TriAptitude Coaching

I’ve had some time to think about my race schedule for 2019 and how I want to approach a new season after taking some time off for rebuilding.  I’ve started working with a fantastic run coach here in Denver- Trish Byerley. She lives up here in the Evergreen/Conifer area and owns Mojo Fitness down in Littleton.  After one session together, I knew I had found my coach for all things run.  She clued in immediately on all of the weak spots I had identified for myself as well as a handful of other areas which need strengthening and consistent work.  Some of these issues- my left glute not firing, my left knee out of alignment, a general need for work on this side of my body – did not come as a surprise to me.  But, it is always reassuring to have a second pair of eyes take a look at form and efficiency and pinpoint exactly what needs to happen to improve technique, strength, mobility and speed.  And, Trish pinpoints other areas in need of work so that I can consistently train specific muscle groups to stabilize and build the balance and support I need to be faster and stronger on the run in 2019.  Hello- modified clam shells, ankle stability work, and front lunge/balance exercises to name a few for this week’s homework.

 

 

As I said to Trish on Friday, “This is like starting to run anew with a different body”.  After years of compensating with a compromised pelvic floor, I am now learning how to regain form, strength and stability with a newly formed core support system .  It feels amazing not to have a feeling of weakness and fatigue all of the time as I run.  But, the reconstruction has definitely changed how my biomechanics work within my run and this is something which needs to be worked on to prevent future issues. My body has been used to compensating for a lack of pelvic alignment.  Now, I have that problem solved and we need to work on getting all of my biomechanics refined.   I find so much reassurance in working with a run coach, my physical therapist and my body works specialist on all of this. Thank you, Trish, Patty and Mary and Josh, and Toby- It takes a team!  My training partner/ best buddy Audra and I were just talking on our run yesterday in Elk Meadow about how training for endurance events in our late 40s takes so much more than just training time. It takes consistent proactive therapy to keep our bodies strong and safe with the training loads we expect them to handle. It means personal training sessions for strength and mobility, it means regular PT appointments to make sure our body is handling the work stress and recovering adequately, it means massage therapy to aid in recovery and healing.  Where once back in our 20s and even our 30s, everything happened more spontaneously on their own, now we must consciously work to get there.  It’s a part of the aging process for athletes. And, it is a reality we must all embrace to be healthy and successful.

Now that I am back into my running, my self-confidence has returned and I am feeling much more settled emotionally.  The run has always been my concern.  It was my concern leading into surgery and it has been my concern during the recovery process.  The run has bogged me down mentally- many women who have my injury and choose surgery never run again.  I knew that going into this decision.  I felt like I really no longer had a choice.  I needed to do this if I ever wanted to be able to enjoy triathlon again and if I ever wanted a chance at running again pain free.  So, I can check this one off the box and move forward with run training making sure that I have a team behind me who are working to get me to my goals safely.  I feel settled and focused again. I feel ready to take on a new race year.

For most triathletes, they are finishing up their seasons right now or already have done so.  I, on the other hand, am just beginning mine.  Last weekend, I participated in the Hincapie Gran Fondo in Greenville, SC.  It was my first event in over a year. My goals were simple- have fun, pace my efforts to the finish line and see what effort I could hold without fading at the end, evaluate how my body felt at a higher intensity at a longer distance with a significant amount of climbing on the bike.  My goals did not include a specific finish time or age group placing.  That was not part of last weekend’s journey. It was not about the result, it was about the journey from start to finish.  And, it was an amazing day for me.  Even with a few quick stops at SAG points to meet up with team mates, I still managed to ride a fairly quick bike split and my overall ride time (not including the stops) would have placed me in the top 5 women in 40-49.  I do feel really good about that.  With my stops, I still finished #23 woman overall. Even though I was not truly “racing”, it showed me that my strength on the bike and my endurance overall is back where it was pre-surgery and most likely significantly higher.  My split for the Saluda grade also placed me as #4 AG/#7 woman overall for QOM on the Medio course.  So, yes, after the fact, I did reflect on my times and placement. Most importantly though, I was just so happy to be on that bike course and I had so much fun with my team mates and friends.  It was such a feeling of euphoria even in the midst of pouring down rain and wet descents which caused a little worry at moments.  It was wonderful.  I knew in my heart that I was ready to be back. Ready for the camaraderie, ready for the challenges, ready for the fun, ready to be out on the race course and give it my all in 2019.  It’s a thrilling feeling.

What will this upcoming race season look like?  I have several events on my calendar which I had originally planned to race in 2018.  All of the race directors are fantastic and they allowed me to defer my race entries for a year when I decided to have my surgery and the recovery held me back from racing.  I won’t be able to fit them all in for 2019. But, many of the local events here in the Denver area, I will either use as training days or I will once again participate as a volunteer for others on the course. Below you will find  the run down. Training has begun! My key events are highlighted in bold.   Many thanks to Lance Panigutti, Craig Towler, Ironhorse Bicycle Classic and Team Evergreen (Triple Bypass) for allowing me deferments on your 2018 events so that I can have them on schedule for 2019.  I so appreciate your support of me as an athlete, a coach and as simply a part of our local triathlon community.

• Ironman St George 70.3 – May, 2019
• Ironhorse Bicycle Classic- May, 2019
• Colorado Triathlon- Olympic- June 2019
• Boulder Sunrise Triathlon- Olympic- June 2019
• Triple Bypass- July 2019
• TriBoulder- July 2019
• Ironman Boulder 70.3- August 2019
• USA Triathlon National Championships- August 2019
• Harvest Moon Long Course Aquabike- September 2019
• Ironman Louisville- October 2019

 

I would like to end this blog post with a huge thank you to all of my family and friends who have encouraged me and believed in me this year when I have doubted myself.  Those close to me know that it has been a year of self-reflection and some anxiety but also one of real happiness and better balance.  My priority for the upcoming year is to return to racing in this sport as the best mother, wife, teacher, coach and athlete I can be. It is not about winning, qualifying or quantitative success. It is about getting back to the simple and pure joy for the sport and what it has always meant to me – an avenue of inspiration and motivation to be the best person I can be for others and for myself. It is about being out there on the race course and giving it my all while also giving of myself to team mates and friends so that they can cross that finish line meeting all of their goals.  It is about setting a good example for my sons and providing them with the example that women are strong, motivated, compassionate, balanced and can conquer anything to which they set their minds.  And, this is a big one for me. My role as mother is the most important thing I have ever and will ever do.  My biggest goal in life is to raise wonderful men and to show them that the future women in their lives are capable of all incredible things and always respected and loved for their unique amazingness and strength of character.  And this, my friends, will always be my focus as a female athlete and coach.  What example am I setting for others and what can I do to make others’ lives more meaningful??

Thank you all so much for being a part of my journey and for taking the time to read my thoughts.

Court