Element Endurance

Who likes swimming anyway?! My New Orleans Duathlon Race Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 01 May 2012 10:59:00 +0000

ME! That's who! I LOVE swimming! I live for diving into the crisp cool water, I find joy in following the black line, and if it were socially acceptable, I'd probably use chlorine as perfume. I love swimming so much that when I found out high winds had caused the race director at the New Orleans 70.3 to replace the traditional 1.2 mile swim with a 2 mile run, I reacted like this:

Ok, maybe it wasn't quite that bad. But I wasn't happy! Luckily, my coach is a bit more even tempered than I am, and he convinced me to stop screaming obscenties and contemplating retirement from the sport and instead focus on how best to race my first ever duathlon. The new race format was 2 mile run, 52 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run. I decided to run those first two miles like I would normally do the swim - HARD. My sister had traveled all the way from Houston to cheer me on. She's a swimmer too, and I'd hoped seeing some fast swimming might inspire her to start doing tris. With the swim cancelled, I had to do a quick switch. Plan B: Show her some run speed! Before I knew it, I was through the first run and out on the bike course. Yes, it was windy. Yes, it was crowded. But neither of those were much of a surprise. My start wave was at the very back of the pack, which just meant I always had someone to chase. And my friend Betty always says wind is your friends back home cheering you on, so I appreciated the breeze! Plus, since Brent and Kyle were racing too, I enjoyed some on-course cheers and camera snaps from their official photog John David!

Once back in transition, I slipped on my trusty Mizunos and headed out on the 13.1 mile, two-loop run course. Between my sister and other ATL friends cheering me on, and glimpses of my teammates Gerry, Ryan, Kidd, Brent and Kyle looking good in their green and yellow Dynamo kits, my head was flooded with happy thoughts. I couldn't help but run fast.

I enjoyed every mile. I think I even liked the .1.

I finished the race with a 1:28 half marathon - my best off the bike effort to date. My performance was good enough for first in my age group, second overall amateur female, and a qualifying spot at the Half Ironman World Championships. Now I'm looking forward to fast racing - including the SWIM - in Vegas in September!

The evolution of a race kit: My fashion blog

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 12:44:00 +0000

When I did my first half Ironman in 2008 I made a couple rookie mistakes: Forgot my socks, forgot my sunscreen, forgot to train for the bike and run. But amidst all that, my biggest faux pas was definitely my wardrobe.

Between my American flag swimsuit, baggy shorts, and shoes that actually came untied, I'm surprised I didn't show up in the Fashion Police pages of US Weekly!

Thankfully, after some friendly ribbing, my friend Betty came to the rescue. She convinced me to join the new Dynamo Multisport triathlon team and so began my triathlon fashion evolution.

2009 saw me in a real tri kit. The first year Dynamo Multisports kits were surprisingly tasteful - black shorts, white tops, some green accents - a big step up from my baggy shorts days!

But Coach decided we needed to be bolder. Much bolder. And in 2010 the GREEN Dynamo shorts were born:

Not only were those shorts bright green, they also came down to my knees. After watching me race, my friend Beth said I looked like I was wearing "really tight basketball shorts." A fashion regression to say the least, but I did get a lot of cheers!

Things got a little better in 2011. Coach decided to offer a mongoose-friendly option with shorter shorts and a slightly longer top. My lower back rejoiced!

And now, for 2012, I believe I've made a real triathlon fashion breakthrough. Check it out:

This year my Dynamo teammates and I will be sporting the super comfy, super flattering, and super fast TYR Carbon race kits - in the always bold GREEN and YELLOW! How sweet is that?!

I'll be accessorizing with my Mizuno race flats, super cool TYR visor, delicious Element Endurance bar, and shades that look like they came right off the race track. It seems I've found the perfect combo of flash and fashion and I couldn't be more excited. See you on the race course - you definitely won't miss me!!

Georgia Half Marathon Race Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:56:00 +0000

This weekend I returned to the starting line at the Publix Georgia Half Marathon. This is always one of my favorite races because the course winds through some of the coolest parts of Atlanta. For months afterwards I'll drive through parts of the city and memories of the race will pop into my head. It's definitely a must-do for anyone living in the Southeast.

Unfortunately, this year I found out what it's like to hit the wall. In a half marathon. At mile 1.5. Endurance athlete? HAH! My legs had other plans.

But I struggled on, my legs came around a bit, and I finished in a respectable 1:27. Not my best, but better than hitching a ride home on the Civic Center Marta train (I seriously considered it).

One thing that kept me going was the Pease brothers. Kyle and Brent are one of my favorite blog topics because they seriously inspire me. Together they ran a personal record 1:40 half marathon last weekend - on a tough course in 80 degree weather! And just the day before they crushed the 5k race along with two children they sponsored through the Kyle Pease Foundation. Their story just keeps getting better.

And I quickly figured out that if I hung out around them post-race I could get in some famous John David Johnson paparazzi shots! Check it out - I look so candid!

There's nothing I love more than being famous by association. But why was I wearing a sweatshirt when it was 85 degrees out? Maybe it was my brain that hit the wall! Congrats to the Pease brothers and everyone else who ran!

Wow, my friends are really fast!

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 13:49:00 +0000

This past weekend I took a break from racing and spent some quality time watching other people race! My friends Bryan and Ernie were racing in a local 10k so I rode my bike down to the finish line to cheer them on.

Bryan is running 40 races this year to celebrate turning 40 years old! How cool is that?!

Race day also happened to be Ernie's Birthday! Being another year older meant Ernie was racing in a new age group for the first time, and he killed it! Ernie won not only his age group, but also the overall masters crown as well! What great way to start a new year!

While I didn't actually get to see my friend Kelly race the Double Top 100k, I was definitely rooting her on in spirit! Kelly swam for the University of Georgia a couple years before me. We both swam the 400IM and our coach actually used to tell me stories about the badass workouts she did while she was on the team! I was inspired then and I still am today!

It turns out Kelly's rockstar endurance antics didn't stop when she got out of the pool. She kicked butt and WON the 62 mile trail run! And I'm thinking Kelly's well on her way to becoming the first former UGA swimmer to run a 100 miler! Coach Jack will be bragging about her for years to come!

And speaking of trail ultra running, I highly recommend the movie "Unbreakable" about the 2010 Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run. I stumbled across the video while looking for something to watch while I was riding the trainer (I like to watch other people working out while I work out, hah) and now I'm obsessed! I have no idea how those people run so fast for so long! The race is exciting, the scenery is breathtaking, and if you look close you'll see my friend Alyssa on the sideline about 2 minutes in! Definitely worth checking out!

Have a great weekend folks! I'm headed to the Gaps for a couple days of glorious bike riding! And I've packed tons of Element bars to keep me going! Woo hoo!

Charles Harris 10k Race Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 03:53:00 +0000

Saturday morning I woke up feeling like I'd been run over by a herd of triceratops:

I'd signed up to race the Charles Harris 10k, but every fiber in my being was screaming at me to just stay in bed.

But since I'd spent the past week listening to Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger" on repeat, it did not seem like an appropriate time to become a quitter. Plus, everyone is always talking about how flat and fast the course is, so I figured worst case I could just cartwheel my way to the finish line.

Once I got to the start at Tucker High School I immediately starting feeling better. At least a dozen of my Dynamo Multisport teammates were racing too! I'd been working out of town for the past few weeks so it was really great to catch up with everyone.

I went hard from the gun - I knew there was no such thing as "easing into" a 6.2 mile race. I needed to get MOVING!

I got a little extra boost when I passed Kyle "K-Peasey" Pease cruising along with the help of his big brother Brent. Kyle has cerebal palsy, but with his brothers, Brent and Evan, pushing him in his racing chair, he's tackled 10ks, triathlons, and even an ultramarathon. And K-Peasey doesn't mess around - he and Brent hit the first mile marker in 6:30. Smokin' fast!

This was my first time running Charles Harris, and even though I'd heard the course was mostly flat, I still secretly believed the road would make a right turn and I'd be face-to-face with a huge hill.

Thankfully, that did not happen. The course was as flat as a gluten-free pancake. But that doesn't mean it was easy. It just meant I had to run faster!

Aided by my super sweet Mizuno racing flats, some friendly cheers on the course, and a good push from my triathlon buddy Tim on the final downhill, I managed to finish in a personal record 37:43. Good enough for second place female.

Ten kilometers may be a lot shorter than my typical races, but I learned a lot out on the Charles Harris race course. For years, I've heard coaches say it doesn't matter how you feel on race day - if you've done the work you can still pull off a good race. This race was a nice reminder of that. It was also a nice reminder of what it feels like to go fast. But one reminder I did not need was how delicious post-race coffee tastes! That’s a joy I could never forget!

Red Top Rumble Race Recap 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 02:06:00 +0000

Humbled by the trails yet again!

Every year I go into the 11.5 mile Red Top Rumble trail run with big dreams of redemption. I picture myself cruising through the trails with ease. But every year I find myself scrambling up, and gingerly tip-toeing down, the "non-techical" trails. Man! I think even "easy" trails are tough!

But even though I struggle, I do actually have a lot of fun running trails! And I think my move up from 5th place last year to 4th this year means I am getting a little faster!

Highlights of the day included:

*Finishing without a single cut, scrape, or bruise

*Taking a wrong turn, but being quickly caught and re-routed by a friendly volunteer

*The really delicious finish line breakfast (it's made by a real chef!)

*Hanging out with Kevin and SuperDave post-race:

*Watching Michael claim his podium spot! (2nd year in a row!):

*And the following succession of absolutely amazing tweets:

First, Michael tweeted a pic of me excitedly collecting my 4th place gift basket:

My friend EJ never misses anything. He's a lawyer. He immediately fired back:

Wait, what? Let's see that award pic again!

Yes, it does in fact appear the Red Top Rumble now awards participants with children in red jump suits. I bet the race will sell out in seconds next year!

Blood Lactate Testing Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:25:00 +0000

Blood and needles are pretty much my least favorite things in the world. Yep, right up there with spiders and insects. So when my Coach (who I fondly refer to as El Diablo) suggested I do a blood lactate test, I had only one thought:

"No way Jose!"

I resisted for a really long time. But eventually I gave in for 3 reasons:

(1) I actually do want to become a faster Ironman triathlete

(2) Diablo is usually right about things

(3) Everyone else was doing it!

So, what is a blood lactate test? I stole this from the Dynamo Multisport website and highlighted the important parts:

Basically, the test would give me an idea of my current fitness level and help me figure out what kind of training I need to do going forward.

I would be riding my bike on an indoor trainer (with power, to allow for measured intensity). Every couple minutes Diablo or his cronie, Shanks, would prick my finger, squeeze out a drop of the precious red stuff, and take a blood lactate reading. The number would show how hard I was working. Over time, the bike intensity would increase, and so would my blood lactate level and heart rate until...

(Just kidding. Sort of.)

When I showed up for my test I got a little preview courtesy of my training buddy, Michael. He was almost finished and was seriously killing it! Everyone else in the room was cheering him on. FIND A WAY MIKEY!!!

I was actually very happy to see Michael's anguish seemed to come more from his effort on the bike and not the tiny pin pricks in his finger. Hey - I can handle that kind of pain! Things were looking up!

I got on the bike and did a quick warm-up before the games began.

In the beginning, everything was really easy. I just focused on my friend, Kathryn's, awesome music mix and maintaining a good cadence. But gradually things started getting harder and harder and harder.

Before I knew it I was drenched in sweat, practically drooling all over myself, and using every single muscle fiber in my being just to keep the pedals turning over. I could hear people cheering and Diablo calling for 30 more seconds. I tried to keep going, but eventually...CRASH. The train wreck came to a screeching halt. My legs had had ENOUGH.

The good news is Coach and I actually got some really good data from the test. It turns out I'm in a really good spot for February, but I still have plenty of room for improvement. I also have some new heart rate and power zones I'm ready to put to good use!

The other good news is the pin pricks really didn't hurt that bad. Or maybe I'm not that afraid of needles anymore? Now if only I could figure out how to toughen up around roaches...

Ironman Season

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 17:14:00 +0000

My life is seasonal. The year starts with “busy season.” (That’s what auditors call “tax season” because “audit season” sounds like the subtitle for a bad movie sequel. -Wall Street 3: Audit Season) Given that I’m an accountant – a certified professional one – I know I’m going to spend the first couple months of every year buried in work. Lucky for me the weather is usually as miserable as my workload, so I don’t really feel like I’m missing out on much.

About the time the mercury starts creeping up I start spending a little less time with my calculator and a lot more time with my bicycle. That’s when I know it’s “training season” – the time of year when I try to regain the fitness I lost while fulfilling my financial Kona qualification standard during busy season.

And now I’m on the cusp of “Ironman Season.” It’s a short season – just under two months – but it’s my favorite time of year. This is when I get to dig into the inner reaches of my soul. I get to learn about myself – How do I react when things go right? How do I react when things go wrong? Am I stronger than last year? I think I have the answers to those questions, but there’s really only one way to find out.

I’m headed to Louisville tomorrow and I could not be more excited. Ironman Louisville starts in the Ohio River at 7am Sunday morning. With 7 athletes racing, and even more on cheer duty, it’s going to be a Dynamo Multisport party for the whole 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. Combine that with the all the awesome people following online and on Twitter and I’m predicting a massive amount of positive GREEN energy directed toward Derby City on Sunday.

No wonder I’ve been looking forward to this all year! Bring on the heat! We are ready!

Birthday Weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 22:37:00 +0000

Last weekend I had a LOT to celebrate! It was my 26th birthday and I made whole weekend of it!

My mom surprised me with the most beautiful and delicious birthday cake

And with all that fruit, it must have been moderately healthy, right?

I celebrated with friends AND family since my awesome cousins Karen and Collin were in town.

Collin, who braved the crazy trail run with me in Montana last month, actually just moved to Atlanta. I've promised to show her some of our Georgia running trails - which I've told her are completely wolf free!

My top birthday weekend priority was seeing the new Harry Potter movie! My friends Alexis and Loren joined me for the Potter Party - and Loren even dressed the part!

And of course I did plenty of swimming, biking, and running - all fueled my my latest shipment of Element Bars!!!

Cake, friends, family, Harry Potter, and Element Bars - sounds like the perfect birthday weekend to me! Thanks to everyone who made it so great!

Louisville Training Camp!

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 22:08:00 +0000

What happens when Coach Diablo and his carbohydrate-loving German coach, Chris Hauth, join evil forces?

The AIMP/Dynamo Multisport Ironman Louisville Training Camp!

A handful of my Dynamo Multisport teammates and I joined a few of Chris' athletes for a long weekend of triathlon training in Derby City.

We covered pretty much every inch of the bike and run courses - which were even better than I remembered!

The bike course heads out of the city through the beautiful rolling hills on the outskirts of Louisville. The course winds through horse farms and cute little towns - and it's so much fun to ride!

The flat run course goes right past a few famous Louisville landmarks like the University of Louisville and Churchill Downs.

We skipped the swim course in favor of the gorgeous U of L pool - but do not worry, I plan to make some serious waves in the Ohio River in a few weeks!

The best part of the camp was the camraderie. And of course, getting some inside tips from Diablo and the German - including Ironman nutrition!

Now I'm feeling better than ever about racing in Louisville next month. I know I'm a bit fitter and wiser than one year ago, though there is definitely still LOTS of room for improvement (especially in the wisdom category, hah!) But one thing is for sure - I am having the BEST time training for this race. And racing with my teammates on August 28th is going to be an absolute BLAST!

Howdy from Big Sky Country!

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:18:00 +0000

I spent last week at my family's cabins in the "Last Best Place" - MONTANA!

I traveled to Big Sky Country to visit my family. And since I come from a long line of endurance sports junkies, it was only natural that the week kicked off with a trail run! Ebeth convinced my cousin, Collin, and I to join her for a "not-really-that-difficult" 8 mile race along the continental divide.

Unfortunately, I forgot my mother's definition of "not-really-that-difficult" is completely insane and the run was BRUTAL! The first 5k were completely uphill, followed by some quad crushing downhills, and the entire race was at 7000 feet elevation!

And if that wasn't enough, the race director actually thought it would be funny to have a guy dressed as a wolf scare people on the course! My poor oxygen deprived heart almost couldn't take it!

Ebeth, of course, crushed the course and won her age group!

And once we escaped the wolf unscathed - even Collin and I were all smiles!

I spent the rest of the week enjoying some scenic rides, running along gorgeous trails, and teaching my cousins how to make perfect S'mores.

I even paid a visit to the world's best sandwich shop and enjoyed the world's best tuna sandwich!

It was absolutely delicious!

I was sad to leave my family and Montana, but I know I'll be back, and I have lots of fun training to look forward to in the next few weeks!

There's Going to be a Rematch: My Eagleman 70.3 Race Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 02:52:00 +0000

Mark your calendars! October 8th, 2011 is the official date of the 2011 Kona Swim Rematch! I've lived the past eight months as "the girl who lost the swim," but 2011 is going to be a whole different story.

Thanks to solid performances at the Eagleman 70.3 Half Ironman Race this past weekend both Coach Diablo and I nabbed our Kona Slots! And now I am lazer focused on being the fastest stairclimber the Big Island has ever seen!

I think the 2011 picture is going to look something like this:

Going into Eagleman I had one goal: RACE. I wanted to push the pace and be agressive all 1.2 miles in the water, 56 miles on the bike, and 13.1 miles of the run. The Cambridge, Maryland race is known for being a fast course with fast competition, and that was exactly what I was looking for.

Racing with my Dynamo teammates Kathryn, EJ, and Alberto meant lots of pre-race laughs. And Garth Brooks playing on the loudspeaker as I got in the water meant I was already having a GREAT day!

The Eagleman race course is FLAT. I think the biggest bumps may have been the waves in the Choptank River, but even those were pretty whimpy. This was a bit of a change for a girl who loves riding uphill, but I did not learn to pack my bike and travel all the way to Maryland to race within my comfort zone! I just tried to keep the pressure on and keep racing mile after flat mile.

Luckily, I love flat running courses. But a flat run does not mean an easy run. What the Eagleman run course lacks hills, it makes up for with HEAT:

Thank goodness for amazing volunteers handing out plenty of ice and cold beverages along the course. I managed to survive the run, win my age group, and claim a Kona slot.

HUGE thanks to my Coach and teammates, who inspired me throughout the race, with a special thanks to Alberto's fiance Jill, who logged the fastest run split of the day en route to getting my wallet so I could pay my Kona entry fee (which was nearly $300 cheaper than the IM NYC entry fee - no racing in the Big Apple for me anytime soon!)

Now I'm more excited than ever for summer training and fast racing in Louisville and Hawaii!

Decisions, Decisions: Ironman Louisville vs. Ironman NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 01:24:00 +0000

An Ironman in New York City!?! It doesn't even sound possible! How do you swim, bike, and run through the most densly populated major city in the United States? And given the opportunity, how could you not?

World Triathlon Corp just announced Ironman New York City yesterday. The race it isn't scheduled until August 2012, but it's already causing me major issues!

Most Ironman races sell out in hours, and IM NYC is sure to be no exception. The anticipation for this race is HUGE! And even though race day is more than a year away, registration opens next week! So I have a decision to make:

Will my August 2012 Ironman be in NYC or Louisville?

The only rational thing to do is evaluate each race based on 5 key factors: Date, Location, Course, Cost, and Fun.

Date

This one is easy. Race day in the Big Apple is set for August 11, 2012. I imagine Louisville will be later in the month, likely August 26th. My summer work schedule can be a little hectic, so the later in August I race, the better.

Location

Even though I just became an expert bike packer, I like that I can drive to Louisville. Flying to a race means carefully packing to avoid excess baggage fees. Driving means mindlessly filling the Corolla with anything and everything my heart desires. Being within driving distance also means I can easily visit the course for an early summer training camp.

Course

Crossing the Ironman finish line in Manhattan sounds very exciting. As does running over the George Washington Bridge (I have a bit of a bridge running fetish). Louisville has a bridge crossing too, but it's not named after the first President of the United States. The Louisville bike course is beautiful. The NYC bike course is in New Jersey. The Ohio River is kind of dirty. The Hudson River is...

Cost

I think WTC should publish marital status along with its average income data.

Fun

It's NEW YORK CITY!!!

And there is one very important factor I failed to mention: PEER PRESSURE. I'm a sucker for it, and it often trumps even my most rational decisions. So I have some thinking to do. Some discussions to have. And ultimately, a choice to make. And either way, the end result will be 140.6 miles of pure bliss! Stay tuned!

How to Pack a Bike

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 31 May 2011 03:13:00 +0000

Confession time: I've been a triathlete for nearly 3 years and until this past weekend I did not know how to pack my own bike. I've always relied on the generosity and know-how of those far more skilled and generally, just avoided bike travel as much as possible. But, thanks to the great bike guru, Allen Heaton, my triathlon travel troubles are over!

At the recommendation of Allen, his wonderful wife Sarah, and a few other jetsetting jocks I know, I made the big purchase and bought a bike bag. I went with the Aerus Biospeed Travel Case for 3 reasons:

(1) It fits inside the Corolla

(2) It's small enough that I might be able to avoid airline fees

(3) It's made by Blue, and so is my bike

Here's a visual of the set-up:

After getting the bag, the next thing I needed was a set of Albopads! The reusuable bike frame wraps are the genius invention of my good friend Al Bodine. My bike is my most valuable possession (by far - sorry Corolla!), and I need to take care of it! Thank goodness for Albopads - they're protective and efficient!

Unfortunately, Allen took one look at my bike and decided it would be offensive to the entire Albopad nation to use their wraps on such a dirty bike. So, for the sake of demonstration we used inferior foam tubing and tape. Maybe Allen's next class will be on bike washing? Or maybe just how to turn on a hose?

The break-down process was surprisingly simple. With a just a few quick twists of the wrench my wheels, pedals, derailleur, and handlebars were off. Then it just took some crafty tube and tape skills, and Voila!

And the bike slipped right into the bag:

Being able to leave my saddle on "in-transit" is just one of the many advantages of having the body proportions of a mongoose.

At the end of the day I was a happy and much more independent triathlete. HUGE thanks Allen! Now I'm ready for anything!

Work it out!

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Reardon) — Thu, 19 May 2011 17:46:00 +0000

I may have mentioned on one of my earlier posts that I am fortunate enough to have a twin sister who has a Doctorate in Physical Therapy. I suppose I would still be fortunate even if she were not a physical therapist, but still, having a free physical therapist on call is a pretty sweet deal. And this past weekend, when both my sister and I were at home in New Orleans, she did a myofascial release along my IT band to help aid my recovery from IT band syndrome.

Now, if any of you have ever had myofascial release done (she also calls it skin rolling), you may have experienced a bit of pain, or perhaps a better description would be a prolonged burning sensation. One website I read stated that "skin rolling can be painful because of the result of muscles being stuck to the deep tissue or the release of compounded tissue in the form of knots." If that's the case, my entire IT band must have been super-glued to my connective tissue, because it felt like my sister was holding a burning candle to my leg (pretty sure there was some sisterly torture in those strokes too).

However, the leg that she worked on is feeling looser, and I started running again this week. I am trying to slowly ease back into it, so this week I did just two 4-mile runs. I felt no pain in my knee or tightness in my IT band during either run (very exciting!). So finally, after six painful weeks of not running and one (much more painful) half-hour of myofascial release, I think I'm back to my base. Feels great to be at it again. Thanks, Sis!

A Wedding and a Race!

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 17 May 2011 10:55:00 +0000

What's better than going to a wedding and then watching friends race? Going to a wedding and then getting to race with friends! Friday night my good friends Mark and Shelly made it official!

Their wedding was absolutely beautiful. And all the lovely ladies of Dynamo Masters Swimming Lane 8 were there to celebrate!

The party continued Saturday morning when my buddy Ryan and I drove to Knoxville for Sunday's Rev3 triathlon.

I raced the HalfRev - a 1.2 mile swim in the chilly Tennessee River, 56 mile ride through the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, and 13.1 mile run past the University of Tennessee (and through what felt like the world's hilliest subdivision) - it was quite the race!

This was my first tri of 2011, but I was fairly relaxed. I had confidence in my past few months of training and knew I was due for a good race. During the race I stayed focused, with only momentary lapses to admire the scenery (which was beautiful!)

Coolest part of the race - an out-and-back run course meant I got to see all my Dynamo teammates and friends during the race. And yes, seeing Coach Diablo leading the men's field gave me a little push through the hilly section. Plus the fans on the course were awesome. My photog buddy Shanks even caught me smiling:

Un-coolest part of the race - Heading up to the podium to claim my award only to find out I'd been DISQUALIFIED! Haha, talk about embarassing!

Apparently the race officials took one look at my swim time and just couldn't fathom a girl beating all the guys, so they assumed I'd cut the swim course short! I guess they've never heard of Chrissie Wellington? Because her splits frequently put the PRO men to shame!

Luckily I am not one to be modest, and after rattling off all of my swimming accolades back to my 8th place finish in the 50 meter backstroke at the 1994 Montana State Meet, I convinced the race officials it was possible I out-swam all the men without cutting the course.

Which led to the Second Coolest Part of the Race - when Coach Diablo told the officials I was, in fact, a faster swimmer than him, and it was, in fact, possible that I swam 1 minute faster than him. It wasn't a photo finish win in Hawaii, but I'll take it!

And the Third Coolest Part of the Race came in the form of the reversal of my disqualification and a personal apology from the good people of Rev3. A class act for sure.

So my 2011 triathlon season started with a solid performance, a bit of drama, and lots of room for improvement. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Happy Thoughts

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 10 May 2011 01:23:00 +0000

FINALLY! When the gun goes off over the Tennessee River this Sunday, it will signal the official start of my 2011 triathlon season!

I'm racing the Half Ironman distance race at the Rev3 race in Knoxville, Tennessee. That's 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 hilly miles on the bike, and a beautiful 13.1 mile run near the University of Tennessee campus. I raced the shorter Olympic distance tri in Knoxville last year, and I'm excited about stepping it up to the Half this time around.

Back when I was a swimmer I traveled to Knoxville on several occasions. I never noticed how hilly the area was, (most pools are pretty flat) so last year was a bit of a shock. But this year I am ready! I've spent enough time in the GAPS, pretty soon I think they'll probably name one after me. Haley Chura GAP? I like the sound of that!

And just in case the going gets tough (which it invariably will), I have a full arsenal of happy thoughts to fire me up during the race:
1. Goals
It's no secret what my biggest goal is this year - I want to go back to Hawaii. I want to battle through the swim and lead the pack - all the way to the TOP of the steps! I want to brace myself for the crosswinds on the bike, stay aero, and keep pedaling! I want to RUN ALL THE WAY UP PALANI HILL! I want to race like I know I can race.

I have tons of smaller (but no less exciting) goals to help me get from now to October. But the picture in my mind is always the same:

2. Workouts

I draw a lot of strength from my training. Coach Diablo knows this and he does a great job of sneaking terrible, awful, really hard workouts into my training plan. Secretly, I love these workouts. They push me to the brink (and occasionally over the edge) of failure, but I always end up stronger.

Long-distance triathlon is a lot like a really hard training day. So when I'm racing, I think back to some of those key workouts. The ones that make me cringe a little and wonder how I ever did them. And I know if I did all those workouts, those crazy sets in the pool, the mind numbing bike intervals, the absolutely ridiculous runs, I can handle ANYTHING on race day.

3. My Support Crew

My family, friends, teammates, coworkers, blog followers: you are my secret weapon. Because when the going gets really, really, tough I think about you. And how you support me, listen to me, send me fun emails, text messages, tweets and wall posts. You believe in me. And that is the happiest thought I could possibly think. So thanks. Now let's race!

Back in the saddle. Well, sort of.

noreply@blogger.com (Julia Reardon) — Fri, 06 May 2011 16:52:00 +0000

Hello, again, fellow Element Bar lovers and endurance sports enthusiasts! It’s been a number of months since my last post, so let me bring you up to speed.

If my utter lack of recent contributions to this blog is any indication of my current exercise and training activity, I suppose it’s clear that I haven’t exactly been busy setting any personal bests in half-marathons or triathlons. Unfortunately, like most people (besides my fellow blogger, Iron-woman Haley Chura), I sometimes get so busy with life and work that I have to put aside athletic goals to just focus on getting through the day, week, month, etc. In my case, finishing graduate school and searching for a job have consumed most, if not all, of my free time these past several months. But with school finally winding down and a great job waiting for me after graduation (thank you very much!), I am back to training—and, thus, blogging. Lucky you!

Among the many challenges runners face in starting back up after a long hiatus from training is the urge to cut corners to return to form quicker. For instance, when I recently increased my running from 0 days / 0 miles per week to 3-4 days / 15-20 miles per week, my body just wouldn’t have it. I ignored the occasional nagging pain in my knees and the tightness in my leg muscles because it felt so good to be out and running again, but my over-eagerness left me with a knee injury after my very first race of the season.

That race – and I use that word loosely here – was the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle. Although I did several training runs before race day, I definitely increased my running and mileage too quickly and ended up with a debilitating case of illiotibial band syndrome. (And that’s not just a Google-enabled self-diagnosis; I actually went to see the doctor for this one.)

It’s been about four weeks since the race, and while I haven’t run since shamrock-shuffling my way to a bum knee, I have been stretching daily (see below for my daily routing), icing said knee, taking ibuprofen, cross-training, and massaging my IT band on a foam roller. (Quick aside: Anyone who has used a foam roller can attest to the love/hate relationship one can develops rolling around on floor with one of those things. It’s kind of a “hurt so good” experience.) Anyway, my living-room PT sessions have been so successful in treating my injury, that I think I am finally ready to tackle a run. In fact, I’ve got my eye on a 10k in early June, and I’m hoping that by then I’ll have a few weeks of training under my belt and will be able to get through the run comfortably and quickly.

In the mean time, I’ll be hanging out on the foam-roller and dreaming of long runs in sunny Chicago weather.

Ahhhh. Love those clam exercises.

Amazing, AMAZING, Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 03 May 2011 01:00:00 +0000

The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge weren't the only ones making history this weekend. My good friends Nate & Kerri also got hitched, and the Pease Brothers became the first EVER brothers to finish a triathlon together. Amazing might not be a big enough word - it was a SPECTACULAR weekend!

Around Dynamo Multisport we sometimes refer to Nate and Kerri as Shrek & Fiona. See the resemblance?

Hahha - kidding! Nate and Kerri are just as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. And they both have Ironmans on their calendars this year so they'd better hurry back from their honeymoon; we have training to do!

Meanwhile, down in St. Petersberg, Florida three brothers swam, biked, and ran their way into the history books with their spectacular finish at St. Anthony's Triathlon. A while back I wrote a post about the Pease Brothers and how they inspire me with their "Yes, We Can" attitudes. Well this weekend they really lived it. Congratulations K-Peasey, you are a triathlete!

And even though my own training took a backseat to more exciting happenings this weekend, I did actually do a little swim/bike/run myself.

Coach Maria set up an awesome open water swimming course on Lake Lanier and a good number of Dynamo athletes showed up to take the plunge!

And after the swim a few of us went for a ride that ended up being a little hillier than we expected. But extra climbing is worth it when you end up with a view like this!

It really was a great weekend. And if you can't tell from the photos, I finally advanced to the 21st Century and got an iPhone! I may have gone a little crazy with the photo apps, but I've just never owned a more versatile device (not counting my car which often doubles as an office and closet). If you have any good app suggestions please send them my way!

Open Water Swimming!

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 01:32:00 +0000

The calendar may say April, but here in Atlanta it's starting to feel like SUMMER! With blue skies and temps in the 80s, Betty, Kathryn and I decided to do a little open water swimming!

We headed up to Lake Allatoona at Red Top Mountain State Park, just north of Atlanta. I decided to channel my inner Lynne Cox and go sans-wetsuit, though the initial shock of the not-exactly-warm water had me practically climbing over Kathryn and trying to get back to the warm shore ASAP!

Eventually I warmed up and could really enjoy swimming on such a beautiful day! Betty set a fast pace and Kathryn and I just tried to hang on to her heels!

This was a GIRLS ONLY trip to the lake. My friend Lia, a 10-year-old soccer star and up-and-coming triathlete, recently drew me a cartoon reminding me why boys and girls are often separated during training and races:

The speech bubble says "Now I understand why boys and girls are split up!"

Lia is exactly right - boys (and especially their bike shoes) smell and sometimes we need a break!

The highlight of the swim came when we passed a HUGE rock near the edge of the lake....

I just couldn't resist!

Jumping off that rock was just as fun as it looked. I love open water swimming and hope to do lots of it this summer!

And maybe next time we'll even let the boys join - if they can keep up!

The Infamous GAPS Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 00:29:00 +0000

Just two short years ago, Coach Diablo sat at home in his plush oversized leather chair with a topographical map of Georgia in one hand, a list of his athletes in the other, and one thought on his mind:

In that moment the infamous Dynamo Multisport GAPS weekend was born.

Now, it's a tradition.

Complete with K-Peasey bracelets!

Like most good things, the weekend started in the water. 5,000+ meters in the pool were followed by the absolute deliciousness of Waffle House. Then it was up to the mountains for 4 hours on the bike, a quick run, and Uncle Al's special spaghetti. YUM!

But Day 1 was just a warm-up. Day 2 meant riding 9 GAPS. Yes, NINE. That's 105+ miles on the bike, with more vertical feet of climbing than I can count. And I count for a living.

The reward for finishing the grueling ride was a run - of course! And I loved every step of it!

EJ and Drew must not have been tired at all because they cooked up what was quite possibly the most delicious meal I've ever tasted.

And then we got to make S'mores!!!

And the fun didn't stop there! On Day 3 we got to ride three more GAPS! And finish an amazing weekend on top of the crown jewel Hogpen Gap summit.

Which raises the question: Is it harder to ride or run to the top of Hogpen?

I say running is harder, but EJ and Drew both argue riding is tougher. The good news - we'll all get another chance to find out when we do another Dynamo GAPS weekend in July! I cannot wait!

Mountain Madness

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 23:21:00 +0000

Just like last weekend, I spent my Sunday riding up and down the GAPS.

Unlike last weekend, this time, the weather was absolutely beautiful!

I may have been oblivious to the basketball hoop-la down in Houston, but I witnessed plenty of madness here in Georgia. Like Drew running to the top of Neels GAP. It takes me 40+ minutes to ride my bike to the top of Neels. Drew RAN it in under an hour! CRAZY!

The madness continued as Betty, best known for running through Atlanta in long sleeves, running tights, a hat and gloves (in July), chose to soak her legs in the icy creek. INSANE!

Fortunately, I held it down for the rational folks with a relatively easy training day. But my workouts are about to get much more exciting and take a real turn for the loony bin. I have some crazy training scheduled for this weekend and I cannot wait!

Diablo Pays Up and a Visit to the GAPS

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 12:58:00 +0000

First things first - proof Coach Diablo held up his end of the bet:

That's his happy face.

Rain poured in Atlanta this weekend, but that didn't keep my friends Betty, Drew, and I inside. We headed up to the North Georgia Mountains to ride the GAPS.

What are the GAPS?

I get this question a lot, so I Googled it to find the official answer:

Sometimes I find dictionary definitions unecessarily boring, so I also drew a picture:

So when I "ride the GAPS" I'm riding my bike uphill, between what feels like the two highest mountains in the world, until I finally reach the point between the two peaks. Then I get to go down the other side, only to start climbing the next GAP.

I think out West "GAPS" are called "passes" but I've never heard a Westerner says he's "going to the PASSES." I guess Southern Charm really doesn't exist in the West. Or caps lock.

The GAPS are my favorite place to ride. I love riding uphill. I absolutely hate descending, but I'm hoping with practice I'll grow to loathe it a little less.

This was my first trip to the GAPS in 2011 and it was as humbling as ever. Drew and Betty are training for Ironman St. George in early May and they were riding so strong! We escaped the rain, but we did have to deal with a little fog:

The good news - I don't descend any slower in fog than I do on clear days! The bad news - I still get passed by snails and small children regardless of the weather. We had a blast and plan to return very soon!

Win-Win

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:54:00 +0000

Last weekend the University of Georgia Women's Swimming & Diving Team fell just short of their 5th National Championship crown. The Lady Bulldogs came in second to a speedy group of Cal-Berkeley Golden Bears, but I couldn't be prouder of my alma mater. The Dawgs fought hard to the bitter end, finishing the meet with an American Record setting performance in the 400 freestyle relay. Very impressive!

The Dawgs' stellar performance was one of a couple things that inspired me during my race at the Publix Georgia Half Marathon on Sunday. The other was the Pease Brothers, running their first official race together. The trio crossed the finish line in an amazing time of 2 hours and 5 minutes, and I know this is just the beginning for Team K-Peasey!

My race was a bit of a surprise. I've been working on my aerobic fitness and most of my running has been slower than half marathon pace. Coach Diablo warned me it might take a little while to get my legs going. I fully intended to get to the race early enough to do a good warm-up, but that's easier said than done. At 5am Sunday morning I was much more interested in finding out who won Saturday night's NCAA swim meet than getting on the earliest MARTA train, so when I finally made it to the start line I only had a few minutes to spare. I may have been a bit late, but at least this time I showed up on the right day!

The first four miles of the race I was cursing myself for not listening to El Diablo's long warm-up advice. I hurt so bad I wasn't sure I could run the full 13.1 miles. But I knew I couldn't quit. The Swim Dawgs didn't quit, even when they knew they couldn't win the meet. The Pease Brothers didn't quit, even when people told them their efforts were hopeless. My little half marathon seemed so small compared to those battles.

After mile 4 things started to get better, and by mile 9 I was feeling GREAT! I passed a bunch of my Dynamo teammates and friends volunteering and cheering along the race course. It was so fun seeing them! I finished strong in a personal best time of 1:26. I was super excited, especially since I felt so good at the end. It was very nice to find out I had more endurance than I thought!

The half marathon was a huge win for me. It gave me a little confidence boost as I head into the summer triathlon season. I know I still have a lot of work in front of me, and I'm definitely not complacent, but it's always nice to get a little reassurance that things are moving in the right direction.

My other weekend win came from the Dawgs. While they didn't capture the NCAA Swimming & Diving Championship title, they did manage to trounce Stanford, which means I won my bet with Diablo!!! He already accepted defeat via Twitter:

@diablodelverde: Congrats to the UGA swimmin' women Dawgs and alum, @haleychura 2nd at NCs and a convincing win over my Cardinal. Time for me to pay up.

Now I'm looking forward to posting some fun pictures of my Cardinal-loving coach donning Georgia Red and Black next week!

A Few Updates

noreply@blogger.com (Haley Chura) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:20:00 +0000

As I grow older, the world seems to grow smaller.

Sometimes having connections in unusual places can be a really good thing; like when I went to the airport with my jet-setter friend DJ Kidd. The ticket agent took one look at my very large bike box and commented "you must be with Mr. Kidd, no luggage fee today." It made me feel kind of awesome.

But last week when I heard about the devastating earthquake in Japan and resulting tsunamis in the Pacific, my thoughts were instantly with some of my favorite people, currently in Japan, Hawaii and the West Coast. Luckily, even though I feared the worst, everything turned out ok for my friends, though the images of Japan are still really sad.

It's kind of wild how something happening so far away could have such an immediate impact on me. Truthfully, I know I wouldn't be the same person without my friends, both near and far. Thank goodness for social media keeping us all connected!

Here in Atlanta, things are starting to pick up, training-wise. The recent beautiful weather coupled with a few great rides and runs has me looking forward to my upcoming races.

This weekend I'm running the Publix Georgia Half Marathon here in Atlanta. I've lived in Georgia long enough to call Atlanta home, and there's nothing I love better than running through some of my favorite parts of the city. The half marathon also marks the official start of Walking with K-Peasey, which is sure to be a huge success.

I officially registered for my first triathlon of the season - the Rev3 Triathlon in Knoxville, Tennessee. The Olympic distance race (1500 meter swim, 40k bike, and 10k run) isn't until May, but I'm already excited about it. I raced in Knoxville last year and loved it. Now I'm committed to getting as many friends and teammates as possible to join me. All races are more fun with friends, so if you're thinking about racing in May come to Knoxville!

Finally, the Women's Swimming & Diving NCAA Championships start this Thursday. That means by Saturday night I need to have all my Georgia T-shirts clean and ready for Diablo to wear next week to celebrate the Bulldog victory! Luckily, I have Ebeth to help me out with this - yes, my mom sent my coach a surprise care package:

It's going to be an exciting week!