Random Bits!

• On: 08/06/2009 15:17:05

I can not believe it is almost mid-August!  No!!  Slow down summer.   This weekend we are going to have temps in the 90s, I am so excited! We have not had a weekend in the 90s in over 3 years! So, we are fired up.  And, guess what?  I am racing an OLY race on Sunday!  Last weekend it was 55F in the AM – absolutely perfect perfect weather.  But, I don’t mind. I really do love the heat.  And, I am so excited to race! 

IT IS IRONMAN FEVER TIME!   With IM Canada, IMKY,  IM Wisconsin and IM Kona and more right around the corner, it is such an exciting time of the year!  I love it!  I even got away last Friday and rode 2 loops of the IM WI course with some athletes and had a great time.  I think I am going to try to go again with some others next weekend. 

Speaking of IM fever…Um, yea, I don’t know what drug Jerome gave me, but I drank the Kool-Aid and agreed to sign up for Quelle Roth next year.  Let me explain my madness.  I was talking to Jerome and Dave and just couldn’t figure out what I wanted to do in 2010.  Every year I do something that I say to myself, “Jen, you are stupid.”  Like I said in my last blog, this year it was Oceanside.  So, I needed something challenging in 2010.  And, I have done all the OLYs and ½ Ironmans & done everything I have wanted to do in this sport….So, there are a few IM goals I still have.  I know people think I am nuts b/c I got so many emails, “UM JEN, you don’t go to Kona but you are going to Germany?”  Ha.  Good point.  But, if you know me, you know this makes total sense.  First, Kona is hot.   Chicago is…not.  I LOVE fast, flat and windy courses….and that is Roth.  I have done Kona a couple of times and will go back someday…but I actually want to do an IM that is not 10000 degrees.  AND, honestly, I do not want to train all summer for the IM.  I work with a lot of moms who always do IM CDA or LP.  I always try to get athletes to do IM Canada or IMKY or IM WI…just b/c you get to train in the SUMMERtime and unless you live in Arizona this is ideal.  But, you know what my deal is?  I want it the opposite.  I want to train when the kids are in school during the day – I have to be home at nights now (soccer, activities) and then next summer I want to do a couple of early 1/2IMs and then I will do Roth in mid July and then be DONE.  We will vacation as a family and go camping and Tucson and other places. I want a real summer with the kids and I have to maximize this time NOW or I will wake up while I am on the bike some random day and my kids will be gone. So, that is the reasoning behind my decision.  And, you all know:  Go big or stay home.  !!!!

Last night was our last organized (with lifeguards and buoys) Open water swim race on Wednesdays.  I mean, we have barely had any!  But, our OW season is short here….the kids have to go back to college, so we lose our little lifeguards.  We had a great time and 12 of us went out to Noodles for dinner last night to celebrate (and just eat!)– I think everyone but Jerome and I are doing IM WI, so we had plenty of fun IRONMAN discussions and war stories to talk about.  They are doing a mini-training camp up at IM WI next weekend, so it is bleary eyed training days! J  However, SHHHHH but we will be there every Wednesday still until we can’t swim anymore (late Sept/early Oct) because a few of us are doing Worlds in Clearwater in November (November??) so we will be ice skating in our wetsuits by then.

I have to share a few stories….because at the end of the day, I really like helping others and we all like progress reports!.  A few years ago an age group triathlete came to me to help her improve her racing – particually @ ½ IMs.  I knew her and raced with her as did Elizabeth.  Her name is Kristin Moore.  Kristin is a super athlete and came to me as a very accomplished Triathelte.  She races in the 35-39 AG (just aged up).  However, she really just could not swim very well.  Yes, I am calling her out on my blog, but it is ONLY to make a point about dedication to anyone really struggling with it right now.  Anyway, KM was a 36-38+ ½ IM swimmer.  Now, remember, that, of course, is a good ½ IM swim for some, but this is a gal who is an Elite AG, so clearly those swim times were keeping her out of the game.  Well, we had some tough conversations over the years but I basically told her she needed to do:  A, B and C to become a better swimmer.  But, at the end of the day, I can not come and hold her hand, she must take her swimming as seriously as she takes her cycling and running AND not be afraid of the time it will take to become a better swimmer.  THIS was a huge process.  So big that many of times I would just email her and nag at her like we were an old married couple.  I talked to the coach down there who is a SUPER PHENOM (HAP) AG Masters coach…we spent time talking about her limiters in the water and watching videos of her swimming…but at the end of the day, it was tough love.  KM is so introverted that she HATED the group swim atmosphere and hated any thoughts of doing any strokes other than Freestyle.  Well, I was on her like a fly on sh*t …every week…every winter when we would strip things apart.  There were days I was not sure she would get it.  I told her she was wasting her time and my time and unless she really took this swim thing seriously, then she would ALWAYS come out of the water far behind and sometimes she would bridge the gap, but at races like Worlds and high end races, she could not make the time up.  SOOO, after months and a couple of tough years, she has done it (*note:  YEARS…NOT months!!!).  She transferred her passion on the bike and run into the swim.  She hooked up with some good friends and athletes (thanks Catherine!) down where she lives (Missouri) and has done what SO few really excel at – improving her swim from a huge limiter to an asset.  And, it all came together at Steelhead 70.3 last weekend.   When I looked at her swim time online – I literally almost screamed so loud that the neighbors were worried about what was going on.  She swam 31 minutes.  Of course, not the fastest swim on race day, but you know what?  She WON HER AG in the swim and came out in 1^st in 35-39 and you know what?  She held that all day and ended up winning the OVERALL Amateur title @ Steelhead.  You know…that was WORTH it all.   I just texted her after she told me about her race and said, “I am retiring now.”  Just an amazing example of dedication, discipline and getting past her own fears.    Amazing really.  Most just aren’t that patient  or do the right things.  And, I always tell everyone this whole thing is a process…some really grasp that…and embrace it – some are too impatient.  It is not easy.  Wish it was.

Ok, I am rambling now. 

Lastly, I have been having fun training lately!  I have done some hard runs with Coach Dave and lived to tell about it…so, all is good on the training front!  And, speaking of swimming…this swimming 3x/week is doing wonders for my running!  HA.  Go figure.  I can’t do that forever, but Masters starts next month, so my party will be over soon, and right now I am enjoying the 5am Open water swim mornings – they are turning out to be the best part of my triathlon week.  Up at 4.30am, out the door by 4.45am, stop at Starbucks for coffee ( I have my hot tea), eat a little something on the drive up….in the water by 5.15am (we are starting to lose the sunrise!), swim 2.5 miles OW – 1^st mile easy and 2^nd mile tempo….talk to friends, drive home talking to friends and home and done by 7.30am.  Walk into the house, Jerome off to work and kids just getting up for the day.  Really, can I ask for much more?  Absolutely not.

And, the BEST news of it all? Our Governor signed a bill today that makes it illegal to text in the car in Illinois starting 1/1/2010.  Better late than never!  I have no idea how they will monitor this, but it sure is much welcomed by someone like me!