Happy 2021! My Heartfelt Message To Athletes.....

Dear athlete, 

On the first day of the New Yearm you are likely reflecting on the past twelve months. The New Year brings with it excitement for new beginnings and hope for a better future. As you look ahead to the upcoming year, you may be planning your New Year goals, resolutions or intentions as a way to officially begin anew. 

Although goal-setting is an important component in the journey of self-improvement, I ask that you carefully think through your New Year, New You thoughts, actions and behaviors. 

The New Year symbolizes a time when most people resolve to make changes in health. I'm assuming that one of your New Year goals involves your diet, training, body composition or health. Even if you have great intentions with your New Year goals, I am concerned. Because the month of January is so deeply rooted in making changes in body size, shape or weight - supported by the toxic diet culture - I am extremely worried about how your current thoughts about your body size or health will influence your new nutrition strategies and training regime. 

I see and hear about it year after year.........

A seemingly simple resolve to become a faster, stronger, healthier or better athlete takes a downward spiral due to extreme measures. Although being driven, disciplined and highly motivated are great qualities to help you achieve athletic excellence, these same qualities can put you at higher risk for mental and physical health issues, an exercise addiction or an eating disorder. Because of the normalization of disordered eating and obsessive exercising among the athletic population, it can be incredibly difficult for you to recognize the difference between your self-care and self-sabotaging behaviors. 

As a Board Certified Sport Dietitian, many athletes come to me for help with daily and sport nutrition. Not surprisingly, far too many athletes try to optimize performance at the cost of mental and physical health. Sometimes this is unintentional, but many times it is from an intentional desire to achieve the idealized body in the name of sport. 

Because of an ongoing obsession with weight and performance, alongside the cultural norms of disordered eating and exercise behaviors falsely labeled as a "lifestyle change," I had to do something.

I will no longer sit by as a concerned outsider, watching you damage your physical health, destroy your mental well-being and sabotage your athletic capabilities. 

This is why I create The Whole Athlete.

There's nothing wrong with being motivated and dedicated. But when your extreme drive and perfectionistic qualities show up in your eating habits and exercise regime, your intentions can do more harm than good. Add in the pressure of wanting to be lean due to sport expectations and a societal obsession with health, I hope you can now understand how your good intentions can lead to unhealthy outcomes.

Taking health risks for a perceived competitive edge will make you lose in the long run. No matter your athletic goals or fitness level, you should not have to prioritize your athletic development over your well-being.

If this speaks to you, I create a program to help you get more out of your training without compromising your mental and physical health. Through The Whole Athlete 6-lesson course, you will learn how diet culture, a societal obsession with health and the chase for an ideal race weight could be negatively impacting your training, mental well-being and physical health. Once you understand why you think how you think about food, health and your body, you can fix the distorted views that you've developed. You can try out an intro course for free. The 6-lesson course will officially open on January 3rd. 

I care about your health. I also want you to succeed in sport. To help you truly optimize your health and performance, I want to remind you that overall wellness involves taking care of your mind, not just your physical self. 

As you look ahead to the upcoming year, please think about how you want to live your life and not what you want to look like. Remember, your thoughts drive your actions. 

Don't forget to thank your body. Give it credit for all it has allowed you to do and be grateful for what it continues to let you do in life. 

-Marni

A Better Alternative to New Years Resolutions

 

On the eve of 2021, the classic tradition of New Year's resolutions may look a bit different.

In a year of living with restrictions, being let down, feeling unproductive, and not being able to make plans, you are probably looking ahead to the hopeful end of this pandemic and returning to a life of normal. 

Because of this unprecedented time, we are all feeling a bit reflective about the year that we leave behind us and this may be affected your expectations for 2021. 

For those who typically make resolutions, you may be feeling the need to do without in 2021 - "why bother?" you say to yourself. Or, perhaps you want to create a resolution for 2021, even though you have generally avoided them in previous years. 

As it relates to New Years Resolutions, to be honest, the meaning behind it all is somewhat impractical. Sorry to be a downer but there's got to be a better way to self-improvement. 

Here are a few reasons why New Year Resolutions don't always work: 

1. Don't wait all year to decide on one or two things that you sorta, kinda want to or need to stop doing. Plus, the timing's all wrong - after the holiday season and into the cold, dreary winter months you suddenly decide that now is when you can stay motivated and commit to change?? Putting a lot of pressure on yourself can lead to an all-or-nothing mentality, especially if you don't have a realistic action plan.
    
2. Although a resolution sounds great on the surface, it's often based on what you think you should be doing - often decided upon by other peoples expectations, what's trendy on social media or by watching TV/reading a magazine. A resolution should have meaning behind it and it should be something that is supported by your core values in life. It should be based on what's important and what matters to you. Don't tie a goal to the New Year because everyone else is doing it. What matters most to you?
   
   
3. They can make you feel less-then if you don't meet your standards. Even when you have great intentions with your resolution - like abstaining from alcohol, getting 8 hours of restful sleep, exercising for 60 minutes a day or avoiding processed foods - a resolution with specific rules is a huge undertaking. A simple slip up of your high expectations for yourself can lead to discouragement and disappointment. If you are extremely self-critical, by the time mid January rolls around, you may find yourself throwing in the towel or making rules more rigid. Feeling upset about lack of progress, your resolution may turn into unhealthy behaviors and habits. 
   
   
4. The real value is in the experience, not in the end result. Sure, you may be motivated to make a change but your resolution should allow you to still enjoy life right now, right where you are. Otherwise, you will continue to be on the hunt for meaning, happiness and a boost in confidence. Don't burden yourself with a perfectionistic outcome. Enjoy the process over the outcome.  
   
   
5. You need to set yourself up for success. I find that the best way to do this is to pause and to reflect on what you have learned about yourself in 2020. Instead of just looking ahead and wanting something different, do a bit of soul-searching and think about your 2020 lessons learned, challenges, highlights and takeaways. Once you do this, you can then set your intentions (not resolutions) for 2021.

2020 Reflection Questions

1. What is the best thing that happened? 

2. What challenges did you overcome?

3. When new skills did you learn?
4. What was the most important lesson that you learned?
5. What new habits did you start?
6. How did you fail?
7. What got in the way of your success?
8. Who or what had the biggest impact on your life?
9. What did you leave unfinished?
10. What did you do for your physical and mental health?

2021 Intention Questions
1. What do you intend to be different at the end of next year?
2. What do you want to accomplish?
3. What will be your purpose next year?
4. How will you make next year matter?
5. What opportunities do you want to create for yourself?
6. What do you want to change completely?
7. What personal qualities do you want to strengthen?
8. What skills do you want to learn?
9. How will you take care of yourself physically and mentally?
10. Who do you want to become next year?

As a reminder, most New Year's resolutions fail because there isn't much thought into the meaning behind the resolution and what it will take to achieve them. Your focus is centered on what will happen when you reach your goal and there is no planned-out process of actually achieving the resolution. Plus, there's often little meaning attached to the resolution - it's something that you feel you should do. 

I'm all about self-improvement. Ultimately, you need to understand why you want to change and why it is what you want. Find purpose and meaning in every change of behavior, action, thought or habit. 

Can you be too driven to succeed?

Drive is often the fuel that keeps you motivated to achieve a goal. But a powerful need to succeed can be driven by a fear of failure or constantly comparing yourself to others (or a past version of yourself). The more successful you become in each step of your athletic journey, the more afraid of failure you can become. As a result, you may find yourself compromising your values - and your mental and physical health. The state of being driven can become addictive. 

Being intrinsically motivated is required in any successful individual. To work hard and relentlessly pursue a goal with determination is a great quality. 

Although drive can be a great thing (when you use it in the right ways), it can also lead to a single-focused mindset. When you are too driven, it can be difficult to switch "off" which can make it difficult to respect your health and well-being. 

As an athlete, the competitive nature and strong discipline that can make you a great athlete may also place you at risk for obsessive exercise and disordered eating. 

Athletes tend to exhibit unique traits that help them succeed in sport. For example, self-discipline, obsession, driven to succeed and motivation are admirable characteristics that keep you working hard for a goal. However, individuals with these personality features may also be predisposed to being perfectionistic and self-critical. Athletes with these features may compare appearance and current fitness status against unrealistic standards. Although many athletes are self-critical and want to live up to their own ideals, expectations and goals, it's not uncommon for athletes to be heavily concerned about what other people (athletes, coaches, friends, family) think of them.

Being too driven can increase the risk rigid eating and over-exercising. Your drive to succeed can become an obstacle that stands in the way of your success.

It's not uncommon for driven athletes to become hyper-focused or obsessed with food and with the idea of controlling eating to reach a performance, health or body composition goal. Inflexible thinking increases the tendency of making decisions with an all or nothing, black or white mentality. As a result, any deviation from self-imposed rules becomes an unacceptable failure. With a strict set of standards that you strive to meet, your constant drive to improve can lead to a dissatisfaction when you fail to meet your high expectations and goals. As a result, this adds fuel to the fire and perpetuates a stronger drive toward perfection and control. It can be difficult for the highly driven athlete to accept suggestions or advice from well-meaning professionals - keeping you in a cycle of self-sabotage. 

There's nothing wrong with being motivated, driven and dedicated. But when a level of perfectionism shows up in your eating habits and exercise regime, being too driven can do more harm than good. Add in the pressure of wanting to be lean due to sport and societies obsession with thinness and you can understand how your good intentions can lead to unhealthy outcomes. 

Taking health risks for a perceived competitive edge will make you lose in the long run. No matter your athletic goals or fitness level, you should not have to prioritize your athletic development over your well-being. 

If this speaks to you, I create a program to help you get more out of your training without compromising your mental and physical health. Through The Whole Athlete 6-lesson course, you will learn how diet culture, a societal obsession with health and the chase for an ideal race weight are negatively impacting your training, mental well-being and physical health. Once you understand why you think how you think about food, health and your body, you can fix the distorted views that you've developed with food and your body. 

Learn more HERE. 

Change your thoughts to change behaviors

What behavior (or habit) has the strongest negative impact on reaching an athletic goal?

What behavior has lead you into a vicious cycle of self-sabotage?

What habits have you struggled with the most?

What behavior, if changed, would give you the most leverage toward improving the odds of achieving your athletic goals?

Changing a behavior to reach a goal sounds simple but it actually requires a process of changing the way that you think. The idea that if you change your thoughts, you can change your behaviors sounds straightforward but many athletes go straight to behavior change and neglect working on the thoughts that influence actions. 

This is why I created The Whole Athlete. 

As you enter the New Year, the motivation may be high to change behaviors in order to move closer to your athletic goals. While you may have good intentions behind your behavior changes, it's not uncommon for good intentions to lead to bad outcomes. 

I want to remind you that your thoughts are controlled by your beliefs, which are usually ingrained in your subconscious mind. Interestingly, many beliefs are inherited from the beliefs of others - before you are able to form your own beliefs. This is why behavior change can be so hard. 

Many thoughts and beliefs are so deep-rooted that it can be extremely difficult to reprogram your mind. For example, being repeatedly told that carbohydrates are bad for you or that carbs make you gain weight can make it incredibly hard for you to meet your daily carbohydrate needs as an athlete. You may feel extreme guilt, shame or anxiety when consuming bread, rice or raisins - all because of the deep-rooted belief that carbs are bad. Perhaps it's something as small as not eating before a workout or not running with a hydration belt because you feel you don't need to - that you are just fine without. Sometimes you have to change your opinion to experience better results. 

These are only two examples (of many) to show how powerful thoughts can be as it relates to behavior changes. 

Hopefully you can now see how just one small shift in a belief can have an enormous impact on your life. 

Due to the cultural norms of "clean eating" and over-exercising, this sends a message to athletes that it's ok to eat and exercise in a certain way in order to look, feel and perform at your best. Unhealthy behaviors like restrictive eating, excessive exercise and intentional underfueling have become so normalized that behaviors that would qualify as disordered are often considered perfectly appropriate - reinforced by a culture that is obsessively fixated on food, eating and weight. A few of this normalized behaviors include: 

• Denial of hunger and use of tricks to avoid eating (such as drinking large amounts of water, detox drinks or coffee). 
• Refusal to eat certain foods (ex. bread), progressing to restrictions against whole categories of foods (ex. carbohydrates). 
• Anxiety about gaining weight or being "fat."
• Development of food rituals (ex. I can only eat this if I have exercised x-amount of duration or intensity). 
• Rigid exercise routines to burn off calories or to compensate for eating. 
• Withdrawal from friends and activities in favor of new social groups that share similar food and exercise rituals and rules. 
• Regular use of compensatory behaviors such as fasting to burn off calories. 
• Extreme concern with body weight and shape. 

If you have been victim to these beliefs, it's because you have become conditioned to perceive them as normal by professional athletes, the media, fitness influencers and diets. Because extreme eating and exercising strategies are normalized and reinforce behaviors and thought processes that aren't healthy, they can have very serious consequences on your mental and physical health.

You can't change your behaviors without changing your thoughts. Once you accept that your inaccurate beliefs are driving your actions, you can start the work of unlearning and changing self-sabotaging behaviors with more productive behaviors to enhance your performance, optimize your health and protect your well-being. 

Are you ready to change your thoughts to change your behaviors? 

Check out the FREE introduction of the The Whole Athlete course. 
If you found the content helpful and you want to learn more, you can pre-enroll now or register for the 6-lesson course when it opens on January 3rd, 20201. 

Introducing: The Whole Athlete 6-lesson course

 

Over the past few years, I've worked with over 250 athletes from all over the world on nutrition. From daily to sport nutrition and everything in between, I've learned that many athletes struggle with food and body image. Often at the root of having a poor body image and unhealthy relationship with food is the belief that "the lighter or leaner I am, the better I'll perform." 

Many athletes come to me with good intentions when wanting to change the way that they eat or look. As a Board Certified Sport Dietitian, I can confidently tell you that there are healthy ways to improve eating habits to optimize sport performance by changing body composition. But the methods for changing body composition - especially for a performance boost -  should never require dieting, restrictive eating, underfueling and excessive exercise. Sadly, this isn't the case. Far too many athletes are not eating enough to fuel their body for sport performance. Influencing factors for intentional underfueling and overexercising include diet culture, a societal obsession with health and pressure to achieve an "idealized" body composition for sport. Underfueling to try to achieve a competitive advantage in sport or to meet appearance standards for sport or society is not a healthy or sustainable way to achieve success in sport. And when there is a strong desire to "eat clean" to improve health, this can turn into food restriction and rigid dieting, often increasing the risk for binging, disordered eating or a full blown eating disorder. 

Interestingly, body image issues don't always have to do with body fat. Sometimes they have to do with "I'm not good enough" or wanting to gain control. It's not uncommon for people to start a diet after a period of stress, struggling to deal with emotions or feeling out of control. Using food and exercise as a way to avoid uncomfortable feelings of imperfection, instability or inadequacy can lead to devastating consequences as it relates to mental well-being and physical health. 

While the performance pressures that athletes experience will likely never go away, athletes now have another stressor in our life.....the constant stress of living during a pandemic. As if you aren't experiencing enough mental and physical stress from the lack of control you feel in the face of COVID-19, adding extreme exercise and restrictive eating to your life will only make matters worse for your physical health and mental well-being The fact that we live in a culture that is constantly pushing restrictive practices of dieting and exercising to improve "health" may drive you toward "normalized" disordered eating behaviors and destructive exercise routines in order to gain control during such an unpredictable time. This is even more concerning for athletes who already have a long-standing history with disordered eating or an eating disorder. Moments of stress like this time in our life require effective coping skills - not dieting and punishing the body through exercise. 

The New Year is always the time when athletes feel compelled to get serious about training and healthy eating. For the high-achieving perfectionist, there's an added risk of concern. 

Whereas I've spent the last decade trying to spread messages to the athletic population about the importance of developing a healthy relationship with food and the body, I am now even more concerned about the mental and physical health effects that will occur from dieting, restrictive eating and extreme exercise in the New Year. Widespread worry about weight gain and distress of losing fitness during this pandemic will be exacerbated by diet culture - a system that equates thinness to health and moral virtue and reduces food to "good" or "bad" food. 

I see it year after year after year - with motivation high, an athlete will resort to restrictive eating and dieting to retain control of the bodies and the situation. Athletes will often boast how great they feel on social media (often with before and after pictures) but results are typically short-lived. A period of food restriction almost always leads to overeating - making you feel out of control with food. This can make you impose more restrictions to regain control due to blame, shame and frustration. Exercise may become punishment or compensation. This vicious cycle of restriction and binging is damaging to physical and mental well-being. For the athletes who obsess over leanness, restrictive eating practices may further result in relative energy deficiency - a condition that affects physical health and performance, further increasing the risk of mental health symptoms and disorders. 

As an athlete, you put your body through enough stress and hardship through training. You need a better approach with food and exercise to foster better outcomes for your physical health, mental well-being and training. 

Realizing that something needed to be done to protect the whole athlete (not just the athletic being), I took action. After a lot of research, time and work, I created the first ever 6-lesson educational course to help athletes of all fitness levels (in all sports) develop a healthier relationship with food and the body. 

Although it will require some effort on your part, you can unlearn food rules. You can learn to improve your body image. You can bring back the joy in training. You can learn how to eat without shame, guilt or judgement. You can achieve a performance ready body without dieting. And most of all, you can discover your true capabilities as an athlete. 

The better you care about your body, the better you can take care of your body. 

Through The Whole Athlete 6-lesson course, you will unlearn toxic dieting behaviors and the distorted views that you've developed with food and your body. And most importantly, you will replace negative beliefs with practical ways of thinking so you can elevate your performance, optimize your health and protect your mental well-being. 

To learn more about the course and to try out the free introductory course, click HERE.

The 6-lesson course will officially open on January 3rd, 2021.
However, if you want to be one of the first to access the program, you can pre-enroll now. 

(If you are unable to pay the full price for the course, you can split the total payment into 3 payments when the course opens to the public on the 3rd).

Holiday Shopping: Coffee and Books

 

If you are in search of the perfect gift for your athlete or fitness enthusiast friend, partner or well, just for yourself, check out my books. As always, thank you for the support! 

Athlete to Triathlete
All the triathlon-specific information you need to know for your upcoming triathlon - including helpful features like gear checklists, transition and brick workout tips, the race-day procedure, nutrition guidelines for training and racing and race day rules. There's even a section on triathlon lingo! The book includes several comprehensive chapters with easy-to-ready information on training fundamentals, strength training and stretching/mobility exercises (with pictures), and advice tailored to runners, cyclists, and swimmers. Athlete to Triathlete will simplify the sport to help individuals safely and confidently enter, remain or re-enter the sport of triathlon.
Order HERE.

The 365-Day Running Journal 
In today’s digital world, logging workouts with a pen or pencil may seem like a thing of the past, but I’m a strong advocate of using a personal journal to document my athletic progress. Gathering all your thoughts, ideas, and stats in an easy-to-access location not only helps improve the effectiveness of your training routines but minimizes the reliance on technology (who needs yet another digital distraction?). This running journal also provides useful advice and inspirational quotes to help you gather the motivation needed to start (or finish) a workout.
Order HERE.

Essential Sports Nutrition 
Within the 181 pages of this book, you will learn the many effective and practical strategies that athletes and fitness enthusiasts can apply to help reach fitness and performance goals. The book provides a holistic approach that will appeal to all level athletes, (as well as coaches, trainers, and generally active people,) and will ensure that the reader will maintain optimal health with appropriate nutritional strategies. The book addresses nutrient timing and how to time food and fluids with workouts (before, during and after) as well as what to eat and drink around competitions and on rest days. You can also find 24 delicious and athlete-friendly recipes. 
Order HERE.

If you'd like a signed copy of one (or all) of the above books, along with a bag of Trimarni coffee (Books & Beans Bundle), click HERE.

As always, $1 of every Trimarni purchase goes to the Greenville Humane Society. We will be donating our 2020 donation to the GHS near the end of the month. 

How to say "no" without guilt

Despite feeling busy with so many daily to-do's, it can be difficult to say "no" for fear of upsetting others or fear of missing out (FOMO). Sometimes it's easier to just say yes. As a result, you add more stress and frustration to your already packed schedule.

How many times have you said yes to something only to avoid tension or to avoid disappointing someone? Although it's an easy and quick answer to please others, learning to say no is essential for your happiness and well-being.

Although sometimes you do need to commit to something that you just don't want to do, here are a few tips to help you feel good about saying no when saying no is the right thing to do: 

• If the thing that you feel pressure to say yes to is an impractical use of your time and adds little value to your life, say no thank you.
• Don't overcommit. Saying yes to everything adds to the feeling of being overwhelmed. You get to control your calendar.
• Don't be so quick to say yes to texts, emails or face-to-face requests. Politely respond "Thank you for the invite/offer. I'll check my schedule and get back to you." Be sure to respond back with your final decision.
• You don't need to justify your reason for saying no. Keep your response simple.
• Say no with an alternative. If the initial request is not something that you want to say yes to, propose an alternative. For example, if you say no to a friend who invited you to an event, propose getting together (just you and your friend) in a more intimate setting.  
• Remind yourself that no isn't a rejection of the other person. Saying no to unimportant tasks/events saves time for you to say yes to things that bring you pleasure and happiness.

For more tips, motivation and education, subscribe to our free weekly newsletter HERE. 

Click HERE to check out a delicious Instant Pot Vegetarian Chili recipe. 

Broccoli Potato soup recipe (vegan)

I really enjoy making soup because it's an easy way to add a lot of vegetables to one recipe. Plus, you give the taste buds an overwhelmingly good feeling with each slurp. 

My first attempt at Broccoli Potato soup was a big success. I hope you enjoy it. Don't forget to yum!

Ingredients

• 1 yellow onion
• 2 tbsp Olive oil 
• 4 cloves garlic (minced)
• 4 medium sized golden potatoes (peeled and diced)
• 1 large carrot (peeled and chopped)
• 1 celery stick (chopped)
• 5 cups vegetable stock + 2-3 cups water
• 2 broccoli florets (chopped)
• Pinch of red pepper flakes 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric 
• Pepper (to taste)
• 4 tbsp nutritional yeast

Instructions

1. Preheat a large cooking pot over medium heat. Sautee the onion in olive oil until slightly golden. 
2. Add the celery, carrots, pepper, turmeric, red pepper flakes and stir. 
3. Add the vegetable stock. 
4. Add the garlic, potatoes and broccoli. Stir to combine. 
5. Add water until vegetables are covered with liquid. 
6. Cover with lid and cook for ~20 minutes. 
7. Add nutritional yeast. 
8. Transfer soup to a powerful mixer and puree until smooth (you may need to do in smaller batches). 
9. Enjoy!

Adapted from this recipe. 

Xtreme Triathlon - the day after

The night after the event was a bit restless - as to be expected. We woke up exhausted and sore. We couldn't help but think how incredible the mind is when it comes to showing up to perform. It was as if the mind knew we had completed the 3-day event and it could finally rest. With the mind at rest, the body was able to also shut down and start the recovery process. The human body is truly amazing. 

After enjoying a hearty dinner a few hours after the event (Moe's - we both ordered the Close Talker bowl with lettuce, rice and beans, topped with tofu and all of the other veggie toppings, avocado and cheese). It's not uncommon for athletes to crave salt and fat after a long distance event for the body is depleted. The brain knows that the body is in a very vulnerable state so it seeks (or asks) for the most energy dense options to help restore health. Of course, with the body being in such an exhausted state, digestion is slow and compromised. There have been plenty of Ironman distance events where we have craved a hearty meal after racing for 9+ hours, only to be able to stomach a few bites. 

But of course, nightime munchies and post race insomnia are a thing. We tossed and turned throughout the night and I finally got myself up around 5am. I ate a bagel w/ butter which seemed to hit the spot for an hour....until I was ready to eat again. 

When working on the computer outside turns into a hard nap. 

After catching up on emails (I did not open my computer throughout the race....which I think is a first for me to go 3 days of no computer work) and other work stuff, we got ready for the awards banquet. 

We were really looking forward to the banquet because it was our first opportunity to really see the other athletes in a normal setting (with normal clothes). We sat outside of a restaurant in a wide open pavilion (and wore masks while we weren't eating). The meal options were limited as it was a BBQ but the race staff was able to get us some plant based options. Karel has been enjoying more of a plant based eating strategy over the past few months after blood work in June was flagged for extremely high cholesterol due to genetics. Not to worry - croissants, chocolate and pastries are still consumed as any food can fit into a health promoting, performance enhancing diet. 

The awards banquet was just as special as the rest of the race. We receive unique awards and Karel and I even got to give a short speech as the overall winners (and new course record holders - male and female) for the event in the 4th year running. 

As for the rest of the day, we ordered out veggie burgers and fries as we needed a hearty meal to continue the recovery. We stayed at the most beautiful airbnb condo in Palm Coast, which was just a short walk to the beach. We enjoyed a ~20 min walk on the sand as the sun set, which was about all the energy that we had for "exercise" for the day. 

We went to bed super early on Monday night (like 7:30pm - we were so tired) and after packing up the car, we made our long drive home back to Greenville on Tues around 10am. As for the rest of the week, we continued to eat what our body craved but also got back to a more nourishing diet to help with recovery. The main priority was sleep for the rest of the week and a little swimming and biking to help with recovery. 

Along with the kind congratulatory remarks that we have received from so many (Thank you!), the number one question that we have received is "Would you do it again."

Our answer is a definite yes, but. 

Yes in that we loved the race staff and participants which made this event even extra special. And during these unique circumstances of our nation, we have so much gratitude that we were able to participate in this event. More than anything, this race really fed our soul. We loved the adventure feel of doing something epic and new with our body and mind. It tested us in different ways and really lit the fire inside of us that was dimming due to so many cancelled races. Because everything went so smoothly for our first extreme triathlon, it would be hard to top this experience. 

But, the purpose of this event was to feel challenged. We want to continue to find ways to challenge ourselves. One of the reasons why we love long distance triathlon racing is that we constantly feel challenged in training and on race day. Although the half and full distance are long events, they still allow for improvements in terms of getting better at not slowing down. I hesitate to use the word "faster" because it's all relative in long distance racing. But in ultra endurance events, I feel it's more about the completion of the event itself as the accomplishment  - as that is what we felt in this recent Xtreme Tri. We never take long distance racing for granted and we feel so lucky that we get to do what we can do with our body and mind. I never want to settle or just get comfortable going longer. I want to continue to explore what I am capable of as a long distance triathlete. We would like to do more ultra endurance events but it isn't something that will replace focusing on the half and full distance (which are plenty long). 

Thank you again for all of the support and kind words before and after the event. We are so grateful that we remained in good health for this event and continue to stay healthy during such a scary time for our nation. Keep yourself well and thank your body daily. 

Xtreme Triathlon race recap - stage 3

 

All things relative, we slept much better after stage 2. It was nice knowing that we didn't have to drive to the start of stage 3 - the finish of stage 2, lodging and start of stage 3 was all in the same area. We "slept in" until 5:30am and made our way to the swim start around 6:45am. Because we were so exhausted after stage 2 (93 miles of racing) that we didn't prepare as much as we should have after the race so we felt a bit more scattered and busy on the morning of stage 3. Al was a huge help as he packed up the car for us so that we could have a little more time to get ourselves ready in the morning. 

I failed to mention that going into the race, there was a chance that the event was going to be cancelled (or modified) due to hurricane Eta. Thankfully, the hurricane changed direction but it did leave Crystal River, FL (stage 1) with a bit of debris on the road (and trails). The weather could not have been more perfect during our event (no rain and in the upper 60's-upper 70's for stage 1 and 2). The only issue was that the hurricane brought some wind that stayed with us for all three days - regardless of our riding direction, it was windy. 

Although we slept better (still restless), our appetite for food was pretty low. But not eating was not an option. We laughed that it took us almost 90 minutes to finish our pre-race meal (oatmeal and toppings for Karel - hot water from the skillet and a bagel w/ nut butter, yogurt and toppings for me). This is all too common that extreme exercise can negatively impact the appetite so we prioritized energy dense food before/after each stage. 

After preparing our bottles and packing our gear bags, Karel and I rode down to the swim start (a minute down the road) - the spin was actually rather nice to move some blood. Al drove the car down to the swim start shortly after he finished packing up the car. 

We set up our transition area pretty quickly as it felt a bit like groundhog day. You could feel the energy that everyone was excited that this was the last stage of the event but also a bit sad because it was the last day that we would all get to do what we love to do with our body - swim, bike and run and test our physical and mental limits. At this point, the race staff knew us all and the overall vibe was much more relaxed.

After the national anthem (which we all sang because the loud speaker wasn't working - it was actually a beautiful experience), we made our way to the water for the pre-race athlete briefing and then the swim start. 

Karel and I were joking before the start that this stage was the shortest stage and we were brushing it off like NBD (no big deal). But then we thought about it that we were still racing for 82 miles today (2 mile swim, 67 mile bike, 13.1 mile run). Karel's cumulative racing time after 2 days (and covering 216 miles) was 14:49 and mine was 16:11. And now we were about to cover over a half ironman distance.  It's funny how perspectives can change. It was also a mindset boost knowing that this was the final day of racing so we didn't have to save anything for the next day. Although, there wasn't much left in us to leave it all out on the course. 

2 mile swim
Just before 7:30am, we jumped off a dock and into the dark, murky water of the camp Keystone lake. I was expecting the water to be a bit icky from the looks of it but it actually felt rather fresh. Exactly at 7:30am, the horn blew and we were off to complete our last swim of the Xtreme triathlon. Karel was really tired and he did not go out hard like he did in the past two races. I liked the 3 loop, counter clockwise, triangle-like course as it didn't feel long but it was long enough to settle into a rhythm. The sun was a little bright in the first section but other than that, it was easy to stay on course. I started to inch my way ahead of Karel during the first loop and that lead started to grow in loop 2. I didn't have my normal build effort but instead, I just stayed steady with each loop. My "strong" effort for the day didn't feel too strong so I just focused on my technique - making sure I was catching the water, driving my hips forward and staying taut. 

After finishing up loop 3, I made my way toward the dock and exited the water on a ladder. The ramp to the shore was rather uncomfortable on my feet and with the sandspurs on the grass, they allowed us to leave our shoes or sandals by the shore so that we could put them on before we made our way to the transition area. I slipped into my HOKA sandals and made my way to the transition area. And sure enough, here comes Karel sprinting past me. 

I thought that I had a bigger lead but Karel started to feel stronger as the swim went on and he inched himself closer to me. I figured there was no point digging deep in the swim as I needed to conserve all the energy I had left for the upcoming bike and run. 

We ended up in the transition together. Karel swam 54:33 and I swam 54:20. We exited the transition pretty much at the same time (Karel just ahead of me) and then we rode out of the camp site. 

67 mile bike

The first few miles into the first hour was kinda a hot mess for us. We got ourselves a little lost/confused in the first mile, then we weren't sure if we needed to stay on the trail or go on the main road. Our garmin map was giving us different directions than what we read in the guidebook map. Plus, with this stage, there was a trail option and road option so it was a bit confusing for our computer. Karel was feeling completely empty inside and his quads were really sore. He could barely pedal. Since we were somewhat close together as we were trying to figure out where to go, I rode ahead of Karel and he stayed draft legal behind me. 

I forced myself to eat early in the ride even though I didn't want to chew or stomach any solid food. Drinking was easy as it was already over 80 degrees and sunny when we started the bike. 

Once we made our way to main road (a nice race volunteer told us that we were on the right part of the course - mental fatigue sure does make you doubt yourself!), Karel started to get his legs back and rode away from me. I felt like I didn't have it in me to push any harder so I just focused on my own effort. 

Technically, this bike was not a lot shorter than stage 2 bike so it still felt a bit long. Plus, we had long segments of road (like 10+ miles at a time without a turn in sight) as we made our way from the middle of the state to the Atlantic ocean in Palm Coast, Fl. It was also really windy, often with the wind at our face. For this bike, I just focused on keeping myself relaxed as I was sore in my upper body. It would have been easy to just sit up and stretch out all the time but that would have costed more energy (and time) as the wind was in my face. This bike ride was all about doing things well and staying focused with my body posture and pedal stroke. 

I met Al at our 41 mile sag stop and he told me that Karel was only about ten minutes ahead of me. I thought I had been riding really slow (I felt like I was on the struggle bus) but hearing that I wasn't that far away from Karel was a good motivation boost. I spent around 6 minutes at the sag stop as I wanted to reapply sun screen as it was getting really hot out. I also cooled myself with some water reapplied AMP cream for a little boost in the legs. After I left Al, I "only" had about 25 miles left to go. 

The bike portion on stage 3 was a little more exciting as we were making our way to the Atlantic ocean. We used to live not too far from Palm Coast (in Jacksonville, FL) so it was cool to ride on some familiar roads that we used to drive on. I continued to enjoy the scenery and to express gratitude to my body for allowing me to do this incredible adventure without sickness, health issues or injury. There was one relay team from Gainesville that was a huge energy boost every time I saw them. They would give me the biggest cheer from their car or when they stopped to change relay positions on the bike. 

I had to spend over 2 minutes at one big intersection because the light never changed for me (twice) but after I got rolling again.

The 14 miles after leaving Al were tough - physically and mentally. It was a long straight segment of road and it was really windy. Staying aero and staying focused on my pedal stroke was mentally challenging but I just focused on one mile at a time. As I started to smell the salt water and feel the sea breeze, I was excited to make the left turn onto A1A as I was welcoming a nice fast tailwind. 

Nope. 

Wind again. 

The next 7 miles were long but I just focused on clicking away one mile at a time. I had no idea how my body would allow me to run for a half marathon so I tried to enjoy my time on the bike (even though I was ready to not ride my bike anymore). 

When I arrived to the transition area, I was so relieved to make it there safely and to hear that Karel was only less than ten minutes ahead of me. I finished the bike in 3:31 (3:20 riding time) and Karel finished in 3:20 (3:13 riding time). 

13.1 mile run
I was in no hurry to exit the transition area. With the finish line being in a different location than the bike to run transition, I was a little sad not to have Al there but I was looking forward to seeing him at our cooler stop around mile 6-7. I took my time in the transition area - changing my top, applying sunscreen and putting on my run gear. I made the mistake of moving off the sand and onto the grass - not realizing that I stepped into a pile of sand spurs (ouch!). So I had to spend a few minutes picking out each sand spur from my sock. Also, since Al wasn't there, I decided to run with my phone in my naked belt as I didn't want to leave it in the transition bag (sitting out in the hot sun). Karel did the same. 

When I started the run, I felt like my feet could barely get off the ground. I was sore all over and my body was really tired. But I just focused on one mile at a time (stay in the mile you are in) and I tried to imagine myself on different sections of road back at home (some of the places where I enjoy running). It was very warm out so I was happy that I decided to put my cooling towel in my transition bag (it was wet and in the container it came in so it stayed wet). Karel also wore his cooling towel. As we did in every stage, we also had our Naked running band with 2 flasks each filled with sport nutrition. 

The first few miles were lonely as I made my way south. I kept with my run walk strategy of running a mile and then taking a 20-30 sec walk break. This actually helped me loosen some fatigue and after a few miles I started to find my rhythm. I was actually shocked that I was holding around 8:20-8:35 min/miles for most of the run - albeit I needed the walk breaks to help me out but they were well worth it as I was able to get back into good run form pretty quickly after each walk break. Of course, the walk breaks felt so good so it was a mental battle to make sure those walk breaks during go too long. 

Karel felt pretty good on the run but he said that his quads were really sore and tired. We both focused on trying to make running feel as "easy" as possible. Controlling our form was key in helping us keep one foot in front of the other. 

Around mile 4.5, I started the "off road" trail section and I loved running on the boardwalk bridges and under the tall trees. I wanted that section to last longer but it was only 2 miles so I really took advantage of it as I felt really good on the trails. It even started to sprinkle a little bit which was so nice! 
After exiting the forest/trail, Al was there with the cooler and I was so happy to see him. He actually ran with me for about a mile which was so needed. I finally saw Karel and he looked so good and I gave him a big smile. The next 6 miles were really tough. It was windy and the miles felt really long. I told myself that my "finish line" was at the turn around 8.4 miles. Once I got there, I checked it off and then had my next "finish line" at mile 10.5. I was so happy to finally get to the cooler and to see Al there waiting for me. He told me that our friend/athlete/assistant coach Joe was going to meet Karel at the finish line (Joe lives in Jacksonville and came to watch us finish and to drive Al back to his car at Joe's house where he left it). 

Having Al there with me was so good as I was really struggling. We didn't do much talking as I had to stay focused - one foot in front of the other. I was still shocked to see that I was running so well but boy, I needed those walk breaks to keep me going. I told myself that once I got to the beach (a little over 12 miles), I would be so close that the last mile would feel so easy. HA. 

First off, climbing the sand dune to get to the beach forced me to a walk as I could barely get my feet through the sand. And then once we got to the ocean (which was beautiful and gave me a huge sigh of relief that I was so close to finishing this extreme event), the sand was so soft that I couldn't even run. With almost a mile left, I couldn't tell if I should laugh or cry. 

Al was made sure to keep me in a good mood so he was having fun zig zagging up and down the sand to find a packed place to run. He even told me "look - those are Karel's Nike shoes - run there!" I laughed and told Al I would rather just follow the paw prints in the sand. 

As we got closer to the finish line, I could see the big flags blowing in the wind. It was an epic last mile to finish an epic race. Karel was there waiting for me (along with Joe) and it was such an incredible feeling to think about what I had just done. I gave Karel a quick kiss and hug before stepping over my last finish line of this three day, three stage race across the state of Florida. 

Crossing the finish line as 2nd overall (around 40 minutes behind Karel) was just the icing on the cake. This race was all about you vs. you. Mind, body and soul. I walked to the finish line just to savor the last few steps and lifted the finisher tape above me with great relief.

I could not wait to take off my shoes as my feet were soooo sore. Out of everything on my body, my feet hurt the most, then my quads/calves and then everything else. There were times during the run when I felt like my toenails were falling off and I stopped just to press down my nails but thankfully, all was ok (no lost toenails!). 

Within a few minutes after taking pictures and wobbling my way to Joe's truck, I enjoyed a few slices of pizza that Joe brought and we all chatted about this epic adventure. Karel and I were so happy that we completed the event in good health (and without any major niggles or issues). With this gratitude came joy that we didn't have to do anything on Monday! 

I finished the 13.1 mile run in 2:03.02 and Karel finished the run in 1:35. 
Total time for stage 3 was 6:38 for me and 5:58 for Karel. 

Total for all three stages (292 miles = 6 miles swimming, 242 miles biking, 50 miles running): 
Karel: 20 hours and 47 minutes.
Marni: 23 hours and 16 minutes.

A few fun stats (times from our Garmins):
 
Swimming average pace per 100: 
Stage 1 (Marni/Karel): 1:24/1:17 (Karel's garmin thought he swam 3900 yards but we finished around the same time)
Stage 2 (Marni/Karel): 1:33/1:34
Stage 3 (Marni/Karel): 1:27/1:29

Biking average speed: 
Stage 1 (Marni/Karel): 20.6 mph/21.9 mph
Stage 2 (Marni/Karel): 20.4 mph/20.6 mph
Stage 3 (Marni/Karel): 20.1 mph/20.7 mph

Running average pace min/mile
Stage 1 (Marni/Karel): 8:50 (8:21 removing walk/stop breaks*)/6:56 min/mile
Stage 2 (Marni/Karel): 9:01 (8:28 removing walk/stop breaks)/7:07 min/mile
Stage 3 (Marni/Karel): 9:21 (8:47 removing walk/stop breaks)/7:18 min/mile
*I wanted to show how my walk breaks help me run steady and that they don't cause massive slowdowns in my running. It's a strategy that I firmly believe in to help with consistent running.

After the race we drove to T2 to get our bikes and then made our way to our Airbnb a few miles down the road for a well-needed shower, real food and lots of salty snacks. 

Xtreme Triathlon Race Recap - Stage 2

 

We didn't have much trouble falling asleep around 8:30pm. However, staying asleep was the hard part. It was a light night of sleeping before the alarm woke us up at 4:50am. Without feeling too sore, I was looking forward to stage 2 as another opportunity to explore my physical and mental capabilities. However, the tiredness in my body reminded me that I did just finish a 8 hour and 50 minute triathlon event less than 13 hours ago. 

I woke up feeling relatively good compared to Karel. He felt horrible. He barely slept and felt nauseous, sleep deprived and exhausted. He still made himself eat his pre-race meal but he just felt off. 

To be honest, the swimming, biking and running was the fun part of this event. The packing, unpacking and planning ahead was the tough part. When the race started each stage, it felt so good to just move my body and do what I love to do. The packing/unpacking/prepping bottles/nutrition sometimes felt more exhausting in the evening after the event and in the early morning hours before the next days event. 

With a little longer of a drive from the hotel to the race venue, we left the hotel around 6:30am and arrived to the Carney Island recreational area in Ocala (the same place where we ran/finished on stage 1) to set up our transition area around 7am. It only took a few minutes to set up our transition area and hand over our run gear bag to the staff before we made our way down to the swim start. 

Once the athletes started to gather after the National anthem was played (for our pre-race briefing), the I could feel that everyone was tired but we would all rally together to get each other to the next finish line. Although it was only day 2 of the event, Karel and I quickly felt like we belong to the Xtreme Tri family. The race staff/crew was calling us by our first names and the other athletes were even getting to know Al (he's easy to get to know :) This was such a refreshing change from the bigger triathlon events where you are just one of many athletes. We loved the personalized attention from this race. 

2 mile swim
We started on the sandy shore and made our way into the water when the air horn was blown at exactly 7:30am. This time, Karel swam just a little ahead of me but he didn't have his typical take-out speed. I knew it would take me some time to get warmed up and with another long day ahead of us, I expected more lows throughout the swim. With two big loops (each 1 mile with a run out of the water before starting loop 2), it took me about 1/2 mile to start feeling like I could bring up the effort a bit. However, I really only had one gear during the swim today. More so, the water was extremely choppy - it felt like the ocean! So on top of being super tired, there was the added difficulty of having to navigate in very tough conditions. Once I made my way past Karel, I used the kayak support by me to help keep me on course. The course was well marked with buoys as well. The water was around 72 degrees but it felt warm as the swim progressed. 

When I made my way out of the water, I took my time - had a sip of water and looked behind me at Karel. Of course, he made sure to sprint his way right by me before we started swimming again. We were having fun and enjoying this first part of stage 2. 
The swim felt really long (especially after 10 loops of swimming for stage 1) but it was nice to settle into a rhythm on the second loop. I started to swim away from Karel but he was never too far behind me. I exited the water in 56 minutes and 19 seconds. Karel finished around a minute behind me in 57:17. But it wasn't too long before Karel entered the transition area (apparently I was taking my time). 

My transition time was 4 minutes and Karel's was 2:50. However, we both left the transition area pretty close to one another (Karel right before me). I wasn't sure how my body would do over the next 73 miles so I kept an open mind and reminded myself of all the training sessions that I have completed with a tired body and mind. 

73 mile bike
As we left the transition area, the temperature was perfect around 70 degress. There was a little fog in the air but nothing dangerous for riding. The roads were well marked (I can't say it enough - this Xtreme tri staff was incredible with all their hard work and attention to detail!) and the start of the bike was a bit easier to manage as we didn't have to ride through a town like we did on stage one. I didn't hit my first stop light (red light) until around 43 minutes in (of course, Karel got it when it was green so that was the last I saw from him). It was fun riding through small towns and enjoying the country roads when they came. 

I kept with my typical hydrating strategy on the bike but I started taking in solid food (ex. sport bars) a bit earlier - like in the first 45 minutes. I knew that my body and brain needed the extra energy. The bike portion of stage 2 was pretty much entirely north so we expected some headwind and we got it. This stage had much more real road riding (instead of trails) but the roads were pretty quiet as it was a Saturday. Although we knocked off almost 30 miles of riding from stage 1, 73 miles was still a long way to go with a tired body and mind. We planned our refill/refuel stop with Al at mile 50. He texted me when he arrived and I would give him quick updates when I was less than an hour away. I was really looking forward to this stop because we spent a lot of time riding on the same road - in the wind - and my mind needed a break. Oddly, I was actually feeling better on the bike than I did on stage 1 - stage 1 just felt really off for me as I had all types of niggles in my hips/back. On the flip side, Karel did not feel good on the bike and his quads and back and hips were really bothering him. Not to mention that he was super duper tired. The nausea went away once he started moving in the swim. 

After 23 miles of riding on Hwy 301 (never did I think I would ride on that stretch of road!), I was so relieved to finally see Al. My energy level felt pretty good but I got a little extra pick me up seeing Karel there with Al. We both used the public restroom at this park sag stop. The volunteer lady was super supportive and kind. Karel and I both rubbed a few packets of AMP on our legs and wow, did it work! We felt like new people after that stop (but the stop also helped!). Al was once again great - he stocked the cooler with our prepared bottles and ice, had coke for a quick pick me up and had other snacks if needed anything (sport nutrition). He was super prepared as we learned from stage 1. 
I also prepared a first aid kit with extra items like Tums and hand sanitizer.

Side note: no ibuprofen was used before, during or after this event. To be honest, the last time I took a NSAID was in early March. We are highly against using NSAIDs and only use them in emergency situations and never to mask pain for training/racing. 

As for the execution of day 2 on the bike, it was all about management. Managing the mind, managing the body and staying in the moment. We gave the best effort that we could within each mile. I also made sure to focus on doing things well - staying as aero as possible in the wind, keeping good pedaling mechanics to get the most out of every pedal stroke and staying up on nutrition. 

Although the last 23 miles felt a bit long, it was nice knowing that I only had a little over an hour left of riding for day 2. The last few miles into Keystone park were on a paved trail. I was most looking forward to the run on stage 2 because our lodging for the night was in the same location as the stage 2 race finish - what a relief to not have to drive anywhere. 

Once I rolled into the transition area, it was nice to see the Xtreme tri staff and hear their positive words of encouragement. It was also great to see Al. I finished the bike in 3:43 (actual riding time was 3:34) and Karel finished the bike in 3:38.49 (actual riding time was 3:31.58). Seeing that Karel and I were only within around 5 minutes of each other, I was really looking forward to seeing Karel somewhere on the 3 loop run course. My transition was 4:48 and Karel's transition was 4:32. Karel actually had a little longer transition because he gave his running watch to Al after the swim because it didn't fully charge overnight. Al forgot to give it to him so Al had to run back to the car to get it and Karel had no problem waiting in the transition area until he got back. For each stage, I changed out of my cycling jersey and into a run top (just to be more comfortable with a fresh kit). 

18.6 mile run 
The run course was 3 loops. Technically it was an out and back course but because of permitting issues on the trail, they had to shorten a section on the trail and include a little bit of running inside Camp Keystone. I really enjoyed the scenery around the camp and welcomed the "bumps" of incline within the camp grounds. The 4 miles of running on the flat trail (out and back 2 miles) is not my style of running so it took a lot of mental strength to stay focused during all three loops. I much prefer rolling hills, twists and turns when I run. I am not a rhythmic type of running (unlike Karel who likes to settle into a rhythm). Al told me that Karel was feeling really good to start the run which made me super happy. I also felt ok (much better than on stage one). Learning from stage 1, I started my walk breaks early and kept them consistent. After leaving the camp grounds and making my way a mile down the road (gentle hill), I got myself confused because I didn't see any arrows telling me to get on the trail. I knew we were to run on the trail but I just psyched myself out and confused myself so I ran back to the last set of arrows just to make sure. Of course, during this time I realized I was going the right way and accidentally added another mile to my run from this mistake. But I didn't let it get to me. I just moved on and tried to convince myself that my legs didn't even feel it.

The first loop went by pretty quickly. I did have a few tummy issues to settle out as digestion was slowing down from fatigue (and all the sport nutrition + pre/post race food). The walk breaks really helped. I tried to keep them around 20-30 seconds just to stay consistent. During this time I also took a sip from my flask of sport nutrition. I was really looking forward to Al joining me on loop two and it was great to see Karel coming back from his first loop of his out and back segment. Karel looked really good running and I tried to copy his good running form. I focused on keeping my shoulders relaxed and trying to run as smooth as possible. Al and I were having so much fun together that I told him that he was not allowed to make me laugh as I was getting side stitches every time I laughed. But more than anything, just having Al there really helped me stay focused. 

Al set the cooler for us to refill our flasks near the finish line which was nearing the end of each loop before the run around the camp grounds (the 1-mile "hilly" section that I loved). The race staff was great with their cheers and it was awesome to see more athletes out on the run course. The out and back on the trail was nice because you got to see other athletes and give them a cheer. Everyone was so supportive. It was getting a little hot on the run course so it was nice that Al had ice for us in the cooler. 

The 2nd loop was mentally the most difficult because I was getting tired but I just stayed focused on one mile at a time. At this point, my feet were starting to get really tired and my entire body was just tired. My legs were sore but it all felt familiar to me (like in an Ironman). I kept going back to my past 16 Ironman races and how I was able to survive the pain in the legs and keep getting one foot in front of the other. I reminded myself that I was healthy and that I trained for this hurt. 

Karel finished just as I was finishing my 2nd loop so I once again got to see/hear him finish which was awesome. This also timed out perfectly so that Al could run a little with me for the 3rd loop. My mind was focused on getting to the turn around of the 3rd loop as I felt like that was my "finish" and everything else would be easy as I would be making my way to the finish line. Of course, the last 3.5 miles were not easy but I kept myself going with positive self talk, mantras and gratitude for my body. I tried to focus on running as easy as I could and continued with my run/walk strategy - making sure I didn't take advantage of the walk breaks and stayed strict with them to keep myself going. 
I finished the 18.6 mile run (well 19.6 miles due to my mistake) in 2:59.04 (9:04 min/mile). Even with my walk breaks I was able to run nearly every mile around 8:45 pace - on very very tired legs. 
Karel finished the run 2:14.50 (7:15 min/mile). 

It was so great to finally cross the finish line of stage 2. Although we had confident in our abilities to finish stage 3, we knew that our bodies were really tired and that recovery was critical at this point in this ultra endurance triathlon event. 

With stage 2 "only" being 93.6 miles, Karel finished the stage in 6:58.06 and I finished in 7:47.56. It was nearing 3:30pm when we finally made our way to the car with our bikes and gear. With less volume on the bike, it was really nice to have a little extra time for recovery before going to bed. 

After driving one minute to our "hotel room" at the camp site, Karel and I unpacked and prepared our stuff for the next stage. We refueled with a recovery drink, snacked and then enjoyed a vegetable pizza (Al picked it up for us at a local place around 10 miles away). Thank you Al! Not having a fridge or microwave was a little tough for us but we managed. We tried to eat as much as we could but it was getting a bit difficult with us being so tired and exhausted. Karel kept a yogurt recovery smoothie drink (store bought from Publix) at his bedside for when he woke up in the middle of the night. Al went out to cheer for everyone and I did a little light mobility and foam rolling. Karel used the normatec boots and around 7:30pm, we were turning off the lights to try to go to bed. With our bodies aching and being super fatigued from just over 16.5 hours of racing for me and just under 15 hours for Karel in 48 hours (and over , we stayed grateful for this opportunity and went to bed looking forward to the "shortest" and last stage of our epic xtreme triathlon. 

RESULTS STAGE 2
PHOTOS STAGE 2

Xtreme Triathlon Race Recap - Stage 1

When we arrived to the transition area at Hunter Springs in Crystal River, it felt like any other triathlon. Although there were only 17 participants, the atmosphere felt familiar. There was music, spectators (crew for each athlete), an announcer, lots of signage, rules to follow, race volunteers and staff, and a fenced in transition area. While this event was technically called a "gathering," it felt really good to be showing up to a triathlon race - especially after a season of cancelled races. 

After setting up our transition area and turning in our run gear bag to the race staff (for them to bring to T2 - which was ~102 miles away in Ocala), it was almost time for the national anthem, followed by the athlete pre-race meeting. The energy around us was positive and there was a strong sense of camaraderie among the group. We instantly felt like we were all part of a family. 

2 mile swim

Karel and I lined up near the front on the grassy/sandy shore and exactly at 7:30am, the event officially started. We were treated with a crystal clear swim but sadly, no sightings of any manatees this year. The swim course was 10 loops of a ~350 yard counter clockwise course. While ten loops may sound tedious and boring, it was actually a great way to start the race. Once we got familiar with the loop, it was easy to settle into a good rhythm. In typical fashion, Karel went out fast for the first two loops. Later he told me that he didn't feel like it was a hard effort, but he said it felt really easy. I couldn't help but laugh at Karel for swimming away from me. 

In my head I chuckled at myself and thought "don't you worry Karel, I'll catch you soon." After a few laps, I was back on Karel's feet and swam away from him. I got myself a little confused on my laps near the end so I lifted my head up and our crew support Al told me that I was on lap 8. The race staff was keeping track of the loops for each athlete as it was a continuous swim in the water (no exiting the water). I started to build my effort a bit and finished the 2 mile swim in 50 minutes and 18 seconds. Karel exited the water around 20 seconds behind me in 50 minutes and 39 seconds. Our average pace was around 1:24/100 yards. 



Within a few steps, I removed my wetsuit, cap and goggles and handed my swim gear to Al who was outside of the transition area (crew wasn't allowed inside the transition area). Although our typical motto is "nothing good happens in the transition area - get in and out" we didn't feel too rushed transitioning from swim to bike. I even sat down to put on my gear. We turned on our Garmin bike computers as well as our Varia radar lights and put on our cycling gear. Although it felt like we were in the transition area for forever, it was all of less than 3 minutes (2:16 for Karel and 2:50 for me). Karel left on his bike just a little ahead of me but by the time I mounted my bike after the mount line, I was still able to see him in the distance. We were required to wear our bib numbers on the bike and all normal USAT triathlon rules applied (ex. no drafting). And if you were wondering, Karel and I had no plans to ride together (and no way he would let me beat him out of the transition area) but it was nice to know that we were somewhat close to one another throughout the first hour of the bike. 

102 mile bike

Going into this event, Karel and I felt a little overwhelmed with the course maps. Even after reviewing the course maps that were provided to us online and in our race swag bag (a full binder of printed maps), it was still a bit different for us knowing that we would be self navigating throughout each bike leg. Although the race staff did a great job marking the entire course (all but the trail sections which were not allowed to be marked due to the permits allowing us to only be a "gathering" and not an event due to Covid), we were required to follow all of the rules of the road like stopping at stop signs and lights. We also had to navigate through a few busy segments of roads (crossing lanes) to get to the more quiet segments of road. Whereas most triathlon races have police to control certain segments of road and you can often rely on having athletes around you to keep you on course, this part of the race was a very different from most races. 

But like most events (even the ones that are familiar), sometimes our thoughts of what could be are different than what really is. In other words, sometimes the mind can make a situation more scary or confusing than it really is. After a few miles, all of my worries started to settle. Between the course being well marked with plenty of ground and sign arrows, the course map loaded into my Garmin and Karel being within eye sight ahead of me, I felt much more confident. At one point, Karel and I ended up at a red light together and after a few lights, Karel rode away (he got lucky and got a lot of green lights while I got the red lights). And just before I made my way to the Withlacoochee trail, Al drove up behind me in our car at a light so it was nice to see him (Al didn't follow us on the course but instead met us at our pre-decided SAG stops). 

Although this was a different style of racing with 3 days of triathlon events, stage 1 felt really familiar. It felt much like a normal Ironman distance triathlon so we raced it as if we were racing any other long distance event - but without the pressure or need to dig deep. We set out wanting to give our best, explore our limits and of course, have fun. We didn't take it easy and didn't ease up a lot if it felt too hard. We trusted our good health and resilience that we would be able to overcome the fatigue from a long day of racing to do it all again the next day (and the day after). 

Once I got onto the trail, I had almost 30 miles of something that we don't get to do very often - ride aero! With almost 30 miles of flat, paved, car-free trail, it was fun to spend a bit of time in the aero bars (I still got out of aero every now and then to stretch my back/hips). Although there were plenty of aid stations (around every 20 miles) throughout the bike course, we only relied on Al for our refill stops. We coordinated our refuel stop at mile 66 (which was also an event super SAG stop - plenty of items to refuel). Not only was it necessary to grab our prepared bottles from Al (to fuel and hydrate for the rest of the bike) but it was something to look forward to. Like the special needs stop in an Ironman distance triathlon, it really helped looking forward to an opportunity to put our feet on the group. Knowing that we could have a quick break to experience Al's positive energy and to break the long bike portion into two segments was something to keep our mind in a good place. Karel and I had our phones on us (allowed and encouraged at this event) in the case that we needed to communicate with Al but we only needed him for that one stop. Al continued driving on the main roads to T2 so that he would be there ready for us after our bike. 

I continued to fuel and hydrate like I would in any other Ironman event but I did try to take in a bit more calories than normal of solid food knowing that I was not just fueling for this day but also in need of keeping my body well fueled for the next two days. I didn't consume any "real" food during the event but all sport nutrition products (easy to consume, easy to digest, well formulated and effective). I took one bathroom stop along the trail and while I needed to go once more after I stopped to see Al, I was able to wait until I arrived in T2. Karel stopped a few times for bathroom breaks. I did stop a few times to stretch out my back as I was having a few tight spots (probably from so much time being aero) and didn't want anything to get too sticky in my hips/back and affect me on the run. 

As for the effort that we gave during the bike, it was steady and strong. I wouldn't say that we held back too much but instead, just rode a strong effort with the energy that we felt from being fresh on day one. 
Like usual, we had low moments and had to adjust. The weather was great - in the upper 60's when we started. It stayed cloudy most of the day as the temps entered into the 70's. As we raced, we made sure to keep things in perspective as we wanted to race with gratitude. We thanked the volunteers and anytime we saw other participants (ex. run) we cheered them on. Karel felt really good on the bike and didn't have any major back pains. We both enjoyed seeing some familiar segments of road that we would drive on when we visited by parents in New Port Richey when we lived in Jacksonville, Fl. 

It was great to arrive to T2 because it was a location that we were familiar with! Back in 2014, Karel and I raced the HITS Ocala half distance triathlon in the same location of the run of Stage 1 and the swim of Stage 2. Karel finished the 102 mile ride in 4:44 and I rode 5:05. This includes all of our stops. Actual ride time was 4:55 for me and 4:39 for Karel. 

18.6 mile run 
When I arrived to the transition area, Karel was already out on the run course. Al greeted me at the transition area. I took my time in the transition and also went to the bathroom before the start of the run. I didn't rush the transition from bike to run. My transition time was 6 minutes and Karel's was 3 minutes. I wanted to make sure that when I crossed the line to start the run that I was ready to start running. 

With a 3 loop run course, my plan was to run the first loop to get into a good rhythm and then run loop 2 with Al. Per the rules of the race, we were allowed to have a run support with us (on two feet, not wheels) during the run of each stage. 

Karel was flying on the run although I never saw him running. As for myself, I felt tired and stiff. It was a long run for me and I really struggled at times. My shoes felt heavy and the trail section (which I usually enjoy) didn't feel too good. But with this race experience was an opportunity to push through boundaries and barriers. So instead of giving up or finding the easy way (walking), I just broke down the race into one mile at a time. I made the mistake of running too long without a walk break on the first loop so after Al joined me, I started to incorporate more planned walk breaks. I know that not taking walk breaks in the first loop contributed to never feeling good for all 18.6 miles of the run. And that's a long time to run without feeling like I ever settled into a rhythm. Al strategically put the cooler with our running flasks at mile 3, which was allowed us to access it twice on each of the 3 loops. Our crew was allowed to give us nutrition at any point on the run. I really enjoyed having Al as my pacer as it helped me to keep my mind busy and off the motions of running. Once more athletes started to arrive to the venue, it felt good seeing other people on the course. With an ultra endurance, 3 day event like this one, it was clear that every athlete was racing for their own reasons - not against one another. I was passed by a lady who was part of a relay and she was flying. 

It worked out great that I was nearing mile 12 as Karel was finishing his run. This was perfect timing because I was refilling my flask and I was watching Karel cross the finish line as first overall. He ran a blazing fast time of 2:09 (6:58 min/mile)! I'm used to Karel finishing around ~6 miles ahead of me in Ironman events so this was no surprise for me. Talk about the gut punch when Karel is done and I still have another 45-60 minutes of running to go. After Karel cleaned up, he went back to our cooler stop (mile 15) and cheered for the other athletes and helped to keep me going as I was about to finish up loop 3 (the trail section). The run was ~3 miles pavement, ~3 miles trail). Al ran almost 12 miles with me and it was so good to have his company. I finished the run in 2:45 (8:54 min/mile) which included a lot of short walk/stop breaks after the first loop. I didn't feel empty or too sore when I finished but I was certainly exhausted and tired. 

Karel finished first in 7:49.49 and I finished 2nd in 8:50.14. 

Funny story: As Karel was starting his run, the race staff was not expecting him so quickly. Karel ended up running past the volunteer girl who was marking the run course. She told him where to run as she was marking the course.  :) They also weren't expecting Karel to run so fast so they made him run back through the finishing chute again so that he could hold up the finisher tape (it was so special that every athlete got to hold up the finisher tape for crossing the finish line). 

After the event, we cleaned up, had a Skratch/milk recovery drink, ate lots of salty snacks and headed to the hotel to unpack, pack, sleep (kinda) and do it all over again the next day at 7:30am for stage 2. 

RESULTS STAGE 1
STAGE 1 PHOTOS

A vegetarian Thanksgiving (anytime recipes)

 

We started off the day with a ~3 hour bike ride on our road bikes. We left around 10am and the weather was weird - misty, grey, not too warm, not too cold. We welcomed the fresh crisp air and took in the beautiful sights of nature, farm animals and fall colors. It's incredible that after six years of living in Greenville, SC we are still discovering new routes. Although our country roads are typically pretty quiet from cars, this recent ride treated us with no more than ten cars passing us over just over 50 miles. 

After we returned home around 1:30pm, I cleaned up, had a meal and then got to work in the kitchen. While Thanksgiving food centers around traditions, I see this holiday as a way to create memories over food. And there's no better way to create positive memories than around delish food that feels just as good on the taste buds as it does in the belly. 

I wanted to share the recipes that I used to create the dishes that I prepared for Thanksgiving. These recipes are not exclusive to Thanksgiving - I encourage you to try them out and add them to your weekly menu. If you are like me and feel a bit overwhelmed and anxious with detailed recipes, I will list the ingredients below and then you can click on the recipe link when you are ready to follow the actual recipe. I find it much less cumbersome to purchase ingredients in advance and then prep those ingredients in advance, versus trying to do everything at once (shop, prep, cook all on the same day). 

Sesame Ginger Tempeh Stir Fry

RECIPE LINK

Ingredients: 

• 8oz block tempeh (I used two x 8 ounce blocks of tempeh to have leftovers.)
• 1 cup each carrot sticks and green beans
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger
• 1 tbsp fresh garlic
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce/coconut aminos for lower sodium+paleo (I used Tamari sauce)
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• Sesame seeds, green onion, white rice for serving (optional) (I used sesame seeds)

Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole

RECIPE LINK

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups vegetable broth or water (I used vegetable broth)
• 1 cup quinoa (any color), rinsed under running water in a mesh sieve for a minute and drained
• 16 ounces broccoli florets, either pre-packaged or sliced from 2 large bunches of broccoli
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 10 twists of freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, omit if sensitive to spice
• 8 ounces (about 2 ½ cups) freshly grated cheddar cheese, divided (I used brick provolone and just under 1 cup)
• 1 cup low-fat milk (cow’s milk tastes best but unsweetened plain almond milk works, too) (I used cow's milk)
• ½ tablespoon butter or 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 slice whole wheat bread (substitute gluten-free bread for a gluten-free casserole)

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower Soup

RECIPE LINK

Ingredients:

• 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into bite-size florets
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• Fine sea salt
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more if needed
• Scant ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• For garnish: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, chives and/or green onions (I used dried parsley) 

Vegan Apple and Pear Crumble 

RECIPE LINK

Ingredients: 

• 2 1/2 cups pears, chopped (after peeling)  (I used 3 small Bartlett pears)
• 1 1/2 cups apples, chopped (after peeling) (I used 3 small honey crisp apples)
• 1/8 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1/8 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut oil (I used ~2 tbsp vegan butter)
• 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped optional (I used a handful each of chopped walnuts and pecans)

My best friend. 

Campy's plate.

He's always so surprised and patient when he receives his own Thanksgiving plate. 

Happy Tummy. 

Thanksgiving feels different - it's ok.

This picture means so much to me. It's a picture of my dad cutting the Thanksgiving Turkey in my parents house in New Port Richey, Florida and Campy waiting for pieces of Turkey to "accidentally" drop from the sky. It was my last Thanksgiving with my dad. 

My dad was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic cancer to his spine in June 2013. He had major spinal surgery a few weeks later and was not given a good diagnosis if he would ever walk again and the survival rate of this type of aggressive cancer was not good. My dad was fit, otherwise healthy and active. He was also very stubborn and positive. 

My dad worked extremely hard to learn how to walk again. After 3 months with a spine brace, wound vac and walker (and assistance with all daily activities) and loads of medications, radiation and chemo.....my dad continued improving his strength and was able to move around the house by Thanksgiving (November 2013) with his walker - all by himself. My dad passed away 3 days before my 32nd birthday in May 2014. My dad had a very tough 10-month fight with cancer. 

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I realize that my 28-year vegetarian diet isn't best well suited for this annual meat-centered holiday but for me, it's not about the food. It's about family, gratitude, kindness and traditions, memories and stories. 

My dad prepared the Turkey but he would always make me an out-of-the-bird "vegetarian" stuffing. Ever since Campy came into our life (October 2008), my dad made sure that Campy always had a full belly of Turkey when it was time to eat the Thanksgiving meal. My dad had a special strategy of preparing the Turkey - cut of a piece for the plate, eat a small piece and toss a piece to Campy. As you can imagine, Campy loved this strategy. 

For me, every Thanksgiving has felt a little different since my dad passed away. 
I understand if you feel like Thanksgiving feels a little different this year. A day that we all associate with genuine feelings of gratitude will not include the typical deep-rooted camaraderie of gathering in person with loved ones and chosen family. Although eight months have passed since we were first hit with the devastating changes, stressors and adjustments that resulted from the deadly and highly contagious pandemic, nothing could have prepared us for the emotional toll of not being able to celebrate the holidays with our close friends and family.

Although restrictions on gatherings should be followed to protect you, your family and your community, there's something to be learned from this that can help us moving forward.

When we can once again hug, gather and enjoy the simple joy of traveling, don't take the special people in your life for granted. 

We are all energy. Be sure to surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you. 
The people you surround yourself with, you become. No matter your level of confidence or self-esteem, you are not immune to negative energy, destructive behaviors or bad influences.

This pandemic has taught us a lot. One of the many lessons we have learned is that our lives are not abundant without close connections to friends and family.

The world is not a random puzzle. There is meaning and purpose to every circumstance. 

Your mindset plays a very important role in life. The way you think about things and see the world determines how you live your life. If your mind is drawn toward the negative, you will feel hopeless. I encourage you to have an optimistic mind, full of gratitude, on this Thanksgiving holiday. This pandemic is forcing us to take a more holistic view of our personal choices. It may be incredibly hard to not think about ourselves as the US culture is known for individualism - our needs, our goals, our personal wants. My dad didn't pass away due to COVID but over 260,000 American lives have been taken due to this pandemic. On this Thanksgiving, we must all put our own wants and needs to the side in order to protect others - not just the vulnerable but all of the essential workers who are sacrificing so much to serve for others. 

I hope that you have plenty to be grateful for this year. I hope that you still have your health and have not caught this highly contagious virus. Our normally joyous holiday season is dominated by mandates, losses, uncertainty and social distancing. It's a bummer. It sucks. I encourage you to take some time to recognize what's good in your life. Even in the face of suffering and disappointment, find gratitude. 

With so many restrictions and mandates, don't forget why we are all instructed to do what we need to do. Serve a portion of gratitude - not COVID - this Thanksgiving. 

The holidays and disordered eating

 

Picture source. Holly Harris. 

The holidays can be a stressful time for those in eating disorder or disordered eating recovery. The current pandemic certainly adds another level of stress, anxiety and worry during this holiday season. 

Holiday meals can be triggering for those who seek control over food and have (or had) an unhealthy relationship with food and the body. Eating with others (even virtually) may bring an overwhelming amount of uncomfortable feelings. Whether you are afraid of gaining weight, trying new foods or binge eating, you dread the uneasy body image and diet conversations with family or you fear being unable to "burn off" the calories with your typical early morning T-day workout, you may find it hard to be kind to yourself during this holiday season. 

Although I am not advocating eating with members outside of your household (remember - we still have a deadly and highly contagious virus spreading quickly throughout our country), here are a few tips to help take the focus away from food during the upcoming holiday: 

• Food should never make you hate yourself. 
• Identify your triggers for overeating/binging or food restriction. For example, rather than going long hours without food or randomly eating something that you are not comfortable with, plan snacks and meals for yourself. 
• Prepare your responses for conversations about body image, dieting and weight. 
• Give yourself time and space during social interactions. 
• It's ok to eat a little more than you normally would. It's also ok to use the tools that help you eat in a responsible way that supports your physical and emotional health. 
• Keep diet talk off the table. You don't need to help others. You don't need to be helped over the Thanksgiving table. You don't need to debate over certain diets, not to mention starting an exercise plan with the goal of losing weight.
• Keep body image discussions away from the holiday season. Even the standard statement of "you look healthy" or "you look great" can be triggering. Many disordered eating behaviors stem from food control and body image/appearance. 
• Statements like "you/I put on some pounds" are also unacceptable. There's no need to criticize your body or other people's bodies. 
• Holiday eating is not a socially acceptable time to binge. Working out just to eat is not healthy. Compensation after eating is an eating disorder behavior. The talk of restriction or overexercise to compensate for a meal is not a healthy strategy. 
• It's physically healthier never to diet. It's emotionally healthier not to try to control body weight through a diet. A diet mentality leads to body dissatisfaction and an unhealthy relationship with food. All diets can be considered disordered eating. 
• Avoid all-or-nothing thinking. Eat with a mindset of curiosity. 
• Express gratitude when you feel anxious. 

Race Report: Lake Summit 10-mile race

 

In early August, Karel and I registered for the inaugural Lake Summit 10-mile gravel trail running race. We assumed this would be one of our last races of the 2020 season but four weeks later we registered for the Florida Xtreme Triathlon (that race recap is still a work in progress - coming soon!). Because there was only six days between the finish of our 300+ mile event and then 10-mile race, we didn't consider actually showing up for the event until Wednesday last week. After finally feeling more normal again and catching up on a lot of missed sleep, I did a short jog on the treadmill on Thursday and had no aches or niggles. Feeling good about my recovery, I decided that I would show up for the race and just run it for fun. Karel was also feeling really good after the race and did a short jog on Friday just to test the legs. All was good. 

On the morning of the race (Saturday), we woke up around 5:25am and had our normal/typical pre race meal (Oatmeal/fruit/nut mix for Karel and 2 waffles w/ nut butter, banana, syrup and granola for me). I spent around 15 minutes foam rolling before we left the house around 6:45am. Karel did a light mobility session in our workout room before we left. It was a chilly 39 degrees when we left and the temps only dropped as we made our way 50-minutes north to Tuxedo, NC. 

We really enjoy running at Lake Summit - even though it's a drive to get there. We take our campers there as the gravel running is really good for the body and the scenery is really nice (lake houses and lots of trees). The nice thing about the lake is that you can run all the way around it - for almost 10 miles total. It's mostly gravel with a 1.5 mile pavement section and a little pavement to start/finish each loop. While the start/finish of each loop is flat, there are a few kickers of hills with a switchback section on the far end of the loop.

After picking up our packets around 7:30am, we spent a good amount of time warming up. Our athletes Josh and Eedee met us there for the race. 

Unfortunately, Karel's quad (by the knee, inner leg) was bothering him when he would land. It was such an odd thing as he had no issues the day before when he ran. He assumed it was coming from his hip (his hips have been really tight) and with his previous issues with his back, he tried to get his legs warmed up but by the time the race started, he decided to skip the race to not do any damage. Karel was not upset by this decision as this was just a "fun run" and not worth the risk of injury.

I was really surprised how good I felt. I had no residual soreness and I felt fairly fresh. I only swam a few times and ran once last week and really focused on refueling, rehydrating and sleeping - a lot of sleeping! I had a few low moments during the race but the recent 3-day Xtreme event sure did teach me a lot about working through those low moments!

I absolutely love running on gravel/trails so I found myself running happy. After the first 2 miles, I never had more than 2 people within a quarter mile of me so it felt like a solo run where I could be with with my own thoughts. I wasn't out there racing but instead, just giving my best effort on the day without digging deep. I settled into my steady endurance effort. I didn't have any expectations but just to run the mile I was in and to listen to my body. The race field was fairly small (~150 runners) and it was a safe and well-run event by Upstate Ultra. 

For the first few miles, I just focused on settling into a good rhythm. By mile 3 I was making my way to the first hill and gave myself a short reset (walk/stop) break at the top. I continued to include a few walk breaks (and one quick bathroom break) throughout the rest of the race as my body needs the reset breaks (it works really well for me mentally and physically). 

The switchback section on gravel was tough to run up but after a quick reset break at the top (and a quick potty break) I felt really good running down. With only four more miles to go, I definitely felt a little tired but nothing compared to how I felt during the last few miles of each stage of the Xtreme Tri. That Xtreme event gave me so much confidence and appreciate for my body and mind. I was really bummed for Karel not running but happy to see him cheering me on near the finish. 

I felt like I ran a really steady race, stayed well fueled/hydrated with my Naked Running band (each 10-ounce hard flask was filled with Skratch strawberry lemonade) and had a lot of fun. Knowing that this was my last planned race of the season, I ran with a lot of gratitude for my body. After the event, we made a quick stop at Flat Rock Bakery to stock up on fresh bread (and perhaps a few pastries were added to our order ;) 

Although this event was only six days after I conquered my first ultra endurance triathlon event, I was shocked that I had no fatigue or residual soreness after racing for 300+ miles. I woke up that race morning with gratitude for my resilient body. I never take good health for granted. Racing with no expectations or outcome goals is very freeing as it reduces the pressure and allows you to stay in the moment. After all that 2020 has given us (or taken away from us), I will always look forward to any race opportunity to explore my limits and capabilities with my amazing body. 

There's a well-known saying that reads "quit while one is ahead." This idiom implies to stop doing something while one is still successful. Otherwise, further action runs the risk of spoiling something good. Although the emotional intoxication that comes with feeling superhuman after a successful late season race can make it difficult to stop training and racing, there's more to risk - and less to gain - if you refuse to give your body and mind a necessary break to rest, restore and to recharge. 

I feel accomplished. I feel healthy. I want to keep racing. But in my 14 consecutive years of long-distance racing, I've learned that the best time to enjoy a slowdown is when you don't feel like you need one. 

I'm healthy. I'm not broken.
Thank you body.

Socially distant hugs are better than no hugs! 

RACE RESULTS HERE

Logistics: 3 day, 3 stage, coast to coast triathlon across Florida.

 

Before I get into our actual race recap, I wanted to share how we went about the logistics of this event. As you can imagine, this triathlon event was unlike any other past event. Not only did we need a crew to transport our gear in our car from stage to stage (and to help us stay well fueled and hydrated) but we also had to move our stuff from hotel to hotel to hotel, we had three separate transition areas for swim to bike and three completely different transition areas for bike to run. This required a lot of packing and repacking, planning and organizing. 

Having never done this type of event before, I was very thankful that the Xtreme Tri staff provided us with hotel suggestions (and discounted rates) which made it easy to plan out where to stay. Although we typically don't stay in hotels when we race (we prefer an Airbnb for the kitchen and space), the hotel option made the most sense for an easy check in and check out (and less effort searching for a place to stay). Since we stayed at our final destination until Tues after the race, I booked an Airbnb for our final two nights instead of using the host hotel. 

I created an itinerary to help us and our crew (Alvaro) so that we always knew where to go and when. This helped tremendously so that we didn't have to search for addresses and start times/locations. The Xtreme Tri staff also gave each athlete a binder with all course maps and other information. This binder was super helpful for Al as he was crewing for us throughout the entire race. 

Pre-Race
11/11-11/13 (Wed-Fri):
Lodging: Holiday Inn Crystal River 
1203 NE 5th St, Crystal River, FL 34429
(Race start ~2.5 miles from the hotel)

• Athlete briefing was online.
• Packet pick up on Thurs late afternoon (near race venue).
• Hotel had a fridge and microwave - I brought most of our food (snacks and non perishables in a big Tupperware bin and a cooler for the rest of the food) but we also purchased some items at Publix grocery in the area. I also brought dishware so that we could eat anywhere, anytime. 
• We brought a large variety of sport nutrition products. Although we each had an idea of the products we would use for bike/run (and pre race), we had a lot of other options just in case. We had Infinit, NBS carbo-hydration, Skratch, bars, chews and gels, Gu amino pills and Tums. We prepared our bottles the day before with powder and added water on race morning or just prepared the bottles with powder and water and kept in the fridge. 
• We packed our transition bag (and run bag - provided from the race) the night before each stage. We also had a post race bag with cleaning wipes and towels, and a fresh set of clothes. 
• With this being a smaller field race, we allowed ourselves ~45 minutes before the race start before arriving to the transition area/race venue. 
• Race morning nutrition included waffles, nut butter, syrup, banana, yogurt and granola for me and oatmeal mixture for Karel. 
• Karel brought his travel nespresso machine. I use instant coffee (Nescafe Gold) and brought the electric kettle for hot water. 
• We used two huge bins (with a handle and wheels) to transport most of our stuff and also kept our clothing in duffle bags. I also prepared smaller Tupperware bins for easy-to-grab items throughout the race. 
• We reviewed the course maps and loaded the course maps into our Garmin bike computers. The courses were marked with arrows and signs in most places. Because of COVID, this event was called a "gathering" so they could not put signage on trails or have port-o-johns at the venues (there was always the use of a public restroom). 
• We went to bed around 8:30pm and set the alarm for 5am. 
• We planned out our "official" SAG stop with Al (mile 66 of stage 1 on the bike) which was also a SAG stop with the event. There were several aid station opportunities along the course but we did the race self-supported on the bike (only relying on Al who kept our filled sport nutrition bottles in a cooler with ice and also had extra snacks/items for us if we needed it at our SAG stop). 
• We set up our transition area like any other triathlon race. 

Stage 1 
Swim 2 miles in Crystal River. Bike 102 miles to Carney Island Recreation Area (Ocala, FL) and run 18.6 miles in Carney Island rec area. 

Lodging:
Holiday Inn Express & Suites Silver Springs-Ocala
5360 E Silver Springs Blvd, Silver Springs, FL 34488
(Race finish of stage 1 was the same location as the race start of stage 2. Hotel was ~20 min drive away.)

• Having just raced for ~9 hours, it was nearing 5pm when we got ourselves ready to head to the hotel. We started the recovery (Skratch protein powder and milk from the cooler) immediately after the race and also snacked on salty chips, pretzels, cheeze-it's and anything else that appealed to us. 
• We cleaned up with disposable "towel" wipes and dumped our dirty kits and towels into a laundry bag at the race venue. 
• It was nearing 7pm when we finally settled into our hotel room after transporting all of our gear from the car to the room, unpacking, cleaning bottles and preparing some type of dinner for the hotel microwave (I had soup, tempeh, some romaine lettuce and tomatoes and bread and then a bowl of granola w/ milk. Karel had a veggie burger instead of the tempeh). We had a lot of energy dense snack food like bagels, breads, fig newtons, granola, dried fruit, etc. Of course, I had chocolate for Karel. 
• We then spent the next 30-45 minutes preparing everything for the next stage - filling bottles with sport nutrition powder, charging electronics (our Garmin Varia bike radar, Garmin bike computer, swim/run watch, laying out gear and going through the course maps for the next day. I purchased an electronic organizer bag that came in handy for helping us charge all of our gadgets. I also brought an outlet power strip so we could charge multiple devices all at once. 
• Each morning I would foam roll (lightly) for around 10 minutes and do the same before bed to work out any kinks (thankfully, Karel and I didn't have any niggles or issues throughout all 3 stages). We also had a recovery bag w/ trigger point gun, balls, foam roller (2 of them, one as a vibrating foam roller) and the Normatec boots. We would both use the boots for 45 minutes before bed (Karel would start first and then I would go). We also used MG12 cream to help with the recovery. 
• We tried to get to sleep as early as possible. On stage 1 we went to sleep around 8:30-9pm but it was a restless night of sleep (never getting into deep sleep and waking up around 4:30am pretty exhausted and tired). 
• We packed up the car again around 6:15am and made our way to the race venue to do it all over again. 

Stage 2 
Swim 2 miles at Carney Island rec area. Bike 73 miles to Camp Keystone in Starke, FL. Run 18.6 miles around Camp Keystone.

Lodging:
Camp Keystone
6581 SE 9th Ave, Starke, FL 32091
(Positive: staying in the same place that we finished and started stage 3! Negative, no microwave/fridge in the room). 

• Our SAG stop to meet Al was around 50 miles into the bike. Karel and I were never more than ~10 minutes apart so it worked well for Al to drive to the SAG stop that we planned and then stay there until he took care of both of us with our bottles. 
• Stage 2 was the most difficult (physically and mentally) as we were carrying around a lot of fatigue from stage 1 and a restless night of sleep. 
• It was nice to only drive only a minute to our room on the camp site of Stage 2. We started our recovery with nutrition, a shower and after racing for 9 hours on Friday and almost 7 hours on Saturday, we were in need of a hearty meal. We called in a vegetable pizza from a local place (around 10 miles away) and Al picked it up for us. It was hard to eat it as our digestive system was starting to slow down from all the racing but we did our best to eat a few slices. We tried our best to refuel but it was tough this evening. 
• Since we didn't have a fridge, Al also picked up some ice for our food. 
• Karel went to sleep around 7:30pm as he slept really poorly after stage 1 and I went to sleep around 8:30pm. Al stayed out until 8:30pm to cheer for the athletes still out on the course. It was another light night of sleep but better than the day before. 
• We went through the entire process again of refilling bottles, charging electronics (our bikes stayed charged throughout the three days but we had chargers just in case), preparing our gear/clothes for the next day, reviewing course maps and planning logistics of stops/bottles with Al. Oh and packing the car again. 
• We "slept in" until 5:20am on Stage 3 and made our way to the race start around 6:45am (race started at 7:30am each morning). 

Stage 3
Swim 2 miles at Camp Keystone, bike 68 miles to Marineland in St. Augustine, FL and run 13.1 miles to Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast, FL. 

Instead of staying at the Hammock Beach Resort, I booked an airbnb around 2 miles away (we stayed there until Tues). It was so nice to have a kitchen and a little extra space. 

• Al met us around mile 44 on the bike for our SAG stop. 
• Each stage Al would have a cooler for us with our filled bottles (or for the run, our running flasks), cokes (with twist off tops), ice and water. Although there were aid stations on the course, we kept this race pretty self-supported thanks to Al. We also reapplied AMP performance cream during the bike and always had extra nutrition available for the bike and run. During the run, Al strategically put the cooler in a place where we could access it several times throughout the run (twice each loop). 
• The aid stations were well stocked for the athletes and the volunteers were incredible and so supportive. 
• Karel and I wore our cooling towels for stage 3 as it was really hot (80's). 
• For stage 3, the transition area from bike to run was located at a different place than the finish so Al met us around mile 6.5 of the run with the cooler. We could also access the cooler again around mile 10.5. 
• The first thing I did when we arrived to our condo (after taking a well needed shower) was wash our big bag of dirty clothes and eat all the salty foods we could find (along with a hearty meal from Moe's). 
• The awards ceremony was the next day at 10am, outside at a BBQ restaurant (limited vegetarian options). 

Additional notes:

• Throughout the entire race, we had to follow the rules of the road and had to stop at all lights/stop signs. 
• Al was not allowed in the transition area but he was able to hand us items outside of the transition area and get our gear (ex. wetsuits/goggles/caps) after we each left the transition area. The race staff would transport our run gear to T2 so it was there before we arrived. 
• Al was allowed to run with us anytime during the race. Al ran with me for 12 miles during stage 1, 11 miles during stage 2 and 3.5 miles for stage 3. Because each run was 3 loops, Al was also able to take care of Karel (helping with his flasks) and also see Karel finish each stage (Karel was often 45+ minutes ahead of me on the run).
• Al would pick up ice from the gas station and anything else that we needed as we were out on the bike. 
• We had to wear a bib number on the bike and during the run. 
• No listening to music but we were allowed to carry our phones in the case of an emergency. 
• The courses were well marked, although Karel would often be on the run course before they had finish marking it (speedy ;). Karel and I did get confused on day 2 and day 3 on the bike and run courses but we blame it more on being tired. 
• The Xtreme Tri staff was incredible. They would build a transition area and finish line for each stage and have the entire bike course marked for the next stage. I can't explain how incredible the crew/staff was to put on this type of event and they always kept a smile on their face and had lots of cheers for the 17 participants. 
• 
  Logistically there was a lot that went into this race but that just made it more of a challenge - which is exactly what an Xtreme Tri should be. We didn't account for the changes in our appetite, sleep issues and all the packing and packing but we just stayed flexible and adaptable and never complained or got frustrated. And Al was a huge help - we could not have done this without him! 

Florida Xtreme Triathlon - quick recap

 
Wow. I can't believe what we just accomplished. 

When Karel told me about the Xtreme triathlon event, it sounded like a challenging event. While we were challenged in ways that we have never experienced before, there was so much more to this event that we didn't expect. 

Before I give a quick recap of the event, I need to give a huge thank you to our support crew - which was our friend and athlete Alvaro. Al took time away from work, family and his own training to help us navigate through the logistics of this point to point to point event. We could not have done this event without his support, videos, pictures, cheers, encouragement and ability to know what we needed at any point in the race. 

I'd also like to give a big shoutout to the Xtreme Triathlon and SommerSports crew, volunteers and staff. Every person involved in the event showed professionalism, enthusiasm and encouragement. This was a legit race with official timing, start and finish signs at the transition areas, signage and a lot of incredible swag. The crew that put on this event did an incredible job of making us feel safe, cared for and supported throughout all three stages. I can't express the logistical nightmare that these people went through to move a race from one coast of Florida to the other, while setting up and tearing down the transition area day after day after day. But they always had smiles on their faces and never stopped the cheering. And they did this all for every athlete in the race to receive the full triathlon experience - for three days straight! This event is unlike any other and I highly recommend participating if you are in need of an extreme triathlon challenge!

                                 
As for the breakdown of this event: 

Day 1: 2 mile swim, 102 mile bike, 18.6 mile run. 
Day 2: 2 mile swim, 73 mile bike, 18.6 mile run. 
Day 3: 2 mile swim, 68 mile bike, 13.1 mile run. 

Results: 
Day 1: 
Marni: 8:50:14.
50:18 swim
2:50 -T1- transition one from swim to bike
5:05.46 bike
6:06 - T2 - transition two from bike to run
2:45:17 run

Day 1: 
Karel: 7:49.49
50:39 swim
2:16 -T1- transition one from swim to bike
4:44.21 bike
3:15 - T2 - transition two from bike to run
2:09.21 run

Day 2: 
Marni: 7:47.56
56:19 swim
3:07 -T1- transition one from swim to bike
3:43 bike
4:48 - T2 - transition two from bike to run
2:59.04 run

Day 2: 
Karel: 6:58.08
57:17 swim
2:38 -T1- transition one from swim to bike
3:38.58 bike
4:32 - T2 - transition two from bike to run
2:14.40 run

Day 3: 
Marni: 6:38.10
54.20 swim
2:53 -T1- transition one from swim to bike
3:31 bike
6:32 - T2 - transition two from bike to run
2:03.02 run

Day 3: 
Karel: 5:58.12
54.33 swim
Timing was off -T1- transition one from swim to bike
Timing was off but it was around 3:15 bike
5:37 - T2 - transition two from bike to run
1:35.10 run

Total (RESULTS HERE)
Marni: 23:16.20, 1st overall female. 2nd overall. 
Karel: 20:47.31. 1st overall. 

This event was so much more than just completing the distances each day. Here's what we learned over three days of racing: 

• Patience is key.
• Staying in the moment is important. 
• Staying organized is key. 
• There was a lot of packing, repacking, charging gadgets, rinsing water bottles and planning nutrition. 
• Volunteers are amazing!! 
• Recovery felt rushed but it was so important. 
• This was more of an adventure than a race to chase times or competitors. 
• Chasing an outcome can paralyze you and limit your abilities.
• You need to have fun no matter what comes your way.
• This was truly an individual effort - from start to finish. 
• You have to know how to troubleshoot situations when they come about. 
• Sometimes things won't go as planned but that doesn't mean that your race is over.
• The small race field made it very personalized and felt like a family. 
• Everyone is racing for their own reasons. 
• Sleep was difficult - we had restless sleep. 
• We had to stay in the moment and focus on only one mile at a time. 
• This race was a refreshing change from what we are used to in big corporation races. 
• Your mind is your biggest limiter. 
• You are capable of so much more than you realize. 
• Even when you think you can't do it, you have more in you than you know. 
• Nothing beats the finish line feeling. It doesn't matter how big or small the race. 
• Never take for granted your health and abilities. 
• We never felt like we didn't want to be in the race. We never stopped caring and always gave our best. 
• Learn to be great at not slowing down (too much).
• Having a positive support crew is so important! 
• Chase scary goals and dreams. Never give up. 
• Don't forget to thank your body and take care of it daily. 

One more sleep: Florida Xtreme Triathlon

With only one more sleep until we embark on the longest endurance adventure that we have ever attempted (mentally and physically), I wanted to share how we prepared for this event.

Training
-Consistency

Nutrition
-Consistency

Sport nutrition
-Consistency

There were no shortcuts, quick fixes or extreme approaches. We never felt like we were training specifically for this event - especially with the uncertainty of all that is going on in this nation. More so, we only registered for the event in early September.

This season has been all about new opportunities and experiences and we made sure to take full advantage of a season of cancelled races. With none of our planned races on the summer calendar, we explored new cycling routes in Greenville and we had fun participating in different events. Building off years of consistent training, we took a leap and tried new approaches with our training. Thankfully, we stayed healthy and injury free. Perhaps much of this was due to never feeling the pressure to one-up a previous workout. We found the balance between being dedicated to training and respecting our mental health during this extraordinarily difficult time in our life.

This event will be a new challenge – something we have never experienced before. We won't be viewing this as a race but an adventure. While the event did require physical and mental preparation, it will still test us in ways that we have never experienced before. 

Even though an Ironman distance triathlon is a huge feat and we are extremely grateful that we are capable of racing in an Ironman distance triathlon, this year provided us with a unique opportunity to step beyond the comfort zone. It would be easy to settle for comfortable and just continue on with the training that we are familiar with – much like we have done year after year. But life is short and for the first time in a very long time, we were given a wild opportunity to explore our capabilities. 

When you are afraid to fail, you stay in a place of comfort. While it’s a fun place to be, it’s not where you grow. 

We are looking forward to this upcoming adventure. And yes, with 300+ miles to cover from one coast of Florida to the other, we are viewing this as an adventure race. We will have fun, we want to stay safe, we will have highs and lows and we will question why the heck we are doing this. But like any challenge, we will learn. We will grow. And we will add another incredible chapter to our book of memories.

Thank you for the support and the virtual cheers. We really appreciate the support!

While there won't be live results, you can check out the Xtreme Triathlon website and Facebook page for updates. I'll do my best to update my social media channels (Facebook and Instagram).

If you'd like to learn more about the event, you can check out the maps and athlete guide HERE.

It's race week for the Florida Extreme Triathlon!

 

The extreme nature of our upcoming 3-day event hadn't fully sunk in until just a few days ago. As I began to pack, organize and plan out all of the logistics of this point to point to point event, I started to think about this ambitious feat that we are about to take our body and mind on for over 300 miles. 

In case you missed my last blog post, here are the details of the event: 

• Stage 1: November 13th - 2 mile swim in Crystal River, 102 mile bike (from Crystal River to Ocala), 18.6 mile run in Ocala.
  
  
• Stage 2: November 14th - 2 mile swim in Ocala, 73 mile bike (from Ocala to Starke), 18.6 mile run in Starke.
  
  
• Stage 3: November 15th - 2 mile swim in Starke, 68 mile bike (from Starke to Palm Coast), 13.1 mile run in Palm Coast.

I have intentions on fully sharing this entire experience from start to finish on social media (Trimarni Coaching and Nutrition and Trimarni), but I thought I'd share how I am planning for this 3-day event. 

Food
Most importantly, we need to keep our bodies well fueled before, during and after each stage of the event. I know what it takes to fuel a 140.6 mile, one-day event but this is a whole new experience for us. Thankfully, we have had a lot of practice from training. In thinking back to the many meal, snack and sport nutrition strategies that helped us prepare for this event (as well as for our past combined 30 Ironman distance triathlons over the past 14 years), I purchased a lot of non-perishable food items that we can keep in the hotel rooms for each stage of the event. I will also purchase some items for the cooler but I want to make our eating/fueling strategies as simple as possible. I will be using the microwave for most of our meals and I am bringing a lot a lot of kitchen supplies for easy meal prep/consumption. Again - I am not complicating this process. While I have a plan for us, things may change and I want to be flexible (this is why I am not preparing all of our meals in advance). 

Sport Nutrition 
To be honest, this category doesn't worry me. As I mentioned above, we have done so many training sessions and races that we each feel fairly confident in this area. The only caveat is the back to back to back nature of this event - which includes swimming, biking and running for 3 consecutive days. We have completed different scenarios of this event but never in its entirety. But like any long distance triathlon event, it's good to have a plan but you also have to know how to troubleshoot, be proactive and adapt. 

Logistics
This is my biggest stressor although I'm trying not to let it stress me out. We will have our friend Alvi drive our car and be our sag support throughout this event. I've typed up an itinerary with our hotel reservations for each stage (address) but that is the simple part. Although the event will have "aid stations" throughout the bike and the run, we are responsible for knowing the course (which we will put into our Garmin bike computers). But more than this, we only swim and run in the same location. So each day we will swim in one location, bike to the next location and then run in that location. Stay the night in a hotel and then do it all again the next day. Swim in one location, bike to the next and then run in that location. For three days straight! As you can imagine, there's a lot to bring along and pack and repack. Organization is key. We have several bins and bags to keep everything organized but I have a feeling that it's going to feel a bit chaotic at times. The goal after the end of each stage is to quickly head to the hotel to start the recovery process and plan for the next day. I have a feeling I will learn a lot of lessons as we go along. Again, the theme of this event will be adaptability. 

With so much going into this event, we are so grateful to be healthy and injury free. We are really going to embrace this experience as we never want to take anything for granted when it comes to physically performing during an endurance (or perhaps now an ultra-endurance) event.