Someone get me off this rollercoaster, please!!!

Sometimes I feel that there is at once too much and too little to blog about.  How, as bloggers, do we balance the need to keep the world abreast of what is going on in our lives while maintaining a semblance of privacy so you don't end up alienating, offending, or exposing ourselves and others to prying eyes?  While honesty is a great virtue, there are probably very sensible limits to how much we should reveal about ourselves online.  I'm not convinced that these new media (blogging, Facebook, Twitter) really help us develop deeper relationships with our friends.  Maybe they do the opposite--they keep us from meaningful discussions with the people with care about on topics such as life, love, and (pardon the poor grammar) where our heads are at.  

I have spent the past year living from one month to the next--very unsure about all sorts of things.  Now, I never considered myself much of a planner, but there is something very grounding about knowing, in general terms, where your life is headed.  Recently I've done quite a bit of thinking about the assumptions I made long ago about my future life.  Think about that.  When you were younger, did you know instinctively what type of person you were going to marry?  What you wanted to do when you grew up?  What type of parent you wanted to be?  Of course I knew I wanted kids, but never imagined what sweet individuals they would turn out to be.  I always knew that I wanted a professional life, that I would have something outside of being "mom" and "wife" that I found interesting and fulfilling--but I'm not sure what I'm doing now qualifies as a "career."  And while I've never been a whiz with money, I always figured there would be enough to live comfortably.  Life doesn't live up to expectations, but it can also exceed them in wonderful ways!  Is that what a mid life crisis is: realizing that dreams are just that; you can bank on some disappointments; and reality can be a bit messy at times?

With no firm ground below me, it is nice to have a training regimen that provides a plan--and that is the main reason I signed up for IMCdA.  I know that in 2 weeks I'm running a 1/2 marathon, a few weeks after that will be my first Oly distance race, and so on.  I can't say I'm very excited about the culmination of all this training in June (CdA as a race scares the shit out of me), but I look forward to the time suffering training with friends. After the race we're back to free fall: no races scheduled, and more uncertainty.

I am in a rest week, but this week doesn't feel very restful yet.  The same number of workouts, just different intensities (can you say run test?) and "shorter" long bricks.  I am trying to eat well and dinners are going well, but there are really limited good lunch options close to work.  (The lunchtime dilemma should be resolved after I get back from Tucson, and am no longer commuting to Williamsburg for work.)  I have been very encouraged that I am improving on my swim, and set a new 100m PR!  My Wednesday morning swims have been very drill/technique focused and it has paid off.  I haven't been very good at getting the kids or myself in bed by 8:30, and those early morning swims require much earlier bedtimes!  I become a grumpy bear with not enough sleep.

Ok, enough with the woe is me/training update post.  Let's finish off with something light and mindless!  The ABC's of me.

A. Age: 43

B. Bed size: Queen but lately I'm thinking King...

C. Chore you dislike: mopping the kitchen floor.  White sheet vinyl is NEVER a good design choice, people.

D. Dogs:  Sophie the Vizsla!  Before her, it was Trooper the Mutt.

E. Essential start to your day:  Coffee, preferably Starbucks House Blend made in a French Press.  Light with one tsp of sugar in the raw, please.

F. Favorite color:  Yellow--it's happy!

G. Gold or silver: whatever matches the outfit or other jewelry...

H. Height: 5’9” but I slouch horribly.

I. Instruments you play(ed): very briefly the recorder and clarinet.

J. Job title: Interior Designer.

K. Kids: 3 Jim, Maddy, and Joey.

L. Live: Richmond.

M. Mom’s name: Betty!

N. Nicknames: KateO, Honey, Crash, and Boo.

O. Overnight hospital stays: Kids being born, a kidney infection while pregnant with Joey.  Does staying overnight while your child is in the hospital count?  Done that several times too.

P. Pet peeves: Stupid drivers that, when they miss a turn, don't continue to the next turn and instead STOP in the middle of traffic!

Q. Quote from a movie: "Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash. But I would be proud to part take of your PECAN PIE." (When Harry met Sally)

R. Righty or Lefty: RIGHTY

S. Siblings:  My older sister Molly.

T. Time you wake up: usually 7 am during the week, earlier for swimming.  On the weekends it depends on whether there is an early workout or not.

U. Underwear:  Uh YEAH! Except under workout clothes or pajama bottoms--yuck.

V. Vegetables you don’t like: Okra.

W. What makes you run late: Nothing, I'm just ALWAYS late. 

X. X-rays you’ve had: Teeth, Knee (ACL), Chest (pneumonia as a kid)

Y. Yummy food you make:  I consider myself a pretty good cook, but I did have to promise #1 son that I'd NEVER make tuna casserole ever again.

Z. Zoo animal favorites:  I like most of them except reptiles. Giraffes are my favorite.

Happy New Year!

I know, I know.  I was not good about blogging this past month.  December was busy with school, snow, family, and holidays!  Now here we are, a week into the new year already.  Can I say how glad I am 2010 is over?  Ugh, what a year.  From the video I realize how many good times we had, but the underlying current of uncertainty given Joe's job situation was really really hard.  I will blog soon about looking plans for 2011.  I promise!

Back in the Saddle

Not totin' the ol' 44, but definitely feeling sore.  I'm trying hard to jump back into "training" mode.  Checking off at least 5 workouts per week (which is better than where I was, belive you me!)  It seems that two if not three of these are early early mornings where the alarm goes off around 5:30.  Combine that with a full workday of up on my feet all day, moving furniture, and by the time I get home in the evening, I am TOAST.  Need to catch a 10 min nap in order to stay awake long enough to eat dinner kind of toast.  This work stuff is for the birds!  I don't know how my friends who have full time jobs AND families figure out how to stay up late enough to ensure that kids are 1) fed 2) homeworked  and dishes/laundry/house stuff is done still train for anything longer than a sprint.  Poor Joe takes it as a given that I'll be in bed, lights out, and asleep before at least one of the kids.

Tried the TRX thing this week with Bethany.  And just for the record, let's say that what happens in Bethany's basement, stays in Bethany's basement.  She and I are contemplating a TRX class in the spring, which at least gives me more time to work up to a "lets not make a fool of ourselves" level of proficiency.  I suck so bad, I cannot lift my arms, hug my children, or wash my hair.  (Thank goodness for swimming! Of course I kid.)  At least we know I still remember how to ride a bike, but don't take me out for more than 35 miles.

This week is also a week where I need to contemplate my 2011 goals.  For those of you who are coached by Jen, you know what this means.  Essay questions.  (Screw IMCdA...maybe my one goal for next year should be to actually do one whole pull up unassisted.  Given my current lack of upper body strength, it probably would take most of the year to build up to that.)  Last year my goal sheet ended with Vineman and had a whole lotta nothing after that, other than a contemplated fall marathon.  For various reasons, I don't know how far past CdA I can plan for this year coming up.  It's scary to think so short term, however, given what happened this year training wise after Vineman, rather dangerous insofar as keeping in a modicum of shape post CdA. There are, of course, extenuating circumstances.  Like where will we be?!  But I think I owe it to myself to plan long term and then if the situation changes, roll with it and see where it takes me.

Hello again!

Several fine folks had left little messages on Facebook asking when I was going to update my blog, but that was over 2 months ago!  Do you really care about a few missing race reports, beach trip happenings, job to do-ings?  At this point, there is just too much to catch up on and the thought of bringing the world up to speed on life chez moi is overwhelming.  Let's instead just summarize, shall we?

• Trip to California this summer was awesome.  3 weeks spent in wine country, doing some training, visiting some wineries, and hanging out with the inlaws is rough, I know.  Vineman, however, was no cakewalk.  A gorgeous race, a shame the swim was so darn shallow.  After the turn around, my hands were scraping bottom for most of the way back to transition.  Bumpy, technical bike course.  I need to get over my chickensh*t fear of descending.  You pass winery after winery, thinking "if only I could stop and taste..."  It got pretty darn hot.  I stopped half way up Chalk Hill to give some spare salt tabs to a guy whose quads were totally cramping up in a horrible way (he repassed me on the bike, only for me to pass him on the run with his legs locked up again).  The run was HOT and HILLY.  No personal best, but so glad it was done.  Hung out with fun friends post race!  Molly = best Vineman sherpa ever. 
• Beach time!  Only one week this year, and interrupted with showhouse to-doings and threatened hurricanes.  Ate, drank, lounged, didn't train much but got my butt handed to me on a Fat Frog ride.  I have totally fallen off the workout wagon this fall, averaging a whopping 3 workouts a week (if that...)  Can you say LAZY ASS?!  It has been nice though, to just run when I want, eat what I want, drink what I want and decompress.  Job stress is at an all time high in our house, and I needed the break away from that aspect of my life to make room for other concerns. 
• Richmond Symphony Designer Showhouse.  I loved my room, and felt that everything that went in it was absolutely perfect.  There was some nail biting at getting the wallpaper in on time, but it all worked itself out.  Here are some pics: 

• I'm back at work for a 6 week stint with Lumber Liquidators.  It's challenging coming up with 2 "designed" rooms to be photographed per day, especially in the same two spaces where the walls are never repainted and the windows are not in places they'd be in a real house.  Having new "stuff" (furniture, pillows, art and accessories) is nice at the beginning, but it all gets old after having been in one or two shoots.  Click here, here, and here for examples of what I did for them back in March.
• I did do another triathlon this season, on a whim, in late August.  An all-women sprint of 300m pool swim, 14mi bike, 5k run.  I didn't do so bad, but not too well either.  I was slow on the swim, and I even passed about 5 people in the pool.  The bike was great!  I just hunkered down and tried to hammer.  Passed a slew of folks.  The run sucked!  When you stop running for 3 weeks, even a lousy 5k is tough and I got passed by many of the girls I had passed on the bike.  I think I placed 11th in my age group. On the positive side, I was able to break in the new tri kit.  Check it out:

• It's fall!  Cooler weather, changing leaves, kids back in school, Kate back in school.  I'm taking a new computer class to learn new AutoCAD software--LOVE IT!  Will make drawings and plans so much easier!  We have been to the beach house almost every weekend this month, and were in the ocean just this past Sunday (ocean temps were 65 degrees).  As Jen would say, "Lovely!"  I have been much better this week about getting back into "training" mode.  Or should I say "base building mode" since....
• I'm signed up for IM Coeur d'Alene next year!  Ack.  Back on the crazy train with 30 of my closest friends.   I'm looking forward to Jen's TriCamp in AZ yet again this year, with Bethany in tow!  Hooray for company on the grind up Lemmon.
• #1 Son is still in Iraq, but should be home for Christmas!  While we were brewing in hot temps here this summer, he reminded us that 100 was downright chilly where he was.  It'll be so nice to have him home.
• Kids are good and enjoying their last year of elementary and middle school, respectively.  We already had our first high school information session.  I can't be old enough to have a high-schooler.  Joey is a flag safety (raises and lowers the flag every day), and made Safety of the month and Safety Captain.  He was so proud.

I'll try hard to update more regularly, especially as the training gets back into full swing.  I hope everyone enjoys their off-season, no matter how long  or short!!

What's on my mind?

"Dear Kathryn,

Are you ready? We hope so! The inaugural Olympic and Half Rev races sponsored by REV3 are only four weeks away. You’ve signed up, you’ve trained and you most likely have tapering on your mind. "
Tapering?!  Who are they kidding?  I'm still training.  Or at least thinking about training.

There may be too much to blog about...so, if you want to know what's going on in my life, call me!

Christmas in Pictures

My apologies to Jen for plagarizing the title to this post...

The week before Christmas break, my dear friend Lynn came over to help decorate cookies the kids give to their teachers. It was a nice evening drinking wine, chatting, and playing with icing.

That Friday evening it started snowing! We had a total of over 11" in our neighborhood, so the kids spent a fun weekend sledding with friends. Joey was quite the entrepreneur with the snow shovel, and cleared many a walk and driveway earning over $50!

The kids and I loaded up the car on Monday and came down to the beach. I had a crazy couple of days trying to get everything ready for Christmas--buying a tree and decorating it, laying in food, and a some last minute shopping. I also was desperately tracking a package that was supposed to get to coach Jen, but was delayed by bad weather. Several of her athletes all went in on this. What a riot!

Joey came in to wake me up about 6:30 Christmas morning. He wasn't too interesting in snuggling with Mom, and instead was ready to start in on the present opening!

Joey's haul

One of two new bike jerseys for Mom--this one from DeLoach Winery

Sophie and her bone!

#1 Son and his Kindle

After opening gifts and playtime, we had a nice brunch--french toast and eggs Jefferson (like eggs benedict but with spinach and crab)--and went for a walk on the beach before it started POURING rain.

The finished 2000 piece puzzle

Maddy in her new "fur" coat

That night we had a quiet dinner and ended up watching the Nutcracker.  The following day the rain had stopped so Joe and I went for a run together.  That night was my friend Ginny's wedding in Norfolk--a very small, pleasant affair.  The Bride looked smashing!

VCU friends Ginny and Caroline

I haven't been so good about getting workouts in these past several weeks.  I did get on my bike yesterday and managed to avoid many of the 2-3" deep puddles in the roads, but my toes absolutely froze.  This week I hope to make one of the Fat Frog rides, but damn, they start early (7:30am!) 

With less than 18 days to go...

This showed up in my email last night. I got all queasy reading through it. Can I really get through the first loop of the bike course by 1:30? The second by 5:30? The math in my head just isn't adding up to me making any of the cut offs. I better swim damn fast.

Thank you all for your encouraging words (yes, D, even yours helped!) I will show up for race day and give it the ol' college try. I think my mantra will be "Forward Progress." If I keep moving, I'm getting closer to the 140.6 mile marker. All I can do is give it my best, knowing that it will be a long day.

In the training I've been doing since getting home from Europe, I've been working hard on truly finding my groove on the downhills and I think I'm much improved over where I was just after Torturefest. My bike computer has said my maximum speed on my Blue Ridge ride last weekend was 35mph so I have gained speed somewhere. When not physically exhausted by jet lag, my climbing is good--I spin spin spin up the hills and have silly conversations with Marit in my head. (She tells me to "Push and Pull" and I ask her where the cupcakes and beer are.)

Now I'm off to ride my bike...paying the penance for not having biked enough in Europe!

Up (Seeing, Grinding, and Driving)

For this past Friday's "Family Game and Movie Night" I took the kids to see "Up." Our new favorite joke is to yell "Squirrel!" when we want to distract someone. I might also seriously contemplate putting the kids in a "cone of shame" for punishment when they don't clean up their mess in the basement... After the kids went to bed, I stayed up chatting with Marit. Saturday was an early morning with another ride in the Blue Ridge on tap. Since my downhills are like her ocean swims--very fear inducing, but a necessary evil--it was nice to commisserate with her. We talked alot about our respective upcoming IMs, training, and vacations. I hope Marit someday considers coaching--for someone so young (just a few years older than my son) she knows just the right things to say that motivate, inspire, and make people believe that "YES, they can!" She lives that attitude and it really comes across. Thank you, Marit!

The following morning, we got Lynn, bike, and stuff loaded in the car and headed out by 6am. I ate all my various breakfasts, so I was well fueled for the bike ride. I was determined to work at those downhills, to not ride the brakes as much, and to just "let it go." We met up with our fellow crazy-IMPLers at the Reeds Gap exit off the Blue Ridge Parkway, just up the road from the Wintergreen resort. The weather was still cool, and quite foggy, but with the promise of blue skies and 80 degrees to come. Among this group, I am the least-strongest biker, and my current dislike of downhills contributed to my slowness. Yet something was working for me that day. I was cranking on the uphills, just relatively comfortably spinning in my lowest gear (if grinding away at 3,5, and 8 mile uphills can be comfortable), and then talking my way down going the other way. I feel like I've gotten my nutrition nailed--the combination of a heavy carbo-pro sippy bottle and gu--which takes so much guess work out of the ride. And I don't have to chew!

Most of the morning I didn't have much company, since the majority of the first 14 miles is downhill. I was the last to get to the turn around, but was able to keep up with Lynn and Shawn on the way back--managing to catch up to them on an uphill after a potty break. The next 10 miles were more grinding uphill. At one point Ed went screaming by in the other direction, probably pushing way over 50mph. Those next 10 miles back to our cars was another chance to try and let the bike have it's lead and pick up my average mph for the day. Another quick stop at the cars and it was time to head back to mile marker 0. That descent went much better than the first time, the sun had come out, there was some breeze so I was mentally talking myself through that, and trying to keep up with Lynn and Shawn (to no avail). After tinkling in the bushes at the major intersection, it was time for the last uphill grind of the day.

So, miles 1-3 weren't so bad. Then comes a little reprieve around the visitor's center where you can catch a little downhill. I gave the 4 foot long black snake in the road a wide berth. Miles 4-5 are nice and shady. Then Mile 6 hits you. Crap 8 more to go. Grind grind grind. Where is mile 7? 8? By mile marker 9 I am grumbling to myself (since I'm all alone)...this really sucks...Placid isn't this hard...can I go downhill now? I won't complain, I promise... Finally you get to mile marker 9, but then it's ALL uphill with no rest until mile 11. Just please, Lord, get me to mile 11. From mile 11 to 14 you don't have to pedal at all. Just coast, catch a nice breeze, and hold on till the end. I did manage to snap a few pictures on the way--of myself, of the deer at mile 8, and the view. Very nice, now get me off this damn bike. Where's my cupcake and beer?




I did it. I was very proud of how hard I worked on the uphills. But I was toast. Lynn and Shawn came in just a few minutes behind me and headed out for their transition run. We had an impromptu picnic by the cars, congratulated fellow IMLPers Tyler and Greg on their impressive 100 miler (who were headed UP to the top of Wintergreen, OUCH!), and cheered on Mark, Karen, and Rick as they tackled the 644 hill up to Reeds Gap (a NASTY 15% grade). Karen, Shawn, Lynn and I had a most satisfying lunch at the bbq/sandwich place in the valley before heading home.

The weekend wasn't over yet. Sunday, Joe joined me for a rare run sans ipod! It actually felt pretty good to run, and we made it out early enough to beat the worst of the heat. A quick packing of the car with overnight bags and dog, and we were off on our drive up to Gettysburg. Joe got a bugaboo about taking the kids up there. Maddy had learned about the Civil War in her Social Studies class, and they were all done with their benchmark testing at school, so it seemed like a good time to go. We hit some weekend traffic, and ended up pulling into our hotel close to 5pm. We left Sophie to get acquainted with the down comforters on our beds, and headed into town to explore and find dinner. The tavern we ate in is the oldest building in town, which was fun, and the kids enjoyed the miliary collectibles shop. We headed back to the hotel for a quick dip in the pool before bed.

The next day started with a great diner breakfast, the new museum, gift shop and cyclorama. Then we started our walking/driving tour of the battlefields and monuments. I should've looked up family names from Michigan to see if there were any listed among the dead. I'm pretty sure my father's family came to the US after the Civil War.



Soon it was time to head home, and begin the taper! Kids are out of school this friday, I have Eagleman on Sunday, and we leave for Europe on Monday. It will be a busy week.

Torturefest

I've been having a hard time figuring out what to say about Torturefest, our training camp up in Lake Placid. It was a good experience--getting to know the course, and the hills. It was a bad experience--my total freak out on a descent in bad weather has robbed me of my confidence. What do those two things total when combined? No idea. So let's just recap the weekend here and see what happens.

Lynn and I drove up with Bart and Bethany, overnighting in Scranton PA. I don't think I've ever seen fog as thick, and driving through the hills/mountains of central PA at midnight was scary. The following morning was much better weather wise, and we made it into Placid close to 2pm. The first order of business was a bike ride! I think we were all happy to stretch our legs and preview the run course. Down down down out of town, past the ski jumps, and a left onto River Road to follow the river. I was thinking it wasn't so bad...up to the part where we had to climb those hills back into town. Coach Karen made sure we got to know those hills very well while we were there!

Our first dinner in town was good--and we got to help Bethany celebrate her birthday with yummy carrot cake. That was a pretty early night since we had a monster bike the following day. 2 loops of the bike course, minus the out and back section on Haselton Road. Karen let me try Carbo Pro for the first time, so I mixed up two heavy bottles (one for each loop) with about 900 calories per bottle. I planned on supplementing that with a couple of Gu's too. Kim was our SAG wagon sherpa extraordinaire and met us at multiple points along the way to refill bottles, collect and disperse clothing, and take pictures. We all loaded up our bottles and bikes, and headed out of town. There were quite a few other groups out, training and doing the same thing, and some were nicer than others. The hills just out of town didn't seem too horrible on the first loop, and soon we hit the big 9 mile descent into Keene.

Last year the Ironman website touted the bike course as having "impeccably smooth roads." Maybe this past winter was a bad one, because those first downhills were BUMPY. Here you are, screaming down the hill at over 30mph on unfamiliar roads, trying to dodge both traffic and bumps. I just kept singing "la la la la la" to myself as I alternated squeezing my breaks. There are some pretty steep sections, where it seemed that no amount of braking really slowed me down, and then comes the really curvy 2 miles just before Keene. Traffic on the opposite side has two lanes, but we were sharing one with trucks and cars. Whew. I made it down, and rendezvous'ed with the rest of the gang at the van. Not the most fun I've had on a downhill, but manageable. The next 10 miles made it all worthwhile though--rolling along at a good clip through Jay and Upper Jay with beautiful river views, smooth roads, and wide shoulders. Then came the bitch hill--a 3 mile climb up and over into Wilmington. Very much like Mt Lemmon--just put it in your easy gear and spin spin spin. The road here is narrow, with one lane in each direction, but traffic wasn't bad and drivers seemed used to bikers and gave us a wide berth.

After Wilmington, you turn uphill again to head back into Placid. The course rolls, with some small chainring climbs mixed in with some flatter sections where you can pick up your speed a little more. Twice we went past some waterfalls, and then caught up with a section of river. Right about then it started to rain. Yuck. All along the river there were fly fishermen, looking at us like we were weirdos for being out there. I kind of liked this part of the course--there were beautiful views, cool forests, and challenging climbs. Then came the Cherries, which lead to the Three Bears, just before coming back into Placid. They weren't all THAT bad, but then I was expecting a little break to cruise into town. Not. Another hill, harder it seemed than Papa Bear. Ouch. We pulled into our makeshift rest stop behind the van just alongside Mirror Lake, where the special needs bags will be, and it starts pouring rain and the winds picked up. Karen and Bethany pulled out for loop #2 first. Lynn, Shawn, Deanna and I put another layer back on and waited a little while for the weather to let up. I think we were all thinking how FUN this next part would be....

Through town, down the hill, and then back up it wasn't bad. We passed a group on the uphill climb that seemed to be poking along and then came the descent. I was in the lead, and started the bomb. With the rain and wind, I stayed pretty far out into the road, and got screamed at by Shawn as she passed me. I couldn't stay any farther to the right, since seeing the road for all the rain was hard, and the wind was really blowing me to the left. Just past the two lakes I was able to move over, but then trucks were going past and the wind started gusting. At some point, it seemed that I couldn't slow down at all, and I was having a hard time controlling my bike. I was fighting wind gusts, and my front tire seemed to be jumping all over the place. I almost crashed, and kept thinking that I didn't want to end up splattered all over the road. I was finally able to come to a complete stop, just 3 miles outside Keene. I was shaking and so scared, and wasn't sure if I wanted to finish the second loop. Lynn had been behind me the whole time, thank God, and stopped to and just hugged me, telling me I was safe. After a few minutes, she talked me into trying to make it the rest of the way (we didn't have any cell phone coverage) but I didn't make it far before giving up and wanting the SAG wagon. Lynn took off to find Kim in Keene and not a minute after she left it started to pour rain again. At that point though, Deanna and Scott pulled up in their car. Having only done one loop of the course, they were headed down for coffee in Keene and to act as another SAG. We passed Lynn on that curvy part, and quickly stopped to ask if she wanted a ride. Unlike me, she had worn her big girl pants, and was determined to make it all the way down.

Once at the van in Keene, we all agreed that was the scariest damn thing we'd ever experienced on a bike. I don't know if I was actually cold or coming down from the adrenaline, but I was still shaky. At this point, I knew I needed to get back on the bike and finish the loop. My confidence was totally shot and I doubted that I had any strength to deal with anything resembling a downhill. I thought alot about my friends from the Florida and Tucson camps, and what they would advise me to do. "HTFU and get back on the bike," is what they'd say. So I did. I didn't like it, and it took me all of the rest of the ride to feel any semblance of control. In the end, I'm glad I did. Death before DNF. When it was over, we did a 20 minute T run down the hill into town and back. Ouch.

That afternoon, many lucky housemates had massages. I think I took a nap. Then we ate a great steak dinner, played some cards, and ATE CUPCAKES! Yum. We all then fell into bed before 10pm. On tap the following day: a 16 mile run. Around the lake, down the hill, and out the run course to the turn around and back. The first 5 miles were tough, and I just felt slow, tired, and sluggish. (Could've been the almost 90 mile ride we did the day before...) Then we caught our groove, aided by Kim at strategic stops with water and gu. The run course is just as beautiful as the bike, winding along a river with the sound of babbling brook for company. Before I knew it, we were back at the ski jumps getting ready to climb the two hills back into town. Lynn is always good about pushing at the end, finishing strong. She ran all the way up with Bethany and me struggling behind until we reached the lake. Finally we were done! We stripped off our shoes and socks and waded into the water. Cold has never felt so good. Walkers, bikers, and runners went past yelling that we were crazy. But man, did that feel good. Another dinner out at the Mirror Lake Inn, in which many bottles of wine were consumed, and early bedtime.

Our third day there was another bike day. This time just one loop of the entire course. The weather was cold, but good--no rain and not much wind. I was still pretty nervous, and Karen took off with me 10 minutes ahead of the rest of the group to help talk me down the hill. All the way there I was going through mental negotiations with myself, telling myself that I had done Mt Lemmon and quite a few Blue Ridge rides, this shouldn't be any different. Karen stayed at my side pretty much the whole way, counseling me to "let it go," or "pedal through this part." We had a headwind, which really helped slow me down, but I still rode the brakes quite a bit and at the last steep, curvy part into Keene, slowed myself to about 17-18mph. Embarrassingly slow. Don't do this during IM or you'll miss the bike cut off slow. But I made it down the hill, without a major freak out or peeing my pants. Everything after that was gravy--I could relax knowing the hard part was over. On the downside of the hill into Wilmington, I used my new "free speed" mantra, interspersed with some "let it go's" and "breathe." Karen and I hit the turnoff to Haselton and I knew I was home free.

The rest of the ride went well. Karen left me to ride with Deanna, so I finished the last 12 miles through Wilmington and back up into Placid by myself. I was glad for it--the time alone with my own head was good, and I felt strong going up the Three Bears. At this point I was trying to visualize what it would be like on race day, for both the first and second loops. How will it feel with people at the top of that hill, knowing I am either heading back out for another loop, or coming in to start the run. I think either way it'll be good--being that much closer to finishing, knowing I can catch sight of my family, and hopefully be that much closer to becoming an ironman again. Yet one more T run off the bike, down and back up the damned hill in town and it was time for a massage!

I helped Bethany make dinner that evening, and then we piled in the cars to go swim. We were all butt tired and just a little whiney. We tried to figure out how to bag the swim, but the pool was reserved, and Karen had stuck around that evening to coach us. Very reluctantly we all got in the pool (which felt cold) and started our warm up set. The pool didn't have their lane lines up, making for some pretty choppy water. After about 800 yds, Karen had us all circle swim around the pool, first clock wise and then counter clock wise. Queasy. A final 500 yds and we all threw in the towel. Pop goes the timer, we are DONE.

The next morning was yet another run, this time just 45 minutes. Again we went down the hill through town, and turned around just shy of the horse show area. Bethany and Deanna started complaining that I had picked up the pace, but I knew this was it for workouts for the weekend, and I wanted to be finished for good. I don't know where I found it, but I had the strength to run up the hills, past the oval circle, and all the way back to the house. Man, it felt good to be done! On tap for the afternoon was shopping, lunch, some packing, and dinner. I was ready to head home and see the family, and have at least one or two days off completely. Lynn had flown to a conference a few days earlier, so Deanna joined Bart and Bethany and me for the ride home. We took a different route home, stopping for lunch in Bucks County, PA. We hit some traffic around Baltimore, but otherwise had a pretty good run back.

I had been scheduled that weekend to do a hilly olympic distance race in Columbia, MD. I am so glad I opted instead for the torture of Placid. Getting to ride the course, even in the bad weather, is good prep for whatever race day holds in store for us. I pray, of course, that it is not raining and blustery on July 26th. I have been working to regain my confidence on the downhills, and every ride out into Goochland that we do, I try to "let it go" just a little more each time. This weekend and next we're back in the Blue Ridge. Practice makes perfect right? And when all else fails, I try to remember "free speed" is what will get me to that finish line.

Cap2Cap Century Ride

This past weekend TriGirls Deanna, Bethany, Jill and I rode the Cap2Cap 100 miler--my first century ride of the season, and Bethany and Jill's first ever. Going into the weekend, my goal was to focus on nutrition and maintaining a steady pace. Previous long rides have proven tough--I inevitably start out too fast and have shorted myself on calories. By the end I am dying, and transition runs afterward have really suffered.

I should've done more prep work the night before to give myself more time to focus on breakfast. As it was, I was a little late getting out of the house that morning (surprise surprise), but collected Jill and we headed downtown to the ride start. At check in, we ran into my painter/drywaller Tim (who I had talked into signing up). The morning went quickly as we loaded up our food and waterbottles, and applied sunscreen. The on site bike guys got my tires all pumped up and soon it was time to go.

Many fellow triathletes were not riding that morning, instead they were racing the Kinetic Half Iron race up in Lake Anna. IronGreg, Tyler, and Bart (all signed up for Placid), ProKaren, and a few others were riding Cap2Cap, but I didn't think I'd be able to hang on their wheels. They're crazy fast! The start was quite crowded, and the first 5-6 miles of the bike Jill and I lost Bethany and Deanna. We were toodling along at a good clip though, and figured we might catch them at a food stop. At 8am it was already pretty steamy--I tried not to think about how hot it was going to be.

The first food/water stop came early--at mile 9 or 10. We were good on everything, so just sailed past. The early part of the course was familiar and pleasant; most of it we had used for our 70 and 80 mile routes last year and wound through the Richmond Battlefields park. At one point riding along Route 5, we saw a fox darting through the woods! We made it to mile 27 in about an hour and a half and there found Bethany and Deanna. They had tried valiantly to hang on to Karen's wheel but wisely decided to go their own pace. By this point it was already pretty sweltering, so we loaded up on water, salt tabs, and bananas, took potty breaks, and headed back out.

There was another stop before the halfway point, and we used it to fill our water bottles since they had icewater. Nothing beats a quick squirt of really cold water on the face when it's 90 degrees. We were working hard, keeping a pretty good pace and looking forward to mile 50 at Chickahominy State Park, just outside Williamsburg. The riders who had started from there for shorter rides were starting to filter back in for lunch. Their food looked so good, but we were relegated to a smaller tent with not-so-interesting bananas, granola bars, and gatorade. Grabbing water bottles from a cooler of ice was great and I was sorely tempted to just climb in it myself. Whew.

Heading out of Chickahominy, we ended up following a good portion of the Patriot Half Iron course. "I peed in those woods...", "I remember this hill...." were familiar refrains. Too soon we lost all the glorious shade, and were riding along fields in the blazing sun. Deanna, looking strong, took a big lead on Patriot Sangria, while I was just trying hard to keep up with Bethany. Jill and Tim were doing great. Mile 75 at the Courthouse was a welcome potty, ice water, and sit-in-the-shade spot. Those last 25 miles are always the worst, not just physically but mentally. Somehow we missed the turn just outside the rest stop area and ended up taking the wrong way home. Luckily however the mileage was the same, and the route had much more shade than the official course. Tim ended up taking the pull for the last 10 miles into Rockett's landing. We pulled in, snapped a quick "Thank God we survived that" picture, and headed to the beer tent.

Century #1 for the season in the bank. Bethany and Jill did great on their very first century ride, and that will serve them well as they both prepare for their first IMs later this year. Deanna and I were scheduled to do a short transition run, but it was so darn hot we put it off for the following day. I'm glad I did. It was Mother's Day, the weather was gorgeous, and I got to run the last 2 miles with my daughter. A great end to a great weekend!

The Countdown has Begun

This is the ticker on the TriGirl ironman Weekend Workout description. Now imagine me, running around in circles screaming like a chicken without a head. I knew it had to happen sooner or later--that sickening revelation that "HOLY CRAP I'M DOING AN IRONMAN....SOON!!!" And not just any IM, but the (from what I've heard) hardest course in North America.

So far, my workouts have been very manageable--averaging a total of about 11 hrs each week. That is going to change, especially with the advent of outdoor bike riding three days a week instead of our current one. From here on out, I get to look forward to 5+ hour bricks on Saturdays and long bike rides on Thursdays. Thank goodness Fridays are family game and movie night, because getting up at 6am for Marco Diablo's yumminess after staying up too late is no fun. But that also blows Saturday nights too since I am then too tired to do anything except sit on the couch and veg.

I'm trying to compartmentalize and not freak out too much. To that end, I've been focusing on the positive aspects of all this training we'll be doing. Among them are:

• Time with my peeps. In the saddle, in the pool, on the run. Lots and lots of time...
• Great legs. Hills, hills, and more hills = a great pair of legs (right?!)
• Some fun weekends (of hills...) up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and in Lake Placid. I promise I won't drink 4 vodka gimlets this time.
• A chance to race (and party post race) with Jen C. and Jen H. at Eagleman the weekend before I leave for Europe.
• And finally, some new and exotic training locales--the Blue Ridge, Provence during lavender season, and southern Spain (I know I know...shoot me now.)

Hopefully all that will add up to being ready by July 26th. I know I can do the distance, albeit a relatively flat, head-windy version of the distance. If nothing else, I am looking forward to those two monster downhill bombs where I really don't have to pedal at all....

Let's get started.

Tucson!

The Confessions/Adventures of a Member of the Pink Sock Brigade (thanks, Kari!)

the pink sock brigade at Sabino Canyon

I just went back and reread my post from the Florida camp. Did that camp really kick my ass? No, that was just a friendly butt slap for the true ass kicking that happened in Tucson!

I arrived into Tucson on Wednesday evening and cabbed out to the hotel, getting to the "meet and greet" just in time to grab a little dinner and meet most of the other campers. Too soon it was time to put the bike together before hitting the hay in anticipation of the Mt Lemmon climb in the morning. Roomie Julia was a dear for not complaining too much about my recently-acquired snoring habit. After a quick breakfast of oatmeal, bananas, bagels, and peanut butter we mounted up and headed out of town. We rode an easy 13 miles to the base of the mountain, where we stripped down (it was warming up) and loaded up (time to eat).



Spencer and John climbing Lemmon!








Mt Lemmon boasts a 7000+ foot elevation gain over 28 miles. That's if you go all the way up to the top. I only made it to mile 14, for a total of about 4000 feet of climbing. That 14 miles took me 2 hours. I can't say how long it took everyone else because I was the token slow poke. (I figured the other athletes were fast, but not like ALL "World AG Champion" Renne fast. Duh...stupid me.) The climb started well, and I averaged about 8mph for the first 6 miles. Jerome rode the first few miles with me, encouraging me to "find my tempo." Then he took off, and it got a little depressing. My speed kept decreasing--to a low at one point of a whopping 5.5mph! I felt good though, and was able to keep my cadence at a decent clip in my lowest gear for pretty much the entire time. Mantras helped me focus on the task at hand and not get too discouraged. My favorites were "push and pull," "follow follow follow follow follow the thick white line (sung to the tune of Yellow Brick Road from the Wizard of Oz)," and of course "just keep pedalling just keep pedalling just keep pedalling pedalling pedalling." Coach Spencer was a dear to keep me company for most of the second 7 miles. The last 1.5 miles before Windy Point at mile marker 14 were by far the hardest--with an elevation gain of 1500 feet. Ouch. I was able to make it up the entire way without standing out of the saddle, which I guess is good?

It was interesting to see how the vegetation changed on the way up. What started out as desert, with cactus and scrub, becomes pine forest at about 4-5000 feet. The views were incredible with a few whispy clouds overhead and warm, glorious sunshine. I had taken off arm and leg warmers at the bottom of the mountain, but Spencer wisely cautioned me to dress back up around mile 10. Up at Windy Point, the temperature was noticably COLD and I was glad for the extra gear I had packed for the ride down--wind breaker, ear cover, and full gloves. I didn't debate long about continuing up the mountain. It would've taken me at the very least another hour to make it the last 10-12 miles, and the altitude headache I was developing would've only gotten worse. Fellow camper John and I started the bomb down the mountain. No 40+ mph for me since the roads were unfamiliar and the turns less gradual than those on the Blue Ridge. The total time down was under 20 minutes! We had a nice lunch at a coffee shop while we waited for the rest of group, but the 13 miles back to the hotel were still tough--especially that last climb home. We had that afternoon off and were able to relax by the pool, after dips in first the hot tub and then the cold tub. That Corona was, in my opinion, well earned, and the mexican food and margarita at dinner were excellent!


Julia and me, sporting our signature pre-swim look: hotel robes and compression socks.








Friday was swim/run day. Ah, to swim outside. Glorious. I shared a lane with John, his wife Allie, and Ben. Ben is an amazing athlete so I was stoked to be able to keep up with him in at least one discipline. We banged out 2600 yards and then had fun racing/sprinting 25's as if it was an open water start. I think Mary kicked everyone's butt in the pool!

Jen and I hamming it up underwater






After a stop at Starbucks for fuel and a quick change at the hotel, Jen and I started our run together up the Sabino Canyon road while the others hit the trails, but she quickly left me behind as it wound gradually uphill. I'm convinced that everything in Tucson is uphill. I thought I had been doing ok with running hills on tired legs here at home. Apparently not. I managed to run for an hour, then met back up with Kelley, Julia, Jen, and Kari for a "cool down" walk for another 20 mins. Our wildlife sightings involved bunnies, quail, and nesting birds but Marit's group got to see a very large snake! We got back to the hotel and blissfully jumped in the cold pool. Molly, a friend from the Florida camp, had driven down to Tucson for the evening. It was great to see her and introduce her to the AZ campers. We all went to a casual sushi place for dinner. Molly had to leave too early--I was sorry she couldn't stay for the rest of the weekend!



Molly and I catching up over Mojitos







On tap for friday was another bike ride. John and I rode with Jen, but picked up a few extra girls for an "easy" warm up. Not 4 miles out, I lost my first water bottle. We followed the same course out to the base of Mt Lemmon, but then turned just before the start of the climb. Traffic was still light, and I was working hard to stay on anyone's wheel. Jerome and Spencer followed with the faster groups, and I wished I could be the one to jump on their train. At the designated turn around, we picked Renne and John back up for the ride home, after a detour to the convenience store for more fluids. Wouldn't you know, I lost another FULL bottle just after that. At this point, Jen was pulling me along at a 21mph pace and I didn't dare get dropped. The whole group rode reconvened at some point for about 5-6 miles, and the pace picked up. Ack! I could've used the calories in those two dropped bottles. I made the mistake of asking Jen if we could stop for a gu. Nope. Luckily she turned around to look for Renne and the great group of girls that pulled my sorry ass home took mercy on me and slowed enough for me to take in my nutrition. I thought the hill up to the hotel hurt after the Lemmon climb...it was harder on Saturday!


The girls that pulled this sorry ass home: Jenny, Julia, and Kelley







A quick t run off the bike--down and back up that damn hill. By the time I hit the turn into the hotel, I was done. Pool, cold tub, lunch, hot tub and a quick swim stroke session were all that were left to do before dinner. I think Jen had prepped Spencer on what to say about my swimming since his first comment was how much better I'd be in the water if I swam more than once a week.... And I never thought having a "nice stroke" could sound like a criticism. I need to work on grabbing the water more aggressively.

Our last dinner was bitter sweet. Lots of joking about the torture, pain, and fun of our workouts together. But I couldn't help thinking "I'm going to miss this!" As much as I missed my family (that includes you, Lynn!), Joe's reports about dreary weather and going back to riding on a trainer made me want to stay in sunny Tucson. I always feel so much stronger after riding outside--hopefully it'll be just a couple more weeks and we'll be outside. Hopefully the gains I've made in my training will stick around (and pounds I've lost will stay away!)

Sunday morning was rushed with packing and group picture taking. I used my solo run to take in and enjoy the scenery of Sabino Canyon--this time I brought my ipod which helped me tune out thoughts of how tired I was of running uphill. Too soon it was time to say goodbye (Marit almost made me cry), and drive to the airport. The three K's (Kelley, Kari, and I) shared a crazy ride to the airport, and bade farewell. I read the entire Sunday NYT while waiting, and was able to sleep sleep sleep on both flights home.

A friend here in Richmond asked what I learned from the Florida camp, and while I didn't have any new "we've been doing xyz all wrong!" type of lessons to impart from either my Florida or Tucson experiences, I have gained a new appreciation for our sport and fellow athletes. To the person, each camper and coach was encouraging, supportive, sharing, and genuinely very NICE. Even though I was not as fast as most everyone else, I was never made to feel like I didn't belong. I am reminded of those master card commercials:

Tri Camp fees: $1300
Bike shipping: $ 600
Hotels: $1000
Getting your ass kicked while making new friends:

Priceless!

Happy Birthday to me!

Turning 41 isn't so bad, especially with an extended disco-mix week of celebrations. Monday, lunch with my peeps Fave and Lynn. Tuesday, lots of sweet messages from friends on Facebook then dinner with my family at my favorite restaurant, Edo's Squid. Wednesday, the dinner of champions (cupcakes and beer) post spinning at Maramarc. Thursday, off to TriCamp to meet new friends, and get my butt whomped by Heather Gollnick, Elizabeth Waterstraat, and Jennifer Harrison.

Day 1 started early: a 4am wake up call to make a 6am flight. Loooong story short, a stupid Delta ticket agent made me miss that early flight, and so I ended up getting into Sarasota two hours later than planned. Heather's wonderful husband Todd found me and my bike at the airport and shuttled me back to the hotel. Just as I was checking in, fellow blogger Jennifer and her friend Holly pulled in. Yey! I had no huge problems putting my bike back together (but a big thanks to the guys at Village Bikes for double checking its road-worthiness), grabbed some lunch, and it was time to meet everyone. We had an amazing mix of women, all very accomplished and dedicated athletes. That evening over dinner, we talked about nutrition and mental fitness--it was interesting to hear how pros like Heather and Elizabeth focus during races. Lots to learn!

Day 2 of camp started early with a quick 3 mile run followed by a gait analysis at Fit2Run. I had never had my gait videotaped. First, they put me in a neutral shoe and taped me for a couple of minutes on the treadmill. Ugly. High arches = pronation! Then we looked at my gait in my own shoes. Better, but still not pretty. That's probably why I kept having ITB issues last year. Finally, they put new orthotic liners in my shoe and popped me back on the treadmill. What a difference! After lunch it was time to hop on our bikes for a 27 mile loop. Trainer riding makes me feel like I should be in great shape for outdoor riding. Apparently not. We worked on pace line riding and Heather and Elizabeth were dears for pulling my sorry ass. Lesson learned: I need to start working to keep up more with faster riders otherwise I'll be stuck at my 15mph pace.

After a well-deserved lunch (and 1/2 hour nap for me!) it was time to hop in the pool. I think the coaches could tell we were a little tired from the ride, and I'm not sure anyone did the entire workout on the board, but I used the time to work on my flip turns. I must say I was surprised that after about 6 or 7 of them, I stopped having issues of water up my nose which is why I hate them. I didn't get to a point where they were flawless by any stretch, most times I didn't judge the distance to the wall well enough and had nothing to push off from. I'm planning to have it all down by March though! Todd and Monica also video taped our swimming. I haven't looked at the video yet, but Jen commented that I need to work on "attacking" the water and being more aggressive with my pull. I forsee alot of pulling only workouts in my future. We did have some fun goofing off in the water--oh to have an 80 degree outdoor pool for swimming year round!



Time flies when you're having fun. Day 3 dawned too early (thanks Jennifer for the wake up call!) and after a quick breakfast it was off to a state park for some trail running. Heather is such a rock star, she started even earlier than the rest of us and banged out a 5k race (in which she won her age group) before meeting up with us and running some more. Pace buddy Molly and I had a pleasant 4 mi run together. Soon it was off to the beach for some fun in the 56 degree water. All the snow birds on the beach were looking at us like we were crazy for donning our "rubber suits" and getting in the water. There were a couple other wackos in the water, one old lady in a bikini got in up to her shoulders! My hands and feet were ok after the first few minutes, but putting my face in was hard since it took my breath away. We did two loops around the bouy and called the workout done!


I'm starting to think I'm lazy, but I'm not used to 3 workouts a day or biking after running. After lunch it was time to head out for our 54 mile bike. Time to HTFU and push it. The first loop was paceline riding, with Heather encouraging, pulling, and pushing me to keep up with the fast chicks for the second half of the loop. I lost them at a light 4 miles from the bike shop but was able to hook up with Melissa and Molly and we cruised on into the bike shop. The second lap loomed, and my legs aready were fried. Molly was gutting it out too so she and I rode together and worked hard to keep a good 17-18mph pace while trading off the lead. That post-ride hot tub and beer never felt/tasted so good!


Our last day in Florida included a long run (8 miles) on very tired legs and strength training. I had to do a quick shower and change before leaving at noon to catch my flights home and was sorry I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to everyone. Husband, kids and dog were so glad to see me. I learned some things about myself this weekend. Balance is important to me--I might not be the fastest out there, but that's ok. I can work harder and not blow up. Now it's back to reality and it'll be a tough week. Bring it--I'm strong.

Mele Kalikimaka and Happy New Year!

Christmas was quiet in the Oliver house. We drove down to the beach house on Christmas Day, with a quick detour to my aunt and uncle’s in Williamsburg just in time for my cousin Marc’s wonderful turkey dinner! Once at the beach, Joe promptly dug into a puzzle, Maddy into her new book, and Joey into his legos and Nick ‘toons. I was able to get some good runs in while there—one 8 miler, and three 5 milers. I’ve decided that running on the beach at low tide is the absolute best. I love looking out at the waves, catching some dolphin sightings, and finding some shells. On my run with Lynn, I found a sand dollar! Sophie was in her element, running along the water’s edge, chasing gulls and sand pipers, and making friends with everyone. Such bliss.

The beach trip started out blessedly warm, with Sunday reaching the mid 70s. But then it got cold—down to the low 20s on New Year’s Eve, with a ferocious wind. Our house was mostly built in 1960 and so is not really intended to be inhabited during the winter, but it does have a fireplace which helps cozy it up, even if all the warm air leaks out the windows.

We are home now, and I’ve jumped back into training with our first true “in season” training session on Saturday morning. A fun hour and a half of one-leg drills on the trainers followed by a 5 mile run and 2 half mile repeats. My ass and hamstrings still hurt, but it is all very necessary. I think I ate the majority of the Christmas cookies we baked, along with my fair share of pumpkin bread and pie. Several pairs of pants won’t fit, and I seemed to have developed a muffin top. Scary.

It IS time to begin training in earnest, and to that end I’ve been trying to put together my list of goals for the season and see how to arrange my schedule so that I’m home at least four evenings a week. So first, to the goals.

Obviously looming large is my A race: Ironman Lake Placid in late July. I would like to do as well, if not better, there than I did in Florida. I know some little things I can do to shave some time (like no dicking around in transition…) but will need to work hard to develop my bike and run skills considering the course differences. I am currently signed up for just two triathlons leading up to Placid: Columbia in mid May in Maryland, and Eagleman on the Eastern Shore in June. I may throw a road race or two in there, and will definitely run the Monument Avenue 10k with Maddy in late March. I fully expect to have my ass handed to me during the two tri camps I’m signed up for in February and March, but think they will give me some good ways to improve and get added input on my training from some very accomplished coaches as the heavy training really sets in.

I am also planning to run a fall marathon and I want to finish in under 4:30 (my current PR is 4:51). Between my first and second marathons, I was able to take 25 minutes off my time, much of that thanks to having learned about fueling myself for longer distances. The fact that race day was 50 degrees and overcast instead of 80 degrees and humid helped too! By this fall I will have two Ironman races under my belt, leaving me plenty of base fitness and strength on which to build my speed. I am leaning heavily towards signing up for the Marine Corps Marathon in DC in late October, but I am still drawn to the Richmond Marathon. It is a familiar course, and I would not lack for training partners on the same schedule since there are plenty of TriGirls now training for Ironman Florida.

Scheduling all the training will be tough, but I need to find a good schedule that gives me time at home most evenings a week so I can be around for the kids. I’m not sure Joe realizes that even if I am gone in the evening, I still manage the after-school hours of homework, playdates, dance carpools, and dinner-making. That’s a lot to fit in the 4-5 hours I have between when Joey gets home and when I’d be off for indoor cycling or swimming. I know the TriGirl schedule is still in flux, but currently my two training nights are Tuesday and Thursday strength training/cycling. I may have to throw a Monday night Master’s class in there. I’m not sure how disciplined I can be to swim three mornings a week at the butt crack of dawn. As it is, it is damn hard getting up at 6 for Saturday training. Inevitably, Joe complains about missing out on morning cuddles, even on weekdays. Sometimes I feel that I can’t win for trying. That still leaves daylight hours for running and swimming, especially since I’m not working right now, so I’ll try to use those to better advantage.

Not all my goals for this year are race-related. I need to get serious about finding work. It has been great having the time at home, but I noticed since the end of school I really miss the adult interaction and stimulation of having projects that don’t involve laundry, cooking, or cleaning. I would like to find something part time or project-based, and I think in this current economic climate, that is all I’ll be lucky to find. I am very grateful that Joe’s job allows me the luxury of staying home full time, but since I was 18 I have always had some kind of job outside the home. My mental well-being depends on it!

Most friends are currently on Facebook, which has been a great way to keep in touch with some friends who I don’t see very often at all, some that I haven’t seen in YEARS, and some that I haven’t even met face to face. I love being able to check in, even if just briefly. I’m grateful for this utility that lets me keep them just a little closer. In dealing now with my aunt’s cancer, it is more apparent that you never know what life will throw your way. Your friends, along with your family, are what make your life full. I hope to never take that for granted.

Here’s to a wonderful 2009!

It takes a village...

Talking to Jen the other day I told her I have no idea how some women juggle the ironman training with jobs. Inevitably, my days are scheduled around a work out of some kind, but the rest of the time gets filled in very quickly. Take yesterday for example: At 9am Joey had his endocrinologist visit and at 10:15 I was supposed to go to PT, but Joey's visit ran late since he needed to get his blood work done. I couldn't reschedule that, but after dropping Joey back at school, I grabbed a quick lunch at home, moved laundry around, and did dishes before running to my acupuncture appointment at 1:15. Home again at 2 to pick Joey up from school, then run back out at 3 to go to the doctors (for me). By the time I got home at 4, I still needed to bash the kids over the head to get homework done, check emails and then get them out the door for dinner at the Thai restaurant. We did get home in time for 8pm bedtimes--myself included! Since I was a single mom last night, there wouldn't be any swimming. Sigh. My "village" includes coaches, a nutritionist, a physical therapist, an acupuncturist, a doctor, multiple training buddies, and of course the husband and kids. All I'm missing are a personal chef and cleaning lady!

Now that the school year has started, I was hoping to have more "free time" during the day to get in some workouts and avoid calling in the sitter. I've been able the past two weeks to limit my evening training to late Monday night swims and of course the Tuesday bricks. This week starts afterschool activities--soccer practice, dance team tryouts and dance class, lego robotics team. Yet more schlepping of kids hither and yon, thus the need to keep my afternoons free.

I am taking some consolation in the fact that there are only 5 weeks of seriously long training left before we start our taper. My weekends are booked from now until October 11th--alternating long rides and long runs. Looking at the schedule, they all seem doable, with the caveat from Tina the nutritionist that I keep to the meal plan and get in ALL my calories. The only little hiccup I can see really giving me a hard time are the issues I'm having in my girl-parts areas. Not to be too graphic, but in-grown bikini-line hairs + bike shorts + lots of milage in the saddle = unhappy Kate. Anyone got any good suggestions on what to do?

On another note, I've started my Janus Charity Challenge fundraising for the JDRF in earnest by mailing out almost 100 letters. I've raised almost $2000 already! Joey's appointment with the endocrinologist yesterday went well, but his A1C (a 3-month history of his blood sugar (BG) levels) count was up meaning he's been running high more often. It has been hard to get over our fear of his low blood sugar readings--they are what promted his seizures in May and December--but yesterday we have made some changes to his carb/insulin ratios so hopefully that will help. To avoid future health issues, it is important to keep his BG levels within a certain range. Joey was so brave having his blood drawn. Four tubes they filled up, and he sat perfectly still on my lap, watching the whole time, and never cried. No wonder he's my hero! If you click his picture on the left, it will take you to my fundraising page.

Taper? We don't need no stinkin' taper!

Saturday dawned quite nice--in the mid 60s, and not humid at all! I was a little late meeting up with Lynn and Fave for their last brick of the season. On tap for them, a 1 hr bike and 6 mile run. On tap for me, a 2 hour bike and short transition run. I rode my first 18 miles with them, then caught up briefly with Susie Q, and then did one last 6 mile loop. It seemed those 35 miles went quickly--but it could have been the fact that I just put my Zipps on my bike in preparation for Timberman. I got home in time to help Joe and the kids spread mulch. Not just a pick-up truck full, but a whole DUMP truck full of mulch sitting in our driveway. Joey was in 7th heaven--at least when it was first delivered. After about the 200th wheelbarrow load, however, his enthusiasm for mulch was gone--and so is mine. I was the 'barrow filler. That's hard work, so I needed a 2 hr nap in the afternoon. This morning oh how stiff my back was!

Since Shawn, Sharon and I did our long ride last weekend, this weekend was a scheduled long run. Luckily Sunday was just as pleasant as Saturday. We met up at Shawn's house at 7:30 and headed out for our first loop. Shawn chose our route this morning and gave us the option of one long 14 mile loop or two shorter loops--an 8 and 6 miler. We chose the two loops which allowed for a water/potty stop back at the house. The 8 mile loop was quite enjoyable--running through Ginter Park and oogling the beautiful houses--with the exception of the crazy lady in the BMW convertible that yelled at us to "get out of the road," when we were running single file and there was NO other traffic. Dumb ass. The second loop was painful and seemed much longer than the first. I did get to run through Bryan Park, a first in my 13 years here in Richmond and spend some fun time bonding with my fellow IMFL peeps. On my return home I sat in an ice bath, then again took another 2 hour nap. Yum.