A quick catch up on travels

My trip to Cambridge MD for Eagleman 70.3 has come and gone, 3 weeks of recovery & training have somehow flown by. Here we are in July and it is time to taper again as I bite off another back to back race weekend first to CA for Vineman 70.3 and then back to the midwest to WI for Racine 70.3. I’m spending my taper time in San Fran before heading to Sonoma for race day, taking the opportunity to catch up with great friends and work with my feet up gazing over the Golden Gate! Then home for a quick “recovery” aka nap & fueling days and on to Racine with friends and family! The fun continues the day after Racine with a training trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway followed by a 4 day ride from CO to UT. Then I think it will be August and I’ll be back in OH! I”ll keep you posted on the fun that shall ensue!

A brief snap shot back to Eagleman 70.3

I’ve debated about the update, obviously as the race was over 3 weeks ago and many have asked how was MD & what’s next. I’ve been suffering from a little writers block. How do I tell everyone Eagleman was a wonderful weekend when if you followed the race results, one would think I was crazy to say I had a great weekend. Yes I was at the back of the pack, no not last but close to it. I won’t bore you with the details of how upon exiting the water my feet hit land last, how I road my bike wondering if the others took a wrong turn because I only caught one, or why in the world my heart was pounding out of my chest louder than my feet striking the pavement, wondering where the heck is the finish line. The race was three weeks ago now, the day was picked apart many times through and lessons were learned.

The lessons go beyond the race results in Cambridge, MD

Rewind one year ago, Eagleman 2015 was my 2nd race of my new found pro triathlon career. Looking back to early season 2015 words that come to mind off the top of my head are nervous, excited, humbled and sad. Others might say, um deer in the headlights Nickie…ha they were probably right. I traveled to Eagleman in 2015 2 months after having lost my mom to cancer, it was my first solo race trip and I was going to a world that knew nothing of my pain. I thought to myself, this is a fresh race start. I will do my best to focus and to put this race at the forefront of my mind. This was my first homestay, a great perk of being a pro when it works out. (Homestay’s are locals that kindly put up athletes during race weekend.) My homestay family was awaiting my arrival from their patio overlooking the Choptank River as the sun had set on Cambridge. The setting was truly picture perfect and I took a deep breath enjoying the company of new friends and my little escape from life. The weekend came and went and they treated Cody (another pro triathlete they were housing), myself and Angie (a family friend in town to volunteer for the race) like queens and kings. Lots of great food, beautiful views, fun conversation, Cody winning the race and Nickie chalking up the tough race day to being a new pro. We all kept in touch over the following year and race life continued.

Fast forward to 2016, three weeks ago I found myself back in the car making the same solo trip. This time I was excited for the reunion on the Choptank with friends, still a bit nervous to race, sad to think it had been a year since my mom passed away and humbled to have the opportunity to race my second season at the professional level. Life once again was grand on the Choptank. We all excitedly greeted one another and caught up just where we had left off the previous year, sitting down to a delicious local caught fish stew on our first evening.

Pre race night the purple ribbon on the top tube of my bike was shining bright. Cody’s eye caught the ribbon and he asked the significance, commenting he wanted to personalize his bike in someway as well. So as I often do I openly shared a brief version of the story with him and Angie as we gathered for dinner. They both looked stunned at me with sad perplexed eyes and apologized for my loss. I looked at both and said it’s ok, I enjoy talking about my mom and the journey we all shared as a family as she battled Pancreatic Cancer. “But that was just before you were here last year?! You never mentioned anything, we had no idea?.” Yeah I guess it just didn’t come up in conversation. In my mind I recalled that weekend a year ago and somehow dodging the conversation maybe in an attempt to feel “normal” and escape reality briefly. Dinner started and the conversation cycled back to my mom. It was a breath of fresh air to share this important part of my life with everyone that had taken me in as their own. They openly embraced my story and shared in my joy & sadness.

The race came and went…I was disappointed with the day, my emotions were running high. I sauntered back with my head down to my homestay where everyone greeted me with open arms and congrats. Cody had won the race for a 2nd year in a row, we all were on a high sharing in his excitement! I sat at the kitchen table with Angie and my homestay taking a deep breath and sharing stories of the race, thanking them for all their support. We had a nice heart to heart about what it takes to win, the importance of putting ones self first at times and the journey to achieve excellence. Angie and I headed to the awards ceremony with Cody later in the afternoon, we thought we would be his body guards;-) We found a great picnic table spot amongst the race chaos while Cody mingled with fans. We were in our own little world. A brief snippet of our conversation… “You know Nickie your mom is very proud of what you are doing. Good days or bad days, you really have no idea how many people you are inspiring by pursuing your dream. You are doing something that is hard and that is admirable, most people don’t pick the hard way in life.”

So you now see why the weekend was wonderful for me. I was reminded, sharing a journey of courage and grace inspires others…and that is what it is all about. My friends in Cambridge didn’t have any idea the impact they had on me with their friendship in 2015, little did I know the impact I would have on them in 2016 by sharing a little more of my story.

Racing, travel and forging new friendships is an awesome part of my professional triathlon career. I never take for granted waking up healthy and excited to chase my dream…I look at the purple ribbon on my top tube and smile knowing my journey has just begun and I am reminded that no matter the results there are people that are always proud and inspired. And that so to inspires me…Here's to a a journey of excellence.

Cheers to friends, travel and racing with Cody & Angie

Coast to Coast