my training didn't do it, I did it.

How you may wonder? Neglect. 

I neglected to listen to my body.  It was telling me to take care, not to miss the stretching routine, to go get maintenance from my awesome RMT, Derek Spry, and Chiropractor, Tom Skrinjaric (they truly are awesome). Instead, I ignored my body and let my brain keep pushing me forward into a world of pain.  This PAIN that brought me from a happy, positive, chatty, Sheila, to a quiet, easy to bring to tears, sad, and fighting to stay positive, Sheila.

It started after the Christmas Break with my lower right back tightening up all around the SI joint.  So I stretched it, a little, and kept going as usual; after all, it was only a tight muscle. As the weeks continued, and training intensified, my back continued to get tighter and now the muscles up the right side of my spine were just as tight as the ones around my SI joint.  I went for my usual massage treatment and it helped temporarily.  I was still able to handle the workouts even with the pain starting to build in my back.  

Work became very busy, the kids schedules were picking up, and training for an Ironman is not for the faint of heart; needless to say  time was getting harder and harder to find and I let my usual morning stretch routine slide.  The next thing I knew, that nagging back pain became incredibly painful.  Rolling over in my bed felt like I was trying to move 200 pounds of lower limbs each time.  Tears would stream down my face and it took over 20 minutes every morning to get out of bed.  However, I'm training for an Ironman.  So once I got out of bed and standing, I would make it to workout and suffer horribly through it.  Go home and cry and start the daily routine of making lunches, going to work and making sure the kids got to and from their activities on time.  

Two weeks ago I forced myself out of the bed, got to the gym, started the treadmill, and walked.  I couldn't bring myself to run, or jog, or anything.  If you know me, you will know that I will almost kill myself to not miss workout when I have a goal on the horizon. This was my breaking point. I no longer could will myself through the pain. I am not one for taking medication. Usually I can make it through, as I have a fairly high pain tolerance, without the use of pain meds.  Not this time.  I was taking lots of Aleve, and muscle relaxers so I could get a little bit of  sleep. I would have liked something stronger, but not willing to make that jump.  My coach took me off the treadmill.  My bike was virtually non-existent, oh I tried, I thought I could muster up the mental strength, I was wrong.   My usual crazy week of training went to mostly making it to the pool, the Chiropractor and the Massage therapist.  

I've learnt over the years that to keep certain injuries from getting out of control I need to maintain my stretching and core routine faithfully.  However sometimes, usually because I'm feeling just fine, or I'm exceptionally busy, I start to let portions of this routine go.  It starts with me saying "I don't have time for the whole thing this morning, I'll just leave out this exercise."  Then as the days progress a few more exercises get neglected and then eventually all of them.

With a lot of treatments, intensive stretching and core work, and a couple of really low volume weeks, I'm making my way back to having a strong back.  It is not even close to good yet.  The SI joint is still tight, but not nearly what it was 5 weeks ago, and the sciatic nerve is pinched on my right side.   I'm now explaining the pain, to others, as a bad toothache.  I can move, I can do the workouts, but the pain is constant and nagging, however no longer debilitating.  In comparison to what I was feeling a few weeks ago, I feel like a super star! I'm also making sure I make time for my stretch, core, and stability routine everyday, to maintain strength around the areas that need it...my back. 

This was a painful lesson to learn.  The little things are important to maintain.  Because neglecting the little things can lead to bigger issues down the road.  

Fire your Coach? I Think NOT!!!

It's been almost two months since I've posted.  Between the Christmas season, work meetings, training and the kids commitments I unfortunately put a few things on hold.  However, I recently saw something in an article through Facebook that pushed me to get back on track.  It was an article about  the 10 Truths of No-Bullshit Triathlon Training. Here is the link.

http://tomdemerly.com/2016/01/14/10-truths-of-no-bullshit-triathlon-training/

There are 9 of the 10 Truths that I pretty much agree with.    Let me address a few.  As a swimmer, watching those trying to be swimmers, I agree you need to learn to swim.  You don't need to be Katy Ledecky, however being comfortable and confident in an open body of water, navigating within 1500 other swimmers, certainly helps.  It also makes transition between the swim and bike a lot easier when you aren't gasping for air and crawling from the water.  Many swimmers will also agree, lose the gadgets.  Yes, know your speed, learn cadence, but learn feel, not just in the water, on the bike and run too.  Know your body, learn what it feels like to hold 35km/hr vs 30km/hr on the bike, or what a 4:30km vs a 5:30km on the run feels like.  Don't rely on all your gadgets to tell you what your body should be doing.  They are nice to have, however they can also fail when you feel you need them the most.....then what do you do?

Same goes with the bike.  There are many riders on the course, some great, some not so much.  Learn how to clip in and out easily, be competent at riding in the aero position, make sure you can control your bike, and be aware of where you are and others are, on the road.   Although it is extremely uncomfortable riding in the city, I get nervous, it teaches you bike handling skills and general awareness of what's around you, both really good things to know.

So what is the 1 Truth I had trouble with?  The very first one.  The one that says Fire your Coach.  

The very first statement was "you don't need them, and they probably aren't qualified." 

I agree that there are many coaches, that say they are coaches, that most likely have no qualifications in any way, shape or form.  Perhaps they completed a couple triathlons and now call themselves an expert, make sure you check out the coach, the team, and results of their athletes before writing out the cheques. The part I vehemently disagree with is the first part of that statement; You do need a coach!!!



The United Kingdom Coaching Strategy is he/she “enables the athlete to achieve levels of performance to a degree that may not have been possible if left to his/her own endeavours. 

According to Forbes.com, coaches help you to identify and focus on what's important, which will accelerate your success.  Coaches also provide the following:

• Create a safe environment in which people see themselves more clearly;
• Identify gaps between where you are  and where you wants to be
• Ask for more intentional thought, action and behaviour changes than what you  would have asked of yourself
• Provide  the structure, accountability, and support necessary to ensure sustained commitment

http://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2014/12/09/why-you-need-to-hire-a-coach-in-2015/#5bcae4324de3

Certainly you can finish a triathlon, training on your own; I'm not denying that. However there are many aspects that you will be missing that are important if you forgo the opportunity to work with a coach.  

1.  Riding a bike.  Although we are not supposed to ride draft legal, it is a good skill to learn.  Those who have completed a triathlon have all seen how closely riders can group together on the course.  Bike handling skills are very important, although we will all crash at some point, learning how to handle the bike confidently will lower the number of times you end up scraping your skin off along the pavement.  A good coach will teach you how to ride safely in a pack, although you may never need this in a race, you certainly will benefit during training when you are out with a group, especially if there are new riders that are out with you who are not as comfortable. 

2. Swim instruction.  There are more triathletes that are mediocre to poor swimmers than there are those that are good swimmers.  Proper technique in the water can help you hold on to your much needed energy stores for the bike and run instead of leaving them at the bottom of the lake.  Having a watchful eye, and swim instruction that is more than " swim 2000m", will make a noticeable difference in the outcome of your event.

3.  Learn to Run.  After a challenging swim and a long bike, running  10 km to 42.2 km is not an easy undertaking.  When I would  run on my own, getting myself ready for the local 5km race, I'd just go out and run, I thought that was enough.  All my running was done at the same speed and I had no one to tell me what was wrong with my technique.  Yes, as with swimming, there is a fair bit of technique involved in running.  With the aide of my coach I've been able to take my run from a 5:15 per km pace down to a 4 minute per km pace.  He has changed my running style and continues to tweak and improve it, pushes me outside my comfort zone,  and helps me to achieve beyond what I originally thought I could do. 

Coach Lee Hart, Tri-Hart Triathlon,
www.tri-hart.com and me.

4. Training Plan.  How busy are you?  I am incredibly busy.  Three children, a full time job, a household to run, and now training for triathlon.  Yes, I am learning about this sport, I read on line, and ask questions of other triathletes, however my time is limited.  I don't want to make up a training plan for myself and try to stick to it.  I'm not an expert, at swimming, maybe, triathlon not quite yet.  My coach, Lee Hart at Tri-Hart Triathlon, www.tri-hart.com,  has been doing this for 12 years.  He has produced National ITU champions, put athletes on the National Team and  has had athletes compete on the ITU World Championships stage.  He has had athletes make it to Kona, and he himself has raced, and still races, competing at many Ironman 70.3 World Championships.  I trust his judgement as it pertains to my training, and how far he can push me.  Without my coach I know for sure I would not have performed as well as I did this previous season.  

Getting a coach is worth the investment.  You may think that you are good on your own, however regardless of your skill level, you are limiting your potential by excluding the resource of a "good" coach.