ONE Elite Team 2016: 70.3 Miles to World's Australia

Plagued with a back injury that could possibly sideline me for 2015, my year did not start the way I hoped. The doctors were amazed I had lasted this long due to the fact my spine was...well, let’s just say ‘effed up’. My base had always been strength training and for what it was worth, it saved my ass at the time I needed it most.

Taking time off from training has always been hard, but now forced rest was needed. After not truly understanding what recovery was all about, I didn’t really stop after Ironman Arizona in 2013. I was on my ‘Ironman High’, and despite some soreness and, what I thought was typical fatigue, I started training again. It’s hard to tell type-A personalities to stop moving! I focused on everything that was lacking, but soon it would catch up to me and I would truly understand what it meant to be injured.

In May of 2014, I was lucky enough to compete in my first destination race, Ironman 70.3 Mallorca. Off the coast of Spain, I landed in Mallorca and was absolutely amazed at the chance of a lifetime to compete with athletes all around the world in one of the most sought after races overseas. Up to this point, my body was feeding me signs it was not 100% ready, but I wasn't listening. After a tough time on the bike and an even tougher time on the run, I finished just under 5 hours. Not what I was expecting, but I gutted it out and crossed the finish line with a smile, still satisfied with my race result. Unfortunately, for me I knew that was not the performance I was expecting. Something was different about the way my body responded to the race.

After being forced to rest for the latter part of 2014, my 2015 race season was questionable. I struggled with swimming, I struggled with biking, and running became almost impossible. I began to consult several doctors regarding my fatigue and back pain. I learned I had an under-active thyroid, extremely low levels of testosterone, and was on the verge of a grade three spondylolisthesis. Spondylolisthesis is a condition where one vertebrae in the back slides forward over the bone below it, typically occurring in the lower spine. Each slip is measured using a graded scale 1-4, 4 being the worst. It was difficult enough to deal with the constant exhaustion from the imbalance of hormones, but now the problem with my lower back was becoming increasingly painful. The rest of my 2014 season was cancelled.

In the beginning of 2015, I was informed I made the ONE Elite Team. This was something I had been working for over the last several years. Ever since I joined ONE Multisport, I admired the athletes that were considered ‘elite’. In a competitive sport with so much to know, these were the athletes I looked up to as they represented the sport with finesse and professionalism. Now it was my turn to support the triathlon community and the ONE Multisport Club representing the ONE Elite Team.

Ultimately, 2015 rolled on and my hormone imbalance leveled out and my back pain subsided to a point where I could train to race again. First up on the 2015 schedule was the Desert Classic Duathlon. The previous year’s race brought with it a torrential downpour of rain and the 2014 race was cancelled. All the participants that had registered were offered a rollover slot for the following year, so here I was training again to race the Desert Classic Duathlon. Being one of my favorite races in AZ, I was still reluctant to race due the previous several months of difficulty with my training.

The first quarter of 2015 flew by and before I knew it, race weekend was upon me. In January, Val and I began training with Jozsef Major, a professional triathlete from Hungary and 9-time Ironman champion. Jozsef had been racing competitively for over 20 years and had an excess of experience that astounded me. Val and I took to him almost instantly. We spent countless weeks over the first quarter of the year under Jozsef’s tutelage. I quickly adopted a training schedule that seemed to work for me. I was getting stronger and faster each week, and soon my running fitness was put to the test back on the track with John Reich, the run coach for Phoenix Free Soles. Val and I used John after my Ironman debut in 2013, but after a serious bike crash Val was involved in, in May of 2014, and my plaguing back injury, we both had to give up running for an extended period of time.

Back on the track almost a year later, Val and I were sadistically looking forward to the challenge of John’s track workouts. In the beginning of 2014, I was running better than I ever had, and completed some tough run races finishing with PR’s I never knew I could achieve! With a little hard work, I had confidence I would reach that peak again.

As the year proceeded, I adapted to the progression of intensity very comfortably. My training volume increased consistently with very specific recovery built into the program. Jozsef taught me how important recovery was as I paid close attention to the response of my body. Starting in February, Val and I returned to Endurance Rehab for a re-analysis of our strength. We chose to work with Ian Chapelle, and Val and I took to the strength training immediately. I have always loved the strength aspect of my training and it has always an important piece of my success. While most view physical therapy as a response to injury, I believe it is important to utilize this type of therapy as a preventative source in order not to get injured.

By the beginning of March 2015, I finally felt prepared to dive head first into my race season. March brought two big tests of training; the Desert Classic Duathlon and the Mountain to Fountain 5K. Each of these races presented unique tests given the training regimen over the previous months. I was eager to see how my performance would ultimately mirror the fitness I was gaining from the training with Jozsef. I chose not to set any expectations for these races and approached each one as a high intensity training day. The training, both physically and mentally, paid off and my 2015 season began to take shape.