Weekend (riding) recap

How fitting that today is World Bicycling Day today as we spent much of our weekend on two wheels. Not only do I love riding my bike but I absolutely love riding my bike in and around Greenville. Our terrain forces you to improve your skills (mental and physical), resilience and endurance - there's no easy riding here. 

Our athlete Robb flew from LA to Greenville to spend two days of private training with us in route to IM Ireland and IM Whistler. Robb is a strong cyclist (who loves challenging courses) so we made sure he got his money worth with lots of time in the saddle, exploring all that our challenging terrain has to offer. Our coach gave us the ok to load the up the weekend with cycling miles so it was a win-win for us all.

On Saturday we set out for a long ride up and over Cesar's Head. The weather was a bit "cooler" (in the upper 70's) which made for a refreshing start to the ride. Up in the mountains it was even cooler which was a great relief compared to the mid 90+ temps we have been experiencing lately. The official climb up Cesar's Head is 6.2 miles (from the veer off point, ~2000 feet elevation gain) but in reality, it's closer to 7.2 miles as you have to climb to the veer off point. After the descend, we headed toward Dupont State Recreational Forest which is mostly rollers before a 4 mile section of super punchy and technical climbing and descending. Then it was more rollers before we arrived to Flat Rock for our bottle-refill/croissant stop. Then it was a fast 1:36 hr back home as Robb was leading the way and he was pushing the effort. In total, we did 4:48 hrs of riding, 83 miles and ~6200 feet elevation gain. After the ride we did a ~21 minute run off the bike. A solid day of training!

On Sunday we set out for what was suppose to be a ~4 hour ride but the bad news was that we got a little lost and the ride turned into a 5 hour ride. The good news was that we discovered a few new routes because of the unplanned detour. Despite going through all types of Ironman emotions and physical highs and lows throughout this ride, it was a really enjoyable time spent on two wheels. We finished the ride with 5:02 riding time, 94 miles and ~5500 feet of elevation gain. This ride took us past Clemson and then back through some beautiful twisty roads with lots of rollers. Before the last climb back home, we finished with a solid 30+ minutes on Pumpkintown where Karel was pushing the pace while Robb and I stayed right behind his wheel.

Over 48 hours we accumulated 177 miles, almost 12000 feet elevation gain and close to 10 hours of riding. Thank you body! And no honks or close calls with cars. If anything, the roads were pretty quiet. Thank you cars for letting us share the road with you.

Here are a few pics from the two rides.

A shout-out to a few of the Trimarni affiliates who made for happy riding this weekend:
-Alto Cycling
-Mg12
-Solestar
-Ventum
-Roka

-Castelli
-PR lotion
-4iiii

Safe cycling

I didn't grow up as a cyclist - heck, I barely rode my huffy bike with purple tassels when I was a child.
I was born to be a swimmer and have always felt comfortable in the water.

Karel, on the other hand, was born to be on two wheels. He has been riding a bike since he learned to walk. Road, fixie, TT, triathlon, mountain - you name it and Karel will ride it!
Whenever Karel has an off day and he feels tired, I just tell him "go ride your bike" and instantly he feels better.

When I met Karel ten years ago, I was training for my first Ironman. My cycling skills were horrible. I was afraid to clip in and out, afraid to get out of the saddle, afraid to be on my aerobars on busy roads (or around other people), afraid to take turns, climb, descend...yes, pretty much afraid to be on my bike despite me training for a 112 mile bike event.

I was great at riding on a spin bike and ok at riding in a straight line on the road. Anything else and I felt off balance, uncomfortable and certainly not one with my bike.

Thankfully, Karel looked out for me and wanted the best for me. He knew that for a happy marriage and for my safety, I needed to learn how to confidently ride a bike AND have the skills to ride my bike out on the road, in all terrain and weather conditions.

Fast forward to 2016 and 10 Ironmans, dozens of triathlons, bike events and a few bike-specific train-cations in the mountains and I can confidently say that my bike skills have improved A LOT.
He also showed me that my body was built for hard bike courses with a lot of climbing.


10,300 feet at Brainard Lake in Boulder, CO

I owe it all to Karel for constantly taking me out of my comfort zone.

But, as much as I knew I needed to work on my skills, this brought on many tears running down my face while riding my bike with Karel ((and a handful of arguments) where I was just too scared to try something on my bike.
But Karel was not comfortable with me riding my bike in a race, let alone on roads with cars, without proper cycling skills.

 Riding a triathlon or road bike was always very mechanical for me in that I wasn't always quick to react to what to do in certain situations and it would often take me a second to act after thinking. Thanks to living in Greenville where the terrain forces you to react quickly as it is equally challenging as it is beautiful, I now find myself able to ride (so happy) without having to think as much as to what I need to do when I see a stop sign, descend down a steep hill, climb or make a turn.


And if I wasn't on my bike, I would have never met Mr. Llama who LOVES cyclists.
I know I still have a ways to go until I can ride as confidently as Karel can (riding a bike is like walking for him - he doesn't have to think about it, he just does it) but at least I have made a lot of progress and I feel far more safer when I ride my bike out on the road thanks to a huge improvement in my cycling skills. 

As a triathlete and someone who really loves to ride her bike in the mountains, in nature, I know there is a great risk when it comes to sharing the road with cars.

But that's just it - we are cars and bikes, who both share the road.

I've said it over and over again but I feel so lucky that we found and now live in Greenville, SC. We have endless cycling routes in and around the mountains (where we ride 99.9% of the time - straight from our doorstep) and the cars actually share the road with us cyclists. It's not a bad problem to have but I can't tell you how many times we have to signal and wave to a car to pass us because they will slowly stay behind us, patiently letting us ride. If that is any indication of where we ride most of the time, I can confidently say that where we ride, the people don't need to get anywhere fast as we are in the country and life moves a little slower near the mountains.



Sure, we get the occasional honk or rude driver but it's not a common occurrence. To make it more evident as to the safety of our rides, I rarely ride anywhere that has a bike lane OR shoulder. I actually feel more safe riding here in Greenville without a designated bike lane than when I rode on the shoulder in FL.

It's far more common that a car will pass far to the left (often in the other lane if there is a yellow line) than to try to squeeze by us without moving.
Cars don't look act at us as if we don't belong.



We have over 25 miles of the swamp rabbit trail for men, women, boys and girls to ride leisurely, to stay in shape or to work on cycling skills which also provides many Greenvillians the opportunity to learn to ride and to actually ride a bike.
I can't tell you how many bike shops we have in and around Greenville and every week, our downtown becomes more bike friendly.

Greenville wants people on bikes and thanks to the city, the Greenville Spinners and many others who are actively involved in the bike community, people are proactive in making us feel safer on the roads.



While accidents do happen and some roads are just not safe for cyclists (thus the #1 reason why we wanted to move out of Jacksonville, FL), your enjoyment for cycling and your safety on the road can be improved with a few of these tips.

1. Master your cycling skills - While you can improve your fitness on the trainer, a stationary bike trainer does not allow you to identify and master your cycling skills like you can when you are riding in the elements and on all types of terrain. Forget the race wheels, the power meter, and the aero helmet which you feel you "need" to ride faster. Learn how to change your gears properly, sit on the bike properly, stand up and adjust your position, grab your bottles (and rotate your bottles), break quickly, maneuver your bike in tight spaces, react smartly, descend, corner, stop/start on any terrain and ride confidently on your bike. If you ride the trainer a lot or you find yourself uncomfortable outside on two wheels, take the time and practice riding your skills as often as you can by riding outside on safe roads.

2. Fuel and hydrate appropriately - When you are bonking, you can't think or react clearly. You lose all good judgement. Whereas you may not be in danger if you bonk in the pool or when running, it's dangerous to your life if you intentionally or unintentionally underfuel/underhydrate when on two wheels. Always bring more nutrition/fluids than you need and plan your refueling stops before you need to stop.

3. Be comfortable on your bike - This goes beyond the obvious of getting a professional bike fit from a very experienced fitter (especially when fitting you with the "right" saddle type and position). Your helmet, sunglasses, shoes and clothing should be very comfortable. If you don't feel comfortable in your gear, you are not going to be comfortable riding your bike for many miles. Do not try anything new on race day - practice in similar gear in training as in race day and don't assume that deep race wheels will make you faster if you struggle to keep them in a straight line in training.

4. Invest in electronic shifting - I can't say enough good things about electronic shifting. From an economy and safety standpoint, I feel this should be mandatory on all triathlon bikes (aero bars and the base bars) as it allows for more efficient (and often) shifting of the gears no matter the terrain (sitting or standing). This has been the best investment on my bike and I can't imagine riding without electronic shifting.

5. Obey the rules of the road - While we all want drivers to obey the rules of the road, cyclists should do the same.

6. Be remembered - Whenever I ride and I am passed by a car, if I have the opportunity (ex. safe terrain), I give a little wave and a smile. I want every car to remember me as the "nice" cyclist - not the one who stuck out my middle finger, yelled at the car or disobeyed the rules of the road. I want to create a good impression for all cyclists and I am sure I am not alone in this as other cyclists/triathletes in the community do the same.

7. Don't be a hypocrite - It's easy for a cyclist to complain about distracted drivers who are eating in the car, taking a phone while in the car or texting while in the car. But sadly, athletes are guilty of the same things. It's just as easy for a cyclist who drives a car to get just as distracted as a driver who doesn't cycle. How many times have you been driving home famished and exhausted after training and find yourself easily distracted (and a little angry) from being low in energy or taking a phone call or making a "quick" text?
Whenever you are behind two wheels (not on two wheels), be smart when you are driving as it's not just cyclists who are at risk on the road but everyone else who is around you, walking, driving and animals too.

8. Be alert - In the two years since we moved to Greenville, I have never ridden my bike with headphones in my ears. It's important to be alert to your surroundings and plus, riding a bike allows you to be close to nature so open your eyes and ears and enjoy it! You should also be aware of your surroundings, always looking what's slightly in front of you, paying attention to cars, dogs, squirrels, branches, potholes and any other distractions. Plan your routes accordingly to minimize riding in unsafe areas.

9. Keep your bike tuned-up - I can't tell you how many bikes have been in the hands of Karel and he has found something on or inside the bike that could potentially risk a bike accident. A proper tune-up doesn't mean simply cleaning the chain and wiping off the grease, dirt and sweat but making sure the bike is fully rideable at all times (bolts, bearings, wheels, brakes, tires, cleats, pedals, cables, etc.). Your bike should always be in proper riding condition and if not, don't ride outside!

10. Have fun! - It would be a shame if the only time you are allowed to ride a bike outside is when you are a kid and only in the neighborhood with your parents watching. While bike trainers are an effective tool for specific bike training and for riding your bike at any time of the day, no matter the outside weather conditions, riding a bike outside is fun. Keep riding a bike fun. It's easy on the body as it is non-weight bearing and it allows you to see more than you can see in a car or by foot. Riding a bike makes you feel free and it's an activity that I encourage everyone to participate in, no matter your age or fitness level.

11. Be the change you want to see - If you aren't happy with your current cycling community, safety or riding conditions, get involved with your community. While change takes time, there's no point complaining about something that you can possibly do something about. While laws and roads won't change overnight, you deserve to ride your bicycle outside.

In light of the recent cycling tragedy, my very good friend (and athlete) Meredith (a wife, triathlete, cyclists, full-time employee and mom of two young kids), who is extremely actively involved in our cycling community, shared this powerful message on social media and with her permission I would like to share:

" I rode this morning, alone as I do 90% of the time. This is awful, and unfortunate. It could happen to any of us. So do fatal car wrecks, plane crashes, and random cancer diagnoses to those we love. We cannot live in fear. You will do nothing for the sport by hiding in the garage. Yes, the trainer has a place, but there ARE safe roads and 95% of the drivers in our (Greenville) community realize and accept that we are human beings on two wheels and give us that respect when they pass. As I was nearly pinched off the road by a rogue vehicle just this morning, the Michigan crash already heavy on my mind, the car behind the offending car then laid down on its horn and pursued the driver who seemingly pursued me, in what seemed to me a defensive move in my direction, to tell the other driver what he tried to do to me wasn't cool. It shook me up, but I was glad to see another car take up for me, in a way. Then, as I waited for the last green light on my cool down home, a gentleman in a pick up truck pulled up beside me and rolled down his window to say hello, ask me about the weather, and wish me a safe ride. All this, and the friendly hello and waves from multiple fellow cyclists out this morning. I know what was on all our minds. I personally work for this safety in our community, and I won't quit. You also know what they say - the only thing necessary for evil to endure is for good men to do nothing. So in this case, be an exemplary ambassador for cycling, ride when and where it is safe, and be overly friendly and visually appreciative to those cars who respect and protect us. I take in the beauty and enjoyment and the life altering joy a bike brings. Ride on!"


Riding with Meredith this morning and enjoying our peaceful roads with endless mountain views. Thank you to the cars who were so patient and nice to us as we celebrated our good health on two wheels.
Happy times on two wheels! 

Just riding along... with George Hincapie!

Yep, that happened on Sunday (July 20th). 

Best bike ride EVER!

Riding with THE George Hincapie, 17 x Tour de France finisher. 

Ever since my dad passed away 59 days ago, there hasn't been a day that I haven't thought about my dad.

My dad had a great love of life, no matter where he was or what obstacle was in his way, he had a smile on his face, a great sense of humor and an ongoing love of being alive. 

My dad never appeared stressed out by life. I wish I could say the same for me for I find myself easily stressed out at times. 

I am sure we all wish we could be just like my dad and act in a way as if life was just easy. 

I know that there were times in my dad's life that were not easy and certainly, fighting stage IV cancer for the last 10 months of his life was no easy task. 

Stress affects us all differently but we all have stress in life. Stress is very subjective for it is hard to define and even more difficult to measure. 

How is it that we can experience the same experience twice and one time feel stressed and the other time feel relaxed or comfortable with something out of our control? 

Jobs, life, family, relationships, travel, diet, health....why can we not escape stress in life? 

Well, because life IS stressful!

If there is one thing that I have learned in life that I will never forget is that life will never be stress free. There will always be something and at the most in-opportune time, that is not desirable (insert "why now?"). 

But if there is one thing that my dad taught me, that I will never forget, is that life should be enjoyed and if stress levels get too high, the body can become unhealthy and unhappy and that is no way to live life. 

I've never been one to believe that the grass is greener on the other side for a beautifully landscaped lawn requires a lot of work, time and money. So to believe that your life is so extremely stressful and difficult but someone else has it easier, is not the way that you should be living life. 

When we decided to move to Greenville, SC, we knew this would be an extremely stressful time in our life as small business owners and competitive age group triathletes. Sure, it presented opportunities which helped us make our decision that Greenville was the place to call home after spending 6 years in Jacksonville, but this didn't mean that life instantly became less stressful. 

Karel and I may live an extreme lifestyle to some but we enjoy a very simple life. 

We take good care of ourselves through sleep, stress management and the diet, which paves a smooth(er) road for us to enjoy an active lifestyle. 

We could not be more happy about our new home in Greenville, SC. for when times are stressful (and they are and will always be), there is a wide open playground for us to live in a way that we can't help but smile and just love experiencing life. 

Karel and I are no strangers to busy schedules. If you know me well, I function best with a lot on my plate and feel very uncomfortable with my life if I have nothing to do. 

But a busy schedule without time to enjoy life is meaningless for the reason why we should work so hard is to do things that make us happy and feel so incredibly grateful to be alive. 

Triathlon training brings me great happiness because I love to swim, bike and run. But remove racing and structured training and get rid of all the gadgets and I just love moving my body. It's that simple. 

Happiness is moving my body as I create memories and I am so happy that on Sunday, July 20th, that I was able to make amazing memories with Karel, our friends from Jax and wow, George Hincapie. 

We all handle react, manage and deal with stress differently. It is not my job to tell you how you should live your life but I do feel the need to express my passion for making sure that you make the most out of your days. 

I know my dad would be so happy that I am continuing to love life, especially in between all of the stressful times. 

We had a few triathlete friends (Lane, Jennifer, Shawn B, Shawn F, Holt, Flint) from Jax nearby in Clemson for their training camp and Karel and I could not wait to show off our new bike friendly, beautiful country roads that include a lot of climbing and very little flatness. A BIG change from Florida. 

However, because of a rainy day on Saturday, our exciting ride plans changed. 

Karel planned a great ride for us on Saturday but sadly, we had to go with plan B which included a run on the treadmills for us followed by strength. Our friends ran on a trail and then headed out on their bikes in the afternoon for a few hours. 

Karel and I checked and checked and re-checked the weather all day on Saturday and we trusted the weatherman who told us that we would have no rain until 10am on Sunday. We hoped for the best. 

So, with a new plan, our friends met us at the Swamp Rabbit Cafe in Greenville at 8am and with overcast skies and mid 70's outside, we were off for our ride. 

Karel had two options (~64 or 90 miles) for the ride and because our friends had to drive home to Jax in the afternoon, we kinda played it by ear throughout the morning. 

Karel and I really enjoyed having some of our friends ride with us on our new home turf where a normal ride for us includes at least 2500-3000 feet of climbing. 

Did I mention that we love to climb? 

After we finished  part of a 9 mile climb, it started to rain a little so we turned around half way up the climb (after 5 miles) just to make sure that we didn't get stuck in a storm, especially on the way down (my descending skills have improved but I wouldn't put myself into Karel's bike racing category just yet). 

We ended up turning around after about 2.5 hours (or so) of riding and although the first part of our ride was beautiful (despite a little rain and cloudy skies), it was time to show off some of our favorite roads, especially the ones near George Hincapie's Hotel Domestique. 

As we were nearing his hotel, I mentioned to our friends that we have seen Hincapie out riding a few times with his hotel guests or other riders and it is just so great to see Hincapie on the bike in beautiful Greenville. 

As we were passing his hotel, we see a rider come down the hill and would you believe me when I said that it was George Hincapie? 

I do not think we could have timed this story any better for it was the coolest thing for our friends to see Hincapie on his bike as we were just riding along and talking about him.

George pulled into his hotel and started chatting with some of his hotel guests outside and our friend Shawn, who is a big George fan (who isn't?) went to say hi. 

George mentioned to Shawn that if he wanted to wait a few minutes, he would ride with our group. 

In Shawn's words "I would have waited hours!" We would agree!

So there you have it....George offering to ride with us, show us some back roads and talking to each of us, just socializing as if he is one of the gang. 

Of course, Karel has a lot more in common with George than the rest of us for Karel has raced bikes all his life and knows all things bike related. So I can't say how cool it was to see Karel and George talking as if they went waaayy back. Talking about bikes while riding bikes...total heaven for Karel. 

Despite 18 hilly miles after already riding almost 3 hours, my legs were alive! There was absolutely no way that I was not going to have the ride of my life, riding with George by his side or on his wheel.
It was as if the roads were flat and I was fresh off my off-season. 

The ride was not tough or intense but the roads are challenging so I wouldn't say it was "easy". 

But there was nothings stressful about this ride. 

All I can say was it was FUN and I felt so lucky to be healthy, happy and alive!

Shawn and Karel - good friends, going way back to when we moved to Jax.

Life is not perfect and it will never be. 

Life is stressful and it will never be stress-free. 

But you have the opportunity to make the most out of every situation and if you wait for the perfect time to do something, you may miss out on life's amazing opportunities. 

Go live!