Top "Gots to have its" of the season

No, I promise, this isn't a list of the hot goods from Vogue for fall 2013, but in my opinion the following goodies SHOULD be in Triathlete magazines "what we love right now" section.  These are the items right now as I build towards Kona that are my go-to's, what I use day in and day out...do any of these make your list?  What are YOUR must have's?

Matchy Matchy Kit and Sunnies

Peeper Protectors, Sunnies...whatever you call them, these are a critical piece of gear not only so you don't squint and get wrinkles duh, vanity always is the most important reason but these bad boys also protect your eyes from flying debris, low branches and if you have the right pair, they make you look good out on the race course.  My of the moment pair are my Smith Pivlock V90 in Sea Glass...they may match my kit and that is a BONUS!



Just say NO to salt tabs...with OSMO Pre-Load! Friend and wicked smart Dr. Stacy Sims is the brains behind this amazing product that will keep you hydrated in hot weather.  Los Cabos where I won the AG and was 2nd OA Amateur?  Powered by Pre-Load for sure...one bottle the night before and then another in the morning before a hot long race or hot, long anything...ride, run, day at the beach sipping marg's...  Speaking of marg's, pre-load IS salt after all so don't expect it to taste like coke. This stuff will keep you hydrated without the normal post race swell that is brought on by salt tabs and the like...I love me a 5lb weight gain and all, but who likes to remember ANOTHER thing to do while racing?

Tasty Treats

While we're on the topic of nutrition- I've been trying to stick with more whole food while on the bike, specifically in racing.  During training, I rarely eat sports nutrition products.  Gotta save up my appetite for the race!  Enter Barnana, portable bananas...you heard me right, these dried, organic, non-GMO bananas are soft and chewy and sweet. This company is awesome to support as they are owned by fellow triathletes!  Packed with potassium, this is perfect on the fly nutrition.  They're also great for 5:20AM masters...you need to eat SOMETHING, but who is going to get up earlier than necessary to make breakfast?  Not this girl. I also keep a pack in my car/purse at all times as you never know when Hangry-time will strike.

THE iron team

While I've been dealing with low iron, there have been two nutritional go to's in my arsenal.  Muscle Milk and spirulina.  Yes, one may be manufactured and one from the depths of the Kona sea, but BOTH have half of my daily iron needs covered.  What, you say?  Muscle Milk helps me to pump my iron?  Indeed it does.  My smoothie of choice: 2 scoops of Muscle Milk Light Chocolate powder mixed with 1 tsp. spirulina, 1 c. frozen strawberries, one frozen banana and a cup of H2O.  Blend and viola!  Instant Iron recovery shake.

Stop: Recovery Time...Ever sit on the couch with bags of peas on your legs or in an ice bath, wishing you could do the dishes/laundry/cook dinner WHILE you were icing your gams after a long day at the office of SBR?  I was lucky this season to receive goodies from 110% Playharder.  These guys make life easy...compression?  Check! Slots for ice integrated into these compression garments? Double check!!  My fave, is the aptly named, "clutch" tight.  You can put ice on your lower back/calves/hamstrings...any part of your leg that may be screaming for mercy can be icily compressed into submission.

A Bevy of TYR bags to stash my goodies

OK, let's talk gear storage.  Unless you work from home, chances are, you need to take gear to/from work and keep it in your car for that evening run or morning swim session.  At any given moment, you can find at least one, but usually two of the TYR Alliance Backpacks in my car brimming with gear/clothes for work&dinner/snacks/water bottles....you name it and this bag fits it, and has many secret little pockets for coffee money to hide so it doesn't get stolen from the women's locker room while you're out staring at the black line for the better part of 90 minutes!  It also has mesh side pockets for wet gear storage after masters so you don't have to worry about drying of your cap and goggles but I do cause I'm SUPER Type A.

Give me my bike back!

Take it to the hills.  I live in Northern California, and if you've ever been here, you know that it ain't flat.  So while I may be in LOVE with my Argon E118 for racing and long flat rides, my daily go to, my husband isn't embarrassed to be seen with a tri-geek, can climb mountains like a billy goat bike, is the Argon18 Gallium Pro.  This bike is so light and comfortable that it was stolen by my husband this past weekend for his uphill time trial.  Time to upgrade buddy...Thankfully, my bike has been returned to me and all is right in my bike love world.  I love to feel as stable as possible training wheels to prevent tipping over ever would be awesome and this bike takes stability to another level, up and down the mountain I go smiling all the way.



I have been living in these team kits for the better part of three years.  They keep me from needing to "double bag" my girls, keep my thighs chafe free, and my undercarriage as happy as possible over the journey of 140.6 miles.

Friends, Family, and Sponsors.  This list of people deserves their own post.  They train with me, keep me sane and support me in an enormous way and that makes my world a pretty awesome place to be.  So to all of you, I am grateful!!