Ironman New Zealand

Day before the race at the swim entry.

For those of you who just want the facts:

• First race as a professional triathlete
• 5th place Female Pro goal was to be top 3 (only about 8 minutes behind 3rd)
• Swim 58:46 (Goal 58)
• Bike 5:30:33 (Goal 5:15:00)
• Run 3:13:25 (Goal 2:59:59)
• Actually decent transition times!
• Got sick on the bike 10-15 times :(

The luggage claim in Taupo. I love this city!

I woke up 2 hours before race time and ate my usual breakfast of buckwheat almond meal pancakes with a little butter on top. I usually have no problem getting them down but I was still full from dinner (brown rice pasta and chicken) the night before! 

After breakfast Scott and I went down to transition to get set up. All the pros were so quiet and reserved and I'm always so talkative right before a race. Pumped my tires and checked my brakes (not rubbing on tires). I put my nutrition in my bento box (thanks again so much Rich Adams!). Then I was off to the lake. There was a Mauri group that did a Hauka on the beach there and then got into their traditional boat and went out into the lake. I hurried and got my wet suit on and was worried because I saw some other pros with theirs on already and lined up to go into the water. I need to be more confident in my own routine and plan. I think especially being my first pro race I was looking out to others to see what I should do. I should trust my own process and plan more.

Racking my bike the night before. 

Setting up transition.

I ate my 100 cals of Chews and said good bye to Scott. I ended up having plenty of time to get into the water. Right before I got in Scott told me that Maureen Huff dropped out for some reason. I stood in the water up to my waist and waited there as the guys went out to warm up. Scott whistled to me and I saw him on a dock with some others. I told him “I love you!” then realized there were lots of people there and so I said “him, only him!” That got a good chuckle from the crowd on the dock. I chatted with a couple of the other pros then went and warmed up a bit.

Thank goodness for my BlueSeventy Helix wetsuit! The water was “refreshing,” but could have been much worse. This was my first race in this nice of a wetsuit and there is a HUGE difference! The Helix feels like a shirt on your arms so it doesn’t restrict your range of motion. I also have always gotten tight hip flexors when I swim with a wetsuit but the Helix allows for full range of motion and so no tight muscles!

I was pretty dark out as the sun hadn’t risen at 6:46 when we took off. Meredith Kessler started on the front line with Gina Crawford right behind her. I knew both of them would take off fast and didn’t know much about the other girls times. The cannon went off and we were off! I was able to stay right on Gina’s feet for 200-300 meters (a couple minutes) but then my breathing was getting to “panicky” I think more because of the cold, but it was definitely a pace I couldn’t hold. The way out I kept counting the buoys and hoping no one was getting a free draft off my feet behind me. I kept having coach John in my head telling me to keep my head down. About ¾ of the way out to the turn around a boat came up alongside me and they videoed me for a while. I think that was my first “real” pro moment. I thought it was amazing and awesome. On my way back in the wind wasn’t in my favor and so I had to only breath to one side or I would get a mouth full of water instead of air. I saw a male pro up ahead and wanted to try to catch him. The water smoothed out as I neared the finish. I had miscounted the buoys so I wasn’t sure how many I had left but decided to swim 2 more and then start kicking harder (get the blood to your legs so they won’t be jell-o when you stand up to run through transition and onto the bike). I caught the guy on the last turn in about 200-300m to go. I wasn’t sure where the exit was and kept trying to look for it when I was spotting. I stood up a little too early and ran through the water but once I was up and realized my mistake I wasn’t going to go back down in the water and swim more.

BlueSeventy Helix, best wetsuit EVER!

Onto transition 1 (T1)! This was the longest transition run I have ever seen. We ran along a road, up a hill, and up stairs into transition. Scott was there and I saw his fingers say 4, not bad. I knew it was Meredith, Gina, and ?. I was the only one in the transition tent and had at least 5 ladies helping me. One shoved things in my pockets while others helped put my socks and shoes and arm warmers on. As I ran out I got sprayed down with sunscreen (which didn’t end up working at all). As I was exiting transition I heard “Jocelyn McCauley, 3^rd female pro out!” I was trusting Mike Riley (announcer) over Scott. There ended up being a male that had the female pro swim cap on so he wasn’t sure if that was a girl or guy (hard to tell in a wetsuit). Awesome! 3^rd! Just have to keep this place to accomplish my goals! I looked at my watch and I apparently didn’t start it before the swim so I quickly tried to fix it so it would capture everything for the bike ride. During the first little bit I had a camera man on a motorcycle ride next to me on and off for the first of the two loops on the bike course. That was my other “this is real” moment.

Steps into transition.

The bike course starts with a pretty big hill; and I was all about trying to keep my heart rate (HR) regulated. My goal HR was right around 150-155. Well this is right about the time that I realized that something was amiss with my watch. I had taken great care to set all the data fields how I wanted them (what the watch was going to show me ex: speed, avg speed, Hr, average HR, distance in KM or Miles ect.). Well, I couldn’t figure out what my watch was displaying. I thought one of them was speed but soon I realized I wasn’t going 21mph up the big hill. It took me until around 30-40Km to realize what the data fields were. I kept seeing Scott out everywhere along the course which was super fun and exciting to see him so many times. It was when I was on my way back into town on my first loop about to start the second loop when I started REALLY not feeling so awesome. The whole time I felt like I had a thanksgiving meal in my stomach sitting there like a brick. I started getting nauseous and to spare you nasty details lets just say I got sick 10-15 times on the bike during the second loop. I kept my nutrition in but it just didn’t want to stay there.

Picture by Scott 

Nutrition during the bike: 3 Bonk Breaker bars! Thanks Bonk for #fuelingmyjourney! 3.5 bags of starburst jelly beans, being Easter time I’m going to have to restock during the sales! 600mg salt (salt tabs)/hr

Impressive picture taking while cheering!

I never ever, ever have been so close to DNFing (quiting) in my life. There were many things powering me through that awful bike portion: my family and all the sacrifices they have made to get me here, my “family” in Cincinnati that I knew were tracking me and cheering me on as loud as they could, my family and friends all around the world that I have been blessed to get to know, and my sponsors who truly want me to be the best that I can and have helped me to continue to progress.

I told myself that I had to get into T2 and do at least one loop of the three loop run course and then I could reevaluate from there. I thought I was going to fall over when I got to the dismount line. My hip (had been hurting me 2 weeks prior) almost gave out, but Scott had given me a priesthood blessing (blessing given by someone holding the priesthood in my church, this one was a healing blessing where hands are placed on your head which is anointed with consecrated oil). I knew that I would be able to run a marathon on my hip and it would all be ok as long as I was cautious. I hobbled through to the tent and got changed and strayed with sunscreen once again.

Scott got a whole group of people to cheer for me!

Off to the first loop of the course I go! As soon as I started running I felt better. It’s so weird to me that I can be so sick on the bike and then 5 minutes later I feel great running. I think I have conditioned myself through the many, many years of training, to run through anything no matter how uncomfortable. In college I ended up racing a 10K on a fractured patella. I’ve run when I’ve had the flu, really it is a rare day that I will not run.  I thought I was completely out of the race at this point. I was in 5^th and didn’t think it would be possible to catch 4^th or 3^rd. I continued plotting along still seeing Scott so many places out on the outer loop of the course. When I was half way through he told me that I could catch the others and that they were slowing down. I don’t think he knows how much hope that gave me to keep pressing on. The wind that had picked up on the second half of the bike was in full force each loop on the way back into town. My hat nearly blew off several times! I loved the support on this run course. The whole course had people along it who cheered for you by name (name is on your race bib number). The Kiwis know how to welcome you into their town. Each loop you had to get a different colored bracelet that was more like a 70’s scruncchi. This was to signify what loop you were on. I loved it especially for the age groupers because then they would know where they stood in the race compared to the people they were passing or who were passing them.

Nutrition for the run: 3-4 scoops of SWORD (electrolyte mix with some carbohydrates) this is the only drink that is not overly sweet and it doesn’t foam. Truly delicious if you haven’t tried it you should!

2 packages of Bonk Breaker Chews! If you didn’t know they make two different flavors of chews now! One flavor has caffeine (strawberry) and one without (orange tangerine). These are better than Cliff shot blocks since they aren’t as big so they are actually manageable to eat and run at the same time.

I saw Scott one last time a little less than 2 miles left in the course. I was hoping to myself he would be at the finish line when I finished since I knew he could actually get into the finishers shoot (VIP). I came running down the shoot and had the biggest leap of any of my ironman races before. The leap started because when I would go out for a run I would sometimes hint at Scott to join me for the end of it. If he came out, I would leap for joy when I saw him. It was the same this day; I saw him right at the finish line and was so happy he somehow made it to see me finish. I got my metal etc. and then was greeted by my drug testing lady… wahoo! It didn’t take nearly as long this time compared to Kona but more because I was prepared to do it than being more hydrated. It was fun to hang out in the testing area and talk with the other top 5 female pros there. I got my massage and then we went to the grocery store for some things I was craving, olives, pickles, and soup. We went home and then ended going back out for the end of the race until it started pouring too hard on us. It wasn’t the race that I was hoping for, for my first pro race, but it was a good start. My best swim and run splits with my worst bike split by far, still barely ended up with a PR 9:50:00.

Many people, including my sponsors, have made this whole race and journey possible: Container and Packaging Supply, Reser Bicycles, Beyond Exercise, Buckeye Running Company, Bonk Breaker, Impact Health and Wellness, BlueSeventy, and Gamble-Nippert YMCA

That’s then end of the race report but I would be so ungrateful if I didn’t publicly thank several people. First off my husband and daughter for making this crazy dream become reality and letting me spend time training and other sponsor commitments. He is the man of my dreams and is so patient, kind, forgiving, and loving as I figure life out in my own time. Thanks to my sister and Coach for always believing in me and putting up with my millions of text messages with questions about training and racing and life. 

One of my runs along the lake front.

Thanks to the rest of my family as well. My parents were life savors by taking care of Emi while we were both in New Zealand and made it possible for Scott to be an amazing cheer squad and for us to have an amazing time after the race as well.

Thanks to my sister in California for help getting this awesome new laptop I’m currently using for this race report and for tracking me and bragging about me. It makes me feel so special.

The church is so amazing world wide. If was fun to go to this ward with very traditional Mauri people with the traditional tattoo on their face. 

Thanks to my many fiends in Cincinnati. Thank you to Allison for being the most awesome training partner ever and letting me borrow her helmet and pillow to sleep on, on the plane. You are the best! Thanks for the laughs and all the fun times and the ginger chews that got demolished on the way to New Zealand (I had to pick more up in NZ, addicted). Thanks to her husband TJ for being part of this crazy team of sponsors by being my chiropractic care. Some how he keeps my body in one mostly harmonious unit even though I try to tear it apart all the time. Thank you to Bryan and Tiffany for letting me borrow your bike box (again) and feeding me yummy NZ dinner before I left. You guys are always so thoughtful and looking out for me. Thanks to John Book for letting me tag along with your swim team and giving me so many pointers for my swim. Thanks to Mike for all your humor and sweet texts checking in and also for that trainer ride, you have no idea what a negative mindset I was in till you came! Thanks to my other training buddies: Rich Adams, Scott Goertemiller, Brad Deaton, Cole Casey, and many more for the fun times.  Thank you to Kenny Young who hooked me up with Reser Bicycles!

Yes, there was a gluten free buffet table and both the welcome dinner and the awards banquet!

I’ve had so much help with my daughter so thank you to Diane Kendall, Emily Stahlbaum and my neighbor Emily Blank (you are a life savor!).

Meredith Kessler who won. Very nice class-act woman, it was an honor to meet and chat with you. 

Thank you especially to all of you who have sent sweet notes of good luck and have been tracking from afar. It been amazing to see people that I haven’t talked to much from High School and College involved in tracking me. I would miss way too many people if I started naming names!

I know I will undoubtedly miss people and I am sorry and know that you are much appreciated and I wouldn’t be able to do this without all the love and support that I have.

To end this report here is a picture Scott took on our favorite thing we did in New Zealand; hiking the pinnacles. 

How to become who you are?

I wrote this a couple weeks ago now but haven't posted it since our computer has died but will hopefully be resurrected this next week.

Last week I wrote about "who you are." This week after many different circumstances and experiences I had a night where my mind wouldn't turn off. We've all had those nights that we just keep thinking that leads to more thinking and more thinking. Here is a little of that thinking I did.

Once we realize who we are, how do we make sure we become that? How do we continuously remind ourselves about who we are and who we are trying to become?

Surround yourself with reminders. Scott and I have strived to have some sort of picture in each room. We have a picture of Christ in our family room and more of some temples (very sacred places where ordinances are preformed like marriage) in our dining room. In Emi's room we have a picture of Christ with little children.

On the same aspect with athletics I know so many people put up pictures in their "pain cave" or place they workout on their bike inside. Allison gave me the ingenious idea to print a picture of New Zealand and put my goal times on it. I know people who put motivational phrases on their mirror or fridge and place they workout.

Keeping a journal of spiritual experiences or "tender mercies" that God places in our lives is a great idea. I have done this off and on and it is nice to reread good things that happen to me in hard times.

The same goes for triathlon. Keeping a workout log of how you felt and what you did. What your HR or power or speed. I have gone back to look at my log when I have the same workout. I want to know what speeds to hit and how I felt during it last time. It also is motivational and a confidence builder when you read it right before a race.

Music can definitely bring the the spirit and happiness into your home as we play it. It can also be motivating when you are trying to go super hard, fast, or long.

I heard a story during General Conference a couple years ago that a father was super sad that his son became a sailor. The church leader came into the father's home and saw only pictures of the ocean on the walls. He said to the father, "He went where you showed him to go."

We need to surround ourselves with reminders of where we want to go in each aspect of our lives. We might as well use everything we have at our disposal to help!

Who are you?

Who are you? What defines you?

This weekend has been hard to says the least. Saturday I had a 5 hr bike ride with some efforts in it and then a 6 mile running with decreasing pace. I  had an amazing amazing workout. I was on top of the world and so excited for my race to come...

Saturday night I felt awful. I woke up several times with my back hurting so bad it was making me nauseous. I felt like puking and was doubled over in pain. That morning I didn't think I was going to make it to church. I didn't think that I was sick I just thought my back was in so much pain it was making me sick! I went to church and it was a good thing.

I sat in a lesson with the young women in my church (my "calling" or volunteer position is with these Young Women) and we talked about "who we are." If you asked me who I was on Saturday after my workout I would have said like coach Flowers "I am a champion!" Saturday night I would have said "I think I am good." Then Monday when I tried to so my run workout and had to end less than 1/3 of the way through because I was shaky and weak from being so nauseous Sunday I would have said "ask me tomorrow."


Why is it that we let how we feel, how others perceive us, and what people say about us define who we are more than what we BELIEVE we are or can become? 
Maybe if we could always have the fact that first and foremost we are Children of God, life would be a little smoother. How would you act differently? How would you treat people differently? What would have changed in your life today if you remembered you and everyone around you are Children of God. 
Don't let your bad night's sleep, bad workout, something someone said to you etc., define who you are or set the tone of your day!

I am a Child of God,

and he has sent me here.

 Has given me an earthly home,

 With parents kind and dear

Lead me,

 Guide me,

Walk beside me.

 Help me find the way.

 Teach me all that I must do,

to live with him someday!

Going Pro

I figured I should make this announcement official since I've finally decided what I'm going to do.
Thank you to my current sponsors:

• Trigger Point
• Container and Packaging Supply 
• Bonk Breaker
• Speedfil
• ISM Saddles
• Road ID
• Fuel Belt
• Impact Health and Wellness
• YMCA

I have a couple in the works and I hope to add more to come! If you know of any leads please let me know! I'll let you know who the others are as I get them finalized!

Now, who is it that has decided to go pro?

Already can balance on a bike while drinking and holding blankie.

Looking for some matching socks under the bed of course

OK with crazy hair... we all know with all that working out there really is no hope for hair looking good.

Knows how to carbo load... yes she has three pretzel sticks

Ready for the underpants run!

Loves life...

Loves the pre-long-workout and pre-race meal (buckwheat pancakes)

Can collapse on the kitchen floor after a 7 hour workout day!

Knows the need for snuggle time for recovery

Shares carb-loading snacks!

Already knows how to pump up bike tires.

Learning how to bake and cook healthy!

Knows the best recovery tools! (Thanks TriggerPoint)

Becoming a pro at using a spatula but still can't get a spoon FULL of food in her mouth:)

Knows the best school to cheer and run for!

Knows how to splurge with the best!

Loves to travel.

Great at exploring the neighborhoods.

Knows the importance of good rest with great naps sprinkled about.

Always finds good deals to stock up on to save that money to travel!

Already helping others explore :)

Finding BFFs

Learning how to do ANYTHING in cycling shoes.

Already can do the perfect wall squat (learned the last part from mom and dad's attempts)

And here is the proof!

Race Schedule 2015:

1. IM New Zealand

2. Oceanside 70.3

3. IM Texas

Then we will go from there...

Bike Week!

So, this post is a little late but better late than never!!!

I had a crazy workout bike camp week... by myself. Literally 21.75 hrs of biking! Monday morning it started out with a wind advisory but the temperature was in the 50's! I couldn't pass up on of the last nice days out there! Scott gave me the advice to go on the bike trail so I wouldn't be pushed into traffic so off I went.

About 1 hour into the ride it poured on me and I turned around... then this happened...

I will spare you the beautiful road rash that I got and still have on my hip. So only ONE hour into bike week and I crash... I was cold and wet and a long way from home or even a road! I called Scott and he was my knight in shining armor and came to my rescue! My bike was unridable and I called my coach to see what I should do. She told me not to bend my retailer back into place so I hiked 1.5 miles to the closest road with my bike on my back. 

I was more sad because of the holes in my trigger point kit than the holes down the side of my kona jersey!

Yes, I went back home after my bike was fixed and got on my trainer and finished the ride! Because of this crash, recovery was VITAL!

THANKS to Trigger Point for all the fun toys that helped me recover from the crash and from my really sore muscles all week. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you!

THANKS also to Dr. Lonergan (chiropractor) for all the adjustments and laser baths to help with the healing and recovery! I am so blessed to know you guys and know that I've been able to have so much success because of you!

This is how we roll.

This is a true testament to my coach Meredith. If I had looked at all the workouts I had that week I would have said NO WAY can I do that! She truly knows my potential and what I am capable of.  I have full trust and confidence in her that we will be able to succeed and continue to excel together!!!

Just so y'all don't think all I did Thanksgiving week was workout...

 This one was just too cute not to include! 

We went as a family and cut down our own Christmas tree! We always name it and this one's name is Bob. Long long story but Bob is the theme of the year!

We went shopping on Black Friday and Saturday.

Emi got a lot of Daddy time this week so I could bike! Thanks so so much for all your sacrifices daddy! 

Religious Ramblings

I learn almost all my lessons through triathlon and my daughter. The other day Scott and I were watching Emi explore and she would keep getting so close to the edge of the stairs and leaning over or some other precarious position that would make us worry. She never fell or hurt herself but could have if we were not there watching. We kept wondering why she would get close to this line! It would be so much easier as parents if she didn't put herself close to the "line of danger," She could have much more fun with her other toys etc. and wouldn't have to accept the consequences of falling.

 

Tired to get her to stand close to the edge like she usually does, but of course she wouldn't here! Don't judge me for the next couple pictures, I'm not a horrible mom!

I think this is sometimes what God thinks when he watches us here. When we get close to "the line" or breaking his commandments he probably cringes just like we do when we see Emi put herself in danger. How much more does he cringe though knowing that our choices will effect eternity and Emi's probably just mean a scraped arm or little bump. Just like Emi we can have so much more fun being away from that line, we have so much more freedom when we are not putting ourselves in danger.

She climbs on everything and gets into everything. This is her "Oh, no! Mom caught me" look.

I don't care what your definition of "the line" is. I think we all have different lines in our lives and we all define different lines in our lives. Whatever your "lines" are though stay away! Save God the grief and anxiety of seeing us near those lines... I sure wish Emi would :)

Yes, I was holding that stool in place so it wouldn't slip and she would face plant on the counter. 

On a separate but still slightly religious note I've been listening and reading many different articles on how to become better all around as well as athlete, more productive, etc. One common thing I have run into is meditation about how you want your day to go in the morning and then a reflection on it in the evening. These articles have been completely unreligous in nature. All of them have made me think about a sermon given by David A. Bednar "Pray Always."

"At the end of our day, we kneel again and report back to our Father. We review the events of the day and express heartfelt thanks for the blessings and the help we received. We repent and, with the assistance of the Spirit of the Lord, identify ways we can do and become better tomorrow."

I just keep realizing that if we do all the things that a religious life teaches us to do, we are doing all the "secular" scientific proven theories to make our lives better etc.

We are all in this together!

Since its been off season I've been able to enjoy some slower runs pushing Emi around Cincinnati in the stroller. I apps politely love this binding time together as I talk with her throughout the run. She usually giggles, chats and points throughout the run.

We were put enjoying ourselves when we were crossing a little buisness entrance and I looked for any vehicles trying to turn in or come out. There was a car coming to turn in so I slowed but then they stopped so I went a head and waved a thank you. Well, I guess that was not the right thing to do and she layed on her horn, gave me a one finger wave, and yelled something at me that I couldnt hear not probably wanted to hear.

Later I was running up a hill and there was a man walking his dog. I always like to let people know I'm coming because I tend to be pretty quiet and I scare people when they don't know I'm coming. He had a dog so I thought this would be especially important. I was a ways back from him and called up "on your left." He spun around and saw me and started walking on the right side on the side walk. I went to the left and onto the grass with the stroller giving him a wide berth. Well, when I passed him he said "really!?" Then called me a B and said acouple more 4lettered words. I have no idea what I did wrong to upset him so so much. I know that sometimes I run very entitled to the road, treadmil ect. but this was not the case at all (this time).

All this for me thinking about my husband. He is amazing and always gives people the benefit of the doubt. When someone cuts him off he says "maybe their wife is having a baby." He won't ever judge or get upset until he knows the other persons situation and circumstances. I think we could all live a lot happier if we did the same thing. Many times lately I've realized we are all in this life together, we are all people and sons and daughters of God. Why don't we just treat eachother like that!?! So many bad feelings could be prevented if this were the case! Let's work as a team to bring eachother up I stead of working against Eachother and degrading one another.