What is Your Next Race?

What is your next race?  What are you training for?

The summer season is coming to a close.  Many of us are looking at getting our kids ready for the next school year.  With the impending hustle and bustle right around the corner, it's time to think about yourself for just a moment and make your health/fitness plan.  After all, we teach our kids to create goals, why shouldn't parents set a good example? 

New semester ---> Homework ---> Ace exams

 New season ---> Follow training plan ---> Complete event

Whether you are a triathlete, cyclist, or runner, there are countless events in your area to choose from as your goal.  It's a good idea to consider hiring a coach (expert in their sport) to help you choose your event and create a training plan.  A coach can really help you with accountability and keep you from risking injuries due to over training or doing too much too fast.   They will also know which event/races would be best for you, so that you have a good experience and feel good about what you have accomplished.  As you begin your training, remember that it might be challenging at first.  Be patient!  Within a few weeks, you will start to see some results, whether physically or mentally.  You may want to pick at least one or two smaller events to complete during your training phase to see if you are where you need to be in training to reach your final goal. When race day arrives, be confident in your abilities.  Completing your goal through hard work sets an awesome example for your family and friends!

Community Resources:

Outspokin Bicycles

Running Events

Triathlon Events 

Cycling Events

Jennifer Hutchison's Ironclad Coaching 
Aeropro Coaching 

Summer Cycling

All my training this season has been in preparation for competing in the Tour of America's Dairyland, 12 consecutive days of cycling races in the Milwaukee, WI area. I have done well in these races in the past years, so I had a certain level of expectation coming in. My fitness was on target, and my Cervelo bicycle, Zipp wheels, and equipment were top of the line. I would be racing composite for a strong local team, ISCorp, and life's affairs were in order for me to take off for the races.

As the days have racing have progressed, my results have not been what I was hoping for. Twice I have been happy to finish. The prize money is good, so some professional racers have come in and won the vast majority of the money. Rainy, cold weather has been less than desirable and made some of the courses really dangerous. Additionally, my brand new car broke down, and I have gone through a family emergency that will need considerable attention immediately upon my return.

I have considered feeling sorry for myself and have definitely experienced a lot of frustration, but at the end of the day I have a lot to be thankful for. I have the best travel partner you could ask for, my bike has worked to perfection, and my teammates are a great group of women. I have had the opportunity to mentor some beginning racers, enjoyed meeting the couple who hosted us, visited with old friends, been encouraged by Outspokin friends at home, and maybe even lost a few pounds!

All in all this trip has encouraged me to refocus and remember that even though I am very competing at the highest level, cycling is still a hobby. Cycling has given me the opportunity to meet many great people and see parts of the country I most likely would never have seen. There are only three days of racing left, and I plan to give it my all. Maybe I will have some great results and maybe not. Either way, I will be home soon, resume my life, and start training for the next race!

Changes

When is the last time you tried something new? By this I mean a new product or a new race. So many of us become set in our routines and products that we are unwilling to try out new things. I am definitely guilty! Technology changes, better nutrition becomes available, and new races to challenge ourselves are everywhere. I think it is very important to step off our well-worn paths of life and try a different route. It doesn't have to be anything drastic, just something different!

So far this year, I have tried a few different things. I didn't make these changes, because I was unhappy, but rather because of opportunities, and well, why not!

1. A new bicycle brand - Cervelo to Orbea

2. New components - Campy Record to SRAM

3. Taking regular vitamins - B12, Multi-vitamins, and Fish Oil

4. Working toward eating organic and gluten free foods.

5. Working on my time-trialing -YUCK!