WHAT I’VE BEEN UP TO

Actually, the title should probably say what have I not been up to… As you know, the holidays and New Year pretty much ramp everything down just in time to then super-ramp them up. Speaking of cranking stuff up, I did just that and created one of my best high-volume, base-building atmospheres of training yet. Ironically, it came from one of my best (rare, yet they always turn out good) spur of the moment decisions to head south. So, what I’ve been up to is playing outside in the sun for the holidays while mixing in a lot of fun training and catching up on that thing we call life.

ROAD TRIP! Pictures might do some partial justice…

December 15-19^th

I ventured first on down to my favorite place to train in Cali- Santa Cruz. It’s the Eugene of California. It’s pretty easy to see why this is such an awesome place to train. I also get to stay with my second family on the West Coast- Ron and Martha every time I go down there. Some of the most loving and fun people to be with.

Riding to Pescadero and up and down PCH is truly amazing. 5+ hour rides go by so fast in the sunshine. I was in love with the 60 degree weather.

I had to go back to Wilder Ranch State Park after my mid-morning long run and visit it again at sunset. It's so enjoyable to embrace the little things in life.

Yeah, I get to run up and down these coast bluffs on trails. Epic is an understatement at Wilder Ranch Park.

December 19-20^th Seal Beach SoCal!

I made a quick pit-stop before heading down further to Tucson in Seal Beach just in time to celebrate Kevin’s Birthday and have a good swim session at the pool with Megan. The headquarters of TYR is definitely TYR dominated in that pool…

December 21-31^st Tucson Time!

Oh boy did I have fun in Tucson. So many options, so little time! Swimming with the Ford Aquatics team was a pleasure to return to and bump up two faster lanes! I finally found a place in my heart for Tucson this time. I truly loved it and had a blast. I also got to hang out with my grandparents and stay with them for awhile. It was definitely a luxury to have my awesome, yes, "Ironman Live" famous Grandma cook for me every night! They were a pleasure to be around and we learned a lot of fun new things from each other.

My Grandparents pool in Green Valley was rad. And only .4 miles away. And outside. In the sunshine. What more could I ask for?!

I got in some awesome doubles and enjoyed a few sunset swims. Pools galore!

Christmas day was awesome. Swim in sunshine followed by a bike road trip from Green Valley- Mission, Gates Pass, Twin Peaks Road then to Oro Valley where my Grandparents met me at my Aunt and Uncles for an awesome Christmas Day Dinner! Picturesque Christmas day if you ask me!

Tom, my past roomie and fellow pro triathlete and I climbed to the very top of Mt. Lemmon. In shorts. It was 80 degrees. We only put clothes on for the descent. Despite being gluten free I was going to get a cookie at the cookie cabin, but there was about a couple hundred people there. One of my top 20 most epic rides for sure. And you can make that climb prettty hard if you want to.

Our Park-Link Road/ Oro Valley bike ride that turned into 6+ hour ride. Making both Leanda and I's longest ride of the year. Blast though. Fun times training with her. Positive and super motivated for this year. It fed off on me. LOVE it!

Leanda and I rode to Kitt Peak. Didn't stop us at border patrol good thing because L needs her visa...

Then Leanda takes me on a swim sesh in her posh J.W. Marriott in Starr Pass. Pure luxury.

I went on one of the most AWESOME trail long runs ever up at Dove Mountain! The small pebble gravel is a runners dream. And got a lasting souvenir from it ;) Even running uphill. I'm blaming the hard swim workout before. First whoopsie any type of crash in 2 years! So worth it though!

I went on some retail therapy- but not for myself, bought stuff for others for Xmas at La Encantada in Oro Valley.

December 31-January 1st! NEW YEAR in SoCAL Seal Beach!

I had a blast at Kevin and Heathers for New Years. Heather is thee best cook in the world, had an awesome dinner, played electronic banking Monopoly that Kevin was so psyched about and toped it off going to an awesome wine bar. The next day was full of Elliptago riding and laughing and getting an awesome highlight and cut by Miss H! Talent.

New Years was spent in Seal Beach with some of my favorites: Kevin and Heather and Mega-Meg!

January 1-8^th Santa Cruz with Ben!

To top off the amazing trip, Ben drove down to Santa Cruz with his sister Jessica to enjoy some sunshine and be an awesome training partner. Speaking of training partner- Ben’s racing Ironman St. George too. Honestly, he kept up with me on all the training sessions in Santa Cruz. He can swim faster than me, but I can run faster than him… I think. It’ll be a close race on who finishes first. I’m one lucky woman to get to train with my partner for the same IM. Not many couples can adjust their schedules to both compete and train together. Any bets on who’s going to cross the line first?

Got to swim outside in the 50m pool at the Simpkins Swim Center in Santa Cruz. LOVE this place... and my new Oakleys :) ok, and Ben.

Top 10 best rides ever. Period. Big Sur is truly amazing. I don't know how the Tour de Cali actually raced beside such spectacular views, but the switch-backs are a roadies dream! Plus the impeccable road surface there now!

The view along West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz every evening, whether it was coming home from a long ride or a brick run afterwards. I want to take up surfing. Have you ever seen an unhappy surfer?

I’m now back in Eugene, loving the massive aerobic base along and increased muscular endurance strength I’ve developed. I’m not loving not being able swim, bike and run all the time outside. But right now, I’m focusing more on my swimming, speed and starting to gain back more threshold work. The first race is in 2 months. Oceanside 70.3 marks my first race of the year and then there’s something bigger after that- Ironman St. George. So I’ll be going Southbound again shortly to keep making the best of my training everyday all while getting stronger.

Plus, I've been working on some other exciting stuff- like new sponsors for 2012. Stay tuned to see what's new for me for 2012! It's gonna be a great year!

Cheers,

- kenz

SWIM SPEED WORKOUT

So it's the off-season. And my weakest link is swimming. Swimming fast.

Sound familiar? Or want dozy speed workout? Here's what I did today:

WU: 200-100-200 combo on 1:30 interval, middle 100 fast

200 pull

10 x 50 on the :50 25 drill, 25 swim sprint

200 pull

5 x 200 on 3:00 hard

5 x 50 on the :50 25 drill, 25 swim sprint

10 x 50 on the minute sprints

5 x 50 on :50

5 x 50 on :40

15 x 100 on the 1:30 above race pace for 15-20 sec rest

5 x 100 on the 2:00 all out fastest possible

10 x 25 sprints on :30

3 x 500 on the 7:00 one swim, one pull w.paddles, one paddles no buoy

Total: 7,400

IRONMAN FLORIDA 2ND PLACE: PART II RUNNING TO THE FINISH

I jumped off my bike with an extreme willingness to be done riding. I was more than ready to hit the ground and start running for 26.2, or at least try to. Along with my quad “crampage”, I was getting hot foot (more like nerve zinger burning foot) on the bike. It’s happened to me more since the surgery and once it starts it doesn’t stop; despite crunching my toes crunching and flexing my foot. When I hit the pavement it felt like I was running on burning pogo sticks. I was ready to put on my K-Swiss shoes to help cushion the feet pounding on the pavement. Believe it or not I actually went with my trainers for the marathon, which was one of the best pre-race decisions I made this time.

I came in and out of T2 in 4^th. I wanted nothing but a podium finish. That was my goal coming into this Ironman. My body felt GREAT as far as my physical effort. All my aerobic training had been perfect and was endless. It’s just those random aches and pains of the body that get to you in an Ironman. It’s about being strong and staying strong. It’s about believing in yourself that you can remain strong, despite the race day mishaps. I was going to continue to reserve some energy in the tank, but go at a solid pace when I felt good. I started out at 6:50 pace, something I knew I was more than capable of holding onto regardless of muscle fatigue. I went light and quick on the feet to try to minimize the quad jarring.

I’m rolling along and something else starts to roll- my stomach, as it was my usual lunchtime when I started the run. So I immediately started hitting up the best treat ever- the sugary, slightly carbonated, cold, refreshing, caffeinated coke. I only took a couple of gels on the run and mainly got my calories from coke- the only time I ever drink pop(or “Soda” if you must). After about 20 minutes I came up on Sofie Goos who was currently in 3^rd place. A couple miles later I heard a golf cart come up and Michellie’s encouraging words and that I was about 7:30 back from Jessica Jacobs… If she cracks, 1^st place would still be possible because I was definitely gaining on second. The women’s 3^rd place cyclist leading me asked me what my name was. It was one of the simplest most entertaining gestures that was made during that segment of the marathon. She told people ahead that my name was Mackenzie because by then I was getting a continuous cheering from the crowds as the miles ticked by. One of the tallest guys I’d seen on the race course that day started running towards me at full speed to then quickly get in the phrase “Mackenzie will you marry me?” as he barely made it by me. It definitely gave me an odd "what the hell?" smile and took my mind of the quad and foot combo pain. Watch out other pros- it’s becoming a hilarious trend.

Quads kind of hurting... not so much smiling here, Michellie rolling up behind me.

I was heading back into town almost done with the first half marathon loop as I came upon Bree Wee who was holding 2^nd. She had been leading most of the race and I think I saw her son on a bike cheering her along when I started closing in on her. During the pass I told her to “stay strong” and she told me “she’s not that far up there- go get her!” Again it was time to start picking it up a bit because if Jessica cracks, I had a chance at winning. Little did I know that she had put an even further lead on me, she was now 9:15. But if she cracks…

I ended up closing in on the first half marathon in 1:29. Running down Surf Drive forced nothing but a huge smile and high-fives out of me. The whole experience felt like something you’d get in the Tour de France up those hill climbs mixed in with a beach club. Complete with strippers… or an aide station completely full of women dressed up in not too racy (they kept it PG for the kids) strip club attire. I proceeded to get whipped in the arse with a ball and chain get-up. I think it might’ve helped with my forward momentum a little bit.

I love my job. :)

Being in second made me up the ante a bit to try to make forward progress, but it was those damn quads and feet that continued to burn and get more and more pounding. I knew it was affecting my running stride. I had this locking jarring knee thing going on with a combo of running over hot coals look. Honestly, I really don’t want to complain to you or myself about my quads or feet hurting. I would complain to my 2^nd place lead cyclist Helen Phipps. I’d talk to her (complain) and chat with her as if I was trying to get rid of the aches or get them off my mind… or have a during race therapy session :). It actually helped just having someone else know what I was feeling. I was feeling like I was being trapped in my body, wanting to go. But that exact sensation has been going on this whole... Season... Long... But I kept fighting the darn thing. It’s what got me there to the start line and what was going to get me to the finish line in 2^nd place. I was doing it. I came again down Surf Drive where in the last couple miles I backed off the pace a little bit to save those quads and most importantly, enjoy the finish line. Enjoy the energy of the crowds, enjoy being happy, enjoy what I was about to accomplish. Enjoy what I was capable after only 4 months of training and how well that bolt screwed into my butt bone has worked for me. I crossed the line in 9:10:21. A new PR for me and one of the top 8 fastest women's times ever on that course. And I ran a 3:03:22 so heck yes I can run again! It signified to me and to the world that I had become a runner-- again. More importantly, it showed me I can continue to do this. I can continue to excel in my profession and I’m just getting started. My finish line speech consisted of (in my mind, not necessarily exact words that came out of my mouth):

“Don’t believe the words "you can’t" that people may say, and never believe that you can’t achieve something because of an injury or major obstruction in life. They are there to make you stronger, make you overcome, to make you truly believe in yourself.”

All I could think about in the back of my head was all the challenged athletes who can’t use their legs or anyone who is physically challenged. On a smaller scale in comparison, I am so thankful for what I have accomplished. It’s made me believe more in others as well.

Here is to believing we can all do anything.