TYR Swim Set of the Week – Andy Potts Edition!

by Haley on November 26, 2013

All3sports put on an AMAZING weekend for the Atlanta triathlon community featuring a Q&A session AND swim clinic with Ironman Champion Andy Potts.

potts_clinicEven pros are allowed to ask fellow pros for pics! Thanks to Jason for the photo!

Meredith, aka SwimBikeMom, did a great job moderating the Q&A and has an excellent recap of the whole weekend posted on her blog. And Faux Runner, another outstanding ATL fitness blogger, highlighted a few of Andy’s tips in her own write-up. Both posts are definitely worth checking out!

I had a great time helping Andy with Sunday’s swim clinic. I loved getting to show off the Dynamo pool and meeting some Twitter and Facebook friends in person.

swim_clinicMari caught me laughing when Andy asked me about my stretching routine (What’s stretching?!)

After the clinic Andy, Jess from TYR, and Brent and Sean from all3sports and I hopped in the pool for a little double secret swim session. It might be the offseason, but none of us were going to pass up an opportunity for some mid-day long course meters!

Andy came up with our main set of descending 200s. The goal was to descend both within each set of three 200s, and from round to round. I’m including our intervals for context. Try it out!! It will make that Thanksgiving turkey taste even better!!

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Osmo Water Pic Wednesday – The Dynamo Pool!

by Haley on November 20, 2013

duringNYEThis is where the magic happens, people! Atlanta’s Dynamo swimming pools are home base for some of the fastest kids and masters swimmers in the world. Not to mention some super speedy triathletes!

My friend Sean convinced me to check out Dynamo Masters after I moved to ATL in 2007. As a newly retired collegiate swimmer, I’d sworn off morning swims and locker rooms, but ten minutes in the Dynamo pool quickly changed that! The workout was great, but the camaraderie was even better. Friends from the pool encouraged me to give triathlon a try, and now it’s my job! Talk about a life changing swim!!

The Dynamo Swim Club has BIG plans to celebrate its 50th Anniversary, including a capital campaign to help renovate the pools! Thinking about grabbing lunch or dinner in ATL this week? Doc Chey’s and Osteria 832 are donating 25% of checks to the campaign if you mention Dynamo! (Details here)

And this Sunday, November 24th, at 12:30pm the Dynamo pool and all3sports.com are hosting a FREE swim clinic with Ironman Champion Andy Potts!

andy_potts_all3And guess what?!? I will be there too! Come by and say hello! There’s no better place to meet champions and pick up some swim tips than the Dynamo pools!! See you there!!

 

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Skip your Swim! Go Bowling Instead!

by Haley on November 14, 2013

Today I am giving you permission to skip your swim workout! Instead, head over to Midtown Bowl for a night of bowling, fun, and friends to benefit the Kyle Pease Foundation!

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Kyle and his older brother Brent are good friends and major inspirations for me. While their races are impressive (the duo finished Ironman Wisconsin in an impressive 15 hours this year), what’s even better is how many other kids they’ve gotten involved in triathlon and running. Just last weekend they helped more than THIRTEEN kids get to the start and finish line of a local 5k!

hbhustleCheck out the Walking with KPeasey Facebook Page for more HB Hustle 5k pics!

The pins will be falling from 6-9pm and cost is $35. Can’t make it? You can always make a donation online! Brent and Kyle have BIG plans for 2014 and whether it’s a cash donation or on-course cheers, I knew they really appreciate everyone’s support!

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More Kona pics this week, folks!

kona_pre_raceWant a good cheer spot on the seawall? Plan for a VERY early morning! That’s the swim start, in the DARK!

This week I’m sharing not one, but TWO awesome pics of the Kona Swim Start taken by friend William Humsi.

kona swim startThere’s the sun! Must be getting close to race time!

While William’s photog skills are legendary, he’s probably better known in triathlon circles for his wife, Erin, one of my Dynamo Multisport teammates who tore it up with a top ten age group finish and massive PR in just her first trip to Kona this year!

Betty Bday17Erin traded her Osmo for Red Bull to celebrate Betty’s Birthday last week. Check out that smile!

Why all the Kona talk in mid-November? Mark you calendars and set your DVRs! This Saturday, November 16th at 4:30 pm EST the Ironman World Championship will be broadcast on NBC!

kona_nbc

My secret source at yesterday’s advance screening said this year’s show is a tearjerker, with the possibility of some comic relief stair climbing action provided by yours truly! Check out the trailer below and get excited!! Ironman on network TV! Possible Dynamo athlete sightings! Heartwarming stories! Race action! Woo hoo! I can’t wait!!!

 

 

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Ironman Florida Race Recap

by Haley on November 12, 2013

Nothing makes me want to race more than thinking I might not be able to. My plans to race Ironman Florida were in serious jeopardy when race week jury duty developed into more of a civic obligation than I expected. The bright side was realizing how awesome my support team is. They had me sure I would be physically and emotionally ready for Plan A, B, C, or D. Start lines and smart advisors are never things to take for granted!

I escaped the courtroom just in time to drive down to Panama City Beach. Driving to a race is another luxury I appreciate as it means I can overpack and I’m likely to see a lot of familiar faces on the race course.

imfL_sunriseIronman Florida Sunrise captured by Ernie Janelle

Race morning was full of great surprises: perfect weather, calmer water conditions, and a vuvuzela carrying Dynamo Multisport cheer crew led by friends Betty, Ernie, and Noah! I loved getting so see so many friends on my way to the start. Definitely a huge boost after a season full of mostly solo racing!

imfl_bettyBetty and I before the start! GO GREEN!

The Swim

Even though the water had calmed down significantly from the craziness of the previous day, the Gulf was far from flat. I charged into the waves, only to be faced with a moment of panic when I wasn’t sure I’d make it through the waves breaking just off shore. I may be a decent swimmer, but I’m no match for mother nature!

Eventually I made it through the breakers and swam hard, trying to put as much time as possible between me and the rest of women’s pro field. The resumes in the group were nuts and included the reigning World Champion and several other top finishers. With those kinds of athletes chasing me, I needed the biggest lead I could get!

imfl_swim_runHeaded back in for round 2! Thanks to Jen and John Ridgely for the pic!

I made it through the first loop without too much trouble and I loved body surfing toward the shore. The second time through the breakers was much easier, but my clean water swimming was short lived as I started to catch the back end of the age group race.

I maneuvered my way through the sea of green and pink caps just praying I didn’t take anyone out, especially since the waves were bringing me in really fast and a lot of people were walking on the sandbar 200 meters off shore. It felt more like an obstacle race than a triathlon, and I was very happy when I hit dry sand without hurting anyone!

The Bike

I took off on the bike hoping to hold on to my lead as long as possible. The Ironman Florida bike course is a giant loop with only a couple turns and two short out-and-backs. The road conditions are pretty good with the exception of one bumpy section near halfway. The hills are few and far between, with the biggest change in elevation coming from the bridge just ten miles into the race. This course was built for SPEED!

IMFL_bike_trijuiceAnother amazing race pic from TriJuice.com!!!

I was riding super focused and nearly missed a turn around mile 40. Luckily the GREEN Dynamo Cheer crew was going crazy at the corner and that caught my attention! Shortly after the turn the Dutch rocket (and eventual race champion) Yvonne VanVlerken shot past me with the nicest compliment:

YVONNE: You’re a fish! You put ten minutes into me on the swim!

Had I not been caught so off guard I might have pointed out she’d just gained 10 minutes on me in less than 50 miles of biking, but I was too busy smiling! Is it wrong that getting passed made my day?

IMFL_BikePalm trees? I don’t remember palm trees! Great pic Ramon!

My ride was good for me, but near perfect conditions meant everyone’s times were crazy fast and I think came off the bike near 15th place. A little discouraging to have fallen so far, but it meant I had nothing to lose on the run!

The Run

The Ironman Florida run course is PERFECT for me. Two loops of flat, Flat, FLAT. I love flat running. I started at a strong pace and the miles were flying by. I’d passed a couple girls in the first few miles, and as I neared the turn-around, I was actually surprised to see how close I was to the top five.

IMFL_RunLittle did I know I was in for an even BIGGER surprise! I knew I was running fast, but I’m not sure I realized just how fast. Probably a little too fast for me, this year anyway. Just past half way, I paid for that early pace in a BIG way:

IMFL_Explosion

Run-splosion!! If it hadn’t been for all the cheers on the course I might still be slogging down Thomas Dr. right now! But the “GO HALEY”s coming from the Dynamo, Atlanta, and generally awesome triathlon community got me through my major blow-up and across my 12th Ironman finish line in 13th place! Just in time for the off-season! Thank goodness!

Stats

Swim: 50:29

Bike: 4:57:03

Run: 3:25:59

Total: 9:19:24, 13th place PRO female

THANK YOU!

Run-splosion and all, Ironman Florida was one of my favorite races this year. The race was extremely well run with excellent volunteer support. And the cheer crowds were just downright awesome!

Thank you to Coach Matthew Rose. As if three Ironmans in 10 weeks wasn’t hard enough, I had to spice it up with some jury duty! Thanks for getting me through it all!! What a year!!!

Thanks and BIG Congratulations to the very dynamic Dynamo Masters swim coach, Maria Thrash on her own amazing Ironman Florida finish! Way to go Maria! You’re an Ironman!!

IMFL_mariaCoach Maria crushing the IMFL run course!

Big thank you to my sponsors!

sponsors

Thank you to all of my friends and family and all the supporters near and far! The absolute BEST thing I did down in PCB was head back out on the run course after I finished. My intention was to steal some pizza and beer from the Peak Racing tent, but hours later I just couldn’t stop cheering! I know I’m not that far removed from the age group ranks, but I’m still inspired by the thousands of people with full-time jobs and full-time lives competing in such a hard event! Thanks to all the Ironman competitors everywhere! You all motivate me more than you can ever know and I hope I get to keep cheering for you for years to come!!

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