So It Begins

Over the next 20 weeks I will be completing 7-9 workout per week of swimming, biking running, plus weight training, Crossfit and of course skiing. I will be working to improve my fitness, endurance, stamina, while finding a nutritional plan that works for me, and shaping my mental attitude. I will be doing this all while taking classes and working full time. I have a challenge set out before me, and I'm excited to begin and push myself to succeed.

 Today begins my 20 week training program for my first 1/2 Ironman Triathlon. June 23rd 2013 is the Bozeman Triathlon and I will be doing the long course which is a 1/2 Ironman distance. A 1.2 mile open water swim, a 56 mile bike ride, and then 13.1 mile run to total 70.3 miles covered.
 
 race link: http://www.bozemantritons.org/tritonstri/


Follow my progress here as I give training tips, fun recipes I try along the way and my trials and triumphs of trying to balance work, school, play and my life with training.

Time Out

I need a time out. Not because I'm in trouble, but a Time out to tap into the other elements of life I enjoy besides mountain guiding.

I began the guiding season the second week in May almost immediately after finals were over. Thankfully the weather was good my first trip and I made it to the summit on May 17th, but the next three trips we were hit hard with wind, blowing snow, rain and super cold temps. Not summer by any means.

100% summit!  We had the perfect weather window.

After the five trips on Mt Rainier and a thorough a** kicking I ran off with my tail between my legs for a few days away from Mother natures wrath. As usual Josh and I packed up the car with climbing gear, running shoes, biking equipment, fishing gear and anything else we might need for an adventure. Turns out no where west of Boulder Colorado is having good weather right now, so we hunkered down in Missoula.

Web Cam from Paradise on Mt Rainier - This is  40 degrees and Raining.

For an outdoorsy girl its hard to wrap my head around cold rainy weather. I just don't know what to do with myself. So as the rain continued I summoned my mother and sisters creative side. I decided I would do some art projects and spend some time in the kitchen baking my favorite recipes. 

I had a few ideas thanks to Pintrest on what I wanted to create. I was going to make a piece for my room, something colorful but my style.

To the left is the finished project.

I started by painting each canvas a different color ( blue, purple, yellow, and Green). Then I picked and pressed leaves from the yard. I pressed them for 24 hours so they would lay flat when I pinned them to the colored canvas and covered them with spray paint. When I pulled the plants off the canvas I was left with these wonderful images and a set of four to hang in my room.

Once I felt successful and content with my art project I moved on to another activity that I'm a bit more comfortable with. Baking.

I get my love of baking from my mother. I grew up helping make 11ish Thanksgiving pies every year, we  made everything from apple and blueberry to chocolate cream and of course pumpkin. Baking hundreds of Christmas cookies, birthday cakes for anyone, and anything else I could think of. Baking has become one of my favorite DE-stress activities over the years. After a hard exam or stressful climb I like to come home whip up a batch of cookies or muffins and then go for a long run.

On my week retreat in Missoula I whipped up two cheesecakes. I created my own recipes based on what I know about cheesecake and flavors and textures. I made a Strawberry cheesecake and a mixed berry (raspberry's, blueberries and blackberries). I swirled in the berry flavor for visual appeal, and Boy was Josh excited!



Our week is coming to an end and we Head back to Ashford Washington Today. after 6 whole days the weather wasn't all bad. we had  a few moments of sun and we made the most of them. We got to go fishing in Glacier on the South fork of the Flathead river, we went for a bike ride into Glacier National park, and I snuck in a few good trail runs and Mountain bike rides here in Missoula.

The week was a great way to rejuvenate before we head back up on Rainier.

Arizona Rock 'n Roll Marathon

I have now been back for a week and have had time to rec
over, relive and appreciate my trip to Arizona.

Going into the marathon I had very high expectations of myself and what I wanted to accomplish. I was hoping to qualify for the Boston Marathon with a time of 3:35:00. I trained hard to achieve this goal but was unable to finish in that time. I finished with a time of 3:50:07. I started strong, keeping a 8 min mile pace through the 1/2. Around mile 16 I fell off the back of the pace group and at that point I knewI didnt have what it took to keep the pace for another 10 miles. With the hope of qualifying for boston gone, I lost an edge mentally. I feel apart and hit a wall, all things you hope to avoid.

Running is an interesting sport in that sense. When I fell apart, I had no team mate to pick me up, an amp me up to finish strong. It was all me. It's all me in my victories and my failures. Not that this race was a failure, it was a learning experience. I learned a lot about racing, about training, nutrition and my own strength. These things I learned I will use for future training and racing and continue to improve as a runner.

Immediately after the race I was disappointed and

upset and by all means discouraged. But thanks to a few important phone calls and long pep talks (Thanks mom) I was able to really look at the big picture. I have only been running regularly for a year or so now, and finishing my second marathon with a time under 4 hours is very good.

I have also pushed myself very hard this year with 2 marathons, a 30K trail run, Three 10k races, two 10 miles races, two trail 1/2 marathons and numerous local 5k's. Looking at all of that, I am proud of my accomplishments with running.

After a week of rest and recovery I am now ready to start looking towards the next goal. And as most of us do, I have multiple goals in mind. One will remain the same, I will continue to train to run a marathon with a qualifying time for Boston. Its going to take hard work, but I have learned from my mistakes in the last two marathons and will make changes and train smarter and harder.

Traveling down to Arizona for such a big evert is a new experience for me. I knew a few other runners in the race but for the most part I was on my own. This was a nerve-racking feeling but also liberating. We arrived Friday afternoon, 2 days before the race. Friday was mostly

dedicated to getting settled into my hotel, Checking in for the race and visiting the expo. I found a nice Southwest/ mexican restaurant to have dinner at the first evening and then went to bed early for get plenty of rest. Saturday morning I work up early, (5am) to practice getting up early and went for a quick 2 mile jog to get a feel for the temps early in the morning. After a quick shower I headed out to see the sights of Phoenix. I was staying in the heart of downtown and had access to buses, light rail and many attractions. My first stop was the local farmers / public market full of fresh vegetables, local crafts and homemade goodies. I had a great coffee and local organic danish. No better way to get a feel for a new city then its public market.

After wandering the market I purchased an all day metro ticket ($3.50) good for all the buses and light rail. I rode both all over the city until I saw something I wanted to get closer to and would get off and get back on when I was done eating, shopping or taking pictures!

I had to make a stop in the local Lululemon shop and then spotted a trader joe's where I bought a few snacks for race day. I headed back to my hotel by 4 for a big dinner of gourmet pizza and my traditional night before race Guinness. Then it was early to bed, with a few butterflies in my stomach.

The next morning it was on. My alarm went off at 5:00 am. Coffee, smoothie, sports endurance drink and off to the start line. The energy at big events like this is just amazing. It was intoxicating. I warmed up, packed my sports bra with gels and hit the port-a potties one last time.

6,000 runners lined the streets and filled the corrals, and then the gun goes off. All the training, the months of preparation all comes down to that sound, BANG…. and we were off. about to embark on the 26.2 mile journey through Phoenix, into Scottsdale and finally into Tempe at the ASU stadium for the finish. It all kind of blurs together. But after a week, you forget the pain you may have felt, you forget how hard it might have been, all you remember is the energy of the crowd. The exhilaration of crossing the finish line no matter how tired you might have been. You come home and everyone tells you good job!

And here' the crazy things, you start looking for the next big race! And I cant wait!

Off To Arizona

I’m all packed and ready to Rock ’n Roll in the Arizona Rock ‘n roll Marathon in Phoenix! After a brisk run this morning in 12° but sunny weather the reality of my trip to dry and warm and cloudless Phoenix AZ is becoming a reality. I fly out of Missoula tomorrow morning for 3 days down in the heat of the desert. I will have most of the day on Friday to get settled in town, visit the Rock ‘n roll Expo and race check in, and then find a nice local spot for a casual dinner.

Flying all the way to Arizona will be a whole new experience. For one thing I have never been to AZ so it’s a new state to check off the list. I also have never traveled like this for a race. It adds a new element of commitment to the training and the race. I also have never participated in an event so large. There will be roughly 30,000 participants if the marathon and ½ marathon combined, with that many or more attending the event to cheer and support the runner as they (we) endure the 26.2 miles in 75°. Its going to be a great event.

Check back after the race Sunday or Monday for my race results, my adventures around Phoenix and of course pictures!

Power foods

With the current colder weather and fresh snow on the ground I have hit the gym for a few of my workouts this week. I dont know whether its my final peak week of training or the spectators at the gym but I have been pushing myself extra hard this week and it feels great!

With the extra effort at the gym in the morning, when I finally make it home I look for some real power foods to keep me fueled for the rest of the day but also to help me recover from a hard workout indoors.

Immediately after my workout I whip up a power smoothie as I call it.
I start with a packet of carnation instant Breakfast chocolate flavor.

I add one banana,
1 cup of frozen mixed berries (strawberries, blue berries, raspberries and blackberries)
1 cup baby spinach,
2 cups almond milk.
Blend and enjoy!
( for some extra power I'll all add 2 scoops Hammer Nutrition's Recoverite in Chocolate or Strawberry)

This power packed puppy has about 550 calories and is full of protein, with enough carbohydrates and fats to rebuild my muscle and keep me going all afternoon. Plus it has loads of vitamins and minerals to keep my immune system healthy during cold and flu season.

Staying in shape in the off season

Lets face it. It’s hard to stay in shape between seasons when Halloween candy is abundant and the sun doesn’t come up until you are already at the office. Plus having Thanksgiving and Christmas fall somewhere in that transition season doesn’t help with motivation. The best way to avoid injury and to be ready to go when the snow flies is to find a mid fall motivation. I Live in Montana and by December the rock is just too cold to climb, there are ice patches on the trail for mountain biking, morning and evening it is well below freezing, if the sun is shining, and there is only a dusting of snow on the mountain. So what do I do to stay in shape and active? I trail run.

After guiding on Rainier all season my legs are in great shape for going up and down hills but not as much with the long flat runs. So by trail running 4-5 days a week I can take advantage of already being in shape and stay strong all fall to be ready to rip powder once the snow starts falling. I mix up my running with most days on trail doing a variety of distances from 3 miles of steep hills or a long slow 12-20 miles on a trail through the beautiful changing colors of fall or with a fresh dusting of snow on the ground. To keep my knees happy with me I swim at a local pool once a week and even go for a bike ride or take a spinning class to keep my workout varied. I also use strength training regiments to keep the rest of my body tone and strong.

Motivation can be tough as the weather gets colder and the days are shorter. With lots of obligations such as holidays and school / work commitments this time of year it hard to find the inspiration to run daily. I stay motivated by signing up for local and regional running races. Anywhere form your local 5K to a marathon or big trail run in the area is a great place to start. Having something to focus on and train for will help you get out of bed in the morning. Find a running partner to help spark the fire of running under your bottom and get outside. Go for a jog together before or after work, or join a few friends during lunch and get a few miles in. Running burns about 100 calories per mile so every little bit help you stay in shape and ward off those nasty Halloween pounds.

This year I completed some of my biggest races yet. I ran a local 30K trail run here in Montana. I drove over to Spokane WA for my first ever Marathon and finished in under 4 hours. I even ran in my hometown Thanksgiving Day 10K Turkey trot with a PR of 43:18. This gave me yet another excuse to eat all day. Signing up for a local race is a great way to stay focused on training but going at it along can be intimidating. If your town has a local running club, ask to join for Saturday morning run or find a work friend and help motivate each other to get outside and train together for the race.

When the air is crisp and the days are short I take a little more time thinking about what to wear on my trail runs. I long for the dog days of summer when I am pulling on my CW-X stabilyx running tights, Outdoor Research wind pro ear band, Pl Base glove and my highly visible Saucony ethereal jacket. These functional yet fashionable clothing options make it bearable to run on eve the coldest days by keeping me warm and dry. By keeping my ears and hands covered, I maintain a lot of body heat and can stand to be out of a run for as long as I need. Don’t get stuck on a treadmill all winter. Get outside and stay in shape. Happy running!

Let it Snow

Winter Time is here!

Last weekend my roommates and I went up to Lolo pass to check out the conditions. what we found was 14" of fresh snow and it was still coming down! Not quite enough to ripe through the trees for face shots, but enough to start the base of what seams to be the start of another epic season here in the Northern Rockies.

Not only will the back country skiing be endless this winter, the resort skiing is going to be worth while. To afford the ski bum status, I will be Volunteering with the Snowbowl Ski Patrol this winter. We had a day of lift evac training this saturday and already the runs are covered, and the groomers were out. after a chilly morning at Snowbowl (14 degrees), I came back to town with glowing thoughts of the winter ahead and picked up a new pair of

alpine boots! ( Salomon Instinct 100) I spent the afternoon tuning skis and adjusting bindings! Im ready for the snow!

Not only am i excited for the skiing this winter has to offer, I Will also be Traveling down to Arizona in January to run in the Arizona Rock 'n Roll Marathon with the hopes to qualify for Boston 2013!

After Completing the Spokane Marathon in October I was tired and sore for a few days, but as soon as I began running again I was looking for a new goal. With the Great Barrington Turkey trot 10K only days away Im looking for something bigger. With 8 weeks to go, The Rock 'n roll Marathon seams like a great opportunity to keep training, set a new goal and get to some warmth and sunshine during the heart of Winter.

Skiing will keep me strong, but I will have to keep running, and with Montana temps in the low teens to 20's its gonna be a cold couple of months!

A fall of first's

Being back in Missoula has been a whirlwind of exciting activities. I started running again, well continued to run on a training program. I completed my first 30K trail run and my first road marathon. I placed 3rd in my age group in the blue mountain 30K here in Missoula. It was a highlight of the fall. Then one week later i ran the Spokane marathon. The marathon was a great challenge, I really got to see what my body was made of with it. I have to say it was fun for the first 15 miles or so.. then at mile 22 not so much fun! but now 2 weeks later im back running daily again and training with crossfit to stay in shape and get ready for ski season.

I have now also tried my first cycle-cross race. (Think road bike frame and mountain bike tires). I raced at Missoula's biggest cross-race event; Rolling Thunder, last night. It is a dirt and grass course with hills, obstacles to jump over and technical corners. It was awesome! It was a big event and a few hundred people came out to watch! I think I may have found another expensive and gear heavy hobby!