"The saddest thing in life is wasted talent." A Bronx Tale

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” ~C.S. Lewis

(Speaking at Florida International University)

This is the longest I’ve gone without blogging in quite some time. Writer’s block? I believe my exact words to my Dad were “I feel uninspired. I haven’t accomplished anything worth writing about recently.” I think because I’ve become more engrossed in the sports world and seeing the extraordinary athletic accomplishments of others I’ve begun to belittle my own. I often tell friends not to compare their race times and training volume to others. And that they should be proud of THEIR OWN accomplishments. I should take my own advice! I’ve won the last three races I’ve entered – a half marathon, a 5K, and a 10K… they were only local races (again with the belittling) but I worked hard for those wins and I shouldn't take them for granted. I have a new coach (poor Jonny), a completely different training plan (very little running, mostly bike workouts), and a new focus (no marathons for me this year… focusing 100% on triathlon).

Using local races for speed work.

Not only that, I was given the incredible opportunity to be a Keynote Speaker at the 2018 ERSL Conference hosted by Florida International University. Public speaking scares me to no end, however, when you are asked to speak to young minority students (from HBCUs around the country) about diversity and inclusion in sports, chasing dreams, and making connections matter....no brainer. Of course my answer was yes.

With Andrea Snead and Candice Douglas

The Speech

As usual I wanted to go hide in a closet before I got on stage. For real. So I knew I had to do an ice breaker to ~~engage the audience~~ keep from puking, fainting, all of the above. I began with a series of questions. Complete silence to the first question. Broke out my secret weapon, Amazon gift cards, and hands started going up ;-) Gotta give those kids credit though. They were pretty close to getting most of the answers correct - 75% of African Americans can't swim, there are only 0.5% of African Americans in triathlon (the winner guessed 2%), only 1 Pro African American Triathlete EVER.

The three topics were pretty easy to talk about since each are equally important to me...

Diversity and Inclusion

This picture doesn't look very "diverse", but organizations like BTA encourage minorities to participate in triathlons.

Chasing Dreams

I ended my 2017 season with a big half ironman PR (4:49...the bike is still a work in progress but that 1:31 half marathon at the end helped A TON)

Making Connections Matter

My "adopted Dad" Dan...can't you see the resemblance

My litmus test for how well I've done is always to ask if anyone has questions after I'm done with my "speech". Ok hands are up ... all over the room...yay I did good. They asked a lot of thought provoking questions. Everything from how to balance a full time job with training/racing (keeps me sane), how I motivate myself to workout daily (it ain't easy), and goals (being a positive role model, a good human being, and getting super fast!), to hair maintenance (go natural, no chemical relaxers) and diet (I like to cook).

Thank you FIU for hosting me, NIRSA (and Christina Reddick) for chosing me as your speaker, and All Sports International for sponsoring my travel. Oh and thank you to all the students in the audience who listened and were engaged. I figured everyone would pull out there cells and text or go on Instagram. Nope! There is hope for mankind.

Now onto my sports life....

Lots of changes! After my last big race of the year (Ironman 70.3 North Carolina) I decided to make a coaching change. Not that anything was wrong with my last coach. She was absolutely wonderful. I have nothing but love and gratitude for her. When we started working together in 2016 I had never even done a half ironman. By 2017 I qualified and raced at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships, won the Tidewater Triathlon, ran a 3:00:06 marathon, and placed 9th (woman) at Ironman 70.3 North Carolina. She definitely laid the foundation for where I'm at athletically now. Thank you Suzanne <3

Memories (video cred to Preston Thomas). I love how you can hear my Dad and I's convo in the background. Dad: Did you do it? (asking if I hit my goal of going under 5 hours) Me: 4:49 Dad: Yeahhhhhhhhhh

Being someone who thrives off of routine and doesn't like change, switching coaches was NOT an easy decision. It was actually quite stressful - leaving someone who helped me make a lot of progress in a short span of time, without a single injury, not to mention the comfort and familiarity of speaking to the same person regularly. But sometimes you want to try something new and make a change. So after interviewing a ton of coaches I officially made a change in November. We established a few things right off the bat: I'd take some down time to recover, I wouldn't race a marathon in 2018, if I did a road race it would be used as a speed workout, and we would really focus on my weakness (the bike).

After taking a few weeks off (getting lazy, 'fat', and slow) I did the Virginia Running Festival Half Marathon. I had simple instructions: run around 1:30 and negative split (run the second half faster than the first). Lucky for me all the speed demons raced at the Richmond Half Marathon AND there was a 1:30 pace group. I honestly thought I'd run around 1:40, but after a few miles I felt comfortable and joined in on the conversation with the little group I was running with. Around mile 9 I made a move and went out on my own. I ran myself into first place (for the women) with 5K to go and tried to work on closing hard. It felt like a....... 19 minute 5K! It was not haha. I crossed the finish line in 1:28:XX (I can't find the results). Nothing extraordinary. No PR. I just did as my coach instructed. Splits: First 5K: 21:15, Second 5K: 21:15, Third 5K: 20:50, Last 5K: 20:15

I won :-)

After the race I began gradually adapting to a new training plan. It was definitely an adjustment. It still is! I miss the frequency of running. I miss the mileage. I don't like getting up at 4:30 am for Master's swim practice, I don't like VO2 max sessions on the bike or trying to hold 200 watts. I miss the speed I once had in running. But I love seeing the small improvements week after week in other areas where I was lacking. I trust the process and I can't wait to see where it gets me this year.

Putting TrainerRoad to good use this year and paying closer attention to my power output.

Speaking of missing speed...
I did a 5K last month. I was worried about not breaking 20 minutes. Honestly. I was dreading it. My coach loaded my hardest workouts at the front half of the week, then it was 2 easy days. The 5K was meant to be a hard tempo run. Talk about painful. The first 2 miles weren't so bad and then it was like..."please just make this sh*t end." Am I the only one that finds 5Ks particularly painful?? Over the last mile I was promising God that I'd stop cursing if he got me across the finish line sooner. I crossed the finish line in 18:55. Better than I thought but wayyyyyyy slower than last year. I was super bummed.

Tucking in with the men (1st female across the finish line). Weather conditions were miserable.

Of course I texted my coach right away....What have YOU done to ME? I'm way slower. Coach's feedback: I'm slowly putting the pressure on you with more and more riding and intervals and pushing you. In the last 10 days you rode 6 times. So I knew you were going into this 5K in less than optimal condition to post a fast time. But I also think you're doing the best thing for your future in triathlon. Good point Coach! I'll shut up.

Ugly pain face

After another solid month of training I had one more ~~race~~ speed session, a 10K. That entire week I absolutely killed it on the bike. My watts were higher than they had ever been. I was getting through workouts that I didn't think were possible. I was pumped. And then I remembered I had a 10K and so did my coach. Oh I feel so bad for you. That race is going to hurt. Are coaches supposed to say stuff like that?!? haha Hey, at least he was honest.

It was actually a very interesting race. I ran the first two miles with a group of girls and then I had one locked on my heels through mile three. She was breathing down my neck...actually more like my back because I'm so friggin tall. I was so tired. I figured she'd hang on and sprint by me at the end. Usually I have good finishing speed but I knew it wasn't in me that day because of all the biking I had done during the week. I decided to make a move at mile 4 into a strong head wind. It worked. By mile 5 I was on my own and by 6 the gap grew by ~40 seconds.

Not an easy course. 5 out and backs.

My splits

As you can see I got slower and slower...and slower blah

Before, During, The Aftermath

Grateful for another win

My run isn't where it was last year. I'm not as quick and I can't run as far. But my coach made a good point. When it comes to triathlon who cares if you are 2 minutes slower on the run if you can bike 10 minutes faster.

Next up
For the first time I won't be doing the One City Marathon next weekend. Instead I'll be doing the 8K and trying my hardest to get in the top 3 so I can win some money! And then....drumroll (because everyone cares sarcasm)...I start my triathlon season April 8th at Ironman 70.3 Florida. This will be my first time doing a triathlon this early in the year. It's not an A race or anything. But it will be a good time to kick things off and test my fitness as I build towards Ironman 70.3 Eagleman in June (my focus).

And now that I've brought up my first race, I don't have a clue what I'll be racing in this year. I'm a "free agent". You might see me in a bathing suit! However, I'm excited to announce that I'll be partnering with FinisherPix this year as they capture images of me at various races this season.

Look familiar?

USA Triathlon Magazine...thank you FinisherPix for capturing this moment.

Good luck to everyone doing the One City Marathon next weekend! May your journey to the finish line feel like this...

My best win to date.

I mostly write about my race experiences but last weekend’s festivities were too awesome not to blog about. So here ya go....

Exhibit A

Watching Shalane Flanagan become the first American woman in 40 years to win the NYC Marathon = Priceless

My connection to New York

Since I was born in New York City and raised in Northern Jersey (20 minutes outside of the city), I grew up watching the NYC Marathon. In fact, I didn't know other marathons existed for a long long time. No, not even Boston. My Grandpa was a sports fanatic (and a genetic freak of nature: athletically - Haywood Henry... a prodigious athlete...ran the 100 yards in less than 10 seconds and musically - he played on over 1,000 rock and roll records in the 1950s and 1960s) and I remember hearing him talk about the NYC Marathon every year. In fact, it became a goal of mine to one day participate. Of course at the time I figured I'd walk it. Never thought in a million years I'd become an endurance athlete. Funny how your life can head in a different direction than you ever imagined. It's also fascinating how conversations can shape the person you become today.

With my multi-talented Grandpa. Excuse the hair. And what am I wearing?!? Mom, seriously?

Me running in the One City Marathon earlier this year and trying my hardest to break 3 hours. I came up 6 seconds short but I think my Grandpa would be proud :-)

Enough with the nostalgia... I'm sure you're wondering how a regular Joe Schmoe like myself got VIP access to all of the NYC Marathon festivities. Long story (sort of) short: In late July I was chatting with Tony (Anthony) Reed, Co-founder / President of the National Black Marathoners Association and he mentioned doing a bunch of speaking engagements and NBMA meet and greets on the East Coast in Oct/Nov. I told him about Ironman 70.3 North Carolina and how I wanted to qualify for next year's World Championships. He agreed to make Wilmington, NC, one of his stops before heading up to New York for the marathon. "Did someone mention the NYC Marathon?!?! VIP access??"

With Tony at Ironman 70.3 North Carolina a few weeks ago. Yes, I qualified for next year's Ironman 70.3 World Championships!! Many people don't know this...Tony is the first person to talk me into traveling for a race. I used to be too scared. Somehow he got me to do the Dallas Marathon on December 13, 2015 - my birthday! Wonderful experience (4th female). I've been traveling for races ever since.

Of course when he mentioned the NYC Marathon my ears perked up. "Soooo Tony.. any chance I can tag along?" Tony: "I'll see what I can do". My mother always says "if you don't ask, you won't receive". Touché Mom.

The Golden Ticket

The timing was perfect. I had just wrapped up my tri season. Stay out late? Drink? Go to the marathon and NOT have to race?? Heck yeah! Flight booked. And lucky for me my parents still live right outside of NYC = no hotel fees + family time, AND my parents got to join me in the VIP tent at the marathon. THANK YOU TONY!

The evening before the marathon I had dinner in Harlem with fellow NBMA marathoners and got to catch up with friends I only get to see once a year at the annual summit. It was so strange listening to everyone talk about racing and paces and nerves. Usually I'm going through the same emotions. It was a welcome change being able to sit back, relax, eat what I want, have a beer, and not think about a bed time.

At Harlem Tavern

The National Black Marathoners Association has over 5,000 members

Our next stop was an event hosted by Running USA ("Network With The Running Industry") in Manhattan. As my friend Alex put it, "How often do you get to be in a room with 'Who's Who' of the running industry." FYI I saw Kara Goucher across the room and all I wanted to ask her was "Where is Emma Coburn?!?"....I'm such a fan of hers. Probably a good thing she wasn't there because they probably would have had to call security.

With Tony and Alex at Running USA's pre-marathon reception.

One of the most enjoyable conversations I had was with 2X Boston Marathon winner Geoff Smith.

With 1984 and 1985 Boston Marathon winner Geoff Smith.

This man was hilarious. He asked about my running and triathlon background. I proceeded to tell him about falling 6 seconds short of my sub-3 hour attempt and how frustrating and upsetting it was. He said "Oh that's nothing" and shows me this pic on his phone.

That's not him with his arms in the air, basking in the glow of a Boston Marathon win in 1983. He's the other guy on the pavement that lost by a few seconds. Funny but not so funny. What I loved about his story is that he picked himself up and won the next year and the year after.

I feel so blessed to be able to have conversations with such fascinating people. I'll never take it for granted. Ever! In fact, I could go on and on about who else I chatted with that evening, but I'll end it on this note (because I still have to talk about the NYC Marathon lol)...one convo I did find helpful was with Liam Fayle, of Hawi Management. Yep, the sports agency that represents Meb Keflezighi, Kati Zaferes, and countless others. A snippit of our convo...

Me: So when do you know when you need a sports agent?

Liam: When different companies are trying to negotiate contracts with you, throwing out numbers and prices....

Me: Oh darn. I guess I don't need an agent :-)

The Big Day

With my parents near the VIP entrance to the NYC Marathon Lounge. Steps away from the finish line. Oh and I'm not an only child. My brother is in school. Nile - hurry up and finish. We miss you!

Media above. They must have been working with hundreds of cameras. I couldn't count all of the screens.

Watching the pro women take off...with hot coffee, donuts, eggs, muffins...the catering was on point!

In between watching the race and eating a ridiculous amount of food I met some AMAZING people.

ELIUD KIPCHOGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you have not seen the Documentary "Breaking 2" I suggest you watch it. He was part of the Nike sub-2 hour marathon record attempt. He ended up running 2:00:24. So close! I thought about telling him about my sub-3 hour attempt from earlier this year. I thought he could totally relate hahaha. JK! But in all seriousness, for all of his accolades (including Olympic Gold in the Marathon), he was so kind and so humble.

A few other awesome people I met....