Top 5 Running Songs

I love listening to music when I run, and it's rare for me to head out the door for a run without my Ipod. A few people have asked me recently what type of music I listen to, and it's a bit of a mix between some old songs that I never get tired of, and some new songs that will be here today and gone tomorrow. A bit of everything really! But if I had to pick my top 5 most listened to songs (some that end up being replayed over and over if I'm doing a hard workout), I would narrow it down to the 5 below. Metric is one of my favorite Canadian bands, Pumped Up Kicks is the latest song I've downloaded, All Fired Up will be on my running list til I'm 80, and I've been singing Adrenaline in my head for more track sessions than I can remember.

If you see me running down the road with my ipod, singing in my head (so I don't shatter any mirrors or glass!), there's a good chance that I'll be listening to one of these songs...

Racine 70.3

This past weekend, I traveled to Racine, Wisconsin for my second half Ironman of the season. After racing in Texas three weeks ago, I realized how much fitness I gain from racing and decided to add an extra 70.3 to my race schedule. Racine seemed like a good choice – a wetsuit swim, a timetrial bike and a hot run – just how I like it.

Overall, I was happy with how my race went. I led out of the water which is a first for me, came in fourth off the bike, moved to sixth on the first loop of the run as two speedy runners (Michelle Wu and Jessica Jacobs) passed me in the first few kms, then got my second wind on the second loop, and moved back into fifth place. I was very happy to finish in the money and on the podium after missing out a few weeks ago in Texas.

Congrats also to my team mate Michelle Wu who came 3rd, and a big thank you to my homestay family, Susan and Mike Arts and their three cats for making me feel at home and taking such great care of me. I had an awesome weekend staying at their lighthouse home, feeling like royalty as they cooked for me and fed my caffeine and pretzel addiction, and then shared many laughs with them when Bryan Rhodes and Christie Sym showed up on Friday….never a dull moment with a Kiwi and an Aussie in the house.;)

So it’s back home to San Diego now for a few days of recovery, and then back to Santa Monica with my team for the next few weeks to get ready for my August races. Thanks to everyone who’s supported me over the last few months – my coach, team mates, sponsors, family and friends. It’s great to be back on the road again.

Buffalo Spring Cleaning

I’m happy to say that I’ve finally started my race season for this year. Unlike other years when I’ve started racing in Feb or March and had the majority of my season finished by July, this year I’m doing things in reverse – starting in June and racing until November.
This actually wasn’t part of my original plan, but after ending last season with a disabling hip injury, I’ve been slowly ramping up this year and sorting out some rehab issues to make sure I have a strong second half of the season.

So first up on my race schedule this year was Buffalo Springs 70.3 in Lubbock, Texas this past weekend. I picked this race because I like racing in the heat, and at 112 degrees on Sunday (the second highest temp in history for this day), it didn’t disappoint. I also picked this race because of where it fell on the race schedule. I’ve learned in the past that the first race of the season is like spring cleaning – getting back race fitness after six to eight months of not racing hurts, but it has to be done in order to clear out the cobwebs and be ready for the more important races.

With the hot temps in Lubbock, the strong headwinds and hilly bike, and a hilly hot run course, Sunday proved to be a good day to do some spring cleaning. With a strong pro field of 18 women and not being !00% race fit, my goal for the race was to finish top 10. Until mile 9 of the run, I was running comfortably in eighth place, but the lack of race miles in my legs combined with some steep downhills began to take their toll and I was passed by two girls in the closing three miles. All in all, still a good day of training and a top 10 finish to start the season.

So the spring cleaning is now done, and the cobwebs have been left in Buffalo Springs. Time to get on with the rest of the season!

Desert Training Part II

It's hard to believe but after almost three months in the desert, I'll be packing up and moving back to the coast in two weeks. I've lived near the ocean my whole life, so desert living was a bit of an adjustment for the first few weeks, but I've come to love the dry heat, and the endless riding with no traffic lights in sight. I've also learned the value of skin lotion because without it you can turn into a lizard overnight!

So with a block of desert training under my belt, I'll head back to the coast for another month of training before I start my race season in June. I'll miss the long days of hot weather, the long rides without once clipping out of my pedals, my local hangout "The Fudge Factory/Coffee Shop", and of course my many swims at the FishBowl over the last three months!


*Getting ready for swim practice at the FishBowl!



*Dinner at the Red Ocotillo



*Easter Egg Hunt! Guess who won!



*Group ride in the desert heat. Loving it!

Desert Training

For the last five weeks, I've been training in the desert east of San Diego with my Team Sirius team mates. I'm training much closer to home this year, but looking around at the landscape can sometimes feel like I'm on the other side of the planet. Close in miles, but a long way from the ocean and palm trees. Actually, there are surprisingly quite a few palm trees around, although in the midst of cacti and tumbleweeds, it looks like they may have immigrated from somewhere else!

Below are some pics from the last few weeks....


These prehistoric guys (the rams) are planted all over the desert. Never a lack of company while training...although a little out of my age range.



Someone was creative when they named the roads around here : Frying Pan Road, Tilting T, Bending Elbow Road. Or the Hellhole Canyon Trails which have suddenly started blooming wildflowers.



My new Trek Speed Concept arrived just in time to make the "trek" to the desert. Will continue to install the motor over the next few months.:)

A Is For Awesome

I decided to check the date of my last blog post today, and I can't believe it's been over a month since I last wrote a blog...where does the time go?? Actually, I do know where it went. I've spent the last four weeks having an awesome time training with my new TeamSirius team mates and coach in LA. Now I'm back home in San Diego for a week before I head off to the next training destination in Borrego Springs.

I could try to describe how awesome the last four weeks have been, how much I love my new coach and team mates, and how much fun every single day of training is......but somehow words just wouldn't do it justice. And for the person who's brought so much color and magic into my life in such a short period of time, I owe the biggest THANK YOU.

I'll soon have a longer blog to post, but for now I'll leave you with the most played song on my ipod over the last month....

2011....Off and Running!

With the first week of January now over, it seemed a good time to update my blog with my new sponsors and my change of direction for 2011. I've always believed that change is good, however resistant I sometimes I appear to anything that challenges my normal routine. But like my favorite poem by Robert Frost, "The Road Not Taken", it's sometimes good to go exploring down a different road and see what lies ahead.

So for the year ahead, I'm happy to announce that I'll be training mainly in the U.S. with Siri Lindley and the Team Sirius elite squad. I'm also happy to have the continued sponsor support of First Endurance, Cobb Saddles, Compex and Oakley, and to welcome my new sponsors Trek, KSwiss, Zipp, TYR and Fuel Belt.

It will be an exciting year ahead to see what awaits down the road not yet taken, because without taking risks you never know where that road might lead. And better to risk and take challenges than to regret and always wonder "what if."

Here's to a great 2011!