Trek!

Last week I became the proud owner of a Trek Speed Concept 7.0. I spent a little under $3,000 total including pedals and a fitting. The scrimping and saving over the last year is already worth every penny.

I have put about 100 miles on Speedy Gonzales (yup I named my bike) and I love her. I already love this bike more than I should love an object! I accelerate quickly and stop on a dime. She is light and fast, shifts like butter on a knife, and corners beautifully. Most importantly I now own and ride a bike that fits me perfectly. I will be spending 80-90% (maybe more) of my time riding and racing down in the aero bars. The shifters are on the aeros, as is standard for a time trial/triathlon bike. It presents a challenge to ride and shift in a new position. One that I greet with glee.

Friday New England had a taste of 60-70 degree weather and I was lucky enough to have the day off. I jumped on the opportunity to do my brick that day! I was scheduled for a 2 hour ride, but could have ridden for 6 hours! The day was windy, sunny, and warm. I headed out to one of my favorite routes in Needham and Dover. Thirty minutes into the ride my legs came alive, happy to be riding in warm weather. I went down in the aero's despite passing cars. I found a fun new road to ride on with little traffic and false flats. I started taking risks and being more ballsy. I spent much of the ride in the aero's and rode fast for an early season ride and a new bike. By the end of the ride I felt 80% comfortable on Speedy. I estimate that in two weeks Speedy and I will be one. And I will be fast. Faster that I have ever been. I spent 10 years riding on a bike that was too large for and fared well. I am excited to see how I will improve on a great bike.

Today's long run was awesome. I ran nearly 9 miles in 72 minutes. My lofty goal of complete the marathon portion in 4 hours may actually happen. Over the last few weeks I've been reminded why I train for and complete triathlons. I've entered a new level of training and racing. And I enter it with zeal. Bring it!!!

How triathlon saved my life...really

Lately I've been thinking a lot about how lucky I am. Lucky in a lot of ways, but lucky to be alive. And lucky that I have found an outlet and have turned my life around.

In the early 2000's I was still a closeted lesbian and incredibly depressed. Occasionally I used running to ward off evil thoughts, but followed a hard run with a glass or bottle of wine and a lot of crying. In the summer of 2001 my life hit rock bottom. Around the same time a close friend told me to see a therapist and I found the 2001 Tanqueray AIDS Ride from NY to Boston. I bought a rode bike and started therapy. I rode my heart out that summer and cried my heart out in therapy. By the end of the ride I was a new person. Ok so therapy helped a lot, BUT I found a way to deal with my emotions and frustrations. I had yet to unveil the true strong unstoppable Kristi.

I've had periods of fitness and destructive behavior, sometimes simultaneously, in these last ten years. The times when I regularly ran coincided with happier times. I knew this, but could not quite get meld training into my life.

In 2007 I made the decision to get back in shape and run the 2008 Boston Marathon. That following summer I did two sprint tri's and my first Olympic. It was this summer where I feel back in love with triathlon. It was also that summer that my heart was broken. This time, however, I swam, rode, and ran harder every time I felt the least bit sad. I started choosing tea over beer and a banana over a pie. Towards the end of that year there were hints of uber Kristi.

In 2009 I trained for a completed my first half Ironman, 70.3 miles, I unveiled my true self. I swam, rode, and ran out every last negative thought and emotion. I replaced negative with positive, despair with joy. When I needed to solve a problem or deal with an unruly patient, coworker, family member, friend, or roommate I would hop in the pool, my bike, or grab my shoes and just go. 9 times out of 10 I return a happy Kristi. I found self confidence that carries over into my work, friendships, romantic relationships, and family.

Sure I still drink every now and then and don't always eat impeccably. But I am healthy, happy, and prosperous. I am more patient and calm. I look to my days and future with glee. Even though my life is not perfect. I find perfection and imperfection with my training and racing. When I look back at the last decade I see crucial crossroads that could have sent me down a very dark scary road.

Above all triathlon and running unraveled a strong condfident person that had gotten lost. I was reminded that I can do anything I set my mind to. This year that will be a full ironman. Even if that means giving up beer, sleep, and cookies every now and then.

minor strides

Something major happened in the pool last week. I found that drive, that release of adrenaline that is so familiar to me on the bike and run. It allowed me to sustain my pace during interval training and more importantly, allowed me to enjoy the workout. For the first time in a long time I left the pool feeling good and accomplished, not just drained and floopy like my dog. My stroke is starting to come together a little too. Another big milestone: 500 yard interval at the end of practice in 10 minutes--not too shabby!

I've started putting some "miles" on the bike via my indoor mag trainer. Its funny how fast the time flies when watching SNL! My endurance on the bike and run are starting to improve too. And I did 10 min of running without my orthotics. My hope is to be in Newtons by mid Jan.

So far things are going along as planned. When I think too hard about racing for 140.6 miles I get a little freaked out. But when I believe in me, my training, and my coach; and just breath, I know I will be ready come July 30th.

Taken from Adam Hochberg obit on Elizabeth Edwards:

"Resilience is accepting your new reality, even if it's less good than the one you had before," she said. "You can fight it, you can do nothing but scream about what you've lost, or you can accept that and try to put together something that's good."

In Resilience, Elizabeth Edwards contemplated her own death, writing that it didn't seem as frightening to her since she lost her oldest son. Reflecting on how she wants to remembered, she repeated one of her favorite metaphors. She wrote that at times, the wind didn't blow her way, but she said she was still able to stand in the storm, adjust her sails and move forward."

first endurance test

Yesterday I did a slowish 8 mile run. All body parts felt good, great even! Today I rode 20 hilly miles. I CLEARLY need to work on my hills, but I felt pretty good. I most def did not eat enough food before going out. This week I am bumping up my mileage: 30 mile ride Tuesday and a 35 miler on Saturday. I will do 1.2 in the water and a 8 mile run.

Running: feeling good with runs. Getting faster. Feeling stronger on hills.
Swim: feel great, time improving, feeling stronger and less fatigued with each mile repetition.
Bike: can easily do 20 miles, but need to bump up miles AND work on hills.

Goals for next 2 weeks: HILLS and distance.