Wednesday, November 20, 2013

It's been awhile....

So it's been a long time since my last post and I keep putting it off adding to the pile of what to write. So I'm going to bullet this and keep it simple.

TRAINING
  • I've enjoyed a less structured training schedule (still working out nearly everyday) but that means it's going to take a little longer to get back to where I was. 
  • I've done a lot of mountain biking, my second favorite passion. Most rides have been in the dark (with super bright lights of course) now that it's darker earlier. 
  • Still swimming three mornings a week but Steve and I will go to four soon.
  • Applying to the Cycle Ops grassroots team. I need to submit a 60 second video with why I'd be a good candidate to be sponsored by Cycle Ops. I use their Power Tap computer every ride on my bike. It measures wattage, cadence, heart rate and average of those, miles, distance etc.
RACING
  • A great performance at Worlds (14th out of 76 in my age group & 1st American out of 10!)  has no bearings towards racing Worlds again in Edmonton, Canada 2014. 

    Worlds Qualification process:
    • Race in Nationals, finish top 18 in age group, auto invite to the following years worlds. I raced Nat'ls in Burlington 2012 finished 5th in age group got invited to London.
    • If not able to race Nationals, be ranked top 20 in age group and get invited to fill the two remaining spots as an All American. I was unable to race Nat'ls in Millwalke 2013 (work and not in budget) and I'm ranked 95th out of 1,112 which is awesome, but not good enough to get the invite, but I'm working on getting an invitation.
    • In London there was an open race which is not actually part of the World Championships and may only be available to locals. I'm trying to get into that if Edmonton has it.
    • Probably won't be able to race 2014 Nat'ls to qualify for 2015 Worlds- the event is the same weekend as 24 Hours of Great Glen which is the biggest event where I work, can't take that weekend off.
  • Steve and I decided to focus on the Olympic distance vs the Sprint.
    • Olympic .93 mile swim, 25 mile bike and 6.2 mile run-double the Sprint distance
  • Olympic distances are as popular as Sprints so it will mean a little less racing and more trainining than this summer.
  • Fundraising plans are being discussed with Regina, I really don't feel comfortable asking the community again. Training hours will increase with the distance so my time to organize fundraisers is limited. 
LIVING
  • My grandmother, who I'm super super close to, was diagnosed with cancer, Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma a cancer of the lymph tissue. She has a small spot in her back and I talked to her today and they just found another very small spot in her thigh. Outlook is very good, how her body handles the chemo is unknown so far so good, except for the hair loss she's dreaded so much. I went home to Connecticut to be with her for her first of 6 chemo sessions and will go home every three weeks to drive her to chemo, I'll spend the 6-7 hours of infusion right there next to her. Luckily I work Tuesday thru Saturday and can go home on my days off. Her chemo days are Mondays. Unfortunately I'm not on the Tues-Sat schedule yet so I'll have to work this Saturday to have Monday off and will work from Ct Tuesday and Wed.
  • Can't wait for winter! I love snow, I love when it falls, the way the woods are silenced by it, the feel of it, the speed when snowboarding on it and the sound of snowshoeing on it!
  • Once winter does start I need to be to work (30 mins away if the roads are good) between 6:15 and 6:30am writing and publishing the snow report by 7am for Great Glen Trails Outdoor Center. This will make swimming very tricky/early. Mondays (day off from work) and Wednesdays I'm in a swim class from 5:30-6:30 so I'll have to leave early which leaves Friday and Saturday for super early swims, unless I switch and swim Sundays and NEVER have a morning to sleep in. 
Thank you to everyone who supported Team Skidmore, because of you I've have had a taste of racing at the World Championships and I'm hungry for more!