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.

A New Year

Well, it's here again. January. I used to love January, because this is the month of my birthday. Now I kinda dislike it- for the same reason. I feel like it's the month of let-downs, as all the pretty lights and decorations go into hiding, and all we are left with is a drab, cold landscape with no real hope of warmer weather in the horizon.



January is also the month of the dreaded New Year Resolution.
 Sigh...
You know the drill- I'm gonna quit smoking, start working out every day, stop cussing, call my mom every Thursday night, and stop buying $5 coffees every morning.

And for some people, these resolutions come true. But for many, New Year's Resolutions are just another way for us to wind up feeling bad about ourselves. And isn't that defeating the purpose?



A few years ago, I changed the way I thought about the promises to do or not-to-do something. I chose things that I actually felt confident about achieving, and made sure that they were positive goals with some wiggle room. Like instead of cutting sugar out of my diet (ha right...), I stopped buying groceries that contain high fructose corn syrup:

It took awhile to figure out what brands to switch to (OMG it's in EVERYTHING), but three years later I do it without thinking and it hasn't changed how much I spend at the grocery. Even my husband and the 12-year old are trained to look at labels now! Win!

I also try every year to do something for planet Earth. That's how I started gardening- which can mean something as small as a tomato plant in a pot. Last year I built a compost bin and three rain barrels.

And then it rained every day for the entire summer....oh well. They'll be nice and full for this year.

This January, my personal goal is to try and increase the frequency of taking my multivitamin.

Now, notice I didn't say I am going to take my multivitamin "every day". That's how you lose the Resolution battle. Cuz let's face it- there are plenty of days I'm thankful I remembered to put on my makeup, or possibly even underwear. When you get up at 4AM, some parts of your brain just do not work. Period.



For Mother Earth, this year I am going to try to decrease the amount of trash I produce.  I read a neat article (on Facebook, of course) about some simple ways to leave a smaller imprint. The first involves taking a set of real silverware to work, then not using plastic there anymore. Should be easy, especially since I pack my lunch 95% of the time. The second thing I did was look in my trash and see what there was a ton of.

Paper plates, paper towels, and grocery bags. Holy Landfill!

So 2016 will have less paper products involved, and I WILL REMEMBER TO TAKE THE 30 REUSABLE BAGS I HAVE TO THE GROCERY STORE WITH ME!! I can't tell you how many times I have walked in the front door of Kroger and...


Last January, I was facing the fact that my body was going to be forty-years old. One year later, I think 3 half-marathons and 3 triathlons are enough to safely say I gave 40 the finger. I PR'd my 1/2 marathons time, and doubled the distance of triathlon I had completed the year before. I didn't win any awards, and there were plenty of people my age and older who finished before me, but hey- I crossed the finish line each time, and only threw up once after a misguided judgement to drink a post-race beer. Mission complete.



So, this weekend I spent a lot of time looking at all the different races that are out there, and making some decisions about which ones I'm going to tackle. I've done a lot of soul searching, trying to figure out what distance to train for, and how many times I will stand at a start line. After much deliberation, I have decided to once again do three 1/2 marathons and an Olympic distance triathlon as my "A" priority race. I felt like I left a lot on the course last year, and want to come away from this distance feeling more confident before tackling something bigger. That being said, I am going to train as though I was doing a 1/2 iron, and will add a fourth race at the end of the season. This one is 1/3 Ironman triathlon, and will hopefully give me the confidence I need to make the commitment towards the big 70.3 in 2017.



Which brings me to my final Resolution for 2016. I would like to help/inspire at least one person to step into the world of endurance sports. This journey has brought me so far, and not just physically. I still have rolls when I sit here at the computer. I still have plenty of padding on my thighs and butt. But I know that I can run for over two hours when I couldn't run for two minutes just a few years ago. I have been able to use what I have learned training for endurance in every aspect of my life- from work, to my financial goals,  to my home life (and yes, ladies and gentleman- the bedroom as well...), When I meet a goal or something I'm not sure I can or want to do, I tackle it with a different attitude than I used to. I have met some amazing and inspiring people along this road, and want to share this with others.

 You do not- I REPEAT YOU DO NOT- have to be in any kind of "shape" to start this. Seriously. I couldn't swim to the end of the pool and back without giving the lifeguard a heart attack, and I didn't own a real swimsuit or swim cap. All you have to do is START. There are great beginner races that are perfect for any size, age, or shape. I am going to write another post today that will be more specific for those of you that are interested in starting, or if you are already an endurance athlete and would like to meet new people and join in on a team spirit. Because this is one "sport" where I am always hoping that you beat me. There is no winner and loser (except for the one race my husband and I compete in together- that one I am totally hoping to kick his ass...).



So come take a look. Bring your family- what better way to show your kids something positive, and they have great kid races too! Don't be afraid if you have never done one or any of the sports. Maybe you just want to start by participating in a relay and do one of the three. That's great! I will help you as much or as little as you want. But a word of warning- you need to start now. Summer seems a long time away when you walk outside into the 30 degree weather, but it will take months for you to get ready for this.

And you CAN get ready for this.


However you choose to bring in 2016, I hope it is with something positive. Learn a new language, or maybe sign language! Plant a tree, or a tomato plant. Talk to one stranger every week somewhere, even if it is a simple "hello". Pay for someone's $5 coffee once. Send someone a real letter or card in the mail- just because. Life and goal setting is not always about stopping or starting something. It's about tri-ing and moving forward.

Happy 2016!