Triathletes Journey - Elizabeth and Sarah Year End Follow Up

After all the dust has settled, we check back in with Elizabeth Simi and Sarah Crane to see how they are feeling and get some retrospective on their year.

What have they been up to? What races are next? Will they ever race another triathlon?
Inquiring minds want to know!


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Transcript

Narrator: 0:10

Welcome to the athletes in motion podcast from race to recovery. With your hosts, Tom regal and Kenny Bailey.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:29

Hey, Tom, how are you?

Tom Regal: 0:30

I'm fantastic. Kenny, how are you?

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:32

I am fantastic. Because we have Sarah Elizabeth on. Yeah. Welcome.

Tom Regal: 0:37

You're on wrap up. Yeah. Yeah, here are all the good details from this year that we've been following along on the triathletes journey. So welcome back.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 0:47

Welcome. Before we get started, we want to make sure that people like and subscribe to this wonderful podcast because that's what helps you algorithms and helps us continue to put these things on. So please do that. So Sarah and Liz, wait

Tom Regal: 1:03

a second. Go. Click the button. There we go. Okay, thank you. Okay, perfect.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 1:08

So let's take everyone back way back when, in the beginning of the year, we asked volunteers to come talk about their journey on their triathlon for the year and Sarah, you graciously agreed to help us. With the idea of doing your first ever triathlons, spread distance triathlons, and Elizabeth was coming off of a frustrating race of 99 Miles being pulled from a full Ironman to try to do a repeat this year. So fast forward to now we've done it. Congratulations. It's the end of the year. First, I guess your first first question I have and we'll start with Sarah was when we started this you had kind of this anxiety or excitement and kind of wanting to do it. Now that you've got it's December and you're looking back? How was it didn't meet expectations?

Sarah Crane: 2:04

having me back on Yeah. So you know, I had signed up for one triathlon, and then it became two and I was like, I think that'll be it. I'm gonna accomplish my goal. And you all had told me if I would either get the bug or not. And I absolutely got the bug. I ended up doing five triathlons. Wow.

Tom Regal: 2:24

555. That's a

Sarah Crane: 2:27

joke. Yes. So after number two, I finished and said, I absolutely love this one. Can I do another one? So it was a ton of fun and absolutely lived up to the expectation and exceeded?

Tom Regal: 2:40

Yeah. Now we've talked about community and being a part of a club and doing all of that. You've been very integral and the National tribe club and helping out and being a part of a lot of the workout stuff. Do you think that added to your desire to do more races and to be more of a community? Do you think that had a big play in it?

Sarah Crane: 3:04

I think that absolutely had a huge play in it. So I think we had talked about initially on the podcast that was already a huge part of it. For me, just finding this great community and feeling really supported and welcomed in even as a beginner. And that has continued to prove true. I actually ended up joining the National Triathlon Club board, which has been really fun them out with social media, which has been fun and a good way to get involved. But yeah, every single race that I did was with people from national Triathlon Club either like traveling to it with them signing up with them. The last race that I did was a super last minute thing that I signed up for traveled with two people in the club and some another friend in the club wasn't able to go so I actually took his registration and did the race that he was going to do. He just gave it to me and say we don't

Kenny Bailey<br>: 3:56

condone that activity can't go.

Sarah Crane: 3:59

No, he couldn't go because of some work things. And so he said, I can't go I can transfer my registration to you. And so I ended up doing that, which was super fun. I never thought I would race in the ocean. Yeah, I raised under my own you No, shame. Not so horrible. Pretty fast. Yeah, I was racing as Chuck. But, ya know, I think that's absolutely been a part of it. And one of the races I ended up doing was a relay. And that was with one person from the club and then a friend who had never done a triathlon and they came and ran. But the club's support and the relationships there has absolutely been part of what pushed me to kind of get to the starting line on the first race and then has continued to compel me and kept me in it for sure.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 4:46

Yeah. Cool. Now, Elizabeth, I think for you, it was slightly different because I think there was a lot of pressure. Like Sarah came in kind of wide eyed and like, this is great. This is a community. You had this thing You know, where it's like I got pulled at mile 99. And as we went across through the year, you became very popular. And not only that, but I think I highlighted you, right? So, with that, when you look back on that, with the injury that you that you had, and all that, as you as you're able to now kind of, you know, eat and not have to worry, which is best part of, you know, how do you, you know, when, when the when the year started versus kind of what you feel now.

Elizabeth Simi: 5:32

Um, let's see, when the year started, I was very excited and was, you know, looking forward to the whole season and everything. During the whole season, I was very pumped and excited. And when the Iron Man race came along, of course, that was really exciting. And then all the surprising notoriety. I'm now not, they can't call me mile 99 anymore, so that

Kenny Bailey<br>: 5:58

that monkey gets to be

Elizabeth Simi: 6:02

I would actually run into people and they're like, oh, mile 99. I'm like,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 6:07

great to get known for your failure. That's awesome.

Elizabeth Simi: 6:13

And, I mean, now that it's done. I know when I finished and you guys talked to me, like right afterwards, I was so excited and ready to go do it again.

Tom Regal: 6:25

So now, how do you slug

Elizabeth Simi: 6:27

right now? The biggest slug in the whole world? I'm like, workout. I've turned into a big slug right now. I

Kenny Bailey<br>: 6:40

think with winter and everything else. I think everybody turns into a slug. I stare at a pool right now. And I'm like, Yeah, I don't mind.

Tom Regal: 6:48

So Elizabeth, how many races had you done? Previous to this one? So you've been doing this for a bit, right?

Elizabeth Simi: 6:55

Oh, yeah, probably. Gosh, I don't even know how many races at this point. Yeah. You know, it was I mean, I've been doing it for 1520 years. I guess I can't even remember when the first one. I've been. I remember the first one. I like it was yesterday. But I don't even remember when it was yeah, you know, I do. I still know that feeling of that first one. I can remember crossing that finish line, first sprint, and then being so I mean, the adrenaline rush from it. And I actually went to a party that afternoon in the Bay Area, which is a little bit of a drive. And I was still just like going like, aren't you tired? I'm like, no. So I I do remember the first one, but it was just so long ago that I couldn't even tell you how many I've done since then. So.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 7:49

So there were certain aspects, you know, Sarah and Elizabeth, there certain aspects that you were probably nervous about, like I'm nervous about x. And then when you actually did the races, did that nervousness did that come to fruition? Or was it something that was more you built up in your head? Or was there an unexpected thing that happened? And maybe we can start with Sarah? Kind of, you know, oh, my gosh, this unknown thing and did it come to fruition? Or was it something that we just sort of you built up in your head? Yeah,

Sarah Crane: 8:17

I'm trying I should probably listen back to I think it was like, you know, a blur now. But I think I was nervous about transitions. If I remember right, and nervous about just like having the right equipment and then getting to the run because that's my least favorite. And it's at the you know, it's the back and it's long. I think that transitions overall went pretty well. My worst was actually my last one. And I was I swam my first time in the ocean. And I swallowed a lot of ocean water. I also got stung by jellyfish. Oh my gosh. Just a little, just a little one. Okay, well, in in transition, I was not feeling real good. So it's definitely my longest transition, which you would think like, Okay, I've done five. I've done one every month my my friends started calling them my What's your monthly travel? Like? What do you have? What's coming up? So it's my fifth fifth month fifth wrath on slowest transition time. But we'll blame the ocean water. I've already signed up to try that one again. So I'll meet but yeah, so I think the transitions went well and I actually ended up trying a couple of the races. I did wear Aqua bikes instead of the whole three discipline triathlon, thinking that I would like that better because it had no running. And actually the two that I did, when I finished biking, I was like, Oh, I feel like I could go run for a little bit. That's out here. Yeah, that surprised me a lot. So yeah, so I'm kind of maybe not going to do awkward bikes. I'm going to keep trying the full triathlon thing.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 9:59

There you go. Yeah, Elizabeth I know, you know, obviously I think for years, but the bike was the big bugaboo kind of thing, but I know you train for it. Was there something for you that that was like the scary monster that you just had to face and sort of get through? What What was that and, and just a backup? If people that don't know, Elizabeth, we were talking to you all year, your approach and your attitude was extremely just people fed off your positivity people fed off the fact that yeah, it's a step back, but it's a step back, and I'm aware of it and where I'm going to, you know, there's only you know, when you're going through hell, there's only one direction, right, so. So, as a background with that, was there something that as you got started, what was that one thing that you were like, Okay, I just, you know, this is the thing was it? What was it? Um,

Elizabeth Simi: 10:49

I would say, just knowing my times and trying to be fast enough, and my I mean, my biggest worry was the run, because I have been going into it from the very beginning. I'm not a quick runner in any way. So that was a problem. And then, of course, you know, turning it into a walk and the whole that whole part. So I'd say that part was probably the thing that was worrying me the most is, you guys know, I trained hard on my bike, I worked on my bike, and I that was the goal to get past that bike ride, right? And then, so I'd say, it's always it's always going to be the run. And I actually do like running. I'm just not good at it. In fact, the CI M just happened here a couple of weeks ago, and my sister in law was running it and I've done it a couple times. And my husband and I, when we are are out watching this, like we should do this.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 11:52

For those who don't know, it's the California International Marathon, sorry. Yeah, December, it's Boston qualifier. And it's a huge number of people that run that thing. I mean, in the 1000s,

Elizabeth Simi: 12:01

it's amazing race is really luckily for me, it runs through my neighborhood, basically, to go over there. In fact, I did a half marathon that day, because I was running around trying to see my sister. It was the most I'd moved since the

Kenny Bailey<br>: 12:23

compression pants on when she gets home. Raise your water? Like

Elizabeth Simi: 12:29

why do I hurt so bad?

Kenny Bailey<br>: 12:32

So you had a torn meniscus is the reason why. What is the update on that? Are we are we doing something with that my

Elizabeth Simi: 12:39

doctor didn't expect that as you should know to expect the unexpected out. went to the doctor, you know, right after I finished everything. Let's find out. Let's get this done. So I can get back out and do what I want to do. Right? And he saw Oh, well, it's not that bad. It's looks like it's not as bad as I thought, oh, maybe we there's no reason for surgery. I'm like, Oh, okay. So could I have run all that time and just, you know, got through the pain or whatever. And so I'm kind of irritated with the gentleman. So right now, I mean, as long as I'm not doing a lot of stuff, it doesn't even really bug me. So I don't know if the meniscus thing is so weird to me. Because you know, I've read so much about it is like, Oh, it can't heal itself. Oh, it can heal itself, did it heal. So I don't even know what happened. But it's not so bad that I need surgery. So there we are. Well,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 13:48

that's good to get a new doctor. Yeah. It's time to get a second opinion. To do that. Don't do that. That's not that's a thing. Your doctors just kind of casually telling you that right? Well, you know, if you don't run on it, you'll be fine. Yeah, I'm gonna do a marathon. So Right.

Elizabeth Simi: 14:10

So you know, it'd be it was actually pretty funny too, because my husband actually went in to the doctor appointment with me this time, because, you know, the second years was always good. And we were talking about, you know, knee replacements, those different things. And he's, oh, yeah, once you have a knee replacement, you could never do a marathon, you can't do anything again. And then I talked to Coach Tim. And he says, I have lots of guys that walk our walk marathons. So I'm like, Yes, I'm for do doctor. Yes. I'm

Tom Regal: 14:38

gonna say no.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 14:39

So speaking of that, on 2024 Sarah, what do you have you sounds like you have a race already lined up. Now that you've, you're on the board and you're practically a rock star now and I don't know if you're running for you know, Mayor. Replace Seth, right. What are the plans for 24? Other than global domination?

Sarah Crane: 15:01

Yes, well no no. Mayoral in my in my views I like Freddy Gladis here for Nashville. Yeah, but I actually have signed up for three races already believe it or not so I'm doing the National Women's triathlon which was my first one that I did I've actually become the Cover Girl for Team magic now magic sports they put my picture as like the picture race which is hilarious so I'm going to do that I have two friends joining me who are doing their first ever travel on Yeah, so I hope to recruit some more and I'm going to do some training with Tom for that as well. So we'll give a little plug if there's any national ladies listening come join fun and then I'm signing up for the Music City travel on I sign up for the Olympic distance because I really want to jump off the general Jackson show and I have

Tom Regal: 15:54

to jump off a perfectly good boat there's nothing there's nothing like

Kenny Bailey<br>: 15:58

like a little diesel fuel mixed in with

Sarah Crane: 16:02

Yeah, I had prom on that boat some years ago. Oh look at you only fitting to then

Unknown: 16:08

jump off it over this time

Sarah Crane: 16:15

small private Christian school there they were. You know, but and then I'm signed up for the Gulf Coast traffic on that. So those are all magic sports races, formerly team magic, but loved that and I'm talking about maybe doing a half really with friends. Not not ready to do a full half. I'm still in grad school through the spring and so kind of keeping my sights on Sprint's and Olympics, but maybe during the swim portion of a half. Okay, Bryce? Yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 16:45

that's, that's, you know, 1.2 miles a year fun. So, yes,

Sarah Crane: 16:50

I know. Well, no, it's you know, it's my favorite. I was looking at my Strava wraps today, which just came out and they rank like, how much time you spend on all of the sports. This one was my top. Everyone's but it is for sure. Far and away my favorite. So, yeah.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 17:09

And Elizabeth, is it you don't care? Which is perfectly fair, right? It's like, I don't care. Like I'm gonna get through Christmas. I'm gonna get you know, through the end of the year. I'll talk next year.

Elizabeth Simi: 17:20

Yeah, that's, uh, you know, I was very enthusiastic after my Iron Man. I'm gonna go do this and this and this. And I'm like, No, I do do there's a Olympic distance that they're gonna be doing that's new out here and it's gonna be swim in Lake Natoma and then bike around like Natoma, think twice. And then the run. And that one. I have my eye on that one of anything I'm gonna do. But the rest is like, it's just out there. And I don't really have any plans. My main plan is to it's been hanging out with the dog just you know, chillin. So wrong with that. So yeah, and who knows? Maybe see I am if my husband and I get well, there you go. So yeah,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 18:10

I think it's funny because you most people when they get done with like, I'm never gonna do that again. And you get done with it. Like I'm gonna do that again. And then you're like, yeah, let me think about Yeah, so usually it's the other way around. Like I'll never do that again. And then two weeks later, like okay, I'm probably gonna go do that again. That's hilarious Well, ladies, we just have to say thank you very much for again for for being part of our program for sharing your stories, both the highs and the lows, I know. You know, it's great that that you guys are part of the community and that you're that you're triathletes I mean that's that's that's how you you guys are and and you know with Elizabeth I think we we had you on for several months and going through the highs and the lows and like look everything from you know, I got a torn meniscus now I don't know what to do I you know, my bike splits are going well and then as you we saw you get healthier and better and more confident as you got into it. And Sarah, you're going from it, you know from this is going to be crazy to you know, now you're part of the poor to the national Track Club, which is fantastic. Yeah. So we would you know, we'll hold you off Elizabeth for one side. But Sarah, if you want to join us again next year to kind of share your stories we'd love to have you you know, we think just sharing those stories and watching people you know race your first kind of Olympic distance and how that how that's different from from a sprint, you know, it's closer to a half than it is to a sprint. And so it starts getting seriously sort of that distance, right? You can wake up and do a sprint you can kind of wake up and do an Olympic but it's gonna hurt a lot.

Sarah Crane: 19:48

So I can wake up and do an Olympics.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 19:53

You just can't you know, like, maybe like if you try real hard, you're gonna mess around with it. Tom could do Talk and wake up and do a frickin Ultra man. So follow Tom's leads. I

Tom Regal: 20:04

just don't wake up. Yeah, it's much easier.

Kenny Bailey<br>: 20:07

Oh, I missed the buzzer. Wow, he loved it for that one.

Tom Regal: 20:11

I just know does I just slept through the whole thing? I just it's all speaking which Sarah

Kenny Bailey<br>: 20:15

since you're part of the national tribe club, could you convince them to start the start these races at like 9am Rather than these, like really early sight, you know,

6: 20:21

37am times I hate I hate.

Tom Regal: 20:23

I haven't. Right. We're on for you, Kenny that starts at 6pm. Great run in Alabama that starts at 6pm. It's only summer. It's perfect. It's it's your time

Sarah Crane: 20:33

to run through the night? Yeah, I

Kenny Bailey<br>: 20:35

think it's 100 rounds total, which I don't know. Now. It's

Tom Regal: 20:38

a lot less than that. It's only it's only 100. Okay,

Kenny Bailey<br>: 20:40

that case, you know. Anyway, again, thank you very much. Thank you for joining our crazy little journey. We, you know, I'll let Tom speak earlier. But we really enjoyed getting to know you guys.

Tom Regal: 20:52

Yeah, really appreciate you coming on. And I think and I hope everyone got a good feeling of the highs and lows that happened with this, but also the sense of community. I mean, I keep coming back to this because the community is is special. And I know the community here is really special. But I know Elizabeth, you're in a big community out there, that's special as well. And that's, I think, I hope our reoccurring theme is that we can overcome a lot of these goals that we set for ourselves and these challenges that we have and backs, we have tried to do all of this, because of that community because they pull us in and hold us accountable and hold us up and you know, kind of bring us forward. So I think that's a that's a huge thing. And I think that's one. That's one takeaway I've gotten from speaking with everyone this year about the ups and downs is that the sense of community and how important it is for everybody in that part. So yeah, thank you so much for sharing your stories. And being a part of this. So I think we'll wrap up for this year. That's exciting. We look forward to what you what you guys do next year, and all of that. So everybody, thanks for following along. We certainly appreciate it. The notes the thumbs up the five stars, all that great feedback that we get, give us some tips and things that you want to see for next year. Anything else that we can be doing better, we look forward to that as well. So make sure to subscribe, subscribe, wherever that button will be floating around someplace, it's certain points, hit that button and subscribe and follow along on social media as well. And we look forward to doing this again next year.