BJ's Kona Report 2009-In the heat of the moment, the heart does not forget.

Kona Report 2009, October 11, 2009

"You can learn a lot about life on the Big island of Hawaii." These are the words of notorious telecaster Al Trautwig. Never have these words rung more true for me than they did yesterday as I made my way to the finish line on Alii Drive. As I write my report on yesterday’s activi

ties I hope I will be able to capture the feelings and lessons I learned as I made my way over some of the most beautiful and harshest environment on all of Mother Earth.

The day was here the moment had arrived and I was feeling ready to perform on the world’s biggest stage. After checking things over on the bike I got my swim skin on that a few days before cut me pretty good on my ribs and knew it would only be worse after the swim today. I caught up to Chrystel gave her my love and with all the other athletes headed into the Pacific. The swim began like any before, a massive push where blows were traded and we swam like spawning salmon to the turnaround. I stayed calm and relaxed in the water and just kept a good steady stroke. I never felt like I was pushing too hard. I felt in control and was having a great race. When I got to the pier, everything was running according to plan. I had a quick transition and I was on my bike a few seconds over 1 hour. I saw Chrystel as I left gave her a quick smile and headed out.

My plan on the bike was to stay in control and then see if I could go harder after the turn at Hawi. But, even more important was making a push after the turn at Kawaihae on the way back to town. This entire week the wind has been blowing from north to south and as we made our way north it was doing just that. I thought to myself, “cool, then I will have a tail wind on the way back”. The wind changed and I had a headwind coming back into town. I realized that the wind here is not predictable other than you can expect it to be hard and above all else don't count on it staying the same. My bike leg was very frustrating from the go, I watched as packs of riders would go by and I would fall out of the draft zone only to be passed by another pack. I felt like everyone had more power than I did. The bike leg was the most painful ride I have had. I tried to pick up the pace but couldn’t. All my power was gone. I had nothing in me. I did not know what was wrong. By that point I was overwhelmed with a lot of negativity running through me and I was

doing my best to push it aside and concentrate on the marathon ahead. I kept thinking about what Chrystel told me, that all I could control was my attitude and I tried really hard to do so.

After finally getting off the bike, I proceeded through transition and got back to my natural environment. I ran well and in control, but I just could not get into my rhythm. Everything was off. I had moments of good pacing followed by moments of wanting to just walk to the finish. Thoughts of quitting even crossed my mind, but I could not let it go there. I went through highs and lows throughout the entire day. My thoughts had changed as my goals changed from my time goals to merely finishing and everything bad that was happening changed as I changed my perspective. I saw Chrystel on the run a few times and she was cheering me on to have a great run and telling me how good and strong I

looked. It helped me so much, but it wasn’t enough. Pretty soon my pace slowed as it did on the bike and there was nothing I could do about it. My body was not responding as I am used to it responding. It let me down and I did not know what to do about it. The pain was all consuming, I thought about my brother Doug at the Spud telling us “even my hair hurt” and I could relate to him at that time.

During my moments of deep pain, frustration, depression, and fear, in those dark times, I would change my thoughts to thoughts of gratitude and love. I was thankful for the volunteers’ who gave me words of encouragement and gave me food and fluid to keep me going. I was thankful for my loving wife who in spite of my imperfections has not quit on me and supported me as I pursue my passion. I was thankful for my wonderful son Will who always brings a smile to my face and is as easy going as they come. I was thankful to be there in the race that not many people get to do and to see truly great athletes perform majestically even when my situation was saying the conditions are too tough. I was thankful to my friends and family for their support. I focused on love as well. One of my fears was that my family and friends would be disappointed in me for not doing as well as I had prepared. I only needed to think of the love in my life and I knew they would not be and would be behind me even on my worst day.

The lessons I learn during my races are not different from the lessons in life. We have good and bad days and moments where we want to just walk or even quit. But during those times, if we take time to be grateful for what is good and focus on the love that is in all things, it will bring us out the pit of despair with renewed hope and spirit to soldier on because the finish line awaits. And no matter what kind of day you are having, it is sure to bring a smile to your face.

One of the most magical places on earth is the final stretch down ALII Drive. It is as if all of the problems and pain you were experiencing before are taken away and you find new life in yourself brought on by the cheering crowd and the finish line. If there is a heaven, I would imagine that it would be similar to finishing an Ironman where the highs and lows of life are gone and only the ultimate high awaits you as you cross the finish line. I say thank you to everyone for your love and support and I hope we can all find strength in each other to overcome any obstacle that comes our way.

Yesterday was a rough day. I never left the pain cave from the moment I got on the bike. I have no excuses, no injuries. I was not sick. Everything was just off. We all have good days and we all have bad days, and yesterday was the worse time to have one of those bad days, but it is what happened. I know I will keep playing the day in my head over and over again, trying to figure out what went wrong, what I could have done different to have a better day.

Now is the time to pick up the pieces and concentrate on the future and the great things to come. I am truly thankful for everyone in my life and all the support I have received. I feel I have let you down and feel such deep sadness.I am picking my head up and looking at 2010 as the year of redemption. I have a goal to come back to Kona and have a stellar race. I will. I know I can, and “All that I can, We will”.

Thank you,

BJ

Off Season Training Stage 1- R&R

It has been quite a long year by September for most folks. You may or may not have done a lot of races or events, but usually most people have dedicatedly stuck to some sort of structured program since last Nov, Dec or Jan. Time for a break! Back away from the Garmin, put up your feet and don’t even think about working out hard…or long…or tomorrow…or often. Seriously, there has to be a time every year where you give your body, mind and spirit a vacation.

It would be nice if we could all lie on a Hawaiian beach for a month, but most of us have to find a way to put our bodies through a staycation of sorts. Yes, life goes on, work still happens and the kids are always hungry, but allowing your body to recover, repair and restore is not just important, but VITAL to a life long pursuit of sport.

What needs to happen in this phase of training? And yes IT IS TRAINING! You can’t make a tired and broken body go very fast. So putting fuel back in the mental and physical tank is the priority. And this process is a little different for everyone. But here are some things to consider:

• Let go of structured workouts and schedules

• Do only what you feel like and NEVER force a workout at this point

• Slow down—go for a hike instead of a run. Preferably alone, with friends or family you don’t normally “workout” with because you are “in training.” This applies to biking too.

• Stretch--do yoga or stretch for 30 minutes as a days workout and then take a hot shower

• Do only light core work if you INSIST on strength training.

• Add an extra rest day or two. Stretching is not a rest day. Doing nothing is.

• Don’t get into a pool to swim laps if it brings tears or the thought of “I would rather pour acid into my eyes”

• Never train hard enough to need Endurox or any other recovery product……Okay, maybe just once a week for those of you who just have to do SOMETHING.

• Do something around the house you don’t normally have time for because it just feels good to finally git’ er done without being worried about how it effects tomorrows workout.

How do you mentally recover? Mentally “let it go.” Just let your mind take the vacation too. Stop thinking about workouts, schedules, races, goals and whatever else clutters it up at this point. Turn it off and think about something more important like how the morning light trickles down through the trees during your hike or how fresh the early fall wind feels on your skin as you run and ride easy. Yoga is really good too at training your mind to feel the subtleties that most people want to ignore. And don’t ignore the unstructured silence you may encounter. It is said that in the silence you discover your own shallowness, but it is there you discover your own strengths too. And if you are uncomfortable admitting to such transcendental thoughts, then just don’t tell anyone! But think them…no.matter.what!

How long will it take? Usually at least 3 weeks, but sometimes up to 6 or 8 if you have put your body through a tremendously high volume or intensity over the last 10-12 months. This could be the result of training for multiple ironmans, half ironmans and marathons (which I don’t recommend.) OR maybe you are very competitive in the shorter events and have invested A LOT of time to train hard and race even harder. Whatever the case, if you have put your body and mind through the ringer, have regularly trained over 12 hours a week, trained very hard, raced hard more than 6 times, or done too many long events, then you may need more than 3 weeks. Even if you have just done your first marathon or first year of structured training, but it challenged you more than anything ever has, then take it one week at a time!

When is your body, mind and spirit ready to go again? Physically, you are ache free, loose, flexible, feeling light in the legs and rested overall. Mentally, you have your excitement back! You definitely can wrap your brain around your next adventure and are more than ready to get back into a routine of some kind. Spiritually, you feel renewed, more calm and directed.

This is one of the most fun points in the year when you do it right. When you have properly rested and recovered for long enough, this is when you find the love in what you do again. This is when you can breathe deep and feel no weight on your shoulders. This is also when you are ready to look ahead with eyes wide open ready to chase and catch the next, even higher state of becoming at true athlete. What is a “true athlete?” Well, that is something that is available to anyone at any level. It is worth you pondering about and a discussion we will have another time!

Race Fitness--Sharpening the Saw

In the world of human performance, people have goals that they seek after with dedicated passion.  Most commonly people are after a certain “time” or “place” goal and find a key race to try to make it happen. There are many bases that have to be covered before that race.  In most cases, athletes set out to learn whatever they can so they are training in best way possible.  Good workouts are designed to increase fitness as well as skill sets so that what you do race day is automatic.  However, it seems that to be able to achieve 100%, one must consider the aspect of race fitness.  Race fitness is the fine tuning that occurs and brings out the last 2-3% of possible race performance.  We all know that at some point, you will only put together a race effort on race day. And that is wise, since too much racing leads to overtraining. So how do you sharpen the saw without braking the blade?

• 1-2 races are all you need before your “a” race. 

• These races can occur between 2-8 weeks out. 

• If you are prepping to race over an hour, then keep tune up races to an hour or less. So you don’t need to run a marathon to prep for a marathon that would do more harm than good and sprint tri’s work just fine for any triathlon distance.

• After the “practice race” make a list of what needs to be fixed.  This could be pre race ritual, pacing errors, tactics, equipment problems, clothing, nutrition, outlook.

• Pay close attention the mental focus you had and look at where you may need to sharpen it.

• Always spend plenty of time focusing on what you did well. Chances are that you really did 97% of it right and you want to not only feel good about it, but keep doing that part right! 97 out of 100 cats are already in the bag, right!

So, just a little bit of tuning up goes a really long way.  A 2-3% performance gain may not seem like a ton, but it may make a huge difference in whether or not you reach your goal.  It also helps prepare you emotionally to handle the stress and mental sharpness required when the going gets rough and the body just wants to stop.  Race fitness will also help you decide how much you really want what you think you want.  If you come home from your “practice race” fired up, kicking yourself over the errors, and foaming at the mouth because you want to give it a better go next time, then it has served its purpose. You will show up to your “A” race much more with the nuances worked out and ready to give just that little bit more. 

Next Monday will be the Hawaii 70.3 race report. A story of the 97% that went just as planned (some great practical tips that worked like charmers) and can bring you a very long way, but how 2-3% of small errors can push you one slot out of your goal.   

It’s a good thing that there a lot of places to meditate by the ocean.

When the wind blows, fly a kite!

So, for the 2nd year in a row, the usually wonderful race conditions of Saint George Triathlon were blown into a million windy pieces. And there we all were again waiting around with pre race nervous stomachs hoping the swim wouldn’t get canceled again. Sure enough, almost an hour past race time, the shivering and windblown athletes were informed that there was no swim(which was the best call at the time) and that the Olympic distance needed to be ready within about 10 minutes to run a 5k, bike the Olympic course, and then run another 5K. Okay not so bad, just splitting up the planned 10K.

But, right after their waves left for the run, the sprint triathletes, were then warned that they had only about 5-10 minutes to also do a 5k, Sprint bike and another 5K. Poor things, twice the run, than what they were ready for. And that is a pretty tall order for some of those people not expecting or ready to run that far.

Now, I don’t know how everyone felt about the situation. I am sure there were a variety of reactions ranging from disappointment, to frustration, to I don’t care I just want to do something and get this race going. For the most part, endurance athletes make the best of the environment especially since everyone at the event has got to deal with it too. But, what about me? What was I going to do? My “A” race, Hawaii 70.3, is only in 3 weeks and I really needed to do was only the original plan of a sprint tri. That was it, all I needed was a little over an hour of threshold training and definitely not spend anymore than 20 minutes running hard. I had way too much training left to do and couldn’t risk running any farther than a 5K and taking too long to get recovered. So, while I was cool with doing no swim leg, now they threw out a double dose of the 5K leg. ARGH! The best laid plans of mice and men!

So what’s a girl with a goal to go fast in 3 weeks for a half ironman to do? Well, I had already looked around me earlier in the morning and realized that it was hot, windy and the bike course was really hilly. Just. Like….Hawaii 70.3! So I thought to myself, “Hmm...I really wish I could just do my last long ride today rather than the middle of next week. I have been inside on my trainer for all my long rides so it would be nice to get adapted to being out. And that’s what was on the training plan to begin with for today, not a race. BUT, I am rested for this race and still hoping to get in a race effort before I go. Even if the conditions aren’t great and I don’t swim, then it will be a great lactate day with just the right amount of work to recover quickly from so I can do long stuff in a couple of days.” I was TRYING to be positive and then got blown over by the announcer’s proclamation of the new double the sprint 5K run plan. I think all the other sprint triathletes were shocked too. In fact, I was so shocked, that a switched flipped in my head immediately and the light went on. “What am I thinking? I am so getting on my bike and doing what I really need to do for the race I REALLY care about. Sign me up right now for a 65-70 mile ride on hot, hilly and windy roads!”

Yep, that is really what I did. Within 5 minutes (and I kid you not!) I grabbed my TYR race backpack, jumped on my bike and turned in my timing chip as I rolled out of transition. See you later guys and dolls, this lady is going for a ride! So ride I did for about 68 miles on terrain and in conditions that are similar to what I will face in less than 3 weeks in Hawaii. The fun part was that for the first hour, I got to ride on the course while the racers were racing. And for the first time ever, I got to watch a bike leg without being in it! Very fun and I got to see one of my athletes,Weston Woodward, riding his way to the fastest bike split of the day and 2nd overall. Even better was that I saw another elite athlete, coach and good friend of mine, Coach Keena, out there too on her bike cheering on her friends and athletes. So I guess I am not the only one crazy enough to drive all that way, see a better plan for their long range goals and decide to go fly kites on that windy day.

P.S.
A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO WHEN I POSTED HOW I FELT ABOUT RACING,

“No matter where you are at fitness wise, getting out and doing what you are ready for is what should make you happy. Other peoples' or society's expectations should be disregarded. They are not in your shoes and don’t know what brings you joy or makes you tick.”

I REALLY MEANT IT!

What races should you do this year?

Once the month of May comes, the race schedule gets pretty packed with all kinds of road races, triathlons, bike racing and off road events. Already, there has been the Moab Half-Marathon, Salt Lake Marathon, a handful of sprint triathlons and bike races. At this point in the year, the biggest mistake I see people make is doing too many races/events. Not only is this expensive, but it is also very draining mentally and physically, not to mention the stress on the family. Oftentimes, by the time late summer rolls around, I hear many complaints of being tired all the time, a lack of enthusiasm for the next race and/or the most dreaded of all, INJURY! Seriously though, if you want to take all the fun out of training and racing, then racing too often will do the trick. Here are some tips to think about as you decide what you are going to do this year whether it is running, triathlon or both.

• If you have run a marathon or a half marathon longer than 2 hours, wait 3-4 weeks before doing any other event of any kind.


• Putting 2 marathons within 8 weeks of each other is not advisable, more info here.


• 5K’s and 10K’s can be done twice in a month as long as there is good recovery in between.


• After an Ironman, no events for at least 5-6 weeks and then only a short one that lasts less than 2.5 hours as long as the run portion is no longer than a 10K.


• A Half Ironman requires about 3-4 weeks with no event.


• It is okay to do an Olympic distance tri once a month even if you do a sprint during that month as well.


• In general, try not ever line up event that occur 3 out of 4 weeks or 4 out of 6 weeks or 5 out of 7 weeks.


• PLAN AHEAD Write the events you are interested in on a calendar in PENCIL. Pick 2 of them that are your most important races (“A” races) and sign up for those (as long as they don’t conflict with above.) Then pick 2 or 3 more “B” races that won’t interfere with your performance at your “A” races. After that, seriously plan on doing only those unless you know for sure that it is far enough removed, short enough, and/or low key enough to be added. However, most of these kinds of races are more easily and cheaply done at home


• Remember that your racing schedule is your own and not your friend’s, so don’t feel pressured to do something you are not excited about or ready for.


• Even if you are performing well, stick to your guns! Getting overexcited too soon will have you racing too hard and too often at races that are not your “A” race and therefore don’t matter.


• It is okay to change plans midstream if the one you have isn’t working. For example, it is okay to switch to a half marathon from a marathon or to a sprint tri from an Olympic if that is what works better for you.


• Remember that when comparing your schedule to an elite or professional, they are capable of handling a higher workload and quicker recovery times so it is not wise to model your schedule after theirs.


• Some years you may feel like racing more than others and that is normal and advisable.
  

Above all else: Remember that you are doing these things for the fun and/or challenge of it. Too much ruins the experience. One excellent race experience is better than 5 mediocre ones. No matter where you are at fitness wise, getting out and doing what you are ready for is what should make you happy. Other peoples' or society's expectations should be disregarded. They are not in your shoes and don’t know what brings you joy or makes you tick. You are still a runner if you do only 5K’s and 10K’s and you are still a triathlete if you do sprint tri’s and not Ironmans. So, as always, pick race and events that will help you to RUN FOR YOUR LIFE AND KEEP ON TRIING !

A blow to the head sharpens the view

WARNING: You may want to wear a helmet while reading the following:

“This is not a bad as it sounds, but after looking at the CT scans, they want to Life Flight Cade to Primary Children’s Hospital. He has a fracture to his skull and a brain contusion.” All I could do was nod my head over the phone and keep saying “Okay.” I was lucky enough to have already seen Cade (13 years old) before he was transported over to the ER. I had already seen the blood coming from his ear, the immovable shoulder and the tears and was somewhat prepared for the outcome. As I waited at home for that phone call from Guy, I sat by the fireplace, watched the mountains turn blue with the fading light and turned off my mind. I rested my heart momentarily and let every unimportant thought in my head slip away.

It is so easy to forget that life can turn on a dime. But, there is freedom, depth and comfort to be found in difficult moments. My selfish training plans for an Ironman 70.3 had to be put aside and I was happy, almost overjoyed, to let the long ride and long run that was forthcoming fall by the wayside. Not because I didn’t want to do them, but rather that I cherished being able to be with Cade as the course of events unfolded. It felt so good to let go and remind myself that while I may be passionate about my training, I am glad I am not obsessed. I train to live rather than live to train.

I have found, through sad experience that it is possible to hyper focus on a goal and then miss all the important emotions and events going on daily that really mean something. Some may admiringly call that passion, but it is really obsession. Passion is a healthy, committed and deeply routed pursuit of a personal interest or goal. It is clean, unencumbered, feels right and is good. Yep, passion is the fire that puts light into our days. Obsession, however, is the wildfire that burns the whole field. So, while hanging out at the hospital with Cade, I thought about this and relished just being able to chill out.

Well, Cade got very lucky. After spending a sleepless night in ICU surrounded by babies and toddlers that were heart wrenchingly sick, his follow up CT scan showed no further trauma development. We all counted our blessings and got to go home the following evening. Yeah, six weeks of nothing but walking for exercise and no more skiing for the year, but Cade lost no brain function. As a mom, I am thankful and relieved. Cade is still free to do the one thing I hope he will choose to do for himself and that is to find something in his life that he is passionate about and be healthy enough to pursue it.

Note to self: If you unknowingly meet up with a metal power box at high speeds while sledding behind a 4 wheeler, be rest assured that it will most certainly leave a mark!

There is no finish line

By: Debbie

I am totally excited to be posting regularly on this blog. I will talk about training, technical stuff, nutrition, racing and any other tidbits that have to do with helping you accomplish whatever you are setting out to do. But, I have been asked to first and foremost to post "MY STORY." (See previous post)

A good place to start I guess mostly because most of you don't know the full circle that my athletic life has traveled. That journey is a big part of why I now passionately pursue the study of health, fitness and human performance on all levels. I really like how this all ties together in body, mind and spirit. So I hope that no matter what age or ability you are, that you will come to understand that "I have so been there."


So, this blog will be an eclectic mix of topics suited for all types of people pursing different types of goals. And even though we are all trying to get to that said "finish line" of our chosen event, I have come to realize that the Nike motto of not so long ago is completely correct..."There is no finish line."

How to Protect Yourself From the Pain

By:Rhielle

I was recently talking to a colleague of mine who told me that she uses mantras to protect her mind from its natural responses. For example when someone cuts her off while she is driving, she uses the mantra, "Assume Good Intentions." I have used mantras for years to help myself through my running. When I am coaching, I always give my students little phrases to use that run through their minds while they are running. Using mantras is a great way to protect your mind from the pain, the monotony, or other distractions that make you wish you were at home with a bowl of ice cream. Using the rhythm of your feet hitting the pavement makes the sayings very sing songy, making them easy to repeat over and over and over...

For example, this morning on my run, there is a long stretch of road, about a half a mile long, that is a false flat (slightly uphill even though it doesn't look that way). I run this road about three times a week and every time, it is just as hard as the first time I ran it. This is a perfect situation to use a mantra. This should get your head to stop thinking, "I hate this road, it is so hard to get through," and get your mind to start thinking, "this is fun and doable and I am amazing because I am doing it!" One thing that I like to do is count to ten in the same rhythm that my feet are hitting the ground. This is very mindless and you don't really have to concentrate on it. That is exactly why it works so well. It does the trick because you can't really think about two things at once. Another trick that I use is I say, "Light feet, Step down, Run, Run, Fast." This phrase helps me concentrate on my form as well as get my mind off of the hard part. Typically, when I am near the end of a run and I am getting tired, my body feels very heavy. By reminding myself that my feet can hit the pavement lightly and quickly, I am able to run faster and lighter while improving my form. It usually doesn't take long to snap out of the heavy feeling and pick up the momentum again.

When you are on a course that you know well, sometimes it is a good idea to break the course into sections. Even a long road, like the one mentioned above, feels much more accomplishable when broken into sections (I have it broken into five of them). bUsing landmarks that you can see easily is one way to approach this. For example, if you have a five mile run around the neighborhood you can split it up into smaller sections that are all approximately the same length. I would start with a warm up section where you go whatever pace you want to go untill you reach the entrance to the ____. Then you have a pick it up section that is complete once you pass the ____. Next, you come to the ____. Almost there with the ____ section that passes by the ____. Finish off the run with the cool down section that starts when you pass the _____. Overall, accomplishing short, mentally appeasing goals can make a run feel shorter and easier.