I’ve noticed that every time I travel somewhere I always look forward to going home. Home. Even the word makes me feel warm and cozy.

I get busy working, training, hanging out with friends, and I forget how fortunate I am to have a house that I love coming home to.

So many times when I travel to see my family people will ask me if I’m “going home”. And I’m not. Home is Colorado. Home is Lakewood. Home is where I’ve made my life and my community. Home is the wonderful house built in 1964 with its sunny main floor and a pain cave in the basement.

Home is where my backyard is canopied in big shade trees and I can rest after a big workout and listen to a waterfall. Home is where my neighbors all say hi and ask how you’re doing.

I may not have grown up in Lakewood Colorado, but I have lived many many beautiful places. None have captured me the way Colorado has. None have beckoned me to stay year after year after year.

Only Green Mountain, Lakewood Colorado has found a place in my heart. And I can truly say, that I am always glad to be HOME.

For me my first bike came on Christmas morning.  I had gotten up early and ran into the living room, wondering what awaited me, and there it was, all bright and shiny with a big bow on it.  Glistening in the lights from the Christmas tree, beckoning to be ridden around the house.  Oh the excitement and joy of that glorious freedom.

Over time and a few years later as I entered Junior High, I received my third shiny new bike!  This time it was an real bike!  A Schwinn 10 speed Continental.

There she was in all her glory!  Beckoning again to be ridden.  This time though she ment FREEDOM!  I was free to travel where I wanted without the parental units taking me there.  I jumped on that bike, with desert boots on my feet, and pedaled my heart out.  Adventure awaited me and my friends.  I don’t think a single weekend passed where we weren’t on our bikes, going somewhere!

And then many many years passed.  More than I care to admit….I had just finished my first year of doing triathlons and decided for my second year I would do an Ironman.  I figured if I was going to do an event of that magnitude I needed a new bike, one made for being in the areo position for hours…..

That’s when Black Betty came into my life!

Black Betty captured my heart immediately as we spent mile after mile together. First training for Ironman Cozumel and then Ironman Florida. She and I became one throughout the 1000s of miles we rode. I thought that black Betty would be in my life forever.

That is until the day I walked into KompetitiveEdge and saw the sexiest bike I had ever laid eyes on. I looked at the size of the bike and I just knew that bike would be the perfect fit. Perfect!

I talked to Scott at Fit and Tri who had recently made some adjustments to my fit on Betty. I asked him what he thought about the Quintana Roo sitting in the shop and if it would be in my best interest to make the switch. His response, without a doubt!

After a phone call and a few texts with Ryan at KompetitiveEdge Black Betty was being sold and my new bike would be ready in two weeks!

Well in was less than two weeks I walked into KompetitiveEdge and laid my eyes on my new Quintana Roo CDO bike.  I took one look and all I could thing was “Dang!  That bike is mine!  And she is SEXY!!!!”

Fit and Tri Scott showed up and got my new QR properly fitted to me and then sent us on our way.  So here’s where life gives you lemons and you make lemonade.  I had just sprained my pinky toe (I know…insert LOL) and I couldn’t run for a few weeks (Lemon).  The Lemondae…..I got to ride every day!!!!  My coach made me a cyclist for two weeks and I was on my new bike everyday!!!!

I immediately fell in LOVE with Rosie!  Yeap that’s her name  Rosie.  Rippin Rosie! 

There we were, day after day, rippin up the asphalt.  I have NEVER in my life had a bike that actually fit me!  This new experience, of riding a bike that I wasn’t moving all around on was amazing!   I am beyond excited for this season of cycling and racing.  I am excited to bond, mile after mile with my new BFF Rosie!  She is a dream come true! 

So, if you see us rippin up the asphalt, say hi!  If you are looking for the sweetest, best fitting bike there is, see the guys at KompetitiveEdge!  They will put you on the right bike and Ryan is an absolute artist at building bikes! And if you mention GoDoreen  they’ll give ya 15% off.

Got to go….time to ride.  Happy Spring everyone!

The trails are drying up, the temps are warmer and daylight is a bit longer.  The one thing that always makes me feel like winter is a thing of the past, is getting outside and training with friends again!  I so look forward to this every spring as winter meanders out.

The past two weekends I have been able to get out with friends and begin to get my long runs done.  No more solo weekend runs or Pain Cave Treadmill runs.  It’s time to take it outside with those near and dear.

Last weekend we had the Newton Fan Club out on the Highline Canal.  This is one of my favorite places for my long runs.  There were a few people out, the dirt road was mostly dry, and  the temps were perfect!

The Newton Pre-Run Huddle

Highline with Angela

If you have never traveled to Guatemala I really really suggest checking it out.  And if you are ever considering studying Spanish, Antigua is the place to so it.

It’d been 11 years since I visited Antigua.  As I arrived at the airport and drove from Guatemala City to Antigua, I wondered what would await me.  Would Antigua be the same?  Would my Guate Family look the same?  Would my friends remember me????  The thoughts went on and on and my excitement built!

Customs

 The ride from Guatemala City to La Antigua was loud and filled with traffic, just as before.

 

Some of the members of my Guate Family

As I got settled in I walked down the street a few 100 yards to La Academia De Sevilla where I would study Spanish for the next 6 days. 

My family's house

The view of St Francis Church from the doorway of the house

 And here is the school, just a few steps away from the house.  I’ve made that trip many many times on my way to study Spanish.

Sevilla is the yellow building

My Hermanita Gladis

Acatenango Volcano- one of the 3 active volcanos surrounding Antigua

Since Ironman Florida I feel as if I have been sitting on a beach sipping Mai Tais.  What I mean by that is my internal fire to train has been fleeting if non-existent. 

I’ve been feeling a bit jealous of those who did late season Ironmans and are cranking right along already!  Granted, some of them have early season IMs on the horizon.

Me, not so much!  I am doing some workouts, not doing others…..and usually it’s in lieu of hanging out and being social!  With the holidays and my upcoming trip (I leave today) to Guatemala, I get on a roll and then….choose to be social over a training session. 

I got some perspective on that the other day.  It was like- BAM! - one of those moments of clarity.  I realized that in the last 3 years I never had time to be social unless it was on a bike ride.  With training for two Ironmans, my Dad being ill, and my having that dang Adrenal Fatigue, I spent a lot of time Not socializing.  And now, it’s like I found this new inner social diva who is just screaming to be out and enjoying  friends!  (Tri and non-tri friends).

So what’s a  triathlete to do????? 

I’ve decided to give myself a break and not beat myself up.  It’s still only January and my “A” race isn’t until September. 

I’m going to allow myself to have fun and enjoy my time in Guatemala, while I visit friends and study Spanish.  I am actually looking forward to hitting the gym every morning while I’m there.  I can’t wait to see my little old lady friends who walk on the treadmill every morning.  It’s been a long time!   Hitting the gym early in the morning is something I’m really looking forward to, as 5am in the city of Antigua is a magical time.

I’m hoping when I get back, my internal fire will be stoked again and raging.  I love to train and for the past few months, I have loved being social.  In talking with my coach, we discussed finding more of a balance this season and making sure I keep my social calendar active rather than non-existent.  It is about the word…balance isn’t it?

So what IS a Triathlete to do???    Well enjoy the break then….

Swim- Bike- Run of course

These guys are the bomb!  They are the real deal!

Jared and Ryan are two of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever met.  They are QUALITY people!

And just like Jared and Ryan, the quality of products that Kompetitive Edge sells are top of the line!!!

Every item that is sold in the store is tested by them or the staff.  After rigorous workouts and putting products through the mill- if the product passes the test only then is a product put on the shelves.   These guys stand behind everything they sell.  And the cool thing…they try to support companies who make their products in the USA!   

I feel so very honored to have been chosen to be a part of this amazing store and team.  They make you feel comfortable the moment you walk in the door.  They listen to what you’re saying and try to help you in any way possible.  I can’t say enough good things about Kompetitive Edge!  They really are the definition of ….The BOMB!!!!

So…if you are need of anything related to swimming, biking or running stop by and see them.   

If you don’t live in Denver visit them at www.kompetitiveedge.com. 

And even if you do live in Denver (or don’t) and want to save some $$$$$$    you can get 15% off if you use the code  godoreen  at checkout.  Any time, any day….15% off all products they sell!  Gotta LOVE IT!

Like I said…these guy are the real deal.  I am really looking forward to getting to know all my teammates and to this new adventure in 2012!

Thanks Jared and Ryan for allowing me to be a part of Kompetitive Edge!!!

-

Well I had that thought a few times in the past couple of months.  It was the kind of thing where I really didn’t believe that something could happen….AND  then I did it anyway.

One of those things was doing Ironman Florida.  When my coach suggested I try for a 13:30- I seriously thought….”NO WAY IN HELL that’s going to happen”.  I went into the race just hoping to finish under 15 hours.  And- I ended up with a 13:16!!!  Well blow me away! HOW DID THAT HAPPEN!

Next up- at the urging of my training partner Scott, I applied for a sponsorship with Kompetitive Edge.  My first thought when he suggested this was…yeap you guessed it “NO WAY IN HELL, they’ll ever pick me!”   I believed this so strongly that I didn’t even attempt to fill out the application.  Then, after Ironman Florida, Scott called me and told me Kompetitive Edge extended their application deadline.   After a few days of him nagging me, I finally decided to go ahead and apply.  Even though I still believed “No Way In Hell, they’ll pick me!”.  I did it anyway.

Six days later I got an email.  I began reading it ready for a “thanks but no thanks”.  As I read through the email…”over 150 applicants..yadayadayada…we have chosen you to be part of the Kompetitive Edge Team”   HOLY CR#P!!  They picked me????!!!!!!  HOW DID THAT HAPPEN???

What I’ve realized as a result of these two experiences is- it HAPPENED because I tried anyway.  Even though everything within me believed these two things couldn’t come true- I did them anyway.  And then they DID happen. 

I actually took this new-found philosophy my “No Way In Hell Factor” and actually applied it to my job.  I went to my main, big time boss regarding what I would like my job to look like someday.  I figure…..”what the Hell”.  I’ve got my “No Way In Hell Factor” (NWIHF).  I approached him with my previous NWIH experiences and told him I believed this idea was a NWIH kinda idea….AND I was going to tell him anyway.  He was receptive to my ideas and we began to problem solve how this might workout down the road. 

So here’s the kicker….About 2 weeks later- having nothing to do with he or I- I got an email from a coworker with a possibility of making my “No Way In Hell”  idea a reality.  Seriously!  I was just blown away!  I’m still blown away.  I’m like WTF????  What is up with this idea of a “No Way In Hell Factor”  AND then doing it anyway?

All I know is….if you have a dream, idea or desire….and you are thinking to yourself “Yeah right.  No way in hell this will ever happen”.  Just do it anyway.  Try it.  Do it.  Apply yourself.  Don’t stop just because you don’t believe it can be true.  Take the “No Way In Hell Factor” and use it in your life!  You will never know what is possible until you try even though……  The sky is the limit and our dreams can come true– If we just put it out there, AND act on them anyway.

 I thought I’d share with you all some of my favorite things that I’ve tried during the past 7 months .  These are in no particular order….

1. Honey Stinger Vanilla Waffles-     OMG!  I am absolutely in LOVE with these!  I eat these mostly pre workouts and during my bike rides.  I try NOT to eat them any other time, as I would eat them constantly and gain weight!  They are that Yummy!!!!

Yummy Goodness!

2. Just Plain GU-  I have tried a bunch of other gel products this year and keep coming back to my most favorite  JUST PLAIN GU.  I love this stuff.  It’s not overly sweet, taste a bit like vanilla, and doesn’t jack me up in any way.  I always have one before every swim…no matter what time of day it is. 

Just Plain…..GU

3. KIND NUT AND FRUIT BAR-   I have stopped eating any other sports/nutrition bars and strictly eat these now.  They are the most natural, least processed bar I’ve found.  They come in all kinds of great flavors and never mess with my stomach.  My personal favorite is the Macadamia and Apricot Bar.  I have to be honest and admit I eat at least one of these bars per day.  My name’s Doreen and I’m a Kindaholic!

They are da Kind Bar!

 4. Amphipod RunLite 4 Belt- I have shied away from using this belt for years.  When it first came out the bottles where notorious for popping off the belt.  Well that problem has been remedied and I took a chance and bought one.   I’ve used MANY other hydration systems and never quite felt the love.  Let me tell ya, with the RUNLITE 4, I feel the LOVE!  I bought myself the 10 ounce bottles to switch for the eight ounce.  This gives me plenty of water and sports drink for the long runs!  It stays in place and doesn’t ride up!   I have finally found my hydration match!!!!

I'm finally feeling the love with this system!

 

5. Newton Light Weight Universal Trainers-  While Newtons are not a new find to me this year, I just reconfirmed my deep love for these shoes while putting in all the miles of training.  There is no other shoe out there that compares.  There is no other shoe I would put on my feet!  Newtons are the bomb and I’m sticking to them!!!!

The Best Shoe Hands Down!

6. Zoot Ultra CompressionRX Calf Sleeve-  This was my first year training in these compression calf sleeves.  I first used them as recovery.  Then I tried them on my longest training run of 4 hours.  Then I used them at Ironman Florida!  All I can say, is I am Officially a believer!  These fit me perfectly!  I’ve got short legs and big calves and these fit exactly the way they should without being too tight.  I believe wearing these helped me attain my Ironman PR!  Plus I took 40 minutes off my previous IM marathon time! Boooyaaa!

Zoot Compression Sleeves is "wear" it's at!

 7. 2XU Recovery Compression Tights- Oh Baby!  These things are wicked good!  I can’t believe how much quicker my recovery was!  They really work! As soon as I finished  Ironman Florida I went up to the condo, had some food, cleaned up and immediately put on compression socks and a pair of these Bad Girls!  I kid you not.  Three days post IMFL I was walking down stairs normal!  I barely experienced any soreness.  I am soooo glad I bought these this year!

Whatever you do....get a pair of these!

8.  The Quantum Scale-  OK. So this isn’t an actual piece of triathlon equipment but for those of you who weigh yourself this thing is amazing!  I NEVER get on a scale.  This is due to the fact that when I see my weight, no matter what it is, my head get all f&*Ked up!  I will just think I’m the biggest pig.  That’s where the beauty of this scale lies.  IT DOES NOT SHOW YOUR WEIGHT!  When you first step on it, it stores your weight (you don’t see it) and from then on, whenever you step on the scale it tells you how much weight you’ve lost or gained.  LOVE IT!  No more mind benders!

Great for making sure.....

So that’s it.  My favorite things I fell in love with this past year.  I tried many a new items and these are the ones that stood out and I plan to continue to use on a regular basis!  Give some a try.  I am sold on everything I listed here! 

-

That’s all I can say.  As I sit here two weeks post Ironman Florida I am still in shock over the race I had!  I still can’t believe that I was able to do Ironman Florida in under 13:30.  Wild!

And as I write that, I think about where I was one year ago.  Last year in November I was right in the beginning of recovering from Adrenal Fatigue.  I was 20 lbs heavier.  Yeap 20 whole lbs extra where flopping around on this body.  I wasn’t sleeping, had high anxiety, and my “workouts” consisted of a 30 minute walk.  I was a mess!

I had been working with a nutritionist Marcie Goldman and in January she referred me to acupuncturist Andrew at Jade Mountain Health.  This is when things really turned around for me!  Andrew treated me with needles, cups and herbs and it made all the difference in my getting better! 

I began actual triathlon training in April under the watchful eye of Coach Cary.  Cary carefully  guided me back to being able to race.  She listened and new my body better than I did!! 

This time around training for Ironman was so different from my first.  My first one was all about over-distance training. This time Cary made recovery and rest days a big part of my training plan.  I honestly did not think I had trained properly for Ironman Florida…and boy was I wrong!  I look back and feel like I hardly trained at all.  I know I did, I just had plenty of recovery!

Coming off of being sick and loosing most of my base endurance, I had NO idea how Ironman Florida would be for me.  I had taken about 8 months off and even though I had raced this season…I didn’t know how I’d stack up to an Ironman.

Well now I do know!   Cary’s coaching was spot on!  I was telling a friend the other day, I feel like a SOLID athlete again!  I now know where my body is at.  I know how solid my fitness is.  It’s such a good feeling considering what my health was like last year. 

Looking back at this past season of training and racing, I also need to thank the tons of people who made a 13:16:18 possible!

First off, I’d like to thank everyone at TriBella Mulitsport and all my TriBella Teammates!  Without the shop and my gals getting through all the  technical stuff and the hours of training wouldn’t have been as easy and fun.

And then there are those who kept this body going.  Andrew at Jade Mt Health is the most amazing acupuncture EVER!  I can’t sing his praises loud enough.  He is truly gifted in his needling and   his knowledge of herbs.  Brian Ray did wonders keeping my muscles and fascia from becoming one big knot!  And there’s also Dr Ken at Active Care.  He kept my hips where they should be throughout the season.

Now to the people who really kept me going through all these miles of training.  First off, my training partner in crime, Scott!  He would meet me for workouts even if he didn’t have one to do!  He was my motivator throughout the weeks as we did almost all our training together. Now that’s a friend!  Also my friend Angela.  We met this year at the 24 Hr Fitness pool and immediately hit it off. She would ride with me, SAG me on my long rides…she was incredible!  And like I mentioned, all the gals on the TriBella team.  Lots of miles were traveled in the company of some amazing women. 

Now I want to give an extra shout out to my dear friend Kelli.  She met me many times for training adventures.  Most of all, she came to Florida to support me on my big day.  She took such good care of me. She also helped my Mom navigate race day and they didn’t miss a moment of my race! 

I am so grateful to everyone who made this spectacular Ironman happen.  I never in a million years believed I could ever do an Ironman in under 13:30.  Never. 

I now have a new level of confidence. I can open my mind to the fact that other things I thought impossible might now be possible. 

I just met with Coach Cary the other night, and have come up with some goals for 2013 and how we will use the 2012 season to get there.  I am beyond excited to see what else I might be able to accomplish in the coming season.  I have this new passion for the sport of triathlon and feel the sky is the limit under the watchful eyes of my coach.

In the meantime, I am fully enjoying my hard-earned recovery time.  I’m fully enjoying the lack of structure in training and eating for a few weeks.  Sleeping in; only doing things I feel like doing; relaxing a bit on the food I put in my mouth…..I can feel my mind and body being restored.  And that’s what this time is all about…..basking in the results of a well raced Ironman!

So thank you everyone!  I am deeply grateful for all your support!  And to all of you who read my blog- THANK YOU.  Your comments keep me going! 

May everyone reach the goals you never believed possible!

-

I made it out of transition and  looked at my watch.  I was just a little over 8 hours of racing so far.  I began to use my phenomenal math skills (Ha!) and tried to calculate how long I had to run a marathon in order to finish in 13:30.  

I swear it took me about 2 miles of running before I finally figure out if I ran a 5:30 marathon I could finish in around 13 hrs and 30 mintues.  “Hummm,” I thought, “That’s the time I typically run in…so there IS a chance!  Holy shucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

You see, when I met with Coach Cary a few weeks before the race, she had me come up with a “stretch” goal.  A goal that if the stars perfectly aligned, and Mars was in the exact right spot, that MAYBE I could do.  She came up with the goal of 13:30.  My thought was “Yeah right. Not a chance in hell that’s going to happen.  I’ll be happy to finish in under 15 hrs”.  I think I even told her something along those lines.  So here I was calculating the possibility of actually finishing in 13:30. I was blown away!

The chase is on

The first few miles were packed with spectators yelling and cheering us on.  It’s always motivating when people are yelling “Go Doreen!”  and I knew that I needed to be aware of not getting carried away in the moment and starting my run too fast.  (not that too fast is really in my repertoire.)

Ironman Florida run course is pretty darn flat and meanders through neighbor hoods until you get to a state park.  At this point you do a loop of the park and head back out the way you came.  Repeat twice.

As I first started running I was absolutely starving.  There were aid stations about every 1/2 mile, one on each side.  For about the first 5 stations I was eating/drinking something.  First food I devoured was pretzels!  Yummylishish!!!  They were delightful and hit the spot!  By about the 6th aid station (remember I’ve only run about 3-4 miles by now) I thought “slow down sport…you might mess up your tummy taking in so much nutrition.”  From there on I made the decision to only take things from the aid station on the side I was running on.

Running in the Park

So with plenty of fuel on board I began to focus on my form and cadence.  Over this past season Coach Cary has had me increase my running cadence from oh…about 70…to 90.  This has helped my running incredibly.  One of the things I do to help me keep the correct cadence is I sing the song  ”Another one bites the dust….another one bites the dust”  The cadence in this song is 90 and the words are definitely motivating! 

As I ran and ran and ran I finished my first 13.1 miles.  I checked my watch and was still on target for finishing on a 13:30.  Bloody amazing!  I was so surprised that I might actually pull off a 13:30! 

As I headed back out on my second lap dusk began to descend.  I was concerned that I might get really cold, but the wind finally died down and I felt warmer than I had all day. It was about this time I began to get a sore throat.  I decided that I would start drinking the chicken broth they had at the aid stations.  I figured I’d kill two birds with one stone….get rid of the possible cold with good ol chicken broth and take care of some nutritional needs.  Throughout the whole run I fueled myself with Just Plain GU, pretzels and chicken broth.  Go figure!   

The run through the park is DARK!  Like there are sections when you can’t see the road in front of you.  I navigated this without any injuries or mishaps and finally ended up back on the streets of Panama City Beach.  By this time I was at mile 20ish.  I checked my watch and again had a “Holy $hit!” moment.  I may actually do a 13:30!  I still couldn’t believe it.  At this point I made the decision to pick up my pace a bit until mile 24, then I was going to run as fast as I could without blowing up.  I felt confident that 13:30 was in my grasp….I wanted to see how much time I could take off of that goal.

Up right, forefoot striking, quick cadence and my Newtons propelled me those last two miles!  I felt STRONG, STRONG, STRONG!  I was again channeling my inner Rinny.  I was picking people off as the athletes I passed where telling me “Go get em” or “You’re looking strong”.  These comments increased my confidence and just gave me more determination to keep pushing myself.  I wanted to see what I was capable of.  I think I actually ran 10 minute miles for those last two miles!  And for those of you that know me…I don’t run 10 minute miles unless I’m running a 5K.    But something happened to my running that night and I was flying!!

As I got closer and closer to the finish I had the urge to want to back off  but didn’t. I just kept pushing myself.  I turned the corner onto Thomas Drive and new I was within minutes of being done.  I entered the Finisher’s Chute and was greeted with screams and cheers!  It’s so surreal to have 100′s of people cheering for you.  I saw the Finish Line just seconds ahead and knew I was going to finish my second Ironman!  The excitement was overwhelming!  I crossed that Finish Line and once again heard those magic words……”Doreen, You Are An IRONMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” 

I am an IRONMAN!

Ohhh the sweet voice of Mike Riley! How can ya not get addicted to it???? 

I looked at my watch as I was scooped up by a volunteer ”catcher” who got me my finishers shirt, hat, medal and water.  I had finished my second Ironman in 13:16:18!  I was amazed! I was excited!  I was in disbelief!  I was so friggin PUMPED!!!!!!  I was telling my catcher “I can’t believe I just did a friggin Ironman in 13:16:18!  I can’t believe it!!!”   She congratulated me as I walked around  in a state of utter bewilderment and she escorted me to get  my Finishers Photo!

13:16:18 Something to Celebrate!

The day was over. I had completed my second Ironman, and I had a race I NEVER DREAM POSSIBLE!  I had raced in under 14:30!  Heck.  I had raced in under 13:30!!!!!!!  I had the kind of race I didn’t know I was capable of!  As I sit here writing this…I am still in disbelief that I was able to race that fast.  And I am so darn excited that I did!!!  

Here IS to GOING THE DISTANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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