#IMLou – PushMyLimits

Attitude of Gratitude

Published on November 19, 2018 by Kecia8 Comments

I’ve been working to harbor an “Attitude of Gratitude” in 2018, which is sometimes harder than it should be! There is SO much to be grateful for everyday and I reflect on that before bed every night. The hard part is finding gratitude in every moment throughout the day…especially when faced with challenges, struggles, and negativity.

Since November is typically the month of gratitude and we are embarking on Thanksgiving week, I decided to take some time to reflect on what I have done to include more gratitude in my life.

You may have noticed during my monthly “What’s up?!” blog posts, a gratitude section this year. This is a great way to reflect on each month and be grateful for the things that have stood out as positive and uplifting!
Each night before crawling into bed, I reflect on the day. Writing down all of the things I am grateful for that day in my gratitude journal. This is a great way to focus on all of the positives (even the little things) that happen throughout the day. It has also caused me to focus more on the positives and gratitude moments throughout the day as they occur.
I am constantly reminding myself to be grateful even during the struggles. When I catch myself encountering a struggle, I try to shift my mindset and make myself much more aware of the positives that I’m experiencing in those moments.
I am also working to be more mindful and present throughout each day. Focusing on the 5 senses + how I feel in the moment + what I think at different moments in time throughout each day.

All of these things have helped me harbor an “attitude of gratitude” this year. I truly believe we can not have enough gratitude for all of the amazing people, experiences, memories + things in our lives! I’ve chosen to embrace gratitude this year and find good in everything! Some moments are more of a struggle than others, but even when things are tough, there is something to be grateful for! Sometimes we just have to get out our magnifying glass and look a little harder for the good. 😉

There have been so many amazing moments so far in 2018!! Here is just a snapshot of the things I am grateful for this year:

Supporting our twin nieces at their swim meet!

Traci, we love you! So grateful to have amazing friends at work!

SO grateful for the best neighbor anyone could ask for! #lovemyneighbor

“Right now” was pure joy for 50 miles on two wheels with my fave! I was so happy to be outside riding on the open roads!

Meeting up with my Coeur Sports sister, Michelle at the Kansas City Triathlon!

Turning social friends into real friends!! So grateful to meet Beth in person!!

So grateful I got to meet up with Steena, my Coeur Sports sister!! Love this beautiful, badass lady!!

I did a thang! The #flatlander703 was the TOUGHEST race I’ve ever done, but I learned A LOT and got 1st place overall!! Thanks to my fave for the award ceremony and making me feel special!!

Incredibly grateful that my fave walked away from a solo bicycle accident with lots of road rash and NO head injury (despite cracking his helmet in 2 places). Wear your helmet people!! It saves lives!!

So grateful for my friend Robin!! She surprised me with the perfect motivational gift from Hawaii…an #IMWC visor (don’t worry…it doesn’t say finisher or have a date on it…she made sure of that)!! Thank you!! Thank you!! Thank you!!

So grateful that I got to spend the morning with my colleague at the Accel Triathlon cheering on my fave and friends!!

Love these peeps!! So grateful to have them in my life!!

So grateful for Kyle at Kyle’s Bikes!! His race day blessing means Mojo is ready to roll!!

My Coeur runneth over!! I got to meet some of the most inspirational, determined, loving ladies today!! #happycoeur

I’m riding cloud nine after setting a PR at Ironman Ohio 70.3 and finally breaking 6 hours, but I’m not sure it would have happened without Steena by my side. This girl is the definition of #heartandcourage and I’m so grateful for her!! Her strength, positivity, selflessness, and uplifting spirit are just a few of the wonderful things about her!! Thank you Steena for all you did to help me achieve my dream!! Love you girl!! “PRs are better with friends!!”

So grateful to have Steena by my side as I broke 6 hours, crushed goals, and achieved dreams at Ironman Ohio 70.3!! Thank you Steena for being such a strong, motivating, awesome BADASS!!

This guy! There aren’t enough words! Thank you for your support! Thank you for believing in me! Thank you for encouraging me to chase my dreams! Thank you for motivating me when I lack self-motivation! Thank you for pushing me to do and be my best! Thank you for loving and choosing me! Thank you! I’m so blessed and grateful to have you by my side on this journey! Love you!

Hard work pays off!! Thanks to my #sub6orbust buddy Steena for pulling me up ALL. THE. HILLS On 2 loops of the #IMWI bike course!!

Grateful to spend the afternoon at the state fair with these fun peeps listening to Brett Eldredge live in concert!

Basil turned 6 years old on Monday…I love these two SO MUCH!!

All of these amazing volunteers helped us keep T1 in check on #IMWI race morning. I’m so grateful for their help!!

Grateful for the OneBrainWellness Self Defense clinic to learn how to defend myself against an attacker!!

So grateful to have this crazy group of colleagues to work with!!

So grateful to briefly chat with Elaina at mile 26 of the Twin Cities Marathon!!

So grateful to briefly chat with my Coeur Sports sister, Kendra (and meet little Ralphie <3) at mile 8.5 of the Twin Cities Marathon!!

Getting to meet up with a few of my Coeur Sports sisters in Louisville was so much fun!! This team of uplifting, encouraging, supportive women is where it’s at!!

My cheer squad on the second loop at #IMLou!! Tim, Abbie, and Dad (left to right) chasing me up the hill into LaGrange! I made it back to them!

The finish line is the best feeling after such a physically and mentally challenging day! #IMLou

Grateful to get to see my cousin and cheer on his wife at the Des Moines Marathon!!

Grateful for my colleagues!! The #7dwarfs #spookoutdrugs during Red Ribbon Week at school!!

The Coeur Sports 2019 ambassador team…I’m SO grateful to be representing the BEST brand + sisterhood in endurance sport!!

So thankful to have this guy by my side in life!!

How do you live with an attitude of gratitude?! How do you focus on gratitude in every moment…even when faced with challenges and struggles?!

Race day via Sherpa/spectator extraordinaire at #IMLou

Published on October 26, 2018 by Kecia9 Comments

I couldn’t be more grateful to have had my husband play the role of Sherpa/spectator at Ironman Louisville this year. Because this is the first time that we have not been racing the same Ironman, I asked him to write about his experiences being Sherpa/spectator extraordinaire at Ironman Louisville. Here is his account of the day:

As guest writer this week, I am going to give my perspective on the day at IMLOU as Sherpa and spectator. If possible, I will try and not repeat any account of the day already documented by Kecia, other than the obvious features such as the weather, which was the theme of the day.

I considered omitting this first topic, but after some thought, really felt that it was important to share. When Kecia was checking in for the race on Thursday, I walked with her through the line that we both know too well, the check-in line at the IRONMAN. As we neared the end of the line, a volunteer handed Kecia a bag of items. She asked if I was racing and I said no. Then she openly exclaims, “I knew you weren’t an IRONMAN.” OH BOY! I have no problem letting it slide off my back. The volunteer does not know me, and I certainly do not need any validation from her about my abilities and accomplishments.

Immediately, my wife, the great protector says to the volunteer, “He’s actually a 5-time IRONMAN finisher.” Kecia, for the win! I suppose in a way, I do not look the part. I am 6’4” and 240 pounds. I have long, flowing curly hair. Others have noted that I look like I should play hockey or be a surfer dude. The whole interaction made me laugh and was only awkward for a brief moment, more for the volunteer than for me.

The IRONMAN community is not that large. I recognized the volunteer. She is a multiple IRONMAN finisher and present on certain electronic and social media platforms. I felt that her comment to me was not offensive, but clearly did not create an open and positive community. We are all ambassadors for the sport. Endurance sport is hard; do not make it harder by isolating others! Enough on that.

In preparation for race day, Kecia and I already had discussed how the day was going to be a mental challenge. She had the fitness and ability to conquer the day. There was no sense in dwelling on the obvious conditions that lie ahead, cold and wet. I was optimistic in her attitude the day before the race, she never once complained.

During the night before race day, I woke occasionally to monitor the radar. Light rain had passed through most of the night and into the waking hours of 4 a.m. Kecia’s father and sister shared a house with Kecia and me for the weekend. When we woke, her dad made a comment of how he was cold already. Kecia was not present at the time. I looked right at him, with her sister present and said that there was absolutely no room for comments like that around the athletes. All the talk needed to be positive, end of discussion.

Before the race, we had done all we needed to get Kecia ready and stayed dry when we could. I walked with Kecia to the staging area for the swim start. I was pleased with how calm the athletes were, given the very poor racing conditions. Triathletes as a whole are very type-A personality, wound tight with their plans and strategy, and any conditions that are not ideal can create great anxiety and frustration. I almost sensed a feeling of community among the participants. Quite often, it’s the opposite; triathlon tends to be a solo sport, togetherness gets put to the side in the interest of personal competition, but I witness this on race morning.

As the swim started, I walked back to the finish area of the swim. By this time, I had already known that the swim was shortened. I was in position to take pictures of Kecia in Transition 1, both entering and exiting the transition area.

At this point, Kecia’s sister, Abbie, and her father, Gary, and I headed for the car. We were going to join a mutual friend, Camila and drive out to a viewing point in La Grange. We all had the appropriate gear loaded in to the car and we were off! When we arrived, bikes were already screaming through town. The viewing area was on a flat piece of road, fans lined the barricades on both sides. I immediately made the decision to go down on the far end, where bikes enter into town.

I am glad I went there, as the road made a slight incline, where some riders sat up and slowed down, making a good opportunity to cheer and take pictures. I knew this is where I wanted to be for the duration of our stay in La Grange.

We were to the meeting area before our athletes approached. I found an awning at a service station to make camp-put down my bag, keep some of my items dry. At this point, it was a heavy dew or mist. The rain showers appeared to be taking a break.

I went out to the middle of the road, right on the double yellow line. The athletes were riding right; a few of the faster ones were passing left, as they should. The rules state that spectators are not to be on the course. There were no course officials around me, so I stayed where I was. When I saw a motorcycle course official coming, I cleared out of the way.

I did my best to ring a cowbell in one hand and cheer for athletes with the other. Gary had printed shirts for the event, and they were a huge hit. Racers complimented with “Love your shirts!”

At one point, I pushed up my sleeves. I was wearing a long-sleeved technical fiber undershirt and my pink shirt over it. I also had on a base layer of pants with wind pants over them. I was just right on temperature. Abbie asked me if I was cold. I said I was a little, but if the racers see me as warm, maybe they will feel warmer too. I am certain that me being out there without a coat did not make them warmer, but I was at least hoping it would make them feel warmer. I used every positive form of affirmation I could when racers went by me.

After Kecia passed through the second time, we loaded up and headed back into the city. This gave me ample time to get back to our car, my home base for the day. Get some food and repack my gear bag for the run. I also had my cross bike, so I was hitting the run course on bike as soon as I could!

I staged myself in the first mile of the run, wearing the same gear I wore in La Grange. Racers recognized me right away. The pink shirt was a great identifier for racers! As they passed me on the run, they called me “middle of the road guy” and “smiley guy.” I consider both of them a huge compliment. The first name might mean that I was in their way some on the ride into La Grange. I am not sure. Maybe it just meant they noticed I was standing in the middle of the road.

Either way, I was happy to be on the bike course cheering for them. The real work of my day started when cheering for them on the run course. It was an out-and-back affair, so I tried to get half way out on the course, with many opportunities to see racers going both directions, and somewhat frequently.

I made it out to the run course, approximately 3-4 miles out from the finish. I really wanted to stand in the middle of the road for the run, but there was less room. Runners were going each direction. I stood on the side and rang my trusty bell, cheering for racers by name when I could see them on their race bibs. I did not pack any lights for my bike, so I headed back to the start/finish area. I saw Kecia make the turn for the second loop.

At that point, it was about 7 p.m. I was able to get her bike and gear bags from transition. She knew that I would not see her on the second loop. I headed to our car, dropped off my bike and cracked open a Coors Light that I had packed for the day. I was tired, cold and wet. I was in no position to complain. I had a great day, beyond disbelief what the athletes were accomplishing.

I wandered down to the transition zone, gathered the bike and gear. As a racer myself, I had full appreciation of having somebody get my gear at some of my races. It was nice to experience it from this side. Sherpa is not glamorous at all, but carries weight beyond understanding.

I made it back to the car, polished off a second brew and packed both bikes and gear from the day in the car. I was finally able to get on a new set of clothes that were dry! It was refreshing to change clothes, get off my feet for a little while. I really enjoyed the serenity of being at the car along the river. The air was heavy with dampness. Airplanes were landing over downtown. They felt so low that I could reach up and grab them, even though I could not see them.

Having all of the gear stowed, I headed to the finish area with a light pack and felt like a new man!

After a quick appetizer at a restaurant, Gary, Abbie and I found our places along the finish chute. They chose a spot up the chute. I chose a spot right next to the arch. I asked two people if I could have their space until my racer came through, then they could have their spot back and they could see their racer finish. They were happy to share and I appreciated it very much.

For the next 20 minutes or so, it was loud and I could not hear much other than the normal sound of an IRONMAN finish line. It was electric! People were banging on the boards, screaming, yelling, the excitement was brilliant!

I have been fortunate to run through and spectate at multiple IRONMAN events. The finish chute at LOU is right there with other races I have attended. After Kecia finished, we all gathered and made sure she was able to recover properly. We were all very tired, but that is the IRONMAN!

I had a wonderful day as spectator and Sherpa. It gave me new respect for those who choose that role over racing. Without a doubt, racing the IRONMAN is easier than spectating. When racing, you have one job- keep moving forward towards the finish.

Until IMLOU, Kecia and I have raced the very same IRONMAN races. We have always had somebody else pick up our gear and be at our aide. I was somewhat nervous about the experience, but it worked out just fine.

At IMLOU, the racers had to be mentally strong, maybe their strongest ever. I have no idea how many of them finished. I have no idea how Kecia finished. In the end, finishing the race is not about the finish time; what we learn along the way shapes us and makes us better.

I regret nothing about not racing the IRONMAN in 2018. After the 2017 season, I committed to not doing one in 2018 and I stuck to it. I am thankful for the off-season that lies ahead, but also optimistic for the training next season. We signed up for IRONMAN Lake Placid on July 28, 2019. We already have our lodging secured in Lake Placid for 2 weeks around the race. See you there!

#IMLou Race Report…Explore!

Published on October 22, 2018 by Kecia20 Comments

“Of course we all have our limits, but how can you possibly find your boundaries unless you EXPLORE as far and as wide as you possibly can? I would rather fail in an attempt at something new and uncharted than safely succeed in a repeat of something I have done.” ~Ericka Hachmeister

Each race tells a story and gives lessons about triathlon and life. Ironman Louisville was definitely NOT a repeat of something I have ever done and was quite the story with so many lessons learned! Sit back with your favorite beverage and enjoy what was the absolute toughest day I’ve ever had! It is quite the lengthy account of my day, so if you want the short version, you’ll miss out on so much, but just scroll to “Overall” at the bottom of the post.

Pre-Race:

On race morning, I woke to rain, air temperatures of 40*F, and higher winds than I what were predicted. I ate my muesli, drank my Karma Kombucha, and read my pre-race paragraph from “Swimming to Antarctica” by Lynne Cox before putting on my race gear and heading out the door.

“Be calm; focus on what you are doing to do. Don’t get distracted, don’t get overwhelmed, take it all as it comes. You are ready for this; you’ve prepared for years. This is it, your time to shine. Go forth with all your powers. Go forth with everything in you. Make it work.”

Once we parked the car, we hung out in the warm, dry environment for about 30 extra minutes before venturing out in the cold rain + wind. During this time, I decided to weasel my way into my wetsuit inside of the car. If you’ve ever tried to put on a wetsuit when you are wet, it is NOT easy!! It wasn’t exactly “easy” weaseling my way into my wetsuit in the front car seat either…

Struggling into my wetsuit in the dry car.

After putting on my wetsuit, it was time to make my way down to transition to put my bike bottles on my bike, reduce my tire pressure a bit (thanks to the wet roads), get body marked (thankfully this was under a bridge so I could get my wetsuit back on easily), and then head down to the swim start.

Transition…who’s ready to race in the rain + cold?!

It was a 0.9 mile walk from transition to the swim start. During this time, I drank one bottle of my Infinit bike nutrition to get some extra calories in before the swim. Once at the swim start, I lined up behind the 1:10-1:20 sign as I anticipated a 1:12-1:15 swim time for my 2.4 mile swim. As we waited for the swim start, my feet started to freeze and I really had to pee. Since it was still raining, I decided let it flow and guess what?!?! IT WARMED MY TOES!! This would later prove to be a great decision as the amount of time we were to stand and wait was extended from about 30 minutes to more than an hour. At 7:2o am, they let the pro men into the water for a practice swim. This was when the race director realized the swim course was going to have to be shortened because the pro men could not swim upstream due to the strong current. This meant that the race start would be pushed back by at least 35 minutes. Once the age group athletes got word that we were now only swimming 0.9 miles downstream and wouldn’t be starting until 8:10 (instead of the 7:35 am scheduled start time), the buzz + hype started. Athletes were upset that they wouldn’t be doing the full Ironman distance. Athletes said things like, “If Ironman’s mantra is ‘Anything is possible,’ then they should allow us to try the full swim.” I could have easily allowed myself to get sucked into all of the buzz and drama that was going on, but instead reminded myself that even though I’d trained for the 2.4 mile swim, it was time to accept the change and focus on getting to the run. Yes, I knew that a 112 mile bike stood between the swim and the run, but with the adverse conditions, my goal was to get to the run.

Spraying down with SBR Sports Tri Slide before zipping up the wetsuit. Thankfully I was under a bridge to stay dry at this point.

As we made our way to the docks, I joked with Dave Kappas (the race announcer since Mike Reilly was in Kona) about floating on our backs down river with a pool floaty and a cup holder for an exotic drink. As we slowly made our way down to the docks, the chatter continued, my feet became numb, and the anxiety of spending the rest of my day cold + wet built.

Swim: 16:19 for 0.9 mile (1:02/100 yards); 39/113 W40-44; 228/601 W; 949/2034 Overall

Finally it was my turn to jump off of the dock and into the water. Before jumping into the water, we were told there were 6 buoys we should keep on our left (in other words, stay to the right of the buoys and to the left of the kayakers). As I jumped into the water, the 69*F water temperature felt SO WARM!! Ahhh…finally my feet would warm up!! I saw the 1st buoy and kept it to my left, but as I was approaching the 2nd buoy, I realized it was no longer attached to the anchor at the bottom of the Ohio River. Instead, it was drifting downstream and toward the center of the river (it kept moving right), so I decided to try to hold my line. The kayakers were yelling at us telling us to go to the right of the buoy. I stopped swimming just long enough to tell them the buoy was not attached and was floating away. A couple of them took off after the buoy and others just kept shouting at us trying to tell us where to go as the next buoy had also previously been separated from the anchor. Others were trying to keep us to the right of the bridge pillar as all kinds of logs and debris had built up between the pillar and the shore. They didn’t want us swimming into a log jam. Thank you volunteers!! Trying to hear what people are shouting at you with your head in the water is nearly impossible, so I did my best to hold my line and keep swimming. I swam past one gentleman floating on his back taking advantage of the strong current in the water. As I continued to swim, I realized that only 3 of the 6 buoys we were supposed to swim to the right of were actually properly placed for us to swim past. The other 3 buoys had to be captured and hauled to shore by kayakers because they became detached from the anchors. As I approached the swim exit, more kayakers were shouting. I briefly stopped swimming so that I could hear what they were shouting. “Don’t overshoot the swim exit!”Apparently people had overshot the swim exit and kayakers had to haul them back upstream because the current was too strong for them to swim back upstream to the swim exit that they’d missed. I continued on and as I was within 100 yards from the swim exit, the smell of sewer drifted over us. I SERIOUSLY thought I was going to puke in the river! It was ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING! While it was still raining and cold, I was very glad to have the first part of the day behind me.

One lone swim buoy out in the Ohio River!!

T1: 12:15

I quickly pulled down my wetsuit and had a couple of amazing volunteers strip it off of me before running my way into the transition area to bundle up before heading out on the bike.

The day before I had put on my race gear, took a cold shower, and went out on the bike in 38*F air temperature to test if my race gear would be warm enough. Brrrr!! Through this test, I had a really good idea of what to wear on the bike though!! I stepped into my aero top, tugged on two pair of arm warmers, slipped my toes into plastic bags, pulled my socks on overtop, slid my feet into my shoes, grabbed my extra Infinit bike nutrition and shoved it in my aero top, donned my helmet and clear goggles as I ran to my bike. As I exited T1, I saw my Coeur Sports teammate Lia cheering me on! Thanks Lia!

Running to the bike…ready to ride in the rain!!

Bike: 7:03:05 for 112 miles (15.88 mph); 41/113 W40-44; 244/601 W; 1196/2034 Overall

As I started rolling out of town, I was cold (42*F), wet, and I decided to ride on feel alone. This was not going to be a “normal” 112 mile Ironman bike ride, so trying to maintain my prescribed watts with wet roads and wet brakes went out the window in the first mile.

Rolling out of transition ready to be cold and wet for the rest of the day!!

The headwind was strong. Not as strong as I’m used to when riding on the open roads in central Iowa, but stronger than the 5-10 mph that The Weather Channel said it should be. Combining that with the cold and wet conditions, just poured salt in the wound. “Just put your head down and get to LaGrange so you can see Tim, Dad, and Abbie! EXPLORE!”

I’m riding along the river, although you can’t really see it in the background thanks to Mother Nature’s unique sense of humor.

As I turned onto the loop, I saw a few athletes standing on the side of the road with their bikes leaned up against a fence. They were SO cold that they were shivering uncontrollably. I told them they should get on their bikes and keep moving to try to stay warm, but they said they were waiting for the sag vehicle to come and pick them up. They had decided that their day was done. I rode on. OMG…my feet are so cold that they are numb!! I really have to pee…I’ve never peed on the bike before…maybe I should try on the next downhill. Ahhh…that feels SO GOOD!! OH and my feet are warm!! I may have to do this more often!! Well that didn’t last…cold feet again. UGH!! Shortly after this point, I saw Tim as I was climbing up the hill into LaGrange. He was cheering for me (and all of the other athletes), ringing the cowbell, and encouraging us to keep going. He told me Dad and Abbie were up ahead. After passing him, I started crying. “This is SO HARD!! STOP IT!! You have done harder things!! EXPLORE!!” (lie #1 to myself) I pedaled on through the hot corner in LaGrange with a smile on my face as random strangers cheered me on. I completely missed seeing Dad and Abbie on that first loop. After leaving town, it became pretty desolate. There were only a couple of places where spectators were out on the course cheering us on, but not many. Thankfully when I turned left, I was blocked by a wall of trees and I had a break from the wind. Who cares if I have to climb a hill or two?!?! I don’t!! I love climbing!! I’m just happy to have a temporary reprieve from the rain and wind (don’t worry…it didn’t last)!!

Taking advantage of the temporary break in the rain and wind!! Climb baby climb!!

And then the rain and drizzle started back up and I passed a sign on the side of the road that said, “Mother Nature is a whore!” I smiled and nodded. Yep! “Mother Nature, why do you hate us?!?! STOP CRYING! I feel AMAZING! EXPLORE!” (lie #2 to myself) Oh…time to warm up the feet again! That feels so good! Just get back to Tim, Dad, and Abbie!! Keep pedaling!! UGH…my feet are frozen again! Grandma’s hill…check! Pee on the bike…check! Guys in speedos cheering us on the rain…check! Pee on the bike…check! Road sign that says “Louisville 33″…check! “Why can’t I have only 33 miles back to Louisville?!?! STOP!! I feel good, I knew that I would, now! I feel good, I knew that I would, now! So good, so good, I got you!” (as I sang James Brown out loud…lie #3 to myself) Just get back to Tim, Dad, and Abbie!! Here is the split…I REALLY wish I were going back into town instead of starting the loop again! EXPLORE! Here we go again! Warm those feet up again momentarily…check! Oh…here is LaGrange! Bike special needs pit stop…swap out the bottles and move on…check! Just keep pedaling to Tim, Dad, and Abbie! Oh look…

My cheer squad on the second loop!! Tim, Abbie, and Dad (left to right) chasing me up the hill into LaGrange! I made it back to them!

Ok…Here we go again!! One more loop!! Just finish the bike and get to the run!! There are those random strangers cheering me on at the hot corner in LaGrange!! Thank you for still being out here. Finally I get to turn left again to enjoy the area without wind!! Let’s climb some more!!

Here we go again!! Loop 2 will lead me back to Louisville!!

Thankfully I get to descend and pee again to warm my feet!! A guy in an IronWorx Multisport kit passed me saying, “Hey…Do you know Steena?!” I responded with, “I do! Love her!” He said, “She is the best!” before riding on down the road. Oh look…there is the sign saying, “Mother Nature is a whore” and guess what?!?! It’s still raining + cold!! Go figure!! Just keep smiling!! You’re AWESOME!! EXPLORE!!” (lie #4 to myself) I really wish my feet would stay warm longer than 10 seconds when I pee on them!! “I don’t know if I can do this anymore. I’m so cold + wet! Why can’t Mother Nature give us a break?! STOP WITH THE NEGATIVITY!! You are doing awesome!! Just get to the run!! EXPLORE!!” (more lies…how many exactly by this point is beyond me as I’m sure I missed a few) Grandma’s hill…here we go again!! Last time up this B*TCH!! “OH SH*T!! Mojo…why did you drop your chain at the bottom of the hill?!?! UGH!! OK…Single leg spinning…you can do this!! You’ve done worse!! There you go! Clip that other foot in and get to the top!” Grandma’s hill for the last time…check! Pee on the bike…check! Guys in speedos cheering us on the rain…where are you?!?! Pee on the bike…check! Road sign that says “Louisville 33″…check! FINALLY I get to go back to Louisville and I get to enjoy the tailwind since I fought a headwind on the way out of Louisville! “Wahoo! Let’s rocket home! Right hand turn back to Louisville…wait a minute…where is that tailwind I was supposed to enjoy?!?! Why do you hate us Mother Nature?!?! WHY?!?! Push on!! You have less than 20 miles home!! Just get to the run!! EXPLORE!!” Pee on the bike…check! “Wait a minute…why are there so many cars on this road?! HOLY SH*T!! I have to stop so I don’t rear end that car…OH NO…wet brakes…Mojo, please STOP!! PLEASE STOP!! THANK YOU!! This is insane!! Why are there so many cars on our roads?!?! I’ve never had this much traffic to dodge during an Ironman before. Someone could seriously get hurt out here. This is not safe! Just get back to town! Go figure…brake on the descent so I have to start from a stopped position to climb the hill. STUPID CARS!! ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT…You GET to do this! Be safe and enjoy the last few miles! You are feeling great! EXPLORE!!” (How many lies is this?!?!) Pee on the bike…check! “Oh…there is the Ohio River…that means I’m getting close to transition!! Look…there are the bridges!! Wahoo!! I made it!!” This was my 2nd fastest Ironman bike split in tough conditions!! Boom!!

T2: 10:26

After I handed Mojo off to a volunteer, ran to get my run gear bag, and made my way into the women’s change tent, I knew I needed some information. A volunteer came to help me and I immediately asked, “What is the current windchill and what time of day is it?” She responded with, “Let me look. It is 4:30 pm and the current windchill is 53*F. How can I help you get out on the run?” She helped me exchange my bike nutrition for run nutrition in my pockets, filled my hand held bottle with water (it already had Infinit run formula in the bottle), and helped me pack up my bike gear (don’t worry…I made sure to put my socks and bike shoes in the bag myself so she didn’t have to touch the urine filled gear…although the rain probably washed them clean). I kept one pair of arm warmers and swapped out my gloves for a dry pair (not really sure why since it was still raining) before heading out of transition and onto the run.

Run: 5:30:52 for 26.2 miles (12:37 min/mi); 49/113 W40-44; 281/601 W; 1225/2034 Overall

I finished the bike!! Let’s run!! Ugh…I can’t feel my feet…how long is this going to last?! Oh well…maybe it is best that I can’t feel my feet for now!! Oh…There’s Dad and Abbie! Abbie asked, “How are you feeling.” I responded with, “Good, but I can’t feel my feet. They’re numb from the cold.” As I kept going, I saw Tim just up the street.

Only monitor the heart rate screen…perfect! I am right where I need to be! I’m feeling good! Nice and steady! Forget about the rain…that clearly isn’t going to change! One foot in front of the other! I’m actually feeling a bit warm for the first time since the swim…arm warmers off. Should I throw them or keep them?! I’ll keep them until the second loop to make sure I don’t need them later on. Oh look!! There is Katie Thomas! I bet she’s coming into the finish. “Go Katie go!” She replied with, “You’ve got this Kecia” as she gave me a high five. Just the motivation I needed at this point to keep going. Oh volunteer at the corner…YOU are the best! “Remember your why! Things are going to get tough out there. Remember your why!” He was so right! Heart rate…check! Ugh…I have to pee again! How many times am I going to pee today?! I don’t want that in my run shoes, so kybo it is! That is so much better! Ok…here we go…one foot in front of the other!! There is my Coeur Sports teammate Michelle! “Good work Michelle! You’re doing awesome!” She also cheered me on as we gave each other a high five in passing. Oh…there is the guy from Madison in the IronWorx Multisport kit that passed me on the bike! “Hey there! You are the one that passed me on the bike correct?” He said, “Yes, that was me! So you know Steena!” I said, “Yes! Her and John both! They are great people! I’m Kecia by the way.” “I’m Andrew.” I said, “Steena and I ran together on at Ironman Ohio 70.3 and she helped me achieve a sub 6 hour finish! When it got tough, she gave me this Fellow Flower that I’m wearing. I’m so grateful for them!” He said, “Yes, they just did Ironman Wisconsin.” I said, “Yes! They did awesome! I am the captain of the women’s change area in Wisconsin, so I picked up their gear and bikes and took it to their car for them.” He said, “They are so much fun! Well, I’m going to walk for a bit, so run strong! If you see my wife, Heidi, up ahead, she has a red Fellow Flower in her hair.” I replied with, “I’ll look for her! I’m sure I’ll see you again before the day is done.” Heart rate…check! Keep running strong! Finally…the turn around! Ugh…I have to pee again! Why do I have to pee so much?! Oh…I bet I’m peeing so much because I’m not sweating! I’m glad there are kybos every mile on the run course. Ok…here we go again…one foot in front of the other! Keep going strong and keep the heart rate in check. Oh…I can feel my feet again! They finally aren’t numb from the cold! Wahoo! Heart rate…check! Yes! I made it back to Churchill Downs! Oh…there is Tim out on the bike! He asked, “How are you feeling?” I said, “Good. I’m keeping my heart rate in check.” He said, “I’m going to yo-yo with you back to the turn around” as he rolled ahead. It was about this time that I started to feel a lot of added tension in my back. Just keep moving forward and focus on your form!

There is Tim! Keep putting one foot in front of the other!

There is that amazing volunteer on the corner. He knows just what to say to keep us going! “You have to make it to me 4 times today. That last time, I’ll send you home. Don’t give up! I WANT to see you again!” Oh look!! There is Andrea! We have been social media friends for years and I finally get to give her a high five in person! “Go Andrea Go!” That was a great way to lift my spirits! What was that?! Some guy was yelling at us as he was trying to sleep on the sidewalk by the church. He definitely wasn’t cheering us on either. Hmmm…this is a little sketchy! Ok…there is Tim again. Keep making your way to the turn around! Ugh…I have to pee again! I’ll go in the next Kybo. There, that feels so much better! I’m glad Tim is out here to keep me going right now. “Kecia, I’m going to get your gear when we get to the turn around and I’ll see you later.” I responded with, “Ok. Thank you!”

I made it to the turn around, saw Dad and Abbie, stopped briefly at my run special needs bag to pick up some SBR Sports, Inc. Skin Slick to spray down my arm pits that were feeling like they might have some chafing started. I told the lady that if anyone needed my long sleeved tech shirt to please give it to them (since they throw away our special needs bags after the race…we don’t get them back). It was time to head back out for the last leg of the marathon. Ugh…my back is getting tighter. EXPLORE! Just get to mile 14! Heart rate…check! Mile 14…check! Just get to mile 15! Heart rate…check! Mile 15…check! Just get to mile 16! I have to pee again…this is getting annoying, but I have to keep drinking my calories! Ok…where’s the kybo…there…that’s better! Here we go again…oh no…my back is SCREAMING at me! EXPLORE! Ok…do what you can to keep moving forward. Walk for a bit and then jog as long as you can. Just get to mile 16! Brrr…I’m starting to get cold again. Time to put the arm warmers back on! I’m glad I kept them! Oh…there is Michelle! “Finish strong girl! You’re doing awesome!” Ok…one foot in front of the other! Mile 16…check! Just get to mile 17! Focus on your form. EXPLORE! Come on back…don’t lock up on me just yet! I have a few more miles to get to the finish line! Mile 17…check! Just get to mile 18! I have to pee again! Mile 18…check! Kybo…check! As I stepped out of the kybo, my back spasmed and almost brought me to my knees. Ok…walk for a bit. Just keep moving forward to mile 19 and get to that turn around! Ok…let’s try to jog easy. EXPLORE! Little by little make your way to the finish line. You haven’t come all this way today to quit now. Keep moving forward. Mile 19…check! The turn around…check! Mile 20…check! Kybo…check! Just keep walking/jogging to the finish line! Mile 21…check! There’s Andrew! “Go Andrew!” He asked, “How much farther to the turn around?!” I responded with, “You have a ways to go yet. Finish strong!” I couldn’t remember if he had 1 mile or 2 miles to the turn around and I didn’t want to give him inaccurate information. That is the worst as an athlete! I have to pee again! Mile 22…check! Kybo…check! Oh no…my back is just not going to let me run right now. I’ll try again in a bit. EXPLORE! Nope…still no such luck. Ok…less than 4 miles left. You can walk it home from here. Churchill Downs…check! Mile 23…check! I made it back to the amazing volunteer on the corner. “Time to send me home,” I said as I passed by him. “Way to go! You’ve got this! Finish strong!” As I rounded the corner, I saw another lady walking in front of me. As I approached her, I asked her how her day was going. She said she’d had better. This was her 11th Ironman and this has been her most challenging day yet. She was also walking because her back had locked up, but sadly she was just approaching the turn around and had to go back out for a second loop. We decided that we thought we were having back issues because of the cold temperatures. She said she was going to stop to stretch out her back, so I continued on. Mile 24…check! Just keep walking! Mile 25…check! I have to pee again! I should probably go before I go through the finish chute…it always takes so long to get through there and to a kybo. I’ll go at the next one! Kybo…check! Mile 26…check! Lia! Thank you for being out here! It’s time to shuffle as best I can to make it look like I’m running (that’s pathetic). There’s the finish chute! I can’t believe I made it here. This was truly the toughest day I’ve ever had. Tears…nope, not yet! There is Abbie and Dad! Love you guys! That finish line!

Giving Dad and Abbie a “high five” in the finish chute with my run bottle in hand! Love you both!

Finish: 13:12:58

The finish line is the best feeling after such a physically and mentally challenging day!

Overall:

I have no idea how many “lies” I actually told myself so I would keep going and not quit. I was determined to find my way to the finish line and was willing to dig deep to do so. I’ve never had to dig so deep mentally to achieve the finish line in anything until now. This day pushed me way out of my comfort zone and beyond what I ever thought possible. Even over a week later, I still don’t know how I overcame all of the challenges that the day presented to make it to the finish line, but I did!! It is the finish line that I’m the most proud of…not because I achieved my goal time, not because it was the perfect day, not because I nailed my race day goals, not for so many reasons one might typically think of. I am most proud of this finish line because I adjusted on the fly to overcome all of the challenges throughout the day and I gave EVERYTHING I had and MORE mentally to reach that finish line.

I’m so proud to be crossing the finish line of Ironman #6!!

Lessons Learned:

I am SO MUCH STRONGER than I give myself credit for. When the rubber meets the road, I rise to the challenge.
#trainthebrain…you CAN do anything you put your mind to. On race morning, I was determined to do everything within my power to get to the finish line of Ironman #6. I had to mentally dig deep into places I didn’t even know I had in me. I’m so grateful that I had the mental strength, grit, determination, perseverance, and fortitude, to push my limits and cross the finish line of Ironman #6!!
Be prepared for the unexpected. Pack everything…including the kitchen sink…when traveling to a race. You never know just what you might need on race day!
There are so many great people in this world!! Camaraderie occurs during times of struggle and the way that athletes, volunteers, and spectators came together to help and support each other during Ironman Louisville 2018 was so encouraging.
Triathlon lessons = life lessons
Stepping outside of one’s comfort zone is where the magic happens!!
It takes a village!! While I’m the one to cross the finish line, I couldn’t do it without support. I’m beyond grateful for my village!!

Attitude of Gratitude:

My #1…This year Tim and I have had completely different races and training plans. He has stepped up and done so much to make sure I got my workouts done, I was refueled properly, and the home front was in check. I couldn’t do this without him! This finish line is just as much his as mine! Thank you and love you more than you know Tim!! ❤
My support crew…Thank you for keeping me going!! There were many times I thought about giving up, but as soon as I saw you all, I was overcome with joy, love, and determination to keep going. Thank you and love you!! ❤
Coach Kelly…Your guidance, support, belief in me, training plan, and challenges prepared me physically and mentally for a day I never anticipated I would ever have. Thank you for making me #trackcatstrong and ready to conquer any challenge!! ❤
Camilla…Thank you for cheering me on, catching me at the finish line, escorting me to the massage tent, and making sure I had met back up with my crew!! You are amazing!! ❤
Coeur Sports…This brand…I am beyond grateful to Kebby Holden and Hailey Manning for connecting me with some of the most amazing, supportive, encouraging, and inspirational women!! I am truly blessed!! I had so many of these amazing women with me in spirit on race day!! Bonus…the Coeur Sports gear is the best out there!! After being cold + wet ALL. DAY. LONG. I had ZERO chaffing and #noangrykitty!!
SBR Sports, Inc…Thank you for your support this season!! The Skin Slick and Tri Slide made my race day + training so much better!!
Infinit Nutrition…Thank you for helping me find a nutrition solution that FINALLY worked for me after nutritional failure after 5 Ironman races!! Thank you for overnighting my bike nutrition when my first bag arrived damaged just days before we were leaving for Louisville!!
Kyle’s Bikes…Thank you for always giving Mojo the BEST care!! I always know we are in good hands when you have our backs!!
Nick with Vitality Massage…Thank you for keeping me healthy and ready to race + watching our fur babies when we are off playing for multiple weekends throughout the year!!
Chris with Team Chiropractic…Thank you for keeping me healthy and race ready + working on my back post Ironman Louisville!!
Steena…Thank you for my Fellow Flower to remind me throughout the run to remain resilient, full of grit, strong, and focused on forward motion!! ❤

#IMLou Race Week

Published on October 18, 2018 by Kecia3 Comments

Race week has come and gone, but I wanted to update you on the final days leading up to #IMLou!! Don’t worry, I’ll have a race report soon…I’m still trying to process it!! Teaser…it was the absolute hardest thing I have ever done!! It made my last 5 Ironman finishes feel like a walk in the park!! 😉

Swim: 2650 yards

Swimming with my #1 supporter by my side!!

Bike: 4 miles

I forgot to get a pic of this bike ride…let’s just say I put on my race gear, took a cold shower, and went out on the bike in 38*F air temperature to test if my race gear would be warm enough. Brrrr!!

Run: 7.4 miles

Running with my fave by Churchill Downs after spending hours in the car to get to Louisville!!

The second run (that I also forgot to take a picture of) was after my bike ride that I mentioned above. Cold + wet = Brrrr!!!

Strength Training: 10 minutes of core strength the first half of the week

Weekly Totals: 2 hours & 23 minutes

Quote of the Week:

“There’s always a calm before every storm.” ~Saif Ali

Attitude of Gratitude:

Grateful to have Nick with Vitality Massage help keep me race ready!!

Getting to meet up with a few of my Coeur Sports teammates was so much fun!! This team of uplifting, encouraging, supportive women is where it’s at!!

Swinging in the sunshine with my fave on Saturday…the calm before the storm (quite literally)!!

Grateful that my Dad came to cheer me on at Ironman Louisville!!

Kicking the feet up, reading a good book, and hoping Mother Nature isn’t going to be as evil as predicted!!

Pre-race braids thanks to my sis!! So grateful she was able to come to Louisville from Cali to cheer me on!!

I’m so grateful to the Coeur founders and my teammates for the shoutouts, cheers, and encouragement to keep going when things got tough!!

These two!! I’m so grateful for my fave and sis!! It was so great to spend some time with them before race day!!

How was your week? What were you grateful for last week?! How do you enjoy the calm before the storm?

1 week ’til #IMLou – taper crazies, packing crazies, and spectating crazies

Published on October 8, 2018 by Kecia12 Comments

What a crazy, yet fun week!! It was full of taper crazies, packing crazies, and spectating crazies…all of this crazy brings me joy (yes, even the packing…it means a vaca is in sight)!!

Swim: 4925 yards

While swimming today, there was a seahorse on the bottom of the pool in my lane. Was this a sign?! I believe it was!! The seahorse is considered to be a symbol of strength and power. Just what I needed today!!

You know it’s taper time when your swim + run workout combined are shorter than just your swim workouts the last couple of weeks!!

Bike: 25.4 miles

In 2018 we’ve been training for two completely different races, so we haven’t had many opportunities to get to ride together. I’m grateful for the “bike date” today after work + am looking forward to more saddle time with my fave in 2019!!

Staying sharp for #IMLou even when traveling. #hayisinthebarn

Run: 6.7 miles

Definitely not ready for windchill temps of 35*F like I experienced today!!

Cycling around the Twin Cities on my cross bike chasing down my fave!! No idea how many miles I logged (so they aren’t included in the above total), but it was fun and challenging to stay ahead of him!!

Strength Training: 10 minutes of core strength almost daily

Weekly Totals: 5 hours & 3 minutes (not including spectating the Twin Cities Marathon)

Quote of the Week:

“People say I’m crazy. I say HAH…I’m just fun with a twist.” ~Unknown

Attitude of Gratitude:

When you are a tapering Ironman athlete + middle school teacher in the Midwest with drastically changing temperatures, you load up on Sound Probiotics to keep healthy!!

So grateful for some downtime in my Normatec boots while getting sucked in to this AMAZING read!!

So grateful to briefly chat with my Coeur Sports teammate Kendra (and meet little Ralphie <3) at mile 8.5 of the Twin Cities Marathon!!

SO FREAKING PROUD of my FAVE!! HE CRUSHED IT!! Setting a new PR in a time of 3:33:05 at the Twin Cities Marathon!! 🙂

How was your week? What were you grateful for last week?!

What’s Up?! – September 2018

Published on October 5, 2018 by Kecia6 Comments

It seems like just yesterday I signed up for Ironman Louisville and now I’m less than 10 days from race day. How does that happen?! Time just keeps flying by!! Fall has arrived and brought with it MUCH cooler temps (almost like we went from summer to winter without the fall temps) and the changing leaves…both of which I enjoy!! I’m not a fan of the decreased amount of daylight hours, but we don’t have any other option than to endure it.

Training:

V is for victory!! I nailed my swim session with my second 1200 yard split being 4 sec/100 yards faster than my first 1200 yard split!!

Riding 5 hours on the trainer staring at Lake Monona…I so wanted to be on the IMWI bike course, but my gut told me not to and I listened to it. (I had 3×5 hour trainer rides this month…hello mental toughness!!)

+ 9 afternoon miles = 17 strong miles Wednesday!!

Swim: 39,000 yards (22.16 miles)
Bike: 443 miles
Run: 114 miles
Monthly Totals: 69 hours & 48 minutes

Race Ready:

After crushing my 90 minute run/1 hour bike intervals/1 hour run back to back to back Sunday, the hay is in the barn!! I’m #IMLou race ready!! It’s time to TAPER!!

Reading:

Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor is a MUST READ!! There are so many great insights for how positive thought, positive visualization, and gratitude changed Deena’s career. What a STRONG + INSPIRATIONAL woman!! I am working to implement these into my training and racing plan as well, knowing that it will take time to fully implement!! “Building a mind so strong would take years of effort and discipline, but it would propel Kastor to the pinnacle of running—to American records in every distance from the 5K to the marathon—and to the accomplishment of earning America’s first Olympic medal in the marathon in twenty years.”

Listening to:

I listened to Kona Kamps episodes with Noga Ruttenberg and Megan Pennington. I LOVE listening to Lilias and David interview these amazing women!! They are SO inspiring and down to earth!!

Grateful for:

So grateful to have Nick with Vitality Massage keeping me healthy and ready for the next workout!

Grateful that Hardcoeur Coaching recognized my #sub6orbust goal at IMOhio 70.3 was achieved. They sent me some goodies as a “congratulations” gift!!

Only one way to refuel post long workouts…SUSHI!!

Grateful to have Dr. Chris keeping me on track at Team Chiropractic with only 3 weeks left until #IMLou!!

Thank you Kyle for putting a new chain on Mojo and giving her your race day blessing!!

How was your month of September?! What were you grateful for last month?!

2 weeks ’til #IMLou – Taper Time

Published on September 30, 2018 by Kecia9 Comments

It’s TAPER TIME!! I’m so glad to have made it to this point!! With the completion of last week’s workouts comes the taper for Ironman Louisville and I’m ready for it!! The hay is in the barn and I’m looking forward to lighting it on fire in 2 weeks!!

Swim: 10,300 yards

Playing around in the pool after putting in some work!!

It’s Flippin’ Friday!! Doing somersaults in the water after swimming Friday morning!

Bike: 101 (trainer) miles

Alternating between Z2 and Z3 was a struggle, but I did it!!

5 hours on the trainer for the last time this year!! 🙂

After crushing my 90 minute run/1 hour bike intervals/1 hour run back to back to back Sunday, the hay is in the barn!! I’m #IMLou race ready!! It’s time to TAPER!!

Run: 32.5 miles

8 morning miles with Basil (2 of those with my fave too)!! #basillovesrunning

Strength Training: 10 minutes of core strength almost daily

Weekly Totals: 16 hours & 47 minutes

Quote of the Week:

“Bring on the taper!! It’s TAPER TIME!!” ~ME 🙂

Attitude of Gratitude:

These two…love them and our nightly dog parties in our bed!!

Thank you to Kyle at Kyle’s Bikes for putting a new chain on Mojo and giving her your race day blessing!!

How was your week? What were you grateful for last week?! Do you enjoy the taper?!

3 weeks ’til #IMLou – knocking out the workouts

Published on September 23, 2018 by Kecia6 Comments

With last week in the rear view mirror, I only have one more big week before the taper for #IMLou begins!!

Swim: 6500 yards

3K swim…what a great way to start the day!!

Capping off the week with more yards in the pool!

Bike: 74.4 miles

LONG, focused ride on the trainer…leg crusher!!

Run: 27.3 miles

Starting Friday off right…with my fave by my side for some morning miles!!

Knocking out the workouts one at a time!

Running with such a #happydog makes me have a #happyheart!! #basillovesrunning

Strength Training: 10 minutes of core strength almost daily

Weekly Totals: 13 hours & 34 minutes

Quote of the Week:

“When it gets tough, put on your boxing gloves.” ~unknown

Attitude of Gratitude:

Grateful to Nick at Vitality Massage for keeping me healthy!!

Grateful to have my legs squeezed by my Normatec boots post long + tough workouts!

Race numbers are here for IMLou!! I’m so grateful my body and mind allow me to do this crazy + fun sport!!

How was your week? What were you grateful for last week?!

9 weeks ’til #IMLou – Done!

Published on August 15, 2018 by Kecia2 Comments

I’m a bit behind in posting this…

Last week was full of adventure! I took myself to Madison, Wisconsin at the end of the week to do my own training camp. Thanks to Coach Kelly for putting together a challenging weekend for me! I learned so much and overcame lots of challenges! It wasn’t perfect, but it added a lot of volume to my training and I’m grateful my body was open to the challenge.

Swim: 6673 yards