Goodbye 2010 and hello 2011

Here is my review of 2010:

January

...a snowy time in Flagstaff. It was my first New Years in the US, we had a great evening with lots of friends at our house. I got to mix some german cold weather drinks :-) and everyone seemed to be very happy...

...Jack loved the snow...

...Pam took me back country skiing and it was GREAT...

...January was a tough month for training with all the snow...

February

...Tucson Bicycle Classic...after a great TT my second day ended with a crash on the last kilometer. The field was together and we were screaming down a hill...and then I hit a hole...wheel broken, frame broken, stitches, got cactus spines removed from my leg with a lovely scapel...

April

...SUPERSEAL...my favorite Triathlon... Pam and I had a great roadtrip and a great homestay...

...lots of fresh fish eating going on in the 4 days...

...and even snorkeling...

ALSO: made an offer on a house AND wedding preparations are running...

May

...great party before our wedding at TRIBE and after that a few drinks...

...wedding dress testing with stitches in my leg (you should have seen the eyes of the salesperson...thousands-of dollars dresses and a bloody leg :-)

...and then we got married on May 7th BUT CINQO DE MAYO is our real wedding day (when we were married in the courthouse)... the wedding was beautiful..and I was so glad that my family made it through the snow storm :-)

June

...rainy Flagstaff = awesome cyclocrossing...

...also Jack learns how to swim :-)

...also moving to Phoenix just in time for summer :-) Yeah...

July

...back to Germany for ANKE and JENS's wedding!!! It was beautiful!!!

August

...Checking out the trails around Flagstaff...BEAUTIFUL!!!

November

...hiking the Grand Canyon for 5 days!!! WOHOOO...

December

...Christmas in AZ...my parents and my brother are here :-) too bad the weather decided to be under normal :-( ...

...Sven volunteered to catch fish in the Grand Canyon...

...after 3 days of snow we finally got to hike back out with him...

...I loved having my family here!!!

Hello 2011:

I have a lot planned for 2011 and everything seems to be on track. Racing starts next week (and I am glad to be racing again) with a Criterium in Phoenix. I even have a trip to Germany planned in August and it will involve lots of family time and 3 races :-) I haven't raced in Germany for a long time!!! Also I am trying to figure out what field to get my Masters in...but...it has taken me 2 years to decide already so no promises that it will be figured out this year :-)

The main thing for 2011 is to stay healthy, happy and injury free - not only for me but for everyone!!!

To a great 2011!!!

And the cross season came to an end...

Unfortunately...

I love the cross season. AZ Cross did a great job putting on fast and challenging courses (even without mud!!!).

Last weekend were the State Championships. We had 2 AZ guests from New England (and our 3-4 usual women :-). Off course they thought it was way to hot to do cyclocross. There was a tiny but of mud on the course (it didn't even splash) and I thought it was funny to warn them..."there is a little bit of mud over there..." They just looked at me and one of them said: "Where?" She had just raced Cross Nationals in Oregon and I guess the course was just covered in mud...

The race was super fun (as always). I had to promise JR that before the 2011 cross season will start I will have functional brakes (who needs brakes...I have 4 on my bike, but only one works, there was another one that worked but the piece holding the break together fell out during the last race :-) OOOps...AND I will get brake pads too...(his usual before the 2010 races was: There are no pads left...I have never seen brakes that worn out...he is funny)

Oh well, the season is over-til next year cross bike.

Time to bake some cookies!!!

70's and sunny in December...

The Phoenix live is not so bad afterall :-) I rode my bike in shorts today and the forecast for tomorrow is sunny and 70's...IN DECEMBER.

I have ridden my bike more this week then I have ever done...mhhh...yes, I think that is a true statement...OK, maybe except for one or two other weeks...or a training camp week...

However I have never done two hard days in a row-before this week :-) THAT IS A TRUE STATEMENT

After 2 years of self coaching I finally have a coach!!! I am so excited not having to try to create a plan for myself anymore...even though I have a degree in Exercise Science, I believe it is nearly impossible to coach myself...rest day? Who needs a rest day? 4 races in 4 weeks? Sure!!!

So...I got to meet Nick. Nick is a great coach - nice (and mean when it comes to specific workouts), focused and observant. I always had a coach as a runner. First in my club in Germany, then in college. I trust my coach and do not question what he has me do-because I know that he has a reason for every day's workouts!!! Having a coach allows me to focus on doing the work I need to do.

Nick had athletes competing at IM AZ and he was out there supporting them all day (and my rockstar friend/teammate/first-time-IM-finisher-and-kick-ass-athlete Teri http://www.teritwarkins.blogspot.com/ who competed in IM AZ said: he was everywhere...with good advice).

His bussiness is called Durapulse (http://www.durapulseperformance.com/) and is at the same location as TRIBE Multisports - which means: as an endurance fan like me, you can spend ALL DAY there!!! Super multisports store + training + science + spinning + core +... and fun people.

What you can find at Tribe/Durapulse is one of only 7 USAT certified performance centers in the Nation (if you want to read more about it go to: http://www.usatriathlon.org/resources/for-athletes/usat-certified-training-and-performance-centers ).

I am super excited to be training under Nick's guidance and racing with Tribe Multisports in 2011.

Thanksgiving in the Grand Canyon

Thanksgiving in the Grand Canyon is a tradition for us (since meeting Pam and Shannon :-)...this year we decided to pack our bags for a 5 day/4 night trip. JR and I got most of our equipment only a week before the trip...so we got to do a few pratice hikes in the Phoenix Mountains and that was it...we filled our packs with books and went out the door...one person even asked us if we are camping out there :-)



Then Wednesday arrived and we went up to the Grand Canyon...and SNOW!!! We turned into phoenicians now, so 10 degree nights didn't sound too good...brrrrrrrr...down we went.

We had a great crew with us. Pam and Shannon off course, Susie and Brian, Shaula and Tom. All really great people!!!

Water refill...JR and I decided to say no to this one as it was close to an old mine, where we saw a: "Do not enter, Radiation warning"-sign...but maybe we would have stayed warmer drinking that water :-) Here is the rest of the crew filtering water:

We dropped in elevation and the snow disappeared. The views in the canyon are beautiful!!!

First night: Hance creek. We cooked our dinner, built the tent and went to bed at 7:30 pm :-)

The mornings were always the craziest. We were still cold from the night, hands frozen trying to take the tent down, making coffee, and packing our gear...

Along the Tonto Trail we went. The views were again amazing...and they gave me goosebumps...some of the drop offs are sooooooo steep!!!

We spent the second night at the Cottonwood Creek...again: beautiful!!! The best part is that we barely saw any people. It was Thursday, which also ment it was Thanksgiving. We had a great Thanksgiving dinner with Smoked Trout (Brian caught it a few days before in the Colorado River- and yes, he is allowed to do that:-) , Mashed potatoes, Gravy, Stuffing, Red Cabbage and Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Bars :-) Yummm..hiking in style!!!

The next day the hike felt a lot easier as we had eaten many pounds of food the night before...oh did I mention we had a few Nalgene's full of wine?

Look at the drop off right next to the trail...see the little people walking? Yah, that is where we walked. It wouldn't be bad if they would have built the trail even (hello? what were those guys in the late 1800's thinking?) The trail is slanted, with a nice angle towards the drop off...no twisting ankles here...

Only 5 more miles to go...

Grapevine Creek, we are trying to stay warm with hot beverages: tea, coco, bailey's, jameson's,...you name it, we had it!!!

Our morning view into the Nalgene bottles...NICE...we dropped some water on the ground and a second later it was frozen...that might give you an idea what the temps were like....

Last day: sore sore sore...Massages very much needed!!! Not sure what was in pain the most: lower legs, quads, back? Mhhh...

Sunday morning: the storm is rolling in. Noone slept as the wind was CRAZY!!! We had to put our rain cover on twice even though it was hammered into the ground!!! It was great...I love storms!!! And snow :-) Bring it on...

The hike out. 3 miles to go...we better put these on:

Yeah, somewhere back there is the Colorado River:-)

Pam on the final stretch:

The hike was great and I am so thankful that we get to do these adventures!!! The Grand Canyon is a beautiful place.

I am so excited for Thanksgiving 2011 and new adventures!!!

My camera doesn't do the views justice-it is truely an amazing place...check out Brian's pics at http://bhealyphoto.zenfolio.com/ . He is a great photographer!!! His pics show how it really is!!!

Did I ever mention the cave of doom...I mean dome? If you like caves, there is a huge cave system 3 miles off the rim...it is super scary and I was out of there within the minute...Thanks to having watched "The hills have eyes" and "The descent"...you can follow this string in the dark for around an hour and it leads you from "room" to "room" and eventually you come out ona cliff ...that is what we heard...not sure if I will ever be up for that...

SKINSTRONG

Skinstrong is keeping my skin strong in 2011!!!

I am really excited to work with the nice people from SKINSTRONG next year. Their product is not only great but also affordable!!!

Go to www.skinstrong.com and check out their products. They are in the process of developing many more great things and I am looking forward to using them. The SKINSTRONG SLIK is my absolute favorite: after many years as a runner (collegiately and as a triathlete) you would think that my feet are used to running and I wouldn't get any blisters or sores anymore...yeah...right...I guess I have very sensitive feet, but I have sprayed the Slik on the heel of my foot and have not gotten a blister. Even better, it can be used on ANY body part. I have used it in open water swims under my race suit and my wetsuit on the really tight spots and it has work there better then anything else...the spray is easy to apply, you don't need a lot-unlike other products.

Another great product is the SLATHER - I am looking forward to all those riding miles in the winter in AZ :-) The SLATHER is a great tool for cyclists as well!!!

And at 9.99 $ the product is very affordable, which is what athletes, especially triathletes need (with the entry fees for races increasing and increasing, and products getting more expensive).

If you want to try it out you can go to the homepage and shop right there!!! Add to your shopping cart and it will be on its way.

Also, the product was developed by athletes for athletes. They have been competing in IM events, cycling, running, ... they know where we hurt. And on top of that they are super nice people, always happy and very supportive to athletes like me.

Thanks SKINSTRONG for letting me be part of the journey!!!

Winter is coming...Phoenix is cooling down to a low of 58 during the night now :-) (which is pretty much the nightly SUMMER average in Flagstaff) This morning the pool was steaming during morning practice, and I have to admit, it was chilly whenever my arm was out of the water...brrr...I am excited to see how training at 5:30 am in an outdoor pool feels like in December/January...

JR and I spent last weekend in Flagstaff for Cyclocross race number 1 and 2. I had two fun races with 2 W, but JR had 2 races with a lot of bad luck. In the first race he got rear ended and lost his chain completely...then it just kept jumping and skipping...same the next day, so he had to pull out and we discovered that his chane was actually broken.

I am still working on getting my foot healed up (sleeping with "the sock").I am back to building mileage in running, but have to take all the precautions...taping...PT...icing...stretching...exercises...the good thing is that the "limited running" gives me time to improve my swimming!!!

Jack had one of his friends over the other week and they had a ton of fun digging holes and playing.

This little guy was hiding in the yard...AHHHHHHHH...so I had to eliminate him :-) Hope it was the first and the last dinosaur-looking animal I will see in my yard.

Friday night the Endurance Rehab team went Go Kart racing. Here is a shot of the men's podium...noooo, there was no fighting or bumping involved...not during the race and not after...

I am very excited to start planning the 2011 season. It looks like I will kick it off with the National Wintertriathlon Championships in January. Also I am hoping to get to race in the Super Sprint Triathlon Grand Prix which involves all out racing for short distances!!! Sounds GREAT!!! They just had the kick off race last weekend in Oceanside and I think it is genius to bring a race format like that on the race circuit. I am really looking forward to all 5 of the races next year!!!

No more resting

My puppy is turning into a water dog!!! Finally.

Springer Spanies are not only supposed to be water dogs but also bird hunting dogs. For the first year of Jack's life: water...not interested...birds...not interested...oh and bringing things back:really not interested!!!

But since we moved to Phoenix he has been loving the water!!! I swam at Bartlett Lake the other day and JR was standing on shore with Jack. I was about 200m from shore and all of the sudden Jack decides he wasnts to come see me :-) Good boy!!!

Also he loves ot go in the pool all of the sudden!!!

We are still waiting on the bird interest!!!

On the dangerous animals in the desert side:

I saw my first scorpion...CREEPY...he was in our yard hiding under flour pots...a few screams later he was gone and I am hoping not to see any more!!!

On the training side:
Things are great!!! I am getting my mileage up on the bike(thanks to all the great group ride you can do in Phoenix), in the pool and RUNNING!!!

Last week I went to the weekly rides from GAINEY VILLAGE, with the Tuesday ride being 2 hrs and the Thursday ride being 2.5 hrs...then on Saturday I rode the BOS ride, which was just over 3 hours with lots of power (60 guys and me:-)...but it was not enough for the week. On Sunday JR and I drove to South Mountain and did the South Mountain ride, which includes about 45 min of warm up, 1 hr of all out sprinting (and I couldn't resist to attack), then a 7 mile climb up SOuth Mountain and another 45 min back to the car...so on Monday my legs were a little tired.

I also did my first Temporun yesterday and it felt great!!!

The rest season in Phoenix is up and the built phase has begun. The season here in the valley starts in December with some Halfmarathons and continues to build from there with running and cycling!!!

And not to forget:
The AZ CYCLOCROSS races start NEXT WEEK!!! With a 2 day event in Flagstaff!!! WHohoooooooooooo!!!