Getting my Stuff Together

So after a month of whoa is me stuff, I have managed to get two triathlons under my belt. After the 70.3, I was and still am pretty disappointed in my results. The only way to get over it is to really get back on the bike and move forward.

I decided at 5:00 pm on the Friday before the Early Bird Try a Tri. Just to get back into the swing of things and to see if I actually wanted to continue with triathlon training or stick to running. It was a short swim, short bike and a short run but a start. Geordie made a very valid point, I am now Ironman educated. I have a better understanding of what I really need to do to get the results I want.

I left my bib in the car, so had to go back and get that, then got to the pool and realized I left the timing chip in the bike bag, so had to run back, get the chip and run back to the pool. Pushed hard in the pool, walked my way back to the transition, saw Jill and Dean. More or less lollygagged as I was dreading the bike ride.  Turns out it wasn’t so bad, put on my new Netwons, went for a run on grass that was soft, mushy and uneven. I didn’t leave everything on the course, I just wanted to get out and do it!

Crossing the finish line with the OTC tent there and some chocolate milk, was great. The OTC team is supportive and I came away feeling better about getting back on track.

Earlier this week, Jill texts me Perth Tri this weekend? I figure she is in, so I go ahead and register. 500 m swim, 18k bike ride and a 3k run, not too shabby. I text back to see if Jill wants to car pool and turns out she’s not registered. She does do it finally which is awesome. We head out on the road today, talk about the April race. We have no idea what the Perth Pool Triathlon has to offer except a potluck afterwards.

 

We get checked in – no bibs and for the first time they have timing chips. The pool swim is interesting for me, I like the two people per lane, however I said 20 minutes for the swim, and that was the wave I was in, after 10 minutes there was only two people left in the pool, me and one other lady. I lost count in between 7 and 9 so when I thought I was done 10, out I went. Didn’t lollygag too much in the transition, just wanted to feel comfortable before getting on the bike. Believe it or not, I actually enjoyed the bike ride, except for a few bumpy spots, run was okay. I walked/jogged the 3k in my newtons, but wore the wrong socks.

I haven’t done much training (read between the lines – almost none to even less)

Post-race thoughts – get a massage right after, must say have done it twice and feel awesome afterwards. I am definitely looking forward to getting back on track, training to be faster, stronger and get through the mental stuff (and stuff is all it is). I may or may not do this race again. The post-race atmosphere is great, prizes are awarded in food and anything not handed out is free to those who wish to take stuff back with them.

 

I had another fun race and it was great to see other OTC folks on the course. 

Again Jill, thanks for getting me out there!

The Agony of Defeat

Indeed I am showing my age. If you are old enough to remember that little bit of a phrase, then you will find humour in this. If you don’t know what my title means, then you have yet to live.

I trained for a 70.3, but did I train hard enough, that is what was in my mind always. I now have the answer. No I did not. No matter how much you train inside, nothing prepares you for what happens outside.

It has been a long winter, and I am the first to admit, I can be pretty fair weather when it comes to getting outside. I don’t mind it when it’s hot, and when it’s smoking hot, as in frying eggs off your bike seat, I may be a little skeptical of being outside in the sunshine for a long time.

We arrived on Thursday evening, and I acclimatized myself rather quickly. Never mind I have lived most of my life in Canada and have seen more winters than most Southerners, I love the heat. My pre-race bike and run had me soaked and I was loving the feel of it all.

The night before race day, I enjoyed a healthy meal and a beverage and a relaxing dinner with friends and hit the hay at 9:30. It was taking me a while to fall asleep, so I did some mental training. Some visualization, it was difficult to see me crossing the line, yet I still felt comfortable with being able to finish this and even nailing the bike ride.

I woke up at o’dark thirty (3:30 am) and there was no way I would go back to sleep while I waited for my husband to get up and head out in one hour. So I lay on the bed and did more mental training. I checked to make sure I had everything ready to go. What to wear, how it was placed in the bag, all the tags, extra snacks, and Nuun tablets. My energy must have flowed around and woke up my husband. I fueled up on some oatmeal, a banana and some water.  The forecast the night before was potential thundershowers/storms. I prayed for intermittent rain. I must have prayed a little too hard, it was 75 at 4:30 in the morning and it was only going to get hotter.

On the drive down we agreed that if I couldn’t beat the bike cut off time by at least 30 minutes, there was a possibility that I would not be able to finish. However I was rather confident that I could do it. We drove ½ the bike course (the first ½) and the run course. The water looked great and the prediction for race day was wetsuit legal.

Upon arrival, yes it was wetsuit legal and I still wasn’t sure if I was going to wear my 3/4 wet suit. I am too large for a well fitted one so mine is a little lacking on the legs and arms and neoprene. I checked into transition – I love that they have a spot for your bike and you don’t have to fight for a spot, everyone has to go the same distance in one direction or another. I am feeling excited and pumped. I regroup with my husband and we walk around for a bit, me in my bare feet and I am getting excited yet nervous! I decide to put on the wetsuit. Then I walk down to the water and step in up to my ankles – it is like lukewarm bathwater. Nope not wearing the suit, off it comes. We sit down to enjoy the scenes of the crowd and get a little more nervous, start thinking of all the things that could go wrong – a flat, a wipe out, start out too fast, get eaten by a gator – then I start to tell myself that I can do this.  And just like that I decide to take the wet suit off, seconds before going into the corral for the swim. There’s a two minute wait after you have crossed the chip mat and another 4 minutes before you start your swim. Does that time get deducted from your swim time – I hope so!

When I step into the water, I feel like I am in heaven, so glad I decided to go sans wetsuit. We start, I pace, I talk to myself to ensure I don’t try to bust a lung beating everyone and conserve a little energy. I find my steady pace and move along. The six minutes it takes for me to get ahead of the next wave is pretty good. The fastest of the following waves start to pass and I approach the first turn of the M, then I get decked in the back of the head by some dude who thinks he’s Michael Phelps, my hand gets caught in the pull cord of some swimmer and I had to yank my hand out which may have resulted in the suit getting a little loose on them. As I finish the last leg of the M swim, I get hit again in the back of the head. I thought I was doing the right thing staying far away from the markers. I exit the water with no concept of time a little out of breath but not sucking wind. The only sound I hear is the voice of my hubby shouting that I am right on time and to keep going. I wander through transition, calming myself for the upcoming ride.

I get through transition, drying off between my toes, cleaning up a bit, having a half banana, a quick electrolyte drink and a Lara bar and I am so ready to go. The aisle way is clear for me and as I cross the mount line, some guy wipes and I get of kilter and almost crash. With my rapid ability to unclip myself, I manoeuver the bike around him and carry on. I get out on the bike and it starts out as a good ride and few little hills which seem like nothing. At this point I am thankful for Kym and Graeme and all the indoor biking classes. When I hit the 5 mile marker I check my watch to see that I am just shy of 20 minutes – so I base the rest of the race on 5 miles at 20 minutes – 51 to go another 200 minutes so I will be around 3.5 hours. I try out the aero bars and it feels okay, not great but I will tough it out. Until I hit flat land, no trees and tons of wind – a perfect time to realize that I may be more wobbly using aero bars decide to alternate throughout the flat parts of the course on using them.

I had tons of fluid packed (all nuun in my 4 water bottles) I stopped at the aid stations and hydrated with water and had a 1/2 banana, ate my bars and kept biking. I was trying to make sure I was drinking as much as I could on the flat roads. Just after 25 miles I hit a hills a little larger than what I would call a rolling hill. I biked up them, not something I would have done last year and it was tough for me to get there, but I remembered what Brent told me and it got me to the top of the hill. 250 feet of elevation is freaking high. Pretty sure it was a 90 degree incline and this is where I feel the slightest pull in my hamstring.  On the third aid station I downed a bottle of water, filled up my water bottles, and dumped a bottle over me to cool down! And by then I could feel only pain in my ham strings. Shortly thereafter it became a very open road for cars, I swear I could touch cars as they went by me, which not only freaked me out but slowed me down, then when I pulled over for a drink break, an aid truck stopped to make sure I was okay, apparently he had been following me at a distance, and at the point I felt okay and that I may finish in the allotted time. I got back on the bike and headed off.  Two miles later I pulled over for another water break as I was going up a minor hill. An ambulance pulls up and they don't get out so I, figured they were just checking. I still had people passing me on the bike and then when I checked the time I wasn’t quite ready to bail but started to doubt finishing and my ham strings were starting to pull hard on my right side. I had a pounding headache (sure sign of dehydration) and knew with only 6 miles to go I could push myself, I just had to speed up.  Sadly I had another hill to climb and in the distance it looked like many more to come and I could feel the heat from the ambulance riding so close to my back tire. It was probably the sun but I could hear the diesel sound and that just aggravated my freak out more. Cars would rush past the ambulance and darn near hit me pulling back in. I got back on the bike went down a little hill and then a corner and another hill! Me with my personal ambulance service trailing so close behind. I checked my watch it was 1:00 and I had 20 minutes to finish 4 miles. Between the head and leg pain and the too close for comfort with cars, I started to think about the agreement I had with Marc, I knew that finishing the bike was still possible, however the run not so much. I couldn’t limp 21K in less than 3 hours. Making my third stop for water in less than 15 minutes and I guess I looked bad because this time the boys got out of the bus to make sure I was okay! I realized that I wasn’t and better safe than sorry.

I got a long slow ride back to the transition, I was devastated. I have never not completed something I set out to do unless it involved housework. I am very disappointed in myself, and while others say they are not disappointed and I should be proud of what I have accomplished, I feel that I let myself and a few others down.

There are many bright sides to this:

1)      I realized I am not nearly as fit as I like to think I am

2)      I need to keep my goals smaller to work towards bigger ones

3)      My husband is my biggest supporter and my friends and family are freaking amazing

4)      I really really really dislike (this is a mild word) riding the bike and need to work on it

5)      Training all winter indoor does nothing for me outdoors

6)      While I don’t mind riding in the wind – a little from behind never hurts

7)      I may have fallen or failed, yet this doesn’t define me – what I do when I get back up is what is important to me

Ahhhh……

The Wide World of Sports

The Thrill of Victory – I almost made it 2/3rds of the way

The Agony of Defeat – My body hurts, my ego is deflated.

Training Mentally and not .....Shiny! opps Getting Distracted

Again, it’s been a long time since writing. Sometimes I want to write but then I see something shiny and I get distracted. This is a thing of mine. The attention span of a pea, easily diverted to doing something else. So a recap of things and where I am today.

Packed on some more pounds and not the good muscle type of pounds. More like the bacon, wings, donuts, pizza pounds. This thing I have with food, well it just kills me. I see food and I want to eat it, even if I am not hungry. So this is going to be my next challenge. Get back to the healthy eating I was doing before.

Working at Lowe’s and then getting a contract with the feds wasn’t going to give me much time to focus on training. The folks at Lowe’s have been great and let me take some time away so I could train. Pretty sure I am going to owe some major baking for that one. Training started out slow and I really focussed on my swimming and biking.

Bought myself a new pair of shoes, and with the crappy weather, well I was sticking to my fair weather running philosophy - if it was not nice out, I wasn’t going. So I spent some time on the treadmill. Most of you know that the ‘mill is the least motivating training device. Never feels like I am getting very far, and again I get easily distracted. I trained without music, which makes it even harder for me. I went for a few lunch time run, or even a run home. The run home from work was my favourite - took me a while, but I persevered and am pleased with the results.

I received a lovely birthday present of a Kurt Kinetic trainer for the Pony, it was awesome. I was in the pool 3 days a week and on the bike at home twice a week and once a week at the Cast Iron classes with the OTC. The great thing about that weekly class, I rode for 4 hours every week, and I learned what not to wear, what to lube up and picked up so much information that I would never have had on the trainer at home. I learned that you don’t wear underwear under your bike shorts - it creates chaffing and other painful things. Oh ya, got myself a new pair of shoes and pedals for the bike. I am so grateful for all the help and advice from Allie, Kim, Kym, Graham, Brent, Garry, Justin and well pretty much the two groups. So much so, I treated everyone almost every week to some GF treat or an almost one. I will say, with all the stuff I have for my bike, I am actually looking forward to the bike ride.

I was in the pool all the time, I love the water. With the few gadgets I had for my swim (a water tight case for my iphone) I could keep track of my laps and time. Sometimes my daughter amazes me with the great little gifts she gives! I think it was meant for the hot tub, but I love it in the pool.

I have done some major long runs, long swims and long rides. I have also missed some sessions for various reasons.

The mental process of training for a race of any distance can be daunting. I love to train on my own, I like the solace on the run where I can clear my head, the feel of the water cascading over me in the water is so soothing and well believe it or not on the bike by myself on the trainer, I get to watch a lot of tv shows I would normally not watch, leaving my mind blank.

The start of this past weekend and the mental training was starting to get tough. I started to doubt things, wondered if I was actually losing my ever loving mind. Started to panic about what I would do if I couldn’t make it to the finish in the time allotted. All the freaky things. The great thing about the OTC and knowing people who have experienced these feeling has been a blessing for me.

Brent got me started on mental training, then I went to my Cast Iron class, cried while I thanked everyone for their support, advice and tricks and tips. Then I realized that the week leading up to Florida was going to be emotional. On Sunday I went to Brent’s Boston Marathon World Run event, met up with a guy I knew way back in the day. He’s had some rough patches, pulled himself together is so wise. Unknowingly, Pierre inspired me to suck it up, and gave me some advice on the mental preparation - and it works every time I close my eyes! Then I went to the S.W.E.E.T. event at Bushtukah with my friend, sis-in-law and a few other women. Members of the club were there and they were so supportive and encouraging, I had to hold back the tears. Then Cat came out to speak about Trips for Kids - what a fantastic program. I was amazed, she sure does a lot for kids who have little and for those who want to do. Well when Sindy Hooper spoke, I am pretty sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. If you don’t know her story, check it out at http://lifetri.blogspot.ca/2014/04/sweet.html.  Oh boy the tears fell. What an amazing woman. As I recall her journey, remember hearing about her last year I remember my favourite saying - NO EXCUSES - if this woman can take on Ironman Canada in Whistler BC and miss qualifying for Kona by two spots in the middle of chemotherapy, I have no freaking excuse or reason to no hit it hard core on Sunday. Turns out on Sunday, Sindy and I will be starting the race together in the same wave. Don’t set limits on yourself, and don’t let others set limits for you!

I hope to take you on the race day journey with me when I post again after the race and then regularly when I get back to the reality of my journey to being healthy and happy.

Thank you everyone for taking the time to read this, to support me, to keep me competitive and to believe in me.

Not in Emerald City or Kansas

So I ran the Tinman Sprint and based on my experience with triathlons, this one did not have a heart.

Most of the Sprints I was looking at were 500m swim, 20K bike and 5K run, only after I registered and started doing some research on this race did I learn that it would be almost 1K, 30K and 10K.  I couldn't click my pink running shoes and end up at home so buttercup had to suck it up.

So we headed down the road, across the border to Tupper Lake. I had the jitters earlier in the week, so it was a long drive for me even though it really is only 2+ hours away. Found our way to pick up my kit, get numbered and handed out my dinner ticket to someone else so that they could enjoy the pasta dinner as my hubby and I were heading out to Lake Placid for the night, and someone can always save 12 bones!

We got up early (5am) and headed down the road for the 45 minute drive. We chose to stay this far away so I could get my head into doing the distance on the bike. We talked about timing and my fear of open road biking and how to get through it all. I haven’t trained much since going from working in an office to working in retail on my feet all day – tough for an old broad of my age, but not an excuse to not run the race.

So we get to the Municipal Park, it’s damp wet and swampy like conditions and I say a little prayer for no thunder or lightning. I get the bike out of the SUV, then check out Placid Planet to make sure my bike is good to go. I was a little panicky about the tires – 2 flats in 3 rides! I get to transition zone a little late, and the people around me have left me limited space. So by now I start making mental notes. Get there early enough to put your stuff out. I left it all organized in my bag, and covered for protection from the wet weather.

I was worried about the water being cold, so when it came time to warm up, I opted to stretch it out instead of swim. Off went the horn and in we went. It was warm and awesome water. I figured I would do the almost 1K in 30 minutes. I started at the back of the pack, remembered what Geordie told us last year about how to enter the water, and then I went into old swim habit, and quickly remembered Coach Sean’s teachings. Follow through with the stroke, don’t rush and breathe every three strokes. I had some trouble remembering not to sight every stroke, but I managed to pull off a 28+ finish. Another mental note I make, thank Geordie for the contact and buoy training (THANKS GEORDIE!)

The transition was long. It took me some time to get out of my wet suit, into my OTC onesie, and get my bike ready to go. You may or may not know, but I fear the bike and the open road, so I really have to self talk myself to getting out there and to enjoy the ride and scenery. A hilly ride is even more petrifying. After 6+ minutes I get out (I realize at this point I really do need to get proper pedals and shoes) and head on the open road and try not to think of the daunting terrain up ahead. I figured I was going to walk at least 4 uphills and I did. I tried mantras, and singing and talking to myself, sadly every time a car went past me I would freeze and slow down, so I just pedalled or walked on. Got a few OTC shout outs on the route and words of encouragement from Les Chickens! It was wet for about 50% of the ride and I managed to survive without a flat. Another mental note - when it rains, there is a stronger likelihood that a flat will occur - I learned this this morning just before jumping in the water. I was never so happy to have someone tell me I had to slow down and get off the bike in 10 feet. I didn't even wait 10 feet, I slowed down and jumped off. Another THANK YOU GEORDIE - the bicycle clinic lessons worked for me, positioning when braking, going around corners, and what your bike can take as a ride over, like a branch!

I hit transition, decided not to put my socks on, got my belt and water, buff and sunglasses and headed out. It took me 5+ minutes to get out and I had to head back for my bib. I was not impressed with the having to run across soaking wet grass twice. I walked and ran off and on. I was alone for quite some time on the road and spent a lot of time loving the scenery and trying hard not to focus on the oncoming traffic. On the way back, I see a few OTC members who cheer me on. I am reminded of why I love this sport, no matter where you are in the pack; people are always there to support you. I finished, happy to be finished and disappointed that I had such a hard time. The positive I came back home with is that while I did this on limited (to no) training, if I actually train I can do better.

We are already planning our HIM (Half Iron Man 70.3) for the Spring of 2014, I may consider the Tin Man HIM to go out with the OTC next year, heck I did 1/4 of the IM!

2012 Great Year 2013 Can Only Get Better

Reflection

So we (because Marc and I are in this together) were slated to run in 14 races this past year. 13 were completed – sadly we slept in for our NYC run so it doesn’t count – we didn’t even pick up the kit; one was Just A Bunch Of Friends Out For A Run – not timed, but I was feeling competitive, so I am counting it.

Races of 2012

1.    Winterman February 2012 7.2K - Marathon relay with Marc, Dani, Andre, Linda, Dan, George

2.    OIRC Run March 17, 2012 10K - on my own

3.    NYC Bronx Run May 5, 2012 10K didn’t happen - with Marc

4.    Ottawa Race Weekend May 27, 2012 ½ Marathon - on my own

5.  Weight Watchers 5K Walk, June 3, 2012 - run/walk with Mom, Jonesy and Auntie Shirley

6.    Emily’s Run June 23, 2012 5K - with Linda, Alice, Cathy and Heather

7.    Brockville Triathlon August 19, 2012 Super Sprint - with Jill, Kevin and Richard

8.    Ottawa Triathlon September 1, 2012 Super Sprint - on my own

9.    San Francisco Giant Run September 18, 2012 5K - with Marc even if he didn't run and Leah

10. Stittsville 9-run-run, October 20, 2012 ½ Marathon - with Anne

11. Fat Ass Trail run, November 18, 2012 7.5K - on my own

12. ORC JABO FOFAR November 25, 2012 5K - with Anne

13. Santa Shuffle December 1, 2012 5K - with Linda, Alice, Cathy and Heather

14. Resolution Run December 31, 2012 5k - with Marc

I didn’t do so well in the weight loss department.  Actually, since I quit smoking two years ago, I have put on 25 pounds. I have been working on how to curb the hand to mouth addiction and stop mindless eating. The problem I have is that my mouth likes to party with flavours.  Plain old chicken and broccoli (no digs at anyone) just makes me feel like I am missing out on something delicious. Somehow I am going to eat more protien, apparently I don't eat enough of it!

As  I reflect upon my successes from the year and look forward to another successful year ahead, I am reminded of your support and love, it means so much to me and every time I race or train, I remind myself of how blessed I am to have such a wonderful system. When I feel like giving up, it is thoughts of your support and encouragement that keep me in motion.

Resolutions

Resolutions are not something I like to make and so as I reflect on 2012 and consider what worked and what didn’t, I realize I have to go back to the basics.  This includes flavouring with healthy spices, planning every meal, writing everything down, heck I am even going to talk myself out of over indulgences aloud.

I am not going to care what other people think about me recording my information, asking for nutrition menus or bringing my own meal to a work luncheon.  I will walk the long way around to my managers’ desks to avoid the food that gets dropped off.

I have done very well in limiting the alcohol, however as the holiday season is now behind me, I am willing to put alcohol on my list with smoking. Something I just don’t want to do anymore. I have three drinks and I am sick for days, so why bother.

I plan to run 20 races in 2013. I want to complete four triathlons and run one marathon (just to know I can run one).  This means at least 15 more races for me to find. I have several that I would like take part in and I am hoping to have them all planned out before I have my birthday.  A few of the races will be the same ones from last year, I enjoyed the scenery and the company I kept while running. A few of the races will be fun runs and I hope my hubby will join me on the shorter runs.

I am going to focus on running and swimming for the first half of the year.  I will move more into cycling when I am feeling more confident on the road.  Like many triathletes who find swimming a challenge and the last thing they focus on, I am using cycling as my final challenge.  I can pedal inside no problem, it’s the roads.

I am going to join a running club and do some group running. This is a huge thing for me.  I found a club that gives me a running program, coaches me and I can run with for an entire year and the fees going to a charity.  I like that much better than paying 70 bones out for a 12 week program that goes into the corporate pocket.

I am going to cross train and work my behind off.  If I am not swimming or running, I will be cross training or curling. It may be at 5 am, it may be at 8 pm. But I will be doing it. If I don’t do it, then I can’t race properly and to the best of my ability and that is what training is all about – achieving personal satisfaction.

That being said, I may neglect a few friendships, but as my family and every loving friends you will understand and not bail on me.  I will be there when I can, I may have to leave early because I have a race, but I will be there. I will do what I can to keep in touch. It may be through my blog or through facebook, or the odd text, but I will try to keep as in touch with everyone as often as I can.

I want to acknowledge the following people in no particular order for your support, encouragement, inspiration, guidance and love, without each of you, I would not be as successful as I have been.  My husband Marc; my daughter Dani; my parents; my brother John; my sister-in-law Lori; my neice Jeniece; my many cousins Jen, Alex, Nancy, Darlene, Kelly, Christina, Carole; my in-law Langlois family; and my Weight Watchers family.

Thank you for reading my blog this past year. I wish you and your loved ones a year of good health, peace, happiness, love and prosperity!

Bringing People Together

Christmas is about bringing people together, but this isn't about Christmas. I'll save that for a few weeks from now!

A while ago I was given the opportunity to continue my WL program and be paid for the success of losing the rest of my weight within one year.  The catch was that I had to give up WW. That's right, no online contact with anyone from WW, no tracking, no points.  But I had to pay for a registered dietician. And there was no guarantee they would use my story or that I would get paid for it.  The only support I could get was from family and friends, and I couldn't blog, write, talk and do anything publicly about my weight loss. I declined - A few of my family members and friends wondered why after all, we could all use $5K.

I started online in 2009 and I have met many people online since starting this journey. I have had ups and downs, no different than anyone else and there are several people who have held my hand, and we have shared laughs, ideas, joys, sadness and successes and a few of us have become friends on other online avenues to become more supportive of each other.

Of all the people I have met online at WW, I have met 2 people. One lives in the same town as me, the other only 3 hours down the road.

So tonight I came home and received a wonderful package from an online WW member.  This package had a gift for me and another member who lives in the same town as I do.

How thoughtful is that! A gift that my local friend and I can share. This will make us get together before the holidays to enjoy a run together. And share stories.

I can tell you it means so much to us that a person we have never physically met is thinking of us and touching our hearts with such a wonderful and thoughtful gift.

This forum brings us together as sisters (and brothers). From coast to coast we are brought together by one desire - to lead a healthy lifestyle and are bound together by the bonds we build and share in understanding, encouraging and thinking of each other and chatting online. Some inspire, others guide, others keep it real, and everyone always encourages us.  The reality of it all is that we all want each other to succeed. I am pretty sure the registered dietician won't care if I am having a crappy day - as long as I follow the food plan they give me and for a small fee as well. Where are the meetings? Where is the personal connect? For sure it's not with the stranger who will check up on me every two weeks by email and maybe a call if I don't respond!

I looked at all the options and even sought advice from my husband, family, close friends. While I like to share my story, I cannot turn my back on my friends for a shot at $5K. I listened to what people had to say but in the end I realized that I couldn’t drop off the face of the earth and not be able to come to a community that has helped me become the person I am today.  We'd have better luck winning the lottery.

Hence the title Bringing people together!

Not quite my reflection, but close to it

I sort of took last week off of running.  I managed two swim days, several long walks with my mom and a cross training class with my friend JS. This time I was the person leaving the pool of sweat behind me at every station we did.  It felt really amazing to get out there and do some exhilarating working out! Sadly, I have been very lax in this area since my trainer and I took a break. It made me realize how out of shape I really am and how much I really need to get back at it. Especially if I want to run relay races with my cousin! My only dilemma – I don’t want to pay 400 bones to be a member of any gym or club.  Why the heck can’t I just pay a drop in fee once a week or twice? I tried to get that response from the center where we were, but the lady behind the counter was too focussed on making protein shakes and kept ignoring me.  Now I was there at lunch, really lady do you think I have time to wait for you to prepare a shake on your machinery that is apparently all busted up for an answer.  Needless to say, I wasn’t overly impressed with the customer service – the trainer was great.  Will I go again, probably, if for nothing but the workout. Will I join that specific location if they can give me a good rate – no chance in Hello!

Swim was great this morning, as usual, all Monday morning swims are amazing.  I love getting up, and going for a swim.  Today we did DPS – which I know is Distance Per Stroke, however I have no idea how to calculate, determine and know WTF it is for.  I do know that I swam hard for 20 minutes solid – how many laps – not a clue – I lost track after 10.  That may have been when I started to get dehydrated and really just wanted a drink of water.  Surrounded by and swimming in it, but not going to drink it – it’s all chemicaled up. I caved in and stopped for a drink from my water bottle then had to pick up the pace for the 5 seconds it took me to sip my water. It cost me a lot, I had to let someone go in front of me because I needed water.  Oh well better that then pass out in the water.  I even changed strokes for a length or two – just to get my breath.

My recovery time between strokes was way too long, so I tried to remember to push my arms down hard when my fingers hit the water. Yep this is where the cross training classes would come in handy – need to get some strength from something!

It was tough trying to remember to stroke, breathe, stroke, keep kicking, breathe, push hard, breathe, stroke, kick, stroke, kick, breathe, push hard, extend, are you extending properly, keep kicking, push harder and keep your fingers apart for crying out loud!  Sometimes we are our worst critics.  I need to get waterproof headsets where I can listen to music and just swim! LOL – like that would happen.  I am improving and that is all that matters, eventually it will all come to me like water off a duck’s back.

Bacon Brent was there too.  The way he feels about water is how I feel about bikes.  He continues to inspire me to realize that I can ride a bike and conquer this fear.  He is not a fan of water, yet he gets in the pool twice a week and pushes through it all.  When Spring rolls around, I hope to remember that today I decided I would never let riding on the road make me afraid! I would embrace my ability to pedal and enjoy the ride.

I also realized that based on the races I have signed up for I will have 10 races under my belt by December 31, 2012.  They are races of all different types, 5Ks, triathlons, ½ marathons, 7.5ks of hills and 10Ks. Had we have run in NYC this Spring I could have said I have run from coast to coast, but alas not this year.  Perhaps next year my husband and I will be able to do a run on both coasts together and not sleep in.

That being said, a huge thank you to everyone who has supported and encouraged me to keep going: this includes my sister in law who invites me out to run with the women, my WW buddy who ran with me in a 1/2, my coworkers for encouraging me to go do the tris with them, my friend LC for still being my friend after all the times I bail or don't call or hang out because I have to be out running or training, Bacon Brent for getting me out on the road and riding with confidence, my parents for their patience when I say I can't because I have to run, my brother and his wonderful wife for their encouragement and support and inspiration to know that I am stronger than I think I am and most importantly my hubby for flying from one end of the continent to the other for races he didn't participate in, for tossing buttertarts my way and being there for the last minute bit of love to get me to the finish and my daughter for always encouraging me and giving me advice and offering to run with me and for sharing hot tub time to recover!