Quassy 2011

I want to start off by saying Rev 3 did another amazing job putting on another great race. If you have races Quassy you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't it's definitely a race to put on your schedule for next year. Not only do the staff and volunteers do a great job but the course is unbelievable. Very challenging and beautiful. When you register you get free passes into the amusement park. My son had a blast. This is one of the many reasons I love Rev 3 races. So family friendly. And then to top it off my 4 year old son got to run through the finish line with me. He's still talking about it.

I was very excited to be back racing. My hands have taken a lot longer to get better than I ever imagined so this was my first race since Costa Rica in February. I got my transition area all set, took my First Endurance PreRace, went for a short jog and then headed down to the swim with my husband and son and took a quick shot of my First Endurance EFS Vanilla. The water was 69 degrees so no wetsuits for the pros. I had been in the lake the day before and the water temp seemed fine. I wore my TYR Torque and was very comfortable in it and no chaffing!!! The race started and I tried to catch on to the lead group but couldn't find the turnover. I settled in around the first buoy and just tried to keep up my arm speed and make to shore. I came out in just over 30 minutes and was happy to be heading into transition to race on my Kestrel 4000 for the first time.

I was quite cold from the swim and just tried to spin fast to get my legs warm. Fortunately the first few miles are pretty much downhill. I felt very comfortable on my Kestrel thanks to Aria Velo and my Retuel fit. I started settling into the race and loving the climbs and feeling very hesitant on the descents. I have really tried to work on my confidence descending since my accident and it's getting better but still needs work. I was sticking to my race plan and felt like it was working. Around mile 20 I had a problem with my chain. When I shifted into my big ring it fell off on the outside of the rings and had 3 twists in the links. Hmmm. No quite sure how I managed that one but I ha never done that before. I got of my bike and thought I had broken the chain. I tried to stay calm and just get it untwisted. After a few minutes I finally got one of the links untwisted and tried to figure out I did it. Finally it was straight again and I was able to get it back on and get on with the race. I knew I had lost time but didn't want to hammer my legs too much knowing what was ahead on the run. Throughout the bike I had 3 bottles of First Endurance EFS grape and part of a flask. I wanted to make sure I was plenty hydrated going into the run. I worked out great

Transition was a happy sight. I got my Avia Bolts On and headed out. My husband and son were there cheering me on and they always give me a boost especially when I'm having a mediocre day. I tried to focus on my turnover for the entire run and just roll with it. It's such a beautiful course and people were all over giving encouraging cheers which kept me very positive. I sipped on a flask of First Endurance vanilla EFS and had water and Gatorade at every aid station. As I climbed the last hill I kept thinking how lucky I am to be racing and what a wonderful family I have a nd how great my sponsors are to me. I rounded the last turn to the finish and my husband and son were there waiting. My son was so excited to run to the finish with me he practiced for a hour before I got there!!! He was so fast I couldn't keep up. I ended up 11 and was happy to be back at it. The Recovery Pump was calling my name to get my legs back before our cross country flight but my son had the rides in mind. So off we went. He had a blast. We all had a blast!!!

I'm looking forward to starting my ramp up for Cedar Point in September. This race was a great stepping stone for me and I know what I need to do to get ready for a great race in Ohio. Thanks to all my awesome sponsors. Rev 3/Trakkers, TYR, Kestrel, Avia, First Endurance, Recovery Pump, Bicycles Plus, Aria Velo and Fleet Feet sports. I couldn't do it without you. And a huge thanks to my awesome husband and son. Races aren't any fun unless they are there with me!!! Until next time...

Costa Rica 2011

Pictures from Costa Rica 2011

Costa Rica 2011

I had the opportunity to travel to Costa Rica for the Trakkers/ Rev 3 camp and Rev 3 inaugural race in Costa Rica last weekend. What an amazing experience it was. I got to spend some time with all my awesome teammates and train and race in an amazing country. For me this was an opportunity to "get back on the saddle" after my bike accident in October. Leading up to Costa Rica I had been outside a total of 6 rides and only 2 on my time trial bike so I felt very hesitant when it came to bike handling and honestly just a little scared. I finally was able to get back into swimming about 4 weeks ago and it's been SLOW. I didn't realize how much strength I had lost until I tried swimming again. Humbling to say the least. Fortunately I was able to ride on my trainer and run as soon as I recovered from the surgeries so I felt like my fitness was descent. Olympic distance racing is foreign to me. I've raced this distance once in the last 7 years so I approached it as an opportunity for a high intensity training day. The morning started out with some First Endurance PreRace and Grape EFS to get the motor running. I decided to start on the far right side away from all the other girls to protect my hands from being hit. The field was very strong and the girls took off leaving me literally in the dust. At least the scenery was amazing! I ended up 3rd to last out of the water and was looking forward to the bike and run. The first few miles were filled with lots of hills,some very steep and a small section of gravel to cross. Once we left the resort area the roads were fairly flat and windy. The course was well controlled by local police and the roads were smooth. It was hot and humid so I wanted to make sure I stayed hydrated. I drank a full bottle of First Endurance EFS Grape and had a shot of liquid Vanilla EFS on the bike. When I hit the gravel section coming back into transition I tore a hole in my front tire. Fortunately I was able to stay up and dismount without any major problems. The run course was beautiful. It started along the beach then went up and through the golf course two times. The aid stations were very well supported and had everything we needed. I took another shot of Vanilla EFS about mile 2 of the run and hydrated with fluids from every aid station. I ended up 6 with a total time of 2:20. I really enjoyed the race and I am already looking forward to next year. Thanks to TYR and my Torque speedsuit, KESTREL for my superfast 4000, ZIPP/SRAM for my speedy wheels,components and bars, AVIA for my flashy Bolt racing flats, FIRST ENDURANCE for keeping me hydrated and energized, BETTY DESIGNS for our awesome outfits and TRAKKERS/REV 3 for bringing it all together. Looking forward to Costa Rica 2012!

REV 3 Cedar Point on September 12, 2010 was a huge success!!! Big shout out to the REV 3 team on a fantastic race and venue. First class all the way! This was my first race as a pro and what a great experience it was. The people of Sandusky and Cedar Point were so supportive, the venue was lots of fun and the cousre was awesome and very well supported. REV 3 truely did a fantastic job. The water was quite rough the days leading up to the race but race morning the winds changed and the water was calm for the day. The course was 2 U shaped legs with a beach run half way. My swim time was slow but I felt strong throughout the swim and great when I got out. As soon as I got on my bike I knew it was going to be a windy day. The bike course was very scenic and well supported with aid stations every 10 miles. There were people all over the course cheering the racers on. I came into T2 in third and knew I had my work cut out for me. Heading out on the run I had people everywhere cheering for me. My family was right there when I came out of transition and I was able to give my son a high five and it gave me an extra umph. I have never had so much support from other triathletes out on the course. Again, the course was very well supported with aid staions every 1-1.5 miles. I stayed in 3rd place until about mile 17 and then was able to make a pass and move into 2nd. I was able to stay there until about mile 21 and then got passed. I ended up 3rd and was extemely happy with my first race as a pro. I want to give a shout out to my TRAKKERS teammates who were rockstars on and off the course. If they werent racing they were volunteering and helping make the race a huge success. I look forward to the next chapter...Whatever that may be!!!

Cedar Point Full Rev September 12, 2010