Why Ironman?

and other FAQs as I prepare to complete my longest endurance event yet.

Since last August, when I registered for Ironman Canada, I have received so much support. I have met some incredible people along this journey and have had great conversations about the process. As I’ve talked to people along the way, a lot of the same questions have come up so I thought it might be helpful to share a little and answer them, along with the ones you submitted in my instagram stories, in one spot. Here goes….

Why do you want to do an Ironman?
I get asked this one a lot. I’m going to take you way back and give you the full meal deal answer.

If you knew me as a teenager and young adult, you would know that I hated running. My roommate and very good friend in university loved to run and she used to ask me to go all the time. I thought she was crazy. Once I gave in and ran a few blocks with her and hated life with each step we took. I was the kid in high school basketball practice who purposely tied their laces loose so they’d come undone and I’d get to take a break during the timed runs. But, at one point my mom decided to do a half marathon and it was then that I realized that if she could do that, I could too. So I started running. I still don’t love it. It comes in waves but I don’t loathe it like I used to.

Once I got into running and doing races I started to look at all the options out there and came across triathlon. I was instantly intrigued. I grew up competitive swimming so I knew I could do that part. I new running wasn’t as terrible as I once thought. I figured biking couldn’t be that hard, so I signed up for one and was instantly hooked.

I wrote a bucketlist in my mid 20s and complete an Ironman is on it but it I’m being completely honest, I thought I would do it when I was retired. This way I could go out for a run, have a nap, relax, go for a bike - easy right? But then about 10 years ago I was in Penticton during Ironman Canada. I got to feel the energy and see the athletes and I knew one day I would cross that finish line so I went home and signed up for a half ironman - best to test the waters of endurance racing first right?

At this point, we were living in Edson, AB. I joined a rec volleyball league there. One of my teammates and I got to chatting and I told him I had signed up for the Great White North Half Ironman and he said his wife had as well. I met his wife, my friend Nadine, a few days later and we started training together. Life happened and we didn’t get to do the Great White North, but we did do a half Ironman in Sylvan Lake that summer. Sometime during training, Nadine and I said when we turned 40 we would do an Ironman.

Fast forward to last summer when I moved to Kelowna and Nadine reminded me of this little promise we made. So here we are, turning 40 this year and training again together for Ironman.

What does a typical week of training look like for you?
Typically each week includes strength training, biking, running and swimming. The durations of each of these changes as we build our capacity. We started out with about 5 hours of training each week and that has built to right now sitting around 9 hours. When we started in October the longest workout was 60 mins. We are now cycling for multiple hours and have bricks (bike then run with minimal rest) and double workout days programmed throughout the week.

Outside of these I have found it very helpful to include restorative yoga into my routine on rest days, which we usually have once right now.

The weeks cycle - so we build for 3ish weeks and then take a step back week and then build again and then step back and then build and we will continue like this util we get to 14 hours in a week and then we’ll coast into our final taper to the end of August and race day.

How do you stay motivated?
I have a lot of tools up my sleeve to help keep me going and some days I need them all and other days it’s easy to find motivation.

I think part of staying motivated is my personality. Naturally when I commit to something, I am 100% in. I set this goal for myself in August and am going to see it through to the finish line.

Another part is fear. I know completing this race is going to be hard and I know that in order to cross the finish line I have to put in the work and also get the rest, fuel my body and do all the things I need to be able to be successful. I have winged it for some big races in the past, ok all of them, and it hasn’t always been pretty - I do not want that to happen this time. Anytime I don’t want to bike I just have to think about how I will feel climbing those hills in the race if I don’t get my butt in the saddle now.

A huge motivator is my training partner Nadine. It has made a massive difference to know that someone is in this with me. I know that Nadine is 100% committed too and we’re both a tad competitive which has helped on days when motivation is low. She has been someone to celebrate with, commiserate with and even give me a little kick in the pants when needed. We’ve done quite a few big races together now and I can’t imagine doing this one without her.

My coach Charlie from Cadence Physical Therapy and Performance Coaching in Glendale, AZ has been a game changer in my training and motivation. This is the first time since I was involved in team sports that I have worked with a coach and it has made a huge difference. He has provided accountability and support, been a cheerleader, kept my athlete brain at bay and has developed a program that works for our busy mom lives. Having a coach has taken off the pressure of planning my own workouts. I am able to just show up, do what is programmed and then be done with it for the day. AND I am seeing progress that I haven’t seen before in prior training.

Because our training cycles it has been so helpful to know that there will be a rest day or a slower week coming up. So when motivation is low or things are hard I know I just need to go one day at a time and get to the next break. This has been helpful in being able to show up consistently.

Lastly I enjoy this stuff. I love challenging myself. I love trying new things. I like tackling things that a lot of people won’t do. I love feeling fast and strong and fit. I love moving my body and this year, and maybe for many years to come, it’s through triathlon.

What has been the biggest help during your training?
My coach and partner have been amazing but taking on an ironman anytime, especially with little kids, is a team effort. I couldn’t commit to this race without my husband, JJ, being in for it too. The training itself requires coordination on both ends of everything. We’re adding another part time job into the mix and without his willingness to help, I couldn’t do it.

I also needed my mom on board. We don’t have very much family in Kelowna so when JJ is gone for work, I needed to know that my mom could come stay with us and help. I have also relied on friends and JJ’s grandparents to help with the kids. This is a team effort on all fronts and I am grateful for all of their support.

I’m also fortunate that I have flexible work right now. I am able to choose my schedule and this has made it a lot easier to fit in the workouts.

What’s been the most challenging mental part so far?
Trusting the process. It’s interesting when you’re a coach. I support my clients every day to achieve their goals. I help them to meet themselves where they are at. I tailor their programs for their needs. I help them celebrate the little wins. I remind them that rest is important and that easy days are beneficial. I am continually working on telling myself these things and this has been another huge benefit of having a coach. He is able to remind me of all of those things and be that coach for me, that I am for my clients.

Before October I hadn’t really ran in a few years. I hadn’t swam in a long time. I had only gotten on my bike a handful of times. It was hard to see the paces and durations I was running in the beginning and compare them to what I used to run. It was hard to feel out of shape - really I was in different shape from focussing on strength training the past few years. This was hard mentally for me. BUT, with time and by consistently showing up and putting in the work (as I have been reminded several times that consistency is key) I am starting to see glimpses of my old running abilities. I’m starting to feel the water again. I am seeing power and strength on the bike I didn’t know I had in my legs.

It’s hard to not see results overnight and to be patient and trust in the process but looking back it’s so cool to see the growth and change. I’m excited to see where I will go in the next 4 months.

Has your eating changed a lot with all your training?
Yes and no.

No - Generally I eat a pretty healthy diet that gets me what I need for the demands of my life but in the past I have done a terrible job of adequately fuelling while training for endurance races and during races themselves. I wanted to do better this time. My coach has been helping prepare and adapt my gut and develop a plan to get enough of what I need during the race and I have been working with Tristaca Curley, a dietician in Kelowna, to ensure I’m getting enough through out the day to fuel my training.

I started working with Tristaca in October and have met with her every couple months to tweak my intake as my training progresses. Once every few months I track my food for a week and then we adjust as needed.

Yes - Tristaca has helped monitor my vitamin and iron levels too. Endurance training requires a lot of your body and as women, it’s important to have ample iron. I do not have high iron levels. I haven’t for a very long time - even with the help of iron supplements. Tristaca was the first professional to want to dig deeper into this. With her help I was able to get an appointment with a Hematologist in Kelowna in the hopes of getting iron transfusions as they can boost your iron levels much better than oral supplements. The hematologist ran some blood work and tested me for Celiac Disease, which can be a reason people have chronic low iron, and the test came back positive. I was then referred to a gastroenterologist for a scope and biopsy to confirm the results. Thankfully I got in for that very quickly and it was confirmed that I do have Celiac Disease, which has meant a big change in what I eat - no more bagels before long rides for me.

This has been a fairly recent diagnosis and I’m still navigating what it will look like but I’m excited to see how I feel in a few months.

Is it hard to fit training into your busy mom life?
I found it harder to fit in training during the winter. It was harder to get up early. Everything had to be done indoors and running on a treadmill is not my favorite thing. But as the weather has started to warm I’ve found it easier to fit everything in. Early mornings are definitely easier when the sun is up and you don’t have to thaw your car.

It was also important to me to find a coach that new that I had kids and that I would need flexibility in my program to account for this. I have been able to adjust training days here and there as needed which has been helpful.

One thing that has been challenging, that I didn’t even think of, is the laundry. There is way more laundry to do when you’re sweating 1-2 times a day and you only have so many bike shorts and running sports bras. Along the same lines is the hair washing and styling - I have given in to the fact that a greasy bun is my go to style for the year because most of the time that’s all I have time for before rushing onto the next commitment.

Mostly, this year has been able planning and being prepared on all fronts from our schedules to food to laundry and training to childcare but more so it has been about consistency and flexibility.

Are you dealing with any injuries/pain?
So far I’ve been lucky and haven’t had any big injuries or sicknesses. I think this is largely due to the strategic programming we have so we are building capacity or progressively overloading at a rate that works for us and we have built in weeks for recovery. I also attribute the lack of injuries to prioritizing my nutrition, sleep and mental health.

I do have one long standing nagging hamstring/pelvic floor issue that flares up sometimes when we increase the volume of training but I am grateful to have an amazing pelvic floor pt at my fingertips, Melissa Dessaulles, who helps me calm stuff back down. I also find that the down training and relaxation provided in restorative yoga helps keep everything at bay.

What is driving your dream to the finish line?
I think this one is very much related to the first question but if you’ve ever done a big race, where they call out your name as you cross the finish line and you end the race knowing you gave your all and your best on that day - nothing compares. I have always wanted to hear the phrase, “You are an Ironman!” and I can’t wait for that moment.

I knew when I committed to completing an Ironman that it would be a big endeavour physically but I didn’t realize the self growth and learning that would come along with it. There have been days I’ve wanted to throw in the towel and days I doubt my ability to do this. And on the flip side there have been days where I am proud of myself for committing to this mission, days where I am excited to tackle this race and where my confidence soars. It has been a journey and a team effort and I am forever grateful for the support I have received along the way which makes a world of difference to me.

Thank you for being here.

4 Benefits to working with a team during pregnancy & postpartum

A month ago I made the big decision to register for Ironman Canada 2023. This was not an easy decision to make. Training for and competing in any big race/event is a big decision and huge commitment. And as I’ve started putting the puzzle pieces in place to make this goal become a reality, I’ve seen so many parallels to preparing for pregnancy, labor, birth and postpartum.

The first parallel - creating a team to support me in this mission.

Setting big goals and working towards them isn’t new to me. But this time I don’t want to tackle this huge event on my own. I’ve tackled half ironman and marathon training on my own. I’ve prepared for two pregnancies and births on my own. The difference here is that for the races, I new I could work with a team, I just thought I knew enough to be able to do it on my own. (You may be shocked to hear this, but I didn’t.) Whereas for labor, birth and postpartum, I didn’t even know there were professionals I could access to be on my team. I had my birth care provider and that was it and in hindsight, I could have benefited from the support of a team here too.

Today I want to share 4 benefits to working with a team during pregnancy and postpartum.

1. They are experts in their fields- Nobody can know everything about everything but each of us can be experts and great sources of information in particular fields. For example:

   • You are the expert on you, your body, your needs and what you are experiencing.

   • A pregnancy and postpartum coach is an expert in supporting you to move your body throughout the time.

   • A birth care provider, OB, Doctor, Midwife, is an expert at ensuring the safety of you and your baby.

   • A pelvic health physiotherapist is an expert on the pelvis and pelvic floor and the changes that happen during these chapters.

   • A mental health professional is an expert on your thoughts and what happens between your ears.

   • A doula is an expert in supporting you and making sure your needs are taken care of.

   • A dietician is an expert in ensuring your nutrition needs are being met.

   • A lactation consultant is an expert in all things breastfeeding.

   This is by no means an exhaustive list of professionals you may wish to assemble for your team but you can see how one person doesn’t cover all of your bases and each professional can play an important role during this chapter.

2. Your team wants you to succeed- When you work with a team, they are all rooting for you and it is their job to make sure that you feel supported, get your needs met and succeed in your endeavour. Why not surround yourself with people who are constantly cheering you on?

3. They can help take the guess work out of preparation - The internet, social media and google are full of information. So full that it can be hard to know where to look and how to tell if what you’re looking at is even accurate. When you have a team of professionals supporting you, they can be your first call when you have questions. They will provide you with accurate, up to date, information and options and help you to make the best decision for you

4. Accountability - Sometimes in order to be prepared or do our best, we have to do the hard things and put in some work. I don’t know about you, but if i’m left to my own devices those hard things are the first things to go or get skipped over. When you have a team they hold you accountable to make sure you are doing the hard things so you can show up and do your best when it’s time.

Given that everyone is different, each person’s team will look different. I personally like information and want to know everything, but I like to learn it from a trusted source. I also know that in order for me to feel calm and prepared, education and information is important. And in learning, it allows me to feel empowered and capable, which is exactly how I want to feel going into race day and how I wish I would have felt going into labor.

Kelsey, a pelvic health physiotherapist and co-creator of Birth Prep 2.0, and I believe that a team and learning from multiple perspectives is important when you’re preparing for labor, birth and postpartum, which is why we have included guest speakers and birth stories in our course. You get the opportunity to not only learn from us but also a Registered Psychologist, Registered Dietician, Lactation Consultant, Birth Doula, Anesthesiologist and Spinning Babies professional. Click Here to join us for our next session which starts October 5.

Easy Summer Meals

Summer is often a time when we are on the go and life becomes busy. It can be easy to get into a rut when it comes to mealtimes. Plus it’s hot out and who wants to cook in the heat? You asked for some of my go to meals that work for me and my family and here they are. Enjoy!

Bowls

The summer is the time for fresh fruits and veggies and I do my best to incorporate as many of them in every meal as possible. Bowls are a way to have options out for everyone to customize their own meal and keep everyone happy and full. Bonus points - when I prep the veggies for one meal, I cut and wash them all and store them in the fridge to have for snacks and other meals throughout the week.

When I’m preparing what I’m serving each night I pick one protein, one carb, any veggies I have on hand, pick a sauce or two and maybe some extra seeds and things. It’s purely mix and match with what I have on hand. I’ve included some examples that might help you to get started.

Protein Examples
Chicken - BBQ or Rotisserie
Chickpeas
Black beans
Salmon
Tuna
Eggs - hardboiled or fried
Cottage cheese

Carb Examples
Roasted Potatoes
Pasta
Rice
Bread
Tortilla Chips
Quinoa
Orzo

Produce Examples
Cucumbers
Carrots
Beets - shredded/boiled/roasted
Cauliflower
Kale - raw or chips
Spinach
Lettuce
Peppers
Fresh herbs
Any fruit that’s in season - cherries, apples, blueberries etc
Zucchini - raw or roasted
Broccoli - raw/boiled/roasted

Sauce Examples
Pesto
Vinaigrette
Tahini Garlic Sauce
Salad Dressing
Salsa
Hummus

These are just a few examples of what I throw into my bowls but go with whatever floats your boat or whatever you can get at the store that day. If you’d like more ideas, check out my supper board on pinterest.

Breakfast for Supper

Another one of my goto summer meals is breakfast for supper. Maybe it’s waffles or pancakes, french toast, eggs and toast or baked oatmeal. It’s easy to throw in some fresh fruit or a smoothie too. Breakfast is always a hit around here and it’s easy to put together, has minimal dishes and makes everyone happy.

I hope this helps to give you a little inspiration as you make your way through the grind of feeding yourself and your littles daily. And if you’re looking for support to move your body throughout the rest of the summer, check out the Stronger Together Membership - 3 online live workouts a week, on demand library, strength programming, with all workouts available to you whether you are pregnant, postpartum and beyond.

6 ways to measure progress without using a scale

I am often asked if I do before and after photos or take people’s measurements or weigh them as a way of tracking progress. And I always respond with a hard no. If that’s something that is important to you, you do you friend. For me, constantly weighing myself and measuring my waist size doesn’t work. Yes it provides data but I don’t feel that data reflects my progress towards my goals. I have also found over the years that weighing myself adds so much stress and anxiety to my life. It leads me to restricting foods and being overly conscious of things I just don’t want to spend my time and energy on anymore - so it’s not something I do with clients or promote in my programs either.

But, I love to track and celebrate progress and gains and improvements!

Here are 5 ways to track your progress without ever stepping on a scale.

1. Track your energy levels - Movement and improved fitness levels leads to an increase in energy when done right. You should find over time that you have more energy and you feel more energized.

2. Measure your sleep - Exercise is proven to improve sleep. Take note. As your fitness improves, does your sleep as well? Do you wake more rested or wake up ready to start your day? Do you fall asleep easier? (I know many of you reading this might be in a chapter where sleep is out of your control. If that’s the case, just keep this one in your back pocket for the day when you are sleeping more - I promise that day will come.)

3. Notice how much weight you can lift - As your fitness and strength grows you will be able to lift heavier weights. It doesn’t happen overnight but over time you will see these gains. This is why we are repetitive with programming and exercise selection. We squat over and over again so you can get better and better at it and truly see where you started and where you are now.

4. Take note of your confidence - We can measure how we feel about ourselves. As you progress and get stronger and fitter, you might just notice that the corners of your mouth turn up a bit more and you stand a little taller and you start to feel good about taking time for yourself and you become proud of what you can do and what you have achieved.

5. Measure your endurance - Conditioning sets are a great way to measure progress. When you first start out, short intervals might be achievable for you and as you progress you will find that those intervals get longer and longer.

6. Track your symptoms - As you get stronger and develop strategies that work for you, you should notice a decrease in any pelvic floor symptoms like leakage, heaviness and pain.

I could go on and on with this list - less pain, better digestive health, improved mood, increased speed, etc. etc. etc.

The thing I love most about the list above is that they, except maybe the sleep one, are within your control. Whereas the scale can be so tricky. You can go to the bathroom and weigh less. Or maybe have a rough sleep and weigh more. Or enjoy a fancy meal out and weigh more. Get your period and weigh more. Gain muscle and weigh more. Drink less water in a day and weigh less. Get your hair cut and weigh less. So does that number truly reflect your progress - I’m going to go with another hard no here.

I do want you to know that there is no right way to track progress, if you want to track at all. But tracking where you are going and what you have achieved can be a great motivator. The trick is finding what works for you, making it meaningful for you and leaning right on into it - it’s kind of a theme around here right?

This is why we don’t talk about weight loss in Core Restore or in the Stronger Together Membership. In the postpartum period so much is up in the air and is constantly changing. We focus on what you need, what’s going on in your life and your body and we celebrate how you feel and what you can do. We celebrate your little wins and leaning into your needs as you rebuild strength postpartum. If this is the kind of support and community you’re looking for in your postpartum journey, check out Core Restore. It’s 6 weeks to rebuild strength postpartum, from the inside out, without any pressure or talk of getting your body back or losing weight or any discussions of mummy tummy.

So no, I don’t weigh people or take measurements or take before and after photos. Those measurements and photos are simply a snapshot in time. I want to see the whole story. I want to celebrate what you can do and how you feel. And you are in the right place if that is what you are proud of and want to celebrate too!