How hard should you push on the bike?

Q: How hard should I push on the bike to have a good run?

A: This depends on several things & I wish I could give a straight answer but it's a little messier than that.

Ask these questions: 

If you want the best outcomes, 

it's a great idea to have a clear strategy.

1) Is this my A race & how long is it? 
2) How did I train on the bike for this? 
3) Is this ride going well, are there ideal conditions? 
4) Check how hard your cardio system is working (HR/RPE) & how much muscle you're recruiting (are they burning/feeling fatigued). 

You can see why I'm always saying stay focused - there's a lot to check in on!

If this is your A race, you have ideal conditions & are feeling as you hope to, you can go as hard as you trained for on the bike. This means you should be training at a specific level during the intensity & (some) brick sessions. 

In training for your A race your goal is faster speed, which means you're going to probably be working in a slightly higher gear than steady state. This will increase HR & muscle recruitment (ultimately the higher gear will be your steady state once you've adapted which will help for longer rides & races). In training you'll find out how that affects your run, and if you can sustain this & complete the run with little effect or if you have to gear up/down to ensure the run isn't highly affected (on a training brick or practice triathlon). OR you may find that you can only increase your gears & push on bike only sessions to slowly adapt over time. Most likely you'll need to do intervals of harder/steady state gear as you progress.

So you need to do some training focusing on this. Some training (your "key intensity" sessions) will be done in this more powerful gear - how hard can you go out? Pay attention as you ride & push yourself. 

On bike only sessions you can work very hard without worrying about the run. I recommend checking these things: Is this harder gear making my speed faster enough to accept the harder intensity I'm feeling? Sometimes I've found the answer to be no, if for example my speed ups by .5mph but my HR goes above sustainable. Sometimes yes it definitely does make sense to be in the harder gear, even though I know I can't sustain the duration. My speed is much faster & makes sense to push for it. 

It also depends on the race distance

Always check in. If you're not sure, try something and see what happens - in training.

Some brick intensity sessions are good as trials - push your bike & ask yourself "am I recruiting too much leg muscle (burning & tired legs) for the allotted run distance after this?" If you're not sure - try pushing & see what happens. You can learn a lot from a tough run. Then ask "how can I do this better?"

It also depends on the race distance the intensity you'll ride and run. A sprint distance race you can ride in Z4 but remember that on race day you'll want it to be more cardio/less muscular so that harder gear you've been pushing in may or may not be the right one. That will depend on your adaption to it, and how much muscle is actually being recruited. One way to know (other than feeling it) is cadence. Riding around a 90rpm is your best bet for proper muscle recruitment. Mashing the pedals uses too much muscle and will ruin your run.

An Olympic distance race you'll want to have a lower HR. Z3, good option.
IRONMAN 70.3 & IRONMAN distances you'll need to stay in Z2 as much as possible.

If this is not your A race, things will be different. You may not want to push as hard as you can simply because it's not logical. It could affect your A race because it takes longer to recover, thus affecting crucial training sessions. This is something you can discuss individually with your coach. 

Remember: If you want the best outcomes it's a great idea to have a clear strategy.

Keep in mind the bike highly affects the run BUT pacing the run plays a big factor. If you start out too fast it's hard to gain control. So on those brick sessions practice this like crazy.

Ready to start working with a coach? We've got you covered. Living in Hawaii or anywhere in the world, we can help!

What fitness means to you

Have you ever thought about what fitness means to you? 

This has been on my mind a lot since I've started recovering from long term illness. What does fitness really mean to me? Where does it fall in my life? These are questions that are important to me, and if you're someone who exercises regularly, I encourage you to think about this too.

As I start feeling healthier, I'm finding that my perspective on lots of different things are changing. Things that I thought never would change are indeed looking different to me. It's an odd side effect! 

So many wonderful people I've met through
OnTrack Fitness!

I'll start from the beginning, bear with me it'll all come together in the end. I started becoming interested in fitness at the age of nine. I don't know why, I was just intrigued by this new idea I heard of somewhere that by doing pushups I could do MORE pushups. What - wow, that was such a cool idea to a little girl! 

So I got my uncle to teach me how to do pushups, I got my mom to buy me one pound dumb bells (ha! Ok, I was nine) & I would carry them as I ran laps around our house. I got my dad to build a pullup bar in the garage, from my play batton, by the way. So funny! This was my intro into fitness & I loved it!

Then I went through a phase I thought exercise was stupid. Like all kids as they grow, likes & dislikes change. I was more about climbing trees & swimming which is funny considering that too is physical.

*Disclaimer, the following may trigger people who struggle with eating disorders.*
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At thirteen I developed an eating disorder, and along with that I exercised. A lot. I became obsessed with both food and exercise. It was unhealthy, obviously, and it really took front and center of my life. Fitness wasn't fitness. It was my life, my obsession.  

Unless you've known me since my teens you probably don't know I had an eating disorder. I was lucky because my family was on top of it & I got help quickly and was able to recover for the most part within a year and started eating again. However, I went from this to being obsessed with being healthy. "Perfect" eating (which doesn't exist but nonetheless) and over exercising was my life. 

I wouldn't go out to eat because I didn't know what they were putting into my food. I put exercise as the most important thing in my day. I skipped events, skipped family gatherings, skipped school to exercise. Fitness, again (or still), had become the only thing in my life. 

Guys, let me be clear: this isn't fitness. By any standards. If you find yourself in this place, I urge you to get help. You can overcome this. Keep reading...

I look back on all of that now & it doesn't seem like it was me. It feels like I'm remembering a movie of someone else's story.

In my early 20's I hit a point where things changed. It started with a bible study that was focused on having a healthy relationship with food. It hit home & I can honestly say through this study plus lots & lots of prayers and lots & lots of work I was truly and wholly healed from my unhealthy relationship with food and exercise. It just all made sense, and the obsession no longer was of interest to me.

I still ate healthy, but I relaxed. I enjoyed food. I went out to eat, I allowed others to cook for me. And wonder of wonders I actually ate junk food every now and then! I didn't think about food all the time. I still exercised but now instead of over exercising, I started doing running races which helped me learn how to exercise for a goal, take time off & feel good about doing it correctly instead of constantly. I learned & practiced doing it, having fun, then letting it go. And this did take practice but I was ready to be free.

Then I learned about triathlon and it took me to a different level. I really learned to train and rest. I did my workouts then went on with life. This is hard to explain but by doing these races I wasn't focused on continuous exercise, instead on doing a specific workout. I got it done and moved on with life. It freed me to relax! I loved the shift from fitness being life to it being part of my life.

And then it hit. Chronic illness. Everything changed. There were times I thought I'd brought this on myself by the years of obsession. But my docs assured me that it was not my doing and in fact, since I was an exerciser it helped me stay healthier than if I'd not. Thank God I'd gotten a better handle on things years before this. They told me to keep exercising. And so I did, but boy it was different. It was hard, so hard. I still loved it but on the other hand it was joyless in a way. I knew it helped me regulate my energy, it gave me energy but it was me literally willing myself to move. 

These were dark years. But there was good too. Even though it took a lot of mental will, triathlon was a symbol of freedom for me. It was a way to draw a line in the sand and tell this stupid illness "you won't take everything from me!" 

Fitness started looking like a way to connect. Connect to myself, to gain energy, to listen to my body, to learn how to eek out every little bit out of what little energy I had. It became less about getting better & more about...I guess just being. Being me, being free. Being someone who still did, still could even if it wasn't what I wanted it to look like. I guess it became more about acceptance.

Little by little it became less about me & more about a way to praise and worship God. I would spend my runs praying & being thankful that I could run. Yes it was kinda like a shuffle. It was slow, it was hard. But it was. It was a gift, and that's beautiful. 

This took practice too, and I often failed miserably to see fitness as a gift. Because that is what it was.

My first marathon, during illness but prior
to mono. An accomplishment I never
thought would happen.

Now that I'm starting to heal (my docs finally found the cause & I'm being treated) I'm unexpectedly finding my definition of fitness changing again. I didn't expect any of these feelings that I can't even describe, yet here they are! 

Fitness. Wow, it's been quite a ride and I'm still on it. Fitness now seems to me still a beautiful gift. But this gift we're given, what if it's about being fit enough to do what we are called to do in this life? What if it's someone who physically can't exercise yet they can be fit enough to make it through their day? What if a person can't do a triathlon, and reap those benefits? But they can eat well, and sleep well, and pray well enough to get up and go to work and be sunshine to someone who needs it? What if this is fitness?

What if we use it to not focus on ourselves, but on others? What if my whole entire life was leading me to become the coach I am now, the person I am now? That I attract the athletes we have at OnTrack Fitness because of who I became due to all of my life experiences - and that we are there to love and support and encourage and pray and treat others with respect? 

What if fitness is just the means by which we're doing that?

What if we don't use fitness as our identity? After all, there will come a day when our workout days come to an end. Then what? I want more. I want to be what I was called to be, don't you? This podcast made me think. So did this post.

What if that's what my fitness looks like?

I think so. I'm still learning but maybe this is my fitness now. Yes I still train & exercise & set goals & love exercise. But maybe...there's more to this. I'm excited for this new phase in my life! 

So let me ask you, what is your fitness? 

Triathlon: coach athlete relationship

I appreciate my athlete's, whether they are in a group or train individually with me. They sacrifice their time to train with OnTrack Fitness. They change schedules for months or years on end to meet up for a training session. Week after week they do this, and it's not always meeting for a fun filled jolly time. 

Don't get me wrong, we have a lot of fun. But I ask them to push their boundaries, make new comfort levels and do things they don't think they can do. Mentally tough! There's physical suffering that happens too. Sometimes they don't much like me, I know this and I get it. 

Hitting my own milestone -
my first marathon

We train smart but there are times that a training session extends their endurance levels or pushes them to work just a bit harder than they can keep up with. It's how we get stronger and fitter. Oftentimes the only thing they go off of to do this effort is the trust they have in me that yes they can indeed do this! 

This training deal is personal. We work on these big, crazy goals. Goals that are close to the heart. The kind that you're afraid to say aloud. That's scary! Yet they come to me to get it accomplished. There's a moment every athletes has that they must let go & take a leap of faith when coach says do something they think impossible. There's something really special about the give and take of coach & athlete that stems from that very big, scary goal. Working on that goal day in and day out for months or years. It's a big deal. I take it seriously & I take their faith in my coaching seriously. 

I've been there! This is me at my
first Honolulu Triathlon

Sometimes I'm the only one in the bunch that really knows how much this means. Simply stated, I can stand back & see their dedication, drive, faith. I know what it takes to reach this goal. I specifically know what they are doing, the effort level it takes & how far they've come. I know not everyone has the drive to get it done, and not everyone has the ability in the moment to say "I don't think I can, but I will believe you if you say I can." Wow! 

I've been there. I know the fears, frustrations, disappointments, sacrifices, and joys that come from training and reaching a goal like triathlon, half or full marathon.  It's painful and it's thrilling. It's scary and it's exhilarating! There are milestones hit that once seemed ludicrous. Now they're warmups. Simply amazing.

To my athlete's I want to say thank you. Your goals are my goals. Your disappointments, frustrations, milestones and joys - I feel them too! When you see me excited about what you're doing it's real. When you're disappointed I feel your pain & I'm here to help put things into perspective. I am beyond proud of you, thankful for you and ready to help you reach your next goal! 

Written by Coach Emily, certified triathlon coach, Ironman Certified Coach, endurance coach & ACE certified personal trainer

Running on empty

My last blog post I talked about taking time off from races. It's been a tough year for this coach.

I'd like to elaborate a bit on what that means, then I'll give an update.

As a triathlete my general training schedule, depending on what phase I'm in, usually has three running sessions per week; one endurance run, one intensity & one fun run with my dog. I have two bike rides (endurance & intensity) & two to four swim sessions (one endurance & lots of technique. A few short swims). I take two days off every week, which means some days I do two disciplines in one day, & I take one week off per month. 

This is not an overly taxing schedule. This is also the general plan for me, as I

Me on far left with my triathletes I trained for
Honolulu Tri in May.
I wasn't able to do this race, my first year not
participating. What a great team!

always have to listen to my body. Sometimes those intensity sessions are quite short, and those endurance sessions end up being short too. Depends on my health that day and again, what phase of training.

But this year - meaning all of 2017 up through August, I had two run sessions that felt good. Like a normal person. Two. Two run sessions from January to August that I didn't feel encased in cement, lugging my body through each step. Two runs that I didn't have to mentally force my body to move. This is why I tell my clients if I can do it they can do it. 

This is not over training syndrome. This is chronic illness folks. It tries to suck every bit of joy in life from you, and it will if you let it. It tries to take what you love away, and it will if you let it. Which is why I willed my body to go & refuse to give up on the joy life brings. I always say God gave me an extra dose of zest for life because He knew I'd need it. I love my zest. I love my zest & I love triathlons.

My last race was the Ironman 70.3
Hawaii. I did the swim in the relay.
It. Was. Awesome. Don't set limits!

Please, before you say I should quit, understand that my doctors have told me the only reason I am not disabled is due to me taking supreme care of myself. Everyone else they've come across with the test numbers similar to mine HAVE BEEN DISABLED. Disabled, people. And here I am doing my thing. Praise God for giving me a love of health & fitness at an early age so it was already my lifestyle before I got sick!

So the remaining 2017 race season is for shorter, less intense workouts and no races. I'm keeping it under Z4 & no longer than 30 minutes. So far I've been quickly recovering from each session. I've got the rest of 2017 to go. We'll see what 2018 brings for this zesty coach and triathlete! One thing's for sure, I am not giving up on myself.

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! 

Chronic illness & life

Ok, let me tell you that this (see picture) is true. If you have chronic illness too you know that. But I also want to finish the story.

I've dealt with chronic illness for about 13 years. It's always there, it changes your normal. Sure. But you can still have a wonderful life filled with goodness, love, adventure, dreams. You can live with the "monster" always right there, threatening you, or you can choose to live each moment to its fullest, whatever that means each moment. Your illness doesn't have to be your identity! You may need to reassess a few things, make a few adjustments but that's ok!

You may have days that you mourn your old life or what you thought life would be like now, and that's ok too! Take those days. But *enjoy* the good days. Don't allow the illness to ruin your good days by looking at it in your peripheral vision. Try not to allow people who don't understand you get you down. They won't understand unless they have illness too, know that & remember just because they don't get it, it doesn't mean you should feel bad about yourself. They may act or think you're crazy. You're not.

Look straight at God. Give him your pain, your fears. Tell it to him, scream it if you need to. On really tough days, cry. Be angry. It's ok! And then let go. Allow peace that can only come from God to enter your heart. Keep hope knowing this is only reality for here, not for eternity. Never give up on yourself. Keep striving for better health because if you give up, it's over & it'll get worse. It's worth it. You are worth it!

This comes from someone who Dr's say should be disabled, but who instead is blessed because she didnt give up on herself, to run marathons, triathlons & her own business helping others reach their potential. - coach Emily

Eat your chocolate

This is a simple yet often misunderstood nutrition tip.

These 9 kisses are 1 serving & depending on the flavor all 9 are about 200 calories. That fits nicely into most people's daily diet, including yours. 

Remember you can have 100-400 discretionary calories/day depending on activity level.

Tip: eat your discretionary foods as dessert. You'll ultimately eat less than if you eat it as a snack.

So now you know you can enjoy chocolate guilt free daily. Eat mindfully and enjoy every bite!

Nutrition & fitness: a days worth of food

Nutrition & fitness go hand in hand, everyone knows that right? But I see so many of us confused about nutrition. I see so many of us being a slave to food. That's not how it should be. 

I thought I'd share a typical days worth of food so you can see how this coach & athlete eats. It's my hope that if you've been a slave to food, something in this post will ignite something in you so you will no longer have to be enslaved to food. Food should be enjoyed, without guilt, no matter what size shape or fitness level you are.

Before I share today's meals, I'd like to discuss some habits I have:

• I rarely think about deleting food. Instead, I enjoy looking for ways to add in foods that will make my meals healthier. That's a mindset shift from 'can't have' into a more positive thought of how can I include something to bring balance.
• I eat chocolate, donuts, cookies etc without guilt. If I'm going to eat it, I'm going to fully enjoy it.
• That being said, I strive to eat 80% wholesome, nutritious foods & 20% discretionary. A healthy diet can - and should - include 100-400 calories of discretionary foods a day (depending on how many calories one can have per day). I say should because having those treats is real & it's unreasonable to try and cut out treats altogether. Unless you want to feel deprived, overindulge, have guilt, over restrict & repeat. No fun, no thank you!
• While I strive to eat nutritiously, I do not want to be a slave to food. This isn't how God intended. I spent several years in my teens enslaved to food & I can tell you that I'm much happier, well rounded and optimally fit than I was when I had harsh restrictions.  And honestly, restrictions are very seldom about health are they? Oftentimes we do it to punish ourselves because we think we're fat. Right?
   
• I very rarely measure things out. I do, however, keep track of general serving sizes of each food group. I go for a balanced diet.
• I try to eat at least 3 food groups per meal and 2 per snack. Again with going for a balanced diet.

When you see the food below, you may see ways I could have made better choices. I agree. I'm not going for perfection & I hope you don't either. On the other hand, you may think this is not enough food for you, not enough chips or chocolate. I'd like to remind you of two things 1) When I see these pics I agree it doesn't look like much. But I was full & satisfied & couldn't have eaten more. 2) There are certainly - certainly days that I have more chocolate or potato chips. I sometimes eat a donut for breakfast. Yep! Just not every day & I try to space things out...so not chips and donuts all in one day. Please remember that. 80/20 folks. 

Breakfast: whole wheat bagel with cream cheese, babybel light & berries, was thoroughly enjoyed. I've been on a cream cheese kick lately, but I'll also have peanut butter or cottage cheese on my bagels. This gave me plenty of energy for my morning sessions & my own swim workout. 

Whole wheat bagel had 8g of fiber. I always look for
a minimum of 2g per serving.
The Babybel gives some calcium & protein plus it's fun to play
with the red wax :) Berries are loaded with goodness.

Lunch: Single serve hummus with baby carrots & crackers plus a veggie salad topped with an egg, low fat cheese, tomatoes, avocado, cauliflower, low fat dressing and a few more crackers. Might not look like much but I was quite satisfied. Great refuel after my workouts.

Single serve hummus is convenient & delicious.
I like to have at least some veggies with it because it's
an yummy way to get more veggies.
Egg atop the salad gives me another food group, and I have to really work
to get enough protein so always keeping this in mind.

Mid day snack: Easy. Small smoothie I made with a bit of soft tofu, strawberries & half a banana plus soy milk & stevia. Just enough to get me to dinner so I don't crash. 

Yet another way to get more produce, calcium
& protein which are things I have to work at. Sweet enough I don't
want cookies anymore! Holds me over so I don't crash & eat the world.

Dinner: Whole wheat pasta with marinara sauce (I added fresh tomatoes) & 95% lean ground beef. Side salad. We had a coconut fruit bar for dessert. 

We really need to eat more meat. I know that's unusual but
in our household, we need to. The pasta gives me energy & nutrients that fruits & veggies
don't have in them. Carbs are important as long as they're not over eaten..just like
anything else. Always looking for ways to add in more produce, hence the salad (& tomatoes in the sauce). If not for the salad I'd probably had seconds of pasta. Instead I kept it more balanced. The fruit bar was delightful.

Night time snack: Half a Clif Builder Bar. Chocolate! These few calories will help me not to wake up and overeat. 

I ate half because I wasn't terribly hungry. The chocolate was satisfying. 

There you have it: full disclosure! I pray that this gives you an idea of what an imperfectly healthy day looks like. 

If you want to learn more about balanced nutrition, there are some resources I recommend. Eatright.org, read Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, Mindless Eating & Eating Mindfully. These are great starts to learning more on your own. If you need more guidance get in touch with a professional & make sure they're a Registered Dietitian. Contact me if you have questions. - Coach Emily

OnTrackFitness.Net

Chronic pain, fitness & triathlons

I have chronic pain, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, thyroid disease, a mysterious "floating virus" (whatever that means!), scoliosis among other things. Docs tell me 60% of my energy goes toward dealing with health issues. I gain weight easily, I don't gain muscle & I can get sick if I spend too much time standing, sitting or walking around (weird..) No one quite knows what's going on even after 10 plus years. I've come to accept that no one is going to truly know. 

But that doesn't define the whole me. I'm also a triathlon coach, personal trainer, yoga instructor, triathlete, marathon runner. 

You're looking at a VERY happy me
coming out of my 1st ocean swim triathlon

By the way, no I don't have health issues because I do these sports. I do these sports to STAY as healthy & strong as possible to fight illness. 

Yes, sometimes I ask why me. Sometimes I get discouraged. Sometimes I can't sleep because of pain. Some days I pray that this will all go away, even for a day so I can feel what it's like to be "normal." But my reality right now is this. Yours might be too.

If I could choose I would take optimal health in a heart beat of course. But I've come to realize blessings can come out of pain. 

Let me explain. Because I have pain I have empathy for others in pain. Because I have fatigue I understand how it feels when just getting out of bed is enough for the day. Because I swim bike & run while I have these issues I understand the frustrations others have when they feel like they'll never be able to become a runner, or the bike doesn't seem like a friend. Or when they want to quit because they're not seeing results they think they should be seeing. I get it! I've been there, which means I'm further along my journey & I can say "Stay hopeful because you're going to be ok!" 

This is me at my first marathon, something I never thought would happen.
Don't set limits!

If you're reading this & suffering, you are going to be ok! Here's a few things I've learned along the way that I'd like to share with you.

• No matter where you're at now you can always have better health. Forget comparing yourself to others or to what you think you should or could've been. Strive for a little bit better health, whether that's regular doctor visits, massages, eating better, exercising etc etc (or all of those). 
• Learn to love your body. After all, it's trying SO hard for you. Your body is not fighting against you even when it feels like it is. Your body is fighting for you so give it a break, love it as it is & take this time to take exceptional care of it.
• Along those same lines, learn what your body needs. Exercise regularly. Keep it gentle at first until Dr's ok it (I spent several months doing close to nothing then eased back into light exercise then slowly went back to swim bike run). Sleep as much as you need PLEASE, learn to say no, learn your body's cues & heed them, eat as healthy as possible, drink lots of water, be around positive friends that don't make you feel bad about being sick (yeah it happens & it sucks big time).
• Find doctors that are positive & encouraging. Don't settle for meanies, negative nellies or docs that act like you're crazy (yeah that happens too & it super sucks)! Do. Not. Settle.
• Never give up on your health. That may mean redefining a few things you thought your life would be like - but that's ok!
• But don't set limits. Just be smart about things & give yourself time. I didn't go from a diagnosis to running marathons. I spent a lot of time sleeping & gaining a very long drawn out process of building myself up. Then for me, I simply say I'll do this until my body says no. You may not be interested in triathlon or marathons & that's fine. But find something active that you love, that gives you energy back & brings you a little further toward better health. 
• Don't lose joy. Pray. Praise. Worship & be grateful for what you have. Stop thinking about what you don't have. Celebrate God's involvement in your life & know He has good things planned for you.
• Never ever ever give up on yourself. It's going to be ok! (did I mention that already?)  -- Emily Collins

It's ok to quit

You might be surprised to hear me say this but it's ok to quit.  Quitting doesn't mean you're a quitter.  

Surprised to hear a fitness & triathlon coach say that?  Let me share a short story.  

When I was five I joined a kids softball group, but I joined late.  The coach was one of those people that didn't believe in review so I was thrown into something that I'd never done before (hello, five years old.  I'd never played organized softball) and I had absolutely no idea what was going on.  I hated everything about it, and not just because I was confused.  It just wasn't my thing.  So my parents let me quit after a few days, no big deal really.  Except to a relative that got wind of this.  She called me up to tell me I "was a quitter."

I was devastated.  This was my beloved relative.  It broke my heart & for decades I had a complex about being a quitter.    

Me at my first marathon

I know better now.  I'm not a "quitter."  But I do quit.  I quit things that I find don't fit into the lifestyle I want to lead.  I quit things if it affects my health or spirituality, and I quit my fitness regimen if it's not working...and I feel great about it.  

Last year I was supposed to run a marathon.  My training from the start wasn't right.  My body wasn't responding, I was tired all the time & I could feel things just weren't right.  So I quit!  I could have pushed through.  I could have forced my body to do the distance.  But at what cost?  Sure it's nice to cross the finish line of a big race but is it worth it if you do that at the expense of future races?  I knew if I kept going it would prolong the body's ability to adapt to training, causing my upcoming triathlon to suffer, and who knows when the snowball would stop rolling.  Not worth the cost.  

So I quit, took some time to do light exercise so my body felt healthy again and now I'm right back on schedule for a great 2016 race year.  I'm feeling good & looking forward to my triathlon in May.

I urge you to quit!  Not always, of course.  Quit when your body asks you to rest. Quit if you don't enjoy something.  Listen to your body - always - not the voice in your head & not to the person who doesn't know what your body needs.  Remeber: quitting something is very different than being a quitter.  - Emily Collins, Ironman Certified Coach, ITCA certified triathlon coach, ACE personal trainer & NESTA certified sports yoga instructor

Triathlon training: get the right bike

I was finally convinced to get a new carbon fiber bike for my triathlon training & I'm loving it!  

My 2016 Cannondale Synapse 105

After researching & test riding several bicycles I chose Cannondale Synapse 105. 

Here's why my new bike was the right choice for my triathlon training: 
It has a slight upright sit but you can also get low to race.  Most triathletes want to get low for more aerodynamics.  I can do this but the way the construction is, I have some options. 

The fork & down tube design is shock absorbing. It's a nice, comfy & 'soft' ride for many miles. 

Immediately when I tested this bike it felt like someone had made it specifically for me.  No pain. Perfect fit.  Wonderful!

Cycling can be painful for me because of spine & other health issues so I think this ride will be a good fit to help me stay in the saddle. 

MORAL: get what YOU need. 

Test, research, ask questions & get what bike fits your needs. Comfort is key, everything else starts from there. Happy riding! - Coach Emily

Eat pie, stay balanced

Each week when I go grocery shopping I make sure to get a treat or two. But I know myself. I can't resist certain food like pie. So if I really want pie oftentimes I get a precut piece, not the entire thing. 

Macadamia nut pie, yum!

This piece was shared between me & my husband because it was large, but we sometimes get one piece each. This is how I can always have what I want while keeping balance (because if I get the entire thing I'll eat it till it's gone, forget it) & I don't have to wait to 'cheat' because people it's not cheating it's balance. No guilt because I eat well and know that includes treats in moderation. By the way the pie was glorious. What balance tips do you have?

Compassion makes a big impact

Well over 20 years ago I found this little biz card advertised at a video store. I took it home and called the lady to ask her advice for an aspiring at home trainer. 

I vividly remember every detail.  She was so gracious, so kind and completely open to discussing everything & answering questions. It made an enormous impact on me. I took the advice she gave me and even more than that, the encouragement she gave me kept my fire going. I had no one that believed in myour dream. Most people told me to drop it and 'get a real job.' They pushed hard and in some cases were pretty mean, at the least they were discouraging. But this gal was not only telling me I could do this, she was living proof that it can be done. Living proof that being compassionate and sharing with others makes a difference and also can be a profession. 

I never spoke to this trainer again but I have never forgotten her. Her openness and compassion laid the foundation for OnTrack Fitness. 

To this day I believe in an open callaberation among trainers instead of the normal competitive crap you usually see.

She'll never know the impact she made but I bet I'm not the only life she touched! God wants use each one of us to shine through and love each other, and He will if we allow it. I'm thankful she allowed God to use her that day! - Emily Collins, owner of OnTrack Fitness