Looking happy coming out of T2 in 2009. This year, my smile will be bigger!
Lucky 2013
Right before an Ironman, or any big race, comes what is called a "taper". This rest and preparation period is designed to allow your body to absorb the months of work it has done and rest for the big event. It's also a time to prepare mentally for the...
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Traveling and Ironman Training–An Adventure in Itself
I really didn’t think I would be going to the Ironman World Championships in Kona this October. And my summer schedule showed it. Pre-planned, extended trips to Europe, San Francisco and Boulder all took place within the meat of my training schedule. And a not-to-be missed trip to Santa Fe is coming up. Instead of stressing out about how to do all of my training and therefore become a terrible person...
Read MoreGetting a Second Chance to Compete at the Ironman World Championship
In 2009 I qualified to compete at the Ironman World Championship when I was the first Hawaii finisher in my age group at Honu. But on race day at Kona, a pre-race injury caused me to DNF with only a half a mile to go when time ran out at midnight. Since 2009, I have been on a mission to return to Kona, competing in a number of Ironman qualifying races...
Read MoreA Blow Out Bar in Honolulu?
I have two physical features that seem to make me stand out--big calves and big hair. My calves have always been big, but add in the training I do and they're bigger than ever. But let's talk about my hair. I have naturally very curly (aka frizzy) hair. I have no idea where this came from--perhaps my Mexican indian or Scottish heritage? My hair does not signal "business...
Read MoreA Swimming Breakthrough in Time for the Ironman World Championship?
I have never had a problem finding my bike in T1. And I have never had to maneuver among a mob of bikes leaving T1 as I start out on the bike leg of a triathlon. That's because even though I've been doing triathlons for nearly 10 years, I continue to be an exceptionally slow swimmer. In some ways, being a slow swimmer has made me a better racer in the...
Read MoreTenth Time’s a Charm!
When I made it to Ironman Kona in 2009, it was when they awarded a slot to the first Hawaii finisher in each age group category and I won my category that year. (Now, slots are awarded by lottery.) Ever since that personally eventful race, I've been doing pretty much everything I could to get back. At midnight in 2009, I could hear the cheering and announcements and see the...
Read More2013 Ironman Hawaii 70.3. It’s never the same race.
Feeling fit, well-trained and confident, I entered the Ironman Hawaii 70.3 event with expectations of achieving a PR at my 8th running of this event. My best time was in 2011 with a total race time of 6:20:45. This year, my time was 6:55.58--more than 35 minutes off of my best time. Here's how it went for me. The Swim. I had been humbled by last weekend's Outrigger Swim, but also...
Read MoreSwimming in Place
I've completed 6 ironman swims and 8 half ironman swims well within their cut-off times since I started participating in triathlons almost 10 years ago. But when I enter a swim race, I prepare myself for frustration and even embarrassment as I exit the water behind almost everyone. Wouldn't most people think that an "ironman" would be a decent swimmer? But I am consistently back-of-the-pack out of the water. My performance...
Read MoreMerry-go-Round or Roller Coaster?
I have always told myself to take chances and never look back or have regrets. I haven't consistently done this because other people are often involved, but it is my overall perspective. My life so far has been a little haphazard because of this strategy, but I wouldn't have it any other way. This strategy was reinforced early in my career when an older client asked me over cocktails if...
Read MoreSmile for Life’s Camera.
I am often struck by how upset people get about other people, everyday things that happen in life, and notably health and political views. I'm seeing it all of the time--swearing, nasty posts in social media, being pissed about a cyclist passing without a shout out, and even going off in a huff because of a misunderstood remark. Maybe they're having a bad day, but if that's the case, it...
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