Change is never comfortable, maybe for some, but I doubt for many it is. Over the last 14 years I’ve had the pleasure of having two of the best coaches, mentors, and friends a girl could ever have. I’ve had tons of change over the past year, serious injuries, followed by serious surgery, major career change to focus more on family, and QUALIFYING for Kona Ironman World Championships in 2019 with my bestie Jeff Walthew. I think when you have all these things going on it gets your mind spinning, and with some recent changes I can’t help but reflect on what these 2 coaches have taught me thru the years.
My 1st coach Forrest taught me so many things, some of the great ones:
- I am good enough, and fully capable of doing an Ironman.
- Believe in my ability.
- When in doubt in Ironman (IM) and you hit a low, just eat. I still do this in life too:)
- What feels like a low in IM is like a hill, what goes down will come right back up, just keep riding.
- I’m a DA (if you don’t know, don’t ask, if you know Forrest, 99% sure you know what this is).
- Ironman is nothing but crisis control, how well can you handle the pressure of the unknown.
- Never, ever, give up. When it’s time to go, swim, bike, run, and in that order.
My 2nd coach Katie, with Malone Coaching took me to a whole new level. Things I learned from her:
- I have GRIT.
- That a coach does more than just key workouts, I never would’ve found an illness had she not listened to me and looked back and found some amazing data we’d had from years prior.
- She truly wanted to do everything she could to watch me hit my ultimate goal, qualify for Kona the old fashioned way, going really fast. I feel bad I never did this, she set me up for success last year helping me eliminate stress, and then the back injury demolished that dream.
- Some coaches are all about solutions. Solutions to each and every injury by communicating with my doctors and PT. This chic helped me PR at Ironman 8 weeks after a broken ankle! This “get after it” attitude along with creative workouts was above and beyond.
- You’re going to get out what you put in.
- Anything is truly possible.
These 2 coaches are being talked about now, because they are the people who got me to Ironman Kona. They deserve the props for that. I’ve not always been easy to deal with, Forrest was always reigning me in, and then by the time I had a kid and got to Katie, she was always trying to get me consistent. Not to mention these guys and their injury alterations they’d have to come up with to get me to the finish lines. I’m a klutz, it’s not over training or under training injuries.
So what’s changing now and why am I talking about this…..my coaching is changing. I randomly took two weeks off in June just thinking, should I save myself some $$ and coach myself for a half? I mean I wasn’t exactly being as consistent as I’d hoped, and it was JUST a half. I know this sounds awful, but I’ve not trained for anything less than an Ironman in over 6 years and that was because of a kid! The thought of dropping coaching had me feeling queasy. I mulled it over, and pulled the trigger, and told Katie I was going to stop coaching. 2 days later, per a friends advice, I talked with another coach and almost vomited as I accepted the coaching request 12 hours later. I’m not blogging to discuss my new coaching, so if you want to sidebar it’s not like things are a secret, but I’m really doing this blog b/c I want to quickly dispel any rumors that may occur, and ensure that people know I owe Kona and where I am today to these two amazing people, and coaches, Forrest Fowler and Katie Malone (Malone Coaching). Neither of the times I switched coaches did it have anything to do with the coaches, it always has had to do with me. Something that told me I’d changed, and that maybe it was time to try some more change, and throw some cards in the air to see where they fall.
12 Ironman later, a road to Ironman Kona, and all I can do at this point is say thank you to Forrest and Katie. Neither of you may be coaching me for Ironman Kona, but you will ALWAYS be the people that got me there, and for that I will be forever grateful. I can honestly say that when I get to that finish line, you will both be in my head. THANK YOU
