tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86583598420544685762023-11-16T05:44:15.330-05:00Amanda Hahn-Peters"It is never too late to be what you might have been." - George Eliot Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.comBlogger96125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-91152046402811713952018-05-08T22:01:00.002-04:002018-05-09T14:31:14.176-04:0020 Questions With Your Author Hey, y’all! Remember me? I’m just now looking at the last time I posted on here… somehow, I blinked and over 1.5 years went by in the blogosphere. How did that happen?! <br />
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First off, I feel the need to thank everyone (friends, family, my wonderful sponsors, and even strangers) who read my blog and supported me during my triathlon racing years. Whether I’ve personally met you or not, your kind words and encouragement have meant the world to me! <br />
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Next, I’m excited to announce that I will be reincarnating my blog! As I was in the midst of my master's program in Internet Marketing (which I'm now done with woohoo!), I kept thinking that a lot of the information that I was learning was just too good not to share. So, this time around, my blog will be dedicated to sharing branding and marketing tips and tricks with you. I’ll also be using examples from my own life that I think you may be able to relate to. My hope is that you’ll be able to take these helpful hints and apply them to your own personal brand or a business you’re associated with. If you have any questions at all about the information I post, please feel free to reach out in the comments or via email: mandy.hahn7@gmail.com. <br />
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Now, it dawned on me that even though I’ve been blogging on here for nearly a decade now, I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. What I mean is that (from what I’ve revealed) you may only know me as Amanda the athlete and not much else. So, I thought I’d take the opportunity to share some fun facts with you to let you get to know your author (a.k.a. yours truly!) a little bit better. I hope you enjoy this Q&A below and be on the lookout for your first branding tip next week! <br />
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<b>What are your nicknames?</b> Mandy, Manders, Panda, Han Solo. <br />
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<b>Are you right or left handed?</b> Left (writing), right (cutting, golfing, texting, driving, etc.) … <br />
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<b>What are your secret talents?</b> I’d tell you, but then they wouldn’t be a secret now would they?! <br />
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<b>What was your first job?</b> Data entry at the local blood bank when I was in high school. <br />
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<b>What are your favorite sports to spectate?</b> 3-way tie between gymnastics, ice skating, and basketball. <br />
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<b>What is your favorite podcast?</b> Hidden Brain. <br />
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<b>Who are your favorite artists?</b> This is a tough one but the artists with the most songs in my iTunes library include: One Republic, Coldplay, Goo Goo Dolls, Taylor Swift, and Celine Dion. <br />
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<b>Do you have any pets?</b> Yes! I have a 2-year-old ragdoll Siamese cat named Merlin and a 30-40-year-old desert tortoise named Maxi. Random fact: Maxi the tortoise was found in the middle of the street by my husband’s grandma a few decades ago and we thought she was a “Max” until just a few years ago… <br />
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<b>What is your favorite way to spend free time?</b> I enjoy reading, traveling, cycling, and playing the piano.<br />
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<b>What is your favorite guilty pleasure TV show?</b> Say Yes to the Dress (don’t judge!) and Cash Cab is a close second. <br />
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<b>What is your favorite color?</b> Cerulean (blue). <br />
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<b>Who are your favorite authors?</b> Jodi Picoult, JK Rowling, and Malcolm Gladwell. <br />
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<b>What is your favorite food?</b> This one is a toss-up between steak and ice cream.I heart them both equally! <br />
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<b>What is one beverage you could drink every day for the rest of your life if needed?</b> Tea, tea, tea! Southern sweet tea (cold) or English Breakfast tea with honey (hot). <br />
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<b>How many places have you lived?</b> 4. <br />
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<b>What is your favorite place you’ve traveled?</b> Queenstown, New Zealand. I visited this gorgeous country in 2003 and have daydreamed of going back ever since! <br />
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<b>Name one fun fact about yourself:</b> Legendary musician Tom Petty and I are both Gainesville High School alums. <br />
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I never leave home without?</b> My Timex sports watch and a scrunchie.<br />
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<b>What is your favorite dish to cook?</b> I’m famous (or infamous) for my quick and easy “Mandy’s 5 minute meals” which include simple and easy to make meals like pasta. <br />
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<b>Who would I want to have dinner with (dead or alive)?</b> Princess Diana, Maya Angelou, and (last but not least) Jesus to name a few…<br />
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That's all for now, folks! <br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-33815662857313853012016-08-17T14:48:00.000-04:002016-08-17T18:07:45.150-04:00The ABC's of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games TriathlonFor the first time ever, both the women’s and men’s Olympic triathlon events will be broadcasted live. You can check out the action for the men on August 18th at 10a.m. ET on USA Network, while the women’s race will be contested on August 20th at 10a.m. ET on NBC. Both races can also be streamed live online at Nbcolympics.com. For those who know little about triathlon and/or only have experience in long distance racing (Ironman, 70.3), I created a list of tips and terms that I hope will help you better understand and enhance your Olympic triathlon viewing experience. :)<br />
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A – Aero bars. Unlike triathlons that are non-drafting, to ensure the safety of all the athletes, only clip-on aero bars are allowed on the road bikes during the Olympic triathlon. Clip-on aero bars must have a solid bridge and not exceed the foremost line of the brake levers. Because athletes are so limited in their extension on these types of aero bars, they are becoming less used in competition. Keep an eye on the athletes’ bikes…most won’t have aero bars. <br />
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B – Breakaway. When a small group of riders or an individual successfully opens up a time gap ahead of the peloton (main group). With such a hilly bike course in the Rio triathlon, it is likely that some breakaways will form on the bike to try and “break” the stronger runners in the field. <br />
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C – Circuit race. All International Triathlon Union Olympic distance races are contested as circuit races, making the race more spectator-friendly. The Olympic triathlon in Rio will consist of: 1 lap for the swim, 8 laps for the bike, and 4 laps for the run. <br />
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D – Domestique. An athlete who sacrifices their own race to specifically work for a teammate(s). Their main job is on the swim and bike – to try and protect their teammate as much as possible and control or counter any moves in the 40 kilometer bike portion of the race. Once they get to the run, their job is done as they have hopefully helped their teammate exit T2 (transition #2) in a good position. Domestiques have been used in past Olympics to help countries secure a medal...be on the lookout for them in Rio.<br />
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E – Energy gels. Even though this is considered a shorter distance race (~2 hours), nutrition is still of the utmost importance. Some athletes will have energy gels such as Power Gel, GU, Hammer Gel, Clif, etc. taped to their bike to allow for easy access during the cycling portion of the race. Others may choose to get their nutrition solely from their drink mixes (placed in their water bottles). <br />
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F – FTP (Functional Threshold Power). The ability to sustain the highest possible power output over a 45-60 minute period. Watch for the announcers to chat or guesstimate what the athlete’s FTP is during the bike portion of the race.<br />
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G – Goggles. Protective eyewear with side shields worn during the swim. The main job of goggles is to protect the athletes from water leaking in, dust, wind, glare, etc. <br />
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H – Heart rate. Athletes keep an eye on both heart rate and power during the race to measure their output and know that they are staying within their zones that they’ve practiced training in. <br />
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I – ITU (International Triathlon Union). The international governing body for the multi-sport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon, and other variations of the sport. Outside of the Olympics, the Olympic triathletes compete in mostly ITU sanctioned events. <br />
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J – Junk miles. To get to this stage of the game, all of the athletes have followed carefully formulated training programs and worked with a coach to ensure that each training session has a purpose…these athletes just say no to junk miles! <br />
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K – Kilometers. The Olympic distance race is measured in kilometers, with distances consisting of: a 1.5 kilometer swim, 40 kilometer bike, and 10 kilometer run. <br />
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L – Legal to draft or draft legal. The Olympic triathlon features a draft-legal bike leg, which means that athletes are allowed to bike in a pack and work together. Riding in a pack reduces the impact of the wind on the riders and allows riders to save energy. This also places an importance on having good bike handling skills! <br />
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M – Mental game. A lot of physical training is done in preparation for the games, no doubt. However, the mental game also plays a huge part in the overall plan of most athletes. Positive self-talk and having positive mantras to say during the race help an athlete to stay calm and deal with whatever obstacles/challenges may be thrown their way. <br />
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N – Neoprene cap. A cap placed under the racing cap if water temperatures are cooler. Sometimes athletes also use a neoprene cap solely in race warm ups to help stay warm. <br />
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O – Olympic Games triathlon. This is the fifth time that the triathlon will be contested in the Olympics. Olympic triathlon made its debut in 2000 at the Sydney Olympics. <br />
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P – Penalties. During the race, you may notice athletes having to stop and serve a time penalty in the “penalty box.” Common penalties include: a false start on the swim, unsportsmanlike/dangerous conduct(which could result in disqualification),improperly racking the bike in transition #2 (T2), and not placing cap/goggles/wetsuit, bike helmet in the appropriate box in the transition area. <br />
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Q – Questions. The Olympic courses are very technical, and athletes often have a lot of questions heading into the race. Luckily, they will get their chance to inquire about any concerns to the race director/race officials in an athlete briefing which is held the day before the race. <br />
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R – Road bikes. Because of the draft-legal/ ITU style of racing for the bike portion and the athletes being in such close proximity, only road bikes are allowed in these types of races.<br />
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S –Six. The number of athletes representing the United States in the Olympic triathlon (3 men, 3 women). <br />
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T – Transition area. This is a marked area where the athletes will store all of their equipment and do a quick change from swim to bike and bike to run. Unlike most age group races, athletes will have their own rack, with their name, race number, and country’s flag on it. They will rack their bike (with their cycling shoes clipped in already) and position their helmet, sunglasses, and running shoes in a way that’s quick and easy to get in and out of the transition area. <br />
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U – USA Triathlon. USA Triathlon (USAT) serves as the national governing body for triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon, and winter triathlon in the United States.<br />
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V – VO2 max. A measure of the maximum volume of oxygen that an athlete can use. This is another metric commonly referenced during a triathlon. <br />
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W – Wetsuit. If the water temperatures are below 20 degrees Celsius, wetsuits (suits made of a material similar to rubber) will be allowed for the triathlon in Rio. Besides providing warmth, wetsuits help the athlete’s buoyancy in the water. Note: air temperatures can sometimes also factor into the official decision of whether or not to make the race wetsuit legal. <br />
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X – X-tra credit. Ok, I admit this one was a bit of a stretch… But, here’s some extra credit info for you: the first Olympic champions in the sport of triathlon were Simon Whitfield (Canada) and Brigitte McMahon (Switzerland) in the 2000 Olympic Games. <br />
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Y – Yankz. A company that offers a type of elastic shoe lacing system that makes it easy for an athlete to get their feet into the shoes, and tighten the laces very quickly. Every second in transition counts, so be on the lookout in Rio for the athletes to have various brands of shoe laces that are quick and easy to tighten. <br />
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Z – Zero: The chance of you NOT getting hooked on this sport after watching/competing. <br />
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Hope everyone enjoys watching the races. Oh, and most importantly, best of luck to our Team USA! Go Greg, Ben, Joe, Gwen, Katie, and Sarah! <br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-19928317342423912442016-05-20T14:37:00.000-04:002018-05-16T14:58:55.252-04:00Releasing the Balloon Let’s play a quick word association game. I say balloon, you say whatever pops into your head first….okay, what was that word? If it was birthday party, graduation, helium, or hot air balloon, quickly nod your head wherever you are reading this. Now, if the word you thought of happened to be venoplasty, please get up and do a 5 second dance around wherever you are sitting. I’m pretty sure I didn’t embarrass any of you here. ☺ Next, nod your head if you’ve ever heard of a balloon venoplasty procedure. Why am I asking all these random questions you may wonder? <br />
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I haven’t updated my blog in awhile because I usually like to have a good mixture of good news with bad news if I can so I don’t come across as a “negative Nancy.” After consulting with various doctors the past 18 months over chronic blood clots and leg pain (and being rejected by many doctors who think a procedure is too risky), I’ve finally found a doctor who is willing to do a balloon venoplasty procedure on the popliteal/femoral vein in my right leg. This is very good news! <br />
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When this option was first presented to me, I honestly had little to no knowledge of what the procedure entailed. After scrolling through WebMD, I learned that “angioplasty [aka venoplasty] is a procedure in which a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is inserted through a vessel and guided to the place where the vessel is narrowed. When the tube reaches the narrowed artery [or vein], a small balloon at the end of the tube inflates for a short time. The pressure from the inflated balloon presses the fat and calcium (plaque) against the wall of the artery to improve blood flow.”<br />
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I wish I could say that I’m 100% sure that this procedure will fix all my problems. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Some of the risks of the procedure are that it could cause small tears or even more blood clots. However, with the pain I’m in now, it’s a risk that I’m willing to take. In a way, I feel like I’m symbolically releasing a balloon. Before I was clenching tight to the balloon (holding onto the idea that my body would heal itself with the help of blood thinners) and I wanted to control how everything would happen. Now that I’m “releasing the string of the balloon”, I feel that I’m also releasing my need to be in control as well. I’m reminded that whatever the outcome of this procedure, God already knows what will happen at every step in my journey ahead and that this is all part of His plan. He is in control!<br />
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Since this surgery is so specialized and only one doctor has agreed to perform it, I’m now playing a waiting game…waiting to get scheduled, get the procedure over with and begin another type of road to recovery. I hope to get my legs back to 100% sooner than later…I need to be able to jump up and down and cheer for my fellow USA triathletes when they compete in Rio later this summer! <br />
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Thank you for your continuing support and prayers! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5Y8CV3sXqAeG9gKYoyCkDHItgPeQgBW4yUtTL81omhcM44y6GyRlanPnN381bYuDVxDsLt22BzzthdsIvyUiF-Lig8lyu8b1EgSlWJnKaChkNJC0PMvBhu8XFQra8ikqAgM7vBYZUOk/s1600/balloon-1046658_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv5Y8CV3sXqAeG9gKYoyCkDHItgPeQgBW4yUtTL81omhcM44y6GyRlanPnN381bYuDVxDsLt22BzzthdsIvyUiF-Lig8lyu8b1EgSlWJnKaChkNJC0PMvBhu8XFQra8ikqAgM7vBYZUOk/s320/balloon-1046658_1280.jpg" width="320" height="213" data-original-width="1280" data-original-height="853" /></a></div>What I think when I hear the words "balloon venoplasty" along with that 99 Red Balloons song <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1xJtDyHkThKwvJrm1EdOKvyACPLdg0mtN4iw82slFJN7wGiApAjHjiNFJZljxvHFmu6ccjI1UCi7ZcbPVfzwgION9w-YBRZV1RYXBRyVKdEVqAZispMx85lenkziM-9W1n-Yde6N44g/s1600/pad-angioplasty.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP1xJtDyHkThKwvJrm1EdOKvyACPLdg0mtN4iw82slFJN7wGiApAjHjiNFJZljxvHFmu6ccjI1UCi7ZcbPVfzwgION9w-YBRZV1RYXBRyVKdEVqAZispMx85lenkziM-9W1n-Yde6N44g/s320/pad-angioplasty.jpg" /></a></div>What is actually happening in my leg<br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-15695703986630210592015-08-09T17:29:00.000-04:002015-08-09T17:29:02.860-04:00On Pins and Needles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHE-g-coStA-wajTRnJuyNpSz7gEMn9cFANILtGBcURhl7BGd6M9qzTLU1UsLuty8hbpn4khG5VRq5BiQwl80rExP6Kz66dZFqHqe6aYIRzWF673Pg8iqJnDp8HRYo7fh9nzUG6u0doo/s1600/IMG_1426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFHE-g-coStA-wajTRnJuyNpSz7gEMn9cFANILtGBcURhl7BGd6M9qzTLU1UsLuty8hbpn4khG5VRq5BiQwl80rExP6Kz66dZFqHqe6aYIRzWF673Pg8iqJnDp8HRYo7fh9nzUG6u0doo/s320/IMG_1426.JPG" /></a></div><br />
In my 9 years as a pro triathlete, I’ve been relatively lucky when it comes to injuries. Of course there are always little niggles to look after, but only 2 foot injuries come to mind when I think of injuries I’ve had that required a boot, complete rest, and over 2 months off from racing. These types of injuries are what I’d refer to as “type A” injuries, and I treated them similar as someone using a GPS device to predict their time of arrival would. What I mean is that most people race the GPS device, trying to squeeze in an extra green light or do everything in their power that will allow them to arrive at their destination quicker than the predicted time, even if it’s only by a minute. I believe this same mentality applies when rehabbing from a type A injury. An athlete can perfectly follow the plan prescribed from their doctors and physical therapists, in hopes of getting stronger than before and facilitating a quicker return to racing than originally promised by the doctors. <br />
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The other type of injuries, I’ll refer to as “type B.” Remember that scene in “Meet the Parents” where Ben Stiller and Robert de Niro are racing home from a restaurant as Ben Stiller is frantically trying to cover up evidence that he lost the family cat Jinxy and replaced it with a fraud? While they are racing home, they are forced to stop at most every red light along the route. Time after time, they hit the gas pedal, and are quickly forced to slam on the brakes seconds later. This is similar to a type B injury in that it takes a long time for an athlete to even be properly diagnosed with their injury and learn what the steps to recovery are. Many tests are done and the athlete is hopeful that a solution will come about soon, only to realize that they are back to square one when the tests come back negative or inconclusive (even though there’s obviously an issue). <br />
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Unfortunately, in 2015, I’ve experienced both a type A and type B injury. While trail running in January after a weekend of (much-needed) rain in SoCal, I hit a slick patch of mud and slid out, only half-falling as my hand caught my body from completely sliding out. I immediately felt pain in my right calf, and hobbled 3 miles back to my car hoping my leg would loosen up and ease the pain. A few days later, I visited my doctor fearing the worst and was relieved to get a diagnosis of a pulled muscle and advice to stay off of it as much as I could. However, as a couple of weeks went by, I noticed that despite resting it, my leg was just getting more painful and more swollen until it grew to be about 2 times the size of my left leg. When I woke up to a completely blue foot and the pins and needles feeling one morning, I knew it was time to take action and go to the ER. After a few tests, I was diagnosed with a torn gastroc and a massive blood clot behind my right knee. I was told several times how extremely lucky I was to be alive and that the clot hadn’t broken off and spread to my lungs (pulmonary embolism). After 4 months of physical therapy and 6 months of Coumadin and weekly blood draws, I am happy to report that my leg is feeling better and my blood clot has cleared up. <br />
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As I mentioned above, I’ve also been dealing with a type B injury this year. Late last year, I experienced two episodes in a short time span where I temporarily experienced vertigo and blacked out for a few seconds. The first episode occurred during a triathlon in northern California. The sensation only lasted a couple of seconds before it subsided, so I wrote it off as a freak incident and continued on racing. The other came while I was driving on a teensy weensy little freeway in SoCal called… the 405. Luckily, nobody was injured in either incident and I somehow managed not to crash into anyone in the latter incident (thank God!). At this point, I started to think that my body was trying to tell me something. <br />
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In the following months, these vertigo episodes became more and more frequent, getting to the point where they were daily occurrences, mostly happening while I was lying down trying to sleep. In addition, I’ve lost the ability to balance on my left side. Since the beginning of the year, I’ve seen physical therapists, ENTs, neurologists, ophthalmologists, audiologists, neurosurgeons, and interventional neurologists, all who performed different tests to figure out where my issues are stemming from. These tests have included: 8 MRIs, 1 MRVenous 2 CT scans, a cerebral angiogram, an ENG, and a handful of ultrasounds. I compare the amount of times I’ve been to the hospital this year to the amount of times I’m usually at the airports traveling to races. The hospital workers now recognize my face in the same way the airport workers at DIA and now LAX do. <br />
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As I strive to rid myself of these vertigo and balance issues, I take comfort in the fact that the brain is truly an amazing organ. Neuroplasticity allows the neurons (nerve cells) in the brain to compensate for injury and disease and to adjust their activities in response to new situations or to changes in their environment. By doing physical therapy exercises that focus on balancing, I’m creating new neural pathways that will compensate for whatever damage I may have. While my balance may never be as great as it once was, my goal is to improve enough to where I feel comfortable doing things such as riding my bike outside or doing weight exercises balancing on my left leg again. <br />
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Although this past eight months has definitely has been a struggle, I have faith that this experience will only make me stronger. Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank those friends and family members who have constantly checked in on me, sent me cute cat videos, cards, etc. to make me smile, and most importantly, been a shoulder to cry on when I needed it. No names needed, you guys know who you are, and I know that a shout out on a blog will never be enough to say thanks! <br />
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Going forward, my return date to triathlon racing is TBD since there really is no timeline for my recovery at the moment. In the meantime, I look forward to running that other race with perseverance: LIFE! and doing the best I can to enjoy the day as much as possible while I regain my health. <br />
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Thank you all for your continued support and prayers and I wish you the best in all your endeavors.<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-17410611795093766422015-05-01T18:01:00.000-04:002015-05-01T18:01:45.545-04:00Stopping to Smell the Roses<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hWJZh8skG4-1KMY6ts5znBoW7cv1EPpQfQeU-H0s0P2wukCv8cQyAUw0oPSfgIHvrx5-cMHPktdbfgui-ku2OJjfY5Hxp3mu2t4Uiih5s_py4aaeXHfUhpsDDpbwmJWbJI2AhnBxcL0/s1600/IMG_1179.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hWJZh8skG4-1KMY6ts5znBoW7cv1EPpQfQeU-H0s0P2wukCv8cQyAUw0oPSfgIHvrx5-cMHPktdbfgui-ku2OJjfY5Hxp3mu2t4Uiih5s_py4aaeXHfUhpsDDpbwmJWbJI2AhnBxcL0/s320/IMG_1179.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2nSIoEAtbPz2wX-B7udLSi9bQVBOvvxZHeIO9G7GDJnzwDh0Zy9Lf4L4dOX3dDEYLuELwKrc00Svle2alyzihaIXnkRHk-TXnMxVyy1aOmchIIldolx_WW2vkiJWWYP7_0x5ZZjZemc/s1600/IMG_1215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG2nSIoEAtbPz2wX-B7udLSi9bQVBOvvxZHeIO9G7GDJnzwDh0Zy9Lf4L4dOX3dDEYLuELwKrc00Svle2alyzihaIXnkRHk-TXnMxVyy1aOmchIIldolx_WW2vkiJWWYP7_0x5ZZjZemc/s320/IMG_1215.JPG" /></a></div><br />
Isn’t it amazing how easy it is to stick to our daily/weekly routines and not check out the sites and activities that are right at our fingertips and in our backyards when we live in a certain location? In Los Angeles, there is no shortage of fun things to do no matter what your interest may be. However, prior to the beginning of this year, most of what I’d seen included stretches of PCH and canyons to bike up and down (very beautiful, I might add!), beaches that I’d practiced open water swimming in, and trails that I frequented for my runs.Ahh, the triathlete lifestyle.... Now that I’ve had some forced downtime due to injuries (blog post coming on those soon), I’ve also had a little time to explore more of my non-triathlon related surroundings. <br />
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In late March, I had the opportunity to check out the Cherry Blossom Festival at Descanso Gardens, a turnaround point for one of my favorite bike routes in Pasadena but somewhere I’d never actually stopped in. I’d always heard of the gorgeous Cherry Blossom Festivals in Washington DC and wanted to go, so was very excited when I heard one was just miles away from me. I was overwhelmed by the beauty of the flowers in the garden, especially the rose and tulip gardens. But the highlight of the day for me probably had to be making an origami flower at the kids station: in my defense I didn’t see a sign stating an age limit and I’ve always been a kid at heart haha! Good times! Ironically, in the following weeks, I noticed that most of the intros for the show “The Voice” before the live performances were shot at Descanso Gardens. My husband, Tony, and I constantly found ourselves saying to each other, “Hey, I know that archway!” or “Remember that tree?!” Too funny... The benefits of living near Hollywood I guess?<br />
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Another little gem Tony and I discovered is Mount San Jacinto State Park which is actually located at the top of the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway about 8500 feet up in the air. After about a 10 minute trip up in a rotating car, you're there! After climbing stairways to get access to observation decks, you’re able to get even closer to 10,000 feet and see breathtaking panoramic views of the desert. Just walking around and taking in the views, this was a great reminder of what acclimating to altitude was like in Colorado – lots of deep breaths needed and a good workout for my heart! In addition to the altitude, I was a fan of the cooler temps – about 40 degrees cooler than the entrance to the Aerial Tramway down below and cool enough for a down jacket for this native Floridian. While walking around the grounds of the park, I learned how to tell the age of the trees (counting the rings) and also how to identify the various types of birds that were flying around (among other things). Since the park allows you to do as little or as much as you choose, this is definitely a location I’d recommend for all ages and family vacays too! <br />
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I look forward to exploring more exciting locales in my area in the near future and sharing their “fun” rating with you!<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-64014225694496951042015-02-08T19:24:00.000-05:002017-10-03T17:17:48.422-04:00Crystal Pepsi & Redefining our Comfort ZonesIt was the first day of the fall semester at FSU. Just another first day like any other I’d experienced in my past 17+ years of school (yes, Preschool and Kindergarten count here), or so I thought. When most people enter a classroom or any type of room for that matter, they do what best allows them to stay in their comfort zone: look for people they are friends with, people they’ve had classes with before, or look for people who are dressed similar to them. Since I always came to class straight from my morning run and weights practice, I tried to look for the other people (athletes) who were…what’s that word?....oh yeah… sweaty, just like me.:)If all else failed and there were no athletes to sit next to, I’d always try to sit next to whoever looked the friendliest. But anyways, back to my story.<br />
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On that first day of my English class after we’d chosen our seat and settled in, our professor mentioned that we'd be completing an exercise to help us get a little bit out of our comfort zones this semester. To help us do this, she had us write down on a piece of paper something from our past that we wish could be brought back: a toy, food/drink not sold in stores anymore, or any tangible object. As many thoughts ran through my head, I decided on something that I liked and thought nobody else would have thought of: Crystal Pepsi. Surprisingly, in a class of 22 there were a lot of requests for Furbies, and I do believe that their dreams for a comeback came true a few years later. Even more shocking to me was that someone had thought of the same response as me! As the teacher read out our responses by similar categories and read our names to go along with them, she asked us to shuffle around our seating arrangement and sit next to whomever shared our “blast from the past” desires. As I moved to sit next to my new Crystal Pepsi BFF as well as a guy who’d put down Surge for his response and was obviously on the same wavelength as us, I realized that I probably wouldn’t have made an effort to get to know these two had our teacher not placed us next to each other. Just more proof that change is usually unwanted, but often creates a great result. While this story doesn’t end with me becoming best friends with these two or hanging out on the weekends, I am happy to report that I was able to get out of my comfort zone that semester and make a connection with people I may not have gotten to know otherwise. And you can bet I made sure to smile and wave whenever I’d see them around campus during the remainder of my time at Florida State. <br />
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Now, I realize that besides my parents and my cat, most of my readers are triathletes. So, now that you’ve seen an example of redefining comfort zones in a social situation, it’s time to triathlon-ize this post… how can this relate to triathlon? The truth is, this topic is relatable on many levels. First, I’d like to highlight the observation that it is easy to get complacent in our daily routine and our expectations for training and racing. However, it is impossible to achieve better results while going about things in the same way. Therefore, it is very important as we strive to grow and become better as both athletes and people to ask ourselves how we can get out of our comfort zone and promote change.<br />
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I believe that most of this change needs to come in the way we train so that it will carry over into our races. We need to ask ourselves what our weaknesses are and figure out the steps necessary to addressing them this season. What did you not like about your training plan from last season? Would you respond better to a different kind of strength plan? Do you need to incorporate more hills and power drills into the training plan? Did you swim enough yardage to be comfortable with your race distance? Similarly, did you do enough intervals to be comfortable with switching gears in a race? Where do you feel you played it safe? These are just a few of the many questions you need to be asking yourself and your coach when it comes to maximizing your triathlon performance. <br />
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In my case, there are many times during my professional triathlon career when I’ve been forced out of my comfort zone. For example, when I realized I needed to work on my biking strength early on in my pro career, I decided to move Colorado and train in the altitude and mountains, although I didn’t even know a handful of people. This was a not an easy decision and it was very lonely starting out. I often thought about moving back to Florida and accepting a slot in the Master’s program I’d put on hold. However, I felt that God had a purpose for me there. For me, this was probably the biggest leap of them all during my career and I am so thankful I stuck it out! Also, once I was a couple years into my racing career, I realized that although I was burning a ton of calories training, I could not in fact eat whatever I wanted and that a healthy, balanced diet would be a better option than a Smashburger and milkshake, a typical dinner for me. I accepted that it was part of my job as a professional to be healthy for myself, and be a good role model for others. I slowly stopped buying frozen meals and ordering myself pizzas for dinner, and finally took the time to learn how to cook. It was a small yet a little overwhelming change in my daily routine that I feel greatly helped my training, racing, and overall health. <br />
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These are just a few examples from my experience (there’s many more I could write about), and I hope these spark some ideas for you on how to get out of your comfort zone this year. I look forward to your feedback and hearing your personal goals and ideas on this topic as well. Let’s keep growing, keep loving, and keep giving thanks for the abilities God has given us – both as triathletes and otherwise!<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-36879464847008655582015-01-09T16:48:00.001-05:002015-01-09T21:42:38.127-05:00Finding Balance in 2015As I sit here looking through my blog (which basically serves as a diary for me), I realize that I've been keeping it for over 7 years now - whoa Nelly! That's a realllllllly long time. As I look back through the memories, some make me smile (fun times experiencing other cultures, races where family and friends came to cheer, podiums, etc), others make me cringe(how did I swim to the wrong buoy?!), and still others spark my memory as to what I didn't share about certain races. Hey, this a "tell-most" not "tell-all" blog after all... ;)<br />
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But, mostly what I notice while I'm looking through my blogging archive is that my amount of blogging has declined steadily since 2008. Not good! So, one of my resolutions for this year is to kick that number back up, especially since I enjoy writing so much. I doubt I'll reach the 25 posts mark that I had in 2008 as an excited newbie, but am thinking somewhere in the teens would be a good goal. <br />
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Another resolution for this coming year is to put less pressure on myself. Yes, being a pro triathlete certainly has its strains, but it's very important to enjoy the process and not get caught up in race results. This is something I've been working on for a couple of years now, and if I'm being honest, I've made progress but still have a ways to go. <br />
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As I enter my 9th year as a pro triathlete, I'd first and foremost like to thank my sponsors who have kept me going for all these years and those that are supporting me this coming year... Sklar Exploration, Serious Cycling, Premium Remodeling, and Rudy Project, you all are very awesome and most appreciated! <br />
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At the moment, I'm dealing with a nasty sinus infection turned ear infection (tis the season) which has kept me out of the pool now for over a month and derailed my winter training quite a bit. Once I get healthy, I look forward to a year filled with lots of hard training, hard racing, and lots of fun along the way. It's times like these where I'm always able to check myself to make sure that I'm being the best wife/sister/daughter/friend/triathlete that I can possibly be. God gave me these roles knowing that they'd be a lot, but I also trust that he will never give me more than I can handle! I look forward to the growth that will take place throughout the year, and to becoming my best version of myself. <br />
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To my readers, I wish you much joy and peace heading into 2015. I hope that this is the year you will chase those impossible dreams (whether they be in work, racing, relationships, etc) and not be afraid to fail... for we all know that great failures lead to great successes.<br />
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Until next time,<br />
-AAmandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-90084904222023499632014-08-25T21:24:00.002-04:002014-08-25T21:28:56.565-04:00Canadian Nationals in Magog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6SCMqFBMnGs4UWOPJwByuShEB1mIhkdMDJlHtk-PZQWhN3EPKIKRnTYwtBoru_8y0bGydFwXXhH3yo5bOBH-6gyO72FsOW6EG3ukjEs79w4X6ChZH8vRLj05KnNG8mjJp3OkQh6tuxs/s1600/IMG_1515.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA6SCMqFBMnGs4UWOPJwByuShEB1mIhkdMDJlHtk-PZQWhN3EPKIKRnTYwtBoru_8y0bGydFwXXhH3yo5bOBH-6gyO72FsOW6EG3ukjEs79w4X6ChZH8vRLj05KnNG8mjJp3OkQh6tuxs/s320/IMG_1515.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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The following week I traveled to Magog, Quebec to race the Canadian National Championships. As opposed to the previous weekend, this weekend’s race was a sprint (half of an Olympic distance). Initially, I was pretty bummed when I heard the race distance had been switched from an Olympic to sprint. However, by the end of the race I was thanking my lucky stars…<br />
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This was my 2nd time racing in Magog and I can say without a doubt that it is one of my favorite race venues. The organization and atmosphere is top notch! Not to mention, the swim takes place in a lake that I could just swim in for days, as opposed to those races where you come out of the water caked with dirt,etc. <br />
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I knew with just a 750m swim that I’d need to get out to a good start and get on some feet. After the gun went off, I saw in my peripheral vision some girls running to the right, and I immediately followed them and dolphin-dived til I got on their feet. I wasn’t able to stay with them for the entirety of the swim, but the good start put me in a great position coming out of the water. <br />
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After a quick transition, I was out to start the very hilly/technical bike course. I had no idea what place I was in coming out of the swim, but was enthused to see only about 4 girls ahead of me on the first lap. Near the end of the first lap, a group of about 6 of us formed a pack and started to work together for the remaining 10k of the bike. Because of the nature of the course, we were really the only large pack to form – most everyone else was going it alone. Unfortunately, on one of the last hills I mis-shifted and my chain briefly came off. Luckily, I was able to think fast and shift it back on, but I lost my mini-pack in the process. I sprinted the downhill as there was only about 3k left at this point, but was never able to get back on. I entered the 2nd transition about 10 seconds back of my group. <br />
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Mad at myself for making such a rookie shifting mistake on the bike, I took off kind of like Roadrunner in those Looney Tunes cartoons. I wanted to reel those girls back in as quickly as possible since it was such a short race. All of the sudden, I felt a stitch in my left side and I started to be thankful that this was only a sprint 5k run! After a little over a mile, the stitch subsided and I was finally able to get back into a quick pace and finish at a decent pace, though my legs were pretty spent by this point and I was running out of "real estate." Once again, my run left me feeling that I can do so much better than this and that all my hard work is not showing as of yet. <br />
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The positives of this race:<br />
• I finished 10th overall<br />
• I was the 2nd overall elite (not counting the U23 results). Basically, I was second out of the old people ;)<br />
• Getting good points towards my world ranking<br />
• There was a Tim Hortons visit post-race which included baked goods<br />
• Spending the weekend in Magog staying in a beautiful lake house with great company<br />
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If only I spoke French, I would consider vacationing there. Bonjour and merci can only get you so far...Now that I’m back home from training in Colorado for the summer and racing in Canada, I’m looking forward to staying in Cali for a bit and not having to pack and fly with my bike. My next race is in Pacific Grove on September 13th. Thanks for reading and as always, for the support! Cheers! <br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-36325449295297263322014-08-25T20:19:00.001-04:002014-08-25T20:39:05.537-04:00Toronto ITU: Shoe Know It!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOsv_ZE3SS4y4-8PFOZ8BpmlXpVvWuGMtesAn5LdzfYkaAeonYy3BtntDxCykiK-Wvshn0DTeGpiETaAke90rxDtk6FrluDUv3V4UJlDY50UOU-lCq7RqtNwlLLt6g8iPTKCE8RC-ORk/s1600/IMG_1430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCOsv_ZE3SS4y4-8PFOZ8BpmlXpVvWuGMtesAn5LdzfYkaAeonYy3BtntDxCykiK-Wvshn0DTeGpiETaAke90rxDtk6FrluDUv3V4UJlDY50UOU-lCq7RqtNwlLLt6g8iPTKCE8RC-ORk/s320/IMG_1430.JPG" /></a></div><br />
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In mid-July, I headed to Canada for two ITU Pan American Cup races. The last time I raced in Canada was back in 2012, a race that I traveled to on my own. That trip included many miscommunications and a motel room with a front door that wouldn’t latch (eeeek!). Luckily, this time around I had a support crew which made me much less stressed and enjoy the races a whole lot more!! <br />
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I cannot thank Canadian triathlete Leanna Lee and her family enough for hosting me for the time I spent in Toronto and in-between my Toronto and Magog races! I’ve only ever flown through Toronto so I was excited to finally get the opportunity to explore this beautiful city. In my week there, I was able to visit the CN Tower (one of the world’s tallest) as well as the Bata Shoe Museum. Even though I own mostly athletic shoes and sandals, I was intrigued by the evolution of shoes from the days of the ancient civilizations to today. Fun fact: for about a century, men wore heels higher than women to show their status in society. Luckily this fad didn’t last haha! <br />
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The first race of my Canadian double took place in picturesque downtown Toronto: the Toronto ITU Pan American Cup/Pan Ams test event. After a very chilly (16 degrees C) wetsuit-legal swim, I exited the water leading the second pack. I was pretty pleased with my position considering that most of my body was numb and that the swim was a bit long as well! It took about 5 miles into the bike before my feet and legs thawed out and I was able to get into a good rhythm. My pack knew we had a lot of work to do if we wanted to catch the leaders in the group ahead, and once we were swallowed up by a couple of girls from behind, the pace quickened and we began to chip away at the lead. A hard effort on the bike was made even harder by a pesky little 100 meter-ish climb we had at the beginning of each lap, but by the end of the bike our work had paid off and the front pack was in sight!<br />
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Coming off the bike, I tried to stay calm and have a good turnover… and not let that aforementioned pesky little climb take too much out of me on each of the 4 laps. This was not my fastest run ever (by far!), however, it was one of the fastest I’ve had in awhile since my foot injury late 2012. Knowing what I am capable of on the run, I usually end up beating myself up but I have to remind myself that you can't come back overnight and must accept and celebrate progress. I ended up 11th on the day and am so thankful to Leanna’s family, friends, and coach for cheering for me as well! Always nice to know at least one person out there is supporting you. Afterwards, we celebrated by going to a little hole-in-the-wall place in Kensington Market, where we began an afternoon eating marathon that included: fish tacos (my first ever), fresh squeezed pineapple juice (I’m a fan!), cupcakes (yum!), English breakfast tea, and burgers. Don’t judge…we earned it! <br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-44463002939348348342014-07-03T19:17:00.001-04:002014-07-03T19:18:48.575-04:00Dallas 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznF3JmTbnhmBAvoOD5rhq_X3GQStpyFQEam-unmE4L929g2N_nJTJMb00_eYoD7gt4WRRmytdxLeevnJ02lkysn_5MNPtfBGBfDjXw064AnL3e1xoerKldxqjLI2oVxNn80aZA_wOtw8/s1600/IMG_1267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznF3JmTbnhmBAvoOD5rhq_X3GQStpyFQEam-unmE4L929g2N_nJTJMb00_eYoD7gt4WRRmytdxLeevnJ02lkysn_5MNPtfBGBfDjXw064AnL3e1xoerKldxqjLI2oVxNn80aZA_wOtw8/s320/IMG_1267.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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In early June I headed to Dallas, hoping to avenge my 2013 race on the same course, where I suffered from mechanical problems on the bike and was eventually lapped out after stopping to fix them. <br />
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Unfortunately, the story had the same ending this year as well. However, I had no mechanical problems to speak of, the DNF was totally my fault this time. I exited the swim in what I thought to be a good position but had a pretty bad run up to transition and transition which left me with a smaller bike pack than anticipated. I lasted for 6.999 laps out of 8 laps on the bike and (along with the rest of my pack) was lapped by the larger lead pack with a couple hundred meters to go, thus ending my race. <br />
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This was definitely a disappointing result as I had hoped and prepared for so much more. However, failure just makes an athlete work that much harder. And, I feel very fortunate to have no injuries on the radar! My bad mood didn’t last for long as I woke up early the next morning to cheer on my very talented friend, Valerie Eipper, the other age groupers, and the paratriathletes as well. The smiling was infectious out there and you couldn’t help but be inspired by the dedication and talent of these athletes. In addition, I was reminded how ridiculously lucky I am to have a job that I love and also happens to keep me healthy and fit. <br />
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So, this is where I’m at right now. Luckily, I believe it’s about the journey (not the destination) and I will live to fight (read: race) another day. Don’t feel too sorry for me… I am currently doing a training block in beautiful Colorado and will leave next week to race in Toronto and Montreal… life is not too bad… <br />
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As always, thanks for reading! And check back in a couple weeks for updates on my Canadian adventures!<br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-12795978859136675552014-06-03T22:44:00.001-04:002014-06-03T22:50:52.725-04:00Memphis in May: Taking a Gamble<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ6a93fvgAPRofnpBgc_ksrK14FszBlbRLZwIuuXQ8TvV4deomuGaqjcCkSbmGbjYvibXniHJifcNWAmSwDJ5xM5hWxRz1mQJpiA7-tNEFynW6MGOQ1RkisQCgp9ftokUjnSslJQwbYM/s1600/IMG_1277.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ6a93fvgAPRofnpBgc_ksrK14FszBlbRLZwIuuXQ8TvV4deomuGaqjcCkSbmGbjYvibXniHJifcNWAmSwDJ5xM5hWxRz1mQJpiA7-tNEFynW6MGOQ1RkisQCgp9ftokUjnSslJQwbYM/s320/IMG_1277.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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After struggling with a sinus infection that turned into an upper respiratory infection for most of March and April, I knew I needed to decide when I’d throw myself back into racing and test exactly where my body was at. I thought Memphis in May would be the perfect opportunity for me to do that, as well as get an Olympic distance non-drafting race under my belt before the ITU Pan American Championships just two weeks later.<br />
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Having raced here in 2012, I was familiar with the course, which helped ease the stress a bit. However, the conditions couldn’t have been more different than 2012. Instead of a hot, humid weekend, I was now dealing with a rainy and cold climate that left me wishing I had packed a couple more pairs of sweats and maybe a beanie or two!<br />
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Quick side note: although this was the Memphis in May Triathlon, the venue was actually located in Tunica, Mississippi, one of the casino centers of the south. Before the race, I met a man in the elevator who asked me what my winnings were for the weekend, and I smiled and told him I’d find out tomorrow (figuring he was talking about the triathlon, obviously!). He gave me a funny look, before telling me he’d lost $100 already on the slots but was on the comeback trail for the rest of the weekend. Now I understood… casino!<br />
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Anyways, onto the race itself… since it was such a cold morning, I decided to skip my usual swim warm-up and just prep for the race with a bike and run – that way I’d be able to keep myself as warm as possible for race start when I ran into the chilly water. The only problem with this plan was that a sweaty post-run warm-up me made it very hard to get into my wetsuit. I recruited my husband for help pulling the wetsuit up, and, as we both tugged, unfortunately some fingernails punctured my beloved wetsuit pretty good. At that point, I didn’t want to be cold so I figured I’d take my chances with it. As you probably guessed, by the time I got out of the swim, I’d taken on the form of a whale with all the water I picked up during the swim. However, all things considered, I was very pleased with my swim and felt I was in a good position for the bike. <br />
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Since it had been raining most of the weekend, what was once a grassy area had now turned into a mud pit. As I slogged my way through the run and to my bike I could only think of how many people pay hundreds of dollars to do a mud run and here I was competing in one for free….#winning! Once on the bike, I was able to settle into a good rhythm. This bike course involved very long stretches of road before turns, so I tried to make the time pass by quicker by challenging myself to look at my power meter often and try to up the ante every couple of minutes. Another entertaining part of the bike was reading the signs of the roads we turned on – most every one had the word “casino” in it somehow…”Casino Strip Blvd, Casino Resort Rd, etc etc.” With about 10k to go on the bike and biking into a headwind, I really felt like I was starting to lose some steam and my legs were starting to cramp a bit. I was passed by two girls within the last two miles and knew I’d have my work cut out for me on the run. <br />
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As I started the run, I immediately noticed that my legs felt heavy and the energy I usually have to run just wasn’t there. I tried to hang on to my goal pace as much as I could, but after a couple of miles, I had to accept that I’d have to pace myself a little bit more to make sure I was able to finish. I crossed the finish line in 9th and although I was disappointed, I was mostly just happy to be back racing. Sometimes you just have to look at the little victories.<br />
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In addition, I was grateful for the awesome company, including two friends who drove all the way from Chattanooga to watch me race: thanks James and Kimberly! After the race, I did a quick recovery spin, with two ladies I admire very much and don’t get to see enough of at the races: Abby Geurink and Natasha Van der Merwe. Wishing both of them best of luck at their races until we meet again! <br />
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Like I mentioned, I had a quick turnaround til my race in Dallas on May 31st for the ITU PATCO Championships. I knew I had my work cut out for me, but I couldn’t help thinking, “Let your faith be bigger than your fear.” <br />
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Thanks as always to those who support me both in good times and bad: Premium Remodeling, Sklar Exploration, and Serious Cycling. Your support allows me to do what I love! <br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-61041147444890254692014-03-12T14:36:00.000-04:002014-03-12T14:40:08.194-04:00Walkin' on Sunshine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZu-9lj1tzdK5yCnT03LnTF7fzuHkeCD3jfwUiup8yX0D7C_M_X0TowX6QQOtxqyj2wH7JMTiL5PXY-fHOFJfimiDEXbwXDD167T13wv_kHDXta1km7KEVCzb5Cu6SxgZ-vkGyVU_8Br8/s1600/2014-Clermont-329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZu-9lj1tzdK5yCnT03LnTF7fzuHkeCD3jfwUiup8yX0D7C_M_X0TowX6QQOtxqyj2wH7JMTiL5PXY-fHOFJfimiDEXbwXDD167T13wv_kHDXta1km7KEVCzb5Cu6SxgZ-vkGyVU_8Br8/s320/2014-Clermont-329.JPG" /></a></div><br />
I am happy to announce that my 2014 racing is officially underway! For my first race of the season, I competed in the Surf City Half Marathon in Huntington Beach, CA. This was the first half marathon that I’d raced in over two years and I was definitely nervous to see where my running fitness was at after having a dismal year of running last year coming off a late 2012 foot injury. After I started the race, the nerves quickly faded away and I had an absolute blast! Running races (especially marathons and half marathons) are known for having awesome signs, and with the race being on Super Bowl Sunday and Groundhog Day, this race was no exception. Some of my favorites included: <br />
1) Puxatony Phil predicts you will finish before Spring!<br />
2) What’s super about today? YOU ARE and the Broncos!<br />
And I can’t forget to mention the guy running in the pick tutu with a life-size Justin Bieber doll attached to his belly. Whether or not this aforementioned dude beat me or not, well…you’ll just have to decide that for yourself ☺ <br />
Anyways, back to the actual race. My goal was to break 1:30 and I was about 3 minutes under. I ended up running only 20 seconds off my lifetime PR that I’d set coming off of college running at FSU. Therefore, I was ecstatic with the way it turned out. Race #1 – in the books!<br />
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For the 2nd race of the season and my first triathlon of the year, I headed to the other sunshine state (Florida) for the ITU Clermont Continental Cup. This is a race I’ve done multiple years now and admittedly is unlike any race I’ve ever done. In years past, the water level has been so low that it’s turned into a run/swim/run to transition/bike/run (lots of running=HR fun times!). However, this year the event used a deep water start so that there was less running (initially) which I liked better. After a good swim in the midst of the main pack, I had one of the worst transitions ever and had trouble getting my wetsuit off. I lost loads of time and a few bike packs. I time trialed the first 2 laps of the bike solo before a pack caught me for the last 2 laps of the bike. My run wasn’t particularly spectacular either but I was just glad to get the cobwebs out and have that first tri out of the way. I now knew what I had to work on for the following race.<br />
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Another great thing about this race besides the awesome race organizers, volunteers, location, etc. was that the race was specifically set up so that athletes could stay in the Clermont area and compete in the Sarasota ITU Pan American Championships the following weekend. I had a great week of training in Clermont training with an awesome group of Canadians (Leanna Lee, Colin Campbell, other Canadian Colin) as well as local tri coach Boki Maric. Huge thanks to Boki for leading many of the rides – otherwise, I still might be biking somewhere around Clermont …. ☺ <br />
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Anyways, onto my 2nd race of the Florida March sprint tri madness and 3rd race overall – Sarasota ITU Pan American Championships! I felt like this race was much more solid overall than the one the previous weekend in Clermont. Although I didn’t have quite the swim I’d hoped for, I was able to turn in a solid bike and run and improve from my Clermont mistakes. I was also amazed at how seamlessly my gears shifted during the race as I was using the full range of gearing. To that, I can’t say thank you enough to Serious Cycling in Agoura Hills for getting my bike tuned perfectly to race. Speaking of bikes, I’d like to thank Sklar Exploration for lending me a bike to race on for the year after my road bike frame cracked late last year.<br />
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Most of all, I would like to thank my friend, Darcie, who came to cheer for me for both races and also was my homestay for the week – I miss you already… as well as the Publix sweet tea you kept stocked for me! Also, a big thank you to my friends, Laura and Dustin, who came out to cheer for the Clermont race. I am always so blessed to have such an awesome cheering squad at the race, which I totally attribute to my Florida roots ☺ To my husband Tony, thanks for being my sherpa and psychologist during this trip, and for the support always! For helping me get to the race, I’d like to thank Premium Remodeling, Inc!<br />
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To those of you who take the time to follow/support/pray for me, I can’t thank you enough! That’s all for now… may the madness surrounding March inspire you to reach for your goals!<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-82351845724831104692014-01-18T12:28:00.000-05:002014-01-18T12:28:12.393-05:00Why I Want the Broncos to Win the Super Bowl: A Love Letter to ColoradoThe NFC and AFC Championship games are fast approaching this weekend, and although I usually have no vested interest in any of the NFL teams (being raised around good old college football in the south), this year is a little different. I know it’s wrong to pray for a team to win, yet somehow I can’t stop thinking: “I really really want the Broncos to make the Super Bowl and win it all this year.” You may be wondering: <br />
A) <i>Does she want the Broncos to win because she feels the Patriots win too much in the playoffs and they need to beat?</i> This would be a good scenario, however, not true.<br />
B) <i>Is she hoping for a Bronco victory and Super Bowl berth because she loves the fact that every time Peyton yells “Omaha” in his pre-snap count, $500 will be donated to his foundation for at-risk kids?</i> Also not the reason, but kudos to Peyton! <br />
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Let me explain. From 2008 until the end of 2012, I had the privilege of living in the beautiful state of Colorado. At first, I was very nervous about moving across the country from Florida. However, once I moved out there and settled in, I was quickly welcomed with open arms by my fellow Coloradans and the triathlon community there. Even more, I felt like I belonged. For once, no one blinked an eye when I told them that I sometimes took 3 trips to the gym per day or that I woke up before 5am to get a swim workout in. It seemed most people had a similar lifestyle to my own, bikes outnumbered cars, and most people seemed ridiculously happy… that is, unless they were stalking a spot in the Whole Foods parking lot ;) <br />
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But then again, how could you be sad for too long with the amazing views and gorgeous sunsets that proved to be almost a daily occurrence?! And sunrises too for that matter. I’ve never been much of a morning person, but I must credit Colorado to slowly transforming me into one. Most mornings I’d just stare into the sky and think, “Geez…you are really showing off today, God!” I can also recount many bike rides where I had to stop, if even for a couple seconds, just to make sure I got a quick photo in to capture the moment. If you’ve ever felt the need to be reminded just how tiny you are compared to the rest of the world, go biking/hiking in the Rockies. The expanse surrounding you will leave you breathless.<br />
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But, enough with my ramblings on the amazing scenery in Colorado. You probably already knew that. Now, rewind back to September 2013, a little over half a year since I’d moved out to Southern California from Colorado. When I received the news that Boulder and surrounding areas of Colorado were devastated by a flood, I was heartbroken. Even after looking at pictures and seeing videos, I was still in disbelief. This idyllic area that I’d come to love was damaged. Bike routes that I knew like the back of my hand were completely wiped out. All I could think of was the wonderful people back in Colorado and my friends who were affected by this natural disaster. I knew that the community would come together and help each other, yet I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. <br />
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Furthermore, I thought of the young children I volunteered with during my time in Boulder, most of them mini Bronco fans. It pained me knowing the general vicinity of where they lived and accepting the fact that they were most likely hit hard by the flood. <br />
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However, amidst all this tragedy and stress, there is one thing I do know: one of the greatest distractions from all the stresses of life is sport. Instead of being emotionally vested in what’s going on in our own lives, sport demands our emotional attention as we tap into the players’ moods, and the grueling competition throughout the innings/quarters/halves, etc. Thinking about it this way means that on average football is about a four hour distraction per week! And I'd argue that this is a good thing.<br />
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So, why do I want the Broncos to win the Super Bowl? Simply put, most of the wonderful people I met in Colorado are Broncos fans. I believe that between the fires, flooding, and another school shooting tragedy last year, these awesome people deserve a reason to be happy and celebrate a championship together. So, in closing, just let me say… I love you Colorado and Gooo Broncos!<br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-6764435307444792232013-05-24T20:39:00.001-04:002013-05-24T20:39:02.897-04:00Wildflower: Take 1 <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KX8K5X8lk_zO3asDIzUSnvVOVa4gP7BBKcj9kd4IUtNhcMLDfSTP-lF5DMOiJHNsbGvPLzAowSlOVl6Kb7EZbmAceOUfQf2znHXhifUuPR5YD9z1q0J2L3q5oxfz8wC1LvMvZTwlzAA/s1600/Wildflower2013+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KX8K5X8lk_zO3asDIzUSnvVOVa4gP7BBKcj9kd4IUtNhcMLDfSTP-lF5DMOiJHNsbGvPLzAowSlOVl6Kb7EZbmAceOUfQf2znHXhifUuPR5YD9z1q0J2L3q5oxfz8wC1LvMvZTwlzAA/s320/Wildflower2013+005.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxmmq0ftPR6lqZ7CZA_hpMrVn3SVS7_km93QhKFoCn8Wmr1UO3kGfSE9f_HCKOjyeGTstnCQnGcod2JWWDlSnSHlEenE8WkwTMg1PMSLynO3gZD3m83OpNQQxIKLNEjjskTEnVTW6ij4/s1600/Wildflower2013+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCxmmq0ftPR6lqZ7CZA_hpMrVn3SVS7_km93QhKFoCn8Wmr1UO3kGfSE9f_HCKOjyeGTstnCQnGcod2JWWDlSnSHlEenE8WkwTMg1PMSLynO3gZD3m83OpNQQxIKLNEjjskTEnVTW6ij4/s320/Wildflower2013+004.jpg" /></a><br />
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For years, the Wildflower Triathlon has been a race on my triathlon bucket list. In this year of transition, I finally had the opportunity to check it off the list since it is less than a 4 hour drive away from me. I’d heard the stories of how much fun this iconic race was, and looked forward to toeing the line at Wildflower, which was also my half ironman debut. Between the throngs of people and electric atmosphere to the challenging course, this race didn't disappoint.<br />
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The swim started out much more aggressive than I thought it would, and after a poor start where I got clobbered, I found myself having to go way to the outside and sprint to regain the position I wanted. A couple of girls had gapped me already, but I was able to settle in and work with 2 other girls throughout the rest of the swim. I exited with the girls in 4-6th place and was definitely psyched to have people cheering me on as I ran up the hill into transition. <br />
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One of the biggest surprises of the day came after I hopped on my bike and headed out of transition. Being a newbie, I had no idea the twists, turns, and hills that were awaiting me the first couple miles of the bike; it was the same feeling one might get reading a mystery novel and having no idea what was next. On one corner, there was a steep downhill with a sharp turn which I thought must be leading to more downhill, right? Wrong! Steep downhill quickly turned to steep uphill and me quickly figuring out the proper gearing. Ha whoops! Once I got out of the park and to the part that I’d driven the day before, I was able to settle into a groove. Since this was the longest race I’d competed in to date, I made to sure to be very conservative on the bike and not kill myself the first 30 miles. Once I hit mile 40 (Nasty grade hill) I was still feeling good, so I decided to kick it up a notch and really challenge myself on the hilly sections. I entered transition decently happy with my overly-conservative bike and how the race was going in general (despite being pretty far back in the pro field) and was excited for the run – always my favorite part of the tri. :) <br />
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Despite all of the challenging hills on the bike, my legs felt surprisingly good coming off the bike and I immediately tried to establish a high cadence in the first mile of the run. However, I also noticed that while my legs felt good, my body was starting to feel the effects of just how hot it was out there (mid 90's I believe by this point in the race). After a hilly mile 3 in which I thought I was still in good shape, I felt my gut start to cramp and I started to get chills. I slowed down quite a bit on miles 4 and 5, realizing my main goal here was just to finish this race and I was still less than halfway into the run. Mind over matter, I told myself. I’ve been in trouble in many other races and have been able to stick it out until the end. Only one other time in my 7-year long career have I had to DNF due to illness or injury. Unfortunately, this was a different situation. Right after mile 6, I began getting dizzy and weaving while I was walking. I started blacking out and apparently fainted. I’m not too sure what happened next, but I do know that an awesome group of guys from the aid station brought me a chair to rest and recover in along with lots of gatorade and water. I’d planned to keep going but wasn’t getting much better after 15 minutes so they called an ambulance for me and my day was done.<br />
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I was so so bummed not to get to finish this race after all the work I’d put in to get here and am still baffled as to why my body shut down on me after executing my nutrition plan perfectly. But, I know that I’ll be back racing here again. Despite the bad race, I can still say it was a fun weekend catching up with old friends and making new ones as well. Also,the hospitality of Tri California is second to none. If you’ve never done a TriCal race, I highly recommend it as the pros are treated like gold. There aren’t too many races I can think of where bottles of wine and chocolate chip cookies are raffled off to pros the day before the race. <br />
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I'm so thankful for all those who have helped me get to this point to be competing this year, especially my sponsor Sklar Exploration. I'm also grateful to my husband, Tony, for driving me to and from the race and taking good care of me throughout the weekend. Thanks to my readers for checking in on me-- next race is just around the corner in Dallas on June 1st. Here's hoping it's a little bit cooler than last year!!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-35612433068669252922013-05-02T19:49:00.000-04:002013-05-02T19:49:18.106-04:00In Remembrance of Grandpa: An Everyday Hero<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbSsGGgTlliE096LsXrtvj-elAVn0V_fVUEWt2N5FECijbBs8TgPDw7S7uVXv-hJx8yNGvXhLF984P1Yndjb6m5B-Ex3amc12DIS8Vurbam7-q8jVVpS2zcx9mD4f_UEro3QP5sw9Rss/s1600/gpa+pic+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbSsGGgTlliE096LsXrtvj-elAVn0V_fVUEWt2N5FECijbBs8TgPDw7S7uVXv-hJx8yNGvXhLF984P1Yndjb6m5B-Ex3amc12DIS8Vurbam7-q8jVVpS2zcx9mD4f_UEro3QP5sw9Rss/s320/gpa+pic+1.jpg" /></a><br />
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If you google Don Hahn, chances are, you will get search results for the famous Disney producer and not for my grandpa. Although, while he didn’t create any major motion pictures and probably wouldn’t be an overly googled figure, I considered him to be an everyday hero. <br />
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My grandpa was the type of person who made a point to really know everyone, learn their story, and find a way to connect with them and make them feel special. I can remember numerous occasions when I’d be out on grocery shopping trips with Grandpa, even only for a few items sometimes, and he would start chatting with a random stranger in the store, find a commonality (usually sports teams alliances), and before you knew it an hour had passed and the family back at the house wondered where we’d disappeared to. Grandpa taught me to really treat people well and be kind to them; this is something I try to do in my everyday life as well as sport. One thing that always excites me is to see people of all ages and backgrounds competing in triathlon, not knowing the obstacles or hardships they may have had to overcome to get to that race. I love hearing these stories and that is definitely one of the things I love about my profession: the way the human spirit is most always brought out in some way through triathlon. <br />
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Another love that Grandpa and I shared was the love of sport. Although he was a kind soul, he was a very competitive person when it came to golf, basketball, card games, you name it. He also created a family tournament for both the college bowl games and the basketball March Madness so he’d have more things to compete in (winner gets a plaque with their name on it!). From an outsider’s point of view, this tournament may have looked like a joke since even all the pets were allowed to have brackets, but those inside the family know just how competitive it can get :). Speaking of family, probably the greatest gift that Grandpa gave to my family was that he placed an importance on our family seeing each other multiple times a year, even if we lived thousands of miles away. I’ll always remember family vacations and holidays with my grandparents, parents, sister, aunts, uncles, and cousins as a magical time; something not all people can relate to. <br />
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In addition, Grandpa always supported me in whatever I did, from gymnastics when I was little to club swimming, and later triathlon. Good or bad race, he always let me know that he was proud of me. As he approached ninety, he wasn’t able to play golf as much as he wanted to, but still kept up a workout routine in the gym at his retirement home. To try and pique the interest in different sports of his fellow residents, he worked with the fitness coordinators at his retirement home to create the “Windsor Olympics.” He encouraged everyone to participate, and even created events such as the marshmallow toss to ensure the level of participation would be high. I recently learned that in his memory, his retirement community is naming those Olympics after him this year to honor his hard work in bringing this event into fruition. What a great way to honor such a special man.<br />
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When my grandpa passed on March 28th, I felt like I’d lost a grandpa, a fan, and most importantly, a friend. Although he hadn’t seen me race in person in about 5 years, Grandpa was always the first to check for results after my races and was eager to read my blog and see what I’d have to say. It’s been about a month since he’s been gone and when checking my website traffic the other day, I noticed I had a couple of visitors from an “unknown” location. I have no doubt that this means that while my grandpa is probably staying very busy in heaven, he is still finding time to check my blog as well… very sneaky Grandpa, I’m not surprised.<br />
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I can never repay my grandpa for the love and dedication he’s given to me, but as a small token of my appreciation, I’d like to dedicate my 2013 triathlon season to him. Good race or bad race, you can be sure I’ll be giving it my all. Praise be to God for giving me such an amazing grandpa and I can only hope that I’m able to share as much love with the world and have as much impact as he did. <br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-16194325121081962382013-04-25T15:17:00.000-04:002013-04-25T15:17:15.561-04:00New Beginnings<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R10vqBgdGcxdk0gVKM_Umw9rx_QdDiocxTIvFlISacLVKM99u8VBlWM3bbz4BVAPhWrzTGYSWyAPC7JXq-xzDr50WSrlBweA8g0Ta2Ud4B0KS6mBHfcNtjBrOARcNQBRpU0sT4wOHYg/s1600/Wedding+-+Martin+Cohen+129.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1R10vqBgdGcxdk0gVKM_Umw9rx_QdDiocxTIvFlISacLVKM99u8VBlWM3bbz4BVAPhWrzTGYSWyAPC7JXq-xzDr50WSrlBweA8g0Ta2Ud4B0KS6mBHfcNtjBrOARcNQBRpU0sT4wOHYg/s320/Wedding+-+Martin+Cohen+129.jpg" /></a><br />
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Where to begin? Since my last post, lots of changes have occurred in my life… new outlook, new home and most exciting – new last name! On January 12th, I married my best friend and became Amanda Hahn-Peters (you can call me Amanda HP!). In the months since the wedding, I’ve been settling into a new life here in southern California, a huge change from Boulder, Colorado. <br />
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Coming here has had much of the same feel to it as moving to Boulder did when I moved out there right after college. I’ve had to figure out where to train and more importantly, what times to go out and brave the traffic. Gone is my lifestyle of procrastinating and getting anywhere I needed to in 10 minutes in Boulder… out here in SoCal you better plan for an hour! However, it is easy to see why so many people want to live out here. The beaches and weather are absolutely wonderful (most of the time) and I’ve already enjoyed numerous bike rides along the gorgeous shoreline of the Pacific Coast Highway. In a couple of months I will be able to swim in the ocean, but for now (while the water temps are still freezing), a pool swim will do just fine. <br />
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This winter has also had a different feel to it as I took a longer break than usual from triathlon training both for family reasons and to enjoy my wedding and honeymoon in Maui. It occurred to me that I hadn’t been on vacation and not training in over 10 years(!) and I decided I owed it to myself to just relax for once. Since early February, I’ve been working to get my body re-acclimated to training and build my running volume and speed back up after my foot injury late last year. <br />
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As a way to both get a good training base in and check a race off my bucket list, I decided to sign up for the iconic Wildflower Long Course Triathlon on May 4th, which will be my 1/2 ironman and 2013 race debut. The race, held outside of Paso Robles, California, is unique in that the amount of support is second to none and it is widely considered the “Woodstock of triathlon.” Should be lots of fun and I am looking forward to the challenges the course will provide like the run (which is 60% trail and 40% road) and the steep climbs on the bike. I’m sure my husband, Tony, is looking forward to the challenge of being my manager/sherpa/mechanic/ emotional support for the weekend. Stay posted! <br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-14857096268483232942012-11-16T16:05:00.001-05:002012-11-16T16:05:34.261-05:00Where the Buffalo Roams...ITU Elite Nat'lsFor this year’s nationals (just as I did last year), I traveled from the home of the buffaloes (CU Boulder) to the actual location of Buffalo. This year, I had just three simple goals in mind: eat buffalo wings, get a picture with a buffalo in Buffalo, and not be involved in a pile up crash (like last year where I got back up and finished slowly). SPOILER’S ALERT: Mission accomplished! <br />
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Going into this race, I was nursing a foot injury I picked up a week after my Kelowna race and 2 weeks out from nationals. So, my goals slightly changed leading up to the race. Now, after taking 2 weeks off of running leading up to the race, I was just praying that I’d be able to make it through and not end my season on a DNF. <br />
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The swim start took place on a wobbly boat dock complete with hooks for boats to be tied to. After all the rocking last year though, I’m happy to say I was prepared for this year and had a decent start. I was wearing #7(my lucky number) and therefore, was able to pick a decent spot near the outer left side. I thought I’d done a good job of getting out fast after the start but was quickly proved wrong once I hit the first turn buoy and ran into most of the main pack trying to turn at the same time as me. I came out of the first lap, ran around the turn around cone and realized I was further back than I wanted to be. So, I red-lined the first part of the second lap and was able to make up some ground in the very choppy waters. With about 300 meters to go, I felt like I was in a good position in the main group. <br />
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Then came the hardest part of the entire race…running up to transition on a hurt foot. The run-up was a little more of a Sunday jog than I would’ve liked, but I was so excited that I was able to hook onto a bike pack right out of transition that I quickly forgot. The bike course was mostly flat but the winds and the u-turns made it a bit tricky. My bike group of 4 did a good job of not losing too much ground to the group ahead of us and we added another with 3 laps to go on the 8 loop bike course to dismount as a group of 5. <br />
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I’d decided before the race that in T2 I would put on socks and wear my training shoes with orthotics to give my feet as much support as possible. As I did so, I watched as my fellow competitors quickly changed into their racing flats and took off. A couple seconds later, I was off and running as well. Having not run in 2 weeks, I had no idea what to expect and decided that if hurt to run right away I would stop. However, to my amazement I felt okay (thanks endorphins!) and continued on. I tried to stay relaxed and run a consistent pace, which I successfully did for the first 4 miles. It was about at this point that the throbbing pain in my foot started. It really didn’t get too bad until about 1 mile to go but at that point I thought I’d get to sit down faster running than walking. When I hit the finish line 12th overall and 9th American, I was in a world of pain and had trouble hiding it. Grrrrr….I hate feeling like a drama queen! But, I made it and the fact that I didn’t DNF made me so happy at the end of the day. Congrats to Sarah Haskins and Flora Duffy on an amazing race out there in which they literally swam, biked and ran away from the rest of the field! <br />
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So, as you all probably guessed, that was the end of the season for me. For now, I am in foot rehab and wedding planning mode. It’s amazing all the little details you can get caught up in…. Forced downtime is always a good thing, however, it is absolutely gorgeous right now in Colorado and I cannot help but be jealous of the runners I see heading out to the trails…oh well, I’ll be out there soon enough! <br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-63926743547708399422012-11-16T15:59:00.000-05:002012-11-16T15:59:33.009-05:00A “Low” in Kelowna <br />
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After a 5-year hiatus, I was back in Kelowna, Canada for another crack at this ITU race with a monstrous hill. Back in 2007, my first year as a pro triathlete, I think it’s safe to say that I didn’t know how to ride a bike too well and relied mostly on my swimming and running skills to get me through. However, after training at altitude in the mountains of Colorado, I felt more confident in my biker chick abilities and was ready to race for the podium! <br />
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Sadly, my bike had other ideas… apparently the electronic shifting must’ve been a little bit off and every time I tried to shift from my small to big ring after climbing the aforementioned monstrous hill, the chain would slip off and I’d have to put it back on. I continued on each time, picking up a new group of people to ride with almost every lap until the final lap when instead of just slipping off, my chain jammed underneath the frame and I was unable to continue. <br />
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The positive things I had to take away from the race were this: 1) I can finally make it up the hill no problem and stay with the group 2) Kelowna is an absolutely gorgeous city! I’m going to go there as often as I get the opportunity! 3) The race organizers and volunteers there are so sweet! They came to get me after my bike broke and made sure I was physically (and mentally) okay…awesome people! 4) The other Americans rocked this race… 3 Americans in the top 5!<br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-14463168418082120482012-08-27T19:17:00.000-04:002012-08-27T19:17:26.796-04:00New Orleans and Boulder Peak TriAfter the Dallas race, I was back to the non-drafting format and back in the hunt for points to qualify me for Hy-Vee at the New Orleans 5150 tri. <br />
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Although it was a relatively small field, it was still a stacked one and I knew I’d be challenged by these girls out on the course. <br />
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In the swim, the most of the group stuck together throughout and we exited within seconds of each other. After about a half mile run to transition, we hopped on our bikes to start the bike portion of the race. <br />
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In past years, the New Orleans bike course had been traditionally flat, but this year to change things up a bit, race organizers decided to add in a bridge that the athletes would cross over 4 times on the 2 lap bike course. I feel like I was able to get in a good rhythm on the bike and keep some of the top girls in my sights. Then, when I was about 1.5 miles out from the bike finish, I hit a bump and all of the sudden my chain was jammed and wouldn’t move. Although admittedly mechanically challenged, I knew that I should check my derailleur, try to switch into a different gear, etc. to see if that would help. It turns out a couple of bolts in my chain ring popped off, and I was unable to get my pedals to turn over. Therefore, I had to sit and wait for the sag wagon to come get me and take me back to the finish line. After my DNF, I was pretty bummed since I felt like I had a good race going and knew I wasn’t going to get any points. I decided not to get too down on myself and was able to enjoy a beautiful long run along the coast before I left the venue. <br />
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Because of the DNF and no points, I knew that the Boulder Peak race was really my last chance to gather any points for Hy-Vee. I was really looking forward to racing at home because that meant I didn’t have to deal with flying and I got to sleep in own bed. Also, I knew this course like the back of my hand and was eager to see what I could do on it. Furthermore, I knew that a lot of people I train with would be out there racing as well and I was excited to see them race.<br />
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The Friday before the Sunday race, I woke up coughing and sneezing and with a sore throat. I decided to take a day off and try to rest up and recover from my bug. On Saturday, I felt a little better and was able to do my usual short pre-race warmups, although they wore me out a bit. I decided I would make a decision when I woke up Sunday as to whether I’d race or not. When I woke up, my sore throat was gone but I was still congested. I decided I’d give it a go and hoped by blowing my nose a gazillion times it would somehow clear up. I started the race feeling ok and was able to have a decent swim, exiting the water as the 3rd pro woman. <br />
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Onto the bike, I immediately felt congested and tried to take some deep breaths and keep a rhythm going. By the time I got to the steep hill in the course at Olde Stage, my throat was starting to clog up too and I could barely breathe. So, the cliff’s notes version of the rest of my bike is that it was more like a Sunday stroll than a race as I struggled through to the bike finish. Still hoping to get some points, I also struggled through the run and to the finish. It was very disappointing to have to race sick in front of the hometown crowd. However, I feel very blessed to have had my family, friends, and sponsors at Sklar Exploration out there to support me. Note to self: Racing sick is never a good idea, hometown race or not!!<br />
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Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-85747475490480277632012-08-27T19:13:00.000-04:002012-08-27T19:13:10.278-04:00Dallas ITU Pan Am Cup - Feelin' HOT HOT HOT!After racing a couple of consecutive non-drafting races, I was excited to switch back to the draft-legal format for the my first Olympic distance draft-legal race of the year. <br />
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Because there were multiple races being contested in one day, the pros were given the final 2 time slots of the day, with the women starting right around 11am. The swim started out as it most always does, with an initial sprint to jockey for position followed by a more controlled swim stroke in the pack. I don’t feel like I really was able to wake my body up until about the 2nd lap of the swim (halfway through), when I realized I had some serious ground to make up on the lead pack of swimmers. I exited the waters near the Marriott Las Colinas way further back than I anticipated and definitely a bit discouraged. <br />
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Onto the out and back bike course which was located on a road just in front of the Marriott grounds, I tried to dig deep for the first couple laps of the bike and see who I could connect with to form a pack and by the end of the third lap was able to settle in with a group of about 7 other athletes. With about 2.5 laps, some of us decided to use one of the turnarounds to make it a break for it, which split our group in half. Now with only a lap to go, a few of the girls kept pushing harder at which point I felt like my body was shutting down. I don’t think I’d ever felt so hot riding my bike. I knew if I wanted to have any shot of finishing the race I needed to slow it down and save my legs a bit for the run. <br />
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So, after letting the other girls go, I entered transition by myself and headed out onto the run, unsure if I’d be able to finish. I started out by jogging for a couple minutes to see how my body would respond. After 1 of 4 laps, I started to feel better so decided to pick up the pace and see how many girls I could pick off. I was able to run lap 2 and half of lap 3 at a somewhat normal pace before I started getting overheated again. At this point, girls were dropping like flies in front of me (passing out or pulling out of the race). This is the part where the mental battle started. I wanted so badly to quit and just lie down (it seems like the easy way out when you see others doing it) but somehow I was able to trudge on even though my body was shutting down and I was getting dizzy. My coach and two of my close friends (Renee and Forrest Lewton) urged me to keep on running and I can’t thank them and the other people out there supporting enough for keeping me going. The last lap was mostly a blur but I do remember closing my eyes for a couple seconds at a time and deep breathing. Oh yeah…and running into a parked car while I had my eyes closed (whoops!). I don’t remember finishing the race and had no idea what place I was in, but I do remember getting carried underneath a shady tree and lying there for quite awhile before sitting up and eating lots of popsicles.<br />
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This is definitely up there in the books for “hottest/most humid race I’ve ever done.” The only other race that comes close is one I raced in Rincon, Puerto Rico back in 2007…if you were there, you know what I’m talking about. <br />
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I ended up 6th place in the pro women’s field. While I was obviously happy with a top 10 finish, I can’t help but have mixed emotions after having a sub-par swim, bike, and run. But, I guess some days splits don’t matter and it’s more about doing the best you can and surviving under tough conditions. <br />
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Thanks so much to my friends Forrest and Renee Lewton for being my homestay for the weekend and making sure I was taken care of after the race. Much love to you guys!<br />
Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-75773092756362948942012-06-04T13:47:00.001-04:002012-08-26T12:52:19.401-04:00Memphis in May TriAfter racing St. Anthony’s and a couple of weeks of downtime to recover and get in another good training block, I raced the Memphis in May Triathlon which is actually now being held in Tunica, Mississippi. So, it’s Memphis…in May…in Mississippi! <br />
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What makes MIM different from other races is that instead of a mass start on the swim it is a time trial start. This means that after every 10 seconds a horn would sound and another athlete would run down the ramp into the water individually. This year’s race had the pros start out in alphabetical order by last name and alternating gender. So, the closest girl was 20 seconds ahead of or behind me. Since there were 2 other 5150 series races being held on the same weekend, it was a considerably smaller field than St. Anthony’s. <br />
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After the horn sounded and I dove in the water, it was actually nice to not have to deal with kicking and fighting for position in the water. I was able to find my own rhythm and swim in “clean water,” something that is usually only reserved for the lead swimmers in the pack of other mass start races. As the swim progressed, a couple of swimmers came by me and I was able to hop on their feet and catch a draft for a bit. Coming out of the swim I felt strong and ready to bike!<br />
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The bike sent us way out across town down mostly quiet roads (away from the casinos of Tunica), into a nice headwind for most of the first ½ and then a turn around tailwind on the way back. I started out on the bike with a group of 3 other girls and was able to keep them in my sights until the turn around on the bike where they gapped me a bit. Since it was a hot day, my main goal was to drink every last ounce of liquid I had with me and I am happy to say that I succeeded…<br />
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…. But going on to the run I was still pretty darn hot! I tried to start out the run at what I’d trained to be my 10k pace (using my trusty Garmin as my guide) but after 2 miles realized that my body probably would bonk if I kept it up. I forced myself to slow down a bit and remember to breathe! The finish line couldn’t have come soon enough on that run! I ended up in 4th place and was happy to get some more points towards my 5150 series ranking. I was also so thankful to have my fiancé there to support me and take care of me in my extremely tired state after the race.<br />
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One of the highlights of the weekend was getting the chance to go into downtown Memphis and see the ducks at the Peabody, something I hadn’t seen since I was a little girl. Apparently many animals have graced the fountains at the Peabody hotel, but the ducks have had staying power at the hotel. :) For quite a few years, the ducks have been involved in a show which has them coming down the elevator, filing out into the lobby and hopping into their beloved fountain…so cute! Can't wait to do that race again in the future!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-16059135405928984212012-06-04T12:06:00.001-04:002012-06-04T12:07:06.077-04:00Early Season UpdateAfter a long break from blogging, I’m back at it again... I know you are all shocked ;) Since my last blog post, I’ve completed 4 races: 2 drafting and 2 non-drafting which are part of the 5150 series. After almost a 3 year break from the non-drafting scene, I decided to go “give it a go” once more this year, this time on a time trial bike instead of a road bike (which definitely helps a ton!). Thanks so much to my main sponsor Sklar Exploration and to Colorado Multisport for helping me get setup on Mr. Shiver Me Timbers (my Specialized Shiv time trial bike) and also my road bike as well. Prior to this year I’d never had an in-depth bike fit and I can’t recommend them enough to make you go faster and make your body happier while riding!
In other exciting news, I am now an engaged woman! On one of the last days of my winter training in California, my boyfriend surprised me by taking me over to Malibu where I thought we’d just be going to dinner. Instead, we ended up taking a walk on the beach which turned into drawing in the sand, which turned into a proposal, which turned into me now having to wear something besides a Timex watch on my left hand/wrist…but I’m not complaining one bit!
At the beginning of March, after my training block in the warmth of California, I competed in the Clermont ITU Continental Cup in Florida to test out my early season fitness. Unfortunately, I felt sick to my stomach pretty much the entire race. I was able to work through my discomfort until the run, where I was forced to jog pretty much the entire way and finished pretty far back. Although this was not the way I’d envisioned kicking off my 2012 season, the weekend was not at all a waste. Since the race was in Florida and fairly close to my hometown of Gainesville, I was fortunate enough to have two of my best friends (Darcie and Wendy) there to cheer me on and support me throughout the weekend. In addition, I was able to visit Animal Kingdom which is the only Disney park I hadn’t been to in the parks located in Orlando.Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-90013576203015460812012-01-11T21:50:00.000-05:002012-01-12T00:16:13.092-05:00I'm Still Here!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdti6qNWzTvic53TdBC5rLSLwepkfiUT9r-QwcdmEt5FPeLhWXC0o3U3E5Q-rNseniwu9t6BPswSp-a0qro3uzao1bAP5XnhN0poWPpLLRlLyrj7dnPNoD42J9RqSHk0XdAUHU2lJ3SSc/s1600/jan2012+066.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdti6qNWzTvic53TdBC5rLSLwepkfiUT9r-QwcdmEt5FPeLhWXC0o3U3E5Q-rNseniwu9t6BPswSp-a0qro3uzao1bAP5XnhN0poWPpLLRlLyrj7dnPNoD42J9RqSHk0XdAUHU2lJ3SSc/s320/jan2012+066.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696609635169597522" /></a><br /><br />Hey y'all! Happy New Year! I'm sure a lot of you wondered if I was ever going to update this every again, huh? Well, I must admit that 2011 was a year that chewed me up and spit me out. Between misfortune such as crashes, flat tires, and stolen equipment (which resulted in a DQ) in my races and dealing with pneumonia for almost 3 months, I am looking forward to a happier and healthier 2012 for sure! Through the trials and tribulations, I learned one very important thing: the whole reason I'm in this sport is to live out God's plan for my life and spread His word. <br /><br />One particular experience that sticks out in my head from this season was when I was on my return flight home from sprint worlds in Switzerland, the race where my shoes were missing when I returned to T2 :( Admittedly distraught, I spent most of the flight lamenting the race when it occurred to me that the lady next to me looked visibly upset. After several hours of frowning and sighs, I finally got the courage up to ask if she was ok. She revealed to me that her dad back in the US had had a stroke and she wasn't sure if she'd make it there in time to see him alive. Way to put things in perspective...and I thought I was having a rough weekend!! I asked her about happy memories she'd experienced with her dad and after recounting story after story and praying for her dad's safe journey "home," by the end of the flight she was smiling, thinking about what a blessing it was that she'd been given such a great dad. Stories like this happen to me now and again, and remind me that although sport is great, there's so much more to life. <br /><br />Anyways, I am thankful to be healthy enough to do what I do and for the people that support me - you truly are the wind beneath my sails. I am excited to embark on this new year and test the waters of both non-drafting and draft-legal triathlon. <br /><br />This past weekend I kicked off 2012 the best way I knew how.... by combining my two favorite things into one weekend - Disney and running! I ran the Disney marathon relay with one of my best friends and had an absolute blast doing a "fun race" before the real races start in a couple of months. I look forward to all this year has in store for me and wish my supporters all the best as well!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-28155888325253188032011-06-28T11:09:00.008-04:002011-07-20T11:29:18.924-04:00Inside the Box<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBToyHthyphenhyphenHzn-Qh0zP8TFFfagmuS9iYounMM5EEScVTSkKJGPuZN0HCnuz2RW-9UtWbW7pi4Q-UUoHsksW9FIXZdBexaJmMFbuM_nrGcUBO91GXB8l0mD6WGax1zyYLe6y38t4tPlpFI/s1600/83110-031-034f.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 233px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsBToyHthyphenhyphenHzn-Qh0zP8TFFfagmuS9iYounMM5EEScVTSkKJGPuZN0HCnuz2RW-9UtWbW7pi4Q-UUoHsksW9FIXZdBexaJmMFbuM_nrGcUBO91GXB8l0mD6WGax1zyYLe6y38t4tPlpFI/s320/83110-031-034f.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631456972428110898" /></a><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br />Whew! I guess it's been awhile since I updated this thing... so much has been going on I don't even know where to begin... <br /><br />A few weeks ago I finished up my first semester volunteering with Boulder County Headstart. I'm so thankful for the group of kids I was given to work with and also the support of the Athletes for Hope and look forward to working with this organization more in the future. In addition, I had the opportunity to help out the running after school program at Columbine Elementary School. The overall purpose of the program was to get the kids outside exercising with a more specific goal of getting them ready so that they could complete the Bolder Boulder 10k which happens annually in Boulder on Memorial Day. I foresee some future Usain Bolts in this group... =) <br /><br />In addition to racing after speedy kids, I've also been racing some myself. In my last post, I mentioned that I was racing in the Monterrey World Cup, a race that ended up being a disaster for me. The swim portion of this race took place in a narrow canal that was about 4 feet deep and not too wide...not the most ideal setting for a group of 70 people to swim through at once. Needless to say, I felt like I was in a boxing match trying to move into a good position most of the swim and came out of the water feeling pretty spent and just a couple of seconds off of the main pack. I time trialed a couple of laps but was never able to catch them and pretty much blew up the second half of the bike. I'd never competed in a race with a field that big so it was a definitely a good learning experience for me...I'll know what to expect in the future. <br /><br />Last weekend I competed in another race, a continental cup that was held in Monroe, Washington, just outside of Seattle. Before I recap the race I have to comment that this was just about the most perfect race weather I'd ever seen in all my years of racing...high 60's and partially sunny...pretty much a triathlete's dream! Anyways, the elite women's race started right around noon with a just barely cold enough for wetsuits swim in Lake Tye. I came out of the first lap of the swim right in the middle of the pack and lost a couple of spots on the second lap but still came out in good position, only a couple of seconds off the main group. After a very bad taking off my wetsuit 1st transition, I headed out for the bike, just off the first group. I worked with an Australian girl who exited transition around the same time as me and we quickly worked to reel in a couple more girls to form a pack of 6. About 6 laps into the bike, I was moving up to take a pull when my bike started to fishtail and I almost smacked into some of my group (sorry girls!). I quickly realized I had a flat in my rear tire :( I wasn't sure exactly where the wheel stop was but knew it was probably somewhere near the beginning of the lap. So I rode the rest of the 5k lap on the flat very very slowly and approached the wheel station only to learn that unlike in World Cups, there are no neutral wheels in continental cups. At that point I thought I was done but luckily Chris Tremonte saved me and let me borrow his rear wheel so I could continue on...thanks Chris! I don't think I realized how much time I'd lost at that point so I continued on and time trialed the rest of the bike. When I got to the run, my legs felt pretty heavy and sore but I was able to work into a rhythm and get a good turnover going heading into the finish. <br /><br />Looking back at my past two races, I thought "What good can I possibly take away from these races??" That's when it dawned on me that I'd had two races without getting any penalties for having my equipment outside of the box in transition. This is something I was penalized for many times at the end of last year/beginning of this year. So, that's where I'm at right now... down, but definitely not out... and still having a blast! <br /><br />My next race is a continental cup in San Francisco, California, a race I've done twice before. But before that happens, I get to visit some of my favorite family members in the midwest and celebrate the 90th birthday of one of my biggest fans, my grandpa :) <br /><br />Happy summer everyone! Chug that water and don't forget the sunscreen!Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8658359842054468576.post-87276195147222130972011-05-05T18:53:00.002-04:002011-05-05T18:56:18.277-04:00Monterrey World CupHello readers! I am in Monterrey, Mexico getting ready to race my first World Cup of the year. My race goes off on 5/8 (Happy Mother's Day Mom!) at around 8:30am Central Time and you can get live splits at triathlon.org if you are bored on Sunday or want to keep tabs on me :) All for now...Amandahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00675892729888454705noreply@blogger.com0