Kelowna Race Report

This weekend I raced for the third time in a row in Kelowna, Canada and had my highest finish yet. Two years ago I was 9th, last year I finished 10th, and this year I placed 6th. This is one of my favorite races and overall, I am pretty happy with the result and have some key areas to focus on for the next few weeks before Elite Nats.

Chris and I traveled to Kelowna on Friday morning and arrived with about an hour to spare before the race meeting on Friday night at 5. We had time to build our bikes up and rode rown to Propsera place for the race briefing. The race meeting was pretty low key and the course was exactly the same as past years, so I was stress free in this regard. After a long day of travel, we had dinner at the Spaghetti Factory and got to bed early.

On Saturday I went for a run in the morning, then swam at the race site after lunch and rode a couple loops of the course after that. I felt smooth and strong during my pre-race prep on Saturday, and I finally felt like soreness from hard workouts earlier in the week was gone. It was time to race!

Sunday morning I woke up around 7 am, had oatmeal, a bagel with peanut butter and some coffee. I relaxed and packed my race gear and headed to the race site around 9 am for an 1130 am start. I did my bike and run warm up, got checked in, set up transition, then sat in the shade and listened to some music.

I thought about my training and how much progress I have made since earlier this year, and I thought about all my supporters- my family, my coach, teammates, my friends and my amazing sponsors. I was very excited and anxious to see where I was at.

I headed down to the swim start around 10:45 a.m. to do my swim warm up and get ready. The water felt cold at first, but comfortable after a couple hundred meters of swimming. I swam for about 15 mins then finished my gel and had some water. We lined up at 11:25 and then we were off!

Swim: The first 400 meters of the swim are always crazy, so I tried to stay relaxed and site my way towards the front. After the first buoy I could see the front few swimmers, and the pace settled. I was towards the front 5 or 6 girls, and maintained this position on the second lap. Exiting the water after the second lap and starting the run up to t1 was a crucial point of the race for me. The past two years I have missed the front group by having a horrible t1 and just losing the back of the group. I ran as hard as I could, put my helmet on, grabbed my bike and rode off. I latched onto the main group shortly after and was really pleased to be in this position.

Getting lined up before the start of the swim. Beautiful scenery. 

Bike: Our group of 9 was relatively organized and we maintained our lead over the other racers. The hill every lap caused a heart rate spike, but besides that I felt strong and worked well with the group. As we headed into t2 I was hoping my legs would show up for the run!

Our bike back climbing Knox mountain. 

Run: I felt great headed out of transition. I had a pretty good transition and was focusing on fast feet, staying smooth and relaxed, and hydrating. It was getting hot by this point in the race, so I dumped some water over my head and on my chest to cool down, then drank small sips at the water stations. I was really excited on the first lap to be running in second place and my legs felt great. However, half way through the second lap, things changed rapidly! I may have gone out a bit too hard on the first lap and started paying for it in the second 5k of the run. I fell to 3rd, then was passed by 3 girls from the pack behind us on the last lap of the run. I tried to maintain form and focus on fighting through the pain in the moment. I always try to stay completely in the moment because things change so quickly during races. Unfortunately, my legs never came around, but I was happy with my effort and pleased with my result. I feel like I put together a strong race and now I know the areas that need improvement moving forward. I was really happy to put myself in the race by being in the front pack in the swim and bike, and now I can focus on what may have lead to the issues I faced on the run.

My home stay mom from the past two years captured this one on the run. Thanks Polly!

After the race I got to watch Chris and cheer him on. He had a great race in hot conditions and finished 13th. Our Americans guys did well against some strong Canadian athletes. That night Chris and I visited with my home stay family from the past two years. Polly and Don Drummond are some of the nicest people I know, and I was so glad to see them cheering me on during the race and pleased to spend more time with them before we went back to the states. We went to a delicious ice cream place down by the water, which was the perfect way to end a great day of racing!

Thank you to my sponsors- Off The Front Multisport, Chobani Yogurt, Rudy Project and Endurance Shield. Also thanks to my coach Grant Holicky and the Apex coaching crew for pushing me daily in training and keeping things fun. Lastly, thanks to my family and friends who are always supporting me and encouraging me to chase my dreams! I have decided to focus all my energy towards Elite Nationals in a month, and with school starting on Monday I will unfortunately not be going to Chicago. It is a busy time of the year and I want to be organized and ready to go for my last semester of college.

Good luck to everyone with the rest of your race seasons!

Jessica

Disney World & Season Update

I just returned from a wonderful family vacation in Disney World. I was there for a week with my twin little sisters Hannah and Scarlet, older sister Emily, and my parents. I went to Disney when I was four years old, so it was awhile since I experienced the magic. Every day was pretty packed with training, roller coaster rides, walking around parks and fine dining. It was a blast, but very exhausting.

In Italy- Epcot. We all got Duffy Bears and went to each country to get them stamped. We are all four years old at heart.

Fireworks on the last night in the Magic Kindom. Sisters <3>

Before Disney training was going very well and I was feeling it. So, as vacation approached I was really looking forward to a recovery/lighter week of training. Although I don't feel rested and recharged per say, I do feel like family time is extremely important and I embraced the memories we created together. We visited the Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Universal Studios, Hollywood Studios and Epcot...in a week. We tackled one park per day, and left no time for sunbathing at the pool, but it was a blast! We saw some amazing fireworks and an electric parade with all the Disney characters on our last night there, which was my favorite part of the trip.

In China in Epcot. Love these hats.

In the morning and after the parks I got my training sessions in. I got to swim in a 85-90 degree pool that was 33.3 yards long (strange) and run on the nice flat roads that Florida offers in brutal heat and humidity. I managed to get through a few spin bike sessions indoors, but focused more on swimming and running for the week. Not to mention we walked about 100 miles! The heat and humidity were tough on all of us- we had to constantly sit in the shade and drink lots of water while at the parks, but it was well worth it!

Whole family with Chip and Dale at Universal Studios.

I am back in Boulder now for a week, then I head off to Kelowna to race on Sunday August 19th. This is my third year in a row going to Kelowna and I am really excited. It is one of my favorite races out there- beautiful venue, kind people, challenging course. I will be headed there with Chris this year, so the trip will be lots of fun all around. We both head to the Chicago triathlon the weekend after, which will be my first non draft race of the season! Our team (Off the Front Multisport) is sponsored by Chobani Yogurt and the Chicago Triathlon is a big event for us. It will be fun to see all the other athletes on the team and put on a good show for our supporters.

I am really excited for the next few weeks of racing! Oh..and school starts August 27th. Last semester of my undergrad (scary!). I am actually really excited for school to start as well. I have some awesome journalism courses for this Fall and am eager to keep learning. The balance of school and sport keeps me sane, and makes me a better athlete and student.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer! 

Jessica

Blog post for VeloPress

Hey guys-

Check out my short blog post about race day nutrition for Life time Tri Minneapolis. Although I am not racing this weekend, I presented a race day nutrition plan for what I would do. Hope you enjoy!

FISU Triathlon World University Championships

This weekend I competed in my second FISU World Triathlon Championships in Yilan, Taiwan, a town about an hour outside of the city of Taipei. Two years ago the race was in Valencia, Spain, and I had such an incredible experience, so when I found out I was selected for this year's team, I was very excited and honored to be a part of it again. The group of athletes and coaches on this year's trip was fantastic- I got to know the other US athletes a lot better, and the coaches were extremely helpful in assisting us to have our best performances on race day. Overall, it was just a great group of people and I loved spending time with every member of the team.

The race conditions were challenging- very hot and humid, so all of the athletes were anticipating a tough day of racing. I stayed on top of my nutrition and hydration, making sure I was getting enough salt in my diet leading into race day. The food was very different in Taiwan, so I tried to stick with all the foods I recognized, and not try anything different before the race. I would have had lots of chobani yogurt if I could have traveled with it here from the states!

Race morning I woke up around 4:20 am (with no alarm!), and made some instant oatmeal, and washed it down with two cups of coffee. I headed out for a bike warm up around 6 a.m. with the other two US women- Kaitlin Shiver and Julie Rechel. Then we did a quick run warm up around 6:45 a.m. before heading over to transition to check in our bike and race gear. I was feeling good warming up, and getting excited to race. This was essentially my first race of the season after suffering from a heat stroke in Dallas and having to pull out of the race.

I checked my bike in, got transition set up and headed over to the swim start to warm up. After swimming for 8-10 minutes, I practiced the swim exit ramp once, and then found shade to relax and wait for the race introductions. The coaches gave us a pep talk, we shoved ice down our suits to stay as cool as possible, and then, it was race time! I was standing on the pontoon, looking out on the water thinking "Wow, I am in Taiwan. This is an incredible opportunity and lets make the most of it!" And then the horn blasted! Go time!

Swim: I was able to clear the chaos pretty quickly in the first few meters of the swim, and make my way to the front. Towards the first buoy turn around, I could see that a group of 8-10 athletes have put a small gap on the rest of the field. I felt smooth and strong and was able to get on the feet of a few athletes and get a great draft. Exiting the water after the first loop, I was in the back of a group of 4 swimmers and 3 girls were about 5-10 seconds ahead of us. As I ran back onto the pontoon I could see the other women ahead and swam hard to bridge the gap once diving in. The swim group strung out a bit on the second lap, so when i exited the water I was with 3 Canadian athletes and we were told by coaches that three were up ahead by 10-15 seconds. It was a long run down to T1, and as we entered the transition area, the other three girls were headed out onto the bike (Rabie, Shiver and Takashaki).

Bike: Half way through the first lap of the bike we caught the three riders and formed a pack of 11 girls. We worked okay together, but we could have been more efficient at times. There were some athletes who weren't working as hard as others, but that is always the case! We maintained a gap on the first chase pack, and entered T2 with about 90 seconds on the next group of athletes. I started to notice the heat on the 3rd (of 4) laps of the bike, so I knew it would be a tough run. My Rudy Project gear kept me cool and shaded from the sun.

Run: As we dismounted into T2, I told myself to relax, have a smooth transition and be conservative as I start running because of the intense conditions. My legs felt great as I started running, so I tried to maintain good form and stay relaxed during the beginning stages of the run. I saw all of our coaches out on the course in different places, so I divided up the run into sections from one coach to the next. Their support and encouragement was a major reason why I was able to keep fighting during incredibly tough conditions. The last lap was really hard, and there was no shade to hide from the sun. I am glad I put my Endurance Shield on before the race or I would have been scorched! I managed to kick it in for 6th place overall, and I couldn't be happier!

I feel like I had a strong race and I was solid in all three disciplines. After crossing the finish line, I gave Kaitlin a big hug and said "Take that Dallas!" We both had to pull out of the race due to the hot conditions a few weeks ago. Our team did so great- Kaitlin ended up 4th and Julie had a very strong run to come in 15th, giving us the lowest combined team score and the win for the team competition. This is the first time that the USA has won the team competition at FISU, so I am very honored to be a part of this victory.


I am really excited for the rest of the season after having a race I am really proud of. It is always a great feeling to see hard work pay off on race day. A special thanks goes out to our coaching staff- Steve Kelley, Jennifer Hutchison, Brent Hamula and Brian Hughes. You all were so helpful and made the trip stress free and tons of fun. Also, thanks to my sponsors for your support- Off the Front Multisport, Chobani yogurt, Rudy Project, Endurance Shield and Sugoi. And last but not least- Congrats to our entire American team for kicking butt! This was a trip I will never forget. :)

DNF in Dallas

My triathlon season started off on a low note this past weekend in Dallas, TX. I was really excited to get back into racing, and eager to see where I was at after some solid weeks of training. After having a knee injury from October- January of this year, and finding out I had mono right after that, I was just happy to be training consistently again, and feeling like myself!

Unfortunately, I had to pull out of the race towards the end of the bike due to heat. I stopped sweating, couldn't get any fluids down, and then started throwing up all the fluids I had consumed earlier in the day. After 4 IV bags at the hospital, I went back to the hotel and spent the rest of the night in bed. It was a really tough day, and I think a lot of athletes experienced challenges from the weather conditions. Congratulations to all those that were able to get across the line. I was really bummed about my first DNF ever in my triathlon career, but realize that this is part of racing and I will have many more races to compete at.

I leave for Taiwan in a couple of weeks and am really excited to race again! It will be hot there, so I am planning accordingly and trying to get my body ready for the challenge.

Stay hydrated!

Jessica

Racing season is here!

Can't believe racing season is already here! Well, almost! Time flies.

I met with my coach a week ago to discuss my race schedule and I am excited for the next few months. I am planning on starting my 2012 season with Mazatlan on April 21. After overcoming a knee injury, and mono, I am really happy with how training has been going the past few weeks. Consistency is the name of the game, and not being able to have that was the most frustrating part of my off season. I was unable to really put consecutive solid weeks of training in because of injury and illness. Now, I am enjoying training pain free, trying to stay healthy and seeing improvement each week. 

This year I will be racing for the Off the Front Multisport Team presented by Chobani . I am really excited about our awesome group of athletes and great sponsors! We will be supported by Rudy Project, Sugoi and of course, Chobani yogurt! Yum. It is a brand new team, and I am really honored to be a part of it. 

I read an article recently written on Laura and Greg Bennett in Inside Triathlon magazine. Holly Bennett did a phenomenal job of profiling these two amazing athletes who are also incredible, down to earth, happy people. Something that I took away from this article is that we should really be enjoying the process and focusing less on the result. I think that many athletes get caught up in wanting to be successful and wanting to have good races, that we lose sight of staying in the moment and enjoying the journey. It sounds so cliche, but it is so true. I have really tried to focus on the reasons I do the sport, stay grounded in who I am as an athlete and a person, and have tons of fun each day. 

Hope everyone is doing well! Stay healthy and happy.

Jessica

Looking on the bright side

The past few months have been a challenge. My last post discusses a knee injury I was battling for awhile, which I have now overcome! I am so happy to be running, biking and swimming with no pain. Now my main focus is to continue with all the strength work, specific exercises and stretching to remain injury free moving into the 2012 season. It is evident that these little things are really quite important in remaining strong and healthy throughout the year.

Shortly after my knee pain subsided, I got some blood work back that I had gotten done over Christmas break in Connecticut. Unfortunately, I found out I had mono, dampening my spirits after finally putting an injury behind me. It was pretty surprising to me because I was feeling fine. I had been sick for a few days over break with a fever and extreme fatigue, but my last week of vacation was great and when I arrived back in Colorado, I expected that things would keep moving in the right direction. 

I continued training for about two weeks, monitoring how I felt everyday, and continued feeling completely fine. The only struggles I had were related to adjusting to altitude: It tough breathing during training etc. Then, after those two weeks, I was hit with a wall of exhaustion. I had to put on the brakes, take care of myself and be smart. I took a few full days off, and then did some very easy training and have slowly eased back into things since.

It is amazing how much you appreciate your health when you finally get it back after a long recovery from an injury, or after a long period of being sick. It makes me realize that I should be very fortunate for what my body allows me to do week after week, year after year. There is nothing fun about having to take time off or listen to your body and just rest because we all want to be out there getting it done. It is in our nature. However, sometimes in the face of adversity we learn a lot about what is important, and we come out on the other side stronger and a better person because of it.

On to 2012!

Happy New Year.

My holiday in CT has been very relaxing. Spending time with family is always special and I have enjoyed the past few weeks. Well, I have enjoyed the family part, but I could do without the sub 20 degree days and gloomy weather. I am certainly no longer an east coast girl. 

It wasn't a white Christmas, just a cold one. We opened presents, had a big breakfast, let our bellies digest, then went out on our annual Christmas day run. We sat around the fire, played games, laughed and enjoyed the spirit of the holiday season.

I saw a brilliant chiropractor here in Middlebury, CT on Saturday, and then again on Tuesday who finally got to the bottom of the knee pain I have been having since mid November. All the things I have been focusing on are important (hip stretching and strength, glute strength etc), but these weren't the reasons for the knee pain I have been experiencing. I guess sometimes it takes awhile to figure these things out!

The doctor I saw on Saturday explained to me that my patella is not tracking correctly on my left knee. Based on my history, and the pain I described, he determined that I have patellofemoral syndrome, or Chondromalacia. He showed me as I contracted my quads the huge difference in the direction my patella was traveling from my right knee to my left knee. 

My patella on my left knee is tracking horizontally across and out towards my IT band, instead of straight back. The doctor determined that this is due to a very weak/ non existent vastus medialis (VMO) muscle, and a VERY tight and irritated IT band. This has caused irritation in my knee and cartilage damage as the patella tracks incorrectly.

Since the initial appointment I have been diligently foam rolling my IT band, doing strength exercises for my VMO and avoiding all other activity. Well, I have been doing strength training and core work too, and swimming with a buoy in the endless pool at my neighbors house, but it feels like I haven't been doing anything. I see the doctor again on Friday and the goal is to be back riding on Friday and running on Wednesday the 11th. 

The past few months have been a roller coaster of emotions- patience then frustration, perseverance then anger, at ease and then sad.  I certainly don't feel very fit, and that freaks me out, but I am making changes and am becoming a different athlete- physically and mentally. Dealing with challenges is a reality in this sport, and it has taken me a few emotional breakdowns to realize that there is no need to complain, that I will overcome this injury, and that 2012 will be a good year if I continue to look at the positives.

Jessica

"The Triathlete Syndrome"

I met with my coach recently at the gym and learned some really valuable information about myself. Often times, we are so caught up with swimming, biking and running that we don't realize the little things that can add up to big problems.


As far back as I can remember I have had lordosis, a curvature in my spine that causes me to look like I have a stick up my butt when I walk and run. This is something that is pretty common, but has presented me with some problems in sport. 


My coach is the first person to really pay attention to these small details and pinpoint some very important areas of weakness in my body. Throughout the years, the weaknesses in my posture, and core, and tightness in my hips has basically shut my glutes off. I have managed to get by through compensation, but a month ago, my knee gave up on me. It was my body's way of telling me that changes need to be made moving forward. 


My homework these days is to stretch and strengthen my hips and squeeze/activate my glutes constantly.  I am also trying to focus on tucking my core under to eliminate the lordosis in my spine at all times. Seems like pretty basic stuff, but I think that these little things will help me make huge leaps forward in the future. Glutes are the powerhouse in triathlon, so if I can get mine to work then I will be a stronger and more efficient athlete all around. Hopefully all of these things will add up and eliminate the pain from my knee that has been lingering for the past month.


The tight hips and weak glutes is often called "The Triathlete Syndrome," and is very common. Not so common, however, is people's focus on improving these imbalances and weaknesses to become better athletes. No one wants to spend time everyday stretching and fixing tiny little imbalances in your body- it hurts and it's boring. However, my coach believes that these changes will get me to a place I haven't been before- running and biking more efficiently with my glutes behind me and in turn, getting less tired from workouts from compensation. With this, all things should fall into place because I will be able to build volume/ intensity, recover and repeat for fitness gains.


Sure, I would love to be out running, but until I can make these changes, I will continue to compensate and put strain on my knee from weaknesses in other areas of my body. In the meantime, I still have plenty of options to get my endorphin fix each day and I am confident that in 2012, my body will be stronger and more efficient than ever.


Here's to a strong behind in 2012!




Jessica

Off Season Update

Tomorrow I am headed to Boston to visit my older sister Emily. After a weekend there, I will be back in CT for a week to celebrate Thanksgiving with family. I am extremely excited to spend some time with everyone.

Recently, training has been going well. I am in a "maintenance" phase, just continuing to train without much intensity, getting ready to ramp things up come December 1. I have been in the gym a lot trying to get stronger, especially in my upper body for swimming, and I have already noticed a difference in the water. I have learned a lot about myself through doing strength training and found specific areas that are weak and need serious improvement over the next few months.

Unfortunately on Friday last week, I was riding Flagstaff (a tough climb here in Boulder), and hurt my left knee. I ran off the bike and was completely fine, but while swimming on Saturday, I began to experience some pain on the inside of my knee cap. I didn't think anything of it, iced it, ran long Saturday, rode Sunday, and then realized it was something that needed to be addressed. I got in touch with a very knowledgeable physical therapist here in Boulder (Bob Cranny) and he gave me a plan of action for healing my knee. Apparently while climbing on Friday, and standing up often while climbing, my hip was internally rotating putting pressure on my knee, which caused some inflammation in my patella tendon. Since I decided to address the issue so soon, it shouldn't be much of a problem. I have to take some time off from running, ice regularly, and just take good care of it for now.

At first, I was very frustrated by this situation, but my outlook shifted towards optimism when I realized that I am not racing anytime soon, and that, like my mom said "we are defined by how we deal with obstacles." I am going to start working with Bob when I get back from Thanksgiving break on eliminating imbalances, and taking a holistic approach on strength training. Every athlete deals with injuries at some point in their career, so I plan on kicking this one in the butt and getting ready for a great 2012.

Chris and I visited the OTC in the Springs this past weekend. We went down to visit Ryan Bice, a great friend of ours who transferred from Boulder to UCCS to be a part of the ETA (Elite Triathlon Academy). It was great to spend some time with him and the other athletes that are a part of the team- Kevin McDowell, Kelly Whitley and Johanna Gartman. We did a nice hard swim Saturday am, a longish run, and then we did sauna sessions with ice baths in between. We had so much fun and really enjoyed training with some people who are extremely talented and fun to be around.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and holiday season! Stay healthy and be happy.

Jessica

Myrtle Beach Race Recap

So, this weekend was a tough one...

After Buffalo, I wasn't feeling great and my body was beat up, but Thursday last week I started feeling good during training sessions, so I decided to race again. I was excited for Myrtle Beach, SC because I heard it was a great venue, I had never been to the state before, and my dad flew in to keep me company and be my support crew. Even better, my body was feeling great the few days leading into the race. All in all, I was anticipating another solid race since Buffalo had gone well. However, as we all know, racing doesn't always go how you hoped it would.

Unfortunately, yesterday was one of those days. At the first buoy during the swim, I got tangled in the buoy chain and literally couldn't escape. I saw the pack swimming away from me, finally muscled my way out of the hole, and continued fighting to get back. I have been swimming since I was two years old, and I actually was scared of drowning for the first time in my life. It wasn't just the aggression around the first buoy, but the fact that the physical barrier was holding me under. I wasted a lot of energy trying to get loose, and losing the group changes everything.

Coming out of the water I hustled, had a good t1, rode the first two laps solo on top of my shoes, and eventually got caught by a group of 2. We worked pretty well together but a group of 4 or 5 caught us with 3.5 laps to go. With all of us together, we actually made up some time on the front pack, but it wasn't much, so heading into t2 we still were down 2:30.

On the run, I felt okay, but nothing like Buffalo. I had some side stitches but I kept fighting, determined to get to the finish line. It is unfortunate when situations happen like being caught in the swim buoy, because it doesn't matter how much you have prepared, or how fit you are, it is out of your hands.

Similar to the situation I experienced yesterday, the crash in Buffalo could have affected me as well. Fortunately, I was able to weave around the crash and stay upright. Every race there will be factors you can't control, so it is just about dealing with them, learning from them, and continuing to fight your way to the finish line. Now, if I get tangled in a buoy again, I will be able to handle it better!

It would have been nice to end the season on a better note, but I am glad I went down to Myrtle Beach to show my commitment to racing. It is tough to travel at this time of the year with school, but every race is so valuable, not for the result you get, but for the learning experience.

I may race in Phoenix in a few weeks at the Amica finale, a sprint non draft event, just for fun! 2011 has been a big transition year, and I am happy to be healthy, both physically and mentally, and pleased with the progression I have made over the past six months. It has been a slow process, and required a lot of patience, but I know I am headed in the right direction.

All for now,

Jess

Race Report: Elite Nationals

I thought I was going to sleep like a baby after racing and then driving 6 hours home with my Mom back to CT, but I was wrong. I tossed and turned with a lot on my mind after having a race I am truly proud of.

This season has not been the smoothest journey, but through my wavering health issues, mental setbacks after bad races, and trying to just get fit again, I have been extremely patient.

I started working with a new coach, Joanna Zeiger, in May this year and she has taught me a great deal as an athlete and a person. In general, she made me put the brakes on and really get in a good place mentally before taking on the physical challenges in training and racing. I have never trusted in a coach and truly believed in a plan like I do now.

It certainly wasn't easy having to rebuild very gradually, see very small fitness gains, and ultimately, not race much because I just wasn't ready to toe the line. However, to see how far I have come since May is truly remarkable, and most importantly, I am having fun racing again and getting stronger each week.

At this point, I am not sure what the rest of 2011 holds for triathlon, but I am really looking forward to what lays ahead. I may be racing Myrtle Beach depending on my recovery from Elite Nationals and logistics with school.

In regards to my race weekend...

I flew home on Wednesday night into Hartford, CT and spent the night at home. The next day, my mom and I were planning on leaving in the morning to make the drive up to Buffalo, but my cracked derailleur hanger delayed our departure. I received my new 2011 Orca about a month ago from the Timex team (You guys rock!) and I absolutely love it. I was really upset to see a cracked part after traveling home, but the real challenge was in finding the exact derailleur hanger to replace the broken piece. Because the bike is a brand new model, the derailleur hanger is too, brand spanking new. After a couple dozen phone calls to various bike shops between Middlebury, CT and Buffalo, we found a shop that used to be an Orbea dealer a few miles from our hotel in New York. They overnighted the piece and I got everything situated on Friday late morning. The bike shop in Buffalo called "Handlebars" took such good care of me and got my bike all set for Saturday.

I really enjoyed the time in Buffalo prior to the race- my mom and I found some great restaurants, spent a lot of time catching up and chatting, and it was nice to take a break from classes and schoolwork. I was surprisingly relaxed in the days leading up to the race, and even on race morning. After having a solid race in Kelowna, and some good training in the month after the race leading into Elite Nationals, I was confident that I could have a good race. Plus, having my family on the sidelines makes the experience extra special, and pushes me to race my best.

Race morning I woke up feeling somewhat rested, but I never sleep that well the night before. I ran through my usual routine- shower, pack my race bag, get my bike ready, breakfast, re-check race bag and bike etc. We left the hotel around 9 AM, and arrived at the race site for check in. I did my bike warm up, run warm up and then took my yummy Espresso gel, a few swigs of cytomax and got into my wetsuit. Before I knew it, I was on the pontoon, about to dive off for the start of the 2011 Elite National Championships.

The swim: Fortunately, the swim wasn't that rough physically amongst the other athletes. Unfortunately, I felt pretty horrible on the swim and it took me about 3/4 of the first lap to really feel warmed up. I was in a small group coming out of the water after the first loop and ended up staying with them throughout the second lap and into transition. Frustrated with how bad I felt in the water, I shrugged it off, stayed in the moment, and focused on having a good transition and staying with the group. This seems to be something I am usually not that successful at!

The Bike: I managed to get into a group of four that worked pretty well together, and we reeled in a few other groups of three and two riders, and eventually became a pack of about fifteen girls. The only two in front of us at this point were Laura Bennett and Helen Jenkins. The dominance of these two athletes caused a lot of girls to get lapped out on the bike portion of the race. Our group was not organized at all, and pretty much just riding along. With two laps to go, there was a really bad crash causing four or five girls to go down- I just missed it by the skin of my teeth. Pretty scary stuff! Coming into T2, we were a group of eight.

The Run: I was pretty conservative at the start of the run, and felt stronger and stronger as it went on. I really enjoyed the run course because I had people supporting me each step of the way. My mom was on one corner, Stephen Wright was on another, and Emily and Charlie were in the area where we came through each time near transition. I mentally took the run one chunk at a time, looking forward to hearing a familiar voice and getting support. The run portion of the race taught me a lot about how I can approach my next race. Now, I probably am closer to having the fitness to attack the run from the start and not explode halfway through (what happened in Kelowna!) I felt like I could keep building with each lap of the race, and instead of crawling over the finish line I was charging and running strong. I gave it everything I had and finished 8th overall, 6th American.

Approaching the race, I told myself I would be really pleased with another top 10 at Elite Nationals. I got 10th place the past two years, but the start list had a lot of talent this year and I knew the competition would require a great race to be in the top 10. Even more important, I feel like each race back this season I feel stronger for longer. In Monroe, I fell apart after the swim (brutal day!), in Kelowna, I felt great until the last half of the run, and in Buffalo, I felt strongest at the end of the run. This shows me that all the hard work is paying off and my fitness is coming around!

Seeing my family was great! Usually I go from August through to Thanksgiving time without seeing them, so this trip split that chunk of time in half. Now, only another 8 weeks until I am home for break.

2011 hasn't been a season filled with incredible performances, but it has been a season filled with incredible improvements. From where I was at, to where I am now is huge for me! I went from being in a hospital bed in April, to a top 10 finish at Elite Nationals in September, with several hurdles in between. I can't be anything but satisfied.

Jessica

Fall Update

I am really excited to head home in a week for Elite Nationals. I will be flying into Hartford, CT on Wednesday, spending the night at home with my sisters and parents, then driving up to Buffalo, NY the next day with my Mom in the Timex car! My family members are my biggest supporters, so having them on the sidelines at a race always makes the experience extra special. The last time my whole family was at a race of mine was Collegiate Nationals my freshman year- my first big win of my triathlon career. I absolutely love racing in front of them so they can see how much fun I have, and see the results of all my hard work.

Since school started again, each day is a balancing act, and some days are more successful than others! I do my best, and am pleased at how training has been going the past month. I am loving my classes this semester and learning so much everyday. Overall, I am one happy girl! My next post will be a race report from Elite Nationals.

All for now,

Jessica