Fitness

Think it was fate or strategic planning on my part that I had the opportunity to spectate Ironman World Championship in Kona? Well – maybe a bit of both

The moment I realized I may potentially move to Maui I knew I had to make it in time for the biggest event for a triathlete. Thing is – that is on a whole different island so I wanted to give myself enough time to get settled and pop on over. My target move date was BY October and I made it happen with a drop-in date of September 30th. BOOM!

Ironman World Championship in Kona, Big Island, Hawaii – Sat, Oct 8

Words cannot describe what an incredibly inspirational experience this was. Ok – I will try!

Friday 10/7 – Fontana Lands With a Bang!

Took an island hopper (Mokulele) from Maui to the Big Island. And wow was that an experience in itself. Such a tiny wittle plane with breathtaking views, which actually made me feel as though I was paying for a scenic helicopter tour and not simply paying to get to a different Hawaiian island ha.

Got my car (nice a$$ Mustang mind you), stopped by the expo/bike check-in and bought myself a new visor, checked in at our place, then met up with my Minnesota gals for some dinner!

Thought I was gonna call it an early night but alas not so much. Met up with my friend Sam and headed to the TGINR (“Thank-God-I’m-Not-Racing”) VIP party at Huggo’s On The Rocks. Not only did I meet so many incredible new people but when I walked in I was SO happy to hear “Christina!!” from a bunch of my Coeur Sports ladies! Finally had a chance to meet many of them in-person. It’s so funny because we all felt like we KNEW each other from years of following and communication on social media but meeting in the flesh was awesome!

Saturday 10/8 – The BIG Day!

Woke up bright and early to head to the MAIN EVENT! Upon arriving you could just FEEL the energy. Gah was I pumped. I walked all around to get different views to cheer the athletes on – and of course different camera angles 😉

After a bit I met up with some friends for a bite to eat (fresh papaya with yogurt and granola – hello!).

Then we decided it was time for a few breakfast cocktails to get the party started! The rooftop table we got had the BEST view of the bike in/out and also the finish line!

We stayed so long that we were actually able to see the first guy come in. And words cannot even describe of freaking awesome that was. Jan Frodeno is a freak of nature. But also seems like a truly genuine person!

We then decided to walk along the run course to get a closer view to cheer on.

Then it was time for the WOMEN! Got some great close up footage of the first woman coming in and felt so proud of her!

Then more drinks. And dinner. And an amazing sunset of course.

Cheering on the later athletes is always my favorite though. Not like anyone racing in KONA is a beginner but it is still so inspiring to know that the later individuals have obviously been out there enduring pain a bit longer. Obviously the longer you race the more fatigued you get. Pounding on the boards to loud, funky music is just the best.

But the highlight to the whole fun-filled day was absolutely running in to Erin after the event. My teammate. My coach. My Minnesota girl. My inspiration. The main reason I HAD to be in Kona.

Beyond proud of her and strive to follow in her footsteps! Not only is she an Ironman World Champion but she is one of the sweetest, genuine people I know. This lady can conquer anything she puts her mind to and all with a big smile on her face! Honored to call her my friend! Check out her race report for a thorough recap of her amazing day.

Sunday 10/9 – Fontana Signing Off (with a bang again)!

The day started with an incredible Coeur Sports hosted brunch at Daylight Mind. They had the whole rooftop reserved for us and even an open-bar (UH OH!). So obvi the POG-osas (Passion Fruit/OJ/Guava Mimosa) were a flowin!

But simply being the the team and hearing the inspiring stories was heaven for me! So honored and humbled to be a part of such an incredible group of women. Not only is Coeur Sports apparel comfy, flattering, and stylish but the people behind the brand make it what it is. All about encouraging women to be involved in endurance sports no matter if they are a beginner or pro. We are all here to support one another rather than compete and cut each other down. Yeah – I can stand behind that brand!

After brunch a bunch of us just could not say g’bye just yet so we headed to a nearby bar to continue the fun. Lots of fun!

We laughed for a good few hours before I had to get to the airport to head back to Maui.

What an incredible experience.

Can’t believe it’s been almost two weeks since 106 West Dillon Half Ironman. Enjoy a lil recap of “The World’s Highest Triathlon”!

PRE-RACE

The day of the race was Saturday, September 10th but I headed West a few days before. I had a place to stay with my friends who live on the other side of Lake Dillon – in Frisco. Love it there! They live right on Main Street and it is such a cute, local mountain town.

Headed down to my favorite spot, Frisco Marina, to mentally prep for what I was getting myself in to.

Of course I had to test out the water. And boy – I got a lil scared.

I headed to the expo to pick up my race packet, check my bike in, and of course – enjoy a tropical drink on the lake ha. We all prep for a race in different ways!

That night my friend Dan got in to town. We checked out the Marina and then he treated me to the perfect four course pre-race meal!

The next morning we headed to the race and I was all sorts of nervous setting up my transition area. I even set it up on the wrong side! EEK!!

Got one last shot before I jumped in the icy water!

Here we go…

THE SWIM: 1.2 Miles

One main reason 106 West Dillon took NINE years to get approved was – the swim. Lake Dillon is Denver’s drinking water and therefore no one has ever been allowed to legally swim in it. After years of back-and-forth it finally got approved. We were all VERY honored to be the 1st ever folks to “play” in this pristine body of water.

One major thing (besides the temps) that I was nervous for – was the altitude. Dillon is over 9k in elevation, which makes it a lot harder to breathe and stay calm out there. I’m glad I didn’t come from sea level and actually have had a few training days in this altitude. Made a world of difference as my lungs were not as bad as I dreaded.

Except it was cold. Like really cold. The reason this water is so clean is because it comes directly from the mountains. Yes – snow melt. Was so thankful I wore neoprene booties as it definitely saved my toesies! When we bobbled over to the open-water start the initial shock pretty much took your breath away. But I really started to get used to the chilly temps and actually enjoyed it. Took comfort in the fact that NO jelly fish would be attacking me as opposed to my 1st 70.3 in Miami. And the waves were not as aggressive as opposed to my 2nd 70.3 in Boulder. This allowed me to relax more and never had a true “freak out” moment.

Maybe I was having too much fun though because there were a few times I went a lil too long without sighting and got completely off course. My bad. This added valuable time but whatever – I made it!

Exiting the water was a true highlight! I am always pretty dizzy, disoriented, and out of it so it really helped to run in to multiple friends! I noticed Dan taking a video and cheering me on. Then Andrea was volunteering as a wetsuit stripper so I gladly obliged by flopping on the floor and letting her do her thing. To cap it off Khem was also there taking sweet footage and she snapped the crazy shot of me heading to T1. Gah – I look happy. And I was.

Off to the bike!!

THE BIKE: 56 Miles

Welp folks – this is one for the record books. Literally. 106 West Dillon is considered the “World’s Highest Triathlon” because the bike beams you up to 10,291 ft elevation. Yah – it was a doozy.

As I left T1 it was so helpful to have Dan taking a video and cheering me on to “get goin!” Off I went!

The ride started heading West around Lake Dillon with a quick turnaround before heading East all the way up to the highness of Montezuma – and back. For the half we did this crazy ride twice.

Body felt great until taking that turn up to Montezuma. Holy incline. This is my downfall. I’ve worked on it a lot since moving to Colorado but still a ways to go.

Every part of my lower body was on fire. Dark thoughts of not completing the race entered my head. When I finally got to the top it was such a relief. Except knowing I had to do that exact same thing AGAIN (and run a half marathon). It was mentally hard to except.

The ride back up was tough – to say the least. My legs were SHOT. With a few miles to go to the summit I had to use my arms to keep forcing my handlebars forward and make up for my lack of lower limbs.

With less than a mile to go I burst into tears. Was I really going to clip out and walk? Maybe I should give up. Considered it many times. I hate living life with regrets and this kept me mentally strong till I saw the top. With a few feet to go before that final turn down my body gave up. I had to clip out and compose myself. I’m sure the people at the top thought I was nuts.

When I clipped in for that final decent down I could not hold back. The happiest, speediest tears were just a flowin! The fact that I just completed something I never thought my body could handle simply overwhelmed me with pride. And man can I zoom. I do not hold back.

The only other element to endure was the wind. That was just a nice lil cherry on top to end a crazy, tough ride.

It was the best feeling seeing Jess and Darin as I clipped out at T2!

Off to the run!!

THE RUN: 13.1 Miles

I was an exhausted mess after that grueling bike ride but Jess and Darin gave me a lil pep talk over the railing in T2 and also informed me I was currently 2nd in my age group. Um what?? I thought I was pretty much in last place after that bike ride. “Well I better hurry up then!!” And off I went.

The run was to say the least – beautiful. And tough. Of course.

We headed West around Lake Dillon and the scenery was epic. Lakes, mountains – yah I’m in heaven.

The course was an out and back (twice for the Half) that meandered through the winding and HILLY forrest right off the lake.

When I was starting to struggle and really hurt I heard “Is that Christina?!” It was my GM at Orangetheory Fitness, Matt! We high-fived and he said “See you at the finish line!” This absolutely reaffirmed my motivation and gave me the boost I needed.

To be honest I felt mentally defeated by the swim and the bike because you had to do each twice but I absolutely loved this about the run. It gave me a chance to not only see the multiple people cheering on but also specific runners a few times. There were certain people I connected with and every time we’d pass we would cheer each other on to keep each other going. Was so cool to see my fav women’s endurance sport brand Coeur Sports represented. Finally got to meet Kristen in-person and we never would’ve put it together if we weren’t rocking our awesome tri kits.

On the second lap I connected with a little group of people and we stayed together throughout those hills. Knowing when to push it and when to cut back and fast walk up the inclines. The only thing we were set on at that point was getting everyone to the finish line.

I really need to give a shout-out and major thanks to all the volunteers at each aid station. They seriously made the run flawless and FUN! Plenty of Honeystinger chews, Nuun Hydration, obvi water, treats, and LAUGHS! They kept my motivation UP and I even got a bite of pizza from a guy who said “523 – you’re my favorite!”

Off to the finish line!!

THE FINISH: 70.3 Miles

As I neared the 106 West Dillon finish line I was overcome with joy – and sweet, sweet relief. The announcer was hilarious and mentioned I was fist-pumping (didn’t even know that!) and obvi throwing up double Shaka!

I had been SO nervous that I would never complete such a tough event. The freezing water. The altitude. My lack of training. Not excuses but realities.

Somehow, someway I completed the “World’s Highest Triathlon” and more than earned my cowboy medal belt buckle! I could not feel more proud of my last HOORAH in the beautiful state of Colorado.

BIG shout-out to one of my fav couples – Jess and Darin! These two came up to Dillon/Frisco to help support me and cheer me on! Multiple videos, photos, and words of encouragement are the main reasons I got through that race. Please know how much it meant to me and I will truly miss you guys! Have a blast on your honeymoon in Italy and cannot wait till you visit Maui!!

If you set your mind to something you truly can do it. It will never be easy as anything that matter should take work. It may not happen over night. But you will never accomplish your dreams if you don’t try. Dive in and just – say yes.

“It won’t be pretty but it will be beautiful”

True to form lately this triathlon race report is coming to you MUCH later than anticipated. But I promise – it’ll be worth it 😉 I’m a bit of an anal perfectionist when it comes to the quality of my posts. We will leave it at that HA!

Many words can describe my thoughts and feelings around my second half Ironman – IM 70.3 Boulder (first was Miami Oct 25, 2015):

Disappointed. Let down. HOT. Shocked. Frustrated. Annoyed. HOT. Pathetic. Embarrassed. Ashamed. Did I mention HOT.

I trained pretty hard and really thought I would see that hard work prove itself ten-fold. Some times things just don’t go as hoped though.

Wow – who AM I and can I please switch this attitude ASAP?!

The much larger feelings that surround my thoughts are:

Proud. Empathetic. Relieved. Determined. Grateful. Motivated. Accomplished. Belief. Giving.

Ok I’m baaaack!!

Yes – I am SO freaking proud of myself and SO many others for tackling what turned out to be a pretty tough event.

Let’s get to the goods!

TRAINING RECAP

I am both proud and disappointed with my training. It is tough to 100% stick to the plan when obstacles get in the way – injuries, sickness, weather, weddings, etc. Such is life! We are human and things happen. I never want to be too hard on myself or miss once in a lifetime events (like one of my best friends weddings – nothing stops me from being there). So with everything going on in my life I’d say I handled training the best way I could.

THE EXPO

…was HOT? Kinda the theme of the weekend but much more to it!

Not gonna lie I get kinda excited going to expo’s/packet pickup!! The anticipation and build-up. The nervous energy. Surrounding yourself with SO many like-minded nutball athletes and organizations – yes plllease!

After we picked up our packets and swag we headed to transition to rack our bikes. Starts to feel real – no turning back!

Then it was time for buying a few Ironman swag items (a must duh), gathering samples, and listening to the athlete meeting – always helpful prep and reminders.

My fav part of the Expo was finally meeting the gal who organized everything for Team ZERO in-person – Julie! She is such a sweetheart and whip-smart to boot! Got my team hat and a few other goodies

Then we got real hot n sweaty. Time to head home, rest, and lay out all the tri goods.

Ok ok on to the big day!

THE SWIM: 1.2 Miles

The first thing I noticed when lining up at the start was that EVERYONE has a Roka wetsuit! Welp – except me and like 7 others ha. I LOVE Roka and hope to purchase one soon. I have their goggles and swimskin (wore it in Miami as wetsuits were illegal due to the warm water temp) and I simply love their brand! They are always quick to like and comment on my photos and the social nerd in me just giggles with excitement!

Since I am 31 (and female if ya didn’t notice) I lined up with the other 30-34 year old ladies sporting our purple swim caps. Our start was 8:09am (pro men started at 7:15am) so this made us wave 16 of 19. Not too happy about the late start as that means more HOT SUN on the run but what can ya do?

Starting line is intense. The nerves, the excitement, the anticipation. True to strong women-form of course we were hollering and pumping each other up. “Let’s go ladies!” “We got this!” as we hobble into the water for the open-water start.

But let me tell you. When that gun goes off…SCREW YOU fellow lady friend! That shiz gets CUTTHROAT! Hitting, kicking, drowning – all totally normal ladylike behavior ha. But that is triathlon. And we are athletes ready to perform and showcase our hard work and training.

Wish I could say I stayed strong yet calm and confident – but I freaked the F OUT!! I had not actually been in open water since Ironman 70.3 Miami, which was 5.5 MONTHS prior eeek! I totally blame myself for this. I should have womaned up and jumped in that freezing cold water simply to prepare myself. The tough part of triathlon early in the season. I am proud of myself for finally taking swimming lessons and attending pool sessions with the Rocky Mountain Tri Club. My form has improved tremendously (I guess I had no where to go but up ha) and instead of only breathing on the right I can now breathe on both sides. WINNER!

Back to my utter freak out. I panicked. My breathing was erratic, I was swallowing water, I was flailing my arms to stay afloat amongst the animals swimming over me (jokes). For a second I thought I would have to give up when I hadn’t even started! But let’s be clear – I never give up. I composed myself, got my breathing in check, and refocused on the technique I had diligently put the hours in to learn.

One thing that threw me off for a second was realizing my Garmin never started about halfway through the swim!! I KNOW I started that thing grr. Seriously time to upgrade to a much better Garmin. Buuut again – what can ya do? A watch doesn’t make you swim slower. Get the farch over it and keep movin.

Another annoyance during the swim was my lady friend to my left. I could NOT shake her and she was doing the BUTTERFLY stroke the whole time! Flailing frog legs kept kicking me! I tried swimming more to the right on the inside and those dang daddy long legs were like a magnet to me. I almost wanted to hit a pause button, hog tie her legs, and hit play again! MUAHAHA.

When I finally got away from butterlegs I felt confident, strong, and relaxed during the rest of the swim. I actually told myself I didn’t want to get out of the water because I was havin some fun! Until about 200 yards to go when a shooting painful calf cramp zapped my right calf. Sooo I swam with one leg fluttering for the remainder. Ya do what ya gotta do!

And ya know what was the best part? NO jelly fish stings this time around!! Holler.

– Time: 44:22 (Miami 41:22)

– Key Takeaways: Working on technique and breathing in the pool definitely helps but swimming in open water is a must! Steady breaths and remaining calm are imperative as it can get overwhelming really quick. The triathlete community is one of the most supportive I’ve witnessed. Except during the swim! All fend for themselves! Jelly fish stings make me swim faster – eek!

T1

Getting out of the water I was a bit disoriented. Where am I? What’s going on? Do I look as foolish as I feel right now? Where my friends at?! Jeepers I gotta get all this stuff off and get on the bike! MOVE LEGS!

Can other triathletes relate to these thoughts??

Gathered my composure and was off to the beautiful bike course!

– Time: 4:21 (Miami 3:32)

– Key Takeaways: Practice transition more. Sunscreen application added a bit of time – but HAD to happen.

THE BIKE: 56 Miles

I was the most nervous for the bike portion of the race as it is definitely my weakness. But I was so happy I put in the time on the seat as the vast improvement from Miami was apparent.

The drafting rule for this race was SIX bike lengths between. Miami was five and I thought that was a lot. But it’s crazy how much you spread out and I never had much of a problem. Didn’t seem like a ton of officials out there closely monitoring either – but perhaps I was distracted a bit to notice!

It’s also funny how you trade going back and forth with a few people. Helps keep you motivated that’s for sure!

The absolute worst part of this course is between mile 30-35 (the dreaded Nelson Road). It doesn’t look like much to the human eye but that incline is REAL! And feels never ending. So happy I had the chance to ride it a few times during training so I could physically mentally prepare myself. After that – the fun realllllly begins!

My fav part of this course is the last 15 miles. It is FAST and I looove to ZOOOOM! I’ve noticed I can kill it on the downhills but not so much on the uphills. Very grateful to end the course with my strong suit and fav! And no major cramping this time ah! In Miami my legs went crazy the last six miles, which highly impacted the rest of my race.

– Time: 3:06:34 avg 18.01 mi/hr (Miami 3:20:57 avg 16.72 mi/hr)

– Key Takeaways: Training pays off. Riding the course helps prepare you both physically and mentally. Boulder is gorgeous. I freaking love downhills. I am not as bad a biker as I always thought.

T2

I felt so grateful that my legs did not buckle this time at T2. During Miami I pretty much collapsed off the bike and had to be assisted to my transition area.

My spot was pretty far from the bike in/out so I had a bit of a hard time meandering through all the clutter getting back to my spot. It also took me longer than hoped to switch out my cycle and running shoes. I started to get a lil frustrated but then calmed myself down and headed out to run!

– Time: 5:06 (Miami 5:41)

– Key Takeaways: Must practice this transition as it should be super quick.

THE RUN: 13.1 Miles

I was absolutely delighted to NOT start my run like Miami where I literally had to pick up my overly cramped legs one by one to make them walk! This time I started out strong feelin pretty good!! Then the heat set in…

Turned out to be the hottest day of the year in Colorado with temps nearing 100. It did not help that there was not a cloud in the sky and absolutely no shade on the course except for a few five foot passages (which you bet I took advantage of). It also didn’t help that I faint easily and I felt it coming on a few times. I made the decision to keep it a little easier than planned so I could avoid the med tent and cross that finish line.

The main things that kept me going were the people. The Rocky Mountain Tri Group was volunteering at a water station and I would get SO happy seeing many familiar faces. Love that group of triathletes! My fellow racers were also incredible! When people would see anyone struggling they would help out. I heard “need salt?!” so many times it made my heart happy.

One of my main motivations came from being a member of Team ZERO. I met SO many amazing people among the course all because we had a team kit on and knew what that meant. The crowds would also yell extra loud when seeing our jerseys. Really meant a lot to raise money and awareness for a cause instead of just racing. I want to do this more often!!

With less than a mile to go I really tried to pick it up a bit more. It was tough but I knew how close I was. When you get close to that finish line and hear the energy of the crowd your adrenaline sure kicks in out of NO WHERE when you thought you had nothing left to give. Sprinting down the final chute is one of the best feelings in the world. Thoughts of the countless hours, obstacles, and hard decisions you’ve made. What makes it ALL worth it is crossing that epic finish line.

– Time: 2:36:46 (Miami 2:43:11)

– Key Takeaways: I tend to pick really hot races. Proper nutrition is essential, especially in extreme heat. The triathlete community has each other’s backs. Knowing people along the course makes a night and day difference. I like shade. You need to listen to your body and know when to push and when to back off. Racing for a cause makes it all so much more worth it

OVERALL: 70.3 Miles

– Time: 6:37:09 (Miami 6:54:43)

– Key Takeaways: I really thought I would blow my Miami time out of the water and was pretty disappointed in myself right after the race. After thinking about it more and receiving a ton of support from my community I turned that thought process around. I am extremely proud of myself for overcoming obstacles both during training and actual race day. There will always be elements and setbacks that we cannot predict or fix and I think that’s what makes a true athlete survive during those conditions. There was NO way I wasn’t going to cross that finish line. And hey – I still got a PR baby!! At the end of the day I “triathlon” because I find it a healthy way to go on adventures, get a good workout, and be a part of an amazing community. I have FUN with it! The moment it stops being fun – I’m done. Don’t fret! I am NO where near that point though!

SPECIAL THANKS

To all my supporters throughout this crazy ride:

My Family – Without your constant encouragement I would never be the person I am today. And my family I live with – SO awesome of you to come support me on race day! They even waived an Italian flag proudly and got sweet footage

My Coach – My talented Coeur Sports teammate, coach, and friend Erin of Sweet Sweat Life – without your guideline and advice I would have been lost and injured.

My Tri Tribe – Coeur ladies, RMTC, Women for Tri, BASE, AXIS, and the multiple “strangers” I’ve met through this crazy sport – gah this community inspires me!

My True Friends – It’s been tough moving away from the only state I’ve even known. Huge thank you to those who have supported me and have stayed in contact with me. Please know it means a lot.

And lastly – HUGE thank you to Team ZERO for making this race possible for me. I was shattered when I saw it was sold out and thought there was no hope to participate. Alas – I was given a chance! By committing to raise $2,000 for prostate cancer I was allowed to fulfill this dream – and in the process help out a cause that really needs it. Sign me UP!! Still time to donate to this amazing cause. Means more than you’ll ever know.

Next up: 106 West Dillon Half Ironman Sept 10! “World’s Highest Triathlon” over 10k feet – whew! Tagline is “It won’t be pretty but it will be beautiful”.

Stay tuned for updates and gorgeous photos training throughout the Rockies!!

If you’ve trained for ANY sort of athletic event you know the countless hours that are poured into training in order to survive succeed during the main event. What do you do to stay entertained and not bore yourself into giving up? I’ve been thinking about what sort of “mind games” I put myself through and wanted to compile some of my fav tips/suggestions for ya

Swimming

Age Game

During a recent 2500 yard swim (long for me you seasoned triathletes!) I had a ton of time to think. Something about “being by yourself” in a pool for 50 laps really gets a person reflecting. The first 5-10 are always about warming up, focusing on form, and just prepping yourself to complete all those laps you said you would when ya popped in the pool.

The next 11-25 were a blur. Which got me thinking more about 26. Wow – could each lap reflect my life? BOKAY! I went through the first part of my life in a daze. Pushing myself, getting involved in everything I could. Who was I? Who am I? What am I going to be? What will my future entail? Sorry – I’m a Virgo and I kinda think – a lot.

Why not reflect on life’s past and future decisions during each lap of this triathlon training experience? Here we go…

Come 27ish it all began. I had an inkling of what I wanted out of life. Spent the next few years completely re-vamping my direction in life. It helped that I was forced to as I was let go from my corporate software sales job. Thank goodness as this helped me pinpoint and pursue my main passions – social media and fitness.

29. Holy crap I’m almost 30. Am I happy where I’m at? I mean 30 is a milestone and I should be freaking the F out. Most other of my friends are settled down. Married, kids…well at least have a consistent boyfriend by golley. Welp – not me. I suppose I might’ve had a boyfriend at the time but nothing long-term that was going to last the testament of time (a whole nother blog post people).

30. Got my shit together. So I thought. Absolutely on the right track in life thought and that’s all we can ask. I had landed an amazing gig in social media and was teaching group fitness at three different studios. Something was still missing…

31. Oh that’s my age! Made some serious moves. Proud of you girl. Not only did I physically move out of my homestate of Minnesota but I made the decision to leave the corporate, cubicle, comfortable world that I was used to. Huge decision. Peace out guaranteed money, benefits, and schedule. Hello world of inconsistencies – and happiness. I have never experienced this kind of independence. Have never lived outside of Minnesota. Have never lived more than 2.5 hours away from my amazing parents. How do I get my car fixed? And file taxes? Where’s my dentist? And Trader Joe’s?? F it. I’ll figure it out.

32. Anticipating the next year of my life. What do I want? What will I achieve? The possibilities are endless and I know I can DO this! Ah the excitement!

33-35. Yes babe – I see so many good things in your future. You just need to GO for them. Get organized, make connections, and live your life how you always dreamed! Travel. Relax. Love.

36-39. Gosh girl. When did this happen? You’re kinda almost 40! But hot damn. You are gonna be the most motivated almost-40 person out there! So freaking pumped for all you’re gonna do. Head on your shoulders, know what you want/don’t want, and I know you’ll be experiencing things your 20-something self would never even think of.

40. Fontana lookin fab in the 40s! All I could think of haaaaaa. But for real. I think I’m gonna be like a good red wine. Betta and betta with age 😉 watch for me!

41-49. Seriously. So freaking impressed with how far you came. From the goofy, clueless teen. To the 20something party girl, to the 30something life changing Coloradian, to now. I love you/me. I thoroughly know who I am. I’ve overcame obstacles. I’m ready for anything life has to blast my way. Bring it.

50. Pure triumph. Can we just throw the biggest party ever? Never thought I would swim this many laps in my life let-alone reflect on each year it took to get me here. Whew. I’m pooped. Um heyyy where’s the cab? (those who know me well – am I referring to a taxi or to a full-bodied red?).

I challenge you to try this lil game out. With every lap truly reflect back and forward to that corresponding age. Brings up memories and gets you pumped for future opportunities. And passes that damn time along!

Biking

Enough of that swimming and age life crap. On to the second sport of triathlon – biking! How do YOU stay entertained during a 3+ hour bike ride?!

Podcasts

I’ve turned to bomb-ass podcasts. Not only am I intrigued and motivated…but I also learn some crap as I’m pedaling along!

A few of my favs:

– Lewis Howes’ The School of Greatness
– Serial (both seasons)
– Marathon Training Academy
– The Tim Ferris Show – author of Four Hour Work Week (recommend as well!)

Bike Love

Show your bike some love by taking some sweet photos of it. It’s like Glamourshots – for bikes! HA.

Rock Your Pride!

Wear whatever you are proud of to give you a lil confidence boost! Why do you think costume races are the BEST?!

Make Friends!

Another thing you can do during long rides…make some friends! HA

Indoor Trainer Sessions

Or if it’s a long training ride inside – invite a friend to join, watch movies, take sweet GoPro footage, Snapchat, and try out Facebook live!

Running

Music

Along with motivating podcasts, music can really help pass the time. There are so many awesome playlists out there or you can create your own custom one. I use Spotify and pay less than $10/month so you do NOT need to listen to the commercials people! I just discovered a new playlist called “Independent Ladies” and I freaking love it. It fits with my lifestyle and mood right now. Feeling so free and independent and most every song on there invigorates and pumped me up!

Track Results

Make sure to track your results and celebrate your progress! I use both apps Endomondo and Strava as well as my Garmin watch. Possibilities are endless but I love all of these three options!

HAVE FUN!

Smile. Sing. Dance. Jump. Just simply – have fun! Amazing how time flies by when you’re having fun – right?!

Hope you enjoyed these triathlon training entertainment ideas!! Please remember to always reward yourself and to reflect back and acknowledge all your hard work. At the end of the day we do this for FUN and never forget that! Proud of you…and me!!