Rome wasn't built in a day... and neither was Michael Phelps.

 (Race Report for Southern Masters Swimming Short Course Meters Championship)

We know him as the most decorated Olympian of all time. He's earned 22 Olympic medals in his career, 18 of them gold.  He currently holds world records in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, and 400-meter individual medley, and formerly the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter individual medley. Apart from being the most famous athlete of our time, Michael Phelps is arguably the greatest athlete to ever live.

And why shouldn't he be? Anyone with his height, webbed feet, and a wing span greater than his height, SHOULD be a world-class swimmer... The guy was born a genetic freak, "gifted" in the swimming world, which directly resulted in his success... Life's not fair, Some people get all the luck... I bet the guy has never faced a REAL challenge in his entire life, apart from getting caught with drugs or alcohol...

It's so easy to think that the tools to success were placed in his lap, but I wonder if Michael Phelps would consider his success luck? I personally don't consider my own (small) successes "luck"... I consider them the result of work. HARD work. How many hours of his life were lost to the water? How many sacrifices did he make to find enough hours in the day to train? (Let's remember, training doesn't JUST mean swimming... it also means fueling and sleeping.)

If you have ever swam on any kind of team before, you know that practice goes something like this: stick face in water & swim, stop to listen to coach yell at you, stick face back in water & swim harder, stop to listen to coach yell at you, stick face back in water & swim even harder.... Somewhere in there you might have an opportunity to sneak a quick conversation in with a teammate, but for the most part,  practice consists of hard swimming and little social interaction. Painful, and not fun. Now imagine 2x3+ hour practices a day with that routine. Most of us would crack.

Now let's talk about challenges.
Aside from being slightly awkward (above paragraph might help explain some of this), I sometimes wonder if his insecurities fueled his drive in the water. If you've ever watched an interview with him, you've seen that he has a terrible underbite which affects his speech. He's openly stated that it bothers him, but due to the time he would have to take off from swimming, he was unwilling to have it surgically fixed.
Also, the guy was recognized to have potential early, and began his rigorous training with coach Bob Bowman by the age of 10. Until his retirement, he never really experienced a normal life. We're talking girls, friends... everything in his life has revolved around swimming and his desire to be a champion.
And it's not like he jumped in the water as an infant and was naturally gifted. Michael began swim lessons at 7 (not extremely early in life). Did you know that he was afraid to put his face in the water? The greatest swimmer of all time was once uncomfortable in the water. The first stroke he mastered was back stroke.

Why am I harping on Michael Phelps?
It's so easy to look at the world's athletes and write them off as untouchable superhumans. They're not. They too have to work hard. They face challenges, just like us. They have imperfect families, struggle with ADHD, combat injuries, and deal with the stresses of everyday life. They were not always masters of their sport. Like everyone else, they were once a beginner, and had to learn to fine-tune their skills.

I'm not saying that hard work and dedication will take ANYONE to the Olympics... there definitely is a genetic factor that sets some people apart from the rest of us. My point is that anyone can make a decision  to be great, WORK HARD, and be able to achieve great things.

But I'm not a swimmer.
This is the most cowardly thing I've ever heard another triathlete say, & I've been guilty of saying it myself.
I grew up playing in pools and even took "swim lessons" at the summer daycare I attended. Until my early 20's, my swim skills consisted mostly of doggy paddling and varieties of different strokes to keep my head above the water. I learned free style 3 days before my first triathlon, and ended up doing a side stroke the entire 400meters because I freaked out in open water. For years I managed to half-ass my swim training and just hope I could make up for it on the bike, and I honestly had no desire to put the work into swimming. In Virginia, I began swimming with the masters group that Kyle started, mostly just to show support than anything else. Even swimming 2 days a week, I began to see improvements. I've only recently (mid July) begun to take swimming more seriously, though admittedly I've only been swimming 3 days a week since Mighty Magnolia. Even still, I work hard at practice and am still seeing small improvements.
In recent months, I've realized something. Competition is good, and even drives our motivation. However, I think it's unhealthy to train to beat a certain person or time, with only that goal in mind. If you constantly train with that perspective, you will never be able to reach your full potential because you have already set limits for yourself.
If you are a weak swimmer, don't limit yourself by saying you just can't do it, and not even try. Join a masters group and MAKE yourself suffer through it. It's hard to master something new and foreign, and it's humiliating to  feel like you are the only person splashing through the water when everyone else is actually able to swim well enough to follow a set. But guess what? We've ALL been there, and we respect you for being courageous enough to try. Don't give up because you will improve.

Southern Masters Swimming Short Course Meters Championship
Several people from our masters group went to New Orleans over the weekend for the Southern Masters Championship.  I was a little surprised that I could feel the difference between the 25 yards we've been training at and 25 meters... during warm ups I was getting ready to do my flip turn and was thrown off by the 3 extra strokes I had to take... Yeah, it kind of throws off your rhythm... Needless to say, I am not Michael Phelps.
 
Times for Short Course Meters Championship (coming soon because I can't remember all my times!)
200m Free
50m Free
1500m Free 23:59
400m Free
100m Free
200m Mixed Relay

Life is short... ENJOY THE RIDE!

I love riding. I remember my first spin on Rocket-dad's Dave Scott Centurion, which has been in the family since before I came along. We rode about 10 miles on the Redstone Arsenal, and I was hooked.

Several months later, I received my first road bike for my 21st birthday- the Yellow Rocket (so named by Ms. Pamela Evans). My bright yellow, steel framed Cannondale was a faithful ride for several years of "racing". It was truly a great starter bike, and I have many fond memories (and some not so fond). Unfortunately it's been put aside for most training rides, but I still love it. I've had several people offer to take it off my hands, but I'm too sentimental to part with it.

In September I competed/semi-participated in the Pensacola Classic, a 3-stage bike race (notice how I've *CONVENIENTLY* left it out of my race reports...) After about 2 years of not riding the Yellow Rocket, it was time to wipe off the dust and hit the rode. My experience was less than pleasant... the rocket didn't seem as fast as it once was... or maybe I'm not as fast?? Or maybe I've just gotten pampered with my Tri bike and going from a stiff ride to a not so stiff (and HEAVY) ride was enough to make the experience unpleasant... Either way, what I already knew to be true was SCREAMING to me after the race: I need a competitive road bike.

SO I contacted every bike brand I could think of and filled out applications BEGGING them to put me onto their performance teams and cut me a deal. A few were willing to bring me on board, including Blue, Fezzari, Grey and Aerocat.

All of this was developing back in AUGUST, so you would think by NOW I would already have my bike. Right? Wrong. Call it my fear of commitment, or fear of spending large amounts of money, but it took a while for me to get this going. I think another part of it was just the fear of switching from something I LOVE to something new, and anxiety that I might not like it. I finally called Aerocat and spoke with Dave, one of the owners. He was EXTREMELY helpful, and ended up giving me an even BETTER deal on one of the 2013 bikes. He also helped me decide on the best bang components, and what upgrades would benefit me the most. After I got off the phone with him, I felt 100% better about having to make a decision. I had found my bike!

So here it is, the Aerocat 2013 R526, with Shimano 105's and upgraded Easton Aero wheels. I'm officially excited! I've had such a positive experience with the guys at Aerocat, and I'm proud to be a part of the Aerocat team! Life is short... ENJOY THE RIDE!

Mighty Magnolia Race Report

Mighty Magnolia Triathlon
.3 Mile Swim, 16.5 Mile Bike, 3 Mile Run
October 13, 2012
Hattiesburg, Mississippi

This weekend wrapped up the 2012 tri season with the Mighty Magnolia Triathlon in my new hometown, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

I had several reasons to be excited about this race. #1, my two favorite men (husband, Kyle and rocketdad, Mike) were going to be racing with me. #2, the race was local, so we would be surrounded by new friends. #3,...

This was an extremely important race for me. At this point, I've been training consistently for about 6 weeks, so this was a chance to track my improvements and see where I need to focus in the preseason. I think because I've actually been working hard I felt a lot of added pressure to perform well, so I was feeling a little anxious.

The weekend kicked off with a pasta party on Thursday night. We had a blast.... I've missed being around people with similar interests! Conversation topics included racing strategies, swimming in general, goals/expectations, and making a bet with one of the slackers at masters to start swimming again if I beat him (his idea, not mine... BTW Lee, I still haven't seen you at 5:30!)

My dad arrived late Friday evening, so we socialized briefly before hitting the hay. We got an early start Saturday and made it to the race site with plenty of time to warm up and get situated prior to race start.

The swim was wetsuit legal, so I opted to wear mine mainly because I don't like cold water. I figured the extra buoyancy might help a little, too. The fog was REALLY thick. During my warm up, I swam out towards the center of the lake, aiming towards a kayak to practice some open water sighting. Within about 100 yards I lost sight of the kayak... I kept going, and when I finished my warm up I was told they were delaying the race start until some of the fog cleared up.

The Race:

SWIM: 8:22.3
Swim entry was seeded by the order of race entry, so I was #178. Prior to race start, I was nervous about getting caught up by slower swimmers ahead of me, but it seemed to spread out pretty well and I didn't have much of a problem getting around people. The course was pretty much a straight shot- you enter the water on one side of the lake and follow the crescent to a beach area. I stayed on the inside, closest to the buoys and hugging the curve. The only trouble I had with the swim was after I passed the last buoy- It was difficult to see the swim exit, so I'm pretty sure my path wasn't as direct as I would have liked. I thought somewhere between 8 & 8:30 would be a realistic swim time for me. The timing mat was away from the beach right in front of the transition area, so my watch time read 7:54+, official time 8:22.3. I'll take that!

T1 :57.4
Once in the transition area I stripped my wetsuit as fast as I could. Unfortunately, it got caught up around my ankles and I had a hard time getting it around my timing chip. It didn't bother me too much at the time-  I was pretty tired after that swim, and a couple seconds wouldn't make THAT much of a difference in the end (wrong...).

BIKE: 46:15.4   21.4mph
This is a TOUGH bike course. Rolling hills, rough roads, headwind that seems to stay in front no matter what direction you're going, and a couple of steeper hills that'll get you out of the saddle. Last years' participants warned me how difficult it really was, and after a couple of practice rides, I told myself I wouldn't be disappointed if I averaged 20mph. That was my goal. Maybe my bike computer needs to be re-calibrated,  because I really didn't think I was in the 21 range... (but I'll take that, too!)

T2 :33.9
Get in, get out.

RUN: 22:12.6   7:24min/mile
I found the run course challenging, too. Lots of rolling hills. The first mile and a half my legs were just screaming and all I could think about was willing myself to not walk. The second half I finally found my legs. I knew I was having a great run (for me), and that kept me going. At the end, I was grateful for those speed-work sessions, asthma attack and all, especially if it means less time of running.

Finish: 1:18:21.6
I placed 2nd overall, finishing just 5 seconds behind first. It was a little disappointing being THAT close and falling short, but overall I was extremely pleased with my times. What's more, I actually tied to the 10th of a second with one other girl, so we "shared" second. Can I just say, that NEVER happens!? I don't think I've EVER seen a sprint tri with times that close... Hindsight, the times in Clermont ARE going to be that close, so I need to get used to the idea of training and racing HARD like the seconds actually count (at least I'm realizing sooner than later that they DO).

As difficult as that race was, I'll definitely be back next year! Let's face it, EVERY triathlon is hard- if it's not, you're not racing hard enough! I loved this race, and am proud that we have such a well organized event here in Hattiesburg.  I met participants from Louisiana, Texas, and Tennessee, but many of the participants were from Hattiesburg- I LOVE seeing this sport gain popularity in our community. Many thanks to USAT certified RD Ben Hughes, sponsors, and volunteers for giving us a great race! Look forward to coming back in 2013!

See Race Results

Pelican Athletic Club Masters Meet Race Report

Pelican Athletic Club Masters Meet
Mandeville, Louisiana


Mandeville is located about 100 miles southwest of Hattiesburg. There were a few people from our Monday/Wednesday/Friday masters group heading down, so I was able to catch a ride with one of the couples, Elizabeth & Joseph Tullos. Kyle's mom surprised me with a delicious peanut butter flake snack that is apparently a swim meet staple. DELICIOUS!

I was feeling a little anxious, since my only experience with swim meets were with Kyle's club meets in Virginia with HUNDREDS of kids crammed onto a pool deck and mass chaos. Other anxiety factors included the starts (I kept seeing stars during practice) and those DANG FLIP TURNS (I had been forcing myself to do them over the past week and a half in preparation for the meet, but each pool length still felt like preparation for the next flip turn and hoping not to get a nose full of water). FORTUNATELY, the meet would be outside, so at least it would be a cheery atmosphere...

Not long after we hit the road, it started POURING. Apparently Mandeville is really close to Abita, a brewery that I have become increasingly fond of. We decided that if the swim meet was canceled, we would just tour the brewery and do a few tastings... My idea of a few tastings is to enjoy a taste of EVERYTHING, then do it a few more times. I think we were all on the same page. During the ride I pretty much convinced myself that the meet was going to be a bust and that I would be spending my morning drinking. I got my hopes up.

We got to the athletic club and were told the meet would go on as planned. It wasn't storming- just on and off downpour and they had a few canopy tents set up for coverage. After warm-ups, I got ready for my first event- the 50 Free. I was pretty nervous for the first race... wobbly legs and everything... But the buzzard blew and it was over before I realized it had started. The meet was extremely laid back, and all the events I raced in went by pretty quick-even the 50 breast where I choked on water...

 EXCEPT THE 1000 FREE. I was doing this one so that I would have an updated time for that distance so I could get some idea of where my swimming stands. I was dreading this one because I knew it was going to be 15-ish minutes of pain. And it was. My breathing felt labored in the first 100, and it stayed there, and I got lapped by the women on either side of me.... BUT I finished 20 seconds faster than my predicted time, and I hit ALL my flip turns :) Success.

Here are my times.
50 FREE- 30.49
200 FREE- 2:32.08
50 BREAST- 45.29
100 FREE- 1:08.72
1000FREE- 14:19.74

Rocketman Race Report

Rocketman Triathlon
Swim1.5km, Bike 40km, Run 10km
August 26, 2012
Huntsville, Alabama

A little late, I know, but better late than never!

This has got to be one of the best races in the southeast. I may be a tad biased, though, since the Rocketman, Mike Gerrity, is my dad. He puts his heart and soul into this race, as anyone who knows him can testify, and it shows year after year with a smooth, well run, FUN race. This was Rocket-dad's 3rd year as race director. People don't realize how much work is done behind the scenes to make a great race. Every year brings along with it new challenges, but he handles them gracefully and continues to brainstorm new (and sometimes goofy) ways to make the event even better. 

Rocket-dad promoting the Rocketman Triathlon

at a club event with space-suit and race gear.

I LOVE this race for several reasons:

• The venue is on the Redstone Arsenal- a military base that is virtually vacant on Sundays, so no cars to worry about
• The Carroll D. Hudson Recreation Area is situated along the Tennessee River, and the race site is beautiful
• The bike course is FLAT FLAT FLAT (but windy windy windy)
• There's a "big race" mentality about the way it's run, but without sacrificing its' original grassroots feel
• It raises money for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots, and the marines come out to volunteer (my favorite is the drill sergeant along the run course... It's JUST what I need at that halfway point)
• The volunteers are FANTASTIC- from the Grissom High School ROTC to the Team Rocket Tri Club and family members- they work their butts off so that WE can have a great race
• The field is FAST- there are always great athletes who show up, and that in itself is fun! It's a USAT Southeast Regional Championship Series event (that's legit). I also love seeing the collegiates come out- it's also a USAT Southeastern Conference Race. WAR EAGLE!

This is how the event played out:

Saturday- Instead of heading up to Huntsville early, I stuck around to help Kyle at the store until mid-day. Good thing, because we actually had several people come in for shoe fits (it's hard to predict busy times at this point, because we've only been open a few weeks!). Right before I left, Kyle told me to read an e-mail I'd JUST received. In the weeks leading up to this, I expressed that I'd like to apply for sponsorships, but resolved to wait until the following season after some consistent training. Apparently, he sent in an application for me to be on the Timex Factory Team, but didn't tell me so I wouldn't get my hopes up. The email was an acceptance letter! HOORAY, I'M A SPONSORED ATHLETE!!! I can not express my excitement!

 I ended up hitting the road about 1:00, but I kept getting this nagging feeling like I was forgetting something. This isn't completely abnormal, because I ALWAYS get this feeling when heading off to a race. So I start a mental checklist of everything to try to calm my nerves. As far as I can tell, I'm in the clear. I continue driving and visualize every part of the race. I get to the bike, check the rear-view to make sure it's alright... CRAP! I FORGOT MY BIKE. Fortunately I realized it 30 minutes down the road, instead of 3 hours. A.D.D. moment...

I ended up arriving in Huntsville at 6:00. My mom and I made plans to eat dinner together, but she was swamped at work, so I  went to Nothin' But Noodles to meet up with Adam Diaz, Pamela Evens, and Chase Holmberg until she was available. After visiting with them for a little bit, I met my mom at P.F. Chang's for lettuce wraps. The wait was long, but it gave us a chance to walk around Bridge Street a bit. Bob ended up meeting us for dinner. We didn't sit down to eat until about 9, but it was worth the wait to have a light dinner with my family! I finally went to bed around 10:30- I was exhausted from being up since 4:30, and slept like a baby.

Sunday- My biological clock woke me up at 4:30. SCORE. I actually felt rested and ready to go. I got down to the race site around 5:10, and had plenty of time to get situated and warm up.

SWIM: 20:34
Normally I feel anxious about this leg- not this time! I've been swimming pretty consistently and was looking forward to a P.R.- I'd be happy with going under 27:00... I felt great in the water. As I approached the ramp, I looked down at my watch- 20:+... I couldn't believe it. I knew I'd been swimming a lot, but to drop 13 minutes from last year? It MUST be too good to be true. And it was. The swim was DEFINITELY short. After comparing some times, I figure if it were actually 1500meters, I could add 5:00 to my time. So 25-ish- I'm alright with that.

T1:    0:44
I just rocked that swim. And all the bikes around mine are still here. Heck yes!

BIKE: 1:08:35  21.7mph
At this point of the race, I'm pretty pumped because of my super awesome swim time. All I could think about was going under 2:30- my original goal at the beginning of the summer. My plan for the race was to hammer out the bike, because even if I reserve my legs, I'm still gonna have a crappy run- so just have a decent bike split.

T2:  0:57
Kind-of a blur. I remember coming out of T2 and waving at my dad and him cheering for me. And my legs hurt.

RUN: 54:42
I never truly feel pain until the run. This was rough... and I walked a little. Mostly just on those uphill mound things. The only think I dislike about this race is the freaking run course. It's HARD. 1st part- trail run. 2nd part- gravel mound things. 3rd part- more gravel. 4th part- out and back road. 5th part- back over the gravel mound things. And it's HOT HOT HOT. Of course it wouldn't suck so bad if I would just learn how to run... Run pace 8:49. That pretty much says it all.

FINISH:    2:25:29, 14th female, 1st in age group
Overall, I'm ecstatic. Yeah, the run needs a lot of work, but I met my goals, and not JUST because the swim was short. Pretty much everyone PR'd at this race- but I left knowing that my PR was a result of truly faster swimming and biking. Looking forward to next year's Rocketman Tri!

Clermont, HERE I COME!

 What's the fastest, most competitive, amateur DRAFT LEGAL triathlon around? Clermont.

Last month, Kyle instilled this crazy idea in my head to race a draft-legal triathlon. Thus the journey to the Clermont Draft Legal Challenge began. This is an elite developmental race, meant for athletes under 25. The top 3 females earn their elite license.

Unfortunately, I turn 26 a month before the race, which means throughout 2013 I race as a 26 year old. Until this realization, I have NEVER felt old. But analyzing the 2012 race results has made me feel like an aged woman trying to hang with fresh young talent... Ages of the 2012 winners: 16, 17, 17. Humbling.

Last year, there were a few females in their (early-mid) 20's, a couple in their 30's, and a 40 year-old who raced. SO, I emailed the RD with my racing resume to see how I could get in. He gave me the contact information to the USAT Elite Developmental and College Recruitment officer. I was asked why I wanted to race in Clermont, How I would prepare for this race, and How I could promote the sport of draft-legal triathlons... After carefully answering, I was cleared to race!

The RD gave me special instructions on registering... As of 11:14 a.m., I am officially registered! Let the SERIOUS training begin... Clermont, here I come! (March 10, 2013 is quickly approaching... and I NEED A BIKE)

Swimming Hurts FOR REAL

Several years ago, while talking about an upcoming tri, Kyle and I had a conversation that went similar to this:

 Kyle: "You need to be in good enough shape that when you get out of the water and are exhausted,  it doesn't take much time to recover from the swim and get your biking legs going".

Me: "But swimming never makes me exhausted enough that I need a long recovery to catch my breath... I just get on my bike and GO!"

Kyle: "That's because you're not doing it right."

At that time, getting in the pool twice and gliding around for 20 minutes was a good week for me. My "swimming" was more like floating than anything else, so naturally, I was rarely actually tired.

My swimming routine continued this way for a while... It wasn't until about a year ago when I started swimming with the masters group in Virginia that I learned what *swimming exhaustion* really meant. Needless to say, my swimming has improved substantially in the past year.

About a week ago, after finding out I'd been accepted onto the Timex Factory Team, Kyle agreed to start coaching me again under the condition that I actually do what he says (in the past I've taken his coaching as more of a guideline of what I should be doing...). Today I made it to the one week mark, which in my opinion, is just short of making this a habit!

So, as part of this new coaching program, I'm doing periodic tests to assess where I am and track improvements. Today's test was a timed 1mile swim. The idea is that my time for a 1650yard swim will be a good predictor for what I can do for 1500meter open swim. The goal was to stick to a 1:30 pace, which would be 24:45.... I ended up going just slower than that goal with 24:50, and it HURT. I took off a little fast in the first 500, stayed on pace through the 1000, and slowed down about a second on average through the end.

As I hit the 1000y mark, my thoughts were: "Everything is burning, even my legs! Why do my legs feel so heavy when I'm not even kicking that hard. Is this what I'm going to feel like during a race?... because I don't know if I can jump on a bike and hammer it out right now..."

Swimming hurts... FOR REAL. I think that means I'm finally doing it right!?!