tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43435913358192778552024-03-04T22:04:34.417-08:00SwimBikeRun LiveLoveLaughMichelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-4676596061782343822014-11-13T04:09:00.000-08:002014-11-13T04:09:23.472-08:00Ironman Florida<div style="text-align: center;">
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Ironman Florida- Full circle</div>
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Admittedly the allure of completing a full Ironman distance race has been the fear and the fuel behind my journey this season. After surpassing my wildest dreams in completing a Half Ironman after my knee surgery, thoughts began to creep in about "could I" dare to dream. Being accustomed to injury and knowing I was tempting fate pushing beyond the half distance I still could not put the thoughts aside. With the progress I had made during the summer, the durability I had gained, and new found confidence, there was only one way to find out. DO IT. Tim assured me he could get me across the line and that was just the goal.</div>
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To back up a bit…about half way through the season my goals began take shape; a clearer picture arose. What was motivating me? My entire motivation to get to this point was a matter of doing things I didn't think were at one point were even possible: Complete an Olympic distance triathlon...check, qualify for Pro license...check, complete a Half Ironman...check. The Ironman distance seemed to check that box for me and continued to motivate the daily grind....<i>IF</i> I could do this it seemed to me to be the absent piece of the puzzle.</div>
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So we trained and trained, more than I ever have. There were tears, doubts, worries, fears then things seemed to click. Paces were dropping, watts (well they weren't getting much higher but they were holding for longer), swimming was consistent. I went in to Ironman Florida feeling confident in the training but just plain nervous about the unknown of the actual race. I'd done 2 x 2hr long runs as my max. What would that last hour + feel like in the marathon? Would the knee hold up?</div>
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I waited to sign up until the day before the deadline for two reasons 1. Was I actually going to do this? 2. Would I stay injury free? So nervously I hit the enter button on the computer, and confirmed my registration with Hearther Fuhr. It was happening...</div>
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Rachel Jastrebsky and I made the 13h car trip to Panama City the Wednesday before the race. Rachel is such a positive athlete, lots of enthusiasm and support and she quickly calmed my nerves as we joked and chatted the entire trip :)</div>
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Anthony and my Dad set out a day later (military calls) and met us Friday before the race. I was overjoyed having my two favorite guys there to sherpa and help with logistics pre race. I go through the usual meltdown i.e.- wheel choice, gear choice (as it was going to be quite cold), tubular spare, garmin malfunctioning. Something always goes wrong and it was reassuring knowing I had Anthony and my dad!<br />
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Something new this year that seems to really calm my nerves is having an actual race plan. Tim's pre race call is a saving grace. I know longer have to <i>think </i>to much about that part. He gives me a play by play of HR's paces watts and contingency plans for the day. Did I mention I love my coach!</div>
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Race Details:</div>
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Swim: </div>
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Woke up Saturday morning to 20mph sustained winds, 25-35mph gusts and 40deg temps. For someone who despises the cold this plain STUNK! We made our way to warm up only to find about 5minutes later after being crushed by unrelenting waves and current that the swim was cancelled. While I never truly fear any swim conditions and was prepared to gut it out, it was definitely the right call. The safety personnel were overturning in kayaks and to put those folks at risk, let alone all of the other athletes with differing swim abilities would have been a mistake. It was the right call, we adjusted thoughts and prepared for a TT bike start at 8am.</div>
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Bike:</div>
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Brrr. that's about all I have to say! Kit, Jersey, wind vest, arm warmers, ear band, gloves, compression socks, toe warmers. Seriously??! The first 25miles was almost all head/cross wind and I knew I was in for a long day. Rachel passed me within the first few miles and was looking strong. I just decided to focus on my watts and nutrition. Too bad my HR wasn't registering (oops, reset the garmin and forgot to pair it the day before). No need to panic, this was a long day. I've ridden long rides this summer and felt pretty confident I could go on RPE/watts although tough in the wind. I'd say after about mile 80 I was feeling pretty strong. Made one pass on the bike and two passed me. It was great to see Anthony and my Dad on the course snapping pics and cheering. Apparently they found a spot to go "off roading" in our new Truck ....boys.</div>
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The last 25 miles with the exception of a small out and back were tail/cross and you could really fly! This was fun and gave me a chance to prepare to run without having to work too hard those last miles on the bike. Getting into unknown territory soon and I wasn't sure what to expect so I played it a bit cautious the last 10miles.<br />
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I had strict instructions with HR and pace during the run. Tim and I both knew I hadn't done the volume to support a fast marathon but we knew If I paced it right it wouldn't be a slow death! My first mile split registered 10:09 and I started to worry- later to find out this was wrong! I picked it up before realizing it was impossibly wrong and settled into my pace thankfully. I came off the bike in 5th and stayed in that position for the remainder of the race. After the first half marathon I thought, here we go- the unknown, focus!! It was great to see Rachel on the course cheering; she was killing it. Also to see so many fans dressed in Halloween costumes. It appeared to be quite the party.<br />
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Coming through the finishing shoot I was elated. A high five from Anthony and a huge grin on his face, I could feel how proud he was. This was as much as a victory to him as to me. He's been there through the ups and downs, decisions, indecisions and unknowns. He' s the one who motivated me to continue this journey and I'm so thankful for his support. Rachel waited at the finish line and a huge embrace was in store. We've spent countless hours on the road together and we were equally happy with our/eachothers' performances. What a day! I've truly come full circle in this journey after a devastating knee injury in 2011 and now training successfully and executing an ironman against statistics with microfracture surgery. I truly couldn't have done this without the team behind me.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lew Hollander, Ironman Legend<br />
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What's next?</div>
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Well, that's a funny question...... Technically I didn't do a "full Ironman" and that was the goal. In some thoughts I feel a little disappointed about that but completing the marathon was really the big accomplishment in my mind. I still have a few questions unanswered…. Who knows.......will see.</div>
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Thank you:<br />
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<i>Anthony for your unwavering support</i></div>
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<i>Dad for always being there no matter how far</i></div>
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<i>Family and friends for the encouragement</i></div>
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<i>Tim Snow for the guidance and patience!</i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.qt2systems.com/" target="_blank">Qt2 systems</a>- Truly a program I believe in: Jesse, Caitlin, Rachel (Coaching, Nutrition plans)</i></div>
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<i><a href="http://zootsports.com/" target="_blank">Zoot Sports</a>- Apparel, kit, gear</i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.villagebicyclesnewportnews.com/" target="_blank">Village Bicycles</a>- Walt Garner- Keeping my bike rolling especially the new Di2 two days before the race!</i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.bonsecoursinmotion.com/staff/julie-blandin/" target="_blank">Bon Secours in Motion PT-</a> Julie Blandin- Your knowledge and dedication priceless, Keeping me injury free and moving correctly this season</i><br />
<i><a href="http://www.bonsecoursinmotion.com/staff/aaron-ransom/" target="_blank">Bon Secours Personal Training</a>- Aaron Ransom- Strength and power! Thank you!</i><br />
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Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-46048437258591075122014-08-02T06:27:00.000-07:002014-08-02T06:27:15.546-07:00Challenge New Albany<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Challenge New Albany Race Report: (skip down to where it says "race report" if you don't want to hear the long version below)<br />
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I decided to head to New Albany after plans for Vineman fell through.....erg, well I never made them. The back story involves a very panicked Michelle after Eagleman, an annoying shin injury, and being WAY to nervous to book travel, accommodations etc for 3 to California and back sheeesh! <br />
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A week prior to Eagleman I started to feel some pain in the outside of my shin (distal third of the fibula for those medical) after riding long (thanks Tim for the 5 hour rides....) and running. I was hoping it was some sort of muscular strain but found some pin point tenderness along the bone. Panic mode set in as I am frequently injured and am all too familiar with the sensation of a stress fracture. I wasn't quick to dismiss the pain as was my former MO and rested it pretty heavily leading up to EM. Luckily during the race I had no pain whatsoever and just chalked it up to some inflammation that needed a good only hard and fashioned ass kicking on a hard day.... <br />
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A few days after EM while doing some recovery runs on our beach Vacation in Sandbridge I started to feel the pain again but more intense, YUCK! A panicked email and text to Tim, we decided to shut it down as I was convinced it was another stress fracture (he thought otherwise). It is pretty rare for that to happen in the fibula as it is considered a non weight bearing bone but if a freak injury was going to happen, it would happen to me. I spent the better part of the following week at BonSecours in Motion PT with Julie Blandin looking at mechanics of the foot and ankle, taping my arch and coming up with a stretching / strengthening program for the lower leg. Turns out the dorsiflexion in my left ankle was considerably different compared to the right and the lack of motion was causing unusual pronation on the left side. A few days of the "foot binding" and lots of ankle bands later and I was feeling OK but not confident in Philly (2 weeks after EM). I hadn't run at all practically and wasn't sure I should race but Tim felt I was on the mend and we decided to give it a whirl. <br />
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Philly went pretty well considering and things were continuing to improve with PT but nervous me felt a 2 week break from running was in store to make sure the injury didn't linger. That meant Vineman was out so we shifted focus to 2 weeks later at New Albany. Having lots of family in the Cincinnati area, it would be a good way to swing in for a visit. My mom's two sisters, lots of cousins, my 94yo grandfather and my Dad's brother all live in Ohio and we took the opportunity to visit with them all in the short trip!<br />
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Since Anthony would be seeing Lanie off to TN for the school year and her summer with us was coming to an end, he stayed back and my dad decided/was asked to accompany me on the trip as Sherpa. Side note.....growing up my dad and I traveled to lots and lots of swim meets together as I recall, so he was no amateur to the sherpa-ing business. He made the trip down from DE (5h) then we were off on Thursday (10h) to Cinci. My cousin Jason and his wife Julie who summer in Clearwater FL were gracious enough to lend their home to us for accommodations, thanks guys!<br />
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Friday morning after a LONG car trip we met up with cousins Robin and Kristen + 3 hilariously energetic kids. I mean they were diving off furniture, bombing down play sets and full of fun stories, love it! We spent the afternoon at the pool chatting and playing and then headed to Aunt Jan's for dinner. Great fun catching up and for me, spending time with family was the most enjoyable part of the trip. Only wish we could have spent longer time together!<br />
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Saturday morning was brunch with Grandpa and Marilou- Great catching up with these two in Loveland....<br />
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I got word from Anthony shortly after brunch that Lanie had gotten 3rd pl female in her kids Triathlon! After spending the summer enjoying the swim team, Lanie went from barely getting across the pool swimmer to placing in swim meets (diving off the block and doing 50m freestyle), I mean holy cow!!! They decided to sign up for a kids tri the day she flew back to TN up near BWI. She rocked the race, even clipped in on the bike .. Love her!<br />
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Oh, yeah the race report, almost forgot!<br />
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<b><u>Pre Race: </u></b><br />
Pre race was felt with some anxiety about the 2 transitions but having done Giant Eagle the year prior I had some familiarity with the swim course. After visiting my Uncle Chris (post cholecystectomy) in Dayton Saturday morning, once we got to New Albany there were lots of logistics to figure out. I hadn't tested out my new<b> Blueseventy Helix </b>and PZ3 thanks to<b> Qt2 a</b>nd wanted to get in for a quick dip. It was windy and skies began to look ominous but I was at least able to figure the wetsuits are amazing but my goggles were fogging like no other. Panic. Quick trip to the expo and new goggle purchase, crossing fingers the decision wouldn't come back to haunt me.<br />
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I had been feeling pretty tired leading up to NA. The overload weeks just about killed me this time around and I hadn't been "nailing" any workouts. I was worried something might actually be wrong but a few blood tests at the doctor and everything checked out so we are chalking it up to a tough work/ train schedule and the heat/humidity of summer all catching up with me. A rest break was in need after NA both mentally and physically.<br />
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Pre race pro meeting: check, shoes etc dropped off at T2 :check, dinner with dad and off to bed. As most of you who know me know that I don't sleep AT ALL the night before a race. Tim says I just "rest" the night before but I don't actually sleep! Well this night was the exception. A good 5 hours I calculated, maybe 6 and for me that's progress!! We headed to swim start with plenty of time to test the new goggles and rack the bike and I was feeling more calm than usual.<br />
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<b><u>Swim:</u></b><br />
I got a good warm up in the lake with fellow QT2er Amy Javens and we were ready to start. Beach start into the lake, we made our first right and were off. I made it to the first buoy with the front pack and was struggling for position getting kicked out on the left. Rather than struggle I decided to get in behind the girl to my right only to find a few minutes later she lost the pack and I was stuck as well. I made the move around her on the long straightaway (rectangular course) but could see I wouldn't make it back up to the pack. Ah, come to think of it I wouldn't have been able to hang on with the likes of Meredith Kessler or Haley Chura anyways!!!! So solo I was again for the rest of the swim, aye aye aye.....one of these days hopefully I'll catch some feet. <br />
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<b><u>Bike:</u></b><br />
Oh my love hate with the bike. I love to bike but I'm just not as strong as these girls. It's a work in progress and I know results won't happen overnight. The course was fun, lots of turns, country roads and great support by local police and well marked turns by the Challenge Folks. As I'm usually never riding with anyone, I worried at EM that I had gone off course.....not here. I got passed by 2 girls and passed 1 (first time ever). That did give me a little confidence. The course was actually a lot more rolling than expected. I was in my small ring a bit but we got a few good downhills as well. There was some technical riding through some potholes and rough roads which made it hard to open up but all things considered I did like the course. The last 10m or so were fairly flat on highway. There were some ominous clouds and wind that picked up and I thought for sure I'd see lightning so I really tried to pick it up leading into T2.<br />
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Nutrition: 3 bottles Ironman Perform. 1 power gel w/caff, 6 Cliff Shot bloks, 1 saltstick<br />
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<b><u>Run:</u></b><br />
I headed out on the 2 loop run course feeling great. I'd only completed 2x 11mile runs in the two weeks leading up to NA due to the shin injury so I worried this was going to hurt (endurance wise). Tim gave me some parameters to stick with so I wouldn't hopefully blowup. I looked down at my first split 6:10 and thought on snap, oops! I brought the pace back for the first lap feeling strong, grabbing gatorade endurance at all of the aid stations. I ran in to Reese McGregor whom I went to High School with heading in to lap 2, crazy!!! We high- fived and I was determined to try to catch a few girls in sight. Then I fell on my face. No seriously, I fell hard and it happened so fast before I knew it my face was about a centimeter from the pavement. Dang it Michelle, get it together! My left knee stung but no blood, I tried to play it off like no one was watching but a few runners around me from the olympic race were gasping in horror...."are you ok". "yes thanks" embarrassing ...as I put my head down and charged on. I was able to make 3 passes putting me in 6th and I really fought the last 3miles to keep position as I could see 7th on a couple of the turns. The lack of consistent run training was felt that last 5k as my legs became sore and my HR was creeping up. Crossed finish in 6th to see fellow Hampton Roads Athletes Adam Ostot (6th pro male) and Daniel Balin (1st masters) who had crushed their own races!<br />
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Run Nutrition: Gatorade endurance at aid stations, 2 power gels w/caff<br />
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We packed up and headed off pretty quickly after the race. Long trip and work to look forward to! Thanks to the Challenge Series for putting on a great event and I encourage others to sign up for this race!<br />
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Many thanks to supporters: <b>Zoot Sports/ Team Zoot MA, Qt2 systems and Coach Tim, Blueseventy, Shimano, Village Bicycles</b>, <a href="http://www.bonsecoursinmotion.com/staff/julie-blandin/" target="_blank">InMotion PT- Julie Blandin</a>, <b>ISM, Powerbar. </b>Many thanks to my DAD for making the trip possible. Love you pop! Thanks to Anthony for talking me down as always....nerves and lack of self confidence, you are my rock.<br />
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<b>Next up.......TBA</b>Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-79714803800510257062014-08-02T04:43:00.000-07:002014-08-02T04:43:10.205-07:00Summer Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-2173376507981470622014-07-28T14:37:00.001-07:002014-07-28T14:37:16.219-07:00Philly Tri Race Recap...errr a little late<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ah, Philly, the city of Brotherly Love.....I've done this race now 4 times and each time have grown to love it more. I wouldn't say I had a breakthrough race (as I'm learning that may take years in the pro ranks), but I did have fun on the bike and run, a far cry from last year's near puking episode at the finish line.<br />
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Philly is a great race for many reasons. It usually falls on my Birthday weekend, and one might ask, what better way to spend your birthday than with pre race anxiety, no alcohol and an 8pm bedtime!!! Anyways, Philly is only about a 20min drive north of my parents' place in DE and it's always a good weekend to celebrate, race, and flood my parents' house with 2x 80lb dogs, a 10yo high energy pre teen, and bags of gear, clothes, bikes, pumps, wheels etc. BOOM "we are here!!!!" honk honk honk!! My parents are troopers for putting up with the chaos for the weekend.<br />
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Mom after doing her workout!</div>
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I was fortunate to swim at my old summer club Saturday, The Graylyn Crest Gators, and my old Coach Stan welcomed my sister and I with open arms. Always great to see him, the old stomping ground and catch up on local news. So many fond memories in that place from sun up to sun down all summer long. I can still smell the hot dogs on the bar-b-q and feel the wrinkle in my skin from an all day affair at the pool. Love that place!<br />
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Race morning was the usual + 2 (Harley and Gunner) cramming in to the Xterra with Anthony and My Dad on the "early crew", my Mom, Lanie and Liz to follow later. Transition was flooded with superstars (Alicia Kaye, McLarty, Matt Reed, Potts, Dye). A bit overwhelmed I got on the first bus and headed to Swim Start. Swim was rough for me again. Just feeling out of breath and not able to get a rhythm....still need to sort this out. Swam solo until the last turn and exited with Liz (new friend and PSU alum).<br />
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Liz and I biked together most of the ride (legally), getting caught up in a few age group men on the second lap but avoiding major disaster. The bike course is windy, curvy, up and down and I must admit, although I've done it a few times, I still done have the guts to really go for it like on a road bike. (wimp). <br />
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On to the run I felt like I was flying but really only managing 6:30ish pace. Just didn't manage to make a real dent in the field that was really stellar. I was happy with the effort but knew there was more work to do, strength to build. In the end 9th Pro and a 2min PR on that course.<br />
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Oh, and I almost forgot.....Julie accompanied the cheering squad (see below) and has been quite the traveler this summer. Fashioned on an old race belt below and often seen on the sidelines (literally hanging out of the netting that corals the bike in/out or run in / out, this jet setting American Girl may be spotted at YOUR next race. Disclaimer....try not to burst out laughing like I did seeing this doll hanging from the rigging "cheering". (My sisters can't get enough of where we can place Julie on the course). <br />
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Many thanks to Anthony, for dealing with me race week (not always the most pleasant) (ball of nerves), My parents and sisters for their support. Lanie for her cheering/ and Julie the American Girl Doll. Not least is Tim Snow, for dealing with my aches and ailments, scheduling changes and panic emails ( I didn't run at all barely between eagleman and Philly)(more on that later). <br />
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Thanks to<br />
Qt2systems/ Coach Tim<br />
Zootsports<br />
Village Bicycles<br />
Bon Secours In Motion PT/ Julie Blandin<br />
FTE Masters Swimming/ Steve Hennessy<br />
BlueSeventy<br />
Shimano<br />
Biotta<br />
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<br />Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-16174529415181412492014-06-17T16:07:00.000-07:002014-06-17T16:07:22.656-07:00Eagleman 70.3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, I toed the line at my first professional race June 8th at Eagleman! To give a little back story.....I started working with a new coach early April. It's not that I disliked my old coach, I just felt there was a need for change, especially after my hip injury, and I began to have doubts as to whether I could really be a successful short course triathlete. My questions began....do I make my body do something I'm not designed for? Am I limiting myself based on fear of distance due to my previous knee injury? Can I do a half ironman? Well, my questions were soon answered when I began to work with Tim Snow at Qt2 systems. They have a methodical approach, an algorithm, a formula, sweat tests, heart rate parameters, you name it. What I was looking for in a coach was someone to guide my training to race the distance best suited by my physiology and strengths. i.e.: if I wasn't meant to be a sprinter, why kill myself to only get to a certain point. With a few quick test sets Tim quickly informed me I was better suited for 70.3 but more so for ironman. The thoughts that I had about myself, body and training were, in turn, correct. We came up with some short term goals.<br />
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1. Run further i.e- run pain free and consistently without injury<br />
2. Gain confidence in my running<br />
3. Become a more durable athlete- STRENGTH<br />
4. Maintain swim fitness<br />
5. Do A LOT of biking, and I mean A LOT<br />
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After the Rev 3 series cancellation for Pro's we quickly changed our game plan 4 weeks before Eagleman. Eagleman it was! I was informed this race would be about execution, not necessarily about results given I'd been running after the hip injury since April giving me only about 10 weeks of run training and a long run of 12 miles just the week prior to EM. I learned lots of fun things in the 4 week build.....overload training (20hrs), a nutrition plan (that's a lot of salt) and a new affection for training solo with the Eric Church pandora station and a lonely country road down to Elizabeth City and back! I put my head down and did the work, all the while I was lucky enough to have Anthony here holding down the fort.<br />
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On to the race......<br />
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I had a rough night prior to race day....the usual "can't sleep", toss and turn with nerves. I SWEAR I didn't sleep a wink. Although the day prior had been fairly relaxed with Anthony and Lanie cracking jokes left and right to keep things light, I just couldn't darn sleep!<br />
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Swim Start: this comes quick when you are second wave off. Unfortunately only about a 5min warm up and we were off. Not sure what happened here, as swim typically is my strength, I totally panicked at the amount of feet and struggled for clean water when I should have just put the head down and stayed with the pack. I went left, lost the pack then swam solo the entire way. UGH this stunk!!! I was super disappointed with the swim and knew right away I had made a mistake but for whatever reason I just couldn't hang with those girls on that day...... onward!<br />
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Bike: I was given pretty strict instructions to hold a certain watt and HR so I quickly set to dial it in. I knew we'd have a head wind to mile 30 and so I tried to keep cadence up and focused on nutrition ( 3 bottles of perform, 1 gel, 6 cliff bloks, 2 salt stick) for the ride. I made the mistake of putting a water ONLY bottle on my bike (lack of sleep) so I tossed it at an aide station and picked up a bottle of perform, crisis averted. Several women passed my on the bike which always is a bit of a disappointment but not today.....with my instructions I was hoping to set myself up for a good run. Not knowing if I could even run 13 miles, I knew blowing up on the bike was not worth it.<br />
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Run: On to the run, once my favorite discipline, has been an area of constant concern and heartache.....from the knee surgery, the hip stress fxr and lack of serious run training in almost 3 years, my confidence really lacks here. Leading up to EM I'd only really done zone 1 running which although consistent, isn't fast. I settled in to the pace Tim prescribed and checked the HR frequently. I was given instruction to open it up a bit after mile 6 if I felt good and I did! I was able to negative split the run with room in the tank. As I was running down the finishing chute I still couldn't believe I'd raced a half ironman. True, I wasn't competitive in my first Pro race but heck, 4 weeks of true half IM training and my longest run in 3 years, YES that is success in my books!<br />
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Conclusions: <br />
1. I've raced a Half Ironman and I survived with no knee pain or swelling<br />
2. I need to make the swim pack- ouch<br />
3. My bike just needs to get stronger......c'mon legs<br />
4. I never in a million years thought I'd be here able to do this again, I'm grateful.<br />
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Thanks to Anthony my rock and number 1 supporter, without him I would have probably given up a while ago.....my family for driving up from the beach at 2am to watch me race. My dad for his fun photos, Coach Tim for all of the support and communication, The awesome kit borrowed from Rachel Jastrebsky, Qt2 systems, Powerbar, Zootsports, Bon Secours in Motion PT. The Cantrell Center for Physical Therapy and Postural Restoration. <br />
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<br />Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-9270866849492401472014-04-09T06:29:00.002-07:002014-04-09T06:29:50.471-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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SoCal Training......Sunshine, mountains, happiness....</div>
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I get anxious in the winter months as most know. As much as I enjoy training, the monotony of the trainer, indoor runs, swims before the sun comes up and home from work at dark does tend to chip at my soul. About every 3 months or so I get the urge to travel someplace new, someplace warm, someplace with mountains, views, and endless bike riding roads. My good friend Emma whom I met in Arizona last year have gotten on a kick of adventure planning. As soon as we part, we are scheming our next destination for travel. Last year after Arizona it was St. George, this year San Diego. Our bucket-list grows each trip....Lanzarote, Mallorca, New Mexico.....</div>
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This year, with time off of work and logistics we agreed on San Diego. Not only does SoCal offer spectacular weather, but amazing cycling and a short drive to endless roads; take your pick.</div>
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We arrived on a Wednesday evening and a short trip up to Carlsbad, we met her friend Eric, who's parents' beach home we stayed. Eric and Sarah (another of emma's friends) had just spent a week cycling in Vegas and were extending their trip to cycle with us. Sarah is a Cat2 cyclist, who was on the Nature Valley team (she's no joke)!</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Carlsbad beach house</td></tr>
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Emma and I are super organized ....emailing in the weeks prior with route ideas, swims, run options. We got some great advice from Pro triathlete and super iron mom <a href="http://californiatraining.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Beth Gerdes</a>. Thanks Beth!<div>
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Thursday we hit the coast for the Torrey Pines loop, followed by the Swami Loop with some great scenery and a few climbs. Every adventure is not without some mishap.....Emma stripped her seat post while building her Trek, had to order a quick part but luckily the Trek Shop in Solano Beach lent us the part in the meantime!</div>
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Friday Emma and I were solo....Sarah (uber smart Biochemist and professor at Northwestern) was giving a talk in LA, and Eric was taking the day off. We started out at the Encinitas YMCA for a Masters Swim. Met a couple of great people including coach Chris! </div>
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We plotted out the Great Western loop with options of 42 and 73miles. Hmmm, let me have you guess which one we chose.....We headed out to El Cajon....about a 45min drive South, pulled out our cue sheets and hit the road. We met a couple of nice guys in the parking lot , one of whom wanted to do a quick out and back (riding the first 10miles with us). I welcomed him along. Emma looked a bit puzzled when she returned from the restroom and found our new cycling friend (basketball shorts, no water bottle cages, sneakers with no clips). I just winked at her and knew 10miles with a stranger who seemed rather nice even despite not looking like your typical cyclist.....well, just go with it!</div>
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Poor guy, was in his biggest gear, drenched in sweat hammering the first flat 5miles. He surely checked on us a few times asking if his speed was ok. We just smiled. Hit a small incline and POOF, he fell off the back. Emma and I chatted on the downhill and decided to wait at the bottom. After 5 minutes he was nowhere in sight! We felt slightly bad for the poor guy, he was nice and he sure did try but Emma and I turned, knowing we had a pretty solid ride ahead of us and hit the road! To our cyclist buddy: SORRY!!! thanks for the pull!</div>
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The next 8-10miles were UP, and I mean UP, smallest gear but man it was pretty out there. Barely a car in sight!</div>
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Once we hit the 22 mile mark it was either continue on to do the 73 or around to make the 42m. Emma insisted, ah well, I didn't resist either..... UP and UP we went. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cue sheet tatoo on my leg, oops!</td></tr>
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Over 7600ft of climbing and over 5hour ride WHOA! Great day!</div>
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Saturday was Mt. Palomar climb. If you didn't know (we did our research)- Mt. Palomar was featured in the Tour of California. It's a 14mile climb at average 6.8% grade. You go UP then once at the top you can go down and UP UP to the observatory...Another 5 miles. Hair pins and amazing views; this really gets steep. Elevation gain is over 7500ft. This reminded me of Mt. Lemmon with more narrow roads and steeper but shorter.....never the less...it was hard! I LOVE TO CLIMB! This ride did not disappoint. You can choose to descend the same way down, or go over the other side towards Lake Henshaw which is not quite as steep. I would recommend THIS way because of the awesome view of the lake!</div>
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Sunday we agreed we HAD to soak up one more day of riding albeit my arse was killing me from that climb but I couldn't pass up another day in the sun riding my bike! We made our own loop through Carlsbad, Oceanside and Camp Pendleton. Our way back included the San Luis Rey Bike path (1st pic). Carlsbad had some serious pitchy roads that even my smallest gear didn't like or maybe my legs were just toast.... You could pretty much train in your neighborhood with hill repeats if you wanted to.</div>
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Our last bit was a trail run in San Elijo Lagoon. Awesome sandy, of course hilly, run. Lunch outside at Solano beach and that was a wrap!</div>
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Bikes packed and headed home monday sunburned and satisfied!!!</div>
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Next up.....some shift in the plan for this year, stay tuned....</div>
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Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-16327952259393316352014-02-23T10:36:00.001-08:002014-02-23T10:36:52.100-08:00Stones and Bones<br />
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So, settled back in VA after my Tucson cycling adventure, the daily grind continues. Sometimes I feel like my daily schedule is overwhelming. I can, at times, barely keep above water. 5:30am swim, 8am work, 6pm 2nd workout, eat, unpack, repack, sleep, repeat. Sometimes cramming 2 workouts in before 8am... But, this is my life and my choice and so I somehow keep pace (barely). Every now and then I get a little sign to slow down (i.e. hip stress reaction, and I'll get to the second thing in just a minute….hint hint). Whether I choose to recognize the sign is another story but I feel like I'm getting better or at least have come a long way. I'd kill for the chance to train and race professionally, truly having every and all opportunities to do this right but I've got bills, a husband, student loans etc and quite frankly I'm not competitive enough to make a living doing this triathlon thing for now maybe ever. The important thing for me is to balance, the best way I can, budget time, resources etc to make it work!<br />
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Training on the bike and swimming has been going well. After gaining some fitness in Tucson, we've upped game on intensity and wattage on the bike. I'm enjoying the challenge of holding higher watts, heart rates on the bike. I've been swimming with the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins National team (aka high schoolers) on saturdays that are sure kicking my arse for a smooth 2 hours plus a 30min circuit set at the end with parachutes, cords, pull-ups, pushups, lunges, brick squats etc. OUCH. These kids rock!<br />
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Working on my position on the SHIV, thanks to Dave Luscan at <a href="http://davidluscan.com/bike-fits/" target="_blank">DL multisport</a>. The challenge for smaller riders is getting low enough in the front for an aggressive position. Taking advantage of the retul system, we've narrowed down where I'm comfortable, tweaking the front end a bit. Waiting on a set of new extensions and bringing in the elbow pads in on my Shimano missile pro aerobar will make all the difference. Thanks Dave!<br />
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Now on to this week. I've been using a tool to measure HRV (heart rate variability). Some of you may be familiar with this so I won't go in to a whole explanation…..but it's a tool to measure objectively fatigue i.e.. you are given a number based on a 1min snapshot of your heart rate first thing in the morning. Essentially a low number means you need more rest, maybe dehydrated, fatigued from previous workout etc. High number means you are pretty fresh and expect to rip it in your workout. Coach may want you to be at low number and train then rest and watch the numbers rise, just depends on the plan.<br />
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Anyways….noticed a whole week of LOW numbers i.e. 40s-50s and we weren't quite sure what to make of it. Looked to back off a couple of days and see if a rebound would happen. Started to get a little flank pain on the right and initially thought it was a pulled muscle. Wednesday after swim pretty painful but not unbearable. Ended up getting pretty intense in the O.R. thursday (at work) to the point I turned green with sweats and chills. My boss sent me down to the ER (how embarrassing). Luckily they took really great care of me. Diagnosis: Multiple kidney stones. SERIOUSLY? 2014 seems to be the year of ailments and I swear I don't make this stuff up. Some IV toradol (NSAIDS) and a liter of fluids and I was back in action. <br />
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Key take home points:<br />
1. Drink a lot (of water)- I'm terrible at this but getting better<br />
2. I'm working and training my butt off- this is hard<br />
3. My shiv is awesome, but not quite ready, luckily I love my road bike<br />
4. Swimming with high schoolers is fun and humbling- locker room conversations are interesting<br />
5. I don't want another kidney stone ever<br />
6. Oh yeah, and I did my first 10min run!!! yay<br />
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Onward<br />
M<br />
<br />Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-74274978749496501142014-02-05T06:19:00.000-08:002014-02-05T06:19:26.061-08:00Tucson Training Adventure<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Where to start..... well, first off, the 4th annual Linsey Corbin Tri camp was a success. My second camp in attendance, it did not disappoint. With initial doubts about my recent hip injury, I was tentative to book my flight but once I did, I committed myself to having fun no matter what. <br />
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Tucson, AZ has to be one of my favorite places on this planet. There is just something that takes over me out west. I feel like I"m meant to be out there. The beauty of the land is overwhelming. The friends, experiences and sense of being alive makes my heart smile. I know at some point I'll end up out west whether it be Cali, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Montana. The mountains are calling my name!!<br />
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The Cycling House is an amazing concept. Read about it here. <a href="http://www.Thecyclinghouse.com/" target="_blank">www.Thecyclinghouse.com</a>. Essentially, all logistics of rides are dialed in, accommodations and food are amazing. The experience is well worth it for a week of challenging training. The staff are well traveled, friendly and really create a family like atmosphere. I was so excited to see everyone again this second trip and make more great memories ie epic battles up Mt Lemmon, time trials around gates pass and hammer fests up Madera Canyon.<br />
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My favorite part of the trip minus the climbing (love to climb!) were the Tucson sunsets. The most inspiring view, Ukulele playing in the background, a cold beverage and mountains you can't take your eyes off. There are few times in normal every day life you stop and enjoy the little things.<br />
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With a sense of accomplishment I leave Tucson....until next time. Plotting our next adventure...<br />
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<br />Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-65385638368541220582014-01-26T05:31:00.000-08:002014-01-26T05:31:09.281-08:001 month down...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, I hate to admit that the time has flown by, but 4 weeks without running hasn't been quite as bad as expected. For one, the weather plain old stinks! Record lows, wind, wind chill, snow….yuck! If you know me at all, I absolutely HATE the winter. I would take 100deg temps all year round rather then wear a coat, gloves, etc etc. So with that said, I'm totally not missing running in this …..looking at the positive side?<br />
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I've had time to focus on swimming, biking, strength, aqua jogging. Over the last week, I've added the elliptical. Not bad eh?<br />
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The picture you may ask….Arizona!!!! I leave Tuesday for the annual Linsey Corbin Camp. Looking forward to reconnecting with some great friends, incredible weather, delicious food and hard riding. Got the ok from doc thankfully and booked my ticket!<br />
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More from AZ to come…<br />
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M<br />
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<br />Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-39071124739344067432014-01-09T13:11:00.001-08:002014-01-09T13:11:40.813-08:001 Week Down/ Conquering the Dreaded Aqua Jog<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm proud to admit I've completed 7 whole days on crutches at the advise of my orthopedic surgeon (see previous post for explanation of hip injury). I begrudgingly agreed after a long discussion about what actually constitutes "pain with weight bearing". The first few days took a bit to get used to i.e. sore armpits, wrist pain, remembering how to stuff crutches into the passenger seat of my car, how to carry things in two fingers etc but it came back slowly.<br />
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Luckily work was great at accommodating my needs and I was able to sit in the office doing desk work instead of seeing patients. I've never been one to sit behind a desk on the computer (my attention span is way too low and I applaud those who can do this) but I welcomed the change of pace and chance to heal properly.<br />
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After three days on crutches the pain in my right hip diminished significantly. Its funny how perspective changes the minute you aren't constantly nagged by discomfort. My mood elevated almost immediately, no longer did it feel like doomsday and I could come up with a plan for moving forward. It's easy to talk about rehab and "ok, I can bike, swim blah blah" but when you are in pain you truly don't feel motivated to do it. As soon as I felt good it was like a light switch…."ok, what's next, what's the plan".<br />
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I'm swimming 5 days this week and probably for the next couple of weeks. My masters program is amazing and I feel so lucky to have this group. Group is about 15 or so mixture of fitness enthusiasts, ex college swimmers, triathletes and those entering the sport later in life. We are coached by Coast Guard Blue Dolphins Swim Team head coach, Steve Hennessy who is one of the best coaches I've had. Not only has he coached olympic trials level swimmers but he has a unique way of understanding the needs of each swimmer and their needs. We are blessed to have his expertise on deck. We talked about me joining the high school group on saturdays yikes ;) I'll definitely update a post on getting my *ss handed to me!<br />
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An update on aqua jogging: success! I've managed to turn red in the pool, anaerobic and exhausted. Whoa! Coach Steve (as mentioned above) wrote a specific workout for me today as follows: For those injured, this is a must save:<br />
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400 warm up as 100s, 200 kick/drill, 100 swim<br />
800 skps (swim kick pull swim)<br />
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3x ( 100- 25drill/50swim build/25kick<br />
( 100 descend<br />
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5min of aqua jogging w/ belt as 30sec sprint/ 30 easy<br />
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200 swim<br />
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3 sets of x (3x (40sec sprint aqua jog w/ belt/ 20 easy))<br />
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200 swim<br />
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10x 25 sprint aqua jog w/o belt on 1:00<br />
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200 swim easy<br />
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It was hard, cheeks were red. I learned it is important to focus on high knees, toes up and working the core. It also helps to have a coach on deck yelling out the intervals and screaming (encouraging) me to move faster!!<br />
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I'll keep the updates coming in case there is someone out there with a similar problem that may find this advice helpful!<br />
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Best<br />
M<br />
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<br />Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-37479997600097415312014-01-04T05:26:00.000-08:002014-02-16T06:02:28.002-08:00Not so great 2014 news<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Well, I've delayed posting an update. Not because I didn't want to admit I'm injured again, but because I didn't see my doctor until Thursday and wanted to wait to hear the "verdict" before I got carried away with worry doubt and fear.<br />
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I have a "stress reaction" in my right hip (femoral neck), which is the distant, but not <i>very</i> distant cousin of the stress fracture. Ouch, sounds bad, yes it's painful but not as painful as I recall my knee injury was 2 years ago. It all started about 3-4 weeks ago, a hard treadmill session of intervals and the sense later that day that I had pulled a hip flexor. The weeks went by, pain would wax and wane. Eventually pain was present at the beginning of the run, would disappear (enough to run 10miles) then reappear after. I was limping, I was trying to stretch, foam roll, be religious about taking vitamin D……but in the back of my mind I knew this could be something worse….<br />
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Given my history of stress fractures I contacted my orthopedist…pulled some strings to get an apt ASAP and had an MRI on New Years eve (happy new year to me right?). My doc called that night and gave me the news. Crutches for 10 days -2 weeks or until I have no pain with weight bearing. No running for 6-8 weeks. DANG.<br />
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When you are injured, and I am more frequently than healthy, you go through stages. Denial…."this is just a pulled muscle", "it's not that bad", to anger/frustration- "what the heck, I'm only running 25miles/week". "if I didn't have this darn full time job on my feet, I could recover like a normal athlete", to sadness " I can't do this again". to acceptance- "ok, maybe 2 weeks on crutches, not bad" and "I've not run for almost 2 years and I got it back, I can wait 8 weeks, no big deal".<br />
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I've done crutches before and it SUCKS. Let's just get to the bottom line. Imagine holding two rigid sticks under your arm pits, contracting your triceps all day. Not being able to: make your own food, stand in the shower, put your clothes on standing, carry any bag or plate, cup, getting around a store, cleaning your own house (ok, well crutches might be good for this one example). But the list goes on and on…..you are pretty much useless and helpless. I don't find that fun. When your life is about planning how to cram 3 workouts in and a full time job, time is of the essence …..when it takes you 4x as long to do anything with crutches the formula falls apart. <br />
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Well, I'm forced to slow down…..I've rehashed some things with my coach. I was running 98%of my runs on trail and when daylight was dwindling, sunset at 5p and parks were closed after work I transitioned all my runs to pavement - leaving that small detail out to my coach. 80% of my runs became pavement. My knee felt great and that was all I was concerned about. Of course it doesn't help do do a hard treadmill session with intervals then racing to work (standing) in the Operating Room for 12-14 hours. Doesn't leave much time for recovery.<br />
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I'm not blaming any one thing, it was probably a combination of speed, pavement and lack of recovery but all I can do is learn and move forward. Focus on the positive….I can bike (indoors), I can swim YAY. I can do upper body strengthening. In a few weeks I can hit the elliptical. I can aqua jog (does anyone else hate this….so boring).<br />
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What doesn't kill us makes us stronger. If anyone knows how to come back from injury I surely can write a book. I've done it before and I'll do it again……Pick up the crutches and carry on….stay calm.<br />
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My coach said something that really stuck with me. When you get to the elite level you are trying to find ways to push an athlete to be the best, you try a recipe that might work and sometimes you take a big risk, it doesn't always initially work, you get injured. You try again….<br />
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MMichelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-464841313574073712013-12-01T15:24:00.002-08:002013-12-01T15:24:33.735-08:00New York New York<br />
This Thanksgiving we decided to spend more than the actual day with our extended family on Long Island NY. Pt. Lookout is near and dear to my heart. As a kid we spent many a weekends, holidays and summers visiting the beach. Probably the number one reason I LOVE the beach! Some of my fondest childhood memories involve endless play outdoors, walking without shoes to the beach, outdoor showers, salt, sand, Marybeth's ice cream truck and LOTS of laughter. My dad's two sisters live next door to each other, 2 houses from the bay and 2.5 blocks to the ocean. I spent 2 summers in between semesters at Penn State living with my Aunt and Uncle + 5 cousins and absolutely enjoyed every minute.<br />
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I let my coach know that priorities were family this week and we planned accordingly.<br />
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We headed up to my parent's in Wilmington DE wednesday evening. Lanie styled my hair along the way ps- my scalp is still tender. <br />
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Great dinner with the fam. Got to meet my youngest sister's beau (who happens to resemble clark kent). <br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dad and I on our way to Bwine Creek state XC course Thanksgiving morning</i></span></div>
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Thanksgiving day was spent in Summit NJ at my Uncle Gene and Aunt Michelle's house. My 93yo Grandfather flew in from Ohio to make a special visit. Lots of laughter, great food, our annual turkey bowl football game, LOTS of red wine and fun was had by all. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lanie new BFF</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lanie and Carlyn</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penny!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Bobby</td></tr>
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Games began shortly after desert which included "Left Right Center". Lanie won 40$ followed by "the plank off". My Aunt Connie's previous record of 3:45min was challenged. Heat 1 included my Aunt Liz- ok, a little back story. My Aunt liz >50yo has 4 kids one of which has cerebral palsy. She is a BEAST! She sure gave me a run for my money. at 4:45min we were both shaking, family is cheering as I hear from Anthony "don't let me down"....others shouting "Aunt liz looks so good, Michelle is crumbling". at 4:50 Aunt Liz relented, and I did as soon as I grabbed the win. Holy cow she is strong!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Michelle, Aunt Kathy, Aunt Lauren, Dad, Grandpa, Aunt Connie , Aunt Liz</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left Right Center</td></tr>
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We later headed to Long Island that evening. Recap, good convo and wine ensued until nearly 1am. Uncle bobby with a fire in the fireplace and a "thimble" of wine provided the ambiance.<br />
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Friday's activities included a walk on the beach with Duke and Daisy the pups followed by a hike on Fire Island. We even climbed the Light House! Awesome views although frigid temps. We warmed up upon our return with another fire in the fireplace, the lumineers on Pandora, Red wine and Pizza. I truly love my New York family! We are so blessed to have these people in our lives. Thanks to Aunt Kathy and Aunt Lauren who took such good care of us this visit!<br />
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We headed home Saturday (8hr drive). Essentially I was staring sideways the entire trip to avoid shrieking in fear as Anthony weaved in and out of traffic at 80mph. No use in looking, I'll end up sore by the end of the trip from tensing up.<br />
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Well, today was back to the grind. Long run followed by bike, house chores, shopping etc. <br />
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Hope everyone had a great holiday......cheersMichelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-52495394344509668622013-11-02T13:18:00.003-07:002013-11-02T13:18:51.633-07:00Where I was and where I'm going....<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">My Story,</span><br />
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It's hard to think 2 years ago I was faced with the thought I'd never race, run, or perhaps comfortably walk again. The pain, anguish, heartache, fear and regret is palpable if I take a minute to stop and really think about the place I was in.</div>
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It all started with a little hint of knee pain just prior to my first Ironman, in lake Placid. Some swelling was present but most notably pain initially when I ran and after my workout followed by intense sharp pain walking up and down the stairs.<br />
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Against better judgement I pressed forward with Ironman although I did shed some tears on the bike, was unable to stand and shuffled through the marathon unable to then walk for the following week. The sense of dread was overwhelming.....did I just seal my fate? Kona was out. The disappointment deeply depressing....</div>
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MRI revealed a condylar defect (cartilage on the end of the femur) had torn a dime sized crater revealing the underlying bone. A large stress fracture was present in the distal femur through the shaft (edema in the bone from repetitive stress).</div>
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For crying out loud, I was doing orthopedic surgery at the time and didn't pick up on the symptoms.....or couldn't recognize them in my state of determination that season.</div>
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Surgery January 2012- the dreaded microfracture procedure, 2+months nonweightbearing. I can remember waking from anesthesia to see the arthroscopic pictures like a horror film, assessing the damage to the knee. <br />
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Doctor's response was encouraging but tentative.....hopefully this would work. Could I run again? maybe. Would my knee ever be the same? probably not. I spent the next two weeks on the couch, in the continuous passive range of motion machine staring at the ceiling, crying frequently, feeling quite sorry for myself at times, but in another sense, relief that action was taken to get better. this COULD give me a chance.....and that's what you've got to believe.....</div>
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I can remember my first PT sessions with my alway encouraging and optimistic trainer who put me to work with upper body and abs. She introduced me to <a href="http://www.posturalrestoration.com/about" target="_blank">Postural Restoration</a> which is a technique to restore neutral skeletal position by restoring neuromuscular imbalances that have occurred with overuse and<br />
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I can remember like a picture snapshot in my brain, my first 10minute spin on the stationary bike, oh how that felt like sweet victory!<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; text-align: center;">Floyd Mayweather says "HARD WORK takes Dedication". He might be a bit of a character but in the back of my mind, that was my mantra. Every early morning doing an hours worth of prehab exercises, 8 agonizing weeks without the ability to place my foot on the floor, each night laying in bed with worry and fear, the blood, sweat and tears that followed a near 1 and a half year break teaches you a lot about yourself. Are you going to lay down and give up? This was a constant struggle within myself. I almost hated myself for not being able to decide. Recover and try to race, try to fulfill your dream of being a professional athlete? or recover and move on with life? maybe this is a sign that this was not my path in life. I'll live a normal life and move on. Sometimes its almost easier to just give in.....move on Michelle!</span><br />
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So I went on for the next year with the struggle....am I all IN or am I OUT? My husband encouraged me daily convinced that all the work I'd done over the last year would pay off and he had this sense I would come back stronger and that there was no other way. I had to commit myself fully and embrace the challenge. who cares what the future holds, make a committment to go for it.</div>
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I decided to play it day by day. After all, in 2011 my motivation did wax and wane a bit....I even considered taking a break to travel and spend more time with my husband. You can think those things but when the decision is made for you, you can't help but want it more. I'd never been faced in life with " you can't do this" or "this is not a possibility". If I worked hard enough I'd see success....in college, grad school, with athletics. Now the rug had been pulled out beneath me......with me on the floor saying "wait, I didn't choose this". </div>
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I swam to swim, because I love it. I biked hard on the trainer because I could and I loved to do 10min all out intervals until my legs wouldn't spin. The satisfaction of all out riding took out some of the anger and frustration. Slowly, daily, I let go. I let go of the worry, the fear and I became ok with just working out for fun, because I loved to and I enjoyed myself. I also knew the pain of not being able to swim or bike and I became grateful for what I could do. It could all be gone in an instant. Over the next year, my mood changed, elevated. I went out west to Arizona then following to St. George and I soaked up some of the most gorgeous bike riding of my life. A friend asked me......why are you training if you aren't going to race? I simply said without question, because I love to ride my bike. At that moment, it didn't matter anymore. I didn't HAVE to race, I'd won. I'd gotten back into shape wtihout running. I swam and rode because I loved to, and if I never ran or raced again I would be OK. Sigh, relief.</div>
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Then I did something that would change the course or path of my life after I had already come to a certain conclusion. I signed up for a race. 4 days before a local olympic distance, I decided to go for it. without pressure or expectation. Following that, I raced 5 more times in 2 months. Unexpectedly, without pressing, worry, fear, and trusting my own abilities, I quietly and softly did what I thought at one point was impossible. I managed to again qualify to race professionally. Dreams from 2-3 years ago rushed back, along with emotion. This was the moment I thought was out of reach, and it suddenly, without expectation, presented itself. TAKE IT.</div>
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So, I'll race professionally for 2014. I won't be the fastest, I might be the slowest pro but in my mind I've already won. This is the icing on the cake. This is a celebration of what I <i><b>can </b></i>do and throwing away the 2 years of worry about what I couldn't or didn't think I would do. Taking chances......living in the moment.......making each day count. Not living with regret...."if I just tried, maybe I might have". Explore all opportunities, give yourself a chance. Gratefulness. </div>
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Now, once again..... this is not a struggle like those with serious medical conditions, cancer, I don't have a life threatening illness, my famiy and close friends are in good health. I have all of my limbs. My loved ones are safe. I don't want it to sound like I really have no perspective.....all things considered, my injury does not compare. I simply want to give an honest account of my own personal struggle, however small it may be, and how it has shaped the path of my life currently. I hope it can somehow relate to others......and can be of sound advice. This is my story....</div>
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Life is your oyster......find your pearl</div>
Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4343591335819277855.post-2272125441915031982013-10-30T08:01:00.001-07:002013-10-30T08:01:38.451-07:00I'm Back.....<i><br /></i>
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<i>A new beginning ...</i><br />
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<i>I wanted to start this new blog with a thank you to those who have been there over the past 2 years. Your continued support and motivation saw me through some tough times, not knowing if I'd make it back to competing. No, I didn't have a life threatening illness, cancer, or suffer a major loss. I simply had a setback, an injury, like so many others. I'll share my story and hope some can relate. </i><br />
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<i>Thank you to my husband, your unwavering support and sometimes tough love has taught me the most. I love you more than you know.</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to my parents, extended family for loving me although I seemingly lost my identity. You loved me and showed me I am more than a sport. Thank you Theresa and Caleb for our talk. All in.</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to my masters swim group- Matt, kurt, Julie, Trish, Brianna, Charles, Chuck, Ryan, Steve, Adam, Adam, Patty, Kathy, Chris, Bridgette, Jamie, Erin, Coach Steve. I swam the day of my surgery and showed up 4 weeks later on crutches. You've seen me at my lowest and my highest. (slowest, and fastest). You remained a constant despite the uncertainty. We've come a long way.</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to Rachel: My sidekick, cheerleader, motivator, inspiration and friend. We logged many a miles during my recovery, you've made me a stronger cyclist. You've been such a positive influence giving me confidence to go for it.</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to the TCH Arizona crew especially Emma and Frank. I found myself, my love for cycling, my passion for travel and I let go for once in my life. Arizona was a turning point. I biked because I loved it and for no other reason. I've made lifelong friends. I can't wait for our next adventure.</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to my gal pals. Tiffany, Trisha, Crystal, Julie, Cindy. So.. I don't just have workout buddies. I have great girlfriends even if we weren't training.... you stuck by me....dinners, brunches, walks, mountain bikes, coffee. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to Debbie Teller, busy bodies studio. You are so passionate. Your enthusiasm, contagious. 7 days after surgery we were in the studio working what we could work. You've introduced me to rehab that literally changed my life. I wouldn't be where I am without you. Thank you for sticking with me.</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to my Boss/ sidekick/ buddy/big brother, Dean. We began working together 2 weeks after surgery while I was on crutches. You've seen me through the recovery, despite you wishing I would retire from sport, I proved you wrong haha. You've always had my best interests in mind. I know you truly care about my health and well being. Cautiously supportive..... i understand. Thank you for being in my corner.</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to Laura R. many a long talks and laughs in the office</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to the OL cross country team, Nestor- 8am. every sunday, long run. Rain or Shine. This was my goal for OH so long. I'm back and enjoying every minute!</i><br />
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<i>Thank you to those I've met post injury. You know me now, not before, there is no judgement, no comparing....a clean slate. </i><br />
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<i>Thank you to my supporters: Village Bicycles, Busy Bodies Studio, Cantrell Center for Physical Therapy, Charm City Run.</i><br />
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<i> I took this blog down soon after major knee surgery January 2012, at the time, not believing in myself. The journey was long, had it's ups and downs but in my mind I've made it....back and better. ALL IN.</i><br />
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Michelle Bozarthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09511634513431261468noreply@blogger.com0