Snail Express

September 4^th, 2015 I toed the line with 8 other talented women for my first race as a professional triathlete. Surprisingly, I crossed the finish line in 7^th, the last spot for a pay out. Though making it in the money was exciting, I was light years behind the rest of the field. Motivated and excited for the 2016 season and my first full year as a pro, I told my coach in our end of season meeting “ I want the theme of this next year to be WORK, I want to work my butt off to improve and hang with the pro field in addition to growing my career(s) outside of triathlon.”

With that fire, I launched into my mission. I spent the rest of 2015 and well into 2016 training 15-20 hours a week, working 40 hours at my first job and another 10-15 hours at my second job, started a gait analysis studio, and began small business classes on the side. I thought I was handling everything fine, however as the season crept closer I started to notice that I was struggling to recover from workouts and constantly felt like I was stuck in 3^rd gear.

In early April I opened the season with a local reverse triathlon, going through the 5k in 18:46, I was elated to hit a time I had not run in several years and never at elevation. To my dismay the excitement of the season opener ended quickly as I struggled to recover in preparation for St. Anthony’s Triathlon scheduled two weeks later. Resting up until the start line, I muscled my way though the race and held off last place in the pro field, all the while knowing something was not right. Returning to New Mexico, my coach dialed back the training load even more in hopes that I would pull out of this funk. Unfortunately, the revisions proved unsuccessful and we had no choice but to pull the plug on the season in early June.

Blood tests showed I was anemic and Vitamin D deficient; groggy, achy and fighting what seemed to be a permanent headache I took the month of June off of training while July consisted of a slow progression of light activity every other day as energy levels dictated.

For the first time I was faced with an “injury” I could not muscle through or work around, being forced to slow down and re-evaluate was anything but easy. I realized that a large part of my identity was wrapped up in hard work and taking on a lot (probably too much), I loved being the girl who could “do it all”. Now, I had to re-define what “hard work” really meant and what it looked like. I had to dial back on the amount of hours I worked at my second job, take less classes, and listen to my body closer than I ever had before. It was not until my fiancé challenged me to think of the changes as not a loss of identity, but as a refocus, that I was able to gain traction on this new outlook. He said “Which is more impressive, the girl who can do everything at once but everything ends up being mediocre or the girl who does a few things with excellence? – Strive to be the girl who excels and masters her work.”

Now it is mid October, though my Iron and Vitamin D levels are improving at the speed of snails, I am learning to appreciate and respect patients in the process. I celebrate small victories when a few days/weeks of training come together and have shifted my work focus outside of triathlon towards growing and mastering skillsets applicable to my full time job. With purpose I learning to accept in this new definition of self and with some luck, 2017 will be my pro debut do-over.

Elevate PHW, NM Sport Systems and Rudy Project NA, thank you for your continued support in light of adversity. Your belief in me means more than you will ever know.

“Life ain’t all sunshine and rainbows” -TriRock Philadelphia

In light of the race taking place around the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Rocky’s infamous steps I felt this image suited the weekend quite well. “Life ain’t all sunshine and rainbows”… and it wasn’t. Shortly after I arrived in Philly, the rain started and continued through the weekend. The afternoon prior to race day, I received an email saying the swim had been cancelled and the race was now going to be a duathlon; a 40k bike and 10k run with a time trial start. I didn’t let the change of events shake me, drawing on the lessons I have learned from my past two years in the sport I just focused on “going with the flow”. The morning of the race was still rainy and transition was sloppy. I set up, warmed up and waited for my start time.

A tap on the shoulder by the race director was my signal to start. I sprinted out of transition and hopped on my bike. The roads were still slick and the descents were a little sketchy. Then it happened. 5.5 miles into the race, I heard a strange rattle from my rear wheel. I had a flat and my day was done. I pulled over to the side, unclipped and reminded myself “this is a part of racing, its not a big deal, make the most of the day”. With my cleats and helmet in one hand and my bike in the other I proceeded to walk and cheer on the other participants as I slowly made my way back to transition. At one point I stopped and chatted with a volunteer, she didn’t know much about the sport so I answered as she asked. Eventually we realized there was no sag car, so she gave me a stick of gum and I thanked her for volunteering and continued my trek.

Eventually, I made it back to transition. My feet at this point were bleeding and blistered. Though I was disappointed that I didn’t get to finish I was grateful that 1. I didn’t crash on my bike 2. I am privileged to share the journey of triathlon with my boyfriend (who had a phenomenal day finishing as 4th Pro!)  and 3. I was able to meet his grandfather, aunt and uncle while on our trip and begin to develop a relationship with them.

Next up, Live Love Tri. A local New Mexico reverse sprint tri, just for women! Looking forward to sharing the passion of triathlon and the inspiration of the female spirit with all those women!

2014 Season Recap

 

 

 

I suppose it is time to take a look back at the 2014 season…

Having just finished my second year in the sport of triathlon it has been pretty fun to look back and see my growth as an athlete. 2013 was a year of growing mentally, I went from a nervous little head case in races to learning how to roll with the punches and make the most of any racing situation.

 2014 has been a year of growing physically. With my head in the right place, the season has been about putting in the work, being patient with the process and never letting up. Aside from reaching the pinnacle goal of earning my pro card (which I missed by only 40 seconds my last race of the season) it has been really exciting to meet my individual swim, bike and run goals.

 The season started shaky with Lifetime Marquee: I had high hopes that I would be crushing right out of the gate but that didn’t happen. I finished 7^th overall that day. My swim was a 24:43, my bike was 1:21, and I ran a 40:46 for a total time of 2:28:53. I had a lot of work to do to get to the level I wanted. Furthermore, I needed to be patient and willing to adapt to circumstances if progress didn’t develop as quickly as I hoped.

 I went to St. George next for the 70.3. This race was not a huge focus for me this season. Still I struggled on the bike and finished a little slower than I had hoped.

 I was really excited for CapTexTri. I enjoy racing in Austin and I looked forward to seeing X2Performance friends and racing with fellow Albuquerque(ians) and training partner, Alex Willis. I made a tactical error in the bike that cost me some time but overall I was relatively happy with my performance. My swim had improved as I went 24:06, my bike was better with a 1:14, and my run went 39:12 for a 6^th place 2:22:14 finish.

 

 Chicago was a huge disappointment as I got disqualified for messing up my laps on the run course…. It’s amazing how fast you can be when you don’t run the whole way!

I went to Boulder Colorado in July. Swimming my heart out, I came out of the water with a new PR, 23:23. It cost me though as my fitness was not up to par to carry me through the rest of the race. I struggled on the bike with a 1:18 and on the run with a 42:05. Frustrated with my 2:26 finish, I knew it was time for my coach and I to start the much needed bike focus. From mid July through the end of October I rode and swam everyday.

Slowly I felt myself getting stronger, trusting the process and putting in the work. I couldn’t wait to toe the line in Oceanside. I wanted a measure, how much stronger had I gotten? How far away was the Pro Card qualification? Finally, it was October26th! I was as ready as I could be at that point and excited to take the test.

The swim started and I thought I was doing terrible! I tried not to think about it though and just keep hammering away the best I could. I saw Trista on the dock screaming at me and waving me into shore… was I last?! I charged out of the water and into transition, the swim was over however good or bad it may have been. I switched gears and turned my focus to the bike. After catching one girl on the bike right away I was in no mans land for awhile. Since the bike course was multiple laps I started coming up to men from the age groups. I don’t know what their problem was with having a girl pass them but some of the men kept trying to pass me back and then block me as they couldn’t hold the pace.

Fearful of a penalty, a few times I had to hit my breaks and wait to pass them back. At one point a guy tried to race me to keep from breaking his pass zone. Furious and taxed as vomit stuck to my face from my efforts earlier I screamed “FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, LET ME PASS!!” He let up and I pressed on. Since I had GPS on my bike I knew I had a new PR for the bike, I was psyched. 1:09! Now it was time to run, my best event, and the course had some steep hills, my specialty. I set my pace early, and charged the hills. It wasn’t going to be a PR run but it was going to be the fastest time of the day.

When I push myself to the limits the GI system is the first to go, I had puked on the bike and had further “issues” on the run, being used to this I shrugged it off and ran through it. By the time I was nearing the end of the run I had figured out that I was in 3^rd! I couldn’t believe it! I pushed harder as I knew every second counts. When I crossed the finish line my coach came over and told me my time… 2:13:12. I started crying, the work had paid off!

Unfortunately, an age group girl bumped me back to 4^th and I lost my pro card qualification. Still, I had set a new swim PR of 21:57, a new bike PR of 1:09 and held the fastest run of the day of 40:09. Overall my 2:13:12 was a new best by over 5 minutes! Finally I knew that a pro card qualification was a tangible goal.

Following the race I sat down with Trista to discuss the race and plans for next season. She asked me if I wanted to cherry pick races next season. I said “no, I want to toe the line with the best, I’m not afraid to work hard and push the envelope. I want to EARN my pro card.” With that said, I really don’t know yet what my season will look like as funds are limited. However, what I can predict is that if and when I do toe the line all chips will be in. Never Quit, Never Give Up.

 

Huge thanks to Elevate PHW, for making me stronger and keeping me healthier than I have ever been before, to X2Performance for your support nutritionally and Rudy Project for keeping my eyes protected and looking good! 🙂

Furthermore, thanks to my coach, training partners, and friends/fans for your unwavering support and guidance. I couldn’t do this without you!

So Fresh and So Clean- Tips on Keeping Those Workout Clothes Fresh

Okay! So all the race previews and reviews are getting a bit drab so I thought I’d put together a little how-to video on how to keep your workout clothes in tip-top shape.

(Not that this is anymore exciting but hey, you might learn something!)

What’s needed:

3 plastic bins (one for darks, brights and whites)

Laundry Detergent (duh!)

Color Safe Bleach

Borax (boosts the power of detergent)

Baking soda (pulls out the smell)

Shout Advance Stick (optional – for accurate application on tough stains)

CapTexTri Recap….Finally!

Wow, okay, this is long overdue. Race report from the CapTexTri-May 27th. Overall the race went well. I definitely has some obstacles to overcome leading into the race that make keeping a “race head” somewhat challenging. However, all in all I feel I did a pretty good job compartmentalizing. As for the race its-self, race day conditions were perfect… well as perfect as hot/humid Austin, TX can get. The sky remained overcast keeping the heat and humidity to tolerable temperatures. I was fortunate enough to be moved into the elite category, putting me up against the best women at the event and allowing me a head start on the course before all the age groupers started. I didn’t really know what to expect being in the elite race, as far as how I would measure up to the other gals. The swim went okay. Being used to racing in the age group waves, I can typically pull away from the masses however with everyone being of similar ability in this groupI struggled to find my grove as we jostled for positioning the whole 1500m. To my surprise I came out of the water in 8th.

 

The bike was the setback of the day, feeling woozy as I cam out of the swim, the first two laps on the bike were hindered by dry heaving and spit-up. Things settled down the last two laps and I was able to make up some time on the bike, however overall I had faded to 13th.

I knew I had a lot of work to do coming off the bike. Thankfully, I had scoped out the run course throughly the day before and was able to use my running background to my advantage. I pushed hard and used every turn and downhill to pull away and makeup ground. I ran myself back into 6th with a time of 2:21. Although I did not return home with my pro card, I came home with a lot of insight on how I can further improve for my next race.

 

Next up: Lifetime Tri Minneapolis July 13th

Finding My Stride in the Aloha State

February 14th “Hey Babe, I’m taking you to Hawaii as your Valentine’s gift, we leave next week” said my boyfriend. Although I was thrilled by the gesture and the idea of traveling someplace tropical, a small part of me panicked. “What about my training?!” I thought. Since January 1st I have struggled to get consistent training in as I have been hit with illness after illness for the better part of January and February. Around Valentine’s day I was finally on the mend, hopefully for the last time, and was eager to get back to work. Since I wouldn’t be able to bring my bike with me to Hawaii, I focused on my run and swim while on the island.

All winter my run has suffered, with the awful inversion I have not run outdoors since December when I went home to Ohio for Christmas. I’ve plodded along on the treadmill struggling to drop my pace below 8 minute miles, a pace that was discouraging considering I’ve run competitively since I was 11. So off to Hawaii I went, first workout was a 45 minute easy run…. I started off with another girl that was staying at the same place I was, and figured I’d just run with her. A few minutes into the run, I pulled away, surprised by the spring in my step. I ended up getting lost and nearly an hour into the run I found my boyfriend walking down the street looking for me: average pace over the run 7:15. The next day was a swim. I’d never swam in the ocean before and have a horrible fear of sharks, thankfully my boyfriend escorted me via paddle board to ease some of the anxiety. So the first swim went great, the waters were clam, extra boyant due to the salt and I felt strong. I wish I can say that by the end of the trip I overcame my fear of “what lies beneath” and loved swimming in the ocean. Unfortunately, I did not… for the other swims I went alone and had big waves and swells to work through. I swam into them for the most part because I felt it would make me stronger, but the fear of being eaten only grew stronger. It also didn’t help that my friends were singing the Jaw’s theme song right before I went in the water.

Anyhow back to the runs. The next time I ran on the island was my first long run; 1:20. Now, to this point I have not run for that period of time since my Ironman last May and I havent run hills since the beginning of October. I clipped away at the miles, as my legs grew heavy and sore from the hills but managed to maintain a 7:45 pace. Not too shabby for my first long hilly run. The following day was one of my favorites, although it was not blistering fast run it brought out the child in me and reminded me why at my core I love running. It was a spontanious 4+ mile trail run up to a waterfall and back. Hiking along in my street clothes and keens my boyfriend suddenly bolts away up the trail, so I started chasing after him. Like two little kids we ran up the trail hopping from rock to rock, navagating mud and streams, and opening up our strides  as we hit boardwalks engulfed in a bamboo forest. We reached the waterfall, snapped a quick picture and then started chasing eachother back down the trail. We got back to the car covered in mud and in a state of bliss.

My final run on the trip was part of a brick, it started with a swim. I ran into the water assuming it was all sandy. However my first steps fell onto rocks and old coral. With my feet all cut up I continued to swim, more nervous than ever that I’d be eaten assuming my feet were trailing blood. Thankfully I made it out without becoming a fish sandwich, cleaned my wounds and threw on my shoes. I did not have high expectations for the run but a few strides in I felt strong and let loose. I watched the sunset as I ran along the road, in tune with my stride, feeling light and fast. 45 minutes later I finished as the last rays dipped behind the horizon; 7:09 pace, I had found my stride again.

Upon returning to Utah, Coach Trista and I have a clearer picture as to how the season and training will unfold. With my stride back, I’ll be focusing on improving my bike skills and  be adding some elite qualifying races into my schedule over the next several months.

Here’s to happy training and racing to all!

Aloha! 

The Davids’ vs. Goliath

The Davids’ vs. Goliath

Several weeks ago I opened an email that started with “Hi Sierra, are you the Sierra Smith that ran for the University of Toledo in the early 2000’s?” I was taken back as I continued to read, it was a reporter investigating the sudden resignation of my former college coach. How did he find me?! What did he want?! My stomach dropped as I read further… would you be willing to talk about the years you were part of the program and your experience with the coach?… Fear took over me, I was sick, I had tried to bury that hurt for so long, I didn’t know if I wanted to dig it up again, besides what if it could somehow be used against me. I had moved across the country to start a new life, to get away from those ghosts…. I spent the day reading over the email time and time again. Should I talk?…

Finally I decided I would, though I didn’t think what I had to say had any significance to the reporters investigation, I was never sexually harassed or in a relationship with the coach. I told the reporter I would only talk about my experience with the coach, I wasn’t going to speak on behalf of anyone else on the team. I told him my story and was shocked when he said “many of the other girls I have interviewed have shared very similar experiences in their efforts to leave the team.” …although I suspected this, a wave a relief passed over me, I wasn’t alone! All these years, a part of me wished I would have had the courage and strength to have said something about the way he had treated me, to stand up for myself, to stand up for what’s right. A coach is not only someone who helps athletes develop their athletic ability but is someone who builds them up, who mentors them and still gives them room to grow. They respect the authority they have over their athletes and are humbled by that power. They do not belittle, manipulate, and degrade in an effort to control the lives of their athletes.

Thank you to all the Toledo athletes both past and present who came forward and shared your stories and the athletes who supported us. I am proud of each and every one of you. Together we will always be “Toledo Tough”

Also, I would like to give a special thank you to the coaches I have had since college. Thank you for your guidance, patients, and respect. You are my role models and I aspire to be like you.