Testing 1,2,3

This past week I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to help out with a great cause. I joined a group of other professional athletes in helping to record a song to raise awareness of the Blazeman Foundation for ALS. ALS is a disease of the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. Unfortunately, as of yet, there is no cure for the disease. The record, which is meant to honor its founder (Jon Blais, the only person diagnosed with ALS to complete an ironman), will be available on iTunes, Napster, etc. around Christmas and all proceeds from the song will go directly to the Blazeman Foundation. For more information on ALS, click here

The thought of racing with a disease such as ALS is no doubt an inspiration to all. Next weekend, after nearly 4 months off of racing and rehabbing a partially torn posterior tibialis tendon, I will be making my comeback to racing at the USA Triathlon Elite Nationals in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Although this race is being held at the same venue, on the same course, and at the same time as Elite Nationals in 2009, it definitely has a different feel to it. For the first time in about a decade, I will go into the race knowing that of the 3 disciplines, my running will not be my strongest suit. So is it the swim or the bike? I'll never tell...but I will tell you this, just to cross that finish line again will make me one happy girl!

Check it out!

Exciting news - I am the featured grassroots athlete on the CycleOps website! Click here to discover everything you never realized you always wanted to know about me and take a look at some of the great indoor trainers and other technology offered by the CycleOps company. My powertap has become my new best friend this year and has allowed me to keep a data trail of my workouts and know exactly how much power I am putting out in each workout. Truly great stuff, I highly recommend!

24 for 24

With my 24th birthday quickly approaching in a couple of days, I decided to make a list of things I'd like to accomplish in the next 24 years... I am open to suggestions too :)

1) Ride a cruiser bike with a bell and basket across the country, stopping at all the touristy locations
2) Teach English in another country
3) Run with the bulls in Pamplona
4) Bike the Tour de France route (taking my time to stop and smell the flowers of course!)
5) Compete in the Olympics
6) Complete an ultra-marathon
7) Learn how to ski and snowboard (I do live in Colorado after all!)
8) Save up enough money so I can buy bikes for kids who live in poverty and can't afford one... socioeconomic status shouldn't determine whether or not you can participate in any given sport, more specifically triathlon and cycling.
9) Become a piano teacher
10) Get one of my stories published
11) If #10 works out, become a full-time writer
12) Achieve something that my under 24 self thought was impossible
13) Become a certified yoga instructor
14) Be a mentor
15) Compete in a triathlon on every continent (Antarctica included!)
16) Learn how to say "hello" and "thank you" in each of the major languages of the world
17) Learn how to ballroom dance
18) Visit the 7 Wonders of the World
19) Swim in the largest swimming pool in the world (off the coast of Chile)
20) Learn how to cook something besides pasta
21) Read every novel that has won a Pulitzer Prize in the fiction category
22) Become a morning person (that is, be able to wake up before 8am and be happy about it)
23) Maintain my blog and have at least one person who cares to read it :)
24) Live my life to the fullest and continue to be thankful for all the wonderful people God has put in it..

This is my road to 2034 and it starts...now!

What I Know For Sure...Now

It’s not about the cards that you’re dealt, but how you play the hand – This saying from Randy Pausch’s book The Last Lecture obviously applies to many life situations, but for now I’m going to focus solely on how it relates to my life. When you’re dealing with pain, you’d think that your initial response would be to respond to the little red flag with rest and rehab. Unfortunately, the little voice inside of most athlete’s heads is a stubborn one – one that whispers thoughts of super human capabilities and says that to rest/pull out of a race is weakness, especially after traveling all the way to the race site.

When I was having trouble running the day before my past race in Iowa, I should have listened to my body and pulled the plug on racing the following day, knowing I wouldn’t be able to give my usual 110% effort. This thought never crossed my mind. Instead, I spent the rest of the day plotting how I would get through the race and thought “I’m as fit as I’ve ever been, I can push myself through the pain.” This is the typical athlete ego. In addition, I thought about past races/training sessions where I’d pushed through the pain, found that “extra gear” and achieved amazing things (running with a broken toe, finishing a tri after a concussion, blablabla…) My mind was focused and ready to go for race day, now I just needed my body to cooperate for a couple of hours.

I learned pretty early into the race that mind over matter doesn’t always work. After a decent swim, my foot started throbbing as I ran (read jogged) out of the water and up towards the transition area. At this point when I was experiencing excruciating pain, I should’ve stopped. But, once again, the inner voice told me that maybe the pain would subside once I was on my bike and that I should continue on. I hate DNFs more than anything, so I hopped on my bike and off I went. What ensued after that can only be described as pure torture and the longest 10k run of my life. I finished the race but something was obviously off with my foot and I now know that there are only certain types of pain you can push through.

It would be very easy for me to feel sorry for myself right now as I do all my running in a 10yd stretch of a pool’s deep end instead of the gorgeous trails of Colorado this summer but that’s not what I plan to do. I’ll take the forced down time and come out of this stronger and smarter than before. If you are an athlete reading this, I urge you to learn from my mistake and always listen to your body. Besides, making the decision to look after yourself is the best healthcare you can have. That, and playing your cards wisely...

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy summer!

Iowa Roots: Hy-Vee Letter Cookies and My Triathlon Loop the Loop

This coming weekend I will be racing in my first Hy-Vee Elite Cup and I am pumped! While I was not born in Iowa, I’m about as close as it gets to being a native Iowan without actually being one. Confused? Read on! My family is full of Iowans... my parents and 3 of my grandparents were born in Iowa and 5 of my great grandparents were born and raised in Iowa. As a result, I was dressed in stylish Iowa Hawkeye gear and paraded around Iowa and Illinois at a very young age (I have the pics to prove it!). In addition, my Grandpa Don is a graduate of the University of Iowa and my Grandpa Bill was an avid fan of Iowa sports. My family made the trek via minivan from Gainesville, Florida to Iowa every Christmas and sometimes even in the summer months to visit family throughout Iowa. My Aunt Vonnie and Uncle Al farm about an hour north of Des Moines and I have many fond memories of visiting them and getting to play with the animals on their farm.

When Hy-Vee first created this race a couple years back, I asked my mom why the name “Hy-Vee” sounded so familiar. I was quickly reminded though – it was the cookies. On various occasions, my grandmothers and aunt would send Heidi (my sister) and I the Hy-Vee Letter Cookies and boy were they delicious! We’d always race to see who could make the most words out of the handful of cookies we grabbed from the bag before snarfing them down, of course!

Having the opportunity to compete in the Hy-Vee Triathlon Elite Cup race this weekend will make my triathlon aspirations come full circle. I started in triathlon at a very young age and road-tripped with my family to participate in some of the Iron Kids races. In 1996, my family supported Heidi and I when we raced Iron Kids Des Moines. Five years later, I raced in the Heart of American Triathlon Series race. And now, to be able to race in one of the largest triathlons where my family claims roots is continuing the triathlon loop.

So, there you have maybe more information than you probably wanted on what this upcoming Hy-Vee Elite Cup Triathlon means to me. While the jury may say that I am not a native daughter to Iowa, I would have to argue that I come pretty darn close… I am looking forward to mixing it up with some of the best in the world this weekend and hope that this is only the first of many Hy-Vee races to come in the future!

Pics from Mexico Rounds 1 & 2

The reason my ITU Continental Cup race in Ixtapa was turned into a duathlon (3k run/40k bike/10k run) this past weekend...MONSTER waves!


The past couple of weeks, I've been dealing with an unwelcome visitor in my training - foot problems stemming from plantar fascitis. Unfortunately, I was forced to pull out of last weekend's race because of heel pain. This is an annoying road block in an otherwise smooth season (health-wise) but rest assured I am all over rehabbing my foot back to 100% even as I type...


Here's a pic of the AP (Amanda Pack) coming out of the water after completing the 1.5K swim in Monterrey, Mexico at last month's World Cup.


Bike dismount!


Breathtaking art and architecture surrounded the town of Monterrey, Mexico, especially the race venue of Fundidora Park.

Hungry?Bored? Both?

If you're bored and want to read some more of my writing,be sure to check out the LA Distance Club website at http://www.ladistanceclub.com. Furthermore, if you live in the LA area and are looking for a coach experienced in running/running group, check these guys out!

Or, if you're hungry, be sure to visit Power Bar's website and get a free sample of the new Power Bar Gel Blasts energy chews. They come in both raspberry and strawberry banana (yum!) and are a great choice for a pre or mid-workout snack due to their 2:1 glucose to fructose blend. Like the saying goes, the best things in life are free :)

Eat, Pray, Race...

And hassle the people at the front desk of the Holiday Inn. That’s pretty much the Cliff Notes version of my weekend in Mexico. When my bike didn’t arrive with me and the rest of my luggage on Friday, I was assured by the airline’s customer service that it would be put on the next plane to Monterrey and delivered to my hotel when it arrived. So, my pre-race Saturday was consumed mostly by eating, light training, a pre-race meeting, and hourly trips to the front desk to check on my bike’s status…just in case. After mid-afternoon came and went and I realized that Mexicana Airline’s customer service desk was closed on the weekends, I began to wonder if my bike even left Denver and if/when I’d see it again. Fortunately, one of the junior girls who was there racing for a qualifying spot for the Youth Olympic Games was kind enough to lend me her bike and let me make a couple of adjustments to it (thanks Jen!) so I’d at least have a bike to ride race day. At that point on Saturday evening I was resolved to the fact that if it had two wheels and moved, I could make do. But, I told the front desk that if in the rare chance that my bike did show up, they could call me at any hour whenever it arrived.

So, race day began at 1am when the front desk called to tell me that my bike had finally arrived. HOORAY! When I woke up again at 6am, I quickly put it together, made sure the brakes worked and weren’t rubbing and the gears shifted ok, switched out my cleats and pedals (from Shimano – my back up pedals to Sampson – the ones I’ve been riding), and rushed down to the race site, hoping to get to ride the bike course that I (at this point) still hadn’t seen other than on a map. However, since there was a race taking place right before ours (on the same course), I was forced to warm up elsewhere. This was a huge mistake I’ll never make again…

The race started just after 9am with a pontoon dive start into the narrow man-made canal that runs throughout the city of Monterrey(think San Antonio’s Riverwalk). Upon diving in, I immediately was punched and smacked by the girls surrounding me (as is customary in ITU racing), momentarily subluxated my shoulder, then regained my focus and continued on sprinting. After making a u-turn about a ¼ of the way through the swim, I noticed a slight gap between myself and the main pack ahead of me. The last ¾ of the swim was spent sprinting to try to close the gap between myself and that pack. However, my efforts were unsuccessful and I exited the water by myself, with a pack ahead and behind me.

So, I spent the first part of the bike time trialing to try and catch up to that pack that seemed to be just a couple of blocks ahead of me. However, after making up little time through the first ½ lap, I decided not to completely kill my legs and took some time to make sure my straps were tight on my bike shoes, take in some fluid, and wait to be swallowed up by the bike pack that was a couple seconds behind me. In addition, this was my first time seeing the bike course, so every turn was a little bit of a surprise. Like I said before, big big big mistake. Next time if my bike is lost I will run the bike course, no matter how far I’ve run earlier in the day…. Anyways, back to the race. The pack eventually caught me right before the end of the first lap and I was able to settle in right in the front third of the pack. We weren’t able to make up any time on the lead pack, however, were able to control our losses to the main chase pack and I hopped off the bike about 3 minutes off the leader.

I usually hop off the bike and think to myself, “the hard part is over, the rest is a piece of cake.” I’ve run so many 10ks in my life! But, after I hopped off my bike this past Sunday, I was having trouble getting into a good rhythm and lacked the energy I usually have. The run was a 4 lap course through Fundidora Park and very spectator-friendly. The cheering is always very helpful, especially when you are running on empty – literally. I ended the race by losing a 3-way sprint finish for 23rd place and finished up in 25th.

Despite not having the perfect race, I have so much to be thankful for in addition to having my first World Cup race under my belt. It was such a blessing that my dad was able to make this trip with me and be my cheerleader/luggage handler/bodyguard/psychotherapist when my bike didn’t arrive. Thanks to my family for being so supportive as always! And although it didn’t arrive until right before the race, I was pretty stoked to be able to race on my Sampson bike. I am in love with how smooth this bike shifts and the overall riding experience is amazing – I wouldn’t want to be racing on anything else! Now it’s time to get back to training, try to regain some speed for future races, and enjoy spring in Colorado – hope it’s as gorgeous where you are as it is out here!!

Gracias por leyendo!
Thanks for reading!

Montage for March

In the middle of March, I competed in my 2nd race of the season - the Miami International Triathlon. I had a good swim and was able to break the 20 minute barrier for the first time ever in a mile open water, but the legs were not there for the bike and run. I battled fatigue for most of the race and finished a disappointing 9th place. Although this is not at all the race I was hoping for, I must comment on what a fun course this was. Parts of the bike course were on a track (very exciting!) and a good portion of the run was on a shaded trail with a turnaround at the ocean. If you're looking for a race course that's not just out and back and flat, I highly recommend - I know I'll be back!

While I was in Florida, I had the opportunity to teach Spanish for the day at Citrus Heights Academy in Clermont, Florida. My lesson plan included Spanish holidays, the Quinceanera tradition (similar to the sweet 16 celebration in America), and formal commands as well. After the lesson, the students were able to test their knowledge through a fun game of Jeopardy.

Back in Colorado, I had the chance to hang out with my aunt, uncle, and cousin for the weekend and show them some of my bike routes around Boulder, including the always gorgeous Estes Park. Although we'd been hit pretty hard with snow a couple of days before,we were still able to access most roads in Rocky Mountain National Park and take in some amazing views!

So after a whirlwind March, I am back in Colorado training hard for my first ever World Cup which will take place on April 18th in Monterrey, Mexico. I had originally planned to attempt a doubleheader at the end of March, with a race in Ishigaki, Japan the weekend after Mexico, but ultimately decided it best to focus on this one race. I think my body will thank me for this decision a few months down the road...

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

Power Bar Team Elite

I am pleased to announce that after about 14 or so years of supporting Power Bar, they are returning the favor. For the next two years (2010-2011), I will be a member of Power Bar's Team Elite. This is a team composed of athletes from various sports, all who are Power Bar enthusiasts like me. My personal favorite Power Bar has always been chocolate but oatmeal raisin is growing on me too. :) Not only do they make great bars but also gels, beverage mixes and other nutritional products. This is a company I use in my everyday life and I am excited to spread the word of Power Bar goodness to the world!

USAT Elite Development Race #1 Recap

Last Sunday, I competed in my first race of the season at Clermont’s Lake Louisa State Park. The race was draft-legal format, similar to many of the ITU races I do, however, did not count towards any kind of ranking.

Although the elite women’s race didn’t start until 1pm, the park entrance closed at 10am due to the earlier start of the age group race. So, once I was inside the park, I had about 3 hours of downtime on my hands to read, relax, and cheer for the age groupers and elite men who raced before me.

A little past 1, the race began as we (the elite women) ran into the chilly, wetsuit-legal water of Lake Louisa. After stumbling a bit on the start, I was able to gain some ground back while dolphin diving towards the first buoy. After a fast and furious first couple of minutes which I’ve come to expect in this style of racing, I was able to settle into a pace and into the draft of a couple of girls ahead of me. I exited the water in 9th place and was thankful for a nice long run up the beach, across the boardwalk, and over to transition to give me plenty of time to get my heart rate back under control (dolphin diving is hard!) and tear my wetsuit down halfway.

I exited transition onto the bike and quickly joined with 2 other girls to form a mini-pace line. We worked well together and after about 1 lap (out of 4) we were able to catch the pack ahead of us and pick up the tempo. Then, halfway through the 3rd lap, another pack of girls came storming by my pack. Luckily, I happened to look over just as the last person came by and was able to hop on her wheel. At that point, our big pack was whittled down to 5 from about 9 and that’s the way we remained for the rest of the bike leg.

I had no idea what to expect for my 5k run split after the bike since I’ve been doing 10k/endurance training all winter so I decided to take my run out as fast as I possibly could and give it my all until I bonked. I was able to keep a good pace until about the last quarter mile when the heat and humidity started to get to me… so much for all the heat acclimation of living in Florida for 22 years! I finished up in 4th place and was very pleased with the result for my season opener considering I’d put in a good training block the previous 3 weeks.

One of the more rewarding parts of the weekend was being able to see my coach and help her out/participate in technical clinics. A couple of people were competing in their first draft-legal race so I was able to answer some questions about procedures/what to expect in this type of race. Also, I got some videotaping done on my swim and run form which is always helpful for tracking progression and seeing where I still need work.

In just a couple of hours, I will begin the drive down to Miami for yet another race this Sunday. The Miami International Triathlon is a non-drafting Olympic distance race… not my specialty, but I’m excited to see how much difference a year can make!