Beyond Training

Grinnell's Dinner Plate Specials #1 (CAUTION - This dish might promote gas ... just saying)

2012-02-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

Grinnell's Dinner Plate Special #1 - Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

I recently posted a picture of this veggie side dish plate that I often enjoy - especially on those nights when the grocery pickings are slim and I'm too exhausted to be creative in making a meal (which is just about every night). I had a few comments that suggested I post the recipe, which prompted me to begin a 4 week blog series called "Grinnell's Dinner Plate Specials."

The truth is, I'm usually always exhausted at night and I'm betting most of you out there in blog reading world are too. I'm never too tired to opt for a meal that is low in nutrient value -no matter how tired I am, no matter what is or isn't in the fridge. It's a personal rule of thumb and I thank my parents for raising me in a household where we sat down breakfast and dinner every day of the week. We always had a piece of fruit with our breakfast (usually grapefruit or melon) and we always had a vegetable as part of our meal. That's not to say we always yelled "oh goodie" when we saw those vegetable side dishes. I recall several "gagging" episodes with spinach or brussels sprouts. My brother, sister and I also took part in "meal chores" which included setting the table, clearing the table, washing dishes and later, setting the table for breakfast. Sound strict? It really wasn't. I have really fond memories of those "rituals" around meals. My brother was notorious for spraying us with the sink hose. My sister would clear the table, while at the same time practice her high school cheerleading routine in front of the reflection of the sliding glass doors. Frankly, I don't know what I did that was so special except fight with my brother while scraping the dishes into the trash. I feel very, very fortunate to have had the kind of childhood where I spent time in the kitchen with my siblings around mealtime. We connected, through arguing, talking, laughing or fighting (mostly me and my brother playing that stupid slapping game where you try and move your hands before you get slapped by the other person ... okay, maybe that wasn't the best form of connection). I'm so grateful there were no such things as texting, emaling or Facebooking, all supposedly available to keep us more connected. Something's wrong with that picture.

Most dinner meals that are made in our household are quick and easy (take 30 min or less). Surprise, surprise, I am now a lover of brussels sprouts - the once evil vegetable that I gagged on under the table! I wish I could say the same about mushrooms. My partner Lisa, while a lover of mushrooms, is not fond of the brussels sprout so I only make this dish on night's she is working late. I consider it my own little treat which might (again, WARNING SIGN) end up giving you a few, well worth it, surprises later. This is the most basic recipe. I have other fantastic brussels sprout recipes and if you are interested,just leave a comment.

ENJOY!!!

Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts (Serving for two)

1.5-2 Sweet Potatoes washed and cut into little squares
8 large brussels sprouts washed and cut into halves or quarters
1/4-1/2 sweet yellow onion (optional) cut into long slices
Light Olive Oil
Sea salt (best loose so you can sprinkle with fingers)
Fresh Ground Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Combine sweet potatoes, brussels sprouts and onions in a bowl and toss with 1.5 table spoons of olive oil.
Sprinkle a bit of the sea salt and ground pepper into the mix and toss.
Grease a baking sheet or pan with a couple of drops of olive oil .
Add the veggies, spreading to one layer on the pan.
Roast for 25 min (putting the baking sheet somewhere on the middle rack inside your oven).
Make sure to flip and toss the veggies at the 10 and 20 minute mark

The brussels sprouts might get a bit crispy (even blackened). That's the point and the best part of this dish!

Serve as a side dish with a protein.

Choices

2012-01-25T13:07:00.000-08:00

I don't usually think about all the choices we make in just a single day, but for some reason I did today! It started out with choosing my breakfast (I opted for my standard 2 pieces of light oatmeal toast with peanut butter and a banana) along with my usual watered down glass of orange juice and strong cup of coffee with a bit of half and half - one of my daily luxuries. I made this breakfast choice knowing that I was going to go swim and needed something similar in my system to a pre-short race meal.

Then, I had to choose which bathing suit I was going to wear. Would it be the super tight one that is slightly small and hinges on giving me a wedgie? OR, would it be the one that hardly has any back to it, makes me look semi-naked and offers little stretch? OR, would it be the one that is too big, too heavy and causes for major draggage into and through my chest?  Hmmmm, I chose the slightly small wedgie suit. I then had to pack the clothing I was going to change into after my workout (opted for the totally comfortable feel of my ratty jeans, a white t-shirt and fleece jacket) along with something to wear to teach a swim lesson later in the morning. Finally, I had to choose a drink to quench my thirst during the swim and then of course, the swim workout. I opted for a drink that provided 25g of carbs and a workout that included some sprints - which totally did me in! Now, that's a lot of choices within an hour time frame. There's still a whole day left of choice making!

One nice thing that I am discovering about getting older (trying to stay positive here about the whole getting older thing) is that I'm less reactive and more mindful about the choices I make. Okay, choosing my too tight, too small wedgie suit really did not take much thought -I didn't feel like dealing with the drag factor of the suit that was too big and I was sick of the "naked" suit. However, on a daily and "bigger picture" basis, I am more aware of the process of my choices.

This past summer, I was not able to race in too many triathlons due to a strained soleus muscle. However, it resolved itself by the beginning of August and I entered in a few short sprint tri's as well as four 5k road races. I absolutely love the 5k distance and was so happy to finally be able to compete in a few over the fall. The first fall event I entered was certainly a wind sucker. As a matter of fact, I was humbled by the course and the fact that I did not tie my shoelace tight enough. I ended up having to stop on a trail and tie it around the 1.5 mile mark - where I was passed by the woman who eventually won. I was talking myself through the last mile of the event and wondered why I even entered. My finish time was around 19:25. The 2nd event felt much better. I ran respectably - starting out very much in control and moved up the pace and effort throughout, finishing strong. My time was around 19:05. The third event was a big local event with thousands of participants. I ran this one with my brother until the end when he put the hurt on for the final sprint. We ran a bit too comfortably during the 1st two miles, but I gave everything I had during the last mile. I broke 19 min and ended up running 18:57. My final 5k was on a boardwalk in NJ. Headwind going out, tailwind coming back. I again started fairly conservatively and then worked the 2nd half with the goal of catching and passing a young 20' something year old who looked like she had a kick. Ended up running something like an 18:54, proceeded to put on my Snookie wig and head to the beach for the Polar Bear Plunge.

A few years ago I was running in the low 18's and and cracked the 18 min mark once. While I'm not totally disappointed in my fall 5k events for 2011, I felt that I should be running in the mid 18's or faster. I was certainly running hard, at least for the 2nd half of these events so again, I FELT like I should have been running in that time range. What the hell?

Here's the reality. I'm a coach, I know the principles of training and I know what I need to do to get faster. With that being said, I have had to make choices as to how I approach my running to stay healthy. My choices this fall were to run easy and not run a lot of mileage (12 miles per week) and allow the races to serve as my hard days. My choice was not to risk hurting my calf or aggravate an old achilles issue that pops up now and then. My personal approach to running these days is to run for enjoyment, relieve stress, take in the sights, sounds and smells of nature and not push the envelope. I'm not "in training" for any particular event. I remind myself that I've been running since the age of ten and my body has probably accumulated a lot of structural stress. So, how could I have expected to run in the low to mid 18 minute range? I'm happy with my choices and happy to be running pain free. I am careful to choose who I run with, how far, the type of course and whether or not to push. I don't make a plan for my running - I choose the structure based on how I feel that day. It's what works for me right now and I can't expect to be setting personal bests with that approach - but the trade-off is so worth it!

I make choices every day as to what kind of energy I want to bring to a consult, a conversation, a class or any interaction (Oprah Winfrey reminded me of this on one of her shows).  Trust me, I don't wake up feeling all rosy and happy everyday. I wake up many days low on sleep and feeling like I have "the uglies." I don't like my hair, I don't like my pasty winter color and I don't feel "zippy." I have the choice either walk around with my shoulders shrugged letting people know how tired I am, or I can choose to flip my energy switch and do the best I can that day. I can choose to be engaged, listen and carry myself with confidence. It's pretty amazing how my outlook can actually become much more rosy just by making the effort. I can crash on the couch later in the evening in my sweats and all of my ugliness (and my two dogs)!

I have chosen this job of mine - coaching, consulting - helping people gain higher levels of fitness. I chose this path because it's the one that made me feel the best and allowed me to express almost all of who I am. I think it's so important to love what you do for you career.... or at least like it. Some are not so fortunate and don't always have that choice. I had recently blogged about my fears of a pending move to New Jersey. As unsettling as that may be, the move is forcing me to grow and make some choices as to what I want to do next as part of my coaching (I'll let ya'll know as soon as I have it planned). I have a few things on my bucket list. I see this as a great opportunity to cross at least one of those items off soon. Sometimes we have to do things in our lives which cause for turbulence - a little shaking up of the status-quo, whether we like it or not. I have always found those "shake-ups" to result in learning to make better, wiser or new choices. Thank goodness those heavy choice making decisions only come around over a period of months or years. Picking out a bathing suit or what food to eat for breakfast is so much easier! Either way (major life choices or simple daily choices), they should be made with the end result of feeling good about them.

All I Want for Christmas .... and the New Year

2011-12-21T11:41:00.000-08:00

I don't usually reflect on New Year's resolutions or things that I want. The honest truth is that I'm a pretty happy gal and feel that I already have what is most important to me in my life. Okay, let's face it, I wouldn't be telling a lie if I said that I'd love to be bopping around in a convertible 2012 VW beetle, alright? Powder blue please. Is that too much for a girl to ask for? Seriously.

I know that won't be happening anytime soon however here are a few things that I wish for as we approach the new year.

1). Everyone who has long hair and swims in the pool wear a swim cap. I've had it with getting hair across my goggles or worse, in-between my fingers. It just feels gross.

2) That no one walks around freely naked in the women's locker room. It's just uncomfortable for me and it's all about me.

3) That Gu continues to sell it's line of mint chocolate gel. It's a real treat.

4) That when I find a favorite running shoe, it's not discontinued or changed a year later.

5) That a woman develops the perfect fitting saddle for a woman. The current saddle shape is just wrong for so many reasons that are too personal to post in this blog.

6) That I never lose sight of the "FUN FACTOR," ... the joy of training. Has to be fun or why do it? Someone please remind me of this if I ever decide to train for a half ironman again. The full Ironman is out - no fun factor in that for me. I'll leave the fun up to my athletes who enjoy that distance!

7) That the guy who works out in the weight room of my gym every morning buy some new shorts and start wearing deodorant. His current shorts are totally see through from the behind. Maybe he's wearing these shorts thinking that they will be a chick magnet. Something tells me he's an older man who still lives with his mother and does not do his own laundry.

8) That the price of coffee stops going up. It's my one addiction (just in the morning .... okay I have an occasional afternoon cup). Oh, and that Seattle's Best Coffee/Henry's Blend lives on forever.

9) That I sleep deeply for a whole night without one hint of tossing. It's no fun waking up like you've just finished a marathon. Oh, and this has nothing to do with #8.

10) That my partner and I as well as the two furry loves of my life continue to stay healthy. Really, that's what I want the most.

Fall Reflections

2011-11-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I had a hard time letting go of summer this year. I wanted a few more weeks of training in shorts and a tank top. I wanted a couple of more weeks to visit the beach and several more weeks of riding on some of my favorite roads with my favorite views of valley during it’s peak, lush green state. Usually I’m okay with that “fall feeling” starting to hover in early September, but this year I felt forced into fall mode.
On the flip side, I do love this time of year. I love all the smells that come with fall - my most favorite being that of neighbors woodstove burning during a morning run. I love being a bit more “lax” in my training regimen after a summer of structured workouts. I relish in allowing myself the luxury of easy, shorter workouts. I also tend to be more reflective during the fall season for some reason. I’m not sure why but certainly it has to do with the cycling of the seasons in relation to the cycle of time. Right about this time of year (as I have for the past 4 years) I start to question whether or not I want to continue racing. As much as I love to feed my competitive fire and push myself to points where only races take me, I also really enjoy working on fitness with modes that allow my to really care for and nurture my body and soul.

My last blog post noted at how much I was dreading getting in the pool for swims. I have to confess in saying that I have really enjoyed my 1-2 swims per week lately. Most of what I am doing involves a lot of easy, more playful swimming. When I’m in the water I feel as though I enter somewhat of meditative space. Unfortunately, that space is broken every so often by an occasional kick in the side from the hairy guy who likes to share a lane with me. Sometimes that space is broken by a guy who wants to “workout” with me every time we happen to be swimming at the same time. Inevitably, he ends up trying to race me (even when I am going easy) and then pulls up because of a shoulder issue. Oh, the joys of community pool swimming!

Lately I’ve been reflecting on the inevitable transition of our move to southern, NJ (pending the sale of our home here). I’ve tried not to think about the move too much but have been forcing myself to do so a bit now so I can prepare for what I feel to be a pretty big change in my life. There are a lot of nice perks to the move. I really enjoy being near the ocean and bay. There is truly something special about the smells and sounds of the ocean. I love walking along the beach- love it! We will have neighbors close by, which is something I’ve really never experienced. We have met several the seasonal and year round neighbors who live on or around our block and all are welcoming. I enjoy having someone stop and say hello as I am doing a project outside. I can’t imagine driving my car too often as the local grocery store, pharmacy and community center are a walk or bike ride away.

My reflections of the move have mostly had to do with overcoming my fear of leaving a place that is very familiar to me and which I feel deeply connected. Leaving a community of people that I really enjoy scares me. I grew up here. I know every single back road and have some sort of memory attached to those roads. I am also known in this community and because of that, I have been able to develop my very small business out of doing something I really love. I am totally unknown in the community where we will be moving. I don’t know a soul. I’m sure my business will suffer ..... for a while at least. So, all of these fears combined have forced me to start reflecting on how I define myself. I will be starting over in many ways. Here, I can find and feel confidence because I define myself as a coach, an known athlete and a native of this community. In Jersey, I feel like somewhat of a blank slate - and that is the thought that got me thinking! Blank slate. I’ve had to dig deeper into defining who I am in order to start to overcome my fears. I can no longer rely on defining myself by my job, or who I am or was as an athlete, or where I grew up. Although those things make up who I am, they do not define who I am. So, it is with this deepening reflection that I’ve had to think about what really belongs on that blank slate so I can be okay with the pending transition. In a random thought order, here’s what came of it.

My number one priority is my partner and our relationship. I have two very close friends and that’s just enough. I am someone who enjoys challenging others to find the courage and confidence to improve their health or athletic performance. I don’t coach just to write workouts - I like the educational aspect of what I do. I like helping folks understand the bigger lessons and the bigger picture that can come from set-backs, change and challenge. I enjoy people, but I also need a lot of time alone. I enjoy connecting people. I like to feel connected. The reason I workout is for my health (mental, spiritual and physical health) not for recognition or awards. I’ve always liked to write, but have never done it enough. I enjoy our dogs - they are my family and they totally “get me.”

There you have it, written off of the top of my head the other day without great thought. I didn’t want to put a lot of thought into it. Pretty simple, however in keeping it simple I have realized all I need to know to develop my new life in New Jersey. I will have to create what I want and draw that picture based on what I know to be true about me and what is important to me. The process could be exciting in a way. I have thoughts of taking part of what I do for my job to a new and totally different level - a level that allows for more personal fulfillment for those I work with and for myself. I have thoughts of working on a book - which has been on my mind for a year now (no, it’s not about triathlon training). I am not afraid to meet others, make new connections or get involved in the community. Because I enjoy being connected and have always made the effort to do so, I imagine a big piece of my life here in Massachusetts will still be with me, despite the move.

What’s the lesson of this blog? Well, I hope to prove it to be a good lesson about understanding what it is that defines YOU and how to make that work for you on so many levels when it comes to facing change or challenge. I think it’s totally normal to be freaked about big changes, however it’s all about perspective. I think change can be good and just another opportunity for growth - no mater what the outcome. Pretty cool.

Taking Some Down Time

2011-10-16T15:23:00.000-07:00

Most of us who have raced over the summer have entered that strange "in-between" time of the training year when we really just don't know what to do with ourselves. We hate to lose that very top end of our fitness, the endorphin high we get from racing on a regular basis, and of course - the tan. Most athletes out there in training la-la land know exactly what they're are supposed to do with themselves during this time. I should know, I'm "the coach." We're supposed to take some much needed down time from serious training volume and intensity. We're supposed to give our body a bit of a reprieve and let it heal and re-energize. We're also supposed to use this time to give ourselves a mental break from the intensity of racing. Some are better at this than others.

Our dog Lulu is a pro at taking a break from excessive play season

I'm generally pretty good at this, but that's not to say that I don't put up a bit of a fight. My body naturally seems to go into this mode. I start craving carbs, I get sleepy at 4pm vs 8pm and I really am not that excited to train. I have dreaded going to the pool lately, but do so because I need a form of exercise that does not abuse my legs. My body likes the water. As it gets colder outside, I'll dread swimming even more. I've backed down my training volume a lot but kept up some intensity because I hope to enter some fall 5k's and make up for not having a fall running season the past couple of years. While I've had some good workouts, most have been pretty lack-luster. I've been tired and my feet and knees ache more than usual. I'm getting older .... I'm aware of that, but my body is also telling me it's still tired from summer training. I keep hearing the voice inside my head that whispers, "Back off more - rest more - don't worry about going to the pool or running - take a walk, take a bath, take yoga." I actually have been very good about doing yoga 1x per week and enjoy it. With just a change of the channel to exercise tv, I'm set to jet with "Zen in My Den." I have yet to try "Bootylicious Buns," but perhaps I'll explore that this winter. I'm pretty good about that bath too.

There is no doubt that "the bitch scale" tips a bit higher this time of year. I have to believe that something changes hormonally within women. I hate to bring up the hormone excuse for excessive bitchiness, but I think they play a factor. Sorry guys - more fun for you. Imagine my household with two women going into the "bitch phase" of the training season. We've almost gotten divorced twice in one week.

I am a firm believer that we all need 3-4 weeks of total chill time. I'm not suggesting that we get on the couch every night with a pint of ice cream (tempting, but we should be nurturing ourselves nutritionally this time of year as well with healthy food choices). I'm suggesting that we all use this time as an opportunity to explore other modes of fitness that are low key, or social, or spiritual or all of those. I have suggested hiking with poles to a few clients, but often get the "one eyebrow raised" kind of reaction - as if "hiking" is not even close to being an acceptable workout.

One of the reasons that I fell in love with the sport of triathlon was because of the "low-key" friendly atmosphere I felt at the races and from my peers. The fun factor was much higher than what I experienced in running or cycling races. However, triathletes tend to be very Type-A in personality. I know this is all a surprise to you. My former coach once described personalities in the form of shapes (I can't remember the actual person who came up with this theory). Anyway, "Squiggles" are easy going people who really don't thrive on structure and were more artistic in nature. Kind of "go with the flow" types of folks. "Triangles" are very structured in nature but have some room for flexibility. "Squares" love structure, follow it well and are NOT flexible if a plan changes. Never change the bike route while on a ride with a Square! This is a very general recollection of what I can remember about these shapes and personalities. I think there were a couple of more types. What I have found with many, many people that I have consulted with is that most have trouble finding or accepting modes of training that are "outside the box." Many have trouble backing down during this time of year. So they might rationalize that they are no longer doing structured interval work, but they still might go too hard every weekend on a group ride, or they might run 20 miles easy thinking it was okay because it was easy.

The bottom line is that we have to take care of our bodies. They endure a lot - probably more than they should. I have work on both ends of the spectrum of the fitness world. I have worked those who struggle with getting in regular exercise on a daily basis, and I have worked with those who have trouble backing down and taking a lot of needed rest. The challenge is equal for both. I always try to remind folks to think about what the body needs and go the course from that point. Put the mind away and don't let it mess with ya!

So, this week my goal is to really let my body enjoy some gentle forms of training. Yoga 2x per week, 1-2short easy runs and a swim (because my body likes it). I'm planning on entering a 5k next weekend for fun and for a good cause. I'm counting on feeling pretty rested for it!

It's Not About The Medal

2011-09-22T10:56:00.000-07:00

"Education does not exist to provide you with a job ....Education is here to nourish your soul." - Ruth Simmons, 1st female president of Brown University, 1st black president of an Ivy League School.

I recently read this quote from Ruth Simmons in the local newspaper. Ruth Simmons became the president of Smith College just after I finished graduate school there in the early 90's. I wish I had the opportunity to hear her speak, not only because she had already broken so many barriers, but because (from my understanding) she was very, very well liked by the college and local community. Something about this quote struck me from an athlete's and a coach's perspective.

First, let me say that I actually do feel that education can and many times does exist as a path and means to getting a job. Her statement does, however bring out important message, which is to open ourselves to letting education feed all aspects of our being - doesn't matter what level or what kind of education (high school, technical/trade school, college and beyond). Sadly, I think I let that part go when I went to both undergraduate and graduate school. I was focused primarily on my sport (running) and my specific studies and duties in grad school. I let my inner somewhat quiet passion for music and writing fall by the wayside. I never took advantage of taking other courses that would nurture that part of my soul. Certainly that focus of pursuing my major, being a top runner and of course, surviving graduate school was pretty important. I also went into a field that ended up being totally related to what I do for work, however I wish I had a bit more fun and taken advantage of what my educational institutions had to offer. I recall walking out of a day of classes and studying from the building at Smith where most of my courses were held. I'd always walk by the music hall on my way home and hear students practicing the piano, or taking a voice lesson or playing a cello. Sometimes I would sit on a step near-by and just listen ... wondering what it would feel like if I was in one of those rooms taking a singing lesson or guitar lesson. It was something I used to do in high school (sing and play music). When I left those sessions I had the same kind of feeling I got when I finished up cross-country practice, which was one of being totally relaxed and somewhat uplifted! Sadly, I still have left those aspects of my earlier life by the wayside. My guitar sits in a closet in a dusty case and I have not joined any local singing groups! Maybe I'll joing "Young At Heart" if I live to be in my 80's!

I have noted in previous blogs that while I was able to compete at the top level as a triathlete, I never allowed that experience to nourish my soul completely. I was caught up in National and World rankings. I was caught up in who would be my next sponsor, how to get my next sponsor, if I would place high enough to bring home a check and how to become a faster swimmer so I wouldn't get dropped from the top tier pack in races. People often remind me that those stresses are normal for someone competing at that high level. This is true, but so many of my competitors knew how to have fun and really enjoy the experiences of traveling, developing friendships despite being competitors, having a few beers after a race, not getting caught up in the stress of the race. I had an amazing coach for eight years who tried to remind me to connect with the full experience and have more fun, but I really feel that I was just slower in my maturity process as an athlete. Racing for me now is not about placing or getting a medal when I cross the line. I pay that big 'ol entry fee for the whole race experience package! I know so many that do this sport for personal recognition and for the medals. Kind of leaves me feeling empty when I think about it! Making the choice and having the opportunity to compete and be a part of a triathlon or any athletic event is about nourishing the soul. It's about getting up at 4am to drive to a race, being a little nervous, eating strange foods that seem like a normal part of our diets (like gels and shot blocks), standing in line at the Porto-Potties and making small chat, working at the top of our fitness limits and not being afraid to do so, having a beer post race (if available), and enjoying the car ride home in stinky clothing. Now that's nourishing the soul! I think anything we do in life and many of the choices we make must somehow nourish our soul .... at least this is how I try to live mine.

Finding Balance

2011-08-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

As a coach, it's easy to feel as if I've failed and athlete if she or he does not have the performance they are capable of or expect. I feel the same way if someone struggles to reach a certain fitness goal. I tend to be pretty hard on myself with this issue and often have to talk some sense back into myself while taking a bike ride or a run. On the same note, I share with equal enthusiam and excitement when an athlete or fitness client reaches a milestone.

I can say with confidence that every program I create is done with great intention. I'm also careful to consider a person's work and family life not to mention much needed "chill" time and all the extra time needed just to do things like grocery shop, get your car oil changed, walk the dogs, make meals etc. I try to write programs that allow for balance. I have learned that people really appreciate and enjoy having some structure with regard to their training, racing or fitness goals. It's nice to have a calendar that notes the progressive structure of daily workouts with included heart rate/effort zone, and occasional added drills. I have to admit, I love having that kind of structure and often feel and peform better when I do that for myself Too bad I don't that often enough! What I can't control is what goes on in a person's life outside of the training aspect, and this is what I have to remind myself of constantly. This is the part of my job that causes me to struggle. Wouldn't it be nice if we had a nice, neatly packaged plan that kept us balanced in all aspects of our life? Let's face it, life is hard and we are thrown challenges constantly. Finding balance and staying balanced is an ongoing process and sometimes it's harder than others. As much as I feel a plan is appropriately structured for someone, I can't control if their kid was up all night vomiting, if they had to pull an extra shift at work, if they broke a toe while sleep walking or are struggling with something on a very personal level. What I can be is compassionate and empathetic because I also have had to find and create that balance in my life over and over. I have set certain priorities in my life which have really helped me stay in,or come back to balance when I've felt that that I was slipping. Great performances often do not happened because "balance" just was not present in his or her life. I find that most injuries or illnesses occur when some significant part of someone's life is off balance. Those that bounce back, heal and regain balance the fastest are the ones who have learned how to become a resilient individual. I also fee strongly that balance can be restored faster for those that are proactive about seeking support, whether it be physical or emotional therapy.

I recently had dinner with an athlete that I have coached for about two years. He started with me having never owned a bike and now has the typical triathlete's fifteen pair of running shoes in his garage (as well three different types of bikes hanging on his wall). He's made some of the biggest and fastest improvements I've every seen in any athlete in a very short period of time. With this being said, we are both waiting for him to put together that peak performance in which everything comes together at the level we both believe he is capable of achieving. He's come very close. During our dinner conversation we talked about some things that make a really great performance happen. Sometimes it's just as simple as "it just happens" when you least expect it. More often however it happens because we set ourselves up for success. Most people don't realize that they are sabotaging their chances of a great race or the chance of racing well on a consistent basis. This is why when someone calls me after a race and says that it did not go so well or as they had hoped, I start asking questions. Usually, the answers as to why come to the surface. Here are a couple of examples.

The athlete I noted above who has yet to have his peak day (and it's coming) disregarded his usual pre-race plan the night before a half Ironman. Instead of chilling, resting up and storing his mental and physical energy the day before the event, he went out on a boat with friends, did some tubing, ate poorly and just totally got away from "his game." Part of his reasoning for doing so was because friends had come a long way to see him race and he felt obligated to hang with them, even though he knew what he really needed to do was rest up. He sabotaged his taper and ultimately, his race. Lesson learned? Sometimes you have to be selfish the night before a race. Another athlete I coach placed second in a race he probably should have won. Sounds harsh I know, because second place at a championship event is pretty impressive. He noted that he felt flat on the bike and had nothing on the 2nd half of the run. So, I began asking questions. Apparently the swim was delayed for over a half an hour and participants had to sit on the beach and nervously wait for fog to lift. I asked him if he stayed hydrated, made sure to take in calories, walked away from the nervous energy (knowing he gets very nervous). The answers? "No," "no", and "no." As a matter of fact, he forgot to hydrate even and eat even before the delay. He sabotaged his race. Lesson learned? Have a fueling and eating protocol for every scenario and go find a chill space. I will say that I have witness people who have sabotage their chances of reaching their goals out of fear of failing to be succesful. Sound twisted? It's a whole other can of goodiess for discussion.

Everyone has a different way of keeping that pre-race balance. Sometimes it takes a while and serveral experiences to figure out those elements. I used to get horribly, horribly nervous before my races when I was competing at the pro level. I managed to figure out that I usually performed better if I stayed with a host family (versus in a hotel). I also found that watching a funny movie the night before relaxed me and took my mind of the pending event. I'm not racing at that level anymore so I don't have to deal with those kinds of nerves these days, however I still try to set myself up for success by staying as balanced as possible on all levels. What happens if the balance is thrown off by something out of our control (for example your child waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares and disrupting your sleep?) You go to "plan B", which is to "go with the flow." I work with a couple of athletes who are amazing at doing this and while they may not have felt on top of their game, they didn't allow the uncontrollable elements to steal any mental energy. The balance might have been thrown off a bit, but the resiliant side of them kicked in!

I often say to athletes who are competing in and Ironman that there will be periods during the event where things will feel balanced then there will be periods of lows, when they may not feel they can take another step. It is at that point that they need to aske themselves, "what do I need?" Figure it out, switch things up. It's the same with life, don't you think? When things are off balance, ask yourself what it is that you need ..... and you will probably find an answer.

How I've spent my summer

2011-07-28T05:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, so things so far this summer have not gone totally as planned in terms of my racing goals because I haven't raced with the exception of the one that I didn't finish noted in my last blog. Yes, once again I am sidelined with a pesty injury to my calf. Of course this did not seem like a big deal when I did it. I rested it, did a few test runs at slower than jogging effort and things seemed okay. However, every so often I'd feel it tighten or twinge and I'd stop, rest, try again and a few days. Finally did a little research and self-diagnosed it as a grade 2 calf tear which really needs 4-6 weeks of complete rest (which I did not do because of the occasional test run). So, I have canceled my registration for two up and coming events and actually feel relieved not to have the countdown to those events with this lingering calf issue. Good news is once you let the pressure of needing to heal fast go, you heal fast! I'm feeling like I'll be able to salvage a bit of the season, although my run will be far from peak form. I would be lying if I said I did not go through days now and then when I was not bummed. I enjoy training, but I really love to race. As long I can workout and occasionally workout hard, I'm pretty happy. I also live vicariously through my athletes. I get just as nervous for them before an event and just as excited for them when they race.
I've switched up my training a bit along with my summer plans. If you've been reading this blog on an ongoing basis, you know that Lisa and I spend a good amount of time near the Jersey shore. The reason being is that we are moving there from our spot here in Massachusetts. Big changes coming but I have always had big changes evolve in my life every 5-6 years, so what's another? That's a big part of living and experiencing life. Changes, risk taking, moving out of a comfort zone, meeting new people, experiencing different cultures .... it's all part of it. With the housing inventory (and there is a lot of it) moving like a snail, I don't expect a move to the land of big hair soon. In the meantime, we are working on self-renovating our 1927 spot in NJ as much as we can, and it's a workout! So, my core and upper body exercises have included cutting up carpet (a lot of it .... like the whole house) in to small pieces, rolling them up and hauling them down a flight of stairs. My shoulders have gotten killer strong thanks to scraping and removing wallpaper (I never want to see a picture of a rose again) then painting the walls. We're still painting. Oh, let's not forget the washing of the floors that were under the carpet followed by applying some fresh floor paint (hard to believe someone would carpet over original wide plank floors, but that was "in" in the 50's). Let me add to the circuit a bit of landscaping to complete workout! Here are a couple of before and after pics of one room we've renovated a bit:

BEFORE WITH GROSS CARPET

AFTER

This is just ONE of the rooms we have started renovating (did not have to take down rose themed wall paper in this room but we did take out the rose colored matching carpet).

On a side note, someone recently asked me how we can have a house in NJ at the same time as having one in Massachusetts. The question was specifically this; "Do you have a trust?" First, I was floored that someone would ask me that outright. Second, I was floored that someone just expected that was how we acquired and maintain the house (although it would be nice and we like to think we have an imaginary trust fund out there somewhere). There is such a thing as working really, really hard. Trust me, speaking of trust, the stress levels are a bit higher these days but worth it.

Being a semi-Jersey girl really isn't that bad when you are near the shore. As much of a huge change as it will be to make this move on so many levels, life near the shore is not so bad. I have not seen any big hair or members of the Italian mafia on any of my visits. I'm thinking they are a bit further north from us!

I've gotten in killer cycling shape this year and it's not do to interval work on my fancy, carbon fiber tri bike. Nope, it's my fixed gear commuter bike.

Notice the fixture on the right handle bar (looking at the picture). That's my killer, get the heck out of my way shark horn.

SHARK HORN

To be honest, it's also my "hello" horn. Another form of communication on the shore is by honking your horn or ringing your bell on your bike. I honk this baby all of the time!

Anyway, I've lugged 5 bags of groceries on these handlebars. I've ridden it back and forth to the beach with a knapsack on my back and a beach chair in one hand. I've taken it to the post office, the pharmacy and the local convenience store. I've logged serious miles on this bike and honestly, my quads are pretty tanked thanks to this beauty of a bike.

So, training has been at a peak with all this activity. Not the kind of training I expected this summer, but kind of rugged and pure which I've enjoyed. Best part about all of my "training" in NJ is that I get to do this at the end of the day with Lisa. Not a bad way to recover!

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes you don't finish!

2011-06-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back from my little NJ beach excursion and accomplished all that I wanted to since I last posted. Enjoyed some time walking on the beach and collecting sea glass with Lisa. Lisa won the prize for finding the best piece of sea glass of which I forgot to take a picture. It was white, large, thick and really worn out..... the kind you want to keep in your pocket and rub with your thumb all day. We have quite a collection going in a glass bowl at our house. I had a bit of down time from my computer and spent A LOT of time trimming some overgrown lavender bushes on the side of the house. Of course Lisa warned me of the poison under each bush and I ignored, clipping and clearing away in my shorts. Wouldn't you know I woke up the next day itching all over. I also woke up scratching my lower leg in the middle of the night only to find some kind of major bite. My lower leg swelled to the size of a football so I put on some anti itch cream and popped a Benedryl at night. My leg is no longer swollen, but the nasty bite is still pronounced. It was not until I had my best friend over for dinner last night that she FREAKED saying she just saw a piece on Good Morning America regarding dangerous spider bites and mine looked like one of them. Here is a picture I took of it last night (the little bumps on the right are what I think to be, poison oak).

Gross huh? So, with all this being said, I'm going to see the doctor tomorrow to have it checked out.

On to the piece of this blog that has to do with the title (forgive me for the long blog that I am about to write, however there may be lessons to pull from it). Lisa and I ended up racing at the Eagleman Half Ironman Triathlon in Cambridge, MD on June 12th. I wavered about it for months but started to feel like I was getting in pretty darn good shape, so I committed to doing it and was glad that I did so. The good news is that I felt absolutely INCREDIBLE during the swim, bike and the start of the run. The bad news is that I had to pull out just before mile 3 of the run because my soleus (calf) muscle started knotting up to the point where I could not walk normally. I made the mistake of running a track workout on very little sleep a few weeks ago. It was a humid morning and although I prepped with a few electrolytes, my calf muscle gave a little pinch about halfway through the workout. I stopped immediately (having had done this before), and let it rest and calm down for 8 days. Took a mini test run, 3 days before the race and all seemed okay. Obviously it was not ready to run after a 1.2 mi swim and a 56 mile bike ride. Bummer city to say the least but that's how the dice roll.

Oddly, my worries before the race had to do with my right knee and not AT ALL with my soleus. I had a short bike interval workout planned on the Wednesday before the race. Lisa and I went out to do it together and just after the first interval, I flatted (45 min from our house). I pulled a a spare tube from my kit only to find that the tube had the wrong kind of stem (did not fit through my deeper rimmed wheels). Pulled out my 2nd spare only to find it was the wrong size. So, Lisa rode home and came back in the car to pick me up. I sat on the side of the road for an hour. It was 30 min before anyone stopped to see if I was okay. Jeez, that was a long time. I felt like a dork standing there. Picked off one tick that found it's way to me which grossed me out. What is it with bugs and me!

Anyway, I was determined to do my intervals (more for a confidence booster) so I hopped on my Computrainer and off I went, feeling super strong. Found I was pushing more watts than than in the past for these efforts. The next day, I taught a spin class on a bike I don't usually ride. I completely forgot to switch out the instructor bike to one that felt good for me. Next morning, my knee really, really hurt going downstairs and walking on flats. I strongly feel I had a bit of tendinitis going on from the combination of my Computrainer workout and my spin class. Freaked me and still could feel it slightly on race morning.

On to the race details.

Pre Race: Felt calmly excited despite being a bit worried about my knee. My race went off at 8am, which was 1:10 after the pro wave and 1 hour after Lisa's wave. I continued to sip on sports drink, made sure to get in some pre-race calories.  I organized all of my bike and run stuff in my transition spot (which happened to be prime real estate just out of the swim and near the run exit spot. I spent about 15 min under a shady tree doing some visualization of my swim to bike transition and my bike to run transition. Also went over my nutritional plan in my head one last time. I was set to jet!

Swim: There were no wetsuits allowed because the water temperature was 82 degrees. Lisa and I spaced on packing our speed suits but fortunately, I did pack my one piece, very tight fitting (slightly sexy .... okay .... not sexy) tri suit. Unfortunately, the color is BLACK which did not bode well for the hot and sunny conditions that day, but I wasn't going to drop $100 on another tri suit. Lisa ended up buying a one piece tri suit at the expo that looked fab on her AND totally matched her bike and cycling shoes, which is super important for triathletes. We both admitted, when taking a closer look, that the seam structure had a bit of an early 80's, Jane Fonda aerobic suit kind of design. Cracked us both up! Anyway, I guzzled about 10oz water right before entering the water and swam out  to the front of my age group pack, lining up with the buoys. While waiting for the start, I did ask myself why the heck I continued to do this sport, especially these longer races. The answer was simple; "Because I can .... because I am able to do so." A greater calm came over me at that point.

Once the horn sounded, I got right into my groove but had one little friend to my left that kept whacking the crap out of me. So, I did a quick shift to the right to get rid of her and found my space. After about 5 minutes I opted for a wider line, staying away from the mass. This worked well for me as I was really able to focus on a strong but relaxed rhythm. I knew I could lose a bit of time with my chosen line, yet at the same time I thought I might benefit because I was not getting caught up in other swimmers. I swam into folks from the two age groups that started prior to mine by the last 15 minutes. I stayed calm as I navigated, trying to quietly swim by them so not to make them nervous. I swam right up onto shore and remember thinking that it was the first time in a long time that I enjoyed the swim. It felt just like all of my half Ironman practice swims in the pool. I looked at my watch just before running onto the timing mat and saw 32:27 .... my fastest 1/2 IM swim in years! Yahoo! Oddly, when I looked at the results, my time was listed as 35:39 .... not sure where that came from in comparison to my watch.

So, off I went into transition (apparently 4th out of the water in my age group). I downed a gel, took 2 electrolyte tabs and a swig of sports drink. As I was running out of transition, a volunteer noted that my race number belt was missing. Duh! During my visualization session I was imagining myself putting on the number belt at the start of the run, not the bike. Goes to show you just how effective visualization practice can be! So, back I went (about 2 bike racks away) to put on my number belt and then get the heck out of there and on the course!

Bike: FANTASTIC! Stuck to my plan. I happened to catch a bit of the pre-race pro, media talk the day before the event. Those that I heard speak noted they had a coach, had a plan and stuck to that plan. I can't stress enough how that hit home for me. At about mile 5, Donna Kay-Ness came roaring by me. I VOWED that I would not respond to her this year if we ended up next to each other (we always end up next to each other on the bike, playing the cat and mouse game). I wanted to race my race, at my heart rate zones and my pace. So, once again, I stuck to my plan! I have to say that I really, really enjoyed this bike ride. I did feel discomfort in my knee for the 1st hour and worried a bit, then I think the adrenaline kicked in and I was relieved when the pain went away. I was cruising along at 22-23.5 miles per hour comfortably at a target heart rate range of 152-158. Not once did I feel fatigued. Not once did an head winds bother me.

Run: I headed into transition excited about my ride (I came off the bike in 3rd place in my age group ... did not know it at the time) anticipating the start the hardest part of the day, the run. I did feel a very, very, VERY slight tightness in my calf as I ran my bike into transition but tried not to focus on it. As I removed my cycling shoes, I noted that my left big toe (on the bunion) was totally bloody, as was my shoe. Hmmm, that never happened before! Funny how "things" come up during races. Again, did not focus on it and just hoped it would not be a major issue later in the run. I took my time heading out on the first mile, adjusting my little fuel pack on my waist, stopping and fixing my shoe lace. Checked my heart rate and it was a bit high so I tried to settle down a bit. Thought I was running at about an 8:30 pace and was surprised to see 6:55 with the stopping and adjusting. I chatted a bit with a guy I was running next to during the second mile. He was on his way to a personal best if he could nail the run. My only goal was to NOT SUFFER on the run as I have in years past. I immediately felt spring in my legs, which was a good sign. Unfortunately, that little tug in my calf started and quickly progressed to a full blown tie up (just as it did on the track). It did not take me more than another mile to make the decision to call it quits. The choice was to risk tearing my soleus muscle and be out for the season, or to stop, let it mend for a couple of weeks and have a season to look forward to. A no brainer in my book as bummed as I was to have to do so. I'm not a quitter. So, I hitched a motorcycle ride back to transition (you can imagine how I looked on the back of it wearing a helmet in my tri-suit). I changed and waited for Lisa and another athlete (Matt) that I coach to finish. Lisa had a great day despite having to battle some nerves about swimming without a wetsuit. Matt had a good finish despite throwing up most of the day. I give him credit for his mental toughness. He learned a lot of lessons during the event as well as the days leading up to the event. He did not stick to his plan with regard to his pre-race ritual and paid for it.

Later that day I bumped into Donna Kay Ness, who won our age group. I hated having to say that I had to pull out ..... hated it. I wonder what might have happened on the run if my calf was okay. I wonder if I could have made up the 3 minutes she gained on me during the bike. I wonder how it all would have turned out.  Who knows, maybe I would have fallen aport. All I know is that I felt great and that in itself was proof that I am in pretty good shape. That in itself makes me happy.

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures of the day or those days leading up to it. I'm terrible about taking pictures. But hey, I did post of my gross spider bite!

Authentic Connection and Finding Peace

2011-06-02T15:27:00.000-07:00

I want to start this blog entry by saying something that has nothing to do with the subject of this blog. Just need to get if off of my chest. The other day I was swimming at the YMCA, (where I always swim) and as I was swimming one of my sets, a hair got stuck in my mouth. Now THAT grosses me out to the max!

Now, on to my blog. I was walking around in a bit of a melancholy state a few days ago. I didn't know if it was from lack of sleep, the fact that my calf tweaked during a track workout or because I have my usual, "I'm so ready to taper" bitchies (been training for an upcoming Half Ironman event - nice timing for my calf to tweak). I am rarely melancholy, so I try to read into what is going on when I am feeling that way.

The deal is this; On one hand, I find all the lines of communication we have with folks these days to be amazing (e-mail, Facebook, twitter, which I don't do, and whatever else is out there that I'm missing.) I also find it to be utterly draining if overloaded. I'm betting a lot of people feel that way but ignore it. I'm also finding that I spend a lot of time on the computer and on my Droid not only because of what I do for work, but because communication is so "on demand" these days in general. It's also so easy, at any time and place, to check out what's going on with Facebook - it can become addictive, let's "face" it. With all this being said, I am totally a people person (more so a one on one type of gal). I love being connected, but feel that overload of "general connection" takes away energy from authentic connection. Connection with a sister, a best friend, a pet, a spouse, with nature and with ourselves. Sometimes energy of all this connection can feel like a constant buzz. I think my energy levels were low .... thus the blues.

I got in bed early that same night and pulled out a book of selected poems that my sister gave to me during our recent sister's weekend (now that was an authentic connection experience). As I flipped though, I came upon this one and read it out loud to Balto and Lisa who happened to be in the room with me. Here's the poem:

As Much As You Can by Constantine P. Cavafy

And if you can't shape your life the way you want,
at least try as much as you can
not to degrade it
by too much contact with the world,
by too much activity and talk

Try not to degrade it by dragging it along,
taking it around and exposing it so often
to the daily silliness
of social events and parties,
until it comes to seem a boring hanger on.

This poem was a good reminder to me not to dilute my life with that buzz, to find that quiet space more often, and to create my life with moments that are special such as getting on the floor and playing with my dogs (Lulu in the photo below is looking liked her crazy, crazed self).

The truth is that I love my life and I love what I do. The sadness I felt came from the fact that I felt I had started to "wash away" the things that re-energized my spirit and my ability to give energy.I think most people experience this from time to time. The key is to recognize it and connect less with the computer and more with those things that bring about emotion (does not matter what the emotion).

Lisa and I will be heading away soon for a race and taking a mini-break from our routine (although some work will have to come with me). I'm really looking forward to the adventure. I plan on taking a vacation from the outside world a bit and doing some "re-engergizing activities" such as collecting sea glass, walking along the shore, talking with Lisa, working on house projects (which I enjoy), reading a book, and playing with our pups. I'm going to turn off the buzz. All of those things sound like such simple activities, which is exactly the point.

Dirt and Stink!

2011-05-18T06:06:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I headed out for a 28 mile easy bike ride on a gorgeous morning. Couldn't have been a better morning for a ride and I opted for the back roads in the south east direction. As I was riding along I was thinking to myself how much I loved this time of year, despite the high pollen count. I love all smells of spring and it seemed that lilacs dominated today. I love the bursts of colors coming from the trees and shrubs.

So there I was, riding along and enjoying every second of it until I hit this!

STREET SWEEPER

My mood went from zen to down right pissed off in a matter of seconds. No longer could I smile or else I'd get a grit galore in my teeth (and I had just gotten my teeth cleaned the day before). No longer could I breathe, or else I'd get nose and mouthful of dust. The thing that pissed me off is that the "sweeper guy" saw me behind him and just kept going. He could have pulled over, could have stop the brush from churning ... but noooooo, he kept on sweeping, probably getting his "ha' ha's" for the day. I could not pass him because the road was narrow with a lot of tight turns. I was STUCK! It made no sense to turn back as it would have put me on a busy road and I'm not sure what would have been worse. Fortunately, the dust buster turned off to another road after about a quarter of a mile.

I've been passed by and stuck behind a lot of things while out on a bike ride. You name it, I've followed it. Here are a few examples: The CHICKEN TRUCK (the longest lasting stink .... it lasts miles after the truck has passed), TRASH TRUCK (a quick passing stink) and probably the worst ever, FISH TRUCK (the kind of stink that makes you want to vomit). Lisa and I went out for a ride in New Jersey last year and got passed by a fish truck. Being near the ocean, it makes sense. You might think that overpowering fish odor would have been the worst of it, however that was not the case. The fish truck hit a small bump causing the back of it to rattle and spray us with lovely, cool, fish juice. Now that is GROSS! Makes the sweepr and trash truck seem like no big deal. I'll take gritty teeth and dirt stuck to my sweaty body any day over fish spray in my face! I wonder what will be next?

Losing Control

2011-05-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

There have been a few instances during the past two weeks where I've been more aware of letting go of "my control" or feeling the need to control a situation. Okay, I'll admit that it's pretty clear based on my astrological sign (Leo) and my choice of career (coach) that I am one that feels an innate need to be in control. However, this has been wearing off and it's been rather freeing.
Here are a few of examples of what I am talking about:

1) Lisa and I, for the most part, have a routine in the evening where I generally set the table and prepare dinner. She in turn, does the dishes and cleans up. It works. There have been a couple of recent occasions where Lisa has been pretty beat and stressed, so I have offered to clean up so she can just relax. After some persuading, she'll agree. However, as I start washing the dishes she'll come over and start putting things in the dishwasher, clearing the plates off or wiping the counters instead of chilling out. Let me also add that our dog Lulu gets in the picture too by standing on the dishwasher and "cleaning" those items placed in the washer. What is the saying ... "too many cooks in the kitchen?" In Lisa's mind, she's helping out. In my mind, she's taking over. The "old me" would have fought the issue and told her to "step away from the area." The new me just walks away happily, letting go of my control and allow her to finish the job. The good news is that we can laugh about it and the reality of this situation is that doing the dishes probably relieves Lisa of her stress a bit.

2) Letting go of my control in group rides. As a coach and a former professional triathlete, I have felt the need to lead or be in control of the route and pace. Lately however, I've enjoyed being a follower. Yesterday I rode with a couple of athletes that I coach and while I did set the stage for the pace knowing what was on their training schedule, (an easy ride) I felt absolutely no need to lead. As a matter of fact, I really enjoyed hanging in a draft and just chatting away. How wonderful it was to literally just "go along for the ride." I could get used to it ... kind of like being in the back seat of a horse drawn chariot.

3) I don't care about my running pace anymore. Not that I used to focus on it a lot, but I was more aware of it. Last year I bough a simple, used Garmin from an athlete I coach. This is the first year I've played with it and it's kind of cool to run along and see my correlating pace and heart rate. Of course, 90% of the athlete's that I coach have a fancier version of the Garmin AND have had it for years now. What can I say, I've always been one of the last to catch-up with technology. Anyway, I've just been running for the sake of running ... that's it. I have not done any speed work with the exception of a pick up here and there during some runs. My running pace has been pretty slow compared to past years, but I don't care. I'm not letting my pace control my runs anymore .... at least not until I get on the track once a week :) It's been fabulous and a long time coming after years and years of training. I feel like I have entered my "golden years" of training.

While the examples above about my letting go of control may seem like no big deal, in the bigger scheme of my life, they have been. I have thought about the plans that I write for athletes and the importance of stressing to those athletes that they must allow flexibility in the plan (not feel totally controlled by the plan). The benefit of having a written training plan is that it keeps the athlete on track and focused on the daily goal. The downside is that some athletes may get stressed if they miss a workout or two, or feel the need to complete a workout no matter what - even if they are feeling sick or on the brink of injury. Blowing off a workout is one thing, but modifying or rescheduling a workout is another thing. I think it takes a certain amount of confidence, maturity and common sense to know when to "let go" or stay the course. Bottom line is that I can't control every aspect of an athlete's training regimen. I want them to take ownership, whether that means getting out the door and getting the workout in, or taking the day off.

I've thought about what control battles are worth fighting and most of them aren't worth it. However, if my integrity is at stake, I'll fight it. I can't control a lot of things that might be thrown my way and am more aware of that than ever. Sometimes it's best to sit back and listen, laugh or walk away versus trying to be in control.

Recently, a woman that I coach did an epic swim with 7 other women across the Tampa Bay (this was not a group of women that I coach). We'll give my athlete the pseudo name of "Sue" for reference. She only knew one of the seven women and they had to work as a team, each taking turns swimming thirty minute bouts at a time. Sue noted to me after the swim (which they won) that one woman clearly stated that she HAD to swim the last pull and wanted to swim for an hour versus the thirty minute bout. There was no say in the matter ... she wanted to do it and she was going to do it. Others apparently were a bit uptight about one thing or another and clearly, there were control issues. Luckily, Sue went in with the attitude of having fun, rolling with the punches with whatever presented itself to her that day and an appreciation for being a part of such a cool event. There was no use in trying to control the controlling person and therefore, wasted no energy. She swam like a champ. We could use this scenario for any race of training situation. There is no use worrying about things that can't be controlled; the weather, a change in the course, other competitors, forgetting your lucky charm, a dropped water bottle on the bike. You just have to go with the flow and know that if you do so, things have a better chance of turning out alright.

Why do I still Tri?

2011-04-17T17:41:00.000-07:00

This is a question I have been asking myself a lot lately. A couple of months ago the thought of possibly not entering another triathlon again passed through my head more than once. I had been through three surgeries in past year (knee surgery and then two surgeries totally not related to activity or injury). None of them were major at all in my book. I've also had setback with a pesky achilles tendinitis over the past two years and because of it, have had to constantly adjust my goals. I had gotten used to the possibility of hanging up my tri gear and just becoming a regular "fitness Joe" .... or "Jill." I was actually starting to enjoy working out without a training or racing goal. Taking walks with occasional jogging bouts was .... well ... kind of relaxing and meditative.

I was never really bummed about any of the "setbacks," as a matter of fact, they taught me that I really enjoy non-training related activity. Anyway, I was fairly certain that I was going to settle into summer with walks on the Jersey shore, occasional rides on my old commuter bike and maybe going to the gym to keep up with some strength work. My intentions have shifted a bit since recovering from my most recent surgery. I had a few descent "jogs" and then a few decent easy runs. My energy has been great and seems to be getting better each week. This has correlated with a shift in my thoughts about entering a tri race or two. My running mileage is low holding at 12-16 miles of running at best per week, but that works for me. I have managed to make one run a week longer. Today I ran 9.2 miles and felt pretty fantastic. Pace was slow (which I seem to be enjoying more and more) and the winds were pushing me sideways, but I felt good. HAPPY to be out there.

Why did I run 9 miles when I would have been just fine and happy running 5? Well, Lisa and I registered for the Eagleman 1/2 IronmanTriathlon (which occurs this June) back in November of 2010. Yep - here we g o again. In January, I told her that I was totally NOT up for training for a half Ironman in 2011, nor was I sure I even wanted to race. In March, I told her, NO way was I doing Eagleman. Funny how the tides change ... I find this happens a lot, and not just in sport. You can be feeling one way for a period of time and then something happens to cause a shift. The 9 mile run was up from my previous long runs of 6.5, then 8.3. I wanted to see how I'd feel and the result was .... NOT BAD! I'll continue to take things day to day and navigate my training decisions based on my motivation levels and how I'm feeling physically. Seems to work for me.

Am I capable of doing a half Ironman event without trashing myself? Can I do it at a more leisurely pace and be "okay" with that (vs going hard) so that I don't trash myself? The answer is "maybe." The question is "why?" Why after all my years of racing and training , do I still want to jump in a triathlon? I've been there, done it and really don't know anyone in my era of racing who is still racing with the exception of one or two other women.  I don't take interest all the tri products out there. I'm not concerned with winning races. I don't get nervous at events. I'm not wrapped up in how my body looks (although Lisa and I often have pity parties on how thing are sagging a bit with regard to certain body parts ... including skin). Could it be that I just like dressing in spandex? Could it be because I like the taste of Hammer Cafe Late flavored Perpetuem? Why do I continue to train and race when I have bunions on my feet that take the shape of the state of Massachusetts (and are about that size). They burn and ache and are the root of my achilles issue, I'm sure.

I think the answer is this; I don't see myself doing this much longer but have enough spark to want to go a bit longer. I am competitive by nature and the sport serves as a release of that energy in a way that is fun for me and only about me racing against myself. It wasn't always that way for me. Damn, if I only had my 44 year old head in my 20-30 year old body "back then" I would have probably raced at my true potential. The true reason is this. I have such an appreciation for being able to get out there and push my body. I'm still learning about my body and what it needs. It constantly shifts with age and I'm trying to listen and take very good care of it. The process has been interesting and is never ending. I'd love to interview my long time idol, Joan Benoit-Samuelson and ask her what keeps her ticking at such a high level as she moves through her 50's.

Lately, I've been doing continuous long swims and have been getting totally caught up in relaxing and swimming. I used to hate continuous long swims and now I look forward to them. So, there is a certain level "chill" that has been a really enjoyable part of my training. Finally, it's not just the races alone that I like. I the car ride to and from the event. I like that Lisa and I make a little vacation out of one annual event, taking a ferry ride, hitting outlet shops, going out for dinner. It's fun.  During dinner tonight I asked Lisa why she still races in triathlons and her answers pretty much matched up to mine. I do feel the tides are changing soon (whatever that means ... it's just a feeling) so, I would like to get out there and sweat it out a bit longer before I start taking long walks on the boardwalk and jumping into boot camp classes and focusing on other non sport related goals. May not be in a half Ironman, but it will be something.

My first triathlon was in the summer of 1989, so I've been doing this a while.  My first major "pro" racing level breakthrough was here, in this moment in this photo below at the St. Croix Triathlon in 1994. Sorry, it's not a good photo. I don't have any of my former racing photo's digitized. This photo was from Triathlon Magazine. They happened to do a little blurb on me because no one knew me when I was second in this race, which was a big deal event back then.

It really was a great day and I still wear the Cruzan bracelet that was given to me as a congrats gift by the family that hosted me in their house during my stay. I'll never, ever forget this event. Gosh, what a different time .... and so much has changed. I'm not the same person now when I race. I was always so overly nervous, not sure of my abilities, racing for the wrong reasons (although I did not know that at the time) and not enjoying the moment of each day, each trip, each race, each opportunity which presented itself to me. No regrets however, I was young ... what did I know? Maybe I continue to race now because I'm making up for all the fun I missed out on during my peak years. Getting older, despite sagging and sore body parts isn't all that bad. The benefits outweigh those factors!

Spring

2011-04-02T06:03:00.000-07:00

just got in from walking Balto and Lulu. It's Saturday and I'm planning on going out for a run after this blog post. The morning walks with the dogs often serve as a weather guage so I can plan what to where for those mornings that I do run. Today, I'm unsure. It's officially springtime which often means a guessing game in terms of choosing a workout wardrobe. This morning the sun was starting to come out in one spot of our yard yet it was also raining gently in another spot. Bizarre. The rainshower made it's way out as I began walking the dogs. I heard some turkeys in the woods gobbling up a storm. I'm not sure if it's mating season but they sure were making their voices heard. Cracks me up everytime I see or hear them. The temperature felt somewhat mild until the wind kicked up. The conversation to myself in my head went like this:

"Should I wear thin gloves or my fleece pair that have a bit more weight? Maybe I could get away with running in shorts today. Nah, my legs would turn red and would probably be cold for the whole run. Guess I'll wear my lycra Nike hat .... I look like such a geek in that hat but the cows down the road could care less. I'm not up for a full on run. Maybe a walk run which actually felt nice as I started to make the transition back to running after my achilles injury. Legs are still really tight and tired from teaching Spin Class last Thursday. Going to go massage them on the biofoam roller before I run. It really does take longer to recovery since I hit my 40's. I keep forgetting that I'm not 28 ... silly me."

When I opened the kitchen door this morning to let the dogs out to "do their business," I heard a robin singing. It's so nice to hear the birds in the morning, even though it's not the symphony of birds I hear at 5:30am in May before I get out of bed. Anyway, the singing is a sure sign that warm weather is making it's way to New England. I'm looking forward to slipping out the door in just a pair of running shorts and my sports bra or tank top. Of course, the mesquitos will be moving in before we know it and I'll be complaining about that!

Below is one of many Mary Oliver Poems that I just love. Enjoy, think SPRING and take note of the subtle and special changes. Every time I smell, see or hear those things that welcome sprintime, I consider them little gifts. How lucky are we to get them each year.

Such Singing in the Wild Branches
by Mary Oliver

It was spring
and finally I heard him
among the first leaves—
then I saw him clutching the limb

in an island of shade
with his red-brown feathers
all trim and neat for the new year.
First, I stood still

and thought of nothing.
Then I began to listen.
Then I was filled with gladness—
and that's when it happened,

when I seemed to float,
to be, myself, a wing or a tree—
and I began to understand
what the bird was saying,

and the sands in the glass
stopped
for a pure white moment
while gravity sprinkled upward

like rain, rising,
and in fact
it became difficult to tell just what it was that was singing—
it was the thrush for sure, but it seemed

not a single thrush, but himself, and all his brothers,
and also the trees around them,
as well as the gliding, long-tailed clouds
in the perfectly blue sky— all, all of them

were singing.
And, of course, yes, so it seemed,
so was I.
Such soft and solemn and perfect music doesn't last

for more than a few moments.
It's one of those magical places wise people
like to talk about.
One of the things they say about it, that is true,

is that, once you've been there,
you're there forever.
Listen, everyone has a chance.
Is it spring, is it morning?

Are there trees near you,
and does your own soul need comforting?
Quick, then— open the door and fly on your heavy feet; the song
may already be drifting away.

— Mary Oliver, "Such Singing in the Wild Branches"
Owls and Other Fantasies: Poems and Essays,

Beacon Press, Boston, 2003, pp. 8-9

We all have are weaknesses

2011-03-20T09:02:00.000-07:00

I'm going to come forward right now and say that I might have told a small lie when I said that I followed most of the Blue Zone points noted in my last blog entry. One of the Blue Zone rules notes eating more fruits and vegetables and shifting away from processed foods. I really do eat a lot of fruits and veggies, but I have my weaknesses. I'm also going to step forward and admit to my addiction. "Hello, my name is Martha and I am an addict. Not to exercise, not to wine, not toast with cashew butter and a banana on top. It's bad ........ my addiction is eating Nabisco Low Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies. "

Okay, chocolate graham fish are a close second. Anyway, I can't stop at one or two ... it goes beyond that. I'm considering going cold turkey and not buying them anymore. I have done this with the fish. Don't let the fact that they are "low fat" make things seem okay. Having a handful negates any of the low fat factor.

I'm not the only one in the house with a food weakness. Yesterday, my partner Lisa came home and the first thing she said when she came in the door was; "I had a "peep" attack (as in those marshmallow peepers).

Lisa works in a place where she has easy access to crap like marshmallow peepers so when the urge calls, and it does now and then with her, she's on it within moments because of that easy access. I have absolutely NO DESIRE to eat one peeper. I can't handle that amount of sugar in my system, nor do I care for the texture. From the looks of the package, Lisa had a pretty bad attack! I actually find it hilarious that she craves things like "peepers."

I noticed something other than peepers in our "snack" drawer at home last night and forgot to ask Lisa what the heck they were doing there. She's never brought these home before and I certainly did not ask for them.

I know she's not in a PMS state, her stress levels aren't as high as they've been (from what I can tell) so I'm wondering what is up with all the sugar shit in our drawer. Maybe she's going to experiment with them as a fuel during her endurance workouts. I hope not considering the first ingredient on the label is sugar! I do enjoy Gummy Bears, but I like the ones that are made with fruit juice.

Look, we are athletes and we really do work hard to keep in shape, but we are also human and slip off the health wagon from time to time. I will say that we eat well 99% of the time. I always read labels, I do eat red meat once and a while and choose cuts that are free of antibiotics. I have fruit at least three times per day and have a leafy green vegetable every night with dinner. I also have made it a rule to have a dark green leaf of something on my sandwich. As a matter of fact, I won't eat a sandwich unless it does have a tomato and or lettuce (dark) on it. I eat yogurt, nuts, whole grain breads, brown rice .... all that good stuff. I also enjoy a glass of wine 3-4 nights per week. I NEVER eat fast food, usually don't eat pizza unless I make it. I never eat white bread and am really not a huge bread eater. Bagels are usually not found in our house. However you might find a whole grain english muffin now and then or oat or wheat bread. So, I suppose my binge on low fat chocolate chip cookies is not the end of the world and Lisa's peeper breakdown won't kill kill her. We all have our weaknesses and some can include sugar cravings. The key is not to give into them every day.

Living Longer .... Living Better!

2011-03-07T07:13:00.000-08:00

I recently read the article noted below from a monthy journal/magazine that I receive called; Idea Fitness. While it's focus is on factors that have been correlated with people who live long (based on a book by Dan Buettner), I feel the article also serves as a guide to living BETTER (as in a hearty, good quality life). I went through the "blue zone list" and was able to check off most in relation to how I'm currently living my life. The only one that was not checked was taking vacation time .... I think I'll make that a priority in coming years! Or, perhaps I should move to Italy!

Check it out:

The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From he People Who've Lived the Longest

Is there a formula for longevity? Researchers are looking for clues in the “blue zones,” locations around the globe where people live measurably longer than in the rest of the world. Explorer and author Dan Buettner and teams of scientists identified some of these longevity pockets and traveled there to examine the lifestyle characteristics that may contribute. Buettner’s book The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest (National Geographic 2008) details their experiences with vibrant and healthy elderly people in the blue zones.

Mary Monroe, a freelance writer in Los Angeles, summarizes some of Buettner’s findings and how they can help you live a longer, better life.

A Blue Zone Example

The four blue zones identified in Buettner’s book are Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California.

What are the blue zones like? Behaviors that Buettner and the researchers found in common in these blue zones are listed in the sidebar “9 Tips for Longevity.” As an example of one blue zone, consider the Nicoya Peninsula community in Costa Rica. Buettner reports that, per capita, Costa Rica spends only about 15% of what America does on health care, yet its people appear to live longer than anyone else on earth. Centenarians here have a strong sense of purpose, family and community, and most have enjoyed hard physical work throughout their lives. They spend regular time in the sun and eat light dinners and a traditional diet of maize (corn) and beans.

Your Personal Blue Zone

“The secret to longevity, as I see it, has less to do about diet—or even exercise—and more to do about the social and physical environment in which you live,” says Buettner. “People in the blue zones live rewardingly inconvenient lives. They walk to the store, to church and to their friends’ homes. They do their own yard work, hand-knead their own bread dough.”

The bad news is that, in reality, for most of us not living in blue zones, our chances of living to 100 are still quite small. Lessons from the blue zones may well be as much about the quality of years as quantity. Much of the aging process is, after all, a mystery.

However, Buettner believes that you can make changes in your environment to create your own “personal blue zone” to promote health and longevity. He emphasizes that his goal isn’t to force unrealistic expectations on people who don’t live in blue zones, but rather to encourage gradual “big-picture” lifestyle changes that will foster healthy habits like daily movement, natural and moderate eating, purpose-driven living and more social connection.

For more information on ongoing blue zones research and longevity-related projects and programs, see www.bluezones.com.

SIDEBAR: 9 Tips for Longevity

Based on the habits of blue zone populations, Buettner identifies nine lifestyle characteristics that may help you live a longer, healthier life:

1. Make regular activity intrinsic to your daily routines.

2. Have a “Plan de Vida,” i.e., a mission or purpose that gives meaning to your life.

3. Take your life out of the fast lane: work less, slow down, rest, take vacations.

4. Eat less by following the “80% rule.” (Stop eating when you’re 80% full.)

5. Shift your diet to more vegetables and fruits, less protein and fewer processed foods.

6. Drink red wine in moderation.

7. Create a healthy social network.

8. Cultivate spiritual or religious beliefs and participation.

9. Make family a priority.

“We see from the blue zones and aging research in general that these behaviors are associated with longer life—and the same things that can help get you to a healthy 90 or 100 can get you there better,” says Buettner. “They don’t just add years; they’re vital, enriching years.”

Reference

Buettner, D. 2008. The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer From the People Who’ve Lived the Longest, Des Moines, IA: National Geographic.IDEA Fitness Journal, Volume 8, Number 2

Lessons learned from my body and from surgery

2011-02-22T16:03:00.000-08:00

It's no surprise to a lot of people who read this blog that I recently had some surgery. Let me do a quick rewind to explain why.

I started feeling tired back in July. I could not figure out if the fatigue was from training, interrupted sleep, a hot summer, all of the above or something else.   The tiredness felt fairly deep ... more internal and I just felt "off." I ignored it for a long time thinking I'd snap out of it until I finally listened to Lisa's harping about going to see my primary care physician to discuss this fatigue. So, I did. She ordered some tests regarding my thyroid function and it turned out that I did have a somewhat sluggish thyroid. That could have been the issue. So, we decided to wait a bit, do a re-test of that function 3 months later and go from there. Did the test 3 months later, levels were down within normal ranges, although on the high end of normal. I told her that my energy levels felt a little better. She then asked if anything else seemed different (diet, sleep, etc).   I happened to mention that my last period (sorry guys) was pretty heavy and that my stomach felt bloated just about all of the time. I felt like my stomach was getting larger. She suggested that I make an appointment and talk to my OBGYN about these issues. So, I did. My OBGYN agreed that my description of my last period was one that seemed very heavy (at least for me) and scheduled an ultrasound. I had the ultrasound (that really is not the most fun of tests ....) which showed two fibroids in my uterus and a polyp on my uterine lining. The largest fibroid was 5cm (like a lemon) and the other was 2cm. With all that good information, my OBYGN scheduled me to have surgery to remove the polyp from the uterine wall and biopsy everything in my uterus. So, a couple of months ago I had a hysteroscopy (another lovely procedure ... thank goodness I was put to sleep for that one .... by a guy who was my high school classmate ... oh joy) to remove what was thought to be a polyp. However, it turned out not to be a polyp, but another fibroid. So, I had three fibroids. Fibroids are common in women who are 35+ years old. They are benign growths in the uterus that have there own blood and oxygen supply and generally, keep growing. So, there's a high probablility that my fatigue was due to these energy sucking growths.

My OBGYN then sent me to a specialist to discuss options. He did another ultrasound (ughh) and clearly saw the three fibroids. My stomach was assessed as being the size of 8-12 weeks pregnant. After discussing a couple of options, I took his recommendation of having a partial hysterectomy. A partial hysterectomy is the removal of the uterus and fallopian tubes. My hormone producing ovaries stay in tact.   My choice to have this done was five-fold. A) There will be no chance of fibroid growths re-occurring (which they can do), B) I have no plans of having children, C) I would not go into early menopause because my ovaries would stay in, D) there would be no future chance of cancer in my uterus or fallopian tubes, E) the procedure would be done laproscopically which means VERY minimal scarring and bleeding.

So, there you have it. I had the surgery 4 days ago and wanted to share some of the lessons I learned from this process.

1. Always listen to what your body is telling you. If something feels "off," than it probably is.

2. Talk to your doctors. Tell them everything. Go for regular check ups and find a doctor that you like and and feel very comfortable discussing everything and anything regarding your health. I really like my primary care and OBGYN doc. I also really trusted the doctor who performed my recent surgery.

3. If you are going to have some kind of surgical procedure, talk with others who have gone through it. I chatted with 4 women who had this procedure and as a result, felt very confident that I was making a good decision. I was also able to get a sense of recovery time.

4. Talking about it in general to people helped me cope with the nerves. I think the "H" or hysterectomy word seems to be a "hush" topic. I honestly don't know why. In my case, sharing the fact that I was going
to have this procedure really helped because I felt supported by so many friends, clients and family. I gained strength and power by talking about it. I knew folks would be thinking of me that day and there is a tremendous amount of comfort that comes with that.

5. POWER - that's the big lesson. I learned to create and own my power by doing all of the above things as well as more lessons that I am about to note. We can do this in so many of our life situations.

6. I "trained" for my surgery. I stayed fit, but did not overdue in my exercise out of respect for my fatigue the fact that I did not want to get sick or run-down before my surgery.   I also knew I'd be on my ass for several days post surgery, so I wanted to make the most of working out in the weeks leading up to the procedure and following downtime.

7. BEING IN GOOD SHAPE PAYS OFF IN SO MANY WAYS! My surgeon/doc noted that I was considered to be a dream candidate for a surgeon. No risk factors, in good shape, takes good care of myself. Let me say that this makes his job easier in doing the procedure and my job easier in recovering. As a matter of fact, the resident doctor who checked in on my at 5am in the morning said that she had seen very good results from this kind of procedure, but that mine was the best she had seen as far as immediate recovery. I was walking to the bathroom 2 hours after the surgery (I had no choice thanks to all the fluids that were pumped into me). So much for sleeping off the anesthesia. Lesson - GET OUT AND MOVE PEOPLE! It's all about moving. I'm sure that the fact that my father was in such good shape when he was hit by a car in 1992 is what kept him alive. The paramedics that were with him and his doctors say so.

8. Speaking of anesthesia, I had the usual quick pre-op chat with my anesthesiologist. I told him that I did not want to be mildly sedated while being wheeled into the OR. He thought I was a bit nuts and tried to discourage me thinking I would be nervous watching the tiles on the ceiling go by and hearing the chat in the OR of the residents, nurses and doctors. However, he did what I asked. As I was being wheeled into the OR, I chatted with one of the residents who was absolutely fabulous. I felt in good hands. When I got into the OR, I could hear a radio playing rock music. I met the nurses, chatted with everyone a bit. My doctor came in and I said hello and then I said "Let's get these suckers out of me!" I asked if they would take pictures of my fibroids, and they did. I wanted to see them. No worries, I'll spare ya'll those photos. The anesthesiologist then told me he was going to give me the stuff that would make me drowsy. I saw the mask go over my face, my doctor held my hand tightly, I took a deep breath and out I went. Again, I took control of my power and did what I felt was best for me - which was being able to get the vibe in the OR and meet everyone involved. I felt really, really good about that decision.

9. I'm taking good care of myself post surgery by listening to my body (mostly resting) and eating super healthy. More fruits and vegetables than usual. I received a lovely fruit basket with all kinds of goodie from a few women that I coach. Honestly, it's one of the most beautiful gift baskets that I have ever seen. I plan on making a fabulous fruit cup tomorrow. One of my best friends brought dinner to my house last night. We had butternut squash soup and a salad with grilled chicken on top. Okay, she also brought some cheese cake samplers and I will admit that those have been going down pretty well. Anyway, I ate in my pajamas. I can't express how nice that gesture was of her and it made me understand how important it is that we all care for each other. Simple gestures go such a long way.

10. I realized that hospitals are not a good place to be for healing. I also realized that I was a minority on my
floor because I was in good shape and had zero risk factors. I did not sleep much during my one night stay in the hospital. The nurse never came when I needed her for things like ice on my stomach, water, or something to eat. Lisa reminded me that I was not in a hotel. Seriously, I ended up getting up myself and finding ice and food. After all, I had been fasting for a good 18 hours by the time I asked for some crackers. My roommate was there because she checked herself into the ER that day for chest pain and ended up being omitted over night. I learned through her conversations with the nurse that she had sleep apnea, was borderline diabetic, had high blood pressure and smoked (told her boyfriend the next day that was not going to quit smoking). I'm also going to assume that she was inactive. The overnight nurse came in our rooms at about 5:15am to dispense meds. I got a form of ibuprofen through my IV and my roommate had about 3 small plastic cup dispensers of various meds. I felt like one lucky dog. I told my sister about the experience and she noted that we should be greatful for the gift that our father gave to us while growing up. We ate our meals together, we ate healthy meals, our school lunches were made (as opposed to bought ... and we would make them ourselves), we had to do a lot of outside and inside chores which kept us moving and exercising and breathing in fresh air. He's the one that got me into running.

This is not Thanksgiving however why does it have to be Thanksgiving to express appreciation and things we are thankful to have in our lives. I am thankful for my health and glad I get myself out of bed each day and exercise, even when I don't want to. I am thankful for friends and family that care and think about me. I am thankful for those that listen to me. I am thankful for my partner Lisa who has taken good care of me despite having a major cold herself. I also thank her for answering my call at 5:55am the morning after my surgery asking to get me the hell out of the hospital. Okay, she fell back asleep, but eventually she got there! I'm thankful that my procedure was not one that was too serious. I try to imagine what it must be like to have been diagnosed with something more life threatening. Something that causes one to have to continually get up and fight each day, whether it be cancer, an auto-immune disorder or something else.  A partial hysterectomy is nothing! Finally, I am thankful of my body for telling me that something was not right. Glad I listened. Let's hope I feel that burst of energy that everyone says I'll have soon!

"Oh The Weather Outside is Frightful....Let's NOT let it snow, let's Not let it snow, let's NOT let it snow...."

2011-02-05T13:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, I've finally reached my cracking point like most of the people here in New England, and am starting to bitch about this sh-tf-ll weather we've been dealing with. I am no longer a hearty New Englander. There, I've said it without bowing my head. As a matter of fact, I'm ready to head south for good as my body is totally trashed from all the shoveling. I will say, that I felt like Dara Torres swimming in the pool today thanks to my "Rocky-like" strength workouts of clearing fluffy snow, wet snow and just plain 'ol snow, snow, snow.

Snow level on top of our outdoor table. Our dog Lulu peeing next to it.

Today, it's raining and in the process of turning into freezing rain. Yes, we are amongst the many here that have suffered a bit of damage to one of the walls on the inside of our house thanks to the ice dam that built up while we were away for a couple of days. Someone in the YMCA locker room this morning told me it could be worse. Yes, yes ... I suppose it could be a lot worse. We could be suffering from a Katrina. Our consecutive streams of snowstorms are nothing in comparison.

Thank goodness I am married to a former Division I basketball player (FYI, she still holds the record at her high school for total points scored - I'm always so impressed with that fact). Lisa is real handy around the house thanks those long arms and legs. Unfortunately for her, it means she does most of the serious grunt work. While I am totally capable of digging away with a shovel with my slightly sub 5'3" frame, she gets to do the extra fun work. For example, she can reach high places on the roof with the roof rake. Good thing!

Shoveling in my pajamas ... no rest for the weary!

Yesterday, I came home to the sound of a blow dryer and a banging hammer. I'm not sure why we have not one, but two blow dryers in our house considering neither of us use them. I think we both saved them from our 80's days. Well, it's 2011 now and they've come in handy for things like melting the ice on the roof (which only she can reach by hanging herself outside the upstairs guest room window). Apparently, Lisa was using the hammer to smash the ice to bits.

I managed to snow blow our very steep and fairly long driveway once this season during one of the first major storms. I almost passed out from asphyxiation because Lisa put the cab on the snow blower. The cab is a great concept for someone who is close to 6 feet tall and who's face is not just above the motor. I had to occasionally stick my face out to the side, beyond the cab, to get a breath of fresh air. Try to get that visual in your head. So, Lisa pretty much takes control of the snow blower and I resign to shoveling paths in the yard for the dogs, walkways and doorsteps (and let me point out, there are a lot of them).

Lisa snow blowing. Notice her face is not near the exhaust.

I have to say, I feel a bit guilty that she is doing all the killer hard work but what's a gal to do? My left shoulder cramped the other day for the first time in my life. I'm assuming this is because the snowbanks are so high that I have to heave the snow over them, which calls for a little extra shoulder work. I've recovered a bit since yesterday which may explain the Dara Torres effect during today's swim. Amazing what a little recovery does for the body.

Yes, we are all sick of the snow. Even our dog Balto is tired of wearing his coat.

Balto in his coat that's too big.

The other night I needed to get the pasta bowls out of the upper cabinet. Usually, this involves me putting one knee up on the counter and reaching up for the bowls. I swear, my arms were too tired to even reach for the bowls. Good thing Lisa was around!

Happiness

2011-01-17T17:56:00.000-08:00

I recently read an article in the Smith College Alumni Quarterly that totally captivated my attention. The article was called, The Happiness Paradox, by Andrea Cooper, and was focused on women and happiness (what defined happiness to various women). The article took into consideration factors and other questions such as a woman’s self-pressure to feel or be happy; “….. [Are] intelligent, compassionate, often overworked women [expected) to feel happy all the time? …… Is happiness something to be pursued?”

I often think about my own happiness and am happy to say that I really am happy most of the time! I can’t say that I felt that way in my childhood or my teen years (who did?) …. Or even my 20’s and 30’s. However, I think those years for, most part are a rollercoaster of self-discovery and struggle sprinkled with moments of happiness. Now however, I feel happy as a whole, which means the peaks and valleys of unhappiness are just not there. That’s not to say for instance, if I lost my partner, or a family member, or found out I had cancer that I would not go into a period of great sadness or despair. I would, for sure. The question for me would be, would I be able to rebound and create or re-create a state of happiness? I see happiness as something that has to be created .... as in I create my own happiness by the choices I make and those experiences I choose to absorb, tune into and pay attention to (such as taking in an amazing sun-rise from the field accross our street or getting on the floor and playing with our dogs).

I consider myself a very resilient person. I don’t know where that quality came from but in my case I think my resilience and happiness are partly inherited. I also consider myself, for the most part, to be an optimist. I don’t do well when surrounded by negative energy …. my internal chemistry changes and my body absorbs it. I have made choices in my life during the past several years to avoid negative energy. My father has always been the eternal optimist. This is a guy who started his own business from scratch with a small amount of money. He ran for mayor …and lost. He was a talented runner who ran every day at lunchtime. He got hit by a car during a run in the early 90’s, lost a leg, had severe brain trauma (to the point where he had trouble putting a simple puzzle together) and went on to make a full recovery. He kept a pair of running shoes in his closet for years, thinking he might be able to run again one day. He never complained about his injuries or accident. He just went on. He rides his bike just about everyday – as long as he can workout, he’s a happy camper. I get that. My mother, although she passed when I was young from her own personal period of despair, had such a bubbly personality and the most upbeat voice – it will always and forever be remembered in my head. I consider myself to be lucky. I feel I am in a state of homeostasis, meaning all realms of my life right now are aligned and balanced. Certainly the ways I manage to create and balance my life differs from someone else. I will say that exercise plays a big role in my ability to balance aspects of my life. I'm a better partner, more productive worker, better listener and all around happier camper thanks to exercise. How happy would I be if I could not exercise?

I’d like to share some of the quotes from various women from the happiness article. I found them all to be totally inspiring and wanted to pass them on to inspire anyone who is reading this blog. Read and maybe question your own happiness;

“The more comfortable you are with yourself, the more you define your own happiness.” – Annie Mortia

“To be happy …. You want to be doing things and not over-thinking.” – Smith Professor, Peake

“Little things that make her happy usually involve a physical component coupled with some sort of indulgence, like hiking all morning and stopping for blueberry pancakes on the way home.” – Dawn Dill

“…. life is such a combination of threats and opportunities …. If we’re not resilient, we will fall.”
-Barbara Becker Holstein (speaking on resilience).

“…. practicing gratitude and mindful awareness of what we can have can bring about happiness…” - Peggie Gillespie

“Happy is always thrust into a future that never comes. We truly only have now. Now is where our power is.” – Sheila Steplar

“…. Happiness may not lie in what happens to you but in how you respond.” – Lynne Thomas

The Race Against My Virutal Self

2011-01-02T17:43:00.000-08:00

If any of you read my last blog posting you will recall that I mentioned at some point in it that I was not sure when my competitive drive would make an appearance. Well, it made a brief impromptu appearance today in a race against myself (or what I thought was myself) on my Computrainer. I really was not expecting it but it sure was a battle!

Let me explain. First, for those of you who do not know what a Computrainer is, I’ll give you a quick review. A Computrainer is a type of fancy virtual 3D bike trainer. You set your own bike up on a resistance trainer and can pick and choose programs and “real life” courses to ride (which are downloaded on a laptop). For example, let’s say if I wanted to ride the Hawaii Ironman course I (which I have absolutely no desire to do), I could upload the course and ride it. I can see various data as I’m riding such as how much power I am putting out, my speed, heart rate, mph, cadence (turnover) and the grade of the terrain. I can see the virtual road and can also opt to split the screen and see if my power is evenly distributed between each leg. I can pick and choose the outfit that I want to wear as well as its colors (you can see your virtual self pedaling away on the screen). Finally, you can opt to race against yourself from your most recent former performance on that course. So, I opted to do that today just to add extra entertainment in my fight against boredom. Why not have all the bells and whistles?

My goal today was to ride at my aerobic, zone 2 heart rate, which usually feels steady but is not hard. I wanted to take it fairly easy, put on some tunes and ride away. I could care less if my former performance (let’s call my former performance “Mandy”) beat today’s performance. So, I set the course to the one I did last February, which was the last time I did that particular ride. I figured that I would be way behind “Mandy” because I think I rode at some decent watts in my aerobic zone last year. However, I really could have cared less if Mandy beat me. My plan was to ride steady at a 138-148 heart rate.

So I pressed the start button, the “3-2-1” second countdown appeared on the screen and off I went. Usually, you can see your virtual self riding on the screen, but for some reason I was not appearing. However, Mandy appeared on the split screen. I paused the ride, got off my bike and tried to fix the issue but without luck. So I rode without seeing my current self, but could see my former self when I chose. Mandy had on a cute light blue two piece tri suit, which I really don’t recall choosing for my outfit last February. Mandy also had a ponytail which I've always wanted but my hair grows out too thick, so I keep it short (I live vicariously through the virtual world). Anyway, onward I went despite the glitch, choosing to ride looking at the road and checking out my spin scan (power on each leg) versus looking to see what was going on with Mandy. I did notice on the stats at the bottom of the screen that I was TOTALLY blowing Mandy away and I was at the lower end of my zone 2 heart rate. I thought to myself; “WOW, I must be in better shape than I thought this time of year!” Another mile went by and I was still a good amount ahead of Mandy and my ego was growing. “Must be some the strength training I’ve been doing … or maybe those spin classes I teach.” “Gee, I’ve been tired the past several months but I’m felling really good about this ride!” At about the 6th mile I hit the start of the long climb. I noticed that Mandy was starting to catch me so I bumped up into the lower end of the next zone into my low 150's (I did not want to go there but thought I’d just spend a few minutes there to hold my ground). A couple of minutes later, Mandy with her stupid pony tail and cheesy powder puff blue tri outfit BLEW BY ME as we headed up a long, 2% graded hill! “What the hell?” I wasn’t going to fall into her trap and get suckered into riding harder than I wanted to today, so I stayed back but kept my HR in the low 150's while Mandy pedaled away from me. I couldn’t take it anymore and had to show her who was the boss of this course, so I put a surge on during the long downhill while she basically coasted, bumping my heart rate up to 154, which is at the middle of the next zone. I split the screen so I could see her and gradually I reeled in her virtual blue ass! I passed her holding 25mph like she was standing still.

During the next few minutes I began to take a closer look at the data on the lower screen which notes Mandy’s speed, her average speed and her watts (power). I noticed that her speed always stayed at 18.1mph, whether going up a hill, down or riding on the flats. Her watts always stayed at 137 and her cadence always stayed at 92rpm. My watts were holding out between 150 and 167 for most of the ride. My speed varied from 15mph to 25mph. I don’t ever recall in my past performance riding that course at 137 watts, and I always held a speed above 18.5. It dawned on me that I was not riding against a former performance of mine. Somehow, I plugged in the wrong information when programming the program and ended up riding and busting my butt against some virtual chick in a blue tri suit that was not me! For the record, I beat her big-time and managed to have some coasting time during the last few mile which brought my heart rate back to my goal average.

Funny thing about this experience is how competitive I became riding against who I thought to be my former virtual self. I wanted to kick my own ass! Isn't that what we should be doing in any competition? Racing against ourselves? Not focusing on other elements? I will give myself credit for not pushing into my upper end racing heart rate zones - I held back and may have done so even if "Mandy" gained a huge distance on me.

I suppose that competitive fire can come out at any given moment! So much for wondering when it would make an appearance! Tada!

Working Out by Feel

2010-12-27T08:05:00.000-08:00

I spent several years of my life "in training" for the sport of running. I also dabbled in cycling and was eventually led to the sport of triathlon. I took a brief gander at some of my old logs from the 90's when I was in full on triathlon training mode. The logs noted tallies for each week in individual hours of running, cycling, swimming, yoga and strength training. I also tallied what percentage I spent in each HR zone during each phase of the year. Crazy. I'd average 15-23 hours of training per week .... and I was a minimalist compared to the other pro triathletes. I have notes upon notes of my training, how I was feeling, goals, etc ..... I can't imaging putting in those hours now, nor do I have the desire.

I no longer keep a log on a regular basis, although I have for a period of months when gearing up for a half IM event in recent years. Of course I encourage my athletes to keep a log not only for their review, but for mine as well. Often times we can see patterns or trends that lead to great performances .... or sometimes illness (getting run down). It's also a reality check of consistency of training and volume. These days, I train by feel and by listening to what my body and spirit needs. Sounds corny, I know. There has been a bit of a shift in my approach to my own training .... which has become more "fitness" based. My motivation to workout has nothing to do with a race schedule or performances. I workout purely to feel good, move my body and nurture my spirit.

One of my top 5 all-time workouts, occurred recently while I was in NJ, and now officially what I call my home away from home. Who would have thought I'd become a Jersey girl? I am happy to say that I firmly believe that my achilles tear that has plagued me for over a year is finally and officially mended! With that being said, I am very tentative with running these days to avoid any set-backs. Heck, after months and months of no running, what's the rush to get back into it? My recent run workouts have been more a combination of walking and jogging. I have yet to go out for a full on run ... and frankly, I'm scared to do so even though my heel will probably be fine. My top 5 workout consisted of a 7 minute walk to the boardwalk followed by another 3 minutes once I hit the boardwalk. I then alternated 5 minutes of jogging with 5 minutes of brisk walking.  It was cold outside however the sun was shining and I was able to stay close to the boardwalk shops and feel the heat of that sun. I spent one hour of jogging and walking while looking at an amazing ocean view (much like the picture). I was the only one on that boardwalk with the exception of one or two other walkers, some just out walking with coffee. I did not care about pace or heart rate. It was all easy but it felt so good to move and breathe that fresh ocean air. In this case, as with many of my workouts lately, the goal has been to just move in whatever way feels good. Sometimes it's in working out with weights, sometimes it's just walking (or walking and jogging combined), sometimes it's getting in the pool and swimming long, but easy. I put in a couple of 3000y workouts lately and was in the moment of each lap versus thinking about what came next or how many more yards remained of the workout. I workout once per day, usually getting in 45 min to an hour or exercise. I mountained biked with friends a few weeks ago, spending 90 minutes or so on completely wooded, single track, mostly up or downhill terrain. It was a blast .... pure joy and a great workout.

I've been tired for the past several months for reasons that I can't really explain but can say it has to do with some changes going on in my body. I'm in the process of having things checked out and figured out. So, my motivation to TRAIN, is almost non-existent however my motivation to EXERCISE is a constant.  I choose my workouts based on what feels good that day or what my spirit needs. If I've been in a negative environment or been in situations or conversations that drain my own energy, my spirit needs fresh air and time alone. If I'm feeling like I want to work hard and really sweat, I'll get it out in my own spin class, or take a class. Sometimes a brisk walk with the dogs serves as my workout (they walk fast).

I did my one hour walk/jog workout again on Christmas morning. I read an article in the local paper about a 53 year old guy who has made it a tradition to surf every Christmas morning. He's been doing it for years. I set out to look for him .... and I found him out there in the ocean waiting for a good "ride." My guess is that surfing fuels his spirit and being out there alone, in the cold water on Christmas morning served as his spiritual ritual. Something that is very personal to him.

My recent "shift" in how I view my workouts seems to encompass just that .... each, if not most workouts serve as something personal. Today, I'll go out for a walk in the snow with the wind whipping around. There is something about being out there in the elements that brings renewed energy.  I can't say if or when my motivation to TRAIN for races will make an appearance. My guess is that it probably will for a short period of time this summer. For now, I enjoy "exercising." It's a joy I'll never take for granted!

Knitting vs Triathlon Racing and Training

2010-12-08T06:31:00.000-08:00

My 10-week beginner knitting class ended this past Monday and as you can see by my two models in my picture, I completed my hat and scarf. I am feeling both relieved and bummed that knitting class is over. I'm relieved because I need a break from knitting (my hands hurt) but bummed because I want to learn more ... or at least review a few knitting moves that we rushed through on a couple of occasions.

During a recent swim, I was was thinking about how my new found knitting experience compared to some of my former triathlon racing and training experiences. Here are some examples of what I mean.

1) I really did not know much about knitting when I started this class. If I made a mistake, I could not figure out why. I was not able to "read the stitch" and everything looked backwards to me.  The instructor , a "pro knitter" was a plethora of information regarding all types of yarn, yarn weight, knitting gadgets and stitches. Her hands moved quickly and smoothly when she picked up her needles or helped one of us in the class fix our mistakes. She immediately knew the problem by one quick look.
I recall feeling the same way when I started training for the sport of triathlon. I was not an accomplished swimmer or cyclist. I didn't know the tricks of the trade such as how to pedal smoothly or what drills would make me a better and more efficient athlete. I was not able to "feel" when something felt off. Eventually, through lots of practice, several camps and lots of advice from various coaches and other athletes, I started to know what I was doing and literally "swam, biked and ran with it!"

2) I sometimes felt like quitting.   I would have been done with all of my projects in a matter of days had I not ripped out my stitches about a million times and started over. My hat project was ripped out twice! Often times I would have to "unknit" several rows. Lisa once commented that there sure was a lot of swearing accompanying my knitting. She thought I took it to relax! I will admit that I dropped the "F-bomb" several times .... especially last weekend when I was so close to finishing my hat, then made some kind of wierd mistake. I wanted to quit ... but I didn't because I'm just not a quitter.
I recall back in the late 90's racing in the St. Croix Triathlon. I had a year of insomnia (gosh, all of my former worries seem so silly now) and went into the race with zero sleep. For those of you who do not know of this event, the temperature is HOT, HUMID and the course is very, very hilly. Anyway, I was doing okay until I hit the run portion. I started walking 3/4 of a mile into the run and decided to flag down an official to turn in my number. I was cooked, defeated and disappointed. I was not talking nicely to myself and I was way, way out of the competition. The official came up to me on a motor bike and I told him I was calling it a day. As I was taking off my number, I started thinking how horribly worse I would feel if I did not finish. So, I told the official that I would try to continue and off I went, walking and jogging the rest of the way. It was hard to see my pro-competitors coming back as I was heading out. Bottom line, when the going gets tough, you just do your best to keep going. Same with knitting. Glad I kept going because I learned A LOT in the process of making all of my mistakes! By the end of the session, I knew how to fix most of them. Very cool.

3) Knitting, like triathlon, is expensive! Can you believe it? I spent $8.50 on yarn for my hat, and that was the sale price. Others in my class spent $15 for their skeen of yarn. Now add in the rest of the expenses such as my double pointed needles, circular needles, circular markers, measuring gauge and measuring tape and that comes out to be about $35! Good news is that my next hat expense will only be the yarn ( the kind that doesn't make your head itch). Good yarn ain't cheap! Hey, you need all the gear for your knitting projects and I'm becoming a knitting gear snob.

4) I was totally intimidated when I walked into the local and apparently famous "Webs" yarn store. Webs is one of the largest yarn stores in New England. Knitters travel from far away places to visit this store located in my town. I walked into it and had NO CLUE where to start. Rows and rows and rows of all kinds of yarn with various textures and weights presented themselves to me. Beautiful knitting projects were displayed next to several of the rows and I thought to myself, "I don't think I'll ever get to THAT level of knitting." This was not your local Michaels or ACE Moore crafts store where you'd by the cheaper yarns. Noooooo, this was the ELITE store of knitting. I walked out after about 10 minutes because I was rather disillusioned!
I recall being newbie triathlete walking into my first triathlon and cycling store.  I did not know what kind of bike I was looking for or the difference between one bike versu another. I knew nothing about components, frame materials or bike geometry.

I'm going to take a couple of weeks off from knitting then start another hat just to solidify all I have learned. Kind of like finishing a tri-season ... you need a bit of a break to re-coup and refresh physically and mentally. I'm sure there will be mistakes along the way once I pick up my needles again .... but practice makes perfect (or almost perfect) as they say!!

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T05:11:00.000-08:00

"....There’s not a day in all the year
But holds some hidden pleasure,
And, looking back, joys oft appear
To brim the past’s wide measure.
But blessings are like friends, I hold,
Who love and labour near us.
We ought to raise our notes of praise
While living hearts can hear us....."

- Ella Wheeler Wilcox (Thanksgiving)
______________________________________
A Thanksgiving Fable
by Oliver Herford

It was a hungry pussy cat,
upon Thanksgiving morn,
And she watched a thankful little mouse,
that ate an ear of corn.
"If I ate that thankful little mouse,
how thankful he should be,
When he has made a meal himself,
to make a meal for me!
"Then with his thanks for having fed,
and his thanks for feeding me,
With all his thankfulness inside,
how thankful I shall be!"
Thus mused the hungry pussy cat,
upon Thanksgiving Day;
But the little mouse had overheard
and declined (with thanks) to stay.

Must Be The Full Moon

2010-11-19T15:20:00.000-08:00

I was ready for a glass of wine at 3:50pm today ... Is something wrong with that picture? It all started with my trip to the car service place where I get my oil changed. I've been going to this auto service garage for several years to get my oil changed, tires rotated and about 7 months ago, new brakes installed. My front brakes have been squeaking, to the point of embarrassment, ever since I got them changed. I've brought this issue up during my last two oil changing services and I get the same old response which is "they are breaking in." My concern went to a new level last week when I was driving down a steep hill and I felt the brakes rubbing against something and making a noise that was far from a squeak. More like a moan. So, I took my car to the auto place for a standard oil change and asked if someone could take a look at the them. I knew the owner would probably there early in the morning and was hoping I could talk with him. Sure enough he was there, chatting it up with a bunch of other guys over coffee. I figured if anything wrong was found, at least he was there to go over how the situation could be remedied. The young woman at the front desk is the same one who entered all my information the past two times but I felt rushed by her this time. I wanted to be clear that something was not right with my brakes but I felt like my words were going in one of her ears and out the other. I asked how long the wait would be and she said about 35 minutes. I was planning on walking over to the gym, doing a quick strength workout, then walking back to fill up time however 35 minutes didn't seem that long, so I waited and caught up on People magazine. Well, one People magazine turned into two plus a Newsweek magazine.

After one hour I stood up, looked out the window and noticed my car was parked in the back lot.   So, I figured they were finished with the work .... wondering why no one had told me.   The manager and the owner came into the lobby from the garage at the same time and I asked if the work on my Jeep was finished. They looked at me like I had two heads and said that the oil was changed but it would be at least another 2.5 hours before they looked at the brakes. Then the owner proceeded to tell me that they had to take care of everyone who kept coming in for oil changes after me. I responded by noting that I was told the wait was 35 minutes, it had been an hour and I would have come back another day if I had known I was going to have to leave my car all morning. He then asked if I had made an appointment. I responded by saying, "no" I was told that they would take a look at the brakes and change the oil and my wait (again) would be about 35 min.    He already knew about my squeaky brakes and looked at me straight in the eye over his reading glasses and said, "sometimes brakes squeak and that's the way they are." I then paused and looked right back at him (about to explode ... but I didn't) and responded as calmly as possible by saying, "I've been told for 7 months now that my brakes are "breaking in" and I don't like the squeaking - it's pretty loud, and I've spent a lot of money at his place between oil services, new breaks and a new side-view mirror. He then turned his back and sat down at his computer. This is the kind of response that makes my blood boil. Had I been a guy, I highly doubt I would have gotten that kind of response. The manager, feeling the tension gave me his card and said let's see if we can get you in early next week. I told him I'd call and set something up but I haven't.

The thing that pisses me off is that I once saw the owner in a restaurant, went over to him and thanked him for getting back to me so quickly regarding a quote on front and back breaks after another service place never responded. I think it's important to let people know when they've done something good or something that makes you feel good. Guess he didn't like it when I had something to say that was not so sweet.

I walked out of there so angry that is stayed with me thoughout the day. There was something so unsettling about the exchange.  When I got back home, I bagged my plans to start writing a program and immediately headed to the basement. I cranked up some music, hopped on my Computrainer for 10 min of warm-up at about 120rpms (might have created some smoke), did a quick strength session pushing 3x the amount of weight I normally lift and holding plank poses 2x's longer than usual. I then finished up with 10 more min of spinning on the Computrainer. Long sigh..... ahhhhh.

All I can say is thank goodness I work out my stress (as in "workout") versus take to the wine bottle. The rest of my day seemed to continue with a strange kind of stressed/rushed energy (not only in myself but every driver on the road). Maybe it's all because of the full moon.  I think my dulled frustration level held out until about 3:50 .... which is when I was ready for a glass of wine! It's 6pm and I've held off but I think it's time now.

Random Swim Workout Thoughts

2010-11-08T09:54:00.000-08:00

The weather when I woke up this morning transformed into that of what we'd see during the month of February and early March. A raw, wet, slippery mess. Add 50mph winds and you get: "I don't want to get out of bed" syndrome. Actually, I like getting out of bed because I really look forward to my coffee (yes, I get excited about it) so things felt pretty cozy in the house this morning with all the mess going on outside. My plan was to swim this morning immediately after my MRI (finally got one on my foot to hopefully find out the root of the issue). Anyway, when I walked out of my MRI at 8:30am, I just wanted to go right back home. I hate getting in the pool when it's cold outside. However, I think more clearly after my workouts which bodes well for folks that pay me to write their programs and give constructive feedback on their logs. So, off to swim I went and I'm glad I did. Turned out to be a really, really relaxing drill swim day.

I know other swimmers can relate to random thoughts that pass during workouts. After all, swimming back and forth for 25y can get pretty boring. I usually have a workout written or at least planned in my head, but even with that my mind can wander ... which is probably why I lose count of my laps often. Here are some random thoughts that occurred during my last few swims at the YMCA. Make note, I usually swim during the worst hours (most crowded with 3 lanes being taken up for a senior aqua aerobics class) because it's the best time for me to swim as far as my schedule.

" .... why is that man next to me sitting under water and watching me each time I flip turn? Pervert!"
- Turns out he wanted to watch and learn from my flip-turns.

" .... Ah, finally have the lane to myself..."

" .... Shit, here comes someone who's going to ask to share and it's the lady who likes to do like 50 million lengths of the butterfly stroke!"

".... Here comes the hairy guy ... I swear, I have NEVER seen so much hair on a human .... I'm okay with it ... just saying .... He's going to get in my lane and ask if he can join in on my workout....."

".... Lots of legs moving around under the water here for aqua aerobics. Someone is wearing foam sandals ... must be special aqua aerobic sandals ... never seen them before..."

"... I can here Johnny Cash singing .... this must be the 50th week in a row I've heard the instructor play Johnny. She loves him. Wait! She stepped things up just now with a disco version of the Coba Cabana!"

"..... Gross, that is the biggest hairball I have ever seen!"

"....Pregnant lady on deck waiting for a lane to open. I feel badly that someone is giving a swim lesson in lane 1 at the busiest time of the morning. Only two lanes available. Going to stop and suggest she ask the swim instructor if she can share his lane..."

" .... Here comes "Mr. Splash!" Another guy that loves sharing the lane with me. Everyone who has shared a lane with him calls him Mr. Splash, or "The Splasher" ... nice guy even though he's a splasher."

" ... Need to go easier ... feels easy, but I can take it easier...."

" ...Okay, that older man needs to get a new suit. Beige does not bode well for a swim suit color, but a beige suit that's been eaten away by chlorine is a whole other level .... oh my....... not looking."

" ...Water temperature feels really nice today..."

" .... Just lost count .... we'll say that was 200y ...."

" ...Pissed that my favorite sweatpants got ripped off here a couple of weeks ago. My fault for leaving them here .... sure wish I could put them on and wear them home..."

" ...150y of easy swimming left ... I think I'll mix up my strokes... Getting cold ... ready for a warm shower!"

Morning Jog

2010-11-02T05:02:00.000-07:00

I'm 10 minutes away from stepping out the door for a jog. I've been given to okay to do some test runs and I could really care less if I feel sensation in my heel or not. I could care less if my pace is as low as a snail's. I really could care less about the fact that I am wearing a running outfit that reminds me of what I wore in the 80's. All I care about is breathing in this clean, somewht damp, "hint of snow" air and moving my body.

Becoming a Recreational Athlete

2010-10-22T04:54:00.000-07:00

My last race was a 5k in Ocean City, New Jersey on August 15th. I ran knowing it would be my last event of the summer. I was happy to have been able to compete in a duathlon, three triathlons and one running race this past summer considering I was managing an achilles tendon issue. However managing just wasn't something I wanted to do anymore so I opted to just take care of this sucker and let go of the rest of my summer racing season .... and now another fall season of running.

Someone recently asked if I practiced what I preached with regard to my own training. Good question considering none of my athletes are hurt and I, the coach, seem to get hurt often. My answer? Yep, I really do practice what I preach however I lack one major recovery aid (the biggest) of SLEEP. I suck at sleeping and have all my life so far. Used to be that years ago it was my thoughts and worries that kept me up however that is no longer the case. My body is actually extremely physical during what is supposed to be "sleepy time." I toss because I can't get comfortable and sometimes my legs feel like they have little electrical shocks buzzing into them. So, I wake up feeling like I just did a major workout versus getting major recovery. Often I wake up really hungry because of all the activity. This is not the case all of the time and currently I'm on a roll of a few days of solid sleep. Could it be a form of Restless Leg Syndrome? Who knows ... I don't have all the classic symptoms. So, my point is that my body often goes into workouts without sufficient recovery and now that I'm getting older, it seems to be way more susceptible to breaking down.

I'll be going into week #12 of zero running .... but who's counting? I actually want to know for future reference to anyone who goes thought this, just how long it take to completely heal an injury like this. This past week I did a few 30 second to 1 min test jogs during a walk and things felt okay. My physical therapist wants me to take more time because this injury is such a bugger. So what's another couple of weeks ... I've given in to laying low with running and it's almost better.

I have done quite a bit of thinking about my own training and racing. I find myself questioning if I want to race and train anymore. Lately, I've had more of a "fitness" perspective on working out versus a "training" perspective and it's been refreshing and healthy. I've been enjoying long walks and even the short ones with the dogs. I get my heart rate up by busting my butt in the spin class that I teach once a week and that feels good. I started a Cybex Circuit strength routine a month and a half ago. I have never been a fan of this type of strength training, however it makes me feel good and that's what matters now (as opposed to strength training specifically for my sport). I'm riding my beat-up commuter bike more often because it feels more low key and recreational - I notice a lot more things. I'm going to start taking a Yoga class 1x per week at the YMCA. I don't miss the pressure of trying to cram in workouts or the feeling that I have to get in a specific workout. I like that I have a little more time to spend on other neglected things such as adding components to my coaching business, updating my website (in the process), taking a knitting class and doing some things around the house.

Lisa and I often spend time heading to New Jersey to visit her parents. I usually try to ride my bike the 5 mile distance that takes me from the mainland, over the bridge and to the boardwalk. I ride the full boardwalk then head back to her parents house (after tooling through some of the neighborhoods on the Island). I have thoughts as I get older, of taking long walks or easy jogs on the board walks followed by a few push-ups and sit-ups then calling it a day in terms of working out. Maybe I'd meet up with a friend and we'd walk and talk. My visions have not included goal races or even seeing myself racing at all. Hmmmm.

I'm sure I'll be racing again in 2011 with a killer competitive edge burning inside .... or maybe not. I'm not sure how motivated I'll be past that year and certainly my current perspective could change once I am running again. I will admit that being "recreational" with my activity has been wonderful in an unexpected way.

What's Excusable? Let's Put It On The Table.

2010-10-08T10:57:00.000-07:00

I recently read a blog post by one of the athlete's I consult regarding his "public apology," (which was the blog title) for letting out a fart on a treadmill just before a woman came into the room. He was alone and figured it was safe. How many of us have had this experience at one time or another? In my years of training and racing, I have seen and experienced just about everything. This leads me to a few situations that I feel are excusable and inexcusable.

Excusable Farting:

Just like the book says, "We all Pass Gas."

1) We all know how uncomfortable it is to hold in our gas when running. Most endurance athletes are healthy eaters which means a decent amount of consumption of fruits, nuts, cereals, vegetables and other fibrous foods. Who can blame them for having gas? Farting during a group track workout or any formal run workout should be excusable. It's worse to hold it in and risk "heightining"the issue. I trained with mostly men on the track for a period of time and they did not seem to have an issue with farting out loud during the workout. I'm going to say that it was kind of funny, especially when the fart happened with each step. Kind of broke the ice. We should just have a rule that farting during a group run (not just a track workout) is fine and get all over it. It's way too hard to control gas when running.

2) Farting in the pool. Just as long as that's it! Hopefully the lifeguard does not catch on to the air bubbles.

3) Farting on the bike when you are at the back of a paceline or pulling off.

4) Farting in a race. We have enough things to try and control.. Anyway, if someone were in front of me and farted, I might start laughing to the point of walking. Good strategy for anyone who wants to slow me down.

Inexcusable Farting

1) Farting in the front of a pace line on the bike

2) Farting in an enclosed fitness room. There are enough stenches going around, why add more? However, I can see how some might feel okay getting away with at at 5am when no-one is around (unless by chance someone happens to walk in just at that moment).

Inexcusable Snot Blowing

1) Blowing on the bike when leading a paceline, without warning to others.

2) Blowing on the run if there is a cross wind leading the spray to your running partner's side.

3) Blowing in the middle of a pack of a group run.

3) Blowing every minute .... enough is enough, use a sleeve.

Wedgies (both categories here)

1) Not okay to fix while running in front of someone (like on the track). Wait until the interval is over, then grab and release.

2) Fixing minor wedgies in the pool during the swim stroke is fine (believe it or not, it can be done).

3) Okay to fix during a race ... basically, anything goes in a race.

Peeing:

1) Okay to do in your wetsuit at the start of a race on land or in the water. It happens, we all know it.

2) Not okay to announce that you are peeing in your wetsuit while waiting in the water with your age group competitors. I can't tell you how many times someone has announced that he or she is peeing while waiting for the start gun or canon to go off. I DON'T WANT TO KNOW!..

3) This is targeted to guys. Please do not pee "on the fly" on the bike during Ironman events....or any event for that matter. It's just wrong. You all may feel proud that you can swing that move, but think about who is behind you.

One of my dogs lying next to me has gas (what else is new) and I've got to get him out for a short walk. Perhaps I'll think of a few other excusable or inexcusable body behaviors during the break.

Knitting 101

2010-09-28T09:54:00.000-07:00

I started taking a beginner knitting class 2 weeks ago. My goals are to; A) complete a project or two and, B) complete the project without one side being longer than the other. I've tried taking up knitting as a hobby a couple of times in the past. Forgot everything I learned the first time so I bought a book and taught myself the basics a second time but never really followed through on learning how to fix mistakes or make something beyond a scarf and a very basic hat. So, I'm in it for the long haul this time. I am going to become a serious knitter!

My reasons for joining the beginner knitting class were just the same as everyone else who enrolled. We all want to learn moves beyond knitting and purling a scarf. All of us freak and occasionally cry if we get far into a project then make a mistake and don't know how to fix it. We all want to start from the beginning and learn the correct way to hold the needs and wrap the yarn. I made up my own personal knitting technique when I tried learning from a book several years ago. Turns out, my made up style is actually a really knitting style, not to mention the fastest style of knitting (what can I say, I like to go fast ...). The biggest reason I'm taking this class is because I want a hobby that I can do just about anywhere and one the relaxes me. I have a hard time stepping away from work and often times, my eyes are just too tired to read. I can knit with tired eyes and it's also very easy for me to escape the routines of the day or week when I knit.

Last week we learned how to cast on and make the knit stitch. I came home and immediately displayed my 2"x 2" swatch of the knit stitch to Lisa. She chuckled a bit, probably at the fact that I just spent a two hour class knitting this little swatch. She was probably hoping I'd come home with a nice sweater all made up for her.

Last night we practiced binding off and working with the purl and ribbing stitches. I will admit, it was a lot to take in and I'm having trouble keeping tension on the yard when doing the knit stitch. I don't like the way we have to hold the yarn. My left forefinger was totally trashed by the end of the session. My eyes were burning and my head was spinning. Got home at 9:30pm totally wired. So much for knitting being something that relaxes me! I will admit that I did start to get in a nice groove during the last 10 minutes of class. I know my fingers are trying to connect to what my brain is telling them to do and that takes time. The instructor noted that I was "knitting like a pro" and I basked in the praise! Wow, I knit like a pro! So, I came home with another impressive swatch with some knit stitches and some purl stitches. Lisa did her best to sound totally impressed.

Looks like the projects we will knit are: 1) a pot holder (we need another one so it works out), 2) a scarf (I don't typically wear them but maybe the dogs will like them, 3) a hat (could use that .... I like hats ... maybe I'll put a pom-pom on it), 4) a baby sweater ( ummmmm, not sure about this one ... any chance we can make a pattern to fit a French Bulldog??). Seriously, Balto wears this knitted grandpa looking sweater in the winter. I bought it for about $19 at the local pet store. Nothing special about it. I am SURE I can make one much nicer and made out of much more love.

I'm sure folks who read this blog will be waiting on the edge of their seats for me to post my project pictures. As you can see, I've already made some impressive swatches!

You get out what you put in...

2010-09-24T13:31:00.000-07:00

I work with a lot of different individuals. Most come to me because they have an event that they'd like to prepare for and really need sound structure and guidance in getting across the finish line in one piece and feeling good about it. Some come to me because they want to reach a very high or higher level in their performance and results. I have also worked with people who want to gain control of their health by becoming more fit, losing weight, and ridding themselves of one or several risk factors.

Anyone that has worked with me knows I'll give 100% and more of my time, support and energy to help them reach a goal. I do this work because I love it. I love exercise physiology, working with technique (biomechanics), and the subject of nutrition as fuel for the body. What I love the most is figuring out what makes someone "tick" and what gets him or her excited about what they are doing and where they are going. I love guiding people as part of the process of accomplishing something, that at one point in his or her life, seemed totally impossible.

I've had some folks meet with me for a consult and then decide not to come back. I can count those people on one hand and remember all of them. I can usually tell within the first 10 minutes of a meeting if this person will come back or not. The willingness to have patience, commit and follow through on the baby steps to reach a goal is not easy, especially when the ULTIMATE goal seems so far away. This can be especially hard for those juggling parenting, a job, and all the other responsibilities and unexpected surprises that life throws at us. However, if you really, really want something bad enough and the goal is realistic, there should be no excuse as to why you can't go for it. GOING FOR IT is the key phrase here. Making the effort, putting both feet in. Not for one day, not for a week, not for a month, but for the long haul. It can be scary because of fear of failure (when committing to anything in life). However most often the little changes start to turn into big changes. Fear turns into confidence and confidence brings about more success along the way. I will always do my part as a coach and in some cases, a mentor but the true work lies within the individual. I'm just one anchor, one guide. My help is nothing without an individuals willingness to trust in the plan set forth and in many cases, willingness to let down some of their walls. Can be scary! The old saying "You get out of something what you put into it" is true. Reaching a goal (whatever it is) has to be reached authentically and not by going through the motions. It involves getting to know yourself more on a deeper level and being open to trying new things. Those that want quick results (through pills, miracle nutrition drinks, crash diets, 8 week workout plans) miss out on the long term and even lifetime benefits of the process.

I regret not really being aware of my process when I was racing in my 20's and early 30's. Somehow, I wrapped myself up in putting a lot of pressure on myself and primarily focused on all the wrong things such as obtaining sponsorship, placing high in races, worrying about where I would be staying during my travels. Perhaps a good part of that stress was a lack of maturity. I've always been a late bloomer in just about everything! I missed out on a lot of the joys and opportunities of seeing so much of our country as well as many others. I managed to race well a lot of the time but I also had my "duds." I worked hard, had a coach and tons of support from loved ones and training partners. I took all the right steps to reach high level of fitness and high level in pro rankings. However, I am sure that I would have been in "flow" more often if I had a little more fun within my process of becoming an elite triathlete. I'm in flow and in my process just about all of the time now. I take notice, try to see the lessons that stare me in the face along the way, and constantly remind myself that progress, change and healing take time.

Western Massachusetts has it's own Pope

2010-09-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

POPE JOHN BALTIMORE (aka Balto)
[fun with an un-used batingsuit bra pad]

My New Workout Song

2010-09-13T16:57:00.000-07:00

I want to thank my friends who introduced me to this song on the drive home from a triathlon (which I watched)! How did I EVER miss this one growing up! I suggest clicking on the link and then re-opening my blog to sing along with the lyrics in front of you.

http://www.lyrics.com/gym-ii-lyrics-meg-christian.html

If I’m m in a rut
Just get off my butt
Go down to the gym and pump some iron
Even if I’m dying it’s so satisfying
I sing, La la la la la ….

I can pump some pizzazz
To my glutes and my abs
I can roll my blues away
And slow down my decay
In just a short stay and a few. La, la la la…..

When I was a little girl my mama said, “what’s happened to your arms?”
‘Cause you got those bulges from picking up the boys in school
She said biceps do not go well with the white gloves, and feminine charm
Get your priorities straight, go do the breastroke in the pool.

So I learned to wear long sleeves at the parties
A Kleenex in my bra
Then at home I’d go play Superman in the mirror of my bedroom
Now after all these years of muscle oppression
There is a place where I can make a muscle and everybody goes, “ooooooooh!”

There is nothing like a dress
To get it off my chest
Nothing like a sweat to keep me cool
If I’m feeling cruel I can beat up a machine instead of you, you, you!
La la la la la ……

The old and the young
The heavy and the lean
They workout at the gym and oh serene
When the hour’s over we’re sitt’in in the sauna singing, “la la la…..
“Oooooooo, ahhhhhh ……

Now my days feel brighter
My loads feels lighter
And my t-shirts all feels tighter
I feel a little safer
Walk a little stronger singing la la la la-la la….

Nuturing My Spirit

2010-09-09T16:42:00.000-07:00

Last night Lisa and I went to see Catie Curtis perform at a tiny chapel in Whatley, MA. This was the finale concert of a summer series called "Watermelon Wednesdays," where at intermission folks can go outside and eat sliced up pieces of watermelon. I have never been in the Whately Chapel despite having once lived in Whatley for a short period of time years ago. My apartment was only about a quarter of a mile away from the Chapel. I have have also never been to one of the Watermelon Wednesday performances which have been going on for several summers. I'm not sure how the wonderful married couple who organizes the series got Catie Curtis, a relatively big name in contemporary folk, to come to this little chapel. However, she came and her performance was awesome and intimate. Not only is she a great singer/songwriter but she is also adorable and endearing as was her back up guitarist and singer, Mark Erelli. Her songs have simple lyrics ... ones that touched on subjects that we all think about (memory of parent, getting in touch with the flow of life vs the stresses, appreciating what we have). Both she and Mark each sang a song that they wrote for their children and I whispered to Lisa how lucky those children are to have these words written and sung to them. If I had a child, I would want to say or sing those same words.

The chapel was packed. As a matter of fact, Lisa and I didn't think we would get in because it filled to the max capacity of 30 people that pre-paid online. Unfortunately, we were close to the end of a line of about 25 folks who planned on paying the $15 at the door. Somehow, room was made for just about everyone and we had great seats at the very back of this tiny chapel. No tall people in front of me so I had a clear view.

My spirit needed that little concert in the little town in the little chapel. I have had a late winter as well as a full spring and summer of focusing on my workouts, training for events and the most recent frustration of being injured. This concert reminded me that my spirit is filled in so many other ways. Our venture to this concert was a nice way for Lisa and I to spend time together outside of training and riding our tandem (which we did successfully for the 2nd time this weekend ... yessss!). I will admit that I had a week of contemplating not racing anymore - tired of waking up stiff and feeling old when I was hardly training. However I now realize that I was fighting a bug and was totally run-down. Sometimes athletes who are in good shape can't differentiate between actually being sick from being tired from training, work or the daily stresses of life. I now know that I must have been sick in "tandem" with having my killer monthly curse. Bad, bad combo. Anyway, I have been forced to find those parts of me outside of sport to nurture my spirit and remind myself that it's important to do so.

I'm signing up for a fall (beginners) knitting class this Saturday. I know, I know .... you are all getting images of a special knitted wardrobe for Balto and Lulu. I think it will help in healing my body as well as my spirit.

"The Chinese Special"

2010-09-02T10:06:00.000-07:00

I've been a hurting unit all around lately. I know that this is a pathetic way to start my blog ... poor me. Seriously however, I've been feeling "off" physically and mentally. I decided almost 3 weeks ago to take a major break from running or hard cycling because my achilles tendon on both legs have been cranky. I will be honest, it's bummed me out bigtime as I had been feeling great and enjoying racing again after taking 2009 off. Racing is totally fun for me now and the events serve not only as a competitive venue, but also as a really great social outing. I love the energy and I enjoy talking with other athletes after the events. Many coaches or former pro triathles from my genre no longer race. However, training and racing keeps me in touch with what it feels like for my athletes to balance life with training. I am also sympathetic to those who get injured. It can and usually does happen at some point because let's face it, we ask a lot of our bodies.

I had been planning on taking a couple of backdown weeks, but certainly not planning 8-10 weeks. The right achilles issue has there for a while (it's what took me out last year), but it's been managable on two runs per week. Then the left started talking to me. Could be the cycling that got things fussy - wondering if I should stop that all together as well. Who knows ... boring to talk about. Certainly does not look good when the coach is often hurt. I blame it on years of training and forgetting that I'm 44 years old. My body is not as resilient. Probably what I need is to stop any kind of activity for a while. I'm not good at complete rest. I workout primarily for mental clarity. Those of you who really enjoy working out even at a minimal level can relate. Now, about the "Chinese Special!"

Yesterday I met someone from Connecticut for a consult at Borders in the Holyoke Mall, the half way point between our starting destinations. I got there early to look for a new vacuum cleaner but was diverted to the Chinese Massage Parlor. One of my cycling friends got a "mall massage" a few months ago and raved about it. I bagged the vacuum cleaner shopping and B-lined it to go get what was noted as "Special Chinese Massage." Rates and times varied - 10 min up to 90 min for a massage. I went for the 35 minute back massage for $25. I was desperate, I needed a massage NOW, PRONTO, STAT! I did feel a bit guilty as I like to support my longtime local massage therapist, but sometimes you just can't wait for things.

Let me cut to the chase. It was just what I needed. I flopped on the table face down, shirt and shorts on. Between the Chinese light jazz music that played in the background and the white noise of the mall crowds, I was brought down quickly to chill level. Sometimes my massage guy, Jim would talk to one of his working partners. I had no idea what they were conversing about because it was all in Chinese. At another point, a very boisterous woman came in an was trying to decide between the 15 or the 10 minute massage. She settled for the 10 minute deal. About 2 minutes into her massage, her cell phone rang and she had a conversation with her daughter who showed up at the end of the massage. Never saw what they looked like because I was face down in a cradle looking at my massage therapist's white socks and slippers. I would guess that at about 15 minutes into my massage, Jim's cell phone rang, he answered it and proceeded to massage me with one hand as he spoke for a good couple of minutes (again, all in Chinese - for all I know he could have been talking about what to have for dinner with his wife). However, none of these disruptions were disruptions to me. I actually felt really, really relaxed.

Here's the best part. The "back massage" was actually for my WHOLE back, from head to toe. My arms, hands and fingers were also massaged. The pressure was very deep - to the point that I started sweating (I like killer, deep, pressure). There was no fluff about this massage - all points were hit- even all the attachment points in-between each vertebrae. Jim did finish with my scalp and my hair was messed up beyond recognition. Okay, between the sweating, my new hairdo and my zombie-like state, I was going to have to spiff up and drink a coke before my consult.

So, my ancient "Chinese Special" massage really was special. I would go back if I was in need of an impulse massage. However, I will stick with supporting my local massage therapist Nanci, from the Healing Zone, who keeps her phone shut off. :)

The Divorce Machine

2010-08-19T17:12:00.000-07:00

I recently purchased a used and fairly old tandem mountain bike off of Craig's List as an anniversary gift to me and my partner Lisa. The husband of an athlete I coach heard about this and called it "The Divorce Machine." I'll admit that there were selfish intentions in my decision to buy the 150lb mother load of a bike(well, it feels like 150lbs), but I considered it a true "us" gift. It just seems like such a fun activity. It's something we can do together and not have to worry about one riding too hard or too easy. We share in the work ... at least I would hope. I have had visions of us tooling around some local roads enjoying a leisurely pace and taking in the sights. Back in early July, Lisa had a pretty bad crash on her bike. The reason? She rode straight into my rear wheel and crashed over, HARD. She had slowed to eat something then sped up to catch me, misjudged her speed and went smack into my wheel. Point is that it was not pretty, there was a lot of blood, she now has several scars and a swollen hip (yes, it's still swollen). We have a photo but trust me, it there's way too much skin ... or lack of to post it! So, what better way to keep a safe distance then by riding a bicycle built for two? Ramming speed will not exist! Yesterday was our true anniversary but I'm horrible at holding in my excitement so I presented it to her a week early. After I picked the beauty up, I spent a day and a half in hiding cleaning it up. It was dirty with several cob webs attached. I wanted to make sure it sparkled when I brought it home in hopes that she would be more tempted to ride it than if I brought the tank home looking like a dirty antique. I can't tell if she really liked it or not despite the fact that it looked good. I had a feeling it would take several urgings and a lot of prodding to get her to go out on some rides together.

Yesterday, Lisa and I went on our first test drive. It was going to be an epic test ride of 2 miles - one mile up the road, one mile back. Yes, we were going for it! Riding it down our steep and curvy driveway seemed a bit too ambitious and frankly, terrifying! So, we walked it down with our helmets on wearing our "day clothes" (as opposed to cycling gear). We should have really worn our Road ID bracelets because if one goes down, so does the other and someone would have to come by, figure out who we are and scrape us off the road. Yes, we're in it together for better or worse kids.

Here's the thing with us. We both like being in control and the so called "Divorce Machine" could work it's bad karma on us if we allowed. The taller person has to ride in the front and manage all the gear shifting and the anticipation of when to shift and what gear to use(the front part of the frame is her size and the rear is mine). I'm totally anal in terms of being really smooth and proactive about getting into the correct gear at just the right time while holding a constant cadence. However, I was willing let that go and trust Lisa would do her job. All I had to do was sit in the back, pedal, take in the sights and whistle Dixie. If I had a bell, I would have rang it. Wish I got some streamers too. Make note to put on my "to do list." Here's how the test ride went and here is what I have already taken note of regarding a tandem ride:

1) We had to communicate when to push off and get into our saddles. So, we did a countdown of 1,2,3 then "PUSH!" I freaked a bit because we were weaving all over the place and because I have no control in the back it felt like were were going to go down with every move. Over time however, I learned to let go a bit more, relax and TRUST my partner (officially front tandem person is termed "the captain" but I was NOT going to call her captain ... maybe "honey", but not captain).
So, Lesson #1 = TRUST your riding partner

2) We were in all kinds of gears riding down the road. First one that had us spinning at about 200rpm, then another at about 40rpm. I did not allow myself to get frustrated. Lisa did not know how to shift the gears (laughing as I type here) so there was a learning process involved. Once she got the hang of it, we were riding smoothly and I felt okay letting her know if it might feel better shifting into a harder or easier gear.
Lesson #2 = HAVE PATIENCE with your riding partner ... and yourself

3) When we got to the 1 mile mark, we were not sure how to turn around. Getting off would mean communicating when to stop and when to put our feet down. OR, we could take a risk and do a U-Turn. I was not willing to do the U-Turn because we were still a bit unsteady on a straight road! However, Lisa took control and decided that we were going to do a U-Turn. I just shut up, tried to keep upright, avoid any excessive movement and relax as if I were on the back of a motorcycle! We did it!
Lesson #3 = Sometimes you have to give in and just shut-up. Your partner might be right on some things.

4) The ride back to the house was mostly downhill. I relaxed and fantasized that we were riding along the shore of a beach. I thought about ringing our imaginary bike bell. I had a good look at the back of Lisa's head and noticed what a nice job her hairdresser did with her recent cut. Nice and even. When we returned to the house we agreed NOT to attempt riding up the driveway knowing that the chances of toppling over due to loss of momentum were high. So, we slowed down to a glide, decided which foot should plant onto the ground (we decided on the left)then did a 1,2, 3, "STOPPING" command. Both of us ended up putting our right foot down. Good thing. We walked the tank up the driveway and proceeded to tell each other "Good job"
Lesson #4 = It's important to compliment each other.

I've already asked Lisa if we can take a little test drive again tonight. I'm like a kid asking a parent to go out and play. My hope is that we'll eventually go on rides that are over 3 miles by the fall!

So, there you have it. Divorce Machine? Nah .... at least not yet! I'm off to find a bell and some streamers.

I Need to Get a Life

2010-08-02T16:36:00.000-07:00

I need to get a life. Is it wrong to spend 90% of your time with your pets? Is it wrong to find enjoyment out of pinning your french bulldog's ears back to look like Princess Leia from Star Wars? Is it wrong to have normal and sometimes lengthly conversations with your dogs or find yourself voicing random thoughts to them? For instance, I was writing a swim workout for an athlete as they lay snoring on the office floor. When I finished, I read it outloud and noted that I thought it was a good one. I then turned to ask them what they thought. Nothing. No response. Only a roll from the side to belly up. One of them silent farted (most of them are). I turned and looked both of them in the eye and asked which one did it. No response. Not even a look of guilt from either one of them. This is what I do ... chatter to them all day. My best friends.

SheRox!

2010-07-28T09:03:00.000-07:00

I re-discovered the true spirit of triathlon racing last weekend at the SheRox Triathlon in Webster, MA. I had a spontaneous sign-up after feeling down from the 70.3. I'm going to keep this short by saying;

a) Sprint races are just much more pleasurable than those long ones! Sure, you go so hard that you think you might not make it, but you know you can ... especially after racing in a Half Ironman two weeks prior. Are you sick of me complaining about that race? I promise, I'm done with it.

b) This was an all women's event and I totally thrived on basking in the great energy of this event. It's true that there is a different vibe at these bigger women's events. It's not so much the "compassionate, nurturing" environment that is touted for the newbies, but rather a really POSITIVE and FUN spirit that makes the day so unbelievably special. EVERYONE was smiling. This is why I race ... because it's fun. So far this season, it has been really fun (with the exception of the RI 70.3 thanks to a major bonk), and the SheRox race was the icing on the cake.

c) I had my flow (and I don't mean "Aunt Flo" that visited me just before the RI race) back and felt strong in this event with the exception of the bike. Still a bit flat but coming back slowly. Very challenging course!

d) My wave, the elite amateurs, was combined with the pro wave (only two women in that wave ... but big names) which made for total fun. Gave me something to really go for and ended up having one of the best swims in years thanks to hooking on the draft right away.

e) The technical t-shirt fits!! Have to go to an all women's event to get stuff that fits me! Geez!

f) Got some really nice swag for placing 3rd (SheRox visor, SheRox long sleep technical shirt ... again, my size.)

g) The music at the event was good ... I approved!

h) I had a lot of fun watching many, many newbie women triathletes finish their first race. I saw women riding bikes with baskets, bells, hybrids that were too small, bikes that looked borrowed! Totally hilarious because they didn't care ... the goal was to finish not be a speedster! I saw women finish and then go back on the course to help their friends finish ... jogging in together. Just awesome.

Today I turned 44 years old and I will admit that I am having trouble recovering from events .... it's taking me longer. It's totally true that recovery time is lengthened once we hit our 40's. I fought that statement for a couple of years and got in trouble with it (injuries). It's been three days post the SheRox race and I'm still flat as a pancake. I'm okay with it because my spirit has totally recovered!

Post Race Blues and Revelations

2010-07-22T12:10:00.000-07:00

First, let me start by saying that I just watched the film, "Be With Me" and cried my eyeballs out at the end. If you are into independent films, this is a good one(be prepared for very little dialog). I definitely must have post race blues to cry like that ... but I love it when movies make me do so.

I've had the post RI 70.3 bla's and blues for a couple of reasons. First, it sucked. I was totally hoping to have a much, much better half IM experience than previous years. I did a 4:35 and a 4:50 during my respective last two half Ironman races (2006 and 2007) in the heat and thought I had a terrible days both times because I felt so horrible on the run. Gee, those times look impressive after my 5:18 death march at the RI 70.3! So, I was hoping to just FEEL better at the recent half. All came down to lack of enough electrolytes ... I'm so sure of this. Anyway, the other bummer is that when you train so long for something like that, you generally have a natural let-down post race. Most folks feel this. Oddly, I'm really psyched NOT to have long training sessions anymore. Certain body parts are also grateful. I do believe this was my last half IM and it was not all joy and laughter crossing the line and I was hoping for joy and laughter. I vowed to smile in every race photo this year. So far all smiles have been absolutely real ... with the exception of the RI 70.3 photos. All totally fake ... but I smiled!
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=60376&BIB=146&S=230&PWD=
I think most of my blues are coming from the fact that I am still really, really tired from that race. Two weeks out and I'm still beat. Doesn't help that I have had to teach 3 spin classes post race ... and I admit I pushed too hard in class. Bad coach!

Here are all the positives that have made me feel a tad better since finishing my Half IM.

1) I am racing in a very, very short sprint triathlon this weekend (SheRox Tri in MA)
and should be done around an hour's time. How nice. How refreshing. How wonderful!

2) I don't need to spend as much money on "nutritional supplement products" because most of that stuff was to get me through long workouts and races.

3) I might be able to stay up past 8:30pm once I recovery a bit more.

4) We can take a weekend trip and not care if the bikes go with us.

5) My days don't feel as crammed because I don't have to squeeze in long workouts.

6) I can have that extra glass of wine if I want at night. What the hell, I'm not in serious training!

7) I might be able to start a new book without falling asleep 5 minutes into it after reading the same paragraph 5x's over!

8) I can focus a bit on my running if my legs ever recover. My plan is short runs more frequently. No long stuff .... ever, ever again. Ever.

9)I can finally meet my friend and try out her Hip-Hop Dance Workout CD and not worry about the consequences the next day when I wake up. I'm serious about this.

10) I can take time to go to the local library and pick out some good books and dvd's like I did today. Balto, Lulu and I curled up and watched "Be With Me." They snored. I cried.

I'm sure that I could come up with another 10 positive reasons once I fully recover. Still waiting .....

RI 70.3 - The good, bad and ugly of it all!

2010-07-12T06:47:00.000-07:00

First, I want to thank all those out there who followed (online) my and Lisa's race at the RI 70.3. Trust me, I kept moving my legs during some of the low points knowing there were people cheering us on. I should also let folks that read my last posting know that good 'ol "Aunt Flo" came to my door about 1 hour after that blog post. She must have heard me bitching.

The highlight of going to this race was catching up with triathlete friends, former athletes that I have coached as well as current athletes. All such wonderful people and just great energy buzzing around. I also had the chance to catch up briefly with former competitors from my pro racing years. Bumped into Michelle Jones at the expo two days before the race. We chatted briefly and agreed that it's great to be in our 40's and still "having a go at it" as she put it. She noted that it takes her longer to recover. We chatted a bit after the race and she said she got a time penalty for drafting on the bike. I called her a bitch for doing that (in jest of course) and she laughed. She said she might have gotten it when she dropped her head down during part of the ride which caused her to speed up a bit and get to close to the rider in front of her. I had a chance to see Karen Smyers just as she was heading to the start of the pro wave. She was having difficult zipping up her wetsuit so we caught up as I zipped her up. At 48 years old, she still kicks ass and it was great to see her out there racing with the gals in their late 20's and early 30's.

Here's how my day went (the good, bad and ugly).

Woke up at 2:30am because we had to drive 2 miles into Providence from our hotel, find a parking space where we would not get towed and walk to the shuttle that herded us to the start of the race 35 miles aways from the city. The shuttle departed promptly at 4am. The logistics of this race were a pain in the butt, bigtime. So much so that I would never do this event again. We also had to drive our bikes out the the start the day before, then drive back to the hotel.

Got to the start area waaaay early. Set up transition, hung out, chatted with a few folks then got ready to head down for my wave's 6:05am start. My group, the 40-49 year old women, was the 3rd wave to go off just a few minutes after the pro women. It was nice to be able one of the first waves of the day.

I was excited waiting for the start and was jumping up and down and dancing in my wetsuit to the Black Eyed Peas song, "I got a feeling" which was blasting over the loud speakers." I looked like a nutcase and Lisa slapped me. I felt good and ready to go. Very excited. The horn blew and off we went, diving into the 69 degree ocean which felt just right. Had a good start, was in with the front of the pack and stayed there the whole way. The swells in the ocean were huge and it made me feel like I wasn't going anywhere! Seemed like it took forever to get to the turn around buoy. Once I got around the buoy, I was totally blinded by the sun despite wearing dark lensed goggles. Could not see a thing! At one point I stopped just to find a object on land to sight. At the same time, one of the other women in the pack stopped and yelled out, "Can anyone see where we are going?" I felt pretty good about my line and somehow was able to get on top of the swell now and then and see the buoy ... one by one. I knew my swim time would be slow. The combo of the sun and the swells made for a long, long swim! I kept swimming until my belly hit the shore, happy to land. From what I could gather in my slightly dizzy state, I was one of the top swimmers in the group out of the water.

Swim to bike transition was somewhat slow. I skipped the section where volunteers helped to peel off my wetsuit and just ran to my bike rack. Athletes had to take off all swim gear and put it in a big plastic bag that would be transported to the bike to run transition in Providence.

Hopped on my bike and off I went for my 56 mile journey. Unfortunately, my heart rate monitor was not registering, probably because it was soaking wet. I had to listen to my breathing rate and calculate a perceived exertion to stay in check. I could tell my heart rate was high and it took me a long time to calm it down. I believe it was too high for most of the ride. I was out on the course with one other woman. We kept exchanging the lead, back and forth ... Turned out it was Donna Kay- Ness, the woman that beat me at the Duathlon back in early June. It was just the two of us out there and we agreed it was nice to have each other to stay focused on keeping up the pace. Sometimes it's easy to fade when you are alone. The pace felt comfortable but there was a constant headwind. Not killer, but just enough to be annoying. After about 15 miles, the course became very, very hilly. Long rollers where I would go into my small chain ring. I felt strong on the hills and did not push too hard. However, they did start to take it out of me towards the end. Around the 30 mile mark, we saw a female pro in front of us. The suit looked familiar to me as we got closer. I realized it was Amy Farrell, one of the women I coached when she was an amateur (we still keep in touch on a regular basis). I steamed ahead of Donna so I could see how Amy was doing. Amy told me she felt like crap. She fell off the pack during the swim and was out there alone on the bike. I remember how that felt when I was racing pro. Awful and hard to catch-up when you can't see anyone and are totally out of the game. However, Amy busted a move after she realized I had caught her and off she went. I did not attempt to try and stay with her because I feared I would blow. Donna however started gaining time on me. My heart rate montitor started working at about mile 40 and was registering in the low 160s. Too high. I pulled back. I was starting to feel a bit tired. A pro woman passed me some where around this time and caught Donna. Gee, she must have had a tough swim. I'm sure swimmers were sprawled out everywhere. Anyway, Donna stuck with her, I continued to just ease back knowing I would have another death march of a run if I tried to keep up. At mile 45, there was a HUGE hill and it took everything I had both mentally and physically, to get up it. I had lost complete contact with Donna and the pro gal. At mile 52, heading into the city, the roads became shitful (and that's an understatement). Riders had to go over several railroad tracks, take several sharp turns and dodge several pot holes. It was pretty nerve wracking and my average speed plummeted because I was overly cautious. I stood up at one point and felt my hamstring start to cramp. NOT A GOOD SIGN WHEN YOU HAVE A 13.1 mile run ahead of you. I drank 22 oz of water per hour, took 2 endurolytes per hour and consumed all of my calories (about 230 per hour). Even with all that, I was bonking. I remembered that I was up several times the night before the race with night sweats. My t-shirt was soaked as were the sheets. I often get bad night sweats that accompany my period apparently to a severe drop in estrogen levels. So, I woke up at 2:30am drenched in sweat. I took in some electrolytes upon waking hoping I could "replenish" my body before I headed out to race in 90 degree weather! So, I attribute the cramping to those night sweats, not consuming enough electrolytes while on the bike.

When I came into the bike to run transition, I decided that I just wanted to get through this run safely. I was kind of scared. So I walked through every single aid station. I needed to figure out how to get the cramping to subside. I kept downing the Power Bar drink that was offered on the course and took the all of my electrolyte tabs early in the run. I needed to save myself. There was one big, honking steep hill that was about 100m long. I walked it during both loops (2 loop course). I would say that 90% of the athletes walked it. Tried to keep my HR below 163 during the run and had to shuffle to do so. My hr was at 164 just walking up that steep hill. I did not care about my pace, I only cared about not stopping. I thought of all the athletes that I have coached who have persevered during these long events when the going got tough. Those thoughts really helped me keep moving. At one point, a pro male passed my just at the top of the huge hill. It turned out to be Paul Fritche who was on the Junior World Championship Team that I coached back in 1996. He was 17 at that time and now is 31 or 32 years old. I said "hi" to him and we ran together for a bit. I told him that I didn't want to slow him down but he didn't care because he was having a rough day and was out of the competition at that point. We also caught up after the race when he introduced me to his mother. Paul has to be one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. I believe he was in the top 3 for the pro men at the Lake Placid Ironman last year. Good guy.

Because the run was a 2 looped course, I was able to cheer on athletes that I coach as well as all the folks I had caught up with over the past couple of days. It was kind of fun. Amy Farrell got her mojo back on the run and looked fantastic. She never gave up and I know will pop the race she is looking to have soon.

I managed to finish with a smile and take some pride in the fact that I just ran (with some walking) 13.1 miles after having had knee surgery in April, a pesty, ongoing achilles issue that has kept my mileage low and a recent calf strain. Not too shabby.

Lisa crossed the line a little less than an hour after me. Long day for her out there in the heat. She was covered in salt, and not salt from the ocean. She too had underestimated the amount of electrolytes that her body required in this kind of heat. Lisa is tough however and never gave up.

I managed to place 2nd in my age group (about 1.5 min off the leader) and qualify for the 70.3 World Championships. It was one of my goals to qualify .... but I have no desire to go and do the event nor do I have the desire to spend the time needed to train. I had my time at those big races when I was a pro. Someone else was able to have my slot and that made me happy.

There seems to be a theme to this blog and that is "Never give up ... unless your life is at stake!" Sometimes you have to dig for supportive thoughts to get you through difficult times. You also have to ask your body, "What does it need" to survive and keep going when the going gets tough. Mine needed to walk the aid stations to get my heart rate down and take in electrolytes. Thank goodness I listened to it!

Just one minor glitch...

2010-07-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

Heading out to Providence very soon to get set to jet for the RI 70.3. Feeling well tapered and ready to give it a go. Calf seemed fine on two mini test runs. It's been 2.5 weeks of just about zero running so my legs better feel like rockets on that run. Will they endure? We shall see. Doing a four day protocol of Hammer Race Day Boost. Plan to try out the Anti Fatigue caps during the event. I'm pulling out all stops. Will top off my glycogen stores tonight and tomorrow with some good meals. Won't make the mistake I did at Eagleman in 2007 and 2008 of looking at my half IM times when I was racing pro. It caused me to race too hard and blow. I also didn't wear my heart rate monitor. This time, I'm doing just as I have in all my training, which is to keep check in the heart rate and stay on top of my nutrition. I'm also about to be 44 years old ... I'm not the 32 year old spring chicken that clipped off 6:40's at a half IM in 1999. No sir-ee...

So, all is well. Rested? Check. Calf okay? Check. Period started? Nope, and this could be a problem. Guys, feel free to close this window because this is about to turn into a PMS bitch session.

Kids, I've been regular all year with getting my period. Every 3.5-3.75 weeks it's there, on time. This month ... late, late, late! Was supposed to get it 3 days ago and now my body feels like I'm going to be getting hit tomorrow or race day when I will be at my most wiped out state (feeling the PMS sluggies today) and my heaviest stage if you know what I mean. I had a massage last Tuesday and had the massage therapist use the vibrating, thumping massage tool on my lower back to try and shake up my ovaries a bit ... get thing moving. Didn't work. I've tried talking to my uterus in a kind and gentle way, asking it to please just do its think. Didn't work. My internal chat this morning on my 20 min jog was not so kind. "Come'on you fricking period, get on with it!" "Stupid period .... guys never have to deal with this kind of pre-race anxiety!"

Somehow, I have become the "Menstrual Cycle Expert" when it comes to period issues and racing. I used to get my just around every huge race when I was a pro. To the point where all the other ladies on the circuit knew this about me. Word spread and I still get random e-mails from women not knowing what to do in this situation because no one discusses it. Five years ago I got an e-mail from World Class Laura Bennett asking me what I did when I was due for my period the day before of of a big race. How did she know to contact me? Apparently, my name still gets around regarding the subject. I did race with Laura back in the late 90's when she was just a kid getting started in her pro career. She's a top dog now.

I always seemed to get my period around the Hawaii Ironman because the race used to be scheduled around the full moon which is when my cycle would fall. For two years in a row I saw some renowned herbal doctor at some renowned herbal medical center in Hawaii. Drove miles to see her. She gave me some really nasty teas to drink and also performed acupuncture (needles when into my feet which I guess served to open energy paths to the uterus). I did manage to get my period a couple of days before the big race. In other shorter events, I just had to deal with it and it sucked but I could get through a two hour event without any embarrassment. I felt sluggish however. I have yet to have a long event where I am at my heaviest flow. This weekend could be it and it could get ugly. I certainly won't be wearing my one piece tri suit and there is absolutely NO white going on in the color scheme.

I'll just have to let nature takes it's course. There are some things that you really just can't control. Maybe I'll end up feel like a super hero! You just never know.

I'm Over It!

2010-06-26T13:20:00.001-07:00

I'm officially sick of training for the Half Ironman event. That's it, I don't feel like training for anymore, I'm done! Good news is that I begin a semi taper period for the event starting in two days. Today was my last long ride, tomorrow is supposed to be my last long run but it won't happen because I now have a slightly pulled soleus which need to rest. Probably a good thing overall. So, I guess my taper begins tomorrow! Feeling really good swimming, fabulous cycling and so, so running. I don't have the confidence to run 13 miles, let alone 8 miles only because I have not been able to put in solid longer runs. However, I can't worry about it, just have to go with the flow and hope the taper helps my body really heal and get stronger. I have actually prepared myself for a death march only because it will make anything better feel like a super bonus. I'm serious. I'm not thinking negatively, I just want to prepare myself mentally if things don't go smoothly. What I do know is that my body LOVES taper time and responds really well. Bummer is that that lovely "time of the month" comes around race day. Oh joy! Look for slow bike to run transition I may be taking care of business.

So, here's my last officiall week of half IM training went:

Sunday: Ran 8 easy miles with Lisa in NJ. Stopped a few times to stretch my achilles. Said potty words several times because the green flys were attacking throughout the whole run. We looked like crazy people out there waving our hands and arms in the air trying to bat the flys away. They actually make me crazy. Stopped at a strangers house and applied bug spray which didn't help. Felt so-so on the run which is not bad considering we did a 40 mile strong bike ride followed by a 3.2 mile run the day before.

Monday: Took the day off and power washed part of Lisa's parent's house. That was quite a workout! Missed my usual yoga routine because we were not home. Stretched instead.

Tuesday: Biked 40 miles with Lisa on flat, flat NJ rodes. Lisa bumped into my rear wheel and had quite a bad crash at our furthest point out. I promised her I would not blog about it. She's okay but has several shades of blue and lots of road rash on major body parts. Not pretty .... but kind of pretty in a way. Lovely colors.

Wednesday: Ran my track workout on her parent's street. Warm-up 15 minutes and also did some neuro-muscular drills as part of the warm-up. Ran 12 x 45s at 5k+ pace with about 45s rest in-between each up and down the road. Felt strong. I'm sure the neigbors thought I was wacked. My left soleus got tight towards the end to the point I could not do a running cooldown. Walked instead. It was killer humid and hot (90 degree weather at 9am) and I don't think my soleus liked that. Bummer.
Also Swam 3000y when we got back from NJ later in the day. Felt really good after not swimming for four days because we were away. Again, taper works wonders for me!

Thurs: Biked during my spin class. Intervals. Do this every Thursday when I teach. Always leave like I got in a killer workout.

Fri: Swam early in the morning (2600y), shorter speed work. Jogged pathetically, pathetically slow for 2.2 mi later in the day to test out soleus. Felt fine although my achilles has been cranky but tolerant of runs.

Sat: Was going to bike 63 miles but was not motivated so I got dressed up to do a longer, slow run. Got 1.2 miles out and my soleus started getting slightly tight. Walked home, changed and headed out for my 63 mile ride which turned out to be solid. Lost 3 lbs despite going through 60oz of water. Good to know (I sweat like crazy) and I'll have to pump in more fluids if the weather is as humid as today in a couple of weeks. Happy to be done with those long rides. "Things" start to get a tad uncomfortable if you know what I mean.

So, that's my week of activity, not including walking the dogs. Thrilling isn't it?

I'm done. Toast. Tired. Ready to start my gradual rest period!

Mindset of a Champion

2010-06-18T08:10:00.000-07:00

"I was trying to win the Ironman for 6 years, and I kept coming up short. I knew that what was holding me back was inside me—fear that I’d never win it, frustration, anger, jealousy. With all those negative emotions, I didn’t have the energy to focus in a positive direction. Brant [renound shaman]showed me how to feel comfortable wherever you are, not take things too seriously and use laughter and joy as tools. I learned how to quiet my mind and go to that internal space where your soul or heart is—the place you can draw on for strength."

Mark Allen, 6 time Hawaii Ironman World Champion

Call me boring ....

2010-06-16T11:59:00.000-07:00

As I've gotten older, I've simplified. I don't go out much, don't travel much, don't have a huge circle of friends that I go out with a lot. I'm happy this way. Some might call my life boring, I call it authentic. What matters is what I choose as my focus. What matters is how much energy I put out for my job, for my closest relationships and for my personal time. I'm purposely picky. This makes going out, traveling, getting together with a close friend and being with a loved one all the more special. Currently, I'm in my cozy office writing a marathon training program for an athlete. I'm totally into it, researching some new stuff. I'm listening to my favorite Pandora music station. Our two dogs, Lulu and Balto are on the futon, curled up and snoring. Lisa, who has the day off is doing house projects. I couldn't be happier. Soon, we'll be taking a trip to NJ to see her parents and help out a bit around the house down there. I'll spend part of that time visiting one of my close friends. Just the drive to NJ feels like a little get-away to me. Going some place different. It's not to Aruba or Hawaii (okay, that would be nice at some point) ... but it's a getaway and quality time spent together. That's what's important.

Singing in the Rain

2010-06-10T13:12:00.000-07:00

Finally felt effortless racing this past weekend! A good sign that things really are feeling "on" for me lately. Wow, it felt good to feel good. Raced in a local sprint tri in the pouring rain. Actually enjoyed the rain and cloud cover after all this heat and humidity we've been experiencing. Only downside to racing in the rain is the chill afterwards and having to clean a dirty, dirty bike! Oh,and dirty, gritty hair ..... and walking around in wet tri shorts is no thrill ... trust me. Best part about the race was the run for two big reasons. The first being the fact that I have developed a new issue of tendinitis on the bottom of my left foot after mulching in my sandals 5 days before the event. I had tested out a new pair of running shoes on the track without socks to see if I would blister anywhere. Sure enough, I blistered on my heel(good to know). The blister was fresh enough to bother me while wearing sneakers that day. I vowed to get some of the mulching done around the house so Lisa would not be stuck doing it all. I carried loads of mulch to a flower bed about 10 meters from the pile. As I noted above, I wore sandals because anything else rubbed the blister and I did not want to make it worse knowing I had a race in 5 days. Well, long story short, I woke up the next morning and could barely walk. Never saw it coming. Ibuprofen and ice became my soul mates and it calmed down enough for the race (at least I had hoped). Hurt a bit during the first mile of the run, then no pain thanks to adrenaline rushing through my bloodstream. So, the first bit of good news is that my foot did not hurt. Oh and neither did any of my other issues (knee or achilles .... gone .... no pain). Other bit of great news was how strong I felt running. I even played a bit with the run during the last 1.5 miles and added some mini pick-ups in-between telephone poles just to play a bit of game with myself. I kept thinking that I could run the pick-up pace for the whole darn rest of the race but opted to hold back slightly. Very happy to be racing again. Now I just have to calm this foot down as I have aggravated it again by massaging it. Gee, you think you are doing something right and it turns out all wrong!

What's up "Man?"

2010-06-02T07:14:00.000-07:00

Just having a random and brief thought/question here. What is up with so many triathlon names ending in "MAN?" Let's think about this, there's Ironman, Mooseman, Pumkinman, Devilman, Lobsterman,Timberman, Miamiman just to name a few. Does finishing these events make us more of a man? Maybe I should cross the finish line holding a double bicep pose and grunting. Having triathlon names end in "woman" really doesn't make it feel better for me. I really don't care to be a Devilwoman, Moosewoman or Timberwoman finisher. Sounds a bit "back country" to me. I'm getting visions of me finishing with a some kind of head costume in the charactor or object of the name of the event. Can you see me with a big pumkin head? Maybe in the shape of a pumpkin muffin.... I think we should name triathlons after the county where it is held (or representative facts regarding a particular county). Mooseman (held in New Hampshire)could be the Moose County Tri. Lobsterman (held in Maine) could be the Lobster County Tri. Iroman? What could we do with that long standing traditional name? We can just call it CRAZY!

THE ZONE!

2010-05-31T13:20:00.001-07:00

I feel that I have officially entered "THE ZONE." It's the term I use when I start to feel in really good shape, and it does not come around often. I remember feeling this way in late June/early July of 2008 and the feeling stayed with me through the first part of the fall until I was ready to take a break. I haven't felt this way since that time period. It's not that I feel super fast, I just feel super strong, fit and healthy. All came together this weekend on a 60 mile bike ride. Just felt totally "on." It's about time!

Just a bit ago I was processing a bunch of thoughts while washing my car. The first being that I am so happy and grateful to be healthy and feeling in really good form. I never take it for granted and want to respect my body by treating it well and taking good care of it. It has to carry my though a lifetime. On that same note I was thinking how ridiculous it is that I'm training for a Half Ironman after having raced most of my life. It's really not that great for the body and certainly not respectful of the body! It's one thing to be training for your first or second Half Ironman or Ironman, but I've been around the block and really don't feel a great deal of passion about ultra endurance training. I don't enjoy running long. So I suppose it's the running that I am referring to when I say that this distance is not one that treats the body well. I just don't understand folks who have trained for and finished 10+ Ironman events. With all this being said, I'm doing everything I can to really treat my body well as I prepare for this event. I'm absolutely religious about doing my yoga/pilates routine every Monday. No excuses. It's a 44 minute session, the same one every week and it works for me. I've also been getting massage every few weeks which is something I have not done regularly since I was racing at a very high level. I see this season as being a good one and I may not have another good one like this. I stretch, regularly, just five minutes here and there and it has made a difference. Things change from year to year. I missed out on last year due to injury. I'm getting older and I may not be motivated to do this next year. I could fall and break a bone ... who knows but I'm taking advantage of this time period by taking care of myself in a big way.

Another thought that passed through my mind is that I am glad to be married to someone who also enjoys working out and taking part in the same events. I will be honest, there was a significant period of time in my life when I stepped away from training and racing. It was no longer a major focus in my life. I REALLY stepped away. Looking back, I know I needed to do that and discover some other important parts of myself and to understand a bit of who I was outside of being "Martha the Triathlete." I actually never thought I'd step back in. I was once asked if I'd ever get back into the sport of triathlon, race again or be in a relationship with someone who was also into training. My answer was, "No, probably not." However, being athletic and being an athletic woman empowers me and is a huge part of me. I will always be active. I am with a partner who "gets it." We hold no grudges or resentment if one of us takes a bike ride, a run or swim. We feel better when we do and we like how we feel. Makes everyone happy campers. The difference between Martha now and the Martha who raced professionally is that I have grown and grown up. Training is just a part of me, but not all of me. I do this for fun and I love to compete. Pushing myself is fun to me. Mu job as a coach is fun. I'm constantly learning to the point of being overwhelmed at times. I want others to empower themselves and not be afraid to discover and go after their athletic dreams or goals. It's quite and honor to be one of the vehicles to help get them there.

Lisa and I will be racing in a local sprint triathlon this weekend. I'm looking forward to it and hope my achilles stands another strong test. So far, so good. Oddly it should be my knee that I worry about considering it was scoped a couple of months ago! I'm still planning on competing in the RI 70.3 race in July. My fear is that I will struggle halfway through the run do to lack of mileage. However, I'll keep building those miles as best that I can and continue to re-evaluate how I'm holding up. My longest run of 10 miles yesterday was nothing to get up and dance over. I stopped and stretched a few times. Felt a bit tired from the strong 60 mile ride the day before. However, I did it and took the time today to recovery. One day at a time is my motto for everything.

Spa Weekend

2010-05-17T06:53:00.000-07:00

Spa weekend with my sister, Debbie came and went. What a blast! We spent the weekend in Portsmouth, NH which is a very historical, quaint and progressive town. We shopped until we dropped (well my sister shopped and I dropped from her fast paced walking and fast paced shopping ... my big purchase was a new pair of jeans that were totally worth the price because I can never find jeans that fit). Anyway, we ate out each night at a nice restaurant and caught up on a full year of conversation over a glass of wine (okay, we did enjoy a Pomegranate Margarita one night ... yum and has to be healthy because of the Pomegranate juice). We covered the gamut of topics. Got a complimentary, killer brownie a-la-mode dessert during our second night out because it took the staff about 30 minutes to get it out to us. That brownie must have come straight out of the oven because it was warm with ice cream melting all around it. I completely forgot all about my training and good nutritional habits. Death by chocolate can't be all that bad... We each got a massage at the Duda Spa just down the street from our Hotel. Deb was scheduled to have a guy massage her and woman was to massage me. However, Deb felt uncomfortable having a man massage her so we switched. I could care less ... I just want a good massage ... just give it to me! We both walked out flushed, relaxed and totally happy from great massages! I did not realize how absolutely tired my body was until I got on that table. Holy smokes ... I really need to get massaged more often. We stayed in a very nice hotel and I took pleasure in the chocolate mints at the front desk. It's the little things that make me happy. We woke up early each morning, Deb at 4:40am and me at 5:30am (habit for both of us), started the day with a hot tub then a jog through Portsmouth along the water. We ran for 30 minutes together on Sat and then I headed out for another 30 on my own and explored this really cool park with a nice little trail. We lingered over breakfast each day (included in our "package") and did not worry about time or the time of day. We both noted that we could use a week of this to really feel the full effect of a get-away but that could get expensive! This weekend itself was quite a treat. I got home Sunday at noon and scrambled to get in my steady Z2 bike ride. While "spa" weekend was supposed to be relaxing (and it was despite my usual crappy sleep and tired feet from all the walking), the important thing was that we got to spend quality time together and celebrate our "sisterhood" and friendship. I am BIG on connection and keeping connected with those important people in my life, my sister being one of those people.

Happy Mother's Day

2010-05-07T16:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's day to all mom's this Sunday. I am the proud mother of two "Frenchies" (French Bulldogs) and I'm wondering if they know how to make pancakes for breakfast this weekend. Guess I'll find out. A special Happy Mother's Day to my sister who in my mind is just an incredible mom. Loving, affectionate, strong, intelligent, fun, adventurous, bit corny at times, present.

My mother passed when I was 10 years old however I still have clear memories of all the little things that made her such a wonderful mother. The simple things such as cream cheese and olive sandwiches, the coolness and softness of her skin, the sound of her voice when she sang, food fights, naps together on the beach, making a costume for the school play, walks in the woods, picking me up from sleep overs because I missed home, secret notes in my lunch bags, notes that said "I love you" on my pillow at night when she would be home late.

My Mother's Voice by Ken Nye

I don’t ever remember wondering if a voice
I faintly heard was my mother’s voice or not.
I always knew.
Just as the fledgling albatross can pick out its
mother from the thousands of look-alikes
that cling to the same rock,
I could pick out my mother’s voice
in a crowd of hundreds.

Before I could talk or walk,
long before I was consciously piecing the world together,
my mother’s voice was as integral to my world
as the thunder of the surf is to the sea.
The sound of comfort, security and unconditional acceptance,
my mother’s voice was the serenade of my childhood,
the song that began and ended each day.

Mom is now in her twilight years,
and the sun in my heaven
is slipping toward the horizon.
But I suspect that when Mom is gone, I will still hear that sound.
And when I too return to the eternal soul of the universe
I will be enveloped by my mother’s voice
which was,
and is,
and always will be
the sound of love.

More news about my hump

2010-05-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so there really is no new news on my hump issue. I'm just obsessed about it this week. I did see Carl, the bike fitting guru (I'm obsessed with correct bike fit too, so this is my second visit to him with the same bike). Anyway, all angles looked fine and we both agreed that I probably need to "think" about stomping more on my pedals vs pulling through to the top (which uses the butt and hamstring muscles a lot). So, I am going to do the complete opposite of what I would prescribe to others as far as an working on an efficient pedal stroke. I'm going to focus on "mashing" more as Carl put it. Really I just need to put a bit more thought into my downstroke. He basically said that I was an anomaly with this issue because he really tries to help cyclists use their glutes much more. After all, it is the powerhouse of the body! I just use mine too much. Let it be known that I am also still getting familiar with a new bike (as of last fall) and a bit lower position. Makes me fast, but burns my butt ... the price you pay for speed! Speaking of price for speed, Valley Bikes and Ski Werks (new bike and ski shop) is awesome! Lot's of goodies to make you speedy! Love them!

Today's workout starting with breakfast (Do people really enjoy reading this stuff? Aren't ya'll bored with my self-absorbed postings?).

Ate 1 piece of wheat toast with cashew butter and half of a banana spread on top, 1.5strong cups of coffee (slightly creamy and sweet), the other half of the banana, watered down OJ, my vitamins, half of a Luna bar, 3/4 cup non fat vanilla yogurt with walnuts. Usually I eat 2 pieces of toast but I woke up at 2am a bit hungry and had toast, so one filled me up enough.

Walked the dogs 15 min

Drove to Northampton with my bike in the car to an auto repair place to get new front brakes ("ka-ching" $$$$).

Cycled the 5 minutes it took to get to the YMCA.

Taught a 1 hour spin class. Worked hard, it was humid and I had trouble catching my breath. HR didn't topple over 170 but it felt like 190. Sweat like crazy.

Popped a gel and sucked down my recovery drink

Changed into dry cycling clothes and rode the 8 miles uphill home (easy). No wind, but a bit of rain this time.

Worked.

Changed into some casual cycling gear (not the serious cycling look - more like a semi-tri-geek, but I was on my road bike). Rode 9 miles to the auto repair place to pick up my car with it's new brakes. WICKED windy, thank goodness it was a tail wind. Went pathetically easy and enjoyed.

Stopped at a stop light about 1.5 miles from the auto spot. I was the only person there. No cars. You could either get in the right lane and go right or stay in the center and bear left. I was in the center, to the right, slightly over the stop line waiting for the light. A car pulled up behind me and slightly to my left. The light changed green. Another car flew up on the right side out of no where and started to bear right. They guy driving the car rolled down his window and told me to "Get out of the road you FUC-ING IDIOT!" Then, he sped off. Let me say this. If I had a large rock in my hand I would have definitely thrown it through his rear window and smashed the hell out of it. THEN, if he pulled over, I would have scratched the side of his car with my watch and finally, strangled him. I had all these thoughts go through my head, including getting arrested and not caring. My road rage heightened to new levels because I truly was following proper cycling etiquette and this ding-dong (I'm being kid friendly here) called me a FUC-ING IDIOT. That's the worst of the worst insults!I've never liked that one. As I pedaled on, I tried to reclaim more of a Buddhist thought process, which is really no thought process. Just "let it go...." I was reminded that there are many, many drivers out there who DESPISE cyclist on the roads. Some of you local folks may remember the lady in the red truck last year (or maybe two years ago) who made the news for verbally assaulting cyclists as she drove by them. She would also try to run them off the road. Scary .... and I think she lives in my town somewhere. Great.... I suppose I better stock up on some rocks.

My hump, my hump, my hump, my hump!

2010-05-03T15:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's straight from the Black Eyed Peas and all I can focus on right now. My hump, aka my ass, buttocks, bum, butt, booty. Rode 67 miles this weekend and just about cried because my ass got so tight at about the 35 mile mark. I've been doing triathlons for a while, trained for 4 Hawaii Ironmans which involved several 100+ mile rides (granted that was years ago) and my ass has never taken a hit like this. It used to be that my quads got super pumped from riding, but they're not even close to crying mercy. My butt, however said "UNCLE" about 20 times on my recent long ride. Good news is I'm riding strong and I was pleased with my overall average speed and correlating HR for the long ride. Bad news is it's not worth the pain in my ass or the fact that it's the most round it's ever been. So, I'm going to go see Carl, the bike fitting guy tomorrow and have him help me figure out my ass issue. I bet he's never received a phone message like he did last night. "Hi Carl, it's Martha. I was wondering if you had time this week to help me with ... well,..... my ass. I'm having problems." He said he actually tries to get cyclists and triathletes to use their gluteus medius more when cycling so maybe I can teach him a thing or too. So, we're going to take a look at my hip angle on my new tri bike and make sure it makes sense. I'm in a very forward position now, so I should be using more quad than ass (how many times can I say ass in this blog ... just seems to roll off the tongue).

I'll let ya'll know how it goes. This issue sure has been a pain in the butt to try and figure out!

The Joys of Training into the Wind!

2010-04-30T05:30:00.000-07:00

I had a GREAT training session yesterday .... despite my demise for cycling and running into the wind (which was gusting at about 45mph every 2-3 minutes). Here's how the workout morning went:

Woke up at 5am, did some work then walked the dogs which is a workout in itself!
Had breakfast which consisted of 1.5 cups of wicked strong coffee, 2 pieces of toast (one with Brummel and Brummel and one with Cashew Butter), scrambled egg beaters with some provolone cheese, strawberries, glass of watered down juice, 1/2 Luna Bar.

Packed for my spin class, got on my bike and rode 8 miles mostly downhill to spin class at the YMCA. Average about 19.5 thanks to the downhills!

Set up my bike on my trainer in the Spin Studio and taught a 1 hour class consisting of 6 x 90s intervals (HR up to 174 today), several 20s sprints (ouch) and a couple of steady climbs. Definitely pushed.

Chatted with folks a bit after class, took in some fuel and hydrated, changed into dry clothes and headed for my uphill 8 mile ride home. The hills had a friend today called WIND. Together, they beat the crap out of me. My legs were pretty trashed from spin class and my normal cool-down ride home was not going to be such a cool-down today with the exception that I was actually getting cold from the "breeze." I'm not sure what scared me more; falling over and off my bike with each gust OR getting impaled by a falling tree branch. My goal for the ride was to not let the wind frustrate me and try and remain calm at all times. Don't fight the wind, don't get angry, try not to say the "F" word which feels so appropriate under windy conditions. The morning was gorgeous and tried to distract my thoughts of the wind by taking in the views of the two reservoirs I pass along the way home. During my last 2 miles however, my mind was fixated on a piece of grit that got stuck in between two teeth. Yes that's right, the wind blew road grit into my teeth. That's what I get for smiling.

Rode the last bump of my ride up our very steep driveway, headed inside, gave the dogs a quick pet, changed into my running clothes and headed out for a 2 mile jog which either sent me UP or DOWN a steep hill. Over dressed because I had a chill from the ride and got hot within 3 min of my run. Started out at a shuffle pace and pretty much stayed there for the whole run. Noticed that all my tension was being held captive in my butt. I've said this before and I'll say it again. My butt has definitely gotten bigger from riding. I mean it feels like on big bubble and I'm not sure I like it. So, all I could think about on my run was my ass. Went 1 mile out and turned around to run up the huge, honking hill that I just jogged down. The headwind hit me like a motherload and I swear that I was running in place for a couple of 5 second time periods. One of those times happened as I passed a pasture with goats hanging out on the side of a grassy knoll. They looked at me like I was twink for being out there. They all just stared at me (along with the cows in the pasture across the street .... how were they still standing?).

Finished the last 1/2 mile of my run with a few 20s step pick ups and those felt great. My run feels soooo slow but the pick-ups make me think that I still have some kind of umph somewhere in my legs.

Walked up the driveway, entered the house, gave the dogs a quick pet and flossed the grit out of my teeth. Workout, DONE!

A Poem For Spring from Debbie Woodbury (my sister)

2010-04-28T07:56:00.000-07:00

A Poem for Spring- with love from Debbie

It starts with light
lingering longer each day
Reminding us that
cold and dark are moving on
that hope and renewal
appear each day in nature’s offerings
Clues we need only observe

Snow recedes
Pungent, mud smell of thawing earth
fills us with the giddiness of spring
The belief that anything is possible

Crocuses magically appear around the front yard maple tree
then suddenly,
from within the matted tangle of the still-dormant cattails
comes the blessed sound
of peepers.

Peepers!
What conductor signaled this overture?
Who decided that today would be THE day
to announce the precious return
of this reassuring symphony?

The mingling of welcome music with the
happy conversation of the chickadee
playfully hopping from perch to perch at the feeder
ceaselessly chattering, “Chicka dee dee dee!”
too busy to stop and rest

Song of the robin
a rich rising and falling of notes
“cheer up, cheer up cheer up,” she croons
while hopping along the ground,
grabbing juicy earthworms to fill her red round belly

Each day a new gift
Forsythia, daffodil, tulip
the poking out of brown earth and barren branch to reveal
Something green
Something hopeful
Something precious
Spring.~To my boys on Easter~

I Ran! No, wait ... I jogged! Yipee!

2010-04-23T05:09:00.000-07:00

Latest update on post knee scope recovery is that I did my first walk/jog yesterday with zero pain. So what if it was pathetically slow ... I jogged (as in walk 1 min, jog 4 min x 4). We'll see how the next one goes this Sunday. I still feel a little twinge here and there when my foot twists the wrong way by accident, (like getting it caught on a chair, which I did the other night) but it's a rare occurrence. I'm back to cycling at the point where I left off. Have not done any formal high end intervals yet this year, but that's coming. I'm having a bit of a late start on those. I'm optimistic that I will be at the starting line of the Rhode Island 70.3 race if I am able to progress with my running. I will admit that I advanced a bit faster on the biking end than the doctor prescribed ... but I'm letting pain (or lack of) be my guide.

Going to try and get out in the yard later today and do a bit of brush clearing. Hoping to start some sort of herb garden soon. I've been consumed by my sport and have not been good about stepping away and doing other things. This is the thing ....I LOVE my workouts. Those who do it get. I think most people outside of endurance sports think of us triathletes as "workout addicts." Hey, I could think of worse things to be described. To be honest, I think many triathlets are exercise addicts who put workouts ahead of family, work, friendships etc. I'm not in that category, trust me. What most people don't get is that being out on a run or long bike ride or open water swim isn't just about working out. "We" have the opportunity to witness and experience things that most don't. A clear waterfall rushing down from the side of a rocky ledge for instance. A turtle moving about below a lake. Views so breathtaking that they stir emotion. Smells of the seasons. The quieting of the mind. As much as I complain about the winters here in Western Mass, I love this area for the countless number of scenic run or bike loops. I can choose several directly from our home.

With all this being said, I do try and step away from "sport." It's hard because I am an athlete and I coach for my living, so it's hard to step away. I'll say it again ... "I love it!" I've started a new book (fictional biography about conjoined twins) which has been a nice distraction and hope to get out a bit more in the yard and fuss. Lisa has done everything which is why our yard looks fab all of the time. I really think her true calling is as a landscape designer and wish she would listen to me.

So nice that spring is finally here. Starting to pull out my shorts and t-shirts more often. Have even broken out my Teva sandals a few time. Can't wait to take that first jump and swim in a lake!

My Yoga Buddy

2010-04-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

Ever since we got our little Frenchie, Lulu I have not been able to do Yoga without being interrupted. Lulu just can't resist hanging out on the mat with me (usually directly underneath)during my yoga sessions. Sometimes, I have had to resort to gaiting the bottom of the stairs, bringing my laptop up to my office and doing my routine up there. However, I would prefer to do it watching the bigger screened tv downstairs.

I was feeling lucky today. Lulu and Balto were crashed out on their bed in the kitchen and I felt like the opportunity for a solo yoga session was posing itself. So, I grabbed my yoga mat, turned on the tv to my favorite yoga workout and began my routine.

Much to my surprise, the first 5 minutes passed without a sight or sound from Lulu. Made it through some standing stretches, even got through up my first downward dog without the dog! However, as soon as I moved into plank position, I heard the "clip, clip, clip" of Lulu and her toenails moving my way. Lulu always likes to lay beneath me during plank position but alas, she did her own downward then upward dog and proceeded to flop on the rug directly in front of me. She just lay their, watching me with her face on top of her paws. I had the tiniest bit of hope that she might actually stay on the rug and off of my mat. Not the case. As soon as I moved into my second downward dog, she inched closer, positioning herself on the edge of my yoga mat. I could have lived with that. I could still move without her being in the way. Occasionally I'd chat or pet her head briefly as I moved from downward dog to plank and back several times. Tree pose, however did her in. Lulu made her move to join me at the center of the mat as I stood for tree post. Oddly, she didn't bring her bone or toy with her to the mat. She loves chewing her toys on the mat. This time, she just sat and stared up at me in wonder as I began to spread my arms into branches. I wondered what she was thinking? Was she impressed? Perhaps she was looking for birds to fly out of my arms/branches? Did she think I was a weirdo? Who knows.

The kicker was after a series of triangles when I moved back into my final downward dog. She lost it. My face was wet with her mop of a tongue licking me from cheek to forehead. How is a gal to concentrate on her breathing and posture with a Frenchie giving her a french kiss? I managed to finish my routine with her on the mat and me off to the side on the floor. Yep, always ends up that way as she always GETS her way. So much for final 2 minutes of relaxation!

On The Rebound!

2010-04-08T09:56:00.001-07:00

It's one week post-op as of today at 4pm. I got my sutures out this morning and was cleared to take a spin on my bike. The doc that I had my follow-up appointment with said movement that requires some nerve firing to the quads will be good for my knee and good for my comeback when I start to run in a couple of weeks. So, I came home from my appointment, did some work and then went out for a 1 hour spin. I went at a VERY recreational pace on a flat loop. Stayed in my small chain ring for a good part of it. Never broke a sweat despite it being in the high 70's and sunny. I miss sweating! Good news is that my knee felt GREAT! As you can see by the picture up top, it really does not look like I had anything done to my knee and the only clue is the two steri strips covering my tiny scope scars.

I actually feel really good. I have worked on my body in different ways during my one week respite from any cardio activity. For the most part, I've slept really well during this time away from training (hmmm, what does that say?). I've done a lot of core strength work (front plank, side planks with lateral legs raises), medball work, single legged balance work, single legged strength work with cables and with body weight, stretch cord swimming sets and some yoga. In a way, it feels like I am reprogramming my body. Could pay off. I've gained 3lbs probably from all of this work and the fact that I did not give up cookies.

I'll feel confident that I can still race that Half Ironman in July once I know that I can run pain free. I'm being a good patient ... although Lisa called me a bad patient last weekend. I think I had a sulking session because the weather was so awesome and I was not out playing in it.

Working out is a big part of my life and who I am, whether I'm "in training" or not. It's what I love to do. I was happy toodling around on my bike today, just taking in the sights and smells. Felt good to have the sun beaming down on my skin. I imagined myself peddling down some road by the seashore. Kept me in line.

So, all of this has got me thinking about coaching and planning workouts. A one week total respite really should be part of a plan a few times during the year. What is an athlete to think when I leave a week blank on their training plan? Forced or planned time off makes one's body appreciate some needed rest. Time off makes one appreciate how lucky he or she is to be able to move and exercise. Time off forces one to explore his or herself outside of sport.

Goodbye Medial Meniscal Tear!

2010-04-02T05:33:00.000-07:00

Well, it's over and done with, all in a matter of 20 minutes I was in and out of surgery. Of course I had to hang out on a bed in a gorgeous over sized hospital gown for 2.5 hours and then wear an even more lovely cap as I was wheeled into surgery.

I was dizzy even before being put under anesthesia because I was so hungry. Dinner, dessert and an 11pm snack the previous evening was burned up by 8am and surgery was not scheduled until 3:15pm. So, I felt spacey most of the day which is better than my expected "cranky." Let me say that I am extremely fortunate to be able to have daily meals and just basic water. I can't imagine living in a 3rd world country or being homeless where food and clean water are a struggle to access. I actually gained 5lbs post surgery either from the electrolyte IV or the pre-surgery meal!

This was an orthopedic day surgery center and I was just a number on a production line. People were being wheeled in and out of surgery like candies on a factory belt and I was just a coconut cream waiting to be wrapped! Lisa hung out with me and took several picture of me in my gown (okay, I'll post one soon). I'm so glad that she had fun during the wait and found it all very entertaining. Now, I had nothing on but my tigthy whities under the gown. I was sure that I was told I could keep them on. However, my trusting and caring partner proclaimed, "NO! They are going to take them off when you go in for surgery." I was trying to get a visual of this - Nurses trying shimmy my undies off while I was under sedation and wrapped up in huge hospital gown. I was imagining everything getting twisted, including the fluid IV line in my arm. It all sounded a little funky so I called the nurse over and asked her if my underwear was going to be stripped off of me before surgery. She looked at me wide eyed and confirmed with a big NO and that I could keep them on. Lisa got another chuckle out of this, knowing she pulled the wool over me.

So, in I went with the anesthesiologist by my side. I told her I was the most nervous about being put under and she said, "Oh, well I can give you something for that." Well, I didn't want any more medication in my body (clearly she was going to give me a relaxant) because that was my discomfort in the first place - having crap flowing through my body! So, twice I said I was okay, I didn't need anything.

Next I was shifted onto the surgery bed and strapped down with a belt so I wouldn't fall off the edge. A pulse monitor was put on my left finger and I could hear my heart rate beeping somewhere in the distance. It was beating really fast because I was a bit nervous. I closed my eyes and tried to control it, calming it down maybe by a beat or two. I opened my eyes and the anesthesiologist put a mask over my mouth and told me to breathe in and out. Withing seconds, I smelled something funky in the mask and figured I was going to go to sleep any minute. She took the mask away, I waited to get dizzy and did, then she put another mask over me and LIGHTS OUT!

When I woke up, I was back in recovery and felt just fine. Little dizzy, but not as much as I expected. No hurling which was another bonus. I think they put something in the anethesia cocktail to prevent this from happening. As far as I know, nothing bad came out of my mouth but only the doctor, nurses and anesthesiologist know. Maybe I warned them not to take off my underwear or I'd head butt them!

My knee was wrapped and not hurting. I was prescribed some nice pain medication but have not or will not need. Ibuprofen and an ice pack seems to be working well. Now it's just a matter of being patient while this heals. Good thing I put in several solid weeks of training because I feel like I need the rest now although I'll be antsy starting tomorrow knowing me! I actually go into "come back" mode fairly quickly. I'll watch what I'm eating (no more cake because training is not happening), lots of fluids, fresh fruits and veggies. I'll follow the protocol I am giving for easing into moving and training and build from there.

Above are pictures of the "scope." The first is a picture of the tear (which I was relieved to see that I still had because it wasn't hurting so much 10 days leading up to this procedure), the second is a picture of the scope removing the tear, and the third is my knee joint without the tear (smooth cartilage). Voila! Tear gone!

Pre-Surgery Carb Loading

2010-03-31T16:57:00.001-07:00

Well, I've started my pre-surgery carbo loading protocol. I have to fast and avoid fluids from 12am tonight through post surgery tomorrow. My little knee fixer-upper is scheduled for 3:15pm which is a long ways away from now. At the moment, I'm having decaf and cake. We had pasta with turkey meatballs (Lisa's specialty), a big salad, some bread and a glass of wine. Wasn't going to have any wine leading up to surgery, but what the heck.

I trashed myself good and proper over the past couple of days with training. Yesterday's 60 minute treadmill run with some hills and pick-ups went well. Today, a 3000y swim and a 2:15 bike, mostly all uphill ... well, 90% uphill. I averaged 14.7mph which should tell you something about that course. I will admit that about 30 minutes into it, I started regretting my choice of a course. It was the worst day for me to go outside but I was certainly not going to spend one more minute on my trainer. Froze, got dirty, and my bike is trashed with sand and road crap. Also, walked the dogs 30 min. I did not schedule consults today knowing this was going to be a bit of a play day for me. Glad I was able to do it!

Here's the ironic thing about this whole knee issue. It really has not been bothering me since I saw the knee doc last week to schedule the appointment for tomorrow. Go figure. Lisa reminds me that it's still there by telling me to try and kneel or bring my knee to my chest. Okay, still there.

Taking a break from my carb loading routine for now. May squeak in another snack before midnight!

Good and Bad News

2010-03-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Good News: Next Thursday night (April 1) I will most likely be sleeping like Lulu is in this picture starting at 4pm.

Bad News: The reason I will be sleeping like that is because I will be going under and then coming out of anesthesia. For the record and upfront now, I take no responsibility for what I say while under anaesthesia!

Good News: I'm going to have a very minor procedure (20 min) to clean up the meniscus in my left knee that is keeping me from progressing in any run training. It's there, it's not going away and I really don't feel like "toughing it out" and seeing if I can get through a season with on and off pain. Choices were a cortisone shot (temporary), run with the minor tear as it probably won't get worse, or get the surgery.

Bad News: The surgery on on April Fool's Day, and that's no joke! Oh, and I barfed the last time and only time I came out of anesthesia. Oh joy.

Good News: 95% chance or better it will be fixed for good.

Bad News: The surgery is at 4pm and I have to fast all day. How does a gal who eats every 2 hours fast from 8am to 4pm? Guess I'll have to carb up!

Good News: I'll be home by 5:30pm and can sleep the rest of the night.

Bad News: I might not be able to fully prepare for the RI Half Ironman in July and I have really been excited about that one (it's a long course World Championship Qualifier). Not doing it unless I feel confident that I can have a strong race. From what I understand, I should come back fast (5-6 weeks after surgery) and at least be on an elliptical 2 weeks after the procedure.

Good News: I can hang out and drink coffee while Lisa races.

Bad News: I'll still be bummed.

Good News: I can share all that I have learned with anyone else that may go through this.

Bad News: Wish I didn't have to!

Good News: Good chance I'll have most of the summer and fall for racing.

Bad News: I'm hungry to race now! I feel GREAT and want to race while I'm motivated. Changes year to year .... AND my hair is getting more and more grey (meaning I'm not getting any younger and have minimal time left in a peak state).

Good News: On another note, my sister and I have confirmed our annual "Sister's Weekend" together. We are going to totally "spa out" for a weekend in Portsmouth NH in May! Can't wait!

Bad News: It will probably be the first weekend that I'm ready to really train and won't be able to do so, but I think I can handle a massage, dinner out, an evening hot tub and time with my sister who I rarely see!

Good News: On another note, Lisa and I saw Jonatha Brooke play at the Iron Horse last weekend and she was THE BOMB! Witty, very funny, sassy, an AMAZING guitar player, singer and song writer. Her latest CD is a collection of songs she wrote from notes she took at the Arlo Guthrie archives. She collected his lines from unfinished songs, notes in his journal or, for example, from something he wrote on a cocktail napkin. She put his lines into songs as a tribute to him and as a way to finish his unfinished songs. Pretty cool. She also sang a lot of tunes from her earlier days which I just loved.

Bad News: It has not spurred me to pick up my guitar like I keep meaning to do.

Good News: This blog entry is over. I'm sure the Good New/Bad News blurbs are getting annoying!

2010-03-12T05:16:00.000-08:00

Just got in from my morning walk with the dogs down to the end of the road and back. It's something that I really enjoy and look forward to most mornings (when I am not in a rush). I never thought I'd be into the whole dog ownership thing, but I really love BOTH of our dogs and am grateful for all that they have brought to me. For example, they have forced me to go for daily walks, which really has served as down and thinking time as well as a chance to appreciate the solitude of our little hilltown. I love walking by the maple sugar shack at the end of the street and watching the steam blow out of the roof top! These dogs are part of my family. I never had a burning desire to have children, although I can certainly understand the reasons and desires for having them. The closeness of family, the bond, family traditions that are created and passed on, values that are instilled and that deep, deep unconditional love that exists between a parent and child are all so unique and special. I also know that times can be challening as a parent. I'm not sure I could ever be ready for the responsibility and worry that comes with parenting! I'm serious! My family bonds lie within my partner, my dogs, my immediate family and my closest friends. I coach several individuals who are parents. I'm usually more impressed with what wonderful parents they are as opposed to just great athletes! I wonder how they balance it all. Working, working out, parenting, family time. One theme I often hear from them is that working out/training helps them stay balanced. Working out is something they do for themselves. I really respect and appreciate the positive examples these parents set for their kids. All of them (and I mean ALL of them) are active with their kids. Some take them to the local family running events, some get them on cross-country skis, some take them on hikes or long walks in the woods. I also had parents who were active with me and am thankful for all the hikes, runs, bike rides and even yard work! I can't imaging growing up behind a computer screen all of my life.

I love my life and I try to keep it simple. I don't thrive in chaos. I went through a lot of stressful periods when I was very young and even into my 30's. I can't control the future, I can't control some of the stressful situations that are present now, but I can control some of my choices and one of them is to live simply and limit stress levels as much as possible. I see what stress does to people and I remember how it made me feel, which was awful!

On another note, I bought tickets to see Jonatha Brooke at the Iron Horse next weekend. I have really liked her music since I started listening to her back in 2000. I stumbled upon her by randomly pulling one of her CD's from a collection at the local library. Love her older stuff. So FINALLY, I'm going to see her! Dragging Lisa along and am sure she will enjoy.

Speaking of music, I've been thinking a lot about pulling my guitar out of it's case that is in the closet and playing it in the kitchen. I'm betting there is some great sound in there ... or perhaps the bathroom, but that would be wierd. I have not played it in a couple of years and rarely have played it since the 80's! I'm trying to decide if I want to take lessons or maybe move in a different direction and learn to play the piano at some point. I guess it would help if we HAD a piano, but I think I might be able to borrow a stand up, electronic piano from my brother (his daughter took piano lessons years ago).

Speaking of lessons, I also want to learn a language in the near future. Yes, quite a "to do" list I have going here! Not sure which language. Took French during elementary, high school and one year of college. The only time I use it is to help Lisa with the Cross-Word if it has to do with a french word! I'm thinking Spanish would be good to know although learning Italian sounds so romantic and sexy.... What good will that do me, I'm not so sure. Certainly not practical!

Right now, I am consumed with coaching and also my own training, which I absolutely love. The coaching, I will always love. I plan on always working to stay fit, however I know that my own interest in racing will eventually subside. I have a lot to look forward to! Better start seeking out language and music teachers!

Great day, great race!

2010-03-07T14:45:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally did a running race for the first time since last May and I felt pretty darn good! I had no intention of jumping in a running race until April or until I felt completely confident that my knee was ready for the higher impact of running faster. However, I woke early yesterday morning, took the dogs for a walk and decided to jump in the local WAMDA 5k. Just seemed like the right time and I needed to test the knee and hopefully gain some confidence that I can race again. The fact the the day was absolutely gorgeous with sunshine and temperatures that would reach the 50's pulled me out of my shell as well. Let me just backtrack and say that I would have never made that decision a couple of weeks ago while in Florida. My knee was sore, my lower back hurt, I felt like a linebacker everytime I went out to run and was completely down on my running. Funny how getting your period changes everything. Gals, you can relate, I'm sure.

So, long story short, I took the first two miles of yesterday's race fairly conservatively, pushed the last mile and finished feeling strong. No knee pain AND no back pain (trust me, I've been working on things). Yahoo!

I Kept my heart rate at 164-66 for the first mile, then bumped it up to 168, then up to 170-74 for the last mile (usually I race a whole 5 or 10k in the mid 170s, but I would have died at 2 miles had I done that yesterday). Seemed like most of the chat just before the race revolved around people's injuries. I must have gone up and said "hello" and "how are you" to 3 or 4 runners who immediately told me about their injuries. I was trying to avoid talk of my knee! Why think about it? Here's a bit of the bummer about my knee. It hurts a bit today, but I remain optimistic!

So, we woke up to another gorgeous day today and I made the most of it by getting on my bike at 8:45am for a 35 mile easy ride on my bike. I wanted to avoid cars and the water run off from all the snow. No way am I getting my bike dirty, so if it means riding early in the morning when the air is a tad chilly, so be it! Turned out that I over dressed and ended up shoving half of my layers in the back pocket of my jacket! I made another bad move of wearing tri bike shorts under my tights. What was I thinking? I just spaced out on the fact that there are bumps and parts of the road that are not perfectly smooth (unlike when I ride my trainer). Speaking of parts, mine are shot. Look, does not matter what shorts you wear, what saddle you choose or what roads you ride because it's is inevitable that "the parts" are going to get smashed at some point during the season. If I had a million dollars to pay for someone who could come up for a saddle that works for everyone's anatomy, I swear I'd put out for it! I think the fact that my back felt good during the ride made up for mashed parts. Amazing, just had a longer stem put on my bike and it has made all of the difference with my back.

Enough about body parts (I'm sure you got the point and have heard enough). I'm off to the kick off party/meeting for our local tri team. Looking forward to seeing faces that have been hidden and hibernating all winter. I think everyone's ready for spring!

I Slept!

2010-03-01T10:47:00.000-08:00

Today is my first day back home in MA after being away for 7 days on vacation. Lisa and I went to Florida to chill (or rather get warm). No, we were not on the beach sprawled on towels over fine, white silky sand sipping frozen margaritas in our bikinis. Most people get that image when you say you are heading to Florida for vacation. Here's how it went.

We got up early last Sat and got in a 90 minute trainer ride before packing the two dogs and all of our bags.

Took off for New Jersey where we stayed two night's at Lisa's parent's. I slept on an air mattress in a small office space with Balto glued to my side. He snorts like a wild pig when he sleeps but the good news is that I totally crashed and was not disturbed by my little cub one bit! Go figure, I sleep my best in years on an air mattress on the floor with a snoring French Bulldog. The dogs are usually crated at night, so Balto was loving life on the air mattress with me.

Headed to FL on a Monday and arrived just in time for dinner. We stayed with my father and his wife in a spot they were renting on Siesta Key. Sunny Florida was unfortunately, not so sunny .... and not so warm! Good thing I brought a pair of pants.

Lisa and I worked out just about every day because that's what we love to do! We don't have a lot opportunity to work out together at home, so this was kind of fun. We rented a piece of crap car so we could drive ourselves to a local YMCA and workout. The YMCA was actually quite awesome. We swam 2x in an Olympic size outdoor pool despite the chilly weather. The sun managed to pop out one of those mornings. What a treat! Other days we rode inside on bikes for a bit and did some strength work. Most other days, I ran outside in shorts (yahoo) from the house. Here's what impressed me about that particular YMCA community. It, as expected, was highly populated with seniors who came to not only workout, but to be social. Several of the personal trainers were senior citizens who looked in fantastic shape and really knew what they were doing as far as exercise prescription. All of them wore workout jackets or t-shirts that said, "MOTIVATE, INSPIRE, TRAIN" on the back. I guess it was just nice to see trainers on the floor who were not in college or just out of college working with seniors. I just think peer connection and understanding is so critical.

This YMCA also had little tables and chairs set up where folks could just sit and chat over the free coffee that was offered. It wasn't so much the free coffee that impressed me (hey, our YMCA doesn't offer that)but the vast amount socializing that was happening in the joint! It made me less afraid of growing old and being alone without a network of friends. I guess lately I've had this vision of old age being very depressing and lonely. The buzzing energy at this YMCA made me see things in another light. Oh, and let me just make note that swim suits are required in the steam and sauna rooms and NO ONE was naked doing the yoga plow pose as noted in a previous blog!

So, enough about the YMCA. We went out to dinner 3x and lunch 2x. I just love going out for dinner and find it to be such a treat. I spend some time each night watching a bit of the Olympics. I slept LIKE A ROCK (rare for me)just about every night with the exception of one when a wind storm blew through. I never, ever sleep that hard at home. Hmmmm, kind of pathetic considering the bed in FL felt more like an over sized cot and the bed at home is totally set up for comfort. Most mornings were spent drinking coffee, lingering around and trying our hand a a crossword (usually all four of us working on a couple of them from the papers) I suck at the crosswords while Lisa is a whiz. Kind of pisses me off that she's so smart and I actually got a little upset with her for what I felt to be "taking over" the cross words! Yes, yes, we fight about serious things like that! I did managed some time sitting in the sun by a bay in the back of the house. Read a couple of magazine articles, but mostly just sat and looked at the water or closed my eyes and just relaxed.

We flew back to New Jersey on Saturday and spent one more night at Lisa's parent's before driving back to this mess of a snowstorm in MA. I had one more good sleep on the air mattress with Balto. Last night we slept at home ... and I didn't sleep well. I'm going to try and work on that!

So there you have it! Vacation summary:
Slept like a log on airmattress in NJ and shity bed in FL
Hung out with seniors at a YMCA
Worked out just enough
Hung out with my father and his wife
Did cross word puzzles
Drank coffee
Drank too much wine
Ate out at some nice restaurants
Sat in the sun a handful of times in 50 degree weather (okay it got up to 62ish one day)

Bottom line is we got away from routine, rested and forgot the day of the week. We spent time in the moment of each moment. I won't say that I was just a taaaaaad bummed that we didn't get on the silky white sand of Turtle Beach!

The Scoop on Training and Racing

2010-02-15T10:49:00.000-08:00

I'm starting totally off the subject of this blog to note that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the winter Olympic Games! I get totally pumped up like I did when I was a kid watching the games. I used to go swing on my father's pull up bar with a gold necklace and my pajama bottoms and pretend I was a gymnast competing for the Gold! Not to worry, won't be seeing me do that at the ripe age of 43! For the record, nordic skiing is my favorite event to watch.

Yep, that's me in the photo with the long hair and dorky shorts. I think I was 12 or 13 years old in that photo running in the annual Wacky 102 (radio station) 5 mile road race in Springfield. My father also ran this event as it was usually one of the annual biggie local running events we'd enter each year.

Over the past few years since I moved back to Western, MA from Jersey, I've looked forward to entering the local events that have been around for many years. For example, the DH Jones 10 miler (which I finally did for the first time last year), the St. Patrick's Day Road Race (another one I used to enter with my father and then head to Nick's Nest for a hot dog and milkshake), the Springfield 4th of July road race or the 4 on the 4th road race in Northampton. There are too many to count, but you can usually count on me to enter these events along with a few local triathlons.

This year, I have no plan. Well, my plan is tentative. I missed out on my triathlon and running season last year due to an achillies tendon issue. The tendon healed up by the fall and I started to run a bit again only to discover that I had a minor tear in my left medial meniscus. Certainly NOT from running!! Who knows how it happened. I think I turned over in some strange manner while sleeping. So, I did not run all summer, fall and most of the start of this winter. Good news is that the tear was so minor that I was told it should heal on it's own. Finally, I've had a chronic low back pain issue that I started to tackle over the winter. Now, if the tone of this blog sounds like one of disappointment it's really not. As much as I missed entering the slew of fun local events, I got over it. I've still been training and am in pretty darn good shape (certainly not peak shape).

Here's the good news from all of this; I've actually learned a lot about my body and am approaching my training a bit differently this season. I think stress really, really breaks the body down. Lisa and I had quite a bit of it in 2008 and 2009 with regard to her parents not being well. It's ongoing and we eb and flow through higher and lower periods of stress. If you have not gone through it yet, you might and it can be very painful and stressful to witness a parent failing. Lack of sleep and the fact that I practically run marathons in my sleep with all the tossing has not allowed my body to recover. I want to be re-born a solid sleeper! Lately, it's been better so I'm riding the wave for now and soaking up the zzz's.

I finally got my butt into physical therapy for my back issue and it helped immensely. I continue to do all of the exercises that were prescribed to me. I have realized that I need to approach my strength training differently this season and work a lot more on stability training. This is all nothing new to me ... the concept of stability and functional training. It's been around for a while now, but the key is to not just do exercises for the sake of doing them. The exercises must address your individual weaknesses. Duh, knew that too but I have never spent the time really being evaluated. I just read an absolutely eye opening article in Inside Triathlete Magazine regarding the importance of strengthening local and global stabilizers in the body. Check it out when you have time. I'm considering working one on one with a Pilate's instructor or possibly someone who is educated in functional and core strength as is applies to my weaknesses and specific imbalances. I've worked a bit this winter on just getting stronger in absolute strength, but am now backing down on that and taking more of a "performance" approach, focusing on movement efficiency and not really making my muscles stronger. I'm an endurance athlete, therefore I need to move fluidly and efficiently.

I have been running consistently 2-3 and sometimes 4x per week. Usually my runs are between 25-45 minutes however I did manage to run a comfortable 10 miler a couple of weeks ago. My knee is healing, but not enough to do any speedwork. I've put in two hill workouts because hills actually feel more gentle on my body than running the flats. It's been a good way to kick up the intensity a bit. Generally, my runs have been VERY slow and at VERY low effort. I've worked a lot on my form. I'm really hoping the knee heals 100%, but I've put no time limit on that process. I can't. All I know is moving seems to help it and that makes me a happy camper.

I finally invested in CompuTrainer and am focusing a lot on power efforts and correlating HR's when I ride. It's been really fun and I know I will see the benefits on the road. So, I've had a nice bike focus for a while, especially while I was not able to run. Oddly my butt has been killer tight after some of these sessions so I've been spending a lot of time sitting on a tennis ball. So very comfortable. I swear, I have Tight Ass Syndrome aka TAS and there is no correlation between nice ass and tight ass and not to be confused with T and A. The back issue and the glutes all tie into each other, I'm getting that and figuring out what I need to do to release it all. I haven't even done any formal interval training yet ... how's my ass going to respond to that??

I've done a ton of swim drill work this winter along with efforts that are more aerobic. Any fast stuff has been between 25 and 50 yards ... and not a lot of it. I feel really good when I swim. I'm not setting records, but I think I've bumped up my swim economy and efficiency. My goal is to be able to swim steady and strong this summer without having that portion of the tri take much out of me.

So, what races am I planning on doing? I have no idea! Lisa and I signed up 6 months ago for the Rhode Island 70.3 (half ironman) that will be held in July. You have to register for those 70.3's early or they close out. Kind of a drag ... and kind of expensive! I vowed that I was finished with that distance two years ago after bonking on the run and having a bout of F-Bomb dropping during the last 4 miles from being so darn tired and hot (it was in the upper 90's that day)! Oh, what the heck we'll do one this summer only because I think it will be kind of fun to be in it together and it's been long enough for the trauma to subside from my last half ironman. I'm hoping my knee will be ready for that. I'm not making any plans until I am completely out of the woods. Once we get to the 16 week countdown for that race, I'll get pretty serious about training for it and see how things go. I'd love to do the Rev 3 Olympic Distance event, but am afraid to sign up for anything. Would love to do the local Whately Triathlon Sprint Triathlon on the 4th of July .... we shall see. No confirmed plans. Still training, but in limbo and feeling okay with that ... for now.

Maybe that's the big lesson of the past year. To get comfortable being "in limbo." It's actually not all that bad!

To Begin With, the Sweet Grass, by Mary Oliver

2010-02-11T09:47:00.000-08:00

3.
The witchery of living
is my whole conversation
with you, my darlings.
All I can tell you is what I know.

Look, and look again.
This world is not just a little thrill for the eyes.

It's more than bones.
It's more than the delicate wrist with each pulse.
It's more than the beating of a single heart.
It's praising.
It's giving until the giving feels like receiving.
You have a life-just imagine that!
You have this day, and maybe another, and maybe
still another

2010-02-02T03:36:00.000-08:00

The reality of why I still train is not about winning races (despite still being competitive and enjoying being competitive in my 40's). It's not even about preparing for races. Training is my white noise. It's my quiet place and will always be just that. It's the core of why I get out and move. Several years ago, exercise was about training and competing. Now, it's about moving my body and settling my mind. When I run, I focus on my breath and the sound of my feet moving off of the ground. Occasionally I'll see something absolutely beautiful. Last week I witnessed a group of horses being set free in a field to play together for the first time. I stopped and stood in the sunlight and watched them dance and flirt with one another. It was an awesome sight. Over the past few months, I've stopped paying attention to pace or heart rate when I run. I've been running slowly and have really enjoyed it. When I swim, I notice how my body feels in the water. Sometimes I'll just float on my back or swim underwater like I did when I was a kid just to exeperience the quiet and the feeling of floating. When I bike, I just tune out.

I enjoy training with others, afterall, I am a people person and wouldn't be coaching if that weren't the case. However, often times I train alone because I love the silence of it.

Venus or Uranus

2010-01-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

Okay, here's another "should I or shouldn't I" post here. I've had to wear some not so flattering triathlon suits back in the day when I had a clothing sponsor. For example, I had to wear a bright lime green bathing suit as well as one the was bright pink and orange. Not my favorite colors, but the point was that I stood out. Let's be honest, several suits that I wore often pulled up a bit too tight if you know what I mean ... giving me what another competitor once noted (as we were racing side by side), "a gobbler" aka a wedgie. I didn't choose to have the gobbler, it just happened from time to time .... I know most of you can relate. It's not like you can fix it with people watching you or if you get lucky and get on camera.

Here's another way of getting attention. I'm wondering if was worth having the gobbler. This picture is of Venus Williams at the Australian Open. Yes, she looks as if she just may be going "commando" but alas, she is actually wearing the same color compression shorts as her skin. Ummmmm, she actually meant to do this. Good thing there are ball boys and girls picking up those balls that hit the net! I got the picture from:

http://deadspin.com/5453826/excerpts-from-underlying-assets-what-venus-williamss-bottom-tells-us-about-credit-default-swaps

A Little Steam Room Etiquette Please!

2010-01-14T10:22:00.000-08:00

I sometimes have to think a bit about whether or not I should blog about certain subjects because I know there are people out there who read this blog that see me in a professional light. Today's blog is a questionable one, but I can't resist because the hair on my arms (at least what I can find) is still up.

One of the big draws to the local athletic facility where I work out is the steam and sauna rooms that are attached to the women's locker room. The men have both in there locker room as well. I'm drawn to this place because of the pool and because I grew up using this facility (including some day care programs when I was 3 and 4 years old). So there is a bit of nostalgia going on here.

I'm not a sauna or steam room kind of person and I wasn't sure why until my recent experience in the steam room really nailed the hammer on the head. I thought I'd start treating myself to a steam when I got out of the pool to relax a bit and sweat out some of the chlorine from my body. The winter air has been dry and I also figured some moist heat would be good for my skin. I put in one of my longest swims in a while and was looking forward to a relaxing steam. I felt a bit tight so couldn't be a better time! So, into the steam room I went with my bathing suit, flip flops on, a towel to put beneath me, and my water bottle. Of course, it was dark and steamy in there. I noticed a figure to the left side as I walked in so I sat on the right side bench, closed my eyes and tried to get into a relaxing zone. The steam started to gradually ease up (just a little) and the women across from me said; "It's really warm." Well, I opened my eyes for a split second and there she was literally butt naked because she in the yoga plow position. It wasn't the nakedness that shocked me, it was the plow position. Okay, that's not cool with me but apparently she seemed to feel totally relaxed doing her stretch routine, naked, with no towel on or underneath her. What was more frightening was that I knew her (not well, but has been an acquaintance for years) and would never guess that she'd be in THERE doing THAT. I went back to focusing on my breath but it did not last long because the suction sound of water under what had to be her butt as she moved snapped me out of my zone. I decided that I was out of there after she transferred into a seated quad stretch. What was next? The pigeon pose? A headstand? I was waiting for the "ooooohhhhmmmmmmss" to begin.

Look, maybe it's me that has the issue. Obviously it is. I recall using the steam room in the past and having the same kind of experiences (however there were no yoga poses) and feeling, well ... a bit uncomfortable. Clearly my issue. Folks, we are not in the privacy of our own home so I don't really want to know what you might do at home if you had your own private steam room. This is a public place. Can't we all just sit there, covered with a towel at least, and sweat? The stretching room is just down the hall from the locker rooms. Maybe take a steam and then go there to work on yoga.

I've been a bit on edge this week. Not sleeping, working a lot, trying to squeeze in some of my own workouts and not refilling my own "chill" tank enough. Looks like the steam room is out for me as a form of relaxing. Gee, I don't dare try the sauna!

Happy New Year - 2010

2010-01-01T04:24:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I just can't believe the first decade of 2000 came and went. I've thought a bit about all that has happened in my life in one decade and it's just mind boggling. I think I've broken the all time record for the greatest number of major life changes within a decade. With that being said, I'm sure my changes affected the lives those who have been close to me. Sometimes I think we forget the domino effect of change. However, the sun still sets and rises each day, we move on and new doors open. Sometimes really good ones without any expectation. Wow, I can't imagine another decade like that (I'd like to live a bit more of a boring life). It's also hard to imagine that the first ever triathlon Olympic Trials will be 10 years ago this June. My last race as a pro. Does not seem that long ago at all! Was a tough race for me and I'd rather forget it, however it was also an historical event so at the same time, I cherish it.

I'm not one to sit down and write out specific resolutions. My resolutions are life long and somewhere along the past few years, I started making some very conscious decisions about what was important to me. The old cliche that I often hear in passing conversation is true. "Life is short and seems to fly by at warp speed as we get older." Here are some of my life long resolutions:

1. I surround myself with positive energy as much as possible. When I do this, I'm a more positive person. I am extremely sensitive to negativity and don't have a great tolerance for it, probably to a fault. Energy is infectious. It's true; If you surround yourself with or live in negative energy or situations, you absorb it and it will bring you down. I believe this is just one of the reasons people get sick. Stepping away from a negative space can be scary for some people .... but can also be life changing. Even during hard times, we can still find a window of positive energy by getting out with a good friend, listening to music that makes us feel better, exercising if possible, cuddling with a pet or loved one, watching a good movie, playing an instrument, singing, dancing. Surround yourself with positive energy as much as possible and life feels a lot better. Same is true for those who are sick or struggling. They need to be surrounded with positive energy either as a way to thrive or as a way to let go. What kind of energy do you give off most often? How do you affect other people's energy? Think about it.

2. Play. I do this when I workout, however it's sometimes not that fun and I have those days when I say to myself; "just get it done and over with." I'm thinking I would like to be more playful in ways that, well .... may be a tad immature. I like being silly, which is probably why I like having two dogs in the house. They could care less if I dance around in my office with them (and I sometimes do to work off "desk sitting" energy). I love dancing and don't really do it much unless I'm at a someone's wedding. Since no one I know is getting married, I'd like to hit one of the major cities and go dancing. I'm not talking ballroom dancing, I'm talking loud, excitable music, work up a sweat kind of dancing! Unfortunately, that requires staying up late just to wait for the dancing to start and I'm usually in bed before places like that even open! Why can't dance clubs have peak hours from 5-9pm?

Definitely going sledding during the next snow storm.

Jumping in a cold lake after a long bike ride or run this summer .... naked. Yep, immature kind of stuff. Don't get me wrong here, I'm not perverted because I want to jump in a lake or the ocean naked. I just think there's such a great sense of freedom and joy that comes with being playful.

3. Love, deeply and completely

4. Never fear a challenge that is put in front of me. Look, all one can do is try 100%, and that's sometimes enough no matter the outcome. It is the process and what is learned from it that matters.

5. Take vacations (okay, haven't done this .... but it's going to happen). Snorkeling must be involved.

6. Inspire others

7. To feel and be moved emotionally (could be by watching a documentary, sappy movie, a play, listening to music or in conversation with someone). Technology has taken over and I worry people will shut down emotionally - stop feeling. To feel is to be alive.

8. Notice. This is why I love the poet Mary Oliver. Take long walks and soak in the sound and sights of nature.

9. Pamper myself. I do this on a regular basis with by taking a bath. Yep, it's a simple treat. Don't have to drive anywhere or spend a lot of money.

I'm sure I could think of more lifelong resolutions, but itching to take a bath and then a nice long walk. What a great way to start the first day of the new year!

Christmas Time

2009-12-20T03:41:00.000-08:00

I experience all kinds of feelings during this holiday time of the year. On one hand, I'm disgusted with the correlation of Christmas and purchase of stuff. A few thoughtful gifts is one thing, but tons of crap is another. I don't mean to sound like Ebenezer Scrooge. It's just that I see so much junk in the stores and so many people running around like crazed animals hoarding all of this junk. People tend to be pushy and bitchy this time of year. What's up with that? I also tend to feel, like many individuals, a bit of sadness during this time of year. I feel sad for those individuals who experience what can be a huge financial burden . Parents who really can't afford much for their children for example. I know of a few people who lost loved ones during this time of year, which is supposed to be a time of joy. I too lost my mother at a young age a couple of months past Christmas.

Here's the flip side (I know, you were worried about me for a second there). There are a lot of things that I really love about this time of year, and what I think Christmas is really all about. I actually enjoy listening to Christmas music. Dare I say that I keep the Christmas radio station playing for the dogs when I leave the house? I also put Christmas tunes on in my car while driving to appointments or errands. This Sunday morning, I am listening to the Vienna Choir Boys. Christmas comes once a year, and so do the songs. I love Christmas lights. Lisa created an amazing display of lights in our yard as well as one tree that can be viewed from the street. I love pulling out the few Christmas decorations/ornaments and displaying them around the house. I often think about my mother and all the traditions she created around this time of year. These are great memories. TRADITIONS ..... so important and probably THE best thing about the holidays. I have fond memories of making Christmas sugar cookies around the kitchen table. We had all of the traditional old fashion cookie cutters, green, red, silver and multi colored sprinkles as well as cinnamon dots. My mother loved to sing. We'd often sing caroles by the piano. My sister used to play and the three of us would belt out a few songs. The whole family would go out and get a tree and spend hours decorating it .... unwrapping ornaments, each one having some sort of memory. I always hope to unwrap one of the "special" older ornaments which seemed like winning a prize or catching the gold ring on the carosel. All of these experiences before I turned 10. All wonderful and I feel lucky to have them. We don't usually remember the gifts we received, but the memories are unforgettable. Finally, I actually enjoy getting out in the hustle and bustle of Christmas time. The catch is that I can't go out there tired or hungry (hmmmm, sounds like some children I know who are dragged out with their parents).

This Christmas we will be traveling to spend 4 days with Lisa's parents. They've had a tough several years with health issues. Christmas will be quiet, however we look forward to making meals, helping around the house, providing company, conversation and bringing some joy to what has been a difficult time and situation. Isn't Christmas about that?

Merry Christmas. May you find the joy in singing, baking, decorating, comforting and loving.

Coaching the Coach

2009-12-06T13:33:00.000-08:00

I've often wondered what has happened with all of the former pro women that I used to race against regularly. For a good 8 years of my life I saw these women once or twice a month on the circuit of pro racing. I know some of them have had children and focused on building a family, a few have gone into coaching, however I don't know what most of them are doing now. Several if not all of of us had some kind of professional or educational background. For instance, I recall backgrounds in law, engineering, landscape design, computer science and medical research. Most had practiced their profession but then put it aside to race full time. I don't think many of the female pros in my genre are racing anymore. Again, I know a few have gone into coaching but I'm not sure how many coach and also still race like me. There was a period of time after my last race as a pro (2000 Olympic Trials) that I thought I was done with racing. I stepped away from racing for a good four years, sold most of my equipment and really did not do much but run for fitness. I completely moved into a different life, away from racing and training. However, I realized that being an athlete is part of who I am and I missed me!

I still race because I love it and am still learning about myself as an athlete. I have no answer to the question of how much longer I'll have the desire to race, but I'm sure either my body or my spirit will tell me. Racing also helps me be a better coach. I stay connected personally with the highs and lows of training on physical, mental and emotional level. I'm also making note of changes on all of those levels as I move through decades/phases of my life. On the plus side, I've matured as a competitor. Nothing really freaks me out at the start or during a race. I'm excited, motivated and tuned into the moment. I was not always like that and for most of my 20's and early 30's, I raced with a lot of doubt and that kept me from really reaching my full potential. I focused on how much it was going to hurt before the gun went off. Now, I have tuned into a nice combination of fun, excitement and competitive edginess that fuels me to go for it. I have no fear of going hard. The downside is that my body is aging and certainly is expressing that in tweaks and misalignments over the past year and a half. All with minimal training - trust me, I don't enjoy training for long hours. Look, I'm actually still quite young at 43, but I do feel changes and notice recovery really is key.

Recently, an athlete that I work with e-mailed me and asked if he'd be seeing me at the local Hot Chocolate Run 5k event. Unfortunately, I would miss running in it for the 2nd year in a row. I told him I was getting old wouldn't be running because of a few tweaky injury issues. He immediately wrote back with the following response:

"Your comment about getting old cracks me up. Here is what I tell [my son-in-law] every time he uses that comment: “I am 54 years old, I have cancer, and 4 years ago I was told I probably would be dead in 5 years. I started this type of training 2 years ago at the age of 52, and with Martha’s help, never felt better.” He then went on to say to me;
"The only difference between you and me is you don’t have a “Martha!!” I am very luck that I do"!

Well, that put me in my place on so many levels and justifies my point in past blogs about embrasing each day. You can't always plan your course. He's also right about needing a Martha. OKAY, I'll admit it! I need me! Sometimes I'm not a very good coach to myself. What would I tell myself during this trying period of not being able to run? Seems I have had no problem guiding others when they are held back from a certain course of training.

So, here is my pep talk to myself; "Martha, let's take some time a focus on swimming and strength. Enjoy your walks with the dogs, try to get some sleep (which you don't do well) to help in your recovery and know that eventually this will all be a blip in the screen. Trust what your body is telling you. Oh, and go ahead and have that glass of wine tonight"!

My workouts now are for sanity and clarity. Most of you who read this and are active understand what I'm talking about. Today, I went in for my morning strength session (20 minutes) and then a short swim (1500y). I'm keeping things short this week. So, I did my 1st major swim assessment of my training for the 2010 season. 800y timed. Not sure what got into me and perhaps I miss counted but I went faster than I have in years (since the late 90's) . Drills, strength work and some short speed, that's what I've been doing for the past few months. Go figure. Maybe this forced swim focus period will turn out to be a blessing. Just wait until get squeeze myself into my new Xterra skin suit! I may get a bit impatient, but I do always try to look for the silver lining ... and there is always one even though it might take a while for that "Aha" moment.

Cake

2009-11-23T16:15:00.000-08:00

I've been in a cake and pie phase for months now. I love having cake after dinner with a decaf coffee (as noted in a recent blog). Used to be that I would go for low fat ice cream, but lately it's cake. We don't keep cake in the house all the time, nor do I crave it every night. It's not like I can have cake on demand, nor would I want that because then cake night would not be special. Look, I don't have dessert every night. I'm a healthy eater, I make pretty good food choices and know when I can indulge and when not to. I don't obsess about food, but I REALLY enjoy it. Tonight however, I really wanted a piece of cake and a decaf. Is this a sign that I'm getting old? Anyway, we did not have cake in the house and there was no way that I was getting in my car and driving into town to buy some from the Big Y Bakery. Not in the mood for a cookie with milk or ice cream. So, I decided to scrounge up some ingredients and make a cake. Yes, Martha Stewart Grinnell is back! I am SOOOO NOT a baker, but I wanted cake and I was willing to go out on a limb and bake. So, I made one from scratch. We had flour, sugar, eggs and I found some Hersey's Chocolate Powder in the cabinet (didn't dare look at the expiration date) and off I went, making a Devil's Food Cake from a recipe that I found it the Better Homes Cookbook that I have had for years. Don't have the ingredients for any kind of icing, but I'm not a big fan of icing. Whipped cream from the can will have to do.

Cake just came out of the oven, decaf is brewing. I'll be back in a few to tell you about my dessert experience......

AWESOME!!!!!!!

Okay, this has nothing to do with my current cake obsession, I swear. I recently started reading a book that someone lent to me over the summer called "Eat Cake." It's a super light and fun read which is exactly what I have been in the mood for the past week or so. To be honest, my eyes are usually too tired to read and I often and easily become consumed in reading tri, running, cycling and health studies, articles, magazines etc. It's hard for me to "walk away from the area" of this subject because I do the bulk of my work at home. I receive TONS of information online and in the mail from ACSM, IDEA FITNESS and USAT. So, reading this book has been really fun and a way for me to feel like I am on a short little vacation each night.

The book is about a woman (Ruth) who's husband loses his job, their challenges of raising two teenagers as well as her elder parents who now live under the same roof. Her parents have been divorced for many years and only her mother had been living with them. However, her father who followed his passion of being a jazz/nightclub pianist, moves in because he broke both wrists and needed fulltime care. The story focuses around the family dysfunction and the dynamics of all of them trying to live under the same roof. The only thing that seems to bring a bit of calm to the chatter is when Ruth serves one of her homemade cakes. I'm halfway through the book, but it's quite predictable that Ruth will begin to turn into her passion of baking amazing cakes and perhaps be capable of supporting the family. I'm not sure of this, but it's going that way. Ruth's father keeps pushing her,and her husband, to focus on their passion.

Something to be said about following your passion. It can be a risky and scary move. I don't have any doubt in my mind that coaching is what I am supposed to be doing - I'm passionate about everything about it. No doubt. I'm happy when I'm coaching. I'm also happy when I'm moving, breathing hard, sweating, taking in the smells and sights when out for a run or bike. I have the most clarity after I workout which is why I get something in almost every day, first thing, even if it's a short bout. It's always clear to me when I meet someone who lives or nurtures his or her passion. I feel their passion in their body language, energy, facial expressions and tone.

I've been going through a bit of a tough time with my body in the past year. It's just not responding well to running or even cycling, and trust me, I'm not even doing that much. I'd really like to be able to focus on my training plan, but it's just not in the picture right now. A sign for me to once again, step back and ask my body what it needs. It's telling me it needs time, it's been out of whack and it's not going to let me move forward until I take good care of it (now it's my knee ... who knows why, but I'm working on it). I'm trying hard to listen to it and what it's telling me is, "Not yet Martha. Pull back more, drop any expectations and let go a bit longer."

No Hot Chocolate 5k run for me on December 5th, something I've been looking forward to doing. No Turkey Trot 6 miler with my brother. Bummer? Yep. However, I'm able to look at the big picture and still enjoy being in a "fitness mode" without "formally" training. I'm being very dilegent with my physical thereapy and my back is making progress. The tough part of all of this is that I can't feed my competitive urge. I love to compete and push hard. The good news is that I reap energy from working with the athletes I coach. I am taking time to enjoy the simple pleasures of life, like baking a cake! Once again, I take two steps back ..... hopefully when I am able to move forward, it will be for a while. Off to indulge in another small piece of my cake!

A Different Kind of Tire Change

2009-11-11T10:45:00.000-08:00

Lisa and I went to NJ recently to visit her parent's for four days. We did not bring bikes or swim gear as it was the start of a "down week" of training for us. Good thing because I caught a nasty cold and felt like someone had stuffed cotton in my head, gave me a sleeping pill and sent the boogerman to camp out in my nose. Just wiped out. I did pack running shoes, but have been taking some down time with that as well just to rest my knee a bit more. So, workouts were limited to walking the dogs and hitting the gym for some cross training and strength work. Totally getting into the strength workouts these days! We did have an adventure on some old beach cruiser bikes that were in her parent's garage. After dusting them off, raising the saddles and pumping up the tires, we were good to go for a ride! We headed out of the house and made our way onto a fairly busy road off of the highway. We had to cross over a large bridge in traffic to get to Ocean City and eventually the boardwalk (a good 3-3.5 miles from her parent's house). We must have been quite a sight on our beach bikes. We rode the boardwalk, stopped to buy some carmel candy popcorn (which fit nicely in the front basket of Lisa's bike) and rode back to her folks house. Probably only about 11 miles total. However it was a great ride on a fixed gear bike (that had no pedal cages) on a gorgeous 70 degree day! Purely recreational!

Often times when we head down to the Ocean City area, we fantasize about owning a beach home right on the shore or the bay. Personally, I like the bay. So, I asked Lisa if we could take a drive to the bay and look at some homes for fun (more fantasizing). We turned down one of the bay area streets, went to the end, took a right and checked out a few huge homes. We drove about .2mi to the end of the street and turned around. Upon turning around, we heard a thunk, thunk, thunk sound coming from the rear of the car. Could this be a flat tire? Yep, for sure. We bent over and examined it for a while. A razor looking type of object made it's way through the center of the tire and it deflated fast. Lisa had some kind of roadside assistance, but it was a gorgeous late afternoon and to be honest, neither of us had ever changed our own car tire before. We did not have on our usual tire changing attire like the woman in the picture above, but manged in workout clothes (me) and jeans (Lisa). I've always wondered if it was something that I could do. Kind of like the same feeling/question I had when I first started cycling. We decided to bag the roadside assistance and GO FOR IT in front of the 1.5-3 million dollar homes. Let me make note that no one came out to ask if we needed help. So, we rolled up our sleeves and Lisa took out the car maintenance booklet. We turned to the page that explained how to change the tire and off we went. I stood there reading each step out loud. Oh, to be a fly on the wall or a wealthy person sitting in the window of their home watching two women change a tire.

Step One: Remove the spare tire from underneath the car by putting the jack thingy into the rear hole just above the rear bumper. The jack thingy should hook into a spot just above the spare tire. This took us about 25 minutes to figure out. We, for the life of us, could NOT find the little slot that the jack thingy was suppose to hook in to. Eventually, we figured out that we were supposed to connect two jack thingies together to reach the slot.

Step Two: Lower the spare tire to the ground and release the chain from the center of the tire. This took us another 20 minutes because we could not figure out how to get the chain off of the tire. We got dirty and a little bitchy but I have to give us credit for not totally blowing up although we almost broke down and called roadside assistance. We kept our cool for the most part. We did not fight or file for divorce. So, 45 minutes into this and we still have not changed the tire yet and we were dirty.

Step 3: Raise the back of the car so the flat tire comes slightly off of the ground. A success! Up came the rear of the car and the rear tire.

Step 4: Loosen the nut bolts (piece of cake), take them off then remove the tire.

Step 5: Put on spare tire, then the nut bolts but do not tighten to max

Step 6: Lower the car back to the ground, tighten the bolts securely making sure to tighten them in an alternate manner.

That's it! We did it. Only took us about an hour and change (okay, a lot of change) to put on the spare tire on a quiet street in front of million dollar homes. We could have been one of their personal mechanics. We both felt a pretty darn good sense of accomplishment. HOWEVER, had it been on the side of a highway in sub 40 degree weather we'd be dialing road side assistance in 2 seconds flat (no pun intended)!

Could have, would have, should have.

2009-11-03T15:58:00.001-08:00

Last night I went to the local cycling and tri club meeting at the Northampton VFW (we go all out). I went to support the club and voice a brief update regarding the triathlon team. Seemed like a good amount of folks helped themselves to the free pizza and beer (especially the beer). I walked in with a travel mug of tea (was a bit run down) and felt a bit like a geek, but that feeling didn't last long after I saw how obnoxious a few gals became after putting a few down. I actually don't think they were part of the club but were friends, acquaintances or groupies of the guest speaker, Jeremy Powers.

I have to be honest, I never heard of Jeremy. Jeremy Powers is a world class cyclocross racer who grew up here in Western, Ma. He was recently ranked 15th in the world as of October. I really enjoyed listening to him speak and talk about some of the training and racing lessons he has learned. He's young ..... real young .... like 26. He's also really funny, outgoing, level headed and good natured. I actually told him that it was refreshing to see someone at the top of a sport present himself as a good role model. He's having the time of his life, traveling and racing all over the world. He's sponsored and making money in the sport. Good guy .... I liked him.

Listening to him speak reminded me so much of myself when I was racing at the pro level. I think I started to make a name for myself around his age. I remember all of the traveling ... New Zealand, Canada, England, Russia, Switzerland, Mexico, the Caribbean and of course all over the US. I remember going to week+ long training camps at the Olympic Training Centers in Colorado Springs and San Diego. I remember how awesome it was to come back home having won some prize money and maybe some extra bonus money from sponsors. It really wasn't much, I mean I think my biggest prize earnings came from a race that I won in Switzerland. I brought home $5,000 in cash and earned a few hundred more from Oakley sunglasses and a tad bit more from my clothing sponsor.

Someone asked Jeremy what his current ranking was in the sport. I think he said he was currently 23rd. I looked up the most recent rankings I could find and that is where I found his #15 ranking last month. Ahhh, yes ... the world rankings. Your ranking can change from week to week. I think the highest world ranking I achieved in triathlon lasted a weekend in which I was 6th because I had placed well in a couple of ITU (International Triathlon Union races which were world cup events). You had to do those races to achieve any kind of world ranking. Trust me, I was in the bottom of those rankings most of the time because I hated ITU racing and did very few of them. I was eating brunch a few days before the World Championship Triathlon in New Zealand back in 1994. I remember I had some kind of nagging injury that year (can't remember what however ... have to look back at my old logs). Anyway, I was having a tough year but still managed to have a good race at one of the two World Championship qualifiers, which got me to New Zealand. Anyway, the president of the ITU came up to me at the buffet table and asked me if "I was all washed up." I was devastated and mortified that he actually asked me this. I can't even remember my response as my confidence was already a bit low. I've never liked him since he made that comment. Turned out more salt was put into my wound after having a bad fall on my bike in the race (my only crash, ever on a bike). I still have two nice scars on my left shoulder and left wrist to remember that whole trip ... a constant reminder of a tough day! Hey, I did learn that I have thick skin as my wounds healed fast and well. I moved on.

Anyway, Jeremy really is in his element right now. He's in the moment, into his cycling and having a blast. I can't say that I had a blast. I hated traveling and all the planning that went into it. Packing my bike, praying it got to the race sight in one piece, figuring out what I was going to eat and where. Wondering what kind of host family would I'd be staying with during the days leading up to the race etc. I have to admit that the one thing I did like about the travel was the fact that I would totally crash when I got on the airplane. I guess I knew it was taper time and in a way, I had no choice but to rest. Kind of like I was going on a mini vacation. However, I usually missed being home, A LOT. Most folks who were close to me could tell you that. I still love being home .... always been a homebody which is why I'm amazed that I did travel so much. I wish I was more like Jeremy during my pro days. I think if I were to do it again with my current state of mind, things would be different. I'd probably enjoy a few more parties after the races, get to know some of my competitors a bit more, take in more of the sights, stay a day longer. I bet I would have raced a lot better.....

Still, no regrets and I'm certainly having fun racing now! You can find me in the beer tent after the race (just kidding .... sort of)! Never too late I suppose! KUDOS to Jeremy. I'll be keeping an eye out for him now that my eyes have been opened a bit more to the world of cyclocross racing.

Becoming Martha Stewart

2009-10-28T16:11:00.000-07:00

Good news! I've got my stride, form and feel back for running with NO achilles pain anymore. GOOOOOOODBYE EVIL VILLAIN (and this is putting it nicely). Completed 12 x 1 minute intervals at 10k effort yesterday and felt like a million bucks .... with the exception of my lower back and left medial knee. What is the deal with my body in the past year? I WILL NOT get old! So, now I've started long overdue physical therapy on my lower back in hopes of resolving the problem. I will admit, my back has been getting progressively worse over the past several years. Could it be my grandmother's gift to me? She had terrible back pain.

What's a gal to do that needs to move and keep busy. I am consumed by a world of coaching and activity .... and I LOVE it. Perhaps I need to step outside of the box and discover a new me (or maybe, the old me)! The person outside of the coach and athlete. After all, I used to play my guitar all of the time and sing in coffee houses during high school. I did sing in the acapella group. Music used to be a huge part of my life. Maybe I should go dust of my guitar or explore the artistic side of myself. I just need to take my mind off of my body for a while. I thought about exploring this side of myself again when I finally accepted that my triathlon season was not going to happen this past summer. Have to admit, it didn't happen. I decided to put my energy into cycling and get pummled in a few bike races. Now that was fun!

So, today I baked a pumpkin pie .... with the help of Libby's pre-made mix, two eggs, a can of evaporated milk and Stop and Shop's "ready to go" frozen pie crust. Looks pretty good in the pic, don't you agree? I've poured myself a glass of wine and am humming a tune as I research some of the local community art programs. Some options include:

Basket Making
Embroidery (I could embroider Lisa's initial's on all of her shirts)
Knitting (tried that before ... still working on the blanket I started 6 years ago which is totally uneven)
Wearable art (vests and jackets ... hmmmm, could I make one with my Dynamic Training Logo?)
Home Decor Sewing (this could be it!)
Gourd Crafting (oooooooo!)
Tatting (what is that anyway?)
Bead Weaving
The Art of Stamping
Doll Making (no way)
Slip Covers (not)
Cedar Strop Canoe Building (very cool ... can we make a bike?)
Quilting
Rug Hooking (I actually might like this)

Soooo many choices. I've got a lot of thinking to do. My mind is already distracted away from my aches and pains. Off to eat dinner and then my pumpkin pie with a decaf coffee! Feeling very Martha Stewart!