The 2012 season officially began for me this past weekend with the Greenwich Biathlon.  Every year I use this race as a test to see how my fitness is coming along since it’s a very fast, flat (aside from one big hill on the bike) and short race (2.5 mile run/10 mile bike/2.5 mile run).  This year the test was a little different because for the first time in 7 years I am returning to the 70.3 race distance.  My training has placed much more emphasis on endurance rather than pure speed so I had no idea what to expect.  My goal was to go under 1 hour and much to my surprise that was easily attained!

The race starts in a beautiful park on the beach coast of Greenwich CT.  Both legs of the run are a very flat course winding through the park.  The best part of the race is the mass start, men and women head off together so it’s very fast right off the line.  The lead men took off at what felt to me like a full sprint, they pulled away rather quickly but I was pleased that no women were pacing with me until I thought “maybe I’m going out too fast…”  I opted to wear my Timex Ironman Race Trainer Pro HRM because it’s easy to see my splits and I was curious about what my max and average HR would be during each leg of the race.  Much to my surprise after the race I would see my ave HR for the first run was 178, much higher than I had been able to do in training and at 6:30 pace it was also much faster than my 7:30 half-marathon pace!

Off on the bike, the course begins flat and rolls through Old Greenwich with lots of turns through the small neighborhoods and one big hill in the middle.  My new QR CD 0.1 was great!  I’m still fine-tuning my position but it felt like a rocket.  Even though it’s a short race I still chowed down a PowerGel to practice eating at such a high effort and I picked off a few more men along the way.  Then off on to run #2!  Ave HR on bike: 166, Ave speed: 24.7 mph.

On Run #2 I settled into a quick pace right away since I could hear someone on my heels.  After a long stretch along the water I could hear him coming up behind me again and I was disappointed that I didn’t hold him off until he passed me and it was someone else!  I tried to match his pace but could feel my nagging hamstring issue reminding me to back off so I let him go.  Other than that I was feeling super strong so I focused on my breathing and tried to forget the hamstring.  It was great to hear them announce me as the first woman when I crossed the finish.  A great way to start the season.  Run #2 Ave HR 171, pace 6:35.  Total race time 57:30.

Overall I’m really happy with the “test” race and can’t wait to toe the line at Syracuse 70.3 in June.

Quick post-race interview with the race director before running off to a friends’ 1st communion and a birthday party.  The schedule of an age-grouper is always packed!

2011 was quite the year…My second season on the Timex Multisport Team, I became a doctor after 10 years of hard work, started up my Chiropractic Practice, earned a Masters Degree in Nutrition, watched my husband complete his first Ironman, and put to use a valuable lesson from 2010.  Some of you may remember my devastating loss in 2010 by 3 seconds at the home-town race (Pat Griskus Sprint Triathlon).  It’s an understatement to say this loss was on my mind for an entire year.

When the 2011 season came along things started off well with a win at the USAT North East Regionals to defend my title from 2010.  I had learned how to deal with the pressure as defending Champ from 2010 and came out with just enough confidence in my fitness but respect for the other women in a strong field.

Then along came the Pat Griskus Sprint mid-July.  It turned out to be a warm evening (race start is 6pm on a Wednesday night) and just before we headed down to the water, the clouds rolled in and it started pouring rain!  I’m probably one of the few triathletes that LOVES racing in the rain.  For some reason it’s calming for me while everyone else appears to panic and rethink their race strategy, mine becomes extremely clear.  Swim hard, Bike safe and smart, bring it home on the run…that’s exactly what I did.  In 2010 I lost by 3 seconds, in 2011 I won by 3 minutes.  I was so humbled by the loss in 2010 (as you can see in the photo) that I simply focused on myself rather than my competitors.  I knew what I was capable of and set forth to do it.

So here I am ready to embrace 2012.  This begins my 3rd season on the Timex Multisport Team and over the past 2 years I have learned so much about myself as a competitor, especially my mental toughness and motivation.  These will come in handy as I return to the 1/2 Ironman distance at Syracuse 70.3 in June.  My other races will include defending my title as USAT North East Regional and Pat Griskus Sprint Champ.  No pressure this year from myself, I’ve learned that just doesn’t work for me.  This year the goal is to simply race smart and never give up.  If I race my best then that’s all that matters, not trophies.

With that said, it’s time to get to sleep…Hill repeats tomorrow morning!

On June 4th I learned a valuable lesson: no matter how much faster you are compared to last season…you can not control how much faster everyone else is!  June 4th marked my second try at the Rev3 Quassy Olympic distance triathlon in Middlebury, CT.  It was the perfect race day.  A little cool, perfectly clear and almost no humidity.

I knew going into the race that I was using this as a “training” race, the goal was to improve on last years time but really it was to learn where my fitness is for the rest of the season.

I took a second-row spot on the beach (a mistake perhaps) with the hope that I could draft some of the faster swimmers as this is not my strength.

The swim:  As the race began and we approached the first buoy I knew I was going to come out of the water mid-pack.  There were plenty of fast swimmers and they weren’t waiting around for me.  I exited the water in 15th for the women and quickly had to make up some time.  My husband would later tell me that he was worried I had drowned because I was so far back (thanks hun!)

The bike:  Ahhh, my strength.  I took my normal sprint out of transition and flying leap onto my bike.  I had a great game plan for the bike: go like hell and pass as many women as possible.  Which is exactly what I did.  I came off the bike into transition in 2nd place but still about 3 minutes behind the leader.

The run: It’s certainly gotten better but also still needs improvement.  My teammate, Jess Broderick passed me on the run right away and I could see she was on a mission.  I kept her in my sights until the last mile but neither of us ever caught the lead woman.  I managed to cut 5 minutes off my run time from the previous year which was a huge victory.

The lesson: Even though I finished 3rd (like last year) I treat this as a valuable lesson to be proud of personal growth and improvement.  I never would have guessed that I’d take so much time off last years race and still finish 3rd but you have no control over everyone else in the race!

The victory: Huge improvement over last years race (2 minutes off the bike, 5 minutes off the run = 7 minutes faster) and loads of confidence going into my more important races of the season.

Happy Racing!

I know this is a little late, but a couple weeks back I had the opportunity to speak at the Quota International of New Haven, CT meeting.  This group is made up of a great bunch of women from around the New Haven area who volunteer their time to serve the surrounding community.

Quota International was founded in 1919 and was the first international service organization for women.  Quota today includes men and women in clubs throughout North America, South America, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Southeast Asia, and Europe.

I was invited to speak to this lively bunch of women about fitness, and since most of the members are over the age of 50 the focus of the guest lecture was just that: Fitness after 50.

Here are the highlights from our talk:

Get Moving!

-        Adding simple cardiovascular exercise to your daily routine can do wonders for your overall health.

-        Keep it simple: it’s as easy as taking a 20-40 minute walk

• Some other examples include; taking an exercise class, swimming at a local pool, riding an exercise bike
• If you are already in pretty good shape consider something more challenging: Dance classes, using an elliptical trainer, Pilates
• Keep it fun: Exercising with friends is one of the best ways to stay motivated and have fun while improving your health.

Use a Heart Rate Monitor to ensure you are working at the correct intensity and to keep track of your progress.

• Timex offers a number of simple-to-use Heart Rate Monitors which can be worn during exercise
• Demonstration of how a HRM works and use of the chest-strap
• Know how hard you should be working by meeting with a fitness/health care professional to determine the proper Heart Rate zones, these are different for everyone so it’s important to find your individual settings

Hydrate!

-        Most people do not drink enough water, especially if they are exercising

-        Drink at least (8) 8 oz glasses of water per day, that’s 64 oz total!

-        Other beverages, especially anything with caffeine, sugar, “diet” , etc do not count towards this total

-        While water may seem boring, it’s the best thing for you!

-        Tip: carry a 24 oz water bottle with you everywhere and be sure to refill it throughout the day.  Do this 3 x and you have met your Quota for the day!

Get Strong!

-        Add some simple strength training to your routine 2-3 days per week.

-        Start with light weights, use things around the house like a bottle of water, a can of soup, a 2-3lb bag of flour placed in a plastic bag.

-        Never strain when lifting weights, always focus on keeping your stomach tight and breathing.

-        Make sure to lift in a safe area where there is nothing to trip on or fall on.

-        Stretch bands can also be useful especially when traveling.

Keep it all in Balance!

-        As we age, our sense of balance becomes diminished

-        It’s important to practice balance in a safe environment to help prevent slips and falls in the future.

-        Keep it simple, hold on to a stable surface and practice balancing on one leg.  As this becomes easier, slowly increase the challenge by letting go, try using a physioball, standing on a pillow, when the weather gets warmer try walking in the sand at the beach!

Remember, it’s never too late to get started!

Everyone gathered after the meeting for a group photo, what a great bunch of ladies!

Today I took advantage of a day off from my internship to head out for a mid-day bicycle ride.  What a pleasure!

It was about 26 degrees F in Connecticut but with proper layering I didn’t notice the cold or the wind at all.

What I did notice is how easily I could read my heart-rate with the new Timex Ironman Race Trainer Pro on my wrist!

With a great workout planned:

3 x 15 min in Zone 3

1.5-2 min recoveries

total 1 hr 15 mins on the bike

I was thrilled to be able to focus on my intervals and not struggle to catch a glimpse of my heart-rate.

The unique position of this watch on the wrist and large display allows a cyclist to keep their hand on the hood, aerobar or in the drop and still be able to see the screen!

It was truly Love at first Sight!

Easy visibility of the Ironman Race Trainer Pro while in the hoods on my 'cross bike.