Florida fun. :)

Happy New Year! (almost) -

I am currently in Jupiter, FL with my ENTIRE mom's side of the family. This is the first time in about 5 or 6 years that we are all together, and it is absolutely awesome. It is so great to spend time with all of the cousins, and catch up in each other's lives. Most exciting, is the newest addition to our family, Sarah, my oldest cousin Shawn's fiance. They just got engaged before Thanksgiving, and we are so excited! The picture here is of all the grandkids(12 of us!) with our Grandma and Papa. We are here to celebrate their 70th and 75th birthdays, which were in November and December.

Anyways, training is going well. I have been spoiled by incredible weather and have been able to train outside for all of my sessions. Runs along the coast or on the beach, biking in the sunshine, and swimming in a beautiful outdoor 50 m pool has been simply wonderful :)

Tonight is the big New Years party at my Uncle's new house, with the whole fam. Should be a big celebration and without a doubt, TONS of fun. Lots of goals set for 2010, but that is for me to know, and for you to find out later! For now, just training smart, being happy, and awaiting a new year filled with new adventures.

Jessica

What are you thankful for?

Hi to my followers-

Sorry for the delay on this post!

Recently on a long run (which is one of the many things I am thankful for now- Running pain free!!) I saw a sign outside a church that read "Have you thanked god for your ability to think, see and walk?" I have never been a religious person, but I began thinking about these simple everyday gifts we have been given. In the spirit of the holiday (Thanksgiving and Christmas), I thought I would reflect back on the 2009 year as a whole, acknowledging the various things I am so incredibly thankful for. First of these is family. My mom, dad, and three sisters have been my number one fans in all aspects of my life. From school to triathlon endeavors, their encouragement and support has fueled me through obstacles and allowed me to maintain a clear conscience and realistic outlook on life. Hey, I am only 19 right? My mom, along with many other "older and wiser" training partners and mentors, are always reminding me of this fact. Another thing I can't be thankful enough for is my health. The occasional sniffle and sneeze come along,  and are usually followed by some whining. When I step back to think about just how incredibly fortunate I am to have this body, that month after month responds to a continual beating, I feel terribly foolish for even complaining at all. This incredible place I am living in- Boulder, CO! I am so very thankful to be here in such an amazing place to be a student and an athlete. It is simply the perfect fit and I don't ever see myself leaving. Last, but certainly not least, to all my wonderful friends, you mean the world to me, and I am so thankful to have people like you in my life. Whether I am fortunate enough to see you every week here in CO, or only during holidays (to you east coasters), all the times spent with you are some of my fondest memories. I just know there are many more to come. :)

A quote from the famous John Blaze to leave you pondering what you are thankful for....An ironman finisher who passed in 2005 from ALS, he is an inspiration and a true representation of someone who LIVED his life.

"Live, more than your neighbors. Unleash yourself upon the world and go places. Go now, giggle, go, laugh. Bark at the moon like the wild dog that you are. Understand that this is not  a dress rehearsal. This is it, your life. Face your fears and live your dreams. Take it all in, yes every chance you get."

Until next time-

Who's ready for 2010?!

Jessica 

R&R

Hey!

No race reports, or updates on training, but perhaps something even more important(at least to me!) I am beginning to realize that, even harder than training itself is valuing rest and recovery at this time of the year. After going after it for the past months, and having a summer full of excitement and success, my body and mind are telling me to take it easy. This is MUCH harder than I anticipated. However, in order to build a strong base for the 2010 season, I need to be fresh and fired up. Come next racing season, I know my body will thank me. For now, I will be directing my attention towards school, reading the piles of "pleasure" books that I usually have no time for and staying active in new scenery-yoga, hikes etc. This will only last a short while, then time home for Thanksgiving in CT, and back at the daily grind come December. Look for my next post- "Things I am thankful for," around November 26th.

Thanks for reading!

Jessica 

First snow!

October, and we have already had our first snow of the year! This makes for fun indoor training sessions, or even more fun outdoor training sessions ;)

My coach and I have decided to call it a season, get my foot healthy, and get right into base. We were planning on having me race my first world cup November 8th in Huatulco, Mexico. Change of plans! I am very excited to have a solid "off" season of base training in preparation for a successful 2010! 

Will keep you posted!

Jess

Aussie Land!

Hello all-

After being home for almost three weeks from Australia, I am just now feeling like I am sleeping regularly, and back to my normal daily routine of class, schoolwork and training. Although it has been a tough couple of weeks getting back, after missing a week of classes etc, and just trying to feel like my usual self, the trip to Australia was COMPLETELY worth it.

I left for OZ on Sept. 7th, arrived on the 9th and raced on Sunday the 13th. The travel over was not as bad as I thought it would be. I have never traveled that for to race, or even for leisure, so I was anticipating obstacles in adjusting to the change. Besides getting hungry at weird hours of the evening, and forcing myself to stay awake until 9 Pm( I only made it until 8:40 the day we arrived !), normality resumed quickly in the land down under.

I spent a lot of time with Andy Schmits, the junior coach, and the rest of the junior athletes- Kevin McDowell, Ben Kanute, Jack St. Marie, Jen Howland and Marissa Ferrante. We did our training sessions together for the most part, spent time analyzing the race course to prepare for the big day, and had some fun along the way. 

FUN. That is what this trip was about for me. I accomplished all of my season goals, and due to a lagging foot inconvenience (I hate the word injury), was approaching the race without running for the three weeks prior, but very confident in my swimming and cycling. It was Junior Elite Worlds, a race unlike anything I had ever experienced before, and I was ready to trust my training, race hard and leave everything I had out there.

Race morning, I woke up anxious to hear the gun go off. All the nerves and worries always leave as soon as you get on the starting line, and then, you just race. 

The swim: I knew going into the race that I had to swim like a monster, because it would determine the tone of the rest of the race. Making front pack would be ideal, because of my confidence on the bike, and the fact it would put me in the best situation possible for the run. I wore goggles that friend Chrissie Wellington gave to me at the pool one day. Coming from amazing World Champion, I figured they would bring me some speed, so I wore them for the big race! I had a pretty good beach start- nothing compared to Stephen Wright's abilities, but I was pretty happy with the position I had going into the water. Around the first buoy I was comfortably in the top 6-8, and had a solid rhythm. I stayed with a pack of four and could see two that were a few seconds ahead. Coming out of the water I was pretty tired, but very excited to break out in 6th and be in a great place for the bike. Running up to T1, my foot was really bothering me, but I just blocked it out and focused on getting on my bike as fast as possible.

The Bike: Lead pack was a bit organized, but that is typical. A lot of girls were not doing any work, and it seemed like a few girls really wanted to be in the front of the pack pulling, so I did a bit of work but let the people pull who wanted to. Also, I think a lot of the athletes wanted to be at the front to avoid getting dropped since the course was very technical. Speaking of getting dropped, I did. Haha. On the fourth lap, I got boxed out going into the spectator area with lots of turns, and going out of the transition area, the front girls hammered out of a corner and before I knew it, i was OTB!I tried to be in the front 25% of our pack going into the technical portions to avoid that, but on this lap, I simply couldn't. However, Jenn Howland, the other American who got dropped with me, hopped on my wheel and I pulled us back up. Painful! Going into T2, my legs were pretty smashed from bridging the gap, but i was taking each part of the race as it came, and optimistically approached the run.

The run: Surprisingly, the foot didn't hurt all that much on the run. Sure, I felt the pain, but it wasn't nearly as bad as Tuscaloosa. Because I hadn't been run training, I just felt like I lost my sharpness and speed. So, I am pretty happy with being able to get through the race, and stay in pretty much the same position I was in off the bike. Our pack was about 22 on the bike and I finished 17th. Still, I finished my first and last Junior Elite Worlds. Next year- U23 racing!

The trip to Australia flew by! I guess that means I will have to go back to enjoy it more... ;)

All for now 

Jess

Pictures from GOLD COAST!

Sprint finish in the background! 
Coming out of the water! Jenn just behind me. GO USA
Lead pack on the bike.

finishing shoot.
coming out of the water- 6th

Here are a few pictures (compliments of my dad!) from the race in Australia. Race report is coming soon.

Jessica

AUSTRALIA!

Hey!

So I haven't updated my blog in quite some time, mainly because life has been quite chaotic since school started again. Even so, I am LOVING my classes and getting into my routine of class, training, studying, time to relax :) etc. 

I head off for Australia on Monday for a whole week to experience my first real international race. I am competing in Junior Elite Worlds on Sunday, September 13th and cannot wait. It was one of my season goals to be part of the Junior Elite team for Gold Coast, so I am excited I have accomplished this, and anxious to compete against the best Juniors in the WORLD!

When I get back, I will write up a race report from Tuscaloosa and from Australia.

Wish me luck mates ;)

Jess

A race on home turf :)

Hey all ( I think I have 3 followers now, pretty exciting!)-

This past weekend was epic. Junior Elite Nationals is a huge race- all the top juniors in the nation show up to get a little sweat pouring, produce some heavy breathing (racing at altitude will do that to you), and experience the pain that it requires to race against the best of the best.

Leading into the race, I was excited to be able to get in the car (rather than a plane), throw my bike on the rack (instead of having to pack it) and even better, race in a setting that I have lived in for the past year. Believe me, I remember Junior Elite Nationals last year- it consisted of a suffocation session on the swim, inexplainable fatigue on the bike, and occasional vomiting on the run. Turned out 8th, but knew that this year, I was better prepared and ready to rumble.

I am going to try to keep it short and sweet.

Pre-race day I got a solid warm up in on the bike with Team Vortex, after getting a short run done in the AM with a few race pace efforts. After riding on the course for 45 mins or so, we went to Colorado College to swim. I felt amazing in the water and after finishing my routine for the day, knew that all that was left was eating, hydrating, resting and mentally preparing for the big day. We had our race meeting at 4 pm, and prior to that I had an interview with USAT (along with two other selected athletes) and a photo shoot. I was pretty nervous for that experience, but it went well and those videos should be out on the web soon.

Race morning: Wake up was 4:45 AM (it was an early one!) I have been racing at 10-11 Am for my past few races, so waking up was quite a shock, but I hopped into the shower, turned the cold water on and was awake in no time. I arrived at the race site at 5:55 Am for the 6 AM transition open. I picked up my chip and swim cap and got everything set up in Transition. Went for a little spin on my bike to make sure everything was working well, and got the bike in the right gear for exiting t1. There were people video taping me which was a bit distracting, but I tried to stay in my bubble and get everything set up the way I am used to. I left transition with my cap and goggles (No wetsuit- the water was over 70 degrees!) and headed towards the beach to check out the swim start and get a warm up in.

The call out: After warming up for the swim, and talking with my coach about where the best place to stand was on the beach, when called out, we lined up in the order of our numbers (based on rankings.) I was called out second, number 80, and I heard Tim Yount ( the amazing race announcer) give a brief bio about me as I walked towards the spot of choice on the starting line. The nerves were kicking in, but as soon as the horn went off, I knew they would disappear and the race would be the race. Stay in the moment, make smart decisions, be safe, and of course- go HARD! At this point, all I can tell myself is to trust my training.

The swim: As soon as the horn went off, it was pure madness. We ran into the water and all that surrounded me were bodies and claws. It got violent and later on after the race, my coach told me he saw how rough it got out there and actually saw me getting beat up! Hey, it is part of racing, and a time for the toughest to get out there in front to get some clear water. At the first buoy, things calmed down a bit, I was with three other girls and could see two out in front. We came out of the water after the first loop and got to experience the ridiculously painful beach run to start our second loop. Even though I live at altitude now, the beach run was still pretty tough, but not nearly as bad as last year which consisted of a run and flop into the water for the second lap from pure exhaustion. I came out of the second lap 3rd with 2-3 other girls right with me and could see two out in front probably 10-15 secs ahead.

T1: The best word to describe this part of the race is pathetic. My coach wanted to cry as I safely mounted my bike instead of doing a full speed flying mount. I later got tortured by my teammates about how much work my mount needs. It is the little things that matter the most- because the two girls got off the front and we couldn't catch them on the bike.

Bike: The most stressful part of the race without a doubt. There were four of us in the "chase" pack with two off the front. We were 15" down going out of t1 and ended up losing another minute and a half because we couldn't organize and work as a team. I pulled about 85% of the bike portion, after trying to get the pack on the same page and trying to organize an efficient rotation of pulling. I thought about going solo on the bike because I knew I could break away from the riders I was with, but ended up staying in so I could rest a bit on the wheels of the other girls. Although there was much frustration and yelling going on during the bike, it is part of racing to experience different race situations and sometimes, people don't play fair, so you have to just forget about them and fight. We were almost caught by a pack of 12 that was working well together behind us.

T2: I came off the bike, feeling fatigued from practically a solo TT, but told myself that I had to go out hard on the run, and forget about all the anger I was having about the lack of work the pack was doing. We were 1:50 down from the two that were off the front. In a 5k, that is a lot of time.

Run: I went out of transition and was running hard. A few girls that were in my pack were right with me, but I soon broke away and was pushing hard. After the first lap of the run I was able to catch one of the two off the front, and headed into the second lap hoping to hold off some of the strong runners, with fresher legs from the pack of 12 that was behind us. The run was painful, legs were toast, and I didn't feel at all like I did in Strawberry after having a pack work well together.

Finish: I ended up second place overall. One of my season goals was top 3 at Jr. Elite Nationals, so I have to be happy, right? For the situation I was in, I am very pleased with how I performed. I still pulled off the third fastest run split of the day after going hard with no help on the bike. Crossing the line, I had nothing left. Friends, family and my coach were there to congratulate me, and although I was frustrated, I was also fulfilled. I raced my heart out- what else could you ask for? Now, it was time to celebrate. Stephanie Moroney ( a member of Vortex) made the podium with the fastest run split of the day, so we turned in a 2nd and 3rd place finish for the Jr. Elite Females for Vortex. Our elite males did great as well. Steve Wright won the beach start, Jake Shoemaker killed the bike after crashing, Will got some awesome road rash to show off after crashing and Grant did great at his first Jr. Elite National Championships. Our Team is hands down, AMAZING. :)

I had a post race interview to follow up the pre race interview and photo shoot. I expressed how I felt about the race honestly and completely. The awards ceremony was at 3, so we had a bit of time to go grab some food and replenish. Being on the podium was exciting, especially with Stephanie up there too. We got tons of photos, so I will put some of those up as soon as I upload them.

On Sunday, I mistakingly went for a ride up a few canyons with Jake, Steve and Grant before heading off for White Water Rafting. I think I will stick to Triathlon- I wasn't the best at the whole paddling deal. I got distracted by the amazing views going down the river, and was pretty tired from the race the day before. My teammates, once again, proved how amazing they are by paddling our boat down the river with my contribution about 50% of the time. It was an awesome experience and I am really excited that I went.

We went to dinner that night with the parents and teammates, and Steve Kelley (our team coach) tagged along as well. It was the perfect end to an unforgettable weekend. Now, about five days after Jr. Elite Nats, I am in preparation for Elite Nats in Tuscaloosa on August 22nd. Trying to train smart, rest hard, stay hydrated and keep having fun!

Hope all of you are enjoying your seasons and keep up the hard work.

Jessica

Strawberry Fields Junior Elite Cup 2009

<- Our Worlds Team
Hey!

Before my next race happens this weekend (Junior Elite Nationals in Colorado Springs on August 8th), I thought I would talk a bit about my most recent race in California. This was a big race for me in my 2009 season because it was a chance to qualify for Junior Elite Worlds in Australia, which will be in September. I missed my chance to make the team at the Pan American Championships in Oklahoma City mid May, as they were only giving away one slot and I was not the top American across the line. After that race, I got right back into training hard and smart, in preparation for this race with the hopes of getting one of the other two slots up for grabs.

 Leading up to the race, I started getting more and more nervous anticipating a very strong field of Junior females, all prepared to put everything on the line to make the Junior Worlds Team. I raced in Strawberry Fields last year, but the field was much smaller. It was just a junior draft legal race that I went to in 2008 to gain more experience. This year was MUCH different. However, I was excited to race at a venue I had already been at once before, and compete against the top Juniors in the nation. 

The swim: First things first, we swam with DOLPHINS! It was by far the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. When we were warming up, we saw them swimming around. But, when we were actually racing, they swam right under the front pack of women. Pretty cool! I came out of the water with a pack of about 6-7 girls and we left T1 all together. The swim went well, water was not too rough, just interesting timing the waves and an adventure body surfing.

The bike: The group of 7 or so of us stayed together for the 4 lap bike course. It was nice to see a pack of that size forming in a junior race, because usually the fields are so small that it isn't the greatest draft experience. However, we had seven of us working pretty well together and held off the rest of the field. Nothing extremely exciting happened on the bike, except for a few random breakaways. However, the pack always regrouped after these.

The run: Going into T2, i was in the position that my coach always tells me NOT to be in. I had just pulled in front of the pack and rotated to the back and dismounted 8/8 girls in our group. So, I left T2 in 8th and heard the announcer say " we have a group of the nation's top junior athletes heading out to battle it out for the podium." It was at this point that I told myself the first mile of the run was the most important and I had to go HARD. So, I put the hammer down and my legs went with me. I ran past the field and finished with a run split of  18:47, an okay time ( I still want to be faster!) and an overall time of 1:04. I was happy to see that my hard work on the run was paying off.

Now, with a slot for Junior Elite Worlds, which will be in Australia in September, I am excited to represent the United States and compete against the best juniors in the WORLD!

Overall it was an extremely fun trip. I got to hang out with the Vortex Junior Elite Triathlon Team, which I am a part of as much as I can be (not being on the east coast anymore makes it hard.) We spent some time relaxing on the beach post race, and celebrated Steve Wright's birthday that night at a sketchy, but really yummy Mexican restaurant followed by WAY too much ice cream. I ate more ice cream than Jake Shoemaker, which is a huge accomplishment.  However, I must admit,  ice cream never tasted better.

Wish me luck this weekend! Can't wait to go hard again..and this time, on home ground.

Jess Broderick

 

TGIF

Good morning!

Woke up today in the mood to express how happy I am that today is Friday. This means one week until Junior Elite Nats- August 8th. I am extremely excited to race, without having to pack up my bike and travel by plane. Just a 90 minute drive down the road will get me there. :) I am anxious to compete at the same venue as last year, after living in altitude for a year. It'll be tough field of the best junior triathletes in the USA, and I am ready to race hard and have fun.

Training has been great. Although the weather has not been cooperative in Boulder ( really weird because we ALWAYS get sunshine) I have been managing to enjoy the winter like crisp air and pouring rain. Nothing like trainer rides! 

Hope everyone is enjoying the summer because it'll be gone before you know it!  Tomorrow is August..can you believe it? I know I am making the most of every minute. 

Keep smiling and have an AWESOME Friday!

J

A glance back...

Hey everyone-
This is my first post on my blog. I just made the site a few weeks ago, and in the midst of traveling to race and visit family, as well as training, have been playing around with the gadgets and have finally figured it out! Don't laugh at me for all you computer wizzards!
So far, I have had a very exciting year. The 2009 season was launched with a victory at Collegiate Nationals, April 18th in Lubbock Texas. For those of you who read my race report on Facebook, you have already all heard about the details.

Here is the link to read up on that..
ttp://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1086870755#/profile.php?id=1086870755&v=app_2347471856

Anyways, Collegiate Nationals was a great trip overall. With all my teammates and my family there cheering me on (besides Emily, my older sister), it was truly the most amazing feeling to have this accomplishment with all their support. From my race report "I am excited to be part of this team in the years to come. The CU Tri team has changed me. This team has made me a better person, and a better athlete, and has made me realize just how amazing life is with special people and an atmosphere filled with love."
I encourage all triathletes to pursue a college experience that involves athletics. Whether it be one of the three disciplines, or maybe even a school where there is a triathlon club similar to University of Colorado. I found that this year went so smoothly, academically and for triathlon ( SO FAR!) because I was able to find a group of students who were experiencing similar daily routines that I was. Fitting in up to four training sessions a day, a 15-20 hour weekly class schedule, trying to find some social life to keep you sane, working...It can get kind of crazy and chaotic! I was able to get organized, use my time wisely, and excel in all aspects of my life. I found my niche!


All for now :)
- JB