Listening to my body

It's hard for me to talk about my health problems. Maybe it's because they have never been able to pinpoint exactly what's wrong so I'm left with a vague explanation of what's happening. 

I think it's also because you never know the reaction you'll get when you mention chronic illness. When I first started having problems I ran into some people who had the attitude of 'you're making this up' or I got the feeling they somehow thought I brought it on myself. I guess from all the years of eating right & exercising...

So yes I still get anxious about discussing things. But I'm working on pushing past my comfort level to talk more about chronic illness. There's a lot of you that deal with it also on a daily basis, and I think it's important to stop feeling awkward about it is a good step.

In that light, I'd like to share my year. It's not been great for this coach. Not horrible but not great. I haven't felt well. A low to moderate level of just kinda miserable, very tired and spiraling. Around June my body was just physically exhausted. Now, this isn't workout exhausted and this isn't from over training. I want to be clear that I didn't become ill from working out. In fact, my doctor's haven't agreed on much but one thing they do agree on is keep exercising because it's been a life saver. 

I'm working on cadence & smooth pedal
stroke on my bike.

Since June's breaking point I made the decision to drop all races for the rest of 2017. I decided my body was telling me to break from specific training. This is the first since 1994 that I've taken the summer off from races. I'm due.

I'm still exercising but I'm keeping it shorter, lower intensity and going on how my body feel vs what my schedule says. However that doesn't mean I have to 'start over' when I'm ready. There's plenty I can do. I'm keeping it short but I can still improve on technique, skills & enjoy the swim bike run lifestyle.

I feel really good about listening to my body. In some ways having chronic illness helps because it forces you to learn and listen to your body. In that sense, I'm blessed...in a way...

I don't know if they'll ever figure out what's wrong with me. But until then I'm focused on leading the best life possible and I hope to inspire others to do the same. 

Please feel free to contact me if you need to talk to someone about chronic illness. Sometimes just a listening ear from another person that understands makes things better. - coach Emily Collins

Triathlon gear recommendations part 2: Bike

The bike leg. You love it or you hate it. 

But either way, you're going to spend the majority of your time on the bike, and the majority of your money on cycling gear. This is the discipline you can spend a FORTUNE on. But remember, especially if you're a beginner, all the tools & gear are only helpful once you have the base line to get the most out of them. Give yourself time, and ease into new things when you KNOW what will help you most. That may take a while so be patient & don't jump the gun or you'll end up spending more & getting something that's not right for your needs. If in doubt, ask your triathlon coach their recommendations.

Beginner level:

-Any bike that 1) Has plenty of gears that work 2) Has reliable brakes 3) Moves when you pedal. Seriously, any bike will do when you're a beginner. Don't spend an extraordinary amount until you know you're going to like it & you have the skills to get the most out of the bike.

-Helmet - a USAT approved road helmet will do, no need for the aero or time trial helmet. See the difference here.

-Triathlon shorts - I recommend these instead of cycling shorts. You'll be wearing tri shorts in the race anyway, so why get cycling shorts AND tri shorts. No need. Tri shorts have less padding in the saddle area.

-Tri top or cycling top - really a tri top is better but if you want a cycling specific top for your rides that's fine.

-Basics such as a water cage & bottle, tire pump & equipment to change a flat, a small bike specific bag to carry all of this. I like xlab. You also need to learn how to change a flat tire. Here in Honolulu you can take a course with the Honolulu Bicycle League.

Non beginner level:

-Indoor bike trainer. I like Cyclops but there's a lot of good ones out there. Talk to your local bike shop. No need for a fancy trainer, get one that fits the budget.

-Clipless pedals & shoes. Again, spend some time trying on shoes & doing some research on what fits you, your budget. There's a lot of good brands out there.

-Some kind of tracker like a Garmin so you can track cadence, speed, HR etc.

-Road bike - trial ride as many as possible to find the most comfortable one for your body. Comfort is key when looking for your bike. 

Once you've gotten your pedals and trainer use them well. They'll be a big asset to your triathlon career. The indoor trainer is an important tool even if you live in a year round warm climate. 

From there, check these out:

Triathlon bike (aka time trial bike) or aerobars for your road bike (personal preference between tri bike & just adding aerobars to your road bike in my opinion. It depends on the size of your race, your body's needs, budget & how hard core you get into things. Some coaches would say definitely a tri bike. I'm not one of them). 

Once you're well versed with cycling & have the bike you'll be spending some time with, you can check out getting a power meter. I have a Quarq & love it but the one you get will depend on a multitude of things. This is something you and your coach can discuss. I recommend power meters only after you've done several triathlons, want to really get into it, have THE bike you want plus everything else I've mentioned. 

Remember that you could get the latest most fancy bike, get all the gear and still not do well. It's not the gear, it's the engine - that's you! So train smart, train often & get a triathlon coach or get into a group!