Running Shoes

I always get new running shoes right around my birthday, that way I remember to change them out before they get ground into pulverized pulp. With all the miles I'm putting in training for and running the IRONMAN, I decided to buy two pairs at once in order to spread out the wear and tear, and still have a shoe that can take me to the finish line.

At In Step, my favorite active footwear emporium, RL Smith is my go-to orthotic and shoe guy. I first met RL almost 20 years ago when I walked into the shop looking for orthotics for my ski boots. I'd heard that a neutral platform underfoot translated into better balance resulting in cleaner edging - boy were they right! My skiing elevated to a higher level than I ever thought possible and resulted in a fantasy trip come true - a week of heli skiing Alaska's Chugach with Olympic Gold Medalist Tommy Moe. Ever since then I've used orthotics in all my sports footwear - ski, run, bike, and golf.

RL set me up with the Asics Cumulus and the new, super light-weight Asics Electro 33. Sounds like I'll be floating on clouds and powered by jolts of electricity!

PS... RL has quite a storied, professional duathlete, triathlete, and IRONMAN career so I take any advice I can get from him.

His one comment on nutrition during the IRONMAN ride was that he'd had good luck with a mashed potato/olive oil/salt mixture. I'll have to give that a try during some training runs and rides.

He also suggested attaching a watch to the bike with a alarm set reminding me to take a drink every 5 minutes and to take a bite of food every 10 minutes to maintain an even glucose level throughout the ride. It sounds like a juggling act between aerobars, gear levers, brakes, water bottles, and snacks in my back pocket... We'll have to see if I can orchestrate all that!

A Message From Afar...

Last week I received a message from a Doctors Without Borders aid worker in Malawi. I was amazed that she would take the time to encourage me with my endeavors while she deals with life and death cases. Her comments brought home the message that my efforts and donor contributions are having a real time impact. Here is what Kerri had to say...

Dear Kay, 

My name is Kerri Kelly and not only am I an aid worker for Doctors Without Borders, but I’m an IRONMAN finisher too. I arrived in Malawi a few weeks ago as the Head of Mission (our version of Country Director) for Doctors Without Borders.  Let me share with you how donations like yours are being put to work in the program here.  It is an HIV/AIDS program where there are 34,000 patients under treatment.  We support 10 rural health centers and the HIV clinic at the District Hospital.  The incidence rate of HIV in the district is 17%, and of women my age (in their 40’s) the rate is 35%.  The volume of work here is incredible.  In 2001, we were the first organization to offer free care for HIV.   

In 2013, we started to roll out point-of-care laboratory testing at the health centers.  This is the only place in sub-Saharan Africa where you can get a viral load test at a health center.   This step is really innovative and will enable Doctors Without Borders teams to identify patients who are failing first line HIV drug treatments in a timely manner.  It is a great improvement in access to care for our patients.   

I hope that your training is going as great as your fundraising!  Thank you!   
Cheers - Kerri  

Check Out The Bike Route

I've settled into a training schedule...

6 days of Kaia X-Training, 2 days of swimming, 2 days of spinning/riding, and 2 days of running. Each session is an hour long but will increase as the Ironman gets closer. I usually go to the Kaia workout first thing in the morning and follow it with one of the other disciplines. Last Friday I went a little nuts and did a yoga class, a swim, and a spin class. I felt great right after but was definitely lagging by 3:00.

Sunday is an off day, a rest day but I wanted to know what the road ahead was going to be like, (literally), so I printed out the bike map, got in the car, and took off on the 112 mile loop.

Starting from Boulder Reservoir, the course heads north along the foothills towards Lyons on Highway 34. I know from previous experience this section can become a wind tunnel later in the day so I'm glad we're riding it in the morning. A jog east and north takes riders through Boulder County's horse country with rolling hills and lakes toward Carter Lake. Climbing a 600 ft. switchback brings riders into the alpine zone of Carter Lake with crystal clear Rocky Mountain water and fragrant pine trees. From Carter Lake the route turns eastward through red rock sandstone outcroppings the equal of anything Moab could throw at you. The route then opens up toward the plains and farmland of small towns like Loveland, Campion, and Berthoud before crossing I-25 and heading toward Johnstown. A right turn sends riders south through more farmland for another 25 miles before turning westward through Erie and toward the finish at Boulder High School. The westward journey is framed by the peaks of the Continental Divide in the distance. Quite a variety of landscapes, a treat to the eyes, and a showcase of Colorado's bounty.

I'm glad I took my "off" day to check out the route. It took 2 hours and 45 minutes to drive in a car. On my best day, I was hoping to average 20mph on the bike and finish in 6 hours or less - we shall see... I'm praying for a few clouds, moderate temperatures and no wind on August 3rd:)

First Outdoor Ride of the Season

Skiing/snowmobiling/snowshoeing in a blizzard last weekend in Vail and cycling the roads of Boulder county on Tuesday - must be March in Colorado!

Charlie, my most best training buddy and hubby, was itching to get the roadies out today. He has gone over the top in supporting me in my Ironman quest. He's so excited to do the training that he bought a hot new bike to ride with me AND joined Colorado Athletic Club to swim with me!

Today was the first day I got to really try out the aerobars and the first difference I noticed was how tippy the front end felt with my weight over the front wheel and my arms and hands in a central position. Shifting was also a little iffy, I had to do more planning, i.e. take one hand off the aero, place it in the handlebar, then the other hand, then move the right hand to the shift. It will be a little bit of a learning curve...

After riding inside at spin classes for the last 4 months I was hyper-atuned to all the sensations outside. The cars, the trucks, the wind, the gravel... but also the view across the fields, the cows, the horses, the Continental Divide in the background. It was invigorating on so many levels:)

Comin' attcha - the Silver Bullet and White Lightning

Instagram!

How cool is this? Doctors Without Borders and Instagram will send you a daily picture of their work in the field. Each picture tells a story; sometimes harrowing but also sometimes hopeful. Need a reason to sign up for this?

*  See your dollars at work
*  Be reminded there are good things being done in the world
*  Be thankful everyday for the life you live
*  May it be a daily reminder of your contribution and a small token of my appreciation for your support:)

It's easy:
Click on the link below.
Open an Instagram account or sign on if you already have one.
Click FOLLOW under the MSF logo.
Done.
Your picture will arrive daily.

http://instagram.com/doctorswithoutborders

Follow MSF on Instagram for daily photo updates about our lifesaving work in over 60 countries. Meet our patients and get an inside view of how we work from some of our award-winning photographers.

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:)