Lisa Roberts | Endurance Athlete
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news . reports . musings

Accounts of my racing and training experiences, tips and information

Summer/Fall Recap

11/20/2017

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This summer’s schedule was a bit different than previous years in that I spent three months based in St Moritz, Switzerland to train and race under the supervision of my coach.  An outstanding locale to train and world-class training company throughout the summer gave me a big boost in fitness and motivation.
While I was in the Alps I took advantage of the proximity of my current sponsors’ headquarters and visited several of them.  It is so important for me to meet these hard-working people and get an inside look at where product innovation, design and manufacturing occur. Those were invaluable trips and make me excited and proud to represent the brands that believe in me and produce the highest quality products for athletes.
Being based in Europe this summer, I had  the opportunity to check a few ‘bucket list’ races off my list.  I headed to France for the iconic L’Alpe d’huez and Embrunman races, placing 3rd and 4th place respectively. These are notoriously difficult races with 2500m & 5000m of climbing on the bike course alone! I was thrilled with the podium finish at Alpe d’huez and look forward to racing Embrunman again in the future to see if I can crack that podium as well.
With a full summer of training under my belt and in prime racing condition,  I decided to go for an iron-distance double with Challenge Madrid then Ironman Louisville three weeks later.  Three weeks is the absolute minimum amount of time I will have between iron distance races and I'm glad I was smart about my preparation and recovery in between races to get the results I did.
The Challenge race in Spain was spectacular, with a finish line in the center of Madrid, difficult point-to-point course, lots of elevation gain and spectacular scenery, this inaugural race did not disappoint. Meanwhile, the conditions at Louisville were cooler and windier than usual, but in both races I managed to come off the bike with a lead and extend that lead to get the win.  The added bonus is my mom and aunt finally got to Louisville to see me race a triathlon after all these years.  Perhaps I set the bar a bit too high for them in experiencing future races with me!

I will finish 2017 by racing Ironman Cozumel and will then take a bit of downtime, honing my baking skills and spending time with family and friends.  My 2018 goals are lofty with quite a lot of racing around the globe at many of my favorite events in New Zealand, the US and of course Europe!


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left Swiss with SNOW!
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The Embrunman Experience

8/20/2017

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Tucked into the Hautes Alpes of France is the small village of Embrun sitting perched on an 80m high cliff known as the ‘Roc’.  Historically it was a Roman Empire Capital city and much of its history can be seen and felt by walking through its narrow, winding alleys. 
This race is not for the faint of heart or those looking to set a personal best over the long course distance.  In fact, it’s probably best to not set any performance expectations for the day and simply show up prepared to dig deep and suffer in one a beautiful location for a very. long. day.  While I tend toward races that are notoriously difficult in terms of terrain, Embrunman took it one step further.
I stayed in a quaint hotel right in the center of the village. Read: you park your car outside the village and make several trips to unload all your gear. Up a tiny elevator, through a maze of tiny corridors, up a steep narrow flight of stairs and finally to the room. I should’ve packed a bit more compact and saved myself a few trips. I actually love this aspect of racing in these types of villages.
This race is decidedly French (as it should be, since we are in France!), so I had to translate most race information to be sure I knew the rules.  Luckily the race briefing the evening before the race was both in French and English so I picked up a few more important details.  Even the transition area is set up different than I’ve ever seen before. We rack our bikes vertically by hooking the saddle over a fence and each person has a white lawn chair (probably to collapse into after the bike) and a crate for their belongings.
This race starts all the women first, then 5 minutes later all the men.  It is a beach start and in the dark. Our navigation is a single lantern off a boat up ahead, which gets obscured by a few other boats that are in the water as well. The gun goes off and as we scramble into the water you are left to trust the splashing bodies around where they are going. Not until 15-20 minutes into the swim can you finally see the course buoys for certain.  But the lake is calm and oddly enough I felt the most relaxed and at ease I ever have in a swim.  Dare I say I was actually enjoying the swim in this race? There we go, I just said it. 😊
Now for the bike. There’s no time to mull over what awaits you because straight out of transition you’re onto a 15k steep climb out of town. That’s a waker-upper! Follow this with some tricky, bumpy, switchbacky descending mixed with climbing, then after this loop, a straight, gradual uphill with a headwind. Warmed up yet?  You better be. You’re heading to the lower slopes of the Col d’Izoard and its gradual climb/false flat in the beginning slowly zaps you before you get to the real stuff.  
I’ve done many of the Alpe climbs over the past few years; however, the Izoard has escaped me until this day. Not having previewed this part of the course (mistake on my part), I relied on the km markers indicating the % grade. I lost count of how many that read 8.8% or higher and at times went with the “ignorance is bliss” attitude and ignored them. Do enough of these climbs and you’ll discover each of these cols have a personality, an attitude, a certain “je ne sais quoi”, if you will.  Izoard can fool you in the early parts of the 30km climb with its straight portions going through a few villages. Just because it’s straight doesn’t mean it’s flat! It gets hot on this side too.  Exposed. The switchbacks are pretty regular and the gradient hovers around that 8-9% mark for what seems like forever. Three quarters of the way up you get a very short descent/flat area of about 1km, which only wrecks your legs when you immediately hit 8.8% again. But sooner than I expected, I was at the top in the special needs area, taking the time to grab my two new bottles and extra nutrition for the rest of the ride.
Beautiful, smooth roads and fast descending greets you for the next 45 minutes as you come off the Izoard. I overcooked a few turns that gave me a bit of a fright (no barrier to stop from plummeting way over the edge) and quickly found myself in Briancon navigating traffic and roundabouts before heading back up for the last 60km of the bike. Roads here were freshly paved with the Tour de France recently coming through and it’s always great to see remnants of the painted names on the road.  
On the way back to Embrun I start to really feel pretty good and notice I am passing many of the men who crept past on the Izoard climb. With only 10k left in the ride there is one more feat – The Beast. A 6k-ish climb above Embrun on some fairly bumpy, gravelly one-lane roads where you get baked by the sun and heat. Apparently this was part of the original course and is in the race for history’s sake. That was a long 10k.  And the steep, bumpy, turning descent back to transition wreaked havoc on my shoulders and patience until I was safely back into T2.
Oddly enough, I jumped off the bike and my running legs felt great. I’m pretty certain I should’ve ridden harder, but I also felt that I nailed my nutrition plan well. Thank you, Mars Bar. Onto the 3-loop run course...
In your race packet they provide you with a small plastic cup to use and refill at aid stations. I couldn’t figure out how to best deal with this cup while running, so I luckily had a hand bottle I strap around my palm and used this.  
Of note on the run course is a switchback climb into the village on each lap. Each time up it the legs grind to a halt. Once through that, you continue climbing through the cobbled streets of Embrun while folks shopping and eating and drinking cheer you on. This was a fabulous experience!
It’s hard to get a sense of where your competition is on the run course, but I gathered from some of the cheering that I was 4th place. It took me awhile to figure out if it was 4th or 5th, trying to remember my numbers in French kept me occupied for a long time on the run.  
un...deux...trois...quatre...
Posting the fastest run time of 3:07 for the women (and a new course record to boot!), I was thrilled to make it to that finish line in just over 11 hours. 
Yes, I said 11 hours for a full distance triathlon.
Given all that I learned on race day, I’m oddly eager to do this one again to get under the 11 hour mark.  I’ve heard that this race is for the slightly unhinged…so I’m certain that qualifies me as “completely off my rocker!”.
Thanks for reading this long account of a long day racing!
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Embrun perched on its cliff
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Village center
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view from room
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Bike racking in transition
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Swim start in the dark
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Painful reminder of the gradient
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4th place with future potential
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What's Your Triathlon IQ?

5/25/2017

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Test your Triathlon IQ with this quiz AND in the process you'll be donating to one of my favorite charities...the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to advancing quality of life and discovering cures for spinal cord injury.  This is personally close to me because in 1989 my father became quadriplegic after a swim diving injury.  Even though my dad is no longer with us, he is still the inspiration in all of my endeavors and drives me to do the best I can each day, no matter what the circumstance.  He very much related to Christopher Reeve after his accident as well.
For each quiz submitted, Health IQ will donate $1 to this charity on my behalf. (up to $200). 
Thanks and enjoy taking the quiz!
Term Life Insurance: Quotes and Special Rates by Health IQ
Quiz: What's Your Triathlon IQ?
START QUIZ

Powered by Insurance for the Health Conscious - Health IQLearn About Life

Contributors:

Brock BigardEndurance Coachhttps://totaltriathlon.com

Lisa RobertsPro Triathletelisajroberts.com

Mikael ErikssonTriathlete Coachscientifictriathlon.com

Sarah AlexanderPro Triathletesarahealexander.com

Twanee GibsonEndurance Coachcoachtawnee.com

Kelly O' MaraPro Triathletesunnyrunning.com

Show more

Rich SoaresPodcast Hostmilehighendurance.com

Amber FerreiraPro Triathletehttp://amberferreira.blogspot.com/

Matthew BachPro Triathleteironmattbach.com

Alison DuttonPodcast Hostenduranceladies.com

Laurel WassnerPro Triathleteathletefood.com

Terry LaughlinSwimming Coachwww.totalimmersion.net

Questions Approved By:

Siri Lindley - Two -Time Triathlon World Champion & Team Sirius Head Coach

Siri Lindley

Head Coach (Team Sirius) and 2X World Triathlon Champion

Siri Lindley dominated the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Rankings, winning 13 World Cup races between 2000-2002 and was the 2001 ITU World Champion. Siri won the World Cup Series both years by being the #1 ranked triathlete in the world!

Show bio

Cody Beals - Pro Triathlete

Cody Beals

11X Ironman 70.3 Podium Finisher

Cody is a Canadian professional triathlete. His resume includes multiple IRONMAN 70.3 titles and bike course records. Cody prides himself in taking an evidence-based, data-driven approach to training and racing.

Show bio

In Support Of:

USA Triathlon
Share the Health IQ Quiz with friends!

Copy Code

Term Life Insurance: Quotes and Special Rates by Health IQ
Quiz: What's Your Triathlon IQ?
START QUIZ

Powered by Insurance for the Health Conscious - Health IQLearn About Life

Contributors:

Brock BigardEndurance Coachhttps://totaltriathlon.com

Lisa RobertsPro Triathletelisajroberts.com

Mikael ErikssonTriathlete Coachscientifictriathlon.com

Sarah AlexanderPro Triathletesarahealexander.com

Twanee GibsonEndurance Coachcoachtawnee.com

Kelly O' MaraPro Triathletesunnyrunning.com

Show more

Rich SoaresPodcast Hostmilehighendurance.com

Amber FerreiraPro Triathletehttp://amberferreira.blogspot.com/

Matthew BachPro Triathleteironmattbach.com

Alison DuttonPodcast Hostenduranceladies.com

Laurel WassnerPro Triathleteathletefood.com

Terry LaughlinSwimming Coachwww.totalimmersion.net

Questions Approved By:

Siri Lindley - Two -Time Triathlon World Champion & Team Sirius Head Coach

Siri Lindley

Head Coach (Team Sirius) and 2X World Triathlon Champion

Siri Lindley dominated the International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Rankings, winning 13 World Cup races between 2000-2002 and was the 2001 ITU World Champion. Siri won the World Cup Series both years by being the #1 ranked triathlete in the world!

Show bio

Cody Beals - Pro Triathlete

Cody Beals

11X Ironman 70.3 Podium Finisher

Cody is a Canadian professional triathlete. His resume includes multiple IRONMAN 70.3 titles and bike course records. Cody prides himself in taking an evidence-based, data-driven approach to training and racing.

Show bio

In Support Of:

USA Triathlon
Share the Health IQ Quiz with friends!

Wordpress: If you're having trouble displaying the quiz and use Wordpress, use this HTML Snippet plugin.

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Trek Ladies Night: Bicycle Safety

5/12/2017

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Anyone who knows me knows I care deeply about community, sport, women's participation, enjoying and being safe while participating.  So, April 13 I held a Ladies Night talk about Bicycle Safety at my local Trek Store.  We discussed our local laws of cycling, statistics of bicycle crashes and what we can do to avoid them and then talked about specific areas of town or questionable circumstances we've been in that we'd like to handle better. I think everyone went away with some new knowledge and a greater sense of community.
 
We broadcast the event on Facebook Live and we had 50 women attend! There were swag bags for everyone and we gave participants an opportunity to give back to the Tucson community and “Wheels for Kids” through raffle prize drawings.  Our local Trek Bicycle Stores are drop sites for Wheels for Kids, an organization that provide bikes at no cost to partner organizations, who then distribute the bike to local kids and families in need. Misty at the Trek Store decided this organization would be beneficiary of our Trek Women's Bike Night and it was a perfect fit. We raised $175 for Wheels for Kids in under 2 hours! In addition, several of the ladies decided to donate their children's outgrown bikes.  Raffle items for donations included helmets, Saris PINK Bike Rack and bicycle lights.
 
The event was such a success and I answered so many questions about bicycle safety, laws, skills and training that we are already planning future events. In addition to a weekend social ride to a local coffee shop, we'll have a clinic to teach bicycle handling skills. 
 
I love doing events like these and I hope, as a professional, I can be a role model for these ladies, young and old alike. 
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Lacking Motivation? 5 Ways to Bring it Back.

3/10/2017

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Even if it's just a short workout session and the weather is great, there are times when we just can’t get ourselves to do it. Next thing you know, you sit down, feel lazy, defeated, overwhelmed and then even more unmotivated.
The pressure of the unfinished workout(s) start to weigh on the mind.

How to break that cycle? Here's 5 Tips:
1. Schedule your workouts in your calendar. Make it an expectation, much like having to be at work at a certain time. This changes the workout from being a decision to a real task.

2. Start. When dragging to do a swim workout, I've simply started by putting my swimsuit on. Pretty soon I feel silly just sitting around in my suit and my brain equates that suit (and the smell of chlorine, etc on it) as pool time. I've done the same by putting on my helmet or cycling shoes or running shorts. 
If that gets you out the door, just start moving.  Doesn't matter how slow, just move. Before you know it, you'll start to get warmed up and on your way.

3. Reward yourself at the end. Be it a smoothie or watching an episode of your favorite show afterward, put it out there and don't allow yourself the treat unless the workout is completed.

4. Write it down and track it. This goes for your goals and your stumbling blocks. Your goal may be a big circle on the calendar of your upcoming race or a goal weight, time, reps, etc,. On days you are unmotivated, identify why you are unmotivated (I'm tired, I'm hungry, I'm busy, I'm angry, etc) and write that down too.  You may start to see patterns developing and be able to remind yourself that you found a way around it before, you can do it again.

5. Phone a Friend. Just as useful as it is in 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire". Call, text, message, whatever...your friends are there to bring you out of your mood and back on track. It helps if they also know your goals and can remind you of them as well!

I'm sure there are many other tricks to getting you motivated and back on track, but these are a few I go to quite often.  Just remember if you stumble one minute, you can right yourself the very next minute.  It's up to you to continue the pattern - one step at a time.

Have more tips for this topic?  Please share!!  
​Now I must move on to my swim workout...which I've successfully procrastinated by writing this post. :)


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Squirt Lube Bicycle Chain Maintenance

9/26/2016

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Here's a short, fun video about how easy it is to keep your bike
and chain happy using Squirt Lube products.  
Any questions, just ask!  
​Or you can go to www.squirtlube.com
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North American Pro Championship Ironman Texas experience

5/30/2016

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With a couple of weeks to reflect on my Ironman North American Pro Championship race in Texas, if I had one quote to summarize the experience, it would be from “The American President” movie. The President’s Cabinet are figuring out what to do when hordes of press are camped outside the residence and one of them says, “I think the important thing is not to make it look like we're panicking.” And the response from Michael Douglas’s character is, “See, and I think the important thing is actually not to BE panicking.”
​

There are a million times during an Ironman where it’s so easy to panic.  The days leading up to the race, social media stalking the competition, pre-race predictions, sizing up competitors at pre-race meetings…not to mention during the race, with the swim start, navigating the bike course and trying to track down competitors on the run.  Every time I get this panicked feeling I think of that scene.

This race had a lot of challenges; last minute course changes, weather…you name it.  And it’s easy to get freaked out and allow it to change you.  But that’s the beauty of long course racing. It does not reward those who panic, but those who stick to their guns and roll with what comes to them on race day.

I did not feel great, stellar or sharp the whole race.  My swim was even more sub-par than normal, I never hit my numbers on the bike, and during the run my nutrition wasn’t going down well.  All those things were good cause to freak out, change my strategy or push too hard.  But I thought of that movie scene - I decided not to panic – largely because I felt the weather conditions were far too great a factor to allow anyone to over-extend themselves and actually get away with it.  So I stayed put, focusing on say, keeping good cadence instead of my dismal watts for the bike and deciding to hold steady on the run instead of pushing the pace faster.

There was a lot of “carnage” on the course that day and given I wasn’t feeling 100% myself, I decided to hang tight and not become part of it.  I was so unaware of the carnage up ahead that starting the last lap of the run I didn’t realize I passed two more women (who were either in the portajohn or collapsed on the side of the path) to take over 3rd place. When a man on a bicycle (little did I know he was actually the official race escort) came alongside and said “Great job, you’re in 3rd!” All I could think was, “no I’m not…who IS this dude? So I yelled at him saying “you’re going to get me disqualified if you don’t leave me alone!”  (apologies to you, race escort dude, for my rudeness…)

I didn’t win this race as I was hoping, but I can be content with my 3rd place and clinching my spot at the Ironman World Championships in Kona.  That race is my ultimate goal and I felt it best to “actually not be panicking”, when faced with less-than-perfect racing.

Up next is some rest, continued swim focused training, and a great lead-up to Kona in October!
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70.3 South American Pro Championship & Illinois trip report

4/18/2016

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Wow!  What an eventful, busy few weeks, travelling from Tucson to Illinois to Miami, to Brazil to race 70.3 Palmas, before returning to Tucson. All my luggage made it safe and sound, I did not pick up any viruses or get sick along the way, no piranha, more Kona points AND met so many new, amazing people!
​Here's the rundown - sorry it is long.
 ​ILLINOIS: I travelled to my rural hometown of Benld, Illinois as well as Litchfield, Gillespie and Carlinville for a week to do a variety of events.  First was a SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) event at Litchfield High School where I talked with about 100 students and faculty.  I told them how I got into triathlon (describing what triathlon is then giving a minute for them to process just HOW FAR a full Ironman race is!) and stressed to the kids that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.  I also told them just because they are from a rural, small town doesn't mean they can't get out there and see the world. 
Afterward, I heard from some parents that their daughters said they now want to be triathletes!

Next up was a talk at Blackburn College, a local college not far from my hometown.  Members of the track & field, soccer and basketball teams were there, as well as old friends, the Athletic Director and other members of the community.  I spoke to them about my training, racing, nutrition and did some show & tell with my Trek Speed Concept bike and Kask Bambino helmet. 

I wasn't finished there!  Next up I went to my alma mater and spoke to the Gillespie High School track & field team and thanks to Timex Sports, Skratch Labs and Zipfizz I was able to provide some water bottles and hydration mixes to the group.  Knowing the team is carrying around Timex bottles like mine makes me feel like I am still part of the team.

​Lastly, I spoke at registration for the Litchfield Spring Duathlon and then participated in the race the next morning.  2 mile run/12 mile bike/ 2 mile run - short, hard and fast!  I BARELY, and I mean barely, finished first, passing the leader with only 100m to go. Then I almost celebrated too early at the finish line. Close call. :)  
Once again, Timex came through and provided a watch for the top male and female (not including me, darn it!) overall. I got to meet many MMM Multisport members and help with one of their best attended races to date - all proceeds went to Litchfield Cross Country team. 
One of the highlights of this Illinois trip was meeting 3-year old Grace, who has a rare genetic disorder called INAD (infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy). They considered meeting me as one of their daily highlights.  I am so incredibly humbled by that. Here's what they had to say about it on her blog.
Spending time with family, watching my nephew's track meet and being there for Easter were great bonuses of the week.  Takeaway message: being from a small town shouldn't hold you back; you can do anything if you commit, work consistently and ask for help when you need it.
 
MIAMI: Onward to Miami for a week to acclimate to the humidity, hang with one of my best friends AND luckily fill in as a cyclist for the SOBE triathlon celebrity relay team to benefit St. Jude's Hospital - with none other than Scott Eastwood (yes, Clint Eastwood's son!). Thanks to Jenny and Leanda for making me part of that event - what a wild day and fun times in Miami Beach!  We got some ocean swimming in with a friend Diego, who found and swam with a bunch of balloons the whole way. Lead balloon swimmer - I like this idea. Luckily, no jellyfish stings while I was there, but they were definitely looking for me. Seriously.
​Check out the CNN headline of "Thousands of Jellyfish invade South Florida beach"
 
BRAZIL: Whew, finally onto the race in Brazil. There was a lot of travel involved and of course speaking Portuguese is hard - wait, impossible - for me. But the people in Palmas are genuine and helpful. Well-organized and punctual too. And without Jon with me on this trip, thankfully Linsey and Chris let me tag along with them all week.
Rain showers were off and on most days, so we kept an eye to the sky and dodged them to get the last bit of prep in for the race.
I've watched enough episodes of River Monsters to know that there is some big, weird, wild stuff swimming around Brazilian waters, but lucky for me I didn't get to meet any of them first-hand. The roads in Palmas are wide and in good condition and race day was looking to be hot and humid. With an early race start of 6:05am, we were looking to avoid the worst of the midday heat, but the sun came out enough to blind many of us toward the end of the swim, veering us off course and costing me quite a bit of time. I needed Diego and his balloons! Note that the water here is warm. Very warm. Wetsuits not allowed at all.
Onto the bike in 10th place (i.e. last) and managed to catch/pass 3 women before the start of the run.  The bike course is two laps, fairly flat and fast, technical parts are navigating roundabouts. I considered my bike split as "ho hum" and am certainly looking forward to a faster time, showcasing my new Trek Speed Concept at Ironman Texas in a few weeks.
The run is two laps, flat and fast and 100% exposed to the sun - no shade. I would suggest to the race organizers to put one more aid station on the bridge portion of the run course. I ended up carrying water with me so I could have another drink between aid stations. The sun came out for part of the run, but by my standards didn't get overly hot.  Passing 3 more women landed me 4th place and clocking the 4th fastest run split of everyone (males included)! I'll take it!  
Overall, I'm chalking this race up to another big step to Kona Qualification.

I'll do a separate post about my time in Brazil with More Than Sport and Projecto Reviver - this report is long enough.
Thanks for reading and as always, I love to hear your feedback and ask if you have questions!
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Worst (and Best) looking feet

3/31/2016

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Do you think you have the worst-looking feet around?  How about the best-looking feet?  
I'll be the judge of that.  

From April 1 - April 30, 2016 (midnight PST) post a picture of your feet...hideous or beautiful.
Follow and tag me (lisarobertstri) & Balega (balega_international) and hashtag #hidemyuglyfeet or #lovemybeautifulfeet with your picture, depending on which category you want to enter.  
You can post multiple pictures.

On May 1, 2016 I will announce one winner from each category.  
Each winner will receive 3 pair of socks from Balega.

Clever captions are welcome, but not required.  I'll start with a picture of my ugly dogs...thank you Balega for helping me to cover them and stay comfortable!  :)
#hidemyuglyfeet
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What are Balega socks?  Click here.
Arguably the most comfortable, best-fitting, technologically advanced, high quality socks around, Balega socks are manufactured in Cape Town, South Africa, utilizing the best performance yarns made in the United States.  They have a variety of performance levels, fabrics, fit and styles to provide the best sock for what you need.  Each pair is personally inspected before it leaves their facility.
They have an incredibly deep belief in community, which is central to the Zulu culture.  They contribute to programs for the homeless, veterans and cancer research through sock purchases.  You can find their socks at your local retailers or online. 

I can't wait to see your pictures!  
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Who says you can't go home again?

3/3/2016

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In just a few weeks I will head back to my hometown of Benld, Illinois to take part in several events in the surrounding towns.  I have wanted to do this for some time, partly as an excuse to visit friends and family and partly as a way to give back to my community, but mostly to thank everyone who has supported and believed in me from the very beginning of my athletic career.

First, I will speak to several hundred students at Litchfield High School's SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) event, then I will get to talk to Gillespie High School's track & field team.  I'll get to watch one of their track meets, organize a social gathering/run and finally cap the week with a Q&A at the Litchfield Spring Duathlon.

Maybe it's only a small town thing, but growing up I had numerous teachers, coaches, neighbors, friends and family that didn't bat an eyelash to drive me around the region to cross country and track meets (before I had my license), open up the weight room on the weekends, put in a good word for me when it mattered most and in general play host to a silly, crazy, young girl's belief and passion for running and endurance sport.
When I started in athletics, I didn't have a plan (or a clue).  I did it because I loved it, I liked the way I felt when I did it and I enjoyed the fact that it took me to new places where I could meet new people. I haven't changed much since then, except now I have a plan, the places I go are farther than I imagined and the people I've met are more special that I could've hoped for.  And while plans, goals and direction may change, one thing remains the same - where you started.  We didn't have the best facilities or the newest gear or top-notch nutrition to help us.  All we had was a love for what we were doing.

Another Tucson-themed "homecoming" to announce is my renewed partnership with TriSports.com for 2016.  They, much like my friends/family in Illinois, supported and believed in me as I first got started in triathlon almost 15 years ago.  They are a knowledgeable group that can help gear you up in any multisport or endurance adventure, much like they did for me many years ago. 

I will be sure to have many stories to share of my trip back home in a few weeks, and in the meantime read my interview in this Sunday's edition of Springfield, Illinois' State Journal Register or read about the Duathlon in The Journal-News.


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