ENDLESS SUMMER

Yeah, we know Monday was Labor Day and thus the official end to summer. But so what? Fall schmall, autumn schmautumn, winter schminter–we’re just not ready to say buh-bye to the sunshiney-warmth, beach cruiser rides, weekend wave splashing and oh-so-many other things that signify our favorite season.

At SOAS HQ, we’re actually busy extending our summer with some special pieces we’re creating for Kona. That’s right–we’re heading to the Big Island in October to celebrate the Ironman World Championship, and to spread some SOAS love aloha-style. Stay tuned for details on our expo plans and the unique items we’ll create for the event.

But if you can’t jet off to Kona or some other exotic locale to extend the sweet warmth of summer, there are still ways to feel beachy and balmy year-round. An easy trick involves a summery scent–for example, try Bath & Body Works’ Coconut Lime Breeze lotion and you’ll be temporarily transported to the tropics even in the thick of winter. Or, ditch the chill of an early morning run, opting instead to sweat it out at lunchtime, making the most of peak midday sunshine before the seasons truly shift.

Of course, one of the best ways to be sure you sizzle throughout the year is to add a YOWZA burst of bright color to every outfit. We’re talking well beyond white–though we absolutely endorse wearing it past Labor Day. Oomph up your wardrobe with inspired colors like the aqua and orange tones ones you’ll find in our Coral Lummi kit, or the fuchsia that accents our Houndstooth 2.0 ensemble. Sure, wear them while working out–but also give your everyday wear a light, bright boost with lively layers and accents. Let a long tangerine tank peek out from under wooly winter neutrals, or try a neon lime scarf over dark fall thermals.

Use colors, scents and pockets of precious sunshine to push back against the encroaching cold and you’ll be amazed at how well you can hang onto a sparkly, sun-kissed attitude!

- The SOAS Crew

S-O-A-S SPELLS SUCCESS!

The triathlon season is in full swing and we’ve had so many athletes racing every weekend it’s over-the-top inspirational for us here at SOAS HQ! Their stories, results and photos pour in, and whether they’ve won a title or toughed it out through a treacherous day, one theme is totally clear–these women LOVE the sport. And it goes beyond racing–they find so much pure FUN in their swim, bike and run training, and how being a part of our ambassador team has led many of them to find new training partners (or partners in crime for post-race antics).

Case in point–a group of our girls in the Boulder/Denver area (most of whom met merely a month ago) have fast-formed friendships over race start lines and happy hour “recovery” sessions, the common bond being Team SOAS. They’re discovering other random details in common, too–for example, Whiting and Holly (both transplants to Boulder) share an east coast boarding school background, and many of our Colorado ladies share mutual friends (the real sort, not simply the Facebook variety), yet never knew one another until now. These connections are not all that surprising; there’s just some sort of kismet that brings SOAS ladies together, bonding us firm and fast.

This is all part of the overall triathlon experience that informs our definition of success–it’s not just about the actual act of getting sweaty, but about the fun we have before, during and after doing it. But we’re also incredibly proud to tip our hats to some of the traditional types of success our ladies have logged of late. Here’s just a sampling of some of their amazing age group performances–these are all from the past two weekends alone!

•      Felicia Walker, 1^st at Solana Beach Sprint
•      Kim Allender, 1^st at Summit Lake Optimist Sprint
•       Julia Polloreno, 2^nd at Solana Beach Sprint
•     Jessie Stevens, 2^nd at Rolf Prima Tri at the Grove
•      Linda Matheson, 2^nd at XTERRA Les Bois 
•      Jen Garcia, 2^nd at Evergreen Sprint
•     Stephanie Gibson, 2^nd at Top Gun Sprint
•      Hilary Germsheid, 3^rd at Ironman 70.3 Calgary

That's a whole lot of SOAS on the podium–congratulations ladies! Plus we had a number of other fabulous performances, including:

•     Lori Sherlock punched her Kona ticket at Ironman Lake Placid
•   Ben Bambauer, 9th overall at the Loggerhead Tri
•  A six-pack of finishers at the grueling Ironman Boulder: Liz Larson, Whiting Leary, Sara Randolph, Nikki Makris, Erica Harshaw & Beth Broome 

But wait, there’s still more to celebrate–it’s time to honor all of our team members that marked a birthday milestone in July. Here’s at look at who they are, and the quotes that keep them humming happily along:

Cheers to all of you!

- The SOAS Crew

THE REMARKABLE NIKKI MAKRIS

This month’s blog highlights one of our many inspirational SOAS Racing team athletes, Nikki Makris.

A triathlete since 2007, Nikki Makris experienced a seizure and was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2010, at the age of 35. Although she initially lost a great deal of independence (she was unable to drive and was heavily reliant on family and friends) and suffered bouts of depression and fear in the face of her changed circumstances, Nikki soon realized that she wanted to take back control of her life. By committing to race an Ironman (with the clearance of her physician), Nikki also committed to a new outlook–one in which anything is possible, despite obstacles that can seem overwhelming. She learned how to manage the symptoms of her disease and successfully trained for and raced both the 2012 and 2013 Ironman Coeur D’Alene, and on August 3^rd she’ll line up in her hometown to tackle the inaugural Ironman Boulder, both as a personal goal and as a public effort to raise awareness and funds to help others dealing with epilepsy. We had a chat with Nikki to learn more about what motivates this incredible athlete!

SOAS: In what ways does epilepsy affect your training and racing, and how do you handle these challenges?

Nikki: I’m lucky because for the most part my seizures are controlled by medication, but I’ve had breakthrough seizures that were provoked by excessive fatigue and stress. I’m learning to listen to my body and not push too hard when I’m fatigued, which is difficult when training for an IRONMAN. I can’t train the same volume and intensity as other IRONMAN triathletes, sometimes missing key workouts. During the race I really concentrate on conserving my energy and staying within myself. I have a specific race plan I stick with regardless if I’m feeling strong.  

SOAS: What’s something positive that has happened in your life as a result of your diagnosis?

Nikki: I’ve benefited so much from taking on endurance sports. I remember crossing the finish line of my first half marathon. It was so emotional. I realized I could do anything if I stay focused and committed. I’ve made it my purpose to share how powerfully doing endurance sports can change one’s life–more than the health benefits, it also improves self-esteem, confidence and being a part of a community. With my diagnosis I feel I have a stronger platform as proof there are no limits to what one can accomplish. 

Before a race a woman who I haven’t seen in over a year came up to me and said she was racing her first triathlon because I inspired her. It’s a profound feeling I can’t put into words. 

SOAS: Do you use any motivational mantras or have any inner dialogues while racing? If so, will you share them?  

Nikki: My personal mantra is “Just Keep Moving.”  I know I’ll finish if I just keep moving.  It’s my mantra for racing but in life, too. I write it on my right hand and I write “I am an IRONMAN” on my left. 

SOAS: What are you most looking forward to on race day in Boulder? 

Nikki: Boulder is in my backyard and I have a lot of friends coming to support me. I’m also excited for the visiting triathletes to experience the Boulder community energy and support for endurance sports.  

SOAS: How do you like to reward or pamper yourself post-race? 

Nikki: A pedicure and a good massage.

SOAS: What are 5 words you would use to describe yourself?

Nikki: Strong-minded, focused, caring, loyal and thoughtful.

(BTW Nikki, we agree!)

If you’d like to learn more about Nikki and help support her Ironman Boulder fundraising effort for the Epilepsy Foundation of Colorado, visit

https://www.crowdrise.com/athleteslivingwithepilepsy/fundraiser/nicolemakris

Nikki with teammate Whiting Leary at Ironman 70.3 Boulder

Nikki with teammate Jene Shaw at the Boulder Stroke & Stride 

+++

It’s also time to give a big ‘ol SOAS-style Happy Birthday shout-out to all of our team members who celebrated birthdays in May & June. We’re fortunate to have a whole bunch of inspirational ladies on our ambassador team. Here are the featured May & June athletes and each of their favorite mantras:

GET TO KNOW GINA

Last month we proudly announced the signing of professional triathlete (make that 11x Ironman Champion professional triathlete) and mom Gina Crawford. Gina, a native of New Zealand, is currently on the road racing in Europe, accompanied by her husband Brett and young son Benny. (“Benny, Benji, Benjamin–any of those are fine, just not Ben! We started off calling him Benji, but now it's usually Benny, and that's what he calls himself, too,” says Gina.) Never one to sit idle, this amazing mom just finished a trio of half iron-distance races in the space of three weeks–Challenge Rimini, where she finished 4^th, Ironman 70.3 Pays D’Aix, where she claimed 3^rd and Ironman 70.3 St. Poelten, where she again earned 4^th. And these races were just a warm up–Gina will tackle two more half distance events in June before one of her key races of the season, Ironman Frankfurt on July 6^th.

In light of Gina’s recent 3-peat, we thought we’d have a bit of fun getting to know our SOAS ambassador via a 3-themed Q&A:

What are 3 of your favorite things about your nearly 3-year-old son Benny?

1) His incredible energy. He never seems to get tired and he is so busy all day long, biking, running, building blocks, reading books and playing make-believe games–and he never stops talking at all the whole time.

2) His sense of humor. He may be only two but we have a lot of fun together and he gets a lot of jokes. You can never really be down for long with Benny around–he brightens up the world.

3) His sense of adventure. He loves doing new things and seeing new things. We travel a lot and everywhere we go he gets so excited to be somewhere new and he notices so many little tiny details that we would totally miss without him. 

What are 3 thoughts that go through your mind when you’re racing?

1) With every step I am closer to the finish.

2) When I am going through a good patch I tell myself to enjoy it and make the most of it.

3) I am doing this for Benny, so whatever happens, do not give up.

What are 3 goals you hope to achieve this year?

1) To put together a great race where I swim, bike and run to my potential in the same race.

2) A sub 3-hour ironman marathon. I ran a 2:58 in 2012 but I haven't been back below this mark since.

3) A sub 9-hour ironman at Ironman Frankfurt. I’ve gone sub 9-hours at Challenge Roth twice and once at Ironman Western Australia.

What are 3 of your off-season or post-race guilty pleasures? 

1) Post-ironman, for a few hours post-race I always have a huge craving for fries (salt and fat).

2) I enjoy baking, so I tend to do a fair bit in the off-season!

3) I don't drink a lot of alcohol but after my last race of the year I like to let me hair down and have a few of my favorite cocktails.

What are 3 things you like most about your new custom SOAS kit? 

1) Comfort. I don't get chafing anywhere at all!

2) Color. I love bright colors and my kit stands out. In no way is it boring!

3) Distinctive design. My husband can see me coming from a long way away. In an ironman there are only a few times where we flash by for a few seconds and then we are gone for another hour or so, so I don't want him to miss me!

You can learn more about Gina and follow her racing and family journey via her blog ginacrawford.com or on Twitter @Gina_Crawford

photo credit (all): Annette C Photography