Hawaii Ironman 70.3. A Trip To Cherish

Outside of being just four short minutes off the win of the Hawaii 70.3 Ironman, this trip was nothing short of perfect. Is it a cliché to say how seductive Island life is and how the climate is so completely conducive to living. In fact, everything about this trip to the Big Island felt like walking through a sanctuary far away from reality, responsibilities and urban big box living.

Upon arrival, the three of us girls (Sarah Strother, Christine Cogger and I) were enveloped by warmth, sunshine, energy and anticipation of race day - Saturday, June 4th. Sarah provided exquisite accommodations at her family’s Keahou villa equipped with a pool, multiple coffee makers, papaya trees, a blender, a BBQ, WiFi and invaluable privacy from everything and everyone. Lounging in her backyard won convincingly over exploring the Hawaiian shops or scuba diving with the turtles. We all vowed to return again for the adventures we opted out of this trip.

The three of us used our 35-mile drives to the equally exquisite race site (The Fairmont Orchid Hotel) to review our individual race strategies, plan our nutrition, consider our race attire and walk through our transitions. Sarah and Christine graciously agreed to join me at the Pro Race meeting at 12p.m. instead of attending their own Age Group meeting at 3p.m. I assured them (over and over) they would blend in, no one would notice, “just come,” I said. How wrong was I. In fact, the complete reverse happened. The Pro meeting was a small group sitting around a boardroom table discussing race logistics for a mere 10 minutes before moving into the politics of professional triathlon racing. They pretended not to mind and were forced to read the race guideline cover to cover.

Wake up time was 3:15 a.m. Departure time was 4:15 a.m. Race start time 7:00 a.m. The entire field of incredibly fit and wiry athletes bolted into the sunrise en masse from the shores of Hapuna Beach. Hapuna is one of Hawaii’s most renowned beaches; known for its beauty, white sand and swimming. Finding Nemo came to mind as we swum over the visible universe of marine life lit by sun rays. Dolphins had accompanied Christine and Sarah’s on Thursday morning during our practice swim but we were pretty sure they would not grace their presence with so many bodies invading their home.

I chose the inside line at the advise of the Kona Aquatics Swim Coach whose attention I caught just before the start. Never without hundreds of bodies around me, I found some clear water and kept my arms turning over at a rhythmic pace. As we were turning the second to last buoy I sighted ahead and caught a glimpse of the beautiful line of swimmers neatly working together to wrap our group around the 1.2-mile circuit. The beach, soft sand, hard concrete and finally a steep hill came all too quickly as we moved from horizontal to vertical in search of our bikes and the second leg of our event. My only focus was to get out of transition and onto the bike course with as much speed and focus as I could.

There was little over thinking before this race. Process, Rest and Perspective were combined to prepare for Saturday. Focus, Quiet Mind and Steadiness were my cues. Focus and steadiness defined my ride. I tapped into an extra gear for the first 30 minutes to catch some of the speedier swimmers but once the climb to Hawi begun, I turned inward and settled in knowing and believing in my pace. The descent was the only place I had a pause to consider gearing. I was riding compact and a 12-25 cassette. On another day, I could have used an 11-23 cassette. I was spinning out and losing a bit of momentum without this extra gear.

Sarah and I caught a glimpse of each other about 75 minutes into the ride. I could only hope that Christine was close by and moving along steadily. The anticipation of hearing about their days was almost a distraction and we weren’t even half way through the race. I had to calm my eagerness to reconnect with them for a few more hours.

Coming into T2 on the Fairmont Orchid grounds was exhilarating. I caught sight of a few gals that I would love to be running ahead of. It gave me a boost that I had ridden up to them and made up ground. The half marathon course was comparable to an obstacle course running straight over the golf fairways (my grandfather, a Golf Pro, would be turning over in his grave), looping us up and around golf cart paths and along a nasty 3-mile false flat road. The culmination of twists, turns and terrain made for slower run times. That’s my story and I am sticking to it.

Not analyzing my energy levels too much was a challenge yet I knew my mental energy was better spent on keeping the legs ticking over. Perseverance and determination themed the run leg for all three of us girls but we all agreed that in the heat of the moment, discomfort, exhaustion and fatigue were at the forefront of our consciousness. While counting my footsteps, my mind would wonder to Sarah and Christine – where were they? Would we see each other on course? Were they having fun? At mile 6, we came through a major artery of the run and Christine and I passed each other running in opposite directions. Chris has near perfect run form - tall, light and compact – which is few and far between. She was also wearing the new Hoka runner, a lightweight minimalist shoe to watch. We exchanged a high five and she shared her precious breath to encourage my effort for the second place gal just 30 seconds ahead.

Sarah would have been easy to spot since she was sporting a colorful new triathlon sports bra and bright pink race belt but we were not meant to cross paths. Instead, I would have to wait to see her smile at the finish line.

The women’s race was close with a few talented age group gals sprinting ahead of the pro’s. In the final mile, I hunted around for an extra gear but there really wasn’t one available. The final stretch was on soft fairway grass and felt like the world was moving in slow motion. I had one gal just seconds ahead of me, 8 to be precise. Although I was gaining, there was just not enough real estate to catch her. I finished up as 3rd Professional Female, four minutes off the win.

The Hawaiian finish line was understated and lush. Without a word to anyone but Greg Welch to acknowledge my salt-caked body and thank the timing chip removers, I carried on through to the massage tables in seek of comfort and a bed to lie down on.

“Christine Cogger from Whistler, Canada” was pumping through the loud speakers within moments of a rub down. We only had time to remove her timing chip and hug in celebration before Sarah came barreling though the finish. They both looked exhilarated and surprisingly fresh. The three of us stumbled out of the finish line chute in anticipation of how to deal with post race emotions and which story to tell each other first. This is the best part of racing. It’s these experiences that we live for. To have this adventure take place in one of the most beautiful places in the world, made it all the more special.

I could never retell the experiences of Christine and Sarah and do them justice although they both had stellar races finishing in the top 15 of their very deep categories. Sarah had visiting the island a few months earlier and rode the course with her husband John. Apparently the winds were howling to the point that even locals were commenting. She and John feared for their lives as the gusts threatened to throw them from their bikes. It’s no wonder that this experience plagued Sarah’s confidence before going into Hawaii 70.3. While the wind did blow on Saturday it was nowhere near the strength of the gust she had experienced during her recon practice ride. As a result, her ride was the highlight save for a slow leak we discovered the next day in her back tire.

Post race can be summarized in the following words: stumble, stiffness, port-o-potties, groans, smiles, celebration, waiting, texting, port-o-potties, giggles, analysis, stories, pride, beer, salt, aloe, texting, bed. I relished hearing about the day over and over again as we reveled in our own game of triathlon trivia.

We had some 36 hours to decompress before a long trek home. It was a trip to cherish and somehow somewhere we will all do it again.

Mahalo.

Christine

Pieces of a Puzzle

Two girlfriends and myself leave on Wednesday, May 31st for the Honu 70.3 Ironman on the Big Island of Hawaii. As usual, it seems an overwhelming task to pack, especially when there is a plane involved.

The heat and humidity will be a shock to our system.  Warm clothing is not what is filling our suitcases. Stuff is. What stuff? And why does it feel like a puzzle to pull it all together? Assembling the pieces that will all fit together on Saturday (and the days leading up to Saturday) is a challenge in and of itself. Isn't the race enough of a challenge? I must admit, however, it is a cathartic process since things get sorted, purged and re-organized for the remainder of the season. Let’s hope.

Walk through this with me.

Let's start with the Garage puzzle. Out must come all the "race gear". Tools are a must especially the ones you think you might not ever need like scissors, zapstraps and really good electrical tape. Race wheels and a spare tire are located. Is the spare fresh, glued and useable? Next, is the time trial helmet still with last year's number glued to the forehead. Also must come my regular helmet since I refuse to ride around town in my TT helmet prior to race day. It’s a thing I have - we look like we are from Mars as it is and I try to lessen this image by at least wearing a regular joe helmet until time matters.

The pieces starts to build as I locate my race belt, flasks, elastic bands, markers, ankle chip bands, cycling shoes, runners and racing flats (both must come), wetsuit or speed suit, goggles x 2, swim cap, race kit x 2, visor x 2, sunglasses x 2, flip flops, water bottles x 2, sunscreen, Vaseline and compression socks. Amazingly, these are only what goes into my bike box. Oh and where is my bike box?

Onto my suitcase - an entirely different masterpiece of misassembled and out of season paraphernalia. Truth be told, I pack a ton of fueling and nutritional products. It gives me comfort to know I need not shop for gels and electrolytes before a race. Vitamins, protein powders and whole food bars are stowed in Ziploc Baggies. Salt tablets, Motivators and Chlorella are succinctly separated and sorted into containers. This process gets started a week out from travel day because more pieces will complete this section of the puzzle.

Clothing is a crap shoot. It's the blue sky and white puffy clouds of the puzzle. Casual or semi-non-casual is all I own so pack what I hope will fit the occasions. Shorts, tank tops and flip-flops are staples. In case we do some little training sessions before race day, I need to look the part.

Moving on - technology. Heart rate monitors and all the associated chargers must be carefully stowed in a protected pocket. Blackberry, Cell phones, IPod, IPad and laptop are coming and so do the cords for such essential obsessions. I'll spare you my cosmetic bag only because it contains the least of my worries. I could leave it behind and might not notice. This is a very different attitude for my bike tools and running shoes. My passport, boarding pass, car rental confirmation and race schedule are printed and waiting to be tucked on the top where I can easily find it along the route. Let's refer to travel documents as the bottom of puzzle, the foundation, since without them I am not going anywhere.

With all these pieces in place, the perimeter of the puzzle is complete. It’s those last few pieces in the centre that will come after a restful sleep and clarity of mind. It’s the small things that make a big difference like leaving two pieces out of a puzzle then framing it. Do you think anyone will notice? If they don’t, you will.

I love a good puzzle. My family would sit for hours working away at fitting pieces into a puzzle with only the odd mutter of satisfaction or frustration. Getting ready for race day right through to the finish line is putting all the pieces together. You may try a few misfits and close encounters only to eventually find the perfect fit. The result is the pure fulfillment of completing a true masterpiece.

Christine

0.25 Hours

Have you seen the biographical adventure film 127 Hours starring James Franco? If not, see it. With nothing but determination to live and embodying a bit of insanity, he cuts off his right arm to free his life from being wedged by a boulder to the side of a canyon wall. This mere act of survival takes place after 127 hours without food, 250 ml's of water and hallucinations that would have left anyone else dead. I was moved by this film. I felt invincible on the one hand yet weak and soft on the other from all the times life has thrown me a curve ball and I buckled. The real life character, Aron Ralston, goes on to survive this experience, savouring precious moments with his family, falls in love and has a family of his own. Nothing was amiss except his right forearm. His heart, mind and soul were/are still intact.


Was this freak of nature the result of overcoming the mental battle? I should say it was indeed. His hallucinations were coupled with powerful visualizations that kept him motivated to live. During the 5 days he is trapped, we see Aron experience passion, excitement, happiness and yearned for human interaction again someday. Through severe blood loss, dehydration and fatigue his mind transported him to new places - swimming with friends, making love, sipping a cold beer, re-enacting a Game Show. This mental transportation seemingly numbed the current reality and sensations that could have prevented another breath.

The day after seeing this film, I had dental surgery. "Ha," I said to my dentist of 35 years, "no need to freeze my gums, pain doesn't scare me." Dr Kay obviously didn't believe me and went on to poke a dagger size needle in my upper left gum. I was weepy and sore for a week.

Come the Oliver Olympic distance triathlon last weekend, I was (as all athletes were) faced with another major challenge: the temperature of the lake water. Nevermind the race itself, it was the glacial temperatures of the water that had me running for the hills. Even writing this makes me feel like a wuss but standing at the race start on Sunday morning, I may have almost opted for a boulder on my arm than to enter the 14 degrees water of little Tuc El Nuit Lake. Spring had not sprung and the algae were floating popsicles.

Damned and determined to stay warm, I wore three bathing caps (including a neoprene) and refused to even dip my toes in the water prior to the Start Gun. A parka, gloves and beanie were waiting for me after the swim (assuming I survived). My plan was to yank, pull and struggle these dry clothes onto my wet body for the bike leg of the race. The race organizer hardly seemed to care that the water was below "normal" temperatures. He was readying the field for the start and giving the last minutes safety tips (was this a joke?). Before my mind would buckle my knees, we were off. The last thing I remember was a friend saying to me, "hope you don't hyperventilate." Yep, okay then.

While I never did warm up, I had the good sense to make light of my petty insecurity about submerging my body in cold water. Was this the worst thing in the world? If Aron Ralston can be stuck in a canyon for 127 hours prior to removing his own arm, I think I can handle 0.25 hours of uncomfortable water flowing through my wetsuit. I think I can.

Once into transition, I had a momentary lapse of reason when I considered riding without my parka, gloves and beanie. I forced myself to stick to my plan and dress accordingly. This did take an additional eternity no matter how swiftly I struggled. I choose warmth over T1 speed and knew it would pay off. I reasoned that a warm body is a fast body.

The rest of the race unfolded as I had hoped. I hunkered into an aero position and never came up for a breather until T2 was in sight. In the lead position and just about to break a sweat (that was how cold the air was), I disrobed to my race suit. Another moment of comedy struck when everyone leaving transition yelled, "I can't feel my feet." Surely 10 km run would take care of that.

With a two loop run course, athletes were able to share in the candy pain and feel the support from the spectators. Tara Lee Marshall and her husband Sean Clarke were hosting a CMS Coaching Training Camp for a handful of their talented athletes. Tara Lee's vocal projection of encouragement went unmatched and she had a serious contingent of athletes to cheer for.

As the finish line neared, feelings of excitement crept in knowing the triathlon season was truly open for play. The swim felt like a distant past. The weather seemed almost pleasant. Thoughts of, "when can we do this again?" jogged around in my imagination. The finish line creates perspective. Accomplishment creates belief.

Aron Ralston's innate capacity to use mental creativity and unwavering determination was/is astounding. He would mock my fear of cold water, as do I (in hindsight).

May we all thrive in our pursuits and seek to find opportunity when initially "it" was an obstacle. Sport gives us the arena to overcome, be great and rise to the challenge. Use your arena today, tomorrow and the day after that.

Next up, Honu 70.3 on June 4th. Shall I rant about the heat next time?

release the brake

Jasper Blake, my coach and mentor, emailed me yesterday as I ready myself for the Oliver Olympic Distance Triathlon on May 15th. He says, "racing is about releasing the brakes and red lining your effort." Racing is supposed to hurt - candy pain I call it or just another way to say, Let It All Hang Out.

What's amazing is that our bodies do what we tell it to. If we say to ourselves go for it, we always do. If we say, take it easy, we always do. Sometimes when en route to a quality session or key event, I wonder with uncertainty if I can muster energy to reach the upper levels of my fitness. Unless suffering from a virus or under very unusual circumstances, I always find the power, strength and effort. When the session or race is over, I often pause for a moment to remind myself that my fitness and ability was there all along. Our bodies are amazing machines when we let go and let it happen with the mind engaged and the heart's soaring passion.

Tomorrow's race will bring out fitness, endurance, strength, speed and fun. Whether swimming in the lake (just shy of glacial temperatures), pumping the legs past glorious vineyards or jaunting through the back roads of Oliver's neighbourhood, the brakes will be off and the uncomfortable effort will dissipate when all is said and done.

The 7 Success Principles of Steve Jobs

When listening to an interview with Carmine Gallo, author of The Innovative Secrets of Steve Jobs, I was overwhelmed with hope, motivation and amazement.

Here is a link to an summary of Steve Jobs 7 Success Principles:
http://blogs.forbes.com/carminegallo/2011/01/04/the-7-success-principles-of-steve-jobs/

Enjoy.

exaggerated compliments

My dearest friend Deanna Wigmore is the maestro behind a blog called A Mother's Tonic www.motherstonic.com. Through her writing and wonderful entries, her followers read about her inner most thoughts - often insightful, sometimes funny, occasionally sentimental but always articulate and intelligent. While educated as a journalist, Deanna has been busy bringing up three beautiful girls and managing her family life for the past 10 years. Thankfully for all of us following her blog she started writing again this year.

Monday's mark the day of the week Deanna features others. This week happens to be me. I am not sure how she convinced me to agree to this or whether her comments are warranted but since it is out there on cyberspace, I will share. http://motherstonic.com/2011/05/09/christine-fletcher-modesty-is-everything-to-this-triathlete/

Figure Out What You Want and Learn How to Ask for It

I heard someone say this quote today. It struck a cord. It relates to anything - career, wealth, relationships, athletic goals, the list is endless. It was in the context of answering "if you had one piece of advice to give someone, what would it be?" The reply was simple, "Figure out what you want and learn how to ask for it."

For some people, myself included, it's a hard thing to do. Ask for help. Ask for what you want. Put your self first. Fulfill your needs. Be clear about what you want. We are notoriously putting ourselves last in line, second guessing our abilities or our value as individuals. It shouldn't be so. Not because we should all be selfishly thinking of ourselves before others but rather so that when we are authentic, confident and clear on who we are, we can better serve and help others as siblings, partners, parents, friends and work colleagues. I find this insight a powerful reminder and clear the way for positive thoughts and human potential.

My feeling confident and energized in and for sport is a living entity in my life. I yearn for days when energy supply for the demand is ample and the mental focus is sharp and unwavering. When my mind forgets the unanswered emails, laundry to be folded or promises to follow through on, a breakthrough workout inevitably takes place. Amazingly, I return to work, life and responsibilities with more clarity and calmness. There is no magic formula for when and how those moments arise but I'm pretty sure they revolve around times when I am rested, well nourished and have recently shared good times with friends and family. Sunshine doesn't hurt either...

There are a few people in my life that are role models for living a life on purpose because they simply know what they want and are going after it. I welcome their vibrancy and company. On the flip side, I want to send this message to a few others that could be bubbling over with potential and opportunity yet are choosing to build barriers and resentments. May this same message get to them someway, somehow. Figure Out What You Want and Learn How to Ask for It.

The Indoor Thing

It's almost Spring outside and yet I still find myself rolling into my garage for a few quality hours on my computrainer. Since I am a fairly social being, I am quite certain this practice is not to hide away and train solo staring endless at concrete and a computer screen but rather to get the job done. It won't be long before I am hitting the sea 2 ski highway and cypress mountain with friends but right now I feel the need for focused workouts eliminating the chance of traffic jams, red lights or fowl weather.

Is there a benefit to staying indoors verses outdoors? Maybe but as long as the list is for positives, there is a list of negatives. It's a personal thing right now. The indoor thing is working for me. Maybe the efficiency of being indoors and close to the action is what I need as I find myself more and more engaged in my family business, Sunice. Maybe I like to be available. Maybe I like to be accessible.

I have outfitted my training space with towels, my ipod (loaded with great podcasts and music), water bottles and a workout. For X time, it is my sanctuary to focus on building my engine and revving my heart rate. I have even taken my running indoors. Treadmills give me feedback and consistency. There is no cheating or deviating from the stride. With a plan in hand, I start up the belt and get the feet turning over.

With all of this focused training, I balance it with outdoor spins and jaunts, playful and recovery in nature. The outdoors is where I am most free and alive. Fresh air and blue sky takes me to another level of gratitude. But the indoors is where I find my focus and mental stamina. It is where I zone in on the task, the effort and the sensation. It is where the work gets done.

Maybe someday I will purely ride for pleasure. Right now, there is pleasure plus specific goals and the indoor thing is working for me. Take it or leave it.

Up Tick

Finally I have had an up tick in my swimming fitness. Geez Louise. Getting 2 seconds from my 100's has been like squeezing a rock for water.

My speed in the pool goes in phases. I am hopeful you can relate. Is it fitness? Is it the other sports we do? Is it the early hours in the pool? Is it technique? Or all of the above. While the exact answer for my fluctuating speed graph isn't totally necessary, life just feels better when my body is moving through the water with ease and fluidity. Swimming 5-6 days a week means the pool and water play an important role in my life.

Tuesday was my "up tick" day. It was also after having a couple of weeks of focusing purely on turning my arms over with power, efficiency and strength instead of focusing on the minute details of high elbow, relaxed hands and perfect head position all of which has given me less speed, less confidence in the water and a bundle of frustration. Technique in swimming is incredibly important and if I could live my life over again I would have included swimming in my sport repertoire as a youngster. Since I was skiing or golfing instead, feel for a golf club or the slopes instead of density of water comes far more naturally to me.

If swimming Masters Competitions was purely my focus, perfecting the elusive swimmers stroke would continue to entice my curiosity. With a bike and run to follow a 2km swim, my stroke needs to be strong, rhythmical and efficient leaving me fresh for the next two thirds of the race. Since turning my attention in my pool workout to "race pace" efforts, high stroke rating and rhythmical turnovers, times are moving in my direction. Funny thing, I am riding and running faster too.

If a swim coach reads this, they will curse my name in vain, I have no doubt. But, if the red needle on the pace clock keeps slowing down (I keep speeding up) then my personalized formula may just be working. Pass it on.

My Promise

I promised myself I would start writing again on my Blog. It's been so many months and each day that passes makes it easier to avoid. Yet, this is a place to share experiences and pass on my passion for sport and life. I am lucky enough to have triathlon in my life and even luckier to experience it racing with the professional field. Every little workout and thought about sports and preparing to tax our bodies is a chance to learn and improve. We must share in this so we all get better and love what we do more and more.

Of late I have been learning about social media and the power of online communication. Faster than a click we can find out if an athlete won an race, an earthquake hit Japan or what the hottest topic is around the world. Amazing. It has changed the way I think about communication and the relevancy of so many exchanges, in person or online. It has also opened up a new community to me and when respected and purposed, online communication has its own etiquette and do's & don't. Although I am very much a neophite, I am fascinated and committed to delving in more and more. At first I was resistant to following topics related to sports and triathlon. Do I really care what Chrissie Wellington had for breakfast? But I sorted through those companies and people I respect and want to learn from (Chrissie is included on that list of people I respect) and read what I want to and leave the rest.

As I prepare for my racing season ahead of 70.3 Ironman's, I'll be using social media, tweeting about topics and things i think are relevant and hope you will too.

Much more to come and thanks for your patience.