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EFC Power Log
EFC Power Log is your new internet fitness cafe! We post informative articles and encourage real world athletes to share their experiences with goal setting, training, nutrition, racing and achieving their fitness goals. If your workout is done for the day, kick up you feet, grab the beverage of choice and join Energy Coaching Athletes, Friends and Coaches as we share the latest fitness tips. EFC's Power Log is your source for personal, real life struggles and victories leading to true life and fitness improvements. Welcome to Energy Fitness Coaching Power Log!
Coach Kel's Training and Racing
Coach Kelly's mission will be to get back to Kona when the time is right. Right now she is enjoying training with Baby Brecken and racing some local stuff this 2011.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Sylvania Duathlon
On Sunday, August 14, 2011, I raced my third race post baby. The day started cool, with a huge break from the heat. We arrived later than hoped, but quickly got to packet pick-up with 15 minutes to spare. However, they were already closing up shop 15 minutes early. Someone did get my packet, but never mentioned anything about a chip pick-up. So I just grabbed my number, hooked it to my race belt then headed to transition. A quick set up, hello to several friends and then it was time to focus on our athletes and Brecken. Our athletes were calm and ready to go, but Brecken was crying and didn’t want me to leave. After going over all the food, diaper, water, change of clothes, camera etc with Rob while trying to keep Brecken from totally melting down…it was time for the race to start. I was just going to stay back with Rob and Brecken when Leslie Crane and Sara Skittler encouraged me to get to the start and promised Brecken would be fine as soon as I was off. I started crying and felt terrible. Rob walked away and up ahead on the run course with Brecken while Leslie and Sara continued to comfort me and gave me big hugs. Suddenly, the cannon blasted and we were off.
Going from crying, upset mom, to racing athlete was actually easier than I expected. I started running. I focused on relaxing and running with good form. I saw Brecken up ahead and she had stopped crying and was having fun watching all the people while being strapped to daddy. I quickly fell into a comfortable pace and it felt easy. I steadily worked my way up toward the front. I came up to our athlete Jenn and she looked good. Strong forward lean, great drop and push off, but I thought her cadence was a bit too slow. I complemented her on her form and told her, “Not today, but I do think we’ll want to work on a quicker cadence after this race.” She acknowledge that and then I asked her if I should coach her a quick bit or if that would annoy her. She was good with the coaching. I told her how good of an athlete Sara was and that she was her target. I explained that sometimes in races you need to have something to push you past the discomfort of going hard and with the huge workouts she had done this week in prep for her upcoming ½ Iron distance, she may be more tired, but she should dig deep and give it her best. With Jenn’s mind continuing to get stronger, I felt good about moving on. I continued to get faster and enjoyed the cool weather and even the spits of rain. I worked my way up to Sara, the lead female, and passed her just before T1. That’s when I realized, I didn’t have a chip! I shouted, “#451, I lost my chip!” The guy with the computer punched in my number and shouted my name back, so I knew they got it. After a quick transition, I was off with my bike shouting my number while exciting transition and confirming they were getting my splits.
I only road my tri bike for the 2 races in June, once with an athlete at the beginning of July for about 45 minutes to help her in the hills and then for 4 miles the night before the race to make sure the Zipps were good and the bike was shifting okay. I figured I’d be a little shaky at the start again, but this time I was surprised how comfortable I felt! I went right into aero and immediately began passing people. A couple miles into the bike, the rain really started to fall. I worried about Brecken and just prayed Rob would get the umbrella out of the running stroller, put some pants on her or go to the car and keep her warm. Pushing the worry out of my head, I tried to relax and focus on the road. I sipped my water and road hard. The course was pan-cake flat and on rural roads. I really had fun out there. Before I knew it, I was back at T2 and shouting my number again.
I was a bit unsteady coming off the bike and trying to get my running shoes on. Everything was wet and I chucked my sunglasses into my packet pick-up bag and ran out of transition. The guy got my name and number again and out to the run course I went. Wow, my legs felt like lead. My hip was bothering me and I felt stiff. I just kept focusing on a quick cadence, the drop and push off, and keeping a strong core. Just before the first mile mark a guy shouted that I was the first female. I thanked him and smiled. I rounded the corner and there was Sara. We said great job to each other and then I just decided to take off. My legs were loosening up and I really wanted to win. It was fun to have the competitive juices flowing again. In racing, I like to be the “chasee” rather than the “chaser” so that pushed me to get stronger throughout the run. Although my hip hurt, I was motivated to suffer a little. Plus, I kept thinking, the sooner I’m done, the sooner I get to be back with Brecken and Rob!
Just before the 6 mile mark I saw Brecken and Rob and she was shouting for me. It was awesome. Not knowing how close Sara was, I didn’t want to pause or slow, so I quickly asked Rob, “Am I going to win?” And then I just really pushed it and ran about as fast as I could down the shoot. They announced my name, declared me as the first female duathlete finisher for a time 2:14 and I was really happy.
So yes, it’s amazing how I went from mom and coach to competitor. It felt good to get the fire in my belly once again. Now I know Sara is training for Kona and just crashed her bike, hurt her elbow and is dealing with heel issues, but it was fun for me to have that something to "dig deep and push through the discomfort for." And I know Jenn did some huge workouts and wasn’t going into this race tapered, so all things considered, I still will say, I’m racing for fun. But, winning is fun too! 
Well, in the end, the real winners won. No Chip - No Time! My results are not recorded anywhere. I can understand since I did not get my chip, however, it would be nice to at least know my splits. I think I did a 20 minute flat first 5k, about 1:06 and change on the bike and a little over 44 minutes for the last 10k. It was a big improvement from June’s races. So that is good! But most of all, I’m happy Sara got the win and Jenn earned second. They both rock!
Well, this rounded out the local circuit of races near our home. I have never raced these local races and these short distances before. I started big with the ½ Iron distance and besides the Chicago Tri, I’ve always done the longer stuff and traveled for the races. Although that was fun, I really am enjoying the races close to home and the shorter stuff. It’s great to sleep in my own bed, eat my own oatmeal and coffee for breakfast and in just over 2 hours of racing, I’m done and back with Rob and Brecken. 
Enjoy some pictures from one of our Athlete’s Wife -Thanks Leslie!
Posted by Coach Kelly on 08/24/11 at 05:50 AM
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Monday, June 13, 2011
Maumee Bay
So last week I wrote about my first race post bike crash 09 and baby 2010 and I ended the post with… “Racing is more than just the competition. It’s the atmosphere, camaraderie, discipline to train, determination to find balance, the fun along the way and the accomplishment. Each person is out there for his or her own special reason. My new reason isn’t about qualifying for Kona or setting bike course records, it’s about being with my family and doing something that is healthy and fun! I’ll write more on my new perspective over the next couple of months and I’d love to hear from YOU- why do you train and race???”
So I still want to hear from you? And today, I want to write a bit more about my “new” perspective and my day at Maumee Bay Olympic Distance Duathlon on Sunday, June 19th.
First, my race recap:
Sunday, June 19th was Father’s Day and it was Rob’s first Father’s Day. He was looking forward to carrying Brecken in the Baby Bjorn while I raced. What an awesome dad and husband! 
The morning began without expectations, just like last week. I hoped to race, but was prepared to just cheer athletes on if Brecken was not up for the event. So, I once again ate my oatmeal and drank my coffee in the car sitting in the back seat next to Brecken. I drank water all morning and once we arrived at Maumee Bay State Park, we were able to soak up the beautiful day!
The day was filled with sun, a good, strong breeze and the perfect temperature for me. After chatting with some of our athletes, a quick transition set up and strapping Brecken to daddy, soon it was time to line up for the Duathlon start. Once again, I only had time for some dynamic movements while standing at the starting line. Instead of a real race warm up, I just focused on relaxing a quick bit while smiling and waving to Brecken. She thankfully was having a blast attached to Daddy and watching all the athletes and spectators.
At 8 a.m. the horn blew and we were off. I felt good and settled into a nice pace. If you’ve never done this race, it’s one to add as the venue is absolutely beautiful. The run takes you around the man-made lake, where the swim is and then out along the shore of Lake Erie. Inland, it was a little warm running the first mile, but the wind off Lake Erie felt great during mile two and of course seeing Brecken and Rob out there pushed me to go a bit faster too. Before I knew it, I was coming back around the man-made lake and into transition. This time I had my watch on and looked down to see 21 minutes. Not bad. I knew I had a faster and stronger run than last week so that was good.
This week, I decided to wear a thinner pair of socks and instead of taking my socks off in T1 and putting them back on in T2, I left them on for the bike. That saved several seconds and I had a much smoother T1 than last week too!
Out on the bike, I felt the wind off the lake and stayed up in my hoods for a bit until I settled in and gained my confidence. Being only the second time on my bike, riding in aero, in 2 years, I still was nervous. I’d rather be safe than sorry, so I stayed cautious on the first loop. Although the course is pan-cake flat, there was a lot of headwind and cross wind and the roads were bumpy. I did ride strong and I got a little more aggressive on the second loop. I came into T2 with a quick glance at my watch and bad math in my head; I thought I had just broke 1 hour on the bike! I was so ecstatic!
After a speedy transition, I was off to run. My legs felt great; much different than last week. I started growing even more excited and was looking all over for Rob and Brecken as I started out on the run course. I saw Rob speaking with someone while Brecken was watching the runners pass by. He wasn’t expecting me so soon so I had to yell to him! I was feeling good, happy to see Brecken having fun and shouted, “I feel really good. I think I just broke an hour on the bike!”
I continued running strong around the man-made lake, picking off runner after runner. I once again enjoyed the breeze once out by the shore and then into the woods I went for the other ½ of the 10k. Now I was all alone. It was really neat to have the back half of the course pretty much to myself. There were only 4 others ahead of me, all men and I was gaining ground. I was pleasantly surprised by how good I felt. I caught one guy, passed him, and charged forward, but the others were just a little too far ahead to catch this time. Heading back in, around the lake, there was Brecken and Rob again and she was still doing great! The fatigue was really starting to set in, but seeing them helped me stay strong. I pushed right into the finishers chute for a 47:01 10k, 3rd place overall and the female win.
I quickly found Rob and Brecken and gave them a big hug! So, the bummer was, I started doing the math and realized I miss calculated my bike time. I did a 1:09, not 59 minutes!  Too funny! Oh well, it gave me a boost for the second run! So, I know I’m under achieving on the bike this year, but I’m just happy to be out there, doing it! Seeing Brecken and Rob around the course and cheering for all the other athletes racing is such joy. Plus, it’s nice to know I beat all of my times from last week too, so I am getting a bit faster and that’s always good!
My new perspective:
As I get older, have more races under my belt and have become a mom, I realize how much fun training and racing is! It’s not always about finishing high in my age group or trying to qualify for the world championships. Because I’m more relaxed and laid back now, I think I am doing better as an athlete. First, I’m able to start the race with more energy instead of burning up nervous energy before the gun goes off. Second, I’m able to watch the other athletes and cheer them on throughout the course which provides motivation for others and me too. I can look around and see everyone has a different reason for why they are out there. It’s really neat to “slow” down just enough to appreciate all the stories and see all of the emotions on the faces of the athletes and spectators.
I think I’m also becoming a better coach. I’ve preached work/family balance since I started coaching, but now I’m living it as a working mom. I understand how to balance work, family, life, training and racing even more as I’m doing it too! As I personally grow and mature, I can help our athletes do that as well. I feel that I can help our athletes eliminate a lot of stress and manage the stress that is there, better. I believe I can help each individual athlete find, achieve and enjoy his or her own balance. I hope to help each one of our athletes, find his or her appropriate stability while reaching his or her athletic potential.
Why I train and race:
For the past 18 months, I have just been working out to stay fit and healthy. I worked out through pregnancy and exercised most days of the week after Brecken’s birth with the goal of getting back into training and racing. Now, I’m getting more serious about my workouts and I have a training plan. I’m targeting a marathon this fall. I believe having a plan is smart and helps keep me more focused, disciplined and driven in all avenues of life; not just in triathlon. Setting athletic goals and following a balanced and progressive training plan is making me a stronger and faster athlete as well as a better coach, mom and wife. The structure of the training plan makes me carve out time for my workouts. This makes me get to bed earlier, work harder and smarter and still get out the door every day to hit my training session. The discipline to do it all and still enjoy time with Rob and Brecken, keeps us busy, but more organized. We do the majority of our training together with Brecken in the bike trailer or in the running stroller. We make healthy meals together and we practice what we preach. Life is what you make of it. We choose to exercise, eat right and spend time together. Training and racing is part of who we are!
I’ll continue to expand on these topics over the next several posts, but I want to hear from you too! Please share why you train and race!
Posted by Coach Kelly on 06/13/11 at 06:29 AM
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Sunday, June 12, 2011
So yesterday I wrote about getting back at it. I kicked off my “come back” at a great local race – Flag City USA in Findlay, Ohio! It was an awesome day! Brecken did great and we had tons of fun!
So, if you read yesterday’s post, you’ll see I noted…”I’m back…kind of.” Well, there are two reasons for the “kind of”…First, if you noticed, I wrote a lot about biking and running, but didn’t mention swimming. I haven’t been swimming and have decided just to start back with Duathlons this year. There are several reasons for my decision. The main reason is time. I could make time for the pool but my cycling, running and mommy time would suffer. Instead, I can keep up with my cycling on the CompuTrainer during Brecken’s naps and I can run when Rob gets home from work with Brecken in the running stroller and Rob by my side. To me, that is smart and fun! Another reason is I need to focus on my run any way. I want to get faster and set some new running PRs in the next couple of years. And finally, I knew it would be a lot easier to start back with Duathlons this summer to see if Brecken would do well without me while I raced. I figured, if she had a melt down at the start, it would be a lot easier to run right off the course than to swim off the course and I wouldn’t have to mess with the wetsuit and goggles race morning.
Now back to Flag City USA Olympic Duathlon…I had been thinking about doing this race since March, but I didn’t count on doing it until 7:15a.m. race morning. I did not pre-register and really didn’t tell many people I was planning on racing. I wanted to go in with no expectations and be 100% focused on Brecken and Rob. And that’s just what we did. We took a quick bit of time to put the Zipps on my Ceepo and packed the bike and my gear the night before, but went to bed with no sure prospect of racing.
Brecken slept well and woke up happy, so we drove down to Findlay eating breakfast in the car. Registration was a breeze and Brecken was having fun checking out all the people. I strapped Brecken to Rob in the Baby Bjorn, set up my transition and hung out with our athlete Jenn and friends. Just before 8a.m. we lined up for the run and Brecken was doing well strapped to daddy.
Along with being my first race since before I was pregnant, it was also my first opportunity to race with our athlete Jenn Finn. My goal for Jenn was to win this race and my goal for myself was just have fun and see how Brecken would do.
Standing at the starting line, I was focused on reminding Rob about diaper changes and where the food was for Brecken. Then suddenly the whistle blew and we were off! With no warm up other than some dynamic movements while waiting behind the start line, I just eased into a comfortable pace. My watch actually died about 20 minutes before the race so I didn’t have a watch to know my pace and it added to my ability to relax and totally enjoy the sunny day and the experience.
Jenn started out slightly ahead of me on the run and I just focused on warming up and finding a good lean and push off. I felt comfortable and rather strong, so I ran steady and took it all in. The course took us up a long flight of stairs and then onto a rocky path along the reservoir. The wind was strong up there, but it felt good. I passed Jenn just before the first mile mark and she shouted out 7:24 so I knew we were doing fine at that pace. The highlight for me was seeing Brecken strapped to Rob, arms up and smiling. I blew kisses and shouted, “I love you!” as I ran by.
Coming into T1 I asked a volunteer the time and he said 22 minutes. I was happy with that for my first 5k. But, I was terribly slow in transition! Taking off my running shoes and socks, putting on my cycling shoes, helmet and grabbing my bike, I had not rhythm and was rusty! But, finally I was on the bike and heading out into the wind chasing Jenn who had a lightning fast transition.
This was the first time I had ever ridden in aero on my new Ceepo outside! I must admit, I was scared! I’m very low and aero on this new bike and with no experience outside, my Zipps on, a crazy cross wind, and the thought of the last time I was racing I crashed and nearly died; I felt unstable and uneasy! So I just pulled back and got up in the hoods a little more frequently. I felt strong pedaling and gradually gained my confidence. But then, all of a sudden, a woman in the car lane driving along side of me riding in the bike lane, decided to turn left about 10 feet in front of me! Slamming on my brakes, feeling my back wheel lift off the ground, I thought, oh no, here we go again with a crash! God was with me; I remained upright and avoided the collision. I was shaken and all I could think about was, gosh, I don’t want to die riding my bike and leave Brecken motherless. This is not worth it!
So I pulled back some more, came up to my hoods and worked to gain my confidence again. Finally, after 3 wrong turns, the need to unclip and get moving in another direction and nearly getting t-boned by that car turning into the course, I was nearing transition. And there was Rob and Brecken again and she was doing great. Rob shouted, “not a single tear, she is having fun!” That made me so happy and I was relieved to get off my bike and get into T2. Another slow transition of putting my socks and running shoes on, Jenn sped by me in transition and was out on the run! I wasn’t worried about my time, but I was happy to see how well Jenn was doing and I was glad to be off the bike and out running again.
My first ¼ mile was rough. I haven’t run off the bike since before Longhorn 70.3 in 2009! As mentioned, I’m not “training” to race this summer, so I have not done any bricks due to time. And boy did I feel it! My legs felt heavy and I just couldn’t get a good lean nor a decent turnover. But, I just focused on relaxing, keeping a quick cadence and trying to drop and spring forward. I continued to see Jenn pull away up ahead and I was very proud of how well she was racing. She was racing smart and getting stronger throughout the race. Once up on the stones running around the reservoir, I realized how much the stones were zapping my energy. Paying attention to my form by keeping my core strong and working to get the spring reaction upon landing and push off, I could tell the uneven surface was preventing my efficiency. On top of that, I tried to relax and go faster, but I just didn’t have another gear. Not training for this left me with 2 efforts – just below threshold and over threshold. It seemed even picking up my pace 10 seconds per mile put me over threshold. So, instead of pushing it, I just eased into a comfortable pace and focused on cheering others on. I can honestly say it was awesome to not be so focused on racing and to be able to have fun encouraging everyone out there.
I ended the race with a 50 minute 10k for a total time of 2:20 and most importantly, a whole new perspective. Seeing Brecken and Rob all over the course and knowing she had fun made it all worthwhile!
Racing is more than just the competition. It’s the atmosphere, camaraderie, discipline to train, determination to find balance, the fun along the way and the accomplishment. Each person is out there for his or her own special reason. My new reason isn’t about qualifying for Kona or setting bike course records, it’s about being with my family and doing something that is healthy and fun! I’ll write more on my new perspective over the next couple of months and I’d love to hear from YOU- why do you train and race???
Posted by Coach Kelly on 06/12/11 at 08:36 AM
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Saturday, June 11, 2011
I’m back – kind of. So, I did my first race today, Saturday, June 11, 2011 - since 2009! Yes- 2009! I was hit by another cyclist while racing Longhorn 70.3 on October 25, 2009. The athlete turned into me while I was doing 26mph getting ready to pass him and instead I flipped over my handle bars and was flung across the road nearly getting hit by an oncoming car. I was knocked on conscious for over 20 minutes and I don’t remember much until I was in the back of the life flight on the way to the Austin, TX ER. That crash broke my pelvis in 3 places, but the good news is, it brought us Brecken! Forced to rest and take a break from racing, we got pregnant!
So, that leads me to today…Brecken is 10 months old and I am starting to get back at it! It’s fun to have some little goals and some structure with my workouts once again!
All through pregnancy I stayed very active; riding, running and strength work. I pretty much ran through my entire pregnancy and averaged over 200 miles of riding per week while pregnant! Nothing was fast or hard, but it was great to stay active!
After I had Brecken, I focused on long walks with the baby in the jogging stroller. I eased back into running and continued to run with her all fall. I hopped on the trainer from time to time too, but I didn’t have a training plan and just fit in whatever I could. Rob and I tag teamed runs in the winter, but it was easy to skip a run here or there due to the cold weather. My goal over the past 10 months has been to stay active and fit while giving 100% focus to helping Brecken grow healthy and strong. I didn’t have any desire to get back into triathlon training or racing right away. I didn’t want to be regimented and focused on my own training. I wanted to just relax and have fun being a new mom!
I still don’t want to be super focused on my own training, but I am ready for some consistency, structure and a general plan. I need a reason to be dedicated to do a workout and I need a plan so I can start getting stronger on the bike and run again. When I’m exhausted from a busy day of work and baby care, it’s so much easier to get out the door and commit to the run when it’s planned and for a purpose. I love training for a purpose! Now, I’m training smart and enjoying the ride!
Posted by Coach Kelly on 06/11/11 at 08:30 AM
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Saturday, March 13, 2010
After 4 years of "trying" we are finally having a baby!!! We are due September 6, 2010. So, I’m taking "a break" this 2010 Tri Season and would love for you to join me for my new section where I will begin my journey of "Staying Fit through Pregnancy."
Please check it out:
http://www.efcpowerlog.com/index.php/site/C22/
I’ll be back in 2011 - with the goal to get back to Kona!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 03/13/10 at 02:39 PM
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
I must admit, this winter has been the best winter of my life. Our “winter” began late November when we traveled across the country in our little Acura and the EFC Trailer in tow. We spent 2 awesome weeks in Colorado with Rob’s whole family, enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving feast and tons of family fun! I was healing from the pelvis fractures and enjoyed riding my CEEPO with Rob, although on the trainers in Rob’s parent’s home and not outside, it was so great to be back. I was happy Rob was able to run off our rides and enjoy the beautiful trails and the glorious views of the mountains and I patiently awaited my running return. My patience paid off and I enjoyed two short, but epic runs looking up at the snow covered mountains and soaking in the 50 degree sunny day at the end of our Colorado adventure. 
On the way home from Colorado we stopped at Coach Steve’s in IL and had a blast running the Santa Sleigh 5K with EFC Athletes, Coaches and their families. I enjoyed walking and running the 5k in the crisp December air and was thankful to be healthy and strong once again! 
Once back home in Ohio, Rob and I settled into a nice routine of little morning rides and short transition runs off the bike, healthy homemade meals and powerful days in front of the computer growing EFC. We had a joyous Christmas season, a fun family New Year’s Party and we smiled right into 2010! January started off with a bang with many EFC athletes gearing up for a great year ahead and another trip to Colorado in our path. Off we went in our little Acura, driving across the county and straight up into the Colorado Rockies for a fun 5 days in Beaver Creek with Rob’s whole family. I’m still new at skiing, so I road on the trainer easy every morning than joined everyone on the slopes for some greens and blues! Maybe next year I’ll try a black?? 
Once home in Ohio again, Rob and I got back on track with our healthy routine. We started working out with some of our athletes and coaches and are really thrilled with how well our EFC Athletes are quickly getting into the training groove this year! Things are well with our family and our nieces and nephews are excelling at volleyball, gymnastics, floor hockey, ice skating, swimming and pre-school. It’s been awesome to be a part of as much as we can!
Although we do work about 10 to 12 hours a day, working out of our home allows flexibility and we are really enjoying all the snow! Because we have to be available for our athletes before and after normal 8am to 5pm work hours, we have been doing most of our training mid morning or late afternoon and enjoying the daylight. We have Yax Traxs for our running shoes as well as racing snowshoes, so we have kept right up with daily trainer rides and runs off the bike. And we’ve added in functional strength work, Triathilates and Rob’s Navy Seal Pull-Up Routine. I’m going to have some pretty big gun this year! With all we are doing with EFC, our new component, EFK (Energy Fit Kids) and our training, I must say, it’s been the best winter yet!
Gosh, I know I had some fun winters with my mom, dad, brother, Grandma and Grandpa at our cottage in Michigan, snowmobiling, ice skating and igloo building, but heck we still are having some fun with that this year at “Papa’s playland” right here in Ohio! And I remember a fun winter when we lived a year in the burbs of Chicago and enjoyed peaceful runs on the golf course and snow tubing with my family at Villa Olivia. But this year still tops that!
And I know I had a great “run” in Chicago, living downtown with Rob, working with Eli Lilly, building EFC and living life to the fullest, but I can’t say that any Chicago winter was awesome. I remember the “brutalness” of those winters more than anything. My vivid winter memories are of me riding my Schwinn mountain bike through the snowy streets of Chicago at 5:30a.m. and 5:00p.m. dodging crazy bus and cab drivers and making it to my spin classes alive but frozen. I remember the negative 30 degree wind chill factor days where upon arrival to the club, with frozen fingers and Rob’s number on speed dial, I would call him and barely mutter “So…cold…have…to…pick…me…up.”  And I remember running along the lake front with Rob, slipping on ice and returning home with our eyelids nearly frozen shut and glad to be warm once again. 
I can sit back and revel over the “awesome ride” of a life of fun and challenges so far and I can smile and say, life is great working with Rob by my side and being healthy to enjoy the great outdoors!
How are you doing this winter? Are you having your best winter yet? I’d love to hear from you!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 02/24/10 at 02:30 PM
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Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Well, after a couple rough weeks in the middle of January, things are back on track with training! The key has been - get the workout in first thing in the morning and have friends hold you accountable!
We are storming into February with focused workouts, a solid training plan, smart meals and snacks and an organized day. Weather, family, meetings...we are balancing it all and finding fun in every day!
Rob and I have been working out with our neighbor Greg and our athlete and coach, Darcy. This month, we continue to focus on building a strong aerobic foundation upon solid technique! Consistentcy is at the forefront! On top of sleeping 8 hours a day, eating high quality, nutritious foods, commiting to a workout every day, we are even more productive with EFC because of the energy we gain from sleep, good food and daily training! Keep your priorities in check and make sure you sleep, eat well and get in a little something most days of the week and you’ll feel so much better!
We have so many exciting announcements coming your way! Please stay tuned!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 02/09/10 at 09:49 AM
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Sunday, January 31, 2010
Well, my last entry indicated our 9 days off with absolutely no training. It was more than a disaster on our body! But, I must say, I don’t think it was that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.
It was so great to be home Friday, Jan 22nd! Right away we were back to making all our own high fiber, quality lean protein, various fruits and veggie meals! And quickly we return to basic aerobic, technique focused training. So, we are back on track with our training and our bodies are feeling much better!
We are building back on the bike, Rob’s back to running and I’ll be back to running this week. With the broken pelvis late fall, I didn’t want to just jump right back into running after 9 full days off. So, did we lose anything?? Well, I feel incredibly strong on the bike. My watts are higher, my HR is lower and my weight is steady - so I don’t think I lost a thing on the bike - but actually benefited from the altitude training and the rest after. I’m back at my Functional Strength work too and although I do need to get back in the pool; the good news is, I do not think the 9 days off set us back too far.
Attitude is everything, so when you miss your training, don’t let it tear you apart. Just focus on quality nutrition, good sleep and getting in the next quality workout!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 01/31/10 at 10:39 PM
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Saturday, January 23, 2010
With 2010 off to a great start, EFC Athletes kicking off their New Year’s training plan and Rob and I mapping out our season plan, short and sweet workouts were a focus of every day. Then, Friday, January 8th, off to CO we went for a family ski trip up in Beaver Creek, CO and then business meetings to follow in the Boulder, CO area. The family ski trip was awesome. We had the right mix of training, skiing, good nutrition and family time. But while in Colorado, things dramatically changed.
After a joyous time with family, we received a sombering phone call and learned Rob’s grandmother passed away. We were thankful we were all together already in Colorado, but sad we were not able to say good-bye. Back down in Lafayette, CO Rob’s mom sorted out family travel and memorial service plans. We shifted to a hotel in Louisville, CO and family came in from across the country. It was wonderful to be with everyone to celebrate Grandma’s amazing life. Unfortunately, our diet changed and workouts became non-existent. We pushed our business meetings back with the funeral and family activity to the following week. After numerous business meetings including time with Olympic Coaches Bob Seebohar and Bobby McGee and Olympian Alan Culpepper, we left Colorado on Thursday, Jan 21st and hoped to make my doctor’s appointment on Friday. But with the weather that roared across the Midwest, even driving 20+ hours straight through, we couldn’t make it. We arrived home late morning on Friday and the travel, poor diet and lack of exercise wreaked havoc on our bodies. Although we started back on our healthy, high-fiber diet Friday, we had little time for rest and no time for working out as we rushed to prepare for the Team Toledo Triathlon Expo on Saturday. On our feet all day from 8 to 5pm at the Expo and then to a family b-day party, we hit another day of no workouts.
So a full 9 days off of no working out! Yikes! How much have we lost? Are we still going to be okay? I’ll report back soon!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 01/23/10 at 02:26 PM
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Coach Rob and I recently started joining the Wissolik family annual ski trip! What a blast we had with Rob’s family in Colorado skiing at Beaver Creek! Although this is only my 2nd time skiing, I love it! Rob and his brother Mike were amazingly patient last year when we all went to Steamboat and spent several hours with me on the greens. By the end of the Steamboat trip I was really having fun on the blues!
This year, I continued to improve and really enjoyed watching Rob’s nieces and nephew do so as well! Last year was Amber, Aiden and Ashyln’s first time hitting the slopes. This year, they quickly progressed and little 4 yr old Aiden was cruising down the slope all by himself on the last day!
Skiing is awesome cross training! I road my bike on the stationary trainer every morning, skied for about 2 to 4 hours a day, ran easy for 30 min or so after skiing a couple times, hit the pool with the kids a couple times too and even snowshoed with Rob once. It was a blast! Can’t wait for next year!
Posted by Coach Kelly on 01/20/10 at 01:28 AM
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Thursday, December 17, 2009
I’m back! Thanks to several weeks off, the best husband in the world, quality, home cooked meals, MAP and sleep, I am back on the bike and running again!
After building back slowly on the bike, I burned off some weight I gained while not training and recently started running again. My first run was in Colorado, the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I ran easy for 10 minutes and it felt good, but I had a dual ache that night. So, I just biked on the trainer the rest of the week and then enjoyed a fun walk/run with friends, athletes and coaches in Arlington Heights, IL for the Santa Sleigh 5K Saturday, Dec 5th. It felt so wonderful to run! And great news - no pain!
We returned home to Ohio on Monday, December 7th and after being on the road for 16 days, we had to really buckle down and catch up on work, emails and bills! Feeling strong and no pain in my pelvis, I started back with functional strength training and Triathilates. Within the first week, I could really feel a difference and it was great to be coming back after so much time off! Unfortunately, the weather was very cold and windy so I chose not to run until the wind calmed down and the temperatures eased up. Good thing the cold and crazy wind didn’t last too long as I was itching too run! My first 15 minute run in the fresh, crisp air was awesome! I felt strong and smooth! It’s so great to be running again!
I am now back to running every day. The key is low volume, good form and consistency! I am only up to 20 minutes a day and plan on slowly building back up to 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week, then 35 minutes a day, 6 days a week, then 40 and so on. By coming back cautiously, slowly and with good form, I know that by Ironman CDA in June, I will be stronger than ever!
Now I just need to get in the pool!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes! Happy Holidays and can’t wait for the New Year!!!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 12/17/09 at 11:44 PM
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Monday, November 30, 2009
Well, it’s been a little over 5 weeks since another athlete collided with me on the bike course at Longhorn 70.3 and caused me to do a high-side flip, break my pelvis in 3 places and rip chunks of skin off my body.  Due to the significant pain I was in after the crash, I obviously rested and had to stop training.
The first week was difficult, but I was disciplined with my sleep, rest, lower caloric consumption and solid nutrition in hopes I would be back to training after a couple of weeks. Weeks 2 and 3 were really tough. I often found myself feeling sad, angry and frustrated. Thanks to great friends, athletes and family, I worked to relax and essentially enjoy some of the downtime. Rob and I actually went to two movies (we’ve only been to 3 since we’ve been together over the past 9 years! So now we have 5 under our belt). We saw more movies at home in 3 weeks than we’ve seen in the last year! It was really good to just chill out and let my body heal. I even let myself gain a few pounds. Actually 7 lbs- yikes! But, I knew that if I rested now, I would be back much more quickly and even stronger for allowing my body to recovery fully!
Rob and I are big believers in taking a full 2 weeks off at the end of the season. This produced tons of success for Rob in college and it’s really lead to big gains in my triathlon career as well. We intended on doing this 2 week brake after Clearwater anyway. So, we just ended up resting sooner. And, I actually had to take more time off, but that’s okay. I know it’s so hard for so many of us "Type A," driven, Endurance Athletes, but once you actually do it...take 2 full weeks off, totally recover and refresh, you’ll be a believer too! You will see huge performance gains in your next season!! So, I’m once again proving that rest makes you better! I’m already back to training!
Another huge help, along with diligent rest, is quality nutrition. Although I focused on good foods, as we always try to eat well, I unfortunately, forgot to take my MAP in the first 2 weeks after the crash! I’m so used to taking it before and after training sessions and with no training - I just forgot! I am sure many of you associate quality nutrition and even taking your MAP with training. But, I am changing this association and reaping the benefits now!
After my MRI results, I emailed Dr. Minkoff of Body Health and he recommended I not only get back to taking this amazing amino acid combination, but that I actually up the does to about 12 a day. MAP is the perfect amino acid designed for human health. MAP, previously called, Biobuilde is shown to be 99% bioavailable-meaning you absorb the needed amino acids! With this formulation, you receive all the benefits of quality protein such as speeding recovery, building muscle and keeping your bones strong. It’s not just for training! Well, I knew this as I started MAP years ago after a hip stress fracture and "knock on wood" - I’ve been good ever since!
The crash was a huge set back, but hey - it could have been much worse with many more broken bones after the impact I underwent!! Well, with MAP back on board over the last 3 weeks, my diligent rest, extra sleep and quality nutrition, I’m coming back already from 3 pelvic bone fractures! I went 1 week with no pain from walking and sleeping and started easing back on the Elliptical. Then, I slowly eased back on the trainer, riding for 1 hour, then 1.5 hours then up to 2 hours. Over the past 8 days I have now been averaging 2 to 3 hours every day on the trainer! I’m loving my new Ceepo bikes! I’m finally feeling so much better! I have gained my strength back and dropped the weight! I’m confident with this controlled and consistent training, 2010 is going to be outstanding!
Thanks again for your support, encouragement and excitement! Have a great Holiday Season and keep in touch on how your downtime is going!
-Coach Kel
Oh, and if you want more info on MAP click here!
Posted by Coach Kelly on 11/30/09 at 10:54 PM
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Friday, November 13, 2009
Well, its been a rough road since a cyclist took me out on the bike course at the Ironman Longhorn 70.3 triathlon on October 25th in Austin, TX. While in the ER in Austin after the life flight ride, I had a series of tests. After a CT scan of the brain and spine, X-rays of the shoulders, neck, back, elbows, hips and pelvis and an additional CT scan of the hips and pelvis, I was told nothing was broken and I just had a concussion, strained muscles and tendons and significant road rash. The ER team suggested taking pain meds and taking it easy for the next couple of days and then easing back into training.
Following the doctors orders, I have been taking it easy, I took the pain meds for a couple of days but unfortunately, I continued to experience significant but random pain in my hips, pelvis and groin area. I searched the Internet, spoke with several doctors and had multiple doctor appointments in my quest to understand what was really wrong. We continued to think it was severe muscle strain, perhaps a muscle rupture or a labrum tear, but the symptoms and the ER tests didn’t seem to support broken bones.
My impatience lead me to an extensive MRI of the hips and pelvis and a check in on the brain. It is with great sadness that I write, I do have a fractured pelvis. The MRI reports conclude a fracture of each Superior Pubic Ramus as well as the mid segment of the left Inferior Pubic Ramus! The brain MRI does offer some better news in most respects. It appears I have healed from the concussion and there is no evidence for intracranial hemorrhage or mass effect. Also, in comparison to extensive testing performed last year after the concussion at IM CDA, the main lesion has decreased in size and there is no active demyelination. The report does still see a few scattered lesions that suggest some mild multiple sclerosis.
After many tears of frustration, I am working to move on. I spoke to many of our athletes tonight and that has been absolutely wonderful. You all have been so supportive and caring. I am so blessed to know each and everyone one of you and it’s you that keeps me smiling and focusing on all the good that is to come! Athletes Cristie and Becky sent me a care package that contained another awesome quote… "Champions are made from something they have deep inside them-- a desire, a dream, a vision." - Muhammad Ali
Thank you ever so much for all you do and all you are! I’ll be back and I’ll be back in 2010 stronger than ever, ready to set more bike course records and win at Ironman!
Love,
Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 11/13/09 at 07:39 PM
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Well, the road to recovery is not going as planned. I am still in a lot of pain and very tired.
I spent the week after the bike crash sleeping 9 to 10 hours a day and napping as well. This is surely not typical for me.
Last week I started easing back into things and it certainly helped my energy level and productivity but I was experiencing a lot of pain in the hip and pelvis area. After several doctor visits and research, we were not sure if perhaps I really did suffer from stress fractures in the hips, torn cartilage around the pelvis or just really strained muscles. I put myself on bed rest for several days and still was not being relieved from peculiar pains. Sometimes I experience sharp shooting pain in the hip area and sometimes it’s an ache. The pain seems to change randomly to the inner thigh area, to the lower back/gluteal area to the hip flexor/femoral neck area. It seems like it is the illiopsoas muscle, the rectus femoris and the whole groin area that is torn, strained or ruptured.
Due to my inability to train and our quest for more information on my injuries, we had to pull out of the Ironman World Championships 70.3 that is this Saturday, November 14th. We are incredibly disappointed but still trying to keep our heads up and focusing on a brighter 2010. Thank you for all your support! We are looking forward to the Holidays and coming back stronger next season!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 11/10/09 at 10:50 AM
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Thursday, November 05, 2009
I’m very excited to get back on the bike again after my crash on Sunday, October 25th. Recovery is going much slower than I hoped. I am trying to be patient but it sure is tough with these beautiful carbon fiber dream machines calling my name! I’ll be back soon! Thank you for your support!
-Coach Kel
 
Posted by Coach Kelly on 11/05/09 at 02:53 PM
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