Screw the critics, and screw cancer

While my time with the Lance Armstrong Foundation was short in college, it left a huge impression on me. I wasn't into riding. I wasn't into spending thousands of dollars on a fancy bike, helmet and gear. I knew little about the ins and outs of peloton and cycling and the thrill you feel riding on the road in the middle of nowhere.

But it did leave me with compassion and the wish to be a part of something so big (it was big back then, but now is gargantuan!) that had so much meaning. To this day, if there was some way I could be on the inside again day in, day out and support this cause, I would drop everything.

Cancer has affected my life, just as I'm sure most of yours as well. We had a neighbor, when I was eight, be diagnosed with breast cancer. She had two very young children, who were my sister's and brother's ages, and I remember them staying over at our house for a few nights the week she was getting some major surgery and chemo. She lost her 15+ year battle this past January.

I have an uncle, who we don't get to see very often, who unfortunately seems to 'attract' every sort of cancer imaginable. Once he shakes off one, another is discovered. He's been fighting cancer for what seems like 20 years, and with lack of great health care coverage, he goes between Mexico and New Mexico for treatment.

Then all of a sudden, two years ago this month, my dad went in for some chest pain, and not only did they find a mysterious and very rare mass in his heart, they found a mass in his lung and his kidney. After many tests, travel to Minnesota to the Mayo Clinic for heart surgery by the one surgeon who has seen this type of mass (though it was still the largest and most mysterious ever), more tests to check the kidney (which they then suspected it to be cancerous because of it's own blood supply), and another couple months to wait for his heart surgery recovery, 40% of his kidney was cut out. And guess what? It turned out to be very early stages of cancer. Luckily, he did not have to go through chemo, he gets checked regularly for masses, but he went through enough pain and torture of tests, open heart/double bypass surgery and a long, arduous, painful recovery to last our whole family a lifetime.

I even had a scare in college, while at the LAF. I was first diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Then they did more tests and said I had Graves' Disease. Then they decided I had a tumor and wasn't sure if it was benign yet or not. After many tests, many pokes and prods with needles (which is why to this day I can sit and stare at a needle going into my arm. Thank God for good veins.), it eventually was diagnosed a benign tumor, which was killed off with iodine. I am now on medication for the rest of my life.

Seeing Lance Armstrong's new Nike commercial gave me chills. It hit me to the bone. Here's to kicking cancer's ass and helping those who are afflicted with this disease. It's a tough ride but coming out victorious is bone-chilling.

Good luck Lance! And here's to those who are diagnosed or know someone who is fighting cancer right now.

Excuse to work on my running

Not only is it an excuse to work on my running, being motivated by hearing peoples race stories and thoughts on running, but who also doesn't like a good discount on running gear? I do! Yep, because I'm a part of the Brooks ID running program.

"Brooks I.D. athletes members use their athletic talent to help carry out the Brooks mission: To inspire people to run and be active. We look for athletes who have a passion for Brooks, race and train in Brooks’ shoes and apparel, and enthusiastically evangelize the brand." (Inspired Daily. Get it?)

I thought maybe this group would be beneficial for me to get more inspired to run and ENJOY running. I'll let you know how that goes. But, my 40% discount on my Adrenaline GTS shoes is absolutely awesome! (I can always do another order...free shipping for orders over $125!)

I've also got chosen to attend their first-ever I.D. camp in June outside of Seattle - which I've never been to. I haven't brought this up to hubby yet, but it would be a great excuse for us to take a trip up there as his company is based there and he can show me around, and maybe even a day trip to Vancouver?! I wouldn't mind getting out of the Dallas heat by then anyways...

As for my running - it's stalled this week, though I did do some more elliptical on Wednesday (gag). I swear I get more prone to injuries on the elliptical and treadmill than running out doors. What gives?? I guess my legs know when I'm outside or not! :)

So, here's to inspiration. Inspiration to put your running shoes on and get out the door. Inspiration to make it through another harried day or inspiration stop and smell the roses.

What's your inspiration?

"Training is the opposite of hoping"

Hmm. This quote is so true, yet the last month and half I've been doing more hoping than training - hoping that my lack of working out is just a good break for my body and not doing anything horrible to it by not working out. Think it will work?

Well, not exactly. Although this extended quiet period from me doesn't mean I completely fell off the face of the training world, it does mean I've slacked - er, relaxed - my necessity to train. But, mostly it's because of things happening outside of my training life, and things I can't quite control. But more to come on that later.

In the last six weeks or so since my last post, I've done a run here and there, bits of swimming and jaunts in the weight room and on the elliptical. But I miss my set training schedule, I miss my energy to get up every morning and MOVE and I miss racing! (Who knew I would ever really say that?!?) However, in these few weeks, I've thought about my passion for triathlon and wondered if it would be right for me to take a break and pursue something else.

How about trying to qualify for Boston? Watching the women's race was exciting, though I was eating mac & cheese at my desk at work...doesn't really get me on the right foot to do so! However, I first need to leap the hurdle of completing my first marathon-only race (still!). (By the way, anyone registered in the lottery for New York? Can't wait to find out if I made it in or not...) But lately I've been reading more and more tri blogs and getting my itch again. A bit of bad timing, but I'm hoping it'll help me keep my sites on for next season. We shall see. In the meantime, I'll just stick with running and swimming and see where it takes me.

Fake a marathon finish?

I'm soooo behind the times, I know, but my group of athletes is still talking about the Biggest Loser debacle with Dane, last week's kicked off contestant, who a few days later, was in a photo depicting him crossing the finish line of an Arizona marathon with his wife.

The apology and story that is coming out does not add up. How do you get picked up at mile 17 because you won't make the six hour cutoff, get dropped at mile 20, and be seen crossing the line at - what first appeared 3:53 because of shot lightbulbs - 5:53? There is no way going only 3 miles put you 7 minutes under the cutoff. You would need to be driven further.

When my husband and I watched last week's show, recorded on our trusty DVR, we were shocked - SHOCKED, I tell you - that he finished in 3:53. Man, did I feel like a total slow poke. Although we were both shocked and amazed, we attributed it to his past athletic prowess, and his wife's seemingly in shape body.

Nonetheless, it was actually 5:53. Whew. But, then you skip out on 3 miles and say you feel good about what you did because you went back and ran the other 3. How is that completing a marathon? Granted, that is remarkable that you did 26 miles in one whole day, but I can go run two half marathons, one in the morning and the other in the evening, and still not complete a marathon. And you're not going to give the medal back, and apologize because you don't know "runner's etiquette" but feel you accomplished something great and don't feel the need to be stripped of the medal (which by the way was given to him from the race director even though they knew he was driven 3 miles)???

Unfortunately, Dane was a cool guy, and I think he got cut early and for the wrong reason (it was obvious the blue team didn't know how to play the game - Dane will KEEP YOU FROM CUTTING ANY MORE TEAM MEMBERS!).

What NBC should have done, instead of the field producer worried about getting a shot before the race closed, was pay the race director a little extra moolah that NBC has lying around and keep the race open and keep the time rolling. And, couldn't special effects fill in the dots where the missing lightbulbs should have been so there wasn't a two-hour time confusion? I mean really...

Giving back...and taking my stand

Jon "Blazeman" Blais' Ironman 2005 video

No one close to me has ever been affected by ALS, aka Lou Gherig's disease. But, I'm a sucker for helping good causes and giving my part, so yesterday I participated - and provided PR support - for Dallas' Cycle for ALS, put together for the second time by local athlete Stacy Mullikin.

The group at REI Dallas

What an amazing couple hours I spent, sweating my heart out and watching the chilling, inspirational video of Blais' iconic Ironman Hawaii finish. He completed the race 3 months after being diagnosed. In 2006, he returned, but in a wheelchair. In May 2007, he passed away.

Being lazy DOES suck.

And boy, it was really steamy in that room, because my towel was SOAKED by the end of spin (my husband came to 'rescue' me). And I was just hoping that the guys next to me didn't think they were in a natatorium, because I know I was sweating out chlorine from that morning's swim (2700 yards!). Yuck.

A good team

No one survives from ALS. Four hundred and eleven people are diagnosed every day. Shocking numbers for a disease that doesn't get enough limelight.

Next year, make sure you take a few hours in a city near you (22 cities across the U.S. and Canada took part on Saturday) and support what Blazeman believed in.

Woman swims across Atlantic

If given the chance and the support, would you ever dream of swimming across the Atlantic Ocean, dealing with 30 foot waves, storms, high winds and the unknown below the surface?

Um, no thanks.

But a 56-year-old woman took nearly a month to do just that.

My hat's off to here, but just thinking about it gives me horrible thoughts of looking down into the deep, dark waters of the Atlantic and seeing sea life that would make my heart jump out of my throat. I'm getting shudders just thinking about it!

Only one man has ever attempted and successfully completed such a risk.

Now, I have had thoughts about the English Channel.... Anybody want to be my support team?

Stand up and FIGHT

I have to confess: the last four-plus days have been quite difficult.

Two people that I have been associated in some form or fashion in my life have passed away within days of each other. The father of a dear friend who was recently diagnosed of Stage 4 lung cancer, and a dear family friend who fought breast cancer for the last 15+ years.

On top of this, it was the 15-yr 'anniversary' since my grandmother's passing on Jan. 3 (who did not pass of cancer, but of heart disease).

This last week has reinforced the mortality of us all, as well as the importance of these:

1) never hold a grudge

2) keep in touch in some form or fashion those you have cared about in the past and will care about in the future

3) think about how you want others to remember you; the dash between your birth date and death is more than just a dash - it's what represents what you did during your time on Earth

Sorry to be Debby Downer, but two funerals in a week will knock some mortality into a person.

And damn it, with cancer taking these two lives so close together, it only makes one want to fight harder and support those who are fighting the same fight. Some of my favorite causes are doing just that, and it's important for everyone - EVERYONE - to do something. I'm in awe of people like Lance Armstrong who are able to pull together a huge coalition of fighters across the globe to make a difference, and am excited to be a part of it and anxious to do so much more.

DO SOMETHING. If it's not cancer, there are many other organizations out there that are doing good. JUST DO IT.

I'm proud to say that throughout my life I've done something to help, but I'm going to do more in 2009 and beyond than I have done in the past. Below are three causes that are dear to my heart and I follow and support every day.

http://www.livestrong.org/

http://www.teamintraining.org/

http://www.komen-dallas.org/

You might be a triathlete if...

Courtesy of an M-Dot in training, I laughed at this list and related to nearly every single one of them. How about you?

You might be a triathlete if:

25. One of your goals this year is to be faster at getting out of a wetsuit
24. You talk about a “hammer” and “brick”, but you’re not referring to construction
23. You spend 7 days going to 8 stores in 4 malls before buying a pair of running shoes but you take 1 afternoon to go to 1 car dealership and walk out with a new car 4 hours later.
22. That charming "cologne" you wear to work is chlorine.
21. You have more water bottles than glasses in your cupboard
20. You have enough pairs of old running shoes sitting in your closet to open your own shoe store
19. You immediately bow down before someone with the Ironman "m dot"tattoo.
18. You have NO idea what to do with yourself on your off day. You mowed the lawn, cleaned the house, washed the car, and there's STILL 4 hours of daylight left! Aarrgghh!
17. When you're always showing up to work in the morning with goggle imprints around your eyes
16. You have so many tan lines you look like a zebra (running socks, bathing suit, jersey, biking shorts, tri shorts, sunglasses, gloves, watch, etc)
15. The first three items on your grocery list are Gatorade, power bars, and gels.
14. You get funny looks when putting on Body Glide on your neck because people think it's deodorant
13. About half the shirts you own have at least a dozen logos on the back of them.
12. You wait a couple of days to take your car in when the "check engine light goes on, but when your bike needs a tune up you take it right away.
11. You refer to the front hall of your house as the “transition area”.
10. The one "suit" you own has a QR on the chest
09. When you get home from a training session, the newspaper is just being delivered to your house.
08. You consider work, regeneration time between training sessions.
07. Your bicycle is in your living room.
06. Your car smells like a locker room
05. There’s a separate load of laundry every week that is just your workout clothes.
04. When asked, how old you are you answer 35-39.
03. Your first thought when you wake up is how high your rest HR is.
02. Your spouse cried during Terms of Endearment; you cried during the television coverage of the Hawaii Ironman
01. Most of this list doesn’t seem like a joke to you.

Lacking some inspiration? Try a tattoo to call you out.

How's this for inspiration/tri-crazy/determination to be a better triathlete?

No, this is not my stomach - I don't have one single tattoo - but this hangs in Jack & Adam's bike shop in Austin and was taken by awesome sport photographer Elizabeth Kreutz.

I know I'm a triathlete. Heck, I'm an IRONMAN. And you can still say you're a triathlete to people when you've been slacking for two months? You're allowed those days, weeks and months off every once in a while, right? I mean, I figure I've been training straight for nearly four years now, so a couple months doesn't rip me of my 30+ tris right?

Anyways, I'm rambling, but I always thought this was an interesting photo, interesting tattoo, and thought I'd share it with those who've never been to J&A's in Austin.

Phelps vs. Cooper

Still amazing - even if he does say he's out of shape! Maybe Anderson could have shaved off some time if he didn't wear board shorts.


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Different strokes for different folks...

Trying to fit into Dave Scott's shoes

Motivation comes in different ways to every person. My motivation changes daily, hourly, you name it - it changes as much as my moods do. But I try to latch on to what works and what doesn't and go from there.

With my first big race in a few months coming up in less than two weeks, I've got to start digging deep. Why do I keep putting my body through this? Who would want to wake up at 4 a.m. on race mornings and line up in sometimes chilly water and race for sometimes hours on end? When will I ever get to sleep in and not feel guilty that I skipped a workout?

Bryon's motivation - for a second at least

Anyways, I guess you always have to question reasons why you do things. Makes you sane, and ultimately, makes you human.

Is that too philosophical?

But for now, my motivation is a reasonable finish time, better my time from my first half Ironman in 2005, ice cream sandwiches, and a steady fitness that will carry me through the winter and into my first marathon-only race in March or April.

Yum...ice cream sandwiches. Time for dessert!

How far is too far?

Disturbing bit of news I read today - a Taiwan ultramarathon woman had both her legs amputated after getting blisters on her feet during an 18-day race that popped and got infected. She's a mother and was slated to run in another race directly after this race in France. What a disturbing finish to a race. She didn't stop after they popped and finished 17th out of 44 runners.

Would you have stopped?

In other news, I've been getting my training in this week (knock on wood for the rest of the week!).

Saturday: 20 minute open water swim, 3 hour bike, 15 min run
Sunday: 45 min bike, 1h45m run w/ 1 min pick-up every 10 minutes (and after Saturday's ride - ugh!)
Monday: Off
Tuesday: masters swim
Wednesday: Bart Yasso's! 3x800, 4:00 min with 3:00 min 400 rest

Coming up:
Thursday: masters swim
Friday: 45 min run
Saturday: 20 min open water swim, 3.5 hour bike, 15 min run

And the biggest news ALL WEEK! Lance Armstrong is coming back! I think he's been having some discussions with Brett Favre lately. I don't get it - what's with all the retiring and coming back? Are they just being quitters at one point or another and then feel guilty for quiting? Were they looking for news? I'll never know, but this is huge for cycling and the Tour...

Happy training!

Some like it hot

107 degrees today in Dallas! Luckily, I got my bike ride done early this morning and stayed inside througout the day by painting.

This weekend was Rivercities Tri in Shreveport. And this was the first time in four years I didn't race it. Bryon raced although he was coming down with a cold and said he got his butt whipped. It happens when you don't train! :) But this race is super hot - the swim is a warm, muddy bath, the bike is an undulating, great ride, and the run is super-duper steamy hot. It was a little much for me the last two years, so I took a year off...

After four days of no workouts last week, I managed to pull together something:
Friday - 3 miles with Duke
Saturday - 1.5 hour run
Sunday - 2 hour ride

Yesterday and today also resulted in finishing my paint project that I started a month ago (I couldn't tell if I liked the color choices!!). Finally finished - minus a couple touch ups I need to do now - and next we're tearing out the carpet! So excited. It is hard to do this, however, when you need to make sure you're not too sore to do swim workouts (although I can hardly move my arms and back right now).

I'm getting really excited about the Olympics' opening ceremonies this Friday. Watching party! :) Nothing like getting excited for our country, but also nothing else makes me feel more unsuccessful or undertrained! But it's still all completely motivating - and it gives me goosebumps all the time.

My needs

In the last few weeks and during some of my 'tougher' workouts, I've finally decided on something: I need professional help. Yeah, yeah. Some of you would say "yep, you do because you're crazy," but not that professional help - the help of a triathlete coach/running coach/motivator/nutritionist. It's a bummer, though, that they cost so darn much.

I have drive and stamina to finish nearly anything I put my mind to and decide to do. I just lack the willpower to continue on. I slack off during a workout or something difficult at work and try to talk myself out of it - and sometimes succeed. Let's say I've decided to do a 9 mile run on Sunday, and what usually happens is I get to the 3 mile point that is usually used for turning around or continuing on, and I'll turn around and get 6 in. Or I'll start walking because my mind says to not stress my body or my legs. But then I feel guilty that I didn't give myself the workout I need. My mind wins; my body loses.

I need someone (besides my dear hubby) to push me, to show me the way, to be my rabbit, to be my driving force other than my own body and mind. I need to be told I can do this, I am doing great things - I need to know I'm improving and am capable of reaching such and such goals. I just sometimes wish - ok, all the time wish - that I could just snap my fingers and my fitness is top-notch and my body is 15% fat instead of 20-something.

I have also pretty much figured that I do better with a schedule that's been worked out for me and outlined week by week. I did as well as I could for Ironman last year, when I had Coach Jason provide me with monthly workout schedules. I think I need that again, instead of showing up for masters and weekly runs. And don't get me wrong, I've done this for enough years I can do that on my own, but I want to know the details - tempo run here, speedwork here, hill work here, pick-ups here, etc. I'm very anal and detail-oriented and just going for the workouts that are available to me aren't really cutting it.

Maybe its because I don't have a huge race such as Ironman driving me, but I do have some coming up in the second half of the season that would be great if I can PR in.

I also - desperately - need a nutritionist. I am a horrible eater - and the most pickiest one you'll ever meet who isn't 6. I promise. I'm a meat-and-potatoes-and-desserts girl and I eat maybe 2-3 veggie types and 3-4 fruit types. And I am constantly hungry, but I think that's my fast metabolism. I love breakfast and eat breakfast every single day (eggs, english muffin, maybe a small piece of sausage), a yogurt smoothie for snack, lunch at work with whatever I have time for, another snack around 3 and then dinner. Sometimes in the afternoon I get what I call "work munchies" where I'm getting finicky and seem to need to constantly be eating. Other times I'll come home from work and have a bowl of Special K before dinner.

I would also like to improve my running - and tremendously so. I've never been a runner, have had the notion that I'm not a runner pushed into my head ever since first grade when I was the last one to finish a relay (and it's all on tape - thanks Mom & Dad). I've done pretty darn well the last couple of months, but I would love to see me hanging in the 7 min. pace. Shoot, I know one day I'll be faster than Bryon (he hangs in the 6 min. pace and has qualified for Boston twice now) - when he's 60 and I'm 47, but that's still not for a while!

I NEED MOTIVATION! I NEED AN EXPERIENCED, QUALIFIED COACH! I NEED TO GET OFF MY REAR AND SUCCEED!

Cancer, smancer

My dad has been cleared of cancer.

WOOHOO!

He had about 20% of his kidney removed due to "cancerous activity" - two months after having heart bypass surgery in Rochester, Minnesota. It was a tough 6 months - July through December last year - of his diagnosis (of a rare heart blockage, and spots on his kidney and lung), treatment and recovery. Ugh - the recovery was the hardest I think. But, our family made it through - and very important - my mother made it through (although she almost had it as rough as my dad!).

That's why at our wedding, we decided our favors to our guests was a donation to the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Like anyone wanted a little knicknack they were just going to throw away, plus we had a candy bar anyways! And luckily, he was able to dance with me at my wedding.

(My dad and his wonderful toast)

Yay Dad! Here's to a long, healthier life...

Women's Olympic marathon trials

I need to do a post on this. The women's Olympic marathon trials were yesterday and of course, Deena Kastor is the victor! What an amazing athlete and runner.

I was cheering on for Desiree Ficker, pro triathlete who qualified for the Trials in Austin last year. She looked amazing and had a great finish, but didn't make it. Bryon's upset...

There was also a girl on our relay team running, Heidi, who also qualified and ran in the Trials. It'll be pretty neat to get to talk with her about her experience and how cool it felt to be so close to something so big as the Olympics.

So cool!

101-year-old finishes first marathon

So he's the oldest person to ever finish a marathon, this was his first marathon - and he fuels himself with 8 pints of beer and 14 cigarettes a day!



If only I get to continue being active half as long as he has (but in healthier ways)!

One year M-dot anniversary

Wow. Today is my one year anniversary since earning my place in the Ironman crowd. It feels like it was either 10 years ago or just a few months ago. I still have moments running through my head, recapping all the highs and lows I encountered along the way. It is a bummer I'll never get the exact same excitement but I know each one I'm able to finish will eventually mean the same to me.

But the biggest replay in my head is seeing my family at various spots on the course, and seeing my name in chalk on the bike and run courses. It still gives me goosebumps knowing my family is so awesome enough to withstand spectating for 15+ hours due to unknown circumstances just to see me accomplish the biggest thing in my athletic "career" so far.

Without them, and without the one lone guy on the bridge before my last lap as the sun was setting saying "Today you are an Ironman" (yes, I still get chills), I don't know that I would have ever made it. I can only entertain myself for so long, and every loop they gave me some hope and little shove to keep moving.

And for that, I want to say THANK YOU!

Here's to IM New Zealand or IM Australia 2009. If anyone has any recommendations on which to do, I'd love to hear them. (I used to live in Sydney and would love to race there, but never been to NZ although the race weather there always seems iffy.)

Is this thing on?

Well, I've done it. I've started a blog. After years of being told to start one, I've actually followed suit and pulled the trigger. Who knew I would ever do it? Not me. I was never one to keep a diary. So how am I going to do this?

You. You will be my inspiration. The reader. You will keep me going. I vow to update this on a regular basis with news, tips, ideas and musings from my days of training for various triathlons and races, as well as from my everyday life, knowing that I could have someone out there needing to know what I've learned over the years in triathlon-ing. Knowing that someone will want to hear what my thoughts were at 5:30 a.m. on a Tuesday morning before going to swim masters.

I've had an itch for a while, to tell you the truth. I get technology, I really do. I just don't use my time to keep up with it as it changes every day. I'm also one to stay on a different path. I vowed I would never own an iPod. Of course, it helped to wait since I got the video iPod once the price had dropped. But I don't jump at the mention of a new phone, or a GPS gadget, BUT I do jump at the newest tri gear, training tips and races. So maybe I'll combine both and see what I come up with.

Hope you learn from me as I plan to learn from all of you.

Love long, run fast, race hard!