Nations Triathlon Canceled

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As I type this blog now, I am headed to DC to race my fourth Escape Series race for the year (including Escape from Alcatraz).  Hard to believe that it’s already September and my 2018 season is winding down.  Sitting down and having time to reflect and write a blog these days is a rare opportunity.  I am sure those of you with a toddler on the go can relate!   Thinking back to last April when I began my race season, in some ways it seems like ages ago because of how much the kids have changed since then.  Connor has grown up so much since last spring; he’s learned to walk (although now can run!) and he’s learning so many new words every day.  He is usually sleeping though the night now, but we still have a night one a week or so where he is up a couple of times a night.  My sweet baby has turned into such a busy, sweet and fun loving toddler.  Caroline has grown up so much as well as she is now a Kindergartner and getting busy with her own activities like soccer, swimming and show choir.

It’s an unknown how the remainder of my season will play out, but I am proud of my racing results thus far.  I have raced in six races this year (second at the first race and won the last five).  Last winter, there were many days I thought should throw in the towel and retire as it was a hard adjustment training on little sleep and training during the cold, wintry days.  Back then I told myself to simply focus on the goals and the tasks for that day and not think too far in the future.  I would simply just focus on how I felt that day, or that workout and adjust as needed.  This year, I have only focused on one race at a time.  My mantra this year has been to try and do as little “work” (training) as possible in order to maximize my fitness for race day.  I try to get in my key workouts each week, but I also try to avoid going to the deep well in training.  I figure that I can save some of the extra reserves for race day.  Cutting back on some training volume has given me more energy for my kids and less risk of illness/injury.  After giving birth to Caroline, I felt that I had something to prove, that I had to show that I could return to racing after a baby and still be the same athlete I was before.   This left me with the notion that I had to train harder and train even more intensely.  Although I probably had the best training of my career in the couple of years after she was born, I also had some of my worst injuries.  I had some great races, but had to miss out on some key races and training due to illness and injury.  Looking back, I feel that I was pushing to envelope too hard and too often.

After having Connor, I didn’t feel like I needed to prove anything.  I was much more flexible with my training schedule and not sure how my training would translate in my racing results.  I let that pressure within myself let go a bit.  I still had that competitive fire to compete the very best on race day, but I also was wanting to have more balance in my training.  I didn’t need to compete X amount of hard bike/runs/and swims a week.  Maybe this week I will only hit one hard run and that’s ok.  I’m training hard, but saving energy to have that family balance and I am 100% ok with that.

This year, I have had some of my lowest weekly volumes in my swimming and running.  I may not have quite the top end speed of my ITU days, but most importantly, I am really listening to my body when I am feeling tired.  I joke that I don’t really need to do an easy third workout of the day since I spend all afternoon and evening chasing my little boy around and playing with my daughter, but it’s really true.  What I do now in-between workouts looks very different now than it did 15, 10 or even 6 years ago.  These days though, what I do in between workouts may sometimes feel hard, but it’s so much more fun and very rewarding.

All year I have been thinking back and forth in my mind, “Should I try and Ironman?”  Most of my racing this year has been close to home for several reasons.  Traveling a far distance is tough on the body. I was never very good with jet lag in the past.  Also, I like racing close to home because I can be away for just a couple of days and then be back with the kids.  If a race is within driving distance, than the kids can come along with me!  Emotionally, I feel like I haven’t been able to handle being away from the kids longer than three or four days and a long travel trip would be require being away for at least a week.  With not as many Olympic distance non drafting opportunities now as there were four years ago, I naturally look at longer distance racing as an option.  I am now at the later stages of my career and thinking about what do I want to accomplish as I finish out my career. This year there are new qualifying procedures for 70.3 and Ironman racing (winning an Ironman qualifies you for the World Championships).   I qualified for the 2019 70.3 World Championships last month by winning Ironman 70.3 Steelhead and looking at possibly trying to qualify for the Ironman World Champs next month in Louisville.  As I head into this race; I won’t be overcooked. I may lack some experience at this distance and stepping into some uncharted waters for myself.  There are many unknowns about this distance that can only be answered and achieved by toeing the line and stepping up to race.

 

 

Flying back home last Saturday I continued my blog below:

 

The Nations Escape Triathlon Series race would have been my seventh race of the year; but unfortunately due to weather, it was cancelled.There was some flooding on the course and with more rain to come in the morning, the organizers decided it would be in the best interest of the athletes to cancel the event as per safety concerns.  This morning the swim portion of the race was cancelled, followed by a full race cancellation this afternoon.

Looking at the extended forecast early in the week, Nate and I contemplated cancelling our flights and hotel reservation in fear of a race cancellation.  We have been in this business for quite some time and I just had a feeling in my gut it may be cancelled.  I was looking at the weather that was headed towards DC and I was certain it would be a duathlon, but thought there was a chance we may still race.  We figured that we would be more disappointed if we didn’t go and there was a race, so off we went.

Last night there was heavy rain and thunderstorms for several hours.  Light rain continued today and heavy rain was in the forecast for the morning.  This system was remnants of a tropical storms over the Gulf that affected much of the country.  Unfortunately, the prize money was not split amongst the professional athletes (which is what normally happens in most races when a race is cancelled to help cover the cost of travel).   Being a big city race, this was an expensive travel cost for my family which was a big reason why we were tempted to cancel the trip earlier in the week in case the race were to be cancelled.   Nate and I can joke in the future years how much fun we had on our one day, $2,500.00 date to DC!

Once I heard the race was cancelled, we headed back to the hotel, changed our flights (decided to go ahead and pay the change flight fee) and got on an evening flight back to St. Louis.  It will be nice to spend Sunday home with the family and then it will be back to hard training Monday.  I won’t need a few extra days recovery as I normally do, so back to training it will be.

My thoughts have transitioned to what will likely be my last race of the year on October 14th, Ironman Louisville.   I have a month to go to include some long, solid training into my schedule before my final 2018 race.  September is one of my favorite times of the year to train.  Typically the humidity drops, but the days are still warm and the leaves haven’t fallen yet.  Best wishes to everyone with their end of season racing and training.  Don’t forget to enjoy the journey!

New Partnership with Groove Life

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I am excited to announce a new partnership with Groove Life.  Groove Life is the exclusive maker of Active, Silicone Wedding Bands that Breathe.  I love my Groove Life rings. They are stylish and super comfortable.  My husband and I wear our Groove Life rings 90% of the time.  As a professional triathlete, I am constantly removing my wedding band with diamonds while swimming, cycling and strength training.  I was also scratching my son with my wedding band while nursing. When I removed the band, I was usually placing it in the cup holder of the car, in the gym locker, gym bag, on the counter at home; wherever it was convenient.  I was always worried about losing the band.  Now my band is in a safe place and I put it on for special occasions. I recommend this product to anyone that lives an active lifestyle.  I am now able to train, race and travel comfortably in a wedding band!

Thanks to Groove Life for the awesome rings and new partnership.

 

July Racing Update

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A few days prior to Pan American Games, I felt a soreness in my left foot. It was something I had never felt before, but it did not alter my run form or cause too much pain not to compete. Afterwards I had my foot checked out by the USOC Medical team and after an MRI it was determined that I am suffering from a fourth metatarsal stress reaction. It is recommended that I do not continue running on it, or else I risk having a complete break of the bone. I am able to continue swimming and cycling, but I have to lay off the running for the time being.

I am gutted to have another bump in the road and not able to race this weekend, but I am determined to continue to get back on track. I have an amazing team of support staff who are helping me to not suffer any more “bumps” this season. The past year, I have encountered issues with my bone density (as I have never had a bone injury in my previous twenty years of running). Every month my bone density is continuing to improve (after pregnancy and 13 months of nursing where I suffered some mineral depletion). I look forward to get back to racing soon and will keep you posted.
Thank you everyone for the continued support this year. Happy training an

Half Way Through Third Trimester

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Summer is quickly approaching; and that means one thing…baby will be here soon! This past month has been very busy with triathlon clinics, visiting family and friends, and a few upcoming travel trips.

The month of May began with a guest appearance at Parkway Central High School.  I was the honorary speaker in the, “Let’s Move in Parkway”, day on May 5th.  I pepped the kids up with an opening speech about my start in Parkway and how exercise and healthy eating has been the core platform to my current profession and lifestyle.  I like to remind kids that my love to sport began in the Elementary PE class with the annual mile run.  I loved the challenge of improving my time year after year and it motivated me to begin run training shortly before each mile run.  After the speech, I helped lead the kids through a mosh pit dance (yes, although seven months pregnant, I could still manage the moves…although not very gracefully)!

The rest of the afternoon, I enjoyed seeing the healthy initiatives for kids at the various expo booths and games for kids in the gymnasiums.  Everyone seemed to be having a great time!

 

The following weekend, Nate and I had to opportunity to work with adult triathletes in New Town, Missouri.  We helped calm many first time open water swimmer’s fears; not just about the open water, but also about swimming in a wetsuit!  Nate and I shared our tips on how to navigate the open water efficiently and comfortably.  We finished the morning with a transition clinic.  Nate was the demonstrator as my bike mounts are my weakness while not pregnant!  With my vertical jump being about one inch right now, I don’t think I could make a pretty mount or dismount the bike!  We had a good time sharing our knowledge and tips with the community.  We have another clinic planned at New Town on June 8th.  The water should be much warmer by then, since this spring has been exceptionally cool.

This past month, I have had a few changes with my training.  Right around the 28th week, the running began to get quite uncomfortable.  For a couple of weeks, I modified my run training with uphill running on the treadmill.  However, I found that at times the uphill running also became uncomfortable and I realized how comfortable the elliptical was in comparison.  I decided I did not want to risk pulling any ligaments or causing unnecessary pressure, so I am sticking with the elliptical machine for 30 minutes about 3-4 times per week to take place of my jogging.  Although I do miss getting outside for some fresh air and running through a trail or two, the elliptical machine is able to provide a cardio workout without the bouncing and the stretching.  Soon enough, I will be able to swim outside again, so my current 100% indoor training (with trainer riding/ indoor swimming/ gym) will modify with the outdoor sunshine in the pool.

I have also been battling a cold for over the past week and a half.  I think getting a cold while pregnant seems to be amplified compared to my non pregnant self.  It started with a mild sore throat…sneezing…major sinus congestion….coughing.  I believe I am finally in the last stage of the virus and will be very happy to retire the tissue box.  The mild coughing over the past few days has left my lungs a little sore and that is compounded with the fact baby girl is pushing up on my diaphragm.

The end of the month Nate and I will be doing a bit of travel.  We spent May 17-21st in the Twin Cities, enjoyed an authentic German restaurant, baby shower, my mother-in-law’s retirement party at a Twins game suite, and lots of family visiting.  The four day trip was busy and action packed!  We had a great time and met our newest nephew, Mattias Jon Kortuem, who is just one month old.  It was precious to see him and realize we will have a little one of our own in just a few short months.

Next week we depart for a driving trip to Austin, Texas to work at the Toyota booth for the CapTex Triathlon.  The past few years I have raced in Austin, Nate and I have really enjoyed the city.  Although this is a “work” trip, we will take it nice and relaxed as possible.  We are planning to break up the twelve hour drive in two days, since I will be close to eight months by then and don’t think sitting in the car for six-twelve hours straight will scream comfort!

This Memorial weekend is the official kick off for summer, so I hope everyone enjoys some time at the pool or at a picnic or just relaxing with friends and family!

HASKINS HAPPY NEW YEAR GIVEAWAYS!

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Free Giveaways Every day to ring in the New Year!!

 Do you want to celebrate the New Year with a Bang! How about A Bang with Lots of Free Give Aways? 

From December 26^th until January 1^st, I will be giving away tons of free product everyday from each of my sponsors.  In addition, I have teamed up with Andy Potts and Cam Dye who will be giving away items at the beginning of the month(Check out their FB pages for more info). So, you will have the chance to win something for every day of the month of December!

If you would like the chance to win some free products and services, go and like my facebook page: Sarah Haskins Triathlete

Next, check out my FB page from Dec 26^th until January 1^st to win a different prize every day.  Below is a schedule of prizes but make sure to check in as I will have some ‘surprise’ prizes as well!

Dec 26^th:                   Powerbar Care Package

Dec 27^th:                   TYR Custom Goggles

Dec 28^th:                   Rudy Project Sunglasses

Dec 29^th:                   Powerbar Care Package

Dec 30^th:                   TYR Care Package

Dec 31^st:                   Rudy Project Helmet

 

Happy Holidays and New Year!!

All the Best Sarah Haskins

 

 

 

Toyota SheRox San Diego Editors Challange

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The  weekend of October 19th-21st, I had the opportunity to help seven women prepare for and compete in the SheRox San Diego Triathlon.  The preparation for this race did not start this weekend, but back in July when I first met the women in New York City to help them on their triathlon journey.  Each of these women are editors for various magazines and are always giving us helpful tips on how to live a more active, fit and healthy lifestyle.  I may not know much about fashion, but triathlon is one area I can help these magazine editors with a few tips.

Nate and I arrived on Thursday to beautiful, typical southern California weather, but that was all to change for the weekend!   On Friday the editors, Toyota PR (Sona and Jaymie) and I all went out to dinner in downtown San Diego.  Sona and Jaymie treated us all like queens and we had an amazing meal family style.  First, second and third course meals were filling the table bowl after bowl.  The food was fantastic, but it was a great opportunity to connect with everyone and catch up since our first meeting in July.

The Saturday before the race, was a day filled with training sessions, course talks, and more great meals.  Nate and I went over the transition set up for race morning and then headed to the beach for a swim warm-up.  For many of the women, they had only practiced getting into their  TYR wetsuits once prior to the warm-up!  Needless to say, we had lots of laughs, trash bag “rippage” and worked up a sweat getting the women situated and zipped.

Once we got into the water, the women were so glad to test out the wetsuit and swimming in the waters of Mission Bay.  Open water conditions can be so different race to race and that’s why I feel it’s so key to be comfortable, especially if one has limited open water swimming experience.  The women practiced swimming around buoys, staring in deep water and also conquering their fears of open water swimming; whether it be anxiety about the depth, crowded swimming space or the “creature’s” below!

After the swim session, the women got to practice on their bikes, eat lunch, and listen to course talks.  Before we knew it, it was already 3pm!  Amazing how fast those pre-race days fly by.  We met for dinner that night and kept it very low-key and relaxed as everyone wanted to get to bed early for the 4AM wake up on race day.  We woke up to cool, dark and constant drizzle.  Not enough to get you soaking, but just enough to chill you.  I reminded the women that once they were out on the race course, they would not even feel the weather.  In fact, the temperature was near perfect race temperature!  I could sense nervous energy amongst the group, but I reminded everyone that nerves are a good thing!  Nerves mean you are ready to race hard and are excited for what is to come…

About ten minutes before race start, they sky began clearing and I saw a ray of sunshine.  It was going to be a great day!  One really cool aspect about the race is that it was a women’s only race, so it was so awesome to see 1200 women of all ages competing in the sprint or supersprint tri.  For more than half of the women, it was their first triathlon.

As each wave of women crossed the timing mat to head down to the water, I was able send along some positive energy by giving the women high fives!  It is rare that I get to cheer and watch a race, since most of the time I am always racing!  I throughly enjoyed the shift of focus and spent the next couple of hours cheering on the seven women I had been mentoring the past few months, along with all the other women participating.

After the race, the women were all smiles as each had accomplished their goal.  Most women mentioned to me that they were excited to compete in another triathlon in the future!  Amanda from Self magazine had won the Editor’s Cup Challenge, posting the fastest time amongst the seven women.  She had quite the trophy to take home, definitely one with character.  Hopefully this tradition will continue and more trophies can be earned in years to come!

All and all this was a great experience.  I learned from the women a little about life as a magazine editor and hopefully they learned a thing or two about life as a professional triathlete.  Most importantly, I realized whether you are a seasoned age grouper, pro or first timer; everyone goes through those same emotions before, during and after a race.  We may have different race specific goals leading into the race and on race day, but those raw emotions are the same for all of us!  So, that saying may be true in this case….we are not really all the different after all!

Toyota SheRox Triathlon Editors Challenge

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The day after my race in Minneapolis, I headed to New York City for an opportunity to meet with five editors/bloggers who all have one common goal of competing in the SheRox San Diego race on October 21st.  I was excited to share my knowledge of triathlon with the women and help prepare them as they began their training programs.

The event took place in Chealsea Peers in Manhattan.  It had been almost five years since I have been to the gym; as the last time was when I was in town for the New York City triathlon.  The gym is a must to work out if you are ever in the city.  The pool has a great view overlooking the river and it’s complete with a 400 or 200 meter banked track, beach volleyball, tennis, cardio equipment and a very high rock climbing wall.  I was tempted to try the wall, but figured I should hold that plan until the off-season!

The women were all very excited, although most were a little apprehensive about the open water swimming portion of the triathlon (as that is normal for most preparing for their first triathlon).  I gave the women an hour crash course of triathlon 101 with what gear they will need, how to train for each of the disciplines and transition tips.  After the talk, I had a couple hours to spend with the  women on running and swimming drills/techniques.  It was fun to help share ideas and tips from what I have learned over my years of swimming and running to help them incorporate into their daily training.

Over the next three months, I will be helping the women prepare for the event and be with them in the few days prior to the event in San Diego.   I am very familiar with the race location as the women will be competing very close to where I competed in the Olympic Trials last May.

My sponsors; MissionAthleteCare, Sampson Sports, Rudy Project, ISM, and TYR have been very generous to help out and provide the women with gear to help them along the way.  The women will also be writing about their experiences, so look for their articles in Self, Women’s Day, Glamor and many more outlets.

It was inspiration to see women take up the triathlon challenge!  I know I will learn just as much from these women as I they will learn from me!

January Update

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January 2012

 

With the new year upon us, it is always a great time to reflect on the past year, but more importantly get on with the new one!  Nate and I had a very enjoyable, busy holiday time in Missouri and Minnesota.  It was nice to catch up with many friends and family.  We continued to “exercise”, but at times, training was on the back burner.  One of Nate’s goals this fall was to hunt a deer.  Surprisingly, my dad was the one who got the deer (from a hot tub in his backyard)!  In addition, I had my first taste of venison.  I found I really enjoyed the taste and Nate is determined to hunt one next fall so that we can fill our fridge.  We are also buying a cow along with my parents (named Meat #1 and Meat #2, so as not to forget the end goal!), so that we can have some free range, grass fed beef!  Talking about all this meat, reminds me that one of our goals this year is to turn towards more and more organic foods and try to eliminate as much process foods from our diet.  We feel this will not only help in our sport, but also improve long term health.  Nate has become quite the chef in our family and always surprises me in the kitchen with his homemade recipes!

 

I have been back in Florida for five days now.  After the holidays, travel and getting back into the swing of things, I am quickly reminded how hard it is to get back started in full force training mode.  Triathlon is hard, there are not any easy short cuts towards making that one to two percent improvement I am striving for day in and day out.  I am looking forward to the challenging season that awaits, but know I have to break down my goals one day at a time.  It takes those little steps every day to make those giant leaps at the end of the season!

 

Last year we made the decision to leave Colorado for the winter and stay in Florida. I have learned that my body responds well to routine and consistency (as most do) and excited that I will most likely not be stepping on an airplane over the next five months!!  I truly feel that dedicating consistent time and effort in training will help me achieve peak fitness by this spring and summer.  I will be racing three races in Florida in March and April, but will be driving to the races, so in a way it almost doesn’t even count as travel since I don’t have to take my bike apart!

 

For many athlete’s the dead of winter can be a tough time to stay mentally focused.  I would recommend signing up for some winter run races.  This really helps to keep your motivation up to stay fit up.  In addition, try some group cycling classes (either a spin class or see if any Triathlon Clubs in your area have group Computrainer sessions).

Look for an indoor triathlon in your area late winter/early spring. I know that Lifetime Fitness has several early season indoor tri’s., so check one out near you. This is also a good way to help motivate you for the upcoming summer triathlon season.  Happy training!!

 

I will leave you with one of Nate’s recipes:  Black Bean Soup  (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

2 cans organic black beans (find low sodium)

1 red pepper

1 head broccoli

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. tabasco or favorite hot sauce

Optional:  feta or cheddar cheese

Optional:  plain greek yogurt

 

In large pot mash black beans.  For every one can of beans, include 1/2 can of water.

Dice up pepper, broccoli. Combine all ingredients.  Add in the honey, chili powder and hot sauce. Cook on stovetop on medium heat and let it simmer for 30 min (or until the water cooks down and the soup thickens).

Add in desired amount of cheese or top a bowl with 1-2 tbsp. of greek yogurt

 

 

 

 

December Giving Every Mile a Meaning!!!!

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Now that the 2011 season has come to a close, it is the time of year to visit with friends and family, enjoy the Holiday Season and get ready to plan for the 2012 year.  As Thanksgiving Day just passed, I realize I have so much to be thankful for; including my health, family, friends and happiness.  Watching my nieces and nephews grow so quickly before my eyes is another reminder of how quickly life can pass you by if you don’t stop and smell the roses once and awhile.

This Thanksgiving was spent in Minnesota and Christmas will be spent in Missouri.  In December I will begin to start my official training for the 2012 season, but will also remember to live every moment and enjoy the process.  With such a big year approaching and Olympic Trials in May, it’s easy to get wrapped into tunnel vision so early in the season, but I want to make sure to enjoy the holidays, enjoy time with family and be sure to give each moment in training and life 100%.

The holiday time is also the time to give back.  I want to give back to others, including my personal charities that I support; Train for Autism, Jenny’s Light and the Alzheimer”s Foundation.  For every mile that I swim, bike and run the month of December I am going to donate one dollar, split evenly between my three charities.  I will post updates on my Sarah Haskins Triathlete FB page and @sarahhaskinstri twitter and will post updates on my progress.  Getting the miles in this time of year can be tough with cold temperatures and the need for trainer rides.  It will be an added bonus for me knowing that every mile I cover in water or land will be contributing towards helping others.  I invite others to join me on my December quest and help me donate to the charities I support.   Top three mileage recorders will l receive a gift package from my personal sponsors; including,  TYR, Fuji, Mission AthleteCare, First Endurance, Rudy Project, ISM Adamo, and Zipp.   Of course, any donation amount is appreciated!  We are all on the honor’s system!  Let’s get moving!  True joy is in giving rather than in receiving.

 

Official Rules:

1. To take part you have to donate one dollar for every mile you complete during the month of December to be eligible for the prizes. However, any donation amount is greatly appreciated and welcomed.
2. All milage must be recorded and shared daily to “Sarah Haskins Triathlete Face Book Fan Page”.
3. Every Sunday there will be a Spread sheet with milage from participants for standings on www.sarahhaskins.com/ it will be twittered and FaceBooked also.
4. All checks are made out to the charity organizations of your choice or any combination of the three (Jenny’s Light, Train for Autism, and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America) and are mailed to Sarah Haskins at 133 Riggings Way, Clermont, FL 34711.
5. The top three individuals with the highest miles for the month of December will win a sponsor prize package.
6. Miles will begin at 12:01AM on December 1st and end 11:59PM on December 31st.
7. Official results will be announced on January 15th, 2012. Preliminary winners will be announced on January 2nd.
8. To guarantee eligibility for prizes, checks for the charity donation must be post marked by January 5th.

 

Sarah Haskins Talks with Triathlete Magazine

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Click on the link to read the article.

http://triathlon.competitor.com/2011/07/news/sarah-haskins-reflects-on-minneapolis-preps-for-london_34606