too tired to blog...



Thursday, October 7, 2010
South Rim - Grand Canyon

I am out of the groove... between Augusta, Orlando and the Grand Canyon life has become an endurance event.  I am looking forward to the next few weeks at home with some nice recovery on the schedule. 

Note to self, less working out = less eating!!

Augusta!!!!

My first half Ironman and I l-o-v-e-d it!! Cannot wait to do the next one.  The swim was point to point and downstream in the Savannah River; the bike rocked (despite the constant rain); and the run was the best I've ever had (in a triathlon).  My finish time was 5:59:06 .... I had hoped for 6.5 hours or less and I am thrilled!! Even bought myself a 70.3 visor!

#1679 on your program, #1 in your heart!

It's almost here... my first half Ironman..70.3!!  Augusta posted race numbers (1679) and swim waves today...I am in the 16th wave starting at 8:30EST on Sunday, September 26, 2010.

Ready or not, here I come!

romance vs reality

"You are a romantic."   I AM NOT!! 

 Mary made this bold statement as I was relaying some family drama...."You are a romantic," and then went on to say, "You see things the way you want them to be (ideally/optimistically) versus the way they are.....versus Reality." 

Well shit, I say. 

I looked up the Merriam Webster definition of "romantic" (as sometimes I think I know what words mean but am not 100% certain) and this is what it says "responsive to the appeal of what is idealized, heroic or adventurous".... and there you have it.  I am a romantic. 

When it comes to family, relationships and loyalty I am a romantic... I feel that family-(ies) should be close/supportive/loyal because that's the way families are meant to be.... you know, "normal."  I want to believe that love/blood/loyalty matter because we are family/friends/married.... I assume that these things matter to both sides.  It would seem that not everyone is playing from the same script I am... didn't I learn this lesson already??

stupid people piss me off.

"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance - that principle is contempt prior to investigation."    Herbert Spencer

freaking awesome weather

I took this picture as I was headed to meet Judith this morning...it is actually a picture of the full moon.  It does not look like the moon which is why I felt an explanation was necessary.  I am not a professional photographer (shocker), so I'm not sure how this happens but I like the way it looks.  I am working on developing my skill at taking pictures while riding my bike... so far, so good.

This is the moon as you might have guessed.  My picture does not do it justice ...the mist was hanging over the fields and the moon was still up while on the other side of the road....

this was going on..

In addition to major scenery, the weather has turned positively blissful and I could have used arm warmers this morning.  It's been a long time since I felt under dressed but, note to self, add a layer of clothing when heading out to ride this Friday morning.  The forecast is for even lower humidity and temperatures through the end of this week...Tennessee is truly heaven on earth right now.  

The 7th annual Cedars of Lebanon triathlon is this Saturday and conditions should be perfect....maybe even a little cool at the start of the pool swim. I love this location and this course.  If my schedule allowed I would love to be racing this weekend...instead I am working with Team Magic the event sponsor. 

I am still dragging major ass from the bike/run powerhouse workouts last weekend....I want to take a nap every afternoon.  I have heard people who are training for full Iron distance races moan about being tired; I guess training for a half makes one tired, too.  In addition to exhaustion, I brought back a nice case of poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) from Fiery Gizzard.  How does one get poison ivy through socks and shoes??

trashed legs...

South Cumberland Recreation Area- pre-Fiery Gizzard trail run

Fantastic weekend!  The weather in middle Tennessee has been beastly all summer... hot and humid without end it seemed.  The last few days have been a welcome change around here and contributed to some really great workouts this weekend.  Having said that, my legs are trashed..worn out...toast!  Judith and I rode 48 miles on Friday and then I did a short walk "brick" with Hannah when I got home..Saturday we were all up at 3AM (%$#&) to head to Fiery Gizzard for a 13 mile trail run in preparation for Rim2Rim.  We gutted through but it was tough and I could barely get out of bed this morning....

I have no idea what was so damn funny....giddy from lack of sleep, no doubt.

looking for inspiration.......

The Fall Creek Falls triathlon put on by Race Day Events was so much fun...I wish all races felt like this one.  I was comfortable and relaxed from start to (almost) finish..the last 2 miles of the run were a little ugly but everything up to that felt good great!!  I had my best swim time ever at this distance (25:39), best bike (1:21) and the first couple of miles on the run even felt good.  When I started to get tired I kept thinking about swinging my arms and remembering that "this too shall pass..."  I don't know about anyone else but I go from feeling good to feeling bad and back again in mere minutes.  I slogged through the last couple of miles (behind the guy who pulled over to throw up..eeww) and finished the run in 1:08....I am not a 1:08 10k runner...not that there is anything wrong with that but I am not that person. 

From the looks of next weeks upcoming workouts running and endurance bricks appear to figure prominently in my plans.  The coach and I exchanged a few emails (me: whine, whine, whine...she: details, details, details) and from this she produced my training plan which includes a run-bike-run on Wednesday, a 60 mile bike/4 mile run brick on Friday and an 8 mile negative split run on Saturday.  I love the strategy behind workouts...the idea that if you do the work as prescribed you are prepared to go out and reap the reward.  I am ready to reap the reward... I am ready (or will be come September 26th) for Augusta and while I know it won't be easy, there is no doubt in my mind I can do the work.  I can put all of this swim-bike-run together and bring it in under the 8 hour cut-off....

think cool thoughts...

Hot today...again...

In trying to change my thinking, I found some pictures from cooler times and places...

Jackson Hole, WY - 2007

Fall Creek Falls State Park - TN - 2006

Snow King Resort, Jackson Hole, WY- 2007

Penguins - Antarctica

Yummy!

Happy Anniversary to Brad (and Me)!!!  9 years ago today ...10 if you talk to Hannah (wink, wink) xoxoxo

looking forward.....

"When you're not afraid to fail your chances of succeeding are greater".   Gary Mack

Yaay!  Friday is here and that means tomorrow is Saturday....one of my favorite days of the weekend.   The festivities start at 5:15A with a long run followed by breakfast at Bread and Company...the consensus favorite part of the workout.

The Fall Creek Falls triathlon is a week from Sunday.  I feel like I have my head screwed on more tightly than a couple of weeks ago.  I am looking forward to this race... I enjoyed the swim, bike and run in 2008.  I think this was my first Olympic distance ever and so I just hope to beat my previous time on this course.  I have gotten in the habit of having 3 goals for marathons...an A Goal where everything is perfect and I blow away all expectations; my B Goal is a new PR at whatever the distance and my C Goal is to finish.  I read this somewhere and I like the positive reinforcement of at least meeting one of my goals (previous race not withstanding).  Some people may think it's hokey but I believe in taking something positive away from each race if possible...who wants to put all of the hard work and time into training and then walk away castigating yourself??   When we are consistent in our daily training and then show up on race day what we do is amazing...that kind of effort and accomplishment is a huge victory and something to be proud of .... and none of us should believe anyone who says otherwise (even if it is the voices in our own heads).

I AM AERO!

As of 5:30 this morning I am aero...Judith and I parked at the bottom of the Highway 96 entrance to the Trace to start our ride out to Fly and back..... I wanted to say "Out to hell and back" but it was not that bad (80 degrees at 5:21AM according to NPR) and the route was pretty shady!  Aside from some loose gravel where Caney Creek Road is being rebuilt post the flood of 2010, and one very scary dog, all 42 miles ROCKED!!  I love training with Judith...she has a great attitude and makes me laugh.  Both of these qualities are imperative in a training partner!!

"Manage your expectations"...AKA I am the architect of my own assassination

As it turns out, in classic alcoholic fashion, I put my wants ahead of my needs last Sunday and paid for it.  According to the coaches, "when racing in extreme heat we must all lower our race expectations and put keeping our bodies as cool as possible our first priority."  And I quote..."you should not expect PR's on 96 degree days..." this is a (another) opportunity for me to add this to my collective experience and take this lesson learned into future races.  It never crossed my mind when thinking about my time goals for the race that I should alter what I wanted because of the weather....I knew it was hot but I did not think about the potential effect on finishing times or the ability to finish. 

The human body is an amazing piece of machinery ....at times sensitive and delicately balanced...at others tough and resilient.  I forget this a lot and am always awed by this wondrous creation and what it is capable of if cared for properly. 

Found this in an article from USA Triathlon's e-newsletter this  week...TRY HARDER Suffering is a big part of running. The more suffering you can tolerate in races, the better you will perform. Some runners can tolerate more suffering than others, but all runners can increase their capacity to push through the discomfort of fatigue.
 
Completely non-racing related... I am reading "Leaving Church: A Memoir of Faith" by Barbara Brown Taylor ...I read "When God is Silent" during a book study at church a few years back... I was blown away then by her honesty and search for truth...she spoke to me where I was at the time and I always come away from her books with a deeper understanding of myself and my God.

disappointment...

I'm a little bummed about the race on Sunday.  I withdrew at mile 1 of the run...I can't say if it was the heat or my mental attitude as the day wore on but whatever it was things did not go the way I had hoped.  I believe my training has been good and I promised myself I would not second guess my decision... I made the best decision I could with the information I had and in the interest of not being (too) self absorbed I say, "Onward and upward!"   I am signed up for the Fall Creek Falls triathlon on August 15...another Olympic distance and my last race before Augusta unless I get the go ahead for a sprint between now and then. 

After a rest day today I spin easy on the bike tomorrow and get back to it in earnest later this week.  I love training, I love pushing my physical/endurance limits and, despite the negative mental crap in my head yesterday, I love racing.  I may never be as good as I want to be ...I guess that is my competitive nature to want to be better .....but I do believe in finishing what I start and seeing my way through things.

Busy, busy, busy...

The Music City Triathlon is coming up this Sunday... over 1,000 people registered to hit the Cumberland River starting at 7:30AM.   I have been working with the race management company for the past couple of weeks trying to get some media attention, I have also been training, looking for a job and running my business.  Holy s**t... I have at least 3 jobs all of a sudden!!  I enjoy all of these activities (OK, so maybe not looking for a job, so much :) but ...I'll be glad to settle down a little bit after this weekend.  The next race on the schedule is the Fall Creek Falls Tri in mid-August and then Augusta on September 25  ... the training is going awesome ...I love having a coach to write workouts, give feedback, answer my gazillion questions and give racing/nutrition advice!!  All I have to do is show up and do the work... my motto this year:  Do the workout as prescribed, no shortcuts, no close enoughs, no cheating!  Just do the work.

When I saw my friend, John, the other day (massage therapist) he asked me if I was the Temple of Doom or the Temple of Zoom... feeling pretty good right now (heat not withstanding) so I pick Temple of Zoom!  At least, I hope that is the way it plays out Sunday morning... our forecast for this weekend??  ...drum roll ....Sunny, hot and humid... I've decided to embrace the heat rather than bitch about it. What else can you do?

It's never too early to start making plans for 2011 racing and travel!!  I truly love the planning as much as the doing..especially the traveling part.  Looks like Rev3 Costa Rica in February, 2011 and (gulp) The Great Floridian in October, 2011.  PLUS, Hubby and I will have our tenth anniversary next year.   I told him if he would like to have an anniversary beyond 10 then we need to take a big trip next August......West Coast, Pacific Northwest, Alaska!  His choice but I, of course, get veto power!

Random Friday ....

Hallelujah!  They have capped the oil well ....
Damn! It's hot in Nashville..
Music City Triathlon is coming up next Sunday, July 25, 2010... .Cumberland River swim (eww) ...
Yaay!! Business is picking up .....
I need a new swimsuit (or 2)...the ones I am swimming in are disreputable.....
I am looking forward to eating at Brio this weekend  ...
I am digging  "True Blood"......Sookie, Bill, Lafayette, Tara and Lorena... love Southern Goth
I am SO GRATEFUL for air conditioning!!
Having said that, I am really looking forward to a hot and sweaty run in the morning..

the search continues....

Still looking for a job... trying to maintain a positive attitude (yesterday not so much).  What's a girl to do?    After a long nap the situation seemed not so desperate...funny how being tired makes things seems SO MUCH MORE....!!  All I want is a fun and challenging job with great benefits and an awesome salary..what's the big deal??   Today I followed up on some ideas from my friend Susan... made a change to my resume and checked out the Center for Nonprofit Management...

After I had all of that I could stand, I rode my bike up to the Trace and did my bike/run brick....

.... 3 hours 10 minutes in the heat of a Tennessee afternoon in July!  Sometimes I can't believe I actually do s**t like that (heat stroke, anyone?) but, boy, do I love to sweat.  And I love the calming effect of a hard workout.....for me there is something meditative about being outside in nature and getting to play.  Mentally I always come back from a workout better than I started....

Swimming and strength training are on tap for tomorrow...followed by more fun (I'm sure) job searches!  

yawn

do the next right thing...

So I didn't get either of the jobs with the Y and I am disappointed.  It has been a week of "No" for me .... polite no's but no, nevertheless.  So as I was contemplating how to handle the situation I remembered this old AA adage...when I don't know what to do next; what the next course of action should be; where else to turn...then the answer is usually "Do the next right thing."

So for me this week the "next right thing" is to do the job I have to the best of my ability.....  No shortcuts, no procrastination, no half measures.  The "next right thing" is to work with Team Magic in publicizing the upcoming Music City Triathlon on July 25 in downtown Nashville....with all the energy I have and to the best of my ability.  The "next right thing" is to get plenty of rest so I can maintain my training schedule...last week was a big week with a 5K thrown in for fun on Saturday.  I moved my long run to Sunday and cut out my rest day...I paid for this the first of this week and I am now going into a long, hot weekend in Chattanooga! 

Tomorrow is another day and in the immortal words of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, I shall "Never, never, never, never give up."

zippity, doo-dah....

I love that song from Disney's 1946 "Song of the South."  For me it is a happy song that takes me back to childhood and perfect days... last week when the temperatures were in the low 80's and the humidity was low it was a "Zip - a- Dee-Doo-Dah" day for days on end...

This week the temperatures are up and it seems like I am struggling with everything just a little bit more... I am in the process of looking for a job.  I have decided I really want to work for the YMCA and I am (currently) pursuing a couple of positions with them... I have to say it has been a long time since I was in the "looking for a job" market and I don't like the way things have changed.  With many organizations you now forward your resume and cover letter to an entity, NOT AN INDIVIDUAL.  How the heck am I supposed to follow up with anyone?  I am not one for passive sitting and waiting; I am one for taking action and being persistent.  I am certain that if I could connect with someone, talk to them, I could get an interview and quite possibly a job!!   I am good with people; I enjoy tackling new projects; I like a challenge and I love to work with people and motivate them.... I just need to get the dang interview! 

So on Saturday I took my impatient self over to Maryland Farms to run the Firecracker 5K and (hopefully) break into the 24's...it is ridiculous (in an amazing sort of way) that my 5K PR is the second run leg of a duathlon last year in Birmingham.  How the heck does this happen?   This past Saturday was not the day to realize my dream of a 24:xx 5K...Mile 1 good (but no split due to my fear of pushing the wrong button on my new watch), at Mile 2 I was at 15:58 thinking "Heck yeah, I can do this!"  I finished the race at 26:58..mightily disappointed...especially when I did the math and realized how much time I gave up in the last 1.1 miles.  This seems to be a recurring theme with me... an inability to stay strong through the end/finish the job.  I know I was getting tired and it was hot but I just could not keep the pace....I don't know if I started too fast (I really need to get more comfortable with my new watch). 

On another note, Hannah and I had a great run in Percy Warner Park on Sunday.  Hannah ran the first 3 miles with me then Brad picked her up and I continued on to finish my workout... I finished my 12 miles at a steady pace and kept it within the prescribed HR zones... there was a nice breeze for most of the morning and even though I did not start until almost 9AM it was really pleasant.  I love the Warner Parks out here in Bellevue... my absolute most favorite places to run...

As people return to work tomorrow I will be hoping for some good news and trying to trust that God has this...

good night from Nashville, y'all!

things I love...not in any order

Chocolate GU......

Lemonade after a long, hot bike ride......

the beach....

again....

Hannah...

and again....

Nike tempo shorts.....

Balega running socks...

Birthday cake....

Sheryl..

my sweetie...

training and tri tips..

I managed to get out of the house this morning and get to the track for my Speed Session workout.  As I was sitting on the couch drinking coffee I did not think I had it in me to run (8) 400m @ R pace (1:58 for me) plus warmup and cool down...I just was not feeling it.  On top of that, NO BANANAS in the house and who knew the Kroger on Highway 100 was not open 24 hours (!)...so no hope of a banana before my workout.  I did it though... got to the track, did the warmup, nailed the workout (!!) and even did the entire 1 mile cool down..sometimes I cut that short.  This falls under heading of "Do the Workout as Prescribed."  Follow the plan..no shortcuts, settling or out-and-out lying.... 

I came across this on Elizabeth Fedofsky's blog.. "Often athletes say “I lack speed” or “I need more speedwork”.  Speed is not a limiting factor in triathlon. Triathlon is a sport of strength & speed endurance, not raw speed. Get stronger/more efficient & you will get faster.

and

......"3 sessions a week to maintain, 4 to make progress, 5 to reach 95% of your full potential. "

political cowardice and pandering...

I have two words for you (two names, actually)  Joe Barton, (R) Texas (the Republican Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee and single largest recipient of oil/gas money in the House of Representative's) and Haley Barbour, the Republican Governor of Mississippi.  Aggghhh..there is no end to the idiocy and the irony...I think my head might explode.

And this from an editorial by Representative Ed Markey (D-MA), " For years, the oil industry swore this could never happen. We were told that technology had advanced, that offshore drilling was safe.

BP said they didn't think the rig would sink. It did.

They said they could handle an Exxon Valdez-sized spill every day. They couldn't.

BP said the spill was 1,000 barrels per day. It wasn't. And they knew it.

Now the other big oil companies, testifying in Congress today, contend that this was an isolated incident. They say a similar disaster could never happen to them.

And yet it is this kind of Blind Faith -- which is ironically the name of an actual rig in the Gulf -- that has led to this kind of disaster.

..day 58 in this ongoing disaster...it is outrageous to see elected officials (elected to represent their constituents, not their interests .....$$$$) apologize to the negligent foreign oil company responsible for this outrage. 

LOVE!!!!  Rachel Maddow...check out her Obama address do over.  She is sharp and articulate and has a grasp on the situation.

Just do the work...

I love reading other peoples blogs....mostly running and triathlon related but not always.  It helps me to recognize that other athlete's deal with training/performance anxiety, motivation ups/downs and the changing demands of life on a daily basis!  I have reaped the benefit of some great (and credible) advice, positive attitudes, wicked funny perspectives and gut level honesty from other athletes  out there who are "suiting up and showing up" every day.  The other day I came across Elizabeth Fedofsky' s blog..  I was not familiar with her but she had this awesome post last week on goals, individual success and attitude.  I've thought a lot about her post over the last few days and the point she makes about training consistency, doing the work and stepping up to, and accepting, the pain associated with reaching for our goals.

This post motivates me and makes me want to try harder, be more honest in my efforts and work on that mental toughness I struggle with.  Why did I ever think it would be easy?  I guess if it's not easy for the truly greats then it is no surprise that age groupers hurt, too.  I think these are the things that will make me more successful (per my definition) as the season unfolds...keeping perspective (#7),  master the basics (#8) and do the work (#3) as prescribed (#1)! 

The first Speed Session of the summer is tomorrow morning (4) 1000 @ I pace (5:14) w/400 recover; (4) 200 @ R pace (0:59) w/200 recover plus warm up and cool down.  I must get to sleep so I can be ready to hit it at 6AM!!

sweet dreams~

Contest for new BP logo ..

For a link to the contest sponsored by Logomyway.com click here

Mach Tenn..Very Cool!!

Yaay, me! This is my 3rd place (40-44AG) trophy from the Mach Tenn Sprint triathlon yesterday!! This race has a great reputation in the area and now I know why. The venue is beautiful, for starters, and the Mach Tenn running club does a flawless job in organization and execution. On top of that the food rocks.... black eyed peas and corncakes (vegetarian friendly)!!

I felt confident and calm going in and for most of the race. I think this is the first open water swim I have not been nervous about and the water was perfect.. 80* so no wetsuits allowed if you wanted to qualify for awards. The bike course had the rolling hills, as promised, but nothing horrible. I felt good and strong the whole time and was able to adhere to my estimated 3- 3.25 minute/mile average. And then, the run... it was hot and when they say "rolling" they mean ROLLING! Out and back.... 4 miles...that's not even a weekday run but sometimes (oftentimes) I really struggle running off the bike. After the first few minutes my legs seemed to loosen up but I never did get into a good rhythm...I walked through the water stops and at the top of the last big hill where Judith caught up to me. She and I ran it in together and even though I did not hit my time goal (1:50 or less) I did get the third place spot in my AG!! I am excited about that and I know I am getting stronger...

I am working with coach Caroline Butler this year and I am excited about the work she will get out of me. I am training for my first half at Augusta in September and I have some Olympic distance races planned between now and then. I hope to get stronger and more confident on the bike and put together a more consistent bike-run transition. I know I am a good runner and I have a good base...I just need help with the negative mind stuff that gets in my way.

still pissed..

Great article from Frank Rich at the New York Times about President Obama and his response to BP, Wall Street and "his abiding faith in the judgment of experts," as Joshua Green of the Atlantic has put it. I voted for President Obama in 2008 and was thrilled to have the opportunity to do so....I believe our nation needed "Change" and I'm glad we got it. I believe our President is honest, thoughtful and well-intentioned...in my opinion, more than can be said for his predecessor. But it is time to stand by his own convictions (and those of the majority that elected him) and quit trying to negotiate with those who have no interest in compromise and governing...it is time to hold reckless corporations accountable for their actions and arrogance...it is time to get tough and take action.

I also enjoyed this editorial by Chris Durang. I think there is a lot of irony in society today; I do not know whether it exists in other countries but I have to assume it does because humans live there, too. To wit, people decrying big government until they need its help...Tony Hayward (BP CEO) complaining about what wanting his life back...

and again...

Random thoughts....

I am pissed, morally outraged, at BP and the Deepwater Horizon situation continuing to unfold in the Gulf of Mexico. Where the hell is accountability and why the hell is BP unable to shutdown a broken drill pipe leaking thousands of barrels of oil a day into the Gulf of Mexico?? What can we (citizens, voters, living beings) do??!! People and their livelihood's have been decimated; the environment, and every living thing that depends on the water, is being wiped out. How can governments, politicians, corporations and citizens not be mad as hell? How can people be unable to comprehend the significance of this disaster and it's long lasting consequences? How can we sit passively by? Sometimes (many times) I don't understand people....

Robert Siegel's interview with Nicholas Carr caught my attention this afternoon. Carr has written a book in which he suggests that the internet has directly influenced the human ability to concentrate.....it has created a "chronic state of distraction" that follows us long after we walk away from the screen. As we have become more adept at multitasking our ability to think critically and creatively has been adversely affected. The internet has provided the medium through which our desire for information and entertainment can be fed immediately. I can identify with some of his findings, specifically, a seeming inability to concentrate for extended periods of time. I just thought I was out of practice...hhmmm

Finally!! A neighborhood restaurant in Bellevue that is not a chain and offers fresh food with a good menu and reasonable prices. Brad and I had dinner at Bria tonight and we both had a great meal....lets hope Bellevue will do it's part and support these guys.

demotivational posters..