How is my training going? 

How are you feeling?

People  keep asking me what I’m doing for training. Well, I am not stressing too much about fitness lost.  I  am training for a healthy pregnancy!  I’ve taken on some new roles at On Track and our triathlon and running teams are growing-all keep me quite busy! I try to eat healthy, sleep 8-9 hours a night, and workout 6 days a week.   Due to my new work schedule, I only have the time or energy to do 1 workout a day, so of course it is running!  My goals are: 5 runs a week of 45-70 min., 1-2×45 min bike sessions, and 2 days a week of strength training.  I was reaching all my goals and feeling great until around 21 weeks.  I started having really bad stomach cramps.  Turns out I have an umbilical hernia.  Not good, but the baby will be just fine.  The bad news is, I will require surgery after the baby is born, meaning a longer recovery period.  It’s been a rough few weeks, but I know it will all be worth it in the end. 

Top 4 comments:

Your life is going to change.

-Umm yeah sort of knew this, see that’s why I decided to get pregnant and to be a mom! I am excited for the change and new challenges.

You’ve popped or you’re huge. 

-Good thing people are telling me this, because I had no idea I was gaining weight!!

Can I pet your belly?

-No sorry.  Unless you are my mom or put it in there, the answer is most definitely no.

Your going to have a very big baby!

-This is my all time fav.   We all know where babies come from and this is not feel good information! FYI: No pregnant women every wants to hear this!

In all seriousness, I appreciate everyone’s concern.  I know they all care. I just have to chuckle every time  I hear the comments, which is pretty much every day now. 25 down, 15 to go!

The challenges of training and the goals of wattage and pace have all been replaced by the the challenges of pregnancy-finding day cares, moving into a bigger house, limiting my sweet cravings,  minimizing my fitness losses and my favorite, getting use to being pet, laughed at and told I am huge.  It’s funny when people tell me I am big and showing… hmm really ….thanks because I didn’t realize that… but thanks for telling me!  I’m still not use to people petting me,  but I’m trying to be a trooper about it! 

This is my first year off from racing in 10 years and I miss it terribly.  Thankfully, I can live vicariously through the runners and triathletes I coach.  On Track Coaching is growing and keeping me quite busy-check it out at: www.ontrackhealth.net.  I am excited to take this year off from racing to put more energy and time into helping my athletes reach their athletic and fitness goals.    Kelly and I are coaching a 16 week marathon training program for our local marathon; the Vermont City Marathon, hosting a triathlon camp and a kids triathlon camp in Vermont this summer and volunteering at as many events as we can.  I am also mentoring the new My90 program at On Track.  My90 is a 90 day fitness challenge- including nutrition consultation, functional fitness training, and a week to week training program geared towards the goal of your choice.  It’s a jam packed year with a nice little prize at the end!

I took a few lazy “social” weeks in September and October.  By mid October, I was back at it starting off with my usual swim focus-yes I do this! I recently received some great tips concerning my technique and training that I am excited to implement.   My biking and running are progressing well. I really don’t mind training in the winter all that much.  The snow packed trails and hills are great for strength and I can do my speed work on my treadmill.  The computrainer, well that does get a little old sometimes!  I believe in the value of it and I have no choice! So,  I simply do the work.  My mantra is no complaining,  no excuses.  My fitness is very good and  I have decided to kick off 2013 at Challenge Wanaka.  It is a challenging, honest course with a hard 75% off road run course.  The course and venue are stunning and I am so excited to finally be at the starting line. This is my first time in many years training for an Ironman through the Vermont winter! It is tough at times, but it can be done.  Check out our On Track Health and Fitness facebook page to see how I can bike 5 hours indoors without getting bored!

I am still figuring out what the rest of 2013 will look like.  After sitting out on Kona this year, the points chase is definitely on! stay tuned….

Happy Holidays!

Kim

After a great race and 2nd place at Ironman Brazil, I found out I had some health issues to deal with. I was unable to do any training for 8 weeks.  It was a difficult time for me.  I didn’t know if I could bounce back from it to salvage 2012 and there was a feeling that Ironman Brazil  may have been my last race of the year.  The 8 week mark was the weekend of Ironman Lake Placid.  I watched our On Track athletes race and they inspired me.  I missed the sport and all the energy so much.  I was given the green light to ease into training shortly after.  I had to have a goal and I set my sights on Ironman Wisconsin.    In retrospect, it probably should have been more like a 10k than an Ironman!  Yes, my mantra is “Go Big or Go Home!”   I wasn’t 100% healthy. 2 weeks of easing back into it, 3.5 weeks hard and a 10 day taper  brought me to the starting line of Ironman Wisconsin.   I told my mom before the race that I was about 80%.  She told me “Well you just have to give it 120% then, it’s that simple!”  Well it wasn’t!! It was a pretty hard darn day out there and I’ve come to the conclusion that muscle memory is definitely overrated!

I have to say, I absolutely loved this race.  Madison is such a great college town and the community embraced this race with great passion.  The swim was choppy, the bike was hilly and windy and the run was a suffer-fest, yet the spectators managed to turn the grimace to a smile.  Put it on your bucket list!

I don’t want to write about the details of the day…. the splits… the pace, the place….this race was not about that.  This race was a race to celebrate fitness and health and to race for pure love of the sport.  Over the past 10 years of racing at the Professional level, Ironman has taught me many valuable lessons.  And the most important is:  Goals and dreams….. well they don’t mean a thing if you don’t have people to share them with. My family, friends and sponsors have been on this journey with me for 10 years now.  Their support over the past 3 months means so much to me and their support as I return to conquer more in 2012, means the world to me. I look forward to a successful back half of 2012!

Checking in my favorite bike-my Cervelo P4 w/Zipp 808 Firecrests!

Pro Press Conference

Kelly and I both had ALOT to celebrate!

A very special place! The finishline is often the begining.

I’ve set my sights on Ironman Wisconsin.  I will only have 7 weeks to prepare for the race, which means a very short taper and probably a very painful race! I won’t be 100%, but I will go for it!   I’ve wanted to do this race for along time.  The wetsuit swim(fingers crossed challenging bike and run course suits my strengths and I think it is a great course for me.  The timing never worked out, being so close to Hawaii, so now that my race schedule has changed, this is the year!

After doing most of my training for Ironman Brazil indoors (5 hour computrainer rides grrr..). Mother Nature has finally joined my team.  In the summer, we have some of the best training in the country; hilly dirt roads for running, long climbs up to 22% up in the Ski Resorts and many clean lakes and reservoirs- all right out my door.  I am loving the training and excited for 2012 part two!  Here is the plan:

Ironman Wisconsin

Ironman 70.3 Poconos

Ironman 70.3 Austin

Ironman Cozumel

Summer vacation on Long Island with the Fam!

Summer Vacation

I love summer.  No more black line for me!

I want to first thank everyone for all the messages and phone calls.  Your encouragement and support over the years means so much to me.  I can’t imagine having a better team.

My Husband Brian: for always believing in me, for taking on this lifestyle and journey with me and for putting up with all the frustrations of also being my physical therapist!

My sister Kelly: for being my training bitch, my nutritionist, my massage therapist and my cheerleader.

My mom: for telling me ever since I was a little girl, that I can do anything I set my mind to.

My Coach, Lisa Bentley making physically and mentally stronger with each Ironman.

K-Swiss: for high quality running shoes to match every outfit.

Zipp: for the wicked fast wheels and components.

PowerBar: for fueling my career.

Cervelo: for making THE BEST Bikes,  everytime I have a favorite , they come out with another-P5 is coming!

Rocket 7: for the most comfortable custom cycling shoes to match my kit.

Blue Seventy: for fast and comfortable wetsuits that fit so well.

FuelBelt: for keeping me hydrated.

Brian Shea: for the race day nutritional tips.

Everyone on this list knows that I am not happy to get 2nd again!  This is my 5th 2nd place finish! However, the more I think about the race, the happier I am.  My training was great, my nutrition was great, my pacing was great, my mental toughness was as tough as ever… I gave it my all so in that respect, I reached my goal.  I have alot to be happy about.  Here’s a quick recap:

The swim at Ironman Brazil was a mass start.  The beach was beautiful.  The water temperature was perfect.  My only complaint was the lack of buoys.  There were only 4 buoys, making it difficult to navigate.  My husband saw half the race cutting the swim course short.  This was very disappointing to hear.  I use to freak out when I came out of the water and heard my split or place.  After many many blow ups, I’ve learned to only focus on the positive.  I was now in the hunt and that is a great feeling.

Onto my P4 and I felt great from the get-go.  My plan was to bike the first loop conservatively in an attempt to derail the stomach issues I have experienced in my last 2 Ironmans.  My pace was great, however at the half way point, I heard a split that I was over 15 min. down.  I didn’t want to burn too many matches.  I wanted to run 3 hours, but, I wanted to win more.  I knew I couldn’t let Sofee Goos get more than 15 min. on me.  I had to turn it on.  I surged and worked the second loop, but Sofee was riding so well, I only managed to take back 90 sec. I entered T2 14 min. down from 1st.

My goal was 3 hours, but the course had some monster hills that took its toll on my legs.  I was moving up through the field and gaining time on 1st.  I knew I had to run 3 hours to win.  I did everything I could do to make that happen.  With just 3 min. left to go, the race was won and I had to settle for second again!! Congratulations to Sofee on a great race and her second Ironman Title.

The past 2 weeks, I am playing the game of where could I have found 3 min.! They are many ways and I am continuing to work on them.  My friends joke that I am cursed by 2nd place!  Maybe….but with each race I get stronger and smarter and I know the elucid win is within grasp!  It’s only June and there are many races left! Next up is 70,3 Mt. Tremblant and an August Ironman TBD. Lots to look forward to!

Lots of OFFICE days here in VT!

OK-enough whining! My winter camp in Clermont was awesome. I had my favorite training buddy Amanda Lovato and my Coach Lisa Bentley there to whip me into shape. I put in alot of volume in January and February and built up a solid base.  I capped off the camp with a win at a 5k-30k-5k Duathlon.  It was  great opportunity to  test out my speed-needs more TLC, my new P4-wicked fast!, and get the racing cobwebs out-check!

My fun in the sun was over and it was time to go home and rest up for the San Juan 70.3.  It is a great warm, sunny, early season tune up. Unfortunately, I got a flat tire early on in the bike that I was unable to repair and I had to call it a day.  It was my first flat EVER in 10 years of racing PRO-so I really can’t pout too much!

Not going to pout-time to have some fun in the sun!

So here we are -race season kick off-take 2! Just a little over a week out from St. Croix 70.3. This is a race I have always wanted to do. I could certainly do without the slow choppy swim, but I am excited to tackle the hot and hilly bike and run course and to see what “The Beast” is all about!

After St. Croix, I have one more hard week to hit then it’s taper time for Ironman Brazil-another race I have always wanted to do!

I have the best twin sis ever! Thanks so much Kelly for everything-keeping me company on all those trainer sessions, coaching me through track workouts, water support for my long runs, and for all the massages! We even got to ride outdoors twice so far!

Photos from our fun-but HARD week!!

Finally starting to put together a race schedule! When I started racing Pro, my goals were to win an Ironman and to finish in the top 10 in Kona in one year.  I accomplished my top 10 back in 2005 with a breakthrough race fiinishing 8th and top American.  The Ironman victory has eluded me.  I’ve been oh so close with 4 runner up finshes.  As I enter a new race season, my goals have not waivered and I going for it once again in 2012!  We are still finalizing things, but here is what we are thinking so far:

Ironman New Zealand-I know it is early.  I am an Ironman junkie, what can I say! Our plan is to race NZ off of base training and accumulate some early points for the big dance.

TX 70.3-flat-yuck, but hot and humid-yay!

St. Croix-I have always wanted to do this race-this is the year!