A different kind of cheerleader

When the word "cheerleader" is used, most people get an image of girls in pleated skirts and ponytails with bows as big as their heads.

 Growing up, I had friends that wore the uniform, but my gangly legs and arms plus 5'10" frame made me more suited for sports jerseys than saddle shoes.

That being said, I was always....The Screamer. Here's a picture of me and my fellow high school volleyball player. Funny enough, we still play sand volleyball together over 20 years later and you could probably take the same sort of pic now...



Whether on the court or the sidelines, to this day I just can't seem to keep my mouth shut. I love to encourage and motivate. I also like to grunt when I hit a ball and cuss when I mess up, but I digress....

Once I had my own kids, I continued to do my cheering from the bleachers- much to my husband's dismay. I'm not technically "That Mom", but I will admit I have my moments.

At the age of 37, I began my journey into endurance sports and ran my first 5K. It was for The American Heart Association, and I remember both the nerves at the beginning and my first introduction to Darky. I remember thinking about a patient who had recently fought such a courageous battle (I'm a cardiac nurse) when I first thought I couldn't go on, and willed myself to fight as hard as she did.

But what I remember the most was coming to the finish line. Not because my time was great-haha...no. But because there were so many people there cheering you on it was infectious. I felt like a superstar, no matter that I had done something like a 12:55min/mile pace.

There was whooping and hollering, signs and music. And every shape and size of cheerleader imaginable, no pleated skirt required.

Well. I was hooked. I mean, where else can you get such a confidence boost as an adult? Seriously- when was the last time someone rang a cow bell for YOU? When was the last time you heard YOUR name come across a loudspeaker?

Fast forward to that fall, and my first-ever half-marathon. Talk about a party! I couldn't believe the support for the runners all along the way. There were the traditional signs ("Smile if your'e not wearing underwear" and "I thought they said RUM") of course, but there were also bands, gospel choirs, and yes...high school cheerleaders along the run. People came out of their houses in their pajamas to cheer us on and offer us shots of Patron. The firefighters stood out in their driveway and hollered encouragement.

And at Mile 11, there was the old, white-bearded drunk guy who got overexcited by the band playing and dropped his drawers to dance naked in the street with us. Definately didn't get that in school sports, but it did spur us to run a little. This isn't him but you get the idea...

Now in my third solid year of running and triathlons, I am even more thankful for cheerleaders. Race support can truly make a good race a great race and turn it from work to fun. Sometimes it comes from people you know- friends and family that cheer you on from near or far. And sometimes it's a complete stranger that sees you struggling and somehow makes you smile and keep going.

Last Sunday I raced an Olympic distance triathlon at The Great Buckeye Challenge in Springfield, Ohio. I came in with pretty good confidence that I could beat last year's time, but as I drove to the park with my bike attached to the trunk, Darky started her usual tirade.

I blasted the radio and sang at the top of my lungs, and before I knew it I had arrived. Check-in was smooth and I went to rack my bike. And right away, I ran into my swim buddy from the YMCA.

Bob and I exchanged hugs, and from there it was almost a pre-race party. I found my friends Matt and Katie- who are some of the best cheerleaders around, and struck up conversations with the folks I had racked my bike with. The lady next to me had the same flip-flops and running shoes as I did- and we were instant friends and cheerleaders for each other.

As I headed out to the water, my friend Heidi was waving frantically at me from outside the transition area. Holy moly- she and HER ENTIRE FAMILY had come to cheer me on! They had brought our friend Mike as well, and suddenly I didn't have time to get nervous like I usually do. I introduced them to my other friends that were racing, and before I knew it I was lining up at the swim gate. Ha! Take that Darky!

As I dove into the water, my goggles failed and instantly my right eye was full of nasty, e-coli lake water. Crap (no pun intended). Then, as I struggled with putting them back on, I swallowed/inhaled some of the afore-mentioned e-coli water....and then had a small panic attack. Just as I am sure a lifeguard was deciding whether or not to check on me, I got my shit together and finally started moving forward. I know I lost some time because it took me a few minutes to get under full control, but I came out of the water a couple of minutes earlier than planned.

And as I came out of the water, my cheering squad was there to greet me. The "Go Steph!" and "You got this!" chants helped drive me up the hill (who the hell am I kidding? There was no "driving"...I had to RUN up the hill) and onto the bike.


THe bike. My weakest of the three sports by far. But I had done this course before and knew what to expect. And what I had to expect was hills, and lots of them. I knew where I could push and where I needed to conserve energy, and I knew that as I came around the corner of a beautiful country road and saw The Hill From Hell, I knew that not only was this the half-way point, but that I was ready to climb it.

As one of the (MANY) riders passed me he looked up at the hill and said, "Well, THAT surely wasn't in the brochure..."

I put my cheerleader hat on and replied, "Don't worry! It's the worst of all of them and once we get over it we are half-way there!"

He smiled and thanked me for the tip, then put his head down and left me in his dust. That's okay- I'm sure it's because he had one of those super-aerodynamic  helmets shaped like a pointy egg...

This year, I wasn't panting and ready to cry when I crested The Hill. I was smiling. And I was my own cheerleader for just a moment, because looking at my watch I was still on target to get back under my goal time.

I pushed hard the last 5 miles, and arrived right on target back at transition, where I once again instantly heard my name and words of encouragement. My brain was just starting to fuzz- the first sign of fatigue- and I had to take an extra moment in Transition to make sure I wasn't forgetting something. That was when I heard that the Half-Iron distance run had been cut from 13.1 miles to 6.2 due to the heat index.


Huh. No wonder my brain was a little fuzzy. 107 degrees will do that I guess. I poured water over the towel that my Secret Pal at work had gotten me and tucked it behind my neck. Then I threw on my hat and set off for the last leg of my journey, echoes of "You can do it! Almost there STeph!" making me smile and push off a little more than I probably would have without it.

6.2 miles on an average day is nothing for me anymore. And I don't say that to brag, but to set the stage for the last section of my race report. I felt great for the first two miles, which were all relatively at a slight downward grade. Again, I knew this course, and knew that the last 3-4 miles were all uphill. I had trained on hills to prepare myself, but I tend to run in the evenings when it's not 107 freaking degrees out.

In the end, it was Mother Nature:1, Stephanie:0. I used every water station there was and kept my towel wet, but it got to the point I was so hot that I literaly could not feel the ice that I was rubbing on my chest. My shoes were wet from pouring water over my head (lesson learned!) and my feet felt 10 pounds heavier than they were. One guy blistered so bad he took off his shoes and was going to finish barefoot until one of the volunteers took off their socks and helped him put them on.

Serious cheerleading there, my friends.

And so I walked. A lot. I drank a couple small cups of Coke towards the end, which did help me run for awhile, but the last mile was all uphill and my body was pretty much telling me to piss off.

Then, as I made the final turn to the finish line, I saw my parents and my friend Matt (who had already finished his race and was awesome enough to stick around and cheer me in)- waving and taking pictures, and giving me high fives. "Finish strong!" Matt called from behind me, and so I bore down to kick in a final sprint.

"Oh hell no", replied my lower body. And promptly seized up into one big cramp. My toes were literally trying to point up towards the sky inside my shoes, and the back of both my calves instantly turned into a solid mass of "F%#@ YOU".

Ok then. I guess I will limp across the finish line.

But then there was the Randolph clan, screaming at me from just outside that magical strip of tape on the ground that would allow me to stop moving. Even their two kids were waving at me and smiling.

So I jogged across instead of limping. It wasn't pretty- in fact, I have absoultely no desire to see my finish line picture. Note where they parked the ambulance...

I was immediately surrounded by friends and family, all telling me how awesome I was. And all I could do was smile. I mean, I knew that I was by far (really, really far) not one of the finishers in the front half of my distance. I actually finished one minute slower than the year before. But at that moment, it just didn't matter. I had done it, and knew that I hadn't left anything out there. So I basked in the glory of praise for a few minutes and introduced friends and family to each other- all of us instantly bonding in the heat and sharing a moment that I know I will not forget.

Over the last week, I have done a lot of reflection on not just this last race, but on what this crazy world of endurance sports means to me. I have also eaten a lot of carbs and ice cream. I have asked myself some hard questions- should I do another Tri this year or focus on my last two half-marathons? And the biggest question of all- do I stay at the Olympic distance or move up/down in length? Training for 1/2 iron is no joke when it comes to dedication of time, and I know I missed out on some things this year in order to get my workouts in. I also know that I am in the best shape of my life though, which is not something every 41-year old can say.

By Wednesday, I was itching to get back outside, and rode my bike for an hour and a half. I could still feel some residual fatigue, but overall there was a sense of unexpected happiness. After my bike ride I jogged for 20 minutes, and again was suprised to find that my emotions were so positive. I think I have come to a point where it doesn't really matter if I PR or hit my goals. I need to relax a little bit and allow myself to enjoy and yes....be proud of what I have and can do. I'm not sure yet what the rest of this year and next may hold, but for now I am focusing on working out for ME, not for THE RACE.

And in the mean time, I am going to enjoy being a cheerleader as well. I have friends that are embarking on amazing journeys over the next couple of months, and I plan on paying it forward as much as possible.  I have a cowbell, and am not afraid to use it.

Words are not enough to express my hearfelt gratitude for the support I have had over the last year. So many people have "liked" my Facebook posts, made encouraging comments, and helped me stay motivated through the good and bad times. I'd like to give shouts out to:

1. My husband and son, who have enured 4:00AM alarm clocks and no junk food in the house.
2. My parents, who have washed road gravel out of my ass when I crashed and driven me home when I could barely lift my bike back onto my car.
3. Matt Kennard, who has taught me what a true athlete is, both in body and mind. I can't wait to cheer you on as you capture your Iron dream in a few weeks.
4. Katie Kracus, a woman who does not let anyone or anything stop her when she puts her mind to something. By sharing her own stories of both the ups and downs of her journey, she has helped me come to terms that you really don't have to be an "elite" athlete at all (showing up at these races and seeing such amazing specimens of athletiscism can be daunting). You only have to race yourself.
5. My Secret Pal at work. I don't know who you are or if you will read this, but your thoughtful gifts over the last 6 months have meant more than you know.
6. Heidi and Shawn Randolph, who brought their two young boys out in serious heat to cheer me across the finish line. I'm so happy to find people close by who are as crazy as I am (I seriously don't know how you guys both train for 1/2 iron with two kids and jobs...I am in awe) and look forward to cheering each other on for years to come!
7. Tina Terrell- My running buddy who shows her kids every day that hard work pays off, and is proof that life after 40 can look pretty damn good ;). I can't wait to finish the year out with you and start training for our full marathon next year (it's in writing now, so it's official and you can't back out).

So go be a cheerleader, even if you have never run more than 100 yards in your life. When a 5K comes through your neighborhood- go stand by the road and give high fives. Got a friend who is doing some kind of race? Go with them and be a cheerleader- and not just for people you know. You would be amazed at how many complete strangers you can get to smile, and will help go just a little bit faster and a little bit longer...no pleated skirt required.

What you do in the dark...

 A few months ago, I came across an Under Armour ad that featured Michael Phelps on a blog from another triathlete. No matter what you think about the swimmer, the message in the commercial hit a chord with me. If you haven't seen it- take a minute and check it out:

https://youtu.be/Xh9jAD1ofm4

At the end, it states, "It's what you do in the dark that puts you in the light".

I've had that in my head ever since watching the YouTube video. Because it spoke to me, and has helped me lately when I find myself in the dark.

Sometimes that means literally- like 0400 in the middle of winter when the alarm goes off so I can swim before work.



Other times it's when the sun is shining, but my mind has entered the dark zone. If you ever do any kind of endurance sport, you will meet this monster. It sneaks up on you and tries to break you- physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Lately, my workouts have naturally gotten harder, as race season is officially here. And that bitch (let's call her Darky) has been showing up way too often.

"Just stop running. It's hot out and you're tired. You're never gonna finish this workout strong anyway. You missed yesterday's workout and ate ice cream last night. How stupid could you be?"

"The guy next to you in the pool has lapped you like four times, Stephanie. Can't you go any faster?"

"You're gonna have to pedal harder than that, sister, if you want any chance of making the Springfield bike course. Don't you remember all those hills on that course?"

So I've been doing my best to do like Hermoine Granger, and fight back the dark. And for the most part, I've done ok. And then I showed up at my race, took a look at the other athletes around me and was like:

Shit. I am out so out of my league.

Darky was sitting on my shoulder, snickering.

I racked my bike and set up my transition area. The guy who racked next to me was super-nice, and we chatted and eventually helped each other zip up our wetsuits. I looked at the race numbers on the back of his leg and realized he was 52 (they ever-so-humbly display your age in PERMANENT marker on the back of your calf...). Looking around at the others in my area, I realized I was actually one of the younger ones in my race. How inspiring- one lady was 56 and totally built!



As I started the walk to the water, my parents surprised me by showing up! They took the obligatory parent photos of me in my neoprene and I explained to them how the race worked and where they would be able to see me.


And as I turned to look at the water, I prepared myself for the inevitable stomach roll when I see how far I actually have to swim. Darky was silent in anticipation...

But it didn't come. I've been swimming on average well over 2000 meters each swim session, and this was "only" 1000 meters. I knew I could do it. Not sure how fast I could do it, but this was definitely a big step for me. And before I knew it, we were all swimming like hell for the first buoy.

I came out of the water strong. Not fast mind you, but strong none the less. Darky must not have wanted to get in the bacteria-laden water today, which I must admit was a smart move. I got some water in my goggles and my eye is red and irritated.

And there were my parents, cheering me on as I trudged up the hill (why is it ALWAYS up hill from the water to transition?!) and peeled off my wetsuit, snapping pictures along the way.

Now, there is nothing graceful about taking off a wetsuit in a hurry. Like, NOTHING. It's a sit on the ground and tug like hell kind of deal. When you race in actual Ironman-sponsored races, they have volunteers that strip your wetsuit off for you. But I got changed and out on the bike path in under 2 minutes, so I'm not complaining. Luckily, my parents did NOT get a picture of my wetsuit derobing debacle...

 

The bike. Ever since my two falls, I've been struggling a little mentally. Darky has done a great job in preventing me from pushing too hard in my practices, for fear of another road rash debacle.

But for some reason, I felt no fear today. I stayed steady the entire race, and although I definitely got passed, I in turn was able to pass some people as well. I didn't hold back, and let myself enjoy riding again.

As I rolled back into transition , I was mentally gearing up for the run. It was HOT out, and I was tired. Then I heard a bunch of hooping and hollering- and my name thrown in there somewhere. I turned to see my parents again, and my biking hero Angela with her husband. "Only 4 miles to go now!" My step-dad yelled.

"I can't flip you off in public" I replied.

But I repeated it over and over in my head as I changed shoes and grabbed my hat- "Only 4 miles to go Stephanie. You've got this. You run 11 miles every weekend. Only four miles to go." And that mantra worked.

For about a mile.

I guess Darky had been hiding in my hat in the transition area, because suddenly she was everywhere. I got out to the 2-mile turn-around and wound up chatting with the guy directly behind me between gasps:

" Oh for some shade", I heard him say.

" Yeah, it's about right here that I ask myself why the heck I do this"

"Well, I do this because I'm surviving cancer."

Crap. Seriously? Did I just whine out loud in front of someone who has cancer? I am so going to hell.

I took a moment to tell him how awesome and inspiring that was. He told me he lost a lot of time on the swim because he swam off course drastically- "I was all over the place".

"But you got through it. And here you are, almost done!", I replied.

Then he sped up next to me and told me to draft off of him for awhile, since he'd been behind me the last 1/2 mile. I looked down at the back of his leg to his markings.

He was doing the same distance as me. And was 62-years old. He said encouraging things to every person he passed too. So I put my head down and drafted right behind him for the next mile, even when my body was screaming to stop.

Mile three was split into two sections- go down a big hill, and then come up the big hill. You couldn't even enjoy the downhill part, because you knew you were going to have to come back up- and you watched as almost everyone was ready to die or walking coming the opposite way. Darky was laughing and letting her hair blow in the wind as I came down the hill, slapping high-fives with all the Darky's on the people's shoulders who were trudging back upwards.

Yeah. Darky won that mile. Hands down. I walked and cussed myself for walking. I finally crested the top and told myself that was it- NO MORE WALKING.

What about crawling? That's not walking...

One more mile Stephanie. YOU CAN DO THIS. I locked my brain into counting- kind of like chaff flares when  a plane or helicopter is trying to prevent a missile from hitting them. The counting prevents me from thinking about anything but the numbers. Anything to keep Darky at bay.


It worked. I came out of the woods to find my cheering squad right there. That got me to the last turn and I was even able to sprint up the hill (WTH why is the finish uphill?!) across the finish line.

Wait for it.....wait for it....Nope. Not gonna puke. Phew.

I looked down at my watch. I had stopped looking after mile 2, because I was afraid of what it would say.

It said 2:20. Five minutes under my goal and 6 minutes faster than last year at this race. Which is still slow in reality- the next woman in my age group was 2:02, and she is three years older than me! But I finished 11th out of 23 women, and 41st out of 71 racers, both men and women.

I will take that. I will take that and use it when Darky comes to visit on my next workout. Because this is just the beginning of race season. There are plenty more workouts in both the daylight and the night to come.

At the end of July, I will face my goal for this year- to finish an Olympic distance with a stronger finish than last year. I have some work to do- my nutrition needs some tweaking, and I definitely need to get stronger on running when fatigued.

But for today, I shoved Darky into my bag, and zipped it up. I was going to spend the rest of the day in the light, happy to have the opportunity to eat pizza without guilt. Congratulations and great job to all my friends who raced today- any day you cross the finish line is better than not showing up to the start line.

"It's what you do in the dark, that puts you in the light. Rule yourself".....Under Armour

A New Year- Part 2

First of all, I am so excited that you are reading this post!! Even thinking about dipping your toe in the water (literally) can be super-scary, especially if you don't have any more experience than playing Marco Polo during summer break at the community pool.

But don't worry- I am going to help you!

 The first thing you really need to do is pick a race. Why? Because everything you do from here on out in regards to training will be based off being at your peak performance on the race day that you choose. I am going to describe the two main triathlete circuits in this area, then list all the races that I could find within 2 hours of Dayton, Ohio. I suggest racing within an hour of your house unless you are willing/able to spend the night before in a hotel or someone's home that you know- a two hour drive before a race is just too much time to let your nerves get the best of you....

The highlighted races are ones that I am definitely racing in. That being said, I am more than willing to be on a relay team for others, as long as you are ok with not winning- I am a middle-of-the-pack kinda girl in all three areas. But if this is a way to get you more comfortable, I know that myself and others would have your back. I will also come cheer you on, and even race with you in a mini if you feel more comfortable not being alone. I would love for us to have a group at triathlons, and not all of us actually racing- you would be amazed at how awesome it is to just have someone screaming your name when you are coming to the finish line.

HFP Racing- This triathlon circuit is one of the two main ones I have done in the last three years. They are well organized, faith-based, and family friendly. The atmosphere is great, with everyone giving each other encouragement. Their races are on Sundays, but almost every race has a children's triathlon the Saturday before. What I like best about this group is that the swim is not a mass start. You go out 2-by-2, which extremely decreases the congestion and chances of bumping into someone. They have the perfect mini-triathlon for beginners: 250 meter swim, 7-mile bike, and 2 mile run. They also have duathlons (run-bike-run), relays (team triathlons), aquabike, and even aquathon. You can touch the ground in the water the whole way for the beginner race, and walking is allowed (both swim and run portion). Their main website is www.hfpracing.com.

Zoom Multisport Racing- This circuit is very similar to HFP, with many of the same venues. Their distances are a little non-traditional, making them a great way to start making the leap from one distance to the next. Instead of going straight from a sprint distance to Olympic, I did Zoom's "Intermediate" triathlon first, which is right between the two. This gave me the confidence I needed to take the next step. They are super-supportive of first time triathletes, and the atmosphere is again friendly and inviting. You will see all sorts of athletes at both circuits, and it is a great place to watch and learn. Their beginner distance is a little longer than HFP: 400 meter swim, 10 mile bike, and 2 mile run. They also have duathlons, aquabike, team relays, and aquathons. Their main website is www.zoomracingusa.com. My first year I did the HFP mini race first, then moved to the beginner Zoom race at the beginning of my second year. I was able to complete a Sprint by the end of the second season. 

And now.....time to pick a date!

May 21- New Moon 1/2 marathon. Delaware, Ohio

June 04- Richmond Sprint Triathlon in Richmond, Indiana. Duathlons and relay options as well.

June 05- HFP Deer Creek. Mini, Sprint, and Olympic available. Duathlons, relay options as well.

June 11- USAT Mideast Regionals. This is in Indiana. Sprint and Olympic distance. Duathlon and relay options as well.

June 26- ZOOM Ceasar's Creek. Beginner, Intermediate, Olympic, 1/3 Ironman distances. Duathlons and relay options as well.

July 10- HFP Ceasar's Creek. Mini, Sprint, and Olympic available. Duathlons, relay options as well.

July 10- Mingoman Triathlon. Delaware State Park. Sprint and Olympic distances. Aquabike available. 

July 24- Ross trifit challenge at Ohio State University. Mini, sprint, and Olympic distances. Duathlons available.

July 24- HFP Buckeye Challenge in Springfield Ohio. Mini, Sprint, and Olympic available. Duathlons, relay options as well.

July 30- Summit Lake Triathlon  in Indiana. Sprint distance. Duathlon and relay options. Aquabike available.

July 31- ZOOM Buck Creek in Springfield. Beginner, Intermediate, Olympic, 1/3 Ironman distances. Duathlons and relay options as well.

August 07- HFP Alum Creek in Delaware, Ohio. Mini, Sprint, and Olympic available. Duathlons, relay options as well.

August 14- ZOOM Hueston Woods.Beginner, Intermediate, Olympic, 1/3 Ironman distances. Duathlons and relay options as well.

August 21- Ironman Ohio in Delaware. This race is sold out, but is an "Ironman branded" triathlon. Jim and I are going to hopefully volunteer, and I have a couple of friends racing. These races are where the big boys and girls come to play, and I look forward to openly gaping at their awesomeness.

September 17- Air Force 1/2 and Full Marathon in Dayton, Ohio.

October 08- Queen Bee 1/2 marathon in Cincinnatti, Ohio

Once you have a date..WRITE IT DOWN. And put it somewhere you can see every day. Here is my race planner- mine has my training blocks built in too. And yes, it has flowers and sparkly letters. Don't judge. It sits on a bulletin board I see every day as I am getting my workout clothes ready for the next day.

Speaking of a plan....you need one. I have had great success with my training book (Your Best Triathlon by Joe Friel), but there are tons of plans on the internet, and even at the library. I used a plan I found on the internet for my first race. THen I went to the library and borrowed the book I eventually bought and use today. My book is pretty detailed, and even gives me advice on weight lifting and nutrition. Let me know if you want some help in this arena- I am happy to help you find something that works for you and your goals! 

I am at the pool every Saturday. I also swim on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will meet you there if you are nervous about getting in the water, or if you just need someone to push you in :). Even if you don't have a membership, I am happy to bring you as a guest so you can see if this is something you want to pursue. I have found the YMCA's are the cheapest route, but many gyms have great discounts right now. 

Once it gets warmer, we can do group swims in open water- this is the biggest hurdle to jump, and doing it before race day will help you tremendously. We can bike and run as a group if people want to as well, with the knowledge that everyone will have their own pace. Bringing family, volleyball nets, and food to cook out will help the open water swim sessions be more manageable :).

If you have read this far, I am assuming you are at least seriously considering giving this a "tri". If you read this on Facebook, reply with what you are thinking about doing and which date, especially if you are interested in relay. That way we can hopefully fill in the gaps, and show up to support you! If there is more than one person interested, I may start a separate Facebook page. That way everyone can ask questions, encourage each other,  and share their progress with the group without feeling like they are blowing up their Facebook page with stuff most people don't care to see. 

So...make the plunge. Challenge yourself. You won't know if you could have done it until...you tri.