Never lose sight of your Beginner Spirit!

Hello everyone!

Today, someone very special in my life shared something very valuable. After picking up my boyfriend from the airport, we were discussing Lance Armstrong and his career on the car ride home. Chris told me about Lance's bike and the quote that is printed on the top tube reading "Never forget your Beginner Spirit." I pondered the meaning of this, and how applicable it is to my personal career as an athlete so far. I think back to the year I started triathlon, the outlook I had on the sport now, and how different things are now. With more experience, and more pressure in competition, I believe that it is easy to occasionally lose sight of the reasons why I started the sport in the first place. I enjoyed the conversation this morning with Chris, and I appreciated him sharing this little piece of wisdom with me. It has been on my mind all day, and it has allowed me to evaluate where I am at now with the sport, and what my outlook is moving forward. With Lance's advice, and Chris's revelation of this quote, I can see how important it is to stay connected with your roots, and never lose sight of them. Sure, Triathlon still brings me a great amount of joy and happiness, and I know that acknowledging the experiences I had as a newbie, will only strengthen my connection with the sport. It forces me to fuse the present with the past, and find an athlete who continues to challenge herself, while smiling and never losing sight of the spirit that launched her triathlon career four years ago.

Smiles!

Jessica

January Jumps!

Hello!

January has flown by. With 2011 in full swing, the racing season is truly just around the corner. My first race this year will be the CU Tri Team's Regional Championships in Lake Havasu City, AZ. This will be my first year racing Regionals with the team, so I am very excited for the trip.

It has been a great month- adjusting to a new school schedule, and conquering every day with a positive attitude and an appreciation for this wonderful life. Training has been going well, and the weather has been quite cooperative. I can't complain!

This semester has been really exciting for me because I am attempting to add another major (or switch majors) after realizing that I've always had a real interest in writing. This stems from my enjoyment in blogging here, as well as from my history of savoring various writing classes. So, I am taking some Journalism classes at the moment, which are both challenging and rewarding. We will see what life brings next. Until then, I wish you all happiness and enjoyment in everything you do!

Jessica

Gratitude, Gifts and Gusto

Happy Holidays to everyone-

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas with family and friends, and the holiday was filled with lots of love and happiness. Home has been great so far, and I have really enjoyed spending time with my sisters while we are all in the same time zone. There have been lots of laughs and smiles in the midst of shopping, playing Wii Just Dance (probably the most laughs here) and just relaxing at home. I have also really enjoyed going to the pool with Hannah and Scarlet and seeing how much they have improved. Prior to heading out to CO, I always used to coach them with their swimming. Now, I can see that their work ethic and dedication has taken them far in the sport. It is truly awesome to see hard work and commitment at their age!

It has been pretty cold here in CT, and unlike the powerful Colorado sunshine which melts away snow within hours of it falling, it seems to linger here. We had a brutal snowstorm on Sunday with wind gusts up to 60mph, and a total of 18 inches of snow accumulating. Unfortunately, the snow still is everywhere, roads still icy, and freezing temperatures still evident. An all time high is expected tomorrow at 48 degrees, so maybe we can have the luxury of wearing only two layers instead of three :)

Training has been fun! I haven't been able to ride outside, so just enjoying lots of trainer rides and movie watching. Even though the cold weather isn't very appealing, running in it doesn't seem too bad. Once the blood is flowing, if dressed properly, it is pretty comfortable. I have been enjoying lots of scenic, hilly roads that Middlebury has to offer, and taking advantage of sea level running time. We did our traditional 5 mile Christmas run, and this year, all the girls came! To break tradition, we refused to wear Santa hats and instead watched my Mom wear hers the whole way as she insisted tradition could not be broken. Swimming hasn't been equally as fun, as the pool at the YMCA I swim at is about 10 degrees too cold. Everyday when I go to swim it takes me about 10 mins of standing on the side of the pool to convince myself to jump in. Besides the hypothermic water conditions, I have felt great in the water and strong. I think it is rewarding to train in different locations and different conditions every once and awhile, to challenge yourself.

On a much more important note, the trip home has been most enjoyable because of the time spent with family. With the holiday season, and the start of a new year tomorrow, I am able to reflect on all the relationships I have with family and friends. I am just so fortunate for the love that surrounds me and appreciative of what the people in my life have given me. Happiness, courage, support, and LOTS of love. 2010 has been a great year, and I know 2011 will top it :) Bring on the new year!

Happy New Year to everyone!

Jessica

Holiday Update!

Hey everyone-

Can you believe it is almost 2011?! Scary. The year has gone by so quickly, and I anticipate the same happening next year. I really love this time of the year, mainly because it is a time of evaluation and decision making for the upcoming months. 2010 was a big transition year for me, since it was my first time racing U23, as I aged up from Junior racing (Sprint distance) to racing Olympic distance draft legal. I was very happy with the steady improvement I saw throughout the season, and very excited to see consistent results.

I will be updating my blog with some plans for 2011 soon, after finals are over! Just a brief glimpse into the future- it looks like I will be a part of the Timex Multisport team again for 2011, and I am SO excited to be a part of such an awesome crew. Until the next blog update- I will have my nose in some books, squeeze some quality sessions in and be enjoying the holiday season. Happy belated Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and so very soon, Happy New Year!

I will be back soon! :)

Jessica

Pics from Alabama

Elite Nationals 2010!

Hey everyone-

This past weekend was my final race of the season- Elite Nationals which took place in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Remembering from last year the intense heat and humidity, I anticipated a tough race with a VERY talented field. This year, the start list included the best of the best in the nation including Laura Bennett, Sarah Groff and Sarah Haskins. After spending some time with these three athletes in Budapest, Hungary, as well as watching them race there (Elite Women's race), I was excited to toe the start line with such incredible athletes who I admire greatly for both their athletic achievements and their amiable demeanor. What an honor!

I had been looking forward to this weekend also because I would get to see my Mom again (after three months) and spend time with my coach, and a few members of the CU Tri Team who were racing the AG Nats on Saturday. Overall, I knew it would be a great weekend with great support. After my race in Budapest, I was excited for one more race to see if everything could come together. So far this season, I have learned a great deal about HOW to race and just how important the little things are such as the first 300m of the swim, transitions etc. I have had a handful of solid races with a good swim/bike, or great run, or solid bike/run. However, I had yet to see a race unfold that I could look back and say "Everything was great!" I guess it is somewhat naive of me to hope for this, but I do believe that it is beneficial to constantly shoot for that perfect day. Through daily dedication to all aspects of being a triathlete, and more experience, each race will be a step towards that. I've got time on my side, so I am optimistic and ready to keep making improvements each year.

Race morning, I was excited and ready to go! Race start time was 12:00, peak heat of the day. Warm ups at the race site felt great, and I was ready to hear the gun. Having the support of my Mom, teammates and coach in Alabama was fantastic. Nothing better than getting a good luck high five, or "kick some butt," right before toeing the start line.

The swim was non wetsuit since the water was 83 degrees! I found a spot in the middle of the pontoon, and had a good first 500m. Although the swim was rough at times, I was pleased with my placement and came out of the water with a solid group of girls.

I quickly transitioned onto the bike and ended up in a pack of about 5 girls. Like usual, the pack was not working well together and there were about 3 of us who did most of the work. Every time I came around, I could hear my coach yelling to "Sit in" but that's just not how I roll. I wanted our pack to be able to keep moving along, so I refused to sit in and see our group keep losing time. A few other athletes bridged up to our pack, so we ended up having about 8 girls. 3 other girls and myself tried to get away a few times, and on the second to last lap just as we attacked again, my chain dropped. This was extremely frustrating, but I was able to calmly get off my bike, put my chain back on and solo TT back to a group of 4 that had fallen off the other 3. I stayed with this group going into T2, and had a pretty good transition off to the run.

On the first two laps of the run, although the heat was taking its toll, I felt great. My legs were tired from the bike effort, but I focused on fast feet and staying relaxed. On the second half of the 3rd lap I really started feeling the conditions. I tried not to think about the humidity and heat, and just focused on trying to tough it out for another 3k. On the last lap, I guess you could say I "hit the wall," and unfortunately was passed and had absolutely nothing left. I ran myself up to 9th, then fell back to 10th, which is a placement that I am extremely happy with. Top 10 two years in a row at Elite Nationals! Going into this race, knowing the caliber of the field, I thought it was doubtful that I could squeeze into the top 10. I am overall pleased with getting to the finish line in one piece, and knowing that I gave it absolutely everything I had. Last year, I battled foot injuries that started at Elite Nats in Alabama and had to walk parts of the run. This year, I went with the philosophy of ""Only those who risk going too far, can possibly find out how far they can go." On the run, I went out extremely hard to see what I could do. I think that experimenting as an athlete is extremely important, because you surprise yourself often in what you can do. Although I really fell apart at the end of the run, I am happy with the mind frame I had during the race, and pushing past boundaries of my own abilities.

Now, after a full week off from training, I am back at it. Big run focus this winter and am excited to keep working with Mike Ricci. After having consistent performances (besides San Francisco) from April through October, it is nice to step back, evaluate the areas to focus on for next year, and delve into the off season. 2010 was my first season of racing where I can see steady improvement and NO injury. I'm a happy camper.

On to 2011!

Jessica

A quick note...

Hey!

It has been awhile since I have posted.

Kelowna was solid- ended up 9th.

Worlds was ok- ended up 22nd with my best run split ever.

This weekend is Tuscaloosa Elite Nats. I plan on catching up on blogging after I catch up on all the school work I missed while in Budapest. All for now!

Jess

Kelowna!

Hello!

I am here in Kelowna very excited to race tomorrow. I am on the top of a mountain overlooking the beautiful Lake Okanagan and am so thankful for my wonderful home stay family who have welcomed me here. After a solid chunk of training from mid July to early August, I am confident in my fitness and very anxious to see what I can do.

Kelowna is an incredible place and I have really enjoyed my stay so far. I arrived Thursday night and flying in to the airport was simply breathtaking.

Some things I have learned since I arrived:

I have an accent, apparently, which my home stay family says they really like.

Their are LOTS of people who have drowned in the lake I will be swimming in and only some of their bodies have been found.

The peaches at this time of the year in Kelowna are scrumptious.

Canadians are even bigger hockey fans than I thought.

Anyways, wish me luck for tomorrow! It's go time!

Jessica

Epic adventure!

Hey everyone-

So after sitting down with the coach, and evaluating my season thus far, we decided to get a two week block of volume in. It has been awhile since I have had a big riding week (before Collegiate Nats in April) just because the main focus has been on getting speedy. However, after a bit of a mid season break, we thought it would be best to get a little mid season base in, then back to the intensity work in a week. So, this past week has been incredibly busy with lots of training sessions, but it is Sunday (finally!), I have one more session, and I am feeling great! I have been spending a lot of time resting and recovering in between sessions, and paying close attention to my nutrition before, during and after sessions. Also, I have been drinking constantly to avoid dehydration in the heat we are experiencing right now in Boulder.

My favorite sessions this week-

Run up at Magnolia Tuesday morning

Stroke and Stride Thursday night

Estes Park ride Friday

I had my longest ride ever on Friday with two of my buddies- Steve Richard and Matt Hudson. It was an awesome ride, with some beautiful views and lots of climbing. I am so fortunate to have amazing friends and training partners to share this sport with. One of my favorite things about Triathlon is the amazing friendships that you gather along the way.

Anyways, hope you are all having a great summer! Can you believe it is August already!? Where did the time go?

Keep at it,

Jessica B.

San Francisco Treasure Island

Hey everyone!

3 weeks after my worst yet racing experience in San Francisco, I am rested, recharged and have optimism in attacking the second half of my 2010 racing season. I was once told that you learn most from the races where things go wrong, and San Francisco was filled with obstacles. I arrived in California after being back in CT for a few days, visiting family and traditionally celebrating the 4th of july (my birthday!) in Rhode Island with cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Only a week and a half since my last race (Coteau du lac in Canada), I was feeling okay, and had some great sessions down at sea level. I was ready to race and reap the benefits of all the hard work I had been putting in week after week.

To summarize the race, the only high point was my front pack swim. Since this has been a struggle for me in the past (usually I am just off front pack), I was very excited coming out of the water and had a positive attitude as I transitioned onto the bike. However, standing in my way from mounting my bike (After a very long run to the mount line) was the fact that one of my bike shoes decided to not tag along. So, completely frustrated I scurried back into T1, found my shoe on the ground near my things, and ran out of t1 once again, one shoe on my foot, the other on my bike. Mentally from here, even though I attempted to put it behind me, I was not in a good place. All my efforts to swim up with the front girls had gone down the drain, as they were off down the road and I was in no mans land between front pack and the chase group.

As the race went on, things just kept going downhill. My legs seemed to have no power on the bike, and it was not a day when you wanted to be riding solo. The winds were brutal on the flat sections, and after getting dropped from a strong pack of riders, I kept moving backwards.

Finally, I got to the run, after what seemed like eternity, and told myself, "let's at least have a strong run today." My legs said "no" and I trudged along, dehydrated and absolutely spent. Come to find out, I had only had half a bottle on the bike of fluids which could have contributed to the nausea and feeling of passing out that I was experiencing. The last third of the run is a complete blur, and I don't remember crossing the finish line. I woke up in the med tent with my coach and boyfriend by my side, trying to feed me chicken noodle soup and gatorade. Not one of my proudest moments. The next hour was filled with agonizing stomach pain, shivers, hot flashes, tears and overall, extreme disappointment. However, the day soon ended and from being involved in the triathlon community for a few years now, I think it is safe to say that everyone has had those days. I had mine, and I moved on. The race was not a demonstration of my hard work and dedication to the sport, but the next race will be.

Now, I am in a two week block of training and am excited to race Kelowna in mid August. After San Francisco, even though I still experienced a great deal of disappointment about my race, I was able to take two weeks and casually train in Santa Barbara with Chris, be out of the Boulder bubble, and reflect on the reasons why I do the sport of triathlon and what will continue to fuel me through the seasons to come- Passion. I love this sport, and through the ups and downs I will continue to enjoy the training, racing, people I have met and most importantly, the feeling I get when I cross the finish line- whether I am first or last.

All for now,

J

Pictures from Canada

Coteau du Lac- Top 10!

This weekend I traveled to Montreal, Canada to compete in a Continental Cup. I actually raced here on the same course last year, when I was still technically a junior. I did this because I wanted to get experience and ease my transition from the sprint distance draft legal format to the olympic distance racing as a U23/elite. My race from last year was FAR different from this year, which is a good thing! Last year I had a so so swim, got dropped by 2 bike packs, and was lapped by the lead runners on the run, finishing close to last with a time of 2:17. This year, I just missed the front pack of swimmers, was in a very strong chase pack, and ran 2 minutes faster than last year on a day when my legs decided to stay sleeping. My finish time was just over 2:10, seven minutes faster than last year on a nearly identical course, leaving me in 9th place for the day.

Overall, I am very pleased with my performance. As a young athlete, I have found that the most important thing to value is improvement and being patient. If I can keep making leaps from year to year, I am doing something right! Working with my new coach from D3 Multisport, Mike Ricci, since the beginning of 2010 has been great for me, as both an athlete and a person. I have pushed myself harder than ever before, experienced new types of training, and spent time getting to know one of the best coaches in the world, who has in turn helped me get to know myself better as an athlete. Together, we are figuring out what works best for me as an athlete and making huge fitness gains in all three disciplines. I am very excited for what is to come.

More FISU pics.