Fit Goddess

I have to stop watching The Biggest Loser

2012-02-02T08:52:00.001-05:00

Seriously, I don't think a bigger group of complete assholes has ever been assembled in the history of the world. There is not one person I like on the cast, yet I keep watching every week. WTF is my problem?

This week the aqua team won the right to come back on the ranch after being eliminated in the first minute of the first episode. Immediately, the reaction from the other players was not only negative, but downright nasty. At first, I felt sorry for them, especially Adrian, but by the show's end I was turning on him too.

Some impressions:

Adrian -- Needs to learn to just shut his yap.
Conda -- Quite possibly the ugliest, nastiest, most two-faced person I have ever seen. Why she hasn't been eliminated is beyond me. No one has even cast one vote for her, despite all the drama and tension she continues to create. It just proves that the producers call the shots; she's obviously still there for drama purposes.
Kim -- Running a close second to Conda.
Chism -- I liked him at first, but last night he was pretty nasty to a teammate.
Jeremy -- Conda's brother. 'Nuff said. He's extremely immature but not nearly as toxic as his assholic sister.
Bob -- What can I say about Bob? How about this:

Dear Bob,

Contrary to your overly inflated ego and incredibly warped sense of self-worth, you did not invent every workout move ever made. Nor are you the best trainer in the history of the world. And why does your fake southern accent get more pronounced every season?

Sincerely,
Theia

Edited to add: Holy hell, I just found this and cannot. stop. laughing.

Let the training begin

2012-02-01T10:46:00.004-05:00

To take advantage an early bird discount, I signed up yesterday for the Caesar Rodney Half Marathon on March 25.

This race is an absolute bear. Hilly, usually cold and wet, hilly, lonely, no crowd support, hilly, and did I mention it's hilly? Oh, and there's a big uphill finish. Lovely.

But, as my friends pointed out, it coincides perfectly with the start of my marathon training, so let's get to it.

No matter what, I will get a course PR. I did this same race in 2002 on literally no training. Back then, I was a girl who worked out in the gym all the time and maybe ran once or twice a month (half an hour on the treadmill) to mix it up. My training for the race consisted of two one-hour runs on the treadmill in the 3 weeks leading up to the race. I had no respect for the distance. I figured, "Hell, I've done a few 5Ks and I'm in great shape. I'll be fine."

As you can guess, it did not go well. :) I finished, but it was the most painful, horrible, humbling athletic experience of my life. My time was downright embarrassing (2:35ish, if I remember correctly). I cried tear of relief and humiliation as I crossed the finish line, sure I was dead last.

Worse yet, I didn't have the right cold-weather tech clothes and never warmed up on the very cold day, and my running shoes weren't right for my feet. I ended up with internal bruising and jaundice in both feet from the lack of circulation and lack of proper support. Yes, my feet were YELLOW.

So yes. It will be a course PR this time around. You can bet on that.

One week ago

2012-01-27T14:37:00.001-05:00

I had been working out like a fiend. I felt good about my workouts. I felt great about myself. I was toned and trim. My body felt nice and tight.

One week ago, I was really happy with myself -- that elusive, all-too-infrequent happiness about how I looked and felt.

And then I got sick.

And skipped not one, not two, not three, but FOUR days of workouts. In a row.

And now I feel squishy. Soft. Lethargic and lazy. Yuck.

Back to square one, I guess. Starting tomorrow.

Ice skating in Central Park

2012-01-26T10:10:00.003-05:00

If you have not done this, get to NYC immediately and do it. It's worth the money. It's worth the crowd. It's worth the anxiety about falling and making a fool of yourself. Skating in Central Park was even more fun than I could have imagined.

As you're skating, this is your view. This is your view, people!!!!!

One of the highlights for me was skating around on a beautiful, clear, cold day with the skyline of New York above me and U2's "The Sweetest Thing" playing on the loudspeakers. It really doesn't get better than that.

By the time we were done, it was starting to get dark. Next time (and there will be a next time), I'm definitely staying until nightfall and skating under the stars.

I am, quite possibly, the biggest goober in America

2012-01-18T09:31:00.007-05:00

Trust me. The race pics will support this theory.

Sunday was the Icicle Run, a popular 10-miler in my town. This year, it definitely lived up to its name. At race time, it was 22 degrees with a wind chill of 11! Toward the end of the race, I touched my ponytail and discovered that it was FROZEN SOLID. My hair was a solid chunk. What the ????

I have to say that I really, really like the 10 mile distance. It's long enough that you can go nice and slow (hahaha) but short enough that training for it doesn't take over your whole life. Anyway, a few friends and I decided we would do it but NOT race it. As Andrea said, it was a long run with a bib.

We convinced another woman, T, to run it with us. She spent 8 of the past 12 months dealing with pretty significant injuries (terrible knee problems followed by a stress fracture in her other leg), so she was worried about finishing. Within the first 2 miles, we split into two groups with me keeping T company just a little way behind the others. She told me repeatedly to go on ahead and catch up with our other friends, but I was happy to run with her at a slightly slower pace (they finished 3 minutes ahead of us, so it wasn't like we were that far behind) and keep her company. After all, we talked her into it; it wouldn't have been fair to leave her behind. That's the way I see it, anyway.

So we ran and talked and ran and talked. I didn't know her well, and it was really great getting to know her over the course of the run. We saw our husbands in mile 6, climbed hills, battled cramps (me) and fatigue (her), saw my husband and his daughter again in mile 8, and generally had a great time.

The most fun was when we saw the photographer, who happened to be a good friend of mine. Believe me when I tell you I hammed it up for the camera. Well, actually, just see for yourself.

As I said, T wasn't convinced she could do the whole 10 miles. Her longest run in a year prior to this race was 6 miles (and the doctors told her she'd never run more than 4 or 5 miles after her injury). She told me during the race that she figured she'd be around 1:40 IF she was able to finish. I am pleased to tell you that we finished together in 1:36:36. Woo hoo!

One more pic... My hubby D, his daughter, and our friend D (the photographer's son, who happened to be celebrating his 16th birthday that day!) who kicked butt with a 1:10:01 in the race having never run farther than 5K prior to this!

Many thanks to D, my stepdaughter, and the many spectators and volunteers who braved the cold to cheer us on.

My first race in..... 6 months????

2012-01-13T08:44:00.000-05:00

Have I really not raced in six months? How can that be?

I realized this morning that the last race I did was my Olympic tri on July 24. Wow! Since I started racing in 2005, I don't think there's ever been a period of time that long between races.

Well, the slump ends this weekend. Icicle Run 10-miler on Sunday! The last time I raced, the temps were well into the 90s by the time I was done. This Sunday, I'll be lucky if it's in the 30s! Haha!

I am really looking forward to this one. Cool, crisp temperature, challenging hilly course, and great company (my friends and I are running together just for fun, not to race it). Sounds like a good Sunday morning to me!

Is your New Year's resolution to join a gym?

2012-01-09T14:42:00.003-05:00

If so, read this! Actually, read it no matter what. It's funny. :)

Thanks to my friend Margo for sending it to me. #25 was my personal favorite. And #27 is the big secret that the informercials don't want you to know. It's that simple, folks. Move it and make good food choices.

I need a new hairdo - now with photos!

2012-01-04T10:33:00.001-05:00

Any suggestions?

Background: I have wavy hair and very little of it. Seriously, I have approximately 8 hairs on my entire head. I've counted. It didn't take long.

I'm also very lazy, so anything high maintenance (hair dryers and straight irons and mousse, oh my!) will likely annoy me. This is why I've been stuck in this wavy long unflattering rut for so long. I wash it, put in some leave-in conditioner, comb it, and basically do nothing to it until it's dry, when I fluff it with my fingers. Until it goes into a ponytail, which it inevitably does at some point.

Bo-ring.

Plus I don't exactly have a face for short hair. I would give anything to be able to do Halle Barry's cute crop, but alas I would probably scare small children away.

So. Who has a fabulous, flattering, cute, easy hairstyle for me to try? Remember, no muss no fuss AND I have to be able to get it off my face somehow when I work out (hats, bandanas, headbands are acceptable). Other than those basic rules, I'm open to suggestions.

Edited to add two photos I found. I would love to do Victoria Beckham's ~~husband~~ hairdo! Hairdo! Not sure I would be willing to invest the time it would require, though. The Lily Allen one is super cute, but again would it require a great deal of time in the morning?

What a way to send out the old and ring in the new

2011-12-30T10:13:00.002-05:00

LET'S GO FLYERS!!!!!!!

2012 Fitness Resolutions

2011-12-28T11:36:00.001-05:00

Well, maybe not resolutions. They're goals, but since we're nearing the end of the year I thought I'd call them resolutions. Basically, these are things I'd really like to do in the next 12 months to shake up my routine a bit and make it, well, less routine.

Here they are, in no particular order:

- Try mountain biking
- Do an adventure race (preferably a longer one, 9-10 miles)
- Run a marathon
- Get to yoga at least once a week, if not twice a week
- Do an indoor triathlon
- Run more trails

Like how I slipped that marathon in there, hoping you wouldn't notice or comment about it? :)

Leave a comment and tell me your fitness goals for next year. I'd love to read them.

Well THAT was disappointing

2011-12-14T10:43:00.003-05:00

SPOILER ALERT! Do not read any further unless you want to see who won the Biggest Loser.

Did anyone else think the Biggest Loser finale last night was odd? The reactions of the two winners -- at-home prize and grand prize -- were... off. Like not at all excited that they just won all that money.

First, Jennifer, the at-home prize winner. Her win seemed rushed by the network. Not her fault, to be sure. But it seemed like she was more concerned with flirting with Bob (honey, you have the WRONG equipment for him! give it up!) than with her win. I mean, if I had just won $100K, I would have been jumping up and down and screaming like a nut. But she just wanted to go straddle Bob. (Stalker much????)

And then John, the big winner. In full disclosure, I must admit that I was rooting for Antone from the first day. As the show went on, John became less and less likeable. So I was disappointed that he won. But again, after winning $250K and the title of the Biggest Loser, wouldn't you be more excited? He just looked like, "Yeah. Told you I'd win." Asshat.

Remind me again why I get sucked into this nonsense every season???

Chills

2011-12-05T09:15:00.007-05:00

First you have to understand that Here Comes the Sun is hands down my favorite song of all time. Don't believe me? Read all about it here.

Then you have to see this pic, sent to me by my brother when he visited the Grammys Museum in LA last week.

My goosebumps have goosebumps right now. Amazing.

How to be the perfect man, part 1

2011-11-30T15:38:00.001-05:00

Send this to your wife on a random Wednesday, just because.

Because I'm geeky like that...

2011-11-29T11:12:00.002-05:00

I keep track of my workouts pretty religiously. When I was doing a lot of weight lifting, I would write down my max set (weight and reps) so I could track my progress. Rather than round up or down for a class I taught, my handwritten workout log would say something like "Step aerobics, 51 minutes." Never 50 minutes. 51, thankyouverymuch.

Now that I track my workouts online, it's much easier to chart yearly totals. For example, running. (This is totally not a hypothetical example. I already graphed it this morning, out of curiosity.)

I started running in 2005. Since then, I have run 4,859.5 miles. The breakdown is:

2005 - 708.6 miles
2006 - 601.6 miles
2007 - 594.0 miles
2008 - 886.5 miles*
2009 - 725.8 miles
2010 - 654.0 miles
2011 (to date) - 689.1 miles

Assuming about a 60 mile December, I'll be around 750 for the year. Not bad, I guess, considering I did one half marathon and way fewer races in general.

*Not surprisingly, my highest year was 2008. I'm not surprised because that was also the year that I lost a TON of weight (and looked damn good, if I may say so myself) and saw times on the track and in races I may never see again. Dare I say there's a direct correlation (for me at least) between total miles and paces? It sure seems like it.

What am I, nuts?

2011-11-18T14:06:00.000-05:00

I have done one marathon in my life. It was on the bucket list, and I did it. At the time, I thought maybe I'd do a marathon every other year, and Andrew (IronEx aka Coach Andrew) would do Ironman races in the alternate years. Fun plan, right? Every year one of us would train and both of us would go to fun destinations to cheer for each other.

Except every time I tried to train for another marathon, I crapped out within the first few weeks. I soon realized that I really did not have the mental capacity to train for a marathon. Nor the interest, quite frankly. So instead, I started concentrating on triathlons, half marathons, and other fun stuff.

Except I know I could do better if I did another one.

No, nope, no thanks. Don't wanna.

Except yesterday I found this. And I can't stop thinking about it.

SAN DIEGO ROCK & ROLL MARATHON
June 2005

RACE RECAP

Waiting for the starting gun: Anxious, excited, and ready to go.

Still waiting: Sweet! One of my favorite songs is playing! (Right Here, Right Now by Fatboy Slim)

The gun!: It took 2 minutes to get to the start line, but once we got there we started a slow jog. There were so many people that we couldn’t go much faster at first. And awesomely, the song playing is now Beautiful Day by U2!

Mile 1: Feeling good! A little faster than I planned on going, but so far, so good.

Miles 2-4: Same as Mile 1. Feeling good, doing about 9:40 to 9:50 per mile.

Miles 5-8: Slowing down a little bit, but still feeling strong. This isn’t bad at all!

Miles 9-13: The crowd isn’t as thick, and we’re going at about my goal pace of 10 minutes per mile, maybe a little slower. Perfect.

Mile 13.1: Wow! Halfway done! Right now we’re at 2:13:56. If we keep up this pace, I’ll meet my dream goal of 4.5 hours!

Miles 14-18: It’s starting to hurt a little, and I’m definitely slowing down. But that’s OK. I expected as much.

Miles 19-20: I definitely miscalculated my long run in training. My 20-miler was more like an 18.5-miler, because I don’t remember feeling this bad during or after it. But there’s my TTES coach! She says I look good! I know she’s lying, but I’ll take any encouragement I can get right now.

Miles 21-22: Someone please kill me now. I’m serious. Just shoot me.

Mile 22.5 or so: Andrew ducked into the bushes. I. Can’t. Run. Another. Step. I am now walking.

Mile 22.51: Drat him! He’s back already! And he’s holding my hand and encouraging me to, what?, run????? Are you joking? I’m done. Didn’t you hear me? I can’t run anymore. I’ll just wait here on the side of the road until someone comes by with a car. I don’t care if it’s not until tomorrow. That’s fine. Leave me alone now.

Mile 23: Why won’t he leave me alone? I want to WALK, dammit! Not run!

Mile 24: Oh, the pain!!!!!! Every joint in my lower body hurts — hips, knees, and ankles — plus my right elbow is bothering me so I’m now running with my arms straight down by my sides.

Mile 25: Mile 25! Only 1.2 miles to go! Let’s finish this #&* thing!!!!!! Suddenly I get a burst of adrenaline and speed. I’m positively inspired!

Mile 25.5ish: We’re now in the Marine base. There are people everywhere. I never saw the sign for Mile 26, so I don’t know how close the finish line is. Gotta keep running.

Mile 26.1: I hear music! Beautiful music! It’s Where the Streets Have No Name by U2! Bono is calling me to the finish line! I. Can. Do. This.

Mile 26.2: I DID IT! I RAN A MARATHON! I AM A MARATHONER!!!!!

Oh boy. Am I seriously considering this????

Remember the Want To Do list?

2011-11-16T11:15:00.000-05:00

I'm making slow progress!

- Get to yoga once a week -- Yes! 10 weeks in a row!
- Transition to early morning workouts -- Yes! My new schedule is: teach Monday and Wednesday at 6 a.m., swim Tuesday at 6 a.m., and run Thursday at 6 a.m. (Plus other stuff on the weekends plus one evening yoga class per week and any additional/bonus workouts I'm able to squeeze in.)
- Spend more time with family, friends, and pets. -- Yes! This one is tough due to scheduling, but I'm really making an effort.
- Mentor a child -- Haven't started yet, but I reached out to an elementary school principal to see if she has any students who might be a good match.
- Go to the Winter Classic -- YES! We got tickets!!!!!!!!!!

No meetups with Bono yet, but I can wait. It will happen. (I will meet him. Oh yes. I will meet him.)

Breakfast of Champions

2011-11-09T09:42:00.002-05:00

Last night Mom and I went to a local holiday tradition (yes, I know it's not the holidays yet, but this event used to be called The Christmas Shops so I always associate it with Christmas). One of the country clubs hosts it every year and invites local and regional high-end vendors to participate. There are holiday themed tables (ornaments, etc.) and lots of other stuff to buy, presumably for holiday gifts but I always end up looking for stuff I want, haha. Handcrafted jewelry, clothing, small home/decorative items, designer olive oils, silk ties, beautiful children's toys, etc.... It's really a nice event, and each vendor donates 20% of each sale to local charities, most of which benefit children.

All of the food vendors offer samples -- bonus! So we were sucked into a vortex of yumminess by little bite size squares of homemade toffee when I saw what the vendor called Drumsticks.

Are you ready for this?

A pretzel rod covered in caramel. And then dipped in milk chocolate. And THEN slathered with chopped almonds, walnuts, and pecans. DROOL.

Yeah, I'm eating it for breakfast today. Don't judge me.

Thought for the day

2011-11-02T10:47:00.002-04:00

I almost always regret a missed workout, but I have never once regretted working out.

You know what the best thing in the whole world is?

2011-10-28T08:46:00.003-04:00

It's when your five year-old goddaughter runs across a room, jumps into your arms, and says, "Auntie Lexis! I misted you!"

Big Daddy Diesel is making me do this

2011-10-27T11:55:00.003-04:00

OK, so BDD picked me, and now I have to write seven random things about myself and then pick other bloggers to do the same. Thanks my my chronic diarrhea of the mouth, there's not much new/different stuff to tell... but I'll give it a shot.

1. I didn't realize my hair was naturally wavy until I was in my early 30s. Until that time, I just thought it was frizzy and uncooperative. As a result, I tried to blow it into submission every day, only to get frustrated. Finally, I realized I could wear it wavy/curly and not fuss with hot styling every day.

2. A famous dancer and actor (I won't say names, but it rhymes with Rikale Marishnikov) once checked out my butt. No lie.

3. I would adopt 20 pets if ~~D would let me~~ I could. I would totally be a crazy pet lady.

4. My biggest regret is that I never lived in NYC.

5. My biggest fear is fire.

6. I have freakishly long toes. They look like ET. Sad but true.

7. If I weren't scared of losing my teeth, I would play on a women's ice hockey team.

OK, now I pick other people to do this. (You guys have to!) Plus, everyone should check out their blogs.

Jess at Pushing My Limits
Jill at Sneakersister
Maria at All That Matters Is What Makes You Happy
Randy at 400 Beers
Jamie at Project IM Arizona
Joe at Beyond the Two-Zero
Mandy at Dr. Err's House
Julie at Julie's Triathlon Journal
Sage at Random Misadventures
Heather at Saucon Runner

And of course, I would be remiss if I didn't link to BDD, who started this whole thing. Blame him, not me. :)

Leave me a note with any comments/reactions to my randomness and also to let me know when you've posted your own random tidbits.

Recipe for a great day

2011-10-24T08:48:00.001-04:00

Ingredients:
1 pool
1 yoga class
1 unexpected, last-minute breakfast with an adoring husband, a great friend, and his 4 kids that you don't see nearly enough
a dash of pampering
1 fundraising party

Swim 2,000 yards and immediately go to yoga. Feel arms shake but know you're doing wonderful things for your body.

Meet friends and hubby for breakfast. Eat decadent, bad-for-you-but-oh-so-yummy things like french toast and huge sticky bun (with a candle in it). Enjoy the slightly off-tune rendition of Happy Birthday as sung by two grown men and 4 children.

Indulge in a manicure and pedicure.

Take a 90-minute nap without ruining said manicure and pedicure.

Check Facebook and see more than 150 good wishes from friends and family.

Get dressed and go to fundraiser, where many, many friends are in attendance. Laugh a lot. Say "thank you" a lot as all of them wish you a happy day. Laugh some more. Ride a tricycle (there were tricycle races at the event... hilarious!).

Talk to a good friend that you've never met (yet!!!) and wish her good luck in her first Half Ironman the next day. Send lots of good vibes to her.

Laugh some more with friends and go home feeling happy and loved.

Yup. It was a good birthday.

At exactly 2:22 p.m. tomorrow

2011-10-21T09:41:00.000-04:00

I will be 45 years old.

Here's what I expect my birthday party to look like.

Seriously. 45?? Already? How did this happen??

Money sucks

2011-10-19T14:23:00.000-04:00

More accurately, lack of money sucks.

After years of working at it, I finally paid off my high interest credit card and chopped it into little pieces (take THAT, stupid bank!). That's the good news.

The bad news is that I am now using my debit card for everything, which means I'm totally cash poor.

Ugh. It has to get better at some point, right? I mean, I'll be 45 on Saturday (don't even get me started on that one!), and I feel as stressed about money as I did at 25 when I was making less than half of what I make now. WTF? And I know I'm not alone. I know several people who also are cutting way back, counting every penny, and generally losing sleep at night because they are unemployed, underemployed, in debt up to their eyeballs, unable to afford their lives, or some combination of factors.

Would you go back?

2011-10-13T09:30:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I went to a 9th grade assembly at one of our schools (I work for the public school system). The speaker was an alumnus who is now a molecular biologist. A self-proclaimed nerd, he goes around to schools to speak to students, in a funny and self-deprecating way, about how hard it is to be an adolescent.

Listening to his stories made me flash back to my own gangly, awkward teen years. The themes of his stories -- loneliness, quest for acceptance, unrequited crushes -- were all too familiar to me.

When I got back to work, I told my boss' secretary about the presentation and said in an offhanded way, "I wouldn't go back to high school for a million dollars." It was a silly little comment at the time, a throw-away, but this morning as I walked the dogs I started to think about it again.

Would I really turn down $1 million if it meant I had to be 14 and go through the pain of high school again?

I think my answer is still yes.

What about you? A million dollars on the spot, but you have to turn back into a 14 year-old and relive the horror that is high school.

I did a headstand in yoga last night

2011-10-12T09:55:00.005-04:00

This was me.

She actually could be me, except my boobs and butt are bigger than hers. But I digress.

Toward the end of class last night, the instructor told us to move our mats to the walls with the short end of the mat against the wall. She then said we were going to do headstand (which I've never even tried to do before) and that she'd walk us through it and give us [easier] options if we opted not to do it.

I'm pretty much game for anything, and I LOVE to challenge myself, so I figured I'd try one for the first time, fail epically, and then take one of the options. But at least I'd know that I tried, and next time maybe I'd do a little better.

Imagine my surprise when I went through the steps (kneel facing the wall, hands and arms in position with hands locked and placed a few inches away from the wall, cradle the head in the hands, go to a mini downward dog position, then bend one knee and lift the foot in the air, then the other) and found myself WITH MY LEGS IN THE AIR, balancing on my head and forearms. I was in the front of the room -- Type A and all -- and as she walked around to check us, I was the first one she came to. As she was approaching to help me, I was already in the position. "Good, you're there!" is what she said.

I know it's a little thing, but it really pleased me to be able to do this pose. It seems so... I dunno... advanced.

(Of course, my dismount from the pose was less than graceful. It's something to work on.) :)

MIA (and I don't mean the rapper)

2011-10-05T12:48:00.003-04:00

Holy schmoley, where has the time gone? I promise I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, nor have I fallen into an abyss.

Work is nuts.
Training is beyond blah.
Life is hectic.
Being a grown-up really blows sometimes.
Ergo, no blogging.

(Really, I just wanted to use the word ergo in a blog post.)

I've made some progress on my Want To Do list already, believe it or not. I've made it to yoga three weeks in a row, and I'm about 50/50 on the early morning workouts. (On the days I have to teach at 6 a.m., of course I'm there. The other days have been more challenging, but I'm trying.) I have not met Bono -- YET -- in case you were wondering. Nor have I published my first novel. Nor am I even writing it at this point. Someday...

Back to work, but first here's a cute pic from a surprise party we attended this past weekend. I rarely straighten my hair, but it turned out pretty OK that night (or at least the picture makes it look as though it did!).

Happy day, all.

LET'S GO, PHILLIES!!

To Do list

2011-09-14T13:53:00.004-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big fan of To Do lists. Make that huge, ginormous fan. I get immeasurable pleasure from crossing things off the list when they're done. In fact, I add obvious things to the list -- such as Work Out or Eat Lunch -- or things I've already accomplished, just so I can cross them off. (No, I'm not kidding.)

And don't you DARE cross something off the list for me. (I'm talking to you, D!) I don't derive satisfaction from seeing everything crossed off. I derive satisfaction from crossing them off myself. Please and thank you. :) (Loveyoumeanit!)

Anyway, instead of a To Do list, I've decided to make a Want To Do list. It's sort of a combination of a Bucket List and Wish List.

Here goes.

THEIA'S WANT TO DO LIST
- Swim with dolphins
- Publish a novel
- Eat more sushi
- Learn to make sushi
- Run faster. Bike faster. Swim faster.
- Go to Paris
- Meet Bono
- Have a weekly yoga habit
- Own my dream house in Avalon
- Go to more Flyers games
- Become an early morning worker-outer more consistently
- Spend more time with my friends. And my pets. And my family.
- Kick ass in an Olympic triathlon
- Become a mom
- Torture my children when I'm old
- Donate more money to causes I believe in
- Live in NYC
- Make my screened-in porch a room we can use all year
- Get more sleep
- Mentor a child
- Go to the Winter Classic
- Meet Bono again
- Have a backstage pass (to anything) and wave it around like Wayne and Garth
- Go to the opera at Lincoln Center
- Learn more about astronomy

What's on your list?

It's time to confess

2011-09-09T10:49:00.007-04:00

I am an addict.

Not to meth or coke or crack or anything like that. I'm probably the one person on earth who's never even smoked pot and can count on one hand the number of times I've been drunk.

No, I'm addicted to sleeping pills. If you've been reading for a while, you might remember a few posts about my insomnia. For years I resisted going to the doctor because I knew he'd prescribe something, and the last thing I want (pretty much ever) is prescription drugs. I would rather exhaust every other possibility on earth first before putting foreign stuff in my body. (And trust me, I did. For years, I did.)

Of course, after hearing me say, "I really don't want to take a pill for this. What are my other options?" he promptly pulled out his prescription pad and replied, "Here, take some Ambien."

Sigh.

I started with 5 mg, but when that didn't really help all that much I went to see a neurologist. I told him my concerns, and he bumped me up to 10 mg of Ambien and also gave me about a week's worth of samples of Lunesta.

Sigh. Again.

Last night, for the first time in nearly a month, I took neither. And I slept maybe 2 hours total if you add up all the little 5, 10, or 15 minute increments of sleep I got in between all the waking, tossing, and turning. The last time I took nothing was the first night of vacation. I absolutely refused to pack sleeping pills for vacation. It's vacation, fercrissakes! If you can't sleep then, when can you sleep?

As you may guess, that experiment didn't work out for me. Apparently, I am the one person who can't sleep on vacation. I spent the rest of the week digging through my purse for the Lunesta samples every night.

I'm doing a lot of sighing over here.

So here are my options:
- Take nothing and literally get no sleep
- Take something and get 5 hours of sleep. Yup, even with a sleeping pill, my body wakes itself up after 5 whopping hours.

I'm sure you'll agree that neither option is really all that hot.

Meanwhile, I've become addicted to the sleep aids... which is exactly what I feared would happen and why I resisted them for so many years.

Sigh.

The big day

2011-09-07T13:20:00.001-04:00

I should have adopted this nonchalant attitude about training long ago

2011-09-01T09:01:00.003-04:00

Yesterday morning I was too tired to get up and work out. (Some of you know why... D was in a car accident Tuesday night, so it was a somber and stressful evening for both of us. He's OK... just sore and scraped. Could have been far worse.) Last night errands, visiting Dad in the hospital (oh yes, he's in the hospital again), and fatigue got in the way of working out, so yesterday was a complete bust.

This morning I was wide awake and, though lacking motivation, I set out. 4 miles easy; just something to get my body moving after my laziness yesterday. Something funny happened on the way to the main road, however. My body decided to turn left at the bottom of my street and head straight toward the track. What the ??? I don't need to do speedwork. I'm not training for anything! Why on earth am I going to the TRACK, of all places?

With no plan and not even a warmup lap or two, I started pushing it. 4 laps in 7:41. Cool. I knew mile repeats weren't in the cards for me today (I've been doing NOTHING as far as intense workouts), so I decided on a ladder. Next one, 1200 in 5:38 (7:34 pace). Nice! A little faster than the mile, which is what it was supposed to be. Next up, a slightly speedier 800. Nailed that one in 3:43, a 7:29 pace. Cool. Still improving each time. Only one interval to go, and that was a painful 400. I'm not a fan of 400s... They hurt! But I had to do only one of them, so I started out. 1:45, a 7:03 pace!

These paces are slow compared to what I was doing a few years ago, but for me at this time with this amount of training (and missed training), they are great! I really feel like I nailed the workout this morning, and it was completely spontaneous. I did it because I felt like doing it, not because I had to. That mental shift was just what I needed.

Edited to add this graphic from Randy over at 400 Beers. Thanks, Rand!

4 days

2011-08-30T11:58:00.001-04:00

In four short days, I will marry the best guy I've ever known. The wedding details have been stressful. I admit that I turned into Bridezilla (briefly), but only because we're having a wedding to make everyone else happy. What would make us happy is to run off to some warm, tropical place and get married, just the two of us. But many members of our families would have been disappointed had we done that, so we planned a very small wedding to share with them.

Let me tell you something. It makes no difference if you're having 15 people or 115. The To Do list is pretty much the same, and therefore so is the stress level.

It really doesn't matter, though. In four days, I get to marry D. And that makes me the luckiest girl in the world.

Anyone else think the gods are angry with us?

2011-08-25T11:10:00.004-04:00

In my 44 years, I've experienced one tornado warning, a handful of hurricanes, zero earthquakes, several blizzards (one every 5-7 years, I'd say), and lots of smaller stuff.

In the past week, however, we've had:

a tornado
an earthquake
massive rains
and now, in a few days, Hurricane Irene

Whatever we're doing down here, the gods are not pleased (or, if you prefer, one God, or Allah, or Mohammed, or whatever you wish to call him). They are pissed, ladies and gentlemen.

Be safe out there.

An eventful week

2011-08-21T10:09:00.001-04:00

I'm baaa-aack. Did you miss me? :)

Vacation was AWESOME. Just what the doctor ordered -- lots of laughs, relaxation, no stress, and a bitchin' tan. Absolute perfection.

Vacation was also quite eventful. In one short week, I:

- Saw Dick Vermeil (D shook his hand!)
- Tried TRX and Crossfit for the first time (my abs are finally healed from Crossfit on Wednesday)
- Did stand-up paddleboarding (fun!)
- Ran with my brother (a big deal, since he hates running!)
- Got takeout from a restaurant featured on Diners, Drive-Throughs, and Dives
- Went to a psychic (she sees THREE children! ay carumba! I'm already 44 and have none!!)
- Found out my dream house -- the one I first saw 13 years ago and have been drooling about ever since -- is for sale.

And of course all the other typical vacation stuff -- good food, great times with family, lots of laughs, silly stories, and fun in the sun.

When can I go back??

I left you hanging, didn't I?

2011-08-12T13:02:00.000-04:00

And I'm about to do it again... Vacation starts tomorrow, and it can't come quickly enough. Life is VERY stressful right now (I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that I'm hanging on by a thread). The thing that has suffered most -- other than my sanity -- is my training.

Hence, I am indeed retiring... at least for now. Maybe someday I'll miss the intensity and will come back to racing, but right now I can't focus on it and don't need the pressure of HAVING to do this workout or HAVING to meet those people at a certain time. My heart is just not in it. I've kinda known this for a few weeks, but I was hoping that it was just a temporary displacement of mojo. Alas, I think the mojo is gone for a while. Not for good, but for a while.

No biggie. Now I get to do what I want, when I want for a while. Won't that be a treat??

Have a great week, everyone.

Time for... random pictures!

2011-08-08T13:36:00.002-04:00

Mom and D's daughter (and my soon-to-be stepdaughter) showing their, um, special appreciation for Justin Bieber.

Maximus (a) thought the mattress was a great place to nap while I washed the bedding and (b) thought the drawstring to D's bathing suit was a fun toy while I folded laundry. He looks so young in this picture, but our little kitten is now 5 years old!

In honor of Saucon Runner's birthday, I am posting one of our famous Eyeball Pictures. Long story... At a Flyers game a few years ago, we tried (OK, *I* tried) to take a picture of ourselves with my phone. When we checked out the pic, we died laughing upon seeing that it was an extreme close-up of our eyes. Now we take Eyeball Pictures wherever we go. This particular one was taken at the U2 concert a few weeks ago. Happy birthday, dear friend!

Where do I go from here?

2011-08-04T09:56:00.005-04:00

I was not an athletic child. I was the girl who was picked next-to-last in gym class pretty much every day. I was uncoordinated, gangly, slow, unpopular, and just plain untalented (in sports, anyway). I went to a private school that required physical activity every day, all year, however, so I suffered through the humiliation of failing at pretty much every sport or game I tried.

Until I discovered volleyball. Finally, a sport for tall girls that didn't require the agility of dribbling or the precision of free-throw shooting. I played every fall from 5th grade through high school. While I wasn't the star of my high school team, I'd like to think I was a contributor to any success we had.

Somehow, the admissions office at my college missed the fact that I played volleyball on my application, so I received no notice of pre-season practice or team tryouts. Instead, I showed up at practice on the first day of classes, fully expecting to either be cut or make the JV squad by the skin of my teeth. I had the great fortune of attending a college that had gone coed only 5 years earlier -- meaning the athletic teams were still very young and new. Much to my great surprise, I made the team -- the varsity team! I wasn't a starter my freshman year, but I played in every single game and finally felt like I'd found my niche.

Over the next three years, my playing time increased and my abilities improved. I went from sub to part-time starter to starter to double conference all-star by my junior year. I was the first one to arrive at practice and the last to leave. Senior year, my name was in the Philadelphia Daily News (I still have it framed in my office). Strangers on campus knew who I was and wished me luck on game days or commented on a specific play the day after a game, and even the dining room staff wished me success at our pre-game meals. I was a stud, the BWOC I'd always dreamed of being.

After graduation, I played in every league and tournament I could find. I played women's or coed, sixes, fours, or doubles. I played in gyms, on grass, and on sand. Eventually, though, the opportunities to play started to lessen. Teammates and doubles partners got married, had babies, moved out of town. The less I played, the harder it became to maintain the level at which I was accustomed to playing... and the more frustrated I got. The next generation of recent college grads was tearing up the courts the way I used to. I was a has-been at 27 years old.

Then I discovered the gym. I cardioed my little butt off on the bikes, the ellipticals, the stairmasters. I lifted like a mofo, getting my body fat down to 14.6% at one point. I taught every class the Y offered, sometimes teaching 8-10 classes per week. I got certified as a personal trainer and trained 2-3 clients per week, in addition to everything else (and a totally unrelated full-time job). After several years of that, it became exhausting and too time-consuming. I cut back to 4-5 classes per week and gave up the PT clients.

At 37, I started running. I hated it. H.A.T.E.D. IT! I trained for the San Diego Rock N Roll Marathon, successfully raising nearly $7,000 for the American Stroke Association in 3.5 months. On race day, I congratulated myself on never having to run another step again. But a funny thing happened the following week: I missed it. I started running -- because I wanted to, not because I had to -- and that made a huge difference. Because I was so new to running and so late getting into the game, I saw success early on. Every race was an opportunity for a PR, and the PRs came frequently. In the next few years, I repeatedly dropped my PRs in everything from a mile to a half marathon.

Ten days before my 40th birthday, I did my first multisport race -- a sprint duathlon. And fell in love. Unfortunately for me, my birthday is in late October, which meant that I couldn't do another race for at least 6 months. I was completely addicted. I've done at least 2-3 races every year since then (five years this October, as I'm approaching the big 45). When I started, I pushed myself to my limits in training and on raceday. I left everything on the course.

Recently, however, the desire to push so hard has been hard to find, and those PRs have become more and more elusive. (I haven't seen one in years.) I mentioned a few weeks ago that I haven't been proud of a race in a very long time.

Is my body just slowing down? Is my metabolism to blame? Should I just suck it up and realize (and accept) that a 45 year-old woman simply cannot do the things a 35 or 25 year-old woman can, the way I had to accept that my volleyball game wasn't the same at 30 as it had been at 20? Is it time to give up on this sport and find a new way to challenge myself athletically?

Or do I keep doing what I'm doing -- running and triathlons -- and appreciate that my body CAN still do it all, just not in the same way or at the same speed it used to?

And, most importantly, how do I make myself believe that that's actually OK?

Great quote

2011-08-01T09:15:00.001-04:00

This was at the bottom of a weekly memo I receive from one of the higher ups here at work.

Vision without action is a daydream.
Action without vision is a nightmare.
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes

And here's a fortune cookie that I liked so much, I taped it onto the bottom of my monitor.

Your dream must be bigger than your fear.

Race Pics

2011-07-29T08:58:00.007-04:00

The photos from Sunday kind of tell the whole story. :)

Pre-race... Happy and relaxed! But why am I looking the wrong way?

Off we go!

Watch your step! And... nice 'do.

So serious:

Dazed and confused:

My feet are barely leaving the ground here:

Yay! The finish line!

Long-Awaited Race Report

2011-07-26T19:03:00.002-04:00

So maybe you haven't been anxiously awaiting my witty, self-deprecating race report, but humor me and pretend you have, OK? :)

Sunday was the New Jersey State Tri, my A race of the year. Prior to Sunday, I had done one Olympic triathlon, and that was three years ago. At that time, I was running a lot more (and a lot faster) but biking and swimming less. My time in that race was 3:14 or 3:16 or something or other (the race site no longer lists results from 2008, so I don't know for sure).

My #1 goal was -- and still is, sadly -- to break 3 hours for an Olympic tri. With the Mid-Atlantic in the grips of Heat Wave #5, I knew Sunday would not be my day. I hoped I'd be close, though. Maybe 3:05ish? 3:10 at worst?

THE SWIM
If you've been reading this for a while, you know I have had issues with open water anxiety. A great experience with a practice open water swim (and The Swim Whisperer) two weeks ago gave me much-needed confidence. Prior to the race, I was nervous, but more butterflies nervous than "Oh my God I'm going to die" nervous. I was in Wave 7 out of 11, and the race started about 10 minutes late... which meant I didn't get in the water until about 8:10 a.m. This is significant because the announcer told us at about 7:20 a.m. that it was already 83 degrees out.

Our wave started... and I was fine. Better than fine. I had strategically positioned myself toward the back of the pack (120 or so people in my wave), away from the thrashing. I paced myself and used my friend Michelle's advice, chanting "stroke stroke breathe" in my head to get into a rhythm. Friends Jennifer and Katrina also made an appearance in my brain, reminding me to beeee caaalllllm. It worked. No anxiety, no nervousness, no fear. I swam and swam and swam. Yes, I was kicked, punched, scratched, whatever. Didn't bother me at all. Yes, I had the sun in my eyes (note to self: buy tinted goggles!) after the second turn. Didn't bother me at all. Yes, I had a minor asthma attack about 15 yards from the finish. Didn't bother me at all. I emerged from the water, waved at D, and began the long, uphill run toward the transition area. 1,500 meters in 36:05.

THE BIKE
It took me quite a while to feel good on the bike. My legs were so tired! I couldn't understand it after such a relaxed taper week last week. I should have been rested and ready, but instead I felt as though I'd done a 40-miler the day before the race. Finally, I got into a bit of a rhythm and settled in for the 25.5 mile bike ride. Even though I'd practiced riding in aero position as much as possible, the flat bike course meant I was in aero for the majority of the time... and I wasn't ready for that. About 3/4 of the way through, I just. hurt. (Warning, TMI coming!) I couldn't get comfortable, and the thin padding on my shorts wasn't helping. (My race shorts have an even thinner pad than the thinly padded tri shorts I wear in training.) Plus, I was very crampy, and the 3 Advils I had taken at 5:30 a.m. had already worn off. I couldn't wait to get back to transition to take more Advil. Being in aero position put a lot of pressure on my crampy gut. I sat up quite a bit, and at one point I stood and dropped my heels to stretch a bit.

There was a little wind on the bike course, but honestly I have no excuses for why I didn't do better. It just wasn't my day. The bike and I were not friends on Sunday. 25.5 miles in 1:27:29 (17.5 mph average).

THE DEATH MARCH, AKA THE GREAT BONK OF 2011, AKA THE RUN
After downing 3 more Advils, taking a few puffs from my inhaler, eating some Sport Beans and drinking from my water bottle, I started running. At first, I felt OK. I was hoping for about a 9 minute pace for the 10K run, and I probably did the first mile in slightly more than that. I had forgotten to put my watch on, and it was actually a good thing. If I'd seen how slowly I was going in the later miles, I probably would have given up!

Due to the excessive heat, I made a decision to take water and/or Heed at every water stop and WALK the water stops. I have to hand it to CGI Racing; they had water at about every mile, plus two misting stations (the second of which was more of a drenching station... we ran through a puddle about an inch deep from all the water!), plus bags of ice and icy cold towels. They did everything possible to keep us safe and cool. I took advantage of EVERYTHING they offered me -- water, ice, towel, misting, a girl with a hose near the transition area, more water, Heed, more ice, another towel, etc. I must have walked 1.5 miles of the 10K, and I know each mile got slower and slower. Folks, I totally bonked out there. I just had nothing left to give at that point. I later found out that it was 95 degrees with a heat index of 100 at that time.

All I wanted to do was finish, time be damned. After the 5 mile marker, I stopped producing sweat altogether. Never a good sign, but I kept shuffling along, knowing I was so close to the finish. As I came around the turn to the finish chute, I heard my brother, uncle, D, and my friend Darlise (who kicked ass and did a 2:54!) cheering for me. Oh, how sweet a sound! 10K in 1:05:24 (10:33 pace).

(That's me coming to the finish after 3+ hours of racing. So happy to be done!)

My total time was 3:13:29. I'm disappointed, but I know I did the best I could on that particular day.

Will I do an Olympic again? Probably, and I won't wait three more years. I'm such a big fan of CGI Racing that I will probably sign up for the same race next year. It can't possibly be worse, right? ;)

The best feedback I've gotten

2011-07-26T11:18:00.004-04:00

"Sorry, Theia it was the suck. But you know what? You were out there for bunches of hours doing bunches of hard things in terrible weather when most other people would say, 'nah...no way.' In great challenge it shows who we are...this shows you kick serious ass. Period." ~ Cranegirl, aka Melissa

You know what? She's right. I do kick serious ass, and so do all my friends -- real and imaginary -- who challenge their bodies and their minds on a regular basis, refusing to give in or give up.

This is not my race report

2011-07-24T21:54:00.001-04:00

That will come in the next few days (possibly even tomorrow if I have time).

The big race was today. To say I'm disappointed wouldn't even scratch the surface of what I'm feeling. However, I'm hesitant to write about it because I don't want the obligatory "It was just one day... don't let it get you down" comments.

(Not that I don't appreciate them. I do. I really do. I just don't want my blogger friends to feel obligated to write them.)

The fact is, I haven't had a good race -- a race I'm really proud of -- in years. It might be time to retire.

Then again, I could wake up in a day or two, forget all the pain and suffering, and sign up for something again. Just 'cause I'm stupid like that.

P.S. SO AWESOME to meet Miles99999 (I hope I have the right number of 9s there) this weekend!!!!

Training log

2011-07-18T13:48:00.000-04:00

I keep a training log at runningahead.com. It's copied automatically here on Fit Goddess, in the right column. Well, the most recent five or six workouts are copied here, anyway.

One of the things I like to do before a race is go back over my log to see how much work I've done in preparation. Now, mind you, this can backfire if I don't like what I see... or if I compare it to last year during the same time period and it seems inadequate... or what have you. But typically, seeing all my hard work in front of me helps me realize how much I've done to prepare and how ready I really am.

I started training with Coach in mid-May, a bit late for a July 24 goal race, but our schedules didn't mesh before then. (Plus, I didn't realize the magic 12 week window of training had crept up on me until it was already here!) Since then, I have logged:

38,450 yards in the water (21.85 miles)
585.9 miles on my bike
161.6 miles on my feet

(That doesn't include whatever I do this week during my taper, of course.)

That's a lot of miles. And those numbers provide a lot of comfort. I've done the work. Now it's time to have fun on Sunday.

Grace(less) under pressure

2011-07-15T08:25:00.002-04:00

THE SCENE:
South Philadelphia. Theia, her brother, his friend, and SauconRunner are walking toward Lincoln Financial Field for the long-awaited U2 concert. Among the thousands of people heading in the same direction, Theia spots a familiar face...

Theia: blah blah blah ha ha ha
SauconRunner: ha ha blah blah blah bl...
Theia: OMG! Hold on. OMG.
Theia rushes stage right toward Ian Laperriere of the Philadelphia Flyers.
Theia: Excuse me.
Lappy turns.
Theia: I love you.
Lappy: Thank you.
Mrs. Lappy: Awwwww.
Theia [to Mrs. Lappy]: I'm sorry.
Theia [to Lappy]: I do. I love you. I miss you.
Lappy: Thank you.
Theia: And I wish you all the best.
Lappy: That is very kind. Thank you.

Smooth. Very smooth.

The Swim Whisperer

2011-07-14T09:58:00.002-04:00

Last night I accompanied two friends to an open water swim. I had admitted to one of them that I have major anxiety in open water, so they invited me to join them, saying how much it had helped one of them get over the same paralyzing fear.

First, let me tell you that I was shocked to hear that K had any sort of anxiety about anything. This is a woman who routinely earns a podium spot (like, the MAIN podium, not just an age group podium). Last weekend, she was 2nd woman and 16th overall at an Olympic tri, and she's also training for Ironman Canada! There is NO WAY she has a fear of open water. But, they assured me that she'd had issues and that this weekly open water swim opportunity had really helped her overcome them.

When we arrived, they introduced me to a few people and told them about my anxiety. A woman came right over to me. "Come with me," she said, taking my hand. "I am the Swim Whisperer."

We walked to the water's edge, where she asked me what I'm afraid of, when it started, and if I knew why I had the anxiety. I told her all about being an absolutely fearless child and adult until I was caught in a ripcurrent in November 2009 (read about it here). That experience made me realize just how vulnerable we are in the water and has been messing with my brain ever since. SW suggested that I swim only to the first buoy and then back, but of course I promptly ignored that advice because I'm far too Type A to shortcut anything.

After SW gave me her big pep talk, K came over and asked if I was going to take SW's advice to stay closer to shore, and I said I really wanted to swim to the far buoy (a quarter mile away). K gave me an encouraging nod and then, in a big announcer voice, said, "Females 45-49, your wave will start in 3 minutes. Please enter the water. Females 45-49." Just like a race situation! A short bit later, she did it again. "Females 45-49, one minute. One minute." Then, "Females 45-49, 30 seconds." I didn't have the same anxiety I would have before a race, but it did help to have that deadline looming, even if it was artificial.

K told me to keep her pink swim cap in my sight, and off we went. From the very first moment, I had no anxiety. Zero. It was a glorious night to be in the water, and I was calm and serene. I made it to the fourth and final buoy in 9:13, which is a bit slower than I would do a quarter mile in the pool, but I was thrilled. Made it back to the starting buoy in 18:10 (what? I was faster on the way back??), ran out of the water as SW had suggested, got a quick sip from my water bottle, and ran back in to do it again.

All in all, I did a mile in 36:32, which rivals my speed in a pool where there is no anxiety, no fear, and a wall to push off at the end of each length. Overjoyed doesn't even begin to describe it.

SW finished her swim (she probably did 2 miles in the time it took me to do 1!) and came over to me to ask how I did. I told her I felt great the whole time but that was probably at least in part due to the fact that no one was near me. I had to weave around a few swimmers, but it was nothing like a race situation where hundreds of people are thrashing, punching, pulling, and grabbing in each wave. So she told me to swim. I swam. And as I did, she pulled, elbowed, kicked, pushed, and clawed at me. At one point she pushed my legs down so far they were useless, and at another point she grabbed my butt. :) Cracking up, I stood up and turned around to look at her. "Swim! You're not going to stop and laugh next week in your race. Kick harder!"

So I swam again. More pushing, pulling, grabbing. She swam completely on top of my legs to force me to kick her off me.

Afterward, I grabbed her and gave her a huge hug. "You're ready. You're going to do great," she assured me. "You'll let us know how you did, right?"

Thank you, Swim Whisperer. This race is for you.

Friends, Romans, Countrymen... Lend me your mantras

2011-07-13T08:52:00.000-04:00

OK, so it's not an exact quote, but you get the idea.

Last night in the pool I started to have second thoughts (OK, more like 30th thoughts) about this race on the 24th. By all accounts, it was a good swim. I did 2,200 yards total, including a fast (for me) 500 right in the middle at 9:30. I practiced sighting, kicking, pulling, and putting it all together.

Still, I created doubt in my mind. And, worse, fear. I thought about dropping out of the race altogether. Or switching from the Olympic to the sprint. Once that thought entered my mind, it was so appealing... A nice short swim sounds great. None of this "I have to swim HOW FAR to that buoy????" anxiety.

But it also pisses me off, quite frankly. Why do I give up so easily?

What's happening here is that I am allowing my mind to sabotage my race. So I'm asking my blogger friends for their best mantras or relaxation techniques. When you are stressed, how do calm yourself down (or, more accurately, talk yourself off the ledge)?

OMG!

2011-07-12T14:20:00.002-04:00

The groomer told me this is Scooby. I remain unconvinced. :)

Random ramblings

2011-07-12T10:10:00.000-04:00

- Yesterday was my consultation with the sleep doc (finally!). I have some tests and homework to do, including an MRI of my brain to rule out any neurological issues. The doc explained that insomnia is a condition in and of itself, but often there is a secondary cause or issue related to it. In my case, my secondary issue may be my asthma. Yes, that's right, the asthma may have contributed to the insomnia years and years ago, and now my body has adjusted to this new pattern of sleeping and waking. More waking, less sleeping, to be precise. So we're going to try some things over the next few months and see if there's any improvement.

- So far, not so good. I woke up at 4:32 a.m. for no reason and have been awake ever since. I didn't even have an a.m. workout to do today. Crapfest.

- Meet my new officemate!

Scooby was with me at work this morning until his grooming appointment. The next picture of him will look drastically different...

- All the swimming, biking, and running is doing amazing things for my body... and wreaking havoc on my hair and skin.

- Somehow, there was an 8 pound difference between my scale yesterday morning and the doctor's scale at lunchtime. His was 8 pounds higher, of course (I was 136.6 at home and 145 on his scale). I vote for using my scale to measure my progress, simply for consistency. Right. That's it. Consistency. No other reason. :)

Things Runners Wish Non-Runners Knew

2011-07-07T11:43:00.009-04:00

1. We are pedestrians. Pedestrians have the right of way. Therefore, we have the right of way.

2. It is not only impolite but also dangerous to drive so close to us that we could ~~punch~~ touch your car if we wanted to. Move the F over and give us a bit of space. If someone is approaching from the opposite direction that prohibits you from moving over a few inches, you may have to slow down until they pass. You'll survive. I promise.

3. On a track, the inner lanes are reserved for the fastest runners. If you are walking, walk on the outside lanes so that we don't have to weave around you during our intervals. Please and thank you.

4. Related to #3... If we politely ask you if you'd mind moving over so that we could run in one lane all the way around, the proper response is never an eye roll.

5. Running isn't bad for us. It's actually quite good for us. Lots of good stuff happens when we run -- calorie burn, weight maintenance or loss, improved cardiovascular capacity, higher metabolism, lower stress, improved musculature, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, higher bone density, and more. Look it up if you don't believe me. Here, I'll make it easy for you. Health benefits of running <-- Just click on it!

6. If we're running up a steep hill, please don't stop us to ask for directions. If we stop to help you, chances are pretty good we won't be able to start again. So just wait at the top, pull over, and we'll be happy to help you. At that point, we may even welcome a little break. :)

7. I love dogs. D and I have two of them. However, I'm pretty confident I speak for all runners when I say I don't want them -- or any other dog -- to chase me. Keep your dog on a leash if it can't be trusted to stay by your side. And those retractable leashes? Retract them, fercrissakes. Just because your dog is on a leash doesn't automatically mean you're behaving like a responsible pet owner. If the leash is ten feet long and the dog is interfering with our movement or progress, we will tell you about it. And we won't be nice.

8. On a trail or in a race, please don't walk or run 6-across. Or even 3-across. On a busy stretch, whether it's a narrow trail, busy road, or race, go single file when someone is approaching.

9. Please let us pass you. If you hear "On your left," it means a runner or cyclist is coming up from behind you and going faster than you are. Simply move to your right (remember the single file suggestion???) and let us pass.

10. Remember that to us, running is as important as eating, sleeping, and breathing. It's a lifestyle, a choice we've made to live our lives a certain (healthy) way.

There is no justice

2011-07-05T15:15:00.001-04:00

Casey Anthony was acquitted.

Happy July 4 weekend!

2011-07-01T09:45:00.001-04:00

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

I hope you are able to celebrate with loved ones and enjoy some time off. Safe travels to anyone who is on the road (or in the air) this weekend.

And now, the ultimate Would You Rather...

2011-06-29T10:25:00.001-04:00

Would you rather be a boy or a girl?

Discuss.

Would you rather....

2011-06-27T08:35:00.000-04:00

1. Suffer from memory loss or insomnia?
2. Run 10 miles nice and easy or 5 miles as fast as you can?
3. Lose your sight or your hearing?
4. Get a sports massage or a pedicure?
5. Work in a low-paying job that you love or a high-paying job that you hate?
6. Vacation at the beach or in the mountains?
7. Be able to cook well or have a green thumb?
8. Go to a wine bar or out dancing?
9. Do Pilates or yoga?
10. Go to the ballet or the opera?

WTF is going on here????

2011-06-24T08:58:00.005-04:00

In 8 days, five people from my general circle/network have passed away.

Last Thursday - a friend's sister

Last Friday - a coworker

Wednesday - a coworker's nephew

Also Wednesday - a friend's mother

Yesterday - another friend's father

What. The. F? Bad things are supposed to happen in threes, not fives. :(

All this does is strengthen my resolve to let people know how I feel about them. I've already told my wonderful brother how much I love him and how proud I am to be his sister. I need to call both parents (how lucky am I to still have them??) today and tell them, again, that I love them. And I tell D every day, but maybe I'll call him and tell him again. Just because.

There are some others, though, that maybe don't know how special they are to me. Hopefully they will see this post.

Eileen, Karen, Heather, Gina, Resha, and Melanie - You guys are like the sisters I never had. I can tell you anything and ask you anything. I can go weeks without seeing or talking to you, and then when we finally do get together it's like time stood still all those weeks. I don't know what I would do without you guys!

Jen and Kathy - My beautiful cousins! More accurately, my beautiful, hilarious, glamorous, wonderful cousins. Every family gathering is memorable, hysterically funny, and amazing, in no small part because of you guys.

Georgia - My other beautiful cousin. You have meant more to me through the years than you can possibly know.

Andrew - Thank you for your friendship and support. I know how unique our situation is, and I'm deeply appreciative that we've been able to remain friends.

Michelle, Andrea, and Jen - I look forward to our workouts, not only because they kick my butt but also because they give us opportunities to catch up on life, tell funny stories, laugh, commiserate, brainstorm, and more. I hope each of you knows how much you mean to me and how close I feel to you.

Julie, Delia, and Tina - College would not have been the same without any of you. I sometimes wonder what life would have been like if I'd chosen my other first choice (Columbia). And then I quickly think, "But then I wouldn't know Delia! Or Julie! Or Tina!" No choice -- not even NYC, my favorite place on earth -- would have been worth that. I know I don't talk to you often anymore because our lives are so scattered, but I cherish the many memories we created together... and know there are many more to come!

Rob - What can I say about Rob? My closest friend from childhood. The Harry to my Sally (without the awkward "We slept together, now what??" moment). :) I hope you know that my entire family considers you a valued family member. (Come to think of it, I don't know if that's flattering or scary. We are a pretty kooky bunch!)

Ann - Another childhood friend. I love catching up with you when you come back to town and getting to know your beautiful family. And every time I play Trivial Pursuit, I think of you!

Michael - I am always so flattered when you introduce me as your sister, even though we are not blood relatives. I think the world of you!

Hug your loved ones, people, and tell them how you feel about them. You just never know.

Adventures in cycling

2011-06-22T09:07:00.004-04:00

Last night I did a group ride, something I've done only a few times before and really am not comfortable doing. By group ride I don't mean I rode with a few friends. No, I mean I rode with 50 friends. 50 really aggressive, testosterone-laden friends whose purpose in life seems to be to hammer their bikes as hard as possible as often as possible.

The beginning of the ride is a leisurely warmup to get us out of the city and to the backroads. That's where the majority of the ride takes place -- rolling hills through back country roads with no shoulders (and, half the time, no yellow line). We go over train tracks and metal-grate bridges, up loads of hills, down some hills, and generally meander across the state line and back with lots of twists and turns. Since this was my third time ever doing this ride (in 4 years!), I of course am not familiar with the route, but there is supposed to be a sweeper that stays with the slowest riders to make sure everyone gets back safe and sound.

Knowing I'd be one of the slowest riders there, if not the slowest, I purposely started in the back of the B/C group (about 20-25 people). Soon, I could see the majority of the group ahead of me with a few stragglers in between the pack and little old me in the back. Directly in front of me was a young girl (I found out later she was 14) and the ride leader, who was hanging back with her to ensure her safety. Behind me were TONS of cars. Because of that, I wasn't comfortable passing the slower girl for quite a while... I just didn't know what the cars were doing behind me or when they would try to pass me.

I finally passed the girl and ride leader and tried to catch up to the stragglers. I figured as long as I could keep them in my sights, I'd be OK. Big mistake. Remember I said there's supposed to be a sweeper with each group? I didn't realize the ride leader with the young girl WAS the sweeper. I naively assumed there was another ride leader who would drop back for me/us (or was riding with the stragglers), but I was wrong.

While I was trying to catch the smaller group (I'd already given up on the main pack), there were cars everywhere. A black SUV passed me, barely giving me any space, AND THREW A CAN AT MY HEAD, barely missing my face by inches. Then, they leaned on the horn as they passed the two riders in front of me, again not yielding any room for them as they sped by. Guess what? I got their license plate number. Oh yes I did.

Soon, it was just me and another guy, Andy, whom I did not know and who also didn't know the route. Great. I asked Andy to help me remember the plate number because I have a good friend, W, who is a state trooper. I knew W would be interested in my story, but it all depended on remembering the stupid plate. So as we rode, Andy and I recited the number over and over to remember it.

Andy remembered parts of the route, and we rode along -- with me foolishly trusting a guy I'd never even seen before. Luckily, he was a good guy. I mean, really... who follows a stranger into the woods, farther and farther away from home?? Apparently, I do. Genius.

Another rider caught up to us. He'd arrived at the meeting point late and had hammered for miles to catch up. Soon, he left us in the dust. At one point we passed three riders off to the side of the road, one of them changing a tire. They too caught up to us and passed us.

I know without a doubt that Andy could have ridden faster with those other guys, but he never left me. Every minute or so, he would look over his shoulder to make sure I was still there. I am so grateful to him!

When we were all alone again and completely lost in a neighboring state, he took out his iPhone to use his GPS and try to figure out where we were. As he did that, I texted my trooper friend: Remind me - 211284. A few minutes after that, Andy and I parted. He still had miles to go to get home, which was the opposite direction of where my car was. We got to a split in the road, and he assured me that turning left at the split would get me back to a main road that I knew and felt comfortable riding alone. I just didn't know how far that main road was. When I heard my phone go off with an incoming text, I knew it was my trooper friend responding, so I pulled off the road and texted him back:

Just want someone to know where I am. Did a group bike ride but got separated. Am now alone in [state] on [name of road], hopefully heading toward [main road]. From there I will go south to my car, which is parked in [trendy neighborhood]. Just want to let someone know.

(Note that I didn't send that text to D because (a) he just moved here 9 months ago from 3,000 miles away and would not know where I was or how to get to me, and (b) I didn't want him to panic.)

About 10-12 minutes later, I made it to the main road. Thank goodness! I was still WAY north of where I should have been, so I hustled along to get back to my car. Luckily it was the longest day of the year! :) As I got back into my home state, I saw a police car go by and then turn on its lights. I stopped at a red light, and the police car made a U-turn back toward me. It was my trooper friend! He came out to find me!!!! What a great friend. I didn't need help, but it was such a relief to know that it was there if I had needed it. Thank you, W!

I stopped to talk to him for a few minutes and explained my earlier mysterious text about the license plate number. I really hope he goes after the guy(s). And yes, I will press charges against them. F*ckers.

All in all, I made it back to my car unharmed, but there were definitely some scary moments last night. I'm not sure if I'll go back to the group ride next week. If Coach tells me to do it, I will. But I'm not sure I'd choose to do it otherwise.

Race Report

2011-06-20T09:24:00.004-04:00

SHORT VERSION:
I am old and slow.
The End

LONG VERSION:
This was a tune-up race, a day just to see where I am so far in my training and what I need to work on. Still, I wanted to do well and especially wanted to improve over my performance in the same race last year.

Swim - I felt pretty good in the water, which is HUGE progress over all of last year's races when I was prone to panic attacks. In fact, I purposely tried to create anxiety during the swim so that I could learn to persevere through it. It worked; I felt comfortable the whole time I was out there. I didn't push myself as hard as I could have, however, which will be obvious when you see my times...
2010 = 10:03
2011 = 10:02
WTF????????

Bike - This is where I really wanted to see improvement. I've been biking more than ever before and feeling really good on my bike. I know I'm not the fastest girl, but I went in feeling fairly confident that I'd be a minute or two faster than last year. Ummm, not so much.
2010 = 38:27 (18.7 mph)
2011 = 37:49 (19 mph)
Not the improvement I was hoping for.

Run - I knew I'd be slower than last year. I just knew I didn't have the same leg speed I had a year ago.
2010 = 24:13 (7:49 pace)
2011 = 25:13 (8:07 pace)
(Truthfully, I'm happy I did that well. I thought I'd be closer to 26 minutes... or worse!)

Overall -
2010 = 1:15:40
2011 = 1:15:37

Three lousy seconds faster than last year. Really? Three freaking seconds?? Not even close to what I wanted to achieve on Saturday.

Sorry if this seems whiney. I'm disappointed but not devastated. It wasn't an A race, so I'm OK with what went down... I was just hoping for more. Or, more accurately, less. :)

Shaggy was here

2011-06-17T11:43:00.004-04:00

Yes, that's an autographed puck.

Correction. WAS an autographed puck.

The checklist

2011-06-16T15:44:00.001-04:00

- Despite good training so far, suddenly feeling unprepared and anxious. Check.

- Planning my outfit and then second guessing which tri top I should wear. Check.

- Wondering where my What To Pack For A Triathlon checklist is. Check.

- Drinking as much water as possible. Check.

- Questioning my decision to wear new socks in the race. Check.

- Knowing I need to eat healthy foods but craving crap because I've been SO good for SO long. Check.

- Related to above, wondering when it's too early to start carb-loading. Check.

- Obsessively checking Saturday's weather forecast. Check.

Yup. It's race week!

The Dalai Lama's 18 Rules for Living

2011-06-15T11:56:00.002-04:00

I'm sure most of us have seen this before, but it's worth repeating. Enjoy.

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don’t lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three Rs:
- Respect for self
- Respect for others
- Responsibility for all your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don’t let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you’ve made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back, you’ll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don’t bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It’s a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

Random cuteness on a Tuesday

2011-06-14T08:43:00.001-04:00

Mikka lounging on the cedar chest in the bedroom.

Maximus in the bathroom window.

Guess which two dogs got a bath last week? :)

This one is just too good to not post

2011-06-13T09:18:00.004-04:00

"He who warned, uh, the British that they weren't gonna be takin' away our arms, uh, by ringing those bells, and um, makin' sure as he's riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be sure and we were going to be free, and we were going to be armed." ~ Sarah Palin, totally misinterpreting the purpose of Paul Revere's midnight ride

This is my foot

2011-06-10T14:47:00.003-04:00

With an ice bag on it.

On my desk. At work.

Because it's throbbing so badly that I finally decided to look at it, and when I did I saw that it's not only throbbing and painful but also swollen.

Why is it throbbing and swollen? Because this morning I turned quickly to reach for something and slammed my foot into the bike trainer, which was folded neatly and waiting to be taken down to the basement. I saw stars immediately but kept walking on it (I had memories of my coach yelling "Walk it off!" from my many volleyball injuries floating in my head). I figured I was fine if I could walk.

But hours later, the pain has not subsided.

I am not pleased.

MONDAY MORNING UPDATE:
My foot is still swollen, but the pain is all but gone. However... on Saturday the screen door slammed into my heel as I tried to get my bike in the house. Yes, the same foot. Sheesh.

Fortune cookie

2011-06-10T08:45:00.000-04:00

This was a good one.

Minutes are worth more than money. Spend them wisely.

This question is for everyone, not just my runner/triathlete friends

2011-06-07T09:35:00.001-04:00

This morning I did a track workout. While I was out there (in 97% humidity, ugh!), I remembered that a few years ago track workouts were my absolute favorite. When I was doing them weekly and having success nailing my paces, I loved them. (I also hated them, because they are FREAKING HARD, but I loved them at the same time. Weird, I know.)

That made me wonder what everyone else considers to be their favorite workout. Be specific... Is it a particular lift, like squats or walking lunges? Is it a swim set or a run mileage or running route? A Zumba class with a favorite instructor?

I have lots of favorites.

FAVORITE CLASS TO TEACH
After all these years, it's probably still step. I teach an advanced choreography class, and my core group has been with me for YEARS. Step was the first thing I learned to teach, 18 years ago when I first got certified. And it's still my favorite.

FAVORITE CLASS TO TAKE
Advanced step. :) Search for Calvin Wiley, Rob Glick, or Marcus Irwin on youtube to see what I mean by advanced. Swoon!

FAVORITE LIFT
I have two: dips and lateral delt raises. Oh, and squats. And curtsey lunges. And walking lunges. Crap, I love 'em all!

FAVORITE TRACK WORKOUT
This morning's was actually fun: 12 x 200. Love me some 200s!

FAVORITE TRIATHLON WORKOUT
My crazy ass brick workout, where I bounce back and forth between short but intense intervals on the bike trainer (15-20 minutes) and short but intense runs around my neighborhood (I have a 1.08 mile route that I use for this workout) for an hour plus. Love, love, love that crazy ass workout. AND I get to do it this week!

So what are your favorites? Share!

Race pic

2011-06-03T13:50:00.001-04:00

Unfortunately, I can't lift this off their website without purchasing it, but I can link to it. Not a bad pic. This was taken right before the Mile 10 marker (after the fall and both potty breaks).

My top is actually a salmon color, but my profuse sweating makes it look neon orange. Not a bad thing, as D pointed out. After all, it now looks Flyer orange!

If you look closely, you can see the road rash on my legs. I guess it's good that it's not more prominent.

One bad day

2011-06-03T08:53:00.001-04:00

That's all it takes, apparently. One bad eating day, and my gut is back.

Yesterday, for some inexplicable reason, I craved McDonalds. I almost never crave fast food. It's just not that appealing to me (except McDonalds apple pies, which are the BOMB). We didn't grow up having it, so maybe that's why I didn't acquire a taste for it.

Don't get me wrong. I find McDonalds french fries as addictive as the next person. All that salty goodness... mmm.... But greasy burgers and salty fries are not typically what I crave when I have a craving. No, friends, chocolate is what I crave.

Yesterday, however, I had to have those fries. I'd had a very small, very unsatisfying, very overpriced salad for lunch, and 2 hours later I was hungry again. So off to the drive-through I went. At first I planned to just get the fries, but I talked myself into a hamburger too. And 2 apple pies, because I simply cannot drive by that window without buying apple pie.

They were good. All of them. They were the smallest possible portions I could have consumed, but they opened the floodgates. When I got back to my office, I also had Gobstoppers and 2 mini (snack size) candy bars (one Snickers, one Milky Way). I'd also already eaten the aforementioned salad, a yogurt, a banana, cereal, a Mojo bar, and 6-7 jelly beans.

Is it any wonder my stomach is a wreck today? I'm bloated, I look like I regained whatever poundage I'd lost, and I feel like crap.

So not worth it.

What went wrong

2011-05-31T09:18:00.005-04:00

Sunday was my half marathon. It was not an A race for me (that's reserved for my Olympic tri on July 24); however, I am a very competitive and self-critical person and always want to do my best. Without any consistent speedwork and very few tempo runs, I knew this would not be my fastest HM, but I thought I could do somewhere in the vicinity of 1:57 to 1:58. I would have been satisfied with that.

As always, I started off too far in the back of the pack and spent the first mile and a half weaving around people. After the first two miles (9:26 and 9:18), I knew I was in trouble as far as a decent finishing time, so I decided to just make the best of it. Mile 3 was better -- 9:03, and that included a water stop where I had to pour my own cup because the volunteers weren't ready. Note that the only thing they had was Gatorade. This will become important later in the story.

Mile 4 is where everything blew up. We were in a park on a narrow paved trail. As I was running along and trying to again pick up speed, I fell. And I didn't just fall. I did a full-on Pete Rose dive into second -- flying through the air, parallel to the ground with my arms outstretched. There was a bump in the trail... probably a tree root that had grown under the paved trail and caused it to be uneven. My right foot caught the bump, and I went flying.

All around me I heard gasps and people asking, "Are you OK?" I bounced right back up and kept on running. My first concern was, "Are my clothes torn?" (I really liked the outfit I was wearing. Blue Saucony lightweight running shorts with salmon and white piping on the sides with a salmon Saucony running tank.) My clothes were fine -- covered in gravel, but fine. :)

My second thought was, "Am I bleeding?" I was hoping the answer was yes so I would look like a badass, but alas no blood. Just some road rash on both thighs, the heels of both hands, and my right shin, and a bruise developing on my left shin where it hit the raised part of the trail that had tripped me.

People's comments were really funny. One guy said, "Nice recovery!" Two girls behind me gave me a big "Woo hoo!!!" and one girl told me, "Honestly, you looked really graceful going down. I couldn't have done that as well as you did." :)

I stopped at the next water table, took a cup and poured half of it on both of my hands to wash off the gravel bits, then did the same on my legs. BIG MISTAKE. Where did the water go? DOWN my legs and into my socks. Brilliant. Despite all that, mile 4 was 8:53.

I saw D in mile 5 and stopped to tell him what had happened. Honestly, once I fell I knew my racing day was over. My hands were THROBBING, and my stomach wasn't 100%. I decided to just treat it as a long, hard workout.

Miles 6 and 7 were kind of a blur. I really wanted to stop. My hands hurt, and my stomach was in all sorts of trouble. I'll spare you the details, but suffice it to say I had to duck into the woods for a few minutes. I'm convinced it was due to the few sips of Gatorade I'd had earlier in the race. All that sugar + the humidity + the exertion = really, really bad stomach. Really bad.

To make matters worse, after that happened I felt as though I was completely out of gas. This is the second race in a row where my nutrition played a key role. Clearly, I need to do a better job of pre-race loading.

I was nearly on a death march from miles 8-11. My pace was ridiculously slow (I think mile 11 was 10:10). I could feel a blister on my left foot from when I poured water down my leg and into my sock. My left knee was absolutely killing me. (I think my gait was off, either from the blister or the fall.) It was taking every ounce of willpower to not walk. Right after I passed the Mile 11 marker, I saw a young girl (20ish) walking, and as I came up to her I said, "Come on. Let's go. Let's do this." She started running with me and told me it was her first HM. Her longest training run had been only 6 miles, so I gave her a big pep talk about how she'd crushed her longest run already and how well she was doing. We ran the rest of the way together, picking up and losing a few other women on our way. Her name was Claire. In all honesty, she helped me as much as I may have helped her. Chatting with her and trying to keep her spirits up gave me something to focus on other than my own misery -- the fall, my stomach, my knee, my now awful finish time. Those last 2 miles went by so fast because of her. Thank you, Claire! And congratulations! You ran a half marathon!!!

By my watch, my finish time was 2:04:11. Awful.

So, what went wrong?
- 2 potty breaks
- 1 blister
- really upset stomach
- 1 fall
- poor nutrition (well, not enough nutrition I suppose)
- pain in my knee

What went right?
- I didn't stop running
- I lost a few pounds during training
- My endurance was fine. Better than fine.
- It was fun to see D a few times during the race, and since I wasn't really racing I could slow down (or stop, more accurately) each time and talk to him
- Maybe I helped Claire finish stronger than she would have

YES!

2011-05-27T10:05:00.001-04:00

A while back I posted my weight in the hope that it would shame me into losing a few pounds. For a while, I was good about posting updates fairly regularly, but in the past few weeks the scale was been acting particularly goofy. We suspected it just needed a new battery, so D bought one earlier this week.

This morning I decided to test it.

But first, some context:
- Starting weight was 150 (on or around January 1)
- During the winter I actually gained and got up to 153
- With a lot of hard work and some better food choices, I started to see some movement in the right direction and hovered right around 148-149 for several weeks
- My goal was to be at 145 on race day -- this Sunday

{drum roll}

This morning's weight was 145.6!!!

Yes, I'm doing a happy dance right now!

How did it get to be the end of May already??

2011-05-26T14:47:00.002-04:00

Time really does fly, doesn't it? I guess I must be having fun. :)

This weekend marks the unofficial start of summer and all it signifies -- longer days, tan lines, barbecues, vacations, flip flops, corn on the cob, green grass and summer flowers, triathlons, and that general relaxed attitude most people seem to adopt in the hotter months. I for one love summer. Even when it's 90 degrees with 90% humidity and my hair is frizzing all over the place, I am happiest when the sun is out, the days are long, and my skin is bronzed and beautiful.

On a personal note, this weekend also marks the start of my racing season. Sunday is my half marathon, and my first sprint tri is only 3 weeks after that!

I totally <3 summer.

Why does swimming make me so ravenous?

2011-05-24T11:08:00.002-04:00

Seriously, after swimming Sunday and yesterday, I cannot shove enough food into my face. Yesterday I had cereal, a banana, grapes, a granola bar, 2 mini candy bars, a Lean Cuisine frozen doodad, chocolate pudding, leftover orzo and vegetables, and 2 Pop Tarts. OINK. So far today I've had cereal, yogurt, grapes, and a banana. And it's not even lunchtime! The microwave popcorn is calling out to me... Theeeeeeiiiiaaaaa.... You know you want meeeeeee. Must. Resist.

Last night's intervals were a.w.e.s.o.m.e. I was supposed to do 10 x 50 yards (plus warm-up and cooldown) and then do some upper body weights. When I first started swimming a few summers ago, I did 50 yard intervals in about 55-58 seconds. Soon, I was doing all of them in 50-55 seconds. Last summer I was probably averaging right around 50 seconds for 50 yards, and it took a great deal of effort to get there. Anytime I got below 50 seconds, I was thrilled.

So imagine my surprise last night when my watch showed these times: 48, 47, 48, 47, 47, 47, 48, 48, 47, 48. And they felt GOOD. Not effortless, certainly. I took full advantage of a 20-or-so second rest after each one. But I could have done 5-10 more with no problem, and I don't think I would have slowed down much. During a few of the intervals, I actually created a wake! Now THAT was cool. It felt as though I was drafting off someone in front of me, even though I had the lane to myself. I can't describe it, other than to say it was like I had a motor. Cool, cool stuff.

Now if I can only do that for 1,500 meters on July 24! :)

So, the world didn't end Saturday after all

2011-05-23T09:51:00.002-04:00

I'm shocked. SHOCKED, I tell you. I mean, how can that ~~whackjob~~
~~freako~~ ~~nutbag~~ person be so wrong about Judgment Day, not once but twice? How can that be, when God himself is talking directly to him? It just doesn't make any sense to me. Maybe I should send him some money to help the cause. :rolleyes:

Ahem. I'm done with the sarcasm. For now.

I must say that I'm very glad the world didn't end. See my last post for some of the reasons why.

Last week was my first week of official coaching. I'm convinced my coach is a sadist, but his results speak for themselves. I'm willing to stick with it if he can get me to the finish line of an Olympic distance tri in less than 3 hours, and I think he can.

This week I need to get my head ready for Sunday's race, the Alexandria Running Festival Half Marathon. I haven't done a HM in more than 18 months, and I'm having serious doubts about my ability. Right now I'm in the stage of "I can't possibly run at an 8:40 pace when my average training pace has been 9:xx." See? I have to get my head ready. My legs and lungs are there. My head is not.

If nothing else, though, the half marathon training has really improved my endurance, so my first week of tri training wasn't nearly as painful as it could have been. Two hour bike ride? No problem. Intervals of 300 yards in the pool (the longest intervals I'd done prior were 100s)? Got it.

Meanwhile, yay for taper week! :)

Five things

2011-05-20T14:37:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Roo for this idea!

5 THINGS I LIKE ABOUT MYSELF
- My compassion
- My loyalty
- My sense of fairness and balance
- My goofiness
- My kindness

5 THINGS MY BODY CAN DO
- Hug
- Smile
- Laugh
- Learn
- Hear

5 THINGS I AM GRATEFUL FOR
- Dave!!!
- My family, including the four-legged members
- My friends
- Our health
- My brain

5 REASONS I'M HAPPY TO BE ALIVE
- Music
- Sunshine
- The Flyers
- My family and friends
- The beach

Rain, rain, go away

2011-05-19T10:29:00.000-04:00

Theia needs to bike!

The last time I got on my bike was 9 days ago. So much for my plan to start my Olympic tri training in earnest this week. :) Oh well, more rain predicted for later today, so it looks like I'll be on the trainer for an hour. Hopefully Saturday will be better so I can get outside (assuming that's what Coach has in store for me).

Of course, the world is ending Saturday, so maybe it's not that much of a priority anyway. Bwaaahahaha!

Speaking of which, best sign ever, right outside the British pub a few blocks from our house:

END OF WORLD AFTER PARTY
SUNDAY, MAY 22
LUNCH STARTING AT 11 A.M.

We're so going!

I may have to change the name of this blog

2011-05-17T10:12:00.008-04:00

At first I was thinking of changing it to The Lazy Triathlete and Runner Who Signs Up for Races and Then Gets Discouraged During Training and Decides She Doesn't Actually Want to Do the Race Anymore. But I'm not really lazy as much as exhausted.

Yup, it's back. Insomnia.

Actually, that's not true either. It never really goes away. It ebbs and flows a bit, but it's always there. Lingering. Taunting me.

Most days I can handle it just fine. I've simply learned how to survive on about half the sleep a normal person gets. Some days, though, I simply cannot cope. I become overwhelmed with not only fatigue, but also hopelessness. This morning I was so exhausted I started crying. This was, of course, after I knew I couldn't possibly get a successful workout in. Yup, another skipped swim this morning.

I've decided that Ambien is simply not worth it. When I do take it, I am able to sleep... for a whopping 5 hours. Sometimes, maybe, 5 1/2 hours. And then I toss and turn the rest of the night. When I wake up (and I use the term loosely), I am so groggy and foggy I feel worse than I did before using it. So that's out.

I bought some melatonin, since it's all natural and shit. Can't hurt me, right? Yeah, well, it also can't help me, apparently, so that's out too.

I won't even go into everything else I've tried through the years. I've written about it before. Even I'm bored by this conversation at this point.

But when it starts affecting my life -- and my workouts and training -- I have to take action. So as soon as I'm done writing this, I'm calling my doctor. There has to be another alternative. The problem is, I know all he'll do is prescribe something else, and I really, really don't want a pill. :(

Wish me luck.

UPDATE:
The doctor's office called me back and referred me to a sleep clinic. Calling them now to schedule an appointment...

AND ANOTHER UPDATE:
July 11. My appointment is July 11. I guess I just suffer until then. Egad.

Dear Racers,

2011-05-16T11:10:00.006-04:00

This is your race volunteer writing. You saw me yesterday; I was the one out there for 5 1/2 hours trying to help you by directing you to the proper lane at the point where the marathoners, half marathoners, and relay team members all merged, right near the halfway point and finish line. Remember? I was the really LOUD one in the white Flyers visor.

Oh, what's that? You didn't hear me screaming at you because you were racing with your headphones on? And then you were frustrated at going the wrong way and adding to your time? (Or, worse yet, weaving in and out of the cones and getting in other racers' way?)

Well, guess what. It's not. my. fault. I was doing my best to corral you into the correct lane so you wouldn't go off course. I was screaming at you, remember? "Relay, stay center! RELAY! RE-LAY!!!!!!!! CENTER LANE!!!!" Yeah, that was me. Funny, because everyone else in the tri-state area could hear me. I'm not dainty. I'm not shy. And I'm definitely not quiet.

But your headphones were loud enough that you couldn't hear someone 5 feet away, screaming at full volume. This is a problem.

And this is why headphones are outlawed in most races.

Think about it.

Sincerely,
The race volunteer who stood in the humidity and threat of thunderstorms for more than 5 hours, just to help you have a good race experience

First brick of the season - done and done!

2011-05-11T08:42:00.004-04:00

I've heard many theories about why brick workouts are called, well, brick workouts. One explanation is that they are the foundation of triathlon training; you build your fitness little by little, like laying bricks to create the foundation of a house. I dunno. That seems kinda boring. I doubt that's why they're called bricks.

My favorite explanation is this: when you Bike and Run your legs feel like ICK. :)

I've done a few swim/run bricks so far, but last night was my first true brick workout -- a short bike ride followed by a short run. The bike ride was, again, great. I can't believe how much stronger I feel on my bike this year compared to the past two summers. I'm faster on the hills, I'm able to stay in my big ring, and I feel much more confident. After my short ride (17.5 miles, including the little loop I did as a warmup while waiting for my friend J to arrive), I changed shoes and ran the same short loop. I felt great. Never out of breath, never sore, just what felt like an easy run. My pace could have been faster (I think I ran at an 8:24 pace), but overall it was a good, solid workout. Best of all, it gave me confidence about the upcoming season. There's way more work to be done, but my starting point is pretty good this time around. Just in time for me to graduate to a new age group this year!

Random Thoughts

2011-05-09T09:58:00.007-04:00

Here they are, in no particular order.

1. Our scale is seriously messed up. I weighed myself four times this morning and got four different numbers ranging from 142 (no way in hell) to 148 (more likely).

2. The weather is GLORIOUS for running and biking right now! Well, except for the whole allergies thing. All the news reports are saying that the tree pollen, in particular, is off the charts this year. My navy blue car is yellow each morning from all the pollen on it!

3. Prospect Park in Brooklyn is still one of my favorite places to run, especially when I'm running at the same pace as a nice person that doesn't mind chatting for a few minutes. Yesterday during my 8+ miler I met and talked to a very nice woman named Hannah who just moved to the US from the UK. Sadly, we had only 7 or 8 minutes together before she had to turn off toward her home, but they were very enjoyable minutes. Welcome to the US, Hannah!

4. Phone tag is not fun. Especially when the person calling you (for work stuff) wants to call you two hours after your workday ends and/or on a weekend when you're out of town.

5. Less than three weeks until my half marathon, and less than 11 weeks until my Olympic tri! Eek!

6. Related to #5, I really, really, REALLY need to work on my speed. Pick a sport, and I'm too slow in it for racing. Oof.

7. I had a wonderful time with my mom and brother this weekend. They remain my best friends in the world. How lucky am I to be able to say that??

8. This isn't from this weekend but from two years ago (or maybe three years ago??) on Mother's Day weekend in NYC. Me and my bro. This is Mom's background image on her cell phone (awww!), and I forwarded it from her phone to mine this weekend.

9. Why are the items in a salad bar so hard to reach? You know, the items that are in the second row (toward the inside of the salad bar)? I have abnormally long arms, and even I have to contort myself, go into a half squat, twist my upper body, and reach beyond what's comfortable in order to get to the shredded carrots or whatever. How on earth do shorter people ever make a salad?

I hope everyone had a very enjoyable, relaxing, and fun Mother's Day!

Another article published

2011-05-03T08:33:00.002-04:00

Yay! Click here to read my latest article. It's on pages 26-27.

(Note: it will be of particular interest to runners.)

Water weight... I presume

2011-05-02T13:47:00.003-04:00

148 this morning!

Actually, I weighed myself twice. The first one was 147.8, and the second was 148.2, so I averaged them. :)

It's probably just water weight from some good, hard workouts this weekend, but do I care??

A bit of redemption?

2011-05-01T18:23:00.004-04:00

After last weekend's painful 10-miler, I wasn't sure what to expect this morning, what with 12 on my schedule and all. Unfortunately, because I am cramming my half marathon training into only 6-7 weeks, I haven't had time to slowly ramp up my mileage and get myself physically and mentally ready for those really long runs. Oh well, this was my choice, and I'm proud of myself for sticking to my schedule at the very least.

I'm pleased to report that this weekend's 12 miles were far more enjoyable and less painful than last weekend's 10. There were two main reasons for this.

1. I had company. And chatty company at that! Thanks so much, A! You made the miles tick by and kept me entertained (or maybe distracted is a better word) the whole time we were out there.

2. It was only 47 degrees when we started. Oh, what a difference 20 degrees make!

All in all, I'm feeling a bit better about the upcoming half in four weeks.

Oh, and in bigger news, I have an A race for the summer. I took the plunge and signed up for the New Jersey State Tri -- Olympic distance. Gulp!

One of those days

2011-04-27T09:24:00.002-04:00

You know how some days you just do NOT have it in you?

Yeah, today was one of those days in the pool.

I planned to swim a mile (1,800 yards or 72 lengths, for those who are not aware). My first quarter mile was already way off pace (i.e. slow), whereas generally my swims are about as well-paced as my runs... which is to say I go out too fast. I knew I was in trouble at that point but kept plugging along. Finally, after the third quarter mile I decided to stop the suffering and got out of the pool. 1,350 yards instead of 1,800, and probably my slowest time in two years.

Oh well. Saturday's swim will be better!

Um, where did spring go???

2011-04-25T09:47:00.008-04:00

We went from winter to summer in a day this weekend. Seriously. Mother Nature really needs to stop PMSing. Somebody give the woman some Midol!

Yesterday was my first double-digit run in nearly 18 months. (I checked. The last time I ran double digits was the OBX Half Marathon in November 2009. Holy schmoley!) It was also the first time in weeks that I had to run long by myself. When I set out from home, the Weather Channel said it was 61 degrees and 100% humidity. Ummm... THAT's not going to be fun.

By the time I got home, it was 74 degrees... and 100% humidity. D asked me if I'd poured my water bottle over my head. No, that was sweat, my dear!

Speaking of D, can I please tell all of you how completely wonderful he is? (Especially you, Lisa, if you still stalk, I mean read this.) I was a bit slower than I've been the past several weeks due to the heat, plus I had to walk about half a mile AND I stopped for a pitstop. When I wasn't back at the expected time, D came out in his car to find me. He didn't see me on his first pass, so he looped back around. This time, he found me as I re-entered our neighborhood. I cursed about the humidity, and he said, "I figured that was what happened." I handed him my empty water bottle, just to get rid of it for the last quarter mile, and he handed me an ICE COLD water bottle in its place. You have no idea how excited I was to see cold water!

He's the best.

Totally unrelated but equally awesome...

Woo hoo!

2011-04-23T14:32:00.003-04:00

I just did my longest swim ever - 2,800 glorious yards in the pool. (My prior longest was 2,700, so it's not like it was that big a deal... but still I'm pretty psyched about it.)

Lots of drills, some time with the fins (how much do I love those things? they're like a motor!), and some intervals: 8 x 25, 4 x 50, and 2 x 100. All in all a great swim, followed by a super easy 4-mile run in 33:10.

I'm back, baby.

I really need a Garmin

2011-04-19T09:48:00.005-04:00

But they really need to make them smaller!

I am not, as you've seen in the pictures, a petite person; however, my wrists and ankles are roughly the size of a 3 year-old's. Seriously, I can wear children's watches and bracelets. You know the Livestrong and gazillion other rubber message bracelets that were all the rage? I had to buy the child's size.

Anyway, the reason I never bought a Garmin was because of its clunky size. It would take up half my forearm!

My desperate need for some sort of pacing assistance was quite evident this weekend, however. I attempted my first workout of the week on Friday evening. My goal was to do a short, easy, slow run to see how my back held up, then do some really light weights. I knew I was running with faster friends Saturday and Sunday, so Friday needed to be easy. I set out on my short (3.4 mile) course from the Y, and within minutes I was panting. "Geez, didn't take me long to fall out of shape!" is what I thought to myself. It was much colder than I'd anticipated, I was underdressed, and it was W I N D Y as all hell. I struggled through, got back to the Y, and clicked my watch. 28:24, or an 8:22 pace. Ummm, not easy! (At least there was a valid reason for my heaving breathing!)

Saturday morning my running partner M and I set out from the Y together, and I told her of my escapades in pacing. Laughing, we both admitted we're awful at it. The run was again hard (we did the 4.1 mile loop), but again it was really windy, plus we were talking, which always make you use your oxygen differently, so I didn't think much of it. We got back to the Y in 33:32... 8:11 pace. Zoiks!

Sunday, thankfully, was slower. Much slower. 8 miles with my other training partner A at a 9:15 pace. Perfect for a longer, hilly run. (I try to do my long runs at about 9 to 9:30 pace.)

Meanwhile, though, I really need to learn how to pace myself better. If it's an easy run, I need to learn how to run easy. The time to find out I worked too hard is NOT when I'm done. It's a few minutes into the run so I can adjust accordingly.

The same holds true for race day. One of my biggest problems is always going out too fast. I simply do not know how fast I'm going, and more often than not I pay for it later in the race.

So much to learn... So much to improve on!

I registered today...

2011-04-15T17:31:00.002-04:00

... for the Alexandria Running Festival Half Marathon on May 29. Woo hoo! Only $55, they donate to local charities, and I am confident I have enough time to train and do fairly well.

Bring it on.

You may have noticed a lack of reported workouts this week

2011-04-14T13:21:00.006-04:00

That's because I managed to injure myself. Grrrr.

See where it says Weights under 4/11/2011? Yeah, apparently I thought it would be a brilliant idea to completely and totally overdo the chin-ups on Monday. I used the assisted dip/pull-up machine -- the one that has the pad you kneel on and then do either dips or pull-ups/chin-ups. You know which one I mean?

It's the only machine in the gym with an inverse weight ratio -- the less weight you select, the harder it is. That's because the weight represents how much of your body weight you are subtracting (or asking the machine to do for you).

The last few times I've done dips on that machine, I've put the pin at 50 (so I'm dipping 100 pounds). I thought it would be a good idea to do 70 for some chin-ups... so 80 pounds for me to hoist up. The first set went pretty well; I cranked out 10 reps and slowed down toward the end, so that was perfect. The second set, I managed only 8. And they were a tough 8. So I told myself to just do 7 in the third set so I'd end up with a pretty number of 25 total reps. Well, I did one better than that and again did 8 reps, but they were brutal.

But not as brutal as the pain I have caused since.

Holy. Hell.

My lats are so sore that it hurts when my clothes touch them. I can't reach over my head or forward. Try getting dressed or even putting on a raincoat under those circumstances. Yeah, not easy. Taking a deep breath hurts, as does leaning back on anything (even pillows). I can't straighten my arms all the way, particularly my left arm. By the end of the day yesterday, my left arm was bent at 90 degrees. I looked like I was wearing an invisible sling. Today I can straighten it about 75% of the way. Progress! D and I think I may have strained a ligament on the inside of my elbow.

But my back. Oh my goodness, my back!

Needless to say, I haven't done anything remotely resembling exercise since Monday night. You cannot imagine how much that pisses me off.

In other news, the playoffs may have started last night, technically speaking... but the real excitement begins tonight. GO FLYERS!

Catching up

2011-04-13T10:19:00.003-04:00

Earlier this year I vowed to use this blog to hold myself accountable for my weight loss efforts. For a few weeks, I was good about posting my successes (or lack thereof), but when the scale totally got stuck I stopped posting. No need to repeat the same post week after week, right?

Well, the scale is still pretty much stuck. Inexplicably, I gained four pounds one week (huh????) and have been steadily losing a pound a week ever since, bringing me back to my starting weight.

At nearly 5'10" and 150 pounds, I know I don't need to lose a great deal of weight. I'm lucky; I'm tall and muscular, and I can carry a few extra lbs without too much trouble. The thing is, I really want to lose weight. Three summers ago I was 137. Was that too thin? Probably. Do I want to weigh that little again? Sort of... but not really. I mean, I had NO butt or boobs when I weighed that little. Seriously. They disappeared.

What I'd like is to keep my curves and get down to the low- to mid-140s -- and stay there.

Getting there isn't the hard part. Staying there is.

Anyone else on this journey with me?

This is what happens after pretty much every bike ride

2011-04-11T11:26:00.007-04:00

That is my right calf after yesterday's bike ride. What was funny was that I was wearing my awesome tattoo arm warmers, courtesy of SauconRunner. They make my arms look like I have full sleeve tattoos. For the record, I have none. Anyway, toward the end of the ride, my training partner M was behind me (a rarity, believe me! she's so strong) and said, "I like your tattoo!" Thinking she was making a joke about my arm warmers, I asked, "Which one?" She replied, "The one on your leg!" When I saw the chain imprint on my calf, I cracked up.

Seriously, though, how does this happen every time? I end up with grease all over my legs after a ride (not always in the awesome imprint of the bike chain, though... that was a first!). I'm guessing that I lean into my bike, or lean my bike into my leg, when I clip out at red lights or something? I always clip out with my right foot, and this is my right calf... and the chain is on the right.... Maybe I lean into the chain without realizing it?

Oh well, at least I know my chain is well lubricated! :)

How about that? A setback gave me the motivation I was lacking.

2011-04-05T10:07:00.004-04:00

For a few weeks I've been toying with the idea of doing a half marathon on May 15. I haven't done one since November 2009, and I'm due for a new PR (in anything, frankly, but the half marathon is one I think I can accomplish with relative ease). Toward the end of last week I realized I was coming up on the deadline for reduced registration fee, so I went to the website to sign up.

The race is sold out.

A few days earlier, a friend from my outdoor boot camp class had told me that one of the women who comes to class sporadically (once it got cold we stopped seeing her, but I expect her to return any week now) wanted to sell her bib for the Broad Street Run. While the prospect of running with 30,000 of my closest friends didn't exactly thrill me, I thought the popular 10-miler would be a good second choice.

Until my mother informed me that we have a one-year memorial service the same morning for my aunt who passed away last year.

OK, onto Plan C! There's an adventure race (mud, obstacles, etc.) in late April that I'd thought about doing, but with the half marathon looming -- or so I thought -- I didn't want to risk injury and therefore didn't sign up. So I went to that website to sign up. $50 for 600 yards of running with 12 obstacles? 600 yards? I can do basically the same workout -- with A LOT more running -- in my own classes. That seemed a bit steep, so I didn't register.

Plan D -- an early season sprint triathlon! There's one nearby in a few weeks that is 450 meters in a heated outdoor pool, 10 mile bike, 5K run. Perfect. Until I filled out the registration form on Friday and saw that it was $91 when you add in processing fees and etc. $91 for a SPRINT tri? In a POOL? That will take me about 1:15 or less to complete? You've gotta be kidding me.

But here's the good news. (Yes, there is a point to this post.) Instead of being down about all of this and worrying about floundering without a schedule or goal, I had one of the best treadmill runs of my life Friday after work. And a kickass workout in my bike trainer class Saturday. And 9.5 hilly miles with two friends who are much faster than me on Sunday.

Those workouts were wonderful. Outstanding. Fantabulous. Just what I needed to kick my own butt. Just what I needed to remind myself that racing is not the end all, be all. Sometimes working out just for the sake of working out is what you need after all.

Cute pics from 3.31.11

2011-04-01T13:18:00.015-04:00

Make sure you scroll down to see all of them... Trust me!

Before the game...

At the game...

The game!

And here's one from a different game last night (Kings/Canucks). I cannot stop laughing.

Too tired to train

2011-03-31T14:10:00.004-04:00

Once again insomnia is hitting me hard, zapping me of my energy and willpower. I ended up skipping Tuesday's workout (which was OK since I'd done two hard workouts Monday -- boot camp in the a.m. and Spinning in the p.m.), so I was going to turn that into my rest day. But today I am simply too tired to work out. I have a small window of opportunity between work and the Flyers game... and absolutely no motivation or energy. Honestly, I'd rather try to get a 20 minute nap than a workout.

So, dear readers, I am turning to you for advice. What do you do on those days you're simply too exhausted to work out? Do you go anyway and hope that the workout energizes you? Do you modify it or cut it short? Do you skip it and make up for it the next day? Something else entirely?

I should add that today's workout is supposed to be a speed session on the track. No wonder I want to skip it, right? I was going to get it done this morning and go to yoga tonight, but then the Flyers tix came up and yoga went right out the window. :)

I've been remiss! But here's a good one.

2011-03-30T13:35:00.006-04:00

Moronic Palin Quote of the Week. (We'll just pretend I post one every week.)

"I haven't heard the President say that we are at war, and - and that's why, I, too . . . uhhhh am not knowing do we use the term intervention? Do we use war? Do we use squirmish? What is it?" ~ Sarah Palin, in response to President Obama's speech on Libya

Another new word from Ms. Palin! Squirmish! I am awed by how idiotic she proves herself to be on a regular basis.

On a related note...

A new mantra

2011-03-29T14:09:00.001-04:00

Many thanks to Tonya for this one.

"It's only pain. Pain goes away, but the feeling of achieving something lives forever."

Feeling foolish

2011-03-28T15:30:00.006-04:00

This weekend was the inaugural Phillies 5K, which sold out in less than 24 hours. I was one of the lucky 3,000 people who got in.

A few weeks ago I thought about skipping it. My training has been nonexistent, and the few times I've attempted speedwork did not go well. Last week was not a good one; I was ill all week, stayed home from work one day, got subs for two of my three classes, and worked out for a grand total of 32 minutes in four days. Then I heard the forecast for Saturday morning: cold, windy, cold, and cold.

That settled it. No 5K for me.

This morning I checked the results. Based on what I know I could do (even with the lousy training), I would have finished 2nd in my age group in a field of 3,000 runners.

And I would have gotten to run the bases at Citizens Bank Park.

And I would have received a signed ball as a prize for my AG finish.

So today I'm feeling like a big fat loser for skipping it. So what if I wasn't going to PR? I have to reset my attitude about this whole racing thing. No PR? NO BIG DEAL. Just get out there and do my best. And depending on who else shows up, my best on any particular day just might be good enough.

In other news, I ordered these super cool arm warmers on Friday and can't wait to get them!

March was a bust

2011-03-28T09:32:00.002-04:00

I'm posting my April goals early because March... well, it didn't go as planned, fitness-wise.

I did not do all my planned workouts.
I did not lose weight.
I did not swim every week.
I did not pass Go.
I did not collect $200.

But April will be better! I know it.

APRIL GOALS
- Swim 1-2 times per week.
- Get outside on my bike (it will eventually be warm enough, right???)
- Drop to 147 by May 1.
- Stick to my schedule.
- Do at least 2-3 early morning workouts per week.

I can do this.

It's time

2011-03-24T14:32:00.001-04:00

Hardest. Class. Ever.

2011-03-17T09:25:00.003-04:00

Last night I subbed my old HEAT class (High Energy Athletic Training, aka boot camp). I don't know what possessed me to make it so incredibly hard, but suffice it to say that *I* nearly puked at one point... so you can imagine how awful the class members felt.

I did a simple Add It On class. 10 different exercises or drills. Do #1 and rest. Do #1 again and add #2, then rest. 1 + 2 + 3, take a break. You get the idea. Here are the exercises, in order:

1. 10 burpees
2. 1 minute mountain climber
3. 10 squats standing on a BOSU
4. 10 pushups
5. 16 sumo squats (straddle the BOSU, down low in a squat like a sumo wrestler, and jump onto the BOSU with both feet, still staying low, step down down... 8 with your right leg leading off, then 8 with your left leg leading)
6. up up down down on the BOSU, 2 jacks on the floor, 16 total (switch lead leg after 8)
7. 10 bodybuilders (hold the BOSU overhead with the dome side away from you, do a squat thrust, 1 plank jack, 1 pushup, jump back up and lift the BOSU overhead again... that's 1)
8. 10 overhead tricep extensions using the BOSU as your weight
9. 1 minute bicycle
10. 1 minute plank

I'll save you from having to do the math. We did 100 burpees last night. (Plus all the other stuff, but 100 burpees!)

I'm pretty certain everyone in the class has their Theia voodoo dolls out today and multiple pins handy, getting their revenge on me!

My legs might actually fall off this time

2011-03-14T09:45:00.003-04:00

I know I've threatened it before, but this time it might really happen.

Thursday: an hour plus of intervals on the bike trainer
Friday: mile repeats (my first effort at speedwork in 5 months) - 7:43, 7:40, 7:35
Saturday: the most hellacious bike trainer class ever... 85 minutes of hell
Sunday: hilly 8 mile run
Monday: 3.4 miles of boot camp this morning

And I have to teach a 90-minute Spinning class tonight.

Seriously, I may be limping something fierce tomorrow.

Oof.

Things that drive me up a wall

2011-03-03T13:36:00.006-05:00

- Grammar, usage, punctuation, and spelling errors. Especially, as "some" of you know, "unnecessary" use "of" "quotation" marks"," followed closely by using an apostrophe to indicate a plural. Or should I say plural's.

[banging head against the wall repeatedly]

OK, I'm back.

- Abbreviations and word derivations that are meant to be cute but really, truly are just stupid. Examples: EVOO, sammy, sammich, de-lish, and yum-o. See also: Rachael Ray.

- The extra letter in RachAel Ray's name.

- The overinflated sense of worth demonstrated by politicians who haven't accomplished a damn thing and don't have a single original idea, yet seem poised to take over the country. See: Sarah Palin, Christine O'Donnell, Tea Baggers, I mean Party. (Related note: best quote ever, by Jon Stewart. "Sarah Palin was so accomplished at being governor of Alaska that she graduated early!")

- The ever-loosening definition of celebrity. It used to be that you had to have some talent to be famous. Now you just need to have a sex tape or famous parent or ex-spouse. See: Kardashians, Hiltons, Real Housebimbos of [insert city here].

- Celebrities who aren't content to be famous in one arena and have to CONQUER THE WORLD by acting, singing, dancing, modeling, being a judge on American Idol, having a clothing line, developing a perfume... Yes, I'm talking to you, Jennifer Lopez. See also: Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson.

There's more, but my brain hurts just thinking of all this so I must stop. For now.

March goals

2011-03-01T09:31:00.005-05:00

FITNESS
- Continue to swim at least once a week, working up to twice a week
- Incorporate speedwork and hills into my runs (not at the same time)
- Continue to build bike fitness
- 5K race on 3.26 - pace pace build race, pace pace build race, pace pace build race
- Lift weights twice a week
- Teach kickass and fun classes

HEALTH
- Drop 4 pounds by April 1
- Get my left knee under control... It's not making me happy at. all.
- To that end, use the foam roller at least twice a week on my legs. Ouch.
- Stay healthy

WORK/LIFE
- Continue to work hard and be indispensable to my boss :)
- Tackle the website updates I never have time to finish
- Make more time to play with the critters every day

Two quotes that have stuck with me

2011-02-25T11:07:00.006-05:00

"Dreams without action stay dreams."
"You cannot conquer what you don't confront."

They're similar, really, and so appropriate to anyone who competes. You may dream of a certain race result or PR, but without action, it will always be just a dream. Similarly, if you don't confront what you need to do -- the training, dedication, time and effort involved -- you can't conquer your challenges. Ever, really. You can only skate by for so long on sheer luck and determination. Eventually, you have to put in the time.

I'm finally realizing that I haven't put in the time. Not yet. Not the way I should. It's decision time. How badly do I want to hurt, I mean work? How much do I want a PR in a 10K, a half marathon, and an Olympic distance tri? Am I willing to take action, to confront and conquer these goals?

Are you?