For my birthday last weekend, Jerome got me an IPod Nano.  This is the first time I’ve had a device that played music that was not my phone or car.  Since the day I received it (the 12th of January) I have listened to it A LOT.  I have realized that this one piece of equipment has made me soft within the last 10 days & even has changed my training.  Never before have I needed music to hammer out a workout.  Sure, don’t get me wrong,  I ENJOY stimulation when I am training, hard and long indoors…but I realized this music while running or cycling allowed me to turn my brain off.  Furthermore, I found myself thinking about WHEN I could go to a Kid Rock concert instead of how my breathing was on my run.

Then, I ran indoors on the Treadmill.  It was -2F degrees outside yesterday morning and while I pride myself on being tough, I surely am not stupid.  So, I had an easy run that I did on the treadmill – WITH the TV on the TODAY SHOW and then listening to my music.  Really?  It was too much.  I hated that moment and I realized, this is a SLIPPERY slope.  I can either hide behind all this external stimuli OR I can start to plug into my workouts and do what I am supposed to do.  Even in January.

This weekend was an insanely busy weekend for us.  It was basketball games (that I coached – absolutely the highlight of my week) for Graham, the twins’ 11th birthday, dinner out, Epic Air with their cousins, a Professional Soccer game and kid’s game on Friday night….ending with Jerome heading off to China on Sunday AM & me racing in a bike TT.  OH, and then in the ER with Graham into wee hours of the night on Sunday into Monday. (he is fine, a bad infection)

I really was at my limit.  Life was moving faster than I could keep up and this doesn’t even count work!  I had to stop falling down that slippery slope and get a grip of the situation. And, as busy people and busy parents, this is NOT easy.

I realized a few key things this past weekend.  As I drove to my bike TT on Sunday…visualizing my race and getting ready for the pain that a short indoor bike TT could create, I had to compartmentalize my life. I had to take myself OUT of the day to day busy-ness of my life and be PRESENT at my race.

I will not lie –  I went to this TT to win.  That is an aggressive goal when it is January and I am racing Cat 1/2 girls who are coming out of Cross season and tip top shape.  I don’t care.  I knew what kind of shape I was in and regardless of it being January or May – I still am super competitive.  I am realistic too; however, but still I was hungry and motivated by the effort it would take to do this.

As I am driving to the TT I went over the race in my head.  The warm up, the suffering, the watts I was aiming to hit, the cadence I needed to sustain and the competition.  Then, as I walked into the TT – a little later than I would like (the sitter was late – again, out of my control) – I ran into friends & athletes I have not seen in awhile.  I found myself socializing for a long time.  AND honestly, I was OK with it and excited to see everyone.  It is almost like a little reunion of sorts.  But, that is why I went over my race plan of attack on the car ride to the race… I knew I would not be able to control the hectic environment of a school gym with 100s of riders.

As I was warming up, I had my I POD on and was listening to my music – (AGAIN, WHAT?) but I was just trying to drown out the white noise going on around me, I found myself talking to everyone, asking athletes about their races – catching up and before I knew it, it was almost time to race!  Again, thankful that I felt confident and prepared for my race so that I could make the SWITCH and go.

Speaking of that SWITCH….some athletes have this natural ability to be present for every race, every workout.  They can easily switch from FOCUS to not-focused.  I have worked on this over the years of racing and it one of the most important tools I have in my pocket.

I can go from a hard, intense run and walk in the door and be ON – be MOM or coach in a matter of seconds.  This is definitely something that took me awhile to learn/master.

For a race that lasts 16 minutes, I have to be able to REALLY dial it in and be ready to suffer from the gun.  IF I allow any outside noise into my head OR even any negative chatter, the focus and race is gone and off.  Short TTs – like short run races are decided by seconds..and I knew this.

I got my bike set up on the Computrainer – calibrated and ready to go.  One of my athletes, Todd, was announcing this race and trash talking me before I knew it.  I finally realized that THIS was the best time for my I Pod – to drown out the talk, the expectations & stress and JUST race me, myself and I.  I knew what the fastest time of the day was up to this point –>  so my goal was to beat that time.  Period.

I blared my music so loud so I could NOT hear myself panting for air.  In fact, I even closed my eyes for 90% of the ride so I could just focus on managing the pain that comes from 16 minutes of sheer suffering.  AND, I turned the SWITCH ON.  I was there – and only there.  I was not thinking about my kids, my athletes, my dirty house OR even that I had to run after the bike test in temps sub 10F degrees.  I was PRESENT.  And, when the race was over, I held the fastest women’s bike time of the day. (My time would fall to 3rd OA by the time the day ended).  And, as soon as the 16 minutes or so were up, I turned the SWITCH off and was socializing and trash talking shortly thereafter (and almost vomiting).  It is almost a Dr. Jekyll and Hyde performance.

Moreso, I can see the athletes that have the ability to do this.  They are able to transcend the outside noises, the stressors, the pressure and the junk and PERFORM.  And, perform at a high level.

I think this really hit me this past fall when we were at Graham’s XC meet.  Graham is a very scattered and typical 10 year old boy ….you know…when you have to remind them to change their clothes and EAT type of kid?  Well, we go to his XC race and Jerome and I really do not put any pressure on the poor kid….We just talk about the race, how it will hurt and how to race others, etc.  Well, I sh*t you not, the gun went off and I saw it in Graham’s eyes.  THAT switch.  He couldn’t hear Jerome or myself screaming for him, he was so focused it was so intense and downright scary.  AND that is when it dawned on me…..he has that natural “SWITCH”….you see it with high end athletes too – when they are racing they can TURN IT on and then TURN it OFF just as quickly. IT is innate but I think some of it can definitely be learned and practiced.

Ask yourself — Are you plugged into each of your workouts?

Are you laser focused on what you need to accomplish with each workout?

Are you SO focused when you race that you cannot and are not thinking of anything else but the race and managing it as it unfolds?

AND, if you have a hard time focusing on your workouts – take one step at a time to improve that.  Remove ALL outside stimuli for your workout – get rid of the TV, the Iphone, the IPod and plug yourself in.  Allow yourself to be present in the workout and then, finish and move on.

On the same lines of mental preparation, Elizabeth and I finished a PODCAST yesterday.  IT is all things our listeners asked us.  Topics include:  Topics include: ideas for daily nutrition, conquering fears, body composition, training camps, age-related differences in training/recovery, MAF approach, setting goals, climbing out of mental and physical holes, handling pre-race stress and balancing triathlon with other life demands.

Happy listening!  Please send any additional questions you want answers to as well – and make them risky!

http://traffic.libsyn.com/jenandliztalktriathlon/Podcast_4.mp3

Gosh…

Merry Christmas!  Happy New Year!  And, I’m alive!  I survived the nasty flu bug.  Yes, it was THAT bad.  I don’t ever remember being that sick.  In bed for days & really miserable.  I was just grateful Jerome was home (Happy New Year to us) to help with the kids & help me try to work because I don’t get sick days.

And, now I ring in my 42nd year from Tucson healthy & refreshed now to get 2o13 started off right …a little late.

Speaking of the new year, I have been doing some Podcasts & Webinars.

Elizabeth & I did a Podcast recently covering:  All Things Pregnancy!

Here it is:  https://www.box.com/s/mvgl0ksa4dmry4ktkixz

For our next Podcast we are going to do a Q&A with no topics off limit.  So please put any of your questions in the comment section here or send me an email at jhtriathlon@sbcglobal.net.

Also, I was happy to do a Webinar with Training Peaks titled:  How to Beat the Winter Training Doldrums.  I have to tell you, I was actually a little nervous.  Talking into a phone while staring at your outline-notes in dead silence is a little nerve-wracking!  But, I never stopped talking (!) and had fun with it.

Here it is:  http://youtu.be/TxhKrYgFsIY

Enjoy!!!  And please send in your questions!  Looking forward to them.

Merry Christmas!  In what has become my favorite week of the entire year…I have decided to finally make a decision about the winner of my 2013 Pay It Forward athlete.

First, thanks to everyone who entered.  I was touched by all your stories and honestly, wanted to sell my house, SUV and start a non-for profit organization to do more with my time and energy —  You all are amazingly inspiring!

Courtney Javorski is the winner!  Courtney is a 35 year old mother of two (teenager + toddler) and has always dreamed about doing an Ironman.  During the pregnancy of her 2nd child, she was diagnosed with cancer.  Courtney went through all the chemo, radiation, drugs and every thing else to beat cancer.  Two years later, her cancer came back.  Here is an exert from her email to me:

Things were looking up & I was about to hit my 2 year mark of being cancer free in June of 2011, but on April 20th of that year, (I’ll never forget the date cause triathlon season was getting started) during one of my many scans I was told that cancer had come back. Devastated, blind-sided, and confused were only some of the emotions I was feeling. I was given such good odds, 90 percent chance it would never return. How could I be that 10 percent?! Depression set in as everything that followed happened so fast. I began my chemo & radiation treatments in May & had some not so pleasant side effects. Skin blistering & darkening, bruising from needles & shut down veins, loss of appetite, fatigue…

Of course, in addition to the challenges of cancer itself, Courtney also has the financial, personal and professional challenges that rear their ugly head when we go through a life- altering illness.

I am hoping, with some help from me, Courtney can reach her goal of crossing an Ironman finish line in 2013!

Congratulations Courtney!

Courtney will start blogging in the New Year, so she can keep you updated on her journey.

Merry Christmas & Happy 2013!

Dear Santa:

This year my Christmas list is not going to be about world peace or pleasesellmyhouse.  Instead, it is going to be about Triathlon and what I want to ask for Christmas and 2013.

• Please just give us Midwesterners some sun this winter.  We are not greedy.  Just would like maybe 1-2 days/week of some sunshine to keep everyone from screaming at one another.

• How about a little bit of gratitude instead of entitlement?  I know times have changed, but this sense of entitlement has spilled out into our great sport of Triathlon and I liked it best back in the day where everyone was grateful for everything.  My biggest pet peeve is when people are not grateful for things.

•  Can you please help me out with Training Peaks?  I love the software and it is a product I am extremely grateful for, but can you please get my athletes to fill it out on a regular basis?  I cannot read minds (that could be a “wish list” item actually) and I cannot make magic (another “wish list” item) but if I am not updated on Training Peaks on a regular basis then my job becomes infinitely harder.  As a Type-A athlete, I cannot wrap my head around this one for whatever reason.

• How about a little sharing and love?  I think this is one of the professions where Triathlon coaches are multiplying by the day.  Some of that is good – and some of that is not so good.  I think there is enough room for various coaches – the good ones always prevail anyway.  However, what happened to all of us coaches talking about different ways to get the best out of our athletes?  For some reason there are “secretive” discussions going on instead of open discussions, forums, emails and more open communication so we can all grow – learn from one another – and make the best triathletes we can.   As I always say, coaching triathlon is not life or death…and there are no secrets…just about building relationships and figuring how what really works for each athlete.  I would love to get a small group of Triathlon coaches together on a monthly open discussion to bounce ideas off of and help one another become better coaches.  I really see a need for this.  And, I wish other coaches would reach out for help!  We can all help one another.

• And, building on the above, what about female athletes?  Please help them understand that we need to support one another (we can use this for politics & religion too, right?), SUPPORT each other’s differences,  different ideas on how to train, or what to race, or what to wear OR even different needs and desires in this sport.  NOT everyone wants to win.  NOT everyone wants to go gluten-free (or whatever it is).  People make their own choices.  IT IS OK and we do not have to approve.  If we all would remove ourselves from all of this – think about how refreshing that would be AND how much time we would have to do other things – like train and recover!

• Santa, can you please provide patience for these athletes…and remind everyone it is December.  I do not need to see PRs in December or massive miles in December.  Instead, please ask everyone to enjoy the holidays.  Drink some egg nog.  Partake in some holiday drinks and eat Christmas cookies.  In fact, please do not weigh yourself in the entire month of December.  Does it really matter when your “A” race is in June?  July?  No, not at all.  And, please remind these athletes that the WILL be running slower, swimming slower and biking slower in December.  That is the plan.  Remind these athletes that it does all come back…when the time is right.  Unless these athletes are racing an IM in March, they need to relax.

• I know this is a big “please”, but can you please remind have athletes that IF they ask what things will make them faster, better and more efficient, then they need to listen and implement.  I spend a lot of time talking to athletes and discussing what they need to work on in the New Year, what will make them faster…and what they need to work on.  Inevitably, it is hard to change and mix things up.  Change is scary.  But, honestly, if they keep doing what they were doing – then they cannot expect different results.  IF the athlete has been talking about going to Masters or a Group run – THEN go.  Please do not blow it off, make excuses and then complain that their swimming is stagnant…or they are bored in the pool.  The options are in front of them.  Get out of your comfort zone and take some risks.  If you don’t want to change, then just stop complaining.  We all make choices.  Commit yourself and step up in 2013.  Face your fears.

• Can you please invent a shocker that will give an athlete a shock every time they compare themselves to anyone else.  No need to kill anyone, just a shock that is strong enough to slap them when they start thinking silly things and want to run 100 miles in December because they ate too much pie or their best friend is doing it “just because.”

• Santa, can you please help the athletes understand the joy of this sport?  That we are supposed to do this for FUN.  It is a hobby for 99% of these athletes.  Help them understand that we need balance, we need structured plans, we need a mentor, a cheerleader and a master weaver…someone to weave everything seamlessly together for the benefit of the athlete.  Can you please tell them that it is a privilege to have the funds and health AND TIME to do this sport.  I know many people that would kill to do this sport – but for many, many reasons, some we could never even imagine, they cannot.  Remind these athletes that this is a privilege not a chore.  Getting up at 5am and getting into a cold pool is NOT a chore.  It is a privilege.

• Remind athletes to thank others.  Remind athletes to THANK their local businesses, their race directors, their governing body, their mentors/coaches, their teammates, and their family.  During the holiday season, really step back and remember who and what helped you achieve your goals this year and say THANKS.  It goes a long way and doesn’t take too much time.

I realize this is a very tough list, Santa.  And, last time I sent you a tough list was when a teenager and I wanted to be like Michael Jordan – and we all know how that worked out.  So, please, this time around, help me out!?

Thanks and Merry Christmas!  xo

Over this Thanksgiving holiday, I am excited to announce I will be doing Pay It Forward for 2013 again!  Last year, I had an overwhelming response to this offer and realized how many athletes are out there that have overcome some type of hardship and really wanted to get some specific coaching help but were not able to for various reasons.

If you are interested, I encourage you to apply.  Here are the details:

1.)   Applicants can apply via email to:  jhtriathlon@sbcglobal.net from December 1^st – December 15^th 11:59pm CST.  Feel free to be as creative as you want in the email application.

2.)    Please only apply if you have struggled or overcome any type of hardship:  financial, health, personal, etc.

3.)    You cannot currently be a coached athlete of any type (effective 1/1).  I do not want to “break up” any good coaching relationships!

4.)    You CAN re-apply if you applied last year!

5.)    You need to have at least one “A” race in 2013.  Can be any significant race, but we need to have goals for 2013.  All levels of athletes are fine.

6.)    The coaching will start January 1, 2013 and last until the end of your “A” race or 12/31/13, whichever one is first.

7.)    You will have to blog about your experience and be an active member of social media (FB or Twitter)

This year, the 2012 Pay It Forward winner, Cathy Bonich had a great year finishing with a super Ironman Wisconsin race!  Cathy keeps a blog – you can find it on my blogroll if you want to read about her experience.

I encourage you all to apply, if interested.  If you have any questions, please feel free to reply to this blog or send me an email.  I will announce the winner before January 1^st, 2013.  Looking forward to another great year of paying it forward to our great sport!