Muncie 36.2

You may be asking, "36.2?  I thought you weren't doing Muncie."  I wasn't until Friday afternoon when WTC announced the change in distance due to the weather forecast.  While most people were upset with the decision, I was not. 

1 mile swim
29 mile bike (supposed to be 30)
6.2 mile run

Race pictures courtesy of Ali Engin.  Click HERE to see
more photos from Muncie.  I'm in a number of them.  He did a
great job capturing pre-race, transition, and up-close race photos. 

Tues: I talked with my coach and we decided it might be best to race Racine 70.3 instead of Muncie 70.3 (as was originally planned). 

Wed: double workout and full work day.

Thur: full work day and 2 1/4 brick in the evening.

Fri:
6am: long swim. 
Worked 8:30-2:30. 
2:30 got a text from Erika Wetzel  confirming a change in race distance due to and extreme heat forecast (103 degrees + midwest humidity). 
2:32 - called coach and debated whether or not I should race.  He voted "no".
3:09 - called coach back and said, "I think I should race."  We discussed pros/cons and put together a race strategy and I was given the green flag to head to Muncie, IN. 
4:30 - made plans for my dog, car was packed up, got directions to hotel, and was heading west. 
7:30 - had already picked up my packet, snagged a couple items at the expo, got food at Subway, and checked into the hotel. 


Sat:
4:20am - wake up and head to race
6:35am - race start.  The water was 86 degrees.  I was the only one without a speedsuit (which surprised me).  By the halfway point I felt like a noodle in the water due to the temperature.  I fell off pace of the 2 leaders and came out of the water 3rd. 



7:00am - hit the bike.  I almost lost my shoe during T1 and started out on the flat course.  No wind along the ride today.  I felt pretty flat on the bike, but kept pushing.  I'd see 18mph and wonder why I was going so slow... ahhh, false flats.  The adjusted course took us on an out-and-back that merged back into a loop with the waves of racers behind us.  I was thankful for that visual motivation versus the vacant road ahead (which is my typical view on the bike).  I got nearer to the 2nd place racer but did not pass her and ended up 3rd going into the run.  Race highlight: fastest bike split!! 

8:10am - started the run, and was quickly passed at mile 1.5, then 2, then 2.5.  I was still in 6th...still in the money.  The race plan given to me was to relax on the first mile ("ridiculously slow") and build into the run.  The second half I pushed so I could stay top 6, but was passed in the last mile.  After looking at my run split, I may have relaxed a little too much - whoops!  I ended up 7th overall. 

12:00 noon - back home in Dayton, OH getting showered, eating some food, and getting ready to head out to my cousin's wedding.  I was in the chapel by 2:10 with coffee in hand (to stay awake...it was 103 degrees...who would want coffee otherwise?)  The ceremony and reception were fabulous, stocked with good food and dancing.  Congratulations Ty and Cathy! 

Sunday: recovery day (yard work, cleaning my house, getting my roof patched, etc...  that's recovery, right?)  I was thankful for the day off work to get my bearings. 

This upcoming weekend: Racine 70.3
I'm excited - I've always wanted to race this course.  It started out as an event put on by my friends at HFP Racing.  I raced with them for 6 years and keep a handful of their events on my schedule each year. 

Tri Clinic

This weekend Daniel Smith and I hosted a triathlon clinic in Vermilion, Ohio. 

Daniel and I earlier this year in San Diego at the
Wounded Warrior Trials



Developing a training plan that provides zone-focused workouts and adequate recovery, yet allows for flexibility in response to unforseen details remains the priority importance in triathlon.

Any single sport lends itself to numerous details as each athlete strives to gain a competitive edge over their opponents.  Multiply that x3 in this sport...then add transitions into that mix.  Daniel and I covered details from each of these disciplines, and provided advice regarding nutrition, recovery, and strength training. 

 swim clinic

Not only were we able to discuss running technique, but we were fortunate to have AV equipment to record and review each person's run form.  This provides instant feedback to the athlete. 

Click here to visit Daniel's website- he is a creative photographer
AND knowledgable coach

I believe photography and video feedback is one of the most valuable teaching tools in any sport.  Over the years I have learned through visual aids such as these and others.  In competitive swimming, attention to detail combined with training builds an efficient, powerful athlete.  I can remember doing swim benches, stretch cords, and swimming while studying my stroke in a mirror. 

Lodging accomodations allowed me to bike, run, and get an
open water swim right from the front door :)

Afterwards, it was back to training for me.  This heat has been incredible, no?  It was 93 degrees when I went for my bike ride at 5pm.  Bleh...

Sunset, dinner, and relaxation on the beach at the end of the day. 
(right across the street from where I stayed... perfect loction)

I'm excited to continue working with Daniel and offer triathlon clinics.  Contact me if you are interested in attending one!  missykuck@hotmail.com

thank you for everything Daniel!

Kansas 70.3

The song in my mind for this race: CLICK HERE TO LISTEN

My last post indicated my knee issues.  I harp on other people to take time off when injured so I had to heed my own advice.  Here is my running schedule 6 weeks leading up to the race:

6wks out: 5 runs including 1200m repeats, hill efforts, "bookend" brick, and 2 easy runs
5wks out: no running
4wks out: one 30min test run (painful...almost walking) and two 10min jogs
3wks out: one elliptical workout and one 10min jog
2wks out: two elliptical workouts, 3 water jog workouts, three 10min jogs, one 2-mile jog
1wks out: 2mile, 3mile, 3mile, 4mile, 4mile, 6mile EASY
Race week: 2mile, 3mile, 4mile, 5mile

Not only did a conservative training approach allow me to finish the race, but also a "team effort" in terms of logistics.  Here's what I mean:

Tina covered "on-call" at work so I could go to the race.

Jeff "aka: Speedy feet" brought my bike to Cathie



Cathie and Valerie (elite E2 racers) drove 10hrs
from OH to KS to race...with my bike in the back



Kromer let me borrow his
race wheels...since he is temporarily retired
from triathlon after Lake Placid




Nickie (elite Veritas racer) let me borrow
her speedsuit.  My WTC-legal speedsuit has
not arrived yet.  Waited for the TriSports sale to order it :)







Lou shuttled me to/from the airport (and helped feed
 my Dairy Queen habit).  He shaved a "monkey tail"
in his beard on race day....AWESOME!!  Miss you Abby

Cathie's parents were a gracious homestay
for Cathie, Valerie, and I the night before the race



Race Report:

Swim:  the winds were high, making the water very choppy.  I've never swallowed so much lake water.  Wetsuits were not allowed (water temp 76.8) and many people's race was finished somewhere during the first leg of the race.  I came out of the water 3rd

Bike:  I loved this course-  rollers all the way, baby!  The wind made things a bit interesting: leaning into the crosswinds, coming out of aero on some downhills to hold onto the bike, pedaling uphill with the wind at my back almost as fast as I had gone downhill a few minutes previous on the turn-arounds.  I held my position in 3rd throughout the bike section. 

Run: I set up my gear in T2 almost as a joke.  I thought the effort from the 56 hilly miles would put my knee out.  But it didn't, so the plan was to run up to the point of pain, then flag someone down for a ride back to transition.  I didn't want a DNF by my name, but started the run assuming I'd be done in 2 miles.  Then 4 miles...6 miles...by mile 8 I was holding strong in 4th place and decided I was finishing the race.  When I got passed at mile 11, I encouraged the racer to catch the pro in 3rd (which she did...) and finished the race in 5th.  Splits indicated I almost even split the run exactly! 

Jenne was the most energetic supporter out on the
run course!  I didn't know her, but had to meet her
after the race and thank her for dancing and
playing music



I made "thank you" peanut butter s'mores cookie bars for people.
Here's the link for the recipe:  RECIPE





25% off at TriSports June 13-14 only!

haha!  me at age 10-ish (something tells me
i'm going to regret posting this picture...)

ok everyone - i feel like a walking billboard ever since last year. it's not really my style, but i promote the people who support me and the companies i trust


TriSports 25% off June 13-14th only!!!
(did i say that loud enough? 25% off is huge...can't deny that. ask them about free shipping offers)

*enter MKUCK-S in the comment section*

they are having a contest to see who can get the most referrals during this sale.... smart tactics - tell a bunch of uber-type-A-competitive athletes to try and win at something

• everyone on E2 tri team (or another team) enters a different code... whenever you order from TriSports enter the E2 code for your discount and MKUCK-S in the comment section. entering my code may not always adjust the $$ amount in addition to your discount but it lets TriSports know i am promoting their name (and that is really important to me)
• not everyone in this email does tri's... but nearly all of you exercise and some of you coach (or you know someone who does) and they sell shoes, swim suits, clothes, and nutrition at great prices
• ok....some of you hate to exercise and are probably going to delete this email... but you'd be missing out on a sale for those running shoes you wear to work, walk your dog, or wear to Cedar Point

forward this via email- anyone can use it

MKUCK-S 

here's my shopping list: (just to name a few... i usually wait for a big sale like this and go to town)

1. Speedsuit
2. Aqua Jogger http://www.trisports.com/aqfitbe.html
3. Finis tempo trainer http://www.trisports.com/finis-tempo-trainer.html
4. GU chomps http://www.trisports.com/gu-chomps.html

Rough Month

Been one heck of a month!  Rather than bore you with the details, here's the brief, picture version:

Momentary lack-of-body-awareness leads to a knee-whacking episode while pumping my tire

 

Running was going GREAT - hills, intervals, long runs, negative splitting, pulling a tire, etc. After one long brick my knee started hurting and I chose to eliminate bikes/runs from training in hopes to still race the next weekend.

Cancel St Croix 70.3....boo!

Basement flooded since my outdoor water spigot burst...what? I thought we had a mild winter?

Knee feeling better so I go for an easy spin on bike path and....WHAM!! A girl bikes out of the woods (from a restricted area, where bikers are not allowed), doesn't look when crossing the path 10ft in front of me, and I slam into her - went flipping end over end, hit my head, broke my bike, cracked my helmet, and went to the ER to see if everything was ok. Praise GOD she and I were OK... could've been much worse.  Cracked fork on both sides... ouch!

Internet goes out for 3 weeks (hence no blog activity) after disconnecting from cable on a trial. Hmmm - maybe not the best decision with the 2012 London Olympics coming up in 2 months...

Knee not recovered after bike wreck, so no running for 3 more weeks (with the exception of the 2x/week 10min test run with my dog Holly)

Cancel Florida 70.3...boo!

 

Trial using the elliptical and water jogging. If I took it easy (which wasn't easy), this was a great way to maintain some sort of running fitness without the pounding. I borrowed an AquaJogger belt from a friend, Jeff Watern. My next purchase from TriSports will be an AquaJogger for myself - I plan to keep this in my regular training routine (and recommend it to anyone to aid in recovery and overall fitness). 

MRI last week (most expensive 30 min nap I've ever taken) verifies no structural damage (again, praise God) and only fluid around my knee.

 

Bought new Brooks PureFlow from Up and Running - making sure I am running on shoes with adequate tread and cushion will make sure my knee continues to recover. Icing and compression is key in this process too!! (110%Play Harder)

After 4 wks off running, I'm slowly beginning to run again. Started with 2 miles and am trying to listen to the advice I give everyone: take it easy and build back into it gradually.

 

So what's next??  Kansas 70.3 is looming over my head next weekend.  Do I go, knowing the flight is already bought and only do the swim/bike portion?  The intensity of a 70.3 is a lot...  I'll have to think about this one.  Want to recover SMART.  There's no use jumping back in too early and setting myself back...  But do I give it a try?  We'll see...
miss

Superfood: Chia Seeds - MILA

Here is a quick summary of the nutrition changes I've made over the past 6 months:

1. Eliminate empty calories
2. Eliminate unnecessary sugars
3. Insert vegetables whenever possible
4. Insert "super-foods"

The first 2 items essentially are a self-control factor, and all require you to make a conscious effort when grocery shopping.  The new recipes I've tried (many thanks to Pinterest) have made changing some old habits much easier. 

#4 Super Foods - what does this mean?  I am talking about those foods that are packed with multiple health benefits.  Topping the list of foods I've added to my diet include: (click on the words to learn health benefits; click on "recipe" to learn how to make these great dishes)

recipe

Sweet Potato:  Sweet potato black bean burger








recipe



Edamame:  Lime ginger quinoa salad with edamame, cucumber, and shrimp

recipe

Avocado:  Guacamole bruschetta








recipe



Chia Seeds:  Overnight, No-cook oatmeal






I'd never heard of Chia Seeds until talking with elite Ohio triathlete Bryan Krabbe.  He introduced me to this food and I did some research.  Last month I was introduced to Mila, a provider of raw chia seeds.  (There are differences when using raw versus already-ground seeds.)  Mila chia seeds "have the highest and safest combination of omega-3 fatty acids, proteins, antioxidants, fiber and phytonutrients of any source on the planet". 

Mila's website

This past month I experimented adding the seeds in various recipes (nothing to it really....just add a scoop or two and enjoy).  Here are my favorites:

1. Oatmeal - oatmeal, non-fat cottage cheese, banana, walnuts, chia seeds
2. Sweet potato pancakes - spread some almond butter on top...mmm
3. Water or juice - allow the seeds to sit a while and absorb the liquid for hydration benefits
4. Smoothie - mix any of your favorite ingredients and enjoy!

The only caution I will provide: clean up chia seeds with a paper towel.  I used a sponge and **poof**  the sponge was forever embedded with plump chia seeds :) 


miss

Texas 70.3

What a different feeling going into my first race this season in comparison to last year.  Much more relaxed -amazing what a year can bring!  My viewpoint of racing has changed immensely in just one season racing the professional division and I am excited to apply what I've learned. 


The first race of the season is often a reminder of the many details of racing - not to mention travel logistics.  There were many errors made on my part in this category, so read along and learn from my mistakes:

My Bob-Duncan-stunt-double.  Thank you James and Randy
for helping

• Rule #1: Review your packing list and make sure you have all the necessary race gear and that it is in good condition.   
• Fail.  I forgot my race belt and my extra pair of goggles had a broken strap...so when I dropped my good pair in the ocean the day before the race (...and they sunk) I didn't have a good backup.  Hello expo!! 
• Rule #2: Test your race gear before you travel.  If you have not raced since last season, gear details may have changed or need to be updated/replaced.
• Fail.  New bike = different packing logistics.  Different race wheels = 1. Bike computer magnet missing; 2. Wheels not fitting correctly = crash course via phone with Bob on bike maintenance.  
• Rule #3: Don't try anything new on race day that you haven't trialed already.
• Fail.  I knew my shoes would require Yankz for a fast T1, but didn't switch them until the day before the race.  WAY TOO TIGHT!

Race Report

Swim: Overcast morning = able to see the buoys better.  Water temp allowed me to wear my Aquaman Cell Gold.  We had a water start 4 minutes behind the male pros, the gun went off and a couple of us surged to the front.  There were 2 leading, then our small pack of 3-4 just behind them navigating the triangle-shaped course.  The back stretch seemed to take forever, I started getting tired but kept saying to myself, "Remember the technique you've been working on over the past 10 weeks.  Stick with it- don't give up".  Swim time 25:55 and went onto the bike in 6th place with a few girls just ahead. 


Bike: The bike course is a single, flat out-and-back along the coast.  The road conditions are wonderful but the wind is a factor!  I passed 3 ladies early on in the bike, but held my position as we battled a headwind for 28 miles.  I settled in my aerobars of my new bike - no power meter...no odometer...  just going off "feel".  Legs started screaming somewhere along the way, but I decided not to listen to them.  Bike split = 2:26 hitting T2 in 4th or 5th (not certain). 

Paul Phillips / Competitive Image

Run: The run course is a complicated 3-loop course, but the volunteers directed us wonderfully.  My Brooks PureFlow are so comfortable...when you don't have your Yankz pulled too tight.  Feet went numb around mile #2.  The first lap was right on target pace and I was praying my typical even splitting would take over.  Not the case - the wheels came OFF!  It was a struggle to finish the last 6 miles as I kept telling myself, "You are fine.  Just think of it as a training run when you are fatigued."  Run split: 1:38


Overall Finish: 12th.  I'm happy with the first 60 miles of the 70.3 race.  Just have to figure out the last couple miles :)

Congrats to everyone this weekend: Katrina, April, James, Janet, and Sylvia

Race Positives:
1. New Nutrition at aid stations is EXACTLY what I already use!  GU chomps and Bonk Breakers in my GelHammock.  I was a very happy girl :)
2. Met new friends from Atlanta area - thank you for everything and hope to see you at future races this season.
3. Cobwebs cleared out and I will be better prepared for my next race.
4. This race, while it was good, was not my limit.  I know where and how to focus my training over the next weeks/months to continue making improvements.
5. New bike maintenance learned by force.  I've avoided it long enough...time to learn! 
6. TriBikeTransport...such a blessing and stress reliever :)


I'm going to talk with my coach this week about where we go next!  Can't wait!! 
miss

ps...I didn't meet Lance but it sounds like he had a similar day to mine...tough run

Irreversible Change - Marine Corps Trials #2

"Some choices are irreversible and some cause irreversible change". 

The 2012 Marine Corps Trials are finished - congratulations to the team of 50 athletes chosen to represent at the Warrior Games in April. What an experience! I met some incredible people and hope to stay connected with this program. 




Awesome view of a swim start - David Chirinos
enters the water with a great streamline! 




The archery competition went as planned even after
all the equipment was stolen just days before trials began. 




Cycling included upright, hand cycle, and recumbant bikes.




Track events included both long distance and sprint events




Seated volleyball - one "cheek" must be in contact with
the floor at all times. 




Shooting had multiple categories: rifle (prone and upright) and pistol.
Accuracy was recorded via computerized screen. 




Wheelchair basketball games were intense!  People flipping backwards,
landing on the floor, crashing into one another...




I did not get to see many events in person due to time spent
at the pool, but I did catch the final events of the track competition.






It's tough leaving such a positive environment, returning to "the grind" of everyday life. This community exemplified support and encouragement in the face of uncertainty and negative circumstances. I hope to emulate the selfless acts and willing spirits, and long for the camaraderie I witnessed in these few short days. 




We worked hard in the pool but also took
time to enjoy the experience

At the pool practicing streamlines. The athletes were expected
to practice the highest level of technique to maximize efficiency. 

Service dogs assist in more ways than just physical.
Kionte Storey was one of many with a dog this week. 

The basketball team was led by top of line coaches
from all over the country.




The team from Netherlands.  They brought wisdom, energy, a competitive spirit,
fun, and hard work to the table.  Good to spend time getting to know you!
Best of luck to you all!




The French team was a delight to spend time with - willing to learn,
very coachable, and always joking with one another.  Interpreters erased the
language barrier and allowed us to share experiences with one another.  

It is easy to disconnect from opportunities when our path is uncertain, redirected, or not what we expected. We all have dreams we push aside because of fear. I often wonder "What would happen if _____ (insert any undesirable life situation here)? How would I respond? What would I change about my life? How would I cope?" After this week I realize I am the only one who can put a limit to the circumstances and experiences in my life. 

Joe Townsend - also an Ironman UK finisher.

Swimming events included 50m Free, 100m Free,
50m back, and 4x50m Free relay.



Shot Put



Robert Norman adapts how he draws back the bow.

Paul de Gelder's accuracy was not
effected by the shark attack

Manuel Ramirez pushed hard in
the 1500m track event

In the triathlon world speed, publicity, and rank are rewarded. Don't get me wrong, winning feels great. Meeting a goal offers such a sense of relief and accomplishment. I thrive with structure and goals. But often valuable qualities are lost or forgotten when winning is the focus. There has to be a balance. Let's emphasize the journey rather than the outcome. I'm not suggesting a lack of intensity or squelching the drive inside us to excel. Instead I am reminding us to evaluate the quality of our actions as we meet dreams we once thought were impossible. 

No lack of intensity here.

Josue Barron is a phenomenal ball player

Pistol events

Chuck Sketch is not only a double amputee,
he also is blind. 

Joe lapped his competition in this event.