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Team OAM Now’s Tristan Visits Colorado to Prep for Cyclocross Season

October 1st, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Tristan Greenhouse, Team OAM Now Cyclist

As I often explain to my roadie counterparts, cyclocross isn’t so much a discipline of cycling as it is a mindset. The mindset of a ‘cross racer is one of excitement and adventure. One where your response to your buddies half-joking proposal of a ludicrously difficult ride is a full-hearted, “Lets do it!”. One where every race morning is greeted by the giddy excitement of a child about to open his presents on Christmas morning. As the ‘cross season is just around the corner, there is a collective sense of excitement amassing among us mud-junkies as we await the first race of the season. The tires have been glued, the bikes have been built, and our skills honed during the off-season. Now, all we need is for the starter to blow his whistle and we’re off.
As a ‘cross racer, I love to ride my bike, whether it is during a race, a fun training ride, or even a set of hill repeats. My coach would probably tell you I love riding a little bit too much. During a recent week-long trip to Colorado, I almost couldn’t be contained. On my first day there, I had the chance to ride my cyclocross bike at Valmont Bike Park, site of the 2014 Cyclocross National Championships. With a dedicated sandpit, two sets of dedicated stair dismounts, and lots of flowy singletrack, this was by far the coolest course I had ever ridden. There was even a pump track (although I doubt it was intended for cyclocross bikes)! Before the trip, my coach had told me to just take it easy and do 60 minutes of Z1/2 in order to acclimatize. While I managed to keep my effort level contained, I couldn’t help myself and rode for over 100 minutes. Over the course of the next 5 days, I rode my MTB for about 3 hours a day in Durango and Gunnison and somehow managed to contain my ride time and efforts despite my overflowing excitement.

As the last day approached, my excitement overtook me and my planned 2-hour training ride went out the window. Starting in Buena Vista, I rode up the paved side of Cottonwood Pass, a 20 mile climb at 5% average with several sections approaching 12%. I made it to the top, put on some gloves and a vest for the descent down the other side, ate the breakfast burrito stashed in my back pocket, and I was off! The descent down the backside is a 15-mile dirt road descent strewn with deep ruts, washboards big enough to be confused for a pump track, and loose rocks the size of a small melon. On a cantilever ‘cross bike, there wasn‘t much I could do in terms of slowing down, so I let it rip. Once I got to the bottom, I turned around and went straight back up!

I couldn’t help but be in awe of where I was as I rose towards 14, 000 ft. peaks and looked down onto a sparkling reservoir below me. As I crested the 12,000 ft. pass, I knew my climbing was behind me, and I let it rip down the pavement descent. Nothing feels better than passing a 35 mph speed limit sign while screaming down the mountain at 55 mph on 25c tires. After the ride, I texted my coach and told him that if we halved my ride time and rounded down, I had done the workout to perfection. At least I stayed in the right zones!
As I prep for ‘cross season, my coach had me do a hard week full of intervals and FTP efforts. At the end of the week, a rare and beautiful ride description was entered into Sunday’s Column: Choice Ride! I was so excited I couldn’t contain myself. I immediately messaged my buddy Jesse, asking if he wanted to ride the 62-mile Barry Roubaix route. It was a mere formality, as he is always game for just about anything. This is the same guy I can always count on to show up to group rides in 50 degree rain and agree to do the long route. He is even crazy enough to travel all over the midwest with me this year racing a full cyclocross calendar.

As we embarked on the route neither of us had ever done before, one of the first things out of Jesse’s mouth was, “Wanna do a lap on the ‘cross bikes at Yankee when we finish?” As the ride panned out, I was feeling good, so I decided to go for it. Unfortunately, we got a little lost on the 62-mile route as neither of us had ever done it before, but that didn’t deter us from doing 15 miles of Yankee Springs on the 33c tires afterwards.

Although we might look crazy, covered head-to-toe in mud, with wild fans screaming at us from the sidelines, cyclocross racers certainly love to ride their bikes. I think not only is ‘cross fun for the type of courses it provides, but also for the atmosphere it caters to, as many of the riders simply love to be on their bikes. So, if you want to really become a ‘cross racer this year, ride every race for the fun of it, and ride every training ride for the adventure that you will get. And if you see me out racing this year, don’t forget to heckle me!

Summer Skiing Secret to Winter Success

September 29th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Alex Vanias, Team OAM Now Multi-Sport Athlete

Cross country skiing is often considered one of the toughest sports. It is aerobically demanding and requires continual explosive movements. As you can imagine, doing repetitive single-leg squats while doing pseudo ab crunches to push the ski poles can be very fatiguing over time. In addition to the physical demands, technique is crucial to skiing. The most fit athlete does not necessarily win ski races unless they have efficient technique. It becomes increasingly difficult to maintain proper form when fatigue sets in. This is why it is important to train for skiing in the summer.

I don’t do structured workouts for skiing in the summer, but I try to ski 2-3 times per week. This is primarily to maintain my technique and sport-specific efficiency for skiing while I am building fitness by riding and running. As a multi-sport athlete, I do not spend a lot of time on off-season training since I am training and competing in summer sports. However, because maintaining technique in skiing is so important, I do prioritize fitting in summer rollerski sessions.

You may be wondering how somebody can ski in the summer. Well, there are these sketchy contraptions called roller skis. These are essentially long roller blades with a wheel on each end and a ski binding mounted to them. Regular winter boots fit into the bindings, although lighter and cooler ski boot models are available. I use regular ski poles but replace the baskets with special roller ski tips. The tips are carbide and need to be sharpened with a diamond file roughly every 50mi so they bite into the pavement.

One of the biggest challenges of rollerskiing is stopping. Rollerskis generally have no brakes, so stopping safely takes careful practice. The wheels and bearings are not made for speed since they are intended to mimic the speed of skiing on snow. I generally average about 10-13mph on a normal ski, but can reach speeds of over 30mph on downhills. Because of the speed and difficulty stopping, I always wear a helmet; all it takes is a pebble or crack in the road to send me through the air. I make sure to scout out the roads I plan on skiing to make sure there are no stop signs at the bottom of hills and there is an appropriate shoulder and low traffic. There are many suitable areas for rollerskiing in northern Michigan, but it becomes more challenging in more populated areas. The US Ski Team (sarcastically) explains some various rollerski stopping techniques here.

Rollerskiing is a quirky activity, but it is a valuable component to my training. Juggling the demands of multi-sport training can be tricky, but varying my sports and training make me a better athlete and help me improve in each individual sport. In addition, challenging different muscle groups helps keep me injury free. I understand the importance of sport-specific training, but I think that many people underestimate the value of variation in training and racing.

Overall, I’m excited to start to ramp up my running and ski-specific training this fall for hopefully my best ski season yet!

Drafting: Is Wind Your Friend or Foe?

September 28th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Nathan Frazier, Team OAM Now Cyclist

As cyclists, we have the opportunity to control a lot of factors in a race. We can control the bike, what the kit, the gear, and the pace. However, one thing we cannot change is wind, and wind is a huge factor in a race. A headwind can slow down an attacker, a side wind can cause a wreck, and a backwind can make the group pace skyrocket. So is wind an enemy, or an ally?

Before talking about how wind affects a race, one must know what drafting is. Drafting is a process in which you position yourself out of direct wind gusts by means of other racers. Being out of the wind makes a huge difference, and it’s the reason why no one likes to lead or be in the rear of a pack. Positioning matters on wind direction as well. For example, one would stay behind another racer during a head wind, or on the opposite side of a racer with a side wind. Cycling gear is also designed to assist against wind, with light, specifically shaped frames to strange aero helmets for time trials.

Drafting isn’t just important in cycling, however. Even race car drivers depend on drafting to overtake other drivers, sometimes by a slipstream created from the high speeds of the cars producing a ‘stream’ of broken wind behind them. Speed skaters use this too, even though they are in an inclosed space. Drafting behind a skater can mean the difference of a second or first place finish in a sprint, and the same goes with a cycling finish. Those last hundred meters are often the most chaotic!

Wind is a powerful factor in racing, and I learned this the hard way. Racing earlier this year, I found it difficult to stay with even the most moderate of paces. I was confused and discouraged, as I couldn’t find any reason to fall behind so much. I was training well, going to races for experience, and I didn’t lead at all during a race. So why was I getting dropped? My coach and father helped me reach the conclusion that, on an especially windy day when a huge gust took the life out of me, the wind was my foe. I had to learn to make it my ally. I practiced positioning with other cyclists during large group rides, making sure I was out of the wind’s direct influence. I found that I could hang on to groups more easily, and that I wasn’t as tired when a sprint ended.

Wind is now my ally in this situation. On your next group ride, pay attention to the wind, and your position in the pack to make wind your ally as well.

Patterson Places 2nd at Chequamegon in a Test Against the Best

September 25th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Kaitlyn Patterson, Team OAM Now Multi-Sport Athlete

My second season of mountain bike racing has been a progression of increasing challenges and quite a few surprise wins. After buying my Giant Lust 2 last April, I have been able to climb the ranks of Michigan mountain biking with the help of Alex Vanias’s experience and my fitness from running and triathlon. After a surprise win at Ore to Shore, I decided to make the trip to the Chequemegon Fat Tire Festival in Hayward, Wisconsin for another test against an elite field. Starting in Hayward and ending at Telemark resort in Cable, the Chequemegon 40 is the largest mass start, point to point mountain bike race in the country. The town of Hayward is famous for also hosting the Birkie cross country ski race which I raced this past February. Much of the Cheq 40 is on the wide Birkie trail as well as gravel roads and features a lot of climbing late in the race. With no real technical challenges, Cheq 40 is considered a power race which is consistent with my strengths.

The weather on race morning was perfect and the atmosphere was electric as 2,100 racers convened in downtown Hayward. I was granted a starting spot in the elite start gate and attempted to not be intimidated by the impressive cycling talent surrounding me or the thousands of racers behind me. I navigated the nervous rollout without incident, but I was a bit farther back in the field than I wanted when we hit the dirt at mile three.

The course was more wet and muddy than I anticipated, but I was feeling good and moving up with every climb. I caught several of the female riders I knew would be contenders and by the famous OO road crossing at mile 16, I was neck and neck with five time champion Jenna Rhinehart. I was able to get some feedback from spectators and learned I was in second place about two minutes down on pro rider Chloe Woodruff.

I was riding in a large group of guys, but nobody would help pull the group on the open gravel roads. This was extremely frustrating since I knew Chloe was up the road and nobody would work together. I was happy to arrive at the famous “Fire Tower climb” 11 miles from the finish, and I dropped my group up the rocky steep climb. At that point, I didn’t think I had a chance at catching Chloe, but I wanted to secure my runner-up finish so continued to push every climb solo.

It was an amazing feeling to descend the last hill into Telemark resort and hear the announcement that I was the second female finisher. I was directed to the podium area immediately following the finish where I had a chance to meet and chat with Chloe Woodruff and Jenna Rhinehart, two of my cycling idols. They were both very down to earth and both impressive athletes and people. The experience was surreal and I was thankful I had mechanical-free race and was able to rise to yet another challenge.

The remainder of my fall racing calendar is much closer to home with the northern Michigan staples of Gravel Grinder and Peak to Peak, but the major focus is my goal of a podium finish at Iceman in November. This season has been an amazing ride so far and I’m excited for the weeks to come!

Athletic Mentors Coaching Gets Team OAM NOW Runner on the Podium and the Path to the Western States Endurance Run

September 20th, 2015 by Erin Young

What would you do to get into the famous Western States Endurance Run? The world’s oldest and most prestigious 100-mile trail race that only lets 369 hearty soles purchase a bib to run up 18,000 and descend 23,000 feet of Sierra Nevada mountains? For some of us long distance trail runners, we are happy to run 100 miles just to prove that we can handle such an event. To even be able to enter into the lottery of the WSER, you have to complete an approved 100 mile race within the event’s time limit. I can’t remember a time when I didn’t dream of doing the WSER. It scared me enough to not enter for several years. But the more it scared me, the more I was intrigued by it.

After having my first baby 7 months ago, I thought it was ridiculous to think I could even attempt to run a qualifying event so that I could get my ticket into the lottery. As I continued to struggle through runs and worry about the extra weight I now carried, I still thought… maybe I can. I kept at it and was feeling pretty good about my running and soon I was thinking, I can finish, but it won’t be pretty.

The coaches of Athletic Mentors, Cheryl Sherwood , Cricket Howard and Mark Olson, together helped me get my head on straight. With just a few conversations, I not only knew I could do it, but I believed I could do it, and do it well. I had to believe that I could do it and WANT to do it. I had to keep believing that I AM going to do it. Using my daily run data, Mark walked me through a plan each week. As we got closer to the event, we spoke each day. I’ve never felt so relaxed in those last few days before an event. I had complete trust in my training and the coaches of Athletic Mentors.

Cheryl joins me at mile 85 for the final loop. If it weren’t for her company, I may have taken a trail nap.

The Woodstock Hallucination 100 was going to be my ticket in. The event was 6 loops through the very runnable Pinckney Recreation Area. I had a dream team of supporters… seriously. My mom, Tammy and Joe, stayed up all night to greet me each loop. Joe was in charge since he knew exactly how to keep me and my head in the race. When my mom started to worry about how cold I was and prepared a chair next to the heater, Joe knew enough to pack that little treat up and shut that idea down. After two loops, pacers were allowed. Liz kept me positive with light hearted girl talk. Joe got me through the coldest, wettest and darkest hours of that night. Scott, my future Trans Rockies Run partner, and I chatted into daylight (I think he is going to be an awesome partner next summer!). Cheryl, Team Manager of Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors ran with me my final loop. Each one of my pacers contributed to a fun and successful 100 miles. And yes, I said fun. I never once thought that I wouldn’t make it during the run. It was an absolute high to see my crew on every loop and I was so excited to see them. There were times I felt lousy, but I knew I’d feel good soon. Mark had given me simple, but very wise advice, “You’ll feel great and want take off, stay patient. You’ll feel bad at times, but you’ll get over it.” This was the first time I’ve ever followed coaching advice explicitly through a training plan, and I followed his advice to the end of the event.

Earned my ticket! Now I just need to be lucky on December 5th!

I wish I could write about a more eventful 100 miles. But truthfully, it wasn’t eventful at all. The race went perfectly. My body and mind cooperated. No stomach troubles, no blisters, just a little sleepy at times. This was a perfect race. I never thought I could get under 24 hours in my first try at 100 miles. I did because I was patient. Just that steady pace Mark told me to stick with got me in at 21:08. It was an extra special finish to be 2nd Overall Female, and 9th in the overall race. That made me feel fantastic! So, my advice if you ever want to do well in an event that you worry you can’t do… keep those positive people close and let them help you, BELIEVE that you can do it, and get Mark Olson as a coach!

I cannot end this piece until I give a sincere, heartfelt THANK YOU to each member of my crew and all the positive friends I have in my life. This isn’t an Earth shattering event, but it certainly makes you realize how lucky you are. Every single crew member contributed in a huge way to this perfect race and sacrificed their sleep. Mark, Cricket and Cheryl for making me believe I could do this and taking time everyday to check in with me during the last few weeks of training. I felt like a professional athlete with a professional coaching team! My husband, Jason, who always made sure I had time to train and decent sleep while parenting our wild eyed Owen. I think we are a pretty awesome team at this parenting gig. And finally, my coworkers and students for being excited for me and thinking of me while you ate your dinner, breakfast and lunch that day. I hope you are inspired and do something you dream about in your future!

After Success Comes Setback, After Setback Comes Resilience and Strength

August 30th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Elaine Sheikh, Team OAM Now Triathlete

Triathlon is a sport dominated by “Type A” individuals. As a whole, we are very precise people. We can spout off our 500 time for yards and meters; we can give you not only our 5K and 10K PRs, but those of our friends and competitors, VO2 max on the bike, and max heartrates for our individual sports without stopping to think. We are extremely particular about our item placement in transition. We have our ritualistic pre-race dinners and breakfasts. We like to have plans and be prepared, but ultimately, external factors greatly affect the outcome of a race. It can be 40 degrees and raining at a triathlon in June, then 95 degrees and humid at one in July. There are circumstances you just can’t prepare for. In every race, something will not go according to plan. Triathlon is a sport that requires adaptation to succeed.

I was toeing the start line at the Detroit Tri U25 EDR one week after a successful weekend at USAT Nationals. It was to be my first draft legal race, and I was excited to compete in such a strong field of women. The top three finishers would receive pro cards that day. I fully anticipated finishing towards the back of the pack, but all I really wanted was to race hard and well enough to avoid being lapped out. In draft legal races, the bike leg takes place on a multi-loop course and if you are passed by the race leaders, you are to dismount your bike and make your way back to transition. You are not allowed to finish the race.

The swim was non-wetsuit, but I was not the last person out of the water, despite being pretty far off the back of the pack. On the bike, I quickly caught one woman, but she was unable to hold my wheel, so I lost hope of being able to work with her. I worked as hard as I could on the bike, and knew that I was not in danger of being lapped. When I went to dismount my bike, however, I realized I was incredibly dizzy. I nearly tripped as I dismounted, but caught myself with my bike. I headed out on the run course, but disaster struck immediately. My breathing was completely out of control and my vision was foggy. My chest was tight and I knew I was hyperventilating. I have hyperventilated in races before and knew that if I could slow down and get some deep breaths, I would probably be okay. This time though, my dizziness and the darkness rushing in from the edges of my field of vision caused me to stop completely.

I remember sitting down on the side of the course (and, like a true data addict, somehow I stopped my watch as well). Then a volunteer was screaming and the next thing I knew I was on my back with a bunch of people standing over me shoving ice in my tri suit. I started gagging and they rolled me on my side. I couldn’t open my eyes and my breathing was still out of control. As soon as I could talk, I started begging to finish my race. The medics would have none of it, though. I hadn’t been lapped out. My body just gave out.

I had never had a DNF in a triathlon before that day. A DNF was not part of my plan. Although I frequently doubt the quality of my performance, I never doubt that I will finish a race. Sometimes, though, it isn’t up to you. So, what do you do in a situation like that? Well, I for one will try again. Sure, my confidence is shaken. No one likes their race to be out of their control, but I plan to race again this weekend. And the thought of a DNF will not cross my mind.

I will not doubt my ability to finish. I cannot allow myself to do so. Triathletes are not just Type A people. They are strong. They are resilient. They can endure. And they never give up.

From Off-road to Olympic Triathlon- Kippen Places 2nd in Age Group at Traverse City Tri

August 27th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Roxane Kippen, Team OAM Now Triathlete

Northern Michigan has some of the most beautiful triathlon race venues in the state, with crystal clear waters and rolling, tree-lined roads. After experiencing the beauty of Harbor Springs last year at the Little Traverse Triathlon, I was determined to race another event “up north”. I had the opportunity to compete in my first Olympic Distance road triathlon at the Traverse City Triathlon. The race begins with a 1500 meter swim in Bowers Harbor, on the crisp, clean waters of the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay. It continues with a challenging 40 km bike course covering both the east and west coasts of the Old Mission Peninsula. Finally, the race finishes with a 10 km run that combines pavement, a dirt road, a little bit of trail, and a grassy field.

My primary focus is off-road triathlon, which involves a swim, mountain bike ride, and trail run, but the duration of my races range from under 2 hours up to 5 hours, depending on the course. The fact that I had never done an Olympic distance road triathlon did not worry me too much; however, I did have to make some estimates to anticipate how much fuel I would need to carry and consume during the race. I estimated best case 2 hours 40 minutes and worst case 2 hours 45 minutes, with the big unknown being the bike. I had ridden my road bike a whopping ONE time this year, but I generally get one or two 90 minute mountain bike rides in per week, so I felt I was prepared for the 25-mile, hilly course. My run training was not really robust enough for a strong 10K, but I knew I could at least cover the distance.

I was able to get a restful night’s sleep at Timber Ridge Resort before the race. I had originally booked a campsite and planned on tenting it, but with temps near 90, I asked at the check in desk if there were any cabins available and luckily there was a cancellation, so I got to sleep peacefully in an air-conditioned cabin. There are nearly 400 camping sites at the resort and my cabin number ended up being the same as my race bib: #329. I took it as a sign of good things to come.

Race morning was warm with a fairly strong wind from the south, which created a challenging swim with pretty big rollers. The rough swim, coupled with a course that was about 100 meters on the long side, put me several minutes over where I anticipated my swim time. Then, the bike course included a couple of 10%+ grade climbs which left me climbing out of the saddle in granny gear! The winds from the south provided a steady headwind down the east side of the peninsula, and a slight tailwind on the return up the west side. Despite the conditions, I finished the bike almost exactly where I had estimated. I haven’t been doing much brick training, so I was unsure how the transition to running was going to go. The first 3 miles of the run were along the coast of the bay on nice flat pavement and were mostly shaded. An aid station was like an oasis on the run as the temps continued to climb. I welcomed the breeze. Miles 4 and 5 of the run turned to dirt roads and trails with no breeze. The final, brutal uphill mile was back on pavement with no shade and felt like a death march. I really felt like I had tanked my run after starting out the first half with a good pace.

At the end of the day, I finished my first Olympic distance triathlon in 2 hours 49 minutes. This placed me 7^th overall for the women and 2^nd in my age group and I couldn’t be more thrilled. My swim ranking was my normal top 25% of the women’s field. My bike ranking was 8^th in the women’s field on a road bike vs many on time trial bikes. And, surprisingly, the run I thought I tanked was my best position, ranking 7^th in the women’s field. I am also happy to have posted the fastest transition times among the women and 3^rd fastest of both men and women. Check out my blog on transition for tips on improving yours. This race got me wanting to do another triathlon before the season is up, so I may tackle the Reeds Lake Triathlon for the first time in 5 years.

Kathy Braginton Redefines Personal Best While Taking 1st Overall at Girl’s Best Friend Olympic Tri

August 26th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Kathy Braginton, Team OAM Now Triathlete

When most of us think of the term Personal Record (PR) , also known as Personal Best (PB), we think of recording our “Best Time” in a race. In search of a PR, I signed my sister and me up for Athletic Mentor’s Triathlete Custom Training Plan Clinic last March. We walked away with a complete training schedule for our goal race, Girl’s Best Friend. We chose Girl’s Best Friend as our goal Olympic distance race because the swim is 1000 meters (shorter than a traditional Oly). We followed the training plan, as written to the best of our abilities, even if it meant hitting the pavement at 4 AM.

On race day, we were ready! I have raced Girl’s Best Friend every year since its existence and introduced my sister and many others to the world of multisport at this race. The sprint distance brings many first timers. I enjoy giving assistance in the transition and helping calm the pre-race nerves of others. Unfortunately, I have to be honest when they ask how bad the weeds are in the lake. The first 100 meters are very thick and several times I felt it was difficult to take a full stroke. However, the bike course at this race is one of my favorites…..flat and fast!

I had a great race! I was 5^th after the swim, 1^st after the bike, and was able to extend my lead throughout the run. As I crossed the finished line, capturing my first ever win in an Olympic distance race, I was thrilled. I looked up at the race clock, knowing I had given it my all, and expected to see that PR I had in my mind for the last 6 months. It was hard to hide that initial wave of disappointment when I realized I did not have my “best time” from the previous year.

To have a PR at a triathlon, you have to assume the race course will be exactly the same from year to year. The swim course will be set the same. The buoys will be securely placed and will not be moving targets. The bike and run courses will be the same distance. The head winds will be light and the roads will be dry. You will be able to navigate the bike course without worry of motorized vehicles. You won’t have to change a flat tire. I could go on and on.
So, I took a step back to annualize what a PR really meant. The completion of Girl’s Best Friends marked my 48th triathlon and I realized I am setting a PR every time I cross that finish line! I finished 1^st overall and my sister was 5^thoverall, a PR from our overall placement of 2^nd and 9^th a year ago, but that was where the obvious PRs ended. I had to analyze the data from my Garmin for each leg in search of more. Comparing the swims, I was 30 seconds faster than last year. However, my Garmin showed the swim distance was a little shorter than last year. So, we’ll say I swam the same….no PR. Initial review of the bike times showed I was 4 minutes slower than last year. The bike course is a 2 loop course for Oly distance with a stretch of out and back on each loop. Analyzing the results further, I found the bike course this year was 2 miles longer, but my average pace was actually faster than last year….PR! The run course is a 2 loop course for Oly with a mix of trail and paved roads. On the first loop, I noticed there was an added stretch of road that we had not run in years past. This resulted in the run being about ¼ mile longer than last year. Again, I found my average pace was actually faster than last year….PR! But in the end, after all that data crunching, I decided that what really mattered was knowing I had given it my personal best and any time I can race with my sister, I have my “best time” in a race .

Sheikh and Reynolds Post PRs and Earn Place on Team USA at USAT Age Group Nationals

August 25th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Elaine Sheikh, Team OAM Now Triathlete,

One week prior to USAT Age Group Nationals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I found myself facing some complications. First of all, I was headed to the emergency room in the middle of the night with acute abdominal pain indicative of either a) the onset of gastroparesis, a condition that nearly killed me in 2011, or b) appendicitis, which would require surgery. In either case, I was well aware that my ability to race the next weekend was in jeopardy. However, the doctors were unable to find anything wrong, and as my symptoms resolved to random bouts of dizziness, nausea, and gastric cramping throughout the week, I decided to race. Secondly, my plans for carpooling and sharing a hotel had fallen through. I contacted teammate Brian Reynolds to see if I could possibly carpool with him, and he graciously agreed. Friday morning, then, we met bright and early, picked up Brian’s dad, and headed to Milwaukee. I had no idea how well I would be able to race, but I was certainly ready to give it my best shot!

We arrived in Milwaukee with plenty of time to pick up our packets, check our bikes into transition, and go for a quick 2.5 mile run to loosen up after a long day in the car. Then we met up with a friend of mine from Michigan State Triathlon and her family to get our pre-race pasta dinner.
The next morning, we needed to get to transition at 6:30 am, despite the fact that Brian’s wave was at 9:02 and mine was 10:12. We walked to the race venue, then I quickly lost contact with Brian. I found a couple of friends from the MSU triathlon team, and we laid around under a tree to relax until around 9:30.

As usual in Milwaukee, the swim starts with a countdown, followed by the statement: “You are now in the hands of the starter” and a heartbeat sound effect blared over the speaker system. The heartbeat made my heart sink and a rock settle in my stomach every time it played, so when I was in the water with my hand on the pontoon, I was prepared for the sensation. The heartbeat seemed to play much longer for my wave than it had for previous waves, but eventually the starting horn blew and I let go of the pontoon and shoved my way into the melee of over 100 women, attempting to sprint towards the first buoy. The problem with having so many women line up in one row was that when I started to swim, I was actually crawling over other women. With each “stroke,” instead of slicing through the water, I was actually pushing off the shoulders and backs of the women around me. Soon though, I was actually swimming and tried to settle into a good pattern of breathing and sighting. After swimming under the famous bridge that forced everyone to funnel in together to pass, the swim wasn’t bad and soon I was sighting the beach. I came out of the water hot on the heels of a friend from MSU, and breathlessly gave some encouragement as I ran past her… and promptly slipped and fell on the wet grass turning into transition. I bit back a frustrated yelp and continued trying to get my arms free of the wetsuit. Still, my transition wasn’t overly clumsy and once I hit the bike course, I was ready to rock and roll.

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Anthes Takes First at Caseville Tri- Thanks to Positive Attitude

August 20th, 2015 by Team OAM NOW / Athletic Mentors

By Todd Anthes, Team OAM Now Triathlete

Some say the fourth discipline in triathlon is nutrition. While I can’t totally disagree, I’d argue that the fourth discipline can be a positive attitude. Racing includes a lot of variables, including some that can derail a good, even great, performance. How you deal with those possibilities makes the difference.

In the bike leg of the Caseville Half Iron Distance race on July 12, 2015, I could tell that I was in fifth or sixth place. I had an unremarkable swim and was counting places at the Olympic and half turn-arounds (it was an out-and-back course). It appeared that there was one male athlete so far out in front (e.g. 25+ minutes), that catching him would be impossible. I thought maybe this was an Olympic athlete off-course, or possibly a relay team with a *really* strong swimmer.Regardless, I decided that catching him was not achievable, and instead, I focused on those who were.

I moved up a number of places on the bike and transitioned well. The out-and-back run course was completely exposed to the sun and, for the most part, made up of straight-aways on country roads, a majority of them dirt. Because I train a lot on dirt roads, it felt like home. Even that small comfort helped keep me feeling good.

From almost the get-go of the run, I could see four runners in front of me, spanning a little less than an mile. I knew with how I felt, second place overall was clearly within my abilities. I started to pick off runners slowly, and by the turn-around I was in third place. About the time I passed the second place athlete, shortly after the turn-around, I noted a hard charging athlete. He probably couldn’t catch me, but one never knows.

Now in second place, I began to settle into the idea that was my limitation that day . . . then, all of a sudden, an athlete flew by me. It shocked me, and given his pace, I couldn’t even give chase. And this is where races get tough. It’s easy to start feeling sorry for yourself, and begin to wonder things like, will that hard charging athlete catch me and knock me off the podium and other negative things. However, I did note that when the athlete passed me, he did not have race markings, a race number, or a chip.

I powered through my little funk and maintained my target pace. The last couple miles of the run were going to be really hard as my calves were starting to cramp. The run course was not well supported with water and I could tell I was becoming dehydrated.

With about a mile to go, I came upon an athlete very quickly, and not the one that just passed me a few miles back, but the one who was way out in front of the field on the bike. He was not looking well and I think he cooked the bike to such a degree that he was having a difficult run. With that little boost and a short distance to go, I was resigned to taking second place and finishing this race.

As I started to enter more populated areas near the finish, I began to take in signs that maybe I was the race leader. Sure enough, when approached the finishing line the announcer welcomed me as the winner. I had an inkling that it might be the case, but had let significant doubts enter my mind.

While relaxing in the great ice bath and huge inflatable tent provided by the race organizer, Tri to Finish, I watched the top of the field cross the finish line. The guy I passed right after the turn-around held on for second. The hard charging runner I noted climbed onto the last stop on the podium. The uber biker who was 25+ minutes out in front on the bike took fourth. And then I saw the athlete that passed me on the run. He was chatting up one of the top five or ten athletes. In fact, he was his friend. I’m hoping that his little display on the course was not dirty pool, but regardless, it is a reminder that a lot of things happen on the race course and it is how you deal with them that often determines your day.

You have days when racing where things happen that are completely outside of your control (e.g., weather, better performing athletes, dropping nutrition/water, digestive issues, etc.), but how you choose to address those issues are clearly within your control. It’s quite easy to fall into a poor mental state and count your problems until they become an anchor. But, if you continue to trust yourself, your training, or whatever else lifts you up, good things will happen. Have faith in the process and in the race and know that the triathlon often requires more than physical training.