Ford Ironman Arizona on Versus this Sunday
Don't miss the first of five straight weekends of Ironman coverage on Versus
2008 Versus Schedule
Sunday, 11/2 – 3PM – Ford Ironman Arizona
Sunday, 11/9 – 3PM – Ford Ironman Couer d'Alene
Sunday, 11/16 – 3PM – Ford Ironman Lake Placid
Sunday, 11/23 – 3PM – Ford Ironman Louisville
Sunday, 11/30 – 3PM – Ford Ironman Wisconsin
All shows re-air the following day (Monday) at 5PM (ET).
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Kicked out of the gym today!
The trainers at the gym that know me told me to go home today. They strongly suggested me going to get hot chocolate with loads of whipped cream or icecream and NOT working out! Instead I was going from one cardio machine to the next as it was raining outside and cold.
I have been mountain biking, doing a little trail running and swimming. Does sound a little like triathlon...no schedule though and very short! Last year,after Ironman I went on a tennis kick and played about three hours of tennis a day. Paulo suggested I do something a little more related to triathlon. So my swim today was all about fun! The main goal was to do the least amount of actual swimming as possible.We never counted the yards and before anything got to boring we moved on.I did an easy 800. Then came 4x150's (50 LA 50 RA 50 swim) 4x100 (50 kick 50 swim) then 4x100 (25 underwater 25 swim 25 sprint 25 swim) next 4x125 IM and lastly 2x300 pull( breathing 7,5,3)with a 200 cool down. We chatted between each set and had FUN. We even had time for a steam and sauna after as we swam in the indoor pool that has all the cushy ammenities. The outdoor bubble pool is high school like but I like to use it when training as it is less crowded, longer, and slighty cooler with no water aerobics classes going on...strictly swimming!.
I couldn't forget the icecream suggestion so I did treat myself to a little pumpkin icecream this evening as I figured I deserve it!
I have been mountain biking, doing a little trail running and swimming. Does sound a little like triathlon...no schedule though and very short! Last year,after Ironman I went on a tennis kick and played about three hours of tennis a day. Paulo suggested I do something a little more related to triathlon. So my swim today was all about fun! The main goal was to do the least amount of actual swimming as possible.We never counted the yards and before anything got to boring we moved on.I did an easy 800. Then came 4x150's (50 LA 50 RA 50 swim) 4x100 (50 kick 50 swim) then 4x100 (25 underwater 25 swim 25 sprint 25 swim) next 4x125 IM and lastly 2x300 pull( breathing 7,5,3)with a 200 cool down. We chatted between each set and had FUN. We even had time for a steam and sauna after as we swam in the indoor pool that has all the cushy ammenities. The outdoor bubble pool is high school like but I like to use it when training as it is less crowded, longer, and slighty cooler with no water aerobics classes going on...strictly swimming!.
I couldn't forget the icecream suggestion so I did treat myself to a little pumpkin icecream this evening as I figured I deserve it!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 27, 2008
Triathlete guys referred to as "Adrenaline junkies! Good on paper but not good for dating?"
This is an article that a friend forwarded to me..."Four Guys You Think You Should Date... but Shouldn't!"
Saturday Night Live's hilarious Will Forte brings to life good-on-paper dudes who are really just chumps in disguise. Don't say we didn't warn you.
Chump #1: The Workaholic Hotshot
This guy is always dressed to the nines, because he's loaded. Simmer down -- the cash flow comes at a price. He toils until the wee hours, then loosens his tie and parties like there's no tomorrow. Unfortunately, there is a tomorrow, and it starts in like three hours. What little time he has for you will be shared with his BlackBerry. The ugly truth: Money is the love of his life, and you come in second -- or third, since he's probably crunching more than numbers with his secretary.
Chump #2: The Adrenaline Junkie
This dude skydives, surfs, runs with the bulls -- anything for that rush. And he has the sick abs and chiseled arms to prove it. But to keep him happy, you need to be in perpetual motion too. This guy does not like to sit around, and he doesn't like for you to sit around either. And it isn't just a phase. In his late 30s, he'll get into marathons, and they'll lead to triathlons and eventually to the Ironman competition. Yeah, that means a trip to Hawaii, but instead of chilling on the beach you'll be cheering him on from the sidelines. Having fun yet?
Chump #3: The Nice Guy With a Chip on His Shoulder
He'll ridicule the "tools who are trying too hard" with bold clothing choices to seem down-to-earth, but here's his dirty little secret: He spends just as much time picking out his outfit as his more fashion-conscious counterparts do. Under the casual exterior is a calculating killjoy with mom issues. He'll stand at the bar thinking, "Why is that girl going for that dude over there? One day, she'll come to her senses and get with a nice guy like me!" The truth is, he's so preoccupied with being overlooked that he'd be totally oblivious to your attention.
Chump #4: The Smooth Operator
He's the type that rolls up to the club in an Escalade and holds court in the VIP section, ordering bottle service all night. He scores women with entertaining small talk and name-dropping. Yeah, he's a Casanova in a skull cap (it replaced his trucker hat about a year ago). But this guy spells trouble. It takes confidence to pull it off with a straight face -- too much confidence. (There is such a thing.) He'll shower you with attention, but beware: You may not be the only chick in that shower!
My response as some of these chumps are my friends...a little harsh on chump #2 Admire them, love them , enjoy their physique, and go to Kona and cheer real loud! Maybe you'll even get inspired to do your own triathlon or just stay in shape! Definitely Date able.
Saturday Night Live's hilarious Will Forte brings to life good-on-paper dudes who are really just chumps in disguise. Don't say we didn't warn you.
Chump #1: The Workaholic Hotshot
This guy is always dressed to the nines, because he's loaded. Simmer down -- the cash flow comes at a price. He toils until the wee hours, then loosens his tie and parties like there's no tomorrow. Unfortunately, there is a tomorrow, and it starts in like three hours. What little time he has for you will be shared with his BlackBerry. The ugly truth: Money is the love of his life, and you come in second -- or third, since he's probably crunching more than numbers with his secretary.
Chump #2: The Adrenaline Junkie
This dude skydives, surfs, runs with the bulls -- anything for that rush. And he has the sick abs and chiseled arms to prove it. But to keep him happy, you need to be in perpetual motion too. This guy does not like to sit around, and he doesn't like for you to sit around either. And it isn't just a phase. In his late 30s, he'll get into marathons, and they'll lead to triathlons and eventually to the Ironman competition. Yeah, that means a trip to Hawaii, but instead of chilling on the beach you'll be cheering him on from the sidelines. Having fun yet?
Chump #3: The Nice Guy With a Chip on His Shoulder
He'll ridicule the "tools who are trying too hard" with bold clothing choices to seem down-to-earth, but here's his dirty little secret: He spends just as much time picking out his outfit as his more fashion-conscious counterparts do. Under the casual exterior is a calculating killjoy with mom issues. He'll stand at the bar thinking, "Why is that girl going for that dude over there? One day, she'll come to her senses and get with a nice guy like me!" The truth is, he's so preoccupied with being overlooked that he'd be totally oblivious to your attention.
Chump #4: The Smooth Operator
He's the type that rolls up to the club in an Escalade and holds court in the VIP section, ordering bottle service all night. He scores women with entertaining small talk and name-dropping. Yeah, he's a Casanova in a skull cap (it replaced his trucker hat about a year ago). But this guy spells trouble. It takes confidence to pull it off with a straight face -- too much confidence. (There is such a thing.) He'll shower you with attention, but beware: You may not be the only chick in that shower!
My response as some of these chumps are my friends...a little harsh on chump #2 Admire them, love them , enjoy their physique, and go to Kona and cheer real loud! Maybe you'll even get inspired to do your own triathlon or just stay in shape! Definitely Date able.
I have so many great shots from Kona I wanted to share a few more!
CUTE COUPLE
KONA TREEHOUSE
BROTHER AND SISTER
THIS CAUGHT MY EYE...WOW!
KONA TREEHOUSE
BROTHER AND SISTER
THIS CAUGHT MY EYE...WOW!
Saturday, October 25, 2008
It hurts so good!
Yes, it is mountain biking season again and I apparantly SUCK! I LOVE it but I have such a bitter sweet relationship with this sport. I look forward to this time of year as I love being in the woods but I only bike as long as the weather stays relatively calm, which means above 20 degrees, not too icy, not too muddy, not too snowy. The terrain changes so much day to day with the different weather days. It really does keep it fun but challenging. Well the last two days have been extremely sandy and I of course due to my dare devil side are perhaps riding a little too aggresively and am making stupid mistakes.I have been trying a new Cannondale bike with bigger wheels which for some reason seems to make me more of a clutz in the woods than I have ever been. If anyone knows anything about mountain biking I would like to know what kind of bike I should be riding. I have a Cannondale Prophet...lefty which I know is too heavy for me. It is 35 pounds and full suspension. I weigh around 115/120 pounds and am always working to stay with a fast group. I don't mind it as I feel it makes me stronger but it may just beat me up! The full suspension is probably not neccesary as I am not really doing any major downhill riding.
The new bike I am trying weighs around 28 pounds and is a hard tail. It has 29 inch wheels and is the caffeine model. I still battle to lift the front wheel for bigger logs and I have fallen twice and for some reason the crank seems to be coming down and shredding my legs. I have never had this happen before and I am thinking it has something to do with those big wheels? Hence the beautiful shark bite pictures.
Any suggestions????
The new bike I am trying weighs around 28 pounds and is a hard tail. It has 29 inch wheels and is the caffeine model. I still battle to lift the front wheel for bigger logs and I have fallen twice and for some reason the crank seems to be coming down and shredding my legs. I have never had this happen before and I am thinking it has something to do with those big wheels? Hence the beautiful shark bite pictures.
Any suggestions????
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Jacqui Gordon changes her name!
Jacqui would like to be known as "Wanda B. Fasta"
10/23/2008 1:00 PM, Triathlon Magazine
Just like the "Seinfeld" episode where George wanted everyone to call him "T-Bone," Jacqui Gordon would like to be known by a bold new name.
The Pro triathlete has christened herself "Wanda B. Fasta" for her new double ironman stunt, "New Zealand then South Africa," due to take place in March and April 2009. She has released a lengthy justification for the comical moniker.
"I have someone else that takes over when it's time for me to work and when I'm racing, this alter ego that I've created that kind of protects me and who I really am," the triathlete said in a statement
"Wanda B. Fasta is the fun, more sensual, more aggressive, more outspoken side and more glamorous side that comes out when I'm working and when I'm racing."
Additionally, she has set up a cryptic MySpace page (http://www.myspace.com/jacqui gordon) that gives a "lucky person" the opportunity to receive a personal message and a gift bag valued at $5.
As George found out, nicknames usually do not work when they are self-bestowed. His colleagues thought he should be called Koko the monkey. In real life, rapper Eminem had better luck with his alter ego "Slim Shady," which he said came to him while he was on the toilet.
Jacqui Gordon just raced in the Hawaii World Championships where she was 26th pro!
"I Am ... Wanda B. Fasta"
Thank You
A BIG thank you goes to Brielle Cyclery for their support this year! Kathy, Clarence and Patrick...you guys have been awesome and always quick to help me. This store has been around for over 35 years and their success has been greatly due to their awesome staff and service that they offer. They have had a great year as one of Cervelo's top retailers. They even got to open a new store up in Asbury Park this year. They too have been successful with the start of the Jersey Shore Triathlon club and we have seen the membership grow every month.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Kona Report!
Well I am back from Hawaii and finally have turned my computer on, checked results and have got some photos from the race. It was a wonderful 2 weeks in Hawaii.
I wanted to write a quick race report from last week.
Leading up to Kona I was unsure how I was going to feel race day. My body had some nagging issues and I was not feeling very confident due to the lack of long training since before Louisville. Paulo had assured me that rest was the way to go and he was right. The week before Kona my body started to feel much better and I got some great workouts in. Riding out in the Lava Fields always pumps me up and I was fortunate to be there long enough to ride in some conditions alot like we had race day. Thus I was quite prepared for those gusts that came close to blowing me off my bike.
I had some good pool workouts and my swimming was really feeling solid. Everything seemed to be coming around and I was looking forward to racing!
I had picked up my family up at the airport the day before and they were all excited to be on the island. We had moved in to a hotel right on Palani at the race start which although very noisy proved very good for race morning and post race!
Race morning went very smoothly and I was not nervous at all but more excited to get it going! Once treading water I tried to find a good group to start with but I was getting so squished and could barely tread that I moved to the outside. I thus got a lousy start to the day. I was left way behind where I wanted to be after an all out effort. I was trapped in a slower group and fought my way out to where I could actually swim freely without getting hit. I swam hard to catch up to the group in front of me. I started to draft behind the last girl but could feel the effort was too easy. Paulo had suggested I just stay with the group and conserve energy as we were all going to be minutes apart but I knew I had to go on my own. So I pulled ahead of the group and swam a good effort. I could see two girls about 200 m ahead so I swam hard to catch them. All the while I was getting stung by something on my face and arms.Its really hard to keep focus when you are getting freaked out by something stinging you. At one point I took such a big gulp of salty water that I fought the urge to throw up. By the turn around I was 100 m away and then a few mintes later I had caught the girls. I rested for a few minutes then decided I needed to swim harder again. So I pulled ahead. It was right there that I lost site of the buoys. The current that had been in our face on the way out was now pushing us towards the wrong set of buoys and I sighted the wrong set and swam way off course. I was dissapointed that I wasted so much time. I was so far off course and I could not believe that it took the kayakers so long to point us in the right direction. I made the mistake which I will never do again of not using a land guide to direct me. By the time I had reached the pier three age groupers had caught me and I knew my time was going to be slow.
Once out of the water I regrouped and ran to the change tent. The first thing that happened was my timing chip came off as I peeled off my speedsuit. That was going to be a real pain. I pinned it back on with my safety pin as they were taking so long to get me a new one.I had come out the water with Natasha and she had already taken off.
It felt good to be on the bike. The first 20 miles I took very comfortably. Maybe too easy as a bunch of the girls that were behind me on the swim passed me. I tried to really ride within myself as I was worried about the last 20 miles of the bike. Normally I would have taken this out alot harder. The result was I felt great throughout the bike and never felt fatigued. The wind was mello until just after Mauna Lani about 35 miles in and then the head and cross winds started. It was like a light switch had been flicked and it became quite a slow and a little scary ride up to Hawi and back. I saw my friend Sergio who had been blown sideways and had hit a cateye while taking a drink. He was all scraped up and sitting on a curve.I felt awful for him. I knew I had to be really careful while drinking and descending. All the time I was wasting an incredible amount of time stopping at the timing mats as I was told to get a new chip. Mine fell off ten minutes into the ride as the pin did not hold. At each mat nobody new where to get a new chip and by the turn around I was quite frustrated as I knew I was losing to much time each stop. I decided to try pick up the effort on the way back. The wind was now just a crosswind and we were going fast but all over the road. I passed a few girls. I was sad to see Tara Norton on the side of the road crying. I learned today that she had hit a volunteer at an aid station and had gone over her bars and landed on her back breaking her wrist and a rib. She was in 4th place and having an awesome race. I hope she makes a quick recovery.
At mile 98 I got a very unjustly red card. A group of age groupers had passed me and an age group girl was biking with them. This blatant drafting is very annoying and I was thinking about this as they pulled right in front of me. I was just starting to brake as they were not biking any faster than me when a bike official pulled up and said I was drafting. I argued that they had not given me 20 seconds to drop back. He argued that they did not see the group just pass me they just pulled up and saw me there. I was so frustrated from arguing that I started to get asthma and really had to focus to regain my composure. I wish I could get out of the water earlier so I could bike without getting caught up with the groups. I find myself having to brake way to much in a race where you should not be braking at all!
Well I ran into transition,did my first penalty box ever. I made the best of it and I got to rest, use the potty, make some jokes, and it really got me fired up to run! My first two miles were 6.32 and 6.38 and my legs felt super. Running along Alii is always good and fast. The people cheering are so much fun and the miles went by really fast and I was enjoying seeing all the pros go by. My 5 mile split was 7.09 pace, I felt good and by mile 13 I was still on 3.10 marathon pace. Tracy Robertson, pro, friend and Kona training partner had gone by me and I tried to stay with her up Palani. This hill always gets to me and I wanted to walk, but today I felt great. It took another mile before Tracy started to pull away and my splits started to slow. I lost my focus and definitely started to bonk. By the energy lab my miles were extremely slow and the lab seemed very long. The thermometer that some evil person with a sick sense of humour had put there read 108 and that was just cruel! I was baking and very thirsty and dehydrated. I started to drink large amounts of coke and I started to feel more energized. My mind set changed and I wandered to myself why I was running so slow. I had no tummy troubles for once, my legs were not cramping, so I decided to push again. I was angry at myself for falling into a slow stride. I pushed hard for the next 6 miles back into town. Down Palani my legs did remind me that I had gone 138 miles and decided to do some minor cramping but I finished strong with a big smile on my face and a 4 minute run pr. That was my 11th ironman and 4th Kona. I am happy to say it was probably the best I have ever felt in an Ironman! I was so happy to high five my kids and come running down Alii Drive one more time. I cherish that feeling and hope to be there again!
I thank Paulo for once again understanding that racing in Kona was more than me just wanting a vacation in Hawaii and for getting me ready. I love this race more than any other. I thank my family too for coming out to watch me and being my number one fans! Congrads goes to my friends that always inspire me.Congrads goes to Danny, Sergio(who finished with all his skin left on the Queen K), my friend Linsey who finished 5th pro overall and just keeps getting better. Tracy who had a pr run and a great overall race. Will who just keeps getting better and better! Tom and Laura who finished her first Kona. Thanks to all those that cheered hard for us out there all day...it really helped alot!
I wanted to write a quick race report from last week.
Leading up to Kona I was unsure how I was going to feel race day. My body had some nagging issues and I was not feeling very confident due to the lack of long training since before Louisville. Paulo had assured me that rest was the way to go and he was right. The week before Kona my body started to feel much better and I got some great workouts in. Riding out in the Lava Fields always pumps me up and I was fortunate to be there long enough to ride in some conditions alot like we had race day. Thus I was quite prepared for those gusts that came close to blowing me off my bike.
I had some good pool workouts and my swimming was really feeling solid. Everything seemed to be coming around and I was looking forward to racing!
I had picked up my family up at the airport the day before and they were all excited to be on the island. We had moved in to a hotel right on Palani at the race start which although very noisy proved very good for race morning and post race!
Race morning went very smoothly and I was not nervous at all but more excited to get it going! Once treading water I tried to find a good group to start with but I was getting so squished and could barely tread that I moved to the outside. I thus got a lousy start to the day. I was left way behind where I wanted to be after an all out effort. I was trapped in a slower group and fought my way out to where I could actually swim freely without getting hit. I swam hard to catch up to the group in front of me. I started to draft behind the last girl but could feel the effort was too easy. Paulo had suggested I just stay with the group and conserve energy as we were all going to be minutes apart but I knew I had to go on my own. So I pulled ahead of the group and swam a good effort. I could see two girls about 200 m ahead so I swam hard to catch them. All the while I was getting stung by something on my face and arms.Its really hard to keep focus when you are getting freaked out by something stinging you. At one point I took such a big gulp of salty water that I fought the urge to throw up. By the turn around I was 100 m away and then a few mintes later I had caught the girls. I rested for a few minutes then decided I needed to swim harder again. So I pulled ahead. It was right there that I lost site of the buoys. The current that had been in our face on the way out was now pushing us towards the wrong set of buoys and I sighted the wrong set and swam way off course. I was dissapointed that I wasted so much time. I was so far off course and I could not believe that it took the kayakers so long to point us in the right direction. I made the mistake which I will never do again of not using a land guide to direct me. By the time I had reached the pier three age groupers had caught me and I knew my time was going to be slow.
Once out of the water I regrouped and ran to the change tent. The first thing that happened was my timing chip came off as I peeled off my speedsuit. That was going to be a real pain. I pinned it back on with my safety pin as they were taking so long to get me a new one.I had come out the water with Natasha and she had already taken off.
It felt good to be on the bike. The first 20 miles I took very comfortably. Maybe too easy as a bunch of the girls that were behind me on the swim passed me. I tried to really ride within myself as I was worried about the last 20 miles of the bike. Normally I would have taken this out alot harder. The result was I felt great throughout the bike and never felt fatigued. The wind was mello until just after Mauna Lani about 35 miles in and then the head and cross winds started. It was like a light switch had been flicked and it became quite a slow and a little scary ride up to Hawi and back. I saw my friend Sergio who had been blown sideways and had hit a cateye while taking a drink. He was all scraped up and sitting on a curve.I felt awful for him. I knew I had to be really careful while drinking and descending. All the time I was wasting an incredible amount of time stopping at the timing mats as I was told to get a new chip. Mine fell off ten minutes into the ride as the pin did not hold. At each mat nobody new where to get a new chip and by the turn around I was quite frustrated as I knew I was losing to much time each stop. I decided to try pick up the effort on the way back. The wind was now just a crosswind and we were going fast but all over the road. I passed a few girls. I was sad to see Tara Norton on the side of the road crying. I learned today that she had hit a volunteer at an aid station and had gone over her bars and landed on her back breaking her wrist and a rib. She was in 4th place and having an awesome race. I hope she makes a quick recovery.
At mile 98 I got a very unjustly red card. A group of age groupers had passed me and an age group girl was biking with them. This blatant drafting is very annoying and I was thinking about this as they pulled right in front of me. I was just starting to brake as they were not biking any faster than me when a bike official pulled up and said I was drafting. I argued that they had not given me 20 seconds to drop back. He argued that they did not see the group just pass me they just pulled up and saw me there. I was so frustrated from arguing that I started to get asthma and really had to focus to regain my composure. I wish I could get out of the water earlier so I could bike without getting caught up with the groups. I find myself having to brake way to much in a race where you should not be braking at all!
Well I ran into transition,did my first penalty box ever. I made the best of it and I got to rest, use the potty, make some jokes, and it really got me fired up to run! My first two miles were 6.32 and 6.38 and my legs felt super. Running along Alii is always good and fast. The people cheering are so much fun and the miles went by really fast and I was enjoying seeing all the pros go by. My 5 mile split was 7.09 pace, I felt good and by mile 13 I was still on 3.10 marathon pace. Tracy Robertson, pro, friend and Kona training partner had gone by me and I tried to stay with her up Palani. This hill always gets to me and I wanted to walk, but today I felt great. It took another mile before Tracy started to pull away and my splits started to slow. I lost my focus and definitely started to bonk. By the energy lab my miles were extremely slow and the lab seemed very long. The thermometer that some evil person with a sick sense of humour had put there read 108 and that was just cruel! I was baking and very thirsty and dehydrated. I started to drink large amounts of coke and I started to feel more energized. My mind set changed and I wandered to myself why I was running so slow. I had no tummy troubles for once, my legs were not cramping, so I decided to push again. I was angry at myself for falling into a slow stride. I pushed hard for the next 6 miles back into town. Down Palani my legs did remind me that I had gone 138 miles and decided to do some minor cramping but I finished strong with a big smile on my face and a 4 minute run pr. That was my 11th ironman and 4th Kona. I am happy to say it was probably the best I have ever felt in an Ironman! I was so happy to high five my kids and come running down Alii Drive one more time. I cherish that feeling and hope to be there again!
I thank Paulo for once again understanding that racing in Kona was more than me just wanting a vacation in Hawaii and for getting me ready. I love this race more than any other. I thank my family too for coming out to watch me and being my number one fans! Congrads goes to my friends that always inspire me.Congrads goes to Danny, Sergio(who finished with all his skin left on the Queen K), my friend Linsey who finished 5th pro overall and just keeps getting better. Tracy who had a pr run and a great overall race. Will who just keeps getting better and better! Tom and Laura who finished her first Kona. Thanks to all those that cheered hard for us out there all day...it really helped alot!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Don't try this! 3 Ironman and 1 70.3 in 10 weeks!
Well I am thrilled to say I had a respectable day out there yesterday with a very solid time! I felt surprisingly good and thanks to coach Paulo he really nailed my transition between the IM Louisville and IM Hawaii so that I actually felt good race week and had no physical complaints at all race day.
My race was full of excitement,drama and alot of fun.I even managed to get a 4 minute run PR and felt amazing for the first 13 miles. Pity it wasn't a half! I was so inspired by all the great talent out there, the crowds, the HTFU posse and my family and friends of course! I am so happy to have been a part of this race again and shall post a race report soon. For now i am off to spend a week with my family on the island and shall enjoy a much needed and deserved break.Thanks for all the support !
My race was full of excitement,drama and alot of fun.I even managed to get a 4 minute run PR and felt amazing for the first 13 miles. Pity it wasn't a half! I was so inspired by all the great talent out there, the crowds, the HTFU posse and my family and friends of course! I am so happy to have been a part of this race again and shall post a race report soon. For now i am off to spend a week with my family on the island and shall enjoy a much needed and deserved break.Thanks for all the support !
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Day 4 Kona
Here's a few photos that Paulo took from yesterday's run at the Energy Lab. Tracy is the perfect training partner for me....pity she lives in Seattle! I look forward to some good training camps next year. The lab was actually quite enjoyable and the run along the Queen K not too hot! The zone 4 interval did hurt a little though!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Reflections of the last four days in Kona!
I have been very slack with updating my blog. So here goes!
The trip in was good. I wish I could say uneventful but this is my life we are talking about and there is always something crazy happening. Firstly,I left my house at 4am Friday morning. This is never a good idea as I don't sleep at all the night before. But I was so excited to get on the plane and get things going I survived. Hank decided the night before he could not bare to get the kids up and out so early so he got me a car service. All I wanted to do was fall back asleep but I had a very talkative driver who had obviously overdosed on caffeine and kept me entertained the whole way. He too almost took me to JFK instead of Philadelphia which might of been a problem. Baggage check went smoothly but 1 bike 1 bag now costs $125. They were trying to charge me $140 for 2 bags but I refused that. It is getting out of CONTROL on these airlines!
My second surprise was that I realized that I was flying through Phoenix instead of San Francisco like I previously wrote. My daughter was telling my husband that she wanted to look for the Golden Gate Bridge when she lands and he was a little confused!
The next flight to Kona did not go so well. We were all ready to take off when they announced we had to all get off the plane and switch planes. That became a 2 hour delay. I did get to meet some nice triathletes though. Nina Kraft was sitting next to me and we chatted for awhile. Finally after a few cups of tea and lunch we got to board and begin our 6 hour flight to Kona. All went smoothly until an elderly lady in front of me decided to get up to use the rest rooms and her legs gave way under her. I rushed to grab her under her arms. The problem was that she was pushing 250 pounds and no matter how strong I think I am I was going down with her. I had both arms underneath her arms and I was in a squat and my legs were buckling too. Finally some guy came to help. When I sat down I felt like I had just done an all out effort sprint. My legs were jelly and my back tightened up. I immedietly popped two Advil and hoped for the best!
It was great arriving in Kona. Tom and Christine were there to pick me up with big smiles on there faces and beautiful tans. It felt so good to be in Hawaii again.
This will be my fourth time racing here and I feel luckier each time to be here as the competition get more fierce each year!
It was dusk when I arrived at my house and and I immeadietly put my gear on to go for an hour run. It was perfect running conditions and I set out down Alii Drive. It is always so motivating running there. I got to see Desiree, Nina and a few other studly looking triathletes running too.
Day 2
Tom and Christine were doing an ocean swim race which sounded so beautiful but I had a pool swim to do and a three hour bike. So I arranged that I would meet them at Hapuna Beach ( one of my favorites!) and ride with them up to Hawi. The ride out to Hapuna was amazing. It is such a good feeling being back here again. The surroundings are beautiful and it is always fun reading the stone writings that stand out on the black bava fields. Tom told me it should take me about an hour to get to Hapuna. He underestimated it by almost an hour. So I kept riding thinking I could have missed it. The winds were pretty friendly until I reached the 28 mile mark on the Queen K. The winds had switched and they were blowing hard off the mountains. I smiled as this is the Kona winds that I always expect here. Strong gusts and slow speeds. I stopped at Hapuna to get some very much needed gatorade and met up with Tom and Christine. We then headed out. They said this was the worse wind they had experienced all week. It was good to be riding and seeing alot of friendly faces out there. I saw Norman and Hillary out there and caught a glimpse of my friend Linsey Corbin. I turned about half way up Hawi. Tom and Christine continued but said the wind got so bad that a girl got blown off the road on her bike, Tom had to help her up off the gravel!
I was thrilled to finish my ride as I was feeling quite hungry and very HOT.I am a little nervous about 112 miles if its blowing hard here...it seems very far!
The ride back into Kona we were all wiped.
After a little break I headed down to the pool. Paulo, Jonnyo, Khai and Danny had arrived and were all hanging out at Lava Java(big shock!)
The pool was closing so I had to head down for a 4000 yard workout. The Kona Aquatics Pool is perfect! Swimming felt so good too! Paulo stopped by with Khai and Will who they had just picked up at the airport. It is great to see everybody looking SO fit and ready to race!
Sunday morning the gang met early at the pool for a swim. I am dying to get in the ocean...I may have to go play down there later. We did a nice 3500 yard workout with a descending 400 300 200 100 set twice through. This kind of swimming reminded me of our training camps in Las Cruces. Later I met Jodi, Danny and Will for a mello ride down the Queen K. My legs felt really good. I think my body is finally coming around! YaY!
Today is Monday and we met for another really solid pool swim. Kona is getting really busy now and for the first time the pool was packed. We met up with Sergio and the whole Portugese group and Tracy had come into town last night so it was good to see her too. Our main set today was a 1500 descend, which is always fun! I got to see my friend Tara Norton who was heading into the pool looking fit and fast! Faris and Peter were there too being filmed the whole time! Today is a relaxing day with a 4pm run at the Energy Lab. It should be HOT as usual! I shall try put some pics up soon, although I have not taken too many! I think I shall head down to the beach for an hour now to relax!
The trip in was good. I wish I could say uneventful but this is my life we are talking about and there is always something crazy happening. Firstly,I left my house at 4am Friday morning. This is never a good idea as I don't sleep at all the night before. But I was so excited to get on the plane and get things going I survived. Hank decided the night before he could not bare to get the kids up and out so early so he got me a car service. All I wanted to do was fall back asleep but I had a very talkative driver who had obviously overdosed on caffeine and kept me entertained the whole way. He too almost took me to JFK instead of Philadelphia which might of been a problem. Baggage check went smoothly but 1 bike 1 bag now costs $125. They were trying to charge me $140 for 2 bags but I refused that. It is getting out of CONTROL on these airlines!
My second surprise was that I realized that I was flying through Phoenix instead of San Francisco like I previously wrote. My daughter was telling my husband that she wanted to look for the Golden Gate Bridge when she lands and he was a little confused!
The next flight to Kona did not go so well. We were all ready to take off when they announced we had to all get off the plane and switch planes. That became a 2 hour delay. I did get to meet some nice triathletes though. Nina Kraft was sitting next to me and we chatted for awhile. Finally after a few cups of tea and lunch we got to board and begin our 6 hour flight to Kona. All went smoothly until an elderly lady in front of me decided to get up to use the rest rooms and her legs gave way under her. I rushed to grab her under her arms. The problem was that she was pushing 250 pounds and no matter how strong I think I am I was going down with her. I had both arms underneath her arms and I was in a squat and my legs were buckling too. Finally some guy came to help. When I sat down I felt like I had just done an all out effort sprint. My legs were jelly and my back tightened up. I immedietly popped two Advil and hoped for the best!
It was great arriving in Kona. Tom and Christine were there to pick me up with big smiles on there faces and beautiful tans. It felt so good to be in Hawaii again.
This will be my fourth time racing here and I feel luckier each time to be here as the competition get more fierce each year!
It was dusk when I arrived at my house and and I immeadietly put my gear on to go for an hour run. It was perfect running conditions and I set out down Alii Drive. It is always so motivating running there. I got to see Desiree, Nina and a few other studly looking triathletes running too.
Day 2
Tom and Christine were doing an ocean swim race which sounded so beautiful but I had a pool swim to do and a three hour bike. So I arranged that I would meet them at Hapuna Beach ( one of my favorites!) and ride with them up to Hawi. The ride out to Hapuna was amazing. It is such a good feeling being back here again. The surroundings are beautiful and it is always fun reading the stone writings that stand out on the black bava fields. Tom told me it should take me about an hour to get to Hapuna. He underestimated it by almost an hour. So I kept riding thinking I could have missed it. The winds were pretty friendly until I reached the 28 mile mark on the Queen K. The winds had switched and they were blowing hard off the mountains. I smiled as this is the Kona winds that I always expect here. Strong gusts and slow speeds. I stopped at Hapuna to get some very much needed gatorade and met up with Tom and Christine. We then headed out. They said this was the worse wind they had experienced all week. It was good to be riding and seeing alot of friendly faces out there. I saw Norman and Hillary out there and caught a glimpse of my friend Linsey Corbin. I turned about half way up Hawi. Tom and Christine continued but said the wind got so bad that a girl got blown off the road on her bike, Tom had to help her up off the gravel!
I was thrilled to finish my ride as I was feeling quite hungry and very HOT.I am a little nervous about 112 miles if its blowing hard here...it seems very far!
The ride back into Kona we were all wiped.
After a little break I headed down to the pool. Paulo, Jonnyo, Khai and Danny had arrived and were all hanging out at Lava Java(big shock!)
The pool was closing so I had to head down for a 4000 yard workout. The Kona Aquatics Pool is perfect! Swimming felt so good too! Paulo stopped by with Khai and Will who they had just picked up at the airport. It is great to see everybody looking SO fit and ready to race!
Sunday morning the gang met early at the pool for a swim. I am dying to get in the ocean...I may have to go play down there later. We did a nice 3500 yard workout with a descending 400 300 200 100 set twice through. This kind of swimming reminded me of our training camps in Las Cruces. Later I met Jodi, Danny and Will for a mello ride down the Queen K. My legs felt really good. I think my body is finally coming around! YaY!
Today is Monday and we met for another really solid pool swim. Kona is getting really busy now and for the first time the pool was packed. We met up with Sergio and the whole Portugese group and Tracy had come into town last night so it was good to see her too. Our main set today was a 1500 descend, which is always fun! I got to see my friend Tara Norton who was heading into the pool looking fit and fast! Faris and Peter were there too being filmed the whole time! Today is a relaxing day with a 4pm run at the Energy Lab. It should be HOT as usual! I shall try put some pics up soon, although I have not taken too many! I think I shall head down to the beach for an hour now to relax!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Leaving for Kona In AM...YAY!
I have done my last ride here, packed my bike...and am almost finished packing my gear/clothes for the next couple weeks. I can't wait to get on the plane and head out to Kona. I fly from Philadelphia to San Francisco and the whole journey should take me 15 hours. I leave here at 4am tomorrow morning and it shall be a long day! On the bright side I do arrive in Kona at 2.30 pm and shall have plenty of time to get a nice run in. My friends Tom and Christine shall be there to pick me up at the airport. Lucky guys have been there a week already!
I gave my kiddies lots of hugs and kisses tonight as I shall miss them this week. They shall meet me out there next Friday and then lucky us, we get to stay another week out there to really enjoy the island, do a little surfing and relax! Can't wait!
I gave my kiddies lots of hugs and kisses tonight as I shall miss them this week. They shall meet me out there next Friday and then lucky us, we get to stay another week out there to really enjoy the island, do a little surfing and relax! Can't wait!
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