'Hot dive into frozen waves'

Figured I would post another quick update on what has been happening as of late... the point of having a blog is to post and write down snippets of things I find relevant and interesting- so why not post?!

Lately (more like for the past 18 months) I've been having some second thoughts about my future as a medical student and ultimately a surgeon. It's not that I don't want to pursue that career path, as it would be one of my dream jobs, but it is reality that has got me thinking of plan B, C, D and maybe all the way to plan Z. My current grades are not going to cut it for med. school. It's a pretty simple fact and one that I need to face. I chose to study biochem/micro at UVIC because I didn't want to enter the kinesiology program as it was not geared enough towards medicine and science. Instead I chose biochem, thinking of it as a tie over until I got into medicine. I never wanted or envisioned myself with a career in that field, so finally, I've decided to get out of it and switch into something that I have passion for! Starting this summer I will be taking some philosophy courses (and maybe even a class on the history of vampires!!!) and preparing myself to write the LSAT and apply to Law school. I'm excited to take some courses in which I can have an opinion and some creative handle to my work. It's been a long 3.5 years of straight sciences. So I am taking a 'hot dive into frozen waves' and trying something new, hopefully finding something that will make me a happier person in my academic life.

On the training side of things everything has been going well! I raced the Bazan Bay 'world championships' 5km this past weekend. Results here. Overall, I am satisfied with my result because it is 30s faster than last year... but I am frustrated that I still can't get that elusive 20min mark yet. Time, patience and hard work will eventually get me there, and in the mean time that's all I can focus on. Having goals and benchmarks are some of my great motivational tools. Speaking of goals, I have decided that I want to make the BC Swimming 'A' 800m freestyle standard. It is slightly faster than the TriBC provincial elite standard of 11:45 for an 800m in SC, at 11:38 in a long course pool. If I am going for one benchmark, I might as well try and push for the next! Not that I plan on doing anything with the BC swim standard, I just think that it is a good goal to have... maybe then I can officially believe that I am a swimmer, not someone who jumped in the pool 3 years ago and started swimming!

With that, I should probably go get ready for a ride in the bike cave. I'll leave you with a song that's been stuck in my head for weeks

CEP Canada

Big shout out and many thanks to CEP Canada for selecting me to be part of a great team of talented athletes for the 2013 season. I am honoured to have my name up there with some of Canada's best athletes! Check out who's who here. I started using CEP compression back in 2010 when running with SFU. My physio noticed some adema in my lower legs and suggested that I try compression... it also helped that every other girl in the distance squad also wore compression socks. I figured that if I was going to wear knee high socks and pair them with shorts then they had better be some awesome looking socks... go big or go home right?! I found my CEPs at a great running store in Spokane, WA- Runner's Sole. My calves were measured and I decided to pick out the hottest of hot pink socks possible. I've used those socks ever since, and I can definitely say I have noticed a difference in leg freshness after workouts and recovery time! After three years it is far past due to get myself a new pair... I'm thinking the neon green this time! CEP also offers more than just socks, and you can head on over to their website and do some shopping: http://cepcompression.ca/.

That's my big announcement for February! Thanks CEP Canada- looking forward to a stellar racing season!

I can't think of a witty title for this post

Seeing that it is already mid- January, I'd like to post about goals. No, I am not the New Years Resolution type. Frankly, I think that the concept of making resolutions for the New Year is dumb. Why do we need a specific day to make resolutions (that most of us hardly keep) for an entire year? Shouldn't we take each day to look for ways to better ourselves, and set smaller, more realistic and attainable goals that we can accomplish everyday? At least, that's what I think... I try and use each day to better myself. But to be truly honest, this really only happens in my training. Making each swim stroke better than the last (seeing videos of my wonky hand/arm position has really helped this) and focusing on keeping stable running and bike forms are just some of the thoughts that go through my head when I am training. Sometimes it gets frustrating when I can't find a quick fix to the problem. For example, my b-e-a-u-tiful run form and my shoulder/arm/hand position in swimming, when I see videos of my form and the obvious problems I get a bit mad at myself that I can't suddenly change the problem. Luckily, I am working with my awesome chiropractor and coach, and we are taking the slow but sure road of fixing these form issues. Already I feel as though my running is in a better place and things like hill repeats are now starting to get a bit better because I have developed some strength in areas like my hips/glutes to help me through. I am happy to spend my 20min a day to go through my hip series and back exercises because I know that it is helping me become a better athlete. When I first started the hip series in November I could barely get through 5 repetitions of each movement before my legs were shaking uncontrollably... now I'm up to 10 reps of each!

Going back to what I wrote earlier about goals and resolutions, yes I do have them- but they are more like a set of goals that I have had for years on end. I am hoping that by the fall of 2013 I will have accomplished my biggest goal of competing in a half ironman. I've always wanted to race longer distances, and I have it stuck in my head that the 70.3 will be the perfect distance for me. I've never had any desire to race ITU or any draft-legal triathlon. I'd much rather ride my cervelo in a non-drafting setting. So, now that I am 20 and a bit more developed of an athlete I've decided that I can safely compete in the 70.3 distance without wrecking havoc on my body. After talking with coach Noa about plans for my upcoming race season, we decided that trying out the distance in the fall would be a wise idea. I will be staying in Victoria for the summer, taking one or two courses, working (if anyone has a job for me, please contact me!!!!) and racing. I am going to race most of the Subaru Tri Series events starting with the Shawnigan Lake Triathlon on my 21st birthday. I'm aiming to have solid races this season and improve over all three disciplines. Another huge goal for me is to stay injury free. After having to sit last summer out due to my neuroma, being sidelined is the last thing I want. I am doing all I can to recover properly after workouts and prevent little nags from becoming huge issues.

Until next time-

Holidays

Happy Christmas and New Year!

I've realized that I am pretty bad with sticking to the blogging scene. Sorry! No promises this time... but I know that once I get into the race season I will post quite a bit more frequently.

These are some photos from the Stewart Mtn 10 Mile challenge out at Thetis Lk. in the beginning of December. The race is put on by the Prairie Inn Harriers- and what an awesome race (swim- if you count those huge puddles)!! I did the 5.5 mile instead of the 10 and LOVED IT!

December already?!

The fact that it is already December is mind blowing. Well... not exactly, but I'm still a bit shocked that the year is almost over. Driving to swim practice earlier this week I realized that it was already a few days into December and I hadn't paid my rent or some other bills... oops

Classes are over and exams are starting. Luckily for me I only have 3 finals to write this term. The 10th, 17th and 20th and then two weeks off for the holiday break. This will be my first ever "green christmas" as I am staying in Victoria for the break. I will be coming back to Rossland in February for reading break and guaranteed powder skiing! My mum is driving down to visit me for a couple of days,   and we will probably have Christmas dinner at the Empress Hotel.

Training has been going well. Nice and light with little intensity, but good focus on form and strength. I am excited to build up my base for the coming 2013 season! I have been spending some great "me" training time exploring the local trails and mountains. Running up Mt. Work was definitely a highlight and has geared me up to race Stewart Mtn 5miler out at Thetis Lk Park this weekend! There is also a 10mile option, but at this point in time I don't want to mess up my running progress and set anything back, so a 5 mile race with a good warmup/cooldown it will be!

Time to get back to studying ( gotta follow my study plan ;) )

Happy December and happy training!

Worlds- Auckland 2012

Here it is- the race report from worlds... almost 3 weeks later. I've been meaning to get this up, but things have been hectic lately- so I'm trying to be productive and use my study break to write this.

I flew out from Victoria on the 14th of October with Alex and we arrived in Auckland early morning on the 16th. After a frightening drive into town (those taxi/shuttle drivers are maniacs, and combined with being on the WRONG side of the road, ya, that was scary) we arrived at our cool hotel. We stayed in an apartment style room that was complete with two separate bedrooms, a large bathroom, kitchen and nice little living room. We spent the rest of the week doing some light training, meeting people on the Canadian team and exploring Auckland. I think the take-away highlight from this trip for me was how neat it was to be a part of the team. We Canadians really stuck out. I mean, you can't miss 300+ people walking around in an 80s themed track suit of bright red pants and a white hoodie, now can you? The reception and friendliness that we received from the people of Auckland was amazing!

On to the race. I went into worlds with a goal of having a solid race. I wasn't expecting any spectacular result, given being injured from May to September with no running possible, but I was hoping that my base would carry me through to something respectable.

Swim
The AG swim was, if I were to sum it up in one word: chaos. The wave of 18-19 and 20-24 females all left the pontoon at once into 14 degree salt water, and it was a fight to keep myself from panicking. The course was like a T shape, with the base of the T being protected in between Queen's wharf and Cook's wharf, and the top of the T being out in the open ocean. I had never swam with current, or in the ocean for that matter, and found it incredibly difficult to site the buoys or follow any sort of direction... I was basically swimming blind... but so was pretty much everyone else. In the end, not my best swim, but I was simply thankful to be out of that water!

T1
This being worlds, the transition zone had to be large enough to accommodate 3000+ athletes, which meant for approximately 680m of running out of the water, to your bike and to the mount line. My time was 4min for all of that. Yikes. But then again, check the results page and no one had the normal 80s T1.

Bike
The bike course got a lot of hype for its hills. Come ride in Victoria or the Koots and you will wonder why people were scared. Yes, there were gradual climbs and two steep climbs on the 2 loops of 20km course, but nothing extremely difficult. I chose to ride my road bike, instead of my tri bike for this course, but looking back I am sure that the Cervelo would have been fine on the hills. The hardest part of the bike was the flat section- wind sucks. I would definitely choose to ride more hills over battling that headwind coming back into the city! Overall I am happy about my bike leg!

T2
Enter another 680m of running. The positive? My legs got a chance to relax from the bike to the run.

Run
This part of the race I basically felt like I was winging it. Having only done my first real run workout a week before, I had no idea what was going to happen. I knew that the neuroma wouldn't give me pain, but I didn't know how my body would react to being pushed to 10k race pace. I discovered that I just didn't have the run fitness to "push" and keep a fast pace, but I was good for going at a steady pace, and managed to run under 49min, with given my circumstances I was super happy about.

Overall, I am so happy that I decided to not call it quits (which at one point was a valid option) and not travel to Auckland. These past 6 months have been an incredible learning experience (patience really is a virtue) and I think I have come out a stronger and more determined athlete. Thanks to my mum, grandparents and friends/family for putting up with me. And thanks especially to coach Noa for helping me think positively through this injury and for keeping my head in the game! Afterall, the goal is long-term, not just one race! The race reminded me that I love triathlon, and I love racing. It gave me fuel to the fire to have a stellar 2013 season. For now, lots of studying and a couple weeks of easy training!

I'll leave you with some pictures of the trip!

 Goofing around at the opening ceremonies parade

 Yeah, we stand out alright!

Elite women's swim

 Auckland 

Part of the run course

Fall is here!

It would be an understatement to say that I have been a regular blogger/poster. Sorry about that... Thanks to some reminding from my Aunt Sharon (that some people really do read this!) I am back again posting, and since things seem to be going well I hope to be quite a bit more regular about it too!

I'm back in Victoria and loving it! Still following along the stream of microbiology/immunology I have found that I am really enjoying my classes this term and that I have an appreciation and interest in what I am learning. My course load is small this term, only 4 courses because of my trip to New Zealand for a chunk of time in October. Yes, I am still committed to going to worlds! My neuroma has been getting much better thanks to Clay Ward at Murray Chiropractic. He is even sorting out the rest of me- it's a huge process to sort out my alignment and postural issues, but hopefully once they are corrected I can better avoid injuries! My time back to running has been slow and with a few set backs, but I haven't given up and I have decided to take things as they come... there's nothing else I can do about it. Luckily, I have a great team of support behind me, and the fact that I might be one of the most stubborn people alive makes giving up NOT an option.

I will post again closer to leaving for Auckland (2 weeks!!!!) But I will leave you with some pictures and one special song (which I may or may not dance to everytime it plays)

Testing out the race kit

Roses from my front yard

Victoria and the ocean on a ride

Pretty awesome place to live!

NEW SHOES!