Hello Amazing Divas,
I am sure you have been waiting with baited breath for my "resolutions" post and I surely don't want to disappoint but I am, instead, compiling a list of wishes for the new year. I may still do a list of resolutions and perhaps, I will share but for now I thought I would focus outwards . . . .
If the proverbial genie popped up and asked for my wishes for triathlon and sport for women in general, what would I say? What would make a significant difference in this quirky sport and more importantly, in the lives of the TriDivas who reside here?
1. Bring someone to the party. . . My hope is that we each bring a new person to triathlon in 2012. Maybe you invite someone to be on a team with you or you ask a buddy to volunteer at one of your races. . . whatever it is, just share; share why multi-sport is important to you and spark the next person. If we all do that the exposure to Triathlon will double over night!
2. Hardware for Canada . . . I am a huge supporter of this sport from both ends: novice all the way to the elite level. As 2012 is an Olympic year, my hope is to see Canada on the podium (podiums would be better) in London. I can already hear our anthem being played. Do what you can to support our team - big or small.
3. World Peace . . . that's right, world peace. The wish list wouldn't be complete without it. To be clear, I hope that we all find some peace in 2012; peace with our goals, peace with our balance; peace within ourselves. We are all doing triathlon for different reasons but I wish that, at the bottom of it all, is peace.
Happy and healthy 2012 to all you Divas out there :)
Thursday 29 December 2011
Monday 19 December 2011
Drop In Programs: Fun and Flexible
Happy Monday Divas,
As promised, this is my first review of local training opportunities. Drop-in workouts can be a great addition or substitute to your regular training regime. I appreciate this time of year when my master's swim training group takes a hiatus in order to attend a swim drop-in program that occurs at my pool.
I waited poolside to know where to hop in. It is important not to rock the boat too much when you first join a group. Let's face it multi-sport enthusiasts tend to be very routine dependant and any change to that can be upsetting. The last thing I want to do is make my lane mates resentful because they may put a serious hurt on me later in the workout.
The instructor showed up and told me where to go in a friendly jovial manner. My new training buddies were chatty and fun. Never under estimate the benefit of meeting new people and the benefit of mutual suffering. Today's workout was both challenging and low key. For me, it was challenging because it had only freestyle where I normally swim all strokes but it was low key as the pace was attainable (probably because I was guided into the appropriate lane for my ability).
Here is what we did:
800 m Choice warm up
200 m Kick
2 or 3 sets of
200 m Pull with 20 seconds rest
3 x 100 m swim with 15 seconds rest (descending 1 - 3)
400 m swim with fins
2900 m total
When choosing a drop-in program, I have a few recommendations:
1. Check out the instructor (no . . . not like that!) to identify his/her qualifications and experience.
2. Ask yourself: "Do I like this group?" Keep in mind you may be spending a lot of time together so if someone drives you nuts from the get-go, move on.
3. Is the class conveniently located? If it is not on the way to or from work or in your neighbourhood, you may be less likely to "drop-in".
4. Make sure the workout improves your performance whether it is speed or technique. As multi-sport gals, we certainly don't want to waste our time.
Finally, try lots of classes so you learn what you like or dislike. I will be reporting on other workout sessions in the near future so please send me a note if you have any suggestions.
As promised, this is my first review of local training opportunities. Drop-in workouts can be a great addition or substitute to your regular training regime. I appreciate this time of year when my master's swim training group takes a hiatus in order to attend a swim drop-in program that occurs at my pool.
I waited poolside to know where to hop in. It is important not to rock the boat too much when you first join a group. Let's face it multi-sport enthusiasts tend to be very routine dependant and any change to that can be upsetting. The last thing I want to do is make my lane mates resentful because they may put a serious hurt on me later in the workout.
The instructor showed up and told me where to go in a friendly jovial manner. My new training buddies were chatty and fun. Never under estimate the benefit of meeting new people and the benefit of mutual suffering. Today's workout was both challenging and low key. For me, it was challenging because it had only freestyle where I normally swim all strokes but it was low key as the pace was attainable (probably because I was guided into the appropriate lane for my ability).
Here is what we did:
800 m Choice warm up
200 m Kick
2 or 3 sets of
200 m Pull with 20 seconds rest
3 x 100 m swim with 15 seconds rest (descending 1 - 3)
400 m swim with fins
2900 m total
When choosing a drop-in program, I have a few recommendations:
1. Check out the instructor (no . . . not like that!) to identify his/her qualifications and experience.
2. Ask yourself: "Do I like this group?" Keep in mind you may be spending a lot of time together so if someone drives you nuts from the get-go, move on.
3. Is the class conveniently located? If it is not on the way to or from work or in your neighbourhood, you may be less likely to "drop-in".
4. Make sure the workout improves your performance whether it is speed or technique. As multi-sport gals, we certainly don't want to waste our time.
Finally, try lots of classes so you learn what you like or dislike. I will be reporting on other workout sessions in the near future so please send me a note if you have any suggestions.
Wednesday 14 December 2011
Stats and other fun stuff
Hello Divas,
A quick post today as I could not contain my excitement! I was checking the 'traffic' on the TDN blog as I do most days and I was pleased to see how many of you checked out the interview with Teann (see Conversation with a TriDiva - December 9). All I can take from this statistic is you want to see MORE INTERVIEWS!
Thank you for voting with your eyes and computer keys. . . . I will be including a conversation each month. If you have suggestions as to a particular Tri-gal, please let me know or if you would like to see other topics, I am open to suggestions.
Enjoy the day!
A quick post today as I could not contain my excitement! I was checking the 'traffic' on the TDN blog as I do most days and I was pleased to see how many of you checked out the interview with Teann (see Conversation with a TriDiva - December 9). All I can take from this statistic is you want to see MORE INTERVIEWS!
Thank you for voting with your eyes and computer keys. . . . I will be including a conversation each month. If you have suggestions as to a particular Tri-gal, please let me know or if you would like to see other topics, I am open to suggestions.
Enjoy the day!
Monday 12 December 2011
Potential
Happy Monday,
Potential. . . .the catch-all phrase thrown around by athletes, coaches, teachers and parents. It is used in many forms:
Reaching your potential
Achieving your potential
Knowing your potential
See your potential
It can be a vicious cycle of self abuse. Did I do my best? Am I peaking at the right time? I had a coach say to me once, "an athlete can't know his/her potential" Great. . . .How will I know when I have reached my potential when I can't know it? The truth is others can see our potential so we are almost obligated to get feedback from outside ourselves. . . a coach, a mentor, a training partner, a sister.
Wouldn't it be great if we could support each other in reaching our potential rather than tearing each other down or competing with one another? (See - Mean Girls post in October) Wouldn't it be great if we held each other accountable and, more importantly, able?
I found this great quote from Goethe and I challenge you readers to get out there today and see the potential in others.
If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that
Potential. . . .the catch-all phrase thrown around by athletes, coaches, teachers and parents. It is used in many forms:
Reaching your potential
Achieving your potential
Knowing your potential
See your potential
It can be a vicious cycle of self abuse. Did I do my best? Am I peaking at the right time? I had a coach say to me once, "an athlete can't know his/her potential" Great. . . .How will I know when I have reached my potential when I can't know it? The truth is others can see our potential so we are almost obligated to get feedback from outside ourselves. . . a coach, a mentor, a training partner, a sister.
Wouldn't it be great if we could support each other in reaching our potential rather than tearing each other down or competing with one another? (See - Mean Girls post in October) Wouldn't it be great if we held each other accountable and, more importantly, able?
I found this great quote from Goethe and I challenge you readers to get out there today and see the potential in others.
If I accept you as you are, I will make you worse; however if I treat you as though you are what you are capable of becoming, I help you become that
Friday 9 December 2011
Conversation with a TriDiva
Meet Teann Dhariwal. . .An amazing tri-gal who I have had the pleasure of knowing for several years. The following is a great conversation we had a local coffee roost and the first of many (I hope) such meetings. I plan to include one of these each month highlighting ladies just like us; racing, training, contributing.
Teann is a 29 year old nurse who has been racing and training for 7 years and even though she is relatively young in the sport, she has an impressive triathlon resumé. From 2008 to 2011, Teann could only get better. What seemed like humble beginnings at Coronation triathlon in 2008 - 2009, Teann was a student of the sport and continued to hone her craft. She had great improvements from 1:48 in 2008 (1 km pool swim, 28 km ride and 8 km run) to shaving six minutes off this the following year. Qualifying for the National Age Group team in 2010 was the high point of the season as Teann came back from the disappointment of not qualifying the previous year.
I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I did (My comments are in italics):
TDN: What brought you to the sport of triathlon?
Teann: In high school, I swam and ran. It was probably because you didn't have to "make" the team. You could do it because you liked it. Swimming was there because I have always loved swimming.. . I hardly got any training at that time but I always wanted to learn to do butterfly because it looks cool. I wonder what it feels like to do that. In university, I got involved with the tri club. It was a small group and it was just forming. At the time, I was also riding horses and that was my main sport. I decided to do a triathlon in 2004 so I read a book and did Millennium Place triathlon (The book was Triathlon Training Bible - if you need to know). I rented a road bike that was meant for a man (seriously?!?!). It was huge!
That was summer 2004 and on November 28th of that year, my horse had to be put down as he broke his leg. Not even a month later, I bought my first road bike. I needed something. . . .My true love was gone, I had an interest in triathlon and I needed something to consume my time. In learning how to "make a horse dance", I learned to appreciate the technical parts of learning a sport.
TDN: Which, of the three disciplines, would you say is your strength?
Teann: Probably the strongest in running and swimming.
TDN: What is your routine when you are training?
Teann: I like to train in the morning. I like to get it done early and then at night I can relax or go for a little run. I swim 3 times, ride 2 times and run 4 times per week. I don't do weights and I am changing that for this season because it is so important. I tend to do the complementary activities in the off-season like Pilates. Flexibility and strength are so important and I have learned that over time. One other thing that I have learned is nutrition! I have to eat throughout the day instead of having no energy for the second workout of the day.
TDN: What do you think about before you race?
Teann: For the past couple races, before I get in the water, I am always thinking about calm breathing because I know once the race starts that the adrenaline will be going so I just keep thinking "get in a rhythm, get in a rhythm, get in a rhythm. If I let my nerves get to me, then I am panicking. For the past few races, I would think to myself "I can do this" (powerful!).
TDN: And during the race?
Teann: Sometimes I am thinking about stupid things like "Don't miss the buoy!". It is different for each sport: For biking, I have fears so I think: "Don't flat!". For the run, "Get in the zone . . listen to your breathing"
TDN: Why did you decide to go to World Championships?
Teann: Ever since I was young, I wanted to go to the Olympics and in horseback riding, it is very difficult so on my "Bucket List" that desire turned into competing internationally. I wanted to do something that I had to qualify for; something that I earned.
TDN: What was your experience being a National Team member for the 2011 team in Beijing?
Teann: I liked the idea of being part of a team and the team atmosphere. . . It was very cool to race on the Olympic course in Beijing. The way that had the race set-up was great because we went past the grandstand 4 times on the run so every time, there was a huge cheer and you would get all energized which you don't get in a normal race. Opening ceremonies were something out of the Olympics as the Chinese organizers went all out. We felt respected as canadians by all the athletes. You meet really great people. . . there was one gal I met from Vancouver who I trained with the week prior and hopefully, we will see each other again if she comes to Edmonton.
TDN: What was the high point of the Worlds' experience? What was the low point?
Teann: Honestly, the high point was crossing the finish line; it felt so good. . .I did it and it felt like a long journey. I think I put a lot of stress on myself leading up to the race because I didn't qualify the first year. The low point was when I looked at the results! (TriDivas - always hard on ourselves)
TDN: What advice would you give to a 'sister' trying to qualify for the team?
Teann: Through training, I have learned that a person's potential is limitless. It is possible, it is achievable if you just set your mind to it and decide this is what you want to do. (I told you she was amazing)
TDN: How do you celebrate your successes?
Teann: Usually, I look forward to a massive meal! Going out with my husband and friends.
Thank you so much Teann for allowing us into your tri-world!
Teann is a 29 year old nurse who has been racing and training for 7 years and even though she is relatively young in the sport, she has an impressive triathlon resumé. From 2008 to 2011, Teann could only get better. What seemed like humble beginnings at Coronation triathlon in 2008 - 2009, Teann was a student of the sport and continued to hone her craft. She had great improvements from 1:48 in 2008 (1 km pool swim, 28 km ride and 8 km run) to shaving six minutes off this the following year. Qualifying for the National Age Group team in 2010 was the high point of the season as Teann came back from the disappointment of not qualifying the previous year.
I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I did (My comments are in italics):
TDN: What brought you to the sport of triathlon?
Teann: In high school, I swam and ran. It was probably because you didn't have to "make" the team. You could do it because you liked it. Swimming was there because I have always loved swimming.. . I hardly got any training at that time but I always wanted to learn to do butterfly because it looks cool. I wonder what it feels like to do that. In university, I got involved with the tri club. It was a small group and it was just forming. At the time, I was also riding horses and that was my main sport. I decided to do a triathlon in 2004 so I read a book and did Millennium Place triathlon (The book was Triathlon Training Bible - if you need to know). I rented a road bike that was meant for a man (seriously?!?!). It was huge!
That was summer 2004 and on November 28th of that year, my horse had to be put down as he broke his leg. Not even a month later, I bought my first road bike. I needed something. . . .My true love was gone, I had an interest in triathlon and I needed something to consume my time. In learning how to "make a horse dance", I learned to appreciate the technical parts of learning a sport.
TDN: Which, of the three disciplines, would you say is your strength?
Teann: Probably the strongest in running and swimming.
TDN: What is your routine when you are training?
Teann: I like to train in the morning. I like to get it done early and then at night I can relax or go for a little run. I swim 3 times, ride 2 times and run 4 times per week. I don't do weights and I am changing that for this season because it is so important. I tend to do the complementary activities in the off-season like Pilates. Flexibility and strength are so important and I have learned that over time. One other thing that I have learned is nutrition! I have to eat throughout the day instead of having no energy for the second workout of the day.
TDN: What do you think about before you race?
Teann: For the past couple races, before I get in the water, I am always thinking about calm breathing because I know once the race starts that the adrenaline will be going so I just keep thinking "get in a rhythm, get in a rhythm, get in a rhythm. If I let my nerves get to me, then I am panicking. For the past few races, I would think to myself "I can do this" (powerful!).
TDN: And during the race?
Teann: Sometimes I am thinking about stupid things like "Don't miss the buoy!". It is different for each sport: For biking, I have fears so I think: "Don't flat!". For the run, "Get in the zone . . listen to your breathing"
TDN: Why did you decide to go to World Championships?
Teann: Ever since I was young, I wanted to go to the Olympics and in horseback riding, it is very difficult so on my "Bucket List" that desire turned into competing internationally. I wanted to do something that I had to qualify for; something that I earned.
TDN: What was your experience being a National Team member for the 2011 team in Beijing?
Teann: I liked the idea of being part of a team and the team atmosphere. . . It was very cool to race on the Olympic course in Beijing. The way that had the race set-up was great because we went past the grandstand 4 times on the run so every time, there was a huge cheer and you would get all energized which you don't get in a normal race. Opening ceremonies were something out of the Olympics as the Chinese organizers went all out. We felt respected as canadians by all the athletes. You meet really great people. . . there was one gal I met from Vancouver who I trained with the week prior and hopefully, we will see each other again if she comes to Edmonton.
TDN: What was the high point of the Worlds' experience? What was the low point?
Teann: Honestly, the high point was crossing the finish line; it felt so good. . .I did it and it felt like a long journey. I think I put a lot of stress on myself leading up to the race because I didn't qualify the first year. The low point was when I looked at the results! (TriDivas - always hard on ourselves)
TDN: What advice would you give to a 'sister' trying to qualify for the team?
TDN: How do you celebrate your successes?
Teann: Usually, I look forward to a massive meal! Going out with my husband and friends.
TDN: What was your biggest obstacle leading up to Worlds? How did you overcome it?
Teann: Consistency in training. It was hard because you would think that if I missed a workout, you won't have the fitness for race day. You are trying to decide should I push through this or should I take it easy on this day. Because I have suffered from some injuries, it is knowing how far to go and when is it too much.
I don't know if I have ever overcome this. I feel like this is an ongoing challenge. The hard part of doing three sports is that you feel like you are never doing enough.
Well Readers, this was my first attempt at an interview and I really hope that Teann's honesty shone through. She epitomizes the adage that "anything is possible". While I trained beside Teann, I had no doubt that she would be successful due to her commitment to consistency and attention to detail.
Monday 5 December 2011
Boiling Frogs, Falling Trees and Aware Divas
Good Morning Readers!
Another Monday. . . another chance to get going on whatever goals we are moving towards. Can you feel them? . . . . the cobwebs . . .they creep in slowly. Almost like the frog slowly heating up in the boiling pot of water (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog).
Small changes can work for us or against us. If we make tiny, almost imperceptible, alterations in our diet or exercise, we can make serious movement towards huge change. I remember adding incline to my treadmill workouts and although, the first three weeks weren't fun, I know that the transition to outdoor running in the spring was sooooo much easier.
How do small changes work against us? Like the frog, we almost don't notice when we choose bad habits or the easier way. Not to get too philosophical but are you giving up on yourself (even just a little)? Just for this week, take stock, look at all the routine things you do: cream in the coffee, parking spot at work, spinning class at the gym, masters' swim workout. When given the option (more challenging, healthier, more fun), what do you do? Most of the time, no one notices! It is like the tree in the forest that no one hears when it falls. The frog doesn't know it is about to boil to death. He thinks he is in a comfy hot tub!
Now, this is not a guilt blog. I am too experienced (ok. . . .old!) to beat myself up with guilt but I also know that awareness tends to be the best motivator. Once I am aware of my choices, I tend to re-evaluate and, more importantly, re-choose.
So get out there, take inventory and report back!
Another Monday. . . another chance to get going on whatever goals we are moving towards. Can you feel them? . . . . the cobwebs . . .they creep in slowly. Almost like the frog slowly heating up in the boiling pot of water (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boiling_frog).
Small changes can work for us or against us. If we make tiny, almost imperceptible, alterations in our diet or exercise, we can make serious movement towards huge change. I remember adding incline to my treadmill workouts and although, the first three weeks weren't fun, I know that the transition to outdoor running in the spring was sooooo much easier.
How do small changes work against us? Like the frog, we almost don't notice when we choose bad habits or the easier way. Not to get too philosophical but are you giving up on yourself (even just a little)? Just for this week, take stock, look at all the routine things you do: cream in the coffee, parking spot at work, spinning class at the gym, masters' swim workout. When given the option (more challenging, healthier, more fun), what do you do? Most of the time, no one notices! It is like the tree in the forest that no one hears when it falls. The frog doesn't know it is about to boil to death. He thinks he is in a comfy hot tub!
Now, this is not a guilt blog. I am too experienced (ok. . . .old!) to beat myself up with guilt but I also know that awareness tends to be the best motivator. Once I am aware of my choices, I tend to re-evaluate and, more importantly, re-choose.
So get out there, take inventory and report back!
Tuesday 29 November 2011
Confessions of a Year Round Runner
Happy Tuesday!
I have running for over 25 years (that is a scary number) and have been running all through the year. In the beginning, I ran rain or shine, in snow, sleet, freezing rain and sub-zero temperatures. My goodness, I could be a postal worker! I wore my "I can run in anything" as a badge of honour. I loudly pronounced to anyone that would listen, "I would never run inside. . . that is not really running." As my body started to deteriorate (it happens to us all), my high and mighty thinking started to change.
I am now a die hard treadmill runner. I love it! That is my confession. If the weather turns, even a little, I am inside on my treadmill. It didn't help that my husband bought me one for Christmas a few years ago. I had a flat screen TV installed and now I spend almost every morning "in the bunker". I set up my bike on a wind trainer right beside and now I have no excuses to miss a workout. Last week, I shared my favourite indoor cycling session so this week, you get one of my favs on the treadmill.
Before we get to the details a few comments about treadmill training:
1. Invest in a Heartrate monitor: This is the best measure of exertion. An important piece of data is your target heart rate zone: Start with your maximum heart rate = 220 - age. This is a good estimate but it is still an estimate! From here you can figure out 75% of max (as an example)
2. Set your treadmill with some incline: I like 1 to 1.5% incline as this better simulates outdoor running. I remember when I first started doing this, it felt soooo hard but I did adapt after about 3 weeks.
3. Make sure the room is well ventilated: Even though I call my workout room "the bunker", I usually have a fan running to keep the temperature down and the environment pleasant.
Let's get to it!!!
WARM UP 10 minutes easy (HR 60% of max)
MAIN SET 5 x 5 minutes as [1 minute sprint (85% - 90% of max) with 4 minutes recovery] For the recovery, walk for 1 minute and then easy run for 3 minutes. The important part is to allow your heart to recover and be below 70% of your max. Also, keep good form when sprinting. . . high knees and relaxed shoulders.
COOL DOWN 10 minutes easy (HR 60% of max)
This is similar to last week's bike session in that you can add as many sets of 5 minutes you want. This is a 45 minute workout so it is easily paired with a swim or a ride.
Enjoy and send me your feedback on this session :)
I have running for over 25 years (that is a scary number) and have been running all through the year. In the beginning, I ran rain or shine, in snow, sleet, freezing rain and sub-zero temperatures. My goodness, I could be a postal worker! I wore my "I can run in anything" as a badge of honour. I loudly pronounced to anyone that would listen, "I would never run inside. . . that is not really running." As my body started to deteriorate (it happens to us all), my high and mighty thinking started to change.
I am now a die hard treadmill runner. I love it! That is my confession. If the weather turns, even a little, I am inside on my treadmill. It didn't help that my husband bought me one for Christmas a few years ago. I had a flat screen TV installed and now I spend almost every morning "in the bunker". I set up my bike on a wind trainer right beside and now I have no excuses to miss a workout. Last week, I shared my favourite indoor cycling session so this week, you get one of my favs on the treadmill.
Before we get to the details a few comments about treadmill training:
1. Invest in a Heartrate monitor: This is the best measure of exertion. An important piece of data is your target heart rate zone: Start with your maximum heart rate = 220 - age. This is a good estimate but it is still an estimate! From here you can figure out 75% of max (as an example)
2. Set your treadmill with some incline: I like 1 to 1.5% incline as this better simulates outdoor running. I remember when I first started doing this, it felt soooo hard but I did adapt after about 3 weeks.
3. Make sure the room is well ventilated: Even though I call my workout room "the bunker", I usually have a fan running to keep the temperature down and the environment pleasant.
Let's get to it!!!
WARM UP 10 minutes easy (HR 60% of max)
MAIN SET 5 x 5 minutes as [1 minute sprint (85% - 90% of max) with 4 minutes recovery] For the recovery, walk for 1 minute and then easy run for 3 minutes. The important part is to allow your heart to recover and be below 70% of your max. Also, keep good form when sprinting. . . high knees and relaxed shoulders.
COOL DOWN 10 minutes easy (HR 60% of max)
This is similar to last week's bike session in that you can add as many sets of 5 minutes you want. This is a 45 minute workout so it is easily paired with a swim or a ride.
Enjoy and send me your feedback on this session :)
Monday 28 November 2011
Inspiring Ourselves
Hello Divas,
So often we look for inspiration outside ourselves. We receive a quote from a friend or watch a movie for some spark of motivation. I love to surround myself with things, people, books, movies, practically anything to inspire me. I get a renewed energy from it. I was wondering this weekend if we could derive this energy from ourselves or within ourselves.
For the past few days, I was fortunate to hang out with my daughter and her buds. If you are a mother of a daughter, you know how fleeting these moments can be and how precious they are. As usual, I wanted to make a good impression and be thought of as "cool" (I am sure there is a better, more current reference to a parent one deigns to spend time with). As I regaled the girls with a few of my best race experiences, I looked at their faces . . . .and for a split second, I realized my activities; my training; my racing inspired them and for that matter, inspired me too! I was again reminded how important it is to slow down and take stock.
I am sure all of you have had some great learnings that others would benefit from but what about reminding ourselves and inspiring ourselves.
This may not be the slickest segue but I will be beginning a series of interviews with triathletes in the next week or so. The conversations will be with tri-gals of all abilities and experiences. My hope is that we all garner a bit of inspiration and motivation from them.
Feel free to post a question or a story. . . .I always love to hear from a sister!
So often we look for inspiration outside ourselves. We receive a quote from a friend or watch a movie for some spark of motivation. I love to surround myself with things, people, books, movies, practically anything to inspire me. I get a renewed energy from it. I was wondering this weekend if we could derive this energy from ourselves or within ourselves.
For the past few days, I was fortunate to hang out with my daughter and her buds. If you are a mother of a daughter, you know how fleeting these moments can be and how precious they are. As usual, I wanted to make a good impression and be thought of as "cool" (I am sure there is a better, more current reference to a parent one deigns to spend time with). As I regaled the girls with a few of my best race experiences, I looked at their faces . . . .and for a split second, I realized my activities; my training; my racing inspired them and for that matter, inspired me too! I was again reminded how important it is to slow down and take stock.
I am sure all of you have had some great learnings that others would benefit from but what about reminding ourselves and inspiring ourselves.
This may not be the slickest segue but I will be beginning a series of interviews with triathletes in the next week or so. The conversations will be with tri-gals of all abilities and experiences. My hope is that we all garner a bit of inspiration and motivation from them.
Feel free to post a question or a story. . . .I always love to hear from a sister!
Tuesday 22 November 2011
Balance - Hah!
Happy Tuesday Divas,
Balance - It is hot topic around any gathering of women. Do you have it? How do I get it? How can I maintain it? In the course of any normal day, balance is hard fought for and won by any woman. Add in the triathlon factor and GOOD LUCK!
Most TriDivas I know are not full time athletes. . .as we like to say at the starting line. . ."I am not paying the rent with my race winnings." So then how do these amazing women walk the tightrope of work, family, extended family, friends, training, racing, etc.? In keeping with the theme of 'I can only tell what I do', indulge me in sharing a few of my insights.
I remember when my kids were really young and I used to fret constantly about their nutrition, their sleep, their activity level. . . .you name it, I was fretting. One day, I came across a great little article about kids' eating and the Canada Food Guide (ah, yes the CFG. . .remember that pyramid of colour on the fridge or was it a pie chart?). I always strived to get the right number of vegetables, fruits, meat or alternatives, and dairy every day for my family. The piece of gold from the article was "Try to get all the right elements of the CFG in a week" IN A WEEK!?!?!?! Instead of every day?. . . Are you kidding?. . . You mean I could actually let go and allow them the luxury of eating a whole plate of fruit for a meal! This changed my life (and my families' life as well) Now I know what you are thinking . . .No I did not start cooking a big head of broccoli for supper. I continued to offer all the food groups, I just stopped obsessing about my kids eating the 'balanced' way everyday and took a more global (weekly or monthly) look at it.
I started doing the same thing with my own balance. What are the components of my day? Do I have to have all of them everyday? Consider your balance in a much larger sense. Ask yourself if you are getting what you need on a weekly basis. . . .on a monthly basis. When I allowed my kids to decide what they wanted to eat from the choices on the table at meal time, they actually became more in tune with what they needed not what was prescribed on the fridge pie chart.
So take inventory, look at the components and write them down. You can then make a weekly, monthly or yearly plan rather than killing yourself to get it all in everyday.
Feel your way to a balanced lifestyle and be sure to report back :)
Cheers,
Balance - It is hot topic around any gathering of women. Do you have it? How do I get it? How can I maintain it? In the course of any normal day, balance is hard fought for and won by any woman. Add in the triathlon factor and GOOD LUCK!
Most TriDivas I know are not full time athletes. . .as we like to say at the starting line. . ."I am not paying the rent with my race winnings." So then how do these amazing women walk the tightrope of work, family, extended family, friends, training, racing, etc.? In keeping with the theme of 'I can only tell what I do', indulge me in sharing a few of my insights.
I remember when my kids were really young and I used to fret constantly about their nutrition, their sleep, their activity level. . . .you name it, I was fretting. One day, I came across a great little article about kids' eating and the Canada Food Guide (ah, yes the CFG. . .remember that pyramid of colour on the fridge or was it a pie chart?). I always strived to get the right number of vegetables, fruits, meat or alternatives, and dairy every day for my family. The piece of gold from the article was "Try to get all the right elements of the CFG in a week" IN A WEEK!?!?!?! Instead of every day?. . . Are you kidding?. . . You mean I could actually let go and allow them the luxury of eating a whole plate of fruit for a meal! This changed my life (and my families' life as well) Now I know what you are thinking . . .No I did not start cooking a big head of broccoli for supper. I continued to offer all the food groups, I just stopped obsessing about my kids eating the 'balanced' way everyday and took a more global (weekly or monthly) look at it.
I started doing the same thing with my own balance. What are the components of my day? Do I have to have all of them everyday? Consider your balance in a much larger sense. Ask yourself if you are getting what you need on a weekly basis. . . .on a monthly basis. When I allowed my kids to decide what they wanted to eat from the choices on the table at meal time, they actually became more in tune with what they needed not what was prescribed on the fridge pie chart.
So take inventory, look at the components and write them down. You can then make a weekly, monthly or yearly plan rather than killing yourself to get it all in everyday.
Feel your way to a balanced lifestyle and be sure to report back :)
Cheers,
Thursday 17 November 2011
My Favorite Indoor Training Sessions
Happy Thursday,
In keeping with the off-season theme, I thought I would share one of my all-time favourite workouts to do inside during the winter. Training inside can be an integral part of your race prep and in our neck of the woods, a necessary evil.
Bike Training:
Indoor bike training can make a huge difference to your early spring fitness. A wind trainer can be purchased for around $200 (of course, you can spend more if you like). Make sure you get the little foot (that's what I call it) to prop up the front wheel. This way you don't feel too much pressure on your shoulders and elbows.
Here is one my favourite sessions:
In keeping with the off-season theme, I thought I would share one of my all-time favourite workouts to do inside during the winter. Training inside can be an integral part of your race prep and in our neck of the woods, a necessary evil.
Bike Training:
Indoor bike training can make a huge difference to your early spring fitness. A wind trainer can be purchased for around $200 (of course, you can spend more if you like). Make sure you get the little foot (that's what I call it) to prop up the front wheel. This way you don't feel too much pressure on your shoulders and elbows.
Here is one my favourite sessions:
- Warm Up: 10 minutes easy
- Drill: 8 x 90 seconds alternating right leg only and left leg only. NOTE: Try to be as smooth as possible through the entire rotation. . . don't bottom out and stall at 6 o'clock
- Main: 45 minutes as 9 x 5 minutes (3 min 90 RPM & 2 min 110 RPM) Put the chain in the large gear in the front and 2 or 3 gears down from the top on the back. Your heart rate won't be especially high but boy will you sweat!
- Cool Down: 10 minutes easy
I really like this workout because it doesn't take too much time and it has a bit of everything: drill and quality. I do this session once a week throughout the off season. I can easily make it longer by adding sets of 5 minutes. The other training advantage of these rounds of 5 minutes, it teaches you to sit in a pack (draft legal races) and to surge out front when necessary. When you see a break away in a cycling race, those guys who "jump" off the front (technical term) they only put in a huge effort for a few minutes and then they are away. . . . . That is the strategy anyway.
Okay readers, if you have a great bike workout. . . post it! I love trying new stuff. It really shakes the cobwebs out and keeps us all motivated till spring :)
Start spinnin' Divas!!
Monday 14 November 2011
Reasons to train in the off season
Welcome to Monday,
How did a whole week go by!
More importantly, where did that white stuff come from? For those of you lucky enough to live where the snow doesn't fly, this may be a foreign concept. If you have not figured it out, it snowed over the weekend!!!
As a multi-sport clan, we immediately think about how this will affect our training. Will I run long inside or out? Where are all my winter training clothes? Should I take a break? Should I ramp it up? Today, I wanted to address more important questions (or answers depending on how you look at it). What will my training look like this winter? Is it really worthwhile to train in the off-season?
Let's look at the top 5 reasons to train in the off season:
5. Cycling all winter will definitely help your tri racing next year. I could not believe how much more comfortable I felt in the spring when I cycled all winter. Find a spinning class and/or a triathlon cycling class. If you don't like the crowds, hunker down, buy some DVDs and get after it. Future posts will have some of my favourite workouts that will get your sweat on.
4. Working on your weakness is one of the best ways to stay motivated in the off time. Of course, for me #5 and #4 are the same. Most tri-gals I know, like to swim more as this is their weak spot. Again, research some swim groups. One year, I added a swim workout each week (4 total) and what a difference!!!! I no longer looked like I was drowning and could almost keep up to my 11 year daughter. I finally started to 'feel' the water rather than just flailing.
3. Signing up for a "winter race" will definitely kick your butt. Many larger centres have aquathons (swim/run). You can't have any expectations for these off season races, just get in there and have fun. Find a buddy (a sister!) and do them together.
2. Try something new . . . . new sport, new exercises in the gym, new workout gear. When I added yoga into my week of training, I felt so much better. I don't know if it was the extra stretching or the nap at the end but I love it and get to my mat at least twice a week.
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON TO TRAIN IN THE OFF SEASON IS . . . .
What the heck else are you going to do? Let's face it, multi-sport training is a lifestyle choice. I have taken breaks and when I do return to swimming, riding or running, I always realize how much better I feel when I am moving.....
So Keep Moving. . . .
How did a whole week go by!
More importantly, where did that white stuff come from? For those of you lucky enough to live where the snow doesn't fly, this may be a foreign concept. If you have not figured it out, it snowed over the weekend!!!
As a multi-sport clan, we immediately think about how this will affect our training. Will I run long inside or out? Where are all my winter training clothes? Should I take a break? Should I ramp it up? Today, I wanted to address more important questions (or answers depending on how you look at it). What will my training look like this winter? Is it really worthwhile to train in the off-season?
Let's look at the top 5 reasons to train in the off season:
5. Cycling all winter will definitely help your tri racing next year. I could not believe how much more comfortable I felt in the spring when I cycled all winter. Find a spinning class and/or a triathlon cycling class. If you don't like the crowds, hunker down, buy some DVDs and get after it. Future posts will have some of my favourite workouts that will get your sweat on.
4. Working on your weakness is one of the best ways to stay motivated in the off time. Of course, for me #5 and #4 are the same. Most tri-gals I know, like to swim more as this is their weak spot. Again, research some swim groups. One year, I added a swim workout each week (4 total) and what a difference!!!! I no longer looked like I was drowning and could almost keep up to my 11 year daughter. I finally started to 'feel' the water rather than just flailing.
3. Signing up for a "winter race" will definitely kick your butt. Many larger centres have aquathons (swim/run). You can't have any expectations for these off season races, just get in there and have fun. Find a buddy (a sister!) and do them together.
2. Try something new . . . . new sport, new exercises in the gym, new workout gear. When I added yoga into my week of training, I felt so much better. I don't know if it was the extra stretching or the nap at the end but I love it and get to my mat at least twice a week.
AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON TO TRAIN IN THE OFF SEASON IS . . . .
What the heck else are you going to do? Let's face it, multi-sport training is a lifestyle choice. I have taken breaks and when I do return to swimming, riding or running, I always realize how much better I feel when I am moving.....
So Keep Moving. . . .
Monday 7 November 2011
Another Woman I admire
Welcome to Monday,
When I first started this blog, I mentioned a great woman who, at the time, received the Order of Canada. It had to be one of the most public acknowledgements of a life spent volunteering, contributing and being just basically being Diva-esque! (see September 15)
Today, I want to let you know about another amazing gal among us. I am not sure if you are in the loop but the Canadian Olympic Committee has pre-selected two athletes for the 2012 London games. To back track a bit, it is important to note how difficult it is to make the team as a triathlete. Those countries in the International Triathlon Union can send up to two athletes by gender (2 men and 2 women). Crazy odds! As a result of our past performances at the Olympic level (thanks, Simon!), Canada is entitled to 3 spots per gender. Both Simon Whitfield and Paula Findlay have been nominated to represent Canada at the games. . . . .even as I write it, I get a chill.
Now, Simon will bring incredible experience and depth to the team so huge kudos to him but I want to dedicate the rest of my time with you to Paula.
I was saying to my family over the weekend, "How cool is this? I actually know her!" And by her, I mean Sheila Findlay who is, I am proud to say, one of my posse. Sheila is the selfless Mom and CEO of her Findlay brood. I am sure we find her picture beside "supportive" in the dictionary. Anyone who knows Sheila can attest that she is totally there for her kids. When one of your kids is so athletically gifted, it would be easy to put all your parenting eggs in that basket. Not so with Sheila! All her kids are fantastic in their own way and Sheila makes each one of them feel special and unique.
Now, as parents, we claim to do that but Sheila is actually good at it!
She is also a kick-a## athlete in her own right. She was a national level rower, varsity runner and swimmer. She has medalled as a member of the national age-group teamat Triathlon World Championships. If I asked her what she is most proud of, I can guarantee you it will be something about her husband or her kids.
I know that Paula really appreciates the support she gets from Sheila, Max and her siblings and Sheila would be the first to shy away from any kind of public acknowledgement of her contribution (think Order of Canada). I also know as a mother/supporter of an athlete that whenever I get some gratitude, I am buoyed up by it.
So I ask you, readers, who is supporting you?
Have you thanked them lately?
Take a moment, call them, email them or even just send out positive intentions. You will be better for it.
Congratulations Paula. We, all the divas, are so proud of you!
Cheers :)
When I first started this blog, I mentioned a great woman who, at the time, received the Order of Canada. It had to be one of the most public acknowledgements of a life spent volunteering, contributing and being just basically being Diva-esque! (see September 15)
Today, I want to let you know about another amazing gal among us. I am not sure if you are in the loop but the Canadian Olympic Committee has pre-selected two athletes for the 2012 London games. To back track a bit, it is important to note how difficult it is to make the team as a triathlete. Those countries in the International Triathlon Union can send up to two athletes by gender (2 men and 2 women). Crazy odds! As a result of our past performances at the Olympic level (thanks, Simon!), Canada is entitled to 3 spots per gender. Both Simon Whitfield and Paula Findlay have been nominated to represent Canada at the games. . . . .even as I write it, I get a chill.
Now, Simon will bring incredible experience and depth to the team so huge kudos to him but I want to dedicate the rest of my time with you to Paula.
I was saying to my family over the weekend, "How cool is this? I actually know her!" And by her, I mean Sheila Findlay who is, I am proud to say, one of my posse. Sheila is the selfless Mom and CEO of her Findlay brood. I am sure we find her picture beside "supportive" in the dictionary. Anyone who knows Sheila can attest that she is totally there for her kids. When one of your kids is so athletically gifted, it would be easy to put all your parenting eggs in that basket. Not so with Sheila! All her kids are fantastic in their own way and Sheila makes each one of them feel special and unique.
Now, as parents, we claim to do that but Sheila is actually good at it!
She is also a kick-a## athlete in her own right. She was a national level rower, varsity runner and swimmer. She has medalled as a member of the national age-group teamat Triathlon World Championships. If I asked her what she is most proud of, I can guarantee you it will be something about her husband or her kids.
I know that Paula really appreciates the support she gets from Sheila, Max and her siblings and Sheila would be the first to shy away from any kind of public acknowledgement of her contribution (think Order of Canada). I also know as a mother/supporter of an athlete that whenever I get some gratitude, I am buoyed up by it.
So I ask you, readers, who is supporting you?
Have you thanked them lately?
Take a moment, call them, email them or even just send out positive intentions. You will be better for it.
Congratulations Paula. We, all the divas, are so proud of you!
Cheers :)
Thursday 3 November 2011
What is coming up at TDN
Happy Thursday,
This is a housekeeping post just to keep you in the loop and let you know about what is coming up.
There was great response from the "Mean Girls" post and I realized that there are a lot of divas out there reading me even though they are not 'actively' participating on the blog. I guess this is one of the realities of the virtual life. We need to trust that our messages are being sent and received at some level. (Kind of like Jodie Foster in Contact - one of my favs!). Anyway, I digress. . . . just keep sending me ideas, posts or just positive vibes!
As for what is coming up:
Plans are in the works for some triathlon product reviews where I will give the straight goods about everything from apparel to equipment. Stay tuned to find out what is the latest and greatest!
I had a brilliant idea (ok maybe I am the only one who thought it was great) to do some training group reviews. Just as the foodies go around to restaurants, eat and then critique, I was thinking I could do the same for local workout groups (swim training, spin classes, run groups, etc.) If you know of some good places or places you have wondered about but never bothered to check out, let me know. I will probably start with my own favourites but who knows, I might show up at your workout (be afraid. . . .be very afraid!!)
I have lined up a few tridivas to interview so stay tuned, I might even try to add photos (yikes my techno abilities continue to astound!)
I am still hoping for some questions for the Q and A posts so fire away! I may not have the definitive answer but we can at least start the conversation.
You can email me at mathdva@hotmail.com or leave a post on the blog.
That's all for now. . . . read me later. . . . alligator.
Cheers!
This is a housekeeping post just to keep you in the loop and let you know about what is coming up.
There was great response from the "Mean Girls" post and I realized that there are a lot of divas out there reading me even though they are not 'actively' participating on the blog. I guess this is one of the realities of the virtual life. We need to trust that our messages are being sent and received at some level. (Kind of like Jodie Foster in Contact - one of my favs!). Anyway, I digress. . . . just keep sending me ideas, posts or just positive vibes!
As for what is coming up:
Plans are in the works for some triathlon product reviews where I will give the straight goods about everything from apparel to equipment. Stay tuned to find out what is the latest and greatest!
I had a brilliant idea (ok maybe I am the only one who thought it was great) to do some training group reviews. Just as the foodies go around to restaurants, eat and then critique, I was thinking I could do the same for local workout groups (swim training, spin classes, run groups, etc.) If you know of some good places or places you have wondered about but never bothered to check out, let me know. I will probably start with my own favourites but who knows, I might show up at your workout (be afraid. . . .be very afraid!!)
I have lined up a few tridivas to interview so stay tuned, I might even try to add photos (yikes my techno abilities continue to astound!)
I am still hoping for some questions for the Q and A posts so fire away! I may not have the definitive answer but we can at least start the conversation.
You can email me at mathdva@hotmail.com or leave a post on the blog.
That's all for now. . . . read me later. . . . alligator.
Cheers!
Monday 31 October 2011
Most Embarrassing Multi-sport Moment
We have all had them. . . .those times when you wish no one was watching. Those embarrassing moments (yes plural!). I have a had a few and I have been witness to a few. I have had my chain yanked and I have to admit to yanking some chains myself.
Many years ago, I was at the Royal Victoria Marathon (I have to say that I must go crazy when I go to Victoria since I tend to have embarrassing moments in that city - see the October 13th post) and I was at the expo the day before the race.
As a side note, this race has one of the best pre-race expos ever.
I was waiting to pick up my race package when I was struck with the best practical joke! In the beginning, the Royal Vic held only a full marathon so it was really only for the fully committed (I mean, crazy). When I gave the gal my name, she immediately handed me my race pack. I looked at and exclaimed, "Marathon! I didn't sign up for the marathon. I signed up to run the half!" The expression on the race volunteer's face was priceless (think Mastercard commercial). She tried to calm me down by trying to find the race director to see if I could just do half the marathon.
"I trained for the half. . . .I don't know what to do!!" I cried. Then, in a moment of brilliance, I said, "Oh what the hell, I just run the full."
"Are you sure?", she said. "Why not? Live for today!", I said as I walked away. I don't know if that women ever recovered. Hilarious!!
I did the same thing at a triathlon when I was racing as a team with my daughter. She swam and I was the other two thirds doing the ride and run. As with most triathlon, transition was like the kitchen at a party - the place to be! My daughter handed off to me and I rode like I had stolen something. As I came in to transition, I racked my bike and looked around.. . . I said in a panicked voice,
"Where is my runner? Seriously, Where is my runner?" The spectators got into it right away by yelling for my runner "Hey, this gal needs her runner. Does anyone know where she is?"
Now having a flare for the dramatic, I exclaimed, "Oh what the hell, I'll just have run it myself". I threw my runners on and started running. . . I immediately got a round of applause. "Wow, she is amazing!" could be heard murmuring through the crowd until one volunteer looked up, recognized me (damn) and said, "Oh come on, it's just Mad Norma"
Been known as Mad Norma ever since :)
Many years ago, I was at the Royal Victoria Marathon (I have to say that I must go crazy when I go to Victoria since I tend to have embarrassing moments in that city - see the October 13th post) and I was at the expo the day before the race.
As a side note, this race has one of the best pre-race expos ever.
I was waiting to pick up my race package when I was struck with the best practical joke! In the beginning, the Royal Vic held only a full marathon so it was really only for the fully committed (I mean, crazy). When I gave the gal my name, she immediately handed me my race pack. I looked at and exclaimed, "Marathon! I didn't sign up for the marathon. I signed up to run the half!" The expression on the race volunteer's face was priceless (think Mastercard commercial). She tried to calm me down by trying to find the race director to see if I could just do half the marathon.
"I trained for the half. . . .I don't know what to do!!" I cried. Then, in a moment of brilliance, I said, "Oh what the hell, I just run the full."
"Are you sure?", she said. "Why not? Live for today!", I said as I walked away. I don't know if that women ever recovered. Hilarious!!
I did the same thing at a triathlon when I was racing as a team with my daughter. She swam and I was the other two thirds doing the ride and run. As with most triathlon, transition was like the kitchen at a party - the place to be! My daughter handed off to me and I rode like I had stolen something. As I came in to transition, I racked my bike and looked around.. . . I said in a panicked voice,
"Where is my runner? Seriously, Where is my runner?" The spectators got into it right away by yelling for my runner "Hey, this gal needs her runner. Does anyone know where she is?"
Now having a flare for the dramatic, I exclaimed, "Oh what the hell, I'll just have run it myself". I threw my runners on and started running. . . I immediately got a round of applause. "Wow, she is amazing!" could be heard murmuring through the crowd until one volunteer looked up, recognized me (damn) and said, "Oh come on, it's just Mad Norma"
Been known as Mad Norma ever since :)
Friday 28 October 2011
Mean Girls
Good day Divas et al,
If you have been following this blog regularly (thank you by the way!), I have to apologize for the lack of posts lately. I had a serious case of writers' block. Now, this was a shock to me as I am not even a writer so I just figured I would be immune from this affliction.
A big shout out to Natalie for giving me today's topic and all I can say is keep them coming!
Mean Girls - you know them - maybe you are one of them - they are out there. Having survived high school and a few all-female organizations (brownies, girl guides, and a brief stint in a sorority), I really thought I had surpassed the need to even think about this subset of the fairer sex. Part of the reason I love sport is that a lot of the crap (soft word) we deal with as young women is avoided by training hard, racing hard and simply being kick-ass females!
Not the case I am afraid. I have few stories about some scary ladies who can be described as nothing as than a mean girl. One of my encounters with a mean chick occurred near the beginning of my tri career (ha! career, the word is almost laughable!). I was competing as an age grouper in an ITU race. We were grouped by our age category and corralled awaiting our wave start time. There were about 75 athletes and you could hear a pin drop. . . .we were all very nervous. I decided that someone needed to break the tension so in my own quiet, unassuming way (stop giggling), I started wishing the ladies around me luck. "Good Luck", Good Luck to You", "Have fun out there" could be heard not just from me but several of the ladies around me.
Seems positivity is contagious.
Before the rest of the story is revealed, I need to pause to point out that racing is as much psychological as it is physical. So much of what we battle as athletes isn't questioning our training, it is overcoming the inner demons. Each person has their own way of doing this and part of getting the most out of your performance is knowing yourself and what you need physically and psychologically.
Ok on with the anecdote.
As I was wishing ladies well, one woman came up to me and I swear she was about 2 inches (5 cm) from my face. "Norma, STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!" Clearly, this gal was wound up a bit tight. As I welled up with tears, a few women tried to prop me up. Now, granted I can be quite annoying to some people especially if you are having a bad day/race. I still see this women from time to time at races and I have to say, she continues to scare the daylights out of me.
I have a few more instances of this type of behaviour from women and it always surprises me. I try to look at it from their point of view. I am not always upbeat or jovial but I make the effort to not affect anyone else by my nastiness.
Most of the time, I think these women are threatened by something or someone and they feel the need to lash out. If we are witness to this and do nothing, I feel that we are like the bystanders in a bullying situation. We need to stick together and be part of the sisterhood (love that word). We can't be those women who eat their young. Sure we compete in races but I would like to believe that we compete with ourselves and not each other. Instead of ripping each other apart, look around and find ways to lift another sister up!
Keep in mind what Nelson Mandella said about the Olympics and the Olympic movement. . . .I am paraphrasing:
"We are competitors for only one moment in a race but we are compatriots for all the rest of our days."
Be supportive. . . be understanding. . . be the sisterhood :)
If you have been following this blog regularly (thank you by the way!), I have to apologize for the lack of posts lately. I had a serious case of writers' block. Now, this was a shock to me as I am not even a writer so I just figured I would be immune from this affliction.
A big shout out to Natalie for giving me today's topic and all I can say is keep them coming!
Mean Girls - you know them - maybe you are one of them - they are out there. Having survived high school and a few all-female organizations (brownies, girl guides, and a brief stint in a sorority), I really thought I had surpassed the need to even think about this subset of the fairer sex. Part of the reason I love sport is that a lot of the crap (soft word) we deal with as young women is avoided by training hard, racing hard and simply being kick-ass females!
Not the case I am afraid. I have few stories about some scary ladies who can be described as nothing as than a mean girl. One of my encounters with a mean chick occurred near the beginning of my tri career (ha! career, the word is almost laughable!). I was competing as an age grouper in an ITU race. We were grouped by our age category and corralled awaiting our wave start time. There were about 75 athletes and you could hear a pin drop. . . .we were all very nervous. I decided that someone needed to break the tension so in my own quiet, unassuming way (stop giggling), I started wishing the ladies around me luck. "Good Luck", Good Luck to You", "Have fun out there" could be heard not just from me but several of the ladies around me.
Seems positivity is contagious.
Before the rest of the story is revealed, I need to pause to point out that racing is as much psychological as it is physical. So much of what we battle as athletes isn't questioning our training, it is overcoming the inner demons. Each person has their own way of doing this and part of getting the most out of your performance is knowing yourself and what you need physically and psychologically.
Ok on with the anecdote.
As I was wishing ladies well, one woman came up to me and I swear she was about 2 inches (5 cm) from my face. "Norma, STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!" Clearly, this gal was wound up a bit tight. As I welled up with tears, a few women tried to prop me up. Now, granted I can be quite annoying to some people especially if you are having a bad day/race. I still see this women from time to time at races and I have to say, she continues to scare the daylights out of me.
I have a few more instances of this type of behaviour from women and it always surprises me. I try to look at it from their point of view. I am not always upbeat or jovial but I make the effort to not affect anyone else by my nastiness.
Most of the time, I think these women are threatened by something or someone and they feel the need to lash out. If we are witness to this and do nothing, I feel that we are like the bystanders in a bullying situation. We need to stick together and be part of the sisterhood (love that word). We can't be those women who eat their young. Sure we compete in races but I would like to believe that we compete with ourselves and not each other. Instead of ripping each other apart, look around and find ways to lift another sister up!
Keep in mind what Nelson Mandella said about the Olympics and the Olympic movement. . . .I am paraphrasing:
"We are competitors for only one moment in a race but we are compatriots for all the rest of our days."
Be supportive. . . be understanding. . . be the sisterhood :)
Wednesday 19 October 2011
Let's Talk Fashion. . . .
You knew we would eventually get here. . . right? A primarily female blog that doesn't discuss fashion. . no way! Now, we are not talking Dior or Chanel (who knows. . . a girl can hope) but more like Zoot, Adidas and She Beast. It can seem a bit overwhelming what to wear for training and racing but what better way to waste an afternoon than shopping and trying stuff on.
I will be doing some product reviews in future posts but for now I simply wanted to answer the age old question, "What should I wear?" The barometer for this has to be comfort. If what you train and race in is not comfortable, guess what. . .you won't race or train! Most of us can figure out what to wear while we are training. I usually look around the swim lanes or on the track to decide what is 'in' at any particular time. A more difficult question is what do I race in.
What I usually race in is a one piece tri-suit. I am kind of weird when it comes to racing stuff as I only use my racing stuff for racing (looks odd when I see it writing). I like to 'save' this part of my wardrobe for the big day because I just feel faster! This is especially true for footwear. A few years ago, I got racing flats. It seemed silly at the time as I was pulling down 9 minute miles (stop chuckling!) so I didn't think I deserved flats since I wasn't technically 'fast'. After my first race in them, I realized the reason to wear them is purely psychological. I just felt 'faster'. Oh and the other reason to have flashing footwear was all the cheering I got on the race course: "Nice foot candy!" "Sweet shoes!"
My suggestion for you newbies is get out there and try on some gear. It should be a bit snug since the water (from the swim) and general moisture will make the item relax a bit (think bathing suit). Go to a reputable shop and find a female salesperson (ok a bit sexist but I want an honest opinion) or better yet take some buddies and make an event out of it.
That's it for today. . . please send questions, comments or posts. . . cheers!
I will be doing some product reviews in future posts but for now I simply wanted to answer the age old question, "What should I wear?" The barometer for this has to be comfort. If what you train and race in is not comfortable, guess what. . .you won't race or train! Most of us can figure out what to wear while we are training. I usually look around the swim lanes or on the track to decide what is 'in' at any particular time. A more difficult question is what do I race in.
What I usually race in is a one piece tri-suit. I am kind of weird when it comes to racing stuff as I only use my racing stuff for racing (looks odd when I see it writing). I like to 'save' this part of my wardrobe for the big day because I just feel faster! This is especially true for footwear. A few years ago, I got racing flats. It seemed silly at the time as I was pulling down 9 minute miles (stop chuckling!) so I didn't think I deserved flats since I wasn't technically 'fast'. After my first race in them, I realized the reason to wear them is purely psychological. I just felt 'faster'. Oh and the other reason to have flashing footwear was all the cheering I got on the race course: "Nice foot candy!" "Sweet shoes!"
My suggestion for you newbies is get out there and try on some gear. It should be a bit snug since the water (from the swim) and general moisture will make the item relax a bit (think bathing suit). Go to a reputable shop and find a female salesperson (ok a bit sexist but I want an honest opinion) or better yet take some buddies and make an event out of it.
That's it for today. . . please send questions, comments or posts. . . cheers!
Sunday 16 October 2011
Sunday Housekeeping
There is nothing like the long run or ride on the weekend to crystallize thoughts and ideas. It is a short blog today only to remind you to send me your questions for the Q & A on Tuesday. If you don't want to post it on the blog, you can email it to me (mathdva@hotmail.com). Also, I am considering a new addition to the blog in the form of "Time with a Triathlete". . . .a monthly interview with a local, national or international tridiva. I can ask all the things we are dying to know. Always looking for feedback so send a post, email me or find me on twitter (@mathdva)
Cheers!
Cheers!
Thursday 13 October 2011
We are just like the Pro's
One thing that always amazes me about this wacky sport of triathlon is the commonality of experience. In most sports, the mortals and the pro's just don't mix. The fact is that professional triathletes are the most accessible group of 'superstars'. I have had the privilege/luck to rub shoulders with various "biggies".
Many years ago, I was in Victoria to run the marathon (I think it was 2002 or around then) and my crazy running buddy and I had nothing to do the day before the race. I mean, really, there is nothing to do the day before the marathon besides hydrate and obsess!
We decided to go to Beacon Hill Park to watch a cross-country race with the U of A against UVic. Now, if you have never been to a varsity Xcountry race, you have not yet seen the true grassroots of running. We arrived just in time to see the runners huddle up for the team cheer. It was the first time I realized that all these guys look like 12 year old boys. I have a tridiva buddy that calls them the 'rib boys'. . . Love it!!
There were two groups of guys (UVic and U of A, I guess) and then this lone runner off by himself. We look over and screamed like 14 year old groupies. . . .It was Simon Whitfield. For a bit of context, he had just won the inaugural olympic triathlon in Sydney and was recovering from a terrible crash where he broke his collarbone and both wrists. We (my crazy tridiva friend and I) were enamoured from the get go.
The race starts and after the first loop, we are yelling, "Go Simon. . .go go go Simon" He ends up third, incredible. We rushed over to talk to him (ok we gave him a few minutes to recover) and because I am a mother first, I wanted to know how he was healing, was he ok, is he taking care of himself. He was super cool and friendly, he asked why we were in town and if we were ready for the marathon. I don't know many pro athletes that take the time to query their fans about their upcoming races!!! He signed my marathon shirt (which I still have) and we walked away, dreamily. If you want to catch up with him, I just saw a great uTube video on "a day in the life of Simon". Check it out in the link section of the the blog.
As I write this, I can think of more "chance" encounters with these amazing athletes. I usually say something either inappropriate or goofy. I remember meeting Heather Fuhr (one of my absolute favorites) at our local pool. It was in the showers no less and as I stood there gushing to try to figure out what to say. .. . .I heard myself utter, "You look so much taller on TV". Seriously!?!?!?!! She was also really cool and signed a tri magazine I had in my locker (go figure!) which I still have. I pull out that autograph regularly when I need an extra push or inspiration.
She wrote, "To Norma. . .Keep on Triing from Heather"
I guess I will :)
Many years ago, I was in Victoria to run the marathon (I think it was 2002 or around then) and my crazy running buddy and I had nothing to do the day before the race. I mean, really, there is nothing to do the day before the marathon besides hydrate and obsess!
We decided to go to Beacon Hill Park to watch a cross-country race with the U of A against UVic. Now, if you have never been to a varsity Xcountry race, you have not yet seen the true grassroots of running. We arrived just in time to see the runners huddle up for the team cheer. It was the first time I realized that all these guys look like 12 year old boys. I have a tridiva buddy that calls them the 'rib boys'. . . Love it!!
There were two groups of guys (UVic and U of A, I guess) and then this lone runner off by himself. We look over and screamed like 14 year old groupies. . . .It was Simon Whitfield. For a bit of context, he had just won the inaugural olympic triathlon in Sydney and was recovering from a terrible crash where he broke his collarbone and both wrists. We (my crazy tridiva friend and I) were enamoured from the get go.
The race starts and after the first loop, we are yelling, "Go Simon. . .go go go Simon" He ends up third, incredible. We rushed over to talk to him (ok we gave him a few minutes to recover) and because I am a mother first, I wanted to know how he was healing, was he ok, is he taking care of himself. He was super cool and friendly, he asked why we were in town and if we were ready for the marathon. I don't know many pro athletes that take the time to query their fans about their upcoming races!!! He signed my marathon shirt (which I still have) and we walked away, dreamily. If you want to catch up with him, I just saw a great uTube video on "a day in the life of Simon". Check it out in the link section of the the blog.
As I write this, I can think of more "chance" encounters with these amazing athletes. I usually say something either inappropriate or goofy. I remember meeting Heather Fuhr (one of my absolute favorites) at our local pool. It was in the showers no less and as I stood there gushing to try to figure out what to say. .. . .I heard myself utter, "You look so much taller on TV". Seriously!?!?!?!! She was also really cool and signed a tri magazine I had in my locker (go figure!) which I still have. I pull out that autograph regularly when I need an extra push or inspiration.
She wrote, "To Norma. . .Keep on Triing from Heather"
I guess I will :)
Wednesday 12 October 2011
More Questions. . .More Answers
Hello Divas!
The question is "How do I afford to do this sport?" An excellent question because let's face it; most of us are not earning our living by racing! I remember when one of my good (fast) tri-buddies won some money. I asked, "What did you do with the winnings?". The big haul barely covered her gas to get to the race!!!
If you are completely new to the sport, there are lots of ways to be frugal. First of all, most people come to tri being somewhat accomplished in one of the three sports. If so, this means you already have stuff for that sport. (Yeeha!) Let's look at each sport to see where we can cut costs:
Swimming: The required equipment include goggles, swim cap, training suit. Most pools supply pull buoys, flutter boards, and fins. As for racing, you may need a wetsuit. This can be a bit pricey so ask around, maybe you can borrow one. Also, this is an item you can rent from local try stores. You should be able to get one for $50 to $75
Cycling: Ok this is the one that can really kill any budget. For the first few seasons, consider borrowing a bike or using your mountain bike (if you have one). I borrowed one for my first race because I wasn't sure if I was going to like the sport. (I was hooked from the get-go). It doesn't matter what your bike looks like as long you are out there doing it. I remember doing a ladies' only sprint many years ago and going up a big hill, I passed this amazing women on a bike with a basket (yes, a basket). She had this massive smile on her face and she did not care what she looked like!
When it is time to purchase, consider the following:
1. Fit, Fit, Fit. . . . The bike has to fit you otherwise you won't ride/train. Go to a respectable bike store and take a buddy (preferably someone who rides or does tri)
2. Decide on a budget and stick to it. My first bike cost $500 and it was on consignment at a local store. I still love that bike (electric blue TREK). I used it for three seasons!
3. Ask around, in the swim lanes, at local races. . . . someone is always selling. Best time to buy is January/February so check Kijiji or eBay or Craig's list.
4. If and when you decide to buy a new bike, be sure to get free stuff: helmet, gloves, water bottles, bike computer, etc. They will throw it just to make the sale!
Running: The required equipment here include runners (uh duh!), shorts, decent jog bra and tee's. Be sure to spend the money on great shoes (same logic as the bike. . . .if they are not comfy, you won't train). Go to a reputable running store that employs people who actually run!
Racing: This is a category because you will probably wear something different for the race. For pool swims, use your regular suit, throw on some cycling shorts for the ride and run. I would wear a bra under the suit if you need the support (literally!). The other cost to factor in is the entry fee. A bit of touchy topic. . . .to cut costs, consider racing in a team. I did a few races with my daughter (so awesome!) and I only did the ride and run. Teams are also a great way to ease into the sport and soak up the culture of Tri without doing the whole thing.
I don't claim to be a budget diva but I hope you get a few ideas from this answer. Don't forget to add your suggestions to the blog.
Please keep sending your questions. I will respond next Tuesday or Wednesday.
The question is "How do I afford to do this sport?" An excellent question because let's face it; most of us are not earning our living by racing! I remember when one of my good (fast) tri-buddies won some money. I asked, "What did you do with the winnings?". The big haul barely covered her gas to get to the race!!!
If you are completely new to the sport, there are lots of ways to be frugal. First of all, most people come to tri being somewhat accomplished in one of the three sports. If so, this means you already have stuff for that sport. (Yeeha!) Let's look at each sport to see where we can cut costs:
Swimming: The required equipment include goggles, swim cap, training suit. Most pools supply pull buoys, flutter boards, and fins. As for racing, you may need a wetsuit. This can be a bit pricey so ask around, maybe you can borrow one. Also, this is an item you can rent from local try stores. You should be able to get one for $50 to $75
Cycling: Ok this is the one that can really kill any budget. For the first few seasons, consider borrowing a bike or using your mountain bike (if you have one). I borrowed one for my first race because I wasn't sure if I was going to like the sport. (I was hooked from the get-go). It doesn't matter what your bike looks like as long you are out there doing it. I remember doing a ladies' only sprint many years ago and going up a big hill, I passed this amazing women on a bike with a basket (yes, a basket). She had this massive smile on her face and she did not care what she looked like!
When it is time to purchase, consider the following:
1. Fit, Fit, Fit. . . . The bike has to fit you otherwise you won't ride/train. Go to a respectable bike store and take a buddy (preferably someone who rides or does tri)
2. Decide on a budget and stick to it. My first bike cost $500 and it was on consignment at a local store. I still love that bike (electric blue TREK). I used it for three seasons!
3. Ask around, in the swim lanes, at local races. . . . someone is always selling. Best time to buy is January/February so check Kijiji or eBay or Craig's list.
4. If and when you decide to buy a new bike, be sure to get free stuff: helmet, gloves, water bottles, bike computer, etc. They will throw it just to make the sale!
Running: The required equipment here include runners (uh duh!), shorts, decent jog bra and tee's. Be sure to spend the money on great shoes (same logic as the bike. . . .if they are not comfy, you won't train). Go to a reputable running store that employs people who actually run!
Racing: This is a category because you will probably wear something different for the race. For pool swims, use your regular suit, throw on some cycling shorts for the ride and run. I would wear a bra under the suit if you need the support (literally!). The other cost to factor in is the entry fee. A bit of touchy topic. . . .to cut costs, consider racing in a team. I did a few races with my daughter (so awesome!) and I only did the ride and run. Teams are also a great way to ease into the sport and soak up the culture of Tri without doing the whole thing.
I don't claim to be a budget diva but I hope you get a few ideas from this answer. Don't forget to add your suggestions to the blog.
Please keep sending your questions. I will respond next Tuesday or Wednesday.
Friday 7 October 2011
Gratitude
Happy Friday,
I know it probably is a bit trite but being the Friday before Thanksgiving, let's pause and be grateful for a few things!
Be grateful for the lane mate that "encourages" you do the next set or a faster time.
Be grateful for the healthy body that allows you to do this training and racing. It is not all of us that have the physical capabilities to do triathlon. If you don't believe me, tell someone this weekend that you have completed a triathlon and watch their reaction.
Be grateful for the health professionals that keep us going (ok maybe that only applies to me as a 'mature' athlete!) - doctors, physios, chiropractors, naturopaths, therapists, etc.
Be grateful to all those volunteers that work races and never expect a thank you. There would be no racing if we did not have the faithful that stand a water station, or run and hand out bananas on the bike. Small tip: ALWAYS thank at least one volunteer at every race you do. . . .it creates good karma.
Ok. . . .your turn! Post a "Be grateful . . . " onto the blog and let's see how good we will feel by the end of the weekend.
Finally, A big Thank you to those that read this blog!!!!
Cheers
I know it probably is a bit trite but being the Friday before Thanksgiving, let's pause and be grateful for a few things!
Be grateful for the lane mate that "encourages" you do the next set or a faster time.
Be grateful for the healthy body that allows you to do this training and racing. It is not all of us that have the physical capabilities to do triathlon. If you don't believe me, tell someone this weekend that you have completed a triathlon and watch their reaction.
Be grateful for the health professionals that keep us going (ok maybe that only applies to me as a 'mature' athlete!) - doctors, physios, chiropractors, naturopaths, therapists, etc.
Be grateful to all those volunteers that work races and never expect a thank you. There would be no racing if we did not have the faithful that stand a water station, or run and hand out bananas on the bike. Small tip: ALWAYS thank at least one volunteer at every race you do. . . .it creates good karma.
Ok. . . .your turn! Post a "Be grateful . . . " onto the blog and let's see how good we will feel by the end of the weekend.
Finally, A big Thank you to those that read this blog!!!!
Cheers
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Q and A Day
Hello all and Happy Tuesday,
It is time to answer the plethora of questions you have sent me (ok just one). A big shout out to Tash for sending in this question as it allows me to tell one of my favourite stories. How do female cyclists/triathletes relieve themselves on the bike?
Hmm. . . .not something that comes up in everyday conversations!
Before I tell the story and even before I divulge the secrets to this rarely seen talent, we should address the issue of whether you need to go or not. Let's consider the different events:
Sprint: 750 m swim / 20 km bike / 5 km run In these events the bike can take anywhere from 40 - 80 minutes so I think the need to pee is slim.
Olympic: 1500 m swim / 40 km bike / 10 km run The total time for Olympics varies from 2 hours (yes, the super human!) to 4 hours. I think once you are active for more than 2 hours, you need to factor in the contingency for peeing.
Half-Iron: 2000 m swim / 90 km bike / 21 km run. Now we have arrived at the place where you are most likely have to deal with the uncomfortable reality of "going" on the bike.
In some ways, if you 'feel the need' on the bike during a race (or even in training) this can viewed as a positive thing since it means you are hydrated! My general rule is that you should be drinking one bottle per hour riding. When I have done this consistently, I had to pee only once during a race. The concept is that by drinking and exerting during competition, you will be using it up!
When I say competition, I can't help think about the Tour de France as those guys must have to stop to go since they are on the bike for 5 - 7 hours everyday. They call it "pause de nature", a nature break. Professional cyclists are a classy bunch as the peleton eases the pace when nature calls so typically you will see packs of backsides during the stages.
Now for the answer. . . . I can only, as always, share what I do and I learned how from another gal during a race. It was at Great White North many years ago and I had decided to use Nuun in my bottles for the first time. I committed to my coach that I would drink, drink, drink!!! I am sure I overdid it (sounds familiar for me) and by about 45 km through the bike portion I was ready to burst.
The simple solution is to stop, run for cover (or not) and go. That was not going to happen. . . . It is a race for goodness sake! First order of business, find a woman! Clearly, any advice from a guy would be useless. It was during this race that I realized that us women are few and far between because it took me a good 15 minutes to find one. I caught up to her and quickly asked "I need to pee like a race horse, any advice?". She empathized immediately (I love the sisterhood) and told me three things; 1. Move your bottom over to one side of either your saddle or top bar 2. RELAX and go. 3. Use water to rinse yourself and your bike.
Surprisingly, step 2 turned out to be the most difficult because most women are taught to clench 24/7. I hope that helps.
My angel on the bike did tell me one more thing before I successfully completed the task.
"Hey, get behind me before you pee."
Think about it!
It is time to answer the plethora of questions you have sent me (ok just one). A big shout out to Tash for sending in this question as it allows me to tell one of my favourite stories. How do female cyclists/triathletes relieve themselves on the bike?
Hmm. . . .not something that comes up in everyday conversations!
Before I tell the story and even before I divulge the secrets to this rarely seen talent, we should address the issue of whether you need to go or not. Let's consider the different events:
Sprint: 750 m swim / 20 km bike / 5 km run In these events the bike can take anywhere from 40 - 80 minutes so I think the need to pee is slim.
Olympic: 1500 m swim / 40 km bike / 10 km run The total time for Olympics varies from 2 hours (yes, the super human!) to 4 hours. I think once you are active for more than 2 hours, you need to factor in the contingency for peeing.
Half-Iron: 2000 m swim / 90 km bike / 21 km run. Now we have arrived at the place where you are most likely have to deal with the uncomfortable reality of "going" on the bike.
In some ways, if you 'feel the need' on the bike during a race (or even in training) this can viewed as a positive thing since it means you are hydrated! My general rule is that you should be drinking one bottle per hour riding. When I have done this consistently, I had to pee only once during a race. The concept is that by drinking and exerting during competition, you will be using it up!
When I say competition, I can't help think about the Tour de France as those guys must have to stop to go since they are on the bike for 5 - 7 hours everyday. They call it "pause de nature", a nature break. Professional cyclists are a classy bunch as the peleton eases the pace when nature calls so typically you will see packs of backsides during the stages.
Now for the answer. . . . I can only, as always, share what I do and I learned how from another gal during a race. It was at Great White North many years ago and I had decided to use Nuun in my bottles for the first time. I committed to my coach that I would drink, drink, drink!!! I am sure I overdid it (sounds familiar for me) and by about 45 km through the bike portion I was ready to burst.
The simple solution is to stop, run for cover (or not) and go. That was not going to happen. . . . It is a race for goodness sake! First order of business, find a woman! Clearly, any advice from a guy would be useless. It was during this race that I realized that us women are few and far between because it took me a good 15 minutes to find one. I caught up to her and quickly asked "I need to pee like a race horse, any advice?". She empathized immediately (I love the sisterhood) and told me three things; 1. Move your bottom over to one side of either your saddle or top bar 2. RELAX and go. 3. Use water to rinse yourself and your bike.
Surprisingly, step 2 turned out to be the most difficult because most women are taught to clench 24/7. I hope that helps.
My angel on the bike did tell me one more thing before I successfully completed the task.
"Hey, get behind me before you pee."
Think about it!
Friday 30 September 2011
Hey Newbies!!! This is for you!
Happy Friday,
I had the opportunity to take a hiatus this week and what a welcome relief it was. It gave me an opportunity to re-group and re-think the blog. I am sure my family feels I spend too much time thinking/obsessing about it but they love me anyway (I hope!)
I spent some time looking at other triathlon blogs, websites and online coaching sites and I must say there are a ton of them. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but I do want to be of service and relevant so in order to move forward and to elicit some response, I would like to field some questions.......
One of my lane mates gave me the idea that I should answer some of the burning questions that, those of you that are new to the sport, may have:
What do I wear?
What about nutrition during training and racing? Is it different?
How do I pick a coach? Do I need a coach?
How do I pick a bike? How much should I spend?
Wow, that was only 20 seconds of brainstorming! I am sure you have lots of questions and I would love to share my experience with you. After 15+ years in the sport, I have picked up a few tips. So let me know! I will choose one or two days a week to answer the questions. Also, if you are not new to triathlon, let me know what you would have liked to ask when you first started.
Let's support each other through the labyrinth of multi-sport.
Have a great weekend!
I had the opportunity to take a hiatus this week and what a welcome relief it was. It gave me an opportunity to re-group and re-think the blog. I am sure my family feels I spend too much time thinking/obsessing about it but they love me anyway (I hope!)
I spent some time looking at other triathlon blogs, websites and online coaching sites and I must say there are a ton of them. I don't want to re-invent the wheel but I do want to be of service and relevant so in order to move forward and to elicit some response, I would like to field some questions.......
One of my lane mates gave me the idea that I should answer some of the burning questions that, those of you that are new to the sport, may have:
What do I wear?
What about nutrition during training and racing? Is it different?
How do I pick a coach? Do I need a coach?
How do I pick a bike? How much should I spend?
Wow, that was only 20 seconds of brainstorming! I am sure you have lots of questions and I would love to share my experience with you. After 15+ years in the sport, I have picked up a few tips. So let me know! I will choose one or two days a week to answer the questions. Also, if you are not new to triathlon, let me know what you would have liked to ask when you first started.
Let's support each other through the labyrinth of multi-sport.
Have a great weekend!
Thursday 22 September 2011
Let's Get Started!
Hello Thursday!
We have spent a bit of time together and I think it is time to discuss the cornerstone to any project: goals. After all, I have described this blog as a place where women can get support for their goals. So what are your goals?
I have always been very goal-orientated. . . . almost to a fault. If I didn't have a goal, I felt I wasn't moving forward. In some ways that is true but I would also beat myself up for not achieving a goal. I recently read an article about struggle and the benefits of failure. It was called "Forged by Adversity" by Guy Edson (ASCA). Most of us resist setting goals for fear of failing. Anyone I know that I would consider "successful", tells me that they learned more from their failures than their successes. It was when they fell short of their goals that they were propelled further in pursuit of excellence.
A few rules: Goals need to be
1. stated in the present tense and positive
2. attainable
3. measurable
4. celebrated when achieved!
Number 4 is critical to the process. I am notorious for doing 1, 2 and 3 but not 4. I just move forward on to the next goal. One goal I am working on right now is completing a dry land program that I found in a swimming magazine. It is bloody hard and has 55 different exercises. I am up to 48 and slowly adding a few each week. After 4 weeks, I finally feel a little less beat up today!! I will let you know when I get to #55 and I commit to some sort of celebration :)
Whatever you choose, big or small, if doesn't matter. Just pick something!
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did."
-Mark Twain
We have spent a bit of time together and I think it is time to discuss the cornerstone to any project: goals. After all, I have described this blog as a place where women can get support for their goals. So what are your goals?
I have always been very goal-orientated. . . . almost to a fault. If I didn't have a goal, I felt I wasn't moving forward. In some ways that is true but I would also beat myself up for not achieving a goal. I recently read an article about struggle and the benefits of failure. It was called "Forged by Adversity" by Guy Edson (ASCA). Most of us resist setting goals for fear of failing. Anyone I know that I would consider "successful", tells me that they learned more from their failures than their successes. It was when they fell short of their goals that they were propelled further in pursuit of excellence.
A few rules: Goals need to be
1. stated in the present tense and positive
2. attainable
3. measurable
4. celebrated when achieved!
Number 4 is critical to the process. I am notorious for doing 1, 2 and 3 but not 4. I just move forward on to the next goal. One goal I am working on right now is completing a dry land program that I found in a swimming magazine. It is bloody hard and has 55 different exercises. I am up to 48 and slowly adding a few each week. After 4 weeks, I finally feel a little less beat up today!! I will let you know when I get to #55 and I commit to some sort of celebration :)
Whatever you choose, big or small, if doesn't matter. Just pick something!
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did."
-Mark Twain
Tuesday 20 September 2011
It is all relative
Tuesday Already!
Several years ago, I was racing at Oliver, BC in a half ironman. I had done all the preparation necessary. I had my race plan and my splits calculated. As this race is early season (June in Canada is early season!), women (and maybe men too, not sure) spend most of their time in transition checking out the other competitors. Conversations in our head go something like this:
"Wow, she really let herself go over the winter, I will definitely be way ahead of her"
"She is so much more lean than I am, she is going to kick my butt"
Don't kid yourself, the happy-go-lucky banter that you hear as the athletes are preparing is simply masking the real conversation going on. Are we that competitive? Sometimes, we are. . . .but I think most of the time we are just that insecure. For most women, the only way to feel better about themselves is to put someone else down. Is that the ugly truth? Unfortunately, I think it is. More on this later. . .
I was doing my pre-race prep and I had even brought along a buddy to cheer me on. The gun goes off and so do we. If you have never seen a mass start to a triathlon, you really should make the effort as it is both exciting and scary (depends on whether you are racing or spectating!). It was a two loop course so we got a big boost as we exiting, ran around a random tree and jumped back in the water. As I finished the swim, I looked at my watch to see if I was on track for the splits I had so anally calculated. I was on PR pace. It was my best swim time ever! I was so buoyed (no pun intended) by that time, I took off like a shot on the bike.
For those of you that are new to triathlon, one thing you need to realize is that the three sports are not created equal. The goal for any triathlete is to try to place about the same in the three disciplines. Most of the time, we come to the sport with a strength in only one sport. The fact that I had a great swim was big for me because, at the time, I was stronger at riding and running. After 75 km on the bike, I felt fantastic! Out of the blue, I started losing speed for no apparent reason. A flat tire!!!! Flat tires during a race are a lot like heart attacks. We usually try to ride as far as we can because we are in denial. I can't have a flat, I am having the ride of my life! I eventually had to stop to change the tube.
I know what you are thinking. . . .a girl . . . .changing a tire. . . . no way! I have done it many times and generally it is no big deal. I tried to stay calm as all these people kept passing me and my competitive head was screaming at me. I got the wheel off and changed the tire and started refilling the air with the CO2 cartridge. I was just about done when testosterone took over and I thought "I will just put a bit more air so that I can go really fast" BIG MISTAKE! Whatever air I had in the tire, I lost. OUCH. . . .no more tubes and no more air.
At this point, I had to surrender to the idea that this race was not going as planned. It is funny that when you let go of expectations, how you notice things that weren't there before. Like the carload of spectators that were playing awesome tunes while I was changing my tire. One girl ran across the road to help me but when she realized she didn't know what to do, she just cheered me on. After about thirty minutes, the support truck showed up. Five minutes later I was back on my bike. I highly recommend a 40 minute rest in the middle of a half. I felt great! I finished the last 15 km in record time and started running. I had given up on making my time for the race so instead, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I talked to everyone around me. Being at the back of the pack is where the real fun is. Every third person was doing their first triathlon. I can't think of anything more inspiring that running along side someone who is simply thankful for being in the race. I no longer cared about my precious splits or whether I "looked" fitter than those women in transition. I finished with a huge smile on my face and a new respect for everyone in the race.
Triathlon is a sport that demands flexibility (in your race plan), strength (of character) and endurance.
Success can be measured in many ways and it is all relative to your mindset. Be kind to yourself today!
Several years ago, I was racing at Oliver, BC in a half ironman. I had done all the preparation necessary. I had my race plan and my splits calculated. As this race is early season (June in Canada is early season!), women (and maybe men too, not sure) spend most of their time in transition checking out the other competitors. Conversations in our head go something like this:
"Wow, she really let herself go over the winter, I will definitely be way ahead of her"
"She is so much more lean than I am, she is going to kick my butt"
Don't kid yourself, the happy-go-lucky banter that you hear as the athletes are preparing is simply masking the real conversation going on. Are we that competitive? Sometimes, we are. . . .but I think most of the time we are just that insecure. For most women, the only way to feel better about themselves is to put someone else down. Is that the ugly truth? Unfortunately, I think it is. More on this later. . .
I was doing my pre-race prep and I had even brought along a buddy to cheer me on. The gun goes off and so do we. If you have never seen a mass start to a triathlon, you really should make the effort as it is both exciting and scary (depends on whether you are racing or spectating!). It was a two loop course so we got a big boost as we exiting, ran around a random tree and jumped back in the water. As I finished the swim, I looked at my watch to see if I was on track for the splits I had so anally calculated. I was on PR pace. It was my best swim time ever! I was so buoyed (no pun intended) by that time, I took off like a shot on the bike.
For those of you that are new to triathlon, one thing you need to realize is that the three sports are not created equal. The goal for any triathlete is to try to place about the same in the three disciplines. Most of the time, we come to the sport with a strength in only one sport. The fact that I had a great swim was big for me because, at the time, I was stronger at riding and running. After 75 km on the bike, I felt fantastic! Out of the blue, I started losing speed for no apparent reason. A flat tire!!!! Flat tires during a race are a lot like heart attacks. We usually try to ride as far as we can because we are in denial. I can't have a flat, I am having the ride of my life! I eventually had to stop to change the tube.
I know what you are thinking. . . .a girl . . . .changing a tire. . . . no way! I have done it many times and generally it is no big deal. I tried to stay calm as all these people kept passing me and my competitive head was screaming at me. I got the wheel off and changed the tire and started refilling the air with the CO2 cartridge. I was just about done when testosterone took over and I thought "I will just put a bit more air so that I can go really fast" BIG MISTAKE! Whatever air I had in the tire, I lost. OUCH. . . .no more tubes and no more air.
At this point, I had to surrender to the idea that this race was not going as planned. It is funny that when you let go of expectations, how you notice things that weren't there before. Like the carload of spectators that were playing awesome tunes while I was changing my tire. One girl ran across the road to help me but when she realized she didn't know what to do, she just cheered me on. After about thirty minutes, the support truck showed up. Five minutes later I was back on my bike. I highly recommend a 40 minute rest in the middle of a half. I felt great! I finished the last 15 km in record time and started running. I had given up on making my time for the race so instead, I thoroughly enjoyed myself. I talked to everyone around me. Being at the back of the pack is where the real fun is. Every third person was doing their first triathlon. I can't think of anything more inspiring that running along side someone who is simply thankful for being in the race. I no longer cared about my precious splits or whether I "looked" fitter than those women in transition. I finished with a huge smile on my face and a new respect for everyone in the race.
Triathlon is a sport that demands flexibility (in your race plan), strength (of character) and endurance.
Success can be measured in many ways and it is all relative to your mindset. Be kind to yourself today!
Monday 19 September 2011
Getting the most out of your workout
Happy Monday,
I love the beginning of the week because it is an opportunity to renew and recharge my training. I had this great swim/run coach many years ago that always said "Have a theme to every workout." Whether it be tempo, race prep, easy, choice, speed or endurance. It doesn't matter but pick something! There has been tons of research about purposeful practice (also called the 10,000 hour rule).
Check out:
Outliers by Martin Gladwell
Bounce: The myth of talent and the power of practice by Mathew Syed
It is the idea that you get the most out of your training by being purposeful. In other words, have a purpose!!
I am the worst for too much chat when I do any kind of group training. I suppose that it helps to make the time pass faster but it is also important to be focused. I used to think that some athletes were to serious then I realized, they are focused and completely engrossed in their activity (of course, there are athletes that are too serious!).
This morning in the lanes we did 6 X 75 pull with a specific breathing pattern. It was great to focus on counting the breathing and being present in the action of swimming. In an earlier blog, I mentioned that most of my own development (be it personal or professional) has been manifested through sport. How can I apply purposeful practice to my daily activities? What would it be like to really focus on an activity? Can I take the sensation of counting my breaths into the rest of my day? I am willing to find out. . . .If you see me in the grocery store, I will be focused on choosing the best produce for my family (ok maybe a bit overboard)! I know I can do better than constantly checking my email in the latte line.
Enjoy the day!
I love the beginning of the week because it is an opportunity to renew and recharge my training. I had this great swim/run coach many years ago that always said "Have a theme to every workout." Whether it be tempo, race prep, easy, choice, speed or endurance. It doesn't matter but pick something! There has been tons of research about purposeful practice (also called the 10,000 hour rule).
Check out:
Outliers by Martin Gladwell
Bounce: The myth of talent and the power of practice by Mathew Syed
It is the idea that you get the most out of your training by being purposeful. In other words, have a purpose!!
I am the worst for too much chat when I do any kind of group training. I suppose that it helps to make the time pass faster but it is also important to be focused. I used to think that some athletes were to serious then I realized, they are focused and completely engrossed in their activity (of course, there are athletes that are too serious!).
This morning in the lanes we did 6 X 75 pull with a specific breathing pattern. It was great to focus on counting the breathing and being present in the action of swimming. In an earlier blog, I mentioned that most of my own development (be it personal or professional) has been manifested through sport. How can I apply purposeful practice to my daily activities? What would it be like to really focus on an activity? Can I take the sensation of counting my breaths into the rest of my day? I am willing to find out. . . .If you see me in the grocery store, I will be focused on choosing the best produce for my family (ok maybe a bit overboard)! I know I can do better than constantly checking my email in the latte line.
Enjoy the day!
Sunday 18 September 2011
Quick Update
As a follow up to my blog on Friday, I have added a place for you to register your email so that you can be notified when new posts are added. Check out the side column and find "Follow by Email".
That's it! I hope I have done everything I can to reach you and make it easy for you to stay connected. . .
More Later!
That's it! I hope I have done everything I can to reach you and make it easy for you to stay connected. . .
More Later!
Friday 16 September 2011
A Bit of Housekeeping . . .
Hello all,
I have been researching "how to blog". I guess I won't ever stop being the consummate student and the person trying to get it right!
Today, I wanted to remind everyone to sign up for this blog (if you like it, of course. . . .remember my fragile ego!). This can be done on the right side by clicking on the 'follow' button. Hopefully, if the site is working properly, you should receive notification that a blog has been posted. I am also going to post to my twitter account (@mathdva) so you can get notification that way as well.
I have also added a section with my favourite links. Hopefully, you will send me some of your favs. . .
I have named the blog TriDiva Network because I have been involved in triathlon for over 15 years and have done most of my personal and professional growth through sport so my first link to share with you is a great swimming blog from the US. It is written by Sara Mclarty with 9 workouts each week. So much variety and challenge that I couldn't begin to describe it! Fantastic! Now, I have to come clean and tell you that nothing replaces having a coach on deck critiquing your form but when that is not available, try some of these workouts. Look over to the side bar for the link.
Have a great weekend and don't forget that tomorrow is Sport Day in Canada so we need to be active!
Cheers
I have been researching "how to blog". I guess I won't ever stop being the consummate student and the person trying to get it right!
Today, I wanted to remind everyone to sign up for this blog (if you like it, of course. . . .remember my fragile ego!). This can be done on the right side by clicking on the 'follow' button. Hopefully, if the site is working properly, you should receive notification that a blog has been posted. I am also going to post to my twitter account (@mathdva) so you can get notification that way as well.
I have also added a section with my favourite links. Hopefully, you will send me some of your favs. . .
I have named the blog TriDiva Network because I have been involved in triathlon for over 15 years and have done most of my personal and professional growth through sport so my first link to share with you is a great swimming blog from the US. It is written by Sara Mclarty with 9 workouts each week. So much variety and challenge that I couldn't begin to describe it! Fantastic! Now, I have to come clean and tell you that nothing replaces having a coach on deck critiquing your form but when that is not available, try some of these workouts. Look over to the side bar for the link.
Have a great weekend and don't forget that tomorrow is Sport Day in Canada so we need to be active!
Cheers
Thursday 15 September 2011
Amazing Accomplishments. . . .Amazing Women
As I hauled myself up for a run this morning, I checked all my social media outlets (ok maybe I only have 2) and I was struck by a tweet I received from Swim Canada. As many of you know, I have been quite involved in swimming since my son started swimming in 1999 and my daughter started the year after. Throughout the years, I questioned myself as to how "involved" I should be. How much of a helicopter Mom am I? If you asked my kids and my husband, they would roll their eyes and reply, "It should be an Olympic sport, then maybe Mom would make the team!!"
Fortunately, the sport of swimming has had a long history and there have many people that have gone before me to lead the way. One of these leaders that actually help me register my kids in the stands beside the pool as they took their first strokes was Ollie Currie. She explained to me what a huge commitment it is to get up early, drive them to the pool, time at swim meets, work bingos, and on and on and on. . . . I asked her which one of the swimmers in the water was hers...."Oh, my kids finished swimming 15 years ago" she replied. Hold the Phone!!! Here is this woman giving her time to register new families and she doesn't even have a kid in the water. Right then and there I knew I had to get to know this person better.
Over the 10+ years as a swim volunteer, I had the privilege to work with Ollie on many projects. We organized meets, procured sponsors, timed on deck and had a great time doing it. Tomorrow, Ollie will be receiving the Order of Canada at a special ceremony in Ottawa (check out http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14227). Since 1967, more than 5000 people have been inducted into this special club. A tear still comes to my eye, even as I write this, to think what a huge difference she has made to this sport and to her community.
Clearly, Ollie is a great inspiration to us all and very diva - like but what can us mortals take from this? Whenever I am touched by greatness, be it athletic or otherwise, I try to find the piece in it that I can apply to my everyday. What can I do today that will inspire me and those around me?
I know what Ollie would say, "Just get out there and get it done!" Pretty simple really. . . .
Fortunately, the sport of swimming has had a long history and there have many people that have gone before me to lead the way. One of these leaders that actually help me register my kids in the stands beside the pool as they took their first strokes was Ollie Currie. She explained to me what a huge commitment it is to get up early, drive them to the pool, time at swim meets, work bingos, and on and on and on. . . . I asked her which one of the swimmers in the water was hers...."Oh, my kids finished swimming 15 years ago" she replied. Hold the Phone!!! Here is this woman giving her time to register new families and she doesn't even have a kid in the water. Right then and there I knew I had to get to know this person better.
Over the 10+ years as a swim volunteer, I had the privilege to work with Ollie on many projects. We organized meets, procured sponsors, timed on deck and had a great time doing it. Tomorrow, Ollie will be receiving the Order of Canada at a special ceremony in Ottawa (check out http://gg.ca/document.aspx?id=14227). Since 1967, more than 5000 people have been inducted into this special club. A tear still comes to my eye, even as I write this, to think what a huge difference she has made to this sport and to her community.
Clearly, Ollie is a great inspiration to us all and very diva - like but what can us mortals take from this? Whenever I am touched by greatness, be it athletic or otherwise, I try to find the piece in it that I can apply to my everyday. What can I do today that will inspire me and those around me?
I know what Ollie would say, "Just get out there and get it done!" Pretty simple really. . . .
Wednesday 14 September 2011
Welcome All
Good Morning All,
This is the first post on my new blog: TriDiva Network. My hope is that this will be an inspiring place for women to connect on a variety of topics. I will be sharing my insights on training, living, mothering and generally being diva-like. I believe that women have an amazing capacity to create, achieve and support one another. There will be links, ideas and requests for feedback placed on the blog. The guys are welcome to chime in if they think they can stand the heat!
A word about DIVA. I do get hassled about this term as not being very empowering to women. It is one word I would like to see transform. Historically, I think DIVA meant "high-maintenance". When I use the term DIVA, I am referring to the amazingness (I know, not a word) in women. DIVAs do not apologize for who they are; we are moms, entrepreneurs, wives, partners, volunteers, CEOs, etc. They are in every part of society, quietly (or not) living their lives with integrity, grit, courage, dignity and elan. If you heard about this blog, I would consider you a DIVA.
I am interested in your thoughts about DIVA. Let's reframe the word and take ownership of it. We can define it however we want. What is your experience of the term DIVA?
I look forward to this journey and I invite you to join me. I will be sharing more about my athletic, personal and professional pursuits in the coming months so stay tuned!
This is the first post on my new blog: TriDiva Network. My hope is that this will be an inspiring place for women to connect on a variety of topics. I will be sharing my insights on training, living, mothering and generally being diva-like. I believe that women have an amazing capacity to create, achieve and support one another. There will be links, ideas and requests for feedback placed on the blog. The guys are welcome to chime in if they think they can stand the heat!
A word about DIVA. I do get hassled about this term as not being very empowering to women. It is one word I would like to see transform. Historically, I think DIVA meant "high-maintenance". When I use the term DIVA, I am referring to the amazingness (I know, not a word) in women. DIVAs do not apologize for who they are; we are moms, entrepreneurs, wives, partners, volunteers, CEOs, etc. They are in every part of society, quietly (or not) living their lives with integrity, grit, courage, dignity and elan. If you heard about this blog, I would consider you a DIVA.
I am interested in your thoughts about DIVA. Let's reframe the word and take ownership of it. We can define it however we want. What is your experience of the term DIVA?
I look forward to this journey and I invite you to join me. I will be sharing more about my athletic, personal and professional pursuits in the coming months so stay tuned!
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