Man, I hate making decisions. Today I made an extremely difficult decision for myself. I was feeling a lot of pressure about it, and I was up against a deadline, and I just had to do it.
I decided not to return to Team Trakkers/Rev3 in 2012.
I'll probably kick myself for that decision as this may be the best opportunity that ever comes around for me as an athlete, but in my heart I know I made the right decision. Here's why...
I really dislike Twitter. I just don't get it. Facebook I get. You actually know the people on Facebook, they're real-life people, so when you make a statement or respond to somebody, you feel like you're having a conversation with them or actually contributing. Twitter moves much quicker than that. To me, it feels like any status you put out there is interrupting somebody's conversation with somebody else. Maybe I'm just not on it enough. And yet, that's where most of my teammates hang out. And Twitter is the reason I feel like not part of this team anymore. Last year I felt warm and accepted and this year I just feel on the outside. I just don't have the time to keep up with all the social media and I don't want to either. I haven't been on Twitter in months and I don't envision myself logging in again.
And then there's the sponsors. I have been on other sponsored teams where you are basically a billboard for that sponsor. This has not been like that. Our sponsors treat us really well. We get great gear, gadgets, products, and discounts. I really couldn't ask for more. But, I wouldn't define myself as a typical triathlete either. I am not a gearhead. Maybe I spent too many years as a runner before jumping in the triathlon game, but I was pretty set in my ways with what I liked before I switched to tris. I have worn the same running shoes (brand and model) for like 4 or 5 years now. I have found nutrition that works for me. I have been a swimmer all my life and like what I use to remove chlorine from my hair. And although I have sponsors that provide me these things, I'm not using any of it. I like what I like. And I'd like to tell others what I like and why, a la Steve in a Speedo, but I can't. I will never be a pro and will never get to choose my sponsors, but I am willing to spend my own money on good products that work for me and I want to be able to give those products props for being good.
Finally, and the most important reason why I'm not returning, is that after The Big One!!! in a few weeks I have one more race on the schedule in January and then that's it. I don't intend to put together a race schedule for 2012. I'm not sure I'll even do any races at all. Sure, I'm going to keep swimming and biking and running and getting fit, but there WILL NOT be an ironman or even a half ironman on the schedule. I'm even of thinking of switching from the marathon to the half marathon in January. I want to get some of my speed back and just have fun at some of the local races. I will continue to support Rev3 as I believe in Charlie and his company, but I can't travel all over the place to race or volunteer. Financially, it's just not possible. Plus I have a business to run and it's season is the same as racing season.
I have had a great time being part of this team. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I have met amazing people and have been given opportunities that I'm not worthy of. It's time to move on and pursue other interests. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Carole, Charlie, and my teammates for letting me be part of the ride.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Product Review and Giveway
My name is Meredith and yes, I run with an iPod.
A few weeks ago I was contacted to try out the ClipE. What's a ClipE? It's a little button that holds your earbuds in place and clips onto your clothing and thus holds your iPod wires in place. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about this product when I received it. I mean, I had already figured out a way to not get all tangled up in my wires. I simply snaked them through my sports bra and shirt and clipped the iPod to my shorts. But, I was surprised when I tried the ClipE that it actually enhanced and improved the snaking method I was already using.
What I liked about it is that it held the cords that ran from the top of my sports bra to my ears in place, which meant the cords didn't slide around anywhere and the cords didn't tug from my ears. It was easy to connect my cords inside the button and easily attached to my clothing. I've used it on several different shirts and sports bras.
What I found to be difficult about it is when I tried to use it in a hurry (transitioning from bike to run inside my own house) the cords would pop out while trying to attach the ClipE to my clothing quickly. And yes, I would leave the ClipE just attached to the iPod cords all the time. My husband, however, seemed to have no trouble with this. He also has A LOT more patience than I do.
When I ran in only a sports bra during those weeks of scorching heat was to have the ClipE packaged in twos so that I could attach one at the top of my sports bra to hold my earbuds in place and one on my shorts to pull the wires taut against my body. I am a girl and my arms do cross my body and I have been known to pull the wires from my ears while running if they're not hidden.
And now the fun part....
I have an extra ClipE to give away to one lucky reader of this blog. I don't want to complicate things by making you follow on Facebook or Twitter for extra entries. That confuses me! So, just leave a comment on this blog entry and you are automatically entered into the drawing. The winner will be drawn at random. You have until Sunday August 14th at midnight to enter and then I'll announce the winner on Monday August 15th.
A few weeks ago I was contacted to try out the ClipE. What's a ClipE? It's a little button that holds your earbuds in place and clips onto your clothing and thus holds your iPod wires in place. I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical about this product when I received it. I mean, I had already figured out a way to not get all tangled up in my wires. I simply snaked them through my sports bra and shirt and clipped the iPod to my shorts. But, I was surprised when I tried the ClipE that it actually enhanced and improved the snaking method I was already using.
What I liked about it is that it held the cords that ran from the top of my sports bra to my ears in place, which meant the cords didn't slide around anywhere and the cords didn't tug from my ears. It was easy to connect my cords inside the button and easily attached to my clothing. I've used it on several different shirts and sports bras.
What I found to be difficult about it is when I tried to use it in a hurry (transitioning from bike to run inside my own house) the cords would pop out while trying to attach the ClipE to my clothing quickly. And yes, I would leave the ClipE just attached to the iPod cords all the time. My husband, however, seemed to have no trouble with this. He also has A LOT more patience than I do.
When I ran in only a sports bra during those weeks of scorching heat was to have the ClipE packaged in twos so that I could attach one at the top of my sports bra to hold my earbuds in place and one on my shorts to pull the wires taut against my body. I am a girl and my arms do cross my body and I have been known to pull the wires from my ears while running if they're not hidden.
And now the fun part....
I have an extra ClipE to give away to one lucky reader of this blog. I don't want to complicate things by making you follow on Facebook or Twitter for extra entries. That confuses me! So, just leave a comment on this blog entry and you are automatically entered into the drawing. The winner will be drawn at random. You have until Sunday August 14th at midnight to enter and then I'll announce the winner on Monday August 15th.
Sunday, August 07, 2011
Triathlon for Hope 2011
I had signed up for an "olympic" triathlon for today (I put olympic in quotes as it was not an official Olympic distance). On my schedule from Coach it said, "if you're not 100%, skip the race." Well, I haven't felt 100% since ironman training started, but I had already paid for this race, so I was going to do it. On Saturday we went up to the race start to do a practice swimbikerun. I had a great swim, but once I got on my bike my legs just wouldn't move. With all the miles I've put on my legs in the last couple of weeks, they just said no. I thought and thought about it, but I knew if I did the olympic I may coming in dead effing last. When I woke up Sunday morning, I was so nervous about it that I was sick to my stomach and really didn't want to do the longer race. As we picked up our race packets I inquired about switching races. There was a sprint which was a 750m swim, 12 mile bike, and 5K run and there was a women's only sprint that was a 400m swim, 12 mile bike, and 2 mile run. I switched to the women's sprint. Sucker!
The swim was a straight shot from one end of the beach to the other. Because it's a beginner-friendly race, walking the swim is okay, so they gave us the choice of swimming between the buoys if you were a strong swimmer or swim/walk on the right side of the buoys if you were not such a strong swimmer. There were three waves for the race. Mine was 30-39 and all relays. There were all of about three of us that lined up between the buoys. 3-2-1-go and we're off. The girl to my left took off fast and I tried to stay on her toes. That lasted about three strokes and then I was all alone. There was NOBODY swimming in my wave. Not even halfway through the swim, I had already caught the walking swimmers from the previous wave. It was hard to keep a straight line as the buoys were not in a straight line and you had to play dodge 'em with all the walking swimmers. I came out of the water around 8:45ish. Dave yelled to me that I was second in my wave. I already knew that, but it was good to know what I was chasing.
Transition was one of the quickest ones I've had onto the bike and I was off.
The stiffness and tiredness in my legs from weeks and weeks of training were still there on the bike, but I just went with it. I couldn't get my speed up to where it should be for a sprint race, but I was doing well against the field and that's all that matters. I played cat and mouse with a couple women for a while, but they were friendly so I was friendly (if you know me, you'd understand that statement) and just had fun. On the back half of the course I could see the police escort and could count back and see I was the sixth biker. And, I was not in the first wave, so I knew I was doing well. I did my best to have a good bike, but it was what it was and I'm okay with that. I'm training for ironman not sprints, so my speed is just not there. I finished the bike course around 40 minutes and according to my Garmin was around an 18.6 mph average. Honestly, that's the best average I've ever had in a race, but what I should be able to do is better. And I was doing well against the field.
Transition two was a whopping 53 seconds (word!!!) and I was chasing those chicks ahead of me from the bike. I think I might have already passed half of them in transition.
The run was uphill in the gravel to the dam, halfway across the dam, and then back down the same path. Still no speed in the legs. In fact, I've run marathons at a faster pace than what I averaged on this two mile run today. It didn't matter though as I passed everyone ahead of me. As I came into the finish, I was announced that I was the first finisher. Of course, I had my number upside down and inside out, so they didn't call my name, but pretty cool to be the first finisher. I was sure I was going to have some hot-shot 20 year old come out to beat me.
But you know what? It didn't happen. I freakin' won this race today. I had absolutely no business winning the race, but a win is a win and I'll take it.
Next race....THE BIG ONE!!!!!
The swim was a straight shot from one end of the beach to the other. Because it's a beginner-friendly race, walking the swim is okay, so they gave us the choice of swimming between the buoys if you were a strong swimmer or swim/walk on the right side of the buoys if you were not such a strong swimmer. There were three waves for the race. Mine was 30-39 and all relays. There were all of about three of us that lined up between the buoys. 3-2-1-go and we're off. The girl to my left took off fast and I tried to stay on her toes. That lasted about three strokes and then I was all alone. There was NOBODY swimming in my wave. Not even halfway through the swim, I had already caught the walking swimmers from the previous wave. It was hard to keep a straight line as the buoys were not in a straight line and you had to play dodge 'em with all the walking swimmers. I came out of the water around 8:45ish. Dave yelled to me that I was second in my wave. I already knew that, but it was good to know what I was chasing.
Transition was one of the quickest ones I've had onto the bike and I was off.
The stiffness and tiredness in my legs from weeks and weeks of training were still there on the bike, but I just went with it. I couldn't get my speed up to where it should be for a sprint race, but I was doing well against the field and that's all that matters. I played cat and mouse with a couple women for a while, but they were friendly so I was friendly (if you know me, you'd understand that statement) and just had fun. On the back half of the course I could see the police escort and could count back and see I was the sixth biker. And, I was not in the first wave, so I knew I was doing well. I did my best to have a good bike, but it was what it was and I'm okay with that. I'm training for ironman not sprints, so my speed is just not there. I finished the bike course around 40 minutes and according to my Garmin was around an 18.6 mph average. Honestly, that's the best average I've ever had in a race, but what I should be able to do is better. And I was doing well against the field.
Transition two was a whopping 53 seconds (word!!!) and I was chasing those chicks ahead of me from the bike. I think I might have already passed half of them in transition.
The run was uphill in the gravel to the dam, halfway across the dam, and then back down the same path. Still no speed in the legs. In fact, I've run marathons at a faster pace than what I averaged on this two mile run today. It didn't matter though as I passed everyone ahead of me. As I came into the finish, I was announced that I was the first finisher. Of course, I had my number upside down and inside out, so they didn't call my name, but pretty cool to be the first finisher. I was sure I was going to have some hot-shot 20 year old come out to beat me.
But you know what? It didn't happen. I freakin' won this race today. I had absolutely no business winning the race, but a win is a win and I'll take it.
Next race....THE BIG ONE!!!!!
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Time in the saddle, Time in my head
I do about 95% of my training all by myself. Why? Because of my ability to workout during the day, because I have an individual training plan from a coach, because I have my own goals, because I suck on the bike, etc., etc. Yesterday I biked the full 112 miles, which left me with nearly seven hours to be inside my own head.
I have been battling depression for about 17 years. It has its peaks and valleys. I used to see a professional about it, but since I refuse to be medicated, I find that going to a shrink is a waste of time. So, I just deal and hope it passes. My current mental state has been a tidal wave of emotions. It's been a rough couple of months. I don't know if it's the wear of all my training or my current lot in life, but yesterday on my bike I decided I needed to make a few changes.
'They' say that money doesn't buy happiness. I think that's crap. The people who said that have never had to live on one income in a tough economy. I'm not sure I believe in tough economy. I think you have to be smart (like, if you pay off your credit card every month it doesn't matter what the interest rate is on it) and live within your means. The difficulty I've had is that when Dave and I got married we had established a lifestyle, a way of life that has drastically had to change when I quit my job and started my own business. And I miss my old lifestyle. I'm tired of hearing how his parents are on vacation for the billionth time this year or how my parents are trying to buy their third property or if I have to read one more status update on Facebook about how much fun so-and-so is having on her vacation, I might just hurt something or myself.
I've been thinking a lot about my business and where to go from here. We have brainstormed our brains out and we just think, currently, we've maxed out our options. And the current state things are in cause me a lot of stress - too much stress for the pennies I am getting paid or not getting paid, as it is. I really do want to continue the business, but I think some changes are in order. Dave and I have talked extensively about it and I think it's time to make a decision before we dig our grave. Having spent so much time thinking about it yesterday, in my head, the decision is made. No formal announcement needed, we will just be handling things differently starting in 2012.
With that decision made the question becomes, will we still be having enough income or getting more income from the business to at least continue our way of life as it currently is and how do we begin saving money to come closer to the lifestyle we were living? I've thought a lot about going back to work - not as an engineer, but as "just an employee." I would love to work a job where I clock in and out and take nothing home with me (troubles, work, etc.). I know, though, I will absolutely hate this. Not only because I've been my own boss for three years, but because I will be bored out of my freakin' mind and will continue to waste my intelligence and talent. I've struggled a lot with giving up being an engineer. I let it define me and I can't seem to shake that. I hate every day that I am sitting at home rotting my brain while watching the Kardashians. Is the money of going back to work enough to over power the freedom that I've gained? My inner struggle continues...
Working from home is lonely. Really, deep, dark lonely. Facebook, Twitter, and blogs keep me entertained. What I have learned, however, is that they give shy girls like myself empowerment, yet I'm only realizing now they're not real life. The "friends" I have made online are not real and never will be my real friends. Having done endurance sports for the last 10 years, while my real-life friends have gone on to create families, has put a Grand Canyon-sized distance between us. I have absolutely nothing in common with anyone anymore. So once THE BIG ONE!!! is over in a few weeks, my lonely cave will grow in size and darkness. It's hard to imagine that things could be worse than it already is, but I'm also preparing myself for what happens after ironman. What will life be like?
I use my blog a lot to hide from the real person I am. I think a lot of bloggers do that. They can create a whole new person online and become the person they've always wanted to be. I've been blogging now for seven years and that's exactly what I've done. And then when people meet you they think they know exactly who they're getting and that's not me at all. I'm so sick of reading bull shit blog posts! I'm so sick of writing bull shit blog posts!
This is me. Stripped to the core. Fully exposed.
I have been battling depression for about 17 years. It has its peaks and valleys. I used to see a professional about it, but since I refuse to be medicated, I find that going to a shrink is a waste of time. So, I just deal and hope it passes. My current mental state has been a tidal wave of emotions. It's been a rough couple of months. I don't know if it's the wear of all my training or my current lot in life, but yesterday on my bike I decided I needed to make a few changes.
'They' say that money doesn't buy happiness. I think that's crap. The people who said that have never had to live on one income in a tough economy. I'm not sure I believe in tough economy. I think you have to be smart (like, if you pay off your credit card every month it doesn't matter what the interest rate is on it) and live within your means. The difficulty I've had is that when Dave and I got married we had established a lifestyle, a way of life that has drastically had to change when I quit my job and started my own business. And I miss my old lifestyle. I'm tired of hearing how his parents are on vacation for the billionth time this year or how my parents are trying to buy their third property or if I have to read one more status update on Facebook about how much fun so-and-so is having on her vacation, I might just hurt something or myself.
I've been thinking a lot about my business and where to go from here. We have brainstormed our brains out and we just think, currently, we've maxed out our options. And the current state things are in cause me a lot of stress - too much stress for the pennies I am getting paid or not getting paid, as it is. I really do want to continue the business, but I think some changes are in order. Dave and I have talked extensively about it and I think it's time to make a decision before we dig our grave. Having spent so much time thinking about it yesterday, in my head, the decision is made. No formal announcement needed, we will just be handling things differently starting in 2012.
With that decision made the question becomes, will we still be having enough income or getting more income from the business to at least continue our way of life as it currently is and how do we begin saving money to come closer to the lifestyle we were living? I've thought a lot about going back to work - not as an engineer, but as "just an employee." I would love to work a job where I clock in and out and take nothing home with me (troubles, work, etc.). I know, though, I will absolutely hate this. Not only because I've been my own boss for three years, but because I will be bored out of my freakin' mind and will continue to waste my intelligence and talent. I've struggled a lot with giving up being an engineer. I let it define me and I can't seem to shake that. I hate every day that I am sitting at home rotting my brain while watching the Kardashians. Is the money of going back to work enough to over power the freedom that I've gained? My inner struggle continues...
Working from home is lonely. Really, deep, dark lonely. Facebook, Twitter, and blogs keep me entertained. What I have learned, however, is that they give shy girls like myself empowerment, yet I'm only realizing now they're not real life. The "friends" I have made online are not real and never will be my real friends. Having done endurance sports for the last 10 years, while my real-life friends have gone on to create families, has put a Grand Canyon-sized distance between us. I have absolutely nothing in common with anyone anymore. So once THE BIG ONE!!! is over in a few weeks, my lonely cave will grow in size and darkness. It's hard to imagine that things could be worse than it already is, but I'm also preparing myself for what happens after ironman. What will life be like?
I use my blog a lot to hide from the real person I am. I think a lot of bloggers do that. They can create a whole new person online and become the person they've always wanted to be. I've been blogging now for seven years and that's exactly what I've done. And then when people meet you they think they know exactly who they're getting and that's not me at all. I'm so sick of reading bull shit blog posts! I'm so sick of writing bull shit blog posts!
This is me. Stripped to the core. Fully exposed.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
July Totals
July: it was the longest of months, it was the shortest of months. It would be easy to say, "I have no idea where July went." But I know where it went. It was spent in the pool, on my bike, and running the roads. My gosh! I trained my buns off in July.
Swimming - 18,800 meters
Honestly, I dropped the ball on swimming. I mean, I got in the important workouts. I did two 4000 meters swims and a 3900 meter swim. But I also skipped A LOT of swimming sessions. I have to put swimming first thing in the morning or else I have a hard time leaving the house to do it later in the day. I don't know why. It's just a thing. But the weather got HOT this month and if I didn't get my bike or run done in the morning I would absolutely melt into the pavement later in the day. Therefore swimming fell to the wayside. Still, I'm pacing well and feeling really confident about my swimming. And Coach said I could back-off a little on the swimming. I don't have a whole lot of guilt about this. Moving on...
Biking - 551.0 miles
I believe this is the most miles I have ever biked in a month. I only skipped one bike workout. I believe that's the first bike workout I've skipped since November. I need the most work in the bike and you better believe I'm taking it seriously. This month I did a 90 mile ride, a 100 mile ride, and a 105 mile ride. The mileage should have been higher too as many of my workouts were designed and done on the trainer. Mileage on the trainer does not equate to outside mileage. Two long bikes left!!!!
Running - 113.04 miles
Y'all, this is marathon training mileage. Sure, I've had bigger months of running but not while training for triathlon. I'm not even sure I had this many miles while training for the National Marathon (which did not happen) this past spring. (I just looked it up....in February I ran 117 miles) I have had a fantastic month of running. Shoot! I've had a fantastic year of running. I did not skip one running workouts. ZERO!!! The plan seems to be falling into place and I'm planning on a great marathon at THE BIG ONE!!! in a few weeks.
With a mere six weeks to go, I am feeling great. My head is in the right place (after my mess of a week last week) and I couldn't be in better physical shape. Only a few weeks to go no before the taper....
Swimming - 18,800 meters
Honestly, I dropped the ball on swimming. I mean, I got in the important workouts. I did two 4000 meters swims and a 3900 meter swim. But I also skipped A LOT of swimming sessions. I have to put swimming first thing in the morning or else I have a hard time leaving the house to do it later in the day. I don't know why. It's just a thing. But the weather got HOT this month and if I didn't get my bike or run done in the morning I would absolutely melt into the pavement later in the day. Therefore swimming fell to the wayside. Still, I'm pacing well and feeling really confident about my swimming. And Coach said I could back-off a little on the swimming. I don't have a whole lot of guilt about this. Moving on...
Biking - 551.0 miles
I believe this is the most miles I have ever biked in a month. I only skipped one bike workout. I believe that's the first bike workout I've skipped since November. I need the most work in the bike and you better believe I'm taking it seriously. This month I did a 90 mile ride, a 100 mile ride, and a 105 mile ride. The mileage should have been higher too as many of my workouts were designed and done on the trainer. Mileage on the trainer does not equate to outside mileage. Two long bikes left!!!!
Running - 113.04 miles
Y'all, this is marathon training mileage. Sure, I've had bigger months of running but not while training for triathlon. I'm not even sure I had this many miles while training for the National Marathon (which did not happen) this past spring. (I just looked it up....in February I ran 117 miles) I have had a fantastic month of running. Shoot! I've had a fantastic year of running. I did not skip one running workouts. ZERO!!! The plan seems to be falling into place and I'm planning on a great marathon at THE BIG ONE!!! in a few weeks.
With a mere six weeks to go, I am feeling great. My head is in the right place (after my mess of a week last week) and I couldn't be in better physical shape. Only a few weeks to go no before the taper....
Friday, July 29, 2011
The Best Money I've Spent on Triathlon
The best money I have ever spent in my life was on my eye surgery in 2005. Seriously, I don't know how I wore contacts and glasses for all those years.
The best money I have spent on triathlon happened last week at Dick's Sporting Goods. (Seriously, can you type that or say it without giggling a little?!) I had gone to Dick's (he he he!) for gel as I had a coupon, but took a detour into the bike section just to see what they had. I don't know what lead me to the wall of "gadgets" but there I stood staring at a wall of water bottle holders, tubes, etc. You know, gadgets. And staring right back at me was something genius.
For many years now I've been trying to figure out the best way to clean my aero bottle and straw. By the end of last season there was mold in both my bottle and straw. Ew! I decided to try my bottle in the dishwasher, which has worked wonders and now is completely clean, but as for the straw I decided to just buy a new one. As this season has rolled along, my straw has begun to get pretty gross. Honest to goodness, I do my best to clean it but the inside of it was beginning to turn colors again. Good grief! I had decided I was going to make my own scrubber out of pipe cleaners and had even decided to make a tutorial to put on this blog. But a $10 find at Dick's Sporting Goods changed all this.
Behold!!!!
No, I do not have a Camelbak. But the tube scrubber inside this kit worked wonders to clean out my straw. Thank you Camelbak for being geniuses.
The best money I have spent on triathlon happened last week at Dick's Sporting Goods. (Seriously, can you type that or say it without giggling a little?!) I had gone to Dick's (he he he!) for gel as I had a coupon, but took a detour into the bike section just to see what they had. I don't know what lead me to the wall of "gadgets" but there I stood staring at a wall of water bottle holders, tubes, etc. You know, gadgets. And staring right back at me was something genius.
For many years now I've been trying to figure out the best way to clean my aero bottle and straw. By the end of last season there was mold in both my bottle and straw. Ew! I decided to try my bottle in the dishwasher, which has worked wonders and now is completely clean, but as for the straw I decided to just buy a new one. As this season has rolled along, my straw has begun to get pretty gross. Honest to goodness, I do my best to clean it but the inside of it was beginning to turn colors again. Good grief! I had decided I was going to make my own scrubber out of pipe cleaners and had even decided to make a tutorial to put on this blog. But a $10 find at Dick's Sporting Goods changed all this.
Behold!!!!
No, I do not have a Camelbak. But the tube scrubber inside this kit worked wonders to clean out my straw. Thank you Camelbak for being geniuses.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A great story, but I couldn't think of a catchy title...
I mentioned in the last post that this was going to be a big week of training. And today was definitely a big day: 6-1/2 hours of biking followed by a 35 minute run. But let's back up...
With a bike ride of that length there's a lot of logistics that goes into it. I leave from home in the beginning of the ride, but don't return until the end of the ride. That way I'm not likely to stop in the middle of the workout. Instead I usually make my parents' house my base to work out of. This allows me to have a real bathroom, water to refill my bottles, ibuprofen when needed, etc. Yesterday I decided to take over supplies so I wouldn't have to carry as much. When I got to their house last evening I couldn't get the garage door code to work. The numbers weren't even lighting up. We had a power outage earlier in the day so I thought maybe they didn't have any electricity. But we were able to look inside and see that the power was indeed on. So Dave tried the keypad again and this time the numbers lit up but the code was still not working. I remembered my mom had said something about the keypad getting a new battery the week before, so I called them to ask them what was up with it (my parents are on vacation). Of course, they couldn't help me and doing a quick search on the iPhone it looked like the code needed reset but it couldn't be done without an additional code that was provided in the manual that was located somewhere inside the house. In addition, my key only works in the door inside the garage so I was out of luck using my parents' house as my base for this long ride. My sister lives 20ish miles away from us and I could use her house except all the roads around her have been recently chip-sealed so I didn't really want to risk a flat tire riding out to her house. Also, I knew my bladder wouldn't be able to make that trip early in the ride. Instead I decided I would need to carry all my junk and use the school for my bathroom (port-a-john, YUCK!) and to refill my water bottles in the drinking fountain.
I have to admit, I really wasn't looking forward to this workout. It's not that I've checked out of training, I'm just a little tired of training. Yes the race is close, but it's still far enough away that there's still plenty of training to go. I knew the day would be long and hot and I was just going to have to settle in and just go with it. And I did. I got into a zone, focused on nutrition and pace and just cleared my head of the bad stuff. But the day got hot quickly and the wind started picking up and my mood quickly soured. It was going to be a long struggle. The ride didn't go badly, it just wasn't a happy experience. I rode the same roads again and again to try to keep the wind at my side. Throughout the day I noticed my pace slipping and my heart rate going up, which I knew meant that I was dehydrated but I also was drinking tons. By the end of the ride I had drank (drunk?) 7 bottles of sports drink and somewhere between 3-4 bottles of water. And I covered just over 105-1/2 miles. Not as fast as I would have liked, but the pace has been consistent through all my training.
When I returned home to start my run I was feeling really shaky. I even had trouble tying my shoes. I got started, though, settled in and things were going well. Pace was good and I was feeling better than I thought I would. Sixteen minutes into the run, I started to feel overheated. Very overheated. I stopped my watch, found some shade and took a short break. I poured some of my water on my back, on my face, and over my head. And then it hit me. I started feeling really bad, really fast. I walked over to the side of the road that didn't have any houses and started throwing up. Lots and lots of gatorade vomit along with some snot and many tears. A few minutes later I was done and decided it was time to walk home. I was feeling better, though, and thought, "Meredith, you're tougher than this. Finish the workout." So I started running again. At the two mile mark I took my nutrition and kept on going. Gosh darn it, I finished that run! It wasn't as fast as I would have liked, but I think I earned some "tough" points.
It was a long day out there. I battled my demons and won. It wasn't my best workout and I certainly hope race day goes better. After my breakdown in Louisville last year, this workout was a huge victory, vomit and all.
With a bike ride of that length there's a lot of logistics that goes into it. I leave from home in the beginning of the ride, but don't return until the end of the ride. That way I'm not likely to stop in the middle of the workout. Instead I usually make my parents' house my base to work out of. This allows me to have a real bathroom, water to refill my bottles, ibuprofen when needed, etc. Yesterday I decided to take over supplies so I wouldn't have to carry as much. When I got to their house last evening I couldn't get the garage door code to work. The numbers weren't even lighting up. We had a power outage earlier in the day so I thought maybe they didn't have any electricity. But we were able to look inside and see that the power was indeed on. So Dave tried the keypad again and this time the numbers lit up but the code was still not working. I remembered my mom had said something about the keypad getting a new battery the week before, so I called them to ask them what was up with it (my parents are on vacation). Of course, they couldn't help me and doing a quick search on the iPhone it looked like the code needed reset but it couldn't be done without an additional code that was provided in the manual that was located somewhere inside the house. In addition, my key only works in the door inside the garage so I was out of luck using my parents' house as my base for this long ride. My sister lives 20ish miles away from us and I could use her house except all the roads around her have been recently chip-sealed so I didn't really want to risk a flat tire riding out to her house. Also, I knew my bladder wouldn't be able to make that trip early in the ride. Instead I decided I would need to carry all my junk and use the school for my bathroom (port-a-john, YUCK!) and to refill my water bottles in the drinking fountain.
I have to admit, I really wasn't looking forward to this workout. It's not that I've checked out of training, I'm just a little tired of training. Yes the race is close, but it's still far enough away that there's still plenty of training to go. I knew the day would be long and hot and I was just going to have to settle in and just go with it. And I did. I got into a zone, focused on nutrition and pace and just cleared my head of the bad stuff. But the day got hot quickly and the wind started picking up and my mood quickly soured. It was going to be a long struggle. The ride didn't go badly, it just wasn't a happy experience. I rode the same roads again and again to try to keep the wind at my side. Throughout the day I noticed my pace slipping and my heart rate going up, which I knew meant that I was dehydrated but I also was drinking tons. By the end of the ride I had drank (drunk?) 7 bottles of sports drink and somewhere between 3-4 bottles of water. And I covered just over 105-1/2 miles. Not as fast as I would have liked, but the pace has been consistent through all my training.
When I returned home to start my run I was feeling really shaky. I even had trouble tying my shoes. I got started, though, settled in and things were going well. Pace was good and I was feeling better than I thought I would. Sixteen minutes into the run, I started to feel overheated. Very overheated. I stopped my watch, found some shade and took a short break. I poured some of my water on my back, on my face, and over my head. And then it hit me. I started feeling really bad, really fast. I walked over to the side of the road that didn't have any houses and started throwing up. Lots and lots of gatorade vomit along with some snot and many tears. A few minutes later I was done and decided it was time to walk home. I was feeling better, though, and thought, "Meredith, you're tougher than this. Finish the workout." So I started running again. At the two mile mark I took my nutrition and kept on going. Gosh darn it, I finished that run! It wasn't as fast as I would have liked, but I think I earned some "tough" points.
It was a long day out there. I battled my demons and won. It wasn't my best workout and I certainly hope race day goes better. After my breakdown in Louisville last year, this workout was a huge victory, vomit and all.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Re-Up
This past week was a recovery week in my training. And I didn't do jack crap! Three runs, two bikes, and zero swims. ZERO!!! I'm not gonna lie, I've reached that point in my training where I am burnt out. My knee and achilles have been hurting, I'm tired, I'm hungry. There are seven weeks to go until THE BIG ONE!!! it's time to re-up...
Rededicate and Refocus
Seven weeks can feel like a long time. But I also know there are only three to four weeks of big training left. I've already done some big training too: a century ride, two 16-milers and an 18 mile run, two 4000 meter swims, so really the training that's left is no different than what I've already done. This week includes another 4000 meter swim, a 100+ mile bike ride, and yet another 18 mile run. That's just three days of training this week. Whew!
Refocus, Mer. The reward is worth it.
Rededicate and Refocus
Seven weeks can feel like a long time. But I also know there are only three to four weeks of big training left. I've already done some big training too: a century ride, two 16-milers and an 18 mile run, two 4000 meter swims, so really the training that's left is no different than what I've already done. This week includes another 4000 meter swim, a 100+ mile bike ride, and yet another 18 mile run. That's just three days of training this week. Whew!
Refocus, Mer. The reward is worth it.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thunder Dog
My dog Sloopy has recently become scared of thunderstorms. She shakes and her heart rate races and she pants and it's just awful. This has become a problem since there have been some big scary storms as of recent. Dave and I were doing a little reading about what to do and we saw a recommendation for a "thunder shirt". Basically, it's a shirt that makes your dog feel like they're getting hugged. Well, we're a little more creative and a lot more frugal in creating our thunder shirt for Sloopy. My sister gave me a bunch of her children's clothing as the kiddos have gotten bigger (no, no plans on the horizon...she told me I could sell them if I wanted). Introducing Sloopy in her thunder outfit:
Yes she is wearing a onesie and overalls. Funny enough, I put her in these the other day, went to the bathroom and when I came out she had somehow taken all of it off. How did she do that?
In other dog news....I am watching my parents' dog Kirby while they are on vacation for the next eight days. He came over last night and within the next three hours threw up on my brand new carpet. Awesome. Then I put him in his crate, put Sloopy and myself in bed, only to have Kirby bark THE ENTIRE NIGHT!!! I may have gotten three hours of continuous sleep. Did I mention Dave was out of town too? Oh yeah, I'm fighting this battle all by myself.
Here's hoping for a nap...
Yes she is wearing a onesie and overalls. Funny enough, I put her in these the other day, went to the bathroom and when I came out she had somehow taken all of it off. How did she do that?
In other dog news....I am watching my parents' dog Kirby while they are on vacation for the next eight days. He came over last night and within the next three hours threw up on my brand new carpet. Awesome. Then I put him in his crate, put Sloopy and myself in bed, only to have Kirby bark THE ENTIRE NIGHT!!! I may have gotten three hours of continuous sleep. Did I mention Dave was out of town too? Oh yeah, I'm fighting this battle all by myself.
Here's hoping for a nap...
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Product Review: Scape Sunscreen
Every year that Dave and I are together buying gifts for him gets tougher and tougher. This past Christmas I really dug deep and thought of some good stuff with which he was totally surprised. And every year I try to think of really creative items I can put in his stocking. While sitting in the library reading magazines (hey, it's FREE!!!) it was staring at me in the face out of the glossy pages of Runner's World....really good athlete sunscreen.
You see, although I do burn I turn a nice crisp shade of tan as the summer goes on. Dave on the other hand, burns and the peels, and he complains and WAAAAAHHHHH!!!! Since I still had no idea what his training and racing plans would consist of, I thought sunscreen would be a good idea. Of course, now I know he would be training for shorter races and I would be the one using the sunscreen.
I bought Scape athlete sunscreen in SPF 50+ from my local RoadRunner Sports. Actually, I bought two bottles of it: one for Dave's stocking and one for mine. Look what Santa brought me!!!
We first used it when we went to Mexico back in January. Since then I have used it for every single one of my long bike rides. I use a lot of it and it's thick and covers well. And it is the best sunscreen I have ever used. It stays on for like, forever. It keeps the sun from burning my skin but doesn't run into my eyes or doesn't make me feel sticky. It does seem to turn white as the workouts get long and I sweat more. But I'd rather be turning white than turning red. I have been burnt while using the sunscreen, however. When I did my half ironman this summer, I got pretty burnt on my shoulders. I don't know if the sunscreen didn't outlast the swim or if pouring all the water on my shoulders to cool myself down caused the sunscreen to fail. I also get a little burnt around the edges of my shirt where I rub for hours on end.
I am trying to figure out a sunscreen plan for THE BIG ONE!!! coming up. Sure, I can put the sunscreen on before the race, but the time in the water along with wearing a wetsuit may take all of the sunscreen off. At Louisville last year there were people who put sunscreen on you as you left transition, but as I recall that was not the case with THE BIG ONE!!! :) Scape is coming out with a spray sunscreen but I can't bank on it coming out by the time of the race. They have a foam sunscreen which may be an option as it says it can be used hands-free, but I'm not sure how much time I want to "waste" in transition. I'm also thinking of getting two spray bottles of the Neutrogena Wet Sunscreen-one for my T1 bag and one for the T2 bag. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.
Overall, I think this is the best sunscreen I've ever used. I preach it to my triathlon friends and I hope you consider using it too.
You see, although I do burn I turn a nice crisp shade of tan as the summer goes on. Dave on the other hand, burns and the peels, and he complains and WAAAAAHHHHH!!!! Since I still had no idea what his training and racing plans would consist of, I thought sunscreen would be a good idea. Of course, now I know he would be training for shorter races and I would be the one using the sunscreen.
I bought Scape athlete sunscreen in SPF 50+ from my local RoadRunner Sports. Actually, I bought two bottles of it: one for Dave's stocking and one for mine. Look what Santa brought me!!! We first used it when we went to Mexico back in January. Since then I have used it for every single one of my long bike rides. I use a lot of it and it's thick and covers well. And it is the best sunscreen I have ever used. It stays on for like, forever. It keeps the sun from burning my skin but doesn't run into my eyes or doesn't make me feel sticky. It does seem to turn white as the workouts get long and I sweat more. But I'd rather be turning white than turning red. I have been burnt while using the sunscreen, however. When I did my half ironman this summer, I got pretty burnt on my shoulders. I don't know if the sunscreen didn't outlast the swim or if pouring all the water on my shoulders to cool myself down caused the sunscreen to fail. I also get a little burnt around the edges of my shirt where I rub for hours on end.
I am trying to figure out a sunscreen plan for THE BIG ONE!!! coming up. Sure, I can put the sunscreen on before the race, but the time in the water along with wearing a wetsuit may take all of the sunscreen off. At Louisville last year there were people who put sunscreen on you as you left transition, but as I recall that was not the case with THE BIG ONE!!! :) Scape is coming out with a spray sunscreen but I can't bank on it coming out by the time of the race. They have a foam sunscreen which may be an option as it says it can be used hands-free, but I'm not sure how much time I want to "waste" in transition. I'm also thinking of getting two spray bottles of the Neutrogena Wet Sunscreen-one for my T1 bag and one for the T2 bag. Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.
Overall, I think this is the best sunscreen I've ever used. I preach it to my triathlon friends and I hope you consider using it too.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Amazing Blogger Award (or another "questions about me" post)
Melissa nominated me, wanted to know about me (because you know, we've only known each other for TWENTYFIVE YEARS!!), or I just can't think of anything creative or interesting to write anymore...
My favorite cartoon character is…I've got to be honest, I don't like cartoons. I KNOW! But I do love the Muppets. That's close, right?
My favorite thing to photograph is…Once I started my photo booth business my photography really took a back seat. But, I do love to do TTV (through the viewfinder) photographs. Here's one of my favorite's I took two years ago at on a dirt road near my sister's house.
My favorite thing to cook is…Dave does almost all the cooking in the house. But, I do make a great spaghetti/pasta sauce.
My favorite way to exercise is…Swimbikerun. Isn't that obvious?
My favorite movie is…You've Got Mail. How can you resist the cuteness that is Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan?
My favorite article of clothing is…I'm a basic t-shirt and jeans kind of girl.
My favorite flower is…I like orchids. They're easy to take care of, last a long time, and they're pretty.
My favorite breakfast is...I love a really yummy eggs benedict with lots and lots of hollandaise sauce.
I know I'm supposed to nominate/tag people but I don't want to pressure anyone or hurt anyone's feelings. If you want to participate, go for it! I'd love to read it.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Triathlon is not a poor man's sport
Once upon a time I had a real job, a real profession, a real career. I had money, good money, and could do things like buy clothes, take vacations, and afford to do whatever race I wanted.
But then I started my own business and quit my cushy job. And then I got poor.
Here's a little fact for you...owning your own business does not mean you're rolling in the dough. I have employees to pay, taxes to pay, supplies to purchase, and at the end of it all I take home very little. VERY LITTLE!!! Dave and I try to stick to a strict budget and have given up luxuries. The first year it was fun, almost like a challenge. The second year we survived. This third year, I'm sick of it. I miss my money. I want to go on a real vacation, not one that involves staying with either my parents or Dave's parents intruding on their vacations. I want to improve my wardrobe. And I want to be able to buy things for sport that I want.
I posted on Facebook the other day that I had spent $67 on nutrition (gels and such) in addition to buying a new pair of running shoes which I had luckily found on sale for $82. I also recently bought a new pair of biking shorts which everyone was raving about. Again I found them on sale for $98. And I signed up for a local triathlon which was running a special where if three people sign up, they split the cost of two people. So I paid less than $45 for an Olympic tri.
Some of those things I needed, some I didn't. Either way, I didn't have the money for any of it. Needless to say, triathlon is not a poor man's sport. I think I once read that the average salary of a triathlete (or maybe an iron-athlete) is over six figures. Are you kidding me? How does the average joe afford it?
For me, I pick and choose what I actually need and what I can get by without. Here's a rundown of how I save money in triathlon:
But then I started my own business and quit my cushy job. And then I got poor.
Here's a little fact for you...owning your own business does not mean you're rolling in the dough. I have employees to pay, taxes to pay, supplies to purchase, and at the end of it all I take home very little. VERY LITTLE!!! Dave and I try to stick to a strict budget and have given up luxuries. The first year it was fun, almost like a challenge. The second year we survived. This third year, I'm sick of it. I miss my money. I want to go on a real vacation, not one that involves staying with either my parents or Dave's parents intruding on their vacations. I want to improve my wardrobe. And I want to be able to buy things for sport that I want.
I posted on Facebook the other day that I had spent $67 on nutrition (gels and such) in addition to buying a new pair of running shoes which I had luckily found on sale for $82. I also recently bought a new pair of biking shorts which everyone was raving about. Again I found them on sale for $98. And I signed up for a local triathlon which was running a special where if three people sign up, they split the cost of two people. So I paid less than $45 for an Olympic tri.
Some of those things I needed, some I didn't. Either way, I didn't have the money for any of it. Needless to say, triathlon is not a poor man's sport. I think I once read that the average salary of a triathlete (or maybe an iron-athlete) is over six figures. Are you kidding me? How does the average joe afford it?
For me, I pick and choose what I actually need and what I can get by without. Here's a rundown of how I save money in triathlon:
- Dave and I use a credit card for all purchases, which makes us points, which earns us money or things. I used points to buy my Garmin and essentially got it for "free." We are also accumulating those points to help pay for our trip to Houston for the marathon in January.
- I buy all my nutrition wholesale from Road Runner Sports. It makes my gels and things less than a $1/piece. That's cheaper than buying them one at a time from the grocery. I also mix my own sports drinks which saves BIG money to buy the powder. And thankfully we have a RRS store close by so I don't have to pay for shipping.
- I try to plan my race schedule a year in advance, therefore signing up for the races as early as possible to get the lowest rate. And I always search the internet for a coupon code to try to get that fee even cheaper.
- I rarely buy any new gear, except for shoes. I have been wearing the same workout clothes for years. I will wear it until it falls apart, can no longer get the stink out of it, or you can see through it. Fashion? I rarely match. :) And as for swimsuits which do fall apart often, I buy mine from Splish which seems to have figured out how to make them last longer, plus I guy the grab bag suits when they're on sale for $29. I don't care what it looks like. $29 for a swimsuit that's going to last longer than 6 months? Yes please.
- Some of my splurges include paying for a coach, which I would not train for an ironman without one, and having a gym membership. Although, we do get a discount for that too because our gym is located in the same area where Dave is employed. We get an employee discount.
So, how do you afford triathlon? What do you do to save money? What can I do more? What is necessary and not necessary for triathlon? Do you think race fees are out of control? Are there things or races you absolutely say no to because of the price? Speak up triathletes!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
My Achilles Heel
With just about two months until THE BIG ONE!!! I'm starting to put together realistic race expectations/goals. For me, it all comes down to my achilles heel: the bike. In the past year I've made great gains on the bike but I'm still left wondering, how is everyone so fast on the bike?
I have watched the 2010 Ironman World Championships about a hundred times. Thank you DVR! Although I CAN'T STAND Chris McCormack, he says one thing (and only one thing) that I agreed with during that telecast regarding the so-called cyclists during the race..."I have immense respect for the Stadlers and the Lietos who race this event that way (hammering the bike). It's a lonely, tough way to race this race. Especially in the sense that all you get all day once you get off the bike is lost time." So that has me wondering, are people really that great of bikers or do they know that's where they can make the most amount of time gains and don't necessarily care about the rest of the race?
When I look at the best triathletes in the world, Chris McCormack, Craig Alexander, Chrissie Wellington, Mirinda Carfrae, Andreas Raelert, not only are they really good all-around athletes, I would say that running is their strength. And really, it all comes down to the run in the end. Craig Alexander said it best during that same telecast, "If you spend too much energy somewhere, you're going to pay for it somewhere else. So, when you see guys really fade badly in the run, usually it's because they've gone too hard, spent too many pennies on the bike."
For me, I want to put together a good race from start to finish. I want to look back and think there was nothing I could have done better. I want to follow my plan to a "T." And if that means I have to let everyone in the whole damn race pass me on the bike, so be it. I'll see them again on the run.
I have watched the 2010 Ironman World Championships about a hundred times. Thank you DVR! Although I CAN'T STAND Chris McCormack, he says one thing (and only one thing) that I agreed with during that telecast regarding the so-called cyclists during the race..."I have immense respect for the Stadlers and the Lietos who race this event that way (hammering the bike). It's a lonely, tough way to race this race. Especially in the sense that all you get all day once you get off the bike is lost time." So that has me wondering, are people really that great of bikers or do they know that's where they can make the most amount of time gains and don't necessarily care about the rest of the race?
When I look at the best triathletes in the world, Chris McCormack, Craig Alexander, Chrissie Wellington, Mirinda Carfrae, Andreas Raelert, not only are they really good all-around athletes, I would say that running is their strength. And really, it all comes down to the run in the end. Craig Alexander said it best during that same telecast, "If you spend too much energy somewhere, you're going to pay for it somewhere else. So, when you see guys really fade badly in the run, usually it's because they've gone too hard, spent too many pennies on the bike."
For me, I want to put together a good race from start to finish. I want to look back and think there was nothing I could have done better. I want to follow my plan to a "T." And if that means I have to let everyone in the whole damn race pass me on the bike, so be it. I'll see them again on the run.
Monday, July 04, 2011
You've Got to Want It
It's July now. Midway through the summer, which means, midway through triathlon season, which means we're getting ever closer to THE BIG ONE!!! The training days are getting long. The miles are accumulating by the day. Last year at this time I was not only scared of what lay ahead, I was suffering. I didn't want to swimbikeruneastsleep. I just wanted it to be over. This seems to be a common theme with other iron triathletes. But for me, something's different this year.
I have never wanted this more.
Last year I was consumed with thoughts of the finish--what it was going to be like, would I cry, would I remember everything about it. Sure, I'm still thinking about the finish this year, but I'm also thinking about everything else in between. I am practicing specifically for this race. Every stroke, every step, every gel eaten, every ounce of sports drink consumed is going toward this race. I think about pacing and speed and electrolytes and heart rate and who I want to beat. I'm finding this year that it's so much easier getting through the long hours being completely focused on one task.
Right now I am fully focused and ready to go. With ironman you've got to want it. And I want it badly. See you at the start line.
I have never wanted this more.
Last year I was consumed with thoughts of the finish--what it was going to be like, would I cry, would I remember everything about it. Sure, I'm still thinking about the finish this year, but I'm also thinking about everything else in between. I am practicing specifically for this race. Every stroke, every step, every gel eaten, every ounce of sports drink consumed is going toward this race. I think about pacing and speed and electrolytes and heart rate and who I want to beat. I'm finding this year that it's so much easier getting through the long hours being completely focused on one task.
Right now I am fully focused and ready to go. With ironman you've got to want it. And I want it badly. See you at the start line.
Friday, July 01, 2011
June Totals
June was a BIG month. I raced one of my 'A' races for the year: Racing for Recovery half ironman, setting a new PR along the way. June also brought about full-on ironman training, which brought about BIG numbers. Here's the breakdown:
Total hours: 44 hours, 42 minutes
Swim: 20,100 meters (~12.5 miles)
Bike: 363.18 miles
Run: 90.06 miles
Many more BIG numbers to come next month.
Total hours: 44 hours, 42 minutes
Swim: 20,100 meters (~12.5 miles)
Bike: 363.18 miles
Run: 90.06 miles
Many more BIG numbers to come next month.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
A Post About Justin Bieber?
**I hope this post at least makes you giggle.**
In the middle of wedding season and ironman training, you'd think I'd be completely overwhelmed and have not much on my mind. Actually I only have one thing on my mind:
I need a new haircut.
I have, basically, had the same style for the last five years. Here I am at my 10 year high school reunion (far right) in 2006:
In 2007 while on vacation in Switzerland:
2009 at the Boston Marathon (far left):
While at the beach with my parents in 2010:
And recently I've been growing out the bangs while the rest of the hair is long, long, LONG!!!:
I thought having my hair long would be beneficially for my training. It would be easy. It would fit into a swim cap, helmet, and hat/visor. But it's quite the opposite. It is hot. It gets tangly (although I do help myself by braiding it or wearing a double ponytail). It takes FOREVER to dry. And mostly it is bland, bland, bland. This week I cracked and cut my bangs, again, hoping to give the haircut a little variety. Honestly, it just made it exactly the same it's been for years and I kinda hate it.
Truth of the matter is, I really want to cut it. All of it. I want it to look like this:
Yep, I want to cut all of it off. According to my stylist, I have enough hair to donate, which will earn me a warm-and-fuzzy feeling along with a free haircut. ;) And she says my hair *should* be able to do this as long as I use product. I want to believe her, but somehow I feel like she's blowing smoke up my butt. You see, I've tried the super-short-hair thing before. In college...you know, the years of experimentation.
The next series of pictures all happened during my freshman year. I tried to thing of something creative to say about these pictures, but all I can say is "OH MY GOSH!!!"
Let me say something in my defense about these unfortunate mistakes: (a) I didn't have enough money for a good haircut then and (b) I didn't have a stylist who I trust. (c) I have learned how to dress like a girl. And (d) I no longer color my hair.
But my worry is this. I don't want to wind up looking like my husband. And I don't want to look like a soccer mom. And I certainly don't want to look like this:
Or this:
**See, I told you this post would make you giggle. :)**
In the middle of wedding season and ironman training, you'd think I'd be completely overwhelmed and have not much on my mind. Actually I only have one thing on my mind:
I need a new haircut.
I have, basically, had the same style for the last five years. Here I am at my 10 year high school reunion (far right) in 2006:
In 2007 while on vacation in Switzerland:
2009 at the Boston Marathon (far left):
While at the beach with my parents in 2010:
And recently I've been growing out the bangs while the rest of the hair is long, long, LONG!!!:
I thought having my hair long would be beneficially for my training. It would be easy. It would fit into a swim cap, helmet, and hat/visor. But it's quite the opposite. It is hot. It gets tangly (although I do help myself by braiding it or wearing a double ponytail). It takes FOREVER to dry. And mostly it is bland, bland, bland. This week I cracked and cut my bangs, again, hoping to give the haircut a little variety. Honestly, it just made it exactly the same it's been for years and I kinda hate it.
Truth of the matter is, I really want to cut it. All of it. I want it to look like this:
Yep, I want to cut all of it off. According to my stylist, I have enough hair to donate, which will earn me a warm-and-fuzzy feeling along with a free haircut. ;) And she says my hair *should* be able to do this as long as I use product. I want to believe her, but somehow I feel like she's blowing smoke up my butt. You see, I've tried the super-short-hair thing before. In college...you know, the years of experimentation.
The next series of pictures all happened during my freshman year. I tried to thing of something creative to say about these pictures, but all I can say is "OH MY GOSH!!!"
Let me say something in my defense about these unfortunate mistakes: (a) I didn't have enough money for a good haircut then and (b) I didn't have a stylist who I trust. (c) I have learned how to dress like a girl. And (d) I no longer color my hair.
But my worry is this. I don't want to wind up looking like my husband. And I don't want to look like a soccer mom. And I certainly don't want to look like this:
Or this:
**See, I told you this post would make you giggle. :)**
Monday, June 20, 2011
Running Scared
It's not very often that I look at my upcoming training and think, "Woah! That workout is scary." Generally I like the challenge and take it by the horns. But today's workout has had me scared/nervous/sick to my stomach for two weeks.
After Louisville last year, I made a list of the things I felt I needed to get to the finish line of an ironman. Coach agreed with some and disagreed with others. One we somewhat disagreed on was the need to do more/longer running off the bike and to put in more running miles. The reason I failed in running off the bike was not my inability to run, it was my nutrition/hydration or lack thereof during Louisville. We are working on the nutrition, but to heal my mental shortcomings we ARE doing more running off the bike.
Today's workout: a somewhat short trainer bike ride followed by a 16 mile run.
Did you read that correctly? SIXTEEN MILES OFF THE BIKE!!!
I started preparing for this workout yesterday. I hydrated all day, ate clean and well (mostly), checked water sources and port-a-johns throughout town, and got all my nutrition together. Then I was in bed by 9:30. Yep, the sun had barely set and I was already in bed. The alarm went off at 5:00 and I got up at 5:45. I struggle with early mornings. :) I was on the bike by 6:20. The bike went well. I kept my heart rate right where it was supposed to be and followed my ironman nutrition plan. Then it was time for the run.
Even after starting this workout I was still nervous about the run. As I was gathering my stuff for the run I was kinda gagging. I was scared about what lay ahead. I kept telling myself, "calm down. It's only a run." Soon I was out the door.
I've mentioned it a hundred times before; I liked to run by feel. Coach allows me to do this and encourages it by giving me runs that descend based on feeling and not what my Garmin says. So, I put a sticker over the Garmin and began the run. Last week had beautiful weather for my long run. It was barely 60 degrees. Today was over 70 degrees at the start of it with 100% humidity. Breathing was a little more labored, so I held back and just kept things comfortable. After 8 miles it was time to check the Garmin and begin the descending portion of my run. I had nailed those first 8 miles at a 9:09 pace. Around 8 miles is where I really feel the mojo set in and I was hitting my paces perfectly. I was following my nutrition plan and really doing well. Soon I was 12 miles in and shifting gears once again. I was on my way home and doing terrific. I don't know why I had been so scared about this workout. I was killing it! Finally I hit mile 16. I looked at the final time - 2:22 and change for a total pace of sub-9:00.
Things are really on track for a great race in a few months. I've just got to continue to keep my head in the game, attack my workouts, and follow the plan.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Just the Facts, Ma'am
Due to the forecasted weather for tomorrow, I was forced to do my long bike ride today. Here's a few fun facts about today's ride.
- I rode for 4-1/2 hours today. That's longer than any marathon I've ever run.
- I took 5 bathroom breaks. It's sad to say but the gas station bathroom was as disgusting as any port-a-john I've used (except for the ones at Reach the Beach 2007).
- I averaged 16.2 mph for this ride which is about 1 mph faster than last year for the same distance. What a difference a year makes!
- While on the ride I drank 5 bottles of First Endurance sports drink and I also drank 2 bottles of water, ate 3 servings of Gu Chomps, had 4 servings of First Endurance EFS Liquid Gel, and consumed 9 salt tabs. It would have been 10 except I dropped my last one on the road. I also had 2 Advil halfway through the ride.
- My average heart rate for the ride was 142 which is on the cusp of zone 1/zone 2.
- The wind seemed to be coming out of every direction. Okay, that's not a fact, but it sure seemed like it. Looking out my window right now, the wind is out of the south.
- Number of phone calls I received while on the bike? One. My mom.
- The song that ran through my head the entire ride was Avalon's "My Jesus, I love thee."
- Number of bugs that hit me in the face during the ride? N+1. That's for all my math geek friends. :)
I also ran 15 minutes (1.75) miles off the bike. Overall I'd say it was a great (and fun) ride/run. Next week, I'll tack on another half hour to this ride. I wonder what "facts" can come from next week's adventures?
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Rants and Raves
I think I'm going to start a new series on this blog called "Rants and Raves." For those of you who know me in real life, you know I can get pretty fired up about a subject. So now it's time to take it to the blog. :)
Ranting about....
...the Duggars. I'm getting myself ready this morning and I hear on the news that the Duggars have an announcement this morning. Are you kidding me? Did they not learn anything with their last baby? I'm hoping it's about their oldest child and the birth of their second child. Lo and behold, the announcement was the birth of the second Duggar grandchild. Thank God. During lunch today I'm actually watching TLC (don't ask) and a preview is shown for an upcoming Duggar special on the birth of that second grandchild. They show Anna, the daughter-in-law, laboring in a tub, fully clothed in a long skirt and shirt. Let me tell you something, Duggars, everyone knows HOW people get pregnant and we're not stupid enough to think the stork actually brought that second grandchild. The baby came out of Anna's vagina and it wasn't while she was fully clothed! What is up with these people? Does anyone care about the Duggars? I mean, come on! Frankly, I think they give Christian folks a bad rap.
Raving about...
I've mentioned before, that my goal each year is to read 12 books; one for each month of the year. Last year I failed miserably, but this year I'm just a little behind target. The book I'm currently reading, Beautiful Boy by David Sheff, has been on my list of books I've wanted to read for a while. In one sentence, it's about a father's journey through his son's addiction. That's what it says on the cover, anyway. And, I freakin' love this book. It's like reading an episode of "Intervention" but getting the whole story. I can't wait to read the son's memoir about his same experience.
So, what do you think about "Rants and Raves?" Worthy of a series? Annoying? Makes you think of your own rants and raves? Comments?
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
"I" Week
When I pledged a sorority in college, the week you are inducted, you must go through "I" Week, initiation week, hell week. I've reached that point in my training. The half ironman is done. Recovery week is over. Welcome to "I" week/month/quarter. In this case "I" stands for ironman.
Forget about fixing your hair, wearing makeup, or wearing normal clothes for the next three months. And you better hope that house is clean now because it will not be touched again until the middle of September. It's now about hyper-organization, long hours, longer workouts, eating around the clock, sleeping any chance you get, ice baths, and emotional roller coasters.
"I" week started with a 14 mile run yesterday, a 3500 meter swim this morning, and will conclude later in the week with a 4-1/2 hour bike, with a lot of stuff between now and then. And next week, well, next week is just scary.
So if you don't hear from me in the next three months, you know where I am. I am in the pool, on the roads, hitting the trails, or sitting in a tub of ice. And I can't believe I'm going to say this...I'm giddy with excitement! This year I'm going to be inducted. I've gone through two years of hell, have ridden every roller coaster of emotions, and this year my lifelong goal of becoming an ironman will be achieved. Welcome to "I" week Mer. It's going to be a great ride.
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