Putting it All Together

Can you spot bambi?

had one of those runs yesterday that made me think, I went HOW fast in Kona?  Seriously, your grandma could have passed me running on the trails yesterday...couldn't get the HR up and had to keep walking.  So I got to thinking, natural thing to do on a trail run right?  With my (vocal) trance music literally putting me in a trance and clearing my mind this is what I thought...

I am not an awesome, swimmer though I used to think since I grew up a swimmer I was, biker or runner.  This is true.  When people ask me, "which discipline is your best?"  Now I may have a favorite, but that too is going away, I really don't have an answer.  I'm just a good plodder. Mark affectionately calls me a semi truck...once I get up to speed I can go like that all day long. When my running was really slow, I really preferred to swim and bike because it's what I was good at.  But as my running progresses, I enjoy that section of the race more and more as I get passed less and less (no correlation to happiness at all, right?!).


And then watching the SPECTACULAR women's race at Ironman Melbourne, you realize that you must be solid (OK spectacular in the case of Caroline Steffan) at all three disciplines, you can have no real weakness or you will get eaten alive by the gal that can run a 3:05 marathon.   And in the age group arena, the fastest swimmer definetly didn't win the race. 

I have certainly had my fair share of days where I could not put it all together.  This past year in Las Vegas was one of those days.  My most vibrant memory of that day is having 2 miles to go on the run and hearing one of my friends names announced as she crossed the finish line...from the same age group.  Not my brightest day for sure!  But it drives me to continue to improve on all 3 disciplines.

So thinking like a relentlessly positive person just know that you just need to be a good plodder to have some success.  You may not be the best insert S/B/R here and that is A OK.  Put a lot of effort into putting it all together on race day and then hope for a little or a lot of Race Day Magic to make for an awesome day out on course.

Less than 3 weeks out from the first race of the season, here's to a having it all fall into place.  It's what I've been working on.

Racing Fools in April

This past week I FINALLY finalized my pre-Ironman Texas race schedule.  I won an entry into Tri-Star Nevis, and coach had agreed that I could go if booked with miles.  SCORE!  But I would be on my own as he is deep in racing mode himself and couldn't scoot away for a min Caribbean vacay at the end of the month.  SO after much heeming and hawing, I decided to just go with my original plan which was to do New Orleans 70.3 on April 22.  Will you be there?

First up though, I plan to tackle the new HITS series Olympic on April 15th up in Napa.  This is doubly exciting as my BFF KC will be racing her first triathlon since baby numero uno came over three years ago.  Goodness how time flies.  She's had another baby since then and is ready to get back into the swing of things.  Nothing makes me happier than racing with one of the ladies who I started out my triathlon career with.  We will gab, we will talk, we will celebrate each other...Girls weekend please!!  And wine tasting afterwards is always an enticing option.

I was initially disappointed that I wasn't going to be able to race Oceanside or Nevis, then thought well that is OK, I will be able to finish off the month with a strong block of training and then get the engine ready for April.  New Orleans is one of my fave races, even though I've only done it one other time and remember vividly the bike course where it was so windy I was smiling screaming out loud I was so angry about the adverse conditions and how I LOVE to champion adversity that I have decided I must have a rematch!  I had a great experience there and love the heat.  I ended up with a ticket to 70.3 Worlds from this race in 2009 and I am hoping to have a repeat performance there next month.  Next month?!!  Good lord, how did the first quarter of the year go by so quickly.

So in preparation I spent the last weekend training with Jess and coach Mark...super exciting since he is usually riding with his boyfriends at the weekend having "man" time.  Jess was exposed to one of our inside jokes while watching Milan San Remo live...causing her to say she was in the middle of a Manning sandwich!  "Do you know Johnathan Louder?  Johnathan Who?  I SAID Johnathan LOUDER!!!"  yes, we are just that cool nerdy.

So Jess and I spent the weekend swim, bike (indoor) riding, TRXIng and running.  It was so much fun, I was in desperate need of Monday Maintenance, chiro and massage all in the same day.  Now that combined with the tacos I have simmering make it Monday FUNDAY!!

Denver and a New Bike Fit!

Downtown Denver All Lit Up

This past week, I had the pleasure of going to Denver for a work conference.  I posted that I would be there and fellow 30-34'er Sonja agreed to meet up with me for a glass of wine!  Then when I couldn't get my booty out of bed at 5AM Colorado time which was 4AM CA time, she agreed to meet for a run instead...with a big work dinner coming after the conference, a girl had to get her run on!  Now I had only brought clothes for an indoor session as I had planned on an o'dark thirty run, not a run at 4PM in the Denver sunshine. Well, Sonja proved to be the hostess with the mostest and brought me three different outfit choices for varying temperature conditions!  What a gal.  I chose my weapons and we were out the door and running along the creek in Downtown Denver. we wound our way through the old homes and although there was still snow on the ground in places, it wasn't much different than running at home in the mornings.  46 is 46, pretty much anywhere you are!

Sonja and I under the Big Blue Bear

After getting home on Friday, it was 70 and sunny out so I HAD to put on my team kit and hit the road for a ride.  Why is is that even though it was warm out, I still took a jacket with me?!!  That and I have to protect my scar from even seeing the sun for as long as possible, so I ride with a sweat band or other cover over my scar and under my helmet...looking like a huge goober superstar I am sure.  But I am determined to not end up with a scar! 

Sunday was bike fit funday with coach/hubby Mark.  As I have mentioned here before, Mark is doing some stage racing this year and this includes time trialing...not to be confused with riding a Triathlon bike Triathlete's are nerds and cyclist are just SO cool.  The GOOD part about Mark doing some stage races including time trialing, is that he has been reading up on TT/Tri specific bike fit and with the delivery of the New Argon, I was due for my annual fit.  We finally found some time in the day yesterday after workouts were done, houses had been looked at and got it done.  We were aiming to open up my hip angle more to provide more power and encourage my non running muscles so that when I get off the bike I am fresh as a daisy and ready to run 26.2! 

We only have one laser right now, but Mark has already asked for another one...next thing you know we are going to be a certified fit studio at Casa De Manning...

With my fit done, I am TOTALLY getting excited to race!  Race #1 will be March 31st either in the Beautiful Caribbean at Tri Star Nevis or at Oceanside....have to decide...friends or gorgeous warm weather?  TBD

Moving On Up!

This past week, I decided to make a leap of faith and move up to the 1:25 LCM lane at masters.  Now, I haven't moved up a lane since high school so this was a BIG deal.  I don't even lead the 1:30 lane when I'm in it so making the decision wasn't the obvious choice.  But I had decided that it was time.  I have started swimming 3 times a week this season as opposed to two that I have been doing for years.  Everybody says to get faster in the water you MUST swim more.  This has been a tough thing to convince Coach of...see he isn't a triathlon coach by nature, he comes to us from biking.  And the though process there is that you must go FASTER to get faster not necessarily go MORE often.  We are not fans of gratuitous volume in this house, quality has always trumped quantity and so far, so good.  But, I knew that in order to improve in the water, and let's be honest- my good but not GREAT swim needs to get faster if my goal for this season is going to materialize.  So here I sat swimming three high quality sessions a week at Stanford Masters usually at the back of the bus in the 1:30 lane.

 But then I thought to myself...I don't need ALL this rest! Yes, the days that we do ANYTHING on cruise or Go forbid -5, (1:20/100M) I am going to get to the wall sounding like a dying animal suffer and likely have to swim one/rest one for a while. But this is OK as we are trying to get faster, so I do need to swim faster. And I have no shame sitting on the wall for a 50/100 regaining consciousness in order to prep for the next round. But for the other sets where we are doing +5 or 10, I am doing OK, still sounding like a bit of a dying animal and thinking in my head that this is just crazy but I think the correct motto is FAKE IT TILL YOU MAKE IT!

So not that you need inspiration to get up and get moving or even to get faster, as I know we are ALL driven folks trying to be OUR best each and every workout. But just in case, next time you are thinking "jeeze if only"...get out there and DO something about it!
In other news, the gash on my forehead is healing up beautifuly and I think it will end up being a very minimal scar, but just in case I have an appointment with a cosmetic dermatologist tomorrow. Hopefully she will give me the scar be gone potion and not just to apply Vitamie E like I have been doing!
Working hard and getting excited that race season is almost here!!

A trip to the ER and 11 stitches later

This past Thursday I was doing my usual TRX routine, and it comes time to work my swimming muscles with some bent over arm band pulls.  Run of the mill right?  Normally yes, but I had not properly anchored down the tubing and in a split second of letting up on the resistance, WHAMMO it hits me and all I know is my head is GUSHING blood....my thoughts, what do I do now?  Mark was an hour away by train ride as he hadn't driven into the city that day.  I'm in our garage and thankfully there were tons of old tshirts available to stick on my forehead immediately as I didn't want to go into the house and get blood all over the carpet.  Why is this my first thought?!!  Can't get blood on the carpet...we rent for Pete's sake!  Easier to clean blood off of the garage floor than it is carpet.  Score one for Hailey.

Before:

I call Mark in a complete panic, making him extremley nervous that he was an hour away and not able to get me to the ER and not knowing the extent of the damage.  I went to our neighbors house (thank GOD for good neighbors who are home) and I must have been a complete sight...shorts, a sports bra and a head covered in blood...uh can you please help me?  And to the poor PG&E guy driving by, sorry to have scared you...picture me walking next door on the phone holding a bloddy t-shirt.  Again a sight.  They immediately got me some ice, looked at the wound and said yes indeedy we are going to the ER.  Not a band-aid type situation.  Rat Farts!  I put on a t-shirt and off we went.  Mark was now en route to being home to take are of his patient. 

At the ER they ask questions like are you a victim of domestic abuse?  Nope, just a dope victim of not properly securing down workout equipment.  So even with all of this trauma, my pulse is only 49...they must have thought I was dead!  They say, yes stitches will definetly be needed and the first through is, Oh no, the scar that will result from this.  This brought me to tears!  Viatamin E, and NO SUN on wound and we should be OK.

Dr Ko, stitching me up...please no scar

They quickly saw us- total ER time was only like an hour and a half which seems AMAZING to me.  Next up we had to numb the wound and wash it out before the stitches.  YUMMY!!  I am not a fan of shots, I would almost always rather do an Ironman in 100 degree heat before getting a shot.  Wussy huh?!  Well this shot was the Michael Jordan of all shots, a nerve block is actually what it was and I have to tell you I actually made a loud moan before the tears started rolling...it was like taking a needle and then continuing to slam push it along my forehead and THEN insert the burning medecine.  Great.  Although I am sure that that pain was less than I would have felt if they had cleaned the wound and stitched me up without anesthetic but seriously people, it was HORRIFIC. 

Practice Safe Exercise People

Dr's Orders no swimming until the stitches are out...gonna get those bad boys out tonight thank you very much and to take it easy.  I took Friday and Saturday completely off and enjoyed going to watch Mark race at Snelling and being a super supporter in the feed zone.  I was able to ride for 4 hours yesterday and then looked my enemy directly in the eye, albeit this time with a helmet on and got back to TRX'ing (not with a helmet) and my arm band exercise.  My swim is gonna get better dammit!!

My treat for being feed zone girl

Thanks for all of the support and messages!  Next up a big week of training a bike fit with Cheif Bike Mechanic and Coach Mark!  Pics of that to come!

Two days later, looking better already!

Aye, Aye Captain!

Team in Sin City...Vegas Worlds

Last year I had the GREAT fortune of getting to meet and work with the team as my kit sponsor.  I had heard wonderful things about their kits, thin chamois made of fleece and no "double bagging" of the girls needed.  Seriously?  SIGN ME UP!  Needless to say, it was a match made in triathlon heaven and I was immediately hooked on these kits.  So comfy and that oh so perfect, never chafing, always looking good kit. 

This year things are getting even better.  Hard to imagine right?  I have been asked, along with two other amazing women, to be a co-captain of this fantastic team. Needless to say, I am over the moon.  I was gaggin' to be the captain of my swim team in high school after seeing my sister be the captain and do a great job.  Alas, it wasn't in the cards and some other awesome gal beyatch got the gig.  Good thing like a fine wine, I have improved with age.  You couldn't pay me enough to go back to those days. 

Anywho, I am already super excited to meet our new team mates and have begun cyber stalking them to find them via social media to keep me tided over until our first real meeting.  There are some FAST gals on this team and this just makes me more excited.  Nothing to elevate your game like other fast women.  I read today that Mirinda Carfrae thinks of Chrissie Wellington as her Road Runner and is disappointed that Chrissie will be sitting this year out.  Eveyone needs inspiration to make themselves go faster.

Kona Underpants Run

I would like to thank Kebby and Steph as for giving me this opportunity to take on more responsibility within the team and to let me help develop what is quickly becoming THE women's triathlon racing team.  Here's to an Ab Fab 2012!

No Guts No Glory: The Road to Cat 1

No guts, no glory. You hear this all the time right? Husband/Coach Mark went to Arizona this past
weekend to race his first 3 day stage race in over a decade at Valley of the Sun. Yes, he’s a bit older than me but don’t let his age fool you, the man can still get his heart rate above 190. Can you? Not I said the fly. So while I was busy enjoying my mom visiting from Ohio and getting in much needed family time, Mark was off in sunny Arizona. I may have had a bit of FOMO going on and originally had planned to race as well but mom time is more important than bike time me thinks.
Happy 60th to our Madre!

So at the beginning of the season Mark had, after a decade away from racing in the 1/2 Category had
decided that racing masters just wasn’t fun enough (even though most of them are ex-world/regional
champs)and he wanted to see how he stacked up against the current 2’s, most of whom are likely 15-20 years younger. The ultimate goal is to get enough points to at the age of 46 earn his Cat 1 status. If you can find it, you can read all about it on his blog if you can find it.  Mark hasn't had his blog coming out party and is still a bit shy.

Enjoying the bike

I don’t know, but something about this just resonates with me. Yes, he’s my husband and I think he’s
pretty darn cool, but also he is LIVING the motto “dream big”. I’ve been reading a lot of Joel Runyon’s Impossible blog and how NOTHING is really impossible. And that brings me back to Mark. Many people are kind of like, you’re doing what? And you’re how old? And he just keeps working hard. And you know what? I know that he’ll get it done and won’t really say a word about it along the way. Nope, “nothing to see here folks, just riding me bike”.

Sister time on the bike is priceless

The race was not a huge success in garnering any points towards the upgrade, but it was a great season opener showing Mark exactly what he needs to work on…needless to say, we’ll be on our matching Argon’s quite a bit in the upcoming months, racing each other around our local time trial loop. Watch us on Strava to see if I can out-Strava him…for those keeping track, it’s only happened once.

I LOVE his passion for the bike and for his drive to continually get better and succeed. I can’t wait to see the season unfold and will keep you all up to date as it happens!