Athleta Sponsorship!

February 26, 2014

Never in my wildest dreams did I think a major women's athletic wear retailer like Athleta would be interested in my Ironman journey but when asked, they said yes!

Couldn't resist a little pre-event shopping while I was there:)
Look for me in this 'coral sizzle' capri/tank as I run around town.

Bif Hilliard, the manager of Boulder's Athleta store, was enthusiastic from the get go. After a brainstorming session and a lot of laughter, Biff, Angela (my Kaia angel), and I came up with not only one but two avenues for Athleta to support me and Doctors Without Borders.

1. Athleta Shop Nite Event
Look for details to come but the basic idea is Athleta will host an invitation only shopping night in May/June. I'll invite all of my besties (aka YOU); wine and appetizers/desserts will be served; and Athleta will have all their fabulous athletic wear fully stocked, on hand, and ready for purchase!

It's a Win-Win
* You get to spruce up your spring/summer athletic wear with some killer new duds!
* You get a fun night out on the town with the girls!
* Athleta designates a portion of the night's total sales to Doctors Without Borders in support of their global health mission!
* I'll be there to tell you a little bit about my Ironman journey to date and to answer any questions!

2. Team Kaia Bike Course Marshals
Biff and Athleta immediately volunteered to team up with the Kaia girls and work as Bike Course Marshals at the Ironman. Athleta will also generously donate $250 to Doctors Without Borders.
* The Boulder Ironman is THE not-to-be-missed-event of the summer!
* This is your chance to see it up close and personal!
* Team Kaia/Athleta has the primo bike marshal position! We'll be stationed along the first 20 miles of the bike course which starts at the Boulder Reservoir, heads north up Highway 36 towards Lyons, and then jogs east and north through the rolling hills of Boulder's lake and horse country towards Carter Lake.
* Grab your girlfriends, your husband, your boyfriend, your kids, your sisters, your brothers, your neighbors or whoever you'd like to spend some quality cheering time with and sign up for an awesome day watching some of the best athletes in the world whizz by.

PLAN AHEAD:

DATE:  Sunday, August 3, 2014
TIME:  7:00AM - 11:30AM
PLACE:  Boulder Reservoir
GET THE GOODS:  T-shirt, Lunch, and Water (Ironman generously thanks its volunteers by taking very good care of them:)

PLUS: Everyone who completes at least one volunteer shift at Boulder IM 2014 will receive priority registration for Boulder IM 2015! THIS COULD BE YOU NEXT YEAR! 

READY TO SIGN UP? Click here:  

http://www.doitsports.com/volunteer2/join-protected-group.tcl?event_id=215269

Our Group Name Is:  "Kaia - Bike marshals sector 1"
Our Password Is:       "volsrock"

Tropical Training

FEBRUARY 25, 2014

With the best of intentions to continue with my Ironman training, Charlie and I set off for St. Lucia to celebrate our anniversary. Twent-six years ago we eloped to St. Thomas and sailed off on a boat called The Fantasy so returning to the Caribbean always brings back great memories...

St. Lucia's mountainous terrain was beautiful but the twisty, curvy, roads with 15 degree pitches were not exactly what I had in mind for running. Marigot Bay with it's deep water harbor full of astounding boats was gorgeous but had no beach or swimmable water.

So we made some substitutions, kept calm, and carried on:)
The hotel's fitness center had all you needed to work up a sweat plus a whole wall of windows overlooking the bay.

On a particularly sunny day, we traveled to the southern part of the island to hike the Gros Piton. Two massive twin cone-shaped mountains, Gros Piton and Petite Piton, rise from the sea to heights of over 2,600 feet. Two hours of hiking straight up and we were at the top looking out over the entire island and into a sea of infinity. Another two hours straight down and we felt like we'd accomplished something! Piton, the local beer, takes its name from these two peaks.

                                                     

Rest and relaxation are part of training, right? Now that I am thoroughly caught up on both of those I'm ready to get back to the hammer part:)

The Magic of Aerobars

FEBRUARY 14, 2014

BIKING

So I knew triathletes had different handlebars than road cyclists but I didn't know that triathletes also had completely different bikes! So much to learn, so little time...

I went to my favorite bike shop in Boulder, Sports Garage, where Cameron Taylor quickly introduced me to Chris Jacobson, bike fitter extraordinaire.

Chris set my bike up on a CompuTrainer, had me fill out some riding style info on the computer, took a few detailed measurements, tested my legs and joints for range of motion, and then entered it all into the computer. The results told him the perfect angles and degree of reach for my new aerodynamic body position. Amazing!

We chatted the whole time and when we found out that we both love to ski he showed me a You Tube video of Hitler skiing the back bowls of Vail. Hysterical, if you haven't seen it, you'll never look at the bowls again with a straight face:) Hilter Wants To Ski Pow At Vail. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35sfp9k5avI

Next, he installed the aerobars and new saddle (my old one was woefully worn and he said I'd appreciate the new one with all the miles I'll be putting in). I spun the peddles a few times and tried out the new bars. Of course it's an adjustment but I think I'll get used to them pretty quickly.

One final word of advice from Chris... You need to be going at least 19-20 miles per hour for aero bars to be effective. (Good God, if I'm not going at least that fast I'll never finish!)

I Have A Rock Star Triathlon Coach!

FEBRUARY 13, 2014

RUNNING

Doctors Without Borders generously provided me with a triathlon coach, Spencer Casey, and he just happens to live in Boulder! We got together to go over a game plan and the first thing he wanted to start with was running. Spencer believes that aerobic capacity is the foundation upon which all  IRONMAN endeavors rest.

We met at Greenleaf Park, which I found out later, he specifically chose because the sidewalks in and around the little park had been shoveled. (This has been one of Boulder's snowiest and coldest winters on record.) After brief introductions, he filmed me running toward him, running away from him, and running at a distance across the park.

After I had demonstrated what I thought were decent skills, he said, "I have good news and bad news. The bad news is you're doing almost everything wrong. The good news is you're making the same mistakes that everyone makes."

Uh, ok, thank you, I guess? Even though it sounded awful, Spencer made me feel like I would be able to correct my running technique and have a successful IRONMAN. How could I have run my whole life and never known about this?

He started from the top and worked his way down:

1. Hold you head up high, like a string is pulling your head straight up.
2. Shoulders back and chest out.
3. Arms pumping very fast at a 45 degree angle.
4. Core tight, like you're expecting to be punched in the stomach.
5. Lean forward from the ankles, the momentum will propel you forward.
6. Push off with your foot, bring that heel back high, almost to your butt.
7. Finish the step by bringing that foot down straighter rather than forward (like a piston).

I-yi-yi!!!  I've got a long way to go!

Here's a little bit more about Spencer from the MSF website:

*********************************************************************************

MEET YOUR COACHes:

As a member of Team Doctors Without Borders you have the opportunity to participate in our world class athletic training program to prepare for race day. Here's a chance to get to know a little more about your coaches.

SPENCER CASEY, HEAD COACH: Former elite runner and duathlete Spencer Casey has over 25 years of running and racing experience. 

As a coach Spencer has always been a student of the sport and continues to learn and evolve as new advances are made in coaching and training.  

His 10 + years of coaching experience coupled with being coached in his competitive days by legendary coaches Sam Bell (Indiana Univ.) and Mark Wetmore  (Univ. of Colorado) has shaped his own personal philosophy and style.

Spencer is passionate about coaching and enjoys working with all athletes of all ability levels.  

Spencer has coached multiple Olympic Trials qualifiers in the marathon and coached triathletes to the Ironman World Championships in triathlon. 

As a coach he believes in the patient development of the aerobic metabolism and developing a complete athlete (speed, strength, endurance, sport specific strength/core, flexibility, nutrition, biomechanics and the often overlooked mental side of competing). 

What inspires you to coach Team Doctors Without Borders participants?     

Helping an athlete cross the finish line is always rewarding, but even more so when working with Team Doctors Without Borders participants. Knowing that everyone on the team is training and working for something much bigger than just completing a race is extremely powerful and motivating. Seeing team members finish something like a half marathon who couldn't run more than a mile or two a few months earlier is very inspiring.
  

Where is your favorite place to run? 

My favorite training run is anywhere from 8-15 miles on the Mesa Trail in Boulder, CO and my favorite race is the NYC Marathon.

What is your favorite post-workout treat? 

After short run I like a protein smoothie, but after long runs some sweet potato pancakes hit the spot.

What is your best fundraising tip?  

Post your benchmark runs to your Facebook page along with a note of how your training and fundraising is going. When people see your commitment and progress they are more inclined to donate.

What do you most look forward to on race day?  As a participant I look forward to pushing myself as hard as I can.  As I coach I enjoy seeing the smiles of our team members and watching them find out that they can achieve more than they ever believed. 

Time To Get Serious About Training

FEBRUARY 10, 2014

SWIMMING

I hadn't been in a pool since last summer and the below zero temps that we had last week didn't make it sound very enticing right now. But I'd seen the outdoor pool at the Colorado Athletic Club and I'd seen swimmers out there in every kind of weather. Could the water REALLY be warm enough to keep you from freezing or were these swimmer's veins filled with anti-freeze?

I found out when I signed up for a swim lesson, the first I'd had since my Red Cross Life Guard Course when I was 12. Katie Hostetler, my instructor, was immediately drawn to my cause and my quest. She too was preparing for a triathlon in June. (She also has a wedding to get ready for at the end of June!)

Katie watched me swim a couple lengths and then gave me different drills to practice. I loved the freestyle 'catch up' drill where you extend your arm, reaching all the way through the fingertips and then hold it there for just a second longer than you really want to while your other hand catches up to it.

I struggled with the 'right arm only/left arm only' drill. Like most people, I definitely have a dominate side. The right arm only wasn't so bad but I slogged through the left arm only. It's a good thing that the IRONMAN doesn't make the challenge even more difficult by tying one hand behind your back, I'd be at the bottom of the lake:)

Colorado Athletic Club Pool. 

Air temp 18 degrees, pool temp 80 degrees.

Team Kaia - Bike Course Marshals

FEBRUARY 7, 2014

Look through a website enough times and you may find a hidden gem...

I was registered as an Ironman participant but I was still curious about the volunteer opportunities for the Ironman. One day, a day like any other day, I came across a 'group volunteer' tab and found out that the 2014 IRONMAN Boulder was going to need an astonishing 3,000 volunteers for the event! They even offered grants for large groups who could volunteer for extended periods of time.

Could I put together a group of volunteers? Would that group qualify for a grant? Could that grant be designated to go to Doctors Without Borders? Could that grant count toward my fundraising total?

The answers to all those questions was YES!

Angela and the Kaia F.I.T. Boulder girls instantly volunteered to participate! The Team Kaia Bike Course Marshals will be manning the first 20 miles of the bike course starting at the Boulder Reservoir and going north towards Carter Lake on Highway 36. This part of the course is a beautiful stretch of road along the foothills and then jogs a little eastward into the gorgeous rolling hills of Boulder's horse and lake country.

Look for lots of pink (Kaia's signature color) and enthusiastic girls in tutus cheering wildly!

PLUS our group grant raises $500 for Doctors Without Borders!!!

PLAN AHEAD AND JOIN US:

DATE:  Sunday, August 3, 2014
TIME:  7:00AM - 11:30AM
PLACE:  Boulder Reservoir
GET THE GOODS:  T-shirt, Lunch, and Water (Ironman generously thanks its volunteers by taking very good care of them:)

PLUS: Everyone who completes at least one volunteer shift at Boulder IM 2014 will receive priority registration for Boulder IM 2015! THIS COULD BE YOU NEXT YEAR! 

READY TO SIGN UP? Click here:  

http://www.doitsports.com/volunteer2/join-protected-group.tcl?event_id=215269

Our Group Name Is:  "Kaia - Bike marshals sector 1"
Our Password Is:       "volsrock"

With A Little Help From My Friends

FEBRUARY 4, 2014

Of course I couldn't do the Ironman without the massive support and love from all my Kaia girls! I joined Kaia F.I.T. Boulder,  a women's-only fitness training program, a year ago and now I'm in the best shape of my life!

Owner and Head Coach, Angela Hypio, is an athletic dynamo who will instantly become your best friend while subjecting you to an ever-changing list of exercises and drills. She does it all with a smile and constant encouragement and before you know it, you're signing up for an Ironman! She embodies the foundations of Kaia:

Our mission is to help you create strong bodies and powerful minds.

Kaia F.I.T. offers fitness programs catered to women in Boulder and specializes in delivering personalized training in a group atmosphere.

Through Functional Intense Training (F.I.T.), our certified fitness professionals will empower you reach your personal fitness goals.

It's Go Time! - My First Week

FEBRUARY 3, 2014

Within days of applying, MSF confirmed that I was on Team Doctors Without Borders and I was guaranteed a spot in the triathlon. I was on my way to:

     *  MY FIRST TRIATHLON

     *  BOULDER'S FIRST IRONMAN

     *  THE WORLD'S LARGEST IRONMAN...   

R I G H T  O N !!!

In all honesty, I have to admit, my first response was that 'GULP, butterflies in my stomach, what have I done?' kind of feeling.

But then after a couple of deep breaths, that feeling was replaced by joy, enthusiasm, and energy. I had just been given the opportunity of a lifetime!

I decided to hit the ground running and get to work on the fundraising right away. The MSF website provided an awesome template and ideas for a letter and email campaign. It also provided a very user friendly accounting system to track donations, a contact area to organize email lists, and a profile page to explain what I was doing and why. Here's what I came up with...

KAY NORBY FIAL

DONATE NOW

Fundraising Page for 2014 Boulder IRONMAN
August 3, 2014 at Boulder Reservoir

Dear Friends and Family,

Thank you for visiting my fundraising page. I am so excited to participate in my FIRST triathlon! The IRONMAN has always seemed like the pinnacle of athleticism - how could anyone swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles in one day? I've watched the uber fit Olympic gods compete but I've also wondered if an average human could do it. Now, with Team Doctors Without Borders, I am going to find out firsthand at the inaugural 2014 IRONMAN Boulder.

I'm thrilled to be on the team and have already started training and preparing for the event. Along with the physical challenge of completing the IRONMAN, I am also raising $4,000 for Doctors Without Borders in support of the work they do for the medically underserved populations of the world's darkest corners. In a surprising way, I feel like I'm putting my international studies degree to use also. Many of the countries I studied are exactly the ones that Doctors Without Borders serves.

Please help me exceed my goal of $4,000 before I cross the finish line in the 2014 IRONMAN Boulder.

Your donation will be put to work immediately to deliver urgent medical care including treatment for malnutrition, emergency surgery, and lifesaving vaccinations to men, women and children in more than 70 countries around the world.

Thank you for your support and for getting involved. Every little bit helps and is greatly appreciated.

I've got miles of training ahead of me and I invite you to join me for a swim, bike, or run any time - you can say you trained with an IRONMAN:)!

Kay

DONATE NOW 

It All Started When...

JANUARY 27, 2014

Little did I know as I checked the Ironman website for the millionth time that I would find my ticket to the big event...

Boulder's first Ironman triathlon, the 2014 Ironman Boulder, sold out in 2 hours last summer so I had been checking the site for volunteer opportunities. I knew I wanted to be a part of Boulder's first IM but didn't know what role I'd play in the world's largest Ironman.

As I clicked through the site, I noticed a new tab for 'register via charity.' That window lead to a world of opportunity that I had only dreamed of. One of my favorite NGOs, Doctors Without Borders, was listed and I knew this was the chance to see if I could:

1) get a spot in an Ironman, 2) complete an Ironman, and 3) help the world in a broader way!

By partnering with Doctors Without Boarders I was given the opportunity to support one of the most credible, reputable, and efficient NGOs on the planet; and they in turn supported me with a wealth of information for fundraising and triathlon training instruction and information.

NOTE: Doctors Without Borders, an independent medical humanitarian organization, is also known internationally as Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). They work worldwide in over 70 countries delivering vaccines, performing life-saving surgeries, providing clean drinking water, and more to medically underserved men, women, and children living in armed conflict zones, epidemics, healthcare exclusion, and natural or manmade  disaster areas.

                              

http://www.msf.org                                                http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/americas/ironman/boulder.aspx#axzz2tVhFl49R