Simplicity

For the past two months my mental and physical approach to training has been simplified. It is a shift that happened organically. I experienced a moment shall we say just after Ironman Lake Stevens 70.3 that inspired a change for the simpler. It’s hard to explain exactly how it happened but it was a pivotal moment and not really something I was sharing with anyone, until now.

As athletes, we rarely need help from anyone to judge our performance or set unrealistic expectations. The tapes replay and replay until something or someone grounds us and remind us that there is much more to life than sport, results and winning. And, that we are 100% complete with or without extra accolades. Yet, we tend to clutter, evaluate and question. To what end? Is all this questioning and complications vital to athletic improvement? It is necessary to always think and think some more? Somehow, I think not.

Mark Allen consistently relays his message to the sporting community (and beyond) since taping into his own serenity and limitless potential. After studying Shamanism and winning Kona six times, he believes the key to finding your “Zone” is to quiet the mind since even thinking takes energy. He says that during his athletic breakthrough moments his mind would go blank, he would become 100% engrossed in that specific moment completely at peace, uncluttered and ready to unleash a performance that he didn’t even know was within his capacity.

So with one big race left to go – Miami Half Ironman 70.3 (October 30th 2010) – I decided to let go of the “extras” and take one day at a time focusing on each training session, proper recovery and high quality nutrition to back it up. When the training sessions are over, I log it, learn from it and leave it. I structured a routine that was similar each week building on fitness and strength with each effort. Routine meant less thought was required. Routine also had the potential to lead to boredom so it was important to always inject some type of spice to session – a friend, a new route, a slight twist to the session or even a new playlist on my iPod.

The simpler my approach became, the less room it took up in the rest of my life. Train hard, recover harder and move on. Focus on what is important and get rid of the “extras”. For myself, some of the “extras” included rehashing the details about my training sessions with other people. I was tired of talking about it since each chat could turn into articulate evaluation and analysis of, well, me. Boring. And the reality was, all the talking, was not making me race any faster.

Taking a simpler approach comes up in everything. Like jumping in a cold pool at 5:30 a.m. in the morning. Some mornings I can stand on deck for a solid 5-10 minutes pondering the cold hitting my skin and reverberating through my body for the first few hundred meters. I stand there having a good look around, evaluating the situation and questioning how on earth I was going to get in this pool? Three lanes down, however, the eager swimmers were jumping in without even a pause to dip their toe for a quick test of the temperature. They don’t even think about it, they just jump right on in. Kids do the same thing. Simple.

Of course we do need to “think” a little in life so that we can conduct ourselves as competent, functional and organized individuals but maybe shift our thinking to what is fact, what really matters like our integrity and making important decisions. Maybe spend less energy (aka thinking) on judging our selves, questioning our path or evaluating every single move.

All of this has made my lead up to the Miami race intense, focused and very exciting. The work is done, there is no question. I am ready to race, there is no question. The sun will rise and fall each and everyday, there is no question.


Christine

Indigo Patch

Any triathlete that follows triathlon news or reads the odd Slow Twitch article or occasionally checks on race results has likely heard about Matt Dixon and his coaching business called Purple Patch.

purplepatch noun: A period of excellent performance, when nearly everything seems to go right, work properly, and is in perfect balance. Everything seems to fall into place and flows, making it seem like you cannot do anything wrong.

Personally, I love it. Not only has Matt defined his company with the epitome of athleticism, his business name is the holy grail of every single triathlete (and many other athletes) out there. Brilliant. Furthermore, he is delivering on his motto. 100% of the Purple Patch athletes (we hear about) have improved their performance dramatically. From Luke Bell, Chris Lieto, Lindsay Corbin, Meredith Kessler and umpteen age group athletes, they are seemingly all spending time in the Purple Patch.

While I am not under Matt Dixon’s guidance, I have read a fair amount about his coaching philosophy and his definition of the essential pillars for executing a stellar performance. Much of the Purple Patch belief system is founded upon optimal recovery practices, boasting superior metabolic health and having tremendous functional strength. Anyone can train hard but only the savvy few can recover and get stronger, believes Dixon. The message is simple: Be amongst that savvy few who recover from the training only to show up fresh for the next session. Sounds so simple yet athletes are constantly on the bubble with toothpicks holding their eyes open. I aspire to be amongst the fresh, ready, excited and motivated athletes that execute on race day and perform to their potential.

I have decided to call my patch the Indigo Patch. Sounds corny, I know, but it means something to me and is defined similarly to Purple Patch but with my own slant and meaning. It’s good to be unique. It’s good to have character in wacky and inexplicable ways. Just the words Indigo Patch make me smile. Maybe you’ll come up with your own patch, call it the Passion Patch or Chill Patch. Who knows and who cares? If your Patch is meaningful to you and illustrates excellence, health and vitality, you’re golden.

Stress really is a killer. No one is immune to the potential health risks associated with stress or the discomfort and anxiety caused by stress. Stress interwoven with guilt, worry or panic is an emotional, spiritual, and physical state of dis-ease. And yet, we all experience so much stress in our lives. Work, relationships, training, travel, bills, deadlines, commitments to others, shopping, organizing, the list of stresses are endless and the repercussions are rarely evident until it is too late. When it is too late, our bodies are in a state of metabolic unhealthiness. Our hormones are out of whack and our adrenal system stops cleansing our vital organs and unavoidable fatigue sets in. If you’re nodding your head - suffering, confused, unmotivated, lethargic then you have steered off course from your Patch and need to focus solely on rejuvenating your body and your soul. Find your Patch. Hang out there and rest until all systems are a-go and you are metabolically and emotionally ready to face the world again with gusto. Stress really is a killer but it doesn't have to be with a balance of rest and recovery with you in the driver’s seat.

Interestingly, tt’s been a month since I last wrote. Stress kept creeping into my life and distracting me from having the "presence of mind" I need for a decent journal entry. Where did all this stress come from you may ask? I'll make it brief since I do realize my life is not so special in the "Stress" department. In fact, I'm sure the Troops in Afghanistan would hazard to call my "stress" something quite different.

Here it goes just the same. Two races in One week – 24 hour Relay at Mont Tremblant and Ironman Syracuse 70.3 in New York – both of which required significant logistics, travel, multiple beds, meals on the fly, erratic sleeping patterns, work on-goings, performance excitement and, of all things, the arrival of a new baby girl (my niece) into our family on the last day of my road trip. The action and excitement was thrilling but almost tipped me over edge when trying to hang out in my Indigo Patch. More than once did I say to myself, “Be in Your Indigo Patch. Just Be There.” My motivation for being in the Patch was simply for others. I wanted to be an enjoyable person in the company of friends and family despite my swirling anxiety. On my last day, I yelped at my mother while she was driving like a tourist in her own city. She and I were both in a field of overgrown weeds and rattle snakes.

The 24-hour cycling event was every bit of stress worthwhile, times ten. Heck, I met Phil Ligget in the flesh at the opening party. Our 10-man Team Sunice had a deluxe campsite with an RV, designer chairs to lounge in, a stainless steel grandfather of BBQ's, a campfire, and a mobile massage therapist. I had the good fortune to ride the opening and closing laps for our team. Performance or final placing was clearly not a priority for our Team. I have since warned them that next year will be a different story and each one of those guys needs to invest in a Specialize Road Bike. The highlight was, of course, seeing my brother ride a road bike and witnessing the infectious camaraderie amongst everyone as a result of doing a ridiculous number of laps around a 4 km course with an 18% climb each lap for 24 hours.

Syracuse, New York was next on the itinerary as the destination for a 70.3 half-ironman race on September 19th. Having arrived four days before the race. I had loads of time to get to know the course and race setting. While I have no desire to return to Syracuse, the race brought out over 2000 participants. Goes to show how many people are concentrated in the State of New York. Race day was rainy, gray and very foggy which played havoc on the bike but inconsequential on the run. I placed 7th amongst the Professional Females and prided myself on excellent execution. But there was no time to celebrate. My sister-in-law was about to have her third baby and I needed to get back to Montreal.

Raphaelle was born at 9:20 p.m. that same night. She was perfect, healthy and 100% in her Patch of bliss. Sleeps, eats, poops, cries, stares and does it all over again. What’s her secret in effortlessly finding the elusive Patch? I want more of what she has. Goodness knows her parents won’t have much Purple or any other color Patch going on in their lives for a few years.

Once boarded the Vancouver-bound plane, I was in no hurry to do a whole lot of anything until the earth moved me. Sleep, rest and patience were my Modus Operandi. This would prove to be the yellow brick path to my Indigo Patch. Meet you there.

Christine

Photo's of 24 Hour Relay at Mont Tremblant, Sept 11-12th

Mark Fletcher on a Road Bike!

Passing over the Chip to the next rider

Team Sunice Campsite

CF getting a needed push from Dad

Most of the dedicated Team Sunice Members

Jackie Fletcher & Auntie Chrissy

Planning to be Spontaneous

My brother, Mark, emailed me last week asking if I would consider joining his relay team in the 24HR Velo Charity Event at Mont Tremblant, Quebec on September 11th & 12th - http://www.24hvelotremblant.com/home.html. My immediate reply was “Thanks for the offer but too bad I can’t come. I’ll be racing Ironman Muskoka 70.3 on Sept 12th.” Thinking my race is much more important since it has been on my schedule for the entire year and my travel and accommodations are booked, it took Mark no time to reply with “Why don’t you skip Muskoka?” Our friend, Steve Lafave, was copied on these emails and chimed in with “We’ll even let you ride an extra 90 km’s for the heck of it!” My heart sunk. Don’t they get it? Don’t they understand how important this race is to me? Don’t they comprehend all the time and training it takes to be at one’s best on September 12th in Muskoka? Obviously not if they think I can just “skip” it. Geez. A few more emails were exchanged between the three of us - how much fun it would be for Chrissy to be the Ringer and how irrelevant Muskoka is in the grand scheme of this new option and how could I pass up riding for 24hours. After ten long deep calming breathes, I finalized our string of emails with “Let me look at the calendar…” Feeling somewhat descended upon and under valued off I went to check the calendar of Ironman 70.3 events that might make sense both from a geographic and timing standpoint.

Decisions, options, opportunities (whatever you want to call them) like these always perplex me. Maybe it is because I am a planner and like to know well ahead of time what, where and when something will happen. Maybe it is because I like the idea of spontaneity but actually need time to adjust to a significant change of plans, making the outcome not terribly spontaneous at all. The Mont Tremblant event, albeit for a wonderful cause (sick and underprivileged children), would be an impulsive decision and require significant planning to coordinate all the new logistics. Was I up for it? If I jump ahead a month, a year, a decade, would I regret not having participated? Or should I stick to my initial plan and travel to Muskoka, all of which the logistics are set in place with the organizers and travel agents? Or does it matter which path to trod along? Muskoka or Tremblant? I realize this may sound trite but I am getting to my point.

The harsh reality and honest confession as to why the 24hr Velo event felt like a hiccup in my perfectly laid plans is because I believe this wonderful sport of ours that we cherish and couldn’t imagine living without sometimes blinds us to the world beyond the pool, our aero-bars and our runners. The special interval workouts we do, the articles we read, the athletes we admire, the data we collect, the gear we buy, the food we consume, the early nights we protect, the thoughts of being faster, lighter, fitter, sleeker, or the regimented schedules we follow day-in-day-out all for the illusive goal of crossing a finish line on a specific day in a specific place. On the odd and unusual occasion, I am blinded (says I in jest). No one would protest to how admirable such a past time is. It drives us to be purposeful human beings with a vision and goals all in the name of self-improvement and self-betterment. Soak it up. Life couldn’t get any better.

Or could it? Or could it be enhanced?

In walks an opportunity to derail (soon edited to re-rail) the perfectly laid plans and jump into something only mildly related to the core sport of triathlon. The opportunity is FUN, SOCIAL and ENERGIZED by GREAT PEOPLE and a GREAT CAUSE in a GREAT PLACE. Nothing could inject more energy into the skip in every step. The ripple effect is infectious and carries itself into our every day existence. It might even inject newfound oomph into ones swim stroke, cadence or stride. And if it doesn’t, it really does not matter. Such clarity in decision is a beautiful thing.

Needless to say, my flight has been rerouted to Montreal; I have withdrawn from Muskoka and reworked what was a not so perfect plan after all and my little world feels more vast than before. Within ten minutes of the Team Captain informing everyone I was a new member to the relay team, we had emails a flying across the country with encouragement and spirit.

Although our relay team is very recreational, we really do only play to win. While my aero helmet will be left at home, my lightweight S-Works Specialized Road Bike will be greased and tuned for a smooth and speedy spin on the 11th & 12th. Stay tuned for the post-24 HOUR Velo Report.

And in keeping with my training and racing seasonal plan (some things never change), I did find a great new race to enter just one-week later in Syracuse 70.3 (September 17th). Syracuse is an easy drive south of Tremblant and ideal timing. Isn’t it funny how it just works out every time.

Christine

The Little Jewels

Lake Stevens 70.3 Ironman is on Sunday, August 15th. This will be my second time racing on this course (last time was on 2007, 6th Pro, 2nd fastest bike split) and I am more than excited to celebrate another day in Lake Stevens. The very first time I rode the course I felt in love with the area: the freshwater lake, the undulating bike route and the lakeside run course. Even better, Lake Stevens is a mere two-hour drive from my Vancouver house. For a big time ironman event, this is a real treat.

The lead up to a key race takes precious and fastidious preparation. I sometimes reserve my enthusiasm for higher priority races since even preparation takes energy and time. Lake Stevens is a high priority race (as are my last two races in September - Muskoka and October - Austin) so if my preparation formula for this event goes well, I’ll model it again for Muskoka and Austin. My motivation is at an all time high and my fitness continues to improve with every quality session. My coach (Paul Cross) and I planned the season well and paced the racing to save some oomph for the latter part of the year.

Preparing for a race is like gathering up little jewels of information to form a powerful cluster. When this cluster is held up to the sun, light beams through. Each jewel in my cluster comes from past learning’s, great books, my coach, other athletes and most often my highest quality training sessions with a focused mind and fresh body.

On a grand scale, my jewels form a bright powerful cluster when I have done everything from trained on the race course, visualized my race plan, practiced swim starts and transitions, prepared my pre-race mental plan as well as my race day mental mantra, packed my equipment and fuel and connected with my motivation to race and passion to soar. I believe I am now living in a diamond field ready as ever for Sunday to come.

I’ll share where three of my bigger jewels (maybe we can call them stones) rolled my way over the past few weeks. Keep in mind, these were not jewels to begin with. They became jewels after I dug, brushed off the soil and polished until they shone.

The first one came from Vancouver Half Ironman on July 4th. I had a less than stellar race and failed to consult my fictitious jeweler prior to race day (figure of speech). My “off” day started with the gun when all I feared was the onslaught of athletes that would be descending upon me during the first 100 meters of the swim start. As soon as we hit the water, I lost focus on the task and was engulfed with fear of punches, kicks and potential lack of oxygen. I relinquished precious minutes to the race by steering off course to find clear water and regroup. Once recovered, I fought hard to swim towards the front of the race but would never recoup the ideal position with the race leaders. For unknown reasons, I held on to this ridiculous drama and replayed the swim start over and over in my mind for the entire race (and then some) wallowing in what was no longer in my control desperately wishing for the past to be different. No suck luck kiddo. Move on.

This experience became an invaluable jewel when I learn how to diffuse the past, take the lesson and let it go. It’s gone. It’s over. It’s only an experience to benefit and grow from. That experience now serves me as a lesson to use for future success. The one key phrase that turned this experience into a jewel was from a great book “During critical moments of execution (i.e. Race Start), focus outside of yourself (external) towards the task at hand.” Standing at a race start, my focus need only be on the destination, keying off of strong swimmers, having a strong kick and stroke to get to the front and sighting for the first buoy. This is a far cry from focusing on the fear inside and what will happen if…

The second jewel came from a training day with my coach Paul Cross at Lake Stevens. Paul is a diamond necklace so even the drive is filled with one nugget after another. On this particular day we spent the first hour practicing swim starts, drafting and sighting in the lake. Paul assumed I had mastered many of these swimming techniques but in fact we both learned there is ample room for improvement. The water portion of the day was almost a wrap when Paul asked me how I normally “kick” to get up to speed. “Kick?” I reply. “Is this a trick question? I kick like I always kick…a flutter kick motion.” After about 10 seconds pause, Paul is aghast that my answer wasn’t “Depending on the day, I’ll use my lethal Whip or sharp Scissor kick motion.” Thus ensued a whole new dynamic to our swim start lesson – learning and executing a whip or scissor kick coupled with a perfectly synchronized arm propulsion. Since, we have practiced this new skill time and time again in preparation for a new evolution of my swim starts. Let’s just say, this new skill is massive gem in my cluster.

The third jewel (and it’s a good one) was sourced from my strength trainer, Eddie Smith of Steve Nash Sports Club. Normally a soft-spoken guy who contemplates much thought before exercising his dry wit or shares any in-depth exercise science knowledge (of which he has plenty). Upon receiving his Canadian Visa (he is from New Zealand), he and some buddies celebrated this news with a few drinks at a local sports pub. Showing on the pub’s TV screens was the infamous Vancouver Half Ironman (see Jewel no. 1) highlighting my not-so-eloquent and very lengthy transition from swim to bike. Keep in mind I was wallowing in my horrendous swim start as though moving forward with a ball in chain locked to my ankle. Eddie takes note of my potential to improve my transitions and bottles this message up until our next meeting that occurred 10 days ago. His first question to me, “Do you practice your transitions?” My face was blank. Another trick question launched in my direction. I began to ramble on about what an “off” day I was having but quickly realized there was no plausible excuse for what he was encouraging…Start To Practice Your Transitions. Fast transitions are found speed without an ounce of fitness required. We calculated that I could have been 20 seconds faster out of T1, which could translate to a lot more in the big picture. Eddie’s observation (and I am forever thankful) spun into numerous transition practice sessions at Kits Pool (in & out of wetsuit is a workout in and of itself), transition visualization, wetsuit modifications (shorten legs for faster removal), and YouTube viewings of fast transitions (5.6 seconds is the fastest one so far). Let us play this out…T1 involves running and stripping, helmet on head, glasses on face, un-rack and physically mount bike (safely) while moving forward. A mere 60-90 should be sufficient. T2 involves racking bike, removing helmet, pulling on socks and shoes, grabbing hat and fuel while starting the first mile. Surely less than 75 seconds should do it. Lake Stevens is a fairly tight transition area so there is no reason for anything other than world-class transition splits. Watch out.

It becomes clear how a cluster of jewels become invaluable for a shiny, powerful and indestructible performance. Anyone reading this will pause to contemplate their jewelery case (or whatever term you want to use). It’s a never-ending evolving string of gems that we get to manipulate, re-position and save for those glamorous events. Sunday is pretty glamorous…to me.

Christine
www.christinefletcher.com

Positive Fighting Spirit

As I flew back to Vancouver from Montreal after a week off of training while participating in our company’s sales meetings, I’d had ample time to reflect on last weekend’s race, Subaru Vancouver Half Ironman (July 4th). With a 4th place finish that took more mental than physical energy to complete, it’s only the remarkable lessons and the love of the sport that stay with me. It was a gift to race in my home city surrounded by friends, great athletes and world-class event organizers. To see so many victories for my athlete peers relieved my own selfish mental chaos so unnecessarily and inexplicably welling up inside.

Events fascinate me. Events bring people out to see and be seen. Events make people smile, hug, connect and make plans to see each other again. Events stir up emotions, excitement and energy. Last Sunday’s event surely did all of those things and more for all the athletes and many spectators. Personally speaking, my emotions were mixed with excitement and a certain amount of distractions. Perhaps I was seeing too many familiar friendly faces inviting me to idle and chat on the sidelines rather than line up for a swim in the frigid Pacific Ocean water? Whatever the reason for a momentary lack of mental presence on race day, reflection during this past week untangled a few emotional mysteries and I have since dusted off eager prepare for the remainder of the season.

With 10 hours of flying time, my book Girl With a Dragon Tattoo was going to take a rest while I revisited the principles written in the book The Toughness Training for Sports by Dr Jim Loehr. This was an important book for me when I was road racing and continues to offer spot on mental toughness training techniques for the competitive athlete. His principles rely on emotional resiliency, flexibility, strength and responsiveness. If an athlete embodies all of these principles, they will perform with confidence, poise, assertiveness, focus and enjoyment. They will optimize the Ideal Performance State for competition. They will love the battle, never surrender and always always maintain a positive fighting spirit.

In the last chapter of the book, Dr. Loehr summaries seventeen strategies to accelerate the mental toughness process, which resonated deeply with me.

1. Change your thinking to change the way you feel
2. Change the picture if you don’t like the feeling
3. Take full responsibility for what and how you think
4. Practice positive thinking constantly
5. Never think or say “I can’t”; never think or say “I hate”
6. Think empowering thoughts
7. Think humorously to break up negative emotions
8. Think more energetically
9. Learn to keep a here and now focus during competition
10. During critical moments of execution, focus your attention outside yourself
11. Practice strategic visualization constantly
12. Be more disciplined in the way you think about your mistakes
13. Be clear why it’s important to fight. Before the battle begins, make the commitment
14. Use adversity to get stronger
15. Constantly remind yourself to love the battle
16. Use positive brainwashing to break negative mental habits
17. Focus on “Just For Today”…

Everyone would hopefully agree that this list stimulates emotions associated courage, challenge, motivation, presence, focus, confidence and positive energy. Emotions that serve us no matter what we are doing, sport or otherwise.

The book finishes with an extensive list of how competitive sport is a unique arena for a display of mind-body experiences. Competitive sport brings out so much – emotional and physical – which is observable, open and testable yet for the athletes is largely a personal, internal, passionate-driven and courageous experience completely invisible to the public. One of his key points about Competitive Sport that spoke to me was:

“Nowhere is it clearer than in competitive sport that you have to love it. Love the grinding, the searching the pushing, the pulling, the victories, the lessons, the battle itself. And the crazier it gets, the more you have to love it. Becoming the best competitor you can be means loving to compete more than winning. Becoming the best you can be at anything means loving the journey – from beginning to end.”

Five O’Clock is the Hottest Hour of the Day in Boise, Idaho. Who Knew?

We expected a frigid swim in the Lucky Peak Reservoir and perhaps mild to warm temperatures for the bike and run segments winding through Boise’s rural to urban district. For heavens sake, the cold weather is all we’ve been hearing about from the Northwestern and Pacific Northwest Regions. Where’s summer? It’s been so cool this year! When will knee warmers become a distance memory? I suppose there is always a chance that racing in June can be cooler and rainy but it’s more fun to hold out for a scorching aired day wearing the bare minimum to stay covered. Such was the case at the Boise race on June 12th – intense winds, blistering sunshine and dry heat.

It wasn’t until I finished Ironman Boise 70.3 with a unique start time of 2:00 p.m. that a local gal (my post race massage volunteer) shared some insider trivia with me, “five o’clock is the hottest hour of the day in Boise!” That explained the afternoon start time (race in heat of day) and why I was caked with salt and felt a little sun stroked. Despite finishing with low-grade nauseous and severe electrolyte depletion, I hung on to the 4th place professional female spot behind World Champion Julie Dibens, Lindsay Corbin and Heather Jackson. I was honored to be on the podium with this stellar field of women and more than content with my race.
My race consisted of a million little breakthroughs that predominantly came together as a result of planning for them. Boise’s unexpected heat, wind and dry conditions got the better of me during the bike and caught up more on the run but never negated the more important breakthroughs. All my tricks of mental mantras and form focusing got me steadily through to the finish line in a respectable 4:42 time. I was only able to jaunt (aka: jog) the half marathon leg and know full well my legs are capable of moving faster than a 1:35 split. The major breakthrough moment came at the swim start when I seeded myself between the key players in the field. My only job was to kick and stroke as fast and as hard as my little legs and shoulders would let me. If necessary I ordered myself to dig deeper to stay with Kate Major and Lindsay Corbin. For whatever the reason, it was executed to perfection and I was deservedly in the mix and stayed there until the finish line.
With two transition’s staged, the athletes were treated to a rural start (T1) overlooking the Lucky Peak Dam gushing with the late spring water run off, navigated through ranches, sprawling roads and along the Boise Greenbelt trail to a very urban T2 & finish in the heart of Boise’s BoDo District. Finishing a race at 7p.m. was somewhat gratifying since only a good meal and the ceremonies stood between you and bed.

With a start time of 2:00 p.m., I am still curious to know what all the athletes were up to for the morning hours. Most triathletes wake at 5:00 a.m. for their first workout of the day so I would imagine most were awake at the crack of dawn to fuss, pack and re-pack their race gear. If anyone has the secret to passing the morning, I’d like to hear it. Fortunately I was devouring my new book, The Help, in gulps and lost myself in the story. Paula Newby Fraser once said in an interview that she would read fiction novels during the week before Ironman Hawaii. She had a good formula to prepare herself for a big race so maybe there is something to reading a great novel. By 11:00 a.m., however, I was antsy to get the show going. And going it did. Once the gun went off, time was completely irrelevant.

With this great race on the books, the rest of the season looks promising. A few half marathons and sprint distance triathlons slotted in around the higher priority events:
July 4th – Vancouver Half Ironman
August 16th – Ironman Lake Stevens 70.3
September 12th - Ironman Muskoka 70.3
October 17th - Ironman Austin 70.3

Word on the street is they are all start at 7:00 a.m. … the coolest hour of the day! Phew.


I’ll close with the prolific poem from the movie Invictus:

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

William Ernest Henley

Ironman Boise 70.3 - 4th Pro

Warming Up to Book End

In conversation, the idea to book end a fairly substantial training week with two races sounded beneficial and somewhat do-able. As I attempt to increase my speed and power in all three disciplines of a triathlon, races are opportunities worth my effort and there were two on the cycling and triathlon local schedules at opposite ends of a training camp – dEVa Warp Speed Time Trial (May 9th) and Oliver Triathlon (May 16th).

On May 9th, Britni Bakk and myself signed on for the 20km Individual Time Trial race held in Abbotsford, BC. The roadie scene is very different than the triathlon scene. Road cycling race organizers and riders as far more casual and somewhat unorganized when it comes to coordinating registration, start times and send offs. It became very clear to us that we had ample time (hours!) to warm up and prepare our bodies and our minds for our 20 km time trial.

With a new Playlist downloaded onto my iPod and a structured 45-minute warm up specific to the effort to come, I arrived at the start line more than ready to execute 20 kilometers of effort. It was an assuring feeling that I was not anticipating to experience. After crossing the finish line and allowing my heart rate and breathing to return to a normal state, I realized how grateful I was for the effective warm up and how much it must have helped me execute a near flawless 20km time trial despite my recent training load and complete lack of taper for this race.

My average heart rate for the race was 172, my time was 29:46 and my average speed was approximately 39kph. I placed 2nd in the Cat 1 Elite Female riders division. Y warm up consisted of: 20 minutes endurance easy spinning @ 85-95 rpm – 10 minutes tempo effort progressing from easy to steady state – 2 minutes easy recovery – 6 minutes ramping up steady state effort to just below lactate threshold – 2 minutes recovery – 2 minutes of 105 rpm above lactate threshold to produce, buffer and clear lactate – 2 minuets recovery – 2 minutes of 105 rpm above lactate threshold to produce, buffer and clear lactate and 2 minutes easy. What was interesting was the process of feeling heavy legged at the outset to open and supple at the completion of the warm up. Note to self.

It can feel disconcerting sometimes when an athlete begins a warm up and feels lethargic and fatigued. I am guilty of always wanting to feel great before a training session or race. Rarely do I feel spunky, light and fresh before an event if scheduled as a “training opportunity” instead of an A race. It takes mental focus and calming thoughts to remind myself that my fitness is within and race pace effort is available if properly prepared before the start line. Such was the case at the dEVa Time Trial.

The very next day, Britni and I loaded my car and drive south to Coeur D’Alene, Idaho for 5 days of training on the Ironman Coeur D’Alene course. While her focus is the Ironman distance and mine is the half-ironman distance, we coordinated our schedules to train together 90% of the time. We compounded four big rides with short runs, pool swims, early nights and movie watching. Coach Paul was checking daily to keep me focused on the bigger plan as well as sending reminders about where I needed to be mentally – focused, calm and uncluttered. He and I had some of the best coach-athlete correspondence during my week away.

Two great quotes he sent me will surely resonate with more than a few people out there (if not, I envy you):

"The sum of a man's problems come from his inability to be alone in a silent room."
Blaise Pascal

"Doing nothing is better than being busy doing nothing."
Lao Tzu

Just as Britni and I were finding out groove and seeking out all the great spots to train, it was time to pack the car and head north-east to Oliver, BC for another speed and power seeking opportunity – The Oliver Triathlon, Sunday, May 16th (Olympic & Sprint distances). This is where things got interesting…

We were both feeling energized and confident from the past few days of quality training. Sunday’s race seemed ages away. Waking on Saturday was a different story altogether. This was our supposedly “taper” day - the day we cocoon, rest, eat, nap and recover from the training. No such luck. We were facing a four-hour drive, registration, race preparation and new hotel. Our bodies were rejecting these demands and craving a deep tissue massage and protein shake. The only salvation was that we were in it together and could encourage one another along the way.

Once back in Canada and within cell phone range, we called Coach Paul on the in-car Stereo System Bluetooth to discuss a pre-race plan. We really wanted him to know just how lethargic we were feeling and how this idea to book-end a training camp with two races may not have been the best idea after all. Paul would have none of such chatter and forcefully encouraged us to get out for a ride and wake up our bodies before they went into hibernation mode. We needed to keep the blood flowing to our muscles and get our heads prepared to endure the discomfort coming our way in 24 hours. I can say for certainty that there was no way I was planning to ride had we not spoken to Paul. Movement of any sort was not a welcomed concept. We did as we were told and both felt better after a spin and conceded that it was the best thing we could have done.

The second major coaching guidance Paul gave us (me especially) was to get in a solid 45 minute warm up before the race. My internal voice said, “ 45 minutes? Are you kidding me? That’s almost a workout?!” Paul could hear the lethargy in my voice and needed me to understand the importance of revving my engine before the race. It was the only way to get the body and mind where they needed to be after such a big training week and long drive. He said it was essential that all the muscles were firing and blood was flowing before the gun went off.

So there I went, an hour before the start, rolling along the racecourse on my Specialized Transition bundled in my warm up clothes attempting to find the Zone during a 25 minutes spin. As racers were filing into transition and the energy was mounting, I had enough time for a jaunt and really get that warm and fuzzy feeling. I sprinkled in a few striders and drills but nothing felt remotely pleasing or reassuring. I found myself asking, “What else do I have in my mental tool kit to muster up a fiery aura?” The answer: Autopilot Mode.

Once suited up in my wetsuit and seeded amongst an aggressive group of male triathletes, I flicked the “Autopilot” switched and let any thoughts or judgments fall by the wayside. Anything other than purity was worthless to me. Yes, it would hurt. Yes, it would be uncomfortable. Yes, the “fun” part comes after the finish line. Now was not the time to think. Now was the time to GO HARD and focus on the present moment. Now was the time to go Autopilot. Seems to work every time.

All 300+ athletes swam 1.5 k, biked 40k and ran 10k with best efforts and gratitude for being able to test our fitness and challenge ourselves. Crossing the finish line in two hours and fifteen minutes, I knew gave my best effort and found a rhythm, a flow and the fiery pulse I was after that morning. The bonus of the day was finishing a first female in the Olympic Distance and Britni finishing 2nd in the Sprint Distance race. She and I bonded instantly over our mutual satisfaction that we can now really call it a wrap and focus on recovering from the last 7 days…right after our 5-hour drive home.

Coming back to the beginning of this tale, it turns out it was a good idea to book end our training camp with races and the results were a bonus. But the real lesson was realizing that preparation for both races and the training session were my salvation. Firstly, Paul had my training very well laid out prior to my travelling dates so I was mentally prepared for the hours and efforts ahead. Secondly, my warm ups before the races and each session made a tremendous difference to every performance.

My understanding of an effective warm up (with or without lingering fatigue) has shifted significantly. I now understand the importance of truly preparing for the main event. No one is excluded from the benefits of a proper warm up. If slowly increasing blood flow to muscles, opening capillaries and increased body temperature means more oxygen is being delivered to the muscles and better performance while exercising, lets all sign up for this protocol. Studies also show that a proper warm also prepares our minds for the upcoming work and in turn improves technique, skill and coordination. We ready ourselves for discomfort and offer up the willingness to endure the energy expenditure. If the mind is willing the body will follow.

The whole idea is to get an edge. Sometimes it takes just a little extra something to get that edge, but you have to have it. If it means adding a proper warm up to your protocol, it’s a small sacrifice for a significant edge.

Christine

Free Speed - May 1st, 2010

My massage therapist believes we carry our “stuff” in our bodies: hips, shoulders, jaw, stomach and ankles. I admit that she has the uncanny ability to ask seemingly unrelated yet accurate questions to the fairly straightforward reason why I am visiting her. “How’s your communication with others these days?” or “Is there something you are not talking about with a loved one?” Is she suggesting that I am controlling my life by thrusting my shoulders up to my ears, clenching my jaw and holding my torso taut, which inevitably results in compensations elsewhere? Am I working through any emotional crisis with my hamstring glute attachment? Perhaps, but surely my muscles are not only tight because of unresolved emotional issues in my life. Surely my weekly training hours have something to do with the restriction in my hips. Surely.

It’s like when my yoga instructor is twisted into a pretzel, breathing calmly and giving methodical instructions to follow suit, I think to myself, “Now there’s a demonstration of authentic control and true freedom with mind and body.” My next thought (isn’t my mind supposed to be quiet?) shifts to the diligent practice she maintains on a daily or hourly basis, leading to body awareness, serenity, freedom and power…traits we all aspire to embody. Interestingly, to possess such admirable traits doesn’t cost a dime. It’s free.

Where is this all going? Allow me to explain. Of late, I have been exploring how to gain more flexibility in my body (and hopefully my mind) so that I can tap into a wider range of motion and carry on in life with a poised posture and long healthy limbs. My body (or is it my mind?) likes to hold tension in the front of my shoulders and chest area (pectoral muscles), my hip flexors, my hamstrings and my glutes (actually it is my piriformis but who needs technical terms?). During infrequent moments of muscular release I experience newfound freedom and what I call “free speed” in swimming, biking, running and in life. It is no different than when we watch children play. We admire their multi-directional freedom and Gumby-like agility. They can butt kick like no adult I know. Maybe this level of nimbleness will never return in its entirety but we can certainly improve flexibility, range of motion and reach with functional practice.

With my new focus on Half Ironman distance, I need more speed to be competitive with the pro field. Girls are running low 1:20’s off the bike and closing the gap on many pro men. My coach, Paul Cross, has astutely reduced the density in my workouts and increased the emphasis on speed, strength and quality efforts to address this need. Long gone are the 6-hour LSD bike rides with a 45-minute run, thick swim workouts and diesel engine runs. Instead, you will find me working the 50’s in the pool with some drills before and after, hammering out short stints of 15 seconds to 10 minutes on my computrainer (in my garage) or at the track learning how to execute a few fast 400’s.

Racing is often the best way to tap into our upper effort levels and gain a step up in fitness. Upping my fitness is always something I will look for. As luck would have it, my schedule allowed me to jump into in a half marathon race in Montreal, Quebec (April 19th) as well as a Sprint Triathlon in Delta, BC on (April 24th) for quality speed sessions. My half marathon was two minutes off my PR with a time of 1:25 and first-place finish in my division. The Sprint Triathlon was also a success with an overall win. Both experiences had me working uncomfortably hard and inspired me to ponder the concept “Free Speed.” It may sound like a short cut but once you understand the concept, it is the smartest way to get faster.

No one better to bring this up with than Coach Paul Cross (PC). PC and I discussed “Free Speed” at length, what exactly the term meant and whether it was a worthy pursuit. We know that my training will continue to focus on upper threshold workouts and develop new energy systems, neither of which is “free.” In fact, training in and of itself is costly in terms of recovery, fatigue, time and effort. So, where else do we go for low-cost gains? Where does Free Speed come from? Likely many places but in my case, Efficiency in Form & Equipment Fit & Function.

Efficiency in Form. Could it be that efficient form equates to a more powerful movement pattern? Could it be that efficient form requires flexibility, range of motion and body awareness? Does this mean we need to slow down to learn form in order to speed up once habituated? Could it be that when fitness and form come together, we gain “Free Speed”? Who knew? Free speed doesn’t come from fitness, it comes from efficiency in form. As we move through our activities with less energy demand, we will eventually move faster after practice and integration. We use gravity and our amazing levers to execute a movement pattern that is sleek and functional.

Equipment Fit & Function. In triathlon, the bike leg can make or break your race. It is typically the longest segment of the race and also sets us up for the run. Being at one with the bike is critical. Being positioned comfortably with optimal angles, heights, bends and reach is essential for your bike and run legs. Optimal positioning on the bike definitely equates to “Free Speed.” Again, no fitness gains required.

The Free Speed Execution Plan

In order to put these revelations into practice, PC and I are devising a Free Speed Execution Plan. For starters we are meeting at the track on a weekly basis for some drill work and video analysis. We are fine-tuning my “lean,” knee drive, toe-off and arm swing. Did you know that a proper lean in running is free speed? Did you know that having your elbows at 90 degrees or less is free speed? The list goes on and on.

We are also spending endless hours in my garage tweaking my bike fit for maximum power recruitment coupled with optimal comfort and aerodynamics. We discovered a small shift in saddle height (up) and aft adjustment resulted in dramatic output gains. We shortened the reach to the aero bars, which reduced tension in my arms and upper back. Any newbie would know this equals Free Speed.

I’ll share a link to a video analysis of my run and PC’s comments.
http://www.upmygame.com/watchv/3546/0/

In an email to me, PC writes: “you need more hip flexor range of motion... which... affects the forward swing phase... which affects your angle of attack... which affects your foot strike and makes you have a heel strike...as a result...you're running as a quad dominant runner... rather than really using your hamstrings and gluts to their full potential...” As I pulled myself out of the gutter, he writes “don't get me wrong...you are running great now compared to where you were...and that's all we can ask really...I think most of these gains have come from fitness and training... perhaps 70%... and the other 30% from improved technique/form...so it's actually good news...because you have a good amount of potential to still go in terms of your form...” Phew. I was almost over the edge. And I know that all the little tweaks in form and function are free speed.

Who doesn’t like free stuff?

This is an exciting phase in my athletic career with gratifying workouts and recorded fitness gains. The Free Speed tweaks will not be the only reason for any further progress in my fitness but it’s nice to have a few deposits for just showing up.

Christine

California 70.3 (March 27th 2010) It's All About the Swim

Spending any length of time in Carlsbad, San Diego is a seductive and surreal experience. As I rolled along the Pacific Ocean during a few final pre-race prep rides watching hundreds of surfers hop out of their pick-up trucks with their boards neatly tucked under their armpits, sporting muscular defining wetsuits on their sleek bodies, letting their shaggy bleach blond hair bounce freely and “BFR” (bare foot run) to join the other neoprene floating angels already waiting for the Wave, I asked myself, “Is this life real? Is this kind of perfection in weather, fitness options, lifestyle options, yuppie treats, free spirits, and glorious views conducive to living a purposeful and productive life with both feet planted firmly on the ground? Don’t we need to suffer more before we deserve such luxury and good fortune day in day out?” I would hazard to guess many of those surfer-dudes don’t spend an ounce of energy weighing their worth prior to enjoying a good wave. Note to Self, I say. Write it in pen: “Live the Moment, Focus on Now, Life is a Journey not a Destination.” I hate clichés. But all too often, they hold truth and power and I must confess, I used them all day long on Saturday, March 27th.

With the guidance offered by Bobby McGee’s book “Magical Running” (as summarized in my last Blog entry), I was feeling anchored, prepared and keyed up for Saturday. Britni Bakk and her husband, Warren, were my travel partners. Britni was racing in the 40-44 age group and gunning for a Kona slot. Her chances were almost 100% based on her exceptional fitness and track record at Oceanside. I was equally anxious to see her race and hopefully celebrate her journey to Kona. Britni and I have spent so much time together training and traveling to races that we calm, encourage and inspire each other. We bring out the best performances possible in one another and freely share our experiences, good or educational. Warren is the rock in her life (and visa versa) and serves as mine too during our racing excursions. Being in their company is always energized with laughs and respect. Their companionship made my experience and ability to hone my mental focus possible. One only hopes to return an ounce of such generosity.

With our prompt arrival at 5:00 a.m. on race morning, we witnessed athletes streaming into transition like a party was about to start. The announcer was promising a pristine day of sunshine, a cool ocean swim and a high of 73F by midday. My focused was on my bike set up, body marking, warming up and peeling on my wetsuit in good time for our 6:43 a.m. swim start.

Like cattle to the trough, the Women Pro were called to the start and allowed to enter by 6:37 for a warm up. Warm up? Warm up in 58F water? No thanks. Myself, Sam McGlone, Michellie Jones and Leanda Cave smartly conserved our body heat and waited until the last second to splash towards the start line some 200 meters away. Even then we had 2:00 minutes to tread water in anticipation. I found a nifty position (after visualizing my speedy start for the past 24 hours) right on Sam’s heels and only assumed I would stay with her for the entire swim. No such luck. I’ll need to visualize harder next time and gotta-wanna even more. Within the first 400 meters, the pack was split and I found myself in a pack of five swimmers. My stroke felt fast, strong and efficient through the water but upon exiting I glanced at the clock and saw that my time was the same as previous years. It’s all about the start in these swim. Note to Self.

California 70.3’s transition is no short jaunt. From the shore to our gear, the athletes run half a km down and back through the 2,500 racked bikes. If all goes well, you will re-establish some sense of equilibrium by the time you are ready to mount your bike. I was aiming for a sub 3:00 min transition time. Final time: 3:05. Darn wetsuit cuff was glued to my calf and those extra tugs cost a few precious seconds.

Triathletes, runners, and cyclists participating in races are blessed with a guided tour through beautiful landscapes and roads completely uninhibited by traffic. The California 70.3 race is rich in history with its surrounding communities and prides itself on a well-established relationship with Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and its Officers. The bike course loops through and around the Base Camp into areas normally close to public access. The course is technical and curvy for the first 40 miles then rolls over 3 major hills before a long flat straight-away back to the harbor and T2. My new Specialized Transition Pro was performing well. As the operator, I felt in control and strong, focused on efficiency and maintaining exceptional aerodynamics. Together, we worked hard to make up five minutes and pull into the lead group of gals. We bettered our time by one minute from last year having ridden the best we could after a solid winter of indoor riding and enduring minor distractions from small events such as the Winter 2010 Olympic Games in our hometown, Vancouver, BC. Our best effort was put forward and that was all we could ask for. We agreed to work on strength and power and use this as benchmark for more quality training and measurable improvements.

Coming into T2, the sun was beaming bright and we were in for a glorious sun-baked half marathon. Again, it is a country mile down and back through transition as we awkwardly run beside our misbehaving bikes with our clipped in shoes flailing around uncontrollably. As planned, my T2 was lightening fast. A quick yank of the racing flats sans bas (a trial) and I was over the timing mat in under 1:45 minutes. My first two miles felt light and quick – under 6:50 min/miles, but I knew a pit stop was in my near future. It was not urgent but it was necessary. Come mile three I dashed off course to make things right. While doing so, I surrendered two spots and only assumed I would make them back and more. With waves of strong energy, great rhythm and a high stride rate, I was covering some ground. I reeled in a few of the very fast swimmers and cyclists but not as many as I would have liked. Thanks to the winter strength work, my run form and carriage felt more in tact than in previous races. Coming into the last two miles, pain crept into every muscle fiber and cell. The exertion had caught up to me, physically and emotionally. No amount of Gatorade, Coke, Gel or cheering crowds would reverse my desire to end this effort and output. The final turn towards the finish line is always bittersweet. This time was no different. Sprint to finish. Pain to Glory.

My time was 4:47. 14th Female Pro. A personal PB at California by 7 minutes. An excellent benchmark for an early season effort. Best of all, my race execution went as planned with the exception of finding faster feet in the swim. My mind was focused and clear of clutter. My focus was narrow and directed at getting to the finish line as fast as my best effort possibly could. It’s a good feeling to finish a goal race knowing that you gave it your all and that, come next time, performance improvements are possible based on more practice, more awareness and the lessons taken from the previous experiences.

Britni was second in her Age Group (40-44) and snatched an Ironman Coeur D’Alene spot where she’ll undoubtedly qualify for Kona. She and I plan to spend a few days in Coeur D’Alene this Spring to ride the course and get her dialed for a solid Ironman race on June 22nd. Next on my race calendar is a half marathon in Montreal on April 18th, followed by a sprint Duathlon in Penticton on May 8th. These shorter races are geared to improve my speed and power. We’ll compliment these races with strength session and specific functional muscular recruitment drills (need a dictionary? I did.) We’re planning for PB’s all season long.

Christine

Visualizing Magical Experiences

It is one week out from the first race of the season, California Ironman 70.3. This large scale WTC event takes place in Oceanside, San Diego, routing the 2,000+ lucky racers along the Pacific Ocean Coast and through Camp Pendleton Navy Base (otherwise not open to public). This will be my fourth year racing at Oceanside but my first year with more specific half ironman fitness. Every year is a new experience but two aspects seem to remain constants: the ocean water is salty and crossing the finish line is forever gratifying (I can already taste and feel both…).

In my lead up to this race as well as in preparation for my season and half ironman racing goals, I was encouraged to revisit the mental aspects of my training and plunge a little deeper into this crucial and equally important component of racing and performance. It took little persuasion for me to delve in.

However, when you have not been doing something (aka: relaxation therapy, visualization, etc) on a conscious level with time set aside to specifically focus, it can be a minor hurdle to begin the process and to even know what is the first step. It’s so easy to procrastinate and find other things to do in place of mediation and writing out thoughts, feelings, sensations and experiences. All this stuff requires a presence, an “in the moment” mentality and deep look inside stirring around for all that needs attention. Who wants it? But, as I have recently noted, crawling through this tunnel towards the dim light at the other end is an interesting journey and warrants much more regular attention. Plus, they say it gets easier with practice and much less daunting.

Of late, my favorite reference for mental preparation and conditioning is Bobby McGee’s “Magical Running” (www.bobbymcgee.org) Even though it mainly focuses on the running experience, it can be applied to any sport, most easily triathlon. It takes the form of a progressive workbook dedicated to the magical experience (spiritual, emotional, mental and physical) of running and performance execution. Bobby emphasizes the process with little to no emphasis on the outcome or results. He teaches us to prepare the mind and thus the body for an ideal performance state prior to any training session or race.

The Chapter that gripped my attention, being seven days away from a race, is “Visualized Running, Seeing Yourself Run and Race Successfully.” Very simply put, visualization is to “see” how you achieve dream levels of sport by imagining the performance through the use of all your senses.

Bobby quotes some wonderful excerpts from top-level athletes. One in particular made the hair on my arms stand straight up. Bruce Fordyve, 9-time winner of the Comrades marathon (South Africa), shares, “So, two weeks before race day, I saw myself on 45th Cutting (a steep 5 mile hill to finish). I planned to strike there and get away from any pursuers. In my mind I pictured, heard and smelt the car exhaust fumes, the crusty sweat of my cheeks, sore stiff legs. I could hear the hysterical yelling from the crowds lining the narrow corridor that remained for the runners. I visualized what was required. What I imagined was an almost imperceptible but smooth increase in pace, the faltering of my pursuers and the gradual realization that I had stretched and then snapped the umbilical chord between myself and the rest of the field. On race day, an eerie déjà vu swept over me. I had been there before, it was happening just as I had planned it.”

Clearly Bruce had played this movie many times before in his mind. He planned for the feeling, sight, sounds, taste and touch of each move. He credits much of his victories to his mental preparation and successful visual cues and sensations.

Bobby outlines the key points for visualization:
· Visualize in the past tense. Believe you have already achieved the performance.
· Focus on action and process, not outcome. Flow, efficiency, balance, coordination, effortless, relaxed, rhythmical, etc.
· Form a routine to practice visualization (x minutes / week).
· Aim high and be realistic.
· Visualize in real time. If visualizing a mile, take the time to visualize every step of the mile. It may take x minutes to complete the exercise depending on how fast you want to run the mile.
· Always “see” success. Expect the best, prepare for the worst.
· Visualize from your true vantage point: inside yourself. Be the participant, not the spectator.

When I have successfully used visualization before past races, using all my senses has proven to be a very effective way to ensure that come race day, the experience is familiar. And don’t we all like familiar? Smell, taste, touch, sight and sound are equally influencing our minds and physiological response to potentially high stress circumstances. The smell of suntan lotion on the athletes in transition, the taste of my sports drink, the feel of the water temperature or light morning breeze, the sight of spectators, officials and athletes during the last lap of the run, the sound of the announcer’s encouraging voice coming through transition. If you play this movie over and over, come race day, you’ve seen it before through a positive, successful and familiar lens.

The Visualization Chapter also covers the process of clearing or de-cluttering the mind to perform, a step that many people many overlook not realizing how distracted they are with “stuff” in the life – bills, responsibilities, duties, etc. Various techniques are used to clear the mind and find focus for the task at hand. For example, you may share with trusted individuals who will listen unconditionally and/or you may list very specific responsibilities that you need to get done in the future and promise yourself to return to this list as soon as the task at hand is accomplished. The result is gaining control of your thoughts and creating calmness and space to unveil the performance for which you are prepared.

As goal driven athletes, we typically have lots going on in our minds and only feel gratified by doing something (or many things). Clearing the mind is a skill that requires practice similar to pedaling a bike, swimming a stroke or running a step. Note to self…

So in my last seven days before the race, I’ll be visualizing a successful race in California, tapping into all my senses and becoming more and more familiar with the movie that will play next Sunday. Of course, defusing past experiences (in the event they were negative) and removing any resistances are essential steps in the visualization process. Recognizing that the past is over and letting go is absolutely necessary to move forward with new and positive thoughts. With this freedom, the mind is allowed and open to focus on the race, the goals and the pre-recorded movie about a successful performance.

I’ll finish by sharing one more quote by Bobby in an article he wrote on his Blog called, “Effective Mental Training”. He says, “Self confidence comes not from success, but from an intimate knowledge of your own ability and being able to access that ability whenever you choose to.” Re-read this quote a few times and it will settle in with your true self and a renewed perspective on how great you are as an athlete and individual.

Christine
www.christinefletcher.com

The Athletes Come to Town

I, officially, have the Olympic fever. In six short days, Vancouver and Whistler will welcome over 2,200 of our world’s finest “winter sports” athletes to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Despite knowing for a few years that Vancouver won the Bid, it has only been in the past few weeks that my own proximity (and accessibility) to this once in a lifetime event has begun to resonate. With little effort, I find myself trying to absorb every Olympic-related publication, news report, Pod cast and TV show highlighting athletes, the sports and ongoing celebrations.
It’s not like I ever dreamed of being an Olympian or obsessed over a specific Olympic sport or athlete. I am in awe of some pivotal athletes that broke world records, overcame adversity and performed under the microscopic eyes of millions upon millions spectators. And even more awe striking are those that crashed out on their one chance and were forced to prepare for another four years to showcase their finely tuned skills and athleticism.

I’d be at it all day if listing all the Olympic moments that we Canadians may be most proud of. I can name two more recent athletes that have impressed us and stolen our hearts: Cindy Klassen and Clara Hughes. Cindy (Speed Skater) won five!! medals in Turin and another one at Salt Lake establishing a new career record for a Canadian. Clara’s versatility, or should I say seasonality, is beyond astonishing (she owns two bronze medals for cycling from 1996 and a bronze, silver and gold for speed skating from 2000). David Pelletier and Jamie Sale’s composure during the Russian judging scandal in Salt Lake 2002 when they were forced to share a gold medal showed their true love for skating and ability to rise above. I’d be remised not to mention the likes of Elisabeth Manley, Nancy Greene, Eddie the Eagle, Ken Read, Catorina Le May Doan and our Hockey Team. From a Canadian perspective, these athletes (and teams) have instilled rich Olympics memories in all of our hearts.

Luge, Skeleton and Bobsledding are three events that mystifying me. While worthy of serious respect, I know very little of the science, training or aerodynamic detail that goes into an Olympic performance (and I imagine it’ll stay that way for a while). I do know, however, that the Germanys have the Luge figured out and they’ll be one to watch in a couple of weeks. I have yet to watch the movie about the Jamaican Bobsledding team, Cool Running, but maybe that’d be a good place to start. I also steer clear of curling but I bet if I were from Winnipeg, I’d feel differently. Since I am not, I’ll stick to my favorites: Alpine or Nordic Skiing (cross, combined, biathlon, jumping, or freestyle) and Speed Skating (short track or long track) will have my undivided attention. I’ll tune into Hockey and perhaps some Ice Skating. Regardless, forever will I be awed by all the athletes and their dedication to arrive healthy and motivated for a chance of a lifetime performance and experience in the great venue.

For interest, I’ll share whom (Canadians) I am watching in 2010:
Nordic Skiing: Chandra Crawford, Alex Harvey, Devon Kershaw, and Sara Renner.
Long Track Speed Skating: Kristina Groves, Clara Hughes, Cindy Klassen, Christine Nesbitt, and Jeremy Wotherspoon.
Alpine Skiing: Emily Brydon, Robbie Dixon, Erik Guay, and Britt Janyk

Honorable mentions:
Ice Skating: Patrick Chan (who else?)
Nordic Skiing: Brian McKeever (the four-time gold medalist from the 2002 and 2006 Paralympics will become the first winter-sport athlete to compete in both the Olympic and Paralympic Games). Amazing.

Last year when I raced the Ironman in Lake Placid, New York, it gave me a taste of what’s to come. The IM transitions (Swim to Bike and Bike to Run) and finish line were staged on the 1932 & 1980 Speed Skating Oval (outside in those days) and graced us with unforgettable views of the Ski Jump and Alpine venues. Seventy-Seven years later, the shops were still selling Olympic logo-ed merchandise, including some Vancouver 2010 logo-ed swag. Now that the Games are upon Vancouver and Whistler, what we have been anticipating is quickly becoming a reality. The stages are set: the snow, tracks, jumps, ice rinks, ovals, slides, and half pipes are ready for the best of the best to grace their surfaces with skill and finesse.

In my feverish state, I did some reading on stats. Did you know Canada has won 119 Winter Olympic Medals (38 Gold, 38 Silver and 43 Bronze)? I didn’t. The Soviets have own 1,204 just to put things in perspective. Norway rocks across the board owning more Winter Olympic medals than any other country. Canada is the only country to host two Olympic Games (1976 in Montreal and 1988 in Calgary) and not win a gold medal. I have faith Canada will walk away with more than a few gold medals’ this February.

I ask myself why I caught the fever? Why am I so taken with the onslaught of elite athletes and the performances we will soon witness in our backyards? Why am I a student of the 2010 Games like no other Games before? Perhaps as I mature as an individual and also a professional athlete in my own right, a healthy sense of curiosity has evolved inside to learn more about these Olympians and how they channel their passion and focus on their goal. When I read their stories, I think about their journey as an athlete and how they prepared day in and day out to finally be on the start line, much like I do to prepare for my sport. I think about how they were supported by friends, family, coaches, and therapists to make this experience a reality. Each story, no matter the sport, gives hope and inspiration. It offers possibility and belief in dreams becoming a reality. It doesn’t have to be the Olympics. It can be as small as running one block. No matter the person, goal or sport, it is relative and something we, all of us, can relate to.

The other day in the pool, I witnessed a performance that impressed me. I call it a performance because it was just that. Even though it was just at an early morning swim practice, it was still a performance. Our lane is comprised of a couple exceptional swimmers breaking water for a few drafters. The most exceptional swimmer (high level athlete, coach and confident individual) normally leads out the lane and we all follow either a respectable ten seconds behind (five, if you need a draft). On this particular day, our trusted leader was exceptionally tired. I could tell by his body language that he was hoping for a casual swim. Unfortunately, he was being tailed by the second person by two seconds (hardly respectable distance) who was easier riding in his wake the entire swim practice. My admiration for our leader surfaced when I observed how calm and collected he remained. He stayed the course, executed the workout impeccably and dug for energy, strength and focus till the last bitter length. Despite an incredibly arrogant follower showcasing his ego by swimming on his feet, there was not a dent in our leaders armor. Sounds trite to retell the story but in fact it was the epitome of executing a performance under stress and pressure. I suspect we will witness a few solid performances during the Games where focus and boundaries will be of utmost importance.

And so when the Games arrive and I either attend or watch on TV, I’ll be watching for the subtle expressions on the athlete’s faces, their pre-race preparation, their ability to overcome adversity or react to less than ideal situation. I’ll be watching them celebrate their victories and revel in the joy of accomplishment. I’ll be watching the athletes interact with their competition and how they respect each other, their country and their support networks. As an athlete myself, I will relate to them on some level and hopefully integrate some of what impresses me about them.

Go Canada Go