Tag: ironman

The language of can

11

I grew up in a household of caution. My parents were loving and supportive, but they were cautious and quite often very fearful of doing anything that was too far outside of their comfort zone. As a result, I spent much of my childhood and young adulthood setting safe goals, avoiding anything that was too far outside of my comfort zone. My parents didn’t discourage me, but they often talked in the language of “cannot,” rather than the language of “can.  I learned at a young age to be fearful of goals that seemed outside of what was “normal.” Then, …

Rooby-Roo the Rocket

15

Well, it’s official. I’m a triathlete. Never mind the last five years, with three Ironmans, and I lost count of how many HIMs, olys and sprints. I am an official triathlete because now I have the gear to prove it. I guess that’s why some people go for the gear first. Skip all the other crap–training, years of racing, and so on. It’s not real until you are on a tri-bike. Now, I understand. My brand new, first-ever tri-bike was ready for pick-up on Saturday–>a Quintana Roo CD0.1, with Dura Ace, and Reynolds Strike Wheel Set. John and I made …

Is your performance anxiety slowing you down?

9

As I stood on the beach, awaiting the start of Ironman Mont Tremblant, I was filled with nervous anxiety–more than I had ever felt before. I was about to race – truly race – this Ironman. While I put forth a good effort in my previous two ironmans, I cannot say honestly that I worked to the upper limit of my edge. I cannot say honestly that I raced them. I was filled with fear that I wouldn’t be able to hit my targets, that I would find out that I’m really not the athlete I want to be – that I thought I was. …

Ironman Mont Tremblant Race Report: The Experience

40

(NOTE: the Ironman Mont Tremblant race report will be in two parts. The first part will cover my experience at Mont Tremblant, while the second part will cover practical and specific details about the course and venue that those of you doing the race next year may find helpful. Click here for the course overview–swim, bike and run.) *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ If you wait for the perfect conditions to race hard, it might never happen. You have to take what the day gives you, make smart decisions, and push through the various challenges that make an Ironman the difficult – yet rewarding …

Preparation Rituals: Ironman Race Week Tips

14

Ironman race week is here. The training is done. All that remains are the final, don’t-mess-this-up-now preparations. It can be quite easy to get off track in the final days leading into an Ironman: there’s so much excitement, new places to explore, people to chat up, gear bags to pack, bikes to drop off, athlete dinners to attend, expos to walk through. All of this excitement seems cruel at a time when you need to relax, rest and reserve energy. It can be very easy to go off the rails and make decisions that could affect you on race day. …

There is no magic on race day

3

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act. But a habit.” (Will Durant) Last weekend, John and I traveled to Lake Placid to watch and volunteer at the second oldest Ironman in North America. So, you know what that means… Yup, I’m doing IMLP again. Third time is a charm. Back to where my love affair with the 140.6 began, and (hopefully) back to where I will take my long course racing to the next level. After I successfully registered for the 2013 race (which was no small feat considering I left my ID at home), …

Discipline thyself: Tips for Racing Ironman Lake Placid

32

If this is your first time preparing for Ironman Lake Placid, you are no doubt wondering (fearing?) what to expect. If you’ve done the course before, you may be wondering how to master the challenge that is IMLP, the oldest Ironman course in the continental U.S. The course may not be the most difficult Ironman on paper, but it is challenging, and has humbled its fair share of athletes. It features one of the best lake venues for swimming (although it can be a tight squeeze), ~6000 feet of climbing in the bike course (much of which comes in the …

No matter how big, how old, or how skilled: Your body is amazing

14

If you’ve read my blog for any length of time, then you probably know that I have struggled with body image and disordered eating. You may also have figured out that endurance sport (both distance running and triathlon) has helped me to appreciate my body for what it can do.  For the most part, I’ve learned I don’t have to look like the tall, thin women on the covers of magazines. (Yes, there are times I catch myself poking and pinching my body, wishing it was different. I imagine that will always be the case for me.) Despite my misgivings …

Do or do not – there is no try: Rhode Island 70.3 Race Report

15

At the starting line of races, I used to think: “I’m going to try the best I can.” Doing the best that we can is important. Trying, however, is useless. “Trying” implies an attempt, but not necessarily the execution of an act.  If I want to do my best, I have to focus on execution – not on trying to execute. Yoda is right: It is do or do not. There is no try. To focus on trying is to give myself an excuse for doing less than I can before I even start. Each race presents a unique set of challenges, whether it be …

I can’t control it, so I better get busy doing it

6

It makes no sense to worry about things you have no control over because there’s nothing you can do about them. The activity of worrying keeps you immobilized. ~ Wayne Dyer I like to be in control – of decisions, of events, of consequences, of my life. I’m a triathlete and a college professor. The addition of the word “control freak” to this list seems redundant, doesn’t it? In the past few weeks, I’ve learned some tough lessons about control. In sum: I have very little control. Therefore, I need to stop worrying about controlling things, and just get busy doing …