This is a pic of Jerome and I at Duathlon Worlds, 1999 :  Germany

Last week I had a college student here from Northwestern.  She had contacted me a few weeks prior and asked if she could interview me…AS A JOURNALIST.  I immediately shot her an email back and said..Oh goodness, I think you have me mixed up with someone else who WRITES publicly. I just blog and occasionally do some Triathlon stories.

My Professor includes bloggers as Journalists, she responded.

Oh god.  If my English Professors could hear this now, they’d die.  I didn’t even have a computer in college, let alone knew what a blogger was.

She was so cute.  20 years younger than me.  I was careful not to say anything stupid.  And, I most definitely was not in my PJs.  She was prepared, organized and asked me a ton of questions.  I think she was completely freaked out when I told her how long I’d been racing and what I have done.  She was barely born when I started.

Funny how as you go through life, you go through all these different phases as an adult..a recent college grad, a single working woman, newly married, DINKS, then kids, new mom with newborns, toddlers then a mother with school age kids….then older kids…  I remember being memorized by some of the “older” Triathletes when I started this sport in 1995.  I remember working so hard on trying to figure out WHAT TO DO (this was way before coaches) and doing some VERY stupid things, I am sure.  I just laugh when I read my old training logs.  But, the one theme:  I was consistent.

She asked me a question that is always asked – but during this interview I responded in an unexpected way.

“What has been your biggest accomplishment?”  Ok, that is a common question and one I usually rattle something off about Hawaii or this or that….always time or placement focused.

But, not today.. .Instead, I said, “Longevity in this sport.”  And, I meant that…and this is the first time I responded this way and it startled me..but it just came out.

Fast forward to this past weekend, Jerome and I were in Tucson on a little 3 day weekend getaway to chase the sun and for some R&R (dreamy)…and I was telling him about this question and my response (because god knows we are like trains passing in the night when we are all home = no time to chat).  And, it got me thinking to how this longevity happens – because it is NOT easy in this over-demanding sport we do – and this is what helps:

• Don’t take yourself too seriously.  I am SUPER intense…in fact, that is what keeps me always doing this crazy sport, but honestly, at the end of the day, I do NOT obsess about numbers or paces or anything.  I look at the data, analyze it and move on.  NO thinking about it past the moment.

• I mix things up.  Some years I have to do things by myself – training, I mean.  Some years I am all about suffering in my basement (winter) and running all by myself and just putting my head down and doing the work.  THEN there are some years where I need to be with people!!!  I want to do classes like Computrainer classes and Masters (I always do) and TRX group things, JUST TO get out and socialize.  When you work from home, this is critical to my sanity some years.

• I switch things up every year.  From 1995-2008 I was pretty darn serious.  I did take some time off for the twins, but otherwise, I was go go go and I did love it.  But, then as I worked more and the kids got busier I had to step aside. So, a couple of years ago I “just” did marathons and marathon training.  LOVED IT.  Not sure my body did, but mentally it was a great break.  Then, last year I went bigger with the Ironman…and for me, if I pick a huge race, I go big time in the training.  I leave no stone unturned and I do it all.  Doesn’t necessarily mean I train 40 hours /week but I sure make the sacrifices to make my training key while being a good mom, coach and wife, friend, etc.  I like mixing things up and it keeps me honest with myself and my time commitments and family life.

• I am super consistent.  I take time off at the end of each season.   While I complain I live in COLD Chicago – it is a blessing honestly.  I could not live in a warm climate – I would burn myself out and be riding my bike 100 miles in January – with no major race on the horizon and (unless I race early in the season) that would burn me out and I would struggle each year to be “fresh.”  (Now some athletes do this JUST fine….of course) But, I am always IN OR OUT..there is no in between, so I like the winter balance…time to re-group and get back into the strength component of the training and basics and work on the things that I need to fix!

• I am not doing out of control workouts in January & February.  Sure, I am in Computrainer classes, which historically are hard (X minutes above LT, etc)…but I purposely drive pretty far (when there are closer ones) to go to a coach that I like and trust and who does a PHENOM job with periodizing the workouts and not having us doing work we should not be doing in January – but rather in June.  I am SUPER picky.

• I do not worry about my paces, watts and stuff like that at this time of the year.  I think that if I worried about all of that YEAR after YEAR, for going on 17 years, I would have to slit my wrists.  I know very well what kind of shape I am in.  And, each year it is SO different – this year is dicey b/c I am coming off a SUPER late season Ironman.  So, honestly, I am not in great top end speed now and I can tell by my lack of turnover and speed and pop (let’s be honest, that is always the issue for everyone!).  I wear a stop watch…sometimes a HR monitor and just run or just swim or just bike.  I do gut checks from time to time – swim meets, indoor TTs – just to see how I am progressing.

• I like variety in the workouts.  I DO NOT do well with go and swim 10 x 200 off 15” rest.  OR ride your bike for 1 hour @ 160 watts.  I can do that in the summer outside, but in the winter, I need some mix.  That is how I write the workouts for my athletes and that is what I respond best to.  For some it doesn’t matter – and that is OK.  What is critical is that you need to know what works for you.

• I like and live the lifestyle – as do many of you. I like this lifestyle.  I like being in shape.  Any shape where I can pop in and out of races locally if and when I want to.  Jerome does this too and while he said he is not racing in 2012, he was out running this AM – easy and short, but enough to keep fit and allow him to lead Camp this year or whatever it is!

• I don’t get too involved in what others think or do.   In the world of blogging and twitter and social media, it is A LOT of information all the time – and honestly, it is GREAT for the most part…but I have confidence in myself and my plan that I just do what I am asked to do and be done with it.  It sounds simple and trite – but I can guarantee many of you reading this struggle with this point – and that is normal.  I think if I was not in the sport for all these years, this would be an issue for me too.  I know it would be.

• I keep it real.  I have fun, I eat M&Ms (almost daily), I do not follow the latest fads in triathlon or diets or “eat this not that” stuff.  I really REALLY attribute my consistency for all these years as keeping it simple.   I SLEEP a ton.  I eat VERY well but I do not restrict or cut out foods and I always have dessert.  I recover like a champ every day.  I am not stupid.  I do not make excuses. I keep things easy.  I do my workouts, not anyone else’s.  I listen to my body.  I get regular massages.  I trust my PT, massage person and husband to keep me honest.  As I get older, I have many more easy/rest days.  I do not over-think things.  I surround myself with people I like (who knows if they like me, but that is not important, lol).  The body trumps everything, especially as  Master athlete.  And, at the end of the day, I love it.  Period.

This is a picture of me racing locally in 2000.  NICE.  lol

I always get asked, “HOW much longer are you going to do this, Jenny?”  (seriously, how many of you get asked that?  NOT many, I am sure)…………Most of these are by my non-triathlon friends…and I tell them, “I never thought about NOT doing this.”    Here’s to your longevity in this great sport!  Enjoy it all.