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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 to get back to Kona while balancing work, family and managing her allergies and neurological complications
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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Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Longhorn Ironman 70.3 - Austin, TX
Rob and I planned for a pretty intense and rather insane last two weeks of October. But within a split second, everything changed. I’m alive and walking after being taken to the hospital in a Life Flight helicopter and that is what really matters.
First, let me share how the story was supposed to go and then I’ll explain how it really unfolded. Our plan was to drive to Chicago Wednesday afternoon, unload the trailer full of equipment for our 12 new videos to be filmed at the Aqua downtown Chicago, skip over to Well-Fit, load the trailer back up with 10 athletes’ bikes, and make the trek to Austin, TX for the race. A quick stay in Austin, we’d race Longhorn Ironman 70.3 Sunday, quickly change, load the bikes back in the trailer after the awards ceremony and start a very long drive to Cincinnati, pick up my two new Custom Fit CEEPO bikes, drive to Chicago and film 12 new videos over Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Unloading at the Aqua went smoothly, the bike loading went well also, we even had time for our favorite Chicago Pizza and then drove a couple hours, arriving in Southern, IL at 2:30a.m. After a decent night’s sleep we awoke, went for a quick run, showered and were back on the road. It was a treacherous drive late Wednesday night and all day Thursday driving in the torrential rain and wind through Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and into Texas. Arriving around 2:30a.m. in northern TX, we slept a couple hours and finished the drive to Austin Friday morning with beautiful blue skies and warm temperatures. Things were looking up! 
The bikes arrived safely in the bright blue EFC logo trailer.  Once in Austin, we met up with several athletes, registered and picked up our race packets. We then checked out the Whole Foods for dinner after battling traffic all afternoon. We stayed downtown with our athlete Robert and had a great time catching up, laughing and checking out Austin. After a good night’s sleep, we awoke early Saturday, did our pre-race bike and run and dropped our bikes and gear off at T1 and T2. The weather was awesome, very windy, but beautiful. I felt great! I was a little worried about Rob and his lack of sleep and all the driving seemed to be affecting him, but we really were excited to race. After a fun afternoon with our good friend Cherri, homemade Pasta dinner and race gear, nutrition and hydration all in place, it seemed all systems were a go for a great race on Sunday!
After 4 different alarms blared, we awoke race morning. Rob brewed up some Starbucks and cooked up some oatmeal and we were off. Rob was the first in our group to go off and I was the last being in the second to last wave of the day. Rob and Robert battled through the long swim, windy and hilly bike and the tough run to finish strong yet concerned. Robert did awesome with a 3 minute improvement in his bike time and 5 minute improvement on the run, continuing to PR every race this year! Well-Fit athletes rocked out a great day with several podium age group finishes and big smiles on their faces! Rob’s lack of sleep and fatigue surely affected his performance and he struggled on the run. He was also very concerned as to why he didn’t see me out there. So, this is where the plan goes astray… 
The meticulous plan I laid all came crumbling down in an instant. After making sure Rob and Robert were good to go race morning, I relaxed watching the pros run up from the swim and off on their bikes. Finally it was my turn. I felt great in the water. My stroke felt smooth and my catch and hip snap felt powerful! The pull-ups and the Vasa seemed to be working! I stayed with the lead girls for a while, which is really good for me and as they slowly pulled a way, I continued to stay steady and swam through different waves as I passed guys with green and white caps on. Through the seaweed I swam and finally onto shore, I looked at my watch- 35:39- not bad- I’ll take it. As I started up the shoot, I hit a huge muddy patch that had worn away from the 2500 other athletes climbing through it, and down I went. I hit the mud and covered my hands and legs with mud. What a mess! After the struggle to get out of the mud puddle, I scrambled on to the wetsuit strippers, which was another interesting site. Bumped by a crazy male athlete going for the peeler, down I went again. Finally, the wetsuit was off and I was making my way up the slippery slope and into T2. Wow, that whole mess wasted nearly 4 minutes! 
Into T1, I put on my number belt, sunglasses, helmet, tried to wipe the mud from my feet, slipped on my shoes, packed the bag back up with the muddy debris and grabbed the bike. Once on the course, I was in control (at least I thought so) and I attacked the ride. Pedaling strong, staying aero, fighting through the wind, handling the tight turns and rough roads, I passed everyone in sight. The Zipp 404s were the perfect selection for this course and the cross winds. I came through mile 20 in 50 minutes and was psyched for the day that was unfolding. Speeding along, I felt the best I have this season. No stomach issues, no lactic acid in my legs, just picking off cyclist nonstop. In an instant, everything changed. I may have been in control of my actions, but I was not in control of others.
As I descended a little hill, I picked up speed and was cruising about 25 to 26 mph approaching a rider who was casually cruising in the middle of the road. As I had done all morning, I yelled out continuously..."ON YOUR LEFT, ON YOUR LEFT..." After about the 3rd roar and my bike now only about 3 bike lengths behind, the rider turned, looked at me, looked back and picked up his cadence but failed to pull over to the right. A car was several hundred feet down in the oncoming traffic lane, so I knew I needed to stay inside the yellow line. I cruised up quickly upon the rider who was about 2 feet inside the yellow centerline and I rode up right next to him. Either he freaked out or just had poor bike handling skills, because suddenly, while in aero, relaxed and driving through my pedal stroke, I saw his bike wheel and handle bars come right into mine. That’s all I remember.
We believe my wheel and aerobars then entangled with his and caused me to do a high side flip into oncoming traffic. My Louis Garneau aero helmet did its job and saved my life! We think my handle bars hit first as my left handle bar smashed in, the aerobars sheared apart and then I think my head slammed the road, followed by my upper back, shoulder, then left elbow and leg. Perhaps then I rolled and nicked up the other side of my body? I have no idea what happened for sure, but the next thing I remember, I was holding my bike by the handle bars, trying to mount it to ride but in a fog like tunnel vision, I saw the cracked bar with handle bar tape hanging loosely and I was totally confused. I looked up and saw the guy who hit me. He asked if I was okay, I think I said yeah and he said he was going to continue on and race. Then it all went black again.
I was told that I tried to mount the bike and ride, but fell to the road. I was also told the oncoming car swerved to avoid us and I was told the rider behind me was hurt very badly. The next thing I remember was lying strapped to a stretcher with a neck brace on. The first thing I did was wiggle my toes and fingers and Thank God I was not paralyzed. I then remember asking if my bike was okay and if my Rudy Project Sunglasses made it. I was told the bike was damaged but was picked up by race support and the sunglasses were okay. Then the medical crew began questioning me. They asked if I knew where I was and I could not remember. After straining to think, I did remember I was in Texas and I was with my husband Rob and my athlete Robert. I thought it was August 2008 and that is when they loaded me into the ambulance. They asked me my name, age and my address and I was able to rattle that off quickly. I even through in there that I have nieces Olivia and Lilly that I needed to get home to. After putting it all together, I said..."No it’s October 25, 2009 and I’m really sorry that George Bush is no longer president." I couldn’t remember Obama’s name at the time, but I think I entertained the medical team.  While in the ambulance, I gathered my thoughts and started discussing what was really happening. I was aware enough to think through the next plan. The EMT wanted to life flight me to the hospital because it would take them 25 minutes to drive me there but it would be a 6 minute plane ride. After discussing the incident, sharing my concerns on not wanting to rack up medical bills but learning I was unconscious for 20 minutes I too agreed it was not worth messing around. Next thing I remember, I was in the helicopter and I was talking to my medic about how my husband would like to be here flying this baby. Very sore but calm, I had a little conversation about how great my husband is and how he flies anything he can get his hands on. I think I provided some entrainment once again. 
My memory faded in and out for the next several hours. While in the ER, I was rolled to the side and experienced an awful bout of vertigo that was very scary to me after my 3 weeks of vertigo last year. Dr. Davis and the whole Austin hospital medical team were amazing. I quickly had a CT scan of the bran, X-rays of the shoulders, neck, back and hips. I was very thirsty and needed to use the restroom but was not cleared to stand or drink, so I patiently waited. Carol, the social worker came and I told her I did want them to find Rob, but wished for him to be notified after his race as I wanted him to finish and not worry about me. She worked diligently for the next several hours to try to contact EndorFun and the race director but was unsuccessful. While she made calls, the team continued to check on me and the CT scans and X-rays came back negative - so things were looking up. I was then wheeled to the restroom but attempted to stand and crashed back onto the bed. I grew very scared. Did I fracture my pelvis? Did I break my hips? Wheeled back to the ER room, Dr. Davis ordered a CT of my pelvis and hips. She offered pain meds but I denied them. I was worried and wanted to really feel what was going on.
Around 3p.m. Carol came back in and said she had called every number, emailed everyone listed on the race site and even sent friends down there to try to find the director and notify Rob, but still had no results. So we left a message on my cell phone that was in our car at the race. Soon after Rob called the hospital. He was so worried when he didn’t see me out on the course. He cheered Robert along and cheered on all the Well-Fit athletes but knew something was wrong if no one saw me out there. Once Rob found out what had happened, he called his family and told all the athletes, the prayer chain began. Everyone was amazing- all over the world, I had people praying for me!
While laying in the hospital bed, I learned the athlete behind me that crashed was life-flighted first as his collar bone snapped and popped out of his skin. He was in emergency surgery. I prayed for him and thanked God once again that I was okay.
After several hours, finally the results came back. Our prayers were answered the way we requested them. No broken bones and no fractures! God is good to me! We are SO BLESSED to be supported by such great family and friends.I was discharged that evening. Once back at the hotel, I suffered through a very painful shower, Rob patched me up with all the stuff he bought at the pharmacy and we enjoyed some yummy Pizza watching the Yankees win!
Thankful for being alive, for being able to at least stumble around and for all the prayers and support, I lay in bed Sunday night and thoughts bounced through my head. I was grateful; however, I was also devastated. I had ruined everything. No way would I be able to make the 25 hour drive from Austin, to Cincinnati to Chicago and film 12 new videos this week. Everyone worked so hard to make this work and in an instant, it was all put on hold. I spent all this time and money to make it to this race and hoped for top finish in my age group and instead I didn’t even cross the line. As I sobbed to sleep, I slowly switched my attitude and focused on moving ahead.
Rob emailed everyone Sunday night to let them know. And of course, everyone has been absolutely amazing and totally understanding. After staying with Robert and extra night, we made the trek back to Chicago over Monday and Tuesday. Mark and Mark from Well-Fit met us late Tuesday night and we unloaded the bikes. Rob pushed on and we made it home at 5a.m. Wednesday morning and we are now recovering. With planned rest and recovery, we will continue on and are re-planning the video shoots for November. I’m still very distraught about my bike and messing the plans up, but when I step back, I’m taking the time to learn from all of this. I will be more cautious on the bike. I will not pass so close to other riders. I will rest and not come back too quickly! Now that I think back, maybe I came back too quickly from my concussion at IM CDA 2008. Maybe that is what brought on the vertigo and added to the lesions that we found on the MRI’s last summer? I may never know for sure, but I will control the "controllables", take precautions and count my blessings!
Thank you all for your prayers and support! Much love and hugs!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 10/28/09 at 06:02 PM
Coach Kel's Training and Racing •
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Monday, September 14, 2009
Ironman Wisconsin is one of our favorite races. We love this area of the country, the rolling hills, the pristine farm fields and the challenging terrain. I went into this "A" priority race with Everything to lose and also with Nothing to lose. Let me explain further.
Ironman Wisconsin 2007 was a great day for me. I had an okay swim, strong bike, steady run and it all came together for me to finish in 11:01, capture 3rd in my age group and the final Ironman World Championship qualifying spot. In my head, my next attempt had to be even better. With only a little over 2 years of Ironman training under my belt and nearly breaking 11 hours on a tough Ironman course, I set lofty goals for a return to Ironman Wisconsin to crush 11 hours. On this note, going into Ironman Wisconsin 2009, I had Everything to lose.
With my aggressive goals, strong determination and continued swim, bike and run improvements, after Ironman Wisconsin 2007, I set my sights on a great performance at Ironman Coeur D’ Alene in June 08, perhaps wining the bike split and then a top age group finish at Kona 08. However, God had other plans.
After Wisconsin 07, my GI complications escalated to a whole new level. The start of 08 was a real struggle as the pain and bizarre symptoms really took a hold of me. The ER got to know me on a first name bases in 08 and our search for answers included numerous trips to doctors and enormous amounts of tests. I experienced my first DNF at Ironman Coeur D’ Alene being hauled off in an ambulance but not 100% sure what happened. Trucking on for answers and better performances that summer ignited new hope until August 08 lead to vertigo for 3 weeks, paralysis, muscle weakness, severe stomach pain and lesions on a brain scan. Unsure and stunned were most doctors, but one neurologist did diagnose me with MS on September 16, 2008. Thankfully, this was later reversed early in 09.
Rocked by the news of MS, we worked with a team of experts and felt I safely could complete the Ironman World Championships in Kona 08. With the support of my docs and Rob, I went to Hawaii but antiphylaxis at dinner the night before the race kept me on the bathroom floor all night long, missing race start and not being able to even get up until the Pro’s had finished. The physical pain was doable but the mental anguish was truly the most difficult.
Ironman isn’t my life, but fitness, being active and healthy and helping others balance work, family and training is my life. Having 2 huge disappointments of IM CDA and Kona hanging over my head has truly been the most challenging. However, I have been able to step back and look at the big picture. I pray to the Lord and ask for guidance and I look to the Lord to follow the right path. With my faith, the most amazing husband and my love for life, I know what matters most is family, friends and being healthy. Knowing I do not have an illness that may have put me in a wheel chair within a few years and knowing that I do have a seriously complicated protein allergy but I am still healthy enough to be a great wife, aunt, family member, coach and long distance triathlete, I am very grateful.
So on this note, going into Ironman Wisconsin this 2009, I had Nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Given the green light to start training on April 25, 2009 set us up for a later start to prepare for IM WI. We focused on the bike since that didn’t seem to bother my stomach and we built a huge aerobic base and muscular strength with numerous long rides. Swimming was virtually nonexistent logistically and time wise here in Ohio. With all of our travels and having our nieces several days a week, it was tough to fit in. It actually worked well in some respects as I was able to rest up my shoulder injury from a crash on a family ski trip in January. Instead, I built strength and form this summer on the VASA swim trainer and a Navy Seal Pull-Up routine I started with Rob. Running was light as well. We focused on 30 minute runs 4 times a week for the most part. We gradually built up to 5 and 6 days a week of 30 to 40 and up to 50 minutes a day by Mid-August. Then it was Taper Time. Running was the toughest on my stomach and therefore, a little neglected. We tried to run consistently, but our overall volume was low. Although our run training was less than we liked, after a strong summer of bike races and 1/2 Ironman Races, I was heading into Ironman Wisconsin with a lot of confidence.
I knew if I took it easy on the swim, road my long ride training pace on the bike, I would likely be one of the top females to start the run. I had a goal of breaking the bike course record for most of the summer but with my stomach calming down and my allergy seeming to be under control, I decided to back off a little on the bike and shoot for a 3:40 marathon instead. My "A" goal was 10:30 to 10:40, my "B" goal was sub 11 hours and my "C" goal (as we all need this in an Ironman) was just to finish.
The day started well with Rob’s fresh cooked oatmeal and Rob’s top notch Starbucks brew, a good bathroom break, bike, nutrition and hydration all good too! All our athletes and coaches were doing awesome as well! The wetsuit went on well and the weather was amazing! Barely any wind, smooth lake, clear sky, beautiful sun and warm temps...that’s my kind of race weather!
Rob and I started the swim together. I took it way too easy so finally he left me.  I felt smooth and relaxed in the water, sighting went well and I rolled in at 1:16. I remember thinking that maybe I didn’t push enough but enjoyed how relaxed I felt, wetsuit peelers did their job and I headed up the helix. Transition went smoothly and off to the bike I went. I mounted the bike at 1:27 into the race and started off very easy. My legs felt heavy and I just wanted to shake them out before I started picking up the pace. I sucked down water and let my stomach settle and gradually increased my speed. I never was passed by a cyclist but forged on passing people constantly continuing to feel better and better as I road. I arrived at the start of the Verona Loop at 2:02 into race start on my watch and was pleased with the pace. I started the second loop at 3:58 into the race. Quickly I did the math and calculated that I had just done the first loop in 1 hour 56 minutes - wow - that was a fast 42+ miles. I was excited. I felt great, nutrition was going well and I started thinking about setting the bike course record again, but then I thought about wanting a Kona slot more and wanted to save some for the run. I stayed aerobic and strong, hit the end of the first loop before turning back home at 6:02 hours into the race. On Whalen, I realized I had slowed a bit on the second loop doing it in 2 hours and 4 minutes but still on track for a great bike split. My goal now was to be up the helix by 6:42 for a 5:15 bike. I’m not sure what happened, I know I slowed a little on Whalen and lost some time on the bike path no passing zone but I dismounted, looked at my watch and it read 6:45 so I thought I had done a 5:18ish and was very pleased. Not until after the race did I see the race results posting a 5:22? So anyway, it was still the fastest amateur bike split and only 2 pro women beat me with a 5:13 and 5:16.
Into T2, the volunteers said I was one of the first females in. I sat and made sure my socks and shoes were on well and I was off. I looked at my watch heading out of Monona Terrace and it read 6:49 and soon after someone at the run out said I was top 5 female. With that and noting my watch read 6:50 I was very happy! I started off easy taking my Pepto and popping a piece of gum. Gradually I picked up the pace and I cruised down the hill after the capital and started feeling really good. As I rolled passed the mile 1 marker, I glanced at my watch as it was just turning to 6:57 - I remember thinking I just did a sub 7 minute first mile and I feel great! Someone was shouting "pretzels" and another "cola" as I came up to the aid station and gosh that sounded so good! I grabbed a huge handful of pretzels and a cup of cola and continued a strong pace. I remember thinking, wow, this is my day! I think I can pull off a 10:30! I started munching on the pretzels and sipping the cola. Still cruising down the street splashing cola out of the cup  suddenly I didn’t feel so good! My throat started getting itchy and my stomach started locking up. Within minutes, my throat was swelling, my belly swelled up like I was 4 months pregnant and my fast run came to a halt.
On no, I was having an allergic reaction- the pretzels had soy in them! I know better than to eat pretzels! I’ve only found 2 brands I can eat that don’t have soybean oil in them and we always carry them with us but I just spaced as it looked so good on the course. I stumbled to the next aid station asking for cola as the acid helps the swelling. I gulped some Benadryl and more Pepto. I was starting to panic a bit due to the restricted breathing but walked/jogged along hoping it would settle. Then the vomiting started. I thought this was good because if I could get the pretzels up, I would be better. But instead, the InfinIT was coming up and the cola, not the pretzels. This exacerbated the itchy throat and swelling. So at mile 4 I asked for medical but no one was around. I continued on sipping coke and popping Rolaids. At mile 6 I hit the ambulance, told them what was going on and they wanted to shoot me up with an Epi Pen and pull me out. I said, "No way. I have plenty of time to finish. I’m not going out like that again..." That’s when it hit me...this is exactly what happened to me at IM CDA last year. I had pretzels and got sick just like this but at the time, we didn’t know I was allergic to soy. It all made sense now. I knew that after a couple of hours I felt fine at CDA and I knew I could have finished if I had stayed calm. So that is what I did. It was humbling to watch the girls fly by me as I stumbled along. Tears loaded my eyes as I watched my Kona slot slip away. However, I shifted my focus to my athletes and how proud I was of all they had done this season and for their special day today. I thought back over the past year of all I have been through and I knew, today was a good learning experience and I will continue to overcome obstacles. I will master this allergy and I will get back to Kona!
Overtime, my throat got better and the bloated belly reduced, but running fast caused sharp stabbing pains in my stomach so I just stumbled along. I watched the time on my watch get later and later and continued to adjust my time goals. With less than two miles to go, I knew I could be at or just under 11:45 if I just jogged steady. I came down the finish shoot more than an hour slower than I hoped, 11:45, but I finished! I was quickly taken to medical but they sent me back to the hotel for my Epi Pen and more Benadryl. After "doping up" on Zyrtec and Benadryl, we showered and headed back to the finish line.
All our athletes and coaches did amazing!!! Coach Patrick rocked out an 11th age group finish and just missed a Kona slot. Coach Rob crushed the bike with a 5:13 and an Ironman PR of 10:40 but had a tough run. Coach Travis had an awesome day and Coach Steve coming off IM Lake Placid, finished strong and with a smile. Athletes Jerrod Chong, Buzz Winchester, Doug McCabe and Sarah Jones smashed time expectations in more than one way and really had outstanding performances. Athletes and friends Ross, JP, Deann, Bruno, Tara, Susan, John, Kara, Kristi and Temple all did great. Our new friend from Boulder qualified for Hawaii at her first Ironman! Way to go Temple Marks! Our friends at Endurance House and Well-Fit had amazing days as well! It truly was a wonderful weekend!
Ironman is more than a race. It’s a journey. I’m so thankful for all of our athletes, coaches and friends.
Congratulations on all you do and all you are!
Rob and I are looking forward to some downtime and then we’ll finish with the 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater this year! Happy Fall!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 09/14/09 at 02:53 PM
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Sunday, August 16, 2009
August 15, 2009 - the Epic Dairyland Dare. We’ve been on the road in Wisconsin since August 5th. We had an amazing time at our Ironman Wisconsin Training Camp last weekend and we’ve been training this week on the IM WI course and shooting our Coach Kelly Swim System Video at the Middleton Pool. All is good except for this insane rash I have all over my body! Since Sunday after our IM WI camp, my legs, neck, chest and arms have totally broken out into a very scary rash or hives. We’ve been trying various creams the docs have recommended and even covering my body with tooth paste as some others were swearing by it. If you can imagine that fresh, clean feeling your mouth has after a good brush...now imagine that over your entire body - I was about to jump out of my skin! So, we’ve lost sleep this week, but we are very confident with our biking and we knew we could handle 186 miles and well over 10,000 vertical feet of climbing!
Several of our athletes came back up to hit one last big ride before Ironman Wisconsin and Mukoska 70.3. I knew that if the athletes got through this ride, their race would feel easy! I am happy to report, everyone agreed after this big day!
The day started early with a drive from the beautiful HGI in Middleton, through the rolling hills of Mt. Horeb to Dodgeville, WI. Of course we were rushing around getting everyone’s bike ready and missed the start. But as soon as we could, we were off. It was a beautiful day, warm and little wind. The packs of cyclist at the beginning were awesome. Right off the bat, we were into the hills and they were relentless. This was truly the hardest ride we’ve ever done. I really felt great all day. I stayed on top of my nutrition and hydration and kept an aerobic pace not building lactic acid on the climbs. Unfortunately, Rob’s picture was much different. Always taking care of everyone else first, Rob neglected a couple things on his bike. His derailleur was not shifting right and although we were smart to put the 27 on the back, the easiest gear he could get to was the 23. On this course, that means trouble! I offered to switch my wheel with the 25 but he didn’t want to stop?? On top of that, his aerobar pad slipped off in his sweat and he road on the metal for over 130 miles! That will leave a mark!  And it did! He tore up his legs in the first 80+ miles. Being a "man" and not getting the derailleur adjusted at the stops…  but finally, he took the time at the the third stop and the bike guys adjusted it and that made things much better. Powering through the first 80 miles, he went through all of his InfinIT nutrition and had to settle for the Heed that was at the stops for the rest of the ride. All of this made for a longer day than hoped.
Besides the wrong group turn we all made early on, we stayed on course for the most part. We did come through the 124 ish mile mark in just over 8 hours. We still seemed on track but Rob was feeling the pain in his arm and his tired legs. With 20 miles to go, we arrived at the final aid station, which was also the finish area. I thought I was the first place female and then we saw a good friend roll in and she was getting ready to hit the last leg as well. I told Rob I really wanted to get going and push the last leg. Tired, hungry and wishing to be done, he rallied! His pain threshold is just amazing. He said to go and he’d catch up. Riding easy all day allowed me to really drop the hammer on the last section averaging over 20mph in those super steep hills. Rob was right, he hung on and gave me all he had and we crushed the last 20, finishing strong! 11 hours and 22 minutes overall ride time for 190 miles and 1 of 4 females to ever even complete the 300K Dairyland Dare! It was an amazing challenge!
Best of all, our athletes rocked this baby out! Buzz, Sarah, Deann and Bruno road steady and strong for a successful finish at the 200K. Jenny and Larry powered through the 100K and everyone walked away with confidence. Stewart Schilling, the race director, sure knows how to plan a killer ride! Can’t wait for next year!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 08/16/09 at 01:47 PM
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Saturday, August 01, 2009
Friday we drove up to St. Joe’s, MI and had a fun group dinner at Coach Steve’s 2nd home. Coach Steve has a beautiful place on the beach, actually right at the Steelhead 70.3 swim start. It’s only 1 mile to transition! His wife’s family resides in a small compound there and they are all active, fun and big into the triathlon. Steve and his family so graciously opened their home to us and the EFC athletes. Rob and I enjoyed our stay and we had a blast cooking a yummy Pasta pre-race meal. We finally got to meet our "Zipp Guy" as athlete Greg Kopecky came up from Indy racing for his Pro Card. Dave, Buzz, and Robert also joined us for home cooked pasta and we enjoyed our dinner outside watching the sunset and hearing the waves roll ashore.
Up early race morning, the wind was howling. Everyone arrived at Coach Steve’s to meet up with their bikes, load em’ up with nutrition and hydration, pump up the tires and then ride down to Transition. Robert, Buzz, Dave, Greg, Jenny, Rob and I were all good to go but Sarah was having trouble filling her front Zipp 404. Coach Rob and Coach Steve were quick to save the day as athlete Jenny happened to have her 650c training wheel there and we quickly switched it out for Sarah to use and soon she too was on her way! Sarah actually ended up benefiting greatly without the Deep Race Wheel as the heavy cross winds rocked us all on the bike.
After setting up transition, we had a beautiful walk down the beach to the swim start. The guys actually had time to hang out back and Coach Steve’s place as they waited for their waves. For me, the swim seemed long. I just didn’t have my timing. I was off on my catch and pull and hip snap. It made for a slow day in the water. I quickly regained my focus once on the bike and road strong. I felt smooth and powerful on the bike but questioned my 808s once again in the wind. My nutrition has yet to be perfect this season, but this time, things went a little better with no throwing up on the bike and getting nearly all of my nutrition in. I was actually able to ride even stronger as the wind shifted and we barreled into a powerful headwind for the last 16 miles into T2. The strong headwind took some snap out of my legs and I was disappointed with my 2:30 bike split but later I learned it was the fastest amateur female bike of the day. Once again I ran steady, but with no real speed. I haven’t been able to build up my running this year due to my stomach issues, but I am consistent posting about the same run time at the 1/2 marathon each race. I am looking forward to building my run up this fall and winter.
The real highlight for me was seeing my Mom, Lilly, Olivia, Amber and my Grandparents at the finish. My family came up from Ohio to see the race and spend the weekend with Coach Steve’s kids and play at the beach. Although Olivia didn’t understand why I didn’t win or why Uncle Rob finished after me due to the wave start, she still thought it was cool and said she couldn’t wait until she could do one of these!
Once again our athletes did awesome! All surpassing their time goals and proving their training, hard work and dedication is paying off! And Greg rocked out and all-star performance and earned his pro card! I can’t express enough enthusiasm for how proud we are of everyone! Our athletes are really rocking it out this season! Keep up the great work and keep having fun!
We sure are having fun! On Sunday after the race our nieces, Olivia, Lilly, Amber and Steve’s kids and niece, Stephanie, Hanna and Annie showed us a great time in the water! We road the waves in Lake Michigan, body surfing the powerful 3 to 5 foot swells, laughing, getting knocked around and having a blast! It was more tiring than the race!
-Coach Kel
Posted by Coach Kelly on 08/01/09 at 01:37 PM
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