The Mighty Willamette

By Tanya

Growing up in Portland Oregon, I have always had a fondness for our beautiful bridges that span across the Willamette River connecting the east side of town to the west. As a child I lived closest to and would often cross the Ross Island Bridge.  Named for it's proximity to Ross Island, the largest of four small islands in the Willamette River just south of downtown Portland, it holds a special place in my heart.

A view of downtown Portland and Willamette from the east side

As we drove across the bridge I would often dream about what it would be like on the island, never really giving thought about how I would get out there. When I was a child the Willamette River had a bad reputation for being polluted.  The majority of Ross Island was owned by the Ross Island Sand and Gravel Company who used it as a quarry, so people were seldom in the water nearby.

Fast forward to 2014.  I still love Portland.  I still have a fondness for the bridges around the city and for Ross Island.  However, now I get to spend my summers training for a triathlons by swimming in the Willamette River and taking my kids in our kayak out to search for magic pebbles on the beaches of Ross Island!

2014: A Summer of Adventure

By Tanya

The summer of 2014 has certainly shaped up to be one of new experiences and adventures. As evidenced by the lack of new blog posts, we Sole Sisters have been hitting the road this summer.

Carissa and Jodi have both traveled across the U.S. on family vacations, and in true Sole Sister fashion, running, swimming and hiking along the way. I have remained closer to home gearing up for my first triathlon, the Mid-Simmer Olympic Tri on August 3rd at Blue Lake Park in Portland, Oregon. I somehow convinced Carissa to do the Mid Summer Tri with me and it has been fantastic to have a training partner. Jodi wanted to join us but she had some friends who offered her a spot in the Cascade Lakes Relay on the same day. She has always wanted to run that race and couldn't pass it up so she has been training amongst her travels.

Training for this triathlon has been a fantastic experience! I have followed though on my initial plan to split my training week up into one long ride, one long run, one ride/run brick workout, and two swim/core workout days and my body has felt really good!

We Tri'd It, And We Liked It: MidSummer Olympic Triathlon Review

By Tanya and Carissa

You know those races where all the stars align and everything just falls perfectly into place? Those few and far between races where everything goes as planned and you are reminded again why you dream big, train hard, and persevere through obstacles and injury, and push your body and mind to its limits? Yeah, the MidSummer Triathlon was one of those races.

Training:

Tanya: I can't believe how blessed I have been to even get to the start of this race. I never dreamed I would be attempting a triathlon! Heck, I had never even ridden a road bike until six month ago! But it was destined to be. I fell in love with swimming because of reoccurring injuries. I fell in love with biking because I was gifted a bike. My passion for running was reignited through core strengthening and Graston Therapy (shout out to the fantastic crew at West Portland Physical Therapy). I was inspired to Tri it by my Sole Sisters and challenged by my awesome triathlon training partner, the incredible Carissa von Koch. I was offered a entry into the Mid-Summer Olympic Triathlon for volunteering through the wonderful host company AA Sports... and on to the race I went!

Carissa: I kept my training simple for this triathlon.  My goal was to be prepared to cover the distance.  Every week I aimed to be in the pool once for 1500 meters.  I spent two days a week cycling.  One of the days I took a one hour spin class the other day I cycled outside 25-28 miles, often with Tanya. Three days a week I ran, not because I needed to train that much for the triathlon but because I was considering a fall marathon.  Two of my runs were mid distance (5-8 miles).  One run was longer (10-12 miles).  I really enjoyed training like this.  The mix kept me injury free and mentally fresh.  On race day I felt competent and comfortable.

My Turn To TRI It!

By Tanya

Isn't it funny how once you gain a new perspective on something your whole attitude towards it can change?

Like when I was first told that people in their right mind run for 26.2 miles and I swore up and down that I would never want to run for 4+ hours! Yet, after watching my husband's cousin conquer her first marathon a spark within me was ignited to know what that would feel like.

I also remember the first time I saw my brother ride a road bicycle and I thought there is no way you'd ever find me with my feet stuck in clips to a skinny wheeled death trap like that.

Or how my whole life I have been grossed out by open bodies of water and have never had the nerve to jump right in and swim with the fishes, among other ungodly things you might find in there.

Needless to say, for me, the idea of a triathlon was never on my wish list, nor was it even on my radar. A couple of years ago all I knew of a Triathlon was the Ironman in Kona. A swim, bike and running race of such extreme distances and conditions that only the most athletically fit or mentally insane would even attempt it. But last summer that all changed.

My Sole Sisters Carissa and Jodi decided to train for a triathlon - Carissa for her first and Jodi for her second. I started to see the triathlon in a whole new light. I learned there are many different distances and courses you can compete on. You can finish an entire Sprint triathlon in only a few hours and some triathlons even have their swimming staged in a pool! As I rooted on my Sole Sisters in their triathlon, the thought popped into my brain that I'd like to TRI it!

My running injury last year brought me to the pool more frequently, and I found that I started to love to swim. My growing confidence in the water prompted me to take on my fear and disgust of open bodies of water by joining Carissa the week before her triathlon on her training swim in Klineline Pond. The day of their triathlon I ran the 10k portion on my own while waiting for Carissa and Jodi to finish the bike. I could tell my legs were on their way to recovery.

The last unknown factor of the triathlon was the bike. I have never been much of a bike rider. The only bike rides I had been on were occasional family rides. I did a few spin classes at the gym and enjoyed them however, I could never find a truly comfortable position and cadence on those bikes.  As a result my back would always end up hurting after class.

I joined Carissa a couple of times on her training rides and could tell there was a big difference in the effort she expended on her road bike as opposed to me on my hybrid. Also, if you know anything about me, you know I am extremely cheap. I knew from researching bicycles a few years ago that they are expensive to buy and maintain. I just wasn't will to fork over the money to buy a quality road bike and all the equipment that goes along with it for something that I may not even enjoy.

So I did what I always do when stuck with conflicting desires. I prayed. First I thanked God for the blessing of healing and the gift of health. That a triathlon was even a possibility for me was a huge answer to prayer. I told God the conflict I felt to continue to challenge myself physically and have new experiences vs. my desire to remain faithful to my family with my time, attention and monetary resources.

My prayers were answered when I was given a road bike free of charge! My mom's friend, who races in triathlons, was getting a new bike and he wanted to "just get rid of the old one." It worked out wonderfully as he is not much bigger than me and the bike fit me really well, so he very generously gave it to me. What a huge blessing!

The first thing I did was call up Carissa and ask for her to show me the ropes on a road bike. I have to admit I was pretty nervous the first couple of times being clipped to my skinny wheeled deathtrap. But after a few tiny falls and a lot of prayers I started to get comfortable and actually began to enjoy it! My bike and I are muy simpatico now. I have taken to calling it KC, after two amazing athletes I know who inspire me, but also because I feel like a Kamikaze Chicken when I ride it!

I am not one to really follow a training schedule but I did read a few triathlon books to get a sense of the types of training I should do. I found that I should be biking about 60% of the time, so I have tried to get out and bike as much as possible. This week I joined my sole sister Jodi for a fun long ride out through the countryside in Newberg Oregon. It was our first ride together and we had a great time! There is no better way to catch up with a friend than during a good sweaty two hour exercise session!

I am still swimming and core training two days a week as well as going on one 10k run. But now I am also going on one long ride, and one ride/run weekly. Through it all my body has done really well. I never feel exhausted after a hard training session and my body has not been getting tight and locking up. I think it likes changing it up between the three disciplines.

I am not sure at this time which triathlon I'll do this summer. My plan for now is to continue to tri train with shorter but stronger runs, getting on the bike as much as possible, and getting out of my comfort zone on open water swims so I'll be ready if and when one fits my schedule.

Pretty amazing stuff from a girl who once found it hard to run three miles, but now finds it hard to run anything less. I have found that patience and perspective go hand in hand. We are often much more capable than we give ourselves credit for, it just takes the right time and situation for us to realize it.
Its all about having an open mind and the courage to try new things!

Year in Review

By Carissa

**Hello from your Sole Sisters.  It's been quiet here on the blog but not because we aren't having adventures in running and cross-training.  We have been busy with family and all the other wonderful things that vie for our time and attention.  Thank you for sticking with us.**

Did you have exercise goals for 2013?  

Do you remember what they were?  

Did you accomplish them?

At the beginning of 2013 I hoped to accomplish the following:

• Run Boston Marathon with a target goal of 3:20.
• Run a fall marathon and set another Personal Record (PR).
• Break 1:30 in the half marathon.
• Complete a summer triathlon.
• Most importantly... the purpose of my running is the joy of running fast, strong, and the pursuit of discovering my unique personal best within the time constraints of my top priority: my family.

My First But Not My Last-Series 33 Olympic Triathlon Vancouver

By Carissa

Nineteen weeks of training, six months in the pool, and three months learning the art of riding on the road was all summed up this weekend with my first triathlon.  The Series 33 Vancouver Olympic Triathlon is a .92 mile swim in Klineline Pond, 24.8 mile hilly bike ride through a rural and upscale part of Vancouver, and 6.2 mile run through scenic Salmon Creek Park.

Jodi and I in the transition area before the race began.

I went into triathlon training a runner.  I wasn’t confident I could pick up new sports because running is the only sport I’ve ever excelled at.  Once I learned to swim I spent my time in the pool thanking God I could do it.  My first bike ride was intimidating but I instantly loved it.  Being on this journey of new experiences led me to approaching race day with a thankful heart.  I was genuinely excited to take these new skills and give it a go.

Body marking.  I thought this was really cool.  Why don't they do this at running events?

When it came to the swim I was definitely underprepared.  Though I’ve made a lot of improvement in the pool I only managed one twenty minute swim in open water.  My take away was I really didn’t have the whole sighting thing down.  I thought I could just Google some tips and wing it on race day.  Wing it I did and it wasn’t pretty.

Swim. Bike. Run. - Series 33 Triathlon Vancouver

by Jodi

Sole Sisters pre-race.  Those are the race buoys behind us.

Swim.  Bike.  Run. This weekend Carissa and I finished the olympic distance Series 33 Triathlon Vancouver.  It rained the entire time we raced.  The swim was long with a learning curve on how to swim straight.  The bike was all hills and beautiful scenery.  The run was flat and serene.  The finish line brought relief.

Carissa and I viewed the bike course earlier this week.  My heart sank as we drove up and down one mammoth hill after another.  Even the parts that looked flat-ish were not.  I have never chosen to ride a bike course so consistently difficult.  Seeing the route turned me into a ball of nerves.  All the way until race morning.

Every once in a while we wear real clothes and some makeup.  And then we don't recognize each other.

The night before the race, I slept over at Carissa's.  Tanya - the best cheerleader ever - got up super early to ride with us to the race.  I was a nervous wreck, twitching in my seat and deep breathing through wave after wave of pre-race butterflies.

Triathlon Dress Rehearsal: Two Training Approaches. Two Outcomes. One Big Adventure

By Jodi

Swim.  Bike. Run.  This weekend Carissa and I exercised our way through a dress rehearsal of the Olympic distance triathlon we plan to race in two weeks.  Above all else it was eye-opening for me.  There was a clear distinction between Carissa's well prepared, thoughtful training program vs. my winging it, it's-summer-so-I-don't-want-to-train-for-anything "schedule."  Carissa was much faster than I was on all three disciplines.  But I expected her to be.

This was our finished picture.  Notice how refreshed Carissa looks?  And how exhausted I look?

Carissa toyed around with the idea of a triathlon last fall, took her first swim lesson in December, and  got serious about triathlon training after she finished the Boston marathon.  She has trained with the determined consistency that defines who she is, following a rigorous schedule and mastering two skills that were foreign to her a matter of months ago.  Carissa has worked hard and her training has clearly paid off.  She was fast, strong, and capable on all three events today.  On race day she will reap the reward of her hours of effort.

I, on the other hand, didn't decide to do this triathlon until the middle of July.  While I learned to swim and cycle three years ago these are not sports I have not done with any consistency.  Saying yes to triathlon training was like starting over from scratch, especially with swimming.

Motivation: My Mind Said No

By Carissa

~I started this post two weeks ago but didn't have the "motivation" to finish it until now...

We’ve all been there - that place in your training when you lose your drive.  You don’t care anymore and you have a long list of reasons not to carry on.  Somewhere between last week and this week I lost my motivation.  

On Monday morning the alarm went off.  I got up and groggily made my way through my routine to get out the door.  On the drive to the gym I let my negative thoughts simmer. "I don't want to be up at 4:45 a.m. to battle through an hour of spin and 45 minutes in the pool.  I don't want to work out.  I don't want to work hard for a triathlon I am confident I can complete today.  I should be in bed right now."  It was my third morning commute to the gym feeling this way and I knew it was a red flag.  

Once at the gym I checked in and put my bag in a locker.  All I had to do was walk through the door to class and sit on a bike.  If I did that I would be assured of a commitment to the next 60 minutes and following through with my workout.  But I didn’t.  I chose to listen to the voice that reassured me that every fiber of me did not want to work out.  I passed several regulars on their way in as I did the walk of shame out and back home to bed.

Do Not Be Afraid or Discouraged...

my son Grant practicing his butterfly in Timothy Lake

by Jodi

I am abnormally afraid of snakes and drowning.  Both have consumed many a nightmare over the years.  It's no secret that nothing about swimming comes naturally to me.  There is not a swim workout where I don't try to talk myself out of going.  I'm nervous the entire drive to the pool.  The pool deck and lap lanes intimidate me.  Before I even get into the pool I'm already anticipating the joy of getting out.  Like Adam Sandler in the movie Happy Gilmore I feel like I need to tell the lifeguard, "I'm a runner but I'm swimming today."  ...as if it's not painfully obvious.

When I'm swimming I panic over the dumbest things.  Water in my nose, water in my mouth, shortness of breath, an inability to swim the distance I sent out to conquer, tired muscles, or watching the depth of the pool drop off below me all have potential to induce wave after wave of panic.

Fear lies.  It whispers to me, "You will not be okay.  When you swim in that triathlon you will not make it out of the lake alive."   If I give in to the mental turmoil that fear creates when I swim, it tortures me up and down the lane.  Sometimes it's intense enough that it chases me straight out of the pool.

Loving the Ride

By Carissa

I may have moved to one of the biking capitals of the nation, but until recently cycling never captured my heart.  When I bought a road bike last year it was because my husband and I thought more family bike rides were in our future and neither of us owned a bike.  He chose a Schwinn Cruiser for comfort (think padded seat and wide handle bars.)  I chose a Fuji Roubaix road bike for versatility.  I could use it for a family ride or head out on the road with a girlfriend.  

Purchasing my bike last summer

I knew I liked biking to an extent because I had been spending a lot of time at spin class. Biking on the road however, is completely different.  The difference scared me enough to avoid it.  Everyone I talked to about clips said a fall or two was part of the learning process.  My bike sat in the garage for an entire year while my husband lamented the money we spent to purchase it.

This spring when I got the bug to train for a triathlon, I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to face clip-in pedals and cycling outside of spin class.  In June, with my stomach in my throat, I set out on my first real ride.  My spin buddy Kim and I were going to tackle a 35 mile ride.  Neither one of us knew how long it would take or how it would feel.  I had padded shorts. Kim did not. I had a road bike. Kim had a mountain bike with road tires.  We were both nervous as we rode off.  

The previous weekend I rode 30 miles on the trainer.  Thirty-five miles would be new territory for me but I felt confident I could cover the distance.  Kim hadn't been doing any riding outside of spin class nor did she have experience with a longer ride like this. I offered to turn around whenever Kim wanted, but she resolved to stick by my side the entire distance. Our route took us on the Cascade Lakes Highway outside of Sunriver, Oregon.  It was a beautiful warm day and the sights and smells of the high desert were a delight to our senses.  We returned sweaty, sore and ecstatic.  We conquered our fears and had a fantastic time doing so.

Kim and I returning from our ride

The following weekend I had the opportunity to join my biking friends, Christian and Danielle, on a 35 mile ride through Oregon's wine country.  Once again I was extremely nervous.  Could I even keep up with these experienced riders?  It turned out to be a beautiful and educational ride.  Christian and Danielle taught me about fueling, riding with a group (hand gestures and lingo), using the gears on my bike, and riding in a pace line.  One of my favorite moments on the ride was when a raccoon scampered across the road ahead of us, oblivious of our presence. 

Danielle and I after our ride

Last weekend Danielle and I did a 32 mile route that her husband mapped out for us.  This was the first time I took a route from home into the more rural landscape west of where I live.  The thrill of the ride left me with an endorphin high that lasted the whole day.  Danielle and I coordinated the ride at the last minute and I’m so glad I didn’t need to stick to my original game plan of riding solo.

I find comfort in riding with Danielle.  If I fall into position behind her I can copy her riding.  In this way I am continuing to learn.  Now if only I can figure out how to take the downhill like she does!

I never thought I'd be falling in love with cycling.   I love the challenge of a steady climb and approach the downhills with caution.  My clips no longer make me nervous and the thought of a weekend ride doesn’t send my stomach into a tailspin.  When I see another biker I watch them with interest and envy, wishing I too was biking.  I'm really doing it - cycling and loving the ride.

How about you Sole Sisters?  Do you have a bike sitting forgotten in the garage?  Maybe you should  pull it out and find a Kim or a Danielle to enjoy the adventure of biking...through life together.

Trying a Tri

By Carissa

When it comes to athletic pursuits, I like to push my limits.  For a while that has been in the form of distance and pace.  This summer I’m dipping my toes into the unknown world of the triathlon.  I’ve been asked in the past if I would train for a triathlon.  My typical response was that I can’t bike and I can’t swim so no, triathlons weren’t a logical sport for me. 

Then last summer I bought I road bike.  Did I start riding it?  No.  To my husband’s chagrin it sat in the garage with promises from me that once I wan’t busy training for foot races I would indeed get on it.  Next, I had the opportunity to work with a trainer at my gym on lap swimming.  It isn’t pretty, but I now know how to lap swim.  Prior to diving into training for the Boston Marathon I took spin class and managed to get into the pool a little.  Once the running picked up I dropped everything else and focused exclusively on getting in my miles for the week.

Side note: Check out Jodi's blog for her experience learning to swim.  She promises humor.

The one time I actually rode my bike on the road and look, no clips...

After Boston I knew I wanted to get back to spin class, I wanted to get back in the pool and I wanted a goal race that would give my workouts focus and purpose.  A triathlon seemed to fit the bill.  There was only a few rather small hiccups in my ambitions.  I had yet to ride my bike on the open road.  The thought of getting used to my clips was anxiety producing.  I wasn’t sure how I was going to build up the necessary endurance to swim the race distance and I had zero experience in open water.  Have I built a good case for thinking I push my limits?