|
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!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wishing you a Healthy and Happy New Year!
Make 2012 Great! 
Posted by Coach Kelly on 12/31/11 at 11:56 PM
EFC News and Announcements •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Saturday, December 24, 2011
We hope you are having a joyous Holiday Season!!!
Posted by Coach Kelly on 12/24/11 at 11:53 PM
EFC News and Announcements •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
From our Family to Yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas!!
"Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."
Luke 2:14
Posted by Coach Kelly on 12/20/11 at 10:50 PM
EFC News and Announcements •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Monday, December 05, 2011
With winter approaching, it is becoming the time to move the bike to the trainer and focus on swim and run mechanics. Energy Fitness Coaching is offering a Run Clinic December 17th from 10:00a.m. to 1:00 pm.
This is the PERFECT opportunity for you to receive quality, specific feedback on your run form and learn how to get faster and prevent injury! The run clinic will be led by Coach Kelly and Coach Rob. For more information on why you should attend and EFC run clinic, what to expect and how much you can learn, please click here:
http://www.efcpowerlog.com/index.php/site/comments/running_clinics_are_improving_performance/
If you are looking to improve your running, get faster and prevent injury, email Coach Kelly to reserve your timeslot for only $99 (regular cost is $160).
kelly@energyfitnesscoaching.com
Still not sure if this is for you??? Well, are you easily injured when you increase your running volume or intensity? Are you sore after most of your runs? Do you know your running cadence? Do you know if you are a heel striker? Mid-foot striker? Forefoot striker? What do you do with your arms when you run? Are you as fast as you would like to be? Get faster, more efficient and reduce your chance of injury by learning the proper biomechanics of running. Receive a personal video of your running form before the clinic and after along with a detailed follow-up report so you can continue to improve. Attend our – Run Clinic with Video Analysis and find out!
Improve running biomechanics and increase speed for only $99 for EFC Athletes and Team Toledo Members (Regular Cost $160)
Posted by Coach Kelly on 12/05/11 at 07:59 PM
EFC News and Announcements •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Well, I’m nearing the end of a 2 week rest. Some of it was very restful, some not so much. I think it took a week just to remember how to relax. I’m not sure I’m fully there yet. I am no longer sore in the morning (or any time really), which at 45 is nice. I knew I was addicted to exercise, but didn’t realize how much I really missed each part of my training; and not just the swim, bike, run, lift. I missed my friends too. I volunteered at a local 5K/10K and saw things from their perspective, always thank your volunteers. I also had the fact reenforced that it is a privilege to be able to do what I do. I’m looking forward to getting back to it next week. Good advice from Coach Kelly to focus on form and technique setting the foundation for a solid season.
-Athlete Ford
Posted by Athlete Ford on 10/30/11 at 11:59 AM
EFC Athletes •
Athlete Ford •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Every year we help our athletes set SMART Goals for each season. The truth is, with the right personalized plan and effective communication; athletes can have success at training, racing and life! Check out these EFC Athletes whom set their own personal Goals and Achieved them this 2011!! Way to go team!
Amanda Gergen’s Personal Goals this year…
Finish each race I compete
Obtain a fit body through training right and eating nutritiously
Cristie Nutter’s Personal Goals this year…
Qualify for the Boston Marathon
Qualify for the 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas
Glenn Selig’s Personal Goals this year…
Complete My first Ironman Race!!
Enjoy the training
Increase my fitness
Improve all three disciplines
Jason Palmer’s Personal Goals this year…
Place top in age group in each event I compete
Jenn Finn’s Personal Goals this year…
Finish a long course duathlon – ½ Iron Duathlon
Qualify for duathlon worlds
Get into top 10 in age group in National standings
Jenny Cotton’s Personal Goals this year…
Stay fit, have fun, stay injury free
Be competitive in age group at the Sprint and Olympic races this year
Qualify for Boston
Joe Bojarski’s Personal Goals this year…
Reach my potential in respect to my abilities and age
Finish my First Ironman
Train Hard/Smart and get better but not willing to sacrifice family/work
PR at repeat events- Churchill’s 1/2 marathon and Maumee Bay Tri
Kristi Sigler’s Personal Goals this year…
Maximize Training Time- Quality vs Quantity - have a purpose for the workout
Feel good at the end of the race and be motivated to continue
PR at Ironman Lake Placid
Kyle Sawyer’s Personal Goals this year…
Break 5 hours at the 70.3 Distance
Qualify for 70.3 World Championships
Larry Jones’s Personal Goals this year…
PR at Ironman Wisconsin and Run the entire marathon
Avoid Injuries
Race Ironman about 10lbs lighter than last year. Lose the weight in Base Phase and teach the body to burn more fat for fuel
Nancy Burton’s Personal Goals this year…
Cycling performance - ride faster and overcome fear of going downhill after prior crash
Running - improve running time and endurance
Zech Hites’s Personal Goals this year…
Win Age Group at Sylvania Triathlon
Buzz Winchester’s Personal Goals this year…
Race and early season Ironman Successfully
Andy Pruitt’s Personal Goals this year…
Stay fit and healthy as a busy surgeon and father of two
We Are So Proud of You! Thanks for all you do!
-Coach Kel and Coach Rob
Posted by Coach Kelly on 10/20/11 at 06:56 AM
EFC News and Announcements •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Saturday, October 15, 2011
So you think you don’t need a coach, right? Of course not, there are plenty of books, articles and friends. They all have good ideas and good intentions…..but where is the plan? Where is the connectivity? I’ll eat from plan A, swim from B, run and bike from C and sprinkle in some social rides and runs, that can’t possibly hurt, right? Having a coach will walk you through beginning to end, including all the wierd nagging questions in-between.
I have to be honest, I don’t sit still well. Most of you reading this don’t either. I was just enlightened on the importance of rest and listening to your body. Sometimes it takes a neutral 3rd party (your coach) talking to you and asking the right questions to determine that you NEED some rest. I’m about to start 2 weeks of rest for the first time since…….um….yeah. I’m not looking forward to this, but as I listen to my body (aches, soreness and stiffness), I’m excited about some of those going away. See everyone on the flip side.
-Athelte Ford
Posted by Athlete Ford on 10/15/11 at 07:44 PM
EFC Athletes •
Athlete Ford •
(1) Comments •
Permalink
The cultural diversity and unity throughout the weekend is just one memorable aspect I will always remember. The other is my race experience.
I knew it was going to be a challenging course and it was emphasized during the athlete briefing as well. The course had no flat spot on it, the weather, heat and wind would be grueling, and that this course was to determine the best of the best. For me, my goal was simply to finish and have fun. I can remember a few athletes commenting that the scenery was pretty dull. I disagreed, and frankly, comments like that seemed rather dull. Although it was held in the desert of Nevada, I found it breathtaking. I’m used to riding on rolling hills of lush trees and grass, but to see a completely different terrain where miles upon miles were freely visible captured my imagination of what it would be like to live there, to train there, and what history the area held. The hills were pretty tough, but they were manageable especially when I could plan each one miles before it came. It was much different than the jack-knife turns and steep hills at the Triple-T in Ohio where it was a mind game the whole time not knowing what was around the next corner. I can remember multiple times on this bike having the feeling much similar to my first ½ Ironman at Rev3 in Cedar Point where I was just happy to be racing and have made it to this point. It didn’t matter who passed me or what place I was in, I just wanted to enjoy the race.
The pros started at 6:40, but my age group didn’t start until 8A, so I had plenty of time to get ready. I decided to head over to the other side of the Lake and watch the pros exit. It felt a little odd because I was the only athlete over there spectating, but I had a prime spot as athletes like Andy Potts, Craig Alexander, Chris Lieto, Chris Legh, Matt Reed, and Luke Bell exited the water only a few feet from where I was standing.
It was a little lonely starting near the end of the wave starts since so many athletes were already on the bike. The water was a baking 81 degrees and unfortunately, our bike split started right around when the day started to get hot. I did a good job of getting everything ready for this race in transition, especially since I had plenty of alone time to plan out what went in each bag since it was a point-to-point race. I even learned a few tricks of tying my bag for ease of opening and affixing a tag to it to identify it from the crowd of other bags on the ground. It came in use as I ran through transition screaming my number out only to spot and grab my bag long before the volunteer had a chance to get near it. I found out how useful the tag on my bag was even when I wasn’t trying to place in my age group or break any personal record.
Like I mentioned, the scenery on the bike was breathtaking. I had no issues with cramping the entire race, and was taking sips from my aero bottle whenever the thought of hydration came to mind. I drank long before I felt I needed a drink because I was not sure what to expect. The last 15 miles on the bike felt like they took forever. My body was rather fatigued and I slowed down quite a bit. Overall, I had a great bike experience, even though my time was nothing to brag about.
The run course was one of the few things needing improvement. It is very spectator friendly since it encompasses three loops and is also great for pacing and split times, but it tended to get redundant. I knew that I would get a blister on my foot, but I had no idea how bad it would be. I’m sure this affected my run, but I tried not to let it bother me knowing that after this race, I would be done for a while. I blocked it out, but for the next week I was recovering and having to keep it bandaged. In fact, I walked through the airport with just a sock on that foot because it hurt so bad.
After the race, the first thing I had to do was use the restroom. I actually was over hydrated and think that I had a PR in the restroom. Even though I had plenty of fluids, I felt a lacking in energy, which is good to note for my next race in similar conditions. I immediately had to disassemble a few things on my bike for Tri-Bike Transport, get some shopping done before the Ironman store closed, and then ate a plate full of post-race food. The day went by very fast as I had to make sure I kept on a strict schedule to make it to the banquet and make it to the airport in time. I went back to the hotel and took an ice bath, a nice long shower, packed up all of my luggage, and headed over to the awards banquet. I had no idea how nice it would and almost considered skipping in to get some zzz’s. I’m so glad that I went. It reminded me of a movie. It was held around a pool with buffet tables of all you could eat, two free alcoholic beverages for each person, and an elaborate lighted stage for previewing each age group top 5. A few strong rain showers interrupted the dinner, but overall it was a cool and mellow evening for the event. Crowie promised that he would represent the 70.3 athletes as he competed in the Kona Ironman World Championships in October, and he followed through with his promise.
I took a red-eye flight home, slept about 3 hours total on the plane, drove home, unpacked some luggage, and went straight to work on Monday for a half day. I was welcomed with a big “Congratulations” sign in my office and knew that my lack of sleep was far worth the experience.
I have many goals having come out of this season, but the hard thing will be determining how and when they will all fit. Right now, I’ve been taking a hiatus from training and focusing strictly on my family and my job. I’ve had some personal time, but still feel just as busy as before. I miss the time I had this summer to work out and can definitely feel a difference in my mood and my energy. Since I won a contest where I can race at any HFP event next year for free, I hope to focus most of my time and energy in racing to those endeavors.
It’s been a successful, eventful, and an exciting year. I had many doubts and many positive success stories and am so glad that I was able to end my season with competing at Las Vegas for its inaugural event at that location. I hope to one day make it back and compete in my age group at a higher capacity rather than just to finish. Who knows what things will change on the course and in my life between now and that time, and I expect that reading back on this season’s blog will provide inspiration and hope to that endeavor. It is my hope that you have enjoyed reading my blogs and please keep posted as more are to come. I would like to be open about my off-season experiences and where my next season takes me. I would also like to be open about some of my life-long athletic goals too. Best of luck to all of you as you finish out your season and begin your hibernation for the winter months, if that’s in fact what you do. For some of you, the season may just be starting if you compete in winter biathlons. Maybe some of you are looking forward to racing yourself again on the Computrainer, or hanging out with Coach Troy. For me, I’m rather anxious to see how my schedule will pan out as I adjust to my new job. This will ultimately determine how much time I can commit to triathlons and what expectations I can set for next season.
-Athlete Kyle
Posted by Athlete Kyle on 10/15/11 at 12:17 PM
EFC Athletes •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Friday, October 14, 2011
Wow! What an exhilarating experience! I will never forget my first race in Las Vegas for the 70.3 World Championships. It took a lot of hard work, determination, and teamwork to get me there. Although triathlon is a solo sport, I have a team made up of my family, friends, and coaches. Without their support and encouragement, Las Vegas would never have been possible. However, one of the major components which determines success and which draws me to this sport, is the discipline required to keep a schedule, push myself beyond my body’s limit, and have a sense of personal accomplishment. When I’m out on the course, I can only depend on myself and the strength which God provides to push through the pain and difficult moments. It these moments which help define me and for which I strive in athletics. These are very comparable to moments in life when difficult times come and which define our character by how we respond.
Even though it was the World Championships, my attitude and approach to this race were far different than my other races earlier this year. I believe that this non-competitive approach is what made my experience so memorable and enjoyable. I came into the race with only having had three days of training in the past two weeks. Calling it a taper would be an understatement. I know that my body needed more maintenance and a need to stay fresh, but having landed a new full time job made my workout routine change significantly. I was waking up at 5A in the morning just to get to work rather than to workout. I thought that I would get my workouts in after work, but my job required more of me than I anticipated so I had to skip workouts. I was just happy to have already made significant personal accomplishments earlier in my season and being able to complete my goal of qualifying for Vegas. Unfortunately, I had to go alone to Vegas and had little time to enjoy anything else but the race. However, what I was given, I was thankful for and soaked up as much of it as I could. I only knew one person going to Vegas, and that would be EFC Athlete Cristie Marko-Nutter, who I was able to support in her qualifying race at Steelhead 70.3.
Not traveling with or having plans with others was actually kind of nice this time. I didn’t have to worry as much about communicating my schedule to someone else and could do what I wanted when I wanted. Although, I missed the support of my brother but I knew he was supporting me from home. It just wasn’t feasible for him to make it out to Vegas for the weekend. It allowed me the opportunity to meet many different people from all around the world. On Friday, I met a few people while I was trying to bum a ride from the expo to the hotel. James from Singapore was nice enough to give me a ride and we then connected for a run that evening with Ito from Japan. It was then that I realized how out of shape I was for this race as I tried to keep up pace with him. I could feel the pressure in my chest and knew that the race wasn’t until Sunday, so there was no need to race today. After the 30 minite run, we went to the Athlete Briefing and dinner where I drank four full glasses of water. This also was an eye opener at how much hydration the dry weather sucked out of me. I had no idea how thirsty I was or how much fluid I had lost during such a short run. I noted this for my nutrition strategy on race day.
On Saturday I met a group of people from Japan. We connected for a pre-race dinner and also connected after the race for the Awards Banquet. At the banquet I met a gentleman from Switzerland. The diversity on stage of the people who received awards was neat and the sports camaraderie was apparent regardless of cultural backgrounds. Thousands of accomplished athletes from all around the world together for one reason is very powerful and motivating. It was easy to approach others and start conversations simply because of a common interest. I was also able to connect with others from England and Australia, just to mention a few.
The cultural diversity and unity throughout the weekend was just one memorable aspect I will always remember about my first 70.3 World Championships! Read the above post to find out more.
-Athlete Kyle
Posted by Athlete Kyle on 10/14/11 at 12:20 PM
EFC Athletes •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Friday, September 23, 2011
Hello! My name is Ford Crane. I’m 45 years old and posting faster times with fewer injuries/problems than when I first started this stuff at age 40. Don’t get me wrong, my friends are getting faster as we all train smarter, just not the same magnitude I’ve seen. FYI I am not some High School or College Cross Country or Track star. I’m just some guy who wanted to run longer and faster. I’ll keep this brief so you get the bottom line. I’ve been to 2 run clinics with Energy Fitness Coaching. They video taped my run, gave me feedback on form and drills to improve.
My 1/2 Marathon time has gone from 1:54 (2007) down to 1:31 (2011). It dropped 10 minutes after the 1st coaching session and then another 10 after a follow up session a year later. My Olympic Distance Triathlon run pace has gone from 8:32 (2007) to 7:01 (2011).
Give Coach Kel and Coach Rob’s Run Clinics a try. For about the price of a pair of running shoes, you could see some of the same results.
Posted by Athlete Ford on 09/23/11 at 06:55 AM
EFC Athletes •
Athlete Ford •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Thursday, September 15, 2011
On Friday, September 9th, Mike and I headed to Las Vegas so that I could compete at the Marines Ironman World Championship 70.3. I was so excited about qualifying for this event! 1700 athletes from 52 countries qualified to participate at the first Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Las Vegas. And I was one of them!!!
I checked into the athlete registration right away on Friday and brought my bike into the Ironman Bike Store to be reassembled. Athlete registration was about 12 miles away from our hotel, which made it inconvenient to travel to. Taxi costs were $45 each way, so Mike and I decided it would be best to just rent a car. We explored the Ironman Store and I bought just about everything inside! One of the shirts has the IM logo on the back and written inside the letters are the names of each and every athlete participating in this year’s event. So cool!!!
On Saturday, I checked my bike into the transition area, set it up and made sure it was ready for the tough 56 mile ride the following day. I had to add the picture above – All these guys waited at the entry to Transition (under the shade of their umbrellas) and took notes on every bike that passed by. I felt like I was in a bike parade. I guess they wanted to know what components each rider preferred. I thought it was great that someone actually wanted to know what I was riding!!!
I am all smiles through the entire day. I’m just so excited to be here! I am one of 573 female athletes participating today – the remaining 1128 are men.
Mike got some great shots of me heading into the water. I really wasn’t nervous up to this point. Sure, I was intimidated by some of the muscles on these women. Some were in INCREDIBLE shape! I had been nursing a sprained ankle for 3 weeks and felt a little unprepared for what was ahead of me. But my goal was not to rush out and try to achieve a PR, but to enjoy the day, finish the race and NOT come in last in my age group.
While in the water waiting for the cannon to boom, the announcer took some time to enlighten us with some facts about some of our fellow competitors. Can you believe one of these women is also a super model from New York? Are you kidding me? Beautiful AND a World Champion athlete? We were all trying to figure out who it was…
I struggled a little bit in the water. After just a few minutes of swimming, I had a panic attack. It was not mental, because I was definitely prepared for this swim. It came from the pit of my stomach and I couldn’t move. I just stopped for a couple of minutes and tried to recompose myself. It didn’t help that the athlete behind me was clinging to a buoy and gasping for air. I made sure she was OK and then I continued on with my swim. Now that my entire age group had already swum ahead, I had a clear path to swim without being clobbered by anyone. The only problem was that I didn’t have any feet to hang onto or guide me in a straight line. I tend to swim sideways and get way off course. Today was no exception. I was finally out of the water in 43:02.
I was glad to be out of the water and back on dry land. I always consider the bike to be the beginning of my race – that’s where I catch up to all the awesome swimmers. There was a long run from the Lake into T1, where I was greeted by a pair of volunteers who helped me get ready for the bike. I peeled off my Aqua Sphere Suit, threw on my Aquaphor top, helmet and sunglasses. One of the volunteers thoroughly sprayed me down with my 100 SPF sunscreen before I ran out of the tent. I grabbed my bike and ran up the steep hill to the street. This run was excruciating for me. The mat was uneven from the sand beneath it and it was challenging for my ankle to support me on this terrain. Once I was on the bike, I was feeling great and ready to go!
The views on the bike ride through Lake Mead National Park were incredible! I was enjoying my ride out and commenting to fellow riders on the scenery. This was amazing! I was trying to conserve some energy in my legs and not hammer up the hills.
The downhill rides were thrilling and a little scary! I was reaching speeds up to 40 mph on the downhills, then pedaling hard to try and get back up the other side. I was feeling pretty good up until mile 35. I knew I needed to continually hydrate with air temperatures around 95 degrees. I switched my nutrition to mostly water, with one GU packet. I doused myself with water every 20 minutes and continued to hydrate. By mile 45, my legs were exhausted and I felt like I couldn’t get enough water. Thank goodness there was only 11 miles to go. We passed Lake Las Vegas, while heading into Henderson for T2. I rode as quickly as I could to finish up the bike course, but ended up with my worst bike time ever (3:08:48, average speed 17.8mph). That was a challenging course!
I was glad to hand my bike off to the volunteers at T2. I was surprised to see other athletes handing off their bikes and telling the volunteers they were done. Not me! I’m finishing this course! I have too many “finisher” shirts that I won’t be able to wear if I don’t conquer this course!
I quickly laced up my running shoes, tossed on a hat and took off on the run. The run course had one long uphill climb and two shorter climbs. The course was a loop that was repeated 3 times, so once you got through the first loop, you knew what you had to conquer on the next 2 loops. I made sure to grab a Gatorade and water at each AID station then toss ice down my top and inside my hat. My hydration was better, but my legs were spent from the bike (and probably from the lack of running over the past 3 weeks). I walked on the uphill and ran the down hills. There were so many amazing athletes on this course, running strong! I talked to a few people along the way and it made the time go by quickly. Although I was not running fast, the run course went by pretty quickly. Around mile 8, at a turn around, I rolled my ankle again on a crack in the road. UGH! I was just about to approach a nice downhill stretch and I planned to run that as quickly as I could. After wincing for a minute or two and hobbling on one leg, I told myself to suck it up and just go! Down the hill I went and off to my third lap. The last three miles went by fast, and I couldn’t wait to make it to the finish line! The last downhill stretch went straight into the finish line. I felt like I was sprinting that last mile! It felt great to finish the course and celebrate my first World Championship race!
I truly hope I am able to get to Vegas again… only next time I’m planning to race hard, with no injuries! This was just my practice run… watch out for me next time World!!!
Run time 2:12:56. Total time 6:13:35. 77th / 95 in my AG (So, 77th in the WORLD!!!)
… and (most importantly), not the last one in my age group!
Posted by Athlete Cristie on 09/15/11 at 10:08 AM
EFC Athletes •
Athlete Cristie •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Jason and I headed up north last weekend, so that we could both do our first half Ironman--him the triathlon, and me the duathlon (the first run was 4 miles, approximating the time it would take most people to swim 1.2). It was an experience with highs and lows, but I am happy to have finished my first time at the distance, and coming into my last duathlon of the season, I am sad to see the season go!
Now about the race: The first problem was that the course was long (like I needed that!). The first run was more like 4.5 miles, so they clocked me at an 8:10 pace which was clearly not happening (according to my watch I was in the 7:40 range, which I thought was comfortable for the first run). But at that point I didn’t much mind. There were four girls signed up and one girl in front of me on the first run. I was hardly concerned about her though, since she started walking before we got to T1. Plus, you can kind of tell a good cyclist and she wasn’t playing the part. So I figured as long as I didn’t drop out I was going to have a good day.
I got on my beautiful new bike and rode the crap out of that course.
It is quite clear that cycling is my strength. I averaged 20.5 on a 56 mile course, which I think is pretty respectable. I was the 3rd fastest female out of duathlon or triathlon that day so I am happy with that. The course was perfect for it too. And I wasn’t even working that hard to go that fast! I got to see Jason a few times since it was a weird sort of loop course, and he looked like he was doing fine. Anyway, I was blazing past a lot of men with fancy disc wheels etc. That turned out to be a problem for their ego, and eventually I had one guy ride up next to me and say "Did you know you’ve had this guy drafting off you for the last 15 miles?" I didn’t know anyone was behind me, well, cuz I was racing forward. But that’s against the rules, as you know (3 bike lengths, please), and it takes a lot of energy to pull someone. So I waited to see if he was going to keep doing it, and after a mile or two, I stood up on the bike as if I was climbing a hill and peed on the guy. Whatever, I can clean my bike up, get off my butt! Plus, it would save me time in T2 anyway:D I know it’s kinda gross, but you gotta play the game right. He backed off.
I came into T2 and took my time to get a visor on and try to get comfortable, because by this time it had gotten into the high 70’s and I knew it was going to be hard anyway. For the first 6 miles or so I was doing ok (probably like an 8:30-8:45 pace), and I saw Jason a few times on the course, since it was a loop. He seemed to be going about the same pace. Then, I ran into a BIG FAT BRICK WALL. I think I had played my nutrition right (though upon second thought, maybe not. I only had approx. 700 calories of gels and drinks all day), but the duathlon just beats the crap out of your legs. So I finished the second run (what ended up being 14 miles) in 2:18. I haven’t run that slow since I was like 6. It was humbling, but there was nothing I could do. And I didn’t walk, just for pride’s sake. But boy was it hard. And it was hard on almost everyone else out there, too. I finished 40 minutes in front of the next female, and upon looking at other half ironman duathlons across the country (this one, apparently, is the longest one in the US), there were some with NO female entrants and others who just couldn’t finish it. But no one, except for last year’s winner of this race, did it anywhere close to my time. Jason also had a really good day, and placed first in his age group in his first half ironman (I am sure you will read about it on his blog post!).
So what was bad about that, you ask? Well, I’ve been trying to crack the code on the second run all season long (starting with Duathlon Nationals, where my second run was about 3 minutes slower than my first). And I just don’t quite have the "juice" yet. I ran the Crim (10-miler) a few weeks ago and was not at all embarrassing (1:13 with a previous PR of 1:19), but the second run of a duathlon has eluded me this year. I don’t want to just finish these things and win them because there’s no one else out there. I want to to win because I DOMINATED EVERYBODY. That may seem like a tall order, but I know it’s not beyond my capabilities. I have been surviving on a fast bike split (which allows me enough time to bonk on the second run) in a lot of these races, but I want to have a "complete" day at a duathlon. I’ve got one more chance coming up in two weeks at Powerman Muncie. The course is tough and the competition will be tougher, but Kelly has put together a schedule that will hopefully have me ready. I will keep you all waiting in anticipation until then!
Posted by Athlete Jenn on 09/14/11 at 10:26 AM
EFC Athletes •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
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
Coach Kel's Training and Racing •
(0) Comments •
Permalink
Monday, August 15, 2011
Yesterday (8/14) I raced at Sylvania (like many of you!), doing the Olympic distance duathlon. I was not sure what to expect from this race, but admittedly, expectations were probably higher than they should have been, since I won the race last year and expected to be better this year. But I had been on a huge training week (per my own request, and contrary to Kelly’s wishes!), because I want to feel confident for my A race this season at the Tawas Half Ironman Duathlon on September 10th. I had also been away from my bike for 6 weeks in Greece recently and had only been back on it for two weeks since I got back. Even so, I wanted a lot out of it, even though we talked about the fact that I shouldn’t expect too much because of these factors.
With Kelly also signed up for the race, I figured it was going to be another epic battle (much like Flag City had been about two months ago). So off we went, and another girl was immediately ahead of me in the 5k. I didn’t worry about it too much since I thought I would be strong on the bike and catch her. Kelly came up behind me and encouraged me to go faster and catch her. Then she got in front of me too. I knew that was a problem because she is a beast on the bike and has been doing a lot of run training. So, immediately (and I know this is horrible), I got complacent on trying to hold onto third place female. It’s not that I wasn’t trying, I just envisioned myself hanging on to that spot and not losing it. When we came into transition, I had PRed in the 5k by about 10 seconds. Kelly and I had discussed that we wanted me to have a more "complete race" and not hold back in the first run. I was happy with this time but worried that I had spent too much energy already.
When I got into T1 I saw Kelly taking off. But I had a bad T1 (I had put my sunglasses on the top of my head and forgotten about it--a helmet isn’t going to go on easily that way!). But I got out of there and started to try to catch up. I didn’t want to waste too much energy but just do the best I could, especially with the wind and rain we had. When I came into T2 I had ridden the 40k course at an average of 21.3mph (not too bad, really, seeing that I did 20 mph last year, 5 minutes slower). There weren’t too many people out there really, and I was battling with only one other guy through most of the bike. But for the most part, there wasn’t anyone around. When I came out of T2, the other two girls (Kelly included) were loooong gone.
So I started the run. In the first mile I felt bad, but I thought I could do some work on catching up. And really, I didn’t feel too bad through the whole run. But there was no one around me (again), and I probably got a little too comfortable not pushing it and just holding on to my third place. I am not sure if I could have gone any faster, but I wasn’t holding out much either. So I don’t know. I finished the race in 2:21:20, 6 minutes faster than last year. But my 10k time was 48:17, almost an exact replica of my time last year. And I was third female, but not even close to first (my awesome coach!).
All of these things sound good: a 5k PR, an improvement on the bike and overall time, and off a big training week. And I do feel grateful that I can compete and complete these races, seeing that I had foot surgery 4 years ago and it was unclear whether or not I was going to be able to run ever again. But I had a horrible hangover from the race almost immediately after it was over. I really got dominated by the first and second place females, and I expected more out of my 10k given all the hard running work I had done in Greece. Worse, my (totally awesome, awesome, awesome) boyfriend had a GREAT triathlon race, PRing in the 10k by almost 2 minutes and qualifying for age group nationals in his first Olympic race. This is the time when I start sounding like a 5 year old: "Why is everyone getting faster but me"? I also started to have creeping doubts about my performance at Tawas. Is my half marathon going to be embarrassingly slow? Logically, none of this makes sense. But as a competitor who works really hard week after week, I (irrationally) want to see results EVERY time. I know it can’t work like that, but it is hard to put your pride away sometimes. I am very hard on myself and expect a lot (in all aspects of life), so I am having trouble shaking it even though it sounds silly.
Today, the day after the race, I purchased a new bicycle. It sounds like a drastic action following a "poor" performance (it is like a tattoo, which my dad always calls "a permanent reminder of a temporary feeling"), but I have thought about buying this bike for a long time.
It is a Trek Speed Concept 7, a major upgrade from my aluminum Trek Equinox 7. I am really hoping that it makes me faster (if you ask me, I made that aluminum bike look a lot better than it should!), but I don’t know if it truly will. I hope to race it at my Half Ironman Duathlon in September, so we will see then. In general, I want to be a more competitive duathlete, and I hope this will help. However, I don’t have the money for it, and I am hoping that someone will agree to buy my old bike for half its original price to help ease the financial blow a bit. Otherwise, I am going to be a very poor and not very well fed athlete this fall!
So, today and yesterday were actually a bit stressful for me. I am hoping that all of it pays off this coming year, but only time will tell. Not all events in an athlete’s life are rainbows and sunshine, and this is one example. But it is something I will try to learn from and hopefully be a better athlete because of it!
-Athlete Jenn
Posted by Athlete Jenn on 08/15/11 at 05:49 PM
EFC Athletes •
(2) Comments •
Permalink
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Well, this is the race I’ve been training for all summer. Steelhead was my “A” race with the goal of finishing the course Sub 5 hours and claiming a highly coveted slot for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas. If the sun, moon and all the other planets line up for me, I should be walking away from this race a very happy girl.
I’ve done quite a bit of work up to this point. I’ve been pleased with my long ride times. I’ve over-trained on the run a little bit (in preparation for an upcoming marathon), which should really help me get through the final miles of the half marathon at the end of a long race day. The only discipline where I’m still lacking speed is my swim. But I was hoping my wetsuit would help me improve my swim time.
So I packed up my little Ford Fusion and headed to St. Joseph, Michigan, where I was staying at a friend’s house for the race. Registration went smoothly and I was ready to go. Everyone had a watchful eye on the weather report, as they were expecting some big storms to pass through Southern Michigan on Saturday night, bringing 4-8 foot waves and rip tides in Lake Michigan. Word was that the swim would be cancelled (bonus for me!)
A couple of Professional Triathletes were also staying in the same beach house, so I was carefully studying some of their pre race habits and nutrition. Who knew that Spaghetti sauce, canned tuna and pasta was the meal of champions? I’ll have to try that next time! I did take some advice from Chris Legh and drank one glass of wine with dinner. I actually slept on Saturday night (I NEVER sleep the night before a race).
Sunday morning brought about the wind, waves and rip tides and a cancelled swim. The race was started as a time trial bike, starting by race bib number (lowest to highest). Not exactly ideal for me, because it’s difficult to see how well the other athletes in my age group are doing and, more importantly, how I measure up against them. After a short wait, off we go on the bike!
I was feeling GREAT!!! I was pedaling into the wind at 22mph and soaring down hills at over 35 mph. My race number was 528, and I had already passed everyone with the 35-39 age group marked on their right calf. So I started cruising by athletes with bib numbers in the 400s, 300s, 200s and even some in the 100’s. What an exhilarating feeling! My nutrition was spot on. I was sipping my Infinit, which tasted a little salty today. I grabbed half a banana at mile 20. And I sipped at my water whenever I was thirsty. I was expecting a nice tail wind at mile 42, so I just kept pushing forward to that mile marker. Unfortunately, once I got to that point, it seemed that the trees were blocking the winds and I didn’t benefit as much as I thought I would. I would have to push a little bit on these final few miles. I was hoping to make it back to transition in 2:35. But my hips and pelvis were getting a little sore on the final few miles and I came in with a 2:37 on the bike. I was really looking forward to getting off the bike and starting the run!
I ran my bike through the narrow transition area, popped on my shoes, socks and hat, and off I went! I was surprised by how quickly I got my legs under me. My first mile was a sub 8 minute pace. There was a nice hill at mile 1, which I allowed myself to quickly walk up. Miles 2-4 were quick and easy. I was cruising through the aid stations, grabbing water and Gatorade at each station. Another hill between miles 4-5, which I negotiated with myself to run ½ way up then walk. I wanted to run as much as I could on this course. I have steep goals for this race and I’m going for it! I rewarded myself with short little walk breaks through every other aid station (no more than 10-15 seconds each), then I had to pick up the pace. My goal was 1:45 for the half marathon and I was still on pace. The hills set me back a little bit, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from achieving my goals. I just kept pushing forward. The weather was perfect (low 70s, overcast, breezy). Final 2 miles! Let’s go Cristie! Push it! I could hear Coach Kelly pushing me in my mind. Suffer for a little bit longer! Whenever I get to the final two miles of a race, I like to think of the 2 mile loop I frequently run around my house. It’s such an easy little run, why couldn’t I run this as fast as possible? I can!!! My finish time was 4:28 (run time ended up being 1:48). I was pretty pleased with my performance today.
I waited after the race for the World Championship roll down slots. I was able to get the third and final slot! Wow! What a great day!!! Now I’m looking forward to Vegas, baby!
-Athlete Cristie
.jpg)
.jpg)
Posted by Athlete Cristie on 08/14/11 at 05:29 PM
EFC Athletes •
Athlete Cristie •
(1) Comments •
Permalink
Page 1 of 15 pages 1 2 3 > Last »
|
